[HQ Ignorance] Scene 57: The Graveyard Shift (and new player, Damien)

Thu Mar 6 10:41:02 UTC 2008

Thanks for the welcome, one and all :) Just sitting back and enjoying the
story at the moment. Most of it is going over my head but it's still fun :)

On Tue, Mar 4, 2008 at 10:18 PM, Lev Lafayette <lev_lafayette at yahoo.com.au>
wrote:

> Scene 57: The Graveyard Shift (and new player, Damien)
>
> Everyone's got an active role in this scene, so have
> fun :-)
>
> (Except for our newest player Damien, who'se been
> lurking for a few weeks, has had a character at the
> ready, but has to wait until the end of this battle
> before introducing him.. Welcome Damien, and thanks
> for your patience!)
>
>
> After Anzhur's speech and the prayers of the Rokari
> bishop, on the call of midnight, Theoblanc's army
> struck. Under Anzhur's orders, the first wall was
> already deserted ("stay within one arrow's shot")
> allowing the enemy forces into the Outer Ward.
> Foolishly, the Nolos militia charged into what they
> thought was an easy victory. But waiting for them was
> the greatest and most proud Knights of Seshnela,
> mounted upon their huge chargers barded in lameller,
> and themselves dressed in plate and mail, and weilding
> kite shields, mighty lances and the horseman's flail.
> Although, the militia were pikemen of a fashion, they
> were not organised, they were not battle-ready and nor
> did they have the strength in their heart to face down
> a horse and knight who, between them, weighed over ten
> normal men and charging at over 1500 feet in a minute.
>
>
> Such momentum! If any of the Nolos militia had courage
> or training they may have been able to stand their
> ground, set their peasant pikes and use this power
> against the knights. But courage and training was not
> with them this eve, and they scattered across the
> outer ward and were hewed down in excessive numbers by
> the forces of Segurane, until they fled the field
> entirely.
>
> The danger now was that the old Knights would lose
> discipline, for their passion was great and many
> relished the opportunity to cause great harm to their
> opponents of many years. But these were veterans of
> many battles, and good sense had not deserted them,
> especially when they saw the next group, many hundreds
> of undead, skeletons and zombies who had made the
> crossing prior to the reflooding of the Deu. At this
> sight, Anzhur felt great joy in his heart as magic of
> Talor overcame him and be barely had time to issue
> orders in between his laughter. "Form wedges", he
> guffawed, "penetrate deeply into their line, allow
> them to surround. Each of you can hack ten of these
> mindless corpses and you can do so with relish", and
> so he charged, barely giving himself enough time for a
> wedge to be formed around him.
>
> Anzhur had never experienced such delight fighting
> that midnight, with red moon high overhead. Never
> before had he experienced such overwhelming pleasure
> whilst hewing at the limbs of the undead. Laughing
> joyously, he hacked away at scores of them, as they
> came in their hundreds and more. And although
> initially this caused some concern among the Knights
> of Segurane, he was joined by the Swordsinger whose
> voice rode high, and inspired the Knights to follow
> suit. And thus it was that the battlefield of the
> Outer Ward was full of the laughter and singing of the
> Knights of Segurane.
>
> Their delerium seemed timeless, and it seemed that
> nothing could defeat them. But it was Othor, the ever
> loyal squire who somehow managed to work his way into
> the field to rouse the sensibilities of his master.
> "I'm begging your pardons Anzhur, but the matters are
> very serious indeed. Look!" - and he pointed to the
> arrival of the rough and hardened mercenaries into the
> outer ward. "These people will not run at the sight of
> a knight, and nor will they fight without tactics or
> knowledge. And they outnumber you at least three to
> one." With a sigh, Anzhur sounded a retreat back to
> the second wall.
>
> All was not well there either. At the Outer Gate,
> Jareena and a bloodied Marianne greeted Anzhur. At
> first his heart leapt, but he realised that the blood
> was not hers, for she carried bandages for the
> wounded. "I beg you good Knight and noble leader to
> take refuge into the Inner Ward, for the Vampires have
> taken the eastern wall. It was not as strong as it
> should have been, for it had been protected by the
> clifface, the Tanier river and keephouse. But these
> monsters have flight, and our weapons against such
> beings are few indeed. Bowmen we have very few of, for
> that is a profession of country folk and ballista are
> few on the towers facing that direction; although
> there was oil and rockfalls. Not much use against a
> flying opponent", she grimaced. "We sent our best
> Wizards against the Vampiric forces, but there numbers
> were greater than our, and their magic stronger.
> According to our priests none had ever encountered
> Vampires as powerful and these, it is as if the spirit
> of Vivamort was with them this day. I beg you once
> again, Anzhur, desert the second wall and seek the
> refuge of the inner ward."
>
> Anzhur looked deeply in her eyes and saw more than
> just a love for her city. "Nay!", he exclaimed, and a
> look of dismay fell across her face.
>
> "I do not seek the refuge of the inner ward,
> especially when that will prove no safer from airborne
> attacks that the middle ward. One against many! We go
> underground! To the dungeons!"
>
> (Reminder of the map of the castle:
> http://shawnbrown.com/maps/castle1.html)
>
> - - -
>
> Meanwhile, some leagues to the west Aalmon with the
> trollkin continued to use his most suasive powers
> against the mercenary leader, Sir Reinhaart. "The
