Arnan glanced quickly in the direction of the sentries up above them, and concluded Not much of a shot from this angle.

Deciding not to take a shot with his bow, he did his best to keep up with Thane, who was easily moving up the steep incline, but the scout quickly fell behind the stocky Luskan.

OOC:

20:43, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 13 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 10. Athletics Check: DC 15.

20:44, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 12 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 9. Luck-Die Roll.

Athletics Check Roll: 13 Fails.

Notes: Arnan has used one of his three Luck Die Rolls.

A string of expletives erupted from the small woman as she saw the three looking down at them and the guys took off after them.  Trying to keep up wasn't going to happen so she paused to draw her sword so she could attack once she got there.

OOC: Dang die roller keeps biting me.  Failed with a total of 10.

Thane and Hengar charge up the slope ahead Kira and Arnan, both of whom struggle to gain their footing on the icy scree. Still, the scout and rogue are not too far behind and should be able to join their companions in short order.

Thane and Hengar reach a line of chest-high stones just in time to see two Bear tribe sentries pop their head above cover, each eager to make out the source of the noise below. Both are surprised to see two warriors staring them down, weapons at the ready!

It's all either can do to stumble backward and call out in alarm to their other companions, standing beyond the wall of stones.




OOC: PCs are up. Thane and Hengar are in position to make melee attacks now. Two tribesmen have cover, so attacks will be at Disadvantage, unless the PCs make a DC10 Athletics check to vault over the rocks as part of their move/attack action.

Kira and Arnan are about 20 feet or so further down the slope.

Bear Tribe Sentinels
AC: 12
HP: 11/11, 11/11, 11/11, 11/11


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Arnan     14   12/12    0      NA       AC 16 w/ shield
Kira      14   09/09    0      NA
Thane     18   13/13    0      NA

"Bollocks!" Arnan hissed, swearing under his breath as Thane and Hengar moved up the steep slope and disappeared over the rim of the cliff. A moment later cries of alarm could be heard, and Arnan judged that the sentries were well aware of their danger.

Arnan redoubled his efforts to quickly join Thane and Hengar, and this time he was able to find better footing and move quickly up-slope.

"Good footing o'er this way," he called out to Kira, hoping to make her climb a little easier.

---

OOC:

Free Action: Speak to Kira.

Action: Dash, in order to cover the last 20 feet of the climb at "normal" speed: 20:19, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 21 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 18. Athletics Check re: Fast-Climb. Success!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Fri 02 June 2017.

Kira wasn't having nearly as much luck as the men and later would blame all the heavy padding from layering against the cold.

---

20:59, Today: Kira rolled 3 using 1d20.  Athletics.  Needless to say I myself an letting out a string of expletives!  I am so dang sick of this die roller f-ing me over.

Thane suppressed a growl as the Bear clan sentries showed themselves behind the wall of stones.  Thane had nothing against them personally, no reason to attack or kill them other than the fact he had promised to help the Tribe of the Elk. Still, Thane did not slow his advance.

He vaulted easily over the low wall and landed with a crunch of stones and snow.  He took advantage of the surprised look and slow reaction of the nearest sentry to ready his shield, and then he swung his flail at the Bear man.  Perhaps it was his lack of real reason to be killing the man, or it could be a simple twist of battle fate, but his flail arced in a deadly but powerless arc that fell just inches short of striking true.

---

OOC:
14:49, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Althletics Check DC10 to hop over wall. Success
14:50, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 8,6 using 1d20+5,1d8+3.  Thane Flail vs Bear sentry AC12.  Miss

Hengar overhead swings his axe at one of the Bear tribesmen standing on the other side of the rocks. It's a powerful blow and enough to knock the man back a bit, but not quite enough to topple him altogether.

Thane is now in midst of the four Bear tribesmen, one of which is still smarting from the Hengar's axe blow and somewhat out of sorts.

It's a scramble for weapons at hand as Thane vaults over the wall and lunges--and misses--at a burly man beneath a heavy fur cloak. The man wheels to the side just in time to avoid the blow, drawing a short blade in the process which he quickly jabs forward. The thrust penetrates Thane's exposed left, a sudden jolt of pain wracking through the fighter.

