The Odyssey of Telamon and Friends Chapter 3 Part 6

EARLIER PARTS OF THE STORY CAN BE FOUND HERE 

To Aegina

 We have a restful night moving slowly at anchor in the slight swell of the sea in the bay, Archi spends some time meditating on the theory of life rebasing himself. Jason gets me to ask the admiral if he can give us some more arrows to replace those used up in the battle, he says that the fleet should be able to do that as it’s only a couple from each archer in the fleet. As we set sail in the morning Archi sleeps and I watch the site of over 70 ships moving in the morning light reflecting off the sea. The quite is broken by the sound of thousands of oars hitting the sea and the creak of the ships moving and the sound of the sea. By midday we are moving around the south of the island having initially heading south before moving east. By late afternoon we can see the city of Aegina ahead, we can see fishing boats heading back towards the harbour. I can also make out galleys heading north having left the city as we approached.

The admiral tells me he can land my force in two waves north and south of the city on the beaches. Then he will sail north to check for any Macedonian ships before circling around to the west and then south and back to Patroculus Island. He wants us to let him know when we have secured the island and then he will bring his fleet to base it there. He will send a patrol to keep contact and warn him if any Macedonians ships arrive. We will light a fire at Aphaia point once we have secured the island to let him know.

Landing will take an hour landing the Cretans and half the Thureophoui, then the other half and the Psiloi. Once the port is secured the Hippies and supplies will land there, then the admiral and the fleet will leave. I see enemy forces moving from the temple hill, to Apollo on the north of the beaches, they seem to be moving inland. I decide to let the admiral land as he said, although later I will realise that was a tactical mistake. The forces as they land will move into the city to secure the harbor area, Jason will go with the north landings and I will go with the south landings.

Once all our foot forces have landed the merchant ships dock in the harbor and the Hippeis disembark along with the supplies. Unfortunately as my men enter the city they start to loot and harass the locals. It seems it was started by the Athenian militia and the Cretans with Jason joining in; soon the whole force is at it. By evening I manage to get some control back, the Thureophoui are the first to be called back to order thanks to their commander Periander of Thermum working with me and the Hippeis. Then we slowly brought all our men out of the city and up to the temple of Apollo so by night fall I have them all there and quieted down. Jason tells them that they had better not mishandle the temple or the priests.

Next I turn to Jason and try to find out why this happened, why he and the others felt looting was the way to treat these people. Basically he says that I gave no order not to loot; and captured cities are normally looted. I try to point out that this was to be a friendly city for our allies and this will not help. Unfortunately as he did not disobey an order I can’t punish him or any other soldier. I will do better next time. The Athenian merchant Sthenelus has been seen loading fishing boats with a lot of loot and I can do nothing about it either. However I can and do make sure that all the men know how disappointed I am and that there will be no more looting unless ordered, I hope that that will do. Archi shames Jason into giving the sliver, 70dr, he looted to the temple which he does.

Next morning a group of city elders approach while Jason is taking part in the morning temple worship to Apollo, regaining his lost power. I meanwhile have made a small shrine to Heraclius and sacrifice to him to regain my power. The city elders want to know who we are and what we want, the people of the city are not happy at the behavior of your men. They raped, looted and harassed our people. Archi points out to them that they are Macedonian collaborators and weaponless now there Macedonian friends have left. They say we are not collaborators or friends of the Macedonians we just were occupied now it seems you, and we still do not know who you are, are taking their place. This went on back and forth for a while until I asked how much compensation they were asking for. They tell me that the material losses come to around 35 talents with most of the 2,000 homes losing around 100dr each to the looters. That doesn’t even take into account the personal loss some of our women took. I agree that if we beat the Macedonians we will give them the 35 talents from any loot we get from them. The elders seem happier about this although not ecstatic. They leave and I remember that we still haven’t told them who we are and why we are here, maybe later I can do that. However for now we need to plan for tracking down the enemy which the leaders told me are heading to the temple of Aphaia where the surplus food is kept.

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5

Guido finishes the story

The Missing

Part 26

Harold found

OTHER PARTS HERE

With Errath unconscious I Guido continue this story for him.

 The Orc reaver tries to smash Balgor’s armour again but misses, he then turns to face Dark Wind while the Orc archer does the same also missing Balgor. The shaman starts to chant at me as Dark Wind attacks the Reaver, with her flail, who parries her attack with his great axe. Guido moves towards the Shaman as Thorn fails a casting of Command on Dark Wind. Zarg shouts at the three orc’s, under Arnost’s control, to get them to join in the fight and then falls over Arnost as he tries to re-enter the room and the fight. Balgor and James continue their attempts to grapple each other.

The orc archer attacks Dark Wind with his hatchet but fails to connect, as the Shaman finishes his Charm spell on me and I fall under the Shaman’s influence. Dark Wind swings her flail at the orc archer in response but he moves a little causing her blow to miss him. I move up to the Shaman so I can hear what his friend wants him to do as Thorn tries another Command spell attempt against Dark Wind. This time it works and he tells her to die in common, she falls to the ground. Zarg stands up over Arnost, cursing the orcs who have not moved. Balgor and James are still locked in a wrestling match.

The orc archer knocks Dark Winds Flail away, as the Shaman again tries to get me to understand his order. Thorn stops to look around and spots Zarg coming up behind him, Zarg shouts again at the orc’s as Balgo and James continue to grapple.

The orc reaver uses the might of his great axe to rip the left arm armour of Dark Wind, smashing the links and ties and also managing to cause a bleeding wound on her. The orc archer hits the same area causing a spray of blood to shoot up from the wound. The Shaman is still not quite getting me to understand his Common as I wait by him. Thorn moves over to Balgor and James as Zarg moves after him. Balgor at last manages to turn his hold on James’s arm into a grapple hold by twisting it around his neck.

The orc reaver hits Dark Winds left leg causing a scratch while the archer knocks her shield away. At last the Shaman gets me to understand and tells me ‘to take out the orc’s’. Dark Wind stands and as she does the archer hits her in her left arm with his hatchet inflicting a serious wound rendering the arm useless. James tries to struggle free from Balgor’s grip on him but Balgor is just too strong. I move towards Arnost, he’s an orc and needs to be takes out of the area. Thorn Shield bashes Balgor but hits James and pushes them both back 2m as he does so Zarg hits him in the back of the head caving his helmet in and dropping him to the ground. Balgor applies pressure to James neck.

