[Horde] Chapter Four: Session Eighteen
Appearing Characters: Arthak Saurfang, Azgadaan, Azuka Stormbreaker, Dornaa, Durak, Geya'rah, Go'el, Halno, Levia Blackflight, Nyxxa, Phaedra, Sadras, Sorak Thunderforged
Outland Day 18
Durak looks up at Go’el with a mixture of anger and confusion.
Go’el sighs.
Durak pushes Go’el’s hand off his shoulder.
Go’el stands up straight and looks down at Durak. He sighs deeply.
He reaches out and squeezes Durak’s shoulder.
Durak clenches his teeth and moves in, slamming his head into Go’el’s chest, and punching him in the chest. Go’el winces, but takes it, and puts a gentle hand on Durak’s shoulder. Durak is trying not to cry, but his shoulders clearly betray that. Geya’rah joins them and throws her arms around the pair of them.
After a moment, Go’el releases the hug.
Durak lowers his head, not pleased, but nods.
Arthak and Azgadaan opt to try and harvest the corpse of the massive, now-deceased earth elemental. Given how big and alien the creature is, they don’t have a full scope of what they could get from the creature, but they opt to try nonetheless. They are able to get all four of the different materials from this particular individual. They find some geodes in its stomach that may be what remained of the essence of Gordawg that the usurper had consumed. They also get some of its gem-like claws, its core, and its horn, which they opt to store in the portable hole for the time being.
The group is able to return to the safe zone they had been able to carve out previously, and they were able to avoid any notable conflicts.
Dornaa plants her tranquility totem, which causes the air around it to shimmer and seemingly still.
Following their rest, Dornaa helps to patch up the remainder of Arthak’s wounds, bathing them with water which warms as it seeps into his wounds and flows away--the draenic glyph momentarily materializing on her forehead.
Levia nods.
She holds a hand out, and a death ward materializes on Nyxxa.
Levia nods again. Dornaa, Azuka, and Geya’rah take their wind walk forms, but Levia looks to Durak and gestures with a flick of her head.
Durak nods and approaches Go’el.
Go’el nods.
Durak turns and gets on Levia's back, who takes to the sky. He is clearly heavier than she anticipated, but she is able to manage as she soars after the other kids.
Sorak and Wintermaw opt to join Sadras and Phaedra in the reserves to watch the main party’s back.
Go’el nods.
They start to head to the west where they see rough-hewn cliffs and edges. There is a plume of dust raising from the area, as if it is caught in the midst of a windstorm. As they cross the stream where the various elements meet, the winds begin to pick up significantly, and the group realizes rather quickly that they will need to fight against the harsh winds as well as everything else.
As they get closer and closer, they note the elements of wind and fire are battling very closely here, and streaks of searing winds sometimes blow through. It’s hard to hear each other over the howling winds, and both visibility and hearing is going to be troublesome.
Arthak and Nyxxa try to navigate the area while Go’el does his best to try and lessen the winds immediately around them with his gust cantrip, though it’s to varied results. Halno tries to look for a path of least resistance while Azgadaan stays alert for threats.
The group tries to group up more to avoid losing track of each other, but then they hear a loud, hissing howl.
Azgadaan grabs Nyxxa’s shoulder as they had nearly stepped right into a cliff--obscured by the dusty winds. The storm is starting to roll in on them.
A swirling mass of angry wind and lightning resembling a black storm cloud with three motes of crackling electricity that rotates through the upper part of its body swooshes down onto Nyxxa and Azgadaan. Nyxxa is able to hunker down against the wailing winds, but Azgadaan is swept off his hooves and flung off the cliff.
Azgadaan plummets until he suddenly slams into the ground. His vision goes blurry for a moment, but he is still awake.
A sandstorm elemental swoops by Halno, picking up grit and dirt and sand, and it whips past Arthak--attempting to blind his one good eye. Arthak is able to shield himself as the blinding sand whips around it, buffeting Arthak, Go’el, Halno, and the corrupted wind guardian.
Halno senses some movement in the windstorm, and he notes a small, bat-like creature that seems to be made of sand flitting through the storm.
