The Great Ones No longer a slave...

[Deleted member 2578]

(Open to all. Development thread we're taking a trip to a Blue Orc village and gonna go through a bunch of stuff hopefully this makes intent of thread pretty clear. But yeah we're going to explore a lot of blue orc history and the like. Thanks in advance.)

He awoke that day.

He was in a state of half-sleep half-being awake. He never experienced true sleep anyway. The gods saw fit to deny him that. After he'd received his recent injury he was down one eye. As he stood up from his position against the wall of the cavernous stretch, he stretched and walked outside of the mine shaft. It was difficult to explain how he felt. I am free...we are free...but what is freedom really? The masters forced our hand that day...we had no choice but to fight back and we all paid a heavy price. He was outside getting some fresh air. The guards who normally worked shift in the mine are were present, but they all acknowledged the miners were free and virtually left them alone.

The guards from the nearby Cerak At'Thul accepted the former slave's freedom at that point.

Months had gone by since that day. There was word that great unrest in supernatural entities and other magic beings were resurfacing that really should not have been. Something was going on that Nosdyn could not explain...but it also mattered very little to the miner.

Until something occurred that directly involved him, he was a miner through and through.

He looked at one of the nearby guards and nodded with a mutual respect towards him. Those soldiers were paid to do a service, they were just doing their duty and that was something Nosdyn could relate to. He walked over towards the guard. "I got treatment for my injury." Nosdyn said to the man.

The guard nodded. "You have to wear that patch for the rest of your days probably, it's likely not all that bad."

"Did you get the letter yet?" Nosdyn asked.

"It arrived a few days ago yes. I was meaning to hand it over to you in person. Can I ask you something?" The guard asked. The guard handed Nosdyn the parchment.

Nosdyn nodded. "Of course."

"Why now?" The guard asked. "You've lived here most of your life...why leave now?"

He paused for a moment. "I need answers." Nosdyn explained. "I was robbed my people's culture and my own past." Nosdyn rubbed his chin, it was difficult to explain what motivated his recent decision. "I won't be alone." Nosdyn promised the guard.

The guard thought about what he was hearing. "The girl you saved. Definitely good company right there. Do you have a date for the trip set yet?"

"We leave a few days from now. I already purchased the tickets and made arrangements."

"You might night like the answers you seek, Nosdyn." The guard said.

"I have been aware of that for some time. I was exiled for a reason. Maybe that's the whole point of it all. I am just after my own answers, so I can make peace with my past." Nosdyn said.

The guard nodded, understanding the reasoning behind that. "You're a good Orc, Nosdyn. I hope you find the answers you seek. I wish you a good journey in all this."

 

[Deleted member 2578]

(still looking for a partner for this)

Time passed...

Nosdyn looked carefully at what appeared to be the burning, smoldering remains of a settlement. His eye narrowed as he saw the sight. His chest heaved with deep breath, he was looking at the mass scale destruction of his people. As he stood there he walked forward, a single clue had lead him to that destroyed village. Now things were lost to him. He looked up overhead, the crow that belonged to Gerreth, circled and flew back down to his master's arm. He admired their unique relationship. It was beyond comrades, beyond friendship.

He looked at the burning remains of the settlement, was a banner or flag he was looking at. The tattered flag was completely devastated as was Nosdyn's hope for finding more information and who and what he was.

He looked next to him for a moment, Ellsa stood by him. "It is what I have suspected."

"The village has been torn apart. Do you suppose the empire has done this?" Ellsa asked.

"Difficult to tell without enough information. There was a battle here." Nosdyn knelt down and placed his hand on the scorched earth, memories and flashes pierced his mind. "Many fell, in the confusion some ran. Those who could not fight back."

"It was a slaughter." Ellsa said calmly. "I am sorry we could not help them in time."

"We should know the truth of why this happened." Nosdyn looked at Gerreth at that point. "What does your friend see?"

"There were about a hundred strong soldiers. They used abilities we know something about, Nosdyn. They were not Empire soldiers. But rather..." Gerreth knew he did not need to say it.

"Vampires." Nosdyn cursed as he said that. "Do we know which clan yet?" Nosdyn knew the vampires operated in loosely regimented kingdom like structures fitting their perverse culture.

"You're not going to like this." Gerreth said calmly. "We have strong belief they were Nosferatu."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Ser Anya Kinniger had been a good friend of Nosdyn ever since their escape from the mines, and she accompanied him on his quest for knowledge of his own kind. She was a woman who was smaller than average but not by much. She wore full plate armor of black steel with a red, open-front surcoat with a smallsword at her hip and an estoc over her shoulder. She walked with Nosdyn as he explored the ruined village.

She heard the word vampire and hate exploded in her heart. Vampires, the bane of her people, and their ancient enemy. She would definitely be down for slaughtering some should they decide to return. And she was definitely not surprised that vampires did this.

