Chapter 8 - Orc Recon

[AleBelly]

Arnulf pulls darts from his bandolier. The first two find their target, striking one of the mobile batsquitos. It hisses and flies towards the mage. Arnulf yelps as its probiscus tears through his robe and begins feasting on adipose tissue while dodging a stab from another of the mage's darts.

Tempus draws his scimitar and shield, which he uses to block the advance of a batsquito. The nimble halfling returns with a slash of his scimitar, opening the creature. Its bowels thunk into the snow an instant before the rest of its lifeless body.

Hyde flails wildly at another attacking parasite. It deftly dodges his sword, and for the second day in a row the half-orc serves as batsquito lunch.

Fluffy is attacked by two more foes. He's waiting for one, savaging it with a ferocious bite. Near death, it counterattacks with little success. Qatkir moves to his canine companion's defense, but is unable to pierce its hide with his teeth.

Dandelion kills a stunned batsquito, as Yenny clubs the blinded, rainbow-colored one out of the air, killing it before it can bite Angus, who struggles to his feet.

Lorilee takes out another stunned foe while Galan dispatches two that sleep.

Over half of the enemies have been killed. Four remain entangled in the tree limbs above. Two feast on our adventurers. The last two begin to flee.

Actions?

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 11:20
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: Hellebore is invisible, batsquitos entangled until 11:29
Light bearers: Sun
Intended Direction of Travel: 165 degree bearing, bound initially by canal to their left, 1.2 mph, 2.6 miles traveled today
Injury Status: Hyde and Arnulf lightly wounded

[Storm11]

Tempus will rush to Fluffy's aid and attack the one not bitten by the brave woofster.

Initiative [1d6] = 1
Scimitar : [1d20] = 17 : [1d8] = 7 : [1d100] = 84


Fluffy attacks :

Initiative [1d6] = 5
Bite : [1d20] = 2 : [2d4] = 6 : [1d100] = 59

[onlyme]

Dandelion attacks whatever batsquito mistakenly gets in her way with a graceful vengeance.

Trident [1d20] = 20; dam s/m [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7; dam L [3d4] = 8; crit [1d100] = 8; init [1d6] = 2

not a bad one to vacate with...

[enn.in.me]

Leary of hurting Hyde with a wild swing, Yenny attempts to wail on a fleeing creature. "Angus, you shoot the other one there if you can!"

Initiative [1d6] = 4, flail [1d20] = 15, damage [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3, crit [1d100] = 14

[Zorroroaster]

Is Arnulf taking damage from being skewered by a batsquito?

Arnulf flips a dart around in his hand to hold it like a dagger and tries to stab the batsquito with it.

"Eaaaughh! I cut you, man! I stick you! Umm, a little help?"

Initiative: [1d6] = 1
Dart of Death: To Hit [1d20] = 18 | To Damage (s/m) [1d3] = 3 | Critical: [1d100] = 76

I just rolled the once as if it was like a dagger. Feel free to penalize me for the lack of proficiency.

[media_junkie]

Lorilee pulls out her short bow and fires two arrows at one of the batsqitoes that are flying away.

Initiative [1d6] = 4

Short Bow (THAC0 16): TH: [1d20] = 18, Dmg: [1d6] = 1, Crit: [1d100] = 57
Short Bow (THAC0 16): TH: [1d20] = 10, Dmg: [1d6] = 1, Crit: [1d100] = 22

[Zhym]

Angus shakes his head at the suggestion that he attack a fleeing batsquito. "We got us plenty of them bat-skeeters right here to worry about," he says. "And it'd be Bloody Useless anyhow."

He tries to help smash the batsquito feeding off Arnulf.

Initiative: [1d6] = 1
Hammer +1 (THAC0 18): TH: [1d20+1] = 14+1 = 15, Dmg S/L: [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5/[1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4, Crit: [1d100] = 59

[tkrexx]

Wretched blood-sucking, bean-farting bat-bug! Hyde is in full grumble mode, more irritated than hurt. Gonna roast you for supper tonight, yeahh.

