Atrii looks around for clues as the the orks' origins. The stockade is sturdy and shows signs of growth around the borders. Some items, like the cauldron were clearly forged elsewhere, but are just as clearly antiques.

Still, his best guess is that the walls were build around a century ago when the cauldron was new, about the time people left the kaers and set off to make new lives for themselves.

He peers into the large communal dwelling where he sees the insides are painted with pictures, some of which confirm his suspicion, showing orks setting off from kaers and building here. Other pictures show hunting, or heroic tales, or jungle creatures.

It is also clear, both from the pictures and from Atrii can see in the tent, that these orks live a nomadic existence. Almost everything is portable. There must be many walled compounds like this scattered through the woods and the plains.

Z'phir begins by telling a story of his youth about how when all the other T'skrang children were afraid of going up to high places, he would always find a reason to climb up. He even told the story of his first attempt at gliding, which resulted in a broken arm.

He then tells the story of how, after becoming a member of the crew of the Ignis Vulturius, he took a side job with three other crew mates. He told of how they searched for the thief, and tracked him underground. How he encountered the crocodile. Also there, they found people living life in the underground (leaving out that they are the Barsivian Resistance). They also found the thief, pre-slain. How they found the Ork who slew the thief, and reclaimed the coins from him in fair combat.

Then, how dwarves came to claim the coins from them, but that they wouldn't give them up to those who did not rightfully own them.


Also, during the battles, he acts out the thrusts and parries of his sword in a rather theatrical manner.

Z'Phir's Sword Dancing carries the tale as the old ork (though he is probably only 40) gestures and translates and embellishes the t'skrang's story to the excited murmer of the youngsters.

While it is not clear how much made it across the language barrier the young orks are suitably impressed, especially at the part about the litter who were afraid to climb which drew great laughs from them, and the part about Z'Phir breaking his arm had them running up to touch his arm and make impressed noises.

The tale of the crocodile draws some interest, but the details of factions and ownership leave them somewhat confused.

The stew is strong and somewhat gamey, but good, flavoured with unfamiliar herbs.

"Good talk," the old ork says cheerily as the t'skrang finishes, "make children please," he claps you on the back and gives you an orkish hug remarkably similar to the one the captain gave you, "me see skrang same grandmother see, dwav, ooman see, good day." He grins.

"you come see ruins yes?"

"Yes, Z'phir. Make children, please," Atrii says as he returns at the end of the tale.

"Hold Courage ruin many ghost," the old ork assures you, "young ork they test courage face ghost, listen mad talk, show strong."

He takes you into the communal dwelling, which is made of animal hides, and the inside of which is covered in paintings. He leads you to a particular image, a map that shows the ring fort, and hunting grounds around it. In particular he points out a building back in the ruins

"many ghost," he assures you...

Atrii arches a brow at the ork's claim of ghosts in the ruins.

"Mad talk?" he asks.

The ork nods, "you want talk ghosts, plenty mad", he taps the spot on the map.

"Watch skeorx night" he warns, he points to a part of the map "sleep here"

A skeorx is a ravenous big cat predator and it is clear from the picture on the map he is showing you its lair, not a safe place to sleep.

Grabthar enjoys more than his fair share of the orks' tasty stew, while Z'phir regales them with his stories. After the meal he thanks the orks warmly for their hospitality.

"Shall we go and talk to some ghosts, then?"

The orks point you in the right direction, back the way you came, but a bit off the path, and you find yourself approaching the ruins where you landed from off to the side. You are painfully aware from the map that you are in the part of the jungle marked as the big cat's territory.

The building you are looking for is easily recognisable from the pictures on the hide wall, a slope domed structure, with a layer of grasses and ferns growing from its roof.

Other members of the crew spot you and wave a greeting.

The door to this structure looks sound, and is, like the tower, surrounded in glyphs with walls decorated to tell heroic stories. You can see inside quite clearly. No ghosts make themselves obvious.Instead the room seems to be filled with plinths, set at about chest height for an elf or an ork, but forming quite a stretch for a dwarf.

Each plinth contains a stone, shaped like a flat bottomed egg, engraved and painted with glphs around the image of an orkish face.

At the far end of the room from the door there is a statue of an ork, wearing ornate armor, with hand outstretched.

Grabthar goes over to take a closer look at the armoured statue, curious about the design and construction of the old style armour.