Storms of Change [IC]

[silentspace]

Devan and Filbert fill Darien in on the situation. You barely make out Darien saying something under his breath. Sounded sort of like “Crap, it’s a whole squad of ‘em! What are they playing at?”

A closer look at the lizards confirms your earlier suspicions. These are fierce fighting animals. Like your own mounts, these animals show little nervousness or fear, and many of them bear battle scars on their hides.

As it is, these sixteen alone look like a very serious threat to the caravan, not to mention your lives. And there could be more, even. If they were to leave to tell their fellow orcs about the caravan, and came back with a whole orc band, you get the feeling the caravan would be slaughtered.

There’s also the chance that these orcs are just travelers, like they claim. You’re not sure what an armed orc squad would be ‘traveling’ for, though.

When Zanock mentions the human’s music the orcs laugh loudly. Rangark’s tusked mouth widens in a grin. In orcish, Rangark speaks. “You strong warrior! These humans have fighting spirit like orcs you say? Yes, many humans brave in group, but alone all weak and puny!” The other orcs laugh. “Join with Rangark, and you get much battle! Make strong stronger! And when new world come, be part! Orcs will have power! No more hunted by human armies! We rule with human! But not those humans you with. Those humans all slaughter! Join with Rangark! Or if not join, then be spy! You mix with human, maybe find out human’s secrets! Rangark pay! Be Rangark’s agent! Join Rangark!”

The orcs don’t seem concerned at all about Zanock’s falchion. Many of them are nodding at him in a gesture of brotherhood. You don’t think they’ll feel the same way about anyone else (who’s not an orc) holding a weapon though.

Rangark turns back to Devan. Zanock said he wasn’t his leader, but Rangark still seems to assume Devan is everyone else’s leader. “Good! You let us pass! Now move aside for travelers! Then we pass when we ready!”

 

[silentspace]

Elsewhere/elsewhen in the Duchy…

Aronai sat before the Druid Elders. What did he do now, he wondered? Seems like they thought being a druid was like being a dryad or something, stuck to one tree all your life! What did they have against travel? Sure, he understood there were many dangers about in the Duchy today, but what was the point of being a druid if you didn’t get to see more of nature? The Druid Elders looked at him disapprovingly. Aronai wondered what they were going to say to him this time. That was when the rider appeared. She went up to the Druid Elders, conferring with them. The Elders nodded, and pointed at Aronai! Bowing to the Elders, the rider approached Aronai with a message scroll.

--

Aronai waited by the side of the road. This was the day the caravan was supposed to come. Finally, he saw it approaching in the distance, through the rain and mist. Just as the caravan reached him, it came to a stop. They didn’t have to stop for me, Aronai thinks! He approaches the guards, who tell him he should speak to Darien, who’s just ridden to the back of the caravan, with the rear guard. As Aronai arrives in the back, he just barely spots a dwarf hiding behind the last wagon! Passing by him, he sees a group of orcs facing a mixed group of humans, with a gnome, a halfling, an elf, and another orc thrown in! Quite an unusual group. Was this the rear guard? And who was Darien? That could be anyone. Maybe the orc. He seemed to be in negotiations of some sort with the other orcs. Aronai was just behind the orc, and next to a mounted woman who was holding her hood tightly about her face, no doubt to keep the rain out.

 

[Seonaid]

Rowyn shrugs mentally, and smiles at the orcs. She is not suspicious of the group, but she readies an action to grab her crossbow and fire at the nearest threat if the situation should get ugly. I hope Zanock is telling them we're okay! she thinks.

 

[Dimwhit]

Aronai is quite taken with the variety of the group. He turns to the lady on the horse next to him and, in a voice soft enough to not disturb the meeting in front, asks, "Excuse me, Lady, but would you mind pointing out Darien? Or have I come at a bad time?" He looks at the group with interest, curious as to what it going on.

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita Sparrow

Manzanita glances at the newcomer, her eyesbrows knit with concentration. "Yes, it is a bad time. Stand your ground stranger, and be prepared to defend you life if these orcs turn out to be hostile."

 

[Someone]

S**t! are these orcs going to pass or are playing with us? thinks Dunathar from his hiding place.

 

[Dimwhit]

Aronai takes in the scene and sits patiently, preparing himself in case a melee breaks out and hoping one doesn't.

 

[silentspace]

For most of you, this is the first time you’ve heard Orcish spoken by an actual orc. Those who have studied the language find the harsh, gutteral sounds difficult to understand, despite your studies.

Aronai stares at the lizards the orcs are riding. He knows from his studies of nature that there are many creatures in this vast world, and that only a few, relatively speaking, are found in the Duchy of Rogan. He tries to identify the lizards and recollect anything he can about them. He's unable to.

As the second group of orcs get closer, you notice one orc in the center. Unlike the other orcs, who are wearing black cloaks over their armor and plain helmets on their heads, this one is wearing a gigantic, oversized poncho that covers him completely, and much of his riding lizard as well. On his head he wears a black wide-brimmed hat.

 

[Thels]

"You ask me to be a spy, yet you tell me these humans are slaughter! Now what good would a spy do with a bunch of dead bodies, tell me?"

Zanock takes a moment to eye the newcomer warily.

OOC: Would Zanock have any impression on who would win when the Orcs present would fight Darien and his group? Who would be the stronger group?

 

[silentspace]

Rangark answers Zanock in Orcish. “Haha! we not slaughter these humans! Not worth effort. And cannot carry loot. Loot end up with bandit or hobgoblin. Why do work for hobgoblin? Combat good, but combat better with loot! No, slaughter caravan is waste! Hobgoblin do own work! Or if not hobgoblin slaughter, Rangark not care! When new world come, these humans slaves like pigs! Orcs become master with other humans.”

“But you different orc! You mix with human and elf and others! You tell Rangark about what sneaky humans doing. You help make new world! You help orcs have power! Rangark not care about caravan! Nothing to spy here! Spy other things, not caravan!” Rangark laughs loudly.

The second eight orcs stop about fifty feet behind the first eight. Rangark moves back to confer with the orc in the big poncho in whispered tones.

In the distance, beyond the second group of orcs, you just barely make out what looks like another group of orcs. You're not sure how many. They've stopped there, about fifty feet behind the second group, just at the limit of your vision.

Zanock eyes the orcs carefully. He knows that looks can be deceiving, but from what he can see, these orcs are not that much different than the ones in his tribe. Most of them look like standard orc warriors. A few of them look like first level elites. Rangark looks much tougher than the orc sergeants in Zanock’s village. Zanock can’t tell anything at all about the one in the poncho. Based on numbers alone, Zanock thinks this might not be the best fight to pick.

After speaking with the poncho-clad orc, Rangark returns to speak to Zanock again in orcish “If you want work for Rangark, quit caravan at Carodan. Go one hour north of gate on Sixth Day.

(The day is now Fourth Day, Fire Week, Sheep Moon. You expect to be arriving in Carodan tomorrow evening, on Fifth Day. You assume someone will be meeting you that night, at The Slashing Sword. The last day of the week, Sixth Day, is mostly thought of as a day of rest. Few shops are open on that day.)

Turning to the others, he says, in common “You move now! We travelers, let pass! No more block road!” To the non-orcs, it looks like Rangark is glaring angrily. To Zanock, he has an expectant look on his face, like he's only waiting for you to move aside so they can pass.