-----One of the men heading toward the river is a large warrior with beefy arms and curly dark hair. He frowns as Sol and Raven approach and turns to face them.
-----Thunder trots up to bulky man, and Sol gives an open palm greeting. As Raven and the Gorian near the fellow in question, Sol asks him, "Hail... are ye after water as well?"
-----As the warrior asks his question, he studies the large armed man, trying to get some sense of him, and trying to remember if he'd seen him during the night before.
-----“Aye, that we are,” the man answers, his frown turning to a smile. “Can’t be too careful ‘til we know if the hobgoblin scum dirtied the wells.” Sol can’t be certain if he’d seen this man before as he encountered many during the freeing of the village. The man, however, looks as if he could have been one of those fighting the hobgoblins in the village square once the prisoners were freed. He has a goblinoid sword strapped to his back.
-----Raven looks toward the river where some of the people are. “Hopefully that rain storm we had the night before helped,” the hunter says as he grimaces.
-----The man shrugs and then nods uncertainly. He then also looks at the people moving back and forth from the river. “We should be okay for now.” He then looks at Sol and asks, “So we should hear from that army headed here soon?”
-----Sol nods before answering, "So we've been told. Provided Howrun's forces don't run int' something they can' handle, they should be here within a day. Though until then, my companions and I will be staying in."
-----Wishing the man well, Sol waves goodbye and the two heroes ride toward where Strolum mans his watch. They find the red-haired warrior silently watching the people move between the village and the river with the others sharing the watch. Strolum quietly waves as they approach.
-----"Strolum, everything in order?" Sol asks as the two riders approach the large warrior's position.
-----“Aye!” Strolum says as he walks out from the trees. When he comes within ear shot, he lowers his voice and says, “Been hearin’ some o’ th’ locals askin’ ‘bout th’ gold th’ orcs’re supposed t’have yonder.” The warrior nods in the direction of the destroyed orc camp. “Might not be bad t’check it out in case people go huntin’ fer it on their own or them damned orcs come back.”
-----Strolum’s eyes suddenly widen and he looks at Sol saying, “Ay! Ye gots somethin’ on fire in yer pack!”
-----"Ah yes, the gold... we'll look int' that now." Sol laughs momentarily, "And don't worry about my pack!" Thunder heads off once more as the Gorian leads Raven to the orcs’ camp, so that the pair can look for where the gold might be.
-----Raven looks towards the orc camp and nods. "I've never tracked buried treasure before. Maybe the orc stink will lead us to it." Raven turns his horse to follow Sol and says in a good natured way, "Keep your eyes sharp, Strolum."
-----“Aye, th’t I will!” Strolum replies to Raven while he watches the smoking backpack.
-----The two heroes now move across the flat plain toward the ruined orc camp. Just a few light plumes of smoke and ash rise from the ruined encampment with bodies and tents scattered about. Sol and Raven kept their distance as a foul odor began to rise off the dead humanoids. Luckily though it was very warm, there was no wind to move the stink toward Kulendra.
-----As they rode between the river on their left side and the orc camp on their right, they could see the details of the abandoned mining operation ahead of them. To the left was where the human slaves were drawn out to the river to bring up vessels of sludge and water. Up the incline from it they see the series of roughly constructed cubic metal cages. Just to the north of the slave cages stood a long low building with a structure behind it that resembled a barn.
-----Sol directs Thunder towards the long barn-like building, to whatever side he determines has the entrance. His hand does not stray from near the hilt of his sword.
-----The Gorian and the Hunter find large double doors at one end of the barn and a smaller door on one of the sides. As they investigate the structure, they see no windows that they can peer through and the double doors and the smaller one appears to be barred from the inside.
-----"Feel like testing out our shoulders?" Sol suggests to Raven as he slips off Thunder and moves over to one of the side doors.
-----Getting off his horse Raven says, "Let me take a look at the ground by the doors. Maybe I see how recent someone or something has been through here." Raven begins to examine the area.
-----"Right you are! I'll keep an eye out." Sol moves away from the barn by a dozen feet, giving Raven plenty of room to look. Slowly he begins to walk the circumference of the barn, looking both at the barn, and outwards for any signs of movement.
-----Raven looks at the ground by the doors. He leans forwards and touches some prints in the dirt.
-----Getting to his feet, he says, "Looks good. The prints going into the barn are deeper than normal and the ones leaving are more normal." Raven begins to test the strength of the door. He then adds, "The orcs carried some heavy things into the barn. Most likely the gold. Let's get this door open and see what is afoot."