A similar creature soars toward Nyxxa and starts to beat its wings, attempting to blind her--but it does nothing given Nyxxa doesn’t have eyes to begin with.
A lesser air elemental closes on Go’el, slamming into him with condensed winds before it attempts to disappear back into the storm. Go’el retaliates with a swing of his axe. He then raises his hand towards the sky, and a peal of lightning strikes the ground. A totem with a localized windstorm of its own appears, whirling in the opposite direction: the windfury totem (which serves as haste-lite for those within 15 feet of it).
The wind howls even stronger as the currents shift, and Halno needs to half-close his eyes as they sting with the dull pain of sand. The lesser air elemental nearby takes his shot, trying to slam into the now-blinded Halno. Halno gets thrown backwards and slams into the larger sandstorm elemental behind him.
The second sandstorm elemental shoots through the group, riding the winds of the storm, and it attempts to cause its own whirl of sand. Arthak is blinded by the localized sandstorm, though Nyxxa once more only has to deal with grains of sand getting into her eye sockets.
A tempest revenant looms out of the gale as it takes control of some of the wind to create a protective, warding wind around it.
Nyxxa activates the flames on her glaives and she closes on the nearest lesser air elemental, slicing her weapon through it with two successful hits. However, its fellow lesser air elemental attempts to strike back, but both its blows prove ineffective. It tries to swoop away, and Nyxxa attempts to clip it, but just barely misses.
The dustbats continue to swarm around the group.
Arthak goes giant and attacks recklessly, trying to counter his blindness as he swings at the corrupted wind guardian--compelled by the fury of the totem. He strikes, then rounding on one sandstorm elemental, and then the other, attempting to create a whirlwind strike to get the attention of the three largest elementals on him.
He then action surges and starts to wail on the corrupted wind guardian, hitting it successfully twice. The corrupted wind guardian soars away, surging past Arthak and into the air while Arthak gets most of the sand out of his eye.
Nyxxa finishes off one of the lesser air elementals with two strikes, the creature’s energy disapparating.
A dustbat attempts to blind Go’el, and he grunts as sand gets into his eyes. Arthak gets smacked by a passing air elemental.
The tempest revenant swoops towards Halno, its flail crackling with lightning and wind. However it sails past Halno and digs a hole into the ground next to Halno.
One of the sandstorm elementals is still roiling with a localized sandstorm, buffeting Arthak, Go’el, and its fellow sandstorm elemental.
Azgadaan comes to at the base of the cliffside and he gets back to his hooves. He drinks a potion and casts levitate on himself, staying close to the cliff face as he starts to rise.
Go’el swings at the nearest sandstorm elemental while a dustbat swoops at Nyxxa, but she is able to duck out of the way of the chittering creature--and under the attack of the lesser elemental, which instead smacks into the dustbat.
One of the sandstorm elementals slams into Arthak and Halno. A dustbat also manages to rake Halno with its sandy claws while a lesser air elemental slams into Go’el.
The corrupted wind guardian swoops toward Nyxxa, but she continues to deftly dodge around its attacks as it flies away again.
Halno uses bone shield, bones erupting from the dirt and circling around him.
The corrupted wind guardian tries to attack Nyxxa again, but she continues to dodge.
A sandstorm elemental uses its sandstorm attack again, buffeting friend and foe alike. The second sandstorm elemental slams into Arthak again.
A dustbat tries and fails to hit Nyxxa, as does its accompanying lesser air elemental.
Arthak rages and continues to attack recklessly, a decisive blow connecting with a sandstorm elemental. His second strike ends it, the sand in its body getting swept into the surrounding storm. He rounds on the other sandstorm elemental and activates his fire rune, but the creature is not burned nor restrained as the chains simply go through its body.
The tempest revenant slams into Halno twice with its flail, and it sends him sailing back across the ground.
Azgadaan uses another potion as he continues to hover up the side of the cliff.
Go’el slices through a lesser air elemental with his axe and then action surges to cast a stormbolt at the tempest revenant. The lesser air elemental manages to get a strike on Go’el in retribution, which knocks him out of the range of the totem.
