Aric, Verget the 17th, 868 ID
Badger wakes up at the Crimson Harpy, to find that two Eidolorn privates have been dispatched to fetch him back to the Keep. He makes them wait for a while so he can get a final answer from Hayley Hosspotch on the brothel he wishes to set up. The halfling shows up and confirms the Hosspotch support for the venture. Solveig and Baro wake up to a far different situation, a panic within the Armory Square in Floivin Keep. A bizarre, anomalous vortex of blood has manifest within the center of the military district, and it seems to be doing nothing but spin and drip. The Last Eidolorn look on in awe. Gruulsh is fetched at the southern pass west of the Keep by a pathetically disguised Private Jolson, and Ballyhoo wakes up in a heavily occupied suite at the Seven Floods Inn. He hears a commotion downstairs about the missing serving boy, Brand. Eventually, all six of the PCs are assembled at Armory Square, with Hoary, Mistlethroe, and eventually Schnoo the Sorcerous, who is summoned to attempt to dispel or destroy this unknown, horrific manifestation. The attempt fails, but it triggers a response, as the small tornado transforms into the visage of Kra'alt Zuult, emissary of Sothos Karr and high priest of Gruumsh.
Zuult tells the gathering in no kindness that Dror Gheel, the Slavemaster, desires satisfaction for the offenses of the Champions of Floivin Keep at both the town of Badash and the Mimresh fortress, both of which he considers to be breaches of the 'truce' that was made between Zuult and the former Regent-General of Floivin Province. His demands are that they be sent forth to face his own selected Champions on the 'Ratog-Gotar', a trial of combat used by the orcs to settle scores in the fairest manner possible. If they refuse the challenge or run, Zuult swears that Sothos Karr will launch an invasion upon the beleaguered, weakened Province that will destroy it long before Imperial support can arrive. Should they fight and win, or fight and die, the Slavemaster will be satisfied and the 'truce', as temporary as it is, will be reinstated in 'good faith'. The PCs decide to take up the challenge, but debate over who to bring along as the seventh champion. Hoary volunteers but is shot down as he is needed to lead the Floivin soldiers, and Baxter says he'll need to be paid a lot of money. They do eventually settle on Mistlethroe, who is prepared more for returning to the Crowslode than for an outright combat, but may have tricks up his sleeves to help.
Before marching off to the confrontation, the PCs check local magic supplies for anything that might help them. Gruulsh has the Last Eidolorn store her money, and Badger gives all his to Flake Falloway to hold in the event of his inevitable death, to continue the soldier's dreams of building a brothel. Baro goes to Bishop Conniff to confess to what he did to Brand, polymorphing the whelp into an iguana. Conniff seems surprised that the evoker would lose his cool, but tells him the best way to right this wrong is to find the lizard and change it back. Baro agrees to work on it. Lord Ballyhoo goes to see Swyft one last time, and the tailor is working on something large, armor-like, but will not reveal it through confidentiality. Swyft offers to fight in Ballyhoo's place, and in fact, a large number of city folk seem to think 'they're just orcs' and that the heroes will be back in no time. With a host of Eidolorn soldiers, the PCs march towards the Mimresh.
They arrive to see that the 7 on 7 duel will be fought in a 250' x 250' grid, surrounded on all sides by alternating witness of both forces. Ignoring various insults slung at him, the old priest Zuult, who is here in person to oversee the combat, explains the rules. Combat is to the death or surrender, in which case the losers who survive are taken into slavery (or servitude, should the orcs lose). Though the Mimresh itself is armed with readied catapults and ballistas, the orcs are not to intervene, nor are the Eidolorn soldiers present. If the PCs run: WAR. If there are any false Champions among them (which several orc officers confirm there aren't): WAR. If any of the orc witness around the battle square are harmed: WAR. Both teams will cast bone dice to determine first placement in the arena, and this is critical to how the combat will flow. Once they are placed, and the orc Champions have arrived, the PCs realize this will not be an easy fight to just group up and make area attacks, since there are other strategic decisions right from the start.
