Akira calls out a thank you Rogram. She holds her thumbs together and extends the rest of her fingers broadly and casts

Fire Bolt at the ogre 

Attack: 21 Damage: 14

OOC: if only for an inspiration point…

Planning to celebrate that show of strength later, Rogram focuses on the ogre. He steps into the swirling mass of spirit guardians, feeling them brush against his exposed skin. He raises his sword and swings. The blade finds its mark, and the half-dwarf continues his weapon's movement, angling it in front of him defensively.

Action: 24; damage: 13

Defensive flourish: +3 to damage and AC

Karib feels the Ogre resist his magic again, and decides to change tack. He returns to a style that has served him well in times of need: beating his enemies with a blunt instrument. If nothing else, it serves as an outlet for his growing frustration.

The tolling of the bell ceases as he strikes the Ogre, while the spirits continue to harry it. He grins as the blow connects forcefully, then remembers the disdain that some of his teachers expressed for taking joy in battle. His eyes glint and the veins in his head pulse, but he adopts a more sombre expression.

Attack 22; Damage 10.

Spirit Guardians: Wis 16 or take 17; save for half.

With Rogram's shove, the remaining orc burns in a divine light within Karib's spirits. The ogre suddenly finds itself surrounded, but has just enough time to register that fact, ducking a fire bolt from Akira, before Rogram's sword tears open its stomach. Grasping at the wound, the creature falls, lying dead alongside its companions.

OOC: Each character has received 283 XP for defeating the orcs and ogre. Getting an error trying to access the character sheets right now, so I'll update the XP once I'm able.

OOC: Finally able to access the character sheets again, so the XP from the ogre fight has been added. I'll give some more time for any follow-up posts to the battle.

Rogram walks over to the ogre's head, looks down at what remains of the creature's look of pain and fear before turning to smile at Akira and Karib. "That was fantastic!" He swings his sword, reliving and replaying the end of the fight. "We're unstoppable." Sticking the tip of his sword into the ground, he looks at the others again. "The Cult doesn't stand a chance against us."

Akira sighs long and surveys the full scene around her. She smiles at her companions. “We certainly have improved our teamwork. Rogram, you handled yourself quite well and Karib, you are quite balanced between your magic and physicality. I need to do some studies to broaden my spellcraft knowing what I know about your fighting styles.”

Karib lets his shield slide off his arm and starts to rub his shoulder. "A few close calls there," he says. "Not sure how unstoppable I feel, lad."

He examines his shield, wondering how many more beating that it -- or he - can take before needing major repairs. He had half expected undead to come out of the swamp not another monstrous ogre.

He smiles at Akira's remark, "Thank you, I try to make the best use of Gond's gifts, but so much is new to me." He lets his staff revert to just being a normal walking stick and sighs, "To be honest. I'm much happier whacking things, but that is not the path that Gond has sent me on."

As he continues to massage his arm he looks more closely at the bodies, trying to not anything of interest.

Outfitted for battle, the bodies of the orcs and ogres hold nothing of value or interest, aside from their weaponry - usable, but not valuable.

Rested in the morning, the swamp greets you with another humid day of sweat, gnawing insects, and itching from yesterday's insects. With the setting sun, however, comes the palpable relief of a temperature drop, and perhaps the origin of the swamp's very name. A silver fog rolls through the moonlight. The lower foliage of the swamp creeps out through the mist, looking like the limbs of fallen humanoids grasping for those living walking the road. As Akira, Rogram, and Karib progress into the later hours of the evening, they spot it; a two-story structure on the roadside surrounded by a quiet and absent work camp. Were it not for the lamplight softly glowing against the night fog, it may have been missed entirely. A large double door stands closed at its entrance. Muffled conversation and an occasional burst of laughter can be heard from somewhere on the upper floor.

A full day behind them, Briferhew's convoy settles for the night along a rare patch of dry ground near the road. A tense silence has grown between some of the other guards and Merric's contingent, though plenty of glares are offered as the wagons are rolled off of the road and tents are pitched.

Back at the battlefield ...

Rogram slaps Karib's arm. "Come on, man. You were — you are great!" He smiles at Akira. "Now, let's camp up wind from these bodies. These things smell bad when alive. I can't imagine what they're going to smell like in a couple of hours."

The bard salvages any javelins he finds that are still in good shape.

The next day ...

Rogram holds a hand out toward the building, a weary smile spreading his lips. "Now, this is a welcome sight. I hope they have some beds for rent."

"Aye," said Karib wearily. "Anywhere warm and with a roof."

He looks back up the road, "Best to get the rooms before the caravan arrives, eh?"

As they walk toward the town he asks, "So...we are just travellers who heard there was work available. Is that the plan?"

Not sure how many nights there are, but previous night:

Karib steels himself for another frustrating interaction with the old dwarf. "Think before you answer. Name the inn, how far from the inn are you - days or miles -- and which direction did you travel?"

OOC: For clarity, this isn't a town, only a lone two-story building.

For Karib:

Akira assesses the sounds of the voices, trying to gauge the nature of their owners and possibly how many.

Rogram marches up to and enters the roadhouse, looking around with a smile as he does so.

Focusing on the muffled voices, Akira can tell they are jovial in nature, and while she can't determine the exact number, she knows there are several.

Rogram finds the large doors locked when he attempts to open them, and judging by their lack of wiggle room, barred from the inside.

OOC: I'll give some more time for folks to discuss options here or confirm a new action, otherwise I'll assume the party is setting camp outside the roadhouse and advance us a bit further.

Merric sits by the small campfire with Jamna and Carlon, pulling his cloak tight against the dampness rolling off of the swamp. “No word or sign from the others.  Hope everything is alright.”  He glances across the fire at the other wagons at the edge of the light. “The other guards are quiet and distant.  Do you think they suspect anything?  What did you do, Carlon?”  Merric looks over at the other man, clearly joking with his last remark.

Rogram's smile turns into a look of bewilderment as he discovers he can't enter. He makes a fist and hammers on one of the doors. "Hello?!" he calls.

Carlon chuckles at Merric's levity. "Don't think there's any going back, now," he replies. "Seems like they know we're onto them but can't do anything about it openly, or they blow their cover too."

Jamna adds, "The others are fine. They've run into their fair share of trouble though. Something big broke through the swamp a short ways back. Saw some blood and scorch marks on the road too. No sign of bodies being dragged away though, so they were the victors."

A voice shouts down from the rooftop at Rogram's hammer blows. "Oi, you've got three crossbows trained on ye. Sod off, Carnath's closed 'til mornin'."