Sariel discovers the Blood-Oath Orcs

This short is based on a Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing game that I Game-Master for.

Sariel ran through the streets and past the hastily-built shacks, ignoring the shouts and cries of the adults. He was being pursued by a Kobold child in a game of chase, and Sariel was determined to not be the first elf caught by a lizard.

The camp built outside the walls of Castle Dark provided plenty of little alley ways to duck and weave through. There was no time for the Knights of The Order to plan out an orderly town for the refugees; Father blames the Orcs for the chaos, saying that they are simple minded savages.

The camp was also alive with the sights and smells of all the places of the world, and it was also the first time Sariel laid eyes upon Kobolds. Kobolds! The little lizard men were far, far smaller than the Dragonborn, but Father says that they are far, far cleverer than the brutish Dragonborn and to never trust one.

Sariel ducked underneath the canvas of a tent, popping out the other side to the astonishment of the Orc shaman and his human customer. The elf rushed out the other side, nimbly ducking away from the Shaman’s feeble attempt to grab him. Sariel beemed as he heard the Orc grunt and growl what could only be insults.

A few corners later and Sariel decided to stop and catch his breath. He hid behind a couple of barrels in a secluded path that was directly underneath the Castle walls. No-one seemed to walk along this path, so it should be a perfect hiding spot!

Sariel smiled as he imagined the Kobold child futilely searched for him, and crying in despair. He then saw himself emerging from his hiding spot to the cheers of his friends, and his father beaming with pride at his son’s skills as a stealthy elf.

“Blood for the Blood God”.

Sariel almost cried out in fright at the sudden intruding voice.

“Skulls for the Skull Throne”.

The elf boy peeped over the edge of the barrels to see a gruff orc wearing a cloaked hood. The funny thing was that this Orc seemed to be red, even though everyone knows that orcs are meant to be green. The other voice belonged to a shady looking Tiefling; Sariel knew the Tiefling was shady because he had a goatee, and Father said that people with goatees are never up to any good.

“The Knights have intercepted some of our forces, but the leadership managed to sneak away with help from the were-quokkas” said the Tiefling in a low voice, keeping a wary eye on all the exits.

“The Blood Oath needs no reinforcements, demon-born, and especially not those followers of the Mad One-Eyed God. This camp is full of piss-weak cowards. The Blood Oath demands that we take their lives as sacrifice to the Blood God!”, the Orc replied.

“Be that as it may, the Soulmancer has spent considerable resources in securing the services of the Oathbreaker. Apparently he has intimate knowledge about the Knight-Paladin of The Order that you could use…..”

The Orc guffawed, waving away the offer. “Sila. We know Sila. Everyone know Sila. No secret.”

The Tiefling smiled wryly. “Regardless, the Soulmancer wishes her captured as per the deal struck with the Oathbreaker.”

Then the Tiefling grew more cautious, and drew nearer to the Orc. He whispered to the Orc, who let out a sudden gasp at the end.

The shock passed quickly, and the Orc began to guffaw again.
“Well, fighting alongside dead elves is better than fighting with live ones!”

The Tiefling shook his head, “Just keep it a secret, you oaf. The Blood God will soon arise, and will take his seat on the Skull Throne we will build for him.”

“Blood for the Blood God”, whispered the Orc reverently.

“Skulls for the Skull Throne”, replied the Tiefling.

With that they quickly departed. Sariel began to notice that his heart was beating rapidly. When he was sure that they have left, Sariel scrambled to his feet and headed towards the little hut he had memorized.

The hut was the home of a quirky man who called himself the Investigator. He had asked the children to report any weird things that they might have heard; this definitely counted as something weird….