The ford - opening scene (not volleys)

[tomcat]

Situation: The company crosses the ford to confront the slavers that wait there

The Ford Guard

Combat Advantage dice:
• tbd


Situation Modifiers:
• tbd

Physical Modifiers (complications):
The ford has  a great deal of large stones with algae covering them making things slippery. If a character rolls an    in combat, they must roll a TN 12 Athletics roll or fall prone

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

ENEMY

PARRY

ARMOUR

HATE

END

NOTES

Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Rorin

• • • • •

6 (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [giant strength] (shield +4) 4 (shield n/a)

• • • • •

2d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 5d (headgear n/a)

• • • • •

10/16 14/18 10/12 10/12 10/10

• • • • •

26/26 22/22 24/27 WOUNDED 15/31 WOUNDED 34/34

• • • • •

tbd tbd tbd tbd tbd

• • • • •

tbd tbd tbd tbd tbd

• • • • •

# # # # #

• • • • •

#d #d #d #d #d

• • • • •

#/# #/# #/# #/# #/#

• • • • •

#/# #/# #/# #/# #/#

• crossing the river • crossing the river • crossing the river • crossing the river • crossing the river

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Stance maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Stance maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry Defensive Stance maneuvers

Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat May not use if outnumbered 2:1 TN 12+ parry Rearward Stance maneuvers

From any Stance Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents Athletics roll. On success, may safely flee from the scene of combat

[Eclecticon]

This seems like a good time for an Awe roll. 

While I'm posting, is Arbogast roped in as a phony thrall?  He's a Northman, like Grimbeorn, but significantly scrawnier, so he'd be plausible either as a captor or a captive. 

[tomcat]

I am kind of leaving this up to you guys to tell me.

Truthfully, with Bandy's stealth and ranged combat ability, I don't think he should be roped in the mix either.

So maybe just Esgalwen and the Dwarf? Or maybe we re-define the scene?

You are the players, so let me know. 

[Eclecticon]

Yeesh, the more I think about it, the more this plan is full of holes.  Never mind hiding weapons - the fact that several of us are wearing armour and carrying shields is going to be obvious as fuck once we get close.  I propose a slight retcon and a refinement of the plan.  Rather than have Bandy roped in with us, we'll have Arbogast there, with Bandy across the river ready to do his ninja sniper thing.  I think our best bet is to get as close as we can, take the orc down ASAP with Bandy's support and then throw everything we have at trying to bring down the hut.  We're going to have to attack first, though, and hope for the best.  There's no way we're getting this orc to let his guard down completely. 

[tomcat]

Okay, I will let the other three add their input and then I will retcon the intro post. Matt, Tom, and Steve - and even Paul - if you guys want one of you to put the tactical plan together so that it goes more quickly, then sound off as to who you want to do it. You guys will play out your PC's based on the plan.

  

[Telcontar]

Bandy will sneak in I'll have a post up in a bit.

[Telcontar]

The Hoobbit parted from his companions while they arranged their gear of war to help facilitate the subterfuge of sneaking into the camp. Bandy nodded when the revised plan suggested that he sneak accross the river before everyone and be in a position to help. The Halfling had nodded, for how could he say no to these great men that already bore wounds.

The Hobbit did not fear the Orc, or the tent, as much as he feared the water. This was not an unnatural fear, such as he had at the barrow wight, this was the fear of drowning. He worried that the ford was sufficient for the men folk, but that the Hobbit would be swept away. Though he had never been to the sea the vision appeared in his head of being rolled along the river and out with the ocean.

Bandy shivered as his feet touched the water, though he had been wet before now he was going to be mostly immeresed in the cold spring run off with llittle chance of a fire to warm himself after. Trusting to his luck  the Hobbit stepped ahead and made his way across. This was no small feat for the Hobbit and he struggled against the current to keep his feet. Though he loathed getting to the opposite shore it was the one place that he wanted to be.

Picking his way across the ford the sound of the rushing river drowned out the chattering of the Hobbits teeth. As the water level began to drop the Hobbit crouched lower to keep a low profile. Stepping ashore the water dripped from his sodden clothes and he moved forward. He crossed the ford as far upstream of the camp as he could expectign the current to push him downstream. He saw the occupants of the camp and made for the tent where he had seen the prisoners taken.

