Daseem looks at the mangled wreckage of the bat and the ogres and glares at the blood oozing out of the wound he'd taken. He didn't have time to bleed, there were portions of the castle that hadn't been blessed with war in Gorum's name!
He found the healing wand, whispered the command word and as usual it flared with radiance as some of his wounds scabbed over, but this time the wand crumbled to dust.
Bleeding staunched he gave a satisfied look at the carnage and grunted, "More!"
Menrozzar shook his head. "Now seems a fair time to fall back and rest, actually. We've slain Grenseldek and disrupted whatever ritual this was. Let's go back to Grenseldek's room, cut off her head, and throw it into the courtyard, then fall back and rest while the Twisted Hearts fight among themselves for command."
Daseem seems to deflate upon hearing Menrozzar's words. He paces for a few moments and kicks a pebble a few feet before replying sheepishly, "S-sure..."
Menrozzar cuts off the head of the giantess and throws it over the balcony into the inner court. As no one is left there at the moment nothing happens. But after a few minutes a patrol walks along and almost stumbles over it. There is a large uproar about this change in situation. The lines along which the Twisted Heart Tribe splits up show quickly.
the orcs retreat to the moat and barricade themself in, while the ogres feast on every orc they get their hands on. The hill giants on the other side take that affront personal and turn their attention to Grenseldek's private chambers.
Hearing the general uproar Daseem comments with a certain smugness, "Our Lord in IRON has arrived, we should sing songs of p-praise!
”Let’s go rest, then come back for them.”
As the hill giants know where Grenseldek was, as her head was still on her sholders, there won't be much time to decide where to go if a fight is not what the heroes aim for.
Bah! I can keep tha' fight goin'! aye' naught even tired yet, an I can still see well enough despite tha' rattlin' I took. Won't be gettin' any good rest anyway what wit' all the oversized trainin' dummies stompin' 'round! This be tha' best time ta' get tha jump on tha' rest O' those cursed giants! Ivan boisters as the others talk of hiding away.
Bupkis suggests, "We retreat way we came in and rest outside? Then we ready for big fight!"
"Fight! Goood, very g-good!" echoed Daseem enthusiastically, before frowning at his wounds adding a little sheepishly as if he was letting the side down, "Still we fight better tomorrow..."
In the face of another fight that most don't want to face right now, the group retreats through the room with the whole in the middle and the secret door and down into to the cobweb filled secret room . It is not large and for all to lie there it is a bit cramped, but at least no giants would surprisingly appear here. It is also dry and doesn't reek of s+%+. So it's better than the other options for a night's rest.
The noise of raging giants is heard from above for a while. As that fades, other muffled voices are heard through the walls of the room. But noone joins the group there.
Bupkis awakes refreshed and eats another huge breakfast (Ivan is carrying his food). "Bupkis ready for big fight now!", he declares.
Ivan grumbles about having no good spot for a fire as he munches on jerky and days old hard bread for dinner and breakfast. As everyone awakens, he looks to Daseem and Menrozzar.
Can either O' ye cast magic what can fix up me armor? It got banged up in the fightin' on account tha' the durned giants could nary lay a scratch on me due to it. I'd do it meself, but that might be attractin' unwanted attention.
Bupkis looks at Ivan's armor, "Bupkis doesn't know how to fix. How bad damaged? We wait to fix, or needs done right away?"
Menrozzar shakes his head. "I...don't believe so. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how it is I'm casting spells, anyway. I've certainly never studied magic or shown any inclination towards doing so before."
Daseem considered Ivan's request and replied gravely, "Our Lord in IRON can f-f-fix this."
A short night of restless sleep in the midst of the unaware enemies follows. But the night is undistorbed. If you don't count the noise of a few skirmishes between the factions in the fort.
Unnoticed by those sitting between stone walls without windows on the ionside of the fort, the sun rises, announcing a new day. Only by feeling the urge to pray the divine folk notice the morning.
After Bupkis finishes his breakfast, he starts to get restless. "This good place to rest an all, but Bupkis bored. Ready to scare away giants, after armor fixed." He suspected that the giants might not be easily scared away, and that they might have to kill many of them, but he hoped that killing everyone here wouldn't be necessary.
