Chapter 17 - Delve Deux into the Orcless Orc Stronghold

[tkrexx]

Momentarily foiled, Hyde furrows his brow and shakes the Orc so that it's teeth rattle. Why do I gotta kill ya? Your boss prob'ly gonna do that for me, yeahh, for bein' so stupid ya got caught. How many more Orcs be down there, hah? And where you get this fancy arma? Speak up!

I kind of doubt Hyde would torture even an Orc. Slap him around, yeah, chop off his head, sure, but not torture.

[onlyme]

I think we should probably kill the snake while we can as well, before it can really fight back.

[Zhym]

Angus would have problems with torture. He's more in favor of offering to let the orc live in exchange for information, then honoring the deal. Good cop to Hyde's bad cop, sort of thing. But at this point, it might just be best to kill the orc and move on.

I think we should probably kill the snake while we can as well, before it can really fight back.

I thought AleBelly was telling us it wouldn't be that easy—if we attacked the snake, it could stop chowing down quick enough to fight back, and it still has a tail it could fight with. I'm not against fighting it, but it's not an easy kill.

[enn.in.me]

Yenny is also strongly against torturing the orc, and has made her feelings clear, I think. She has, however, conveniently absented herself from the goings on... Not sure why the snake has to be killed--seems we can go around it, and it is as dangerous to others as us. Perhaps we could befriend it by bringing it lots of food--or at least make it super sleepy, maybe for a few days.

[onlyme]

Angus would have problems with torture. He's more in favor of offering to let the orc live in exchange for information, then honoring the deal. Good cop to Hyde's bad cop, sort of thing. But at this point, it might just be best to kill the orc and move on.

I think we should probably kill the snake while we can as well, before it can really fight back.

I thought AleBelly was telling us it wouldn't be that easy—if we attacked the snake, it could stop chowing down quick enough to fight back, and it still has a tail it could fight with. I'm not against fighting it, but it's not an easy kill.

uggh. I read on phone in passing and it looked like it was almost ready to attack, as in kill it now before it finishes. Oh well.
on to the next room,I guess.

[Zhym]

Angus holds a hand up to Hyde. "Stop bashin' his head. That ain't us."

He helps the orc to its feet. "You got yourself a choice," he tells it. "One, tell us who and what's down there and tell us about the layout, and we'll let you live. Hell, you can even run off and tell people we're here; ain't like we're surprising anyone anyhow. Of course, if you do that, we might have to kill you in battle. Or two, we kill you now, quick and clean-like. Your choice." The ranger holds Ilfrien's sword ready as he waits for the orc's answer.

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

He nods, feeling the telepathic tug on his mind
"yes! Yes! This way! SOPHOMORE!" he calls out moving quickly to the door and looking into the gloom.

[tkrexx]

Stop bashin' his head. That ain't us.

Hyde ceases his abuse to the captive Orc immediately, but gives the creature one last glower of power before dropping it at Angus' feet. He turns his back and slowly stalks away, quietly sheathing his great dirk.

"You got yourself a choice," he tells it. "One, tell us who and what's down there and tell us about the layout, and we'll let you live. Hell, you can even run off and tell people we're here; ain't like we're surprising anyone anyhow. Of course, if you do that, we might have to kill you in battle. Or two, we kill you now, quick and clean-like. Your choice."

During Angus' speech the squat Half-Orc continues his stroll but casually removes his beloved axe from its backstrap. On que he turns and brandishes his preferred weapon. Your choice, he repeats.

[AleBelly]

Galan pockets the scroll case without opening it. Now is not the time to inspect such things. He keeps a wary eye on the snake...it also eyes the party.

Yenny opens the door, the light from her bracelet spilling into the room to the east. Indeed, this is the room in which the party defeated the four mysterious humanoids. The room is much like they left it, except only one corpse remains - the other three have been removed. As Kablamicus enters the room in search of his owl, he sees a folded note pinned the dead creature. The script the party observed during their last visit, carved into the floor, still runs along the perimeter of the room.

After calling out to his owl, the mage hears pecking on the eastern door (closed, obviously) of the room (the one from which the party entered in their battle days ago).

DM rolls dice

Meanwhile, Angus and Hyde converse with the captured orc. Its countenance softens once Angus intervenes as 'good cop.' Blood still trickling from its nose, it mulls their offer. "I don't want to go back down. I want freedom. Leave this place. Find somewhere better. Gurmur leave humans alone and humans leave Gurmur alone" he says, pounding his chest with a fist. "OK?"

