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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1533062" data-attributes="member: 6294">"The Hallowed Hills" by Miguel Duran (WotC Cliffhanger) - Part 9Orcish warriors burst out of the cover of boulders and stalactites on the party's rear right flank, charging in with swords and axes readied for battle.  Sirdros and Twinkle are the closest to this charge, but both react quickly enough to fend off the attacks, turning what might have been a deadly ambush into a more even contest.Grimacing in pain, the Padre slams his fist into the javelin that has pierced his flesh, snapping away the barbed head and allowing him to force the shaft from the wound.  He goes white from the shock and pain, but remains on his feet, grinding out an invocation to St Cuthbert.  That dour god, perhaps looking with favour on such tenacity, heals the terrible injury completely."They've got a shaman at the back!" Mantreus shouts a warning but there is nothing anyone can do to prevent the orc from completing its own incantation.  Those orcs in melee with the group seem to swell slightly with battle-rage, delivering their blows with more speed and power.Mantreus unleashes a bolt of magical energy at the shaman, but the orc remains solidly on his feet, rattling through another incantation that creates three additional images of himself."Somebody deal with him!" the Padre snaps up his crossbow and puts a bolt through the eye of one of the ambushing orcs.'Dealing with him' means first dispatching the orcs that stand between the group and the caster.  However, it rapidly becomes apparent that this is the best tactic for the battle, in any case: the missile fire from the far side of the crevasse was never terribly accurate to begin with.  Once the adventurers become locked in melee, it loses even its nuisance value.Blood spatters onto the stone floor as orc after orc is slain.  After the challenges they have already faced in these caverns, the Broken Tusk tribe holds little fear for the adventurers.  Only the shaman lasts for any length of time, defending himself with blasts of flame and a gnarled wooden club.  Sheltered by the stalactites on one side and the cave wall on the other, only one person can reach him at a time, even after all the other members of his tribe are slain.  One by one, his protective images wink out, but the orc himself is almost unhurt.It is Briar who breaks the deadlock, somersaulting past the shaman.  The orc lashes at her with its club as she passes him, but the blow does not connect.  Rising smoothly to her feet, the rogue stabs deep into the shaman's side, wounding him deeply.  Struggling with the pain of the blow and the distraction of the young woman behind him, the orc fails to parry a crushing blow of the Padre's mace, and is slain.After looting the bodies on the near side of the crevasse, the adventurers consider how to cross the gap.  They can see that the orcs have a pair of makeshift wood and rope bridges rolled up on the far side, but these will be of no use unless one of the group can get across to use them."Someone is going to have to jump across, then throw the rope for one of the bridges across to the rest of us." Mantreus observes.  A moment later, he realises that everyone is looking pointedly at him, "Hey!  Why does someone have to be me?""It was your idea." Twinkle smirks."Whoever makes the jump will need to carry as little as possible." The Padre has a more logical reason, "And you are the one who is most able to defend himself without weapons and armour." He looks pointedly at the shimmering aura of magical protection that surrounds the sorcerer."Fine." Mantreus sighs in the manner of one who is being unjustly persecuted."Look at it this way." Briar suggests, "Now, when you try to get women into bed with tales of your bravery, you won't have to make them all up."Still muttering imprecations about the rest of the group, the sorcerer makes the jump, readily clearing the gap.  He quickly throws a rope to the others and they pull it in, drawing the bridge out across the gap.  Then - feeling little trust in orcish workmanship - they cross a single person at a time.More looting of bodies follows, before the group turn their attention to the only exit from the cavern.  This leads into another, smaller cave.  It is quickly apparent that this was some kind of storage area for the orcs, being filled with various mismatched items that look like they have been looted from the collapsed catacombs.But what draws the majority of the group's attention is the bound and gagged young man in a monk's robe, who lies against the cave's back wall.</blockquote>

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