Zeroth

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

I'm Hurt my dude

@Rune_Alchemist

:( I sowwies

Because I was limiting the number of players this time around I didn't think it'd be fair to throw out a big mention list of all the previous peeps in the Interest Check, so I just sorta threw it out there fresh.

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

I'm going to keep the short-responses limited, because I don't want to end up with one group or character getting too far ahead of others in between "real" GM posts. Hopefully that's not too big a disappointment to anyone, but I did want to give you all a little bit more to go on in between so that each player could do a little bit more than just wait to see if something works or make some blind attempt at their own plan without any relevant info on what someone else is doing at roughly the same time.

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

My only regret is not having been able to use the Creature Analysis skill yet, but that can come after we kill it. Never said the animal had to be alive to use that skill on it, right? :P

Also I had no idea on which Elwet would be closest to Lazash with her entrance to the left of where Akeno went in, so I assumed and had her gun for the one nearest to her in that case. (Er, if I need to fix that at all then I can! No problem. Or if all else fails she would attack the one closest to her if the current target of her blitz, as designated in my post, doesn't work. XD)

@Crusader Lord

We've also never specified how the condition of a creature might affect the amount of information Creature Analysis can obtain! Oh the wonder and mystery! :D

Your post works perfectly as a matter of fact, as going in on Akeno's left would indeed put you more in line with the fire breather. They're a bit like this:
[0][0][R][0][0]
[0][F][0][0][0]
[0][0][0][W][0]
[L][0][H][0][G]
[0][0][A][0][0]

R= Runner, F= Firebreather, W= Warning Screecher, H= Back Hopper (the one Akeno pounced at), L= Lazash's Entrypoint, G=Grunthor's entry point.

"Though the Elwet was much heavier than a normal chicken, it was still smaller and lighter than the Runt who came charging at it with a stone knife. Though Lazash's initial plan succeeded, and she slammed into the monster from the side, as its feet left the ground there wasn't enough resistance from its body weight to really drive her sharp stone home. She pierced a thick layer of feathers and drew blood, but somehow her instincts warned that this wouldn't be fatal. As they tumbled together, the beast's wings and feet flailed wildly at her--and its sharp talons raked her soft belly, leaving several slices that burned with pain, before she finally came up on top and managed to wrap her tiny hands around the fire breathing neck!

But now, despite weighing more than it and perhaps being stronger, the Elwet proved that it, too, was stronger than its size hinted. Clucking furiously, it began to scramble and try to run--with Lazash still on its back! Though her grip tightened every moment and the bird's eyes bulged from lack of oxygen, it simply poured every ounce of adrenaline and survival instinct into a mad charge for freedom--"

@ERode Given how things are arranged now, you could catch all the Elwet except the Runner with a Frost Arc--but you'd also catch most if not all of your allies! ;)

@Kazemitsu

"Grunthor put his whole body weight into a charge much like Lazash, but whereas her goal had been to pierce a feathered heart his, from the start, had been to get his string-bean arms around the crowing terror and bear both their weights to the earth. In this he succeeded--though most of the Elwet's body was hugged against his chest. This left its beaked head free, and even as he buried his face into its...surprisingly soft chest, he could feel the pointed appendage drawing a pattern of bloodied dots all over his bald head, seeking his eyes!

But up came Grunthor's arm, and down came his sharp rock! He missed the first shot but clipped one of the antlers, and now that he knew where its body was in space alongside him the second blow hit its mark! The Elwet cried out once more as one of its eyes was blinded forever by the chiseled stone edge! In this moment of weakness Grunthor could secure his mount and finish the creature off--but if he raised his head to do so, he'd see another twenty-something pounds of feathered fury, carrying a further weight of exactly 1 Lazash, coming straight at him in a mad charge for freedom--!"

@King CosmosWorking on that PM!

