To Find the Witch Queen 3.1

We marched toward our destiny, not really quite knowing how we will find the Witch Queen just knowing we have to. Wendall takes us down the path back the way we had come only just recently. We are still being kept magically awake by the elf dust. We had traveled, fought and traveled more. We were very near Kurgan Falls when exhaustion first started to appear. We decided to set up camp and do our normal watches. I never was woke up for my watch and we all slept through the night and woke up dizzy, hungry, and twitchy luckily we were safe from animals and orcs. It was worse than ale, I will never do that again unless it's really necessary. Croft wanted more, but thankfully there wasn't any more to be found.

We ate and headed back down the falls. The giant walking stone statue was still in the same position we left it, truly a statue now. Devil Horn headed toward the pool to fill up his water skin when he noticed something odd. Dark shapes began to grow larger and head toward him, large smelly bubbles broke the surface. The smell was sickening. We backed up, we knew something was wrong. Out of water came dark, twisted, wounded and dead goblins. They may have been dead, but that didn't stop them from attacking us. The difference now they didn't use their weapons that hung to their sides, now they used their teeth and hands turned into claws. We realized in our haste we had not beheaded our former kills now we faced the Fell. Fortunately for us they were only a few and we were able to dispatch them with relative ease, with just some minor scratches and bruises. I killed two with little effort. This time we made sure they wouldn't rise again. We cut off all their heads, built a small fire and burned their skulls. Devil Horn threw the bodies in the water trying to skip their bodies across the small lake.

We quickly left Kurgan Falls behind learning a valuable lesson, never ever leave your dead with out making sure they stay dead. We march for a few days, foraging and hunting as we go, but making good time. Lorn makes these little berries that taste good and fill you up, it's kind of weird, but I'm not complaining. We hear an animal noise and smell a noxious oder of rotting flesh. Out of the brush a crazed ort charges right into Croft and the Big Guy. Luckily for them it just brushes them, it continues down the path crashing into everything. Devil Horn picks up a rock bigger than me and tosses it at the sick ort. The rock sails down the path and you hear the spine break before you hear it scream one last time. I head down toward the now dead ort. I gag a little when I realize it has huge infection on it's leg. It looks like it was cut and the cut turned rancid with infection. That explains why it was acting so odd. I take my skinning knife out and begin to gut it. We can't use most of the meat, but we can get enough for a fresh meal. I roughly butcher enough meat for us to have a couple meals. There is no time to preserve the meat, so we leave the carcass for nature after we move it off the path and clean up the mess.

Lorn and Croft turn the ort meat into a bland stew. I have had better but it was nice to have fresh meat. I curl up in my blanket and go to sleep knowing I will have to wake up soon enough for my watch. I was dreaming about the most beautiful jungle elf and she was just about to take off her top when Croft wakes me up. I really don't like that gnome. He has that annoying smile I just want to slap him. I go find a quiet place to take my watch and mediate on my surroundings. When its time to wake up the Big Guy I am still in a bad mood and I need a good laugh. Considering this human is almost three times taller than me, I guessed his ear canal must be three times bigger as well. I began to suck on my finger covering it with spit and stick it right in his ear, I was wrong his ear canal is probably five times bigger and my finger goes all the way in. He jumped up like a maiden seeing a snake for the first time. I giggle something terrible, he yells and I say it's your turn. I feel better and go back to sleep hoping to find the elf maiden again, I had a snake I wanted to show her.

The next day we think we might be on the trail of a possible orc camp. We are tracking some boot tracks that are so trampled it is hard to tell what they are. Croft and I scout ahead and begin to follow a stream. We see three human kids fishing. They looked so scrawny and ragged. They see us as soon as we see them. We wave to them and walk toward them. They look nervous and are chattering as we get nearer one of them bolts off. I chase after him, while Croft stays with the other two kids. For a sickly boy, he ran fast, he did have the advantage of knowing the game trail better than me. I almost caught up to him, when we left the cover of the foliage and ran into a clearing full of armed humans, just as ragged and dirty as the children. There was more than I could count in the moment, I turned completely around and ran as fast as I could the way I came.

I ran until I saw Croft who was still with the kids, who stood amazed with their mouths opened wide and their eyes even wider as they saw Devil Horn walk toward them. I took a couple deep breaths and reported what I seen. We talked to the children who although seemingly scared were friendly toward us. They said they would guide us to their camp. We followed them to the encampment where all of the humans came out to meet us in formation with drawn weapons. The boy that I chased now was carrying a spear. The two children who were with us dashed away and motioned for us to follow. We do so tentatively, but we keep our weapons sheathed and away. A large Dorn who appeared to be the leader stepped forward from the formation toward us. He introduced his self as Gweth Oran of the House Oran. He says he speaks for the group and is as close as a leader they small group has. I looked more closely at all of the group, they were so ragged, not a button in the group of about 30 humans mostly Dorns.

