All this hiding and waiting is really, really boring. You have to admit, though, that it would be far worse if you were one of those poor mugs out there on the plain just waiting for the accursed Watchers to charge into battle and mow them all down. That's why you made sure you got yourself a nice safe spot here among the trees of the Oytwood. Those damned Watchers, the Knights of the Watch, they won't be charging in here between all these trees, that's for sure! Too many low branches to knock them out of their saddles, too many exposed roots to trip their horses, too many hiding spots for goblins and orcs to lie in wait. That's what you call being smart, that is!

But there's not much future in this tactic, really. You have already been pushed westward 30 miles from Pest's Crossing since the fire giant King Mogthrassir was killed and his forces were decimated in the Battle of Pest's Crossing. There's only about 30 more miles of Oytwood left before you are back out on the plains with all the rest of those poor mugs out there. And that's if the elves don't get you first.

What to do, what to do?

Looking around you can see a few of the folk that you would actually be a bit happier to have by your side when things really start to go bad. Maybe it's time to get a bit closer to them and start making plans to get out of this mess, once and for all.

OOC: Game map uploaded to show current location in the Duchy of Geoff.

All characters are in the same general area. Most of you have been involved in the fight and flight since Pest's Crossing, so you all have some vague knowledge about each of the others, even if it only means you recognise them and maybe know their names.

What happens next is up to you.
This message was last updated by the GM at 15:36, Sun 18 May 2014.

Riza was good at hiding.... she was one of the best... it was how she had survived for so long... and how she killed.

But even still she was growing bored of waiting and hiding in the Oytwood forest, she wanted to use her skills again and she was feeling rusty.
She looked around and tried to find one of the others she could try and form a plan with... she recognised Minmorc immediately. Her stealth tactics and his ability to scare the pants out of the enemy had worked well together in the past. She moved quietly over to near where he was.

We need to find a way out of here Minmorc she hissed. Are there others here we can trust? We need to form a group

Jurz wasn't bothering to stay too quiet as he looked for berries or other fruit that would help his rations go a bit further.

He knew that the Watchers were down on the plains and hadn't got this far yet, however he knew that there were others about.  He had seen earlier.  More Goblins, Orcs and even a bugbear or two.  And he knew there would be others around as well, so he stayed alert.  And he knew that Rog, the great hound would be on his guard too.

It would be time to head  further into the forests soon, where he would be more at home than most others.  But for now, he looked for supplies as he waited to see who was around.

The little goblin shadowed his kinsman, not trying to hide, but at a safe distance so he could carefully observe Jurz, see which plants and berries he favoured, and get some for himself.

His sack he keeps close, gripped firmly as he forages, and unlike Jurz he tried to tread softly, keeping an eye out for any threat be they elf or those ostensibly on the same side !

*What's that !  Ah ... Riza* he thinks as the small lizard woman appears from nowhere.  That big orc, though ... him he doesn't know, but the brute looks scary with that damn big spear !

Nurzhan tried to be stealthy to avoid detection. Keyword: tried. He was an archer, used to shooting down men from many yards away, not a woodsman as most of his former squad (before he deserted) were before becoming archers themselves. He rarely stepped out of the human city he was raised in, and his short tenure as a mercenary against the invading demihuman army was the farthest he had gone from home. It had only been years, but it seemed so long ago when he was scapegoated by soldiers he thought were his friends. But that didn't matter now.

Nurzhan saw the other demihumans retreating to the deep forest, two goblins, a lizardman (or lizardwoman, Nurzhan could never tell them apart), another orc, and maybe more. He whistled and waved at them to get their attention.

Jurz pauses when he hears the whistle from behind him, and looks towards the sound and sees  a big orc, one he doesn't know.  The brown skinned goblin edges closer to a tangle of bushes but he stands his ground and waits for the orc to catch up.  After all, there need to be new alliances struck out here.  But he looks around nervously, just in case there are other out here who might be unfriendly, and makes a small gesture towards the large dog, that wears a saddle and saddlebags.


--

OOC For those of you in hiding or stepping softly -- Jurz rolled a 16 on his spot roll.

Rog looks around at the whistle and then looks across to Jurz.  When the Goblin makes a sign, the large dog just moves a little bit closer to its master.

Dregz stops in his tracks, his anxious gaze flicking between the large dog and the larger orc.  For a moment he eyes the bushes nearby, perhaps considering the chance of concealing himself until the coast was clear ... but the berry-gathering goblin must have seen him for sure, and the damn dog would sniff him out anyway.

"What you want ?" he hisses at Nurzhan, trying to put on a brave face.

In reply to Dregz (msg # 8):

Arlein sits on a nearby branch observing and lazily twitching her tail.

DC 22 hide check.
The group can call me cat, freak or any other nickname they come up with.

Minmorc likes little Riza, Riza is sneaky and smart. "Not trust... but others is itchy, scared, talking about watches coming and killing. I killed a few watches but dey killed us too. Dis forest has food. If you say other place better Minmorc will go. Better if we go with other itchy goblins."
Minmorc calls out to the two itchy goblins "yuse gonna leave forst?"
He then hears a whistle and spins, spear levelled "what choo blowin for, you seen watches?"

Jurz scowls.  Suddenly there are too many people here, and half of them are whistling and shouting already.  It is enough to bring everything in the whole area to this little neck of the woods.  For a moment he thinks about running and leaving them to it, but the same thing will likely happen again and again.  There are just too many people in the whole of this woods.  Instead he looks for a clear space and walks towards it.

"Shhhhhh..." he says putting a finger to his lips in what he hopes is a universally understood sign for shut the bloody noise up.  Then he waves everyone in to the clearing.

He looks nervously around, trying to see just who is here.  There are at least two Orcs, and they send a shiver up his spine, but with any luck they won't start a fight with each other.  The other Goblin might be all right.  OK he is a greeny and probably not a forest tribe, but at least he  will understand the rules.  Or at least Jurz hopes he will understand the rules.  Then there is a Lizardman.  As big as an Orc but even less well understood.

"Shh." he says again as they get closer "Or youze will have everyone in da woods here." he admonishes.  "Ize going deeper in da woodz." the brown skinned goblin replies to  Minmorc.  "Itz harder for dem to getz de horses in dere."

Nurzhan was dressed in well-maintained green studded leather armor, probably stolen from the enemy. He held a massive bow in his strong, meaty hands, and had a quiver of arrows and a two-handed sword strapped to his back. He stood around six feet tall and was heavily-built, mostly muscle with a small amount of fat on his body. He didn't smell like an orc; in fact, he had a neutral odor, the way soap and water cancelled out orcish body odor.

"Greetings, kin," said Nurzhan in the orcish tongue to Minmorc. Then, in unusually fluent Common, he addressed the others. "Hail, fellow survivors of King Mogthrassir's army. I am Nurzhan, an archer, the last of my tribe." That was technically true. When he was an infant, heroic adventurers slew his tribesmen. "They were killed by wicked adventurers who worshipped the false gods." He alone was spared by them and brought to be raised in human lands. But that was a story for another time.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:37, Thu 16 Jan 2014.

Minmorc is a hulking brute, dirty, menacing and scarred, smelling of earth and grass. Twigs and leaves cling to his chain kilt and hair and while his massive spear is as caked with grit as the rest of him its blades edge appears well cared for and razor sharp.

"pffft, then dere false gods stronger den yer real ones dat day. Horsey humans is good fightin but deres too many fer Minmorc." He sniffs suspiciously at this orc man archer thing and scowls then focuses on the little goblin. "You a thinker, I'll come wid you. You be der boss til you die or we'z find better boss. Sound good Riza?"

Riza stood only 3ft tall as one of the poison dusk lizard men. She was never at home with clothes... Besides she could hide better without them on. She was at home in her scales.

She listened to the Forrest goblin and the odd smelling Orc talk. She looked up at Minmorc, she was always much more comfortable knowing he was keeping an eye on things. "Sounds good to me Minmorc... I'll move along up ahead, you know what to do if you need me"

Riza pulls her bow and melts from sight in amongst the foliage. Minmorc would call if she needed to be visible. And she could sneak along the way like she enjoyed.

She moved over to near the Forrest goblin silently and hissed "lead the way forrest goblin"




OOC: rolled 37 to hide and 20 to move silently. I am only picking my way slowly over to Jurz so I'm not moving fast.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:16, Mon 13 Jan 2014.

Minmorc grunts in satisfaction and starts heading the way the others seem to be going.

OOC: Haven't rolled move silently or hide, figure I'm currently at his minimum of 2.

Dregz shudders at Jurz's mention of the horses.  Huge, fire-breathing hell-beasts that could trample a goblin beneath their accursed iron shod hooves.  His head bobs rapidly up and down in agreement with the druid's plan ...

... then his heart sinks as Minmorc suggests Nurzhan take charge. After the debacle of the last battle, the little goblin is not inclined to trust anyone giving orders any more than he can comfortably spit a rat.

"Dey'll find in der," he whispers sadly to Jurz, "no matter how deep we goes.  Dey might have tah come in on foot, but dey'll not give up till wese are all dead an' gutted."

He glances at the orcs then back at Jurz with a raised brow that says more than words.

"Oi, youz lot! Youz s'posed to be hidin' inna trees 'til dem Watchers gets close, not shoutin' an' wavin' an' wand'rin' all over de place like dat!"

It is a voice to strike fear in the hearts of anyone who has been here as long as each of you have. Uberthudd, the ogre overseer effortlessly waves his wickedly-spiked great club in your general direction.

"None of youz is gonna be any use in 'ere, dat's for sure. Well dis is youz lucky dayz! Ol' Coalface wants more grunts out dere on de plains, coz dats where de Watchers is heading for first. So, go on, git movin'!"

OOC: Uberthudd the ogre is 30 feet away, closer to the edge of the forest. It is clear that he is looking straight at Nurzhan and Minmorc but his waving club could easily be indicating everyone else in the area, except Riza and Arlein who are well hidden. Everyone else can either try to hide or take whatever action they want to now.

Coalface is the nickname of the fire giant in charge of the evil humanoid troops in this part of the war zone.

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 17):

Falls off the branch he had been clinging to like a degenerate sloth, brown skin blending into the oldgrowth of the forest. Either too stupid, scared or stunned to even cry out in pain.

"There's safety in numbers," replied Nurzhan. "I'll go with you." Hopefully, he could eventually persuade Coalface to give him his own command, and from there, try to establish an orc city state.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:36, Thu 16 Jan 2014.

Jurz is taken half taken by surprise as Uberthud appears, and nearly bolts for the trees, but he has already decided it would be good to have some muscle about.  The green goblin has the truth of it, they will need to get further than the deep woods, and some times it is good to have someone who likes hitting things around.  Then he notices the way the ogre is waving bis club and a plan comes to mind.

"Hey!  Deyz is mine." he says stepping forward and making sure that Uberthud can see him. "I needz doze bigguns to dig da holes.  Hows am I supposed to make holez with out diggerz?  And if'n I can't makes holez, how is I supposed to makes traps for dose watchers?" he demands of the ogre.

His heart is pounding as he speaks to the ogre like that, but he is sure that ogres aren't too bright.  Well, he is sure they aren't normally too bright.  If this one don't go away quietly, we'll see how good these bigs are in a fight.  And if they aren't good enough, it will be run away - and a druid in a forest can normally run away when he needs to.

Minmorc growls deeply in his throat, a bestial noise of warning that becomes a gutteral chant. Minmorc walks to stand five feet diagonally in front of Jurz, between him and the ogre, running his hands up and down the spear, tapping it as he chants.
Glaring at the ogre he says "Yeh, we' makin holez." Its pretty clear from Minmorcs body language what he wants to make holes in and while it could be the adrenaline the spear appears to be vibrating.

Riza picked her way slowly a little way back towards the ogre... Her bow was drawn and if the goblins plan didn't work she might try something.... She didn't like the idea of going up against the watchers at the moment and the ogre had always annoyed her.

Or she may just shoot him for the fun of it... She will wait in hiding and see what the others do


OOC: Riza will move so she is just within 30ft of the ogre but will remain hidden

Uberthudd scowls at Jurz for a long moment before responding.

"Youz is a smartie, for a gobbo. Youz gots de right ideaz, but dis is wrong spotz. Makesez de pit traps at de edge of de forest so de Watcherz falls at youz feet. Itz a good fing gobboz is good diggerz too. Dere's lots of holesez to digz. So, all of youz, out to de edgez of de forest, right now. Dere's two hobgobboz wiv a bundle of shovelz over dere. Youz can all digz de pit traps at a edge first, den youz all goes 'arf a bowshot out onna plain an' digz youz inna de ground. Youz noisey enough to attractz de Watcherz inta bow range so de udder quiet troopz inna treez can shootz 'em all dead! Dat's a gooood plan! Dat's a Coalface's plan, gooooood plan! So git movin'!"

The speech is, of course, augmented with many theatrical sweeps and jabs of Uberthudd's greatclub so there is no mistaking exactly where the ogre wants everyone to go.

If the little goblin wasn't so keen on Jurz's suggestion to hide in the woods, the Ogre's plan for everyone to get slaughtered by the Watchers is even less appealing and Nurzhan's acquiescence earns the archer a contemptuous snort.

But then Jurz speaks up and for a moment hope flares in his beady eyes at the druid's daring.  Dregz snatches up a stick and begins to poke at the forest floor, murmuring "'olez, 'olez", echoing Minmorc as the orc too plays along.  "Lotsa damn 'olez in dat plan !" he complains, if very much under his breath, "diggin' our own gravez !"

"Dat's der wrong kinda ground !"  Fear lends him the wherewithal to speak up. "An' ... an' we're ... we're supposed to be buryin' der loot ... yes, der loot !" he warms to the lie. "Here where dey won' find it, not over der where dey'll see us !!  Coalface told youse about der loot ?"

In reply to Dregz (msg # 24):


Starts moving again looking at the ogre and back to the talkative goblin.

Minmorc has definitely lost the thread of the arguments that are being made, the motives of upper management are often unfathomable  to him, so he sticks with safe ground. "Yeh, we makin' holez!" And shakes his spear forcefully for effect.

"We's was told not to say dat!" Jurz hisses at Dregz, just loudly enough for  Uberthud to hear.  "Coalface is gonna be mad." he says still hissing loudly at the green goblin.

"Err.  Dere ain't any loot." he says loudly to Ublethud.  "Weez was told to dig holes for traps here." he says loudly to the Ogre.  Then he turns to the rest of the 'crew'.  "Dis is where we woz told to digs de holes." he says stepping back a few feet and indicating a spot on the ground.  "We woz told to dig here.  We's is gonna be in trouble if'n we's don't dig it."  he says prodding at the ground with his foot.

Then a small dribble of saliva runs down from the corner of hus mouth and his eyes dart quickly to one side, perhaps looking for an escape route.  But he pulls himself together again and wipes he chin with  the back of his hand, and points at the spot he wants people to dig.

The little goblin's lips twitch just slightly at Jurz rebuke. "No loot !  No loot !" he assures Uberthud most insincerely, not meeting the ogres eyes as he cringes, scuttling across to the spot the druid indicates and continues poking at the ground, however ineffectually, with his stick.  "Olez here, boss, youse bet !"

Uberthudd is starting to look a bit confused. But that just seems to make him more irritable than before.

"Coalface tells youz dig 'ere? Coalface tells me ta get noisy gruntz to dig in out dere!" He looks around at everyone angrily then his yees settle on Nurzhan. "Youz gotsa shovel already! Youz can stay 'ere wid der mud-color gobbo an' digz der pit 'ere. Der rest of youz digz out dere!"

The spiked greatclub once again makes it quite clear where everyone is to go.

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 29):

Jumping at the bellowing, the sorry goblin starts moving where directed.

Minmorc again snarls and twitches and chants, this time rattling the many charms and tokens that are tied to his belt. "Little ogre, go away, or Minmorc put holez in you."

Calmly watching events escalate Riza decides to wait and see what the ogre does... She keeps him just within 30ft of herself bow ready to loose an arrow if he makes a move towards Minmorc or one of the others.

All she waits for is for the ogre to take one step towards them in anger and she will quite happily follow through with minmorcs suggestion.

Seeing as Nurzhan has been assigned to dig the hole here, Jurz waves the Orc over, as he points at the ground he wants dug.  When the Orc gets close enough, though,  Jurz speaks quietly  "Youse must shoot Uberthud now, else we is  all gonna die."

Then with a sly look on his face he speaks a couple of authoritative words in Goblin, whist flicking his hand towards the Ogre.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:25, Thu 16 Jan 2014.

Nurzhan smiled and nodded silently, signalling acknowledgement. He walked about 30 yards away from Uberthud. "Who's that behind you, Uberthud," bluffed Nurzhan, in an effort to make the ogre turn around and leave his back open to Nurzhan's arrows.

OOC:

Bluff:
16:28, Thu 16 Jan 2014: Nurzhan rolled 7 using 1d20-1 ((8)).

