skarredart

[skarredart]

The Epic of Orrin - Chapter 1, The Wild

Part 2 - Raid

After hours of stealthily walking through the forest the Blood eyed raiders had reached a stones throw away from the camp that the scouts had found. The tents were spread apart from each other with many campfires present among them. The watch had fallen asleep upon the rock that they were stationed upon, the fires were all dying down producing flickering shadows all around them, the snoring of one of the tents occupants could be heard over the song of the crickets.

Ghil stopped the raiders and turned towards them, she began hand signaling instructions to them dividing them into seven groups with each groups position informed using a map the scouts had drawn. The smallest group was to kill the watchers before they begin stirring so as to make the raid a surprise, the rest would position themselves around the camp close enough to jump upon it once the signal was given.

 The first group moved forward the camp as stealthily as possible, a twig underneath the weight of an orc cracked causing one of the watchmen to snap awake he saw the hulking forms of two of the would-be-scout-killers and shrieked in fright waking the other three watchmen who rang the alarm to awaken the campers. The alarm was followed by the blood-curdling scream of the raiders who were still halfway to their set positions, the alarm had taken away the advantage but not the joy of the raid. The raiders jumped from the foliage and bushes to split through the camp, those in the tent had somehow known these woods weren’t safe and hence had been sleeping in armor with their weapons close by and had spread the tent far from each other so that if one was attacked the rest had time to react. The shouts of the campers matched those of the raiders as they raised their arms as a salute to their enemies.

 Weapon clashed with weapon as the battle between the raiders and the campers begun. Uzzon raised his staff to bring it down upon the human he had manged knock down when he felt a slice on sides as a blade had found its way there, he snarled in anger brought the staff down upon the attacker sinking the dragon teeth that decorated it into his armor. With the enemy rattled, Uzzon kicked him towards a raging raider who had just lopped off the head of his previous victim before returning his attention back to the one he had fell.

 Ghil wielded her great axe in one hand as she smashed the armored paladin before her, she loved to test her targets before she engaged with them, if they felt weak she would move on by pushing the target to one of her willing raiders. The paladin she currently was testing had been smoothly deflecting her blows he seemed to know this was just a test and hence was saving his energy for the true battle. Satisfied she grinned at him and thumped her chest to signal respect before she released her rage upon the canned target. The paladin deflected a few blows but two managed to hit the armor leaving dents and a scar. The paladin clutched his holy symbol which was the platinum shield of Bahamut as he channeled divine energy into his attack as he burned a wound into Ghil’s arm. Ghil smiled and licked her lips thinking she had chosen well.

 Near the farthest tent Orrinhatch and two raiders fought with four campers,even though they were outnumbered the raiders were putting up a good fight. From within the tent there were shouts instructing the four, the raiders didn’t know the language but knew either the one in the tent was important or had something valuable he was trying to gather and hide from them. The greenish skinned orc to Orrinhatch’s right raised his short sword to attack at the guard he was engaged with only to feel her blade pierce through his chest as she screamed in rage driving the sword deeper. Orrinhatch himself with his two axes was doing fairly well, light in weight but sharpened everyday by him these axes were leaving deep scratches right and left at his target which eventually were causing his target to loose a lot of blood tiring him until finally his defenses weakened and Orrinhatch cut his arm off and pushed him causing him to thrash around in pain unable to do anything else. Orrinhatch turned his attention towards the woman who had killed his partner while Aggokk took on the other two remaining ones. Aggokk was very used to fighting multiple enemies as he had his pet wolf always beside him, the two were always considered one and right now they were completely in sync. While the wolf, Bromarr sunk his teeth in the hands of the target behind his companion, Aggokk grabbed the one in front by his arms and sunk his sword deep into the sides of his target, he yanked the blade out accented by the scream of the target and the grunt of Aggokk. Bromarr had managed to pin his target onto the ground and was trying to find a way to bite at his neck without being pushed by his flailing arms. Aggokk’s target meanwhile had managed to escape his grip and was attempting to land a few blows in his pain filled haze, Aggokk parried most of them and dodged the rest before he swung his blade across the target’s neck, the arc wasn’t complete as the blade got stuck halfway in and Aggokk had to pull it out after many tugs and sprays of blood.

