So to try and find out more of what is going on, the Heroes of Aegis decide to go out on patrol and check out the druid ruins. They decide to go with a two pronged attacked. Elrohir, Randthalas, Miran, Althea, and Gibbs topside and Wallace, a couple masons, and the chef bottomside. The lesson learned here is to split up the rangers next time:
The main body, Elrohir, Miran, Randthalas, Sister Althea, and Gibbs (mason turned volunteer archer), cross quietly through cuts and draws Miran knows can conceal their approach to the high ridge objective area. They get to the base of the steep approach to the attack position. The team then stops to check their plans, gear and to momentarily observe the high ridges above them for any signs of the enemy.
Miran points out there are two abandoned mines above on the west ridge (below suspected enemy camp). They are covered but should be watched; the enemy may have opened them and be hiding in there. She points out other numerous positions the enemy, particularly their smaller goblin forces could be using for cover and concealment. The approach up the East ridge also affords much cover and concealment but it will be a tricky climb. On the way here there were no signs of the enemy. No tracks or sounds or smells. Everyone is ready. Elrohir gives the go ahead signal. Miran takes the lead on the ascent.
Meanwhile:
Sir Wallace carefully guides Crisp through the low soft ground that is the old Ulek road nearing the position he last encountered the enemy. He looks back to the small team of masons following behind him. The quiet is making them nervous. They are beginning to lose their nerve. Action will cure that. He hopes the other team is in place, ready. He can't afford to give them more time. His men will completely lose their nerve soon.
They reach the way point where they planned to turn towards the objective, where the scout was supposed to meet them with his report. No sign of him. Wallace removes his helmet, it's stifling and heavy. He takes a deep breath...SNAP!
Bursting out of a cleverly hidden conceal is the ogre Robisar who swings his tree trunk sized club down on Wallace's exposed head. With barely a breath Wallace crashes off of his horse - the horse is the next recipient of the mighty club as Robisar swings down smashing the horse's neck.
The ogre licks his lips as he swings his club down again taking perverse glee in mutilating the corpse of the dead horse and the knight underneath it.
Gnolls and orcs and goblins all spring on the masons and they never had a chance. Chef Dupree tried impotently to cast a spell at the ogre but Robisar simply reached over and picked up the chef by the head and threw him over his shoulder.
A small
cloaked figure stepped out from behind a tree, "Did you kill the knight?"Robisar smiled a big toothy grin and simply nodded his head over to the mess on the ground.
"Very well. Now let's get these prisoners back so we can find out what we can!...and yes you can have your snacks!" the cloaked one said as he noticed the ogre furrow his brow. He didn't want prisoners! he wanted food!
Meanwhile....
Miran leads the group up the slope. As they near the top they come to what is a large circular plateau, there is a 60 yard radius raised earthen bulwark, with some overgrown brush. Small stone markers circle the bulwark every few feet. There is a dead gnoll atop the south east end of the ridge. He is on his back, his head hanging upside down, staring blankly ahead. There are a number of spent arrows all around the area, goblin and orc.
In the center of the raised bulwark, the party comes across a partially collapsed burial mount, and as the party moves closer they also see some dead goblins.
Elrohir directs the group to spread out. Miran goes out in advance, Randthalas goes to investigate the mound while Althea and Gibbs hang back.
As Miran rounds the mound she gasps "Ogre". She turns around and signals Elrohir. The ranger runs up to Miran's position and pulls out his spyglass, "hmm, large ogre and a party of about a dozen baddies, 6 orc, 6 gnoll and an unidentified human sized hooded figure leading them north. They are several miles away already and moving quickly. They also seem to have the three other masons marching with them as prisoners. The Ogre is carrying what might be the Chef/Scout that was with Wallace...no sign of Wallace or Crisp."
Elrohir then pockets his spyglass and is about to signal the team to head out in pursuit...when something catches his eye, a small glimmer of light about a quarter mile ahead and in the tree line. He pulls out his spyglass again and groans. He sees what has to be the disembodied remains of Crisp and the little light he saw was the sunlight reflecting off of Wallace's mutilated armor.
