The Ides of March: Stanleyindraven

[Acanous]

Firstly, just to get this out of the way, if your name isn't on the thread and you're in my game, don't be looking in the thread. This thread is for Jopustopin. Don't read further unless that's you.

Everyone find their designated door or seat?

Great.

We begin.

Da'Rius of the Tusk Tribe sits lookout over rolling foothills and rocky badlands, the Halfling oasis to the south not even visible from here. Very little ever comes from the South, the tiny ones are too afraid to venture far from their homes. The real threats are from other Orc tribes, North and East, or from Hobgoblins to the West.
There's elves, too, thinking on it, but they mostly try to trade. This far from their ivory cities and fabled rivers, the land keeps them humble. Out here, Orcs rule.
Wouldn't be too bad to have an Elf, though. Or a halfling. Would break up the day, at least. You could put it on a leash, make it dance, or feed you things. Halflings are good cooks. Or was it that halflings taste good WHEN cooked?
Hard to remember.
Tharg would know. Tharg always gets to range out south. Tharg is probably going to take Mineera as his first wife. Then Tharg will be chief, and Da'Rius would still be here, watching over this nothing.
But things have changed now, haven't they? Tharg doesn't have this new thing, this power that a keen, opportunistic orc like Da'rius has found.
Maybe Tharg shouldn't be chief one day. Maybe you could prove that you're stronger, smarter. Better able to lead. If that were a thing that you wanted to do...
adding sheet (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2153150) for ease of bookkeeping

[stanleyindraven]

Ooc: patron is easily demonic in nature.

Da'rius has his desires for greatness, and a restless nature. With his burgeoning powers he looks to make a name for himself. Maybe a new tribe, maybe something even more. Though elves and halflings are not his kind, they pay better. Da'rius is happy to find glory and gold, in that comes more power.

[Acanous]

Finding Glory would be hard, from here. You could head out, find some test of your power, maybe bring back something worth talking about, or you could stay at your post until dark, head back to camp, and maybe pick up some ideas from the other Orcs.
There's a lot of options that occur to you, for glory.

There's different roles in an orc tribe. Primarily hunter/gatherers, there's a system of recognized rank within the tribe that shows which orcs are in charge. In your particular tribe, rank is showed by visible piercings, using a tusk, and the jewelry you wear in the piercing determines your 'caste'. Advancing in rank is usually done within one's caste, either by winning a duel with someone of a higher rank, or by demonstration of skill, bravery, or providing something of great benefit to the tribe.

-Bone for Hunters, who are also the warriors. You are/were in this caste, before gaining your power. You could break free of it and become a shaman, or use your powers to advance within it. Warriors tend to pierce places that make them look fearsome or unafraid of pain. Nose, lip, nipple. The only real requirement is that it be visible so other orcs won't make the mistake of insulting you.

-Stone for Craftspeople. The masons, carpenters, smiths of orc society. Traditionally they wear their piercings in an ear, all together, making it easy for people to tell how good they are. The higher the rank, the better the crafts- usually.

-Wood for foragers.
The foragers are the gatherers of Orc society. Most of the women belong to this caste, but some men as well. There's no shame in being a forager, the shame is in doing a bad job. Foragers grow and harvest roots and tubers, pick berries, mend clothing and tend livestock.

-Metal for the Slave trainers.
There's a dark part of orc society, that part that deals with taking, branding and training slaves. Not many orcs wear metal in their piercings, but the ones that do are respected and feared. Chieftains and magi wear metal piercings as well, gold and silver respectively. Iron or steel is for actual slavers. Any orc can own a slave, and any hunter can capture a slave, but once captured they are given to these orcs to break and train. Orc slaves are actually treated comparatively well, unless they try to escape or become disobedient. The use of branding irons is seen as helpful in this- once you're a slave, you're always a slave, and everyone can see it.

Children are taken as quasi-apprentices by interested orcs of the third rank or higher, and enter into society on their sixteenth name-day. They complete a test given by the tribe, in your case it was three days in the wild, and upon return gain the first rank in their sect.

