Slaughter in The Circle

[DM Arsescratcher]

Word spreads from Elvenport than the druid circle has been attacked. Many elves and treants have been slain.

Whilst elven clerics tend to raising and healing the dead, rangers investigate the wounds and damage to the forest for signs of who or what committed this foul act.

[DM Arsescratcher]

As the elves begin to recover from the atrocity more news arrives!

A large figure in yellow and red robes was spotted setting fires in the Forest.

Fortunately a team of rescue rangers were able to dose the fire before any trees were singed but the culprit escaped after leading his pursuers through the orog clan.

One elf reported seeing that he wore a metal helm and carried a staff with a glowing red gem in its tip.

[Admin Group]

Elrolas walks through Elvenport and takes note of the increased activity in the sleepy little village he calls home. As he approaches Osta'el Taure he sees the Ranger Cael'oren with a fierce look on his face. Elrolas greets him only to hear that great treachery has befallen the Circle and the Great Wood itself.

Elrolas continues into the guild house a frown crosssing his face as he sees the dead and wounded lying on the floor. He nods to Naryldur Te'lyan, the High Priest of Corellon tending to the wounded and approaches him. Looking down at the wounded young elf he asks what he remembers of the attack and more specifically the attacker. The terrified young elf named Nessariya tells of a tall humanoid dressed in yellow and red robes wearing a full face helm carrying a staff with a menacing red tip. He adds that the attacker fled north toward the Red Blade Orc territory.

Elrolas sighs deeply and proclaims to know the identity of the attacker. He pats the young elf on the shoulder and wishes him a speedy recovery. He then makes his way to see Aloufin Caelor, the Captain of the Rangers. Finding Aloufin in a foul mood, Elrolas quickly explains to him that the attacker was a half oran mage known as Grodda who was also present at the Shining Falls Massacre. Aloufin states that he will send a hunting party to track and kill this Grodda but Elrolas presuades him not to do that and to let him go after Grodda.

With that Elrolas heads for the forest once again to hunt another orc blood from the shadows of the Great Wood.

[Admin Group]

Elrolas is far north of the Old Road in an area of the High Forest that many believe is controlled by the Red Blade Orc Clan. He grins as thinks how foolish that idea is for when he and the Elven Warbands are here this territory most definately is not under Red Blade control. He has killed at least a score of orcs as he tracks his wounded prey, it's blood trail clear to him in the night. "So Grodda makes for the Old Tower." El whispers to himself. Good he thinks. More orans to slaughter.


As he follows the stream even further north, he finds many orcs milling around the vicinity of the Old Tower. Careful not to be seen, he quickly make his way toward the gate of the wall that surrounds the tower. He listens as the orcs speak in the guttural tongue learning that an intruder has recently been killed. They have his corpse in a cage near the tower as they await the return of their leader before deciding what they should do with the remains. El smiles to himself and thinks, "How fitting. Grodda killed by his own kin."

Careful to wait until some guards open the gate, El slips into the courtyard and begins his search for Grodda's corpse. Soon he spots a blood trail where even a blind dwarf could see something was dragged off behind the tower. He quickly sips down a potion that will allow him to see any invisible guardians the orcs may have placed near the cage and makes his way to it. As he gets close he makes out a collapsed humanoid in red and yellow robes lying in a pool of blood. Many large, black shafted arrows stick from its body. As El checks the lock of the cage he hears some ruffling of leaves from behind him. He turns and looks to find the gnome wizard Irstlain approaching the cage.

The path is narrow here as it follows the base of the tower and the cliff overlooking the lake. El places himself between the cage and the gnome who has not spotted him as of yet. He steps from the shadows and the startled gnome jumps back a step and says, "Greetings Elrolas." El nods and replies, "Irstlain it has been quite some time since our paths have crossed, what brings you here?" The gnome replies, "Grodda as a matter of fact, my Mistress wishes me to fetch him back to Llorkh." El considers this for a moment and replies, "This one I will return to Elvenport. He must answer for his crimes." With this Irstlain nods and retreats wence he came. Elrolas has travelled with the wizard often when they first came to these lands and knowing him, he does not believe he would be deterred so easily from his mission. El readies himself with potions and waits once more in the shadows.

The gnome returns with one of his summoned undead. He calls out and says, "Elrolas I cannot allow you to take Grodda to Elvenport." El replies, "Then we will finally see who is the mightiest this day Irstlain." Hearing this the gnome hesitates and once again retreats but Elrolas closes the distance between them. At sight of this, Irstlain retreats quickly calling for his undead servant to follow. As El closes in he rememberes his primary mission and hesitates. Sighing to himself he turnes back to the cage thinking that once again his clash with the gnome would have to wait.

Reaching the cage he quickly dispatches the crude lock and wraps Grodda in a cloak tossing him easily over his shoulder.
"You always boasted about visiting Elvenport Grodda." El whispers. "Now I think you will be getting more than your fill of it." And with that he silently bounds down the trail toward his home.

[DM Arsescratcher]

Behind their wards of sanctuary the two dark figures gaze out into Elvenport. As foretold, the chained form of the half orc mage
Grodda Elfbiter is pulled into view, guarded by a dozen elven rangers.

"It would seem the gnome's information is correct. Tis well that he can understand their loose tongues" speaks the bearded man. The woman nods, intent on watching the scene.

A regal looking elf stands before the battered mage faces away from him and moves his arms in an arcane fashion, casting an enchantment over himself. Looking out into the forest the elf begins to speak, his voice being magically amplified for all to hear.

"Know ye all this day that the foul half orc Grodda will meet his death. This is his just punishment for the crimes he has perpetrated against Elvenport and the High Forest". The elf goes on to list the crimes individually and give justification for the execution of the mage by beheading.

The watchers sigh. "I told you we should have brought some tea, this is going to go on for hours you realise", the man looks down to his companion.

"We will return once they have done justifying their murder of a captive. Knowing the elves, we should give them a few hours", the lithe woman replies.

The dark man nods, and they move off into the depths of the forest.

* * *

Returning to the scene shortly after midnight the two look out at the town. The execution has taken place and as expected Grodda's head now adorns a pike near the guard tower closest to the forest. A pyre next to it is all that remains of the corpse.

"Seems they are being thorough and trying to prevent his resurrection" the smaller form whispers.

"As expected. That's one weakness with elves, they follow tradition so eagerly it makes them predictable", the man replies before muttering a blessing. Inching closer he studies the impaled head.

"Yes, they have a nest of traps surrounding the pole. The rangers are on guard for any movement from the orcs in the forest. I don't think even they are stupid enough to attack Elvenport now though". As he watches, a black bird flies from the night sky and lands on the head, hungrily pecking at the scalp. The rangers gesture to it and joke amongst themselves as it pulls an eye from a socket and makes off with it.

"Good timing, I expect the head will also be burned tomorrow" the heavily armoured man states. "let us back off some".

The woman nods, backing off into the forest. She waits until they are a good distance away from the town before holding her arm out and calling to her raven.

Retrieving the eyeball two make their way through the forest towards Llorkh.