The orc still lies bleeding out behind you in the dirt. Gryndar Grogslayer and Rikkak'ch stand over it with their arms crossed, looking as casual as if they were waiting for their scheduled carriage to arrive. Looking down at it, you find that you don't recognize the style of armor it wears, but before you're able to get a good look, the sound of the back door of the Tributory building draws your attention to Marshall Oswald expecting you to follow him.
The inside of the Tributory building is well-worn. There are gouges and slashes and impact craters on various places in the wooden walls, and more than a few burn marks. It's common knowledge that Freedom Town still survives today in part because of its willingness to bribe some of the surrounding orc tribes - this is where the leaders of the tribes meet with the appointed representative for Freedom Town. This is usually handled by Marshall Oswald himself, as there is no higher authority in town.
As you enter the building, you see a small, dirty-looking human youth slowly standing up from behind a weathered-looking desk and looking questioningly at the sheriff. With a contemptuous gesture, the sheriff signals that all is well, and the youth's expression hardened into a frown the moment he knew the coast was clear.
Oswald doesn't give the boy a second glance as he makes directly for the stairs, which are gated. He opens the gate with a key, and holds the door for whomever followed him in first.
At the top of the stairs is a wide-open room with a modest desk on the far side that is covered with poster paper. There are three rifles on a rack on the left-hand wall. On the far side of the room, a door opens out onto a sniper's perch that overlooks the main town square. There's a map of the Hold of Belkzen on the right-hand wall, above numerous pieces of paper that have been stuck to the wall by thrown daggers. A closer look reveals that the papers are missives imprinted with official-looking seals that bear ornate sigils.
Arwen walks in, nods to the clerc and goes to set his Guisarm against the wall. As soon as that is done he then goes an place the 2 loaf of bread on his desk before following the Sheriff up the stairs.
Thanking the Sheriff for the door he then proceeds to stand against the wall in a corner of the office.
|
Ausk lets his gaze linger on the fallen orc for a moment before going after the sheriff. Inside, he removes his hat and hangs it on a dagger planted hilt-deep in the wall-- a permanent fixture after a significant amount of posturing from an orc brave several years ago. Heading upstairs, he drops the earthbreaker onto its head and leans it in the corner before entering the sherriff's office.
Ausk drops into his usual spot, a well-leaned piece of wall across from the sheriff's desk and asks "What was that about?" before crossing his arms.
By the Lady, Ratfolk! The creations of the Gods are indeed amazing thinks Caln
Caln says a quick prayer over the fallen Orc asking the Lady to speed his passage to the Boneyard and then hurries to follow the Marshall into the building, up the stairs and into the office.
He pauses and waits for the Marshall to notice him and then says"Greetings Marshall, my name is Caln and I am a clergy of the Goddess Pharasma."
Caln looks around the room and swallows a bit nervously."This might sounds strange, but the Lady has sent me to aid you. I've had visions of you facing a test that you will need all of the help possible to best."
Caln gives a small smile"Of course, based on what I just witnessed, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to help someone of your abilities."
Jethro scampers back to pick up his hat from where had fallen into the dirt outside, then followed the rest of the group into the building and up to what he assumes to be the Sheriff's office.
Suny follows along behind every one else she's just met. She seems unperturbed that no one has as yet explained what is going on with the deceased Orc, but she is patient and knows all things come to they who wait.
As the group files past the entry room and its occupant, Suny smiles and offers a small wave to the young feller though she doesn't stop as the furry fellow indicates they should continue on upstairs.
Once in the room Suny walks over to a corner and puts down her back-pack and its contained chest before skipping over and intently looking at the strange pole arms mounted on the wall.
Hakiri looks at the massive orc as it bleeds out, her face blank. Sympathy is alien to the orc heart, but not curiosity. She has a great many questions about the creature and his fate, but she does not ask. Among the Bloodfang, one learned quickly that the answer to most questions was a fist. After a moment's thought, she turned to follow the rat into his office.
Suny slowly wanders about the room looking at all the various things stuck to the wall...
Though her attention eventually comes back to the three 'pole' arms on their racks.
Oswald is the last to arrive in his office. He closes the door behind him with a click and a sigh, and begins walking toward the desk, setting his rifle on its butt next to it and within arms reach. You'll note that his desk has him facing so that he can see every entrance to his room at once, including both the door to the stairs and the exit to the roof in his field of vision.