Thane recovers just in time to ward off another attack by another Bear tribesmen.

A third man comes to the aid of his stunned companion at the wall, slashing his hand axe at Hengar, striking the Elk tribesmen in the process.

Meanwhile, down below, the Elk Tribesmen have hastened their loping steps toward the Bear tribe camp, hopeful to still be able to get the drop on unsuspecting foes. The longer the battle atop the lookout post continues, the slimmer these prospects...




OOC: Thane and Hengar took 6 points of damage. Thane is in melee contact with two tribesmen. The other two are manning the wall and engaged with Hengar.

Arnan is now at the rock wall. Kira is still some distance down the slope.


Bear Tribe Sentinels
AC: 12
HP: 3/11, 11/11, 11/11, 11/11


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Arnan     14   12/12    0      NA       AC 16 w/ shield
Kira      14   09/09    0      NA
Thane     18   07/13    0      NA


PCs are UP!!!

"Unnnh!" Thane grunted as the barbarian's sword-thrust bit into his flesh.  He grimaced and steeled himself for a longer fight than expected.  He and his fellows had arrived in disarray even though the Bear sentries had been quickly engaged.

Now that the melee had been started, Thane adopted his usual fighting stance of shield side forward, flail side back.  He sidled towards Hengar and the wounded sentry.

"Stay close!" he hissed at Hengar, hoping the man would understand that it was better to fight side by side than separated.  Then he struck out at the wounded Bear tribesman.

---

OOC:
15:55, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 15,4 using 1d20+5,1d8+3.  Flail vs Sentry AC12. Hit for 4 damage

Thane will use his fighting style of 'Protection' for the benefit of Hengar, assuming the man fights side by side with him.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:12, Sat 03 June 2017.

Wait for it . . . wait for it . . . Arnan silently told himself, standing by the stone wall with a nocked arrow, holding his breath as he waited for a clear shot.

Thane and Hengar had gone over the wall and were now engaged in close combat with the sentries. After a moment Thane smashed a wounded Bear tribesman with his flail, killing him. Perhaps a little intimidated by seeing his fellow-tribesman fall, one of the sentries stood still for a moment, staring at the Luskan.

That little bit of hesitation was all that Arnan needed. He shot the arrow that he had been holding ready, and was pleased to see it sink into the sentry's side.

---

OOC:

Object Interaction: Ready bow (and arrow).

Action: 21:17, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 23 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 16. Ranged Attack vs. Sentry (AC 12). Hit!

21:18, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 8 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 5. Damage (Arrow).

Move: None.

Notes: It looks to me like Thane and Hengar, working together, have killed one of the sentries. Arnan will put his arrow into one of the unwounded Bear tribesmen.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Sun 04 June 2017.

With extra determination, Kira tried to make that last bit of distance and near the wall leaped to try to clear it and get herself into the thick of things.

---

18:43, Today: Kira rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Acrobatics.
That should at least get her over the wall if she was close enough, if not let me know.  If she did and can actually attack, let me know and I will edit this post.  Now that I've seen Wonder Woman, I'm hoping Kira can pull off a nice stunt.  :P

---

Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!!!  *kicks die roller and sets it on fire*


13:45, Today: Kira rolled 6 using 1d20+5.  Attack.  Yes ... a Nat 1 to attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:49, Fri 09 June 2017.

Thane brings his flail to action against one of the Bear tribesmen, sundering the man to his knees as the Luskan fighter wades into battle. Hengar nods his approval at Thane's prowess and attempts to replicate the feat with his own weapon, but his rival deftly parries the blow.

Meanwhile, Arnan fires into the fray, placing an arrow into the side of one of the men. The tribesman shouts out in pain and glances down at his hip. Grabbing the arrow, he breaks off the shaft and looks up in surprise as a spry woman suddently comes vaulting over the wall, weapons at the ready. He dodges aside just in time to avoid meeting his end.

The battle atop the outlook is in full force now. Thane and Hengar are each facing off against a Bear tribsemen, their conflict illuminated by the warm glow of a low fire and the dancing jade-streak sky.

