Orc Camp
@ERode, 2nd Day
When Esfir arrived at the Training Circle, she would see many more Runts---some of whom had been released from the pits on the same day as she, and others who had apparently been at this kind of thing for a while---lined up shoulder to shoulder. The circle was exactly that; marked by a crude rope and covered with what seemed to be fresh buckets of loose, sandy topsoil, it appeared very similar to something like a sumo wrestling ring. At its center stood Auguz the Head Warrior, arms crossed and looking as mean as always.
A few adult orcs, as well as some grunts, had gathered to watch what was probably going to be quite the spectacle. Some of the other runts cowered as jeers and taunts were thrown their way by bullies in the same vein as Builge---though, for some reason, that particular headache wasn't around. In any case, the only other thing of note around the Training Circle were two wooden racks further behind Auguz.
They held weapons, or at least, imitations of them. Made from wood and bits of leather wrapping, there were practice versions of many different combat tools available.
Shortswords, clubs, axes, and javelins were present along with
two types of round shield, one large and one small; then there were
quarter staves, spears or glaives with little pads on their ends, sticks with bits of lumber criss-crossed over their tips to serve as
halberds, warhammers, and other polearms,
battle axes, greatswords, and greatclubs; there were even, it seemed, a few pairs of wooden
knuckle dusters or some thick leather strips for wrapping one's hands.
Quest Complete!
LEVEL UP! Level 3 > 4!
Choose ONE:- Increase HP
- Increase SP
- Gain New Empty Skill Slot
- Gain Skill: Dusk Vision
"ALL RIGHT, YA SCRAWNY, BEDWETTIN', MAGGOT-EATIN' MUKHS!" boomed the Head Warrior, immediately putting a stop to any conversations. "FOR DA ONES DA JUST FINISHED YER HUNTS, DIS IS WHERE I'M GONNA BREAK YA IN HALF, AND DEN BREAK YA IN QUARTERS, AND DEN BREAK YA IN DOUBLE-HALVES! AND WHEN I PUTS YA BACK TOGEDDA, YA GONNA BE REAL ORCS! STRONG ORCS! SO YOUSE LISTEN TO ME--OR I'LL BREAK YA IN
TRIPLE HALVES, YA GOT IT?!" When the other runts were forced to nod their assent, he snorted and stepped out of the training ring, moving to the end of the line of runts and directing them to follow him in single file.
"Good, now listen up!"
What followed was a caveman's version of bootcamp. They were made to run---or sprint, rather, because they had to keep up with Auguz, while a few pairs of orc warriors assisting him used wooden switches to flog any orcling that fell too far behind. The entire group made three laps around the whole camp, before Auguz led them back to the training circle and forced them to do squats, then to press the heaviest rocks they could pick up above their heads. Each exercise was done until all of the runts had reached failure--and those who failed first were berated until they caught back up to the others.
Jumping jacks followed this, then swinging large tree branches from side to side as hard as they could---it was at this stage that several runts were knocked unconscious by their fellows who didn't observe the proper amount of space in their formation. That caused a lot of screaming and beatings from Auguz, which ended by making them all bear crawl in one tumbling mass around the training circle, like fire ants caught in a death spiral.
Then they were all put into pairs and made to wrestle until someone emerged victorious by pinning or submitting the other for a count of three---no tap-outs were allowed, or at least no one paid them any attention, and the adults were slow counters. More than one runt was choked to unconsciousness. Losers were forced to wrestle each other again, and those who lost more than three times total were punished with more squats.
And finally, after all this, they were allowed to choose their practice weapons. Then, with Auguz acting as referee, they were once again put into pairs and made to face one another. At least this time, only one pair had to use the circle at a time, allowing those who weren't yet up to fight to get some much needed rest...
Esfir would find herself facing a runt who had chosen a plain one handed club and shield..."Haha! You a gul orc!" crowed the youngster, who couldn't have been much older than she. He had nothing to his name save his loincloth and his mottled, grass-colored skin. "I gonna win dis easy! C'mere!"
