Day Three of the Odinsleep (The Plains of Vígríðr - Scouting Ahead)

Day Three of the Odinsleep – 9:40 – 9:50 am 

As the battle comes to an end, Shadow walks the field, stabbing fallen riders to be sure that they are indeed, dead.  Ra’ziir sheathes Deathblossom, disappointed that the sword didn’t have a chance to taste the blood of the dark elves of Asgard.  He thanks the summoned elementals for their service and advises them to remain vigilant as it is likely they will see more combat before the day is out.  He then stops and begins walking toward the newcomer, “Raven, that guy has a magical pig.  I want to know if it can fly.”

Raven looks in the direction of the shaggy-haired man in time to see him dismiss both pig and the summoned bees.

 

Grotto scowls, “A little information would have been helpful but at least Hanseath will be pleased by our victory!”  The scarred dwarf floats into the air to survey the area, making certain that there are no more foes in hiding.

 

Cedron lands near Ra’ziir and Raven, “I’m curious if that was a test.  It was less complicated than I expected but perhaps that was because of our new stone friends.”

 

Raven shakes his head, “Not a test, a probe.  They wanted to see what we had left after we stopped those giants in the first wave.”

 

“Probe…test…either way, I don’t like it.  We fought more as team in this second battle, but we need to do better.  I wish there was a way we could probe them back, try to get a feel for what’s in store for us.  It would sure help me plan my spell use better.” 

“I can fly out there.” Shadow replies, “see what there is to see.”

 

“Alone?” the minstrel asks.

 

“Fine.  Everyone who can fly, let’s go!  Recon!” the drow calls out.

 

Arthur and Grotto both join Shadow and Cedron and together the four lift off and into the air.  Cedron pulls the hood of the Witching Cloak up over his head and vanishes from view, “I’m ready when you are.  I recommend some level of concealment or invisibility to those of us going.  I’d prefer to not draw the attention of an army.”

 

“Until this iron body spell is over, my magical abilities are hampered.  I will just have to hope that my cloak helps.  If things go sour and we fall under attack, just fly back without me.  I have a date later after the feast and I assure you I will make it back for that.”

 

The four adventurers fly off, heading south along the rolling plain. While the fliers scout the terrain, Kysek returns his wand to its sheath. The thief-turned mage smiles toward Niklas, “That was a nice shot, my friend! Stay vigilant, I’m sure the next wave will be more challenging than the last two.”

 

Niklas thanks Kysek for the compliment and then silently thanks his uncle, Piotr for the time he spent training him to use a bow.

 

Hansuke checks the fallen riders and the horses, searching through pockets and saddlebags.  Drax cleans his gear, having already checked the bodies and finding nothing that was worth bothering to take.  Desmond returns to the group, waiting to see what the next part of the plan will be.  Korbin drops down into his portable hole and begins rummaging around for some of the green cheese he collected on the moon back in the Grimmlands.   The crow’s stomach is rumbling and his wings are tired from so much high speed flying and drastic maneuvers that he must eat.

 

Grog looks around for someone to talk to and sees two of the fighters from the battle approaching him.  He has so many questions that need to be answered…what is this place?  Why is it being attacked from so many places at once?  Where did that Shadow person go?

 

Several minutes pass by.  The scouts cover at least five miles during the course of their flight and come over a large hill and finally get a look at the one camp of the enemy.  Stretching out to the horizon to the east and west, for as far as the eye can see, trolls, ogres, and dark elves move across the ground like ants.  Massive Jotun tower over everything around them but remain seated around large tents, drinking and eating and ordering the smaller troops around.  In a matter of moments, the group counts at least a score of the huge blue-skinned beasts and that is just in this immediate area.  It is not unlikely that similar camps are set up every few miles or so in both directions.  It is no surprise that this Army of Darkness has no qualms about throwing away the lives of its troops.  For every warrior that falls in battle, there must be at least fifty more ready to take his place! 

 

One of the huge giants looks up, curious about the light shining down over his camp and sees Arthur glowing in the sky.  It spots Shadow and Grotto a moment later and roars an alarm as it reaches to rip a boulder the size of a covered wagon out of the ground.

= = = = = =

• Arthur: 94% health;

• Bubo: 100% health;

• Cedron: 93% health;

• Desmond: 100% health;

• Drax: 100% health;

• Grog: 100% health;

• Grotto: 100% health;

• Hansuke: 94% health;

• Korbin: 100% health;

• Kysek: 100% health; Stoneskin (67 minutes, 4 rounds remaining)

• Morn: 100% health;

• Niklas: 100% health;

• Raven: 86% health;

• Ra’ziir: 100% health; Stoneskin (147 minutes, 4 rounds remaining); Elemental Swarm (8 Large Earth Elementals, 1 Huge Earth Elemental, 1 Elder Earth Elemental – by the time the Elder arrives, 129 minutes, 3 rounds remaining)

• Shadow: 100% health; Overland Flight (14 hours, 28 minutes, 5 rounds remaining); Iron Body (DR15/adam, immune to blindness/critical hit/deafness/disease/drowning/electricity/poison/stunning and effects that affect physiology or respiration, Str 21 (+5)/Dex 16 (+3) attack bonus/penalty cancel out, gains +3 damage, ASF 50%, -8ACP, 2 minutes, 4 rounds remaining);

• Spewer: 100% health;