Years ago The field was mud, churned up by duel after duel upon it. In the centre of it stood Cor. Pulling himself up to his feat near the edge of the field was a young, Paladin recruit, who now had to train against Cor. Glaring at Cor, he held his sword low and ran forward.

The young Paladin, no, the young fighter, was once again pushed back by the hilt of Cor's wooden training axe. He toppled backwards, then rolled back to his feet. With a battle cry, he charged back in again, only to be repulsed.

Standing up again, the young man had an exasperated look on his face. Once again, he charged with his training sword held above his head. With the back of his axe, Cor hit him hard in the stomach. Falling to his his knees, the man looked up. "How?" he gasped frustratedly. "How does a priest beat me? I'm a knight! I've battled everyone from..."

"And that is why you cannot defeat me!" Cor snapped back. "Being a Paladin is not about you! It is about your god, and your own personal piety! Your duty is to protect others, not fight for personal glory." he paused a moment, as the battered man eyed Cor from his knees. "I'm not the most intimidating person, but I've got Cor watching me, lad. Once you have faith in your diety, it shall be returned. Then, and only then, shall you be able to match steel with me."

Without waiting for a response, Cor walked away. They weer finished for now. Once this man began to understand about faith, he would be rewarded.

As he left, Cor called back to still kneeling man in the centre of the field, " You should control yourself a bit more too. You're too weak to overpower all your foes."

Current situation
Similar to many years ago, Cor faced a knight. Unlike that time, he was not training this knight, nor did he know him. This fight was for opposing sides. The knight most likely fought for power, wealth, and personal satisfaction. Cor fought for the good of the people, and for Odin. That is how he would win. Additionally, this fight was by far more dangerous than the other ones. Every few seconds, it seemed another ally fell into increasingly dire states. Cor knew they had to finish up quick, before they all perished. They had to find the Dragon Queen.

Cor touched one of his hands to his chest for a moment, and cast cure heal moderate wounds on himself. He muttered a prayer to Odin, as some of the pain began to recede.

"There is no magic here knight. Just divine blessings." Cor held his axe ready. "That is how I'll beat you. Your skill at arms mean nothing against a cleric of Odin! I accept your challenge!" When/ if the wolves lunge at him, Cor taunted the knight, "What are the wolves for? Afraid you'll lose?"

(OOC: Cor cast heal moderate wounds on himself, then, if possible, attacks the knight.)

RAYNE FIREHEART

With Aliya engaging the Gith to her left and Roan attacking the one to her right the Elven Ranger was free to help others. Directly in front of Rayne she could see two Winter Wolves about to attack Cor as the Knight was now challenging him. The Ranger knew these Wolves would soon try to impair the Dwarven Cleric with their frosty breath giving the Knight an advantage. Although her life was dedicates to protecting nature's creatures these were now on the side of evil and were in their way. Without hesitation she drew Andurile’s Blood.. knocked arrows and let fly one into each of white furry creature. Then screaming through the air the arrows transformed to pure green bolts of energy as they flashed to the wolves.

Xin's telepathic voice flared in Alyia's mind. "Do not hesitate, mistress."

Alyia pushed the Glith back hard against the wall. the jarring force of their impacting bodies paused Alyia back slightly giving her just enough room to make an open slash at the Gliths throat, as she side stepped to the right of the creature.

Xin taking the Gliths fall made a dash to slash at the Gliths eyes, in attempt to blind the creature. though Niamedris was a new alley to him Xin found that he seemed to jell well with the way the little beast fought.

for a moment Xin felt the spider silk thread of the all consuming thirst for power weave into his mind. He chided himself for being so lax during battle.

once his down fall from mortal coil. the lust for power haunted him like a sick bitter addiction. Power in all its forms, was never enough. Once many life times ago he had bartered with a dark Djin for power, the cost his mortality an in a sense his soul. he was trapped in the confines of servitude as a Djin. An that such a young (in Djin terms only several hundred years old) was still tiny an relatively weak. But his time with Alyia's grandfather had akined his heart to the old man an through him, his granddaughter Alyia.

Xin called out to Niamedris, his small voice only audible to Niamedris, Alyia an those closes to him. "Come O'great battle cat let us savage this foul creature before us. Let us rent our wrath upon it an revel in our prowess!" the cry fell short as the din of battle all but drown him out.

(i hope this is ok Tann, let me know if i need to edit?)

