Adventure #09 - Orcs in Exile

General Summary

Adventure #9 - Orcs in Exile 4/12/24
Players: Karl: Erberk Torunn, Dwarf Paladin Seth: Gimp, Half-Orc Fighter (also as Bobblin the Goblin, Goblin Wizard) Chris: Dimple Nackle, Gnome Vivisectionist (Alchemist)
Synopsis: One evening after getting settled into their new homes, companions Dimple and Gimp walk together to the Elderflower for a hot meal. Upon entering the tavern, Pappy spots them from the back, leaps over the bar, and runs over to greet them. After exchanging pleasantries, Pappy guides them through the tavern and giving them a quick tour, introducing them to Helga, the goblins, and other locals who happen to be present, and then buys them a drink from the bar. Meanwhile, after a hard day's work of blacksmithing, Erberk waits patiently for his dinner at a table by the fire. Bobblin the Goblin, one of Pappy's oldest friends and also the chef for the Elderflower, walks up to Erberk and proudly presents him with a plate of what was supposed to be roast venison, but instead looks like a chunk of black charcoal due to being charred beyond recognition. While Erberk looks down in disgust, Pappy approaches his table with Dimple and Gimp, and introduces the newcomers, and they join Erberk at the table. Erberk orders a round of drinks, and Pappy skips off to fetch them while the three acquaintances get to know each other. As drinks are delivered by Skitter's rats, Erberk talks about making nails, hinges, and other metal components needed for the on-going construction at his forge, Dimple shares a little about his alchemy shop that he just finished setting up, and Gimp explains that although he doesn't have local work at the moment, he was an experienced member of the city guard in the city he hails from. After overhearing that Gimp has city guard experience, Helga does a quick assessment of Gimp's strength and ability, including a surprise strike with her battle axe that Gimp deftly deflects, and wins her approval. Helga mentions that they should later discuss putting together an official town guard for Aberystwyth.
The front door of the Elderflower swings open, and the crabfolk "Cookie" enters in carrying an enormous basket dripping with seawater. He lumbers over to Pappy, and opens the basket, revealing his day's labor of catching fish, and Bobblin the Goblin retrieves it and brings it back to the kitchen for preparation. Pappy explains about Cookie and his contributions to Aberystwyth, particularly that he kept everyone fed in the earliest days with daily fresh catches of fish, at a time when food was scarce and supply routes hadn't been set up yet. Pappy then converses with Cookie in crabfolk tongue for a time, and learns that Cookie discovered four strangers surrounding a campfire about half a mile down the beach while he was fishing. With no other settlements being within walking distance on the coast, this appears unusual and suspicious to Pappy, and he asks the party to investigate. Helga insists on joining the party, wanting to ensure the borders of Aberystwyth are kept safe. The party parts briefly to gather gear, reconvenes in front of the Elderflower, and departs into the dusky forest.
With Helga and Erberk leading the way with their darkvision, the party stealthily pick their way through the forest edge near the beach, except for Gimp, who haphazardly steps on loud sticks and loudly clanks his metal gear. Helga stops him to give him a pep talk, and Gimp then joins the team in their stealthiness. After a time, firelight is seen by the party through the trees, and the party creeps up to the edge of the forest to eavesdrop on the strangers, and identify them as four orcs by the names of Ulmug, Dubok, Xorakk, and Mazoga. In listening to their heated conversation, the party learns that this group of orcs appears to be exiled by their own people, unable to return until they bring back an unnamed traitor. It's clear that the group is divided about it; Ulmug vehemently wants to find the traitor and have them punished for shaming their clan and troop, and for being punished in the traitor's place, but the other orcs seem unsure if they even want to return, especially after searching for months on end and exiled by their own kind. In the bushes, Erberk turns to Helga to discuss their observations, and realize that Helga carried an expression of shock and bewilderment. Helga then confesses to the party that she knows these orcs and that she was once the captain of their militant troop, and that they are searching for her. She explains that when she fell in love with Pappy at the orc prison long ago, she chose to defect from the tribe and flee with Pappy to start a new life together, and effectively abandoned her troop and tribe, knowing it would bring great shame and grave consequences to all who were connected to her.
