Current Character Description - Kronk

Hollow Black eyes stare out of thin slits. The fierce eyes are accentuated by an ugly scar that mars the greenish brown skin down one side of the 7 foot tall Half-Orc's face. Course black hair is slicked back away from the forehead, falling down past his shoulders in stringy sections with beads carved from various bones sectioning off braids throughout. The creature's broad nose constantly flares out, giving him an ever present angry look, which isn't tempered by the visciously sharp and rather huge tusks that stick out from his mouth. His sharp teeth gleam white and one only wonders what such a creature does to keep those instruments quite that white. Huge muscular arms do nothing to take away from the pure intimidation that this half-orc oozes out of every pore of his being. Jet black tattoos swirl around his shoulders circling down his arms and chest in thin tendrils, seeming to mock the scars that they trail over. Huge hands sport hairy knuckles and thick fingernails that are black and almost claw like in nature. He keeps them cut short but pointed.

Letting Go

Sanria had enough time to check in with Leandra, who had been staying at  the cavern  alone with her husband,  Askari  and their baby, when Orn's voice sounded in her mind.  "Leandra, can you watch Nioma while I check in with your brother?"
"How long are you going to be?" Leandra asked, hand on her hip.
"I... please?  It shouldn't be long."
"Yeah, sure."  Leandra took Nioma into her arms with a nod.  "You gotta  be sure you're  back soon, though.  I know how Orn is and how he thinks he's like, the most important thing on the planet."
"Leandra-"
"I know, I know.  He still gets on my nerves."

Sanria arrived  in her office to find Orn already waiting.  She had a feeling, that could only be described as a curling cold in her stomach.  When Orn pulled the note she had written to the clan from his pocket, her worst thoughts  were confirmed.  Everything in her wanted to send him out  of the office right then, but she would have to listen.  She tried to turn off her own motherly instincts, her face going authoritative to hear what she knew was coming:  "I got the missive.  And I want to help."

"Alright," Sanria  said, leaning on  her desk. "What  was it that you wanted to do?"
"Reggie and I, we can help to free Westbridge."
"And... how are you wanting to do this?"
"These  Radiant Heart  people... they  are supposed  to be helping to liberate the city, right?"
"Yes, they will be doing the fighting.  Not us." The look on  Orn's face gave away  the fact  he had caught her in her own lie.  "But you said they need help."
"We don't know what they need just yet."
"Then  why did you ask  for people to  help if you don't want them to sign up to help?"

She  couldn't keep  up her facade, and  her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. She would have to come clean with her desire. "I... I can't have you putting yourself in that position."
"What?  Mom.  And if Kineada or Kronk were to come and say he was going to help them fight, would you tell him that you don't want him doing that?"
"No. I wouldn't. But he's experienced in fighting and he's not my s..."
"Mom, I didn't join the clan so I could be treated differently because I'm your son."
"Orn... I  can't have you  fighting.  Please... if  there's something else, anything else..."
"Mom.  I know how to fight. Dad taught me a lot... before... and it's not exactly like they need someone to gather intelligence from trees."
"You're not my little boy anymore."
"No Mom, I'm not."
"Then what more can I say?"
"That you believe in me?"

The statement left  Sanria speechless for a few moments.  She did believe  in him, but he  was also her child, and she couldn't shake the feeling that  Colin would be  of the same mindset. Still, it was this moment she also realized that the child she and so many others had protected was as much a man as the men of her clan.  She watched Orn go, promising to  let Radiant know they could  count on him, and felt the overwhelming need  to get home.  There, she could let herself feel in privacy.  There, she wasn't a leader, but a mother who had just promised her son in battle.

Discussions

The clanning of Kronk and Orn was complete as Sanria sank behind her desk. She was happy to have her son among the ranks, happy to have Kronk finally given a home, but her concerns had nearly immediately turned to Ror again.

It had  been some time since she'd  spoken to the elf, a fact which didn't bother Sanria by any stretch. The less she had to speak to him, the better. It meant  she wouldn't have  to dredge up Throm  again.  But when they had spoken about  Westbridge, her mind turned.  She had been content to remain out of the fight, but lately her comfortability had begun to wane. Her answer was  not sufficient.  Knowing  people were suffering  still under the oppression of  Vector, that she was content to sit back and do nothing, it  sat heavily on her mind.

She breached  the topic with Kineada, who was eager to hear the outcome of her conversation with Enmach - when she had it. But his question as to how they would  manage such a feat strummed in Sanria's ears as she waited for her Argenach  counsellor.  In a flash of silver, Enmach appeared and bowed deeply.  "You called, Lady Sanria?"
"Enmach, thank you so much for coming."
"Of course.  What is it you wished to speak about with me?"
"Westbridge."
"The settlement to our east?"
"The same.  It is overrun by Vector. TriPower had once deigned to clean up the city - had mounted forces to free the people of the tyranny there, but-"
"It has not come to pass. I am aware.  And what would you determine to do?"
"I'm not certain, but... I do not believe it  is a balancing force to have a government bent on oppression in power over such a diverse city."
"I would incline to agree, but are you speaking war?"
"No... not war.  Just, an end to the tribulations."

