07.02b Sufficiently Advanced (More than one type of Orc)

[misfit]

Nuall wakes up reluctantly. He makes a sour face and reaches for some water to wash the aftertaste of the previous night's ale from him mouth. He looks around somewhat puzzled, trying to remember where he is. Finally, he says "Oh right, dragon hunting. I suppose it's best to get at it. The others are probably waiting for me."

He looks over his clothing as he starts to dress. "This 'shadow walking' is hard on the wardrobe. My clothes are hardly suitable for hunting, but after today they'll be even less suitable for dancing. Oh well, it was time for a change anyway. I'll have to hunt up something suitable when we get back...if there is something suitable in this backwater."

Nuall finishes dressing, puts a smile on his lips and walks out to common room to find his traveling companions.

[Joshua]

He is greeted by several large blue-skinned (dark-blue) orcs. One of them snarls and reaches for you, "Look what we have hear, a human, and I've had a bad day."

A shout behind him from a deep-red skinned orc (almost lava colored) stays his hand. The red orc insists, "Stop! Make sure he's not with her!"

[misfit]

Nuall gives the orc a long appraising look up and down. Disdain could not be more clearly painted on his face if it was literally painted on his face.

"Yes, I am human...but what in the name of all the gods are you? I'm sure that for someone as ugly and boorish as yourself every day is a bad day."

Nuall turns to face the red orc. "Her? What 'her' would we be discussing? And why would it matter if I was with her or not?"

[Joshua]

The blue orc grumbles, "She killed a dozen elites." He backs away. "Barkeep! did they come in together?"

The human innkeeper nods. "Yes..." before trying to duck out of the main room.

The red orc (clearly in charge) sighs, "I guess that makes you lucky, stranger. We don't like humans, and we're debating on what we should do about that."

[misfit]

Nuall looks at the innkeeper and raises an eyebrow as the implications set in.

He turned back to the red orc. "Well so far I am not exactly fond of you either. Perhaps we should step outside and discuss this?"

[Joshua]

A chorus of 'yeah's from the blue orcs, followed by the red orc cutting them off with a curt, "While I wouldn't mind breaking your neck, I'm in charge because I know how to restrain myself. Let's assume you are with her... what are your demands? We can simply point you where she went."

[misfit]

Nuall is rather baffled by this turn of events, but he covers with his best poker face.

"Point me in the direction she went? That seems a very trifling thing. I suspect that almost anyone here could do that for me."

"Hmmm...my demands? You could give me your money...you and all your associates here...and any waiting outsides as well. Your money...all of your weapons and your armor..." At this point a truly astute observer would notice a devilish twinkle in Nuall's eyes. "...and then your clothing as well. Then you could entertain us all with an improvised dance in which you all portray farmyard animals. I believe that you could do a very credible donkey...and that lout in the back there would make an exquisite duck. Then you could all go to the nearest church, become monks and spend the rest of your days in quiet contemplation and doing good works for the sick and the poor."

Nuall crosses his arms and gives them an expectant look.

[Joshua]

Well, that's it for the blue orcs.. the six or seven in the room jump you. The red orc makes note of what you do and most likely will attempt to slip out during the conflict.

How fast do you want to kill them?

[misfit]

Nuall isn't really looking to kill them...nor does he want it to be particularly fast. He's been going through some major changes in my life and has been feeling stressed. He's looking for one of his favorite forms of therapy: a good barroom brawl. Granted, he hasn't had a chance to test himself since he arrived in Amber, so it's probably over much faster than he had hoped.

When he sees the red orc making a break for it, Nuall will grab a chair and throw it at his legs to trip him. Nuall will then make his way over to the orc as quickly as possible...even if that involves running over the tables and jumping from table to table. When Nuall reaches the orc he will look down at him and ask, "Not leaving so soon, are you?"

[Joshua]

So, some things you might not expect... You're stronger than the orcs. (and I mean a LOT stronger), Casually, you put a lot more inertia behind and blow than you used to be able to do so. Perhaps it has to do with being more solid from walking the pattern. Second, you're an insane amount faster when you want to be. It's like sparing with a child, and not a prodigy, more like beating up a schoolyard full of 6-year-old bullies who don't realize you're bigger than they are. They telegraph everything they do, and seem to be moving as if underwater.

Overall, it means even if they're still attacking you, you can calmly talk to the red orc while not looking at the blue ones and fend them off. Chances are you leave most of them with dislocated joints, shoulders, etc, if you're going for non-lethal.

The red orc is easy to take down, although he does manage to avoid having his leg broken by the thrown chair. He gasps, and struggles just enough to realize how outclassed he is and that there's no "weakest" part in the pin.