Through Sword and Pen [IC]

[theterran]

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Sorry

Jarvis

Seeing that the orcs were dead, or dying, Jarvis walks back and searches for his longbow.

Worrying that he hasn't seen or heard anything from Thor, Jarvis scans the skies as best he can...scared to whistle for fear of alerting more orcs of their position.

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Search - (1d20+1)[11] (Just in case I need it to find my bow)
Spot - (1d20+6)[17] (Looking for Thor)
Listen - (1d20+5)[23] (Listening for Thor)

[Diarmuid]

Bron

With all of the orcs immediately threatening them down, Bron moves to the top of the ramp and scans above for movement/sound.

Spot - (1d20+5)[25]
Listen - (1d20+5)[23]

In hushed tones, he speaks to those around him, concern obvious from the sound of it,

"That was a lot of shouting and yelling. I certainly dont think those 7 orcs were the entire force here, but it's probably a majority. I'm of the mind that we should continue up the switchback to the top of the hill. At least we can gauge how deeply they are entrenched up there and if they are still getting assembled, we could continue to pressure them"

As he continued to talk, he seemed to gain confidence as he realised how easily this skirmish went.

[BooNL]

Dieter

Dieter lightly touches his rib, trying to feel if there are any broken bones. From the feel of it, they were just heavy bruises.

With a grim look on his face, he silently finishes the rest of the orcs off, putting them to rest. When he´s picked up his bow and walked over to the rest of the party he's seemed to have cheered up.

He slaps Jarvis on the back. "Hah, that was a good fight, just what we needed to get the blood flowing!" He tries to keep his voice down, but he cannot contain his excitement.

[Kyroswolf]

"War is a dirty business. Almost wish I didn't enjoy it so much." Gimil moves to the bottom of the next ramp, staying against the wall as he moves. "See anything there, laddy?"

[XiaoTie]

Day 5 cont.

Darkness began to cover the area with more intensity at each and every minute that passed. Winds no longer blew, and the clouds remained in the sky, giving darkness even more power to cover the hill area with its cloak. The snow covered with blood and dead orcs gave the place a darker look; it wouldn’t be long until those bodies started the decomposing process, and then the dark and silent hill would be a mirror of how Nuhan’s Hall was depicted by the priests.

Area map

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[theterran]

Jarvis

Jarvis smiles faintly at Dieter, not really in the mood for celebrating.

Turning his attention from the sky, Jarvis now begins searching for Thor on the ground, trying hard to keep his emotions hidden, but every step he takes his heart sinks a little more.

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Spot - (1d20+6)[23]
Search - (1d20+1)[4]
Listen - (1d20+5)[10]

[Diarmuid]

Bron

Confident that there are not any further assaults coming from above, the archer moves through the dead bodies trying to see if any of his arrows are salvageable.

(Fired four arrows)

Seeing that Jarvis is concerned and near frantically searching about, he calls softly over to him, while pointing high up in the air with his bow.

"Jarvis, I believe your bird is circling above the higher parts of the hill. There seems to be some sort of cave up there."

Moving over to the edge of the second level, and raising his voice slightly so it will carry down to those who have moved down to the ground level,

"I dont see any more orcs on top of the hill. There is a cave entrance where any others would be holed up in. I'm going to take a quick look and see what things look like over there."

Sticking to the shadow of the wall of the next level, Bron, both bow in hand, makes his way west along the edge to the next ramp and quietly slinks up to where the orcs had recently come charging down from. Closing in on the cave, he takes special care with his footfalls and staying to the shadows.

Taking 10 on Move Silently and Hide in Shadows for totals of 17 each.

Spot - (1d20+5)[16]
Listen - (1d20+5)[7]

[XiaoTie]

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OOC: Since I still couldn’t get my hand on photoshop, I'll have to use a previously used map, just for reference. Please bear with me.

The slaughtered orcs were finally gone for good after receiving Bron’s final arrows through their heads. While the orcs begin the long process after the end of which they will produce the stench of decay and death, the group finally reaches the top of the hill as the night reaches its final couple of hours. In the west the moon begins to fade, and to the east the first whitish aura of what would become later the sunlight is seen, bringing a least a very dim light source.

