Chapter 2: South Wind

[Psychie]

Renna winds up with another powerful blow, hoping to remove the monster from the fighting before the orcs join in.

+6 to hit, doing 2d6+9 damage.
AC 18
Hit Points 9
Lay on Hands x8

 

[Silanon]

This time, your sword hits the beast's neck, finally ending the creature's life - but there is no time to take breath, as the orcs seek bloody revenge.
The paladin gets off quite cheaply,, the spearheads only scratching over her armor rather than penetrating it. In the lizardman's case, however, things don't go as well - two additional times, even the new chain mail can't prevent the hits, as the orcs target the less protected limbs instead. The orc leader notices Wren's impact on the battle, and turns towards her to stop her doing. As he swings at her, she can't quite escape, the greatsword slashing through her armor though not causing much more than a scratch.

In the back line, the remaining beast attacks Baird once again, but the additional protection stops its teeth - it seems slightly confused when the bite does not draw blood, but by the look of his eyes, it'll try again.

Sherwood and Clockwork Syringe are up.

(18 damage for Ves, after reduction. 6 damage for Wren.)

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader
17 Orc 1
-->15 Wren (-14)
-->15 Baird
14 Io
9 Veskassdak (-35)
7 Renna (-18)
7 Beast 2 (next to Baird, wounded)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Sherwood]

Wren is hurt, but there is no time to lick her wounds. She moves again to be flanking the second beast, stabbing with her swords. "Renna! A little healing would be nice!"

+6 to hit, damage 3d6+1 for each sword

 

[Silanon]

Moving over to threaten the beast, the rogue tries to score a decent hit - however, somehow, the agile creature manages to avoid all of your strikes. At least, its attention is completely on you - opening up more options for the sorcerer in its back.

Clockwork Syringe
(Short note: Those things really don't have much of an AC - the rolls are just that awful...)

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader
17 Orc 1
15 Wren (-14)
-->15 Baird
14 Io
9 Veskassdak (-35)
7 Renna (-18)
7 Beast 2 (next to Baird and Wren, wounded)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird seeing the beast in front of him fires his crossbow once more at the beast in front of him.

 

[Silanon]

With Wren right on the other side of the beast, this is certainly a risky shot to take - the sorcerer takes careful aim, but right before he can pull the trigger, the wolf-like thing moves suddenly sideways. He barely manages to change the direction to not wound the rogue by accident, the bolt hits the muddy ground instead of black fur.

(rolled the next 1... added "dice" to my shopping list...)

Close to you, Io drops her bow. Instead, the elven hands grab the bugle on her belt, soon enough producing a warning sound for others to hear. Drawing her blade, she then hurries forward to support the two in the front row as well as she can.

Dicer is up with Veskassdak. Rumors are that the rolls can only get better from this point on.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader
17 Orc 1
15 Wren (-14)
15 Baird
14 Io
--> 9 Veskassdak (-35)
7 Renna (-18)
7 Beast 2 (next to Baird and Wren, wounded)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Dicer]

Getting tired of the spears poking at him, Veskassdak decides to change his target to the green-skinned mammals and roars as he charges the closest one.

Spoiler

Attack bonus +10, 1 claw attack, AC 13, 3 of 11 rounds of rage used.

 

[Silanon]

Changing the target, the berserker tries to get rid of the closest orc. His claw does find a way through the light armor, draws dark blood as it cuts through the thick skin. For now, it's not enough to kill the creature, his kind is too resilient for that. However, it at least messes up the loose formation of orcs.

Psychie is up with Renna.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader
17 Orc 1 (wounded)
15 Wren (-14)
15 Baird
14 Io
9 Veskassdak (-35)
--> 7 Renna (-18)
7 Beast 2 (next to Baird and Wren, wounded)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Psychie]

Renna continues to press the attack against the beast, but as she does so, she calls out a quick prayer to Iomeade for her blessing.

IIRC, the Lay on Hands is just a Swift Action when used on myself, so I can still attack the beast as I heal myself.

+8 to hit with the flanking bonus added in, doing 2d6+9 damage.
Lay o Hands does 2d6
AC 18
Hit Points 9
Lay on Hands x7

 

[Silanon]

Calling for Iomadae's help, you soon enough feel a wave of cold, refreshing energy rushing through your body. You then move over to the remaining beast in the backlines, raising your sword for a brutal strike. The momentum of your prayer carries over - guided by your deity, you hit the creature exactly in the right moment. Without much resistance, the steel cuts through the creature's neck, ending its life as it separates head and body.

(heal for 8; the dice tried to redeem themselves with a critical hit)

Renna's repositioning leaves leaves both Io and Veskassdak pretty much alone against the bulk of orcs. In the lizardman's case, that almost proves to be dire - vulnerable as he is after charging, a spear finds its way right through armor and scales, causing another deep wound in the process. And yet, things are even worse for Io: As she jumps forward to assist the berserker, she happens to disregard her own defense for a moment - and the orcs don't think twice before taking advantage of that. A spear, thrusted forward, hits her shoulder, penetrating the leather armor and more or less impaling her. She takes another wound as she breaks free, blood soon enough covering her body. If not for Veskassdak helping her out barely in time, this might have been the end of a journey - instead, she still stands, though only barely, a grim, pained look in her eyes.

