"Please do live!"

                                "Find Arvid.... find Arvid.... help him...."

A most curious sight was waiting for Arvid when his eyelids fluttered open. Standing tall above him, its ponderous limb extended towards his chest, was a stone man veined in molten steel. The creature was utterly alien. Imposing. And yet, somehow strangely not terrifying. A benevolent spirit burned behind that faceless mask, Arvid was sure of it. There was no cause for fear.

"Am I dead?" he asked the stone angel. He certainly hoped he wasn't. His body ached too much. And his head... Gods, his head....

"THIS is for all good northerfolks you did BURN."

No. Not dead. Opalia was here with him. Somewhere close.

Arvid sat up with a wince, the world around him sluggishly coming into focus. A battle still raged around him. He must have fallen when the dark mist..... No. He shivered. Best not to think upon it.

"I'm coming," he said, his voice sounding hoarse to his own ears. "Just... hang on..."

He found Opalia first, Garduk clenched in her iron grip, twisting in Forza's flames. 'Mother Ildiko, watch over her, I beg you... Ulf, if you're up there listening...' But pleading with spirits could only take them so far, he knew. And there wasn't much he could do to help her directly, entangled as they were.

Cora and - was that Keth? Arvid shook his head. Perhaps he'd fallen harder than he'd thought. Whatever the case may be, they were a ways up the slope and out of his immediate reach. The others must have still stood upon the far side of the conflagration for Arvid could see no sign of them.

Of the foes that remained close at hand, the yeti was clearly the greater threat but having fought one before Arvid knew in his current state he would only be rushing headlong towards his death. Best to leave the creature kicking rocks he decided. It was far enough away that he hoped it couldn't immediately trouble anyone. And perhaps the benevolent stone man would contend with it?

And that just left the orc. Well, perhaps he could still be of some use...

Drawing a deep breath that pulled at his ribs he broke into a lumbering sprint. "I'm coming." And come he did, a flurry of ethereal claws to shield Opalia's flank...

1) Hits AC 18 for 6 force damage
2) Hits AC 24 for 6 force damage
3) Hits AC 26 for 7 force damage
4) Hits AC 22 for 10 force damage

21:07, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 6,6,7,10 using 1d6+5,1d6+5,1d6+5,1d6+5.  Damage.
21:06, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 18,24,26,22 using 1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9.  Flurry.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Wed 28 Dec 2022.

This message was deleted by the player at 02:58, Wed 28 Dec 2022.

Fergus watched the action unfurl all around him. Cora was holding off a squadron of orcs with the Starbound Blade. Sikuaq, now wholly reliant on Valaku for assistance, still summoned healing for her companions while holding the mysterious fire demon within her at bay. Somewhere behind a wall of fire, the Northman Arvid was now healed and dispatching Garduk's allies while Opalia, the giantess, lifted Frostfall against Garduk himself.

Somehow Farra and Keth had also joined the battle... from atop a giant spider. And Caell? Yes, he's a mammoth now!

It was only a moment, but Fergus's heart swelled with pride. "Are you seeing this, Darna? Your daughter? Your niece? All of these brave companions! I don't know if I'll live to see the end of the day, but even if I don't, I'll still have an amazing tale to tell you about my friends - about this new Starbound Alliance, when we meet again"

"I will never leave you," Valaku assured the flagging druid, squeezing her hand to share his strength. The latent power of the land flowed through him into her and then out into their allies. "I will follow you into the Spiritrealm or whatever dark place that thing tries to drag you, and I will drag you back."

Meanwhile, Fergus worked miracles of his own, summoning a mole-like creature with golden wings to fly to Arvid's side and resurrect the fallen Northman.

Caell flattened a yeti with a single stomp of his thick leg. The other one roared in outrage and swung at the beast's thick hide (25 and 24 to hit for total of 15 slashing and 6 cold damage).

