Aside from construction of the shrine and helping with
general tasks around camp, an exorbitant amount of time is spent with Zargon,
as Zeb and Selben attempt to coach the bard through the rudiments of
magic. Despite Zargon’s willingness to
learn, much of the magic eludes his grasp.
The time is not wasted, however, as he does manage to scribe a few
spells and increase his magical repertoire.
It’s a style of learning that Zeb is not accustomed to, but he’s glad to
help.
We spend a fortnight in various tasks and training,
assisting Perhegan and the other men and women of Dagger’s Deep. Eventually, the light snows turn into heavy
winter storms, and the settlement is battered by several especially harsh
squalls with accumulating snow. That
makes it difficult for the hunters to conduct regular hunts, and Perhegan
declares a “precautionary ration” of food.
We learn that he’s readying a group of men and wagons that will travel
to Mirabar to resupply under the guise of merchants heading to Xantharl’s Keep,
as he does not yet want to reveal the existence of Dagger’s Deep.
As Perhegan departs, Dagger’s Deep is left in the command
of Pol Rallinoth, a man-at-arms who works with what serves as the settlement’s soldiers
and militia. Pol Rallinoth sends out a
hunting party during a break in the snowstorms, and they return with dire
news—all signs of fauna have seemingly dried up, and worse, they discover a
family or small clan of ogres that have found shelter in a nearby cave. As a result, much of the wild game native to
the region have fled their area of hunting and influence, leaving Dagger’s Deep
with a dilemma.
The hunters found a pair of ledges in the woods which, when observed from a distance, come together to form a cave at their bases. Movement in the area alerted them
to the presence of ogres, but not before they could count six of the creatures,
all assumed to be residing together in the cave. When Zargon questions the gender of the
ogres, he finds that they were an apparent mix of adult male and female ogres.
Questioning the resources of Dagger’s Deep that we have
at our disposal, there are a half-dozen legitimate warriors among the citizenry
of the settlement; Pol Rallinoth and Weald are included in this number. There are perhaps a dozen more men in a solid enough physical condition that they could fight in the case of an
emergency, but these are the settlement’s craftsmen, and we would
need to be sorely pressed indeed to risk them without great need.
We discuss several options, and Pol Rallinoth is amenable
to us having the same three hunters escort us to the cave, but not until
they’ve rested for the evening. We did
not intend to leave in the afternoon anyway, so we retire to our various tents
and prepare for the next day’s travail.
In the middle of the night, we hear the cry of
one of the town’s watchmen. At the
southeastern part of the settlement, the watchman saw the shadow of a
very large form in the trees milling about the woods around camp. When he looked back again, it was gone. We discuss plans, alerting the other guards, and Audric sends Lume to investigate. When the familiar returns, Audric learns that
she detected the scent of a repulsive creature, but nothing else.
Deciding that discretion is the better form of valor, we
decide to stay awake the rest of the night to bolster the guards’ confidence,
and to put more sets of eyes on the Lurkwood, with the intention of
investigating further in the morning.
The night passes otherwise uneventfully.
We find the tracks of a large humanoid, what appears to
be a single set of prints only, and the tracks prove reasonably easy to
follow. After a little exploration, it
appears that they lead back to the general direction of the ogre’s cave. We also discover that the ogre’s path crosses
the trail of the Dagger’s Deep hunting party from the previous day—just as we
intended to scout the ogre’s cave, they apparently have sent a scout
of their own to gauge our defenses.
Nothing about our plan is changed after the night’s events, and Pol
Rallinoth fortunately agrees, so we prepare with haste.
Eight of us set out from Dagger’s Deep—three of Pol
Rallinoth’s hunters, Zargon, Audric, Bonie, Selben, and me. With a fresh set of tracks to follow, Jakke’s
nose and the various talents of the hunters, we quickly arrive at a place where
we can see the top of the ogre’s ledge.
