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It's not Brenna's day. She slips and fumbles her attack. Maybe it is the excitement of striking her first blow in real combat. Maybe it is because it is dark and rough going underfoot.

It's not Pint's day either. He'd gone out of the gate without waiting for support. Three orcs then engaged him. In order to prevent himself frombeing surrounded, he had to give ground, and they cut him off from the gate. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, two of them decided that they had better things to do, an dpeeled off, leaving Pint in single combat with a huge orc. He proves tougher than the doughty dwarf warrior has expected, and the pair trade blows to and forth, with Pint giving ground and being driven backwards, away from the main party. He tries a stab, but the orc parries,and he gives another step of ground. He realises that he is not where he wants to be.

Two orcs have now grabbed Caitlin, and they are pulling her roughly away. Her lantern bobs wildly, but is still lit.
"Help me!" she screams.

"Men, draw up in good order" calls Lieutenant Peter from inside the compound. "We're going into battle."
"There's the sound of soldiers falling in.

But maybe the soldier will come too late. There are attacks on Pint and Brenna.

((Brenna's AC is 13, so assuming the orc misses her. But if it gets bonuses since she slipped, I don't mind editing this!))

She had a good, firm grip on her long dagger. The orc's back was mere feet away as she raised her arm to strike. And then her boot landed sideways on a rock that rolled beneath her foot and instead of striking, she was scrambling to catch herself before she fell completely prone.

Well, at least she'd managed to distract one of them from Caitlin. Too bad two more of them were still dragging the teenaged girl away. That was rather ominous. And as the orc turned toward her and raised its weapon, her thoughts of being heroic suddenly turned into self preservation, not wishing to be dragged into the woods herself to be either dinner or plaything of these foul creatures. She rolled to the side, just barely in time to avoid being struck by the orc's weapon. Then as she was on her way back to her feet, thrust her blade toward the orc's thigh in a rather desperate gamble.

Honestly, it had not been Pint’s whole week if he was being honest with himself.

But that didn’t matter to a warrior, when in battle all his misgivings were pushed away to focus entirely on the battle.

Even as he was struck by the orc all Pint could do was laugh as the pain and endorphins were surprisingly refreshing.

“Och!! That’s all ye got ye daft bloody wanker!!? I’ve been loved tapped in a spar harder than that!” Of course said love tap came from a rhino man but the orc didn’t need to know that.

Though Pint knew he was not where he wanted to be, that was fine for him, he just needed to survive until reinforcements got here. Thus he went full on the defensive preparing to parry all of the orc’s attacks.

(( Pint goes full defense which bumps his AC to 23. Can I do that? That’s a 3.5/Pathfinder mechanic I’m not sure if it was a thing in 2nd edition.))

Brenna hits the orc in front with her dagger. It's only a slight flesh wound, but the effect on the pig-like creature is dramatic. He sqeals in agony, as though mortally wounded. He dances about, then makes a vicous, rushed attack (minus on to hit, plus on damage if he does hit).

Meanwhile Pint has been hit by the huge orc.
"Die, shortarse" says the orc, "Then your Urgrosh shall be mine. You can't beat Big Gunter in a fight."
The two trade blows, with Pint going on the defensive.

((I need some stats for Pint. See Brenna's page if you need the details. Pint has already lost three hp in kicking damage from Rhinoman)).

"Grab some torches" shouts Lieutenant Peter from the Inn. There is a bit of confusion as the soliders fall out and then fall in again.
Then you hear them marching up to the gate.
"Block the gate" commands Lieutenant Peter.
"You need to rescue my girl" cries Macey.

"Heh, heh, says Big Gunter, and launches a heavy blow at Pint with his wickedly curved sword.

Here are the other attacks.

Luckily, the orc dancing about in pain gave Brenna the few precious moments she needed to get her feet fully back under her. Just in time too. As he swung his weapon at her, she was able to jump back just out of range of his attack.

She knew she was in a bad spot though. With only her daggers and having blown her initial chance to catch the orc by surprise, she'd lost any advantage she might have had in this fight. But she was in it now, for better or worse. And she'd better try her damnedest to win it quickly. Otherwise, it would be for naught if the orcs got away with Caitlin.

And... she was just now realizing... Macey hadn't even come out to try to get his daughter himself. Maybe it was smarter to wait on the soldiers, but she had a hard time imagining her own father, when he'd been alive, waiting around for someone else to take action if it had been her that orcs were dragging away.