Dark Wind casts Cure minor wounds on herself to stop the bleeding as I sheath my sword and drop my shield, I will need my hands free to pick up Arnost. Balgo with a final massive effort rips James’s head off with a savage shout.

The orc reaver swings his axe at Balgor manages to hit his left leg where his armour has been damaged and nick his leg, while the archer swings his hatchet at dark Wind who steps back out of the way but not out of combat reach. The Shaman moves towards Dark Wind who steps away from the archer, who fails to get a hit on her as she does so. Now free from combat she runs out of the room through the tapestries. I reach Arnost ready to lift him as Balgor bellows in triumph at defeating a vial elf mage. Zarg moves to engage the orc archer.

The reaver attacks Balgor again but is put off by his victory over James, I try to lift Arnost but fail to get a good hold as Balgor moves towards me.

The Shaman shouts at Balgor ‘don’t attack him he’s ours’, as I grab Arnost by his arm and pull it out of joint as I fail to move him again. Zarg smashes his hammer into the reaver killing him outright.

The orc archer stands and is hit in the head by Zarg finishing him off as well. Both the reaver and the archer disappear back to where they were summoned from. The Shaman shouts at me ‘no not that one!’ So I leave Arnost and move to the orc’s outside in the corridor.

I walk to the orc’s and order them in Arnost’s name to follow which they do. We run through the mine collecting the other orc’s, we had left behind, as we go. I am following my orders from the Shaman to take the orc’s out.

s we exit the mine we come face to face with over 20 human warriors and a few wood elves. The archers let loose and the orc’s fall as a shot of orc’s rings out. Before I can get my mind straight the orc’s are falling to the arrows as another voice calls out do not shoot the human. Once the orc’s are all down another voice calls out ‘I am Sir Poldark which are you? Arnost, Guido or James?

I reply ‘I am Guido’

‘Where is Thorn? I want some words with him about the whereabouts of my son Rod’ says Sir Poldark.

‘Back in the mine’ I reply.

‘So where is my son Ron then, what has Thorn done to me?’ Sir Poldark cries.

I of course have no idea as I explain to him having only recently joined this group.

‘I am Harold’ says another, dressed as a druid mage, ‘I hear you have been looking for me’ Harold says.’ I gather my friend Arnost is with you. In fact where is he?’

I explain quickly about the venture into the mine looking for him and the last fight in which all but I have fallen as they tried to kill my friend the hobgoblin shaman. Harold waves his arms around and chants and I feel my mind become free from control, ‘It seems that you were under the control of that Shaman’ says Harold, you are free now.

Please met my allies Sir Poldark, in plate armour, Sir Nicolaus a young knight, in banded armour, there squires in mail along with their men. Plus of course my good friends the wood elves who I gather you met and attacked a while back. Not to forget Dandelion Stumbletoe a Halfling Cleric who is here to help.

Korec told us about you going to look for me; it’s my entire fault I hadn’t expected to be away long so never told them I was going away. I had to take a trip to Whitesands city to get some help in dealing with a suspected Goblin/Orc nest here in the Lonely woods. He only expected to be gone four days, but it ended up being more than a week as he got the force he needed and a couple of scrolls of Rock to Mud to seal the mine.

Harold then gets the men to pull rocks down around the entrance roughly filling it and then he uses the scrolls to turn it all and the stone entrance to mud. The mud is then shaped and pushed to fill the entrance and tunnel before being turned back to rock once more.

Once this is done Sir Poldark will put Sir Nicolaus in charge of a party to return to Longreed were Sir Nicolaus will take care of any issues threatening the town I am to go with him. He will take his squire and 4 archers to bolster the town guard.

GM catches up the future story

What happened to Errath, Arnost, Thorn and Gnoman?

Well they were slowly tortured by the hobgoblins and then slowly roasted and eaten; James as usual avoided this fate being already dead.

What happen in Longreed?

Eight days after the band of James left, with Marta deciding that they have left her, Marta given what the PC’s have discovered about it possibly being a Hag abduction gets the sheriff to give her 4 men and gets 2 initiates one of Avillon and one of Hernum to join the party that makes 7 in the party.

They head off into the marsh.

Days later Thalia comes back to Longreed with the tale of her rescue and the defeat of the Hag’s. She was obviously in a bad way having made her way home by herself, carrying Marta’s body, however although the town is pleased to see her rescued they are distraught at the loss of the mayor and her party.The story as Thalia tells it is – The fighting group entered the swamp and followed the trails for 2 days till they find a deep cave. By this time they have suffered some injuries from animals and the swamp.

As they make their way through the cave they lose people to traps until it is only Marta, 1 Cleric and 2 fighters to face the Hag’s. Marta defeats the Hag’s and frees her wife but is the only survivor of the battle however she dies in her wife’s arms not long after. Then Thalia carried her love back through the marsh to the town.

Thalia is asked to take on the job of mayor in place of her wife and accepts the day the party of Sir Nicolaus arrives.

In fact of course the Hags Thalia and Lobelia destroyed the mayor’s party and is using this as another opportunity to gain control of Longreed and destroy it. They intend to carry on where they left off but this time starting by preying on the farmers as easier targets. Lobelia is also contacting the Goblins in the hills to encourage their raiding as part of the plan to destroy Longreed. Within a year Longreed will be a virtually deserted town occupied by Goblins with the marsh colonised by lizard folk. Not long after Countess Margaretta of Thale takes control of this border with the Duchy of Bethany to restore order.

GM gives back history of some other events.

Last year James sent a charmed messenger to the Queen of the Elves in the elf wood with the Dragons heart and various letter. The messenger on his own and with no idea about traveling in elf lands ended up full of elf arrows and dead. The killers took no notice of the dragon heart or papers.

As to Ron, Thorn had sent Ron home with Mera, the Halfling cleric. Unfortunately Mera being a evil spiteful betrayer who loves gold and hates those bigger than her decided that knocking Ron off and taking all James gold for his owlbear cloak, the horse and all of Ron’s goods was too good a chance to pass up. So she quietly killed him and then sold most of the goods in Granby and headed off into the mist of time.

So ends the adventures of the Hammer and Rose adventuring group.

