Tales of the Heroes

[whitesword]

If Solaris really is a Solar I won’t be surprised if he survives, but I won’t be surprised if he “sacrificed” himself, as it just means no Habololy for a while. Same for Darkwind.

Of the mortals I’m going Haas, Valizar and Alara.

[Windblade]

As far as Ajax could tell Solaris is an actual Solar.

[Hero]

You are all missing one that has been noted in story previously to survive this.

Saren

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 19

Arion reached by instinct to his back.  He found not a hilt but a handle.  He cursed under his breath.  Commander Gnorsendar, who had made it back to the camp with the help of the archons, looked to Dourvan, “You planned for this….right?”

“One minute.  Survive one minute.” was the response.

“Want that new leg yet?” Valen asked Arion again.  He began to consider the offer, shook it off and retorted, “Get your creepy fake orc child hands off me. Where is Michael? Lukius? Haas? Would someone swap out a prayer please?”

Gnorsendar answering his prayer, holding up the leg of a destroyed golem.  “Only take me a minute to get this working for you?”

Conducting again, Dourvan moved the allies into place.  Lukius, quiet until now, called on his patron.  Dampened and slowing the field spell after spell to stall and delay the field erupted.  Winds and mud, slowed time and dimensional anchoring spells to dampen magic and disrupt communication.  The Trio of Gold took note and joined into the effort.

Half a minute had elapsed when their spells were all but wiped away.  Standing in the field, now visible, between the camp and the gathered giants, in all her glory, the Marshall of Iott, Lyla.  Surrounded by a guard of thirty identical Iottians.  The shadowy cloud that had covered Harrick and his undead dissipated.  The ice gnome trenches, cooled to allow them to work better, lost their climate.  Winds sprang up to block the elven arrows.  The fey appeared from their invisibility. 

Echoing across the field, the melodious voice rang out, “I am not I your trap Dourvan!  You are in mine!  When I kill you, I will be the deity!  Charge!”  The giants races up the mountain, the Iottians raced towards Dourvan.

His friends were melting, burning.  The hideous sun, the vile Lyla.  Worse yet, Harrick stood alone among the allies between the caves and the charging giants.  Those that had assembled near him were peons.  No Ajax or Koth or their like were among them.  “No fear, those that believe in Vestilion never die!”  Set for the attack and still guided by Dourvan’s planning Harrick rallying the collection into a defense.

Ajax stood foremost with the defenders of Dourvan.  For their part, the Trio did not flee, but did head towards the rear.  They heard Dourvan begin a countdown and Ajax began to pray.  He wondered if this would be the last time he would be able.  Lyla and the Iottians slowed and cast.  Summoned creatures appeared around them.  In a trained routine that could not be matched, they cast spells together in ways that worked even in the days of weakened magic.  Sorcerers all, the loss of spells midday meant less to them.

The timing of the deity proved better than Lyla’s.  Moment before they struck, another gate opened in front of the group.  Out walked Escalon and with him came Michael, the two warriors of the Iron Tower, Cynias Cuath general of the guardians, Arin the Feyson.  At the same moment, Soar and the remaining planes dove out of the sky towards the charging giants.  Lyla’s shock was evident, she had not seen this, she had not been warned, someone would pay for their failure.

[Asinjin]

As far as Ajax could tell Solaris is an actual Solar.

Yes

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 20

All the planes could do was take one run.  For almost the entire battle, the dragons had remained hidden so as to not disrupt the allies, who would have been far more effected that the elementals and planar creatures by their presence.  But invisibility had ben eliminated and now she was in all her glory for everyone to see.  Wings that spread for 100 yards, the mighty yellow dragon had lived for nearly 1,000 years and not seen a fight like this.  Long a scout for the Draconic Isle, she was told never to engage, only report.  It was a lonely life.  Her kind could stay aloft for weeks if not months on end.  It was a blessing and a curse when one was not a traditional follower of Lakius.  Others of her kind had often taken to role of hermit, solitary traveler.  Soar had not, she longer to be among others.  Her best friend in those years was the equally cursed Rico, but even he had fought a friend.  She was the first to volunteer, and being able to fly faster and start nearer have her the nod.  Now here she was, about to defend tinkers and undead.  Maybe she should go back to being alone.

Letting the planes attack first, she slowed every so slightly.  Their run was well designed and executed to near perfection.  Admiral Gneeledbit led the attack aboard the largest one of the planes, the Lylaslutnhor V.  Gnomes in the wings cranked away, discharging bolt after bolt from four heavy repeating crossbows.  Elemental lightning struck out from rods, and every bomb remained was dropped.  A third of the planes did not survive the run and those that did fled away, unable to handle the sight of the dragon.  Luckily, many of the giants were similarly affected.  Soar dropped two just above the giants.  Unfurling a spiked ball at the end of a chain attached to her tail, she swung it around, out of reach of the giants and smashing the mercilessly.  Any that took flight and neared her claws were treated to an array of wounding cuts from the not often used for walking talons.  If she survived this, Soar thought, she would definitely travel the world more, such interesting things happened behind the sea.

