RP:Xicotl Frostmaw Battle - Beldur & Kailani
Part of the Dissonance Theory Arc
This is a Warrior's Guild RP.
Summary: The last stand against Xicotl begins. Several members of the Warriors' Guild rush into Frostmaw to tackle the psuedo-diety head-on, with Beldur and Kailani attempting to approach ground zero from the south.
Frozen Hunting Grounds
As you come into the area a chill rolls over your body. The old hunting grounds used by the frost giants are now used by you. The grounds are used to hunt for food, skill, and to prove ones self within the frost giant community. Its is also said that exiled frost giants are forced to live within this wilderness, and are never to return, unless they wish to be killed. From this path you may head east, back into Frostmaw, or west further into the hunting grounds.
The scenery is disturbingly quiet; it is nothing like the tranquil stillness that would encompass the city after a hard day's work. There are no bird songs, no chirping of newly hatched wyverns, no playful yips of stray winter wolves waiting for the butcher to come out and feed them fat trimmings. From the skies, it is clear that the Frostmaw Wilds have been emptied of the wildlife normally seen in abundance, and the icy walled city is still. More notably, a crater spanning the entirety of the Aramoth academy through the city’s western gates has left the foliage and buildings collapsed. The surrounding areas have been ravaged by avalanches and fissures due to the severity of the quake heard from the Venturilian plains. Most notably of all is what is at the center of the crater: what appears to be a gargantuan tree, its branches raised high as though to absorb all the light of Kazafash above. The tree is so large that it casts an oppressive shadow across the ravaged city of Frostmaw. As Beldur, Shela, and Kailani approach from the south, footfalls can be heard that rapidly approach. In the distance, a woman appears. "Please, please, Aramoth have mercy, please help us!" The frost giant starts to close the distance, carrying a swaddled bundle in her arms. Blood and dirty scratches stain her clothing and skin as she comes into view. Within the blink of an eye, there is a screech as two wyverns descend upon her, their skin mottled and gray. The bundle falls to the ground, towards the pair and begins to wail at the sudden shock of cold. One wyvern whips its head around, revealing a bloody maw and woody tendrils where eyes should be. A deafening shriek is heard, an alarm or warcry of some sort, and other thralls begin to claw their way out of the ground, human, frost giant, and animals that did not escape in time alike. Above, bark peels away on the gigalith to reveal two sets of glowing eyes. Xicotl has awoken.
Kailani has made several excursions to the Frostmaw region during the time that Xicotl has been terrorizing the lands. Today was different from any visit that she has made. During her last trip, the animals were beginning to clear there way out of the region, sensing that danger was present due to some sixth sense that wildlife seems to have. The druid was painfully aware that things were looking dire from the moment that she and Grimclaw flew into the Frostmaw region. Just how grim things were would not be realized until Kailani was on foot, traveling with a far too small group given the imminent threat they were at risk of facing. A woman approaches, begging for help for both her and her child yet before either warrior in the party could offer her any sort of aid, the frost giant mother was under attack by Xicotl’s thralls. It was one of those gut-wrenching moments where a decision needs to be made. Does Kailani go for the baby and try to make sure that the child ends up safe? Or does she try and save the mother from the wyvern’s? The blue-haired druid, who is both armored and armed for battle, moves forward and reacts based on gut instinct, trying to share her plan with Beldur with a few brief words. “I am going for the kid, try and help the mother if you can.” Of course, wherever Kailani goes the large griffin that is often seen in her company will follow, keeping guard of the druid as based as he can. It seemed like any effort Kailani made to rush forward and snag the fallen, and possibly injured child, up from the ground could be potentially futile given the two sets of glowing eyes that seem to stare down on the small fighting group. Kailani was keenly aware of this, those eyes were enough to cause the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end, but that did not stop the druidic woman from trying.
