imp

Aurel does not wait to be introduced. Short sword already in hand, she steps in on the nearest glistening heap—gloop 4—and cuts low, trying to open it before it can heave itself at anyone.

Aurel Kest hits gloop 4 for 1

Bors does not comment. The sword comes out of the scabbard the way it should have come out on the marsh, and he puts his weight on the good knee and cuts down at the same glistening heap Aurel has already opened, trying to finish it before it heaves.

Bors Killick hits gloop 4 for 1

gloop 1 hits Aurel Kest for 6

Bors’s cut finishes the wounded gloop; it collapses across the grease. The others hold despite its death. The nearest guard answers with a thrust through Aurel’s chest. She falls dead.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

A second guard hops over the fallen gloop and jabs at Bors. Its point skitters from his shield.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

The third guard lunges past Aurel’s body. Bors turns the thrust aside with his sword.

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

A freshly greased gloop heaves forward and rakes twice at Bors. Chain and shield turn both claws.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

The next gloop scrabbles at Bors and finds no purchase; both greasy claws slide harmlessly away.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

The smallest surviving gloop joins the crush, but Bors keeps it beyond sword’s reach; both claws miss.

Nan does not look at Aurel. She steps past the body with the mace already in both hands and brings it down on the nearest glistening heap still crowding Bors.

Nan Petch misses gloop 1

Nan’s mace glances from the gloop’s slick hide and crashes into the greased floor.

Aurel does not get up. She is already on the greased floor with the short sword still in her hand, and she takes no action.

Orrin does not look at Aurel. He sets the staff’s butt on the grease so he does not have to take a step, speaks the word he budgeted for this room, and sends the missile into the guard that put her down.

Bors does not look at Aurel. He keeps the shield between himself and the crush, weight on the good knee, and cuts at the heap that put her down.

Bors Killick misses gloop 1

Orrin’s declaration comes out of order. It has no effect and expends no spell; Bors is the acting combatant.

The guard hops back from Bors’s cut; his sword misses.

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

The guard springs back in with its spear, but Bors catches the shaft on his shield.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

The second guard thrusts through the press. Its spear rings off Bors’s chain.

gloop 3 hits Bors Killick for 5

The third guard’s spear slips past Bors’s shield and punches through his chain. He staggers, blood running beneath the links.

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 1 claws wildly at the wounded fighter. Bors keeps both swipes outside his guard.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 2 hurls itself against Bors’s shield. Both claws scrape across the wood without reaching him.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 3 darts in under Bors’s sword, but its claws skid from shield and chain.

Nan does not look at Aurel. She hauls the mace out of the grease and brings it down again on the same glistening heap crowding Bors.

Nan Petch misses gloop 1

Nan’s second blow also skids from the gloop’s grease-slick hide.

Orrin does not look at Aurel. He sets the staff’s butt on the grease so he does not have to take a step, speaks the word he budgeted for this room, and sends the missile into the guard that put her down.

something takes 7 from gloop 1.

Orrin’s missile strikes the guard squarely for 7 damage. It bursts apart and falls beside Aurel. Magic Missile is spent.

Aurel does not get up. She is still on the greased floor with the short sword in her hand, and she takes no action.

Bors does not look at Aurel. He keeps the shield between himself and the crush, weight on the good knee, and cuts at the bloodied heap still crowding him.

Bors Killick misses gloop 1

The bloodied gloop recoils around Bors’s sword; the cut misses.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Gloop guard 2 stabs at Bors through the gap left by its fallen companion. The spear misses.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

Gloop guard 3 follows with another spear thrust. Bors knocks it wide.

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

gloop 1 misses Bors Killick

The bloodied gloop claws twice at Bors, but both swipes fall short.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 2 scrabbles at Bors’s wounded side, but shield and chain stop both claws.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

gloop 3 hits Bors Killick for 3

Bors turns aside one claw. The other rakes beneath his shield for 3 damage, leaving him badly wounded.

Nan still does not look at Aurel. She plants her feet in the grease and brings the mace down on the bloodied heap still crowding Bors.

Nan Petch hits gloop 1 for 3

Nan’s mace crushes the bloodied gloop flat. It stops moving.

