Two horsemen ride up to a tavern...

Thrandimir strolls leisurely up the hill towards where the others are debating the lions' fates and the illusion that stands besides them morphs into an image of a hooded executioner with a huge axe. Whether he's emphasising or mocking Callahan's point is unclear.

Katrin crosses to the unconscious lion furthest from the group. She looks at Ash, knowing what will happen next, and knowing that it needs to be done. She places a hand on the pommel of her sword. "Let's be done with it then."

Kaed is louder with his protests than Ascian, and the pale man uses the distraction to circle slowly towards the felled lion suffering behind the one Kou and Callahan were attempting to save. For a moment he watches it, halfway to the other side already, then his jaw sets and he lowers his bow enough to pull out a blade. He glances at Katrin to see if she'll stop him, and when she doesn't makes no noise before sliding it into the beast's heart. "I hate to think we're just a group of executioners. That's...not what we are, is it?" Slowly, he wipes the metal against the lion's fur before standing and turning back towards the others still arguing. "Be what you want."  He gives an unamused look towards Thrandimir's illusion before walking pointedly through it, headed to reclaim the backpack he'd dropped.  "I'll do the same."

The executioner disintegrates into a squawking flock of vultures as Ascian passes through it. The birds circle twice and then settle upon the corpses of the lions to feast.

Callahan watches with a grimace as the skeletal boy steps past him and slides his blade though the chest of the innocent animal, it's face clenching in pain as its heart is pierced by the blade, before slumping in silence. Cal considers reaching to stop him, but stops and simply watches sullenly. As the boy finishes and turns back with his constant disinterest, Cal reaches out and lays a large hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Whatever you have been through to make you this way, I am sorry." His face is sorrowful and his eyes ring of disappointment. He wasn't sure what he'd expected of this group, or of Ascian in particular, but it was clear he'd been thrown together with a group barely a step above simple cutthroats, if even. This frail-looking boy though - he'd for some reason had higher hopes. He sighs,  "One day you will rise above it." Pulling his hand back, he gathers himself and stands to his full height. "Alright then," he intones, turning to the rest of the group, "if the collective bloodlust has been sated, can we move on?"

"Made me this way?"  Ascian stills beneath the firbolg's large hand, almost perplexed by the patronization. "It's not mercy to heal it now so it can die tomorrow when it isn't strong enough to feed itself. It isn't any less a death sentence just because you don't have to watch."  He's no stranger to pity - the dinner Erika had given him just last night is proof enough of it - but to see it come into play here isn't something he'd been expecting. For a moment he stares at Callahan, considering, before he shrugs and the firbolg's hand pulls away. "Half-dead is no way to be." Crossing to the other lion, he cleanly pulls his arrow from its heart, but otherwise doesn't try to end its suffering. If Callahan needs to see it breathing to sleep at night, then so be it. Naivety is a luxury it appears some are still wealthy enough to afford. "Let's go."

Katrin walks up to the firbolg as Ascian walks away. "Ash is right. We can't let emotions always get in the way of doing what has to be done. What happened here is tragic. But even more tragic to prolong the suffering of the dying. Mercy doesn't always make you feel good." She looks up at Cal. "I don't relish death or killing. But sometimes we don't have a choice, and we have to live with that choice." Katrin walks away from him. She feels a drop of moisture run down her cheek, and she quickly wipes it away.  "If you can't live with that choice, then maybe you shouldn't be here."

"Great one, your magics are skillful, but maybe you could end it now. Enough hard words have been spoken, now we have to decide what we do with this grain. Do you have a spell to help us carry it all?" Kaed asks Thrandimir, the adrenalin seeping out of his body, the thrill of battle over, he casts a look over his shoulder as the others seem to have finished their discussion, a pang of regret that his hotheaded bravado had sparked some of the tension fading as quickly as it came, his conviction in his beliefs absolute.

"Naturally," Thrandimir replies with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. The wizard waves his hand and the vultures coalesce into a raven that sits upon his shoulder. Fishing his spellbook out, Thrandimir settles down and begins another ritual. A tiny drop of mercury from his pouch spins in the air, growing ever broader and flatter as it forms a disk. "This will take a few minutes," the wizard adds. The metal spreads and hardens, growing infinitely thing until it solidifies into a plane of force. "Katrin, gentlemen," Thrandimir calls with a stretch and a yawn. "If you wouldn't mind, these old bones can't life as well as they used to."

