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"We have been given no new instructions, so I suppose our first orders still apply. Even so, surely the while town knows we are besieged!""
-Posted with Wayfinder
Before leaving, Dundin wipes the blood from his knitting wounds and hugs Omast. "You have come along way--Rodrik would be proud. He has seen your deeds today, and I am sure he is smiling. I will send all we see to rally with you. You are the ROCK OF TRUNAU, harder than the Barterstone rocks!!" Dundin gives Omast a salute with his axe before moving out.
"Let's light the last beacon. We are headed past the smithy to get there the fastest without opposition."
To all the citizens of Trunau they see, after they leave the barricades. "Rally with Omast, he is the ROCK OF TRUNAU!!" Omast points to where he last saw Omast.
Sergeant Frum wishes your group well, promising to keep the gate and protect those remaining above. Your group makes it's way down the ruined tower into Lower Trunau, once more into the fight. The stench of blood and smoke hangs thick in the air as you travel through deserted back alleys, streets, and side lanes. In the darkness, the crackling of fires mingles with the war cries of orc raiders and the screams of dying townsfolk. The Hopespring beacon lays ahead, dark and ominous, it's unlit flames neither calling for support nor offering hope to the villagers living and fighting and dying nearby.
You work your way around the city, avoiding areas of open attack, moving deftly from cranny to creep to cover, getting ever closer. Working down the far slope near to the city walls, you approach the unlit beacon from the west. In the distance you see the orcs who first accosted Silvermane have moved out towards a pair of ruined shops, setting up a small light catapult in preparations to assault Upper Trunau from within the city. A small giant, a cave giant runt, is hauling stones from the water's edge to the catapult, piling them beside it and it's other armaments.
Darker than the night around you, you can barely make out the entrance to the tunnel the foul creatures burrowed into the depths of Bloodmarch Hill. A single torch weakly burns at the entrance, likely indicating that others may have passed within, for what ends you may have suspicions but whatever the case, it cannot be good for Trunau to have orcish invaders digging at the bedrock of the town.
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Songan narrows his eyes and flattens his ears, gazing across the way at the new enemies in their way. "Well this is certainly a troop that cannot be left standing. Still, I am no soldier. Should we attack now, while we have surprise? Should we fell the giant first or the orcs? Or should we light the beacon now and get their attention off the catapult?"
Dundin moves to the beacon, moving stealthy and alert.
Dundin, moving quietly, follows the trees a bit, keeping them to his left, and heads toward the beacon to light it.
If the party had one, Dundin has a flask of alchemists fire ready to toss at the beacon. If not, he is using a lit torch.
Dundin stealthily and unobserved approaches the beacon, his torchlight blocked by his shield from possible prying orcish eyes. As he nears to toss the brand upon the stack his keen dwarf senses pick up an unusual scent coming from the pyre. Looking closely he notices a yellow-white powder smelling of rotten eggs coating the logs and stones of the fire pit. A sticky gooey substance appears to be poured over much of the structure as well, and in places the powder and goo have hardened into small clumps of foul smelling resin.
Dundin will chain light another torch, and toss it at the pyre. He thought they might overly discuss this.
Leira gulps as Dundin heroically advances to light the beacon alone. She loads her crossbow and readies to support the dwarf if needed.
Leira is happy when her companions patches her last fight wounds before coming close to the danger again.
Dundin tosses from 30'.
"Cave giant," Adir mutters to himself, gripping his spear a little tighter.
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Combining the features of ogres and feral orcs, cave giants are the embodiment of primitive brutality.
Stooped over in a perpetual crouch, cave giants move as if they had never mastered walking erect. The largest would measure 10 feet in height if they ever stood straight. The typical cave giant weighs 1,000 pounds.
Defensive Abilities: ferocity, rock catching
Weaknesses: light sensitivity
Special Attacks: rock throwing 100 ft.
Special Quality: axe wielder
As the remainder of the group approaches, Dundin hurridly moves back from the pyre, bumping into Brampton in the dark. He hastily lights and tosses a torch at the pyre, the flickering flames smacking into the base as the torch bounces into the beacon framework. Almost instantly the entire structure explodes in a hellish plume of greenish flames, fire and fuel blowing out and around the ruined beacon. Heat and debris streak outwards, igniting much around the beacon in sulfurous flames, some of the effects even reaching Dundin and Brampton.