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

@ERode@Kazemitsu@King Cosmos@Crusader Lord Those following after Akeno can use this to help continue the narrative:

"As Akeno grit her teeth and decided to simply burst through the underbrush, she found herself coming face to beak with a large, full bodied chicken bearing not only draconic scales, but pointed antlers and perhaps the meanest gaze ever possessed by a flightless bird. There were four of them in the clearing, pecking at the ground or preening themselves--and every single one of them turned their gaze on the Orc Runt that had just barged into their midst. They were roughly twice as big as any chicken Akeno might've encountered in her lifetime--standing somewhere between 30 and 36 inches tall on average, weighing at least twenty pounds a piece.

The one in front of her immediately screamed and jumped back, buffeting her face with its wings as it did so. The next closest released a loud cry of its own, this one of warning rather than surprise, and that seemed to move the other two to more direct action. The one furthest from Akeno turned and started to book it for the nearest bush. And the remaining third member of this little flock opened its beak wide to release a blast like a firework, a small flaming mass that traveled towards the Runt like a baseball pitch--!"

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

@SubjectVisionIf Rik is heading directly into the woods, then he can hear the caws and squawks of the same group of Elwet that Akeno, Esfir, Grunthor, and Lazash have encountered. From his vantage the sounds will be in a different direction, so unless he took note of the tracks leading into the woods earlier or saw Esfir dragging Lazash off, he won't know there are other Runts nearby. If he chooses to go after the flock instead of trying to single one of the monsters out, he'll create a flanking situation with the other group while neither of them is aware of the other, greatly increasing the potential for chaos.

@ERodeCan do!

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

Post is up!

Let me know if I missed anything or if anyone needs something to be more fleshed out, clarified, etc. We have our first set of random encounters! For a while there I worried literally everyone was going to get an Elwet because I kept getting the same dice roll every freakin' time >_<

@SubjectVision Very sorry, I somehow missed this when I was glancing through before posting! If you'd like, let me know a short summary of what you had planned and I can tell you what any random encounters, etc, would be so you can include it.

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

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Inside Camp

---

Lazash

@Crusader Lord
"Head Warrior. Do you know where any creatures that come out at night sleep during the day?"

Auguz looked down at Lazash with a raised eyebrow, before giving her an amused half-grin. His yellowed teeth glinted as he sheathed his blade and spoke to the runt.

“Think you’re clever, aye?” The sound he made might’ve been a chuckle, or a growl. “Alright then!” He turned slightly and pointed to the north-west of the camp, not down the slopes towards the forest but further up the jagged mountains. “There’s caves where Camazots make their nests, up thataway!” Then, he shrugged. “Or, ya could try findin’ a Nooki den down in the woods. But,” and here he either chuckled or growled again and waved the little female off on her way, “Ya might wanna think about why them night time beasties prefer to slink around inna dark, geh heh heh!”

Gren and Vola

@Lucius Cypher@Unkown58
Gren opted to take a detour and looked around the camp for stuff he could use, and in the process met Vola doing the same. Most of the other orcs didn't take notice of the Runts running around, as many of them seemed to have their own tasks to attend to or at the very least were focused on something besides babysitting. In fact, one orc was so focused on sprinting across the camp, stone axe in hand, that he almost ran the two newbie hunters over. As Gren and Vola just barely stopped short before their paths could collide with the runner, they would see this orc hop over a nearby cookfire that had several other adults sitting around it. One of them lurched to one side, wooden bowl full of something that steamed suspiciously, and hollered at the sprinter.

“Oi, mukh, what’re ya runnin’ ‘round like that for!? Ya almost spilled me breffast!” One could hear the shouting easily over the short distance between the two Runts and this group. The runner only laughed at those he'd offended and kept going.

“Outta my way, fatarse! Bowbh’s makin’ me a new knife—so I gotta bring’im wood for the forges!” As this orc-turned-woodsman disappeared around a tent corner, the others around the fire went back to eating--but not without continuing to grumble among themselves.

“Hmph, more wood? What ‘e needs is more ore! And better stuff, too. That bog iron ain’t worth gruhk!” said one, gesturing with a hand-carved wooden spoon before scooping a big pile of gray gruel with brown chunks in it into his tusked maw. The word "grukh" was said with the same emphasis one uses when struggling to excrete after eating too many dairy products.

