[Horde] Chapter Five: Session Twenty-Eight
Appearing Characters: Arthak Saurfang, Arzeth, Bru'kan, Caria Felsoul, Gul'dan, Imacu'tya, Jubei'thos, Levia Blackflight, Marakhan, Mayla Highmountain, Mellok Bloodtotem, Nesslyn, Nyxxa Murkthorn, Rak'Symma, Shara Bloodtotem, Sol'chi, Torok Bloodtotem, Vaerux, Varedis Spellsoul, Velhari, Zar'Kaa, Zekhan
November 17th
Arzeth swooped over on his wings and grabbed both of the Eyes that were thrown on the Legion side of the field. He hurled the first Eye at Arthak, but Arthak grounded himself and grabbed the Eye, successfully getting Rak’Symma back into the game. Arzeth angrily threw the second one at Arthak, and once more, Arthak caught it.
Gul’dan looked at Arzeth angrily.
Arzeth punched the side of a barricade and stormed back to the stands.
He sat down next to Jubei’thos and Velhari. As Rak’Symma re-entered the field, she once more used [Shield of Faith] over her allies.
Mayla ran forward and snatched up the Eyes. She tossed one of them to Zar’Kaa, who hurled his eye at Nesslyn after he stepped out from behind cover. The succubus managed to just barely snag the Eye, and she looked as surprised as everyone else. Velhari, Jubei’thos, and Arzeth all got to their feet and started to scuffle about who was going to go back in. Nesslyn randomly pointed, and Velhari was brought back to the field. Mayla struck her own Eye at Imacu’tya. Sol called out a [Silvery Barbs], and for a split second, Imacu’tya squinted as she suddenly saw multiple other Eyes. She pulled out her other arms to catch them, but the real Eye struck her in the gut.
Nesslyn looked around as she gripped the Eye.
She passed the Eye to Gul’dan and then attempted to charm Zar’Kaa.
Zar’Kaa felt something worm into his mind, but then he shrugged it off.
Nesslyn stomped her hoof in frustration and ran back behind cover as Gul’dan strode out to Arthak. He held out his hand and chains of fel magic wrapped around Arthak as he used [Hold Person]. Arthak was able to break free right as Gul’dan hurled the Eye at him. Arthak struck the Eye toward Nesslyn, but at the last minute Nesslyn’s soothing voice redirected it toward Velhari over her cover. At the last minute, she dove to catch it, but she missed, and he was able to get her out.
Arthak looked at Gul’dan with a smile, and Gul’dan looked momentarily surprised as he realized Velhari was out, and then sneered.
Sol stepped forward and used [Arcane Hand] to pick up an Eye on the other side of the field. The Bloodtotem looked at each other and then at Torok, who shrugged, as there was no rule against it. The hand flicked the Eye like a marble at Nesslyn. It struck her in the side, and she made a loud eep, but she looked honestly relieved.
The hand turned around to the people on the bench and offered a thumbs up. The Bloodtotem laughed loudly at the display, and many of them had started to chant, stomp, and clap. Torok threw the third Eye onto the field and Gul’dan hurried to one of the Eyes and spiked it at Sol, who was able to catch the Eye. However, given Gul’dan was the last one on the field, he was not auto-out.
Nyxxa scurried out and snagged the Eye that was just thrown out, and also hurried over to Sol and took the Eye from him as well. Sol told her to wait a moment as Gul’dan moved backwards. Sol also moved backwards and used a powerful [Dispel Magic]. Gul’dan was able to [Counterspell], but Sol harnessed the remnants of the magic to cast another [Dispel Magic], which was able to strip all his buffs away. Sol then had his arcane hand swoop up the Eye, and at the same time, the hand and Nyxxa hurled the Eyes at Gul’dan.
She nailed Gul’dan in the face at the same time Sol’s hand flicked the Eye straight into Gul’dan’s back. There was a drumbeat and a horn blew to indicate the game was over. Torok stood up.