In the end they just bit off more than they could chew, I Guido am glad I only knew them a brief time as they seem to lose allies and those they rescued with too much regularity.

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5

The Missing

Part 25

The Delian Sword

OTHER PARTS HERE

The orc reaver hits Balgor in the back smashing some of his armour off, the orc archer facing Dark Wind ends up hitting himself, in a furry of blow and counter, and he vanishes back to where he came from. The other two orc archer’s move towards Balgor as the hobgoblin runs through the wall hangings, there must be a corridor behind them James hears him calling for help. The shaman throws fire at James with no effect than a bit of singeing of his fine elven armour. Dark Wind moves to engage more of the orc archers, James stabs with his dagger at Balgor closing up to close range. Guido in his unconscious state feels something poking him, he wakes as his sword brings him back to reality. He puts his hand into his backpack to find his healing potion. Thorn stands and as he does Zarg hits him in the head again, Zarg’s next hit Thorn parries with his shield. Balgor uses his fists as James is to close for his flails Balgor fails to connect but James parries and tries a trip but fails.

I start to cast a Bless spell as the orc Reaver misses Balgor with his axe while the orc archer attacks Darkwind with his hatchet but is parried by Darkwind.  The Shaman throws fire at James again, again doing no major damage. Darkwind strikes at the orc archer who parries her blow. James again stabs his dagger at Balgor trying to trip the big hobgoblin but again fails. Guido finds his poton and drinks it restoring his body with the divine healing of the potion. Thorn swings his mace at Zarg hitting him to no effect, due to Zarg’s plate armour, barkskin and naturally thick skin. Zarg responds with his two handed flail nearly hitting him in the head but Thorn parries just in time with his trusty shield again. Balgor continues to swing his fists at James who again parries.

I continue to cast my spell as the Orc archer tries to trip Balgor but fails, he has good footwork that hobgoblin. The Shaman throws fire at James again this time burning his head, arms and chest area. Guido stands with his sword in hand, he hears ‘Bong’ from the sword. Balgor manages with his next attacks to grab James’s left leg and left arm.

I continue to cast as the reaver and orc archer attack Balgor from the rear they both miss as he ignores the nuisance. The Shaman hits James in the chest and abdomen with his flames burning him a bit more. Darkwind attacks the orc archer misses the orc parries and pushes himself away from the fight. James tries to use his weight to trip Balgor but can’t as Balgor tries to change the holds into a grabble. Guido Strikes out with his Delian blade at Zarg hitting him in the right arm to no effect as the plate bounces the blade. Thorn manages a critical hit on Zarg finding a point through the armour and hurting his left leg, Zarg smashes his flail into Thorn’s head, who with his head ringing still stands.

I hold my spell as the orc reaver manages to rip some of Balgors armour off his left leg. The orc archers move or miss there attack on Balgor. Shaman throws fire again hitting James in the abdomen and chest again. That elf must be getting nicely cooked by now. Darkwind moves to cvlose with the orc archer again as James delays so counter Balgor’s attacks. Guido thrust his sword at Zarg whose armour again saves him as Thorn bashes Zarg with his shield knocking him over Arnost and me to stand in the corridor. Zarg swings at me hitting me in the head and knocking me unconscious and to the floor. Balgor again tries to grapple James but they hold each other off.

Both orc archers attack Balgor and even though one hits does no damage as the Shaman throws his fire but misses Guido. Darkwind kills a orc archer as James again waits. Zarg smashes James familiar Panther who fails to roll out of the way. Balgor again fails to turn his holds into a grapple on the slippery James.

12 rounds done

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5

The Missing

Part 24

Heroic Gnome

Other parts here

Gnoman knowing he cannot cast normally, due to his extreme fatigue,, heroically pushes his Summon Monsters spell wiping it from his memory and knocking himself comatose from the cost of casting with no remaining magic points. However he is lucky with the spell, he summons more orcs. This time he gets 3 archers with a reaver leader, as he passes out he hopes they are worth the sacrifice. Gnoman is now out of action and will need to be carried to safety if we win this formable fight. I making use of my healing skill realise that the potion I have will not revive Arnost but might with a bit of luck heal Thorn and then I will have to bring him out of his comatose state so I crawl along the ground to the pile and get near Thorns head. The reaver throws a javelin at the shaman next to him while the orc archers move to get a better position as the direwolf moves towards them and the shaman runs away from the reaver. Darkwind moves to attack Guido and James acting all paternalistic moves to help him. Guido using his shield from the ground manages to knock Darkwind back and then parry Zarg’s attack. Balgor moves to attack James.

I open Thorns mouth and hold his noise and pour the healing potion down his throat and then I try to wake him up, I expect it to take a while. Two of the orc archers shoot the Direwolf injuring it again and the wolf starts licking at its wounds and howling. The other archer lets loose at the shaman hitting him in the back to no effect as the shaman continues to run getting Balgor and James between him and the archers. Darkwind moves back into contact with Guido, as James thrusts with his great sword and impale’s it into Balgors left arm. Guido delays, to parry any more attacks as Zarg hits him in the chest with his hammer. Balgor attacks with his flail tripping James who tries to hold onto to his great sword as he falls but fails and let’s go leaving it in Balgor’s arm.

I continue to try to wake Thorn, as the orc’s reload their bows. Darkwind tries to hit Guido who has no parry but the blow has no effect on his armour. James on the ground draws and readies his dagger as Zarg hits Gudio in the head knocking him out for now.  Balgor with a heroic distain for pain, draws the sword out of his arm and lobs it away, it lands next to me as I try to wake Thorn, if I had been standing it might have hit me.

I continue to wake Thornas the orc archer’s move and the last hobgoblin breaks into a sprint trying to get past the orc’s. Darkwind with guido out of the fight moves to engage the orc archers. James attacks Balgor with his dagger and uses the opportunity to stand. Zarg steps forward onto the bodies of Arnost and Thorn as Balgor attacks James who parries with his dagger and so avoids serious injury, thanks also to his Shield spell and armour.

Amazingly Thorn wakes, I have managed the near impossible. The orc archer’s let loose at the hobgoblin, hitting him but with only a scratch, as the hobgoblin continues to sprint towards the wall. The shaman throws fire at James but it has no effect this time, while Darkwind moves towards the archer’s. James delays ready to parry as Thorn crawls from under the Arnost and into the room. Zarg swings at me and hits my right leg stunning it so I fall, as Balgor hits James in the left arm but not getting past his defences.