“Aye, but for that ye’d need a propah cave to mine—and good tools! Ya can’t make a pickaxe outta wood!” said another with a somewhat square head, who pulled up a skewer out of the flames. The blackened stick had been used to impale what looked like a black, ash-charred rat, which he promptly took a crunchy bite out of followed by a deep belch.

“Y’know, I saw a cave on me way back from up north the other day. Betcha there’s ore in there!” replied the first, hitting another next to him on the shoulder in excitement.

“Yeah? Well you go find it then, and don’t come cryin’ to me when ya get eat by somethin’ down inna dark!” countered this orc, who looked like much less of a morning person than the others. He yawned, before turning his entire bowl of gruel up and loudly slurping it down.

While this conversation was going on, if Gren and Vola were particularly opportunistic they might notice that these three orcs weren't paying the best attention to their belongings around them and the cookfire. They could see a few objects that might well qualify as "useful" for their purposes...but, the three orcs were sitting at such angles to one another that, while a Runt might be able to grab something without one noticing, it was almost certain the other two would see the thief. Thus, if they really wanted to, it might be best to just pick one or two items and make a break for it. Considering they were eating and talking at the same time, and not really focused on the little ones, they probably wouldn't notice Gren or Vola had taken something until the two were gone...Although, if what they took turned out to be valuable, they might be risking earning the adult's ire. The question was, what did Orcs value?

• A stone hatchet, left unattended and leaning against a tent.
• A fire-roasted bone with a few big chunks of meat left on it, cooling on a stone near the fire. A femur of something small but stocky...like a goat, maybe?
• A pouch made from some kind of animal hide, hanging on a tent post by a rope belt.
• An unlocked wooden container, roughly the size of a breadbox. It has a sliding lid on top.
• A small basket woven from strips of cane and straw, with several handfuls of charcoal inside it.

Optional Quests Available.

• Gather wood for Bowbh’s forges.
• Gather ore for Bowbh’s forges.
  
  
  • Optional: Gather Bog Ore
  • Optional: Gather Cave Ore
  • Optional: Bring Bowbh high quality ore.
• Discover the North Cave

Which Quest(s) will you accept?

SYSTEM

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Moving Through The Camp

@Everyone

---

As most of the Runts made their way towards the camp's entrance, they passed by a handful of rickety towers. Made from rough-cut timber stacked somewhat like a game of Jenga, these wobbly structures had ladders made from rope, sticks, and occasionally a long bone by which Orc Grunts scrambled up to serve as lookouts. The lighter demonkin had an easier time climbing the towers without bringing the whole thing down on top of them, though more than one of the tribe had cracked their thick skulls on the ground after a collapse or a tumble. Older than Runts but still not full-grown, these adolescents had often poked fun at the younger Orcs by taunting them, stealing food, and occasionally throwing things at them in the brood pit.

“Oi! Look at awl da widdle dummies, headin’ out on their fuwst big hunts! Bah ha ha ha!” jeered a particularly large Grunt. Standing at about five feet tall and about fifty pounds heavier than most Runts—maybe with the exception of Gren and a few others—the bully called Builge had been an especially sharp thorn in the sides of the latest batch coming up from the pits. “Betcha at least half of ‘em don’t come back! Buncha mukhs! Yeah, I’m talkin’ t’you, weaklings!” But Builge did little more than harass them from his perch—probably because every time the big lug dared to move a muscle, his pile of twigs threatened to topple itself. At one point, the platform he stood on remained level, while the base did its best slinky impression.

They would then come to the palisades proper---numerous logs, from trees and branches alike, sharpened into stakes at a variety of angles and plants in the ground with all the pointy bits out towards the world. There were a few platforms here, or even an attempt at stacking rocks into a sturdier wall every so often, but for the most part these defenses seemed to be little more than a very tall fence meant to keep any hostiles out of the camp. Falling onto, or charging into, these spikes would certainly not be a good time for any creature or group that tried to charge the base.

The orcs standing guard, holding large but crudely made wooden shields and vicious looking spears, gave each Runt a glare and a nod as they ushered them out of the camp and onto their first hunt.

