A Grand Design 37.

Winter. Near The Border Of The Duchies Of Wostin And Fandell. The Kingdom Of Girdane.

As they walk quickly through the falling snow and approach the treeline infront of them.
Dorc da Orc says to the others "Smoke" followed by "Fucken campfires".
Behind the large ork, the war engineer Tovis nods.
The captain in the mercenary armies of Farque has noticed the ork warleader is being relatively cautious as they approach the woods.
He's not being overly loud. Nor is he rushing ahead of the others. He's just walking quickly as they get closer to the treeline.
The young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic, glances over at his fellow Druvician, sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Who is following the example of the ork weaponsmith. Which the former paladin wouldn't normally do.
The nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic is near silent as he walks quickly towards the woods.
He hasn't said a word since they decided to approach the trees. Although he's walking with the shield of Saint Mar-che out infront of him. And a gauntleted hand upon the hilt of the sword of knockdown.
The war engineer then glances at Beldane the cleric who is next to him. And lifts his eyebrows in question.
"Nothing" quietly says Beldane the cleric, who has again sensed ahead into the woods. And found no spellcasters, or anything magical within the trees up ahead.
They enter the woods, where a bit of the falling snow is dropping down through the canopy.
Dorc da Orc who is leading the way, briefly stops when they're about thirty or forty yards into the woods.
"Fucken others" says the large ork who is speaking in a quieter voice than he normally does.
The others look down to the ground where the weaponsmith from the wolf tribe of orks has pointed.
And they see more footprints and boot marks, and not just the ones they've been following.
"Which way?" quietly asks the young engineer from the kingdom of Druvic, where he served in the army of a baron Harkonin.
Dorkindle grunts and points to the southeast through the trees. They head that way, moving slower than they did when they approached the woods.
As they walk between the trees, they see more and more evidence of people here in the woods. Much more than those who were in the farmhouse that they were in a little while ago.
Then after awhile as more snow comes down through the canopy of the trees.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world comes to a stop, and points ahead as he quietly says "Fucken through there".
The captain in the Farqian army, who along with the former earl of Lé Dic and the fighting cleric, can now smell the smoke of campfires.
Looks ahead, and though he can't see anything of interest yet. He takes the large ork's word for it that people are just up ahead.
"You still smell that big bug, or worm?" quietly asks Tovis the war engineer, who then adds "Or whatever it is?".
The warleader of the ork race who is a general in the armies of Farque, grunts in a positive manner.
The young engineer then asks "And dead bodies?" as the ork weaponsmith mentioned that earlier.
"Can't smell them no more" quietly says Dorkindle, who continues with "But some fuckers have got killed, dead".
Tovis slightly nods, then after he thinks about it for a moment, he tells the large ork "Lead on" followed by "And try and keep us out of sight".
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks grunts that he will.
And as the ork warleader sets off again, the war engineer quietly says to sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Beldane the cleric "Get ready" he quietly adds "There could be anything up ahead".
They follow after the ork general, who starts taking a more roundabout way through the trees, as if he's circling around whatever it is that's up ahead in the woods.
That's exactly what Dorc da Orc is doing, as he can smell and hear a fair few number of people within the woods ahead of them.
They must of come from the surrounding farms to get here. And the ork warleader who usually isn't all that particular about being accurate when he counts. Unless it's soldiers or mercenaries in an enemy army.
Is pretty certain there's nearly fifty people. All human, of various ages, from young children, to the elderly. Gathered up ahead through the trees.
Infact he's caught sight of some of them already. None have seen him, as they all seem to be looking further into the woods, and not out towards the treeline.
A short while later and the big, burly ork from the frozen bottom of the world, ducks down. And hisses at the others to keep low.
They do so, as they move fairly slowly, making as little noise as possible. As the snow continues to fall down through the canopy of the trees.
They go from tree to tree as the large ork keeps them out of sight. And eventually Tovis, Percavelle and Beldane spot people up ahead through the trees.
Dorkindle leads them up a slight rise, where he drops down to the ground, and crawls the rest of the way up.
The others follow his example, with sir Percavelle Lé Dic who is in a suit of full plate armour, and Beldane the cleric who is in half plate armour. Moving slowly, so as not to make noise as they crawl to the top of the small rise.
From where he is next to the ork weaponsmith, next to a bush. The captain in the Farqian mercenary army looks down into a clearing within the woods.
What trees that were still in the clearing, were cut down years ago, if the state of the few tree stumps scattered across the clearing are anything to go by.