One orc archer tries to grapple Darkwind but Darkwind hits him and knocks him down, the other orc archers switch to their hatchet sidearm. The Shaman throws fire at James damaging his left arm as Thorn kicks Zarg from the ground but fails to trip him. Balgor hits James twice in the head with his two flails but James withstands the blows.

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5

The Missing

Part 23

Raging Berserkers

Other parts here

Gnoman uses his water elemental to attack the shaman’s flame in his hand but the shaman evades by rolling away on the ground, Gnoman casts Feather Fall onto Balgor’s whip [GM- before you tell I know feather fall is an area spell so shouldn’t have been targeted at one item, but it’s a game and fun to allow odd things which the players come up with] nearly passing out with the effort. I start to put my pack down and find Harold’s healing potion which will take me a while. Arnost manages to weld his hammer from the ground hitting Zarg knocking him back, with a bash, and standing at the same time. The dire wolf leaps at Guido trying to bring him down, which it does. The Shaman throws his fire at the Water elemental but it has no effect, the Hobgoblin engaged with Guido is unable to attack for a while [10 seconds] due to the pain in his damaged right arm. Dark-wind rips the impaled spear out of the other hobgoblin’s left leg; Guido meanwhile smacks the wolf in the head with his shield. James starts to cast Levitate on himself while Balgor hits Arnost on the head smashing his helm into his thick head with his flail and Zarg moves back into combat.

The Water elemental engulfs the shaman’s fire in his hand [GM- I decide that as the water and fire should cancel each other to some extent I gave the option of the two magic’s cancelling each other out and dispelling each other. The elemental has no damage but the flame has but the water can dampen down the flame so it seemed a reasonable call. The player decided not to take this option.] Arnsot tries to free himself from the whip but fails, the wolf claws at Guido who parries but both end up avoiding any contact. Dark-wind moves to engage Arnost as Gudio stabs at the hobgoblin with his Delian blade. James drops his spell and jabs his great sword one handed at Thorn, he was trying to impale his backpack and so be able to drag him out, however with only using one hand and the amount of bodies in the area he fails. Balgor hits Arnost in his right leg as Arnost was shielding his head with his hammer, Zarg follows up hitting the same leg, just as well he is a raging berserker otherwise he would be falling.

Arnost hits Bagor knocking him back [he will not be able to move back to use his last two action points as he can’t move in cycle 3 or 4], Dark-wind hits Arnsot in his head with her mace followed by Zarg as Arnost falls to the ground dying. Guido stabs at the hobgoblin that parries and knocks the Delian blade away to land near a torch.  James tries to grab Thorn one handed but fairs no better at this than before.

The Water elemental moves to engulf the Shamans head but he evades, I move towards James with the potion hiding behind my shield. The Shaman uses his fire to damage the elemental and roll away from it. Dark-wind moves back to watch the fight as Guido uses his shield on the wolf knocking it away and getting to his feet. James eventually grabs Thorn with his off hand as Balgor and Zarg both move to engage Guido.  

The Water elemental moves to engage the Shaman again as he stands, I move towards the fight as well. Guido knocks back Balgor with his shield and then parries Zarg’s flail attack.

The Shaman throws fire at the water elemental damaging it, Guido knocks Zarg away as James lets go of Thorn and readies his great sword.  Balgor uses his whip on Guido tripping him as Zarg hits him in the head to no effect.

The damaged Water elemental engulfs the Shamans fire and they dissipate each other [GM- the damaged elemental managed to survive contact with the fire so I allowed the earlier idea]. I move again as the Shaman starts to cast Produce Flame. James uses his Cloak of the Slider and disappears in a puff of smoke to reappear in another puff of smoke near the back edge of the room. Balgor sees James appear and moves to fight the magic user as Zarg swings his flail at Guido but misses.

The Shaman casts his spell and fire appears in his hand, Dark-wind moves as Guido attacks Zarg but his shield bash fails. Balgor whips at James who parries with his great sword as Zarg attacks Guido but is also parried.

I put the potion and shield down as I realise that I can’t open an unconscious person’s mouth to drink and pour with one hand. The Shaman throws his fire at me at hits my chest and abdomen burning me. Guido bashes Zarg with his shield who fails to evade, Balgor uses his whip on James again who this times turns his Great sword parry into a counter chopping the whip off near the handle while Zarg gets to his feet.

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5

The Missing

Part 22

Magic and Counter Magic

Other parts here

The fight continues; Gnoman casts feather Fall on Thorn and Guido in readiness of pulling them back. I talk about spells. Arnost fails his fear of magic and goes into a rage and tries to hit Gnoman with his hammer. Gnoman evades back and away so the hammer hits thin air. The wolf with no fight left in him falls back on its shaman master who throws flame at Thorn, singeing more of him.The Hobgoblin with a flail still attacks Thorn and smashes through his helm a bit of luck means he is knocked out rather than dead. Guido attacks from the ground impaling his spear into the hobgoblin, the force of his blow pushes him away from under Thorn and towards the other hobgoblin which has retired tired. This is because Guido is under the effect of Feather Fall. James continues to cast as Balgo frees his whip from Thorns arm and Zarg delays.

Gnoman starts to cast again; this one will burn of his own energy as he is out of magical power. I sheath my sword and prepare the potion of Vigour to use on Gnoman. Arnsot with no magic user close enough to hit moves through the doorway to attack Balgor. The Shaman lobs his fire at Arnost singeing him a bit as well; I really want that spell in my back pocket. The hobgoblin, by Guido, attacks with his sword but due to being tired misses. The other hobgoblin with Guido spear in him falls back. Guido kicks Thorn to get him off of himself, the kick throws the Feather light Thorn up into the air and hits Arnost in the side so he will float down beside him. James holds his summon spell and looks to re-sight it, as Balgor attacks Arnost with his whip which Arnost parries. Zarg follows his leader into a rage and hits Arnost in his head with his flail. Two raging berserkers against one this could be a long fight.

