Rujarkian Hills – LDON

You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Greetings, ______. I always have a story to tell, but I’ve been consumed with learning about the Rujarkian Hills. If you do enough work for us in those hills, I can share some of my knowledge with you!’

You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Bah, you made me miss a note! No matter. I’ve been interrupted a lot lately with all the inquiries I get! I’ve been collecting stories and information from all over these days. I fancy myself a bit of a historian now when it comes to the goblins and orcs. It’s important to understand the history of both of those creatures to understand what is happening in the Rujarkian Hills. That’s my opinion, anyway. Those are no ordinary orcs in the hills. See me soon and I will have a tale or two for you.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Wonderful to see you, ______! I always enjoy telling a story to a fellow explorer. Let’s start with the goblins and the orcs and where they came from, shall we? To start with, you should know that the hero that was considered the mother of all of the goblins was named Rujark. Her name is about the only thing the goblins of Norrath can agree upon. Obviously, the hills over yonder once belonged to Rujark’s goblins, but they do not anymore. That’s all I will divulge for now!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Perfect timing. I just put down my lute. Did you know the orcs were created by Rallos-Zek? Oh yes! They were bred for battle. Mighty creatures indeed and very determined. They rely on slaves, whether they be orcs or other creatures. Each orc seemingly belongs to another! Return soon for more ______. I’m sure we will spend a lot of time together!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Just finishing up some bread. Let’s make this quick. As I said before, each orc belongs to another. We know it’s true. This makes the social order of the orcs very simple to follow. Each orc is property, all the way to the highest ranks. The highest ranks relate to one another a bit differently though. Unfortunately, I don’t have much more detail than that! I wonder if this will help you defeat them? I don’t know that, but I do think knowledge can be a weapon.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Welcome once again ______. As I said, while orcs are almost always the property of another, it’s somewhat different at the top ranks. The highest levels of the orcs maintain their positions through trading and sharing property, and fighting to prove their supremacy. It’s a complicated system that is constantly in motion. In order to keep their positions, the top ranks constantly build their stable of slaves and defend against those yearning for power. Can you imagine that life? How depressing! They must forever be on their guard. To be owned would be a foul fate!’

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Your Adventure Stone glows with more power as you gain stature with the Wayfarers Brotherhood.

You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver hums a mesmerizing melody and then stops. ‘Ah, yes, ______. Hello. I am sure you have seen the vast number of goblins being used as slaves in the Rujarkian Hills, have you not? Well, I have a friend that can tell you more about their origins. Various clans and species of goblins are indeed spread across Norrath, but the Rujarkian goblins are different. You’ll find Ginehl Wiquar in the sewers of Freeport. She’s been gathering information from all sorts of messengers around the world about the Rujarkian goblins and orcs.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Ginehl Wiquar’

Ginehl Wiquar says ‘Ah, you’re here to receive information. I’ve have a steady stream of messengers bringing me more history around the goblins and orcs in the Rujarkian Hills. It’s a very interesting story. The gods themselves were involved, don’t you know. You see, Solusek Ro, the lord of Flame, created the Serpent Mountains by arching the crust of Norrath and brought burning heat down upon the inhabitants of Norrath. A tribe of goblins and orcs were trapped somewhere beneath the surface. The ages of evolving, warring, and fighting produced the result we see in the hills. The goblins lost their control of the hills some time ago, but I don’t know when. There is much more behind that story though. I can tell you more later. There are too many ears about.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Ginehl Wiquar’

Ginehl Wiquar says ‘More about the Rujarkian orcs and goblins, hm? Well, over the years, the orcs trapped underneath the Rujarkian Hills advanced in ways we’ve never seen. There are no other orcs in our lands that have attained the same organization and strength these vessels of battle have. There was no way the goblins could prevent the rise of the orcs and the fall of their superiority in the hills. Run along now please, I’m expecting someone. I’ll see you soon, I have no doubt.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Ginehl Wiquar’

Ginehl Wiquar says ‘I certainly understand your continuing interest in the evolution in the Rujarkian Hills. Those poor worshippers of Brell Serilis, the goblins, really didn’t stand a chance against the orcs. I can see why the dwarves aren’t too fond of the idea that their own father has anything to do with the goblins. It seems reasonable to me though as both races are experts with life underground, wouldn’t you say? Okay, I must ask you to leave again. Some of my more unsavory contacts will not approach while I have visitors.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Rujark, yes. You are in luck. Because I’m writing a song about the Rujarkian Hills, I have been traveling and looking for more particulars and I always get told more of the tales. So, I can tell you now that after years of practice, Rujark became a master of all the weapons she had found. She had extraordinary agility and dexterity. After some time, she chose to take her skills to the surface of Norrath to test herself. She was anxious as she waited for the right moment. Getting caught would mean the end of her! She was not afraid of death either. She had seen plenty of that as the goblins fought the orcs over the years. That’s almost all of what I know. I need to gather more of the story for my song, so I will probably have more information for you soon.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Hey-ho ______! I had to rewrite some of the notes of my song. It’s quite complicated making a musical masterpiece! So, from where we left off, the story goes that Rujark didn’t know that her brother, Givlikk, was wise to her habits over the years and had followed her out of the caverns to the surface. He saw Rujark’s skill and grace with her two short blades. He was impressed and envious at the same time. He ran home ahead of her and waited in silence for her return. I have a friend in the Karanas I must speak with. I heard he has more information I can use to tell you and put in my new song.’

