Rescue the Baggage
Bifur, Bofur and Bombur are on a mission to retrieve the dwarves baggage before they escape from Goblin Town. They emerge onto an isolated walkway where Grinnah and a detachment of goblins are guarding the dwarven supplies.
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| Enter the Dwarves |
Turn 1
The Dwarves begin the game with priority, Bifur and Bofur charge forwards to meet the goblins on the walkway whilst Bombur begins to look for other means to cross. The Goblins advance and Bofur is almost caught off guard but fortunately thanks to a sly parry the dwarf manages to win the fight and he brings his mattock down upon one goblin's skull slaying it instantly.
Turn 2
The Goblins whip themselves up into a frenzy as they surge across the walkways and one even leaps the gap to the dwarven held platform! But the Dwarves are ready for this attack and fight with strength and vigour leading to not one, not two but 4 goblin casulties. Bombur cuts his foe down with a brief slash of his cleaver, Bifur a spear thrust to the chest of another, and Bofur swings his mattock in a wide arc taking down two.
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| The Might of the Dwarves |
Turn 3
The Dwarves are still quick off the mark from last turn as they press on. Bifur leaps to a nearby ledge where he spies a sneaky Grinnah advancing. This leaves Bofur and Bombur to press onwards; this turn two goblins attempt to leap across the the dwarves but one loses it's footing and falls into the dark chasm below. All the action appears to be too much for Bombur as he loses his fight and suffers a wound at the hands of the goblins. Bofur also loses momentum but fortunately avoids harm. Grinnah then heroic strikes and beats off the attacking bifur and even manages a wound on him.
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| Outnumbered! |
Turn 4
Sensing the dwarves beginning to tire the goblins press the advance without mercy. Bombur expends a portion of his might to win the fight and subsequently kills the attacker. Bofur on the other hand raises is weapon over his head and incidentally kills a goblin behind him before bringing it down upon the goblin in front, the force of the swing cleaving the goblin in two. Meanwhile Bifur roars calling a Heroic Strike to which Grinnah attempts to counter but the lowly goblin captain is intimidated by the might of the dwarf and makes a feeble lash with his whip. Fate must've been shining on Grinnah as his whip caused the fearsome dwarf to stumble and seizing the opportunity he lashes out at the dwarf causing major damage and felling Bifur instantly.
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| "Wonder how Birfur's doing..." |
Turn 5
Grinnah bears down upon the remaining dwarves and leaps to their platform. Yet another goblin falls into the deep pits of Goblin Town as it attempts to jump the gap. Bofur calls a Heroic Fight in an effort to help out bombur but rather embarrassingly loses but fortunately avoids a wound. Ironically Bombur wins his fight quite comfortably and cleaves a pair of goblins into pint sized pieces.
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| Grinnah approaches |
Turn 6
Evil are ahead this turn and they advance ruthlessly all be it their numbers dwindling due to a surprising lack of goblins in this area of goblin town. Bombur calls a heroic fight straight off and slays the goblin in front of him and charges Grinnah to help out Bofur. This gambit unfortunately doesn't pay off for the dwarf and Grinnah lashes out at him with a certain ferocity and Bombur just manages to hang on to consciousness thanks to some luck.
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| Grinnah on the prowl |
Turn 7
Grinnah charges Bofur and Bombur is surrounded, Bofur manages to fend off Grinnah and stabs the spiny creature in the foot but this doesn't seem to phase the creature. Bombur loses but just manages to avoid harm.
Turn 8
The dwarves are pinned on the walkway, Bofur manages to fend off two goblins and slays one of his combatants whilst by no small miracle Bombur manages to beat off both Grinnah and one of the goblin minions.
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| No Way Out... |
Turn 9
The dwarves gain a second wind and both manage to leap across to the baggage. Grinnah attempts to follow them but trips over one of his slain followers and sinks into the darkness below, the other goblins back up slowly unsure whether to give chase or not. One goblin on the other side attempts to intercept Bombur as he leaps lands but is unfortunately crushed by the surprisingly springy dwarf.
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| ... Except across that gap |
Turn 10
Bifur and Bombur charge forwards towards the baggage as the two hesitant goblins shake off their nerves and leap after the dwarves. Unaware of the new danger behind them the two dwarves routinely hack down another pair of goblins.
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| Their behind you!!! |
Turn 11
Goblins charge at the dwarves, two attempt to slay Bombur (more fool them), Bombur hits a wide arc with his cleaver which severs the heads of the two goblins. Meanwhile Bofur manages to lose his fight but fortunately just escapes harm, unlike the heads of the two goblins now rolling around the platform...
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| Heads roll rather well actually |
Turn 12
The goblins begin to clutch at straws as Bombur carves up another but fortunately for the goblins Bofur loses once more.
Turn 13
(Unlucky for some, or one to be more specific...)
For now this part of Goblin town is seemingly empty as no more goblins arrive this turn, one lone goblin cowers on the edge of the platform, edging closer and closer backwards. Bofur turns to Bombur and they both nod, striding forwards they strike in sync and cut the goblin into 3 slices as it were and they watch as it crumples to the ground in front of them. "For Bifur" they thought, but the pair could spend no time mourning for Goblin Town was in uproar (elsewhere...) and the company needed their supplies. The two picked up the baggage and strode solemnly to the meeting point.
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| "For Bifur" |
Here's the final stats from the game
Bifur 1 kill, missing in action...
Bofur 9 kills, 0 might, 0 fate, 1 wound
Bombur 10 kills, 0 might, 0 fate, 1 wound
This was a tough game for the dwarves after the loss of Bifur, kind of surprised he died so quickly but at the same time he was isolated so in theory wouldn't have survived anyway. Something to bear in mind for the rest of the campaign. Some really close calls in this game, i'd hate to think of what would've happened had Grinnah not also fallen into the cavernous pits. Could potentially bring Grinnah back as well as in theory he would have landed somewhere near Bifur. I think I have an idea of how to resuce the fallen dwarves but if anyone has any suggestions i'm more than happy to consider them.
Hope you enjoyed and will try to get the next one up in the nearish future
George
