Jorgan was intending to back up and give himself some healing but with the reinforcement herd on the way to back him up, he decides to swing at the orc in front of his, ordering Hops to keep doing his best against the foes.
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Jorgan heaves his waraxe into the prone orc with all of his might. The axe blade cracks through the orcs armor, nearly severing it's arm at the shoulder while Hops continues to slam the red orc into the stone wall. Stopping for a moment to step back the orc looks staggered and near to falling over after the assault from the two yaks.
The blue orc feebly stands up and the orcs press their assault as they snarl curses at the dwarf clan and yaks.
Let Jort take care of em. It is all the giant is good fer.
The red orc finds a last bit of strength as it slices into Hops' thick skin. dark red blood begins to mat it's fur as the remaining two orcs press in an begin to overwhelm Vanderhoff. Their sharp blade slice deep into his skin and go straight through his armor.
Bless
Wren
Vanderhoff (14/38)
Jorgan (22/48)(Hops 20/33)
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Orcs (blue -17 / green -11; dazzled 2 rounds / red -28; staggered)
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Torgan
Kraygan
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Hill Giant (-24; Blind 3 rounds; prone)
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"Oh hell no! Let me at 'em!" yells Torgan as he sees Hops get cut by an orc. "You di'nt just do that!"
He clambers on to the flat, stone railing of the bridge and tries to lash out with Agrimmosh on the green-sashed orc, but he falls back down the stone-worked facade.
---
Malt sees the injury inflicted on Hops and gets mad.
The yak decides it is time for some pain.
"The bridge is workin in their favor! Back up ye damned fools!" Kraygan bellows, starting to lose his temper.
Kraygan looses another arrow, this time aiming for the unusually green orc.
"Bah! How do'ye manage to hit anything with us in yer way!?" He calls to Wren in frustration. Nudging Haggis a few steps to his right, he pulls his lance from the holster on his saddle.
In dwarven, he shouts again, "Bring 'em off the bridge to yer right!!"
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After watching Wren's agile movement for awhile now Torgan begins to think he is able to do the same things as an elf, cause why not. Without a running start Torgan tries to leap onto the small 2 foot tall stone wall. One of his feet misses completely and the dwarf falls off of the bridge with a dull thud into the soft mud and a fresh scrape on his dwarven pride cheek and arm.
Meanwhile Malt flies into a fury and ends up impaling the red orc against the small stone wall, ending it's life as it's chest turns into what looks like cherry pie filling.
Kraygan fires a warning shot straight up into the air as he tries to manage the madness of his clan. The hill Giant begins to stand up as it swings it's club about wildly, not caring much if it strike dwarf or orc as it is all the same to Jort.
The giant's swing aim's right for Vanderoff's head at full speed as the giant slips slightly in the pool of grease causing the swing to arc upward and barely missing Vanderhoff by a beard's hair distance.
Bless
Wren
Vanderhoff (14/38)
Jorgan (22/48)(Hops 20/33)
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Orcs (blue -17 / green -11; dazzled 2 rounds)
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Torgan
Kraygan
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Hill Giant (-24; Blind 2 rounds)
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"Bah! How do'ye manage to hit anything with us in yer way!?"
Wren elven *facepalms*.
Round 5, Init 16
Wren 5' steps forward and tries to put an arrow in the green orc.
to hit; (PBS)
damage.
Wren has more choice words for the orcs.
HP: 31/31
AC: 14 (+4 if mage armor'd)
Effects:
Right: bow
Left:
Acid 0/6 used
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+1[/dice] damage.
Hops nods in appreciation to Malt as he steps up and continues to bucking his horns at the orcs.
"Aye, good work everyone! Keep pressing the attack!"
Van swings hard at the blind giant as it rises, hoping to keep in down.
Letting his swing follow through carry him in a complete spin, Van brings his hammer around for another shot at the giant.
After attacking, Van takes a step backward and exchanges a glance with his yak, the grins at the green clad orc. "Meet me pal, Hoof!"
With a loud snort, the yak charges across the bridge and gores the orc!
"Ach! I've met my end! A bridge done me in!" Torgan whines from the ground. "I told ye that fate wouldn't be kind!" he opines.
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Wren's aim remains true as he lands another arrow into the forest green orc. As the shot lands he smacks his bow into his face as is the customary elven facepalm salute to the dwarven horde.
vanderhoff continues to smash his hammer into the blind giant's chest, breaking a rib with each blow.
