Merdle concentrates on the nearest Duergar , while Roahn rushes up and makes a wild one-handed strike with his primal-infused staff. The Duergar's tactical leader - the one shouting the commands - becomes momentarily revealed to all as Dr Yuen brings the torch deeper into the cavern, and yelling another command, he pulls some bottles from his bandolier, and pouring one into another hurls it wildly at Dr Yuen, who easily dodges out of the way , before once again retreating into the last sliver of darkness not shone by the light the good doctor brings forth!
Again, Purple takes stalagmite cover. Again, it'll be a Point Out action if you'd like to convey non-general exact directions to enable your team to target him, on your turn, per usual.
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Roahn, one-handed shillelagh, lowlight vision, 26/26 hit points
Dr Yuen, torch in hand, normal vision, 11/18 hit points (-2 acid, -8 bolt, -2 bolt, +9 chit, -4 acid, -8 fire, +11 healing, -3 acid/fire)
Merdle, empty hands, dropped telekinetic Sunrod, darkvision, 13/13 hit points, 1/3 spell slots
"Purple" Bomber (in darkness @ Northeasterly)
Jak, dropped dagger w/ Light, normal vision, 17/17 hit points, 3/5 spell slots
Korvoth, longsword and shield, lowlight vision, 20/20 hit points
"Blue" Sniper (-5 mental) (-? mental)
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You recall that Duergar prefer to fight with alchemical, blunt, or mechanical weapons!
You also recall that if pressed, they have an ability that allows them to double in size!
You recall that Duergar are strongly averse to light, as it negatively affects their vision!
You recall that Duergar are known to use magic to "disappear" for the purposes of ambush or egress!
Sprinting across the battlefield but not quite flanking with Roahn , Korvoth swings and connects with the sniper while Jak tries to make her out through the dim light, and striking true with his slingrock , when suddenly...
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Roahn, one-handed shillelagh, lowlight vision, 26/26 hit points
Dr Yuen, torch in hand, normal vision, 11/18 hit points (-2 acid, -8 bolt, -2 bolt, +9 chit, -4 acid, -8 fire, +11 healing, -3 acid/fire)
Merdle, empty hands, dropped telekinetic Sunrod, darkvision, 13/13 hit points, 1/3 spell slots
"Purple" Bomber (in darkness @ Northeasterly)
Jak, dropped dagger w/ Light, normal vision, 17/17 hit points, 3/5 spell slots
Korvoth, longsword and shield, lowlight vision, 20/20 hit points
"Blue" Sniper (-5 mental) (-? mental) (-6 slash) (-5 blunt)
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...she passes out, the pain in her head to much to bear!
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Roahn, one-handed shillelagh, lowlight vision, 26/26 hit points
Dr Yuen, torch in hand, normal vision, 11/18 hit points (-2 acid, -8 bolt, -2 bolt, +9 chit, -4 acid, -8 fire, +11 healing, -3 acid/fire)
Merdle, empty hands, dropped telekinetic Sunrod, darkvision, 13/13 hit points, 1/3 spell slots
"Purple" Bomber (in darkness @ Northeasterly)
Jak, dropped dagger w/ Light, normal vision, 17/17 hit points, 3/5 spell slots
Korvoth, longsword and shield, lowlight vision, 20/20 hit points
"Blue" Sniper (-5 mental) (-? mental) (-6 slash) (-5 blunt)
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Dr Yuen brings the torch to the Northeasterly corner, and "claws" to the now revealed bomber, firmly striking him twice, while Roahn bounds up, changes his grip to a powerful two-handed swat, and spikes the bomber sideways.
As the sounds of of the battle ahead continue, the party marches forward deeper into the caverns, Jak with his dagger, Merdle with his Sunrod, and Dr Yuen with his torch, as the "pincir" move collapses the ranks of the remaining slavers, as the party rejoins with the Steel Falcons two companies outflanking one, their tactical mission a wild success!
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Roahn wades into the battle at the Steel Falcons' side giving no quarter to the duergar slavers. Along side of his companions, he slings cantrips alternating with blobs of acid and small balls of flame to take down the enemy.
With the battle over and suffering only minor wounds, Roahn regroups with his companions and helps tend to the wounded.
