BK
01
CH
09
SC
08

The Annals of Pelor
The Orc Stronghold

…continues from Book #01, Chapter #09, Scene #07

Synopsis

The 28th Day of Ches in the Year of the Sudden Journey
The group chased down an orc that stole some of their goods from the wagon along the Old Road and have managed to overcome the forces that met them at the orc’s stronghold.

They now rest and explore the stronghold to try to find their goods.

Cast List

Scene Length

This scene starts on Sunday 21st October 2012 and is expected to be completed by the end of Friday 26th October 2012.

Players are expected to be able to post at least once a day.

OCT
23

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

01

As the dust settled from the orc’s inadvertent entrance to the building the group were quick to gather round. Panting hard from their exertions of the battle they remained alert and on guard as they studied the dark entrance to the buiding.

The soft glow of a candle lit some of the room with a ruddy glow — the stark outlines of a small table and some chairs and then darkness surrounding them.

Zero had calmed quickly and with a glance at Tradden and then a quick nod at Khalin to make sure the idea was a sound one, he slipped silently in through the doorway to see what lay behind.

[Zero Stealth Check: 1d20+14: 29] - success!

The rogue tiptoed through the entrance and quickly moved discreetly into the darkness at the corner of the room and let his eyes adjust to the dim scene.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
23

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

02

Zero kept as quiet as he could as the room around him began to take shape.

[Zero Perception Check: 1d20+11: 27] - success!

The room appeared to be some sort of kitchen or eating area. The orcs had left it in a bit of a mess, with foodstuffs littering the floor in various states of decay. Broken pottery and discarded garbage were abundant, but at least the table and chairs seemed relatively clean and stable.

To the eastern side of the room was a thick curtain, drawn in from both sides until only a small gap remained in the centre. The room beyond was dim, thin beams of light thrown across whatever chamber lay beyond from cracks in the shuttered windows and perhaps the hint of the glow of another candle.

The darkness of the room was in contrast to the sunlight outside and Zero could feel himself shivering against the early year chill. If only they hadn’t come on this stupid trip he would be warm by the light of a fire with a glass in hand.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
24

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

03

Zero looked over his shoulder back towards the entrance and the comfort of the warm light outside. He was greeted by Tradden’s long face nodding and motioning the rogue to head over to the other side of the room.

With a sigh Zero began the long trudge over the floorboards towards the curtain. The wooden floor was old and in much need of repair — it took all of Zero’s not inconsiderate skill to avoid making any noise, but for once the eloquent execution of his trade did not appear to give him much joy.

The curtain appeared to be a new addition to the shack, not as worn and filthy as the rest of the furniture in the room. It was thick and hung there like a wall, foreboding and forbbiding. Zero summoned up the energy to take a peek through the crack.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
24

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

04

Gently pushing the curtain to one side a little Zero could see through and into the chamber beyond.

It was dark, mostly, with a couple of rugged candles sat on two tables emitting a soft yellow light. They didn’t fan out to cover the whole room and much was left in darkness including the space above them.

Orc Stronghold

Over at the eastern side of the room was a large stone fireplace with logs burnt down to embers giving off a warm glow.

Zero’s heart sank when he saw the large gnoll stood by the furthest table, its attention kept by the strange object they’d found in the basement of that ruin, the platolabe.

It wasn’t worth it, he decided. He was tired, aching, bruised, and cold. Let the gnoll have it.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
24

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

05

Tradden, stood back a bit from the rogue, saw the slight change in Zero’s body language and knew something was up. Holding onto as many of the clanky bits of his armour as he could, the fighter tip-toed over to the curtain, attempting his best Zero impression.

[Tradden Stealth Check: 1d20+8: 12] - failure!

Although no such document existed, had there been a pamphlet called ‘Zero Uhlit’s Detailed Guide To Where Not To Step In This Exact Kitchen Whilst Attempting To Move Stealthily’ Tradden would have failed in following even the most basic points contained within. It seemed to the rogue, whose head turned slowly to reveal an appalled look of pure horror at Tradden’s noisy approach, that each of the fighter’s steps homed in on the noisiest, squeakiest sections of the rough wooden flooring. By the time a lanky, wayward knee had knocked a chair sat against the wall next to the curtain Zero had given up — they may as well have sent the gnoll a letter a few weeks ago informing it in advance that they would be popping round for tea and toast that day.