Orrinhatch had been struggling with his target who was well versed with the ways of the blade while this was his first raid. For every lunge he made at her he received a slash from her blade, she continuously circled him causing him to always be a step behind, his rage wished to kill her so badly he ignored the battle scars he was receiving. After she saw a significant drop in his defense she took quick step forward and lunged at him with her sword but he was quick enough to step to the side causing her to only slight graze his hide covered skin. She kicked his legs down seeing she had missed and brought him to his knees, he wildly flailed the axes around trying to make contact but to no avail. As his flailing stopped she slammed on his neck with a kick causing him to kiss the ground, with a foot on his head she re-positioned her blade to prepare burying her blade into him and ending his raiding days. Before she could complete the thrust the claws of Bromarr found her and pushed her off him, caught unaware she hit the near by tree staring in anger at the snarling wolf. Orrinhatch got up from his prone condition and picked up only one of the axes which he had let go when she had kicked him down. He channeled the rage in him as he charged towards, catching her bearings she held up her sword and cut his charge short. Bromarr took this opportunity to lunge at her but was met with the coldness of her blade, both raider and wolf now flanked her preventing her from moving from the tree. Aggokk on the other hand was still engaged with the remaining warrior that Bromarr had left just slightly wounded. Orrinhatch and Bromarr took turns attempting to best their foe but even though she seemed to be tiring she kept up her defense and was still besting them. As she turned her attention to Bromarr who was attempting to take a chunk of her leg she missed the whizzing sound that was drawing nearer, before she could react an sword dug deep into her right shoulder, Orrinhatch taking advantage of the situation lunged forward and dug the sword much deeper causing it to emerge from her back. With quick shove he impaled her into the tree leaving her to bleed onto it while she screamed. He turned around to see a smiling Aggokk dusting his hands, he returned the smile which changed into a mid shout. He was already too late a burning sword emerged from his stomach like a hot knife through butter, Aggokk turned around to see the blue face of a scowling Deva. Removing his sword the Deva raised his hands to the raging wolf who was charging towards him, with a sickening slurping sound Bromarr disappeared from sight. Orrinhatch stood there his scream shifting from one of warning to that of frustration and fright. His hands loosened its grip on his axe as he watched in shock at the approaching deva, as the light of his flaming sword cast shadows upon the limp form of Aggokk. The flickering light fell upon Orrinhatch’s skin it reflecting off the small patches of gold scales, the deva stopped in his tracks his eyes falling upon the golden patches, “You bear the mark of Bahamut.”

Still unaware of the ongoings as he tried to wrap his head around what had already transpired, Orrinhatch stood gaping.

“Orc boy you shouldn’t walk the path you have chosen, come with me.”

Shaking his head in bewilderment, was the deva truly speaking those words after killing Aggokk was he dreaming? Orrinhatch tried to think but the rage was gone, this deva was definitely powerful he invoked the will of the Gods, should he fight or flee. No, a Blood Eyed never fled, they fought till death claimed them and lead them to the battlescape of Gruumsh. He gripped his axe and firmly said, “No”

“I hope that is not your final answer, you need time to think and understand the consequence of your path. You will come find me eventually when the light falls upon you. You have the blood of Dragons, and that of a Gold Dragon nonetheless you will fight for good eventually.” The deva turned keeping his sword aflame as he headed away from the camp. “Remember my name child, Karamazai once you find light you will find me. What is yours so I may ask the Platinum to forgive your past sins?”

Tightening his grip on the axe and taking a stance, “I’m Orrinhatch, remember my name as you enter the planes of death.” Screaming he charged at the armored deva. His blood raging again as Gruumsh’s rage returned, he was orc as orc could be no amount of dragon blood could dilute the orc blood, his hands tightened around the axe as he stepped over the spot Bromarr disappeared.

The deva clicked his tongue and raised his hand sending out a pulse of energy pushing Orrinhatch away as he made his way out into the forest. Orrinhatch stood up looked at the leaving form of the deva his instincts urging him to throw the axe at his back, but a warm touch held his hand at bay, he stood there just staring at the leaving form.

Footsteps approached as the source saw the last glimpse of the deva as he entered the forest, they saw Orrinhatch just standing and staring. “You let that one get away” raged the bleeding orc before he chased after Karamazai only to find he had dissapeared.

