Dante joins the in the cheers rising up from the river in the hopes that it will improve moral, a factor which might be more important than any other in battle. Unfortunately it doesn't last long as he changes from joyful to authoritative as he orders more pirate movement. "You three," he yells and points at the ones near the gate. "Reinforce the left."
He then turns to the ones nearby. "Wounded to the back. Form ranks. Spread out in case of return fire. You see a green or furry head come over that wall you separate it from the body. NOTHING GETS THROUGH." Message given he then hurls the torch over the wall in an unlit patch and steps back from the wall, ready to hold the line until the end.
Tyrus moves on to the next wounded, moving without pause.
"Should we throw their dead back at them?" he asks as he works
The pirates continue to drag their wounded out of the way of the coming violence - no sooner does Tyrus manage to stabilize them than they are whisked away. The physician winces at the effect the rapid trip over rough ground might have on their still-fresh wounds, but there is little he can do about it.
A paltry few javelins are thrown from the walls, but even with the tight grouping of the foe none manage to strike true. The goblins do not pause their charge in the slightest. This time, the goblins seem to spurn the thought of climbing the walls, no doubt aware that any of their brethren which made it over are dead by now. Instead they wait in the rear as the hulking bugbears dash to the timbers while hefting their axes and maces, and proceed to continue the demolition.
The sound of snapping wood cracks loudly into the night as one already-punished wall section nearly gives away to the renewed assault. Surely it won't stand up to another such attack...
Grease At Gate: 12/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 10/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins
A well-aimed (or very lucky) arrow from the fort lances down and skewers one of the bugbears through the throat - it collapses, retching out blood.
Luca's eighth servant rose from the ground as the battle continued, and a low moan came from her mouth as the powers were maintained and a ninth servant began to appear. She was running to the very limits of her power now, and literally could not keep this up much longer - but hopefully they'd have at least a small vanguard by the time the beasts broke through.
Meanwhile, two of her other warriors burst up from the ground and swung out at a pair of goblins, even as two of the others remained underground, not quite able to jump out of the earth as long as enemies were on top of them.
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Things were getting tense now. No more room for plans or traps. Now was time for grit and determination. The only question was who would last the longest. "Tyrus! We need your magic. Now!" he yells at the aging wizard. The wounded were a concern but surviving was a more pressing issue now. He then moves to the gap and stares one of the furry beasts right in the face. In a moment of clairvoyance, time slows as he lines up the strike. He remembers all his training for the perfect thrust and the spirit provides him the strength to do it. Find the target, twist the whole body, aim just past the point of contact, smooth motion. Strike.
Confirm!
Tyrus runs to the wall and lets loose with a burst of flame
While small, the flame does lick out over the Bugbears.
The pirates produce another ineffectual volley of javelins, failing to wound the bugbears. Dante, however, slides over to where to enemy have bashed a large enough hole in the wall for him to see them through - and shoves his blade right through, taking off one bugbear's hand at the wrist and continuing the push through until the point jams into its chin. A moment later, Tyrus unleashes a gout of fire that catches the wounded bugbear only barely, but shock added to injury is enough to drop it to the ground. It's fellow catches the flame full in the face, and howls with anger with suddenly-singed lips.
A pair of the Vilstraks burst from the ground and immediately lay about with their powerful fists, taking down a pair of goblins before they know they are under attack.
The other goblins are shocked enough that only a few react right away, but they are enough to almost completely surround the stone monsters in jabbing blades.
2 damage to Vilstrak 7.
1 damage to Vilstrak 6.
Grease At Gate: 13/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 11/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins
Half-seen at the edge of the firelight, another bugbear wearing sturdier-average-armor and bearing white facial tattoos strides forth, roaring to egg the others on.
Most creatures couldn't see very well while underground, but the Vilstraks were an exception - most of their kind spent all their lives underground, and they were actually quite good at monitoring the outside world. As an interesting-looking Bugbear approached, the two that were still within the earth surged northward, moving carefully into position but not yet emerging from the ground. However, if they could pull this off correctly, they might be able to break the morale of the goblins by abruptly incapacitating their leader.
The two further south simply smashed out at the goblins surrounding them, clearly intent on thinning their numbers as much as possible.
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The last of the two summoned minions sunk into the ground, burrowing northward and freely bypassing the defenses of the fort, clearly intent on joining their fellows in the massacre of the goblins...
