[ We find Our Heroes just arriving at the site of their future keep. There's even a large, wooden sign saying, "Future site of: Fortification against the Hordes of Evil." ] [ They're here to interrogate some unusual orcs that stumbled onto the build site earlier. There are numerous reasons to do so, chief among them being 'to make sure there aren't more of them'. ] [ As they arrive, dwarves come up to take the reins of the horses Our Heroes rode on, because it's an awfully damn long way to go on foot. One of them begins speaking, saying, "The orcs are held in the orange tent over that way," and points that way. Session Start! ] * Ariake cracks a grin at the sign, and then thanks the dwarves. * Patrick smirks. * Istvan dismounts, adjusts his haversack a bit, then looks over at the tent. Thank you. * Seylin lands next to the group, as she flew instead of riding. * HKenji walks swiftly towards said tent. * Alcinoe nods. She dismounts, makes sure her horse is taken care of, and heads that way! Why beat around the bush? * Patrick heads that direction too! * Ariake follows! * Seylin walks along like a good party member. * Istvan blinks at the others, shrugs, and follows, muttering. "Planning, schmanning..." * Will thanks the dwarves who helped him off his horse before he walks towards the tent. [ The tent is small, orange, and under guard. Two dwarves with beardaxes and white robes stand outside it. ] Anyone speak Undercommon besides me? I do. * Will shakes his head. Yo. I do not. Not enough, no. * Istvan grunts. "Well, if we're interrogatin'... no offense, Patrick, Sey, but neither of you're really intimidating." * Seylin smiles. "None taken." * Patrick grins. "If you say so." Never underestimate the value of a few normal-looking folks sitting near the back and smiling. Oh, I ain't denying that. Just sayin' that, to an orc-kinda thing, big guy in dragonskin with a flaming pick might not be a bad start. * Ariake starts rummaging in her bag. I will conduct the interrogation. I mean no insult to your... considerable talents, Istvan, but much of interrogation is a matter of knowing what questions to ask. * Patrick cracks his neck. "Neither is a shot three centimeters from their head." You don't speak Undercommon, though. I do think Kenji should do this. He'll figure out what's goin' on even if they don't say it directly. * Ariake nods. If you got some way around that, though, I'll be more'n happy to just stand there and look mean. He don't need ta know Undercommon. Someone just hasta translate for 'im, if it comes ta that. Perhaps they will speak common. It's worth seeing, and I'll gladly translate. * Ariake fishes a few of the odder-looking gadgets out of her haversack. I guess I'll just wear my helmet and sit off to the side. Can't do much besides that... Works for me. Like I said, I'll just stand there and look ill- tempered. *pauses* At the moment, not much of a stretch. [ Istvan looks intimidating. No, really. ] So, get in there and figure out what's goin' down. ^_^ * Istvan draws his war pick, rests it on his shoulder, and heads into the tent. * HKenji waits a moment, then steps inside the tent, hands carefully held inside his sleeves. * Patrick walks in after Kenji, grinning as brightly as ever. * Ariake stretches for a second, and then follows Patrick in, looking totally calm and composed. [ Inside the tent are three odd-looking Orcs. Two are presently sleeping. The third one eyes you as you step in, and it's easy to see because his eyes are very large, for an orc. His ears are also larger, and his nose is less pronounced. If he were standing, he'd be nearly seven feet tall, and if he weren't in adamantine shackles he'd probably be able to break you in two. ] * Seylin walks in and blinks once. * Istvan raises an eyebrow, but maintains his +2 Scowl Of Grumpiness. * Curious_Orc smiles, in a friendly manner. Who are you? * Alcinoe walks in, looking at the orcs. She tilts her head. * Will adjusts the helmet on his head before walking in. He keeps to the back of the tent, standing behind Kenji. * HKenji steps up to the orc and looks at him dispassionately. * Ariake calmly looks at the orc, and then stands near the back, on the other side of Kenji. [ As a note, denotes stuff said in Undercommon. If you start talking it, put it in such brackets too, please. ] * Curious_Orc looks up at Kenji and just keeps on smiling. (^_^) Istvan, translate. * Seylin stands next to Patrick and eyes the curious orc with a curious expression of her own. * Patrick nudges Seylin and whispers to her. * Seylin whispers back. * Istvan blinks, then translates for Kenji. ...who are you? * Patrick chuckles and whispers to Sey again. * Istvan translates to the Orc. *translates* Who are you? * Curious_Orc looks over to Istvan. * Seylin stifles a giggle. * Patrick chuckles. *translates* * HKenji blinks. You're a visitor from WHERE? * Seylin whispers to Patrick. * Seylin blinks and whispers something else. * Patrick nods and whispers back. *translates* Where are the keys? * Istvan starts to translate, then blinks, and looks back at Kenji. "You