chapter 1: through the troll gate€¦ · web viewchapter 1: through the troll gate. the vazilya...

CHAPTER 1: THROUGH THE TROLL GATE

DRADJAN, THE HEIR TO A RUINED LAND


The Vazilya (orcish confederation) has fallen to the armies of the Pale Emperor of the Elves and his copper-skinned legions. The orcish Voyvods who survived the Battle of the Forsaken Kings have no choice but to swear service to the Ivory Throne and sig away their sons and daughters’ inheritances.

But one group of survivors flees the advancing armies. To the east, beyond Troll Pass, is the land of the Promise, the mist-soaked saltlands where the orcs can still live free for a short time. But an ancient fortification, the Troll Gate, bars the way – and the Elves control the gate.

You are: The son of an orcish chief who died with the Forsaken Kings. Your family was middle-ranking, but with the leadership dead or enslaved, you might be the last free Voyvod.

Roleplaying tips: Proud, brave, unsure of yourself, used to looking to others for advice

You know: Mingon, your family’s loyal human bodyguard; Yarrog, a minor fen-orc chief who refused to answer the war-summmons; Zoltan, your family’s Dark Elf advisor who counselled against war and went behind your father’s back to negotiate a secret peace treaty; Obsidian Knife, a human knight serving the Elves who handed Zoltan over to you (your father ordered Zoltan be sent to the salt-mines for treason); Vladragor, a crazy orc shaman who was flogged for offending your father with his weird prophecies

Your destination (roll or choose)

1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

MILOGROD: Your father Bordan’s estate, now run by his steward Catomidj. A warm welcome, warm beds and perhaps fast horses.

(

2

B

LECH: The estate of Dragotin, your betrothed: a warm welcome and warmer bed, but is the fierce Dragotin still safe? And is your rival Ratimor still courting her behind your back?

(

3

C

JAROMAR: Watch tower controlling the Bogatyr’s Highway; it will surely be the next target for the advancing Elves and needs help

(

4

D

VARANGAR: A troll-market run by a Dark Elf named Zorab; your wet-nurse Ruzh came from here and war-trolls are bred for battle

(

5

E

FORSAKEN KINGS: The battle site; somewhere in this wreckage lies the body of your father Bordan and brother Boromidj and sister Zergi. There may be other survivors.

(

6

F

NOVGOD: A fen-orc estate in the shadow of Troll Pass; the lesser vod Yarog did not answer the summons to war; he should be shamed for this and service extorted from him now to make up

(

YAROG, FORMER LORD OF NOWHERE SPECIAL




You are: The vod (minor chief) of a fen-orc estate in the shadow of Troll Pass called Novbog. You didn’t answer the Voyvod Bordan’s call to a doomed last stand against the Elves, which is why you’re still alive. Your hearthlings have deserted you.

Roleplaying tips: Coarse, aggressive, frightened of ending up a slave or impaled on an ivory tusk but ashamed of not answering the call to battle

You know: Dradjan, the surviving son of Voyvod Bordan; Vladragor, a crazy shaman who warned you not to go to fight at the Battle of Forsaken Kings; Mingon, a human serf you sold to Lord Bordan to be a bodyguard


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

DARBAND: An old Elvish ruin, now occupied by a band of human outlaws; refugees are making their way there for protection

(

2

B

RUGYA: An island in the Saltang where the volkh (druids) are organising a defiant stand to curse the Pale Emperor

(

3

C

JAROMAR: Watch tower controlling the Bogatyr’s Highway; if the guards have fled (sensible fellows!) there will be loot here

(

4

D

VARANGAR: A troll-market run by a Dark Elf named Zorab who breeds war-trolls for battle and trades on both sides of Troll Pass

(

5

E

FORSAKEN KINGS: The battle site; somewhere in this wreckage lies the body of your lord Bordan and his son Boromidj and daughter Zergi. There may be other survivors.

(

6

F

DREDJBOG: A human (Dreddj) holding owing fealty to you; no tribute has arrived and you have no hearthlings to send;

(

MONGON (GREY WOLF), INDENTURED BODYGUARD




You are: A human vassal to the Voyvod Bordan and his surviving son Dradjan; you have a dog-like loyalty to your house, but see an opportunity for your downcast people in this great defeat

Roleplaying tips: Fierce, loyal, uncomplaining, but you still have deep ties to your people (the Dredj)

You know: Dradjan, your lord (vod) and the heir of the Voyvod Bordan; Yarrog, the fen-orc vod who sold you to Lord Bordan years ago; Samooset, a human freedom-fighter who used to visit your village and hide there


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

MILOGROD: Your lord Bordan’s estate, now run by his steward Catomidj. You had a woman here: Alawah (Sweetpea) who had some witching skills with potions.

