Kajetan calls on the forces of necromancy once more, pulling a spectral ghostly hand from his own life forces, he winces as he feels the numb coldness left behind by it.
Hand has hit points.
He then staggers 20 feet closer to the group.
Intimidate: Nat 20 + 8 = 28!
Laithe-wolf tenses in fright at the deafening rumble emitted by his countryman, his body lowering to the ground and his shackles rising, thinking a new threat appraoching from behind. When he realises it was Keildrithe making the sound, he relaxes a little, but takes a note to question him on it after the battle. In the meantime, he turns his attention back towards the enraged ogres before him.
The blinded ogre rubs his eyes and blinks, then glances between each of the visible party members. The other one stares open-mouthed at Keildrithe. They begin grunting and bellowing at each other.
“That one with the sword isn’t scared of us. And he talk like us ...”
“They got big dog with them ...”
“Ugh! Magic! Swords! Let’s go, we find something easier to thump.”
The two ogres nod to each other, then begin backing away the way they came, baring their teeth and snarling, not taking their eyes from the group as they slowly retreat.
"Our response has caused them to fear our magic, our wolf, and our... assertiveness," says Keildrithe to his companions, speaking quickly. "They flee in the hopes of finding easier pray. I would let them run... but would that mean they would hunt us down later with reinforcements, or otherwise prey on defenceless peasants? I have no magic that can harm or otherwise influence them, so if we attack, it will be at great risk of bodily injury to ourselves..."
Nicholai's lips tighten into a thin line.
"They are no longer attacking. I want to say let them go. But,... They are only stopping because they fear us. They are nothing but bullies, who prey on those weaker than they are. And they would attack us again if we turned our back on them. I do not think my conscience would allow me to ever sleep again if I were to hear of poor peasants, or monks, attacked by these brutes." The dandy says with conviction.
The piercing cry of a hawk lends credibility to Nicholai's words.
Kajetan answers by moving forward and casting another spell, a blue glow encompasses his hand and spreads to the spectral hand floating besides him. He flicks his wrist and sends the ghostly hand speading over the snow to touch the closest of the ogres.
Touch attack +3 for 1d6 damage and one point of strength damage (Fort DC-16 negates the strength damage).
Alton quietly sheathes his sword and pulls his bow from his shoulder, knocking an arrow.
Nicholai nods in silent approval of Kajetan's actions, and casts his own spell. A bright ray of blazing fire flashes from his hands towards the lead ogre.
Keildrithe also sheathes his sword, strings his short bow, knocks an arrow and lets fly at the nearest ogre.
:)
Keildrithe bellows out again in the rumbling tongue of the giants:
"I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND!!! COME BACK, COWARDLY OGRES!!! COME BACK, OR WE PIERCE YOU WITH MANY ARROWS AND FEED YOU TO OUR BIG DOG!!! KEEP RUNNING, AND DIE PAINFUL DEATH!!! COME BACK... AND MAYBE LIVE TO SMASH ANOTHER DAY!!!"
Laithe-wolf holds his position just in front of the group, crouching low to the ground and growling threateningly in the back of his throat. He agree's with Nicolai's words - that the ogres would only prey on the next, weaker travellers to come along.
Still here, have been a bit distracted by work, kids first week of school and childcare, and the superstar contest. Will try to post properly later tonight.
Nicolai and Kajeatan attack the ogres with spells – the two brutes roar in pain and fury as one is burnt by fire, the other grazed by the chill touch of the grave. Keildrithe prepares to fire his bow at them, Alton follows suit, whilst Laithe readies himself for a fight should the ogres choose to return.
And they do.
Mad with fury and pain, the two giants turn and stumble back towards the adventurers, howling and roaring, but making slow progress in dragging their wounded bodies back across the snowy and rubble strewn terrain.
Finally seeing the ogres moving towards the group and drawing about level with him, Alton smiles to himself, placing his bow on the ground and drawing his weapons, waiting for the moment when he can unleash his attack. Patience is the key he thinks, glad that he had not revealed his position with a rash action.
Keildrithe looses an arrow at the lead ogre, then drops his bow and draws his sword, preparing to meet the ogres head on.
Grr I attacked and not only did I roll a one for the attack, but I also rolled a one for the damage.
Kajetan curses, the foul words sounding out of place from the young scholar. He glances at the others, drawing courage from their determination.
"Well, we have their attention." Nicholai says in the annoyingly calm way that only aristocrats can do. But his hands are busy repeating the familiar gestures of his last spell.