Beldur grew up in Frostmaw, he knew most of the landscape and what he saw before him was not the territory he knew. Hearing the plea for help, he wouldn't wait for the others. Shela moving to his shield with practiced grace. She knew where to be to counter most offensives. But Beldur's mind was focused on what would be his duty if he was a knight. Placing himself between the wyvern's and the helpless mother on the ground. “Run, I'll buy you time!” He would give his own battle cry, one tuned from years of combat in the harsh frozen lands. Trying to appear the bigger threat as his blade banged against his shield.
As the two warriors rush forward, the battlefield begins to warp before them. What should have been uneven snowfall gives way as creatures rise from the buried snow. Frost giants, some wearing armor, some in civilian clothing, prepare for battle at Xicotl’s behest. Above the scenery of carnage at the same time, the gargantuan arms of the entity extend outwards as thralls gathered from the stolen villages and lands decimated beforehand descend from his arms like bats swooping down to feast. As Kailani picks up the child and Beldur steps in front of her to shield her, there are two thralled wyverns, both towering in frame, locked onto Beldur and Shela, and nearly a dozen frost giant thralls. With the two so close together, they are nearly surrounded. The frost giant baby in Kailani’s arms screeches in pain and cold, and the mother screeches, flailing wildly and gripping at her new injuries. The two wyverns move first with ear-piercing roars. The larger of the two takes aim at Beldur’s legs, seeking to cripple the knight right at the onset, while the smaller one lunges forward. At first it aims for Shela’s throat, but once in close range, it contorts its body, aiming to snap its rotten jaws at the base of her wings. The frost giant thralls come together and lock arms before rushing at Kailani as a unified wall. As they move, the woody tendrils of the plant-like god encompass them, making them increasingly hard to simply slash through.
Before Kailani and Beldur could properly get a grip on the situation with the mother and child, all hell breaks loose. Beldur is surrounded and Kailani is desperately hoping that he and Shela will be able to fend for themselves, because there is almost no way that Kailani is going to be able to offer them assistance given her current vantage point. Was saving the life of one child really worth the risk of losing the lives of several? Kailani probably should keep the griffin with her, using him to help her fight the battle….but the druid would not be able to live with herself if she abandoned the child. “Grim,” she barks in the heat of it all, shoving the child toward the griffin, “Take the kid out of here. Now.” Grimclaw was supposed to be here to guard and protect Kailani but there was something about the druid’s tone that caused him to obey her without hesitation. The child is carefully taken within the grasp of his front talons, mindful not to add further injury, and then off the beast goes, flying the kid out of here to safety. Hopefully. Maybe the Frostmaw tavern? Of course, wyverns could fly too, so perhaps Grimclaw’s attempted temporary escape is not without being hindered. This leaves Kailani alone in the battlefield just moments before a couple of Frostgiant thralls lock arms and rush at her. The woman knows full well she will not be able to cut them down. Her mind briefly considers the lab experiments that were done in preparation. Wasn’t it fire that the thralls were weak against? An actual pyromancer would have been nice to have for her team at the moment but the druid will have to make due. While she was more strongly connected to the element of water, the half-elf woman was still able to channel the element of fire. Kai would try to bend the element to her will, forcing the two Frost Giants to rush through a wall of fire if they wanted to get toward Kailani. The flames ignited suddenly in the space between Kai and the thralls but Kai was not going to wait and see if it slowed them or not. She was already operating under the assumption that they would only be angered and was attempt to dodge the wall while simultaneously bringing herself closer to Beldur and Shela so that she could offer them support by lending them the blade of her ranseur..
Beldur growls his frustration at the odds. His only saving grace came from his shield being a kite shield. The elongated point slammed into the ground to help protect the mythril armored leg. Shela would poke her head above the shield. Breathing her icy breath weapon down upon the limb that tried to break through his defenses. Though powerful himself, Wyverns were much more so than himself. Pushing him back, causing him to strain against the weight of the attack. His only means of offense being his drake for the time being, who nearly outgrew the protection of the shield. “How I wish I was in a shield wall right now! This fight would be so much easier.” His eyes remained on the foe before him. His physical power would be enough to keep him on his feet. Neither himself nor his drake had any way to use fire readily. But complaints won't help here. “Lady, find your footing and move. I can't hold this beast forever!"