The orc turned “Wait till the war-chief hears this.”

[skarredart]

Epic of Orrin, Chapter 1 - The Wild

Part 1 - Vision

The sound of the horn broke the chatter that had spread across the war-camp, the warriors covered in red ocher derived from crushed plants looked to the front towards the war-chief. The eyes of warriors surrounded by the red paste which declared to the world that they were the Blood Eyed horde had a hunger in them, a hunger to shed blood and tear flesh apart. Among the warriors stood many young ones who had already proven their capabilities in the previous trials but now was their turn to prove that they could fight with and for the horde. While all orc tribes left the women and girls behind to follow the path that Luthic taught, the Blood Eyed horde didn’t care if the warrior was broad chested or large breasted, a warrior was a warrior as long as they could shed blood. Among the whelps many were young girls with their hair cut short to avoid it getting in the way and their hands nervously gripping the handle of their weapons, all aspiring to be like Ghil The Wild.

 Ghil walked along the line of warriors surveying them and grunting at those who seemed sloppy. She in her days of being a war-chief brought discipline among her raiders, gone were the days when the Blood Eyed raided the passing caravan like savages loosing many strong ones to the discipline of the pathetic elven guards. She back handed a rotund orc to push his back straight as she made another round among them.

 “Hear me raiders, today we will be having a couple of whelps joining us in the raid. I would like you all to show these little whelps what the raiders of the Blood Eyed Horde are capable of. None of you and I mean none of you” her eyes fell upon a short smiling orc in the second row known as Rhogzun The Kind, well known to be the children favorite horde member as he spent most of his time playing with them “are permitted to aid them like they are spoon fed elves.” she spat on the ground which was followed by laughter from the rows of hungry orcs. “The scouts have returned with pleasing news a camp a few hours away from here is ripe for the taking. It has a few guards that seem well equipped, and we all know well equipped means a fun raid. I expect all of you ready as soon as the sun sets, we will use the darkness to our advantage. For Gruumsh we fight.” She thrust her axe into the air and the rest of the raiders followed her as they echoed “For GRUUMSH WE FIGHT.”

 She scanned the roaring orcs and her eyes fell upon the “dragon eyed one” as some called him, he was taller than most children his age which was around 12 suns but his most defining features were those passed down by his reluctant father. His golden dragon eyes looking straight as if it could see the glory of the raid to come, his physique was average not muscular like the worshipers of Ilneval nor rotund like most of the orcs, his skin had very light patches were skin gave way to hardened scales. He was more disciplined than the rest of the rowdy children who had just began to feel the rage of Gruumsh course through them, this discipline she attributed to the Gold Dragon in him along with the pride with which he carried himself. She hated the pride he showed, she the war-chief of the Blood Eyed had earned the pride by splitting the previous weakling of a chief, but her child walked among the camp like he owned it. It was good to be ambitious but he should prove himself before he walked around like that, she would have to whip slight humility into him to make him hunger for glory rather than imagine the glory was already his.

 Orrinhatch gripped on both axes that had he had chosen since his ‘bloodletting’ had begun. He had proven himself in the fields of shamanism, hunting and foraging all that was left to become a proper Blood Eyed was raiding. He imagined he was the best among the current band of whelps. Sure he had barely managed to name all the Orc deities almost forgetting the chief among them, Gruumsh and had to try many times to get the ritual of ‘thanks to the orc deities’ right, bit those trials were meaningless.

  The shamanic trials was introduced so the young orcs learned that the nature they utilized was a gift and whom to turn to in times of needs, Luthic for health, Ilneval before war, Gruumsh for strength, Yurtrus for protection of the dead and Shargaas was remembered when sickness spread. The foraging trials was there to teach the whelps what among the various terrain was edible and how to find water by looking for signs within nature itself. The hunting trials was a way to teach tracking to the whelps and to remain hidden so the prey could be caught unaware.

 And now as he stood staring forward feeling the burning gaze of his mother upon him, he felt his blood run hot as he was prepared for the most important trial, the raiding.

 The raiders returned to their tents to gather whatever would be necessary for the raid, Ghil turned to Uzzon who was leaning upon his staff and waiting for the crowd to disperse his eyes looking at the distant sun as he sighed.

“Another raid begins.”

She walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, “Something troubles you old one.”

