Day Four of the Odinsleep (Jotuns on the Wall)
Day Four of the Odinsleep (5pm)
The Crone shoulders past the Maiden, “Telleth us truly, Kaniŋ the Cunning, what didst thee see in thy fever’d dreams?”
The three Norns all lean in, anxious to hear the crow’s words. Korbin tells them about his vision – he goes into great detail, inserting his views on the events as they unfolded and then talks about how it changed over the course of his dreaming, including the end where Loki turns the fire demons away from Asgard.
The Crone frowns, her iron teeth hidden behind a deep scowl and turns to her sister Norns, “Tis as we feared. Loki seeks to subvert his Doom. He will buildeth a monster from those warriors fallen on the field of battle to be slain by Heimdall in his stead during Ragnarok. This is his grand scheme.”
The Maiden replies, “But, in Loki’s plan, Asgard survives. Tis not destroyed by the fire demons – perhaps THIS is his true fate?”
The Mother shakes her head, “No. Loki’s plan wilt disrupt the cycle of creation, death, and rebirth. All of the Nine Worlds wilt suffer if 't be true his path cometh to fruit.”
Korbin, by this point only half-listening remarks, “While the three of you puzzle this out, I have to try out these new wings.” Korbin gives a single flap of his wings and lifts into the air. The sheer amount of air he can feel himself moving is like nothing he has ever experienced before. He flies out of the open window, skimming the ground, turning loops in the air and handling his new dagger. He discovers that while he is much faster than before, he will need to take his new size into account when it comes to maneuvering – he simply can’t turn corners quite as sharply as before.
- - - - - - - - - -
Niklas, like everyone else, sees the advancing Jotuns and asks Idunn if they have any exploitable weaknesses. The woodsman knows that his arrows will do little to slow the giants’ charge so he leans out over the side and fires three arrows at one of the ogres stumbling out of the fireball below. His first two arrows drill into the top of the nearest ogre’s head and it falls dead. He adjusts his aim slightly to the his right and his final shot strikes the ogre burned ogre right behind its ear as it lean over to check in its fallen ally and it too is killed and topples to the ground.
“The Jotun are strength and rage incarnate. They have no weakness save their great size, they are so large that dozens of warriors may fight them at once, attacking from all sides like wolves. Idunn raises her hands and the ground below erupts with woody vines, each festooned with razor sharp barbs. “Perhaps this will slow them long enough for Thor or Tyr to come to our aid.” Arthur sees Idunn shift slightly from one foot to the other, another sign of her unease, “Milady, this may not mean much in the grand scheme of things but I, Arthur, First Paladin of Malazzarr, will do all I can to protect you, even if it costs me my life.”
Seeing how easily Ægir dispatched his draconic adversary, Drax instead joins Idunn and focuses his attention on the Jotun, taking a deep, calming breath as he awaits their arrival.
Grotto’s jovial mood quickly turns somber as he feels the ground quake. He races to the goddess’ side, axe in hand and readies himself for the coming battle.
Kysek twists the gem on his ring back into its original position, dispelling its magic and picks up Desmond’s sword. He passes it back to the sergeant, “You may want to keep a stronger hand on this.” The thief then turns and heads back up the nearby stairs to the join the others atop the wall. Cedron, still floating above the orchard, taps the band of his telekinetic ring with his thumb and a beam of energy lifts Desmond from the ground and returns him to the top of the wall. Desmond sheathes his blade and follows the minstrel-priest, bow still in hand.
Morn murmurs a soft curse under his breath, “Empty road….” He looks to his companions, nearly all gathered by Idunn, “We are going to need some sort of a plan before they reach us, as to what, I have few ideas and none of merit.”
- - - - -
Ra’ziir flies over to Hansuke and grabs him by the arm and flies, up and over Idunn’s conjured thorn barrier and back to the top of the wall. On the way, he concentrates, sending a mental message to Raven that many more Jotun have arrived to join the battle at the wall.
The two lead Jotuns scarcely slow, running side-by-side as they close on the wall and Idunn’s bramble barrier. The other four fall in behind them to form two columns of three. As the first two reach the goddess’ conjured vines, they flat onto their bellies, crushing the thorny plants beneath their bulk and their allies run over their backs, clearing the obstacle in a matter of moments. The last ogre, troll, and Einherjar race to get out of the way of the charging giants, none wanting to get flattened when they arrive. For a moment, the five warriors look at each other and laugh, the sheer absurdity of the situation briefly too much to bear. The next two Jotun reach the base of the wall, stop, face each other and link hands to form a “stirrup”. The last two giants hit that stirrup at a run and are hoisted up and onto the top of the wall. As the Jotun’s reach the top of Asgard’s defensive perimeter, they reach over their shoulders and draw their weapons – one, a massive hammer, and the second a terrible axe.
- - - - -
Shadow flies like a missile toward the lindwyrm battling his summoned elemental. His dagger joins Swiftwind as he circles around behind it. The rapier’s point slips between the scales easily enough, piercing the thick muscles beneath the skin while his dagger draws a long thin line of blood along the back of the dragon’s neck.
The massive Water Elemental pounds the dragon’s chest with the relentlessness of waves breaking on the shore. The thunderous impacts splinter scales and drive the dragon back into the deeper water.
Raven holds on tightly with his left hand as he thrusts Nightwatcher into the dragon’s underbelly again and again. The black blade tears through scales like they were made of paper, shredding muscle and puncturing organs with every strike. On his third thrust, he strikes the monster’s heart and the dragon goes still, sinking beneath the waves and nearly pulling the elf down with it in its wake.
The final Lindwyrm roars, slashing at the elemental with its powerful forelimbs but once again, these hit almost nothing solid but the dragon’s gaping jaws do tear enough water away to provoke a pained rumble from the otherworldly being. The dragon’s tail lashes the air, seeking the flying dark elf but Shadow twists aside, nimbly avoiding the strike as Raven’s head breaks the surface of the water and he draws in a deep breath of air.
Ægir reaches down, grabbing his slain dragon by the scruff of the neck and pulls it ashore, effortlessly tossing its body aside.
= = = = = =
• Haste – all except Korbin and Raven (9 rounds remaining)
• Arthur: 100% health;
• Bubo: 100% health;
• Cedron: 90% health; True Seeing (10 minutes, 1 rounds remaining)
• Desmond: 94% health;
• Drax: 100% health; Greater Invisibility (6 rounds)
• Grotto: 100% health;
• Hansuke: 93% health;
• Korbin: 100% health;
• Kysek: 100% health;
• Morn: 100% health;
• Niklas: 100% health;
• Raven: 94% health;
• Ra’ziir: 100% health; Fly (16 minutes, 4 rounds remaining)
• Shadow: 100% health; Overland Flight (16 hours, 59 minutes, 2 rounds remaining), Stoneskin (100%, 169 minutes, 8 rounds remaining), Monster Summoning VIII (16 rounds remaining)
• Spewer: 100% health
The Crone shoulders past the Maiden, “Telleth us truly, Kaniŋ the Cunning, what didst thee see in thy fever’d dreams?”
The three Norns all lean in, anxious to hear the crow’s words. Korbin tells them about his vision – he goes into great detail, inserting his views on the events as they unfolded and then talks about how it changed over the course of his dreaming, including the end where Loki turns the fire demons away from Asgard.
The Crone frowns, her iron teeth hidden behind a deep scowl and turns to her sister Norns, “Tis as we feared. Loki seeks to subvert his Doom. He will buildeth a monster from those warriors fallen on the field of battle to be slain by Heimdall in his stead during Ragnarok. This is his grand scheme.”
The Maiden replies, “But, in Loki’s plan, Asgard survives. Tis not destroyed by the fire demons – perhaps THIS is his true fate?”
The Mother shakes her head, “No. Loki’s plan wilt disrupt the cycle of creation, death, and rebirth. All of the Nine Worlds wilt suffer if 't be true his path cometh to fruit.”
Korbin, by this point only half-listening remarks, “While the three of you puzzle this out, I have to try out these new wings.” Korbin gives a single flap of his wings and lifts into the air. The sheer amount of air he can feel himself moving is like nothing he has ever experienced before. He flies out of the open window, skimming the ground, turning loops in the air and handling his new dagger. He discovers that while he is much faster than before, he will need to take his new size into account when it comes to maneuvering – he simply can’t turn corners quite as sharply as before.
- - - - - - - - - -
Niklas, like everyone else, sees the advancing Jotuns and asks Idunn if they have any exploitable weaknesses. The woodsman knows that his arrows will do little to slow the giants’ charge so he leans out over the side and fires three arrows at one of the ogres stumbling out of the fireball below. His first two arrows drill into the top of the nearest ogre’s head and it falls dead. He adjusts his aim slightly to the his right and his final shot strikes the ogre burned ogre right behind its ear as it lean over to check in its fallen ally and it too is killed and topples to the ground.
“The Jotun are strength and rage incarnate. They have no weakness save their great size, they are so large that dozens of warriors may fight them at once, attacking from all sides like wolves. Idunn raises her hands and the ground below erupts with woody vines, each festooned with razor sharp barbs. “Perhaps this will slow them long enough for Thor or Tyr to come to our aid.” Arthur sees Idunn shift slightly from one foot to the other, another sign of her unease, “Milady, this may not mean much in the grand scheme of things but I, Arthur, First Paladin of Malazzarr, will do all I can to protect you, even if it costs me my life.”
Seeing how easily Ægir dispatched his draconic adversary, Drax instead joins Idunn and focuses his attention on the Jotun, taking a deep, calming breath as he awaits their arrival.
Grotto’s jovial mood quickly turns somber as he feels the ground quake. He races to the goddess’ side, axe in hand and readies himself for the coming battle.
Kysek twists the gem on his ring back into its original position, dispelling its magic and picks up Desmond’s sword. He passes it back to the sergeant, “You may want to keep a stronger hand on this.” The thief then turns and heads back up the nearby stairs to the join the others atop the wall. Cedron, still floating above the orchard, taps the band of his telekinetic ring with his thumb and a beam of energy lifts Desmond from the ground and returns him to the top of the wall. Desmond sheathes his blade and follows the minstrel-priest, bow still in hand.
Morn murmurs a soft curse under his breath, “Empty road….” He looks to his companions, nearly all gathered by Idunn, “We are going to need some sort of a plan before they reach us, as to what, I have few ideas and none of merit.”
- - - - -
The two lead Jotuns scarcely slow, running side-by-side as they close on the wall and Idunn’s bramble barrier. The other four fall in behind them to form two columns of three. As the first two reach the goddess’ conjured vines, they flat onto their bellies, crushing the thorny plants beneath their bulk and their allies run over their backs, clearing the obstacle in a matter of moments. The last ogre, troll, and Einherjar race to get out of the way of the charging giants, none wanting to get flattened when they arrive. For a moment, the five warriors look at each other and laugh, the sheer absurdity of the situation briefly too much to bear. The next two Jotun reach the base of the wall, stop, face each other and link hands to form a “stirrup”. The last two giants hit that stirrup at a run and are hoisted up and onto the top of the wall. As the Jotun’s reach the top of Asgard’s defensive perimeter, they reach over their shoulders and draw their weapons – one, a massive hammer, and the second a terrible axe.
- - - - -
The massive Water Elemental pounds the dragon’s chest with the relentlessness of waves breaking on the shore. The thunderous impacts splinter scales and drive the dragon back into the deeper water.
Raven holds on tightly with his left hand as he thrusts Nightwatcher into the dragon’s underbelly again and again. The black blade tears through scales like they were made of paper, shredding muscle and puncturing organs with every strike. On his third thrust, he strikes the monster’s heart and the dragon goes still, sinking beneath the waves and nearly pulling the elf down with it in its wake.
The final Lindwyrm roars, slashing at the elemental with its powerful forelimbs but once again, these hit almost nothing solid but the dragon’s gaping jaws do tear enough water away to provoke a pained rumble from the otherworldly being. The dragon’s tail lashes the air, seeking the flying dark elf but Shadow twists aside, nimbly avoiding the strike as Raven’s head breaks the surface of the water and he draws in a deep breath of air.
Ægir reaches down, grabbing his slain dragon by the scruff of the neck and pulls it ashore, effortlessly tossing its body aside.
= = = = = =
• Haste – all except Korbin and Raven (9 rounds remaining)
• Arthur: 100% health;
• Bubo: 100% health;
• Cedron: 90% health; True Seeing (10 minutes, 1 rounds remaining)
• Desmond: 94% health;
• Drax: 100% health; Greater Invisibility (6 rounds)
• Grotto: 100% health;
• Hansuke: 93% health;
• Korbin: 100% health;
• Kysek: 100% health;
• Morn: 100% health;
• Niklas: 100% health;
• Raven: 94% health;
• Ra’ziir: 100% health; Fly (16 minutes, 4 rounds remaining)
• Shadow: 100% health; Overland Flight (16 hours, 59 minutes, 2 rounds remaining), Stoneskin (100%, 169 minutes, 8 rounds remaining), Monster Summoning VIII (16 rounds remaining)
• Spewer: 100% health
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