Quietly: “Well done.”
What can Curumir see from this vantage?
After a quick look go back down the hill and join the rest of the group.
Curumir can see that the various groups of orc warriors have started to engage with the troopers. It looks like the Major is holding some substantial reserves of troops at each end of the line. So far, so good for the troopers.
You make your way back towards the squad who are moving around the back side of the hill.
Ibrel-Whatever you did worked, good job. A little further and we will spread out and prepare to have the mages start blasting. I'd prefer to have you with me in the middle, but I'm sure you know your own business best.
The squad keeps moving forward as quickly and stealthily as they can until they are about 1,000' feet from the back of the orc camp area and then get ready to split up.
“I can stay with the middle.”
Stay with Ibrel.
Staying with Ibrel and the middle squad you watch as the other two groups split off and move towards positions about 200 yards distant from you. The three groups settling in and watch as the majority of the surviving orc warriors engage with the line of troopers. You are a little surprised to see a good number of the women as well as multiple young orcs joining the male warriors; a savage race, truly built to fight!
As the battle kicks off, you and the squad split time between observing the conflict and watching the mage. Without warning, the mage's eyes close and a strange sounding voice utters forth-NOW! The mage's eyes snap open and, holstering the communication rod, he draws forth a wand, steadies his aim, and fires off a series of fireballs towards the remaining encamped orcs. The mages of the other two squads join suit, and quickly cries of dismay and anguish fill the air as the assaulted orcs try to determine the origin of their newfound woe.
As the third fireball blooms in the camp in front of you a large pack of worgs breaks towards the three squads, riders atop each beast.
Ibrel-Mage, do your job and keep firing on the camp! Men, prepare to receive charge!
You can see that the other squads are taking similar action as troopers brace for impact. A group of ten worgs and riders race towards your position. You have 2 rounds of action.
Try to shoot worgs.
You connect on the same worg twice, bringing it down and delaying it's rider. The troopers fire light crossbows with significantly less effect.
The worgs and their riders reach your position!
The troopers strike first but are ineffectual, struggling to stop the crashing wave of worgs. The worgs and their riders fare much better badly wounding two of the troopers with two of the worgs and their riders attacking you.
Worg 1
Rider 1
Worg 2
Rider 2
Curumir action
-8
Attack worgs before orcs. Use ki point for extra attack.
The troopers battle back, led by Ibrel's blade, but the combination of worg and rider is taking it's toll on them. No one down on either side in the current melee, but the troopers are starting to struggle.
You wound the same worg twice (how are you getting SA?) but the pair of worgs and riders battle on.
Worg 1 -19
Rider 1
Worg 2
Rider 2
The mage lobs another fireball at the orc camp.
-33
Curumir heals.
-24
Things go a little more the troopers way with two pairs of worgs and riders going down at the cost of one trooper falling. The non-wounded worg and rider focus their energy on Ibrel, sensing that taking him down might be the key to the fight.
Worg 1 -19
Rider 1
Worg's love the taste of elf flesh!
-40
You regain consciousness and find yourself under the care of one of the trooper's combat medics. The reek of fire, burnt flesh, and blood fills your nostrils as he finishes binding a stitched wound were the worg's last bite ripped through you. Seeing your eyes open, Medic-Lieutenant Ibrel, he's awake. From the corner of your vision Ibrel enters, also bandaged and looking the much worse for ware.
Ibrel-Glad you pulled through; didn't think you were going to make it for a while there. Hells...didn't think any of us were going to make it... Ibrel relates to you that the squads mission was successful, driving the camp followers into the battle lines, leading to a significant victory for the Baron's forces. Unfortunately, that success came at a high cost to the squad with only two of the mages surviving and less than half of the troopers that originally set out with you.
Ibrel-We probably would have been OK, but the uruks had sent a relief column from the West that we were unaware of until it showed up just when the Major's men were cleaning up the survivors of the battle and headed our way. We did for most of the worg riders, but it cost...it cost.
You have 1 HP.
“Thanks Ibrel, that does not surprise me, the worgs are deadly. You did well to keep any alive. Is the Baron around?”
Heals:
Ibrel-No, the Baron has not taken the field this day.
