Neverwinter Nights Hordes of the Underdark Character Builds Epic Character Builds - Primeval Champion

Epic Character Builds - Primeval Champion

Written and Created by: Imna Lias

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Surtr strode confidently through the ravine. At times the walls seemed to close in on his massive form, but the dwarven path was smooth and level. As much as he hated the puny earth dwellers, he had to admit they worked the stone well. Perhaps he would enslave some on his next raid and force them to build his fortress. The fire giant stroked his red beard thoughtfully as he paused to check on the status of his underlings -- hill giants, ugly and stupid. The mere sight of their misshapen yellow-gray fawning forms filled him with rage. Still, he supposed, they were the best he could find in this frigid wilderness. There was even a shaman among the group who had sworn fealty to him. They were struggling to drag along the logs he had taken from a grove a few hours ago. One those human tree lovers, what did they call them? Ah yes, a druid, had tried to stop him, but a few snaking vines and insects did not mean much to a group of six of giants. He left its broken form in the center of the grove as a warning to any who would challenge his will. Surtr laughed as a hill giant tripped over his cargo and stumbled clumsily against the ravine walls while the shaman brutishly barked orders from the rear trying to bring some order to the chaos around him. Perhaps when he had carved out his kingdom he would keep these buffoons around as entertainment.

He didn't notice the shadowy form leap from the top of the ravine and land on back of the shaman, but he did see the shaman jerk upright, blood spurting from his mouth as he issued a silent scream. A lithe humanoid form leaped off the back of the fallen giant, executing a neat summersault as it landed on its feet. It did not look very large, barely the height of his knee. It was clad in green and black dyed leather, with a large shield strapped to its back, and it held two short curved blades, barely daggers to the giant, in either hand. With a roar, Surtr ordered his giants to attack.

The warrior charged forward. In the narrow ravine, the giants had no room to maneuver, but he had more than enough room to assail his constricted opponents. As he ran past the prostrate form of the shaman, the first hill giant turned to face him. The warrior rolled under an outcropping of rock to avoid a swing from the massive creature's club and ran forward to meet it. He slashed broadly at the giant's leading knee with his left scimitar. In the hands of a normal man, such a blow would be inconsequential, but he was no ordinary man. He was a champion of nature and had the full primal strength of the savage wilderness and its denizens flowing through him. His blow cut cleanly through the cartilage of the joint, dropping the behemoth forward on to the wounded appendage. As the giant crashed forward, the ranger thrust upward with his right scimitar, driving it to the hilt into the monster's heart. With a mighty tug, he freed his weapon, the spurting blood turning his green armor red, and turned to face the next giant.

Surtr did not watch as the little man systematically demolished his supporters; instead he ran. Let the fools die. He would not be caught in narrow ravine where he could not use his size to his advantage. As he cleared the narrow pass, entering a rocky plain, he turned to see his mysterious assailant disembowel the last of his underlings. The figure pointed with his right blade towards Surtr and advanced, burying his left scimitar in the ground and readying his shield. Surtr readied the axe he carried slung over one shoulder and slapped his thigh with side of its massive head. As the miniscule warrior entered the plain, Surtr prepared to attack.

The warrior paused outside of the giant's range and circled tentatively, looking for an opening. He did not circle long, however, as the fire giant took the offense, charging towards him and bringing the axe down in a mighty overhead chop. Beveling his shield and sidestepping, the warrior deflected the blow and charged forward. The giant continued forward as well, spinning out of the reach of the warrior's blades and stepping past him. The warrior turned and tried to keep pace, but he could not match the giant's speed. Having opened some distance, the giant turned and charged again. This time the giant turned his axe sideways and swatted at the man. It took all of his agility throw himself forwards, out of the way. By the time he regained his feet, Surtr was charging towards him again, preparing a mighty lateral swipe.

The warrior readied himself, crouching low; he planted the point of his shield in the earth and beveled it against the oncoming attack. As Surtr swung his axe, the warrior rolled forward and away from the cover of his shield. The axe struck the shield, sending it flying into the distance. Surtr tried to turn away from the tumbling warrior, but he had committed to his attack too early and was off-balance. He shrieked in agony as the warrior's blade severed the Achilles tendon of his leading foot. As Surtr crashed to the ground, the warrior turned and sprang on the back of his prostrate foe. Surtr felt the weight of the human crawling over him and tried desperately to roll over and crush his foe, but it was too late. The warrior planted his blade in the giant's back and leapt away. As Surtr rolled onto his back, his own weight drove the blade into his lung. Surtr jerked up and crashed back down. This time, weight forced the hilt into the wound as well. Surtr struggled to draw air into his lungs, but it was futile. The wounded lung had collapsed and blood was flowing into the other lung. He coughed, his mighty chest heavy as flecks of blood issued from his mouth. He tried to rise, but his hands could not seem to find purchase on the earth. Resigned to his fate, he lay back and watched as the sky faded to black.

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