As the pair focus on holding their own ground, Xicotl moves to expand his own. The frostmaw mines just a few miles away are collapsed, as are all the outposts and solitary buildings surrounding them. The deafening roar of snow and detritus being swallowed into the earth overshadow the screams of those who had taken refuge deep in the mines or within their homes to try to remain safe. At the center of the crater where Xicotl has risen, the bark peels away to reveal his fleshy core, which now grows to accommodate the new additions to its collection. An arrow’s distance away at the edge of the crater where Meri and Beldur are, the fight intensifies. The thralls let out alienlike screeches at Kailani’s pyromantic abilities set them alight. Though they do make it through the wall of fire, the wall’s heat is so intense that they come out the other side blackened. Once exposed to the frigid air of Frostmaw again, their legs crumble, leaving a putrid charcoal smell in their wake. Not all make it through the fire, though, and more go around it. Stepping over the corpses of the fallen, three remaining frost giant thralls descend upon Kailani to tear her apart with their bare hands. Thankfully for Beldur, the smaller of the two wyverns takes note of Grimclaw’s attempted departure and gives chase. The larger wyvern, though, continues in his assault, biting down on the front of Beldur’s shield. Despite some of its teeth breaking apart in the process, a small piece of mithril is torn off to reveal the mithril beneath. If had to rip the shield apart piece by piece to access the delicious raw meat beneath it, so be it. It hisses as a frost breath from Shela temporarily seals its mouth shut with a chunk of mithril within. Falling off of the shield to the ground, it roars angrily, lashing its thick tail around wildly as it scratches at its maw. A ripple of energy pulsates out from Xicotl’s core, and both Beldur and Kailani would very clearly hear the call for the sheltered residents of Frostmaw who have not yet succumbed to come out on their own volition and aid in the cause, to further the growth of the inevitable. Not even a entity is above using mind games to further their own agenda, it seems. Not even the animals escape the ripple’s effects, as Grimclaw and Shela would begin to feel disoriented. One by one, citizens of Frostmaw stumble out of their homes, approaching the crater, though they do not appear hostile yet.
Grimclaw is astutely aware that he is being followed an right up until that ripple of energy pulsates from Xictotl, the griffin is able to make it to the edge of Frostmaw’s city. Not without a few aerial feats, of course. That poor kid that was along for the ride. Matters are only about to get worse for the innocent child, for Grimclaw is not even able to land before he starts to feel the disorienting effects of the call. It’s enough that the griffin flies to the earth and lands, simply leaving the child in the cold snow. The beast might have at least intended to make it as far as a shop, but would that even matter? For the residents of Frostmaw seem to be stumbling out of their homes. Maybe it was safer for the babe to risk the elements, than to end up in the arms of one of those tranced citizens. It seems like a lose-lose either way. While Grimclaw is disoriented, the smaller wyvern manages to catch up to the beast and their battle begins. If Grimclaw were fighting with a clear mind, the victor in this affair would be no question. Alas, Grimclaw will not be able to claim this fight with the wyvern unscathed. If he is able to return to Kailani soon, it will be with his own injuries. In the meantime, Kailani is quickly getting the sense that she and Beldur are in over their heads. There is no way that they are going to be able to hold there guard for much longer, not at the rate the thralls are trying to come. Kailani barely managed to escape the first set of Frost Giants coming her way, and now she had three more after her? The backup that she was hoping to give Beldur and Shela ends up not being provided, at least not if the druid wants to live. The shield that Quintessa had only just given Kailani will not offer much in the way of defense against these giants so the druid takes the offensive. The flames that she summoned do not die out, rather they travel across the icy ground behind the three new threats to try and reduce the new threat to ash. Kailani tries to slow their advance by brandishing the tip of her ranseur at them. Usually in battle, the druid attempts to channel the element of water through her ranseur so that the blade of the weapon glows blue. Today it is red for fire. The heated-blade of her pole-arm is thrust upward toward the throat of whichever of the three frost giants is closer. Much like her companion, Kailani would not be escaping this moment without injury. Both she and Beldur were sorely outnumbered, overpowered, and soon to be over-run. Despite Kailani’s efforts, one of those three Frost Giants is able to grab her by the arm before it meets either flame or blade. It’s hard to tell in the commotion of the battle, but a crack might be heard. Kailani’s only hope of escape is to try and stab her ranseur into the giant’s chest. Hopefully it would at least let her go.
