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Amalina puts a shoulder under Gylwinth and they stagger towards the barrels. The sound of the trolls thunders in your ears and numbs your other senses. Amalina lunges past the barrels and lights the fuse while the others clamor through. She can see the whites of the trolls eyes in the moonlight - they are that close. It is only the narrowness of the valley entrance that slows their relentless advance and permits you the last moment to jump away from the cache of volatile liquid. Trolls wrestle past each other, clawing between barrels, when the flame descends into the fuel. The explosion of the first barrel ignites the next and the next and the next, and in a dramatic series of a hundred such blasts which take only a second, the entire corridor into the valley is engulfed in flame. The blast knocks all of you off your feet - even Swiftkiss is rolled over. The intensity of the heat cannot be described, but it washes over you, expending the very air from your lungs. You feel as if you have breathed fire. Rockets of small containers burst in all directions like a fireworks display gone horribly wrong. No living thing is spared the flames, and each of you is pelted with shrapnel of wood or metal or rock, and as the fuel splashes your armor, you must tumble into the shallow snows to save yourselves from severe burns or worse. While the company writhes and crawls toward the tree line, the shrieks from dozens of trolls scathes your fragile nerves. You cannot help but look back. A fireball devours itself as it climbs the chasm walls, and below, countless trolls flee blindly as the fire consumes them. It is as terrifying a sight as you will ever see. You scramble clear, but you are not safe. The company staggers south, retracing the path along which they had arrived hours earlier. Exhausted and freezing as the cold turns your sweat against you, there is no recourse but to march into the black, barren landscape. You reach the South branch of the Hoarwell headwaters shortly before dawn, and with first light you collapse together in a shivering heap, desperate for the nourishing rays of sun.
Findegil struggles to help Cereidh onto Swiftkiss. With every precious second lost the trolls are three strides closer to overtaking the company. A last push and the elf is strung over the horse and the flight is resumed. Amalina and Gylwinth have continued ahead while the others helped Cereidh, and with legs and lungs burning they are nearly to the barrels when Gylwinth goes down. Amalina helps to drag her friend, and then the rest of you catch up. You're nearly out, but the trolls are almost upon you!
Yes, if you want to be the one to roll Athletics.
Cereidh takes a terrible fall. Amalina helps her gather herself, but the Trolls get closer for the delay. When she stumbles again she turns an ankle.
GM Stuff:
The gathering of trolls returns to the height of revelry. You hear a barrel burst open and several trolls standing about it arguing until a chief breaks them up and gives them something to think about. Then they start coming toward you... They spot Swiftkiss; her coat shines in the glow from the bonfire. In an instant the alarm is raised. "Spies!" Mormog thunders from his pedestal. "Get them!" The entire troll army turns on the company. There is a deafening collective roar that resounds between the canyon walls. You suddenly feel as if the mountains are collapsing on you. And then they rush at you!
To escape the Broadcleave, each member of the party will make 3 Athletics checks. You may be able to help each other through narrative. Work together to survive! Now fly, you fools!
Wulfgith moves quickly and quietly to Swiftkiss, soothing the horse and freeing it from the tether. The bond is instantly reforged, and it knows to make no noise at her presence in this valley of evil. The Rider and her steed return to the company unnoticed.
Amalina, you count at least 100 trolls in the gathering. None of them are within 30 yards of Swiftkiss, and they all seem to be paying close attention to Mormog's speech. It's noteworthy to point out that as you observe Mormog, he stands tall, resembling something more like a giant-sized orc than a troll. He is also clearly intelligent - moreso than the other large monsters you have crossed paths with. His choice to use the Common tongue is convenient, although most trolls are at least familiar with it or grasp the basics, and not all trolls know black speech or other similarly dark languages. You sense the speech is nearing an end. Time to act.
You mean the very obvious bomb at the entrance to the valley? Let's see what you do with it first.
