"Well I do believe it's on. Hope Zove and Aterro are OK".
Vrindel[Spider]Uses his whole move to move to within melee range for next round.
Flames flicker hesitantly at first but then erupt with surprising quickness as one of the empty barrels used to help get things started contained pitch for sealing the ship. The flammable pine pitch crackles and burns and soon enough the flames are bright enough to be spotted from the watchtower on the opposite side of the village.
A horn blares as the flames continue to burn with the constant encouragement from Zove while Aterro stands at the barricade ready for the first of the slavers to try and reach their burning ship.
While he waits, screams erupt from somewhere within the village. It takes a few moments, but both Aterro and Zove can hear the cries of women and perhaps children echoing from the open loft of the big barn just on the other side of the earthen berm.
However the two have little time to contemplate the cause as moments later the first of the reavers rushes into sight over the top of the berm. A bucket in one hand, axe in the other as he rushes toward the burning ship, not yet noticing the barricade that stands in the way. Another dwarf follows only a few paces behind.
Startled by Trevor's sudden eruption of temper and threats, Bronar stumbles several steps back toward the door.
"Now...now...wait...just a..." The dwarf stutters and then Finnigan's bolt strikes and although it does little more than slice a thin cut across his hand, the treacherous dwarf lets out an involuntary squeak and dives for the door.
Morgo stands in front of Trevor eyes blinking in confusion as he watches a giant spider leap from the loft landing close to one of the other reaver guards. Stunned into stasis, the big trollkin does little but flinch at the sudden eruption of screams, squeals and curses of fright from the prisoners at the sudden appearance of the massive spider.
Caught flat footed by the sudden turn of events, Mal curses softly to himself and ducks for cover behind a pile of hay while the other two guard's laughter turns to curses as they reach for their axes and stumble back away from the spider and bellowing knight.
Moments later a horn blasts from somewhere outside the barn and is quickly followed by further shouting that can't be made out over the screaming and shouting going on inside the big building.
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Aterro thirsted to rush and charge in to melee with the two closing dwarves, but his iron discipline steeled him--told him to do it right.
Instead he maintained his vigil on the only path between them and the ship and continued the mantra that he had until recently directed at the ship.
"Blessings of Loki."
Although Trevor really wants to get after Bronar, he knows the immediate threat is the Reavers inside the barn. He spins to his left and sends his axe flying at Morgo's head, but he slips and his axe flies a little high.
He recovers from his missed swing and plants his foot to stop the blade from hitting a beam, then redirects it back, this time going for the knees.
Ashamed that one of his kind seems to have adapted the lifestyle of the Reavers, Spider Trollkin moves over to the Trollkin, and bites at him.
Bite
Teeth
DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Poison (Half if save is made)
The running dwarf staggers to a surprised stop as both holy fire and shadow fire burst against his shoulder and leg. Letting loose a surprised scream he instinctively dives to the ground for cover and to put out his smoldering cloths. Panicked eyes search for where the fire may have come from but all he can make out is the bright flames of the burning ship as he gets back to his feet and once again starts running toward the fire. It is only as he arrives at the end of the dock and climbs the short steps up to see the way blocked that he realizes something else is amiss.
The second reaver coming over the rise also focuses on the flaming vessel and doesn't spot the more dangerous threat hidden near the end of the dock. Moments behind his fellow reaver, he calls back over his shoulder to what must be others following.
"Get the witch!" He shouts. "It's already into the stores and we're going to need her magics to put this out!"
Britta grabs Finnigan's knife and begins cutting the ropes binding her and two of the other prisoners in her stall. Morgo lets out an angry scream as spider Vrindel lands on his back and sinks poisoned fangs into the soft spot at the base of his neck. For a moment the big trollkin teeters under the affect of the poison, but then his hardy constitution shrugs it off just in time for Trevor's blade to rush past his left ear. Finally recovering his wits, the trollkin draws his own blade just as a blast from Ibrox singes his hand and distracts him enough that Trevors follow up swing lands with a resounding thud into his chest. Knocked back a couple of steps, the trollkin shakes his head and finally readies himself for a fight.
