Swift has completed a very long circuitous scurrying tour of the Water Garden.  Her little paws have taken her all the way around to Troll Witch’s Gazebo.  The Troll Witch is aware that she has opponents in all directions, now, but still, she igores Swift.  Just a Fox, how bad could it be?

Swift’s incorporeal Fey allies send a glowing rainbow of light to surround the Water Troll, and the, not entirely sure which troll Swift meant, they send another to outline the Mud Troll.  Unexpexctedly, it slows the ponderous mud-troll, as it pauses to wonder what is going on.

The glowing Water Troll seizes one of the Nixies.  It is not quite sure what to do from here.  Its favorite attack is to drag something underwater and drown it.  Dim witted though it may be, it knows that will not work on a Nixie.  So it just uses the Nixie as a club, smashing the unfortunate fey against the ground.

The other Nixies turn to help it.  They are desperate, but they are not very strong.

Spica turns suddenly, to hold off approaching trolls.  “They are trapping us!” the Unicorn says.

Salen joins in with Theoderic’s attack.  Now being hit from both sides, the “Tree Troll” slashes around with great woody arms and legs, one arm sprouting giant thorns, making it seem like a mace.  It manages to injure both Theoderic and Salen, but not severely.  Then it gets tripped up by the Nymph.  The two warriors are able to seize the momentary advantage, and the creature collapses.

Aelasuria finally has an opening, and sends a Lightening Bolt at the Troll Witch.

The Troll Witch has some ancient, strange spells at her disposal and one of them is entitled “Feel my pain!”.  It’s not well known among “civilized” folk- a wizard is generally near allies and protectors.  But for a spell caster that simply does not care… the spell shunts some of the damage the caster receives to anyone nearby.  Theoderic, the Nymph, Salen all feel a shock from Aelasuria’s attack… and if there was any life left to the Troll recently slain by Salen and Theoderic, there isn’t anymore, because it takes a shock from the attack as well.

Able to send half the damage from the bolt away from her, the Troll Witch survives the lightening bolt… but it is also wounded by an arrow from Karel.

Swift finally gets close to the Troll Witch, while the Troll Witch is watching Aelasuria fly past to “Grease” the rock troll.  The Troll Witch is clearly hurting, but is eager for the chance to hurt a pretty Elf.

"If you really want to hurt a pretty elf I'm sorry, but you'll have to make do with me rather than my sister. I'm sorry, gentlemanly etiquette, and all that."

Salen turns away from the downed troll and proceeds to assail the Witch, swinging his sword in menacing fashion. He doesn't mind drawing the attacks so others can land more telling attacks.

With the attention of the witch troll busy, she turns to her human form and tries to stab the troll in the back. She stays quiet as she does it. If nothing else, it will draw her attention to her to allow someone else to get her on the other side.

(ooc-1:40, Today: Swift rolled 23 using 1d20+8. Short sw.
21:40, Today: Swift rolled 5 using 1d6+2. dam.
21:41, Today: Swift rolled 9 using 3d6. backstab.

Accustomed to firing with allies in melee, no, preferring it, Karel takes full advantage of the distraction and continues to volley arrows at the troll's exposed vitals. His song still rings in his ears, causing him to focus intently and fire with extreme precision. He hoped to cut the leadership before the other trolls caught up to them, occasionally glancing backwards to take notice of their approach.

Aelasuria cries out in pain shocked by the unexpected feedback of magic. She was taken aback that it seemed to have injured just about anyone else in the immediate area as well. Aelasuria realizes she's just seen some new form of magic she has never seen before. using her skills she tries to determine if there is any further threat from that particular spell the witch troll had cast.

Hearing Spica call out that they are being surrounded she considers using web to slow yet another troll down. Though it's probably to late as Spica has already spun around to delay it's approach. There was also the concern of the mud troll as she looks horrified that it's using a water sprite as a club on whatever happens to be nearby. The question was could she persuade it that it had better things to do then attack the sprites.

Aelasuria unleashes magical missiles at the Mud Troll trying to get it's attention. She would have to hope that The others would bring the witch troll down and that Spica would be fine at least for now. Although she will keep in mind the possibility of using web if it will prove effective and the sprites are safe. "Hey stupid Mud troll!" It wasn't much of a insult even if it's true the troll is dim witted. Still it might get angry and come at her which would buy the sprites a little time.

The Troll-Witch stomps about, reacting to the threats around her, and calls her three remaining minions in to defend her, and they converge.  Or at least, they try.
Frustrated, the Troll-Witch considers hurling another spell.

But Swift has arrived, and the Prismatic Fey told her, once, their magic aura is a powerful defense against magical attacks.  The Troll Witch sends a charge of flickering energy into her fingers.  When she tries to claw at the oncoming Swift, though, the energy in one hand fades and dies.

With her other great clawed hand she scoops up the Nymph, hoping for a hostage.  The Nymph cries out and slumps down, and as Karel’s arrow hits the Troll-With, she is dropped back to the floor.  The Nymph drags herself out of the way, looking exhausted, and frightened, but also, relieved, because help is here and it looks like the help is winning.  And they’ve brought a Unicorn.  Or perhaps the Unicorn brought them.  There is no better way of saying “we’re the good guys!” than to bring a Unicorn, because a Unicorn will never be selfish or cruel, and every creature in the forest knows it.

The Rock Troll’s approach has been slowed by the Grease Spell.  It knows already that these paths can be tricky for the large, heavy, and clumsy.  Bit it makes steady progress.

Aelasuria’s Magic Missiles hit the Mud Troll- bits of slimy mud splatter as the creature is wounded.  Spica’s horn hits too- but the Mud Troll seems resistant to physical damage.  Or at least, when pierced, it muddy body flows back to seal the wound, almost instantly.  The Unicorn is frustrated.  How can she fight a creature like this?  And if it is not stopped…

“Karel, behind you!”  Spica warns, as the Mud Troll presses forwards.

On the other side of the battle...
Theoderic looks up at the sound of Aelasuria’s cry.  His first instinct tells him he must get to her.  But he can’t, and he can’t get to the Troll Witch.  Between Kalen’s arrows, and the more direct attack by Salen and Swift, it’s too busy there.  And they have it well in hand, it seems.  With a flash of rainbow light, Swift’s weapon hits the Troll Witch.  The creature staggers, and breaths hoarsely.  She is having trouble with so many skilled opponents at once.  So Theoderic helps out the Nixies, attacking the water troll.

The Water Troll finally has an air breathing opponent.  It lunges at Theoderic, and pulls him in… but the water is not that deep at this point.  His feet touch bottom only about four feet down.  He can still fight.  And he is joined by the Nixies, who swarm around, keeping the Water Troll from pulling Theoderic’s head under.

At the entrance to the Water Garden, heads peak in.  Cirrus, Ayren, and a pair of Elves are there, and they want to see what’s happening.  One of the Elves sends an arrow flying across the garden, hitting the Rock Troll squarely.  But the Elven arrow merely breaks against the creature’s skin.

Hard to tell if you're even close to winning against these abominable creatures, thinks Salen to himself in mid-fight, best to just keep swinging. And so he does, for all he is worth. Swift and her Prismatic Fey are proving most useful once again, and perhaps - perhaps - they are gaining the upper hand. He kept on swinging his sword at the Witch, relentlessly.

Swift just grins "OK fat one, lets see what you look like inside" she says as she stabs at the troll witch again.

(ooc- Today: Swift rolled 30 using 1d20+10. Short sw. Yay, natural 20
Today: Swift rolled 8 using 1d6+4. damage )

Seeing that the a witch troll is slow but sure being overwhelmed she thought Swift and the others had her well in hand. "Don't use magic on the Witch troll if you can help it she's got a spell up that will reflect a fair portion of the damage back on all who are around her." granted she was probably one of the few that used pure magic here still why take a chance?

