Tales of the Heroes

[Valdis]

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 25

“Perhaps I’ll eat you all.”  The avatar said, great sword in his hands again.

Not swinging now, the avatar began to dismantle the defenses of his opponents as they attacked.  Magic fell away and the heat of the room began to take its toll.  The heat began to heal the avatar, which despite his confidence had been hit by countless blows of epic proportion from some of the strongest mortals.

Koth’s breath grew heavy as his protections faded.  Age and heat weighed him down.  This whole battle was on borrowed time.  Every spell he had cast was to help him get through this.  Lukius had blessed him with youth for the time, and that too was now dismissed by the avatar.  Every time he swung the hammer, he needed to call upon Gnarion for strength to do any damage.  He spells used up, he flew into a rage, one he assumed would be his last.  His flurry caught the avatar by surprise.  Iron sinew in his leg bent from the hammerblows.  Like chopping down a tree, Koth tried to get the giant to his knees.  Now that Haas was normal size, none could easily reach the giant.

He new the attack would come, and Koth was now the target of Sutyr’s rage.  Together, Valizar and Bezeded S'z't held back the sword.  Fiery breath burned away Valizar and a headbutt nearly knocked Bezeded S'z't off of him.  Haas prayed for blessing in hopes of finding a way to defeat Sutyr.  Finally, the leg buckled and Sutyr dropped down.  A few more swings for Gnarion, for freedom, and Koth could end this with his last breath.

Weakened, Sutyr reached out and reopened the portal.  From it, he drew more strength.  It would only take moments.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 26

This whole battle had not been enjoyable.  Valizar smashed giants with ease.  Fiends flew away from him.  Wizards never got nearby.  His suggestions were ignored.  Even Haas told him to keep quiet.  Valizar was annoyed, and he did endless exercises.  But deep down, he knew this was best.  Haas was right. 

Once in the mountain, things got better.  Wizards got close enough to crush.  Elementals he could hit thanks to blessings.  And now, a foe worthy as any he could imagine.  Something he hit will all his might that did not fall down or crumble.  It was amazing the force with which he hit Sutyr, and yet Sutyr did not fall, at least at first.  As a team, they wrestled him to the wall.  Thanks to Koth, they got him to the ground.  The portal closing had weakened the avatar.  Trained in every grappling art there was, Valizar felt the strength again rising in the avatar.  He knew he would not be able to hold him much longer.

Stupid portal, if it hadn’t reopened…then a thought flashed into his mind.  He could not help but let out a roar.  Now in command, giving wrestling orders and summoning all his strength, Valizar had himself, Koth and Bezeded S'z't move and shift the strengthening avatar.  Raging, Koth did not ask.  Bezeded S'z't seemed content to go with whatever the plan was.

Haas called out, “Good idea Valizar!  Get him into the portal!”  He smiled, years of training and Valizar was on the right path.  There had been moments of concern, but he was thinking on his feet, not going on instinct.

Haas was right, Valizar was thinking: “Haas, go into stone, pull from other side.” Another good idea, Haas thought.  He prayed be one with the stone.  Then he saw Valizar stand up.  That’s not how I would get him into the…

With Koth and Bezeded S'z't holding him down and Sutyr laughing as he basked in the glory of the portal to be free at any moment, Valizar roared out…”Stronmous, here’s another one, then I’m coming for you!!!”

Lifting his admantium blessed foot, Valizar drove the head of the avatar into the edge of the portal, using it to cleave its skull in two.  The explosion leveled the mountain.

[Malchia]

Lifting his admantium blessed foot, Valizar drove the head of the avatar into the edge of the portal, using it to cleave its skull in two.  The explosion leveled the mountain.

[whitesword]

If that’s real, bravo and extra XP.

[Windblade]

He made it.  That is lightning  bolts text.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 27

To kill the avatar of a mighty god from another plane was quite a task.  It was not less challenging to kill a quasi deity on its own plane.  Yet Lyla was confident as she moved towards Dourvan.  She was flanked by a dozen of her elite guard and faced with only an elderly man, a hobbled king and a strange beast.  From a sheaf, she pulled a dagger that looked more like a shard of metal put onto a hilt.  “What happened to you when you are destroyed?  It’s a question even I don’t know the answer to.  I do know what happens to me though.”

He commanded the beast leave, in a voice that would have been impossible to resist had it been any normal beast.  When it did not, Lyla paused.  Her guards unleashed a barrage of missiles.  No fewer than one hundred magic bolts of energy flew from them.  It was a terrible end, not one any warrior would hope for, but Cynias crumbled.  Arion, wished for the Gemblade, but it did not appear.  Valen prayed and Arion only barely stopped himself from kicking him to act.  Another barrage came in, but they failed to reach Arion.

