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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7908581" data-attributes="member: 6971069">The One Night Stand - 2/3/2020 During a lecture about the Blood War between the Baatezu and the Tanar’ri a question was asked: Why do the Baatezu let the Tanar’ri invade Avernus all the time? There were a number of answers given, but one did always ring true; whoever can choose the site of the engagement, controls the nature of the battle.  If you can move fast, strike hard where you have an advantage.  If you have range weapons, find a spot where you can’t be easily attacked.  And if you must wait for them to come to you, choose a site where you can force the attackers to make hard choices. Or better yet, force the attackers to make bad choices. The sun had just touched the horizon to the west.  The sunset was once again painting the sky with warm yellows and oranges.  Pity that I couldn’t watch, as I had plan in my mind, and I had no idea how long I had to do it.  The others followed me with confusion and curiosity on their faces.I made my way to the river and followed it down stream, which happened to be northwards.  I followed it, until I was past the one of the long buildings of the village.  Once there, I stopped and began to concentrate on the earth near the river.  Not the bank of it, but about three paces in.  I then flexed and pulled out towards me a pile of dirt, two and half paces on each side, and equally as deep.  The pile of loose earth rolled and moved towards me like a small landslide.  I then did the same just on the other side and pushed the earth the other direction.  This left me a five paces wide and almost three paces wide hole, just near the edge of the of river.I then repeated the process and doubled its width.  And twice more doubled it again.  And methodically I cut a trench, moving away from the river.“She’s building a moat?” Iesa said looking at my work, as more and more earth erupted from the ground. “A trap,” I said, not even turning.  “I am going to circle the village with this trench.”“And then you will flood it at an opportune time,” Beepu said with a smile.  “That is a great idea.  But will we not be trapped inside?”“Maybe,” I said.  “But the worgs will have only one easy way in or out; the bridge.  They won’t be able to run far, and it limits where they would approach from.  That is assuming that Drik and Drok are right.” “We right!” Drik said nodding.“We not like Crusher Lasher,” Drok quickly added.“Really no like,” Drik nodded.“We go make presents,” Drik said with a wicked smile at his brother.“Present for lasher,” Drik returned the smile and both then scampered off towards the buildings.“What do they have in mind?” Iesa asked his brother watching their gleeful depature.“No idea, but I bet we can dampen the roofs with well water,” Daneath said.  “Come with us Beepu.”“What? Why?” The gnome asked surprised.“Are you going to help Myr dig?”“I would like to…but that incantation is not one I can u—”“Well come on then.  I doubt that staring is going to help her much.”“Umm hm” I said, walking slowly.   Every count to twelve, I excavated another section of earth.  I was in a simple rhythm, move the earth, move the earth, step, repeat.  No thoughts; Just pull the strand.  Make a corner, keep moving, pass buildings, keep moving, keep casting, no thoughts…So, I don’t really know how long it took.  The sun had set, but the purple rays on the thin clouds still lit the sky.  But I finally encircled the village with a three or four pace wide trench.  On each side, piles of soft loose earth made for a treacherous foothold, with the piles of dirt form a berm of loose earth on both the inside of the trench, and the outside, with each being about my height.  On each end there was just a plug of dirt about two paces wide that prevented the river from flooding the trench.And while it was just a cantrip, the most basic of magic, I was exhausted.  The mind-numbing focus needed was more than I was used to.  So, when I stumbled back into the center of town, the others looked at me with concern.“Myr, you alright?” Iesa started, pulling himself up from the well where he was resting.  The others where dripping wet, with a number of buckets laying haphazardly around the trio.“I’m mentally drained…that your sweat or did you jump in the well for fun?”“Hah.  Hah.  Hah,” Beepu said from his position on top of the side of the well.  “While you were ‘digging’ we wet the roofs of several of the buildings.  Should make fire less of a problem.”“That sounds good.  Where are the dirty pair?”“Who?  Iesa and Drik?”  said Daneath laying on the ground with a smile on his face.“Hey!” Iesa gave his brother a dirty look.  “I’m as clean as can be hoped…considering.”“Not enough to attract an elf I’m sure,” Daneath said lay there still smiling.“How can you not like elven women?” Iesa said defensively.“It’s not like I don’t.  I just know that I’m not their type.” Daneath said looking at Iesa with a even more bemused expression.“Well…half elves come from somewhere!”“And you’re the next filthy human to make them swoon?” he still smiled, looking upwards.“Well…why not?  I’m good looking!”“Might help if you spoke elvish.”“If all of you would listen to me and my offers to train y—” Beepu started.“No!” Daneath and Iesa said at the same time.“Maybe later,” I said.   “So where are the other two?”“They were working with some wood and nails pulled from the walls,” Iesa said.  “Then they started burying them around the village.”“Anywhere I should avoid walking?” I said looking around wondering if I could tell if I was about to step into a trap.“Yeah.  Stay away from the entrances from the other buildings but that one,” Iesa pointed at a large long building.  “We’re going to rest there.”“Great,” I said.  “I’m going to get some sleep.  Wake me when someone breaks something.  And Iesa?”“Yeah?”“You’re going to need more than a bath if you want to get an elven woman to notice you.”“Hey!  That’s not nice!” Iesa said with a hurt sound in his voice.  “It’s not like you have any problem attracting attention.”“Always the wrong kind,” I said dryly.  “But I’ll give you a hint; if you like the way a woman smells, it works the other way too.  I’ll make you smell nice later.” And I walked over to the large building they said was safe from whatever Drik and Drok were doing.  Walking in the door, I found the pair kneeling on the ground with a sack.  In it were an assortment of cups, and other metal objects.  I stared at them a moment, and they turned to look at me and shrugged.“I don’t care.  Don’t touch my stuff.  Or me,” I said moving inside.  The building was a large bunkhouse for ranchers and farm hands, and I spied an empty cot on one wall that looked clean enough.  Once I reached it, I quickly collapsed on the straw stuffed mattress, still in my armor and clothes.  My head was nestled against a pillow of down and cloth and I felt my eyes drooping.Gos.  Stay on the roof.  Wake me whe—--I know.  Get some rest.  The evening is likely to be a long one.”I smiled and let the exhaustion wash over me.  I just hoped for a dreamless sleep. No nightmares.No Elisna.No Markel.No Pentar…I don’t know if I dreamed and forgot, or if sleep was as formless as I hoped it could be.  More often, I awoke with just emotions on the edge of my mind; emotions like sorrow, anger, and guilt.This time it was fear.My eyes snapped open and I shivered.  But I realized with a shock it my fear wasn’t from a dream, but from the sounds of wood shearing away and ripping apart into splinters.  I rolled from the cot onto the floor and looked upwards at the sea of stars above.  I then saw a brass colored streak pass overhead, a Foggle was following whatever orders Beepu had given.  I then reached out to my own.GOS!?!--It was a rock! I’m not sure…another one!The building shuddered as another rock tore through the roof and sundering the southern wall.  Splinters of wood, panels and beams flew around in the air, covering everything nearby with debris from the collapsing roof.  I scrambled to my feet and looked around.  I could now smell damp smoke and wet wood as I saw some fire sputtering on timbers that had fallen inside.  Beepu was extracting himself from timbers and was shaking his head, attempting to clear his senses.  We looked at each other for a moment, and we staggered towards the exit. Outside there was the sound of howls of worgs in the village and the smell of more smoke.  One of the outlying buildings was completely engulfed in flames, while two others had small fires on the roofline.  Looking around, I saw Daneath silhouetted in the flames, taking a swing and knocking a hobgoblin clean off his mount, and then watched him follow through with a cut on the worgs flank.  The worg turned to bite the warrior, and missed cleanly, allowing Daneath an opening and he thrusted deep into the worg’s neck, causing blood to spurt and splash across his shield.  The worg started to limp off slowly and Daneath started to give chase when he saw Beepu and I.“Thank the gods you’re alright!  A couple more worg riders are in the village, and more are stuck in the trench.” He shouted as he ran past.“Iesa? Rocks?”  I shouted at him in return.“Don’t know.  Giant.” And he stabbed at the worg felling it.  Elsewhere I heard a hobgoblin scream and the fast-paced beat of a worg running.“A giant?” I said in disbelief, and I started to run towards the river.  