In My Time of Troubles

by Crossposted

Crossposting of the TheIrishDreamer’s FanFiction on SpaceBattles all credit goes to the original author.

8. Entry 8

When: Spring 1353DR

Where: Zybelins Drift

Magic test success! Woot!

Thank you Missy, you are awesome.

Though one snag with the methodology is that it takes a significant amount of time, as we have to do it step by plodding step with alot of power input on each step to get a successful end product. So it looks like mass producing such weapons is not going to happen, at least beyond the mass blessing we had from the Boss at the ceremony. But that's the difference between basic protections and 'holy' enchantments vs a rather specialised enchantment that we've worked out here on the gear for Rose at the moment. Realistically considering the energy expenditure and ingredients requirements on each item it's now more logical to me why everyone isn't equipped with high grade magical armour and such.

Supply and demand does apply weirdly enough to Faerun (Economics classes paying off even if Domo hadn't been the best lecturer ever) though its obviously impacted by the fact of monster attacks and general raiding from banditry. Hence for instance the high demand for adventurers and yet a seemingly never-ending supply of those murder-hobos; banditry and adventuring are very similar in their requirements to be honest. Really the only difference is the acceptability of the target of choice. Strangely though many magic effects, even here in a backwater village with Wifne and Rose, are equal to industrial equivalents. Frankly the seeds are in place between all the existent high level magics to develop a quasi-modern level of civilization but it never takes. In fairness Nethoril proved that I suppose, well till it fell apart.

Though I think the biggest problem (well beyond the Gods themselves at times I suspect) is the nature of magic and the fact civilization destroying threats exist such as dragons, and demon lords, and all sorts of general eldritch horrors. I know large scale nations exist, but it's sorta weird there aren't more like Halruaa around but then again that place is an assholish magocracy in truth. Which makes sense I suppose in its own crappy way; a magic using caste system makes sense when a small portion of the society can literally blow up rebellious peasants by pointing at them. Magic is innately elitist and tyranny causing as best I can tell, and that means one really powerful mage going rogue or psycho has a disproportionately negative effect to a society. Because really high level characters are rare in reality, and even the good ones like Blackstaff and the Big E have their own personal bastardry. Oh and there's dedicated nature Gods that hate civilization too. That probably doesn't help I suspect either.

Sorry, but my post magic experiments and some discussions with the others, Missy, Mara, Kethri, Wifne and Rose, on general trade and such in these parts and beyond. The rituals oddly enough leave me an unusually large amount of resting time to recover my magic between incantations. Really what I'd want in the long run is something like Age of Wonders 3 (sorry my dear Faerunians, ignore my ramblings, a past life at work) in the shape of a Dreadnoughts Spelljammer. Not the flying ship guys but an actual magical device that jams and counters spells. I loved those in that game. Oh steampunk if I live that long you shall be the first step on my grand plan to a Magitek civilization. *No I do not have an actual plan. I'm just drunk.*

My biggest problem is scale and skill. As in I've the combined industrial strength of small village blacksmith, carpenter and their apprentices, combined with fantastic lack of skills of my own clans 'blacksmith' and whatever our vassals can come up with. Yeah because the kobolds have an iron (and silver) mine doesn't mean their producing any high grade steel or tools beyond spears and arrowheads for humanoids of their height and general stature. Now I have managed to produce a few functioning Hwacha's (with wheels!) but the biggest draw back there ironically is the ammo for the things – it took me years to get functioning black powder and turning that into rocket-arrows takes time and effort. Which took me time and effort to train up some of the smarter females under Oggy in the production and storage methods; which is as important as the actual manufacture frankly (which I still have blessed to be safe). I'd rather not return to a big explosion from mishandling our (rather miniscule) supply of the stuff.

So while I'd love to build me a magic steampunk tank I don't think its within range of my industrial base. But I think a few Hussite War-wagons with magical protections is within that range, though it'd be a year or more before they'd be ready based on the prototype I'm having the villagers attempt after we leave (under guard of course) to see if the idea is viable. A shame I can't be here but I've told Ghorza the idea behind it.

Anyway, it's Nighty-Night for now.

--

When: Springtime in the country

Where: Zybelins Drift

Ghorza is the most unromantic woman in the world, even for an orc, and whose idea of seduction is 'Oh my tits just popped out again! Would you look at that!', I suppose I should count myself lucky and she didn't resort to caveman logic and bong me over the head with a club. I wouldn't have put past her though so ugh...yeah...love is in the air I suppose. Got my marching orders from my actual lady love, which let me tell you is fucking weird and I'm still not bloody used to it. Its...I'm trapped in some nightmarish harem anime or rom-com filled with fucked up morals and not-as-fun-as-it-sounds tribal politics that's as dangerous as fighting out in a pitched battles or fighting Death Knights. Fun yet tiring and deadly. Joy.

--

When: Late Spring

Where: Zybelins Drift still

Road back towards Sparta is going well, fortifications and building in the village have been finished, I've scribbled down my various ideas for the blacksmith/carpenter (and Ghorza), bedded said orc lady as demanded (yeah I suppose..hurray...ugh), and gotten the majority of Rose's gear finished up. She actually looks like a proper (albeit cute I'll admit) little warrior in her armour, and the enchantments are working quite well it seems.

Though the bulls strength (I dunno 2, 3?) enhancements on those gloved braces does give an amusing situation of this pint sized teenager punching with the force of a full grown man (or young orc I guess) while also helping her handle the extra weight of said armour. I've been giving her weapons training in what little free time I have, though Oggy is training her as well at other intervals so with luck in a few months the girl might be able to defend herself at least.

Mara and Kethri are doing well, I *somewhat* managed to mitigate the tension between them and Missy I think, and gotten it into Oggy's head that having them compete for my affection is causing me an unnecessary headache and not amusement. Because Missy's acting weird now too, and I'm too busy trying not to die (and to keep everyone else alive) to manage confusing things like women; I was bad at it in my last life, and I'm still bad at it now. Multiplying the problem and adding sharp objects does not make the situation better!

Anyhoo...Wifne's lesson have been quite informative to me about the general workings of the Chauntean faith and the benefits of a agricultural Goddess to supporting crop growth and general healing abilities. And its managed to get my own little band of magic casting idiots to think on things, at least in the manner of the tactical and strategic implications of said powers and abilities. Because their orcs and all that matters is direct 'blow stuff up' or 'look at my awesome muscles nows!' magic and getting them to look beyond this is at the implications of indirect pre-or post- battlefield support is something really only feasible with the younger or smarter acolytes. Ghorza seems to grasp what I'm on about too...but she had a crushing defeat to open her mind to the traditional ways not necessarily being the better ways.

Better agricultural production enables a state to feed a larger population and therefore field larger armies. Roads allow better supply lines for that increased agricultural surplus and allow swifter movement of those larger armies while also allowing greater trade between settlements. More trade allows access to more than just the local resources, as well more gold to buy better weapons, armour and expand the skill base. And better equipped and well trained armies perform better than less well armed and disciplined ones.

Or at least that's the gist of our little debating session in orc terms. Magic entered into the discussion as well of course as it significantly effects things like battlefield casualties and keeping veteran cadres intact where in a non-magical setting loses would be horrifically high. Course it fucks up armies with sufficiently powerful wizards of course but not completely at 'standard' levels – a decent shield-wall I've discovered with stop a fireball. Hell even 'magic missile' is essentially just a glorified magic punch. Though against unarmoured infantry the results would be...pretty horrifying I'd suspect. Weird how Cormyr falls to whats large peasant rabble armies then...hmmm...for another day I guess.

But to end yet another tangent on my part the Battlestaves and Warswords I brought with me are starting to evolve into a proper fighting force at long last. Spellcraft is still a bit weak, but then again my own 'level' so to speak is just above novice in arcane combat spells so can't bash them on that. On the more important role of squad tactics and discipline enforcement their starting to take shape though rather well; I need thinking other than 'charge, charge and charge some more' from the squad leaders as we grow in numbers. Till now it's been easy to keep control of squads between me, Zah, Cardac and Breyjuk but as our numbers start to grow we're going to need squad level tactical thinking during a battle as well as magic.

As to my Red Branch Knights (or Bloody Hand of Ilneval, I haven't decided); I've identified two possible contenders for the capacity to wield a blade. Though I'm still into codifying the credo of these crusader imitations, kinda need clear guidelines before I let my medieval political officers loose upon any rule breakers within the ranks. I may think on it a bit on the way back to Sparta, as need to go now, need to start the last rounds of incanting and such with the Gods-slaves to finish Rose's armour set.

--

[Zahgorim 10]

Several Leagues Northwest of Sparta/South of the Lurkwood

"Many hands of humanssss orcs boss! Yes-yes! Many, many, many hands worthsss! Is this many hands, onesss and twoessss and threessss and..." the scaly little kobold explained, its hands grasping into fists to tell them how many human warriors it had seen. Zahgorim still wasn't entirely sure if it was a male kobold or a female one actually so it was 'it' for the moment, and he remained silent as it continued opening and closing its fists several times. Unfortunately it seemed to pretty close in size to what Ongul had scouted out heading in from the plains a few nights ago and when the little lizard had finished its own warchief banished it off as he (at least Zahgorim had been told it was a he) sat being towered over by Zahgorim and his orc squad leaders in a circle here in the cave.

Cardac beside him snorted in annoyance "Damned humans, thats our prey there after! And I don't like them moving this close to our lands!"

Zahgorim hummed in thought a moment before replying "They're following the route the Fingercutters cut I'd guess, like we are, except from the other end"

It wasn't exactly the route the Fingercutters had taken of course, but they'd come across the remnants of several temporary camp on their hunting and scouting expedition that indicated they were close, even without guidance from a few of former females of that destroyed clan that were now Spartans. He'd hoped they'd get a clue to the strength of the human barbarians, and hopefully manage some decent hunting with a bit of raiding for loot and cattle if they were lucky. The former enemy clan-orcs had told them roughly of where a few smaller settlements they'd past, and one or two they'd left intact for varying reasons but mostly due to lack of organisation or in-fighting, on their journey. One of which was down in the forested hills below, quite well hidden in fact with strong defences as best his scouts could tell; still they let their cattle and goats wander a little too far from their home, and their guard was down now the Fingercutters were seasons past...

'Till those bloody damned humans came burning in from wherever they came' he grumbled in his mind. Raiding the settlement itself was needless, it was nicely hidden even from here and other spots and probably trapped along with their palisade wall. Mostly humans and elves, or maybe half-elves, it seemed though they had seen a brother orc or two amongst them with some wagons; half-breeds he guessed who'd come in with a trade caravan he could have caught if he'd arrived a week or so sooner most likely. But now the Uthgard humans were converging on the place in two large war-bands to cut off any attempt to flee he expected, and the natives (along all the cattle and goats he'd planned to grab) had retreated behind their defences. Unfortunately the Uthgard humans number almost double his force of orcs and kobolds and while he was sure he could take them...it'd be bloody and leave them exposed to the village.

"Neither of them has spotted us yet it seems Chief..." Cardac grumbled looking up at the ridgeline behind them "...we'd need a bit of luck but we head back without them ever knowing. Cloudy night be best, humans have shitty eyesight"

"Ehhh...hate to turn me back on damned cursed human weaklings but we've had a good season on this hunt I admit, and we're suppose be back afore seasons end. We're near a whole moon cycle or more gone at this stage, and at a quick pace at that..." one of Breyjuks captains, Keljarik, muttered as if with distaste"...but...arggh...hate to leave an enemy undamaged! Fuckin stinkin humans stealing our prey from under us just sticks in me craw!"

