Cyronax
Explorer
Session I (Part V)
September 17th, 407 MY
Gareth was the first to arrive at Cutter’s, followed closely by Li Hai. Both men seemed annoyed with one another, but they now had a common goal and for expediency’s sake, both needed as much help as they could get.
As they entered the common room, they saw a few peasants, all sitting at two round tables situated next to the open front door and windows facing the square. They were eating meager fare for lunch. The only other person in the room was sleeping Gorbag who was sprawled in the corner next to the dormant fireplace with his bastard sword cradled in his massive arms.
As they were coming to the bar, Merin walked out kitchen, greeted them warmly, and then took a lunch order from each of them in turn. She then returned to the kitchen. Li Hai seated himself at the bar, putting his crossbow on the seat to his left. Gareth walked over to Gorbag and began to lightly shake the orc’s shoulder.
An astonished Li Hai exclaimed, “What are you doing? Do you know him?”
Gareth, with a knowing smile, answered, “We were introduced when you were trying to gain an audience with the Abbot. This orc, Gorbag is his name, is really a charming fel-“
Gorbag woke up cutting off the Mytherian, as he quickly stood up with a confused look on his face. He looked down at Gareth for a few moments until he finally recognized the young noble, and then said, “Hi. You back?”
“Yes I am, and I see that Master Cutter didn’t tend to you wounds. We’ll have to talk to him about that later, but first I’d like to introduce you to an associate of mine.”
Gareth led Gorbag by the shoulder over to Li Hai and said, “Gorbag meet Li Hai.”
“Hi. I Gorbag.”
Li Hai’s face was unreadable, but Gareth thought he saw the Halthyte’s left eye twitch slightly. After a moment or two Li Hai finally answered, “It’s nice to meet you….uh Gorbag.”
“Gorbag here has agreed to accompany me in my search for the missing caravan. He’s my bodyguard, aren’t you Gorbag?”
“Bah dee gaard?” the orc asked.
“You come with me remember? And guard me? I give you lots of food and we be great friends. Remember?” said Gareth slowly.
“Oh yeah, must’ve forgot.”
Li Hai pulled Gareth aside, and asked the noble, “I’m not sure it’s wise to travel with a savage orc like him. I’ve heard that they’re really unstable. I mean, look at him, he’s barely aware of his surroundings or the fact that he has open wounds! Are you telling me that you are trying to pass him off as your manservant or something? ”
“I can vouch for him Li Hai, but if you really don’t need a warrior as strong me or Gorbag, I understand. You probably can manage on your own I suppose.” said Gareth, with a restored confidence.
“Feh, quit that kind of wordplay okay? I agree that it’s a bit too dangerous to go into the woods without enough manpower, but I still have reservations about that orc.” Li Hai looked over at Gorbag and saw that the huge man was still standing in the exact place he’d left him, and it looked like the orc was still stuck on the word “bodyguard.”
Gareth said, “Well Li Hai, I’ve dealt with orcs like him before, and I know…”
“You? You’ve dealt with...”
Gareth cut in and said, “Yes! See here, it’s a simple matter really; much like dealing with a mercenary warrior, or any inferior for that matter,” the nobleman then whispered to Li Hai, “Everybody has a price.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” and with that he walked over to the orc. As Li Hai came over, his face contorted into a smile even as his eyes seemed to eye Gorbag as if he was a lamb to the slaughter. “So Gorbag, if you want to come with us, I think that it’s a good idea, but you have to agree to some ground rules okay?”
“Huh?” The orc said.
Gareth came up beside Li Hai, and said, “Li Hai wants some assurances. Uh..….. he wants you to do what I tell you okay?”
“Okay.”
“Wait! No, Gareth you know I meant, I meant to tell him…….,” Li Hai trailed off for a second, but then looked up at the huge orc and said with a determined look on his face, “Gorbag if you come with us, you have to….”
“I know I know!!! I do what GARETH says me to do!” the orc, proclaimed loudly, and then he looked to Gareth, and asked with a surprisingly deferential tone, “Please, I wans beer!”
“Oh course my good man! Merin, could you please bring Master Gorbag a beer?” Gareth asked the young woman who was just now bringing out two plates of chicken and potato for the companions.
