Looking at how he surprisingly survived the charge, Vairar decided not to push his luck by further advancing. He tries to finish off the orc next to him, but his attention is focused on the Auroch and its rider.
Escella's blasts shot past Lionel and he took the opportunity to poke his head out so that he could see any enemies. The orc next to Vairar was the first he saw and he lifted the crossbow and fired. Satisfied that the bolt found its mark, Lionel ducked back to his spot on the fireplace.
EDIT: I just realized the eye is dead...so damage to the Auroch rider.
OOC:
TL;DR:
Auroch rider is hit for 5 and 7
Orog 1 is hit for 4
Sgt Ryallan rallies his forces. "Keep the orcs in the side rooms, each focus on one entry and shoot anything that comes through. The help is here!"
Each elf shoots at the targets given. One on the south sees no targets close by and makes a solid shot against the auroch rider undoing some of the healing the orc champion received from their shaman.
As the boar-riding orc tried to get his mount to push its way through the writhing roots entangling its legs, Tommi slung a stone that struck the orc in the side of the head. The orc's eyes went wide and he fell from his saddle, only to be wrapped in vines as he died. The sabre-toothed tiger leaped onto the back of the boar, and though it too was wrapped in vines, it dug its claws into the boar's back and its tusk-like teeth into the boar's neck. The enormous pig began to squeal like scared prey when only moments before it had held a terribly menacing countenance.
The other beasts rushed past, dashing along the road to harass the enemy from behind. Angis struck the auroch bull with his quarrel as Ryallan shot its rider. The rider spun around, thrusting his pike at the massive ram that charged at him from behind. The ram took a solid blow from the magical pike that cracked one of its horns, but it stood its ground. Behind Tommi, the spider leaped from tree to tree.
Escella shot an orc archer with her eldritch bolt. The archer was wounded, and began to pull an arrow, when the giant vulture swooped down on her. The orc tried to run, and the vulture picked her up and rended her with its claws. The other archers fared only slightly better: One faced off with the panther while the other the oversized wolf. Both were forced to hold their bows in their off-hand while fighting with a hand axe. Neither were terribly successful.
Viarar was struggling with his last orcish oppenent when Lionel popped his head out the broken hole in the wall and shot that orc dead from behind. The halfling, who was beginning to be blackened by soot, ducked back inside, feeling safe from harm in the tower's fireplace.
Dandin whistled and Old Sooty broke off from gnawing on an already-dead orc and rushed at the Auroch rider. The grizzled old bear nearly knocked the burly orc from his saddle with a vicious swipe of his claws that raked the orc's shoulder, leaving him with a nearly lifeless arm.
It was not long before he and the other few remaining orcs were soundly defeated.
Before Viarar released his host of elf spirits from their summoning, one of them scooped up the auroch-rider's pike and presented it to him on one knee with a bowed head. The victory, at least according to the elf-host, belonged to him through their service.
Escella's words reached Lionel from what seemed to be far away. The fighting had been scary but he hadn't run away this time. He looked himself up and down and realised that the sight of him must have worried Escella, prompting her concerned question. A mix of sot and orc blood smeared all over his clothes and, presumably, his face too. He must have looked much worse than he felt. I am good, Escella. I am fine... I think. Lionel hesitated and then added I think my mother would be upset if she saw me right now. I have ruined my clothes!
Tommi leans on the druid next to him, and introduces himself. "Thank you. 'M Tommi." He coughs. "Your arrival is, um, well-timed, and we are grateful."
"Perhaps you could help me back to the gatehouse?"
Either way, he walks up the grand approach slowly, Gutter still in his hand which lies limp at his side.
The elf druid sized up Tommi's injuries and put a hand on his shoulder. A soft moonlight shone from her, and Tommi could feel his pain subsiding. "Hello, Tommi. I am Sarel."
