It has been a harsh week of traveling.
Yes, for one week now you've been out in the unforgiving wilderness of the Delerit Jungles in search of the hidden Harak-Dier temple, where the Ritual of the Blade will be held. Despite having been chosen as your temple's representative, you are still fairly young, and you are tired. One month in a ship to get here, and one week in the jungles. You almost couldn't bear the humidity and heat of this place. The jungle burst with life: colorful insects, screaming birds, even more colorful. Small, swift monkeys at every corner. Mosquitoes... thousands of mosquitoes! Everything so different from your home.
As it wasn't enough, you ate your last piece of rock-solid bread some time ago. If you couldn't find the temple soon enough, you'd have to start feeding on those native creatures.

Lost in thought, the sudden appearance of a clearing in the woods surprises you. You can see the blood-red sky from here: the sun is setting. Soon it will be dark, and soon you'll have to find a place to sleep. You hadn't slept well all week.
Coming from other sides of the jungle, two more people step in the clearing: humans! The first humans you've seen in so long. You would rejoice, if you weren't on a lonely mission to find the temple.
You observe the people around you.

A dark-skinned lean woman with sharp features dressed in many layers of thick beige robes.
A very small, weak-looking young man, dressed in a light-blue kimono.
And a tall and muscular man, dressed in simple black garments.
What a group we must make, you think to yourself.

Before you have time to process the situation, you hear a deafening roar. One of the trees on the side of the clearing falls down with a loud crash. Almost instantly, your nose burns as a disgusting, fetid smell takes over the place. From the place of the fallen tree, a horrid creature steps in the clearing. Standing 15 feet tall, a deformed, fat humanoid with a head too large for its body and greenish skin... an ogre!

The ogre opens its mouth revealing a couple of yellow and black teeth, and lets out a roar that shakes the trees around. Colorful birds screech as they fly away. But your eyes are attracted by the thing the ogre is carrying in its hand — a thick wooden club as big as yourself! The ogre sets its eyes on you and growls. You have heard of ogres as intelligent as humans... but this one definitely wasn't one of them!
As it wasn't enough, from behind the ugly creature, another ogre steps into the clearing. The second ogre looks almost exactly like the first one, only more green and with a bigger head. It's also carrying a club.

The ogres growl in unison and set their small, glistening yellow eyes upon the humans in the clearing... looks like you'll have to do something if you don't wish to become ogre fodder!

Combat starts...!

The players will go first. Post your actions.

Ogre 1 (no status)
Ogre 2 (no status)

[spoiler]Yes, we're starting this one pretty hot! This is for you to get a hang of the combat system. And of the dramatic effect: the opponents are indeed intimidating, but let's see what you can do, tiger! Hold nothing back! =D

Remember that, if you use a maneuver, make it clear to me which maneuver you're using.[/spoiler]

Nicarda quickly breaks into a run away from her companions, skirting to the left just out of reach of the ogres. She'd heard that you didn't want to stay close together when fighting ogres. Their long swings could smash multiple opponents to bits.

Gah, the stench was almost unbearable. But it was no time to think about pleasantries. Purpose. The ritual was her purpose. These brutes stood in her way. Action. Easiest way would be to run. But Nicarda had no intention of fleeing these stupid creatures. And she didn't think her companions did either.

Nicarda halts about 20 meters away from her companions waiting to see how both they and the ogres will react. She sheathes her sword breaker, it will do little good in a fight against these thick skins. And she might need the other hand for maneuvering. She plants her feet, ready to spring into action in case an ogre charges her.

Jerod sits down, eyes closed, and focuses his energy to his hands. He feels the ogres' hot breath coming down on his shoulder, but he had to concentrate. Putting the ogres out of his mind, he focused on the forest ground.

Sakon runs toward the side so, to him, one ogre is behind the other. That way if the ogre in the back swings at him he will also hit his companion. Now, Sakon enters his Child of Shadow stance and dashes toward the ogre in front and uses his Clinging Shadow Strike slashing at the ogre's eyes.

[spoiler]That seems like a good start.[/spoiler]

OOC: Not quite sure if I can still use a maneuver. If I can great, if not strike this post.

IC: Nicarda sees a chance with one ally meditating, eyes closed, and another on the other side of two large ogres. She lunges forward and releases a blistering flourish, hoping to incapacitate the ogre nearest to her.

Perhaps, at the very least, she can draw attention from her meditating comrade and let him unleash whatever it is he's preparing.

[spoiler]@ Kajak, sure you can. Why not? ^^
And guys, you can go descriptive with your maneuvers. I mean, they will also be more effective if you role-play them in a more exciting way. And it's not like the other players know what your maneuvers are, so you should make it clear to them too what you're doing. ^^[/spoiler]

The ogre in front roars at Nicarda as she flees. The big creature clumsily walks toward her, club in hand, the ugly yellow eyes glistening with something that is definitely not good. Nicarda raises her sword as it bursts into flames. The ogre halts, mesmerized. Nicarda twists her sword and the flames explode in a blinding white flash that covers the clearing. She doesn't see anything, but only for a fraction of a second before the clearing comes back in focus: the ogre in front is howling in pain and his already small eyes are barely visible. The creature steps back and loses some balance.
The flash doesn't affect the second ogre, covered by the body of the first, nor Sakon, covered by the second ogre. Jerod has his eyes closed, and also isn't affected. But all of you felt the dazzling flash as it was unleashed by Nicarda.

Sakon summons the power of darkness. Pitch-black shadow energy wraps around him, and when he moves, he becomes almost transparent! The second ogre, who had been turning to watch Sakon, is completely surprised for a moment. Suddenly, Sakon reappears, the shadow cover gone — and he's right beside the ogre! The blade of Sakon's dagger is now covered in shadows, and he jumps to strike at the ogre's eyes. The ogre yanks its head, evading the blade; but just as Sakon darts past him in mid-air, the shadows covering his dagger move to cover the ogre's eyes! It howls in agony the same way the first one did when it was blinded by Nicarda's flash.

The first ogre, affected fully by the flash, swings its club clumsily from side to side. But the reach of the club is too big, and Nicarda is caught by surprise as the big weapon catches her in mid-step. She is thrown back by the power of the strike, not seriously harmed, but stunned.

The second ogre also cannot see well, his eyes covered in dark shadows. It waves its club in the direction of Sakon and steps forward, trying to take advantage of its long reach. Sakon doesn't step out of the way quickly enough and the attack connects. He feels the full strength of the ogre directly at his chest, as he is sent flying backwards and hits a tree, sliding to the floor in pain. Sakon tries to catch his breath as the ogre howls with joy. The ogre starts to run in its clumsy manner toward the spot where Sakon is.

Battle Status:

Ogre 1 is recovering from the blinding flash that burst out of Nicarda's sword.
Ogre 2 is still blinded by the shadows, but it's charging full speed at Sakon.

Nicarda is stunned by the ogre's attack. She'd slightly dazzled, but not seriously harmed.
Jerod is sitting down, meditating.
Sakon has been wounded. He is feeling a lot of pain, and has probably a broken rib or two.

@Sakon: [spoiler]You've canceled your Child of Shadow stance when you attacked the ogre; it won't be available for the rest of this battle.[/spoiler]

Jerod immediatly openes his eyes. I use my manuever, Mighty Throw and grab the charging orgre's hand. Then, I twist it, and throw him back without a sweat.

Sakon is in a lot of pain but sees the ogre running towards him. He goes for a roll to the right. Hopefully it was in time.

What ever the case, Sakon endures his pain and goes for a slash at the ogres head once more, trying to take him down quikly by either severing his head.