Vanderhoof raises his small legs into the air and brings them crashing down onto the dazzled green orc and staggering it causing it's knees to buckle under the immense weight.
Jorgan finishes off the green orc with the blunt end of his axe while an enraged and injured Hops begins to trample the blue-eyed orc.
The remaining orc continues to slash his falchion at the wounded yak out of anger.
The orc seems like it is not thinking right fro all of the blunt force trauma it has sustained and misses the yak by a large margin.
Bless
Wren
Vanderhoff (14/38)
Jorgan (22/48)(Hops 20/33)
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Orcs (blue -27 staggered)
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Torgan
Kraygan
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Hill Giant (-83; Blind 2 rounds)
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Torgan stands up as he notices the wet stuff isn't blood, just mud. "It's alright! I'm ok!" he yells in relief to Jorgan.
"Ye must have been worried." the dwarf states firmly as he strides up to be next to his brother. "Stand down giant an' we will let ye live!"
He whistles and Malt retreats to his side. "Kill the orc while yer at it an' ye can definitely live!" he jests.
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Watching more dwarves and yaks herd onto the bridge, Kraygan looks to the sky and swears to all the gods he can think of. Looking at the stream, he decides to cross the hard way.
"H'yah!!" He kicks Haggis and sends him galloping at the water. At the shore he gives the command to jump. "C'mon Haggis! Yes! YES!"
"NOOooooo...!!" Dwarf and yak vanish below the edge of the bridge about halfway across. A giant splash rises in their wake.
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Kraygan tries to leap over the stream as he believes Haggis to be more nimble than he actually is. Haggis fals into the water roughly halfway across, splashing water in all directions, to include all over Wren.
Torgan tries his hand at the diplomacy route with a blind giant.
Them orcs up to something but I not allowed to touch them Stuntyrunt. Grendelshek kill Jort. I take Stuntyrunt to bear pit with other Stuntyrunt fer bears to eat!
The Hill Giant smashes his Greatclub down on the bridge in all areas near Torgan's voice.
The giant's large club smashes down onto the staggered orc breaking it's neck and then comes within mere inches of smashing the wounded Hops just as bad.
Bless
Wren
Vanderhoff (14/38)
Jorgan (22/48)(Hops 20/33)
Torgan
Kraygan
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Hill Giant (-83; Blind 1 rounds)
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"Oy! Ye almost hurt me yak!" Jorgan flies into a rage, letting his dwarven nature overcome him as he pushes forward to help Hops attack the giant.
In their anger, Jorgan and Hops completely miss the giant though.
As the orc goes down, Van moves closer to the giant, stepping on the orc's body, as he takes another hard swing at the giant, Jort. "Say goodnight, Jort." He murmurs.
As Van swings at the giant, out of the corner of his eye, he notices Kray in the river. The sight diverts his attention, causing him to miss. Cursing loudly, he calls down. "Kraygan, what are you doing?! Tis hardly a time to be going fer a swim or giving the yak a bath!"
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Round 6, Init 16
Wren tries not to let the sudden splash of water affect his aim at the giant.
to hit; (PBS)
damage.
Wren has more choice words for...Kraygan.
HP: 31/31
AC: 14 (+4 if mage armor'd)
Effects:
Right: bow
Left:
Acid 0/6 used
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+1[/dice] damage.
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The two dwarves miss the blind giant but Wren remains calm enough to place a well-aimed shot into it's neck. Jort grabs ahold of the arrow's shaft but not before his large eyes roll into the back of his head, slamming fast first onto the stone bridge.
Wren
Vanderhoff (14/38)
Jorgan (22/48)(Hops 20/33)
Torgan
Kraygan
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Wren keeps an arrow knocked, waiting for the dwarves to check to make sure the dead are dead...and for Kraygan to stop bathing his yak.
When the coast is clear, he will move up to help search the bodies for anything usable. He will also check the orcs for tribal scarring or signs that might place them.
Know (Local)
"This doesn't change much, but we might want to move to a new watchpoint. I still think we make our move tomorrow, rather than today. We'll need to recover and prepare better," Wren says, not intending any leadership.
"And we still need to finalize how we're getting in, and whether the yaks will be coming along. I await you plan on that."
Jorgan rushes over to his prized yak and casts a pair of healing spells to mend Hops' wounds. Only then does he see to his own hurts.
"Ai," he nods in agreement to Wren. "But in my mind it's not a question that the yaks are coming along. We'll get them in there one way or another."
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Wren smiles at Jorgan.
"Full frontal assault, huh? That's a fine way to 'go'," Wren says, not unhappy with the double meaning of the word 'go'.