Li Hai looked at Gareth and then at Gorbag and just shook his head in annoyance.
Gareth and Li Hai ate their meals in silence. After they were done with lunch, Gareth told Li Hai that he was going to take Gorbag to the blacksmith so that he could get the orc’s armor repaired. He also wanted to buy the orc a scabbard for his sword.
Li Hai just nodded and told Gareth to be ready to go at sunrise tomorrow morning, and with that Gareth led Gorbag out of the inn. Li Hai quietly chatted with Merin, he still was interested in all she could tell him about the local history of Cherry Knoll and also any rumors she thought important.
-------------
It was probably a few hours before sundown, and Kelec was sweating as always. His black beard was a liability in this heat, and the thick frock and dingy leather armor he usually wore were uncomfortably constrictive in this heat.
The dwarf and the wolf, the same that had guided him this far east, had left the wolf pack a little less than two hours ago, and they were just now coming to the clearing the Cherry Knoll was found in. The first thing they saw as they broke through the last of the underbrush at the forest’s edge was a small, inviting pond.
The pond was a little over hundred yards from the village square and was fed by a small stream that originated from the hill that the Abbey was on. In between the pond and the village square, several huts lay scattered about, and the dwarf saw a few miserable peasants working in their gardens or tending to livestock.
Oblivious to the peasant farmers, the dwarf, without any shred of modesty, yanked off his frock, dropped his club and backpack to the ground, all the while pulling off his aged armor. He almost tripped himself in the process.
Naked, and now little more than a ball of matted hair and dirt, Kelec let out a hearty cheer and hurled himself into the pond. The wolf just sat on its haunches and waited, as his companion happily washed the sweat off his body. After only a few minutes, Kelec seemed refreshed. He let out contented grunt, and got out of the pool.
The day was so hot, that the dwarf decided against putting his armor back on, and simply put the armor in his backpack.
The peasants whose fields he crossed said nothing to the strange dwarf, who, dressed only in his homespun frock, walked confidently beside a mangy, wild wolf towards the village square of Cherry Knoll.
September 17th, 407 MY
Gareth was the first to arrive at Cutter’s, followed closely by Li Hai. Both men seemed annoyed with one another, but they now had a common goal and for expediency’s sake, both needed as much help as they could get.
As they entered the common room, they saw a few peasants, all sitting at two round tables situated next to the open front door and windows facing the square. They were eating meager fare for lunch. The only other person in the room was sleeping Gorbag who was sprawled in the corner next to the dormant fireplace with his bastard sword cradled in his massive arms.
As they were coming to the bar, Merin walked out kitchen, greeted them warmly, and then took a lunch order from each of them in turn. She then returned to the kitchen. Li Hai seated himself at the bar, putting his crossbow on the seat to his left. Gareth walked over to Gorbag and began to lightly shake the orc’s shoulder.
An astonished Li Hai exclaimed, “What are you doing? Do you know him?”
Gareth, with a knowing smile, answered, “We were introduced when you were trying to gain an audience with the Abbot. This orc, Gorbag is his name, is really a charming fel-“
Gorbag woke up cutting off the Mytherian, as he quickly stood up with a confused look on his face. He looked down at Gareth for a few moments until he finally recognized the young noble, and then said, “Hi. You back?”
“Yes I am, and I see that Master Cutter didn’t tend to you wounds. We’ll have to talk to him about that later, but first I’d like to introduce you to an associate of mine.”
Gareth led Gorbag by the shoulder over to Li Hai and said, “Gorbag meet Li Hai.”
“Hi. I Gorbag.”
Li Hai’s face was unreadable, but Gareth thought he saw the Halthyte’s left eye twitch slightly. After a moment or two Li Hai finally answered, “It’s nice to meet you….uh Gorbag.”
“Gorbag here has agreed to accompany me in my search for the missing caravan. He’s my bodyguard, aren’t you Gorbag?”
“Bah dee gaard?” the orc asked.
“You come with me remember? And guard me? I give you lots of food and we be great friends. Remember?” said Gareth slowly.
“Oh yeah, must’ve forgot.”
