"Dont get ahead of yourself, we dont know what is happening. Weapons out, and let's walk together through the smoke." His off hand holding the reins as his other hand holds his sword. "Urdrsk you want to go ahead and if there is a problem roar?"
Jade helps Amelia get out of the saddlebag. With the reins in one hand she keeps close to the group.
Amris thanks the elf for getting him down and draws the greatsword. Hearing the strange suggestion he gets 5 feet further back but stays with the group.
Hegron is ready for anything but waits with the group kissing his brass knuckles and making a small prayer.
As you walk you find the remains of the wooden outer wall, cinders... You keep walking...
Jade
Amris
Hegron
Saronis
He continues to walk forward listening for Urdrsk and other telltale noises.
Fuming, the dwarf hero dumps his saddlebags, wields his dwarven waraxe, and let's forth a thunderous roar of rage!
Maqan drew her Longsword, and when she heard Urdrsk's call her eyes widened. "Slavers?!" She asked surprised. That means, people where still alive!
Amelia
Amris
Jade
Saronis
Maqan
Urdrsk
Hegron
dragon
men
19 Urdrsk
18 Jade
16 dragon
10 Amris
9 Hegron
4 Amelia
4 Saronis
4 Maqan
2 men
Maqan got off the steed and moved forward.
Urdrsk advances into the smoke to meet his opponents.
Round 1
"Stay here until you hear another roar from Urdrsk," He states and then rushes off into the smoke with the long curved blade in both hands.
Round 1
19
18 Jade
16 dragon
10 Amris
9 Hegron
4 Amelia
4 Saronis
4 Maqan
2 men
Urdrsk advances into the smoke beyond your vision, then yells. No sounds of battle yet. Jade waits holding the horses reign. Amris waits holding the reigns with his off hand. Hegron waits. Amelia waits. Saronis charges forward with Maqan in his wake. Then you hear yells and shouts, "Hey! What we have ourselves a hero?! Oh! This should be fun!" Urdrsk you see the hobgoblin near you step up and swing with its longsword. Though it keeps its shield tightly tucked to protect itself.
AC 20
Watching is opponent step back into smoke, Urdrsk's first instinct is to go in, slashing at anything solid. But as far as he know, the dwarf is the only one they've seen. Perhaps being around so many different races and prespectives, Urdrsk tries a different tact.
"Só yòu hàve chòsèn óbìlìvìòn. Só bé ìt", shouted the dwarf into the smoke behind him! "Èlvèn árchérs, rèmòvè sáfetìés! Wìzàrds, dò sòmèthìng àbòut thìs smòkè ànd fìrébáll áll hóstìles. Héálérs, prépàre fòr máss cásuálìtìés. Thè tìtán wànts thìs sòrtèd òut yèstèrdày. Mén, fìré át wìll!!"
Amelia huddles behind Jade Is there anything you can do about the smoke? Oh! Amelia then uses Ghost sounds to try and mimic the sounds of people responding to Urdrsk's shouted commands.
Round 2
At Urdrsk's command many of the bandit's yells change quickly, "Wait Wait! Don't blow us to pieces! It's now worth hiding from a barrage of arrows!" Also it sounds like twenty men in armor move forward and pull tight on their bows. Then multiple voices chanting.
Also further away you hear cheers, and familiar voices, "That's right run! I sure hope those archers only hit those hobgoblins and can hear our voices! No Fireballs over here, we are chained up!"
The one before you spits at the ground, and focuses on the fight before him rather than the words. Cutting Urdrsk again with his longsword.
AC 20
Round 2
He moves to Urdrsk, seeing the hobgoblin attacking him, and acts quickly. He whispers to Urdrsk, "Make them run!"
As the hobgoblin turns in fright, he likely cuts him down.
Round 3
He slowly walks forward looking for a threat and then stands next to the chained up survivors, if he gets that far...
Round 2
Urdrsk takes the pain from the hobgoblin's attack and roars like a dragon in his face, letting loose his Frightful Presence.
The dwarven hero then attacks the hobgoblin with his ancestral weapon.
Instead of attacking in Round 2, the hobgoblin runs and drops his sword, AoO for both of you! He also cries in fright with many of his friends.
Round 3
Round 3
Urdrsk shouts over the din at Saronis. "Ì'm gónná séárch fòr thè cáptùréd!"
Round 2
With Urdrsk and Saronis taking care of the ones they could see, Maqan moved into the smoke seeking those that have been chained.
Round 3
Maqan continues to search.
Round 3?
Hegron follows the others without hesitation, peering into the smoky areas, looking for adversaries or chained hostages.
The four of you stumble upon the hostages. Some are chained, four have manacles on and the rest are tied up with rope. You each find one NPC from your relations in town.
Round 3?
"Maqej! Maqan cried as she ran up and hugged her brother. "Come on let's get you all out of this." She said as she started cutting the bonds of those with rope. "Where is everyone else?" She asked while paying attention to what she was doing, while trying to think of how to get the chains and mancles off. Maybe a bit of acid would work?
Through the smoke and haze, Hegron hears a familiar voice - "Alda?!" - the sense of urgency piles until he can finally see her, tied and dirty with soot.
He rips the ropes with his bare hands, and picks her up gently out of the smoke, offering his waterskin to clear her throat - "Are you ok? Do you know where Father Albius is?" - he asks, before going to look for more captives.
He is doing his best not to cry as tears form at what he has to say, "Sister! I think da is dead. I don't know where anyone else is, ma was taken away with a few other women... da was still in the inn, bloody..."