The Bear tribesman recognizes a rival tribe member, Hengar, and shouts out a few choice insults. "You dishonor your people, bringing City Folk to fight your battles. You shame your ancestors, Cutahna," the last word unfamiliar to the party, but undoubtedly unkind in meaning.

With this, the Bear tribesman brings his axe to bear, landing a vicious hits which knocks Hengar to the ground. Hengar hits hard and doesn't stir when he hits the ground. This elicits a great cheer from the three remaining tribesmen.

For his part, Thane defends against the other man's advances, but he too suffers a few glancing blows.




OOC: Hengar took 10 points of damage and is unconscious/dying. Thane took 6 points of damage. Thane and Kira are now in melee contact with three tribesmen. Arnan is on the other side of the wall.

Bear Tribe Sentinels
AC: 12
HP: 0/11, 3/11, 11/11, 11/11


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Arnan     14   12/12    0      NA       AC 16 w/ shield
Kira      14   09/09    0      NA
Thane     18   07/13    0      NA


Hengar -16

PCs are UP!!!

Seeing Hengar go down and Thane taking nasty damage too, Kira aimed at the closest Bearman.  "You are shameful ... Cutahna," Kira snarled the insult back as she made a wicked jab with her rapier, finding a gap in the hide armor.

---

18:13, Today: Kira rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Attack.
18:14, Today: Kira rolled 7 using 1d8+3.  Damage.

Edit: 18:31, Today: Kira rolled 3 using 1d6.  Flanking.  So total of 10 points. Almost takes one out in one stab ... WOOHOO!


Not sure if she's flanking with Thane but if she is, let me know and I'll roll an extra d6 damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:33, Sun 11 June 2017.

Thane grimaced as Hengar was cut down by a loudmouthed sentry.  Told him to stay close, maybe he'll listen next time, he thought to himself.  There was no time, or enough allies on hand, to stop fighting to tend the man's wounds on the spot.  Hengar would have to rely on his natural toughness for a short while until this battle was won.

Speaking of...

"You talk too much!" Thane chastised the man who had just struck Hengar down.  He grunted with the effort of lashing out with his flail, connecting with the wounded sentry's weak side.

---

OOC:
Move: Enter melee with Sentry #2

Action:  00:24, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 13,9 using 1d20+5,1d8+3.  Flail vs Hengar's Sentry AC12. Hit for 9 damage

Other Thane will apply his "Protection" to Kira, assuming she is close enough to benefit from it (but if she is flanking, probably not)

Arnan frowned when he saw Hengar go down, but both Kira and Thane were after their men like terriers. Kira was lightning-quick with her blade, wounding her man grievously, and Thane put down the wounded sentry who had downed Hengar.

Although he was tempted to put an arrow into the unwounded sentry, Arnan decided to finish off the man whom Kira had hurt near unto death -- that would leave them with one final foe to face. At first he thought that his shot had missed when his lead foot slipped a little on the ice underfoot, but as luck would have it the sentry moved at the last moment in a desperate attempt to avoid Kira's blade and stepped right into the path of the arrow, which easily penetrated his armor.

---

OOC:

Action: 09:41, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 8 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 1. Ranged Attack v. Kira's Foe (AC 12).

09:42, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 26 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 19. Luck Die Re-Roll.

Final Attack Roll: 26. Hit!

09:42, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 7 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 4. Damage (Longbow).

Move: None

Notes: Thanks for all the kind words over in the OOC thread (and that hug, Kira). :)

I decided to go for the kill on the sentry that Kira had wounded, which will leave us with one foe to face next round.

Arnan has expended two of his three Luck Points (that natural 1 on the first roll just *had* to go!).
This message was last edited by the player at 16:01, Mon 12 June 2017.

A flurry of blows are exchanged atop the rocky outcrop, the adventurers fighting valiantly against the Bear tribe sentinels. Kira gains the advantage on her foe and, with Arnan's assistance, drops her foe. To her left, Thane fights off two foes, casting one aside as he wades into the other. All but one sentinel remain now.