There are five ranks within each sect (Roughly corresponding to level), with the tribal chief being "Sixth" rank. The chief can come from any sect, and is a for-life position voted on by the tribal council. It is not hereditary, though there is a strong association for new chiefs to be related to old chiefs, weather by blood or marriage.
The council is made up of the fifth-rank orcs from each sect.
Da'Rius is a first rank Hunter.


You have five different directions you could go to raid, assuming you bring a big sack or convince some other orcs to go with you (Pay them or diplomacy/intimidate check)
Northwest there are two other orc tribes, the Red Fists and the Bone Claws. Either one would have a camp much like yours, where you could either sneak in or stage an attack.
South is the Halfling village. It's a five day walk, but you know Halflings are weaker, smaller, and easy to carry off.
Southeast there's a small Elven village. Elves would fetch a good price, might have something that'd get you noticed if you took it.
Straight East there's a Hobgoblin camp. Better weapons and armor, worth it if you can get it. They don't like you much.


You can challenge one of the other orcs in your tribe to a duel. There's four different kinds of duel, and fought for different reasons. Some you can do now, others you need a reason for.

To the blood: Duelling another Orc to the blood is how you raise in status and rank. It's done usually with your immediate superior. In your case, that's Tharg- an Orc Barbarian who you know is very skilled. Fighting him to the blood means you have a circle, with a dagger tossed blade-down in it. It's a ritualistic, grappling fight, witnessed by at least two other warriors. First one that bleeds loses. Challenging your superior and losing usually means they'll take something of yours, or put you to humiliating work for a week. Winning means you advance to equal standing with that orc. You do not put the orc you beat beneath you, but you prove you can be taken seriously at that rank.
*You can challenge Tharg now. Any time the tribe's in good shape and both combatants are considered healthy and ready is a good enough time. There's a taboo against doing this just before or during a raid. You cannot do this if the other orc is injured.

To the Pin: A form of orc wrestling used to settle disputes. In this case, you bring a claim against another orc. They have something and you believe it belongs to you. You wrestle to pin, and the first to stay pinned 3 rounds loses. Actually harming the other orc is seen as taboo. Traditionally this happens most after a raid, splitting up the best loot. Challenging to the Pin can be done between any two orcs, but only when there's an obvious reason you can lay claim to the contested thing. You can't just see something you want and challenge.

To the Death: In order to settle blood feuds, this challenge is a one-on-one duel to the death. It can only be issued between orcs of equal rank, or from a higher ranked orc to a lower one. It's done by spitting on the other orc's face, and is reserved for the most serious issues. Something that cannot be solved by talking, fighting, or putting the two of you in different corners until you cool off. It is forbidden to challenge someone to the death over gambling. Death challenges cannot be rescinded and must be resolved within the day. The chieftain is required to observe the fight, and is the only one who can put it off more than the day. There's only a few acceptable reasons to put this off, such as being at war, or one orc being too injured to fight. Unlike to the Blood, merely being injured is not reason enough to put off a duel to the death- you'd have to be maimed or otherwise incapable of defending yourself. Duels to the death are fought to the *Death* and Mercy is seen as weakness. The winner does not gain anything from this, all of the loser's possessions go to the tribe elders, to be dispersed as they see fit. Duels to the death are fought with weapons of the challenged orc's choice.

To Submission: Settling minor scores without killing each other is good. Submission fights are bare-handed brawls, used to resolve insults and put rumors to rest. You gain and lose no status over this, but the loser of the fight is considered the loser of the argument. It's considered bad form to make the other orc beat you unconscious. Yielding while you can still stand means you accept your loss like an orc. Being beaten unconscious means you're a petulant child.


Advancing in status has more to it than just beating on other orcs and raiding other tribes. You can also take wives and whelp children, which garners you a different kind of respect.

You may take as many wives as you have rank, to a maximum of Six for the Chieftain. More is seen as greedy or wasteful.