Init: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

To hit: [1d20+3] = 20+3 = 23
Dmg: [1d8+6] = 4+6 = 10

Crit: [1d100] = 50

[AleBelly]

Two batsquitos turn to flee. Lorilee, quick on the draw, fires an arrow that skims the underbelly of one. It continues its unsteady ascent. Suddenly, a high pitched screech comes from the west. The eagle has returned! Its battle cry seems more high pitched than usual. It quickly overtakes the wounded parasite, ripping its throat open so savagely that he nearly decapitates it. The lifeless body falls in a brownish purple blur to the earth with a sickening plop. The other looks as if it will escape when a crack is heard - a stone hits it directly in the skull and its fledgling flight is over. Those looking to the east see Hellebore's form appear, 80 feet distant, admiring her markswomanship.

Hyde, cursing the batsquito feeding on him, rips it apart with his short sword. His strength is key to killing the grotesque creature.

Arnulf continues to nourish another batsquito. It feeds just a little more before it is turned into a puddle by Arnulf and Angus' bludgeoning. It hardly seems possible, but Arnulf has become even paler!

In the trees above, four more batsquitos struggle against the strong limbs holding them fast.

Actions? Happy Easter!

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 11:21
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: Batsquitos entangled until 11:29
Light bearers: Sun
Intended Direction of Travel: 165 degree bearing, bound initially by canal to their left, 1.2 mph, 2.6 miles traveled today
Injury Status: Arnulf moderately wounded, Hyde lightly wounded

Edit - Hellebore no longer invisible

[Zhym]

Angus gets as close to the batsquitos as he can without getting himself tangled and fires two arrows at the blood-sucking buggers.

Short bow (THAC0 18): TH: [1d20] = 13, Dmg: [1d6] = 1, Crit: [1d100] = 28
Short bow (THAC0 18): TH: [1d20] = 12, Dmg: [1d6] = 1, Crit: [1d100] = 48

[enn.in.me]

Yenny approaches Arnulf and slaps him on the butt. "Ya done good kid!"

CLW [1d8] = 1

[Marullus]

Hellebore crouches between the limbs of a gnarled oak, the branches widening to make room for her as her sinuous form passes. She waves to the group, a quick appraisal as she assures that all are well and standing, no surprise on her face. Her sling then whirls once more, sending a stone to silence the screeching, ensnared unnatural creature.

url=http://www.unseenservant.com/default.as ... 49&macid=0]Hellebore initiative [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6[/url]
Hellebore Sling: THAC0 13, To hit [1d20] = 9 [1d100] = 90 damage [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4 [1d100] = 64

[Zorroroaster]

"Ow! Thanks!"

Arnulf gets close and plays some darts with the ensnared beasts.

Initiative: [1d6] = 2
Dart of Death: To Hit [1d20] = 15 | To Damage (s/m) [1d3] = 2 | Critical: [1d100] = 9
Dart of Death: To Hit [1d20] = 4 | To Damage (s/m) [1d3] = 1 | Critical: [1d100] = 63
Dart of Death: To Hit [1d20] = 5 | To Damage (s/m) [1d3] = 1 | Critical: [1d100] = 1

oh.

Fumble! [1d100] = 48
Dex check [1d20] = 8

The last dart slips from Arnulf's sweaty fingers, dropping and seeming to embed itself in his thigh.

"It's ok! Just caught in my robe. No, I did not stab myself with a dart."

[Storm11]

After attacking the one swooping near Fluffy and seeing she is safe Tempus will swap to his sling, sheathing his scimitar and producing a sling bullet.

only if it is dead and fluffy safe. Is that so, you didn't mention.

He will move to the entangled area and aim for one of the remaining stirges next round

[tkrexx]

I ain't leaving none of these alive, no, Hyde's normally soft eyes harden fixed on the trapped bat-bugs, and he fires 2 arrows.

