Session+44


 * 4-19-14 **
 * The Orc Battle and Crossing the Bridge to Scarwall Castle**

Surrounded by snowy pines, Scarwall castle stood in the center of a lake formed into a crater that looked as though it was created by a giant godly fist that had smashed into the ground. Erevin recognized the recent crude repairs to the outside as the work of orcs...

As we prepared to disembark Destiny... Z'larra, the ghostly gypsy, came to Posy, "Wait... You should not brave the perils of Castle Scarwall without the blessing of the spirits through the power of my tarot deck. The spirits will protect you. For I must warn you... the Keep traps spirits... and the undead inside hunger for life, so you must be very careful." Posy looked her over, "What do you mean they... trap spirits?" Z'larra nodded her ghostly head, "Those that die within the castle are doomed to forever haunt it." Posy turned to the others, "...so no one can die in there today! Ok?" Everyone nodded and selected a single card from the tarot deck.

Yuki drew the six of swords and Z'larra read for her. "Your reading means The Carnival.... usually associated with dance and joy." 6 Harrow points. Mali drew the six of wands. "The Winged serpent.... I see something to do with... dragons... hmm very interesting." 6 Harrow points. Posy drew the ten of cups. "Yours means The Eclipse." 6 Harrow points. Wren drew The Emperor. "The Queen Mother." 8 Harrow points. Erevin drew The High Priestess. "Oh... your faith is in great turmoil, young elf. The spirits speak of it." The princely elf shook his head, "You don't have to tell me..." She continued on, "Your reading is The Owl." 8 Harrow points. Z'larra gave Thorn the reading of "The Mute Hag." 6 Harrow points. "That is all the power that the deck can offer at this time... I hope that it will be enough." (Harrow points can be used to reroll any wisdom based skill check or will save. Also up to 3 points can be spent with each point adding 2 cleric levels when using the Turn Undead spell. Also one harrow point can be used to give a +2 bonus to hit, to damage, and toward the save of any divine spell.) "The spirits will protect you from the effects of the castle for some time, but I would not linger in there." Z'larra nodded to us. Erevin nodded to her, "We do not mean to linger."

"Whatever it is I can take it. I'm going. I have to protect you," Kale stepped up next to Wren. She smiled up at him for his bravery, but the image of him fighting Bridget in the losing battle and telling her to run without him haunted her... and fearing to lose him here, she shook her head with wide eyes, "You can't go in there unprotected! What if the spirits steal you?" "I'm with Kale," Axton nodded, "I'm protected by Sune. I'm not worried about any spirits." He looked at Yuki. "Why are you looking at me?" Yuki glanced over at him, "You're a grown man... You can do what you like." She glanced down at her feet and mumbled worriedly, "Just don't die..." He smiled over at her, "Hey that's my line!" "Hey!" she looked up at him and then blushed, "Nothing... I didn't say anything." Kale laid a soft hand on Wren's concerned shoulder, "If you think it's best... I'll stay." She sighed, leaning in to him closer, "Of course I want you to come... but I don't want you to go in with the spirits and whatever else might lie inside... unprotected!" she shook her head at him, her eyes fearful and concerned. Yuki shrugged at Axton, "You're a cleric. You can cast protection from evil on you and Kale..." Axton nodded, "Alright." Wren held onto Kale's hand, still shaking her head, "I still think this is a bad idea." Shri stepped close to Erevin, "You'll be alright?" He nodded to her, "I'll be fine." She nodded again, "Alright. I'll wait here for you."

Yuki glanced over at Wren clasping Kale's hand tightly with worry as she brewed a bull strength tea. She looked up at Axton, "You should stay." He put his hands on his hips and looked at her, "I am the senior priest here." "Don't you think we need a rescue party... just in case?" She tried to convince him, "I mean after what happened last time... I can't think of anyone... who I'd rather have carry out my lifeless body... than you and Kale." She fluttered her long lashes over her sweet and sincere blue eyes. Axton bought in and nodded, "ANY sign of trouble... and Kale and I will rush in." Yuki glanced back at Wren and winked. The young witch nodded to her gratefully and looked up at Kale who was watching the Sunites. Kale shook his head slightly at Axton, "I think she's snowing you..." Wren nudged and whispered to him, "Shh! She's trying to protect you both..."

