Nathaniel grabbed an arrow in his fist as he got ready to cast on it. He asked what Chris had not wanted to consider, “Are we going to have to take out all of the health of the whole troop before any of them drop? How can an adventure party fight a military troop?”
Chris replied darkly, “Guess we’re going to find out.”
A double line of goblins in leather armor had formed in the open area in the middle of the huts. All ten of them had shields and spears. The one that had been giving orders fell in on the right hand side of the front line. He had three arrows sticking out of him. He did not seem to mind. Looking back over his shoulder, the warrior barked something Chris could not make out.
Because Chris’s party was not moving, they could cast non-attack spells or drink potions and still get an attack in that same interval.
You invoke Soldiers of the Light aura. +2 Att/Dmg to allies in 15’. 5 Light damage (2+3) per combat interval.
Ku casts Hawkeye. Att/Dmg +2, Crit Chance +25%, Crit Dmg x3
Nathaniel casts Lightning, charging his arrow.
The paladin and his followers loosed their arrows again. Their bonuses made hits almost automatic, though Ku’s 25% Crit Chance did not come in. A total of 19 damage was shared by the goblin troop.
As the warriors advanced, the militia sprang into action. From various different spots around the village, arrows flew at the heroes.
It seemed they had divided their shots up. Three arrows each came at Nathaniel, Ku, and Chis. Two hit the heaped up construction works in front of the battlemage, and one flew over his head. All three aimed at Ku hit the earthen heap in front of him. Chis was not as lucky. He was hit twice for a total of three damage. His armor really helped against multiple low damage attacks.
Nathaniel pointed at the goblins spread around between the huts. “Go get that militia, Scout!”
As he put his bow away, Chris shouted to Ku, “Go use your Intimidate skill to shut down those archers.”
Ku climbed over the foundations of the wall and darted into the huts with a ferocious roar. Nathaniel shot at the goblin leader and stunned him again. Chris stepped up with his shield and hammer at the ready. Nathaniel shouted from over his shoulder, “Go full block. I’ll keep critting them. The damage will get shared in huge chunks.”
Not ready to accept advice from his former squire, Chris attacked one of the frontline goblins instead.
You attack Goblin Warrior (Troop).
You hit Goblin Warrior (Troop) for 11 damage.
Goblin Warrior’s Leather Armor absorbs 2 damage. Shares 9 damage with Troop.
Goblin Warrior (Troop) hits you for 5 damage.
Your armor absorbs 2 damage.
You have 30/35 Health.
Goblin Warrior (Troop) hits you for 4 damage.
Your armor absorbs 2 damage.
You have 28/35 Health.
Goblin Warrior (Troop) hits you for 5 damage.
Your armor absorbs 2 damage.
You have 25/35 Health.
Goblin Warrior (Troop) hits you for 3 damage.
Your armor absorbs 2 damage.
You have 24/35 Health.
That not-so-good news was followed by much better news.
Fish Guts Militia (Troop) is INTIMIDATED and has stopped fighting.
Chris felt the familiar surge of power at the end of the combat interval and his aura shot outward.
Your Soldiers of the Light Aura does 5 Light damage to Goblin. Shares 5 damage with Troop.
Your Soldiers of the Light Aura does 5 Light damage to Goblin. Shares 5 damage with Troop.
Your Soldiers of the Light Aura does 5 Light damage to Goblin. Shares 5 damage with Troop.
Your Soldiers of the Light Aura was dodged by Goblin.
Your Soldiers of the Light Aura was dodged by Goblin.
Despite the effective bits at the end, the overall interval outcome was not that good. Chris had lost a third of his health and had not dropped a single foe. “Ok, maybe that wasn’t the best idea.”
Two of the goblins on Chris’s right began to climb over the foundations of the wooden wall toward Nathaniel. Other warriors filled in their places in the line facing Chris. Nathaniel took a step back and charged an arrow.
Gritting his teeth with determination, Chris hefted his shield. “Fine, maybe the battlemage was right.” He selected the full block action for the next interval.
With his shield at the ready and his hammer dedicated to helping him balance instead of attack, Chris waited for the goblins to make their moves. The flurry of spears was easier to handle than Chris expected. The blocks scrolled by in the updates at the bottom of his vision.