I die assaulting the fortress with dwarves on yakback. Could be worse... *I* could be on yak as well.
Wren gathers up this stuff, looking for a less bloody and more secure place to keep watch on the fort.
"If we are lucky, we'll catch another patrol before we enter and thin down their numbers more."
Wren looks to hear more about Jorgan's plans to get the yaks inside, let alone the dwarves themselves.
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Emerging on the far shore, Kraygan rides Haggis up behind the battle to find it already over.
"Balls!"
***
As the group tends to injured yak and dwarf Kraygan checks the dead for anything of note. Plucking out his arrows, he calls to Wren. "Grab yer arrows. Let's make this look less like an attack, and more like a giant temper tantrum." He then takes a couple javelins from the orcs and sticks them in the giant, and takes the giant's club and smashes a couple orcs.
"Torgan, Jorgan, think ye could cover our tracks?"
In response to the question of infiltrating the fort, Kraygan offers an idea. "Maybe we could build a wooden yak filled with kegs o' beer. They bring it inside the fort and get good and drunk. But what they don't know is that we're hidin inside the yak too, and at night we jump out and hack 'em all to pieces!"
Jorgan stands dumbfounded at Kraygan's plan. "I think that is the most brilliant plan ever! Where did you get that idea? Sounds like something the Molthuni would think up. I say we get to work."
Jorgan will use hide campsite again when the party is ready to sleep for the night.
Vanderhoff's face shows a bit of fatigue as the final orc drops. Helping Wren go through the orcs' and giant's belongings, Van take a moment to heal himself.
Nodding in appreciation of Kray's ingenuity. He helps his cousin stage the battle scene.
When Kray mentions the wooden yak gambit, Van stands and just a Kray for a long minute, then a grin cracks upon his face, as Jorgan commends the plan.
"Indeed! That is a most excellent plan. We'll need to find some timber, and let's see, fasteners, a few hand tools. Yes, yes, I most excellent plan!" He says, slapping Kray on the back.
"This is a stout plan." Torgan states as he listens to Kraygan's idea. "Shall we begin to gather materials?"
"Hmm... I wonder if we can utilize some fast brewing methods to craft some grog for them..." Torgan mumbles aloud as he begins to pull up nearby plants and examine the leaves.
Torgan will use his brewing expertise to try and find something to craft alcohol on the fly.
"I propose we build th' Trojan Yak an' outfit it with drop chutes. We can fashion some sort o' swinging doors fer th' yaks to drop on th' orcs from above." Torgan brainstorms with Kraygan, Jorgan and The Hoff.
"Bah, don't be ridiculous!" Kraygan replies to Torgan. "Somethin's gonna have to pull the wooden yak. Let's jus harness it to Haggis, Hops, Hoof, and Malt. Could make it a lot smaller then."
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Wren listens to the plans, thinking of his own to aid them or work around the dwarves.
"I need you guys to tell me when you think we'll be assaulting the Fort. If it's weeks off while you build the yak, I might go back to the fort to pick up some supplies," Wren mutters as he keeps watch on the fort.
"And also I could do some recon from the air tomorrow as well. But not if we're doing a full frontal assault as well tomorrow. You just let me know."
Wren settles in, reading and studying and thinking. And waiting.
Jorgan braindwarf-storms for a minute. "I could summon up some beavers to cut up the lumber faster? Wouldn't work for long, but it wouldn't take them long either...."
Jorgan is ready to put his axe and hammer to work building a Trojan Yak.
"I ain't good at buildin things, but mayhaps I could hunt or forage up some food."
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On the morning, Wren will take it upon himself to do some serious scouting of the fort.
He will move closer, but not too close, so that he might cast both Fly first, then cast Invisibility.
He will take 10 stealth/fly = 10+4+20 =34 stealth to do some aerial recon of the fort, from the sewery back door to the front. He is looking for the numbers/types and positions of troops. In addition, he looks for weaknesses or easy avenues of ingress in the palisade.
He will avoid getting within weapons range of any yahoo and will fly quickly away if he is spotted.
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Over the next few days the group moves back a bit further in the orc infested lands to a little more heavily forested region back closer to the river where the barge remains anchored, so as not to have to worry about the constant threat of patrols from Redlake.
Right away Jorgan sets off to summoning a large group of beavers onto the forest while his cousins aid them with their axes. The trees quickly begin to fall one after the other with heavy crashes, dampened by the soft soil all around.
