(007) The First Night

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:
‰ohild draws all her strength to hold her shield (spare) up to protect herself from death from any approching orc. And dreams of holding her weapon to fight back this day, instead of been helpless and weak. She prayers to her god for strength to live an other day.

She calls out to her groom Deorwyn to protect her. Hoping the armor and weapons she gave her would be enough.

[waysoftheearth]

calithena wrote:
Soval will also focus on those who have broken through the line, slowly fighting his way back and trying to draw the others into a cleaner, more defensible line with him.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Round Four

Now the fighting is hard, close and loud. Of the Orcs rampant in the camp (2d6+2=6) only six attack this round, but those that do (6d20=16, 19, 3, 17, 12, 14) do so fiercely. The remainder are already looting and despoiling the supplies!

(Randomise targets 6d30; 1=Baraglin, 2=Dernfara, 3=Elindir, 4=Eohild, 5=Eremin, 6=Largo, 7=Norin, 8=Sili, 9=Telthalion, 10=Vestri, 11=Miodvitnir, 12=Ymir, 13=Burmon, 14=Hepti, 15=Hrok, 16=Oin, 17=Glorban, 18=Yori, 19=Dalain, 20=Balain, 21=Hallam, 22=Sutherland, 23=Deorwyn, 24=Alf, 25-30=Horses; 17, 24, 21, 13, 25, 22).

Hallam dodges a deadly blow, while Glorban and Sutherland both sacrifice their shields for their lives. Burmon the Dwarf is not so fortunate (2dd=1,4) and is run through by an Orc blade, suffering a further 4 hit points (his third wound). Woe is you! Burmon the Dwarf is slain!

Alf the guard dog savages the wounded enemy defiantly, but (2dd=6,6) is smote from behind by a foul Orc axe, and the brave dog's spine is crushed.

(Randomise which mount is hit; 1=Rohemnet (Lomeluin's Rouncy), 2=Frosti, 3=Snod, 4=Fumbul, 5=Tug (Sili's mules), 6=Ned (Soval's mule), 7=Gleowine (Eohild's Rouncy), 8=Deor (Dernfara's Courser), 9=Piglet (Eremin Sulk's Courser), 10=Ladybird (Baraglin Banks' mule), 11=Doloris the old Nag (Largo Harfoot's pony), 12=reroll; 1d12=4). Fumbul the mule is hacked by an Orc axe for (3dd=6,6 again!) 12 hit points, and slain instantly.

Meanwhile, the remaining tide of Orcs throw themselves violently against the shaky wall of fighting-Men as Ardenbard, flanked by Nat Pickthorn, makes for the pitch darkness of Moria...

2d4+4=8 and 3d4+3=12 of the screaming, howling monsters attack! 20 fell maces, axes and swords do hew and hack in the grueling melee. Who shall be where the hammer doth fall? (1=Legandir, 2=Balain, 3=Telthalion, 4=Hepti, 5=Sili, 6=Hallam, 7=Eremin, 8=Soval, 9=Nat, 10=Arbenbard, 11=Hrok, 12=Oin, 13=Baraglin, 14=Yori, 15=Ymir, 16=Lomeluin, 17=Elindir, 18=Largo, 19=Dernfara, 20=Glorban; 20d20=20, 15, 18, 5, 13, 4, 17, 19, 5, 11, 6, 17, 3, 8, 19, 17, 15, 15, 18, 7).

Elindir Half Elven (3d20=9,4,16) suffers the brunt as he weaves through the battlefield, fending off blow after blow with graceful sword skills, but finally is slashed by a black blade for (2dd=3,5) 5 hit points.

Largo (2d20=6,11) scurries away from pounding Orc maces, thankful that he slept in his mail of mithril! Soval (1d20=10), Eremin (1d20=4), Glorban (d20=7) and Baraglin (1d20=7) all dodge cruel swings aimed at them, and by grit, mastery at arms, or pure luck avoid injury.

Hepti (1d20=17), Hrok (1d20=18) and Hallam (1d20=19) fare worse, suffering cuts, dings and smashes in the melee for (2dd=4,5 and 2,3 and 1,4) 5, 3 and 4 hit points respectively. Hepti the Dwarf is done in! (If Hrok sacrafices his shield he will be unharmed). Meanwhile, Telthalion the Elf (1d20=13) throws his shield into a leery blow, smashing it to perhaps save his life.

But woe betide poor Ymir the Dwarf physician, who finds himself cornered by a slavering pack of Orcs and with no defense (3d20=20!,3,14) they set upon him. Two of the monsters (4dd=5,6,6,4) and (2dd=6,4) jointly gutting and beheading him. Durin weeps, for Ymir lies slain!