Attack #1
16:29, Thu 16 Jan 2014: Nurzhan rolled 8 using 1d20+5 ((3)).
16:29, Thu 16 Jan 2014: Nurzhan rolled 8 using 1d8+7 ((1)).

Attack #2
16:30, Thu 16 Jan 2014: Nurzhan rolled 12 using 1d20+5 ((7)).
16:30, Thu 16 Jan 2014: Nurzhan rolled 10 using 1d8+7 ((3)).

If Uberthud falls for the bluff, Nurzhan gets +2 to his attack rolls, so the first one would become 10 and the second one would become 14. Damage remains the same otherwise.

Also, I mistyped Nurzhan's damage bonus. All of them should get -3, since he only gets 1d8+4, not 1d8+7.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:35, Thu 16 Jan 2014.

In reply to Nurzhan (msg # 34):

Oppies jaw drops as someone actually shoots at the ogre and cover his head shaking.

"Fightin' wid each other.  Dis is why we always lose !" Dregz mutters, lips tightening in disapproval.  And yet ... this ragtag group of the defeated still had spirit, weren't about to throw their lives away just because someone bigger than them said they must.  Moreover they were working together, albeit against their own kind.

"IN ACCORDANCE WID DER PROPHECY !" the goblin priest exhults, eyes burning with the fires of fanaticism.  Dropping his stick, Dregz uncoils a thin leather strip and fumbles in his pocket for a stone which he places in the endof the sling, whirling it round and round at his side, ever faster ...

Riza lets her arrow fly at the ogre... Nurzhan had already started shooting so hopefully the ogre would not notice her




OOC: rolled 16 to attack ogre and rolled 7 for total damage

With a feral roar Minmorc leaps forward to attack, heedless of his own safety. It is clear that he is lost in the throes of his rage as he attempts to make good on his promise and put holes in the Ogre.
Private to GM: Minmorc has a 21 to attack and a 21 damage if he hits. I just really hope our little druid hasn't cast entangle on the ogre, that could make me very sad.]

"Oo oo look Moffa!  That big orc is fighting Uberfudd!"  Bulldust is hopping with excitement and looking around to see if any of the hobgoblins have noticed.  He's just come from the plain and is standing some distance behind Uberthudd.

The green bugbear is unarmed and unarmoured, but he's carrying a shovel because he's been digging holes out on the plain.  He looks strong enough for a youngster, but obviously has never seen any action, he has no scars and his hair's too neat.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:27, Tue 21 Jan 2014.

Moffdust looks behind too, back towards the plain. "Hey Bully, looks like dem hobs is missing us."

Moffdust is standing on the path with Bulldust, behind the ogre. She's a very small green goblin. She's hefting a small but hopefully vicious looking trowel, a bit sharpened on one edge, but has other gear slung on her back partly covered by a cloak.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:33, Thu 23 Jan 2014.

The rather confused debate about what exactly Coalface wanted dug and where it is supposed to be comes to a sudden halt as several of the allied humanoids suddenly turn to attack the ogre Uberthudd. There may be some debate later about who started it. Was it Nurzhan the orcish archer who suddenly sprinted 30 yards away before turning, shouting something at the ogre then firing two arrows at Uberthudd. Certainly his arrows flew before Dregz the goblin and the little poison dusk lizardfolk Riza launched their own missile. Their shots all happened before Minmorc the orc actually charged at Uberthudd with his spear, although Minmorc had already been arguing with the ogre moments before it all started. Or did the goblin druid Jurz say something that sparked it all?

But such debates are for the future. Nurzhan's arrows ricochet harmlessly off the ogre's thick hide armour, so it is Dregz's sling bullet that gives the ogre its first bruise and Riza's arrow buries itself to the feathers in Uberthudd's back. But Minmorc's spear cuts deepest by far, seriously injuring the mighty ogre.

The unexpected attacks enrage the ogre and he bellows incoherently in his rage as he swings his greatclub down on Minmorc's head, hitting so hard that an ordinary orc warrior's skull would be pulverised by the blow. Even Minmorc is grievously wounded by the blow.

OOC: Main game map uploaded (Geoff location map shifted to group 0 map). The visibility through green forest squares is about 60 feet, so the other goblins and hobgoblins near the northern edge of the forest won't be able to see this fight, but they will most likely hear it.

Nurzhan silently looses two more arrows at the ogre, Uberthud.

13:03, Today: Nurzhan rolled 22,9 using 1d20+7,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #2.
13:02, Today: Nurzhan rolled 23,8 using 1d20+7,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #1.

OOC: That should be only 1d20+5. I screwed up again, and forgot to apply the -2 Rapid Shot penalty this time. So the first attack is a 20 vs. AC dealing 9 damage, and the second one is 21 vs. AC dealing 8 damage.

The shock of the blow echoes throughout his entire body and for the second time in his life Minmorc knows what it is to be "totally hammered". Darkness clouds his vision and in the ringing in his ears he hears the coarse jokes and joyous laughter of his tribes warriors from the celebration the night of their great victory, the battle that saw him rage for the first time... The rage had carried him then and it carries him now, Uberthud snapping into focus as the only thing that matters. Minmorcs cry is equal parts euphoria and rage as he lunges forward with his spear yelling "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"

"Noes, nows hes  gonna smash us allzz" dashing behind the other goblins and squeaking out a rhythmic chant, and covering his face.


as Arlen bounds out of the tree with a 'merr' and dashes at the spear-wielding ork rubbing his leg.

As he  waits for his summoned eagle to arrive and attack the ogre, Jurz calls Frog to him and climbs aboard the riding dog. He climbs aboard and readies both his shield and scimitar.  Again there are a few harsh words as he speaks another spell.

Bulldust looks back towards the goblins and hobgoblins on the plain.  Its clear that they'll notice the fight.  He waves to them and shouts "Hey you guys!  Uberfudd's caught an elf.  Oo oo its wriggling!  Quick, come and see!"

Riza focuses and let's another arrow fly at the stupid ogre... No one hit Minmorc and lived she thought to herself


She hopes the others will join in she knew how tough the ogres are


OOC: rolled 22 to hit ogre doing 7 damage

Dregz's eyes bulge full wide as Uberthudd shrugs off all the hurts thus far inflicted to deliver what must surely be a fatal blow to Minmorc.

Yet the little goblin is surprised further as the fighting orc in turn manages to keep his head and even respond in kind ... though he doubts that with his head ringing from that heavy blow he'll be able to distinguish the ogre from the surrounding trees !

Fighting his instinct to wet himself and/or flee from the clearing to the safety of the forest canopy, Dregz grits his teeth and begins to move forwards.

"Oh mighty and terrible Bargrivyek," he mutters pulling out the 'sacred stick' from his pocket, "dat big orc der was der first to stand up to der overseer ... will youse not 'elp 'im ?"

Nurzhan shoots another two arrows at the raging ogre. Both pass perilously close to Minmorc's head before burying themselves deep in the ogre's gut.  The impact rocks the ogre and he howls in pain.

Perhaps those arrows distracted Minmorc just a little, as his spear thrust doesn't manage to find an unprotected spot on the ogre's body.

Oopses the nervous goblin scurries across to shelter behind Jurz and Dregz, chanting as he goes and his cat Arlein dashes into the battle zone to show its affection for Minmorc by rubbing against his legs. Instantly Minmorc grows in size until he is over 12 feet tall and now stands a head taller than the ogre, without even counting the large purple bruise already beginning to bulge on Minmorc's forehead.

Jurz the goblin druid joins in with a completely different chant as he swings himself up onto his riding dog, Rog. Just then an eagle suddenly appears from nowhere right in front of Uberthudd’s face, flapping its wings madly and clawing and biting at the ogre's face. It doesn't harm the ogre but certainly diverts his attention away from Minmorc.

So Uberthudd never even knows about the final arrow from little Riza that lodges deep under his left armpit. He convulses once then drops like a falling tree, toppling forward into Minmorc's arms. Blood continues to spurt past the arrow under his left armpit.

Dregz the goblin priest adds yet another discordant goblin voice as he waves his sacred stick and rushes forward beside Minmorc, muttering something about helping him.

Perhaps Bulldust the bugbear and his 'sister' Moffdust the goblin are a little too far away from the battle to see clearly what is happening. He suddenly shouts, "Hey you guys!  Uberfudd's caught an elf.  Oo oo its wriggling!  Quick, come and see!" He is answered by shouts in the goblin tongue as 7 goblins carrying bows and 2 hobgoblins carrying bundles of shovels blunder through the forest in your direction. Unfortunately the last hobgoblin carelessly bumps into the bugbear as he rushes past. Bulldust angrily lashes out with the shovel he is carrying, clobbering the hobgoblin on the head. The satisfying clunk and the following thud as the hobgoblin falls face-first on the ground, unconscious, go unnoticed by the other hobgoblin and the goblin archers.

The 7 goblin archers and the other hobgoblin arrive at the clearing and start shouting excited questions.

"Oo, lookz! Uberthuddz is down. Who's done it?"
"Who's dat? How didz dat orcz getz so big?"
"Where's de elfses? Which wayses didz it goes?"

OOC: Main game map updated.

From all of the shouting and screaming Grakk is awoken to see a Goblin standing close to what felt like his fallen carcass.
Quietly Grakk sretches and checks each of his limbs for soundness and carefully picks up the old pitchfork he had stolen from the barn he was hiding in before he was chased out by the knights running to exhaustion to where he lay now.
Grakk surveys what is going on before he realises that  Uberthuddz is dead, the reason he was hiding in the barn in the first place.

With a final roar of "waaaaaargh!" Minmorc squeezes uberthudds neck with one hand, plants his spear into the ground and slams his other hand into the ogres face. He then spins and shows the ruin of the ogre to the new hobgoblins and goblins. "Uberthudd is dead. His plan is dead. We try to fight horsey men we is dead." Minmorc then points his great bloody hand at the goblin cleric and goblin Druid. "Their gods have made Minmorc strong! Minmorc follows the goblins away from men, come back when Minmorc stronger!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:10, Sun 26 Jan 2014.

In reply to Minmorc (msg # 51):

Sidling back in the general direction of the goblins, Arlein stares at the still cowering goblin.

"Oo Moffa.  I fought hobboz were tuff.  Not as tuff as shovels."  Bulldust admires his shovel for a moment then moves quietly up behind the other hobgoblin.  He raises his shovel and waits to see how the goblins and hobgoblin react to Minorc's inspiring speech.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:05, Sun 26 Jan 2014.

Moffdust hops from foot to foot as she tries to see what's happening up ahead.
" ooo Bully now we's for it, better go getz dem overs before dey dobs on us!"
She scampers towards the row of goblins with bows with a strangely focused expression, preparing a magic missile as she advances. She targets whoever looks to be likely to start trouble.

Jurz surveys the scene and realises that there is no way to bluff their way out of this, so he selects an enemy, turns Rog to face it and gives the command to attack.  As the hound takes off, Jurz looks briefly over his shoulder towards the eagle, expecting it to attack the nearest of these new enemies now that the ogre is defeated.

Rog feels the pressure on the guide reins.  Anyone else but HIS familiar master would have been thrown off immediately, but he knows  this one. This one looks after him.   And it is time, the master is says so.  Rog is looking straight at a goblin, the one the reigns says to look at, when Jurz gives the command.

The growl builds in Rog's throat as he suddenly launches himself forward.

---
17:29, Today: Rog rolled 23 using 1d20+5. Attack G2.
17:30, Today: Rog rolled 8 using 1d6+3. Damage G2.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:32, Sun 26 Jan 2014.

Guiding Rog with his knees, Jurz screams a battle cry as he prepares to hit the unfortunate Goblin on the end of the dog's charge.

---

17:34, Today: Jurz rolled 18 using 1d20+10. Ride roll.
17:35, Today: Jurz rolled 25 using 1d20+6. Attack G2.
17:35, Today: Jurz rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Potential Crit.
17:36, Today: Jurz rolled 1 using 1d4. Damage G2.  (Doubled if the Crit is confirmed) :)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Sun 26 Jan 2014.

So the battle isn't over. Nurzhan steps five feet towards some cover and looses two more arrows at an enemy that isn't engaged in melee, so he has a clear shot.

22:17, Today: Nurzhan rolled 20,12 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #2.
22:17, Today: Nurzhan rolled 10,6 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #1.

Minmorc shrugs, didn't expect common sense and rationality to prevail in a world so immersed in hatred and violance. Still holding the Ogre he will grab his spear and set it against a charge.

Riza grins to herself... She loved this sort of confusion. It let her do as she pleased. She also didn't want to risk any of the new arrivals being on the side of the dead ogre.

She readied her bow and waited to see if the new arrivals would attack... If they did she would open fire with pleasure

Dregz shakes his head sadly. "Youse should be on our side !" he calls out to those coming belatedly on the scene.

Minmorc's defensive stance meets with the little goblin's approval.  "I tink der god likes youse," he informs the big orc, squinting at the ogre's suspended corpse, quite sure that the creature is dead and very pleased about that.

He brandishes the sacred stick as he explains "If youse are worthy den Bargrivyek will help youse ..."

Just in case there was any doubt about who should be given the credit for it, the giant Minmorc simultaneously strangles the unconscious Uberthudd and smashes his fist into the ogre's mouth, making sure he will neither breath nor speak again.

"Uberthudd is dead. His plan is dead. We try to fight horsey men we is dead," Minmorc shouts then points his great bloody hand at Jurz and Dregz. "Their gods have made Minmorc strong! Minmorc follows the goblins away from men, come back when Minmorc stronger!"

Grakk the minotaur, Bulldust the bugbear and Moffdust the goblin move up behind the goblin archers, waiting to see which way this is going to develop.  Riza the little lizardfolk waits too, with an arrow already nocked on her bowstring. Arlein the cat calmly sidles back to Oopses the nervous goblin.

It is Jurz that makes the decision everyone is waiting for. The goblin archers are too slow in their response to Minmorc's announcement so Jurz charges forward on his riding dog, Rog, to attack one of the goblin archers (g2) near the left end of the clearing. His scimitar draws blood but it is Rog's fangs that rip open the goblin archer's throat. The eagle that had appeared from nowhere moments before, now swoops toward another of the goblins (g5) nearer to where Uberthudd lies. Its claws leave bloody gouges in the goblin's face then with a final squawk the eagle vanishes back to wherever it came from.

Nurzhan follows his lead instantly, shooting another pair of arrows at the goblin archer (g1) nearest to himself. The first arrow deflects off its armour but the second strikes cleanly and the goblin topples without a sound.

The hobgoblin (h1) bellows in fury at this unexpected attack, throws down the bundle of shovels he was carrying and draws his longsword. This inspires the remaining goblin archers to reach for their arrows and swing to face Jurz, Nurzhan and Minmorc.

This is just what Grakk, Bulldust, Moffdust and Riza were waiting for. Grakk impales the goblin (g3) next to him on the pitchfork he is carrying then lifts the unconscious body off the ground.

Bulldust brains the hobgoblin (h1) with the shovel he is carrying, which makes the hobgoblin dizzy as well as angry. The hobgoblin swings around and tries to skewer Bulldust with his sword, inflicting a nasty gash in Bulldust's unprotected belly. However the effort is too much for the grievously wounded hobgoblin and he passes out and drops to the ground.

Moffdust rattles off a rapid incantation and sends a magic missile at the goblin archer (g5) the eagle attacked. The missile scorches the goblin's back leaving it seriously wounded but still alive.

Riza targets one of the goblins (g7) preparing to shoot at Minmorc. Her arrow strikes the goblin in the shoulder, leaving this one seriously wounded but still alive too.

Meanwhile, Dregz the goblin cleric has decided his god is ready to patch up Minmorc. He waves his sacred stick and the massive bruise on the orc's forehead shrinks and fades just a little bit.  Then he turns to call sadly to the goblin archers, "Youse should be on our side!"

Having the goblin cleric admonish them like that is the last straw for the surviving four goblin archers. With the ogre, 2 hobgoblins and 3 of their goblin comrades already down their courage finally fails and they turn and flee northward. Two of them make the mistake of trying to squeeze past Bulldust and Moffdust. Bulldust flattens one (g6) with his shovel although Moffdust misses the other one (g5) when she tries to stab it with her trowel. These last 3 goblins flee northward, shouting about treachery and murder as they go.

OOC: Main game map updated. Note that the visibility range in the forest (green squares) is only 60 feet, so the fleeing goblins are already out of sight for Nurzhan, Dregz, Minmorc and Riza
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:34, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

"We should let them go. Their running through the forest should lead the enemy towards them." The civilized orc then goes through the battlefield, collecting any intact arrows.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:45, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

”Yes.  Lets dem go.” Jurz nods his agreement, although his reasoning is that going that way they aren’t a current threat to him.  As he climbs down from Rog he speaks to the rest of the group  ”See wot dey got.  Dey might have stuff we need.” he says as he starts searching the goblin that he and Rog killed.  ”An dey don’t needz da stuff anymore.”

”Den we’s got to go.” Jurz says nodding his head hard.  ”Coz some one else will come when dey catch doze gobos.” he says pointing the way that the others have run.

