19 - 8/13

With battle positions set, the group was ready to meet in the incoming forces. With Rho as the eyes, Theta watched as bugbear scouts followed by Hobgoblins moved in. They paused in the entryway before Valerie moved in to taunt them from the eastern corridor. The Bugbears took the bait, following the cleric into the room trapped with explosives.   Without a hitch the plan went off, and Thetas Derro minion detonated the explosives, sending a resounding thud through the entire facility. The Bugbears were tough, however, and despite being dazed managed to survive. Valerie and Theta harried the Bugbear with spells before they retreated, cutting down three of them. The Hobgoblins met the resistance in force, sending in the Ogres, their captain, spellcaster and the leader himself. Valerie, confident in her armor, stood in the choke point with her swirling cloud of spirits and inflicted more casualties on the foot soldiers unable to deal with them. But the arcane hobgoblin Jang cared not for armor and sent some magical missiles streaking towards her. With their cumulative damage and a lucky strike by the ogre, she was knocked unconscious. Theta acted quickly, before the Hobgoblins could finish her off he magically whisked her body into the forge.   The Ogre was not done with the one who had harmed him, and he gave one desperate chuck of his massive Javelin at the unconscious cleric. By a stroke of luck, it not only hit her but pierced her plate, bringing Valerie to the shores of the river Styx. Thankfully Solanuss mercy shined down and she survived her injuries long enough for Rho to feed her with one of Shanes extra potent goodberries   With a lumbering ferocity the Ogre pursued right into the trap, and caught a hail of projectiles from Hilda and the pair of rangers overhead. With the ogre dead, the hobgoblins sounded the retreat. Unwilling to give them breathing room, the group pursued them, exchanging blows with the Hobgoblins as they retreated to the ruin exterior. While the enemy had a difficult time piercing Valerie's plate, Magic Missile and the occasional lucky blow inflicted some damage. Shane and Mithris also attempted to make their way to the first floor, but were slowed by Thetas undead and did not catch up in time.   By a stroke of luck, the Bugbear leader Scarvinious lagged behind in an attempt to save some of his men and flew into a rage. With Valerie's Spirit Guardians slowing him, Hilda's Darkness and a flurry of spells and blades, he was struck unconscious and captured   With the Hobgoblin forces in full retreat after losing their leader, the group enjoyed a moment of rest and celebrated their much needed victory.