In the meantime, Finnigan sends another crossbow bolt streaking toward Bronar and this time it lands true and sinks deep into the treacherous reaver's leg causing another yelp of pain and forcing the dwarf to retreat further toward the door as he finally gets a weapon drawn.
"Breaking hospitality! Honorless thieves! Pox on your ship, ancestors, and afterlife!" Ibrox's usually cheerful humor darkens as he hexes the reavers.
He points again his index finger and aims another void bolt.
Vrindel [Spider Hangs on with his powerful eight legs, and attempts to sink his venom dripping fangs into the neck of his misguided cousin.
Spidey bite
Spidey bite mark
But finds that he might not be as good in this form as he originally thought, and the trollkin's movement causes him to miss... almost completely, getting his fangs tangled in his cloak.
"Gaaaaaaaaaarh!" points Trevor eloquently, making his point to Mogro with his axe Conundrum.
From behind the barricade Zove sends her conjured daggers slicing into the first reaver as he continues to charge toward the burning ship. The dwarf scurries up onto the dock straight into the stacked crates and barrels and Aterro's hammer. Burned, sliced and with multiple crushed bones the warrior falls back a few steps finally understanding the situation. He takes a moment to shout back to his companions racing toward the fire.
"Watch out! Someone's barricaded the dock and set the ship ablaze." He shouts while finally dropping the bucket and reading his axe and small shield.
Hearing the warning the second reaver, slows his pace and focuses on the big war cleric standing opposite the makeshift wall and backlit by the rising flames of the burning ship.
"Bloody hells! It's that damned Thor worshipper!" He says drawing his own axe and joining his companion about 15' from the barrier.
"Them crates ain't goin' to keep you safe for long, thunder boy." He shouts. "Hope you've made peace with your petty little god, because the serpent's going to feed on your bones tonight!"
As he finishes shouting a third and fourth reaver can be seen rushing over the the top of the berm.
Vrindel and Trevor both fail to connect against Morgo the trollkin. However Ibrox, causing the creature to howl in pain and rage as another blast of eldritch power slams into his chest.
Finnigan tries to hit Bronar with another bolt, but the talkative dwarf finally regains his senses and dodges the steel tipped bolt.
In response he growls at the scout and slices a thin cut along Finnigan's arm with his heavy bladed axe.
For the moment Morgo ignores the creature on his back and instead tries to drive Trevor back a bit. Blades moving incredibly quick for such a big creature his first strike is parried by the young knight but his second slips through Trevor's defense and armor leaving a cut along his upper leg.
One of the other reavers notices the gnome in the loft and quickly grabs and throws a spear at Ibrox. The iron tip finds the mark and sinks into the gnome's side.
The other dwarf starts to follow his companions example but is suddenly engaged by several enraged villagers who use their ropes and bare fists or whatever else they have at hand to try and fight off their former captives. Although most of the blows miss, they do enough to distract and keep the slaver from attacking Trevor, Finnigan, Vrindel or Ibrox.
The cheerful gnome grits his teeth in pain when he pulls the spear from his side. He covers his wound and shouts, "You're next spear dwarf."
He points again his index finger at the trollkin and aims another void bolt.
Still trying to get used to fighting in Spider Form, Vrindel grits his fangs and tries to bit the Trollkin once again.
Bite
Bite Marks
This isn't working so well. I'd better turn back into my natural form soon.
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Aterro nods, and inside his helm he smiles, pleased with the turnout. He was afraid no one would come.
"This is good. It would not be sweet if you cowered in fear, or if you rushed headlong into the meatgrinder. That you face a skilled opponent in a prepared position and still toss about impossible threats and lofty acts of violence will spice things up. It would not do if this was boring.
I also see that you think that you face a single foe, who is only able to hit you with his hammer.
You will find that to be almost all wrong.
At least, that last part is right.
