Vele jumps up and hurries to Atriox's side, eager to handle this and help you reclaim your home. The emotions in the air fill her with nervous excitement. She's a little jumpier than normal, and keeps glancing over her shoulder as you climb up... up. Up.
You make it to the top door leading outside, and, pushing it open, are assaulted by the fresh, crisp air of dawn. The light is beginning to peak over the trees and mountains beyond, filling the valleys and the courtyard down below with golden sun. It takes your breath away. Your home, replayed in your memories and dreams for so many years, sits before you again.
Broken and hurt though it is, you see what used to be there... beneath all of the strange machines of death from the Skaven, and the craters blasted into the earth and rock from the attack that night so long ago... behind the overgrown plants and tumbled, defaced statues. You sense what it used to be, and what it can become.
Vele stares over the edge in awe. You can tell she's speechless, never before having imagined something so grand. She glances up at you, her eyes reverent and overwhelmed.
Atriox looks down at her with a smile that is a mix of sadness and gladness
“We’re home little one. Now......time for our surprise, set off a bunch of your inventions down there above the courtyard and then we will light the last one off up here to signal the army.”
Vele smiles wide, her eyes bright with the thought.
"Absolutely!"
Flinging the bag off her back, she grabs one explosive and hands it to you. Then she grabs an armful of the others. With a quick movement she strikes a rock with some flint and, sparking it near the first, it erupts into flame. Yelping a bit she launches it down below. Then another, and another. Soon a dozen, two dozen and more are falling into the courtyard--and as they impact:
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Whatever explosive powder she had on the insides are detonated in the flames, shaking the entire area. Noise billows out from down below. Thousands of rat-beasts flood into the courtyard to fight, not expecting it to come from their own walls.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Dozens and dozens are blasted back by the explosions, the smell of singed fur filling the air. Confusion masses and they slam into one another, scattering and fighting.
***
The stairs heading down smell rank and full of ammonia. A scratching continues, closer now. Closer. Closer.
You sense movement along the stairs. Something ascending. Searching. Sniffing. Scuffling. A pair of red, glowing eyes and yellow, gnashing teeth appear, reflected in the scattered light being emitted from a deep crack in the tower wall.
Then another. Then another.
Etny draws back on her bowstring, and let's the arrow fly, the telltale twang of her string and singing of the arrow flying to its mark the only sound in the deep silence.
(22 vs. AC against the nearest creature.)
At that same moment as the explosions hit, Etny's arrow flies and finds its mark. Slamming into the eye of the front-most Skaven he's shot back against the wall, splattering him and knocking the others back down the stairs. Lost in the commotion of the courtyard, its absolute madness.
***
Atriox smiles at the whole scene down bellow and repeats the process Vele did with all of hers in lighting the device he quickly tosses it up above the tower as high as he can
He then grabs Vele and runs down the tower stairs
As you duck back into the door you hear a massive explosion up above, much bigger given the close proximity. Dust and debris rain down behind you, making the stairs slightly slippery. But your hand on Vele's arm keeps her steady and you arrive right back at the room with the others--seeing them all ready with weapons out at the noise, sounds, and chaos outside. They await your orders.
Atriox points to the stairs with his sword as he walks towards the tower balcony
“Etny take the Gnulls and scout the lower levels carefully. No suicidal actions from any of you. Scout is the key word here.”
Once out on the balcony he looks down waiting for the two army’s to clash and the real battle begins to unfold bellow him.
***
Etny nods profusely, and orders the gnulls to follow her. Taking point with an arrow nocked to her bowstring, the remainder of the gnulls behind her, she and they make their way down the stairs. With a barely audible and breathless song to the All-Mother, she touches her forehead and a veil of silence and shadows envelops the entire scouting party. Inching her way forward, gesturing for the others to follow as silently as possible, the Huntress casts her eyes about, scouting for threats.
(20 total stealth.)
(I cast Pass Without a Trace on myself and the gnulls.)
(NAT 20! That's a 26 total Perception.)
Down in the halls below you, Etny, Dahlia, Vance and the gnolls sneak in almost complete silence. The body of the skaven you felled lays broken on the stairs, and the other two have disappeared. Turning a corner, the huntress flattens herself against a wall just in time to avoid being seen by a flood of vermin. The size of hounds, their squeaking madness is almost deafening.
The gnolls look excited and ready to dig their teeth into something, most of all Kiz and her brothers. Vance lets out steam from his nose, finding this whole war affair to be much less glory and valor, and more hard labor and sneaking. They wait for your signal. The room is easily filled with 30 to 40 of these rats, and as they flee to the outside air you can hear the battle waging on.
Etny holds up a warning hand, urging the gnolls to continue to keep quiet, and she let's out a strange, animalistic bird-like call, somber and lilting like a ululating dove call, and waits. Her plan is to draw a part of the Skaven away from the main host, and capture a few, or one.