The Hobbit felt the fabric of the tent and checked the construction to see how best the tent could be taken down. Bandy hoped that the companions were right about the troll and the sunlight....

His hand fell to the hilt of his sword and the blade slid out easily, the water beading on his oiled blade. He set the tip of his blade underr the seam and waited for his friends to cross. While they had asked him for his bow, the troll unable to leave the tent might use the prisoners as hostages or crush them in a rage. His plan now was to cut open the tent and pull the pole down around them and then turn his bow upon the orcs.

[disench4nted]

I'd say we should have as many people as possible acting as the Viglundings. It doesn't need to be a good impression, just enough to get a little closer and hopefully allow us to get the first swing. So maybe both humans and Grimbeorn should be escorting Rorin across with one of you holding my hammer for me, then we can all ambush him once we're clear of the water.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  I would only say that the line should be G, R, E, A with G (shield and R's axe on his back, his axe in hand) and A with Es equipment in hand.  I believe E works better as tribute than escort if we can work up simple disguise.

[tomcat]

With Rorin and Esgalwen loosely bound about the wrists and their weapons in easy distance, the quartet stepped into the frigid water of the Greylin river. The water was not deep, but all wondered how the Hobbit had fared in the bitter cold.

The splashing of their crossing brought attention to them by those that stood on the opposite side. One was a large shadow that moved within the crude shelter of stone and wood. The other was the orc that strode back towards the ford to meet the newcomers. He was larger than any orc any of the companions had ever seen.

"Oy! Now who might you be?" came the orc's challenge, directed towards Grimbeorn. "We weren't expecting anymore of you people today...least, that is what your friends said."

Grimbeorn quickly concluded that the orc was making him to be a Viglunding and that he must be part of the band that had left not long ago.

"What have you got for us? Doesn't look like the children that we wanted...in fact, is that a Dwarf!" The orc spat out his last word. "We don't need no Dwarves! Better that I just gut him here and make him food for Todar!"

From inside the shelter came a gurgling laugh, and then a deeper voice, "YEA...LETS ME EAT THAT ONE!"

The companions could hear the soft sound of crying and fear coming from a small group of shapes within the shelter.

I adjusted the layout of the Combat Round header posts - trying to make things a little more compact. I also added some new icons for you all to use at your discretion.

  a shield to represent Armour, or whatever you wish it to be.
  a sword to represent Parry,  or whatever you wish it to be.
  a icon for Hope. You can't tell but the fingers in the picture are crossed.
  a icon for Endurance.

[tomcat]

Tom - you may want to retcon your own post, as the shelter is not a tent. It is a standing structure made of logs and stone.

The ford also had a large shack that was made of wood and stone. Sitting within its shade on a large boulder, and staring with an evil eye out towards the men was a Hill-troll of unbelievable build.

"We will only need deal with the orcs until the sun has fallen - and these...Viglundings, should they hear us," Esgalwen's words dripped with contempt. "Perhaps our Dwarf friend can discern a weakness to the crude shelter and we can bring it down around the beast, and thus reveal him to the sun ourselves."

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn pushed on across the river without invite so they could get closer.  "I am from a different tribe than I guess you normally deal with.  These were caught sneaking across my father's land and I had heard that there were those who traded in such commodities near here.  What are you offering for these, uh, morsels?"

[disench4nted]

"Oi! I think you'll find this MORSEL to be a bit more than your troll over there could chew. And as for you orc...", Rorin spat the word, "...you are welcome to try your hand at gutting me. Yours wouldn't be the first orc skull to be crushed by these hands."

[Telcontar]

Ooc: missed that part. What is the roof made of?

[tomcat]

The orc ignored Rorin's threat and eyed Grimbeorn with suspicion, "Different tribe? I thought all of you savages held yourselves under the banner of House Viglund."

Again came the chuckle from the shack. The orc shrugged, "No matter...a thrall is a thrall. Where they are going, it doesn't matter where they came from - just how long they last and how much work is gotten from them." He appraised the Dwarf and woman, "I am not much for having a Dwarf around, but still...he can work harder than any man and live longer. The woman," the orc smiled a very ugly smile, "we'll breed her."

Again...a laugh from the shadows.