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The World of Teréth End - Chronicles - Othic |
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"Too often days swiftly pass / Weeping in the evening grass / There just is not enough time / Forthings you dreamt you'd do / The hours still drift by. "Too many years, too high a cost / Too many lessons earned but lost / And still you complain all the time / Cursing the days before you / Lamentng the days gone by. "And finally laying in your bed / Staring skyward, nearly dead / It all floods back one last time, / The chances that you left behind / But alas there's little left to do / ... but cry." Dirimoran song  |
Tunnels of the Bragnar Bar Ort The group continues exploration of the Ortori caves attempting to discover the ultimate fate the ambushed caravan. The outskirts of an Ortori stronghold are penetrated and many slaves from many lands are found and "freed". Following a brief exploration of the Ortori outpost, the group returned to the expedition party to rest and tend their wounds. On the next morning, Almus dealt what healings he could muster and an edgy Norgus led the party back into the tunnels. Swimming back along the line through the short underwater cave, Norgus emerged into the black space beyond to hear blades whistling by his head. Blindly the barbarian swung back with his own sword, dropping one of his attackers. Saldus emerged near him as the last Ortor fled back down the tunnel screaming. Soon, all the of expedition party had swam through the cold cave water. After drying off, they continued along the paths through the caves that they had chosen before. Reaching the Ortori outpost they noticed the Ortor corpses and the body of Huddrum laying where they'd fallen, but their armor and weapons stripped. Continuing past the outpost cave they pushed into unknown areas, finally reaching a constructed wall and gate sealing off further passage. Norgus entered first but dodged toward the center when an archer fired from one of two arrow slits. Flender followed Norgus into the chamber when a second arrow struck his shoulder. Leaping behind Norgus at the gate's center, a third arrow pierced him sending strange and ominous shivers through his body. Norgus shouted back, describing the situation. Jak, Saldus, and Elidir came forward. Mishara pulled his crooked bow and began firing into the far arrow slit from the mouth of the entering cave. Jak crossed the room and readied his spear against the archer. When the arrowpoint next peeked through the slit he thrust his spearpoint into the bowstave splintering the Ortori weapon. Meanwhile Saldus loaded his crossbow and fired two bolts into the first arrow slit, knocking the Ortor archer back and to the ground. Jak, Norgus and Saldus then shouldered the large wooden gate open. Flender complained bitterly about the shivers wracking his body. Almus and Ezikus saw to the soldier, but there was nothing to be done to stop the Ortori poison. With the Ortor gate open, Norgus and Saldus went forward. A click and swooping sound sent Norgus jumping backward, but Saldus fell into the opened pit on the door's other side. In response to Saldus's yelp, Dammon stepped from the group's rear and threw a swift spell arresting Saldus's uncontrolled descent. Saldus fell and fell and fell, slowly coming to rest on some sharpened blades at the pit's bottom, 100 feet below. Mishara tossed down a length of spider's silk rope, but Saldus could only hear it banging against the pit wall far above. Saldus then heard a scurrying down the pit's side and withdrew into a corner. Something brushed against his foot and then scurried back up the pit wall. Above, Tarpun opened his backpack of mountaineering equipment and secured a longer rope to Mishara's. Saldus tied himself to the rope's end and was eventually pulled from the pit. Beyond the gate was a vast cavern filled with hanging smoke. Here and there through the smoke could be seen glowing spots of light. Mishara stowed his crooked bow, and with long bow in hand stalked out into the smoke-filled cave. After gathering their things, the rest of the group entered the cave, turning left. Tressta veered from this group, deeper into the giant mushrooms that grew like small trees from the cave floor. Tressta happened upon a hulking Ortori figure with a three-headed whip standing against a far wall. She tried to sneak up on the Ortor but it turned to fight her. Deftly, the young woman slipped her rapier into the soft gut of the creature, and with a groan it slipped dead to the floor. As Mishara watched Uren slaves mill about through the smoke with buckets of grey water, snipering Ortor slavemasters as they passed in and out of sight, the rest of the group found a group of Ortori soldiers and engaged. Norgus and Jak made short work of most of the contingent, but Saldus faced off with a larger more determined soldier wielding an Ortori chagkra. The monstrous soldier cut heavily into the old captain but he stood his ground with the weak Flender beside him. As Jak and Norgus turned their attentions to the large Ortor warrior, its wounds doubled and its blood began flowing freely through its scale mail. In its last moments, it desperately struck out with its strange axe-sword and cut down both Saldus and Flender, before being cut down by the others. Saldus came-to with the young face of Almus looking down at him gravely. It had been close, but he was awake and able to move. Next to him, Flender looked in horrible shape, but was bound in bloodied rags though he could do no more than breath shallowly. The mushroom cavern complex was searched by Tressta and Mishara who could only report that there were a few dozen Uren slaves present and one Dwürden. The Dwürden came forward, introducing himself to Ezikus as Kehen, and explained that he had been enslaved by the Bragnar Bar Ort for three of their generations passed. Though expressing worry about the Elve of the party, he explained to Ezikus that the Ortor clan-family is not from this area, but marched here over the last year from the Candalan Coast. He could not say why. He continued by saying that these caves opened into an old Dwürden stronghold now occupied by Grazzad, the high wizard of the Bragnar Bar Ort and his command. The clan army was camped outside the fortress on the dawn's light mountainslope he said, emphasizing that the Ortor were strong, arriving from fertile raiding lands, and more intelligent than many believed. Only a handful of the drugged slaves were part of the Tolvor's caravan, but Kehen believed more could be found in the Dwürden stronghold, among Grazzad's forces. 27 Oct 2000
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Navigation People Almus (Clr2) Introducing Bragnar Bar Ort: Clan of the Woman-Eaters originate from southern Urtorum, along the Candalan coastline. Following beneath the leadership of the great marauder Cruss the Fat, the clan has a long history of success in the fat lands of Candal. |
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Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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