(18 performance!)
The ones nearest the door stop and listen, their ears twitching and their spears dipping just slightly. They glance at one another with quivering noses, smelling and listening for the stairs. Several break away from the main group, scampering toward where you and the others are hiding.
The gnoll brothers practically salivate with excitement, Kiz and her uncle Rark hanging back and reigning in their anticipation. Vance takes this que to ready his sword, waiting for the battle--finally.
(You have advantage on your first action against them, they are surprised by you being so close by! You can also choose, whether written yourself or as suggestions in ( ) , what you'd like your little squad to do too)
Etny makes a series of hand gestures and whispers, sending orders to her little troupe of warriors. "Do not give in to their bestial nature. They do not stand a chance in low numbers. Gnolls, fan out and surround them on all sides. Angakresh," she addresses Vance, "be prepared to fall upon them with your sword! Fear no darkness! I shall pepper them with arrows upon arrows." With that, she holds up a hand, and listens, seeking to know if the main horde these broke off from are far enough away. (22 perception.)
You can sense they are far enough away to not notice their comrades walking into a trap. You still have the element of surprise, and the others nod in understanding as you direct them.
(Also for a lot of this battle it will be a mix of rp and rolling for hits. For this scene with Etny, go ahead and roll for me. ❤ )
With a calm assurance, Etny throws her hand down signaling the attack to begin. She immediately draws her nocked arrow back, and lets it fly true to its mark: straight into the small band of Skaven.
THWANG!
(25 to hit.)
(Nice, that hits! Damage?)
(7 damage.)
***
Over the din of confusion down below, you hear the bellowing of orcish horns alongside dragonborn war chants. Crashing against the main gate is a battering ram, heavy and unwieldy, made of both wood and metal. It looks like a part of the dragonborn ship that sailed with you--something taken down and used as a tool of war.
The gates crack. War horns sound again. The Skaven continue to pour out from down in the earth, defending the courtyard and main gate in the piercing eye of the sun. The hold against the door as fast and furious as they can, but the gates crack again. "CRACK!"
You see the wood splinter and shatter around them as they drive their spears in at their attackers. A whirlwind of mist and darkness floods in from outside, and within seconds you glimpse the shadowy, vicious form of Dorokor, her axe glowing a deadly red as it severs and cleaves its enemies.
"CRACK!"
The door caves. Dragonborn and orcs pour in, side by side, horns calling louder now. The Skaven fall heavily to the sword and spear and scimitar of their attackers, but their strength is most assuredly in their numbers.
Atriox, you see down below something else stirring in the dark places dug into the mountain; ogre-like monstrosities, half rat and half flesh, bone and monster, tumble from the earth. Bereft of reason and nearly devoid of sanity they charge into the horde of Dragonborn, barreling even these mighty warriors down beneath their claws, teeth and augmented, bladed bodies.
Near the back you see another creature exit into the madness. He is given wide room around him as if even his own kind are terrified of what he can do. A vicious, murderous beast unto himself, this skaven is adorned in dark armor stained in blood. Along his back are spikes, embedded with the flesh-stripped skulls of his enemies. With heavy, iron weapons that you might likely associate with a dwarf, he wades into battle without a second thought. You can tell he's carving his way straight for Kybirus and Dorokor.
Atriox grimaces at the battle bellow. The Skaven dug themselves in well. That’s a problem....
Atriox blows some steam as he turns his back on the scene and goes inside. Once there he looks at Dahlia with a smile
“Go assist Etny and the others. They will need your healing more than I. But be careful in these halls. Anything could be lurking.”
Dahlia nods in understanding and hurries after the others as quickly and silently as she can. Armed with her magic, she's perhaps just a minute behind Etny, Vance and the gnolls.
***
The head Skaven is struck in the ribs with the arrow, letting our a gurgling squeak as he falls backwards into the others, dead. They scramble and screech in anger, their eyes red and savage, as they rush forward toward wherever the arrow came from.
(You have multi attack? You can roll attack and damage going forward, I'll let you know if they hit.)
Etny pops off another shot, letting her arrow fly yet again into the midst of the Skaven.
(22 to hit, if successful, 9 damage.)
(That hits!) Another Skaven falls by your arrow, but five more take his place. Scrambling over his dead body, they hiss and jump at you. But before they can strike, the gnolls and Vance counter-attack. Rushing in from your sides, the boys slam into two Skaven, one getting impaled with a sword and the other body-slamming another. The gnoll and rat wrestle on the ground with teeth and claws flying.
Kiz neatly strikes one across the throat, completely severing its head from its body. (nat 20 XD) Her uncle stumbles over the falling bodies, blocking an attack from the side by another Skaven. He's slashed in his numb, dead arm, but it does not faze him at all.
