The Crebain dive from a different direction but more cautious of webs this time. This causes the dive to take longer. The initial lead of the wave is completely wiped out and missiles and defense wipes out another 67 Crebain as Mulligan’s gas bomb disrupts their assault.
Brin takes another 5 for 8 total. Miron takes another 3 and Gil-Gandel takes 2. Thoroncir takes 2 this time. They appear to give up and fly away as the cloud approaches close.
Who will stand close as the front line of defense?
Miron kneels and suggests that the front line step in front of him; this way he can try to save a few berries/day by spot-healing Thoroncir and Gil-Gandel, and then (hopefully) helping see to Brin if there’s still time.
Miron also asks Swift Wing if he can detect anything in the nearby vicinity other than the party, but considering that the goshawk is grounded (and staying that way), he doesn’t expect much of an answer beyond what his own senses report.
Now, where were we 
I have the missing posts on my computer at home. I’ll re-post them this evening.
Thank you!
Thanks again!
Directly following Post 962, above:
**RogueRacer **
I’m going to be away for the weekend. I’ll be back on Monday. It sounds like the board might be spotty anyway. Elfstan’s standing orders will be to try to keep himself in one piece to make it back to his mother. He doesn’t want to be carried off by the vampire! That said, when everyone lets loose with missles at the vampire, he will use his sling and his silver (+1 magic) bullets. When it comes to it, he wants to poke the vampire with Sting as many times as he can from behind. He will join Renee in singing any songs he knows, but will stop if he’s sneaking up behind the vampire.
Good luck everyone!
**Elendil’s Heir **
Thoroncir will of course shoulder his way to the front of the battle line, grimly determined to defeat the vampire or any other foe of Gondor. Elendil!
appleciders
Deor will stay behind the front lines, ready to use one more Web on the cloud as it gets near the party.
glee
Ghân happily informs Miron that he still has over 200 Goodberries , plus many herbal cures, plus a couple of Cure Light Wounds.
Miron the trained Fighter should clobber whatever is coming - Ghân and Renee will look after the healing.
If there’s time, Ghân will use Faerie Fire to try to counter the cloud…
**CatInASuit **
Guys, don’t forget that all these posts until the new board is live will be lost.
The last post to be saved will be OmiNoKami’s, I think.
On that note, Mulligan will be moving to one side away from the party and undercover. I remember what happens when the party gets bunched.
**Elendil’s Heir **
Dolores Reborn has a Tolkien feud [since concluded] going right now in The Game Room. Check it out!
**appleciders **
Let’s try to get this combat wrapped up by then, so that we can write down our gains elsewhere and keep going.
**Elendil’s Heir **
I’ve saved everything from this particular page into a word-processing file, and will re-post any lost content once the SDMB upgrade is complete.
Appleciders
Thanks!
Gwaelur will also head to the front lines (though I think he is already there) to protect the party and generally get a bit bloody in a fight.
(also FYI, until the board gets a little bit closer to normal I won’t be checking quite as often. The very slow speed is…frustrating.)
Wrong thread, sorry 'bout that.
Previously on the Ered Lithui Mystery…
Slow cut to a scene of the group killing Orcs in a Throne room…
The throne room doors being barricaded with the party looking around, the sounds of fists on the door.
The captive Orc King fleeing through a trap door followed by a re-appearing Mulligan and Elfstan, seconds later a scream is heard.
Gil-Gandel drops Orcs from the rafters with precision.
The throne room doors bursting open, Orcs pouring forward to be met by cold steel as the party engages hand-to-hand. More Orcs appear only to spell struck by Ghan and Deor and cut down.
The party moves on, even more Orcs appear with deadly weapons. Miron fires with accuracy and power.
Hodwain transforms !?!?!?!
More shots of the party fighting bravely against innumerable hordes, feats of valour and bravery abound. Brin and Gwaelur back to back. Wounds taken and Death returned with interest.
Animals freed, a brief talk, the party decides to move before they are discovered. Speed is of the essence.
The party emerges into the daylight and moves at high speed away from the caves.
A fog appears, at Thoroncir’s encouragment Renee sings, the fog fades as everyone joins in.
In the distance, the Crebain form, a dark winged cloud on the horizon.
A break on a hill, the party rests and food is cooked as the Crebain circle.
The fog returns, song spells are used and the Crebain attack. Hundreds of large black birds diving towards the party who wait, prepared.
The first wave fought off, Riglo dancing through the crows, the Crebain reform and a second wave attacks, only to be stopped again.
And now a mysterious cloud appears, the party waiting nervously, but determined for whatever evil approaches…
Thoroncir with Long Sword and new magic shield, Hodwain as a Bear, Gwaelur with Battle Axe and War Shield & Riglo form up a front line.
Miron, Gil-Gandel, Brin, Mulligan and Elfstan prepare their best missiles. But Elfstan is ready to get behind with Sting.
Deor stands by with his last Web and Ghân with a faerie fire. Renee begins her song of Estë.
Fang cowers down his ears back and tail tucked. Brownie flies off for the west as Swiftwing again climbs to another attack height. Folca is already up very high but cannot pierce the cloud on the ground with his eyes. The wild cat is hissing as the polecats are deep in pockets or other backpacks. Missy is on Renee’s shoulder and hissing.