The nearest orc flinched as Cora's sword bit into his flesh but was not deterred. Keth's taunts were only moderately successful, distracting one of the warriors from her. (Hits AC 23 for 15 damage and AC 19 for 5 damage.)

Arvid, newly roused, charged across the battlefield to take the astonished archer by surprise and pummel him near to death. "Yield," the pathetic creature choked through cracked teeth. "I yield." It dropped its bow and slumped back against mountain's face as if dead. The ruse, Arvid realized, was not for his sake but for that of the other orcs, who would no doubt tear the fellow to pieces themselves if they caught him surrendering.

The yeti ran up behind him and took two swings, both of which Arvid evaded.

For a perilous moment, the skies were black with the dark energy of the Spiritrealm. Garduk hovered over the battlefield, his enemies falling before his awesome power, his troops rallying and screaming for blood. But those screams of triumph turned to shock and disappointment as new heroes joined the battle, healing energy pushed back against the vapors of death, and the warchief was dragged from the sky by a vengeful goliath, disarmed, and unceremoniously dragged into a wall of magical fire.

But this, too, did not last. Garduk's skeletal mask began to melt from the heat, revealing an orcish face twisted by fury and pain. But then the face vanished, and Opalia's arms were empty.

Garduk reappeared where the goliath had first grabbed him. He retrieved his skull-headed staff and pointed it at Opalia. A dark tendril of forsaken spirits flew forth from it, wrapping around the warrior and feasting on her own. As the goliath weakened, Garduk seemed to grow stronger, her life energy draining from her into him by means of the tendril that connected them. (17 necrotic damage, halved to 9 with DC 18 Dex save)

The nearby lieutenant focused on Opalia as well, sending similar dark tentacles pouring forth from his own hand.(30 necrotic damage, halved to 15 with DC 16 Con save)

Finally, two arrows flew toward her, but in a small blessing amidst the devastation, both missed.

Garduk's army, heartened by the reappearance of their leader, surged forward one more, rolling over a line of Kerit warriors who had held them back.

Garduk failed his concentration check so cannot currently levitate.

Garduk finally wins a check vs Brigha! 3-1 now, in B's favor.

Everyone can act now, in any order.

Opalia was not best-pleased when Garduk vanished from her grasp and a fiery death.  The orcish warlord reclaimed his cursed staff and lashed out with a dark tendril of magic, but she raised a bracer in time to deflect the worst of it.  Arvid then arrived to fight at her side with Ildiko's radiant arms striking with full fury!  The giantess grinned, "OPALIA did know you would return, buddy!"

The battle raged on, and Opalia stalked up the slope toward Garduk, her sworn enemy.  An orcish lieutenant flung his own dark magic as a pair of arrows embedded in the dirt nearby, but still the giantess pressed inexorably onward.  To Garduk she bellowed, "You flee before your own army, CRAVEN!  Should have fled FARTHER."  She charged and struck her icy mace against the warlord's forearm, threatening to make him drop his staff.  If Garduk should drop the accursed skull staff, Opalia would return Frostfall to the baldric across her back and then snatch the staff up off the frozen ground.  "Let your BAD-ARMY see THIS."

Opalia then proceeded to smash Garduk roughly upside the head with his own staff, in full view of the approaching armies under his command.

---

Off-turn

• Dex save succeeds with a 20 (making rare use of a small bonus from Shield Master), take half damage
  • Stone's Endurance as a reaction reduces 9 necrotic damage down to 5
• Con save succeeds with a 21, take half damage of 15 necrotic

Left with 46 HP!

Turn

• Move to E18, ignoring any snowy difficult terrain
• ATTACK Garduk twice!
  1. Hit 24 AC for 20 cold damage including Disarming Attack maneuver
     • Garduk must make a DC 17 Strength save or drop his staff
     • If that save fails, stow Frostfall with a bonus action, then object interaction to pick up the staff and hit Garduk with it for the following attack ;P
  2. Second attack hits 20 AC for 14 damage (those rolls are for a d8+1 weapon, but if Opi has the staff then pls adjust accordingly!

