Greyhawk Game Blog

Since my last entry (can it really have been four days ago? I am getting lax, it seems.) we have enjoyed good weather. The rain, after drizzling down continuously for several days, stopped on the … let’s see … I believe it was the 10th. I only mention it because today the weather has turned for the worse. No rain yet, but judging by the clouds gathering this evening, it can’t be far off.

We have been fortunate to continue our crossing of Iuz’s Empire unmolested. The occasional passing group of people or a small village here and there, but I am happy to report that the journey across the most dangerous lands in the Flanaess has been remarkably dull and uninteresting.

Until this afternoon that is.

We were settled in our mid-day camp, just finishing lunch, when the guards noticed something on the plain about a kilometer off, but moving inexorably closer, at a quick rate of speed. Master Sergeant Drathon had the soldiers form ranks (I think that’s the correct term; I’ll have to check with him).

By the time they had closed to 500 meters, we were able to focus on them well enough to discern that there were 15-20 of them, and that they were very large – half again the size of the average human. Archers and infantry formed up, Morven and Dreune discussed options for slowing them down, and Nyra summoned a huge earth Spirit and dispatched it toward the enemy.

By the time they had closed to 200 meters, they came into focus and were recognized by Sergeant Shasivin and Cust – trolls, about 15 of them. The decision was quickly made to retreat. Accordingly most the Company jumped to securing our goods – fortunately we were only stopped for lunch and not properly encamped while the archers launched their missiles – though to little actual effect.

Those of the Magic Corps (or as Sir Tar prefers – Arcane Support) truly earned their keep in this encounter. Nyra’s Earth Spirit opened the earth before several of the monsters and knocked several more to the ground before itself being overcome. Dreune and I then turned the ground between them and us for a hundred yards to either side into a field full of spikes upon which the creatures could not run.

They were forced to go around, and the extra time it took them to do so was just enough to give Tar’s Company, for only the second time in the history, call a retreat. I know not what the Captain has told Master Sergeant Drathon about his afternoon’s misadventure (for he never does share with us what the Captain chooses to share with him, and the Captain is more silent than ever these days), but I for one fully support the decision to flee. If only half of what I’ve heard of trolls is true, fighting soldiers and mages, no matter their relative skill levels, stand little chance against such a foe in equal numbers on an open field.

Nevertheless, the Company are quiet this evening. We have long been bored, almost as long been miserable and wet, and today been beaten. Morale on the road is a fragile thing, and this is one Company that needs a victory. Soon.