Journal Short Circuit's Journal: AoR: Two dwarfs and the Seven Orcs
Ralek and Voltore are ready to try something new again. Well, to be honest, Voltore wants to move on to other things, while Ralek wants to train just a wee bit more: This time, he wants to be outnumbered.
Voltore concedes, and now the two dwarfs stand fifty feet from a line of seven dirty, smelly orcs wearing leather armor and carrying bucklers and short swords.
Ralek offered a small prayer, grabbed a flask of acid from his belt, and flung it at the center of the line. The flask bursts on the center orc, soaking his chest and arms. Some of the acid splashes onto the two adjacent orcs. The orcs scream, and attempt to wipe the liquid off with bits of rag.
Voltore flings an arrow at the line, but the arrow is blocked by the orc's buckler, and goes tumbling across the dirt.
The orcs advance, and Ralek swings at the orc who he had doused with acid, but the orc ducks the swing. Voltore swings at another orc, but misses. Ralek takes a second swing at the same orc, and lands a harsh blow on the orc's already damaged armor.
The four orcs on the left side of the line attack Ralek, The first orc gets past the dwarf's guard, and impales his arm with its shortsword. Ralek manages to fend off two more, but the fourth orc stabs low, and pokes through the dwarf's armor at midlevel.
The three orcs on the right side of the line attack Voltore. One jabs him in his arm, another in his back. The third, Voltore manages to fend off.
The orcs dodge and weave the dwarves' attacks. The four orcs attacking Ralek don't manage to land any hits, but one of the orcs attacking Voltore manages to land a spectacularly elaborate strike--on his own leg.
Ralek casts Cure Moderate Wounds, and sighs in relief as the holes in his shoulder and arm close, and the muscles mend. Voltore fumbles, and wounds himself in the arm.
Again, in the same formation, the four orcs attack Ralek, who sidesteps, ducks, or blocks every jab and swing. The three orcs attacking Voltore have little better luck, at first. The first orc's blade is deflected to the left. The second, to the ground.
The third orc plunges his sword through Voltore's chest, and twists the blade. Voltore screams in agony, and drops to his knees. He totters back and forth slightly. As soon as the orc withdraws his blade, but before the dwarf has a chance to fall the rest of the way to the ground, the mediwizard whisks him out of the arena. He needs work quickly, if he's to survive.
Moradin's beard! I'm alone against all these orcs. I have to keep moving; There are enough to flank me several times over. Ralek steps lands a solid blow against the orc with the damaged armor, the dwarf's hammer bursting through the orc's armor, and embedding itself in the orc's chest. Yanking his hammer free, Ralek takes a step back.
The orcs cackle and jeer, as they attempt to encircle him. The first four orcs to attack have their blows blocked or deflected. The the fifth manages to slice the dwarf's arm, but the last orc misses.
Ralek steps to the side and swings his hammer into the nearest orc's shoulder, yielding a satisfying crack as the orc's collarbone shatters. The orcs again press their attack. One orc nicks Ralek's head, but the others are unable to get through the dwarf's defenses.
Ralek steps back and casts Bull's Strength, and feels the power of Moradin behind his muscles and his heart. He gives a prayer of thanks, and then shouts, "Come on, you incompetent heretic bastards! Fight! Give me something to write to my temple about!"
The orcs laugh at the outnumbered dwarf's confidence, and press forward, swinging. The gleeful dwarf avoids every stroke and poke.
Ralek sidesteps, swings, and crushes the skull of the orc he had just attacked. The orc crumples to the ground, dead.
The orcs move in again, swinging and stabbing. Each misses, except for the last orc, who drops his sword.
Ralek steps again, swings, but misses. The orcs push forward, but each in turn miss. Three of them drop their swords.
Ralek steps again, and swings mightily. His hammer, blessed by strength bestowed by Moradin, comes down on the back of an orc's neck. The orc's head kicks back in reaction, and the body falls to the ground, limp.
The orcs curse, and press forward. One of them lands manages to poke slightly through Ralek's armor, and into his shoulder.
Ralek shrugs it off, steps back, and lands a solid blow on another orc. The orcs press in again, and one again pierces the dwarf's armor.
Ralek backs off and casts Cure Light Wounds. The wounds on his arm close up, and the muscles in his shoulder heal somewhat.
The orcs push forward--One drops his sword, the rest are unable to land any hits.
Ralek steps in and lands another killing blow to a nearby orc. The orc's body falls and lays limp. Snarling, the three remaining orcs push forward, swinging their swords. This time, one misses, the other two lose their grips on their swords.
Ralek steps aside, and swings his his hammer, which only lands a glancing blow on the defending orc. Advancing, the orc attacks, but his sword merely grazes the dwarf's head. The other two orcs miss.
Ralek is injured and bleeding at this point, but he dogs on. Stepping away from two of the orcs, he hits the third with his hammer. The orcs close in again, but are again unable to land any hits.
For a few seconds, Ralek and the three orcs feint, duck and step in a brutal form of dance, none gaining any advantage. Finally, the dwarf lands a killing blow against his target orc. The two remaining orcs advance over their dead comrade, swing, and each lose their swords.
Ralek steps to put an orc between him and the other remaining orc, and nails the nearer one across the head, though it's not a killing strike. The farther orc steps up, and the two orcs again press their attack. Neither land a blow.
Ralek and the orcs again dance, testing and probing each others defences. Ralek manages a minor hit against one of the orcs.
The two orcs lunge, but one gets in the way of the other and gets impaled. Growling, the remaining orc withdraws his sword and advances on Ralek.
Ralek gives a prayer of thanks, and then snarles, "You're the only one left. Do you think you can take on the might of Moradin?" He swings, and lands a minor hit. The orc, losing confidence, misses.
Ralek gives a final roar, and swings with the combined might of he and his god. The hammer plunges into the orc's chest, crushing bone and organ. The force of the blow forces the orc to its knees, and then onto its back.
Ralek retrieves his hammer. The crowd is cheering their unexpected champion. The dwarf who took on seven orcs, and defeated them all, even though his teammate fell. Ralek gets up, and, amongst the cheering masses, kneels and gives a prayer of thanks to Moradin. He then stands up, and walks slowly toward the entrance to the lower levels, where he wil collect his (mortal) reward.
