While continuing to follow our map towards the Heart of Nerull, we came across an Orc encampment. We were planning to find a safe way to pass without notice, when Four Feather returned with the news that this wasn’t just an Orc village, but a mine…. A mine in which humans, gnomes, halflings, elves, and kobolds were being forced to work as slaves!

Before long we had come up with a plan to stage a surprise attack on the Orcs and free the slaves. Waiting until nightfall, we snuck upon the Orc village, and launched our attack. Four Feather led the way with her arrows, taking out the guard post, and the rest of us charged in to battle the rest of the orcs, who were now swarming out of their caves!

It was a hard fought battle, and there were a couple times it looked like we wouldn’t survive, but in the end we managed to kill all of the Orc slavers. It was not without its price however, as Four Feather was slain in the battle.

I had just given her a potion to heal her wounds when we were attacked by one of the Orc leaders. The Orc was coming for me, but Four Feather attacked him from her position on the ground, giving us enough time to kill him! Sadly, with his last blow, he managed to end Four Feather’s life. Drusilia rushed over to assist, but there was nothing to be done.

We didn’t get a chance to know Four Feather well, but she will be missed.

While we were trying to revive Four Feather, Ghelt and Trap (!) managed to finish off the rest of the slavers. Apparently Trap managed to fight off a whole squad of them with only his bow! Maybe he would be better suited as a marksman, rather than a trap-finder?

After making sure all the orcs were dead, we attempted to free the slaves. While we were able to remove their chains, they all have a collar which we cannot remove, and which prevents them from leaving the Orc camp. One of the slaves has told us that these collars were put on them by the “Witch Lord,” and can only be removed by him. It looks like we have our work cut out for us.

Having freed the slaves of their Orc masters, it looks as if we will now need hunt down this “Witch Lord,” so that we can remove the collars and allow the prisoners to return to their homes. In one of the Orc caves we found a halfling by the name of Korin Greenmeadow whose collar had not been attached properly, and he has volunteered to accompany us.

With the loss we have suffered, we are all feeling very sad, but with this new purpose, we will press on. We will free the slaves. We will avenge Four Feather. And yes, someday, we will find the Heart of Nerull.

~=Fafnir Flamebrewer=~
Planting 24, 592CY

P.S. Valon has decided to carry Four Feather’s body back to Smallville, so that she can have a proper burial, so we will be losing his company for a while, as well. I think this is probably a good idea. While he is good at fighting with his ‘stick,’ he does take a lot of hits, and I would not want him to meet the same fate as Four Feather.