Harrick watched confused.  What madness has brought tinkers and a wyrm to aid him?  This might be the end of the world.  Brandishing his flaming sword, he rushed into the now disorganized giants.  All of the forces near him that had not fled at the sight of the dragon went with him.  If Harrick survived this, gloating would be on the menu for a century.  If he didn’t survive this, he would finally have the full glory of Vestilion. Win, win.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 21

The battle at the camp started well for Dourvan and the enemies of Sutyr.  They had grabbed the initiative with the appearance of Escalon and the others.  Lyla and the Iottians had to adjust and in that time, three of them were killed.

“No, regeneration is NOT on the list of things I prepare when expecting to fight an avatar!” Michael yelled.  “Perhaps if you died, I do have a revivify ready.”

Kagetora Uso and Kaiu Tingsho were the first to drive into the Iottians.  Fearless and thinking they had a compete understanding of what was happening, its was they that killed those first Iottians.  With Lyla in their sights, they sought to end the ordeal quickly.  Kaiu, the battle wizard, knew exactly what his opponents were.  More than anyone else on the field, he had used their same tactics.  He neared Lyla, his blade touching her for a moment.  The response was dramatic.  A cacophony of spells and reactions came from not just Lyla but a number of the Iottian guard.  Spells not designed to protect themselves, but rather protect Lyla.  Kaiu was overwhelmed by the reactive spells and vanished.  Kagetora’s fury intensified, but having survived his initial assault the remaining Iottians were able to defend against his attacks.

Escalon led the next advance into the Iottians.  Rarely seen in his full regalia, Escalon moved with grace and ease that few could match.  Bare-chested and carrying little, he was emblazed with a roaring lion tattoo on his chest, matching the lion on the shield on his back.  Knives out, he darted in between the Iottians, allowed them no retort.  Michael, Ajax, and Cynias moved into them as well.  Moving as if they had been together for decades, guided by Dourvan, the joined Kagetora.  Forming a diamond, they drew the attention of most of the Iottians.  Not to be left out, Arion was finally able to get moving after one of the Trio summoned a mount for him.  He didn’t care that it was a camel.  His ride lasted seconds before the camel disappeared.

“By all the Counsel!  A mount, my kingdom for a mount!”

“I won’t take that literally, but let me help.” Valen walked up next to him in the form of a strange beast that Arion had heard of in some long ago tales.  He had not believed if they were true, and just because Valen had taken the form of the beast did not mean they were.  With the head of a vulture and the body of a mighty lion, it was all at once regal and disturbing.  Disgruntled, but with no choice, he mounted the lion and the lept into the Iottians.

The Iottians were well trained and expertly prepared.  Their distances perfect, Escalon could not cut into many with every pass.  It soon became clear he would need to kill one at a time, which would open him up to responses.  He preferred to race in between, wounding many each round.

Spells of every type whisked around the battle.  The majority would do nothing, but in such number eventually one would affect an ally.  Arin was the first.  He raced away from the battle, calling out in a fey language.  Everyone had a weak spot, and Lyla knew how to find them.  Escalon was her first target, as she was his.  Reaching her, he was far more than she could handle in a fight.  Again, and again, spells prevented a devastating blow from landing.  The other had moved away to prevent his movement from allowing him to engage them as well as her.  Just as the other began to succeed, Lyla found the answer.  Escalon began to sneeze, hiccup, cough.  His movement thrown off, his attacks disrupted, he stumbled and blinked.  Lyla flashed away from him as he tried to recover and find her.

With half the Iottians left, Lyla moved back into command.  Ajax collapsed as he was cut off from divine power.  Michael was turned to stone.  Kagetora continued to fight, but was two Iottians kept him at a distance.  Ten Iottians and Lyla now faced Cynias and Arion atop Valen.  Behind them, Dourvan stood.  The others, Lukiusm the trio and the gnomish commander found themselves in a desperate fight against more summoned creatures.  Escalon inched his way back as if a child on his first voyage in a storm.

[whitesword]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 21
tive spells and vanished.  Kagetora’s fury intensified, but haven’t survived weathered his initial assault the remaining Iottians were able to defend against his attacks.

“By all the Counsel!  A mount, my kingdom for a mount!”

“I won’t take that literally, but let me help.” Valen walked up next to him in the form of a strange beast that Arion had heard of in some long tales.  He had not believed if they were true, and just because Valen had taken the form did not mean they were.  With the head of a vulture and the body of a mighty lion.  Disgruntled, but with no choice, he mounted the lion and the left into the Iottians.

