The Prancing Pony Inn

[Eric C]

Thorbed took a double-take at Dwamdil as he watched the axe slice deftly through the air. He grinned his approval. He inspected the intertwined core of his sword and ran his fingers gently along the sharp shining edge. Satisfied, he bent with Dwamdil to collect a small amount of dirt. Leaning close to the Dwarf's ear, he whispered, "What chances do ya think our Bard friend has in a fight? I say we need to be sure to protect 'im."

[Mirimaran]

(Ok, had to replace the modem this time, but finally finally back online. Ok, let's see now...)

Thorbed took a double-take at Dwamdil as he watched the axe slice deftly through the air. He grinned his approval. He inspected the intertwined core of his sword and ran his fingers gently along the sharp shining edge. Satisfied, he bent with Dwamdil to collect a small amount of dirt. Leaning close to the Dwarf's ear, he whispered, "What chances do ya think our Bard friend has in a fight? I say we need to be sure to protect 'im."

Daelon swung effortless from the worn saddle and in a fluid motion grabbed his small quiver and horn bow. He kept his back to the horse, his eyes scanning the treeline, and then to the body of the young boy.

"Have no fear, Thorbed. I have rode to war many times. You'd be suprised how many warriors and heroes want their songs composed on the spot. Still, I do not relish the fight." He tightened his belt and loosened his long knife.

"The sun, pale as she is, still shines. Why would", he lowered his voice, "why would orcs be raiding? And this poor lad, no orc would have done this. Too much meat to go to the bad."

[Peter Remling]

A stone headed spear entered the clearing thudding into the earth just inches from the Ranger's left foot!

[Ranger of Arthedain]

A stone headed spear entered the clearing thudding into the earth just inches from the Ranger's left foot!

*thud*

Aeron glanced down at the spear that had penetrated the ground near her, adrenaline and blood starting to course through the veins all throughout her body. In one motion, she rose from the ground and unsheathed her own sword, turning around to gaze in the direction in which the spear had came from. She could hear the faint rustling of the dead leaves crunching beneath the orcs' monstrous feet as some of them charged forward from the tree line, wielding their weapons high above their heads. The ranger's grip tightened around the haft of her sword, her other hand clenched into a fist.

"Let us hope our blades and arrows strike true, my friends, ere we all end up like this poor lad and skewered on the orcs' spits!"

[Eric C]

Thorbed stabbed his sword into the ground at his feet, drew from his belt a throwing axe and waited until the first orc was within ranger. With a deft motion, he hurled the axe and it buried deep into the lead orc's skull. The orc fell back, the shock of surprise etched on his dead face. With a loud, "HA! Which of you will be next to meet ol' Thorbed?" the big warrior retrieved his sword and set himself for battle.

[Peter Remling]

Thorbed stabbed his sword into the ground at his feet, drew from his belt a throwing axe and waited until the first orc was within ranger. With a deft motion, he hurled the axe and it buried deep into the lead orc's skull. The orc fell back, the shock of surprise etched on his dead face. With a loud, "HA! Which of you will be next to meet ol' Thorbed?" the big warrior retrieved his sword and set himself for battle.

In answer to his exclamation, 8 more orcs broke from cover and charged the small group. At the same time two other spears headed for the dwarf, one went wild, but the second struck a glanced blow on his maille and a sliver of stone gouged a furrow in his upper thigh.

[Greg]

In answer to his exclamation, 8 more orcs broke from cover and charged the small group. At the same time two other spears headed for the dwarf, one went wild, but the second struck a glanced blow on his maille and a sliver of stone gouged a furrow in his upper thigh.

The dwarf smiled through a hiss of pain with his teeth. "This is where the fun begins." He stabbed out from his hips with the end of this axe, stunning an orc with a blow to the forehead, halting its charge, before he brought the haft up around his head, and down through its neck, stopping only to pull it back out before bringing it around the other way at another.

[Mirimaran]

Daelon notched an arrow, took careful aim, and dropped one of the leading Orcs, the shaft firm in his left eyesocket. The orc fell in a filthy bloody mess, snapping the shaft.

'One less arrow to retrieve', thought the bard as he had time to loose one more arrow, hitting another Orc in the shoulder. This seemed to anger the Orc, who broke off the arrow and dove straight for Daelon. The bard cast aside his bow and had time to draw his big knife as he rolled with the Orc in the dirt. Nell whinnied her displeasure as she danced to avoid the rolling pair.

The Orc pinned Daelon to the ground, a wicked blade of rough forgework covered in filth raised up. He opened a cruel mouth, spittle dripped from teeth more like fangs and spat,

"I'll feast on your innards! I'll leave your bones to bleach under hated Yellowface! Die now, manflesh!"

Daelon smiled and shot back,

"I'll keep my innards where they are, thank you", and thrust his long knife of Dwarfmake up under the chin of the Orc, through the soft palate and into the darkness that passed for an Orcish brain. He rolled the dead Orc off of him and panted,

"One down...."

