World Revolution

[Brian]

"Aye, that'll do, then," Lord Roger agrees, looking somewhat pensive at the mention of a Jotun.

"Archers might help annoy the Jotun," Erik supplies thoughtfully.  "The axemen could close in from behind and hamstring it; that loss of morale would send the rest of the Dreadmarch fleeing, and we could have reserve pikemen planted along the banks of the valley -- with superior numbers and height,we've time to make this a deathtrap."

"Yes," Sir Durin nods.  "If we let any escape, they'll warn the main army we're out here.  It's inevitable they'll discover us, but the longer we have to sap their strength and supplies before they realize it, the better we'll fare."

Carst just grunts, waiting for you to take this advice into account.

[Dracos]

"Hmmm...  Make it so.  We'll aim for taking a Jotun's head today."

Dracos

[Brian]

"That will be worthy of remembering!" Erik declares, before everyone goes off to assemble the ambush as you've ordered.

[Dracos]

Dracos takes a moment once they've left to double check the condition of his sword and armor, as he's been neglecting to do since the fight.

Dracos

[Brian]

Your armor needs mending; there's a cut across the chestplate.  Well, not much you can do about that now, anyway.

Your troops get into position, hunkering down into the snow to hide themselves from anyone standing in the valley.  Ahead of you, you can see the Dreadmarch (now) progressing down the valley, and southward.  There's tons of them, just like you were told, and you can see the Jotun, too.

'Ice-giant is right'.  It's got blue, somewhat translucent skin that reflects the moonlight, is wearing some form of armor -- looks like sewn together pelts -- and is wielding a tree as a club.  Some branches still protrude from the head of the tree-trunk.

At about this time, you pull back further to remain out of sight, while the archers prepare to rain arrows on the charge.

Even lying in the snow to hide yourself from the forces below, the Jotun is tall enough to look down on you -- the thing is a good eighteen meters tall.   You know that it's going to spot you, first.  There's just no way to hide thirty thousand armed men on a flat plain, especially with that much of a height advantage.

But, some luck is with you, as the Jotun is in the middle of the caravan, and doesn't notice until he's just inside the main pincers of your two forces.  He rears back, as he's noticed your forces specifically, and starts drawing a breath -- probably to sound a warning cry.

[Dracos]

Dracos sounds the horn of battle, dropping it back to his side and pulling out his blade, gesturing forth and leading the charge against the side, attempting to inspire his men to greater fervor.

Dracos

[Brian]

By sounding the horn to set in a charge just before the Jotun can below out a warning, the majority of the orcs below (and smaller, and slightly larger creatures, too; quite an assortment of them all, really) look up in time for a rain of arrows from either side of the gorge.

Code Select Expand

<@Brian> roll 4#3d6 for general archer accuracy
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 4#3d6 = {13}, {5}, {6}, {7}.Well over half of the defenders are already dead by the time the footmen begin their rush.  Due to the surprise attack, and the effeciency of the archers, the defenders are unable to set themselves effectively to create a shield wall or any other defensive structure.

Code Select Expand

[10:52] <@Brian> roll 3#3d6-4 for general footman effectiveness
[10:52] <Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3#3d6-4 for general footman effectiveness --> {7}, {6}, {5}.

The net result is that the storm-riders have effectively dispatched everything except a few small pockets of resistance, and the Jotun.

Philip finds himself, four axemen, and two pikemen, facing off against the beast, because it's making a bee-line for Phil.

[Dracos]

Dracos rushed forward, swinging hard at the Jotan's leg. "Strike it's legs, unbalance it!"

Dracos

[Brian]