@King Cosmos
"Bowbh was captured by humans, once. In battle under old chief before Agronak. Was gone a few years." Yambagorn answered, scratching an idle itch somewhere indecent. "Den, one day, not long after we sets up camp here, he just comes wanderin' back. Nevah said much bout it, though." The old orc woman shrugged. "Near as anyone can tell, dey kept him a slave in a forge---is why he such good crafter, now, not like udda Brutes." She opened her toothless mouth as if she was going to say more...and then seemed to think better of it.
When Akeno asked what she would learn if she became the shaman's apprentice, Yambagorn smiled and chuckled with her wheezy voice again.
"Well, da first ting I teaches all my guls o' course---how t' keep a handsy mukh from tryin' to get in ya tent all da time!" She winked. "But youse a li'l young for dat yet. Hmm..." The ochre-toned orc rubbed her wrinkled chin, then pointed up at the sky. "Ah. Yambagorn can teach Akeno how to tell time by da sun and stars, and how to find ya way if ya lost in da woods or on da waters." Then she pointed to her table with its various bowls of mushrooms, powders, and herbs. "And how to make da gud medicines for ya wounds...or da gud poisons, if'n ya wantin' to kill summat." With her gnarled hands on her knees, she looked at Akeno appraisingly.
"O' course, da harder stuff comes after all dat. Yambagorn can't be teachin' ya all da tricks in da first week, after all!" The crone grinned again.
However, there seemed to be an unspoken weight in the air. Shamar hadn't said anything about an apprenticeship, but she
had taught Akeno about tanning leather and given her a task to complete. Auguz, the Head Warrior, had also forced them to complete their first hunts before letting them return to the camp. And upon said return, Akeno's System had informed her about optional objectives and other such things.
No doubt, if Akeno wanted to become the shaman's apprentice, there would likely be some kind of
Quest involved to prove herself...
"Tell Yambagorn, Akeno---what is ya lookin' for? A job in da tribe, to make yaself stronger and respecc-able?" The elder tilted her head. "Skeelz to keep ya alive? Or...is dere sumthin' else ya want to know?"
South Caves
@Kazemitsu
"True enough I guess, plus we have proof that we found out what happened to the other three." answered the dark haired runt. "So if ya get half credit for both quests, surely that's enough, huh?" As Grunthor touched the torch to the webbing, flames began to slowly lick their way up the silken mass like a collection of candle wicks...and soon, the webbing began to tremble and blacken.
"I nearly bashed this knife apart to get that one chunk;
we'll need stronger tools to get more of it." added his companion, who seemed more than eager to leave. Once the other orc was at the entrance of the cave, however, he suddenly paused. When Grunthor approached, he would probably figure out what had happened, because the same thing happened to him.
"Oh thank the Mazoku, we got outta sensory range of that big bastard!" sighed his orange eyed co-conspirator. "Ding, baby! Now lessee what I got..."
New Items Crafted! [+]
New Materials Discovered! [+]
New Locations Explored! [+]
New Creatures Encountered! [+]
Quest: Three Lost Orcs Complete (Unreported)! [+]
Survived Dangerous Encounter! [+]
LEVEL UP! Level 2 > 3 > 4!
Choose TWO:- Increase MP
- Increase SP
- Gain 1 Skill Rank Point
- Gain Empty Skill Slot
- Gain Skill: Dusk Vision
Assuming the two runts had no inclination to do anything else but get back to the camp, their journey would take between forty-five minutes to an hour. Now that they had found the southern caves once, they were more certain of their way back, but of course they had their "loot" in tow as well. The sun was further in the west as they approached the camp once more, somewhere between half-past-two and three o'clock in the afternoon. There were many signs of other Runts running around as well. By this point many prey-level monsters had probably wizened up and decided to give the camp's surroundings a wide berth. But upon reaching the camp's entrance, they were once again stopped by the broad palms of the two guards.
