It appeared to be a normal day at The Academy for four of it’s students, until the four were summoned to appear before the Master’s Circle, the 9 heads of teaching at The Academy.
The four students in question were Adolamin Tarmikos, a mighty Barbarian, Elessaria, a smart-mouthed spellthief, Henzo Slegger, a skilled warblade and Thronus, a assimar cleric of good sense.
Being somewhat confused by being called in front of the Circle, (especially for Elessaria, who couldn’t think about what she had done, today being only Secondey), the Circle proceeded to tell them that they needed to go and investigate a cease in communication from the nearby Dearth Woods. Hititha Oakenscratch, the head of wilderness training, tried to impart the importance of continuous information flowing from the woods, and the new adventuring group got together after grabbing their gear and leaving via the Eastern Way towards the Dearth Woods. After several hours of sauntering, skipping and other methods of walking, the party came across two Ogres, roasting the greater portion of a cow just off the Way. Trying to get a closer look, Elessaria moved closer and barely avoided getting smacked by a large greatclub. Deciding that this was not on, the party swiftly dealt with the Ogres, nicked their lunch, and continued onto the Woods.
Reaching the woods, it was decided that Adolamin would lead them into the deep, dark part, being a barbarian and knowledgable about the nature and survival, lead them past a family of foraging Dire Boars (hunting for the elusive Dire Truffle), finally decided after several hours that they were lost. After much discussion, Ado, as he likes to be called, found which way to go, and led the party onwards, towards a cliff. Luckily they were at the top of the cliff, looking down into the valley that ran through the Woods, spotting a clearing that seemed like a good place to go, they climbed down, and trapsed through the woods to the clearing.
In this clearing, they found a stone circle, with two large oak trees in the middle, one looking odd, with an altar between them. Bound to this altar was a woman, though the party couldn’t figure out what it was, they were attacked by the guards of the white-skinned porcine humanoid standing over the altar, dagger in hand.
The party struggled with the fight, as the white orc was guarded by not only Forest Orc grunts, but by a pair of Orc Berserkers and a Orc Howler, who stalemated the party until the white-skinned orc entered the fray, paralysing Henzo for a long time, and infecting Thronus with a deadly disease. Eventually the party killed all the guards, but the white-skinned one appeared to shrug off all but the heaviest of hits, when he could be hit at all. The white orc appeared to be winning, until Elessaria moved to the altar and freed the Dryad bound there. The Dryad successfully sent the white orc into a deep sleep, then Henzo delivered the coup de gras.
After looting the various corpses, the dryad sent them back through her oak tree to the edge of the woods, near to the Eastern Way. Returning to Uungaar, the party reported to the Master’s Circle, gaining no insight into the nature of the white orc, (which they brought back with them), as the most learned of the Master’s couldn’t identify it. After finishing their report (thus completing the quest), the party was allowed to visit the chapel for healing, and the artificers level of the Wizard’s Tower in the Academy to have their items identified.
During the day, the party heard rumors of wierd things happening in the old part of the town, and the party sought out someone on the Master’s Circle to get permission to investigate it. Fardun Silverbright, the somewhat eccentric Warmage, gave the party permission to leave the Academy grounds that night to investigate the weirdness.