He patted the arm, “Something always troubles me, I think it comes with age. The older you get the more troubles you feel.”

Putting her hands on her hips she lightly growled, “I’m not canceling this raid if that’s what you are going to lead up to.”

Uzzon laughed, “Always direct. No no I’m actually looking forward to this raid, it’s been too long since I used this staff for anything other than whacking sense into the little whelps.” He raised in dragon teeth decorated staff as they began walking continuing their conversation.

Ghil crossed her arms as they walked closer to the center of the war-camp, “So what troubles the Whelp whacker Uzzon.”

“In my recent shamanic meditations I’ve felt a corruption among the lands and you remember  the obsidian comet we saw last year. I think these were signs of the days to come.” He shook his head prodding the ground with his staff.

“There’s more isn’t there Uzzon.” she eyed him, Uzzon had a nervous habit that gave away when he hid something from her, his eyes would dart at the staff’s teeth and he would prod the ground.

Uzzon looked up “Yes, I have been shown short visions by Gruumsh during those meditation. I haven’t been able to decipher them yet. I see a gold light meeting with a gray one, upon fusing the light travels far a multitude of others. The fused lights grow thicker and thicker but then they begin to spiral piercing through a sphere of darkness. Upon impact the light splits until only a gray one remains. I think it relates to you, meeting the golden dragon, meeting other men until you begin to loose control and finally only you remain.”

“Bah! At least I remain, you need to see the good in this. I survive every man the great Gruumsh sends my way to turn into a faithful wife dies but I remain the war-chief and once my son proves himself I’m sure he’ll take over and I can retire in peaces rather than pieces. I just hope I don’t have to bear more children with those men because those months of carrying and no drinking and raiding does a number on you.”

Uzzon chuckled and whacked Ghil’s bottom with his stick, “I know you’ll never settle. I even thought you would go far as drop little Orrin when you learned you were carrying, it would have been a shame.”

“Hey I’m a good mother and war-chief, I would never dream of stopping an Orc to spread terror across the lands.”

“You mean I’m a good mother, I’ve been raising that whelp of yours since he was born.”

“And I thank you for it Great Uzzon” she mockingly bowed towards him as they both chuckled.

“Let’s see how well you raised him and whether he learned something from me by watching.” Ghil walked to her tent as she waved Uzzon good day. Both entered their respective tents and began packing for the raid to come.

[skarredart]

The above drawings are concept art for the ongoing posts of the Epic of Orrin. The above are all members of the Blood Eyed Horde.

The young orc with his tusks barely showing is Orrinhatch, he is the son of Ghil and a Gold Dragon named Brylzreith. The old orc is Uzzon The Wretched, Head Shaman of the Blood Eyed Horde. The orc woman is Ghil The Wild, War-Chief of the Blood Eyed Horde

[skarredart]

The Epic of Orrin - Prologue

Note: The following is the tale of one of the characters of one of my long running D&D campaigns. The story is an expansion on the backstory of one of the player’s character, he has given me the reigns of the character after he retired him. So hope you like it. The following is just the prologue of the story to come.

Warning: The story has a few elements that many people wouldn’t like so beware. If you are don’t like certain darker themes, easily offended or in your early teens this story is not for you. You have been warned.

Prologue

The skies turned gray as the soothing sounds of music spread across the camp. In the tent of the war-chief two figures stared at each other. The woman an Orc tall in stature yet curved at the right places and beautiful even in the eyes of the humans, with her black hair pulled back and her green piercing eyes stood at the flaps of the tent. The winds that slithered past the flaps rose goosebumps on her skin. At the center of the room lay a human, long blonde hair with a slight golden tinge to them, open to the warm air of the tent followed his head as he raised it to look upon the Orc woman. The woman slowly walked up to him her eyes eyes never leaving his golden eyes. Slowly she peeled the layers that covered her grayish skin the human upon the bed already undressed felt his heart beat faster as she appeared close. A heat spread about his skin as few droplets of sweat made his skin almost glow in the torchlight. The Orc woman smiled as she reached the bed upon which he lay, her fingered trailed his legs inner muscles as she too felt her heart quicken in pace urging her to climb upon the naked human.

