Day 28 in Dragonshore (Part 6)

Oredion turns his eyes to who he thinks is Gogron.

Gogron looks down at Oredion, quite a few heads taller than him. He smirks, his tusks protruding more. In broken common he says, "I like the fury in your eyes, dwarf. The fire speaks to me. We follow you."

@@Collin J. L. Robinson @Andrew Woodhouse Gogron and his orcs pack up their gear and start to march south with Oredion and Etny, following after the trail of Atriox's horse.

"We going fight hard. Come in behind, and flank the army. Fire block retreat. We kill. You both look strong. Fight hard with us. Might not be orc, but we brothers in honor." He grunts, wiping the sweat from his face with his hand.

Oredion walks in front of the orcs and brings them to a halt. He looks at the Orcs his eyes engulfed in flames and his fists clenched tightly. He starts to pace in front of them quickly. He can't help but let fury ring threw in his voice as he speaks to the orcs in a loud booming shout.

"You lot will be fighting by my side in this battle. I do not trust you and you do not trust me. We will be the ones that will suffer loss the most. If I see a single orc back down he dies. If I see an orc retreat without signal he dies. If I see a single one of you switch sides in the heat of battle... You will not only die. You will die slowly and painfully by my hand. Now that that's out of the way, My name is Oredion and I will lay down my life for anyone I call brother. We win this fight, we live, you all will have earned my respect. Do I make myself clear!"

Oredion stands tall letting the fury build in his eyes. He takes a moment to scan each of the orcs faces. He does not know what has come over him, but the feeling of a war excites him.

"Now let us March on!"

(Intimidation 14+5)

@Collin J. L. Robinson Gogron and his soldiers look at you with a mixture of respect and admiration. Your words are stirring and powerful, and they let out a quiet roar in brotherhood under your command.

Etny watches her dwarven friend. He is full of the lust for battle and blood, but she feels invigorated by his speech. She would lay down her life for him, and would give get all in the coming fight.

Secretly, she studies the orcs, their mannerisms, their body language, their behaviors. She seeks to learn how her enemies in the battle will react. She watches, waits, and observes.

Her arrows will find death this day.

@Andrew Woodhouse (Make an investigation check to see what you can learn from these Orcs... :) )

You and Oredion lead onward, making way for the battlefield. You come across troops of kobolds periodically, some popping up in their digging to scout the area.

(NAT 20 BABY!!! 22 total investigation check)

@Andrew Woodhouse You watch these orcs closely. How they move. How they carry their weapons. From your time with them thus far, you're able to tell they're fast. Very fast, for how large some of them are. Their aggression fuels their movement, like a pack of wolves.

They also seem to have little trouble at all seeing in the dark, moving around the trees with ease. It helps that the moon is out, but even still... you find their eyesight must be quite keen--keener than your own.

Aside from Gogron the leader, most of the others have some kind of hide armor with patchwork metal. A well placed shot in vital areas should pierce right through the material and into a heart, lung or liver.

Etny quietly falls in line with Oredion and the orcs. She is not used to such brutal company, but she takes it in stride. She continues to study the orcs, and learn about them in a way that will give her an advantage in the coming battle.

She un-shoulders her bow, and tests the taughtness of the bowstring, making sure all is in order. The Andraya bow is strong and tense, ready to deal out death.

Etny has never been in a war before. She reflects on all that she has been through, and makes a point to remember her dead tribe. It fills her with deep despair, and an unbridled wrath. She will kill, and she will avenge. She will take out her rage on these foes of hers, and will show no mercy.

She realizes she is not a vessel of wrath like her beloved dwarven friend, but she will make the best of her actions in war. If need be, she will lay down her own life to defend this city, defend the prince, and, above all, defend and fight for the only family she has left.

Oredion slows down a bit from the front and falls in line with her. He nudges her arm playfully trying to get her attention. When she looks over she sees that only one of Oredions eyes are engulfed in a green flame. The other is extinguished and shows his rusty brown colored eyes. Oredion puts a serious look on his face when she looks over and talks to her calmly and quietly.

"Et... I'm sorry for snapping about your paper. I... I did not mean to lass. I do not feel right lately. My rage... I can feel it growing... I do not think I can stop it this time. I have a favor to ask you."

Oredion stops thinking of the proper words to say. He takes Etnys hand in both of his gently.

"I... Et. If something happens, something bad. I need you to run. Run as fast as you can away. I know your strong. Stronger then anyone I've ever met, but I do not wish to see you killed in this war, in this land, you have no ties to. Will you do this for me Et?"

Oredion let's go of her hand and faces forwards. When he looks back both of his eyes are now engulfed in green flames once more hiding his brown eyes from sight.

"Oredion-elenn...," she squeezes his hand. "I do have ties to this land now, and he is holding my hands, begging me to do something I cannot fathom ever doing."

She lets him go, as he turns away, witnessing his eyes turn green with flame. "Elenn...," her voice quavers with emotion, "I will not run from you, or anyone for that matter. I've done my running...for far too long now. I'm ready, elenn, to fight for the only family I have left," she pauses, swiping at her violet eyes with a hand, "I'm...I'm ready and willing to die for the last if my family, if need be, though I do not plan on it."

As he turns away, she rests a hand on his shoulder, and leaning in close, whispers into his ear, "ava nala de, dear Oredion."

"I had a feeling you'd say that lass. Worth a try though."

Oredion turns back and looks into her eyes with his flaming ones. He speaks in a gentle voice.

"I am glad to be your family Et. I would have it no other way. I still don't know what ava nala de means, but I have an idea."

Oredion moves forwards in front of the orcs again. He feels his heart beat a bit faster, but he calms himself down. He marches on rage filling his mind once more knowing he must kill anything he comes across for the sake of his loved one.

@Collin J. L. Robinson @Andrew Woodhouse The orcs march with you until they find a position they feel confident in holding. With the numbers they have against an army of near a thousand, they aren't showing any lack of resolve or willingness. Many mutter under their breath, silent prayers to their god. You hear the name Grummsh a few times and the echoes of the word make your flames burn hotter.

Etny, you are strengthened by a power beyond your own. A comforting peace steals over you. You feel the wind in your hair, an embrace from the All-Mother Malora, the one who will help guide you through this battle and keep your shots true. As long as you follow her tenants, you feel you will be bolstered against your enemies like a lighthouse in a stormy sea.

Oredion starts to order the orcs in a stern voice.

"Let's not sit around lads. Look around for anything we can fortify this holding point with. Find branches, sharpen them, and place them around us at the very least. Were gonna give them a hell of a fight for our heads."

(Investigation 10+6)

(Niiiiice.. definitely will give you advantages during the fight)

The orcs get to work. Like the kobolds underground, they work meticulously at ripping out dead wood from the forest and using it to create a helpful blockade. They start working to build a wall to funnel troops down a middle line, the one most peppered with kobold tunnels.

A bellowing concorse of trumpets errupts from the hills. Birds caw and flutter in mass, fleeing the White Birch forest canopies... a thundering rumbles the ground down the mountain like an avalanche...

They are coming.