Outracing the Flames RPG

[Valier]

Wulfham

Vaenosa was horrified at the sight she saw. She could only think to herself that if they did not get help soon their own village could look like this upon their return. Nay was spooking a bit from the retched smell that arose from the town. Vaenosa almost gagged at the smell herself. "Oh" she said to the others. "So this what burnt orc smells like." As she covered her nose with her sleeve. " I think we should have our weapons ready. The Orcs may still be lurking somewhere...pillaging and feasting..."

Vaenosa was afraid, she had never seen an Orc, and the thought of meeting some alive here in this village was terrifying to her. She put on a brave face to hide her inner feelings and started surveying the area. "We could look for any survivors as well as some supplies that might not have been damaged by the fires." She said looking at the other three riders. "Maybe we should split up. Then we could cover more ground quickly, leaving this place sooner if we recover nothing. Or perhaps we should check out the whole village together, then split up to look for supplies and survivors." She looked imploringly at the other three, waiting as patientally as Nay would allow, before he bolted out of the village, for the others to reply.

[Nogrod]

Bregoware

As Osmod and Fionn seemed to be getting to their discussions, the old timers’ saw the natural chance of coming together. The question of Meghan still loomed over their talking. Raedwald was not so keen to open up on that one, and Sythric was alert enough, not to pressure over it. So they remembered their common ventures, those days of glory, now so definitively behind. Maybe this was indeed the last ride? It would be good to share this one, then. They remembered common friends and foes. They remembered those who had fallen.

At the time, Sythric took a glance backwards, and saw Eostre riding steadily behind them, but also Meghan far, far behind, but riding towards them.

“Your Meghan is coming after us, after a piece of thought. Maybe we all should have had that piece of thinking before we really tied ourselves with this?” Sythric adressed Raedwald. “Maybe she’s the only one who really knows, what she is doing?”

But just as he glanced forwards, to where they were riding to, he was terrified. There were houses, barns and all. They were approaching Arnanaes. But there were no movement whatsoever. That was frightening.

[Eowyn Skywalker]

A naturally hard rider, Eostre almost found the pace taken to be slow, although with Meghan having fallen behind, perhaps it was right to move forwards like this. Even though she had a natural dislike towards the girl, she didn't like the idea of losing her. Perhaps they'd need her in the future.

Was that an honest way to think? She was certain that those... children... would break apart the party if they carried on their naive views and refusal to accept more world-wise patterns. Fionn was so the typical dreamer, she thought, even having not spoken much to the one male member of their party who wasn't in the lead. And Meghan... Eostre was certain Meghan already hated her. Not as if she had expected anything better. Why wouldn't they?

The trees passed by at a moderate rate, every now and again a few other things altering the forest. And then the forest had passed by and it was grass, grass, and more grass. Yellow and intense, it flickered a stark contrast against the mountains in the distance and the vaguest signs of a town up ahead. Arnanaes, she thought it was. Arnanaes or else possibly Hildegaes, though she had thought Hildegaes was further north, were her memories of the map correct.

And coming up to the town, things were so silent. She glanced forward, beyond the two older riders, closer to the town. There were barns, the signs of horses, a trail slightly beaten. Somewhere up there she knew was a town; the farms more clustered about, perhaps. And the river, she knew, lay up ahead quite near. We'll have to cross the river before we reach the town, I think...

But her memory was dimmed, perhaps by the overwhelming tones of frustration and suspicions overwhelming her. Against all wills, she urged her horse forwards a bit. "Master Sythric, do we reach the river before Arnanaes? My memory of the map is, perhaps, not quite as great as it should be for this location."

[Nogrod]

Bregoware

Sythric and Raedwald had both noticed the empty farmhouses. They were sharing the feeling of chill at the moment. Just before that, Raedwald had just told Sythric, that the brave Aethulf had died last summer, to an unknown disease. He had started losing his weight and hair first, then he started to feel cold, notwithstanding his rising temperatures. Then there was just the sudden end of everything. Raedwald had heard this from one of their mutual friends. Aethulf had died painfully, on his own bed. Sythric was just taking all this in, with these new bad omens of a deserted countryside, when he heard Eostre’s voice addressing him "Master Sythric, do we reach the river before Arnanaes? My memory of the map is, perhaps, not quite as great as it should be for this location."

Sythric looked at Eostre, changing his serious expression into a more comfortable one. “Well, master Eostre”, he grinned, kind of returning the compliment “We surely are reaching Aernanaes right now. Beside the town, there’s the river. And after river, Rohan proper.” He looked at Eostre questioningly, but as she didn’t reply, he continued, with a more grim expression: “As you see, the houses are quite empty. The town of Arnanaes seems to be evacuated. That is not a good sign. This land surely is at war, and I just hope, that those people coming behind us, including our families and friends from Bregoware, will meet these places as peaceful as we are meeting them.”

With that, he called Osmod to take the route a little more left. The center of the town would be there, and they surely should take a look at it. And anyhow, the ferry would be reached from there as easily as it would be, coming from outside the town.

The party entered the central road of the town quite soon. It was one of those towns to which you seem to be coming in, little by little, passing a farmhouse after farmhouse, and then very suddenly, you are at the center. That always surprises the wayfaring stranger. Sythric and Raedwald were no strangers to this place. It was so familiar, and yet, so unfamiliar. All things were at their places, but everything was out of place.

There was the smith’s shop, where Sythric had repaired his spurs so many years ago. The smith had been an old man – in his 60’s – and very helpful indeed, although he seemed to have no idea of the current prices... Sythric had had to persuade him to take a price that would have been at most half of what was taken normally around. Without his insistence, the smith would have been happy with a third of a normal price. The door was open and it was dark inside. Suddenly two big wild dogs run out from inside the house and curved around the corner, yelping as they ran. Sythric felt like stopping, just checking in, whether the old man could still be in there, being tormented by these scavengers. But no. They had a mission, and they would have to accomplish it.

Sythric felt like crying. He swallowed his tears, and tried to look forwards. There was the central square, just in front of them, and the town hall as well. All empty and deserted.

[Maeggaladiel]

Fionn fell silent as they entered the deserted town. It was so still here. It just felt wrong. There should be people in these houses, voices on the air. There should be the smells of cooking food and the sounds of people working. But there was nothing. The entire city was... dead.

That was it, Fionn realized. He knew what the empty town reminded him of: A skeleton. A great, lifeless skeleton, hollow and devoid of everything that made it a creature.

When Fionn was younger, he and his little brother had discovered a fallen bee's nest, abandoned and empty after the first frost. He remembered breaking it open and looking in wonder at the hundreds of empty little rooms and hallways. Together, he and his brother crafted a story about the lives of the bees who once lived there. This place was like that nest. Abandoned. Empty.

Empty. The word echoed for a moment in his mind. This city had been evacuated. His town, too, faced evacuation. Would little Bregoware share this fate? Would his home become one of the gaping skeleton-houses, left abandoned on the silent plains?

He wanted to speak, to clear the air of the heavy and deadly silence. But he couldn't bring himself to disturb the dead village. This place was like a graveyard, and it deserved respect.

[Tevildo]

There was a brief discussion and, within a few moments, everyone had agreed it might be wise for the group to split up. No one wanted to spend more time in this wretched place than was absolutely necessary.

Before the party split up, Dorran looked over his shoulder at Brand and, lowering his voice, hastily explained. "Maybe Incana's right. Maybe we should go in twos. But right now I need to go off on my own. I'm sorry. But I wouldn't be very good company for anyone, and I couldn't even promise to be a good protector. There are things I need to do and see by myself. I'll be back in a little while."

The sight and smell of so many Orcs had awakened hard memories in Dorran and not even the prospect of being with Incana could stand up against the old shadows. He had the strangest feeling that someone or something was waiting for him within the tangled ruins of this village, and he must go out to meet that memory. Struggling to push back the panic that was threatening to paralyze him, Dorran decided to take immediate action. Anything was better than standing and doing nothing. Perhaps he could find them some extra horses. Without even waiting for an answer from Brand, he quickly walked off on his own. He hoped Incana would understand or that he'd at least have the chance to explain and make amends for what looked like very rude behavior.

Dorran sprinted off towards the remains of what appeared to be the largest building in town: a small Inn and an adjoining stable. He had hoped to find a horse or two still hanging about the stables. Yet everywhere he looked, he saw only signs of death. Half the structure was charred and smoking. The roof was caved in and tangled piles of Orc and human bodies littered the ground. He could not take his eyes off those bodies. He stood silent and immobile, unable to pull away.

Forcing himself to move, he came around to the stableyard and, seeing no living horses here, began to feel very foolish for having run off on his own. He pushed through the rubble at the far end of the yard and was rewarded with the sight of an even larger group of dead Orcs. On the ground, he saw the mutilated corpse of a young boy, no older than himself, a broken pitchfork still clenched in his fist; he'd apparently died trying to push open the door to let the horses escape. The lad had been killed by an Orc who had met his own bloody fate at the hands of another townsman, perhaps the father or older brother of the dead stable boy. Dorran turned aside, gripping his sides tightly, and began to retch, awkwardly falling to his knees.

As he did so his eyes caught sight of something so horrible and unexpected that it rocked him to the bottom of his heart. Lord Aldwulf had told them that the Orcs were attacking from the north. All those he'd seen had worn the ragged livery and insignia of the common Orc soldier. This one , however, and several beside him were very different. He reached over, grabbed the shield, and cradled it near his body. Then, in utter disbelief, he saw something gleam about the neck of the Orc that he'd never thought to see again. He ripped off the cord, discarded the rest of the attachments, and stuffed just one thing into his pocket. As he stared intently at the dead figure, the ugly face leered back at Dorran, and, with a shock of recognition, the lad remembered something he would have preferred to forget.

