Mystara

Jaggar's Hunt - The Mountain Orcs

Feeling dejected after slow progress with a goblin camp empty of what you were seeking, your spirits are buoyed with the yield of a solid result from some consistent teamwork.

Lysander picks some targets, and Elzix turns on the magic to get a read of the mood in the Orc camp. They are a fractured group, with no clear leader, and no purpose. They survive, but is this the way they want to live?

In particular, Lysander notices one particularly interesting looking creature, henceforth known as Shifty. Tracked to a deeper position in the camp, Pan poses as an Orc thug and intercepts Shifty.

Shifty indicates, whether knowingly or not, that there are three Orc Chiefs competing for control, and there is a risk that civil discord will break out, and many Orcs may be killed. Shifty likes the daughter of one of the Chiefs, Aliaga Serpenthelm, as a potential leader. Pan, however, fancies Yog the Ogre as the preferred candidate.

Jaggar now starts to see some of the resourcefulness he was looking for, and with the support of his teleport spells, Yog is brought back to the Glantri mountains and tasked with gaining control of these Orcs once and for all.

Now, Pan in Orc form finds Shifty once more, and puts the idea of Yog the Ogre to him.

"Ogre? Maybe this will work...but which does Ogre go for? Xug is rough, Borug mean, and Omugug strong. Or is Yog able to control them all? Maybe Yog try control, if control no work, then kill. Yes! That's it! But who first?"

So...who first? How did you want to do this?

Diplomatic Mission - The Atruaghin Clans

The Lands of the Atraughin Clans

The grassy plateau, forest, and hilly regions of the Atruaghin Clans are inhabited by herders, hunters, and fishermen who live in small villages.

Their "capital" is rather a meeting area where the clans gather for a festival. The clans do not interact much with the rest of the known world, but are likely to unit under a single leader should there be a significant threat to their lands externally.

Any diplomatic contact, however, is likely to require the ambassadors to travel from clan to clan, seeking support from each chief. There are seven clans in all.

Vandross meets the Bear Clan - does not win, and the Clan remains neutral.

Vandross meets the Horse Clan - winner! They will enter in turn 3, move in turn 4.

Vandross meets the Tiger Clan - winner! They will enter in turn 3, move in turn 4.

Vandross meets the Wolf Clan - winner! They will enter in turn 4, move in turn 5. Vandross saves the life of his brave foe...

Vandross meets the Boar Clan - they are already sided with the Nomads. Chris Bright suggests they might want to give Vandross a chance. They agree, but their champion is vanquished! A shaman battle is available, however, and The Guru earns a victory. However, they will remain neutral for now.

There are two more clans, and the group of Chris Bright, Vandross, and The Guru are still on the plateau towards the end of turn 4.

Diplomatic Mission - The Five Shires

The Road to Shireton

Shireton, the vast and grand capital of The Five Shires, is about 170 miles of road away from Athenos.

The Halfling inhabitants are a sedentary and modest lot, loving peace, quiet and order. It is ruled by a council of five sheriffs, each having responsibility for a shire.

The Five Shires has a long-standing alliance with Darokin, but will it be enough to coax them into war with the Nomads?

In order to guarantee the support of their volunteer regiment, ambassadors must travel to Shireton to meet the Council of Sheriffs at the Grand Hall.

A brief history of Yog the Ogre

Yog, of the Bone Crusher horde of Ogremoor, presents as a rugged old ogre, and has overcome his fair share of adversity.

Those who take the time to share a brew with old Yog, and suffer through his loose grasp of the modern common tongue, will hear a compelling tale of his years growing up with the now Prince Alebane, Chief of Ogremoor in the Broken Lands.

Yog and Alebane, as younger ogres, were once captured by a Darokin caravan in one of their more stupid endeavours, and found themselves as a monster feature in Lizzieni Colosseum, Glantri.

They were both then trained as professional gladiators, and earned a number of victories against the local heroes.

Together they planned an escape. Alebane made it, but if you are to believe Yog, a last minute betrayal saw Yog continue as a prisoner, but lose his status as gladiator. Indeed, he was moved to a dungeon that serviced the needs of the students looking to graduate from the Great School of Magic.

Whilst Alebane has now gone on to be Prince Alebane, Yog has only recently found his freedom, by way of one of those students, and now graduand, Pan D Monium. Whilst there is some enmity between Yog and Alebane, Yog still has many friends and followers amongst the ogre hordes.

Indeed, since his liberation, and only a matter of a year or so, Yog has found himself in command of the 3rd Guards War Horde, who patrol the forests, and hunt blood worms in the mud flats.

Troop Class Average, BR 80, 40 ogres with nets and clubs, 45 goblins with axes, 25 bugbears with grappling hooks and harpoons.