Skating the orc's blade off of his own, the Count bends his arm slightly at the last moment and hooks his sword under the ax's head. He had seen these creatures survive incredible damage, and knew he wouldn't be likely to kill his mark in a single stroke; he had better odds, Nik decided, at saving the wagon than at dooming his enemy.

09:32, Today: Nikolaas von Richtgraf rolled 12 using 3d6. Broadsword Disarm (13).

HP: 12/12
FP: 7/12

Ready Sword and Buckler

The Sigmarite deflected the blow and retaliated with one of his own.

"Your soul will burn in unquenchable flames, demon!"

Defense: Parry
08:31, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 8 using 3d6. Parry 15.

Offense: Deceptive Attack (-2/-1)
08:33, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 14 using 3d6. Mace 18-2(footing)-2(DA) = 14.
     Target defends at -1.
08:34, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 8 using 2d6+3. Warhammer damage 2d+3 cr.
     If it hits, it gets +2 burn as a Follow-Up.

 The drain of his arcana was telling, he rarely ever ran out of power but these suicidal raiders seemed bent on dying or catching the wagon. "Tell those dwarven gunners to not fire on any raiders close to us"

 Concentrating he manages to scrap up another force wall.

Casting force wall on orc #4(or if that one drops then orc #3)

Hp 11/11, FP 2/18,

Grigory slices into his chosen orc. Its tough skin absorbs most of the blow, but it still draws its hand back reflexively. Its boar tries again to gore the cart, but misses. Nigel blinds the second orc, who is somehow still miraculously alive, until he loses control of his mount. The savage boar throws his rider and proceeds to enact some sort of sadistic revenge on it.

On the other side of the wagon, Nik slides his sword past an orc's guard and flicks his weapon away from him. The creature reaches for it and never sees the transparent wally Konrad throws up just ahead of it, meeting a similar crushing end as many of his companions. Meanwhile, Bjorn continues to shout admonitions at another orc before bashing the creature again with his holy hammer.

With only one orc left, the dark elves close quickly. They aim quickly, and their crossbows rattle oddly, releasing a spray of darts in your direction.

Dark Elves are now 5 yards away

Orc 1:
- Gets hit by Grigory
- misses any sort of offensive attacks

Orc 2:
- Gets shot in the other eye
- Blinded and out of the fight

Orc 3:
- Disarmed and then dead

Orc 4:
- Dead

Konrad, you have 2 FP left

Heartened by his first hit, Grigory summons all of his strength in an attempt to disable the powerful weapon-wielding orc arm.

Do we need to make defense rolls against the Dark elves, or are they just going all A-Team on us?

Maneuver: Attack. Shortsword swing Mighty Blow to orc 1's right arm. Hits! 9 cutting damage if he doesn't defend.

-1 FP

16:08, Today: Grigory rolled 5 using 3d6. Sswd 17 Mighty swing -2 footing -2 vs arm = 13.
16:08, Today: Grigory rolled 9 using 1d6+4. mighty cut damage to orc arm.

Right hand: Shortsword.
Left hand: Large Knife.

Parry: 12
Block: 11
Dodge:  9

HP:12/12       FP:12/7

Nigel tries to shoot one of the elves, but his aim is off and the arrow goes wide, "Dammit! Stupid shortbow..."

13:16, Today: Nigel Plaskitt rolled 15,16,13,5 using 3d6,3d6,3d6,1d6+1. Fast Draw Arrow 16; Heroic Archer 22; Bow 18+1(acc)-2(wagon)-4(ta eyes)-2(range)=11. Failed the shot by 2.

HP: 8/12     FP: 11/12

Nik flinches slightly as the arrows start flying over and past him, but quickly collects himself and settles into his place between Nigel and the Elven crossbowmen, holding his small buckler as though it were a more meaningful cover for his companion than his body itself.

I don't think I can reach Grigory's orc without tangling us both up, so I'm going to spend the round Stepping into place in front of Nigel and going All-Out Defensive (Imp. Block).

HP: 12/12
FP: 7/12

Ready Sword and Buckler

 With a strained look on his face he has to force himself to dreg up the last of his arcana to power his words and flicks his fingers as he goes thru the words of the now familiar spell.