"Brand, Brand," Dorran yelled and raced back to where he'd left the rest of the group. "I must speak with you now. It is important." He grabbed Brand by the arm and yanked him to the side. "Lord Aldwulf was wrong. Or at least he knew only half the story. These are not common pillaging Orcs. Or at least some of them aren't. Look at this. It is far worse than we had imagined." Dorran thrust the shield into Brand's hand. "I tell you. This is the insignia of those Orcs who directly serve the Dark Lord. They dwell in the land of shadows and run the large plantations. They are cruel taskmasters chosen for their ability to inflict pain. These are no mere marauders, I tell you. They have been sent out by someone, perhaps the Dark Lord himself or one of those who directly serve him."

Dorran's voice dropped even lower, "The one who bore this shield went by the name of Hulgruth. He was in charge of the slaves on the plantation to the west of the great mountain. I know this for a fact"

Visibly shaken and upset, Dorran shuddered, his fingers drifting down to feel the outline of the small medallion he'd hidden within his pocket.

[Farael]

Osmod and Fion were talking quite animatedly as they approached the village. In spite of what Fion seemed to think, Osmod was quite interested on how to deal with geese rather than cows.

”You think your job is bad, my friend? Maybe when we come back we should spend some time at each other’s farm. I wouldn’t mind dealing with an animal I can actually prod into listening to me. Have you ever tried moving a cow when her heart is set on staying in place? Not to mention when her feet get trapped in the muddy bank of a river. Ha! No, Fion I much rather hear the Chronicles of Fion and his Amazing Poultry than reciting my long list of Cowly-mishaps.”

With a chuckle he looked ahead, at the quickly approaching town. Something did not seem right and at first he could put his finger on what it was. Everything seemed so quiet, so empty. He noticed Sythric was calling him over and at last he realized. The town was empty.

Following the old rider’s advice, Osmod led the group towards the centre of the abandoned town. Houses gaped with wide open doors to those riders who dared disturb their slumber. Here and there the things that had been left behind served as painful reminders of the people that had not so long ago walked those same streets.

They got to the central square and Osmod called for a halt. He could see his own thoughts reflected on everyone’s faces. Sythric seemed to be the most affected of them all and so Osmod felt it was his duty to say the words that needed to be said.

“This is a most painful reminder of what we are facing, my friends. I am not a born speaker any more than I am a born leader, but I think we will all agree of our need to make haste from this moment on.” He looked at the sun and guessed the time to be slightly past mid-day. ”By this time, Bregoware looks like this town. Our family and friends are following the way we have been taking and by now I would risk to say they have reached where we stopped for lunch yesterday. They are moving much more slowly than us and every day we spend riding takes us further away from them. I can understand why any of you may want to turn back and join those they care about. I will not stop you. But I will tell you that from now on we will need each and every one of us to carry out our task.”

Osmod took time to look into everyone’s eyes, both asking them to follow him across the river and trying to assure them that he would not oppose them should they decide to turn back. Maybe he was trying to do too much.

[Naria]

Wulfham


Starlight was well aware of the smell that was emanating from the burned village before the group had even caught sight of it. She was getting more and more hesitant and nervous the closer they came. Incana prodded her mare on and kept reassuring her by whispering in Starlight's ear, "come on girl just a little further, I know you are scared" trailing off into light hisses. Incana had no idea what she was about to see, she had never seen so much destruction and very little death in her lifetime.

As her horse rounded a charred house it became all too clear to Incana what had taken place here. Bodies were everywhere; men, women and even children. Her heart throbbed with pain as she looked around, " so much destruction why have these fowl beasts done this?" The smell was too much for Starlight and the horse began to weave side to side and prance like she was on hot coals. Incana tried to calm her but the woman had no effect on the mare. Starlight had had enough and reared tossing Incana off of her back; she hit hard, knocking the wind out of herself. Coughing she got to her feet and tried to catch her breath for now wasn't the time to lay helplessly on the ground, inhaling deeply several times Incana took her horses reins and continued with her survey. The woman decided to walk her horse instead of riding, it would be much easier for Incana to deal with an anxious Starlight.

Incana took a few more paces forward and heard something. It sounded like a baby crying, she panicked and ran towards where the sound was coming from. It was another burned down home, but bigger. She thought to herself 'maybe this was a barn, if it was why would a baby be in here?' Incana cringed at the thought of how a young one would get from a house to a barn without the aid of an adult. This made her angry and she began to furiously dig at the charred remains of the building. The noise was getting clearer with each piece of blackened wood that she tossed aside. It was no longer making the sound of a baby but rather a....a dog?! Incana was relieved when she pulled forth the last plank and saw a charcoal coloured dog. The woman gently picked up the whimpering canine and walked towards her horse and the rest of the group. Incana retrieved her water skin and poured some water in her hand, the dog graciously drank and drank and drank some more. He showed Incana his thanks by giving the woman a big lick across the face. She stood up and was letting the dog go,after all we couldn't have a dog coming with us could we?Incana once again took hold of Starlight's reins and went forward, all the while looking for anything of interest they could use.

Incana heard Vaenosa say something about splitting up to find supplies. She thought about this for awhile and said, "That sounds like a good idea. I think that the women should split up and each go with one of the men." While she waited for the three to decide on what should be done and if her idea sounded good, Incana noticed the dog walking slowly up behind Lady. The woman laughed and wondered if this was to be one of their new companions.