Turn 81 -- Momentary Distractions

Noticing the orcs only moments after Ortho, Talimar quickly swings around to face the vile beasts. Taking a deep breath he brings up his longbow and sights down the shaft. Satisfied with his aim, the gray elf exhales as he releases. In one swift and expert movement, Talimar's right hand flies over his head to draw another shaft from the quiver at his back, knocks the arrow on the next breath and releases just as the first arrow thuds home into the left shoulder of the lead orc. Tal's aim is truer on the second shaft and it cuts off the cry of pain from the orc as it finds a home in its throat. Instinctively, the orcs hands move up to try to stop the flow of lifeblood from the hole now in his throat. His companions knock their dying companion to the ground and trample on him as they move out of the passageway and into the cave.

Having given his warning to his comrades, Ortho draws forth a hand-axe in each of his hands; launching first one, then the other at the advancing orcs before bringing his battle axe forward. The rushed throws of the dwarven priest miss their mark and fly harmlessly over the heads of the onrushing orcs.

In the center of the cave, Druckner turns at the warning of Ortho and takes stock of the situation, "Orcs! Curse their maker! They'll taste some of me axe!" He becomes dark red as his hatred of the orcs seizes him. Throwing caution to the wind, Druckner rushes forward with his axe swinging wildly around his head. Crashing into the front of the orcs, he brings his axe around to open a cut on the right arm of the first orc he meets. The snout-faced beast snarls in rage at the cut from his mortal enemy and barely manages to get his shield up to block a second swing from the fiery dwarf.

"Garth, keep an eye on the pool if ye can!" shouts Ortho as he readies his shield and axe before charging after Druckner. A larger than normal orc steps around the edge of the passageway to greet the oncoming dwarf, a vicious smile on the face of the beast; saliva falls from the large teeth of the beast as it sets itself for Ortho's charge. Unfortunately for the orc, rage and experience overcome any readiness for Ortho's charge it might have had. Ortho's first swing of his mighty axe knocks the orcs sword aside before carrying downward to slice through its kneecap. Screaming in pain, the orc drops to one knee just seconds before Ortho carries the axe downward again, cleaving through the shoulder blade of the orc before exiting through its abdomen. Blood flies onto the shield and cloak of Ortho as the orc falls to the ground.

Chaos erupts as the other companions recover from the initial shock and enter the battle. The orc that is engaged with Druckner takes heart at his defense of Druckner's second blow and swings a mighty club around at the dwarf. The thick club lands solidly to the right shoulder of the fiery dwarf eliciting a roar of pain from Druckner as he hears the bones snapping in his shoulder.

Streaming into the cavern now, an especially ugly orc rushes forward to engage Brother Randor. Easily absorbing with his shield the first clumsy blow from the beast, Randor is not as fortunate with the second as it lands solidly to his helmed head. Stars erupt before his eyes as the pain shoots through his head. As Randor raises his shield and tries to recover his senses, to his left Kersath easily dodges a series of attacks from what appears to be the leader of the orcs.

Kre mutters something about 'battle crazy dwarves' as he turns to tie the rope around a nearby stalagmite. Once confident that the rope and the body are secure he draws forth two of his trusty daggers and with the like-armed Ras in tow, they disappear into the shadows waiting for a moment to strike unseen.

In the center of the cavern, Dain draws forth two daggers from his robe and throws at the orc leader engaged with Kersath. The first dagger glances harmlessly off the tough hide armor worn by the orc while the second misses badly and almost strikes Kersath! Not wishing to take any further chances of hitting a companion, Dain draws another dagger and decides to wait for a target not engaged with a friend. He quickly readies a nasty spell as well in case an unlucky orc should break through the line and engage him.

To Dain's left, Gnore smiles deeply as a nasty smelling orc steps forward to attack. His great bastard sword moving in a deadly arc, the skilled dwarf easily deflects the untrained blows of the orc. Randor is not as lucky as another orc steps forward to take the opportunity of the dazed Hand of Tyr to land a solid blow, its sword sliding under his shield to bury into his side. With fire erupting in his side, pain knocks Randor out of his daze. His shield hand grabs the arm of the orc before it can pull the sword from his side to land another blow, all the while his warhammer swings around to strike the orc across its left shoulder. The beast growls in pain and releases its hold on the sword.

