You emerge from the Ramblehouse into a chaotic frenzy of activity. Three massive braziers atop towers have been lit, bathing the entire town in a flickering glow. Townsfolk and militia members move with purpose, some with weapons, but most carry tools and building materials. Apparently, your warning earlier in the day has been taken seriously - it appears Trunau is doing everything it can to prepare itself for battle.
Near the center of town, you see a couple of familiar faces. Chief Defender Halgra and Patrol Leader Jagrin are huddled over a table, pointing and gesturing, occasionally giving orders to those standing nearby. Kurst hurries past you leading a team of horses dragging timber toward the gate. He gives you a half-salute as he urges the beasts forward.
From your left, a loud voice echoes down the street. Omast - looking pale, but sober - is directing a group of militia who are using large buckets and mops to water down the wooden buildings of the town.
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Another familiar face limps over to you as you mull over your options: Ketrezra, his face twisted in concern. Before he gives you a chance to speak, he begins speaking rapidly (at least, as rapidly as his age allows him), I had a vision. I saw you emerge from the plague house, a lamb under your arms. I see now that it means you rescued Othdan from that place, for which I thank all of you. But there was more.
He pauses for a breath before continuing, After you left, a dark night fell, and a massive half-orc, larger than any I have seen, entered the doorway of the Plague House. He turned to face away from the door, his face cloaked in shadows. A massive flood swept over him, but it seemed to only make him stand taller, stronger. I think perhaps this may mean the flood troll Roderick saw at the plague house may be working with a half-orc, and that they may be responsible for... another pause, as much for breath as to gather his wits, please let me come with you. I wish to help, to atone for the delay I caused you before, and to find Roderick's killer. He then stops talking and looks at all of you in turn, awaiting what you may say.
Racket stares at the half-orc, his revulsion showing plainly, but Katrezra is used to that by now.
"You're always talking about your visions, half-blood. What have they gotten us so far?" Racket softens a bit, knowing that his friends don't hold quite the same disgust for half-bloods that he does at this point. "Still... perhaps you can help. What do you think, Grok?"
Hah, if not for healer man then we would not have found Plague House in first place! I say let him come and we go back to jump the bad men! Let troll come! Zavier Viotly is ready for him!
"YOU SHOULD BE NICER TO KATREZA. HE IS GOOD MAN. YOU WALK NOW, REMEMBER TEACHINGS."
Grok grabs the little man off his back and sets him down. He pats his head a bit too hard and kind of smushes Racket towards the dirt.
I thank you, kind investigators. I shall do my best to be a help, rather than a hindrance to you. I am ready to move when you all are, he says while shifting his pack and looking at the scene around the town.
You all manage to make it into Plague House before the light totally fades. As you move through the ruined building, you startle several small scavengers who have been picking over the corpses left behind from your earlier visit. In all other respects, the building is exactly how you left it.
You settle in around the ladder in the basement, taking time to choose your hiding places with great care. After inspecting each other, you all decide that you are as well hidden as you're going to get without magical aid.
Several hours pass without anything more than the skittering of tiny feet across the floors above your heads. Obviously, the nocturnal creatures are as eager to investigate as the scavengers were earlier.
At roughly midnight, the unmistakable stomp of iron-shod boots causes the boards above your head to shudder and creak. As you listen, the steps suddenly go silent. Moments pass before they return, this time in the rapid cadence of somebody running overhead. The person passes over your positions, then continues to the east. They are heading for the staircase!
Racket makes a silent sign to Grok that he is going to sneak across, then does so, hoping to get near the staircase out of sight.
Katrezra stays in his hiding spot, not trusting his leg to not give the party away, and waits for a signal as to what to do.
Everyone hears the figure above begin to descend the staircase. Its footfalls echo loudly in the basement as it gets closer to Racket's position. A gutteral voice calls out in a strange language:
Racket fires his light crossbow right into the half-orc's foot as he's coming down the stairs, then hightails it toward his allies.
The half-orc bellows in pain and surprise. Racket sees the bolt punch clean through the half-orcs foot, causing him to drop his morningstar.
Turning around, screaming in Orc, the half-orc begins stumbling and climbing back up the stairs.
I don't think I can keep up with him, but we should keep him from running, I think! Katrezra says, grabbing his spear and limping after the orc.
Come Back Here Coward! Zavier yells and goes into a full run to catch up to the fleeing orc.
Grok stands from his hiding spot, looking somewhat confused. He reaches for his javelin but quickly notices the orc fleeing faster than he can act.
He moves to the stairs.
Zavier easily catches up with the fleeing half-orc at the top of the staircase. The burly figure clutches his foot and pleads, "Please have mercy! I didn't do anything, why did you attack me? Please spare me!"
He appears to be on the verge of hysteria, and tears are flowing freely down his cheeks.
Zavier drags the half orc down the stairs to the others.
You kidnap people of town and hold them against will and say you do nothing wrong? Who are you Coward? What is this place! Speak or Zavier crush you!
The half-orc cringes as Zavier interrogates him, "No, no, it wasn't me. This is all the work of the Scarred One - him with the tattoos. He make me do things, like capture man from town. He threaten me, tell me that he kill me if I not help him! He supposed to be here later - you wait here and see!"
What are you not telling us, friend? I am not here to harm you, so you may speak frankly and openly with me. We can help you get out of the mess you are in, but only if you help us first, Katrezra says as he looks down upon the half-orc.
No More lies Coward!
"That's right. Lyin's just gonna get you another bolt in ya, and this time I won't be nice enough to aim for your foot."