(

2

B

DARBAND: An old Elvish ruin, now occupied by a band of human freedom-fighters, the Blue Crow Lodge led by Samooset Walks-Too-Much

(

3

C

BABAROGA: They say a Trollwife lives here in a sunken tower and she’ll read your future for payment in fingers

(

4

D

VARANGAR: A troll-market run by a Dark Elf named Zorab who breeds war-trolls for battle

(

5

E

BASKET OF EELS: A tavern on the Bogatyr Highway where news can be gathered a juniper wine is served cheap

(

6

F

DREDJBOG: Your home town, a serf estate to a fen-orc named Yarrog who failed to fight alongside Lord Bordan like a coward; for ageing mother is here, a fenwitch of some skill

(

ZOLTAN, THE WIZARD WHO WARNED




You are: A Dark Elf (Diiv) advisor to the Voyvod Bordan who urged his lord not to join the muster at Forsaken Kings, forseeing that the orcs could not prevail over the Pale Emperor’s legions. You were put in chains for treason and sent to the salt-mines at Solnygrad. After news of the defeat arrived, your guards fled, leaving you still in chains.

Roleplaying tips: Intelligent, arrogant, wily; you know yourself to be superior to the doltish chor (orcs), but you hate the Pale Emperor more so you cast your lot in with the chlor and try to save them from their foolishness

You know: Dradjan, your lord’s surviving heir; Mingon, his dog-like human bodyguard; Samooset, a human outlaw you freed from a penal-gang on a word from the Dark Elf ‘web’; Vladragor, a crazy shaman you once had flogged for turning up at Milogrod and insulting your lord with his wild visions; Obsidian Knife, an human knight serving the Elves with whom you tried to broker a peace treaty behind your lord’s back


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

MILOGROD: Voyvod Bordan’s estate, now run by his steward Catomidj; you know the secret passages there and the treasure room.

(

2

B

SOLNYGRAD: A salt-mine in the Saltang Fens where you were being taken; if the guards there have fled too, the slaves will need leadership

(

3

C

DARBAND: An old Elvish ruin, now occupied by a band of human freedom-fighters, the Blue Crow Lodge; you know the secret passages here and an old Elvish vault

(

4

D

VARANGAR: A troll-market run by a Dark Elf named Zorab who breeds war-trolls for battle; in the confusion, there might be a rare opportunity to approach a fellow-Diiv

(

5

E

FORSAKEN KINGS: The battle site; somewhere in this wreckage lies the body of your lord Bordan and his son Boromidj and daughter Zergi. There may be other survivors.

(

6

F

BABAROGA: A sunken troll-tower; records say the old hero Bogomir used a secret tunnel from here to capture the Troll-Gate and enter the Land of the Promise beyond

(

SAMOOSET (WALKS-TOO-MUCH), HUMAN FREEDOM-FIGHTER




You are: A human (Dredj) who leads an outlaw band (the Blue Crow Lodge) based in an old Elvish ruin, trying to rally the human serfs to rebel against Orc and Elf alike; you’re currently on the run after raiding a weapons caravan

Roleplaying tips: Determined, suspicious, loyal to those who show loyalty to you; you hate to lie but bear insults with dignity; you are slow to anger but once angered you are bitter

You know: Dradjan, a prince (vod) of the orcs whose family died in the Big Reckoning; Yarrog, a fen-orc with a reputation for mistreating his human serfs; Zoltan, a Dark Elf who once helped you escape a prison-coffle bound for the saltmines


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

DARBAND: An Elvish ruin and safe haven for the Blue Crow Lodge

(

2

B

LECH: A nearby high-orc estate in turmoil since the Big Reckoning destroyed the Voyvod there; a band of Jaguars (Elvish slave warriors) have arrived there; what are they doing?

(

3

C

JAROMAR: Watch tower controlling the Bogatyr’s Highway; the orcs there keep your comrades in the vcells

(

4

D


(

5

E

MORANAV: A region of ancient barrows from the time when your people had kings; it’s a haunted place but the orcs fear to go there

(

6

F

SOLNYGRAD: A salt-mine where many of your captured comrades were sold into slavery; in the aftermath of the Big Reckoning it might be possible to free them

(

VLADRAGOR, DERANGED ORCISH SEER




You are: A rogue volkh (druid) moved by visions of the Bogatyr (the ancestors of the orc tribes who watch over their descendants); you have been exiled from the druidic ranks for your views and behaviour

Roleplaying tips: Crazy but authoritative; you believe absolutely in everything you do and say and can change your mind and contradict yourself without any awareness; you only care what the Bogatyr (ancestors) think of you, not anyone else

You know: Yarog, a fen-orc who listened to your prophecy about not fighting at the Battle of Forsaken Kings; Dradjan, a high-orc whose family died at the battle; Zoltan, a Dark Elf who once supervised you being flogged for insulting his lord


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

MILOGROD: Your visions led you here once with a prophecy for Lord Bordan about one of his children; you were flogged for it but if you return there the prophecy might return.