“Vampires? That explains why there’s nothing left. What should we do now Nosdyn? Follow them or go back for help?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn recalled each run-in from the past with the crafty devils. He looked at Anya a that point and nodded, she'd trained him inadvertently in her people's ways. "We hunt them down. They can't be spared for what they have done here." Nosdyn said grimly. He'd developed a harsh edge at that point in his life, but knowing remnants of his people had been made to suffer in that way angered him.

"We have to make them suffer as they made my people suffer." He slammed his fist against the scorched earth at that moment and sighed. I have lost my chance to find out the truth of what happened here. He stood up at that point and looked at Anya. "With you by my side, i feel we can take any opponent." He nodded at her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

"We have to make them suffer as they made my people suffer." He slammed his fist against the scorched earth at that moment and sighed. I have lost my chance to find out the truth of what happened here. He stood up at that point and looked at Anya. "With you by my side, i feel we can take any opponent." He nodded at her.

“A nice sentiment, but we can’t attack them head on. It we need to get help, from either My homeland or elsewhere. We can’t go after them just the three of us.” She says. “We’ll track them, but hold back until we have backup. Deal?”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He would always accept her counsel.

He looked at her with his single eye, searching, always inquisitive.

He nodded and carefully worded his response. "We have a deal. There's no way of knowing how many there are in their brood, or if a nest is nearby." He looked at Gerreth who stood nearby as well. "Send word back to the fort." Nosdyn said calmly.

"At once my lord." Gerreth saluted and he looked at Nosdyn one more time and took his leave.

"I am glad you two are with me. I fear something horrible has happened here." Nosdyn said with a surprisingly calm manner of speaking.

"I'm here with you both." Ellsa said casually and she walked towards Nosdyn but something caught her eyes. "Anya, Lord Nosdyn...take a look at this." There was a side of a small house like structure nearby. Her eyes could spot it because she was a gifted reader and scriber. She waved her hand, aeherial energies pulsed from her hand. "This is not Nosferatu runes." Ellsa explained as she revealed the symbols that were hidden otherwise on the side of a wall.

"It's the words of my people...a warning." Somehow, Nosdyn's eye could discern the language of the runes and what was scribbled. "It says stay away." Nosdyn sighed, the answers had been chosen for him. He looked at Anya at that point. "We go back and consult with your people if there is a brood here somewhere hidden. We should get back to the fort before it gets dark." Nosdyn suggested.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

"It's the words of my people...a warning." Somehow, Nosdyn's eye could discern the language of the runes and what was scribbled. "It says stay away." Nosdyn sighed, the answers had been chosen for him. He looked at Anya at that point. "We go back and consult with your people if there is a brood here somewhere hidden. We should get back to the fort before it gets dark." Nosdyn suggested.

So, he wanted her people’s expertise. Not a problem. “I’ll send a message to my father as soon as we get back m’lord.” She and the group turned around and walked back to the fort in order to plan their next move, while Anya sent a message to Duke Remmond her father. And she sent for their conscript vampiress Velera to come and help them out.

She then reported to Nosdyn in the map room and informed him that the messages were sent.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Nosdyn was not sure why but he felt a pang of pain knowing his people were gone...his tribe.

That night when he was alone...or thought he was alone...he cried. For the first time in a really long time he mourned his people. He knew the truth by that point. His people had been killed by an old enemy. He sat down in the map room he'd been alone mourning his people for hours. He didn't notice Velera watching him mournfully the whole time. He was too upset by that point at what he'd learned to really think straight so he put himself in isolation for the time being until his head was cleared...

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Anya had come up to the door to hear his quiet sobbing. She couldn’t blame him, he had come to see his people and they were wiped out. Anya peeked in to see Velera standing off to the side, unnoticed by the blue orc. Anya would have been worried, but the enchanted iron collar locked around Velera’s neck prevented her from doing anything to consciously or possibly harm Nosdyn, Anya, Ellsa and other higher ups.

Anya walked in, slowly approached the blue orc and put a hand on his shoulder. She crouched down to meet his eye, and gave him a sad, sympathetic smile before hugging him. He definitely needed it.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He'd been crying for most of that day since they got back home.

He saw Anya through his tears and nodded towards her. "My people are gone." He said quietly to her. "I don't know if I can recover my past now." Nosdyn said sighed as she hugged him.

He wrapped both of his strong arms around her and her close to him for a long moment.

"I just need time to make peace with it all your presence is most welcome." He told Anya allowing himself a single small smile. He ran his hand gently through her hair as he often did.

"Thank you for not letting me suffer alone." He told her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

She didn’t say a word. She just hugged him tighter, in instances such as this words did little to help, simply being there was the best thing she coulda do for him. She looked at Verona with a glare, before returning to her lover. She was glad to be of minor comfort to him. What she could do amounted to just this.

Verona stepped forward as though she wanted to speak, but stepped back again.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

It was comfort having people there...he just needed her there with him.