Beldur would discard his shield. Freeing his hand to swing the meaty mithril covered fist into the wyvern's face. His own strength comparable to that of a giant with all the training he does.In the same swoop, he would take Shela. Her disorientation causing her to coil around him. A comfort act when she was scared, or confused. “Any idea's? As brute force is about it for me.” He was thankful for the dragon enchanted armor he wore. Protecting him from most magical attacks. If it was magical in nature, he would be able to shrug most of the effects off. But his training, his determination, was focused on protecting those around him. His freed hand moving to reach for the collar of the giant's shirt. Trying to help her to her feet as he yells defiantly to the wyvern. His blade poised before him, ready to counter when the creature no doubted attacked. But a smirk formed on his lips seeing the Ice that held the shield in it's mouth. Shela would defiantly growl at the plant creature. Curled on Beldur's shoulders, she would chirp in the ear new attacks came from. Providing her master additional eyes. Though in her disoriented state, those eyes were fogged.
The towering Xicotl seems to shudder and writhe in glee, seeing the bloodshed nourish its roots below. While the creatures that longed to be rebels fought against mere distractions instead of the source, the creature was free to continue as it wished. The wyvern struck by Beldur’s discarded shield screeches then falls still as its head is severed from its body by the force of the thin metal sheet piercing its neck. Another pulse of mind energies radiates outwards from the core, disorienting all in its path. The frost giant impaled by Kailani’s blade only gives a grunt as its woody insides are set alight. But, were those tears welling up at its eyes as it fell to the ground? No matter, there are too many things to focus on. As a triage tent set up by a Frostmaw healer is ripped into the ground and added to Xicotl’s strength, a strange moment of clarity washes over Kailani’s mind. As clear as day, a small blue dragon’s arm sticks out from the twisted foliage comprising Xicotl’s body, but it does not struggle. Rather, it seems to be happy to be part of the deity’s form. Should Kailani step closer to inspect, she’d also see that the outline of the draconic baby is in the arms of a hulking half-avian, half-elven man. The bark peels away to reveal Orion’s face peering out, his smile warm and welcoming. “It’s okay, Kailani, it's actually not that bad here!” His booming voice calls out. “We have to accept Xicotl's will, my love! I can feel it in my bones. We must not resist. Come on, Grim!” He calls out for Grimclaw to join them as well. The closer Kailani steps towards Xicotl, the further Orion and Aspen sink into Xicotl's core. Would Kailani notice that Grimclaw does not react to Orion’s call before it's too late to react in time, before the black spots in the filthy snow decide that Kailani is within range to leap from their burrows? As the illusion plays out, the writhing mass of vines that is Xicotl grows further as it absorbs the stolen nutrients from the freshly deceased. Similar to the nightmare Kailani would be seeing, Beldur feels the warmth of his beloved drake be ripped from his shoulders by one of the frost giants. The beautiful drake cries out for its owner before jagged woody teeth pierce her scales, infecting her with the same virus that had taken her cousins and the former frost giants Beldur would have called his neighbors and family. So horrific is the sight of blood staining the snow that Beldur might not realize that the frantic chirping is coming from his ear, not from across the battlefield. The citizens of Frostmaw move past the battlefield, and the thralls strangely ignore their presence until it becomes clear why: starting from the base of Xicotl, the ground remaining where the crater is begins to collapse, allowing the entity to stand to his full height. Similarly, the crater’s edge begins to expand, and the frost giants, humans, elves, and dwarves all alike jump from the edge of the widening crater’s lip like lemmings into the sea, giving themselves willingly to Xicotl’s cause.
