OK here a little something for those interested to chuckle over. Will try and get something down here each session but no promises have only so much time after all! if anyone else wants to post their point of view Please please do! its all good fun PLUS if some folks can’t make it to a session then it should allow them to feel they are still involved if we can keep the narrative going in some way here 🙂
As the members of the previously disliked Mercenary Band hurried from captive to captive, you couldn’t help noticing how young they seemed. While they stayed strictly professional it was clear these young troopers were under some considerable strain. Still they offered hope of escape from the hated Orc band.
Scrambling to retrieve your scanty possessions from the heap of pillaged goods nearby you saw at least one fight break out and a townsman (you didnt really know them well) get stabbed by what looked like… Yes a surly looking Hobbit!
Saner heads seemed to take control and most of you were able to retrieve what simple goods you had on you before the Orcs descended. When most of the freed villagers had gathered about the surviving Mercs the older one began to speak.
“Look there not so many of us here as you might think. Most have gone to draw them off so we could get you free. Stay with us as the main Orc force is attacking the Princes castle right now. Though he has outriders everywhere. If you try and make it back to your villages chances are you’ll be cut down by wolfriders or worse before you get half way.
Our manor is half the distance away and less patrolled. I think the Orkies thought we were still holed up in the Manor when they raided. My master and most of the rest of the company are heading to relive the Prince’s men right now. Soon as they do that they’ll all head back to our fort so that’s the safest place right now.”
The Youthful trooper fixed the assembled still shocked villagers with a beady eye.
“So gather your things and move out right now if you know whats good for you!”
Amazingly at least a few folks promptly moved back into the wrecked gathering area! One dwarf desperate to check for survivors (or something) among the burning hulks of the Dwarf smiths cottages.
A few others headed back towards the still heaped pile of belongings that lay unclaimed. Watching from the edge of the woods while still waving them to hurry up you saw a Wolf suddenly break in to the clearing from the other side!
With a snarl it loped towards the group nearest to it. But then; showing great daring a man stepped in front of it and Yelled “Sit!” You thought you had seem him about some kind of herdsman or the like. But this was no sheep dog conditioned to respond to the firm voice of command! Instead the Wolf leapt for him narrowly missing the fellow. Some of the group began to back away, while others went over to help the bold “Animal tamer”
The fight was short and brutal with more Orcs arriving on the heels of the wolf a moment or two later. More townsmen fell, one clutching his throat: crushed by the wolf’s jaws, but the would be wolfmaster was not among them. He managed to stumble back to the main group a few minutes later a little ragged and dragging something that had wrapped itself about their leg.
The bold dwarf also rejoined you edging back to the group from a roundabout route.
In the near distance Orc shouts and wolven howls could be heard. The absence of the villagers had obviously been noticed.
“Ok a group this bigs easy to follow, we split into groups of a score or less so we at least leave lots of confusing trails for them to follow!” declared one of the Mercenaries.
Your group trudged on. One chap; Boggis had been rendered unconscious in the earlier scuffle and had to be carried. Well not exactly carried when they discovered he was the local Gongfarmer some wag strapped him to a pole like a shot stagg and two folks carried him thus for now!
He was just coming too when the Skinny guy in the front held up his hand.
“Something up a head, looks like maybe a wagon?” declared the man.
“Any sign f life?” snapped the young Merc leading this motley band.
“Aye somebodies there staring at the cart wheel. Musta cracked a bearing or something”
“Huh, one time being late may have saved his life” spat the Merc. “Ok we can’t stop to repair his goddam waggon, call a warning and lets keep going. If they got any sense they’ll follow us.”
A couple of folks scrambled down the slope to the cart, while The Rat catcher covered them with his light Crossbow. The rest of the group marched on.
From what you could see the Man by the cart seemed not to hear them as they called out their warnings. Another of you, one of the Village blacksmiths you seemed to recall scrambled down the hill to the cart.
Suddenly as the Smith appeared a shout and a cry of surprise rang out. Dashing back to see what had happened to your surprise the Carter had vanished and something like a snake had lashed out as the Smith approached! The group near the cart scattered away from it using the Carts bulk to get between whatever it was that had struck down the smith.