”I’s going deep in da forest.  Den maybes even to da next forest!” he declares solemnly ”And you's all can come wit me, if you's wants.”  he says issuing the invitation to all of those that fought with them.  The  new comers as well as the original ones.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:06, Mon 27 Jan 2014.

In reply to Jurz (msg # 64):

"So we aren't going to die?  Wow your a big orc, no wonder that orge didn't have a chance."

Minmorc just looks bemused and exhausted by the rapid events and shrugs at Oopses. "Sometimes up sometimes down, der Godz must be crazy." Carrying the ogres corpse he then wanders off into the trees to go and have a chat with Riza.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Tue 28 Jan 2014.

If those that battled, however briefly on behalf of the now very deceased Ogre were a great disappointment to Dregz, the unity evidenced by those who now remain only serves to rekindle the fires of zealotry that burn in the little goblin's eyes.

Pocketing the sacred stick and shouldering his sack, the priest hurries to stand next to Jurz, both as a sign of solidarity but also to avoid being left behind.  Nothing good ever happened to those who straggle.

"Might die, might live," he replies to Oopses, "but definitely die if stay here !"

"Nice doggy," he suggests hopefully to the druid's bloody-toothed steed.

Riza emerges from behind her tree as she sees Minmorc head in her direction.  As Minmorc drops the lifeless ogre down in front of her she grins "we work well as a group.... I think we should stick with the nature goblin like you said... There is power in this group"

She will make herself busy about the ogre, trying to find anything of use on the corpse.

Riza's scales twitch as a thought arrives in her head. "We should move off quickly.... We need to See if anyone wants the ogres club or can use either the club or armour... I don't want to be here when the wounded cowards return"

"Well met" Grakk adresses the group as he ambled over to join the others, flicking the dead goblin over his shoulder like a pile of straw. I would like to tag along if it is alright with you, you dont have anything against minotaurs do you?"
Eyeing the ogres outfit, "Is there anything on him that might fit"Grakk snorts as the odour from the dead ogre reaches his snout.
"That is if I can bear the smell"

"I could also use a weapon, not often you get attacked by a bale of hay" examining the bloodied pitchfork.

Nurzhan manages to recover three of the arrows he had fired but the others were broken.

The four goblin archers that were down were all wearing small-sized studded leather armour but the rest of their gear varied significantly. Two had small bucklers and one had a finely made small wooden shield (masterwork). One had a small composite shortbow, one a small shortbow and one a small composite longbow. Between them they carried 5 quivers stuffed with 100 small arrows (10 of the arrows are masterwork quality). The fourth goblin carried a small light crossbow instead and had a bag of 30 small crossbow bolts. Between them they also had 4 small daggers, a small handaxe, a small light mace, a small morningstar and a small shortsword. Two were wearing small backpacks which contained a total of 5 days of rations (best not to think about what it was before it became rations), a tinderbox, 2 torches, 2 flasks of oil, one flask of alchemist's fire, one thunderstone, 30 feet of rope, a bag of caltrops and a wineskin half full of sour wine (i.e. twice as good as anything most of you have ever tasted before). Their packs and pockets yielded 63 copper coins, 58 silvers, 47 gold coins, 2 platinum coins and 7 small moss agate gemstones (10gp each).

The two hobgoblins were obviously among the privileged few favoured by Uberthudd. Both wore masterwork studded leather armour. One had a masterwork longsword that looks like it might be a trophy taken from one of the human knights. The other had a longsword of elvish make and a masterwork dagger. Both hobgoblins had large belt pouches. Between them they yielded three vials filled with different dark liquids, 32 gold coins, 15 hematite gemstones (10gp each) and one bloodstone gem (50gp). The bundles they were carrying contained 12 medium-size shovels, 10 small shovels, 2 medium-sized picks, one crowbar, a woodsman's axe and a medium-sized greataxe.

The victorious goblins and poison dusk lizardfolk would be able to wear or use the goblin archers' gear while the orcs, bugbear and minotaur are roughly the same size as the two hobgoblins. The ogre's gear is too large for anyone to use.

The ogre was wearing large-sized masterwork hide armour and carried a large masterwork greatclub.

The ogre is dead but the 4 goblins and 2 hobgoblins have not yet died of their wounds. Some of them might eventually stabilise and survive.

The three escaping goblin archers have now reached the open plain at the edge of the wood and run away westward, still shouting loudly. Words like mutiny, traitors, murder, giant and the names of Minmorc and Uberthudd could be picked out even at a distance. Answering calls of goblin and orc voices can be faintly heard from further west.

Minmorc will move with surprising speed and purpose over to Moffdust and will reach out his huge arms to quickly sort and gather, dragging the first unconscious hobgoblin and his sword over to the second hobgoblin. He will throw the great axe to the Minotaur, the masterwork sword to bulldust and the Elven sword to nurzhan (this is probably meant as an insult) and will tear the belt pouches off the bodies and stuff them into a goblins backpack along with the masterwork dagger and the crowbar.
As he works he snarls " me an Riza gonna go with booky goblin and wolfy goblin. We can fights over stuff when we get gone. If yous coming with us grab good stuff and move. Er, wolfy goblin, where we goin?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:31, Thu 30 Jan 2014.

"Great Axe, It has been a while since I have felt one of these in my hands, a step up from this Fork I would say". Grasping it firmly in both hands and holding up the blade to admire its edge, "Unless anyone objects of course" looking around at the others.
Grakk then proceeds to separate the dying from their heads, to get the feel for the Axe of course.

Grakk will help gather the loot and depart with the others.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:10, Thu 30 Jan 2014.

"You should put on der studded leathers too, yer leathers still calf skin, eh,  yer not big bad bull yet! So where yer come from?"

In reply to Minmorc (msg # 73):

Picking up Arlen, "Last of the Grunkle clan, i don't have a home anymore, and where are we headed."

"Leave dis one." Jurz says indicating the goblin he is bending over, when Grakk starts taking heads.  "Dey was only doing what dey was told." Indeed Jurz mumbles a word or two and touches the goblin lightly on the head, as he rifles though its pockets, pouches and pack.

He looks wistfully at the Masterwork wooden shield, but it is no better than the one he is already carrying, so he offers it to the other small ones who might be able to use it.  If none want it for personal use he ties it to the back of Rog's saddle as a spare.  If no one takes the composite bows he will do the same with them.

However, he will take what ever coins and stones ‘his’ goblin had and a dagger for himself, or more if there are any left unclaimed.

”Gets de food and de wine.” he says to Oopsies, thinking that the goblin with the cat is probably a bit simple.

”Gets de good bits quick.” he continues including Dregz and Moffdust in his glance.  ”We gotta get outta here dead quick.” he says noting the shouting from the ones who have run away ”And we needs all de stuff we can gets.”

He doesn’t wait for long though, swinging up onto Rog’s saddle and looking around as he works out which way it is to the middle of the forest.  As soon as he has decided which way to go, he sets Rog off at a walk.

Rog growls gently as Dregz speaks to him.  Not enough to make it sound too threatening, but just enough to say I know you are there.  Growling aside, he stands patiently as jurz does his work, and then lets the brown skinned goblin mount quickly and easily.  As soon as he is directed, he walks off as jurz has directed.

In reply to Rog (msg # 76):

Moving over and sorting the pack shinies into the left and foodies into the right he picks up the right pack and then picks up one of the discarded weapons, the hand ax. Adjusting what little straps there was to his size.

"Three arrows. Meh. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Let's go."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:29, Sat 01 Feb 2014.

"Hmmm sounds like a good idea Minmorc", Grakk then looks at the brown skinned goblin, "the only good enemy is a dead one tho e don't look like he'll be any bova".
Grakk grabs the hobgoblin and removes the studded armor and belt, and quickly throws them on. "haven't got time to fit it properly will have to do that once we have some distance between us and them". motioning towards the shouting goblins.
"Me I don't know where I'm from, was snatched as a calf and put to work by that ogre there for as long back as I can remember" Grakk rubs his calloused shoulder, "Got sick of pullin' stuff and pushin' stuff, decided to run away, and that is ow I got ere".

Bulldust grins up at Minorc as he accepts the sword, but grabbing the sharp end by mistake and cutting his fingers.  "Ow!  Its sharp.  But fanks, I'll look after it."

The young green bugbear slips the sword into the bundle of shovels, then cuts the armour off the hobgoblin with his newly acquired dagger.  He shoulders the bundles of shovels and armour and looks around for Moffdust.  "Let's go Moffa, let's stick wiv em."

Moffdusts large green ears droop warily as Minmorc lunges towards her, she quickly tucks the vicious trowel behind her back and smiles, suddenly all small sharp teeth. No sense in offering any threat, no indeed.
For a moment it looks although she is about to be rewarded with a very large sword but it passes over her to Bully - probably for the best if he looks after it anyways. She nods.
When the looting begins she joins in, happily garnering any useful bits and bobs overlooked.
She sadly shakes her head at Jurz offer of the shield, "cants use dat" no prezzies for her today.
When Bully suggests they go she swarms up the young bugbear and perches up on his shoulder with the other loot, happily patting him on the head.

Once she is still, the brown furry head of a small bat peeks out from beneath her cloak.

The priest will grab any loose coin or gems, but will leave the heavier gear to those who have the brawn to bear it.  He needs no prompting from Jurz to realise what the cries of those who got away portend, and is ready to move out as soon as Rog starts padding away, loot bedamned !

"Hurries, hurries !" he exhorts all those who fancy themselves part of this group of gallants.

Riza will finish her work around the ogre before moving over to one of the goblin archers still with armour on and removes it from the corpse. She grabs a handful of arrows to add to the ones in her quiver as an after thought.

Quickly moving over to Minmorc she stashes the armour in his backpack. "incase for later if I need it... Let's get moving"

Riza then heads into the Forrest keeping herself 20ft from Jurz so she can still see where he is leading them, she will move closer if visibility gets worse.

As she heads into the Forrest she once again blends in and disappears.

OOC: rolled 31 to hide while moving through the Forrest.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:52, Fri 31 Jan 2014.

"Was dat what de dead ogre said?" Jurz responds, but doesn't stop loot gathering.  "De wolf - he does it different.  If it ain't hurting him he leaves it alone."  The druid finishes with a shrug.

"Hmm, but der dead ones don't sneaks up on ya later to get back at ya, how many wolves has been offed by the unter theys left alone?"

Jurz just shakes his head as he climbs onto Rog and starts riding off.  Grakk might have hated the Ogre who had held him captive, but he was turning into another one just the same.

Moffdust, infected by Dregz urgent urgings, prods Bully with a grimy toe. C'monnnnnn Bully! We's gotz to gooooo! Now! The Holy Goat toldz us.  Knowing very little of religion, as the other green goblin is certainly not her Father, and is not hurty shiny like the Sun, she takes a stab at him possibly being a Holy Goat. It looks likely. She waves respectfully albeit vigorously at the Priestly goblin. We'z coming, your Holyness!

Minmorc scowls as he works, the debate over natural law which he was always told was survival of the fittest verses a kind of twisted mitigation policy confusing him, Minmorc unable to understand any of it. But a memory wormed its way into his subconscious and hoping that he is in the same ball park as the others adds "der warboss of my old tribe was real cleva, he'd keep enemy leaders alive fer days asking dem stuff, den when he was bored he'd kill dem real quick. Sometimes real slow... Anyways, der was dis one enemy, he said dat der was a great king who's enemies had dis puzzle thing dat was sorta knotty, and dey said if he could sort it he could be der king, so he took his sword and cut it. Our warboss said dat was der Orc way, if ders a problem, hack it and it not a problem."

His work with the goblin pack and the hobgoblins valuables complete minmorc will join the group, moving to be somewhere near the front of the main gaggle of people. He will prod the Wolfe goblin with the butt of his spear "go on den, wes following you."

"Less talkin' ! More hurryin' !" the priest exhorts the group, nodding vigorously to Moffdust.

"I ain' afraid ov no goats," he mutters under his breath, though glancing around in case one of the creatures is lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce with its wickedly sharp horns and <gulp> udders ...

Jurz turns Rog to face the Orc poking him and snarls   Don't do dat.  Or you won't wake up one morning."   There is a real glint in the Goblin's eye as if he really doesn't care about the outcome

Rog snarls and bares his teeth.  It is clear that the only thing stopping him attacking the Orc is his masters hands on the reins.

Things that have been gathered and carried by Minmorc to be sorted out later:
 1 large masterwork greatclub (16LB)
 1 crowbar (5LB)
 1 small backpack (1/2LB)
 1 tinderbox
 2 torches (2LB)
 2 flasks of oil (2LB)
 1 flask of alchemist's fire (1LB)
 1 thunderstone (1LB)
 30 feet of rope (6LB)
 1 bag of caltrops (2LB)
 2 medium belt pouches (1LB)
 3 vials filled with different dark liquids
 30 copper coins, 25 silvers, 50 gold coins
 2 small moss agate gemstones (10gp each)
 15 hematite gemstones (10gp each)
 1 bloodstone gem (50gp)

 Things claimed by Riza:
 5 normal and 5 masterwork small arrows
 1 small-sized studded leather armour

 Things claimed by Grakk:
 1 medium-sized masterwork studded leather armour
 1 medium-sized greataxe

 Things claimed or carried by Bulldust:
 1 medium-sized masterwork studded leather armour (20LB)
 1 small light crossbow and a bag of 30 small crossbow bolts (3.5LB)
 1 masterwork dagger (1LB)
 6 medium-size shovels (6 x 8LB)
 1 medium-sized pick (10LB)
 1 woodsman's axe (6LB)

Things carried by Moffdust:
 1 medium longsword of elvish make (4LB)
 1 masterwork longsword (4LB)


 Things carried or claimed by Jurz / Rog:
 1 small wooden shield (masterwork)
 1 small composite shortbow
 1 small composite longbow
 5 quivers with 90 small arrows (5 of the arrows are masterwork quality)
 4 small daggers
 3 copper coins, 8 silvers, 12 gold coins, 1 platinum coin
 2 small moss agate gemstones (10gp each)

 Things claimed by Dregz:
 30 copper coins, 25 silvers, 17 gold coins, 1 platinum coin
 3 small moss agate gemstones (10gp each)

 Things carried by Oopses:
 1 small backpack
 5 days of rations
 1 wineskin half full of sour wine
 1 small handaxe

 Other gear not taken so far:
 3 small-sized studded leather armour
 2 small bucklers
 1 small shortbow
 1 small light mace
 1 small morningstar
 1 small shortsword
 1 large-sized masterwork hide armour
 10 small shovels
 6 medium-size shovels
 1 medium-sized pick
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:31, Wed 05 Feb 2014.

One of the unconscious goblin archers is left alive at Jurz's request but the 2 hobgoblins and other 3 goblins are all beheaded.

The mixed group of new allies / deserters gathers up a lot of the gear of the victims then quickly heads off southwards following Jurz's plan to head deeper into the heart of the forest.

Sounds of pursuit can be heard from the north. It sounds like a group of orcs judging by their orcish voices. From the amount of noise as they crash through the forest it sounds like the number of orcs pursuing will outnumber the deserters. Arlein the cat is the slowest in this group but is scooped up and carried by Oopses the goblin. For the moment the group seems to be moving as quickly as their pursuers and is able to stay ahead and out of sight, but it is impossible to move quietly at this pace.

OOC: Where does each character want to be in the 'marching order' for this group (i.e. front, middle, back, etc.)? Is anyone going to do anything to aid the deserters or affect the pursuers at all?

Riding at the front of the group, Jurz leads them deeper into the forest.  He makes sure that he sets a good pace, although Rog appears to be barely jogging along.

He hopes the pursuit will drop off, but if they keep following he starts makingplans for an ambush.  "I can get de forest to hold some of dem." he says so the group can hear "Who else slow dem down, or stop some of dem so we has more time to shoots dem?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Sat 01 Feb 2014.

Moffdust snaffles the extra crossbow and bolts and the elvish longsword, adding them to Bully's haul, before they run.

From her perch she somehow manages to shift a bit of the grime from the longsword with her possibly grimier cloak, no mean feat. pretty, pretty she gabbles contentedly.

Jurz' suggestion to ambush their pursuers is met with similar enthusiasm.  Oooo, ooo, Doggie rider sir, I can mayyybeee makes it Soundz like we is elvez, a bit? Or  we is being attacked by elvez..... You know hornz, screamz....?

She starts preparing to do just that, to coincide with an ambush, if it comes to that.

In reply to Moffdust (msg # 95):

"i,i, I can freeze things sometimes, summon big hail stones."

Bulldust runs alongside Nurzhan for a while before positioning himself near the rear.

"what do you use to get your hair so wavey? I been using earfworms to spike mine up, but it don't smell good like yours.

"I use soap. From what I've heard, it's made of animal fat. I have no idea how they make it."