However, to the rogue’s suprise (and relief) nothing untoward happened immediately — the gnoll appeared to be oblivious to the cacophony, concentrating on the object before it. With a parting look that would have stripped paint from a wall (but which was completely lost on the fighter, whose cocky grin suggested he thought he was the world’s next King of Thieves), Zero turned back to once again peek through the drapes.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
25

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

06

Zero had already gestured to Khalin and Kireth who had waited at the doorway patiently (unlike the over eager and noisy Tradden) that there was just the one creature in here. He’d even tried to make a face and silent action like a gnoll, but he wasn’t sure whether they had understood.

He sighed again.

Neither the dwarf nor the mage were moving. Khalin seemed to be waiting for Zero to do something and Kireth had already turned to a book and was flicking through its pages.

He gave Khalin a stare and a rather impatient gesture of ‘Sooooooo, what do we do?’

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
25

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

07

Kireth made his mind up quickly before the warlord could react. He could see a familiar glint in the dwarf’s eye, one of strategy and striking whilst the iron was hot. If there was only one enemy in the room, and with no doubt it had heard the clumsy fighter scrape and clatter his way to Zero without reaction, then maybe a more subtle approach was required.

The mage strode swiftly forwards into the small room and up to Zero’s shoulder, rudely pushing past Tradden.

Khalin, who had just been about to bark out an order, shook his head and sighed and with a nod to Beltak followed Kireth in.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
25

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

08

Looking through the curtain into the darkened room it appeared as though the gnoll had not even heard them — which was unlikely given the battle outside and Tradden’s light feet. It did seem pre-occupied with the platolabe which it was examining on the table before it.

The strange orb was ‘closed’ and the gnoll’s hands played over and over the surface as though looking for some mechanism to open it. From time to time it referred to a bound sheaf of parchments laid out next to the golden orb.

It’s face never wavered from the platolabe, never looking up at the group. It was as though they didn’t even exist.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
28

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

09

Khalin exhanged glances with his comrades. As one they strode into the darkened room, weapons drawn, to surround the gnoll. Its focus continued on the platolabe before it.

The warlord cleared his throat. ‘You have something belonging to us,’ he said tapping his craghammer over his gauntlet menacingly. ‘We’d like it back.’

Tradden gave the dwarf a sideways glance. ‘Actually,’ he whispered, ‘didn’t we just take it from… Ow!’

The young fighter’s remark was cut short by a swift jab in the ribs from Kireth.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
28

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

10

For a moment the gnoll continued to peer at the orb before it, caressing its surface with its clawed hands. It remained seated, its body motionless.

Then it slowly raised its head, feral jaws salivating in the candlelight, until it was looking over the golden orb directly at Khalin.

A cold chill swept up the warlord’s back and he felt his resolve diminishing.

The gnoll stared unblinking at the dwarf, large black orbs shining out from its eye sockets in an unearthly stare. There was no emotion behind those jet black eyes, no fear, no anger, nothing at all. It looked at the group as though they didn’t exist, as though they were unimportant and just a pitiful stain on its view of the world.

Khalin began to falter, a muffled groan escaping his lips.

Then a large blackened tongue flicked out of the gnoll’s maw, licking its lips. Zero began to move back towards the door softly.

Kireth, until now silent and watching, was white. ‘That’s no gnoll…’ he cried in a whisper.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
30

Storyline
Orc Stronghold

11

Kireth had been wrong, there would be no parley and, upon seeing the creature properly, he knew it in an instant.

His instruction was quick and clear. ‘Kill it!’ he hissed, moving backwards.

28th Day of Ches | Early Afternoon | Light Cloud, Warm, Light Easterly Breeze | go to latest… | back to top…
OCT
30

Scene
Completed

End

[…continued in Book #01, Chapter #09, Scene #09…]