Bags of grain are loaded onto the magical platform and the party sets off, with it following behind. The cart tracks continue to wind around the largest hills, twin muddy divots in otherwise undisturbed grasslands. But the path is easy, even with the disk floating behind. Occasionally, the calls of axe beaks disturb the relative silence of the journey, but no predators make themselves known to the group. The sun moves to its zenith, its warm light balancing the cool breeze flowing between the hills.

Callahan returned to the task of tracking with renewed vigor following the spat over the lions. He did his best to push his feelings of confusion and disappointment over his new not-so-friendly friends to the side and simply let his eyes and senses take over for a while. The cart's path carried on through the grassy plains, its wide divots carving a simple-to-follow guide. Eventually, however, he found himself coming to a halt as he looked out over a new conundrum: the path split into two clearly distinct tracts. One tarried on only a short distance before trailing off into a grove of trees. The other carried on into the distance. Easy enough as it were to determine which was more likely the one to follow - the tracks of the latter path bore the darkened muddy grooves and bits of recently upturned earth that denoted it as quite fresh - it nonetheless seemed almost tantalizingly tempting to ponder what lay in wait at the end of the fading trail disappearing through the thicket of trees. "Hey now, hold on up there everybody, I believe we have ourselves a rather interesting bit of a choice before us!"  He briefly summed up his findings of the divulging tracks to the group, noting the likelihood that the darker path would take them to their quarry. "Now if I had to choose myself, I think there's only one surefire way to go: flip a coin and allow things to lay where they land, of course." 

"I always like the path less travelled, I would pick the other path and see where it leads us. You have sharp eyes by the way  Cal, I would have missed this I think." Kaed looks on with curious eyes at the other path,  as he waits for others to offer their thoughts.

"We follow the newer path," Thrandimir states clearly, striding forwards to crouch and inspect the markings that Callahan has shown them. "Divination is a subtle art, but I recognise this fork from the ashes. Callahan guides us true."

Kou begins to follow the newer path and says "I agree the fresher tracks are more likely to lead us to our prey, and the towns resources. Though we probably should move a bit quieter as we approach. The closer we get the larger chance the Orc's have scouts or guardsmen keeping watch."

Katrin crosses her arms in front of her chest, a frown on her face. Still tense from the recent discussion, she doesn't offer any input. She only moves to the side, looking at both sets of tracks from a distance. Either one could lead to their quarry, though Kaed was probably right about the fresh track. And if they managed to drive off the orcs, there would be more cause for celebration tonight than just a birthday. 

Continuing on past the second set of tracks, the party eventually begins to hear the lapping and babbling of a stream. The cart tracks turn and follow the edge of a forest. The group can see a small forest stream flowing below between the trees. After about an hour of following this line of trees, Callahan and Kou can see that the cart tracks turn and move in the direction of the stream. Where it does, they can see faint flickers of torchlight on the other side of the water, where the dense canopy of trees has blocked out much of the sun's light.

Arriving at the crook of the creek, Cal carefully creeps closer to catch a hint of a canine's call from just across the cliffside. He steps back towards the group, turning to them smiling wide. "Found 'em, friends! I think..." he scratches his head, his bushy hair ruffling around but maintaining its shape, "they're riiiight  there," he points a long finger back behind him, "across that noisy, fast-moving stream.

"Great. We'll be back."  Ascian and Kaed share a look and the pair set off, picking through the underbrush toward the cliffside. Caution and the sound of the stream are enough to cover their approach, and it doesn't take long to get a gauge of the area. The silence of their return is broken by Ascian intoning, "It's well barricaded. Three tents. A horse. Only one place to cross."  He looks at Kaed to see if he wants to add more, crossing his arms. "Two wolves; three of them. Maybe more."

Cal begins nervously tapping the tips of his fingers together in front of him, and takes a long, deep breath before making his pitch,  "Alright so... I know we had our differences before but I'm confident we've all grown since then. That's why I know you'll be behind me when I say we ought to extend an olive branch! Let's try to talk to them. They might have an explanation for why they did what they did! And I know it may still end up violent, but I have something of an idea..."  He proceeds to explain the details of his big plan. He'll alter himself to look like an orc - y'know, to build some immediate trust - and then ask 'em what's happening. Then if things go wrong, well... then some fighting can happen, he supposes. "So whaddya'll think?"

