Ghân readies his herbal cures for any injured prisoners and has just one spell left Summon Insects (preferably for a spellcaster, else a leader)
He checks Moose is ready to wait outside for any escaping orcs (or to block reinforcements).
I’m up for taking out the guards and proceeding as planned.
If one of them is napping, so much the better.
There will be regret… :mad:
Gil-Gandel sneaks up on the watchful guard as Mulligan positions for the time honored Hobbit attack, get them while they are sleeping.
Gil-Gandel covers his victim’s mouth and runs him through swiftly ensuring he is dead. Mulligan executes the guard that was in dereliction of duty.
When Gil-Gandel stands up, Deor has the group charge forward.
Gil-Gandel and Mulligan stealthily head into the cave. They see that after a short run of maybe 20 feet it appears to open in a large chamber with a fire going.
No one is in the front passage but both here noise. As they get closer, they make it out.
Orc voice #1, “I tell you Shagra, if Gash is not back by now he is either dead or in need of help.”
Shagra, “This is too much, my boys don’t like day work, take the Uruk Hai if you want, but we did not sign on for day work against knights, elves, dwarves and others. I don’t like it one bit.”
Orc Voice #2, “Stuff Gash, we must flee now, kill all the prisoners and hightail out fast with the loot. Quickly now we,…”
He is interrupted by Orc Voice #1, “You dirtbag, Gash was good when he brought in food and slaves, but now you abandon him, you Uruk Hai are all talk and no balls.”
Whack, Orc Voice #1 you think, but strangely high pierces, “Arghh!”
Orc Voice #2 (Uruk Hai leader?), “Now who has no balls? Oooooff Argghhh!”
Shagra, “Break it up now, we need to stay put and be ready for those coming, we can hold this cave if we work together and if Gash needs our help, than he failed! Break it up or I will turn both of your hearts to jelly.”
Do we see the dispatched sentries? Any signs of the Elf’s and Hobbit’s passing into the cave?
Yes, Deor saw via Folca and signaled that part.
Ghân stays behind the Fighters as we go in.
Whenever we encounter the enemy, he will try to use Summon Insects (spellcaster, then leader), then his blowpipe.
If there are dying prisoners, he will try to ‘herbal cure’ them provided he can safely do so.
Please keep in mind the Herbal Cure might take many rounds per. Not a problem, but if not life-threatning, maybe not your priority. I don’t think I ever explained that properly, my fault. It is not maigc but actual first aid and careful cleaning and application.
Can Mulligan and Gil-Gandel hear or see how many Orcs are in the cave and is there any way to sneak round the edges to get past them to the prisoners.
Otherwise we may have to hide in the shadows and let them run past after 5 minutes when the rest of the party charges forward.
Ok, no worries!
(And it does make sense that herbal cures take longer than magic spells.)
So it’s spell and then blowpipe until the combat is over.
Mulligan and Gil-Gandel approach to the edge of the chamber.
In the middle is a well-armed and armored Uruk-Hai with an orc and an odd-looking orc with a necklace of gold and ears.
There are 12 smaller orcs like the ones that were on guard duty. They are very lightly armored and have spears or shorts swords out.
There are another nine orcs, wearing studded leather and armed already with weapons out.
There three more Uruk-Hai, one with a heavy Cross Bow and two with very large swords.
No sign of prisoners, but there are at least two dark spots that look like likely passages.
[very, very quietly]Thtay[sup]1[/sup] hidden. Lithen for thoundth. Help anyone in need[/vvq]
Stick to the shadows and head for the possible passages. Wait for the rumpus to start, then if there are no clues, Mulligan takes one and I the other. Aim to interrupt any ill-treatment and fall on the enemy rear, in that order of priority.
[sup]1[/sup]Old Elvish trick to avoid enunciating s sound while whispering.
::thumbs up from Mulligan::
Although your strategy is excellent as usual, I nevertheless have this vision of one prisoner telling the others “Thtay quiet! I thuthpect thomeone ith thneaking up to athitht uth” 
I guess at the five round mark, it will be time to create a distraction.
I’ll suggest that Gwaelur and Thoroncir hold the entrance as long as possible, and I shall be the second line of defense. What are my prospects of shooting over Gwaelur into the oncoming orcs. I’d like to do it if the risk is low. Of course, we should let arrows fly as the orcs approach. I’m hoping that the plan inside is to take advantage of the distraction and free prisoners.
If the cave entrance is too wide for two to effectively hold, then I’ll take up one of the end positions and suggest that the magic-users hang a little further back, with Moose serving as the second line of defense.
Thith ith the egthact inthtant to inithiate a thudden crithith 
That sounds like a good plan to me. If Brin can shoot over my head I will hold will my axe and shield.
I agree with the distraction, but not with allowing the defenders to hold us at the cavemouth. They might overpower our Scouts and massacre the prisoners.
Also the spellcasters are nearly out, so can’t contribute much.
What are you and Moose defending against?
Now two of our comrades are inside (trying to save prisoners), surely this is a case for using all our Fighters in a charge.
But surely we’ve taken out the chief spellcaster and loads of troops, suffering just one casualty (from the MU’s best spell) and taking hardly any damage from the rest of the enemy.
Surely we both outclass them and their morale is low.
Don’t you want to get in there, finish it and save the prisoners?
The passage into the main cavern is narrow enough for Gwaelur to hold by himself if desired or you can count on Moose holding it from outside.
What does Deor do in this case, stay safe behind Gwaelur?
Brin might find it hard to shoot over the Dwarf. The entry passage is low and the large chamber has a variety of stalactites and stalagmites that will increase the difficulty of hitting (-2). Additionally, the many strange shadows will cause an additional problem in most cases. (another -2)