The leader continues to follow Wren, trying to get rid of the human fighter. His greatsword hits, and cuts through your armor, causing another wound, weakening your body even further. For now, you're still on your feet, ready to fight - but another hit might strike you down. At this point, the help you asked for might be needed, though that pretty much holds for the entire group.

(Wren -9, Ves -8, Io- 21)

Sherwood is up with Wren, and Clockwork Syringe is up with Baird.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader
17 Orc 1 (wounded)
15 Wren (-23)
15 Baird
14 Io (-21)
9 Veskassdak (-43)
--> 7 Renna (-10)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Sherwood]

Wren winces as she takes another hit; wondering if her investment in her armor was worth it or not. Time to take the fight to the orcs! Trying to get clear of the fighting, Wren then takes out one of the crocodile teeth from her pouch and throws it down on the ground. I hope this works!

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird seeing the immediate threat of the Beasts disappear, He decides to shoot at the orc that was wounded prior in order to alleviate the party's burden. As he raises his crossbow, he thinks to himself, "I will NOT let my party die! Not while I still draw breath!"
Silanon

 

[Silanon]

First of all, the sorcerer takes aim - this time, his well-aimed shot hits the wounded orc. As the projectile hits its chest, it almost looks as if it'd would fall; but somehow the creature remains steady on its legs, too stubborn to notice that it should stop to fight. It raises the spear in your direction, about to yell its pain in your direction - that's when the tooth hits the muddy ground.

Without any forewarning, you all can hear a furious roar in your minds - as if a giant beast would announce its arrival. Indeed, it only takes split seconds until a cloud of white fog appears around the tooth, soon enough changing its shape: A giant crocodile, about sixteen feet long, half-transparent as it's made out of fog and magic alone, ready to leap at the closest foe in sight. In this particular case, that's the orc leader - as the ghostly creature darts forward, there is no doubt that it will tear anything in its way apart. The leader tries to defend himself the best he can - but neither is he quick enough, nor can his strength withstand the pure aggressivity of the ghost. Before too long, sharp teeth shred through his armor, not letting go of the fighter's thig.

The other orcs pause in sudden horror - for a short moment, their defense falls apart, and Io is the first one to prey upon the weakness. Thrusting forward, she hits the wounded fighter, eliminating him before he can pick up courage once more.

Dicer is up with Veskassdak.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader (heavily wounded, grappled)
15 Wren (-23)
15 Baird
15 Dire Guardian
14 Io (-21)
--> 9 Veskassdak (-43)
7 Renna (-10)
7 Orcs 2-5

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak turns towards the remaining orcs and considers them briefly, then with a swift turn of his head, he sees that their leader is being dealt with by the ghostly alligator. Smiling a deathly rictus, he slowly turns his head back and moves towards the remaining orcs, his tongue extending beyond his lips and slowly sliding over his sharp teeth. He holds his claws as if they were already gutting the orcs.

Spoiler

Trying to demoralize the orcs into fleeing in terror. Intimidate is +6. Because he moved, he only gets to demoralize his opponent. Demoralizing an opponent is a standard action. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier. 4 of 11 rounds of rage used.

 

[Silanon]

You can see how the closest orc backs up two steps in fear, realizing that the ghostly creature is not the only threat ahead - he almost drops his spear in the process, before bumping into one of his companions. For now, they do not turn to run yet - but certainly, the momentum of the battle has shifted, and the frightened foes are more than aware of that.

Psychie is up with Renna.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader (heavily wounded, grappled)
15 Wren (-23)
15 Baird
15 Dire Guardian
14 Io (-21)
9 Veskassdak (-43)
--> 7 Renna (-10)
7 Orcs 2-5 (one of them clearly shaken)

 

[Psychie]

Since Wren is moving back after summoning the phantom beast, Renna moves up behind Veskassdak and places a hand upon his back. "Iomeade! Grant your servant the ability to heal her wounded ally!"

Lay o Hands does 2d6
AC 18
Hit Points 17
Lay on Hands x6

 

[Silanon]

As to be expected, your deity listens - you can feel how the magic flows through your hands, easing the pain of the berserker at least a little.
(heal for 6)

The orcs try to offer some kind of resistance - but really, it's halfhearted at best as their spears hit nothing but air for once, while the creatures slowly back up from the clearing. The leader does not have that option. He tries to somehow break free from the ghostly beast - but there is no way to escape the two rows of sharp, crooked teeth that hold him.

