Session 44 - Avatars' Sacrifice Report

General Summary

Morning 4th Sungleam   The group travel through the wilds, approaching the Warfields where the Orcs still wage war on the goblins. They seem to have returned to a stalemate.   XIV goes ahead, mounted atop his centipede and flanked by the Avatars. The Orcs one by one turn. A larger commander, carrying a long axe hung with a tattered banner, faces XIV. XIV again declares his godhood before the Orc. He tells him that Tufele is dead, showing him the body after a time, and orders him to end the battle.   The Orcs slowly and hesitantly begin to retreat, Tufele leading them from the Warfields. They are all clearly excited, as XIV promised a "Greater war to fight" against those with power.   The group now cross the warfield, a volley of warning arrows passing them. They reach the trenches, where the exhausted goblins are entrenched. There is one of the elders, Makharata, riding his wolf. He seems to resist congratulating the group for their efforts. He leads the goblins away.   Without the goblins, the group rest for a moment and discuss plans. XIV gives Panser a try at riding his new centipede steed. It goes racing across the trenches as Panser struggles to hold on.   The group raid the goblins' grain stores and cover the battlefield with the seeds, Panser using magic to make trees, crops and plants grow to cover the decimated warfields until it appears like yet another part of the forest.   They are content that the war is truly over now, and proceed past the battlefield.   Evening 4th Sungleam   Making conversation as they walk back towards Atama, the group reach a clearing with rock faces to either side. Four wolfriders emerge up ahead - the foremost of them is Otawa, who they quickly recognise.   Otawa demands that the group hand over Aarkatus. XIV fails to command Otawa to dismount his wolf using magic. XIV argues that they did all that the goblins called for and more - Otawa believes, using the Avatars as his proof, that the "palefiends" have turned onto the side of the Orcs.   They fight. Otawa and the wolfriders are held back easily in combat, Otawa forced off of his mount and rendered unconscious with Panser's vicious mockery. While fighting off the wolves and their riders, suddenly the Avatars are hit with bolt after bolt of fire from the forests.   The group find out that goblin Firebearers are hidden in the trees. The Avatar of Taman'Gori, after XIV orders them to destroy their assailants, tries to climb the rock-face and is knocked down by a firebolt, and shatters on the ground. The Avatar of Taman'Raka tries the same. Elxis scares the Firebearer into falling down the ledge and onto the Taman'Raka. Sycnhronised, XIV and the Taman'Raka strike the Firebearer. Dying, the Firebearer breathes flames at the Taman'Raka, which burns his body.   The Avatars say "We exist to serve" one last time, and let their magic energies flow into Akio and Elxis. Akio and Elxis feel a deep power and responsibility flow into them as the Avatars finally crumble into dust and rock.   Elxis falls back to the ground, Akio kneeling, as they both process this massive change.