He's Dead

SUMMARY: Rak breaks some unwelcome news to a grieving father. Sequel to Moar Orcs

Erakirak has been having an exceptionally good day hunting, and has brought a deer carcass into the Hunter's Market at Wilderness Point to sell for coin, as the Aerie doesn't need it. It is strung up hanging from a harness, along with several similar carcasses, and he's asking about the same price for it as the others, having little market sophistication.

In the center of the road is one of the biggest Oruchs that most people were likely to see. He's walking back and forth, scaring passerby with jus this presence, but as he does he calls out to them in a deep voice. "Have you seen my son? Have you seen my son. This is my son." He holds up a picture and pleads with people to look at it but most people are too afraid of him to actually look at the picture at all.

Erakirak has been watching the Oruch for some time, from a bit of a distance. After his earlier encounter with the Oruch in the woods, he's a bit wary, but it doesn't take long to realize this man is of a different sort... an actual person, not just a mindless attacker. And clearly agitated about something, though from his distance Rak can't tell what. So after a while he comes over, approaching the intimidating Oruch.

As he gets close enough to hear, he becomes more sympathetic. "I'm sorry about your son, sir," he says, approaching. "What happened to him?" He extends a talon for the picture.

Eagerly the ourch man hands over the picture which... looks amazingly familiar. "This is my son. He just took off from home without explanation. I though he went hunting with my brother because they left at the same time but... My brother came back and Tregarch did not." His voice is heavily accented so that it's hard to understand his words. The man seems aware of this though, talking slower and trying to enunciate his words.

Erakirak regards the picture for a long time, then hands it back. "Did... Tregarch... have any friends who disappeared at the same time?" He has some difficulty saying the name.

"There were a few other boys... well there have been a few dissappearances lately. All at different times. People just disappearing." He takes the picture back and holds it to himself. "I know my boy is just one more but... I have to try to find him." He looks at Erakirak hopefully. "Do you recognize him at all? Even if you saw him in passing..."

Erakirak nods. "I'm afraid so. He, and probably the other boys who disappeared... they were taken by the same person, I think. A wizard, probably. Maybe with a name starting with Z, I don't know. Whatever it was... I think it brainwashed your boy, and the others. Made them his... well, his soldiers, I guess you could say. They didn't seem to have much choice in the matter. And they died fighting for him."

There's probably a kinder way to say that. Then again maybe not. Regardless, Rak doesn't know it.

"Dead?" The word comes out of the oruch with all the weight that it deserves, his eyes wide and disbelieving even though his tone suggests that perhaps he started out this quest knowing he wouldn't find his son alive. "How can you possibly know that? Did you... did you see it happen? Maybe he's still alive." He reaches out with one big hand and grasps Erakirak's shoulder to give him a little shake.

Erakirak steps back, away from the large oruch's grasp. "I was there," he replies. "He's not alive." He seems to be about to say something else, then doesn't.

Hope seems to crumple around the edges of the oruch's eyes. "Where is this wizard then... or the ones that killed my boy. Surely they know more!"

"Less than you might think," Rak replies solemnly. "The wizard, I have no idea. The adventurers who killed your boy... well, the arrow that dropped him came from this bow," he admits, taking his bow off his back. Not at all threateningly, though it hasn't escaped his notice that he might need a weapon shortly.

The man's shoulders droop. "And you killed him... knowing that someone else was controlling him? Making him... do things?" There's confusion there, but it's also clear that the ourch could any moment warm up to rage.

Erakirak nods. "He and five others attacked us, in the woods not far from here. We fought back. He fought well, but ultimately they died, rather than us."

The last hope dies out of the Oruch. "He fought well at least. Can you tell me where they are buried? So I can take them home to their families?"

Erakirak nods. "I can take you to where they died, yes. And tell you the story of their last battle, if you care to hear it." He regards the deer carcass for a moment, then shrugs. No doubt someone will find a use for it. "Follow me."