Hostages at Preen Pass (5th of Bearguard, Rose:47)

Play started on the 1st of Bearguard, Rose: 47.

We picked up a new player character (Ma'yah), 3rd Level Wizard.

The party left Rhackdalia for Preen Pass with about 20 days of supplies on the 2nd of Bearguard, Rose: 47.

On the night of the 4th of Bearguard, Rose: 47, a wounded Rhackdalia soldier wandered into camp - Jhannel, a Freewoman of Rhackdalia and a member of the Order of the Pass. Very wounded.

Once healed, she revealed that her post was overrun and members of her Order were killed; there are maybe 11 hostages that've been taken by ogres and "half-men, half-ogres". The lay of the land was discussed and general ideas about the post revealed; she said there's at least 14 half-ogres and 2 ogres.

On the 5th of Bearguard, Rose: 47, the party prepared to scale the switchbacks on the mountainside along Preen Pass to climb up towards the Overreach post.

It was a treacherous climb! PC's were hit by wicked black javelins, cleaved by enormously cruel battleaxes, hurt from being shoved off of cliff-faces, and hit by rolling boulders. The Dwarves took the brunt of it: at one point, Gorbash was reduced to just 2 hit points and Tamrhook was knocked unconscious, just inches from the True Death; Cleric of Isthmeira also took a javelin to her torso; the NPC Jhennel was utterly destroyed by a "death-from-above" maneuver where a half-ogre threw himself upon her from 20' up. I believe Tolman, Ma'yah, Elan, and Llew were relatively unscathed.

At the end of it, 8 half-ogres were dead, one fled, and the party was left reeling and licking its wounds … The party continued to scale the switchbacks to the Overreach and battle their way through seven half-ogres and two ogres. Gorbash took the brunt of the damage but survived.

After the melee was over, the party discovered the hostages and their pitiful state. The wounded were attended to, everyone was fed, and rest was obtained. The party learned more about the possible motivations of the ogres.