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Your Adventurer Stone glows with more power as you gain stature with the Wayfarers Brotherhood.

You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Where were we again, ______? Hm . . . ah yes. Rujark returned to her hovel in the caves and her brother Givlikk stopped her as she attempted to pass through the door. He asked her about the blood on the rags she wore. She was unsure of her brother’s intentions and said nothing. He told her he had seen her fight the orcs. He quietly resented his sister’s skills, but could not ignore their magnitude. Together, they would come up with a plan that would suit them both. I think I made the verse about this a little faster paced than the others so I can build some suspense!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Each day, I get closer to completing my song. The notes blend so well now and the lyrics are moving along! I had to pay for some information, but it was useful. As you know, goblins are not known for their empathy. Therefore, while Givlikk and Rujark discussed how to proceed with her skills and secrets, he had his own agenda. Givlikk entertained thoughts of trading Rujark as a guard to slave owners in order to make a great deal of money. The only problem was she was female. No one would buy a female warrior. And that is when they hatched their plan. I must stop here for now. I just thought of a great lyric for part of my song!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘I’ve been working on this song of mine. It continues to grow the more I learn about the Rujarkian Hills. As you may have guessed, Givlikk and Rujark both decided that if Rujark was presented as a male, she could live as she had always dreamed and would be of great use to the goblins overall. They changed her clothing. In order to disguise her female features and her former identity, Rujark willingly let her brother Givlikk scar her face with a burning dagger. Of course, it was a task he enjoyed greatly. His envy of his sister grew every hour, every day. That is all I have uncovered for now, friend. Return soon and if my song is done, I will play it for you!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘I’ve come to a part in my song that will have to move the audience to great anticipation! I think I shall use minor chords for that part, hm. So, yes ______, as Rujark face was bandaged until her scars healed, she easily fit among the male goblins. She refrained from speaking and loyally took orders from her battle master. They would often raid the orcs. In every fight, Rujark killed twice as many orcs as the rest. Rumors and fanciful stories began to get passed around the caves under the spine of the world. Must go, ______. I really want to finish this portion of my song.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver strums his lute and stops to write some words down on a sheet filled with musical notes and lyrics. ‘Wonderful to see you back, ______! You must hear this! When Rujark was told she would have to go back to the bottom of the ranks and take orders from males, her response was deadly. She raised her short swords and made quick work of the nobles who died with stunned expressions. They did not have a hope against her skills. The news of her triumph over the nobles spread fast and so did word that she was a female. Speaking of spreading news, it’s time for me to start practicing this song and committing it to my memory. I have a few things to add still, however.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Ah, we have come to the big finale of our story! Over all the years Rujark warred against the orcs, she gained a faithful following. It turned out that her prowess in battle far exceeded the perception of her gender. The goblins then began to set rumors on the breeze that Rujark was blessed by both Brell Serilis, the Duke of Below, and Rallos Zek, the god of War. The rumors took hold and she became the leader of the goblins, who referred to her, then and now, as their mother. They believe she brought the goblins to a better place and her knowledge and skill kept the goblins from falling to the orcs for many years. And so, the region where Rujark and the gnomes lived came to be referred to as the Rujarkian Hills. I was going to end my song there, but yet again, someone told me more about Rujark and her fate. Soon, you will hear about that.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Hail ______. Well, the story about Rujark has a bit of a bitter ending which makes it perfect for my song. Over the years that Rujark trained and improved the goblins as the leader in the Rujarkian Hills, her brother Givlikk grew so envious that he became obsessed with ending his sister’s life. Givlikk was shamed and punished for trying to sell his sister too. After all, to the goblins, Rujark was very much their divine mother that had been touched by the gods. Rujark kept her brother near to her because she trusted him. Hm, I need to add more notes to this part of the song.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver plays a sad melody on his flute. ‘Where was I, ______? Ah yes. Well, one night Givlikk completely lost all of his bonds with reason. As he often did, Givlikk brought Rujark a stein of frothy ale as they ate an evening meal. He had set up the routine some time before, when he started having great fantasies about killing his sister. He watched eagerly as Rujark lifted the stein to her lips and drank. He cackled as she swallowed the poisonous ale he had made. Now, this is where the tale gets a little strange . . . and as sad as it is, this kind of drama makes for a wonderful song.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Songs that end in powerful tragedy are often remembered, ______. The story of Rujark certainly includes that. Right, the poison. When Rujark swallowed the poison, she was not affected as she should have been. There were no violent spasms. She did not bleed from her eyes, ears, or mouth. She just plainly went to sleep. There was one journal that I read that described Rujark’s spirit lifting from her body and soaring to another existence. Of course, we can’t confirm this, but it sounds wonderful for a song! Anyway, that is how the area got its name, from the mighty Rujark. You’d be best off going to Shumpi Wimahnn. He is a sprightly halfling but he knows a lot about orcs! He’s been doing orcish research in Highpass Hold.’

