The bones are finally released and the bounce and hop all over the table. You swear one even tumbled onto a plate of gnawed on meat in front of the Mother. It's deathly quiet as the last bones stops rattling. The tempature seems to drop a few degrees as the hush remains. The bones have been cast...
Grung pauses mid swig and watches mother to see what she says, suddenly intrigued
"And if you ever encounter the Void ...you run."
Mother stands up and her fingers start to put the bones in an order that seems to make sense to her - only. She fishes out Nym's lone white hair and sees that it has shriveled a bit. A yellow toothy smirk comes across her face. Mumbling under her breath she says a few powerful words. Then in common, she makes the announcement: .
"Nym Omriwin lives...t'morrow... but next day more cloudy....he lives but is covered in darkness soon. I see twilight and an eternally full moon with a second small'r moon hidden in the darkness." Her bushy brow lifts as she sits back down. She pats the back of his hand as if pitying him and his doomed future.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." The goblins have heard an omen. A few come by and pat the drow on his back. One even offers him some of his goblin ale in condolence. A second lays a pile of lint in front of Nym's plate and third gives him a frog's foot on a twine.
As meath'd lift his bowl of mead.
"Nym goin' t' VOID like Kalim sez."
Karnog translates Mother's pronouncement to Nym into undercommon.
"Agreed, Meathead. Let us drink to good fortune and good juju."
Karnog raises his own mug and downs it in salute.
"So, what's our next step? Do you all wish to research or track down these scouting parties first? Or should we get some trackers and look for the cause of our missing hunters?"
"Research is fine and good, but I think the missing trackers is a more urgent problem!"
"Unfortunately, we found orc ...remains in a path giants left. We must find these giants and show them Orctown justice."
After a few more rounds and mead are served and a large jar of pickled baby frogs is passed around for desert, Meath'd waves all the fodder away. "Moth'r and Meath'd talk now to guest. You all go away...don't come back for long time." There's a bit of grumbling but everyone complies.
"Now we talk."
"Okay, Meathead, let's talk. We've filled you in on what we've been up to, why don't you tell us about all the things you lot have done. The defenses look great, and the overal community really seems to be coming along. Great job, there."
"We gots new folks com'n all the time. Gots the goblun..." He begins to count on his stubby fingers. "13 days...no 8 days...no no it was 11 days ago...they multiply quickly. Thought we had small clan of 15 now they be double that."
Mother nods in agreement.
"Clan hearded 'bout glory of Orctown and come hope'n fer safe place....small violence. Theys be guud at tasks and works without need'n too many whacks on head. Other new folks come too."
He nods. "We trade twice with Fentonville...we no eat them and we trade guud wit 'em. Plenty of meat and cloth. Sell us seeds for late plant'n and we trade lots of furs to them. Plus we found one miss'n family and helped 'em,s o they said guud things to people."
"We patch holes in outer wall and try to build higher before snows. We built guard house and guest hous, and farm house and guest house...and smoke house....out of wood not stone. We need stone for houses for future. Thats what Mother sez."
"Hunting party go out three days ago...not come back. Not sure if hum'ns hunt 'em down."
"That's excellent, both of you have proven to be quite successful community leaders. I am proud of your achievements, truly. As to the stone, I can provide quite a large amount of workable stone, and iron as well. I can even render it into sizeable chunks for the most part, or create lumber or bricks in a moment if you have the appropriate resources nearby."
Karnog refills his mug and smiles at the ogre and "orc" witch.
"I don't think the humans encountered the hunting party. We found bones, obviously gnawed recently, crossed by giant tracks. We could have followed or investigated closer, but with the darkness it seemed more prudent to continue on to Orctown."
"Have you seen any evidence of giants, or other creatures nearby? Or have the townsfolk spoken about any rumors or news on such events?"
Aye. I figger them giants will be trouble if they aren't taken care of
He glances and Mother and they both shake their head. "No...no giants." He stares at Grung then Karnog. "Me first clan? Yous kilt them though but me were one small band. Many many many..." I flashes all his fingers several times, "...more giants of many different kinds live in hill.
Karnog translates Mother's pronouncement to Nym into undercommon.
** spoiler omitted **
Mother gets up and grab's Meath'ds hand, "Time to sleep." With that she will lead MeatH'd to their furs for the evening.
There's an area you all can hunker down in for the evening. There are quite a few Orcs and goblins around the place and outside. To your eye, you see they have something of a watch, or job, duty.