Little details like if tears were or were not there after the Frost Giant she stabbed falls were lost on Kailani. There was far too much going on indeed, Kai barely had a chance to process the last opponent before she had to focus on the next. That was made all the worse when Xicotl starts plaguing her mind with these images. Using Orion and Aspen was the only choice Xicotl could have made that would have any affect upon Kailani’s emotional state. Part of the druid knows full well that she left Orion back home in Venturil. Didn’t she? Did he come on his own? Did he end up taken? It was clear that Xicotl’s visions were distracting Kailani. She forgets all about the threats of the thralls or that she was supposed to be helping Beldur deal with the mess they are in. Wasn’t he just asking her for a plan of action? No answer comes. Instead Kailani takes a step toward Xicotl. And then another. And then another. She does not in fact realize that Grimclaw does not seem to be responding to Orion’s call. At least not until the griffin manages to return to the battlefield. Grimclaw is not fully free of the disorienting affects he was feeling from Xicotl’s call, but the griffin was trying his best to fight and resist. He manages to land just in front of Kailani, his massive torso carrying the claw marks of the wyvern he was fighting earlier. Kailani does not stop on her own, instead Grimclaw forces an end to her forward momentum. He pushes his head between Kailani’s legs and flips the druidic woman up onto his back. It’s not the most graceful landing, but she’ll have to deal with it. Once he has Kailani in his possession, Grimclaw is airborne again. He does not leave the battlefield fully, not yet. Beldur was still there. Just when it seems like everything was going to be lost and the two combatants could very well find there end on this battlefield…Kailani and Beldur receive a bit of unexpected help from the local druid of Frostmaw that Kailani was instructed to make contact with in a bid to prepare for this final fight with Xicotl. It had taken Orion, Ralinde, and Kailani a bit of convincing, but they had managed to secure a commitment for their aid when the time came. It could not have come at a more opportune time. They are still a distance away, far enough that they would not be able to fight with their blades, but they can still assist from a distance with magic. It is with their help that the flames Kailani and summon seem to grow in height, fueled by the energy all of them are channeling into element of fire. What started off as a wall of fire controlled by one lonely druid was quickly growing into a fire tornado that is being controlled by the will of many druids. It would attempt to consume the thralls threatening Beldur and Kailani while carving a fiery path toward Xicotl itself. Kai may not be in a state of mind to say it, but at least her beastly companion was thinking it. This fight was going to be too much. It was time to flee. Grimclaw would circle with the hope that he would find a chance to swoop Beldur and Shela up as well. Bare minimum, this summon spectacle of fire would at least provide cover for an escape even if it did not manage to damage Xicotl directly. Hopefully.
Wyverns snap at Grimclaw’s ankles, and the possessed thralls reach up into the sky to try to catch them. Worse yet, those who had seen the tiny beacon of hope making its way clumsily through the sky, those that had resisted Xicotl’s call to action, they foolishly leave their bunkers, screaming for salvation, for Aramoth, the Eyrie, for anyone to save them. Not all can be saved, though, and the thralls descend upon them as Beldur, Shela, Kailani, Grimclaw, the druid, and the infant now in the emergency care of the crumbled tavern’s keepers, all of them flee the scene. The gargantuan revels in its perceived victory for but a moment, but then the fiery vortex slams directly into its exposed core. A deafening roar rips through the skies, one that will be heard nearly as violently as the initial quake that had sounded the beginning of the end. The charred flesh recoils into the wooded hull of the entity, where it would have to wait for another opportunity to strike. At least, there are much less thralls at its disposal now, but at the same time, there are far less that can be saved.