Ki point for vanishing trick again.
confirm crit
Lucky for me, they both did not choose to stay.
-32
You are lucky indeed as your blade slashes through worg 4.
Worg 3 from a distance barks at you-We have your scent elf! We will find you, and my lord Kargash will feast on your spleen! It doesn't back its words up, but rather trots away quickly baying and howling in frustration.
Kargash? Great now I need to disguise my smell too.
Recover pelts of 3 dead worgs if possible.
Return to the fortress.
-8
You manage to adequately harvest one of the worg pelts and make your way back towards the fortress. Nothing accosts you for the remainder of your journey and you encounter a few small patrols (20 troopers or so) as you get close to the walls. They seem to have a renewed energy about them, and you didn't realize until now how forlorn they were prior to the recent victory over the orcs. Many smile and wave at you as you pass by on your way to the main gates which while heavily guarded below and above, stand wide open. A testimony to the confidence permeating the garrison.
Head to the market.
Is the word pelt worth 100gp like the others?
What about the opals, are they worth anything?
They gladly pay you 100gp for the pelt. Each opal is worth 300gp.
Sell the opals as well, then seek out the Baron.
Selling off your hard-earned booty, you head towards the keep, looking for the Baron. You find him at drill with a few of the officers. His blade work is exquisite, and you can tell that in his prime he must have been an incredibly formidable opponent. Even older, slowed by too many pounds, and not enough activity, he is able to take on three of the officers at the same time without receiving a touch. The others at drill in the courtyard are clearly preoccupied by the Baron and not putting their full effort into their own work. Squire Marshap stands outside the sparring circles taking it all in.
Wait for the Baron to finish then approach.
“You are quite handy with a blade Baron!”
“I found a couple spots that might be suitable for the outposts you mentioned. (Convey locations)”
“I also ran into a scouting party of 4 grey-green orcs, they were out trying to determine what you are doing after defeating the Howling Scars, seems as if this group plans to strike if you venture out too far.”
“I had a meal with a Brownie and some of his friends in a small bamboo forest, I would recommend you avoid the bamboo area entirely if possible or approach with caution if you are interested in trading for bamboo occasionally though I’m not sure what goods would be of interest to him.”
“I was also pursued and attacked by worgs. Have you heard of a worg called Kargash? I’m told he’s interested in eating my spleen.”
The Baron grabs a towel and soaks it with some water, wiping down his face and neck-Thanks Curumir, but it feels like I'm fighting underwater these days. Too many hours behind a desk staring at charts and reports and not enough time out in the field. You should have seen me when I was young, my blade danced like a flame.-he chuckles softly-Of course young for me means you were probably already a hundred years or so. Sometimes it's hard to reconcile your youthful faces with the fact that you have seen so much.
Those locations sound promising, I'll have some patrols dispatched for a look and if they match up to what you are describing it sounds like we will have at least a few hold-fast areas to observe and report from. The Howling Scars were the immediate threat, but not a real threat. No chance they would ever breach the walls, but they made it difficult to get anything else done and we need some breathing room to start being self-sustaining.
The uruks you saw are more of an issue than the tuskers. From what we've learned, they are the most dominant strain of orcs on the continent; pushing lesser tusker tribes like the Scars to resource poor areas that they can't be bothered with. That's good for us because it generally means the coasts are easier to get established in, outside of where the cities are. I don't plan on sending troopers out in force past the five mile ring we've established until we are much more secure, but I do want us to dig in and finish clearing out that five miles. One of the many reasons I want those outposts set us as soon as possible.
I'll pass the word on about your brownie friend. It's encouraging to hear that not everything of good nature has been driven from Urath. Maybe we'll find some more substantial allies or resources at some point.
Don't know anything about a Kargash. My guess is you pissed off the pack leader by killing some of his kin. Worgs are nasty and hold a grudge. Something else for you to worry about while you are out there.
What do you plan to do next?
