Prelude: the Lightning Wyrm

[Bitom]

The mark of the Lightning Wyrm clan feels good back on his arm. Urgthugak was forced to hide it for the months of his infiltration into the Deathwatch Clan's caves, where he was forced to pose as a lowly orphan, trying to gain entry into the clan.

He'll never know if he would have been offered membership, but it's unlikely. Orphans are usually used as shock troops until they are killed, then their bodies are left on the field. It doesn't matter. Urgthugak found what he was sent for, a back way into the Deathwatch's caves, and when the warlord's troops arived, all of the Deathwatch clan became orphans or dead. This is the price for making one's displeasure with the warlord known before the time comes to challenge.

Urgthugak travels south along the mountains. Then there is a light streaking across the sky from East to west, blue like a sapphire. It is followed by another, and another, each larger than the one before. The fourth and fifth light the ground with their blue light. The sixth can be heard tearing its way through the air overhead, and the seventh makes a deafening boom and lights the sky like cursed daylight. The Eighth is brighter still, and near-deafening as it passes somewhere above the cowering orc and his raw eyes and ears.

He misses the sight of the last one passing overhead, singing the trees over his head. His hearing and sight fail entirely just before the cataclysm shakes the ground.

The star has struck the mountain near him.

Shards of rock from the explosion shower everywhere, setting grasses and trees aflame. The earth rips open in large cracks of unknown depth, toppling trees into their seemingly infinite void. The Warlord's detachment of troops is swallowed by one of these, leaving Urgthugak standing alone, clutching a tree that did not fall.

The shaking ends, the earth settles, and the dust rises into the air.

Urgthugak is alone.

[od]

Urgthugak blinks uncontrollably until his vision returns, staring around at the destruction. Finally managing to orient himself he gets up and inspects his horse to see if anything is wrong with it. He doesn't care about the animal in any sentimental sense of the word, but if the damned thing is dead it will make Ugthugak's life more difficult.

Staring both up and down the mountain Ugthugak considers whether he should get the hell out of there or attempt to find whatever caused so much destruction. Finally he concludes that great glory will come to anyone that finds the thing and great shame to any that run from it. Besides, the display screamed magical to the Orc and bringing such power to the Warlord would be a great honor.

[Bitom]

The horse, remarkably, survived the cataclysm as well, or at least Urgthugak believes it's his horse. It's close enough to pack his saddle onto, which he does find. The darkness of the sky makes identification difficult even with his Orcish vision. But a horse is a horse. He gets on this one and rides in the direction of the mountain. He knows that the horse will not make it all the way to the top unless he can find a trail. And considering that the mountain has just been violently abbreviated, finding a passable trail is unlikely.

[od]

Ugthugak rides the horse as high as he can and then ties it to a tree, well a log since most of the trees have been destroyed. Hoping he gets back before he the thing freezes or starves to death he wraps his cloak around himself and begins trudging up the broken mountain. All along the way he wonders if it will be worth it, but his sense of duty drives him on.

[Bitom]

Ugthugak finds himself at the edge of the treeline just before the sun id about to rise. The horse could go further, the the orc would be blinded as the cursed sun begins to bake down on him.

[od]

With else to do Ugthugak gets out his tent and blankets and starts making a rudimentary camp. Content that if anything comet he horse will probably spook and wake him Ugthugak goes to sleep.

[Bitom]

The day comes and goes and the Orc rises again. He rides his horse forward as high as possible, then ties the animal off and continues. Looking back over his shoulder, he can see smoke everywhere. The forest he just passed through is burning, and he could be stuck on this mountain until the flames die out.

[od]

Urgtugak looks at the fire and sighs. At least he brought enough food for himself, but his horse is surely doomed to die. As inconvenient as that will be in the trek back to the nearest orc town it will at least provide him fresh meat. Without further hesitation he climbs up the mountain hoping that he at least finds something to make his efforts worthwhile.

[Bitom]

Urgtugak continues his climb, progressing up into the dust and ash cloud of the impact. His Orcish eyes allow him to see well enough to climb and soon he reaches the end of the mountain, some miles below where it was yesterday. What he sees cannot be without magic. Below him is a castle made of black glass or polished black stone. It stands in the middle of a crater of black stone. Mixed among the blackness, there are some glints of reflected light, both silver and blue. Among the fleks are small shapes, moving back and forth, collecting the blue ones.

The Castle

Obviously, you are looking down on it, but it is raised off the floor of the crater like this, so the angle is valid.

[od]

Looking at the sight Ugthugak concludes that some enemy must have been living in the mountain, or else fell from the sky. Hoping to have some proof to report back to his superiors he first attempts to discern what type of magic is at work, and then begins sneaking down into the crater to gather some proof.

OOC

Cast detect magic. Spellcraft to see what schools are in effect.