The Clouds sweeps up hill, there is the sound of wings and Renee with her Light of Eärendilheld high sends a piercing beam of light into the cloud and lights up the hideous gnarled horror from an age gone by. The front four remain steadfast despite the fear as does the missile line. Only Deor breaks in the end, not even Renee’s song is enough for him to save versus the fear of this creature. He luckily trips over Fang and cowers on the ground rather than fleeing in terror.
Ghân takes the opportunity to cast faerie fire upon Grilianch. Grilianch actually looks mildly dismayed by the unfolding of events so far. Arrows and sling bullets fly and Brin +1 arrows hits once for 7. Gil-Gandel’s silver arrows hit once for 7 and Miron using borrowed arrows from Gil-Gandel hits once for 8. Elfstan misses with a +1 silver but Mulligan hits with a +2 for 9. Grilianch has taken 31 points already. He tries to sweep over the line but Hodwain reaches high and claws the vampire’s foot pulling him down. Grilianch flips over Hodwain’s back and rips two deep strips of flesh and fur out for 28 points. Hodwain screams in pain and rolls backwards but Grilianch moves aside quickly.
Thoroncir strikes with his Númenórean blade and hits for 13 more. Gwaelur finds his axe will not cleave the vampire’s evil flesh and his shield misses. Riglo stabs the ancient horror for 17 putting Grilianch down by 61. Elfstan takes advantage of the situation and strikes with Sting. He hits for 8 but Sting appears to do no extra damage. Grilianch hits Thoroncir twice in 4 tries, the shield seems to have helps greatly. He takes 24 points. He is also batted aside and stunned for a round.
Gwaelur drops his battle axe and shield and pulls out the magic great axe with a yell of* Khazad-Dum! *
Riglo is struck by Grilianch’s rapid talons and hit four times for 70 points. Riglo screams in agony and is dropped to the ground.
Gwaelur strikes with the axe and hits for 19 as Elfstan misses. Miron puts another arrow into the beast for 7 more and Brin misses twice as he cannot get a good shot into the melee. Gil-Gandel pulls out his trusty +1 blades and looks for an opening. Mulligan sees no opportunity to strike and waits for a clear chance.
Ghân casts cure light wounds on Thoroncir who is close. Renee assists a little with her singing and Thoroncir gets back 7 points. He is now down only 17 points. Deor whimpers a bit.
Grilianch crouches low to attack Gwaelur, but as he strikes so does Sting into its ancient back. Elfstan does another 18 points as Grilianch screams. He hits Gwaelur twice for 32 points but Gwaelur stays on his feet and hits back for another 16. Grilianch leaps into the air and gets arrows from Brin and Miron for 17 more. Grilianch actually looks weakened. As he makes for Brin, Gil-Gandel intercepts and hits once with his Long sword for 8 more points and Mulligan strikes with another +2 bullet for 8 additional. Thoronocir who just got to his feet runs the vampire through for another 14 and Grilianch drops to the ground. Gwaelur chops down on its neck and severs the head. The vampire’s cloud quickly dissipates and the body shrivels even more. Renee sends a blast of light on the corpse and its wings begin to smoke. She stops singing and yells burn it quick and humans stand back, these things have great powers even in death.
She then runs to Riglo who looks bad. Hodwain is still down on the ground and bleeding. Miron runs to him to slow the bleeding.
Wow! What a welcome back!!
Grab some logs from the fire and set light to Grilianch’s corpse. If there are any flasks of oil around, tip them on as well.
Renee, “Hobbits should also be careful of the body. Ghân, do you have any plant growths available, I think I need a lot of Athelas.”
Bastard is dead. :Gwaelur spits some blood from his mouth:
What a fight. I…am a bit…hurt, but tend to Rigalo first and brave Hodwain…I am going to go sit over there :gestures to a nearby tree: and…rest a bit.
Elfstan grabs Mulligan to keep him back after Renee’s warning and says, “we best let Gwaeler and Gil-Gandel handle that.”
To everyone, “if you’re wounded and haven’t had your fill of Goodberries for the day, now would be a good time to eat some.”
Elfstan scans the surroundings and the sky, looking for both orcs and Crebain. He wipes off Sting on the grass and helps tend to the wounded. Any glow from Sting?
Sting is not glowing and noticeably did not glow against the Ancient Vampire.
The Crebain have fled the area according to Folca and Deor. Folca could go retrieve Brownie is it is so desired. Swiftwing does come back down on his own.
Mulligan removes Elfstan’s hand from his shoulder.
“Gwaelur is in no condition to act now and it prefers Elves to Hobbits. I’m not going that near to it, just close enough to toss some burning branches and oil on it. Besides I can react faster than them, so their coverage is appreciated while I get out of the way. Somehow, it always winds up like this.”
Elfstan keeps a close eye on Mulligan and the vampire corpse, ready to either pull Mulligan clear or put Sting to use if either seem necessary.
“Well done, my friends! Victory is ours!” Thoroncir shouts. In truth, he is deeply shaken by the experience, concerned about Riglo, Hodwain and the other wounded, but of course very pleased that Renee is unharmed. He pulls out the nine remaining oil flasks for his Dwarven-made Lantern of Aglarond, and will pour as many as Renee advises all over the vampire’s loathsome corpse, then light it ablaze, keeping well clear.
Then he will sit down to rest, wipe the foul vampire-ichor from his sword, and nurse his own wounds.
Blushing furiously, Deor will busy himself trying to help tend to the wounded, keep a lookout through Folca’s eyes, and trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone.