Valen finally found a bit of luck as the bloodied and frantic goblin made a wild swing for the knight. With a quick overhead parry, Beannian steel deflected caught the incoming stike and whipped about. In a flash, it cleaved through the the enemy's ugly neck and sent it sprawling from the warg. Valen was about to turn to rush for Thurston, but he was unaccustomed to goblins and their mounts. Before he could properly spur his horse to attack, the evil wolf made a lunge. Valen's horse barely managed to avoid losing its leg, and the surprise prevented a coordinated counterattack.

Val cheers as Hurrig seems to be helping her fight off these hobs that had been surrounding her. She spots the strange, divine glow upon a spot on the hobgoblin Hurrig had wounded and something about that glow seems to be calling to her as the place to strike... a spot near the shoulder and neck where the little bone grows. She raises the hammer high and slams it down upon the hobgoblins clavicle which snaps beneath the immense kinetic force of the blow and much of the hobgoblin's torso is destroyed from the shockwave of energy transferred from Rook as the hobgoblin is driven to the ground where it remains unconscious. The black lightning sparks and swirls down the haft of Rook into the strange new patterns upon Val's forearms and she finds herself energized for more battle.

One last hobgoblin was still fighting him, but the wounds got the hobgobling panting and bleeding from the nose. The goblinoid was already dead, it was just he hasn't noticed it yet. Thurston helped him with a blow of Rikkazarik, catching the hobgoblin under the jaw and sending him flying back. When it landed the neck had an impossible angle and the hobgoblin was no longer breathing. 

Thurston looked around and saw Val still surrounded by some hobgoblins, the rest of the team going to help. He ran towards one of the hobgoblins, but the ground was full of bodies and splinters of the destroyed ram, so he couldn't take a good footing to punch the hobgoblin face as he tried. The surprised warrior yelled at Thurston and grabbed the Norscan arm. The paldin pulled his arm back and he found himself locked with the hobgoblin, both of them trying to suprass the other's strength. But all the fights against his brothers and in the taverns had taught Thurston a thing or two. He launched his head forward, hitting the hobgoblin in the nose. He took a step back, blinking, but his helmet had prevented a broken nose. Thurston growled, getting Rikkazarik at the ready as the hobgoblin readied his sword. 

"Uglar quick my friends"

As the boar charges away to bring Jex to help his friends, he climbs up onto it's back.

"Val! Look out, I'll save youuuuu" He leaps from the boar at the hobgoblin attacking Val's back. As he leaps though, he catches his foot on it's spine and goes flying sideways rather than into the hobgoblin as he intended. Landing on the floor with a crack of his armour he rolls onto his back. Holding his arm in the air in slight embarrassment. "It's ok, I'm alright" 

He croaks "For the record, I still distracted him." He kickflips to his feet, almost roving a point. He tries to stab up at the hobgoblin as he stands but is easily brushed aside.

The goblin scuttles after Jex, jamming its blade into the armour on the back of his leg and causing the half-elf to stumble. The hobgoblin opposite him takes advantage of this opening and smashes Jex in the chest with blunt side of its sword.

Jex takes 25 points of damage to vigour, reduced to 21 by DR -> 2/23 Vigour.

The remaining hobgoblin stumbles from the impact of Thurston's headbutt, thrusting its blade at Val who feels it scrape along the side of her breastplate.

Valaith takes 10 points of slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 6 by DR, reduced to 3 by resistance, reduced to 0 by Stone's Endurance -> 10/45 Vigour.

The worg facing Valen snaps viciously at his horse. The poor creature barely manages to stay on its feet and seems to be at the end of its tether.

Valen's horse takes 8 piercing damage to vigour, reduce to 4 by DR -> 0/19 Vigour.

Aiden's action.

The muffled sound of an explosion shook the walls of the unfamiliar dwarven stronghold, rousing Aiden Olrikson from his light doze in a common area. He knew that the dwarves had been expecting an attack by goblins, but whatever the hell that had been, it didn't sound like goblins. It sounded like...gods...it sounded like thunder.

Pulling his helmet on and hefting his warhammer and shield, the latter of which was emblazoned with a hammer surrounded by stylized bolts of lightning, he runs towards the stairs to the ramparts. He pushes past a couple beings fleeing the other way and grabs one. In Breannian, he shouts, "What's going on? What was that sound?" 

The dwarf responds in the same language. "The goblins marched a battering ram right up to the gates, but it was destroyed by a caravan coming in. The blew it up with magic! Pieces went near everywhere. Nearly got bits in me eye, I did!"

Lucky that these strangers came along, I suppose, Aiden thinks to himself as he thanks the dwarf and continues up the stairs. He arrives on the ramparts and runs to the main gate. Peering over the head of a dwarven warrior with a crossbow, he sees a cart parked over top of the remnants of what must have been the battering ram the dwarf spoke of. There were bodies everywhere, sounds of steel on steel, and the deep thrum of crossbow strings as the loosed their bolts towards the invading goblin troop. 

One of the newcomers, a half-elf, by the looks of him, attempts to do pull some acrobatics as he leaps from the back of a dwarven boar mount to assist his companions. He lands not-too-gracefully near the boar. Opposite side of the large mount from the would-be acrobat, Aiden sees a figure in armor....

That explains the thunderclap. But he doesn't look so good.

"Well well," Aiden says, attempting to make his voice heard over the the din of battle. "If it isn't the golden boy of Eikthyrnir. Fight on, Thurston. You're not done yet." He imbued the last few words with a magical essence that flowed to Thurston, bolstering the paladin's resolve. 

Now to be more directly helpful. Spying a hobgoblin largely untouched by the battle of late, Aiden scrapes his warhammer along the edge of his shield while speaking a few words in Norscan, generating a few sparks at first, and then a crackling ball of radiant lightning. Arcing the hammer, he throws the bolt down towards his target, connecting with the hobgoblin's armor. It looks like the armor absorbs most of the blow, but the lightning continues to crackle and spark, lighting the way for the next attack.

Vark continues to maintain the twin arcs of lightning which lash about like red serpents. But as he focuses, one of the bolts begins to change. The red hue darkens, shifting to a deep garnet shade verging on black. This change is accompanied by an infernal curse uttered by the warlock as he channels Matthew’s hellish power. The strengthened attack causes the goblinoid to shudder as his muscles convulse from the fiendish shock.

Hurrig leaps down from the wagon and joins the fray, swinging his axe brutally at the nearest goblin and sending its sword arm tumbling to the ground.

As the wounds begin to take their toll upon Valaith, she calls upon the ancient power of her ancestors of stone and she completely ignores the further impact of the hobgoblin's weapon. She laughs as she watches Jex make a fool of himself, feeling the judgemental gaze of Larkin upon her foolish companion; however, her mirth is turned to worry as Jex is now assailed by the enemies around them! As her friends rally around her, she digs her feet into the ground and using the power of her hips to drive the momentum of her spin she whirls around in a reckless manner letting Rook pick up enough speed to crush the skull of the hobgoblin between her and Jex. The creature crumbles to the ground with a sickening crunch as bone, teeth, flesh, and blood spray into the air! "Jex, you are making us look bad!" She slaps him on the shoulder as she immediately rushes passed to place herself behind the goblin still trying to shank Jex. "Finish this little one and I'll ignore your flop!"

Thurston hears the voice calling his name from above the walls, and feel the sudden strenght that give his muscles some relief. He knows that voice but he can't put a face to it right now... the sound of the fighting horse catches his attention tough and decides to help the valiant rider and his brave mount.

He grabs the hobgoblin by the neck, lifts him and throw him to the ground. Then he runs towards the warg and the bleeding horse as he spins Rikkazarik in one hand. Without stopping he throws the hammer but his own movement makes that the blow isn't is as powerful as he intended. Upon impact the thunder rumbles again but instead making the warg cow in pain and fear it draws its attention to the norscan.

"Go now you filthy beast!" he yells at him " Or face me if you dare..." 