Minmorc shudders as he remembers the horrors of his childhood, adults threatening with terrible soap related tortures. "I wanna know ow many orks der is. Riza, wanna go play hide and seek."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

A bush rustles next to Minmorc and he can hear Riza hiss "Hmmmm hide and seek.... Let's go"

She nocks an arrow in her bow and follows Minmorc as they head off to play the joyful game of hide and seek. She will remain hidden until they get closer to playing her favourite game

"Soap ... never heard of it ..."  this new concept in personal grooming intrigues the young bugbear.  "Animal fat - bacon!  Mmmm, when do we eat?"

He takes his place at the end of the line, with Moffa on his shoulders.

Dregz is not new to the game of running away (worry about what you know is behind you first and foremost, not what might be before you), and so is right up there at the front alongside Jurz and his trusty canine steed.

"I can ask Bargrivyek to look outs for us !" he dutifully informs the druid, though doesn't look back.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:14, Mon 03 Feb 2014.

Bulldust is strong for a bugbear, but the load of useless junk (and Moffa) is slowing him down and he's falling behind.  OK Moffa, you run for a bit. he pants.  He stops long enough for Moffa to get off and to toss what he can't use ... small shovels, masterwork longsword, elvish longsword, hobgoblin helmet.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:40, Sun 02 Feb 2014.

(Ooc, hey who are you calling Junk, Bully!   ; )    )

Moffdust is happy to hop down and run for a while, even though she can't see quite as much, but Bulldust discarding the Elven sword is a bit too much....

she picks up both swords, waggling a finger at her big brother. " dem is too good to toss Bully, later we maybe trade and get you a good fing ! "

She balances them on her shoulder and scurries after the pack.

Jurz leads the way south and sets the pace on his riding dog Rog, planning how he could use the undergrowth of the forest to entangle the pursuers if necessary. Dregz stays right with him and promises to pray to Bargrivyek to look out for them, which is a lot more comforting for those who don't know much about the goblin god

Oopses mentions he can help with some big hailstones and Moffdust offers to make it sound like they are a party of elves, or being attacked by elves.

Moffdust starts off riding on Bulldust's shoulders and they chat with Nurzhan in the middle of the group until he scares them off with tales of that childhood terror, Soap! They quickly drop back toward the back of the group and it is quickly obvious that Bulldust is too overloaded to maintain this pace. He unceremoniously dumps some of his load including a pair of longswords. Moffdust squawks as she sees the shiny blades left behind. She jumps down to carry the two swords herself.  After this Moffdust and Dulldust are near the back of the group but at least they can both keep up now.

Minmorc and Riza drop back to the end of the group as well, but then they decide to set an ambush of their own for the pursuers. Minmorc hides behind a tree with a javelin in hand and makes some really weird gestures and noises as Riza quickly helps to conceal both of them. Seconds later the rest of the group has hurried on out of sight when Minmorc and Riza suddenly see the pursuers hurrying toward them through the undergrowth. Riza quickly counts them as she lines up a shot with her bow and shoots. Even while her arrow is still in the air she is already swinging herself up on Minmorc's back. Minmorc responds instantly, hurling a javelin then racing after the party so fast that he is already out of sight before the pursuers can respond.  The sounds of pursuit suddenly cease as the pursuers dive for cover and the gap widens a bit more before the angry shouts of their leader has them back to the chase once again.

Surprisingly, Minmorc and Riza are moving so fast that they catch up to the rest of the party even before the sounds of pursuit resume in the distance.

OOC: The pursuers were only 3 rounds (180ft) behind the party but after the ambush that gap has now doubled. The undergrowth in the forest makes it impossible to run, so both groups are moving at just a double move (i.e. 2 x 30ft) each round.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:28, Wed 05 Feb 2014.

Minmorc bursts out of the shrubs behind the party, a grin from ear to ear and a little lizard folk clinging on for dear life. "Ders a war party of orcs with a boss chasin but me an Riza each got one. Der was lots but now ders..." (pause for complicated mental arithmatic) "lots, but we can take em!"

Grakk listens intently to Minmorc, So.. Yoos is sayin that dere's enuf of dem for all of us to av one?" Grakk swings his pack around and starts looking at his collection of potions.

Rather than rely on Minmorc's simplistic, and perhaps optimistic account, Jurz prompts Riza for information.  "Riza?  How many?"he asks from the back of his riding dog.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 11:05, Thu 06 Feb 2014.

Atop of Minmorc's shoulder Riza does her best not to fall off but she has played this game with Minmorc before and enjoyed it immensely.

She pipes up at Jurz's question "there are about 20 orcs spread out... They are hunting us trying to catch us in a net.... We took down 2 but we will either have to ambush them or keep running... There is no other way"

Riza looks down at Minmorc fondly before stating calmly "I will not run forever ... I say we ambush"

"How are dey grouped?" he asks trying to build up a picture so they can plan an ambuish.  "Were dere groups of orcs together that we can slow down with spells?  Or were dey all spread outs?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Thu 06 Feb 2014.

Serious now that they're getting down to business Minmorc adds "der Orks look like most orks, but der boss got metal armour, he got der boys movin and dey'll be here soon."

"And what weapons has dey got?" Jurz continues the questioning as he tries to get a reasonable description of the following group.

"Would that I had a horse so I could rain arrows upon them while keeping my distance."

OOC: They're 360 feet away, which is 360 / 110 = 3.27 range increments away, rounded up to 4. That's a -2 penalty for each range increment above one, so I'll be taking a -6 penalty to shoot them. Hm... Do you think I should risk shooting at them?

Either the questions are making Minmorcs head swirl or he still has a concussion from überthudds uber thud, so minmorc draws his precious healing stick and gives himself another poke. Glaring at the wolfy goblin Minmorc rubs his head to facilitate thinking and does his best to describe the weapons carried by the rank and file and their leader.
"I wish you had a horse, dey don't last long in forests and I'm hungry."

OOC: Hopefully The Lord of all this wyrdness can provide clearer detail of the possessions of our foes and the practical limitations that movement restricting foliage provide on long distance archery.

"Oo Oo!  Yeah, let's ambush em!"  Bulldust was too young for the war with the Watchers, so he has never seen an ambush before, but he's up for it.  "Have I got time to dig a hole trap?  I'm good at digging holes."  He waves his bloodied shovel in the air to prove it.  "And Moffa can kill em wiv her mind, I've seen her do it."   He keeps plowing forward through the forest until the party decides to make a stand.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:57, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

Moffdust's eyes become large as saucers when she hears Riza's estimate of their pursuers numbers.

  "Dat is a lot a big unz ! "   , she adds nodding sagely, looking at those closest to her eye level "  .... Evens wiv all you cleva little unz "

She looks a bit bashful when Bulldust announces her little talent to the others. She is not too sure how the bugbear came to believe that, so maybe it was true....

She shrugs,  but don't be scared of me, I won'ts do dat to yooz. Mostly I runs away.... Mostly. Anywayz Bully, you n Vera can looks afer uz" she nods at his favourite shovel.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:29, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

”Me’s Too” Jurz replies to Moffa ”But did is one of dose not running times.” he says sadly.  ”But dere iznt  time to make da pit trap.” he adds for Bully’s sake.

He continues with a shrug ”It doesn't really matter wot dey have as weapons.” he mutters working things out as they run  ”Or where dey all were when Minmorc and Rize saw dem …”

”OKs.  Me’s gonna go to the back and try and get da forest to slow some of dem down.  Its a bit like a big tree trap.” he adds with a grin for Bully.  ”Den youse have to do what youse all can do best.” he says  trying to tell all of them to pick their best tactic for this combat.  ”But go for de ones dat the forest doesn't get first.  We’s can getz de others later.  An if’n we’s lose dis one, dat is it for some of us!” he says by way of motivational last words.

With a gulp, and wondering how he got himself in this mess, Jurz brings Rog to a stop, so the others can run a safe distance past him and turns to face the enemy.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

"Tree trap ... sounds like the start of the am-bush."  Bulldust stops running and plants Vera in the soil at the base of a large climbing tree.  "What you fink Moffa, this is where we make our stand?"  He starts to hastily don the studded leather armour he's been carrying.

Minmorc starts moving to look for a good bush to am from and halts when he hears the little goblin girl talk. "Youse, calls yer shovel Vera? I calls my spear Vera! Yous is alright!" He then has a thought (which is odd for him) and starts rummaging through his pack. He unwraps some of the leaves from his rations and after a careful sniff selects the juiciest bit and starts to shred it to a fine mince. He then goes looking for Arlein, "here kitty, kitty..." And if he can find her he will kneel before the cat and will offer a handful of mince and will say "mighty pretty kitty, when der orks come can youse make me bigger again?"

Bulldust gapes at Minmorc through an arm-hole of the armour he's struggling into.  Is the terrifying orc cross that he didn't look after the shiny sword?  No, seems friendly enough, just talking about weapon names, like one warrior to another (ha!).  "Uberfudd said it was a girlie name, but I like it." he sounds muffled through the arm-hole.  "Your Vera was buzzing.  How'd ya make her buzz?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

Moffdust grins toothily at Jurz. "I likes the sounds of a big tree trap, and We'z ul getz some of dem as getz away! she announces bravely, puffing out her chest and standing proudly at her full height (of somewhat less that three feet, a height she considered perfectly appropriate as it reached all the way from the tips of her green ears to her toes - anything more would quite simply have been wasteful)

Moffdust quickly considers the advantages of the spot chosen by Bulldust to make his stand.  A big tree....

She looks around nervously. "datz a big tree Bully."

Seeing Bulldust struggling into his armour she scurries around her brother, pulling and pushing the big lump this way and that, helping him don it as quickly as she can.

"Fanks Moffa.  Oo Oo!  I've got a potion for climbing in my bag.  You take that and get yourself safe up the tree."

OOC: The orcs are 6 rounds behind the party, moving at 60ft per round. Visibility in the forest is only 60ft. Minmorc and Riza would have seen that at least half of the orcs were carrying a couple of javelins as well as their normal melee weapons - mostly their crude orcish falchions. They would also have noticed a few bows among them and a few two-handed melee weapons too (greataxe, greatsword). Nothing long and cumbersome like longspears and polearms. The leader had a greatsword.

Who is choosing to hide? (Roll your hide skill check if you are doing that.)
How far from Jurz are you each going to go before stopping?
And is anyone making any other preparations?  ;o)

Moffdust hops up and down with excitement as she takes the potion from Bully.
"ooo Bully, fanks! I loves theses!" she briefly hugs her brother around a tree truck of a thigh before swallowing the potion and scampering up the tree.

Once at about 20', she looks for a good hiding place with a line of sight towards the approaching orcs. She loads her crossbow and carefully sets it to one side before preparing to cast a spell once the orcs are within appropriate range.

(Ooc, she prepares to cast 'grease' at the base of the tree in the path of the first Orc to charge Bully.)
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

The fully armoured Bulldust snaps off the lowest branches so the orcs can't climb after Moffa.  He takes the other potion from his bag and drinks it - his sword wound disappears!  Feeling invincible he spits oh his shovel and growls "Shiny. Let's be bad guys!" and shakes Vera-the-shovel in the direction of the unseen orcs.

Then, realizing he's just a big green target for all the orcs with bows, he slips behind Moffa's tree, peeking out excitedly and doing a rotten job of hiding.  He prepares his flask of alchemist's fire to hurl at the first orc that comes his way.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:13, Fri 07 Feb 2014.

Moffdust tucks a leafy twig behind each ear and whispers softly down to her brother, "ooo oooo Bullyyy... look at me!!! I iz a leaf on the wind...

In reply to Bulldust (msg # 125):

Sniffs the food and turns her nose up at someone else's messy kills.

Minmorcs first reaction is anger but then he realises that it's more for him and happily scoffs his horse tartare. He will position himself about fifteen feet in front and a little off to the side of Jurz, (between him and the orks) and will stand beside a tree and will give himself another prod with his Healy stick. Then, spear in one hand, javelin in the other he will wait for the orks to come. He will look to bulldust and says "dunno, sometimes Vera gets a little excited" then will look to Nurzhan and will say "if dey gets me, shoot me, I don't wanna get et... But don't shoot me first!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:26, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Riza turns to Minmorc "don't worry they won't get yous Minmorc" she draws another arrow for her bow and once again blends into the Forrest. She positions herself at the base of the tree approx 30ft behind Jurz and 20ft to the side. The same side Minmorc is standing on.

She will hunker down and wait for Jurz to cast his spell before firing off her first shot.

OOC: rolled 23 to hide
This message was last edited by the player at 01:29, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Bulldust and Moffa's tree is about level with Jurz but on the other side from Minmorc and Riza.  Bulldust calls up into the tree  "You go for orcs wiv bows Moffa and let me do orcs wiv anyfing else."

He looks around for Dregs.  "Can you say some Bargrivyek words?  I don't know wat it means but it makes it sound like we're gonna win."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:47, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Coming to a halt, Dregz gazes deeper into the forest longingly, obviously preferring 'running away' to 'standing and fighting'.  But his beliefs do not allow him to abandon the group, so he too slips behind a tree to hide (though his attempts at concealment are spoiled somewhat as he repeatedly pokes his head around the trunk to see if the orcs are near.

At Bully's prompting, the priest is only too happy to deliver Bargivyek's blessing upon the group, and begins to pray, beneath his breath so as not to attract undue attention.

like Bulldust, Moffdust is strangely comforted by Dregz quiet prayers. in fact seeing their small band gathering here, preparing for this first challenge as a conscious alliance, her mood is surprisingly buoyant (for someone who would rather run away). "Fannks yor Holiness" , she whispers.

At Bulldust's suggestion she rethinks her earlier plan, deciding to cast the 'grease' spell now rather than later. She spreads it beneath her tree on the side that Bully is peeking around. Next she prepares a spell ('magic missile') to throw at the orc archers as they approach.

Content that she has now done all she can, she waits as still and as quietly as she is able, that is to say neither particularly still nor quiet...

Nurzhan looks for a tall, thick tree that can support his weight, so he can rain down arrows relatively safely at the pursuers. He will then get ready to shoot at the first enemy that pops into visual range.

In reply to Nurzhan (msg # 133):

Oopses crawls into a nearby bush, preferably one on the opposite side of a tree.

OOC: Main Game Map updated to show everyone's positions immediately before Jurz casts his Entangle spell. If anyone wants their positions changed please tell me which square you should be in. If you are targeting orcs with your missile weapons or spells please tell me which one is your target. (Remember visibility is only 60ft.) If anyone plans to move as part of this first round action tell me which square you will move to.

OOC: Jurz casts and then rides hell-for-leather to square K-5.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 16:48, Sat 08 Feb 2014.

Riza let's fly at the first visible Orc she sees, this one is in front of Minmorc so all the better. Her arrow flys true and she quickly draws another arrow ready to take on another Orc


OOC: rolled 26 to shoot O2 (natural 20) rolled 14 for potential critical
Initial damage is 4 with an additional 10 if the critical is successful

To clarify, Moffa has greased squares Q17-R18 and will cast magic missile at an orcish archer who is free of Jurz's spell and preferably on the 'Z' side (alphabetically) or otherwise wherever such an unfortunate orc happens to find him/herself :P

Bulldust is looking out the right side of his tree.  He'll throw the alchemist's fire at the first orc that comes within 10' range then duck behind the tree for cover.  If an orc falls over in the grease then he'll hit that one with the shovel for AoO if that's possible.

OOC: Nurzhan will shoot two arrows at Orc #4. Shall I make the attack and damage rolls now?

"P'raps dey've gone der other way ?" Dregz wonders, very optimistically, as he peers out from behind his tree but sees no sign of the pursuing horde.

OOC: Reporting no foe within 60' of me !  Yay !! :>

Grakk downs a bottle of potion and prepares to charge any ork which makes it past
the entanglement spell.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:37, Sun 09 Feb 2014.

Nurzhan looses two arrows at the nearest orc (o4).

00:30, Today: Nurzhan rolled 7 using 1d8+4. Rapid Shot 2 Damage.
00:29, Today: Nurzhan rolled 9 using 1d20+5. Rapid Shot 2.
00:29, Today: Nurzhan rolled 9 using 1d8+4. Rapid Shot 1 Damage.
00:28, Today: Nurzhan rolled 21 using 1d20+5. Rapid Shot 1.

As the orcs crash through the undergrowth of the forest Jurz waits until he can see the whole group before he unleashes his Entangle spell, which engulf all 19 of the orcs.

Minmorc hurls a javelin at one of the front orcs (o3) then steps back behind a tree with his spear set. His javelin deflects off the orc's studded leather armour but he certainly gets that orc's attention. Riza immediately shoots another of the leading orcs (o2) which falls to the ground with an arrow through its chest. Nurzhan fires twice in quick succession from 20 feet up a tree. His first arrow hits another of the front orcs (o4) in the chest and it drops to the ground, but his second arrow flies wide.

Eight of the orcs are slowed by the grasping undergrowth but manage to plough on slowly and six of them manage to break free of the affected area. Two (o3 and o9) head for Minmorc, two (o13 and o10) head for Bulldust and two (o16 and o17) take shelter behind trees clear of the entanglement.