As for Luca herself, the Void let go of her, and her stomach churned as she gasped for air. She could manage calling one more minion if that became necessary, but if she did, she'd be burned out for the rest of the day aside from a small amount of less-efficient magic. She'd never summoned forth this many warriors before, and even as her mind gibbered in fear at what she was capable of, a very small part of her was happy... every goblin that attacked a stone warrior was one more goblin not harming her friends.
Tyrus backs away from the hole, torn between running back to the injured or standing his ground. Desperate and out of combat spells, he decides on enspelling the oncoming Bugbear with a spray of caustic cleaning solution.
Tyrus hustles his bulk away, calling to the man above the gates
"Help me up!"
Dante proves himself oddly adept at killing thing through small holes, as he manages to spear another bugbear directly through the skull - and a moment later the creature is hit with a glob of acid from Tyrus, though it is dead before it can feel the corrosive bite of the learned man's magic.
The Vilstraks out front down one goblin and severely wound another. Already the screams of the crowd of foes are taking on notes of alarm - but they do not run yet.
Tyrus makes for one of the gate platforms and calls to a pirate for assistance up - the man looks puzzled as to Tyrus's plan, but knows there is no time for questions. He hops down and prepares to help the portly wizard ascend.
No sooner do Dante and Tyrus clear one near-breakthrough of enemies than rents appear at a different point.
1 damage to V7.
1 damage to V6.
Grease At Gate: 14/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 12/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (G18, 5 damage; B8, 9 Damage)
Another fortunate shot from the hill fort spears through a bugbear's shoulder.
Stone warriors erupted from the ground near the goblins, bellowing battle cries as their numbers suddenly tripled. That alone would probably have convinced the goblins to pause for at least a moment, but they wasted no time in smashing out at their targets, beginning with the two that had flanked the leader.
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The first one summoned to the battle seemed more capable here on the material plane, and swung out rather better than its companion had... but the four attacking further south had formed a solid defensive square and begun ripping into the goblins.
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One of the stone warriors called out another update on the battle, and Luca just clenched her fists tighter as she heard about what was happening. She wasn't the kind of person who enjoyed hearing about slaughters, even when the dead wished to harm her. "They're f-fighting the weaker goblins, t-trying to get rid of them before smashing into the bigger ones..." she managed to squeak out.
Finally one of the pirates manages to land a javelin, finishing off another bugbear by the eastern side.
Dante's sword lodges within the wood of the gate as he tries to stab through to the enemies on the other side.
Luca's otherworldly army continues its work as more of them erupt from the earth to join the melee. The goblins prove to be no match for them - a pile of them fall to the fists of the Vilstrak and the commander itself is pummeled in a surprise attack.
Tyrus makes the top of the platform with the pirate's help, but is too out of breath to do anything right away.
The bugbear commander recovers from its surprise in time to swing a heavy stone maul at the Vilstrak, crumbling it do dust despite the copious blood already flowing down the bugbear's face. The remaining goblins continue to swarm in at the other void creatures, their small crude blades finding purchase here and there.
10 damage to V1.
4 damage to V7.
Grease At Gate: 15/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 13/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +0
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (BC, 13 Damage)
Despite their losses, the goblins hold steady for at least awhile longer, their bloodlust getting the better of their caution...
No amount of fortune could last forever, and the first of Luca's summons - which had done remarkably well thus far, lasting longer than many of its companions - was shattered in a single titanic blow, even as the horde of little goblins fell in increasingly great numbers.
Undeterred by the loss, the Vilstraks pressed on, hammering out at their foes to thin their numbers and make the camp safe once again.
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The Vilstrak up north seemed like it wasn't doing horribly, though one of its swings could definitely have gone better, and the three below commenced their assault on the remaining smaller foes...
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The last one moved southwest to get into position before it swung, apparently in an attempt to aid the stone warrior that had utterly missed its target. The rate of slaughter seemed to be slowing slightly, and that probably wasn't good, but if they could hold out just a little longer... "The leader... should be hurt..." Luca managed to report to the others as another call in Aklo came over the walls, its dreadful syllables not meant to be heard by mere mortals.
"Damn," Dante says frustrated. To make such a careless mistake.
In his angry Dante wrenches the blade free with more strength then necessary. Controlling his angry and directing it towards the bugbear beyond the wall, he attempts to thrust again.
"The leader... should be hurt..."
Cursing that he does not have any Alchemist's fire, Tyrus starts issuing orders, with little hope of them being obeyed - but a voice trained to cut through unruly and bored students.
"Dante! The one's near you are dead! They're making a new hole fifteen feet this way!""They're trying to break through near Peg. Can anyone pass him some rocks or something to throw at them?"
"Anyone else not in combat, find some long sticks to poke through the holes, and go help Peg!"
Tyrus ends his roared speech, and switches into casting a spell at the closest Bugbear.
Torble lurks, ready to bite at the first hand through the wall.
Dante spears his blade through another rent in the wall, nearly slaying another bugbear outright - but the creature keeps its feet, bleeding profusely. Luca's Vilstrak narrowly misses another punishing blow on the bugbear leader, while her other summons continue to do do their bloody work amongst the smaller goblins. Tyrus takes a platform and begins calling out orders, even as an arcane gesture conjures up a gob of sizzling acid and sends it hurtling into a bugbear's chest.
Another colossal swing from the bugbear commander shatters the Vilstrak into dust, and his resultant roar of victory sweeps over the goblin forces, egging them on to draw blood of their own - or at least to scrape more dust off the strange creatures that beset them.
5 damage to V6.
Grease At Gate: 16/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 14/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +0
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (BC, 13 Damage; B5, 3 damage; B6, 15 damage)
The goblins remain steady, perhaps seeing that they are near to breaching the wall in multiple places...
Even Luca's warriors, frightening though they were, couldn't last forever... and their numbers were dwindling fast as the battle continued. A sharp jolt of pain ran through Luca's mind as the Void opened once more to call out another servant - and at least through that power, she literally could not call anything more today.
Meanwhile, the two stone warriors abruptly sunk into the ground and moved northward, intent on rising up near the leader and attempting to take him down. The goblins seemed to have a lot of morale at the moment, and it seemed increasingly likely that taking down the commander was their best chance of winning this battle.
Dante curses his inability to use long range magic or even use a ranged weapon effectively. He could hear the bugbear in the back rallying the goblin forces. If he could just reach it he could end this. Instead he settled for a target within reach.
Dante once again lodges his blade in the splintered wood of the palisade, and Luca's Vilstraks merge into the earth to make for the bugbear commander once again.
With another crash of axe and mace into the logs, sections of the wall finally gives way entirely - and the goblins that had been waiting for this moment rush forward with a shriek of anticipation. The wall has been breached in two places, and the horde rushes forward to crowd around the holes.
Grease At Gate: 17/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 15/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (BC, 13 Damage; B5, 3 damage; B6, 15 damage)
"Breach! Breach at the wall!" call some of the defending pirates. You can hear the call being echoed through the camp - hopefully reinforcement will come soon. With the melee suddenly being joined beyond the gates, the arrows from the hill fort cease, no doubt not willing to risk hitting their own.
Well that was one way to get the enemy to come to him. Dante drops his blade as the section it has imbedded itself is smashed to pieces. He recovers quickly and grabs his sword while backing up. Things were not going his way so he didn't want to chance failing his spell. Power gathers in his hand and he slams it to the ground, making everything before him slick as a greased pan. To the pirates he says, "Two of you head for the other breach. The rest bottle them up here."
Luca's two stone warriors switched course under the ground, moving to align themselves once more in a bid to take the enemy commander down. One of them actually went underneath the hole in the wall, ready to erupt upwards if the goblin above was slain or otherwise moved out of the way.
The tenth Vilstrak appeared near the gates and immediately swung out at the goblin there, clearly determined to stop the enemies from closing in and attacking Luca.
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Luca herself was backing well away from the breach in the wall - she had no business at all being anywhere near a melee, and in any event would be unable to do much if she stuck around.
Torble drops onto the head of a screaming Goblin
The fat man starts to panic. All his life he has feared goblins
I'm dead anyway. Time they feared me!
"All to the breach!" he orders the pirates with Logan, and the other on the gate.
Then he half climbs, half falls from the elevated platform to the ground outside.
The pirates rush to contain the goblins before they can overrun the openings, following Dante's orders. The young warrior-magician repeats his trick from the gate, coating the area - and the enemies - in grease. Apparently in some sort of fugue state, Tyrus scrabbles over the wall and prepares his deadliest - and final - spell. But will he pay for his daring move?
Dante's spell catches their foes to good effect, with the commander in particular falling ingloriously on its ass and unable to regain its feet. The pirates guarding the western breach contain their foes, but take several wounds in the process.
Grease At Gate: 18/20 Rounds
Grease At East: 1/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 16/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates (1 damage to P5. 3 Damage to P6. 6 Damage to P8)
Dante (2 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (BC, 13 Damage; B5, 3 damage; B6, 15 damage; G3, 3 Damage)
The battle hands upon a knife's edge - a few solid strikes from either side could decide it in their favor.
The enemy had breached the wall with more units than the defenders. This was worst case scenario. But Dante saw an opportunity to end this. The leader was just barely within reach and flat on his ass. The only thing that was in the way was two bugbears and a wall and maybe a horde of goblins. Easy right. He closes the small gap between him and first Bugbear
"OUT. OF. MY."
"WAY!" he roars sweeping the large blade to decapitate both furry beasts in one fell swoop.
Seeing an opportunity, Tyrus heaves his bulk across the ground at the leader, drawing his knife and falling on the now prone figure.
Luca's eighth Vilstrak stepped out of the ground, as her ninth - for some reason - remained below ground instead of popping up when an enemy moved forward. The beast joined Tyrus in smashing at the commander of the goblins, roaring its challenge as it did so.
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The last of the summoned Vilstraks swung at the Bugbear that had charged forward, attempting to hammer it down as the battle raged onwards.
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The goblins had done well thus far, but the stone warriors were still present, and they had every intention of slaughtering their foes.
Torble continues to dissolve his goblin.
The pirates land a few blows, including the one still aiding Dante at the eastern breach - he skewers the leading bugbear outright, and a moment later Dante cleaves its head in two with a furious roar, in an attempt to also get the enemy behind it. Following this, one of Luca's Vilstrak's hits it with a powerful fist, sending the bloody and eviscerated corpse back into the fellows attempting to charge the gate. However, the following bugbear manages to keep away from Dante's deadly blade. . Another of the Vilstraks arises from the ground behind the attackers and bashes the commander.
In a moment of (perhaps foolish) bravery, Tyrus charges forward for the brawny bugbear which is struggling to rise amidst the greasy puddle. Before it realizes he is upon it, Tyrus seizes the thing by the throat and unleashes the necromantic energies he had summoned up. Negative energy rends its flesh, and it howls a strange note of mixed anger and terror. Though heavily bloodied, with wounds from unyielding fist and negative energy both, the thing is still alive.
The goblins that witness this attack screech in fear of their own, no doubt recognizing Tyrus's killing magic for what it is.
Despite the possibly changing tables, the proximity to their enemy's throat keeps the goblins in a killing mood. Attempting to struggle to its feet once more so that it can crush this magic-wielding human, the bugbear leader instead slips once more and falls to its face in the slippery mud. Attempting to roll and swing it's maul to break Tyrus's legs like twigs, the blow is turned aside by the invisible force that protects the wizard.
A flurry of fighting follows - two pirates fall in the west, while a single bugbear in the easter manages to squeeze back into the breach and land a blow on Dante.
5 Damage to Dante.
Grease At Gate: 19/20 Rounds
Grease At East: 2/20 Rounds
Logan Embiggenation: 17/20 Rounds
Goblin Morale: +1
Pirates (1 damage to P5)
Dante (7 damage)
Luca
NPC Logan (Embiggened, 23 damage, Unconscious, Stable)
Tyrus
Goblins (BC, 27 Damage; B6, 15 damage; G3, 3 Damage; G1, 4 Damage; B3, 6 damage)
The cry of "To the walls! is heard from somewhere in the camp.
The two Vilstraks north of the wall bellowed in rage as they swung out at the remaining goblins - who, against all odds, had remained impressively cohesive despite their terrible losses.
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The rocky warrior was smashing out for all it was worth, aiming to quite literally pulp every foe in sight. Its companion likewise swung out, albeit aiming for the smaller goblins instead of their leader.
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The last of Luca's stone warriors began running to the west, intent on joining the battle there as the pirates fought with the enemies that had broken through the walls. Even as it did, battle cries in Aklo came up from where the other two stone warriors were, its alien syllables harsh and vicious.
Luca quietly crouched down, but the Void wasn't done with her... indeed, so long as she lived, it would probably never be done.