Vance hits headfirst against the last Skaven, getting right in front of you to act as a shield. He pushes against the monster with his sword against the rat's spear, narrowly avoiding it catching him in the face. In surprise he lets out a blast of fire, enveloping the hall in light and heat. You're certain this is attracting more enemies to your position, but it effectively roasts the problem in front of him.
Etny takes a deep breath, and advances forward, shouldering her bow, and drawing out her poleaxe. Stepping around the carnage of Vance's attack, she twirls her own weapon about, and attacks the nearest Skaven still alive. (11 attack, oof!)
Your poleaxe slams into the stones just above its head and it hisses and lunges toward you as well. (3) Its claws just barely miss your clothes and armor. Long, dagger-like teeth gnashing, it scurries around you like a whirlwind.
Undeterred, Etny whirls her poleaxe around again, intent on killing the creature. (18 to hit, 8 damage).
Your weapon caches the creature off guard, right in the chest. With a crunching sound it's thrown back against the wall and is still.
Up ahead, you hear a whirling and clanking sound. Something monstrous. It seems to be coming out of the next room and heading for the courtyard.
The others around you look a mix of apprehensive and excited. No one was hurt too badly, thank goodness. Coming down the stairs now is Dahlia, a magical sword drawn to protect herself and an orb of light in her free hand.
***
Atriox turns to Vele with a proud smile on his face
“Hello little one. I do not have orders for you. Where would you be most comfortable. With Dahlia and the others , or go back the way we came and get to your new bird perhaps ? The choice is yours.”
Vele looks surprised at the offer to choose. "I--um--" She fiddles with her gear, glancing down again at the battle below. You can see many gears working like mad in her mind.
"Bird. I can call it from a higher place, I think. I will try."
She smiles through her nervousness and distress. Almost hesitantly she asks a final question before departing. "Where exactly are the other kobolds coming in from? You said down below, yes?"
You know she was aware of the plan and exactly how it would play out given your talk earlier that morning, but her curiosity about the specifics stands out to you. She seems worried for some reason, though as to anything more specific you're not sure.
Atriox looks at her very curiously and a bit suspiciously. His tail thumps behind him as he turns to look at her more closely
“Yessss.......half of them are down with the rest of the army the rest are digging into the Undercity to cut off any retreat and take away they’re chance to fortify down there. If they were able to hold themselves up underneath us it’d be very bad for us. I suggest you help your people in the courtyard.”
Vele's eyes dart nervously at your tail and back up at you, sensing your suspicious glance over her. "Y-yes. Of course. I plan to from up above. I will do as you bid, sir." She bows low, backing out and hurrying back up the stairs inside.
It is not long before you hear her whistling call, one you are keenly familiar with now. It is loud and blasting, echoing through the courtyard, and in the not-so-far distance you hear a responding cry of a pteranodon.
Atriox grunts, suspiciousness still lingering in his thoughts but he pushes them away and focuses on Kybirus and Kora. He arcs hi sword around in some practice swings before running out of the room at full sprint and jumps right off the balcony torwards the battle with a fierce roar.
You fly down toward the battle below, the height normally a deadly drop--but not for you. Near the bottom, you disappear into shadows and reconstitute, striking the ground with enough force to shock those around you away. Covered in black and red energy, your sword is wreathed in draconic power as your enemies rush in upon you from every side.
(For this part, you can use rp specifically. You will have a dice roll required very soon)
Atriox roars again in rage at these disgusting beasts all around him in his home !
(Intimidation 21)
Atriox charges into they’re ranks cutting down anything that gets in his way as he slowly workd his way towards his Generals. He absently see’s Rat tails and heads go flying from his sword along with other dismembered parts here and there.
At one point one charges and leaps at him and he reads his horned head back and head buts the little demon before stabbing downwards with his sword.
Here and there every so often Atriox is forced to kick and slash with at a Skaven with his razor claws l. They’re numbers just seem endless.....
Your roar echoes through the courtyard, sending Skaven scurrying away from your wrath and your sword. As stupidly brave ones rush at you, once in a while a claw or set of teeth find their mark on you, before their hands or heads are parted from their bodies.
You see Kybirus fighting one of the ogre-like monstrosities nearby, but you bump into Dorokor first. (I rolled to see which one) She's a furious force to be reckoned with, and almost doesn't register you're beside her. It takes her a second to come out of her blood-rage, her bright red eyes dimming just slightly as they refocus on you. Not only is Wound soaked in the blood of your enemies, but so is Kora's mouth.
"These vermin are disgusting!" She hisses, overwhelmed and shaky. You can tell she's using a lot more energy than normal, but is trying to drain the Skaven as she slays them. You can tell what she means too--the smell of their blood is thick in the air and seems a caustic mix of bile and bitterness. It mingles poorly with the sweeter smell of spilled orc and dragonborn blood.
