Kane was pleasantly surprised at what his goddess' sight revealed to him.
"We bear you no ill will. We have an intrest in this keep, not in conflict with you."
Adrien remains silent, letting the more diplomatic members of the group speak.
Naki lets out an uncharacteristic giggle, "I have SOME interest in that divine smelling roast."
The orc who spoke weighs your words with a scowl. He seems to be deciding something.
The combined words of the party do little to persuade or win over the orc. At Kane's words, though, his countenance becomes more guarded. He snorts and shakes his head. What 'interest?' What do you think you know about this keep?
"I know nothing of it. It is in my mother's journal. I am retracing her steps. It is my hope that within the walls are clues to the answers I seek."
The leader orc looks long at Kane as he mulls over the information -- cryptic as it may be. Finally, he nods and barks a couple orders in orcish to the others. Then facing the group again, he switches back to Common. All right. The roast is about ready. Leave your weapons at the gate, if you want a place at the table. Then we can talk about your mother's journal and what answers you seek.
The leader orc pulls off his cuirass as he strides back to the main structure, his attendant hurrying after him once he scooped up the armor. The orcs with bows wait for the party to pass through the gates and divest themselves of weapons before coming down themselves and leaving their bows on the same pile.
My name is Craddosk, the head orc states as he turns around and watches you pass through the outer wall. If you are true to your stated intentions, then you are welcome here.
Nodding excitedly Naki opens her pack. Shuffling through it quickly she frowns a little, "I have nothing that really constitues a weapon. I think I should probably remedy that in the future. Considering the reaction of the last bunch we came across."
"Craddosk, is it possible I can get a stick to use to guide myself? I use this." She holds up the spear. "As such since I can not see and don't wish to walk into objects if possible? Any old stick will do."
As she was guided forward she pulled along Sunflower who plodded along with them. The pony just seemed more interested in getting the food from her pocket and when they started moving she followed nose to Jazzai's pocket.
"Also, do you mind if I search the local area for something edible? To bring to the table....its a family tradition. If you are guests you bring something to add. And I don't wish to add just the rations we have."
Adrien looks quite nervous about leaving his memento bow behind. He looks to see at what Sir Kane does before making a decision.
Craddosk shrugs at Naki's lack of a weapon, and cants his head as he studies her spiderlike parts. He then blinks a couple times in surprise at Jazzai's admission of being blind, since it clearly didn't occur to him that she may be.
No weapons at the table. Mother Nulusk's rules, he says. There's not much around here edible that we haven't already found. So while I don't mind you following your own tradition, I think you might go hungry looking amongst the rocks.
The figure that had been working around the fire pit comes hurrying around the corner with a smoking slab of roasted meat. Up close, those with sight can see that she is actually a wizened old orc woman with a bent to her posture and a shrill voice. She squawks a few instructions in orcish, which causes Craddosk to wince. He barks back a few words that escape you, though his tone is clear that he is being taken down a few pegs.
With an exasperated sigh, Craddosk again addresses the group. Rhah-Nulusk says to quit dawdling and join her at her table.
The elderly orc woman smiles a toothy smile and bids you follow her with a nod of her head. She moves ahead of you with the steaming slab of meat inside.
Jazzai would nod and smiles. "I tend to find things that most do not but I will not hold us up from a meal if so requested. I will do so afterwards. Please, can you tell Rhah-Nulusk that her cooking smells amazing." She would hand her weapon to Sir Kane so she didn't just chunk it down.
Taking a deep breath to take in the roasting scents and the smells all around them. She would identify the woman if she was within tremorsense via her voice but if not would slowly make her way towards the table with help.
'I would have never thought to be dining with orcs. Such a strange world it has become indeed.'
Growing consciousness of the changes making her blush, Naki tries to wrap her lab coat around her a bit more. Approaching the table she suffers another shock. Her new form is completely incapable of sitting at the table, chairs and benches denied to her by the way her legs fold. She positions herself as close to it as she can and tries to relax taking up the most comfortable position she can manage. Her eyes glaze a little at the internal questioning and a look of worry crosses her face. This is much more serious than I had considered. If the physical changes are so drastic can I be sure I haven't changed in other ways? What am I becoming? Why haven't I been more concerned? She blinks coming back to the present and stutters, "Uh,hmm,huh Uh thank you for your hospitality..."