The group of 6 disembarked from Destiny heading on foot through the pine woods to find even more signs of orcs as they grew ever closer. We recalled the orcs at the end of Uthgarte's story who were all killed except for the one who escaped with white skin... Erevin scouted in close to find crudely dressed orcs camped outside of the castle wearing white paint on their skin, guarding the bridge that lead up to the castle. They were accompanied by green skinned goblins walking around the area shaking sticks with rattling bits of bone and metal on the end. Moving up closer, a plan was made to sneak around and take the two towers in the middle, sending Posy to take one all on her own. Everyone drank their tea and casted up protective and buffing spells.

They slipped up quietly along the shore of the very still black water... a light breeze blew through Wren's hair as she stepped forward a little too quickly... one of the orcs turned toward the lake, sniffing the air, "Elves!" Arrows flew out from Erevin in the shadows striking the orc twice in the chest and once in the throat causing him to drop to the ground, gurgling on his words. Mari ran into the group of orcs, tearing off one of their legs! Posy continued past them, invisible, as the 4 small goblins ran screaming in fear to the door of the far tower. 6 orcs high up on the near tower fired arrows toward the shore where Erevin had stepped out of the bushes, grazing him with 2 arrows as three more orcs surrounded Mari.

Maliumpkin moved in, shape-shifted as a lion, with Melleron and her summoned dire bear mauling through the terrified orcs in a flurry of claws, teeth, orc blood, and bits! Wren called out for Cirdan and fired her black-feathered bow to launch a lightning arrow into another of the orcs as Yuki stepped forward with her, forming a sacred bond. Posy made her way through the goblins, crashing through the tower door to see three bigger orcs, armored inside that were getting up to meet her. A mage orc on top of the far tower sent a fireball down into the crowd near the shore, everyone scattering quickly from the rolling flames.

Yuki calmed the first tier of archers above us with a soft pink weed-like smoke as Mali and her companions continued to eviscerate the orcs around us. Wren sent out a lightning bolt across the field into the mage orc on top of the tower. His charred body fell over the edge to the ground below. Posy activated her ring of retribution, rolling out a wave of fire all around her! The goblins just behind her fell to ash and heavy burns covered the orcs around her. Everyone across the field glanced at the tower Posy ran into as fire washed out of the door...then the orcs inside around her went into a rage, striking her with a flurry of blades.

Erevin sent out another barrage of arrows, using the green gem on his glove to grow the foliage around the orcs to entangle them. Mari mauled another as Thorn made his stealthy way up the shoreline tower to the top, stabbing one of the archer orcs in the back. One of the orcs slashed into Melleron's shoulder as an arrow sailed down from the tower into Wren. A chieftan orc charged through Erevin's bramble vines in a deep rage, cutting Mali's summoned bear in half as his furious eyes turned to her next! Mali moved up bravely to meet him and slashed him with her claws. Yuki moved up, whipping her silk ribbon towards Mali, caressing her fur, healing her. Wren was pinned between an orc and the very still black water of the lake, her feet on the very edge of the shore... she stepped back, levitating just over the water and the orc followed her in... the water immediately deep as he stepped out with water up to his thighs as he slashed into her. Something stirred, sending ripples out in the water...

Thorn impaled the other archer orc on the top of the tower with his dagger, dropping him as Posy gashed into the armored orcs around her, still fighting them off alone, she managed to bring one of them down! The other two slashed into her heavily from either side, spilling her blood all over the floor! Erevin sent out another barrage of arrows into the chieftan orc engaging the red stone on his glove to explode an arrow into him with fiery bits! Mali shook off the scattering sparks of the exploding arrow and clawed into the chieftan with her great lion paws while Melleron mauled yet another of the orcs.

Three more armored orcs charged out of the tower beside Yuki! Wren lifted herself higher into the air, out of the reach of the orc chasing her into the water and turned to cast thoughts of confusion over the new three approaching orcs. Surprised suddenly, Yuki turned around and held out her hands, "KIYAH!!!", smiting them soundly. The two on either side of the leader held hands over their eyes, blinded by the bright light. Thorn used his dagger to port below on the tower with the calmed archers, stabbing one of them in the back! The orc dropped his bow, no longer calmed, and drew a sword to slash into Thorn's chest!

