23 - 9/10

On the final leg of the journey Ushat inquired as to the meaning of the six pointed star on Valeries shield. The cleric told her it was the holy symbol of her deity Solanus, which Ushat said she remembered that she had actually seen it before, on the mountain behind her village. She didn't go into too much more detail, and that mystery would have to be solved later.   Near the forests edge, the group was hailed by a mysterious firbolg named Aemaris. He was concerned that the orcs were causing his forest trouble, but seemed more concerned when the group informed him of the hobgoblins in the valley. After a discussion and some disagreement with Ushat, Aemaris was invited to join the party and the group continued on to Storms Call.   Finally arriving in the orc village, the group made their way through the outer village and up to the main part, behind a set of palisades walls on a plateau, behind which stand the mighty dragons teeth mountains. Above the entrance the group noted that there appeared to be some damage, which the party later discovered was where the Eternal Flame of Sutur lied, a mysterious artifact that the orcs believe warded away evil.   Once inside, Ushat told the group that she would go gain audience with her father, the chief, and would meet with the rest at the villages only inn. They agreed, and set off to find the Boiled cat Inn. On the way they were hailed by an upstanding and well spoken orc named Bartholomew Great, who claimed to have traveled south in search of higher education. A few pleasantries were said, and he offered to have his grandmother show them around the village should they require his aid.   It was during this conversation that the gnome Nyx revealed herself. She had little patience for the groups antics, but had heard of the helgafel sacking by the hobgoblins because survivors had made their way south to her home of Aspencove. She decided to join the party, as this threat could affect her people as well, and the group set off to the inn.   Inside the party was welcomed by the loud Hildug, an orc who offered the party an assortment of strange drinks and food cooked by the enormous Mord. Valerie was approached by a large, confident patron by the name of Glamorc who proceed to try to charm her with his brutish wit. He challenged the group to a drinking game, as is customary in orc courtship.   Glamorc had Val punch out someone who was in the way, and the group gathered around to play the strange game of Battle Strike. After quite a few rounds of drinking, slamming tables and fighting over rocks, he led Valerie off to his romantic broom closet and shooed his rat companion out. The rest of the bewildered party found their way to their own rooms, and the group retired for the night.   In the morning Ushat met up with the rest at the inn, and told her that her father was very ill and their best healers could not seem to cure him. They set off to investigate, hoping that Valeries magic could be of aid. Unfortunately upon arrival, it seemed that not only was he not poisoned or suffering from a disease, but the attempts to cleanse him of curses seemed to also have no effect.