Behind me I heard Beepu start an incantation.Gos?  A Giant?!?--Makes sense, can’t see it from up here---Sodding!-- Another boulder sailed through the air and slammed into the doors of the chapel, sundering them apart.  The boulder continued rolling inside, wrecking pews as it went.  From the air, black feathers drifted down slowly.  I looked in the air for Gossamer and couldn’t locate him.  But my eyes settled on something else I didn’t expect.Beepu was rising in the air swiftly.  From his hands bolts of fire flew striking a worg, who I could hear yelp in pain.  On his face was a smile of satisfaction as he took a commanding view of the village.  He threw more fire from above, and I could hear from behind a building the harried voice of Iesa, “Take that!  Thanks Beepu!”--Myr, there are a number of the hobgoblins and worgs stuck in the trench, trying to climb out.Well, time to end that problem.I ran toward the river where one of the plugs of earth I had left behind.  As I ran, I heard another worg yelp in pain.  Glancing to my left, I saw one held fast in an iron trap, his hobgoblin rider fallen to the ground.  From concealment Drik and Drok dashed out from under a building with short swords.  One of them screamed in common, “CLUMSY!” and the pair set themselves on the hobgoblin, stabbing the fallen figure over and over.  A noise from my left caused me to turn and reflexively I throw a pair of bolts, striking another wounded worg, causing it to collapse mid-stride.  I was about to move again when I heard the voice of one of the goblins shouts, “Crusher Lasher!”Now running, I turned my head to look north and I saw another boulder flying through the air.  This one seemed unstable, a wild throw.  It smashed into the deck of the bridge.  A shower of splinters and water flew into the air, and just like that, the entire structure was leveled Only the footings on each side of the river remained.  Looking farther north, I finally saw him; the ‘Crusher Lasher’He stood on a hillock, framed in the moonlight.  I guess I expected a large human or something.  What I saw was more gangly in the limbs, and his posture was slightly crooked.  It’s body was pear shaped with a large pot belly.  What appeared to be the shadow of a loincloth fluttered around him as he moved.  I saw him bend down, and pick up another rock, and watched him heave it high into the air.  The rock didn’t seem to be aimed at anything in the village which puzzled me.  Then the sound of Beepu’s laughter made it clear; the giant was trying to hit the small gnome.  And while his skills in hitting large buildings was adequate, hitting Beepu was another matter.“Of course, ‘Crusher Lasher’ was a giant.  Should have asked questions about that piece of chant” I muttered to myself.  I finally reached the river and got in sight of the trench and the thin plug of dirt that I had left behind.--You better hurry.  A group of them are gathered together to give themselves boosts.  I didn’t reply, I just focused the strands on the middle section of earth and dirt.  I could feel the weight of the water pushing and pressing against the plug.  I pulled with the strands the earth away bit by bit.  Then suddenly I felt the earth explode, sundering some the strands apart as the water burst forth, scattering the loose earth.  I kept focus and pulled more earth away from the center, and let the water push its way forward in a sudden torrent.The sound of the rushing water was music to my ears, and I watched the river eat away at the remaining earth blocking the way.  I smiled wickedly as I thought of the wall of water rushing down the length of the trench.  The smoke was filling the village with a haze, making objects on the ground indistinct.  I turned around and ran back into the center of the village, trying to keep the smoke out of my eyes when I heard it.The sound was rage.  Frustration.  Hatred.  A roar that echoed throughout the valley, loud and strong.  I ran along the side of the building where I was sleeping earlier.  On the roof were a number of scattered small sputtering fires on the wet wood, creating more smoke.  Keeping close to the wall, I peeked around the corner to look north.  There above the haze, framed in the moonlight I could see the giant striding down from the hillock, and towards the village.  I could see even at this distance that it carried a large worked club.  A gift for the ‘Crusher Lasher’ for use as a tool or weapon I supposed.“D, you can take him, right?” I heard Iesa shout from the cover of another building.“Taking a beating with that club doesn’t sound like me,” Daneath looking from his place by the well, wiping his blade on the side of a fallen worg. “We could ask the ‘Apple King’ about that,”  Iesa responded.