Above on the skies dense gray clouds are visible, indicating that the following day would most likely be welcomed by a rain curtain.

Not-so-Precise area map

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[Diarmuid]

Bron

The ranger didnt relish the thought of following the stinking orcs into their stinking hole, especially if they knew he and his friends were coming. Slinking back down the hill a bit, he regroups below the top tier.

"So here it is, there's some kind of tunnel up there and there was an orc up there watching Dieter. He retreated into the dark when something smaller came out to him. We've got them on the run, yes, for now. Problem being, it's almost morning and we've been up all night. If we rest a few hours, we can regroup with the others and make sure they're alright, but we give the orcs plenty of time to set us up down there. Plus, we'd be completely at a disadvantage needing to carry around torches or lanterns so they'll see us coming from a mile away. I dont exactly think we're stocked to starve em out, and who knows if those tunnels come out somewhere else. Somewhere else...that's another worry we have. If they've got other exits and we go in there, we could be stuck with orcs between us and daylight. I'm not sure what to do here guys. I'm sure Imasi would have some great plan. Man I wish he was here."

As he talks, he moves through the dead orcs and looks to see if any of the four arrows he shot are still usable, and if they have anything of value.

[BooNL]

Dieter

Dieter was peering intently at the cave on the top of the hill. "Honestly Bron, I don't know how you manage to see all of that. I have trouble making out the cave itself!" He turns to the rest of the party as bends down to pick up his longbow. "I suggest we take the safe path. We're too exposed and tired right now. Even though we are giving them time to prepare, chances are we might find another, less defended route.

These orcs are no smart creatures. They will probably defend their main entrance. The trick is finding an alternative way. Maybe there is a less accessable cave located further up."

While saying this, Dieter is walking around the skirmish, searching the corpses and the nearby ground for any valuables. "How about we stay here for another hour or so? Do some more scouting in, before we head back. In the morning we can devise our attack strategy."

[Diarmuid]

Bron

Bron chuckles at Dieter's nighttime dilemma, but then considers his comment about the Orcs.

"Normally I would agree with you, but I saw something else up there. And if you remember, the man back in town claimed these Orcs worked with surprising tactics. I'm concerned that there may be something else calling the shots here. At the very least, I'd like to go down and let the others know what happened up here."

He offers a kick to the orcish body he is rummaging around for valuables.

"I agree that it might be good to stick around a bit and see if they send out any sorties. Plus, I'd like to set up a watch on the hill to see if anyone or anything comes and goes."

[XiaoTie]

Day 6

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• 1 Trail Ration used;
• 1 Feed used;
• Survival DC to provide yourself and another person with enough food is 25 (It is harder to search for food while trying to avoid the orcs)¹.

• Aid can be used by a single hunting/foraging partner.

¹A fail roll equal or under 10 in this situation will result in something like a “fumble”

The day has not properly come yet, but the dim white aura that begins to rise on the east lets all living beings on the surface aware that a new day is coming. It doesn’t take long until the thick clouds on the sky start sending down onto the lad a faint and windy rain.

As the last arrows were shot from a closer range, no more than a step or two from the dead orcs, all of them are still usable. The orcs don’t seem to carry anything of value other than their weapon, but those aren’t exactly valuable; their armors have some small and large holes, caused by the arrows and Dieter’s weapons. However, the one who was wearing the metallic armor carried a small leather pouch on his waist, and inside of it ten silver coins could be found, as well as a wooden miniature of a double axe.

[Diarmuid]

Bron

The Ranger cautioned against foraging for food, offering some of his own supplies to those who might not have brought enough food with them.

[ooc] After accounting for his food and his horse's feed he has 5 days of rations and 10 days of feed [/ooc]

Bron grabs some sleep, hoping that the two who stayed with the animals can keep watch for a few hours. Once everyone is back up, Bron will go do some scouting around the other side of the hill looking for the proverbial "back door".