"And mine too Keljarik..." Zahgorim grunted back as she drew up a rough map in the dirt of what they'd managed to piece together of the land and various defences. Taking out a few coins he put them down where the enemy warbands were, where his own were and the village itself; a few gold for his, silver for the village and more numerous coppers for the human warbands "...fuck though we're seeing too many enemies for even our warriors to take on here...attack one band the other backs it up, and the village humans could attack out as well. We'd lose too many for nothing that way...fuck it"

And that was something the clan couldn't afford right now with the other clans coming for a great meeting of nearby stronghold Chiefs come the summer. Returning with a few losses and loot would show their strength as warriors, but taking too many losses in warriors would show only weakness to the other clans nearby just when Sparta wanted them to fight these savages. Still turning from a fight like this was a slight shame upon the proud warriors around him, and to his own name as a young warchief even if this was the nature of a raid at times. Pa had pulled back from raiding places when he had been alive after all but...but...his instincts were telling him to pick a fight here even as the others talked on the mater around him in the circle. For the moment they were just background noise, even if he responded as a Chief should to their words, while he studied his own scratchings in the dirt and coins denoting warbands before him. Something was nagging at him about just withdrawing even if his warband wasn't strong enough to storm the settlement, let along defeat the Uthgard humans and then fight into the settlement for loot. Even if he did manage to win he wouldn't have much of a warband left at the end of it.

'What would Karg and Oggy say if they were here' he focused on as he imagined a tiny little Karguk on one shoulder and a tiny Ogrash on the other.

'Am I your fuckin' Ma Zah to hold yer fuckin' hand like yer still a little whelp? Need me to hold yer cock while you piss too?' tiny Oggy swore at him 'it's so goddamned obvious even yer tiny little pea-brain should be able to see it! What does yer enemy want Zah? Think! What wouldya do if you were them? Yeah you'd focus on taking that damned human village wouldn't ya? Be a hard fight after all don't ya think? Now when are they at their weakest do you think hmmmm? '

Tiny Karguk hummed in a thinking pose "What are their strengths and weaknesses Zah? And then what are yours here is the question, eh?' he told him motioning at armies marching to their objectives before him 'it seems you've got a nice big advantage in that they don't know your here yet. Sure there's alot of them but they're not even trying to hide since the village spotted them are they now? No! Because there confident in their numbers aren't they? That's a weakness as much as strength don't you think? And why do you have to take the village at all? Can you carry all the loot back, no? So stop looking at them as the two different problems but as one and the same with one solution. Now what do you do Zahgorim?'

"The village seems easiest to attack here from all that we can see correct?" he asked as both imaginary beings puffed out of existance in his mind and he pointed at the dirt outline and silver coins representing the village, showing an angle on the western wall. The others looked at it curious and grunted or nodded in agreement, the little kobold hissing in the affirmative also as their Chief brought his hands out to where the Uthgarders were in comparison and then carefully shoved both piles further along the tracks they were marching in a roughly straight line. Both piles came to a stop, linking up, just about where he originally pointed as where they'd attack considering the broken up ground.

"So it looks like the humans here are going to do the same, as they've had less time to scout out the place but have the numbers to batter their way in unlike us. It's the gate into the place and the easier ground to attack over with no ditches or broken ground like on these sides; trees being cleared for it as well unlike the rest of the palisade. Right?" again came the nods of agreement as Zahgorim pushed the copper and silver coins together to represent battle, then brought a hand back up to the smaller pile of gold coins.

"Now if we move to here during the night? Think they'll see us?" he asked curiously pushing the coins along a curving path where the treeline was particularly thick to a spot that would put them just off the flank of the village gate, and the other sets of coins. Broken and wooden terrain, and with scouts out the villagers would easily notice so many warriors moving through it...but the scouts wouldn't be out now would they?

"No...No, not if we move carefully and at night, humans have bad eyes in the dark...hmmm no villager hunters there to see us either, though Uthgard humans might see us if they send in scouts..." Cardac hummed in though "...but don't make us any less outnumbered Chief"

"Juncker your commandos could silently kill any scouts right?" Zahgorim asked holding up a hand to indicate he'd answered the older orc in a moment when he had his answer.

"Junckerssss thinkssss yhhesssss Chief Zzzzzahgorimssss, eazzzysss yhesssshh, humans notssss knowsss or ssssseeessss ussssss" personally Zahgorim found their voices grating and he was fairly sure they were exaggatering the 'hsssssss' with orcish like he and Karg did when trying to 'dumb down' their Common Tongue. Still it confirmed his expectation even if the kobolds were exaggerating somewhat; the ones with his warband were decent archers and scouts by and large for their kind. He nodded back to Cardac.

"Actually if we do it right we won't be..." he stated a feral grin coming to his lips "...and if it goes wrong we pull back to higher ground here , or here after setting some traps, or just retreat. Why don't we let our brave humans here attack the prey and let both exhaust their magics, healing spells and spill their blood in tiring battle and then when the walls are breached and all are tired..." he shoved the gold coins into the flank and rear of the silver pile "...we strike and slaughter these fools, and make those living here pay us tribute in exchange for their pathetic lives. Make them kneel to us"

Grunts and nods of agreement came from around him as Cardac grinned back "And if they don't?"

Zahgorim was still grinning back "Well then they won't have any magics or energy left to put out the fire that might burn down their stronghold now will they. We just make sure we're not seen till the fun begins..."

--

[Krowluc 01]

Village of Styrewood

...the sword wielded by the *actually frothing at the mouth he noted idly* human screamer he deflected with his shield, shifting the blade-strike to his side as he braced one knee nearly touching the ground...before striking with his hand axe in a upward arc right into the humans crotch...

"Scream to that ya fucker..." Krowluc the half-orc snarled as his foe's screamed war cry turned to a shriek of agony. Though one that only last a moment or two before Krowluch smashed the human back with his shield, pushing up and pulling back a swing with the axe to slash out the Uthgarder's throat, just as another screamer ran directly at him waving an axe in either hand as he desperately tried to reoriented his fighting stance, before letting fly the hand axe as a throwing weapon "...fuck sake...HERE HAVE ANOTHER!"

One that smashed into the idiot human's war painted, but bare and armour less, chest with a satisfying crunchy-squelching sound causing Krowluc to roar his delight to no one in particular even as he grabbed at the sword slung over his shoulder. His blood was boiling at the vicious battle around him, and considering how everything had turned shit he figured he might as well celebrate any minor success before his likely demise in a worryingly short period of time. It seemed like nothing could right these past few days as the job protecting their clients had gone from bad to worse with each step as they found the territory around here had shifted again; and these particular Uthgardters were certainly more interested in pillaging that taking talking and taking some bribes. Hell even moving quickly unto this out of the way, but well fortified, little hamlet hadn't been enough to discourage this war-party.

'Fuckin' small army more like. War party me arse Phlaen! There fuckin endless here" he growled mentally as another barbarian tried to scramble over the wreckage of some wagons only to get Krowluc's now ready sword driven through his face. Slicing viciously to the right he brought the blade free, careful to avoid the spray of blood and bone caused by that action, and glanced around for the position of foes, and that of whatever allies were still standing. It wasn't a great view unfortunately right now as the shrieks and ring of battle drifted in from all around him; their own little corner of the battle was still secure...sort of...but it was plain from the flames and noise that Uthgarders had overcome the main defensive line at the gate.

"Gruk drink this before the next lot come..." he growled at another of their small band throwing the younger half-breed a healing potion for his wounds. Turning Krowluc looked around for the head of their little band, and then glanced at the half-elf, a ranger, amongst them "...Where Phlaen? Where the fuck is the Boss gone?"

Baryeras grunted as he notched another arrow "Boss is dead, took a spear through the face up the street. Client's dead too, as is Leofinas, Uthrem and Thieving Kyra, that idiot Itzan took off with the locals falling back to the tavern to make a stand he says" he snapped back, bow flicking up and letting fly. An agonised shout and a crashing noise indicating it had struck home on another savage idiot that Krowluc couldn't see.

"Oy...aghhh...I'm not dead...fuck, little help" Kryras ground out, struggling up from under a dead barbarian, but Krowluc ignored her and her whining for a moment.

"Over the fuckin wall to run is where the bastards goin' is my guess, fuckin' coward..." Gruk snarled downing the potion and pushing himself, wincing at some pains but motioning up the street to where a local appeared at the end, only to a struck down from behind by a mace that turned the old woman's head to so much mulch "...and what do we fuckin' do now? More comin"

"FOUL FIEND! SUFFER FOR THY EVIL WAYS!" came the shout from the rooftop nearby rooftop and an arrow, then another and another, flew out into Krowluc's vision to cut down the two barbarians coming around the corner. Followed moments later by the sound of feet running over the rooftop, and swinging from branches as that green clad elf came into his peripheral vision running towards the thick of the fight twin blades at the ready.

"He's still alive?" Gruk grunted in surprise. Krowluc shook his head as Baryeras loosed another arrow as he himself cleaned and resheathed his blade before recovering his axe from the corpse it was stuck in.

"Not for long, brave fuckin' idiot like the rest of his mates. Hate fuckin fightin with newbie mercs, think their damned heroes or some bullshit..." he growled back wiping the blood off quickly on the dead human's trouser leg "...fuck we need to fall then looks like, don't we?...right we're pulling back..." he glanced around and saw the gnome was still alive if knocked out. Grabbing her robes he lifted her small frame and gave her a shake "...wake up you silly bitch, we're fallin' back"

"Should we help the elf?" someone wondered.

"Damn out cold, I'll carry'er..." Krowluc ground out as the slung their tiny band member Nimmill over his shoulder like a small sack then glancing back to where the elven idiot was fighting twin bladed against incoming barbarians. Fucking idiot like the rest of his adventuring band "...fuck the elf, we look after ourselves, so try stay together and see can we get up higher ground. Gruk help Kyras. See if we can salvage or survive this dung heap of a job. Grab what ya can and let's go"

Not that falling back did anything more than buying time, but they'd done what they were paid for, and with the boss and client dead there was no point in going down in a blaze of glory if at all possible, since no coin no glory from them. Now they'd known the territory had changed as much as it since the last journey through they'd have gone around or just charged a helluva lot more rather than letting client take on that other lot, yeah sure they'd had a Uthgarder...but look how fuckin' useful that fucker had been. Then again you hired half-breeds like himself and the others to get you through orc territory in general...

'Shoulda gone further into the Crags or into the Evermoors, But damn this should be Fingercutter or Clawslsasher stomping grounds, fuck' he thought darkly as they fought their way back towards the other side of the town and possible escape...only to find themselves pushed back into the town 'square' as villagers fled towards the stone buildings there. Evidently their fear was so great they didn't care anymore that he, Gruk and Kryras were as they put it 'filthy half-orcs' and once or twice a wailing villager would grab at him or one of the others begging them to save them.

"Fuck off, get behind that damned barricade and bloody fight you stupid sniffling damned elf..." he roared as an elf woman of all things grabbed at him, he gripped her tunic and shoved her backwards into other villagers "...you've a spear, try using it on the enemy! Come'on you useless bitch get behind that barricade with us and try to help"

'Oh its the town Druid and leader...oh damn, shit, we are screwed' he realised as the elf, who'd been arrogantly cold towards the 'filthy half-orcs' and wouldn't let them sleep in the village alehouse (though in fairness that was too damned common Krowluc found basically...everywhere) now followed behind them like a lost puppy as did those around her. No wonder the defence had collapsed so swiftly once the barbarians fought their way through the traps around the village, and the spell casting of the druid and the other merc group's mage which had been over-matched by the Uthgarders own casters. Strangely though the sounds of fighting were increasing in intensity from the Gate he could despite the fact their couldn't be much of the local militia left there as anyone left alive was scrambling behind the last line of defence to make a stand.

