Rokar intones a short phrase in a series of low growls. He blindly reached out, and lays a hand on Milani's head, his own eyes staring forward unflinchingly toward the melee.
As Milani begins to glow slightly, Rokar says softly, in the common tongue, "Let's do this."
"I'm ready to go. We need to clear the raiders and get to the next beacon as fast as possible."
Corric just starts cackling loudly as he whips out both his weapons and starts running towards the frey. This was the kind of madness that eased the crazy in his heart.
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The stench of death hangs over this small square in Trunau’s inner quarter. Bodies of all kinds—orcs and humans, men and women, children and the elderly—lie scattered across the cobblestones where they fell. Veins of watery blood crawl from the base of the well in the center of the square, spreading from the limp body of a slain Trunauan guard draped over the side of the well. A rare moment of silence on the battlefield accentuates the sounds of crackling flames in the distance and the steady, hollow drip of blood into the well.
Suddenly, a trio of orcs bursts from a nearby home onto the scene, and the battle is joined! Two of the orcs carry orc double axes, but one (#2) wields a spiked chain!
INITIATIVE
Corric
Norasha
Rokar
Aisha
Orcs
Aisha decides that the one carrying a unique weapon is most likely to cause trouble. Her eyes shine with red light and she bombards the spiked chain wielding orc with confused, painful mental images.
"Time to take the fight to ye, vile fiends! ARRRRRGGGGHHH!"
Norasha lets out a battlecry as she positions herself between the orcs and her companions, telling her friends, "Let them come to us. I'll slow them some. If they try to get by me, then my axe is going to be feasting on orc flesh and blood today."
Corric nods to Norasha's plan and moves to be close to her. Should any orc move within range of her swing, he will react after to climb onto the offenders body with his limb climber ability.
Rokar signals to Milani to swing out wide to the left side and he follows, giving up the advantage of the first strike against his better judgment.
'I hope you know what you're doing, Norasha...'
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Corric moves into position, readying himself to scamper up a limb if the opportunity should present itself. Norasha readies herself to attack any orcs that come close. Rokar and Milani move to flank, readying to attack any orc that comes within reach. Aisha casts a spell on orc #2. leaving the humanoid thoroughly confused.
The orcs split up, one moving to attack Norasha and the other Rokar (both of you may take your attacks). The third orc, the one with the spiked chain, wraps the chain around his own neck and pulls it taut, simultaneously choking himself and piercing his own throat. He drops to the ground, bleeding out.
Norasha raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh at how lucky they just got seeing the Orc killed himself.
Instead she focused on swinging her axe at the Orc that approached her!
Prepared for the incoming attack, Rokar shifts his balance and swipes at the Orc just as he bears down on him.
Corric seeing that none of the orc had broken through Norasha's line, moves around to flank the Orc she's attacked and goes for a double sneak attack.
Aisha takes a look at the orc who she just killed. That... was not quite what she expected. Still, she calls up her power again and this time targets the orc not being double teamed by Corric and Norasha with her magic. A haze of discomfort and disorientation descends on his mind, making it hard to do anything.
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Weapons and claws flash in the firelight. The orc that came too near Norasha is gutted like a fish by the dwarf's axe. Rokar swipes at the one that came to him, but misses. However, in the blink of an eye, Corric is behind the orc and fells it with a solid blow to the head.
A weak cry for help directs your attention to the northeast. Long flames lick the walls of this sizeable house, and burning beams crumble to the ground beneath the weight of the sagging roof. Though the front entrance remains accessible for now, the conflagration rages beyond control, threatening the lives of any residents that might be trapped inside.
Rokar and Milani immediately switch their focus over towards the cries for help, sprinting over to the house for a close look, running just up to the entrance, and looking around for the source of the cries.
The fire...so oppressive. I can't smell anything else...
"By my ancestors' beards, the town is on fire! Let's hurry and see if we can get whoever is trapped inside out before the whole place comes down on'em!"
Norasha runs after Rokar and Milani, hoping to lend some aid to whoever was trapped inside the burning building.
"Let's make it fast. The longer it takes the get people out of this, the more time the orcs have to set more of the town on fire."
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Rokar, you arrive at the door of the burning structure to find Sara Morninghawk unconscious and trapped beneath a fallen timber beam. Councilor Agrit Staginsdar tries in vain to pull her free. "Help me," he begs.
Before you can move to aid them, however, a gruff and guttural voice sounds from behind you. "Well, what we gots here, brothers? Fledglings roasting in the nest?" Three more orcs have appeared from the smoke and chaos and look ready to fight! All three carry orc double axes.
INITIATIVE
Norasha
Corric
Orcs
Rokar
Aisha
Corric moves to jump onto an orc with limb climber.
Assuming that doesn't take his action, Corric will pull a dirty trick and try to blind the orc he's climbed on by smacking it in the face with his saps, bleeding on it, or anything else his little mind can come up with.
"Oh dragon's scales, this isn't good. Quick, the rest of you take care of the orcs, I'll try and get Sara free here!"
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Corric scrambles up the arm of one of the orcs and attempts to cover it's eyes, but the brute manages to move the halfling's arm enough to see. Two of the orcs move to attack Aisha and Milani, while the one that Corric has climbed desperately tries to rid itself of the vexing dodger.