As the battle has drawn on she's started to use up a good portion of her battle magic. She still had a few tricks left. She wanted to help Theo not liking him having to fight a water troll in the water one bit. Then there was the problem that Spica could end up facing two trolls alone which was far to dangerous for her she thought. The rock troll was already hurt from facing Spica, Karel and Salen earlier. Perhaps she could even the odds a little.

Flying behind the troll and a bit above it at H-12 she warns Spica just in case. "Spica step back now!" Then unleashes a lovely purple hued lightning bolt that hopefully would strike two trolls. With any luck perhaps one of them would drop. The thought was to send it towards the chest and shoulder level of the taller trolls for added safety. As well as in front of Spica as she has no intention of hitting her friend!

She also considers trying something unusual if the rock troll is still up. If she uses tensors floating disk under one of the rock trolls feet as it is coming down. Just maybe she can yank it forward and up causing the troll to slide violently forward along the grease and into the troll Spica was fighting. As heavy as it is both would hopefully go down in a tangle of limbs and it might hurt. A moot point of course if it's to late or the rock troll crumbles. She keeps half a eye on Theo in case he needs her help.

Karel heeds Spica's warning and brandishes his blade once more. He could not possibly stand aside sniping while a unicorn, and one he barely knew at that, defended him. He lunges into battle, dancing around the trolls as best as he could.

OOC: If Aelasuria's attack took down the rock troll, Karel would attack the other in similar fashion.

Moving towards the already wounded rock troll, Karel feints left and comes down hard on the troll's exposed side, hoping the dim-witted fool fell for the trick.

00:01, Today: Karel rolled 27 using 1d20+10. feint.

"Spica, pull back, but only slightly. We have to keep from being boxed in until the shamaness is out of commission!"

Karel continues to scan the sky for any more signs of poison rain. If we get pushed together and the witch conjures something like that again, we're done for.

Swift's attack is fierce, and accompanied by a dazzling rainbow burst of light.  Along with Aelasuria's lightning bolt, quite a light show in the water garden.  If they weren't fighting for their lives, the Nixies would be sitting back among the water lilies saying "Ooooooh!".

Swift disembowels the Troll Witch, even as the Troll Witch struggles to claw her.  Yes, they smell worse on the inside than the do on the outside.  Swift is scratched up, but the Troll Witch is finished.

Spica backs up in a hurry.  It is normally not an easy thing for a hoofed creature to do, but Unicorns have an uncanny agility.  Just to be sure, she keeps her horn pointed at the Mud Troll.  Spica was dismayed at how quickly the Mud Troll healed itself from puncture wounds, but Unicorns do not have a wide choice of weapons.  The Rock Troll was already injured by Karel and Salen.  The Lightning Bolt finishes it off, and pieces of rocky troll hide fly apart.

There is a lot of splashing in the water, as the Water Troll fights with Theoderic and the Nixies.  It cannot drown the Nixies, but it tries to pull Theoderic underwater.  He gets unexpected help- the Nymph, battered and bruised, syill has some power, and fills the water around him with life sustaining airy bubbles.  A moment later, Theoderic and the Nixies turn the tide, beating back the Water Troll.

The Mud troll is struck by lightning, and by Karel, but it is still alive.  It slaps at both of them, and hits both, giving strong, stinging slaps, and as Karel learns a moment later... sticky slaps.  The Mud Troll is trying to pull him into its chest!

Her lush silky red hair flows out behind her while flying from one point to another. Coming to a halt her red hair briefly frames her face before it falls back to her delicate elfin shoulders. Sheathing her wand Aelasuria takes a deep breath this was a fairly intense battle. Not like a army as that was on a whole different level. Still the combat was especially fierce for those caught up in the Melee. She was grateful that none of her companions had fallen.It was a relief to see that the Nymph seemed to be all right if a bit battered and bruised. Salen, Theo, swift as well as herself all had their injuries. A good rest and perhaps a healer would be nice after the dust settles.

