“I--I don’t understand,” Trianne says, her tone more reflective rhetoric than anything. “What just happened?”
She touches the knot on her forehead gingerly and steps back a bit as folks start making their way toward the nearby door.
Ensuring everyone is ready and in position by the SW doors, Haftor opens them.
The room on the other side appears once to have been an armory. Rows of barren shelves, empty weapon racks, and vacant armor stands skirt the perimeter of the chamber. Interestingly, it's lit by several candles. Perhaps more interestingly, the candle stands are set in a circle enclosing a headless skeleton on the floor in a sand pit. Arcane symbols and strange, jagged runes are drawn in the sand in something that looks like blood. A life-sized painting of an obese male human hangs on the wall at the far end of the room, its eerily realistic gaze boring into the chamber. Three large humanoids also occupy the room--two are close to the door, while the third hangs back. The one in the rear is surrounded by multiple images of itself. That one also has runes scarred into its body.
Jarrek recognizes the creatures as ogres.
Round 1 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-acted
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne
Kronug
Haftor
Seamus
The ogres react far more quickly than expected, taking short steps forward and swinging at Haftor and Kronug. However, neither of them manage to hit. The ogre in the rear begins to rub a wand in a rather disquieting manner, muttering in a deep and guttural voice.
Kronug steps up and attacks the nearest ogre.
Unfortunately, it is a bad swing, failing to connect.
“That doesn’t look good,” Trianne says, drawing a wand. She lets fly a bolt of energy toward the shuffle of ogre images and then steps to one side.
Trianne's magic missile is deflected by something a foot or two in front of the ogre.
Seamus steps forward, tossing a bomb into the two ogres in the front with a focus on the slightly further one.
Haftor concentrates briefly, and arcs of lighting begin to dance on the head of his hammer. He steps directly between the two ogres, winds up over his shoulder in an almost comically overemphasized maneuver, then swings his hammer around in a great, sloppy arc, attempting to hit both of the big lunks.
Jarrek laughs at the ogres blocking the doorway. "Ogres!? We're giantkillers! What are ogres gonna do against us!?" He flourishes his falchion and points at them, first one then the other, threatening them in orcish. "Pray to your gods. You'll see them soon!"
The ogres can't understand what Jarrek is saying, but his dazzling display and shouting gives them pause. The intimidation attempt is punctuated by Seamus' bomb hitting one and splashing the other, followed by Haftor's thunderous hammer blow. They're still up, but neither one looks very healthy.
Round 2 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-acted
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne
Kronug
Haftor
Seamus
Neither of the shaken ogres can hit Haftor. The one in the rear finishes his activation. With a swirl of shadow and a wave of rot, a large crimson bat appears in mid-air and dives on Kronug. It misses. The ogre curses in Abyssal and chants the words of a spell, calling forth a stream of fire that ends up somewhere in the general area of Haftor without actually hitting him.
Not overly worried about the bat for now, Kronug takes a step and slashes at an ogre.
"Someone with range, ready to disrupt spells!"
Sending a silent prayer to Torag for their good fortune so far, Haftor steps up to the ogre to the west and continues his attacks.
Round 2 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-acted
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne
Kronug-acted
Haftor-acted
Seamus
Kronug and Haftor lay their two targets out, leaving only one of the creatures.
Jarrek charges into the room, his huge blade flickering alight with pale violet flame as he roars directly toward the spellcaster.
With the ogres going down, Trianne surges forward with Jarrek. She draws up in the doorway and summons energies to try and stop the ogre mage from bringing further spells to bear. A line of swirling energy rushes forth from her mouth toward the enemy’s face.
Round 2 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-dead
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-acted
Kronug-acted
Haftor-acted
Seamus
The ogre easily resists Trianne's spell.
Seamus, seeing a new threat materialize, turns his focus to the bat, lobbing a bomb at it.
Jarrek easily cuts the bat out of the air.
Round 3 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-dead
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-
Kronug-
Haftor-
Seamus-
The remaining ogre casts another spell.
Trianne recognizes the evocation and the sizzling threat it carries.
"Mind, its touch is electrified now!" she alerts the others.
Trianne's memory spins with recall, and she pulls a scroll from her pack that they had prepared against the marsh wisps. Stepping over to Kronug, she says, "Some resistance to it incoming, Kronug."
The scroll sends a crackle of energy washing over the armored soldier as she finishes her spell, touching him to apply it.
"Thank you, Trianne."
Bolstered by the Ulfen's protection, Kronug advances and strikes (leaving room for Jarrek to get in there as well, as the half-orc seems quite eager).
Haftor skirts the body of his fallen opponent, his focus now on the last ogre standing. He marches forward grimly, raising his arcing hammer to fight shock with shock.
Round 3 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
L/SS-dead
Gorb-acted
Jarrek-
Trianne-acted
Kronug-acted
Haftor-acted
Seamus-
The ogre lashes out with a claw at Kronug as he closes, but can't hit the fighter. Both Kronug and Haftor hit him solidly, though.
Jarrek advances on the spellcaster, a sneer on his lips and cursing up a storm in orcish.
Seamus looks at the spellcaster and closes some of the distance, draining an elixir and spitting a stream of sticky mess at the monster....
When Kronug sliced at the ogre, his blade finds only an image. However, Haftor's hammer hits hard.
Despite not understanding Jarrek's tirade, the ogre seems sufficiently impressed that he's unable to dodge Seamus' spitball.
Round 4 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-
Kronug-
Haftor-
Seamus-
The ogre slashes at the goo sticking him to the floor with razor-sharp claws, cutting himself free.
Trianne picks her way across the room and lashes out with an arc of energy, trying to clear another of the images protecting the creature.
Round 4 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-acted
Kronug-
Haftor-
Seamus-
Trianne's spell has no apparent effect.
Seeming like this fight is in hand, Seamus flanks the group, pulling out a sticky, tar-covered bag, and flings it onto the ogre...
Round 4 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-acted
Kronug-
Haftor-
Seamus-acted
Seamus hits and pops another image with his alchemical attack.
"Your tricks will not save you, sorcerer."
However, it appears that for now the magical trickery is enough to keep Kronug off-balance.
His face set in a grim expression, Haftor continues to swing at the last ogre.
Round 4 (ongoing):
Initiative Order
Gorb-acted
Jarrek
Trianne-acted
Kronug-acted
Haftor-acted
Seamus-acted
Kronug misses badly, while Haftor steps up and pops the last illusory duplicate.
Jarrek slips forward and strikes with his flaming blade. "He'll be dead in a few seconds, everyone! This ugly brute can't withstand us for long!"
As Jarrek closes with the ogre, it lashes out with a clawed hand, hitting the half-orc . However, the ogre's glee is cut short by Jarrek's attack. It's still up for the moment.
Round 5 (ongoing):
The ogre tries to take down Jarrek before another hit, tagging the bard with a claw .