Nathaniel loosed his charged arrow straight into the chest of the first goblin to get over the heap of earth to his right. The sparks arched and raced over the warrior’s skin.
Finally, Chris’s aura launched again. Three goblins dodged, but Chris had managed to catch three others with the damaging light.
The goblins were all looking haggard and a little beaten up. There were scorch marks on their leather armor, black eyes sprinkled around the group, and scratches and small wounds on a few. But, none of them were down despite close to a hundred points of damage being done to the troop.
Did they need to do two hundred total points of damage to drop all ten goblin warriors at once? Could Ku and Scout come back and help? Or did they need to keep intimidating the militia with their skill?
To Chris’s great surprise, the next interval saw the goblins begin a fighting withdrawal. Two goblins on the right broke off and went to help drag back the paralyzed goblin that had been climbing the earthen heap toward Nathaniel. The others were still in two lines.
The front line attacked and then ran behind the back line. The back line, now in front, jabbed at Chris and then moved behind the front line. Leap frogging each other like this, the goblin warriors receded toward the huts. They stopped when they were outside of Chris’s aura. Because Chris had chosen to go Full Block again, he could not chase them right away. His aura fired off harmlessly.
Nathaniel still got a shot at the paralyzed warrior being dragged away by two of his compatriots. He managed to crit the moving target. It seemed to be the last straw for the warriors.
The goblin warriors broke ranks and darted in amongst the huts. Chris pulled out a potion and chugged it while he gave chase. He regained eight health. He had decided It was better to keep up the damaging aura while he still had potions to use.
When he got to the edge of the open space in the center of the village, he came up short. A low, growling chant was going up from the huts all around. “Riiiibit roooar, riiiibit roooar, riiiibit roooar!”
Something answered in an ominous voice from behind the huts to the north. It sounded like a bullfrog crossed with a locomotive.
The sound suddenly got closer. Flashing movement over a northern hut got Chris’s attention, and he looked up.
Now falling on the downward half of a gigantic jump came the frogre. Wide mouth and bubble eyes like a frog, no neck to speak of, bulging muscles all over its torso, long, springy legs. The ground shook when the towering beast landed and went into a forward slouch leaning on its muscle bound arms. Emblazoned on its slimy green chest was a emblem made of a black, steaming cauldron topped with a crown. Chris’s heraldry skill told him that it was the sign of Witch King of the Fenlands. He was pretty sure he could have guessed that on his own. But, the report from the skill gave him a little extra info that was very valuable.
Your Heraldry skill tells you the following information:
The Witch King of the Fenlands
Mostly goblin kingdom consisting of three towns or villages.
Treasury - Poor (Between 100 GP and 500 GP)
Produces - Mixed (Food (Fish), Wood, Potions)
Army - Small (Between 5 and 10 Troops)
Technology - Dumb (Highest Tech: Pottery)
Chris had not realized his Heraldry skill might actually be useful. He wanted to look at his o
wn emblem, the white split cross on the crimson field, but there was a more pressing matter about twenty feet away at the moment.
Again, the frogre gave its terrifying roar, showing off a mouth lined with razor sharp teeth in the process.
“Hey!” shouted Chris. “Frogs DO NOT have teeth like that!”
Nathaniel came up beside him with his sword and shield out. “Ogres do. Though usually a lot less of them since their mouths are about a tenth that size.”
Chris nodded and then noticed Nathaniel’s equipment. “No way. Go back to your bow. You’re safer that way and you’ve got a higher DEX than Strength. Stay back from this thing. Your zappy arrows a pretty awesome, even if they only stun for a little bit.”
Nathaniel muttered as he switched equipment, “I bet zappy swords work just as well as zappy arrows...”
The goblin warriors appeared to be vacating the village. Perhaps they were more heavily damaged than Chris had realized. He did not have any time to try to figure it out.
The frogre bounded forward with a short hop, halving the distance between them. Chris charged forward, wanting to make sure the frogre did not get the chance to jump up and land on him. It had to weigh upwards of five hundred pounds. Who knew how much damage that would be...
