[WFRP] The Bloody Crown IV

[Northern Lad]

Viggo Hirtzel

Grimacing as he caught the pounding attacks upon his shield it was all Viggo could do not to buckle under the strain. Gritting his teeth and forcing himself to strike back Viggo, swung as hard as he could at his attacker.

OOC

Spoiler: OOC

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Half Action: Aim
Half Action: Standard Attack

WS 42 +10Aim - (1d100)[72]
Damage - (1d10+2)[11]

[LCP]

The blast of fire from Elsa's outstretched hand melted the orc's arm into a mass of charred fat and muscle from its shoulder to its elbow. Still howling as it burned, the orc fell to the ground, its weapons falling from its nerveless fingers.

Over to the right, Sieghard came barrelling into the side of the orc that was hammering down Viggo's defences, driving his sword in between its ribs. Choking up thick, dark blood, the orc rounded wildly on Sieghard, managing a couple of frenzied, thankfully inaccurate blows before it collapsed. Even as it lay dying, its great meaty hand still clawed reflexively at Viggo's ankles.

All around them, the Brotherhood of Magritta seemed to have the upper hand - but the orcs were standing their ground. A dense knot of greenskins had formed around their tattered standard, while their leader was laying into the Estalians with his mace, flattening a swordsman with every blow. Esteban had just about reached him, and looked to be leading the big brute on a merry dance as he began slipping aside from the strikes of the enormous maul.

The occasional crossbow bolt was raking down from the battlements of Manann's Keep, but Elsa couldn't see past the orcs ahead to see how the defenders on the other side of the bridge were faring. Esteban's men needed to break through soon, or the village might already be overrun.

[Northern Lad]

Viggo Hirtzel

Viggo grinned weakly at Sieghard, "Thank you!" he managed between gasps for breath, he'd not know how much longer he could bare up under the furious blows that had be rained down upon him.

Taking a brief moment to assess the conflict raging about them Viggo rapped Sieghard's breastplate with his knuckles. "Look at that nasty looking bugger!" He yelled, pointing in the huge standard bearers direction, "Me and you Rock Face! Lets take him!" Caught up in the excitement, it quite slipped Viggo's mind to not mention the nickname in front of his friend.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard chose to ignore Viggo's slip-up - There were far more important things to focus on. "Let's find Elsa, first," he said. "I have an idea."

---

"Elsa!" Sieghard called out as they approached her. "Viggo was worried about you, so we came to help. And I wasn't about to let you have all the glory for yourself. A crown says I kill more greenskins than you before this is over. I'll even be nice and not count the ones from yesterday."

Spoiler

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I don't even think Elsa is aware Sieghard and Viggo are here. Also, the idea I had is something that she would be very helpful for.

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo could fret in the treetops no longer: he scrambled down and crossed over to the infirmary section where Bianco could be found: he'd not met the doctor personally, but any member of Sforza's court was useful around now.

"Um," he said, starting off strong. "Um. The Estalians are about to be attacked from behind. The wolf riders are coming around."

[Northern Lad]

Viggo Hirtzel

"She's over there!" responded Viggo, taking a few steps in her direction "You can't miss her. Her heads on fire!" I am enjoying this, I'm as mad as they are! With that he pushed through the press of bodies to reach her side, trying not to boggle at her frightful apperance.

---

He greeted Elsa with yet another tight grin, pointing out the huge banner waving greenskin. "Elsa, that one! Let's kill it!" Viggo's heart was pounding, fit to burst from his chest. But I'm alive and for some strange reason I've never felt more so! Heedless of any danger he moved to attack the Orc, hoping to catch it off guard.

OOC

Spoiler: OOC

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Not sure of mechanics here ie is a charge possible or not, do I have to make any rolls to get to him etc, so I'll do standard move and attack for now?

Half Action: Move
Half Action: Standard Attack

WS42 - (1d100)[23]
Damage - (1d10+2)[10]

[-Sentinel-]

"A crown says I kill more greenskins than you before this is over. I'll even be nice and not count the ones from yesterday."

Elsa grinned back. "Hah! You're on."

"Elsa, that one! Let's kill it!" Viggo called, already lunging at the banner bearer and striking at it with surprising skill. The lad was getting better.

"I'm with you! Incoming fireballs!"

