Green the Tracking Group
You ride for awhile, in silence, Darrin's obvious sorrow bringing
down the mood. And as the sun comes up, the mood gets no better.
The green plains you left behind across the river, are now scraggly
sided hills rolling up and down with vegetation growing sparser
as far as your eyes can see. The path cut by the orcs, looks
to have been impeded by rocky terrain and vines crisscrossing in
the hollows between hills. But for the most part, the orcs have
cleared the path for you, making your journey much easier.
Dalin Varon
Dalin dismounts his horse and looks at the orc's path. "I'm going to
try to figure out how my orcs we're
trailing. And maybe some other factors."
Dalin raises his head and looks up at his companions,"From what I can
tell there is about 130-180 orcs we're following. They were traveling in
rows of five when they passed through here. We must be very
careful not to catch the attention of the orcs."
Dalin seems to go into a thought for a moment then speaks again,
"Zantorax is there anyway for you to keep in contact with the other group?"
Cathil DuAndath
[To Darrin]
Whispering quietly to Darrin, "I do not wish you to be wary of me... let
it be known that I don't desire the same thing as you do, so you have
no..., competition." Smiling, "Not that I'd be much if I were any..."
[To all in this group]
Speaking out loud, "We're enough to make an army of bards cry, can't
anyone just smile...." No response? "Please?"
Dalin
Dalin looks up with a perplexed expression on his face.
"Cathil, should I put more emphasis on the numbers 130 and 180!
Remember what those numbers
mean? 130-180 orcs is not something to be happy about."
Dalin looks down to his saddle where the rabbit hangs limp from it.
"Although...We could use a break for food and water."
"Alright now, everyone," Maeg calls out. "Perhaps a small break.
Hand me that rabbit lad, I'll spit and cook her real fast. Little
lunch never hurt no one. 130-180, aye, that's right around what Tag
said, though he claims 163, and I'm not sure how he got that number,
but I've known him awhile now, and he's a sharp one he is. Come on,
lad, cheer up," he says slapping Darrin on the back. "See, you've
been glaring at this one," he points to Cathil, "ever since he said
hello to the lass, and look, he says he's minding his business. Make
up..."
Darrin protests, "No, Maeg...I haven't glared at anyone..." Maeg
raises an eyebrow, and Darrin's shoulder's slump and with a sigh his
head bobs up and down on it's own a few times. "You're right..."
Darrin turns to Cathil and puts forth his hand, "I'm sorry, Cathil.
I just... never...I mean, I don't know what I mean."
Maeg looks over to Zantorax and calls out, "Hey, you, Baldy. You
come over here....know how to make a smokeless fire, huh? If not, time
to learn. Stick around with Tag, and you'd best learn. Tell us all
about the girl that's smitten our poor Darrin here."
Darrin looks appalled, and quickly denies, "No, I'm not smitten, Maeg."
"That's why you're as bright as a treasure chest of rubies in the
noon sun's light..." Maeg laughs heartily. "Oh that's good for a laugh.
And don't you be so serious," he pat's Dalin's knee. "We've been lucky
so far and not seen anymore dead ones since we enter the hollows. Damn
lucky. We'll rest here a bit, eat our rabbit, and then be off again after
the sun goes down, eh boys. Just a little camping trip, and who can get
to the Quarry first. Don't you worry, Varn'll get 'em there in time.
Can't quite figure why the Quarry though. Say does anyone want me to
draw a map....been awhile since I been there, and hate to think the Orcs
are going to stop there for some vile reason."
Zantorax
> "Maeg," Zantorax calmly pipes up, "a map would be wonderful. And you know
> Tag, I'd like to know where the most likely spots where he'll set up traps
> and where he'll decide we should make our stand. I've been puzzling over
> strategy and I have come up with a few ideas. I ask one thing, allow me to
> make my stand alone. I'm planning on drawing a LOT of attention to myself so
> that our ambush party will have a huge openning to strike at. I'm hoping to
> send the orcs into disarray, but, if it doesn't work, I want to be the only
> target the orcs can see. While you draw your map, I think I will tell you
> all of Fyvola and our relationship. I have been concentrating on the orcs
> for so long that I think, right now, a bit of a brighter subject is in
> order. Fyn and I grew up together. Of course, my upbringing was less than
> traditional, so I always needed a good friend. She was always there to
> listen and to comfort when one of my experiments went wrong. Like the first
> time a potion I was working on blew up in my face, burning all of my then
> shoulder-length hair off. I still have scars from that day, though they are
> no longer noticable. Even when I was badly scarred she treated me as she
> always did, unlike most of the people I came into contact with during those
> years. She always travelled to the temple with me when I went for healing.
> The spells were expensive, and painful, but she stood by me all the way.
