The declining Tolagâl empire
En liten hyllning till något av det roligaste jag någonsin haft i ett onlinespel (UO), vi spelade Orcher baserade på Tolkien.
Two shapes were squatting around a dying fire in the small cavern, one of them casually stirring a cauldron. Further away,sitting in a corner was another shape, slowly carving a piece of wood with a dagger. Apart from the bubbling of the cauldron and the sound of iron against wood all was quiet in the cavern. One of the squatting shapes was the first to break the silence, it turned towards the one in the corner.. - “ ’ey Hognak you slugsniffer, whatcha’ doing there? ” it hollered. Hognak slowly looked up, the embers from the fire glinting briefly in his fangs as he replied - “ Mind yer own business, worm.. ” he hissed. - “ An’ when’s the throku done? ” - “ You juss be patient, I’m trying a new recipe..and it takes time to get it good yeh. “ the third shape replied. “I learned it from ‘im tark we had ‘ere.. ” he paused for a moments, then continued - “ ’Efore we ate ‘im that is.. ”. All three of them burst out into laughter.
The laugh came to an abrupt stop however, as shouts, cheering and the clash of steel made its way into the chamber from further down the tunnels. The shapes looked towards the entrance to the chamber for a few moments, then returned to their activities, this was obviously not something out of the ordinary. - “ Well, za shum Burzflauth is gonna get myself some rest ‘efore dinner’s done “ one of them muttered. He rose to his feet and leapt over the cauldron, landing next to some furs on the cavern floor. - “Bardush ye bloody maggot! ye could’ve gotten dirt in mah stew...ye could even have knocked it over..” said the third shape, once again stirring the cauldron. - “Hoshat, skai rof-snoshatar!” Bardush shouted, then he stretched to his full height, almost reaching six feet. He was large, unusually large for one of his unit, for one of his breed. He could not retain this stance for long though, soon his back and his twisted legs sunk back into their usual crooked posture He unstrapped his belt with his clawed fingers and let it slip down to the floor, he then sank down on the furs, opening up his black leather vest. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes.
They were part of the Burzsnuti. A specially trained unit of scouts and assassins. Whether rooting out and murdering would-be rebels within their own ranks, or cutting of supply lines from the enemy, they were a useful tool, often employed by their dark master. A shout woke Bardush, not a shout from further down the tunnels as before, but from this very chamber. He jerked into a sitting position and looked to the figure standing in the cavern entrance. A little over five feet tall, he was clad in black mail and wearing a black surcoat, sporting two bloodred crossed sabres. He had an elongated snout, ending in two tusks, one of them broken. One of his bloodshot eyes was almost swollen together, black blood trickling down the goblin’s face. They all knew him well, it was Zukhat a minor officer of the Garmogatz ushatari rogtar regiment, the unit deployed just below the surface, manning the great gates of the Tolagâl undercity. He had led the three scouts on a mission to the surface to inspect the state of things up there, a dreaded task, as everyone knew that the surface operations had long since collapsed. The tyrant below the mountain had appointed his useless halfbreed son Magrekh as the commander of the surface operations. It was under his watch it had deteriorated until only a handful of goblins remained above ground. They had returned together, but when they were about to enter the throne room to present their reports, the three scouts had slipped away, leaving Zukhat to deliver the bad news alone, And to be beaten by the great fighting uruks of the King’s hoerk for delivering bad news alone. He was a cunning and lucky orc, several times had he escaped situations where he should have been dead, Bardush had hoped to be rid of him once and for all, but yet again Zukhat had gotten away with his life intact, and he was furious. - “YOU ROTTEN MAGGOTS!” Zukhat screamed into the chamber. In a few seconds he had bounded over to the cauldron and kicked it over, spilling its boiling contents over the cooks legs. The smaller orc rolled backwards and onto his legs, uttering a low snarl before throwing himself upon Zukhat with a black blade in his hand. The two uruks tumbled to the floor, punching, kicking, biting and stabbing eachother ferociously. After a few moments the jumble of limbs on the floor stopped moving. Hognak rose and walked over to the combatants and inspected them. Suddenly, Zukhat lunged up towards him with the bloodied black knife in his hand, he was quickly stopped by an ironshod boot to the gut, sending him back into a sitting position. Hognak went to the cauldron and turned it up again, trying to save the little stew that was left. Zukhat himself got on his feet, stabbed the small orc a few times more to make sure he was dead, then brushed himself off.