Spoiler

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Channelling 63: (d100)[94]
Fire Ball: (2d10)[6][8](14)
Damage: (d10+3)[13] and (d10+3)[7]

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

"I'm at two so far," he said with a smirk "Let's go,"

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Don't see why we wouldn't be able to charge. If we can't count it as move+attack as Viggo did.

There are other orcs with the standard bearer from the sound of things, so Sieghard will charge the same one Viggo and/or Elsa attacked if its still alive or whichever one is closest if they kill their target(s)

(1d100)[52] vs 41 WS +10 Charge
(1d10+6)[13]

Damn, that would've been a nice hit too.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Hanging around nervously outside the infirmary section Adelbert could only watch with mixed relief and envy as Ludo ran past him to deliver his report. His friends were risking everything and he felt so helpless.

'Sweet Verena listen to my prayers...,' he began to whisper as he made his way to the tree line to watch the fighting. If nothing else he could watch and pray.

[LCP]

"Um," he said, starting off strong. "Um. The Estalians are about to be attacked from behind. The wolf riders are coming around."

Bianco looked up from the curved bone needle he was threading, regarding Ludo as if he were a curiosity in a museum. Hearing Ludo's warning, he looked out across the battlefield to where the wolves were now breaking into a run.

He tapped Paulo on the arm with the back of his hand, rattling off a fast instruction in Tilean. Looking up in alarm, the physician's apprentice nodded, then ran off in the direction Ludo had last seen the Captain.

~

Elsa's fireballs streaked into the mass of orcs surrounding the banner bearer, thumping into their target with two splashes of crimson flame. Reeling from the impact, the big orc couldn't raise its heavy blade in time to stop Viggo as the young man came charging in, cutting a deep wound across its side. The banner wavered, its bearer staggering.

This seemed to offend the orcs. With a united roar they piled forwards, blades hacking. Sieghard was battered back from his place at Ludo's side, a glancing axe-cut to the temple dazing him long enough to receive a blow from a club that was bruising even through his plate. Ducking out from under the angry swing of another orc, Viggo just had time to realise his danger before the banner-bearer came roaring back at him, its great cleaver raking under his raised shield to draw a bloody gash down his forearm.

Three of the beasts came shoving their way out of the melee towards Elsa, ready to beat down the human who had sent the flames. Speckled with blood and armed to the teeth, they looked ferocious enough - but faltered, snarling, a few feet away. The heat and light from her flaming crown was enough to make them squint to see her, while the burned body of the orc lying at her feet was a potent reminder of what had happened to the last greenskin who dared attack the fire mage. It wasn't that they were scared, as such - they just seemed each to be waiting on the others to try first.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Sieghard muttered a curse and lashed out at the orc holding the banner again. They needed to thin the number of orcs and he was surprised the standard bearer was even standing after the injuries it had taken.

Spoiler

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Swift attack against the standard bearer. If the first attack kills, attack another orc in range at random with the second.

(1d100)[39] vs 41 WS
(1d10+6)[15] Damage

(1d100)[26] vs 41 WS
(1d10+6)[14] Damage

Well, that looks like a dead standard bearer.

[LeSwordfish]

"Does he have a way of warning them?" Ludo asked, unwilling to leave Bianco just yet. "Are our reserves close enough?"

[LCP]

Bianco looked surprised to see the halfling still talking to him. "Not particularly," he said, in a distant tone of voice. "But Valdes' men ought to be able to see off some goblins."

~

Shouldering his way through the melee, Sieghard intervened on Viggo's right, hacking down as hard as he could at the brutish standard bearer. Twisting at the waist, the orc parried his blow, Sieghard's sword striking chips from its crude blade.

As the orc wound back its arm to retaliate, Sieghard struck again, throwing his weight behind a low thrust. Catching the greenskin by surprise, the sword drove in under its breastbone, the point bursting from its back. Wrenching the blade back, Sieghard tore it down and out through the creature's belly, spilling its black entrails over the bloody ground. Eyes rolling up into their sockets, the standard bearer collapsed, its banner toppling like a felled tree...

[-Sentinel-]

Elsa's eyes widened; things had been going so well, and now she was one against three. She gripped her staff with both hands, ready to parry any incoming blows.

<"I'm outnumbered! Need relief!"> she yelled in Tilean, hoping the equivalent words in Estalian sounded similar.

Unwilling to wait for help to come her way, she drew once more from the mighty Red Wind to strike back at the foe.

