21st March 2021 - Session 6 - Defending the Keep - Eoin

 Kin and Dipple lower their weapons as the last orcs in the gap are taken care of and dash like lightning towards the keep with the guards. The orc remains are piled up at the gap as Dunbarr reaches in and takes the necklaces of elf ears hoping they will be given a warrior's burial. Dunbarr and Bearnabus see out over the moat river at the elves who are continuing to help by firing volleys of arrows at another set of orcs heading into the keep. The orcs have made it to the wooden curtain wall and are climbing over. Like a sack of potatoes, Dunbarr hops onto Bearnabus and heads towards the keep.

Graupel wields her maul at any orc willing to breach the keep's defenses. The first comes over and is brutally slain in a rage. The second and third orc make it over the wall together as a volley of elven arrows smashes into them. Graupel crushes the chest of an orc before it has a chance to react. Two guards in the entrance tower go out to face the orcs, their javelins managing to pierce the orc armour.

Dunbarr and Bearnabus briefly regret being the heaviest things in the town as they cross the wooden ladder over the wooden bridge. It creaks and strains but they manage to get across. Kin arrives first but in his speed fumbles his bow onto the ground. Dipple sends a volley of magical arrows into the orcs. Graupel sees the rest of the party enter the keep and decides on a tactical retreat to regroup. She first ragdolls an orc on the wooden curtain wall sending it flying back into the water and she heads down to the party.

The guards are keeping their own against a single orc, preventing it from advancing further into the keep. All of the orcs have made it over the curtain wall and into the keep. The elves can no longer make their shots and make haste towards the entrance of the town.

Dunbarr sends in a hand axe killing an unsuspecting orc. Bearnabus bravely heads off the orcs trying to come down the stairs into the keep's courtyard. The orcs pile on their attacks on this large brown bear doing so much damage that Bearnabus loses her bear form, turns back into a Tiefling, and is knocked unconscious. Dunbarr gasps finding out the bear was Bearnabus the whole time. Graupel heads back into the combat to valiantly save Bearnabus but fails to get a grip on her and can't pull Bearnabus onto her horse.

The guards use the Dunbarr school of pirouetting to kill an orc. Dunbarr heads into combat and stabilizes Comabus and tries to get in the way of the remaining orcs. Kin and Dipple fire volleys of arrows from hidden points throughout the keep but can't get a clean hit.

The guards become personified with dramatic backstories. Tom thinks of his children and wife and rushes into the keep after Dunbarr yells to get a health potion. The rest of the guards rush into the orcs to defend the town.

Grapuel curses that her only option is to use her hated javelins and then perfectly throws it, slaying another orc. Dipple expertly uses his light crossbow to heavily injure the captain orc. Kin sees the accuracy of Dipple and fires the killing blow expertly placing an arrow right into the same location of Dipple's bolt, splitting it in two.

With the battle finished Tom revives Dunbarr and Deadabus with a healing potion. Dipple communicates in the official Eleven Evermeet code that the orcs have been slain and he will burn the elven ears following their traditions. Dunbarr assumes this ritual involves even more hand flailing. The elves say many more towns like Triboar, Bryan Shander, and Goldenfields have been attacked. They are not sure who is doing it. This is trouble for the Sword Coast. The villagers from Night Stone have fled to the caves to the north. The caves are filled with creepy crawlies and spikey gooey things probably.