Kalim joins the first watch.
Not knowing the protocols Nym follows Kalim.
Grung stays up drinking a bit then turns in.
The first watch goes by without incident.
I assume Karnog is awake during the sunrise watch but he is praying and creating a racket with his hammer and anvil.
Before retiring for the night:
Karnog walks the grounds, inspecting the sound, if rudimentary defenses. Taking the opportunity, he extends the stone escarpment, lengthening the wall significantly and smoothing the top with a wall of stone spell.
"That should do, for now."
Turning to the anvil and furnace area, Karnog creates a sizeable amount of iron with a wall of iron spell, before fabricating it into a number of ingots, ready for the forge. Satisfied for the time being, he settles in to sleep for the night.
Grung stays up drinking a bit then turns in.
"Hav'ant hit my limit." She brings out a skin of drink, She pours two and passes one to the dwarf. It's a dark reddish black color. "Goblun on fire, it's called." She clinks her cup to Grung's and swills it down in one gulf. Her eeyes immediately tear up and her face flushes purple. She pounds her chest with her free hand and the fiery cocktail passes her throat. You swear there's a hint of smoke coming from her breath.
As is Electra dancing in the courtyard and praising Shelyn as part of her morning ritual.
Kalim speaks aloud to the orcs and goblins on his watch, using Tongues to make sure everyone understands. "You are doing great work here. You are forming society anew, with the knowledge of everything that hasn't worked in the past. Orctown is something new, and with that comes chaos. But not all chaos is the Void. Art, song, story, culture ...they, too are chaos. I implore you to not just do the things that must be done. Do the things whose purpose is more ephemeral, as well. Make it your own. When you build, let the ages say "This is how Orctown was made. There is nothing else like it." Let yourselves show through your fletching, your design, your songs. Keep becoming you."
Not knowing the protocols Nym follows Kalim.
Not knowing the protocols Nym follows Kalim.
Most the goblins and orcs that Kalim speak too simply stand there blinking mindlessly....they clearly don't understand much of what he says. All seem to look at Nym, knowing there's danger lying under the surface, and they view him as Kalim's protector. Clearly Kalim is a "Great Leader" if he can have a drow bodyguard.
Simply put: There's a whole lot of nodding in agreement when Kalim speaks.
As far as your rounds you can hear the low rumble of thunder in the distance with an occassional white flash. Severe weather is on the way. By the time your shift ends there's a healthy breaze as the front approaches.
Inside of the Orctown Fortification
*To refresh everyone's recollection and show Nym the inside of Daarog's old lair.
**I need to put together a ruined village at the bottom of cliff map.
*Here's a quick map. I need to work on making the walls better.
The storm hits in force in late in the night. Inside the fortification, it's barely noticeable but for those outside on guard duty and in the various shelters it feels nasty. The ground rumbles and sky lights during the deluge.
When Karnog wakes and heads to the doorway he is met instantly by sideways stinging ran.
Grung is intrigued.
Well isn't that something lassie. Pass some o'that over here!
He will down the flame liquor!
Grung you've had some stout and powerful booze in your life but you're certain you feel your beard growing with this powerful stuff. It's enough to make your eyes tear up as you instinctively pound the table twice.
Of course this brings about a toothy grin as she pours two more.
"Well, maybe I should be praying for the power to affect the weather. That should alleviate the worst of it, at least."
Karnog looks for lightning before heading outside into the rain, then moves quickly to his work area.
During his prayers, he calls forth for the power to control the weather, as well as some ability to bring forth outsiders as allies.
The wind is a steady 25 mph and gusting to 45 mph. Visibility is severely limited but you can hear debris thrashing around the yard.
Dex
reflex
perception
Karnog as you step out you get caught up in the wind which lifts you off your feet and pushes you back against the door. You can see timbers breaking off one of the ruins. There are lots of flying missiles in the field. You hear weak yelling coming from an area near the building that is that's breaking apart.
Smacked in the face by the wind, Karnog shields his face and sets his feet.
"Hello! Who's out there in the building?"
"H...e..." the sound trails off.
both +16
Eventually the orc hits her limits when her head thumps off the table. Passed out for the long slumber right there at the table.
"H....' As the wind rips. the tops of trees begin to crack.
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It's the morning watch and the party members, excluding Karnog, are resting comfortably inside the protective stronghold. Grung is sleeping a bit harder than normal given the "Goblin on Fire" drink he consumed. Little puffs of smoke waft around his beard as he exhales.