Init: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

To hit: [1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8

Bah! He mumbles and fires again.

[1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16

Dmg: [1d6] = 3

Crit: [1d100] = 25

[media_junkie]

Lorilee takes aim with her short bow and fires two arrows at one of the tangled critters.

Initiative - Short Bow: [1d6+3] = 1+3 = 4

Short Bow (THAC0 16): TH: [1d20] = 10, Dmg: [1d6] = 4, Crit: [1d100] = 58

Short Bow (THAC0 16): TH: [1d20] = 3, Dmg: [1d6] = 2, Crit: [1d100] = 25

[AleBelly]

Yenny tends to Arnulf's wounds, but Veles' healing powers are attenuated by the cellulite on Arnulf's buttocks. Still, the mage appears to be in marginally better health after the gnome's spell.

Volleys of sling bullets, arrows and stones assail the trapped batsquitos until they are dead (fast forwarded a bit to avoid drawing that out), still held fast by the writhing branches.

The eagle lands, his beak still bearing the gore of batsquito throat. Qatkir howls with delight as he notices Hellebore's reappearance. The bodies of 17 batsquitos lie about, having scarcely posed a challenge to the group.

The party begins searching for their missile weapons, but figure it will take quite awhile in this forest.

Actions? Please deduct the following:

Lorilee - 5 arrows
Angus, Hyde - 3 arrows
Arnulf - 2 darts
Hellebore - 2 sling bullets

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 11:24
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, northwest wind at 10 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: Entangle until 11:29
Light bearers: Sun
Intended Direction of Travel: 165 degree bearing, bound initially by canal to their left, 1.2 mph, 2.6 miles traveled today
Injury Status: Arnulf moderately wounded, Hyde lightly wounded

[Zhym]

"Dang batsquitos," says Angus. "Ain't even got the decency to die off in winter like normal skeeters."

He shoots another dirty look at Bloody Useless as he puts it away and shifts his pack on his shoulder. "Let's mosey. Sambord's waitin'."

[enn.in.me]

"I'm ready to roll. Hellebore--did you or one of your friends see whence these things came?"

[Marullus]

Hellebore rejoins the group, slipping among the brush silently to reach them, the briars peeling back from her clothes. She looks over her companions with concern and then relief. Without a word she moves to Arnulf, pulling him down to sit. She crushes some mistletoe berries and murmuring over his mangled thigh, then rises and kisses him on top of his head with a little pat.
CLW [1d8] = 5

She greets Qatkir and the eagle affectionately, awarding each with a piece of dried meat jerky, then turns to address the group. "It appears that you've just dealt with the most severe threat of Town No Go," she says, smiling to them.

"With a stirge flock that size, it explains the animals we found along the road and also the fear that an orc patrol would have. I found the town and see no other clear signs of threat... though more threats could always hide." She asks Arnulf to again dutifully draw, adding to the group's map collection. She sketches in the dirt to amplify and help as well.

"You can see the church here - the stirges lived in the belfry where they easily caught wind of you and the whole flock set off in your direction. I image this was most, if not all, of the adults. The church is still standing, but barely. It is mostly rotted and near collapse. The farm houses, here, are burned out, likely from lightening strikes. The shrubs and overgrowth make clear that nothing has lived or tended this town for years." She taps, pointing her stick. "Over here is the other structure of note - a large brick manor house which presumably belonged to the feudal lord of this little hamlet. Also without signs of activity."

She looks consideringly at Angus. "The Sambords have waited weeks, I do not think they will be harmed by another day. With the threat of stirges removed, this place will be sacked by orcs, quite gleefully, in short order. There is undoubtedly a collection of some use and value in the church, with this many stirges nesting, and also a good chance of information of value in the manor house. Rushing past this opportunity would be penny wise and pound foolish, I think. I suggest we clear the town and learn what we can of what was here. We can take shelter inside overnight if we lose the light and set off again come morning."

(Two sling bullets deducted.)