Karel seemed to need a bit of help as she didn't like what the mud troll seemed to have in mind. The problem was she had precious little magic left that would hurt it. She could try to bake it with fire the only problem was that would probably get Karel too. Hardly a desired outcome. Freezing it might work too although that magic wasn't as reliable as she would like. "The mud troll seems to be very resistant to piercing weapons. Do the best you can I am not sure what will work on it best."

Magical missiles she felt would be ineffective against the mud troll. Instead she uses them on the water troll in hopes of taking it down and freeing Theo from the aquatic struggle. After that things would get interesting. Melee wasn't her specialty unfortunately though she was starting to run low on options.

Swift strikes deeply at the troll even as she is clawed. She shivers as the claws strike her and then almost throws up when she smells the foul smell of the inside of the troll. As the troll falls she steps back, trying to get out of the way.

She looks around to see if she is needed anywhere else even though she is shaken from the clawing the overwhelming smell.

The Witch down and her innards splayed all over the ground - Salen thanks his hardy constituion for keeping his breakfast down - it is time to pick another foe. There are many against the Mud Troll, and poor Theo is performing quite the flapping duck impersonation down in the water, so perhaps it would be better to aid the King. Salen moves to the water's edge and uses his sword against the Watery Troll.

Karel pulls hard, twisting his sword around with his wrist and hoping that he could at least make it more difficult to hold onto him.

"No way...erf...that I'm giving in to a pile of mud!"

He was growing weary and his adrenaline fading. Even so, he continues to pull with all his strength. Spotting the water nearby he makes that his goal, edging in that direction in hopes that the water might loosen the sticky grasp of the mud troll.

The body of the Witch Troll slumps on the floor.  In life, it was a gruesome thing of warty skin the color of old pickles.   In death it is even worse.  Swift makes sure it’s dead before looking around… Trolls can be tricky about that.

Meanwhike, Aelasuria has turned her attention to one of the two remaining Trolls, the “Water Troll”.  It doesn’t really seem to be made of water, but rather, a fluid ooze that under the right light can look like muddy water.  Theoderic is busy chopping off parts of it with his sword, and then  Salen arrives to help, hitting it from the other side.  It’s hard to gauge success.  The nature of the Troll’s body allows it to reform itself each physical hit, but as it is hit again and again it seems to have more and more trouble doing that.  Finally, it looks as if it has forgotten one of its arms… and then Aelasuria’s magic missile attack takes its toll.

The Water Troll too, is defeated, and a tired Theoderic pulls himself out of the water, to be swarmed over by Nixies and Nymph, grateful for help and worried that he is injured.  He reassures them that he is wet, tired, but otherwise fine, and redirects them to the last troll.

The Mud Troll.

Dull witted as they are, Trolls know when things are going badly.  The Mud Troll is wounded by Karel, and gives him a hard muddy fling towards the ground, letting go and trying to flee.

Spica hits the Mud Troll from behind.  Like the water troll, it heals quickly, but also seems to be tiring out and losing the ability to do so.  Hurting, the Troll tries to escape.

"Ah, not so fast, you mobile rockery! Your friends felt compelled to stay and enjoy the party to the end - I insist you do likewise!"

Salen jumps aboard the merry-go-round once more, and this time moves from the water's edge and across to the mud troll, slipping between the slopped heap that is Karel...

"Brown is the new black? Who knew?!"

...and Spica, and bringing his trusty sword to bear on the Mud Troll. He joins in the last Troll-bashing, thrusting and slashing and cutting this way and that. The more the merrier.

Swift takes a deep breath as she stands near the troll with her sword in her hand. She might need to jump into the water again just to get the foul smell off of her.

Bruised and battered, Karel dares not engage in melee once more.

"No. You will not escape to return for the nixies. You will pay for your deeds in this garden, today!"

Nocking an arrow in his shortbow rapidly, he sends it flying at the mud troll, then kneels to catch his breath.

