Angus moves ahead killing sleeping orcs and goblins, heads would come when the killing was done!

Although she was hoping to get an orc in her sights first, Phelan decides to take care of the immediate threat first. She aims for the rat and fires. "Disgusting creatures." she says as the bolt takes flight.

08:48, Today: Phelan rolled 14 using 1d20+2 ((12)).

08:50, Today: Phelan rolled 6 using 1d6 ((6)). for damage

Phelan aims and fires. The bolt hits the rat squarely, forcing a painful cry from it. It tries to turn and run, but passes out almost immediately from the injury. (Hit! More than enough damage. Rat is out of the fight.)

OOC: Ok, I have a few premature declarations. Let's see what comes out of it.

Round 5

At the sight of so many of their tribesmen falling, and without further "encouragement" from the orc warriors, the remaining goblins lose courage and turn to run. They are still small, so they don't get very far, but they do, at the very least, manage to get out of sight of most of you. Marille, who was aiming to strike at the possibly flanking goblin, watches her quarry turn and bolt in fear.

And as fast as it started this fight seemed to be over. The party is now surrounded by a large group of sleeping orcs and goblins, who will remain in their slumber probably for an hour, if not longer.

You also remember that somewhere nearby is a bear.

After the stark panic of feeling outnumbered by so many goblins, the release of tension is a welcome moment. The forest remains cool and dim, but it is now quieter.

OOC: This fight is just about done, unless you choose to pursue. The only party member who can see anyone at the moment is Marille, and that little goblin (top right most) is almost out of sight range. To everyone else, the goblins just vanished into the green, although you can hear them running as fast as their little legs will carry them.

Map for Round 5
This message was last updated by the GM at 04:39, Sat 06 June 2020.

Camille stood quietly and watched as the goblins fell on the ground, surprised at the fact that there wasn't going to be a fight after all.

"Petar. Elven magic? Chiress would be very pleased."

She turned to smile at the elf. There were still some goblins around, but it didn't sound like they had any fight left in them. Still, one could not be too cautious when it came to goblins, so she kept her sense on alert, and her weapon on hand.

"Take their heads and feed the bear!"  Angus says as he resumed cutting throats and taking heads.

"They were hunting the bear," said Aila, as she moved to repeat the stab through eye into skull technique on the next nearest orc.  "I don't know if they managed to kill it yet, or if it's wounded."  A wounded bear, she knew, was extremely dangerous, and she listened for sounds of something that might sound like a wounded bear thrashing about rather than goblins fleeing for their lives.

Angus decided to try Alia's method and started stabbing them through the right eye into the brain!

From one to the next, being mindful of the bear.

"Cuwards!" The sounds of frustration clear in her voice. But at the mention of the bear Marille thought of dispatching the worthy combatant. But she looked down at the sleeping goblins and orcs and remembered the fee for heads. With a grim smile Marille looked near her and grasped the first goblin and thrust her sword through its throat.

And as fast as it started this fight seemed to be over. The party is now surrounded by a large group of sleeping orcs and goblins, who will remain in their slumber probably for an hour, if not longer.

Aiming carefully at the goblins, Petar had no time to shoot before they fled.  As expected, the loss of their slave masters meant they now knew freedom and the elf hoped these particular ones never came back near Emberdell.

"Petar. Elven magic? Chiress would be very pleased."

"Yes, magic," Petar replies, a little dully, voice dry from watching the carnage.  They were not here for prisoners or warnings, it was true.  And none of the sleepers looked like children, still ... he had to look away a few times.

"My magic teacher was a man, I don't know any elf secrets," Petar admits to Camille, his voice finally recovering after a long drink from his canteen.

After dispatching the goblins and orcs, Angus goes back and cuts their heads off one after the other, bagging them in a large sack until it was full then he took their ears as proof.

Ever watchful for the bear!

After the grisly work is done, he looks to the others, "Shall we go collect our first pay and be hailed as conquering heroes? Sorry we haven't found you sister yet Camille, we'll look more tomorrow."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:43, Sat 06 June 2020.

The party manages to kill every sleeping goblin and orc. It is a bloody affair, perhaps leaving some distaste in a few of the party members.

Exploring the battle ground, you find the freshly killed body of the bear, with a dozen arrows on its body and several more severe cuts on its midsection. If properly prepared, it might make good dinner.

The last carcass is of the very large rat. Its size does not give it any improvements: it is hairy, toothy rodent, with a three foot long tail, reeking of wet, bloody fur.

