Aanparon ducks out of the convoy and heads back the direction that the convoy had traveled looking for Garth.

Garth travels the hot day with smug resolve. As furtive as a mouse, he spends his day trailing the caravan. With one nervous eye on the road ahead to be certain he doesn't stumble upon the caravan or is seen by their guards, and with the other nervous eye on the surrounding country side, hoping not to be jumped by any of the local fauna, Garth spends the day hoping something will turn up.

And as luck would have it, something does. As dusk approaches, on the road ahead Garth spies a familiar figure searching the road for something. With a wry smile, he considers how ironic it is that the two realists of the group should be the ones to get out of this mess. At least I'm not alone anymore.

With that, Garth makes his way towards Aan, trying to silently signal him. Joining Aan alongside the road, he looks to his current adventuring campaign, with a haggard look of dismay. Shrugs his shoulders...and, says "Been watching and trailing all day and night, hoping for an opportunity to act, but things look pretty bleak! I say we get those idiots out of this mess and go do what we were supposed to do in the first place. This might be one way to get through the country side, but the party will be to abused and broken to do anything about it when we get there. Unless we all end up lizard sh*t! Besides, we have no idea where Haratai and Red Tusk are going for certain. Let's just get out of here and make our own way! At least we wont be beaten and raped. Those prisoners have met there fate, and we will share - - and so will the rest of the kingdom, if we don't get to fulfilling our mission."

Aanparon responds, "Garth, here's my assessment of the situation. Malis, Adriena and Ganthanor are screwed. All three of them, near as I can tell, care about those prisoners. They won't leave till the prisoners are freed, or they die trying. Haratai appears to be more than we can handle. They'll most likely die trying. So, here are our options as I see it: We go back to the caravan and try and help as best we can, and we can die trying as well. This is my least favorite option. We go on and try and save Lord Whosit, just the two of us. I don't like the idea of writing off the other three, but I will. I'm a realist, and a survivor. I'm not dying over a principle. Orcs have been enslaving humans for centuries, and I'm not the one who's going to put a stop to it. I'm not even going to try. Or at least one of us goes back to the teleport room and calls in the cavalry. I don't know if it will work. I have no idea what the bitch will say if one of us goes back empty handed, but I don't think we can get the other three to leave that camp as long as Haratai is alive, and I don't see how we can kill him. Alright, there's my opinion. What do you have to say about all this?"

Garth says in turn, "I agree with your assessment, however, I am not as ready to give up on the rest of our party. Don't get me wrong, I am a realist as well. I don't have any visions of saving the human prisoners, but I am hopeful that we might convince the rest of the party to flee this madness. I don't want to die for a principal necessarily, hell I don't want to die at all, but I am also tired of running... tired of not making a difference. If you think the best odds are to return to the teleport room, and contact our employer to send in the cavalry, then I will defer to your experience. But I would be more in favor of at least giving the rest of the party the chance of escape. My plan is nothing elaborate, Wait till most of the orcs are sleeping, I'll sneak in and ask the rest of the party if they want to continue on with us or if they are going to stay and try to rescue/avenge the prisoners. Either way, I am getting away. What say you?"

Aanparon replies, " I probably don't have any more experience than you, other than I've learned to hide very well. Having a contract on you does that. I just don't think they'll go for it. They're all goody-two shoes types, particularly Malis and Ganth. I don't think they'll agree to abandon the human prisoners. But if you want to ask them I'll wait. I'm not going back into camp, I've been gone too long. I'm sure I've been missed, and my life is probably forfeit if I'm caught attempting to return. but I'll stay on the fringe of camp and watch while you talk to them. But make it quick. Let's get back, their probably making camp for the night already."

Meanwhile, the convoy continues on, close to midnight Red Tusk calls a halt for the night and everyone begins setting up camp for the day.

Adriena watches as the orcs set up camp. She notices that they all move with an efficient military manner, each performing a task to contribute to the whole. She realizes that this group is either well-trained and disciplined or just afraid of their leaders and doing the best they can to please them.

Adriena doesn't notice any factions within the group, Red Tusk moves around checking things, looking over the slaves and positioning guards. Haratai sits on his wagon as the bustle of camp ensues. Adriena and Malis walk over and inspect the slaves. Malis tries to cast a CLW on one of the more exhausted and mistreated looking humans but when she reaches her hand out to touch her the woman begins to scream and cringes in fear, breaking Malis' concentration and drawing a lot of attention. It would appear that these slaves have only felt pain from the touch of robed orcs in the past.

