[IC] Chapter 1 - Concerning Orcs

Relieved that Silas finished one orc and the other is fleeing in fear, Dennan seizes the opportunity to chase down the lead orc with the note before it gets too far away.

He calls to the wolf, "Silas, come, find the orc!" as he rushes into the woods in the direction of the leader orc's departure. Although he can still hear the orc's rustling retreat, he hopes the wolf can take the lead and make up for Dennan's impaired vision under the night sky. Also he thinks moving out of the clearing is wise because he can't be sure the ice attack wasn't from Stone Tusk orcs or some other foe. In any case, at least the mark of the ice attack was these Thousand Axe orcs!

Veronica chuckles at that and says while still petting the kitten "Would you like to be my friend and companion, little one? I'll keep you safe. I just hope my friend Dennan is ok. "

Veronica looks at the kitten. "Where are you going? Do you want me to follow you?"

Dennan is alerted by Silas' sudden pose but is somewhat put at ease by the fact that the figure the wolf is reacting to is not an orc (or even a human...a dwarf maybe?) He is further comforted by the figure's apparent communication with Silas. This helps Dennan to realize the encounter is a denizen of the forest.

He rests his hand on Silas as if to tell the wolf to steady.

Then he says, "So the ice magic...that was you? You must know the forest well to be able to head us off here so quickly."


Very curious about this figure before him, Dennan waits for a response, despite being concerned with getting that note and returning to town. (He is rather worried that it has been a long time and Veronica could be in trouble in that mansion or elsewhere.)

Veronica follows the kitten but cannot crawl through the crack it crawled through so just walks outside the door of her room with her things. If she sees the kitten, she'll continue to follow it.

The humor goes largely over Dennan's head, but he smiles anyway. He is intrigued by the bizarre demeanor of this forester.

"Well, I thank you for what you did back there. I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't intervened."

He continues with a more serious tone, "Yes. There are more orcs out there. My companions and many villagers were captured by Thousand Axe orcs---same clan that the one at the bottom of the gorge belongs to. We were being transported north, to be delivered to their leader for some unknown fate, when a group of the Stone Tusk orcs---a clan more likely to be found here, south of the mountains---ambushed our captors while they were sacrificing captives in a fire ritual. My companions and I freed the captives and narrowly escaped during the upheaval and brought the group of prisoners to Verge, only to learn that humans in high positions there---one in particular, named Sir Antonic, who arranged the meeting we witnessed in the clearing---have been conspiring with the Thousand Axe orcs."

Dennan says the next part with obvious anger in his voice. "I do not know why this human would betray his people and to what end, but I do know my companion Veronica is tracking his movements in town trying to find out his motives. I fear she may be surrounded by his henchmen by now. I need to get a note that is on that dead orc below which may shed some light on the situation and then quickly return to Verge with proof of the wrongdoings of this betrayer, Antonic."

Once he gets all that out, Dennan breaths...

Astonished and puzzled as the the squirrel scurries away Dennan says in a confused tone, "uh...don't forget the note?"

"Veronica, you made it safely back. It's good to see you." First looking at the cat rubbing Veronica's leg and then shifting his gaze to the large squirrel he says, "It seems we both have made new friends."

He then relates all that happened in the clearing and there after, ending with, "...and I am not even sure his name, but he definitely saved me from brashly taking on three orcs with just the wolf."

Veronica nods. "Well, if he is here with you, I'll meet him. Otherwise, this cute little kitten shows me a golden locket on a chain with a man and woman in it. I wonder who they are. I have some information too. Seems Sir Antonic and a woman, maybe one of his mistresses , were arguing about his dealings with the Orcs. The woman wasn't happy about it. I know his place was swarming with guards. I snuck in and eavesdropped a little on the conversation before I headed back to the hotel and found the cute little kitten. It's a Gem, isn't it? It led me here but I feel like this mysterious locket holds more questions than answers. " Veronica noted a moment later.

"That's really interesting that the cat would show you the locket. If I can get some rest and the cat stays with you, I might be able to talk to the cat tomorrow and ask why he led you to it. It's possible our squirrel friend may be able to do the same--I mean if he wasn't a squirrel--It was apparent that he and Silas had a moment in the forest earlier."

Dennan thinks for a second, "Hmm...I wonder if our friend Fred would know who the man and woman are. If we run into him again before we leave in Verge, perhaps you could show him.

Speaking of leaving this town...you heard Antonic directly speaking of dealing with orcs, we managed to retrieve Antonic's seal that his guards carried out to the orcs--although the guards left the meeting with something the orcs gave them. It's too bad we didn't get that too--and I have Sebastian's sealed letter to bring to Threshold. Do you think it's time to journey there, present our findings, expose Antonic, and make a case for assistance for Verge? Or is there something more we could do here?

We still don't even know why the Thousand Axe Orcs are on the move so far south and what they were intending to do with us and the prisoners they captured."

Dennan looks at Gramun the squirrel and says, "and if I hadn't already used my animal communication powers earlier finding out what Silas had scouted, I could talk to our new friend right now, maybe the cat too." He shrugs.