Orc Guardpost (#2/365)

 Orc Guardpost (#2/365)

 

“This diamond-shaped chamber is 20’ across and has been stripped bare of fittings. A rough entrance lies unguarded to the north-east, while a similar north-western entrance is barricaded behind a palisade of stakes and sharpened poles.”

 

If the Heroes have been making a lot of noise: 

 

“As you enter the chamber, an arrow is fired from a slit in the palisade, and lands at your feet. A rough voice rings out:

'That was just a warning shot my friends! Come any closer and we pepper your guts with arrows!’”

 

If not: 

 

“From behind the palisade you can hear the sounds of loud snoring from several creatures.”

 

Contents: Behind the palisade are three Orcs from the Bronze Serpent Mercenary Company; Gurthak Dead-Eye, the mercenaries’ sergeant, and 2 regular troopers. All are currently on down-time after a successful joint-mission with pirate raiders from the Skull Coast. Depending on how noisy the Heroes have been, they will either be asleep or alert.

 

Polite Heroes, or those that speak Orcish, may be able to negotiate safe passage through the room for a bribe of 10GP (and 5GP for a return trip). A bribe of 20GP may even allow an escort to visit the leader of the mercenaries, Shaisak Camel-Smiter, but all weapons must be left in this room.

 

Rude or aggressive Heroes will cause the Orcs to rain down arrows, crossbow bolts and even a Green Spikeball cacti as an improvised grenade (all within 6’ of impact have -1 to their Attack Strength for the next turn due to water splash, pulp spray, spines and other debris).

 

The palisade is 7’ high and stoutly constructed, with several openings to allow for arrow fire. It will take 20 points of STAMINA damage before collapsing, but it is flammable. It has a bolted hatch that can only be opened from the inside.

 

Stats:

Gurthak Dead-Eye, GREAT ORC Mercenary (Out of the Pit, pp. 90-91)

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 10

Attacks: 1

Weapon: Crossbow, Sword

Armour: Medium (chainmail scraps), Large Shield

Notes: Has a pipe and pouch of Old Trollborn Smoking Weed (see Encyclopedia Arcana, p. 49)

 

2 ORCS: SKILL 6, STAMINA 5, Bow and Sword, Light Armour (leather scraps)

 

All Orcs have 1d6 GP on them. One has a hipflask of Seaman’s Grog he won off a pirate (see Encyclopedia Arcana, p. 59), the other has a Green Spikeball cacti (see The Titan Herbal, p. 36).