Song of Clan Bitterspear Part II

Gru' Ulan had wanted to wait until Ugroth and Smul' Et had fully healed until he made another raid into the humans' settlements but Wart brought disturbing news that had his tiny warband preparing for war, full strength or not...While scouting farmsteads for Clan Bitterspear to loot, Wart had seen the local human militia stockpiling military supplies in a local barn. This activity could only mean one thing, the humans were preparing to attack Clan Bitterspear! Gru' Ulan's grandsire Uck' Chock One-Hand had always said, "Never wait when you can act, never defend when you can attack!" Clan Bitterspear was going to destroy that barn! Although Smul' Et had to stay behind while his wounds healed, Ugroth was able to fight, albeit not at full strength. Fortunately Gur' Ulan's faith in Ugroth was well placed when Ugroth was able to call his cuz Torg to fight for a paltry 50 gold coins.

Now Gru' Ulan could see the ragged human militia forming in behind the farm, set to defend the barn and its precious contents. Gru' Ulan smiled at the raw humans marching to their death, but his smile quickly became a snarl when he saw the old man standing behind the human rabble..."Grab your steel and follow me you scoundrels," Gru' Ulan screamed with a hint of false bravado, "10 gold coins to the bloody bastard who gives me the head of the human mage..."

The table

The human force awaits the orcish onlsaught

The orcs take the field!

Wart on his own

The militia make the wall

Even wounded, Ugroth is still a force to be reckoned with

The Humans split the orcs' formation

Torg goes down but the Savage Cruk Bloodtusk causes a gruesome kill that sends the milita scrambling to the rear

The militia begin to fall

The mage transfixes Gru' Ulan and he is wounded twice...his greatest fear comes true!

but Cruk sends another human's entrails spilling to the ground

The end is nigh for the humans...

The human leader falls

The hunters scatter

The mage makes one last stand, transfixing Druk and Gru' Ulan...

10 gold coins for Torg as he lays the magician low!

Wart giggles evilly as the barn goes up in flames.

Gru' Ulan watched the barn burn as his wounds poured blood. That damned mage had nearly turned the tables on the orcs, but the militia was just too green. Gru' Ulan shuddered to think how different things would have been had the vile sorcerer been supported by the king's soldiers rather than old men and boys...