sure why not. Let's hittem from the backside
The group hurry their way over the ladder bridge, back around the snail room, and to the secret door. Upon opening, they see the barracks still a bright conflagration. Getting around the burning building might result in some burns. Through the roaring fire, the group hear the yells and steel blows of a battle. The Ogres are fighting... each other?
Wabbit is an excellent shimmier. What does he see when he gets past the burning building?
Wabbit witnesses a battle taking place over a drainage ditch near the gates. In the ditch are the corpses of Ogres, but seven of them have risen from death and are attacking Ogres and Goblins. Wabbit is familiar with ghouls, and he suspects one of the Ogre corpses is a ghast. The ghast is covered in arcane tattoos, and has multiple gemstones studding their rotting chest. With his limited vantage point, Wabbit can only see two living Ogres, but he can hear other Ogres and goblins fighting.
Furnok prefers to stay unburned and lets Wabbit scout.
Kemras follows Wabbit, albeit rather more quietly. "Necromancy? What the Hell's going on?" He looks at Wabbit, at something of a loss. "We could take advantage of their distraction to try getting in deeper, but at this point, I'm not even sure where we should go. Maybe waiting would be the best choice?"
Wabbit Whispers... let's wait and see what happens confused by the situation
The Ogres and ghouls clash head on in a devastating blur of claws and clubs. The ghouls aren't as hardy as the Ogres, but they attack with ferocity and agility far exceeding their foes.
We going to head out there?
More time passes, and neither side is really winning. The Ogres are just too massive to get paralyzed, while two archers destroy the ghouls from a distance. Goblins are getting killed all over the place, but the ghast is very powerful and its claws are wreathed in fire and crackling with lightning.
Then another scream is heard from far above.
Kemras shakes his head. "I don't think we ought to - at least, not yet. If the undead start winning, we should probably hit them hard. Otherwise, we should let the ogres weary themselves against them."
Cleo waits with a mass of anxiety and an eager goblin.
The screaming gets louder and louder, until a figure plummets from the sky and impacts three ghouls attacking a lone Ogre. There's a great eruption like a fireball blast, but it's in a bright violet light. The ghouls clutch their heads in pain, but their eyes melt in their sockets, and blood pours from their ears. In a matter of seconds, they collapse to the ground dead. The Ogre's nose is bleeding profusely, and he seems completely disoriented.
Well it looks like whatever is up there doesn't like ghouls.
The enemy of my enemy is ...My Friend? Wabbit asks confused at the situation
The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more, no less.
"I'm pretty sure they threw something - or someone - at me, so I'm not keen to make any swift decisions on their relative friendliness." Kemras says dryly, eyeing the flying barge. "The undead might be slightly harder to kill for us, so I'm glad that they're being wiped out. The ogres are easier to kill, in my opinion."
The battle wraps up after about a minute. In the end, only a single Ogre archer survives the ordeal. The gates into the keep remained shut the entire time. The barracks continues to burn, as the barge looms far, far overhead, blocking out the moon.
how many undead are there?
So the only enemy we see remaining is the lone archer plus whatever might be hidden on the floating barge and within the fort?
I suppose we can head in? Although I'm getting this feeling about something. A word...cutscene? Nah..
The archer turns around the corner and disappears where the other secret door lies. The gates that lead into the keep proper are in bad shape, but closed shut.
"Are any of you confident that you could - perhaps with help - force the gates open?" Kemras asks, looking around at the others.
Let me climb up and over and see if I can open it from the other side.
Wabbit climbs to the top and peeks over
If Wabbit sees no threats he'll drop down to the other side( featherfall ring) and look for a way to open the gate
Furnok backs up Rarebit
Wabbit climbs over the gate to notice quite the sight. Standing guard of the double doors to enter the Fort are two Ogres armed with pikes, and sitting between them is an Ogre-looking creature who's just as tall while sitting. While the two pike-Ogres are in hide armour, this Giant is clad in hides and reinforced with mismatched and ill-fitting iron plates. He wields a spiked greatclub that might as well just be called a tree trunk.
None have noticed Wabbit climb up, but they might notice Furnok if he makes too much noise.
Upon seeing the the Ogres and Giant Wabbit motions to Furnok signaling him to stop climbing and puts his finger to his lips calling for silence.
There's no way Wabbit wants to start a fight vs this crew right now, wounded as he is.
Wabbit floats down to the ground (featherfall) and motions Furnok to retreat with him towards the rest of the group and back inside the secret door
Once back inside the secret door Wabbit relays what he saw to the group
two typical ogres, one big Ogre-like one and a Giant. Whatdya think take'em after Cleo patches us back up or rest and heal inside these caves? Wabbit looks to the Black Arrows Is there any way into the Fort other than over the wall or through the gate?