The Company licks its wounds and journeys deeper into the Broadcleave. Another mile in so you see the source of the raucus noise. The valley floor is filled from side-to-side with heartily drinking Trolls of nearly every kind. A massive bonfire blazes away at the centre of the dale and the smell of roasting meat fills the night air. A hundred yards closer to you, a lone horse cries, tethered to a broken cart. Wulgith recognizes Swiftkiss immediately. You appear to have arrived at a pivotal moment, as the din quickly ebbs. From atop a rocky outcropping at the far end of the valley, a black-clad figure emerges, and calls out with a grim, terrifying voice in the Common tongue. The voice carries through the valley, and you know it is one you will remember in your nightmares forever. “Brothers, yer have et and yer have drank hearty, eh? Now harken here. Yer knows from where I came. Yer knows who I serve. Long time since last he walked here in the North, but here ever his heart flies and with good reason. Here are soldiers he favours afore all others. Here is the strength of his armies of old! Know this you lot, he’s coming back, he is. “Weak are the West-lands, gone soft with age. They haven’t known strife in a thousand years! Yet yer sit in the mountains and grind rock for yer bread. Listen: we have many friends in these lands now. The orc-kind of the Mountain join us! There's men what’s useful for more than their flesh. I’ve been busy, yer see. Digging places, caves and such, set all about Eriador. Secret places where the light of the sun will never touch yer, until by the Dark Lord’s will, the sun will come out no more ’round here. “Time’s soon coming to leave these highlands and take back what was yers long afore. Join up with me and yer will never want for meat, nor drink. Join with us, and yer’ll have plunder the likes of which have not been seen in an age!” Many Trolls throughout the Broadcleave pick up the chant of “Mormog!” others yell, “Angmar!”
Cereidh, in the darkness you manage to find arrows.
Option 3 would mean a second short rest. Wulfgith can do her Campfire Tales ability for the short rest the company just completed.
The company kills an hour resting. Miraculously, no trolls come through to get more of the firewater they've been drinking. The pitch of the revelry deeper in the valley is such that you have to speak loudly just to have a conversation. Gylwinth recovers 1 HP.
The company's archers unleash of storm of arrows into the ettin with deadly accuracy, and with a sickening scream, both heads finally fall silent, and the great monster crashes to the ground. Findegil is freed. The other ettin has disappeared through the entrance of the valley, in the direction from where you came. "Go ahead," says Estel, authority and confidence in his tone, despite the severity of his wounds. "Find this 'Captain.' I will hunt down the ettin." He starts to run but stops and turns as if to say something. But instead, he raises a finger near his forehead in salute. Then he too disappears into the night.
Over the din of the trolls' revelry from deeper into the valley you think you hear the sound of a horse bellering.
Another hail of arrows strike the ettin solidly!
With Winter creating a distraction, Estel gets two great hacks in on the monster from behind!
The Ettin scoops the Knight off the ground and bashes at him!
The other ettin, seeing its counterpart take the full brunt of the heroes attacks, can stand against its fear no longer, and it turns to run back through the entrance into the valley.
Gylwinth is unconscious and stabilized.
With Gylwinth stabilized, the company focuses its collective ire on the foremost ettin. Amalina, Cereidh, and Wulfgith each sink arrow shafts into its stony hide.
With Winter creating a distraction, Estel gets two great hacks in on the monster from behind!
Once more the ettin trains its anger at the human in the shiny armor, but again it is denied!
The Knight of Minas Tirith continues his deadly onslaught against the terrible foe!
The other ettin stomps and spits from both of its grotesque heads, but can do no more.
Gylwinth is unconscious and stabilized.
On the brink of death, Amalina and Wulfgith fight to save Gylwinth. Her dying breath passes her lips, but they do not give up, and in the final moment they are rewarded with a heartbeat and a breath. The Dunedain lives. Estel heaves against the grip of the monster, sinews straining. He falls free and circles the ettin, placing himself between the monster and the caregivers just feet away.
Cereidh pivots to concentrate fire on the first ettin.
Taking up its maul in both hands, the ettin swings down on Findegil with all of its might! The earth shakes, but Findegil easily evades the clumsy strike.