Jex clutches the dent in his armour where the last hit struck him, staggering a step as though drunk, he slips, falling at the goblin. Stretching out both arms he bat's the goblins blade just aside, pulling it close and through into the side of his armour. His palms force the blades at his wrist through the chest of the goblin.forcing his whole weight down onto him, his head looking at Val over the shoulder. He subtly wipes some blood into the corner of his mouth, letting it drip down. He falls to his knees, still clutching the goblin.

"Val!? Was..." He coughs. "Was that brave enough for you?" He coughs again. "Thur.... Tell Thurston... I didn't hide in the shadows..." He coughs again, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Did we win?" His eyes roll back in his head, as he starts to close them. He waits a second before letting out a giggle. "Ha! Did I get you?" 

Uglar's boar gores at the remaining hobgoblin, trampling its corpse into the ground as the dwarf searches for a new target. The gates appear to be clear. Riderless and startled by the impact from Rikkazarik, the remaining worg twists out of reach of Valen's blade and makes a break for it, dripping dark blood as it runs from the two paladins.

A cry in Dwarven goes up on the walls and chains clank as the gates begin to open. On the other side a phalanx of chainmail clad Dwarven warriors can be seen marching forth, their shield wall bristling with spears. The sound of booted feet marching in unison makes the ground rumble to the rhythm of their steps.

Uglar reaches down and affectionately pats the side of his boar. The blood dripping from the beast's underside gradually comes to a halt.

"We did it lad," he declares, although it's not clear if he's talking to the boar or Jex.

Thurston approaches to Valen as the warg ran away. 

“Their beats have more brains than them!” 
He pats the great horse neck affectionately

”You are brave Valen and your horse is a brave warrior too. Please allow me..” 

He closed his eyes and he can feel Thor’s power flowing towards the horse and closing the most grievous wounds. 

“There you are” he says patting the horse and looking towards the rest of the team to make sure everyone is alright and finally looking up to the walls. He could swear that he knew that voice... 

As the dwarven phalanx marches through the gates, Aiden moves back down off the ramparts and toward the still open gates. Spying the battle-weary group, Thurston among them, he shouts, "Quickly! Inside the walls, before they close the gates again!"

He gestures, waving them inside as he shouts over the noise of the clattering dwarven armor.

Hurrig scrambles back up atop the wagon, clicking to Tomasz as he brings it around towards the gate. The dwarven ranks part slightly to allow the vehicle through. 

After a nod of apreciation to Valen, Thurston walks back to help Jex stand and go to the gate. 

" What do you say friends? Do we let these fine dwarves finish the job and get some well deserved rest? or do we still need to win some competition? " he smiles but the blood that still taints his armor and the heavy breathing indicates that even the Norscan had had a rough time defending the gates. 

 Valen pauses at the gate, surveying the battle as the sally quickly turns the tide. "The fallen must be cared for. I would stay, if only to see them brought back within the walls. My horse needs attending, as do you, Thurston, but I will stay if I'm needed." Valen dismounts and gives a brief look over his steed's wounds.

Vark shuffles into the gates along with the others. It’s only now in this window of momentary peace that he can truly admire the impressive sight of the gates and the organized dwarven forces. Along with the tree-homes of the elves and his giant friend’s abode, this is one of the most grand examples of civilization that the half-orc has seen. While the others begin to healing their wounds, Vark seems to still be buzzing with energy. He walks towards the human who had addressed them and waved them in “Uhm h-hi there. Do... do you think it would be alright if I went up on the wall? I could uhm... well I can attack from a pretty long range. Or provide cover.” To prove his point, he waves his hand and produces a small wisp of misty clouds around it.

"Who the bloody hell are this lot then?" A booming voice demands in Breannian with a strong Dwarven accent. A weathered, powerfully-built dwarf strides into view. He looks like he's just come down from the ramparts and his masterfully-crafted armour is emblazoned with officers' insignia.

"Sheercleft, sir," Uglar interjects, dismounting once his boar is safely inside the gates. "They're the ones who sent that Elven fire message!"

Recognition dawns in the officer's expression, but he continues to eye the newcomers stoically as he waits for them to introduce themselves.

Aiden nods at the half-orc. "Not up to me," he says in Breannian. He gestures to the dwarf that just began speaking. "He would be the one to ask."