Sanria watched as Enmach bowed her head, her fingers steepled at her lips. "This  will require far  more hands than what  you  have amassed, and this particular fight  would be yours alone - the Rilmani could  not step in to give aid."
"Why?"
"For the same  reason we brought you here in the first place, Lady Sanria. Your Keepers are to help us maintain the mortal side.  The... ah..."
"The  fights too small for  you to concern  yourselves with," Sanria  said pointedly, watching as Enmach merely bowed her head.  "I see.  But I don't even know where to begin."
"I suggest you call a meeting of your fellow leaders. Determine their mindset on the issue.  Beyond that, you will need help, and lots of it. The potential for bringing disaster on yourselves is great."
"Nice to know you're honest.  By the way... Sir Kineada sends his regards." Sanria chuckled inwardly as Enmach's face scrunched slightly. 
"No.  My answer still stands.  I have no interest in his bedchambers."
"Suit yourself," Sanria shrugged.  "Just know that he is quite tenacious."

Enmach scoffed and shook her head. In a flash she was gone, leaving Sanria to stare at her desk with a deep sigh. The time for doing nothing was gone, a comfort she could no longer afford.  She would gather Kineada and Vorcet and determine their next course of action.  It could no longer wait.

Considerations

Sanria sat at her desk, looking at the two pieces of paper in her hand. One was from her own son, the other, from the orc Kronk. Of course, the vote to allow her son, Orn, into the clan was one in which she could not partake. Of course she would allow him with her - but his relationship to her would make her biased.

Laying Orn's note aside, she picked up the one written by Jayden for Kronk. It was sweet, she thought, how Jayden took the time to speak with the Orc and to help him. She thought back on Kronk, realizing just how much he wanted to have understanding. "Don't we all," she murmured aloud. A balance to help others give understanding and harmony. Having an Orc in the halls would certainly help the Keepers of Balance show that they were, in fact, willing to open their doors to any who wished to help spread the ideas of harmony through balance.

Sanria took out her pen and began to write a missive to the clan:

"Dear Keepers," she wrote, and with a smile and thoughts to the future, she continued on.

Kronk and the Keepers

"I Jayden Young have written this for Kronk Orcish Destroyer for he cannot write and has trouble with some words of our language."  'Kronk hails from nowhere, he rests when he can and he wishes for a balance in this world so a creature like himself can live in harmony with all others.  Kronk is very well adversed in fighting and can protect others with no hesitation, he is one with a blade and could lead others from the front. He grows more every day in understanding others and learning common tongue.  Not the brightest is Kronk but he grows with intelligence more and more, if you can accept this Orc as one of our own he says he will be deeply indebt to the cause and well being of  the clan and members first and foremost.'

Kronk then took the paper and marked a circle on the paper for his signature he grunted and thanked Jayden.  Jayden then placed the parchment into an envelope and placed it on Sanria's table. "What we do now?" Kronk asked.

"We wait....." replied Jayden

The Orc

Jayden turned and left the meditation chamber, adjusting his  robes.  Kronk was standing in the courtyard as Jayden emerged from the castle, little did Jayden know there was an Orc  clad in full armor waiting for him. Jayden breathed deeply when he saw the Orc, not ever encountering one face to face before he was not expecting to see what he had. Wasting no time he advanced slowly but without hesitation to  the Orc with a smile on his face, "Good day sir, I was told you would like to speak with me, maybe I could offer you some assistance?"  Kronk tilted his head and spoke deeply "Kronk got told J help Kronk. Kronk get chased by all persons. People scared of Kronk, Kronk have no home to go to!"

"You will never be harmed here Kronk, this is a place of balance no one gets harmed here, we live in peace with one another."  Kronk looked at Jayden and hung his head as he spoke "Kronk trust J, Sannnnia tell Kronk J good human, so Kronk trust you." his massive finger pointed right at Jayden.  Jayden smiled and and  asked "So you came here not knowing what here was, but somehow you ended up here, this is divine, I do believe you were brought here for a reason Kronk." The Orc looked at Jayden and shrugged "Kronk do not know. Kronk ran....ended up here." he waved his  giant hand around the area "Yes and I believe you were sent here for a reason Kronk, I do not know what reason, but I believe it is a just one....I would like you to stick around for awhile,  but....we have to clear it with everyone else, if I would help you write a letter addressed to everyone here would you be willing to do it?" Kronk looked around and then back at Jayden, eye to eye he spoke soft but firm "Yes....Kronk want to be part of balance..." With that Jayden walked Kronk into a room with a desk, ink and paper, here he began working a translation for Kronk to send out to the island.

Time

Pride. It was the single word that kept coming back to Sanria, thudding through her mind in time with her beating heart. Her son, her boy, her Orn was becoming a man. Certainly, he still had missteps - his excitement bubbling over like a child, words hastily said without thought when he was nervous, but in the setting sun of the day, she had watched her little boy negotiate with an orc in a free, clear, unabashed way. He had negotiated with the skill of a man...