Gnoman starts to look for a pace to cast his summon spell into while the shaman throws his fire at Arnost again burning his legs and abdomen. The hobgoblin attacks Guido again and again misses as Guido stands. James casts his Less Summon but as we see the creatures shimmer into existence Dark Wind lets go her long held Dispel Magic and cancels James’s spell. James wonders how he failed to know she could have that spell and remembers he needs to rewrite the book on the gods.  Balgor uses his whip on Arnst trying to trip him but fails as Arni stands firm but Zarg gives him a good head hit again.

Balgor attacks again and this time trips Arnost.

Gnoman get his Summon spell off and a very small Water Elemental pops into existence by the table in the room, he then collapses. As he does I grab him and pour the potion of Vigour into him reviving him. Arnost stands but is hit in his leg by Balgor as he does and the shaman hits him with a fire attack again.  The hobgoblin attacks Guido and this time gets a good attack in but Guido parries. Dark Wind prepares another Dispel Magic spell as Guido draws his blade which whistles as it is drawn. Balgor and Zarg both hit Arnsot in his right arm. Poor Arnsot he is taking a pounding.

Gnoman moves and starts to cast another summoning spell, I shout out to the other side we want to talk. Arnost stands, and is hit by the flames of the shaman again. The hobgoblin attacks Guido but misses and Guido attacks him back and is parried. Balgor attacks Arnsot with his whip but Arnost parries and tries to disarm Balgor but fails, Zarg get a good hit under Arnosts helm and hits him in the head again.

Gnoman gets off another summon bringing a hobgoblin and 2 orcs into the fight, but is exhausted again. The shaman throws flame at Arnsot again but this time the flame has no effect. Meanwhile the hobgoblin attacks Guido and again misses as Darkwind fires off her Dispel Magic and removes the reinforcements again. Guido attacks the hobgoblin with his magic goblin hating sword and renders its right arm useless. Balgor uses his whip on Arnost getting it wrapped around his chest in some way as Zarg hits him in the head again.

Balgor hits Arnost in the head with his flail.

[Thorn is down and out, Gnoman exhausted while Arnsot is nearly done for, Guido is isolated and although we have effectively taken out both hobgoblins and the wolf and Darkwind must be low on magic. Trouble is we still have two raging undamaged berserkers fighting us. Will we prevail or must we do what is unthinkable and run leaving some behind?]

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5 ‘The Missing’ part 21

Balgor’s Lair

Other parts here

Guido decides to take the Hobgoblins banded helm which is slightly better than his, ignoring the cry of his sword as he puts it on. James makes sure the remaining 3 active orc have bows and arrows as well as their 2 handed axes.  Arnost ask the orcs what is in the pit and they answer that the pit is used for rubbish, bones and unwanted prisoners. “Why do smell” we ask they have no idea. We also wonder how many Dire-Wolves are here they think that the shaman had trained 6. As we have taken out 4 in here so far and a few outside there can’t be any left although the shaman like me might keep one by himself as a companion.  The orcs feeling happy due to being looked after by Arnost and the rest of us, having been healed, armed and freed start to chant. Arnost says it’s a war song but all their songs are war songs.

Gnoman decides to scout ahead down the corridor heading downwards towards Balgor we think. He doesn’t notice any traps and gets to a left turn and kneeling down looks around. The corridor continues so he carries on moving along it with the sound of the orcs coming down behind him. Soo he can see a door with two very alert tall Hobgoblins stood by it they appear to see him so he legs it back to us. With his boots of Stealth he is very fast running.

He explains what he could hear from the orcs and we shut them up and he tells of the guards and the door. We decide to deal with whatever might be behind the door, though on reflection I wonder why. After all we are sure Harold isn’t here, that Balgor is a big and tough Hobgoblin with at least a human Cleric and a Hobgoblin Shaman with him and he has plate armour. We now know he has other guards as well and who knows what else, my dream comes to mind and I wonder why we ignored it. However that is not what I think at this point we just all want to finish with Balgor and the trouble he has caused us.

So we go down towards the door, Thorn and Guido leading with the 3 orcs behind Guido and Arnost behind Thorn.  James follows with me and Gnoman bringing up the far rear. We reach a point where we can see the door but no guards. The Iron door is ajar.

Gnoman goes and checks the area and the door for traps and thinks all is clear, with so many in the party there is no way anyone the other side of the door hasn’t heard us.  Gnoman can hear slobbering and low chanting and reports back to us. I call up my last strength to produce an inspiration for the group and Guido moves forward and pushes the door open and steps in. Guido sees a room with a long table in it with candles on it there are also two torch stands shining light. To his right he can see crates and the back wall has rugs on it. Either side of the door there is a hobgoblin warrior and in front of the door is a dire wolf along with two plate armoured hobgoblins, Balgor and his guard. Behind them there are a plate armoured human cleric of Gahaira and a Hobgoblin priest.

Gnoman moves up to me and to talk about swapping a potion of Vigour or not, in the end we decide to leave it with Gnoman and I will stay tired as Gnoman might need it more for spell casting. The direwolf leaps towards Guido who uses his shield to block the attack; the Shaman starts to cast a spell, the Hobgoblins move either side of Guido while Balgor and his mate move up. Guido stabs with his spear at the wolf but misses as Thorn moves up behind him.

The dire-wolf swaps at Guido who parries again as both Hobgoblins swing their fails at him, Guido blocks one but the other trips him to the ground. Thorn steps over the downed Guido straddling him and blocks an attack from Zarg’s two handed flail. Balgor then attacks with his whip which Thorn parries.

The hobgoblins attack Thorn both hitting his helm and having no effect while Zarg also hits him with no effect. Balgor hits with his one handed flail also failing to get past Thorn’s armour.

The Dire-wolf has a go at Thorn who blocks with his shield, while the hobgoblins also attack but thorn disarms one with his parry. The shaman creates a ball of flame in his hands as Thorn attacks the wolf which fails to evade. Balgor and Zarg attack with Zarg hurting Thorns head through his helm.

The disarmed hobgoblin draws its sword, while the other attacks Thorn but misses. Balgor and Zarg both hit to no effect.

The Shaman throws fire at Thorn which his armour stops, just. The hobgoblins miss and James starts to cast a Fireball. Balgor attacks with his whip and flail but misses with both as Zarg hit to ne effect with his fail.