> Then our parents decided to inform us that, in order to solidify the bond
> between our two houses, we were betrothed. An arranged marriage that
> mortified both of us. Especially when our younger siblings, my sister and
> her brother, are so enamoured with each other. I look on Fyn as my best
> friend, even like a twin sister. Marrying her is really out of the question.
> So, the two of us ran away. A wizard that is friends with my father, and
> very much like a grand-father to me, cast a spell that brought us here." A
> very good-natured chuckle escapes the bald man's lips. "My father didn't
> even figure it out when for a betrothal gift I convinced him to buy Fyn a
> sword. I took my spellbook, and my staff, and little else when we left our
> home, and now we're out in the world, and about to face a monstrous horde,
> with our families safe at home and completely unknowledgable of the dangers
> we face." A sad look suddenly possesses Zantorax's face. "Darrin, take care
> of Fyn after this battle. I know my personal battle-plan is insanely risky,
> and if anything, even the slightest thing, goes wrong, I will not survive. I
> need to know that if I die she will be well cared for." Zantorax trails off,
> sounding very much like a man who realizes that in a very short time there
> will be only two paths which his life might take, and that the more likely
> one was death.
Darrin listens avidly to your story, a bright grin on his face, but then your
words turn sour, and his face scrunches up horribly. He mutters, "No." And
then strongly he says, "No! You will take no unnecessary risks. I could
not explain to her, that you... you died. I couldn't," he cries out. "Maeg,
tell him..." Darrin looks to Dalin and Cathil for support.
"Now, both of you, settle down. You'll make yourselves sick to the stomach
just thinking such thoughts as we eat this bonny rabbit," Maeg says sternly.
"I'm not the cook me wife is, but I'll be damned you all go running to her,
saying me rabbit give you a sickness. A map...fine...good idea." He digs a
small bush branch out of the dirt and begins to draw, muttering to himself.
You catch a few words, "Dang young'uns.....rush....death.....foolish"
Maeg draws a crude map in the dirt of the Quarry.
--------------------------\ /-------------------
\ Y \
\ x \
/ x x /
\ x \
\ xx xx \ N
\ \ ^
/ /
/ x /
/ x x \
/ x \
/ x /
/ x /
/ x /
Z x x /
\ x x x \
\ x x x /
----------------------------------------------
Quarry of the Laughing Hollows
x= rocks y= entrance from SECRET Path z= entrance to dwarven stronghold
He says, off hand, "Of course, Varn and I haven't been here for sixty to
seventy years, so these rocks are just guess work. They could be gone now and
new ones in their place. They will be entering from the North, while we
are coming in from the west somewhere near the entrance to our ancient home.
Maybe when we are successful in defeating these heathens, Varn and I will
take you to see some of the wonders of this deserted stronghold. I know Varn
always wanted to show Darrin. We haven't explored too much of it. But
there's always time for that.
"The Quarry, is just that. A place we used to mine minerals for sale to
the westerners, especially up to Waterdeep. We, I mean the dwarves, you are
all used to seeing. We, duerger, had no desire to toil and work. My dark
cousins were more intent on war not trade. Praise the Gods, Varn and I have
put those desires aside. Though it will feel good to wield this axe again,"
he says, patting the axeblade where it sits at her side. "Now, if you have
any questions just ask."
Dalin Varon
"Sorry about being uptight (smile), but the thought of the sheer
number orcs overwhelmed me."
Dalin looks down at the rabbit, unties it, and tosses it over to Maeg.
"Cook that critter." Dalin then takes out his canteen and take a long
full drink.
Dalin pops his head up suddenly, "I agree. No one is going to take
any unnessicary risk while on this expedition. We'll need every to do
this. Zantorax, you will not be risking yourself to absolute death. We
need you here to help us get the orcs."
Dalin then promptly gazes at Darrin and Zantorax implying that,
hopefully, an agreement has been established.
"Maeg, Do you think that there will be a problem getting us into the
Quarry? Secondly we need some form of a plan. And thirdly we have no clue
what the other group is doing, or if they are in trouble."
Zantorax
"Maeg, Darrin, I have no intentions on dying, I just want to make sure
that, if I do, I'm the only one, and that Fyn will be well taken care of.
Now, as to the ambush, is it safe to assume that the others will have been
at the quarry for a while before the orcs get there. How much space do you
figure the orcs would take up, spread out, in the quarry? Also, Dalin was
it? How many survivors were walking with the orcs?" Zantorax's demeanor is
one of pure business, as though he were used to battle-planning.
Maeg
"The others should reach the Quarry in the early afternoon. Now I'm not
the tracker that Tag is, no one could possibly be, but I'd say we are going to
be at the Quarry close to dusk. And before then, we should catch sight of
them, from what Tag was saying. We will have to be very careful that their
rear guard does not catch sight of us as we trail after."
