Drakthar's Way and Half Orcs

[Zlorf]

Hi,
Im sure i saw a thread on this before, but i cant find it.

Im slightly confused: SCAP HC P88, 3rd point regarding info that Chorlyndyr, Kallev may disclose to the PC's mentions that
a noble wants to augment their bodyguards with stronger mercenaries (half orcs). Is this true? I cant find anything about who the noble is.

My PC's will starting asking questions, to find out who the noble might be, I imagine they would go to the mayor and tell him. Whats is the mayor likely to do? Send out a investigation team and tell the PC, i'll see what they can find..meanwhile they get distracted and go off and search for wands..that sounds good :)

I also want to clarify why and when the half-orc enter the city.

Chapter 2: Drakthars Way (DW): Cagewrights try to smuggle half-orc in Cauldron via DW, foiled by PC's

Chapter 3: Flood Season: No mention of half-orc. I presume with the backing of Vhalantru, Terseon Skellerang starts hiring half-orc, but why? This should start ring alarm bells everywhere, that something is wrong. I understand that Terseon is loyal to Vhalantru, but even the other guards whould see a problem with this.

Chapter 4: Zenith Trajactory: Alek Tercival discovers proof of corruption in Cauldron's city guard (Terseon Skellerrang..right?)

Chapter 5: Terseon Skellerrang recently announces special security measures against a sect of dangerous anachists (presume this is the Ebon Triad). Half-orc mercenaries accompany tax collecters. More Half-orc hired. Is this to make it look they are trying to protect Cauldron?

Anyways i might be missing a few key details, hence the confusion..I haven't read the whole book, but have skimmed though it.

TIA
Zlorf

[Nurgan]

Zlorf wrote:

Chapter 3: Flood Season: No mention of half-orc. I presume with the backing of Vhalantru, Terseon Skellerang starts hiring half-orc, but why? This should start ring alarm bells everywhere, that something is wrong. I understand that Terseon is loyal to Vhalantru, but even the other guards whould see a problem with this.

Why? Half- orcs are just as much people as the rest of the guards. Terseon's loyalty may lead him to want to protect Vhalantru.

In my campaign, the party reveals to the guards their suspicions that one of the noble families may be trying to recruit their personal army. This, led to the guards responding in kind, by hiring some muscle of their own, and luckily, there are some amenable half orcs nearby...

In Chapter 5, the "anarchists" are in fact the Chisel, who are secretive and running counter to the "wills of the rulers of the city": which is mostly run by the Cagewrights. The malevolence of the Chisel is a myth, but the guard and Vhalantru want people to believe they're up to no good. Ideally, their meeting with the Chisel in Ch5 should be tainted with all sorts of vicious rumours that have been spread.

[Hendoronomy]

Zlorf wrote:

Im slightly confused: SCAP HC P88, 3rd point regarding info that Chorlyndyr, Kallev may disclose to the PC's mentions that
a noble wants to augment their bodyguards with stronger mercenaries (half orcs). Is this true? I cant find anything about who the noble is.

The noble in question is none other than Lord Vhalantru himself. Note the presence of his "augmented personal bodyguard force" at the manor (upstairs) in Lords of Oblivion.

[Sean C. Macdonald]

My party has a half-orc in it and I described the city has actualy having a number of half-orc mercenaries in town just because of the number of orc tribes in the surrounding country side. So in my campaign half-orcs are relatively common. It's not going to raise any more suspiscion than if someone was hiring all dwarves for the guard. :)

[Zlorf]

Hi,

Thanks for the info guys. As i said ive only skimmed though the book

Re: hiring of half-orc. I actually had a player who was a half-orc and started as a city guard, unfortunately he was killed.
I have been hinting to my players that half-orc are been recruited as town guards..and why not..they're strong and have darkvision.

My problem is that if hiring half-orcs is considered acceptable and even common, then why try to smuggle them into the city? Why not just have them come through the front gate and avoid all the suspicion.

The quest for the wands will side track the PC's but they still be suspicious about the noble and half-orc. As it is part of the adventure for the PC's to begin realizing that theres may be some sort of corruption going on.

Zlorf

[Solomani]

Zlorf wrote:

Hi,

Thanks for the info guys. As i said ive only skimmed though the book

Re: hiring of half-orc. I actually had a player who was a half-orc and started as a city guard, unfortunately he was killed.
I have been hinting to my players that half-orc are been recruited as town guards..and why not..they're strong and have darkvision.

My problem is that if hiring half-orcs is considered acceptable and even common, then why try to smuggle them into the city? Why not just have them come through the front gate and avoid all the suspicion.

The quest for the wands will side track the PC's but they still be suspicious about the noble and half-orc. As it is part of the adventure for the PC's to begin realizing that theres may be some sort of corruption going on.

Zlorf

Its not because they are half-orcs its because there is a sudden doubling of the guard and all the new mercs come from the same merc company and they are in the employee of one noble.

That should set anyone's alarm bells of. On top of that half-orcs are generally treated with some suspicion because of their ancestry so that makes even more warning bells to go off.

If I were you I would make sure the party does not find out who the noble is specifically. I let my party, due to excellent sluething and role-playing, find out who the Blue Duke is and that was it.