With his lust for blood and vengeance satuated, Zukhat got down to the business at hand. - “Zagira you cowards, get that throku down and get yer equipment, we’ve got new orders” Bardush walked over to the firepit and joined Hognak in eating the little stew that was left, while Zukhat recited what had occured in the Ashdurbûk’s chamber, naturally leaving out the humiliating beating, everyone knew it had occured regardless. After they had finished the food the trio prepared themselves. Bardush and Hognak strapping their quivers on and slinging their bows over their backs. Hognak took a small spear leaning against the wall, while Bardush fastened a hatchet and sabre to his belt, Zukhat retrieved his great halberd from the cave entrance. Together they walked through the winding tunnels that made up the Tolagâl undercity, First passing by a multitude of slaves toiling away at the walls of the mine endlessly. Then past za shum farki, the great forges were the orcish craftsmen made tools, weapons and instruments of torture. Past the spawn chambers, where Bardush sent a few straggling toddlers back into their pens with a few well-placed kicks. More slaves, operating the elevator that led down into the fungi cave, the main source of food for the underground city. After some 10 minutes of walking they reached the black stairways that led to the gates of Tolagâl. A great cave opened up before them, at least 60 feet high and five times as long. In the center of the cave stood a great wooden pallisade with a huge gate in the center. Scattered around the cavern was the Garmogatz Ushatari Rogtar regiment, blackclad orc soldiers lazing about around campfires or manning the walls, some of them leaning on the gates to the warg pen, great beasts they had brought with them through the portal so many years ago, they were not pure wargs anymore, as the orcs had been forced to breed them with the great wolves of Sosaria to maintain their numbers. The trio reached the gate and Zukhat looked up onto the parapets of the wall then shouted - “Shmarrkharagh, Get down ‘ere and open the gate” A swart face half-covered by a helmet shot out over the battlements and looked down upon them. - “I ain’t opening no gate until I see some orders, you cesspit” The uruk shouted - “I’ve got ‘em right’ere” Zukhat shouted back. - “Yer’ll have ta come up with ‘em” Shmarkharragh replied. The two orcs continued to argue for a while, but in the end Zukhat gave in and climbed up the crude wooden ladder. A few moments later both of them came down. Shmarkharragh shouted out an order and some of the soldiers removed the bars from the gate. The gatekeeper then proceeded to unlock the great gates with a bronze key, letting the three orcs out. The shouts of Shmarrkharagh echoed behind them as they proceeded the last bit through the tunnel “Hope yer all die out there, so I won’t need to spy yer ugly snouts again”.
The three orcs covered their eyes, as the light of the sun burned down upon them, the area around the cave entrance had been cleared of trees for defensive purposes, the thick canopy of the Tolagâl valley did not begin for yet another 100 feet. They hurried towards the treeline, and soon the shade of the trees protected them from the accursed sun. Hognak let out a sigh as he let his gaze sweep through the forest, in the distance he could make out the watchtowers and the great stone citadel that had once been teeming with excercising uruks. Their shouts had echoed across the valley, now only a smattering of goblins could be seen in the distance and none could be heard. The paths of the valley that had once served as supply routes overgrown with shrubs, the gouts of black smoke from the forge no longer there. The three orcs made their way towards the stone citadel in silence, as if paying homage to the once great events that had transpired in the valley. There was a lot to be done.
Two shapes were squatting around a dying fire in the small cavern, one of them casually stirring a cauldron. Further away,sitting in a corner was another shape, slowly carving a piece of wood with a dagger. Apart from the bubbling of the cauldron and the sound of iron against wood all was quiet in the cavern. One of the squatting shapes was the first to break the silence, it turned towards the one in the corner.. - “ ’ey Hognak you slugsniffer, whatcha’ doing there? ” it hollered. Hognak slowly looked up, the embers from the fire glinting briefly in his fangs as he replied - “ Mind yer own business, worm.. ” he hissed. - “ An’ when’s the throku done? ” - “ You juss be patient, I’m trying a new recipe..and it takes time to get it good yeh. “ the third shape replied. “I learned it from ‘im tark we had ‘ere.. ” he paused for a moments, then continued - “ ’Efore we ate ‘im that is.. ”. All three of them burst out into laughter.
The laugh came to an abrupt stop however, as shouts, cheering and the clash of steel made its way into the chamber from further down the tunnels. The shapes looked towards the entrance to the chamber for a few moments, then returned to their activities, this was obviously not something out of the ordinary. - “ Well, za shum Burzflauth is gonna get myself some rest ‘efore dinner’s done “ one of them muttered. He rose to his feet and leapt over the cauldron, landing next to some furs on the cavern floor. - “Bardush ye bloody maggot! ye could’ve gotten dirt in mah stew...ye could even have knocked it over..” said the third shape, once again stirring the cauldron. - “Hoshat, skai rof-snoshatar!” Bardush shouted, then he stretched to his full height, almost reaching six feet. He was large, unusually large for one of his unit, for one of his breed. He could not retain this stance for long though, soon his back and his twisted legs sunk back into their usual crooked posture He unstrapped his belt with his clawed fingers and let it slip down to the floor, he then sank down on the furs, opening up his black leather vest. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes.