The orc facing Aisha makes a devastating strike against the psychic, leaving her momentarily breathless . The attack against Milani also finds its mark, though the damage is less devastating . The third orc manages to twist enough to bring Corric in range of it's axe, and the bold halfling is also hit .
Torn between helping Sara and dealing with the Orc threat, Rokar bares his teeth and signals to Milani to move around and attack the Orc with him.
Risking provocation from the Orcs, Milani moves around to the opposite side, and bites at the Orc with a load ROAR. Meanwhile, Rokar slides forward, and channeling strength, attacks the Orc , while roaring himself.
Aisha cries out in pain, then steps back and attacks the orc's mind, sending the pain of her wound straight in to his mind and attempting to disable him.
Norasha tried to move the beam again, putting all of her strength behind her.
"Get her out of there! I think my friends need some help very quickly! So, please by Torag's holy beard, GET HER OUT OF THERE NOW!"
hp:6/15
Corric holds on for all he's worth. He doubts his saps will do too much so he clings to the Orc and tries to blind it again by tearing at its face.
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Rokar and Milani focus their anger on one of the orcs, literally tearing it to pieces, as Aisha manages to set her opponent reeling under the effects of her spell. Norasha puts all of her strength behind the effort to lift the beam, but it barely moves. Clearly, it is going to take a combined effort.
Corric tries to blind his opponent, but the orc brushes his hands aside. It tries again to dislodge the vexing halfling, but does not succeed in hitting the agile Corric this time.
Rokar and Milani deftly slide down to flank the next orc, unleashing a truly devastating back-and-forth flurry of claws at the dazed Orc.
"Bloody hell! I thought I had it that time! It's no use. I can't lift it without the others. Try to keep the fire from getting on her. I'll be right back. Seems I'm going to have to help the others finish this fight fast!"
"Gangways!"
Norasha yelled at the top of her lungs as she rushed the orc Corric was fighting, swinging her axe at the raider's head.
"Once we put these blighters down everyone help me move that timber off Morningstar! This place might come down any second!"
Aisha quickly directs her attention to the nearest orc again and unleashes another pulse of disorienting psychic power.
"Okay you gray piec of shit! You're lucky I'm not allowed to use anything sharp!"
Corric just starts wailing on the enemy he's straddling with both his saps.
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Rokar and Milani swiftly change positions and, working together, gut the second orc like a fish. It stands, uncomprehending, as it's guts fall to the ground, then keels over. Aisha, seeing an opening, attempts to daze the orc that Corric is fighting. It blinks once, then stands in a dreamlike state.
Taking advantage of the opening, Norasha rushes into the fight, swinging her axe in a wide overhead arc. Unfortunately, this spoils her aim and turns what surely been a killing blow in a glancing cut that merely nicks the orc's ear. Corric has better luck with one of his saps, but the stubborn humanoid will not fall.
"Damn it! Go down already! We have someone to save and get everyone out of here before this place caves in!"
Rokar and Milani reposition again, eager to drop the last orc so they can help Sara!
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Rokar and Milani make short work of the remaining orc, sending it to the ground with a mere couple of strikes. Working together as time ticks away, the combined effort of three of you is enough to at last free Sara, mere seconds before the entire structure caves in and is consumed by fire! Glancing towards the remains of her home, Agrit says, "I thank you. Sara and I might have died therein. But she's not coming round. Can you help her?"
Rokar nods, eager to bring Sara around, and touches her forehead with a paw, muttering under his breath as he brings forward his magic to heal her.
"What can I say, Torag works in mysterious ways, friend. Now let's get out of here before this place comes down on us all!"
"C'mon Sara. If you die, who's gonna be the one who jabbing at my ass with a scalding iron for not moving fast enough for your damn errands."
His words are harsh, but there's some genuine gladness that Sara has come around.
"Let's move!"
"Right. We still have work to do and she needs to be taken somewhere safe first."
"Sara's not going to get any worse, so long as we keep her safe, and we've got to clear that path to the Hopespring. Maybe you could follow along with us, Agrit. Milani could help carry Sara until she wakes up..." Rokar suggests.
Corric racks his brain for a place that they could put Sara to recover, or maybe a place nearby with a cache of healing potions. Something to get their new add-ons back into shape.
Rokar helps Agrit lay Sara over Milani's back, and they get off on a slow pace towards the Hopespring.
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Corric considers for a moment, then snaps his fingers. The priests were back at the barricade, healing the wounded. Sara and Agrit would be safe(r) there. The pair are quickly delivered back to the barricade, where the acolytes wait to treat their wounds. Eager to be back in the fight, the party rushes headlong back into the inner quarter.
You are passing by the Killin' Ground (to the south), a tavern popular in Trunau for its moonshine, when a female voice calls out. "Oy! You lot! We...we're apposta kill the likes ah you!" The words are heavily slurred and the speaker is quite obviously dead drunk.
Two men and a female half-orc emerge from the bar, spoiling for a fight. They hurl drunken insults at you as they advance.
INITIATIVE
Corric
Rokar
Thug Leader (half-orc)
Aisha
Norasha
Thugs
"Big one first!" Rokar yells.
Rokar signals to Milani, to swing around and attack the leader from the right, while he waits just a moment, timing it just right, and charges at straight ahead attacking the same target.