Survival - (1d20+12)[19]
Hide - (1d20+7)[10]
Spot - (1d20+5)[16]
Search - (1d20+6)[15]

Before he leaves, he asks the others;

"Can some of you keep an eye on the trail leading to the hill? See if anything comes or goes? Heck, if a couple orcs are coming back...maybe see about ambushing or capturing them. I picked up the Orc tongue along the way, maybe we can find out what's going on and if someone is pulling the strings up there."

[theterran]

Jarvis

Finding Thor unharmed, Jarvis finally breathes a sigh of relief.

"During the night, I seem to remember seeing a rather large orc up at the cave...He seemed to be carrying what appeared to be bandages...and he had helpers that reminded me of large cats the prowl the forests in Gyasi.

We best be careful, I fear that battle last night might just be a taste of what's to come."

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Survival - (1d20+10)[11] - If someone wants to aid, feel free, just don't fumble (edit)Glad I have a +10 to survival or I would have fumbled...

Spot - (1d20+6)[7]
Listen - (1d20+5)[14]

[BooNL]

Dieter

Dieter will gladly accept some of Bron's rations. He has enough feed for the horses, but nto enough rations for himself.

He listens to Bron and Jarvis discussing their observations. "Alright, I'll get to the foot of the hill and see if our little skirmish has been discovered yet. Anyone feel like joining in?"

[Kyroswolf]

Gimil

"I'll come with ya, lad. I'm not much for staying in one place when there's orcs about."

[BooNL]

Dieter

"Alright Gimil, let's move. We'll meet back in a while."

Dieter will lead Gimil back to the site of the skirmish. When they get close, he'll opt for cover and first see if there are any orcs about the area.

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Listen Check - (1d20)[17]

Spot Check - (1d20)[18]

[XiaoTie]

Day 6

The campsite continues calm and unharmed for the moment. Lemmy takes care of putting out the fire and cooking any food making even the older rations gain a bit of a good taste, while Barbarosa takes care of the horses. Then Barbarosa walks a little and stands by Jarvis on the eastern board of the woods, “It seems like the winter came earlier this time my friends”, to which Lemmy replies with curiosity, “ And how come you know that?”. Barbarosa only smiled, and no more than a second later snow started to come down from the sky.

While the things on the campsite were calm Dieter and Gimil started to follow the track toward the upper layers. The things seemed to be calm up there; no sign of an orcish patrol could be seem yet.

Area map

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[Diarmuid]

[ooc] It should be noted that Bron is not actually on that map, having left to go scout around the back of the hill. [/ooc]

[BooNL]

Dieter

After he and Gimil come back from scouting, Dieter gives his report to the rest of the group. "Well, the area of the skirmish looks clear. The bodies are still there and it seems like no orcs have come to investigate." He frowns, before continuing. "However, the cave you mentioned Bron? Do you remember if it had an open entrance? I couldn't see much last night, but there is a barricade at the cave. It goes up about knee height, it's not a strong fortification, but it might slow down the less nimble among us.

We returned before the snowfall got too heavy, there's not much else to see there anyway."

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Diarmuid: I believe that's Barbarossa at the camp, not Bron.

Ofcourse, this conversation will only happen after Bron gets back from his scouting trip.

[XiaoTie]

[ooc] It should be noted that Bron is not actually on that map, having left to go scout around the back of the hill. [/ooc]

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OOC: Yeah, its like Boo said, that B on the recent map (here on the IC) is for Barbarosa. That's why it is not blue, like yours . Update will be coming in a few hours

[Diarmuid]

Bron

[ooc] Durr, dont mind me /smile [/ooc]

After about 5 hours, a man sized figure comes trundling through the snow towards the party. It's hands are raised and a familiar looking bow is held overheard by outstretched arms. As it gets closer, the form resolves itself into the ranger, bundled from head to toe in his furs and cloak.

Glad to be under the meager protection of the trees, he shakes the cold powder from himself and stamps his feet to help regain the feeling in his toes.

"Well, we were right. Looks like there's a back entrance to whatever tunnels or underground structure is built into that hill."

As Dieter raises his question, Bron thinks back but shakes his head,

"To be honest, I didnt notice any kind of door or barricade. I was focusing on the orc and the pairs of eyes lower. Though if I could see the lower sets of eyes there couldnt have been anything very tall blocking the entrance. Maybe it was swung inward at the time."

