Post by hubertbartels on Sept 16, 2023 17:48:16 GMT -5
Echoes of the Past
Resting in the orc village near the re-established gate, we watched as the Gatekeeper and goblins continued ensuring the wards around the gate were strengthened. The village was peace but remote – it was a day’s journey to anyplace interesting. Goran, our half-orc warrior, agreed to stay on with the orcs and help with guarding the gate as well as overseeing any problems with the gnomes of Zilargo.
While we were taking it easy, three days passed. We had discussed where to go next and the general agreement was that New Cyre offered information and resources for going into the Mournlands. But on the third day, we had a visitor, Lord Raulo ir’Tommervic, who was taking over command of the Zilargo fort to the south. He requested that we look into reports of spies and raiders from Hecate. Furthermore, while the manor house was gutted by the flames, little damage had occurred in the Orrey Room and a neighboring office room. The rooms had been searched by Tommervic’s soldiers but Hecate’s papers – including a deed to his property – had not turned up. He would be grateful if we kept an eye out for those items.
We set out for the ruined manor house. It was an hour’s journey from the orc village. Stopping at the head of the long decline to the floor of the valley in which the manor house lay, we asked the guards if they had seen anything.
The orc guards warned us that several of their patrols had gone missing. Furthermore, they spotted smoke from a fire to the northwest. We went to investigate. After a while, we came across tracks that led us to a burned out fire. Nearby was the corpse of a gnomish soldier, tied to a tree. He did not die easily. Trouble took his dogtags and then said a few words as we buried him.
The ashes were about two days old. A trail led northwards. From the foot prints, it seemed that they were moving slowly. If we hurried, we could catch up to them.
After an all day trip, we came across another camp site. There was a freshly filled grave nearby. The ashes of the fire were a day old. Their trail curved and now was heading towards the orc village. When we noticed that, we picked up the pace.
It was close to evening when someone spotted a thin tendril of smoke rising in the air. Sneaking closer, Kadrin, Emrys and Kara spotted the camp fire. Nearby, a tent had been erected, blending in with the surroundings. A heavily armed man and a mage were questioning a pair of orc prisoners while their henchmen were watching.
Torbrand marched into the camp. The mage tried to side step their reasons for being there and offered us a position with his boss. Kadrin followed and demanded their surrender. The heavily armed man pulled his sword and stepped closer to the orc prisoners. We drew weapons and attacked.
Trouble pulled her blows, believing that we needed prisoners to learn what Hecate is doing. In a short and quick fight, we dropped or took them all captive. All were marched south to the Zilargo fort.
The next morning, with Lord Tommervic’s approval, we questioned our captives. We learned that Hecate is working out of a camp near the Mournlands, south of the trading post. The mage revealed that Hecate was selling Dragon-marked heirs to the Lord of Blades for use in some mad scheme to open a new world for the Warforged.
Our next step will be to arrive in New Cyre. We will be riding the Lightning Rail from Zilport, arriving within a day’s travel.
Resting in the orc village near the re-established gate, we watched as the Gatekeeper and goblins continued ensuring the wards around the gate were strengthened. The village was peace but remote – it was a day’s journey to anyplace interesting. Goran, our half-orc warrior, agreed to stay on with the orcs and help with guarding the gate as well as overseeing any problems with the gnomes of Zilargo.
While we were taking it easy, three days passed. We had discussed where to go next and the general agreement was that New Cyre offered information and resources for going into the Mournlands. But on the third day, we had a visitor, Lord Raulo ir’Tommervic, who was taking over command of the Zilargo fort to the south. He requested that we look into reports of spies and raiders from Hecate. Furthermore, while the manor house was gutted by the flames, little damage had occurred in the Orrey Room and a neighboring office room. The rooms had been searched by Tommervic’s soldiers but Hecate’s papers – including a deed to his property – had not turned up. He would be grateful if we kept an eye out for those items.
We set out for the ruined manor house. It was an hour’s journey from the orc village. Stopping at the head of the long decline to the floor of the valley in which the manor house lay, we asked the guards if they had seen anything.
The orc guards warned us that several of their patrols had gone missing. Furthermore, they spotted smoke from a fire to the northwest. We went to investigate. After a while, we came across tracks that led us to a burned out fire. Nearby was the corpse of a gnomish soldier, tied to a tree. He did not die easily. Trouble took his dogtags and then said a few words as we buried him.
The ashes were about two days old. A trail led northwards. From the foot prints, it seemed that they were moving slowly. If we hurried, we could catch up to them.
After an all day trip, we came across another camp site. There was a freshly filled grave nearby. The ashes of the fire were a day old. Their trail curved and now was heading towards the orc village. When we noticed that, we picked up the pace.
It was close to evening when someone spotted a thin tendril of smoke rising in the air. Sneaking closer, Kadrin, Emrys and Kara spotted the camp fire. Nearby, a tent had been erected, blending in with the surroundings. A heavily armed man and a mage were questioning a pair of orc prisoners while their henchmen were watching.
Torbrand marched into the camp. The mage tried to side step their reasons for being there and offered us a position with his boss. Kadrin followed and demanded their surrender. The heavily armed man pulled his sword and stepped closer to the orc prisoners. We drew weapons and attacked.
Trouble pulled her blows, believing that we needed prisoners to learn what Hecate is doing. In a short and quick fight, we dropped or took them all captive. All were marched south to the Zilargo fort.
The next morning, with Lord Tommervic’s approval, we questioned our captives. We learned that Hecate is working out of a camp near the Mournlands, south of the trading post. The mage revealed that Hecate was selling Dragon-marked heirs to the Lord of Blades for use in some mad scheme to open a new world for the Warforged.
Our next step will be to arrive in New Cyre. We will be riding the Lightning Rail from Zilport, arriving within a day’s travel.