Now Findegil returns the attack, scoring the slow beast twice more!
The other ettin stomps and spits from both of its grotesque heads, but can do no more.
Gylwinth is unconscious and stabilized.
You're not dead yet. Amalina acts before you in initiative order.
I like the cooperation between Wulfgith and Amalina, but this combat is still very much in doubt. Estel could offer tactical suggestions, but I would prefer if the company would look to how it has been successful in certain situations in the past.
While Estel becomes the living embodiment of fear for the more distant ettin, Amalina finally slips her confinement and disengages in the direction of Gylwinth, who doesn't look like she will last much longer. Wulfgith assists, dragging the Dunedain heroine to meet the woodwoman with hopes that she can be stabilized. Cereidh provides cover fire, doing a good bit of damage in the offing.
His hands suddenly empty of captives, the first ettin scoops up Estel in it's titanic fist, while swinging at Findegil with its maul.
The Knight of Minas Tirith swings twice, returning with two more solid hits!
The other ettin, with no one in range to attack, and unable to compel itself to move closer to the horror of the human warrior, instead beats its chest and roars up the valley.
Gylwinth is unconscious!
We're still in the round where you've finally escaped its grasp. Wait until next round for the Medicine check, then re-roll it.
Yes.
Strike my last post. Amalina is actually two actions shy of stabilizing Gylwinth on her own this round. So here how things stand: Either Wulfgith can attempt to stabilize Gylwinth this round while in melee, or she can drage her to relative safety 10' away, splitting the distance between the two trolls. That should work since Amalina goes before Gylwinth in turn order, as long as either 1) Amalina makes her Medicine check, or 2) Gylwinth makes a success on the death save, which would buy another round.
Amalina is an action short of making this work on her own, since Gylwinth is 20' away. However, if Wulfgith drags Gylwinth while taking the disengage action it can work. Amalina, roll Medicine, DC10 to stabilize.
Yes. I assumed you were trying your luck with the Aoo so you could get 30' clear. Then the ettin could not have gotten to you again the next turn. That seemed like a smart gamble but it didn't work out.
Cereidh indeed intends to shoot the ettins! My current arrow count on my character sheet is 18. However, question - can she disengage, draw her bow, and shoot in one round? Or will it just be disengage, draw her bow? Have you been keeping track of your arrows? I think you've shot at least 20 arrows this module. You can Disengage as your Move action and drawing your bow does not take an action, so you can also shoot. Edit: Alright, thanks to the gifts from Findegil and Gylwinth, you started this encounter with 20! So you now have 14 arrows remaining.
Estel squares, the toll of this battles etched on his body in blood and torn flesh. He does not rest or take measure, but attacks again, with all his strength!
Now the great hero turns his full attention to the ettins. Instantly he understands the tactical situation. All of you feel a chill, like the flat of a cold steel blade being drawn against the back of your neck. The sensation has direction - purpose, and it is like nothing you have ever experienced in your adventures. commands Estel of the ettin fighting Cereidh and Wulfgith. The massive creature staggers as if struck. BREAK RESOLVE:
Your steely gaze causes lesser foes to falter before you. As an action, you may attempt to instill fear in one creature within 30 feet of you that can see you by making a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check. The affected creature must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC equals the result of your Charisma check) or gain the Frightened condition. As impassive as are the features of an ettin, this one looks shaken, its resolve broken. Tactical: Ettin 2 is 20' behind ettin 1. It cannot move any closer due to Estel being in melee with ettin 1. The valley here is narrow but wide enough to disengage and be at range of both ettins. If you decide to do that, I need an arrow count.
Estel's wounds look grave, but he summons the strength of fifty generations of Men and cleaves into the huge troll!
Cereidh and Findegil slip their captor's grip and drop to the ground, readying themselves for the inevitable attack! Meanwhile, Amalina struggles mightily, and Winter nips and howls, but she is held fast. Wulfgith commands with words of encouragement, then hacks at the ettin monster.