Li Hai pulled Gareth aside, and asked the noble, “I’m not sure it’s wise to travel with a savage orc like him. I’ve heard that they’re really unstable. I mean, look at him, he’s barely aware of his surroundings or the fact that he has open wounds! Are you telling me that you are trying to pass him off as your manservant or something? ”
“I can vouch for him Li Hai, but if you really don’t need a warrior as strong me or Gorbag, I understand. You probably can manage on your own I suppose.” said Gareth, with a restored confidence.
“Feh, quit that kind of wordplay okay? I agree that it’s a bit too dangerous to go into the woods without enough manpower, but I still have reservations about that orc.” Li Hai looked over at Gorbag and saw that the huge man was still standing in the exact place he’d left him, and it looked like the orc was still stuck on the word “bodyguard.”
Gareth said, “Well Li Hai, I’ve dealt with orcs like him before, and I know…”
“You? You’ve dealt with...”
Gareth cut in and said, “Yes! See here, it’s a simple matter really; much like dealing with a mercenary warrior, or any inferior for that matter,” the nobleman then whispered to Li Hai, “Everybody has a price.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” and with that he walked over to the orc. As Li Hai came over, his face contorted into a smile even as his eyes seemed to eye Gorbag as if he was a lamb to the slaughter. “So Gorbag, if you want to come with us, I think that it’s a good idea, but you have to agree to some ground rules okay?”
“Huh?” The orc said.
Gareth came up beside Li Hai, and said, “Li Hai wants some assurances. Uh..….. he wants you to do what I tell you okay?”
“Okay.”
“Wait! No, Gareth you know I meant, I meant to tell him…….,” Li Hai trailed off for a second, but then looked up at the huge orc and said with a determined look on his face, “Gorbag if you come with us, you have to….”
“I know I know!!! I do what GARETH says me to do!” the orc, proclaimed loudly, and then he looked to Gareth, and asked with a surprisingly deferential tone, “Please, I wans beer!”
“Oh course my good man! Merin, could you please bring Master Gorbag a beer?” Gareth asked the young woman who was just now bringing out two plates of chicken and potato for the companions.
Li Hai looked at Gareth and then at Gorbag and just shook his head in annoyance.
Gareth and Li Hai ate their meals in silence. After they were done with lunch, Gareth told Li Hai that he was going to take Gorbag to the blacksmith so that he could get the orc’s armor repaired. He also wanted to buy the orc a scabbard for his sword.
Li Hai just nodded and told Gareth to be ready to go at sunrise tomorrow morning, and with that Gareth led Gorbag out of the inn. Li Hai quietly chatted with Merin, he still was interested in all she could tell him about the local history of Cherry Knoll and also any rumors she thought important.
-------------
It was probably a few hours before sundown, and Kelec was sweating as always. His black beard was a liability in this heat, and the thick frock and dingy leather armor he usually wore were uncomfortably constrictive in this heat.
The dwarf and the wolf, the same that had guided him this far east, had left the wolf pack a little less than two hours ago, and they were just now coming to the clearing the Cherry Knoll was found in. The first thing they saw as they broke through the last of the underbrush at the forest’s edge was a small, inviting pond.
The pond was a little over hundred yards from the village square and was fed by a small stream that originated from the hill that the Abbey was on. In between the pond and the village square, several huts lay scattered about, and the dwarf saw a few miserable peasants working in their gardens or tending to livestock.
Oblivious to the peasant farmers, the dwarf, without any shred of modesty, yanked off his frock, dropped his club and backpack to the ground, all the while pulling off his aged armor. He almost tripped himself in the process.
Naked, and now little more than a ball of matted hair and dirt, Kelec let out a hearty cheer and hurled himself into the pond. The wolf just sat on its haunches and waited, as his companion happily washed the sweat off his body. After only a few minutes, Kelec seemed refreshed. He let out contented grunt, and got out of the pool.
The day was so hot, that the dwarf decided against putting his armor back on, and simply put the armor in his backpack.
The peasants whose fields he crossed said nothing to the strange dwarf, who, dressed only in his homespun frock, walked confidently beside a mangy, wild wolf towards the village square of Cherry Knoll.
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) , 1 problem set, and a presentation. Thinking back to one of the opening verses of Steely Dan's My Old School.....