"Was it something we said?"
And another stream of burning light flies from his hands,...
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am quite certain it is something 'we' said," mutters Keildrithe, steeling himself for the ogre charge.
Nicolai sends a third scorching ray at the ogres, hitting the hide-wearing brute in the lead. He howls, now badly burnt (and stuck with Keildrithe’s arrow), but keeps bowling forward.
Could someone take Laithe's turn?
Wolf-Laithe moves towards the nearest ogre, cautious but steady on the uneven ground. As it recovers from scorching ray and arrow, Laithe springs forward, snapping at legs and torso.
Laithe leaps easily over the rough, snow covered terrain and rips into the lead ogre, blood, sweat and filth filling his mouth.
The lead ogre roars, then darts his head downwards, attempting to bite Laithe in return, his fetid breath making the druid gag as he dodges aside from the unexpected attack. The ogre then straightens and tries to flatten the wolf with his club, bringing the weapon down once, twice.
Laithe is near stunned by the first blow – it cracks his backbone and ribs and forces his lupine body down into the snow. The second blow crashes down on his skull, sending Laithe into dark oblivion ...
His attacker raises his head and howls in victory. His brother lumbers up behind him, and, with a foul grin on his face, picks up the limp wolf and slings it over his shoulder.
Kajetan groans audibly, not sure of what to do under such brutal destruction, his floating hand seemingly useless against the monstrosity. He looks at the others, hopeful for some courage or resolve, but the stunned looks on their faces reflects his own.
Feeling useless, he attempts another touch of the hand at the ogre that just felled his companion, waving it around him like an annoying wasp, hoping that the dimwitted brute will waste time trying to swat it. His other hand dives into his accursed back pack to search out one of the ceramic tablets stored with-in.
Touch attack +3 for 1d6 damage and one point of strength damage (Fort DC-16 negates the strength damage).
"Laithe!" Nicholai roars as the druid is hit by the brute's club.
His cry is echoed by Wij'kan from above as the sorcerer calls upon his inernal energies and sends another burning beam at the lead ogre.
"Kaj'! Use your rainbow beam spell! Keep them off balance! I'll get Laithe out of the way!"
"Kaj'! Use your rainbow beam spell! Keep them off balance! I'll get Laithe out of the way!"
Kajetan momentarily takes his eyes off the ogres to mumble "they are too far away, they need to close and get away from Laithe."
Laithe looks down on the bloodied and broken body of the wolf below him, confused for a moment as to what had happened. He soon realises with some alarm that the wolf is him. He looks back towards his companions and can see them shouting, but the sound does not reach him fully and he cannot make out what they are saying.
Looking in the opposite direction, beyond the ogres, his eye is drawn to a faint but warm glow on the horizon. As he watches, it draws closer and he can just make out the outline of a human shaped figure within the glow. While the figure was clearly still a long way off, it appeared to be moving at some speed towards them.
The ogre who struck him down suddenly shifted, blocking out view of the approaching figure. Laithe tries to lunge at the brute, but quickly finds that while he appears to have stepped outside his broken body, he was still anchored to it helplessly. He looks to his companions, and the considers the approaching figure on the horizon and wonders which will reach him first.
Keildrithe cries out with dismay and fury as the ogre slams Laithe-wolf with its club. "NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!" No, please... he can't be dead!
The bard tightens his grip on his sword and walks forward a few paces.
"LEAVE THE PUNY DOG... AND MAYBE WE GIVE YOU SHINY TREASURE AND FOOD!!!"
Alton almost cries out and reveals himself as he sees wolf-Laithe crumple below the attacks of the ogre. If i had acted earlier... this may not have been. We must finish this quickly if we have any chance of saving him! Fury balancing against the fear that he too may soon be little more than bloody pulp, he moves forward as quietly as he can, Long-tooth and rapier in hand, towards the nearest ogre. Silent as death, death I deliver He psyches himself for the blows, launching into a flurry of movement as he reaches the nearest target.
While Laithe’s spirit begins to drift away , Kajetan assaults the ogre with the club with his spectral hand, causing a frosty handprint to appear on the ogre’s face where the hand slaps him.
Alton leaps out from his hiding place and runs silently and unseen towards the ogre to plunge his rapier almost up to the hilt up into his back passage beneath his hides.
The ogre howls as cold steel perforates his colon, then collapses forward into the snow, dead or dying.
Nicolai sends another fiery beam to scorch the flail wielding ogre that has Laithe strung over his shoulder.
