Loriel el into the marching order following Moonshadow with her bow drawn and arrow knotched.. She had hoped by folllowing the human scent they could locate what they really wanted the woman and not the orge. Moonshadow paused at a heavy door. Growled lowly. but did not move from the door. She bark once to let Loriel know that she had track what had been asked of her. Unfortunaltely now only Liriel heard that bark. **Shhh" she mentally sent Moonshadow promptly started waggin her tail the thinck xurly tail more indicative of her Coo Shee mather that her wolf father then she sat down.

Loriel knew now that not just the enemy was behind that door but one of the woman at least. In conformation of that came a woman's wail and smack, a gasp of pain and then silence.

In the silence Kas whispered. "We have to attack now before the orge gets ready." Loriel adds only "Good idea. Sooner the better." Loriel draws her bow fully and waits for the others to get ready. Her plan was to get into the room quickly and get between the captive or captives and the Orge. shooting the Ogre as she went. That would clear the door fo rhte others to enter.as she went.

"Open it then Moonshadow and I will rush over to defend the women. I will use my shield to protect them and my bow to shoot the Ogre"

Aelistae’s hand trembled. Thin rivulets of blood ran down the sword she was holding, and pooled on the blue-black of her skin. Its end lay buried deep in the chest of an orc she had tracked down, and its ragged breathing signalled that its own end was near.

She knew what it was she had to do. She had to withdraw her blade, and end its wretched life with one swift stroke so that it could no longer torment the innocents that lived nearby.

And yet she could not. The orc’s eyes met hers, and he gurgled something in a tongue she did not understand. But then she did not have to. Aelistae saw in his eyes what he was asking of her: mercy.

A black-feathered arrow whistled past her ear, hit the orc in the forehead and ended the creature’s life in an instant. The orc slumped to the forest floor with its eyes wide open, still conveying their final, desperate plea.

“W…Why?” Her voice cracked as she asked the simple question.

“The orc killed a child in cold blood, Aelistae. There was no redemption there to be had.” A dark, ebony-hued hand fell onto her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. “‘Repay rudeness with kindness. Repay violence with swift violence, so that the fewest may be hurt and danger fast removed from the land.’…That is what the Lady asks of us. It is not an easy path to follow, Sister, but one we must stick to.”
Aelistae closed her eyes. She had heard the shuffling from behind the door, the plaintive wail, and then the harsh sound of the ogre hitting its captives. She knew what her Goddess would have her do.

“No mercy,” the drow priestess whispered as she opened her eyes, a quiet fury burning in her violet orbs.

OOC: Aelistae can’t do much more until either Artanis or Xaris, our resident super-gnome, open the door.

Artanis arched a brow at Loriel’s words, but accepted the shield with a simple, “Thank you.” She then moved forward, down the hall toward the next door.

Reaching the door on the left first, Artanis pressed her ear to the door, and listened for any sign of life. She hadn’t long to wait, as Moonshadow emitted a menacing growl, followed, soon thereafter, by a loud bark. She cursed beneath her breath at the sound of a woman’s cry, and the sound of her being struck, and silenced.

"Go now, before he can prepare!" Kas hissed at the others, not wanting to speak too loudly, and give the Orge warning of just who else was outside his door.
Artanis wasted no time in throwing the door open, her sword in one hand, the newly equipped shield in the other, and quickly took in the scene before her…..


(awaiting the update on the layout of the room, so I can post my next move)

The door swings open with unexpected ease, for the newer hinges are oiled and well kept. The door opens and the inside is revealed. The room is a good forty feet square, the stone walls are covered with black tabards and flags bearing the crescent moon and bloody eye upon them.

There in the room are 4 5x5 foot pits in the four corners of the room, with braziers hanging above them, blue flames burning brightly within. In the middle of the room is a low 3 foot barricade made of barrels and boxes, behind which are four orcs, each with crossbows at the ready. As soon as Artanis throws the door open, all four let their first volley of bolts fly.