"If we're lucky we can hold them to sundown and escape in the darkness, so hold the bloody barricade" he grunted to the others around him as he shoved over a wagon carrying empty barrels to reinforce the crude barricade, night was a few hours away after all. It was a faint hope but there weren't many good options left right now as the barbarians appeared, killing or knocking out to enslave he guessed those too slow to make it to the village centre. Those left with any missile weapons opened fire. Sadly other than their half-elf none of them could shoot worth a fuck and within minutes dozens of howling berserkers were racing towards them screaming war-cries to Talos of all Gods. Planting the still out of it gnome at the base of the overturned wagon he readied his weapons probably for the last time it seemed.

"Dying to Elk tribe, me Ma raise me and then kill me again if she found out" he growled smashing in the head of the first howler trying to clamber over the last line of defence as behind him useless villagers screamed and wailed. Fucking useless the lot of them he knew, his own Ma had been an Uthgarder after all impregnated with himself in one of the constant raids and counter raids by his Da. She'd been a tough old bitch, and escaped with him when he was young, though civilization wasn't all she'd thought it would be for a half-breed like him and savage like her.

"Shields up, spears out, SPEARS OUT YOU USELESS TWITS! FUCKING FIGHT GODS DAMMIT!" he and the others of his surviving band were were roaring out frantically trying to get the surviving fighters amongst the useless lot to struggle on a dozen or so barbarians attacked them – they still had the numbers for some reason he couldn't fathom and they needed to use it.

"WHATS THAT NOISE? AND WHATS WRONG WITH THIS LOT?" Gruk shouted out as more human barbarians came into view, dozens now and obviously the main force, but they were advancing strangely, many turning their backs to the attack looking back towards the gate and shouting. And there was sounds of battle coming there...

"STOP COMPLAINING AND KEEP KILLING!" was Krowluc could snap back as the pressure against the barricade began to increase as more bodies slammed into it from the front blocking out a view of further down the mud street as his armour deflected killing blows. Why these idiots persisted in little or no armour he didn't know, but it was a welcome flaw as he switched to his blade again and stabbed over his braced shield...and orcish chanting over the sounds of battle?

...the grace, for the might of our Lord!

For the blood of the holy!

For the Gods, for the way of the sword!

We give our lives boldly!!

For the grace, for the might of our Lord!!

In the name of his glory!!

For the Gods, for the way of the sword!

Horde Leader let us bring you glory!!

"Oh...crap" was all he could mutter glancing over his shield as the chanting continued its repeating verse as the noise of it grew. The Uthgarders being slammed up against the barricade weren't charging forward...they were being shoved forward by what looked to be an advancing wall of shields and stabbing spears coming up the village street behind them. Killing those human barbarians if they stood and fought...shoving them back further and further as they we're trapped on the buildings around them till they were forced into the barricade. And not just on this street, from the other street he and his band had fallen back along another group of armoured orcs was pressing their way forward behind shield and spear...and now on the roofs of the village buildings he could make out the shapes of small creatures with bows starting to appear. Still the walls of death advanced on the Uthgarders and Krowluc and the other defenders smashed any that were pushed against the barricade as the exhausted barbarians found themselves attacked on all sides.

Till suddenly the chanting stopped and sound of shields being planted into the ground spears being slammed forward in one motion filled the air, followed by an eerie silence as villager and barbarian looked upon the new force that encircled the survivors of both. Moments passed, and then another few in silence till a voice roared out from behind the shield wall in common. Really posh sounding Common at that despite the orcish voice...

"VILLAGERS THIS SETTLEMENT NOW BELONGS TO THE ORCS OF SPARTA CLAN! SURRENDER AND WE WILL SPARE YOUR LIVES AND NOT ENSLAVE YOU! SERVE AND LIVE OR FIGHT AND DIE! CHOOSE NOW!"

'Fuckfuckfuckfuck' Krowluc thought looking around frantically before grabbing the elf woman who'd been grabbing at him in fear. "You give! Yes? You want to live right?"

"ehh...ehh...mercy?" she babbled back as the battlefield seemed confused into silence as even the Uthgarders seemed unsure what to do in this bizarre situation. Krowluc just shouted back in orcish "WE'LL SERVE! I FOR ONE WELCOME OUR NEW ORC OVERLORDS!"

'After all we're half-orcs and this tribe might be recruiting. We'll claim Nimmill and Baryeras are our slaves like that time in Spine' he thought glaring at the others to stay quiet. They owed nothing to these damned villagers after all, and they might just have saved their lives in the process. Not a moment too soon as the savage idiots trapped between the barricade and the orcs realised their predicament and what was about to happen to them and started lashing out desperately as the sound of shields moving filled the air again...

--

When: End of Spring 1353DR

Where: Zybelin's Drift

I've pretty much used up all the magical reagents and various compounds I brought with me from Sparta to here to the village to create up Rose's gear. Well beyond the stuff me and merry magical minions need for spells and such, if we came to battle anyway, can't really afford to burn through that I'm afraid. Thanks to the fine donation of such ingredients from Luskan at least I could, and can, afford to experiment with various magical methodologies and research. Hey it maybe Magic but I can still be Scientific in my research methods, sorta. Unfortunately though specialised item creation is a significantly more complex and costly than I'd originally envisioned so I'll have to carefully plan out how much we can create from available resources, and what else we need to create with said resources as well. Like scrolls and certain useful spells. Also finding more of these reagents and components is eventually going to be important, though really I need trade routes (which we don't have right now) for that problematically. So for the moment I'll just have to make use of what I've got, create a 'Team' to work with when I start the next magic item creation – this needs to be planned well in advance of starting or I'll burn through resources (including my own energy) trying to do stuff.

Note to self project management and research methods are not common on Faeun and 'learning new stuff' basically is a hobby, or apprenticeship based, here as best I can tell from Missy and Wifne. Need to write down whatever can remember of methods in free time for future minions. Efficiency means less waste and waste is bad in this process*

Still I'm happy enough with Rose's (final after many failed creations) set of gear and she's been walking around in them since this morning to get used to wearing them. Which probably sounds easy but getting used to armour after a lifetime of not wearing armour is less easy than it sounds and she tires quick. My fault really, I went for a heavier armour than she'd be used too because I wanted to see if our blacksmith had to skill to make a plate breastplate. So she's this plate breast over chainmail...thing...we'll call a hybrid armour that's taking her a wee bit of time to get used to. Still the enchantments help with that a great deal and she says it's comfortable enough to wear, so that's good. Anyway just as note here's the gear we managed to kit out our teenage adventurer;

- Gauntlets of Strength; or at least that's what I'm calling them as the basis was Bulls Strength and an Arcane Strength spell. We're pretty sure it works because of the damage her gauntlet punches can cause and the fact she seems unbothered by the encumbrance of the gear with them on. Mostly we drew from my patron for this baby, though Oggy help and Missy did the more visible arcane 'supports' to the underlying enchantment into the steelwork.

- She's got a nice solid steel helmet with cloth and leather inlay that was imbued with a variant of two spells that can be defined as one being resistance to Charm and such spells, and the other as 'Detect Illusion'. The Charm part seems to work after a few tests, but I knew that beforehand. Ive got resist mental effect runes tabooed unto my skin since I started my apprenticeship years ago as well as stitched into my clothes. Because fuck is that spell a threat.

- The armour of course, one of the more tiring pieces to create actually because of its size and time needed to create first the piece and then to finish the enchantment. Opted for what I knew on this then; Protection from Evil. Oh it's actually much more extensive than that, the spell itself is more of the underlying enchantment and the rune-work around it is (in theory) to offer more optimised protection against Evil creature such as Demons, Devils, Undead and such. 'Evil' is a bad description in my view but it's the local designator of the creatures and effects protected against.

- Boots are supposed to be strength again, more-so to help with the extra weight she has to carry...and the fact we sorta fucked up the first two attempts at placing dexterity based enhancements on previous ones. So we'll call them Boots of Endurance, or Boots of Encumbrance, because the spell-work is different than the Gauntlets as it's supposed to ease of moment built in. Honestly it was me mucking around with a successful formula – it does help with carry weight definitely, and in-theory should help with resisting spells like Entangle or Web or such.

- Gave her a shield too. Though it's a 'large' kite shield only in the sense its large relative to her pint-size body, to us Orcs it's a small shield. Still it got the usual treatment for our shields, except to a greater extreme; resistances to magic and fire. And unnatural stuff, because yeah Death Knight proved that can a problem. It also has this lovely rose motif worked into the steelwork by the blacksmith and the rune work is all pretty and stuff on it too. Yeah, yeah, but it is pretty and these enchantments we know thanks to our Gods crash course in it.

- And of course there was the last item, just finished today and reason for my downtime; her Mace. Pretty standard design but the quality is damn good and its...pretty...she says as Mr. Blacksmith continued with the flowery motif etched around the runes. I want to call it Rose's Thorn because of the effects; yeah, yeah usual 'Holy' enchantments against the undead and demons and blah, blah...BUT it also has another effect as primary. It causes bleeding wounds with each impact. I modelled it on the Boss's weapon Foe-smiter. Except it's a mace not a longsword of course and not in that league or close. But it's a blunt weapon that essentially causes slashing damage as well as blunt and makes wounds worse with said bleeding. It was my baby with the enchantments (well Wifne did the 'Holy' blessings but that doesn't count) and I think it's awesome. It'll certainly cause any orc sniffing at her to change his mind after a blow or two.

I think that's a good first effort at least even if a properly trained and empowered wizard with decades of experience is likely laughing at this paltry effort considering all the tools at my disposal. But hey in my defence I don't have decades to study, and prepare with the Boss standing over my proverbial shoulder, and the Year of Angry Overpowered Fuckers Walking the Earth coming soon. Next set will be for myself, probably in the harvest season when we come back here, and I've decided to get my own tribes 'blacksmiths' out here for some proper training. Or less the cranky bastard Hertyuc than a half dozen of the smarter youngsters that are just about teenagers; old orcs won't learn but the non-adults will if they get told obey or get a beating. Ghorza can see to that, it works with Missy after all when I've her teaching the 'Battlestaves' and I've got all my merry magical minions to listen to Rose's grandma. And I only had to hit two of the little morons (without anyone seriously injured!) to get them to do so! Their learning!

Frankly that's a good thing as we're readying to leave the village in the coming days. Runner from the Red Axes was intercepted by one of our patrols and brought to me; their Chief and their 'envoys' are on their way so once they arrive we'll escort them back towards Sparta itself. Hopefully Zah is back by there by now after his hunting/scouting trip to the east, but if he isn't I want to have my and Oggy there at the least before any other clans arrive. That and I want to get my Warswords and Battlestaves reintegrated with their squads in case this is all a prelude to a raid from one of those clans or things just go...orky lets say. So I want to get the slaves out from underfoot and into the stronghold proper, and then tighten up guards on our livestock while keeping a tight leash on our 'vassals' so to speak. There are 'rules' covering guest right and the whole honour business like in my old life's past but getting to that stage is often problematic...and even then violence in 'negotiations' is rather common between clans. Dominance displays and all that bullshit. Really all I want is them all pointed in the direction of our mutual enemies and not fighting us as well. Time, that's all I want; time to build up here and make us something too difficult, or too costly, to drive out of the valley.

