(IC) Against the Giants PBP Group 1
FitzTheRuke
Legend
Jack and Tamanar slipped off (this was while the dwarves were working on the second tunnel-collapse) and made their way back toward the Crypt-Barracks. There were two paths that would take them there, both of which held potential hazards: 1) Through the hole in the western wall to the "Chief's Hallway". This way would lead south-west to the large storeroom at the bottom of the stairs, where they had killed so many bugbears. Then past the cellblocks. OR 2) Through the natural caverns. This seemed safer, as it was more recently cleared, but then again, the hulking bug-creatures had retreated into holes, and similar holes had been all over the place. They could conceivably return from almost anywhere.
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Hriston
Dungeon Master of Middle-earth
Bible gently passes Tenibor's body back to anyone standing close at hand and follows Quinn's lead in rescuing the buried dwarves, pulling to safety any dwarves located by the giant badger.
Lidgar
Gongfarmer
Jack led Tamanar back through the caves and past the cavities the beetle monstrosities fled. Stealth and speed would be key. He briefly contemplated how he'd get a much noisier party of dwarves and orcs back to the others, but decided he'd worry about that later. Staying well away from any holes, he partially shuttered his lantern and headed back to the cells.
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
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Jack and Tamanar made their way to the Crypt-Barracks, where they found things relatively unchanged. There they found the cowardly merchant Zandor, two human caravan guards, an old laborer named Olwen, and about half the freed orcs and dwarves (those who had been in no shape to brave the dangers of the caverns). The guards had been left to keep an eye on two prisoners - Orogs who had assited the giants in overseeing the excavation.
The guards reported that keeping the prisoners alive had been difficult. The orcs hated them, and the dwarves were indifferent (at best) to their fate. But the guards had accomplished the task, so far.
Voices from the hallways to the north revealed that giants had discovered the carnage of the Bugbears and the Keeper (and it would not be long before they discovered the Fire Giant and the torturers, and so on). With so many non-combatants in tow, Tamanar suggested in a whisper that they move quickly back the way they came, taking the Orogs along for now.
* * *
Around this time, the tunnel had collapsed for its third time, burying dwarves as it did. Quinn took the shape of a very large badger, and he dove into the loose dirt, quickly finding the closest dwarf. Bible and the others helped to pull the dwarf free as Quinn returned for more.
They managed to rescue them all, but the last was in rough shape. She had swallowed a lot of dirt and had spent too much time without air. She would live, decided Eoghan, who had managed to get her to breathe, raggedly, but she would need to be carried to safety.
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VLAD the Destroyer
Adventurer
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
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FitzTheRuke
Legend
By the time Tamanar and Jack had returned with humans, dwarves, orcs, and two orog prisoners in tow, Quinn had found the surface. The burrow-path that he had made was quickly widened and stabilized by dwarves working quickly with shovels and packed dirt. Finally, there was a safe way out into the dark, and misty hills. For those who had lost all sense of time (the dwarves and orcs had little clue as to what season it was, far or less what time of day) it may have been a surprise to find that it was after midnight.
The steading was several hundred yards to the east (the home-base of the Cairn was three miles further in the same direction). To reach Culligan's Cairn this night would require circling northward and then crossing unfamiliar hills in the dark, with many dangers. It would take two hours, at least.
The dwarves were willing to make the journey, even if they had to carry their injured comrade. The orcs, on the other hand, intended to head westward into the hills where eventually they would find their tribemates. They were confident that they could find a safe place to make camp within the hour.
The steading was several hundred yards to the east (the home-base of the Cairn was three miles further in the same direction). To reach Culligan's Cairn this night would require circling northward and then crossing unfamiliar hills in the dark, with many dangers. It would take two hours, at least.
The dwarves were willing to make the journey, even if they had to carry their injured comrade. The orcs, on the other hand, intended to head westward into the hills where eventually they would find their tribemates. They were confident that they could find a safe place to make camp within the hour.
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Hriston
Dungeon Master of Middle-earth
Carrying the body of Tenibor out through the path carved by Quinn and the dwarves, Bible quips to her companions, "Nosnra ought to know it's a violation for not having no exit which you can go into."
Once out in the open, Bible considers their options. Given the condition of the party and the riskiness of crossing through the hills, she asks the dwarves if they'd be willing to make camp with the orcs so the party can rest before continuing on to the Cairn.
Once out in the open, Bible considers their options. Given the condition of the party and the riskiness of crossing through the hills, she asks the dwarves if they'd be willing to make camp with the orcs so the party can rest before continuing on to the Cairn.