"Back again, huh? You finally got somethin'?" said one of them, while the second peered at the fresh spider legs the two were carrying. "Bout damn time! And you, didn't ya say somethin' 'bout lookin' for dem udda three? Ya come back awful quick---did ya get scared and soil yerself, runt?!"
"Oi! These is like, Giant Ven Spider legs, or Anthogs, or summat!" The second guard's brow furrowed as he growled at the two runts. "Where'd ya get dese?"
"In the south cave, where those three missing orcs died!" piped up the dark orcling. "They made camp inside it, but got jumped by an anthog or something! It wounded the Giant Ven Spider too, but we killed it before we got the hell outta there!"
"Ain't no way the two o' yas killed an anthog!" The first guard grabbed one of the legs from Grunthor's shoulder and turned it side to side. As he shook it, a little drop of still fresh bug juice splattered on the rocks at his feet.
"Yeah, quitcher lyin'!" added the second, as he grabbed the dark runt's hair and shook him.
"Agh, you big mother---We're NOT lying!" Grunthor's companion's voice had seemed to deepen for a moment, before he decided it was probably better not to speak too rudely to his "elders." "The anthog wounded the Ven Spider. WE killed the spider, while the anthog grabbed one of the bodies! And while it was eating we ran for it!" He threw the bone-handled knife down at the two guard's feet. "There's your proof, idi---I mean, good sirs!"
The guard dropped the unnamed orc child and bent to examine the knife. It was clearly not something the runts could've made, and if they'd stolen it they hadn't taken it from any orcs inside the camp since they'd left. The first guard rubbed his chin, before sighing as if he'd been denied an opportunity to beat someone and threw the spider leg back onto Grunthor's pile.
"...Fine den, we'll let Auguz handle it! If'n HE finds out yer full o' grukh, you'll
wish we'd kept you out! Go on, get outta our faces!"
"Gee, thanks, fellas." The evil-eyed runt picked up the knife as he and Grunthor were finally allowed through. He muttered darkly as he turned its white handle between his fingers. "
Better not piss alone tonight, either one of 'em..."
When Grunthor and his partner re-entered the camp proper, it wasn't hard to find the Head Warrior. He stood on a small platform right in the middle of the thoroughfare, made from a couple of barrels that propped up a few planks of wood. The hastily put together dais seemed to be solely for the purpose of making him stand out, as none of the other orcs seemed to be paying him much mind and he wasn't waving his arms or shouting or anything.
"Another---Wait, you've been here already!" said the Head Warrior as he hopped down. He glared at the dark haired runt, but then saw Grunthor. "Ah, you! Good, then---if there's any other Runts left out there, they better hope they survive the night on their own!" He took Grunthor's spoils without asking or even making any gesture for them to be handed over. Then he lifted them close to his face and examined them with a long, drawn out hum. Much like the guards, he glared with a half-formed snarl at the two runts.
"These is Ven Spider legs---Giant ones, no less! How'd a couple o'
runts get hold of these?" The muscular orc loomed menacingly, but this time the darker haired one stood back.
"Your turn to roll for Diplomacy, pal!"
he whispered to Grunthor while subtly pushing the other runt forward for inspection.
Deep Forest > Forest > Orc Camp
@ReusableSword
Despite how it slowed him down, with an extra coating of mud Agar's Muffle skill kept him from encountering any more enemies as he moved out of the Deep Forest. Once he had come to less dangerous territory, however, he ceased using his stealth skill and made a quicker pace for the camp. The sounds and sights of the forest were all around him as he moved, the rustle of the breeze mingling with that of the branches and brush he passed by...Every so often, a twig broke under his step, but he didn't slow as he might have back under that dark, old growth canopy.
For a while, his luck held out...but then, another monster came across his path--!
