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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  |
Grazzad's Command The group secures the mushroom cavern. An outpost of Ortor are killed as the gate is assaulted by dire wolves and Cruss's soldiers. The gate bursts open and the wolves pour in, all but erasing the last line of defense of Saldus's men. Norgus charges into combat and is slain by Ortori hunters. Group hides and rests in the slave cave but are ushered out into a final combat with Grazzad's command. After exploring the main cavern, a contingent moved into the tunnel Kehen had explained led to the Dwürden stronghold if old. They heard Ortori argument and sent for the Dwürden and Ezikus who explained that the Ortor there were agitated and waiting for a signal. As pointman, Norgus led the group through an outer chamber and into the Ortori den where four more of the creatures were killed. Meanwhile, the rear guard having set-up defenses at the gate, heard howling in the dark caves beyond. Saldus's men thrust wedges of the splintered bar under the gate, fired arrows and bolts in the darkness, and took up position behind the pit. Soon the room beyond the gate was filled with the rumbling growls of large creatures who began throwing themselves against the heavy gates. The heavy iron-bound gates buckled under the weight of the giant wolves, and soon one of the door cracked and flew inward. The first wolf charged, howling under a hail of arrows and bolts before falling into the pit before them. A second and third wolf ran into through the gate, circling the pit. Around the left side of the pit one wolf seized Kerq in his teeth and snapped his neck. Around the other side another bit at Saldus who slashed savagely back. Next, the bones of Tarpun, while drawing his sword cracked and splintered beneath the monster's powerful jaws. From the smoke-filled mushroom cavern barbs of lightning speared the beast attacking Saldus, as Elidir with her greatsword carved mightily into the wolf-monster standing over her fallen friends. Norgus and Jak soon charged into the battle as Saldus weakly crumpled at the pit's edge. Soon the monsters too were defeaten, but the cost had been too great and now Ortori were reported nearing the gate. As Almus dragged Saldus back into the caverns, Dammon came forward to reseal the battered gate, now twice broken through. As the torch-bearing Ortori appeared on the gate's far side, Mishara and Jak fired through the arrow slits, killing the creatures as they rushed forward from the cave. Norgus insisted that Dammon let him through to fight the oncomers, and the sorcerer allowed this. Soon the barbarian warrior had stepped through the gate and hacked and stabbed each Ortori that neared him, until the hunters arrived. Two large chagkra-wielding Ortori raced toward the barbarian and cleaved mightily with their strange swords. Norgus yelled that they would not take him but as Jak and Elidir came through the gate one hunter cut the warrior to his knees while the other drove the axe-blade into the proud man's skull. Elidir and Jak cut deeply into the Ortori hunters, aided by Dammon's lightning barbs, and Mishara's deadly points. Even Tressta, wary of combat, was able to slide her rapier into the side of an Ortori hunter. Soon, they too were heaped upon the floor, and death was heavy in the smoky air. The bodies of friends and enemies both were dragged through the gate so that Dammon could seal it once again. Three meaty broths were found among the Ortori hunters, and Dammon divined that healing magics were upon them. The group retreated into the slave quarters, a cramped cave filled with rotting hides and three boiling pots. The slaves were already gathered there, sitting and sleeping, oblivious to the battles outside that would determine their fate. Stones were gathered throughout the caverns to build a wall and arrow slit in the tunnel leading back to the slaves' room. Once secured, they sat and waited for the next wave that they were sure would come. A day (or so it seemed) passed, and many under the ministrations of Ezikus and Almus felt a little better. Saldus awakened again and was told of the battles and the men that had been lost. Of seven that started with him on this quest, three remained; Elidir the swordswoman, Gallus their leader, and Flender who remained incapacitated from the first venture into these caverns. These men had been hand-picked for this mission, he wondered if his own company would have fared much better. Mishara, who had been keeping vigil at the makeshift wall, called for Dammon. Dammon came forward. Mishara had killed an Ortor scout who had wandered down the hallway toward their wall. They were being sought out, the next wave of soldiers could not be far away. Soon another scout came down the tunnel, and seeing his comrade turned yelling to flee but arrows took his life too. Dammon's conscious wandered out into the caverns beyond and reported confusion among the dozen or so Ortor gathered there. He reported an elder among them, dressed in rags and beads who slapped and barked commands at two subordinates who ushered the others to do the old Ortor's will. Dammon guessed that this was the Ortor wizard Grazzad that Kehen had spoken of, the commander of the Bragnar Bar Ort