17:06, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 14 using 1d8+6.  Attack 2 damage.
17:05, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 20 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 11.  Attack 2.
17:00, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 20 using d8+6+d10.  Attack 1 damage + maneuver.
16:58, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 24 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 15.  Attack 1.
16:50, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 4 using 1d12+3.  Stone's Endurance.
16:47, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 21 using 1d20+7.  Con save.
16:45, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Dex save (+2 Shield Master bonus).

"Thank you, Valaku," Sikuaq breathed with a wan smile, deeply grateful for his acceptance.  With a quick scan of the battlefield she saw to her dismay that Cora was down again, and that Opalia was under a foully unnatural attack by Garduk and one of his minions.  Cora, she thought.  We need her strength.

But a surge of fiery nausea suddenly caused her to cry out and clutch at her belly.  Stumbling, the Quinichiat doubled over in pain before two molten tentacles erupted from her midsection, brushing aside a concerned Valaku.  Sikuaq straightened, one of the tentacles bracing her against the slope, and quickly was wreathed in a nimbus of red-gold flames.  She managed one last glance in Cora's direction before a short fit of retching overtook her, wracking her slight frame as she tried to clear something from her throat.  An orange-gold glowing spot grew visible in her upper chest, and with each hack it distended her throat and crept closer to her mouth.  It ended with one final barking cough, which spewed a fist-sized flaming cinder that flew as though shot from a bow toward Garduk's lieutenant in the valley, only to explode in a ball of flames upon impact.

Gravelly laughter dripped from Sikuaq's mouth as she watched the explosion, and one of the tentacles raised her staff in triumph.

OOC:
Cast Fireball, positioned to catch lieutenant at G8 and orc at M11 but no allies.
14:58, Today: Secret Roll: Sikuaq rolled 24 using 8d6.  Damage.  Take half damage with DEC save (DC17).

"Dammit!" Fergus huffed when he saw Sikuaq choose a spiteful attack instead of the healing he hoped she would offer Cora. "I knew that staff was trouble. Curse the day she picked it up!"

The old dwarf knew now that his niece's life was his to save and he cursed his own overuse of Kann's divine powers earlier. Unable to offer the assistance she needed from afar, he had no choice but to reach her as quickly as his tired legs would allow.

"Farra," he bellowed over the roar of the battle while stumbling down the rough terrain into the valley. "Get your sister out of there!!!" Sister. The word flashed over the battlefield for only a fraction of a second, but for Fergus, its gravitas was without measure. Cora was Farra's sibling no less than Hamil when he lived. And Cora was his child no less than Farra or Hamil. He had always called her his niece, never wanting to imply to her that he was a replacement for her father. But in this moment, with Cora prone on the battlefield, with the fate of the Northland teetering upon a razor's edge, he spoke aloud what he had felt since that little mossflower appeared on their doorstep so many years ago.

But the battle paused not for such revelations, regardless of their significance to certain combatants. The dwarf returned to the present and surveyed the valley. He took comfort seeing that his angelic ally from the mountain had aided the Northman, but the yeti before them was formidable. "Keep that thing's attention away from Arvid," he directed. "And be ready to assist the giantess."

The stone angel, in turn, rotated around the yeti, then struck with a glowing stone mace. There was a flash, and a subtle wave of warmth from the Forge washed over Arvid. The celestial swung again, hopefully enough to keep the yeti's savage attention away from the Kerit monk.

Fergus knew his powers were dissipating about as quickly as his legs were, but he pressed on, scrambling into the valley, then running along its edge as quickly as possible before climbing back up to reach his daughters.

Fergus Move/Action: Dash (50' total) 25 feet (including the penalty for rough terrain) to S14, then in valley 15 feet to U16, then 10 more feet (5 actually, but rough terrain) up hillside to V16!