The orc that Minmorc threw his javelin at (o3) charges at him but Minmorc's spear is ready for him. The hapless orc runs straight onto the spear and is dead before Minmorc shakes the corpse free.

Bulldust hurls a flask of alchemist's fire at the first orc heading his way (o13) but the flask flies straight over the orc's head to smash in the entangling undergrowth behind it. Dry leaves and twigs immediately catch fire where it landed. The orc nearly loses its footing on the greased ground in front of Bulldust but manages to stagger forward to threaten the bugbear. However the other orc behind it (o10) slips on the grease and falls flat on its face.

Moffdust utters a brief incantation and sends a magic missile to sting one of the orcish archers (o17) that got free of the entanglement.

Grakk gulps down a potion and immediately grows to over 12 feet tall. He lowers his head and charges straight at the other orc (o16) that got free of the entanglement. Unfortunately his right horn gouges into the tree beside the orc instead. Nurzhan is higher in the branches of that same tree and feels the tree shake from the impact.

Oopses and his cat Arlein stay safely hidden behind a tree and Dregs does the same, praying aloud to Bargrivyek from his hiding spot.

The entangled orcs all struggle vainly to break free but only the orc leader succeeds. He gulps down a potion then uses his brute strength to tear free and uses his greatsword to hack his way forward through the enchanted undergrowth. The greatsword glows with a reddish light as he slashes it back and forth.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

"Waaaaargh!"

OOC: Minmorc lunges forward to attack the leader as he emerges from the entanglement then skips away to square N14, twirling his spear theatrically and with a flourish comes to a halt, spear braced against the charge, one hand forwards beckoning the others to come to their doom!

More arrows! Nurzhan shoots two more at the horde of orcs (Orc #16).

18:23, Today: Nurzhan rolled 13,8 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #2.
18:22, Today: Nurzhan rolled 11,11 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #1.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Mon 10 Feb 2014.

As there are two of them Grakk will attempt to cut the offending ork (o16)in half, to share of course.

Grakk rolled 27 (ouch)
Grakk rolled 11 using 1d12+7 ((4)).
This message was last edited by the player at 22:42, Mon 10 Feb 2014.

Riza refocuses her aim on the Orc leader near Minmorc. She helped kill the ogre she will kill the Orc leader. She lets another arrow fly from her bow

OOC: rolled 25 to hit Orc leader inflicting 4 damage

In reply to Riza (msg # 148):

Pokes his head around the bush to see whats chasing them.

Once he is sure that he is not being pursued by a pack of Orcs, Jurz turns Rog around and walks him forwards until he spots an orc who is not in mêlée.  As Rog walks, Jurz pulls a sling from his belt and selects a bullet.  The  as the animal comes to a halt takes a shot at the orc he has spotted.

Then he scans the battlefield quickly, trying to locate all of the group who arfe 'on his side', but checking for other enemies at the same time.

---

OOC  Move to L9 and attack o9

21:05, Today: Jurz rolled 10 using 1d20+2. Sling to hit o9.
21:06, Today: Jurz rolled 2 using 1d3. o9 Damage?  (yeah I know ...).

Moffdust is delighted to see at least one Orc take a tumble under her tree, but she leaves those to Bully.

She turns her attention back to the Orc she has already hit (017), sending a second missile his way.

This done, she lies flat along the branch, making herself into as small a target as possible.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:06, Tue 11 Feb 2014.

"Oo Oo!  Look Moffa, one slipped over."  Bulldust seems excited.  Is this a war?  Is this what he's been missing?  Anyhow, he'll do his bit and swing his shovel at O13.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:16, Tue 11 Feb 2014.

OOC: Nurzhan has fired 10 arrows so far. Yes, I went back through the thread to count how many arrows I've expended. :)

Edit: Stupid autocorrect!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:38, Fri 14 Feb 2014.

The goblin priest is torn.  This tree seems a nice safe place to hide ... but his new tribe, as he thinks of this rag-tag group are in danger. Prayers have been said, and now, if reluctantly so, it is time to act.

Moving forwards in a frantic rush, his head jerking back and forth as he keeps an eye out for approaching threats, Dregz advances towards the battle, fetching up behind a tree that stands perilously close to the front lines, wherefrom he leans out, to loose another bullet from his trusty sling, sending the missile flying towards the nearest orc.

Minmorc's spear gashes the orc leader's thigh before Minmorc pulls back 20 feet and invites the orcs to charge him and his waiting spear.

From his perch in the tree Nurzhan shoots two arrows straight down at the orc (o16) beneath him. The first arrow ricochets off the orc's helmet, narrowly missing Grakk, but the second arrow sinks deep into the orc's shoulder. Even as the orc begins to slump to the ground Grakk follows up with a downward slash of his new greataxe. The result is an impromptu demonstration of the often misunderstood process of long division – one orc into two half orcs, does go.

Riza deftly shoots an arrow into the orc leader's other thigh while Oopses and Arlein watch on from the safety of their spot behind another tree.

Jurz and Dregz both make their way forward and attack with their slings. Jurz's shot bounces harmlessly off an orc's armour but Dregz manages to hit the orc leader with his shot, although the orc hardly notices the blow amid the other wounds he has already sustained. Almost by accident Dregz finds himself sheltering behind Minmorc as well as the tree he was actually seeking shelter behind.

Moffdust repeats her incantation and sends another magic missile to sting the orc archer (o17) again. The orc slumps to the ground unconscious.

Bulldust has a wild swing with his shovel but misses the orc in front of him. That orc (o13) falls over anyway as it loses its footing on the greasy ground beneath it. However, its companion (o10) manages to regain its feet and carefully steps clear of the greased patch.

The orc leader (o1) grits his teeth and ignores the serious wounds he has taken. He steps forward and swings his glowing red greatsword savagely at the closest foe, Bulldust. The mighty blade bites deep in the bugbear's side leaving him grievously wounded.

The only other orc outside of the entangled area was Jurz's target (o9). He is outraged by the goblin's attack and charges forward waving his greataxe, obviously intent on bloody revenge. It is completely shocked when it finds it has managed to impale itself on the greatspear that Minmorc gleefully swings into its path as it passes within reach of the wicked weapon.

Three other orcs (o12, 015, 018) manage to break free of the entangling forest and move forward. One (o12) hurls a javelin that deflects off Minmorc's armour to lodge in the tree beside him, while another orc (o15) wielding a greataxe closes in on Minmorc with murder in his eyes.

One other orc (o14) is free and moving slowly toward freedom in the entangled area but the last six remain firmly snared in there. The fire is already slowly spreading but does not pose an immediate threat to anyone on either side.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

Minmorc laughs openly at the anger in his adversaries eyes, ducks as if to lunge at the ork nearest before with a "whooop!" and warding hand he takes a five foot diagonal step and lunges at the leader. "I's der one you should be whacking boss man, now you pay!"

Nurzhan shoots another volley, though apparently this one misses.

12:36, Today: Nurzhan rolled 6,5 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #2 vs. Orc 18.
12:36, Today: Nurzhan rolled 10,5 using 1d20+5,1d8+4. Rapid Shot #1 vs. Orc 18.

Jurz had been planning to charge into the orc that he had lured towards him, but checks once he realises that it has impaled itself on Minmorc’s spear instead. Grinning at the Orc’s stupidity, he scans the battle area.

There is no clear route into and (perhaps more importantly) back out of the melee around Minmorc and Bully.  Not only that the enlarged Grakk is liable to jump into that combat.

But some have broken free on the other side of the combat.  Perhaps the same trick will work again.

Instead he walks Rog across the back of the battlefield, and slings a bullet at the Orc who has broken out that side (o18)

---
20:09, Today: Jurz rolled 12 using 1d20+2. Sling to Hit Orc o18.
20:10, Today: Jurz rolled 3 using 1d3. Potential Sling Damage o18.^*

(*) Edited to correct user cock-up when entering damage die details.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Sun 16 Feb 2014.

Riza is frustrated that the Orc leader is still standing but she will have to leave him for the others for the moment. She focuses on the Orc that threw the javelin at Minmorc and let's another arrow fly. But she is distracted and cannot see the Orc clearly through the trees.


OOC: Rolled 12 to attack Orc12 :( rolled 6 damage

The casual violence inflicted by Minmorc with his deadly spear causes Dregz to cower back behind the tree, lest he be targetted by the orc in his rage.  Still shaking, but fearful of the foe sneaking up upon him, he gathers his courage and sticks his head out around the other side of the tree.  Seeing the unprotected back of one of the orcs in pursuit, the priest quickly looses another missile before ducking back.

With trembling fingers, Dregz pulls a dagger from his big boot, holding it ready should any of the foe have spotted him.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:26, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

The young bugbear glances down at the gash in his side.  Pain and disillusionment mingle as he gives voice to his feelings, "Ow!  Not again!"  He's had enough of this getting-cut-wide-open sort of war experience.  He was mostly up for the hitting-people-with-the-shovel sort of war.

Hearing Minmorc taunt the orc leader, Bulldust couldn't agree more.  "Yes, go chop him up!"  He takes a 5' step to Q16 and bashes the prone O13 with the shovel. (Dice roller gave 10 which could be a hit because of the prone AC penalty, if so the damage is 5).

More than satisfied with the result of his last attack Grakk surveys the battlefield for another foe, seeing the injured Bully he charges around and swings his great axe down on the ork leader.

Grakk rolled 20 using 1d20+9. attack Ork leader.
Grakk rolled 14 using 1d12+7. hit damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:37, Sat 15 Feb 2014.

Oopses encouraged by the gaint Grakk's enthusiasm advances to o-13 to behind Minmorc.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:45, Sun 16 Feb 2014.

"Owww Bully NOT again!!!" Moffdust squawks and thumps the branch with her little fist, then offers some sage sisterly advice, "Remember, don't fights no-ones wiv glow-ey swords Bully!"

Moffdust wriggles along her branch until she has a good line of sight to the orc below the tree (o10) and sizzles him with a magic missile. (5HP!)

Minmorc sidesteps the orc in front of him and again skewers the orc leader's leg with his greatspear. The orc leader is grievously wounded but still refuses to go down.

Nurzhan shoots and misses, then shoots again but that arrow deflects off the orc's armour (o18). Jurz and Rog move across the back of the battlefield so Jurz can sling a bullet at the same orc with slightly better effect – that's going to leave a nasty bruise on that orc's left shoulder.

Riza shoots at the orc (o12) that threw a javelin at Minmorc but her arrow glances off its armour.

Dregz edges around his tree just far enough to sling a bullet at the orc (o15) that Minmorc sidestepped. Just like Jurz, his shot flies true and will leave a nasty bruise on that orc's right side beneath his armour.

After being so badly wounded a few moments ago Bulldust retreats a step or two from the orc leader and vents his anger on the orc that slipped in the grease instead. A solid thump on its head by Bulldust's shovel leaves the orc (o13) dazed and in no mood to keep fighting. The grease suddenly vanishes as the spell expires and the orc clambers back to its feet, so Bulldust clobbers it again. The orc won’t be trying that again anytime soon!

Grakk steps back a pace or two then lashes out with his greataxe, his overgrown arms and weapon easily reaching to where the orc leader (o1) stands. The savage blow shears clean through the orc leader's helmet and his lifeless body topples over and crashes to the ground. The reddish light fades from his greatsword as it tumbles from his lifeless fingers.

Seeing the orc leader fall Oopses gathers enough courage to creep forward behind Minmorc but the hissing of his cat Arlein on his shoulder makes him stop short before he gets too close to the deadly greataxe of the other orc (o15) beside Minmorc. Suddenly a great jet of steam gushes forth to engulf that orc and the javelin thrower beside the orc leader (o15 and o12). Both scream in pain as the steam burns them and the closest one (o15) passes out and falls to the ground.

From up in her tree Moffdust offers some sisterly advice to Bulldust then repeats her incantation to send a magic missile at the orc (o10) directly beneath her branch. The grievously wounded orc staggers and barely manages to stay upright as he staggers away from the fight.

The steam-burnt orc (o12) hurls another javelin at the closest target, Minmorc, then turns to flee. The javelin wounds Minmorc in the arm but Minmorc immediately skewers the orc with his greatspear as he tries to flee.

The orc (o18) that Jurz and Nurzhan shot at responds the same way. Nurzhan is closest so the orc hurls a javelin up into the tree at him then turns and flees too. His panicked throw is awful. The javelin tumbles end over end through the air and falls short before it even gets near the archer up in the tree.

Another orc (o14) in the entangled area, who has temporarily broken free on the enchanted undergrowth, has seen Moffdust's shower of magic missiles cutting down his comrades, so he hurls at javelin up at the little goblin witch. The javelin thuds into the branch Moffdust is sheltering behind and sticks there, just inches from her face. The orc swears at his bad luck then forces his way through the undergrowth out of the entangled area.

Five more orcs remain entangled but another one (o19) breaks free and escapes from the entangling area to join up with his fleeing comrade (o18).

The fire slowly spreads but so far it is only spreading away from the battleground and doesn't threaten anyone yet.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

"Hey you!"  Bulldust shouts at the fleeing O10, "Moffa killed you wiv her mind, so you'd better play dead!"  He advances to T20 and clobbers that one with his shovel.  "And can I have your javlins please?" he adds as an afterthought.  (rolled 22 to hit)

On his side of the battle field The Orcs have been defeated and  have fled  - disappearing into the forest, back in the direction they had come.   Nodding slightly and grinning broadly, Jurz makes his way across the battlefield to see how things are going on that side. (Move to N-14)

Cursing her poor attempt at the previous Orc she redoubles her efforts on Orc 14 determined to kill him.

OOC: rolled 26 on first hit rolled 22 to confirm crit did 11 damage in total

As the arrows, javelins and blood fly Minmorc swats the javelin from his arm and takes a second to sigh happily, grateful for how lucky he is to be here in such a glorious fight. Springing into action with a speed that could only be achieved with magic Minmorc sweeps ups the leaders greatsword and gives Grakk an encouraging bump on the shoulder and a thumbs up "good kill big bad bull!" and jogs past. As he passes Bulldust taking out Orc 10 he gives him a pat on the shoulder and says "dat'll learn im!" And shoots past to end his great loop in square x28, where he flourishes the greatsword and plants it in the ground below his lowered spear, between him and the two orcs. Bellowing so that all the orcs can hear him he calls "right boys, I'm Minmorc, we killed uberthudd, we killed yer boss and we's killed most of you. You wanna live, puts yer weapons away and join us, join us or die."

If the pursuing orcs nearby are either dead or fled, Dregz will come out from behind his tree and try to find his holy bullets, muttering beneath his breath.

Bulldust easily chases down one wounded, fleeing orc (o10) and knocks it senseless with a tap on the head with his shovel. Therefore the orc makes no objection at all when Bulldust takes the 2 javelins it was carrying.

Jurz urges Rog to carry him forward and across the battlefield closer to Minmorc so he can see what is happening on that side of the battle.

Riza effiently takes care of the orc (o14) that threw a javelin at Moffdust, pinning the orc through the neck with a single arrow.

Minmorc sprints away to cut off the two orcs fleeing around the east side of the entangled area. He calls on them to drop their weapons and join the deserters, or die.

Two of the orcs in the entangled area (o5 and o11) agree immediately and throw down their weapons. Two others (o8 and o19) hesitate.  "No, der bosses will hunt youz all down and killz youz all. Just lets us go and we won't follow after youz no more," they counter offer. However, three others (o6, o7 and o18) yell their defiance, "No! Youz better get running while youz can. Youz is all dead meat, soon as the bosses gets hold of youz. Youz better all gives up right now if youz don't wanna face a whole lot of painz later when dey gets youz!"

OOC: Main Game Map updated.
Note that we are still in combat rounds and half the party still hasn't acted yet this round. Bulldust, Jurz, Riza and Minmorc can't take further actions this round, except for talking, which is a free action.

Minmorc glares at Orc 18 and points at the wound he's already sporting. "Der bosses sent Unerthudd, dey sent yous and not one of us has dropped. Gruumsh has turned his back on dis place, he saw dat der orcs was getting soft, listnen to giants and others so he let in der humies to give us a good kicken. So we's gonna go gets more boys and gives der humies a good kicken. Join us or die!" Minmorc then adds something nasty sounding in orcish.

"Ask yourself, brothers," said Nurzhan in Orcish, "WWGD? What Would Gruumsh Do?"

Jurz scowls at the thought of all of these Orcs joining them, and he certainly isn't looking to give any "Humies" a kicking.  He is much more interested in keeping his own skin in one piece and getting away from Orcs - or anyone else who wants him to fight wars.

For a second he thinks about turning Rog around and heading out on his own , but waits.  Instead he casts an enquiring glance towards Dregz, and then Oopses to see how they react to these boasts and offers to their enemy.

The oversized minotaur takes into account the advice of the defiant Orks and takes time to consider his options.

Nah! Grakk Bellows and snorts drops his head down and charges full steam at one of the orks O18 and O19 in an attempt to see how far into the ork he can stick his horns. Fully prepared to follow through with his axe should the Ork decide to be troublesome.

