S0E23 - To Grandmother's House We Go (continued) Report

General Summary

After rescuing Kolja from the stirge, the group needed a quick rest to catch their breath and replenish themselves. They found the ruins of a parlor where they were able to secure themselves well enough to get an hour or so of rest. During this time, Kolja filled the group in on what he had seen upstairs. It was decided that they would sneak back up the stairwell and make their way carefully towards the area of the manse where Kolja had seen the orcs.   Despite Verity's armour, they managed a fairly quiet approach to where they believed the orcs to be. After some preparations, Verity kicked down the door and surprised a room full of orcs. The adventurers definitely had the upper hand, holding the door as a chock point and mowing down most of the orcs that could close to melee range. Something about this particular monstrous race meant that they were completely inept at throwing javelins.   As the fight seemed to be waning, one orc overcame his ancestral inbreeding and came up with a brilliant plan. It ran out of sight of the doorway and by time the heroes managed to enter the room they caught the last glimpse of the orc dropping through a hole in the floor! He was going for reinforcements and Sarwynn knew it. He dropped down through the floor as well, floating on his wings, and tried to blast the orc before it could raise the alarm. Sadly, Sarwynn was unsuccessful...   With the orcs above dealt with the remainder of the party drops through the hole in the floor while Kolja set himself up in a sniper's roost in one of the upper floor windows looking out onto the courtyard. What he saw next was...alarming. First, the tree-thing growing out of the well began to rustle and a procession of shrub-like beings began to emerge from the well. Second, a stream of orcs came into the courtyard from a door in the south-west corner.   The fight that had seem likely to be won easily was now turning...and the next thing Kolja saw was one of those half-orc spellcasters stick his head out the door.   The heroes quickly concentrate fire on the spellcaster and he is forced to retreat. This affords them just enough of an advantage to whittle down the other forces and finish off the spellcaster.   With the immediate threats overcome the party picks through the scene of the battle. While recovering spent arrows, Kolja notices one that missed its mark...and embedded itself in the tree-thing. Upon closer inspection, he notes that the tree is bleeding!! "Bad joo-joo!"   The party determines to quickly ensure the rest of the manse is cleared (and looted) and then come back to deal with the tree-thing. They discover a staff with birds carved into it, a rod of some sort and an unusually billowy cloak in a secret room off one of the bedrooms. After assuring themselves that no other threats remained, they return to the courtyard to decide how to deal with the tree-thing. Fire. Fire is the way. They collect as much fuel as they can and then Sarwynn obliges with setting it alight.   They hadn't account for the smoke...or the fumes! They hastily leave through the front door and decide to retreat to the cover of the trees where they will camp and make sure nothing remains of the tree-thing or manse by the time the flames go out.   After hastily erecting camp the companions set watch and begin their rest...

Missions/Quests Completed

The party has completed the Woodland Manse quest.