Saturday, July 28, 2018

Master of Strings Ch46: The Hunt Begins

Maldrek takes a moment to tell Clay to watch the bar while the group begins to leave for their adventure. Aria  frowns at this saying,

"You really think its smart to leave a child in charge of the place? Shouldn't one of us stay with him?"

"I don't want to do it, but each of you are vital to taking down the band of goblinoids. Also I think Clay is more capable than some of you for this task. Come, we're losing time."

The group of five make their way to the local barracks and inquire to a guard about a recent escape from the dungeons. The young guard exhales and says, "Yeah, happened last night, one moment everything was fine, then as a guard was walking by on patrol the room suddenly was empty and the wall had a huge hole in it"

Maldrek rubs his chin and as he opens his mouth, Zilo seems to have read his mind, and says, "We are the folks who put away those bandits, would you mind if we took a look at the cells?"

"I guess that's not a big deal, long as a guard is nearby. Wait here I'll find someone for you." The guard went inside and after a few minutes he returned with another guard, who motioned for the group to follow.

They came to the cell. Like most dungeons the accommodation were stark, little more than a bucket and a splintered cot with chains on the wall for when the prisoner got rowdy or needed to be punished for something. The walls were solid stone rather than bricked with a barred window above eye level.

What stood out was the hole, as it wasn't chiseled or blasted open, but it looked more like the stone wall had warped and made a perfectly smooth hole like it was naturally formed that way. The group began to look around, Maldrek investigated the hole for only a few seconds then shouted back to the guard, "Is the guard that discovered this on duty still?"

"That'd be me actually, sir."

"Convenient. You're sure that you didn't hear anything?"

"Nope, was just making my rounds and noticed the hole, could see the moon right through the thing."

Sparky was about to poke what was left in the bucket as May pulls him away and turns to Maldrek, saying, "What you thinking boss?"

"This was probably our wizard friend using Stone Shape and on top of that he may have Silenced the the spell. This Hobgoblin is very different from their ilk, most are too stuck up in their own hierarchy to bother learning creative methods like this."

The guard scratches his head and says, "What I find weird is that he bothered to save the half-orc."

Zilo squints to the guard and asks, "Why is that odd?" Aria interjects for her guy and says,

"The Orc and Goblin tribes in this area kinda hate each other, and that includes half-orcs. Orcs are kinda extremely tribal and crazed. That doesn't mesh well with the Hobgoblin's military mindset. Luckily the hobgoblins tend to live somewhere underground while the orcs roam the planes to the east."

Maldrek looks back to Aria and says, "You think you could show us to those planes Aria?"

Sparky's jaw drops and he reacts with, "YOU WANT GO TO ORCS!? Mam always say no good be big angry sorts."

Maldrek points out to the terrain past the hole and says, "Unfortunately these hobgoblins are somewhat skilled. there are no tracks I can spot at all. If the half-orc with them is anything like his tribal brothers head want to get as far away from his cell mates as he can get. My bet is he returned home to the rest of his Orc brothers."

The four other adventurers gulp before hanging their heads and agreeing with his logic. They all return to the bar and ready the wagon with Presto and Vivace. Aria drives the cart and after about a half day of travel they spot some smoke on the horizon. They get off the wagon and Maldrek says,

"There is no way that we don't end up needing to knock some skulls. Jin would have been perfect for this. Regardless, Aria, watch the cart."

"What!? No way!"

Zilo sees Aria turn to him and turns to Maldrek, "Yeah, Aria can handle this Maldrek."

Indignantly Maldrek turns to the two of them and.... stifles his face. He very clearly looks to be in pain before he says in a weak voice, "Fine."

Aria gives a happy little hop and adjusts her short sword as Maldrek opens up his spellbook and conjures an Unseen Servant.

"Jeeves, make sure the cart is safe for a few hours, we need to go take care of something." Says Maldrek handing the reigns off to... what looks like nothing.

"Of course, Sir." Responds an unknown voice that drives the cart back down the road.

