Part 2: Arrival in Thurmaster

[Custom_Hobby]

Sir Thorgrin smiles when sees Orla "I'll be happy to help." He takes out his hammer instead of the axe. He turns to Garrick : "ok so no charging."

Stopping his search for rare components for a second "So we are off to find the girl and a bear. This gets more interesting by the minute."

[Woojitsu]

"Of course, no charging.  We want to help the boy, not hurt him."

Do we need to make Knowledge checks to know that Maxim is a werebear, or is that as obvious to our characters as it is to us?

[Rod the Worm]

Hasta shrugs. 
"Well, if we're looking for one lost child we may as well look for another.  Let's go help the poor boy."

[Custom_Hobby]

Thorgrin looks shocked "Of course I am not trying to hurt him. That's why I switched to the hammer instead. So which way does it look like he went?"

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Do we need to make Knowledge checks to know that Maxim is a werebear, or is that as obvious to our characters as it is to us?

He actualy used the word shapeshifter so it's safe to assume you all know exactly what he means. Not neccessarily any rules related to it, but you all know that it's some form of shapeshifting affliction the young boy seems to have been born with. Perhaps it's nature is sympathetic rather than infective. Given his family background it's highly unlikely to be inherited but you never know.

Orla sets off, leading the group to the spot where the bear was last seen. As the twisted twigs and brambles pluck at cloaks and tug at trousers, Orla seems to move through the forest unhindered. Not only is she so familiar with travelling in this terrain but it's almost as if the briars themselves shy away a little, reluctant to scratch at her or tear her garb. In truth the sturdy hides she wears are more resilient than some of the roughspun wool and cotton our fledgling adventurers wear and they do not yet know spells to ward off the ravages of nature on travelling clothing. Often she has to double back, frustration or annoyance clear on her face as she waits for the rest of them to catch up with her or is irritated by their cursing at the brambles that pluck at them in passing.

During the journey Kundar informs everyone that should the werebear panic and attack, he shall take the brunt of it's force but that he requires the others to cast his weighted nets over it. To maneouver or hurl either of these great nets woul require two people to work together due to their size. He also requests that they do not use weapons against the beast for that may serve to anger it, and an angry werebear is not something anyone in a clear state of mind would want to face.

As the sun bathes the western horizon with a wash of beaitul colours, slowly descending, and the moon is visible to the east, they final reach their destination. While the other rest a little to catch their breath, Kundar searches around, spying paw prints, broken twigs, crushed bushes and other signs of the bear's passing. Since it is now too dark to follow the trail reliably without torches, and such light woul surely drive the boy away in his frightened bear's mind, Kundar proposes the party settle down for the night and set out in pursuit in the morning.

[Custom_Hobby]

"Resting sounds fine to me" Amras sits down and takes stock of his spell components. "I think I'll have a look around and see if I find anything else. Orla do you know if there are any rare items in this area? I'd appreciate any help you can give too Kundar."

Sir Throgrin looks around "I'll take first watch if no one else wants to."

[Woojitsu]

Shen looks in dismay at the tattered edges of his cloak.  "Garrick, did you bring your sewing kit?"

[PaulH]

"I think I'll join you. I'll need a good night's rest before I prepare my spells in the morning".

"Ah - Shen. I can look at that while I'm on watch, if you like".

[Woojitsu]

"I thank you.  Wake me at the end of your watch.  I will relieve you."

[Balgin Stondraeg]

A few hours' into the night whoever is on watch picks up the sounds of orcs moving through the woods directly towards the camp. The others are woken and battle preparations are made since the orcs seem to be making rather a lot of noise and are no small group themselves.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

I should've probably made this trip out into the forest part 3. Oh well, I know when part 3 will start then :).

Round 1:

Gudrot growls at his minions' incompetance. Can't they even organise a decent search? The prey should have been found by now but all his bys are interested in is the dwindling firelight of some camp nearby. Oh well, it's rare that strangers are foolish enugh to camp in the thornwood, even more foolish to advertise their presence. It looks like Gudrot's boys'll have good plunder tonight. Maybe they'll even eat horse flesh, or man...

Shenaistos lets loose an arrow at one of the lead orcs. It catches the orc's shield rim and sticks quiverring in his shoulder armour. That was so close. Amras summons energy and a blue dart of power streaks from his fingers to burry itself in an oncoming orc. The creature blinks stupidly and then keels over.

Roaring, Kundar charges into the darkness to meet three orcs head on. His sword slashes and one of them goes down crying out noisily. At Orla's command roots and branches reach out, brambles clutch, tug and snare. The orcs shout out to each other in confusion and rage. Gudrot himself bellows as plants ensnare his shins and ankles. He tugs and roars but cannot break free.

From the darkness Belshar and Arlin strike. Snarling they rip into the orcs from different sides and blood is spilled. A lone orc archer turns, raising his spear defensively like a staff only to go down under the overbearing weight of pouncing fur. Belshar snarls, ripping the head from it's neck. Shaking it and casting it aside. Black blood sprays from the wood and the orc is no more. Likewise another of the greenskins has fallen to Arlin's strike but he is now exposed and surrounded, should the orcs break free of nature's snare he may be in great danger indeed.

Garrick softly unleashes magic and the remaining orcs near Kundar sway on their feet then slouch to the ground snoring loudly. One of them snorts mid snore but remains aslumber. With a roar of savage fury one of the orcs breaks free of the brambles that hold him, small thorns tearing at his legs as he does so. Storming the short distance to Arlin. and casting his bow aside as he does so, he raises his axe and chops down at the wolf. There is a yelp of pain and blood glistens on his blade. Mindful, Gordic advances towards the wounded wolf as it may well need his attention.