<Brian> You're on the ice-field below the snow-line, with your axemen and pikemen, and the Jotun towering overhead.
<Brian> It's wearing a suit of thick furs -- they look like mixed wolf and bear hides, stiched together, and its weapon really is just a tree-trunk.
<Brian> We'll start on phase zero, which is everyone with a held action; the Jotun spent his last action charging towards you, and thus, has nothing.
<Brian> Dex order: you first, Dracos.  The Jotun is about 10 meters away.
Dracos charges blade raised to swing at the Jotan'
<Dracos> s leg and swinging hard when I reach range to do so.
<Brian> Alrighty, you rush, and the pikemen flank you.  The axemen spread out at an angle behind you.
<Brian> roll 4#1d6+1d3
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 4#1d6+1d3 --> [ 1d6=6 1d3=1 ]{7}, [ 1d6=6 1d3=1 ]{7}, [ 1d6=3 1d3=1 ]{4}, [ 1d6=6 1d3=2 ]{8}
<Brian> Arrows pelt the Jotun, but he really doesn't seem to notice.
<Brian> Segment 6, speed 2s go.
<Brian> You're currently two meters from the Jotun, though the highest you could reach on this thing would be just above the knee.
<Brian> Dex order, Dracos first.
Dracos runs just past him, spinning and bringing the blade along the back of where the knee is as hard as he can.
<Brian> Your called shot raises the Jotun's DCV to ... 1.
<Brian> Please roll 3d6 to push your strength.
<Dracos> roll 3d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Dracos ... : 3d6 --> [ 3d6=9 ]{9}
<Brian> Your strength is increased by 15 points, for 15 END.
<Brian> Go ahead and roll to hit.
<Dracos> roll 3d6 for pain
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Dracos ... : 3d6 for pain --> [ 3d6=11 ]{11}
<Brian> That's a hit.  Go ahead and roll your damage.
<Dracos> roll 4d6 for pain!
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Dracos ... : 4d6 for pain! --> [ 4d6=16 ]{16}
<Brian> The Jotun screams in pain -- you cut through a tendon.
<Brian> roll 6#3d6 for bravery
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 6#3d6 for bravery --> [ 3d6=9 ]{9}, [ 3d6=13 ]{13}, [ 3d6=13 ]{13}, [ 3d6=11 ]{11}, [ 3d6=12 ]{12}, [ 3d6=6 ]{6}
<Brian> roll 3d6 for pike damage
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3d6 for pike damage --> [ 3d6=12 ]{12}
<Brian> roll 2d6 for pike damage
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 2d6 for pike damage --> [ 2d6=12 ]{12}
<Brian> roll 3#2d6 axe damage
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3#2d6 axe damage --> [ 2d6=11 ]{11}, [ 2d6=5 ]{5}, [ 2d6=10 ]{10}
<Brian> roll 4d6 axe damage
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 4d6 axe damage --> [ 4d6=12 ]{12}
<Brian> Dracos, please roll the stun multiplier of 1d6, which will then be applied to the total damage.
<Dracos> Roll 1d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Dracos ... : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=3 ]{3}
<Brian> As slow as the Jotun is, it hasn't quite figured out that it's in pain.  That means it's going to make an attack before it goes down.
<Brian> roll 3d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3d6 --> [ 3d6=14 ]{14}
<Brian> The club slams into a section of ice.
<Brian> No storm-riders are nearby.
<Brian> roll 6#3d6-3 dive for cover
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 6#3d6-3 dive for cover --> [ 3d6=12 ]{9}, [ 3d6=11 ]{8}, [ 3d6=9 ]{6}, [ 3d6=11 ]{8}, [ 3d6=13 ]{10}, [ 3d6=13 ]{10}
<Brian> The storm-riders dive out of the way as the Jotun goes down, slamming into the ice.
<Brian> This means...
<Brian> roll 20#1d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 15#1d6 --> [ 1d6=2 ]{2}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=5 ]{5}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}, [ 1d6=1 ]{1}, [ 1d6=3 ]{3}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=3 ]{3}, [ 1d6=1 ]{1}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}, [ 1d6=5 ]{5}, [ 1d6=5 ]
<Brian> roll 5#1d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 5#1d6 --> [ 1d6=1 ]{1}, [ 1d6=2 ]{2}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=5 ]{5}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}
<Brian> roll 8#1d6
<Chibi-Suu> Them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 8#1d6 --> [ 1d6=5 ]{5}, [ 1d6=6 ]{6}, [ 1d6=2 ]{2}, [ 1d6=2 ]{2}, [ 1d6=2 ]{2}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}, [ 1d6=4 ]{4}, [ 1d6=3 ]{3}
<Brian> The ice beneath the Jotun cracks.  It creaks alarmingly, as spiderwebs shoot through the ice in every direction across the valley carved into the snow ... and does not break.
<Brian> But judging by the discoloration you can now see below, what's underneath the ice (not sure how thick) is liquid.

[Dracos]

Dracos does a quick visual survey of the area and the current status.

Dracos

[Brian]

The pikemen are keeping the remaining foe at bay, and the archers are divided into two groups -- those who are picking off the orcs still left, pinned down by the pikemen, and those who are picking off the ones that are trying to flee.

The axemen are working on severying the unconscious Jotun's spinal column, which looks to be slow, grisly work.  Jotun blood is not red, nor is it hot.  It's thick, blue, and where it touches the ice (and the little water that's welled up from below) it freezes instantly.  It also causes the water to freeze.

The smaller creatures and the orcs have a viscious, black blood, which smells horribly foul, and the ogres have blood that's somewhat green in hue, and thinner than any of the other enemies.  Funny what you notice in the adrenaline rush, once the battle's pretty much over.

Of your own forces, you've lost (at a glance) about thirty people; you're not sure how many of them just need healing (the priestess is looking after them) and the walking wounded, which are cleaning their own injuries.

[Dracos]

Dracos breathes in, glancing about for his runners.

Dracos

[Brian]

The runners collect themselves from the mess of the aftermath, and jog to your side.  Of primary concern is: were there any escapees?  The scouts are working on that one.

Of a secondary concern, now that the enemies are effectively routed, will you destroy their wagons and supplies, or just steal them?

[Dracos]

Dracos sends out a message to make sure no one escaped and gives the order to swipe the supplies as well as begin preparing to move the army west as soon as everything was ready to move.

Dracos

[Brian]

They check out the supplies.  Food!  Well, food components, anyway.  Looks like a whole lot of mushrooms, some kind of scrapped and wadded moss or lichen, and a whole mess of heavily salted reindeer and bear meat.  No fish, no flour, no breads.