Thrandimir reclines on his floating disk, gazing up at the sunlight percolating through the interwoven leaves of the canopy as he slowly tokes on his pipe. "Callahan,"  he begins, propping himself up to look at the Firbold. "Why would it matter why the Orcs murdered Gary Hornsby and stole the food that the people of Fireblade need to survive the winter? Whatever their reasons, they did it. It doesn't matter why and knowing why won't make ending them any easier."

Kou nods his head as Thrandimir speaks, he moves towards the Firbolg placing a hand on his shoulder   "He speaks truly Callahan. The Orcs have chosen their path, they have killed, pillaged, and terrorized the people of the village. There is no reason why this would be acceptable, the merciful path is to end the threat they pose before they can harm anyone else. Giving them the chance to flee or alert their allies is just giving them a chance to make another widow or take another father from his children. Mrs Hornsby and her children deserve justice, and we have the power to provide it. Your heart and sense of compassion are admirable but these men are beyond redemption" He pat Cal on the shoulder and looks to the rest of the group "Though  I do think an illusion may be a solid plan. Thrandimir do you think you can cook something up to bring them outside their camp?

The part that stung most was that the sprightly old wizard was right, of course. Callahan couldn't help but feel his smile slowly drop until he was left mouth ajar. "I know that all, I wasn't suggesting letting 'em go, Mr. Thrandimir. I just figured there could be more to it than simple murder, is all. Folks don't just murder for nothing, right?" The bubbling brook behind him continued to cascade and crash along the crags - a white noise in the still forest air that drowned out all other thoughts. "I'll admit I'm not wholly comfortable with pursuing retribution... but I do wanna give justice to poor Mrs. Hornsby and her kids." He nods, seemingly in affirmation of his own convictions, "Alright then. Well I still think I could try getting 'em to come on down by making myself look all orc-ish. Oh! And I can maybe convince those wolves to stay calm! Ya wouldn't have to kill 'em like the lions if they don't attack... maybe? I'll admit planning big attacks is something I'm not too familiar with, but surely there are more than just the three in that there opening, so I think it'd surely be wise to get some away from there."

Kaed looks across towards where the orcs are camped. "We do need something to draw them out, if Cal wishes to be bait then I respect his bravery and if he can get the wolves to stay put of the fight I will be grateful for that too." The tribesmen slaps the firbolg on the arm in a companionable way "In the event this doesn't work of course I think I should get into position, out of sight but closer to the orcs than Cal, anyone who wishes to join me is welcome. If needed we can charge out and intercept our enemies before they reach Cal."

Thrandimir nods and looks about at the gathered band of warriors. An elf, a dwarf, three men and their good-natured firbolg friend. To secure a victory they needed to draw just a few Orcs out at the time and ensure that the numbers were in their own favour. "Kaed," the wizard begins. "You're a seasoned warrior. What would you like these Orcs to believe? What could I make them see that would make it easier for you to bring them down? Should the cliffs crumble? The river flood? If you and Katrin and Erika and Kou and Ash and Callahan are to go into battle, what deception would have the Orcs play into your hands?" Thrandimir pauses for a moment to let this sink in, before adding with wink. "Somehow, I think that this time an owlbear isn't quite what is called for."

" That we were weak, and possibly wealthy." Kaed points in the direction of the orcs " We know they are thieves, and we know they will kill for what they want.  Show them a merchant struggling with a cart, and they will blunder right into us." Kaed shrugs "I am no orc, but I think it would be a good idea."

Katrin has been silent through this conversation. She didn't much care how they attacked the orcs, so long as the end result was their deaths. She kept her silence when Callahan mentioned sparing the wolves.  Those wolves are the orcs' pets. They're not going to stand by while their masters are being destroyed. In some ways, she felt sorry for the Firbolg. He was just trying to do what he thought was right. He was honest and probably a better person than all of them combined.  "Cart's a good idea," she says, breaking her silence. She looks at the group. "Don't get your hopes up about the wolves. But it's worth a shot anyways." She smiles gently at Callahan. "You've got a good heart, and I'm sorry about what happened earlier." She takes a deep breath, and goes back to her silence.      

Thrandimir waves his hands and a rickety old cart laden with goods materialises besides the group with a low creak of its wheels. "Something like this?" The wizards asks. He waves his hands again and the cart disappears, but Thrandimir's robes are now also gone, instead replaced by the costume of a travelling merchant. "I could play the feeble old men, perhaps?"

