Age: 22
Alignment: Unknown
Deity: Read and find out
Lasmus woke to the shouts of alarm that rang out through the city of Daggerford. Automatically, he jumped off his cot and rushed to his gear. A minute later, fully equipped with simple mail coat, a metal cap, shield, and his longsword, he rushed out the door along with a mass of other soldiers. Waiting outside for the men was his sergeant.
"Orcs! They are attacking the outlying farms again!" the sergeant shouted. "The captain is already rushing out. We must hurry to join him!"
The soldiers quickly moved in file out the gates where they could see buildings aflame. In the distance Lasmus could make out a dark moving mass of orcs spreading destruction to the farms. It was impossible to count them, but he estimated the group to be at least a couple hundred or more. As he marched, he picked up the sound of prayers his fellow soldiers were making to the various deities they worshipped. Lasmus himself kept silent. He never had believed in any of those.
A soldier's best defense is himself and his fellows, not some far-off person who cares less. If I win it is because of my abilities and the tactics we use, not some power of an outsider.
The young soldier watched in satisfaction as the few militia wizards sent several fireballs into the ranks of the orcs, setting a good many of them aflame and scattering others. Instantly after, a small unit of cavalry swung around the rear of the orcs cutting down stragglers. The orcs were already disorganized and after the preliminary assaults they stood no chance against the well-formed mass of infantry that would soon charge upon them.
The soldiers had just drawn into a line at the crest of a hill. The captain gave one look to be sure his men were ready then gave the order.
"ATTACK!"
Lasmus' heart pounded as he ran forward into the teeming mass of enemies. He hardly noticed the number of orcs that fell before him as he gave one swift stroke after another with his sword. The battle itself hardly took a few moments and soon the tusked brown-skinned creatures had either fled or lay strewn about the field.
* * *
"One hundred thirty two orcs. I'd estimate that many managed to escape, too. We will see how many our cavalry hunted down in short order I expect. Perhaps if we..."
Back in the barracks, a lieutenant was giving the captain a tally of the number of casualties on both sides. Lasmus stood off to the side listening in. The captain raised his hand and interposed a question.
"For now I just want the numbers. What of our casualties, sergeant?"
"We have twenty-one dead, sir, and a number of wounded, but overall..."
"Overall it's too much! This is the third attack on our farms and we do not know from where these orcs are coming. Last week it was twenty-two and the week before that another seventeen! If these raids continue are ranks will be depleted in short order. It seems there are limits to our numbers, but not theirs. I want scouts sent out in all directions. Find the source of these orcs and we will destroy it. We cannot wait any longer."
"Yes sir! I will do that immediately!" The lieutenant snapped a salute and disappeared through the door.
Lasmus knew it was only a short time before his skills would be put to the test again.
* * *
"There it is, sir. Our scouts have been watching it for some time and we haven't seen a large force anywhere near, but we're sure the orc leader is in there."
Lasmus stood with a small contingent of men right behind the captain and the lieutenant and overheard the hushed discussion. He was shaking his head in disgust at the captain's plans.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! A covert operation with only a few men against an orc hideaway. Even if we do get a surprise in, we will be surrounded in short order and no doubt killed. What we really need is an army here to annihilate the enemy, not just kill the leader.
The captain was now busy issuing orders to the men. He, Lasmus and five others would sneak inside the cave while the other half stood watch outside. A small detachment of cavalry was nearby to cover a retreat should it be necessary.
"Let's go men. You have your orders." The captain said in a hushed tone. He then ducked into the cave entrance and disappeared in the darkness. Lasmus took a deep breath and followed him inside.
The six soldiers could only see a short distance in front of them and they were using the walls of the cave to guide themselves. Up ahead there was a narrow entrance to a cavern that was dimly lit with a couple of torches. The small band peered inside and saw a huge orc standing there along with several others. They were speaking in their own foul language. Lasmus understood what they were saying but paid little attention to it and instead prepared for a battle he knew was coming.
The captain looked back at him, then mouthed some words, "We go in and get him, then retreat. Now go."
The six soldiers jumped up and charged into the five orcs that stood there. Taken completely by surprise, four of the orcs fell quickly, but the leader ducked back, gave a snarl and swept the air with a great cleave of his battle axe. Lasmus saw two of his companions instantly drop to the ground dead, but he ignored it and pressed the attack. The orc had backed into a narrow passageway, so Lasmus and the captain engaged the orc while the other two soldiers remained unable to help behind them. After several minutes of fierce battle, the captain dealt a blow to the enemy's head. Victory was short, however, as the four heard the sounds of pounding feet on the cavern floor behind them.
Even as the sounds came closer, the four hurried back into the cavern and sprinted across to the entrance they had come in. The first two beat the onrushing horde of orcs to the gap, but the remaining two could see that they would be too late unless something was done. The captain gave Lasmus a hard shove in the back right into the mass of enemies approaching them and then darted outside while they were diverted. Lasmus, now engulfed by the horde had little choice but to attempt a futile battle. As he frantically tried to defend himself, he heard the traitorous captain's footsteps fading away.
He took the time to curse his captain before he fell.
* * *
Lasmus crawled outside a small hole in the wall of a cliff. He was severely bruised, beaten, and his one arm hung limp at his side. He wondered how he had ever survived the beating he'd received that fateful day, or how he'd survived two weeks as a prisoner to the orcs. He was starving, weak, and barely able to walk, but he was in considerably good spirits.
It is a good thing for me that orcs are particularly stupid - talking about their plans right in front of me like that. Luckily I can understand them, too.
The loose-tongued orcs had given Lasmus enough information to plan an escape, and now here he was outside the cave, with one dead guard behind him. He was sure that he'd never been able to kill that orc in a fair fight, but he wasn't concerned about such things at the moment. What mattered was that he had his life still, a small dagger, and what looked like an open road ahead of him. He grabbed a fallen branch to use as a staff and, with much effort, plodded down the road southwards. He hoped his luck would hold until he could find a friendly settlement.
His luck did stay and soon he came upon a small hamlet. There he was able to to rest and regain his strength. He decided against returning to Daggerford. He feared a return there would only spark a feeling of revenge inside him. He perused a map of Faerun to determine what would be the best course for him. He found the village he was residing in, then traced his finger south along the road until it landed on a city.
Baldur's Gate. That looks like a good place to go.