Grakk rolled 13 using 1d20+9. impaleing orks.
 Grakk rolled 11 using 1d6+7. Damage. (if he managed to hit)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:17, Sun 16 Feb 2014.

"Dey turned against us !" the fires of certainty shine in the priest's eyes as he beholds the trapped orcs, treating their pleas, promises and prideful posturing with equal disdain.  "Dose who would join us an' dose who swear silence can never be trusted ... and de rest will lead others after us ... kill dem all now !"

"Dat's right !" Dregz encourages Grakk as the minotaur makes his point for him.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Mon 17 Feb 2014.

What starts out as a ferocious charge quickly turns into a circuitous, weaving path as the overgrown minotaur is forced to dodge around the trees between him and his intended victim. He finishes up virtually breathing down the neck of one of the loudest objectors (o18) but doesn't actually attack him yet. The already wounded orc pales and goes very quite, while his hesitant companion (o19) now looks thoroughly cowed.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.
Note that we are still in combat rounds and half the party still hasn't acted yet this round. Bulldust, Jurz, Riza, Minmorc and Grakk can't take further actions this round, except for talking, which is a free action.

Bulldust shuffles forward away from the fires and waves around the javelins to get the feel of them.  He gawps as first Minmorc then Grakk thunder past, listens to the speeches, then looks up towards Moffa in her tree and asks the obvious question, "Who's Groomsh?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:40, Mon 17 Feb 2014.

Moffdust yells, "Oooooh good shot Lizard Girl!...." and waves enthusiastically in Riza's direction.

She scampers under her branch and wriggles the javelin loose, bringing it to Bully to add to his collection.
"Grumpge, oh dat is the Orc-ie god. He's no fun..."

In reply to Moffdust (msg # 179):

"Are they gone?"

"We have to get out of here," said Nurzhan to his companions. He didn't think of the group as a "party" yet, though it was getting close to one. "This battle and the smoke from the fire is sure to lead the knights toward us."

"Aw no, not yet!"  Bulldust pleads with Nurzhan.  "Just a little while longer, pleeeze.  I'm just getting the hang of shoveling orcs.  An the green priest said they've all got to go.  An if the Watchers come we can shovel em too.  Pleeeze!"  He scuffs his foot in the bloody leaf litter.  "Can we kill them all Moffa?"

Moffdust seriously considers Bulldust's request, puffing out her cheeks as she weighs up the options. She releases a big sigh and pats him on the leg. "Bully, dem horsies not so goods in deese trees. You go gets all de orcsies you like. If dem overs dont wants dem you donts have t share." She narrows her eyes meaningfully at Nurzhan. Is she killing him with with her mind... probably not.

The mixed group of deserters, who are very slowly coming to think of this group as a 'party' or 'tribe' depending on their personal inclination, is still very divided in their opinions on what to do next. Minmorc is actively trying to recruit the surviving orcs to join him, whereas Grakk, Dregz, Bulldust and Moffdust still want to kill them all. Jurz and Nurzhan just want to get away as soon as possible, although Nurzhan's position 20 feet up in a tree doesn't exactly facilitate a speedy departure. Oopses is just glad he can't see any more enemies trying to kill him and Riza is still more than ready to put an arrow in any orc that hints at continued resistance.

Three of the orcs (o5, o11 and o19) have thrown down their weapons and are ready to surrender to Minmorc. Another (the wounded o18) is cowed into silence by the arrival of Grakk but hasn't actually dropped his weapons and surrendered, although at least he isn't stupid enough to attack the giant minotaur. The other three orcs in the entangled area (o6, o7 and o8) continue trying to break free (without success) after shouting their defiance of Minmorc's offer.

The fire slowly spreads a little further.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.  (New round)

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 184):

Reaching out towards bulldust, "Here lemme close ya wound becore it starts leaking more."

"Since this fight is over," said Nurzhan, "I'm going to put out this fire. Or try to put it out. I'll need help." Nurzhan begins stomping out the smaller patches of flame before trying to stomp out the larger fires. Or maybe not stomp them, so he doesn't get his stylish boots charred. He has a shovel, and can use it to pile on dirt on the fire to smother it.

Minmorc roars with laughter as Nurzhan learns the valuable lesson that shoes burn too. Still laughing he steps past the greatsword and plunges his spear into the grovelling Orc 19. "Der others have voted, you are the weakest link, goodbye."

Grakk snorts his disgust at the silent ork in front of him, his refusal to drop his weapon is enough for Grakk to continue with his intended attack. Bringing his axe down on the ork

Riza moves forward through the bushes to J16 and readies her bow to shoot any of the orcs with weapons in their hands if they do not drop them.

Maybe they will be smart.... She hopes not

Bulldust had hardly noticed the brown goblin before and is surprised when Oopses appears beside him.  "Oo Oo aaaah, vat feels good.  Fanks!  Are you magic like Moffa or just creepy?"

Dregz regards the spreading flames with much alarm, sharing Minmorc's belief (though not seeing the humour in it) that Nurzhan's efforts are doomed to failure.

"Der fire will bring more of dem down upon us !" the goblin hisses.  "Or der Watchers or der Elves !  We must flee from dis place !"

His wish to depart swiftly even overrides his insistance that the defeated foe be put to the sword, one and all, though the fire may well complete the task all on its own.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:47, Sat 22 Feb 2014.

In reply to Dregz (msg # 191):

" Like moffa, but I use da earth power, she's powerful. " turning to look at the shouting goblin.

Jurz too is unhappy about the flames, burning  the forest like that is never a good thing, and the smoke is sure to attract attention as well.  But there is a lot of fire to put out.  It might just be better to move away and let nature sort itself out.  After all there are enough natural fires that sort themselves out.  This one will do the same, eventually.  Then the forest will grow again.

However, he walks Rog forwards so that he can easily see the Orcs struggling within the entangled area to continue the fight.  Then with a look of resignation he slings a stone at the nearest one, as much to remind them of the predicament he is in.

"Do it quick ..." he shouts at the warriors "We needs to leave dis fire area soon."...

----
11:53, Today: Jurz rolled 10 using 1d20+4. Sling stone at o6
11:54, Today: Jurz rolled 3 using 1d3. Damage o6 (he asks hopefully).
This message was last edited by the player at 11:55, Sat 22 Feb 2014.

With the threat of danger now apparently eliminated Oopses hurries forward to tend to Bulldust's wounds. His efforts do help the Bugbear a bit.

Nurzhan tries to quickly climb down from his tree so he can put out the fire but finds it is a bit more difficult than he thought. The greatsword strapped to his back catches on a branch and he has to spend a few precious moments getting it untangled before he can try again to climb down.

Grakk's anger is not appeased by his orc's fear, so he unceremoniously hacks the orc (o18) down with his greataxe. Minmorc acknowledges the rest of the group's obvious opinion and runs his orc (o19) through with his greatspear.

Jurz slings another stone at one of the orcs in the entangled area but unfortunately misses. Riza was prepared to give the orcs a chance to throw down their weapons and surrender but after Nurzhan and Grakk's attack it becomes clear this is no longer an option so she shoots at one of the orcs too. Unfortunately her shot flies wide of the mark.

The five orcs in the entangled area all try desperately to break free. One of them (o8) does manage to break free and starts fleeing as fast as he can move through the forest.

The fire slowly spreads a little further.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

Muttering under his breath, Jurz slings another bullet in the direction of the Orcs.  Still muttering something about "... stupid slings ..." he turns Rog and starts the animal walking away from the entangled area.

"Lets go." he says loudly  "Leave dem to burn, when de flames get dere ..."  he says of the last few orcs.

Then, still riding Rog, he continues on his way into the heart of the woods, leaving the orcs, flames and entangle behind him.

Dregz does not have to be asked twice !  Sighing in relief as he sees Jurz turn away and ride off into the forest, the goblin priest turns and follows, fast as he can.

"Thus perish der unbelievers," he intones, ominously.  "Bargrivyek has marked dem !"

Minmorc kicks the ork off his spear and points at the greatsword. "Big bull, dats yours fer killing der boss, mine if yer pass it up. Gots more work to do.." With that Minmorc sprints off, skirting the northern edge of the entangled area and sprinting off to the west. His incredible burst of speed seeing him skidding to a halt twenty feet north and a little west of the fleeing ork he again levels his spear and again smiles a terrifying and malicious grin. "Yer only way free through me, come on den if youse finks yer hard enough!"

Moffdust falls to the ground laughing, clutching her belly, waggling her feet in the air and pointing breathlessly at Nurzhan. "He's just funny, dat orc."

After Dregz gives his final blessing she regains her feet and kicks Bulldust to get his attention. "C'mon Bully, the Holy Goblins says time we's going." She scurries after the departing goblins. "Hey hey! Wait up yous two. We is coming too."

Riza is determined to kill all of the orcs. She will only follow the others when Minmorc decides to go. She lines up her bow but it is another wide shot. She curses herself for another poor shot... It only makes her more determined to kill all of the enemy.



OOC: rolled 9 to hit Orc o5

Bulldust is torn.  He starts to beat out fires with his shovel as Nurzhan had suggested, but then the plan changes to beating out orcs then to running away.  Except that Minmorc is still dashing around, distributing swords and issuing threats.  Then something made Moffa laugh, but he'd missed it.  And Oopses had said something intriguing about magic and the earth that he really didn't understand.  He sighs, "Sometimes its hard to follow what ve grown ups are saying."  He offers Oopses one of his spare shovels, "Fanks again Creepy."

He looks around at the bleeding orcs.  None of them had weapons better than a shovel, and he's got lots of javelins now.  But the leader had black chainmail.  "Moffa, I found some clothes.  Its black.  Its slimming."  He darts around the fire to undress the orc leader and search his pockets.  When that's done he'll toss his bundle of shovels, keeping his favourite and just one spare, then run after the goblins.  "Coming Moffa."

In reply to Bulldust (msg # 200):

Oopses a bit put off by the comments is used to such things by now and trudges along after Bull.

15:21, Today: Nurzhan rolled 13 using 1d20+3. Climb.

Nurzhan tries to climb down from his treetop vantage point, but slips...

Grakk takes a look at the remaining Orks His black eyes relaying to them his intent should the choose not to drop their weapons and flee.

Sensing no threat he will quickly check the bodies near him for anything worth keeping and then head of to the direction of the Goblins.

Jurz and Dregz are the first to turn their backs on the battlefield and slowly head off southwards once more.

Minmorc offers the orc leader's glowing greatsword to Grakk but the minotaur isn't skilled with that weapon and declines the offer, so Minmorc keeps it. He dashes away around the entangled area to intercept the fleeing orc (o8). Minmorc knows just how to taunt an orc (because he is one, obviously) and the enraged orc obliges by charging straight onto Minmorc's greatspear. The orc is dead before Minmorc even pulls the weapon free.

Riza stays to practice her archery on the entangled orcs but Moffdust quickly follows after Jurz and Dregz.

Bulldust, Grakk and Oopses turn their attention to searching the bodies, with Bulldust cheerfully stripping the leader's corpse of its fine quality, blackened chain shirt.

Nurzhan tries again to climb down from the tree but this time it is his shovel that gets stuck in the fork of a branch.

The remaining 4 entangled orcs keep struggling to break free. Two (o6 and o7) manage it fairly quickly, one more (o11) follows about 10 seconds later and the last one is another 10 seconds behind him. They all die painfully with either Riza's arrows or Minmorc's greatspear piercing them. The orcs are all down by the time Bulldust has finished stripping the orc leader's corpse.

The fire has spread a bit further by then too (not mapped yet).

OOC:  Does anyone want to do anything else here before heading south after Jurz, Dregz and Moffdust?

Nurzhan slips, but manages to grab a strong branch to keep himself from falling to the hard, grassy ground below. He then goes about the task of looting for supplies from his dead kin. "This one's armor is very well made. Much better than what I have, actually. Forgive me, brother, but you won't be needing this any more. It'll have to be resized to fit me, once we find an armorer to do so."He then takes whatever arrows he can safely recover (19 of them, to be precise).

08:56, Today: Nurzhan rolled 21 using 1d20+3. Climb DC 15.

Minmorc will happily grab the corpses and drag them over to their leader for processing; a quick stab to finish them off, looting then lobbed onto the convenient funeral pyre. Minmorc snorts at Nurzhans excitement over orcish studded leather, no accounting for taste. "Watch which one youse nabs, yer don't want blood messing up yer pretty man hair."

Nurzhan replies in Orcish. "Me? Pretty?" Nurzhan arched an eyebrow. "BWAHAHAHAHAHA... I'm just a plain orc, brother. The Children of Gruumsh are strong, not pretty."

Minmorc hurls another Orc on the fire after peeling away any loot. "Dese Gruumshies not pretty at all, pretty dead, ugly and weak, guess dats why der giants sent em, spare meat. You fink dey send more mooks or you reckon dey'll get der message?"

Bulldust notices Oopses looking miffed. He guesses that a shovel perhaps wasn't an appropriate offering for someone who's into earth.  Who knew?  He tries harder to be nice.  "Hey Creepy, this dead orc had lots of stuff.  I don't know what vese do but you can have vis one."  He hands Oopses a potion vial and pockets the other one himself.  "You look like you've got a brain the size of a planet, so you'll know what it does.  But if its hair gel can we swap?"

Riza looks through the dead orcs mainly looking to recover any arrows she can but she leaves the majority of the looting to the others. The orcs are not likely to have anything else she needs.

She grins at the banter between Nurzhan and Minmorc, this group will be interesting to work with.

"They sent the mooks but I reakon they will send more.. Come on Minmorc let's get a move on the fire will bring the others... At least they will be warm when they get the message"

Riza cackles nastily and follows along with the others. She blends in with the Forrest again unless the group moves faster. She will stay near Minmorc but off to his side.


OOC: rolled 27 to hide

"I hope they send more mooks, me n Vera like mooks."

Jurz keeps looking back over his shoulder as he tries to see where everyone is, and he nods as Dregz, Moff, Bully and Oopses all follow his lead.  "We's doing good." he says in Goblin as he increases the pace slightly.

However, he doesn't push the pace up too much and still gives the other non-goblinoids a chance to catch up.  As soon as everyone is together he starts to hustle along, to put a good distance between themselves and the site of that battle.

After a couple of miles he asks "Does anyone know how to hide our tracks?"

Dregz shakes his head, loping along besides Jurz. "S'never really come up before ... der yoomans 're usually tryin' to hide from us !"

"I just jump into de prickliest bushes and I knows dey won't follows me in dere." Jurz replies.  "But dat only works for me." he says with a shrug.

Moffdust scurries along in the wake of the older goblins, frequently peering over her shoulder, anxious for a glimpse of Bully.

" Na, dont worries 'bout dat trail... Soon dems big 'uns ul be messin' it all ups fully. Never body knows we Gobs has been dere." she gabbles happily. "Anyways dem Orcsies bringed us good fings.... de big 'uns (she mimes a vicious hacking action, complete with squelchy sounds) wees all has good fun!!"

Moffdust nods vigorously at Dregz, tugging at his shirt "ooh ooh, mees too!  Dem oomans is soooo 'fraid of mees!  What's is oomans Jurz?

"Hoomans?  Dey is like half ways between dwarfses and elveses." Jurz responds not sure that he has really understood the question  "Dey is what we waz fighting back dere." he says oiking his thumb back over his shoulder.

"Dey is OK if we is raiding dem, den dey just raid  back.  But when we's go to  war wid dem, dey getz a big army." he says by way of a further explanation, and looks down at Moffdust to see if she had understood.

Nurzhan eventually manages to climb down from his tree without suffering any further misfortune, collects the arrows carried by the orcs and finds himself a better set of studded leather armour on one of the orcs that Grakk had slain.

By the time he and Bulldust have finished stripping their orcs' corpses of their armour Minmorc and Riza have finished  off the last few orcs and made sure there are no survivors.  Bulldust very considerately leaves behind 4 of the shovels he was carrying, perhaps so anyone finding the dead orcs can dig graves for them?

The fire is left to burn, just the way nature intended.

The rest of the group was already moving south away from the battlefield but Jurz was leading them slowly enough that Bulldust, Nurzhan, Minmorc and Riza soon catch up with them.

Some though is given to the idea of hiding their trail but no one really has any skill in this area. The fire is likely to wipe out any clear tracks in that area, anyway. A bit of thought also reminds some of the group that there have been numerous deserters leaving the front line in the past and no tales of large scale searches to track them down. There is a general reward of 10 gold coins offered for any deserter brought back alive for interrogation (the reward was originally offered for their heads but was changed after far too many heads were brought in with no way to work out which ones were actually deserters) but sometimes a larger reward is offered for named individuals.

The group makes good progress through the forest with a few brief rest stops that allow Bulldust and Nurzhan time to don their new armour and discard the inferior armour they had previously worn.

By the end of the day the group has travelled something like 20 miles south from their initial position at the northern edge of the forest, which would put them at least a quarter of the way through the forest.

