Although Mithra felt she was just as capable of taking point as Victor, she was well aware that he had more battle experience than she did, though, of late, she seemed to be catching up to him!

"It's always possible that the ogres will be reasonable," Mithra whispered back. "Yes, they have a well-deserved reputation for being savage brutes, but that isn't always the case."

"What I'd do is send the spellcasters up over the hill to attack them... if necessary... from above. The fighters can go forward, make noise, and otherwise distract the ogres until the spellcasters are in position."

"I'll let each of you decide which group you want to join. I'll be in the fighter group."

"Oh. One other thing. Does anyone know what language ogres speak? Can anyone here speak it?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 23:50, Fri 03 Apr 2020.

" Sounds good. hopefully I can get some better armor and a better weapon soon. "

In reply to Mithra Stormraven (msg # 32):

Krivcrath replies, "I'll stand with the mages. I'll keep watch and make sure they aren't overpowered. And, although I can't speak ogre, I can cast a spell to understand what they're speaking. Might I scout with either Prizzard or Charoum and learn what they are talking about, if any? That should help us understand their intentions in general."

He then readies himself with his hands ready to cast, and then tells to Stormraven, "Waiting for your command"

"Sometimes, they speak common. If they don't, chances are they'll attack anyone else who comes through here, if only to avoid being attacked first. We can try speaking to them, and if they are willing to simply let us pass, then we leave them be. Hells, they might even know something about orc activity in the area, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Either way, I'll go in front this time, so if they attack, they'll attack me. I can put up a momentary magical shield to deflect the initial assault, if need be. Better to use my meager spellcasting skills before taxing our healers," said Victor.

Those who can cast arcane spells have the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end as a surge of wild magic suddenly seems to flood the area. A few of you may recognize the sensation as similar to the ones that you felt in the mine when people were teleporting in and out... apparently randomly.

And here it goes again!

Five adventurers reappear all at once, standing next to each other, looking as surprised as the rest of you. You recognize Tas and Ezguar and Vilderhardt and Axia and Wendell. Then they flicker and are gone again.

Then Aria Moonshadow drops... literally, having been teleported about 5 feet in the air and dropping to the ground.

Then Myrtha and Rihala materialize several feet away.

Then Maldor and Zhao appear, followed a few feet away by someone you don't recognize.

Aria vanishes just as Marianna and Mikal materialize.

Rihala vanishes as a golden stag appears in her place.

Zhao disappears, as does Mikal and Myrtha.

Then Maldor vanishes. A few seconds later, Marianna and the golden stag also vanish.

That leaves only the person no one recognizes.

Before anyone can react, there's a roar from up ahead as two ogres stomp around the hill, bellowing.

[Language unknown: "Nti i ti m ivcari we?"] one of them yells.

The second one responds: [Language unknown: "Ic, utle, Itoer! Caniiv!"]

The tiefling that appeared, a young woman, looked around in confusion, and closes her eyes with more annoyance than anything. She looks at the others with a smile. The young girl had black hair, shoulder length, with dark horns sweeping back over her head. Her eyes are a mix of light blue and misty white.

Her clothes consisted of dark leather boots, grey linen pants and a dark purple robe with white and light blue trim. In her hand was a staff of oak topped with a light purple orb on the end.

She looks at the sounds of the ogres and again winced. "Oh damnit." she mutters
This message was last edited by the player at 19:15, Sat 04 Apr 2020.

Prizzard mounts and returns at a full gallop, bow ready.

Well, that answered the question of what language the ogres spoke, as Ero recognized the bellowing as Gigantic.

"The first one is confused and the second one thinks we are lunch," Ero explained to the others as he stepped forward.

[Language unknown: "Tr ssnidi butbe us wheomeder a he som o resproter onsfo i adncceunac ssonnomiel!"] he yells up at the ogres in Gigantic.

His intent was to confuse and distract the ogres for a moment to allow his fellow adventurers a moment to regroup.

Victor takes as non-aggressive posture as a heavily armed and armored man can take. He ignores the tiefling for the moment. No one hostile had teleported into the midst of his group so far, so he figured the ogres for the bigger threat. "Do you speak common?" Victor shouts at the Ogres, followed by, [Language unknown: "Mi earbleous Ilca?"]