“Not even funny.  Hey Beepu, you might need to go up a bit.”“It would mess with the range!” Beepu replied from above us.  “He cannot hit me with his poor aim.”“He can if he jumps with that club,” I yelled back.“What?  Oh.  Perhaps I should make certain,” and Beepu began to rise higher in the air.“Great, Beepu’s safe.  That helps,” Iesa said sardonically.  “What about us?  I’m pretty sure if he hits one of us, that’s it.  And running might be a problem with the bridge out.”“I’m not running, we just need to keep it from getting close,” I yelled back.--Good news.  Seems that worgs and hobgoblins don’t swim well together.  Only a couple of the hobgoblins are left, and trying to climb out.Keep an eye out for more.“Drik, Drok, we have some hobgoblins crawling out of the water,” I said loudly, unsure where the pair might be.I heard a pair of wicked chuckles.  “They clumsy,” Drik said.  “Toss them back,” Drok replied, and I heard them scamper off to look for the stragglers.“Well, might get some shots in before it gets close,” And Daneath threw off his shield, sheathed his blade and pulled out his long bow.“What about me?” Iesa complained.“Get ready and stab it,” Daneath retorted.“Get ready?  By myself?”I then pulled a mirror out and spun it in my fingers, “Protect him,” I whispered, and I pulled on a light strand and wove it around Iesa.  I then quickly pulled on a pair of light and dark ones and whispered under my breath.“Iesa; Kelemvor will protect you until you strike.  Strike then run fast!”“Hah,” Beepu shouted. “Finally, you are close enough, you lumbering behemoth of a whelp!  Come and face me you low Ordning born!  Even I stand above you!” and as he taunted, he threw a bolt of fire at the giant, and I watched it go wild and strike the ground instead.“You might want,” Daneath said as he pulled on the bow string and released, “To hit it first.” The arrow flew from the bow with the narrow head whistling in the dark, accompanied by a shout of defiance from the big warrior.Daneath was never a great shot with a bow.  Iesa was much better at archery.  But I knew that he didn’t have the strength to use Daneath’s longbow.  Daneath did keep up his skills though on the occasional hunt.  But with a target as large as a giant, I wondered if you really could miss.  I also knew it was the wrong question; it was whether you could pierce the thick skin and hurt it at all.I watched with dismay as I saw the arrow streak and just scrape the giant’s side.  I started to ready my own magic, pulling at the dark strands when I heard Daneath’s second arrow fly from his hand.  This one was shot low, but the arrow rose as it flew, until I heard it sink into the muddy loincloth that the giant wore.  It bellowed and bent over in pain.  It then looked at Daneath with a snarling face of hatred.  But to my surprise, the giant stopped and lifted its great club awkwardly and used its other hand to cover its loin cloth defensively.I let loose my magic and a small hand now clutched around the giant throat, almost concealed by the scraggly, unkempt beard.  It crouched in place now, trying to find a way forward.  It looked at Daneath warily.A blast of fire from above found home this time, and the giant roared at the new wound.  There was the sound of crackling, roasted flesh, and the sight of skin smoking and cracking apart.  The giant looked around at its feet, and I watched it bend and pickup a mass of wood.  It was the remains of a wooden wagon, that he twisted and hurled at the gnome.The wagon tumbled end over end as it flew towards Beepu.  But I watched as the gnome rose higher into the air.  The wagon flew well below the wizard and then landed in a crushed heap on the ground, as Beepu laughed at the miss.  From elsewhere I could hear a shriek of a hobgoblin, and the sound of body hitting water followed by “CLUMSY!”I refocused my mind and pulled on more dark strands and formed a miasma as the sound of the bell pealed in the air.  Daneath fired more arrows from his bow, and still managed to hit the giant’s loincloth again.  The giant howled as this again, and it staggered around, trying to cover himself.I pulled on more strands, and again as I did so, another bolt of fire streaked from Beepu’s place in the sky.  I released my power and the bell tolled once again.  The giant was frustrated; unwilling to retreat and unwilling to proceed towards the menace with the longbow.  All the while being pelted with fire and torn apart by shadow.The giant was groaning and was looking around on the ground for an object; anything it could throw at a target it could see.  It was then I saw Iesa run and leap across the river, and without stopping, slashed with his dagger, across the back of the calves with a nasty draw cut.  