Winding up, Chris took a shot at the frogre's ribs. He put as much behind his swing as he could.
You attack Frogre. Chance to hit 80% [50%+(9-3)x5%]
You hit Frogre for 18 (9+9) damage. Frogre's Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage. It resists 4 damage by the spell Dark Embrace.
"WHO is casting that spell on EVERYONE I FIGHT?" Chris was exasperated. An awesome damage of 18 was knocked down to a mediocre 9 points. Maybe Nathaniel's magic would do better.
Nathaniel attacks Frogre with Charged Arrow.
Nathaniel hits Frogre for 5 damage and 8 Lightning damage. Frogre's Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage. Frogre's Swamp Affinity gives it 100% Lighting Resistance.
Frogre regenerates 5 Health.
Chris felt the familiar warmth of his aura firing off, but he already knew that only one point of damage would get through that wretched Dark Embrace spell.
A blur came from Chris’s shield side, and he saw Ku fly at the beast’s long, froggy leg. Ku stabbed his spear into the green skin as hard as he could.
Ku hits Frogre for 9 damage. Frogre‘s Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage.
The frogre roared, but this time in anguish. Looking down at the three foot tall Ku, the beast seemed to get a smile on its frog face. In one swift motion, it lunged over and snapped its huge jaws around the goblin. Tipping its head back with Ku’s feet still sticking out, the frogre began to jerk its head back and forth, trying to force the goblin down into its gullet.
Frogre uses special attack Swallow Whole against Ku.
Ku takes 8 damage. Armor cannot absorb special attack damage.
Ku has 11/19 Health.
“Oh no you don’t!” shouted Chris as he took a step back and brought his shield up in front of him. He charged into the frogre’s gut and tried to bash the monster’s stomach.
You attack Frogre with Shield Bash. Chance to hit 90% [50%+(10-2)x5%].
You hit Frogre for 15 damage and disrupt all Special Attacks and Casting for one interval. Frogre's Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage. It resists 4 damage by the spell Dark Embrace.
A great popping sound like a cork coming out of a Champaign bottle resounded through the village. Then there was whistling followed by a loud crash. Ku had flown through the air and smashed into the side of a hut. Rickety as it was, the hut almost collapsed on the goblin Man-at-Arms.
In the commotion, someone darted up to the Frogre and attacked. Chris's spirits soared as he thought that Scout had joined the fray. Then, his stomach flipped when he realized it was Nathaniel coming right up into attack range.
Nathaniel attacks Frogre with Fire.
Nathaniel touches Frogre for 4 Fire damage. Frogre's Swamp Affinity gives it 50% Fire Resistance and Doused Flames.
"That was almost my last mana! It should have turned this thing into barbecued frog legs!"
Adding injury to insult, the frogre snapped its huge mouth closed around Nathaniel's arm. The battlemage could not help but scream in pain as the beast lifted him up off the ground. Huge fists pistoning into Nathaniel's trapped form, the Frogre landed a brutal combination attack to the battlemage.
Frogre hits Nathaniel with Combination Attack for 21 damage. Nathaniels armor absorbs 2 damage.
Nathaniel has 5/24 Health.
Gulping down his fear, Nathaniel blurted out, "This is my last spell, Chris!" Since his arm was still in the monster's mouth, he did not need to make a touching attack.
Nathaniel touches Frogre for 5 Ice Damage. Frogre is weak against Ice and takes 10 damage. Frogre is SLOWED.
Frogre releases Nathaniel.
The battlemage was backward crab crawling away from the monster the instant he hit the ground. The frogre suddenly became blue and started moving much more slowly.
Chris interposed himself to protect his follower. The paladin readied his shield and flipped his aura over to Healing Light. It fired off at the end of the round.
You heal 6 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Nathaniel heals 6 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Ku heals 6 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Scout heals 2 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Frogre regenerates 5 Health.
You have 30/35 Health
Nathaniel has 11/24 Health.
Ku has 17/19 Health.
Scout has 18/18 Health.
Frustrated and worried, Chris shouted over his shoulder, “You need to drink a potion! I'll go full block to protect you."
Frogre attempts to attack Nathaniel. You GUARD Nathaniel from attack.
Frogre attacks you instead. You block the attack!