Sherwood is up with Wren, and Clockwork Syringe is up with Baird.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader (heavily wounded, grappled)
--> 15 Wren (-23)
15 Baird
15 Dire Guardian
14 Io (-21)
9 Veskassdak (-37)
7 Renna (-10)
7 Orcs 2-5 (slowly retreating)

 

[Sherwood]

With as badly as Wren is hurt, she doesn't want to get into the middle of the fray again. But there is the need to support her cohorts, so, with a sigh, she once more closes in, trying to maneuver to a flanking position on one of the orcs without provoking an attack of opportunity on her.

If I can get the flanking position, her bonus to hit is+8, and her damage is 3d6+1 per sword. If not, she is only +6 to hit, doing 1d6+1 per sword.

 

[Silanon]

The rogue mostly manages to avoid the orcs' weapons - a single spearhead scratches your armor, but doesn't pierce through the enchanted leather. In return, Wren proves to be much more deadly: Without much resistance, both swords cut through the orc's armor, causing blood to spill all over his paunch. He remains standing for the blink of an eye, as if he'd be simply too stubborn to die. But then, realization finally reaches his mind - when his dead body falls, the others jump backwards, trying to avoid any further attacks. The slow retreat turns into a chaos, as all of them try to save their skin.

Clockwork Syringe is up with Baird.

Initiative:
17 Orc Leader (heavily wounded, grappled)
15 Wren (-23)
-->15 Baird
15 Dire Guardian
14 Io (-21)
9 Veskassdak (-37)
7 Renna (-10)
7 Orcs 3-5 (retreating)

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

As if to cap off the whole encounter, Baird takes aim at one of the fleeing orcs to further instill fear into them

 

[Silanon]

The sorcerer takes aim once more, his bolt hitting one of the orcs in the neck. Certainly less bloody than Wren's two swords - but in this case, just as effective. His body drops lifelessly to the ground, right next to his dead brother-in-arms. The others react as to be expected - throwing their weapons to the side, they run for their lives as quickly as they can.

In the meantime, the ghostly creature finishes its work. Another bite, a muffled sound that might have been a scream, if not for the shock in the orc leader's mind - then, the huge fighter falls to the ground, as dead as those he led into battle. The shade does not stop there, however - instead, it quickly darts further forward, following those poor souls who escaped. It's agile, and way faster than it should be - hunting those down who conquered these swamps.

Io gets on her knees as soon as the creature leaves your sight, breathing heavily in pain. "Six bloody orcs - how many are there, waiting for us?" That's all she manages to say before two screams break the silence. Moments later, the branches of the forest move, and the summoned guardian reappears, closing in almost majestically. The head turns towards Wren, mustering her in anticipation of something.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren joins Io on the ground as she nearly drops her blades in relief. "Oh, gods, that was almost a disaster! Crimeny!" She looks up at the spirit animal with a grateful smile. "Thanks, chief. You did a good job." Wren waves her hand in a dismissive gesture. "You may go. I dismiss you." Hopefully that will work, and it doesn't want to take a bite out of her!

 

[Psychie]

Renna gives a sigh as she slowly lowers her blade. If Wren hadn't called in that spirit . . . Well, best not to think about it. Iomeade's will be done. She then goes up to Io, and places her hand on the wounded warrior's shoulder and murmurs a couple of quick prayers, then moves on to Veskassdak, then to Wren, giving each of them a pair of blessings for their wounds.

OOC Using two Lay on Hands on Wren, Veskassdak, and Io. Ouch!
Had to Edit: Only have six Lay On Hands available, not seven.

 

[Dicer]

Veskassdak felt some of the wounds he took from the spear strikes lessen at Renna's touch. "Thanksss," he said. "And to your god, too. Handy ssskill for battle isss that. Need ressst now." Seeing the green-skinned mammals, orcs, slowly backing away from him gave him a little joy. Not as much as destroying what little confidence they had remaining would though. Still, he roared loudly as they did run when Baird's crossbow bolt too another down. He then dropped to his claws and knees in fatigue as he let his rage fade. His muscles shrank back to their normal size as the blood filling them was reabsorbed into his body.
"Kassta," he wheezed, "thossse mammalsss ssstrong. Pointy sssticksss hurt bad."
Feeling Renna's healing touch again, he nodded in appreciation. That was a very hard battle. After close to a minute, he felt strong enough to stand up, even though he hurt tremendously. He would endure the pain stoically. His people were not known for showing weakness, especially around mammals.

 

[Psychie]

Renna accepts the thanks with a smile. "Of course. It is a part of my oath I made to Iomedae to help others. It is a task that I try to take to heart, even if I am unworthy of the blessings I have received. Now I have used up all the healing powers I have at my disposal for the day, and some of us are still injured. Rest is needed. But, before we look for a safe place to patch up our remaining wounds, let us see if there is any usable intelligence that we can find on the remains of the orcs. Probably nothing of consequence, but it would be remiss of us not to look."

She cleans off her blade and sheaths it, then uses some tufts of grass to wipe off as much of the blood from her armor as she can. When done with that, Renna starts to look over the many bodies in the clearing, starting with the remains of the orc leader. If there is any maps or battle plans, he would be the most likely to be the one to have them.