Quiet+Grave

"Quiet Grave" and Orpik

 * UPDATE, 8 Eyre 998 YK:** Orpik was discovered to be among a band of fugitives -- Dwarf and Orc remnants of the mercenary bands that had joined the attack on New Cyre -- in the foothills outside the town. He and his fellow fugitives surrendered, and he produced a Blademarks charter from House Deneith covering the Orcs. The charter expired several years ago //(and a similar charter produced by the leader of the Droranath Dwarves was forged)//, but House Deneith has indicated they would honor its terms relating to the treatment and repatriation of prisoners on behalf of both groups. As Mror nationals, Ambassador Brunhild Mroranon was teleported to New Cyre to negotiate the details. For now Orpik and the other captured mercenaries are in holding cells aboard Dejarn.


 * UPDATE, 3 Eyre 998:** "Quiet Grave" was killed in battle outside New Cyre, primarily by Choraan, a member of the //Taarka'kesh// (Silent Wolves) Clan of Darguun. This was a rematch of a fight at the Swords of Liberty mustering area just inside the House Vadalis enclave, PrairieHearth. Orpik dueled the Warden of the Wood, Nina Moondown, and fled the battle after "Quiet Grave," Rock Silverbreath and Dover d'Vadalis were slain.

The Half-Orc known only as "Quiet Grave" had no known age or lineage, and the few times he spoke it was in a whisper that carried as well as normal speech. Orpik is a Druid belonging to none of the recognized sects (certainly not a Gatekeeper, unlike the late Ologhei). //He may in fact be part of the Kech Ghaalrac, a Khyber-based order of Orcs and Goblinoids dedicated to fighting the Daelkyr. Orpik could hail form the Shadow Marches.//

Both were attached to a mercenary band of Jhorash'tar Orcs (from the Mror Holds), who had been hired by parties unknown to take part in a move against the Brelish border fortress Sterngate. This mobilization primarily involved the Bugbears of the Marguul Clans.

The Orcs attempted to enter Breland along the north edge of the Pass, near an abandoned Dwarf-built structure. They were stopped by a party of adventurers working on behalf of the King's Citadel of Breland. The assassin fought well, and managed to escape. The rest of the band was slain, except for two taken captive -- an unnamed archer and the Druid, Orpik, who had been the Jhorash'tors' primary spellcaster. These two were turned over to the defenders at Sterngate, who encased the Druid in a metal breastplate (sealed with hot rivets) to cut off his access to supernatural powers.

When Matusho of the //Gul Dalan// Clan (self-styled leader of the gathered Bugbears), negotiated a withdrawal from the Pass, he claimed the two Orc captives. Soon after, found in the vast field of trash and debris left behind by the Bugbears when they evacuated their camp, was one manacled Orc corpse and a Brelish-issue breastplate, lying in the snow -- the work of the mysterious "Quiet Grave."

Afterward, the Druid and the Rogue/Ninja fell in with the main group of Jhorash'tar Clan mercenaries, who apparently infiltrated Breland via the Seawall Mountains north of Sterngate. The band, numbering nearly 250, became part of the Swords of Liberty army mobilized by the Red Owl. The Orcs fought various party members at the House Vadalis enclave, on the march towards New Cyre, and inside New Cyre proper (a squad of Orcs, slipping in via an Invisibility Sphere, set several fires in town and killed several Cyrans before being dispatched, along with two Nessian War Hounds).