When Curumir has traveled about 5 miles up the coast, make a 90 degree turn inland and keep an eye out for any threats as well as likely spots for outposts.
Within what you suppose to be a mile you find a lone knoll that overlooks a small swale. You climb to the top of it and find that it gives fair visibility for at least a mile in any direction. It's not very stealthy, but it certainly is defensible and you would see anything significant coming a long way off. You make a mental note of it's location relative to your journey and the fortress, before moving on.
Two miles (or so, you guess) later you espy a band of four grey-green skinned orcs moving together trying to be stealthy. Watching their cautious movement, you get the sense that they are scouting.
Keep an eye on the orcs, trying to determine their purpose.
Use hat of disguise to appear as an orc.
What type of orc?
The orcs definitely appear to be scouting, much more cautious that any warband would proceed and a small number too. While you watch them, they catch site of you and move quickly in your direction.
Grey-green orc.
Wait for their arrival.
“I’ve seen no signs of the cursed humans (spits on the ground), how about you lot?”
Orc-This one speaks like an elder Zogar and he smells funny. Something's not right. They didn't send any other patrols this way. He's either a liar or a deserter; let's eat him.
Zogar-Shut it Borzug. You don't get paid to think, hell you don't even get paid. As for eating him, good luck. He does smell weird, he'd probably give you the shits.
Zogar to you-So what's your real story dog-face? I know the clan isn't dumb enough to send out solo scouts. Not after the stories we've heard about the greenies getting cucked by those scrungy soldiers. You don't look familiar, where are you from? Who are your people?
“Griznak’s the name and you best remember it. I don’t answer to the likes of you. Now what are you doing here?”
The orcs shrink back almost as if you struck them.
Zogar, mildly-Apologies Griznak, it's just everyone is on edge right now. Things are so jumbled with all these settlers making their way here and now the Howling Scars getting their asses kicked so bad. We are out here on orders to see how far the humans are sticking their dicks out. If they stick 'em out too far we are to report back and see if we can't lop 'em off. Seems like so far they have stuck to what they did before. Didn't think there was no way they would send someone else out here, especially by themselves.
“Go then and report what you’ve seen, I have more to do before I return.”
The four orcs wander off, shaken.
Continue on looking for possible outpost locations or anything else of interest.
Before you reach the end of your five miles sweep (you think it's five miles anyways), you find a small cave that looks like it began as a natural formation, but it has very clearly been worked and expanded by crude artisans. Two totems stand on either side of the cave entrance, what looks like several shrunken orc heads hang from each of the posts, which are also carved with runes. You can tell that fire of some sort must have been used inside the cave as soot stains the ceiling of the entrance.
Cast detect magic. What do the totems look like? Does Curumir think this was made by orcs or something else? Any identifiable tracks?
After observing exterior and totems, enter cave and take a look, unless he spots some sort of creature or trap.
The totems have some residual energy of Conjuration and Necromancy schools. They are 6' wooden poles, stained with blood, the heads dangling from braids of their own hair. The runes most commonly represent a rat gripping a coin with both paws.
You have no idea who made the totems, but orcs seems likely. The tracks are muddled from lots of traffic but you do make out some distinct boot marks that you believe to be from orcs.
Not seeing any obvious threat, you enter the cave. After the entrance, there is a short tunnel with a low ceiling (about 5') that causes you to stoop in order to advance. After five feet or so the tunnel opens up revealing a larger chamber (40') with what looks like a natural chimney in the rear. Piles of bones and rotting corpses sit in unorganized piles in front of what looks like some type of blood soaked altar. Behind the altar is a rough hewn statue of a massive orc with a rat head.
DC 15 FORT or be sickened from the smell of the abattoir.
Orc filth
Inspect the room.
The majority of the corpses appear to be female orcs and orc children. from the cuts on the bodies, it's pretty clear that they were used as some type of blood sacrifice at the altar site with only the hearts being used. The altar itself has clearly seen heavy use for many years. There are marks cut into the altar that look they were caused by finger nails or claws, struggling until the end. Upon closer inspection you notice the rat-head altar has two small black opals for eyes. The rest of the room seems fairly innocuous besides the foul stench.
This is foul even for orcs.
Try to remove the opals.
The opals fall easily into your hands and as they do a chill washes over you.
Make 2 saves.
DC 18 FORT or receive the blood bane curse: take an additional 1d3 damage any time you are hit by piercing or slashing weapons.
DC 20 WILL or receive the unluck curse: reroll any time you RNG a nat 20; take the worse result.
Time to leave.
Exit the cave.
Continue on.
You have now traveled five miles up the coast and five miles inland. Do you go five miles back to where you think the walls are or some other direction?
Continue circling the fort at approximately 5 miles distance.
You start to wend your way towards completing a radial exploration of the lands approximately five miles from the human stronghold. You find a few other hillocks that look defensible and provide strategic views of the nearby area. About half way to the shores you come across a thick section of bamboo woods that has clearly been repeatedly harvested (you assume by orcs) but is so thick and resilient the best of their hacking has not diminished it. You guess that it is about 500 yards across. Above the massive shoots of bamboo, you can see various birds flying into and out of the center of the mass. For some reason you think you hear the sound of a fiddle being playing in that direction.
Head into the bamboo towards the sound of the fiddle.
Wonder who or what resides here? Not really the type of place that makes me think of orcs.
As you enter the massive bamboo forest whatever sound of fiddle you were picking up disappears and the vegetation seems to lean into itself making any forward progress very difficult.
