Act 3, Scene 4: The Birleşik Klanlar

sixgunninja · 5:10pm

With the ravenous beasts and foul smelling vermin dead and scattered, you continue to trudge through the swamp in the direction of the Orcs. The ground is barren, great trees many feet across a have been wrenched from the earth and dragged upstream, leaving great ruts in the earth. In the distance you see a great billow of black smoke.

When you finally reach the Orc encampment you are astounded by its size. It is surrounded by high walls make of sharpened timbers and thick red clay. From almost a mile away you can hear the sounds of hammers and other tools from the Orcs working the dozens of forges whose tall chimney's belch black smoke into the sky.

Approaching the gate you see half a dozen Orcs clad in heavy armor. Not the typical armor of their kind made from scavenged bits and pieces of heavy hide, it is make of thick plates of blackened metal, simple and functional. All but one wield long pike's with similar heavy black tips, the last has a circle painted on his chest plate in the same thick red mud as the walls and has two large swords at his his.

He strides out to meet you, flanked by the Orcish pikemen, "HOLD! What business do the Yumuşak Erkekler have with the Kuzey Birleşik Klanlar?"

Foucault · 5:50pm

Orion steps forward slowly and bows deeply. "We speak for the Yumuşak Erkekler of Västervik." the monk replies, "And we seek to know the intentions of United Clans of the North, sitting so close to the doorstep of Västervik. We would also ask to what end you despoil these fair forests and swift river, for such refuse thrown in it's course flows from your hands to our mouths."

sixgunninja · 6:34pm

One of the Pikeorcs turns to the leader, "They do not know, they must be told!" The sergeant's head whips around and he barks at the soldier, "Silence!" turning to face you he says, "I do not speak for the Klanlar, but if you truly speak for Västervik I will take you to the Şefleri Konseyi." He takes a heavy hemp rope from his belt and cuts it into two foot lengths which he hands to each of you. "All who enter the Kale must have their weapons bound by the peace. Come, there is much that the Yumuşak Erkekler do not yet know that they must."

Kidcallkidd · May 2 '11, 11:59pm

Greil begrudgingly ties his weapon into the knot. He understands that entering into this area he must abide by their rules. Though he does his best to let his physical size stand out for the group in hopes of preventing any pesky troublemakers

....Besides his fists are meaty enough to do damage until he gets ahold of something heavy.

ryukinsath · May 3 '11, 2:55am

Rune's eyes are a pale red right now, he is itching for a fight and he does not like to relinquish his weapons. If only he opted for that upgrade to make them attached to himself then they would have no chance of taking them away from him. Sadly, he ties his weapons into the knot as well but he is not happy about it. He follows in Greil's footsteps and his eyes flash a blood red before returning to a pale red color.

...They can take his weapons, but he can still channel the cosmic energies of his body no matter what.

sixgunninja · May 25 '11, 1:39am

When you have bound your weapons in their sheaths the Gate Captain shouts and the heavy wooden gate opens slowly from the inside. He leads you to the center of the camp, on the way you pass dozens of temporary buildings, tents and wooden huts serving as saw-mills, forges and barrack. Large fields have been turned to mud from use as drill grounds for hundreds of orc warriors, drilling as professionally as any army you have ever seen. The entire camp surrounds a hill where the leaders each clan has a tent with a great banner with their clan sign on it outside. There are dozens of such banners. In the center is a massive tent, the Gate Captain opens the flap and leads you in, "Şefleri Konseyi [Council of Chiefs], I present to you those that speak for the Yumuşak Erkekler [City Folk] of Västervik."

There are dozens of Orc Clan Chieftains sitting in a great circle on large fur rugs, there is a gap in the circle at the doorway of the tent where the Gate Captain motions for you to sit before leaving to return to his duties. Looking around the circle you take stork of the Orcish leaders, many are old, their hair and beards graying, but they are a formidable sight nonetheless, each one looking every inch the fearsome warrior Orcs are held to be. The eldest Orc has a long beard that reaches to the floor as he sits cross legged, "We have been waiting for when the Yumuşak Erkekler [City Folk] of Västervik would come to the Kale [Fort], we had begun to fear that they would not come at all. Here you witness such a event that has not happened for many generations, the Kuzey Birleşik Klanlar! [United Clans of the North]"