Tor: The sun had set, and a victor has been named! Mayla Highmountain and the outsiders of the Horde have been victorious!
Torok looked at Gul’dan.
Gul’dan nodded. He looked a tad miffed, but he bowed.
The other members of the Legion stepped down to join Gul’dan as Arthak also started to approach.
Arthak held out a hand, and then looked at Velhari.
Gul’dan took Arthak’s hand with his gauntleted one. As they shook hands, Arthak felt the pulse in the back of his mind. Gul’dan’s eyes were filled with malice and hatred. The grip was tighter than would be expected from a man of his stature. With the coin from Khadgar, Nyxxa was able to identify the anchor for the geas was woven into the gauntlet.
Gul’dan turned his back to teleport his group out. Velhari, however, moved up to Sol and grabbed the collar of Sol’s coat.
She let go and stomped away.
Velhari turned back to him with a sharp smile.
Velhari narrowed her eyes, and then looked at Nyxxa, who was trying to hold back growling at the eredar.
Arthak caught Nesslyn’s eye and gave her a soft smile as Gul’dan started to cast. Arthak turned his gaze back to Gul’dan.
Zar’Kaa nodded at Gul’dan and then winked at Arzeth, who sneered with a growl.
Nesslyn spoke telepathically to the group.
Arthak nodded again as Gul’dan smiled at Zar’Kaa and then nodded. Rak’Symma had headed over to Mayla as the Legion group teleported away.
Rak’Symma looked up at Torok.
Torok cocked his head to the side.
Many of the braves and shamans had left.
At that moment, a group of Flameseers led by Shara Bloodtotem returned.
The flameseers manifested a fiery magic to rend open images like a scrying censor. There was smoke over the highlands. It switched views, and there were sights of demons and orcs involved in skirmishes with the Bloodtotem in their lands, and then to Bloodtotem itself, which was the city by the sea. Large clusters of meteors were careening from the sky and slamming into the buildings and mountainside.
Torok and Shara exchanged looked.
Torok looked at Zar’Kaa and furrowed his brow, then looked at Mayla.
Mayla looked at the warband.
Rak’Symma said that she could get everyone there, and they broke for the medium armor wearers to put their armor back on and for Symma to find an adequate tree. Torok and Shara joined the group. Arthak went to retrieve Var’gosh, and Arthak felt a command to give up. However Arthak braced himself and took the spike of pain as the geas activated. Zar’Kaa hastily patched him up.
Rak’Symma ripped open a portal with [Transport via Plants] and Torok rallied the immediately ready forces to pile through the portal along with the warband and their allies.
The battle was already underway. They hastily realized the meteors falling for infernals. Sol looked around, and it became evident the infernals were not all landing at Bloodtotem, but they were also not coming from above like they were dropping from a ship. Instead, it seemed they were coming from below, as if they were being launched from the sea. There were figures in the water, but it was very far away. Sol grabbed his spyglass to look closer, and there were five vessels total. Four of them were the same, but “vessel” was perhaps not correct. They had the iconography of the Stormreaver clan, and had large canons, which were mounted atop something that was just beneath the surface of the sea. The other ship looked to be human in make, and it had a crimson and black standard that had the visage of a grim reaper with two long curving horns and a terrible black blade. The ship was fortified with sharp felsteel, and it similarly had felsteel canons. The figurehead appeared to be a humanoid woman with six hands clawing out her eyes and face. It was a terribly ghastly image.
As they started to fight their way through a small skirmish, there was a momentary flash of steel. Nyxxa was able to defeat the assailant, and revealed a felblood elf with warglaives. Nyxxa immediately started to look around, and she noticed two braves with severe fel burns and lacerations. One was barely clinging to life. He looked at Nyxxa.
The brave coughed up blood.
He fell to the ground with his final breath. It was obvious that Caria was present.
