After a day and night of activities in Rotter, the party marches back to the hunting lodge.  All is quiet and calm during your trip.

You arrive back at the lodge around 10 a.m.  Things have changed a bit since you were here yesterday.  You are able to scope out the clearing around the lodge from within the tree line, so you are probably not exposed to view.  The window Len Packer broke has been boarded up.  More disturbingly, the graves with the dead bandits have been dug up.  You can't see whether the graves are empty from your hidden position, but what kind of sick freak would dig up a grave and leave the body inside?

What do you do?

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 1):

Peeking out around the trunk of a tree, the druid survey's the cabin, noticing the boarded up windows and the freshly dug graves.  "Well, that's creepy.  Who boards up windows like that?  Perhaps we should just wait a bit and see if we notice any activity?"

Elwood has a puzzled look on his face and says "Zombies aren't known for their carpentry skills.   Undoubtedly who ever dug up those bodies is the one who boarded up the windows.  Observing for a little while might not be a bad idea, but we should make our move before nightfall. "

Len nodded at the words of the others. He had no plan of his own.

"I'll go over here to the right, behind that tree" he softly stated. "I'll get a different view from over there."

While you are watching the lodge and deciding what to do, you hear harsh voices coming from the right.  A group of four orcs emerges into the clearing around the lodge from the trees to the south.  Three of them surround the fourth orc who looks the worse for wear with blood on the front of his ramshackle armor and face.  As the orcs approach the front door to the lodge, you realize the beat up orc is your old friend Snarg!
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:17, Fri 14 Oct 2016.

Khaaven will take aim at one of the three orcs surrounding Snarg, when the rest of the group looks about ready he will take his sneak attack.

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Depending on how long that is, either a death attack or sneak attack +2 hit +4 damage

Dreya pulls her bow out and takes aim at an orc that is not her buddy Snarg.

Cole pulls out his bow and takes aim at one of the three Orcs surrounding Snarg as well.

Hugh takes up a position to watch for more orcs, beyond the initial four that entered the clearing. Perhaps more will be following on their heels.

In the event his companions launch a surprise attack, Hugh will charge the orcs taking care to not allow himself to become surrounded.

Len stands behind the tree, peeking out at the orcs. He notices that allies have their ranged weapons prepared for attack. Len knows that he would not be able to cross the ground in time to bring down his battle axe quickly. It's his thought to stay prepared. If the orcs decide to rush the group, he would be ready.

Seeing that the group prepares to aid their old friend Snarg in some manner, Vecivious mumbles "Why didn't you say something." in a somewhat perturbed manner. Reaching into his pouch he tosses some sand in the direction of the orcs and chants "Med dessa ord som bar, skall du snart snarkar"

OOC: Cast sleep indiscriminately

Recalling stories that orcs are light sensitive, and assuming that Elwood can see the eyes of any of the orcs, he softly chants "In nomine Flyspamon, id est exempli gratia ibidem et cetera." {casts Light onto the eyes of one of the orcs (not Snarg)}

If Elwood can't see any of the orcs' eyes, only the sides or backs of their heads, then he'll hold off and wait for them to turn around and face the party.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:40, Sun 16 Oct 2016.

Khaaven takes careful aim at the lead orc, hoping for a sneak/death attack.  Unfortunately, the orcs are a good 50 feet away and out of range for assassination.  His crossbow bolt goes wide with a vicious woosh.

Before the orcs can react, more arrows start flying through them.  Dreya's shot lodges in Orc #1's left thigh for 4 points of damage.  Cole's arrow grazes Orc #1's left arm for an additional 1 point of damage.

Hugh charges at the orcs and makes a flying kick at Orc #1, but misses badly, most likely due to the disturbance caused by Vecivious Lex's sleep spell.  Hugh wobbles in the air, but remains awake.  Orc #2 and Orc #3, however, fall to the ground in a deep slumber.

Elwood's light spell blinds Orc #1, at least temporarily.

Orc #1 begins to skewer Hugh for 8 points of damage despite being blinded, but then realizes it was surprised, so it doesn't take action this round.

Orc #1 is bleeding from various orifices, Orc #2 and Orc #3 and napping pleasantly, and Snarg is all beat up.  What do you do?

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
07:43, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Orc 1, rolled 8 using 1d8.  Damage to Hugh.
07:42, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Orc 1, rolled 14 using 1d20-5.  Attack Hugh.
07:40, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Hugh, rolled 4 using 1d5.  Affected by sleep spell?
07:39, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Hugh, rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  Attack Orc #1.
07:37, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Vecivious Lex, rolled 40 using 1d100.  Which orcs are put to sleep?
07:35, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 1 using 1d8.  Damage to Orc #1.
07:35, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Shooting at Orc #1.
07:33, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Dreya, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Damage to Orc #1.
07:33, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Dreya, rolled 12 using 1d20+2.
07:31, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Khaaven, rolled 11 using 1d20+4.  Shooting Orc #1.
16:36, Yesterday: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Vecivious Lex, rolled 2 using 2d4.  HD affected by sleep spell.

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With a plan suddenly forming in her mind, Dreya steps out of cover, waiving her arms to try and gain Snarg's attention.  If and when she does, and hoping that he recognizes her and also interprets her arm movements, she beckons him over to her while muttering under her breath, "Come on, friend, this way, this way..."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:16, Tue 18 Oct 2016.

Cole moves up closer and takes another shot at the first Orc.

Khaaven will advane towards the fight, trying to line up a shot on orc 1 but only if Hugh is out of danger or risk of gething hit on a miss.