Audric devises a plan whereby we split the group—archers will head to
flank the cave from two sides,
with Bonie, Selben, Zargon and Audric divided between the groups. Being uniquely qualified to drive ogres from
their cave and also repel attacks to some degree, I will be the diversion meant
to draw them from their sanctuary.
Zargon is accompanied by two of the hunters, and it is
not long before they cross paths with one of the ogres. The bard’s recitation of bravery is
interrupted as all three men bring bows to bear. One of the hunters proves a capable marksman,
and Zargon strikes the enemy with his second arrow, though not before it nearly
reaches the group in melee. Fortunately,
Audric’s group and I are alerted by the sounds of battle, and spells and arrows
are raised in Zargon’s defense. To
Zargon’s credit, his group of hunters pepper the creature with another round of
barbs. As it raises its club to attack,
an arrow from Bonie catches the creature in the chest and topples it.
Before we can celebrate, however, a pair of ogres—one of
them mighty in stature, nearly 11 feet tall, the other a smaller female—turns a corner,
likely having heard the encounter and come looking for trouble. Both rush forward as I turn and run,
hoping to draw them after me while our allies fire arrows. The volley is effective, arrows raining into
the enemies as I nimbly evade their reach.
The giant ogre falls to another of Bonie’s arrows, buried up to the
feathers as it slumps forward, dead.
The female ogress seems enraged by the death of the
giant one, presumably a mate, stooping to retrieve his oversized club and charging towards me as I move to close
the distance. Meanwhile, the arrows of
our allies continue to take a terrible toll on the ogress, and before it reaches me, it is felled.
Bonie’s final arrow ends the life of the ogress, and I witness Bonie’s
triumphant smile as her arrow draws a thin line across its neck, spilling its
lifeblood.
The Lurkwood is still, quiet, with only our heavy breathing breaking the silence as we recover from the fight. We regroup as
Audric sends Lume forward again to scout, and we learn that there are at least
two more, near or within the cave. We follow our
original plan, and as I encounter the first ogre lying in wait outside, I conjure
forth a mystical arrow of acid that misses, sizzling as it strikes the ledge wall
behind it. It approaches me cautiously as our allies take positions at the flanks. Before any arrows can be fired, however, it
retreats into the cave, and we can hear guttural noises—presumably speech—from
within.
I layer abjurations as I approach, lighting a torch as
Audric joins me to examine the opening, as it seems our enemies seek to avoid a direct encounter.
Through my magic, I detect the presence of an ogre hidden within, and as I step towards
the cave, it reacts aggressively, raising a club high. Fortunately, Malar’s blessing prevents it
from smiting me, and I puff out my chest in challenge as our allies take aim and fire.
The angle proves awkward, however, for no arrow finds purchase, and the creature is driven further into the cave and the protection the darkness provides. Knowing that there are likely several more enemies, we decide to backtrack, reconvene, and discuss possible options.
"I'm not foolish enough to go in there," Zeb says, displaying an unusual level of caution. "But I have a plan," he says with a snarl, a mischievous look in his eye.
ReplyDelete"Selben, go fetch wood enough for a campfire a small one--enough to illuminate the cave entrance." Zeb looks off into the Lurkwood, towards the place that the initial encounter with the giant ogre took place. "Audric, I'll be back in a minute. Need to go get something. I suggestion keeping archers trained on the cave entrance, should they be foolish enough to come out, but I don't think they will. If they decide to rush the entrance, Selben's magic should be able to hold at least some of them at bay.
"Jakke, with me!" Zeb calls, pulling out a knife and running into the Lurkwood. When Zeb eventually returns, his arms are covered in blood up to his elbows, and in his arms is cradled the severed head of the great ogre.
Audric shrugs his shoulders at Zeb. "Alright. Archers, bows on the entrance shoot anything that comes out of there." Audric will also ready his bow in case anything comes out of the cave. He positions himself in front of the entrance to make himself the target if anything emerges.
Delete"I sure hope Zeb knows what he is doing," Audric thinks as the man runs off.