Artanis is caught agape as the bolts hurry towards her, raising her new shield in reflexive response. The small bolts bounce harmlessly off the doorway, stone walls, and two hit her shield, which crackles unexpectedly in response. Sparing a glance to the shield, two of the quartz stones embedded in the shield are now crackling with a blue energy.

Behind the orcs, stands a massive Ogre, easily 14ft tall, with earth hued skin and donning a robe of tiger striped fur. His massive tusks rise above his upper lip, and are topped with rings of silver and gold. “Welcome, to my lair strangers where you shall enjoy my hospitality much like she has.” With a wave of a massive hand wielding an even larger two headed axe, the Ogre gestures towards the crumpled form of a woman chained to the wall behind him, near the far back left pit. She is covered in loose haversacks and doesn’t move aside from the rise and fall of her whimpered breathing.

It should be noted there is no sign of the child that should be here. Behind the ogre, against the far back middle wall is a massive throne of cherry wood and gold inlay. Torches provide ample lighting in this room, as does a massive 5’ round variant of the candle orb affixed to the ceiling.

As the Ogre laughs, the orc’s begin a low chanting as they reload their bolts. “Trask, Trask, Trask Trask…”

Loriel swings in beside Artanis as she opens the door As soon as the door open, there is a volley of bolts flying their directions.

Loriel quickly sees the room the 5x5 foot pits in the four corners of the room, with braziers hanging above them, blue flames burning brightly within. In the middle of the room is a low 3 foot barricade made of barrels and boxes, behind which are four Orcs, each with crossbows, now empty.
The new shield on Artanis’s arm crackles strangely but since she cannot see what is happening on the front of the shield she ignores it for now. She is surprised to see orc crossbowman behind a barrier ready for them. However rather than firing on them she takes her first to shots on the Ogre. Take him down the Orcs will lose their morale booster.

Her arrow already notched and partially draw allow her to continue to pull it back to a full draw to achieve maximum power to the arrow she holds the tautly bent bow of darkwood with her best arrows all for the Ogre. With fierce concentration she prepared to fires her arrow. Muscles tensed and held the notch of the arrow to the corner of her ear, her chest was up and shoulders back. Now with her breath held she waited for Lub, Dub beat of her heart and in the quiet moment of her between her heart beats .she would fire. She had plenty of area to fire at as she stared down the shaft the towering Ogre presents a vast portion of his torso and head for her to shoot at. "Corellon guide my arrows may they find the flesh of my enemies." She released her arrow at the optimum moment. Then she rapidly reloaded and fired again as she had been taught to.

Loriel’s shots went off like clockworks. Everything happened in a clean succession of moves that were smooth, efficient, and precise. She was one with her bow and her target; a credit to her teachers and to her own long and will practiced skills.

(OOC If I miss it is not my fault it is the dice’s. )

The door swung open, and battle was joined. An ogre, bigger than any Aelistae had ever seen, stood in the middle of the room. It’s massive girth and height dwarfed that of a human woman who was chained and bound behind him and a pack of orcs that were arrayed before him.

“Not the ogre! Shoot the orcs! Bring them down!” Aelistae shouted as she saw Loriel fire arrows into the ogre’s hide.

Aelistae waited for those before her to give her room to fire an arrow of her own. But she sent it spiralling towards the right-most of the four orcs rather than their master.

OOC: Okies I’m assuming that Aelistae can’t fire her bow until the folk ahead of her give her a clear line-of-sight. So she’ll delay her action until after Artanis, Xaris and Kas, and then fire her bow.

Oh and given that the orcs are (probably) within 30’, I’ll take my point blank shot bonus here, please.

Moving in, the moment Kas sees the Ogre’s beady, squinting eyes on them she releases the spell she had prepped and ready.

“Light, illume and consume sight,” She points at the Ogre with the spear, not only to indicate where she wanted the spell to flare, but to let the Ogre know that she was taking him on in what might be like a formal challenge.