Rubbing his arms and hugging himself, he continued,

"I think we should go in via that back door. At least if we have to retreat...we wont have the switchbacks down the hill leaving us vulnerable to attacks from above the whole way down. I didnt see anything coming or going while I was watching so maybe it is not often used. I didnt dare get too close to check for tracks, and now this snow will make checking for traffic almost impossible. Either way, we cant stay out here indefinitely. The horses will freeze, and then we will freeze."

Looking back over his shoulder, he looked towards the direction he had come and saw the snow already beginning to fill in his light tracks.

"I think we should get a small fire going while the snow is falling. It's hard enough to see out there, the smoke plume might go unnoticed. Tether the horses close by and close together for warmth. We grab some sleep, and prepare to for another evening assault through the entrance behind the main hill. Maybe it will have stopped snowing by then."

Survival - (1d20+12)[32] (To get a fire started and situate the smoke so it maybe disperses as much as possible through the tree tops and is as inconspicuous as possible.)
Someone else, please feel free to help out with that with an Aid Another roll.

[XiaoTie]

Day 6

Despite powerful, the fire that was made with perfection sends no smoke more than a few feet without immediately being dispersed. It would be nigh impossible even for someone inside the woods notice that fire, unless said person or creature were very close to the campsite, close enough to be spotted by the group.

A few hours pass by with only the sound of the fire cackling, the wind blowing the trees and the snow falling over them and eventually on the forest ground; but the fire remained intact throughout the entire afternoon. The icy, mirror-like, top of the trees illuminated by the fire shows part of the great beauty by which the forest was renowned within the Northern Kingdom and even among travelers from Lacsiter and Drachenlander.

As the night approached the usual sounds were silenced by a few very loud and powerful howls coming from outside the forest, but there was no way to tell how distant they were; the sound was so powerful that the wolves could be even a few miles away or very close to the woods.

The night began.

Area Map

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[BooNL]

Dieter

Just before night fell, Dieter went in his coach. He stowed away the valuables taken from the orcs in a seperate sack, they would divy it up when the mission was over. The figurine was interesting, he would like to keep it as a reminder of their first mission without Imasi. He rummaged in his pack and took out the symbol to his hidden god. He kissed it and spoke a soft prayer.

When he returned to the group, he noticed Lemmy and Barbarosa had drifted off to sleep. He quietly shook them awake. "Alright men, now is as good a time as any to act.

I stand by my earlier suggestion and Bron's advice. We flank the cave. If the other side is indeed lightly traveled, we can land a good suprise attack.

I suggest Lemmy keeps an eye on the switchbacks, if any orcs come crawling out that end we at least have cover.

The rest of us attack the cave. Any questions?"

He fastens his backpack, picks up his bow and gets ready to leave.

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I assume we are going to divide the loot when we get back to civilization. I'll just veto that Dieter always guarded the loot, even when Imasi was still around.

If any of you don't agree, I'll edit my post.

[Kyroswolf]

Gimil

Gimil finishes donning his armor as the rest prepare themselves.

"Nothing like a good snow fall to get the blood boiling. Come on, lads. Lets get this show on the road. There be orcs to slaughter."

Gimil picks up his shield and flail as he waits for the rest to get ready.

[Diarmuid]

Bron

More than a little proud of the mastery of flames he exhibited, the ranger spends some time while not dozing near its warmth sharpening up the arrowheads he used the previous night, his daggers, and his scimitar with a whetstone from his backpack and his fletching tools.

Once that is done he retrieves a flask of oil from his saddlebag and fills his bullseye lantern. He ties the handle of the lantern to a strap on his pack. Digging through another saddlebag, he removes a 50' coil of rope and loops it over his shoulder like some odd bandolier.

Collecting some fresh, untrodden snow into his iron pot, he sets this on the fire and fills his waterskins, offering the same for anyone else.

He takes a couple of his rations and stashes them in his pack as well. Once all his gear is checked and double checked, he explains how often the horses should be moved around and how best to keep the fire going to Lemmy, as well as where the feed for the horses is and his extra rations.

