The grey servant is solicitous of his master, speaking obsequiously and kindly as if his mater has a troubled mind.

Bryon stood off at the edge of the dock, watching the ships pass. She still wondered if her Captain was doing well.

"Oh, ships, here, no!" the waiter/cook/server replies.  "It's the rocks, this isn't a good harbor for anything big.  We have fishing boats.  So the trade ships don't come here.  We have to go to other places... for stuff.  But on the bright side, the pirates aren't that much of a problem.  They did come once.  They went for the fort."

 Mystal listened to the long leggard's conversation.

Bryon stood off observing the small fishing boats and rocks. She is being whistful.

Bah...the fort then, what to they do? Is there work?

He doesn’t say the obvious, is there work for someone like me?

The fishing boats alongside the quay bob.  They are small, made of wood, and have large weighted nets.  That's a preferred fishing tactic here- float over something and drop a large weighted net straight down.  The water is fairly clear and shallow, good for these tactics.

But the fort...

"I don't think the Orc gentlemen there like it at all," the server says.  "There are only about two dozen of them, and they don't get to do much.  They don't even come into town very often.  It's a sad life if you ask me.  They just stay in the fort, and wait.  I have no idea what for.  Some say the only reason the Visigoths guard the place is so the Ostragoths don't take it from them.... and the Ostragoths would have to guard it so the Visigoths don't take it back.  They don't seem very happy."

In reply to Ben (msg # 137):

Hmmm. I’ll bet they don’t like it. Druk wonders what would make them happy...

And then he considers what’s left.

How about fishing?
He asks
Do they need any help working?

He looks out at the fishing boats wondering without meaning to be mutters
Who feeds the guards?

“Work, sir?  I don’t think they do that.  Mostly, they guard.  They never say what they are guarding against, and they never say just what it is they are guarding.  Us?  Since when would they… I mean Visigoths, you know… ever want to do anything for us.  And what are we to them, that they would want to guard us?  We are some food and some labor, no more than any Roman governor ever asked of our ancestors… perhaps less in some ways.  When they need repairs or services in their fort, they demand a work party out of us.  And we go.  But there are always taxes and demands from any ruler, right?  Is this any different?

“But that is it, we deliver food for them, and they guard, patrolling their walls and standing in their gates, day in and day out, all hours, all the time.  Now and then, they come into town, but only to drink heavily and relax, and they even pay for what they drink.  What kind of life is that?  Better out here, living life, even if it means mending fishing nets!”

A waitress offers her questions, unbidden:

“Is there a law against an Orc finding a regular job?  Do Orcs really like just… guarding… better than baking or fixing roofs?  I don’t understand them at all.”

“If you really want work, sir,” the server continues, “maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to break with the ways of your folk, and take up a trade?  There are people who would open to such a thing.  Maybe it would start something.”

It almost sounds like the pity the Orcs with their dreary lives of endless, monotonous guard duty.  Okay, scratch "almost".  Definitely.

Druk says nothing, looking dumb.


huh Druk frowns slightly and takes a drink


Of course you don't understand them - humans know nothing Druk practically grunts rudely. Then he backs off

but me - I'm only half-Orc. I can help on a boat and mend nets.

Druk starts to imagine they can take a little time and he can work - getting to know the place - maybe sail around the fort at some time and maybe see a window or some sign of the prisoner. When the guards come to town they may learn more or send the pixie to go scout the place and he can steal a boat after a week or two...all these are options he will need to talk to the others in private, he still does not want to seem like they are together.

Bryon still watched as the boats bobbed in the water.

Mystal waits for the long legged to decide what he is going to do

There is a ring of expanding chatter around Druk, radiating outwards, as he becomes the center of quiet curiosity.

It is kept private, no one wants to risk offending him, but still, they can pick up snippets.

"Half Orc?  How is that?"

"Mends nets and fishes?  Boats make Orcs sick.  I've seen it."

"But he said..."

Finally, one of the older fishermen- gnarled old weathered bronze skin man with tattoos and wrinkles so deep he'd probably be the size of a hill giant if you inflated him- decides that the curious matter of a Half Orc not afraid to fish deserves some investigation.

