An Epic One-on-One Combat: Paladin vs. Ettin in the Arena!

[Dawnforged]

(A few weeks ago I was playing at Mark Cohen's table, part 2 of Glories of the Past, and had a particularly awesome experience during the session. I was playing my Hospitaller Paladin Alexi, level 8, and the party with me was mostly 6s and 7s.)

Alexi and the other Pathfinders had agreed to fight in an arena in order to win a slave, whose help was needed in the search for the Skykey, away from the arena master. As the party crowded around the gates a few spells were cast around. Alexi called upon his goddess and she blessed him, warding him with Protection From Evil and Linebreaker. Finishing his prayers his weapon glowed and crackled with holy energy. (Divine Bond - Holy)

As they waited they heard the crowd chanting for Vroth the Crusher, eager for our blood. Moments before the gates lifted another party member, a gnome sorcerer named Colors, cast Haste on them all, and as soon as he could see the sand Alexi rushed headlong towards their foes (getting a 21 on Initiative). Vroth the Crusher was a two-headed Ettin (with levels in fighter, amounting to him being a CR12 creature). He wielded two brutal looking large morningstars and had a twisted look of anticipated pleasure coming across his face. Before him were his pets, three dire wolves, frothing at the mouth.

Alexi took them all by surprise. Before they could act the combined magics of the Linebreaker and Haste spells closed the distance in seconds and Alexi brought his massive Earthbreaker to meet Vroth's chest. He called upon the power of the Inheritor to smite his foe and smashed into the "Crusher", the sound of cracking bones filling the arena.

Vroth was not smiling anymore! Still, he knew he had to put on a good show, and turning this little human into paste would definitely be one. Both he and the wolves reacted next and Vroth ordered them to ignore Alexi and charge the rest of the party instead. They did so and did serious damage to the Barbarian of the party, hitting and tripping him. The three large sized wolves had the party pinned in and they were fighting for their lives. Alexi would face this foe alone.

Vroth turned his wrath upon Alexi but his blows found themselves deflected by divine energy. Vroth had no such protection, however, when Alexi was able to bring his full might to bear, swinging his hammer in sweeping arcs, three powerful blows! ( 2d6+26 Melee +2d6 Holy. Ouch!) Vroth was reeling and though his own maces were connecting on Alexi, the wounds were healed almost instantly by the grace of Iomadae. (Lay on Hands with Fey Foundling and Greater Mercy healed 5d6+10) Behind him his party was not doing as well. The Barbarian had fallen and despite the party's best efforts none of the wolves had taken enough damage to fall. Alexi knew he had to act quickly.

With the crowd roaring the two combatants circled each other, one now blood soaked, the other shining with an otherworldly light. Alexi could waste no more time on this fiend, not while his allies were in peril. Thrice more he brought the hammer down, this time channeling all his might into the blows. One, two, three, all blows connected (Huge attack bonus with Inheritor's Smite spell). One to the right knee dropping the Ettin down. Two to the left head, smashing it beyond recognition. Three to the right head, pulverizing the skull!

The crowd erupted as Vroth the Crusher became the Crushed. Not only had he been felled in less than 20 seconds but the act had been done by only one man, a man who, by all rights and reason, should have had no chance against this superior foe. Alexi took no time to celebrate. The party at the gate had managed to defeat one of the wolves but the Barbarian remained motionless in the dirt and the Investigator was soon to follow him down. Alexi rushed back and channeled holy energy, reviving his allies and binding their wounds. Then, together, they made quick work of the remaining wolves.

Though the bloodied dust began to settle the crowd did not. Throughout the arena could be heard the chant of "Alexi! Alexi!" The Ulfen Paladin did not know what to do with this. He had never experienced anything like it and fame was not something he had ever desired. Without a second glance he helped up his staggered ally, turned his back on the crowd, and the Pathfinders left the arena.

"Alexi the Crusher" he began to be known as around Absalom. "Alexi the Smackhammer", "Alexi the Ettin Breaker". Whenever he hears these names he laughs his booming laugh, rolls his eyes, and quickly changes the subject.

Although he shirks the titles and the fame, the fight on the arena floor, toe to toe with an Ettin Warrior, was one that he will never forget!