asking him, or are you talking about the keys to the chains?" * Seylin blinks. "The keys?" The keys to the chains. * HKenji turns around and walks out the door and demands that information of the guards. You don't mean to... Guards prolly have him. Don't you think it's a bit early to be releasing him? * Seylin sighs as he leaves. [ The dwarves blink at Kenji and frown sternly. "Ach, ye aren't seriously thinkin' a lettin' 'im go, already?" ] I know what I'm doing. * Istvan sighs, then looks back at the orc. * Alcinoe frowns. She's got to learn Undercommon. * Seylin looks intrigued. * Curious_Orc draws himself up as straight as he can manage in the chair and chains and stuff. * Istvan looks back at the others. "He's says he's not an orc." * Patrick mmmms. Orog? ... anyone ever hear of Orogs? * Ariake blinks. "Hmm..." * Patrick shrugs. * Patrick whispers to Seylin. * Will shakes his head, signifying no. Naw. [ Meanwhile, one of the dwarves comes in and touches the chains that hold the Orog. They open, and he takes them off. ] * Seylin whispers back, then eyes the Orog uneasily. [ "If ye start screamin'," he says casually, "I'll be back to put him back in these." ] * Curious_Orog rubs his hands. I doubt we'll have that problem. Now. I am Ikoma Kenji of the Hosokawa family of the Lion clan. Who are you? *pauses; translates for Kenji* * Patrick whispers to Sey. * Curious_Orog rubs his wrists. He looks to Kenji. *translates* I see. Why have you come to the surface? * Alcinoe blinks. * Seylin blinks several times and looks at Kenji. * Patrick chuckles. * Ariake raises an eyebrow. * Seylin whispers to Patrick. * Will's armor squeaks as he turns to stare at Kenji. * Patrick whispers back. * Seylin answers and frowns cutely. * Patrick sighs and pats Sey on the back, whispering. Istvan, if you insult me again, there will be blood shed. * HKenji turns his attention back to Gratt. I'm not the one who lied to my own teammates about my skills. * Istvan scowls, and moves away from the conversation back to the others. * Seylin looks annoyed. * Gratt blinks his huge eyes. He looks between Kenji and Istvan. * HKenji ignores Istvan. * Gratt looks nonplussed. * Alcinoe frowns. * Gratt smiles. He frowns suddenly, in a thoughtful manner. * Seylin jerks her head up. "" * Will is smiling and nodding, pretending that he follows the conversation. * Alcinoe glances at Seylin. She isn't bothering to ask what's going on, but one hand is on her hilt. * Seylin looks over at Alcinoe. "The dragon lady. He's seen her." * Ariake blinks, and curses under her breath. * Alcinoe frowns. "That so? Ask what'd she do, yet?" We will. He says she's very unreasonable. Ah guess that's a nice way of puttin' it. * Seylin looks at Gratt. "" * Gratt muses. I see. * Seylin pales slightly. "" She beheaded a buncha Orogs. So it's fair to say he isn't fond of her. * Gratt points down. "" * Patrick raises an eyebrow. * Gratt blinks. * Gratt looks crestfallen. * Istvan breaks his silence, and chimes in. * Istvan steps outside to explain the situation to the guards and get them to do just that. You'll prolly hear talking in dwarven. [ After a moment, one of the dwarves steps in and wakes and unshackles the other two Orogs. ] * Seylin whispers to Patrick. * Alcinoe has moved her hand from her sword and folded her arms, but she still doesn't look happy. * Gratt leads his pals aside and has a muttered conversation! * Patrick shrugs and whispers back. * Patrick raises an eyebrow and tries his best to listen in without actually looking like it. * HKenji does not attempt to listen. Patrick is far better at it. * Will looks around at his party. "So what's happening now?" Ah dunno. Well, seeing as how beheading people generally doesn't make friends, I think we're gonna go visit where the Orogs are and see what's what, and if they wanna help us out. * Patrick whispers to Seylin. * Alcinoe ahs faintly. She whispers some words and makes a quick gesture. If nothin' else, the professors who maintain the Official Beastiary will be happy that we've discovered something unknown. * Ariake nods. * Will nods. "Sounds good. I'm surprised that the lady didn't kill them all..." Lady's way too strong a word for somethin' like that. Yeah, bonus points to Flying Couches. ^_^ I'm thinking she's doing a "Join me or die" thing. Or at least a "Don't oppose me or die" thing. Doesn't work if they're all already dead. She's a dead woman. * Ariake nods. * Will nods in agreement. * Patrick grins and nods. * Seylin looks around, then gives a tentative nod. * Alcinoe lets out a breath. "They ain't evil. Ah dunno 'bout trustworthy, but Ah think it's worth a shot." We just have to be really careful. ... given our past 'success' against her... and the fact that she managed to behead a few of our large, strong looking friends over there... I think we should be avoiding a fight with her for a while now. * Patrick whispers to Seylin. * Gratt stops his conversation and returns! * Seylin whispers back. * Istvan translates for the non-Undercommon speakers. [ And so they did! ] [ Session End. z.z ]