Daseem rose early, well he assumed it was early, he couldn't see outside. After praying he asked to see Ivan's broken armour. Reverently, for the instruments of war were holy, he placed his hands upon the armour and prayed, "Gorum, our lord in IRON! I h-humbly beseech thee, fix this humble armour so that the warrior Ivan the mountain Ironbow may fight on in your name!"
Daseem blinked and looked down, curious to see if his entreaty had been answered.
2. Make Whole (used), Weapon of Awe
With Ivan's armor fixed again and shiny as new, the question arises, how to end Bupkis boredom.
After the armor is fixed, and everyone is ready, Bupkis goes to the bottom of the well and opens the doors, looking out into the courtyard.
This circular chamber contains the fort’s water supply, a well that connects to the nearby river via an underground stream. A rectangular hole in the ceiling opens to the room above with the crumbling edges, allowing an (unsafe) access to the well from the keep above.
Like the outer bailey (area K13), this open courtyard is overgrown with thick vegetation. Near the center of the ward, a flight of stone stairs climbs up to the entrance to the fort’s keep (area K29), located on the building’s second floor. Currently noone is seen there.
The litte goblin tells the others, "Bupkis sneaks to building in center by wall!"
He creeps forwards through the vegetation, looking for enemies that might be watching the courtyard. He moves up to the nearest door and listens.
Daseem watches Bupkis sneak off and he uses the opportunity to sharpen his sword, chances are they were going to need it. He had a set of sharpening stones. He started with a coarser one and with a little water he carefully ran it up and down one side of the edge before flipping it over and repeating. After repeating a few times he chose a finer stone and carried on until the blade's edge was wickedly sharp.
earlier-
Ivan pats Daseem on the side in thanks. Thank ye laddie, It may 'ave held up like it did in tha' tussle tha otherday, but I'd rather not take that chance. Ye got an ole' dwarfs appreciation.
-----
present
Ivan fiddles with the handle of his hammer, after yesterday's fight it was doubtful the place here had much left to give. Ivan was for once agreeing mentally with Daseem. He'd rather just finish off the lot and be done with it.
I say we jus' catch some by surprise again, like we did yesterday. Longer we are 'ere, the more likely somethin' can go wrong.
Menrozzar shakes his head. "We're heavily outnumbered. Anything we can do to ease this assault increases our chances of survival. They don't know where we are - once we know where they are, we can strike and catch them off guard."
The room is a larder. Empty shelves line a wall, and rusty hooks on chains dangle from the ceiling. A butcher's block with a large meat cleaver, it's tip sticking in the wood, stands in the middle of the room. But currently the only food stored here are several barrels of rendered fat.
Bupkis has a funny feeling as he looks into the room.
Bupkis feels the strong urge to eat some humanoid flesh. As no one else is around he starts gnawing on himself.
Bupkis feels an urgent need to eat raw flesh, and gnaws on his own arm!
Menrozzar waits for Bupkis to signal them forwards.
Daseem starts pacing and he grumbled, "Little one been a w-while..." Waiting was the worst, he wanted action and now!
Bupkis continues to bite himself. It takes several tries to get past is force ward before he tastes the meat he seeks.
As bupkis wakes from his frenzy, he looks badly gnawed upon. Gablins teeth are sharp.
Bupkis finally comes to his senses, and sneaks back across the courtyard. "Bad place!", he warns the others, showing them his bloody arms. "Like haunt in room with cauldron."
After he rested a few minutes, he says, "Let's go near tower. On way back, Bupkis sees door east of here."
The door Bupkis checks next, is the entrance to one of the guard towers, which are patrolled on the level above regularily. Some talk in giant is heard.
Menrozzar moves along behind Bupkis. He doesn't understand the giant, but he understands what it means, and readies his lucerne hammer.
Bupkis gives the others a chance to listen at the door; when everyone is ready, he opens it and stands aside.
Looking unreasonably happy, Daseem drew his holy sword, he was sure it would be needed soon. Grinning at Menrozzar he stands ready to burst through the door when Bupkis opens it.
Behind the door is an empty room with the stairs leading up. The talking can be heard passing above.