Skirmish 5: Demon Dwarves (Five Klicks: Fantasy)

 

From the Journal of Sigrún Þórsdóttir, Fifth Skirmish.

Another break in the rain, another opportunity to strike out into the marshes to track down the horrors that are rumored to be crawling out of the ground, their hungry eyes turned toward Havensdale.

I knew something was wrong when Barbulax started to get nervous. "I can feel them," he said. "Dwarves, but not Dwarves like myself. These are dark echoes of the stout warriors they once were. These are dwarves sworn to Surt." There was something like fear in his eyes-- the first time I'd seen such a thing from him. "We must face them, or nothing will remain of Havensdale should they reach it.



That was all the motivation we needed. Splitting into two groups, we made our way forward, catching the demon dwarves by surprise.


To say that they were ominous in appearance would not do them the justice they deserve. These horrors seemed to radiate hate, and their strange, open-mouthed weapons looked as fearsome as they were deadly.


There were also a number of caskets on the battlefield. Working quickly, I opened the first I could reach, but found it empty.


Meanwhile, Fitztandalus used the opportunity to get into position and begin the meditations for a powerful spell.


Marzhin and Barbulax clustered up in cover, just across from Bella and Fallah.


Meanwhile, 'Crates and Styxlyhizz set their sights on nearby caskets.


It was then that the battle began in earnest.


Fitztandalus was the first to strike, throwing every ounce of fury and fire in his bright spirit into a summoning a fearsome spectral bears. 


The carnage was sudden, inspiring for us and terrifying for the dwarves. In an instant, their heavy cannoner had been eviscerated, and their leader bailed, vanishing in a puff of blue smoke.


The remaining Surt-Sworn Dwarves regrouped in cover then, nervously pointing their demon muskets at us.


There was a twisted sorcerer among their number as well, and I kept an eye on him as he moved into cover, setting his sights on Bella and Fallah.


Meanwhile, another horrid demon dwarf took cover behind a nearby coffin and threw the lid off, revealing nothing but dust.


Two more closed in on another coffin, their greedy hands stretching eagerly for the lid.


Styxlyhizz reached a coffin in short order, but when he threw the lid off, he was confronted by a ghostly horror!


Working quickly, Styxlyhizz tried to drive the thing off with a burst of magic, but its whirling spectral blades only dispelled the attack with disturbing ease.


Seeing that his friend was in danger, 'Crates quickly rushed in, but his attack was also brushed aside by the cunning spirit.


Barbulax rushed in with a battle cry unlike anything I've ever heard before. It was rage, deep, ancestral even. The fireball leapt from his fingers, but was quickly brushed aside by the Surt-Sworn Dwarf.


Seeing his rage, Bella also rushed in to help, raising her new demon wand, but the thing only perforated the coffin the Surt-Sworn was hiding behind.


Fallah sent a bolt of magic roaring at the Dwarven sorcerer, but her spell was easily turned aside by the enemy.


Rushing past me, Marzhin set his sights on the wraith terrorizing 'Crates and Styxlyhizz, but the spirit was too quick for him, and easily turned his spell aside.


Myself, I moved into position to engage the Surt-Sworn as quickly as possible.



I was quick on my feet. I couldn't let the tide turn against us.


Sending a bolt of lightning streaming toward the dwarves, I managed only to stun one of them.


But the stun didn't last long. Fortunately, the instant they laid their demonic hands on the coffin, it teleported away.


That was when one of them took a shot at me, but the round only bounced off the Asgardian steel of my armor.


One of the Surt-Sworn Dwarves took a shot at Barbulax, but the demon bullet was easily redirected with a wave of Barbulax's hand.


A ray of darkness shot across the battlefield then, aimed at Fallah, but she dodged before it could hit her.


The wraith struck out at Styxlyhizz then, but its wicked, curved blades were turned away.


Not waiting to regain his focus and replenish his magic, 'Crates rushed in and struck at the wraith with his sword, though the attack hit nothing but air.


Styxlyhizz regained enough calm to strike out again, but again the wraith turned his attack aside.


Likewise, Marzhin attempted to offer aid, and again his attack was turned aside.


Barbulax attempted to fling another fireball at his target, but the blast was too hastily aimed. Hotheaded as ever, Bella Infernus decided then that she'd had enough, so she rushed in, closing the distance between herself and the demon dwarf to blow him apart with the full force of her demon wand.


Even witnessing this, the Surt-Sworn sorcerer stayed steady as iron, for now he had a clear shot at Bella.


In an attempt to protect her sister, Fallah threw a bolt of magic at the Sorcerer, but the dwarf was too confident, too ready, and he easily dispelled the blast.


Meanwhile, sleek as a shadow, Fitztandalus rushed into cover beside me, his eyes on the pack of Surt-Sworn I was hunting.


With Bella breaking the stalemate, we were motivated, rushing in to finish the job.


Bella was the first to act, turning her demon wand on the Surt-Sworn Sorcerer and blasting a hole in his armor.


Marzhin and Styxlyhizz turned the full force of their attacks on the wraith, and finally managed to wound it.


Rushing in, I too dealt a wound to my target.


Shaking his way out of his wounded shock, the sorcerer dove into cover and fired a ray of darkness at Bella that stunned her for a moment.


And then the two dwarves I had been hinting turned their demon weapons on me and fired, dropping me in the dirt.


Emboldened, Fitztandalus summoned another swarm of Spectral Bears, obliterating the closest Surt-Sworn.


Meanwhile, 'Crates and Styxlyhizz continued to tussle with the wraith.


Bella turned her demon wand on the Surt-Sworn Sorcerer, but the thing only coughed and refused to sling balefire as it had done.


Fortunately, Bella had managed to push the sorcerer out into the open, and Barbulax, with all the might of his collected ancestral rage, moved in and blasted the Surt-Sworn back to Muspelheim with a single precise blast of scintillating fire.


The last of the horrid dwarves was scared, that much was clear, but he held his own well enough.


There was a hiss and shriek, and Styxlyhizz was struck by the keen edge of one of the wraith's blades.


Desperate for any edge, the last of the Surt-Sworn tore off the lid of the coffin he was hiding behind, but found nothing useful inside.


Meanwhile, Bella whispered some enchantments over her demon wand, and grinned as it hummed back to life.


Calling all the rage of nature up from the marsh, Fitztandalus sent a swarm of Spectral Bears after the last of the Surt-Sworn, eviscerating the horror in an instant.


By a stroke of luck, it was at this same moment that Marzhin finally blasted the wraith into dust, clearing the last of the horrors from the battlefield.


As luck would have it, my Asgardian armor and my faith in the gods were enough to keep me safe.


As improbable as it may seem, Styxlyhizz seemed to have the same exact degree of luck protecting him.

*

Fitztandalus is MVP (+1xp)
All others gain +1xp
4 AP spent on training.

*

Loot (1): 1 Caustic Cloud Potion (Scrap Grenade)

Trade (3): Rune of Caster's Calm (Bipod), Trapmaker's Kit (Multi-Tool), Demon Salts (Burner Ammo)

'Crates levels up! +1 to Toughness!

Fitztandalus levels up! +1 to Toughness!

Barbulax levels up! +1 to Toughness!

Settlement levels up! +1 To Stability!

Settlement is now 2/2/2

Recruit: An Explorer From a Safe City


*

Post play notes: Campaign Turn 5: Settlement Event: Quiet Day. Clear Skies. Encounter: Battle: Warlord Troops (7) One Officer. Battlefield Condition: Took them by surprise (Automatic Seize Init.) 


 

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