A Prisoners Journal
EM Seppo

The following journal was recovered from the orcish laboratory. The author went by the name of Tomás Pickett.

These are the events of the days since my capture:
Afternoon, Day 3: Sitting in this corner for the past two days, wondering if orcs really do eat humans alive, it was a pleasant surprise when an orc named Jogug gave me the writing materials from my rucksack. I have decided to make the most of this opportunity by writing this journal. It is not that I have given up hope of being rescue, it’s just that no one knows that I need rescuing. My family do not expect me back from my travels for a full month, and no one was with me at the time of my capture. Considering the circumstances, I am proud of the fact that I have not lost my composure.

Evening, Day 3: Ugh, now I know why orcs are not known for their cuisine. My meal consisted of scraps of what was identified as Bristly Grunting Thing, followed by few grunts. Normally I enjoy a good wild boar, but this was repulsive. Yet, I am glad not to be the one in the cooking pot. Jogug even discreetly passed me some beer which was not half bad. Curious how one can enjoy moments of comfort even in the darkest hour.

Morning, Day 4: *drops of blood cover the page* Bloody orcs! Woke up with a kick to my stomach. Before I know it, they cut my arm and let my blood drip into some kind of a vial. stoped the bleeding with a bandage afterwards, bless his soul.

Afternoon, Day 4: They have setup what seems to be an alchemy lab in here. I never thought orcs were capable of such advanced science. But, the most baffling thing is that they got my blood in the vial right up there with bubbling flasks and heaps of blackrocks. What in the world is going on!?

Evening, Day 4: Jogug has been taking heat from the other orcs for fixing me up this morning. If he was not the biggest of them, I am afraid it would have been much worse. I got my first glimpse of the clan leader (warbozz) this evening. A big brute by the looks of it.

Morning, Day 5: A hooded rider on a black horse arrived. Whatever brief moment of joy I felt on seeing another human, it fled when I felt her aura. I knew I was in the presence of something sinister. All the other orcs seemed to be afraid of her, even the warbozz. The stranger walked straight to the lab, ignoring my existence. Barking some orders, that I could not make out, she brought out a vial from her robe. The contents of which she mixed to the potion that the orcish alchemist had already prepared… with my blood in it! Then turning around, she marched out and jumped on her horse to ride away. I hope that is the last I see of the hooded stranger and by the looks of it, the orcs seem to feel the same way.

Afternoon, Day 5: This afternoon brought a strange sight. More than two dozen orcs lined up in front of the warbozz. Jogug amongst them. Each one of them were given a bottle filled with the potion prepared earlier. Then, they proceeded to thump their chests in a show of bravado before marching out. Jogug seemed quite subdued. I got the feeling that he was not enthusiastic about what was happening. I certainly was not enthusiastic about seeing him leave. I am afraid that this bodes ill for my immediate future.

Night, Day 5: Woke up to a blood-curling shriek from the warbozz. It seems that he had a nightmare. I did not think that orcs could have nightmares. Feeling quite hungry, no one bothered to share any food with me last evening. How I miss Jogug. Sigh, how I miss my family and friends.

Morning, Day 6: Blooodddy hell. They cut me up again to take more blood from me. Pleading for a bandaid only got me a kick in the stomach and a finger in the direction of a giant stag. Apparently, I am to be replaced by the stag. Bloody orcs!