Kas, felt a shiver of fear at the sight on the immense Ogre and was glad for the extra reach that the spear would give her. Her golden eyes took in the great ax he carried and knew that it was capable of serious damage. Yet the fear the beast engendered did not continue to hold her enthrall. A strange calm spread through her, like a seasoned warrior she took in the height of the ceilings, where they high enough for him to do a full overhead swing? She noted the barricade with the Orc crossbowmen and how fast were they reloading. Then she took in the position of the pits, and anything that could possibly be used to put the Orge at a disadvantage. She noted how he held his ax so that she could keep to his off side. That would be where he would be weakest. She estimated how much damage his legs would take to bring him down, once down he would be hard pressed to use his massive ax.

She did all that a seasoned warrior did when confronted with a situation where the advantage began with the enemy. She did it automatically, but she was also intelligent, and experience had a background, though nothing came to her mind that would explain her ability in strategy and tactics. Was this connected with Tyr, who had so recently claimed her. Did the calm and the knowledge come to her when all that wasTyr filled her Body, Mind, Soul, and Spirit?

She instantly put those thoughts out of her mind. The Ogre and the Orcs were her targets. Here and Now, for now.

No matter if the Ogre is affected by the spell, Kas will go forward to a position that does not immediately endanger her and preparer to charge with the others.

“If we all go at him as one, we might be able to flank him and he can only hit one of us at a time, and go for his legs.” Kas advises the others, many of them she knows are not use to close combat or fighting such a terrible foe.

With her heart pounding, yet held in the grace of calm, her eyes glowing gold with a holy radiance, Kas raises a battle cry.

“For Tyr, for Righteousness, for Retribution, and for Justice! ” Her voice filled the room and echoed off the stone walls.

Artanis quickly raised her shield as the bolts whizzed through the air in her direction. The crackling sound earned her shield a quick glance, and an arched eyebrow at the crackling blue energy coming from two of the quartz stones.

She glowered at the massive ogre and emitted a sound, akin to a growl, when she heard his words, and saw the woman of which he spoke. She feared for what had become of the child, who was nowhere to be seen.

Artanis quickly surmised that the orcs could do considerable damage if left unattended while the group worked at bringing down the Ogre. “Dispatching the ogre will be no small feat!” she yelled, as others made for the Ogre first. “I’ll rid us of these foul orcs first!”
With that she kept her shield held in front of her as she charged the orcs, swinging her sword in (hopefully) a deadly arc at the first one she reaches, aiming specifically for it’s neck, in an attempt to sever its head from its pathetic little body.

(If that doesn’t work, she will simply hack away at it and whatever companions come her way, relying heavily on her shield to block blows, and protect herself, and her bastard sword to do the maximum damage possible, and as quickly as possible)

Time crawls to a standstill just as the door opens; the slight pause before the storm, and what a storm it would prove to be. Battlecries and threats and the sounds of weapons firing or being swung filled the air in an instant, however, Linnix heard none of it. Coherent thought seemingly lost in transit, Linnix only took in the scene, singling out the woman, the ogre, and the orc closest to the woman. The ogre was definately no force to be underestimated, but Linnix was past worrying about that right now. As soon as she had a clear shot, Linnix fired her crossbow, aiming at the head or torso of the closest enemy to the one they had to ensure the rescue of. Her eyes darted around, looking for the other one that was supposed to be there, only to find nothing.

She was afraid, she was nervous, she was tense, and she was angry, but the emotions all combined into a single determination. In order to acquire what reward there was from this, Linnix still had to fulfill the mission, and right now, that was all that mattered. The overwhelming feeling shines brightly in Linnix's eyes, her pain from earlier vanishing from her mind as even her small, hidden thought to run away was overridden, and all thinking becomes solely directed to that single goal to rescue the woman and her daughter.

Xaris watched from behind as the four bolts ricocheted off of the shield and walls around them. He stuided the large ogre and hated him even even more with every passing second. He gripped his greatsword, and wanted to lunge right away at the ogre, but seen the barricade and the orcs in the way.

" I will try an make my way to the orcs, flank like you said if you can."