My little Karggy is continuing to grow and is a little cutie and I don't get enough time to hold her sadly. Though then again child rearing terrifies me and I'm quite happy to have Oggy and the sisters handle it. And I'm banned from singing to her as well. Weile,Weile,Waile modified for locals is a perfectly valid song for a child! And we're orcs! It's not that bad...much...well beyond the baby murdering and old woman hanging I admit...but it was sang to me in my past life and I turned out fine. It's really hypocritical considering we orcs sing about barrels of our enemies guts and fucking over elves because their snotty-think-their-so-clever-bastards and better than the rest of us. Hmmm...then again replace Elf with English and you've got most Irish ballads I suppose...but anyway everyone's a critic! My singing wasn't that bad and belting me in the head with her fist was an unfair way to show her disapproval of it. *In retrospect it probably was a reasonable response, singing isn't really my thing I'll admit. A bard I most certainly am not and I'll save the ballads till I'm drunk anymore*

Truth be told I'm dreading going back and having this conference. I don't like dealing with other clans and negotiations of that order with multiple people. I'm an organiser and technocrat at heart, I can be managerial, friendly and even dictatorial if required, but diplomat and salesman are not my forte and the last effort turned into a pitched battle with those bloody Luskans. As usual I've been pushing it off in mind by burying myself in my other work and magic creation project; it's stressful to think of all these powerful (and likely hate each other) warchiefs all around the same table and try convince them all to line up nicely and fight our common enemies. Because I can't do that and I'll be relying on Zah and/or Breyjuk to pull it off in reality, because they are the Chiefs and as a shaman I'll be likely to busy fighting with my opposites in other clans to be the master of this conference. Joy to that I guess. So time to get packing and back home for the fun summer ahead.

Oh well, going to enjoy my last day or two here at least.

--

[Karguk 10]

Valley of Sparta

"Right, Okay...ughhh...okay just let me go through this with you so I have it straight in my own my mind at least..." I asked Zahgorim rubbing my face to try wake myself up from the current madness before me "...so went and conquered a village?"

"Yep, ain't I awesome, and didn't slaughter all the annoying humans and stupid elves inside, or enslave either. The slaves we got back there are all the other humans, the Uthgarder ones!" he told me cheerfully motion to nearby where a group of a dozen or so beaten looking men, with maybe three women, were being dragged in chains by several clan-orcs. Oh all around them was a column of refugees, not in chains thank fully, in the hundreds it looked like who looked completely and utterly dejected and terrified in equal measures. My life was about to get very difficult it seemed even without this meeting of war-chiefs. I sighed.

"And then after conquering the village you burnt it down...because?" Because, really, not burning it down would make things so much easier right now. Of course Zah, being Zah, grinned in response as if the answer was the most evident in the world.

"Well I didn't burn it down Karg! Me attacking it and it burning down were completely...mostly...unrelated in fact. Ya see the humans set the village on fire. And then I came home with all of them like a proper Chief should. Hey it even impressed the Red Axes"

'Most resist urge to punch friend and Chief' I told myself resisting the urge to groan mightily, it was all very impressive true. But then again my friend the glorious conquering Warchief would not be the one to clean up this mess "Yes it did impress Chief Kurnak and his lot, and it impresses me that you pulled it off with so few warriors. Great well...beyond all the extra work you just gave me..."

"That's you're a great shaman Karg and why you and Oggy are my bestest friends in the whollllle world because you do all that boring stuff after I'm done winning"

Honestly I grunted in mixed amusement and annoyance at that "First...fuck you Oh Mighty and All Conquering Chief Zahgorim and your flattery..." bastard merely grinned back at me like he always did "...and second; why would the humans burn down their own homes?"

"Well it wasn't them...it was the Uthgard ones...well their own warriors were probably at fault too I guess...see the place was sorta on fire at the Gate and the walls when I attacked. Wasn't too bad but like the whole place built outta wood and trees, ya know elves and trees...and it was dry for days...so it sorta burned and spread...and spread some more..." he shrugged "...and no magic and stuff to put it out. Sooooo...fire spread and burned alot of the place down. Still being awesome, I looted everything that was in the place and brought it, well they came too, with us so you can put'em somewhere I figured. Oh...and I got new warriors to join us too. Hah, see? Ain't I great?"

"Honestly...yeah I'll admit it is really fuckin impressive Zah..." I admitted with a snort. It really was, and I'm pretty sure wouldn't have even thought of pulling it off, let along making it work "...but having that village stay there would have suited as a forward base next year, and settling this lot will take effort. Can't take'm all back to the stronghold right now unfortunately with the warchiefs arriving...Oggy?" I finished glancing at my lovely wife who was giving Zah one of her 'you fucking idiot' glares at him.

She half-grunted, half growled "Only you Zah, only you would do this..." she looked out the clustered clumps of humans, half-elfs and a few elves. One of which was evidently a Druid (I would need to talk to her soon) and 'leader' of those who'd been dragged along by Zah "...I hope it wasn't for the bed-warmer Zah?"

"Nooo...though it would complete the human/half-elf/elf set I want...Nooo...I did what you said and only fucked the captured slaves and not that lot. Promise!" he stated cheerfully. I tried not to focus on the fact the fate of the captured Uthgarders, but that was life in the Savage Lands for the defeated assuming you weren't tortured or killed outright for anyone, male or female. Another means of showing the defeated that they were beaten rather than any lust usually. Trying to stop the practice of that and the overall looting though was beyond my power, all I could do was make it systematic and less casually cruel. What a world we live in.

"Fair dues, you're turning into a great Chief Zah..." I told him trying to figure out to handle the situation presented before me. Hadn't even made it back to Sparta yet from Zybelin's Drift and the problems were mounting up "...though on your month long trip back any thought into where to put them?"

"Well with the other humans I thought if pushed; or up in the old village where the Fleshgorers used to be in the north of the valley to secure that way in. Or put'em in the bugbear place where we camped when fighting them before we took the human village? Just across the river and a bit south of the Stronghold, that way we lock up the south of the valley completely?"

All had their benefits and problems of course. There were as many refugees here as lived in Zybelin's Drift, that was evidently with several dozen heading off from the main body or refusing to leave despite having no stores or defences left in their ruined home according to Zah. Settling that many was bound to cause problems from the locals already feeling the pressure of Ghorza's Garrison and my own forces exit. The northern part of the valley was pretty heavily wooded and less easy to travel through than the road I'd been creating from home to the Drift; settling them in the old Fleshgorers, or Thunderblades, camps meant having to sort something there as well. Zah's idea of the ruined village the Bugbears setup up in had similar problems; it was a ruin after all and fields shapes in the ground than actual fields. Still...

"hahhh...I'd suspect your right on the old village near here being the best bet. Take a bit of work but it's liveable I guess. It's only a few days from either the Stronghold or Zybelins Drift and...roughly...along the path of my road clearance. Close enough to keep an eye on them..." and likely help them get established in the ruins, though I wasn't going to say that "...and have any garrison close enough to home that it can support the Stronghold or Zybelin's Drift..." I glanced at my wife again "...what do you think love?"

"We can't waste time traveling north for many nights with them. We've wasted enough time Karg coming east to meet you Zah, and we can't afford to waste more heading north. Put them where you say and tell them to build a den and work. If they cause trouble we kill them and lose nothing but time, if they are like the others and do as we tell them then they will give us whatever we need in time to grow strong as their masters..." she stated simply, then shrugging "...there are too many for Ghorza anyway and better to have another prove themselves as she has over these. Training as you call it Karg and Old Breyjuk and Breyza might not like giving all the spoils to those who were Stormfangs you two, do not forget that a true Chief and Shaman must share the reward with all the Clan"

I grimaced. And unfortunate truth, clan politics were clan politics and couldn't be igored. Simply sending this lot off to the Drift to Ghorza, my second wife now and me a staunch Zahgorim loyalist and Stormfang, could easily upset the current unity developing with the merged clans. In the short term we were perfectly secure, but I couldn't afford for our group to start causing any factions to form in the long run within the clan because clan-orcs thought we were 'hoarding' all the goodies so to speak. I glanced at Zah, who nodded in the affirmative so I nodded to Oggy "Yeah, agreed love"

"It's for the good of us all, for the good of the Clan. Zah I think you should talk to the Red Axes Chief and let Karg talk to these orcs you found among elves and humans and travelled back with you..." she continued drumming her claws on the wagon she sat on while Mara held a sleeping Kargash beside her "...see what you think Karg and what they can offer our clan...or are if they have any other intentions. I'll stay here with Kargash and keep watch with the warriors. Rose too. Take Missy with you Karg, I'll send Mara or Kethri if there is a need to either of you?"

'Ends in a question, sounds like a question, but is really our marching orders' I mused as both myself and Zah answered in the affirmative. We made a decent team I found, even If I probably the token Good alignment at times and a second opinion of each other's dealings was a good idea. That and I needed a break from Chief Kurnak; not that he was stupid or aggravating mind you. No he was intelligent for an orc chief, even if traditional in many ways but he was obviously seeking to see how our methods worked. Probably since his messengers had reported back to him last year about us. It made me uneasy; he could be valuable ally or a dreadful enemy and it was too early to know which he was...or if he was both. Intelligent orcs were harder to deal with in many ways than the dumber ones; at least with them you could see the danger clearly. Still there'd be several more to deal with in the coming season so I'd best get used to it I figured as Missy fell in beside me as we walked past refugees to some orcs, well half-orcs, feeding their horses nearby. I glanced at her as we strolled.

"Think it's the best idea with this lot? Or anything better you can think of?" I asked in orcish so the humans and half-elves wouldn't understand even at my quiet tones. She frowned in thought slightly looking at the poor wretches who'd lost their homes and being dragged to only-the-gods-knows-where by terrifying orcs and their kolbold minions, then shook her head in the negative but maintaining the submissive facade as always in public. We could talk more on it later of course, but it was hard to get private time at the moment and I wanted second opinions before committing to anything.

"I wish I could think of some way to help Sir, but wherever you choose resettling them will be hard on these people, especially if you take away their Druid as Mistress said earlier. Might I...suggest Master that you leave one or two of Mistress or your Acolytes with them to prevent deaths? It would be useful training for healing and prevent unnecessary deaths of possible workers Sir"

"Good advice, I'll see what I can do with Oggy and Zah. Now watch these mercenaries and we'll talk later on it and your opinions on them " I actual smiled at her, earning a faint smile back in return as she'd shown she was picking up my ideas towards phrasing doing good deeds in terms of practical benefits to others. It was the only way to work with orcs unfortunately considering the nature of tribal societies. Then again the human, elven and whatever nations of Faerun were just as bad in their special little ways as best I could tell. Glancing back towards the three orc...half-orcs...and their slaves...

'Slaves my ass' I thought as we neared the three half-orcs, who stood with a half-elf and, of all things, a gnome both dressed in what seemed to be hybrid leather-fur armour or heavy clothes. Evidently the three of orcish blood claimed they were all from a mercenary band that was with a caravan that had been attacked by the Uthgarders. Mostly likely true as they had the trappings of 'civilization' on them in general bearing, especially the plate armour and chargers of two of three, and the fact they had horses to carry them. I'd suspect though they were as much to negotiate their way through orc clan territory as fight judging from their fluent orcish according to Zah, and the fact they sought employment. Mercenaries I could deal with, even evil aligned ones by natures. Because we had coin enough to pay them, though couldn't let them know how much or would get unwanted attention from other, larger and better equipped, bands of murder-hobos. Still best to greet them in a friendly way I figured.

"Hello, I'm Karguk, Shaman of Sparta Stronghold, I hear from my Chief you might be looking for a new employer..."

--

[Krowluc 02]

Lower Ridge, Stronghold of Sparta

He groaned, easing himself into a sitting position as he threw his pack down. It was actually good to rest on something other than cold ground under the open sky, even if it was just a covered mattress of animal furs atop bundled straw. Around him the others were settling in as well after their march, even if they had to double up somewhat as the room only had three large 'mattresses' and there was five of them. Baryeras was grumbling having to share again with Kyras, though really there wasn't much options with the size of the two relative to himself and Gruk. Simply put neither would fit with either of them on the mattress so Krowluc merely rolled his eyes at the complaining, then 'hnnnn?' as their gnome member Nimmil threw her pack down beside his and kicking at him to make room.