Takes Fire and shrapnel damage
Ducked the blast, leaving the brunt for Brampton
Shock and confusion momentarily wash over the group at the sudden and perilous turn of events, the last beacon destroyed, the moment of surprise lost to the invaders, the Hopespring in flames. The group looks one to another, realizing battle is at hand, the mission to alert the last outlying settlers likely a failure.
Glacing across the landscape you can see the burning firepit casts a odd lime green glow over the night, bathing the Hopespring and pond in sickly vivid colors. The sound and sight of the explosion easily drew the attention of the orcs and giant, illuminating your presence and announcing you as enemies of the invading Twisted Hearts.
Roaring at the explosion and pulling itself free from it's chains, the cave giant begins lumbering towards the group, bathed in dim lighting by the greenish flames. The orcs begin preparing weapons, one of the number blowing on a signal horn, blatt, blat, blat, bbllaaatttt.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Songan, Orc Warrior 2
Second Group: Delia, Dundin, Jace, Orc Warrior 1
Third Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: none
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
"What they hell was that?"
Brampton pats out the flames on his tabard.
"So much for the element of surprise. Let's see if we can drop these guys with arrow before they reach us."
Brampton pulls out this crossbow and waits for the enemy to come into range.
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Songan seems completely taken aback by the sudden explosion, horror washing over him. The last beacon! No! They couldn't fail, they just couldn't let it happen!
First priority had to come first, though, and he turned to bring his shortbow to bear in their enemies, readying an arrow against the first of them that got within range of his weapon.
Dundin feels for his beard. His eyebrows can grow back.
"Now that's a beacon!!
While Brampton and Songan watch patiently for someone to approach into their sights Orc Warrior 2 begins doing something with the catapult.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Songan, Orc Warrior 2
Second Group: Delia, Dundin, Jace, Orc Warrior 1
Third Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: none
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
Delia nearly screams in frustration as the beacon explodes... She then realizes they've been spotted by the enemy and focuses back on the task at hand. She moves whistles for Jace to follow and moves closer towards the green flames. She spots the orc tinkering with the catapult, takes aim, and sends her arrow arcing high... Praying to Erastil to help guide her aim.
Jace follows along beside Delia, ready to rush forward and attack the first target to come within melee range.
Delia's shot fails to hit the mark, the darkness made discerning figures from shadows much more difficult than anticipated. The beacon explosion nearly blinded the group, succeeding in stealing the night vision acclimation they had garnered during their hasty march across Trunau.
Dundin moves twenty feet sticking to the trees and uses his wand to make his weapon more powerful.
Dundin prepares for a dash to the building ahead.
Together a pair of the orcs seem to be shifting the catapult's positioning, turning it in your direction.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Songan
Second Group: Delia, Dundin, Jace, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Third Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: none
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
Leira moves 30 feet diagonally just next to Delia, and from there shots at the orc manipulating the catapult profiting her darkvision advantage.
Leira's shot strikes the front wheel assembly of the catapult, though she had been sure it was an orc she was aiming for.
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After the beacon explodes, Adir can be heard muttering, "Nine hells..." He twirls his spear in his hand before thumping it against his shield. The gesture is punctuated by the nervous energy that accompanies a dire situation. Knowing how important the Hopespring is to the town, and also how brutal and vicious their opponents are,he gives Tuzak a grim smile. "At least it's only a little cave giant." He barks a laugh before he and Tuzak move forward, skirting around the destroyed beacon.
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As your group forms up, the last orc moves up and joins the others at the catapult, working at the controls. Though it is difficult to tell for certain, but it seems one of them is giving commands to the giant.
The lumbering beast moves around the edge of the pond, grabbing up a rounded object from the hap hazard supplies the orcs have laid out. As he clears Pillar Rock, he hurls the shot at . Luckily for your band, the shot falls short a bit, exploding in a blast of heat and alchemical fires. Debris and flaming goo showers over everyone and everything in a rough thirty foot radius around the impact point.