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Merdle hung back long enough to ensure that the duergar were soundly defeated before rushing out to see what the bodies held, and to catch up with their Steel Falcons support.
Merdle lined up on the duergar flank and cast the last of his prepared spells into their midst, tendrils of writhing energy sucking life from even the hardiest of the dwarves. Then, he contented himself with telekinetically throwing rocks into their midst.
The situation of showing mercy really wasn't an option for Merdle. The hatred of the dark dwarves ran deep in the kobold racial memory. Hatred for the slavers and for their casual contempt for others was a part of him. He did not stop hurling heavy rocks until the last of the duergar was still.
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Korvoth charges into the final bouts of battle, forming the tip of the assault on the final stand of the deurgar. Shield raised and longsword lashing out, Korvoth is overcome with his orc blood. No mercy is shown the evil deurgar. In the back of his mind Korvoth hopes that Sarenrae will find it in her mercy to forgive him, as these evil deurgar were far beyond hopes of redemption.
As the heat of battle wanes, Korvoth finds a moment of solitude to himself. You can hear him muttering prayers of forgiveness to his goddess and hopes that he will not be abandoned for these transgressions...
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Now that the battle is joined in earnest Dr Yuen reverts to his old role as a field medic. He darts about the battlefield using his medical knowledge to aid injured Steel Falcons. While he prioritizes the Steel Falcons, he does provide aid to fallen duergars as well, stabilizing them so that they can be sent away for a fair trial and a swift execution.
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Retrieving his dagger, he watches passively as the duergars are finished off. Not saddened at the ending of slavers and predominately evil beings reaching their makers sooner than later.
He joins the others as they continue to finish off the duergars with the Steel Falcons, healing allies when needed.
Almost without reservation, the party assists the Steel Falcons in absolutely crushing the Duergars at their Last Stand, bloodying the dark cavern of the battlefield, and liberating the captives they had taken hostage, accounting for nearly everyone kidnapped in recent weeks, routing the entire operation soundly and definitively.
At first, it was thought that the Duergar side saw no survivors, until it became known that Dr Yuen had been "secretly" tended to the fallen of both sides, leaving instead several wounded, and needing to be dealt with. Nodding assent directly to those with military training in the party - Korvoth and Dr Yuen - Evanno Pratt orders his men to stand in a circle to council, while Jak and Merdle draw their lights to the middle, and addresses the gathering soldiers and Pathfinders.
"Comrades in Arms. Before us stand the brave company of Pathfinders who charted an off-map course and effectively cut off escape of our enemy - Korvoth and Dr Yuen, as well as Jak, Merdle, and Roahn - paving the way for our success today, and the returning of the prisoners to their homes. For that, we honor them as honorary Steel Falcons." There is a short round of applause as he waits to continue "And you all know how I feel about slavers: If it were up to me, we would never take any prisoners of our own of the sort, and instead reward them with either a swift death in battle or a quick clean execution afterwards. But those are not the only two options that occurred today!" A few soldiers, haven removed their helmets, contort their eyebrows in confusion.
"Dr Yuen and Company! Please make your case for those duergar whose wounds you also tended: What is to be done with them? Let us know how to deal with this matter, that it can be soon finished, that we can continue to tend to our own wounded, and we can return to our own families."
It is then that half a battalion's worth of eyes suddenly turn to focus on the good doctor and his friends, to hear what they have to say!
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Korvoth steps forward to address the company...
"Hear me! On this day we have won a great victory against evil and we can all be content with the work that has been done today. But deciding what to do with these prisoners is a hard question... I would like to make an argument to spare these prisoners, and see them taken to receive a fair trial and punishment, only on the condition that they swear to repent from their evil ways...."
Korvoth grimaces, avoiding meeting any onlookers eyes before going on...
"It was not long ago that I was in a very similar situation to these deurgar. In a former life I was apart of a roving Orc tribe in the outskirts of Belkzen.. We traded in slaves and put many villages to torch. These were dark times in my life. It was not until I was sent on a mission by myself --a mission I cannot speak of here for it was truly an evil act-- that would prove my worth to lead this band of orcs when the leader passed from this world. During this mission I was wounded in a fall. I awoke after being nursed back to health in a village that I later came to learn was the remnants of a village that I personally lead the charge to destroy. The people there hated me for what I had done, but at the same time knew that through the kindness of the god they followed I might yet repent from my evil ways. And from these people my redemption was born. My redemption in Sarenrae came far too late to save many of the lives I had ended, but from that point forward I promised that I would give any evil force at least one chance to change its ways before I destroyed them."