Obviously frustrated by the ease with which his quarry rested himself from the ettin's grip, the monster picks up his maul and swings it down on Findegil.
The troll stands in against the human warrior, both combatants bloodied. Two more hits rend Estel's flesh. Any who see this duel would suspect that the next to land a blow will be the victor.
The final ettin takes a swing at each of the warriors before it.
Gylwinth is unconscious!
Wulfgith, please post when able.
Ok, well this is the main boss fight for this module...
What does everyone have left for unused special combat abilities?
While Amalina struggles, Gylwinth slips the stonefist of the ettin, but in her haste to get away, the monster wields the woodwoman as a club, and by bashing the two of them together the healer falls. Wulfgith is able to free herself as well, and stands her ground against the ettin. Estel Continues to go toe-to-toe with the massive troll, his greatsword winging in an unceasing arc.
Cereidh stands at her warrior friend's side, dealing accurate strikes with her sword!
Wulfgith hacks at the ettin with her longsword, but her swing goes wide.
Having crushed one of the heroes, the first ettin grabs Findegil up in its great fist, then swings Amalina at him! Luckily, the Knight of Minas Tirith remains difficult to lay a hit on, and Amalina's body glances off harmlessly. Amalina feels the pain of the giant's grip but otherwise evades more serious harm
Estel's staggering hits knock the troll of it's fighting stance, but it recovers and whacks the stout warrior with its maul!
The final ettin scoops up Cereidh and then swings its maul at Wulfgith!
Gylwinth is unconscious!
Gylwinth what medicinals do you have remaining in your supply?
As Gylwinth slips free and hobbles away from the giant, it takes a swipe at her, using Amalina as a club.
You're correct, of course, you are not actually incapacitated if grappled - that was a misuse of the term.
Right, except this is a Special combat ability specific to these ettin guardians. And because you guys are too cool for school, I removed the recharge requirement, which is dumb anyhow. You're doing fine, unless that troll kills Estel.
Amalina, Wulfgith, and Gylwinth struggle but cannot break free from the strength of the giants! Winter can do nothing for his master except give the able warriors a better chance to kill their foes quickly! Estel is encouraged by the tenacity of the hound to distract the massive troll.
Cereidh makes two sturdy strikes against the ettin's tough hide, and sparks shower in the night.
The first ettin, its twin fists holding Amalina and Gylwinth high above the valley floor, roars in the night. Then the monstrous heads leer and spit bile with some guttural exchange. The right arm extends while the left holds fast, and suddenly, to the company's collective terror, the beast smashes the captives together in a great clap of armor and flesh!
Findegil is relentless, hitting the first ettin twice more!
Estel is engaged in deadly combat with the final troll, and it hits him with both attacks!
Wulfgith firmly in hand, the other ettin swings its maul at Cereidh twice more!
Gylwinth has taken 48 damage and is Grappled!
No Amalina wields Hopes Fury with determination to put down her foes, and both swings cleave deeply into troll flesh!
Estel pivots on the final troll, his greatsword arcing through the cold night air with timely precision.
Gylwinth and Cereidh struggle to break free from the ettins' stony grasp. Cereidh slips away to the ground but Gylwinth is stuck fast!
Wulfgith hacks at the other ettin, feeling her blade strick it as if she had swung against the mountain itself.
The ettin loses its grip on the Elf and instead plucks Wulfgith off the floor of the valley. You can feel it squeezing you with impossible strength! Findegil turns against the ettin which has closed ranks, hitting it twice, his longsword strikes provoking a shower of sparks as they stony hide of the ettin is cut!
The final troll turns its ire against Estel, bashing the mighty warrior with its maul!
The other ettin drops its maul and grabs at Amalina, tearing her from the ground in its massive fist!
Gylwinth has taken 28 damage and is Grappled!
Check the spoiler in my post.
At first, Amalina's footing is imprecise, and she lunges with Hopes Fury, but she hears Findegil's call to her, and her first swing miraculously lands against the troll.
Fresh off his devastating attack, Estel's youth betrays him, and his overconfidence causes his swings to be indifferent when focus is needed most!
