Day Four of the Odinsleep (The Party Gains Momentum)

Day Four of the Odinsleep (Noon- 5pm)

Korbin’s dream begins once more – Ginnugagap, the confluence of ice and fire, the creation of the Nine Realms, the rise of the gods and Thor’s death.  All remains the same until the duel atop the rainbow outside of the city.  This time, instead of Loki battling the warrior, a hideous monstrosity stitched together from parts and pieces taken from the Einherjar, the Jotun, Svartalfar, and wyrms faces off against the fighter.  Loki’s would-be slayer is killed by the wretched abomination and Loki goes on to divert the arrival of the fire demons through illusions, lies and other beguilements.  As the demons withdraw, Loki takes the high seat in the gods’ mead hall for himself.
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Idunn moves toward the edge of the wall, ignoring the massing Svartalfar behind her as the mortal heroes take up her defense.  The goddess peers over the edge of the wall at the battlefield below and sees her three elven allies – Drow, Gold, and Moon crossing the war-strewn ground.  She swiftly motions with one hand, turning the fingers up and curling them into a caricature of a claw.  Thousands of centipedes pour out of the ground in the midst of the ogres, clambering over one of the dumb brutes and taking bites out of it with their vicious mandibles.  Shocked howls of pain echo across the field as the tiny insects swarm over their foes, slowly devouring them bite by miniscule bite.  In moments, the body is stripped of flesh and falls, its bones clattering to the ground as the deadly swarm turns its attention to its next foe.

The goddess’ bees buzz angrily as the close in on their target, slowly surrounding him and jabbing with poisoned stingers dripping with venom.  The Svartalfar twists and spins, remaining clear of the deadly insects and stabs at one of them as it closes in on him, skewering it through its thorax and dropping it with a single blow.

Desmond continues to dither about joining the fight, loathe to move from his place protecting the goddess but finally, the former sergeant snaps into motion, rushing forward and intercepting a Svartalfar as it closes in on the tight knot of his companions.  The dark elf twists its wrists, angling its spear to meet the soldier’s advance.  Desmond takes a hit on his shoulder and the dark spear point stabs through to the tender flesh beneath.  Desmond thrusts with his blade, slashing the elf across the arm.  Purple motes of light surround the wound and are drawn into the sword, aptly named Lifetaker and surge up through the steel, passing into Desmond’s hand and from there into his body.  The stolen life force mends the wound in his shoulder, leaving little more than a scar behind.  The Svartalfar’s eyes go wide as he witnesses the miracle bestowed on the blade’s wielder and a wicked smile spreads across his face.

Arthur finds himself hemmed in by three of the dark elves.  The paladin’s sword flares brightly in the presence of their evil and he steps forward, pushing the one to his left back with his shield while slashing with his silvered sword at the one farthest to his right.  He works his sword, pulled from the throne of an abandoned keep on his homeworld of Nehwon, up and down, battering at the Svartalfar’s defenses, forcing an opening he can exploit and with a blinding flourish, he manages to strike twice against his would-be assailant.  The strength of his blow, combined with the holy enchantments of his fiery blade prove too much for the elf to bear and the Svartalfar falls, pierced through the neck.

Grotto snarls and raises his axe for the a throw at the dark elf attacking Cedron from behind but discovers that he is too close so he wades in, chopping with wild abandon as the chance to sake his blood lust finally arrives.  The heavy blade hews through the finely forged links of chain armor and parts the silvered thread woven through each of those links to split open the Svartalfar’s side.  The dark elf falls back a step, turning his attention to the scarred dwarf, leaving Cedron free to concentrate on his other attacker.  The bard’s singing blade dances in his hand.  While the minstrel-priest may not have the finesse of Shadow or Ra’ziir or the sheer speed and brute power of Raven, his swordsmanship proves to be more than a match for the dark elf.  His blade comes away from bloodied from two fresh wounds inflicted on his enemy.

Drax takes a quick look around atop the wall, choosing a route that will take past each of the invaders and whispers “یمپرود ینویسیبیلیتی” before vanishing from view, cloaked in invisibility.

Kysek spins around to the side of the Svartalfar engaging Grotto and sinks both of his swords in the elf’s kidneys, clean up to their hilts.  The blades burst from the chest of his slain foe before being withdrawn and readied for the next threat to present itself to the gold elf.