Sanria had finally taken him to the castle. Taken him to meet the Rilmani and any member of the clan that would meet with him. Her heart warmed at the awe on his face - at once so young and so grown. She had been alive for so many years, years beyond her natural time, but never felt so aged as when Orn, big and gangly, jogged to the edge of the floating island with the exuberance of a lab- orador puppy. "Mirin and Reggie should see this!" Her heart tightened. Al- ready the sphere of his life was moving away from her shadow, gaining a light of its own. Though Emalia and Tarran had grown up, this was the first time she got to see it without guilt, but bent with the weight of loss.

They had entered the castle and met with Jayden and Sanria felt sorrow flitter like a bird behind the cage of her bones. Orn seemed to absorb the tenderness Jayden showed like a sponge. A fatherliness that Colin had obliterated when he had killed Arlenia. Jayden had sensed the sorrow from both of them, and Sanria knew, deep down, she had to get Colin better. She had to try to help Orn look at his own father the way he had looked at Jayden.

Sanria had taken Orn to her office when the yell interrupted their discussion, "Who in there!!!!! Let Kronk in!!!!!!!" Then, leading her son, Sanria stepped out of the castle and face to face with a hulking orc. Fear ripped through her at the sight of the sword and the armor, and her son, her boy, her Orn had stepped in front of -her-. Somehow, time had passed. Her mind swung like a pendulum - boy, man, boy, man. Then she watched with awe as Orn laid down his staff and somehow befriended the orc named Kronk. He had negotiated with the skill of a man.

Freedom Part II

He had searched the corpses, finding a set of keys on the elder of the two.  A chest sat in the doorway, Kronk made his way over  to it and thought about how to open the chest, his eyes drifted  down to his hand where he held a set of keys.  One by one Kronk tried all the keys, as he heard the click his large hand lifted the lid.  Bone armor littered the chest "Kronk gear!" he mouthed. Once properly armored Kronk drew his skull endorned sword and made his way out of the mine.  As he made his way to the surface  Kronk's eyes squinted, he had no idea how long he had been in  the mine, but from his eyes straining he thought it was quite a while.  Kronk walked away from the mine trying to avoid the  village, but as his luck had ran out a child saw him and started to scream.

Within minutes Kronk was trying to escape through the woods when two dwarfs came in from the side to attack.  Kronk raised his sword and let out a bellow of a warcry, he dispatched the first  with a flick of his arm the sword chopping deeply into his mid- section. As the dwarf dropped spilling blood all around him, he choked out "killl...himm!!" The second dwarf took a more cautious  approach as he held his axe up, Kronk tilted into a fighting  posture and angled his sword straight foward to point out his next enemy.  The dwarf made the first move swinging the axe in an  arc toward Kronk, Kronk shifted his sword and caught the axe, the weapons held firm.  Kronk saw the opportunity and took it, he  kicked his foot out and shattered the dwarf's knee, the dwarf  went down screaming. Kronk could still hear the Dwarf screaming as he got closer to  Westbridge, he passed through Westbridge and out of the west gate Kronk found himself in a woods he did not know, but he could not stop he was being hunted like an animal.  The sun was blazing down as he poked his eyes upward seeing an extrordinary island. This island was floating, Kronk thought a moment and grinned, he removed a vial of liquid and drank it down quickly.  Kronk  floated up to the island and finally landed, he walked around for an hour or so when he found himself at a gate, he bellowed out "Who in there!!!!! Let Kronk in!!!!!!!" he proceeded to smash his fist into the gate wondering all the time where is Kronk?

Freedom

Kronk opened his eyes, stunned by what the Dwarfs did to him, he came here looking for a place to rest his head and they drugged him, just to lock him in a cage deep in an old mine shaft. "LET KRONK OUT!!!" the giant Orc bellowed, his calls fell on deaf ears for this was an abandoned mine.  He leaned his head back  against the steel cage and felt him self drifting back into slumber...... Startled by a noise Kronk rose quickly, his head hitting the  metal cage, Kronk looked down to notice his armor was missing and as was his sword, looking around in the dark for the cause of the noise was pointless, for there was nothing around him. Kronk grabbed ahold of the bars on the cage and felt himself transition into a rage that turned his eyes red, his arms buldged and pulled in opposite directions, bending the metal with ease, he kept pulling untill he heard cracking from the structure that held him in, Kronk stopped and repositioned himself where he kicked  out sending two of the bars flying ahead. Once out of the cage Kronk walked the mine for hours trying to find a way out, he stumbled upon and area that was lit by a fire. Kronk walked out into view where two dwarven guards sat slumbering he rushed the one to his left crashing into the Dwarf with all his weight, the bones shattered in the Dwarfs chest, allowing him one last breath before he passed on. Kepron awoke to a startling sound as he watched his fellow guard get crushed, hopping to his feet he grabbed his axe and charged  after the beast.  Kronk turned as the axe came down and grabbed  it with one hand, he then smashed his other hand into the Dwarf's skull crushing it, Kepron dropped to the floor, Kronk was free.