Posy massacred another orc on her, turning her rage filled eyes to the last of them! Erevin turned to send multiple arrows into the lead orc who had bursted out of the tower, seemingly unaffected by the blindness or confusion the two beside him were suffering from. Another orc gashed into Erevin as Mali finished the chieftan engaged with her. Melleron tore into one of the confused and blind orcs, dropping him to the ground as the other babbled incoherently beside him.

A giant worm-like serpent emerged out of the water swallowing the orc in the water whole beside Wren! Wren's eyes widened in fear and she sent a massive lightning bolt through her wand into the enormous creature, but despite the powerful attack... it didn't look very hurt... Wren paled, screaming out, "Kale!" so used to the strong elven warrior fighting beside her... she glanced back to see Erevin fighting an orc behind her on the shore. "Erevin! Move away from the shoreline!" Yuki sent out a powerful wave of healing over everyone.

Posy gashed her great axe through the last of the armored orcs in the far tower and started heading back across the field to the others covered in a thick mix of orc blood and her own. Erevin stepped backward into the water as he battled on with the great lead orc from the near tower. Yuki looked up with wide eyes to see the giant worm creature leap out of the water to impale the barb on it's tail through Wren's back to stick out of her chest! Wren inhaled sharply, gasping in pain from the strike as it sapped her strength with poison! Yuki quickly sent healing through their sacred bond to heal the witch who flew to the ground where Mali put a big lion paw on her to remove the poison that was quickly sapping away more of her strength. Thorn played games with the calmed archers... pretending his dagger was fake as they took turns letting him hit them with it, allowing him to kill them all easily.

Erevin considered drawing his blades against the worm creature, but seeing a new ripple in the water, he listened to Wren urging him to get out of the lake and the creatures disappeared, sinking into the water... Erevin instead ran across the field to shoot arrows into the remaining orcs guarding the bridge. Finally with the grounds cleared... we stopped to heal up before collecting magical items from the orcs.

Mithril Shirt +1 Greatsword (Potent... Wren needs to try identifying again later) Amulet +1 natural armor Gauntlets of +2 Strength 6 Breastplates +1 6 Great Axes +1 A necklace of seven silver-plated red wormling skulls valued at 2000 gold

Everone stepped onto the ornate bridge leading over the black water. 400 feet long... it expanded out to an archway before the great castle. High arching columns lined the outer edge every 40 feet, each marked with a pair of gargoyle statues facing out toward the water.

The castle ahead was foreboding... Looking almost ethereal, the dark rock of its walls rose up from the obscure depths of the mist that hung over the black water around it. Many dark carrion birds soared in the sky around it and perched along it's battle towers. A ghostly glow lit up some of the windows and arrow slits... with faint flickering betraying the motions of the creatures within.

100 feet away from the castle, the portcullis opened up ahead. Wren slipped on a mirrored mask to cover her frightened face and she stepped closer to Yuki. A thump of marching feet sounded out as 20 heavily armored skeletons marched in a procession, lead by a skeletal nightmare... flames licking out from it's hooves and nostrils as it carried a rider in black platemale armor who gripped a lance that was dripping in blood. Cold pitiless eyes stared at us as they marched ever closer...

"Erevin...?" Yuki murmured, raising her ribbon to the sky... Erevin stepped up beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder, "Wait for it... " The procession...marched forward...closer and closer... "Eeeerevin....?" "Not yet. Let them come closer." Posy stepped in front of Yuki with her great axe ready. They came...closer and closer... Yuki could feel the dark energy of Melar pressing outward... "EREVIN?!!" Erevin released her shoulder, "Now." Yuki flicked out her pink ribbon and, with the great power of her Goddess, she embraced the help of the spirits from the tarot deck, "HEART! POWER! MAAAAAKE-UP!!! DISMISS THESE UNDEAD CREATURES!" BOOM! A bright pink light filled with warmth and love and dazzling pink hearts washed out from the priestess... All 20 skeletons disintegrated into nothingness! The nightmare turned to dust beneath its rider who tumbled with eerie grace to the ground, striking forward with his lance into the beautiful priestess! Everyone rushed around Yuki, surrounding and mauling the blackplated rider to nothingness!

With the way clear, everyone raced across the rest of the bridge into the castle... looking up into the slitted walls. As an arcane caster, Wren could feel a mysterious heaviness weighing down on her. The spectral figure of Z'larra appeared before us, "This is what must be... do not grieve for me. If you are successful, you can free me." Her spirit was then sucked into the walls!