CHAPTER TEN: ORC EYE OF GRUUMSH

The party elect to return to Wyvern Tor to deal with the band of Orcs and the Cleric called the Eye of Gruumsh. Once back at Wyvern Tor Lofty came up with a plan to have himself infiltrate the Tower, recover any important information or items of interest, have Astrid and Galdor eliminate the 2 patrolling Orcs, then have the 2 join Lofty in the complex to deal with the 10 Orcs and the Cleric, the Eye of Gruumsh, of the Orc band.

Lofty stealthily moves towards the Orc complex, waiting for the 2 patrolling Orcs to pass him by, and climbs the front face of the Tower. Lofty finds that the front facing windows are all bared but provide cover from any Orcs within the courtyard. Staying close to the corner, Lofty is able to ‘Invisibly’ and stealthily climb up pass the windows of each floor and also had a sight of the inner courtyard. Lofty can see that there are 2 Orcs by the main gate, one appears to be sleeping and the second was nursing a wine skin.

Lofty is unable to see into the ‘Entry Hall’, as it was below the wall line, but looks into the First-Floor and sees that the ‘Reception Room’ is in the same state as when he looked inside previously and so Lofty continues to climb. Looking through the Second-Floor window Lofty is unable to peer past the darkness of the room. From his memory this was the ‘War Room’ which had a big table with Papers, Maps, Etc.

With finding the Orc Cleric Leader a priority Loft continues to climb up to the next floor.

Meanwhile, the 2 patrolling Orcs continue their circuit of the complex, followed by Astrid and Galdor Stealthily creeping-up behind them as a safe distance.

Lofty reaches the Third-Floor and finds the Orc Cleric, the Eye of Gruumsh, out for the count on his cot and snoring away. Lofty looking inside the chamber and has a clearer view as there is a brazier with a few hot coals burning next to the Orc Cleric, the Eye of Gruumsh, cot. There is no one else in the room and the Rogue can make out several Chests, a table with papers and scrolls on it and that the 2 trap doors are both closed but not bared.

Lofty, wanting to take full advantage of his ‘Invisibility’ Potion, decides to continue to the Forth-Floor to investigate the other Orc guards posted on the Towers top. In the chamber at the top of the Tower, the courageous Halfling realises that all 3 Orc guards are asleep in their cots. Light from the moonlight above allows Lofty to see in and deduce that they have left the trapdoor to the roof slightly open.

Lofty then hatches a plan to carry out the following:

  1. Lock or block the trapdoor to the roof, and so preventing ariel cover and as a delay tactic.
  2. Enter the Orc Cleric’s chamber and lock the trapdoors to both the Second-Floor and up to the Forth-Floor and as a delay tactic for reinforcements.
  3. Search the chamber.
  4. Use his 1,000 ball bearings to make the floor of the Orc Cleric’s room hard to walk on.
  5. Use the Cantrip ‘Message’ to communicate with Astrid and co-ordinate their attacks.
  6. Finally, sit in the window, furthest from the Orc Cleric, Surprise him, Fire His Bow, cast ‘Magic Missile’ on him and hope he falls and lands Prone from the 1,000 ball bearings.

Galdor casts ‘Silence’ on one of his arrows and Astrid tossed a Gold Coin near to their hiding place in order to distract the 2 patrolling Orcs. Lofty and Galdor successfully Surprise the 2 Orcs, Astrid manages to dispatch her Orc in under 6 seconds, while Galdor has makes more work of it even using his Longsword two handed. The ‘Silence’ on the 2 Heroes covers the screams of their victims.

Lofty, who is now visible having cast ‘Message’ casts it again to tell Astrid and Galdor to approach the complex wall but to avoid the Pit Traps and the building with the large humanoid creature. The Astrid and Galdor make it to the wall and wait for Lofty to cause havoc within the Tower.

Lofty bars the Trapdoor on the roof.

Lofty climbs around to the courtyard side of the Tower and enters the Orc Cleric’s chamber. Inside Lofty finds the flowing while he deftly moves about:

Belt of Dwarvenkind

  • The Dwarven Belt, worn by the Orc Cleric and given to him by the Visiting Orc Fighter. An exquisitely well-made thick leather belt with three straps across and a square runic carving on the sides and the face of a Dwarf as the buckle.
  • A Holy Symbol of an Orc Eye of Gruumsh. Lofty believes it is from Gruumsh, the mightiest of the orc deities and their creator, and he has it in his backpack now.
  • 3, possibly, Magical Scrolls which he found on the Orc Cleric’s desk.
  • 3 Chests, one with Coins and Gems, taken by Lofty, and the Other 2 with valuable non-treasure items.
  • Various old valuable books, none of importance, that also appear to be bounty from their Bandit Raids.
  • The Orc Cleric’s Ring Mail Armour and Spear, which Lofty leaves.

Lofty bars the trapdoor to the Forth-Floor and Second-Floor and then uses the Orc Cleric the Eye of Gruumsh garments to gently spread-out the 1,000 ball bearings. Lofty make a sound, by dropping a single ball bearing, but the Orc Cleric of Gruumsh is too intoxicated to notice.

Lofty then begins his first assassination. First the Rogue fires his Shortbow and strikes the Orc Cleric the Eye of Gruumsh traight in the neck, having Surprise the Orc Cleric of Gruumsh the Rogue calmly casts ‘Magic Missile’ at him too. The following action is that of the Cleric of Gruumsh who first grabs for his Holy Symbol, which is in the possession of Lofty, and when finding it not around his neck rushes for the Rogue perched on the windowsill and fails to stay on his feet and land prone. Lofty while hearing the sound of banging on the trapdoor above him, fires his Shortbow and kills the Orc.

At the sound of the commotion from the Tower, Galdor and Astrid climb the wall of the complex and approach the 2 sleeping guards at the main gate and as Galdor is carrying the ‘Silence’ arrow, they are both unable to callout for aid and the 3 Orc’s inside the Large building also hear nothing.

Lofty casts ‘Sleep’ on the 2 guards and put one of the two to sleep.

Astrid and Galdor kill their respective Orc Guards, Astrid’s Orc was under the effect of Lofty’s ‘Sleep’ Spell. 


The Forgotten Realms Wiki

Our Dungeons & Dragons 5e