The man twitched his hand which were bound in chains. Glyphs that glowed a sickening green marked the chain holding him in place. He struggled against his restraints his head shaking but his body had a mind of it’s own. His body needed this woman, wanted to make her his but his mind knew this to be the cursed woman’s magic. She had trapped him in this pathetic human form as her horde tore across the village he was visiting. Him the great Gold Dragon Brylzrieth was a prisoner to an Orc woman. If only he had decided not to visit those humans he would have been pleasantly sleeping on his hoard and dreaming of his next snack. But he was foolish enough to let his hunger for learning human ways get him and worse the Orc woman had a chain that restricted him from changing back to his true form. He looked back upon the woman’s face a smile had spread across it as she saw him thrash about. She placed her hand upon his chest as she spoke “ Fear not Golden one, after this night you will return to the skies where you belong. You will receive the same amount of pleasure as I will while we bond.” She swung her legs across his lithe form as she straddled his lower body blood pumped to every corner of his body even the parts he wished they wouldn’t. She smiled as she felt it twitch, “You seem ready”, her hand reached down as she proceeded to receive pleasure from his un-wanting body.

The screams of pleasure and reluctance spread around the campsite as the Orc horde chanted their victory songs and laughed at the war-chiefs new prize’s screams.

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The screams from the tent of the war-chief were guttural as men and woman went and to and fro from the tent holding onto the objects they carried carefully. Uzzon The Wretched shook his head, he knew this day was coming for months now but never imagined he would survive till now. The shaman was one of the forefront attackers when the horde swept through a new target, he took pleasure in satisfying the needs of Gruumsh. He stood leaning upon his staff decorated with the teeth of a leviathan of the sky, the staff had aided him throughout his life. The staff had been a focus when he channeled the druidic and shamanic powers he had learned from his teacher, it also acted as his weapon an extension of his very body. He remembered the joy he received from smashing the skulls of those pathetic elves whose caravan they had looted not many nights ago. He was brought back from his fantasy as he felt a tug on his finger, a half-orc girl with yellow eyes was the source of the tug. Uzzon grunted an nodded as he was lead into the war-chief’s tent by the little girl, as he entered the tent the humidity of the room hit him like a wave crashing upon the shore. The smell of herbs were thick within aiding in providing a soothing effect to the birth-giver, among thick blankets and almost crushing the handle of her favorite war axe was the war-chief Ghil The Wild. Her breathing labored as she tried to follow the instructions of the Luthic Priestess, upon seeing Uzzon she whacked the priestess aside and called for him to be at her side. Memories of her rise to power when she split the previous war-chief with her bare hands flashed before Uzzon’s eyes, she had the same look something epic was about to happen. He knelt beside her and clamped his hand on her shoulder, “You have a fighter in you.” he laughed as his hands provided comfort and reassurance to his war-chief. Ghil’s sweaty face turned to him between gulps of air she hoarsely said “I hope he…doesn’t want t….o kill his mother already annnn..d become war-chief”, the cramp hit her, her fingers digging deeper on the wood of her axe’s handle with a curse she leaned back. Uzzon smiled and instructed the various children and women to bring more towels and warm water as he proceeded to aid Ghil into bringing the child into the horde. After half an hour of screaming and a broken axe handle later the screaming of the war-chief was replaced by that of a young child breathing the air of the tent for the first time. Ghil smiled as Uzzon handed her a baby wrapped in thick cloth, she looked into his golden eyes and gave a chuckle. She kissed the babe as the sweat glistened upon the various beaming faces of the people in the tent, “You made your mother suffer a lot little one, but your mother is the war-chief of the Blood Eyed Horde she can get through anything.” she caressed the cheeks of the little babe. The babe stopped his crying and looked at the soothing face of his mother his dragon eyes glittering with joy as he sucked her finger causing her to laugh, she looked at his his gray skin and found hints of golden scales that were a mark of his father her eyes moved from the babe to the trophy that hung in the middle of the tent, he skull of the golden dragon the father of “Orrinhatch, that’s what you shall be called Orrinhatch son of Ghil. A sophisticated name in honor of your father.” The tent roared with laughter and joy at the birth of a new potential heir of the Blood Eyed horde, like all Orcs he would have to prove his worth to the horde so as to even be able to walk among them but that was along ways now, now was the time for joy a time to celebrate the birth of Orrin.