"Spread out," he begins to refer to the map. "I am hoping our friends are
in the quarry, and not the orcs. Some of these rocks would make good cover.
The Quarry itself is quite huge, as large as a two farmer's fields stretched
out side-by-side. Big one's."
Darrin
Darrin says softly, "Forty to fifty. From what I saw... back in..."
He shakes his head softly, not able to continue. "I don't how many the
winter took, before these came upon them. But Bryll is still amongst them,"
he says sharply.
Cathil DuAndath
Walking determinedly over to his friend, Cathil places a concerned arm on
Zantorax's shoulder, looks him directly in the eye, and states "Your needless death
would kill more than you, my friend." Putting his other arm upon Zant's Cathi
continues "There is this group of companions that I know, whose very fate may
eventaully come to lie upon your hands, do you feel it really necessary to lose all
these friends?" Sighing and letting go of Zantorax, Cathil turns away, "What you do
is your choice, just remenber that the rest of us want 'and' need you, please don't do
anything that would harm yourself..."
Cathil turns back around, and casts his sincerest smile at Zantorax, pats
him on the shoulder and lets the silence do the talking...
Zantorax
Zantorax, hearing Cathil's words, grows somber again.
"I do not want you to lose faith in me, my friends, but I have never
before been in serious combat. Sure, I've had lots of practice against live
oponents, but they were not the sort who wanted me dead. My magic is,
unique. I have suach strong ties to the magic of fire and electricity that
all of my spells seem to be... warped. They are all very bright, and look
much more spectacular than they would otherwise. I will draw a LOT of
attention towards myself, simply because I can do it no other way. Should
most of the attention be drawn to me, I do not wish to have any others in
danger because of the uncontrollable factors in my magic. Someone nearby,
perhaps to help deal with those that believe that getting close to me will
make me an easy target, will be sorely mistaken, especially if I have a
hidden ally nearby to ambush them. I believe that the best way to deal with
such a large number of opponents with the realatively small band which we
have, is to throw them into disarray, and keep them that way. Attacking them
from two fronts is one of our best tactics. Perhaps myself and one other,
preferrably a good fighter, should form a third front. I'll put on a
dazzling display with my magic, and hopefully make them believe that they
are up against a much more powerful wizard than I am. With the support of a
warrior, I am sure that two of us can do tremendous damage, and hopefully
dishearten the orcs so that they will make fatal errors. The rest of you
will attack as a unit from the second flank. Use hit-and-run tactics, since
our numbers are not great enough to sustain a frontal, sustained engagement.
Whoever can, get any survivors out of the way if the oportunity presents
itself. We're here to rescue the survivors, even moreso than we are here to
avenge the destruction of the village. We should get some rest, though.
Anyone have any idea how long it will be 'till we catch up with the orcs?"
Darrin
Darrin pays great attention to Zantorax's words, and when he is finished
speaking, Darrin quickly says, "Yes. A good plan...I will stand by your side
Zantorax. Maeg, Cathil and Dalin can form the third party. We will draw the
attention of these fiends, and while our friends here attack from behind them,
Tag will lead forth the other group..."
Maeg
"Unless, Tag strikes first, boys. Then they will be drawn to all sides.
Fifty orcs may come at the two of you," he tries to point out. "I'd like your
chances more, if eighty were to go after Tag and his bunch, and eighty at the
five of us, than fifty towards you and the bald one."
Darrin
"Fifty is not enough for my axe to bite into my friend," Darrin grins and
pats the axe handle sitting next to him. Maeg is about to protest such a
foolish statement, but Darrin smiles even larger and says quickly, "I learned
that from your wife, Maeg." Darrin begins to laugh as Maeg slaps his knee and
lets forth a loud guffaw. Darrin manages to say between laughs, "I promise to
be careful, Maeg. Zan nor I wish to die tomorrow."
Maeg
"Good boy," Maeg manages to get out. "Now listen. You see the map...Anyone
get's into trouble, you make for the stronghold. Just inside the entrance, is
a place where two dwarves would stand guard. Two Dwarves alone could stop fifty
orcs from entering the tunnels proper. Understand me. I can't find you after
the battle, that's where I'm looking." Darrin nods his understanding, and Maeg
continues, "Good. Now to sleep with all of you. Rest well, we must be sharp
tomorrow."
The morning comes all too soon, for most everyone, and Maeg gives no time
for breakfast. You mount up and continue your journey. The terrain becomes
more barren and rocky as you go forward, and even some of the gulleys that
you drop into are devoid of vegetation now. At various intervals, you run
across another body or two, and Darrin's features turn darker and darker with
each one. Then in the distance, only a few hours past dawn, you see before you
several bodies. A moan escapes Darrin's lips, and he sprints his horse closer
to the scene, only to pull up suddenly very sharply.
He glances back at all of you, a look of surprise on his features...
