[Continued] - Lug/A Rescue Mission - 28 April, 1 VC

[Keehnelf]

Enemy Initiative [1d6] = 1

The party continues its advance on the goblin position, the three mercenaries rushing into melee combat with the white-skinned goblin but unable to attack, setting up a perimeter to prevent him from closing on Varas.

Marge rushes forward, but only makes it a bit over halfway to Varas' position.

Lug fires an arrow into the melee, and it flies unerringly between the swirling cluster of bodies to find its mark squarely in the torso of the white-skinned goblin. The creature staggers, but remains standing.

Unfortunately, others are not as lucky: the press of bodies prevents Varas from finding a shot, and his arrow flies well wide as he tries to prevent himself from striking an ally. Ruwyn experiences the same thing, choosing safety over accuracy, but Baxtaw's shot finds the middle of the young mercenary Mormoth's back, and he utters a cry of pain as the arrow enters his ribs, splitting his armor, and then falls to the ground, lying still in the undergrowth.

Valorei takes the elf-prince sword and slashes through the ropes binding the goblins to the tree. Only Niles is still in a position to see this take place, as the others have advanced toward the enemies ahead.

The white-skinned goblin, hemmed in by enemies and with others advancing, utters a bestial cry of rage and tears his sword free from its scabbard in a swift motion, drawing the blade in under Jord's guard before the mercenary can respond. Twisting the blade upward, the point of the weapon slides into the man's armpit and emerges under his shoulder blade in the back. The goblin gives a shout of triumph as the weapon comes free, giving Jord's flaccid form a kick to clear the blade as the mercenary collapses to the ground.

Ithgar vs. Jord [1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20, damage [1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9


White-skinned Goblin: 2 HP
Zirina: Full health
Mormoth: down
Jord: down

Actions and Initiative!

[Zhym]

Lug wastes no time in launching another shot. Melee or no melee, the white goblin is going down.

Symurgwyl (Longbow +1/+2) (THAC0 18): [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16, Dmg: [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3

Again—someone else please roll initiative.

[Keehnelf]

BTW, the only people in range to do anything about the downed mercs this round are Varas and Zirina.

[MonkeyWrench]

Valorei begins to try and wake the goblins up, telling them to run in goblin if they do wake up.

[AleBelly]

Varas is unsettled by the fall of the two mercenaries, but wants to dispatch the pale goblin first. With a war cry, he advances on the goblin and slashes with his sword.

Long sword attack (THAC0 19) [1d20] = 6, damage [1d8] = 2

Initiative [1d6] = 1

[Zhym]

Initiative: [1d6] = 3

[AleBelly]

What, you didn't like the 1?

[Zhym]

Only if you were rolling for the goblin.

Or Valorei.

[Marullus]

Niles stayed back, watching Valorei. As Valorei cuts the ropes, he steps forward, placing a hand on his arm, his voice grave. "They'll warn the orcs, and this plan will avail nothing, Valorei. It is possible they speak the truth and all the prisoners are dead save the dwarf... that is bad enough. If all on this mission die because of you, now, the advice of a dead prince trapped in a sword will be small comfort."

[MonkeyWrench]

Valorei looks back to Niles, "It is not advice that I follow but conviction. We are not monsters, killing those that have already surrendered and chosen peace is the work of monsters. I know not of Lug's history but if this is a normal days work for him then perhaps it is not the orcs who are the bad ones..." he does not move to wake the goblins though, instead looking at Niles, waiting for the mans words.

[Marullus]

"There's a lot of room between killing them and setting them free, squealing to the orcs. Little harm comes from keeping them prisoner here for a few days until Lug finishes looking for those kept captive by the orcs. I will remain here with them, if it assuages you... my sorcery will aid entry tomorrow morning, and escape the morning after if we arrange a signal..." He pauses. "In any case, it was my sorcery that apprehended them alive. They are my prisoners to release, not yours, yes?"

[Zorroroaster]

Lawyered.

[MonkeyWrench]

Valorei stares into Niles eyes, a certain stern intensity that is not usual in the verbose elf present in his gaze, "I gave my word that they would be spared if they cooperated, which they have. So long as that word is kept and no one else decides to act as a butcher, I have no problem leaving them tied up here." He speaks with a low voice, "I feel for Lug, When I lost my friend Olympia to these lands I was distraught... But I did not turn to needless violence, punishing those that had nothing to do with it. I respect her far too much for that... Fine then, so long as I have your word you will help me keep them from unnecessary slaughter, we will keep them tied here."

