019 - Why can't we all be friends

October 29th, FA 15

Once the trolls walked away from the camp, the members of the company hustled to come up with a plan. It seemed probable that the trolls were to come back on the same path. The main challenge of setting an ambush was that none but Halin could see in the dark. It was decided that the four walls of the camp would be used as a strong point to constrain the trolls into a tight space. Meanwhile, Finbert would act as a bait, well in sight in the old city gate barbacane. Irina was to cover with her bow while Sir Galdor and his squire Kasper would hide, mounted on their horses, across the road from the camp.




Halin managed to guide the nearly blind crew into reasonable tactical positions [Tactics Check].The dogs were restless and noisy. Sir Gador and Kasper had to remain by their sides. Araliniel corralled the horses in another ruined house across the road, comforting them and keeping them ready to climb on. The company started to wait in silence, ready to light a torch and a bonfire in the stone house.  After about 30 minutes, some of the company members started to suffer from exposure. But they were certainly not to die of frostbites: two poorly defined silhouettes were drawing nearby.

The encounter map.

It started with the creaking of footsteps in the snow, then the shifting of shadows in the gloom. Finbert, hidden within the collapsed barbacane, lit a torch and stood up. He drew the attention of the trolls, but the returning light blinded him from their faint outlines. Irina was perched on a nearby wall. She was the first to see the charging trolls. They were holding large stones that they pulled from the ruins. Once at short range, they threw their stones at Finbert, who was then caught by surprise. One of the stone was barely dodged. Irina shot the leading troll in the vitals, but the arrow failed to penetrate the troll's tough hide. By then Finbert was running toward the camp. The trolls headed directly towards him and straight on to Irina's position. Irina, virtually camouflaged atop the wall segment, slipped off into the snow and remained undetected: a feat that only a hobbit could achieve. The trolls grabbed large stones from her previous position and carried on with the chase.

Finbert slipped into the stone house (marked as camp on the map) where Arnadil and Halin waited for the trolls to follow suit. Finbert threw his torch into a prepared bonfire, which ignited quickly. The tension grew high in the lowly lit location. As the trolls approached, Kasper climbed on his horse, leaving the cowering hounds behind. He uttered a brief line and shook his hand. One of the troll, in a daze, kept on running passed the stone house.

Sir Galdor and Kasper launched into the pursuit of the dazed troll. Kasper hit on the troll's right arm while Sir Galdor hit the left. The troll took control of his senses again, looking rather miffed.  Kasper backed down, still mounted while Galdor fiercely attacked. The scene was nearly pitch black, the knight was merely fighting a shadow and the troll pushed the sword aside. Finbert exited the stone house with a torch. The torchlight brought a new perspective on the combat. The troll attempted to grapple Sir Galdor to unhorse him, but Galdor vigorously blocked and beat the troll's hand down. Galdor swung once more at the beast, but the troll suddenly paused, eyes shut and fell face first in the snow.  Kasper was looking on from a few yards, Galdor was dumbfounded. The knight disembarked and finished the troll with a thrust at the back of its neck.

Meanwhile, the other troll attempted to enter the stone house. He probably shouldn't have, but for all that the troll knew, he was chasing a fleeing hobbit and had no reasons to believe that the hobbit wasn't alone. Upon entering, Arnadil's glowing Astor swung and hit his guts, causing a great slash across his stomach. Almost simultaneously, Halin's mighty hammer impaled the beast in the vitals [the god of luck was eager here...]. The damage would have fell any living creature, but the winded troll took one or two steps back, attempted really hard to keep standing up [the hammer blow was a 17HP blow on his leftover 19HP, he passed the HT check to remain conscious]. Irina shot from her position and critically hit the troll in the left leg [the only way to get passed the DR for her]. The troll kept standing up [ now at -1HP, passed his HT check]. Halin swung his hammer one more time, causing a terrible gash in the troll's right leg. The troll, feeling pain only as a distant drone, kept on standing up [currently at -18 HP]. At this point, the troll had to pass a HT in order to do anything, which he did. He grabbed Halin's chest and began to squeeze hard while letting out a desperate scream.

Arnadil could only see the embrace from behind. He declared a determined attack and surgically hit the troll's hand with his elven blade. The crippling wound was too much for the desperate troll: he died of shock on the spot, flinging Halin in the snow as he fell over. The hammerdwarf rolled, snow angel style on the ground.

By then, both trolls had been felled. Everything went suddenly quiet. The company took stock of their loss, and none was to be found.