Nyxxa manages to slay a dustbat in a bright flash of fire, and her second strike did the same to its fellow as she strikes through to the lesser elemental next to her.
One of the remaining dustbats tries its luck with Arthak as it flutters into his face, but he barely even notices the swipe of its sandy claws. The second dustbat also tries, but it is much less effective.
Halno uses mirror image, multiple illusory copies materializing around him.
The tempest revenant swings its flail at Go’el, connecting twice before it soars back into the air.
Go’el tries to purge the retreating revenant with a hurl of his axe. The creature crackles, smokes, and sparks, and is promptly banished.
Arthak obliterates the two dustbats with two strikes, bringing his blade around on the lesser air elemental with his second strike. With a third and fourth strike, he ends the lesser air elemental, and closes on the corrupted wind guardian.
Sorak rides up on Wintermaw and leaps into the air, energy rippling in his hand as he lassos the corrupted wind guardian with a lasso of lightning and pulls it closer to the earth.
Halno stands up from prone and casts fire bolt at the corrupted wind guardian, but the attack goes wide and disappears into the storm.
Nyxxa manages to finish off the remaining lesser air elemental with two decisive strikes of her glaives.
Azgadaain continues to levitate up.
The corrupted wind guardian flies down to engage with Arthak, battering him with the harsh winds of its arms. It then swoops away--staying up in the air.
As Azgadaan continues to levitate up, he promptly gets attacked by three lesser air elementals. Only two strikes get through, and he manages to maintain concentration on the levitate.
The corrupted wind elemental swoops down around Nyxxa and tries to lift her from the ground, but she is once again able to resist the winds as the elemental returns to the sky.
Azgadaan is just continuing to drink another potion, and then he uses ice barrier on himself as he continues to climb. Go’el can hear him cursing at the elementals as the three elementals take their opportunity attacks--but they all miss.
Nyxxa leaps at the corrupted wind guardian and strikes, but the stun fails to land. She jumps again, landing a second hit, but it continues to resist the stun.
Go’el follows suit and jumps up at the corrupted wind guardian, his axe hissing with a magic frost that streams icy wind from it, and he connects--but the elemental is still up.
Arthak manages to bring the elemental low with decisive strike, his sword cleaving through the center of the creature. The howling of the storm suddenly becomes much less loud, and they can see Azgadaan start to emerge over the edge of the cliff as he is being harassed by the trio of lesser air elementals.
Arthak moves back towards Azgadaan and he tries to throw some javelins at the air elementals. They pass through one of the elementals but they seem to have done some damage as Arthak uses second wind.
Halno casts fire bolt and nearly obliterates one of the elementals.
As the group starts to head toward the edge, the stone beneath Arthak starts to give out--however he is able to catch himself on the edge.
The lesser elementals continue trying to attack Azgadaan but they are unable to connect through his shield spell.
Nyxxa drops her glaives as she gets to the edge of the cliff and she withdraws her bow to take a shot, obliterating one of the elementals. Her second shot also connects, and empowered by the windfury totem, she takes a third shot, but this one does not connect.
Arthak climbs up from the edge of the cliff and chugs some potions, but his rage fades.
Go’el dashes to the edge of the cliff to prepare to help, and Halno shoots another fire bolt, which strikes one of the remaining lesser elementals.
Azgadaan climbs the rest of the way up the cliff, and one of the elemental strikes him, but the icy blowback of his spell freezes it out of the sky. The second one also connects, nearly destroying itself as well.
He jumps back on the remaining elemental and smacks it in the face, destroying it with his maul.
Go’el closes his eyes and a spiritual energy washes from his hands as he casts chain heal. The energy washes into Arthak’s chest first, and then flows into Nyxxa and Azgadaan.
Sadras heals Go’el and Azgadaan with rejuvenation.
Halno agrees that if it’s what they need to do, he opts to take some healing potions to remedy some of his own wounds.
The group opts to keep Sadras on back-up for now, but Azgadaan gives another of his water beads to Nyxxa.
Go’el pats Azgadaan on the shoulder.
