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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Wandering Monsters? No

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The door swings open, revealing only short dark corridor extending 10 ft towards the North and ending to a similar closed stone door.

[Language unknown: "Thaortine aleita nositr!"] Reynard curses quietly. He quickly walks at the next door and listens. Faint noises discussion.

"Orcs. I hear orcish." He whispers to Joan. "Be ready, I'll open the door." The fighter draws his sword and prepares to push the door open.

"Wait, are you sure we want to confront them now? We just killed two of them and we don't know how many there are in there."

"How many there are? Let's find out!"

The fighter pushes the door open.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Orcs are not surprised. There are nine of them here preparing and eating food. Whole Orc warband is here, including their boss Zerg the Stealer, who looks Generously Macabre and is Ungrateful. The rest of the orcs are Dull.
Reaction Roll: Unfavorable. Disposition: Active +2

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The orcs rush to their feet and grab their weapons. Growls and bared teeth are shown.

"You're not welcome here! This orc camp! You leave!" Their scarred leader growls in broken Common.

"Oh, it's quite the contrary. This place was build by a once great wizard. A human wizard. We are claiming this place back! You leave."
Reynard stands in the doorway, where he can't be flanked or surrounded.

"You claim this place? Like this human?" The orc snatches something from the nearby table and throws it at Reynard's feet. It's a severed human head. "I'm Zerg the Stealer! Stealer of heads! You'll die, and I'll have your head!"

Orcs have initiative and they're 20 ft away. 5 of them, including their leader, throw spears at Reynard, while 4 remaining charge.

ROUND 1
Zerg's javelin hits, 5 damage. Other 4 orcs all miss, except  one bounces of from Reynard's armor.
The charging 4 orcs all miss and have -2 to their AC for rest of the round.
Reynard wound one of the chargers; 3 dmg vs 5 hp.

ROUND 2
<to be continued...>

ROUND 2

Reynard retreated. In the corridor the orcs could come just two at the time. "Fall back! We'll challenge them in the corridor!" He says to Joan, who now is by his side swinging her mace.

The fighter tries to swing, but orcs are overwhelming him momentarily.

"This is madness! They outnumber greatly, there are nine of them." Joan says to Reynard, but takes her place by the fighter's side nevertheless.

Her mace hits the first orc in front of her crushing its skull. The orc falls, dead before it hits the stone floor. A new orc steps over its fallen friend to face her.

The orcs form a double line, following the retreating adventurers. Behind the four Zerg stands in the chamber, surrounded by four most loyal to him.

Two orcs, including the wounded one, attack Reynard. The wounded orc gets his payback when his spear finds a joint in Reynard's armor and draws more blood. The second Orc misses the fighter.

The two others striking Joan, both miss her.

The fight has moved now into the short, dark corridor between kennel chamber and the orc lair (kitchen).

ROUND 3
Reynard and the orcs attack simultaneously, then Joan.
Again two attack Reynard with their spears. Both hit!. The fighter has now multiple wounds.
Two other attack Joan; again both miss her. Perhaps they cower in front of a woman fighting with mace and torch.

Reynard starts to realize this is a fight he can't win. There are too many of the orcs, and in his cockiness he has angered them. "Run, Joan! Save yourself! I'll hold them as long as I can." He says to the cleric.

Attacks against wounded orc in front of him, his sword swing misses, but his follow up with dagger finds home for 3 points, killing it.

The fighter moves center of the corridor, trying to buy time for Joan to escape.

Joan sees their desperate situation. Any other man he knows would already have fallen from the wounds Reynard has. They've killed two orcs, but six plus their leader remain, and they look bloodthirsty.

"I will never forget your sacrifice, Reynard. May the Soul Queen welcome you with open arms behind the Veil!"

She swings once before turning to desperate flee. She bludgeons one orc badly (2/7 HP remaining). Just as she turns to flee the wounded orc grazes her for 1 point. But she makes it into the Kennel chamber with cages. She doesn't drop her pack yet.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:07, Sat 09 Jan 2021.

ROUND 4
Orcs and Joan simultaneously first, then Reynard.
Do the orcs try to pursue Joan and get past Reynard? Unlikely - No

Two remaining orcs in the corridor attack Reynard. Does Zerg send reinforcements? 50/50 - No. Both Orcs miss their attacks.
Joan RUNS and is now at the West door of the kennel, opening it.

Reynard accepts that he will die here, in this short dark corridor today. Since he befriended (was charmed by a spell by) the Seer, he's been unhappy. He never recovered from the loss of his party encountering the dragon, when his face got burnt. If he dies, he will take as many orcs with him as possible, and hopefully can allow Joan to escape.

He attacks the one Joan wounded, but misses. Wound tax him already.

Joan pulls the heavy stone door of the kennel open in near panic. She hears fighting from the corridor. For now, Reynard fights. None of the orcs seemed to follow her. They're all going after Reynard. Tears start to run across her cheeks.
"I will remember you, Reynard. And by the Queen I swear; I will avenge your death."

ROUND 5
Reynard first, Joan & orcs then simultaneously. Joan opens the door and is able to run further.

Attacking an orc that haven't been hit yet. Hit! He removes the poor orc's head from it's shoulders. Three orcs killed, only a wounded one stand before him. The fighter grins at their leader, Zerg.

The wounded orc thrusts his spear in desperation. It connects with Reynard's plate shirt but bounces off without causing harm. The orc has had it and turns to flee. Reynard gets an opportunity attack.

Joan runs through the entry hall and up the stairs. She is out in open air.

Opportunity attack Hits. Reynard strikes down the fleeing orc. The fighter smiled madly at Zerg and the four orcs remaining of their war band.

"Throw you weapons down and kneel before me and I shall spare your lives! Refuse me and I'll cut you all down like these here!"

Once outside, Joan doesn't stop. She runs towards the village.

The macabre orc warrior yells in rage. "He's wounded! Kill him!". Zerg defiantly stares the human fighter as remaining four orcs of his charge into attack. Normally a warrior staying behind would be considered as a coward, but Zerg does this in purpose; to humiliate the human warrior.

ROUND 6

Joan is outside running towards the village and not part of this fight anymore. Orcs have initiative. Since Reynard tactically selected to fight in the corridor, only two orcs at the time can engage him. These orcs threw their spears, so they now have  Great two-handed axes.

Two first ones strike; Both hit and do 11 dmg total, dropping Reynard to negatives at -2. He will die to blood loss in short time unless the orcs decide to save him - which they do not.

The combat is over and the orcs loot Reynard's body. His platemail doesn't fit to them so that is added to their treasure. They'll gamble over his weapons and Zerg will take his money.

SCENE END. CF RAISES TO 4.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:52, Sat 09 Jan 2021.

I will give Joan xp from all nine orcs encountered. She gets to the village and tell what happened. The villager's send message to the lord of the land, that orcs have made a lair at the old tower in the hill, too close to the village.