Watching the wizard work was wonderful. His apparent mastery of the arcane weave was evident in every confident wave of his hands. For Callahan it had never been quite as much of an exercise in fluidity. Magic was more of a means as he saw it - albeit a mystical and magnificent one aglow with infinite possibilities and mysteries untold. He placed his staff in the dirt, wedging it down into the ground a ways in order to free up both hands. He traced a sigil through the air of a constellation. As he did so, small sparks of light appeared in corresponding places along his body - his elbows, knees, sternum, forehead - and seemed to connect through faint astral lines that glowed with a shimmering radiance of purples and blues and greens. Then they faded as soon as they'd appeared, and emerging from the glow that had wreathed his whole body stood not Callahan the clunky firbolg but a rather petite-looking man. This man bore the broad nose and arching brows of Thrandimir himself. His dark hair spewed forth from the widow's peak in the center of his forehead up and out over the rest of his head and spilling down his back a ways. The pale, human-looking figure stood at a measly 5 feet and some change, and he had on an oversized set of rounded spectacles that seemed to be struggling to stay balanced. Wearing rather plain threads of tans and browns, he'd have seemed completely foreign to those around were it not for the familiar goofy grin shining through. "How's this Mr. Thrandimir? Think we can pass as just a couple father-son merchants making their way through a dangerous set of woods?"

Thrandimir grins wickedly. "That'll do just fine... please, give me a few minutes to prepare myself," the wizard asks with a mock bow, grabbing his backpack and heading behind a nearby copse of trees. A short while later Thrandimir emerges. However, no longer appears as a great and powerful wizard . His long grey robes and floppy hat are gone, instead replaced by the trappings of a common merchant. His clothes are well made, but slightly grubby. His previously well-kept mane of grey hair is oily and lank. His posture is bent like a man who has worked for many years. Thrandimir is transformed. "Shall we then, laddy?" He asks, his voice nasal and jittery.

Ascian listens without watching, picking at the dry and splintered skin that surrounds a nail. Somewhere to his right Katrin apologize, and he wonders absently if he's expected to do the same. It would be both lie and insult, with the proclamation of calming and sparing wolves still fading from the air. And Ascian never has been a gifted liar. "What's the signal? Or are we starting when blood's in the air." He looks up finally, blinking in surprise at Thrandimir and Callahan's new forms.  "I'm staying up here; I'll shoot from above. Pick off the wolves." It is, it turns out, the opposite of an apology.

"Sound plan, I will lie in wait ready to charge them if needed." Kaed nods in readiness, then quickly tightens the cords pulling his hair back from his face, and then checks his sword is loose in the scabbard. He then methodically checks the dagger he wears on his other hip, resting the blade and reassuring himself of it's weight and balance. Finally, he draws a nasty looking stiletto from the top of a boot, repeating the checks before replacing it too. "Let's see if the orcs are as gullible as we hope, remember to watch yourselves, you dont want them to use you for target practice, run if you need to." He says the last to Cal and Thrandimir slapping both on the shoulder respectfully. "You take a risk to give us an edge, I thank you for it."

Thrandimir winks at Kaed and, with a twirl of his fingers, conjures a creaking and slightly jerky wooden cart laden with food stuffs and other mundane goods. "Come now, sonny," he repeats in the same croaky voice, "let's head on down this a way." With that, Thrandimir slowly leads the way off towards the Orcs.

Thrandimir and Callahan proceed down the incline with their stop-motion cart in tow, with the rest of the group taking up hiding positions. As the unlikely father-son pair near the water, two orcs, having previously been locked in conversation, notice them and raise their greataxes menacingly. "Stop!" One shouts in the common tongue. He turns back to the large tent and shouts something in orcish. One being emerges from the large tent, a large orc, wearing robes and a spiked headdress. He carries a roughly hewn wooden staff with what looks to be a mess of leaves, vines, and twigs atop it. He slowly walks up to level with the sentry orcs and glowers down at the two intruders.  "You should not be wandering here," he says in heavily-accented common.

"Wha's all that there caterwaulin' o'er yonder?" Thrandimir demands loudly of the Orcs. "Cannae see so well as I used to... Are ye boys looking to rid ye'selves o' some coin?"

Katrin nods in agreement with Kaed. "I'm with you," she says quietly as he checks his weapons.  "Let's give these bastards what they deserve."

