Brengalyn stepped in a circle to match the hunter on the other side, swinging her ankus down gripped in both hands

OOC: move to flank, attack roll 28, total of 14 damage if he's susceptible to sneak attack (flanking)

Barg's vision swam as he continued to gnash and bite, releasing his hold only to clamp down again, twist and PULL

OOC: attack roll 21, damage 15, grab roll of 17 from lockjaw ability, if his CMD is lower than 18 he's grappled (if he's alive). Worth noting I've got 3 hp left

Barg stood and looked back at Brengalyn as she yanked the ankus from the dead Orcs thick neck. The large Orc's neck had been so thick that she wasn't able to completely severe it's head with a blow that had once felled an oak sapling as thick as her leg.

Brengalyn looked up as she straightened. wiping the blade on a rag for that purpose, and spotted Penny running her way just behind Thamkis. The old crone simply nodded at something beyond and Brengalyn whirled her face to see in an instant. But, it was Barg. The smiling, wild eyed Goblin barbarian was look back at them holding the recently gnawed off head of an Orc.

There were several bleeding wounds along the Goblins torso, a broken arrow protruded from his leg, and he was missing a few teeth. The look on his face was that 'hey, lookit!' children had when they did something they felt was significant to the world at large.

Behind Barg the camp was changing. The hunters of the camp were free or freeing the others. Many where wounded and some would not see their next morning without help. More than a few stood gawking at Barg, and not from a point mutual admiration. They were terrified of the little barbarian. So, too, were the Orcs.

Orcs were fleeing the camp in ones, twos, and threes. Typically carrying little more than a weapon or a bag of food, the Orcs knew it was time to flee.

"That, erm, companion of yours seems capable." The spearman said in common to Bren. "Does he eat them too? That would be something else entirely."

"You know, I've never asked. He seems to like rats, bugs and the occasional toad, I think the biting is more to establish dominance. Whatever you do, don't piss him off. He's meaner than a kicked dog when he has reason to be. Best to let him calm down . . . "

Brengalyn slipped her skin of applejack from her belt and approached Barg

"Well fought Barg. You showed them who's strongest."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:13, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

In reply to Brengalyn (msg # 275):

(OOC:well said, well played, and really awesome lead in for the bargmiester.)

"Yes!"

Barg spat out the chunk of flesh and gladly accepted the skin, smiling widely, air whistling though the new gaps

"Barg showed them! We freed the prisoners, and in time for harvest festival!!"

He jumped up and down

"Is reason we came, correct?"

Thamkis made a noise of disappointment that Barg seemed to have forgotten why they were here . . . but it wasn't really worth arguing

"Yes, a harvest festival. That's right Barg."

Thankis and Brengalyn stood looking around as Penny approached. There were several wounded Orcs, and more than a few wounded hunters, scattered about. Some of which that would not last until the next sunrise. The freed hunters made to reorganize their camp, secure loose animals, put out fires, and save those that had suffered wounds.

Penny held Thamkis' hand "Hello! We are healers. Please direct us to your wounded."

Thamkis had drawn her blade, but when Penny took her hand she slipped it back into her belt, gathering herself and smiling alongside the gnome

"Yes, we can see to your wounded. And ease the pain (or passing) of the orcs"

A tall man, and elder by his look and years, stepped forward. There was a bandage around his scalp. There was a bloodied hand axe in his belt and a dagger had been thrust sheath first into the top of his boot.

The elder strode forward on shaky knees breathing heavily, exhausted from the fighting. He spoke in tired gasps when he said, "Not the Orcs. The mercy they showed us was that of the lash, the flame, and the blade. Put them down peaceful as you wish, that is all the mercy they have earned."

"If you have the strength, gather firewood and any food you can find. Get a fire going and we'll get some food cooking for you all."

Thamkis thought of the hags and sprites who'd turned her own home into a horror. She thought of what she'd done to them, in anger and retribution

Going off to find an orc, she stood over the creature. Some considered the orc and the goblin lesser than, but Thamkis had the wealth of experience to know they were much like any other person. They lived and loved and laughed and died like halfling, human and elf alike.

