Orc Ambush

August 6, 2020

Afterward, thinking about it, the group thinks it was probably the best outcome.  Had the waves hit sooner, it would have been much worse.  As it was, they were still exhausted and happy they could rest.  

The group found another group of orcs, looking at something.  Once again, they tried to sneak up on the orc group.  This time it didn't work.  Rickard stepped wrong and grunted or coughed.  Or snapped a twig.  Even Rickard would later say it was his fault.  Whatever he did, he alerted them.  Shots from Rolen's bow took down three before the orcs could move far.  Blasts from Kaji dropped another one.  Dio and Gorstag got to the main group and cut them down.   Dio was starting to look at what they had setup when the hollering started!

A group of orcs emerged from a hidden place about an hundred and fifty feet away.  Before much else happened, Kaji dropped a fireball on them and when it was gone, so were the orcs.  Maybe he should have saved it, though.  Another group of orcs popped up from within sixty feet, having used grass and shallow trenches to hide.  Then a third group of orcs to the west two hundred feet and a fourth group of orcs to the south nearly three hundred feet away.  All were rushing toward the group.  If the orcs could have built their hiding places closer to the decoy, it might have worked.  

Dio and Gorstag rushed to attack the close group.  Spellcasters among the orcs revealed themselves, which only gave Rolen targets.  As the two groups merged, Dio had already been hit hard by lucky shots from orc archers.  But he gave as good he got and with a hit blessed by Moradin, scared off the leader of the north group.  A huge summa bitch with only one eye and obviously worshiping of Gruumsh.  He seemed to get annoyed at falling for Dio's trick, having been forced to run away, and steeled himself before coming back to attack.  The break was enough to take down most of his compatriots.  By this point, the rest had grouped up around Gorstag and Dio.  Rickard was using his ability to heal, letting the rest focus on attack.  Arrows would come at them from a stray shot here and there but mostly the orc archers weren't willing to fire on their friends.  They ended up going after Rolen, who gave as good as he got on a six to one ratio!  

The Gruumsh follower fell as the next group arrived.  Again, the spellcaster was dropped by Rolen and Kaji kept bringing Kossuth's flames onto the field, immolating many orcs.  Dio and Gorstag helped.  They took out the second group as the third group arrived and were again hard pressed.  They had been allowed a few breaths, just enough time for Rickard to again heal before more were upon them.  Had there been a fifth group, it would have been over.  The heroes weren't able to take out the third group before the fourth arrived.  Suddenly, everyone was in melee.  Kaji's blasts of flames seared past friends a lot closer than they wanted to find the orcs and burn them.  Gorstag had pushed out too far, his lust for battle overcoming his good sense, and he paid for it in hit after hit.  But he managed to get back to the group.  When the last of the orcs fell, the group collapsed.  At least, Rickard did.  He had expended all of his energy in healing, with a few small blast spells.  He had been shot and stabbed but had still managed to hold onto those spells.  Now he just fell to the ground and breathed deeply of the air.  Eventually, he took a healing potion and joined the rest.  A quick look around showed they were all jittery after combat but also ready to collapse.  A search of the bodies only had pennies and marks, weapons, and armor but nothing huge.  

Dio finished looking at where the first group had been and saw that it was a fake.  The fire pit was recently dug, even he could tell that, he didn't need Rolen to say it.  Probably only an hour or less, it was that fresh.  Yep.  Lucky.  

They rested that night and realized that just before the battle, they had all had the same experience.  They found themselves back at their masters, learning again.  Understanding better the old teachings.  Even figuring out a few new tricks.  It felt like a dream but after seeing they all had it, they wondered how it had happened.  Well, no, they could piece that together.  Why?  Why had they been gifted with more training?  The night brought no answers.  

The next morning, they headed out to find the orc camp.  They did but found it had already been "claimed" by the Sisters.  Gorstag really didn't like how predictable Dio was at times.  The Sisters claimed the camp and all that was in it.  There was digging equipment, used as the other camp had had, and lean to's all set up.  This was something the tribes, and it had been both tribes Feasting Crow and Grey Wolves, had worked together.  Was this furthering what they had seen before?  Or was it already in motion?  Gorstag shook his head at that and come back to the present.  The Sisters hadn't introduced themselves, and they had two men who seemed more hired muscle than in the know, and were now saying that it was time for the group to leave their "claim."  Gorstag said a few things but the Sister speaking mostly ignored him and focused on Dio.  Again, she said the right thing and Dio said they should discuss it.  They retreated back to talk.  

Gorstag knew what the result wold be.  He wasn't wrong.

Dio wouldn't just attack them.  He could do it with orcs and goblins but not these humans.  Yes, he knew they were up to something.  Yes they had worked with or employed Viktor.  Yes, they might be behind the orcs tribes uniting.  Still, Dio wouldn't attack them.  Not like this.  Not without provocation.  Gorstag thought he could get that to happen but already Dio told the Sisters they would leave.  One of the group had said something about checking out the other orc camp, or even going on to one of the other sites.  

They headed south, as if back to Westhold but would turn east soon enough.  

3000 xp

GM Notes

• I'm still amazed at how much d20Pro has nearly fundamentally changed playstyle.  
• It used to be that melee combat happened within one round of combat, two at the most.  With bigger maps and distances, now it can be four rounds or more to close.   
• It makes ranged weapons and an archer almost required.  Almost.   
• The battle took three real hours and it was seven game rounds. 
• By the book, that's forty two seconds.  It doesn't seem like it was enough.  Seven minutes, for one minute rounds, might have been better. 
• At the same time, it works and fights can be fast, even with movement. 
• We did manage to do a bit of role playing afterward and I thought it went well. 
• I think Dio, paladin or not, is well established with his honor and wouldn't have attacked. 
• Sure, they know the Sisters are up to something but won't be aggressive without reason. 

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