Cutting the heads off of the bodies takes a significant amount of time, as you need a big axe and some strong blows to sever spines and cut through sinew. But at the end, you have several sacks soaked in blood, filled with heads.

Overall, not a bad haul: three orcs and fifteen goblins.

It is now somewhere after mid-afternoon. You are perhaps two hours away from Emberdell, and maybe two or three hours away from twilight.

OOC: What do you wish to do?

Camille watched as Angus eagerly cut the throats of the goblins. He seemed to be enjoying it. She was not encouraged by the victory, but somewhat put off by the easy killing. It was like a butchery to her. She understood the concept of a fair fight, and the respect given to an enemy in mortal battle. But it was still better than the alternative, and it was still very much a "us vs them" situation.

She turned and walked away shortly after it started, making an excuse to look for the mule in the direction they came from.

At his commentary about his sister, she only nodded and added,

"Yes, tomorrow is another day. I am sure we'll have better luck then."

She handed the reins of the mule back to Angus, then sat down on the cold soil and took a drink from her water skin.

"Any one hurt? Does any one need healing?"

"I am as well as expected," said Aila, taking a small drink and using a cloth to wipe her hands and the blade of her hair dagger.  She walked back, looking for the place where she had left her walking stick, and then reached into her pack to pull out a clean hair dagger--this one featured a unicorn, and she coiled her hair back up and pinned it in place with the dagger.

"We should head back, then," she said, "I don't think we're in a good place to camp overnight."  She looked to the other faces to see if there were agreement or disagreement.

Marille born in a remote hamlet was accustomed to the butcher work she laid into as she used her msucles to gather the heads with Angus. Her arms were covered in blood up to her elbows and the smell of the goblins finally assailed her nose as her adrenaline wain. "Yes we shuld retuun. Gublinkun bluud stunk te huug heavun." Marille tried to wipe the sweat from eyes, but wiped blood on her forehead.

In reply to Marille Ughari (msg # 235):

"Yes, lets head back because the stench will draw the bear and the wolves. between the smell of the blood and the stench of them pissing and shitting themselves when they die, we need to move on."

Exploring the battle ground, you find the freshly killed body of the bear, with a dozen arrows on its body and several more severe cuts on its midsection. If properly prepared, it might make good dinner.

Petar is on guard for more of the warband to return.  Or was it a hunting party?  Eyeing the dead bear, which he gives a wide berth, he wonders at goblin life and day-to-day existence, of which he knows about as much as the next fellow.

Overall, not a bad haul: three orcs and fifteen goblins.

The elf looks pale and piqued.  Magic use is draining he explains, although it might be more about the bounty collecting.  Petar keeps quiet and watchful, never far from Camille.

"I'll read that necromancer journal and learn more," he tells her.  While Petar suspects the missing cleric will be at that 'X' on the map, he has no proof of course.  They also had that skull which they could show Doromas and perhaps learn more about Exidamarall.

Heading back now made the most sense.  Getting stuck in these woods after dark seemed like a really bad idea.

In reply to Petar the Elf (msg # 237):

When Angus found the dead bear, he used his dagger there too. He cut a haunch and stuck it in it's own bag to roast and eat later. If it was salvageable, he'd take the bear hide too, to sale or use as a blanket/bed

"Bear for dinner thanks to our goblin and orc friends. Lets get moving out of the woods and onto the plain at least. Find a sheltered place for a fire to roast dinner!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:33, Sun 07 June 2020.

OOC: Cutting and skinning the animal will probably take you another hour. A bear is large.

Do you wish to take the time?

In reply to Game Master (msg # 239):

IF it is salvageable, yes, Marille can help. It's a bearskin rug when tanned.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:13, Sun 07 June 2020.

"The sheltered place we seek is back in Emberdell," said Aila.  "I do not wish to wait for darkness to fall out here."

"Can we make it in the dark?" Angus asked Aila. "We can push on after dark if you wish, an hour or two in the dark won't matter."

Well, it does have a lot of smaller holes in it, and three significant cuts along the abdomen. Up to you.

OOC: And we are also doing this by skills! I almost forgot.

Either one of you have either Hunting or Survival?

In reply to Game Master (msg # 244):

GENERAL SKILLS (X free slots)
Skill         Ability  Roll  Notes
Alchemy         Int.    +2
Prof. Cook      Int.    +2
Cartography     Int.    +2
Fire-Building   Int.    +2
Fishing         Int.    +2
Know, History   Int.    +2

Maybe we won't get the skin! What a waste! ;-)

This message was last edited by the player at 17:12, Sun 07 June 2020.