"Move over, bunking with you boss. Gruk rolls around in his sleep and I'd rather not get squished. And I'm not sharing with the thief and the pervert, bastards both got grabby hands"

"Hey/So fuck you gnome/bitch!" came back from the other three, though it was more the usual bitching than any real complaints. Nimmil had been closest to Leofinas in the band, but with him dead she was probably closest to him now and he shrugged letting his diminutive party member plop down beside him with a sigh of evident relief at resting, before starting to rub her evidently aching legs. That's what you got for having short little gnome legs he figured as he sighed and glanced around the room at the others.

"So, what're we going to do lads? Anyone want to offer any opinions about the place, what we've been offered and all that...now we've got a little privacy?"

Because really it was just them left alive, and even if the others had largely defaulting to him for what to do in the wake of getting dragged along to this place the fact was he, they, needed to figure out as a whole what to do with most of band dead as a whole. After all they hadn't been killed or enslaved along the way and now that actually had a bit of time to think on things other than the next day's march, or watching for routes if they had to fight their way into the wilderness in case of betrayal. And of course because unless he couldn't bring them along with his choices and actions then he was the leader of a grand total of nothing, though in truth Baryeras and Nimmil were much more restricted in what they could do where they were now. The reverse of the usual situation in the 'civilized' lands with the half-orcs of the band like himself in fact, not that he'd complain about it though unlike Baryeras who didn't get to play the half-elf pretty boy to the tavern wenches.

"Eh, not a bad place they even got a tavern and roofed buildings..." Gruk grunted unpacking a bedroll "...so thats good. Odd though ain't it? Only hear stuff like this with the really big warlords or from the Gray Orc clans further south. That and...training? How often we see anyone out in these places drilling their fighters, human or elf let alone orcs? If they're offering work I say we take it. We're kinda broke and fucked as we are ye all gotta know guys. So even if hung around for a season or two at least we'd have some coin and supplies before trying for the Sword Coast or the Spine maybe"

Baryeras snorted flicking at his now cut hair but pushing it back to cover his ears; the beard would be back shortly if they stayed here for any length of time Krowluc guessed "Oh great easy for you to say. Ye don't get looked at by all the orcs around here as they try to decide to kill you and then eat you, eat you then kill you, or to enslave you before killing you!" he finished with his usual dramatic hand motions, though wasn't his fault really to be stuck with flighty elven blood after all Krowluck knew.

"Oh boo-hoo pretty boy half-elf gets to be treated like the rest of us in a human town and..." Thieving Kryas growled punching him in the shoulder then grinning at him ferally "...doesn't get any pretty tavern wenches to bed. Don't worry I'll protect you...my pretty little bed-slave"

Krowluc banged his gauntlet off the ground faintly to forestall any argument; well physical blows at the end most likely, between the two "Right don't start. Neither their Chief nor Shaman bought the whole slave argument anyway. Not that it matters much seems, since they didn't enslave the villagers like we thought they might. Ambitious lot too seems like, conquered one settlement, now another and resettling them in this place...which they also seem to control. Best I can tell they're a clan from further north, rolled on into the valley and set off a couple wars that wiped out the opposition, like the Clawsalshashers and Fingercutters they say. So if we want to use this route through the wilds again we can't afford piss this lot off, especially since there's other clan warchiefs coming here. Looks like start of a horde...or an all out war between them all"

"I say we stay, few seasons if pays as good as offered. Longer if it works out" Nimmil said beside him evidently having pull out her spellbook and other items like her ledger from her backpack. She was in theory the ledger keeper now with Itzan dead after Baryeras had put an arrow through the back of the coward's skull. Traitorous cowards didn't get to live after betraying the party. The others looked at her in surprise or shock even, though Krowluc merely glanced at her curiously at her apparent willingness to stay amongst an orc tribe. The last time stuck in an orc stronghold their shortest member had been practically jumping up in front of the Captain everyday going "Are we leave now? Are we leaving now?"

"What? You want to stay with all these savages?" Baryeras groaned annoyed and shocked at having lost his one perceived firm ally in the debate on what to do. Nimmil looked up at him as she switched to sitting sieza with the ledger in her lap and an inkwell and quill to her side.

"Well first we're broke as shit and have no supplies beyond a few days rations left at best, and they ain't gonna gives us any out of the goodness of their hearts. So we need to pay them, which we can't right now let's be honest. Second client is dead, Captain's dead, most of us are fucking dead...and we're broke as shit so turning up without them south of Neverwinter will look bad and going to the Spine? As bad off as we are now...phhhttt...assuming we don't starve we'll get nothing but shit jobs with our numbers"

Gruk shrugged hands outward in helpless expression "Client's wife is all, maybe something do with her? Get paid deliver'er or something like that"

"She's broke as shit Gruk, her fiancée Petroclacus was the money and she was just up a pretty up-jumped hedge witch slash alchemist who bagged an ugly looking trader; hence why she ain't gettin' nuthin from his family if we turn up with her and not him. Probably get us killed honestly since they'll think we done him in for the coin. And she knows that, hence why she's following us around like a lost puppy but not asking us to be brought south or offering us payment you'll note. Because she's broke as shit but not dumb either" Nimmil explained with a sigh. Krowluc nodded at that in agreement, all true and they'd kept their end of the deal with the woman and kept her alive till now, even getting the orcs to promise not to eat, kill of enslave her. After all she couldn't pay them so they couldn't be expected to anything more than that...he'd call their actions over and above what they'd been paid for after all. Their gnomish member hummed a moment seemingly in thought before continuing.

"Well as to why to stay. Their offering us coin to train them up some cavalry, do some practice fights and do some message riding for now. That's basically it as their going to be here for months most likely and it lets us rebuild somewhat in the meantime. Krowluc said himself; he told'em the horses aren't all big enough for orcs and really only good for human weight riders...and they said that's fine get a few humans if we have'ta from their villages as long as we train up their warriors on the horses that can carry any orc. We can sort through recruits and see if any are worth joining us even while we're at it. They've enough horses for what Boss?" she looked up Krowluc and he rested back against his pack before answering after a quick think on what he'd seen.

"Maybe twenty, maybe just under thirty; though lotta those horses are just large wagon horses or work horses. I'd guess from a trade caravan judging by those human women slaves up in the pens. They had the look of fighters about them. Though even that is weird for orcs, beaten down but that place is organised and 'clean' for orcs; even them warning us not to 'damage' another orcs property...sorry, twenty to thirty horses for riders, say half and half for orc riders"

Nimmil nodded "So they'll pay us regular to train the horses and riders, including our own, and that'll take months off the bad. And while you're doing that you'll rent me to the shaman to teach magic to them. Client's fiancée too, which is why I suggested we let her follow along by the way, if we can get her to think she needs us to survive"

Krowluc blinked and answering for the rest of them in a lost tone "What?"

Their gnomish member sighed "Did none of you notice that column of warriors that came up with the shaman, or that tall human girl he met us with? Why he took me away for an hour or so?"

"Yeah so what?" Gruk asked "A shaman always has a retinue of warriors and the girl with him was kept clean and pretty for fuckin and talkin Id guess. I thought she was sorta short though. As to you, weren't you being our hostage to them?"

"Unnnn...no you idiot, that retinue? All trainee spellcasters, though only half them are mages I'd guess, and that slave is a mage herself. And lives better than I have the past few months with you lot to be brutally honest, so he was offering me a job training these orc mages while ye train up the horse. Even offered me own room in his tower and their food too along with the coin" she stated handing a note written in orcish with terms of a sort from the shaman evidently.

Krowluc frowned in thought "Orc wizards?" he rubbed at his head now that it was helmet free "Keeping you there is just having you as a hostage you know for our good behaviour you know?"

"Probably, but for the coin offered, and state of his slaves he can keep me in naught but a collar if he wants for the job for all I care. Though I'd guess some of it is for me own safety...gnome in orc stronghold here after all, looking like a slave is the safer option there..." Nimmil shrugged making a note in the ledger "...but as I live and breathe their being trained; crude and primitive combat training mind you looks like. We can see how it goes till the harvest at least and we can leave then if it's not working out. Assuming they don't betray us anyway, but honestly they could have squished us whenever they liked along the way so I doubt that"

"Yeah, they could squish us whenever they want way things are. And we could do with the money...so we accept?" he asked the others and firm nods from Nimmil and Gruk, a shrug from Thieving Kyras and a groaned 'Fine!' from Baryeras.

"Well least we've got a plan I guess, even if you ungrateful fucks just made me Captain to put up with the bullshit I reckon..." he grumbled earning grunts of amusement from around him, then looking serious at the two problem cases left to him from the Captain "...and Kyras no stealin here, at least unless I order ya or okay it. And both of ya stick close me or Gruk when want out and Baryeras...I don't want to find you tripping over your feet and landing your cock falling into someone's wife, or daughter, or whatever the fuck. Be hard enough keep us all alive without that crap. Just remember..."

--

[Ogrash 07]

Shaman's Tower, Sparta

The furs of the bedding were a welcome respite from the tiring days that had arisen since their return to the stronghold. Zah was partly to blame for that of course; because Zah always seemed to be to blame for many of the annoyances in her life, both small and large. Conquering another village was great for the tribe of course, but they were already being stretched badly as it was with the Drift humans without adding another load to the mix, let alone a new one filled with filthy elves and their spawn, even if in small numbers. And that was without the added pressure on her and Karguk of the parties of leaders and high level warriors from the other strongholds now arriving in their groups to Sparta. So these rare periods in which to enjoy a simple rest was much appreciated to Ogrash as her slave massaged the sore muscles of her back. Karguk had been right in that at least; a healthy well trained slave was far superior to any of the useless short lived wretches other tribes kept.

It was the elder slave sister today, Kethri, who was less skilled than Ogrash's favorite the younger one who was humming happily it seemed to Ogrash's right cuddling up to Karg having quietened down to Ogrash amusement. Still the skill gap was only minor and rewarding the slave, and hopefully getting her with whelp shortly, so she was unbothered as the slave straddling her back pressed her fists at the spot between her shoulder blades. Both slaves were very proving useful and broken in to know their place in the clan and in her den. The younger even seemed to be developing a fierce loyalty to herself and Karguk; if she proved strong, for a weak human at least, then Mara might be of use for helping deal with...problems...within the clan or amongst the slaves them. Few amongst the clan saw slaves at all let alone as dangers, and none amongst the males beyond Karg, and perhaps Zah and a few others having learned through Karg...

"Waagghh! Waaaghh!" from just off beside them disturbed her from her thoughts as Kargash roared her hunger to the world as any strong whelp would do. Still right now Ogrash was not in the mood for this and grunted before giving her orders to the short human just beside her "Mara you've had your fun, feed Kargash and clean her if she needs cleaning"

"Of course Mistress" came back instantly from the slave as she detangled herself from Karg and pushed herself up without hesitation. 'Good' Ogrash thought as her slave scuttled over towards the wailing whelp and her elder sister didn't miss a movement in her efforts from the distraction. There simply wasn't time to be constantly feeding her loud little whelp and the decision to make Mara a milk mother was proving a smart one she found even if it had taken a few herbs and magic to induce it in slave. Glad to hear the complaints from Kargash turn into cooing noises she closed her eyes again and relaxed as Karg's voice filled her ears.

"Oh, too tired to feed our little Karggy?"

"Don't see you jumpin up Karg hmmm do I?" she hummed back resting her head on her chin "that's what slaves are for you showed me so let me be...hnnnnn...now we're both free...so why is their tiny human sleeping in the room down below us?"

"She's a gnome Oggy"

"Okay why is there a gnome sleeping in the Tower below us?"