"You won't be in charge long if they kill her, Peter!" she yelled, hoping to appeal to the man's desire for the position of leadership to get him to at least send a few men out to aid them. If he lost multiple civilians under his protection, that surely wouldn't look good.

But she didn't wait for an answer before dancing to the left and slashing at the orc again.

Pint’s stats

Str: 16
Dex: 14
Con:14
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Char: 8

AC: 19

Hp: 12, current: 7

Best I can do in my current circumstances

Pint goes on the defensive as Big Gunter rains blows on him. Pint is parrying well, he feels he has the measure of the orc.

Brenna never gets to land her blow. As she disengaes from the orc, he turns tail and runs away.

((The moderators have told me that RPRepository orcs are not allowed to swear. So you've just got use a bit of imagination and supply a liberal sprinkling of words beginning with f and c))

"She's got me in the thigh. I'm dying, I'm dying" he screams, as he runs towards the wood.

The two orcs dragging Caitlin away lift her up, and start carrying her. She struggles,but they are too strong for her. her lantern falls to the ground but doesn't go out. It continue to shed a little light on the scene, as they make for the woods.

Lieutenant Peter seems unsure what to do at Brenna's taunt. "Come back to safety" he calls to Brenna, "We've got the gate secured".
"You've got to save my little girl" shouts Macey.
"I've got to save everybody" retorts Lieutenant Peter.

Big Gunter has his back to Brenna, and is presenting a tempting target. But the orcs carrying Caitlin away will soon be gone from sight. And she doesn't have a light.

Big Gunter gets an attack in on Pint.

Pint slaps the orc’s attacks away with deft blows of his Urgrosh and keeps up taunting him, making sure his focus is on him. “Pftt!! Not even close, mate!” As he does that he notices Brenna about and gives her a meaningful look to come sneak attack Big Gunter.

As much as her heart sank to see Caitlin being carried away, Brenna knew she was no match to take on two orcs by herself. If Peter was just going to stand there and wait, the best hope seemed to be aiding Pint.

She didn't bother answering Peter, not wanting to alert Big Gunter that she was moving toward his exposed back.

Gripping her now bloodied knife, she plunges it toward the large orc as he's focused on Pint.


((Edit: that makes up a bit for that fumble last time!!))

The one on one between Pint and Big Gunter goes to and forth, with the dwarf deftly parrying the blows.

Brenna sprints over to the duelling pair, as stealthily as she is able, and drives her knife as hard as she can into Big Gunter's back.
Aaaawk! The knife hits home. It isn't enough to kill him, but it has obviously done significant damage. Big Gunter almost
falls down, the saves himself. He's in a sort of crouched position.
He suddenly realises he has no support, and you can see the fear in his eyes.

"Charge" shouts Lieutenant Peter.

Pint grins as he sees the opening Brenna gave him and swings at the orc with the axe head of his Urgrosh.

Phew! With Big Gunter injured, Pint ready to destroy him, and the soldiers finally coming forth, maybe there was some hope for Caitlin.

Almost belatedly, Brenna recalled the dark figure she thought she'd seen slip past her when she'd been trying to clear a path for Macey to get his daughter. Gaaahhh!

"I'll check on Mr. Swathmore!" she called out to Pint, abandoning the battle as fast as she'd joined it to rush back toward the Inn.

Pint lands a huge hit on the crouching Big Gunter, and knocks him into a prone position. Brenna runs wide to avoid the soldiers, charging with torches held aloft, and makes her way back into the gate.
The soldiers soon arrive and surround the dying Big Gunter, poking and stabbing at him with their swords. He expires.

"We've saved you" says Lieutenant Peter, to Pint, "But I see you are wounded, sir. You'd better make it back into the safety of the Inn."

Brenna make her way back into the Inn, past Rosalind who is still standing in the doorway, peering out. The others are gathered inside, anxiously waiting for news. Dalin is standing by Mistress Weather, his hand on his battleaxe. The cat Catherine is also there. All three maids are behind the bar. Lady Helena is scowling, but the Petulan ambassador seem unperturbed. Alfonce has left the kitchen and is standing in the Inn, still in his chef's apron, with a big meat cleaver in his hand. Mr Swathmore is sitting on the table, where you left him, some way from the others.

"Did you find the girl?" he asks, "Very foolish, running out like that."

