Chapter 2: The Haunted Wood

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo holds his breath as he continues to question the groups new disposable scout.

No Sligg. My powers do not come from such things as a bloody cloak. My powers are all around us. And, we have not seen evidence of your fellow tribesmen out here either. Not being a big fan of witnessing cannibalism, the Druid puts his fodder in his place. Im afraid the feast will have to wait, Sligg.

Was your group the only one sent out here to search? Where in this forest does your tribe live? Have you seen anything else around these parts that you would consider dangerous? What do you know of this easterly caravan route?

Answer me and I will make you a full fledged member of our group, Sligg. You will gain an equal share of the blood and treasure we find. I can make you our only scout if that sounds like something that suits you? Bo looks around at the others to see if they have any other questions or if they object to using him as a trap and/or ambush magnet that travels well in front of the party.

[Inferno]

DM:

“Wait to feast?” the detestable orc said in disbelief. “But the flesh is still warm now, master, it is. Please? I am so hungry. Let’s not waste it!” Sligg urged as his soulless, damned eyes lovingly caressed the brutally murdered meal laid out before them.

The repugnant fiend could not resist the power of the Druid’s mesmerism. Sligg answered: “Urzogg’s party was sent alone, it was. The Red Cloak tribe lives north of here, master, in the dark heart of the Dim Forest. We’ve only been here a few days and seen nothing, we have. This path is empty, master.

“Last night, the wolves smelt your horses as you camped beyond the woods. We waited for you to enter the forest, we did, to ambush you, kill you and eat you!” The nauseating degenerate laughed at the beautiful treachery of it all. Then he suddenly stopped. “It wasn’t my idea.”

The repulsive wretch quickly changed the subject. “I will be your scout-spy, master. No one is more insidious than Sligg.”

Gray Mouser, thief
The rogue shakes off the jitters, collects his horse, and distributes (against his better judgement) all the loot found.

As the Mouser passed near, Sligg held out an open, eager hand. "Thank you," the revolting orc leered.

[Zhym]

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

Grothnak visibly seethes as the cowardly, obsequious orc kowtows to its master. Finally, he snaps.

"Stop!" he says. "End this shameful display! Bo, give this thing a weapon and release your charm. I will fight it. Give it chance to die honorable death as orc, not plaything." The warrior readies his halberd.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos (MU/T):

"Excellent idea Grothnak, but let me tweak that just a bit. Let this be a combat of open hand, so we can all enjoy a show and wager on the winner. What say you Grothnak? Can you crush him with your bare hands before an arrow shot into the air returns to the soil? I'll wager 5 gold you can't." Hoom reaches into his hip pouch and produces 5 gold coins for all to see.

[Zhym]

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

"This is a matter of honor between orc-bloods," growls Grothnak, "It is not entertainment for—"

He seems to think better of finishing that sentence. He pauses a moment to regain his composure, then looks around for one of the orcs' spears. When he finds one, he tosses it to the pitiful goblin and challenges the goblin in orcish:

"Come on! Do you have fire or flowers in your blood? Are you orc or elf? Fight me, and die well!"

"If it runs," he says in Common without taking his eyes from the goblin, "cut it down."

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

Telkis is snapped out of his musings by Grothnak's outburst. He's about to agree it's the honorable thing to do when Hoom makes his proposal to a wager. He gets a queasy feeling in his stomach and inexplicably almost feels sorry for the creature. "Well, now... making a game of it when he don't stand a chance to begin with... seems a trifle harsh..." he says, conflicted.

When Grothnak tosses the goblin a spear he feels slightly better, but still a vague feeling of pity lingers. He squashes it down. Pulling out his short bow he knocks an arrow in response to Grothnak's request. "I got ye," he says.

[Inferno]

DM:

The mighty wizard's despicable spy-scout looked at his lord and master. "If I kill this elf-loving mongrel, may I feast then, master? ...And take his place in your war party?"

[Zhym]

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

Grothnak laughs mockingly. "You need permission to fight? You are orc! Act like one! An orc does not beg to fight. He fights!"

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos (MU/T):

"Do you hear that Grothnak? Telkis doesn't think you can defeat this creature. I change my wager and say you can cut down this beast."

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo knew full well that most of the group would not want a creature such as this to remain alive, much less join with the group.

If you think you know what you're doing, Sligg, then I give you permission to knarfle the Grothnak. Proceed my minion.

