"I'll drink once we've piled all our enemies on the pyre." Karthan says without amusement. "If it gives you courage drink what you must. Just don't let it dull your senses."
...
Chardak twists to face Karthan. "I drink because I want to. Gorum gave me courage."
Jordan looks at Karthan with a smile that doesn't reach his eyes and says, "I don't drink for courage. I drink for other reasons." He pointedly looks Karthan in the eyes and drinks from his flask. He turns to Chardak and hands the flask to him saying, "You may certainly have some whiskey."
Chardak takes the flask, raises it to his lips and tips it back for the briefest instant. He grunts as he lowers the flask and hands it back to Jondar. "After we kill them and take back the woman, maybe I will find you some stronger drink."
Chardak steps over to Nesteruk for a quiet word. "Is the rider your warleader?"
Nesteruk shrugs, deciding not to bother participating in the strange conversation which seemed to him, akin to the tusk fights the tribe he spent his childhood with liked to do in order to prove their orcish virtues.
We only banded together for this cause. I daresay we don't have a leader.
Chardak grunts. "SO!? Why do you all search for the woman? Does the mayor offer a great reward? "
Its the right thing to do. Lastwall is a country where everyone is expected to do their bit- there are few civilians in this realm. Are you a stranger to these lands?
Jondar holds the flask out to Nesteruk to see if he wants a swig and says to Chardak, "It was Pharasma's will that I found myself in Southwatch and heard about the mayor's missing wife this morning. I felt that it was my duty as a priest to assist those who went in search of the missing woman and perhaps this was the reason Pharasma brought me to Southwatch."
Anna overhearing Chardak and Nesteruk's whispering, with Jondar breaking there closed talk open.
"I search for the missing woman because it's the right thing to do, and not necessarily for the reward."
Jondar holds the flask out to Nesteruk to see if he wants a swig and says to Chardak, "It was Pharasma's will that I found myself in Southwatch and heard about the mayor's missing wife this morning. I felt that it was my duty as a priest to assist those who went in search of the missing woman and perhaps this was the reason Pharasma brought me to Southwatch."
"I search for the missing woman because it's the right thing to do, and not necessarily for the reward."
Chardak isn't quite sure what to make of this rush of philanthropy. He nods and looks up the hill to see how Symas is making out near the mouth of the cave.
Nesteruk looks at Anna and Jondar brightly.
It is... pleasant that I am not the only one who is doing this for the sense of duty.
Ok well... motives and conversation aside, our goal beckons. Symas, were you going to scout ahead? You realise the dark holds no secrets to our eyes- you will not be able to hide in it. For this reason I think it might be best if we all go together.
"The reward is nice." Karthan says. "But at this point an orc incursion can't be allowed in Lastwall. The army's got enough problems without small time tribes trying to establish their vile presence here in our lands. That job is left to men like me."
You here a voice inside the cave that is distant and cannot make it out.
It sounds like orc.
Voices inside. Orc. Our foes await- come.
Just before entering the cave, Nesteruk will drink his extract of Shield.
Anna hears it and understands it.
"Yes it is the orc language, And they are saying ..."
"I can quite make it out"
Symas takes cover at the mouth of the cave. Kneeling, he raises his shortbow and pulls back an arrow aiming into the cave.
Voices inside. Orc. Our foes await- come.
....
"Yes it is the orc language, And they are saying ..."
Syntira avatar"I can quite make it out"
Charduk returns to his pack and shakes his greatsword out of its bearskin wrap. He holds it in his right hand while he grasps his spear in his left. Then he turns to face the cave.
Jondar whispers a quick prayer to Pharasma and brings his crossbow to bear on the cave entrance.
Inside the cave entrance it appears dark and the floor of the cave goes slighly uphill for a few feet getting darker inside the cave. After about ten feet into the cave it becomes as a dark as a candle and then ten feet after that it becomes totally dark at least what humans can see. There are a few small rocks at the mouth of the cave though.
You can see into the cave fartherer but still do not see any orcs or really anything to hide behind.
You see into the cave but it the cave at the end of darkvision in a faded gray there the cave starts to flatten out and stop going up but there is not much place to hide in this tunnel for the orcs to have hidden and will likely had to have entered further.
"I don't see anything moving in there," Symas whispers.
The tunnel continues, come.
Determined to prove his worth to his new companions immediately, Chardak stays by Nesteruk's side. His spear is gripped in his right hand, ready for throwing. His greatsword is held in his left. The half-orc is happy in the dark. Light now would only give them away.
Jondar finds a small stone that will fit in his palm and picks it up. He whispers a prayer to Pharasma to grant him the power to illuminate the darkness.
He whispers to the group, "I'm ready when are all ready."
Symas slips in along side his companions.
Karthan will follow close to Jondar seeing as he doesnt see at all in the dark. Damn filthy orcs.
Symas does not find any traps. The party moves gets to about 60 feet in the cave without any problems and the rise is not as pronounced this deep into the cave.
You hear a voice of an orc voice again this time. And the wounds of javelins being drawn.
It is "attack" in orc.
Nesturuk
Chardak
Anna
orcs
Symas
Jondar
Karthan starts round 1
order Symas
orcs
then everyone but Karthan then round 1
She thinks
Ah, Crap they know were here.
In an instant, Symas draws his arrow back and lets it fly.
[ooc]Any square lower number 9 low light for symas. but he can see past the orcs but they would get concealment.[/ooc
The orc in B5 throws a javelin at NEsteruk
The orcs in D4&D5 throws a javelin directly towards Symas
C4 throws his javelin at Chardak
The orcs in C3 and C2 now advance down from the cave drawing their falchions to C9 and D8
Anna readies to cast ray of frost at the first orc within 25 feet.
Jondar drops the stone and shoots the closest orc with his crossbow.
Gripping his pole arm Karthan advances down the cave readying to hack to pieces any orc that tries to get in too close.
Nesteruk smirks as the javelin thrown at him is deflected aside by an invisible force, a mixture of magical and alchemical prowess. Perhaps inspired by the success of his defence, with a roar and a battle cry Nesteruk strides forward confidently, greataxe hefted in massive hands.
Chardak grunts in pain as the javelin slices into his outer thigh below the edge of his long scale shirt. [b] he shouts as he takes a step forward and launches his heavy spear at the lead orc.
Thrown Spear .... damage
He swings his greatsword up, grasps it with both hands, and holds it over his right shoulder, waiting for the orcs to close.
Anna waits for an orc to get in range of her ray but none are quite close enough yet. Jondar's crossbow shot misses wide to the right and sounds like it got stuck in a piece of wood. Karthan moves into a position to attack any orcs that get near him. Chardak's thrown spear bounces off the the armor of the laed orc.
Symas to act then orcs then eveyone else. Will update map on orcs turn.
Symas runs forward, he makes little noise even in a full sprint. Stopping after about 30 feet, he raises his bow, pulling an arrow back to his face, and takes aim. The arrow whistles through the air as it seeks it's target.
edit
Map with proposed location
draft of map before orcs move.