Chapter 2: The Crucible of Freya

"No!" Kariantha shouts as several of her fellows move to engage the enormous ogre, and the black-mailed orc. "Don't go toe-to-tow with that thing!"

Flinging three darts at the ogre, she then tries to sound a fighting retreat. "Datura has it! Fall back inside the building!"

"There’s no escape that way! If we are overwhelmed, we will be butchered. We should make for the woods!"

Ryenne wondered if the ogre or the mailed orc could navigate the slime pit well enough to not fall in!

Seeing the others stride forth, she feels compelled to do the same!

"Focus your fire!" she calls to the villagers. "The big one is easier to hit!" she suggests, before sallying forth to meet the armored brute with the axe!

Warriors and arrows rush towards the fearsome pair, with Nebbleshuven and Kurin engaging the ogre while Ryenne duels the large orc. Blows are traded, and the ogre seems mostly unfazed by the arrows sticking into it. The guards step into the open area and begin firing arrows alongside Datura. One strikes the ogre, but the others fall short as they try to avoid hitting the allies in melee. Corian follows instructions and disappears into the chapel.

Ryenne tries her best to keep the orc occupied with her own combat ability, but the sheer strength of the brute threatens to overpower her. His axe cuts deep into her shoulder and is stopped by bone. With unmatched skill, the orc then manages to strike a powerful blow against Nebbleshuven, striking the weapon from his hand and drawing a deep wound through his stomach. The ogre promptly smashes Nebbleshuven into the ground with a spiked club nearly the size of the man! Bones shatter, gore splatters, and the man is dead.

Round Three of Combat

"NO!" Datura screams as Nebbleshuven is laid low. She fires at the ogre in a blind fury...

"Flee to the woods! Go! You’re trapped in the temple!" Ryenne begs, before turning to try hold the two brutes off another few seconds to give the others time to flee back to the town!

Summoning all her strength, she strikes at the armored orc again.

Kariantha flings her last three darts, hoping to perhaps put the ogre's eye out, when she turns to Corian. "They're dying, and we'll be next! Have you no magic that can save us all?!"

This day was dark indeed. His own salvation seems to lies in Ryenne's words.
Leaving the temple Eldon runs for woods but not before he took a shot at the orc

Now seeing that the battle was not in their favour and the ogre and orc together were proving too well armed for the group to take on at this time.

He rushes as fast as he can for the exit.

"We'll meet again you scum!" He cried out as he ran.

Looking back and seeing some of the others managing to flee, Ryenne steels herself. Turning to face the brute, she waits for it to deal it’s cruel blow!

Several arrows fly into both the large orc and the ogre, drawing blood from both and staggering them for a moment. Large they may be, but not invincible. Ryenne fights valiantly and silently gives prayers to Thyr, knowing that she will soon fight by him against the legions of the hells. Parry after parry, she duels what must be the orc chieftain; deep down in her heart, she knows that it will soon be over. He knocks her shield aside and rears back for a killing blow. As her life flashes before her eyes...

Three arrows slam into his chest and knock the orc backwards with the impact. His life leaves him before his body hits the dirt.

The guards stand stunned as they realize what has just happened. Even the ogre looks down at the fallen chief in a moment of silence. Turning away, it grumbles "Nagrod was fool, now dead fool. Grosh not die today!" as it begins lumbering towards the south side of the keep, towards a crumbled wall. You can now see in the light of day that the entire south side is in ruins, though a tower along the western wall still stands.

Datura shouts after her companions,

"Come back! We have them on the run!"

The gnome rushes forward to slay any of the sleeping orcs that had escaped the blade. After scanning the yard for further threats, she runs to Nebbleshuven's side to make sure her friend was truly dead...

After seeing the orc chieftain dropping to the ground and the ogre turning away, Eldon stops in his tracks.
They made it out it seems, bit for how long and at what price one of their own was dead.

Moving torwards Nebbleshuven's body, he take good care of finishing off any sleeping orc on his way.

Kneeling near the gnome, he takes a moment to pay respect to the one who saved his life.

As tears roll down the little gnomes face she sniffs,

"He might be ok, he's really strong!"

Alas, the mangled body of Nebbleshuven showed no sign of life. It would be difficult to identify the man in the middle of viscera, had you not seen him prior to the clubbing.

Wiping her eyes, Datura takes Nebbleshuven's dagger from the mess and rises with anger on her face.

"That priest isn't going to get away, I'm gonna burry this in it's chest and it will know the debt is paid."

Silverwick rushes out to her companions when the coast is clear, first making sure Ryenne isn't mortally wounded, then throwing a comforting arm around Datura when they see the sorry state Nebbleshuven is in. The man -- if you can still call him that -- won't be rising again, or drawing another breath.

Once the gnome is at least mildly composed, Kariantha returns to the cleric to aid her in getting cleaned and bandaged up.

After a moment Eldon asks.
Should we give him a quick burial here? Or do we bring what's left of him to civilisation for the proper rites to be performed?

He didn't especially wanted to carry the dead man, but over a long distance, but he would respect the choice of his companion.

"Let's lay his bones in the temple, I think humans like that."

Datura wipes her eyes and stows the dagger in her belt. She helps to move the fallen warrior's remains in the temple and then ponders the next step.

"And what next? We came here to stamp out the orc threat to the outpost, have we done so? Do we push on or leave? Leave for the tower or leave and come back?"

Kari nods at the idea of laying the man to rest in the chapel. Looking at Ryenne, she softly adds, "Perhaps you can perform the funeral rites?"

To Datura, she responds, "We cannot leave that orc priest running free, can we? Surely he will marshal more forces and return to attack Fairhill again. He has at least one ogre in his troop -- imagine if he recruits more! I say we return the crucible, gather our strength, then hunt him down! Or better yet, lay a trap for him..."