Twangg! A crossbow bolt darted into the center of what you had assumed was just the shadow of the cart. Instead the bolt severed a tendril of some writhing slime horror that had masqueraded as the (presumably) dead carter.
The mad Hobbit slashed at the nest of stalks that suddenly sprouted from the creature’s main body, perhaps in the surprise of the unexpected assault poor Boggis was dropped virtually in the uncanny creature as his “porters” fled in panic back to the group. A tendril lashed the Halfling and the snarling hairfoot fell as if struck by an axe.
Panic was about to set in but somebody kept their head. Soon smoke began to wisp from the abandoned cart bed. Another Bolt struck the mass of protoplasm with unerring accuracy causing the thrashin tendrils to vibrate straight up as if a nerve had been struck by the now dissolving bolt. Boggis, still lashed to the pole rolled himself away and down into the ditch by the side of the road; safely out of sight perhaps?
Whatever the Bolt had done to the creature it was enough for the downed villagers to be recovered. Sadly the Blacksmith was no more, but after a slap or two and a dose of water the Hobbit struggled awake once more. A little groggy but still full of vim and vigor and cussing.
“They’ll find that fer sure!” Muttered Rats MaGee, tossing his thumb to the smokey plum billowing from the ruined cart and the roasted monster below it. “lemmie see if I can give ’em something else ta find!”
Five minutes later the Rat catcher has laid a snare or two, this time sized up to catch Orc legs and even a couple of his largest rat traps now lay in wait to trip the toenails of any Wolf that stepped too near.
“Might slow ’em down at least” He muttered as the group got underway again….
A couple of miles passed without further incident. Either MaGee’s traps had been unusually successful or else the other groups were being unlucky at your advantage but either way the motley group of villagers wasn’t complaining.
“I see something moving ahead” declared the Elf. Sure enough an Orc was plainly visible through the thinning trees. A closer look showed that a thin Birch tree had been crudely felled across the track you were taking and perhaps four or five Orcs were inexpertly laying a trap for refugees or others. By great good fortune you had spotted them first!
“No help fer it” the Merc Guide snarled. “they is right in our way”
“Fine w’ me!” Snorted a Dwarf and to the amazement of some he tore off towards the Awaiting Orcs!
“Fook!” snapped MaGee as he levelled his crossbow at one of the surprised Orcs.
“He has much brave faith yes?” Lisped a skin clan Hunter as he unshipped his Bow and took a shot at another of the Orcs.
One of the Orcs spun backwards behind the makeshift barricade a missile embedded in its shoulder, Evidently at least one had a Bow as well as a crude black fletched arrow shot over the head of the charging Dwarf to little effect. Suddenly a Wolf crashed from the brush on one side f the barricade and charged into the fray! Not to be upstaged by a Mutt the Woodchopper slipped his axe off his shoulder into a two handed grip and strode to the Barricade almost sundering it in two with one well muscled chop at the light wood.
Staring dumbfoundedly at the Villagers he was nominally “protecting” tore at the Orcs the Mercenary lad grabbed for his sword and advanced cautiously forward.
But the wrath of the Dwarfs burns as hot as their forges and by the time he got to the Barricade the shot Orc had met his foul gods as he was stabbed from below and under his mailed skirt. MaGee’s crossbow had tagged another – between the eyes by then and the assorted “weapons” of the Villagers had laid the others low. The Wolf had come crashing down at the feet of one Dwarf an arrow in its chest. Carefully the Dwarf hacked the wolfs body. There would be no surprises this time.
In a moment the would be ambushers were dead. With a cackle the Hobbit began rifling the pockets of the nearest one. Not willing to let him have it all this time the rest of the “warriors” followed suit. Soon a small pile of wealth was theirs including the Orcs crude armour and weapons.
“Hurry it up we gotta go” quoth the unlikely guide.
“one minute more” replied Rats Magee as he sliced a stake sharp and set it into a snare for any pursuit once more…
And that’s as much as I can recall and dramatise without going into ridiculous detail LOL. Sorry if nobody got a mention that wanted one. Please write you r own version if you want I have have no problems there! More the merrier (and funnier!). See you all tomorra for Part 2 in which I trust we’ll finish this little intro jaunt and get you settled into choosing your Main(s) from the survivors of this romp in the woods…
