Chapter 17 - Delve Deux into the Orcless Orc Stronghold

[onlyme]

Upon orders to retreat, the orcs fall back, but not before Dandelion skewers yet another orc to death with her trident.
Since nobody mentioned chasing the orcs, I'll have the party follow Angus' desire to not turn the corner and open themselves to missile fire.
The orc voices fade, clearly having retreated past the mushroom chamber.

just picking nits here, but they didnt retreat until this round. Did they win initiative? seems if we did, Dandelion would have gotten both of her attacks in. One normal, and one as they started to flee?

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

He looks up still clutching a phantom wound. "Sophomore is wounded..."

[Nuke66]

Galan regroups with the melee bunch.

[onlyme]

Dandelion checks the orcs for any useful weaponry or coinage.

[Zhym]

"Well, I reckon we got us the usual poser," ventures Angus. "Do we just kill this orc straight out, or offer it its life for information?"

[tkrexx]

He be too stupid to know anythin' impotent, Hyde's eyes remain boring into those of the magically held Orc as if he believes the creature can hear and understand him, and he again draws his Wildlands Toothpick. Lemme skin 'im, hah? I bet I can pull his hide off before he starts movin' again, yeahh. The short Half-Orc displays his huge, horrible grin and slowly waves the tip of his dirk in the 3 inches between his face and that of his paralyzed victim. He waits to hear who among his tribe wants to continue the "Good-adventurer, bad-Half-Orc" game, hoping all the while the helpless Orc loses his bladder.

[Zhym]

"Well, now, hold on there," says Angus, playing his part. "I reckon this feller knows how everything's set up in here, right? Might could draw us a map, tell us where folks are, that sort of thing, right?"

[enn.in.me]

Yenny, perhaps catching the conversation before getting too far away, or perhaps just knowing what Angus and Hyde are likely to get into to, yells back over her shoulder, "Kill him. Don't become him."

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Still leaning against the door and examining it. Anyonr have a way to drill a peephole or brace this shut? Thr snake is still on the other side trying to come out.

[Nuke66]

"Or, we could let it loose." Galan argues. "It would wreak havoc. So long as we can keep it from attacking us."

[Bluehorse]

Kablamicus

"Or, we could let it loose." Galan argues. "It would wreak havoc. So long as we can keep it from attacking us."

Slowly looks to Galan as if he has just sprouted a tuba out of his head and began playing poka music. "Big. Giant. snake. He gestures. Long. Narrow. Hall. Where in this plan do we hide?

[AleBelly]

The halls again fall silent as the orcs retreat beyond the limits of the party's light. Debate rages within the freshly blood-stained halls while Dandelion searches the bodies of the five dead and one held orc.

The fate of the held orc is discussed, mostly politely, by Yenny, Angus, and Hyde. The robed figures in the north debate how to handle the huge snake on the other side of the door.

Dandelion finishes her search, coming up with 36 finely minted electrum pieces bearing the likeness of an orc's head. And one key, painted completely green.

Actions?

Date: 29 Culling, Year 44
Time: 6:46
Conditions: 44F, damp
Known Spells in Effect: Bless through 6:47 (Kablamicus, Yenny, Figgis, Galan, Sophomore), Orc held through 6:51
Light bearers: Yenny's bracelet, Angus' bullseye lantern through 10:15, Hyde's torch through 7:15
Injuries: Yenny, Angus barely wounded; Hyde, Kablamicus, Dandelion lightly wounded; Galan, Figgis moderately wounded

[onlyme]

Dandelion asks if they have the mettle to go back toward the serpent and remove that threat?

[enn.in.me]

Yenny - "The snake seems like an excellent opportunity to lay some sort of trap. We know it's coming; it'll fill up the whole hall. Perhaps we open the door with a rope and run while it--what? slides over spikes? gets coated in oil? drags through some poison? Or--maybe we just leave some orc bodies for it to nibble on. That might keep it off our backs. So many options.

Have you dispatched the orc yet? He could come to at any point."

Yenny looks to see if Kablamicus is seriously wounded. Seems not.

[tkrexx]

Once Dandelion has searched and disarmed the held Orc, Hyde punches him hard in the diaphragm to remove a good chunk of air from his body in order to disable him once Yenny's magic wears off. He barks back to Kablamicus: Hey, Wiz, is your bird dead, or just hurt, hah? Was ya able to learn anything?

[Bluehorse]

Once Dandelion has searched and disarmed the held Orc, Hyde punches him hard in the diaphragm to remove a good chunk of air from his body in order to disable him once Yenny's magic wears off. He barks back to Kablamicus: Hey, Wiz, is your bird dead, or just hurt, hah? Was ya able to learn anything?

AB?

[Nuke66]

"Five or six dead orcs ought fill it's belly ought to make it a bit less aggressive" the Gnome offers

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Then do we risk just throwing the door open and running like monkeys? he presses an ear to the door again to get a read on what the snake may be doing.

[AleBelly]

Once Dandelion has searched and disarmed the held Orc, Hyde punches him hard in the diaphragm to remove a good chunk of air from his body in order to disable him once Yenny's magic wears off. He barks back to Kablamicus: Hey, Wiz, is your bird dead, or just hurt, hah? Was ya able to learn anything?

AB?

The mage attempts to commune with his owl companion. But he is unable to. Kablamicus is well versed in this art, and knows that his ability to commune has a limited range. It's likely Sophomore is out of this range. It is also possible that his strigiform friend is deceased, though the mage would expect a draining of his life force were this the case...and he has not yet felt such a pang.

[Bluehorse]

Kablambicus

Communicates this to the others in his "lecture voice" but more empathic members of the group may detect a little worry in his speech, or notice a nervous flexing of his fingers.