"Got her from those half-orcs that joined us, she's a wizard of sorts so she can help Missy here with training my magical minions and well...keeping her nearby keeps her away from getting killed by our visiting warchiefs and their warriors while rest of her lot train us up some cavalry. Well that and it keeps them apart, don't like all the murder-hobos together like that been honest...so she's sorta a hostage too in her own way like...Druid-girl and her tree-hugging-ness"

"Ah like Rose there...in fact speaking of..." she answered then raising her voice slightly "...Rose come over here, rest beside Karg and Missy if you must"

"Yes Miss Ograshs?" came a confused soft sounding voice in crude orcish, followed by soft footfalls as the human female came over to them. Without even looking Ogrash could feel the tiny females presence as it came to rest between her and Kargs legs on the furs "Mistress?"

"My acolytes tell me you knocked out Gushkra during spars today. That is true? Tell Ogrash everythings!" she asked opening her eyes again and glancing at Karg to stay quiet as he'd handled matter already.

"Sorrr...sorry Mistress"

Ogrash rolled her eyes at the nervous reply, humans were trained to be weaklings she thought, relaxing further as Kethri moved down her back and rubbed at the lower back muscles "Do not be sorry, tell Ogrash what happen as I want knows"

"Sorry Miss Ogrash...ummm...the other acolytes were...mean to me...saying bad things about my...Mama, and what...things...they would do and make me do..." the voice came back lower and slower as the tiny female focused on her orcish. Karguk and Missy had been training her in that regularly these past few months "...and were pushing at me with claws when Master Karguk was busy talking to the other orcs...and...and...then we were sparring...and I...ummm...called to be strong...and um...um...punched the orc girl and she fell down and didn't get up till Master Karguk came back over and woke her up"

"Good you are Strong, Grushka challenged you and you put her in her place like a strong female must with a lesser. Do not think weak human things, they teach all to be weaklings I see, and if you are to serve Sparta you must be strong human or no. I will train you more as well Karg when there is more time..." she stated back still somewhat bemused by the thought of the tiny little human knocking out the big but clumsy Grushka. Showing up the weakness of the acolytes would only make them compete more for Ogrash's favour for teachings and also make them wary of just assuming weakness of weaker species "...now other females will see you as more than just a slave and you must continue to show your strength to them to honour Karguk here who teaches you and shelters you like one of our clan. You must not show weakness to our enemies or to yours unless we tell you too" she finished sternly as her own mother had told her similar many years ago.

"I...Yes Mistress, I'll train hard to be strong" came back the reply after a few moments as Kethri slid off of Ogrash's back and Ogrash herself gave a relieved stretch, seeing that Kargash was still being feed by Mara, while Karguk lay sprawled out looking at her lazily on the bed beside her, with his pet wizard dozing softly just off to his side. Rose of course was kneeling in one of Karguk's tunics, oversized for her tiny frame glancing at Ogrash's mate with a look that seemed a mixture of confusion and relief.

"Kethri, stoke up the cook fires and we'll prepare something in a little while..." she commanded her slave before sitting back beside the young female and placing an arm over her shoulder earning a red face that looked away nervously. One had to remind your juniors after all who was the dominant female in the den; especially when they moved up in status like this. Then again her proud orcish body was likely naturally intimating to poor females of weaker species such as the fire hair was "...Good human, we'll teach you yet.."

"Leave her be Oggy, she did good...now you want to plan out the day before we get up I guess?" Karg asked resting back hands behind his head as he did "...oh and that Gnome will be doing lessons with Missy, and me, and Rose now it seems, after I've eaten and then with my Battlestaves. I assume you'll want your female wannabe wizards there?"

"Yeah I'll send on the ambitious lot of them. I'll train Rose here though today; no need her studying that type of magic. Needs learn fight and call the powers of the Gods, and other female stuff"

"I don't want a repeat of yesterday Oggy"

"There won't be Karg don't worry..." Ogrash snorted back amused bringing the human closer with her arm "...but this little brawler could handle it anyway I'm sure. But No, I'll train her and you need to meet the Red Axes and Moonblades shamans after anyway. Then one of us...You...needs to keep Zah somewhat sober, at least till later when all the Chiefs are drunk, and doesn't do anything foolish"

"Ughhh...fine, I'm on Zah then. And who's minding Kargash then for the day?"

"I'll be keeping Mara with me and she can hold her while I train. Have all my acolytes around as well and many of the newbirths as well including Zah's whelps. The Goddess blessed us this year with many whelps indeed"

"Breyza will be with you?"

"Yes, I plan to talk to her and see what she has planned with Zah and her father. She was a bit wary of the Bearclaw tribe when word of their arrival came and she wanted to talk to Old Breyjuk about it"

Karg sighed "Fine I guess..." he glanced at the fidgeting human pressed up against Ogrash and hummed in a relaxed tone "...Rose, don't worry Oggy's just teasing you. Also question, what's the latest you would need to bless those fields for our new...vassals?"

"Soon Master Karguk, very soon as it is already the low summer and the first planting season is over. That land will only yield one true harvest even with magic I'm afraid. "

Karg frowned slightly, then sighed "Was afraid of that, and their only starting to till the fields now too...hmmm...I'll send word to try hurry it up and I'll take you and the tree-hugger out in week, likely two, for a day or so"

Ogrash shook her head "No, you can't leave now Karg, I'll take them and bring out another group of the better remaining female archers to garrison. We can perform the rituals and come back with a full guard" and get them away from all these powerful other clan warriors too was another reason. It only took one of the more ambitious or aggressive idiots to start a fight over females to have the whole place at each other's throats.

"Yeah...okay. I'll send those merc with you, and about a dozen or so of the younger, well runtier, clan-orcs i'm going to have them train. Their gonna recruit non-orcs to have riders for the other horses so they can go with you, and then swing by Zybelin's Drift and back. The likes of that little twit who bagged those three idiot females can get signed up and be useful for instance. We can talk about it later and decide..."

--

When: Summer 1353 Dale Reckoning

Where: Sparta Stronghold

Really I kinda underestimated the effects of having multiple clan leaders come to Sparta. I'd pretty much imagined the Chief and a retinue of guards turning, we meet, we talk and then they bugger off to their own lands after we agree whatever we agree. Oh yeah I guessed that'd take weeks to do, with lots of shouting and violence interspersed, even the whole season but almost 'military' affair of threats, demands and bargaining from our various clans. Thing is I forgot that these sort of meetings between strongholds and clans is uncommon and because their uncommon then each clan wants to do other things as well as have diplomacy; things like trade away unneeded loot, slaves, livestock and of course talk like their gossip housewives over neighbour...though armed with weapons and having a hair trigger temper. So rather than meeting of feudal lords that was on the back of my mind instead I've got a bloody Agricultural Show of sorts on my hands along with the general feasting of clan warchiefs.

See I seen it with Chief Kurnak and the Red Axes as they turned up but didn't make the connection; yes they turned up with the retinue that was quasi-agreed between everyone, but they also turned up with a caravan of sorts loaded with loot, a variety of livestock and slaves, as well as several female orcs. And pretty much all the 'delegations' are turning up with the same general theme. Oh the selection of wares are vastly different from clan to clan, but it's as much about showing off their successes and power as the nature of any trade itself, and honestly the 'loot' tells a story about what each has been doing. Not that I'm going to complain about that per se; trade, or lack thereof, has been one of our biggest problems and this opportunity is too good a one to turn up even much of the stuff is junk. Shiny expensive junk, but still junk in many cases – thankfully there's plenty of our own junk to get rid of so shiny-shiny, selly-selly!

No the issue rather lies in the fact of the large boom town that's suddenly erupted down the slope from the stronghold beyond what we'd planned, and the natures of providing entertainment and security for such an event. This is my job by the way...in many ways, along with the other tribes visiting shaman, as Zah and Old Breyjuk handle the feasting and warriors themselves within the stronghold. Honestly I won't complain and say they're just going to booze it up and have fun, because there's more to it all that carousing and meeting our 'guests' than meets the eye, and that's only a fraction of the day. 'Friendly' duels that need healers on hand is actually a feature of the first day 'getting to know' each other' introductions, and painful as you'd expect let me tell you. What's problematic is going to be organising 'entertainment' for the town that now exists below us; yes we built several buildings, and a tavern, but a small tent town has sprung up around these now and bored orcs are problem orcs as we all well know. Even the visiting clan chiefs and shamans know that; keeping our own minions in line can be seen as a collective effort of a sort. To avoid a mass brawl at least.

The other part is that 'showing off' matter in regards wealth and power. So Zah's great raiding has put us in favourable position with them in that regards even without our merged clan's sudden rise to dominance. We've shown we have teeth at least and won't be easily beaten by any of them. No the main issue you have to show this constantly in this dick waving contest; they gave generous gifts when swearing before the Gods not to betray guest right, and we had to match with shiny gifts of our own to each of them. It's like a fucked up version of Christmas maybe (again sorry past life) in the gift giving even when no one wants too. That and even now the choice of trade items, or just what their showing up with, I get the feeling is a 'look at what we did! Aren't we awesome' more than anything else. I'll give an example;

The Night-tomb Tribe from south near the Sword Mountains brought an 'exotic' slave with them, one they'd obviously put effort into keeping alive (albeit in a wretched mind broken condition); they captured a Drow and were showing her off to the rest of us basically. Because that shows, along with some of the other loot they brought with them, they had either raided into the Underdark or overwhelmed a Drow band that had come up to service. Or some poor wretched version of Viconia or Drizzt that choose the wrong time to visit the surface world. Though they are definitely selling on the first story and I'm inclined to believe it from the bits and pieces they're talking about trading. That and the clan is cave dwelling from all reports and from their worse-than-normal problems with sunlight.

So that theme is repeated across the other arriving bands. Red Axe has been clearly raiding Uthgarders as the few slaves they brought are barbarian females and a few older boys. Moonblades brought a few mixed slaves, nearly all female and bed-slaves, all of mixed races and pretty apparently the remains of a different caravans or adventuring parties. Not surprising as they lurk nearer to the trade road from Waterdeep to Silverymoon though it's a surprise their alive considering the state there. Bearclaws brought no slaves. Because they brought werewolf hides instead...which is both disturbingly creepy and shows how messed up in the heads they are for such a big clan. Obviously their fighting those Werewolf Uthgarders the Gray Wolf, though I get can get their Chief Wyrmog tearing apart a werewolf on a full moon. Dude is Jovian...half-orc, half-fire giant and he's like ten fuking foot tall and angry as fuck looking. What with that reddish skin and constantly unhappy glare like he's constipated or something.

So far there the clans that have arrived; we're still awaiting the Blackhands, Icepeaks, Shadowbaness and Cryptbreakers to come, so who the fuck knows what they'll have with them. So I've trying to delegate work to my better minions and the rest of our tribal council to get a handle on the giant Galway Races I've got developing below, and to show of our own 'respect' while also keeping our slaves safe from these 'visitors' orcishness. Moonblades are almost civilized in their mercenary warband nature, while Bearclaws are basically at might makes right and burn, fight, kill!!!...aargghly baarghly arghh!!!...so it's an effort to juggle it all right now. Especially since I have to send another garrison force out and further deplete my immediate reserves. I know it's largely female auxiliaries but it's still just over seventy male warriors between both villages to support them, forgetting the escort I need give Oggy for the field blessings. Down almost a third of my current available fighting strength with just that!

Okay things to do list;

· Setup a training schedule for my Battlestaves and the female mages for the next few weeks, and what times I'll need Missy by my side. The Warswords I need to help maintain order, and I won't have time to train them either. Nor is Ghorza here either. So the Gnome Nimmil and Missy are my full time trainers for them at the moment. Oh and I need to grab this woman hedge-witch herbalist the gnome mentioned and see if she's useful. My time is being increasingly consumed but I can't afford to waste a whole season on creating my 'school' system just because of my workload.

