Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

[Deuce Traveler]

"The man is right, Sanmar. Do you want to live forever?"

The small man smiles wrily and answers, "Yes I do. And I'll accept a few hundred more years as next best. Well we don't know if he stands against us... let's do this shall we." Sanmar walks past Eroll and approaches the giant. "Ho, Banbosel! Are you also playing the game? Mayhaps we should work together and beat the enemy one more time. We are, after all, at the end of the board. What say you?"

The red-haired ancient giant stands to his full height, and his bones creak as he straightens himself out. Still, there is no fat on the man and muscles ripple along his arms. "Eroll, is it possible that you have grown dumber? What are you doing with a worm like Sanmar? And are those mortals that you've decided to stand with now? I am working for the one that you call the 'enemy', and this is just a part of the battlefield he claims. Don't you recognize those fighting below or do you see them only as shadows? Those are your people fighting and dying. It is the end of the children of Dorin and of the rest of the filth they call humans. So tell me, what will you do? Fight me? The two of you would never manage to take me on your own, and you are mistaken if you think this man and this gnome have much of a chance. There was only one who has held back the end of civilization, but the Rider hasn't been seen in such a long time." The giant uproots a large tree standing nearby, which causes it to become less of a shadowy vision and more real like the giant and your companions. He tears the branches off to allow this make-shift club into a weapon and walks towards you.

 

[Fenris]

Dartis gulps reflexively as he sees the tree uprooted.

"Eroll, who is the enemy?"

In times of crises, Dartis always turned to his bow, and as he did not want to engage this giant in melee, he draws an arrow.

"Rider, for generations you have guided my people, protected them. It is said that you would come again when the time times are darkest. Now is that time. The Children of Dorin are dying, by plague and by sword. Now is the time you must ride forth again to save your people who have long worshiped you. If you do not come, shall take hope for it means that our darkest days are not yet come, though I fear that means the future is bleak. But even if you do not come, guide my arrows, give me victory today upon this field, that I may once more look upon Dorinthia and it's people, a people who have been faithful to you. Guide my arrow and bring death to my enemies" offers Dartis in a prayer as he carefully aims and sends to hopefull arrows towards Banbosel

 

[Bloodweaver1]

Caramip Ashhearth

In a confident tone she looks up to Dartis and says, "Whatever happens, I make my stand with you..." And with that she does her best to prepare to the most epic fight of her life.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis feels a certain tranquility before letting his arrow fly, and his shot creases the giant's brow.

Eroll readies his flail and answers, "It has no name. It is a thing that seeks to undo all that men have done and all that they are. It does not think like us and so there is no talking that can be done. Men war and will always destroy, but it stokes the hatred until men no longer know what it is to create. Though I despise civilization, what it wants is to take men to the time before they spoke words. We do not name the wind and we do not name this. It is simply the enemy, and some gods work for it knowingly or unknowingly." Eroll seems to concentrate for a moment and several animals that were left behind seem to materialize. Two bears, a mountain lion, and Swift appear.

Eroll charges in along with the bears and lion and his flail flashes twice, surprising the giant with two vicious wounds. The lion jumps onto his back, ripping out a large chunk of his shoulder. Banbosel returns the attacks kicking both bears sharply against the sides, throwing the lion to the ground and knocking Eroll back with a sharp strike to the chest.

Sanmar also casts a spell, and multiple images of him appear. It becomes hard in the swirl to recognize which is the real Sanmar. At the same time Caramip begins to play a melody that enhances the fighting abilities of her companions.

The lion gets too close to the giant and Banbosel skewers him with his greatsword before gravely wounding a second bear. The giant takes a step back while watching for the party's next move.

 

[Fenris]

Dartis is elated to see Swift and quickly climbs up.

"Want to ride with me Cara?" asks Dartis as he sends another pair of arrows at Barbosel.

 

[Bloodweaver1]

With a smile and without hesitation, Caramip quickly climbs up behind the Dorithian Knight and does her best to add to the fray of battle.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis and Caramip run to Swift and jump onto the mount while the battle continues nearby.

Eroll attacks once more with his two bears, savagely leaving severe cuts deep into the giant's body but such attacks are returned in kind as they close with their opponent.

Sanmar casts another spell, and Banbosel seems stunned for several seconds, though he still swings wildly at Eroll and his bears. Eroll is too quick for the attacks, although one of his bears gets his skull shattered.

Dartis fires his two shots as Caramip begins to play her song once more. The two arrows find their mark in the dazed giant's hand causing him to yell and drop his club. Eroll smiles and moves in for what he feels is the kill, but he and his bear misses the flailing Banbosel. Sanmar casts a spell that sends a bolt towards the giant, but also misses as he curses to himself.

The giant recovers for a moment and his fist falls with a solid thump against the top of the remaining bear, crushing it. Another hand catches Eroll in a solid fist, encompassing both the man and his flail. "You were always an idiot, Eroll. You never could figure out where you stood as time marched along and left your kind behind." With that he tosses the barbarian over the cliffside and to an unknown fate far down into the battle below.

 

[Fenris]

OOC: Uh what sword, I though he ripped up a tree to make a club?

Dartis cries out "Eroll!" as he watches him go over the cliff. Dartis has lost many friends in war and did not have time to mourn yet, spurring Swift around, Dartis sends another pair of arrows to the giant.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

OOC: Uh what sword, I though he ripped up a tree to make a club?

Oops... edited and fixed. I was staring at a picture of a fire giant at the time I wrote that...

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis and Caramip fire a flurry of munitions at the giant, but only an arrow connects glancing him with a wound. The bears attack next, slashing into the giant and causing his calves to pour blood.

Sanmar and his multiple images cast a spell at the giant, and for a moment he seems to be awashed with confusion until he clears his head and stares down at the bears biting at him. Banbosel responds by grabbing both bears and smashing them together, causing their necks to snap with a sickening crunch.

He glares at Sanmar and rips out a fist-sized stone from the ground.