The giant bellowed at the new wound, and gamely swung at the rogue.  But it was too late, as Iesa was already out of reach before he could retaliate.Daneath fired another pair of arrows, but both lodged deeply into the wood of the club.  I switched back to the chilling ghostly hand again and could feel the energy shred more of the giant’s life away.  But then from above a blast of fire rained down from above, striking giant in the face.  I watched it stagger around for a moment, and then it sank to its knees with a groan.  I could see its face clearly now, with a confused look of pain as it fell over on its side, crashing in the earth, tossing up clouds of dirt and causing the buildings to tremble.  I then could feel the last of its life drain away and dissipate as it gave off a final shuddering death rattle.  A sound that thrilled me as the last vestiges of life vanished.There were now only the sounds of fire consuming wood, rushing water, and our own breaths on the night air.  The stillness took over as we looked around for another worg in the darkness, or a hobgoblin charging seeking our heads.The euphoria was wearing off, and I could feel a knot in my stomach form.  I looked around; the chapel’s doors were smashed along with the interior by a rock.  One outlying building was in flames, and another was smashed apart by another rock.  The bunkhouse I had been sleeping in, was torn apart, with scattered flames on the shakes of what was left of the roof.  Only a pair of smaller buildings still stood intact from the ravages of the night.  I made my way to the well, and took a bucket that lay on the ground, and passed its handle through the hook at the top of a rope and clasp.  I dropped the bucket down the shaft and then pulled up some water.  I placed the bucket on the edge and splashed some of the cold water onto my face.  I wanted to wipe away the smoke and grime that I could feel there.  I wanted to wash away the conflicting emotions I felt.  To conceal the tears of the turmoil within me.As I did this, the rest gathered.  Daneath and Iesa staggered forward, both injured from worgs and scrapes with blades.  Drik and Drok appeared then from the southern side of the village; their shirts drenched in blood that was not their own.  Finally, fluttering down from above came Foggle, Gossamer and finally Beepu, who was wearing a grin that said that he was completely and utterly self-absorbed with his accomplishments.“We did it,” Daneath said slowly.  “We survived.”“Yes.  Of course, we did,” Beepu said in a matter of fact tone.  “My superior position allowed us to claim victory.  I await your thanks.”Iesa looked at the gnome for a moment before speaking, “Yes…thank you Myr for that trench,” as he turned towards me.“That’s right,” Daneath chimed in, trying to hide his smile.  “That flood of water really took out those riders. Great job!”The two goblins nodded, “Gala Booyahg made lashers clumsy swimmers,” Drik said approvingly, while Drok just nodded vigorously.“What?!?  What about me?” Beepu’s face grew red, missing the snarky smiles on the other’s faces.“Oh, yes.  Where were you?  I couldn’t see you on the ground anywhere.  Where were you hiding?” Daneath said mildly still trying to hide a grin that was getting wider by the moment.“You were really good there,” Iesa said. “Did you turn invisible or did you just become a rock again?”“HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE—” he started, when Iesa snorted and Daneath just turned red holding is breath, trying not to laugh.  Then, he gave out a sudden burst of laughter, no longer able to control himself.  Beepu straightened up, surprised for a moment, and then he too smiled and laughed.  “You…you had me there you two!   All of you!”I couldn’t hold back and laughed as well.  Even the two goblins started to snicker and eventually were rolling on the ground laughing pointing at Beepu.  As I giggled madly, my cheeks ached, and I could feel my eyes water.  It was the tears and laughter washed away the pain, that only laughter with friends could.Session notes:So, in game terms, every minute allowed me to cut about 25’ ft long and 10’ ft wide (in 5x5x5 foot cubes) every minute.  That’s 1500’ ft trench in an hour, and I had more than that in terms of time.   And you thought Minor Illusion was bad.And many worgs and hobgoblins drowned.  A horrible death of course, but not as bad as Drik and Drok ‘clumsy’ attacks were. But the DM and Daneath’s player coming us for the rational on why a giant would be afraid of a tiny battlemaster with a longbow was brilliant.  Makes complete sense.</blockquote>

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