Just as everyone is starting to think about looking for somewhere to camp and rest, they suddenly come upon what looks like an abandoned human outpost of some kind. It looks like a group of six wooden structures (4 huts, 1 larger cabin and a barn) surrounded by a 10-foot high palisade formed from logs driven into the ground. The palisade is breached in several places and there is no sign of movement inside.

OOC: Main Game Map updated to show the outpost. Group 0 Map updated to show current location in Geoff.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:52, Sun 02 Mar 2014.

Riza  moves to Minmorc and says quietly "I will look and see what I can find out, this could be a good spot to camp if the humans aren't here" she makes sure she is loud enough for most of the others in the group can hear her. "Perhaps the cat can do the same" indicating Arlein


She then disappears and moves as silently as she can to the break in the wall on the left side and sees what she can see before moving along to another vantage point.

OOC: rolled 36 to hide, rolled 16 move silently, rolled 16 spot

In reply to Riza (msg # 218):

Arlein licks her paws seemingly ignoring the lizard lady.

Jurz comes to a halt and climbs down from Rog.  Riza is already going off to scout the buildings so he leaves that to her, instead he turns to Rog and speaks softly in an unusual language. Occasionally he waves his arm off to the side a couple of times as he looks at the large dog.

The he turns back to the others.  "Keeps an eye out.  Dere might be someone waiting in der bushes," and he indicates the bushes and undergrowth behind and along side them.  "Goblins could makes dis a trap." he says by way of explanation to those standing closest to him.

Minmorc will nod to Riza glumly, he knows that sneaking is not his strong point, so he will ready a javelin. He will also growl at Nurzhan, "archer boy, shoot anyfing dat tries to hurt Riza."

Dregz was all for heading inside what he took to be an abandoned camp, before Riza's warning that is.  Instead he stops in his tracks, just long enough to glare suspiciously at the nearest breech in the wooden wall ...

... until Jurz gives voice to his suggestion that ambushers might already be lurking in the bushes, which is enough to drive him forward - at least in the camp there might be somewhere to hide !

Riza and Dregz are the first to move forward into the human settlement and Jurz sends his dog Rog in as well to sniff around inside the palisade.

Riza first heads toward the closest one of the smaller huts while Dregz enters through the open gate of the palisade and hides behind the eastern one. Riza cautiously peeks in through a window of the hut then heads on to the next hut, then the larger cabin at the southern end of the compound, peeking in at a window of each one. 

Rog trots around the inside of the palisade with his nose to the ground. When he emerges from behind the cabin at the southern end of the compound he is carrying something in his mouth. He calmly completes his circuit of the palisade and trots back to Jurz and drops what he was carrying at Jurz's feet. It turns out to be an old, dry bone. It looks like the thigh bone of some humanoid about the size of a human or orc.

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 223):

Seem-ily finished grooming her paw, Arlein gets up and strolls into the town rubbing the palisade as she walks by.

In reply to Arlein (msg # 224):

Seeing Arlein walk off, Oopses moves to follow realizes he moved out of the brush, freezes, then  follows through with the action when he doesn't get pin-cushioned.

Minmorc will stride confidently past Oopses and heads for the small building in the very centre of the compound. He'll step inside have a look at the state of the place and will call back to the others "so we wanna sleep now or what?"

Moffdust emerges from scuffling around in the barn. " i dibbsies dis 'un,  an I is tired too Minmorc.. I wants to sleep, but is we far enough aways from dem overs now? " she scrubs at her eyes and yawns.

Bulldust follows Moffa into the barn.  "Yes, vis huge barn is for ve goblins, and vat tiny hut is for ve orcs." He almost tries to hide his smirk.  He refits his new black armour, counts his javelins (three!), heaps straw into piles for himself and Moffa, sniffs at his potion vial.  Then he has a thought.  "What about food?"  He'll wander about the village looking for something to eat.

"Ork. Dis hut is for Minmorc wid space fer Riza, not orks. Now is we gonna stay fer a while or is we gonna sleep den move at high moon?"

Jurz lets the others sort out who goes where, it really doesn't bother him all that much, although he is pleased that Moffa claimed the big barn for the goblins.  It will be warmer and more home like with everyone in together.  So with a nod, he calls to Rog and makes his way across towards the Dust-ys.

"Letz stay til it getz dark tomorrow." he suggests.  "Den we's can look for food and sets traps here." he says supporting Bulldust's thoughts about food.  "An we's can share out de stuff we got." he adds, almost as an after thought.

"Youze can keep de bone, Rog." he says softly giving the riding dog permission to gnaw away to his heart's content.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:09, Thu 06 Mar 2014.

Seeing the other goblins coming into the barn, Bulldust makes straw piles for them too.  He puts their piles at the other end of the barn away from Moffa.  He says to Grakk, "Hey Moo, you're not a goblin but you can sleep in here too.  Cows should be in ve barn."  And seeing as Minmorc and Riza's hut is not communal for all orcs he makes the same offer to Nurzhan, "You too Finks.  No one should sleep alone today."  He makes two big straw piles nearer the middle of the barn.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Fri 07 Mar 2014.

Oopses fusses with a broken ladder before getting it against the wall and climbing up to the loft.

Having carefully spied out no threat, Dregz is pleased to join his kin in the big barn, and adding the coin and gems he collected to the pile of spoils for Jurz to distribute as he sees fit. 

The goblin priest takes the straw pile furtherest away from the rest (but hopefully not too far) and sits clutching the sack he habitually carries, muttering quietly to himself.

Riza moves out of the shadows and stands next to Minmorc We should be safe here, the place has been ransacked but there is dust everywhere and it has not been disturbed. I suggest we take turns to keep watch and get a good sleep. As nice as it is i dont think we will be able to stay here for more than one night

Riza will bunk down in the hut that Minmorc has suggested but excuses herself and wanders off to two of the huts for a short while before returning to the sleeping hut.

Bulldust hadn't noticed Oopses' ladder before, but it's given him an idea.  He looks about the barn for a long straight pole that could serve as a longspear.

When Dregz piles loot before Jurz, Bulldust looks excited.  "Oo Oo. Yes, lets share out vis stuff.  Ve orc chief had lots of good stuff too Fleas.  Vis black armour which I'm wearing.  And vere were two magic potions, one for me and a fanks one for Creepy.  Ven vere were two pretty pebbles, one for me and one for Moffa, and some silver coins which I fink I'll keep for my share."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:25, Sun 09 Mar 2014.

"Its easier to keep watch is we's is all in de same building." he says in response to Riza's comments.   "Dat ways we only need to wakes people up in de one place if anyone comes.  Dere is plenty of room in de dig barn for youse and Minmorc." he offers the pair a chance to join the group rather than stay as outsiders.

When Dregz starts to share, Jurz says  "Letz do de sharin laterz." Jurz says as Dregz lays his spoils out.  "Its late now and I is tired." he says, even though he has been riding Rog all day.  Instead he chooses one of the piles of straw and settles his gear down by it, then takes the harness off of the great dog freeing him from his day's duty.

Rog carries his newly acquired bone as they enter the barn, but puts it down obediently while Jurz takes the saddle and riding harness off of him.  Suddenly he shakes himself vigorously, almost as if he is drying himself after a dip in the river, but this time it it just for the pleasure of feeling the freedom of no harness.

Leaving his bone by the straw pile Jurz has chosen for them the dog makes his way outside rolls a few times, and then stretches once.

When he re-enters the barn.  Then he settles down by his shared straw pile and starts to gnaw gently on the bone.

After the scouts report back with no sign of immediate danger in the compound the rest of the group quickly follows them inside.

Minmorc and Riza claim the first hut as their own while everyone else follows Moffdust into the barn. Mouldy hay is soon heaped into comfortable piles for most in the barn although Oopses and Arlein make their own arrangements up in the loft instead. Dregz and Bulldust get excited about sharing out the stuff collected after the two battles fought today but Jurz is more interested in sleeping.

OOC:  All the stuff that has been picked up and carried by each character is now listed on their character sheets in the coins, gems, gear or [gasp] magic items sections. Check your character sheets and decide what you want to put into the pile to be shared out or simply thrown away, if anything. If you don't see anything listed ... well, did you actually say you were going to take anything?

Bulldust gives Moffa the pretty pebble he'd been saving for her.  Then he pokes a toe at the pile of money dumped by Dregz.  "C'mon Fleas, whats my share of Holy's stuff?!"

Those in the barn hear a sudden commotion from Minmorc and Riza's hut.

They hear Minmorc shout, "Riza has made a choice and don't wear clothes. Ghosts will not make Riza wear clothes!"

Then Riza screams, "I'll unstitching you vile thing!"

In reply to Wyrm of Wyrd (msg # 240):


Oopses pulls out a bit of the food before tossing the rest down on a hay pile.

Jurz groans as he hears the noise from Minmorc and Riza.  "Pick yers stuff up." Jurz instructs Dregz and Oopses,  assuming Oopses threw the food down for sharing.  "We's can do dat tomorrow.  We's got to see's what dose two have done now."

Grabbing his scimitar and instructing Rog to guard the gear, Jurz makes his way carefully across to the hut that Minmic and Riza are sharing.

"Is youse twos OK?" he asks as he gets close.

Grakk welcomes the place to rest and throws the small amount of loot he has into the pile for sharing, coin is no good for a minotaur when there is nowhere he can spend it.
The hefts the great Axe over his shoulder and heads out of the barn.
"Ill take the first watch"
Walking around the compound Grakk hears the commotion and carefully heads over the the source of the noise, axe firmly in his grasp.

Dregz reluctantly rises but quickly starts to gather up his share of the plunder, only to stop as Grakk's portion rains down from above.  Lips twisted in a snarl, the goblin priest turns to berate him, but stops as his gaze travels up and up.  "I'll carry yours den," Dregz mutters to the minotaur's back, adding Grakk's spoils to his sack as well.

"He's takin' first watch," the goblin shrugs to Oopses, before hurrying after Jurz, much less interested in the druid about the commotion, having spent long enough in the Horde of Darkness to know not to ask such questions nor go looking.

With everyone else out of the Barn and Oopses out of sight in the loft, Moffdust waggles an accusing finger at Bulldust. "Youse shouldn't go calling dem overs names dey don't know deys got Bully. Dat brown gobbo up dere is Oopses. De holy goblin is Dregs, and de one on de doggie he's Jurz. De bigguns are Nurzhan what is a orcsie and Graak what has hornses. Now youse gotta be nice or dey'll eats youse all up!"

With everyone else going out for a sticky beak, Moffdust can't abide being the only one who can't see whats going on.

She quickly rummages through Oopsies bag of food, pulling out a couple of choice morsels and stuffing them delicately into her mouth, thus leaving her hands free.

"Boowee... c'nnn, eee'f goww'in ow'id.."

She grabs the bugbear by the tail of his chain mail and tugs him towards the door of the barn.

Rog curls up on  the pile of straw that Jurz indicated, yawns once and settles down comfortably.  He appears to be asleep, but his eyes flick open as he hears Moffdust berating Bulldust.  He doesn't understand a word that she is saying (probably) but he does knows that tone of voice.

Then the eyelids close as he drops back into his snooze.

Jurz is the first to react to the outcry from Minmorc and Riza. He heads straight out the door to investigate and is soon followed by Grakk, Dregz, Moffdust and Bulldust. They arrive at the hut just in time to see the door burst open and Riza stumble out. The little lizard girl has one sleeve of a human-sized dress wrapped tightly around her neck and from the way her eyes are bulging it looks like she is just on the verge of passing out. The rest of the dress is thrashing about behind her as she staggers out of the doorway.

Inside the hut the new arrivals can just see Minmorc waging a similar battle against a human-sized shirt and trousers. He too has one sleeve wrapped tightly around his neck and his bulging eyes suggest he is grievously wounded as well, although he is fighting back, slashing at the clothing with the orc leader's glowing greatsword, which lights the room with a hellish red light.

OOC: Main Game Map updated.

The priest peers around the door, staring at first in incomprehension at the strange dance the orc and lizard girl perform, then backing away, eyes widening.

"Bluffel druffel luffel ruffle aluffle!" Minmorc ignores the shirt and trousers to slash at the hated dress with a huge downwards swing. He will also attempt to use the movement to break free of the shirts choking grip, attempting to stomp down on its trousers and tear the shirt free of his neck.

Minmorc's greatsword shears in half the dress that was attacking Riza and the sleeve that was strangling her suddenly falls limp.

However everyone else will be able to react now before the results of the struggle between Minmorc and the man's clothing is resolved.

OOC: Main game map updated.

Riza coughs as she struggles for breath, trying to unwrap the now lump clothing from her neck she manages so speak to the others.

"Kill.....Clo..ts.........help....mi..n.orc....."

She slumps to the floor and will very slowly try to move herself out of the way as carefully as she dares

"AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIGHHHHHHHH !!!!!"

Dregz looses an ear-piercing scream right behind those standing at the front.

"Dem clothes is Ray-ments !" he hollers after. "Unclean spirits !"

"Oh mighty Bargrivyek !" the goblin priest calls out pulling back the sack covering on the heavy tome he bears and holding that weighty volume high in the air.  "Smite 'em good as it is written !!!"

"Oo Oo!  Magic Pyjamas."  Bulldust pushes past those gathered in the doorway and grabs the shirt attempting to rip it in two.

Moffdust quickly sees Minmorc's predicament and rushes to the doorway. She fires a magic missile at the shirt then steps aside to let others have access.

Dregz raises his sacred book on high and commands the Raiment to be smitten. Unfortunately his performance has no effect.

Moffdust runs to the doorway and tries to kill the Raiment with her mind, but this time she draws a blank.

Bulldust pushes past and tries to grapple the shirt that is grappling Minmorc. The unoccupied sleeve of the shirt flails back at him but his new, stylishly black chain shirt saves him from harm. He grabs hold of the shirt and yanks it off Minmorc's neck then struggles vainly to rip the shirt to pieces. It proves just a bit too tough even for the young bugbear's strength.

OOC: Main game map updated.
Minmorc, Riza, Dregz, Moffdust and Bulldust have acted this round. Does anyone else wish to do anything before the Raiment reacts?

Jurz takes one look at the bigguns fighting the clothing and turns his attention to Riza, helping her get away from the dress that had been attacking her.

"Dat's why we's should all stay together." he says, although he is careful not to sound like he is lecturing.

"Oops!" She shakes her head sadly. "Dere's no more spellsies in me."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:33, Wed 19 Mar 2014.

The Raiment has been pulled away from Minmorc by Bulldust. It struggles mightily and thrashes about in the bugbear's grip but is unable to break free to attack him or anyone else.

OOC: New round. Bulldust is currently grappling the Raiment, so any attack at the Raiment would have a 25% chance of hitting Bulldust instead.

Minmorc will tap the floor in front of the bugbear. "Good job Bully, now drops it so I's can chops it." The Ork is clearly ready to swing as soon as the shirt is free of the grapple.

Bulldust's eyes grow wide as he sees Minmorc raise the glowing greatsword.  He's been bitten by that sword once already.  He flings the shirt to the ground in the spot the orc indicated, but stands his ground ready to pounce if the plan unravels.

With Jurz's help Riza will continue to move away from the fight, disgusted with her self for her performance. Once she has moved a bit further away she will pull a potion out of her backpack and hopefully down the whole thing before she passes out.

OOC: if possible will drink a potion of cure light wounds this round, if this is going to take too long will drink it next round

Jurz guides Riza, almost carrying her, letting her spend her remaining effort searching in her back pack.  Once they are far enough away, he helps her get the potion to her mouth and supports her while she swallows the liquid.

"Get it boyz"" He calls enthusiastically to the bigs who are fighting the shirt.  "Don't lets dat big girl's blouse gets youse!" he shouts in encouragement.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 10:21, Sat 22 Mar 2014.

In reply to Jurz (msg # 262):

"Cloths ars supposed ta be wearsed, not ta strangles you wiff" oopses cackled from the rafter.

While Jurz helps Riza further away from the hut the little lizard girl pulls out a potion from her backpack and drinks it down. Immediately the swelling and bruising around her neck fades significantly and she looks much healthier than moments before.

Bulldust hurls the struggling shirt and trousers to the floor in front of Minmorc and the red-glowing greatsword slashes through the material like a hot knife through butter. At last both of the undead Raiments are slain and the battle is over.

OOC: There is nothing of value in the hut unless anyone wants any of the typical assortment of household goods or furniture scattered about the place.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:49, Sun 23 Mar 2014.

Riza pulls herself upright now visibly stronger. She turns to jurz "thankyou jurz, but there is stil danger here" she turns to the others and makes sure she has all of their attention. "listen to me, this place is not safe. I believe that there are more of those demonic clothes in the other cabins, i saw similar piles of clothes as the ones that attacked us in them. Also there are two goblin corpses in the other two cabins... I would bet anything that they might be more than they seem too"  she turns to minmorc "your sword kills them good, but i will sleep in the woods tonight if we do not clear the other cabins first" she draws her bow and readies an arrow, with disgust dripping off every letter she adds "i hate clothes"

Minmorc will nod and shrug and say "kay Riza, no probs. lemme use my healy stick first. You wanna jab?" Minmorc will then pull out his bone wand and mutter the command word "Yuleliv."