---

Outside Camp

@Such A Birch@ReusableSword

---

As Agar looked out, down across the slopes and over the tops of the shorter trees down below, the view might have actually reminded him of his home—the beautiful mountains and forests of Montana, camping at the foot of the Rockies, or hiking in the canyons and lake valleys. The forest, on closer inspection, seemed to favor a more “northerly” flavor, with what looked to be a great deal of large conifers, but the weather was quite temperate and great hardwoods grew in thick patches among the mix. Close to the camp, most of the underbrush had been cut back, but the woods grew denser and darker not far beyond the treeline.

In the distance, he could see a place that must’ve been some kind of hill or rocky cliff, for a section of trees rose above all their brethren quite suddenly and at an angle. This rise was almost directly east of the camp, though if his experience riding far across the range wasn’t lying to him, it was probably at least an hour’s walk away. A little further to the south of that rise, it seemed like there might be an opening in the canopy, but whether it was some sort of clearing, meadow, or just a hole in the ground couldn’t be seen from this distance at this angle. Something in his instincts said “lake,” but was it the Orc part of him, or the human?

If he looked back at the mountains where the camp had been nestled, he would see that the orcs’ settlement was essentially on the bottom of a wide, ramping valley that only went a short distance vertically up the mountain base—but being backed into the rockface at least seemed like a good defensive strategy. The rocks to the north of the camp looked much more scalable, with switchback trails over ledges and a few worn paths that could be seen even from a distance. The southern mountains seemed rougher going, but also didn’t rise as high as the other side of the range. However, both sides of the valley stretched tall enough that, as he craned his neck back and blinked against the haze in the sky, Agar would be able to make out snow atop several peaks and a few that even reached cloud cover.

Speaking of clouds, there didn’t seem to be many today. The sky was bright blue, and if the sun still rose and set in the same direction as on Earth then the time had to be somewhere roughly between eight, maybe ten o’clock in the morning at the latest. So the Runts had clear weather and bright sunlight to hunt by, at least for those who didn’t delve into caves or something like that.

Now that he had the lay of the land, perhaps Agar would find it a little easier to keep his bearings as he set out on his hunt…

At that moment, Duram approached, singing a song easily recognizable by just about anyone except those born on this strange, new world. Would Agar betray what, up until now, he likely only knew about himself? Or would he play like the other orcs of the camp, who gave Duram the kind of looks people would probably give someone who loudly screamed obscenities in a public plaza? Agar and Duram would also see one of the other Runts, leading another by the hand, following a growing trail of footprints into the forest--one set was light enough as to be barely there. Another set was heavier, and deepened the first set as they'd intentionally followed at a lumbering gait. And now these other two made four runts, all heading in the same direction.

Then Agar and Duram would also hear a sharp crack coming from somewhere else in the forest, followed by a cloud of birds taking flight.

---

Into the Forest

@King Cosmos@Kazemitsu@ERode@Crusader Lord

---

As Akeno performed her kata in the clearing, perhaps the strange peace known to come from martial arts mastery was what calmed the area and made even an Orc seem not quite so threatening to the local fauna. Hop by gentle hop, ears and nose a-twitching, came a wary creature to nibble on the lush, green grasses at the very edge of young Akeno's training ground.

JACKALOPE

It was certainly aware of her, as whenever she stopped her movements or made a snapping turn to another direction, the Jackalope would also stop whatever it was doing and twitch one floppy ear in her direction. Its stillness had the kind of tension that said "if I get even an inkling of a threat, I'm off like a shot, sister." But so long as Akeno didn't look directly at it or move too close, after a few moments it would go back to chewing the scenery---quite literally.

But then Grunthor came onto the picture, and though he wasn't trying to be actively disruptive he also had a more lumbering gait. As he spoke to Akeno, the Jackalope moved into the shadow of a large tree. It was still visible, if one cared to really look, but could disappear into the brush at any given moment---and it almost did so, as a loud sound interrupted the two runts.

"CRAWK-A-DOOBY-DOO!"

That unmistakable caw was one the runts had heard before, because the creature that made it had been caged more than once by the adult orcs in various attempts at domestication. Though they couldn't see it, they knew an Elwet had to be out there, somewhere, among the brush.

