Part 2 - Chapter 7.5
The party was in no mood for deliberation, and with nods of assent, raised fists, and readied weapons they forged their way back towards Greyfell with their plan of attack. True darkness as well as an otherworldly fog now shrouded their approach, with only a wan silver light gracing the clearing of the old manor. Under this welcome cover, the party split into three units - Sindri and Torgren as the forward scouts, who would range ahead and clear a path to the ruined bridge. Turi, Charax, and Boot followed just behind the scouts to secure the ground they took, while the rest of the group remained with the war wagon and awaited a signal to spur them into action. At the sound of a ravens’ call, this last group would surge forward and ready the ballista with a straight shot across the bridge.
As Sindri and Torgren slunk forward, they noted that a new gang of kobolds was loitering around the wrecked wagon, and they appeared to be investigating the site of their earlier battle. Slaying these kobolds would be no more difficult than the previous group, but stealth was imperative - if they raised the alarm too early, the kobolds and their draconian masters would certainly be able to summon allies and charge across the bridge before the adventurers could find an advantageous position. The worry was for naught however, as the skilled elf and dwarf rangers did their work - Sindri again skewered a kobold near the tower, while Torgren brandished his dagger and dispatched a pair of them near the rivers’ edge - all of this was accomplished in near silence, and the creatures on the far side of the river were none the wiser.
While all of this was happening, the second line was preparing themselves along the edge of the nearby woods - spacing themselves out and getting ready to charge. Torgren made the call of a raven, signalling the rest of the party to advance - Charax echoed the call, expertly mimicing and amplifying the sound so that there could be no mistaking it. Charax and Boot then rushed from the woods and made to guard the bridge, while Turi barrelled into the wrecked wagon - the wreckage was sat right where they needed to park their own wagon, and had to be moved. With a grunt of effort the grey-bearded barbarian muscled the dilapidated vehicle forward, successfully clearing a spot for their war wagon to rest. As this was happening, Torgren took a moment to set a bear trap on their side of the ruined bridge - hoping to catch any counter-charging draconians unaware.
The wagon crew leapt into action immediately - Abby had taken stewardship of the war wagon, and successfully drove the giant goats forward while Morgan was sat in the back, attempting to load a spear-like bolt into the ballista - a task made more difficult as the giant goats barrelled over logs, roots, and rocks. Fargrim, Brutogg, and Jiub protected the flank and rear of the wagon as it rumbled on. Reaching their destination, Abby began summoning her signature spectral knife while Morgan continued working to ready the ballista.
The sudden cacophony roused the draconians - exactly to plan. A fresh wave of kobolds appeared, driven before the hound master and their beasts, while the whip-wielding slaver brought up the rear of the warband. Despite the fresh horde of adversaries, the party’s plan was unfolding much as they’d hoped - Sindri was in position and waiting as the draconians spilled out of the manor, and she immediately lanced two arrows into the packmaster, nearly felling the creature. The rest of the gang was just as quick to act - Boot surprised everyone present by unleashing an astonishingly powerful lightning bolt, straight across the bridge approach. With a whip-crack of searing white light, the old gnome decimated the onrushing beasts. A handful of kobolds were flash-fried, while the packmaster was slain where it stood - one of the hounds was grievously wounded by the blast as well. Taking advantage of the opening, Charax made to leap the bridge and gain ground, but was foiled by the slick moss coating almost everything underfoot. The wagon crew watched as he leapt, barely scrabbling onto the far side of the bridge - and their hearts sank as the bard slipped back and over the edge, just barely catching himself.
The combat raged on, as one of the hounds leapt across the bridge and straight into Torgren’s bear trap - Turi took the fight to the beast, just as the Juggernaut could be heard approaching from the north. Indeed, Sindri spied it first from her vantage point. Like a battering ram, the monster charged with surprising speed through the manor itself and barged through the gatehouse. Stone was sent flying as it did, and the ground shook under it’s tread. By the time it reached the foot of the bridge, Charax had freed himself from the river and climbed onto the far side, ready for combat - Turi had dispatched the hound, and bound across the gap in the bridge with a powerful lunge. The bard and the barbarian engaged the juggernaut simultaneously - hacking, slashing, and shooting it with abandon. Sindri had by this time made her way to the war wagon and into the firing cradle of the ballista - it was time for the first shot. The weapon was unwieldy and unfamiliar however, and the enormous bolt flew wide to impact with Greyfell’s wall with a loud crack of impact. It was frustrating, but she prepared to fire again with Morgan at hand and readying a new bolt.
Abby, Torgren, Fargrim and the rest of the wagon gang were now forming a defensive line near the wagon - Torgren hucked one of Turi’s javelins at the juggernaut and was rewarded with blood. The beast was hungry for violence however, and was eager to show these pests why they shouldn’t have returned here. It hefted it’s giant maul and swung mightily at Turi, dealing damage that may have slain any other combatant - but it wasn’t done. The monster then hunched low, flexing and tensing the muscles of it’s shoulders and back, before hissing out a cone of poisonous vapour which caught Turi, Abby and Boot. The cloud was oily, nauseating, and painful to move through, let alone breathe.
Charax had been so far ignored by the beast, but he was by no means unaware of the damage it was causing - the wily bard chose his moment and sent a slithering, insidious whisper of psychic dread straight into the mind of the juggernaut. The beast responded almost immediately - shaking it’s head as if to dislodge some pest, and disengaging from the combat. It trod back into the relative safety of the manor before rallying itself - injured, but not yet out of the fight…
Defeated: A dozen kobolds, draconian packmaster and two draco-hounds
Characters met: Draconian juggernaut (not a nice guy)
Acquired: damage
Quests: Track and dispatch of Dagoth and Eshrokk (tracking 95%, dispatching 25%??)