Wives taken within the tribe:
You can make your suit known to a she-orc, who will either accept or reject you within one moon. In most cases the settling of suits is done on her sixteenth name-day, and each orc who wishes to pursue her will drop a small token before her feet. Usually she will set a dowry, which can be anything she can think of to ask, though unattainable dowries lead to unwed old maids. There is no limit to how many suitors she may have at one time, but the first orc to come up with the dowry wins, and they are wed.
A she-orc may reject a potential suitor because of disease, inability to provide, or inability to perform. There's more than a few songs about this last one, although it's rarely actually used. Rejecting a suitor for other reasons is tantamount to an insult, and can cause feuds to start. In such cases as she doesn't want one suitor to win, setting a dowry that is more difficult for one suitor but easier for another is the norm.
It is common for the first wife to be from within the tribe, as she is familiar with the tribe and helps keep the others in line.

Wives taken from other tribes:
-Trade or negotiation with other tribes sometimes includes marriage. This is seldom a way for low-ranked orcs to get a mate, but it can happen. When trading with another tribe, you can ask for a wife, in which case the elders find a suitable girl, speak with her parents about a suitable price, and arrange the marriage. Such marriage arrangements are done before the girl's name-day, and you have until then to provide the agreed upon dowry.
If you provide it early, you do not wed her early. You are wed on her name-day, and take her back to your tribe.

-Raiding other tribes can provide wives, if you can actually carry her off. Captured she-orcs have the right to deny the capturing orc, becoming a slave instead. Usually, this is done if they are already wed. Orc slaves are not bed warmers, and such an act would be considered deviant in the extreme. In cases where the she-orc is underage, the marriage is done by tribe elders on her name-day.

-Raiding other settlements entirely can provide wives, though this is seen as idiotic if done for your first, or even second wife. Human women can whelp half-orcs, but elves and other races simply cannot, which is part of why it's idiotic. The same rules apply as with raiding another tribe, but humans and elves age at different rates, making it a best-guess scenario, unless she's obviously breeding age. Other races tend to be unruly, requiring constant discipline and a watchful eye. Orcs who claim a non-orc wife have been known to die of poison, or of spontaneous throat slitting in the night. Still, some like the challenge. Actually taming a woman of a different race can be a mark of prestige.


Sometimes, orcs will go off on a quest, disappearing into the wild to seek some great glory. Returning with treasure, a magical artifact, or the head of some great beast will win you approval, acclaim, and an increase in rank. Returning empty handed will yield scorn and derision. In many cases, this is the last, best hope of the outcast, the shunned and the otherwise useless. In years where food is scarce, it's a noble gesture, to let the tribe get on without having to feed you. In years of plenty, it's considered bad form, shirking work for personal glory.
Either way, coming back without something impressive will mark you as a pariah.

[stanleyindraven]

In considering his current place within the tribe, Da'rius thinks about his options, waiting in his place. Thoughts of a one orchard raid on the halflings could bring him some small acclaim, they are weak after all. Thoughts of great glory dance through his head as he stares out into the wilderness.

With the power of his patron running through him, Da'rius decides that he is no mere orchard, nor hunter. But he is a great and powerful leader, or at least he will be, after gaining some dutiful experience in the ways of combat and magic. He leaves his post as the sun sets, headed to the southeast, elves will play some sport, and start him along his true quest. Searching for a real purpose is what he needs if he plans to lead the Tusk Tribe some day.

[Acanous]

Da'Rius begins his quest, knowing that to return empty-handed will be a smear against your pride which may never wipe clean.
Walking to the Southeast, you go for most of the night without running into any trouble. Then, getting tired and hungry, you spy a hole that perhaps a fox or badger might be using to nest in. Could make a good meal.

[stanleyindraven]

Da'Rius approaches the hole slowly, trying to keep quiet and determine if the pray is present. Holding ready his blast, he creeps ever closer.

[Acanous]

Give me a move silently, a spot, your attack and damage for a possible surprise round,
an initiative and your first attack/damage, in that order.
You might just blast the thing to death in one post, which'd be great.
This is going to be a bit of choose-your-own-adventure, because there's a lot of possible outcomes here.

