The guard turns around, his expression full of fear and surprise and he loses a quick shout and is about to draw his slender and curved sword.
"Whoooa! What is an Orc doing in here!?
Mash can't help but notice the lack of competense of those town elves.
She steps next to Urak an answers in his turn: He's doing your job, getting back the stuff you guys lost, so if you don't mind give us our reward already, so we can finaly leave this lazy town!"
The guard looks from Urak to Mash in wonder, obviously getting the grasp of himself, but also quite confused. Finally he addresses Mash: "I am sorry little Seedling, but I do not understand what is going on. I am new to town. My squad and I were sent to Gondolin from the town of Nan'Elmoth to the north to enforce the local guard. Félafrin has taken nearly all of the local guards and took off the north gate, after the latest message about a new bandit attack arrived this morning. I do not know what business you are talking about, but I think you will have to wait until he returns. If those bandits were of the same group, that have attacked trading groups throughout the great forest recently, he will most likely come back quickly, as they never leave a trail to follow for more than a few hours… "
"Ohhh fun, more bandits to smash face in. So Falafel is head guardboy? That good, now we can make two talks in one.
Anyway. How long back he went to north gate? We found last bandits, we might find bandits again."
The guard looks at Urak in disbelieve before answering him.
"As I said Orc: T-h-i-s M-o-r-n-i-n-g. H-a-l-f A D-a-y A-g-o", stretching every word like one does when talking to a foreigner who does not know the language or to a child just learning how to talk.
He then looks to Mash: "You really got your hands on some of those bandits? With him at your side? I mean he does look like he can kill someone with a hug, but he definitely does not look like someone who can follow tracks and read those little hidden things who can tell one what has happened at some place..."
Urak steps closer, coming nose to nose with the elven guard except looking down on him from his 2.2m with that ever so slightly annoyed orc scowl.
"You say message arrive this morning you never mention when gone. And I no track sissy. I go there and use instinct where long ear fails with brain. They steal carriage pull animal. How stupid you need be if you no can follow that? Maybe should hug longear then. No worry just a little, no dying needed, just enough so you keep trap shut if nothing good come out."
"Ahhh, yeah ... sure. If you think you can find something we could not ... feel free to check it out... It happened not more than ... ahh ... twenty miles out of the north gate..."
The guards face has turned white and his grip on his sword has gotten so strong, that the buckles of his fingers has became white, his voice full of uncertainty and he seems eager to get clear of that towering Orc in front of him.
"See? Be helpful not so hard."
Urak then turns to Mash, looking at her for a moment then down the corridor to the head guardsman's office. He yells to Uruk who is still in the office
"Hey Uruk! Chief guardsboy gone looking for more bandits to smash, lets go see if more fun there! We can grab reward later!"
"There is more to smash? Well so we should move now or there isn't anything left till we arrive!"
Uruk stayed in the office but when he heard Urak he instant got on his feet and moved to his mates already shouting while moving.
Urak turns back to the guard
"Alright now you be good and no more sleeping on job or we tell chief guardboy you let us in and then be stupid about if AFTER."
Then he starts walking towards the exit, addressing the others while he does.
"I say we get sleepplace for few days and put boxes there. Then no problem if we no back today"
Urak steers towards the first person outside, shouting from a few metres away already: "Hey! Say where we can find tavern with sleepplace for few days?"
"I know a tavern were we can rest my friend, but it is some kind of expensive."
Urak stops going towards whoever he had spotted and turns to Uruk
"This longear town, everything stupid expensive. As long as they no take more more than 1 or 2 gold most we have plenty time to make more before we run out. Brawls no fun in expensive tavern on other hand. Rich longears even more weak than normal longears. Oh well we just need place to put boxes for now anyway, so lead way."
"So let's go and talk to the tavern keeper to get a restplace without spening to much gold." Uruk leads the group to the tavern to speak with the keeper to get a room for less amount of money.
You follow Uruk through the city towards the north gate.
You notice that the streets are quite empty, compared to your first encounter a few days ago. There a significantly few traders on the street - beside the ones with a local store - but even some of those have closed their doors in the middle of the day! Also you pass not even one town guard patrol on your travel.
As you close on the north gate you are able to see a tall building which near black frontage is of stark contrast to the white marble frontage of most of the town and as Uruk leads you directly towards it, you can soon read a sign near the entrance: The Darkwood Inn, Owner: Elric Grapewine.
As you enter the building you find yourself in a well lit circular room, on your right a desk - on top of it a large leather bounded book - in front of you stairs leading up and on your left a door leading into some kind of guest room. Everything seems to be made from this near black wood, and if as to counter this dark mood, the building has a lot of windows and ever burning torches. Also you notice that around all windows grape ivy is growing.
Behind the desk sits a small and tubby Elf, holding a golden goblet full of dark-red liquid, his cheeks red and he is singing an old drinking song about a never-empty goblet of whine and a river of beer.
As you enter - and a few more seconds for him to recognize you - he stands up and greets Uruk with a grin: "Welcome back my green friend. So you missed my comfortable beds after all? And now, look at that: you even brought a friend of yours? My, my. If this trend of orcish guests continues I might want to enlist some Orcish cook to ensure your special needs are fully satisfied, eh?"
"Well you're right we need a room to store our items and to rest some times maybe you can make as a special offer. And there is one more thing we went throug the city and didn't met many people are you able to tell us what is going on there outside?"
Urak isn't paying too much attention, looking left and right around the room, murmoring almost to himself "yeah like ork need fancy foodstuff for good stay"
"Ah well, of course you can have a room with a separable lock room. I can give a special price for you if you don't need my excellent food three time per day of course - but it is your loss I can ensure you! Let's say 4 gold pieces per day and person for the room if you pay for three days ahead, how does this sound eh?" First the tubby Elf fixated Uruk with eager eyes, but then his gace drifts towards Mash, who stands between the two towering Orcs. The matter-of-fact look of the Elf suddenly changes to one full of surprise and joy. "Ahhh, hello my darling! Be my guest and drink some wine with me and tell me about yourself, I would love to hear more about you Seedlings - you are such an interesting race!"
"Flirt later. Sound mighty not cheap for only room. For that gold you better have best entertainment all town when get around to sleep in room."
"Sounds nice, but I don't drink wine!", Mash answers the elfe. "However, about that room, it's a little expensive for us. As you can tell I as a seedling am used to sleep in pure nature. So I don't realy have money for this kind of stuff. So I'm guess we'll just have to search for a less expensive room." She smiles honestly. Then she alsks: You wouldn't happen to know a room less expensive somewere in town?
The Elf seems to follow Mash's every word, and even flinches as she asks him for another - cheaper - place.
"Ah, well if it is like that ... Ah ..."
He waves towards Mash to come a little closer and whispers something to her.
"I can make a special price for you under this circumstances ... how does 1 gold piece per day in total until you return to you? If you want to stay over night and have some really good meals, then we can talk again, little Seedling. But you have to give me your word, that we will have a nice talk about your kind one day. I was a well-known collector of this worlds history and all its inhabitants before I settled down here in town and opened this place. But please don't talk about this ... special prize with my other guests, or they will also want to make such an arrangement, you know...."
Mash beams at him amazed by his kindness. "That would be great! If it's truly ok! And of course I would love to talk to you, sinc you must have seen so much of this world an it's living creatures!"
The old Elf beams at Mash, obviously glad at their compromise.
He waves at you to follow him. He leads you upstairs (three times!) until you reach your room. The door of the room looks like it is grown, instead of crafted, and vanishes into the sides, the top and the bottom as soon as you near it.
The old Elf stays near the door, letting you enter your new room.
The room has no real geometric form, it feels somewhat like you are inside of a crazy-grown tree. Two crossing spheres of light enters the room from two large hexagonal windows in the ceiling, filling the room with the golden light of the day. First you are completely confused by the walls, with all their small coves and the non-standard angels of EVERYTHING, but after a short inspection you discover that those coves and bulges are in fact clever furniture. Inside of a wooden cove is some kind of locker (for which the thick Elf gives you a golden key), in three different edges of the small room are beds, which can be pulled out of the wall, and after Uruk pulled a vine dangling from the ceiling, a big table gently drops down from the top. All in all the small room is in fact full of hidden storage space, and clever handled features.
As you turn around you discover a branch full of berries and fruits (of different kind, growing on the same branch) dangling near a wooden bowl full of clear water.
Mash turns to the elve, her eyes shining bright from excitement. "This room is amazing! You sure it's ok to pay only one gold per day? I'd hate to search for a different place than this, especially after I saw this awsom room! But as mentiont bevore I'm not the wealthy kind of person!" , she looks around wearilly ans a bit sad, for she can't belive the elve would really give away this room this cheap.
The Elf smiles proudly at you, putting a finger on his lips and winks at you, confirming your question. Then he says with a load voice: "Of course my Dear, 3 gold piece per day and head it is if you do not partake at the meals - which I think you will eventually regret." - while winking at you again, before handing over another key.
This one is not golden, in fact it does not even look like a key, it looks more like some crumpled plant.
Noticing your puzzled gazes, he quickly explains: "The doors to my rooms are all unique, as you might have noticed. They will only open to those possessing one of their kind. You see, this key is in fact a root of the very plant the door is made of. Nothing else can open them, and no one but me knows where exactly those plants grow, so no one can build another key. So take good care of the key, or no one will be able to open the doors again. I have already three locked doors in this house, because the owner lost their keys ore got robbed..."
"Wow, this place is amazing! Thanks again for your kindness and as I already said, I'd gladly talk to you, I'm realy looking forward to all the exciting storrys you might tell me!" , Mash says, then turning to the two orcs she mumles: "Isn't this place amazing? Uruk, why didn't you tell us about this place bevore?"
"Well you never asked me." Uruk smiles and then looks to the elf Well there is still the question open "What is going on outside? Where are all the people? Last time we left the city there have been many more guys, we will leaf the city soon so will there anyone left when we arrive again?"
"So you noticed it as well ...", he sights long, before continuing. "Most of the folk on the streets were traders and merchants of some kind. But ... you see... with all those banditry and ambushes lately, most of them are in deep trouble and have more pressing things to handle then sell their last goods on the streets. You sure heard about the newest attack to the north? Until then the ambushes were all on the south route - annoying for the trade with the Firelands but not that bad with the north street safe. But now ... Well I can assure you that I will stay here, as will most of the people living here since the foundation of this city. What all those traders and merchant will do, I can not say."
Urak looks around the room, poking things here and there and smelling some of the plant...like things, which sounds more like a snort every time.
When he hears about the ambush again he drops the chest he's been carrying at a more or less convenient location and turns to the elf and the others.
"This place fun and all but sound like more fun to be had at north. Let's store stuff and go before fun is gone up there. If longear still here when we back then talk later no problem"
with that he holds out his oversized open hand towards the elf with
4 gold pieces on his palm
"Well, thank you Mr. Ork." He slightly bows before Urak, then again before Mash and Uruk. "If you are that eager to leave, who am i to stand in your way after all?" And with that, he winks a last time at Mash, the gold pieces seemed to disappear in his wide clothes, and he leaves towards the stairs.
After you have dropped most of your belongings in your new room, you head to the North Gate of Gondolin, ready to take on the trail for newest ambush. You all notice that Félafrin really took most of the town Guards with him, as the North gate is currently only manned with four Warriors - instead of over ten at the time you reached Gondolin for the first time.
It is now two hours after noon, the sun shines warm on your faces, and a very calm wind whistles through the forest, as you walk the northern road.
Sona, looking around, seems like she really enjoys the weather. She hands Mash one of her little papers, with a little note and a quick sketch of the three of you walking down a road into the sunset.
You notice that this is the very first time Sona interacted with any of you after you reached Gondolin. In fact, after a bit of thinking, it seems to you that you never noticed her being with you in the town at all. She had simply been not there, somewhat appearing just now in the middle of your group, 'talking' in her special way to Mash like nothing ever interrupted your walk through the forest at all ...