Supposedly, that meant that Chris had been successful. But, when the looping two-fisted swing of the frogre came wheeling around and connected with Chris's shield, it sure did not feel like a success. The paladin staggered two steps to the side, but held his ground as best he could. Muttering under his breath, Chris admitted, "I'm glad I didn't have to take that one at full speed."
Nathaniel drinks Healing Potion. He heals 1 Health.
Nathaniel has 12/24 Health.
Flabbergasted, Chris sputtered, "What?!? What did you do wrong?"
The battlemage shot back, "I think I can handle drinking a potion. I didn't do anything wrong. Must have been a dude or something."
Chris moved to stay between the now blue frogre and Nathaniel. There was no way he was going to let it pummel his battlemage again.
Chris grabbed one of his last two potions out of his own inventory and chucked it back to Nathaniel. He had to drop his war hammer to do it, and that limited him to just blocking the next interval. Despite that, he decided he had to do it.
"Here, Jack, take this one."
There was no way he would let him die again.
You heal 5 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Nathaniel heals 6 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Ku heals 2 Health from your Healing Light aura.
Frogre regenerates 5 Health.
You have 35/35 Health
Nathaniel has 18/24 Health.
Ku has 19/19 Health.
Uncertainty slipped into the battlemage's voice, "I'm almost up to full now, are you sure I should drink the potion?"
"If you're going to run up to this thing and let it try to bite your arm off again, yes. Otherwise, keep it for later." Chris was a little frustrated that he had not realized that his Healing Light would be boosting him back up so fast.
An arrow whistled over Chris's shoulder along with a zinger of a comment. "And, my name's not Jack."
Nathaniel attacks Frogre with Bow.
Nathaniel hits Frogre for 10 (8+2) damage. Frogre's Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage. It resists 4 damage by the spell Dark Embrace.
Frogre attack
s you with Punch.
Chris felt like he was Neo in the Matrix, except instead of a bunch of bullets, it was one big, heavy fist. He slid behind his shield and tried to deflect the blow. But, the huge punch had too much momentum. His shield got pushed out, and a glancing blow landed on his opposite shoulder.
Frogre hits you for 7 damage. Your armor absorbs 2 damage.
You have 30/35 Health.
A flick of motion flew through the edge of Chris’s vision to the left, and an arrow appeared in the frogre’s throat.
Ku casts Hawkeye. Att/Dmg +2, Crit Chance +25%, Crit Dmg x3
Ku attacks SLOWED Frogre with Short Bow.
Ku CRITICALLY HITS SLOWED Frogre for 24 [(5+3)x3] damage. Frogre's Swamp Hide absorbs 5 damage. It resists 4 damage by the spell Dark Embrace.
Frogre casts Great Leap Forward. Movement x3.
The frogre, now battered and bloody, bent its froggy legs under itself and launched into the air. Before Chris could even react, the beast was out of reach and flying over the northern line of huts. A loud splash followed a moment later.
Last Witch King fighting unit has left village of Fish Guts.
You have conquered Fish Guts, CAPTURE or RAZE this village?
You have captured Militia (Archers, GREEN) Troop, CONVERT, RANSOME, or DISBAND this troop?
“Wait... What happened to the goblin warriors?” Chris was confused.
Ku came up, basking in Chris’s healing aura. “They got in boats and took off while we were fighting the frogre. I saw them out rowing across the water. Congratulations, Lord Christopher. You have a village now.”
“Wow, I thought it was going to be Fenton, not Fish Guts.” Excitedly, Chris quickly picked CAPTURE and CONVERT on the two text questions in his vision. Suddenly, he got a flood of more text about being the leader of a side. He ignored most of it until he had found out how to get into the building menu for Fish Guts and get the defensive wall back under construction.
When he made the selection, he was given the option of using resources to rush the construction. Use Extra Wood was grayed out. Pay Extra Gold was grayed out. Use Extra Food was grayed out. The only rush option that was not grayed out was Use Hero Labor. Chris paused for a moment and looked at the with/without stats. The wall would take six more hours to complete if he did not rush it some how. Use Hero Labor would cut off an hour for each Hero that helped.
Openings Page 26