Now locked in combat with one of the Gith, Lothor smiled. The simpler an encounter was, the better. Complicated things like magic and squad tactics took away from the true beauty of battle. How much simpler does combat get than one-on-one, steel-against-steel, and strength-against-strength? With his practiced eyes watching the battlefield immediately around him for any pressing outside threats, Lothor raises his sword into a defensive stance. He stands there, waiting for his enemy to make the first move—fully intending to make it the last it will ever make.

(OOC: Lothor attacks gith #9 twice with his +3 Greatsword of Wounding.)

Barreel never felt better than when he was in a fight. There is nothing like the simple pleasure of pitting your life against anothers, win or lose. Now in battle, nothing can distract him from his goals. Fisrt, the pathetic gith in front of him. Second, that large Gith. Now there's a foe worthy of Barreel Axehand. Bigger is always worth more glory to Barreel at times like this.

Ignoring the body trapped on his armor spikes, Barreel begins another verse of his battle song and charges to finish off the gith in the way of the large Gith:

We sing the song
Of friends and myth
Of warriors strong
Battling the Gith
Where strength and honor shall SHOW
Shout louder lads
***DEATH FROM BELOW***

(OOC: Barreel will do his best to kill anything in the way of him and the large gith, starting with #15. He'll attack with axe and spikes again.)

The party facing a number of strong foes had in all reality fared better then most. However, with wounds building and people in trouble it was only a matter of time until they fell beneath the enemy assault.

With Ulthok, once more using a spell of magic the Halfling was the first to act this 7th round. Quickly casting Dimension Door, he placed himself in hiding beneath the middle of the table displays. From this position, the Thief/Mage had a clear view of the battle and it was not good. However, for now as he pulled out a potion of Extra-Healing he was safe, with no enemies breathing down on him. However how long remained to be seen…………….

Cor, his health low facing the two wolves and the Knight knew he had no choice but to heal. As he cast the spell of Cure Moderate Wounds upon himself, he could feel his health returning as he prepared for the wolves’ attacks against him then Knights. However seeing the Knight in front of them, they both turned to attack Lothor, leaving Cor to the Knight. Strangely, the large human seemed to wait giving the Dwarf Knight-Cleric time to heal. Then taking a stance of readiness waited for Cor to attack.

“I give you that one heal but no more. Fight me now Knight to Knight or die without honor.”………………………

For Sirene the tiger and Dark Whisper it had come down to melee between the two magic using opponents yet Dark Whisper was yet fast enough to cast yet another spell. As Sirene launched herself at the Shadow-Wraith, she found herself grabbed by her and an electrical shock run through her cat body. Clearly, in her defense the evil Fighter/Mage had cast Shocking Grasp.

However, this did not prevent Sirene from attacking back and held as she was her chances to hit became much better and each of her attacks gave Dark Whisper her first damage of this fight. Then almost as an after thought the Elf Enchantress, felt herself hit by a spell and in that instant found herself blind.

Peri still caught in the charm of Dark Whisper, her new best friend, having cast at Sirene the spell of Blindness in Shadow-Wraiths protection. Sirene caught in the shocking grasp of the Shadow-Wraith and now blind was in more trouble in this 7th round of the fight then as an enraged tiger. Her next act could mean her life or death……………

With magic cast, it now came down for the rest of the party to melee and the first of the party to act was Aliya in her battle vs. Gith #19. Slamming the Gith warrior back into the wall she attempted to strike him with her sword but failed as the Gith’s superior strength pushed her back. With the space still to tight to swing its sword, it instead proceeded to use the pommel, smashing it straight forward into Aliya’s face. Her nose suddenly broken and full of blood the Half-Elf Fighter/Mage was forced backward…………….


With the Githyanki fighter #20 attempting to recover his sword and stand with it he had no real chance to defend against the two enemies he faced. More so as Niamedris’s next spell of Reduce was also completely successful bringing the large Gith down to a size easily handled by Xin. With Xin attacking his eyes and the Gith warrior no longer able to lift his now giant sword. The small Jinn quickly scored a decent hit upon him plunging his Scimitar into the creatures left eye. With Niamedris charging forward to the attack next turn, the next rd looked bad for the Gith……..