On the road ahead of you are seven orcs...all quite dead...with darts
and arrows in them.
Zantorax tries his best to make sure his mount is as close to Darrin's as
> possible as they ride towards the bodies. The only gap is that caused by the
> second it takes Zantorax to spur his mount ahead once Darrin has done so.
> That second is not a long one, though, since thier travels together along
> this path have seen these same events many times before. When it becomes
> clear that the bodies are those of orcs, Zantorax dismounts to study the
> scene, his quarter-staff in his hands.
> "You warriors be on the look-out for any danger, please. I do not want to
> fall prey to some fell trap. Also, who here's the tracker? I'd like to know
> who did this, and from where. The outcome would be nice aswell, like did the
> orcs run from the field, did they split up, what."
> Zantorax then turns towards Darrin. "Do you recognize the fletching on
> those arrows? Could it be that we have allies we do not yet know about in
> these parts?"
> Finished speaking, more like thinking aloud, since no one's responses seem
> to reach him, Zantorax shakes his head slightly. "Sorry, I'm babbling. It'd
> still be nice to know, though."
Darrin peers closely at the darts and then at the arrows. He shakes his head,
"Not Tag's darts, and he doesn't use a bow. I don't know," Darrin says scratching
his head. "And Tag's the tracker, not me. But there are less now," he grins.
Maeg adds, "None, I know. Dwarves wouldn't use them fancy sticks anyway."
Zantorax frowns after getting nowhere. "Well, there's got to be
something... Cathil? Dalin? Either of you guys know much about tracking? I'd
like to know where these darts and arrows came from, especially if they'll
lead us to potential allies."
Dalin looks up from the bodies at the sound of Zantorax's question,
"I could be called the tracker of the group. I'll try to find out any
thing I can, if my bowls don't get to me first."
Dalin then kneels down to examine the bodies.
Dalin gets up off his knees and announces his findings.
> "Well the orcs weren't fleeing, rather odd, but there are no fresh
> prints leading over or around them. Strangly enough the only prints
here are orc. The corpses are about 5 hours old. I can't say I have a clue who
killed them." Dalin seems to go into deep thought for a moment, and then
violently shakes his head,"This makes absolutly no sense. How could there
be no tracks? We have to somehow figure out who did this. Does anyone have any
ideas?"
Maeg says, "My only idea is there are seven less orcs. Let's keep
going. We still have to catch up to them."
The mystery of the dead orcs unsolved, Maeg forces you to quicken your
pace, and now knowing that indeed you have been closing on them, but
knowing you still have ground to gain.
It is hours later, and Maeg allows no rest for lunch, but soon you see
dust clouds ahead of you, and not much longer after that you see the
backside of a numerous band of Orcs. Dalin was correct in his estimate,
there are well over a hundred of them.
Maeg stops you and says softly though you are still a half mile behind,
"Here's where we split up. Baldy, you and Darrin ride to the right
of them, and try to get near to the Quarry as you can and find a place
to plant yourselves, where you think your magic will do the most good.
I'm just guessin, but if it goes badly, and you need to make for the
underground caverns, you should be on the right side of them to find
the entrance. We will continue to trail, and once they are moving
towards you and the others in the Quarry, we will attack from their
rear.
"You mind what I said," he finishes harshly. "You get in trouble, you
get to the caverns. I'll find you there." He turns to Cathil and Dalin
and motioning for them to follow, he leads them after the Orcs, though
at a pace that matches them.
Maeg with Cathil and Dalin go on alone.
Dalin looks at Maeg in confusion,"Do you really think we'll be able
> to take them? We haven't even heard
> from Dunz. Don't get me wrong I will fight for those poor souls, but
> we could use some sort of a plan or
> strategy. Are there any terrain advantages we could use?"
Maeg says, "I was thinking more of using hit and run tactics while
the others distract them on two fronts. And if we can get to the
prisoners and release them, they might desire a bit of revenge
themselves, though they are probably to worn to do more than run...
if that is the case, we shall offer them protection from any followers."
Finding absolutely no reason to argue, Cathil follows Maeg... ready for
anything...
Dalin speaks up and comes up with a new plan of action, "Maeg, I'm
not exactly an accomplished fighter in battle, however, I could find
refuge by some rocks at the top of the Quarry and spray the area with
arrow fire. I could even attempt to lever rocks down into the valley
on top of the orc masses. I'm open to any other ideas, but we must
hurry and assist the others.
"I'm sorry lad, it's a good idea, but the Quarry is not far ahead, and
we have no time to get ahead of them. The others are already at the
Quarry, I hope, and lie in wait for this bunch. After their first attack
we will make our strike, for the prisoners, to free them..." Maeg trails
off.
The night is beginning to come on...
Dalin looks to Maeg, "All is set then. Let us be careful of the night."
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