Guyver, Kiara can point you towards Ghurza, the Clan-mother currently watching the children. If you'd prefer to talk to one of the others, you will easily find Lekhis, gossiping with the cook, Khrel, while absentmindedly handing the smaller she-orc anything she asks for. Like Ghurza, Lekhis is tall and muscular, with long sharp claws on her hands. However, she's younger than her "sister," and the other tribespeople don't seem to fear her as much. Nahv, the youngest of the clan-mothers, is asleep, and the orcs don't seem to be joking when they say, in whispered tones, if you wake her up, she will kill you.

Meanwhile, Kiara, you find Lorg, smoking a pipe as he oversees a training match between two burly, but young warriors. [Language unknown: "Termenant! Com ateoulast inewi! Eeen larersest dermo Riwack a ons pa witamebut retoou mofias mi!."] One of the warriors strikes the other down as he's distracted by the older warrior's admonition. A nearby youth rushes forward, administering a potion, before helping the fallen orc to his feet. "I'd wager this strip of an elfling has more killer instinct than you, Pragh. What do you say, [Language unknown: mafiwhaiie] care to show Pragh what it means to not hold back? I give my word as a warrior, no harm will befall you as you recover from your wounds after. If the boy can even wound you!" You remember what Smith had said about challenges: the important thing isn't whether you win, its whether you accept the challenge, and do so without belittling the warrior you fight.

Santio smiled at Korthaag's words.  "You speak the truth, friend"; Santio's eye sought out the trees beyond the village walls, before returning to the Head Scout.
Kinda surprised, and glad, that the orc spoke the common tongue that he himself was used to, Santio continued, "I, um, thought maybe I could spend some time with both you and the hunters, at some point.   Help out with your tasks ... you know, be another set of eyes, another bow.
I'd be my honour to learn more about both your people, and the woodlands you call home.   Learn about the kinds of beasts that lurk out there", he said, gesturing.

Meanwhile, his eyes straying a little, to the Scouts' weapons and gear, seeking to better understand their lifestyle and hunting/combat preferences from what he saw.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:06, Thu 12 Jan 2023.

That.... simplified things immensely.

Her intent had been to speak with Lorg, to use fancy language and speak of soft things, and then manipulate the conversation in such a way that he had cause to issue a challenge. Instead, one of the younglings had issued the challenge the moment she had arrived. She nodded gravely, removing her shield from where it was secured on her back and slinging her arm through it, drawing the ornate blade at her side smoothly and confidently with her sword arm.

[Private to group Orcish: "I will trust the skill of your healers then, Lorg the Eagle."]

She spoke in his mother tongue. The temptation was to shield herself in ice and permit Pragh the first strike, but she felt that would be in error. Too vain, too petty.

[Private to group Orcish: "Know that my people fight with runes of thunder as well as the blade. The magic of the mountains, considering we lack the strength and size of your warriors to wear its iron."]

She nodded at Pragh at that, looking at her own slight sword arm and her own rail thin limbs.

[Private to group Orcish: "Would you like to see it, or shall I leave it for the battlefield and our mutual foes?"]

She asked

20:11, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Initiative

Korthaag replied to Santio, "We leave the hunting to the hunters, friend. My boys and I can't be weighed down with carcasses, we have to keep moving. We patrol the borders, each setting off a different direction, sending smoke to tell Lorg and his boys where we spot problems, then move along. While four patrol, four sleep, and four wait to go out once more. I have time to talk until then, and if you can keep up, you can follow me on my next patrol if you wish. But during patrol, we don't speak. The boars make noise enough, but they fit with the sounds of the wild."

Lorg nodded, "Use what you must. A real foe would hardly ask permission to use magic against our warriors.[Language unknown:  Icantepre! Ntivno onate teryinart nt wa ivou icmen icaprotio p fone ivwi, ll Is prame prinnd re ee!]" Pragh is handed another potion, which he drinks, and he picks his greataxe up from the ground and waits for the signal to begin. Lorg shouts, "Now, [Language unknown: EAUFORECT!]"

Kiara goes first!

Santio smiled.  It was a broad and genuine smile.
"When do we leave, precisely?" he asked.
He'd do his best to keep up ... but was confident that even if he fell behind (and he did expect to be left behind in the case), he could track the rider swiftly enough.
"And how long will we be out?   Just, I'd like to inform my team when to expect me back".
He almost said, 'Please', at the end there, but hunched that such manners might appear 'weak' to these hardened folk, so chose not to in that moment.

