(069) Pilgrims & Practicalities

[Fatal T]

Seeing the odds mounting against them, Morgan shifts to an offensive stance with a prayer on his lips and swings the flail at the closest goblin skull.

3-to-1 is getting a bit dicey, and the Rock can't do it all.

[sully]

Dorgan will turn so that he's back to back with Morgan and continue his assault on the goblins.

Didja think The Rock would be scared of a few greenskins? Ya got another thing coming...

Don't know that we can avoid flanking attacks but at least they won't get behind us. I still think Dorgan will wear them down with four attacks per round so you're better off parrying, but it's your call in the end.

[waysoftheearth]

Dorgan and Morgan are suddenly in a pitched fight with six goblins! Four (including one disarmed) are presently toe to toe, and two more are swooping into the fighting from the window...

Our fellows go back-to-back with Dorgan handling the most immediate threats--the three armed goblins in contact--while the fourth scampers to recover his weapon and Morgan guards Dorgan's back as the last two latest combatants join the melee.

The grunts and hisses of melee and clang of blows ring loud in the predawn refectory scene, as Dorgan deflects a flurry of blows before splitting another goblin skull with his axe--making his count already three. Morgan doesn't connect, cursing his cumbersome flail a canny goblin cuts him again... that cut could so easily have been the end of his days!

A fourth turn of combat.

Dorgan faces three three goblins are already engaged with lighter weapons; so they attack first.
Morgan's pair of goblins have to move into contact, so initiative will be diced, 1d6; Morgan=3, Goblins=1.

Three goblins vs Dorgan 1d20=8, 6, 1. Three misses.
Dorgan reposts 4d20=4,15,4,17. Two hits; 2d6=7, slays one goblin and injures another.

Now Morgan 1d20=2, miss.
Two goblins vs Morgan 1d20=10,19, one hit. 1d6=1 (luck!)

Dorgan [MV 9" AC 3/5 HD 4+4-4 hp 17 L] (poisoned)
Morgan [MV 12" AC 7/7 HD 1 hp 8 5 4 L]

What now?

[sully]

Dorgan fights on!

"Your death is inevitable, greenskins! Line up for the axe!"

Feel free at any point to parry, Fatal T. Unless I get a few more lucky rolls, this could take a few rounds and the odds of you surviving are low.

[waysoftheearth]

Unless we hear otherwise from Fatal shortly, I'll assume his last order to attack stands for the upcoming turn...

[Fatal T]

Morgan will parry again.

Sorry been a bit busy with kids and baby!

[waysoftheearth]

The goblins gain an urge of feral zeal and press the attack, but even two of them can't penetrate Morgan's stalwart defense--uncountable hours of drill in the practice yards pays off!

At the same time, something clicks in Dorgan's head and Tha Rock goes into a spinning whirlwind of deadly blows. Nothing can pierce him, and everywhere his axe hews through neck and limb, flesh and bone! Black goblin blood is splattered mercilessly about the refectory, and in a violent moment it is all over.

Five goblins lie slain; beheaded, eviscerated, disemboweled. The mess is horrific, as are the last wheezes of their death gurgles, and the stench of their spilled guts...

Combat turn five.

The goblin forces have suffered sufficient casualties to test their moral; 2d6=10! Their hatred of dwarfs causes them to press for advantage

Five goblins remain, two attacking Morgan and three attacking Dorgan. Dorgan "won" the last turn against his foes, so initiative will be diced, 1d6; Dorgan=3, Goblins=2.

Meanwhile, Morgan parries, but the ref dices for the goblin initiative in case Dorgan might attack them prior to their slaying Morgan, 1d6; Goblins=4.

Attacks:
Goblins versus Morgan: 2d20=4,3 @-4, two misses. Morgan gets no counter strike because his flail is too heavy.
Dorgan versus Goblins: 4d20=15,14,5,17, three hits: 3d6=15 damage, kills all five goblins!

The combat ends in a sudden blood bath.

Tha Rock is victorious. Hiridhren is slain! Morgan lives!

[Fatal T]

"Your reputation is well earned, Master Dorgan!" Morgan exclaims in the aftermath of the dwarf's attack.

"Let us bind our wounds and see if the goblins carried anything useful. Then we can bid farewell to our fallen companion."

Morgan will start tending to his wounds and then check the goblin bodies, then see to the burial of Hiridhren.

[sully]

Dorgan will rush to the door and make sure there are no other foes outside before he lets down his guard.

[waysoftheearth]

Dorgan quickly checks the courtyard outside, but it seems (to his night-keen dwarf-eyes) that these were the whole of them; a scouting party, perhaps. Still, Dorgan knows all too well that where there are eight goblin lookabouts, there are eighty more hiding somewhere nearby...

It is still hours before dawn yet, but the sounds of fighting have no doubt terrorised the pilgrims. And the sight of the aftermath won't calm them much neither.

Meanwhile, Morgan sluices his cuts with water from his flask, then wads and wraps them in the fashion of any good fighting-man. He reckons he's earned his stripes tonight! That done, he kicks over the defeated enemy with his boot, and gingerly cuts free their grubby purses.

"Mice, lice, buttons, pebbles, and a few coins..." he remarks absently as he inspects them.

All told the goblins had 25 sp (worth 25 XP to whomever claims these).