Meanwhile, further down, in the encampment, the Elk warriors have just enjoined battle and the sound of combat echoes through the air.



OOC: Thane and Kira are now in melee contact with one tribesmen. Arnan is on the other side of the wall.

Bear Tribe Sentinels
AC: 12
HP: 0/11, 0/11, 0/11, 11/11


PC        AC    HP    Insp  Spell Save  Conditions & Notes
Arnan     14   12/12    0      NA       AC 16 w/ shield
Kira      14   09/09    0      NA
Thane     18   07/13    0      NA


Hengar (-16; Successes: 1, Fails: 2)

PCs are UP!!!


This message was last edited by the GM at 23:37, Mon 12 June 2017.

"HELP HENGAR!" Kira called out to Thane as she took a swipe at the last sentry, biting off an expletive as she found only air due to worrying about the big tribesman.

---

18:57, Today: Kira rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Attack.  ... here we go again ...

The plaintive cry from Kira caused Thane to cast his eyes down for a look.  Hengar was turning that color of gray that a man gets who's losing too much blood too quickly.  The man had no more time, literally.

Thane knelt at Hengar's side and doffed both weapon and shield, a simple matter of letting go their handles and letting the heavy implements fall onto the stony-snowy ground.  His knee planted in the midst of a blood flow, but Thane didn't notice that.  While Kira distracted the lone remaining sentry, Thane dug into the large leather pouch at his waist and pulled out some cloth and a small oil-paper pouchlet.  He roughly rolled Hengar over so that his worst wound was apparent, then tore open the oil-paper pouchlet and dribbled the contents, a salty-looking powder, into the axe wound.  Then he stuffed the clean cloth into and onto the wound, and looped the loosed ends of the bandage round and round the man's torso with expert quickness so that it would not easily fall off.

Done, he lightly slapped Hengar on the cheek to rouse him.  "Wake up, northman!  There's fight left in you yet!"

---

OOC: I think that Thane would need both hands free to do this sort of thing.

Move: None, really, just kneel and drop shield and weapon.

Interact with object: retrieve items from the healer's kit at his waist

Action: Expend one use of the Healer's Kit to treat Hengar, restoring 1d6+4 (plus his max hit dice) of hit points to the man.

21:42, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 7 using 1d6+4.  Heal Hengar. Heal 7 + Max Hit Dice hit points to Hengar and revive him to consciousness.

One left, Arnan thought to himself. Kira went right at the surviving sentry, calling out to Thane to help Hengar. The Luskan soon busied himself with that task.

Arnan nocked another arrow and held the bow flexed and ready to shoot as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Soon enough Arnan had a clear shot, and he put the arrow right where he wanted to -- in the sentry's midsection. The man huffed in pain, and fell where he stood.

---

OOC:

Action: 22:09, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 27 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 20. Ranged Attack v. Sentry (AC 12). Critical Hit!

22:11, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 9 using 2d8+3 with rolls of 5,1. Damage (Critical Hit).

Move: None.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Wed 14 June 2017.

Thane leaps into action to triage Hengar's wounds, working quickly to revive bandage his wounds. Fortunately, his wounds aren't so severe as to present too much difficulty and the combat medic has little issues bringing the barbarian back into the fold.

Meanwhile, the battle continues. Kira has distracted the lone remaining Bear tribesman and manages to keep him at bay. Seizing the opportunity, Arnan looses an arrow and strikes the barbarian where he stands. The man glances down at the arrow protruding from his chest, utters a curse, and drops to ground to stir no more.

Hengar regains consciousness a moment later and glances confusedly around the battlefield, his vision finally settling on Thane.

"Thank you," he offers simply.

The adventurers successfully dispatched the sentinels and without giving them too much opportunity to alert the warriors within the campsite. Elk warriors now stream through the village, eager to exact revenge for their rivals' transgressions.

.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 109):

"Welcome back," Arnan said to Hengar with a smile, as soon as the last sentry had fallen.

Glancing around at Kira and Thane, he added, "And well-done. I think that we managed to cut them down without too much of an alarm being raised."

