The Knights of Daleria Part 4: Swan's Nest of Notfelde

 After seeing to the revivification of Apollo and the repatriation of his sword, armor and shield from the lying Baron Notfelde; the party's early morning was interrupted by the arrival of two people. One was a priest, Fr. Kapon, newly sent from the Prefect of Rath to be the Shepherd of the Church of Beredall; and the other was Deathstroke, a half-orc knight of some reknown. 

Deathstroke informed the rest of the party that he heard that an orc chieftain was holed up nearby and was paying all comers to join his horde. Intrigued, Deathstroke decided to investigate. But after recognizing familiar heroic names fighting the horde, he decided to join them, instead. 

Deathstroke then volunteered to reconnoiter the goblin encampment known as the Swan's Nest. That tactic went sideways fast and he was forced to slay three sentries. This only won him favor with Orangebrow Hordekeeper. The orc chieftain took so warmly to Deathstroke, that he offered him the left hand (number three) position in his horde, serving only behind Dong Rockpelter the Hill Giant. He then gave Deathstroke 24 hours to consider the offer, because that raises dramatic tension. 

Deathstroke returned to the party that was ensconced at the church and gave his report. Orangebrow had 3 giants, 10 ogres, 12 hobgoblins, 40 goblins, 25 wolves and 300 orcs in his horde. In response to this information, the party spent a better part of the day planning machinations, and Deathstroke was urged to accept the offer of employment. 

Upon doing so, however, Orangebrow tasked Deathstroke with an act of betrayal against Lord Notfelde, whom the chieftain ostensibly served. "I want to be sleeping in his silk sheets by morning," Hordekeeper growled. 

Deathstroke was given a pitiful contingent for the task as Orangebrow sought to determine what depth of strategem the half-orc warrior possessed, and how bold he might be in refusing his new master's request. But Deathstroke did not refuse, further raising suspicion about his motives in the mind of the Hordekeeper.

Unbeknownst to the party, the orc chieftain had the church under surveillance for weeks and Deathstroke's pretended ambitions with the horde were shown to be a ruse. For a moment, the half-orc actually seemed to be capable of talking his way out of trouble, when Orangebrow suddenly ordered Dong Rockpelter to attack. As the hill giant was only armed with haunches of meat, Deathstroke was able to make his escape from Swan's Nest and hightail it back to the church. 

The horde followed in hot pursuit and in full force, besides. A brief but violent battle ensued, including the use of spectacular magic from both wizards and the cleric. Warriors and Paladins all acquitted themselves well. In sum, the party defeated the horde and rode down nearly all survivors. Some townsfolk say that two wolves, chain leashes still dangling from their necks, were seen beating a hasty retreat toward the distant mountains.