He looks to be just leaving middle age and approaching venerable status by the standards of his race. He rubs his thumb and forefinger against his eyes for a moment, before folding his hands on his desk and regarding each of you in turn.
Oswald turns his attention to his half-orc senior deputy, Ausk, when he asks his question. Mutated orc. And not the first one I've seen yet, either - this is just the first one to get this close to the town center. It had completely lost its mind too - incoherent, frothing - more than your average orc, that is. Present company excluded, Hakiri," he says politely, nodding in the tall full orc's direction. "It's damn worrying, if you want the truth of it. You only showed up after we had felled it, but the damn thing took even more punishment than the greenskins usually do. That armor you saw? That was bone, or something close enough to it. Don't ask me how the orcs are managing it - all I know is the direction I've been spotting them in lately." He takes a cigar out of a case on his desk and lights it with a match, sucking on it for a few puffs before pointing at the map of Belkzen with it. The smoking pointer lands squarely on The Foundry, at the base of the Kodar Mountains. Underneath "Ironhearth Foundry" which is scratched out, is written "Steel Eaters" next to an orcskull symbol.
Suny spins as the 'Sheriff' enters the room and props another of the strange pole arms against his desk. She listens and watches intently as the explanation for the now deceased Orc becomes partially clear.
She watches intently as Oswald explains the amount of knowledge they have and the leads to which more information might be garnered.
"So...tha' feller were sick....An' this place might be where they sickyness be comin' from?" She asks.
Hakiri shrugs.
"No apologies for speaking truth, Marshall. Orcs are savage and violent and proud to be so," she says with a horrible, bloodthirsty grin. "The Bloodfang are all dead. Not one living orc that I know of would spare my life except to make me a slave. My people are here, in Freedom Town." She looks around at the others, identifying them with her eyes as her people.
"I will go to this place and stop whatever is making these mutations, if that is your order," she says.
Oswald listens to Caln explain himself, nodding and smoking without looking directly at the cleric as he paces back and forth, glancing at his holy symbol of Pharasma when he identifies his religion before grunting and nodding thoughtfully. When Suny asks her questions, Marshall narrows his eyes at her. The beauty of the full-blooded elves are a true rarity out here, and Suny sticks out like a sore thumb in Freedom Town, despite her obvious efforts not to play it up. Despite distracting himself with his own thoughts, Oswald comes back to himself enough to nod at the stranger.
When Hakiri speaks, her gravelly voice carries throughout the entire building without needing to be loud. Marshall turns deliberately to face her squarely as she speaks, staring fearlessly into her eyes despite the substantial size difference. Grimly, he turns to his desk when she finishes speaking, rubbing his chin and resting his cigar on an ashtray that is already close to overflowing...
Arwen stares at the map intensity, committing to memory the are the sheriff pointed. He is still standing in the left corner of the room barely moving. After all patience is a virtue they say.
As Caln listens to Oswald's story, he feels as the Power of The Lady flow from his Holy Symbol into his spirit.
"Marshall, I am positive that the Lady has led me here because of this situation."
Caln moves over to look more closely at the map. He wracks his brain trying to remember if the weird mutation is related to something he has learned about one of the Evil Gods.
Jethro removed his hat and stepped closer to the map, staring intently at it. "Interesting," he said. "I assume the Steel Eaters are an orc tribe, and a new one at that. Do you know very much about them? And what's actually at that spot? Is this one of those four-yurts-and-six-goats encampments, or a six-story Castle of Unending Necromancy style of strongholds?"
"There are also a dozen technical questions I could ask about these `mutations.'" One could hear the scare quotes around the word, even without the traditional hand gestures. "The word implies alchemical magic, of course. I'm not a theorist, but it seems plausible; the enhancement to physical prowess, the degradation of mental capacities, and the persistence of the effect. An autopsy would be interesting, if you've a chirurgeon here. But it could also be a druidic transformation gone horribly, horribly, wrong.... or even some sort of breeding experiment by outsiders."
So many questions, in fact. The sheriff has no reason to lie -- no, wait a minute. The sheriff has no reason to lie , but this could easily be a plot, for example, to get rid of deputies with orcish blood by sending them on a suicide mission. But we'll let that pass for the moment. Assume good faith on the sheriff's part; are these monsters coming from the old foundry, or just the direction of the old foundry? How similar are these monsters to each other? A magical backlash wouldn't produce similar mutations, but a breeding program or deliberate transformative magic might.
