The Second D&D Tarak Campaign - Ambush !

5 days ago (Edited)

Welcome to the ongoing saga of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign I ran a little while back. It started off using The Sunken Citadel module from the Tales From The Yawning Portal source book, but was then fitted into my Homebrew setting and moved on from there.

In the last post, our heroes returned to Oakhurst to hear the news that a strong orc force was coming up from the Ingrim Mountains to trey to kick-start the faltering orcish campaign in the Vildar Mountains. This relief force was led by the infamous orc war chief Jabzug Dwarfswallower. In collaboration with Kerowyn (the local mayor) the party cooked up a plan....

I hope you enjoy my D&D campaign write-ups, and the commentary I add to them. Questions, comments and feedback are welcome !

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The small Tarakian army moved swiftly into the mountains, and within a day were at the Varpeak Valley. Initially there was no sign of any orcs. Many of the initial invading force had been slain by both the party and by other local fighters, and it was thought the rest would be lying low until the relief column arrived.

It wasn't long before the party heard that relief column. Everyone was in position, and soon enough the tramping of orc boots could be heard, as well as the shouts of their officers and snatches of chanted marching song. If the out-of-tune shouting could truly be called a song.

Very soon, it was clear the orc army was many hundreds strong, possibly over a thousand. Peering over the crest of the steep-sided valley, our heroes could only watch in horror as they saw the size of the enemy force, and realised it seemed to be composed of veteran orc warriors, not slaves and recruits. The one advantage was that the orcs were strung out along the length of the valley.

Soon enough, the head of the orc column reached the point the Tarakians had determined was best for the ambush.

Felosial and her Oakhurst Watch, together with half of the Axe-Holes dwarven mercenaries, sprag into action. Massive boulders were rolled down onto them, crashing into the orcish ranks, crushing many and blocking the head of the valley with a small avalanche. Simultaneously the other half of the dwarven regiment backed by local levies repeated the attack at the rear of the orc column.

Rather than immediately charging down onto them, the Tarakians and dwarves opened fire on the orcs with bows, crossbows, and more rolled boulders. Blacking forces of the dwarves moved into position on top of the barriers formed by fallen rocks to hack down any orcs trying to clamber over and escape.

The orcs were trapped and thrown into confusion. Although famous for their lethal archery, because they were strung out along the valley the orcs couldn't get enough archers into any one place to deliver concentrated fire against an opponent with the advantage of the high ground. Any orc archers who did reveal themselves became priority targets.

Meanwhile, the heroes of our party watched and waited. They let the situation develop for a while before starting to play their crucial part in the plan.

But they knew when the time was right. They could see Jabzug and his fearsome bodyguards below them at the centre of the orc army. When the warlord started to give order to try to get things under control, that was their time.

There were a few local levies with them, just farmers really. Their job wasn't to fight, it was to roll boulders down and cut Jabzug off from the rest of the orc column. They did exactly what was required of them, cutting the middle of the column from the rest of the orc army . The snake was beheaded.

Then the party charged, down the scree slopes straight at the orc leader and his isolated bodyguards. It was only halfway down that they realised the slope was looser and steeper than they had expected......

Next time.... bloodbath in Varpeak Valley

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4 comments

@thehivetuber 60

4 days ago (Edited)

The way the party timed their attack was impressive. Cutting Jabzug off like that completely turned the battle in their favor. Now it’s all about whether they can finish the job

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@alonicus 70

4 days ago (Edited)

I let the party make the decision, based on what I described they could see and (mostly) hear of the rest of the battle. Being fair to them, they timed it perfectly 🙂

!BBH

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@thehivetuber 60

4 days ago (Edited)

they are legends haha

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@zakludick 74

4 days ago (Edited)

Exciting stuff!

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