While Jorgan works his beavers to exhaustion Kraygan sets out to gather food for the group. On the first night he manages to find a sizable elk that he drags back in pieces back to the campsite for a good dinner.
As the dwarves work tirelessly Wren moves back and forth between the campsite and Redlake Fort as he takes to the air and scouts the Fort from a distance at different points throughout the day and night.
Wren notices a few things during the few days he spends observing.
- Once per day at Sundown the barbicade near the entrance completely fills with orcs. Well over 30 of them as they seem to watch and cheer at something below. One orc seems to sit upon a makeshift throne on a raised platform that they erect on a daily basis.
- After the orcs disperse small campfires begin to ignite all around the tents on the eastern section of the Fort while the western tents remain dark.
- A single tent to the north seems to be marked with brighter dyes and strange animal fetishes swing in the wind from it's frame.
- As the orcs disperse one of the orc's leaves the makeshift throne and ascends a small set of stairs to the south, entering the fort.
- Several of the guardtowers are manned by various giants, but it is difficult to tell what exactly from a considerable distance.
- The Fort's fires seem to blaze more and more. Almost as if the fort is preparing for war.
As Wren returns from another day of scouting he sees that Jorgan is beginning to become quite handy with bending wood to his will. As the dwarves bring over the trees Jorgan bends and molds the wood into the shape of a large hollow yak with wheels large enough to support it.
The following day the group removes all of the gear from the yaks and begin to store it into the interior of the large wooden yak as Torgan holds the kegs high enough so Jorgan is able to mold the large kegs to the underside of the death yak.
With the assistance of Jorgan's beaver army and woodbending abilities the group is able to finish a crude yak mobile in a matter of days rather than weeks.
The dwarves begins to chisel out anchor points to attach the group of yaks to pull the cart.
Going over Wren's scouting report, Kraygan poses a few questions.
"Seems the only entrance is on the eastern side. Assumin that's where they bring in the Trunau Yak, are we still makin for the sewer? 'Cause that's clear on the other side, and we'd pro'bly have ta ride past giants in those watchtowers t' get there. And we still don't know how big or small that sewer tunnel is." Thinking hard, he points out some other things to consider. "The entrance leads right up to the fort. What if they take it up there? Would that be better? What if they decide that Haggis looks tasty!? Gorum's Bloody B%#*#*%s, this could go all sorts of wrong!"
Pulling at his beard, Kraygan stomps to the wooden yak and taps a keg. Taking a swig he immediately turns and spits it back out. "Ugh! What's this... tea!?"
Jorgan scratches his head. "Yer right, could be lotsa options and we don't know where they will take it. But I think we wait until night and then sneak out in the dark either to the sewer or to start slashing orc throats while they're asleep. And if we want to pull the yaks inside, I could call up some horses but they'd only last fer a minute or so. Long enough to get the yak to the fort maybe."
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Over the course of days, Van does what he can to help, lending a hand when ever he can.
He offer construction advice to Jorgan, while helping Kraygan by driving local wildlife in the direction of his cousin's bow.
Listening to the plans, Vanderhoff points to dam. "I'd still like to take a closer look at the dam. I know our ancestors used to construct some of the underground chamber in such a way that if you took out a single support column, the rest would fall, collapsing a room, and burying an enemy. If there we're some sort a way to undermine the dam and have it rigged to collapse by a single well-placed hammer blow....."
"Hmm... days, huh?" Torgan says as he thinks of ways to quickly craft something resembling alcohol.
He consults Wren. "Do you have the ability to craft magical fire and ice?"
---
Kraygan sips the "brew" as Torgan rolls his eyes. "The other keg has our ale, Kray. That is one of my fast-brewing recipes and it is currently just water! Haven't added the yeast or the malt yet as it is still in this pot!" the dwarf yells as you see him boiling more wort.
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"...ability to craft magical fire and ice?"
I barely have the strength to lift my decaying, withered body off this ground each day and he wants me to craft fire and ice?
Wren shakes his head.
"I barely know what I know. Maybe if I had years of study at some fancy arcanium, I might. But what I know are mere tricks and the barest depths of what could be done. So...no, you'll have to find your own way to heat things up," Wren says, wondering why he hasn't done much exploration into controlling the elements. Then he remembers: he's been spending time following a bunch of dwarves up and down Belkzen.
Wren offers to do another scouting trip on the next day. Seeing as the progress Team BeaverBeard is making, Wren decides not to go back to Fort UnrequitedLove. Wren will craft harnesses and leatherwork as necessary for the Trojan Yak, and helps where he can.