Thor protects."
Many things happen very quickly. A beam of lightning comes down from the sky and Aterro is surrounded by a golden divine glow. At the same time part of the lightning streaks off, and takes the form of a mighty HAMMER. The spiritual weapon seeks out the wounded reaver and CRASHES down upon him.
Years later folks will swear that they saw the wielder of the hammer had long blond hair, and was laughing.
The spiritual hammer of Thor lands with a thunderous stroke that rumbles across the beach as it shatters the skull and spine of the wounded reaver. Unconsciously ducking from the magical attack his companion barely notices Zove's magical dagger as it slices a narrow cut across his arm. It takes a few heartbeats, then slaver's bloodlust kicks in and he charges the barricade seeking to reach Aterro but mostly hacking away at the crates and barrels.
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"I wonder, have you ever faced a prepared and trained foe before?" Attero muses, deflecting the ill-timed strokes of the reaver in almost a perfunctory manner. "Or has your lifestyle of descending upon peasants in their fields softened you to the point where you no longer know how to combat a fighting man?
See here, you are smashing the detritus about us, while all but ignoring the Armored Saint in front of you.
Perhaps boxes are all you are able to fight?"
He punctuates this last by smashing down his hammer along with the disembodied, spiritual hammer.
Trevor keeps his fear in check, happy to see the giant spider, likely one of Ibrox’s tricks, fights on his side.
Now bleeding, he curses his mad swim that robbed him of armour. Next time, he should be wise enough in his foolishness to take the armour off before jumping...
With that, resolved, he presses on, keeping Morgo between him and the spider.
"Khors be damned!" he curses as his axe misses again.
Although able to maintain his concentration, the pain in his side causes Ibrox to miss his retaliatory strike against the spear throwing reaver. Bouncing and jarred constantly as spider-Vrindel rides the battling trollkin, he is unable to sink his poisonous fangs into Morgo's thick hide. Instead he feels the wind of Trevor's axe as the young knight once again fails to connect with the surprisingly elusive reaver.
Finnigan successfully sinks another crossbow bolt into the flagging Bronar but the dwarf is able to land a hit on the scout in retaliation before he can duck away.
Locked in blade to blade combat with Trevor, Morgo's first strike is parried as steel rings against steel. His second attack starts high and right, but the trollkin shifts with surprising quickness and comes in low instead slipping past Trevor's defense and opening up another bloody wound.
Drawing another short spear, the first reaver guard flings it with a growl and lands another hit on the warlock. Grinning at his success his hand reaches back for the third and final spear in his quiver...
Meanwhile the second reaver guard tries to fend off the prisoners led by Britta and the priestly looking man, but this time takes a couple of heavy blows that bloody the dwarfs face and arm.
Aterro's hammer comes crashing down on the reaver's shoulder. The dwarf screams in pain as the shattering of bone can be heard over the now roaring flames of the burning ship. Zove follows up with another energy dagger that also sink into the dwarf's midsection causing him to stumble back for a moment.
But seconds later his friends arrive and he wills himself forward to attack the barrier again even as Zove's magical servant sets about rebuilding it as much as possible.
Following the wounded reaver's example one of the new arrivals joins him at the barrier and attempts to reach the war cleric with his axe but to no avail. The second new arrival, unable to join the others on the dock starts to circle around to the side. Drawing a spear, he spots Zove and throws the short spear at the shadow fae. Fortunately for the spell slinger, the spear goes wide and ends up flying past and clattering somewhere on the ship's main deck.
The cheerful gnome sucks air through his teeth in pain pulling a second spear from his side. He covers his new wound with a bloody hand and shouts, "Pox on you!"
He points again his index finger at the trollkin and aims another void bolt. Missing again due to pain, he backs up in the loft to hid from another spear.
Trevor knows he needs a break and asks Khors to guide his axe as he shift to the left and strikes low.