"If you dont hear back from us in two days, make back for the town. Take all the horses and get out of here and tell the Captain we have fallen here. If you can gather some of our brothers, bring them back and bring hell down on this place."

Realising his tone and mood have turned somber, he stops before he says anything else too morbid.

"Gimil, we'll be depending on your eyes on the way to the smaller cave entrance. I dont want to risk the lantern or a torch out in the open ilike this. Especially not with the snow a perfect ground for reflecting is up to anyone watching. Once inside, I'lll stay the rear with the lantern or a torch so as to not be in the way of your swings."

With that, he explains the path he took around the large hill and gets ready to follow the dwarf.

[ooc] equipment has been shifted around a bit, some things put in saddlebags, some removed from saddlebags into main inventory. ready to go [/ooc]

[Brawnspear]

Well, I think it's high time I got to be a part of the action, sides someone has got to be there to pull your fat out of the fire. I don't need to remind you how dangerous our work is, but I'm going to anyways. The best of us can be taken down in a blink by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Watch each others back, don't go for the glory. We get in, we do what we came to do and we get out. Lets not get caught with our pants around our ankles, they may still be ready for us to take the back door. Grabbing a few extra things from his horses, such as a lantern some torches and some oil, the big man twirls his morningstar in a business like fashion. Come friends, now is the time to rid the land of this evil.

[XiaoTie]

Day 6
Nighttime

And the silent stood still at the foot of the hill. Not a howl or whisper could be heard from out of the woods, only the wind clashing against the trees and releasing a handful of snow every time onto the forest ground; none of this made the area colder, as the fireplace remained intact even after a couple direct contacts with the occasional snow that would come down from the trees.

From within the woods it was easy to realize that the snow curtain grew thicker after a few minutes, which would most likely hinder the sight of any human being.

[XiaoTie]

Day 6
Nighttime

As one would assume, the snow falling from the sky indeed hindered the sight. The winds began to blow from the east as if the Ogre Islands were breathing ice upon you for challenging and killing their offspring.

The sky was as if covered by a dark velvet mantle when three creatures appeared in front of the group. They were wolves of a unknown breed to any of you; with a long hoary fur they were taller, apparently stronger, and a thousand times more intimidating than the average wolf. Their fangs appeared to be small daggers, hanging outside their monstrous mouth with frozen droll and blood.

They walked slowly and carefully towards the group.

Creatures

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Credits to willowWISP from deviantart.com

Initiative Order

PCs order
{table=head]Character|Initiative|Order
Barbarosa|19|1st
Jarvis|15|2nd
Bron|12|3rd
Dieter|9|4th
Gimil|5|5th[/table]

Creatures' order
{table=head]Character|Initiative|Order
Creature 1|4|1st
Creature 2|4|2nd
Creature 3|3|3rd[/table]

Combat Map

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Notice

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Remember, you don’t have to fight anything, the Initiative Order was just to speed up in case combat was the chosen route.

Since it was only a difference of 1, I made the creatures attack after the PCs. As always, you may post before the person who is ahead of you on the Initiative order, but remember to take in consideration what the others would do, use “IF” and/or “WHEN”.

[Brawnspear]

Barbarosa
init 15
hp 43
ac 18
Aura Before my turn: Senses
Aura swapped to at the beginning of my turn: Power(+1 melee attack and damage)
Barbarosa moves to to the east of Bron. He prepares to bash these wolves heads in with his morningstar while he wonders how best to deal with them.

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Move 2 squares east of where I am standing, ending up eadjacent to bron on his eastern side.
So, out of game i guess that means, I switch to power, +1 to melee attack and damage everyone, make a knowledge nature check on these thingys, and ready an action to attack one if it come within my threatened area in a hostile manner.
knowledge nature : (1d20+7)[17]
Attack(readied): (1d20+9)[18]
damage(readied): (1d8+5)[9] 2 handing
hopefully all this works, been a while since i rolled on forums

Edit: Watch out fellows, this isn't normal hunting behavior, there may be more lurking or they may not be on the hunt.