ELWET

Not long after that, Esfir showed up, dragging Lazash behind her. The other female orc had been interrupted in her thoughts just after leaving Auguz and skirting around the known places where Dire Rats tended to nest, but now it seemed like she'd be going into the forest proper instead of scouting for caves. Then again, it seemed like Esfir had an actual plan, and what's more she wanted to work together.

Would this be the first Orc Runt Party?

Another caw answered the first Elwet. The Jackalope, on the other hand, clearly didn't like the sight of so many potential predators gathering in one spot. Even without anyone making an aggressive move towards it, the little beast jumped into the bushes and took off in a mad dash! They could hear it rustling the underbrush, but it was completely lost to sight...and within seconds, would be lost to hearing, too. Although, it did seem to stir something up not too far away--which provoked a third Elwet's screech. Maybe a whole flock of the creatures was nearby?

---

Ushnekh

---

The place where Ushnekh slipped into the woods, in a different patch of tree and brush than where it seemed most of the other Runts were heading, now sported a perfectly circular patch of broken ground around 10 feet in diameter as if some strange kind of mining or farming machine had broken the first layer of earth into multiple, angular chunks and then rolled them over a handful of times. The centerpoint of this area had sunk in almost a foot deep, as the rest of the earth had been pushed out away from it to form a crater. The noise and danger of his spell caused an entire flock of small, mundane looking birds to flee the trees with startled cries. Did that mean that most animals would avoid such noise? Or...would something dangerous come to investigate?

Ushnekh didn't seem to want to hang around to find out, and decided to scuttle off in search of another Runt to tail--but just before he left the newly made clearing, something dropped out of a tree right on top of him!

TATZELWURM

The monster appeared to have been somewhat stunned or shocked by the sudden shockwave that had rattled the base of a branch it'd been resting on--part of said branch was still curled in its tail. However, by the time Ushnekh reacted to what amounted to a coiled rope suddenly dropping on his face and bouncing off with a heavy thud, the creature too had recovered its wits.

With a shrill hiss, the monster lunged at his leg with its fangs bared!

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

Updated Character Page with "The World of Aedven." Some writers say your world is a "character" in and of itself to flesh out and grow, so I'm taking that a bit literally. Currently, only the Orc Camp has been revealed.

Alright, he’s level 16 but there’s ten of us and we all have cheat skills. Let’s kill his ass.

@ERode

Ignore any of my loyal subjects who start screaming, this image is entirely innocent.

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

@Guy0fV4lorAh yes, the drug addict who dug too deep! Subarashii, Guy-kun. Choose ONE!

The Eldritch Powers are not to be trifled with lightly, little one. You are far from ready...and I hope in this next world, you will exercise more caution. I have seen much worse than steel giants roam these lands, eager to devour the unwary...and far greater powers than even they still slumber beneath the surface...

• Type Analysis - Rank I - Choose a specific Type for this Skill: Creature, Magic, or Material. Upon analyzing a target, information relevant to the chosen type will be displayed. Higher Ranks will grant more detailed information. (For example, using Creature Analysis on a Slime would tell you the most generic, widely known information on Slimes as a species)
• Danger Scan - Rank I - Detect non-living threats within 10 feet, such as hazardous terrain, traps, etc. Remain acutely aware of them for 1 minute.
• Rune Scribe - Rank I - Normally, this Skill requires the User to be capable of at least one other Magic Skill. Use a personal writing system to imbue magical effects. At Rank I, the scribed Rune has only half the effectiveness of the original Spell and fades after 1 day. (For example, one could use this with a piece of parchment to produce a consumable Scroll of Fire Bolt--or place the Rune somewhere in the environment with certain spells to create a sort of booby-trap.)
• Earth Wave - Rank I - An AOE spell focused on the caster, with the associated Element's effect. At Rank I, Earth Wave creates a seismic movement within a 5 foot radius all around the caster, violently throwing targets affected by it to the ground where they're battered and pushed until they're outside the area of effect. Even if a target manages to keep their balance, moving over the terrain becomes very difficult.

