Ogres!

 

Thursday 23rd December 356 AC

By noon the weather had turned foul and hail beat down upon us. Unable to start a fire, our advance group stopped for a cold lunch. Brother Ithariel did manage to cook the brace of rabbits caught by Lady Azshauna. Just in time to share a meal Sir Dominic reverted to his normal form, fuming with rage at having to endure such abasement. As he stormed about in anger he happened to glance up and notice something through the hail. Eight ogres were advancing on our position in 'arrow' formation, not an easy thing for and ogre commander to assemble. 

 
Starsong was the first to meet the threat with bow and flaming arrow, landing a hit in the neck of the lead beast, after which our infantry followed suit. Swiftly a defensive line was formed about me with the pikemen planting their long-arms ready to receive the charge. Lady Azshauna erupted a massive ball of fire amid the rampaging ogres and the lead ogre returned the favour by detonating flame amongst our own ranks. Sir Dominic fared the worst of those who survived, though he faultered not. Without warning some of the less experienced knights rode out to meet the enemy advance head on. Though they were noble & brave, their actions secured their demise. Some did mange to wound their attackers but ultimately the ogres made use of their size and strength to vanquish them. Once the charge met our spear line we resisted, though it hit us hard. Starsong sustained a wound and some of the infantry now rest with Paladine. At some point Sir Dominic managed to heal his own wounds and join the fight, beheading one of the vile creatures. The lead ogre targeted the Lady Azshauna and landed a cruel blow, sending her reeling before it unleashed another ball of flame amidst our ranks. With the unfailing bravery of the kender Nedlog leapt at the abomination, grappling like a ferret up a trouser leg, until she grasped the ogre's wand. With a flash of light most of the ogre's torso disappeared and Nedlog assumed a smug expression. With the battle all but won, the final ogre tried to make it's escape. Swiftly I mounted my horse and rode it down. As I leapt from my mount I attempted to subdue the fiend with my shield so that we could interrogate it, sadly ogres are not as durable as I had been led to believe and I succeeded in crushing it's windpipe. 

Too many good men lost their lives in that short fight and I hold myself entirely accountable. An army, no matter how small, is only as strong as its commander and my leadership or lack there of cost us dearly. While Sir Dominic gave the remaining men a rousing speech to lift their spirits and Brother Ithariel lectured them on the folly of charging past a defensive line, I spent my time praying over the bodies of the fallen and collecting their heirlooms. I pray that when next we meet combat I am able to show more wisdom in my command. 
Once our own dead had been attended to we turned our attention to the foul smelling corpses of the ogres, finding no small amount of coin and a letter written in the monsters' tongue. Lady Azshauna was able to translate the note and explained that it had been signed by Scranti, one of our quarry. He, She or It requested that the ogres send out a force to stop their pursuers and allow their band time to escape to Blödhelm. The letter also explained that the fort being assaulted by the main body of our army had been rigged as some kind of trap for the nights. Given the date we were able to calculate that we had very little time to warn Sir Hassan of the danger. I dispatched one of the men immediately with a copy of the ogre's letter and a brief explanation of the danger, an hour later I dispatched one of the pikemen (who promised some riding experience) as insurance, should the Knight be waylaid.