For Rayne having both healed Lothor and then herself been healed by Roan she was ready to return to the offense. At once spotting the two large wolves headed towards Lothor, her bow was un-slung and two arrows nocked and fired. Each of the wolves taking a single arrow hit. For the first of the creatures #3, it paused then kept coming as if nothing had hit it. However, the second #4 having already been slashed by Cor fell onto its front paws and stopped. Attempting to get back up was slow and clearly painful for the creature and for this round, it was out of the fight……………

Lothor once again in the midst of combat had stood his ground better against the Githyanki before him then the Human Knight. Wasting no time thinking on the why’s of such he kept his sword swinging, the two great swords meeting once more. However, this time the result for both Gith and human where different as the Gith took a hit from Lothor as the blades disengaged. For Lothor his damage was not from a Githyanki sword but the teeth of the wolf now beside him. Having not noticed the large creature attacking in his fight with the Gith before him, he had only been hit by one of its three attacks. Where his armor had prevented its two claws from hitting him it had failed him at its bite, the wolves teeth digging deep. Now facing two enemies he could only hope for the support once more of those around him………………

Roan for this round thought to face two Githyanki warriors and chose to take on the one that appeared closer to death. As he moved to attack, Gith #20 as it lunged on the ground for its fallen sword he was momentarily taken aback as the Gith suddenly disappeared. Thinking the creature had phased he quickly turned to attack the second Gith closet to him #9 and found it engaged in combat with Lothor. Moving in from its side in a fast crouch he took the Githyanki totally by surprise as Lothor had done with #10 a second before. Unlike Lothor, Roan in a quick crossing of his two-kopesh swords took off the Gith’s head. As Githyanki body followed head to the ground, the Human Ranger/Cleric found he had a number of choices. Help Lothor vs. the two wolves, the second now up and moving. Help Cor against the Human Knight or move to help Ulthok vs. Limper.

However as Roan looked to find the status of the Halfling Thief/Mage he found only more wolves to his front and the Limper in Ulthoks place. With Ulthok gone the two wolves had moved quickly towards the nearest foe, Roan. Barely getting his swords up in time to block all but a single claw, he watched as the Limper turned towards him and the rest of the party.

For the Limper having Ulthok vanish before him caused him quite a bit of anger. Watching the wolves head for Roan and the other two engaged with Lothor, he once again opted to cast Magic Missile as he moved forward. His target the biggest of the enemy before him the Barbarian fighter Lothor. Five missiles from his hand and Lothor was racked by pain as the five magical bolts struck him hard………………….

Barreel never felt better than when he was in a fight. Win or lose, live or die in battle, nothing could keep the Dwarf in fighter from his goals. With the large, Githyanki Leader as that goal he knew first came the three remaining Gith before him. With out stopping his charge, the remains of the Gith body forgotten he continued his forward movement striking out at the Gith before him #15 and gaining a good axe blow upon it. However, this time he was not as lucky as the last as though he did indeed hit the Gith before him, he too was hit in return. With nothing really left of the Gith first impaled, he was caught by two Githyanki attacks and his forward progress stopped. Next round he would need to move once more…………………

The last of the party to act this turn was the crippled Weaver. Unable to cast spells the pain racking his body or to even stand from his curled position he had one last resort. His hand to his ear he gripped the gifted earring there and called fourth Freya’s promised Valkyrie to kill the Limper and if he died to take Weaver home. Within seconds in front of the Limper, there appeared a fully armored maiden of Freya, sword drawn and ready to fight the Shadow-Wraith this next round

As Weaver, wracked with pain, tried to watch he saw none of this. He did not see that the Valkyrie summoned was not just a single Valkyrie of Freya alone, but accompanied by the Goddess herself. Kneeling before him on one knee, she took his head gently in hand.
In a voice heard only in his head, as her hands reached down touching him. As he felt the healing from her hands flowing through him removing his wounds and magically given disease, he listened.

Hush now Weaver Hovsus for I have answered your call. You will not die this fight.
As the Half-Elf Ranger/Bard slowly lost consciousness, he watched as Freya rose to her feet and stood above him as if protecting. Then nothing as his eyes closed and the darkness took him…………….

(DM OOC: Ok my post up early. This will be my last post until July 13th as there will be no post over the July 4th weekend. Good posts by everyone and I hope you all have a great holiday)<.b>

Rayne
The wolves took the flight of Rayne's arrows. One was stalled but the other bearly seemed to notice. The ranger was ready to follow with two more when she saw giant cat that was Sirene thrashing on floor by what must had been the magic of the hood one standing in the middle of the room. The cat floundered as if it had lost its sense of direction. Rayne knew any animal moving like that was open to easy attack. The Ranger Roan and Lothor could handle the Winter Wolves so ignoring the wolves now Rayne had to help her Elven sister. Raising Andurile’s Blood the ranger breathed a brief prayer to Kith Jora to aid her, her friends and guide her shot. Exhailing to steady her aim she loosed two more arrows to strike at the hooded figure. Although Ulthok's pet was perched on hooded creatures shoulder Rayne knew the witch needed to be drawn off the enchantress.