“What are you, so well hidden by magic?”  Starting to cast, she was interrupted by a mighty crash.  None could help but turn to see the mountain collapse to half its size.  Some on the slopes were crushed, others fled.  Screams could be heard for a mile.  A cloud of dust covered the area.  Lyla turned back and undeterred began to cast again.  Now Valen leapt forward, Arion ready to strike.  Magical tentacles reached out from several of the guard and grasped them both, dragging them to the ground before they could strike.

Dourvan stopped conducting and readied for battle.  He could not remember the last time he fought.  A small shield appeared on his arm.  He waited on the pillar, ever the tactician, wanted the high ground.  With a magic step, she was on his level.  The dagger danced as if it had a mind of its own.  Escalon, fighting to gain his balance hoped it was the dagger and not Lyla’s own skill.  Ajax clawed his way towards the fight.  The guard circled the pillar and cast spells to keep anyone out of the fight.  Walls and globes of varying types blocked the way and obscured the view.

Elsewhere, the planar giants stopped fighting and vanished.  The fire giants called a retreat and fled to the south.  Whatever fiends were left teleported elsewhere into the world.  Harrick had enough.  He collected some new allies, poor souls to rescue for their short mortal lives, and was gone before too long.  The remaining elves, gnomes, and others stumbled out of the dust, coughing until they reached clean air covered in dust, unable to do much besides gasp for breath.  Dash and Gales continued to deliver the wounded to the archons.  The last of the allies finished fighting off the summoned creatures and looked helplessly at the sphere shielding Dourvan.  Kagetora, his opponents having fled to the pillar, cut Arion loose along with Valen.  They heard the deep female voice of Soar, let them know she was near, but again, she had gone invisible so as to not cause panic.

For the moment, they could only watch, hoping for something to happen before the dagger found a crack in Dourvan’s defense, which was all he was doing.  Escalon spit out bile and phlegm enough to be understood for a moment.  “Sand”  Valen understood and realized what to do.  Changing into hulk, he dug swiftly into the ground.  Moments later, the pillar trembled and a whirlpool of sand sucked everyone in the globe down.  Lyla remained, hovering.  Beaten, yet composed, she put the dagger away and in a flash, was gone.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 28

Haas exited the rumble of the mountain, distraught and weary.  He could not look for Valizar or the others.  He would begin to pray once he saw what was left outside in hoped of finding them with a spell later.  He guessed the dust was from the collapse.  He picked his way to the west, occasionally finding and carrying an elf or gnome with him.  A gust of wind swept through and helped clear things a bit.  The beating of wings could be heard and Haas guessed that one of the dragons was clearing the field.  That was good news, if they were alive.

With her spell about to expire, Soar took flight and got out of sight.  She wanted to stay, but the chaos of her appearance would cause more harm than good.  Thinking to Dash to say goodbye for her, she took flight to investigate the world she had never seen before.  First, she needed to learn how to change shape.

When he could see the camp in the distance, Haas saw little else.  No fiends, no planar giants, not even fire giants were in sight.  No dragons in the sky, no archons.  It was as if the mountain’s collapse had frightened everyone away.  The soldiers that remained were walked north, to a muster point and the sight of the camp healers.  Haas walked that way too.  Those he walked with said little, no one was quite sure who had won.  On the way, he saw Dedaryl.  Long green hair a mess of dirt and blood, he asked what had happened inside after he was cut off.  Haas mumbled the tale.

The camp was sparse of healers.  None of the holy beings were here and few clerics.  Ajax was here, but he was ashen and looked very old and kneeling next to the body of Lukius.  A statue was in the camp and Haas recognizes it as Michael, the high cleric of Stasis.  The Horarians were not here either.  The only beings that seemed in good cheer at all, Haas did not to talk to, but he went to them anyway.  Sitting on a hovering carpet, the three desert elves shared glasses of wine.  When Haas neared, they raised a toast and offered him a bottle.  “We drink to each fallen ally.  Even though tomorrow we may be at each other’s throats, today we struggled together.  To whom should we drink next?”  Haas took the bottle and murmured “Valizar”.  They told him what had happened outside.

“…and Lukius was dead, dropped right at our feat.  Valen went to revive him and suddenly melted away in a puddle and scream.”  “It was terrible.” “Ajax says he died of a failed heart.”

Seeing Haas sharing the drink, other came forward and joined.  The Trio’s bottle never ran empty, and even the Vishtoo soaked it up.  The field was so quiet, that the voice of Dash, looking every bit a young human boy was striking.  “I’ve been told at times like this, you have things called bards that cause great cheer and lift dour moods.”  Haas was struck, Ajax a bit confused.  Was there not bard?  Among all these heroes and soldiers, how could not one have an instrument or know how to sing.

Admiral Gneeledbit cleared his throat.  “Not very proud of this, could have spent more time learning a trade, but…er…here goes.”  He went over to his plane, and came out with a device only a few of the gnomes had ever seen.  Two panels with a bellows in between.  “O’er the lonely plateau, ahem, mountain, many gnomes, and friends did gather.”  It was terrible at first, but drink and practice made it better.