The tiefling, seeing the ogres weren't attacking straight away, and the elf and humans began making her way towards the humanoids. She didn't know any of these people but knew her saftey lied with them.

When she made her way to them, she turned looking at the ogres, but spoke to the others. "Never thought when I woke, I'd be sucked through a portal in front of ogres." she smiled as she grasped her staff.

"I'll help however I can."

"Here we go again," Mithra mutters as new people suddenly start showing up.

"Okay, old people, new people, and whatever the heck that stag was about!"

As she waited for the others to either parley with the ogres or for the ogres to attack, she eased over to the newcomer... a female Tiefling.

"Mithra Stormraven. We're searching the whole area for the return of Orcs... at the behest of Sheriff Sildar Hallwinter of the Lords' Alliance."

"Are you here treasure hunting or just adventuring?"

Thressa, being an Aasimar was a little concerned about the new Tiefling. Her hand gribs her Great axe tighter.

The tiefling smiled at Mitha, seemingly not phased by the woman's irritation of someone new. "Well met Mithra....I was once known as Galeyrn, but now go by the name 'Hope', a lovely name my adoptive father gave to me when i was young. He found me on a...."

she looked at the serious woman, and smiled weakly. "Sorry, i digress. Anyway, i was reading a tome from Margo the healer and returned it to her. While walking home I heaed a buzz and saw darkness....next thing i know i am between you all and some ogres."

She looked at Mithra with an apologetic smile. "I am sorry, but i've never heard of Sheriff Sildar Hallwinter or the Lords' Alliance. In fact I don't even know where 'here' is!

She noticed the assimar looking at her and Hope smiled and waved. "Hello"  It was clear she either didn't notice the tightening grip on the greataxe, or was not phased by it.

"Nah, he don't speak no Common," the first ogre seems to reply to Victor. "We eat you for lunch!"

He then looks at Ero.

"What is... gastro... what you said. Gestion... bad for tum-tum! Ha-ha-ha! We eats anything!"

Somewhat unexpectedly, he takes a sudden swing at Ero... but his aim is way over Ero's head.

[Language unknown: "Iv. I sanu stekni o acng ate sanut.] "Sulaanin, behind me!" He steps forward and swings Lightbringer at the ogre's knee.

22:10, Today: Victor Harkness rolled 20,12 using 1d20+6,1d6+6 with rolls of 14,6.  Lightbringer attack,  damage.

"Lureene Raventree, priestess of the Lady Firehair", said the lovely redhead in gleaming mail armor. Her mace was in hand, as was her shield with the effigy of Sune. "If I may interject, further introductions and explanations should await after we deal with these ogres!"

Krivcrath, after hearing the clear intention of the ogre to eat him, immediately takes a battle stance. He readies a small flicker of purplish flame in one hand and takes his trusty dagger in the other hand. He then greets the newcomer tiefling, "Good to meet you, Hope. I'm Krivcrath Sparkfyre, call me Kriv. We'll show these ogres what we're made of, shall we?" and gives a toothy smile before quickly narrowing his eyes and focusing on the ogres
This message was last edited by the player at 05:35, Wed 08 Apr 2020.

The tiefling, nodding at Kriv and Lureene, reached into a pouch into her hip, speaking in a strange elemental language. In her hand, a small diamond, she held it out in front of her.

Within seconds,  a small sphere of yellowish energy erupted, speeding towards the ogres, but shooting between the two. Hope's smile of casting this  spell first time faded as it missed.

<OOC: Hope rolled 9 using 1d20+7 - attack (Chromatic orb)>
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Wed 29 Apr 2020.

Although the spell was impressive, Kriv knew that this would attract the full attention of the ogres. However, they need to keep the offensive pressure on, now that it's started, so he runs towards the ogres until he's close enough and focuses on the purplish flame in his hand, making it into a huge ball of eldritch energy before blasting it at the ogre to the left, but it whizzes past the ogre's arm. Cursing, he suddenly looks back before vanishing in the blink of an eye and reappearing back by Hope's side.