Seeing doubt on their faces, he offers some information in response to the questions. "This armor make by our paleskin slaves" he offers, nodding towards Angus to indicate that paleskins == humans. "Still many of us down there. Maybe 70,
80, 90. I never counted."

Seeing perhaps that he's still not being very useful, his eyes perk up. "Paleskin wizard lives below. He planning something.
I know not what."

He thinks about the map. "I can draw map if you let Gurmur go and protect me from whatever is above."

Date: 29 Culling, Year 44
Time: 7:00
Conditions: 44F, damp
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Yenny's bracelet, Angus' bullseye lantern through 10:15, Hyde's torch through 7:15
Injuries: Yenny, Angus barely wounded; Hyde, Kablamicus, Dandelion lightly wounded; Galan, Figgis moderately wounded

[Zhym]

"Agreed," says Angus, glad that the orc took the non-dying option. He cuts the orc's bonds, confident that he is more than a match for one orc if the orc tries to fight after all.

[onlyme]

DAndelion thinks they should move away from the snake, moving into the other room. If no one else does, she will grab the note.

[enn.in.me]

Yenny carries on with Kablamicus to the eastern door. She covers her bracelet and, standing aside to avoid mad owl, opens the door. "There you go, back with the smelly one." It's not clear which one she's talking to.

[tkrexx]

Hyde harrumphs and returns his axe to its sling, and re-draws his longsword. He will move to be between his good pals and the huge serpent in case it attacks. He is certain a solitary Orc will give Angus very little problem.

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Walks over to the door and peeks inside. Sophomore?

[Nuke66]

Galan stays out of of the whole orc conversation. He approaches the door and inspects it.

[AleBelly]

Galan and Kablamicus walk past the dead body with the note and open the eastern door. Kablamicus gasps in spite of himself! Half of his owl friend's feathers are matted with dried blood that had issued forth from the bolt sticking out of the poor owl's side. Kablamicus can feel his companion's pain...and his relief at being rejoined with its master. Nonetheless, the bird of prey issues a series of squawks - they are feeble but certainly express displeasure.

Meanwhile, the orc sketches out a crude map of the area below. He describes the quarters of the wizard - which they are not permitted to enter. He also lays out a coin-making spot, orc barracks (with at least three dozen orcs), a place of worship, a very scary 'no go' place that he doesn't know the secrets of. There are a couple of rooms with guarded treasure and a slave room near some stairs heading further down. This section is not very clear to him in his current state, and he crosses his arms and refuses to give information about the lower floor. "You kill me when I tell. I wait near entrance for you. When I free I tell you rest."

The orc also divulges that the passage heading west from this room leads to a few giant lizards that are there for a future attack on the village - or on intruders. He advises against going there.

Gurmur's map:

041618.png (758.71 KiB) Viewed 539 times

Date: 29 Culling, Year 44
Time: 7:05
Conditions: 44F, damp
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Yenny's bracelet, Angus' bullseye lantern through 10:15, Hyde's torch through 7:15
Injuries: Yenny, Angus barely wounded; Hyde, Kablamicus, Dandelion lightly wounded; Galan, Figgis moderately wounded

[tkrexx]

Hyde's eyes flicker over to Angus. 70 Orcs, maybe more? Can we do that now? We be a might drained, I think maybe we ought get up yonda, hah? Lessen ya think we ought take out them lizards. Them Orcs, they be fierce when ridin' lizards, yeahh, real fierce, we take 'em out the Orcs won't be so strong, no.

[enn.in.me]

Yenny's eyes flick over to Kablamicus, "Sophomore looks in rough shape. Should I try to heal him? Seems like that would help." The last she almost says to herself."

If yes:

Cure light wounds [1d8] = 2
Hopefully it doesn't have too many HPs to begin with....

[onlyme]

Dandelion studies the map, trying to figure out the total defense numbers, per lizards, wizards and orcs.

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Nods to Yenny. Yes, yes! He needs aid... I'll just get this out of the way.... he pulls out the bolt just before the healing is done. Oh, don't blame me! I'm not the one that shot you. Foolish bird... what were you doing to get shot anyway? Probably distracted by a mouse... no, I'm fine! It's musky down here is all.... he says wiping his eyes on his sleeve.