Ambushed

“Ambushed”
Rise of the Runelords episode
Episode no.	Episode 60
Date	2009
Game Master	Abbe
Characters	Dorothea Gloriana Honeypot Nell Velicia
Episode chronology ← Previous Next → "Whitewillow" "Hook Mountain Clanhold"
Rise of the Runelords chapter list

In this chapter the heroes set out to the Hook Mountain Clanhold but are ambushed on the way.

Ambushed

To find whatever remains we could of the ranger leader Lamatar, we were to travel to the Hook Mountain Clanhold. The rangers knew where it was and we could really use a pathfinder. When Kaven said that he could lead us there I thought he sounded a little unsure so we also brought Jakardros to find the way. Then Shalelu wanted to come too. Kaven, that would cook for me during the trip also prepared all practical arrangements for the journey, this time too. It was nice to have someone take care of all that. We rode up to Fort Rannick and spent the night there. In the morning it had started snowing lightly. We left the horses in the care of the remaining rangers at the fort. The terrain would be too rough for horses higher up in the mountains so we all walked, except Gloriana who flew on her eagle. That way she could act as a scout to see if there were any danger ahead. That is if she had been alert.

When we were walking along a steep cliff side, overlooking a valley below, I noted that there were tracks in the small patches of snow that hadn't melted right away. Looking closer I saw ogres hiding behind big boulders that littered the slope up the mountain side. I shouted "Ambush!" and threw my dagger into one, nearly killing it and took cover behind one of the boulders close to the path we were following. The ogres stormed down the slope and attacked us, taking the others by surprise. Most of the ogres stormed past me, but the one I wounded came looking around the boulder trying in vain to hit me with it's long arms. I recognized the ogre who had been in charge of guarding one of the gates at Fort Rannick that had fled when Velicia shouted at them. It came around the boulder from the other side and tried to swing at me, but missed too. There were javelins hurled after Gloriana, flying just above us. Velicia said that we should gather behind her. Honeypot climbed a boulder and tripped an ogre making it tumble closer to the edge. She hit it again to keep it rolling and perhaps get rid of it over the edge, but it succeeded in grabbing on and lay there on the very edge, looking down. I jumped out from behind the boulder and rolled between the legs of the ogre attacking me and got up, using the rolling action to throw my dagger deep into an ogre in the rear ranks before somersaulting back behind Velicia. She teleported away, swung her sword, felling several lesser ogres and teleported back. I recognized the ogre cook who had smoked the rangers from Fort Rannick. I filled with anger and stabbed it hard making it stumble closer towards the edge. I was in turn hit back by the wildly swinging cook and fell to the ground by the sheer force of the blow. While falling I whirled around stabbing it back leaving it off balance. I got up and stabbed the ogre cook again leaving it prone on the very edge of the cliffs. Honeypot finally kicked the cook over the edge. I turned my attention to the leader and ran crouched in between it's legs, dodging the sweeping blow it made as I moved in. Using my dagger I cut deep into it's thigh, causing dark blood to pour out and as I rolled out from under it on the other side it fell hard behind me. Velicia quickly killed the last wounded ogre.

There were nearly twenty dead ogres laying around us when the fight was over. We searched them but found nothing of value. We did recognize them as the ones that had fled from the fight at Fort Rannick. Wondering if they ever told the rest of the clan of their loss, we continued on towards the Hook Mountain Clanhold. Darkness fell and we settled for the night. Kaven had brought a tent and made dinner. It was delicious, but food always is after a fight. I had never slept better out in the wilds in such a cold weather. Early the next morning after a strengthening breakfast we continued on.

Coming over a ridge we saw it. In the valley in front of us were lots of camps with ogres. There were probably hundreds of them. Beyond, there was a small hill in which we could see a large opening leading underground. The tunnel beyond looked like it was the remains of the ribcage of a huge dead dragon. Further in we could vaguely see an enormous giant standing absolutely still, wearing a suit of armor.