"I bring weapons of war", Guyver opened as he sauntered over to Ghurza:"Less cumbersome than bows, arrows and crossbows". He slipped the revolver out of its holster and spun it around:"Makes the sound of thunder and holes in even the toughest armor. Would you like me to demonstrate?".

He thought for a moment, oh yea niceties. "I am Guyver".

The Warrior might very well have been fast, but he could not match the speed of Kiara’s magic.


She rolled her right wrist, fingers dancing through the incantation as it had been taught to her, and golden light erupted in a halo about her. The light condensed into three brightly glowing sigils, each about as large as her head, floating in the air just behind her. Once floated directly over her head, the other two perhaps half a foot lower and over each shoulder. The highest flashed, and as it did a sister sigil flashed briefly at Pragh’s brow, marking him.


Then, as she made a cutting gesture with her hand, the two glyphs at her shoulder’s shimmered and flashed. From each emerged a great dragon of golden light, perhaps no larger than a cat, but lightning swift. Each of these streaked across the open field, smashing into the Orc in an explosion of violence. The first failed to pierce his mail, scattering to sparks harmlessly, but the second smashed into him with teeth rattling force.


With one practiced motion, she drew her sword. Undaunted, unfearing, she charged. As she ran, the glyphs which she had summoned moved with her, bright sigils like flags streaming golden radiance to those who could read them.


[Private to group Draconic: ”In her name!]

Bonus: Use Hexblade’s Curse
Action: Eldritch Blast twice
-Hit on a 19 for 10 force damage
-Miss on a 9
Free Object Interaction Draw my sword
Move: Charge the foe, moving to E03


11:43, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 10 using 1d10+6.  EB 1.
11:43, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  EB 2.
11:42, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  EB 1.

To Santio, Korthaag said, "We leave in the morning, before dawn, and return at midday, if all goes well. With the Redfoot defeated, things have been quite peaceful, but best not to get overconfident." Korthaag seemed to lack the bravado Orcs were known for, though it would be wrong to claim he lacked confidence in his abilities. Though young for a leader, he seemed wise.

As Guyver approached Ghurza, his appearance caused an uproar amongst the children, some hid behind their caretaker, who stood as he approached, some approached the metal man, curiously. One, very young, simply began crying. As one child, just old enough to speak, reached toward Guyver to touch his shin, Ghurza watched Guyver's reaction carefully.

Kiara's fight will get its own posts.

Kiara curses Pragh, and fires two dragons of light at him. One of them hits. She closes the distance between her and her opponent.
Pragh, off balance from Kiara's furious assault, swings his greataxe hard, but clumsily. He yanks it out of the dirt and prepares for Kiara's next move.

Pragh has taken damage.

Guyver looked down at the orcish child. He had no memory of having interactions with children before and so for the most part they just appeared to be smaller versions of the adults.
He considered for a moment to kick the little one across the field since the orcs appeared to appreciate shows of strength.
He understood hierarchies however and the little ones appeared to be under the protection of the older ones.
He held his hand out, palm up and fingers stretched, to the child to indicate no ill intentions.
"I've got no strings to hold me down", he said, though he doubted the child understood him.

She had vastly more magic to employ, gifts of her Mistress bestowed upon her, but for now she did not draw upon it.

She did not mean to crush the young warrior, and if he were inexperienced that is what the full power of her Art would do. She did not call up more Draconic runes to smite him, did not burn any more sigils into his forehead. Instead, she relied on her own skill with the blade, and what magics she had already summoned to her. The two golden sigils at her shoulders faded, though the gleaming halo of runes remained.

Her shield rose to meet the warrior’s axe, her own sword lashing out to draw blood under his guard.

Action: Hit on a 15 for 13 damage

15:12, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 13 using 1d8+6.  Damage . –
15:11, Today: Kiara Goldentongue rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Longsword. –

Kiara's blade dug deeply into Pragh's gut, and he collapsed. Another orc swiftly administered a potion, and his labored breathing steadied a bit. He sputtered, [Language unknown: "A sssepe ica est, Ul lesestenc!"]

Congratulation, you get 100xp!

Lorg replies, "I underestimated you, [Language unknown: conanturecomugh.] I had a feeling you would beat Pragh, but I never thought you would do so without getting so much as a scratch! Pragh, you can rest for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, if you still wish to be a warrior, you meet me here at false dawn."

Pragh replies,[Language unknown:  "Oul, tr."] He says to Kiara, "I have much training to beat you."

