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Session 1 - Part 3: The Party’s First Test...
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That night the party carefully chose four watches, each with two party members. After an uneventful first watch, Drexel awoke and joined the existing watch even though it wasn't his turn. He merely stated that he couldn't sleep and no one felt the need to argue with him.
The night was dark and silent, broken only by the faint cracking of the near dwindling fire. Suddenly a large unbridled sound could be heard in the distance, yet its cause was blocked by the endless row of trees surrounding the windy road. The rest of the party quickly woke to the sound of an incoming army smashing through the forest, only to see that this army was an army of one. A large humanoid with crossed eyes and personal hygiene that would offend most orcs was barreling through young saplings and small trees.
The ogre gave the party half-a-second to prepare as he announced, "OKK SAY YOU GIMME YOU MONEY OR OKK GONNA EAT YOU!"
While Borghin and the masked, self-proclaimed warrior of justice took to the woods, Drexel decided that he would deal with this threat quickly and began casting an arcane spell. Drexel cursed the Ogre back into the woods, and in mere moments Okk turned to flee. The party, most of who had previously traveled alone, and never with a spellcaster such as Drexel were downright baffled.
As Okk began running at top speed he screamed, "YOU PEOPLE NO EAT OKK, HE NO TASTY.... WE CAN MAKE DEAL!"
Hunter stood proud waiting for the Ogre to eventually come back; he just kept thinking that the spell would break any time now. A watchful eye may have even noticed the fighter tapping his foot.
Roughner began hitting himself in the head, trying to build up the rage that has lead him forth into battle so many times before...but the rage wasn't coming.
Drexel, Holden, and Ziona moved forward drawing bows and crossbows. They began taking shots at the ogre and even scored a few hits.
Borghin was hidden off the side of the road near the adventurers’ gear, knowing that he was just too slow to attempt running after the dimwitted giant.
Unlike the others who stood their ground, or moved cautiously forward, the masked man who went by the alias Spiderfang, charged forward with great intensity. Seconds later he had caught up to the fleeing monster and began pummeling it in the back with his bare fists. The two sprinted forward into the deepest parts of the forest, traveling hundreds of feet from the campsite.
Drexel nervously informed Holden that the spell's effect should wear off at any moment, and was surprised that it had actually lasted as long as it did.
The entire party grimaced as they witnessed an amazing site off in the distance.
Without a moments notice, the Ogre firmly planted one foot in the ground, breaking his run. Okk had suddenly found new courage and used his tree trunk like leg to pivot his whole body around to face Spiderfang.
Seconds after Spiderfang saw the ogre's head turn, he felt the force of Okk's greatclub broadside his face. With an amazing act of brute strength, Okk continued his blow across Spiderfang's face, and readied his weapon for another swing.
From a distance,the party witnessed Spiderfang's face burst into a fountain of blood, yet he managed to remain standing. Drexel and Holden quickly devised a plan, knowing that if they didn't do something immediately, they might lose a party member without ever learning his name.
Spiderfang looked up at the ogre through determined eyes misted with sweat and blood. He could barely see, but he couldn't miss the gigantic humanoid that stood before him. As if he had been in the desperate conversation with Drexel and Holden, he knew that he had few chances left to save himself. As he narrowly dodged the next swing from the mighty ogre, he stood up straight with new determination. With a flick of his wrists, just as he had practiced on so many lonely nights, his gloves hurtled to the ground, revealing flames that burned as bright as torches surrounding his fists.
From the parties viewpoint it was hard to determine what had just happened. The area around Spiderfang and the ogre lit up, to reveal that both were still standing. Drexel began the execution of his plan and cast a spell on one of Holden's arrows. Holden then drew the arrow and shot it into the vicinity of the battle. Although Holden's arrow fell short, the darkness that suddenly surround it's vicinity should still disrupt the fight.