 Casting force wall on the end of the wagon/cart?(if it can be done that way) hoping to give a barrier against the dark elves darts from directly behind them. If not then he will wall smash Orc #1 to take it out.


Hp 11/11
Fp 00/18
This message was last edited by the player at 15:21, Wed 13 Aug 2014.

Bjorn aimed to ensure Grigory's target went down.

"Another fiend burns in hell," he said. "Your turn."

Attack:
15:42, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 12 using 3d6. Mace 18-2 = 16.
15:42, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 6 using 2d6+3. Warhammer damage 2d+3 cr.
     +2 burn as Follow-Up.

HP: 13/13     FP: 5/12     Spells On: 1     Buffs: Flaming Weapon

The final orc falls to a combined onslaught of Bjorn and Grigory. The Dark Elves take aim and fire again, but their bolts rattle harmlessly off Konrad's force wall. Cursing in their evil language, they range to either side of the wagon, hoping to get around the barrier.

Another cannon shot booms out above you. The sound impossibly loud as you realize that you are getting very close to your final destination, Barak Varr, and safety. The walls of the great dwarven city, though, are now obscured by dark billowing columns of black, grey, and green smoke that you assume come from the great war machines on top of the fortifications. The first two wagons in your little caravan disappear into the smoke as you watch.

You all will have 1 more round of combat with the Two Dark Elves before you plunge into the smoke. You can see the rest of Stanauch's warband breaking off and retreating out of cannon range.

Konrad, if I understood your post correctly, you plopped a force wall on the back of the wagon itself.

There's a dark elf, still 5 yards away, on your left and right

Nigel focuses in on one of the elves and shoots an arrow straight at his eyes before the wagon reaches the safety of the smoke.

09:56, Today: Nigel Plaskitt rolled 9,13,7,2 using 3d6,3d6,3d6,1d6+1. Fast Draw Arrow 16; Heroic Archer 22; Bow 18+1(acc)-2(wagon)-4(ta eyes)-2(range)=11. Success by 7,9,&4. 2x4= 8 impaling damage to the eye.

HP: 8/12     FP: 11/12

Grigory throws his knife at the elf on the other side of the wagon, but the confusion throws his aim off target.

Maneuver: Attack. Throw large knife at the elf who wasn't shot by Nigel. Miss!

13:19, Today: Grigory rolled 16 using 3d6. ThrWpn Knife to ToO, 14-2rng-2wagon=10

Right hand: Shortsword.
Left hand: Empty.

Parry: 12
Block: 11
Dodge:  9

HP:12/12       FP:12/7

 aye, trying to give some protection to those on the end of the wagon from missile fire of the dark elves.

The Count focuses on defending Nigel, crouched before him and holding his buckler at the ready. The natural consequence of his concentration has him completely ignoring the shooter on the opposite side, a thought that sends a slimy shiver of dread slithering down his spine, but there was no help for it now. Not yet.

Gods, he silently thought to himself, we're so close...

HP: 12/12
FP: 7/12

Ready Sword and Buckler

Bjorn prepared to defend himself, awaiting the incoming attackers.

All-Out Defense: Double

Nigel quickly drops one of the remaining two elves, but the other gets off a rattling barrage of crossbow bolts. Two embed themselves into the wagon, but three more seem to find targets among the group.

Then, you were in the smoke, battered and bruised from the jarring ride. It was eerily silent apart from the labored breathing of the mules, the creaking of the wagon, and the ringing in your ears (courtesy of the cannons covering your approach). You all couldn't see more than a few yards in any direction, including the other two wagons. Pip, your driver, cries out in terror as something flies out at the wagon from the darkness. Wendt's cat. The poor thing looked haggard and terrified, and you notice that it is favoring one of its paws.

[Private to Bjorn Jorgensen: Something isn't right. You can feel the presence of chaos, overly strong, especially considering you should be so close to an Order aligned city.]
[Private to Grigory: Years in the sewers have given you a keen sense of when danger is lurking out beyond the darkness. That sense is screaming at you right now.]

Bjorn, Grigory, and Nik all take a defensive maneuver or 1d6 piercing damage

Grigory is able to duck out of the way of the deadly crossbow quarrel, but clearly he is alarmed by the dense smoke pressing in on them. He strains his eyes against to spot Rufus in the gloom.