The wolf bites at Thorn who parries, the Shaman throws fire at Thorn again this time some of the fire getting past his armour. The hobgoblins attack again the sword armed one misses while the flail hits Thorn in the helm again. James swaps his spell to a Monster Summoning one instead as Thorn bashes Balgor back 1m with a mace hit. Balgor uses his whip on Thorn who parries it but is hit in the head by Zarg’s fail again.

The wolf attacks and is parried again, while the shaman hits Thorn with fire again. Thorn keeps taking fire damage to his upper body but at least nothing has caught fire yet. Both hobgoblins miss as Thorn swings his mace into Zarg. Balgor manages to get his whip around Thorns right arm entangling it as Zarg misses.

The shaman throws fire again enveloping Thorn in fire yet again as both hobgoblins hit his head ringing the bell as it was. Balgor pulls on the whip pulling Thorn down as Zarg smashes his fail into his head.

[at this point in the fight after 3 rounds – Thon and Guido are on the ground in the doorway; Thorn badly hurt with his right arm entangled and nearly out of luck;  the wolf has a hurt abdomen; James has two turns of casting his summon spell between him and Gnoman at the door. Balgor is enraged and one hobgoblin is using its sword]

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5 ‘The Missing’ part 20

Arrows in the dark

Other parts here

First we stop and spend some time discussing formations and tactics and how best to use our orc recruits. Some want to use them as a shield wall to soak up attacks freeing us to get close in; Arnost wants to protect them as his own guard; James sees them as disposable. In the end I think Arnost wins as he has some control over them, so when we march off they are in the middle of the group to supply archer support to Guido and Thorn. We head back to the main room and head deeper into the mine ignoring the other tunnel going off to the right.

Again we move down a tunnel covered with the strange algae at least it helps us see what is ahead. Gnoman scouts ahead first  and tells us that this  leads us toan area 9’ x 21m’ with a high ceiling. It looks to have been a natural cavern that the miners came across. The walls are covered with more of the luminescent algae. We see old tracks on the ground that carts would have been pushed on. Five tunnels lead out of this area, two on the east side, two on the west side, and one to the south. Cart Tracks lead down all five tunnels. The North West tunnel and South East have boards across them with words on them that appear to be orcish.

Arnost tells us that the signs say “Bad, don’t go here.” We ask the orcs what is down the tunnels, stores, rubbish tip and we are not allowed there they reply. Gnoman scouts out the top left tunnel and I take the bottom right one. As gnoman travels down the algae covered hallway you hear guttural yells from up ahead and the distinct crack of a whip. Moving carefully he sees a hobgoblin and 4 orc, the hobgoblin is getting the orcs to move boxes and crates around, in a 12m x 12m room, using his whip to encourage them. Gnoman comes back and reports. I meanwhile have also followed an algae covered tunnel to a 6x15m room with a big pit in it. I also go back and report.

We decide not to bother with the pit even though there was no smell coming from it and a ladder going down into it, very odd. I didn’t get close enough to look into it. Instead we argue over dealing with the orcs or going onwards. In the end it was decided for us as four arrows slam into Thorn and Guido who are covering that direction.  Thorn is lucky and although he has an arrow in his shield he is unhurt, Guido not so lucky as he takes an arrow past his helm into his head and another into his right leg. Neither wound is serious but very annoying. It seems we have another fight on our hands.

Thorn says there are four orcs with bows down the tunnel. Gnoman readies his sling although he is well away from the contact area and James readies his bow also with no target. I drop my backpack as Thorn moves out of the line of fire followed in the other direction by Guido. Now it’s only our orcs facing the enemy orcs, arrow against arrow. Over the next few seconds our orc archers get into position and start to ready their bows just as they do another two arrows come down the tunnel and land in and around our orcs dropping one of them, followed by another two dropping another of our 3 orc archers. James starts to cast Shield on himself.

I start to load my sling as Thorn and Guido moving into the tunnel as the last of our archers runs for it. The enemy orcs and hobgoblin all move back out of sight.

Arnost, Gnoman and myself all end up going to take care of our downed orcs leaving Thorn and Guido to advance down the tunnel by themselves, James will join them later with his bow.

Thorn and Guido run, if one can call it that, down the tunnel not wanting to give the orcs more free shots. Thorn gets to a point where he can see the enemy and the hobgoblins shouts at him, or maybe the orcs. Four arrows come at him one getting past his shield and armour and sticking into his left leg. The hobgoblin swings his flail at Guido when he comes to the corner, catching him in the head but with no effect thanks to his helm. [Might need to see the concussion doctor after mind you] James is running behind them so has not reached a area he can see a target from as yet.

James slows to a walk and starts to ready his bow again, trying to get to a place he can shoot from. Thorn also drops to a walk as he moves towards the enemy. The hobgoblin attacks Guido again whose shield blocks the attack. The orcs start to draw arrows and draw their bows. Guido puts his spear into the hobgoblin, which he fails to parry, and the hobgoblin is now impaled on Guido’s spear. [Not bad for a man with two arrows in him and winded]

The hobgoblin attacks again this time Guido parries and Guido draws his sword, Goblin Killer.

Thorn attacks the hobgoblin in his right arm stunning it so he drops his fail. The hobgoblin responds with a shield bash on Guido which he parries with his much bigger shield.

James continues to walk with his bow partly readied as Thorn smashes his mace into the hobgoblins shield for no effect. The hobgoblin goes onto the defence with his shield while he tries to shake the numbness off his sword arm. Three of the orcs let loose with arrows at Thorn all hitting his head and bouncing off his good dwarf made helm. Guido swings his Delain sword which the hobgoblin blocks with its shield. However the sword takes a big chunk of the shield out.

James tries to ask for their surrender but his goblin is so bad, mind you his ability to influence is even worse, that he gets it wrong. The orcs think he wants to surrender and answers drop your weapon then. Thorn swings at the hobgoblin again hitting its shield again, as the hobgoblin draws its sword. Guido fed up by now of his painful wounds and the hobgoblin still standing swings his gobbling hating sword again and rips off its right arm throwing blood everywhere and the goblin drops dying. James at last gets a shoot and drops an orc dead to the ground 3 more to go. At last the fight is turning our way, thank the stars we are heroes and therefore born lucky.

James starts to ready his bow with an arrow again and again offers to surrender. Thorn moves to engage another orc and the Orcs drop their bows and pull out their two handed maces, Guido also moves.