“Just continue to explore and see what else I can find out there. Hopefully I can find something at the market to mask my scent to keep the worgs off my trail. Anything you need looked into out there?”
The Baron gives you a broad smile-I was hoping you'd ask. Now that you've got a feel of the area we intend to start settling in to, I need someone to stick their nose out past our perimeter and get a sense of what the uruk and tuskers are doing. I would guess they are still a bit unsettled, but the slaughter we inflicted on the Scars is bound to make noise across at least the nearer portions of Urath. I hope the other colonies are making similar noise, even if they aren't always aligned with our goals. It would help to distract the uruks, instead of having them just focus in on us here.
In any case, go see the regimental paymaster. He'll have a reward for you bringing in this information.
+750GP
“Thanks Baron. I will see what I can find out.”
Go see the paymaster for 750gp.
———-
Then to the market for wand of negate aroma.
750gp x 10= 7500 = 7.5 = 92%
________
Rest and head out the next morning.
Head out to where?
Head out to where?
Past the 5 mile perimeter.
Do you take one of the two coastal routes? Straight up the gut? Walk in an expanding spiral?
Work with me man. I'll do the vast majority of the creative writing heavy lifting, but I need you to put a little wind in the sails. :D
Curumir heads in the general direction of the bamboo forest but skirts between it and the coast as he heads towards the 5 mile perimeter. Keep on that general heading, seeking out high spots in the terrain that might allow him to see greater distances.
Heading out through the open main gates of the wall, you pass several twenty-trooper squads thoroughly patrolling, scouting, and generally reconnoitering the land within two miles or so of the stronghold. Despite having been on Urath for just a short time, you feel like you have a decent sense now of the nearby vicinity and step with confidence, striding towards the relative unknown.
About four miles from the gates you stumble into a tiger that was apparently stalking other prey but didn't notice you until you noticed it. The large cat stares at you menacingly, wondering if it should make you its next meal instead of whatever it was tracking.
Curumir admires the tiger and desires not to fight if it can be avoided.
No need to fight, go about your hunt, but you will avoid the humans if you’re smart.
The tiger looks at you appraisingly for several nervous moments before sniffing the air and continuing in pursuit of its previous prey.
Continue on with the journey.
I shall continue my hunt as well
After a while, you come to the edge of territory and landmarks that you recognize. Not having found any good vantage points to look over the lay of the land, you press on and several minutes later come close to stumbling into a group of green-skinned orcs (about 7). They don't appear to have noticed you, but you didn't see them until the last moment and you are maybe 50' away from their position.
Use hat of disguise to appear as grey-green orc.
Try to remain hidden and see what they are up to.
You follow the group for a short while and realize they don't seem to really have much of a destination. Scavenging perhaps? Unfortunately, they notice you and stop to watch what you do next. They are about 80' away, taking a defensive posture.
“What’re ya doing out here ya rats? Yer gonna get slaughtered by the humans!”
The orcs mostly shy away from you, but the bravest responds-We're just looking for food. Dying with an empty gut sounds worse than dying from a blade in the gut. Don't stick your snout in our business, you aren't the boss of us.
“Then be about yer business or I’ll stick a blade in yer gut and end yer misery.”
Curumir continues on as before.
The group considers your statement for several moments before their flight instinct wins out and they move along.
After some additional travel your eyes pick out the distinct haze that would only come from a large group of campfires. Maybe two to three miles from your current position.
Likely orcs but best see for certain and get an idea of numbers.
Approach closer for a better view, trying for some high ground.
Continue grey green orc disguise.
Use wand of negate aroma in case there are worgs about.
1 charge lasts 1 hour, if it runs out while close to the camp will use another.
