18 Kythorn 1479

It's over, we win.

So, we're up nice and early since part of the victory is that it has to occur by sundown. The orcs showed up not too late dragging sledges with cages - our stags, provided for, as promised. Oogrik took some time fiddling with cages and such, dragging out time to try and rattle us until I called out if he need more time or some help? Evil and I figured it would cost me, but so much FUN. He released the stags pretty much immediately. Aprilane can, at a guess, track a ghost over running water, so she took off along their trail. Of course the stags split up - well and it'd be too easy else - but we went with the larger group and managed them fairly easily. They ARE nasty, but the real trick is not letting them run away. Since Gnf's Tenser's was still running we decided to make nice use of it and took the heads instead of stopping to check antlers and Aprilane dressed each deer lightning quick and took the best meats, so as not to waste the entire creature (again, look at us, Bak Nur and Bak Fa in one, HA). We then ran after the other 2 - but knowing that Oogrik's bully-boys would have had plenty of time we kept an eye open for traps. They'd time for the obvious pit and the snare... and that stupid spiked log thing that I really should have seen coming. Ah well, Allyson's hurt me worse than that and I managed to nail myself with it the first time I tried that trap myself, so... We caught up to the other 2 stags and just as we were cautiously approaching, trying not to scare them off, there was a loud noise from off to one side - but it drove the stags TO us. I love it when THEIR plans work for US. Short work of those stags and a "thanks" to our assistants and we settled to decorate. Aprilane has some very VERY strange ideas on antler headdresses, but hey, it's her head. Lyra went more traditional and Allyson and Ugrun naturally went minimalist. I figured I needed to put that elf thing to rest so I went for the full flashy, gaudy, "I AM the big guy chief" get-up. Looked damned impressive, but kinda heavy and with a tendency to slide down into my eyes. We added to the effect with some nice face - and other obvious accessible body parts - painting in blood. That with that meats and the absolute filth we were covered in was more than enough proof and we got back to the starting point just at highsun or so - much to Oogrik's chagrin, he was genuinely not ready. And very much distressed at having to stump up 100gp as weirgild - that might buy us some mercy if we drop - well, everyone but me. I'm guessing he's still willing to gut me for a 100gp. We had a reasonable lunch - not a lingering one, given the time limit on the test, Oogrik can't delay too long or it'll be obvious he's cheating (though as Lurtma pointed out, rules are...fluid in this. She seemed amused at my approval of that, but hey, that means I'm not actually cheating and Allyson can't tell Mom, so there)

Anyway, we were pointed at a hill some 5 miles off with a standard on it. We had to run there, pick up a banner - each - and come on back. Easier said than done. Aprilane covered our tracks to make it harder for them to follow us and I managed to spot a couple of traps and one ambush - but 5 miles is a long damn run, especially at full speed and wearing the damned headdress falling into my eyes and... ok, I fell into a pit and it was some work to get me out. I slowed us down, no question - more even than the gnome with his little short legs I think. But we still managed to get close enough quietly enough to get the drop on Oogrik and his war party.

Oogrik stood up on the wooden platform with the 7 banners arrayed behind him. In front, on the ground, were 5 bodyguards or honor guards or whatever - burlier than average. And then scattered through the obstacle course of angled spike-walls, a few smaller, lesser orcs. But we opened up on them with a shot out of the heavens. Aprilane just let loose an arrow straight into Oogrik - and in deep, too. They hadn't stopped goggling over that when Gnf sent that fireball of his into a bunch of those lesser orcs and BAM. That's when the rest of us charged in.

It was a massacre - I mean, not REALLY, no one died, but.... Oogrik had clearly made a careful strategy that just didn't hold up. Not necessarily a BAD plan, but druid magic or no, not good enough. Holding his bodyguard to stay at the platform and not advance meant we could just pick 'em off at our choosing - and concentrate on HIM from a distance. He seems to have spent much of his druidical training in touching the beast within - and that's not much use against folks who won't get close. He decided to focus on Allyson and called her "an affront to orcs" and managed to land a couple of good shots at her. I stopped to heal her, but Gnf was able to bring his ass down anyway. Heh, and then disappear. Poor orcs had never fought gnomes before. Then Ugrun changed into that half-ram thing and just charged the nearest bodyguard - they pretty much came out the other side of the platform. Gnf thought that was so cool he threw a thunderball (still invisible, of course) at the 2 guards near him, knocking THEM under the platform and then jumped high overhead and onto the platform - coming visible mid-leap. They pretty much all surrendered at that point. (Gotta admit, that gnome is a bit reckless sometimes, but he sure has a good sense of the dramatic)

We grabbed our banners with flash and all and I checked over Oogrik to make sure he was all right - but mostly for a chance to give him a good hard pinch where no one could see it. So, we won and came back to a party. YEY. For which we were daubed with proper warpaint and no washing. Boo. But the food is good and the ale (or whatever) is strong and what the hell. Lungrik has made us honorary members of the Blackspear Tribe - with full travel rights, thank the gods who I hope are here in Abeir too - and gave each of us a black spear - magical and of great significance to the tribe, clearly. Trying to work one out for Gnf must've been a helluva challenge.

Several of the warriors were apparently impressed that a runty elf could pass Bak Nur (never mind that I couldn't have done it solo, like I would have had to normally - if they can't figure it out, I aint saying) and declared I was a "real orc" - naturally this came with the traditional slap your spine through your nose trick. What IS it with orcs anyway? But after all, years with Allyson have taught me how to brace for that so I don't fall over - mind you, my back still goes numb and I'm gonna be in serious pain tomorrow....

I did manage to capture Oogrik in a quiet corner and tell him that if he EVER insulted my sister like that again, I'd cut 'em off and feed 'em to him and then walk off smiling. Nearly as satisfying as Gaston. Tired as I am, I may stay up all night, gloating.