The Sauron Camp.
Individual combats continue, the lizardman attacking
Orgoth misses, two more attack the paladin and one gets in a mighty hack that wounds
Sir Dewey,
-6hp. Neither adventurer can retort in their defence.
A combination of blows from
Sigrid, Copperpiece & Gideon assail the pick swinging excavator,
-4hp, who takes advantage of the mage's unbalance to once more bludgeon her fragile frame with a smashing blow,
Sigrid -5hp.
The giant spectre wades across the Moor, emerging from the cloud of
Darkness to swing his own club like a harbinger of death threshing the chaff, sorting between those who believe and those who do not. Comrades have discerned the true nature of the phantasm yet fail to recognise its source. Swinging his spectral club, it swipes between combatants and the lizardmen prove especially prone to believe this is actually a real spectre disturbed from the nearby Barrow tomb, reacting physically to the ghostly presence, even crumbling under imaginary blows that metaphysically inflicts crushing injuries upon each.
-9hp They are swept back into the trench, scattered, injured in body and mind.
The comrades react, some contradictory as minds scream 'it is just an illusion' but bodies action 'trying to disperse it' or 'attacking it anyways'.
Just as well then that the spectre's strikes, powerful blows enough to break an ox are pulled aside to swerve away from hammering friend as well as foe. The spectre dissipates, fading into the misty night as the conflicts conclude. A figure, diminutive and bleeding does reveal himself from the misty undergrowth.
Cosmo, a gnome and former comrade. He is a master of illusion among his sorcerous talents.
Four excavators are in the trench. Surrendered and held now at the point of
Copperpiece who wards them with his heavy crossbow.
Sir Dewey, Orgoth, Sigrid & Gideon can enter the Sauron camp proper. You meet several dwarves who thank you for your timely arrival and intervention which allowed them to press their charge.
Karl Barrelgut emerges from small tent made from scaly canvas sheets. In his hand he holds a disfigured decapitated head, a mottled grotesque with vipers for hair and a reptilian visage. It seems this disfigured aspect was some Oracle of the lizardmen. Behind him in the Tabernacle,
Chingacharz'ad lies dead.
The two groups, a dozen lizardmen in various states of health and the now combined Orgoth and Karl's group face off. The lizardmen concede defeat, their Captain and the Oracle dead, another nine warriors deceased whose bodies are scattered about the camp.
Karl speaks,
Rum who speaks lizardman can translate. The cleric allows those Sauron survivors to depart camp rather than take them prisoner. He has no wish for further bloodshed. They acknowledge this, taking with them the helm of rank that
Chingacharz'ad wore, appointing a new leader among them to guide them back to their tribal lands a score plus miles away.
Karl orders the body of
Three-Moons to be brought up from the Bogdweller pit. He is wrapped in the Tabernacle canvas as it is torn down and the deceased bodies of lizardmen are unceremoniously thrown into the pit. The cleric prays, tossing a small hammer into the pit which produces a forceful wave of pressure that caves in the pit walls to cover the bodies over. The dwarves share the burden to carry
Three-Moons back to
Helix for proper burial and internment.
Also on the scene are
Cosmo Snag, gnome illusionist, entrepreneur and 'advocate' for Dwarf-Sauron conciliations. He is joined by
Rum Lightbender, dwarven adventurer and Sauron translator, one who rallied to
Karl's initial plea for help. Concluding the group is
Callen,
Cleric of St Ygg, itinerant priest and mapper of the
Nergal Obelisk.
Health Status
Sir Dewey: 8/22hp
Copperpiece: 6/6hp
Orgoth: 28/33hp
Sigrid: 7/14hp
Gideon: 8/8hp
And here, after rolling further random events. This Expedition will conclude with the trek back to
Helix. Arriving in the morning hours of
June 30th.
In coming days, each of the injured characters receive a blessing of healing from the dwarven cleric. Each character can recover +1hp of health for each full day of rest (
which includes general chitchat about town but not further adventuring or strenuous exercise to upgrade skills or any intensive study or research). So by
July 7th all but
Sir Dewey will be back to full health.
Karl Barrelgut: casts CLW upon Sigrid [1d8]=4 Orgoth [1d8]=7 Sir Dewey [1d8]=3 adjusted into tallies above.
Forgemaster Expedition Experience Awards:
Beetle swarm: +50xp
Three Elemental Beetles: 180xp x 3 = 540xp
Beetle Daemon: encountered and chased away, +50xp.
Two lizardmen excavators: 120xp.
Find Karl Barrelgut: +100xp
Total: 860xp / 4 character shares and half share to Copperpiece. = 191xp per full share plus any 10% prb bonus. (+19xp Orgoth only)
Each Character player also receives a +100xp Expeditions participation award.
Final totals:
Gideon Hawke:
+291xp
Sigrid Myrkva:
+291xp
Orgoth Stonewall:
+310xp
Sir Dewey:
+291xp
Copperpiece:
+96xp
Please adjust scores on your sheets. I have adjusted the public records.
Treasure Trove: none, except the gratitude of the Dwarven community.
Actions please: Post a concluding action, comment or question here. Acknowledge the XP awards on your sheets.
Post in the
Settlement: Helix threads. In the tavern to chat informally and to cater for any week long of Upkeep and in other location threads you visit or BRAG if you are part of the Guild.
Use the
Expedition Planning thread to discuss adventuring options or post in-character dialogue between players in appropriate threads.