Avoids the debris
Takes
Takes
Takes
Avoids the debris
Small globules shower over Delia, Leira, and Jace, burning at skin and hair and gear. The trio quickly manage to pat and swat out the flames before they can spread. Adir and Tuzak though fair much better, fortunately only taking minor burns and welts being further back from the blast. A few feet more for any of you and the results would have been much, much worse.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Delia, Dundin, Jace, Songan, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Secondd Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: none
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
Seeing the explosion envelope the rest of the party Brampton looks at his crossbow as if it is a toy. Change of plans.
Using the ruined house for cover Brampton sprints towards the catapult. As he passes Dundin he shouts, "Let's move around the house and hit them from behind."
Leira barely manages to keep on foot as the explosion hits her burning all her left side and reducing to rags most of her clothing.
Dundin continues his dash to the north corner of the building as he planned. He ends right behind it with no line of sight to the orcs manning the catapult although five feet to his left he would have a perfect view of the catapult.
Delia flinches back at the explosion, slapping at the burning debris the lands all over her and Jace. She whistles for Jace and then immediately begins sprinting towards the nearby house to the northeast, cutting in between the beacon and the water's edge. Jace follows, directly on her heels as they seek cover from the siege weapon!
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The siege weapon's use certainly threw a wrench into the cat-man's plans, the flying debris making it more or less impossible to maintain his position. Though he keeps his bow ready, instead if simply waiting, he follows suit with Delia, making as much haste as possible to get to the cover that he hopes the buildings will provide against the orcs and their catapult.
The group hastily runs for the cover of the closest building before the orcish artillery can line up a shot. The sounds of the flames and roars of the giant clash against the shouted commands the orcs are giving the large cave beast, becoming a din of garbled madness.
Orc Warriors 1 and 2 abandon the catapult, loaded and ready to fire, instead moving north between the buildings to intercept anyone attempting to flank their position.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Delia, Dundin, Jace, Songan, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Secondd Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Orc Warrior 4, Orc Warrior 5, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: none
Burning: none
is up, 48 hour timer counting
Badly injured Leira makes her best to catch up with the rest of the party, running until just behind Songan and Dundin.
Dundin moves around the building (20' right on map) and tosses a light hammer at the first orc.
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Adir and Tuzak head toward the cave giant, cutting between the water and the building.
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Round 3
Delia rounds the house to see two orcs rushing towards them; she skids to a halt and points at the pair. "Jace, kill!" As Jace rushes forward with a growl, Delia takes a step forward as she draws an arrow. She takes aim and lets the projectile file as Jace bites at the orc!
Brampton moves up the west corner of the house. Using it for cover he fires his crossbow at the giant.
He watches as the bolt flies true but can see that it did not penetrate the giants armor enough to do much damage.
He ducks back into the shadows hoping the giant did not see where the bolt came from.
Well at least I got its attention.
Orc Warrior 3 fumbles with something by the catapult before moving up towards the group but Adir and Tuzak are too busy dodging the the Raging cave giant throws at them to pay enough attention to fully grasp.
The cave giant lashes out at Tuzak as the sloth approaches, forced into the shallows by the narrow patch Adir chose for their stand. The cave giant whips out with a which strikes Tuzak hard across the back for . The great dumb brute then waits for the pair to close the distance. It strikes out with a at Adir while using it's other fist, to pound down at Tuzak. The punch misses as Adir sidesteps the swing, while the chained fist solidly pummels Tuzak for . The blow stumbles the sloth, dropping it into the mud and muck along the water's edge.
Orc Warrior 4 exits the building closest to the heroes, called by the horn the others were blowing. Seeing your band he hastily throws a at Delia, striking her under her right arm for . He snarls and barks viciously as he notices the warcat beside her, taunting the beast as he moves to grab a double axe from his weapons harness.
Orc Warrior 5 comes out from the building on the other side, tossing a of his own at Adir, the druid distracted by the fight with the enraged cave giant. It is with luck that the nature priest had shifted off his mark by the giant's swing, such that the young man stepped clear of the projectile.
Dundin moves up to face the enemy orcs along the building, failing to notice the new threat exiting the structure. His hammer flies short, bouncing along the ground to land near the orc warrior's feet.