Spoiler

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It wasn't that they were scared, as such - they just seemed each to be waiting on the others to try first.

Well, I say they are totally scared. Bunch of chickens.

Fire Ball at any one of them: (2d10)[4][8](12)
Damage: (d10+3)[13] and (d10+3)[10]

Parrying stance.

Once more, the Red Wind answered her calls in earnest, taking the shape of two blinding fireballs that Elsa hurled at the nearest Orc.

Wish the hedge wizard who wrote that grimoire were still alive... I could kiss him.

[LeSwordfish]

"Do they even know they're coming?" Ludo asked, craning his neck to look over the field again.

[LCP]

In a roar of flames, Elsa's magic turned its target to charcoal once again. The others growled, tensing to pounce - before they could, Esteban shouted an order from the left, two of his men charging in to block their way. A fourth barged its way through, lifting a spiked club, but it too was driven back by the fierce heat of Elsa's protective spell.

On the right, the falling banner captured the orcs' attention, distracting them from Sieghard and Viggo. A scrum of reaching green hands erupted around it, orcs pushing and shoving each other to lay hands on the banner pole. Sieghard and Viggo kept fighting, the minstrel's blade slicing a thin cut across an orc's leg. Turning with a deep-throated growl, the wounded orc bellowed something in its own guttural language and hit Viggo with a blow of bone-shattering force, bowling him back like a child struck by a cannonball. Viggo hit the ground in a bloody, motionless heap.

A shrill horn sounded behind the company, making the Estalians turn. Confusion turned to dismay as the sound was joined by the hungry baying of wolves, and a whole pack of goblin wolf riders raced past their rear ranks, shooting from the saddle at point-blank range. Men fell with black-fletched arrows in their backs, or to orc axe-blows as the distraction proved deadly. In the next moment the goblins were gone, bounding down the line to send another volley into the rear ranks of the Iron Company.

~

"Do they even know they're coming?" Ludo asked, craning his neck to look over the field again.

"It would appear not," said Bianco, as the wolf riders unleashed their arrows into the back ranks of the swordsmen. The physician's dispassionate mask changed to one of mild concern.

Ludo's concern for his friends, meanwhile, was rapidly transforming into one of self-preservation. The goblins were riding down the back of Sforza's line as fast as their wolves could carry them, peppering the pikemen with arrows as they went - and there was nothing between them and the sitting duck of the baggage train.

Spoiler: Battle Map

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[-Sentinel-]

Elsa did not see Viggo fall, but did hear his muffled cry when he was struck. She was also aware of several men dying behind her. She did not turn; she had enough on her plate right now, though her immediate situation seemed less desperate than a moment ago.

Spoiler

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Channelling 63: (d100)[80]
Fire Ball: (2d10)[3][9](12)

Location: (d100)[87]
Damage: (d10+3)[4]

Location: (d100)[90]
Damage: (d10+3)[5]

Crappy damage.

In her haste to strike down the Orc facing her, she failed to gather enough fire in her palms to do more than singe the edges of its clothes.

[TheSummoner]

Sieghard

Focus on the orcs, Sieghard thought. If I take my eyes off them, then I die and there's even less hope for him. It was hard for Sieghard to not blame himself. If I had talked him out of rushing into this... If I had made him train harder... All of the ifs made him angry.

He lunged at the orc that had attacked Viggo. At the very least there was one thing he knew he could do.

Spoiler

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Swift attack against the orc that hit Viggo. As before, if the first attack kills him, go after another with the second.

(1d100)[43] vs 41 WS
(1d10+6)[15] Damage

(1d100)[27] vs 41 WS
(1d10+6)[13] Damage

[LCP]

The orc howled as Sieghard's sword bit into its injured leg, lashing out in reply. Sieghard caught the blow on the solid steel of his vambrace, then ducked low under the axe of another orc that came scything in from his right.

Clashing its weapons together, the orc Elsa had tried to ignite came rushing at her. A wave of flame pulsed from her burning halo and the greenskin faltered, stunned by the sudden rush of light and heat.

One orc had succeeded in prying their banner from the hands of the others, and was waving it vigorously above the fight. On the left, Elsa heard a crack of metal on metal, and saw Esteban knocked reeling by a blow from the orc leader that connected solidly with the side of his breastplate.