Korvoth brings his eyes back to meet the crowding soldiers
"I plead you to head my own tale... These deurgar are the vilest of creatures, and yet so was I. And I say that if I can change my ways to fight for the weak and helpless as I do today, then these deurgar should be allowed that same choice. They do not have to be set free... No I say they must face the proper punishment for their crimes. But those that truly may find some redemption after this day, should be given the chance. It may be that this situation is too close to my own for me to be wise in judgement, but I say this... Any deurgar that is willing to repent from this evil way be taken to the city and given proper trial and receive justice from the people. Any deurgar that spites this offer, the sword is the only answer they deserve. I lay this at your feet, but in the end it is your choice. I cannot meddle in this affair."
with this korvoth salutes the group and steps back among his companions.
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"While I am loathe to have my efforts to preserve life go unheeded these duergar are clearly guilty of the most heinous of crimes imaginable. Crimes that they surely would continue to commit should they get an opportunity. It is not my nature to pass judgement and it does seem that we have the means to transport these criminals to civilization for a proper trial. However if our gathering here amounts to a battlefield tribunal then my vote is they are guilty and should face immediate execution."
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Merdle stepped back behind the others, to his usual spot in a conflict. He had no desire to kill the duergar outright, helpless as they are. But, generations of predations on his people left nothing but ill feelings towards the dark dwarves. He would not speak up for their killing, but nor would he plead for their lives. In fact, he was quite irritated that the commander was putting this all on their shoulders. Was he or was he not in charge of this mission?
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Jak ponders for a moment before speaking, "If the duergar had approached us in peace, then I would say, 'Let us hear them out.' but they came to us, killed us, took slaves, and other horrible things."
He pauses for a moment, "There judgment should be swift and as painless as possible. No need to torture them or prolong their deaths. Just do it quickly."
At the rousing speech Korvoth gave, more than a few of the soldiers weep, and turn to their nearest brother or sister for comfort, most abiding such. When Dr Yuen speaks, more than a few soldiers nod and look around, as if telegraphing his question with greater force to the group. Evanno's attention is not upon Merdle's irritation with him, instead he takes in the effect the PC's words have upon his battalion. When Jak steps up to speak what amounts to the opposite of what Korvoth had advocated, more than a few soldiers raised their bloodied arms to his words in support of this choice instead.
It quickly dawns upon Dr Yuen - and the rest of his party - that this is indeed a Battlefield Tribunal, and furthermore, that Korvoth had already made a case for , while Jak had already made a case for .
The soldiers wait a few more moments for additional speakers before Evanno will motion the popular verdict!
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Although I am in favor of their execution here and now, it may give proof to the townfolk that they are now safe from the slavers and that they have been captured if we brought them into town. It might give the townsfolk some closure if there were a public execution of these savages in the town square for the victims and their families to witness.
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Evanno holds the tribunal, and by a narrow margin, the "yays" outvote the "nays", and justice is carried out swiftly as, avoiding eye contact with Korvoth, the Lieutenant of the Steel Falcons deals the finishing blow to the wounded Duergar, who plead not for their lives.
A somber note lingers over the battlefield, every soldier seemingly paused in reflection and carrying their own unique constellation of emotions.
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Eventually, the camp comes to, and organizes the logistics of carrying their own wounded out of the tunnels and back to "civilization", with the PCs leading the pack or helping where needed here or there. Upon returning to the camp, Evanno turns to the group:
"Had it not been for your intervention, we'd have surely lost a great many more good men and women out there. My sincerest gratitude" Delivering a hand-crushingly overly-firm handshake to three of you, and a well-practiced and honorable salute to two of you, before concluding with "Should the call of the Steel Falcons ever be heard, you may heed it here!" and with that he spins and begins once again barking orders at another cluster of soldiers as they organize safe passage of the refugees back to their homes.