> contract", explains the mercenary captain, is with
> Theoblanc. We operate under his orders - and his
> orders were to take out whatever opposition forces we
> encountered in the western flank. So far we've found
> you, a nasty river and the occassional Aldryami,
> although I'm not sure you're an opponent, at least in
> the military sense or at least not know. Also I have
> my reputation to maintain - I consider it a point of
> honour that I've never betrayed my employers in either
> the letter or spirit of a contract. It has meant that
> we have indeed been very well payed in the past and
> now. Much better than Knights to various lords. Poor
> bastards", he sighs. "Fighting for some kingdom or
> other, to be a broken man by thirty, dependent on
> charity thereafter. Only those who manage to get some
> land out of the deal retire in any comfort. And you
> know what they say about that don't you?"
>
> Aalmon looked at the Knight [rolled 4 for the riddle].
> "They're not making any more?"
>
> Reinhaart roared with laughter, and slapped Aalmon on
> the back so hard it almost knocked the courier over.
> "I like you! I tell you what. I'll take your gold and
> I'll fulfill every part of the contract. The Western
> Flank of Theoblanc's forces will indeed be protected
> and I will ensure that every inch of this land is free
> from opposition. But to be fair", he said, running the
> gold through his fingers, "I'll give you and your
> forces an hour's head start to get out of my way.
> We'll be going from here - to here - and here" he
> said, whilst laying a map out on the table and tracing
> lines west along the Deu River, across and north up
> the Nidan River, and then east along the Deu until
> reaching Seguarane. "Who knows, maybe we won't even
> find a single Elf on all our journeys, eh? I pity any
> we do find in a way..."
>
> He stared intently at Aalmon with a smile. "I think
> you have fifty-nine minutes and thirty seconds now..."
>
> - - -
>
> Meanwhile at the banks of the Deu and Nidan Rivers,
> and relatively far from any battles, Kalen Ironhand
> found himself rather unpleasantly surrounded by the
> various Elves and Runners. His beautiful dam was
> unfortunately damned from the beginning, although the
> rush of water that he created from the explosion was
> indeed a magnificant creation. "Better than even the
> speed of the sewer pipes of Bad Deal", he sighed to
> nobody in particular, knowing quite well that the
> Aldryami wouldn't understand.
>
> "But not as good as the bridge of Nidan Pass",
> responded a gruff voice. Kalen looked up in shock to
> see another Dwarf - it was the bargeman, Ivar
> Rivermann. "I heard that that there was some sort of
> battle going on, 'round here. Well, I kinda guessed
> which side you were fighting on, so I came along to
> lend you a hand. I mean what Mostal wouldn't do that,
> eh? Oh, and I brought a few friends too. Hope you
> don't mind." From the bushes came forth several score
> Dwarves from the Iron Mountains, clad head to toe in
> plate and carrying muskets. Kalen could barely contain
> his surprise, and Ivar noticed this. With a smirk he
> remarked, "Funny sort of business is war. You end up
> making friends with all sorts of people. Following the
> Dwarves came forth a number of Elves and Beastmen,
> centaurs, manticores, minatours, satyrs and even the
> dog-headed sedrali. Behind them, a young man with blue
> eyes and long blue-black curls. "Tierre of Caskell,
> from the Castle Rhis!", exclaimed Kalen. "What on
> earth are you doing here?"
>
> "Helping restore and old religion", he remarked
> cryptically. "And helping some new friends."
>
> "So, Kalen, we're at your leave. Tell us what to do.
> After that is, you've given me a swig of your drink.
> It was thirsty weather getting here. For some reason
> the bloody river wasn't flowing as fast as it should
> have been!"
>
> - - -
>
> Whilst mopping up great numbers of the skeletons on
> the south side of the Deu proved simple enough, Icthya
> was hardly one to carry out simple tasks alone. Edging
> closer and closer to the water's edge, she found
> herself in the midst of the remaining army of
> skeletons and their vampiric leaders. The Vampires
> were ordering the skeleton to build a makeshift bridge
> of the wrecked trees. It tore at the hearts of the
> Aldryami-in-disguise to see the bones of their
> brothers and sisters treated so rudely and for such an
> ill use, but they kept their silence. Keeping just
> outside the possible range of Detection magics they
> whispered among themselves for a possible plan of
> action. Stay on the south bank? Destroy the bridge?
> Cross with the others? The possibilities were endless
> - as long as they remained undetected.
>
> - - -
>
> Knarl twitched and awoke with a start - and promptly
> fell down again. The effects of Karala and Theonara's
> drugs were indeed strong and whilst he felt the
> transformation to wolf form running through his body,
> it felt somewhat numbed from usual. Alone of his
> people he was fully versed in the effects of the drug
> and indeed he had some familiarity with such
> concotions from his travels through Western Marinara
> and the Arstola Forest. He looked up at Karala and
> snarled "I don't think I'll be able to hold out for
> too much longer... and when I transform.. You'd better
> look out.. You're looking pretty tasty even now", he
> offered a smile before passing out again.
>
> "They are beginning to stir", remarked Theonara
> matter-of-factly. It was indeed true. Within twenty
> minutes Karala estimated and the Telmori would be in
> their full wolven form. Ravenous, angry and very, very
> powerful.
>
> "We must prepare our escape"...
>
>
>
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