23. Orcs

This room is smoky and has a strong animal odor. There is a low-slung iron brazier with a few glowing coals in it, and a couple of large rats skewered over the fire. If the orcs are surprised: Around the fire lie several orcs. Some are sprawled snoring on crude furs, while others are hunched over, gnawing on bones or swigging from grimy waterskins. They all startle as you open the door, their beady eyes looking at you in surprise. If they are not surprised: A group of orcs, seven you think, stand in a ragged formation around a low-slung iron brazier in the middle of the room. Their weapons are drawn and their tusks are showing; they're ready for you! Whenever the room can be examined (i.e. after the fight): Orcish graffiti is scrawled across the damp stone in a dark red pigment, rust perhaps. It consists mostly of drawings that are violent, obscene, or both; they are crude, but show clear meaning. The orcs here are part of the tribe, of course, but are hiding out after having failed to drive the geckos in room 22 away (in fact, the opposite happened). If they flee, they will absolutely not move toward room 22; rather, they will try to reach the group at room 16. 7 Orcs: AC 14, HD 1, #At 1 scimitar, Dam 1d8, Mv 30', Sv F1, ML 8, XP 25 ea. HP