James drops his bow and draws his two handed sword as Thorn misses his attack. The orcs attack his Thorn’s shield. Thorn hits the orc in the head with his mace which again fails to get past the orc’s helm.

The last 5 seconds are a furry of blows and flying weapons as Thorn smashes his mace into a orcs chest and then a left arm. An orc has its mace knocked 4m away by Thorn’s parry and Guido loses his wonderful sword to an orc.

James slices a orc up with his great sword and the last orc throws its weapons down in surrender. So we have captured one orc and lost two and have Thorn and Guido both injured again.

Thorn and Guido move slow back to the rest of us and after we have saved the two orcs, both will not be fighting soon and one is in quite a bad way. I heal Guido and Thorn removing the arrows and tending to the wounds. Meanwhile James searches the crates and barrels in the room as well as letting the dead.

There are three crates and ten barrels in the room.
There is also a pile of animal pelts in the corner. 10 cured animal pelts
Crate 1- contains 10 rolled up nicely made rugs
Crate 2- contains 6 suits of new studded leather armour and 6 new battle-axes
Crate 3- contains Arrows hundreds of them
Barrel 1- contains hardtack bread
Barrel 2 – contains dried meat of some kind
Barrel 3-6- contains a foul smelling ale these barrels would contain about 10 gallons each

Barrel 7-10 are empty and being moved out

James comes up with 3gp and 18sp from the hobgoblin and orcs which he gives to Arnost to pay his new men. The rest is much to bulky for us to do anything with for now. After the healing and looting we still need a while of rest for Guido to recover from his exertions then it’s on downwards towards Balgor’s lair for the last fight I hope

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5 ‘The Missing’ part 19

Hobgoblins

Other parts here

Gnoman draws his sword while his beetles attack the orcs again injuring one. The enraged Arnost hits a hobgoblin in its middle while I move to also attack that Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblins attack the one which attacks me but I parry it however the other Hobgoblin to the side rear of Arnost has an easy hit but misses. Thorn hits a orc who fails to parry and James smashes the arm of another orc. Guido sheaths his sword talking to it as he does so. Two orcs attack James but miss and James misses his harried parry.

Gnoman moves, the beetles fail in their attacks Arnost hits again this time with such force that he smashes the Hobgoblins abdomen knocking it back and down guts falling around it. I delay as the Hobgoblin I could have attacked has just been bashed away. The remaining Hobgoblin attacks Arnsot from behind again, Arnsot manages to see this attack coming and spins to face it but manages to parry. [hard perception formidable parry] Thorn attacks the orc by him again knocking it out of the fight while james hits another one in the head where it’s helm takes most of the blow. The Orcs run at this point with only the two ones which have just come into range firing their bows at Thorn and James both missing in their haste. Guido draws his spear out of the orc body in front of him.

The last Hobgoblin still has an attack and uses it on Arnost who can’t respond so Arnost takes a hit from a broad sword hit in his head, lucky he has a helm and being enraged also ignores some of the damage, so just a bad cut and headache. James wipes his sword clean on a orc body and puts it away.

The beetles speed towards the last standing Hobgoblin while Arnost smashes it in the head with his hammer knocking it down and out. I leap over wolf bodies to reach said Hobgoblin to save it from dying while the others look around see the orcs running and clean their weapons.

I manage to stabilize the Hobgoblin using my healing, it takes a while and during that time the rest sort themselves out as well. Gnoman goes to Guido to remove the arrow from his leg and gets it out with no extra injury and manages to seal the wound as well. James rests as he is tired after the fight and Arnost shakes off his battle rage before killing the hobgoblin I am working on and Gnoman also dispatches the beetles before they try to eat it as well. With the Hobgoblin just about conscious but in bad shape I think we had better ask some questions of him.

I use Arnost to translate for me as he speaks orc and we know that the Hobgoblin can also speak that.  After a while I let Arnost take the lead as it will be easier that way.  Over a good 15 minutes or more we manage to get some info from the Hobgoblin between its groans, moans and passing out. It seems he does not know of a Harrold; that the prisoners around 12 are held to the left of the next big area; there are no human prisoners; the only human is a female called dark Wind. That is about all we manage to get from him before he dies under Arnost’s tender questioning.  One thing I have noticed is Guido is talking to his sword a more now the more he uses it the more he is giving it a personality or maybe it already has one and is influencing Guido.

So we seat and eat, drink and discuss what to do now. Do we believe the Hobgoblin that there is no Harold, even though we know that they were looking for him? Guido says that really if we do not go on but leave there will be little point in coming back as already after are earlier attempts the defence has increased, how will we be able to get further if the defence keeps getting tougher. So the decision is go on or go home. I ask for a vote and we all agree to go on to find the chief Balgor, even though we are just about out of magical support other than James or any of the others burning of fatigue. We still have all our fighting types healthy and ready so onward we go.

We form up with Guido and Thorn at the front with their big shields and Guido light and move down the tunnel. We see a faint green glow as you travel down the tunnel seemingly made by some algae. This leads into a 15x15m’ room where the walls are also covered with luminescent algae that is glowing green. We see wooden tables and benches throughout the room as it appears to once have been a meal hall for the miners. The rotten furniture has been pushed towards the corners leaving the crossway to the other tunnels clear.  There are tunnels to the east, west and south leading out of this room.

We head down the left tunnel towards the prisoners we hope. This tunnel has areas to left and right were there seems to have been mining activity but have now collapsed into a rubble area with no way for us or anyone else to enter. Ahead we can make out a door as when Guido hears orcish coming from the ajar door, to him it sounds like scared people. Arnost pulls the thick old oak door all the way open with a folrace and shouts in orcish, ‘Fall in Follow Me!!’ The five orcs hiding in here answer ‘Yes’. This room must have been a prison or barracks for orcs, it is full of dirty bedrolls lining the floor which is also illuminated by some of the algae. Arnost gets the orcs to pick up some of the two handed maces and fall in with us. This might have improved our chances as they nearly double our strength.

As we start to get ready to move further down the tunnel arrows smack into Guido and Thorn’s shields. We have awoken someone to our presence with all the noise of getting the orcs into position. Slowly we walk down the tunnel with Thorn and Guido at the front shield covering as much as possible the rest behind with the orcs in the middle. Thorn and Guido wonder how they will be able to fall back with this mass behind.