Action: Eldritch Blast on left ogre
14:02, Today: Krivcrath Sparkfyre rolled 11 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 5. 

Bonus Action: Cast Misty Step, return to original position

This message was last edited by the player at 08:35, Wed 08 Apr 2020.

Calling an ogre 'dim-witted' was an insult to dim-witted people everywhere, so Ero hadn't expected any indication of intelligent ratiocination from the two barbaric brutes before him.

As the combat specialists stepped forward, Ero stepped back, managing to duck under the one ogre's swing. After all, he wasn't one of them!

He quickly ran through his daily repertoire of spells, deciding that with the sudden increase in size of the party, he didn't need to use his more powerful spells. He could save them for the masses of Orcs they were bound to run into.

He held out his hands, thumbs touching, fingers spread, and muttered his arcane incantation.

"Ipso facto! Zippity-doo-dah!"

A 15' cone of flame shot out from his fingers at the farthest ogre as he directed the cone in such a way that it would avoid striking Victor.

14:09, Today: Ero Sulaanin rolled 4 using 2d6 ((2,2)). Holy Crappola! That dice roll sucked! Oh, well, it could have been worse... could have rolled snake eyes. Bleh. And he still gets to save for half!

Maybe I should try different magic words...

Prizzard slid from his horse and attempted to fire his bow on one, but nocked the arrow poorly and it went nowhere. He nocked again, shooting this time but firing badly. (Action Surge)

rolled 6,7 using d20+5,d8+3 with rolls of 1,4.  Attack: Longbow.
rolled 7,4 using d20+5,d8+3 with rolls of 2,1.  Attack: Longbow.

Not that she had much experience with ogres, but Mithra didn't see how this was going to turn out any other way.

She charges forward and swings at the ogre on the left.

23:00, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 20,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3 ((15,4)).

That should be a hit! She'll spend one of her superiority dice for a distracting strike.

23:02, Today: Mithra Stormraven rolled 7 using 1d8 ((7)).

That should be 14 points of damage. Plus, if Victor attacks, he has Advantage against the same ogre.

((OOC: Thanks to everyone else's bad dice rolls! Usually, Mithra's the one that rolls badly!))

Thressa smiles and then casts Guiding Bolt. The target is wreathed in light , making next attack on target have advantage.

" Burn in the Holy Light of Aumanator. "





22:47, Today: Thressa Wildflamme rolled 14 using 4d6 with rolls of 2,5,6,1.  Guiding Bolt damage.

22:47, Today: Thressa Wildflamme rolled 22 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 16.  Guiding Bolt.


This message was lightly edited by the player at 07:11, Sun 19 Apr 2020.

Lureene charged with her mace and, calling to the Lady Firehair, followed up after Mithra and struck the same ogre with all her might. Unfortunately, she missed completely and had to stumble to avoid an ungraceful fall.

OOC: 01:44, Today: Lureene Raventree rolled 6,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3 with rolls of 1,4.  Attack upon the ogre.

Oof.

The first round of combat turned out to almost be a draw, as half of the adventurers didn't fare too well. Even the other half was barely successful.


The first ogre is on the right as he came forward first. The second ogre came up behind him on the left. Victor, Ero and Mithra all managed to hit the ogre on the left. Even Lureene had targeted that one... and missed.

It was the ogre on the right that Thressa targeted. Anyone who attacks him will have Advantage.

Although surprised at the 'unexpected' resistance of the adventurers, the ogres recover a bit more quickly than expected, and swing their great clubs at the attackers.

ATTACK: 18:40, Today: StarMaster rolled 25,21 using 1d20+8,1d20+8 ((17,13)).

DAMMAGE: 18:45, Today: StarMaster rolled 13,16 using 2d8+4,2d8+4 ((3,6,6,6)).

Oh, great! So the dice roller saved the GOOD dice rolls for the ogres!

The ogre on the left attacks Victor... and hits for 13 points of damage.

The ogre on the right, because no one else was engaging him in melee, can only swing at Mithra, who came up behind Victor on his left. It hits her for 16 points of damage.

Victor will also have Advantage attacking the ogre on the left due to Mithra's distracting hit.