"Be still you hellspawn goats," shouts Gnore as he launches into his attack. "I'll get to you all in proper time!!! Thank the spirit of this dead floating soul that you came to squash the boredom my bastard has endured!!! I'll teach you orcish sewer refuse to taint this wondrous cavern with your foul stench!! Ya goblin heaps of spew aren't worth the sweat of a giant's armpit but I'll gladly send you all back to the plains of evil slime you oozed from!!!" Despite his vaunted curses, the dwarf is unable to land a solid blow on the orc before him.

"Onward, Leader Talimar, it is time to earn your sleep!" Gnore bellows as he takes a swing at the orc, now completely entranced under the battle surge of killing these orcs.

Stepping over the body of its disembowled companion, another orc moves forward to attack Ortho. The dwarven priest absorbs one blow with his newfound shield while knocking the second aside with his great axe. Across the cavern, Talimar drops his bow while drawing his longsword and stepping forward to attack one of the orcs previously engaged with Randor. Stunned at the presence of the new opponent, the orc is unable to avoid the first blow from the gray elf. Opening a deep gash across the abdomen of the beast, Talimar brings his sword around to open a similar gash in the jugular of the orc. Gurgling noises escape the throat of the orc as blood rushes from the wound and the fallen beast.

Feeling confident that the corpse in the pool is not going to rise and attack the party from the rear, Garth turns to face the orc leader, holding his holy symbol between forefinger and thumb. Garth mouths a prayer to Selune, "Oh beautiful Selune, entrance these wicked creatures with your light and hold them from moving!" Releasing the magical energy gathered in his body, Garth turns to look at the orc leader, expecting to see it now immobile before Kersath. On the contrary though, the beast seems unaffected by the spell of the priest. Undaunted by his failure to ensnare the creatures with his spell, Garth hefts his mace and shield and wades into the melee.

Still upset following his near-death experience with Ramor, Kersath launches a vicious attack on the orc leader, attacking it with great fury and no remorse. The orc knocks aside the first stroke from the dark ranger's longsword but the blade's twin flashes under the shield, opening a deep gash in the left thigh of the beast. At the point of the battle, the fiery Druckner renews his attack on the orc before him. His axe swings around at the tiring beast before him, striking it to the head with the flat of the blade. The orcs eyes roll back into its head as it falls to the ground.

Talimar launches another attack with his sword on the other orc engaged with Randor but is unable to hit the beast. Ortho fairs better as he sidesteps a thrust from the sword of the orc before him. Screaming "Glory to Ironrock!" Ortho swings his axe in a wide arc sending the orcs head flying across the cavern. The orcs body continues on a step further without the head before Ortho contemptuously kicks it to the cavern floor. Randor and Gnore trade ineffective blows with their opponents as Garth steps forward, his mace crashing into the knee of the orc engaged with Randor.

Facing off with the leader again, Kersath calmly avoids a blow from the great sword wielded by the massive orc. His mind totally clear and at one with his body, the dark elf brings his twin longswords forward in a deadly display, cutting the great beast to pieces. Blood pours from several deep wounds in the orc leader as the body falls to the ground at the feet of Kersath. The dark elf turns to face the two remaining orcs, blood on his longswords as well as smeared across his face and chest. The two orcs roar in terror and turn to flee. As the orc before Gnore turns to flee, the stout dwarf screams another curse before burying his great bastard into the beast's back. The creature's chest arches as the sword plunges through its back, carrying on to exit the chest of the orc, pinning it to the ground.

The second orc runs toward the passageway, it's legs picking up pace as it realizes it has broken through the line and open caverns are before it. Just before the orc can fully exit the cavern though, its race is lost as an axe from Ortho buries deep into the back of the creature, snapping its spine. The orc is dead before its twisted body falls to the ground.

With a snarl on his face, Gnore kicks the impaled orc off his great bastard sword. He then bends down to wipe the orcs blood off the blade on its cloak. "Well that was fun," he smiles as the battle surge slowly ebbs from him.