Beyond Sanctuary: Scene 17

For an introduction to this Mythic Game Master Emulator Sandbox adventure, see this post. 
Setting details and links to characters are posted here.
Previous scene: Scene 16

SCENE 17
Wherein the party walks into an ambush and nearly loses one of their number.

CHARACTERS
1. Lanumas (Kandara's familiar)
2. Dori Cabbagestalk
3. The dervishes
4. Goblins
5. Kobolds
6. Orcs

THREADS
1. Find the mythical Elven Homelands
2. Solve the mystery of the lost dervishes
3. Put the angry spirits to rest
4. Solve the mystery of the previous adventuring party
5. Heal Dori
6. Avenge Comet
7. Recover the party's gear
*. (exploring the ruins is too open-ended to be a thread)


CHAOS RANK: 5

***

The scene occurs as expected.

Q/RISUS: Arien and Liamas sneak ahead to recon, rolling 13 and 21 respectively. Is it enough to remain unnoticed [Likely]? No. 

Q: Is there an ambush waiting [Likely]? Yes. (Rolled a "Level 3" Random Encounter: 21 Orcs) 

Sneaking ahead of the rest of the party as they follow the tracks, Liamas remains completely hidden but the sun reflects off of Arien's armor, alerting the humanoid guards.The Orcs prepare an ambush and will almost certainly focus most of their fury on Arien in an effort to take her out quickly.

The opposition is as follows:

• 10 Orc Soldiers Armed With Polearms (4)
• 10 Orc Soldiers Armed With Axes and Crossbows (4)
• Orc Leader Armed With An Axe (3)

The crossbowmen let loose a volley of bolts. Arien detects the incoming attack, takes cover, and returns fire.  [RISUS: rolling 16 to the orcs' 13 BUT the polearmsmen team with the corssbowmen and swarm down on Arien, adding 3 sixes as a Team. Arien is zeroed out with a Critical hit]  As she is selecting a target for her elven bow, a group of pig-faced marauders leap out from behind rocks and swarm over her, hacking and stabbing with their polearms. Arien falls under their blows and is in danger of bleeding out. 

UPDATE (Arien): Noble Elven Knight of the Crimson Wolf (4 0)

Having already moved too far ahead of Arien to be of any immediate assistance, Liamas remains hidden and attempts to assassinate the Leader by pumping his Rogue cliche up to 5. [RISUS: Liamas rolls 21 to the chief's 8 - Critical] With a well-placed knife to the back, he kills the chief and quickly [expending a Lucky Shot for good measure] slips into the shadows to race back and get help from the others.

UPDATE (Orc Leader): Orc Leader Armed With An Axe(3 0)
UPDATE (Liamas): Fearless Halfling Adventuring Rogue (4 3 due to pump). Lucky Shots [x] [x] []

After finding his way back to the group, Liamas says, "We were ambushed by orcs and Arien's overwhelmed. Quickly, follow me!"

Tenistan, Hal, Valdora, and Liamas race to recover Arien. Tenistan and Valdora take on the Polearmsmen in a fierce melee. [RISUS: Tenistan uses a Questing Die and rolls 19 and Valdora adds a 6; the orcs roll 13 and suffer 3 dice of damage from the critical] Fighting shoulder-to-shoulder, the two of them wade into the midst of the orcs just as they are about to do something unspeakable to Arien. Caught up in their sadistic revelry, the orcs are completely surprised and almost entirely wiped out. Only a single orc remains standing.

UPDATE (Polearmsmen): Orc Soldiers Armed With Polearms (4 1)
UPDATE (Tenistan): Questing Dice (Avenge Comet) [x][][][][]

Hal evokes a Spiritual Hammer to aid in the battle while he wades in against the other group of orcs with his mace. Liamas uses his last Lucky Shot to follow with an acrobatic assault. [RISUS: Hal rolls 18 and Liamas adds a six while the orcs roll 19] Even with his spiritual hammer fighting beside him, Hal is hard-pressed by the large number of pig-faced grunts. It's Liamas' quickness and luck that allows to kill the biggest orc. Losing their best fighter, who was just about ready to spear Hal, is a critical blow to the morale of the orcs and several of their number begin to flee the scene..