Xaris gripped tightly on his sword and took a deep breathe, charging in at the ogre. But infront of him were the orcs that blocked his path, so he lunged at the nearest one. He would need to cut the orc down quickly to make it to the giant orge that held the prisoners. This would be one of his greatest redemptions yet.

(( Xaris will charge at an orc, and once he had killed him he will charge the Ogre, trying to tie him up for the others to make their way.)) .

Round 1:
They had finally found their quarry. After what had originally supposed to have been a simple cavern raid and rescue turned out to be a dive into some expansive complex rumored to be a temple to some long forgotten figure, the battered and bruised companions finally had at least part of their goal in sight; and what an ugly -not to mention massive- sight it was. The plans were set, their strategies made, the ogre would have to fall, the woman rescued. And so, battle was joined once more.

Xaris, a fire burning inside his little frame, was the first to act. Powerful legs sent his short form forward in a charge, straight towards the crude barricade and the orcs that lay beyond. With his shoulder leading the charge, Xaris plunges into a barrel, which thankfully turns out to be empty, and shatters under his great effort, sending the orc behind it sprawling, and fending off a gnomish fury atop it. Armed with only crossbows at the moment for defense, the orc can do nothing to retaliate without the risk of leaving itself vulnerable. Putting up a feeble attempt of a block with it’s crossbow, the orc is hard pressed as Xaris plunges his gnomish great sword through the arc of the crossbow and the frame, his cross guard hitting the wood stock, the only thing preventing him from skewering the orc clear through. The orc lets out a hiss of anger and pain as a great pool of blood puddles and runs from its now almost still body. (-14hp/Unconcious)


With the opening in the barricade made by Xaris in sight, Artanis quickly followed her smaller companion in a similar fashion, charging the barricade, using Xaris’ opening as a means to reach another orc with a little more ease. Reaching an Orc with ease, her bastard sword gleamed in the torchlight as it sliced neatly into orcish flesh. The orc hardly made a sound as it simply dropped it’s crossbow and prepared to succumb to death by the blade. (-10hp/Unconcious)

Loriel was hoping to end the battle with swift death to the Ogre. To bring down the leader would send the orcs scattering she surmised. With but her heartbeats as her metronome of death, she loosed two arrows. The first one was sent flying directly towards the ogres heart. The arrow was true and penetrated his thick hide armor, but the hide had slowed what might have been a kill shot just enough that the arrow barely pierced his thick skin. (Critical hit! 1’s for damage L ) (-3hp) The second arrow was true also, striking the ogre in the arm, bringing a low chuckle from the arrogant giant. (-4hp)

Linnix, her cornucopia of emotions formed into a single determination stepped up to the doorway, setting her sights on the orc nearest the left hand side of the room, where the woman lay unmoving, her eyes barely visible beneath folds of haversack. With a calmness about her, though surely the lump in her throat threatened to jump free, Linnix fired, her small hand crossbow’s bolt nicked the orc’s shoulder, drawing its attention. (-2hp)

Kasenarrion stepped into the room next, the ogre her target. She recanted the words for her Flare spell, sending the bright flash of light before the Ogre’s eyes. The Ogre swatted at the annoyance, his retinas afire with the over stimulation. (Dazzled 10 rounds)

The Ogre, more than a little annoyed at the pesky spell Kasenarrion managed to cast upon him, set about doing what Ogres do best. Smashing things. The Ogre approached Xaris, the closest to him at the time, and with a mighty swing tried to cleave the gnome half. But a gnome, certainly a forest gnome would not be caught dead at the hands of a giant kin. What kind of reputation would that leave for him? What would people say at his funeral?

Xaris quickly rolled to the side off the orc he had impaled, reveling in the crunch of bones and sinew of the Orc who suffered the Ogres mighty axe. Infuriated the Ogre cursed out loud. “I will feast on gnome flesh tonight!”