He is barely able to keep his breakfast down when the man returns. "What is the world are you doing with that Zeb!"
"Like I said," Zeb replies, "I have a plan." Zeb nods in approval at the pile of sticks gathered by Selben, and instructs his apprentice to bring them into the cave entrance, where he sets down the great ogre's head. "Build a fire, if you would," Zeb instructs the young mage.
ReplyDelete"Audric, Zargon--you're welcome to stay, but this might be dangerous. Zargon, I actually think you might be helpful, if you're up for the risk."
As the small fire begins to crackle, Zeb explains further. "I need all the archers," he says, clearly including Bonie in the group, "outside the cave." When he receives the anticipated glare from her, he continues. "You're the best shot we have, and I need you to watch our backs, make sure we're not flanked and trapped in this cave. If there's trouble outside, we'll be but a short distance away. Whatever you hear from outside, though, please do not come into this cave. Our lives may depend on it."
Once Bonie and the archers (along with Zargon and Audric, should they not be on board with a plan that hasn't been explained to them in the slightest), Zeb grabs the great ogre head and tosses it as far as he can into the cave, then he settles onto the ground near the fire.
"Selben...if this doesn't work, you might be the only one that save us. Stay alert." Zeb roots around his pack, pulling out some rations. "The rest of you...if you're going to stay, please have a seat and look as unthreatening as possible. No weapons," he says, looking to Audric, "no matter what."
"Zargon, maybe play us a song? This may take a while."
Audric audibly sighs. He puts the arrow back in his quiver, and stows his bow. "Zeb we have been through too much together for me to abandon you now. I'm with you to the end my friend." He slaps the man on the shoulder. "Now tell me what I can do to help."
Delete"Have a seat," Zeb says, holding out a few strips of dried meat and some tough bread. Zeb, seated cross-legged near the fire, looks up to Zargon. "Staying?"
DeleteThroughout the above, the party gets no indication of activity within the cave. The small fire burgeons, the archers take position, and the severed ogre head is tossed inside. All in all, it takes several minutes to orchestrate the endeavor; after it transpires, all is silent.
ReplyDelete"Does your friend sense anything?" Zeb asks to Audric, indicating the warrior's familiar, Lume. "The stone of the cave thwarts my magic, but her keen ears should help. If they've fled deeper into the cave, or if they've retreated through some other exit, then all of this is for naught."
ReplyDeleteAudric will encourage Lume is walk forward towards the cave. He wants her to silently move into the cave and listen/smell see she is she can detect anything. The most important part is being silent to avoid attacking the attention of the Ogres.
DeleteThe cat hesitates to venture forth based on the putrid smell emanating from inside the cave; when finally she does, no creatures are detected (at least, not within the range of her natural senses).
Delete"It has been a hell of a day so far my new friends" Zargon says with a mixture of trepidation and excitement. "I thought I was gonna meet the end back there with that ogre. You guys definitely walk the walk, especially that dead-shot Bonie. I'll play along." Zargon reaches into his bag for some ale and cheese and passes it all around after taking a gigantic swig to steel his nerves. He lays down his weapons as Zeb suggested and begins to play a peaceful old folk song about forest nymphs on his lute.
ReplyDeleteAs we were beginning to discuss these details offline (well, online, but over a less formal medium)...
ReplyDeleteFrom within the opening between the ledges emanates a horrible stench - not quite that of rot and decay, but not much more pleasurable. In the darkness beyond the initial crease in the rock wall, signs that ogres have been squatting here are evident: remnants of food and bone, excrement soiling damp recesses, large piles of thatch matted down by the weight of large bodies.
But also, something seemingly less foul: wrapped loosely within a ragged shard of cloth is a small, threadbare pouch. Within it are a pair of stoppered vials, a few gemstones, and an assortment of coins of varying metals.
The earth within the cave, while mostly frozen, is free of snow cover, and as such no clear tracks are readily apparent.