The Scouring of Pale Gorge, Part 2

A Knife in the Gloom

Steve paused for a moment, letting the woodsmen and Trade Pioneer chuckle at his remarks about the poor quality of orruk boars. He sipped from his tankard, smacked his lips and started again.
'Yes, it was the worst boar I've ever roasted, but in the morning we were well rested and ready for another day. We picked up the trail of the fleeing orruks and started off, the sun shining on the bright green leaves of Naive Hope. But as we followed the trail deep into Pale Gorge the air around us turned clammy and the bright sunlight slowly gave way to an oppressive gloom.

Glowing lichens and malformed mushrooms grew nearly everywhere and crude sigils were scratched onto the bark of trees. Kalyustar was able to make some sense out of them. Threats mostly and a recurring name... Backstabba...
We knew what to expect, but really were not prepared to find our path barred by a small horde of Gloomspite Gitz. And if you think that the damned creatures were enough to give anyone second thaughts, they also had troggoths with them!

And behind them, we could hear the screeching of their leader, taunting us to come and face the mighty Gripe Backstabba!

Rodrik chuckled, unstoppered the flask of Aqua Ghyranis he had collected, guzzled it down and moved forward, his pistol barking. Kalyustar and I added our own shots, all of us aiming for the nearest troggoth.

We heard it bellowing in pain, but that was not enough to stop it. He and his mate came crushing through the trees, a mob of grots behind them. They surrounded Rodrik, while Gripe stood back shouting orders.

Rodrik took a few serious blows, but he was nothing but tenacious and managed to fell the wounded troggoth.

Gripe then gave a high pitched shout and another mob of grots crested the hill in front of me while the Loonboss waded into combat.

I was quickly surrounded, but managed to kill one grot. Rodrik wasn't that lucky. Backstabba's knife pierced his armour right above his heart and Rodrik crashed to the ground to be pocked by the grots and trampled by the troggoth.

And then, the most amazing thing happened. Kalyustar smashed a vase to the ground and fanned the purplish dust towards where Rodrik had fallen. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the dust moved back and forth, as if it had a will of its own. And when it cleared... Rodrik stood next to the wizard, bleeding but alive!

Kalyustar then blasted a grot and with Rodrik charged to my rescue.

The grots started to run away. That bit of arcane trickery had spooked them for good, I'll tell you that!

But that was still not enough. Backstabba kicked the nearest grots and they made for us, poking the troggoth forwards.

We were all bleeding from many wounds and Kalyustar cast a shimmering shield around us while we tried to keep our distance and get a few shots at the cursed gits. And yet, they kept coming for us.

Kalyustar's shield spared us the worse blows and we even managed to fend off the grots, but the troggoth was too stupid to die or even just flee. And then the Loonboss came in, his cutta aimed for Kalyustar's horse.

I jumped at him, but he was nothing if not sneaky. It ducked under my swing, rolled between the horse's legs and slammed his shield onto Rodrik.

But the captain had again planted his feet and grinding his teeth returned the blow. I heard Kalyustar cursing as he let the magic shield down to rain arcane bolts onto the troggoth.

I stepped over the downed brute to Rodrik's side and together we managed to corner Backstabba against a rock. But as we landed what we thought would be the final blows, he kicked a cluster of mushrooms. As we chocked on the spore cloud, that slippery git rushed away, screaming curses.

Flight Through the Swamp

We barely had the time to patch up our worst wounds when we heard his shrill cries again. And by the sound of them, he had gathered the grots that had fled and was coming for revenge.
"We run!" whispered Kalyustar. And though I could see Rodrik's disgust at the idea of turning our back to the enemy, he knew he was not fit for another fight.
And run we did! But still the grot were gaining on us. Things got worse as we found ourselves in the midst of a stinking swamp. We had just passed a half sunk gate pulsing with sorcerous energies when Backstabba and his mob got sight of us.

They surged forward, but couldn't reach us through the sucking mud.

"Fall back and shoot!" Kalyustar's order rung loud and clear and my arrows flew true, straight into Backstabba.

He shouted, but it wasn't pain. It was a call! In a rumbling of hooves, a mob of boarboyz crested a hill and splashed onto the swamp.

They got stuck, but the grots rushed past them and through the sunken gate and charged Rodrik.

And as he parried and responded, Kalyustar and I countercharged, dispatching most of the grots.

We pressed on, and while Rodrik dealt with the last few grots I rained arrows onto the boarboyz.

"Again! Fall back and shoot!" Kalyustar was still orchestrating our defence.

Him and I aimed for Backstabba, while Rodrik unloaded his pistol onto the boarboyz. And as the smoke of his shot cleared I could see the boarboy boss spurring his stinky pig away and trampling the smoking shape of Gripe Backstabba deep into the swamp.'

Steve paused again, savouring the hush of relief coming from the woodsmen.
'We dragged ourselves out of the swamp and made camp. Rodrik soon fell into a deep sleep. I'm still amazed at how much that strapping lad could take! Sitting next to the fire, I turned to Kalyustar. As always, he was wearing his mask, but I could tell he was in a bad mood.
"That was some defensive tactics!" I said, trying to cheer him up.
"What? Oh, yes... Thanks... Did you hear it? That voice when I smashed the vase..."
For the life of me, I had no idea what he was talking about. Surely that day fighting had shacken him up...'
At this, the Shiyshian Trade Pioneer smiled. Such a subtle smile that nobody, nor Steve, nor any of the woodsmen, noted it.

***

The Venythian Rovers

Exploration rolls: 7 - Threat Level: 2 - Map Fragments: 0 - Spectral Lanterns: 0 - Battles Won: 3
Kalyustar of the Gilded Hand (Archmage, from Grand Alliance: Order): Realmblood (Ghyran Spell), Master of Defence (Order Trait). Wounds suffered: 0 - Enemies killed: 9
Captain Rodrik (Freeguild General, from Grand Alliance: Order): Tenacious (Order Trait), Aqshian Flamewood Stake. Wounds suffered: 3 - Enemies killed: 15
Steve Boffin (Huntmarshal, from The Empire Compendium). Scroll of Translocation. Wounds suffered: 1 - Enemis killed: 6
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