Kaven kind of shrugs, but Jakardros gives it some thought. "Hmmm. Over the wall won't help you much, it'll just force you to enter through the front. Wall or gate doesn't make a difference.... Well we did talk about going under before, through the caves and into the jails. That would lead us into the fort. Hmmm. Y'know, this thing was built so you Couldn't sneak in. Hmmmmmm. Can't fit through the arrow slits. I guess you could fly on top of it. There's a belltower with a staicase. You've got that slow-falling magic, maybe you could climb up to the eagles nest and float onto the tower?"
Well...I'm not thinking about just me. I can climb up and over no problem. I'm thinking how we can get ALL of us into the Fort at the same time. Any ideas? I guess we could have Furnok bash the gate down but that doesn't seem very subtle
"There are ghouls fighting ogres, and a barge flying in the sky?" Cleo seems a bit lost at what the others are telling her. While Cleo is contemplating, Aggah suggests "FIRE!" indicating the gates in question.
She prays away all but a minor scratch on her cousin.
The scholar follows both Wabbit and Furnok, before examining the giant curiously. What sort of creature is it?
Now that Wabbits had a little more time to think about it Ya know since there's only three of'em. Why don't Kemras and I climb over while Furnok is making tons of noise bashing the gate down? We'll make an Ogre Giant Sandwich. Kemras and I on one side and everyone else on the other. Just don't get hit by the Giants log. What'dya think?
Kemras only gets to peek over the gate before the giant looks in his general direction, and Kemras has to duck down again. He knows he just saw a Hill Giant, an absolutely huge creature of terrifying power. A common myth is that Hill Giants are stupid, but this is not true. Hill Giants (and all giants) are just as clever as humans. The difference is that giants are primarily solitary creatures who band together only for war or worship. The amount of materials needed for giants to make tools, weapons, armour, are so enormous that they have to make do with readily available materials like wood or stone, forcing them to look primitive despite their knowledge. There are many stories of a hill giant sweeping through villages to take cattle and swine, or even declaring themselves rulers of the village, but there are also stories of hill giants trying to integrate with society, acting as a guardian and labourer in return for food.
A Hill Giant can stand as tall as twenty feet, and weighs between 5-7 tons. Their skin and fat are very difficult to penetrate with short blades and similar weapons, and their fat reserves make bludgeoning weapons difficult to use effectively. Most giants are held off using arrow volleys and extra-long spears. Dwarves are renowned for their tactics against giants, as are Gnomes. A giant's three biggest weaknesses are the following: Bright light, falling, and overheating. Giants tend to live in colder regions, and value conserving energy such that they don't overheat.
Sounds like a plan
Kemras purses his lips. "Very well."
"okay." Cleo says with her regular obvilous worry when her companions put themselves into danger. "Didn't we fight a hill giant in the woods once?"
If we can take a little nap it would be helpful. Get our friends all fixed up.
Kemras inclines his head, looking to Jakardos and Kaven. "If you don't mind us doing so, I think a rest would be beneficial. The passageway seems like it would be a safe enough place to do so."
Wabbit looks over the Black Arrows and realizes how long the day has been for them in their condition let's get these guys patches back up. I'm pretty sure the Ogres will still be there tomorrow
"Don't matter to me none." Jakardros answers. "I'm surprised we're still alive." Kaven says "Can I just rest for like... ever? In a hot spring... with some good looking wenches..."
The group return to the storage room with the baby flail snails to sleep for the rest of the night. It's a terrible night, as people squirm and roll over and toss and turn. Sometimes Aggah screams herself awake, and Jakardros gives up trying to sleep.
You all experience terrible nightmares involving an old and gaunt-looking tiefling woman with purple skin and three teeth. She laughs as she restrains you and carves a symbol into your flesh. The Sihedron rune. "You're mine now, bumpkin. Send my regards to our master." Then she kills you with her wicked dagger. This happens over and over again in different ways until you give up trying to sleep.
You all take 6 points of damage, and you do not get any healing or benefits from resting 6 hours. Further, you must make a DC15 Fortitude saving throw or become fatigued and take an additional -1 against sleep effects.
When you all get up, Kaven remains in his bedroll.
Kaven: Auto Fail
Furnok moans as he gets up. Folks, I think we're being cursed somehow. Some nasty woman craved me up with a rune and then killed me. I reckon we need to get checked out and see if this is a curse.
Bacon oinks pitifully.
Jakardros says "I got the same. Gave up after a few hours. I'm feeling real bad. So was this a magic thing?"
Cleo and Aggah seems to whether the bad dreams okay, maybe they both have touched evil too much in their lives, whispers of bad gods and all. Either way, Cleo gets to the business of praying to one of the good ones.
Kaven..Kaven! Blast, looks like he got cursed as well.
Wabbit sleeps peacefully through the night and is concerned when everyone starts describing their dreams. But then he notices the unmoving Kaven and concerned, he tries waking him up Hey time to get up big guy
[
Kemras looks around at his companions. "Worrying..." I'm glad I've gotten somewhat inured to curses. It does not sound good... Noticing Kaven, he settles down beside him to examine him closely. "Kaven!"