Craddosk says a few incomprehensible words to the elder, who beams in the direction of Jazzai. When everyone is brought to an interior room with a huge center table, she slaps the hunk of meat down on a serving platter the size of a heavy shield (which might actually be a heavy shield, now that you look at it) and moves over to take Jazzai's hand. With a surprisingly gentle but firm grip, she guides Jazzai to a seat. She runs her knobby hands down her hair a few times, then takes her place next to her.
Even though Rhah-Nulusk's rules preclude weapons at the table, every place is provided a wickedly sharp and barbed dagger. Craddosk seats himself at the head, and his "dagger" is easily the size of a short sword, which he yanks from the table. Six other orcs seat themselves at the table ranging from just into their teens to young adult. Most cannot take their eyes off the guests, muttering to each other in their racial tongue.
Craddosk begins carving the meat and tossing large chunks to everyone at the table. He begins to speak, Welcome guests. Let me introduce Rhah-Nulusk, my brood-mother. He nods in the direction of the eldest. Then going around the table from her, he introduces, Koreth, my sister's son. Hedden, my brother's son. Cradden, my eldest son, and Blassia, my eldest daughter. Frekkoth is my youngest son. Aretha, my Rhu-daughter, and Nodir, my Pha-son.
While Craddosk is introducing the orcs at the table, another orc female enters bearing a steaming cup. She sits at his side, and offers him a drink. And this is Khorial, my Rhi-wife, he adds, after drinking deep and then passing the cup down the row.
He looks at the guests expectantly, awaiting their introductions.
Jazzai feels someone approach and then feels a gentle grip on her hand. Smiling she took in the scent of the individual to remember it later and when guided to a seat she brightens. Feeling her hand run down her thick wild red and ashen colored hair, she feels a slight pang remembering her mother doing the same.
"Thank you." Settling into her seat her hand slowly reaches out to the table going over it feeling the knife and carefully goes over the side of the blade to know the size that way when wielding it she knew to be careful.
Hearing something scraping against wood her ears turn towards the sound followed by her head. She heard something being cut then meat getting thrown down the table. Listening to his words she makes note of what questions she wishes to ask later but speaks up after smelling the meat to see if she can identify it.
Hearing someone else enter and his last line she nods in the direction she hears them.
"I am Jazzai, these are my friends." She reached out knowing Sir Kane would be near and touched his cloak. "This is Sir Kane, the unofficial leader of our group. Then you have my friend Adrien, he is the one with the beautiful sounding wings. Then our new friend Dr. Nanaki Oru, the one with the many legs." Her voice was filled with affection as she said all three names. "We are a family of sorts. A group brought together by unique circumstances who have bonded."
"It is nice to meet you all," Adrien adds with a smile. "Thank you for welcoming us into your home."
"Ah yes as she mentioned, I am the famed Doctor Nanaki Oru, if you have any oddities or ailments simply let me know. I'd be glad to have a look." She smiles, "Don't mind the legs, a little experiment in mutagens gone awry. Most intriguing results."
Craddosk nods to Jazzai, Naki and Peacock, and does a bit of translating. The orcs sitting at the tables beam toothy smiles, then start digging in to their meal, which is primarily meat, plus a few of the edible succulents and brush-seeds that can be collected in the local arid climate.
Responding to Naki, Craddosk rumbles, I've heard of spider-kin before. Ettercaps, I think they were called. Is that not what you are? He shrugs his broad shoulders in a gesture that shows that he is not overly concerned, though he would listen to the tale if told.
So, Sir Kane, as one leader to another, I'm curious about these questions you have, especially if my home might be the source of your answers. I've only been here a few years, but from where I come from, you keep what you can hold. He laces that last statement with solid determination.
Jazzai would look at them and asks.
"What kind of meat is this?"
Craddosk chuckles and says a few words in orcish. The rest of the table echoes his laugh while they gnaw on their slabs of meat.
The only meat you can get around here. Do you like it?
"I haven't tried it yet because I can not identify what it is. I would like to know before eating."
Adrien suddenly appears highly uncomfortable... and glad he decided to wait and see before digging in.