Aurel does not get up. She stays on the greased floor with the short sword in her hand, and she takes no action.

Orrin does not look at Aurel. The missile is spent. He leaves the staff’s butt in the grease, does not take the step, and drives the other end at the unharmed heap still crowding Bors.

Orrin Vance misses gloop 2

Bors does not look at Aurel. He keeps the shield between himself and the crush, weight on the good knee, and cuts at the heap that raked him.

Bors Killick misses gloop 3

Orrin acts out of order. His staff thrust has no effect; Bors is the acting combatant.

Bors’s sword slips from the gloop’s grease-slick hide. The cut misses.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Guard 2 drives its spear at Bors’s chest, but his shield catches the point.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

Guard 3 thrusts low. Bors drags his wounded leg clear, and the spear misses.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 2 claws twice at Bors, but neither swipe gets around his shield.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 3 lunges after Bors, but both claws scrape harmlessly across his chain.

Nan still does not look at Aurel. She plants her feet in the grease and brings the mace down on the heap that raked Bors.

Nan Petch misses gloop 3

Nan’s mace whistles past gloop 3 and strikes the greasy floor.

Orrin does not look at Aurel. The missile is spent. He leaves the staff’s butt in the grease, does not take the step, and drives the other end at the heap that raked Bors.

Orrin Vance misses gloop 3

Gloop 3 twists aside; Orrin’s staff misses.

Aurel does not get up. She stays on the greased floor with the short sword in her hand, and she takes no action.

Bors does not look at Aurel. He keeps the shield between himself and the crush, weight on the good knee, and cuts at the heap that raked him.

Bors Killick misses gloop 3

Bors cuts at gloop 3, but the creature recoils and his sword misses.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Guard 2 thrusts again. Bors catches the spear on his shield.

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

Guard 3 lunges through the press, but its spear glances from Bors’s chain.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Gloop 2 claws twice at Bors. His shield turns one swipe; the other falls short.

gloop 3 hits Bors Killick for 2

gloop 3 misses Bors Killick

One of gloop 3’s claws hooks beneath Bors’s shield and tears him for 2 damage. The second scrapes harmlessly over chain. Bors staggers at 2 HP.

Nan still does not look at Aurel. She plants her feet in the grease and brings the mace down on the heap that raked Bors.

Nan Petch hits gloop 3 for 2

Nan’s mace lands with a wet crack for 2 damage. Gloop 3 buckles but remains upright, barely holding together.

Orrin does not look at Aurel. The missile is spent. He leaves the staff’s butt in the grease, does not take the step, and drives the other end at the heap Nan just cracked.

Orrin Vance misses gloop 3

Orrin’s staff skids from the cracked gloop’s greasy hide. It remains standing on 1 HP.

Aurel does not get up. She stays on the greased floor with the short sword in her hand, and she takes no action.

Bors does not look at Aurel. He keeps the shield between himself and the crush, weight on the good knee, and cuts at the heap Nan just cracked.

Bors Killick misses gloop 3

Bors’s sword passes over the buckling gloop. The cut misses.

gloop 2 misses Bors Killick

Guard 2 jabs at Bors’s exposed side, but the spear misses.

gloop 3 hits Bors Killick for 5

Guard 3 drives its spear through Bors’s chain for 5 damage. He collapses beside Aurel, dead.

gloop 2 misses Nan Petch

gloop 2 misses Nan Petch

Gloop 2 surges over Bors’s body and claws twice at Nan. Both swipes glance from her chain.

gloop 3 misses Nan Petch

gloop 3 hits Nan Petch for 1

Nan turns one claw on her chain, but the second tears her cheek for 1 damage. She has 4 HP left.

Nan does not look at the floor. She plants her feet in the grease and brings the mace down on the heap that tore her cheek.

Nan Petch misses gloop 3

Nan’s mace buries itself in the grease beside gloop 3. She misses.

Orrin does not look at the floor. The missile is spent. He leaves the staff’s butt in the grease and drives the other end at the heap Nan missed.

Orrin Vance hits gloop 3 for 3

Orrin’s staff punches through gloop 3 for 3 damage and hurls it into the wounded guard behind it; both collapse. With five of seven down, the surviving guard and gloop break on morale 12 and flee through the south iron doors.