And then entirely out of nowhere, Dimple throws a bomb from the bushes directly into the orc's campfire, resulting in an explosion of fire that blasts all four orcs off their seats and leaves them prone on the sandy beach. Helga gives Dimple a sinister glare, and then bursts out of the undergrowth with a vicious roar of intimidation, and the party leaps out to join her. After a moment of shock passes over the orcs, Ulmug rises with anger, raining down curses, accusations, and threats upon Helga for her treachery, and tries to rally his orc troop against her. Erberk speaks up to defend Helga, and Erberk and Ulmug argue at length about definitions of honor, loyalty, and treason, with insults peppered in liberally. As the two argue, Dimple pulls out another bomb and waits patiently for a chance to blow up Ulmug's face. All the while, Dubok, Xorakk, and Mazoga listen intently, but remain still and quiet in the heated moment. In time, Helga apologizes to her troop for leaving and causing them pain and suffering for her decision, but ultimately did so for love and a chance at a better life. She expresses she has never been happier, and admits that she would make the same decision again if it came to it. Helga then offers them to join her in Aberystwyth, to start over and make a new life for themselves, just like she did. One by one, Dubok, Xorakk, and Mazoga each step forward, convinced by Helga and Erkerk's words, and embrace Helga's forearm in militant camaraderie, reciting a phrase from their old troop "To the death, Captain". Defeated, Ulmug appears to relent, and saying perhaps he was too hasty and should give Helga another chance. Helga steps forward to take his hand in friendship, and Ulmug retrieves a bottle from his satchel, smashes it on the ground, and covers the entire group in a dark, obscuring mist.
Reactively, Erberk barrels into the mist with only his instincts to guide him, and somehow successfully headbutts Ulmug, creating space between Ulmug and Helga. With Erberk's verbal direction of Ulmug's location within the obscuring mist, both Helga and Gimp charge into Ulmug, grapple him, drag him out of the mist, and pin him to the ground. Ulmug desperately struggles to free himself, but Helga and Gimp's teamwork keeps him pinned and helpless on the ground. Helga begs Ulmug to stop and give Aberystwyth a chance, but Ulmug vehemently rejects any words that Helga speaks. Through gritted teeth, Ulmug reveals that the Orc nation punished him cruelly in response to Helga's betrayal by murdering his wife Sesa, and skinning his fledgling son Xagu alive, all in the name of making an example to any orc who dares to defect from the tribe. Ulmug curses Helga, and vows that as long he is still breathing, he will forever hunt down Helga and all she holds dear. Seeing no other way, Helga apologies to Ulmug once last time, and breaks his neck.
A long silence follows as the obscuring mist dissipates. Helga lifts Ulmug's body from the beach and carries it back to Aberystwyth to give him a proper burial, and the rest of the orcs follow their captain. As the other party members follow, Erberk chooses to remain alone and sit at the fire, deep in solemn contemplation. After a few hours, Helga returns to the beach in search of Erberk, and have heart to heart with him. Erberk explains how deeply troubled he is about the cruel severity of orc disciplinary practices, and can't comprehend how anyone could do such things to one of their own, especially a child. Helga agrees, and suggests that the best thing they can do right now is to make Aberystwyth a safe place for all races to find refuge in, and to do whatever they can to protect them. Erberk agrees, and explain he needs a bit more time in solitude before returning home. Helga departs, and once she arrives back in town, she writes a letter to Gimp explaining that Aberystwyth needs protection now more than ever. She then invites him to help her start up and develop the town guard with her remaining orc troop, even asking him to co-captain the town guard with him. Gimp accepts, and they begin making plans to see that to fruition.

Report Date

12 Apr 2024