We go into a shack and talk with Gweth, we tell him about the razing of Durgis Rock and the slaughter of so many dwarves and refugees. He told us a similar story about a loose alliance with the Astan Clan. A clan of Dwarves and Darros that were eliminated by the Shadow. Genocide is in full swing and I couldn't help but think it had something to do with the tube we were carrying. Devil Horn told him we were sure there was a band of orcs around here and that it wasn't a good idea to stay and suggested they come with us to find safety. Gweth said they were hardy fighters and ready to face any challenge the orcs had. It was false bravado and we all knew it. This group was already defeated they were just waiting for the killing blow. They gave us food and shelter for the night. It was nice to share hospitality with others after so much misery in the last couple of weeks. Although the fare was meager it was wonderful. After I ate, I pulled out my orc skin packed in salt and began to work it some. Two of the kids we meet earlier wanted to help me. I gave them fat and rocks and they each took a leg and worked the fat into the skin. They made lots of mistakes, but it was just an orc it was okay. I just smiled and gave some hints on how to make the job smoother.

We slept very peaceful with so many people around us, but I still couldn't help but think that this camp will be destroyed soon as well. That morning we asked Gweth one more time to leave with us and he just rubbed his bald head, smiled and wished us luck. Are all Dorns this way, I have heard stories, but Lorn and her brother are the only Dorns I know and well they are just off anyways, or maybe that is what Dorns are like.

We say our goodbyes and continue on our way until Croft notices something on the trail that looks like a Dwarven marking. It is a good thing Croft noticed these markings because the orcs we were looking for were now looking for us. What we thought was a small patrol looks to be more like a horde. He suggests we follow the markings and we all agree. We follow it for a short way until we come to a well hidden spot that has a door with what appears to be a puzzle. We have to solve the puzzle fast, we can hear the orcs horns and drums beating a path to us. That seems to be the way it is, in order to find the Witch Queen it will be many trials and tribulations before we ever find her. I hope we all survive.

A Second Goodbye V2.7

Devil Horn and Croft were arguing on whether or not to open the silver case that that Wooden entrusted into the Big Guy's hands. I am as pragmatic as the next guy, but I felt this was no time to worry about petty items and it wasn't that shiny anyways. I reached up and grabbed it and I wondered what would happen if I opened it. Immediately my body felt cold then it felt as if I was melting. I let them know that if they decide to open it I don't want to be any where near them, because I am pretty sure they will die a terrible death. They gave up arguing about the case then they started arguing with Duncan. They are starting to trust my instincts, I just wish I could.

Duncan was demanding we follow him to Silvervein and we are insisting that we have to go find the Witch-Queen. Duncan did not want to hear it he wanted our skills to help protect what is left of Durgis Rock. We tried to make him understand that our mission was bigger than Durgis Rock, but he was too distraught to comprehend anything but protecting who was left and finding a hole to hide in. I completely understood, but now I knew I could hide no more. Destiny seems to have a plan for me whether I want it or not. I will never be able to settle till this darkness is no more, or I am dead. I fear the latter is more likely.

We go back out among the survivors of Durgis Rock and help take care of the dead. We burn the bodies and salvage what we can. I went back to the Great Hall and took the book I seen the first day I came to live in my new home. I liked the pictures and the leather work. I couldn't read, but that didn't matter it was pretty. I skinned an orc and packed into salt, I was thinking of making it into something later, maybe armor or a practice dummy. I need more practice with my new weapons. There was a short sword I picked up too, just for something to trade with later.

I over heard Amond talking with Devil Horn and Lorn that there was humans in the Rock with large dog like creatures, they were looking for Elven spies. I think they just missed each other. I wonder what that was all about.

We were packed and ready to leave. Duncan pleaded with us one last time to follow him and again we stressed the importance of finding the Witch Queen. He wished us luck, put his head down staring at the ground and marched the pitiful remains of Durgis Rock toward Silvervein. Wendall and Croft were chattering in their annoying language Croft finally shuts up which is a rarity for him. He and Wendall said that our best bet was to head west and our first real stop would be a place called Bayden's Bluff on the Sea of Pluria. We asked Wendall what kind of place it was and he just smiled and said it's a place where things happen, with a knowing smile. He said that like we knew what that meant. Croft said it is a place to get supplies and transportation. It will be hard for the humans especially to travel and the Big Guy sticks out worse than a tree on the Plains. He said it would be safer and faster for us all. We all agreed but we had no idea where we were going, only generally west. Wendall said he knew the way.

I took a deep breath and looked back at the place I had called home only for a few months and I was already having to say goodbye because of orcs again.