Aso his cuts heal and his bruises fade, his exhaustion draining away, Malgrim stretches and grins. "Ah, now tha' do feel good, but t'is not quite the same as a good night's rest. Do ye think we might be gettin somma tha' any time soon? We was all waitin up a goodly while for yer door ta open."
He goes and collects his polearm and returns to clap Lanarial on the back. "Ye did win tha' one fair 'n square lass. Ye made tha' biggest dent in that there ogre."
He looks up at the other half-elf, "Ach, ye did fine laddie. It had near as much trouble hit'n ye as ye did it."
As Oranna's wounds dissipate, she stands up with assistance of her great sword. She swore as she felt a rib pop back in place, "I could do with some food right around now.
She looks to Lanarial, "Damn good hits you did on that ogre."
The old man nods. "If ye wish to wait till morning, you can. I do not know if all the hostages will last till morning. You have been here less than an hour, and you are fully healed."
A few large bowls of dried fruits are brought out for you to eat along with some waterskins. "Those of you leaving should grab three more potions."
Lanarial is glad to see the combat end, since the ogre was just about to squish her! Seeing Oranna stand, she walks over to check on the other woman in the group. "Glad to see you're still in this. We girls have to stick together..."
She thanks the others for their complements, and happily eats the fruit. She picks another potion of protection from evil and two more cure light wounds. Lanarial is ready to move out, hating the idea of hostages being harmed through her potential inaction...
After taking some dried fruits to eat, and drinking an entire water skin, she takes two more cure light wounds and a [Iprotection from evil[/I] potion just as Lanarial had.
"Yea, stick together. When you're ready we'll kick them bandits in the arse, she looks to both Malgrim and Maedhros, "You two boys coming with?"
"Of course, I still have much to prove and learn."
Turning to the Forgemaster he asks.
"I made my choice of this breastplate, because i was fighting alone and expected to fight in passageways. I can help the hostages and the group better if I can move quietly as well. Could i swap it for the lighter armour? Or is that decision made"
An amulet of Harold will also do well, if you could grant me one.
"Ah, well if time be important to ye, I guess we should git goin. I'll take three more o' them healin' potions 'afore we go. T'would nae do to leave tha hostages to they're fate. We do be champions, do we not?"
As the group eats, the forgemaster explains: "Yer armor was made for you. Everyone gets one set. And not all heroes have a following." He looks pointedly at the older man. "Maybe one of the others grabbed an amulet you'd like. It is not unheard of to have them traded for."
The alchemists provide potions to all but Maedhros, who has yet to request them.
The dwarf walks everyone to the door you came in. "You'll pop out at the edge of the bandit camp. Anyone armed is probably rotten to the core. They are slavers and cannibals. Bring anyone you want rescued back with you."
As the alchemist mixes Lanarial's potions, he winks: "I made yours extra strong."
"..and for that I will take one potion to heal me and two to enlarge me."
"Understood, i thought I would ask. "
"So, any picked up old Harold?" Oranna grins with a smile.
She looked to the forge master, "Anything you can tell us to help. Number, terrain, any other complications,"she looks to the others, "Possibility for us to drop outside their camp and hit them while they aren't looking all sneaky like.Wouldn't know what hit 'em."
"I do have a spare o' that'un. Ye can be havin' it." Malgrim unties his amulet from his belt and holds it out to Oranna. "I ain't one f'r no fancy fight'n."
He takes the potions and checks his armaments. "If'n they be readyin' ta kill them hostages we'd best be off."
Securing his Guisarme, Maedhros removes his necklace of Theris and throws it into the middle of the group.
" I don't need this, I needed help and I got nothing. I feel Gerund helped me survive."
With that said he removes an amulet from his wrist, hanging it round his neck instead. With that he draws his Earthbreaker and an enlarge person potion.
"Yes what she said, how close are we to the camp"
She takes off both Gerund and Grond, putting them away for safe keeping and puts on the one of Harold.