Spidey bite
Spidey fangs
Spidey Juice
Finally getting purchase on the enemies back Vrindel(Spider) sinks his fangs into the creatures neck, pumping more poison into his soon to be corpse.
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"We are high atop the MOUNTAIN! With hammers in the WIND..." Aterro sings, howling with lust and fury as the battle is joined in earnest. "YES! Come! More MORE!" cries, "How can I kill you all if you do not come to BATTLE? You there YOU!" he calls, pointing at the spearchucker. "Why do you toss your ineffective little spears when you could toe the BATTLELINE! Oh, I see, there is not currently a space for you.
Pause but a moment. Take your water, or perhaps the last of the wine.
We shall attend to you momentarily. This man in front of me shall make a place for you.
Won't you?"
Unto the wounded reaver fall hammerblows.
Vrindel's spider fangs sink deep into Morgo's skin but the hardy trollkin's system easily fights off the worst effects of the venom. Ibrox retreats into the cover of the loft while Trevor's axe finally breaks through the warriors defenses and cuts deep into Morgo's leg. Feeling his strength start to flag Morgo bellows with rage and simply overwhelms young Trevor's defenses. His notched short sword feels like it is suddenly everywhere and the trollkin lands two quick blows to Trevor's midsection that leave the knight bleeding and falling to the ground.
Finnigan's running fight with Bronar continues and the scout sinks another bolt into the wavering dwarf. This time the dwarf retaliates successfully catching the scout in the leg with his axe before Finnigan can leap away.
The reaver guard continues his hunt for Ibrox, climbing up the rickety ladder and into loft even as his companion continues to be overwhelmed by the village prisoners.
Darn it. I believe we've bitten off more than we can chew. Still I'll try to get through this.
Vrindel uses his move to move away from the bad trollkin. He then uses his bonus action to transfer back into his normal form. Then with a quick motion he casts Healing Word on Trevor to try and get him back up.
Healing Word
Ibrox heard the melee below. He was wounded, exhausted his most powerful magic. He would not go quietly.
He returned to the edge of the loft only to see a reaver guard pursuing him up the ladder. "Ibrox," he declares sending a wave of void speech at the trollkin.
Then, he jumps from the loft onto something softish: hay, people, etc.
Using the menace of his spiritual weapon as a distraction, Aterro lands a nasty blow to the struggling reaver. Bones shatter, a lung collapses and the dwarf staggers back barely breathing.
Seeing his companion nearly out of the fight, the second dwarf continues to try to break through the barrier while shouting for the reaver on the beach to take the wounded dwarfs place. Seeing the barrel blocking his view of Zove, the dwarf moves back up onto the dock and starts hacking away at the blockade with his companion.
Another set of urgent horn blasts fill the night as the flames leap higher on the ship and smoke fills the air. The call for firefighters is followed quickly by shouts from inside the palisade revealing more reavers are on the way to the ship.
Another series of horn blasts reverberate just outside in the main compound causing the reavers inside to curse and press their attacks even harder.
Before they can do so, Ibrox tries to disrupt Morgo's mind, but the big troll manages to fend off the psychic attack. With a curse at his foul luck the gnome leaps into a pile of hay disappearing into the dry, itchy, feed for a few seconds an avoiding the oncoming attack of the guard who continues to try and track him down.
Trevor avoids another game of chess as Vrindel heals the knight of his most devastating wounds but in doing so opens himself up to attack from the angry and wounded Morgo. The trollkin's blade cuts deep across Vrindel's exposed arm, but fortunately for the druid the follow up strike misses by a few inches.
The guard under assault by the villagers gains the upper hand for the moment, badly wounding one of the woman who was beating him with a broken board.
Finnigan continues to fend off Bronar, landing another hit with his crossbow. The dwarf rushes in to attack the scout again, but fate intervenes as his foot catches on a loose board tripping the reaver and causing him to fall to the ground. Cursing as he struggles to regain his feet, he looks up at Finnigan with a bloody smile.
"Hey now! This seems like it was all just a silly misunderstanding." He says spitting blood from some internal wound. "Perhaps we can make a deal?"
Seeing the horses, Ibrox looks for allies. Speaking with animals, Ibrox says moving toward the horses (avoiding threatened areas), "Bul reavers karlik jana jagımsız jaşıl-jüdöp trollkin bolup sanalat. Alar zıyan menen kaytarat jana siler üçün kam arstandarga jem bolup jatışat. Jaradar kıluuçu jana reavers öltürüp, men seni jakşı mamile kamsız kılat."
"Moth-?"
Trevor opens his eyes as healing energy surges through him. He can feel it came from the spider, which puzzled him more even.
"Khors?" he says, getting to his feet, then his gaze turns from the spider to Morgo, and he remembers. Fury falshes in his eyes as he shouts.
"Khors!"
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'Did she just hide behind a beer barrel? Does she not think I would protect her?' Aterro wonders briefly as the firebolts he had come to depend upon to keep the fight even halted their welcome rhythm of death.
Giving off the wonder of it, he returns his full attention to the fight, as the good manners he had bespoke of come to pass. "There, you see? Thy brother hast found reason to be elsewhere, and space is made for you in the dance! Let it not be said that the manners of reavers rise at least to that of the craven dog, scurrying away to protect his own mangy hide!
But hark, it seems the band is struck a new tune. Might we have more dancers for our merry jig...
...or does something else keep others from appearing?"
For all his talk, Aterro's iron resolve quivers at the clarion call. These reavers are doughty fighters, and if he can not slay this handful before a fresh wave appears, things could become quite sticky. On the other hand, if he can make quick work here, and take a moment to repair the barrier, perhaps he could bleed the lot dry.
He re-doubles his efforts, calling upon Thor's own strength to press the attack.
Aterro finds himself towering over the dwarves and the makeshift barrier. His sudden increase in height makes it easy for him to smash through the reaver's defenses from above and over the remaining pieces of the makeshift wall. The spiritual might of Thor cascades down on the wounded reaver, crushing the slaver's skull into a pulpy mass.
Wielding his own hammer, Aterro lands two mighty blows knocking one of the attackers to his knees for a moment, but soon enough he regains his feet and is back hacking at the barrier. Zove's magical servant works as hard and fast as it can, but soon enough the barrier will fall completely and looking at the top of the berm, another reaver followed by the trollkin shaman and Ornfisk can be seen hurrying toward the burning ship.
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"Glory and Fame! Blood is our name! Souls full of thunder hearts of STEEL!" Aterro chants RAINING down massive hammer blows on the feckless dwarves.
...do you feel powerful now?'
Aterro releases himself to the whole of Thor's BERSERKER RAGE and spends the entirety of his divine energy to SWEEP AWAY the mortals before him.
Finnigan drops his crossbow ever slightly at Bronar...
He spots Mal the Quiet leaving from the back of the barn, then says: "A deal?! You broke the deal we had, no?" and he lets fly a bolt at Bronar,angled down, right at his intimates.
"Ponder this deal!"
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Seeing Morgo assault Vrindel, Trevor shakes off yet another near death experience and with a mighty shout to Khors sinks his axe deep into the trollkin's back. Adding the power of the sun god to his strike, Morgo arches his back and lets loose one last shout that reverberates through the barn. His smoking body then slumps forward with a crash that rattles the floorboards and sends a stream of dust and dirt falling from the rafters.
Bronar coughs more blood as Finnigan hits with another crossbow bolt. Seeing the trollkin fall, the dwarf lets out another curse and tries to run for the now open door at the other end of the barn.
Moving toward the horse, Ibrox convinces them to help, but they whiny and stomp and turn within the narrow, barred stalls.
Having climbed back down from the loft, the first reaver guard sees Morgo fall and leaves off his search for Ibrox. Instead he draws his axe and charges toward the newly risen knight. With a raging cry the dwarf sinks his axe deep into Trevor's side. Ribs shatter, blood flows, and once again the knight falls to the ground.