Sili (2d20=15,7) curses violently as Ymir falls, but the Orc blows are coming thick and fast around him, one spear jab catching him (2dd=2,5) another wound for 5 hit points. Dernfara is likewise beset by foes (2d20=17,1) and slashed for (2dd=1,1) 2 hit points.

And all the while the blades and spears of the company do retaliate!

(Arbenbard and Nat have slinked off to join Celglin in the entrance of the mines. Eohild, Norin, Balain, Miodvitnir, Hepti, Ymir, Burmon and Deorwyn are non-combatants. The others hew, lash and stab as though their lives depend upon it. And well they might.)

(1d20; Largo=6, Baraglin=9, Dernfara=3,2, Dalain=19, Elindir=10, Hallam=15, Glorban=19, Legandir=15, Hrok=20!, Lomeluin=12, Yori=1, Oin=3, Eremin=12, Soval=14,1, Sili=3,20!, Telthalion=16, Alf=6, Sutherland=8).

Largo, Baraglin, Dernfara, Yori, Oin, Alfand Sutherland make vain efforts that go dashed upon Orcish mail or fended away by blade or by spear. But Dalain, Hallam, Glorban and Telthalion all pierce the foe with their arms, dealing (2dd=2,3 and 3,6 and 6,5 and 5,6) 3, 6, 6 and 6 hit points. Two Orcs are felled.

Elindir and Legandir fight side-by-side, Elindir giving back as good as he got (2dd=1,5) as he slashes an Orc throat open for 5 hit points. Legandir (2dd=4,4) dashes an Orc sword-arm away from its body for 10 hit points. Hrok roars as he smites his nearest foe (4dd=5,5,3,3) into the ground for a punishing 11 hit points. Lomeluin, Eremin and Soval all have success, ripping the foe apart for (2dd=5,2 and 6,3 and 5,2) 6, 6 and 8 hit points. Sili all of a sudden finds the night action to his liking when he crushes the skull of a Great Orc with a single blow (4dd=3,3,3,2) doing a mighty 12 hit points!

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
In quick summary;

Burmon, Hepti and Ymir the Dwarves were slain horribly, as were the lives of Alf the guard dog and Fumbul the mule ended. Elindir, Sili, Dernfara, Hallam and Hrok (unless he chooses to sacrifice his shield) took injuries.

For this high cost 8 of the villainous enemy were cut down (mostly those behind the line), and a further 3 injured.

I do foresee morale dice dictating a few actions next round...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
What do you propose to do now, gentlemen?

[waysoftheearth]

crusssdaddy wrote:
Arbenbard dashes oil into the ground at the mouth of the mines and motions Nat to set it alight. In as loud and fearsome a voice as he can trumpet, he calls out in the Black Speech:

"WHO DARES TREAD THE HALLS OF THE BALROG, KING OF DOOM AND LORD OF THESE MINES? I SHALL CLAIM THINE SOULS IN FIRE & RUIN!!!"

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
OOC: Quick statistics... So at the start of round there was 41 Orcs, we killed 8 and wounded 3. End of Round there are 33 Orcs. The campsite had 27 "good-guys" , 11 are non-combative at this point. We lost 3 more all non-combative, physician, laborer, porter. So the combatants are facing about 2 to 1 odds at this point. We will lose more of the non-combatives in round 5 with out a doubt. The wounds that Sili and Dernfara are pilling up which is worrying because they are our toughest fighters. The options are pretty piss poor, we can break and run to the mines but the loses will be horrible including the already wounded which includes several PC's. It really looks like we need to hold and hope for the best another good round and the odds will start to even out, and they will be at half there force. Perhaps then their moral will break...... Sucks that Baraglin missed.

"Push them back, hold the line! The orcs are spineless, another minute and the will start to break! The Mules, use the mules as defense! Miodvitnir, Deorwyn help the others get the Mules in front of the commoners." Baraglin would be shouting at the top of his lungs now trying to keep the camp folks from breaking and fleeing since he knows they will all die in that case. Any Orcs that is in range he will try and stick with his shortsword. Otherwise he is trying to survive the round and get the battlefield sorted out into a "winnable" state. If he gets enough room he will switch to his sling and start trying to pick off Orcs from a distance.

-Mike

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
"Hepti! Alf! Nooo!!!"

There is nothing Sili can do but fight on in their memory.

[waysoftheearth]

rleduc wrote:
OOC: If Hrok is wearing his dwarven mail, he will sacrifice his shield. If he is just in his under armor, he will retain the shield and take the 3 points of damage. I can't tell from your description if the orc I'm facing is dead or just prone. If that orc is dead or otherwise rendered harmless, Hrok will seek another target, otherwise, he will finish off his opponent. He will seek to see who is most overmatched among those he can reach in a round - this may be Sili or Dernfara - as best as he can judge.

[waysoftheearth]

rleduc wrote:
OOC: Sorry - the big S is Soval, not Sili. My bad.