Slavers camp - round 1

[tomcat]

The companions only spent a few more moments in talk. They learned the woman's name was Essylt and she was of the Black Helms. It only took a few words to explain to her that she needed to come with the company - they would keep her safe.

Arbogast studied the terrain around him and though he felt more at home under bough, the hills extended a viable plan. If they took up a position on the rise just south of their current location, it would offer solid distance and cover from the orc encampment. It would also allow an ambush from higher ground - they would just need to draw the orcs closer.

The other three companions began to add their own ideas and a plan was quickly formed.
I need you guys to give me a Stealth roll to conceal your activities; a Battle roll to form your plan and gain tactical advantage; an Awareness test due to the fact that the sun is setting.

• All tests are a TN 14.
• I will roll an opposed roll against your Stealth (orc awareness) to see if you are discovered
• I will roll an opposed roll against your Battle (orc battle) to see if the orcs can discern the tactical situation

So give me your rolls on this. I will roll for Steve, just to expedite. Once done, I will start the new series of combat rounds.

[tomcat]

Rorin test rolls

TN 14 by test

Stealth 1d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

Battle 3d 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 3, 5, total 14

Awareness 2d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 1, total 6

[tomcat]

Damn... two 's for our Dwarf!

You guys get me your rolls and I will get things moving again. Sorry for the delays.

[Eclecticon]

Okay, quick rolls for Arbogast:

Awareness 2

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 4, total 5

Battle 3

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 4, 6, total 14

Stealth 2

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 3, total 9

[Eclecticon]

Right - someone needs better eyes than Rorin and Arbogast. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

 

TN 14 Stealth -  1d12 : 11, total 11

 

TN 14 Battle -  1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 4, total 9

 

TN 14 Awareness -  1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 1, 2, total 9

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Well Grimbeorn isn't sneaky at all, like we didn't know that already.    Could use that to your advantage, he's a distraction​ or bait.    Getting on towards night gives or eventually gives him an advantage from Brother of Bears. 

[Telcontar]

  rolls dont look good so far.
Stealth 3d

Rolled 1d12 : 1, total 1

Rolled 3d6 : 5, 2, 6, total 13

Battle 2d

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5

Rolled 2d6 : 3, 5, total 8

Awareness 2d

Rolled 1d12 : 12, total 12

Rolled 2d6 : 1, 2, total 3

[Telcontar]

Well....with all those it looks like we are gonna get ambushed instead.

[tomcat]

They moved quickly south - their leader going before them. They were not quiet, as their boots thumped and weapons and armor rattled, but it was not their goal.

Shûkrag had brought his small group south, out of Gundabad, to do their pickup. The orcs had a system of hand-off through the vale. The foragers would raid villages and woods and they then delivered their catch to the Ford, where another group would take the captives allowing the foragers to return to their tasks. From the ford to the central vale, the captives would be moved and then they would be traded off to Shûkrag, or another of his ilk.

The orc leader had not liked it when he arrived to find two squabbling groups of orcs and whiny goblins. He was immediately dealing with one raiding group of Mad Moon goblins who had attacked a village of Hill-men. The other group had come from the ford, leaderless, and guarding an Elf! Now he and his lads were moving off into the night to find out what had happened to those damnable goblins.

Shûkrag was cautious, but these were orc-lands - only fools would attempt to raid his people. Still, there were other wild things in these hills that might make mince meat of a few goblins. "That woman was tough enough to slit a few Mad Moon maggot throats herself!" he thought to himself.

The orc group passed between the two hills where the goblins had chased the woman. They moved a little farther south and then saw them - dark lumps littered about an ever darkening field. The sun was behind the mountains now which created an interesting twilight - the golden light still made the Misty Mountain tops shine, but the mountain shadows, along with the coming of dark, made for an eerie landscape.

Shûkrag walked to one of the headless goblins and pushed about the head that lay a few feet away, with his foot. He looked up and around at the rising hills. One of his lads went to all fours, like a hound, and snuffed and snorted at the ground. The orc made a complete circuit of the death scene. "Blood, Shûkrag! Man-blood. I also smell Dwarves!"

"Eh? Dwarves?" The leader became a little bit more cautious. The hunter orc continued but now in whisper, "Yes...they moved off that way. The woman is with them...she is easy to scent. She smells like the dogs she sleeps with."

Shûkrag looked in the direction that his hunter had gestured. As if on queue, there came the slight sound of metal armor rustling - as if they were scurrying away in retreat. The orc leader smiled. He would see that these Dwarves were soon missing their own heads like the goblins about his feet.
The man-blood is from Grimbeorn's old wounds. The orcs know you guys are here due to the multiple failures.

[tomcat]

The gathering darkness began to limit the companions. Still, darker shapes appeared along the valley floor and moved around the newly dead goblins. Bandy could barely get a count, but he was confident that there were at least six newcomers below. The Beorning at his side confirmed his guess, "Six? And they are large - orcs for certain."

They had moved away from the ambush site, heading east towards some low-lying hills. Rorin could see advantageous ground and he and the Fire-watcher quickly firmed up solid tactics for another attack. Bandy and Arbogast had quietly alighted the hillock, but looked to each other when they heard the oncoming of their friends. The Dwarf sounded like a clatter of pans when he moved, and Grimbeorn was in great discomfort. The woman, too, did not add to their sneakiness, as an odor came off of her of someone who lived among animals.

It was the way of the Hill-folk - they bred great dogs and the animals were treated as part of the tribe. Thus were they allowed to sleep among the people and were even used as sources of warmth.

Now they all watched this new host of orcs. The monsters were looking around the area, scanning the hills. They then quickly moved north, back into the vale and out of sight.