Huge bonus XP for this call back

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 22

In the temple, the avatar of Sutyr smiled and waited.  Standing thirty feet tall, the only thing his foes thought would be to their advantage was that they could all attack him together at once.  Elementals swarmed the room and rushed towards them.  How many would they have to fight through before the got to him?  Having all been made at least resistance to fire, it was more that the elementals got in the way than hurt them.  Haas and Solaris began to pray as the others battled.  Related to a role he never wanted; Haas was the party caster again.  Solaris did not enjoy the role either, and for the first time called down the powers now granted to him from the upper planes.  Light roared in, portal opened, fire was quenched, and it even rained a bit.  Darkwind helped as he could, using blessing to quickly deal with the elementals.  The others swung away, in a sign a of desperation and haste; for they did not know how long before reinforcements might arrive, and they waged when they did, it would not be for them.

How many elementals they dealt with only Dourvan might know.  When the fires cleared, Sutyr remained, still smiling, unharmed and unspent, sword in hand.  Reaching into the fiery pit below him, he pulled forth a molten boulder.  He hurled it towards the ledge with Haas, the ten-foot mass enough to crush any of them.  Bezeded S'z't, sporting the gloves of rock throwing, stepped in front and caught the orb.  Even at that, it drove him into the wall.  It was not the last orb.  Every few seconds, another one flew from the pit.  No longer thrown by Sutyr, but directed by him.

Calling to all the gods of light, Saren gave the command to charge, not beholden to any power, his cry echoed through them all, emboldening them with energy from a source most were not accustomed to feeling.  With the cry came a flash of light down from the ceiling and through the dark smoke, which is had not yet occurred to them did not emanate from the pit and out of the mountain.  Dash entered the room holding the Gemblade, which he delivered to Alara to the delight of Darkwind and Garanuf.  Flying and leaping, the heroes rushed towards Sutyr.  Dedaryl, Knot and Garanuf remained on the ledges, choosing their bows over a charge.  They were on only ones spared the mighty swipe of the great black fiery sword.  Every one of the felt pain.  No holy resistance or divine blessing or arcane spell or natural toughness could defend against it.  If it did not burn, it cut; if it did not cut it launched against a wall.

It seemed Darkwind was the prime target of the attack and he took it the worst.  To be in the presence of the avatar of Sutyr was a frightening thing.  To be his target was to be marked for certain death.  Everyone present launched attacks into the giant.  Most did nothing.  But his attack was devastating.  Platinum skin that was immune to fire was cut and burned.  His deft parries were overwhelmed by the might of the avatar’s blows.  As quickly as he had dropped into the fight, Darkwind was banished from the plane.  The laugher was unnerving, made more so by the fact that it was occurring as the heroes delivered redounding blows from all angles.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 23

To the surprise of any present who looked, after the tinker golem was struck, they could see a gnome stuffed inside of it.  Angry and moving a lot, he appeared to be trying to fic the golem that and be damaged by the swing.  Kvan was not as lucky.  The ice gnome had lost an arm in the attack.  He gathered his shield which had protected him from the fire and was forced to let his pick drop to the ground lest the heat overwhelm him.  Dash, swooped in and grabbed the gnome, getting him to a ledge.

The avatar turned next to Alara.  “I know the weapon; it will be a find trophy.”  She for a moment wished it had not been delivered to her.  His swing again leveled everyone in the room. But the brunt of the attack was born by Alara.  Perhaps the first hint of surprise shown up the face of Sutyr at that moment when she didn’t die.  Her face showed more surprise.  But anguish in the yell from nearby gave a hint of what happened.  Solaris clutched his chest.

Since arriving for the battle, Solaris had defeated a dozen fiends and some giants.  He had held off the planar creatures and healed the mass of soldiers.  Now, he had thought to smite the avatar in the name of Hemator.  Presented with it now, he knew that could not be his role.  Hemator the healer, he prayed for blessing not to help himself, but to save those around him.  Able to heal himself faster then others, he took on the attacks for them.  Enduring tremendous pain, he prayed again to be healed and he was.  As the others struck blow after blow, he absorbed them.  It was dizzying.

At first Sutyr was amused by the agony of the Solaris.  It only made the entertainment of these moments linger.  One of the boulders smashed Dedaryl ledge and he was either buried of cut off from the fight.  There was no such ambiguity for Garanuf.  The boulder that hit him fell into the temple with his burning body crushed against it.  Solaris winced as the dwarf had not been close enough to help.  The humor had its limits.  The gemblade’s cuts hurt.  “Enough!” Moving faster than any of them, his sword changed directions and cut directly into Solaris.

