The party proceeded into a dark cave where they heard the sounds of orcs in conversation. Avoiding these voices, they crept silently in the dark until they came to a “jalapeño-shaped” jail cell. A pair of human prisoners were shackled within, and one named Garadel began shouting for their help. The party tried to quiet him, reasoning that they could not help until they made the area more secure. Just then, a pair of patrolling orcs named Whark and Thwark overheard the discussion and attacked but were killed by the party.
The party opened the cell gate, and Blumf used his sword Shatterspike to break the prisoners’ chains. Garadel, a farmer from Blassingdell, insisted upon joining them in their mission, claiming that his honor required him to help exterminate the orcs. The other prisoner, Corana, wanted only to return home and pleaded for an escort. Some in the party, both doubting Garadel’s ability to defend himself and not wanting to deviate from their objective, thought it would be best for the former captives to remain hidden here until a safe passage was cleared.
Garadel remained adamant about joining them. To convince him of his vulnerability, Charlie challenged Garadel to a duel, telling him he could join the adventurers if Charlie yielded first. They both threw punches, missing wildly, before Argora broke up the fight. The group decided to just let the pair take their chances and come along as they continued exploring the stronghold. Corana was frightened and considered staying behind, but Qeew convinced him he would be better off sticking with the group.
They came to a wide and deep chasm spanned by a rickety rope bridge. Across the expanse they saw what they believed to be the entrance doors to Khundrukai, which they knew were guarded on the outside by sentries. They decided they would attempt to cross, take out the sentries, and send Garadel and Corana home.
Charlie used a Levitate spell to steady the rope bridge. Each party member crossed one at a time without difficulty except Argora, whose foot went through the wooden slats of the bridge. He quickly recovered his balance and sprinted the rest of the way across.
They followed two passages to either side of the door and took out the orc sentries overlooking the external side of the main entrance. They then unbarred the front door. To aide them in their return home, Qeew drew a map showing a route from Khundrukai to Blassingdell. Garadel wanted to remain with the group to fight the orcs, but Charlie talked him into ensuring Corana got home safely by suggesting that he would be returning as a hero and that his harrowing tale of survival in the orc stronghold would already garner the admiration of “the ladies”.
A few minutes after the pair ventured into the forest at dusk on their path home, Keeva caught the scent of an orc hunting party approaching the stronghold. They barred the door and took up the posts of the defeated orc sentries. As the group of eleven orcs approached, they unleashed a coordinated surprise attack with arrows and firebolts. The orcs scattered, retreating into the woods or rushing the front door and busting their way in. A battle ensued in which all the orcs except those few that retreated were killed. Among their belongings, the party recovered a javelin bearing Durgeddin’s mark, the third such weapon they had found so far.
Exhausted by the fight, the party holed up in one of the lookout posts and rested for the night. During first watch, a bear was seen hanging around outside the door, but it took no aggressive action. During second watch, Kerath sighted an orc sneakily approaching the entrance, and he killed it in one shot with his crossbow.
In the morning, the group decided to cross the rope bridge to continue exploring the caves. Again everyone crossed without issue except Argora, who this time psyched himself out so much that he tumbled through the rope supports and began falling freely into the chasm. Charlie quickly cast a Levitate spell and saved Argora from a horrible death. In spite of their recent quarrel over Charlie’s nightmares, Argora was compelled to thank Charlie for saving his life.
After killing two orc cooks in a kitchen, the party sneaked toward the sounds of orcs in conversation. Argora and Kerath approached one closed door and cracked it open, seeing six orcs arguing inside a large room. As only Argora knew the orc language, only he could understand what they said: The party’s infiltration of the stronghold had been noticed and had shaken the orcs’ confidence in their leader, Ulfe. One orc favored supporting another contender for leader, Yarrack, who he said had the backing of Shagol, the queen.
Chalkboard sketch from 2017-10-16