The group sets off, and the air starts to get very hot, and thick, and dry. They see a rocky forest that is choked with smoke and fire. It is incredibly hot, and while most of the smoke rises, it is somewhat difficult to breathe. They can see steam rising from where the fire and water elemental sides are striking against each other, but the earth and air elementals are no longer spurned onto battle.
The heat and smoke is almost unbearable, but they are able to push through.
Azgadaan tries to keep an eye out for danger, and Go’el uses some water from his waterskin and nearby streams to try and lessen the intensity of the heat--but it’s not the most successful thing.
Arthak tries to rush ahead, and he hears the cracking of one of the flaming trees falling near Phaedra and Sadras. He quickly diverts back to shove the tree aside, taking some fire damage, but protecting the people at the rear.
Nyxxa disappears in the smoke to try and distract some of the lesser elementals, and Halno tries to help Go’el with a similar strategy.
They manage to get through mostly unaccosted, and they enter the edge of a grove. They see some activity with armored revenants and other fire elementals. One of the large elementals seems to be barking out orders. Nyxxa glimpses a large figure that she originally thought was just charred leaves and branches, but she notes it’s actually a large, molten spider. Azgadaan casts protection from evil and good on Arthak.
Arthak gets giant as he charges for the nearest flame revenant. He swings once, but the revenant deflects the blow aside, but his second attack connects through the creature’s armor. A lesser fire elemental charges through Arthak, raking at him with its claws and catching some of the cloth bits of his armor alight.
The volatile flame guardian shoots forward, catching more of the foliage alight while the flame revenant ignites its scimitar and strikes at Arthak. Another fire elemental comes rushing forward, and a wave of heat wafts off it and washes harmlessly over Azgadaan.
A bat-like creature made of molten soot and fire swoops over at Azgadaan, breathing a wave of fire over him that gets absorbed by his ice shield. A smokebat blows cinders in Azgadaan’s face which gets in his eyes and blinds him momentarily.
Nyxxa springs out of her hidden location and cuts down the smokebat in a puff of soot. She moves over to the lavabat, cutting through it and dropping it to the ground as it lays there twitching and stunned.
Azgadaan blindly stumbles forward to attempt to burst one of the water beads.
A flame revenant drags its scimitar across its shield and holds it up to the sky, and its body starts to glow with a brilliant light as it casts molten armor on itself
A lesser elemental charges at Azgadaan and takes blowback damage from his ice barrier as both its attacks connect. The icy barrier starts to burn as he gets set alight.
The inferno spider that Nyxxa had seen starts to creep out of its lair and fires a flaming web at Arthak. It wraps around him like a net and gets between the gaps in his armor, tying him up in a coil of fiery webbing. It hurts, a lot, and the spiders starts to crawl down towards Arthak.
Go’el starts to run forward to back Arthak up, and he twin casts a purge spell on the inferno spider and one of the flame revenants. However, it fails, as the inferno spider is not from another plane of existence, and the flame revenant is able to resist--though its molten shield is dispelled.
Halno, using arcane hand, creates an hand of icy cold energy that attempts to swat at the inferno spider, but the creature skitters out of the way. A fire elemental connects with Arthak, and the flame revenant who had its molten armor dispelled goes for Go’el--slashing with its scimitar, though Go’el uses absorb elements to negate some of the damage.
Azgadaan attempts to throw his water bead at the volatile flame guardian, spiking it onto the ground. One of the lesser fire elementals is promptly extinguished, and the fires in the area are also put out.
A smokebat sprays a gout of cinders in Arthak’s face.
Nyxxa runs forward with her own water bead and bursts it in the midst of the volatile flame guardian. The fire gargles and sputters as the elemental roars in pain. Nyxxa then follows up with a strike with her glaive, managing to stun it. She then flips around and executes the nearby lavabat with the sound of a large firework.
Given the volatile flame guardian is stunned, Azgadaan sticks his second water bead inside of it. The blowback of fire forces Azgadaan to drop his concentration, but all the water in the bead superheats and explodes out--extinguishing the volatile flame guardian but causes a massive, scalding burst in the process that drenches Azgadaan, who then runs to help Arthak.
A lesser fire elemental rakes at Azgadaan, setting him alight once more.
