Anyone with a decent looking-glass can gaze into the this treacherous gorge and see that many of its the stones are studded with jewels. The local orcs think little of gems, but understand that outsiders will kill for them. Instead of risking life and limb to climb into the gorge and retrieve the gems from the jagged rocks, they have invented an ingenious and perhaps equally dangerous solution that involves the great and terrible roc.
Orcs wishing to collect the gems hurl flayed cattle carcasses over the cliff. When they hit the bottom, gems puncture and become imbedded in the raw flesh. When the roc swoops down to grab the carcasses, it carries the gems along with the meat. The orcs sneak into the roc’s roost when it is away and collect the precious stones it digested or spat out.
Hooks
- -Where is this great and terrible roc’s nest anyway?
- -What other scavengers do the carcasses attract?
- -Who has gotten rich off of this scheme? Who has been killed over it?
- -What kind of jewels lie in the gorge?
- -Explain the abundance of gems. Is it simply a very rich vein, or did something put them all there?