· I need to start picking out some of the more intelligent and 'trustworthy' ones from amongst them and start grooming them for 'admin' roles beneath me over the next generation of recruits. I'll talk to Oggy on the females but one or two of the males are hitting adulthood and good enough with a blade to be listened too by the clan as possible officers or intelligent guards. Having Missy compile her own 'score cards' on them might be an idea.

· Need to organise more 'entertainment' rapidly. Dancers are one, using two of the more...docile...Luskan women we captured from their hellspawn caravan. It's unpleasant I find going to the pens but needed, and as much as view them negatively from trying to give the God-slaves souls to demons while torturing the poor girls every step of the journey, there still people. Though evidently dancing for the amusement of their orcs owners for hours on end with promise of food and wine at the end is enough for fighting amongst themselves for the chance to do it.

· Speaking of the Gods-slaves. They are in many ways our trump card for us being 'blessed' by the Gods and for confirming out story. But need both need to be guarded at all times, but I need to take some time each day to train with them when Oggy leaves for a week or two. The Boss...passes info and orders (cryptically just annoy me) on rare occasions and I'm starting to get a general idea for my Knightly-Crusader Orc Order idea and need to run it by him. That and we'll need them for a ritual agreements dependent with the other clans. Because that's what they'll want I know.

· Need to make sure that our own slaves, from the lowest in the pens all the way up to Missy, Mara and Kethri are kept safely out of the way of trouble or put to use their left be. Rose too even if she isn't a slave. Missy and she though will be fine as they'll either with me mostly, or with Oggy or my various acolytes. Mara and Kethri then will either be in the tower or with Oggy and my little Kargash. Regardless I've increased guards around the tower just like Zah has in the rest of the stronghold. Better safe than sorry as they say.

· Side note; Talk to Zah about the Druid. He's 'minding her' as our hostage, with some blackmail/threats thrown in I suspect to keep her in line. Not a very skilled one from what we've seen, though I think that's age more than anything...being village leader by default of everyone else more competent having been killed in previous raids. Honestly I'm half expecting Zah to have her and Sylfine being dragged to the feast so he can show them off...then again I bring Rose and Missy so hypocritical to complain on my part. Whatever the case I need to see what skills the tree hugger has got even if she hasn't managed her animal form.

· Need to get down the market, or get someone to get down to the impromptu market, and buying things like livestock or amour from our visitors. We can finally put that hoard (that we're not telling anyone about) of gold and silver and other fancy trinkets to good use. Food, weapons and armour firstly. Skilled slaves especially if we can get our hands on them, even unskilled ones we can use as labour force to expand our holding here though that comes after livestock. Oh to have few chickens and a few more cows and voila – eggs, and our milk production doubles or trebles! Cuz gonna hunt the valley dry at this rate in less than a few years.

Anyway that is the plan for now. Need to consider what sort of deal we want, but honestly this 'getting to know you, getting to know me' feasting and stuff seems set to go on for several days, and repeat till all the various clan chiefs are finally here. Gonna be a long month or two.

--

[Missasri 11]

Keep of Sparta

That the room was filled with noise, smoky-air, large threatening non-clan orcs, and that her legs were going asleep beneath her were the main things going through Missasri Bladecutters mind as she knelt just slightly to the side and behind of her owner. Still she gave no impression of this hopefully to the surrounding barbarians as she tried to school her face to that of a stoic and obedient slave. After all she'd gotten pretty good at that she'd found, though her owners seemed to see through it completely; even now as her owner patted her knee for a moment in an encouraging gesture, almost as if to say 'just a bit longer and we'll be done' without saying any words. Missasri appreciated it, though a soft hum of thanks was all she gave in response along with straighten her back slightly to stop any possible slouch coming. Across from her the younger red haired Rose also knelt quietly, still mimicking Missasri herself somewhat, as another quick glance came across towards her that earned her the flash of a quick smile before they broke their brief eye contact.

And then it was back to avoiding eye contact with the various large orc shamans and their own 'attendants' sitting around the large fire burning in the centre of the room and ignoring the urge to stretch her legs. It made quite glad she hadn't been captured by any of the orcs and their tribes across from her and her owner judging by the state of the one or two that had brought their own slaves as status symbols. And that's what she and Rose were right now essentially; showing off the strength of her master's orc tribe by how well behaved they were, yet with healthy bodies and no signs of beatings to do that.

It certainly seemed to agitate the shaman across to their right who also had a slave similarly attending him; a barbarian girl younger than herself whose body was crisscrossed with barely healed whip-marks and an iron collar that was agonizingly tight at a glance. Though that could just be a clash between her Master and that shaman, Hregrk of the Blackhands he was called, owing to their personalities or perhaps their patron gods. Her enslavement and regular talks with Karguk had given her a rather detailed knowledge of the orcish pantheon and it seemed Master's patron God and that of the Blackhands were frequently at odds...

Master holding up his wooden cup to her broke that train of thought as she reached to her side and lifted up the half empty clag jug of wine to refill it. Holding it carefully in both hands she lifted it up and poured out the dark red liquid, captured sometime ago from the wicked Luskans, into the empty cup as her owner interrupted the conversation in seeming annoyance at that shaman "This is our Stronghold. Our clan. Our laws. Our property. We won it in battle and the Gods have rewarded us. You have no right to demand to perform rituals in our sanctum. Nor have the Gods-slaves before you without my say so or presence"

"You grow weak with your ways! They are straying from the ways of the Gods themselves! Pah! We should perform a blessing ceremony and be done with it!" the bastard across from them snapped as Missasri finished pouring the drink and Master quickly downed it before holding it out to her again. It had been apparent for a while now that he was not happy how today's events were going, though at least no one had come to blows as yet despite these insults going back and forth between the mixed group of orcs and the whole room reeked of tension.

"Led by you no doubt whelp? Ha! As if I'd trust either of you youngins to such matters..." an older orc with a grey beard snarled slapping his hand off his thigh. Phargk, the shaman of the Night-tomb clan and evidently a powerful and dangerous one judging by fact they'd captured and chained a Drow of all things. Wicked creatures of pure evil Missasri had always been told, but also dangerous and powerful ones "...but yer right Karguk of Sparta. Tis yer clan and yer stronghold and yer strong enough ta hold it...and this fuckin' round is goin' on too damned long and getting to annoy me. So let's start simple; we all handle our fools and keep'em in line, and that de Spartans rules are follows in der strongold? So no tryins kills theys slaves and theys humans places wes agrees I says"

Missasri had found that the biggest problem for Master was the lack of trust between the various clans, or rather of groups of the clans of each other as this provoked another, though smaller, round of snapping and snarling amongst the group. Evidenced very much by the fact each was armed, her owner Karguk having his own sheathed blade resting just in front of him. Each of the clans held different opinions on 'how things-should-be' and all here were used to controlling their clan in some way, or fighting to control it, and here Master had found himself clashing over the fact his clan were more...civilized...than several of the others. Most of the others, or all of them perhaps seeing the state many of the arrivals, from warriors to slaves. Some were wild beasts barely kept in check by fear and strength, while others were dressed in good armour and seemed organised in a manner similar to the way Master and Mistresses' clan was. All were still savages though and personally she felt the sooner they left Sparta the better.

'Still you did suggest to Master to bring you here, so don't complain' a small part of her mind reminded her as Master and the other orcs finally began to agree on the point. Well...to some degree judging by snarling, and Master looking for another refill after another little while. Still despite the risk, and discomfort, being here was useful as it continued to show her value to her owner, while also allowing her to understand what was going on in the larger context. That and being left alone in the tower for menial labour was not an appealing thought either if she was being honest with herself. And of course...if by chance things turned into a fight then she the reagents on hand to send some of these savages to a fiery death...all with the approval of her owner and his clan. It wouldn't happen of course, and if it did it'd likely prove fatal to her as well, but a girl could dream couldn't she?

At long last though the other savage shamans seemed to reach an agreement of sorts with Missasri's Master, much to the relief of her aching legs as she stood up as Karguk did. Orcs were standing up now from their own position, those that had brought slaves or attendant bringing them with them; Missasri had to hold back a wince and growing anger as the whipped girl was simply grabbed by the hair and dragged along behind her orcish owner. Keeping her eyes downcast helped with that, though her prepared spells remained at the forefront of her mind just in case the need came or master commanded it. These rare moments where she had powers ready to unleash upon a clearly evil foe were the few times she pretend she was still an adventurer of sorts out doing good in the world. Technically Master Karguk counted as a Good...person...after all, at least it did in Missasri's book these days despite everything...

Right now her owner was fixing his sword to the belt around his chainmail armoured form while the other orcs grunted/snarled/politely offered their goodbyes to each other as they passed out the doorway to this side room past the waiting orc warriors on guard outside. Missasri, and Rose on the other side of master, merely stood at attention flanking Karguk as they left the room until only the old orc shaman from earlier was left as he headed towards the doorway, spear thumping softly off the ground as he walked. As he neared Missasri and her owner the orc paused in walk and his gruff crude orcish voice came to her ears as he spoke to her owner.

"Ambitious little fucker aren't ye? Ye and whole lot yer clan get all strong overnight and ye showed yer tusks and claws from the start. Heh that'll get ye far whelp, but yer only a youngin yet whelp, don't forget that hehehe..." a soft, but cold and dark laugh echoed as Missasri could feel her Master tense, as did she and Rose across from "...heh oh don't think ah don't see two half-trained attack dags when their before me. I ain't as blind as that fool of a whelp and even with'em ain't ah threat ta me whelp. Few seasons mayhap but not here and now"

Master's tone was wary, hand resting on the hilt of his holy paladin's sword while Missasri shifted slightly in a possible fighting stance "What do want Phargk? Don't think to threaten me or mine in my own home"

Surprisingly to Missasri the orc across from them seemed completely relaxed and more bemused than concerned by the tension and wariness of her own orc shaman as he leaned against his spear and beared his tusks as if to laugh "Threathen whelp? I'm just letting ya know ta know yer place youngin. And whose God is the higher status ye know. Yer growing strong like the One Eye wants from all orcs, even if ah don't like yer ways or yer...attack dags...its strength and strength is the way that One Eye demands. No youngin, yer growing strong but yer not strong yet...dunna think ya will get ta lead this horde. If there is a horde at all. And not yer Chief either, neither the youngin or that old bastard Breyjuk. Ye dunna have the swords nor the strength yerself to do it. Heh. So rein in yer horns whelp"

Missasri watched as Master's hand tightened around his sword hilt, before it relaxed though still filled with tension as a growl crept into his tone "Or what old one?"

"Heh heh, seems yer a smart one as they say, dumber of yer kind just start swingin. And dying afterwards heh heh. No youngin, it'd be bad fer yah to try us all alone like that. Bad fer ya, and bad fer the Horde. Ya don't have the strength to beat me let alone keep'em all in line...and ye know it. Heh...yeah there ye go, see ye know. Dunna forget yer Lord is the Lieutenant of Gruumsh whelp and that those of the Greatest God lead the Horde to battle, and ye of the Lesser rally the spears fer us to battle with...heh heh heh...so I want yer support whelp in these coming seasons when the time fer battle come. I'll teach ye many things whelp ta make ya stronger...heh heh...got yer trainin' cut short eh?"

