"Dahlia-dera! You are a welcome surprise! I will need your skills soon enough."
With that, Etny races past Dahlia, and gestures for the party to follow her. "Come, friends! Stay together with me, and let us get to where these creatures are fighting!"
You come out now to the main battlefield, as Skaven start flooding back your way.
Out behind them rolls a massive, disturbing, mechanical monstrosity powered by some of their own; a huge wheel that's churning and flaying beasts alive as it rides by. Arcs of lightning shoot forth from the front, at least until a huge undead rat-ogre stops it by becoming skewered on the front.
You watch as the machine frantically tries to free itself, revving forward and back, before finally--SHLUUUUCK--slices out from the monster's body and guts it from chest to crotch. Undeterred by this however, the ogre lurches forward to grab it again as it attempts to frantically run over any kobolds, orcs and dragonborn it can get to.
Etny takes a deep breath, trying to calm her churning insides, a reaction to the gore before her, and let's out a harsh Andrayan war cry, urging her small band forward.
"Forth! To battle, blood, and the ruin of our enemies," she cries over the din of war, and gestures to Vance and one of the Gnolls to guard Dahlia. With that, Etny's troupe enters the fracas.
She immediately slides across the ground, cutting the feet from under some of the rat-like Skaven nearby, and comes up fast, drawing her bow and firing off two shots at whoever she can see is putting the monstrosity wheel.
Your arrows fly true and both strike the first Skaven who is manning the wheel. You watch as he jerks and falls from it, crushed under the machine as it erratically moves about. Another jumps to the front seat trying to correct the course it's taking. You watch as gnolls rush in, furious barks and howls of laughter as they jump for the necks of their enemies, running on all fours.
Vance cuts through those around him, pulling a shield out to help protect his charge. He's somewhat avoided Dahlia up until now, her half-human heritage a reminder to him of what the lesser soldiers in their ranks sometimes partake in. But with everything going on, there really is no time to feel distracted with feelings--several rats bear down on the two of them, and Rark Deadclaw turns to help break them off of you with his blade.
Another three rush at you Etny, clawing and biting and trying to take you down to the ground with them, tumbling in their rank, matted fur.
Etny, caught off guard from the attack of the three Skaven, nearly goes down with them as they bowl over her. She strikes out with the hard wood of her bow, a loud CRACK on one of the creature's head, and tries to make another swing, but goes down as the other two Skaven overwhelm her.
Struggling, she tries to wriggle free of their grasping, scratching claws, and gnashing teeth.
***
The king lowers his head and rushes toward you, a false, dented crown nailed to his bloody helmet. Once he reaches you, he swings around his massive warhammer with one hand (21 attack, 22 damage), his sword pulled back in his other hand and his mouth wide with razor sharp teeth.
Atriox grunts and falls back a bit, the weight of the hammer cracking ribs for sure. But as he falls back he see’s that the little blighter has his own issues to.
(Amplified curse of mutual suffering he takes 22 necrotic damage and has no resistance to it)
Atriox recovers after a moment and charges the blighter strong but winded. He jumps up and brings his sword down hard into the Skavens shoulder
(Wow 27critical 13 damage )
As the sword bites into one shoulder Atriox attempts to bite into the other side of his neck
(Niiiiiiiiiiiice!! Make a bite attack for me, unless that's just flavor text)
The massive Skaven stops his assault momentarily, caught off guard by the overwhelming pain coursing through his body. He screeches, his grimace turning to a wicked, insane smile.
"What a taste of POWER!"
His voice is scratchy and horrific, eyes rolling in his skull. He doesn't seem to notice the sword coming straight at him, and it cuts right through the leather straps holding his armor, digging into his flesh. Your teeth come around and embed themselves in the other side, and your mouth fills with the taste of the bile, bitter, rancid blood. It was one thing to smell it, it's another thing completely to taste it.
Nearby you hear a bellow as Kybirus takes on another ogre-rat, Kora doing her best to assist him. A second is on its way, carving through the orcs with a bladed arm and a spike through its head.
(22, 12 damage) You feel a bite of steel smash into your leg as your opponent's blade comes around in an arc, trying to free himself from your hold.
( so 6 damage to me and and 10 to him ?)
(10 to him, 6 that heals you from his nasty blood)
(From the bite)
(He did 12 damage but I heal 6 so cancels out and he did 6 damage)
(Oh gotcha--right yeah that makes sense)
(your wound probably starts healing as soon as he cuts into you cause of you biting him at the same time)
(So he takes 12 necrotic damage again also so that whole turn he’s lost 35 health )
(dang, yep. Lol that blood rite of yours is nasty business)
(what's your hp now?)