Divine Spirit Jehanne

@ERode@King Cosmos@Lucius Cypher@ReusableSword@Crusader Lord@SubjectVision@Kazemitsu@Such A Birch@Unkown58 IC IS NOW UP!

Why Were We Reincarnated as Orcs?!

---

You died.

---

The crystal clear memory, the moment of your death, burns at the back of your vision in exquisite detail. In this image, time freezes and every minutia stands out for you to ponder at your leisure. Behind it, the rest of your memories stretch into infinity like an endless hall of mirrors. Somehow you know you will never forget any of it. Moments of bliss and despair, weakness and triumph alike, engraved into eternity.

It would seem that you are alone, in this “eternity.” Endless darkness stretches out in every direction. Yet you feel claustrophobic, as if sealed in a box waiting to be opened. You stand upon a floor, but to look down reveals no shadow nor footprint. You are not sure if the pristine, featureless expanse is emptiness, or shadow. You have a body, but your eyes, nose, and every nerve may as well be nonexistent for all the perception they provide.

Yet your ears hear a voice.

“Awaken, O bereaved spirit of another realm…”

THE VISION OF JEHANNE

The Gentle Lady

In black, there is now white, and with this disparity comes a return to sensation, to feeling. A blinding white light tears a rift in the darkness, spreading up and then to either side as if a great pair of doors are swinging open before you. Within this chamber of light, you see her. Where she stands, the hem of her gown ripples into the floor and moves like gentle undulations across a still pool of water. Drifting feathers from her many wings float past you, trailing tiny golden motes as they stroke your face with the gentleness of a mother.

“Greetings, mortal soul.” She extends a hand to you, as her loving smile takes you off guard. “I am Jehanne, Divine Spirit of Light, Redemption, and Conviction.” But she senses your hesitation, and turns her palm to sweep towards the floor. She presents an image below your feet...an entire world laid out before you. A world that is not your own.

“By grace, I have been allowed to speak to you across time and space. For you have been selected to be reborn.” She bows her head for a moment, and the infinite expanse ripples.

"The world you see below you is called Aedven. In some ways, it is like your Earth, as it was long ago…in fact, there is a striking level of similarity between this world, and the myths and legends of your own.” Jehanne begins to spin the globe, and the image grows closer and closer. “Brave knights of Men, with shining blades, and wise sorcerers wielding mysterious magics, fight against the likes of monsters and demons here alongside Elves and Dwarves. This is a world plagued by Demon Kings…”

As she spoke, a shadow emerged beside you, startling you to an extent you hadn’t thought yourself capable of experiencing any more. This “thing” was much like yourself—but it seemed made of pure, writhing shadows. It slowly walked to Jehanne’s side…and sat down near her feet, like a sulky child called to heel by a strict parent.

“...and rescued by Heroes.”

On your other side, another “thing” entered the chamber, but its form was almost too bright to look at, and so warm it might burn you without meaning to. It too knelt at Jehanne’s feet, taking a knee and bowing its head like a knight before royalty. Then it relaxed opposite the dark shape…though the two seemed to glare at one another every so often as Jehanne continued. Her smile faded somewhat, as she cast a sober eye over you once more.

“Unfortunately, you were not called to play out such a tale.”

She holds out her hand again, but this time she beckons you forward. Before you can move, however, a sharp, soundless breath is drawn out of your non-existent lungs. You feel a vital part of yourself drawn out by her power, numerous threads wound into a single ball that condenses until its smooth, marble-like surface is smoother than glass.

“Thus, I bestow upon you the only gift I am able.” Jehanne begins to roll the sphere between her hands, though it seems to float in her palms. You see your life playing out again over its frictionless surface, but the images are growing brighter and brighter. “In this world, when Souls re-enter the Cycle…Every memory, emotion, attachment, and experience, is scrubbed clean. Like skim from milk, these things are taken and purified. The Soul, now stripped of everything it once was, takes on a new life in the physical realm…and what is left is poured into the Sea of Mana to become the fuel for Magic.”

