Post by David on Jul 10, 2017 14:27:15 GMT -5
The heroes (Viktor with Billi, Pacha, Kahana, Lohaheel, and Garlok with Boomika) are back in Klarr just long enough to heal up before heading back to finish off the bugbear and their vile, undead allies. While in town, the group meets up with Anya the Unruly, a cleric of Freya. The Norse priestess is happy to join the expedition and they also pick up a Kara-Turan warrior named Li there as well. Much to Viktor's consternation, Li doesn't know Tetsuko either and Li and Kohana seem to be different kinds of Easterners that do not get along. The half-orc shakes his head, confused by the diversity of the folk from Kara Tur.
The group heads to the caverns and hikes straight there, making excellent time. On the morning of Midsummer, the group is nearly at the limestone cave network when a group of six ogres ATTEMPT to ambush the group, failing miserably. The ogres have a chance to cry out for help before being slaughtered. First one and then three more ogres move to aid their compatriots and while they do manage to land a few minor blows on the bard and ranger, neither Garlok nor Pacha is seriously hurt at all. The heroes slay and loot a total of ten ogres and then track the two who fled to another section of caverns. The heroes enter and soon find themselves battling a lair of ogres, albeit one that's already been somewhat depopulated. The ogres call for help and a lone figure comes from another series of caverns to aid them. Anya cuts him down while Pacha demonstrates just how lethal she is with her new flaming bastard sword. The rangers determine that not all the ogres the party met could have lived in these caves, so Viktor and Pacha with the aid of Billi track the lone ogre that ran to rescue his fellows to yet another set of caves. Unfortunately, Kohana can't really walk well, much less fight, so Garlok lends her his ring of invisibility and she covers herself in ogres' blood, waiting for the rest of the group to come back and fetch her.
The heroes enter this new lair. One ogre tries to ambush the group at the entrance, but is quickly slaughtered. Soon the party finds themselves battling ogresses and even ogre children. In the melee, Li is struck down and the lone surviving ogre flees. Pacha gives chase, followed by Lohaheel, Viktor, and Boomika. Meanwhile, Li begins to grow striped orange fur and a tail...! Anya freaks out a little but Garlok speaks a single command to "sleep" and the creature curls into a ball and reverts to human form. Garlok then dashes after the rest of the group after hearing his familiar Boomika bark for help, leaving the cleric of Freya and Billi with the lycanthrope....
The ogres make a last stand in the chambers of their chief -- an enormous ogre clad in chainmail and using a mace made from the skull of a slain creature. The ogre nearly kills Pacha and takes out Viktor, forcing the heroes to be more careful in their assault. To save Pacha's life, Garlok leaps into combat with the chief, absorbing a huge amount of punishment but holding the line. Lohaheel cures the warriors as best as he can and they manage to finish off the adult ogres. The heroes then loot and leave the caverns, limping to Hommlet as several party members are too wounded for the long trek back to Klarr.
In the late afternoon, a powerfully-built man with a golden hair and beard appears out of nowhere next to Garlok. He says, "Son, you know, your mother is quite worried about you. It's not like you to miss your birthday. Your sister has something elaborate planned in Dragondale and Jenner has come home from the northern woods to be there. Can I transport you there? I have enough spells to bring your friends along too, if they'd like to come..."
The group heads to the caverns and hikes straight there, making excellent time. On the morning of Midsummer, the group is nearly at the limestone cave network when a group of six ogres ATTEMPT to ambush the group, failing miserably. The ogres have a chance to cry out for help before being slaughtered. First one and then three more ogres move to aid their compatriots and while they do manage to land a few minor blows on the bard and ranger, neither Garlok nor Pacha is seriously hurt at all. The heroes slay and loot a total of ten ogres and then track the two who fled to another section of caverns. The heroes enter and soon find themselves battling a lair of ogres, albeit one that's already been somewhat depopulated. The ogres call for help and a lone figure comes from another series of caverns to aid them. Anya cuts him down while Pacha demonstrates just how lethal she is with her new flaming bastard sword. The rangers determine that not all the ogres the party met could have lived in these caves, so Viktor and Pacha with the aid of Billi track the lone ogre that ran to rescue his fellows to yet another set of caves. Unfortunately, Kohana can't really walk well, much less fight, so Garlok lends her his ring of invisibility and she covers herself in ogres' blood, waiting for the rest of the group to come back and fetch her.
The heroes enter this new lair. One ogre tries to ambush the group at the entrance, but is quickly slaughtered. Soon the party finds themselves battling ogresses and even ogre children. In the melee, Li is struck down and the lone surviving ogre flees. Pacha gives chase, followed by Lohaheel, Viktor, and Boomika. Meanwhile, Li begins to grow striped orange fur and a tail...! Anya freaks out a little but Garlok speaks a single command to "sleep" and the creature curls into a ball and reverts to human form. Garlok then dashes after the rest of the group after hearing his familiar Boomika bark for help, leaving the cleric of Freya and Billi with the lycanthrope....
The ogres make a last stand in the chambers of their chief -- an enormous ogre clad in chainmail and using a mace made from the skull of a slain creature. The ogre nearly kills Pacha and takes out Viktor, forcing the heroes to be more careful in their assault. To save Pacha's life, Garlok leaps into combat with the chief, absorbing a huge amount of punishment but holding the line. Lohaheel cures the warriors as best as he can and they manage to finish off the adult ogres. The heroes then loot and leave the caverns, limping to Hommlet as several party members are too wounded for the long trek back to Klarr.
In the late afternoon, a powerfully-built man with a golden hair and beard appears out of nowhere next to Garlok. He says, "Son, you know, your mother is quite worried about you. It's not like you to miss your birthday. Your sister has something elaborate planned in Dragondale and Jenner has come home from the northern woods to be there. Can I transport you there? I have enough spells to bring your friends along too, if they'd like to come..."