He pulls a chair over.

"I have a fishing boat and I can use extra hands," he says.  "Not as young as I used to be."

It's not an uncommon situation.  Fishing boats, like many other elements of the economy, rely on muscle, provided in large part by strong young men.  That is exactly the portion of the Human population most likely to be considered "trouble" by Orcs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:22, Tue 13 Apr 2021.

Druk nods to the man. I can work. Make nets or fish a while then I’ll go. He says and follows the man.

Druk is fairly large, among the strongest of men but only above average for Orcs.  He is wearing sandals loose pantaloons with bare shins a loose blousy shirt common among sailors and his studded leather vest open to stay cool. He has a wide hat he keeps low over his eyes to reduce the brightness and glare of the sun. Especially near the beach. Mornings and evenings will be his best time to work in the darkness and twilight.

He will do the work faithfully and get to know what he can of the area for the first couple days. He asks no more about the fort. In the darkness when others sleep he will try to meet with the others and share what he learns.

Druk keeps his quarterstaff with him and a dagger hidden but his longbow is wrapped and hidden in his ruck along with his nicer clothes.

Bryon will finish day dreaming and head back to where she is suppose to meet her friends.

Druk takes to fishing while the others take up temporary residence in the local inn.

While Druk fishes, they have an easy life.  Sunny beach, good food, decent wine. The people here certainly eat better than most humans in Orc ruled areas, because Orcs don't understand seafood so well, and the Humans actually get to eat a lot of what they catch.  They raise some chickens and pigs as well- they never get to eat much of the latter, because that's something Orcs do understand.

Druk is a rarity and a celebrity.  The idea of an Orc actually pitching in and doing real work... that's uncommon.  They've never seen an Orc fish. What's more, Druk ends up taking orders from the old fisherman, and that's another thing they've never seen an Orc do.

Very odd.

As they fish, though, Druk gets a good look at the small, old fort out on the almost-island (it's connected by a narrow spit of land.)

It's a short, squat thing, with heavy exterior walls and one tower.  The garrison seems to be about fifty Orcs, of which about a dozen are actively "guarding" at a time.  The whole garrison seems to have grown quite bored and lazy, they don't look like the most alert, attentive bunch.  Morale seems iffy.  Possibly, they've heard rumors of Orcs elsewhere preparing to do far more glorious, warrior things and they are being left behind to guard a second rate outpost.  But there's no doubt they would fight fiercely if they had to... for no other reason than finally getting the opportunity to do something.

The fort is an octagonal outer structure built around an interior domed keep.  It's one of those clever forts, apparently, built with an eye to flying threats as well as those on sea and land.   It has one dock, and that dock has the remains of four burned out hulks.

Greynull appears to exist to do Bryon'[s bidding. If she doesn't require his services, he tends to the horses, including walking them.

In reply to Greynull Nepris (msg # 147):

A light breeze wafts through the town.

Greynull replies.

Bryon was happy to see Greynull, "I don't know. What are we doing now? I've forgotten."

At some point, Druk will seek out the others on the path in the dark to discuss a plan. He will tell what he has seen 50 Orcs maybe manning the fort. Possible entrances and also appeal to them.

Do you have any thoughts on how to plan about the place? Any magic to enter unnoticed?  I could maybe disguise myself as a guard but it will not work for any real interaction because they all know each other.

Bryon raises her hand. "I can use Dimension Door once per day. It can either get us all in or out. I can turn us all invisible. I can do that a hand full of times."

In reply to Greynull Nepris (msg # 149):

Mystal tisked.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:45, Tue 20 Apr 2021.

The Ook looks on with wonder.
That is great power. If we know where to find the prisoner we can use that power to get him out ... maybe onto a fishing boat?

Grey null asks Bryon, how long does this invisibility last? If it lasts an appreciable time, perhaps Mystal could fly around inside the fort to case it. Come to think of it, she could do it one part at a time, depending on how long the invisibility lasts.