Spiderfang never noticed the darkness surrounding his back since his fists burned bright with magic more powerful then Drexel's spell. He forced his fists toward the ogre in a synchronized double attack.
Yet as Spiderfang's fist flew forward, the force of Okk's greatclub through him into the air like a rag doll. As his body crumpled under the force of the magnificent club, he let out a blood-curdling cry, the kind reserved for a dying man. Spiderfang, although still alive when he fell limply to the ground, was only moments from taking his last breadth, and no one in the party had a means of reaching him in time.
The party all looked shocked when they heard the scream, and their hopes that the ogre would disengage when surround by darkness was instantly ruined. Quickly they all sprinted around the darkness in an attempt to find both the ogre and their fallen comrade. Okk once again began insisting, "I'M GONNA EAT YOU HUMANS!"
On the backside of the darkness, the party found Spiderfang badly bloodied and barely breathing. Ziona hastily checked his vital signs and informed the party that he has a lot of internal bleeding, but the majority of blood loss has already stabilized.
Holden looked down at the young girl and noticed that there was hope in her stark lavender eyes. Ziona pulled forth a symbol from under her cloak, of a nude gray skinned elf dancing with a bastard sword. She closed her eyes and with one hand over her holy symbol, and another on the temple of their wounded friend, she called forth divine energies to bring him back to consciousness. Eilistaee, the goddess of good drow and of those that wish to live on the surface in peace, granted her the power to heal her friend.
Okk got lost after attempting to run through the darkness. He had been turned around and couldn't find people to eat anywhere. Sick of playing games with humans, Okk decided that this was a lost cause. Just as he was readying to leave, he noticed that the heroes had emerged from the far side of the darkness. Frustrated and hungry the ogre charged the party as Ziona was still healing Spiderfang.
As Okk charged, Hunter VonLeer stepped up to intercept him. As Okk and Hunter exchanged glancing blows, the party continued to pelt the ogre with bolts and arrows. Only a few moments later, Holden, the young ranger moved to join Hunter on the front line. To the amazement of the party, Holden tumbled behind the gigantic humanoid, drew his great sword as he came out of the roll, and ended his dexterous display by plunging it the square of the ogres back. Okk felt a big pinch into his back, only to notice a thick blade pierce through his chest as Holden sank the sword to the hilt. The ogre crumpled to the ground and Holden proceeded to nonchalantly retrieve the sword from Okk's carcass.
Holden was a man in his early twenties. He wore a weather-beaten outfit and a dusty cloak that marked him as a nomad to any passerby. Harnessing both the skills of a ranger and of a rogue made him a formidable foe indeed, yet the true threat came from his sharp wit. As Holden dusted himself off and regrouped with the party, he pointed to their dark and mysterious friend. He said, "I thought I recognized you, there is no mistaking those hands."
As the rest of the party marveled over the flaming fists, Holden continued with his speech, "You are Spiderfang, a vigilante of the Dales, upholding your own form of justice and have even defeated some powerful monsters."
Holden, not sure is this man was a pretender, or if the rumors were highly exaggerated, he pressed for more information to satisfy his curiosity.
The ogre had managed to knock the cowl off of Spiderfang's face. He was caked with his own blood and the healing hadn't removed all of the swelling, and although his face had been mended, his pride was still broken. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and his pride and responded, "Yes, I am THE Spiderfang, the last member of a monkish fighting order of Spiderfangs."
It was apparent to the party that this particular Spiderfang was a fledgling in comparison to those referred to in local legends. However, this made them feel more comfortable knowing that he wasn't going to overshadow the rest of the party.
The group continued watches throughout the remainder of the night, yet no other threat approached. In the morning they gathered their belongings and headed towards Galath's Roost. As they passed by the fallen ogre, Spiderfang reached in a special pouch and dropped a coin on Okk's bloodied torso. The coin was a mark of the Spiderfang order, displaying a spider on one side, and the scales of justice on the reverse.
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Still more to come...
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