"The lad has a fire inside. He just needed some kindling. Thank you. In time, the fire will spread among his peers, and perhaps, someday soon, one of them will be ready to take my place."

You have earned the respect of Lorg and the warriors. Lorg smiles and says, "Now, [Language unknown: eeevhe,] what can I do for you?"

It was good that she had held herself in reserve, keeping her magic limited to the first Sigil. Had she unleashed the full power of her training, she likely would have killed the young warrior outright.

She would never dare to instruct the him as to what he had done wrong in front of his blademaster, she was not that much a fool. Instead, she busied herself ceremonially cleaning her blade, with all the formality such required. As she did, the glowing halo of golden light that backlit her crown faded. Magic infused everything she did, guiding her sword arm stronger and faster than her otherwise thin muscles would ever have been able to achieve on their own.

[Private to group Orcish: "Though our Hunter fared well, I failed to say anything worthy of Clan-Mother Gurzha's respect."]

She barked, kneeling down and slipping her arm out of her shield's straps to inspect it for damage. She chuckled ruefully when she saw the dent, and setting it down upon the ground placed the flat of her blade against it. Golden light emerged from the curving Elven blade, runes bursting to light as she drew upon the magic that was her birthright, rather than her Mistress' gift.

[Private to group Orcish: "I came to your Chief offering trade and prosperity. I've come to your warriors seeking to prove that such an offer is not a honeyed trap. Prosperity has not made us weak, and if the sword arm of your still unkindled warriors is any indication, it will not make your Clan weak either."]

Slowly, carefully, she began to work the dent out.

Casting Mending (as fluff)

[Language unknown: "Ndtite ng tha hancas. Tr ectstatha ardus etund ourdinday, pro esri pr M ch chplan hechie ardat it. Tiie k itomla hidi mawas whhe tioonerut prthu wiive orthisastons oveundset o Witkorsan Ratillrea."] Lorg says. [Language unknown: "Ngchwi ithlarvir larce ar roatpa Rethul. Trri nthack lawaou di t po. No saeen ichectshe venthothi lar itday icncin Arprsi, outainers hauntrro is outiveate whi anywe tr reserewhe. Undsetvor iceiun ntienteen e, fi tincomtra, omla sonourund diioreit fi. Tic pl Chaipa Inicou onsli sti reasomsti nceck peecmi ul pl vor the E an. Ncday iepa i thothiwas se i houresons t sato bemaet e ec intatince, le tic al, onstiokor ad rotewh onetictin nc nghi p at beonur sonwittiolat saus ierintio. Ingbe urwami a ratredterear untenoek to was antprorea ad meti stchar usta prnoan prtaee p isonol ne ecsste fo paelpl!"]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:46, Thu 26 Jan 2023.

The child looked up at Guyver's expressionless face and said, [Private to group Orcish: "You're funny-looking!"] and then went back to playing with his friends. Ghurza scolded him, [Language unknown: "Wali! Ver aiugh Se un ni, sheoerwil somhatain ev menhaspreoun malelotiic, stniun po res be eewhul ave! O atiel wh ss korartoer cavor thobuttic reer? Le atioio researble n!"] "The children haven't learned the trade language yet. But I suspect you aren't here to entertain them, are you. Your elf friend, Kiara, sent you over to win my favor, did she? So tell me, who are you, that think it so important that the next generation of Swift Tusks be raised to think highly of you?"

[Private to Guyver: OOC: Given Guyver's low Charisma, if you wish, you can forgo the Charisma check, and gamble that you come up with an answer that I think would satisfy Ghurza. Otherwise, its a straight charisma check, no proficiency bonus.]

Kiara bowed her head.

[Private to group Orcish: "My people fight with bow and song, skirmishing from afar to the rhythm of their war drums. It has been such a long time since I've seen any of my kin though, I honestly don't know if they are strong or not. I can say, I wasn't finding my strength with them. I chose to walk a different path, and found a different teacher."]

She raised her head, and her smile was fierce when next she met Lorg's eyes.

[Private to group Orcish: "I don't think I need to speak idle words to the Eagle of the difference the right teacher makes."]

She chuckled.

[Private to group Orcish: "I'm sure it colors my perspective, biases it even. I wasn't finding the fire I needed with my Kin, so I found it elsewhere. That is not to say the old ways are wrong, that which endures... endures for a reason. It just wasn't working for me, so I had to find something different. I did, I found her, and I found what I had been missing."]
This message was lightly edited by the player at 04:16, Thu 26 Jan 2023.