Celestial Move: 20 feet to I22 (getting him to within 40' of Garduk for next turn).
Celestial Action: Two attacks on yeti with Radiant Mace (one miss (AC9) and one hit AC20 12 radiant damage and +2 temp hp to Arvid).

14:52, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 20 using 1d20+7.  Radiant Mace attack vs. yeti.
14:53, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 12 using 1d10+8.  Radiant damage.
14:54, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 2 using 1d10.  Temp hit points to Arvid.

14:55, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 9 using 1d20+7.  Radiant Mace attack #2 vs. yeti.

This message was last edited by the player at 03:29, Mon 02 Jan 2023.

A look of understanding passed between Arvid and the orc, as the archer discarded his bow and 'collapsed' to the ground. "Ildiko watch over you," Arvid said quietly. Mother Bear had her hands full looking after her errant cubs however, for as Arvid turned away from his conquest he came face to spittle-filled-maw with the howling yeti.

Miraculously the creature's fearsome claws failed to seize him and Arvid backed away, still reluctant to engage the thing in battle alone. Luckily Fergus's timely intervention prevented him from having to. Just as the yeti seemed poised to strike again the faceless stone spirit rose up behind it and crashed into its thickly furred hide eliciting a roar of pain.

Never one to pass up an opportunity, Arvid turned and raced down the slope before the yeti could give chase. Within a few long strides he was back beside Opalia where he joined her in pinning Garduk against the mountainside.

"I told you I was coming..." he said breathlessly.

Bonus: Step of the Wind (disengage)
Move to D19
Action: Attack
1) Hits AC 26 for 7 force damage
2) Hits AC 22 for 8 force damage

Spending 1 Ki for Stunning Strike (Special)

quote:

When you hit with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to make the target stunned until the end of your next turn if it fails a CON saving throw (DC 17).

Reaction: Sentinel Strike hits AC 19 for 9 force damage if triggered

20:38, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 9 using 1d6+5.  Damage.
20:38, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  Sentinel strike.

20:35, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 7,8 using 1d6+5,1d6+5.  Damage.
20:35, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 26,22 using 1d20+9,1d20+9.  Attack.

Having trampled one of the two nearby yetis, Caell suffered a wound from the hands of the other. Still, his massive mammoth body could withstand a lot of injury. He watched Cora drop again, desperate to stomp the nearest enemy, so he could come to her aid. He noticed Fergus moving that way; knowing he cared for her as much as he did, and surely with more healing powers. That eased his mind a little.

Hits Yeti at AC 14 for 27 bludgeoning damage.
Mammoth HP: 105/126

Cora had been on the edge of death before. In the war, at the hands of the first Midwife. On her adventures with her friends. She'd been ready for this sort of moment, she'd told herself. But it had never really been like this.

There was nothing between her and the eye but bare rock. All about her footprints lay in the dirt, burned a quarter inch into the rock like seared brands, their depressions filled with blood, some like wine, some black like stout. Thirteen steps, twenty six feet, fifty two prints. Or looking again, eight. Hundreds and hundreds. As many as there were in the sky. And then a mire, replacing the rock, two fonts of blood flowing like rivers into a valley of stone, wine and stout mixing and burning and rock erupting to cover the fire around her.

The North wasn't forged in a battle of kings, Cora realized. The tundra and woods and mountains were fed by blood. Earth's blood, men's blood, orc and Quinichiat and Skykeepr and dwarf. Elk and muskox and spotted whale and seal and white bear and fox. But the god-kings' blood . . .

Behind her was the rising sun, brilliant and alone and tragic, the first dawn after the longest night of winter. And Cora looked up at the eye, as the fires moved around her. She met Gruumsh Orc-Father's gaze, realizing her was not looking to the dawn, but at her. Terrible, lidless, unblinking. And he looked upwards still, guiding her to follow.

