4 Yarthmont - A pain in the side

 Broneslav left the corpses of the rat people and wondered what the pyramid would throw at him next. WereToads? WerePetunias? He chuckled slightly to himself as he stalked the corridors of the pyramid westward, and then turning north. As he approached the next door, he could clearly hear noises from within. Banging and growling noises and the occasional shouted word, usually followed by more banging. The door was already ajar, so he peered in.

Within he could see three bestial human-like creatures. Each of them towered over him by a good way. They appeared to be eating candles! What he could see of the room suggested it was a storeroom of some kind. He decided to sneak away and leave them to it. There was little in the room that suggested it was of interest to him. Unfortunately, just as he was about to sneak away, one of the creatures turned around, perhaps tipped off by the light of his shield which he was trying to cover with his cloak.

Broneslav braced himself for the inevitable attack. At least by remaining in the corridor only one or two of the creatures could attack him directly. That might even the odds, for it looked like their mighty thews could crush his bones with just one blow. As he ducked back, he swung desperately with his mace and wounded one of the ogres. Then they were upon him. A huge fist slammed into him and made his head ring (1 DAM). He ducked a second blow and riposted. His mace crushed the chest of one ogre and it collapsed to the floor dead. He reversed the swing and wounded a second. The two remaining ogres redoubled their efforts and Broneslav had to duck quickly to avoid having his head taken off by one fist, but that led to another hitting him in the side, crushing his ribs (4 DAM). The pain was agonising, but he still managed to knock one more ogre senseless, shaking the corridor floor, and wounding the third. Ducking further back into the corridor, he avoided its enraged blows but failed to land a hit himself. As he rolled under another blow, he managed to break the monster's arm causing a grievous wound before finishing the thing off as he dived to one side to avoid its clublike fists. The monster staggered a step and died.

Broneslav cursed at the pain and bandaged his wounds. Then he searched the room and the ogres. His haul included a ring and 200 gold coins. Little enough to show for such a fight. His search of the room also proved his initial assessment to be correct. It was a storeroom for what looked like cheap religious symbols and paraphernalia. Nothing her for him. He rested a moment to let the pain in his side subside and then set off again.