Alda looked and saw Hegron, hope sprung into her eyes, as she croaks out, "Hegron!!!" After getting free and some water down her throat she thanks him. Then weakly says, "Father and I got separated when the raiders attacked..."
Soon enough the captives are untied and freed that were tied up. The others look on in dismay.
He takes his time to line up his attack and slices most of the manacles so they can move, the bracelets are still there. He leaves the chains for something more precise. "Stay here and protect them. I am going into the inn to look for survivors. Urdrsk and Hegron stick together and look for others. Move to the North West, into the wind, then get out of the smoke, we will send other survivors there."
Maqan nodded to Saronis, and kissed his cheek. "Please be careful."
Then she turned to the people they had freed, "Follow me!" She called out to them. "We're going to get you all out of here." Then she looked to Hergon and Urdrsk "Please bring up the rear, make sure no one is left behind." She begged them.
The dwarf nods gravely as he begins to sweep the group's flank.
Amris and Jade look at the dwarf and shrug as they lead the horses to go with the group staying on either side to help everyone stay together.
You hear other horses neighing and then their hooves thump a quick tempo as they run. There is very little other noise and the group tries to stay quiet following Maqan.
Eventually you make it out of town and out of the smoke. You see a few bandits but they see your numbers and quickly turn away from you and begin to run.
When Maqan got the others out into an area and in numbers that the bandits wouldn't attack she looked to Urdrsk. "I leave them in your hands my friend. I'm going to start going through homes an try to find others." She explained before she headed off to search the homes.
"Yès", huffed Urdrsk. "Ànd wé mùst gó tò thè mìnés fòr thè sàmè rèàsòn."
Eventually one way or another you move on to the next house and it is burnt as well. Some of the stone walls are still standing but not much. Here you find the outline of someone that got hit either by a fire spell or something worse.
The villagers do their best to sit around the foliage and hide next to trees. Hoping to not draw attention. Amris and Jade move the horses to the far side and tie them to trees. Jade stays near the horses as Amris begins to circle the area with his greatsword resting on his shoulder still.
After Maqan and those that follow her leave. Figures come from the smoke. Tears and cries of joy come from the villagers as they see Maqan's father and Saronis return with several others.
He looks around and then goes up to Hegron, "Where is the dwarf?! I thought you were staying together? Where... Where is Maqan?! You... Ahhh!" He runs back into the smoke furious and yells, "Amris come with me. Hegron can stay and protect."
Amris looks to Amelia first, if she shakes her head or says no. He stays and yells to Saronis that. Otherwise he marches into the smoke calling for the elf to stop.
Hegron stays with the villagers, keeping watch over them and trying to cater to their needs as best as possible - he keeps a specially watchful eye over Alda.
"Apologies, I don't think I ever actually introduced myself" - he moves to greet Jade - "Well met. I am Hegron"
Coming to the next house Maqan does the same with knowledge that there is less likely one so won't stay as long.
"Ah, yeah. I am Jade, guide to Amelia, immortal, and monk. It is nice to meet you, too bad it isn't under better circumstances." she relays a bit nervously.
Apparently Urdrsk is with you.
You search another house to no avail. As you start looking for the next one you see two figures in studded leather armor. They don't see you yet as they are looking the other way.
Urdrsk tries to pull Maqan out of sight from the studded leather men.
"Immortal..? As in you do not die of natural causes..?" - Hegron mumbles to Jade, then catches himself - "Apologies for the blunt question. You do not have to answer of course"
Being pulled back, you don't know if they heard you... nothing for a few rounds but you can hear their chatter you just can't make out what they are saying.
You can hear there are three voices up ahead in the fog.
Cheerfully she replies, "Yes, though I was sleeping in the wall for who knows how long. I don't know the specifics of it yet but we will see. No its fine, though what can you tell me about yourself?" She gets closer to you and seems interested, more interested than any of the village girls before. She steps closer to you and traces over the fresh glowing sigil on your... shoulder.
"Òn thréé, wè chàrgé ìn ànd áttáck!", Urdrsk nods at the aasimar, looking for consensus.
"Hold on, there are three of them." Maqan whispered to Urdrsk. "They're going to try and take two of our people. If we focus our attack on the same on we can level the field to make it two on two." Maqan suggested. "But I think we can take them... If not kill we can run them off."
The large half-orc tenses a bit as Jade approaches, but then smiles and seems to relax - "Not sure there is much to talk about. Certainly nothing as exciting as what you have probably lived through" - he chuckles - "I only remember my life after having been taken into Sanctuary by father Albius and Alda, and growing up with them. I tended the garden, the grounds and the church. I was planning on starting to recover the monastery" - Hegron pauses - "Living with them and the other villagers had been a peaceful existence. Until now..." - he stares at the sigil on his shoulder even as Jade traces it - "There is a lot going on I still do not understand"
Urdrsk nods and points to the yellow-highlighted one. The dwarf silently counts down on his shield hand . 3-2-1
Urdrsk charges in and attacks.
Maqan stepped out of hiding and blasted the same one that Urdrsk attack with missiles of magic.
They all shout out in surprise. The one you both hit retreats not provoking an attack of opportunity. The other two turn and practically snarl at you.
No stat block for Maqan
Maqan 11
Urdrsk 19
Bandits 9
Round 1
They both attack the dwarf and each hit him. Their blows landing heavily on Urdrsk, he bleeds.
+4
Round 1
Maqan moved in, her blade out and crackling with blue lightening.
Maqan takes out one of the bandits, negating his attack. As the electricity courses through his body he spasms then falls to the ground limp.