Chapter 2: The Crucible of Freya

"An orc raiding party stole a chalice from the temple in a nearby village. We volunteered to retrieve it. We ambushed the raiding party before they could return here. A couple of our party returned to the village while the rest of us pressed onward to learn more about their base of operations." He pauses, seeming about to say more, but doesn't.

Kurin is overjoyed that they found his stuff and immediately puts on his gear, weapons and armour.

"Aye, this feels much better! Thank you for getting us out and finding our stuff, we are indebted to ya, and speaking for myself, will do whatever it takes to get the wounded and the dead out of here with us." He said to the group.

"Yeh, you get the idea, we pushed our luck a little too much and ended up being set up for sacrifice. Don't worry, we won't be making the same mistake again." He joined in and told the others.

"Anyone else that might be tied up here? If not, we should probably go..."

Datura feels instinctually that she has overstayed her welcome in the orc keep and edges towards the door to make sure forces aren't amassing against her beyond.

"Should we return to town?" Silverwick asks the group, "or press on after the one who got away?"

"There can’t be many worse than that priest around here. He was a brute. But he’s lost a good deal of orcs in our attack.

We may not have this chance again… And there are the dwarves, what little use they are."

Corian stands over his fallen companion and listens to the events that occurred in the chapel. His eyes glisten wet; it's no surprise, the two had formed a fast friendship. Looking up, there is hurt evident across his face. "We kill the rest. These orcs have committed atrocious deeds and will only continue should we leave."

Nebbleshuven sighs, feeling sorry for Corian's loss. "Between the orcs we slew in the raiding party, the ones we slew in this befouled chapel, and the ones among the battlements, there may be few, if any, still in this keep. The alarm was sounded, and their reinforcements appeared. Would any remaining sleep through that?" He lets that sink in with the group before adding, "If we do this—clear out the keep—then we should be able to stick together. But I would not be against leaving an archer or two in a tower as lookout."

"Right then, we finish the job."

Datura pushes her disquiet down and steels her nerves.

"We should bury him or cremate him, according to his god's customs," Kariantha says regarding Galdar, "and then like Nebs says, search this place to make sure it's secure and there aren't more intended sacrifices? Defile whatever that orc priest had planned, then fortify then place?"

The sun has finally set for the night, and darkness is upon you. Who shall bear the torch? Who shall be the target of those that lurk in the dark?

"Probably best that we find a room to barricade for the night, eh?"

The gnome is quite good at seeing in the dark and volunteers for the middle watch shift.

"Agreed." Nebbleshuven looks around at the filthy chapel. "It shouldn't be this place though. And the entrance tower with its green slime is also out. How was the tower? Was there enough room for all of us up there?"

"Here is as good a place as any. We may rest under the watchful eyes of Thyr, and use the pews to barricade the doors against attack. I think this place would welcome something other than filthy orcs beneath its roof for a change."

Nebbleshuven nods. "I didn't think that you'd be willing to stay here after the orcs defiled it. But if you feel our presence here will be restorative, then so be it. Hopefully, we'll go nose-blind to the stench soon."

The party sets to work barricading the doors and choosing sleeping arrangements. Corian, not knowing what else to do, begins trying to clean the chapel to the best of his ability; without access to water, the best he can do is pushing debris to the side. Early into the night, something tries to push in the doors of the chapel; orcish voices can be heard outside, and then nothing. Throughout the night rustling noises can be heard in the courtyard, but nothing else tries to enter. The morning arrives.

Datura had been tempted to rouse the party when the orcs tried the door in the night but decided they needed the sleep more.

"Well we know they're out there, ready for us. Shall we throw open the doors and ride for wrath and ruin?"

"Let's listen first. But then, yes. No one should be in view of the doors when we open them, just in case. We should try to collect the debris in the room to form a battlement and have the archers crouch behind it for cover. But if the courtyard is clear, are we returning to town or exploring the rest of the keep?"

"If we explore the keep we might find treeeeasurrrre..."

The gnome ads a sing-song quality to this last word to indicate how glowingly she feels about treasure.