Elrohir whispered to Miran to stand fast and to signal back to Randthalas. The ranger then hops down the hill and dashes to the treeline. Elrohir puts his ear up to Wallace's mouth to see if there is possibly a faint breath..........what was that? air?..a bubble of blood?
Elrohir then waves down Miran and the sheriff then leads down the rest of the party to the treeline. Gibbs throws up. Althea puts her hand to her mouth - she has no love lost for Wallace but didn't want to see him meet that fate.
Randthalas says, "Elrohir, what of the ogre and his brood? Should we not attempt to run them down? Punish them for existing?"
Elrohir replies, "Most any other time Rand, yes, but Wallace still lives and we need to do what we can to help him. I am very confident we will have no problems tracking down that beast and his minions."
Rand nods his head. The druid understands he will probably need Elrohir to help him complete his mission so he complies and begins casting a spell and then the druid lays his hands on the knight's head. He breathing is a little better but still bubbling blood.
"Miran, you need to get back to town. Get anyone you can get to help us! We will rig a stretcher and begin to head back to town, but if you can get anyone here in advance that would be most helpful, preferably another healer. Good Luck!"
Miran takes a deep breath. "Aye lord" and the young ranger runs off as fast as she could, but not before leaving her quarterstaff with Elrohir so he can use that as part of the stretcher.
The party works fervently to remove Wallace out from under the dead horse and onto the makeshift stretcher. Randthalas casts another spell on the knight. Every little bit is helping, but he is still not looking well.
"Wolfie, please circle us as we travel", Randthalas commands. Elrohir, Gibbs, Althea and Randthalas all carefully pick up the stretcher carrying the knight (armor and all) and move along very slowly.
Meanwhile...
All Miran can hear is the wind rushing past her ears. Her chest burns, her mouth is dry. She hops over little ditches and tree roots. A small smirk comes across her lips as she thinks 'Thank goodness I spent so much time in the woods here, otherwise I probably would have fallen and broken my ankle a couple times. That would have looked great for me."
The run is invigorating. She hasn't run this hard and long in quite a while.Miran stops at edge of town to catch breath before jogging in. Then the ranger noticed something..what is that - blood? Its not mine! Its fresh though - goblin!
Miran crouches down and turns. She whips out her hand axe and dagger. "Nothing around me..good. It Looks like there were maybe three of them rushing in - it looked like they headed through Dickinson's field one at least one is wounded." Miran mutters to herself.
"What to do?" she wonders to herself. The young sheriff has never been in this kind of situation before. "I need to make my mom and dad proud!"
She notices the town is mostly empty! The rangers face goes pale....She clicks her tongue and realizes it is Goddsay (the Sabbath), so everyone must be in mass and are probably safe from any threat at this time, but when is church out?
Miran advances into town. As she peeks her head around a corner she seems them, three goblins -snarling, looking around, looking angry. Unfortunately they also saw her!
Armed with shorts swords and a shield, the goblins scream something foul in their native language and charge the ranger.
Miran was startled and the goblins were on her before she can defend herself. The first goblin leaps wildly at Miran, missing terribly. He gets up quickly.
The other two goblins slash at Miran with their dirty little blades. One slices cleanly across the ranger's chest and the other goblins strikes her in her left arm.
Miran grunts, snarls and swings wildly with her hand axe. The goblin ducks at the last second as Miran's attack goes harmlessly through the air. However, the ferocity of her attack was enough to frighten the goblins (cowardly creatures they are) and they back off knowing their luck will probably run out soon with the sheriff - but they stand their ground.
Miran gets her back against the wall - the smithy's house and readies herself. She then hears the familiar voice of Brommer in the distance yelling "this way!"
The goblin who leaped the last time, snarls furiously as he leaps at Miran, again missing badly, and smashing clear through the smithy's window. The second goblin rushes in and clangs his sword against the wall as Miran slides out of the way.