He thought he was gone, but a sudden breath brought him back to consciousness.  Over him stood Alara, battered and cut and looking as bad as him.  “Can you hear me?  The avatar has cursed you.  Saren says that if you are destroyed here, it is forever.  You have to go.”  He cleared his eyes and looked.  The Avatar was in the clutches of a giant at least his size, one that looked like Haas.  At his legs, Koth and Valizar held him back.  Bezeded S'z't stood in front of Solaris, catching the boulders as best he could.  Solaris tried to teleport, to no avail.  He went to fly, but his wings were torn.  Dash flew to grab him, and was met with a boulder.

Saren slid towards the two.  “The pit, it’s a portal.  But its not a lower planar one.  Even if you die there, you won’t be destroyed.”  Elementals had begun to reappear in the area as well as a giant or two that came into the temple from the now opened doors.  Saren rushed to hold them off as Alara helped Solaris to the pit.  Had he been fully aware, Solaris would have refused.  This would have been a worthy death.  But concussed by an avatar, he followed the words of two he knew he could trust.  Alara got him to the edge.  “Don’t worry, its we’ll find you.  Thank y….” With a roar and effort that can only be mustered by a god, Sutyr boke the hold and surged forth.  His finger hit Alara, pushing her into the pit, Solaris with her.

[whitesword]

Sutyr’s List:

Darkwind (30+HD, fire immune Planetar)
Garanuf Frozensky (giant slayer/guardian)
Solaris (Solar!!)
Alara Gemblade (KOWS captain, armed with the Gemblade!)

Haas, this isn’t going well.

[Asinjin]

Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar part 24

Saren felt a strange wave come over him.  He had not seen Solaris and Alara fall into the pit.  What he knew was the portal was closed.  He did not know how or why, but he felt better.  A weight on his mind was lifted and he fought with new vigor against the giants and elementals.  If only there was someone else here, it was a bit much to fend them all off by himself.  His relief came in the form of the last golem.  Clanking over toward him, the gnome inside was far better suited for this fight.  The engines opened and began to absorb elementals.  The giants’ strength meant nothing against the Giant Killer golems.  It was a near perfect fit for the situation.

Knot had never had a better time of it.  Treated to meals, respected and befriended over the past months, he could ask for little more.  He had even spent time with Ajax, who he had met longer ago than anyone else he knew.  By his generous count, twenty giants had been killed by him on the sloped.  More than one a minute.  Now, the god of slavery and giants stood before him.  Marvelous.  He didn’t care that he was using magic items, because the defeat of Sutyr also meant magic would be defeated!  Glory, Glory, Borkonlueai!  The other archers were gone, which meant that by his telling all one hundred arrows now sticking in Sutyr were fired by him.

It did get a bit concerning when the two fell into the pit.  Sutyr was still there and more than half of the allies he came in with were gone.  The stupid statue was playing with elementals, but at least Saren was still alive.  Good that he was fighting the normal giants.  Poor guy would have wet his pants standing toe to toe with Sutyr.  But he was fun, and always helped get into the comfortable inns with the good food.  Luckily, Knot would think and put arrows on target at the same time.  But now he was out of arrows.

“I am Knot, slayer of gods!  Fear me!” he leaped off the ledge and to the floor in a charge.

Haas, Valizar, Koth and Bezeded S'z't surrounded the momentarily disoriented avatar.  In that sort time, they were pounding away, starting to take a toll on him.  To the mix, Knot rushed in a rage.  Wielding two giant bane weapons he leaped using Bezeded S'z't as a step to the waist of Sutyr.  Catching the giant’s belt, he raged, tearing at the hip and getting in between the plates of armor.  The pain of the attacks surprised Sutyr and jolted him back.  Dropping the short sword, Knot grabbed the his hekuta in both hands and swung low, hoping to make sure the giant was disfigured even in death.  Giving him the Borkon.  It did not work, armor turned the attack aside.

Another mighty swing drove the others back and Sutyr grabbed Knot.  Roaring all the way and calling for gory and vengeance and heroic tales to be told, Knot went down the gullet of the avatar, into a stomach of lava.

[Windblade]

Sutyr’s List:

Darkwind (30+HD, fire immune Planetar)
Garanuf Frozensky (giant slayer/guardian)
Solaris (Solar!!)
Alara Gemblade (KOWS captain, armed with the Gemblade!)

Haas, this isn’t going well.

At least all of those are not dead.

[whitesword]

Sutyr’s List:

Darkwind (30+HD, fire immune Planetar)
Garanuf Frozensky (giant slayer/guardian)
Solaris (Solar!!)
Alara Gemblade (KOWS captain, armed with the Gemblade!)
Knot (deranged Bugbear berserker) (top ten all time death scene)

Haas, this (still) isn’t going well.

[whitesword]

At least all of those are not dead.

Yet