But it was just a slime. The blue creature looked surprised when the orcling came across it suddenly, and let out a wailing blurble as it bounced towards the nearest bush! If Agar pursued it, he could probably catch it with a short chase---and, considering his better weapons and his experiences since the first time he'd encountered such a creature, it would likely make easy pickings...
Whether or not Agar chose to pursue the Slime, it seemed he would eventually make his way back to the Orc Camp without running into the more terrifying nocturnal hunters that no doubt prowled around. Somewhere between four-thirty and five o'clock, he made his way past the guards once more and into the unorganized maze of tents and cookfires.
Upon dropping off the Turtleshell Mushrooms with Shamar, the Head Hunter seemed pleased and disappeared into her yurt for a moment before returning with what looked like a pair of buckskin pants, cut somewhat short at the hem so that to a runt, they'd be full ankle length."Ya done good, and ya didn't die out dere!" said the hunter as she crossed her arms with a nod. "Wif runts like dis lot, maybe dere's hope for dis tribe yet!" Then she gathered up several hides---Agar might notice it looked like she had done quite a lot of work for a single orc with her tanning process, unless maybe someone had helped her---and headed back into her tent. "
If you and dat udda gul, whateva her name is, wanna do summat else useful after Auguz gets done kickin' ya around tomorrer, den come see me!"
Sleeping by the fire kept the cold of night from chilling Agar's bones, but he would find that resting without a proper shelter wasn't quite so restful at all. The stony ground was hard, and the orcs that were on night duty to guard the camp and perform other tasks didn't seem to care how much noise they made. Some of them were also clumsy enough---or maybe just mean enough---to step on a sleeping runt without so much as a glance, much less an apology. However, since all Agar really had on his person was the spear he clutched in his hands and the assortment of materials, no other tools or other special valuables, it seemed no orc felt the need to try stealing from him on his "first" night in this world...
Quest Complete!
New Creatures Encountered! [+]
New Skills Learned! [+]
New Items Crafted! [+]
New Area Explored! [+]
New Materials Discovered! [+]
LEVEL UP! Level 3 > 4!
Choose ONE:- Increase HP
- Increase MP
- Gain 1 Skill Rank Point
- Gain Skill: Dusk Vision
Skill Progression:
Muffle RANK UP I > II!
At Rank II, one can stifle the sounds of their interactions with the environment as well---a sudden fall or a snapped twig will be suppressed, though they may still produce sounds beyond a certain level.
Consumed: Seared Harpy Meat
Activate [Ingestion: Harpy] (>Y/N)? Approximate Ingestion: 70%
Ingestible Skills [Harpy]:- Dash
- Sonar Sense
- Field Scan (Apply towards Rank Up?)
- Slash
- ??? - Further Progress Required
Agar, the Next Morning
Agar would awaken to a sight not entirely unlike what he'd fallen asleep to; the adult orcs were still gathering around cookfires, though many of them had smoldered out overnight and were now being sparked back to life. Other tasks, such as sharpening spears, patrolling the camp's borders, and forcibly conscripting the Grunts into hunting parties also occupied the snaggle toothed brutes all over the primitive settlement.
Agar would be able to see other Runts---perhaps including some of the ones like him---all heading in the same general direction, sometimes followed by jeers and laughter from their elders and betters. If the foggy memories before his release from the Brood Pit were any indication, Head Warrior Auguz's Training Circle was somewhere near the center of the camp. The light was still twilight blue, but not for long--and he'd been told to be there before sunrise...
If he skidaddled to get over there, he'd soon see the exact same scene playing out for Esfir...
When the time came to choose a practice weapon, his opponent picked two shortswords, and twirled them both around in a wild figure-eight pattern."You scared!?" taunted the opponent. "I's gonna chop you all ups---" Just then, his momentum got away from him and one of his spinning swords clocked him in the back of his head. "Yeouch!" He snarled as if it were Agar's fault, before charging across the sand.