Santio nodded, and took his leave.
He informed Kiara, Azuconle, Nutcracker and Gyver of his intentions to join the Scout, Korthaag, on his duties the next morning ... and that he expected to be back by about midday.

"Friend is a bit strong, colleagues maybe, since we're here on a diplomatic mission together", Guyver began.
He tilted his head toward Ghurza and the children.

"I will survive them. I have existed for thousands of years, I will exist for thousands more.
When they are dust I live on and oversee these lands, from the rocky coast to the icy mountains.
When I bring this barbaric world back from the brink of anarchy into a new era of properity and scientific endeavor their descendants will learn to respect me", he said matter-of-factly.
He stared at Ghurza and pointed at the children.

"I can make them more effective warriors. I make weapons and armor that are without equal. I've seen your people's prowess in hand-to-hand combat. I wouldn't dare question that".
"I will say I got you beat in ranged combat though".

He raised his arm and fired a loud shot in the air.

"Interested?".

He readied his armor's defensive field just in case the answer was no.

Kiara nodded at Santio's report.

"You got the job done."

She said, and the gratitude in her voice was clear.

"Get back safely, we'll have need of you again soon."

She said her goodbyes to each of the Orcs whom she had met, being sure to remain as respectful as possible with each, and then went to find Gyver.

"We'll leave at first light then?"

She inquired, before turning back to Ghurza.

[Private to group Orcish: "Where would you have us place our tents, Clan-Mother Ghurza?"]

She asked, making it clear that she did not yet expect that they had been invited to spend the night.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:57, Sun 29 Jan 2023.

The deafening report of Guyver's weapon startled the children, who all huddled behind Ghurza. She sai to him, "I'll take your word for it. It sure is loud enough. And you intend to make more of them, and give them to children? You mean when they're older, right? That's Lorg's business, not mine. But he's not likely to be interested in training our warriors in ranged weaponry. Orcs aren't exactly gifted with... finesse. Even our scouts don't carry bows. Make a weapon that an orc can use as accurately as a javelin, and perhaps he'll be interested. Make an axe that cleaves more cleanly through an foe's armor, flesh and bone, and he'll be asking how soon can you make twenty of them!"

She looked at Kiara. "Put a tent wherever you want, but Margul usually invites guests to stay in his hut after supper. You'll know when supper's ready, Krehl is cooking today. Nobody passes up her cooking, if they have any taste. Now, if that's all, I've children to mind, and... yes... Bruf needs changing." She pickes up a very foul-smelling toddler, and lays him on a nearby table. She begins removing his soiled diaper, in plain view, and the smell worsens.

"We can leave now. No point in staying here. The savages lack the brain matter to even inquire about what I'm offering", Guyver whispered to Kiara:"We may have to wipe them out in time, they will stifle progress .. ".

"I assume you can see in the dark, yes?", he asked Kiara:"As can I, so there's no need to wait for first light".

"Alright then!", he shouted, nodding to Ghurza:"We'll be heading out".

"I think I positively hate children ..", he added in a whisper to Kiara.

The moment Guyver got past the words "the savages," Kiara would have been ready to pounce him to cover his mouth were there any close enough to overhear even a hint of the whisper. He'd been quite though, and so she could only grind her teeth as he spoke words that might have undone all her good work.

"My night eyes are keen, let's get you out of here."

She said dryly, more than willing to risk the dark and the cold if it meant getting him far away.

Margul bids Kiara, Guyver, Azu, and Nutcracker farewell as they depart in the late afternoon. No longer burdened by the goods they had brought, Nutcracker's skill in the forest is such that he can lead you back to Fierce Hearts before midnight, though if you move at a fast pace (and take -5 to passive perception) you can make it before you get tired.

”Lead the way, and lead quickly.”

Kirce suggested, bundled up in her travel cloak against the chill and the cold. Her mouth was swaddled in a large scarf, her words muffled beneath the fabric.

”I’ve no desire to be forced to camp out in the open, if we can help it.”
This message was last edited by the player at 00:53, Sat 04 Feb 2023.

You arrive at the Fierce Hearts Village, weary, but safely. The guards recognize you and let you in, and you are given a place to rest for the night. In the morning, you are free to take Hexia's portal back to Smith's Gambit, report your successful mission, and receive your rewards. (If you wish, you may go straight to posting in Smith's Gambit.)