+++ Insert before Cain's Smack, after Dallks talk +++
Simon looks somewhat quizzled and still not entirely calmed-down.
"This is just so cruel-frchh.
If they wanted to punish you for that accident-frchh,
then do it then and there-frch.
Exile you, jail you, make you work for the rest of your life-meww.
Execute you-frch, what a waste of precious life-meowor.
But exiling and branding you, so some other dwarf may kill you anytime later-frchhrrr!
That is EVIL and CRUEL-frchhh.
No one deserves that-meow."
...
"What do you think of us, Dallk-miii?
Of course we're coming with you-meow!
See, Cain want to go ..."
<< Insert punch here >>
"Meow!
Ehem ...
See, Cain will come with you as well!"
At a later point, Simon will let himself fall back, beside Maglin, starting a low discussion.
"Did you see the condition of those dwarves in the camp-miii?
They're last good meal was at least several week ago.
They're weakened. If not for their dwarven nature, they would probably be very sick by now-meew.
And this ... this Rubyfist-frchh
In his best health, some might call him fat.
That's not right."
"Right, we're not going to send you off to your death, Dalkk." Maglin looks at him evenly and calmly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "In fact, I think we're going to stay with you until your beard grows back, at the very least."
"Well, he's the leader, so he's going to get the best pick of the food. If the others are starving, eventually they will do something about it." Maglin seems at ease, stretched out with his hands behind his head and awaiting the stars. "There may be forces beyond our knowledge. Still," he leans over, "we can at least do something to help them. Magical solutions exist to feed large amounts of people, but they are generally quite expensive, and it would take quite some time for me to create something like that. Perhaps you could teach them to hunt, or clearing out the troll's den will make room for them to build some farms. I wouldn't worry about it too much, though," Maglin rolls back over, "that's not really our area of expertise."
"I vill not leaf you. Ve will take care of dis, but why should ve return to the dwarves? I understand doing vat was asked by your people. If vu think I vill stand by and watch a big fat pig of a dwarf kill vu. Vu are wrong." She looks like she wants to smack someone on the back of the head again.
"De big vun." She spits. "Clearly eats food dat iz not meant for him. Leaving his workers to be sick. He is not a good dwarf."
The two day trip back is... Eventful...
Brigands, vipers, quicksand, and two groups of trolls harass you, and that's not even the worst of it. Dalkk's depths of sorrow and brave acceptance of his fate coupled with the party's commiseration and attempts to help attract... well you don't know what it is, but something starts laughing on at least three emotionally challenging occasions and you never manage to locate whatever it is. You're pretty sure it's following you.
The marshes themselves are miserable without any help from unseen jerks. The muck is at least ankle deep most of the time making walking rough.
At least this time you end up smelling like rot and mold instead of crap and death?
The troll mound sits just off the river, as Rubyfist said. It consists of a large troll-made hill of vegetation and massive logs connected to many entrances via a series of tunnels both dry and water filled. It's at least 100 feet in diameter. There are 11 entrances total. 5 are dry, 3 are half filled with water, and the rest are completely submerged.
Vance disappears just after the challenge but the dwarves and re-appears shortly after your exit. He gapes at Dalkk's condition, but it's tactful enough to get filled in outside of Dalkk's hearing. He seems to struggle less with the conditions. Being a tireless undead monster has its advantages. He does seem excited about something though.
"Vance vat are vu excited about? You seem almost chipper." Vuzi says as she casts her spell on him for the day.
Vance smiles. The fact that the dwarves came here gives new life to the idea of a trading post within the dungeon! Zelkor's Ferry is a nice enough town, but it's not much more than a trading post, really. If someone is willing to take the chance on this gods forsaken isle and comes back with a profit we may be able to set up one of the first dungeon-based trading operations in this region! He then begins to chatter about supply structures, sales contacts, and other business things that quickly descend into strings of industry jargon.
Between prestidigitation and good boots, Maglin is able to stay at least reasonably clean most of the time. He keeps an eye out and his rabbit alert throughout their trek, his low need for sleep extremely helpful. Each morning, he prepares rope trick, so that the party can have somewhere dry and safe to sleep for at least a few hours.