The half-orc visibly pales at the threats, and leans toward Katrezra as he quickly responds, "No more hurting me! I tell you all, yes? Daktani tell you all! Me here to meet friends of half-orc with tattoos. Big friends - trolls! Troll sisters! Daktani work with troll sisters to plan for big attack on Trunau. Them have troll family that will help in fight. Help destroy town! That what boss half-orc really want. See Trunau burning and all humans dead. Him tell me that me get big important job when humans all dead in town. Promise me gold and many half-orc wifes!"
Hah! Proof! Let us tie this one up and bring him back to town. Tell all to expect Troll Attack!
"Tying him up is a good idea. But then we have to prepare for trolls. Trolls are bad news, incase you weren't aware..."
"WHEN IS THIS ATTACK COMING?"
Katrezra makes no move to stop Zavier from tying up the half-orc, thinking back to anything he may have heard or read about trolls. If only they were the kin of giants, I may know more...
Daktani looks at Grok, "When? Tonight, right now!"
At that moment, everyone hears stomping coming from the front of the building. A guttural voice says something, followed by another.
Daktani tenses, then looks at Racket, "You're right, trolls are bad news.
Grok will unsheath his sword while he moves, open the door, and peek outside into the next room.
Zavier has nothing to kill trolls with! Zavier whispers. Great shame to retreat but maybe we go back and defend town and get acid and fire!
Katrezra grips his spear and whispers to Zavier, The power of the volcano has granted me some magics, and I can prevent them from healing if we can lay the beasts low, while he limps into position behind Grok whispering a prayer to Iomedae, Inheritor, grant us the strength and guidance to know what path we must take this night, and the strength to overcome the trials that face us, and thouches Grok's back.
Then let us kill them here! Then Rush to Defend Town! Zavier is still whispering but barely now. He's got strong opponents!
Racket will quaff his mutagen, gaining a bonus to Dexterity.
The loud voices continue to call out, and eventually the stomping resumes, getting gradually louder.
Katrezra will wait until the last possible minute to cast Bless on the party, his spear at the ready while standing just to the side of Grok (within reach of my longspear, but hopefully out of the reach of the trolls).
Grok will stand next to the door and ready to attack anything that passes through it.
Standing on the other side of the door to provide Grok with a flank, Zavier will Try to Grapple the first thing to come in. So Grok should get a +2 as well.
Also he's given himself the Feat Dodge on the way using Maneuver Flexibility if that is okay. AC is 17 for the next minute.
As you wait inside the room, the footsteps come closer, and closer. You can all clearly hear loud sniffing and snorting as the monsters examine their surroundings. From the unusual cadence of the footsteps, and the random knocks and bumps, it's apparent that the creatures are used to more open spaces, rather than the confines of the ruined church.
Both creatures stop moving, but you can hear the sounds of their sniffing again.
With a roar, a flood troll rushes into the room. It's matted blue hair stinks of putrid dank vegetation, and it's yellow eyes are open wide in rage.
Katrezra's voice carries over the roaring troll as he calls upon his deity's blessing.
The troll turns toward the half-orc, only to scream in pain and fury as Grok's greatsword nearly slices the creature in half, spraying light green blood across the far side of the room (and Zavier!). The troll attempts to clutch at the weapon, but its arms move awkwardly as its knees buckle, and it falls to the ground in a gasping heap.
Another troll follows the first into the room, only to be met by Zavier's assault. Despite their size difference, Zavier quickly executes a complicated series of maneuvers that ends with him catching the troll in a standing reverse arm bar. The creature swings at him wildly but misses.
As Zavier applies pressure to maintain his hold, he finds his face buried in the monster's hairy hide. The stench is so overpowering that Zavier feels his stomach begin to churn - but he manages to retain his composure, refusing to give in while the battle rages around him!
Seeing his opportunity, Katrezra moves into position, trying to keep his new comrades out of the literal fan of fire he is about to evoke, shouting, May The Inheritor have mercy on your souls, for we shall not! I call upon her flame and the fury of the volcano! and blasts a cone of fire at the trolls:
Grok will move to flank (if needed), and swing again.
Zavier shouts in triumph as he gets and maintains an armbar lock Does not matter how large! Zavier will be Victorious!
Zavier twists the arm further up painfully
Racket will use his acrobatic nature to move past the troll and flank with one of his allies, then stab up at the troll's private parts.
Seeing the flames Zavier manages to avoid the worst of the fire by maneuvering himself behind the troll, using it as an impromptu shield.
Katrezra's spell covers the trolls in flame. Zavier manages to avoid most of the fire, but the heat of the magical flames burns his arms and lets.
Zavier twists the troll's arm painfully, managing to wrench it out of its socket, drawing a painful roar from the struggling giant.
Racket acrobatically tumbles past the wrestling enemies, lands and spins, burying his dagger into the troll's lower back.
As the creature finally gains leverage and prepares to throw Zavier across the room, Grok swings his sword in a horizontal arc, taking the monster's head clean off from its body. An acrid stench explodes in the room as the dead creature drops to the floor.
As you catch your breath from the quick but fierce battle, you all hear a faint rhythmic sound coming from somewhere outside.
Katrezra nods at his companions as they catch their breath and says, A good fight, everyone. Here, Zavier... He pulls out the Wand of Cure Light Wounds and gingerly touches Zavier's burns, I apologize for catching you with the flames, I saw no other way to be sure that we could keep both trolls down with the single stroke. I will endeavor to not strike you or the others in such a way again.
Grok cleans his sword and gently pats it as he runs the cloth across the blade. Quietly, for Grok, he mutters: TWO MORE. GOOD JOB."
Upon hearing the drums he looks up and starts for the door.
"DRUMS. OUTSIDE. MORE TROLLS."