OOC: coup de grace (Plant Preservation: When she performs a coup de grace that kills a sentient humanoid creature (not a summoned creature), she can do so ritualistically in order to affect the area centered on the body with the enrichment version of plant growth. The sacrifice is a death effect.)

The night passed. People recovered at the hands of Thankis and a local healer. Though, none of those recovering were Orcs. The Orc prisoners were questioned and then executed. The morning was equally busy. But the Orc threat was broken in the area. For now. It was time to return the trade concerns goods and report back.

Penny spent as much time up as she could, helping Thamkis before the pixies slipped her sleeping powder. The gnome face planted in the dirt.
The next morning Penny woke up not remebering when she went to sleep but she had slept well. "Is everyone okay? Thamkis, did you get any sleep?"

Thamkis had worked long past dark healing wounds and soothing pain, but had eventually found sleep sitting upright in her wagon. She would have neglected her own needs, but the ability to channel the magic she used required rest, and a good night of it.

So when Penny came bounding in, mistaking the upright halfling for awake . . . she simply opened her eyes and smiled resignedly. The gnome had her charms, especially the excitement of youth.

"I can't speak for everyone, but I am okay, and so are you it seems. And yes, I got some sleep, thank you. Are the fair folk still bothering you?"

Penny smiled nodding her silly wide smile, "pulling my hair, tying my shoelaces. That sort of thing. I'm not sure what I've ever done to them though." she sighed.

Brengalyn spent most of the night helping with interrogations and then drinking and raising spirits to put this unseemly business behind them

Once the humans were asleep she checked the camp for signs of the merchant who'd hired them in the first place's wares.

The camp was loaded with wagons filled with pelts. Tents were stacked high with more pelts. Pelts hung from drying frames all around the camp. It made her wonder how much wealth was sitting out here in the forest. It would take everything they could muster; wagons, pack animals, sleds, backpacks, balance poles, and so on to get all the pelts back to the trading post.

Barg was up late partying and was, subsequently, dead to the world in the morning.

As the others gathered with their loudness and their words, a shrill yapping groan could be heard from a pile of orc clothes and armour, and the overtired and naked goblin emerged like a hibernating badger, hair swept in a cowlick as he lumbered towards Penny and Thamkis

"Bad morning Penny Purse and Hamkiss, Barg is wondering why is you are shouting and making magical screaming."

Penny looked down like a child caught doing something she shouldn't have, "Oh I'm so sorry Barg! We'll try to speak more quietly, promise. "

A man suddenly sat bolt upright and screamed while he held his head in his hands, "Why is everyone screaming! Why is my head exploding! Barg! Want to get another drink?"

The man's sudden, unexpected, and loud ramblings took everyone near him by surprise. Several people laughed. Another grumbled from his bed and rolled over to go back to sleep. Another of Barg's drinking pals from the night before.

A tall man walked up and said, "We thank you for your help. As I understand it you are going to try and recover the merchandise and guide us back."

"Right. Then let's get to it before too long."

Brengalyn took a nip of her applejack flask and pointed to the tall man

"How many of you are capable of bearing arms? How many can't walk? And how many wagons, sleds, carts do we have? It's no good if we take the goods back and don't guide the rest of you to safety."

OOC: spears if the orcs had them, gather clubs and quarterstaves for "free" if there's not enough to arm people.

"Bufo!"

Barg dug through his piles of stuff to search for his skin of truly horrid drink, toad eggs and beer and poisonous frog sweat all combined in a sheep's stomach, fermenting on his hip the whole way from the dark wood.

"Must drink! Must show strength by drinking!"

He held the skin up to the man who'd asked for more drink

"Is special drink for warriors and wiseguys!"

It was obvious after the little goblin drained the skin of the foul smelling, glowing blue, and static electricity inducing liquor he would eventually wake up on the wagon ride back. The only concern to those that witnessed the impressive swelling of his stomach as he drank the skin in a single go without spilling a drop was weather or not to tie him up just in case he woke up in a mood to fight before he regained his wits. It wasn't a consideration for long.

"Rope!" A few dozen voices called out.

Thamkis muttered the arcane words and snapped her fingers, the effects of the drink suddenly fleeing Barg's body

OOC: delay poison

"We need your wits sharp Barg. No more drinking until these men are safe home!"