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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4640498" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 11 - Loose Ends (Part 1)Dulvarna listened carefully at the door and heard voices speaking in a guttural tongue. A rumbling voice interrupted the speakers and the first speaker laughed harshly and then resumed talking.“This one’s not empty,” she whispered to the others. They had crossed the found all the rooms of the hold now empty apart from this one, across the corridor from the thane’s chamber. Dulvarna drew her sword and held it in one hand, propped against her shoulder, as she reached out for the iron ring door handle. Erlmoor, his sword similarly propped against his shoulder, reached for the handle of the other door. Together they turned the handles and pulled open the portals.Within, a tall double door of solid iron stood in the southwest corner of the irregularly shaped chamber. Four orc warriors were milling about, talking and keeping watch while in a corner of the room, a hulking ogre with an iron collar was hunkered down. Enlishia rushed into the chamber with an arrow nocked to her bow and began firing while Telkya followed, light issuing forth from the amulet in her hand. The orcs picked up huge axes with jagged blades and started forward, one meeting Dulvarna in the doorway and another rushing at Telkya. The orc swung his axe low at the priestess and as she turned to face her foe, the jagged blade drove into her side. She staggered back, bleeding and sorely wounded. Another came at her from her right and smashed the haft of its weapon into the side of her head sending her reeling into Enlishia. Dulvarna smashed her sword hilt into the face of the orc before her and as its staggered back, she forced her way into the room. Behind her, Lavren and Litiraan took the chance that she had given them and loosed black and silver magic at the orc, forcing it back another step into the room. Then there was a roar from the southeastern corner of the room and all knew that the ogre was coming.The huge ogre loped surprisingly quickly across the room and with another roar swung its club at Telkya who was only now recovering her senses. She ducked and the huge club whooshed over her head, missing by a mere hands-width. To her right, another orc rushed at Dulvarna, slashing its axe into her arm and driving her back against the wall of the room but then Telkya saw Erlmoor coming into the room to aid her. The dragonborn roared his anger and slashed his blade across the chest of the nearest orc sending it reeling away from him. Beside the paladin, Enlishia threw her bow out into the corridor where Litiraan stood and drew her sword from her back. She started towards Dulvarna, her blade singing out and slashing into the shoulder of the wounded orc between her and her friend.Telkya began to pray to Corellon as she drew her sword from her belt and as she prayed, divine healing flowed through her and stopped the terrible wound in her side from bleeding. She stabbed out with her blade at the orc that Erlmoor faught, driving the point into the warrior’s leg and pushing it away from her. Again, divine healing flowed through her, taking away the dizziness from her head wound and all but closing the wound in her side. She thanked her god then and turned her attention back to the orc before her, just as his axe descended towards her head. At the last moment, she dodged aside but the jagged blade still cut down the side of her arm, tearing her robes and the flesh beneath. Telkya staggered back and faught as she had never faught before.An orc came at Dulvarna from her left, slashing his axe in low to strike her thigh just below where her mail coat covered her. She staggered as the leg gave way beneath her for a moment but lashed out with her sword anyway. The blade clove through the neck of the orc and beheaded it where its stood. Head and body tumbled to the floor leaving Dulvarna to turn to the second orc she faced while Lavren and Litiraan now had a clear path to loose their magic at the ogre. Both took the chance and the ogre roared in response as black, crackling energy struck it in the chest and silver bolts began flying at it. Again the creature lashed out at Telkya with its club and again the priestess ducked under the wild swing of the huge weapon. Lavren and Litiraan desperately began more spells, seeking to distract the ogre before it landed a killing blow on Telkya and Erlmoor followed suit, roaring again and surging at the orc before him.Enlishia stabbed at the orc that Erlmoor faught and as he blow was parried, she twisted away and ducked back through the double doors. She sheathed her sword and reached for her bow while Telkya did the same, stabbing her blade into the side of the orc and then retreating towards the doors. The other orc she faught came after the priestess, lashing out high with his axe. Telkya raised her sword to parry and deflected the blow but the jagged axe blade still tore down her forearm and forced her back against the doorframe. Lavren and Litiraan struck the ogre with silver and black bolts and again the creature roared, lashing out with its club. Again Telkya ducked and this time, the club struck the door frame with earth shaking force. Telkya forced the orc in front of her away and glanced up nervously at the cracked and chipped stone above her head. She thanked Corellon again that her skull had not been in the way of that huge blow.Erlmoor felt the ogre’s blow shake the stone floor and knew he had to reach the huge creature. With another roar, he sprayed acid over the orcs and the ogre and then plunged his blade into the face of the orc before him. It fell to the floor, sliding from the paladin’s blood-soaked blade and Erlmoor strode forward, trying to reach the ogre. As he did so, the ogre battling Telkya slashed his axe towards the dragonborn and he parried. It seemed he would have to deal with another orc before he reached the ogre.</blockquote>

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