Zar’Kaa peeled off to try and isolate some of the spellcasters where the core of the fighting was located. There was a bloodbath of slain tauren and the charred residue of demons. There were three figures there. One was a Bloodtotem tauren that appeared to be slightly older than Mayla. His war paint appeared to indicate he was Mellok, Torok’s son. He was captured in bright green bars of fel energy. In front of it was an eredar with a massive felsteel axe in the ground next to him.
There was a larger winged, bestial demon with crimson flesh and two prominent horns standing next to him. He was speaking to him in eredun. Zar’Kaa tried to feed the words back to the group via the telepathic link, but the only word that could be translated was “hostage”.
Rak’Symma was able to get some eyes in the sky, using the truesight from Blaithe’s skull. She was able to zap some of the invisible imps, and she was able to gauge that the force was not a full assault. It was more a raid they were using to sow chaos, with the exception being the leadership at the center of the attack.
The majority of the forces seemed to be the felblood elves, but there were also the massive flaming infernals that were erupting from the meteors, canine-like demons that were racing around, and of course the orcs and eredar.
Arthak got to a good vantage point and bellowed out a challenge to the gathered Legion forces as he raised Varg’osh.
A voice called out in return.
On one of the buildings that had erupted in flames was Caria Felsoul. She looked down at Nyxxa.
Nyxxa’s eyes flared bright violet, and Caria smiled.
She held out her hands, and her glaives materialized.
Arthak immediately charged one of the felhunters and drove a fierce blow through its side. Nyxxa took off into the sky and dove straight for Caria as they started to spar against each other with a flurry of strikes.
She cackled as Nyxxa spun a hoof into her side. Rak’Symma flew into the air and used [Destructive Wave]. There was a crackling wave of force and dust that sent the injured felhunter slamming into a cliffside, where it fell dead. The blast of energy also hit Caria, who buckled downward.
Caria completely ignored him as Arthak continued forward and tore through another felhunter. He severely wounded another, but Arthak continued up the incline, heading straight toward the doomguard and Enforcer Marakhan.
Marakhan hefted his axe.
Zar’Kaa flipped around Sol to work on the other felhunters. With a series of strikes, he slew one of the felhunters and continued through to the second.
Zar’Kaa managed to land a kick on the underside of the second felhunter, and utilizing the opening, he drove his spare into its underbelly. He then barked a command to Zekhan, who gathered storm energy in his hands to blast the felhunter with a [Jolt]. With a crackle of energy, the felhunter crumpled to the ground.
Zekhan gave Zar’Kaa a thumbs up before turning to focus on other enemies.
An infernal meteor came falling down from the sky and landed right between Sol, Rak’Symma, and Levia. A crater of fel fire erupted from the center point, as the meteor unfolded with a horrific hiss.
A female felsoul demon hunter leapt off a building and glided down to Zar’Kaa. She unleashed a flurry of warglaive strikes. Zar’Kaa realized she was trying to feint him out, and he managed to duck in the other direction as he disappeared into shadows and rematerialized next to Sol. The demon hunt leaped back up onto the cliffside.
Another demon hunter flew at Rak’Symma and slashed at her, only to be buffeted by a blast of thunder and lightning. However, Rak’Symma was stunned by the strike and plummeted from the air. The demon hunter hovered in the air, leering down at her with a grin.
The remaining felhunter raced at Zar’Kaa as Sol used [Vortex War] on the infernal. The large creature was teleported a distance away from the group. The felhunter leaped around Zar’Kaa and attempted to slam Sol with it’s tentacles as the eredar darted away, but it missed completely.
Caria kipped back up onto her hooves and spun around as she danced back into the air.
Her body started to flicker and glow as flames alighted over her flesh, and she became invisible. She then cut into Nyxxa with her glaives. It felt like the fel magic was coursing through her, preventing her from naturally recovering as her vitality was seeping away.
Enforcer Marakhan typed something into his felsteel greaves, and then disappeared. He swung with his axe at Arthak, but Arthak was able to redirect the attack at the doomguard behind him.