Jethro turned from the map to face the sheriff. "What are you planning to do about it, Sheriff?"
Jethro turned from the map to face the sheriff. "What are you planning to do about it, Sheriff?"
"Don't you mean 'What are we going to do about it'? I know that we just met but I sense that your curiosity is not going to let you sit idly by when there is a mystery to solve."
Caln gives Jethro a smile and a wink.
"Well, I grant that 'rush off like a fool and see what's there' might, by some abuse of language, be considered a plan." Jethro admitted. "And if that's the plan that the sheriff wants to use, then he might as well scrape together a group of the most naive and disposable newcomers to the town to do it, as that limits his losses." Jethro raised a rather impressive looking eyebrow.
"But I was kind of hoping to be asked, first. I may, in fact, be a stupid, expendable pawn, but I didn't realize it was that obvious."
Arwen has somewhat of a smile upon hearing the gnome's comment.
Suny seems to listen intently to all the words people are quickly saying to one another.
"No one said stupid," Hakiri said to the gnome, and gives a sly smile. "Obvious, disposable, naive, well,եթե կոշիկի համապատասխանում."
Caln: You can think of no divine justification to modify one's bodies in this way; most evil deities that spring to mind don't cause mutations in their worshipers very commonly.
Jethro: The old ratfolk walks back around his desk and takes a seat again, leaning back in his chair as you barrage him with questions. He opens his mouth to speak, but finds his other deputies already speaking with the strangers, so he merely watches them with lazily half-lidded eyes, waiting to see what they say next. He slowly takes a drag on his cigar, smoke slowly forming a wreath of sorts around his head before slowly floating in the direction of the door. He waits until everyone is completely finished, and then waits a few more seconds, drawing out the silence as he regards you from his chair.
"I believe I caught all of your questions, so I'll answer them in order." His voice is a slow drawl, the sunshine falling behind his head and causing his thin ears to appear transparent with light, merely blood vessels pumping through open air. "Question One: The Steel-Eaters are a group of orcs, tribeless, largely completely crazy...they sacked the old Ironhearth Foundry that the dwarves built, drove 'em out, took over the machinery. They produce weapons, ammunition, and armor for orcs all over the hold, and, as an added bonus, they're the closest castle for miles around. Fortunately for us, they aren't raiders, any more than every orc is, mostly. Just manufacturers."
He turns in his chair and leans back, staring at the ceiling in thought. "So that answers question two - definitely more well-fortified than a few huts in the mud. It's dwarf-make, and while the orcs blew up a lot of it when they sacked it, much of it is still strong. Lately, my scout, Stoneblood, has been unusual lights and activity moving around at the base of that part of the mountain. The Steel-Eaters have been entertaining close to three times the normal amount of caravans from all directions, and sending out supply shipments at a dizzying rate."
He turns his gaze upon Jethro, and narrows his eyes. "There's a small orc settlement built into some ancient human ruins to the southeast. It's chaotic, loosely held together, with several orc bulls competing for dominance over the tribe. I want Ausk to gather what allies he can to investigate their connection to the Steel-Eaters and learn what they can from a less-defended spot."
He stands, and strides calmly to the window, looking out over the peaceful square below. He gestures with his cigar down at a building. "You mentioned an autopsy. Doc Verne's from Vigil, been here for a few years now. I've been having him take a look at the orcs we've put down who've come too close to the settlement. You'll want to check with him about what he discovered.
And one more thing. If you're working for me, you'd better look the part. Get a badge from the clerk downstairs. Any questions?"
Suny continues to listen to every one's speaking, though she plonks herself down upon the chest she's been traveling with as a makeshift seat, and thence the Sheriff's replying monologue.
Once the Sheriff is finished and he turns to ask his question, Suny bounces back to her feet.
"Aye! Whut's them?" And she points at the three rifles, "Where do one go ta' gets a bath aroun' here? Where do some one go ta' gets vittles? Where do peoples stay when they's just come int'a town an' need some wheres ta' sleep?" She looks to the other, seeming more established folks in the room (Hakiri, Ausk and Arwen)
"Which of ye is gon'a show tha' rest of us around tha' place? No use fer us ta' get lost afore we all head off an' poke about with these Orcs, hey?"