"Don't see the point really in these things but if it is in their wish for free advertising, actions speak more than words anyway. Let that be what we strive for."
Lanarial smiles brightly at the alchemist. "Thank you!" she says as he hands her the vials.
At Maedhros' exclamation, she fingers one of the amulets around her neck with a look of shock and disbelief. "Maybe we need to earn the Heroes' blessings before they are bestowed...I hope to show Theris and Cyndi that I am worthy of them. No offense, Harold..."
The Forgemaster says: "Ye'll be in their midst. One of the sacred spots the Halls can occupy is the campfire the plainsmen once occupied. Now it is the camp of the 'Devil Dogs', slaver cannibals that profane our name. We once accepted young warriors here, now we will send warriors to gain honor here."
Just off the Forge, a simple portal like the one you entered is full of mist. As you exit...you find yourself near a campfire before a large cavernous opening under a cliff. You are the end of a large 55' wide ravine that leads straight too the bandit camp. The campfire burns bright as men continue a drunken revelry. Sentries, which should have been able to see for quite a distance, are not prepared for the quick arrival of the Hall of Heroes and the four that just left.
Cowering children and women are shackled together in a long line under the cliff. Mangy war dogs with spiked collars gnaw at bones, some of them beast and some of them humanoid. A light rain falls, not enough to block vision.
Initiative
Having achieved surprise, the bandits are quick to recover from the initial shock.
Surprise round=1 standard
Heroes
Round 1
Bandits
Previously in response to Lanarial's comment, Maedhros just shrugs his shoulders and prepares for battle.
In response to the Forgemaster's comment, Maedhros drains the potion as he leaves the door. He quickly swells in size his arms growing stronger and longer, even his hammer becoming larger. Moving past Oranna, Maedhros lumbers forward daring a feral warcry on his lips and his Earthbreaker beginning to move in easy circles.
Lana downs the potion of protection from evil before stepping through the portal. Once through, she quickly sizes up the situation and decides on moving towards the bandit standing in front of her...
Malgrim growls as the Forgemaster tells them of the defilers. When the portal opens and they step out into the ravine, he takes a quick assessment of the bandits and charges forward toward the hostages.
Roan decided this time before entering the portal to use her shield and War Hammer, deciding to go last behind the rest of the group. Once transported to the encampment, Oranna moves only a small distance out before sizing up her opponents.
Before heading out, the old man gives Maedhros a poke, "When tripping, keep your center low and twist at the waist."
As Maedhros ceases to wear the amulet of Theris, the competition for the hero that never missed ceased to be close. Lanarial's amulet of Theris begins to glow.
As you approach the bandits, the giant Maedhros seems to draw a volley of four crossbow bolts. The bandits Lanarial approaches whistles, and three dogs rush around Malgrim giving him a wide berth to attack Lanarial.
Two bolts hit the large warrior for minimal damage.
Lanarial is attacked by three dogs and a bandit. Two dogs maul Lanarial, unable to bring her to the ground, but she is staggered from two deep bites. One of the bandits run into the cave yelling "Attack, Attack!!"
ORDER ROUND 1
Bandits
Heroes
Lanarial is again overwhelmed by her foes, and must find a way to heal herself. Assuming Maedhros moves, Lana will take a 5' step away from her attackers and drink a potion of cure light wounds!
Seeing Lanarial getting badly beaten by the dogs, Maedhros steps back and swings his large hammer at the bandit facing Oranna. "Get behind me little one"
However still unused to his large size his hammer misses badly.
Seeing his fellow champions in more danger than the hostages, Malgrim turns back and charges the dogs that are attacking Lanarial.
"REGROUP!!!" Tavagra yells out as she attempts to take a swing with her war hammer.
But misses unfortunately.