The frantic battle begins, with the enemy cleric, Aarshlut launching a major strike against Badger almost immediately with a harm spell. Gruulsh squares off against Dagam-Burz, a barbarian, in the center of the grid, while several other clumps of PCs attempt to group up for defensive purposes. Unfortunately, this leaves one corner of the battle field open, where the orc warlock Sharku and sorcerer Oghash begin hurtling spells at the players. Although heavily damaged, the orc cleric took down Badger in the following round, and the fight grew more desperate. Flailin Mary', an enemy warrior and trainer of some repute, was left useless in the opening rounds when Ballyhoo fled from her, but she began crossing over to where Solveig was dealing with the slipper orc rogue Kraibag of th Cold Crows. Graygear found some difficulty getting into position to deliver his most lethal attacks, but his innate Spell Resistance protected him from a lot of the magical attacks slung his way. The enemy's dragon shaman Shadaauk made a rush to deal with Baro, and the evoker was constantly being harried by the warlock's eldritch blasts which also imparted blindness upon him. Nonetheless, he threw a cyclonic blast at the dragon shaman and was able to put up a minor globe of invulnerability on himself, the bard, and the deep gnome.
Gruulsh was at long last victorious over the barbarian Dagam-Burz, but was severely weakened by the effort, and Oghash the sorcerer and his quasit familiar managed to finish off the bugbear-gone halfling. A reinvigorated Aarshlut brought down a flame strike upon the PCs within the minor globe, felling Baro, and a follow-up eldritch blast from Sharku dealt with Lord Ballyhoo, leaving only three combatants on the field for Floivin...Graygear, Solveig, and Mistlethroe, all of whom surrender rather than follow the suicidal alternative. Zuult proclaims that the Slavemaster is Satisfied, the Champions who have offended him now lay dead or prostrate before Sothos Karr, and that the Floivin folk can sleep in peace at night...at least for the time being. Hoary has to restrain his men while the two gnomes and the druid are disarmed and dragged out through the gates of the Mimresh...
~FIN
PCs: Badger, Ballyhoo, Baro, Graygear, Gruulsh, Solveig
NPCs
Aarshlut 'Dawn-Killer' (orc female): An attractive priestess of Gruumsh, she represented the Slaughtertree clan of Sothos Karr at the trial before the gates of the Mimresh. She fought with a spear and shield and deadly magics which slew both Lt. Badger and Baro Helliger.
Private Barry (human male): One of the privates sent to fetch Lt. Badger from Hobfast, took a bribe from said superior officer and basically became 'his man'.
Dagam-Burz 'The Belly' (orc male): A white-haired barbarian representing the Dreadfoot clan of Sothos Karr, adorned in silver skulls, hide armor and wielding a brutal greataxe. He was the only orc Champion to fall, slain by Gruulsh in a taxing melee.
Flailin' Mary (orc female): A famed Champion and combat trainer of Sothos Karr, who represented the Ironbole clan in the trial at Mimresh. Was unable to bring any foes down, much to her dismay, but dig quite a lot of damage to Solveig in her bear form. Wields the great flail weapon of her namesake.
Kraibag 'The Wistful' (orc male): A rather dashing, happy-go-lucky orc rogue who represented the Cold Crows at the combat. His poisoned short sword thrusts were entirely useless against Solveig, and to be honest it's a miracle this fellow survived...
Oghash (orc male): An orc sorcerer representing the Grays of Sothos Karr, had a particular bone to pick with the PCs since several Grays were slain trying to deal with the exposed Syriux during the flight from the pits of Badash. Has a quasit familiar. Slew Gruulsh with scorching rays.
Sadaauk 'The Bleeder' (orc male): A dragon shaman who represented the Shatterfang clan at the trial before the Mimresh. Had red dragon totems and could breathe fire, while wielding a terrible longspear.
Sharku 'The Ancient' (orc male): A warlock of the Kneebreaker clan, played a pivotal role in the trial by the Mimresh by harassing PCs with his eldritch blasts, many of which were imbued with invocations that could bounce them to additional targets and temporarily blind their victims.
