Midnight RPG - Chapter 22.411

PRIOR TO THE BLUFF

None of you like to hear the old beast weave his words. Even his master Zal'Kazzir can barely stand hearing him talk now and then. But this story... this tale of "the Bluff" was one that no one seemed to yell "SHUT UP!" at him for... The little outsider has been to the Bluff. At least that's what it seems like from his words. Along the trip across the southern Plains of Ash and Blood - nearing the plains of grass where the thousands of Orcs camp the old beast began a story...

"Let me tell you young masters, the tale of the times that come about in the city on the lower coast of the Pellurian. It's a tale telling of the troubled town.

The harbor bell rang with grim solemnity in the Stone Docks. The early morning mist swirled inquisitively about the last of the fishing boats heading for the open sea. A group of burly men stood in glowering silence on the pier, awaiting the arrival of the Carrion Wind out of Highwall. The creaking of ropes and rhythmic slapping of water on timber were the first signs of its approach, followed shortly by the appearance of the hulking black mass of the three-masted troop carrier. As the ship passed the seawall, the men on the docks erupted into a flurry of activity, preparing to bring the ship into berth. At the seawall, the cloud of gulls that had been following the ship wheeled suddenly and dispersed into the mist-shrouded horizon. Their strange behavior served only to highlight the absence of birds on the dockside.

As soon as the laborers tied off the ship, the planks were thrown roughly down and the dark shapes crowding the gangway resolved themselves into the brutish forms of orcs clad in black chain and carrying the large jagged blades of their kind. With a roar, the towering beasts charged down the boards and onto the quayside, snarling and howling at the terrified onlookers. There was a hollow ring to this fearsome bluster, and as the orcs moved swiftly away from the water’s edge, several cast nervous glances at it and the creaking vessel that had carried them for a week across the wide Pelluria. Following after his troops, a much larger member of the species stopped in the gangway, sneering at the sprawling human city rising above him. There was no trace of fear in the oruk’s manner, but his temper was as foul as his troops’. When a young lad stumbled under the weight of his load, dropping a crate that promptly fell into the water and sunk quickly from sight, the commander found an object on which to vent his irritation. The sickening sound of metal parting flesh and shattering bone reverberated around the dock. Silence rushed into the frozen tableau that followed, but the oruk merely grinned at the grim-faced humans and spat on his victim’s body."

Move on, ya laggards, before I start givin’ you some! The oruk bellowed to his orcs as he kicked the headless corpse into the water lapping at the quayside.

"Legate Idis sipped from a gem-encrusted chalice wrought of gold. The fine wine was a piquant accompaniment to the screams of the oruk dangling in chains before him. This last had been particularly shrill and drawn out; the cold smile of the mistress of mercies told him that the show had at last come to an end. Idis was impressed with his endurance. The savage had survived a week under the mistress’s tender ministrations. Ah! Fine wine and such sweet entertainment, he thought. Of course, he hadn’t needed to torture the oruk; the populace would have been appeased by a simple execution. But then, one must take one’s pleasures as one can."

Orf, take this…
Idis idly waved his hand towards the mass of raw, bleeding flesh that had been Commander Turrz,
...thing away. Hang it from the Weirhold Gate. Let his carcass serve as warning to the others that the status quo will not be threatened.
Yawning, the legate left the subterranean room, his black robes dragging in the pooling blood upon the floor, leaving a glistening streak in his wake.

Balal looked up to see how the group took his story, his skin chapped and burned from the ashen wind. Personally, he couldn't wait to get there - it sounds like fun!

NOTE

I'd like to start any conversations during travel. I'll start posting in descriptions of the travel. However, I believe Bill noted that you might reconsider going back through the Plains of Ash and Blood. Can we go back INTO character to discuss and finalize HOW you're getting North? Feel free to talk to any NPCs here as well. Thanks.

A time for Decisions

Zal'Kazzir

*Ash-covered and haggard looking, Zal'Kazzir turns to Belal and begins to speak*

"No matter how fun Baden's Bluff may or may not be, our task at present is to survive the journey, and to arrive fit enough to be effective when we get there."

*Turning back to the group, Zal begins to draw a crude map in the ash with his stick as he continues

"Personally, I am of two minds; the part of me that is a father wants to head straight for the road, and press on with all haste."

*Zal'Kazzir points to the road, then makes a quick motion north

"However, I realize that the arrows render such a plan risky at best, and likely much worse. If the road is denied to us,"

*Zal'Kazzir scratches a slash across the road of ruin*

"then my interest in is the fastest possible route, and that seems to be the difficult journey through the plains. Even if our overall movement is slower, and the journey harder than navigating the grasslands, there is a good chance we can pass most of the way to the Bluff completely unmolested by shadow forces. Also, if we choose the plains, we can make a direct line toward our destination,

*Zal makes a steady furrow through the plains, towards Baden's Bluff*

rather that being forced to constantly detour around patrols, camps and other elf-hostile areas that we cannot safely cross."

*Zal traces a swerving, evasive path through the grasslands, much longer than the one he drew throught he plains*

"However my friends, my understanding of these things is limited. I do not know the endurance of the elf-steeds, nor am I aware of what awaits us in the deep plains. What are your opnions?"

Durgaz

"I agree. The plains do not make for pleasant travel, but it is precisely that which makes it the safest choice. No patrols will needlessly veer into this place. With these plants, we will have food and shelter, and the only danger the wastes pose to us will be the heat and ash itself, both of which we can prepare for. I think this is our best option.

"We might be able to travel all the way along the Road of Ruin and encounter no dangers at all, or send Nisse ahead to scout such that we might leave the road long before encountering them. That might take a few days off our traveling time. It is a risk, though, and I don't like risks. My vote is still for the Plains of Ash and Blood."

Kevin: That might be a Knowledge: Shadow or Profession: Soldier check to find out exactly what sort of things we'd be most likely to encounter on the Road of Ruin. Goblins? Uruk? Trolls?

Eranon

"I agree, with these plants that we have found, I think we will be much better served to move through the Plains. I cannot speak much to our speed, but I think it will be the safer route. We have already experienced some of what the plains have for us. I think if we were to prepare for our journey, we would be alright. This may involve venturing onto the grasslands for a day to hunt, gather water, and guard ourselves against the ash and heat."

Kevin: Can I get a Survival check to see what precautions might be necessary, assuming that the conditions will be similar to what we have experienced, but worse?

"Mi'Shun, what do you think we may be able to do to protect ourselves?"

"Aditionally, we have two other issues to deal with. First, we must cross another large river, and we cannot count on encountering another giant. There is a trick hidden in that staff we have that will allow us to coax Aryth into helping us, but would require great energy from Kuyad, Zal'Kazzir and myself as well as several days. We also may be able to cut over to that large road, but it makes me very nervous."

"Also, we need to discuss weather we Should cut to the East or the West of that road once we are clear of the plains. Mi'Shun, what rumors do you know of the Darkening wood?"

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PORTAL  |  THE SOUTHIES  |  DURGAZ  |  ERANON  |  ZAL'KAZZIR  |  KYUAD / Bill