(

2

B

BABAROGA: This old trollish sunken tower haunts your dreams; something very old lives there

(

3

C

MORANAV: These ancient barrows predate the orcs in these realms; you’ve seen them open up in your dreams and the hungry dead issue forth

(

4

D


(

5

E

NOVGOD: A fen-orc estate in the shadow of Troll Pass; the lesser vod Yarog did not answer the summons to war on your advice

(

6

F

RUGYA: An island in the Saltang where the volkh (druids) are organising a defiant stand to curse the Pale Emperor

(

IZTZLI (OBSIDIAN KNIFE), JAGUAR KNIGHT DESERTER




You are: A Jaguar Knight (ocelotl) who served the Pale Emperor until you deserted. You were guarding a Dark Elf (Diiv) named Ahuramazd who guided your detachment into a region of barrow-graves and began raising the dead. The Pale Emperor’s law forbids necromancy and you fought to stop the warlock, but his ghouls were too numerous. Now you are disgraced, because Ahuramazd’s report casts YOU as the traitor.

Roleplaying tips: Reserved, more used to obeying than thinking independently but deeply principled; you do not like to here the Pale Emperor or the Peri (Elves) spoken ill of, but you realise the Peri are not always wise or good

You know: Zoltan, a Dark Elf who visited the front line to negotiate a peace treaty behind his orc-lord’s back’ Dradjan, an orc princeling who arrived to arrest Zoltan before the negotiations were complete


1D6

Map

Description

Tick

1

A

DARBAND: An old Elvish ruin on your maps of the region; it may be a secure hideaway

(

2

B

MILOGRAD: The estate of Lord Bordan whose Dark Elf advisor tried to negotiate a peace treaty

(

3

C

JAROMAR: Watch tower controlling the Bogatyr’s Highway; your troop was sent to besiege it

(

4

D

VARANGAR: A troll-market run by a Dark Elf named Zorab who is secretly selling war-trolls to the Pale Emperor

(

5

E

MORANAV: The barrows where Ahuramazd performed his necromancy

(

6

F

BASKET OF EELS: A tavern where your coins might buy a warm bed, so long as you are not recognised for a deserter

(

VOCABULARY

BOGATYR: Legendary companions of BOGOMIR; ancestors of the VOYVODS

BOGOMIR: Ancient hero and founder of the Orcish VASILYA

BOROGIN: Orcs of the Fens (a lower caste than the forest-orcs or LESHI)

BRASS: Orcish term for the MICTLAN, humans serving the Elves

DIIV: Dark Elves, usually merchants, scholars and advisors

DOMINO CODE: Law observed in all realms forbidding Dark Elves to gather

DREDJ: Humans living under Orcish rule

GRASS: Orcish term for humans (SEDJ) with very hostile connotations

LESHI: Orcs of the forests and hills; usually more civilised

LOFTIES: Fen-orc slang for forest-orcs

MICTLAN: Human tribes serving the Elves

MOKOSH: A wet-nurse (orcish women barely lactate); usually human but Voyvods employ troll-wives

MUDDERS: Orcish slang for humans (SEDJ); offensive if used of fen-orcs by forest-orcs

PERI: Elvish term for themselves

PITCH: Orcish slang for Dark Elves (DIIV)

PROMISE, THE: Eastern saltlands, ancient heartland of the orcs but now a wilderness

SEDJ: Orcish term for themselves

TROLL-GATE: Voduvrat, a vast fortification dating from the age of the BOGATYR

TUSK: Orcish slang for Elves (PERI)

VAZILYA: The Orcish confederation of VOYVODS (chiefs)

VODNIG/NOY: Trolls, mostly enslaved by the orcs

VOLKH: Druids of the orcish religion (now banned by the Elves)

VOYVOD: Orcish chief, lineage descending from BOGOMIR or his companions, the BOGOTYR.

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chapter 1: through the troll gate€¦ · web viewchapter 1: through the troll gate. the vazilya...

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