They were part of the Burzsnuti. A specially trained unit of scouts and assassins. Whether rooting out and murdering would-be rebels within their own ranks, or cutting of supply lines from the enemy, they were a useful tool, often employed by their dark master. A shout woke Bardush, not a shout from further down the tunnels as before, but from this very chamber. He jerked into a sitting position and looked to the figure standing in the cavern entrance. A little over five feet tall, he was clad in black mail and wearing a black surcoat, sporting two bloodred crossed sabres. He had an elongated snout, ending in two tusks, one of them broken. One of his bloodshot eyes was almost swollen together, black blood trickling down the goblin’s face. They all knew him well, it was Zukhat a minor officer of the Garmogatz ushatari rogtar regiment, the unit deployed just below the surface, manning the great gates of the Tolagâl undercity. He had led the three scouts on a mission to the surface to inspect the state of things up there, a dreaded task, as everyone knew that the surface operations had long since collapsed. The tyrant below the mountain had appointed his useless halfbreed son Magrekh as the commander of the surface operations. It was under his watch it had deteriorated until only a handful of goblins remained above ground. They had returned together, but when they were about to enter the throne room to present their reports, the three scouts had slipped away, leaving Zukhat to deliver the bad news alone, And to be beaten by the great fighting uruks of the King’s hoerk for delivering bad news alone. He was a cunning and lucky orc, several times had he escaped situations where he should have been dead, Bardush had hoped to be rid of him once and for all, but yet again Zukhat had gotten away with his life intact, and he was furious. - “YOU ROTTEN MAGGOTS!” Zukhat screamed into the chamber. In a few seconds he had bounded over to the cauldron and kicked it over, spilling its boiling contents over the cooks legs. The smaller orc rolled backwards and onto his legs, uttering a low snarl before throwing himself upon Zukhat with a black blade in his hand. The two uruks tumbled to the floor, punching, kicking, biting and stabbing eachother ferociously. After a few moments the jumble of limbs on the floor stopped moving. Hognak rose and walked over to the combatants and inspected them. Suddenly, Zukhat lunged up towards him with the bloodied black knife in his hand, he was quickly stopped by an ironshod boot to the gut, sending him back into a sitting position. Hognak went to the cauldron and turned it up again, trying to save the little stew that was left. Zukhat himself got on his feet, stabbed the small orc a few times more to make sure he was dead, then brushed himself off.
With his lust for blood and vengeance satuated, Zukhat got down to the business at hand. - “Zagira you cowards, get that throku down and get yer equipment, we’ve got new orders” Bardush walked over to the firepit and joined Hognak in eating the little stew that was left, while Zukhat recited what had occured in the Ashdurbûk’s chamber, naturally leaving out the humiliating beating, everyone knew it had occured regardless. After they had finished the food the trio prepared themselves. Bardush and Hognak strapping their quivers on and slinging their bows over their backs. Hognak took a small spear leaning against the wall, while Bardush fastened a hatchet and sabre to his belt, Zukhat retrieved his great halberd from the cave entrance. Together they walked through the winding tunnels that made up the Tolagâl undercity, First passing by a multitude of slaves toiling away at the walls of the mine endlessly. Then past za shum farki, the great forges were the orcish craftsmen made tools, weapons and instruments of torture. Past the spawn chambers, where Bardush sent a few straggling toddlers back into their pens with a few well-placed kicks. More slaves, operating the elevator that led down into the fungi cave, the main source of food for the underground city. After some 10 minutes of walking they reached the black stairways that led to the gates of Tolagâl. A great cave opened up before them, at least 60 feet high and five times as long. In the center of the cave stood a great wooden pallisade with a huge gate in the center. Scattered around the cavern was the Garmogatz Ushatari Rogtar regiment, blackclad orc soldiers lazing about around campfires or manning the walls, some of them leaning on the gates to the warg pen, great beasts they had brought with them through the portal so many years ago, they were not pure wargs anymore, as the orcs had been forced to breed them with the great wolves of Sosaria to maintain their numbers. The trio reached the gate and Zukhat looked up onto the parapets of the wall then shouted - “Shmarrkharagh, Get down ‘ere and open the gate” A swart face half-covered by a helmet shot out over the battlements and looked down upon them. - “I ain’t opening no gate until I see some orders, you cesspit” The uruk shouted - “I’ve got ‘em right’ere” Zukhat shouted back. - “Yer’ll have ta come up with ‘em” Shmarkharragh replied. The two orcs continued to argue for a while, but in the end Zukhat gave in and climbed up the crude wooden ladder. A few moments later both of them came down. Shmarkharragh shouted out an order and some of the soldiers removed the bars from the gate. The gatekeeper then proceeded to unlock the great gates with a bronze key, letting the three orcs out. The shouts of Shmarrkharagh echoed behind them as they proceeded the last bit through the tunnel “Hope yer all die out there, so I won’t need to spy yer ugly snouts again”.
The three orcs covered their eyes, as the light of the sun burned down upon them, the area around the cave entrance had been cleared of trees for defensive purposes, the thick canopy of the Tolagâl valley did not begin for yet another 100 feet. They hurried towards the treeline, and soon the shade of the trees protected them from the accursed sun. Hognak let out a sigh as he let his gaze sweep through the forest, in the distance he could make out the watchtowers and the great stone citadel that had once been teeming with excercising uruks. Their shouts had echoed across the valley, now only a smattering of goblins could be seen in the distance and none could be heard. The paths of the valley that had once served as supply routes overgrown with shrubs, the gouts of black smoke from the forge no longer there. The three orcs made their way towards the stone citadel in silence, as if paying homage to the once great events that had transpired in the valley. There was a lot to be done.
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