[-Sentinel-]

This... isn't going well at all, thought Elsa, gritting her teeth. She was thankfully still uninjured, but if the Brotherhood broke, this would not last long.

One foe at a time.

Spoiler

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Channelling 63: (d100)[29]
Fire Ball: (2d10)[6][1](7) - Failed.

Location: (d100)[8]
Damage: (d10+3)[12]

Location: (d100)[76]
Damage: (d10+3)[5]

The Red Wind was lashing so violently that Elsa failed to get a good grip on it.

Better and better...

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert turned white with fear as he saw and heard the wolfves turn towards the bagge train. "Aisha!"

He pulled open his pack and started pulling on his chain shirt, wincing and hissing as it pinched his body in unfamiliar ways. Then his helmet, then his sword. If they were under attack he'd at least put up a fight!

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo drew his sling. "What are we doing? Do we have some defenders?" He looked at Bianco, and to where Adelbert and Aisha were, a little way off. "Can we get the ogres to shift onto the road? Or can we move into the trees?"

Spoiler

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Assuming we don't have any back-and-forth, Ludo will climb a tree with a pocket of stones, and get to a position to start chucking stones. If the main force forms up more than medium sling range from a good tree, he'll join them and climb on a wagon instead.

[LCP]

Adelbert was still trying to get his helmet to sit straight when he almost ran headlong into Aisha, coming around the tent in the opposite direction. Grabbing him by the wrist, she dragged him back towards the road.

"What are you doing with those things?" she demanded, trying to pick up speed towards the wagons. "You can't fight! You can barely walk!"

Several of the carts had been pulled together around the largest - the reinforced wagon that held Sforza's paychest. Adelbert could see Al-Makir standing on top of the great iron-bound chest, directing his men as they clambered up on top of the wagons with bows and scimitars at the ready. Some camp followers fleeing from the oncoming greenskins were taking shelter behind the makeshift wagon fort, while others kept running, perhaps hoping the wolves would be too busy eating their friends.

Aisha seemed intent on the wagons, oblivious to the fact it would only take one chance encounter in the heat of the battle for Al-Makir to recognise his old friend Herr Schreiber. That being said, there weren't many other safe places to go to - the only other refuge Adelbert could see would be to climb one of the tall trees at the side of the road.

OOC:

Spoiler

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Giving you one more decision point before the goblins arrive - wagons, trees, run for it, or something else?

~

At the mention of the ogres, Bianco immediately seemed to see the sense in listening to Ludo. Perhaps it was to do with the way the surgeon's tent was pitched out ahead of the baggage train, exposed to the oncoming charge.

<Marko!> he barked to his remaining apprentice, dropping his tools. <With me!>

As the physician and his assistant took off for the trees where Gorg and his Maneaters were lurking, the goblins raced past the end of the Iron Company's line. Sforza had evidently seen them pass, and trumpets were blowing all through the army, signalling some change of plans.

Clambering into the highest branches of the tree he had chosen, Ludo watched the goblins come closer. He thought he could pick out one that looked like a leader, right at the front in a fur-lined helmet - but these goblins did have bows.

OOC:

Spoiler

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You can take an Aimed shot with no Range penalty and a +10 for elevation if you're willing to draw their attention.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Verena, Sigmar help me!

Adelbert took one look at the fleeing camp followers, rammed his helmet down and followed Aisha. It was just possible Abdul wouldn't look too closely... and even if he did better the comparative safety of a defensive position than trying to outrun a wolf.

"Grab a bow if you can see one," he gasped to Aisha. He might be the walking wounded but he could still handle an arrow.

[LeSwordfish]

Ludo carefully slipped a stone into his sling and leaned over for long enough to start swinging it around his head. Carefully sighting on the lead goblin, he waited for the right moment... and released.

As soon as the stone was gone he swung himself backwards, cat-like, trying to hide within the dry foliage of the tree.

OOC

Spoiler

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To hit: (1d100)[26] 48 +10 aim +10 elevation. Do I get surprise for +30 and no evasion?
Damage (1d10+2)[9] I think?

Concealment: (1d100)[18] vs 59

[LCP]

The lead goblin squawked in surprise as Ludo's stone struck him hard, nearly knocking him out of the saddle. Clutching his injured shoulder, he glared over his shoulder, gabbling something to the goblins riding behind. Half a dozen of them peeled off without slowing their pace, riding towards the tree whose branches were still swaying from Ludo's sudden movement. Raising their bows, they fired at random into the leaves, but they had lost the halfling among the foliage. Slowing to a walk, the wolves padded around the tree, putting their forepaws up against the trunk and sniffing for their prey.