"What the hell is going on here?" murmurs Tovis the war engineer, next to him, Dorc da Orc just shrugs his massive shoulders as they watch what's going on in the clearing, where the snow is falling more freely with no trees to hinder it.
There's nearly fifty people scattered in and around the clearing, which is probably in the center of the woods.
Most of them looked dazed. And those that don't, look like they've just come out of a daze.
They're the ones it seems who have lit a couple of fires. And are getting some of the others to sit near them, to keep warm, on this cold, snowy, winter's day in the central region of the kingdom of Girdane.
Children, or adults. It's random amongst those in the clearing, who seem to be more coherent, and not so dazed looking.
And the young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic, sees children helping adults to sit. And vice, versa as the more clear headed help the dazed to sit close to the fires.
Meanwhile, those on the outer edge of the clearing. Seem to be the most dazed looking. As they stand there, staring towards the very center of the clearing.
Dorc da Orc nudges Tovis, then quietly says "Fucken there" as he nods towards the very middle of the clearing.
The war engineer who is a captain in the Farqian mercenary army, frowns as he looks to where the ork general has indicated.
Then as both the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic and the fighting cleric from the kingdom of Nastell, get to the top of the rise, where they lie next to him and the ork warleader.
Tovis realises that it's a large hole that's in the very center of the clearing.
The young engineer glances at the big, burly ork who is from the frozen bottom of the world, who quietly tells him "That fucken worm is in there".
The war engineer is just wondering why all these people, local farmers and their families by the looks of things. Are here in the clearing in the middle of the woods.
And why there's a large hole in the ground, from which the ork warleader smells a large worm or something is in.
When all of sudden, Tovis finds out exactly why they're all here in the clearing. And more importantly what's in the hole in the center of the clearing.
It makes no sound to the human ear as it suddenly comes up out of the hole in the middle of the clearing.
"Wormy cunt" is what Dorc da Orc mutters when he sees it. While Tovis mutters "Fucking hell" when he catches sight of it.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic mutters "By Narille look at that" when he sees it. While Beldane the cleric mutters "What the fuck is that thing?" when he sees what's come up out of the ground.
It's not a worm. It actually resembles a grub more than anything else. It's white in colour, and it's body is segmented like a grub or maggot.
And it's big, really big. It must be eight foot wide. And who knows how long it is, as not all of it comes up out of the ground.
Just it's head, and part of it's body. And as those who are less dazed than everyone else in the clearing, quickly back away. The creature's body, well the part of it that's up through the hole in the center of the clearing. Thumps down onto the ground with a thud, that's clearly heard around the clearing, and up the slight rise where the four of them are lying, watching things.
Then the creature moves it's bulk, turning it's head. And they see that it truly does resemble a grub that's sometimes found in rotting logs.
It's got no eyes as such, just indentations where you'd think eyes would be.
It has a wide slit of a mouth. On either side of which is a large, black pincer. The colour of which is in contrast to the white of the rest of it's head and body.
Then as Tovis grimaces as he looks at the creature that's come out of the hole in the center of the clearing. The creature opens it's mouth, and a horrible sounding, high pitch scream comes from it.
People in the clearing go to cover their ears and eyes, well those who aren't all that dazed looking try to. But they end up slowly staggering towards the massive bulk of the creature in the middle of the clearing.
While those more dazed looking, get up from where they're sitting near the fires. And they too, start slowly staggering to the middle of the clearing, where the large, white grub like creature has come out of the hole in the ground.
Meanwhile up on the slight rise. Tovis the war engineer, Beldane the cleric and Dorc da Orc have got to their, while sir Percavelle Lé Dic gets to a knee as the creature continues to scream it's loud, high pitched scream.
The young engineer who is a captain in the armies of Farque. Against his own will, finds himself slowly staggering down towards the clearing.
Tovis tries to scream and shout, and stop himself heading down to the clearing, but he's unable to.
Meanwhile, Beldane the cleric who likewise, is unable to stop himself from staggering forwards, and following after the war engineer.
Accidentally touches the top end of his mace on his belt with his right gauntleted hand.
When he does, a gateway suddenly appears right infront of him, and he staggers through it, and disappears. A moment later, the gateway disappears too.
Dorc da Orc frowns, then says "Where the fuck you goin' cunt?" as he stands there, watching Tovis slowly stagger away down towards the clearing.
The ork general scowls, then mutters "Ah fuck up ya wormy looking cunt" as the large grub like creature in the middle of the clearing continues to scream it's high pitch scream.