Thirteen steps the elf-king and orc-father walked, thirteen wounds they dealt, and most grievous was the last. Their blood carved valleys, boiled seas, cracked the very sky.

Cora looked up, and saw the lights.

OOC: death save roll 4

Valaku had winced and grown pale when Sikuaq channeled her magic through him, yet the sight of her casting the fireball with the air of her staff appeared to pain him even more. He spoke only words of support, however. "Caell has the yeti well under control. Are you all right here? Do you need to get closer?" His arm tightened under hers, conveying readiness to support or even carry her as needed.

Caell did indeed have the yeti well under control, smashing it with a heavy mammoth foot that set the beast reeling. It struck back with trembling claws and drew blood. (Two hits on AC 15 for 14 slashing damage, 5 cold damage)

Garduk's dark magic had restored his own vitality even as it drained Opalia's, to the point where it seemed that would be the difference between her killing him with his own staff. The warchief laughed at the poetry of this but was silenced by Arvid's fists, and life left him for good. The body of the terror of the North, architect of the slaughter at Red Hills, lay limp in Opalia's arms.

The remaining orc on the battlefield looked confused for a moment, ready to give up the fight, but the lieutenant rebuked. "Nothing is over, you coward! That giantess slew your warchief. What are you going to do about it?" (One hit on AC 24 for 10 damage)

As for what he himself was going to do about it, the lieutenant send more tendrils of wispy black spirit-energy to seek out the goliath. (30 necrotic damage, halved to 15 with DC 16 Con save)

The celestial flew to the other yeti, striking it with its blazing brand. Confused, the beast ignored it to charge after Arvid, clawing the Northman's back despite Opalia's attempt to defend him (used Opalia's reaction to impose disadvantage, he still hit AC 25 for 6 slashing and 3 cold).

"You were supposed to get her up!" Farra snapped at Keth as she ran back to aid Cora.

"Babe, I did."

"You let them cut her down again?"

Keth threw up his arms. "Hey, I tried."

The dwarf shook her head. "I find it hard to believe you could not sufficiently annoy the orcs. You're fraying my last nerve, that's for sure."

Cora woke choking, with the taste of bitter herbs in her mouth and Farra grinning down at her. "Hey, gorgeous. Vati said to get you of there, so I did. But if you want to get back in the mix, I've got your back. With them, and with him."

With Garduk down, however, his army had suffered a great loss, and Brigha's took full advantage.

Garduk is down, BTW. I just forgot to delete his corpse off the map.

Brigha is now 4-1. Just needs one more win to secure victory. With fewer enemies on the battlefield, now is a good time to remind you can also aid her troops by, e.g., casting a helpful spell like Bless on them.

Cora stood up, taking Farra in her arms for a moment before firing an eldritch blast over her shoulder, using the dwarf as a steadying rest as her legs were betraying her.

OOC: attack roll 18 and 21, 7 and 12 damage respectively against Keth's orc friends

"Hey yourself, Cave-mother. I need to help where I can, but Uncle is right. We need to take back ground, and then I need to sit down for I think the rest of winter. Still haven't got to Lawton's Glen to get your story put into song."

Arvid whirled about in a frenzy of claws, turning his ire upon the pugnacious yeti. "You just don't know when to quit!" he declared, each word punctuated by another telling blow of his astral arms.

Spending 1 Ki to flurry.
1) Hits AC 26 for 7 force
2) Hits AC 26 for 7 force
3) Hits AC 24 for 6 force
4) Hits AC 24 for 10 force
R) Sentinel Strike hits AC 11 for 8 force damage if triggered

09:30, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 7,7,6,10 using 1d6+5,1d6+5,1d6+5,1d6+5.  Damage.
09:30, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 26,26,24,24 using 1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9,1d20+9.  Attack.

10:26, Today: Secret Roll: Arvid Signeson rolled 11,8 using 1d20+9,1d6+5.  Sentinel strike.