Craddosk's lips curl over his tusks as he seems amused at his guests' sudden unease. The rest of the orcs look expectantly at everyone. Though he wavers a moment between taking insult and amusement, he finally gives them an answer. Dire bat, He says bluntly, studying their reactions.
If you'd like, we can go fishing later. This is the last of our most recent catch.
I thought you were going to take me-- Frekkoth pipes up, but is quickly shushed by Craddosk.
"Oh!" Adrien exclaims. "That's certainly different from anything I've tried before. It must have been quite a hunt to take one of those down!" he adds, doing his best to use the dagger provided to cut a more manageable chunk of the meat and taking a bite.
Jazzai chuckled.
"Like Adrien, I will say this is the first time I have had bat. I do apologize if I have been rude. I just like knowing what I am eating so I can identify it later." She hadn't been worried that it was human, after all they had smelled burning human before and that wasn't a smell she would forget.
"Since, I can not see I use my other senses to tell me what is around. It is my way of seeing so to speak." Hearing someone speak up. "Oh, I would not wish to take someone else's place on a hunt. I can assist in gathering these though." She held up the brush seeds and other plants.
"It is the least I can do to repay your hospitality." She dug in carefully. Able to use the wicked knife with ease but she was still careful.
Her fangs, since she had recently eaten were not at full length as she would move the food into her mouth.
Naki digs in even before the nature of the food is revealed. "Ettercap? No, no, I am, er well I was a human." Waving the knife around expressively, "A minor mishap with a few new compounds, an interesting abnormality."
As they reveal the source her face is an interesting display of conflicting emotion. Torn between disgust at the source and the enjoyment she was feeling for such a tasty meal. She looks down at the food and slowly makes a decision. Cutting off another piece she stuffs it in her mouth, determined to enjoy it.
The dire bat is certainly an acquired taste, though quite satisfying to those with a more carnivorous bent to their physiology.
Craddosk laughs at the mention of a hunt, and he is joined in by a couple of his offspring, belying the fact that they're indeed listening in. Not quite a hunt, but quite the experience! I don't know if you'd be up for it, they'll likely carry you away.
After Naki speaks again, several of the younger orcs stare intently. Craddosk translates, and the rest of the room turns its attention to her. The leader of the orcs loses his mirth as he studies the chymist.That's got to be a hell of a thing, once being human. I take it that's why you threw yourself in with this lot, then? Humans don't much care for monsters living among them, do they?
Blushing at the attention, she pauses with the food halfway to her mouth. Putting it down she schools her expression as she looks like shes contemplating her answer. After a few moments she speaks, "Well, I did consider that but it wasn't the only reason. Sir Kane's dilemma is most interesting and the chance to help him presented a real challenge. The accident had only just happened and no one in the town has even seen me like this... Maybe I was a little afraid of how they would react."
Once seated, Kane took down his hood.
"Where I am from, humans live beset by horror on all sides. Their lives are often brutal and short. As such they often judge harshly and err on the side of caution. My family is sworn to protect them, as a shepherd to a flock. It becomes a great deal more complicated when the shepherd suddenly looks like a wolf."
"I served with an orc, and a number of orc-kin during my time on the Wall. They were the ones who taught me not to judge based on appearances. When I woke up looking the way I do now, I was very grateful for the lesson."
The Wall, as in Lastwall? I am very familiar with Lastwall. I am... shall we say, "retired" from there. And Belkzen, Craddosk adds thoughtfully, eyes distant.
Returning to the present, he rips a chunk of meat off and devours it. Swallowing, he glances around the table, and again back to Kane. So again, I ask, what answers do you seek that brings you here?
From out of his cassock Kane pulls a pendant. The sigil of the Watchers on the Wall, the soldiers of Lastwall who's duty is to guard against the return of the sleeping tyrant. It bore four notches, one for each year of service. "I as well. It is always good to meet a Watch-brother."
Kane pulled out a his mother's journal and turned to the page detailing the keep. "First, I need to be certain we are in the right place. She describes a number of landmarks, which I believe we have found, but it has been many years. Landscapes can change. What I really seek is an inscription on the stone that matches this." he said pointing to a rubbing on the page.
Craddosk gives an inscrutable look when Kane produces the pendant. He nods briefly. Hedden, Nodir, go see to the walls this evening, he instructs, and the two orcs withdraw from the table.
Then he looks at the rubbing, and scratches his chin. I suppose that's what it looked like when it was whole.