Thump, thump, thump, arrows come every few seconds as we march, soon we can see 3 Hobgoblins firing quickly at us. Only of a couple of them miss the rest smacking into their shields. All of them come with such force that they punch into and out of the shields and only the armour they wear underneath save them from injury. The arrows end up almost totally through the shields but without them Thorn and Guido would have been pin cushions.

 As we get close enough for Thorn and Guido to nearly attack Arnost bellows in orcish, ‘Give up’. The Hobgoblins kneel and drop there bows. Arnost then asks, ‘Were is Balgor?’ ‘Down the centre’ they answer. ‘Where is the human druid?’ ‘Were is the druid?’  The answer is ‘The weed druids are in the forest’. It seems Hobgoblins call Elves weeds, it takes all sorts. We arm 3 of the orcs with the bows and some arrows and Arnost takes some of the Hobgoblin armour the first time any has been big enough for him. He puts leather on his limbs and a Banded helm on his head dropping the one he had. He hopes this will make him tougher, has he is tougher than any of us already.  We tie the Hobgoblins up with the whips in the room behind them then Gnoman jams the door shut to keep them in.

Well it seems we are on a roll, extra troops, Hobgoblins giving up and hopefully not far from Balgor. The Hobgoblins have said that he has two giants defending his door, well we have dealt with two already so what is two more. Onward we go.

The Stories of Errath the Bard Chapter 5 part 18

The Missing

Part 18

Wolves and Beetles

Other parts here

Arnost smashes the door as he is still raging but this helps him come out of the rage however this leave shim winded. Gnoman listens at the door way but hears nothing over the panting of Arnost who does hear over his own breathing. He is not sure what he hears but there is something there. Thorn comes and casts Cure fatigue on Arnost. After a short rest we head down the passageway the door had covered.

Gnoman checks for traps as he leads till we reach another rotten door. Guido makes out rat tracks and the rotten door has rat sized holes in it along with some bigger holes. We decided that there is quite possibly rats and giant rats n this room and leave it along going back to the main junction. Once there Gnoman casts Group Invisibility on Guido and the rest of the group while staying under his original Group Invisibility spell. We then move down the diagonal passageway which slopes down with Gnoman leading.

This leads us to the big area where the Fire Beetles were, Gnoman disables the lift mechanism then he goes down the steps cut into the cliff, once he can see the two Orc guards at the bottom he moves around them. He then explores the area, seeing that there is now a force of Orcs with two Hobgoblins holding two dire wolfs each waiting in the centre of the area. Gnoman returns to us and we plan while invisible, very odd hearing his voice and not seeing him. We decide to sneak down while invisible and then go from there, I inspire the group for this descent.

The group with Thorn in the lead heads down the steps cut into the cliff side until we reach the first guards. Unfortunately even with my inspiration we make noise which I can hear and we can see that the orcs have as well as they look around for its source.

I leave the area of invisibility to attack an orc from the rear before they can react; I hit its chest tripping it at the same time so that it falls to the ground. The fight is one us 6 against more than a dozen orcs, wolves and Hobgoblins.

Gnoman moves quickly and does nothing for now as he watches what is to happen. Arnost also delays as he tries to see what is to happen. I finish the orc off with a thrust of my scimitar to its chest. Thorn moves as James starts to cast a Shield spell, Guido thrusts his spear into the other orc’s chest. The orc copping with the damage lets loose his arrow but only hits the ground as pain hits him.

Gnoman seeing the dire-wolves coming towards them starts to cast Summon Lesser Monsters. Arnost throws an axe at a dire-wolf but misses as I take up a passive blocking position behind my shield. Hobgoblins come into sight shouting Thorn finishes off the orc that Guido hit. So Guido moves towards the oncoming Orcs and wolves.

Arnost throws another axe downing a wolf while James finishes his spell and Gnoman summons 2 giant beetles by the wolves.

Gnoman now visible readies his sling and the beetles finish off the downed wolf. The 3 remaining wolves turn on the beetles injuring one of them. Arnost throws another axe hitting a wolf in its forequarters. I start to cast Bless as Thorn, James and Guido move slowly towards the block of 8 orcs with bows.

The beetles attack the wolves but both fail to hit this time, the wolves bit back with one of the beetles grabbed in the mouth of one of the wolves. Arnsost readies his shield and axe and joins James, Guido and Thorn moving forward. The 8 orcs loose arrows 4 at Guido and 4 at Thorn. One of these arrows flips around Guido’s shield and impales into his chest, the others miss or bounce off his shield. Thorn is hit in his right leg and abdomen but his shield and leg armour protect him. However he is left with an arrow stuck in his shield.

James shouts to a warning about arrows as Guido fails to pull the arrow from his chest making the wound worse.

The beetles kill a wolf and the two wolves left do nothing to the beetles. Arnost moves to line up with Thorn and Guido as I cast my Bless spell onto them. The two hobgoblins move towards the beetles and Thorn, James and Guido move towards the orcs leaving Arnost behind again. The orcs drop their bows and ready their axes to use them two handed.

Gnoman moves away from the steps towards the bottom of the area, the beetles take on the last two wolves. Arnost swaps his weapons for his great hammer I ready my sling and everyone else moves with James ending up behind Thorn. 

Guido throws his spear at the orc in front of him killing it instantly.

None of us are as yet feeling the effect of combat, the training to boost our endurance is paying off.

Gnoman lets loose with his sling at a hobgoblin but the shot bounces off its armour. Arnost moves up and I let loose my sling shot but miss as the hobgoblins move again approaching me. Thorn moves into contact James delays waiting for the orcs and Guido readies his magic sword as the orc’s attack the beetles hitting one of them.

Gnoman starts to reload his sling quickly, Arnost runs in a rage at the hobgoblins behind him stopping between them. I drop my sling and draw my scimitar ready for close combat and thankful that Arnost is going to be helping me. Thorn hits a orc with his mace stunning it, James moves, as Guido swings his sword hitting a orc in the chest causing a bleeding wound.  The orcs attack James and the beetles; James parries the attack while a beetle has its caprice smashed.

Thorn attacks the orc again knocking it down and out, while James manages a hit on another.