She casts the marble back to you, and as it enters your chest you feel a new sensation thrumming through you where your heartbeat used to be.

“Instead, I return this to you in its purest form. You shall retain all of who you were…and the Magic it has created shall be imbued in your very Soul, no matter what form your new body takes.” She then redirects your attention to the image of Aedven.

You now see a settlement of some kind. Even that, perhaps, is too complex a term for it. It’s…a camp. Something primitive, barbaric, as if you are looking into an era of Earth long gone. Jehanne continues to speak. You can only partially pay attention, but she seems to know everything about you…and she gives you a choice, of some kind, related to the “Magic” that now rests within you…Hesitantly, you reach out as a floating parchment filled with words you only think you understand floats in front of you. You make your choice.

“You will be Blessed, to understand all tongues, as is the way of Otherworlders. You will, as one who retains this memory, have a Connection to the System not present for most native beings. But, in return for this, your new life shall be quite different. You shall become an Orc—a race with many enemies, and many flaws, but much potential. This is why you were called.” Jehanne closes her eyes for a moment…and when she opens them again, her kind expression and bright eyes have become subdued. You realize that there is steel within her—that the armor she bears is not merely for regal ceremony. And the realm around her seems to shiver with her power, as the dark and light figures to either side of her flinch back.

“Show me, then, what you can become.”

The great doors swing open again, and a powerful wind like air being sucked from a space shuttle pulls you backwards. Even if you struggle with all your might, it tugs you inch by inch. As you watch, Jehanne turns away from you, and the figure of bright light waves goodbye before it too turns to follow her.

The dark one, however, continues to watch you. It has no face, and yet you feel as if…it grins.

Then you are pulled through the doors, and they slam shut with a deep, reverberating shock. Moments later the sound repeats itself, even though all light is gone. And again. And again.

Your heart is beating again. You can feel stone under your back. You open your eyes.

You are reborn.

---

The Orc Camp: Your New Home

---

You awakened with what was possibly the worst headache you’d ever known. It felt as if you had just had a vivid dream that lasted…days? Weeks? Months? You dreamed you were a little creature, a miserable Runt of a thing, and that you struggled to survive every single day even as an infant. You dreamed memories that weren’t your own, names that didn’t make any sense, and other creatures that were bigger, stronger, and far meaner than you.

Then you realized it hadn’t been a dream. But you, the real you, had indeed woken up.

You found yourself in the Brood Pit, a large, circular dugout beneath an overhang of rock. The entire camp rested at the base of a mountain, with a sloping ledge and trails at its edge that led down past rocky brushland to a dense treeline. Many of the camp’s shelters were thus carved into the rocky outcrops and cliff faces, though tents and crude wooden buildings were scattered around as well. The Brood Pit’s name came from the fact that this was where baby orcs were left while the broodmothers went about their other activities. Hidden from the sight of flying raptors by the rocks, and kept from escaping by the walls of the pit and several guards who were always on duty, the infants would be quite safe here until they matured into proper Runts.

Which became the case for yourself and many others, as of today.

“OI! WAKE UP, YA BUNCHA MUKHS!” A mukh was some kind of insult to the Orcs, implying low status, subservience, dumb muscle…a mook, basically. You saw several of the other Runts snap to attention. And a huge, looming figure appeared above the pit—the Head Warrior, Auguz.

“Today’s the day, Runts!” he roared, causing some of the younger infants to start bawling. The wetnurses, a couple of pudgy, older Orc females, began gathering the babies to them and hushing them with food—such as fat, squirming grubworms and some kind of pasty gray gruel. Auguz looked over you and the rest of your generation with an appraising eye, and subtly nodded. He opened the wicker gate of the Brood Pit’s protective fence, and forcefully gestured until all the Orc Runts filed out.

“Today is yer first hunt!” He walked around the group like a drill sergeant, though the Runts were the furthest thing from disciplined or trained. “You’re to go into the forest, find somethin’ good to eat—and kill it, pray-fur-ably!—then bring it back here! IN ONE PIECE!” He violently pantomimed to get his point across. “Ya don’t eat it! Ya don’t tear it up! Ya bring it back, to PROVE to us that ya gots what it TAKES!” He suddenly drew a long, somewhat worse for wear sword and began waving it around, almost putting out more than one eye with it.