“When do we return to the fortress and are we marching or using the sloop? Anything you need me for in the meantime?”
My guess is we will be in the field for a few more days, cleaning up any survivors and making sure no more uruk come through. Your job was to get us here and let the mages do their thing. I'd love it if you stayed with us, but your mission is done so it's your call.
“Don’t think there is any reason for me to hurry back.”
Curumir will stay and see what happens.
You rest for an hour or so, recovering from the savagery of the worg. Ibrel sets off and leads a group of troopers cleaning out the camps, killing or capturing any orcs trying to hide while the main force pursues those that fled, trying to tie them to similar fates.
After a while, Major Hawkins comes upon the spot where you and the other wounded members of the fireball squad are recovering. His face does not have the usual look of disdain it takes when he sees you, but rather one of care and concern for the wounded men that have been assembling nearby. After reviewing the wounded and speaking with a few of the medics, he approaches you, a little of the disdain you are used to creeping over his face.
Major Hawkins-If you are feeling better, I have another job for you.
“I’ve recovered Major, what did you have in mind?”
Major Hawkins-That relief column of uruks really through us for a loop, and had the timing been different we might have lost today. I'd like you to follow their path back and get a sense of where they came from and if there is any other imminent threat there.
“I’ll see what I can find out.”
Set out to find the source of the relief column.
The path of a few hundred orc warriors is fairly easy to find and almost as easy to trace. You follow the tracks in a NW direction for a mile or two before hearing the sound of some deranged type of laughter in the distance.
Investigate the laughter.
You see a trio of giant-sized hyenas (6' tall) feeding on something along the path the orc column took. Their muzzles dark red with blood and offal , the hoot and chortle amongst each other.
Use negate scent wand in case they can track via scent, try to avoid the giant hyenas.
As you try your best to avoid the giant hyenas, one of them pulls back from whatever they are gorging on and looks around. One of their distinct yarbles hoots out from its maw and the other two look up immediately. The first one yarbles again and the three massive canines move in your general direciton.
Continue to try to avoid the hyenas.
The combination of magic and skill is enough as the hyenas search about a bit before confusedly returning to munching on carrion.
You also carry on, traveling several miles, as trail grows difficult to follow being this far and this old.
Survival roll to continue following the trail.
That was close, three giant hyenas would be a handful. Now where do these orc tracks go?
Use inspired trait to reroll skill check.
You struggle to find the way for a few moments before noticing a tree that had been pulled up and used for firewood. That gets you back on track and you follow the now old path of the orcs several miles as it leads up into some low hills. You think you can make out humanoid figures on at least a few of the hill tops. Sentries perhaps?
Stay put for a bit, 20-30 minutes, and observe the area.
How far to the hill tops with the humanoid figures? Any sign of a trail or trails going up? Anyone moving about?
Use hat of disguise to appear as an orc.
You don't have to stay long. Within five minutes you can see a group of orcs, maybe ten or so, making their way towards your position from one of the gaps in the hills. The hilltops with figures atop them are maybe half a mile each and there are clear ways up but nothing that looks like a trail.
Does Curumir believe he has been spotted?
Absolutely yes. The group of orcs is on a straight line to your position.
Move from current location, try to find a good area to hide and continue to observe.
You move to a more advantageous position to assay the area from and do your best to remain hidden from view. However, the group of orcs must have found some sign of your presence as they break into three groups of three, clearly searching for something/someone, with a tenth orc running quickly back to wherever the group originated from. Despite your good position, you guess it is only a matter of time until one of the three groups locates your whereabouts.
Use wand to remove scent and head back towards human camp but don’t follow the same route.
FYSA
No Trace (Ex)
At 3rd level, a ninja learns to cover her tracks, remain hidden, and conceal her presence. The DC to track a ninja using the Survival skill increases by +1. In addition, her training gives her a +1 insight bonus on Disguise skill checks and on opposed Stealth checks whenever she is stationary and does not take any action for at least 1 round. Every three levels thereafter, the increase to Survival DCs and the bonuses on Disguise and opposed Stealth checks increase by 1.