The group approaches a large Orc encampment. They span the entire hillside with small fires and ragged tents surrounded by large burly orc and smaller, but just as dangerous half-orcs. They all seem to be resting since most Orc tribes in this region only move at night to more effectively raid small villages.

Zilo stops the group from marching in and reaches into his pack, saying, "From the few words we shared with the half-orc last time, I can tell that if we walk right in there, we are dead. Everyone take cover behind those rocks. I have something that will take care of that."

May looks to him questioningly and asks, "What?"

"As I've said many times, I learned many things at the Umbral Bard Academy about being a spy if needed." Remarks the bard who produces a roll out tool set of different brushes, grooming utensils, fake hair, and makeup.

"I had to learn how to disguise myself as a multitude of races randomly at any time, making humans look to be orcs should be a cake walk. May you're first, sit here." Continues Zilo grabbing a handful of grass that he cuts with a dagger.

The bard begins to rub the cut grass on May's face while he explains, "Aria file down some twigs into fake tusks for me while I work on the skin. Grass like this will make a great base coat of green."

After applying enough Grass remnants to May's face he balls up the grass then reaches into her shirt and says, "Plus with whats left I can stuff your outfits to look like we are larger than we loo-"

Before Zilo can finish May slaps him for reaching into her shirt and she say angrily remarks, "I can handle stuffing my own shirt you idiot!"

After about two hours the group looks much more orc-like. Zilo and the women didn't have enough time to stuff enough grass to grow another foot and be Orc sized, but they very easily looked like half orcs. Sparky was the only one who stood no chance with his height, but Maldrek had a rather good idea to put him on his shoulders and raise his cloak.

With this, Maldrek's horns were hidden, and with them stacked up they looked much more orc-like as a result. Zilo's disguises didn't look entirely real, but at a glance the Orcs wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Like a charm they walked into the camp and managed to avoid detection.

They got all the way to the outside of the Chiefs tent, where they planned to interrogate him secretly to find the half-orc from the hobgoblin raid. Unfortunately that half-orc found them instead.

"HEY YOU!" Shouted a familiar barbarian half-orc, who stomped over to Zilo snatching away his hat and revealing his mane of silver hair that was hidden in the hat.

"I'd never forget this hat! The hat of the dirty human who beat me!" Shouts the Orc, gathering the attention of those nearby, who began to mumble in orcish.  Zilo was stunned frozen, cursing in his need for his stylish fashion choices.

The group was thrown into the Chief's tent before the massive 8 ft. tall Orc with graying hair, and muscles that made him look more monster than man covered barely by some hide cloth. Beside him was an equally intimidating female Orc with beaded hair and piercing eyes. She stood almost 7 ft tall and had a few more hides than the chief, but only barely.

The adventurers all sat on their knees as the chief and the Barbarian spoke back and forth in orcish. as they spoke the Chief pointed at Zilo and Laughed for a moment. The Barbarian nodded and the chief let out a deep laugh as the female stared at Zilo, seeming to look through him before she joins them in orcish, never taking her eyes off the bard.

"I don't like that stare." Whispers Aria under her breath.

"Aria Jealous?" Questions Sparky, who's words make Aria question the little goblin's sanity a bit more.

The barbarian grabs Zilo and asks, "Hat Man! After you beat me, is it true you beat Artka?"

"Who?" Squeaks Zilo shivering in the half-orcs grip.

"Magic Hob Man!" Shouts the giant man, Zilo then turns to the chief and female nodding enthusiastically, thinking he could use this to save their skins. The chief leans back in a chair made of bone rubbing on his stubbly gray-haired chin for a few minutes before pounding the arm of the chair.

He turns to the female orc and utters a short phrase in orc. In response the female smiles devilishly and walks over to Zilo, taking him from the barbarian's grip and holding him firmly in her own. Zilo looks over at the half-orc and asks, "What is this?"

The half-orc stops for a bit, like he is trying to recall the word before finally uttering, "Your bride."

Zilo's four friends' eyes widen as they take in the woman who looks practically twice Zilo's size and all of them blink a moment before imagining them together, and grimacing. Zilo shivers as he looks into his new fiance's eyes and responds with,

"Not again."

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