Gylwinth shakes off the ferocious attack of the ettin and engages it with her daggers. She finds that, while ettins are easy to hit, they are very hard to hurt!
While Wulfgith's arrows do nothing to slow the advance of the ettin, they catch at least one set of its eyes. With the first ettin beating its many arms at her, Cereidh drops Bregghar and draws her sword, surprising it with two hits!
In response, the rock creature scoops the Elf up from the ground in a massive fist! Seize Victim: The monster then moves against Wulfgith.
The Ettin may choose to spend an action grabbing a creature within 5 feet of them. The target is automatically Grappled if it is of Medium size or smaller. To escape the Troll’s grasp, the target must use an action to escape: they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). If the creature fails, it takes 5 bludgeoning damage and remains Grappled. An Ettin can seize a number of victims up to the number of hands that it possesses, but cannot use Crushing Blow if it does not have a free hand. Findegil continues his dance of death with the second troll, hitting it on his back swing!
Now the wounded troll takes up the attack, directing its hatred at () Amalina!
The final troll bears down on Findegil again with teeth and maul!
The last ettin scoops Gylwinth off the rocky earth in its stone grip, then stomps forward to engage the heroes attacking the trolls. Seize Victim:
The Ettin may choose to spend an action grabbing a creature within 5 feet of them. The target is automatically Grappled if it is of Medium size or smaller. To escape the Troll’s grasp, the target must use an action to escape: they must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). If the creature fails, it takes 5 bludgeoning damage and remains Grappled. An Ettin can seize a number of victims up to the number of hands that it possesses, but cannot use Crushing Blow if it does not have a free hand.
Gylwinth has taken 23 damage and is Grappled!
Cereidh, you are in melee. I believe you have disadvantage on those range attacks, or you can drop Bregghar and go toe to toe with it.
The battle joined, Amalina swings her axe at the next troll, but though the hound creates a small distraction, her swings are errant. Estel follows the woodwoman, his greatsword swinging in concert with Hopes Fury.
Gylwinth, her shortbow drawn taut, fires an arrow square into the chest of the shaken troll!
While Wulfgith's arrows fly astray, Cereidh whirls and steps back, stinging the two-headed rock-monster with terrifying precision!
But now that Ettin roars, a terrible sound like falling rocks, and it advances to attack! () It swings a club made of stone at Cereidh, but it misses badly!
Findegil thrusts his longsword into the belly of the wounded troll, gashing it deeply with the first strike, but missing with the second.
Though shaken, the troll responds to the company's assault with a torrent of hateful black speech, showering the front line fighters in blood and spittle!
The final troll rushes to fight. () It directs its ire at Findegil, leading first with it's gnarled jaws and then with its studded maul! But against the magnificent armor and shield of the Knight of Gondor, it cannot find purchase.
The second Ettin crashes ahead, () swinging its stone maul at Gylwinth!
Gylwinth has taken 23 damage!
Amalina and Winter spring to attack the nearest troll, catching it momentarily unaware as they burst forth from the shadows into moonlight. Hope's fury cuts powerfully into the collection of plates and mail cobbled together which serves as its armor - the useful fragments from its many victims!
Astride the powerful woodwoman, the Knight of Minas Tirith swings his blade with great force!
Not to be outdone, the wall of archers looses a volley of deadly arrows, each burying shafts deep into stinking troll-hide!
Finally, Estel draws his greatsword and makes a flying leap at severely wounded troll. His blade cuts deep through the shoulder into its chest. The troll gurgles in agony before crumpling over dead!
As the other trolls realize what happened they turn on the frontline warriors and shout in a black troll tongue. You sense something from behind, and the archers see that the line of boulders they just trespassed are not boulders at all. As they stand up you realize in terror that a pair of gigantic, two-headed Ettins now guard against your escape! Initiative:
Tactical: Amalina, Findegil, and Estel are in Melee with the two trolls. The archer line is 30' from the trolls. The Ettins are 10' behind the archers.
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