SESSION 258: Once More Into the Breach
The ‘C-Team’ gives their second try on the lair of the Gangrenous Orcs. The gravy is lumpy, again.
Day 208 (13.20/0507à13.21 Orcs): Getting their newly acquired slaves , err ..settlers, back to the caravanserai the band resupplied and prepared to roll out. Brett & Jermaine felt the addition to the larder would help Winter stay meaty. Hopefully, Bimbles or someone corrects the little heathens. The day was cold and crisp with growing accumulations of snow. The carts were becoming more and more difficult to move across the wilderlands. Slowing the journey to base camp notably.
They did arrive and with more than enough time to setup a fine waystation that served a hot dinner.
Day 209 (13.21 Orcs): The morning came in a fog. It seems that an unlikely temperature inversion had occurred. Someone figured, looks like we must blame greeny good shoes this time since peg-leg is elsewhere, that Bunny was a lot like a ranger so she could lead the expedition. She did lead the team out on a nice walk almost right back into camp. They had nearly walked in a circle which would have earned them some heckling if they had not been down wind of the camp. They navigated around and tried again. Twenty or so minutes later Bunny spotted tracks, “Looks like seven humanoids going thataway…and…oh I see…we went thataway”.
She lead on just far enough ahead not to be lost in the fog and not heckled by Biff whom she could hear coughing for attention. They decided to send Saff up and see if she could get above the fog and sight the rock which the orcs hide under or within or whatever. She saw the destination and they were on target. The trudge continued. Forty-five minutes later they came to the base of the rock. It only took nearly a half-day to make the hour or so journey- yippy!
They decided to navigate around the butte and see if they could find an orc hole. As we already know it was not a hole but a usurped village carved into the box canyon within the sandstone redoubt. In total some six hundred feet long by forty feet and thirty deep, all of which may be discovered soonish (for those of us following this train wreck, yes the fifth run at this joint). The main entrance into the complex is up this shallow ramp fronted by a palisade of sharpened wooden stakes. A squad of seven orcs always stood guard here and they seemed to be arguing about something, perhaps the sound of drums and cheering spilling out from deeper inside. Bunny, Biff & Saff all took a quaff of ‘Now you cannot see me’ while the rest of the team hung back out of sight. The trio made their way up the ramp. It would be an easy peasy sneak attack to neutralize the guard. Things were going along fine until about now. For starters nobody ever thinks about the sound of Saff’s buzzing little wings. She really ain’t all that quiet. “Huh what dat”* (*translated from the native orcish). Saffron cast sleep while B&B rushed up to the gate guard. The already irritated orcish were not ready for nap time. The spell was marginally successful and then when B&B showed up they elected to miss their targets. The fight which should have been done in seconds dragged on and on. Attracting the attention of more orcs and a pair of ogres. Fortunately, the fanfare within the village covered for all the muddling about. The fight continued and our not so sneaky trio continued to bumble the matter.
It was beginning to look like yet another failed attempt on the lair but the twits were able to turn things around in the nick of time and put down the enemy. Saff flew down and collected the rest of the team, “C’mon yokels we have been totally just waiting for y’all to wake up hehehehhe”. Carla brought the rest of the force up the ramp and they began working their way east along the first inner wall.
Coming to a laneway break in the wall the fanfare became louder. There seemed to be a gathering and associated party at an arena perhaps. They chose to continue along coming to the gatehouse of the long lost founders of this place. It was a large, arched portal, adorned along the outside of the frame with skulls and bones of their dead. They did not want to get anywhere near it and scuttled along to the next gatehouse. A banner depicting the residents hung before a portal that lead into darkness, that of the Bloody Moon Clan. B&B were invisible once more and took a look in. A descending stairwell with two guards a few steps in. This double assassination worked. They dragged the bodies out and tossed them over the side of the canyon ledge. They as blood all over but what can ya do?
They quickly moved on around the corner. They could have continued along the lower level but a ladder caught someone’s eye. Up they went past a couple of empty buildings until they spotted the home of the Nightflyers. Lairing in the upper section of the cliff dwellings. It was only accessible only via a series of rope ladders fixed to the back wall of the cliff. Along the ledge sat three diminutive orcs, almost goblin sized, watching whatever that was occurring at the central coliseum. Other orcs could be seen moving about behind tending to giant bats.
Bunny produced the rope of climbing and then her and Biff made their way up to investigate further. On the landing there was four passages extending into the living rock. Orcish noise could be heard from most of them, the bat wranglers appeared to have taken their pets/mounts (?) into the far eastern passage. There was no plan in place and they couldn’t look at each other for direction as they were both invisible..
The C-Team: Carla, Bunny, Saffron, Charles, Dolec, Nara, Lester & Biff
ROLECALL
Carla the Green High Priestess of TMB (C10) 350549 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d12/III
Scars: permanent loss left index finger and scarring on arm
Bunny the Thief! (T10) 306096 xp <400001> +10% CRT 1d24/II
Light wound: permanent loss of pinky finger, off hand
The Henchmen
Saffron the Mad Fairy Queen of Ribbits (FY7) 195070 xp <200001> CRT 1d10/III
Moderate wound: Scar on abdomen
Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed guts
Nara the Nearly Naked Purple Swami Girl (PS7) 109599 xp +5% <125000> CRT 1d16/II
Wraith Drained: -1 CON
Biff Bartley the Half-Orc Blackguard (HO7) 101166 <120000> +5% CRT 1d12/II
Charles in Charge the Myrmidon (F6) 83366 <120000> +10% CRT 1d20/IV
Franz the Grave Return (Lawful; XXXX) Sword
Critical Wound: Punctured lung (-2 CON)
Mostly DEAD. (-1 CON)
Dolec Da the Hero (F6) 62186 xp +10% <64000> CRT 1d20/IV
Missing five teeth
Lester Flanders the Warder of Oceana (P5) 43196 xp <45000> +5% CRT 1d16/IV
Brett & Jermaine Kobold Cooks & Eavesdroppers Extraordinaire
RESERVES
BoB, Rhags & Alamender are lawn ornament for the Basilisk Knights.
Chung Li needs 12 weeks (74 days) and a stack of coin to rewrite his lost spell book.
Elapsed: 53 days (from A-Team calendar) -INTERRUPTED-
Elapsed Campaign Time
648 (633) days at beginning of session (also applies to recuperation)
Join us for session Two-Hundred-and-Fifty-Nine when we ask the questions:
So, What are ya gonna do next?
When will this assault on the Gangrenous go tits up?
Why are these orcs so hard to eradicate?
Will the C-Team find the B-Team?
What will happen if we have a time paradox?
Tale of the Tape
Potion Brewing 42 days (started Day 194): Elapsed 14
KILLS
Orcs (10)
Reaver
Ogres (2)
LOOT
They didn’t even loot the bodies..
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