Backed Against a Wall

4/5/2017

   After defeating the massive dire bear the GoG suddenly found themselves in an interesting position.  Meat and pelts are a rare and valuable commodity and now they had an abundance.  Walking to Guardstown would take too long, the meat would spoil and the hide would rot, so their only option to sell it was in Ogon'Ozero.  The hide was easy enough to unload, though there was no way for them to get the full value.  A local tanner named Aldrina, a goblin, bought the hide for 850g and promised to craft some fine hide armor for Kaszuk.  The meat was more difficult to sell.  No single person could afford to buy it all, so the group had to go building to building selling a few pounds here and there.  In the end they had netted over 2000g from the parts of the bear.

   Walking around a city with this much meat and making this much gold was attracting attention.  The GoG were being followed by an ever growing crowd of locals.  Orcs, giants, drow, they all seemed interested if not in the meat, in the gold.  With everything sold off the time came to leave town and again sleep safely outside the walls.  But, when they reached the main gate they found it sealed.  The crowd began to mock them, talking about how they would die tonight and how much they would enjoy eating them and their bear meat.  A guard explained to Bastian that the gate was out of their control, it closed every night and opened every morning on it's own.  The GoG were trapped.

   The crowd started to get more aggressive, closing in around the GoG.  Kaszuk and Zorak attempted to push them back as a few of the spectators jabbed at Bastian and Kaszuk with poles.  Zorak attempted to intimidate the crowd and speak with them on their level, joking and hoping to diffuse the situation, but Kaszuk had no interest in speaking.  His lips curled back brandishing his fangs while taking an aggressive posture with his claws.  The orc Zorak had been speaking with moved in closely to him, Zorak, having had enough, activated his Switch-blade, transforming it from a dagger into a greatsword as it ran through the orcs stomach.  That was Kaszuk's cue.  While the others dealt with a few members from the crowd Kaszuk faced off against a single orc.

   For a week now they have been trapped in this realm.  Lost, deceived, mocked, and now imprisoned Kasuk had reached his limit.  He lunged at his target slashing wildly with his claws and biting the man.  Only a few of the orcs dared to join this conflict.  Two of them had now been defeated by the rest of Kaszuk's allies and Zorak called for the fight to end.  Kaszuk intended to end this fight his way.  Grabbing his prey, Kaszuk bit out the man's throat, spit the viscera into his hand and threw it at the taunting crowd who was now calling for the GoG's blood.

   The conflict over, and Kazuk having settled down, it was time to decide how to move forward.  Their options were very limited; stay in town and likely be attacked at night, leave via the west gate witch lead to Tecticlan, or leave via the east gate witch lead to Klagnor's decent, the bed, and possibly the chain or Scourge.  It was decided that they would travel east.

   As with most mornings, Kaszuk set about sending messages and convening with the gods.  He asked "Should we use the Artifact in Atreides' posession to unchain the moon?" and received the response; "You've heard a tale so tall, it does deceive your intuition, Use the key and kill you must, or flea must be your mission."  Kaszuk took this to mean that they were mistaken about the purpose of Atreides' artifact.  Kaszuk was at a loss.

   With no real direction the GoG have become very uncertain.  Up until this point gathering information had been the top priority but it seemed like they knew everything the locals could tell them and were still no closer to determining a goal.  Since the beginning Vath has insisted on traveling to Tecticlan, he feels that we may be able to learn more once there.  Kaszuk and Zorak have stood strongly against this, until now.  With no real direction or clues on how to proceed the two conceded to Vath's suggestion and attempted to return to Ogon'Ozero.  They would have to pass through the city again in order to reach Tecticlan.

   As they approached the city gates they could see a contingent of soldiers waiting, presumably for them.  Vath attempted to speak with them asking for passage.  The guards called back, telling us that it was safe to continue.  Bastion assured us, this was a lie.  The group that they were looking at was strong enough and would be a difficult battle, but they also had the entire city behind them.  The GoG are not equipped no do they have the manpower to siege a city.  Knowing when they are outmatched, the GoG turned back and headed deeper into the caves.

   Following another day of travel and night of rest Kaszuk again spoke with others beyond.  To the gods he sent: "I am lost, great ancestors.  Please, what guide me oh goddess.  What should I do?" and received "Find the truth, don't delay, Others work to free your pray, Fear not tyrants, brave be you, or death to all, is sure true."  Which to Kaszuk simply meant that they needed to focus their efforts on finding and destroying the evil in this place but it still did not indicate how to go about this.  Desperate, Kasuk attempted a second divination: "Please, I don't understand.  Are we on the right path?  Is scourge the one we seek?"  and received: "Scourge is one, There may be another, knowledge is key, and the key opens knowledge."  That settled it for Kaszuk.  Semmuanya has indicated that Scourge is at least one of the evils of this realm and must be dealt with.

   This morning, he also received a sending from Clapham: "I don't know the curse, the creature may have horns.  Divinations have seen him arising to destroy world.  Need more information on Recludam."  and replied with: "Scourge, the demon that rules this island and who imprisoned us.  He is horned.  Never heard the word Recludam we will investigate."  Atreides recalled the word.  "Recludam" is imprinted onto the side of the artifact.  Kaszuk also translated the rubbing from the ruins, written in celestial it simply read "Waqit Palace."

  It was only a few hours before the group came upon their first settlement since leaving Ogon'Ozero, Grissol.  It seemed to mostly be populated by orcs, but other dark creatures inhabited it as well.  As the GoG were headed towards the local inn for information they were stopped by a younger looking female orc, Tisha.  She explained that she was desperate, her father, an old man with dementia, had wandered off.  When she saw us come from the caves she could tell that we were able fighters and pleaded with us to assist her.  Most of the GoG had no sympathy for the woman's plight, but had many questions.  They learned the villages on this side of Ogon'Ozero were ruled over by one named Tyrant and not by Scourge.

   Evidently Scourge and Tyrant are at war with one another.  This makes sense.  Scourge seemed like he had complete control of Shadow but was waiting for something, now they know that Scourge does not, in fact, control the island.  It would seem that Tyrant and Scourge fight over control of Shadow.  Were the GoG to destroy one of these demon lords it would create a power vacuum allowing the other to take control.  There was some brief discussion about perhaps allying with Tyrant, but Kaszuk is as opposed to that as he is opposed to taking part in Tecticlan.

   The GoG were about to walk off, ignoring the woman's please for help but Bastion had other ideas.  He insisted that he and the two others who wanted to help go with Tisha.  Kaszuk didn't want to help her but loathed the idea of splitting up.  He agreed to help.