The Sundered Way

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy looks at Galt and Dornikal for their input.

To Tren: "Believe me when I tell you that I know what you're feeling. Korgal's brother was directly responsible for burning my home village to the ground and having everyone tortured and killed, including my family. Only three of us survived and we didn't escape unscathed." He runs his finger down his scar. "I will also tell you that the anger ...the rage... you're feeling will lead you down a dark path if you let it. If it hadn't been for the elves and the Brothers at the temple of Obad Hai, I would have destroyed myself a long time ago. Don't get me wrong. I WILL see justice done on Gorlock. But justice is different from vengeance. Search your feelings. Would your friends want you to remember them like this? Or would they want you to celebrate them by living your life free from hate's taint?"

((Careful you must be, young padawan. To the Dark Side will your anger lead.))

[Rodgeir]

((Sorry for the delayed response))

Stiffly hobbling back in he returns all but two gems to Zephyr.

"This pouch 'ere," he gestures to the one retrieved from the mummy's tomb, "has gems worth around 25 gold, a few of the larger are likely to fetch double that. All pretty much standard cuts though," he hand going to a beard rub a beard that is gone before just awkwardly be placed on his upper chest, "aye'd say the cuts were a bit... Old fashioned? Total value not more an'," his index finger taps on his chest a few times, 525 gold."

Gesturing at another pouch (from the orc mine),

"These gems are similar to the others but 'ave a bit newer cut to them and aye'd estimate they are worth 250 gold."

He holds up the last three small gems,

"These three vary a bit in quality and are more free form in style making their values vary." Holding up the smallest, roughest, "this one clearly broke during the cuttin' and is worth 6 gold." The next one is also small but of nicer cut "the style of this ones cut is uninspired but well done, 14 gold." He considers the final small gem in his hand, "this gem Dumathoin guided the creation of. It is highly intricately and expertly cut, 35 gold." He looks at them a moment longer before extended them to Zephyr.

Since Dornikal is awake he decides to get some more water from the barrel and we can say he is present for the orc cook discussion,

"Aye don't know 'im but he is an orc from a group that took pleasure in our torture an' enslavement." He shrugs tiredly, "We don't know what he's done in his life. He may be innocent of all crimes or he may have committed hideous acts of violence before his head injury. Either way, unless yer willing to feed him and keep him alive, he'll die."

"Meh vengeance was to be on this group of orcs for what they did to meh friends and companions. Our tormenters are all dead excepting this idiot. Dumathoin will guide meh companions to the peace they deserve and the orcs will rot in Gruumesh's embrace and can't hurt anymore innocent folks."

He glances at Galt for his response.

"Where did ye find him?"

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

((2 votes for execution, 1 vote against, 1 vote pending))

[BadgeAddict]

Zephyr stops Dornikal and says "But what about that big ruby?"

If Dornikal doesn't have an answer, she makes sure at least to take it back from him.

(This is the big ruby from the Mummy tomb)

[Rodgeir]

((Did he get that to look at? And did you want the silver and gold bars appraised as well?))

[BadgeAddict]

(Yeah, if you can appraise the metal bars, that'd be swell...and I thought that the big mummy ruby was included...maybe it wasn't. I'm not trying to be a dick...again, just bookkeeping these numbers for later division)

[Rodgeir]

((Not a problem, I just thought Holger had the ruby? Dornikal is always happy to look at nice gems and will 'appraise' it.))

"Based on their weight aye'd put the silver bars at 5 gold a piece and 50 gold for the gold, assuming that they've got a pure heart. They feel right in meh hand but it's been a problem in the East for folks to 'ave a lead core and gold coating."

[BadgeAddict]

(Spider, any idea the total number of metal bars that you gave us?)

[thinkslogically]

Nem has no particular feelings either way on what to do with the orc, as long as it's vaguely humane.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji sees them deliberating on what to do with the orc cook. He gets up to them and shakes his head. He pulls put his board and writes. Found in kitchen. Don't kill. Useful.

[spiderwrangler]

((Twenty of each, and while the weight is standard, they are, long ovals, with a serpent motif stamped in one side.))

Galt speaks up from the back of the group in Orcish.

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Orcish?

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"Were you aware what was being done to us?"

The orc cook doesn't acknowledge the question.

The big half orc pushes his way forward, and quietly and carefully repeats the question.

The orc cook looks at Galt in confusion.
"Hurm?"

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Orcish

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"Did you know what Korgal was doing?

As Galt's lips form Korgal's name, the orc reacts.