Caell made a loud trumpet of joy this time, when both Garduk went down and Cora stood up. He took in the more distant battlefield too and thought maybe they were winning. He wasn't sure. Things didn't entirely make sense to his mammoth brain (they hardly did inisde his normal Cell head).

Feeling the cold sting against his own body and then a splash of his own warm blood seeping through a gash, he remembered he was still fighting a monstrous yeti. Caell reared and stomped down again with his tons of heavy bone, flesh and thick hide.

Hits Yeti at AC 18 for 35 bludgeoning damage.
Mammoth HP: 86/126
Move: If the yeti goes down, Caell moves 20 feet south.

Valaku's touch lent a feeling of cool green to Sikuaq, a calming influence that briefly seeped up her arm toward her core.  But only briefly, before the fire in her belly pushed back and drove the coolness away.

"No," she said to her companion, though who looked out from behind the flaming eyes was hard to tell.  The inside of her mouth looked like a banked hearth and sparks blossomed out from between her lips as she spoke.  "We are close enough here."

The lava tentacles oozed as they wove about, one clutching the staff possessively, and the excess dross began to coat Sikuaq's legs in a quickly forming column of lava, black and crusty on the surface but cracked and gleaming red-gold beneath.  They were in danger of turning to a column of lava that would obscure both her legs, though she seemed not to notice or care.

She turned her attention back to the valley and saw the lieutenant foolishly continuing his attacks again Opalia.  With a gravelly laugh, Sikuaq's tentacles intertwined and swirled at their ends, where a glowing ball of lava formed between them.  When it reached the size of two fists the tentacles gave a coordinated flick and sent the sphere arcing down toward the enemy.  Again, the mass exploded in fire and lava when it reached the valley floor.

OOC:
Last Fireball, again aimed at lieutenant and orc, centred about G8 or so (avoid any allies).
16:30, Today: Secret Roll: Sikuaq rolled 28 using 8d6.  Damage.  DEX save DC17 for half damage.

Fergus's heart leapt when he saw Garduk fall at the hands of Opalia and Arvid. The tables were turning, but the battle was far from won. The majority of Garduk's army didn't know he had fallen, so they still pressed on. The Kerit needed aid and Fergus commanded his celestial southward to provide it. The stone ally streaked through the air toward the confrontation between Kerit and orc, mace raised and readied. In addition, Fergus looked for an opponent who appeared to have an advantage over a Kerit adversary and called upon his spectral hammer to even the odds. The glowing weapon appeared, then fell immediately to the ground with a dull thud.

With help dispatched to the south, Fergus stumbled up the mountain as best he could, trying to reach his daughters. "Bentbone," he called as he climbed. "You better keep those orcs away from my girls!" Finally, with one last push, he made it. Standing next to Farra and Cora, his heart swelled. "Garduk has fallen. We just need to hold on a little longer."

Action/Move: Dash 20' over rough terrain to z17.
Bonus Action: Cast Spiritual Weapon (miss) against tallest visible orc in battle with the Kerit (range 120').
23:54, Today: Secret Roll: Fergus Glowforge rolled 10 using 1d20+9.  Spiritual hammer vs. southern orc. Well that wasn't the intimidating surprise I was hoping for!

Celestial Action: Fly 80'. Hover menacingly over orcs while waving mace.

Opalia towered in triumph over Garduk's corpse, raised the war chief's evil staff high and roared down the foothills in the Orcish tongue, "<GARDUK IS DEAD!  FLEE HOME, RED FIST, OR DIE WITH HIM.>"  The giantess cracked the skull-tipped staff twice against the Yeti's skull to emphasize the point.