The second Thrandimir started speaking Callahan felt a lump form at the back of his throat.  Wait what is he- is that how he’s always talked or- oh. OH. Ohhhhhhh.  Were it not for the glamour masking his true nature, all would have seen the big blue firbolg slowly turn a faint shade of white.  He’s doing a silly accent. Aw fiddlesticks we didn’t discuss this beforehand! “I didnae see no sign or nothin’ uh tae sort on oor wae up ‘ere Mister! if yew wid just be lednus go bout oor business well be right onty oor wae, ya? Say by tae wae, wid yew be in getny yerself a nice old bit a kindling an rope? Got oorselves some tae finest goods tis sidey a Fireblade, we do!” The small bespectacled Callahan kept on smiling as broad and docile a smile he could muster, pushing back the suddenly-emerging twinge of fear at the back of his mind that seemed to be creeping increasingly forwards while the large orc ahead stepped forward. By the stars I think I really nailed that! Surely that was the same as Mr. Thrandimir... I hope.

The orc shaman stares down at the pair, and gestures at his guards to move ahead. "We need no coin to take food grown on land that is rightfully ours," he growls as the orcs start forward, greataxes in hand. "Take their goods and send them on their way." Another orc exits one of the smaller tent and hefts his axe, looking curiously down at the father and son and their wagon of goods. He whistles, and the wolves stop playing with the bones they were gnawing on and move to his side.

The words of the orc bring a smile to Kaed's lips, thieves needed to be taught the error of their ways. He knew he wouldn't be counted as the most civilised of men but he knew right from wrong, and the feeble attempts to justify their actions mattered not at all. The blade was already free of his scabbard before he consciously though to draw it. In a last fleeting moment of clarity Kaed looked over at Cal, he knew that he might well wish a more peaceful solution but the call to battle was so strong and the old wizard was in danger too, and for all his mystery he seemed a decent enough fellow.  The icy calm descended, he movements didnt really feel like his own, as if he watched himself from behind, but a new feeling crept in too, a swirl of darkness around the edges of his vision, as if the world was becoming darker but he could still see perfectly. It was over in a heartbeat or two but Kaed nearly lost his footing as he charged down the hill towards the furthest orc. It's porcine features showed the shock of his arrival and showed it more as the tribesmen roared in his face as he slashed through the hide armour scoring a vicious cut across his adversary's chest. "I will enjoy this." The words whispered by Kaed reach his foe's ears, and hopefully his heart.

Ascian is so focused on waiting for weapons to rise against Thrandimir and Callahan he almost misses the flurry of movement that is Kaed - but something about the barbarian draws his eye. In an instant his bowstring pulls past his cheek, waiting, watching - and then the sabre slashes, Kaed looks up as the hurricane of movement stills, and Ascian breathes. His hold doesn't lower, gaze intent on the pair as the arrow finds its target, neatly skewering the tribesman through the throat. The orc falls slowly at Kaed's feet, and from the cliffside Ascian almost smiles. Then in a blur of white he disappears back into the brush.

Seeing Kaed rush the orc on the left, Kou lowers the claws on his gauntlet and rushes towards the one next to the cliff. As he rushes forward he a calmness flows over him, he knows he is right where needs to be doing the right thing. Using his strength to protect the defenseless from these thieves and murders.  As he bounds the corner he ducks low with his left hand held in front of him and his right hand low to his side, springing up only when he gets in striking distance of the orc. As he jumps up he shoots his right hand up upper cutting the orc with his clawed gauntlets. He then makes a follow up swipe with his left hand cutting across the orcs chest. Kou then takes a deep breath and lowers himself into a fighting stance keenly watching the orc's movements and attack style

Drawing her sword, Katrin follows hard on Kou's heels to the river. As Kou throws his punches, she slashes at the orc with her sword, cutting into the leather armor. It doesn't quite break through, but she can tell that he's getting tired. We're  c ertainly ruining his day. Hope those wolves don't get involved too soon.  

"Rightfully yours, eh?"  Erika muttered to herself, feeling a sort of fury grow within herself. "Murderous bastard, if they were rightfully yours why the fuck are you killing people."  Another mutter, she was practically burning up with rage. She began to breathe in a specific rhythm, entering an almost trance-like state as she swiftly stepped from the brush. Using her trident for balance, she spun, the heel of her left shoe catching a leaf and setting it ablaze, a leaping kick sending the bolt right at the Shaman. "Burn."  A very simple verbal component. Erika then landed, moving with utmost speed back into the bush for cover.