"Trolls don't like acid, they don't like fire, and they have weak minds. They are extremely physically powerful, so we'll want to try to avoid a direct confrontation with them, unless there aren't very many." He stops for a moment to pull his right foot free from the sticky mud, nearly falling over when he does. "I wonder what 'the mother of all trolls' means? Probably just an especially large and strong one who keeps all the others under his thumb. Perhaps if we kill it the others will scatter." Maglin suddenly recoils, taking a step back towards Simon, "That's a big snake." He moves around it slowly at a safe distance. "Trolls have voracious appetites and are normally solitary, I wonder if there can be more than a few inside the den."
Maglin looks over the troll den, "I wonder how much of that den is waterlogged, and how flammable it might be. Perhaps they are scrags and not true trolls. Scrags can swim and spend a lot of time in the water, and when they are on land they don't have the same regenerative properties as normal trolls." Maglin keeps his eyes open, looking around for any signs that the trolls might have seen them.
"I could fill the den with a thick, choking smoke, but they'd just go underwater. At the least, we wouldn't have to deal with any traps they've set, and we'd get to see them before they saw us." Maglin sets about cleaning off a nearby tree with prestidigitation, then sits on it, resting his feet. "I'm not sure what to do, but perhaps we can begin by watching and waiting. Are there any spots about that look like they'd be good to hide and watch from?"
Dalkk lands hard on his ass, and it startles L'nshpad. He rubs his jaw, it still doesn't feel right without the messy matt of burnt fur. A smile breaks across his face, and then laughter as he collapses backward. The mad dwarf continues for a good minute. "Thank ye Cain Marko Cain."
Dalkk reaches out for a hand up. "Thank all o' ye. Now let's go kill some trolls."
-On the way there
Vuzi
Dalkk hands her a large bag of salt, 100 gold worth.
Simon
The following morning Dalkk gets up and goes about his business as per normal. Eventually he catches Simon and freezes in place. He stares at the cat, now missing a patch of fur. Time passes. Dalkk steps forward, wrapping his thick stocky arms around the cat folk, and pulls him in for a tight hug.
Later the same day he'll hand him a vial of acid, just in case it comes up.
Cain
The dwarf will approach the bone warrior in the evening. "Trolls stop healing when they get hit by fire and acid. I know you have a new trick with them flaming weapons, but I could use your help making some more acid if ye still be willing."
If Cain is willing then while he works he brings up to Cain.
He will also hand Cain a vial of acid as a backup.
Maglin
"Ye know, its going to be a dream actually knowing what to prepare for for once. I'm not sure what ye have planned,
but trolls be pretty clumsy. That thing ye do with all the grease back with the Ogre's should prove effective. If ye charge it with acid, that large blanket effect could mean alot more." Dalkk looks around, making sure others are not around. He pulls the elf's shoulder down so he can whisper in his ear. "What do ye think of a MegaCain, eh Magsy?"
-
Troll Den
Dalkk nudges Maglin with his elbow "Think of the flames, eh Magsy?"
Dalkk does his best to figure out the entrances, which most used, which are abandoned. He consults with his green friend first.
At some stage during the travel, Simon starts to look over his shoulders in regular intervals.
"Anyone heard that-miii?
Something is following us!
But I can't see it-meow."
+++ Later at the den +++
"That's ... big!
Didn't know they can build something - at all-meow."
As the group starts discussing possibilities, Simon starts to scratch the ground with his boots. He clearly has something on his mind. It takes him a couple of minutes to talk though - which is unusual for him.
"I ... I could sneak over and scout them out.
Like ... Down in the dungeon, with you-know-who.
You know, take an invisibility potion from Dalkk and sneak around-meow.
They ... They probably don't have the means to detect me-miii?"
The things following you seem to have no scent and leave no tracks, even in the softest of mud. You also do not hear any footsteps.
You can safely survey only one side of the mound at a time without splitting up. The entrances seem uniformly used with no real "main" entrance. The trolls are also clearly comfortable here and do not expect to be attacked. Their patrols are all further out in the swamp, and they don't seem to think anyone will get this close to their home and actually pose a real threat.
The mound is probably flammable.
Trying to count the trolls is incredibly difficult. They all start to blend together after a while. There are over ten for sure, but no sign that one is stronger than any of the others.