Malgim destroys a dog that bit Lanarial as Lanarial retreats. Oranna and Maedhros fail to connect. The each face off against a bandit. Well up front, Malgrim is surrounded and fails to hit with his weapon as three bandits and three dogs close on him.
Malgrim finds himself hit by a dog and two bandits, savaged by two short swords and a dog bite.
Heroes up, Lanarial is staggered and taking cover behind Maedhros
Momentarily stunned by the sheer quantity of damage inflicted, Malgrim drops his polearm. As he draws his greatsword he roars to the sky and steps to the side just a bit. He swings the sword at the nearest bandit.
Lanarial will draw a potion of cure light wounds and drink it.
She swings again in an attempt to kill.
"Damn!"
More comfortable with the closer range, Maedhros lands a solid hit on the bandit facing him.
Maedhros hits a bandit, dropping him to the ground. Oranna and Malgrim miss, and the bandits see surprised to see Malgrim's wounds begin to close a bit. Lanarial draws a potion.
Bandit on helpless Malgrim
Two dogs attack Malgrim and one hits him, as he falls, another bandit hits him and runs to fight Maedhros.
Oranna dodges a blow from the bandit. As two bandits and a dog rush Maedhros, he misses with an attack as they close with his earthbreaker. The bandits miss, but the dog lands a nasty bite and spills Maedhros to the ground.
Lanarial has her potion out. The bandits curse as their number is cut down. "Surrender, you curs. We are the Mad Dogs. Our foes weep and wet themselves. You cannot best us!! There may be time to aid the wounded."
Heroes up
Malgrim falls with a cry, "Avenge me!"
Gods Damnit!!!
Oranna swings again.
As Lanarial sips her potion, Oranna misses and Malgrim heals.
Maedhros cuts the attacking dog down and prepares to attack his enemies.
Maedhros
"You really think we will surrender to you! Ha ha!"
Laughing in the face of his enemies, Maedhros swings again and lands another crushing blow, this time to the bandit trying to flank him.
Two bandits flank Maedhros and try to hit him as they move around him. The bandit fighting Oranna takes up a flanking position with her.
Maedhros is sliced with two shortswords and falls. The path open, the two dogs that attacked Malgrim rush to attack Oranna and one connects
Seeing the carnage, the bandit fighting Oranna nods. "No quarter for you guys. We are businessmen, but we will exact our punishment. Trained dogs cost us a fortune!!"
Lanariel finishes drinking her potion. It appears the slavers have fortune on their side as their attacks seem to inflict massive damage, more than would be expected with shortswords.
Left alone, Malgrin continues to heal, his ability to revel in massive damage rewarded by steady healing.
Initiative
Lanariel
Oranna (prone)
bandits
Malgrim's wounds stop bleeding as they slowly begin to close.
Now slightly recovered, Lanarial moves to the west and engages one of the bandits standing over Oranna , swinging her weapons hard. With all of her colleagues down, she is not so sure they were ready for this many enemies in this stage of their training. Maybe after six more months of intense training...but if she was going to die here, at least she would go down fighting!
Maedhros continues to bleed out on the floor.
Orrana desperately stands up from her prone position, bracing for a hit. A fire relites in her eyes, as she moves back.
Maedhros hand brutally sliced a bandit near Oranna, but that allowed two bandits to flank him and bring him down. Knocked down, Oranna considered standing.
Lanarial's trident staggered the bandit. Having moved more than 5', the shortsword was too slow to hit.
Lanarial strikes a solid blow on one fo the bandits threatening Oranna, then calls out, "Defend yourself, girl! Face up, weapon ready, block attacks until I can draw them off!"
Oranna does what Lanarial says and hunkers down on the ground, with her shield raised.
A bandit and dog swings at Oranna while down and both miss.
A bandit and dog move around to flank Lanarial
Both bandits and the dogs miss.
The bandit standing over Maedhros begin to loot his stuff, grabbing first his handy potion belt.
Lanarial and Oranna up -- Malgrim still healing