[Balgin Stondraeg]

Round 2:

Advancing Shenaistos draws back another bshaft and lets lose. There is a startled gurgle and an orc falls, blood spewing from the arrow in the ruin of his eye socket. Cautiously Amras casts about, seeking a suitable target on which to unleash a minor spell but none seem near. Whimpering, Alrin retreats to his mistress who weaves a song of whispered words out of the air as her ahnds pass over his wounds and they mysticaly close, leaving sore tender skill that shall soon be healed.

As Kundar puts the finishing touch to the sleeping orc at his side Belshar hurtles past him to grasp another sleeper by the throat. The great wolf shakes it like a rag doll. Bones rattle and shake in ways they were never meant to and then the lifeless husk is cast aside as the wolf prepares to pounce on a new target.

With a crack, a stone from Hasta's sling bounces from an orcish helmet. Whilst no damage is done the break in concentration causes his jabbing spear tip to swing wide and miss Thorgrin. The dwarf grins, abloodthirsty look in his eye as he closes for the kill. With a cry his sinks his axe through the orc's collar bone and down into it's lungs. It thrashes about for a few moments as life flee's it's bleeding form.

With a thunder of hooves Kharsis of Sheldomar spurrs his horse towards the entangled orcish swordsman and for once his spirited steed obeys. His spear punches through crude leather plates, bypassing metal plates and rivets, punching through rib and chest to the brute's heart. The orc sags heavily on the end of his spear. Casting it aside, the knight to be grimly reaches for his second shaft.

The freed orc advances swiftly and slashes cruely once again at Arlin, opening a fresh wound on the wolf's side. With a cry of rage Orla utters a short string of sharp words. A ball of flame coallesces around the orc's head and he screams in agony for his last few moments before dropping in a thrashing heap. The flames subside before they can cause any serious damage to the nearby plantlife.

Gudrot is about to bellow an order to the swordsman to "stab dem back" when an arrow from Garrick's bow thuds heavily into his shoulder. Frustrated he settles for "oi, dat 'urt!" Tearing the arrow from his shoulder the orc leader breaks free and turns to flee for his very life. Casting aside his sword and shield for improved mobility he runs into the woods. Bloodthirsty, Belshar follows him but stays at a word from Orla. Arlin is wounded and she needs protection, should more orcs attack.

But Gudrot does not know this. Gudrot is running through the forest. Running as if his heart the very hounds of hell themselves are at his heels. His feet pound heavily as he tramples through the underbrush, his heart pounds in his chest and every breath rakes agony from the wound in his shoulder. Eventualy he comes to a halt, too tired to flee. He leans against a gnarled tree, gasping for breath. Raising a hand to press against his bleeding shoulder he listens for sounds of pursuit. Hearing none he grins a smug grin. They won't get him. He'll get them. He'll get some more of da boyz and find these pinky humie things and smash them to bits. He even remembers what one or two of their faces look like. Yeah, he'll get the big boy to help too and that'll show them.

As he leers in satisfaction he hears the russtle of leaves and breaking of tiny twigs as something large moves behind him. Turning he spies a darker darkness in the clearing that blocks out the stars. Gudrot gapes, what is this thing? The shadow growls and then he knows only too well what it is.......

****

Back in the camp the fight is clearly over. People gather round, check everyone's present and see who's wounds need tending to. Orla weaves another spell to close Arlin's wounds and I should imagine there's some pretty heavy plundering going on too.

So on them, in total, the orcs had....

10 suits of ill fitting and poorly maintained stuydded leather armour (including metal helmets). Some are so badly damaged that only pieces or "most" of their armour can be salvaged.
10 orcish crude orcish wooden shields bound with some kind of cured animal hide. They each bear the same design (showed below)
Gudrot's Shield - clearly not of orcish make. It's a round wooden shield with ametal boss and rim (not dissimilar to Boromir's really cool shield in the Lord of the Rings films).
Gudrot's sword - a crude orcish scimitar-like heavy curving blunt blade.
4 orcish short bows
4 orcish battle axes
4 orcish spears
2 silvered longswords (again not of orcish make, but cruel and wicked looking as if someone nasty like drow or deurgar made them)
98 cp
68 sp

[Woojitsu]

Passing over most of the loot with little interest, Shen pauses when he discovers one of the cruel-looking silver blades. It is obviously of better quality than his own sword, but what evils has it been used to perpetrate? Would it be right to wield something most likely fashioned to spread death and destruction? Hmmm...

It is really shiny. "If no one else wants this, I'll take it."

[PaulH]

Garrick seeing that there are 2 silvered longswords picks up the other one.

"Hmm - good against lyanthropes, but do slightly less damage because of the softer metal..."

Looking around at the party

"If you want I could try & appraise the rest & see what I can get for it. Maybe I can make a few 'useful' contacts round here.."

Garrick ponders for a moment remembering the first town & the village with the wizard.
[Thinks: Wonder if I'll need a Charm Person, or will that screw up future negotiations]?

To the party;
"Someone please give us a hand to collect all this garbage. Maybe someone will pay for some of it.."
Garrick then starts to gather up as much as he can & put what he can in his backpack, some bow over his shoulder.

Cheers
Paul H

[Balgin Stondraeg]

I forgot to mention that there's blood on those two swords, regardless of wether they injured any party members or not. I'm certain one of them didn't but one of them might have done.