Chapter Two- The Followers of Gruumsh

Iron Maiden Sea of Madness (Smith) 5:42

Out in the street somebody's crying, Out in the night the fires burn, Maybe tonight somebody's crying, Reached the point of no return.

Oh - my eyes they see but I can't believe, Oh - my heart is heavy as I turn my back and leave.

Chorus: Like the eagle and the dove, Fly so high on wings above, When all you see can only bring you sadness, Like a river we will flow, On towards the sea we go, When all you do can only bring you sadness, Out on the sea of madness.

Somewhere I hear a voice that's calling, Out in the dark there burns a dream, You got to hope when you are falling, To find the world that you have seen.

Oh - my eyes they see but I can't believe, Oh - my heart is heavy as I turn my back and leave.

Chorus: Like the eagle and the dove, Fly so high on wings above, When all you see can only bring you sadness, Like a river we will flow, On towards the sea we go, When all you do can only bring you sadness, Out on the sea of madness.

It's madness, The sun don't shine On the sea of madness, There ain't no wind to fill your sails, Madness, When all you see can only bring you sadness On towards the sea we go...

The young paladin Laura matured into a fine young lady of fifteen. As she aged she gained a level of fame for her otherworldly beauty, goodness, and intelligence.
Every man that dealt with her either thought of her as a daughter, or wanted to spread her legs. Indeed, some of the more base did both. As for the other gender, she was every woman's daughter, and every girl's sister. All of them loyal, willing to taste bitter death in her place of their humble paladin.
But strangely, no matter how foul the person was morally, they found it extremely difficult to think unclean thoughts around her. It was no magical compulsion on her part, but rather her example, and her pure heart that made it so hard.
It was for this reason that she gained one of the most sought after mounts. Each true paladin has a special mount that is bonded to him or her. This special mount is superior in all ways to a normal creature of its kind and becomes more so as the paladin advances in power and skill.
Caught up in a dream she found herself in a forest, not twenty miles north of her camp. Here in this forest she saw a portal open in front of her dream self. And as she passed the threshold she awoke with a strange pull to leave immediately to this place.
And so she left in the night. Walking to her horse her champion met her. "My lady, are you troubled? Your heart seems heavy?"
Untying her horse from a tree, she mounted it bare backed. "No. Timothy," she looked down at him with those kind eyes that glittered like two brilliant sapphires. "When my people rise in the morning, tell them I have gone on a journey."
He looked at her worriedly, "Yes my lady. Where shall I tell them you have gone, and when you plan to return?"
Looking up again she merely said, "I don't know." and nudged her horse into a gallop.
Riding through the night and most of the day she reached her destination. Dismounting, she felt this strange feeling to leave her horse. At that moment the portal opened loudly, startling the horse and sending it galloping away.
"Well, here goes everything..." she thought loudly to herself, and then crossed the threshold.
A rush of holy energy filled her with such force it took her breath. She recovered herself, and studied her surroundings.
This place seemed to be like some animal paradise or heaven overflowing with abundant life. Though these creatures were similar to the creatures of nosgoth, they were incredibly different at the same time. Far nobler, they resembled living golden sculptures with silver eyes.
"This must be the place the souls of animals come after their deaths, and this must be the form they take." she thought to herself as she walked aimlessly through the lush forest. In spite of the overwhelming goodness of this plane, she could discern that these animals were made of the same energy and holy as well.
The animals spoke to each other in a language a cleric had taught her. A language he said the black winged humanoids that myth says once dwelt on nosgoth once spoke.
"Not only were these animals built of this holy energy, but were blessed with a measure of humanlike intelligence as well. Interesting."
Peace filled this place, but still something was amiss. Since her arrival she had the palpable feeling of being watched.
"You are the paladin Laura?" a kind voice spoke startling her.
Rounding quickly, greatsword drawn, she yelled at the forest. "Whose there? Show yourself!"
"Peace, I mean you no harm." the creature slowly showed himself, it was a unicorn. But this unicorn was different than the ones of nosgoth. He was like the animals of this place, more noble, with a golden coat, and silver hooves, horn, and eyes. He was a magnificent creature made of the same holy energy that made the animals of this plane. "My name is H'jord, and I have chosen you."
As she sheathed her weapon, she stood relaxed and spoke. "Chosen me?"
"To be my rider." the great creature walked slowly towards her until he stood just a few paces away.
"So you are to be my bonded then? My paladin's mount?"
"Yes, mount me and let us return to your home."
"I don't know how to return home. I didn't open the portal." Almost as if she commanded it, a portal opened besides the pair. "Did you do that? Because I sure didn't."
"It was not me, but I believe it wants us to return."
So she mounted him, and took one last look at this holy forest and passed through the portal.
When she returned to her camp what she found was unholy. Death was everywhere- savage fresh death. Unborn children had been torn from their still living mothers. The brains and blood where these children's heads had been dashed upon the rocks was still wet, as was the sperm left on their dieing mothers' vaginas.
It wasn't just the pregnant women that had been so violated, but all the women had, some to death, others ended by swords or axes. But perhaps what they did to some of the men was worse, old men nailed to trees their intestines strewn about the ground many of them gasping their last breathes.
Everywhere she looked was death. All of her followers dead, their corpses piled everywhere. That's when she saw it on a tree written in blood and brain matter the name "One Eye". It was unambiguous, for this was an alternate name for the orc god, Gruumsh. A fierce god, he delights in death and destruction. Legends speak of a time when the elven god Corellon Larethian had defeated Gruumsh in a terrible battle putting out his eye.
"Orcs... DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" she cursed, tears streaming down her face. H'jord said nothing, the scene was too terrible, it stole his will to speak.
She drew her sword quickly and they readied a charge, at the sound of rattling brush. Slowly her champion Timothy crawled out. He was barely recognizable from the wounds that covered his body.
Dismounting, she ran quickly to his side. "Timothy!" she cried as she rolled him over and held him in her lap.
"The orcs..." he gasped. "They came in the night... Before we could arm ourselves they were upon us... Cutting us down like a man harvesting wheat..."
"Shh. Don't speak." she looked up at her mount. "H'jord, can you help me heal him?"
"Certainly." he walked forward and touched his horn to the young warrior's body. Slowly his horn began to glow brightly, matching the brightness of Laura's hands already working to heal her friend.
The wounds healed marklessly, not even the smallest scare marked their passing only muddied grassy blood remained. He stood and gazed on the carnage. "So many dead... Too many to bury."
"I'm afraid so... There's no telling if those foul orcs are going to return. And burying them would only tell them that they didn't kill everyone. Let's just say a silent prayer and move on." They followed Laura's advice and left that place as it was.
During her travels with her now dead followers she had come a crossed and befriended a city of high elves, the most common of the elven races. It was three days to the south from the slaughter they had left.
As they traveled, she told Timothy of her apparently weeklong journey to the other plane, the outer plane known as the beastlands. It was hard to tell time since that part of the plane never knew night.
The elven city lay before them, parting the forest like a prophet parting a sea. The elves were master architects, filled with beautiful buildings and temples to their deities.
High elves are race known for their beauty and grace, as well as being aloof and somewhat haughty. For this reason they often got off on the wrong foot with the prejudice humans of nosgoth.
Dismounting H'jord, they entered the beautiful palace of the elven queen. The palace was built of white marble with several courtyards within.