Wren keeps watch while the others work. On the day of the planned assault, he will study different things in his dilettante's book.
"Hmmm... well I guess that idea is out." Torgan uses as he hears Wren's sad words.
"Hmm... so basically, let's throw th' mash in these rough-hewn kegs with some water. It might be alcoholic after a week, but we will see..." Torgan says on the first day after gathering all of the berries, fruit and vegetables that he can find and chucking it into the mash.
"Hopefully there is a enough sugar an' raw yeast t' make it work."
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The dwarves place the finishing touches on the Yak Attack Kart (Y.A.K) as Wren stretches out and carves some leather harnesses for the animals to pull it around. Placing the harnesses around the hooks on the Trojan yak the group gives it a few pulls around to make sure that it will actually move.
Jorgan's wood bending seems to have helped tremendously as he easily sealed all of the seams and load bearing points.
Torgan adds the finishing touches of berries and other nearby fruits to the casks as it looks as if the group will be ready to set out in the morning.
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Wren closes his dilettante's book, looking over the remains of breakfast and staring deeply at the Y.O.U.S.
"Tell me again, what and when you will begin whatever you will be beginning? At night? During the day? Quietly? Loudly? What? We have a yak, but not a plan," Wren growls, asking for what seems like the 14th time.
"So far, the plan has been this," Wren says, ticking the items off his long, elven fingers as he speaks.
"One: Build Large Wooden Yak."
"Two: ???"
"Three: Win."
Wren looks over the excitable bearded builders in turn.
"I don't think any of you has any idea how this plan is going to work," Wren announces. "Should I meet you at the back entrance? Or is this a nighttime assault?"
"...Uhhhh." Kraygan blinks. "I think part Two is the part where the orcs drink all our beer."
"Yeah, they drink all our beer and then I said before, we jump out at night and slit all their throats before they know what's coming! Clean out yer elf ears, Wren. The dwarves've got this under control. It's the greatest plan ever."
Vanderhoff frowns as he listens to Wren, and the responses of his cousins. "Even if the orcs drink the beer and get drunk, we're still talking about fighting off a horde of orcs. Can you put something in the ale to put them to sleep or otherwise incapacitate them?" He asks Torgan.
"I hate to suggest it, but maybe even poison. Jorgan, do you know any plants that would have any of those properties?"
"I don't really like the thought but I could probably find some hemlock or something around here."
"I'm thinkin that magic ponies pullin the Trunau Yak'll be highly suspicious. Hopefully the orcs'll be more in'trested in the beer. Speakin of which, if the Deathbarge is still here maybe we could buy more supplies."
.
Regarding the suggestion to poison the alcohol, Kraygan shakes his head. "Not really keen on usin real poison. Plus, we run the risk of raisin an alarm if they start getting sick before gettin drunk."
Pokin Wren to wake him up, he says, "If yer gonna stay outside the yak and wait fer a signal, I ain't sure how that'll work. I'm thinkin you might have to use that invisibility wand to sneak in and knock on the yak when the coast is clear."
To the group, he offers the best contingent strategy he can think of. Drawing a basic layout in the dirt, he points with a stick at the barbicade.
"If the Yak stays with the orcs within the palisade, but outside the Fort, we wait for Wren, then make our way to the tunnel, takin out orcs only if needed."
Stabbing the courtyard of the fort.
"If they roll it all the way inside, again we wait for Wren, find some way to secure the gates and those stairs so the orcs don't join the party, then try to find and take out Grendelshek."
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Wren turns over, looking at Kraygan.
"Ain't no way I'm staying inside that Yak with you and Yak-kin, lest I be yakking due to the smell. Also, it's a fiery death trap," Wren replies 'helpfully' explaining his own fears. "I don't know why you guys don't think the orcs will just take the kegs and use your yak for a bonfire, but it's your plan and your hides. And your yaks."
"I can meet you at the back tunnel if you'd like. I can provide distraction too at a chosen time if you want that," Wren replies.
"You just tell me what you want."
"I don't know why you guys don't think the orcs will just take the kegs and use your yak for a bonfire, but it's your plan and your hides. And your yaks."
"Good point. Let's not give em a reason to abandon the Yak."
To Torgan, "Can ye use yer magic to fuse the kegs to it?"
Back to Wren, "Yer the only one able to get around without bein seen. We need ye to watch our backs and let us know when t' move. Once ye drop off the Yak, sneak over the palisade and hide yerself somewhere among the tents or the on the parapets where ye can see what happens."