(35 mam)
Atriox lets go of his neck and pulls his sword out of the little bastards shoulder. Atriox swipes across his midriff quickly (17+7 attack 13 damage)
Atriox then head-buts the blighter sending him backwards as Atriox roars again in anger
The feral animal hisses and spits in anger, stars bursting in front of his eyes. He lets out a roar of his own as his minions rush to his aid. Behind you, you can hear Kora and Kybirus struggling to bring down the now severely injured ogre, a second one trying to swing at them from the side and impaling his comrade.
The rat-king steps back into the crowd of Skaven, hissing and gnashing his bloody teeth. You wounded him severely, and he looks absolutely livid, but attempts to tactically retreat into his own men to recover. A half dozen reach you first, grabbing your arms and tail, biting and clawing and keeping you occupied at the risk of their own lives. Black, necrotic energy flows through your body as they damage it, causing them to wail in pain.
As they wreath in pain Atriox bring his sword around in a complete circle chopping off all they’re heads with a thunk
Atriox roars again and again at the enemies. He vaguely realizes he’s never fought this aggressively before but damn it feels good and he’s enraged that this filth is in his home !
He points at the enemies and try’s to embolden his troops telling them to leave none standing. To cleanse there home from any would usurpers. That this is they’re birthright.
***
Etny, you manage to fight them off, but more keep pouring around you. Vance and Kiz fend them away and get you back on your feet.
Rark points, shouting, "We need to take down that machine!"
( Dice roll time! Let me see how creative you can be taking down this death wheel 🤣)
Etny, standing up quickly, and surveying her surroundings, nods to Rark, looking over the death wheel with a huntress' eye. (16 Perception to survey for any weak points or unarmored points on the death wheel.)
You see the Skaven attempting to right the machine, and think that this could be a likely target--as could the steering mechanism controlling it. You also see a large magical generator powering it from the back, which the lightning must be contained in.
Etny yells a command to Rark and Vance and the others to hold back as many as they can , and cover her advance as she races toward the death wheel. Seeing the Skaven striving to right the machine, Etny lets them strive against it for a moment, and taking aim at the steering mechanism, she fires two shots at it. (16 & 24 too hit for both shots, 12 damage total.)
(NICE!)
Rark cuts down several Skaven rushing toward you in an attempt to stop what you're doing. But it is too late--your arrows fly true, whistling through the air and cutting deep into the mechanics and coils of the wheel. The first strikes some kind of magical fuel line, a loud hissing escaping from it, and the second hits the main controls, effectively disabling it from being steered any further.
You watch the Skaven around it struggle to pry your arrows loose, and also plug up the hissing ether escaping the pipe. You're not sure why, but you assume this is an important part of the unit.
Etny quickly takes aim at the magical generator where the lightning is emanating from, and fires two more shots. (28 and nat 20 to hit, which is 33! 28 damage total against the generator.)
(Oh snap.... Nat 20. Alright buckle up)
The powerful arrows pierce the metal hull of the generator and almost instantly after:
"KABOOM!!!!"
A huge explosion rocks the entire battlefield, blasting a crater in the middle of the area the wheel once stood. Pieces of twisted, charred metal hiss and pop with energy and heat, and you see massive wisps of what you think are... are they really?
Elemental beasts from another plane, something like where Oredion was taken to. They were trapped and used as a power source by the evil rats, forced to be used in their machines. They howl with freedom as they rocket up into the sky, never to be seen again.
Etny let's out a piercing Andrayan war cry, cutting through the din of battle! (22 intimidation!)
Your war cry is full of intensity and soul, musical and terrifying at the same time Those Skaven still trying to fight their way toward you suddenly fall back and squeal in terror. They scramble away, some not quick enough to escape the deadly claws, swords and jaws of the gnolls bearing down on them.
***
Your warriors rally to your charge, hedging your enemies back to their cowardly home. Their war cries carry over the mountains near and far. The battle is turning.
As the rats group close together, you watch as explosions continue to rain down--the shrill sound of a dinosaur circling above you as Vele does her best to help. At times, the pteranodon even swoops low, grabbing monsters in its beak and swallowing them whole.
You turn to see Kora and Kybirus finally fell the first giant ogre, the huntress flung from it similar to how the dragonborn was. She lands on her back, winded, as the other ogre-rat swings about with a bloody arm and half a face left.
(Dex save to avoid)
(Lol 7 oh man here it comes)
(pftttt 2d12.. total 7 damage xD )
Trying to get near Dorokor, you're caught right in the chest by the giant beast. He smashes against your already cracked ribs and the pain is electrifying, but so is the retaliation of your blood curse. You land next to Kora in the bloody dirt and gravel.