With a smile and a wink to the half-orc fighter, Bo readies his spear, just in case his friends can't bring the abomination down post haste.

[ChubbyPixie]

Hoom Feethos (MU/T):

"Do you hear that Grothnak? Telkis doesn't think you can defeat this creature. I change my wager and say you can cut down this beast."

"I think you misunderstand, sir. I refer to Slee... to the goblin fellow not standing a chance, of course." Telkis feels clarification is necessary - after the prowess Grothnak has displayed thus far, he wants to be certain he doesn't end up on his bad side.

[Zhym]

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

Grothnak nods solemnly at Bo and raises his halberd Vadok. He speaks to the goblin again in orcish:

"Now we fight, like orcs! Die with honor!"

He swings his halberd with great force, but slowly. The goblin evades it easily. Grothnak smiles. This fight may yet be more interesting than he'd expected.

Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 19): [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4, Dmg [1d10+4] = 4+4 = 8 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 7+4 = 11 (L)

I forgot that Grothnak gets one attack per level against goblins:

Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 19): [1d20+2] = 2+2 = 4, Dmg [1d10+4] = 4+4 = 8 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 7+4 = 11 (L)

Wacky! Those really are two different rolls, even though they came out exactly the same. Odds of that happening: 1/1200. I call dice roller bug.

[Grognardsw]

"One hundred coppers on the goblin!" laughs Grey Mouser after seeing the fine halberd work. "We must share the same fighting master, Grothnak!"

Whispering to Ingrid: "Fighting is always a dicey business, at least for me."

[Inferno]

Round 1:

Among the carcasses of massacred wolves and goblins, surrounded by silent trees and jeering men, two bloodthirsty orcish warriors tried to kill each other in cold blood.

“Yes, my master,” Sligg said to the Druid with a smile. He unsheathed his shortsword and looked Grothnak in the eye. “I will dye my cloak with your blood this day." The abhorrent devil lunged at Grothnak’s head with his blade, also missing. His repellent mouth smiled. "I will feast on your heart.”

Sligg: Initiative: [1d6] = 3
Grothnak: Initiative: [1d6] = 5 Grothnak wins.
Sligg: To hit: [1d20] = 2, damage: [1d6] = 1 Miss.
2's all around. I'll let the dice roller rolls stand. If we get more 2's we'll use another roller.
Please roll initiative with your next round of attacks, Zhym. Thanks.

[Zhym]

Grothnak Uthglukh, half-orc warrior

"That's more like it!" says Grothnak. It's hard to tell whether he's mocking the goblin, encouraging it, or both. "Isn't death as orc better than life as snaga?" He brings Vadok swinging through the goblin's chest. "You may join the army of Gruumsh now."

Initiative: [1d6] = 2
Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 19): [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20, Dmg [1d10+4] = 2+4 = 6 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 11+4 = 15 (L)
Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 19): [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9, Dmg [1d10+4] = 2+4 = 6 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 7+4 = 11 (L)

[Inferno]

Round 2:

The hateful little sadist hacked wild a second time, opening him wide for a halberd blade to the chest.
Which also opened him wide.

Sligg fell onto his back, hard. He wasn't getting up. He gasped and blinked and looked at Grothnak.
"... thank you..."

Eyes open, Sligg's blood ran out of him, slowly dying his cloak beneath him bright red.

Sligg: Initiative: [1d6] = 3 Sligg wins.
Sligg: To hit: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d6] = 3 Miss.

[Zhym]

Grothnak wipes the blood from his halberd. He nods at the dead orc with something resembling satisfaction.

"Let's go," he says. "Briarsgate awaits."

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo nods his head at the ease of the dispatch. He slaps Grothnak on the shoulder pretty hard.

I knew you would be good to have around during a fight. Nicely done everyone. Now, let's keep moving, shall we?

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

Telkis is again impressed by Grothnak's fighting style, though more brutal than his own. He considers making some technical comments on the fight, then thinks better of it. He puts his bow away and takes up his place in the order.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

Ingrid was impressed too - although in a radically different way. Her companions' barbaric pursuit to turn every fight into a gladiator performance or an unnecessary bloodbath made her sick. At least Grothnak wasn't toying around with the goblin and finished him off quickly. She doesn't react to the Mouser's comment.

"Let's go," she just says and mounts her horse.