Hansuke continues to press his advantage against his already battered foe. Fists, elbows, and knees pummel the Svartalfar faster than his eyes can follow and the dark elf can barely follow the incoming blows, let alone defend himself against them.  One last punch to the left temple caves in the dark elf’s skull, sending it into the cold oblivion of death.

Niklas takes aim at the Svartalfar battling Grotto and Cedron with his bow.  He sees that foe die, impaled on Kysek’s blades.  The woodsman scans the wall, peering through the chaotic melee, spots a target, takes a deep breath, lets half go and looses his arrows.  The feathered shaft fly true, passing just over Cedron’s shoulder to strike the dark warrior in the upper chest.  A second shot skims the minstrel’s cheek and hits the target in the face.  The dark elf finally topples backwards, another soul doomed to join the dead in Hela’s realm.

Morn jukes left then back to the right.  He sees that the two Svartalfar nearest to him are already distracted by Idunn’s summoned bees so he smiles and lashes out with his whip, sending it snaking up between the flying insects and rakes the lash across the ankles of the one closest to the edge of the wall.  The enchanted leather wraps around the elf’s ankles and he gives a sharp tug, ripping the footing out from underneath his target.  A second snap of the whip does the same thing to the other Svartalfar as well and both dark elves find themselves looking up at the two giant bees from their backs.

Both of them immediately roll one way or the other, attempting to get out from beneath the hovering insects and back onto their feet.  Swats with spears force the bugs to remain aloft as the dark elves regain their footing.  Arthur’s shield and reinforced armor fends off the attacking spears of both foes he battles but it is the last dark elf that proves to be the wiliest.  He lunges forward, feinting with his spear.  Desmond parries with his sword, not realizing the attack was naught but a ruse.  The Svartalfar closes his hand over the sergeant’s wrist, butting him in the hip and twists with his wrist.  The unexpected tactic works and Desmond loses his grip on the sword.  The dark elf snatches it up before it can hit the ground and runs, dropping over the edge of the wall and down into the orchard itself before the Thunder River Raider can react.
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Ra’ziir’s fiery blade slashes back and forth, carving huge rents in the chest of the troll he faces.  He quickly mutters a spell, its incantation spoken in the same rhythm of each of the bladesinger’s attacks.  The magic takes hold, and produces a roaring gout of fire from the elf-emental’s outstretched hand that engulfs the troll’s head.  The rubbery hide of the green beast burns eagerly, roasting the beast as Ra’ziir turns in search for more battle.

Shadow swoops down and grabs Raven’s wrist, hauling him aloft.  Raven looks up at his drown companion and points, yelling over the rushing wind for Shadow to fly them toward the rapidly advanced serpents.  The dark elf nods his ascent and banks, altering his course and pouring on as much speed as he can.  As the drow flies, he gets his first good look at the slithering wyrms.  The dragons each have snake-like bodies but are wingless and have only one pair of limbs, arms ending in wicked claws.  They slice through the water of the fjord with alacrity, racing toward the god standing at the beach with hunger blazing in their eyes.

The ogre and troll closest to the companion that was eaten alive by centipedes move, pushing forward into the frontline of the battle, shoving and pushing the Einherjar as they try to make their way to safety.  The fallen warriors of Valhalla slow the advance but are pushed back by the massive attackers.  One warrior, trapped between a pair of Ogres is pounded with one huge hammer after another until nothing but paste remains.  The remaining defenders manage to drag down one of the ogres, leaving a gap in the attackers’ line as well.
= = = = = =
• Haste – all except Korbin and Raven (13 rounds remaining)

• Arthur: 100% health;
• Bubo: 100% health;
• Cedron: 69% health; True Seeing (10 minutes, 5 rounds remaining)
• Desmond: 100% health;
• Drax: 100% health; Greater Invisibility (10 rounds remaining)
• Grotto: 100% health;
• Hansuke: 97% health;
• Korbin: 100% health;
• Kysek: 100% health;
• Morn: 100% health;
• Niklas: 100% health;
• Raven: 100% health;
• Ra’ziir: 100% health; Fly (16 minutes, 8 rounds remaining)
• Shadow: 100% health; Overland Flight (16 hours, 59 minutes, 6 rounds remaining)
• Spewer: 100% health