Journal #19 - The Ruins of Jendra

The first sign was a shout from the crow’s nest. Jendra was on fire, presumably. Smoke billowed and a glow was on the horizon. Wreckage was strewn about, and we sailed by two husks of vessels.
 
The Captain declared we wouldn’t advance towards the harbor - too dangerous for the ship. He had to continue on his route up north before sailing south on the far side of the Brishcmoon Ocean. He offered us a rowboat, or passage on his messenger’s rowboat which would take the southern bay towards Castle Artrast to warn them of Jendra’s State. Before anything could actually be done, we were attacked.
 
Weapons sprouted out of bellies - and trolls materialized behind them, previously invisible. A half dozen highborne trolls, aided by some lesser amphibian swimmer trolls and some flying harpies killed most of the crew. We slew them in turn, but only the first mate and another sailor survived, of the large crew.
 
The harpies however, had dropped firebombs on the ship. It was burning, and we had to escape to the rowboats. Even then we were pursued by the harpies and the swimmers. Luckily, our wizard threw magic at them, and Lug turned himself into a shark to eat the swimmers while we rowed.
 
After an hour of rowing, with the harpies long-since dispatched, and their harpy-commander having flown off, we came to the harbor. Pulling up, there was smoke like a fog. The harbor was in disaster, clearly having burned down but now out. Embers and smoke, wreckage everywhere.
 
Korrigash investigated. He found no corpses, though Orlando noted trolls normally take the bodies with them. There were obvious signs of battle.
 
Lug swam to shore to investigate, and found a creature. “Ahoy,” it said. Lug must’ve swam far, he said in a clear common tongue. It was an ogre, yet spoke without an accent. Red robe and plate armor, huge pauldrons, a giant helm to the side not being worn.
 
We heard him laugh. Lug asked what happened, Ogre said “I happened.” He was given orders, he always follows orders. He tossed a large fish to Lug and he bit into it. He referred to the harpies as Grave Singers, and said their work was impeccable.
 
Eventually, we approached as well. Orlando asked his name, he is General Buldrok “The Manbreaker.” He talked about advising his troops about our support for each other.
 
I asked him what he was told to do - he said conquer Jendra. I asked why he had to destroy it. He didn’t. I questioned his morality, but he was just following orders. I told him he didn't have to follow orders, he should follow his heart. It seemed to touch him. He said we were lucky his orders were to take Jendra only, and not to prevent survivors from passing through. Orlando asked what his next orders were (where he’d go next) - he said he didn’t know yet, but probably to take other harbors, to keep the human prey from escaping seaward. He said all he really wanted to do was fill his belly. He liked his fish raw. He said we will have an inevitable clash later, and he looked forward to it.
 
He mentioned he had been the one to take Gloedan, before we freed it. He congratulated Orlando on taking it back. Later, he noted he refused orders to attack again to retake it, saying he already did it.
 
30 moons from now his forces are to move to 3 Rivers Crossing - taking over Tamalir if people don’t surrender at Nerekhall. Does this mean his army had already taken Nerekhall? He said the army has many friends. Corruption at Nerekhall?
 
It sounds like he wants to bait Mallastar into coming to the rescue.
 
He left, “until we meet again.”
 
We chose to take ship to Tamalir up river, but we left the shore and into the fog before summoning my elemental, to keep that ability a secret.
 
Seven days later, we arrived in Tamalir.