Remnants of the Horde:The Return of Zuregath

[Capellan]

As Wekerak leads the motley group of orcs back past the Mephits, he draws Frostbite to a halt,

"You wait here." he tells the orcs, then gestures at the mephits, "More troops to gather."

Spurring Frostbite lightly, he makes his way toward the two creatures, making sure to stay upwind of the flames.

"You!" he calls, "Who you serve?"

Frostbite tenses, ready to deliver a blast of cold if the answer is wrong.

 

[Uriel]

Durgo chuckles as the great Muragar spits, "It take more den Iron King to kill Krong. Good dat him alive and comes now. Zuregath no dead, only resting. Must find Shayman BIG-big," Durgo flexes his muscles, trying to emphasize how mighty the shayman he imagined would be, "to wake him up. Den all dis go away and we smash dem elfies once and for all!"

"But first," Durgo points toward the Castle, "we take back volcano.

Krong grins a snaggle-toothed Grin 'Dat why Durgo Gulguthan, him gots the big smarts.Him know wut ta do...'
The Ogre was known for not being the brightest torch in the cave, even among Ogres...loyal,though, to his Gulguthan and to Zuregath.

"You's gobbies, how long until you make way inside? Over, or under or through, Durgo no care.

One of the little yellow goblins steps forwards nervously and says 'Um...well,um...we could try and dig our way into one of the chambers underneath the Wall, or perhaps scale up the mountainside. ' He rubs his little pointed chin, shrugging ''Course, we could just go in through the ash vents as well...the Invaders probably dont even know about them. But...they do.' Pointing a bony finger at the Mephits, who, sensing all eyes upon them, stop poking at each other and stand at attention (sort of...), grinning at Durgo in a nervous manner, little flames shooting out of their ears.

"You's uder gobbies, you do good. No eat you's tonight. Now go out and find Durgo more."

The Goblin scouts release a deep breath that they had been keeping, quickly scrambling back up, falling over as they pull on boots and rebuckle on swords. Saluting quickly, they jog back out
into the Plains in all directions.

The Gulgathan gaze grows more pensive as he thinks back to another moment when it seemed the odds were so greatly stacked against them.


Durgo looks South where the red dragon had taken wing not so long ago. He couldn't remember anything else the dragon had said, but at least he remembered that much.

Ravarg had once told Durgo that dragons could hear for miles. That's why they had to sneak into the Gold one's lair starting at the river instead of the base of the mountain, adding a full day to the trek. Now he wonders if Ravarg's words were true...

"RULGIIR BLOODFANG!! ZUREGATH CALLS TO YOU!! [/QUOTE]

Long moments pass and Durgo hears nothing save the winds whipping across the slag festooned plateau and the distant sound of battle atop the walls.

Turning back to the gathered forces, he commands them to hold their banners higher, raises his great Maul and bellows to the sky, hoping the noise would be enough to draw more of the tattered army to him.

"FOR ZUREGAAAAAATH!!!"

For once, Durgo has cause to be happy, as the assembled Orcs,Goblins,Ogre and troll,mephits and even the big Fire giant take up the roar, accompanied by the baying of the Infernal Hounds, the sound echoing across the plateau.
"ZUREGAAAAATH!!!"


Kurg moves closer to Durgo, whispering 'Oh Great Captain, Scouts to find more troops, we have. Flying Scouts,perhaps?' the Gnoll points to the ten Gargoyles that had taken up roost upona big boulder (though they did add their gutteral scream to the call of the King's name).

 

[Uriel]

As Wekerak leads the motley group of orcs back past the Mephits, he draws Frostbite to a halt,

"You wait here." he tells the orcs, then gestures at the mephits, "More troops to gather."

Spurring Frostbite lightly, he makes his way toward the two creatures, making sure to stay upwind of the flames.

"You!" he calls, "Who you serve?"

Frostbite tenses, ready to deliver a blast of cold if the answer is wrong.

The mephits stop their fun, turning towards the Goblin and staring. One smiles a grin lined with teeth akin to small glowing coals and says in a voice laden with sorrow 'We serve the fallen King, Goblin. Zuregath, though he lies quenched beneath some lake, may his embers live on in Hell.' The Mephits shudder at the mention of quenched fires, as such a fate seems particularly horrid to them, and their emotion seems genuine, as Zuregath did ever favor his Mephits, while most other Iron kings used them merely for slave labor in their Forges.

 

[Velenne]

Durgo lowers his maul slowly, glowering at the gathered forces and finishing with an icy glare toward the Castle. He nods at Kurg's comment and points to the gargoyles.

"You gargs! We stay here for now, gather more strength. You's take a few banners, den find more Zuregath's banners flying and bring dem's here to Durgo."

Tromping over to the mephits, he glares down at the closest, "Tell Durgo about dese 'Ash Vents' now."