You are able to pass by a few green-skinned orc patrols and find a climbable tree on a rise that gives a decent view. Several hundred yards away is a very disorderly camp (if you could even call it that) comprised largely of green-skinned orcs, at the center of which is a more organized groups of tents that you can see grey-green skinned orcs moving about in. The greenies tend to steer well clear of the grey's camp area and what few greys you see moving about the mass of greens are giving orders and direction. Patrols of greens move out regularly, larger groups accompanied by a grey. Every once and a while a group of grey-only orcs moves out headed in various directions. All told there are probably close to two thousand orcs (with a good number of them women and younglings) assembled in this area, most looking like refugees from the land that the troopers have been clearing.
There appears to be a group of worgs mingling in the grey camp area.
So many orcs and allied with worgs.
How far past 5 miles is this camp?
Start heading back towards the bamboo forest, but instead of following same route (between Forest/Ocean), make for the other side of the forest, so as to see some additional territory.
The camp is maybe nine miles or so from the stronghold as the eagle flies. You begin to journey back, dodging multiple orc patrols, whose frequency diminishes the closer you get to more familiar territory. You notice more signs of game and wildlife as well. Apparently the absence of orcs doesn't take pressure off of just the humans attempting to settle the area and you wonder at how much food orcs might consume in gross.
A short time after reaching more familiar territory you notice some bushes ahead that quiver briefly, you assume with something sheltering inside them.
use inspired trait to reroll
lol
Move towards the bushes trying to ID whatever is hiding there.
A trio of lengthy, segmented, horrors-writhing and twisting- clack their venomous mandibles in search of prey: YOU. Giant centipedes attack!
You have the initiative.
Use ki point for extra attack.
You hack down one of the pedes and badly wound a second.
They attack!
Pede 1 - 16
Pede 2
Any bite requires DC 16 FORT save or take 1d3 DEX each round for 6 rounds or until save is made.
Ki point for extra attack.
Uhhh, poison, I don’t feel so good.
The pedes put on the pressure!
Pede 1 - 16
Pede 2
Any bite requires DC 16 FORT save or take 1d3 DEX each round for 6 rounds or until save is made. In addition to existing bites.
Ki point for extra attack.
-23
Curumir cuts down a second pede as the third and final pede moves in for the kill!
Pede 2
Any bite requires DC 16 FORT save or take 1d3 DEX each round for 6 rounds or until save is made. In addition to existing bites.
-34
Use ki point for increased speed and run away.
Curumir, understanding his dire condition, wisely sprints away from any further altercation with the last remaining pede. The creature considers for just a moment, before turning to feast on its fallen kin.
Curumir heals, then makes his way to the fort.
-7 dex
Curumir restores himself somewhat, watching at a distance in disgust as the remaining pede slowly eats its former companions. He wonders how much of this behavior extends itself beyond the anthropods and orcs of Urath.
Stumbling on two left feet back to the fastness, Curumir starts encountering the reassuring presence of trooper patrols, usually groups of twenty. They greet him heartily as they pass. Soon the walls are in sight and encouragingly the gates are still wide open, although guarded, as groups of troopers bustle back and forth, following various orders.
Curumir seeks out the Baron upon his return.
Curumir eventually finds the Baron down at the pier talking to a few sailors as he supervises men fitting out a sloop for travel. It looks like they are loading supplies, barrels of water and crates of food as well as what looks like some trade goods. Squire Marshap stand near him, writing notes into a small journal.
Wait for the Baron to finish then inform him of the orc encampment.
“Greetings Baron, Squire Marshap.”
“I came across a camp of 2,000 orcs about 9 miles out, mostly disorganized greens that looked like refugees, they included females and younglings, but they were also several organized greys and there were worgs with them.”
Marshap smiles with affection as the Baron frowns in concentration for a few moments-How many do you think were fighters and how many women and children? Giving them one more good hit should settle things for the near future; convenient that they've grouped together. I don't think we want the uruks getting them organized or bringing in more of their kin.
You up for another job?
Convey the numbers if known.
“I’ve been poisoned by centipedes so I’m not up to much at the moment and not sure how long it will take to recover. Once recovered I can help out.”