"I doubt your Chief will be any sort of Warlord of this Horde...he's as much a whelp as I am according to you Phargk"

"Heh heh, course he is. And he listens to auld Phargk. Fella afore him' didn't and look what happen ta'him eh? No he'll na become anything, ah suspects it'll be the Bearclaws. Now there's an orc the One Eye will favour against the weakling demon lovers. But ah'll command the shamans and our united clans magic whelp, ye follow ah'll have ye as me Lieutenant as yer patron is to mine...ah but that is ye to think on whelp. These old bones need a rest ah think...good morrow Karguk of Sparta. Rest well, ah'll need yer answer soon mind" the old orc chuckled out in the cold tone, shifting his weight and strolling towards the doorway with another chuckle as if to himself. Moments later he was gone and she was alone in the smoke filled room with Rose and Master Karguk, whose shoulders had slumped and was gripping his sword hilt tightly...

Suddenly he signed releasing the hilt and running the hand back through his hair "That did not go as I wanted now did it?" he sighed again and glanced at her, and at Rose "Grab yourselves a drink from the jug, and we'll talk a little. Honest opinions Missy, even if they're not what I'd like to hear perhaps. Same with you too Rose, ask away"

Missasri hummed a moment in thought as she picked up the container of wine, first refilling Master's wooden goblet before filling one each for herself and Rose. The taste was odd, not bad but not that off regular wine, evidently water, berries and herbs had been mixed into the drink giving it a slightly refreshing taste as she drank before speaking "Master you...why did you allow that orc to be...like that towards you?"

"Because...he's right godsdamnit, old bastard and his..." Master groaned rubbing at his head and taking a swig from his goblet then sighed again and giving them both a tired orcish smile "...because he is stronger than me, by a large margin I think. And this meeting was not going my way because I'm not particularly skilled at dealing with orcs like these, with these powers...and we are unnumbered as that old bastard says. Our discipline makes us better as a fighting whole true, but the Bearclaws have three times our swords and are bat-shit insane as warriors...and Pharghk's Night-tombers are twice our size and are strong enough to raid into the Underdark. I overplayed my hand I think and...I need to sleep on it first I think, after I talk to Oggy, Zah and Breyjuk first probably. See did they do any better..."

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[Krowluc 03]

'Town' Area Lower Slope Sparta

Adjusting to the more orcish based time system in force, and general preference for darker area, was always something he found a little tiring to get used to at first when amongst the various clans. Not unpleasant, merely a difference of the nature of the settlements of 'civilized' races where the bustling hours were during the hours of high sun when shops and markets were open and filled with customers. Here though it was only after the dusk had fallen did this great tribal gathering begin to come alive as orcs drifted out beneath the moon in a crude, but surprisingly extensive, impromptu market.

Though surprisingly the 'Spartans' as they called themselves were much during the daylight hours than any normal orc clan...though they seemed drastically more active than most orc clans in general, so it was perhaps just that with them. Whatever the case was Krowluc merely stood amidst the throng of orcs as the various shamans of the clans, led by some old one of the One Eye, began (at bloody last) finishing their rituals calling this gathering of clans to an 'official' beginning.

Still he shivered slightly as the chanting from the clerics finished and the bonfires flared somewhat and a faint feeling of energy seemed to pass through him as the orcs around him roared their approval from this blessing. Personally he favoured Tymora over the pantheons of either of his parents as in the end everyone who travelled the savage lands of the North needed luck as well as skill to survive, but it was best not to any of these lot know that fact. Especially with his new employers being very clearly marked as strong followers of Ilneval; though of all the orc Gods the Cunning Warrior was the only one Krowluc respected or occasionally gave offerings too. A quick sign of this, and some jostling, soon he was back into the throng and off towards his primary objective along with Gruk and four of their new clan born recruits. He'd left Thieving Kyras and Baryeras back in their new accommodation in the castle up the hill from here to avoid any trouble with the half-elf, and to let Kyra sleep off her hangover. Nimmil of course had somehow wrangled herself the best bedroom of all of them in the Shaman's Tower of the Sparta Clan.

"All right, stay close to me and Gruk and let's see can we get ourselves some supplies without any hassle now the ceremonies over. Sooner we get it done the sooner ye can go drinking" he told the others adjusting his new fur cloak with the clan's colours around him to be warmer in the descending chill of night. It had been a beautiful summer's day earlier but the clear moonlit sky above was cloudless and the warmth of the sun had fled with its light. Opting for the lighter cloth and leather under-armour while he cleaned his true heavy armour seemed to have been a small mistake, a minor inconvenience only as they strode through the crowd of various warriors into the heart of the 'town market' so to speak.

"Anything in particular Boss or just usual? Booze I hope?" Gruk asked earning grunts of approval from the younger Spartan orcs they were starting to train as cavalry. They were less bulky and slightly shorter than their clan-mates, and one was female, so they were the right size and weight compared to the other orcs for their mounts to ride. Krowluc snorted in amusement noting as his party member watched as some orcs from the Bearclaw clan pulled the lid of barrel of a red strong smelling beverage, likely that blood soaked crap they made up. Who knew what blood, or whose blood, was in the stuff but Gruk had loved it the last time they'd been up in the Spine.

"Yeah, yeah you lot we'll get a barrel of something before we head back. But first we're on the job; so armour, weapons for lot if we can, thats a big one. Shaman and the Chiefs say they'll pay us a bonus any more horses we get, so we'll try get a start on talks on one or two of them if we can. Don't worry about potions or scrolls, Shaman says he'll provide..." which was a nice change as they cost a fortune out in the smaller settlements, or to half-breed orcs like himself in the larger ones "...a slave or two if they've any useful skills, or just to keep the horses in the stables. But mostly the armour, no offense but what you got ain't gonna stop shit"

The eldest one of the new recruits, Dargunk, shrugged "We aren't powerful enough Chief Zahgorim says to get the best armour, and none us understands that magic stuff like the ones crazy Karguk the Shaman trains, so they give us coins and stuff to get better. Says we'll learn from you lot, and that tradin' could be part of our job in coming seasons anyway"

"Yeah, Shaman mentioned that, along with the scouting and everything else that makes a good mercenary or adventurer. Don't worry about it, getting all of us in proper armour is first step keepin ye alive, which then keeps the rest of us alive. Ain't gonna be alot of us on horses for a while so work together and no dying unless I order it" Krowluc replied bringing them to a stop at the series of rough 'stalls' from the Night-tomb tribe where a selection of captured items lay spread out on rugs or on wooden tables from which three older orcs, and two younger and bored looking, warriors stood or sat behind.

'Not really what we're looking for, but damn this stuff be worth a nice bag of coins back in Neverwinter or Luskan' he mused to himself as he talked with the evident leader of the Night-tomb 'shopkeepers' and they looked over the various goods. Gems and strange jewellery whose designs screamed of Drow or Duergar work, along with a surprisingly large amount of Adamantine Dust that he figured would interest Nimmil but had no real use for himself. The rest, weapons and armour were a hodgepodge of crudely made orcish swords and armour, along with a few weapons of dwarven or deurgar manufacture; the first being too shoddy to be of use to him, and the second too expensive and small for his cavalry to wield properly.

'Unfortunately won't be back anywhere to sell that stuff for quite some time and our funds aren't exactly bottomless right now even with our new employers front payment' he grumbled mentally after a few minutes of looking and haggling with the sellers. Truthfully the goods were valuable and of high quality, and the story of raiding into the Underdark was a quite impressive haul, but one they'd likely traded away the best of a season or two ago. Really though there was nothing of major interest to him and soon they were wandering over to another cluster of looted goods nearby, this time from the Moonblades and Shadowbane clans evidently judging by the banners above each of them and warriors around there. And theirs was a much larger setup in fact, with animals and slaves chained to post or in cages alongside weapons and armour clearly taken from raided trade caravans, or possibly an adventuring party or two they'd stumbled across.

'And this is why its better too pay the bastards off, or avoid their territories altogether if you can' he thought glancing at the oxen and some ponies in a newly erected pen behind an attractive looking orc female and her guards. Along with the survivors of the caravans themselves, at least he assumed the poor wretches chained up alongside their haulage animals, one or two sobbing but most just in silent misery. Really though he felt little sympathy for them, in this world there were the strong and the weak, predator and prey, and you took your chances especially out in the wilds. It was just the nature of defeat like with his Ma all those years ago; if you were strong or lucky you survived or escaped somehow, and if you were weak you died.

"Successful raids I see, a fine selection..." he greeted the female in a 'friendly' tone. Though back in 'civilized' lands it would come off as threatening perhaps "...very impressive I must say, the lot from the South I guess? And have you any horses for trade?"

"Yah, our warriors took'em just as we were to leave for this gathering, was a fine battle they said. Much glory was had. Killed many human warriors and all here now for trade yes. Have horses, but not here, Chief not sure if wants sell'em yet he says. But have ponies, and slaves. Need breakin still but good buy, be good buy for bed, or work, haul thingies or even for feed hungry belly. What want see?"

"Yeah, you taking coin and gems?"

"Hmmm...coins and gems fine for barter, whatever have to trade" came the reply from the female. Krowluc filed it away for later as it indicated the Moonblades likely had other trade partners on a regular or regular enough basis to use coins. Alot of the more savage or isolated orc clans often had little use for coins, even the Spartan's here seemed to be more barter based despite an effort by the shaman and the two chiefs in support to have a coin price for things like drink and food. And actually pay warriors a wage of all things! Not that that he'd complain about that though; getting a regular wage with a decent place to live was hard got, and this lot were giving it to him and his party for a low cost. As long as they paid him and upheld their terms then they has his undying loyalty. Faithless mercenaries earned a bad reputation after all. And a bad reputation was death often enough unless you had powerful friends or just went full on bandit.

The armour of course came first, his recruits as well as armour for their mounts and saddles. Both of which the Sparta clan were somewhat short of, and kind of important for a trained horsemen. Trying to ride bareback on a horse was just looking to get thrown by the beast at best and a disaster for your fellow riders most likely as well he found. Krowluc wasn't complaining though as he managed to get his four charges into decent enough armour, a mixture of chainmail and split that'd need some adjustment from the Spartan smiths due to being designed for humans. Next came the saddles and stirrups they captured, along with some steel swords and spears for fighting, and soon for a price that would be hilarious cheap in Waterdeep he was starting to see the start of a new mercenary band.

Considering the cheapness of what he'd managed to get Krowluc pointed at thumb at the livestock pen "Can any of the slaves read, write? Stuff like that? Or were working with animals?"

The female hummed in thought, hopping over the fence and grabbing a human boy, a teenager maybe, by the hair and lifting him by it as he screamed in pain, and the other slaves, and then the animals around them, wailed in fear "Dis one can cleans horses warriors say and not fighter, was when not killed with other males and hmmm..." the other clawed orcish hand reached over and grabbed an older sobbing girl by the iron collar around her neck and dragged the two towards him then snarling at the two in crude Common Tongue "...dis one here. Thinks these two knows animals. You knows animals filthy slaves?"

"YES KNOW ANIMALS!! PLEASE NO MORE!" and "PWEASE, PWEASE ANYTHING, I KNOW, PWEASE DONT HURT ME!" followed back along with the rest of the loud racket coming from the pen causing him to wince at the sudden increase noise level, as did his party members, from screaming slaves and wailing animals. Really was such crude methods needed? A little calmer and he'd have had the same answer without this entire annoying racket the female sales-orc had created.

After a quick inspection of the two, and questioning once they were calmed slightly, it was apparent both would be useful (and cheap to buy) as stable hands for his cavalry, though neither was literate or anything more than peasants brought along by the caravan as other than general labour or to take care of the animals. Not that they were in the best of shape (a point he argued strongly to get the price down) and lack of clothing had to be rectified too else they'd eventually die after enough of these cold nights, but still a purchase was made a short while and soon both were carrying his newly bought saddles as his group headed deeper into the markets. Shields for his fighters and clothes for the slaves were next on the agenda after all. If the slaves were any good, and knew how to be loyal in time, he could free them in a few years and work them into the band like a few members before like Thieving Kyras from that brothel, or Gruk from that crazy wizard they'd killed at...

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