"Or ...
Magsi, what do they eat-miii?
Pretty much anything alive, right?
How about this: We summon a couple of medium creatures, say horses, and let them walk around in clear sight-mi.
That should draw some of them out, wanting to eat them, yes?
Once they are far enough out, we ambush them-mi.
That way, we don't have to attack all at once-meow?
And if all come out, we can sneak past and set their tent on fire-mehmehmeh.
Should cause some havoc and disarray, which is good-miii?"
Vuzi takes the salt, and looks at it oddly. "Thank you. I vill use dis."
When they arrive at the camp.
Ve should either burn it all down or sneak in and take them down as few at a time as possible. Either vay vorks for me."
"They do eat just about anything living, and would go for a horse. I can summon a horse or two for a few hours to get their attention, but I'm not sure how we'd go about ambushing them, since I wouldn't have direct control over the horses. Dalkk could try riding one, but then they might know something's up." Maglin strokes his rabbit softly, scratching it behind the ears.
"I'm also wary of a plan like that, since whatever trackless creature has been following us could easily mess it up. I'd rather try fire, but for that to be particularly effective we'd want to lower the water level somehow."
Dwarven hand claps down on his beardless brother in arms. "E'en the simple beaver can build Simon, and they woulda made something far more grand. There be no question that this structure will have to be destroyed but so do the trolls otherwise they just will rebuild. If we burn it they we'll have to chase down the stragglers. O'course... Hmmm... Anyone have any ideas to seal them entrances first?"
Dalkk lands hard on his ass, and it startles L'nshpad. He rubs his jaw, it still doesn't feel right without the messy matt of burnt fur. A smile breaks across his face, and then laughter as he collapses backward. The mad dwarf continues for a good minute. "Thank ye Cain Marko Cain."
Dalkk reaches out for a hand up. "Thank all o' ye. Now let's go kill some trolls."
-On the way there
Vuzi
** spoiler omitted **
Dalkk hands her a large bag of salt, 100 gold worth.
Simon
The following morning Dalkk gets up and goes about his business as per normal. Eventually he catches Simon and freezes in place. He stares at the cat, now missing a patch of fur. Time passes. Dalkk steps forward, wrapping his thick stocky arms around the cat folk, and pulls him in for a tight hug.
Later the same day he'll hand him a vial of acid, just in case it comes up.
Cain
The dwarf will approach the bone warrior in the evening. "Trolls stop healing when they get hit by fire and acid. I know you have a new trick with them flaming weapons, but I could use your help making some more acid if ye still be willing."
If Cain is willing then while he works he brings up to Cain. ** spoiler omitted **
He will also hand Cain a vial of acid as a backup.
[Dice=Day 1]1d20+23
[Dice=Day 2]1d20+23Maglin
"Ye know,...
Marco points out that he does more damage with his sword, and thanks to the fire he's more than capable of harming them permanently. "I'd be happy to help you with making the acid for everyone else though.... "
"I'm not sure how we'd go about sealing the entrances against angry trolls. I could open up pits in a few, but they'd be able to escape the others. I think ambushing a few hunting parties and picking them off is a good idea. They can't stop hunting or else they'll starve, and we are probably better at bush craft and scouting than they are. It would help if we had a secret place in which to hide if they ever came after us in force, though."
"First of all, let us rest a bit-miii?
I'll look for a nice, hidden place were we can regain some breath and observe the Trolls some more.
Maybe we can discern some patterns or other regularities in their behaviour-meow."
Dalkk nods in agreement. Though he would not mind a full assault, rest seems like a fair idea.
Simon finds a nice place to hide and you enjoy a fireless, cold night in a swamp. You make sure to have constant eyes on the mound and what you see is troubling. There are far more trolls than you thought. Without having eyes on the other side you can't be sure, but your best estimates now put the total number around 30, but there could easily be more.
The next morning dawns behind thick clouds, but it doesn't feel like rain.
Vat shall ve do? Dere are so many. I think ve should burn dem out, and then let the dwarves sort it out when de survivors attack deir camp." She studies the clouds, and looks at the others. Vuzi doesn't look convinced cleaning out this place is a good idea. "He tried to send us to our death's didn't he? Dat horrible man. I think Emily should eat him ven ve go back."