At this the rest of the Orc Chiefs shout and hoot and raise their fists into the air. "Do not think we do this lightly, our people are not accustomed to living in such a way, but we come together with a unity of purpose, the Buz Canavar [Frost Trolls] are returning. The centuries have taught us that the Yumuşak Erkekler [City Folk] have short memories, but look back in your lore and your histories and will find them. A thousand years ago or more they came, and that was not for the first time either, when they do the oceans freeze and mountains are leveled to barren frostbitten plains. They were turned back the last time, but even our most learned elders to not remember how, we only know what will happen if we fail for we have failed before and suffered a thousand years of ice and death."

"It is to face this most dire of threats that the Kuzey Birleşik Klanlar [United Clans of the North] have taken to draining our swamps and felling our great forests. In more peaceful times there are places of great nature we respect, we defile them now so that all is not lost to the ice."

Foucault · May 25 '11, 5:15am

Orion listens in silence to the the words of the Şefleri Konseyi, stunned at their apocalyptic revelations. Waiting to the very end he replies, "If you had no plans to oppose the Buz Canavar you would not drain your swaps to no purpose, fell your trees to rot where they fall. So even if you say you do not know how to stem the tide of frost that is not entirely the truth, for you now move against them. Then we need to hear those plans, for Västervik must know them. The Yumuşak Erkekler also need the timber of old forests and the clean water of the rivers, and must have an equal part in both the defence of their homes and the dispensation of it's natural resources.

But I would also know your plans for myself. I cannot chop more wood for your war effort than your vaunted warriors already can or divine the scraps of lore your sages recall. But I am a wanderer and a seeker of things lost, and my companions are warriors without peer. So give to us the tasks of single men, the pursuit of lost temples, casting of ancient spells; and take for yourself the tasks and glory of legions. In so sharing this burden we may weather it."

sixgunninja · May 25 '11, 4:30pm

The eldest Chieftain strokes his long grey beard and responds, "There is some wisdom in the Yumuşak Erkekler [City Folk] yet. We prepare to do what the Kuzey Birleşik Klanlar [United Clans of the North] do best, we march to war. But the war against the Buz Canavar [Frost Trolls] is a winter war. It will be hard and there many tasks yet undone."

"We prepare for what we know, but what we know of the impending ice is limited, seek out the ancient places of your people and search for records of the previous invasions. We do know that in the last war some of the Kuzey Birleşik Klanlar [United Clans of the North] learned the ways of the masters of the Sisli Rahipler [Misty Monks], they may know much but to date we have not seen them. You would also do well to seek out as many powerful allies as you can, spellslingers, alchemists, great engineers. There skills will be of use in the months to come."

"Perhaps the most important task you could undertake would be to find the Burç [Bastion]. It is an ancient fortress out in what the Yumuşak Erkekler [City Folk] call the Forræderiske Øer [Treacherous Islands] that has been used to hold back the Buz Canavar [Frost Trolls] in the past, but its location has been lost to time."

Kidcallkidd · May 25 '11, 6:12pm

I fully believe in bashing in some Buzzz Canovers, but if your Klanlers could not destroy our homes before they even arrive that would be great. Greil struggles with interpreting the Orcs language but tries his best to not let it show.

Using his best efforts he tries to sit fairly still trying to understand what exactly the Orcs and Orion are deciding.

ryukinsath · May 25 '11, 10:32pm

Grumbling to himself by having to walk into a camp with Orcs surrounding him, Rune's eyes are a constant red. Knowing he cannot attempt to fight the Orcs in this camp and hope to make it out with all functions intact, he tries to listen in on the woes of the Orcs around him in hopes of either finding out who is willing to join them in their tasks. Trying to hold his contempt for the Orcs in check, Rune asks the Clan Leaders to point him in the direction of which "spellslingers" he should talk to. Where is the collection of spellslingers in your camp? I wish to talk with them and see if they have any arcane arts that I have not learned and are going to be worth investing time in learning.

Rune tries his hardest to communicate with the Orcs pleasantly, but he is aware he is coming off as rude and he could not care less to be honest. He is only able to curb his bloodlust, albeit only a little, because he is not the only one that would be affected by his actions.