MELEE IN THE MUD
Seeing the druidess fall, Torynth and Teflar swung their horses around and galloped back to help her. The monk grabbed the reigns of the riderless steed bringing it under control as the ranger drew his bow ordering
Erelis, Oktavianus, and Gailwind had bolted down the path following the three scouts out of the nasty scene while the remaining four teammates stood poised to defend themselves.
The orcs growled and chucked three of their sharpened hammers at the ranger. One twirling blade banged off of Teflar's left shoulder tearing open the sleeve. Unwavering, the woodsman fired an arrow in response that sank through the head of his assailant atop the mound. The creature toppled over and slid dead down the slick decline.
Aramil turned his horse sideway and instinctively shot a glowing arrow engulfed with black flame towards the first of the five beasts racing down the declivity. The magic missle blasted into the lead monster, but the energy fizzled into nothing; the orc went unfazed.
Leah was helped back into her saddle by the monk who shouted to the rest of his comrades " Rain and mud; we risk ourselves greater by fleeing." Wiping the rain out of his eyes, he peered at the approaching shapes and threw caltrops out in front of the menace. This defense proved worthless, however, as the prongs sank into the soft mud when the beasts trampled over them.
Teflar and Aramil missed with their missle shots while trying to remain steady on their horses. The ranger and druidess caught more injuries by being whacked upon the legs by the hammer-wielding orcs. Suddenly, the three beasts molesting Torynth and Leah were enstared in a volley of vines and snapping undergrowth that twisted around them. Leah, who had quietly unleashed her potent entangle spell, did all she could to temper her scared horse to the surrounding threat.
Aramil, securing his crossbow, greeted his rushing assailant with a bolt through the neck. The orc fell into the mud lifeless. The mage spied the ridge with trepidation " Quickly, finish them off and let us flee for more come over the ridge in waves! We will be overran!!"
Teflar struggled with an enemy who jumped at the neck of his horse in an attempt to bring both down to the ground. Leah threw her dagger that glanced off an enwrapped orc's chest as it struggled to break free. Torynth joined the melee by dropping from his horse and delivering a high footsnap into the midsection of a tangled orc knocking it backwards into the mud.
Just then, a half dozen additional orcs topped the mound 70' away! They growled in angered delight and raced forward with raised hammers!
" Get her up and on the horse."
Leah scrambled from the sopping mud assuring them she was fine.