Already following the orders of his mistress, Jace ignores the orc nearest him and charges off after his quarry. His bounding strike is distracted by Dundin's hammer and the orc is able to jerk back from the cat's jaws mere moments before the teeth snap shut on empty air.
The distraction though serves to aid Delia, as her aimed shot flies true, striking the orc squarely in the chest, but not yet felling the thing.
Brampton moves up to the corner and fires off a high shot at the cave giant but the shadows and jerk movements make it hard for the soldier to find his mark, the bolt only grazing the large thug, annoying it rather than causing any serious harm.
Songan is the only one remaining to act this round for First Group
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Delia, Dundin, Jace, Songan, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Secondd Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Orc Warrior 4, Orc Warrior 5, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: Tuzak
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
Seeing the orc come out of the building behind Adir Brampton drops his crossbow and charges at the orc with this bec de corbin.
"Adir get out of there! Fall back! Fall back!"
Songan is taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of more troops, but then realization dawns on him. The orcs trapped the beacon and then waited nearby in case villagers or the militia came to activate the warning device. We fell right into their trap the catfolk thought to himself.
Orc Warrior 1, holding a small orb in his hand, takes a step back from the warcat and tosses the strange device behind the cat, landing with a thump, smoking slightly.
Orc Warrior 2 likewise tosses an orb, this one also behind Jace, though explodes upon impact, doing and . Jace springs upwards at the moment of impact, but is too slow to escape the damage, even as the side of the building crumbles a bit, forcing some of the blast back at the poor feline.
Tuzak is down and will need to make a Stabilization Check.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Delia, Dundin, Jace, Songan, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Secondd Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Orc Warrior 4, Orc Warrior 5, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: Tuzak
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
Leira almost fells prone on the surprise when she sees Adir valiantly charge the giant, disappearing through the corner building.
She then is surprised by the appearance of the new orcs through the building, and almost collapses when she observes Songan blocked on place. We are all gonna die here today thinks for herself.
Taken by the resolve of those whom sure doomed destiny removes any trace of fear, she pulls from the spring of her crossbow and loads a final bolt. "For all gods Songan! Shot at him!" she shouts at the same time that shots a bolt at the clear shot orc (4) just in front.
Leira steps to the south.
I posted noon on Christmas eve to make sure I could get action in as I was on travel and busy for Christmas. I figure an early action beats a missed one.
Leira's crossbow shot takes Orc Warrior 4 through the throat, spurting rich dark blood in a thick heavy spray several feet from the creature. It stumbles from the shot, not expecting such a fierce attack from the slight framed girl.
Adir, resolute to defend Tuzak, stands his ground beside the sloth, taken up in a sudden rush of grief, his body rigid in a defensive posture, a hate-filled glare upon his face.
As Orc Warrior 3 moves up to throw a strange sparking orb held in his hand, , aiming for just between and behind Adir and Tuzak, he inadvertently triggers a reaction from the cave giant. The angry monster senses him and lashes out with his , smashing the warrior's forearm for . The orb flies wide and bounces against the rocky pillar, splashing into the pond and detonating with a violent spray of water and sand, splashing over Tuzak somewhat but causing no damage.
The cave giant then begins to roar loudly and thump at it's chest, the chains violently swing around and doing to itself.
Orc Warrior 4, wounded and afraid, retreats back into the building, half kicking the door closed behind it.
Orc Warrior 5 moves up and attempts to cave in the back of Adir's skull, his swinging missing as the druid seems ready for the backwards attack, ducking and shifting away from the strikes.
Initiatives
First Group: Brampton, Delia, Dundin, Jace, Songan, Orc Warrior 1, Orc Warrior 2
Secondd Group: Adir, Leira, Tuzak, Orc Warrior 3, Orc Warrior 4, Orc Warrior 5, Cave Giant
Staggered: none
Prone: Tuzak
Burning: none
is up, 36 hour timer counting
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Songan suddenly seems to snap to himself, shaking his head as would a cat that had been sprinkled with water. "Sorry! I'm good!" he says to the others, moving forward to fully round the corner of the home and stand with Delia and Dundin, bringing his shortbow up and aiming it squarely at one of the two orcs in front of them.