As the goblins rode into range, Abdul's men loosed a volley, much more accurate than goblin shooting. Greenskins squealed and toppled from the saddle, wolves dropping mid-charge. The Arabyans were too few to put much of a dent in their numbers - still they came on, sending a cloud of arrows forward in return. Aisha and Adelbert were forced to duck as the crude projectiles thudded into the boards of the wagon they had chosen for shelter, an iron arrowhead punching clear through the siding in a rosette of splinters.

In the next moment, the wolf riders' charge struck, grey shapes flowing around the wagon fort like a raging torrent striking a rock. Rising as high they dared, Adelbert and Aisha began inching along to where the densest concentration of Al-Makir's soldiers were making their stand. Their creeping advance was interrupted when a wolf leapt clean out of the pack, sailing over the side of the wagon to land with a thump on all fours in front of them. Slavering jaws snapped at Aisha, while the cackling goblin in the saddle lunged at her with a jagged blade - only her quick reflexes let her dodge back in time.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

Adelbert gave a cry of rage and slashed away at the great wolf, his caution leaving him for the moment as a streak of fear shot through him - fear for Aisha.

Goddess help me please! I know Sigmar and Ulric and Myrmidia are the patrons of war but my lady help me!

OOC:

Spoiler

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All Out Attack on the Giant Wolf: (1d100)[95] vs 61
FP reroll (if needed): (1d100)[52] vs 61

Damage (if needed): (1d10+3)[8]

[LeSwordfish]

Six of them looking for me rather than attacking the others? That's good, right? Ludo wasn't completely convinced of this, and he had forgotten that dogs had a good sense of smell. He wondered how Stoutheart felt - the last time he'd seen the dog it had been curled up with a purloined sausage under one of the baggage carts.

Carefully, he picked another stone out of his jacket pocket and fitted it into his sling. He was probably safe here in the heights of the tree, and the goblin leader would be gone before he had the chance for another shot.

OOC

Spoiler

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Lets be reckless! Half Aim, half shoot. (1d100)[53] vs 38 to hit (48+10 aim +10 elevation -30 range).
Damage (1d10+3)[4] - i was wrong with the damage before, so I think the goblin chief is one more down.

[LCP]

The stone went wide, sailing harmlessly over the head of a goblin several yards to the right of Ludo's target. Beneath the tree, the wolf riders set up an excited babble, loosing arrows up into the tree where Ludo was sheltering. Most bounced harmlessly from the branches, but one found its mark, striking Ludo in the side. The shock coursing through him, Ludo teetered on his perch.

OOC:

Spoiler

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Ag test for Ludo to keep his footing in the tree, please.

The wolf riders were seething around the wagons in a sea of green and grey, spears and daggers jabbing at Al-Makir's defenders. Some of the wiry greenskins tried to throw themselves over the high sides of the paymaster's wagon, Abdul's guards cutting them down as soon as they got near the gold. That didn't stop the others trying - and there were plenty more, their baying mounts pawing at the sides of the carts.

Over at the wagons, the wolf snapped and whined as Adelbert and Aisha piled into it. The scribe's sword cut into its side, while Aisha whacked it over the head with her stick, doing her best to dash its brains out over the bed of the wagon. Babbling obscenities at Adelbert for hurting its mount, the goblin lashed out at him, its serrated sword aimed down below the level of his mail - the next thing Adelbert knew, a brown blur moved in front of him, and the blow failed to connect.

Aisha hit the boards of the wagon with a thud, blood oozing from the deep cut in her abdomen. The goblin was left blinking in surprise, staring at its open hand - Aisha still had its weapon gripped in her bloody hands.

[RossN]

Adelbert Schreiber

The shock swept aside the grief. For these fleeting seconds at least.

Adelbert yelled something at the goblin. It wasn't a refined quote in Classical like the ancient heroes of Luccini used in his beloved texts. It wasn't even articulate words. More a hiss of hate.

No, don't throw it all away. Make it count. Live...

OOC:

Spoiler

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Standard Attack on the Goblin: (1d100)[35] vs 41
Damage if it hits: (1d10+3)[7]

Parrying Stance: (1d100)[1] vs 41