---

Off-turn

• Reaction used for Protection Fighting Style to not quite protect Arv
• Take 10 damage from an orc
• Con save of 20 succeeds, take 15 necrotic

Turn

• ATTACK Yeti twice with Garduk's staff, cuz it's mine now!
  1. Hit 22 AC for 8 damage
  2. Hit 24 AC for 12 damage
• if Yeti dies, move 30 feet toward lieutenant

01:45, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 8,12 using d8+6,d8+6.  Staff damage.
01:42, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 22,24 using d20+9,d20+9 with rolls of 13,15.  Staff attacks 1 & 2.
01:28, Today: Secret Roll: Opalia rolled 20 using 1d20+7.  Con save.

Arvid and Opalia finished off one of the yetis as Caell flattened another.

The lieutenant, perhaps fancying himself the new chieftain, urged the troops to keep fighting right up until a fireball exploded in his face.

Keth and Cora dealt punishing blows to the last few still fighting, and then the sight of a celestial swooping overhead and a goliath standing atop the cliff, waving the warchief's staff and declaring victory, set what had once been Garduk's army into a full rout.

Orcs were famously fearless and stubborn warriors, prone to fight past the point of certain defeat, but even they had their limits. Moments of tense anticipation exploded all across the battlefied as individual warriors dropped their weapons and surrendered and ran. Others looked on, waiting to see whether their comrades would cut down these cowards as tradition required, and when no harm came to them, others joined, accumulating into an avalanche of discarded axes and fleeing fighters.

Brigha accepted surrender but not retreat. At her order, her troops, dwarf and orc and Northman alike, began encircling the battlefield, penning in those who sought to flee as one would caribous on a hunt. They were not slaughtered unless they took up arms again but disarmed and rounded up for the Midwife's appraisal.

Keth looked with grim satisfaction across the mountain path, now strewn with boulders and blood. "Good of you to take care of the god before we got here," he thanked Cora with a wink.

Fergus watched as Opalia announced the end of the battle. The goliath looked larger than life, her voice thundering down upon the battlefield. Fergus smiled to his friends. "Too bad they don't realize how friendly Opalia actually is. If they knew, they might not be scared to death like they are now."  He continued to watch the fairly peaceful surrender as it happened. "Just as well they don't know. It's for the better."

It was difficult for Fergus to accept that the battle had been won, but eventually the scene unfolding in the valley was clear and he allowed himself to let his guard down. Heaving a satisfied sigh, he turned to Farra. "Of all the foolhardy things to do. What in the name of Kann's golden hammer were you thinking when you decided to ride against Garduk? On a spider, no less?!?!?" A tear was already welling in his eye, so he just wrapped his arms around her. "Thank Kann you made it. We wouldn't have lasted another five minutes without you." He held on until his daughter protested, then finally released her.

Sniffling, he looked for Cora. She was next for a token scolding followed by way too long of an embrace!

Caell ended his spell, shifting back to humanoid form, momentarily dazed and confused from the dramtic change in biology and perspective. He half-stumbled over to the others, thankful that everyone were alive. Still, the victory had apparently come at a cost to some of them.

While having limited magical reserves, he did what he could to help injured people, both in his own group of friends, as well as the others. In some cases, it might be enough to help them back on their feet. In others, someone might want to hold a hand until their inevitable passing.

Cora grabbed Fergus in her own hug, just melting onto the dwarf like all the years were stripped away.

"We did it."

She smiled at Keth's congratulations, weary and heavy

She spotted Caell, tending to the wounded, and thought to go to him, but couldn't find the words after such an experience.

"If we've won . . . I suppose the next thing to do is surrender the Starbound Blade, right?"

Arvid stood side by side with Opalia looking down upon the crumpled form of the previously fearsome yeti, and further down the slope towards Brigha's ascending army as orc after orc laid down their weapons. He smiled in relief, though his eyes were touched with sadness. So many had had to die for this moment to be reached. But such was life in the hard North.

"So..." he said quietly, turning to gaze up at Opalia. "What do you suppose happens now?"