At the outcry of the Ogre, the two orcs who still had their wits, crossbows and their lives about them took up their weapons in an attempt to fight back. Moving back from the deadly melees of Artanis and Xaris, they took aim at the two warriors, hoping to earn favor from their master.
The bolt destined for Xaris went exceedingly wide, clattering off the far stone wall and disappearing down the nearby pit. The one for Artanis, once more bounced off her shield, causing it to crackle anew, a third quartz now filled with swirling blue energy.

Aelistae, the last to react, now with a free doorway from which to fire from, took to her bow-twanging. With a command to bring down the orcs, she let loose her first arrow of the battle, which sailed harmlessly past her intended target, skittering across the floor.

Round 2:

Linnix was the first to act this time round, and with her freshly reloaded crossbow she fired once more at the far left Orc she had injured earlier. This bolt however glanced off the makeshift leathers he wore, and left the woman scouring at her miss.

Kasenarrion, Tyr’s divine influence surging through her veins. Her target was set as she let out a battle cry.
For Tyr, for Righteousness, for Retribution, and for Justice! ” Her voice filled the room and echoed off the stone walls. Raising her newly acquired spear, she moved to strike the Ogre, still dazzled by her spell. Kas stepped over the broken barricade and thrust her spear at the Ogre the glowing tip of the spear growing in brightness as it pierced the Ogre’s thick hide with ease. As it struck however, Kasenarrion could feel her own strength dwindle, as though it were leeched from her body and into the spear, guiding it further into the Ogre’s side. (-2 Kas 25/31) (-9 Ogre)

Aelistae, apparently more motivated this time round as next to act, notching another arrow and sending it at the Orc previously wounded by Linnix. This time however, her aim was perfection personified, as her arrow took the Orc square between the eyes, lifting it from it’s feet and carrying it a few feet backwards, dead even before it hit the wall and crumpled nearby the covered woman who shrieked. (Critical hit! -27 damage/DEAD)

Artanis was good to go as well. Moving from her felled foe to the last remaining orc, The orc fired at her in desperation as she closed the distance, this one bypassing her sturdy shield and glancing her shoulder. (-3 Artanis 26/43) Artanis however would not be swayed from her target, and with another swipe of her deadly blade, sent the orc to its doom on the cold stone floor.

The Ogre was tired of the invaders disturbing his domain, and swung a devastating swing of his axe towards Kasenarrion. The Axe, --what was it with Axes???-- bit deep into Kas’ already wounded side, swatting her away like a fly. (-16 Kas 9/31) Kas forced herself to stand, using the spear for support.

Xaris, not about to let the grievous wound of his companion go unpunished, darted in under the Ogre’s axe swing and proved once more what an incredible super gnome he truly was. His short sword, though lacking in reach, was as sharp as any, and cut easily into the Ogre’s leg, just below the knee. The Ogre howled in anger as Xaris’ blade sunk deep into his skin, biting into and through the bone, severing it from its other, heavier half as it was supporting some 800 lbs of Ogre. (Another Critical Hit with Max Damage! -28 Ogre)

Loriel moved into the doorway once more, Moonshadow still barking at her side. She leveled her sights on the fallen Ogre, and let two more arrows fly into the massive beast even as he began to rise to a sit up. Both arrows slammed into his chest, but his armor once more halted most of the destructive force of them. (-2 Ogre)

From the Corner, where the woman in haversack had been slumped, the rucksack was tossed aside as she stood, revealing a perfectly healthy woman dressed in black and green robes, baring a short bone wand. With a sneer she cackled. “While I commend you on your sense of morality and justice. I pity you fools, for while my master moves his plan one step further to completion, you will not live to see the light of day!” With that she let loose her wand’s command word, and it shot forth a bolt of searing lightning shot forth crackling on an angle that would put both Xaris and Artanis as well as the fallen Ogre in its path. Xaris, his sword still burdened by the weight of the Ogre’s leg could not move in time, and took the full brunt of the spell, while Artanis could only put her shield up in hopes of protecting her as it had so many times before already. The Lightning Bolt spell tore through the Ogre and Xaris, before hitting Artanis’ shield. Which crackled in response against the electrical force. Though it seemed to protected Artanis somewhat, the shield was energized something fierce, as 7 of the 8 quartzes were now crackling with energy, and the shield audibly hummed and shook in her hands while Artanis tried to shake off the force which almost laid her low. (-20 Ogre, -20 Xaris 31/60, -15 Artanis 11/43)

The Ogre, twitched from the lightning which coursed through it’s body, it’s skin charred and its back turned into the equivalent of cracklings before it slumped over very dead.