“If’n ya comes back alive, then ya gets to come outta the Brood Pit for good, and start trainin’ to be a REAL Orc! And if ya can’t do that…” His voiced lowered to a threatening growl. “Then don’t come back at all!”

“Uh…if we couldn’t get back, uh, alive…wouldn’t we’s be deads?” piped up one Runt. Auguz whirled and smacked him with a backhand across the face, knocking him to the dirt.

“THAT’S THE POINT!”

Mutters and mumblings began breaking out among the other Runts, and it seemed a few of them were already scrambling back to the pit to grab what few possessions they had available to them. Some proudly declared what they would be hunting or where they would go. Those dream-like memories within you bubbled up again.

You knew very little about this world. But your human mind had long been able to process what was going on around you, even as an infant in your new body. Thus, you had overheard other Orc hunters talking about their activities. You had seen creatures brought in, butchered for their meat and other useful things. And perhaps even an “attack” or two, where some unlucky mukh wasn’t watching where he stepped or the camp guards got caught lacking. So you knew about a few kinds of creatures and resources in the area.

You just had to decide what to do from here.

A New Quest is Available.

Quest Giver: Head Warrior Auguz
Quest Details: Find Something to Eat and Bring it Back Whole.
Optional:

• Kill a Creature
• Keep the Target in High Quality Condition
• Return to Camp Uninjured

SELECT YOUR TARGET:

Monsters

• Slime - You know Slimes are quite common in the Forest, especially in areas where leaves and other things have broken down into compost.
• Dire Rat - You know Dire Rats often burrow among the rocks around the camp’s perimeter, or in burrows out in the Forest. You also know they have a very painful bite that sometimes makes Orcs very sick.
• Jackalope - Jackalopes are supposedly very common in the Forest, but you’ve heard they’re quite fast and sensitive to sounds and thus difficult to catch. Their horns are very sharp, but they’re not as aggressive as other monsters.
• Elwet - You’ve seen these creatures being caged up around the camp from time to time. They’re a very strange sort of chicken-like bird, but quite aggressive and territorial. They can be caught in the forest, and don’t seem capable of flight…but you did see one set an Orc’s backside on fire one time…
• Tatzelwurm - Supposedly it’s like a half cat, half snake? And poisonous? You’ve overheard Orcs talk about watching the trees for them, because they blend in with the branches and leaves.
• Random - Maybe you should just go out there and see what happens…

Materials

• Healing Blossom - A green plant with shimmering, blue-white flowers and a minty smell. You know the leaves are edible, or sometimes made into tea, and that it seems to be used as medicine. It’s supposed to grow in places where there’s lots of “mana?”
• Red Cream - An unmistakable red mushroom that oozes a red, creamlike substance when its bulbous head is cut. You once heard an Orc say a single mushroom could keep someone full for several hours. But they only grow in dark places…like caves.
• Topapo - A thick, tuberous root that has poisonous leaves, but can be peeled and prepared a variety of ways. Orcs like to bake them in hot coals. You’ve heard they grow wild in dark, loamy soil and produce thin crawler vines that latch onto whatever they can.
• Leppa Fruit - A round, blue fruit that grows in certain hardwood trees. An Orc that used to guard the Brood Pit got ambushed while picking them and was killed a while back, so maybe they grow somewhere dangerous?
• Ven Fern - A purple fern of some kind with curly, pipe-cleaner like stalks. Like the Healing Blossom it seems to be used a lot in tea. You’re not sure how edible it is, but it seems to be “prescribed” often by the Orc Shaman…
• Random - Maybe you should just go out there and see what happens…

SYSTEM

[[OOC: Feel free to add or flesh out anything about the scene that you feel would’ve prompted a response from your character. The “target selection” only applies to what you’re hunting for the Quest—there are plenty of other things you might find if you go looking for them! Ask if you need any further details and feel free to go off in search of named NPCs or interact a bit before heading out…or whatever you decide to do!]]