Kuldahar

Aldwin squeals like a pig, but Ug holds him fast until Halla and Natalie (and most of the town) show up.

"What is going on here, Ug?" Halla still seems a bit cold towards the adventurers. "They said something about a thief in the inn?"

The avatar falls and turns to black smoke that drifts away on the mountain wind. Immediately the orcs and Erevain are released from whatever power held them, and Erevain nearly runs to her side. He pauses, however, and Alalla notices his knuckles are white from the effort. He smiles weakly at her, but then turns to Chaide and Keggruk, waiting for one of them to speak.

The orcs stand with stunned disbelief. Chaide steps forward and touches Alalla's armor with two fingers. "You stood against him! You live to tell the tale..." She turns to the other orcs. "If there is anyone who can lead us toward something better, is it not Alalla?"

Many of the orcs cheer. There are some, however, who look at her wounded face with narrowed eyes. The mark of The One-Eyed God. Alalla can guess what they are thinking... If Gruumsh sent an avatar to test her might and bless her with his mark, is she actually standing against him? Or is she doing his work even still?

In the end, all of the orcs swear to do she says, but Alalla has to wonder how long it will last.

Alalla leaves them with instructions to focus on their survival. They will need to support themselves without taking from others and without sacrificing each other. She will return later to check on them and hopefully bring news of a better place for them to make their home.

With that Al and Erevain begin their trek back to Kuldahar. They walk in silence for a time, as Alalla refuses to speak or let Erevain look at her many wounds. It isn't until they are far from the orc camp, and she is sure they are alone, that Al lets her walls come down.

She falls to her knees in the snow and sobs.

Erevain kneels down beside Alalla and begins tending to her wounds. He is no cleric or druid, but he does what he can. Despite his best ministrations, he can do nothing to heal her lost eye.

When he is finished, he starts a fire and settles them both next to it, arm around her. One hand strokes her hair and fingers the beads woven into the braids. "You did it, sharuhk. You beat him. And you will again, for good! I am here, beside you. He cannot have you." He continues his soft murmurs long into the night.

"There is a thief in this inn!" Ug exclaims, holding up the struggling halfling. "Master aldwin knew inn belonged to friend Natalie but hid it! Ug has ring to prove this thing, Ug shows ring to fat little thief, and scum sucking pig tries to run." Ug gives a little squeeze on the halfling, "Aldwin is not good friend!"

Ug drops the former innkeeper down, sits on him to keep him still, and pulls out the ring for Halla to see.

All Alalla can think about on their return trip, when she allows herself to think at all, is of the bed waiting for her in the Inn, and how nice it will be to sleep a few days away in warmth and comfort.

When they arrive in Kuldahar, Erevain and Al make their way through town as discretely as they can. Alalla isn't ready to have to talk to anyone else yet, so thankfully the town is sparse and they manage to make it through without meeting anyone. Until they arrive at the inn, that is, and discover where the townspeople have gone.

As Ug makes his declaration to Halla, Al only listens with one ear and does her best to fade into the crowd. A difficult task for a woman in a white cloak and plate armour, standing as tall as most men with a golden glaive almost as tall as Ug, but she thinks it would be worse to leave now.

Thankfully, most are occupied with the spectacle, Alalla thinks as she double checks that her hood is pulled low over her face.

Aldwin let's out a squawk of protest, but Halla takes the ring and reads the inscription aloud.

As the crowd gasps, Halla turns to Natalie and hands her the ring. Then she walks over to Aldwin, fixing him with an icy stare. "What do you have to say for yourself, Aldwin?"

The halfling'a face is going purple from the strain of Ug's weight on him, but he clasps his hands in front of his face, pleading. "Please, Halla! You know I would never do something like this! I was just robbed only a few minutes ago - you can even check my back door, I'm sure the place has been broken into!" He screws up his eyes and lets tears fall down his face. "I didn't known about the ring, I swear! I've just been trying to do good by the people here. Remember when the orogs attacked? I opened my rooms to the townsfolk to provide shelter and rest. I am an upstanding citizen of the town!"

Ug rises off the halfling, lifts him high up but an inch from his face and snarls.

Ug uses intimidating presence to try and break Aldwins deception and have him confess. It is a DC 13 save or be frightened of Ug.

Aldwin cries out in fear as his vision blurs, and then he is staring into Ug's barbarian face. "Eek! Fine! Alright, I lied! The Evening Shade Inn was always supposed to be Natalie's. But please, don't let him eat me!"

Halla rolls her eyes, obviously tired of the display. "Well, Ug? What should be done with him?"

Ug can’t help but make the runt squeal once more as he mimics bite motions with his mouth. He then laughs at the halfling "Aldwin needs mother very very badly", Ug drops the halfling and turns to Halla, "Ug is no lawman, village can decide. But Ug thinks all money and inn go to Natalie. Halfling May be motherless, but has not hurt anyone. He is coward, but not danger, make him clean toilets, Village decide." As an afterthought, "but as he has stolen ring, we should make sure Moop has stolen nothing else"

Natalie claps her hands with delight. "I knew Eidan would never have trusted Aldwin. And with the inn's earnings, maybe Jermsy won't have to stay with that awful new priest. I don't think he's a very good influence." She looks at Aldwin, the miserable halfling. "The inn will be a lot to manage. If he could help to work off some of the damage he's done... Well. At least then he'll still have a place to eat and sleep."

She skips up to Ug and gives him a great hug. "Thank you, Ug! You and your friends are always welcome to stay for free."

Seeing that everything is being taken care of, Halla sighs. "All's well as ends with no work from me." She moves away from the group of people, then notices Zenithral. She doesn't shy away from eye contact, but she looks distinctly uncomfortable. She pauses, giving him the opportunity to speak if he wishes.

Ug (and any in company of they wanted to come) approaches the wizard tower with a determined mindset. He had to do this. He had to become something stronger. Protecting those around him was worth whatever the cost may be. Ug grabs the door knocker and knocks three times.

Orrick himself answers the door immediately. With some sturdy boots, a small pack on his back, and Islimach on one shoulder, the wizard looks dressed for the road. The look he gives Ug suggests that perhaps he had not been planning on opening the door for the goliath. "Well? How can I help you?"

Ugs shoulders sag under a hidden weight but his eyes show a fierce resolve. "Ug needs hunters bane." it’s not a question. Ug briefly describes how even his most honed barbariaan strength was no match for a devil of the blood war.

Orrick furrows his wizardly brow. "And so you wish to dabble in blood magic? Well. On your head be it." He holds out his hand and Islimach scurries down his arm to sit in his palm. Orrick's other hand holds a bottle beneath the spider, and then he mutters a spell. Islimach instantly implodes, and then steaming red juice drops down into the bottle. The wizard tosses in a few more ingredients from various pockets, and then murmurs another spell.

He stoppers the bottle and tosses it to Ug. "You may want to wash that down with something tastier. I'm sure you can find something you like. Farewell."

One more incantation gives the wizard the gift of flight, and he zips into the sky and disappears.

Ug holds the bottle in his hands, the sight of Islimach etched in his mind. What was he getting into? (and what would Dok think?) but that was the problem. He was facing things he didn’t understand. He needed to. Ug heads back to the village wondering if he should drink the bottle among friends or by himself. Picturing Zenni’s disapproving look, Ug heads back to the tavern. Ug doesn’t know how this will turn out, so having friends around would help. Seated near whitcomb and Mirek, Ug holds the bottle to his lips and takes a drink.