Session 37 A Torch in the Dark

[Wildfire]

Session 37 "A Torch in the Dark"

Along our road to find the glyph we discuss the implications of having the two journals, one of which basically indicts Bardek of being a traitor (thereby offering Belwar sanction). The journal also indicates that Bardek believes he's a chosen of Moradin. Naturally, teaming up with Vorntoque would indicate otherwise. But it's also mentioned that Bardek may not actually be involved with Margarath (the gargan master). It's also discussed that it's odd that the journals are still intact...maybe for blackmail use? Maybe Urguth has them in case he needs to use them for leverage against Bardek.

We continue...


Knowing that making haste is crucial in getting the glyph, we, The Forest Keepers, force on to the next camp.

We hear some noise coming from up ahead and send in Faznar the Giggly in to investigate. He crept close...closer...closer still.  He spied an ogre, some orcs, slobgoblins, and an orc on a poor man's crucifix with his feet spiked into the ground being tortured (as if the spiked feet weren't torture enough) over a fire. Then Faznar giggled too much. He sends a magical message to Zurn, "THE JIG IS UP!!". Zurn conveys the message that Faznar may be turned into gnome marmalade shortly.

ATTACK! Faznar charms the ogre into beating one of the orcs into the ground like a tent post. The ogre confused at what he just did dimly says, "I dun a bad ting..." and proceeds to avenge his friend by tangling with Belwar. Mirri and Belwar tag team the ogre and a couple of orcs in a very bloody melee involving the pack of gargan. On occasion Belwar and Mirri were outfitted in red dunce caps, red devil horns, and red dildo hats (apparently it's the latest fashion for the injured). One of the pesky orcs was a shaman of some sort.

After the melee ended we approached the tortured orc (which is a really good name for a dive bar on the docks of some city). The orc has all manner of runes, dwarf-orc hybrid runes in some cases, tattooed on him. Among them on his right shoulder is a rune of the Kharan'Jhul and on his left the rune of the Marin'Thar (the scout division of the Kharan'Jhul). Not sure if we should let him go or kill him he states plainly, "Either kill me or release me." Being the trusting sorts with a sense of empathy, at least some of us, we let him go.

Through our conversation we find out that he's a soldier in a war that is raging and he's reluctant to tell us more information because he's not sure what side of this war we're on. He's on the side of Moradin and he wants proof that we are as well. We prove through revealing Zurn's holy symbol and Belwar's dad's axe that he can trust us. Later we show him our glyph.

He tells us the temple for which we seek the glyph was an outpost of the Varn'Khor (Soldiers). He also tells us that Burk the Ettin is leading this branch of the gargan and that he has the other glyph. He asks, and rightly so, why we seek the temple. Belwar informs him that we seek it in the hopes that it will in some way make up for the unfortunate death of Dannobar. That it's also for the greater good of his kin even though he's not in their favor. Ghering the Orc is surprised that we're doing this even though we're not Kharan'Jhul. How does he know that, we ask? "Because I am Kharan'Jhul." He replies.

Dun-dun-DAAAAH!!

[Johan]

Thanks, WF. I'll consider "polishing" this at a later time. It certainly captures the salient points!