Cackling in maniacal glee, the woman dropped the wand in her hand and drew out another identical one. Even as the first his the floor, it disintegrated, its energies spent.

At the noise and sight of the lightning bolt, Linnix froze. Her eyes darted to the woman, and her jaw dropped open. From her mouth, which may have been dropped in shock or surprise, a hiss like an enraged cat escapes as her eyes narrow. She had questioned it, but didn't say anything about it, and now her companions could die from this!? It was an outrage! Yet, the thing that stunned Linnix the most was that she could have prevented this from happening. She could worry about that later, right now, she had something to do.

Linnix raises her crossbow in sheer anger and malice, levelling it with the head of the woman. Her eyes a moment ago were flat with determination, but now, they sparked and erupted with the vindictive rage within her. Without even a second thought, Linnix fired, and the woman had better hope she dies with this bolt, because otherwise Linnix will reach her with her blade.

Xaris rolled off of the orc with his gnomish speed to dodge the incoming blow. Ogres are easy enough for his small race to dodge, but this one was even easier. It's sheer size made it even easier to predict, and as thought its axe landed right where he was. He came to his feet with his great sword gripped in both hands, sweat beading on his forehead. A wry smile spread across his face, his mossy skin colour quite the contrast to his white teeth. He listened to the orc he had just felled get crushed under the mass of the axe.

This is for the ones who were lost, the ones I could'nt save, my family....
Xaris yelled out loud in a frenzy as he charged the ogre, his diminutive size fooling yet another opponent. Maybe it was this lack of fear that Xaris gave out to his advesaries, or just his shear strength. But Xaris knew it was both. Him being so tiny made others let their guards down, and this is when he struck.

He let his sword clash with the ogres leg in a sickening collision of flesh, ligaments, and bone seperating wherever he struck. Soon enough the ogres leg was severed in two from the mighty blow Xaris struck, and like a mighty tree, the ogre came tumbling down.

Xaris stood back quickly to avoid being fallen on, and wiped the blodo away from his face that had splurted onto him. He panted slightly, the mighty blow draining him of some strength, but not enough to quiet the fire inside of him.

The ogre rose, sitting up, most likely perplexed as to where his lower leg went, when he was plugged with two arrows, being damaged even more. Xaris smiled as the ogre bled from these wounds, knowing he was soon to die.

But something happened that he did not expect. The woman, who they were sure they were here to save, rose up with a bone wand in hand, and an evil smile on her face. She laughed out loud, almost chilling the air around Xaris's body.

“While I commend you on your sense of morality and justice. I pity you fools, for while my master moves his plan one step further to completion, you will not live to see the light of day!”

She then rose the wand, and fired it at them, them being Xaris, Artanis, and even the ogre. Quickly it shot throgh him and the ogre, charring flesh and burning hair. Xaris had to steady himself and focus hard on not shouting out in pain, not wanting to give the evil woman the satisfaction of harming others.

Who ever this woman is, she is not the one who we want to save. But who is this master she speaks of? It is not the ogre, or she would'nt of shot him too. We need her.
Xaris looked over, remembering the ogre was still there. The quick shock had dulled his senses for the moment. But to his relief, the ogre was slumped over, charred black and dead where he sit. He could not let this woman die, he needed to know who she was talking about. Maybe if they wound her then subdue her, it just might work.

Without speaking, Xaris charged at the woman. He threw his sword down and yelled at the top of his lungs as he charged her, his feet pumping as fast as they could, dodging dead bodies and barrels left and right. His arms pumped on his sides, working his momemtum up as quickly as he could. Soon, he would tackle her to the ground and knock her out.