Jazzai listened quietly as she ate and would listen to Kane speak more than he normally has. When they talk of an inscription, and then Craddosk, says something about it use to be whole she would wonder if that was a good or bad thing.
"What does this inscription look like?" She asks.
Peering at the rubbing Naki listens with interest. Already considering how she can help.
Craddosk takes another look at the rubbing, and gestures uselessly with his hands. Well, I suppose it looks like a sort of writing. There's not much left of whatever capped the well. It was open when I discovered it.
He eyes his guests, while the other orcs blink wide-eyed at the conversation -- apparent that the topic is going over several of their heads. There's not much else but to show you. I wasn't planning on fishing until later, but you all can take a look now if you're inclined.
"I wonder how deep that thing goes," Adrien wonders aloud, leaning over the edge to peer in. "What do you think, Sir Kane? Is this what you've been looking for?"
Jazzai chuckled. 'I will finish this excellent meal before I go anywhere. Don't want to upset our hostess. As for seeing the well," Jazzai just grins at him.
Finishing her meal she would kick her lips and then her fingers.
"How do I say thank you in Orc?"
"I am not sure. The Whisper cultists that my parents tracked here may have been working with the one who cursed my mother, but it is not certain. That curse is connected, somehow, to the way all of us have been transformed. This entire endeavor is half-guesswork. It is the strongest lead I have."
"We simply will not know for sure until we look for ourselves."
Naki grins happily, "I can go down and check if you'd like."
Finishing her meal she would kick her lips and then her fingers."How do I say thank you in Orc?"
"Děkuji," Craddosk answers with a grin.
After supper, he leads you into the center of the structure, and it is immediately apparent that this is much older than the keep built up around it. To Jazzai, it even smells older. Taking you down wide flights of steps carved from the rock itself, it is a descent into darkness. Craddosk has no light source but a simple torch, casting dancing shadows on the walls. It takes you several turns to reach the bottom, which opens into a large chamber with a deep shaft in the middle of the floor. A wide, worked stone rim circles the well, and a much more recent-looking contraption like a scaffolding stretches over it. A heavy chain is wound around a great winch, its other end affixed to a railed platform dangling over the pit. Several old bloodstains are visible on the platform, black in the torchlight. Several harpoons are lashed to the platform.
When Peacock peers in the well, he sees the shaft go down about twenty feet, then open into inky blackness.
She would turn to the female orc that had been sitting beside her and smiles. "Děkuji." Her voice is rough, but not bad for a first try.
As they are led down, Jazzai is the slowest of them all. Once they get to the bottom and she stands there taking deep breaths she would look around. "I smell, what I think is bat, and orc blood. I take it this is where you hunt the Dire Bats?"
She asked as she listened to the noises around them her ears twitching.
Jazzai cannot see the smile, but can sense it as the old woman rubs her shoulder.
In the basement, Craddosk grunts an affirmative. That's right. Less hunting and more like fishing. With yourself as bait, he grumbles a rough laugh.
He points to a collection of shattered chunks of rock off in one corner, the larger pieces with smooth sides and raised markings. That's all that was left of whatever covered this up. Can't say I know a whole lot about curses. Swears, oaths and epithets, sure, but not curses.
Craddosk crosses his arms and puffs his chest, looking pleased with himself. Not much out in this wasteland to sustain a fort, so that's probably why it was abandoned. I realized this hole went into a deep, large cavern when a dire bat once got stuck upstairs. So rather than scrape by on the tiny rock lizards, I rigged this platform to go bat fishing. No idea how deep it really goes, or how wide it is, but it's plenty big.
Frekkoth has followed you down, and stands near the stairs watching you all sullenly.
"I am impressed." Jazzai says and smiles warmly. "Unfortunately, being as blind as a bat as they say I can't see into the depth. And, as it is I have no wings so I will be waiting patiently here. Since you say fishing, I am guessing you use....other orc's as bait and draw a bat to you and some how take it out and haul it up?"
Jazzai stands there waiting on guidance to be directed if they move or not. But eventually would make her way to the "cap" and starts feeling it for divets and inscriptions.
The hunter is the bait! We harpoon them when they fly by to see if we're good to eat. Then we drag them up and butcher them. Is anyone interested in trying?