You begin the journey back to where you last saw the Major and troopers, doing your best to hide your tracks and whereabouts from any orcs. Unfortunately, you get the sense that some of the orcs are skilled and from time to time you catch sight of a group of orcs following behind you. Looks like seven in number. They aren't travelling overly fast as they are trying to stay on your trail, but you aren't going that fast because you are trying to stay hidden and cover your tracks.
More rolls to see if you can elude your pursuers and the likely reinforcements they have on the way.
Guess I’m going to have to try to outrun them.
Run! Head back to human camp.
Realizing that the orcs will be like a dog with a bone, you discard stealth and opt for haste. Fortunately, you are far enough away from pursuit that they don't see you, but rather continue to ploddingly follow your trail.
You make it back to the area of the trooper triage late that night. You aren't quite sure where you lost sight/track of your pursuers but you know that they never seemed to stop. Maybe that will change the closer they get to the troopers?
There are still some small fires burning in the previous orc camp areas and it looks like the majority of the trooper force has moved on. A remaining group of twenty or so troopers guard those wounded that are still too injured to move; they are easy to see with your elven eyes.
Drop orc disguise.
Approach the 20 troopers. How many wounded are they guarding?
“Where is the Major and the rest of the forces? Be ready to fight, there may be orcs following me.”
Did the Major mention anything to Curimir about leaving the area? Does Curumir believe the Major was just trying to send Curumir out hoping to get him captured/killed?
The troopers guard about thirty wounded. The Major made no mention of leaving the area and Curumir does not suspect that the Major sent him out to be captured or killed.
Closest NCO trooper-The Major has returned to the stronghold with the wounded fit enough to travel. He should be coming back with the wound wagons to get everyone else back tomorrow. Any trooper that wasn't on security with the walking wounded or stationed here was split into three groups to chase down any last survivors from the battle. They shouldn't be too far away; there weren't many survivors and their orders were not to go far from our camp here. Don't want any tuskers trying to exact some revenge.
Curumir gets in the middle of the wounded and channels healing energy in a 30’ radius.
“Gather all the wounded close to me, maybe I can get some of them back on their feet.”
Wait until he thinks all are close enough.
Looking for any orcs.
Your channel makes a significant difference for many of the wounded, but a few will just need time (or regeneration, etc.) to heal. The mood and energy of the nearby troopers seem to lift and you can see smiles and looks of appreciation on many faces.
You don't see any orcs nearby.
Spend the evening with this group and offer to take a shift on the watch.
The evening passes by without event and the troopers appreciate you willingness to stand a watch as much as the healing you provided. Early the next morning, as the sun begins to rise, a train of wagons comes rumbling in, along with a group of twenty guards led by Lieutenant Yarsh.
The orderlies begin to help load up the wounded and prepare to return to the stronghold. Yarsh-Good to see you again Curumir. Heard you had a tough time of it, but your group was instrumental in driving off the rest of the tuskers. Be happy to offer you a ride back to civilization if you are interested?
“Well met LT Yarsh, I’ll gladly take a ride but I need to see the Major, do you know where he is?”
Yarsh-The Major went with a squad to consolidate the troopers in the field and bring them back to the stronghold. The Baron feels that we've done enough to clear the tuskers out from this area and doesn't expect more grey-skins any time soon. Once the Major has them in order, I expect the troops to fall into columns and march. They should probably catch us before we reach the walls if my guess is correct.
“Guess I will go with you then and expect to see the Major during the trip back.”
The wagons pull along the edges of the destroyed camp and recent battle. You get a sense that the fighting, while ferocious, appears to have heavily favor one side. Charred orc corpses lie in large piles, making it impossible to distinguish warrior from civilian; if there even is such a distinction. Even so, birds of carrion circle overhead, hoping to pick off morsels, charred or otherwise.
Moans from the more severely wounded soldiers ring out from the first three wagons from time to time, while a solemn air surrounds the fourth wagon carrying the dead troopers. The normally ebullient nature of the troopers guarding the wagon train is heavily muted as they think about the last two days. About mid-day, Major Hawkins rides up with a few squires in tow, Marshap amongst them. Further back, maybe half a mile, you can just make out the first few rows of two columns of troopers on the march towards the stronghold.