1.10 Blood on the Plains

General Summary

    Our heroes set out from Breachill a week after the town closed its doors to travelers, sealing them inside. The party took the time to replenish, revitalize, restock, and renew. Now they are retracing their steps on the hunt for Vilree.   They make their way to the spot outlined in the notes from the Pen. Spite's Cradle. Travel was an uneventful three day journey. When they got within half an hour of the location, Kal and Tbom scouted ahead while the others made camp.   The scouting party found signs of a small orc encampment. Fifteen foot high walls of timbers run between the high walls of a narrow canyon. Climbing up higher to see inside would be difficult and so the party opted to head back.   Meanwhile the team at home base was being watched. Gunnar and Dog detected something. Gunnar saw but a shadow. Dog didn't like the scent. They were unable to track it and returned to camp. On the first watch of camp that night, the Orcs attacked   The battlefield was a flat plane of grass and tree stumps, this location having been tree harvested at some point in the past. A twenty foot wide dry riverbed separated the orcs from the Low Bar. Five orcs were lead by an archer with a massive longbow. 'Attack' Greytusk called out. The orcs clambered to the far side while she covered their advance with double shots of arrows.   The party engaged the enemy. Arrows rained down doing consistent damage. Quicky Tbom changed the tactics for the battlefield, causing two smoke bombs to confused Greytusk. Fighting ranged into and out of the smoke, making the hand to hand combat more in the favor of the heroes. Orcs were hit with massive damage, but they didn't fall down easily. Their Orc Ferocity kept them in the battle.   Once the first wave of orcs had fallen, Greytusk called out 'Wave Two, Attack!' A fresh set of enemies joined the fray, including a gigantic orc named Lord Nar. Nar charged the group, down the valley and back up, striking Kreck with a massive blow from his rune carved great club. The rest of the Orcs followed his point and the battle resumed, the heroes wounded and beginning to tire. Greytusk began targeting fringe party members with sniper shots for massive damage. Gunnar kept the party standing, especially Kreck. Yet it looked bad for the team. If there was a third wave, the party was done for.   As the party fought on a pitched and desperate battle, strategies shifted. Kal charged Greytusk to remove her sniper advantage. Kreck pushed Nar down into the riverbed, giving him time to retreat and heal. Tbom flung bombs and dropped Orcs. Eventually Shayna dropped the monstrous orc Lord Nar. With that, Greytusk surrendered and the battle was over.

Rewards Granted

Items  

• 10 sets of hide armor
• 10 knuckle daggers
• 35 Javelins
• 2 hatchets
• 1 Rune Carved Great Club (Bonesplinter)
• 1 composite longbow (Greytusk's Kiss)
• 40 arrows
• 1 set Rune Carved Studded Leather Armor (Grunnveil)
• 1 large Brass Key

XP

• Orc Brutes - 200xp everyone
• Lord Nar (Due to being level 4 and not 3) - 45xp everyone
• Greytusk surrender - 45xp everyone
• Pushing Lord Nar- 15xp Kreck
• Keeping the party alive over your own safety - 25xp Gunnar
• Chasing down Greytusk - 15xp Kal
• Smoke Bombs - 15 xp Tbom
• Killing Blow to Lord Nar - 15xp Shayna

Notes

Traditional D20 fantasy rpgs would generally have mobs fight to the death in every scenario. Reasons for this is expediency. Prisoners are a pain in the ass morally and logistically to a streamlined beat-em-up game. Best to kill everyone and let their gods sort them out.   I find that to be unsatisfying on multiple levels. Sentient creatures have their own motivations for why the fight. When circumstances change, those reasons are evaluated. They can and do change their minds and surrender or flee become options that reasoned creatures will consider. So Greytusk has surrendered. Now comes the morality challenges of what to do with a prisoner who may still try to harm you or get away. What resources do you spend guarding them? What is the long-term plan for them? On the upside, you're likely to get information. But it won't come without its own price.   Also, you will note that I have named some items in the loot. I always give names to items that have interesting properties or histories. In my worlds, I believe that if something is magical and important to someone, that someone would take the time to name it.