Adriena addresses the cooks in orcish , "Get some food into these slaves before they all die! We aren't dragging them all the way to the mines just so you can bury them!" Knowing that Ganthanor cannot understand orcish she says in common, "Are you so dumb that you do not understand your own tongue? Feed these scum, but not too much." Looking around to see if anyone noticed her words she notices that Aanparon is not there, she rushes up to Ganthanor and grabs his shirt. Pulling him close she says loudly in orcish, "Do you hear me?" then softly in common , "Where is Aan?" Ganthanor replies just as softly, "He slipped out during the march... he's around though..."

Adriena then shoves Gan away and makes a noise of anger. The other cook says to Adriena, "We can't feed them yet Priestess. They get the remains if there are any, so says the Head Priest," he finishes. She then stomps away from everyone in anger and begins to set her bedroll and pack near Malis. Once that is done, Adriena sits cross-legged and watches the camp, especially Haratai. She sees him beckon her to his wagon with a crooked finger.

Adriena rises from her cot and walks steadily towards Haratai. Upon reaching the wagon, she says, “Yes, Priest Haratai. What duty do you have for me to perform?" She does not cast her eyes downward, but holds his eyes with her own. Her lips are firmly set and her hands are clasped before her.

Haratai nods towards the back of the wagon and says, "Get my bedding and prepare my blankets for the night, I will sleep over there," he indicates with a wave of his hand. "After that, get my dinner and bring it to me. You will also get an extra portion of food for the 'Vessel'," he nods towards Malis. "The 'Vessel' is not to exert itself, you will perform all duties until told otherwise. Is this understood?"

Adriena tries to speak to Haratai as he finishes, "I understand, Priest Haratai. You should know, the ‘vessel' is far more proficient at healing than I. My skills lie in other areas, but I will serve you to the best of my abilities."

Haratai waves Adriena off, "I know you will, now go. “Adriena returns to the wagon and discretely searches through the back while getting Haratai's bedding. She finds some pieces of clothing but nothing else. Adriena then lays out the bedding.

Haratai then swings down from the wagon and walks over to Red Tusk. The two begin talking in low tones as the rest of the orcs finish preparing the camp and wait for the food to finish.

Once that task is finished, Adriena goes to the front of the food line and takes three heaping bowls of food. These she takes to Malis and her sleeping area. Her face is ashen as she sets the two bowls in front of Malis and says low, "My dear Malis, it appears that Haratai has planted a seed in you. He keeps referring to you as a 'vessel'. I can hardly bear the thought!" Adriena continues, "Well, you are to have an extra helping of food and no duties. What if someone gets hurt? They will expect me to do the healing, but I know nothing of such things. I told Haratai as much, but do you think it matters? We are going to need to stick together like glue if we want to reach the orc city in one piece, especially with our guise intact."

Adriena exclaims, "OH! and what if he won't let you leave since you carry...his seed. This situation just gets worse every minute, it seems. Hurmm...well, do try to eat. I've not much of an appetite, but at least the slaves will be sure to have something. " Adriena takes a few bites of food, maybe half of her meal, then sits to wait out the rest of the eating frenzy. Malis eats one bowl of food and gives the other to Adriena to give to the slaves. Adriena takes the food and begins walking towards the slaves. She looks down at the empty bowls of the orcs, not seeing any that have food in them. She gets to the slaves and turns to Ganthanor and says in common, "You, stupid, feed these ugly worms."

Ganthanor, having heard her words, proceeds to dutifully help the slaves. He only has a small amount of food left and figures that he might be able to get a small cupful of the stew to each of the humans. He approaches them cautiously with the bowl of food out stretched before him. He approaches a male first. The human eyes the orc suspiciously but cautiously and hastily takes the small amount of food and quickly begins to wolf it down. In mere seconds the meager amount of food is gone. The other humans take the food offered to them and quickly eat it as well.

Ganthanor's thoughts drift to the ordeal that they have found themselves in. Damn it, serving the orcs is grating on Ganth's nerves as he suspects now that his friends are being sexually abused, the torment of these poor human souls and his only feeling of helplessness as he struggles to find some meaning in all this.... What was the Lady thinking sending a bunch of adventurers in to the wolves den... wolves den?... no, more like hell it self considering the impossible odds we are up against. Ganth starts to doubt the success of this mission. The gods knew we would not pass up an opportunity to help these humans, and yet here we are, practically prisoners of these evil orcs.... Ganth shakes his head to clear it and continues about his normal duties, returning with the empty containers and all of the cooks begin cleaning and preparing things for breakfast.