"There's something hunting us in the smoke! Rufus, come here, climb up!"

Defense: Feverish Dodge. Success!

-1 FP.

Fast-draw 2nd Large Knife. Success!

Maneuver: All Out Defense (Dodge+2).

13:43, Today: Grigory rolled 11 using 3d6. Feverish Dodge 119+2=1311.
13:46, Today: Grigory rolled 13 using 3d6. Fast draw 2nd Large Knife 15.

Right hand: Shortsword.
Left hand: Large Knife.

Parry: 12
Block: 11
Dodge:  9

HP:12/12       FP:12/6

The Count narrowed his eyes as he awaited the elf's barrage and was ready for it when it came, batting the quill out of the air with his buckler. He kept his hateful gaze on the shooter until they had been enveloped by the smoke, then squeezed his eyes hard shut against the stinging haze.

He fought his eyes to open despite the pain, taking in the state of the place as the wagon slowed to a stop; he jumped heavily off the back of the wagon, stiff and graceless after the bumpy ride, and peered into the darkness with a suspicion borne and raised on treachery, deceit, and bad luck.

"Aye," he said in response to Grigory, "a foolish choice, whoever it may be." He kept his attitude positive and his demeanor fierce - anything less could affect the group's morale - but he couldn't shake the image of them riddled with elven arrows or surrounded by orcish raiders; "Calm down, Pip, have no fear. Stay in the wagon.". Without being able to pierce the smoke visually he called out, at first to their companions in the other wagons, "Maurice! Wendt! Sound off!" and then much more loudly to whoever may be listening, turning as he did so to keep an eye on the nothingness that surrounded them. "Hello, the gunners! Hello, the shooters! Hello!?"

13:35, Today: Nikolaas von Richtgraf rolled 12 using 3d6. AoD (Increased Block) (14).

HP: 12/12
FP: 7/12

Ready Sword and Buckler

"I smell Chaos, Rangers!" said Bjorn through gritted teeth. "Not since Grenzstadt has such a presence permeated, and so close to an Order aligned city! I fear the worst."

The priest was more accustomed to taking orders than giving them, but such a situation warranted his supernatural expertise.

"Rangers, we need to get out of this smoke...NOW!"

15:33, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 7 using 3d6. Block 13.

Nik's voice seemed to die a few feet from the wagon, swallowed up by the smoke. Rufus clamored up with you, ears drooping and tail tucked between his legs. He had just gotten comfortable when Pip cried out in alarm and hauled back on the reins. Appearing almost out of nowhere ahead of you is the wreckage of the other wagons. Cargo, splintered wood, and mangled mules lay strewn about. The mules hauling your own wagon screamed and with a jolt you all were flung from the vehicle as the cart and animals crashed into the wreck.

A voice rumbles from out in the smoke. To Bjorn it practically drips with evil and revulsion. "I have had enough of your petty group ruining my fun in these lands. At every point you thwart me! Well, no longer. I have been loosed among you petty mortals and I will enjoy myself." Something breaths a heavy sigh and then you hear a THUMP!

"First, you escape my party in Grenzstadt, warning everyone and ruining the surprise."

THUMP!

"Then you take that criminal Klaus, who I was going to release upon the Border Princes and drop him straight into the law's hands."

THUMP!

"Then, oh then! I thought I would have some fun with just one little vampire. But NO! you couldn't let me do that, and you go and rescue her."

THUMP!

"The orcs, my plot in Brovska. You were there every. single. time!"

THUMP!

"Well, now I've decided to have my fun with you."

The thumps came in rapid succession now, as though an enormous creature was running. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

and then an enormous, hideously ugly abomination charged (waddled) out of the smoke ten yards away. It was an putrid green-brown color with festering boils covering its sickly skin. Its head was vaguely reptillian with a mouth full if spiked teeth and it had numerous black, spider-like eyes. In one hand it held a huge, rusty sword six or seven feet long, and in the other, a nasty chain flail of some sort. All in all, it was nearly twelve feet tall.

Roll against Pip's Teamster skill of 12: Today: Chance rolled 14 using 3d6. fail

Everyone take collision damage equal to: (HP*7)/100 number of dice. If this is less than 1d, treat fractions up to 0.25 as 1d-3, fractions up to 0.5 as 1d-2, and any
larger fraction as 1d-1. Otherwise, round fractions of 0.5 or more up to a full die.

