Crom looks at the sign and laughs, "Little buggers have a sense of humor. I think will be reporting my war axe against some goblin skulls."
Upon seeing the goblins Crom moves to attack.
Crom is 10
ROUND 1
Mit'l
Morgan
Kelgan
Horster
Crom
Ozymund
Bugbears
Morgan informs you that these seven foot four hundred pound creatures are bugbears.
The bugbear is the largest of the goblinoid races, a lumbering brute that stands at least a head taller than most humans. They are loners, preferring to live and kill on their own rather than form tribes of their own kind, yet it isn't uncommon to find small bands of bugbears working together, or dwelling in goblin or hobgoblin tribes where they function as elite guards or executioners. Bugbears do not form large warrens like goblins or nations like hobgoblins; they prefer smaller-scale mayhem that lets them keep their favorite acts (murder and torture) on a more personal level. Humans are a bugbear's favored prey, and most count the flesh of humanity as a dietary staple. Grisly trophies of ears or fingers are common bugbear decorations.
As they offer you food, Crom sees through the ploy and attacks.
Round One - Intiatitive 21
In hand: Composite Short Bow
Action: Fire at Bugbear at CB40
Move: None
Morgan snaps her bow up and looses an arrow at the nearest bugbear.
You now realize the sizzling meat skewers are humanoid!!!
Round One - Intiatitive 22
In hand: Spear
effect: Destructive Smite
Action: Stab BB at CB42
Move: Move to range
Mit'l badly wounds one bugbear with his spear while Morgan's shot cannot penetrate the thick hide of the creature!
Round 1 Init 11
Seeing M'til skewer one of the bugbears, Horster aims for his throat...
...missing wildly.
Round 1
In hand: War Axe
Move action: Move to CC39
Std action: Attack bugbear at CB40
Crom slices a bugbear deeply with a well aimed strike to the midsection.
Ozmund aims a force bolt at the Bugbear Mit'l struck, hoping to take the creature down
Forcebolt:
As the force bolt takes town the bugbear to the left, Kelgan moves around and dodges a blow from the middle bugbear to stand by the metallic gong.
One bugbear desperately moves to the gong, but Kelgan cuts him down with a huge swing of the axe, the other moves to hit Mit'l with his Morningstar, but his swing is wide.
The solo bugbear bleats in desperation. Kelgan moves next to him, but readies his attack until he has someone flank with him.
ROUND 2
Mit'l
Morgan
Kelgan - readied attack
Horster
Crom
Ozymund
Bugbears
The group looks at each other -- Could the orcs be right that these bugbears were that easy to defeat?
Round 2 - Intiative 21:
In hand: Composite Short Bow
Free Action: Drop bow
Move action: Move to Cd41 while drawing short sword
Standard Action: Attack bugbear
Morgan's sword finds bone and the bugbear is cut again!
Round 2
In hand: War Axe
Move action: Move to CC41
Std action: Attack bugbear at CC42
Round Two - Intiatitive 22
Mit'l jabs at the bugbear as he advances on him
Action: AOO on BB at CC42
Then he slides to the side for another powerful blow ...
In hand: Spear
effect: None
Action: Attack BB at CC42
Move: 5' Step
Mit'l finishes off the injured bugbear and the party splits
gold pieces
Everyone notes in a amazement the lack of a single scratch. The disgusting arms and legs on skewers are left behind. Horster advances down the steps and sees a left and right door separated by about 30'.
The quick fight has probably went unnoticed. The gong was connected to a large resonating pipe. Unsounded, your intrusion is probably unnoticed.
Morgan wipes the blood off her sword on the bugbear's corpse, then sheathes the blade.
She picks up her bow and follow Horster down the stairs, pulling and nocking an arrow as she goes.
Horster carefully creeps up to have a listen at both doors also checking for booby-traps, beginning with the one on the left. He's careful not to make too much noise, and holds a finger up to his lips as he sees Morgan approach.
+1 for any traps
None of the doors are trapped, and no sounds are heard inside. The doors appear too simple to lock and open in, You would guess a quick pull of the door would surprise those inside.
Crom moves up to the western door and readies his war axe. "Whenever your ready Horster."
Mit'l moves into his 2nd line position ... ready for action and elated after dealing some serious damage in the last room.
Horster is unable to open the lock and moves to the other door.
