Breaking the Siege - Round 1

[Eclecticon]

Situation: The Fellowship has come at last to Black Tarn Hall, only to find an assault by orcs and trolls already underway.

Combat Advantage dice:
• Esgalwen 0/0
• Grimbeorn 1/2
• Hathcyn 3/3

Situation Modifiers:
• The companions have the initiative.   

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The orcs have been granted dark inspiration by the sorcery of the Eye.  Their attacks are all considered Favoured. 

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

STATUS

Esgalwen Grimbeorn Hathcyn

• 6 ( +3) • 4 ( +4) • 7

• 1d ( n/a) • 2d ( n/a) • 2d ( n/a)

• 11/14 • 8/12 • 5/13

• 11/27 • 23/31 • 13/29

Forward Defensive Defensive

normal normal normal

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Cackling orc Rusty-helmed orc Sword-wielding orc Thick-handed orc Red-eyed orc Spitting orc Bloody-shielded orc Reeking orc		• 6 • 6 • 4 • 6 • 6 • 6 • 6 • 6		• 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d		• 1/3 • 2/3 • 2/3 • 2/3 • 3/3 • 3/3 • 3/3 • 3/3		• 9/16 • 16/16 • 16/16 • 11/16 • 16/16 • 16/16 • 16/16 • 16/16		vs Esgalwen vs Esgalwen vs Esgalwen vs Grimbeorn vs Grimbeorn vs Grimbeorn vs Hathcyn vs Hathcyn

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

[tomcat]

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The orcs have been granted dark inspiration by the sorcery of the Eye.  Their attacks are all considered Favoured.

  This might be a grim day for our heroes!

I am not sure if my narrative grants me a free Awe roll to try and intimidate the orcs? I will call upon my Enemy-lore (orcs) trait, too, in case that might help her in causing them any insecurity.

If so, it is below included with my attack roll. If not, I will only be making the attack.

TN -- Awe 3d

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 1, 6, total 10

Esgalwen will run in to attack the Cackling Orc in Forward stance. She gains the following benefits:
• Skirmisher trait increases her by +3 to 9
• Shadow Bane allows me to add one Success die to my attack.
• Nimronyn as a bane weapon reduces its Edge by my Valour when I fight orcs/goblins so it will be a 6.
• She is attacking two-handed
TN 12 longsword 5d

1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 5d6 : 4, 4, 2, 4, 1, total 15

11   edge: 6   injury: 18

[tomcat]

A nice Awe roll if useful. A very uninspiring attack roll, although it is a success.

If the Awe roll was allowed, it is a 20 success, with maybe a benefit from my Enemy-lore (orcs) trait. I leave it in your hands, Paul.

As for the attack, I hit the Cackling orc with a 17 success for 11 loss. This tactical situation needed a first kill on my attack here and that was not achieved. I hope she is able to roll with the results.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn takes the greater orcs in turn starting with the thick-handed brute, changing his stance to the defensive to help protect himself and others.


Stance: Defensive
Action: Defensive Fighting (-2d, +4 Parry)
+1d Advantage

 

Axes -  1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 4d6 : 4, 4, 3, 4, total 15

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn surveyed the field, he took up a defensive position alongside Grimbeorn and steeled himself for the next combat.

  Defensive stance, Second Wind
Athletics TN 14

Rolled 1d12 : 2, total 2

Rolled 2d6 : 6, 1, total 7

[Telcontar]

  i need to dump some
Points in my favoured skills I'm liking rolling in triple AAA baseball over here.

[Eclecticon]

A nice Awe roll if useful. A very uninspiring attack roll, although it is a success.

If the Awe roll was allowed, it is a 20 success, with maybe a benefit from my Enemy-lore (orcs) trait. I leave it in your hands, Paul.

I'm fine with allowing an Awe roll - after all, we didn't do opening volleys, and it was very nice narration. 

As for the attack, I hit the Cackling orc with a 17 success for 11 loss. This tactical situation needed a first kill on my attack here and that was not achieved. I hope she is able to roll with the results.

Well, now I do too, especially because the Cackling Orc will drop a Hate point on his Hideous Toughness ability and reduce the Endurance loss down to seven. 

EDIT:  Same for the Thick-handed Orc.

[Eclecticon]

Nimronyn descends like a thunderbolt through the misty dimness but the orc beneath the blow moves swiftly and surely, taking the blow upon its thickly-mailed shoulder with a screeching cackle and eyes flashing with bloodlust.  Neither does Grimbeorn, keeping his shield up and making only a single blow, daunt his foe.  Two orcs, one with foul runes painted in blood on its shield, press upon Hathcyn before he can fully regain his breath from the long run.  Lost in the fog, the kinsmen of Arbogast and the warriors of the Woodmen join the battle with a great clashing of iron. 

The orcs, sensing the hesitancy of the companions, press forward at the cry of their leader, a brute of a creature with a bent sword in either hand. 


The orcs counter-attack:

Cackling Orc (TN 15)

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6+4 : 4, 1, 2 + 4, total 11

Rusty-helmed Orc (TN 15)

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 3d6+4 : 4, 4, 3 + 4, total 15

Sword-wielding Orc (TN 15)

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 3d6+4 : 6, 5, 2 + 4, total 17

Thick-handed Orc (TN 20)

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6+4 : 6, 2, 2 + 4, total 14

Red-eyed Orc (TN 20)

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6+4 : 5, 3, 3 + 4, total 15

Spitting Orc (TN 20)

1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 3d6+4 : 1, 5, 6 + 4, total 16

Bloody-shielded Orc (TN 19)

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6+4 : 4, 2, 1 + 4, total 11

Reeking Orc (TN 19)

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6+4 : 4, 4, 5 + 4, total 17

[Eclecticon]

Nasty result for Esgalwen as the orcs pile on her - she loses 16 Endurance and needs to make a Protection roll against the Rusty-helmed orc's spear (TN 12). 

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

Grimbeorn fares better, losing four Endurance.  Hathcyn gets hit by a lucky spear-blow, losing four Endurance, and also needs a Protection roll (same TN). 

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 6, 5, total 16

[Eclecticon]

Terror and furor descend upon the tiny battlefield as the orcs drive home their spears with the great strength for which their kind is infamous.  Try as she may, Esgalwen cannot parry every blow and she is driven backwards by iron heads forged in the blackness beneath Mount Gram.  The stiffened leather of her shirt prevents the worst of the harm, however, as do the scales of Hathcyn's corselet. 

From out through the hole in the roof of Sweartmereseld comes a hoarse voice that is unmistakably that of Arbogast, though most of his words are drowned out by the grunting of the two trolls and a tremendous crash.  What little the companions, hard-pressed as they are, can comprehend sounds like the end of a wrathful lament for the Tarn-folk's sorrow and shame. 

[tomcat]

Yea - that was brutal. Do you think you could roll ANY better, Paul! Thanks for the good protection roll, though.

Looking at the values stacked against us, the Enemy traits and the action economy, I made a huge miscalculated blunder there. I forgot about their Hideous Toughness, too...

Okay, on to Round 2.

PS - does my allowed Awe roll give us any benefit? Or was their reduction due to my roll?

[Telcontar]

Someone with a high inspire needs to Rally comrades. My 2d6 there was no better than my second wind attempt.