Marakhan tried to slam into Arthak with his gauntlet, but Arthak was able to step out of the way.
A second infernal slammed into the ground between Zar’Kaa, Sol, Symma, and Levia with another explosion of fel fire as the infernal unfolded.
Mellok was slamming his entire weight against the cage of fel energy, but it was not giving at all. Meanwhile, the doomguard stomped on the ground before swinging with a claw in an attempt to rip Varg’osh from him. Arthak held on, but it left him open for the falchion strike that followed.
Levia cast [Holy Light] on Rak’Symma to mend some of her wounds and then repositioned to help protect the harpy from the nearby demon hunter. One of the remaining felhunter rushed Levia, but she smacked it in the face with her shield.
Sol looked up at Caria.
Caria’s flaming eyes flickered over to Sol in rage, but it gave Nyxxa the opening to get in a more advantageous position.
Zar’Kaa gave a few quick jabs at the felhunter to get it off balance before swinging the spear around and beheading the creature. He raced over to Rak’Symma and managed to get her back to her feet before he swung around and drove his spear through the core of the infernal, but heat washed over him. A shadowy pulse burst from Rokul Kaz, but the infernal seemed to be immune to it. He swung his axe around and managed another devastating blow.
Nyxxa took her opening to slice into Caria.
Rak’Symma fluttered behind Sol and held onto his arm. She used [Thunder Step] and carried them both over to Arthak’s side of the field with a loud blast of thunder. As they appeared, Sol recognized Enforcer Marakhan when the light of the lantern revealed him, as he frequently reported directly to Jaraxxus. Marakhan looked around, and his eyes fell on the lantern.
Mellok, meanwhile, looked at Rak’Symma.
Rak’Symma regarded him as she activated her maelstrom aura, and a storm swept up around her.
Levia ran up to the felhunter and her bat flared with fire. She slammed the bat into the side of the felhunter, which knocked it back into the felsoul demon hunter. The fire from the [Green-Flame Blade] washed over the demon hunter as well. She blocked the demon hunter’s return attack and then flew back to land back-to-back with Zar’Kaa.
Zar’Kaa lifted his spear to her, and she grabbed it at its base.
Levia used [Holy Weapon], and his spear was wreathed in bright white light.
Zar’Kaa looked at the spear, then back at the carnage Levia had caused.
Levia was also wreathed with black flames. However, another infernal seemed to be falling in the midst of the battlefield as one of the demon hunters used [Immolation Aura]. He shot a beam of energy directly through Levia and Zar’Kaa.
The demon hunter flew down at Levia and managed to clip her, but she was able to smack the demon hunter away with her shield.
As Sol took a look at the fel-wreathed cage, and he was able to identify it as a [Forcecage]. Sol took a step back and twin spelled [Disintegrate].
Sol flashed finger guns, and the forcecage was promptly destroyed. The second beam was sent straight at Marakhan. Marakhan took the blast straight in the chest, and his invisibility faltered. Mellok started to laugh loudly.
He brandished his totem, and Marakhan looked around in the beginnings of terror. His eyes fell on Sol, who grinned.
Marakhan blinked, then brandished his axe.
Sol looked at Mellok.
Mellok continued to laugh. Arthak tried to drive Marakhan back into Mellok, and after some struggle, he was able to force Marakhan back. Mellok charged forward and gored into the eredar. He then slammed the totem into Marakhan’s face.
Arthak called out an opening, which Mellok gleefully took with another crack of his totem.
Caria cocked her head at Nyxxa.
She glanced down to Zar’Kaa and Levia.
She flipped away from Nyxxa and her body flickered as she used [Steel Wind Strike]. Nyxxa and Zar’Kaa were able able to evade, but Caria got a clean strike on Levia, which dropped her to the ground. Caria then stuck downward, opening bleeding wounds on her unconscious body.
Caria grinned up at Nyxxa.
The doomguard started to cast [Rain of Fire].
