AD&D 1e Actual Play: Chapter 2, Part 1

Orcs, Goblins, and Boulders

Following the armored Bertram, they retraced their steps to the beach. Melisana pointed out that the cliffs were much too sheer to scale without ropes, so the group split up to investigate north and south of the shipwreck. After half an hour or so, as best any of them could decipher with the sun hidden behind the clouds, they returned to the site of their fight with the half-orc. 

“The cliffs to the east climb higher around the bend,” Bertram informed the other group. “Perhaps we could trek further east and find somewhere easier to ascend, but we would be exposed to the wind and the rain blowing in off the sea.”

“The cliffs become low hills, much easier to pass over, not far to the west,” Arthur replied. “We should head south.”

“Much better than risking the eastern way,” Poppy, who had gone with Bertram, said.

“Then we go west,” Blanche spoke, her nose stuck in the book she found in the hold. She was no closer to deciphering the high style, but refused to give up.

Bertram and Arthur led the way south along the beach, until the cliffs dwindled to low hills and then to a shallow valley, where a stream trickled its way to the ocean. The two men led the party into the valley. They walked for some time, until they heard the faint sounds of grunting voices and metal clanging upon metal somewhere up in the rugged hills to the west over the din of the wind and rain. 

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Bertram held up his hand to signal a halt, and then turned to face his companions with his finger over his lips. 

“Do you hear that?” he whispered.

The others listened carefully, and soon realization dawned in all their eyes. 

“Those are voices,” Blanche whispered. “There are people on this island!”

“Careful, love,” Arthur, who also heard the guttural tones, warned. “They might be pirates who survived the shipwreck. We should approach cautiously.”

“Let me scout ahead,” Poppy said. “I’m small and used to moving about the hill country.”

“That’s unnecessarily dangerous,” Arthur whispered. “What if they are pirates and they see you.”

“There’s less of a chance they’ll see me alone than all of us together.”

“At least let me go with you,” Arthur pressed.

“I agree with Arthur, you should not to go alone,” Bertram interjected.

Poppy, though displeased, grudgingly nodded in agreement. “Fine.”

Blanche stepped up to her husband and kissed him softly. “Please be safe, my love.”

Arthur hugged his wife tightly and whispered his promise to return to her.

Fate Check (CF4): Does anyone disagree with her? 50/50, -1 on 2d10 = 11, yes
Specific Character Oracle, roll on d3 = 6 (3), Arthur
Fate Check (CF4): Does anyone object to Poppy and Arthur scouting? Unlikely, -2 on 2d10 = 8, no

Poppy, with her crossbow loaded, and Arthur, with his dagger in hand, moved cautiously and carefully up into the rugged hills. They climbed across brambles and broken rocks, all the while the wind and rain beat at them and the sound of voices grew louder. As they topped a ridge, Poppy grabbed Arthur’s arm.

“Do you hear that?” she asked. When he nodded, she continued. “The clanging metal. That sounds like fighting.” 

“Then we should be extra careful.”

Poppy led the way east, along the side of a rocky hill, until they encountered piles of loose boulders overlooking a shallow ravine between two rocky hills. What Poppy saw below her caused her breath to catch in her throat. Arthur covered his mouth in surprise. 

“Are those goblins?” Arthur whispered. “And…orcs?”

“Aye, goblins and orcs.”

“This is even worse than pirates,” Arthur bemoaned. “Let’s get back to the others and avoid this fight altogether.”

“Look!,” the shepherd said, pointing to the prone body of what appeared to be an old man. “We can’t just leave him, can we?”

“We can’t do anything, one way or another,” Arthur said thoughtfully. “We should go back and tell the others. We can decide what to do about the old man together.”

Poppy glared at him, but said nothing. Instead, she led the way back through the rock falls and debris and down into the valley where the other three waited for them. She stood cross-armed as Arthur huffed and puffed his way down the last bit of hill.

“Well,” Blanche said, stepping over to her husband. “What did you find.”

“Orcs and goblins fighting,” Arthur answered through gasps of breath. 

“And an old man, either unconscious or dead, we couldn’t tell. Someone wouldn’t let me go save him,” Poppy snapped.

“There were almost a dozen fighters in that ravine. We’d have never made it down there and back out again without being seen.”

The din of battle once again rose above the wind and rain, stopping the argument. Bertram cocked his head to one side as if to listen more closely. After a moment his eyes refocused and he spoke. 

“Sounds like the battle is turning, there were less fighters involved in that clash. Perhaps we should all go. This old man you speak of might be a survivor of the pirates like us.”

Fate Check (CF5): Will Blanche and Arthur go along without an argument? 50/50 straight 2d10 = 11, yes

“I disagree,” Arthur retorted. “We only managed to take out Hafkris because he was drunk. These orcs and goblins are warrior bred. They will slaughter us. Half of us don’t even have proper weapons, and when was the last time you used a sword?”

“We can’t just leave someone to their fate,” Bertram responded evenly.

“What about the boulders?” Poppy asked. “We could push them down into the ravine. Some of them are big enough to take out several at once.”

“Is this true, Arthur?” Bertram asked the chef.

“Aye, Poppy is right. Theoretically we could send the boulders down on them. We run the risk of hitting the old man though.”

“That’s better than whatever the goblins have planned for him!” Poppy retorted. 

“She’s not wrong, Arthur,” Blanche interjected. “We can’t let them take the old man, but we likewise cannot fight them head-on.” 

“Then we go and see about raining down boulders upon them,” Bertram said, matter-of-factly. “Even if we only kill a few, perhaps that will send the others scrambling.”

“Very well,” Arthur acquiesced. “But if it comes to blows, you and I will go first into battle since we have the only weapons of the group.”

“Agreed,” Bertram nodded. “And I will go before you, since I have armor. Lead on, Poppy.”

Poppy, for the second time, trekked up through the rocks and crags of the hills. The others kept pace with her, moving as quietly as they could manage. They reached the boulder-covered peak of the large hill overlooking the ravine within a handful of minutes.

Fate Check (CF5): Has the battle progressed? Very Likely (+2) on 2d10 = 11, yes.

From their vantage behind the large boulders, Bertram’s assessment of the sound of the battle proved correct. Only one of the orcs, a broad shouldered, pig-nosed humanoid with titian skin stretched taut over rippling muscles, remained standing against the goblin assault. Five goblins, small, lanky humanoids with similar features as the orc—a squashed pig nose, long, pointed ears, and wiry muscles—held the orc leader at bay with theirs spears, while a single goblin with a sun-bleached bow crept through the boulders lower on the far side of the ravine. 

“There’s less than before,” Arthur whispered into Bertram’s ear. “If we push these boulders now, we could possibly take out the goblin spearmen and the big orc easily enough.”

“Let’s get to pushing, then.”