The north street is significantly broader and better maintained than the southern road, obviously the road is used well - by travelers on food as by trade carts. But not today. You walk for at least one hour without meeting anyone or anything on the road.
Mash smiles at sona: "Your right, is a very nice sunset!"
Rolled, but average is to low.
No detours from Urak, just putting the stuff to be sold or brought back in the room and heading for the gate - riding on his wolf and bringing the other one along unless Uruk takes its leash
Actually there is one small detour from Urak. Seeing the guards stationed at the gate he'll walk straight towards them waving his long arms and shout "Hey guard longears. Falafel longear still gone out there? We want help smash bandits."
The two Elves stares at the approaching Orc, looking surprised. As Urak talks to them, they quickly share a glance, then answers in another language.
Yeah... no speaking gibberish. Try talk common is not so hard. I just want know if Falafel elf guard chief is still on hunt for bandits outside
The two Elves look at each other - obviously trying to decide which of them would answer the question. After two seconds the right one answers:
"Falafel ... mean Félafrin? Yes, still out. As is most of the guard. We're here new. Not used to Common. Or Orcs walking searching for guard officers. Usually other way round. Or simply shooting them on seeing them, you know?" The Elf ends with some 'gibberish' and a slightly helpless gesture.
"Not my problem you no used to orks, you should get out more from caveman hole maybe. And I like longears who shoot fast. I no get in trouble when I make new face after they shoot first. Bye now. We in hurry. Fight wait for later."
With that he walks towards the gate heading outside with a self assured stride that clearly conveys that he does not expect to be stopped.
As she follows Urak Mash turns to the guardsmen and frowning at them says: "It would be great if you'd be nicer to Urak next time, for he is my friend and he just helped out Félafrin a lot! So please try not to tease him to much and maby when we return you feel like appologising to him!"
Leaving two confused and embarrassed guards behind, you set on a nice walk through the great forest, the sun high on the sky.
As the sun begins already to set, you finally reach the side of the latest ambush. It looks awkwardly familiar to you. Six trade carts, half of them completely looted. Surrounding the carts are the bodies of at least twenty guards of all races (most are Elves and Dwarves). All seemed to be shot with those sleek arrows you already know. The main difference to the last ambush place you have been, is the fact that the guards have no other wounds beside the arrows sticking in their bodies and the fact that the horses which have pulled the carts are still here. They all have been shot with at least eight arrows.
You detect a lot of tracks surrounding the three looted carts and around the trees to both sides.
In addition to the above you also detect a track leading into the thick of the forest to the west and some lighter but fresher footprints of a couple of people following that track.
Those guards were pretty good equipped, with decent armor and weaponry, but only two of them got as far as to ready their weapons.
You detect that the guard you are currently checking is still alive! As you examine the arrows, you detect that they are poisoned.
Urak walks around looking at corpses, sniffing here and there and poking at them but he is as clueless as ever.
He takes one more shot at looking for tracks however - he still remembers that the attackers at the other ambush site probably hid behind the large bushes at the side of the road so he takes his time looking for tracks at the side of the road behind obstacles that let you shoot through.
Uruk checks for tracks when they arrive "I know were they moved, fast don't let us waste time" after telling he knows the trail he fast moves to the west forest and follows the track.
Survival: rolled 13 + 8 (10?) = 21 (23?)
Craft: Rolled 8 +5 = 13
"It's not just the bad guys, I guess the elventroop followed them. I see lighter footprints, too, and it seems their not from the same time.", Mash addes and followes Uruk
After hearing this Urak skips investigating and hops back onto his wolf and follows Uruk
As you are about to enter the forest to follow the tracks a loud coming from behind you. Sona is kneeing beside one of the guards, one of the sleek arrows in her one hand, waving to you with the other. She has obviously found something.
If you near her, she quickly writes a quick note for you.
"They are not dead! Sleep poison on the arrows."