Daseem decided he believed the ghost and starts crushing the remains once more, perhaps with a bit more effort this time. It was kind of fun a first but once all the bones were crushed it started to become quite difficult to go further with a sword pommel. So Daseem glanced once more at Ivan, hoping he'd take over.
Bupkis tells the ghost, "You have great-granddaughter, Calrianne Blix — Knight of Ozem. We meet her."
"My boys made it out and lived?" Blix asks in excitement.
"At least one," Bupkis replies. "Don't know full story."
Ivan shrugs, the others trusted it, and he didn't have anything real evidence to the contrary. Perhaps it truly was just righteous indignation. Ivan sets about turning the bone shards into meal.
You hear a whispered "Thank you. Now I can rest in peace." as the ghost fades away. Before he's gone completely you hear a startled "Search the statue for..." but then he is gone.
Bupkis wonders what the ghost was talking about. He goes to the statue of Iomedae and starts looking for a secret compartment.
Bupkis takes a thorough look at the statue. And finds naught. Disappointed by this outcome he starts a second more thorough approach. pressing and pulling at the feet of the statue, knocking on the knees, pulling at the swords pommel, hanging on the swordarm. Climbing over to the shield and pressing every dent or hump on the surface. Poking the eyes, the ears, knocking on the head. And finally choking the statue with his bare hands for not giving away its secret. Which make the compartment in the neck slide out a bit.
Inside he finds a glory medaillon, a very special holy symbol of Iomedae.
"Look!", Bupkis declares, proudly holding up his find.
Menrozzar blinks, then looks at Bupkis. "Well done, Bupkis. Your eyes are quite keen." Standing, Menrozzar purposefully strides over to the goblin. "Daseem, can you identify the enchantments on this?"
Daseem stared suspiciously at the sword and symbol and muttered a chant under his breath. He pondered for a while before replying emphatically, "Enchanted hoodoo!"
"May I assist?" Amira offers. She cast a cantrip and takes a close look at the holy symbol.
"It looks like this is helpful to a priest or paladin of Iomedae when they channel the holy energy of their deity."
"And once per day it can be used to dispaell darkness with that energy, instead of healing or such."
Looking around she adds "So we found a nice gift for your priests at home in Trunau."
Droja watched all this from safe distance, close to the entrance. She is still sceptic. "So is the ghost gone now?" Droja inquires.
"To be absolutely sure no ghost is left, I'd suggest to search the building using magic to detect undead. But from what I know I'm sure that the ghost of Fabian Blix is gone for good." Amira tells.
"Then nothing hinders General Karrguk to take over the fort. No giants in sight and the ghost gone."
"You've done your part. Your usefulness for the General has expired." Droja tells.
Bupkis considers this information, "Sounds like we get ready to fight General!
"Bupkis need to heal a bit."
Daseem didn't reply verbally but a dangerous glint entered his eye. Inwardly he exhalted with the idea, the general was a worthy foe. Surely Gorum wished to test his champions and to the winner the spoils! He had no particular interest in Droja but the idea of setting her free pleased him because it would no doubt rankle the general. Carefully Daseem set about sharpening his already exquisitely sharp blade and polishing his kit. Whatever happened next he was determined to look his parade ground best.
"Anyone else?" Amira aks, after patching up Bupkis with a pat on the back and some singsang words.
Menrozzar nods as he considers their options carefully before looking at Droja. "What happens to the tribe if the General is slain?"
"Don't be a fool. You have to slay the whole tribe. That's what you came for, isn't it? Or do you want to sneak away."
"If you manage to slay the general only and sneak away then, someone else will take over. They may as well take the insignia of Karrguk and call themsevels general too." Droja tells.
It is totally clear that she wants to see everyone dead.
"If we killed General Karrguk, then threw his head out where all could see, would his lieutenants fight amongst themselves to take his place, further weakening them? It would make our job easier - or is there one who could easily cow the rest and take charge?"
Ivan looks to Menrozzar Perhaps, but there'd be less O the stinkers ta hammer for me. An' while less O' the stinkers is always a good thing, I'm right grumpy from last nights sleepin' arrangements and I ain't got a giant ta' take it out on. Ivan is clearly torn between the thought of watching the greenskins slaughter each other or hammering them into the ground himself.
"Next leader would be who collects the most of your heads." Droja states. "On a draw they would start to infight."
"Most of them are not the brightest, but they are not that stupid."