Passing the guards forcefully, she and Timothy rushed into the throne room.
The queen stood as a reflex, as her guards talked the intruders. "What is the meaning of this, Laura?" the queen exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, my Queen, but it was necessary. The orcs have entered the forest and had slaughtered my followers. Timothy is all that remain."
"By the Seldarine's grace! Guards release them." The beautiful elven queen sat sadly into her throne. And spoke, her voice full of sorrow and fear for her people. "Were you sure it was the orcs? Our kind drove them from the forest long ago."
"Yes," Laura answered. "On a tree written in blood was the name 'One Eye'. Timothy, my champion, witnessed the orcs attack and barely survived their attack."
"So Gruumsh's children have returned." She sat pensively a moment before she spoke again. "We cannot allow them to continue to ravage the forest. We must destroy them utterly this time."
The queen turned her head to the elf next to her. "Courtier, gather the generals and our wizards, there is war to be waged!"
As she had commanded, the generals and the wizard's guild had gathered in the war room. They sat around a round table. In graven into the table was a map of the surrounding lands.
A female wizard spoke first. "So you say the orcs attacked your followers while you were in the beastlands?"
Leaning forward, Laura pointed to a section on the map. "Yes. It was approximately here were I found their bodies."
A scared male elven general spoke from his reclining position. "So close to our city. How have we not known this?"
Surprised, Timothy spoke. "You mean none of your rangers have brought you any knowledge of this?"
"I'm afraid not." The queen said as she rested her chin in her hand. "Neither have the wizards guild. It's almost like each of them are wearing Amulets of Proof against Detection and Location."
"So whomever is helping them," a male wizard spoke. "Is incredibly powerful."
"But if someone is helping them," a female general spoke. "Why would they write Gruumsh's name? Why not the name of whomever is helping them?"
"And what if we can't find their leader?" Laura spoke as she sat leaning back with her arms crossed.
"Then we take out the army." The scared general said coolly.
Laura leaned forward and rested her head on her hands before speaking. "Without my followers, I'm afraid there's not much I can do to help."
The queen looked at her with caring deep green eyes. "Not so. You're a paladin, Laura. Your aura of courage will be a great help when we face them in battle."
And so it was settled. They would find the orc army and destroy it.

So Kids. There it is chapter 2. Will they find out who the orcs leader is? Review if you want more!