"I'm not afraid of cloves.  But I don't like hats ...  And I wanna sleep inside and share out ve stuff.  So let's go hunt pyjamas!"

Bulldust looks about the messy cabin then picks up Minmorc's iron longspear, savouring the weight and length of it.  "I'd like one of vese long Veras.  Can I poke ve cloves wiv it?"  He grins and steps towards the door.

Jurz nods as he recognises Riza's thanks and comments.  "Deres no pyjams in der barn." He says to the group "But seeing what is in dese huts is a good idea.  I wants to stay here tomorrows, so we can travel in der dark.  Just in case dese woods does have de hoomans."

With that he puts his scimitar away and gets one of his 'new' daggers out - thren waits for one of the bigs to lead the way into a hut - after all these are big clothes that need sorting out.

Dregz' puzzlement that the clothes weren't instantly smitten is driven from him with some alacrity and he watches open-mouthed as Minmorc's glowing sword tears through the vile garments.

"Dat sword," the little goblin points in awe, "dat's Black Feng's ... dey call it der 'Hellblade' !"

"We'se doin' allright den !" he grins feverishly.

Minmorc visibly shudders when Bulldust touches Vera and the greatsword starts to draw back before with a considerable show of willpower Minmorc takes a long deep breath and relaxes. "Vera ain't a longspear, Vera is a greatspear, I hads to have special training to use it right, der blade is much bigger n heavier den normal. I dun in der last ork dat touched Vera but yous alright, yous had my back against der shirt so yous alright to borrow Vera or Helen if yous wants."

Bulldust sadly puts the spear back.  "Oo?  A greatspear?  I can't use vat.  But I know I can use your stuff when you're not using it.  Vat goes for everyone's stuff." 

He steps outside and heads for the closest small hut.  As he passes Dregs he laughs and says, "Minmorc calls ve Hellblade Helen!  Vats funny."

Minmorc will frown at the bugbear and will jab himself with the wand before tucking it back into his belt and following. As he grabs his greatspear (Vera in one hand, Helen in the other) he will comment to Bully "yer weird, der rulez is you asks to borrow my stuff or I stabs yer, and that's just cause yer o.k. Most folk, I just stabs em less they ask real nice, like with gold n grovelling. Dats just how it's done."

"I does not want to touch dat sword !" Dregz shakes his head, worriedly.

"Yeah Bully. Yous cants jus takes stuff or they'll eats ya." She shakes her head sadly. "Keepin yous alives a full time job Bully."

She brandishes her sharpened trowel and says "I's gots yer back too Minmorc." She waves her weapon enthusiastically towards the other huts.

With Bulldust leading the way, most of the group assembles outside the door of the next hut to the south. Even Nurzhan comes out of the barn and joins on to the back of the procession to see what all the fuss is about.

Bulldust throws open the door of the hut and peers inside. The hut is furnished with bunk beds against the western wall. Various other items are scattered haphazardly around the hut as though the place has previously been ransacked. Unlike the first hut this one has a dead body in it, a dried and withered goblin corpse tossed into the southeast corner of the hut. Once again there are items of clothing lying about, mainly on the two bunk beds.

That is good enough for Nurzhan. As soon as the door is flung open he looses two arrows into the hut at a heavy overcoat draped over the edge of the top bunk. It is a difficult shot narrowly passing between the doorframe and Bulldust's shoulder but somehow Nurzhan makes it. Both arrows hit and pierce the heavy fabric, pinning the overcoat to the wooden bedframe. Nurzhan's instinct is immediately proven correct as the overcoat thrashes about trying to rip itself free.

However, a heavy woollen smock and leggings lunges forward from the bottom bunk straight at Bulldust in the doorway. One sleeve misses wildly but the other would have hit the bugbear if not for the blackened chain shirt he is now wearing.

OOC: Main game map updated.

Minmorc bares his teeth and growls at the smock. With care and gentleness he rests Vera against the wall and taking Helen in two hands attempts to follow nurzhans example and pin the clothing to the floor.

Bulldust tries to grab the smock and drag it outside.  He steps back 5' from the doorway and tries to tear the cloth.  He sounds excited, "Oo Oo!  Everyone grab ve woolies."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:59, Sat 29 Mar 2014.

The goblin doesn't know whether to be more worried by Helen or the homicidal garments, but the glimpse betwixt the larger party members to the interior of the hut that reveals the sad sight of the corpse of his kinsman is more than enough to add a touch of steel to his backbone.

"Burn dem !" Dregz yells out vindictively.

Minmorc is swift to react and the red-glowing Hellblade (or Helen, as he prefers to call it) slashes straight through smock and leggings in a single blow. Bulldust grabs the tattered remains before they even hit the floor and finds them much easier to rip apart now that the spirit is gone out of them.

The heavy overcoat is still pinned to the bedframe by Nurzhan's arrows but looks like it will pull itself free in just a few more seconds.

OOC: Main game map updated. Other characters would be able to slip past Bulldust into the hut if they want to now that the Raiment in the doorway has been destroyed.

Jurz hangs back,letting the bigguns deal with the animated clothing, but trying to peek past them to see what is happening inside the hut.  When he sees the overcoat is still struggling to get away from the arrows, he pulls his arm back, exhales slowly and throws his dagger towards the errant clothing, in an attempt to keep it pinned where it is.

------
13:17, Today: Jurz rolled 20 using 1d20+4. Throw a dagger at Overcoat.
13:19, Today: Jurz rolled 1 using 1d3. Damage overcoat.

Nurzhan leans in a bit closer and fires two more arrows into the hut at the overcoat.

Grakk, greataxe in hand steps past the others and brings down the axe into the middle of the overcoat, he then looks around the room for fire and says, "Burn them all evil magics"

"No." Jurz counsels "If we's got away from dose dat are following us, de smoke will show dem where we is.  Chops 'em up as small as you can, but do's it outside, so we can see if dere is anything good in here." he adds as he steps into the hut and looks around.

Jurz's dagger bounces off the heavy material without damaging it but both of Nurzhan's arrows punch holes in the overcoat and pin it more firmly to the bedframe. But Grakk is the one who finally puts the undead spirit to rest. His axe blow is a bit awkward in the confines of the hut but he manages to connect solidly enough to rip the Raiment apart.

OOC: Map updated. Does anyone want to do anything else in this hut? The place is full of scattered household junk and a withered goblin corpse. Or are you going to move straight on to the next building – will it be another hut or the main cabin?

"Nofing useful in here.  Let's do ve next hut."  Bulldust hoists his shovel this time before kicking open the door to the next small hut.

As Minmorc grabs Vera and steps from the doorway to follow Bully to the next bit of fun he rocks back on his heels, struck by a vision. It is confused and jumbled, humans and orks running in all directions, many people yelling and a strange leather object banded by Steel spikes soaring through the sky. Without knowing why Minmorc starts to chant "four, twenty four, four, twenty four, hut, hut, hut!" Snapping out of his trance Minmorc jogs to stand next to Bully. "Dat stuff I just said, dat mean anything to anyone?"

Jurz's eyes open a bit wider when his dagger bounces off of the coat, and he inspects it closely as he collects it from the floor of the hut and before leaving, he moves across to the withered goblin corpse and looks the body over.

Then, hanging further back since his dagger bounces off, he follows the bigs as they  go hunting more animated clothes.

Dregz follows Jurz into the hut, looking around nervously in case more of the possessed clothes lie in wait.  It is his religious duty to learn what he can from the corpse of his kinsman, though like the druid, he expects to find nothing to alter his perception that it's best to leave the fighting to the bigguns.

Jurz decides to retrieve his dagger and search the hut, joining Grakk inside with the dead goblin and slashed clothing. He soon finds a small cooking pot that seems to make him happy. Then he turns his attention to the dead goblin and Dregz joins him there.

But Bulldust and Minmorc are too impatient to wait. Both only have to take a few steps to reach the next hut and Nurzhan follows close behind with his bow drawn. Bulldust cheerfully kicks the door down without any hesitation at all. Inside the hut is very similar to the previous one, including bunk beds and scattered household goods and clothing. But this time the Raiments attack as soon as the door bursts open. Two sets of woodsmen's clothes whip around from behind the doorframe to lash out at Bulldust and Minmorc before either Nurzhan or Riza can get a shot at them. Fortunately both Raiments miss their targets' necks, so Bulldust and Minmorc get to breathe a little longer.

OOC: Main game map updated. New round, so everyone can act.

The little goblin shakes his head sadly at the plight of the corpse.  "Dat's not right," he mutters.

"Don't wanna be worn? Be torn!" Minmorc will again prop Vera against the door frame and with for him, extreme wit will attack the clothes that are attacking Bulldust.

Jurz nods in agreement.

Bulldust will also attack the clothes that are attacking Bulldust, this time with his shovel.  He chatters as he swings the shovel, "I know what you were saying back vere Minmorc, vat was counting numbers, Moffa taught me vem, but you missed a few."

Moffdust regards Minmork warily as he makes his strange 'hut' chant. Big big orcs with visions. She takes two steps back and shakes her head

"I dont's know nuffin 'bout no hutses , do we's Bully? "

She tucks her trowel away and pulls out two small vials, waving them vigorously and enthusiastically close to Riza and Nurzhan.

"I gots some burn-y acids!!! If theys come out here I'll burn em up.

While Jurz, Dregz and Grakk are busy in the second hut, Minmorc and Bulldust are already battling another pair of Raiments in the doorway of the third hut. Minmorc's glowing greatsword slashes one of the Raiments apart but Bulldust's shovel misses the other one. Nurzhan quickly shoots another couple of arrows at the Raiment attacking Minmorc but the difficulties of shooting into melee prove too great and he misses his target both times.

The remaining Raiment seems to want to kill both Bulldust and Minmorc at the same time. One sleeve lashes out at Minmorc and the other at Bulldust. Both sleeves hit their targets but it is the one attacking Bulldust that manages to wrap around his neck and start to strangle the bugbear. Bulldust's eyes start to bulge and he is obviously grievously wounded after this attack.

OOC: Main game map updated. Bulldust is being grappled by the Raiment so any attacks against the Raiment have a 25% chance to hit Bulldust instead.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:37, Sun 06 Apr 2014.

Dregz shrugs at Jurz.

"Ugh" Jurz grunts softly.

Those in the second hut see ...

Jurz looks up at the ceiling.

So does Dregz.

Jurz holds an arm out.

Minmorc holds forth the hell blade of blackfang and in his most authoritative voice says "yous been a bad shirt. Bugger off."

The Raiment immediately unwraps itself from Bulldust's neck and flings itself down to the ground, almost like a supplicant bowing before the glowing Hellblade that Minmorc holds up before it.

OOC: Main game map updated.

Minmorc will stand there stunned for a little while before hugging the sword and swaying backwards and forwards with a blissful smile on his face.
OOC I hope that Vera will not get jealous of Helen, surely an Orc can have two loves in his life?

Jurz frowns.

Dregz looks most uncertain.

Jurz grins
This message was last edited by the player at 06:13, Sun 13 Apr 2014.

Nurzhan lets fly with another two arrows at the grovelling Raiment. The first shot is dreadful but the second one makes up for it.

The first arrow flies so wide it sticks in the doorframe just a few inches from Minmorc's belly but the second arrow punches through and pins the clothing to the floor.

Minmorc stops hugging The sword and spins to shake it angrily at Nurzhan. "Oy, elf Orc, you hits me with an arrow an I hits you wid Helen!"

Bulldust splutters and gasps after the woodsman's clothes release him.  He sags to his knees, gawks up at Minmork and croaks.  "Fanks."  He crawls off to the side of the doorway to let others have a better chance of finishing off the raiment.

In reply to Bulldust (msg # 311):

"Theys making big noise over there, eh arlein, making big trouble to I bet."

Dregz is uncertain ...

Moffdust scowls at the raiment as Bully crawls away. She pushes through the crowd and gives the raiment a piece of her mind. "Yous a bad old set of clothses an yous'll burn in hell!" She pours both vials of acid over the pinned raiment.

Jurz Grins ..

Dregz grins back, displaying a mouthful of broken teeth.

Riza is visibly seething with anger as she knows she is unable to harm the clothes... she spits onto the ground Finish it off Minmorc it fears you and turns her attention to bulldust, she knows all too well what it is like to be on the business end of the demented clothes.

She will steady the big bugbear as best she can and will try to administer one of her few healing potions to help him out

When Minmorc turns to threaten Nurzhan it effectively takes both of them out of the fight for a moment or two as the archer is too nervous to shoot again. The badly injured Bulldust also backs away but this time Moffdust steps up to take care of the situation. She empties two flasks of acid onto the Raiment, swiftly ending the threat that it posed.

The contents of the hut look much the same as in the previous two. Scattered furniture, clothes and household goods look like the only things that will be found in there.

Riza is fuming at not being able to harm the Raiments with her little bow so she concentrates on fixing Bulldust up again instead, so he can fight the next battle again. She manages to get him to drink a potion which helps him recover to some extent.

OOC: Main game map updated. 

The overall health of the group can now be summed up as follows:

• Arlein, Dregz, Grakk, Jurz, Moffdust, Nurzhan, Oopses and Rog uninjured
• Nobody lightly wounded (up to 25% of hit points lost)
• Minmorc and Riza moderately wounded (up to 50%)
• Bulldust seriously wounded (up to 75%)
• Nobody grievously wounded (up to 100% of hit points lost)

Minmorcs big red eyes fill with concern as he sees that Riza is still hurting. Leaving Helen leaning against the door he will step inside, mutter "yuleliv" and jab the little lizard with the Healy stick. Looking over at Moffa and the acrid remains of the clothing he'll whistle "phoar, youse can kill stuff with yer mind and yer piddle pot!" Inspired by the little goblins example Minmorc will rummage through his bag and pull out two bottles of oil and a bottle with flame carved crudely into the stopper. "Riza wanna kill stuff wid fire?"

Riza looks up at the Orc "thankyou Minmorc " and smiles "I'll enjoy burning anything at this point" she will take the vials from Minmorc and stash them in her backpack. She will then move into the hut and search the room, her initial search is pointless as she still seems a little unsettled by the clothes and makes more of a mess than anything. She will take a longer, slower look though after taking a moment to settle herself hoping she will find something ...


OOC: rolled natural 1 to search but will try again after calming down

Dregz brow furrows ...

"Oohhh"

Minmorc's wand miraculously cures all of Riza's injuries and she happily accepts the flasks of fire and oil that Minmorc offers.

OOC: If anyone wishes to find any particular household items in any of the three huts cleared so far, let me know what you are looking for.

Minmorc will stand over the bugbear and try to figure out what's wrong with him. Shrugging, he jabs him in the forehead with the Healy stick and grunts "yuleliv."

Dregz nods, uncertainly.

Bulldust is now only lightly wounded, thanks to Riza's potion and Minmorc's wand.  He hugs Riza as he hands back the empty potion pot, then leaps up and punches Minmorc in the arm to say thanks bugbear style.  He grins around at the group gathered outside the hut.  "Our army can fix anyfing!  I bet we could beat ve Watchers, and wivout digging any holes!"

Bulldust peers into the hut but leaves the searching to Riza.  "I'm looking for a longspear, or just a long pole.  I'll look in ve chief's house".  He picks up his shovel and goes to the big house to kick in a door.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:40, Mon 21 Apr 2014.

Riza will scrounge around the remnants of the hut but will return to minmax and go with him and prepare to go on watch

Jurz nods and head for the door - but shakes his head at Bully's  overestimation of their power.  Still, he follows the bugbear, at a distance, and prepares to watch  as the door is kicked in.

"What've youse been up too ?" the little goblin notes that Bully is recovering from what seems to have been a severe beating if this is what he looks like after healing.  Nervously he looks around in case the one(s) who administered it are anywhere nearby, though from the bugbear's reaction he's willing to bet Minmorc did for them.  Or possibly Helen and Vera.  He shudders as he remembers the hellblade.

"Is it safe now ?" Dregz asks, following in the footsteps of those anticipating a bit more breaking and entering.

Bulldust leads the way to the next building, the larger cabin at the southern end of the compound. After a bit of brief searching in the huts the rest of the group follows close behind him, if only to see what trouble the bugbear will get himself into this time.

Sure enough, Bulldust doesn't hesitate to yank open the door of the cabin as soon as he gets there.

Inside the cabin is divided in two by an internal wall with another door in the middle of it. Scattered furniture and cooking equipment indicates this was the main living area and kitchen of the cabin. There is another withered goblin body on the floor to one side but it is the other occupant that everyone notices first. The figure is man-sized and completely shrouded in a black robe, deep hood, leather gloves and boots. It stands in front of the internal door with a scimitar in its hands.

"Ssstay out! Thisss cabinsss isss oursss!" a voice hisses at Bulldust.

OOC: Main game map updated.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:57, Sat 26 Apr 2014.