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Your Adventurer Stone glows with more power as you gain stature with the Wayfarers Brotherhood.

You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘Ah yeah, them orcs. Bit on the burly side, aren’t they? I’m sure I could take one out. I bet they can barely see me if I run through their legs. What do ya think? Hee hee. Oh, right. Task at hand. You want to know more about those awful Rujarkian orcs, hm? I’ve done me a bit of sneaking in the Rujarkian Hills. I’ve learned how they operate and how they set up their ranks. If you come back soon, I’ll tell you a wee bit about it. I’ve gots to run though. Time to eat!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘What cheer! You’ve gone and come back again ______! Blimey, I’m a touch peckish. Anyway, the orcs. Yeah, well, at the very bottom rung of their ladder, you’ll see the lowest of the low, aye. Most would think the Rujarkian orcs merciless to the point of madness, but there is a wee bit of practicality in their minds that detests waste. So, criminals are not just tossed into the stewpots like the weak or old, they become cast-off, menial slaves in a group of orcs known as The Broken. Those orcs are composed exclusively of the damned. Frightful, hm? The Broken orcs are mad and spend their useless blood freely, preferring death over a life without a real master. Cripes, I have to find some food to put into me belly.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘Back to it, ______. I’m ready! Ya know, even though slavery is the tie that binds orcs of all stations together, there are slaves that provide food and labor to all the orcs. They are controlled by the Steelcrown. And while those nasty Steelcrown can ask the stronger orcs to help find and kill new flesh, the management, control, and use of slaves is their sole domain. They are the most numerous of the Rujarkian orcs and the most commonly encountered by outsiders . . . and they don’t usually live very long. Hee hee. I’ll be . . . I’m hungry again.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘I’m going to have to start carrying food with me, ______. It’s dreadful to stand here all day and hear my tummy growl as it does. As I just wrote in a note to Barstre Songweaver, I was able to get a few more tidbits on the Spiritbound orcs in the Rujarkian Hills. They are the healers and teachers amongst the orcs, though an outsider would be hard-pressed to compare the ruthless and brutish rituals of the Spiritbound to the rituals of the outside world. Gifted with mysterious insight, they police the thoughts and actions of their race, turning quickly to righteous judge and deft executioner when the situation calls for it. Hee hee. They are also bloody masters with surgical tools. Whether or not they use them to heal and repair is questionable. I saw tools and blood, but no mended orcs. Naturally, I didn’t hang around too long! Alas, I must run, I can barely hear myself think over my grumbling belly!’

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You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘Thankfully I just ate, fair ______! Not sure you know this yet, but even though the Rujarkian orcs would rather take than trade, one line of thier breed, the captive Coin, has managed to survive through treacherous, but careful, use of wealth. They build quiet trade alliances with outsides,but still use brute strength and coercion more often than crafty wit to obtain their monies. Still, as far as orcs go, you understand, they are considered clever…and fearsome. Speaking of fearsome, I’ve got myself a raging appetite I must appease. I’ll be ready to talk to you later.’

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Your Adventurer Stone glows with more power as you gain stature with the Wayfarers Brotherhood.

You say, ‘Hail, Shumpi Wimahnn’

Shumpi Wimahnn says ‘The last and final group of orcs I’ve learned about are the Steelslaves. Ferocious, they are! Born to bleed, these are the greatest warriors of the Rujarkian orcs. Although the other classes have fighters in them, none compares to the innate skill and practiced battle rage that these orcs possess. They are the front line and last defense of the Rujarkian orcs and they are mighty menacing in great numbers, I tell you. I get shivers about it, I do! Well, that’s all I have to tell you about the orcs. I’m sure Barstre Songweaver can give you any additional information you may need.’

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You say, ‘Hail, Barstre Songweaver’

Barstre Songweaver says ‘Have you had your fill of story yet ______? You have spent a lot of time learning about the Rujarkian Hills. And, I can tell by the look in your eye that you know just as much as anyone about the orcs and goblins in those hills. I consider you a master of the story here as much as anyone. I have nothing to tell you, but you can stand by as I sing if you like. Be well, ______. I consider you a great adventurer and good friend. I’d fight with you by my side any day.’

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Your Adventurer Stone glows with more power as you gain stature with the Wayfarers Brotherhood.

You have completed your progression through the Rujarkian Hills.