DC 15 escape artist/acrobatics/or STR to advance.
use inspired trait to roll skill again
Curumir will stop advancing and calls out.
Is there a druid here? Guess I need to take a chance.
“Hello, fiddle player, all is not as it appears, I mean no harm, please speak with me.”
A pair of squirrels fling themselves effortlessly from tree to tree, quickly making their way towards you about 15' off the ground. They look at you appraisingly and chitter back and forth with each other. If only you spoke fluent squirrel!!! After several moments of chatter they scamper back the way they came towards the center of the bamboo thicket. A little while after that the press of the bamboo eases and the way forward becomes unobstructed, if still challenging to navigate.
Move forward.
That seems encouraging.
The fiddling picks up, slower and more sonorous almost melancholy. After a few more minutes of challenging passage (you swear that now the bamboo is just messing with you, playfully, trying to trip you and clutch at your equipment) you reach a hollow in the grove of bamboo. There is a small low mound in the center of it with a ring of peculiar little stones (each about 1' tall) atop in in a circle.
A small humanoid, knee-high to a human with a large-head and an almost manically friendly look on its expressive face, sits atop a rock with fiddle in hand eyeing you warily. A quartet of tiny, whimsical-looking humanoids dart about swiftly on wildly colored gossamer wings over his head as small groups of rabbits and a deer eat the vegetation nearby.
Small humanoid-Well you took you sweet time about it, did-n-cha?
Drop the orc disguise.
What is the large headed creature? Are the others pixies?
“Well yes, I am rather large to be passing through your bamboo forest with ease. I am Curumir and am new to this area, if I may ask who are you?”
You recognize the creature with the fiddle as a brownie, and the others are certainly pixies. You can feel the calm of the brownie's magic wash over you the more time you spend here.
Brownie-Ah, a proper gentleman indeed. Comes a knocking but offers his name first as one should. The proprieties, the proprieties.
It's been a long time Curumir and I'm pleased to meet you indeed. My name is Buxley and my lady friends flitting about and I are happy that you are here. I didn't guess that your folk would ever be returning, but I'm right gland that I was wrong. Urath with no elves is like rain without no drops, so I says anyways. Sit and have something to eat and drink. A nip maybe? Whatever you like, sure enough.
Out of nowhere a little table and chairs appear with small sandwiches, tean, and whiskey?
“Thank you Buxley pleased to meet you and your friends as well. Can you tell me anything about nearby places where elves once dwelt and if they might have left anything behind? I did see ruins of a settlement a few days ago with a temple to Yuelral. Is there anything I can do in return?”
Curumir will start by trying the sandwich and tea.
You find the sandwich and tea delightful; absolutely the best thing you have tasted since your repast in Aerendyl Advyre's tower.
Buxley-As I said, a gentleman to be sure.
If you've been to the ruins of that sad, little village you have seen the nearest thing your kin left in these parts. Hopefully you didn't encounter any of its current inhabitants; they aren't very hospitable in my opinion.
There were other small steadings in the area, but I'm afraid time and the Yrch have made those completely unrecognizable after all these years. I've been told there are ruins of a larger elf hold a few days as the eagle flies, but I've not been to see it myself and my memories of those latter years had only to do with my lost village.
As for what you can do for me, the best would be to ask your human friends to give my grove a wide berth. The Yrch are problem enough, but they are easily distracted. My recollection of humans is they tend to be a little more persistent and inquisitive. Can't have them messing with my home of friends.
Finish the meal with the whiskey.
“Thank you Buxley your meal is far better than anything the human’s call food. I will speak with their leader about avoiding this area if that is your wish, I think he will listen but I cannot promise so. At some point I hope to seek out the larger hold of my people that you describe. If there is nothing further you wish to discuss I should be on my way. Thank you again for the meal and the information.”
Buxley nods in acknowledgment of the compliment-It's good to see an elf back in Urath. Safe travels Curumir, I appreciate your efforts with the humans.
Curumir will head back to the fortress.
Plan upon arriving is to seek out the Baron.
A short while after leaving Buxley's grove you hear the howl of wolves. As the moments pass, it sounds like they are getting closer.
Continue in direction of the fort, looking for a defensible spot if fighting the wolves becomes necessary.
Do you start running or still move at exploring pace?
Normal pace.
It isn't very long before the howls come closer and you can see a small pack (4) of worgs racing towards you.
Any place that looks like it would limit how many could get at Curumir at a time? Any sign of soldiers from the fort?
You find a space that will prevent them from surrounding you, but all four will still be able to attack you at the same time. You have not seen any soldiers since you left the fortress and there is no sign of any nearby.
Stop at the space above and wait for the worgs.
You set your back to some thick brush and watch as the massive evil lupines lope towards you at a rapid pace; they will be upon you in moments!
Get as many shots off as possible.
Two of your arrows land, dropping a worg.
The other three come barreling in:
Worg 2
Worg 3
Worg 4
Use ki point for vanishing trick then sneak attack.
-10
You badly wound one of the worgs as they continue their attack:
Worg 2 -21
Worg 3
Worg 4
Ki point for vanishing trick again.
-17
You drop the worg and the other two snarl at each other:
Worg 3-This is the one, but he's too much for us, we should run!
Worg 4-Use your mouth for biting, not whimpering!
Worg 3 diseregards Worg 4's advice and runs. Worg 4 tries to finish you off.
Worg 4