The scout pursed his lips thoughtfully, and he looked at the blood on Thane's chain mail. "Do you need a moment to tend to your own wounds before we move on? I don't know a great deal about any of that, but mayhaps if I watch you I can learn a little something."

Kira saw the arrow in the Bear's chest and grinned at him.  "That's what ya get … Cutahna," she said and gave a little fingery wave as he fell to the ground.  Then she turned and dashed over to where the guys were, staring down at Hengar with a lopsided grin.  "He couldn't stay way.  We're too much fun," she quipped.

Even though she was being jovial, she had truly been worried and now she looked at Thane as well and the smile faded quickly.  "Yeah, I can help wash off a wound and do some ugly attempts at wrapping but other than that I'd need lessons too.  Wouldn't be a bad thing really, maybe after we get outta this mess," she stated rather thoughtfully.  There had been loads of times she'd wished she could tend her own wounds.

Thane offers a hand to assist Hengar in standing up from where he had fallen.  "You're welcome," he said with a wince, his own wound now causing him some pain and discomfort.  "We won the day here.  Sounds like your people are fighting the rest of the Bear-men now," he added, taking note of the din of battle further upslope.

Arnan's words distracted Thane from further comment, instead bringing his focus back to his own wound.  "I think you can be of help," he admitted.  "Stab wounds are hard to treat by yourself," he added.  Then looking at Kira, he shook his head.  "You can watch.  Not sure what you'll learn.  No need for three sets of hands, but I'm glad for the offer."

Thane reached into his medical pouch and withdrew another section of bandage and a different sort of small wrapped bundle.  He gave Arnan some simple instructions.  "I'm going to put this thing in my mouth to warm it a bit.  Then I'll lift my chainmail and shirt so you can see the wound.  Take the little bundle out of my mouth and squeeze the innards into the blade hole, then wrap the bandage around me and tie it fairly tight.  You got it?"

---

OOC: Assuming Arnan "gets it", Thane will execute his part of the plan and endure having the thick herbal salve pressed into a live wound and being wrapped.

22:04, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 10 using 1d6+5.  Thane Heal Self (with help).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:43, Sat 17 June 2017.

In reply to Thane Harkensen (msg # 112):

"Got it," Arnan replied with a nod. He glanced about on ground until he found a fairly thick stick, and handed it to Thane. "Don't know how well you tolerate pain. Some folks like to have something to bit down upon when people start poking around in their raw wounds."

He kept talking as he followed Thane's instructions -- not because he was a naturally talkative person, for all the time that he spent by himself in the wilds made him normally a little taciturn. But he reasoned that a little chatter might help take Thane's mind off of the pain that he must be feeling.

"Wonder if there's any bear grease in this salve that we're using?" he pondered aloud. "The reason that I ask is that there's this ranger I know . . . why, he swears by the stuff."

"Says that it will fix all manner of problems -- from a tight wagon-axle to keeping no-see-ums away from your bare flesh to taking care of any wound short of losing a limb or such-like."

Arnan glanced over at Kira and grinned. "He even said that if you put some in your hair and slicked it down whenever you went into town, you'd be a sure hit with the lasses. Haven't tried it yet myself, though . . . well, with the lasses, I mean. I can tell you that it does do a good job of keeping the no-see-ums off of you."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 16:07, Sat 17 June 2017.

While atop the rocky outlook, the party quickly attends to their wounds while the remainder of their allies stream into the Bear Tribe's encampment a bit further up the trail. The Elk tribe warriors gain surprise against their foes, thanks to the adventurers' taking out the sentries before the alarm can be raised, giving them a distinct advantage in the battle along the Sacred Pool.

The party manages to join the battle shortly after it begins and they lend their talents to the fray. In the end, the Elk tribe and adventurers are victorious, besting easily more than their number in foes, among them Wolvig Barundson, the tribe's nominal chieftain.

When the battle is finished, numerous injured warriors on both sides lie in various states of distress and consciousness through the camspite, the snow stained red from their wounds. Curiously, the camp has no sign of the Elk Tribe prisoners in any of the tents or lean-tos huddled along the banks of the Sacred Pool.