For a moment Simon looks intrigued, but then shakes his head.
His anger has long since disappeared by now.
"That would be a bit too ... gruel, don't you think, Vuzi-purrr?
At least all those other dwarves in the camp really don't deserve that.
But you're right ... this really doesn't look good-meew.
I think we probably should start hunting them, picking off the weak and loners as they go on their business.
Trapping some of their exits with acid traps or covered pits.
Let them feel fear of us, only leaving the burned dead for them find-meow.
If they start to go on their hunting trips in larger forces, we can start attacking the dent and setting fire once most of them are gone.
It will be several days if not a weeks, but we will wear them down slowly until we can attack the remainders head on."
"I'll follow whatever plan you guys think is best. Unless their numbers are extreme we should be able to take them though"
"1 week, week and a half tops." Dalkk speaks casually while smelling a cigar he'll soon light. "They be aboot 3 dozen strong. We pick them off little by little like Magsy and Simon says. We just took out 3 when we were caught off guard. We get the drop on'em instead and it'll be over e'en faster. Drop the first group of 3, then the next. If we get lucky they'll be hungry enough and we'll be fast enough to take out 2 groups some days. Eventually they'll have tah send out the bigger guns to make a stand. Then we can hae a real fight. "
Dalkk taps the unlit cigar while he thinks to himself. "They can't not eat. They be trolls. Then after we destroy their leader, we scorch the land and let Vuzi decide what to do with Rubyfist."
Simon will craft various simple traps, using wire and the acid flask from Dalkk to create a trip-wire that will cause the flask to burst and shower anyone below with acid.
He will search for good ambush spots in the surrounding area with enough cover for the group to stay hidden and out of direct sight from the dent.
Maybe a hollow of some kind, so a fight wouldn't be easily noticed from the camp.
He will sneak near the dent to set up his trap(s) at one of the entrances and have a short look into it without risking too much.
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With some prep and some careful thought you begin your troll hunting campaign. The first three days are relatively easy as you only find them in groups of two or three and you even ambush a group of seven on the fourth day to a resounding success! After that things get a little more sketchy. The trolls start running in larger packs of five members. It's much harder to keep this many where you want them and you suffer some setbacks and injuries. On one occasion you even lose one who jumps into the river after getting set on fire. At the end of the week you have collected 31 kills.
In spite of this you still see about ten individuals at the mound that night. They are very much on guard and prowl with fury in their eyes.
"Oh man, are they making new ones as fast as we kill them or what-meew?!
What do you think ... can we take out those at once?
They're probably the strongest, luckiest and most cunning of the lot-meow.
It's always like that.
The weak, unlucky and dumb are the always the first to get hunted, leaving the strongest behind.
That's how nature works, you know-purrurr"
Vance goes a long way to proving himself in the fights this week. He is not a front line fighter, but is useful as a precision strike tool. His eternal hunger gives him insight in where to strike for effect and his undead curses prove to be a blessing when they paralyze a troll. He still strongly dislikes battle for reasons he hasn't fully explained, but he participates and isn't a liability on the battlefield.
Simon sneaks over and gets a peek inside. It's a huge area, as one would expect. The interior of the mound is 100 ft. in diameter, the ceiling supported by the natural high points of the land, with three water pools (each leading to an underwater tunnel, you assume). The roof itself is made of wet grass and hides, stretched over a framework of sturdy wooden poles, as you expected from your examination of the exterior. Sleeping areas are scattered about, no more than rough piles of bones, grass, and hides. Many are unoccupied. In the center of the chamber is an unholy shrine to some bizarre, primitive troll god, upon which are littered piles of gold and gems, torn and shredded armor bits, and rusted weapons. Also at the center is a troll in ratted, rotting priestly garb, or, more correctly, an assemblage of many sets of priestly garb worn together. You have to scram before you see anything more.
Exhausted from a major sprint, Simon returns half an hour into the evening rest.
After getting some air and drinking half a bottle of water, he retells everything he saw.
"Those water *gasps* holes may prove problematic *gasps*.
Trolls might hide in there and *gasp* flank us-frch.
