After finishing off the giants the orcs outside the stronghold cheer victoriously, a couple even lift me on to their shoulders and chant, "Blood for Malacath!" In orcish, which I am slowly starting to understand.
Though as we celebrate, a female orc who was apparently leading this war party shouts at the celebrating orcs, "Enough! Outsiders are not welcome here, leave at once!" She orders while brandishing her war hammer in my direction, much to the displeasure of the other orcs who reluctantly set me down.
"Stop, Ugor! They may be the ones we need." Another female orc calls from the top of a tower standing above the large pallisades surrounding the orc stronghold.
"We need nothing from outsiders! Yamarz will provide for us." Ugor vehemently protests.
"We cannot carry on this way! You know we are doomed if we do not do something!" The woman protests.
"Yamarz charged me with keeping outsiders away from Largashbur, Atub... You would have me disobey him?" Ugor questions Atub, placing her war hammer on her shoulder in an agressive manner.
"You were charged with keeping us inside the walls... Have faith, Ugor. I only wish the best for our tribe." Atub stands against Ugor's threat without wavering.
"Fine, it's your neck." Igor eventually relents before walking off, though heading away from the stronghold entrance, leaving the remaining warriors to quietly clasp and cheer me and Gringar for the good fight.
Atub comes down from her watch tower before unbarring the gate and allowing the orc warriors and me and Gringar in.
"Forgive Ugor's harsh words. She is a good warrior, merely doing as the chief orders." Atub apologizes as she invited us in.
"Are you sure we're welcome here?" I say entering the stronghold to see around 60 orcs, a mix of wounded men, working women, playing children, and even sleeping babies being carried in sashes around their mother's breast as they work their forges and tend a few crops.
Their are a couple elder women standing beside an alchemy bench, and the rest of the tribe despite their curse, cheer the return of the warriors, bringing the tribes numbers up to around 80.
"You may not be one of our tribe, but you are true Orcs nonetheless! You both fought bravely alongside our warriors in defense of our home." Atub commends our actions as we enter further into the stronghold.
I see some of the younger fighters from the fight with the giants, standing beside a large center bonfire.
They're having the sides of their long and somewhat unruly hair shaved off by the older warriots, leaving them all with freshly shaven mohawks.
"What seems to be the trouble?" I ask, feigning ignorance to their curse.
"Our tribe suffers, and we need help... Our Chief, Yamarz, was once a strong and proud warrior. But now? He is stricken, cursed." Atub hesitantly explains, looking around to ensure the other orcs are not listening.
"He is weak, and so our tribe is weak. The giants sense this and intrude on our territory... Now they assault our very home! Yet, Yamarz refuses help; however, I sense that you two may be just what we need." Atub tells us with a low voice.
"What is it you think a couple of wandering orcs can do?" I ask her, continuing to feign ignorance.
"Yamarz has demanded all but the warriors defending the stronghold stay inside the walls. So I cannot leave, but I must petition Malacath for relief!" Atub explains, slightly raising her voice before quieting back down once she notices the looks of the other orcs.
"This curse must be lifted, but I cannot travel to Malacath's shrine without disobeying the Chief. So, the ritual must be done here, and I do not have the materials I need." Atub continues before bowing her head to the two of us.
"I beg of you, can you two bring me Troll Fat and a Daedra Heart? I have no wish to impose on the warriors who came to our aid during that battle, but I have no choice." Atub pleads regretfully while looking to the floor, submissively exposing her neck.
Gringar motions to my hand before resting his hand on his shoulder, prompting me to place my hand on her shoulder.
"There is no need to beg amongst kin, we'd be honored to help rid your tribe of its curse." I say, smiling beneath my face covering.
"Really? That is great news!" Atub exclaims joyfully, looking up from her bow.
"You have no idea, for it seems Malacath looks favorably down upon you. As I actually happen to have those very ingredients already with me." I say, pulling out a bowl of troll fat and the heart of a Daedra from my bag.
"This is wonderful! Perhaps the curse truly will come to an end soon!" Atub exclaims excitedly before taking the ingredients from my hands.
"Please come with me. You seem to have become an important part of our tribe's fate, and I feel you must join us for the ritual." Atub asks respectfully.
"We'd be honored to participate." I say as we begin to follow Atub to the chief's crescent-shaped longhouse.
It is easily the largest and most sturdy construction within the stronghold, only outdone in terms of scale by the massive palisade walls and towers that surround the camp.
It appears most of the other orcs currently live out of tents, save for the tribe elders and some skilled smiths who have small single-room huts spread throughout the stronghold, often beside their associated work stations.
Entering the longhouse, I found it substantially different in layout than I expected.
Instead of any separating walls, the space was completely open. With a packed dirt floor, a central fire pit, a somewhat impressive wooden throne, and some hammocks and ropes for storage hanging from the slopped roof beams at the closer ends of the crescent-shaped longhouse.
Though, most shocking of all was the intricate details carved into every piece of exposed wood. Scenes of war, death, birth, trials, hardships, and triumphs all showing the rich and full history of the tribe.
I was awed into silence at its beautiful craftsmanship before my eyes rested on an orc in full orcish plate armor, resting on his throne with his head in his hands.
(Author's Note- Sorry I'm a little late, had some family things to take care of, hope you enjoy!)