1 - 023: And it Begins...

[K Man]

SEA GREEN

Black-Jack leaps from the cover between the seats, pushing with his legs and dodging the yipping Worg and angry Orc. He ends up right behind the Orc flanking Gro-Bug and drives his blade deep into his backside. [Attack Results = Hit. Damage Results = 16] The Orc groans and twists, trying to recover...but it is too much. It slumps to the floor, lifeless and bleeding out.

Natsumi holds off, waiting to see if the powerful warrior Gro-Bug would kill his opponent and move to help Henrick--who was getting overwhelmed. [Delay]

Henrick presses his attack, despite the bleeding wounds and overwhelming odds. [Attack Actions] He does well, stabbing through the stomach of one Orc and kicking it off the end of his blade. As always, he continues to watch Natsumi for any signs of danger--ready to leap away and protect.

Gro-Bug smashes the Worg in front of him, crushing it with ease. [Attack Results = Hit, Damage Results = 17] He then skirts past Black-Jack and moves on the Worg in the next cabin, prepared to give Natsumi cover.

Natsumi acts, thankful that Gro-Bug has given the raiders a new target. She uses a wand on Gro-Bug, closing the wounds the great warrior has received. [Heal HP Results = 9]

Sean gives Henrick a helping hand, closing his wounds with a healing song. [Heal 8 HP] He gives Sean a thankful nod while parrying a blow from the raiders.

Ella finds herself surrounded and so lances out in an effort to strike down her enemies. {Japic is out, so I'm taking a stab (tee hee) at his actions.} [5ft back and lance. Attack Results = Hit, Damage Results = 8] It is just enough. The lance pierces the Orc's shoulder, right above its heart. It collapses, the gaping wound in its chest too much to overcome.

The Orc raiders press the attack. Finding nothing in the empty cabin, the Half-Orcs grow angry and launch an assault on Henrick, trying to squeeze by the guard and into the next cabin. {Two Attacks on Gro-Bug, two on Henrick and one AoO as one tries to squeeze past the door and into the cabin. Will roll outside thread}
[Results:]

• Gro-Bug escaped all damage
  
• Henrick takes another 4 damage from a Half-Orc club
  
• Henrick killed one Half-Orc as it tried to move past
  

The Worg outside, now without a master, takes off into the wilderness North of the train, leaving the fight. [Full Withdraw, no AoO's]

[Init. Order: Black-Jack (22), Henrick (13), Gro-Bug (12), Natsumi (11), Sean (8), Ella (7), Orcs and Half-Orcs (5)]

MAP;

                             
                                                                   
                                 
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 ________ ________E________ ________
|        |        |        |w       |                                
]        (B  wO   (       H(h       (                      
]        (   G    (      S (Oh   h  (               
|________|__N_____|________|________|
-        -        -        -         
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[/pre]
<<<LEGEND>>>

H = Henrick
N = Natsumi
S = Sean
B = Black-Jack
G = Gro-Bug
E = Ella

O = Orc Raider

h = Half-Orc Raider

w = Worg

- = Train Door or break in cars

C = Conductor (with keys)
r = Train Rider (NPC)

]
] = Safe Car Doors

---

---

DARK RED

The man continues to eye you cautiously, looking very much like one of the horses he uses for cover now. His wild hair flips this way and that as he looks over each of you.



"With them? Not anymore..."

So, the man becomes a little less of a mystery. He is like you, fleeing these lands.

{Assuming you engage in further dialogue with him.}

The ugly, horse-faced man finally steps out from behind the mammoth animal. He makes slow motions, fully aware you are armed. He points to himself, speaking in that same hoarse and scratchy voice, sounding parched and like he has to force the words to sound right.



"Name is Horace. Used to be a stableman by trade. Got chased out of my village by Yexuhl warriors. Was headed East, maybe to the Gathered Nations."

"What about you? You do not share the dress of the Yexuhl nation..."

[Wicksy]

Black-Jack's post

Spying his chance Black-Jack nimbly weaves and dodges his way through the discarded baggage and furniture and ducks by the snapping Worg stabbing at its neck with his delicate rapier.

(Move to a flanking position by the Worg and attack)

Attack roll
[dice=20] +10 = AC 21

[dice=4][dice=6][dice=6] +5 = 12 damage

(if that kills the Worg, Black Jack will take a 5' step east the flank the Orc)[rand=54066889801058758905090903403292177022208629337490007610546791969597]

[Fangor the Fierce]

Lenny will continue to check out the surrounding area. This did not look right, so fortunate that they would ask for horses, and then suddenly some appear. No, this was not right...

Lenny will survey the area, and the shadow, to see where it has gone.. Otherwise, he let's their dimplomatic one speak for the rest of them...

[Wicksy]

Rage 4/8 rounds left, AC 15, 31/43hp remaining
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gro-Bug, seeing Henrick being overun roars out "Hold that line Henrick! I'm coming to help!"

Gro-Bug takes a 5' step east then slams Snaga into the Orc in front him.

[dice=20] +15 = AC 25 (hit)

[dice=12] +14 = 22 damage

He then thunders down the train 40' to meet Henrick and draw some heat off of him. Finally he calls out to Ella "Ella, charge round to the rear of these bastards and cut them off! We'll send them packing to hades!"[rand=4629173873470406613481900993770511885258214485755481137476107398]

[TheUdjat]

fangor77 said:

Lenny will continue to check out the surrounding area. This did not look right, so fortunate that they would ask for horses, and then suddenly some appear. No, this was not right...

It's almost as if some force, some powerful omnipotent entity, wanted them to get the hell on the road and right to the action. Like a DM or something. ( )

Wanderer finds the man's words promising. The man wants to get away, and so do they. There are five horses. Surely the man didn't need all of them. But he lets Gildas do the talking, knowing he is fully capable of handling diplomacy. At least, with one who is not Yexuhl.


(OOC) By the way, KMan, I love his name. 'Horace'. *snickers*

[Rojito]

Sean quickly launches another arrow into the orcish hordes.

+8 1d6+2 x3
[dice=20]

[dice=6][rand=3360842573618062598180928431824923548081641458699224868168990008]

[VemuKhaham]

Gildas relaxes his stance, a little. He looks at Lenny and then to the horses and Horace, appeased with the halfling's caution to check for an ambush. God knows what DMs can think up when their players were whining for ho... uhh...

"So you need an escort then?" He inquired with the still firm voice. "We're heading for the Stonelands. If that is safe enough for you, lend us your horses and you will have our company on the road to Bazarkrak."

Gildas adds, knowing that the man was going east: "You'll never make it out of here alone. We're coming from the east. We've had several run-ins with Yexuhl raiders along the way."

[ryngo]

The situation is well under control by the look of it. Our new friend Horace surely wouldn't mind an escort out of dangerous territory and we'll just HAVE to ride those other four horses to accomodate him. The only wrench in the gears is that damned (literally) Vorkal. Wystfalrun takes a look back to see if he can still make out the shade's shape at all in the light.

Horses may well be our saving grace. It behooves Vorkal to move quickly (quicker than walking), but beasts of burden means he's going to have to keep some distance. Finally, maybe we can confer with one another without thinking about what IT is going to hear.

[TheZebraShakes™]

Wanting to be ready should anyone else need healing, Natsumi hurries to the next car where Gro Bug was to meet and fight with Henrick.

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double move until she is 20 feet inside of the next car.

Inspire Courage (Henrick and Ella as well)
+3 to attks and damage and saves v. charm and fear

3/5 rounds remaining