The Black Fangs come out again today to play. Not as many as the other day, but enough to put a dent in their numbers. They’ve brought trolls and orcs this time. Vladimir’s begun referring to me as El Diablo. There’s just a hint of fear and distrust in his eyes when he says it, so I gather this is not an altogether good nickname. I’m sure it will blow over – he’s new to adventuring and is not used to seeing an accomplished Merc Captain in action. We’ve lost a good number of our hired mercs in these compound battles. Artur, a Merc Sergeant hailing from Kislev, pledges his allegiance to me. My first follower! Three other mercs from the other company pledge to join me as well. Larisa is a Kislevite merc, Mitchell is a human merc originally from The Empire, and Curt is a Bretonnian merc. Jezeg frowns upon this new development and states that once this adventure is over, they’re gone and won’t be allowed to continue adventuring with us. We argue a bit over it, but I decide to drop it for the time being. Should they live to see Erengrad again, I will push to keep them on with us. We set camp again up on the battlements.
Battle Records: Caradryan = 12 kills. Nadon = 8 kills. Lillay = 12 kills, High Damage Kill at 26 points. Jezeg = 4 kills. Nivak = 6 kills. Vladimir = 2 kills. Vincent = 1 kill.
Day 2300 (4 days later)
The last few days have been quiet. No activity from the cave entrance, which is good because we’ve used the time to heal up from the last encounter with the orcs (a much tougher foe than goblins). This morning, though, ends the silence. Greenskins come pouring out of the cave entrance and we battle. Mitchell died with an arrow through his one eye.
Battle Records: Caradryan = 17 kills. Nadon = 13 kills. Lillay = 13 kills (including 2 War Bosses and 1 Veteran Orc), High Damage Kill at 29 points. Jezeg = 5 kills (including 1 War Boss). Nivak = 5 kills. Growlyn = 5 kills (including 1 Veteran Orc). Axtrica = 5 kills (including 2 Veteran Orcs). Vladimir = 2 kills. Artur = 1 kill. Curt = 2 kills. Vincent = 1 kill.
Day 2303 (3 days later)
Another few days of quiet – if there isn’t any action by tomorrow morning, we’re going in. It’s been decided.
Day 2304 (the next day)
We ventured into the tunnel today after the rest of the Black Fang Gang. Our standing party has greatly diminished in the past days. We are down to myself, Caradryan, Nadon, Nivak, Jezeg, Axtrica, Esch, Yuri, Plavin, Artur, Larisa and a few other "nameless" mercs. Certainly not as impressive in numbers as we were storming the keep, huh? Well, in any case, our core party is still intact with the exception of Growlyn and Ilmarian, but we must press on without them. Back to today's adventures...the tunnel went down and continued straight with branchings to the left and right. We were immediately assaulted by arrow-fire from up ahead and tried to head off the attack by going down the right-hand corridor. After a left-turn that brought us back in the general direction of the original attack, we saw a few goblins standing guard up ahead. Jezeg, Nivak, and I lead the charge only to have a goblin suidide bomber charge us! The bomb it was carrying detonated and for a brief moment, I thought we'd be okay. The blast knocked us down, but I knew that my injuries weren't significant. More stunned than anything else and I hazarded a guess that the same was true for my fellow chargers. But the next moment was when I saw the make-shift backpack of bombs strapped to that damned goblin and the world crashed down on my head. When the dust cleared a bit, I saw that the roof above us had caved in from the explosion leaving a wall of rubble separating Jezeg and I from the rest of the party and nothing separating the two of us from the now larger gathering of goblins and orcs. Thankfully, both Jezeg and I only suffered a few scratches and dry throats from the cave-in. And we made short order of the filthy scum bearing down on us. We met up with our comrades just as their own battle was nearing an end. They had gone around through the central corridor in an attempt to get back to us, but had met with fair bit of resistance. Nivak frenzied and ran off deeper into the tunnel all by himself. We weren't able to catch up to him for some time, although Axtrica made a valiant effort to find him sooner - Nivak was just too damn fast for the dwarf. His orc prey got away, though, when he saw at the end of the tunnel corridor, a cave opening in which many, many, many orcs stood waiting. He didn't hang around there too long.
Battle Records: Caradryan = 2 kills. Nadon = 7 kills (including 1 Caster). Lillay = 16 kills (including 4 Advanced Orcs & 2 Elite Goblins), High Damage Kill at 24 points. Nivak = 3 kills (including 1 Advanced Goblin). Jezeg = 18 kills. Axtrica = 4 kills (including the Orc Leader & 1 Veteran Orc). Esch = 3 kills (including 1 Advanced Orc). Artur = 2 kills (including 1 Advanced Goblin). Larisa = 1 kill.
Day 2307 (3 days later)
We've spent the last few days camping in the tunnel corridor to rest and heal up from the last skirmish. We spent all of today searching areas that Nivak did not already venture into during his ill-fated orc chase.
Day 2308 (the next day)
And still more searching – nothing exciting to report. Most of what we've seen appear to be living quarters for the beasts that dwell here.