Kaed stares down his enemy and waits for the retaliation to his blow, he knows he is out of position the strike through the armour nearly caught the blade and he is a touch off balance, he feels the malicious intent of the orc and in a heartbeat it is swaying and dropping to the ground, an arrow piercing it's throat, the darkhaired warrior howls with the fury threatening to overtake him.  He pushes it down and turns to where he knows Ascian is hiding catching a glimpse of the fragile looking man, pumping his swordarm up in salute he charges across to where the others are attempting to down the other orc.  Clearly his opponent is tiring under the weight of attacks so he wastes no time,  knowing that there are enemies to his back, he lines up an attack to the distracted foe and rips the gently curved blade into his side, as he retracts the sabre he savagely twists it, causing serious injury to this new target but not enough to end him.

The sounds of battle awaken another orc. She steps out from inside her tent, similarly clad to the other shaman, but with a much more ornate headdress. She steps up next to the other shaman and hefts a spear in her hand. She throws it toward Kaed, and it begins to blur with an violet light. As the physical spear glances off Kaed's shoulder, a glowing violet duplicate appears and attempts to stab the barbarian. He bashes it away with his shield, the resulting sound the surprisingly loud clang of metal on wood. Kaed takes 15 points of piercing damage to vigor, reduced to 12 by DR, resisted to 6 by rage. The other shaman shouts throughout the camp in orcish, presumably to wake others. He then conjures up a similar spectral spear and sends it hurtling toward Katrin, who takes the brunt of it on her armor. Then he raises his staff and charges Callahan, nearly impaling the firbolg on the sharpened end of it. Katrin takes 3 points of force damage to vigor, reduced to 0 by DR. Callahan takes 10 points of piercing damage to vigor, reduced to 8 by DR. The wolf trainer releases his hounds and they charge, one at Kaed and one at Thrandimir. Splashing through the river at top speed, one impacts Kaed's legs and attempts to bite down, but can't get a good enough grip to knock the barbarian prone. Kaed takes 8 points of piercing damage to vigor, reduced to 5 by DR, resisted to 2 by rage. A wolf jumps for Thrandimir's throat, its sharp teeth locked in a snarl, but the wizard sends the wolf yelping back to the ground with the raising of an arcane shield just in time. Ascian's action.

Ascian creeps forward as more orcs spill into the river followed by bounding wolves, his bow jumping between them as he tries to settle on a target. The attacks happen so quickly and thoroughly he thinks first his next arrow is meant for a shaman, or a wolf as he'd warned Callahan - but the one nearest the firbolg and Kou is still standing, and it doesn't become much of a thought at all. Another arrow sails downward from the clifftop, piercing the orc's throat in nearly the exact same spot as the first; his third split throat of the day. He stands there for a split second, surveying the carnage, before fading back into the trees.

No sooner had Cal and Thrandimir started their conversation did the rest of the party leap from the trees in a mix of rage of precision, unleashing hell upon the many Orcs. And no sooner had the fighting started did Cal find himself on the receiving end of a Shaman's spear. From the angle and height of it, he reckoned had it not been for his disguised form, the attack would likely have struck true. Instead, it grazed his side just slightly. It was enough though, he had no intention of sticking around. Seeing the Shaman approach, Cal instinctively lashed out with his own staff, bonking the man in the head. The orc looked towards him, and Cal wasn't one to stick around if he didn't feel he needed to. As his eyes widened, he watched as the orc's face took on a look of befuddlement once Cal's form shimmered slightly then vanished from sight. Without a moment's hesitation he leapt backwards from the amassing pile-up of combatants and booked it up the hill, stopping to catch his breath only once he felt assured he'd made it out of immediate harms way.

As Ash's arrow hit's the orc has a moment of distraction, seeing his opportunity Kou leans throwing a quick jab at the Orc's throat. His gauntlets cut deep sending a spray of blood onto the monks skin. As the orc collapses he runs forward over it's body and slashes down the shamans body.

Katrin rushes forward as Kou fells the orc, pulling back her sword and going in for a stab. She nearly misses completely, but at the last moment, her sword makes contact with armor. She follows it up with a bash of her shield, but the orc catches it with his arm, and throws it back. She skids back in the river sand, a grin creeping onto her face. 

Thrandimir rolls his eyes at the Orc's comments. "I can see that you have an inferiority complex and it’s clearly fully justified. Alas, I'm afraid I can't stick around to chat. My martially inclined friends will take it from here. Good day!" Thrandimir plants his feet into the earth and makes a motion as though pulling rocks up out of the ground. There's a dull rumble and a boulder appears where he was standing with a crunch. Hopefully having distracted the foes closest too him, the wizard then hurries away out the back of the illusion and towards the safety of the cliffs.