Daseem didn't say anything but he took note of Droja's words and he felt as if a weight was lifting from his shoulders. A glorious battle awaited, them Vs a General and his army! Absently Daseem put down his sharpening stones and tested the edge of his Gorum blessed sword, it cut the hairs on his arm like a razor.
He then asked Amira for any healing she could spare before telling the others, "C-come. We shouldn't keep him waiting."
"Here, you are!"
Daseem nodded his thanks to Amira and excitedly asked, "We g-go?"
Bupkis thanks Amira for the healing. He asks Droja, "How many orcs here at fort? They all serve General?"
Then he turns to the others and suggests, "We go up to battlements and figure out where orc forces are now? Bupkis remembers stairs up in kitchen area."
"There are about 20 ocrs around here. give or take. Depending on who's on patrol and who got eaten by the ogres." Droja tells.
A short scouting mission from Bupkis shows, that about 10 of the orcs have taken over guard duty at the Barbican. The rest is at and probably in the tents. If they are not hiding somewhere else, which can't be ruled out.
Daseem wanted to run out and hack orcs into pieces, but others wanted a more strategic approach. So they made sure the warning sign is still up and barricaded the chapel from the inside. After some trail rations for dinner and a good nights sleep all wake up well rested for making great plans.
No ghosts showed up during the night, ho haunted dreams were had. And generally the atmosphere is lighter than it was when the chapel was entered yesterday. So far also no orcs showed up in the inner ward of the fort.
"I like those odds!" growled Daseem, for once free of his stutter.
Bupkis wakes up refreshed, and eats another huge breakfast. It was a good thing that others are carrying his rations, because he couldn't have carried them all himself. The little goblin is eating more than anyone else in the group!
After everyone else had finished their morning preparations, he looks outside to see if the orc general was waiting outside; however, there's no sign of the orcs. Closing the door and returning to the others, he suggests, "We could go up on walls and shoot orcs from there!"
"Good plan, Bupkis. Hopefully that will make them come running to us, and we can set up to catch them in a trap."
The plan is sound, but the execution has a flaw. As the group leaves the chapel and enters the inner yard, General Karrguk comes through the barbican into the yard too.
"So what did you manage to do. Are you done with your exploration of the fort?" Karrguk asks. The orcs behind him stand in a bow behind him blocking the way past.
well, seems ta' me tha' things jus' got expedited Ivan whispers to the others.
Bupkis replies to the general, "Lot's more places to look! Places for giants and ogres!"
He looks to see how many orcs are with the general.
"Looks to me like you're dilly-dallying. My men have seen none of the uglies on patrol. No brawling of ogres. No giant nowhere." Karrguk looks around slowly and thoroughly, checking if he missed something.
"So there is just one thing left to do."
"To get rid of those humans, who now know our fort inside-out."
The orcs charge in to end the humans, and heavy blades come down on steel armor and shields.
Amira immediately starts singing an encouraging song about a mighty battle, where the heroes wade in the blood of the utter defeat of their enemies. It's a rather calm song, that contrasts strongly with the text.
Ivan grips his hammer and chuckles.
Ye right, no more O' the filth around 'ere. Jus ugly pigs. He retorts before laying into the foolish orcs that dared to strike his shield.
Ivan hammers one of the orcs almost out of existance. He stands there staggered, his life on a thread. Menrozzar makes use of his reach weapon to deal some pain to each of the attackers, before they even can attack him.
While Daseem ponders his options, the orcs keep coming..
Karrguk raises his two handed greatsword up and shouts out a well known phrase.
Daseem grins from ear to ear as he shouts, "May Gorum decide the winner!"
With that he roars as he swipes his Gorum blessed sword hoping to cut down the orc in front of him.
The clash of sword on shield is my song. I am in your armor, your blade. Strike at your foes and I will guide your hand, for I thirst only for battle. Under my iron gaze, the worthy find glory—and those who fall are forgotten.
Bupkis stepped back and gathered aetheric power, before sending it towards the orc flanking Ivan, taking a crossbow bolt with it.
Daseem cuts deep into the orc standing before him. Bupkis flings around bolts, also wounding some orc badly. But so far none of the green enemies fall.
Too close. The orcs were too close. Menrozzar's lucerne hammer fell from his hands as they warped into red, scaly claws. His eyes changed to a reptilian gold, and a faint pattern of red scales grew over his skin. With a near-draconic roar, he laid into a nearby orc with the claws.
In his rage Menrozzar brings the first orc down. The last of the orcs joins the fray and attacks Menrozzar.
Droja downs a potion and disappears.