So i am to accompany deputy Ausk to this settlement and assist him sheriff?
Bath, bed and food are to be found at the local inn. I can take you there. As for "Vittles" i do not know what these are. he addresses the woman
Suny tilts her head, "Vittles. Ya know..." And she pantomimes picking something up, placing it in her mouth and thence chewing in exaggerated motions. "Things whut ye chew an' put in yer tummy..." She grins.
"Unless there be somat whole emergency about these rowdy fellers, why dun't we bath, bed an' breakfast afore we goes off int'a tha wildness? Gets ta' know a tad more about each other." And she winks to,
(^_^)
"There pro'lly be a whole raft of things ye ken be tellin' us all abut whut's out an' about off in'a wilds, hey?" She suggests chirpily.
At Suny's questions, Oswald scowls and looks to Arwen. "Arwen, you're to make sure that the newcomers' needs are seen to. Make sure everyone is prepped and ready before you go throwing your lives away against some near-feral orcs." The tip of his cigar flares again, and the old rat exhales a large cloud of smoke as he continues. "Ausk, as senior deputy, you're in charge of the mission. Make sure we find out what's behind these dangerous mutations and the increased activity at the Foundry. If there's bloodshed, conceal your tracks to resemble an orc raid. Hakiri, you're evaluating the fresh faces. See if they're worth the silver for the badge." He walks to his cabinet and retrieves a bottle of unlabeled liquid, carrying it with him to the door to the roof along with his rifle. At the doorway, he turns to face the room again. "You're to provide your own gear and supplies, though Lem downstairs can sell you some of Freedom Town's stock. Just keep out of the cell block down below." With that, he turns and clambers up a ladder to the roof. The last thing you see in the doorway is his tail as it waves and is pulled upwards out of sight.
Suny picks up her pack and skips over to Hakiri while grinning at Arwen.
"Okeys! Lets go shopping!" (^_^)
Arwen will nod to the sheriff, then walking past her
Follow me, I'll take you around until we are done. Ausk when done with her and them i'll be downstairs.
|
|
"No skin off my back. They're only mildly homicidal. We're setting out before it gets dark with enough time to spare-- I don't want to be caught trying to approach the encampment on the plains at night." He addresses the rest of his comment to the assorted newcomers: "Hell of a place to find yourself lost in, and the Hold is full of all sorts of tricks."
He casts a sidelong look at the girl. Really? He absent-mindedly makes a note to speak to Hakiri once she's gone and he can try to figure out how to leave her behind. There's a word for new blood in the orc lands-- bait. They didn't need any on this venture.
Ausk looks to the gnome. "Brand new in town and already purposed-- interesting, I suppose. You don't have to come if you don't want, but the Sheriff and I will take care of you if you do. I have a spare room in my house that's half the rate of the inn and some food to spare if you'd like to take up the charge. Of course, if you don't, the tavern's always got an empty room." He considered making a similar offer to the holy man, but something about him told Ausk that he'd be sticking around either way.
He shoulders his earthbreaker. "What do you say?"
*Skippy, skippy, skip...* (^_^)
Marco looks down at his chest at the silver badge.
On the right side this time, I guess. Well, here's to a new start.
Marco follows Arwen and Suny, and afterward joins Suny as she heads to the tavern where he had previously secured a room for the short period of time that he has been in Freedom Town. after washing up, he returns with Arwen to the office where he will speak with the Sheriff.
Are you expectin' our dead orc to return to life, Sheriff? I was just wonderin' because you keep 'im in a cell.
*Skippy, skippy, skippy, skip* (^_^)
Caln watches and listens to the interactions around him. Since Ausk is in charge of the group he approaches him, "Excuse me Deputy, if you have room for two at your home that would greatly appreciated." Caln shrugs and adds "I am short on funds at present."
Turning to the group he says "If anyone could pick up a healing kit before we go I would appreciate it. I'm well trained in Healing Skills but unfortunately cannot afford to buy a kit."
Finishing his request, Caln turns and exits the room, stopping downstairs to obtain a Deputy Badge which he displays prominently on his shirt.