Atriox has noticed the disgusting smell of there blood but has also been trying to ignore it. At times it is very difficult indeed but despite the revulsion it is still blood
“Just keep hacking them down. Stop waisting so much of you energy. Go defensive for a while. I’ll help keep them off you, work your way to Kybirus.”
"Damn it."
She looks up behind you and, turning, you see the ogre-rat coming straight toward you both. Kybirus is stuck atop his head, stabbing and clawing at its flesh. Frothing from its tiny mouth, it charges with both arms extended, augmented with metal, spears and drills.
Atriox curses as well though it comes out more a growl than anything
He pushes Dorokor out of the way and charges at it with his scimitar. Atriox throws two heavy blows to its chest slicing down on the first and then back across with the second
(26 and 19 to hit and 28 damage total)
Your scimitar carves the flesh of the beast and it roars in pain, bucking Kybirus to the ground with a heavy crash of armor.
Literally grabbing at what you ripped open, the ogre stuffs the gore back it into its own maw; devouring anything it can get claws on, even itself.
It turns to face you, eyes wild and fearless. Rushing forward it swipes at you, claws seeking to rend you to pieces.
(14 and 19 to hit, 16 damage total or half if one hits)
(Neither hit)
Atriox swings out of the way as it comes at him. Its injuries and size slowing it down apparently. He uses the momentum of his dodge to bring his sword around in a deadly arc into the creatures side
(15 +7 to attack 16 damage)
As it goes sliding by him with a new injury to its side Atriox throws his sword into its back aiming for the place where the spine can be broken and the heart pierced in one go
(12+7 to attack and 9 damage)
(Oh snap... lol wow. Yeah those hit)
The lumbering beast stumbles at being struck again, and the sword finds its mark. Burying deep into its back right up to the hilt, you hear the ogre gasp and gurgle, slamming forward atop a dozen other Skaven and crushing them to death.
Dorokor helps Kybirus up from the ground, the wind still knocked out of him. You see the forces around you beginning to thin, Skaven retreating back into their holes. Dragonborn, Orcs and Kobolds rally together to chase them down, their strength renewed.
But then you see it. Breaching up from the ground in a horrendous, devilish birth, a blend of science, sorcery and the sheer ingenuity of the Skaven wrapped in wood, steel and flesh. The infernal war engine whirs quickly across the battlefield. unleashing powerful, arching lightning bolts that blast those nearby to shrivelled blackness, both Skaven and your forces alike. The smell of burning flesh fills the air as the great iron-reinforced, single wheel crushes all in its path.
Atriox is about to turn all his focus on the wheel contraption when he realizes.......where did the one Skaven go.....the one that had spikes on his back with skulls
Atriox looks around while warning the others
“Where’d they’re leader go ? When I jumped up I’m he was headed straight for you guys !
(Investigation 16)
You spot him, his spikes just barely jutting up around all the Skaven around him, rushing away from the enemy forces in order to make room for the wheel. His burning eyes meet yours and he smiles--maliciously, callously, viciously.
Perhaps 50 feet away from you, you see some of your own kin rush against him, breaking on him like waves on a rock. He knocks even the dragonborn and orcs back, cracking ribs and breaking arms with his huge weapon. Kobolds climb over him and try to run him through with spears, but he merely grabs one and bites its head clean off. Discarding the body he grabs another by the tail, slams into the ground, and then flings back behind him--skewering the small creature to his iron-spiked back like a trophy.
You realize he hung back to see how well you could handle his ogre. He seems impressed... Enough that he cares to fight you now. He swallows the flesh in his mouth and licks his lips of the blood. You have his attention. He hopes he has yours.
Atriox smiles grimly at the little fury fucker and roars at the sky in a challenge.
(Intimidation 16+2)
After his roar dies down he doesn’t charge the Skaven he just simply looks at him for a moment. The next a circle of black and red energy begin to swirl around Atriox as his sword shoots back into his hand. He’s activated his blood right. His most potent ability and pays the blood debt for it
(-9 health)
He points his sword at the dead Rat Ogre from which it came and casts his will and power towards it. Slowly it begins to rise from its dead state. Atriox points to the doom wheel and mentally commands it to attack hoping it’s sheer weight can slow or cripple the machine
(Blood rite of the fallen puppet, blood curse of mutual suffering is also activated as well)
The Skaven king watches with intrigue. He tilts his head slightly to the side, watching his monstrosity return to a false life. The ogre staggers toward the wheel, broken jaw hanging loose and arms flailing like a corpse. Those guiding the wheel watch in horror as the orge slams into them, taking the electrical diode spike on the front full in the chest. Lightning rushes through it, shaking and spluttering as it rips and tears at the gears.
***
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