Listen [roll0]
hide [roll1]
init [roll2]

it is possible the thing could have a surprise round on YOU, if you fail to see it AND it hears you. If that is the case;
it charges out of it's hole and attacks. [roll3] for 1 damage.
If it either beats your initiative OR does not die from your first attack, it will
Combat round 1: Full Attack (with a 5 foot step if you 5 foot stepped back) [roll4] claw [roll5], [roll6] claw [roll7], [roll8] bite [roll9]
If you chose to take an action which provokes an attack of opportunity, it AoO's you, [roll10] Claw for [roll11] damage.

If you beat it in initiative and are not close enough for it to full attack you, it moves to you and attacks again. [roll12] for [roll13]
If you chose to use the Withdraw action, it charges. [roll14] for 1 damage.

If YOU get a surprise round but do not kill it, and it gets an action,
it moves to you and attacks. if you damaged it, it rages. [roll15] for [roll16] Bite. If it raged, that's a +1 instead of a -1.

If neither of you get a surprise round, and it's not dead or goes first,
it moves to you and attacks. [roll17] for [roll18] damage. If you hit and damaged but did not kill it, that's a +1 instead of a -1.
If it went first, and you act in a way that provokes, [roll19] for [roll20]

That should cover any eventualities.

[stanleyindraven]

Move silent [roll0]
Spot [roll1]

Initiative [roll2]
Attack (eldritch glaive) [roll3]
Damage [roll4]

[Acanous]

You get a surprise round, using your Eldrich Glaive to poke at the Badger. It hisses froth accumulating at it's jowls, clambering out of the hole to take a swipe at you... and missing. It's your turn again.
The Badger is at your feet, within 5'.

Putting the rolls for it's next turn here because then I don't have to edit (You have a turn at the end of round 1 before it acts at the beginning of round 2)

If Darius provokes an AoO:
[roll0] for [roll1]
Turn 2, 5' move if necessary and full attack;
[roll2] for [roll3] Bite
[roll4] for [roll5] Claw
[roll6] for [roll7] Claw
if full attack not possible, it moves to Darius and attacks with a bite
[roll8] for [roll9]

[stanleyindraven]

Da'Rius grunts and shoots an eldritch blast at the creature just before him.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Acanous]

You fire another blast, but it goes wide. The badger is fast, and damn low to the ground. Earth and roots go flying where your blast digs a furrow in the hilly ground.
on it's turn, the little furry hellbeast tries valiantly to claw or bite as it hisses and spits, but it gets nowhere near actually digging into you.
(Your turn again. Posting Badger actions, again, though it doesn't go until after your next post.)

If you provoke an AoO: [roll0] for [roll1]
on it's turn, full attack if possible
[roll2] for [roll3] Claw
[roll4] for [roll5] Claw
[roll6] for [roll7] Bite
if you retreat or move out of 5 feet and it can still catch you, it moves to you and attacks
[roll8] for [roll9] bite.

[stanleyindraven]

Cursing, Da'Rius blasts again at the little beast.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]
Mortalbane [roll2]

[Acanous]

That's one dead badger. Your magic tears through the creature, transmuting it from enemy to dinner in one fell swoop.
Gain 150 XP.
Seeing no one else around, you can set up camp here, cook your well earned supper and rest, or press on, set up a more hidden camp, or take other precautions as you feel needed.

[stanleyindraven]

Da'Rius will setup camp, cook his meal and rest. He is weary and knows that tomorrow will bring more challenges.

[Acanous]

the next day, you wake to a pleasant breakfast of leftover roast Badger.
The elven settlement is three days away.
Make a Knowledge: Nature or Survival check to begin with, and we'll go from there.

[stanleyindraven]

Ok, we'll see how this goes.
Survival [roll0]

[Acanous]

Well. Good news, you think you know exactly where you're going and what you're doing. Better news, you aren't going to starve.
Now I need to roll a D8
[roll0]
You travel the day, things getting a bit more rocky and sparse. You keep the sun to your... Um
What direction? The damn thing moves. Well, you keep going straight. That'll do something, right?
You see sandy territory beginning on your left by the time things start getting dark, and things get hilly to your right.
You can make another survival, and heal your day's worth if you're hurt.

[stanleyindraven]

Da'Rius, weary from the day's travel, sets about looking for a meal.

Survival: [roll0]