(( Xaris will drop his greatsword and go into barbarian rage,then charge the woman and try to grapple her.))

The battle rages around Loriel. Her companion swept into the room each attacking their choised target. Time seems to telescope as they entered the room and began their assault.

Xarius was the first to act racing into the room like a bull in a china shop. Xarius crashes into a barrel, you Loriel expected him to bounce off iof it but was incredulous to see it shatters under his effort, sending the orc behind it sprawling. So instead of the gnome becoming a lump on the ground instead he ended up on top of the shattered battle on top of the orc behind it with the orc fending off a gnomish fury atop it. The orc tried to wave the crossbow in front to Xarius to parry the gnome’s great sword but could not. Xarius hit the orc hard.

Artanis followed right behind Xarius in a similar fashion, charging the barricade, using the opening Xarius had made in the barricade to reach another orc with a little more ease, Her bastard sword gleamed in the torchlight as it sliced neatly into orcish flesh.

Loriel kept to her final plan which was to shoot the Ogre first. Her arrow flew true the first and then the second when she had time to look though she was disappointed. Loriel could tell that neither of them had penetrated deeply enough to do much damage. Perhaps, he is protected by some magic that resisted her damage she was not sure

Linnix, too entered the fray with purpose and leveled her small crossbow at one of the orc and fired it, Linnix fired, her small hand crossbow’s bolt nicked the Orc’s shoulder, drawing its attention. “Good hit,” cries out Loriel.

Kasenarrion stepped pass Loriel and raised her hand at the Ogre a dazzling light shot from her finger right into the Ogre’s eyes. IT must have done something. The Ogre swatted at his face.

The Ogre, was next to respond moving to attack Xarius whose had just downed the Orc. Loriel Yelled out “Xarius, Ogre” Almost without thinking, hoping her cry would alert the diminutive gnomish fighter to the danger. Thankfully Xarius seemed to move at the last moment and the Ogre’s ax smashed into the downed orc. oriel grinned wolfishly at that. The Ogre’s had just help them out.

The Ogre cursed out loud. “I will feast on gnome flesh tonight!” “Hoprfully not.” Loriel thought.

The remaining Orcs fired their crossbows, one obviously affected by the battle around him misses completely. One bolt hit Artanis’s her shield. It was them that Loriel saw the crackly of energy off the shield and three of the crystals sparkling with light. That drew her interest but only for a moment as she prepared her nest round of shots fast drawing two arrows and loading the first.

Aelistae, the last to react, now with a free doorway from which to fire from, took to her bow-twanging. With a command to bring down the orcs, she let loose her first arrow of the battle, which sailed harmlessly past her intended target, skittering across the floor.

The Companions were doing well so far two orc down the ogre wounded and they w3re ready again.

Linnix ‘s next shot glanced off the orcs leather armor as poor as it was.

Kasenarrion called out “For Tyr, for Righteousness, for Retribution, and for Justice!” Her voice filled the room and echoed off the stone walls. Kas stepped over the broken barricade and thrust her spear at the Ogre the glowing tip of the spear growing in brightness as it pierced the Ogre’s thick hide with seemiong ease

Aelistrae, shot again and this time she shot sunk in deep and the orc fell over either dead or dying. Loriel was not sure. “Good shooting Aelistrae,” she shouts out in encouragement,

Artanis next hit sent the orc to its doom on the cold stone floor.

However their luck had run out when next the Ogre closed on Kas and swung his might Ax and hit her hard and sent her flying. Loriel could not tell if there was any life left in her.

Xarius retaliated on the Ogre and ith his next strike he nearly cleaved the ogr’s leg almost clean off.