[Mister-Kent]

Like Lug, Ruwyn is similarly fixated on killing the white goblin, immediately regretting her shot, however. Perhaps from now own she'll switch to her lovely scimitar...

Shortbow: [1d20+1] = 6+1 = 7 Damage: [1d6] = 4

[Scott308]

Dorvar, having reloaded his crossbow, fires it at the white goblin.

Dorvar Crossbow Attack (160'): [1d20+1] = 6+1 = 7; Damage: [1d6] = 3


Apparently, Dorvar would prefer to just launch bolts into the forest instead of goblin flesh.

[Dram]

Baxtaw- Unnerved seeing the arrow he shot take down one of the Mercs. Tries to focus but cannot seem to get his focus



L.Bow tohit[1d20+1] = 3+1 = 4, todam [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5

[Zhym]

I'm surprised so many people are firing into melee. Sure, Lug did it first, but he's reckless and a little bloodthirsty.

[Keehnelf]

They're trying to remove the folks screening their future attacks.

[Keehnelf]

Enemy Initiative [1d6] = 1

The white goblin is overmatched, but he still seems intent on continuing the fight. Zirina kneels beside Jord, stabilizing him even in the middle of the battle as his wounds look far worse than Mormoth's, though it risks a deadly strike from the goblin's blade.

The space she opens up in the melee provides a perfect opportunity for another well-placed arrow from Lug's bow to find its new home in the goblin's throat. The creature falls to one side, the sword slipping from its lifeless fingers. Unfortunately, Baxtaw's view of the white goblin is still slightly obscured by the form of Varas as the thief makes a swipe with his sword at the ill-fated goblin. The elf's second mis-timed shot in as many moments lodges itself in Vara's thigh and he staggers to one side, grunting with pain. (4 damage inflicted - Dram, please update your bow macro since normal bows don't get a damage bonus for any reason apart from magical arrows).

1 = Varas, 2 = Zirina, 3 = Marge [1d3] = 1

Marge, newly arrived in the melee, is just in time to administer more healing to Varas (6 points healed, per prior roll).

Meanwhile, Niles and Valorei end up in a heated exchange over the fate of the goblin prisoners, who if anything are only more terrified as a result of their captors' seeming indecision about what their end will be.

The party is in the midst of gathering up stray arrows and regrouping, while checking on the status of the fallen (Mormoth appears unconscious but alive, Jord critically injured but stable thanks to Zirina's ministrations), when a deep, rumbling boom echoes over the forest. The party scans the area, and sees a huge plume of smoke rising to the east, followed by a veritable storm of low popping sounds and a tremendous rustling of the forest canopy.

Chunks of rock ranging in size from a man's fist to a giant's head come raining into the area from the east, their trajectory much like arrows or catapult stones fired from a great distance. Some of them glow like embers, while others are jagged and streaming rock-dust as they fly. A half dozen of significant size smash into tree-trunks or bury themselves in the vegetation on the ground at high speed, sending shreds of wood through the air or tearing loose branches as they descend, finally shooting spouts of wet dirt into the air. One of the shards of rock glows with inner heat and as it strikes a tree, the trunk and nearby leaves immediately burst into open and roaring flame.

All around them in the distance the party hears the tumult of falling stone, smashing trees and suddenly-erupting fires. The plume of smoke to the east is steadily growing--it appears to be in the direction of the Finger of Doom, currently obscured by trees from the party's view.

[AleBelly]

Varas turns to Marge. "Thank you. You're great at that. I feel much better."

As he gathers himself, he fumes silently until he's worked himself into a rage. "Who in the nine hells shot me in the leg? Was it the same dimwit who shot our hired help? I see any more of that I'll slit your throat myself!"

He stomps about then goes to check on the status of the downed mercs, seeing if he can do anything to help. He also takes a small sip from his flask of healing (1 hp used, 4 hp remaining).

Once the explosion happens, he looks around at the party. "Let's get out of here!" He'll aid in removing one of the fallen mercs to safety…I assume running west.