Then the ork warleader looks to his left as he stands there, and blinks in surprise as Beldane the cleric is no longer there. Then the ork weaponsmith looks at his fierce rival sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
And sees the former paladin is on one knee, with the shield of Saint Mar-che before him, blocking the sight of the creature down in the middle of the clearing.
The nobleborn knight who hails from the kingdom of Druvic might be an idiot at times, and more than a bit of a braggart.
But he's definitely smarter than one thinks when he goes into situations that he has no control over, and doesn't know what's happening.
And though he will often do something rash, and completely crazy to get him out of such situations.
He will be cautious and circumspect if he has to be. Like in a situation such as now.
And when he noticed the ork warleader being more deliberate than he normally is.
The former earl of Lé Dic knew he had to be ready for the unexpected. And to have the shield of Saint Mar-che ready.
The member of the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che as he crouched down on one knee behind his shield.
Winces at the high pitch scream of the massive grub like creature in the middle of the clearing.
He sees Tovis the war engineer staggering away, the nobleman from the kingdom of Druvic who is keeping his shield between himself and the creature in the center of the clearing, so that he doesn't see it.
Looks to his right, and after a momentary pause when he notices that Beldane the cleric has disappeared.
He finds his bitter rival, Dorc da Orc looking at him with a scowl upon his wide, green, brutish looking face.
"Beast" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who then adds "Get the engineer, wot" followed by "Don't let the captain go down there".
The ork general briefly considers telling the nobleborn knight to get fucked. But he grunts as he realises the former earl of Lé Dic actually has a valid point.
The big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world takes a few steps forward, grabs the staggering Tovis, and turns him around.
"Not down there ya cunt" says the large ork to the war engineer, who looks dazed as he stares at Dorkindle.
The captain in the Farqian mercenary army, though dazed, and though he grimaces due to the high pitched scream of the creature in the middle of the clearing, finds that he has got his willpower back.
The young engineer shakes his head, and looks to one side when he hears, sir Percavelle Lé Dic say "Don't look at the gods forsaken creature down there captain".
The Druvician war engineer sees that the heavily armoured knight, is crouching with his shield infront of him, keeping it between him and the large, white, grub like creature down in the middle of the clearing.
Dorc da Orc who because he's an ork, and they're all mentally unstable to begin with, is totally immune to attacks upon the mind.
Which is what the large grub like creature does. And though it's high pitched scream is highly uncomfortable. Especially to the human ear.
It's the actual sight of it, especially it's face and maw, and more importantly, where it's eyes would normally be. That attacks those who look at it.
Dorkindle, immune to the psychic attack of the large, white grub like creature sticking out of the hole in the middle of the clearing.
Looks at it like he looks at all creatures he's never encountered before. And wonders if it tastes any good.
He also wonders if he can fuck it. And also if he can kill it. And not necessarily in that order.
"Wormy looks all fat and tasty" murmurs Dorc da Orc in the ork language.
Then as the snow continues to fall in the clearing in the woods. The large grub like creature, with a surprising amount of speed. Whips it's head to one side, and one of it's pincers skewers a man who staggers towards it.
It flicks it's large head up, flipping than man end over end up into the air. The creature then tilts it's head up, and the man tumbling up in the air, falls back down, and lands into the open slit of a mouth of the grub like creature. That then munches down upon the dead farmer.
The large, white maggot looking creature continues screaming again, though it's scream is a bit muted due to it chomping to bits the dead body in it's maw.
"Oh fucken yeah, Dorc gonna get me some of that" says the ork general who chuckles, then the warleader of the ork race says to Tovis the war engineer "Look at fucken ground, not at that wormy cunt". The dazed looking captain nods in understanding.
Then the ork weaponsmith looks at his bitter rival and tells him "Knight cunt, attack it from behind".
"I know that you overgrown filthy cretin" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic who was planning to do that anyway.
As he knows that it'll be up to him and the ork warleader to take care of this threat they face.
Then as the nobleborn knight starts heading down the rise to the clearing in a crouch, making sure to keep the shield of Saint Mar-che between him and the creature in the middle of the clearing so he doesn't see it.
Dorc da Orc who has taken one of his spears from his weapon harness across his back, runs down into the clearing, chuckling to himself, before he shouts "Get some!".
And as the people in the clearing continue to stagger towards where the large, grub like creature is sticking out of the hole in the ground.
The high pitch scream of the grub like creature slightly changes to one of annoyance and pain, when a spear thrown across the clearing, slams into it's side with a thud . . . . . .