In the Spider's Web - part IV

Realization about the gravity of the situation sink in with our adventurers. Opposite them, across the battleground, behind a similar iron gate stand three large men, of nord heritage judging by their size. Each wear incomplete lamellar armours, one wield a long and thin blade with both hands while another wield a similar but smaller blade in one hand and a rounded shield. The last of the combatants wields a sling on a pole. The female voice presents them as the "Remnants of the Dragonlands" and fighting for the kingdom of Rimmen.

She then proceeds introducing the random and scarcely armed collection of men, mer and beastfolk as "The Unified Strength of Tamriel" and representing the Thalmor of the Aldmeri Dominion and their emissary. These words demoralize and confuse our adventurers as they gawk at the ecstatic audience or initiate bicker among themselves, all the while gates are lowered before them.

Our adventurers' obvious weakness are their lack of armaments but they have an slight advantage in numbers. Balyn take the two daggers while Dar'Charrim and Einhard grab a club each and the nord also takes the bundle of rope. He and the Val-Hiira are the first to react to three armed men charging towards them. The argonian calls forth a flickering, ethereal battleaxe from Oblivion and without hesitation counters the charge and Einhard joins her shortly after. The slinger becomes the target of magick from two directions, Balyn swiftly closes in and with a touch ignites the man while Synette addles his mind into a frenzy. This combination becomes troubling when Dar'Charrim is pinned beneath a man that is barely aware that his flesh is burning. It's with feline grace, claws and some help from Einhard that she escapes the flaming clutches.

Too increase their advantage in numbers, Synette reaches into the dark depths of Oblivion but something goes wrong and the hunger she conjures is not bound to her will and instantly pounce her. Val-Hiira continues to fight the "dragonlanders" and slashes one down with ease but quickly after the axe fades out of her grasp. Balyn dart towards the lesser daedra that is feeding off his friend, giving it a new and more threatening target. At first he bob and weave, cutting at the fiend while avoiding it's lanky reach but the the dunmer makes one wrong step. The attack was meant for the hunger's neck but instead plunges Balyn's arm into it's lamprey mouth and the sinewy sleeve with hundreds of needle-like teeth closes around his wrist, draining the mer of power while empowering itself. Both Dar'Charrim and Einhard aid in freeing Balyn from the emaciated daedra and sending it back to whatever dark place it came from. Meanwhile Val-Hiira cannot muster enough focus to conjure a second axe and instead utilize her claws and tail to finish off the last combatant.

Silence falls over the entire arena as it becomes clear that our adventurers are the winners. It is replaced by an even greater roar similar to the rumble of torrential rains, drowning out the few booing parts of the audience. For the first time, they have the chance to look around the arena and they spot the balcony decorated with black gilt banners. The elven spectators upon it raise themselves and leave with poise and grace.

 Source

Author's Note - At a point after this session, the system for the game is changed and the players allowed to make changes to their characters. Val-Hiira will at that point forsake conjuration for illusion and would not have summoned a battleaxe in this fight.