With incredible skill, Horster opens the eastern door and eases the door open a foot and slips soundlessly inside. He sees the largest bugbear ever sleeping on a combined improvised bed of furs and beautiful silks. The bugbear is as large as the ogre the party defeated!! The female bugbear is wearing large earrings of pure gold!!
The rest of the party is motionless in the hall as Horster pads over to the bed. The behemoth bugbear and his mate are still asleep!!
Horster considers the pros and cons of warning his friends and going for the silent kills. Maybe he could let Morgan help? Maybe the dwarves could sneak in too????
The hairs on the back of Horster's neck tingle and he feels a bead of sweat run down the side of his face. He looks at Morgan and as he runs his thumb along his throat, left to right, and motions for her to follow.
Drawing his rapier silently, Horster sticks it into the throat of the unsuspecting giant of a bugbear, watching it smoothly slip through layers of tissue until the hilt meets the neck.
Mit'l watches how ineffective the rapier is and wishes he had given Horster his longspear ... it did a number on those orcs. Glancing up at the spear ... it is pretty long, maybe he could do it form here ...
Morgan shoulders her bow, draws her short sword and moves in beside Horster. As the halfling moves to cut the huge bugbear's throat, she brings her blade down on the female.
Horster stabs the big bugbear and, before he can react, he stabs him again. Morgan observes the action and pads in attacks the female as Horster deliver his second blow. Both creatures do not stir as they die before waking.
The rest of the group files in to the room and search.
Horster searches the chief finding a pouch with a key, 29 platinum pieces, and 3 50 g.p. gems in it. His mate has gold earrings worth 100 g.p. The furnishings of the room are battered and crude, but several pieces of silk are mixed up with the bedding, in all 6 may be found. Morgan spots a gray chest stuck up on a ledge near the ceiling after carefully searching while Horster searches the chief.
It takes Mit'l, Crom, and Kelgan to get the chest down from the ledge. Horster opens the chest which contains 1,462 silver pieces, a 30 pound statue of alabaster and ivory (Crom and Kelgar say is worth 200 gold pieces), and 2 potions of healing. There is a hand axe +1 on the wall.
Horster uses the key to unlock the other room, immediately recognizing that it will fit. The following are on a large metal tray: (catnip, something these particular bugbears relish), various boxes and crates of high quality dried or salted foodstuffs, leather hides in a stack, 3 barrels of ale, a tun of wine, and a small keg of oil (20 flask capacity).
Horster slides the catnip of the tray and shines it up. It is a +1 heavy metal shield!!
Horster feels the goods in this room are worth about 400gp not counting the shield!!!
As the group begins to count their loot, a large orc and five other orcs 'check in' on you to see how you were doing. The chief speaks:
"See, the big goblins are tough, but fewer."
Still unsure about whether to trust the orcs, Horster whispers into Morgan's ear...
"I'm not sure if these fellas know how much all this is worth. Try and get us a choice deal if you're doing the negotiating."
"Hello, boys," Morgan says to the orcs.
"So, we cleared out this little nest of bugbears, as you requested. Does that provide you with enough proof that we are better to have as allies than enemies? It's a shame you chose not to join us in the fight. Some of this treasure would be rightfully yours, but since you yourself said that we should keep what we take in battle and that you should do the same, it looks like all of this fine merchandise belongs to us."
She pauses a moment to let that sink in.
"However, we could be persuaded to be generous for just this once, and let you have the cave and the foodstuffs. As far as future division of spoils, that would depend on how helpful you and yours intend to be."
Crom eyes the orcs suspiciously, "Why don't you fellas focus on a different cave. We got this one covered."
Crom picks up the heavy shield,"This is exquisite craftsman. I could use this. Does anyone else want it?"
The orc chieftain looks around and nods.
"The clues about the big goblins was freely given. We were wondering if you wanted a more permanent bonding of our groups and more information. If so, I was hoping you would freely give up the axe the bugbear chief used. We have enough cave and foodstuffs."
He shrugs his shoulders: "If you decide to ally with us, you know where to find us."
The other orcs look at the chief expectantly with a tight grip on their clubs. The chief shakes his head and the orcs file out the way they came.
Whatever your decision with the orcs, you quickly pack up all the valuables for the return to the Keep. The trip back to the Keep is uneventful and you walk with the swagger of more experience adventurers.