The ogre lurches back in pain and surprise, stumbling away from you. Kybirus is ready for this and stabs it in the calf, trying to cripple it and keep it distracted.
Atriox grunts in pain as he holds one hand on his chest from the pain. He labors to keep his breathing normal and under control as he looks at Kora with concern and an unspoken question
“Are you hurt .....?”
Kora winces, turning to look at you. She's got a pained smile on her face, cocky and determined as ever. Seeing the look on your face she chuckles and coughs at the same time.
"Glad I fed beforehand. This is f***ing ridiculous."
Knowing she has to be a beacon for her men, she de-materializes into smoke and mist, reappearing nearby on her feet again. She staggers, a little dazed, and picks up Wound again from the dirt it almost sings when it meets her fingertips.
Atriox grunts in mock irritation and rolls his eyes. To himself he mutters
“I suppose that is one way of answering my question. I wanted to know how oh I don’t know....our kid is doing ?!”
But after a moment he gets up and copies her. Vanishing and pops back up above the giant monstrosity. He falls down sinking his blade into the beasts back and hangs on for dear life. He also try’s to take a bite out of the back of its shoulder
The monster roars, struggling to grab you off of its back. With it's twisted, fleshy mechanical arms, it's unable to reach you properly. It feels like riding a giant bull; just one with razor sharp teeth, claws, and a few extra tons of weight to throw around.
Blood pours into your mouth and down the entire back of the monster. It is even more vile than that of the normal Skaven. This tastes as if it was mixed with oil or grease. It's almost impossible to keep down but you just barely manage. It twists around, trying to dislodge you by falling on its back and crushing you to death. You feel it's weight shift as you both start to go down.
Atriox leaps of it its back in a backwards flip as he feels the air movement change
(16 insight total and nat 19 acrobatics )
You escape just in time, landing on the ground as the monster shakes the earth with its bulk. Kora takes the opportunity to leap up atop of it, slamming it in the chest with her axe. It splits the flesh and bones wide open. Reaching over with its one clawed hand, it snatches her and lifts her off her feet, squeezing her and digging into her with its claws.
Atriox walks up to the lumbering hulk as it squirms and try’s to get up. Extending his hand he ends it once and for all with a eldritch blast to the head sending pieces of it in different directions
When it stops twitching finally Atriox looks around to see how the battle is going and where that leader of there’s went ( dang nat 20 investigation)
Kora pries herself from the limp claw, coughing up blood as she does so. You know you need to end this quickly to keep as many troops left alive as possible.
You see most of the Skaven are retreating back underground, the large wheel monstrosity being assaulted by Etny and the Gnolls. Vance is protecting Dahila and allowing her to get to those who are in the most need of her assistance.
The leader is nowhere in sight... perhaps he has retreated underground to lick his wounds with the rest of them. Perhaps he is hiding somewhere nearby. You can't really tell given the chaos.
Atriox grunts though he still has his injuries, the blood has helped to make it bearable till this business is over with
He looks over at Kora grimly and puts a hand on her back
“You are done for the day. Fall back and get healing now.”
He tightens his grip on her shoulder slightly and gives her a serious look.
“I’m not asking Kora. You’ve proven yourself today and there will be tales told of what you did here. Your people will remember. Now go.”
He stands up and looks at Kybirus with a equally serious look
“Get her to the healer over there then join me for the final assault bellow.”
Atriox points in dahlias direction and then proceeds to the way underground.
Kora can't help but snarl slightly, but her exhaustion gives in to your request without any trouble. You know without a doubt if she pushes any further, she could even go into a frenzy. Kybirus approaches you both, nodding to her as they both watch you leave.
You move toward the escaping Skaven, your steps plodding and purposeful. You knowing exactly what's coming.
The escaping Skaven slow their retreat in confusion and anger, piling up at the entrance of their holes. You can tell something is happening now. Something down below...
***
Beneath the earth, your plan is starting to unfold. Your larger force of kobolds have successfully dug from outside the walls of Skyhold, deep into the underworkings of the Skaven mines. Having worked for hours, their breech is perfectly timed.
Diggers move out of the way, exhausted, as warriors rush in past them. Filling the tunnels, they are led by Tak and Darr, every kobold armored and armed to the teeth. With shrieking war cries they rush up to the surface holes, crashing directly into the larger rat-beasts bearing down into the safety of the dark.
Eyes flash, teeth gnash, spears and swords glint in the fractured grays and black and whites of their vision. It is brutal, bloody, and viscous. The blue kobolds have no qualms sinking to the Skaven's level, clawing and tearing their opponents to ribbons with their strong teeth and jaws. The larger rats have only the advantage of size, some needing two kobolds or more to take down properly.
Tak spits out a mouthful of fur as he climbs over the mounting pile of bodies. Blood runs down the un-scarred side of his face, blinding his left eye, as he leaps onto a Skaven's head. Built up rage, anger, and bitterness flood out of him into his fearsome fighting.
He knows he is not a leader any more, but cannot help falling into that role again as he sees an opportunity. "DARR! DOWN THE CENTER!"
Darr complies immediately, leaping and stabbing with ease as he culls the herd into two lines--each going to a platoon of kobolds ready to slaughter.
***
Etny races forward with her troupe in tow, catching up to Atriox and Kybirus, as well as the rest of the assaulting force. She skids to a halt, and bowing deeply to the Prince.
"Atriox-Dugairon," she says breathlessly, "we have taken out the wheel of death, and the beasts are retreating back into their dens! What are your orders, my Prince?"
Etny, awaiting Atriox's orders, looks this way and that, trying to stay aware and alert to her surroundings. (11 Perception.)
Atriox walks forwards slowly. He can feel and hear the Red Dragonborn lines up behind him. He grunts and can’t help but smile at what he sees.....his Kobolds are putting up one hell of a fight. He’s proud to see Tak taking charge naturally despite everything that’s happened
When Etny runs up to Atriox and asks for orders Atriox gets a grim smile on his face. “Just enjoy the show my dear dear huntress and try not to get burned “
He looks sideways a Kybirus and then over at Vance. There’s a good amount of stinking rats between them and the friendlies on the other side of them thankfully.
“My Dragonborn brothers and sisters ! Let’s us show these vermin our true power! Let them hear your roars as they feel your burning breath upon them ! They will forever more know it as the sound of there doom!”
(Charisma 22)
The whole field fills with the sound of a collective roar of Dragonborn echoing off the mountain tops for miles. Like the force of a tsunami, the fury of a thundering volcano, and the spirit of the ancient, primeval dragons of creation, they bear down on the rats hedged with nowhere to go.
A wave of fire erupts from their collective maws, scorching the rock, the earth, and the Skaven. Screaming, screeching rats press against one another in mass, unable to escape the flames enveloping them from every side. Massive waves of heat billow out from the holes in the ground, washing up over the soldiers and the cheering, charging orcs, kobolds, gnolls and humans.
Etny... you feel the churning heat, noise, and magical, ethereal power of this process. Of this cleansing. The roar fills your spirit with music from beyond the cosmos. Song springs from your bosom. Tears fill your eyes, unbidden.
"Soon." You realize that you can do this with your own lands. You will do this. With your own people. Your own culture. Reclaim it. Renew it. Cure them from the plague of darkness that came and stole them away, just like these dark beasts did here.
Months ago you would never have imagined a place where you would have stood, side by side, with kobolds and with dragonkin. Lizards you hunted into the hills and rocks of every mountain you found, bound to the fate of your deadly arrows.
But now... Clanhood. Family. What did that truly mean? Where could you feel like you have family again? Your heart aches remembering the past few weeks, and you swell with new song. You will not fall to these dark Skaven, nor any other beasts that prowl the earth and feed on fear and deep places. You are a survivor. A warrior. A Huntress.
***
Down below in the tunnels Darr yells for his kobolds, "Keep pushing! Take the heat! Bathe in the fire if you have to, we WILL win!" Tak's breathing is heavy, memories of this entire place, this situation, filling him with an anxious swelling in his chest. Memories of his home burning, the ash, the flames, the smoke, his family. Almost dying from these same flames himself, the scars, the shame... the redemption.
He charges up past the others, pushing to the front, his basilisk sword carving through the fleeing rats. Fire dances across the walls as their flaming, scorched bodies are pushed further and further into the tunnels--their grave dug by their own hands.
(Nat 20 to push past his old ptsd for this... YES Finally a decent roll for the poor guy XD)
***
You feel a pulse of energy around you, pressing in from the soldiers, the air, the very mountain of Arkoshia. Something strange, something... awakening, deep in your spirit. Different than the darkness within your body. Different than the vampire blood that runs cold through your veins. Different than the emotions driving you to save your home.
The quiet that settles after the battle falls like cleansing rain. Whatever monsters still lived now flee to the deep cracks of the earth and to the edges of the mountains, hoping to escape the wrath of these brave heroes.
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