[Asinjin]

And then it was done...

For several days, they searched the rubble.  The portal was gone.  Miraculously they found more survivors than expected.  Saren and the gnome in the tinker golem and sheltered under it and even though the worse for wear, the were alive.  The gnome, Jugnior, was promoted to captain on the spot.  Bezeded S'z't survived as well.  Being made of stone and immune to fire must have helped.  But Valizar and Koth did not.  Haas prepared Valizar to be taken home.  Kvan and the ice gnomes would carry Koth to his home in Palumbton.  Dash let them know that Soar said goodbye but that sadly their other ally Miril was dead.  Worse yet, they could not find the body in the rubble.

The Trio did not linger long, saying their farewells and good lucks.  The nomad lords took Renalshaw and Raygen’s bodies.  Bezeded S'z't would see his people home.  Dedaryl and the elves would make it back to the jungle.  Loading into planes, the tinkers had little trouble leaving.

As they left, Ajax watched half a dozen great leaders leave.  He thought now would be a great time for some new kings.  But the sword was gone and he was so tired.  He would return Lukius to the empire, and from there, he thought it would be nice to rest in the monastery in Kathow-tio-Horari.

Arion collected the remains of the knights.  Escalon the remains of the guardians.  More than half of each that had come to fight were dead.  Alara was missing, as was the Gemblade.  Michael was a statue.  But they had won, he hoped.

Saren was the last to leave.  He wondered what he would do now.  Iott and Sutyr defeated.  The long road he traveled should be much safer.  He never found Knot’s body, and that concerned him.  He feared the worst, and headed north, towards the Skull Keep.

[Asinjin]

A clarification on an early part of the stories:

Vor'Ruk's re-appearances occurred ever year or so, not every few minutes, hours or days in the circle.  My intention was to imply a bigger gap in between occurrences.

[Asinjin]

Istvan Onghwe (Zunder, Rogues)

Life in Talp was comfortable after the Borkobdof job for the guild with no name.  Istvan was not one to sit on his earnings, but with few well-paying tasks in the city and plenty of coin to keep him, that is what he did.  Occasionally the guild would call upon him, or a job outside of it would catch his eye, but they were rare.

In the years leading up to the Day Magic Broke, his swords drew blood not a dozen times.  For the elf, the years did not drain away his mortality.  There would be decades and centuries more.  When Iott's reign seemed in jeopardy, it concerned Istvan little.  When Port Talp seemed on the verge of war, he stirred a bit sensing his talents might be needed.  Kallark's ascension mollified that.

Fifteen years of little of note for the hunter still had not begun to eat at the elf when the plagues began.  This concerned him.  Word was that elves were more likely than most other races to get sick from them.  Deciding on caution and realizing there would be even less work in Port Talp, he let the guild know he was taking leave.  Istvan headed underground, to the underdark and the town of Siot.

Here, the changes to magic were not felt as strongly, and the plagues were almost nonexistent.  Life in the underdark took Istvan back to his younger days.  He learned of the battles that were taking place below.  Deivs'kari was what the drow called them.  Since the last Counsil, the deities of the underdark had been raging in a power struggle.  Upended by the arrival of Re'Alpf and the appearance of Falan's Folly, the deities of the underdark plotted are strove for more power.

Deep in the dark, the quasi deity Alarault grew to notoriety.  Dwarves that had been driven to great rage and anger and driven from their homes fled deep where magic could not go.  They used the underdark to spread around the world and speak of the terrors of magic.  They found others that had also fled Iott’s reign, retreating to one of the few places the Iottians could not reach.  Istvan took note of the growing faith and considered it a possibility if Iott continued to dominate the surface.

For the next decade, Istvan honed his skills in the dark and sold his sword to different factions.  Never taking a job too dangerous or too big, he made it look like he was not as wealthy as he was.  Time would soon come for a return to the surface.

Ranger 10

[Hero]

Couple questions/comments:

• What happened to Sutyr’s corpse?
• Did Dourvan make a reappearance in the aftermath? Last we heard of him was when the pillar of sand collapsed.
• Were plans discussed to retrieve Solaris and Alara? That’s a problem I feel like the survivors should discuss and assign a lead.
• Valizar’s Sutyr stomping foot will forever be displayed in a place of honor in the reliquary in Jaswap.

[Asinjin]

Couple questions/comments:

• What happened to Sutyr’s corpse?

No sign of it, but it would be under a mountain.

[Asinjin]

Couple questions/comments:

• Did Dourvan make a reappearance in the aftermath? Last we heard of him was when the pillar of sand collapsed.

He did reappear from the sand a soon left, his task complete

[Hero]

No sign of it, but it would be under a mountain.

Might have seen it while we extracted Koth and Valizar.