"Hur! Hurr hurm hurm!" Patting his apron, he pulls out a spoon and turns to leave.

Galt catches him by the arm, turning the cook to face him.

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Orcish

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"Wait. Korgal, he's dead. Korgal is dead."

The orc looks at him in confusion, shakes his head and turns to go.

"Hurr, hur hurm."

Galt sighs and releases him.

"I don't know... If he had no active part in death and torture... I... I'd not judge him by blood alone. You say he's just the cook?"

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

"It appears to be that way. He just prepared whatever they brought to him."

((Execution: 3, Not execute: 2, maybe 3? (Not sure about Galt's answer), abstain: 1 (Tess). Any others? Looking a bit like a tie. ))

[BadgeAddict]

(Maybe + Execute = Drop the baby off in the wilderness, and if it survives than fate made the decision.)

[spiderwrangler]

((Pretty sure if you abandon a baby in the wilderness, you're still getting charged when they turn up dead Badge. Don't ask Badge to baby sit.))

"If he's not knowingly done anything wrong, then I'll not ask for his death.", Galt sighs.

((You didn't think I was going to have the NPCs tip the scales for you, did you?))

[M0rtimer]

"I ain't never in favor of just killing someone defenselessly... And it's hard to say if he was still, y'know, aware of what was going on... And even then the question would be if that'd matter. I don't want to go claim that every orc is bad here, but..." Ulmwin trails off, letting the pause speak for itself.

"Bunch of hardened orcs like this band was, doubt they'd have kept him around just out of pity's sake." he says, although his conscience still seems to gnaw at him in a respect...

"...Ugh. Would it even be possible? Find some place where he can just cook peacefully..? Would it even be safe? What if he one day just flies off the handle?"

"Part of me wants to drag him along for a while, to see if it'd even be possible... A more cynical, but realistic version of me however, says the best answer is just to make it quick and painless."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

(( So... 3 execute, 3 no execute, 1 abstain, 1 abandon, 1 waffle . Any input from Holger? Not sure what we're going to do about Coljin. ))

Randy is starting to look a little more morose. He's getting a bad feeling where this is going.
"Tess, have you given any thought about where we're going after this? Szartha reports several of the wells east of here have been poisoned by the orcs."

[Rodgeir]

Dornikal sees the orc's reaction to the name Korgal.

He gets behind the orc and says in an angry voice,

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Orcish?

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"Korgal didn't like his food!"

[spiderwrangler]

"You lot seem to have more magic at your disposal than your average caravan... is there anything you could do to cleanse the wells?", Szartha asks.

Coljin pipes up, "My connection to my goddess allows me to detect and purify poison... but whole wells...?"


The orc doesn't react at all to Dornikal's yelling.

[M0rtimer]

Ulmwin pauses for a moment, thinking... Then asks: "Has any of you guys gotten any response out of him while he wasn't looking straight at you..?"

[Rodgeir]

Dornikal goes around and makes eye contact and repeats the angry statement.

[spiderwrangler]

"HURM!"

He takes off sprinting into the mine.

[M0rtimer]

"Sounds like he was angry, but... Didn't try and hit you or anything. Also seems like our friend might be deaf, but just learned to lip read?" Ulmwin considers, sighing.

"It's a stupid idea, but I'd vote we try and take him with us for now... See if he could serve useful as a cook. I suspect that if there's circumstances that would make it impossible... Well, we'd find out along the way- And most of them would probably resolve the problem quite quickly..."

[Theis2]

"Do what you want with the orc, but we won't be greeted well if we bring in an orc to town. We won't find any place for him besides prison or the executioners block unless we happen upon the nicest person with the purest heart and even then it'll be a stretch to take in a retarded orc."

Holger would be happy to just get rid of the orc right away.

Holger had the big ruby in the box and it will only make it harder to split up the loot. Besides, he was the only one willing to disarm the trap rather than destroy it

[Rodgeir]

Dornikal wipes his hand over his mouth as he watches the cook run.

"He wasn't angry. He was scared of Korgal. Just how Korgal likes his slaves."

((But would you like that big ol' ruby valued? ))

[M0rtimer]

"Ah, really not making this easier, are you..?" Ulmwin shakes his head.

"If it needs be done, it needs be done, but a part of me would have me exhaust the options first. We can put him in a cage or something before we get in the city proper to give the impression he's a captive- As for where he could go... I suppose it depends on how good a cook he actually is. If he'd be happy just cooking all day and a place to sleep... That's more than he's got now, that's for sure. Got to be at least one place that'd love essentially free labor, right?"