As Adriena heads over to the slaves, Malis casts Bless upon herself and with her warhammer in hand heads over to where Haratai and Red Tusk are talking to each other. Malis says in common, "I will die before I will have the whelp of an orc that can not take a woman without freezing her."

Red Tusk and Haratai both look at Malis with a look of amazement. Haratai grips his hand axe and says in rough common, "Go back and rest before get hurt."

Malis looks at the two for a second and then springs into action. Her warhammer drops from her hand as she launches herself at Haratai. Haratai is not able to get out of the way fast enough and is knocked to the ground, his fingers still tight around the hilt of his hand axe.

Malis brings her knee up and connects solidly to Haratai's groin. His fingers loosen on the hilt. Malis begins to bring her head forward to strike when she feels a burst of soft heat from the axe itself. She then feels the same lethargy that she has felt before. Her body fails her again as she freezes into position.

Haratai snarls something in pain and Red Tusk complies by hauling the frozen orc off of him. Haratai slowly gets to his feet, he hobbles over to the wagon and leans up against it, his curses flowing into the night.

Some of the other orcs look over but when they see Red Tusk's face they turn back to what they were doing. Haratai snarls some more and Red Tusk looks around and then heads over to the slaves. Red Tusk says to Adriena and says, "Haratai wants you now."

Adriena hurries over to Haratai, glancing at Malis as she passes. She looks to be sure Malis wasn't injured, but barely slows her feet. Once she has reached Haratai, she stands a couple of feet away (out of arm's reach). "Yes , Haratai? Would you like some help?" Adriena does little to hide her contempt, but puts forth a little concern in her voice so Haratai won't think she is unwilling to help him.

Haratai stops cursing for a moment and reaches into his robes, he brings out a pouch that he carefully opens. He pulls out a large mass of some moss and hands it to Adriena, "Mix this with liquid and have the Vessel drink it. You will administer this to her twice a day. Go get some drink and bring it back here now, you will give her the first dose now."

Haratai then carefully leans over Malis and with a skilled hand brings the blunt side of his axe down on Malis' head. A dull thunking sound is heard and Malis' open eyes seem to lose their shine. Haratai then waves his hand and Malis falls limp to the ground her eyes closed.

Adriena recognizes the moss as being Jilten Moss. It saps a person of energy and makes then very dull minded and lethargic. Adriena reaches for the pouch but is stopped by Haratai placing the two masses of moss in her hand instead, "I will hold onto the pouch" Haratai says.

Adriena takes the moss and bows to Haratai, "As you wish, Priest Haratai. I will see to it now." She then turns away and quickly walks to the campfire where the food was prepared. She finds a waterskin and bowl and takes them to her bedroll, Haratai's voice reaches here, "Mix them here!" She quickly gathers up the items and returns to the wagon where Red Tusk and Haratai stand and Malis lies on the ground. She carefully mixes a small amount of the moss with the water when Haratai speaks again, "Both pieces." With her head lowered Adriena frowns but mixes both pieces into the water. She is very careful to make sure that Haratai sees her doing it correctly.

Adriena then returns to Malis' side and slowly dribbles the mixture down her throat. The effect is almost instantaneous as Malis features smooth out and her breathing takes on a more measured rhythm. Adriena then stands and growls at some orcs that were slowly moving closer to see what was going on, "You...and you. Carry this one to her bedroll and be careful, she is the chosen vessel of Haratai. One bump and your eyes are mine!" she finishes with a lick of her lips.

Haratai smiles at Adriena's words and gives her another appraising look, "The Vessel will ride in the back of my wagon. You will tend to her. You are dismissed."

Meanwhile... Garth and Aanparon sneak along the road and see the light of a camp fire in the distance. Garth grabs Aanparon and pulls him behind a tree, "Sentries," he whispers with a hiss.

The Camp is set up like before, without the stone walls. The two are able to pick out four sentries. One at each compass direction of the Camp. There is also a guard by the prisoners. It seems unlikely that someone would be able to sneak into the camp undetected.

Garth looks to Aan and says "Well, now what? I say we wait here through the night and wait for a better opportunity. Perhaps one of the guards will drift off during his watch, etc." With that Garth looks for a good vantage point from which to watch the camp and wait the evening out.

Aanparon watches Garth until he finds a suitable place, then he moves around the perimeter of the camp and set up on the opposite side. After an hour the guards change but they do not seem any less vigilant about their duties than the guards before them. The two can not get close enough to see what is happening in the camp due to the guards.

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