Loriel moved into the doorway once more, Moonshadow still barking at her side. She leveled her sights on the fallen Ogre, and let two more arrows fly into the massive beast even as he began to rise to a sit up. Both arrows hit, but without much penetration. Loriel then sent Moonshadow to Kas using her telepathic link. **Protect Kas.**

From the Corner, where the woman seemed to regain her senses but to Loriel’s horror she was not an old merchant’s wife but a cool-faced beauty that was aiming a wand at them and speaking about her master and how they were going to die. Lightning crackle from the end of the wand striking the Ogre that was good, Xarius, that was not good and at Artanis. And the shield crackled as all but one stone was light with inner energy. The Ogre slumped over very dead. Just retribution indeed, Kas, I hope you are alive to enjoy it.

Even as the woman cackled manically and frop the first wand and pulls out another, Loriel combat drew two arrows from her quiver again and aimed at the woman Loriel moves into point blank range (if she was not already within that distance) and fires both arrows at her. Loriel calls out loudly and the arrows steak off on at a time, “Now is your turn to know pain.”

Kas watches Xaris charged straight towards the crude barricade and the Orcs that lay beyond and quickly puts one down. Artanis quickly followed her smaller companion in a similar fashion, charging the barricade, using Xaris’ opening as a means to reach another orc with a little more ease and puts him down. Loriel’s first two arrows strike the Ogre, but there was not way an ogre would be felled by two arrows. Linnix, fired, her small hand crossbow’s bolt nicked the Orc’s shoulder, drawing its attention.

Kasenarrion finally stepped into the room next, and casts her Flare spell. “By Tyr’s Grace she calls out as the Ogre seems to have been affected by it. She then moves to engage the Ogre.

Infuriated the Ogre cursed out loud at missing the Gnome and hitting one of his Orc defenders. “I will feast on gnome flesh tonight!”

The Orcs fired again. As did Aelistae

Arrows and bolts continued to fly, but Kas had the Ogre in her sight and with her battle cry, “For Tyr, for Righteousness, for Retribution, and for Justice!” She thrusts at the Ogre and is surprise to see the tip of her spear glowing and as she connected the spear seemed to penetrate the Ogre’s thick hide with ease. As it struck however, Kas felt a drain upon her, as if something was pulled from her body.

Aelistae’s arrow then finds the third eye of another Orc. Artanis took a slight wound from a bolt, but she get her retribution by killing her attack with a might swing of her deadly sword.

Kas is suddenly caught by the Ogre’s massive ax and is sent flying. The pain came on top of the earlier unhealed wound. Kas clamped her teeth tightly to keep from crying out in pain. Kas knows she can not show weakness so she forced herself to stand, using the spear for support.

Xaris delivers the Ogre a crippling blow, cuting off his lower leg and sending him to the ground. Kas can not believe the spunk of the tiny warrior. Loriel fires again and hits the Ogre but the arrows do not go deep. Kas is surprised by the teamwork of the group and their effectiveness in this battle

Kas was moving forward to deliver a coup de grac to the Ogre when the woman hanging chained to the wall tossed aside her ragged garment and as she stood, she revealing a perfectly healthy woman dressed in black and green robes, baring a short bone wand.

With a sneer she cackled. “While I commend you on your sense of morality and justice, I pity you fools, for while my master moves his plan one step further to completion, you will not live to see the light of day!”

With that she let loose her wand’s command word, and it shot forth a bolt of searing lightning shot forth crackling on an angle that would put Xaris and Artanis as well as the fallen Ogre in its path. The Ogre, twitched from the lightning which coursed through its body, its skin charred and its back was turned into the equivalent of cracklings before it slumped over very dead.

Cackling in maniacal glee, the woman dropped the wand in her hand and drew out another identical one. Even as the first one the floor; it disintegrated, its energies spent.

Now Kas’s attention was taken from the Ogre to the woman, here was Evil. Kas rushed forward spear ready, the intensity of the lightning would be deadly to the others, and she was here and still viable as a fighter. Fighting Evil was..............right; was all she could think of for now, she knew there was more to that though, but it did not come, and she did not let it impede her in what she was doing

“TYR!” Kas calls out as she makes her attack on the woman and as she does she sees the tiny form of the Forest Gnome racing toward the woman also.