The mage reappeared across the room, hidden by the tables. His body racked with pain and weakness has left him too vulnerable to press the attack. Ulthok knew he had to heal before he could continue to help his friends. Pulling a potion of extra healing the Halfling downed the entire bottle. The warmth of the fluid flowed down his throat and spread through body. The weariness was driven out as the magic of the potion work to repair the damage of battle.

The mage knew he had to wait for the healing to finish before he could strike out again. As the mage felt his strength returning he reach his mind out to touch the little Faerie Dragon. “Peri….. reach deeply into your mind and search for why this new creature has called you. Beware of the Vail of its attraction….my feelings for you have proven true…….this one has not earned you faithfulness…..look inside your mind and see the difference between truth and charm.” Ulthok hoped the Peri’s intelegence would aid her to see through the charm. Then he thought perhaps he could use the charm to aid the party.

"Peri… if she really wants you and you feel you must make this new one happy then show her you can make her feel good… a small kiss on her cheek and a puff of your breath will make her euphoric.”

The wolves moved around Cor, with the Human Knight moving in. In a second, Cor would be completely enveloped, and unable to escape. Touching his hand to his chest, he felt much of the pain vanish from his body. He was readied for the next attacks.

Surprisingly, none came. The wolves had moved to attack Lothor instead. In all the fray, the knight stood, allowing Cor to heal. As Cor finished healing himself, the knight readied for combat.

“I give you that one heal but no more. Fight me now Knight to Knight or die without honor.”
"You do fight with honour, sir knight." Cor admitted. "Now, let's see your steel!"

Cor readied his axe for battle, and moved forward to meet the knight head on. Cor planned nothing fancy: just straight, man on man combat.

(OOC: Cor attacks the knight head on.)

The whole world suddenly became dark. Feeling the touch of magic grip her being, Siréne at once knew the dragonette had attacked her. Unable to respond with a wave of destruction of her own, the enchantress was left with few options. Acting on instinct she shifted back into her own form, feeling the renewed vitality course through her.

There was no hesitation, fully herself again, Siréne flowed through the workings of a spell. An unearthly scream broke from her lips as pure magical energy flowed out from her to interrupt and negate the magic it touched. Perhaps, if the Great Goddess smiled upon her, the spell would restore her sight and free Peri from the compulsion.

((OOC: Back in elf form. Casts Dispel Magic. Is going to back away from Dark Whisper if she can.))

Barreel was more than just angry at this point, he was frustrated, so Barreel did what any normal Dwarven Berserker would do when frustrated and fighting 3 opponents... He evened the odds by turning one of the gith into a shield.

"GOTCHA! Now stay here and try not ta squirm too much, you'll affect me aim!"

We sing the song
Of friends and myth
Of warriors strong
Battling the Gith
Where strength and honor shall SHOW
Shout louder lads
***DEATH FROM BELOW***

(OOC Barreel attacks gith #17 with his spikes)

Things were just as they should be, simple and honorable, and the wolves had to come and ruin everything. What was a one on one battle became a 3 on one battle in a matter of seconds. Lothor decided to try to fix those odds and pay back some pain.

(OOC: Lothor attacks one of the wolves)

For the party, once on the verge of losing this fight, Weaver’s single action of summoning had changed the dynamics of the battle in their favor. With the arrival of a Valkyrie and then the Goddess Freya herself events rapidly played out.

The large Githyanki seeing both new combatants arriving and knowing the truth of them wasted no time. A loud scream of command and before the party could act he and his five surviving Gith were gone phasing out of the room. With the Gith gone the only opponents left were the Shadow-Wraith Twins, the four Winter wolves and the human Knight.

For Cor, though he faced a warrior of evil, clear the human knight was one with honor. Moving quickly to the attack they both traded blows and found themselves both at the end of this first round unhurt. Sword and axe readied they prepared to engage the other next round.

Lothor wasting no time deciding why the wolves had bypassed Cor struck quickly at the closet wolf hitting it squaring in the face. The strength of his blow such as to penetrate through its snot to exit through the top of its skull. Pulling his sword now from only a corpse, Lothor readied to attack another foe this next round.

For Barreel his situation this round was not to his liking. Having already easily killed one of the four Gith soldiers sent to deal with him making him angry at the ease of it. He was further enraged when the other three just vanished, leaving him with no enemies to fight. Seeing the human armor-wearing female as the only foe in sight he moved towards her as fast as his short legs could carry him.