Upon exiting the building, Caln turns towards the Tavern that he passed earlier and makes his way there. Seeing the same older man that had glared at the group, Caln approaches him.
"Blessing of the Lady on you. I was curious as to why you were obviously unhappy seeing my group pass you by earlier."
Suny happily skips about the town, bare feet puffing up the dust of the streets. Her large blue eyes watch everything that happens about the town, what the people do, how the people react, act, interact. With Arwen's direction she stops in at the 'Doctors' and sees about purchasing a 'Healers Kit'. Passing the coin over and fixing said pouch to the belt about her slender waist.
After such she continues to skip about the town , looking at the buildings, how they are built, to what use they are being put too and most interestingly observing all the myriad different people who live, work and play about the town.
"Hey-YA there!"
(^_^)
"I think I like the Sheriff's version of a `plan' much better than the sky pilot's, Ausk Yes, I'm in. The room would be appreciated, but somehow I don't think we're going to get many chances to sleep in those beds you so kindly offered."
"Anything else we're going to need?" Like,.... water? Food? I don't even really know the scale on that map, or the terrain, so I don't know if this is an overnight trip or a two month camping holiday. But at least it sounds like we've got someone coming with us who knows the area and who the sheriff wants to return. Better than "send the n00bs out to die and keep the number of mouths to feed to a minimum." "I have an errand to run, and I need to pick up a healing kit."
"Oh, and I guess I should pick up a badge. G'day, Sheriff, Ausk.... or should I be calling you `Deputy' or `Corporal' or something?" Jethro turned on his heel, putting his hat back on his head.
---
Once down on the main floor, Jethro picked up a badge (looking rather askance at it, and muttering [b]"Arrow magnet, that's what it is."[b] under his breath), and asked a friendly looking face for directions to "Doctor Verne" and "Mr. Ironfist at the livery stable." After dropping off Ironfist's bottle, he headed to the doctor, possibly running into Caln and Suny.
As Suny leans across and straps the new kit to the belt about her waist she notes one of the folks she's just met wander in.
"Hey-YA there!"
(^_^)
"Hello,.... Suny, was it?" responded Jethro. "A pleasure to see you again. Getting kitted up for the trip?"
"I wish I knew more about what darnfool thing I had just agreed to do. I'm sure I'll get five miles outside of town before I say to myself `why didn't I get some Orc repellant' or a a grapnel or something like that."
Suny skips over as Jethro says hello again and replies with a smile,
"Aye, 'Suny' be close enough." And she pats the large pouch upon her hip. "Aye. Um...Caln...thought maybe some more healin' stuff would be a good idea. I'd thought maybe buyin' some ointment would be tha' way ta' go, but I in't tha' shine fer all a whut I'd be wantin' ta' buy fer that so I gots this healing kit." and she twists, lifting her shirt aside to show the new purchased item.
"Oh! D'ye think we be needin' ta' maybe get a grapnel?" She exclaims, twisting the other way and patting the small pouch on the other side of her belt. "I gots some shine left. D'ye have any thoughts as t'maybe somat else we be needin'?" She looks thoughtfully out into the street and frowns.
"Do they make stuff that be rank fer Orcs?" She blinks at Jethro a slight frown on her features.
After his conversations with Mr. Cranky outside the Tavern, canvassing the Tavern patrons for information and then talking to the doctor, Caln picks up a handful of small rocks (just the right size for throwing) and the wanders over to where Jethro and Suny are talking...
"What do you two think of these mutating Orcs. Have you ever heard about anything like it? For the life of me, I can't recall any of the Gods that would be doing something like this."
If Caln has learned anything from his conversations around town he'll use this time to share it with Jethro and Suny.
Arwen, will head back toward the office to have a look at the orc inside the cell.
He will also go and ask the clerk to find out what kind of mutation the sheriff was talking about
Suny shakes her head, "Nup...I in't never heard of a sicky-ness like a mupating afore." Though her frown deepens, "Might it be somat of magic twistin' 'em about? Some sort of wrong shape shifting or somat?"
"As fer Gods doin' stuff?" And she shrugs, "Well...technical, like, they rilly can do anything, right? Theys...y'know....Gods...."
After speaking with the Sheriff, Marco will tag along with Arwen regarding the mutation of the orc.
Arwen, I will join ya' in checking out the prisoner, but didn't the Sherriff say to stay away from the cells?