Death in the Marshes - Round 3

[Eclecticon]

Situation: Rescue is at hand!  The Men of Dale have brought the goblins to battle in the depths of the Long Marshes, and all the captive companions need do is live through the next minute...

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast 2/2
• Beal 0/0
• Esgalwen 2/2
• Grimbeorn 1/1
• Hathcyn 0/0
• Laeral 0/0

Situation Modifiers:
• The companions have the initiative.

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The marsh is treacherous underfoot, but both sides are equally hampered.

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

STATUS

Arbogast Beal Esgalwen Grimbeorn Hathcyn Laeral

• 6  • 4 • 6 (+3 Skirmisher) • 4 • 4 • 8

• 0d ( n/a) • 0d ( n/a) • 1d ( n/a) • 0d ( n/a) • 0d ( n/a) • 0d ( n/a)

• 13/16 • 13/13 • 12/14 • 7/12 • 8/13 • 12/11

• 5/26 • 11/27 • 2/27 • 12/31 • 11/29 • 11/28

Open Open Open Forward Forward Defensive

WEARY WOUNDED WEARY WEARY WEARY WEARY WEARY

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Kurgak Goblin Guard Goblin Guard Goblin Guard Goblin Guard Goblin Guard		• 5+9 • 2 • 2 • 2 • 2 • 2		• 3d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d		• 5/8 • 1/1 • 0/1 • 0/1 • 0/1 • 0/1		• 20/48 • 5/8 • 8/8 • 8/8 • 8/8 • 0/8		v Esgalwen v Beal FLED FLED FLED DEAD

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry Defensive Maneuvers

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

Hearing the cries of the Dale-Men, Kurgak raises his gaze from Esgalwen before him.  Atop the nearby islet, Hathcyn and Grimbeorn are scattering the loot-pile in their search for their tools of war.  Across the field, more than a dozen warriors, with swords bloody and shields battered but countenances stern and undaunted, advance on him as the goblins which he so briefly commanded flee for the promise of safety and shadow beneath the Mountains of Mirkwood.  Arrows from the Barding archers harry them as they go, lest any harbour thoughts of turning back. 

Visibly disgusted, Kurgak turns to follow after them, his broad-bladed sword held easily in one massive hand.  He is defeated, but scarcely beaten. 


Kurgak will attempt to flee the battle this round, and will do so unless anyone specifically attempts to stop him.     

[tomcat]

Though not wounded (which surprises me but makes me happy), Esgalwen has been winded badly by the strong attack and doesn't have much left to work with. I believe to pursue would be foolish, but she will follow on to aid if Grimbeorn can't let things be.

So, I will wait for Matt to post before I do any narrative for my characters.

[GandalfOfBorg]

A howl of a wounded beast and cheer of Men goes up as Grimbeorn finds his weapon and shield.  He looks to see in the distance, the great orc lope away after the remnants of his troop.  The need to pursue is overwhelming but he sees the state in which they are all in -- to pursue would be right to put down the rest of the enemy but folly as well, no more loss of Men or his friends could be borne right now.  He knew the orc would be back, they always were -- it was one thing he could count on.  He puts a hand on Hathcyn to stay his frenzied search, "The day is ours but with bitter cost.  Let us see to the wounded and return to Dale."

[Telcontar]

Longspear nodded at his chief and the frenzied groping of his hands ceased to untangle the mess of gear with reckless haste and abandon.

He saw the glimmer of the silver bound horn and drew it from the pile. The goat horn given him by the dwarves was dirty, but in one piece. His fondest possession from the forest road days. He wiped the mouth piece on his equally dirty clothes. He watched the orc flee from the battle and he inhaled deeply. Placing the horn to his lips he blew a long low blast upon the horn that chased the quarry and foul beasts. It rebounded and echoed and its clear note was a sign of life and defiance. 

"We yet live Lord, but our toil is not over."

[tomcat]

Holding her bruised ribs where the Uruk had struck her and assuring that the flesh was only slightly cut, Esgalwen saw her two friends in the distance atop the second islet. She smiled at seeing the rugged men with whom she had once spent her days, but then a sudden moment of shock struck her and she spoke aloud.

"Arbogast? Where is Arbogast?"

The Dúnadan immediately set about scanning the two small hills with her eyes to find her other friend. Surely he is not among the slain, she said to herself. Sheathing her sword while holding her ribs, she moved quickly to search for the Fire-watcher - panic clutching at her heart and the sudden looming image of Orophin beckoning within her mind.

"No," she said audibly, "He is not for you!" The men around her looked on in confusion at the woman who moved from one fallen soul to another.

[tomcat]

The gurgling stopped. The shaking and clawing ended.

Beal pulled his frozen hands from the icy water where before he had clutched the neck of a goblin, drowning it in his fury. Where once his only thought and view was that of the struggling creature, now his mind and eyes could look around and comprehend what was happening.

Dale-men walked to and fro as they assured the orcs and goblins were dead. Others gathered horses by their reins and led them to higher ground so the animals did not have to stand in the chilling marsh. There were still calls and shouts of action, and then a sudden bellow of a horn, but they were alive. The orcs were dead or retreating. They had survived.

Beal looked to his left and right to try and find those that had come with him from the dungeon warren, but he saw naught of them... but then. There! Laying facedown in the muddy reeds, his head open and bleeding, the Dale youth saw one of those that had helped him. Arbogast, that was his name, he thought.

Moving to where he lay, Beal grabbed the Woodman from under his arms and pulled him over. Fear that he might have drowned in the marsh was his thoughts, but then Arbogast moaned. Relief flushed over Beal and he cradled the other man's wounded head in his hands.

"Are you awake, sir? We are saved! Your friends - and their shining fox - have summoned our rescuers." Beal sat cross-legged in the cold snow, holding Arbogast until a tall woman with dark, auburn hair stood over him. She herself seemed to be kneading a wound.

"Does he live?" she asked hesitantly.

"He does," answered Beal.

The woman knelt down with a look of joy growing across her fair face, "That is good. I am Esgalwen and I am glad we were able to get here in time."

Unashamedly, after so many weeks of torment, tears broke from the young man's eyes and he croaked, "I am glad you are here, too."

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn heard the call out for Arbogast and dropped what he was doing.  He scanned the scene for his friend, nay brother, and found his gaze found him the same time as Esgalwen but she was closer.  He sprinted to the fallen man and took him from Beal. "Stay with us, my friend.  You cannot die, for you do, so shall I at the hand of your wife.  And what good will that do either of us?"

[Eclecticon]

In response, the Fire-watcher begins to make a liquid gurgling sound so hideous that it takes a moment for Grimbeorn and Beal to realise that he is laughing through the smashed ruin of his nose.  Then his eyes lose focus and he slumps forward once again.   


Nice one, Matt! 

I'll have a new post up soon-ish, but this is essentially the end of the Adventuring Phase.  There's an AP going for anyone who wants to try a Healing roll to treat Arbogast's wound. 

Also Esgalwen, as leader of the Barding force, will essentially get to decide what to do about the captured loot.  Her own men certainly wouldn't mind a portion of it, but she could just as easily choose to give some or all of it to the former captives - or even return it to those in Lake-Town that could demonstrate a right to it, as a toke of King Bard's ongoing respect and esteem. 

[Telcontar]

"Firewatcher, you look terrible."

[Eclecticon]

I'll leave the thread open for any last comments from Doug or Aly, and I'll get a new one started for the Fellowship phase later today.