forces within the Dwürden stronghold. Now Ortor were dragging wood and mushroom heads toward the tunnel to build a bonfire, while others stood around with cloaks and hides and fan the smoke. When the fire was burning brightly and high and the smoke began curling into the tunnel, Dammon summoned a fierce wind that howled through the cave, upsetting the fire and sending flaming lumber and mushrooms out into the cavern. The Ortori fanning the flames and smoke screamed and fled, rolling and patting the flames. Grazzad rubbed his chin. Until this time, no one had reported a spellcaster among the invaders. Soon, a breeze wound its way to Dammon and Mishara's position. From the wind a voice emerged, speaking in Othic "You will not escape this cave alive". The challenge was on. Seeing that the Uren invaders had been willing to risk so much to save slaves of their own kind, Grazzad's next order was to bring three Uren slaves forward. The invaders could not possibly know how many were in the cavern. The first was brushed down with a rag soaked in lamp oil and animal fat. The trembling slave was lit on fire and forced at sword point to run screaming down the tunnel toward the invaders, trying to draw them out to save their kin. The first man sent burning and screaming down the tunnel yelled out in Othic. Mishara's arrows dropped him in the corridor just outside their wall. A second Uren was sent in, he too screaming and yelling in Othic for someone to help, but he never reached the makeshift wall, succumbing to his burns some twenty feet away. A third Uren dropped to the ground screaming and pleading in a foreign tongue. Dammon's conscious explained that the slave had not been set aflame, but after some kicks and stabs was dragged away. Those in the slaves' cave decided that it was time to act. Dammon reported that in the cave beyond there were between two and four Ortor watching their tunnel and that the wizard Grazzad was in the cavern beyond. The group disassembled the stone wall and sneaked toward the first cave. Tressta, with her cloak of shadows clung to the wall, carrying the cavern's darkest shadows with her. As Jak appeared an Ortori arrow struck the wall near him. Tressta in turn ran her rapier into a waiting Ortori guard, feeling hot arterial blood upon her hands. Her Ortor crumpled to the floor with a low whimper, but Jak had to charge his and it fell screaming from its wound. The remainder of the invading group came forward and it became obvious that this might be their last stand. Tressta dodged out of the cave and wandered right into the smaller caves of that direction. Jak stepped out into the smoke filled cavern of burning pots and heavy headed mushrooms. Many Ortori shapes lurked in the room, but most distant was a hump-backed looking figure that might be the elder Dammon had mentioned. Jak charged through the room with his thradram sword in hand. As he raised the sword to swing at the Ortori wizard, one of his bodyguards slashed at Jak, drawing blood from his side. Jak swung at the sneering elder Ortor, and missed. Grazzad yowled from something biting him from behind, but it did not sway his concentration. As Dammon, Elidir, and Gallus emerged from the cave entrance, they and Mishara (who was not far behind) were ripped by icy shards tearing at their clothes and skin. Gallus collapsed bloodily to the floor, the fifth of Rott's contingent to fall. The surrounding Ortor advanced from the smoky cavern and began hacking savagely at the Uren invaders. Dammon took a nasty cut from an Ortor's chagkra before Saldus waded forward and finished the creature. Grazzad conjured an orb of flame which leapt toward Jak but he deftly dodged beneath it. As the flanking Ortori cut and slashed at him. One of the Ortor struck at something on the ground, but didn't seem to hit. Grazzad yelled again. Lightning barbs burned through the air and arrows followed soon afterward. In moments, the old Ortor dropped to one knee, cursing the Uren invaders and then crumpled forward dead. Grazzad's lackeys fought hard but could not take Jak down. Soon Elidir had raced forward to aid him, and they too were piled at his feet. In a side cave Tressta fought off two singed Ortor, stabbing one mortally before the second was fell with an arrow from Mishara's bow. The battle ended, everyone regrouped in the main cavern. Jak handed Dammon a ring of Vorbid found on the body of Grazzad. There were now few options left. Return the way they'd come. Rest despite knowledge that Cruss's forces may still be about. Or continue into the Dwürden stronghold to find the remainder of Tolvor's men and the chest. Whichever path they chose was dangerous as all were badly injured and time was of the essence. Dammon's conscious reminded him that not all the Ortor found in the cavern accounted for what it had seen earlier in the chamber. Some must have fled one way of the other during the fight. If any made it back to Cruss the Fat, with news that Grazzad had fallen, then perhaps the wizard's challenge would bear out. 11 Nov 2000
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Navigation People Almus (Clr2) Introducing |
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Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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