"So, what do you say, boys?" Morgan asks the party after the orcs leave. "Do you think that enchanted axe is worth an alliance?"
"Well, it's certainly more interesting than just killing them! I say, why not?!"
"This could be a slippery slope we are treading. Who is to say they will not use us as a 'blunt instrument' to defeat their foes, then when we are weakened, turn on us. I advise caution in these dealings. I am sure I am only voicing everyone elses thoughts..."
"I have no illusions that these orcs are going to remain friendly. They're using us the same as we're using them. We want to clear out the Caves and they want to control them. Sooner or later, I suspect they will take an opportunity to strike us while we appear to be weak. That's the downside of this temporary alliance. On the other hand, If we don't ally with them, even temporarily, they will be a constant nuisance to us until we kill them all or drive them off."
"Aye, It think that's the right of it. We cannot show them weakness. Let's hold on to the axe for now, and make no decision just yet."
Back at the keep, Kelgan finds a quiet corner, spending time quietly in meditation. The second morning at the keep, he ventures outside the walls at dawn, greeting the sunrise kneeling in the open road. When he returns, he is wearing his symbol of Muamman Duathal much more openly.
"Friends, I've taken my vows, and, in addition to soldiery, I'll be serving the Wandering God as his priest.".
Arriving at the Keep, you find little has changed in your absence as the warriors great you from the wall and open the gate. As you make your way to the tavern, though, the Captain of the Guard joins you at the table.
"Welcome back lads. It appears you are long for these lands and doing quite well. I was hoping you would help me and note any details on this map that may be of interest to the guard."
He unrolls a large map . You note the Caves of Chaos is marked by the ravine, but no details.
Berta comes running out, her hands still red from having worked in the kitchen. She seems to be glad to see you. The haughty elven group is not to be found. Two young men in leather armor seem to be sitting around and talking animatedly with a female companion.
Once the orcs have left Crom turns to the others, "We can't trust those orcs. They'll end up turning on us just like the other orc that we rescued - whom was from this tribe I believe. We can agree to not attack the orcs for now, but we should not empower them by providing them weapons, and we should have no illusions that they are our allies. We will end up fighting them before long."
Crom will help the Captain fill out the map.
Morgan drops in on the armorer.
"Hello friend, has my order arrived?"
Morgan's order has arrived! An elven smith has arrived, intrigued by the opportunity to do business in the Keep. He offers to make custom armor for anyone and can make full plate armor.
The captain beams as the map has three cave complexes on it with multiple entrances for some.
Berta looks you up and down. "Maybe you are ready for an audience with the Commander here? I would need something to get his attention. The humans that keep his schedule tend to not listen to me."
"We drinking or talking tonight!!" She says.
"DRINKING!", Mit'l takes out Theorn's boots, pulls out a chair, slaps the boots on the ground in front of it, grabs a tankard off of a passing serving platter and slams it on the table in front of "Theorn's Seat".
By now others in the tavern have heard the tale of Theorn's ultimate sacrifice, if not, they're likely about to, "This is Theorn's seat ... leave him be and always keep his mug full! To Theorn!", and Mit'l downs his own tankard.
Horster pull up a seat alongside the others. He smacks his lips in anticipation of the day's meal and takes a deep gulp of his cold ale. "So, who's this commander that Berta's talking about? Have you met him before?", he innocently asks.
"Does this commander have anyone working for him with magical talent? I would love the chance to "talk shop" and maybe pickup some extra scrolls and possible a new spell or two. A magic wand or other minor trinket would not be amiss either!"
Ozmund orders some ale and a meal, making both disappear almost like magic! He gets a refill and sits back to listen to Berta speak of the commander.
Berta answers:
"The commander is a dwarf like me."
She seems to think that a complete answer t oZmund's question."[/b]
Morgan smiles admiringly at the buckler made of darkwood. She pays the merchant the remainder of his gold.
"This is fine work!" she says to the elven armorer. "Could you make for me a suit of studded leather where the studs are also made of darkwood?
"Are there any other magic users in this place?? Or someone who might trade in magical wares?"
To Theorn!
Berta explains:
"The temple had a magic wand for healing people that are hurt. Rumor has it they have given it to you."
She scratches her head:
"Except for personal property or guard staff of the Keep Garrison, I don't think there are other magicks or magic users around."