Sol, however, used [Counterspell], and the motes of fire were extinguished with a haze. The doomguard growled, but he harnessed the magic and used [Fireball] instead. An explosion of fire washed over the demons, Mellok, Arthak, Sol, and Rak’Symma. He then charged at Sol and tried to hit him with his falchion. Arthak snarled, but drew his blade across the rune of creation, which flared. The attack was turned away by the runic magic. The doomguard growled.
Caria looked down at Levia.
One of the demon hunters drove her glaives through Levia’s chest. Levia stopped moving. The demon hunter then looked at Zar’Kaa and swung, but was unable to connect.
Meanwhile, Marakhan unleashed a flurry of attacks on Sol and managed to knock the lantern off Sol’s hip, which doused it. He then tried to go invisible again, but Arthak saw his opportunity and drove Varg’osh through Marakhan’s back.
Arthak ripped the sword upward, bisecting the eredar as the blade was swept around to clip the doomguard.
The eredar’s body discorporated.
The nearby infernal swung at Zar’Kaa and managed to slam its fist into him, just as another infernal slammed into the midst of Arthak, Mellok, and the others.
A small gemstone lifted up over Levia’s body, and then shattered. She breathed again and looked up at the demon hunter.
Nyxxa held back a scream and flew down over Levia to defend her. She tried to unload a series of strikes at one of the demon hunters, but the felblood elf was able to parry the attacks as Caria was clearly getting to Nyxxa. However, with another surge of attacks, one of the demon hunters was killed with a gore of her horns and another was wounded. However, the satyr was clearly shaken.
Zar’Kaa was able to impale the other demon hunter and lifted the felblood elf up, successfully splitting them in half. He then looked at Levia and moved to patch up some of her wounds.
Mellok slammed his totem into the infernal.
Levia looked up at Caria.
Her eyes flared with light as she used [Exorcism] on Caria. The light erupted from Levia and threatened to consume Caria, who just barely was able to slip out of the way.
An infernal collided into a nearby building and shrapnel was blasted at Levia, but she was able to duck behind her shield.
Arthak unleashed a series of attacks on the doomguard and then activated his fire rune. The chains wrapped around the doomguard, and he plummeted to the ground.
Rak’Symma flew up on top of the building and used [Call Lightning] on Caria. She channeled the strength of the storm into it, and lightning struck directly at the fiendish woman. Meanwhile, Arthak looked down at the restrained doomguard and drove Varg’osh straight through the demon’s chest.
Arthak nodded as the doomguard discorporated. It gave Sol the opportunity to move toward the other half of the group and he also used [Exorcism]. A brilliant, crimson-magenta light wreathed his hand like a firework. It also started to burn his hand, but it channeled it directly at Caria as it turned into the form of an owl and slammed into the other demon.
Caria flew away and channeled a [Disintegrate] toward Levia. Nyxxa jumped in front of Levia.
Nyxxa didn’t budge, but the moment she was going to let it go there was a flicker of magic in front of Nyxxa, and a figure appeared. It was an elf. He held his hand out, and the disintegrate was absorbed into his hand. He then dispersed the magic aside.
Caria’s manic rage settled as she looked at Nyxxa.
The elf turned to the warband, and his eyes flickered to Nyxxa’s warglaives. He smiled faintly.
The elf flickered and appeared next to Caria, and then they teleported away in a flash of fel energy as he placed a hand on the fallen demon hunter’s shoulder.
Only the infernals were left, and the warband took a few more burns, but they were destroyed as Torok and Mayla threw a massive basin of water over one of them. The other crumbled.
Torok looked at Mellok.
Meanwhile, Levia and Nyxxa had embraced, and Nyxxa started to weep as she repeated “I’m sorry” again and again. Zar’Kaa tried to consol her with a hand on her shoulder, and Sol jumped down.
Nyxxa shook her head.
Arthak had heard the name Varedis before in retellings of the Second Troll Wars. He was a legendary mercenary… but he had supposedly retired.