While the mephit speaks, Durgo watches the walls and tries to form his plan. The hoo-man would be out there somewhere as well, gathering forces and trying to find a way in of his own. If he came back before Durgo got into the Castle, they would confer. Otherwise, he would assume the little creature got eaten by the wandering inhabitants of the plain...

 

[Capellan]

"Zuregath's fire is low, but it is not quenched. It burns still." Wekerak leans forward, "You come with me, join Muragar Captain Durgo. We feed fires to an inferno."

 

[Uriel]

"Zuregath's fire is low, but it is not quenched. It burns still." Wekerak leans forward, "You come with me, join Muragar Captain Durgo. We feed fires to an inferno."

The Mephits confer for a moment and then turn towards Wekerak, nodding vogourously.

In a short time, the goblin Scout, his band of orcs and the Mephits are all back with Vespazian's Band...

 

[Uriel]

Durgo lowers his maul slowly, glowering at the gathered forces and finishing with an icy glare toward the Castle. He nods at Kurg's comment and points to the gargoyles.

"You gargs! We stay here for now, gather more strength. You's take a few banners, den find more Zuregath's banners flying and bring dem's here to Durgo."

The Gargoyles stretch their wings, taking banners from some of the soldiers upon the ground and lift into the air, scattering in all directions.

Tromping over to the mephits, he glares down at the closest, "Tell Durgo about dese 'Ash Vents' now."

The closest Mephitg grins and says in a voice like crackling tinder 'Vents open three times a day, every eight hours. High up the Mountain. Big, maybe not big enough for Fire Giant...or you. Big, though.Open for five minutes. Next time is...' It scratches it's flame-haired head 'Two hours, give or take, I think...

 

[Uriel]

OoC:It sure is fun to roll on my Chart...

IC

After another hour or so, the Goblins and Gargoyles return with their findings.


Goblin 1 does not return...

Goblin 2 returns with 9 Red Fist Orcs, including one that is a lesser Chieftain.

Goblin 3 returns with 7 Bugbears.

Goblin 4 returns with 7 more Gargoyles.

Goblin 5 does not return...

Goblin 6 returns wit 7 Hobgoblins from the Wall Garrison.

Goblin 7 returns with 8 more Goblins.

Gargoyle 1 returns, followed shortly by a single Gnoll.

Gargoyle 1 returns with another Fire Giant.

Gargoyle 2 returns with 19 Hobgoblins.

Gargoyle 3 does not return...

Gargoyle 4 does not return...

Gargoyle 5 returns, followed by 3 Gnolls on foot.

Gargoyle 6 returns, with a group of 5 Salamanders some ways behind it.

Gargoyle 7 returns with 5 Ogre Muragar. Tese look very glad to see Krong and Bargo, and even more so to see Durgo, whom they know by reputation.

Gargoyle 8 found 12 Goblins...

Gargoyle 9 found 3 more Gargoyles.As well, it describes Vespazian's Group, perhaps a mile off to the East. It told them where to come,back here...

Gargoyle 10 found 2 more Gnolls.

If the Mephit's assessment of the time is correct, then (after the Scouts returned this last tie), there is about an hour and a half until the Vents open. The closest vent is some quarter of a mile straight up the mountainside.
Getting there will be tricky <Climb DC 15, 3 Checks , followed by a DC 20 Climb Check to reach it>.
Of course, as Krug points out, the gargoyles could carry the smaller Soldiers.

There are a total of 18 Gargoyles now.

OoC: Tallying the troopers and going off to bed. Just got off of work.

 

[Uriel]

Vespazian's Band...

As you trudge across the ash covered plain, a shape in the sky becomes clearer as it rapidly approaches. Sroka grunts a command and a half dozen archers nock arrows, but hold upon his command.
As the form comes closer, it can clearly be seen to be a Gargolye, and the beast unfurls a lng and tattered Red Banner, depicting Zuregath's Dragon Symbol. Landing some 50 feet off, the creature approaches cautiously, eyeig one member of the band and then another. Finally, from about 30 feet away, it speaks 'Zuregath's Loyal. Gathering,West,Great Ogre Captain D'rgo plans on taking Castle...seeks all allies of Great Z'regath.' the Gargoyle points away to the Wast and then bows, spreading it's wings and taking flight once more, flying off to the East.

 

[Velenne]

Turning back to the goblin engineers, Durgo says, "You gobbies start making ropes for gargs to carry soldiers. Durgo has plan.

"Form ranks! You troll, stand here. Fire giants, stand over on uder side wif mephits. Mephits, Durgo catch you pointing at troll again, him smash you's brains in! Orcs and gargs, set up sentry. Hobs, put you's armor back on!!! Not time to eat yet! Gobbies, find Durgo more soldiers. Come back quick dis time, we go soon..."

Durgo would not wait much longer for the hoo-man to return. He did not like the idea of funneling their forces through some 'ash vent' but was less thrilled with controlling the numbers until the gobbies could blast their way under the walls. The hoo-man had the discipline and the smarts to pull off what the Gulgathan had in mind. If he would listen.