There was no need for any other actions, simply holding one another in silence. After a time, the tears stopped and he kept his eye on Anya as he held her close. His hand was moving gently through her hair. "Thank you, I needed that." Nosdyn said to her quietly in the dark. It was late that night, but he held strong to the resolve that he would mourn his people in peace and quiet especially with Anya at his side. She'd also lost a lot in their war for freedom.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Velera stepped forward again, this time close enough for Nosdyn to see her. She stood nervously, as though shy, hesitant to do something she wanted to do. Anya glared at her, not trusting her near Nosdyn no matter the circumstances, even if she were on a leash Anya wouldn’t trust her. She had always disliked Velera, for a few reasons, Nosdyn was the one who had some willingness to give her a chance.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

Many thoughts poured in his mind at that point.

He liked the interesting interactions between Velera and his wife, Anya. It made the dynamic relationship very very interesting in Nosdyn's mind. Ellsa didn't feel comfortable in the Vampire Fortess so her and some guards returned back to the main fort. They wrote letters back and forth constantly. He smiled at Anya once she went to go to bed. "I will be fine here I just need to think for a while. I don't think I will be alone besides." Nosdyn said to Anya before she left to go get some sleep. After a while, Nosdyn looked at Velera's position in the map chamber. "Come forth, you have something you wish to say do you not? You can sit next to me and we will discuss this together." He said to Velera so she could hear him.

"Come sit with me so we can talk better." He still felt pain in his heart from having lost his people.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

He liked the interesting interactions between Velera and his wife, Anya. It made the dynamic relationship very very interesting in Nosdyn's mind.

So it turned out that Anya’s husband liked the tension between her and Velera. Why that was she had no idea, but that was a fact, and she was a little too busy glaring at Velera to care. She wanted to stay behind with him, but he was technically her superior and so she had little choice but to obey, but she did glare at Velera and said to her husband, “be careful with her. I don’t trust her, least of all around you.”

Then she left, to go to bed.

"Come forth, you have something you wish to say do you not? You can sit next to me and we will discuss this together." He said to Velera so she could hear him.

"Come sit with me so we can talk better." He still felt pain in his heart from having lost his people.

“I think I may know what the vampires who attacked the village may be. They are of the same strain as I am if I’m right. I’m sure that I am, I’m certain that the vampires are like me, probably serving my previous master, Grendric. Your people probably weren’t exterminated, probably enthralled them as I did a long while ago.” She sat next to him. “If it is Grendric, we’re in for quite a lot of trouble.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He looked at as she said that last part of it.

He nodded as she told him the situation as it stood. A part of him was completely glad that he'd spared her at that point. There was something worth saving there. He nodded quietly at that point as he considered all he had learned. "My people would have fought back best they could have." Nosdyn said to her solemnly. There was going to be another battle and another enemy. He only hoped this Grendric would make himself visible before another assault from the empire would occur. He looked at her carefully. "Thank you for telling me this. At least I know some of them can be saved like I saved you."

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

Like he saved me. She shook her head, he hasn’t saved her yet. She had told him of Grendric before, but he never killed him, he hadn’t even seen him. Her particular strain of Vampire had a sort of hive mind, not quite, they didn’t all share the same brain, but the original vampire, Grendric, was the superior authority over the vampires, and they had no choice but to obey. “It has some selfish intents, once Grendric is dead I won’t be under his control any longer.”

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He touched her hair gently at that point to provide some comfort. He liked her hair, he always had. "When the time comes if I free you from this Vampire Lord how does this affect our own relationship?" He asked of her. "In other words what would you want done about your binding to me?" He asked again. He had to know, he really liked having her around. She spoke to him, it was deep and he enjoyed their talks however raw they might have been at points. He knew she was still struggling with the situation. "When the time comes I am going to free you from this Vampire Lord." He promised her.

 

[Ser Anya Kinniger]

"When the time comes if I free you from this Vampire Lord how does this affect our own relationship?" He asked of her. "In other words what would you want done about your binding to me?"

“I’d owe you more than I already do. I doubt your wife will let me free no matter what happens, I can’t really blame her considering how me and her met.” She said with a chuckle. “I’m past the fact that this collar is nevertheless coming off, it doesn’t bother me any more. I appreciate you saying you’ll free me from him, and I’m relieved to hear it.

 

[Deleted member 2578]

He nodded at that point.

"Tell me something, this Vampire Lord who has control over you...how dangerous is he? Should me and you fight him together? I do not wish to place my wife in anymore danger if it can be helped." He knew his wife, she would want to fight and be there should The Vampire Lord arrive and assault them all. "You have given me a lot to think about and plan for." Nosdyn knew there would always be more battles, he would have to consider a different strategy to protect his people at some point. But being a good Blue Orc greatly limited his strategy possibility. Though he knew at some point they would have to adapt.