Episode 17

Youtube Link

## Plot Summary

The scouting mission rests after the battle. Four royal guards and eleven Forgotten remain.  Nitsuj requests that one of the Forgotten comes with him as an escort while he relieves himself.  A young boy accompanies him.  Nitsuj pretends to trip and cast an illusion to make it appear that his leg is broken.  As the boy bends over to help him, Nitsuj stabs him with his hidden dagger.  The boy tries to fight back, but has a punctured lung.  A twig snaps as Nitsuj finishes him off.  He feels a euphoric rush as the boy’s soul is consumed: number three.  A gnome woman sees this happen and screams.

From the camp, Ora hears the scream.  She wakes up Starheart and they go towards the noise.  Ora sneaks up on the woman and forces her to drink a sleeping potion.  Nitsuj moves his illusion to his chest and pretends that he was attacked by a wild animal.  Starheart touches him to heal him and he releases the illusion, pretending to be healed.  They see the dead child.  Starheart sees that the wound to the boy’s throat has definitely been stabbed by a blade.  Ora searches for animal tracks but cannot find any.  Starheart accuses him murder.  Nitsuj admits it but rationalizes it in pursuit of power.  Starheart slaps Nitsuj in the face and then attempts to cast revivify on the boy, but Nitsuj’s counterspells it

Screams are heard from the camp and Klack calls out that the animal has arrived in camp.  Before they leave, Ora uses her dagger to make more wounds in the body.  They rush back to the camp and see four of the Forgotten’s bodies crushed on the ground.  A cyclops with yellow scars and teeth ramages through the camp, with an orc lieutenant on his back, directing its movements.  Another five orcs also appear and battle ensues.  The cavalry fights back but get annihilated by the cyclops.  Bubo sleeps through the initial carnage in his tent.

Klack, Grint, and Tinytoes join the battle.  Starheart is able to calm the cyclops and it puts down its weapon.  The orc lieutenant beats the cyclops to get it moving again.  Ora climbs a tree, but accidentally falls from it.    Bubo finally wakes up and attacks the orc lieutenant who is right in front of his tent.  Ora orders everyone to fallback to the treeline.  Starheart convinces the cyclops to crush the orc on his shoulder, then casts a heal on it.  Ora hops on a free horse and charges the remaining orcs.  The orcs are confused by Tinytoes, but Bubo takes advantage of their confusion and shoots one in the throat.  Ora finishes off the orc lieutenant who has had a miserable night.  Nitsuj goes invisible and stabs the last orc, but Tinytoes steals the kill.

Ora tries to befriend the cyclops, with Nitsuj acting as interpreter.  The cyclops doesn’t want anyone to ever ride him again, but expresses gratitude for being healed.  Starheart offers her flask and it takes it and eats it.  The cyclops is free but does not know where to go.  As they debate what to do with the cyclops, Wisp Walker demands to know why it’s still alive.  The cyclops explains that orc scouts are out scouting, much like they are.  There are at least fifteen camps in the forward wave of the horde.  They are looking for anywhere to conquer, not just Copperforge.  They have many giants, trolls, and cyclops that they have broken and are using in their army.  Kurluk surrounds himself with shamans and has made a dark pact with someone.

Wisp decides he’s seen enough to return to Copperforge.  They continue resting for the night.   Bubo questions Nitsuj about his odd behavior lately.  He explains the pact he made with Kelrek. Bubo understands, but thinks it was a bad idea.  He agrees to help him kill the last three people.  Ora talks to the Forgotten and tells them to travel west to Mooncrest Bay with Captain Grint, but they explain that they still have their collars on.  Ora is able to deactivate two of them, but accidentally sets off another's collar, killing him.  The other two leave with Grint.

Starheart confronts Nitsuj for being selfish.  Bubo defends him and Nitsuj says he’s doing it for the greater good.  He counters that Starheart is not being a good friend and supporting him.  She’s upset with him and leaves.  She gets the cyclops and the guards to bury the bodies.  Ora goes to the body of the Forgotten she killed and shouts “I sacrificed 48 for you and you take 48 from me?  How is that fair!?”

## Fun Moments

Deva tries to make friends with the cyclops, but doesn’t speak or orc or giant, so just repeats the word “friend” over and over.

Andrew can’t think of something funny to say when Bubo sees the giant cyclops foot outside his tent, so Justin says “The battle’s afoot!” and everyone groans.  Danny gives him bad pun inspiration.

Chat calls Andrew “glucose-tolerant Danny,” which surprises Danny since he’s actually gluten intolerant and has been drinking Coke and eating starbursts all night.   Andrew says that Danny is Glenn Glucose intolerance which does NOT earn a bad pun inspiration.

Justin’s impression of speaking orc is pretty much just Scooby Doo.

They literally asked for these gifs: