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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greppa of Tartwater" data-source="post: 985997" data-attributes="member: 10191">Trouble in ParadiseTrouble in ParadiseWe'd made it. We were in the middle of Broken Knuckle territory and we were going to climb Uggrahd and find out if our own gods were complicit in our suffering.  And, despite all the travel and angst, we knew weren't close to the end of the quest.We were escorted to a tent for the night. The guards who escorted us nodded respectfully and took up sentry positions outside of the tent. The three of us carefully looked at our supplies and started redistributing them. Basically, my things were divided between Bellos and Merideth because a starving cat was stronger than I.Having gotten the bulk of things taken care of, we set out our warmest clothing and were preparing for bed. The tent opened and we snapped to alertness. A stooped figure stepped out of the shadow of the doorway and into the warm glow of the lamplight."I apologize for interrupting."Our sight fell on the oldest orc we've ever seen. If Olgah was old, then this person was absolutely ancient. His age was riven is his features, yet he moved easily, if not too quickly and his eyes shone with a desperate uncertainty.Merideth and I had enough orc in us to reflexively bow before him. He was a very old orc and that was hideously rare (considering the ins and outs of orc life). What was more surprising was that his head was bowed, giving a distinct deference to us."I apologize for interrupting," he said again.Merideth found our manners, "Elder please come in. Our fire is yours."He nodded still unsure. Merideth rose and took the situation in hand and helped the oldster to a clear place to sit. Before him, Olgah had been the oldest tribal orc we'd ever met. Like her, this person was a shaman, or at least wore the trappings of a shaman. Curiosity ate at me, but I let him and Merideth exchange pleasantries until he was ready to talk.He started slowly, "Merideth says you intend to climb Uggrahd.""Yes senior," I replied carefully.Bellos, slightly baffled by our excessive politeness, nodded. "If you would have me, I would like to accompany you," He said. "I'm too old to climb by myself, but if I join your group, I think I can make it to council with the ancestors."He kept his eyes averted the entire time he spoke."You're a shaman," Bellos said carefully. "I thought you always had access to the ancestors."He shook his head, a great sadness bowing his words, "Ever since the chief came to power we speak less and less to the ancestors. It was once a rite of adulthood to climb Uggrahd and be blessed by the ancestors' wisdom. Now we don't send our children to the mountain. They are sent to war and if they return they are considered adults. The new generation of shamans decry the ways of the tribe and embrace Olgah's new way. I am one of the few living Broken Knuckle who has climbed Uggrahd. Now no one goes to the mountain. The ancestors are treated more like legends and we stray without their guidance."The request shocked us, the reason shocked us even more. We didn't/couldn't say anything for several moments.A shuddering breath escaped him, "I know, I am old." He sighed. "If you do not want me, perhaps my apprentice could go with you.""Elder," I said, "we would be honored to have you accompany us."He was still talking about him being old and us wanting someone younger. I had to scamper to him."Elder, we would be honored if you would accompany us."His shoulders seemed to regain some lift, "Truly?"Bellos looked like he was about to object, but Merideth scowled at him so blackly that the words died."Truly. Everyone thinks we're going to die anyway, we'd only be enriched by your presence," I said. He was almost breathless with appreciation, "I, I must go get ready. I'll make the necessary preparations and meet you in the morning at the ceremony."We nodded and he rose to leave."Elder," Bellos said. "What should we call you?""Oh, my name is Ffutkuhg."We bid him farewell. Bellos, however, wasn't ready to get to sleep."What was that all about?" He asked, "Why are we taking him along?""He's been there already," I said. "Plus, he has a vested interest in getting to the mountain. If he could have gotten to the top of the mountain alone, he would have.""What's more telling," Merideth added,"is that someone of his stature couldn't get anyone to come with him to visit their own ancestors."Bellos was silent at that, "It's a schism. The chieftain, isn't so much a chief as some sort of warlord."We all nodded, thinking. "And he's managed to separate his people from their native 'gods,'" I said. "Putting them on a different path."We decided not to ponder what it all meant. However it did bear out some of what Belial told us. We bedded down. We'd be up at dawn and needed to be fully rested. Bellos snuffed the light and the tent was silent. Then Bellos laughed."What's so funny?" Merideth asked, sleep creeping about her voice.Bellos kept laughing but he managed to get himself under control, "I thought about Ffutkuhg and I realized," he laughed again, "what his name means."He was still too amused to talk coherently, so we waited.Finally Bellos finished,"His name means 'gambles with death.'"Merideth started cursing.</blockquote>

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