You're facing a Great Unclean One. An upper tier chaos demon of Nurgle. Roll a fright check.

Combat time

Nigel is thrown from the wagon with the rest of the party, but is able to tuck and roll, minimizing his injuries. He quickly stands to his feet and though terrified at the sight of the demon he doesn't show it, instead he fires an arrow at one of the demon's many eyes, "Run Pip! Get to the walls!"

08:37, Today: Nigel Plaskitt rolled 1,8 using 1d6,3d6. Collision damage; Fright Check. Success by 3.
08:47, Today: Nigel Plaskitt rolled 9,10,6,3 using 3d6,3d6,3d6,1d6+1. Fast Draw Arrow 16; Heroic Archer 22; Bow 18+1(acc)-4(ta eyes)-4(range)=11. Success by 7,12,&5. 3x4=12 impaling damage to one eye.

HP: 8/12     FP: 11/12
This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

Grigory tumbles out of broken wagon with a crunch, but thankfully the mail he wears absorbed most of the impact. As the filth-covered demon lurches into view, Grigory's courage holds, and he fastens a heavy cloth handkerchief over his mouth and nose. This will not be a pretty fight.

-1 HP.
Fright check passed.

Maneuver: Ready. Tie handkerchief over mouth and nose.

11:54, Today: Grigory rolled 3,7 using 1d6,3d6. Collision damage; Fright Check.

Right hand: Shortsword.
Left hand: Large Knife.

Parry: 12
Block: 11
Dodge:  9

HP:12/11       FP:12/6
This message was last edited by the player at 16:07, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

Rufus takes a minor battering as he is flung from the wagon, but he quickly rights himself. The dog has seen far more horrors than most and holds his ground, determined to protect his master to the last against this unnatural monster.

-1 HP.
Fright Check passed.

Maneuver: AoD (Double).

11:55, Today: Rufus rolled 1,11 using 1d6,3d6. Collision damage; Fright Check.

Dodge: 11

HP:13/12       FP:14/14

The Count began to relay Bjorn's order - even without his respect for the clergy, the situation dictated a certain deference to his informed opinion - but the words caught and died in his throat. What was left of the command barely escaped his mouth, coming out as a strangled croak that was cut short within a single beat.

Swallowing hard, the Count stared wide-eyed toward the source of the booming voice. For the second time that day, he silently prayed; unlike his last prayer, this one was not answered, and he knew it. The colour drained from him as the litany of their deeds was recited, making his sweat-slick black hair framed face look sickly; the scar that tracked across his nose took on a purple grotesqueness that would have horrified him had he known of it.

They stood before the very figure of Hell. They heard the voice of doom. They felt the footsteps of death. He wanted to weep, to scream, to flee, but instead he simply reached across his chest and felt the weight of Renate's brooch pinned to his collar. He would never see her again.

And suddenly he felt a rush of... calm. It washed away the sticky dread like a deluge, replacing it with the strangest sense of assurance, of certainty - there was no other option left to them but to fight bravely, hopelessly, perfectly. Suddenly he understood the words he had so often used to rally his men.

No fear.

He turned to face demon erupting from the fog, staring at it with a passionate intensity burning behind his blue eyes. His voice was as steady as it had ever been. "Will common steel harm this beast, your Grace?"

11:35, Today: Nikolaas von Richtgraf rolled 13 using 3d6. Fright Check (13). Phew!
11:37, Today: Nikolaas von Richtgraf rolled 1 using 1d6. Collision Damage. Double phew! Does my Armour take that?

HP: 12/12
FP: 7/12

Ready Sword and Buckler

"As I am certain you have ascertained do unto his putrid affect," said Bjorn, clambering to his feet, "the last thing you should wish is to be struck by the demon."

Collision Damage:
12:15, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 3 using 1d6-1. Collision damage: 1d-1 cr.

Fright Check:
12:16, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 11 using 3d6. Fright Check 13.

Knowledge Roll: Hoping for any helpful information.
12:32, Today: Bjorn Jorgensen rolled 11 using 3d6. Occultism 12.

HP: 12/13     FP: 5/12     Spells On: 1     Buffs: Flaming Weapon