As the tide fully turned in the battle and Garduk's forces were defeated Sikuaq found some inner strength to push back in kind against her own internal enemy, and regaining a small measure of control.  The lava tentacles subsided and the slight Quinichiat leaned forward heavily on her staff and sighed hoarsely, a plume of gently cascading sparks fluttering outward into the chill mountain air.  Heat still emanated from her in waves and the flames still danced in her eyes and guttered bluish highlights through her hair, but the caked lava had sloughed from her legs for the moment.

She stayed where she was, gazing upon the tiny celebrations her companions undertook.  Fergus greeting Farra and Cora with hugs, Caell ready to help whoever he could while he waited his turn, Arvid and Opalia standing side by side on the far slope of the pass.  A grateful smile rested on Sikuaq's face, thankful for the opportunity of travelling with them all and watching them accomplish all they had.  It would be quite a tale in the years to come, one to beg for around the council fires and festival celebrations.  Clamping her lips shut against a sudden swell of emotion, she reached up and brushed a molten tear away from her eye.

Emotion meant a loss of control though, and fire surged through her innards when the crack showed.  She gasped and the sudden pain, closed her eyes and then scowled as she fought back, at least for the moment.  She knew she had to leave, and soon.  Before anything worse happened to those around her.  Face still scrunched up with effort, she called out in a raspy voice.

"Valaku?  Are you still near?"

The yeti fell beneath Opalia and Arvid's blows as the last remaining loyal lieutenant was consumed by a billowing burst of fire.  The giantess checked their surroundings and saw little friends dispatching the last few surviving orcs, then peered down the slope.  Blood leaked from Opalia's wounds and her body bore black patches of corrosion from life-stealing necromancy, but yet Opalia stood ready to meet the advancing Red Fist horde.

Yet, that horde did not come.  The fighters that had been manipulated, conscripted, radicalized into Garduk's campaign of death threw down their weapons and broke, a few at first but soon in droves.  Opalia looked on awestruck as Arvid joined her at her side, and wondered aloud what would happen now.  She was quiet for several long moments, but then began to speak only loud enough for him to hear, "I did know we would defeat GARDUK, but I feared we could not survive the battle.  His warriors were too many, and ours too few.  We would strike down our greatest foe, then meet a death worthy of remembrance..."  She had always expressed unwavering confidence in the Stormbreakers and the allies they had made along the way, but it seemed that in her heart she had feared they may not live to see the fruits of the victory they'd battled so hard to achieve.  Opalia put a thick arm around Arvid's shoulder to pull him close, then grinned, "What happens now...?  NOW, we will LIVE!"  The giantess leaned down to pull Arvid into a fierce kiss, but broke away just a few moments later and clapped him on the shoulder.  "Come, let us see our FRIENDS!"

She charged up the craggy mountain slope toward the others, and was glad to see them all alive, not only the Stormbreakers but Farra and Keth as well.  Even so, the battle had taken its toll, upon some more than others.  The giantess's triumph turned to concern at the sight of Sikuaq, now seeming more of fire than of elf.  She approached and looked to Valaku, then back to the molten druidess to ask, "ANATKA?  Can OPALIA bring snow to here, for coldness...?"

"Always," the ranger replied, squeezing her hand in case she could not see his smile.

"I took an oath to protect this world and all that lives within it, believing the Druidic Council the best vehicle for doing so. But you - all of you," he added, widening his gaze to encompass all those who stood upon the cliff overlooking the battlefield, "have been the ones working to achieve this, as the Council, in its myopic parochialism, undermined you. I am eternally sorry to have doubted you, and I swear myself your ally against any who would oppose you."



Valaku met her eye with creases at the corners of his mouth. "Of course," the elf said, choosing his words with great deliberation. "You have been given no choice in the matter. As long as Anatka Oori lives, you are bound to deliver the sword to her, no matter how unfit a custodian you may deem her." He said this last with an eye on Sikuaq, his cocked eyebrow asking the question his voice dared not for fear of triggering psychic agony for Cora.