Beneath the Steading

The company, now more than twice its former size, exits the large room to the south, but the passage they follow quickly turns back north, toward where the steading must lie.

The journey lasts a few hours at least.

Bibi says to the group, "Were you all captives here or did you come to free your friend?" referring to Bronk.

"We were pressed into service by the lunatic regent Hathagarde," says Blade disdainfully. "If not for him, I'd still be up to me armpits in Vulvanian whores and drunk on cheap wine. Instead I am here killing giants with no payment for my fees whatsoever. Say?....you're not from Vulvania are you? "

"No..." Bibi replies to Blade. "I am from a village far from here. But I have been traveling this area for quite some time."

"It was Ozrik and he is king not regent,"remarks Ghotu. "Nevertheless, we are not here of our own accord. If it were, for me at least, this godforsaken hole in the ground would be a godforsaken brothel on the surface."

The party has just lit fresh torches when they reach the inhabited parts of the caves. Mog speaks with the orcs, then says to the party, "We are back beneath the steading itself. The escaped orcs are just ahead."

The passage opens up into a wide area, fairly well lit, where there are gathered at least two hundred orcs. At least sixty of them are armed and armored to the teeth, wearing vintage bugbear equipment, while most of the rest carry a weapon or tool of some sort. Little equipment they have, and little food, for their existence beneath the steading in the caverns was poor. Now they are ready to leave.

Krulek approaches the party, and says in broken common, "Now you come with us to escape the Dungeon and the Palace above. Sun sets above. Time to go."

Without further ado, the company is ushered to the front of the exiting mob with a band of the hardiest orcs, while another well- armed section follows behind. Krulek leads the party, saying, "Only one way out." He leads the company from the caves into a narrow but cleanly carved passage. This turns left, and through some rubble are several more dead bugbears, their armor and weapons gone.

The passage is only about 10' wide, and the party passes first a door on the left, then an open but dark passage on their right. Then they come to a wide passage branching off to their right, and looking down it they recognize the room where they first came into the basement of the steading, the main room in which they killed so many Bugbears. The narrow passage they are in continues straight, but Krulek leads them down the wide passage to the right, toward the main room and the stairs up, which are reached from that room. Behind them crowd the rest of the orc population, which includes fighters and women and children.

The party enters the main room, and they are immediately assaulted with a smell. At first the adventurers think it must be from dead bodies. But the bugbear cadavers have all been removed, though the floor is still covered in their blood.

Then, to their left, a part of the wall (just past the stairs) seems to fall away, and from the hole burst forth several manticores. The creatures appear to be extremely angry, and they are covered in filth and whip marks. They see the adventurers and orcs, and roar as they charge.

From another passage come streaming the dire wolves, more than a dozen, saliva dripping from their massive jaws. They leap upon the adventurers and orcs.

From behind the party is also heard the roar of more animals, and back down the passage they see that their force has been divided by several cave bears who have leapt upon the orcs at the intersection. Giants can also be heard back down that passage. The adventurers are cornered in the main room with the manticores and dire wolves. All the other exits to the room appear to be barricaded by large (10' high) stone slabs that reach half-way to the ceiling. The passage to the stairs appears to have been entirely stonewalled shut.

The company has no healing potions. They are under attack.

"Well," says Bronk Beareye, "SHIT!!!"

"Well spoken, my friend. I second that sentiment," says Blade wrily as he simultaneoulsy pulls put his two swords from their scabbards. He hopes that his wish is still in effect, but if not, he is prepared to die gallantly or flee mockingly. The latter sounded the more likely. What did he care about giants raiding some god-forsken kingdom that had pressed him into service? The odds were clearly aginst them, but if anything that just made it more thrilling for Blade, who judging by the wide grin on his face, was having the time of his life.

"For once Bronk Beareye, I too must agree with that sentiment!" Bruce leaps into the air, spinning his great axe overhead, aiming to behead the first Manticore that comes his way.

Bronk, the Rasheman warrior, has seen alot in his lifetime so far....but this takes the cake.

He yells to the rest of his brethren: "Keep swinging, ducking, dodging, kicking and punching!"

"If you go down...keep swinging, ducking, dodging, kicking and punching!"

"Finally...as my fellow Rasheman warriors would say: 'If you fall down DEAD brethren...by all means let your spirit KEEP SWINGING, DUCKING, DODGING, KICKING AND PUNCHING TO SAVE THE REST OF US!!!'"

"KILL THEM ALL AND LET THOSE ABOVE US SORT THEM OUT!!!"

With that...the behemoth known as Bronk Beareye, knowing full well that those words may be his last, jumps into the fray with reckless abandon.

So be it that it comes to this, he thinks.

Bibi moves back trying to take what cover is available. She begins casting her charm spell. She is directing it at the manticore that seems to be the leader.

Please post FOUR rounds of attacks, Bibi your bow goes 2 arrows per round and d8+1 damage, the rest of the fighters go 3 attacks/2 rounds as usual. Give a written description of your attacks or intentions, and submit to hit rolls (d20) and damage rolls (found on character sheets) if you want using the dice link below.

Feel free to write out your character's actions as they would be written in a book or story. I will even report if you hit or missed if you want to narrate the results of your own combat.

Check out the Trophy Room for running totals of all the creatures killed, experience points earned, and treasure gathered so far on the adventures of . . .