However those battles all took second place to the one between the Shadow-Wraith Limper and the Valhallain warrior. In a matter of seconds dozens of blows had been landed upon both, the stone skin giving Limper the advantage at first allowing him to badly wound the Valkyrie. Then it was gone and the female warrior maiden returned in kind wounding him badly, dropping Limper to his knee. Somehow the vile Shadow-Wraith rose eyes red as blood and fought back and in a moment of horror ran the Valkyrie through the throat killing her. As she dropped to the floor her form faded into a lite mist before ever touching it and an unholy scream could be heard. Freya was angry.

Having to this point only intervened to heal the summoner Weaver, the death of a sacred handmaiden threw her into a rage. Her eyes set on Limper she raised her hands and lashed out with a force of magical energy unseen by any of the party before. In seconds the Limper was gone totally and utterly destroyed, nothing left of him both items and flesh. The force of her killing blast so strong the whole party around the former Shadow-Wraith were flung to the ground landing hard. However, the Winter Wolves were not so lucky as the energy struck them and as had been with the Limper so it was with them.

Freya in no way done with her anger now turned to Dark Whisper, but she was too late. The Female of the two twins seeing the death of her brother and fellow Wraith was gone, leaving a bewildered Fairy Dragon and a tiger turned once more elf in her wake. Her gaze yet looking for something to destroy fell on the human knight and she raised her hands again. However, the knight knowing he had no chance to defend had dropped his sword and fallen to his knees in hope the Goddess of Asgard would spare him. In amazement, the party slowly recovering watched as she looked at the human before her for a long moment then turned to Weaver, bent down, spoke to him, and was gone.

The battle for this room was done, a subdued enemy as a prize, the party reunited with a friend and a fairy dragon free from charm and herself once more.

(DM OOC: Ok finally a new post from me hope you like how the battle ended… Next post, next Sunday the 27th and as only 4 of you posted I need a count of who is still in and who if anyone is out. Please give me a heads up thanks)

in battle time is irrelevant , what can seem like minutes can flash buy is seconds an mere seconds can be the line in which a single step can save your life.

Alyia was shocked caught in the free fall of the moment.

Alyia sat up once again on the ground from the concussive attack from a spell. looking around she saw that those around here were much in the same state.
Alyia tried to remember everything that had just happened.

the second the Valkyrie materialized onto the field the atmosphere of the battle changed. the air electrified.

Those with more battle experience took advantage of the momentary pause of shock an sway of the enemies. Alyia was stuck dumbfounded as two beautiful woman took the filed, one by wings an armour could only be a Valkyrie an the other beautiful beyond comparison yet held such a regal authoritative power.

Her gaze yet looking for something to destroy fell on the human knight and she raised her hands again. However, the knight knowing he had no chance to defend had dropped his sword and fallen to his knees in hope the Goddess of Asgard would spare him. In amazement, the party slowly recovering watched as she looked at the human before her for a long moment then turned to Weaver, bent down, spoke to him, and was gone.
the last moments of the battle the woman had spoken to weaver?

Alyia got shakily to her feet as Xin materialized beside her. Alyia had so many questions to ask her fellow party members, but now was not the time. Alyia looked about trying to aces who needed help the most.

softly chuckling to herself, bloody thor she was starting to think like a healer rather then a warrior.

walking over on semblance of a steady gate trying not to slip in the gore which spilled across the narrow hall she offered to pick Niamedris up an walked quickly back to where most of the party was grouped. Lost in a haze of thought an speculation over the events which had just transpired.

In a flutter of wings and a clash of steel, the battle was done. Freya herself had descended to finish the fight; though Roan had never seen a goddess before there was no question in his mind about her identity. He had felt the holy power emanating from her being, and when she ended the battle Roan fell to one knee where he had stood.

He barely whispered, but he knew she heard. Goddess Freya, we thank you for your aid this day. He looked up, and across the room he saw her speak to Weaver. Whatever words they exchanged were clearly for him alone, but the blessing of the goddess had saved teh entire party. Then, just as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone again.

Now that the battle was ended completely Roan found himself bleeding from what seeed like a thousand different holes. Everything hurt, and that required a remedy. It seemed selfish, considering his clerical background, but he quaffed a potion of healing. It would be necessary, he reasoned, to live long enough to do any real service to the Allfather.

Feeling at least a little rejuvenated, Roan set about doing what seemed necessary. The room was ransacked from the fight, but he thought he had seen piles of maps and what appeared to be models of the castle. He began to search the room. Surely something here was of signifigance, whether it was carried by one of the Gith, one of the Orcs, or simply hidden away under a pile of maps, Roan was determined to find out.