UPDATE (Crossbowmen): Orc Soldiers Armed With Axes and Crossbows (4 3)
UPDATE (Liamas): Lucky Shots [x][x][x]

Surrounded by the fallen bodies of his murderous companions, the last orc polearmsman stabs at Valdora in a berzerk fury. [RISUS: Rolling 18 to 4] A lightning quick blow from her axe sends his head rolling into the bushes.

The few remaining orcs that have not fled or perished focus their attention on Hal and Liamas but it is Tenistan who steps forward to meet their blows head-on. [RISUS: He rolls 18, Liamas' luck is spent, and Hal's spiritual hammer adds a 6. The orcs roll 4 and suffer a critical] In a handful of devastating cuts, combined with a few key blows of Hal's Spiritual Hammer, the orcs are defeated.

Liamas: "Hal, Arien's down! She's not breathing!"

Hal: "I'll do my best!"

RISUS: Casts Cure Moderate Wounds and she recovers 2 dice.

UPDATE (Arien): Noble Elven Knight of the Crimson Wolf (4 2).

Hal bends over the fallen form of Arien, closes his eyes, and lays his hands on her most grevious injuries. A blue radiance is visible in the shadow of the rocks and her wounds begin to close. Arien takes a startled breath and opens her eyes. She is battered and bruised, but far from broken.

Arien: "Thank you."

Hal: "It's all right my child. The waters of Sawdorn have washed away your hurt and mended you broken body. But you will not be ready to fight again until you've had some rest. Your injuries were very severe."

Liamas and Valdora loot their fallen foes and collect 197 electrum pieces.

Q: Do they find any of the party's stuff [Unlikely]? No 

 Liamas: "No sign of our stuff."

Valdora: " There must be more of them. We need to find their lair."

Liamas (moments later): "Look, a cave!"

Q: Any visible sign of guards [50/50]? Yes. Two more guards are visible and ready.

Valdora: "Shh! Down! Can't you see those two guards?"

Liamas: "It's not like they don't know we're here. They will probably retreat inside as soon as we approach. Hey, I smell something cooking."

Tenistan: (grrrr) "Comet! Let's go!"
Arien (grimacing through her bruised, battered, and bandaged form): "Wait, Tenistan. A plan, perhaps?"

Tenistan: "I don't need a plan. We wiped out their main force. We can do the same to them."

Hal: "She's right. It's folly to charge in blindly."

Liamas: "I can eliminate the guards."

Valdora: "Both of them?"

Liamas: "Well, maybe."

Valdora: "Then I'm with you. Let's go."

With that, Valdora loads pistol crossbow, hefts her axe, and quietly [RISUS: 13 on Tomb Raider] sneaks up the hill, directly from the direction of the sun (taking advantage of the orcs' known weakness). Liamas follows just as quietly [RISUS: 14 on Rogue].

Taking out the orcs is a TN15 test (failure means combat). Liamas takes the lead and rolls 16 all by himself. Valdora rolls two sixes for a total of 18 by herself. They both kill their targets quickly and quietly. They then sneak into the mouth of the cave and see...

Q: Is this below the first level of the dungeon [50/50]?  Yes, second level (assume from the western edge of the paper).

...a long passage (at least 60'). The smell of grilled meat hangs heavy in the air.

Q: Is their light [Unlikely]? Yes. 

Liamas: "Torches in sconces. And lit, no less. I think we're going to face some resistance."

Valdora: "You're right. We need to at least get the others."

***

CHARACTERS - No change.

UPDATED THREADS
* Find the Elf Homelands
* Solve the mystery of the lost dervishes
* Put the angry spirits to rest
* Solve the mystery of the previous adventuring party
* Heal Dori
* Avenge Comet
* Regain the Party's Gear (especially Valdora's alchemy supplies)
* (exploring the ruins is too vague to be a thread)

CHAOS FACTOR: 7

Next scene: Even though Arien's wounded, they will press on and try to recover their stuff before sunset. The next scene will be the first room/chamber of this level [effectively third level in difficulty]