Wight-Box Play Report 2

The Battle Against Shagol the Orc Chieftain

After the last session, which you can read about here, the party returned to the village ruled by Shagol the Orc with the help of Ardaric, the Patriarch of Zidon ( a city to the northwest). Arriving at the village, the orcs were again lazy during the daylight hours, with half of their 220-man forces out in the field raiding.

To the south was a small shack with ten orcs guarding from within (they hate the sunlight. Upon seeing the forces approach, they stepped out in confusion (I did a morale check with a neutral response). Immediately the archers let their arrows fly on the orc scum, killing them all.

From the South, Thomas the Acolyte and Rickard the Dane approached to join the battle from Black Tree.

The forces progressed south towards the northwestern gate of the village. Orcs from the shack to the east appeared and started to move towards the hero forces. Shagol and other orcs from within the village begin to file out of the burned-out homes and attempt to organize a defense.

There was more of an exchange between the archery fire of the heroes and the orcs, with orcs taking more casualties. A whole unit of 10 orcs is wiped out from the volley.

The orcs to the east begin to close the gap. More archery fire occurs when the player forces take only light casualties, and the orcs take much worse. As the orcs approach, Feyrith the Elf cast a sleep spell on orcs who just approached within melee range. These sleeping orcs are promptly dispatched. Melee ensues, and Ardaric the Patriarch jumps into the fray with the southern flank but fails to kill any orcs in the exchange.

The orc swordsmen who rushed from the gate and were mostly affected by the sleep spell cower in fear and beg for mercy. None is given. They squeal in their pig-like orcish language in fear as they are slain. Shagol paces atop the hill where the burned-out church is, watching his forces lose the battle. His personal swordsmen were watching with equal concern.

The Elf cast another Sleep spell on the archers in the next round. 10 of the 20 fall asleep. Shagol signals a retreat. He lost half his forces already. As his forces retreat, the crossbowmen and the shortbowmen launch a volley, killing an entire unit of orcs.

Thomas has a low intelligence score. When he sees the orcs retreating, he wishes to advance and attack by himself.

It worked out with another morale check. The orcs all rolled a four on the morale check, enough to surrender. I concluded as a referee that Thomas was blocking the path/gate out, and the orcs assumed they were flanked by another force, not knowing Thomas was practically all alone with no army behind him. Now, the party must figure out what to do with these orcs. I assume mass executions are to come.