Aelasuria Pulls her long sword a slender blade meant for a elf. She is prepared to cast spells still as it is a last resort. Flying down to Theo She rests one hand on his cheek for a moment smiling at him as her silky red hair blows in the wind. She was very grateful that he is all right. "Thank you for helping Theo. It was very brave of all of you. Let's finish this Theo."

She moves in unison with Theo prepared to enter the fight at his side. Keeping a eye on things she trusted the others to bring the mud troll down. However if opportunity presents and it's needed she would attack it herself. her hand drops to her wand gauging what is going on and trying to decide if it was safe to try.

The Mud troll is both outnumbered and trapped... but the nature of the Water Garden limits the number who can attack a foe at once.  The "islands" of the garden are narrow and lack any kind of railing along the side.  And with the mud on the ground, it can be slippery.

Salen are behind the troll, although Salen's weapon seems better suited to the troll.  Spica seems disturbed.  A Unicorn's horn is a renowned magical weapon able to pierce the scales of a Dragon.  The idea that something as loathsome as this troll is simply able to flow back together after being punctured... not good.  Spica drops back to let Theoderic join the battle.

And then Spica sees Aelasuria.

"You look pale!" the Unicorn says.  Being an Elf, Aelasuria is normally pale, so what the Unicorn meant...

Aelasuria is still ill from the Plague Rain spell.

The Nixies quickly retrieve their weapons from the Gazebo where the Troll witch impounded them, hoping to create a "second front".

But there is no need.  Both swords slice at the Mud Troll, and while pointy weapons don't seem to bother it much, bladed weapons, which slice off parts and send glops of quivering muddy troll flesh to the floor, are very effective.

Very quickly the last Troll is no more.

 From the entrance, Cirrus, Ayren the Elven Healer, and the two Elf warriors enter the garden, looking about for more signs of trouble.

Aelasuria grimaces slightly looking rather ill once the battle is over. After all she no longer needed to keep up a strong front for Theo. Whom she didn't want worrying more about her then winning the battle against the wicked trolls. "I don't feel well at all Spica. I think it's the magic the Troll witch cast early on in the battle. That rain was truly horrible. I think I might have a fever."

She lightly leans on Spica for support speaking softly. "Are you all right spica? Those trolls were rather unpleasent weren't they? Theo I hope your fine too. Most of us were injured in one way or another during that battle. I think Karel could really use some help. Someone should heal the poor nymph as well. She came to Theo's aid despite being badly hurt." She notes that he has gone to his knees with a look of concern.

She waves weakly to Cirrus as well glad to see their young charge is all right. "Thank you Cirrus for helping with that wind. That was you wasn't it?" Well it could have been someone else though she had a feeling it had been Cirrus. Sheathing her sword Aelasuria rests her hand on her wand just in case. "I am pretty sure we got all of them. Still we should be careful. Be wary of any treasure you might find the troll witch might have put some nasty magic in place as a trap."

Swift looks around and wonders out loud. "So, should we burn all the trolls? I don't want them coming back or anything. I figure we want to make sure they are destroyed. I want to make sure we got everything evil here."

Karel breathes heavily and nurses his shoulder while walking over to Liloo and the other sprites. He places his hand on Liloo's shoulder.

"It is good you are well, friend. And you as well, Nixies! You are free, as is this garden. Is there further purification that we must do to cleanse the taint from this site? I would play a tune for rejoicing but...perhaps later."

As his sword hacks great pieces off the troll and sends it to it's doom Salen inwardly exults, but his face shows no emotion. It is only a moment or three later that he visibly relaxes and returns to something like his normal demeanour. Then he quickly turns about to check that everyone - Theo, Aela, Swift, Karel, Spica, the Nixies, etc - is alive and well. And if not well, then at least alive.

Turning to the gate he can see Ayren and the others arrive through the gate, and he waves.

"Ayren! We could use your skills over here! We have taken some hard blows, and Aelasuria is struck with some troll plague - anything you can do?"

He will check with the Nixies later, but for now he heads into the cabins and huts that the Trolls were using, to check for anything - or anyone - left there.