Go’el plants a fire resistance totem, and a column of molten rock juts out of the ground.
Arthak tries to attack the flame revenant, but even with bardic inspiration, he is unable to land a strike on either of his attacks. He then drinks a healing potion.
The inferno spider attempts to bite the cold, giant hand that had appeared in front of it. It realizes its burning venom doesn’t seem to do much, and it moves past it to start going for Arthak.
The revenant continues to strike at Arthak, all three of its attacks connecting as Arthak is still tangled in the flaming web.
A nearby lavabat begins to cast a spell, and his sword starts to superheat in his hands. However, Azgadaan is able to counterspell it.
Halno tries to swat the spider with his cold hand, but it misses, and he then hurls a chromatic orb that also misses. Nyxxa tries to skirt around the edge of the battlefield to go for the smokebat, and she lands a critical hit, doing a substantial amount of damage--but somehow the smokebat stays aloft. However, her second attack ends it immediately.
One of the lesser elementals strikes Azgadaan, but its claws rake somewhat ineffectively off his armor.
As the combat had closed around the nearby flaming tree, it starts to topple and falls towards Nyxxa, but she is able to deftly avoid it.
Halno’s icy hand is finally able to smack the spider, and he also hurls a cold chromatic orb at it, which explodes in a shower of ice shards. The creature is clearly vulnerable, parts of its molten body sealing over.
Arthak continues to try and attack the flame revenant, but both his attacks once more miss. The revenant returns the favor, but manages to connect twice--dropping Arthak unconscious and causing him to shrink back to his normal size. Go’el rushes forward and cuts through the flaming web, freeing Arthak’s body before he twists around to strike at the inferno spider.
The lavabat uses its fire breath on Nyxxa, but she is able to duck out of the way.
The lesser fire elementals now start to gang up on Azgadaan, and he is burning, but fortunately resistant to the flames. Azgadaan casts ice barrier on himself and moves toward Arthak, and the flame revenants go for him, but they do not land a hit.
The inferno spider tries to bite Arthak, drawn in by the juicy, unconscious meal, and it manages to land its hit despite Go’el trying to interfere. However, Sadras gets an opening and flings her water bead at the inferno spider and flame revenant. The spider doesn’t seem phased, but the revenant is flooded by water.
Nyxxa turns back to the lavabat and with two strikes, the creature explodes into a shower of sparks which she is able to avoid. She carves through the back of the flame revenant, trying to draw its focus away from Arthak.
The lesser fire elemental continues to go for Azgadaan, but the blowback from the ice barrier destroys it.
Go’el uses a potion on Arthak, getting him back into consciousness.
Halno smacks the inferno spider with his frost hand once more, and it looks heavily wounded. He follows up with a chromatic orb, which explodes with a wave of cold energy.
The remaining fire elemental rams into Azgadaan, but is promptly destroyed.
The inferno spiders opts to flee, and Arthak clips it with his sword, but it manages to scurry up the rock shelf.
The healthier flame revenant attempts to attack Go’el, but the orc deflects all three blows aside. Azgadaan grabs Arthak and swaps spots with him, then swings at the injured flame revenant with his maul. However, the attack is blocked with the creature’s shield.
The flame revenant winds up and then strikes at Azgadaan, but the ice barrier explodes in its face and it is destroyed.
Nyxxa nods and flanks around to the back of the remaining flame revenant. It almost manages to block the attack, but she cuts through, leaving long gashes through its armor. She uses flurry of blows, and the first attack is deflected aside, but the second connects.
The flame revenant tries to flank around her and raises its blade in the air. A beam of fire courses through it scimitar as it casts scorcher, however, Halno counters it--the icy hand pinching its blade and extinguishing it like a candle.
Phaedra jumps out of nowhere and promptly destroys the inferno spider.
Halno swats at the flame revenant with his icy hand, bringing it into critical condition before he hurls a chromatic orb, the frost coating over its armor.
Arthak gets to his feet and staggers over to the flame revenant. He raises his sword and impales Champion’s Forge through the back of the revenant. He lights a cigarette off the creature’s dying embers, and sits down in the waning battlefield.