Brenna, breathing hard from the struggle and then running, knife still in her hand covered in orc blood, and mud on her side from where she'd fallen, paused inside to take stock that everyone seemed fine, including Mr. Swathmore. Okay, good.

But where was Fr Geoffrey? Had he gone out with the soldiers?

"No, the orcs have her..." she answered quickly and matter-of-factly, but felt a wave of guilt wash over her at the same time. It was her fault that they'd gotten away with Caitlin, all because she'd slipped on a stupid rock! She had little confidence that Lieutenant Peter would push out into the forest to rescue the girl.

"One might have slipped into the compound." Out of everyone, Dalin seemed the most trustworthy and her gaze landed upon him. "Keep an eye on the door, just in case." Then her eyes went to Alfonce with that meat cleaver in his hands. "Best keep an eye on the kitchen door too. Are those the only two ways in here?"

She still wasn't sure that it was an orc she'd actually seen. But better to assume the worst and cause a bit of unnecessary worry than let them be caught off guard. Her own plan, if the door situation seemed mostly under control, was to slip back outside and ensure none of the creatures were sneaking around the Inn or the stable.


((This Peter fellow... is appropriately named. ))

“Oi! Bloody kill stealers!” Pint didn’t look thrilled about the guards rushing in to finish off Big Gunter, and he looked even less pleased when Peter had the gall of saying they had rescued him. “Ye wot!!??!” He said indignantly before moving off, not bothering to argue with them.

As long as Brenna and Dalin were safe he was still getting paid so he ran back to the inn to check on them.

((Sorry for the delay. I have an eye infection. ))

Pint and Brenna return to the Inn. The atmosphere is tense. Lieutenant Peter posts guard back to the rooftop tower.

"one person has been murdered, and one person has been kidnapped by orcs." says the lieutenant. "This situation is serious. We don't know how many orcs are ouut there, but they have lost a chieftain, and will be anxious to avenge him. I believe the murderer must be working with the orcs, otherwise why attack at this time, after so many months of quiet?"

"You must rescue my daughter" says Macey.
"She chose to go out of her own free will" says Lieutenant Peter, "I cannot keep everybody safe unless everybody obeys instructions. We don't know what the orcs want with her".
"She'll make a nice slave for them" says Mistress Weather, "fetch a fair price in the markets of the Black lands".
"She's certainly worth more money to them alive than dead" says the petulan ambassador, "But how will they get her all the way back to the Black mountains? She won't be able to stand the pace of the journey. I fear they must have other plans for her".
"Fear" says Macey, "This is my daughter you are talking about. Henry Fitzroy promised her that he would marry her. Now it turns out that he is engaged to someone else. All her hopes were dashed. That was why she rushed out, the pain and humiliation were too much to bear".
"The King would never allow his son to marry a merchant's daughter, no matter how much money her father had" says Lady Helena, "She should have realised that. I should have told her".
"The good King Dunstan has no legitimate children, and the Queen is past the age of bearing." says the Petulan ambassador, "So the throne goes to his cousin, the King of Petula. He will refuse it, as he cannot rule two realms, and bestow it on his second son. Henry Fitzroy is a potential threat to that plan, as the people may see him as the natural ruler, a native rather than a Petulan. So King Dunstan plans to bestow on him lands in Petula, which he will hold off the King of Petula. This will be achieved via the marriage to Lady Helena. These are all matters of state, Mistress Caitlin never had a chance."
"Then how shall the King's daughter be Queen?" asks Dalin, "For so Mistress Weather's cards said, and the cards, like dwarves, never lie".

Conversation goes on like this for a while, and Brenna and Pint lose interest. Using her stealth, Brenna sneaks out, whilst Pint remains in the Inn, talking with the disguised King.
"That rascally ambassador" says the King, under his breath, "I just want a decent marriage for my son".
Brenna is surprised to note Catherine the cat coming into the front door, just as she goes out.

((Brenna roll Perception, and Stealth))

"Poor Caitlin" says Kitty the maid, coming to serve Pint and the King. "She would have made such a pretty bride for Heny Fitzroy. I can see why he wanted to marry her. I'm sure that if he were here, he would be the first to ride off into the forest and try to rescue her. You mustn't think only bad things of Henry Fitzroy, you know."
"She's made her choice" says the disguised King, "Don't you be putting yourself at risk to save her."
Pint gets a strange, funny feeling about Kitty he can't quite place.