I think we *gasp* should attack at dawn, this priest *gasps* must be stopped if Vance wants to get his trading going-meow.
No business if your customers get eaten and sacrificed by trolls before even entering, yes-miii?"
"Attack at dawn indeed, but catch your breath first." Maglin sits in a corner of the cave, scribbling in his journal.
He listens thoughtfully to everything Simon details. "Wet grass and hides don't catch fire particularly well, but they will burn if it's hot enough. What's more problematic is that the whole structure is essentially underground, and filled with pools of water. I think setting fire to their roof may not be worth it, though it all depends on how easy it is." Maglin looks around at the others, placing a piece of paper on the ground with a delecately drawn map based on Simon's description.
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The night before the battle Dalkk looks over his collection of bolts.
He looks at the stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think his collections complete? Wouldn't you think he's the Dwarf, the Dwarf that has everything?
With all these bolts, alchemy unfolds. How many gimmicks can one quiver hold? Looking around here you'd think, sure, he's got everything.
He's got potions and extracts a plenty. He's got powers of science galore. You want explosive bombs? He's got 20.
But who cares? No big deal? He wants more.
Dalkk curses that he forgot something. Unsure if he is able to make it on the fly he relies on some help from his friends.
"Good job Vance. Thank you for your help even if you don't want to fight." She gets practice in using her new Boneshaker spell. Sometimes it works, but sometimes meh. Vuzi mostly flings acid around.
"I think it's time to go inside the cave, and take down the priest."
The party forms up in a nice ambush spot and Dalkk starts looking for targets. He gets one after a few minutes and fires! The troll screams, then the unthinkable happens.
They fall back. Into the mound where you can't reach. They tactically withdraw into cover! You reposition and they do the same. Doubtless your bolt wound has been healed by now. It's almost as if they knew you were coming. You knew they knew you were coming, really, but this behavior is unusual to say the least!
"Looks like we really have to go in there-grrrch.
As I'd said, only those with good instincts and maybe some intelligence will remain by now.
Let's take a dry entry at least, miii?"
Dalkk nods and looks over whilst working with Vance. He is a punishing drill instructor, making sure every move Vance makes while practicing reloading his cross bow is perfect "Aye Blue, we could try and light fire to it, but I think I dinnae think there be an easy way oot of this."
"I vill bless you before we enter. I expect there to be traps no matter what way ve go in."
"I vill bless you before we enter. I expect there to be traps no matter what way ve go in."
The universe starts looking around and whistling innocently.
"don't suppose we should try to burn the place down first?
You agree to do as Cain suggests and burn the place down first. Simon sneaks ahead with an unhealthy amount of lantern oil and makes it rain in the worst way. One fiery bolt later and the House is very literally On Fire. Thick, dark smoke billows from the mostly green wood, but it burns.
You wait. No screaming, flaming trolls come charging out. No roars of primal fury...
Then a twig snaps. And by twig I mean a log the size of Dalkk's left thigh. You immidiately start throwing every buff you have as the sounds of heavy footfalls charging through the marshy underbrush close in from all around. They must have exited through the watery tunnels on the other side of the mound, and you're about to land in the middle of a huge, nasty troll sandwich!
You're just finishing the last of your preparations as charging, roaring, practically frothing trolls burst from the thick underbrush on either side of your carefully prepared ambush. The front liners step to the outside as Maglin and Vuzi slip inward toward the center. Dalkk gets off a few shots with Vance's help and manages to down a troll, but the marsh is thick with noise and stink. You have no way of knowing how many you are about to face, and the magic user is nowhere in sight...
"How in the blazes did that happen! The only thing Trolls are better at then being ugly is being dumb!" Dalkk looks to Vance to share a nod, and lights his bolts for him. Dalkk pivots South East. He knows their best defense does not include getting surrounded. He attempts to make a hole.
"Dis is not right. I don't know much about Trolls, but dey are dumb." Vuzi fires an Acid Splash at the troll directly to the south of her.
"Vuzi, follow me, Cain, Dalkk, watch our backs." Maglin reaches for his spell component pouch, then reaches out with his hands and spreads them apart slowly. "Ulra do hom!" Web twist and curl among the thick vegetation, rapidly growing from every branch and forming many layers of entangling fibre.