Miran pushes that goblin to the ground, stares down the third goblin standing in front of her and swings her axe fiercely at the creature's head. the ranger's axe shears cleanly through the top of the goblin's dome. The goblin stands there blinking, brain matter running down it's head. The creature drops to his knees and then falls dead, gray matter oozing on the cobblestone road.
The goblin who Miran had pushed to the ground runs off wildly squealing like a beaten pig.
Miran looks back over her shoulder - no sign of the goblin crawling out of the window but he sure is making a ruckus in there. The ranger moves to the Smithy's front door and quickly swings it open.
The ranger dives in, gets into a crouch and looks for the signs of the humanoid. She sees the slimy creature dive behind an overturned kitchen table.
"Smithy! Is that you!!" Miran hears Brommer the dwarf yell from behind her. She stands up, turns her head around halfway to acknowledge the dwarf and then charges the table. Miran deftly leaps over the overturned table screaming.
The ranger's adrenaline sends her over the table and over the goblin. She turns quickly to see the creature fumbling around on the ground looking for something. Miran steps forward and swings her axe down at the goblin, she slips on some of the creatures blood and only glances him with the axe across it's shoulder.
As Miran gathered her footing, the goblin was able to grab a meat cleaver on the ground and take a good swing at the ranger's leg. The cleaver slices cleanly into Miran's ankle. The goblin then jumps up and prepares himself.
The ranger winces in pain, but takes another swing at the goblin. The blow to the ankle makes it hard to square up and kill the goblin,but Miran manages to slice him good across the face.
Miran is starting to feel very sore and light headed. She blinks her eyes rapidly and watches as the goblin takes another desperate swipe at her in which the ranger easily parries off with her dagger. Even though she is dazed, Miran grits through the pain and brings the hand axe down in a violent arc into the goblin's head. An eyeball pops out of the monster's skull and lands limply on the ground. The ranger sneers in disgust as she sees the dead eye looking at her and kicks it away.
"AAHH there's the pain again!" Miran limps over to a chair and gingerly slips her boot off. The ranger can here Brommer talking to Aralias and Leigh. The dwarf tells Leigh that the sheriff is down in the smithy's house.
Leigh runs in the door to see Sheriff Gage sitting in the chair wincing in pain. "Just patch me up quick Leigh. Elrohir and the rest are still out there and Wallace is in very bad shape. We need to get some healers out there quick or Wallace will be lost.
Leigh's eyes gape widely, "Brommer can patch this up enough to get you moving again, stay here with him and go to the Chapel, find Friar Able and the Canon, I will go with Aralias to find your friends. I'll save my magic for them."
MEANWHILE.....
Elrohir and company plod along slowly. Carrying a grown man with full armor on is no easy task. Wolfie maintains a circular perimeter. No signs of trouble.
The ranger sees in the distance red plumage bouncing up and down. He signals the team to a halt and to gently place Wallace down. Elrohir draws his bow and directs everyone else to get into a defensive stance.
Suddenly he hears faintly "The Sheriff sent us!!" Elrohir relaxes slightly and slings his bow. He then pulls out his spyglass and looks into it. "Aralias...and the cleric! Good job Miran!!"
When they arrive, the soldier opens a messenger bag and pulls finely wrought dwarven tools out and with very careful and expert hands begins dissembling the armor.
Sister Leigh without a word kneels and prays. She prays. And on. And the armor comes off.. very carefully it is removed.
The wounds close, his arm is still broken inside the splint. It’s not getting worse and no blood is getting out.
Wallace is breathing better, no more blood bubbles. He is unconscious and resting. Sister Leigh asks for a cloak or something – she says she’s freezing. And would kindly thank everyone if they would forget they ever saw her in this state.
She says that he should be taken to the Sheriffs home to rest, the Canon has made it very clear that the temple sanctum is not to be violated. She and Aralias explain what happened to the Sheriff and how she is back in town.
Elrohir sighs and looks over at his friend Randthalas. "Well elf. It looks like fun is just getting started!" Randthalas nods and gives the ranger a smirk.