[Eric C]

Two of the new orcs bore down on Thorbed. With a mighty swing of his sword, he lopped off the top of one's head. That one fell dead to the ground. But his sword buried deep into the shield of the second orc. A thrust of the orc spear scraped across Thorbed's shield. The big man kicked the orc in the shin while wrenching his blade out of the wooden shield of the enemy. The orc hopped back, howling in pain.
"You fight dirty!" Bellowed the orc.
"Ha! A fair fight is one you just lost!" Thorbed swung his sword over his head and knocked the orc's shield away and leaving him open for a fatal blow. "What do you know of a fair fight anyway, Orc?"
The orc hissed, "Nothing." At that instant another orc landed squarely on Thorbed's back and shoulders. A rough black knife whipped around, headed for his eye. Thorbed dropped his sword and grabbed the wrist of the new orc and stopped the incoming knife. In a swift move, he threw the orc from his back and into the first orc. The two landed in a pile on the ground. Thorbed quickly grabbed up his sword and finished the two orcs.
"Now I'm a bit peeved." Thorbed growled, driving his sword home through both orcs.

[Peter Remling]

An orcish battle cry is heard over the din in the clearing, coming from the the north, followed swiftly by a blood curling scream and then silence. Both factions paused momentarily upon hearing the scream and then resume their own private combat.

[Ranger of Arthedain]

An orc of larger frame -compared to Aeron- came barreling towards her, his large orcish weapon raised above his head. When he drew close enough he brought down his sword only for it to be met with her own. Both the orc and ranger could see she was at a disadvantage when it came to strength alone, he could see small droplets of sweat beginning to form on her forehead despite the cool weather. He had the upper hand in this fight, she thought to herself, it was time to turn the tables on him. Aeron's arm began to give way, but she danced out of the way of the orc's brutal sword as it came crashing down, narrowly missing her left arm. This move resulted in her losing her sword, the force of the orc's crashing blade being enough to knock it from her hands. The only thing she had left to fight with was her hunting knife, currently sheathed on her belt. The orc heaved his sword up from where it stuck in the ground, turning to see her standing a few feet away from him now, unsheathing a small knife at her side.

He laughed in mockery at her. "You plan to kill...with that?" Her eyes narrowed into slits, glaring at him but she did not reply. When the orc growled, charging her and swinging his large sword, she began to dodge his attacks waiting for the right moment to land the killing blow. But the orc soon grew tired of her dancing around, and he swung his sword at her more fervently than before. Aeron, however, didn't move to dodge the attack quick enough, causing the sharp edge of his blade to slice into the upper part of her right arm. She hissed in pain which caused the orc to grin madly at her, a dark chuckle erupting from his throat.

This time the ranger stood still, allowing the orc to advance on her. He raised his weapon high above his head once more and swung at her, but when she dodged this time his free hand snaked out, catching her by the throat. His strength was monstrous and his breath foul as he drew her nearer to him. "Your fleeing stops here, rat," he spat in her fact, tightening his grip. The ranger could feel her airway being closed off, and she began to claw at his arm with her right hand. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for, she had not planned to intentionally drop her sword from the beginning, but she had intended to get caught by him. Aeron drew her left arm up as swiftly as she could, driving her knife into the orc's thick skull. The orc let out a blood curdling scream and his grip loosened around her neck, causing him to drop her to the cold hard ground. Aeron rolled out of the way of the orc's falling weapon when he dropped it to the ground, his body following after it.

[Peter Remling]

Obnosh heard the cry from the north. The two orcs he sent after the other mounted human apparently caught up with him. "Who thought a scream like that could be issued from the mouth of a human ?" he thought to himself.

Obnosh decided now was the time for him to enter the fray.

The Inn Party saw an extremely large Orc enter the clearing. In his arms was a large woodsman's axe that he swung effortlessly. Tucked in his horse hide belt was a dwarven belt axe.

[Eric C]

(Tag anyone)

Thorbed finished his two orcs and scanned the area to see where he was needed. He saw the ranger struggling in the grips of a largish orc and started to rush to the ranger's aid. Before he could move, the ranger buried a knife deep in the orc's skull.

A sound caught Thorbed's attention. Turning, he saw a rather large orc armed with axes, one of them rather big and ugly, like the orc himself. Thorbed took a step back, not particularly scared, but needing to size up this new enemy.

[Greg]

The Inn Party saw an extremely large Orc enter the clearing. In his arms was a large woodsman's axe that he swung effortlessly. Tucked in his horse hide belt was a dwarven belt axe.

Dwamdil's inner furnace got the best of him. Seeing the dwarven artistry splayed carefully and methodically across the axe rammed into the large Orc's belt drove him mad. He howled in a fit of rage, and then hefted his axe high, charging at the massive beast, crying out as his beard swung 'round in the chill breeze.

"Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mânu!"

His charge led him straight past Thorbed, and he caught the first of the giant orc's blows on the haft of his axe, but he was still running, and so he rammed his helmeted head into the beast's stomach in an effort to knock the wind out of him. The orc grunted, but still breathed easily, and the two wound their axes back and forth against each other, looking for an opportunity to break their bind and make their axes find flesh. Dwamdil's axehead found an opportunity first; he locked his adversary's blade within the beard of his own, and with his free hand he grabbed the dwarven belt axe in the orc's belt, yanked it free, and gouged a sizeable wound in the beast's upper thigh before withdrawing from a nasty fist to catch his breath, an axe in each hand, now.

[Eric C]

"Hahaaa!" Thorbed charged the orc from behind with a loud cry and a look of maddened glee in his eye. The orc spun and planted his axe in Thorbed's shield. The axe bit. Before Thorbed could react, the orc jerked hard on the shield, wrenching Thorbed's arm at the shoulder. The big man growled in pain between gritted teeth. He swung his sword at the orc's head. The orc managed to pull his axe free and duck under Thorbed's blade. Thorbed quickly backed out of range, but wished he had pursued the orc who was left off balance from his attack. But the burning of pulled muscles in his shoulder screamed for attention.