Session 28: "Here comes the rain......." or "Just singing and dancing in the rain..."

 19th Day of Firemoot, Thunderday. (Part 3)

A quick look around and Fargrim saw they were in the clear, he led the retreat in the rain back towards the hills. He looked back, but in the rain could not see if they were being followed.

Fargrim forged ahead and the group all but stumbled up the slope behind him. As Fargrim crested the rise dark shadowy figures stood up in the pouring rain.  Tired arms pulled weapons out as the group prepared to defend themselves. As battle was about to be joined, familiar, friendly voices called out all was ok. It was Heimund, Lionel, Dove and Droop. To one side stood an unfamiliar yet familiar Dwarf, to Fargrim at least. Heimund introduced him as Brutus Hammerforge.

Before he could step forward, Fagrim spoke. “You live in my Grandfathers Hold. I recognise you. You have travelled far ‘brother’”. For as Brutus was not biologically related to Fargim, all members of their hold referred to each other as brother.

Brutus informed Fargrim he had important information and Fargrim bade him speak. Looking round, Brutus spoke, “I come on instruction of the Lord of Ironshield Hold, I must inform you that your Grandfather Hargrim Ironshield has passed on to the Halls of Moraddin”. Fargrim bowed his head in silent prayer then raised his head and asked, “Who now is Lord of Ironshield Hold?”. “None other than your Uncle Daergrim” Brutus said. Fargrim sat down. “Such passes the wheel of life”.

Questions where asked and the others were informed that Beorwulf had fallen during the attack. Sorely pressed they had had to leave him behind.

Prayers said for the fallen, Lionel and Heimund went around and healed the wounds of the remainder of the group.

Sitting round the spluttering fire, it was still raining heavily, the group debated on their next course of action. Fargrim advocated returning to the Shrine and dealing with the Orcs once and for all, especially the Shaman. The conversation flowed back and forth and eventually it was agreed to return and attack the Orcs again, the Orcs wouldn’t expect it. The rain was shattered by the fireball that exploded, centred on the fire. Newly healed wounds started bleeding again as the group spun round, stood up as the Orcs charged in from all round. They had followed the group, bided their time then struck when the group least expected it.

Droop was down, hit hard by an Orc blow. Heimund stepped over his comrade to protect him. Lionel and Brutus took a defensive stance. Hagnulf, Dove and Ardan backed off to where they would be of more use. A long line of Orcs led by the leader charged forward then stopped. Fargrim and Bandur recognised the body of Beorwulf on the far right, he looked odd, mouthing silent war cries and screams.

Fargrim and Bandur charged into the end of the line, Fargim attacking the former Beorwulf, for surely this could not be their comrade, now in  league with the enemy. Uthal charged the centre of the line fighting his hated foe, Orcs.

The enemy leader let out a tremendous warcry of his own, instilling the Orcs with extra vigour and resolve, they charged in!

Brutus temporarily confused as to which way to turn struck the nearest Orc. Hagnulf moved round in the rain and attacked the Orcs from the rear. Ardan and Dove let fly with bolt and arrow, supporting their comrades where they could get a clear line to an enemy. Bandur, having killed the Orc he was fighting, joined Fargrim attacking Beorwulf. Heimund now free to act reached down and healed Droop with his lay on hands ability.

The form of Beorwulf went down, Fargrim was attacked from in front by an Orc and behind by the leader. Dove managed to strike the Shaman as he was about to cast, breaking his concentration on the spell he was preparing to unleash.

Uthal was now fighting the Ogre and an Orc. Heimund dispatched an Orc as Hagnulf stepped in and out of combat striking down another Orc. Lionel and Brutus were trying hard to defend against the incessantly accurate attacks from the Orcs they were facing.

Uthal went down under a flurry of blows. Fargrim made a gap and charged the shaman. The Orc leader, Ogre and remaining Orc rushed to defend the Shaman. Fargrim, surrounded, attacked the Shaman. He was fighting off blow after blow. Heimund charged in, Hagnulf moved in support. Ardan moved to heal Uthal. Dove tried to find a better place to shoot arrows from and moved to her right, to another hill.

An arrow from Dove thudded into the Shaman, defences open Fargrim struck with all his might. The shaman went down. Fargrim now fought 2 orcs and the leader. Heimund was stopped supporting him as the Ogre and an Orc moved to attack him. Hagnulf moved behind the Orc who turned to fight him.

Ogre and Orc dispatched, Brutus charged to support Fargrim. Bandur arrived to help as the situation was now desperate for Fargim. Brutus made sure the shaman was dead by simply beheading him. Heimund, Hagnulf and Bandur now struck the Orc Leader, the only Orc alive, in an attempt to save Fargrim. The orc leader with a massive swing of his battle axe attempted to sweep all the group attacking him and failed. He went down after multiple hits. Fargrim, exhausted slumped to the ground.

The group gathered round Fargrim in the rain. “Right, lets get to the Shrine and finish off the few remaining Orcs and see what else we can find.”. Too exhausted to argue, the badly wounded group followed Fargrim in the rain back to the Shrine.

Carefully they entered, not wanting to trigger any more traps the Orcs may have set. Uthal and Lionel went off to the right. Fargrim and Bandur checked out the tower nearest to them. Heimund, Dove, Lionel and Droop entered the are of the haystacks. Hagnulf crept around the walls trying to stay in the shadows. Ardan watched the west wall and moved down to the collapsed section he had moved too not so many hours ago.

Fargrim and Bandur cautiously moved along the inside of the west wall. Dove, Droop and Heimund hugged the west wall of the large central building. Hagnulf was scouting the north end of the building trying to keep in the shadows when he spotted an Orc.

It would seem they wagons had been hitched and were being loaded. Fargrim told Brutus to stop the others following Hagnulf as he was out of sight and wait.

 Uthal and Lionel had crept up to some crates and boxes and they could see an Orc and the wagons plus some loaded pack mules. Uthal moved forward for a closer look, lost his footing and tripped knocking over 2 large crates.

Lionel moved forward and grabbed Uthal, dragging him back into cover, hoping the noise of the falling crates had not been heard.

(TBC)