Past Meet Present - From the Fire to the Furnace

Last night the Karameikan Fist was back at it, outnumbered but prepared for the attack to come.  While I expected casualites on both sides the rolls definitely fell with the party and I overestimated what numbers, as well as high damage but low AC/HP mobs could do as well.  It certainly helped that the party had good tactics and stuck to them, and that they used some tools that helped their case greatly, but you'll see what I mean there in the recap below.  I will say that while they have escaped this little fire relatively well, they certainly haven't escaped the problem and will be up against it next week.

Without further delay however, here is the recap of the latest installment of the Karameikan Fist.


The party stood their ground as the remnants of the door fell to the ground.  They could see in the cavern beyond a giant statue of Orcus, but more immediate was the ogre standing in the doorway, the ogres behind it, the humanoids in varying armors and robes, and the undead.  The activity beyond the door made it appear as if they had just cracked open a bee hive.

Without hesitation Shadow let loose two arrows, striking the first ogre, and after it swung down on Corman before him cutting deep into his chest, Daisy and the guardsmen were able to drop it.  Atvan summoned a creature from the elemental plane to assist in the battle just as the next one charged forward.  The ogre crashed into the thing pushing it well back into the room, but even as it did so the Fist was hitting it with sword, claw, and arrow and even as two zombies stepped forward to take the doorway it was fell too.  The zombies didn't stand up long and soon another ogre stepped forward.

The Karameikan Fist continued to hold the doorway, using combined fire and smokesticks to confuse the enemy even as the bodies piled up, never allowing more than one in at a time.  There were still a number of enemies beyond the door however and Callaum drank a potion previously obtained and took the form of an ogre.  After casting a spell from a scroll to create darkness in the room beyond, he grabbed one of the fallen ogre's axes to join the fight.  The darkness seemed to drive the enemy back however as only another pair of skeletons came through the doorway and they were easily handled.

During the later stages of this Temeris joined Jim in the room to the North as a lookout so they wouldn't get surrounded, and during this time Temeris heard faint voice from beyond the walls behind the tapestry.  Sending Jim back to warn the others he pulled out a tindertwig and began to try to light the tapestry on fire.  It didn't want to take but after some effort it began a slow smoldering burn and he hid using the tapestry and shadows after hearing stone sliding against stone and seeing that part of the wall behind the tapestry was opening up.  Back in the other room the party moved a pair of tables to defend themselves and prepared.

Soon an ogre roar echoed in the halls as the burning tapestry was ripped aside revealing yet another room beyond.  Shadow loosed two arrows and Temeris attacked from surprise injuring the ogre gravely immediately.  Atvan summoned a pair of bears to block the hall as Temeris retreated and the enemy started in, however a smokestick thrown into the room began to blur everyone's vision of the room before.

The ogre came forward and attacked the bears while the others spread out, and soon the ogre was killed.  However seeing beyond was impossible now with smoke filling the room.  "We can wait!  You are surrounded!" was yelled out from the smoke.  A bit after that same voice yelled out to send a dozen ogres through the darkness and bring the rest around, and with that the party decided they couldn't wait and they had to press through the smoke to try to escape.

Temeris led the way with the summoned bears sniffing their way towards the humanoids to the opposite direction, and he soon found himself face to face with another man.  There were five in all beyond, and with him leading the charge and Daisy close behind they pushed forward.  As they attacked the first two they came to the two in the back cast upon them, and while Temeris briefly felt stiffer it was Daisy that was overcome and unable to move.  Callaum joined them, still in ogre form, and attack as well.  The party pressed on as the smoke behind them cleared, and while those before them couldn't hold up long to the combined attack of the party they did buy enough time that the smoke began clearing and the rest of the Orcus priesthood was on their way.  In the room beyond, where some sort of ceremony was finishing, the party saw the priesthood, including a man yelling out orders while flanked by ogres in armor, approaching quickly.  They pushed forward, with Atvan summoning a pair of wolves to help distance them, and soon were running for the area of the Tyran crypt, hoping that the Orcus following wouldn't be able to enter the doors.

They ran what seemed like forever, making the long, winding trip all the way back with the followers behind them, and more behind that.  They managed to reach the double doors though and Corman pushed them open, shutting it behind the last guard just as the Orcans began to fill the cavern beyond.




So that is where we sit.  The party managed to stand the initial assault, avoiding getting surrounded or over ran using solid tactics and the tools available to them.  However it cost them a number of potions and they have few left, and they used a great deal of their other tools such as scrolls and alchemical smokesticks and the like.   However now they are safe behind doors protected by Tyr, at least while closed, but they only have limited food with no way of producing more, their potions and supplies and arrows and bolts all are in limited supply, and their enemy of unknown size and power, no longer thinking the party is a minor inconvenience, sits outside simply waiting for them to come out.