Judgement Day: GOOD (Evil stay out)

[Jemal]

Alright, we are now ready to start this campaign. Before anybody posts what they are doing, I would like a character history posted here before anyone starts. This will make an easy reference, as well as let us know who the active players are. Now remember that you are on opposing sides, so posts made on the other side are not to be read (or at least not used in game). We will not tolerate abuse of this rule. Other than that, good luck and have fun.


Greetings to all good PCs. You are going to be starting in the Plane of Good, known as Mamanth. It is connected to the good fortress city of Amella. You are the elite guard for all of the good forces who were gathered by the Great Silver Dragon Darius Cierellyx. It has come to the attention of the good forces that an invasion of the port city of Maleign is imminent. You are going to be sent to defend the city. No reinforcements are going to be sent to your aid, because there is way too much of a risk of a back attack if a large number of troops were to move to the front. But that is not too much of a problem. Maleign is a natural fortress. Its dock is pressed up against a crescent shaped side of a mountain range, while the rest of the city is located in a flat and fertile plains found in the middle of the mountains. Tunnels allow access to the city from either outside, or the docks, but aside from flight there is no other good way into the city. Many towers dot the top of the mountains to keep watch for an aerial attack. Once you penetrate the mountain range, you come to farms which provide food for the city. There, you proceed to underground tunnels where all of the other buildings are located. Inside and under the mountains is an extensive tunnel system with many openings for the various areas of the city. The city itself spans about 40 square miles and houses over three million people. Its defenses include the mountains themselves, 20,000 troops and 300 weapon emplacements and siege weapons. The dock contains a passage that leads to an underground lake in order for the ships to gain cover. A huge adamantine wall is lowered when the dock is attacked to protect all the ships. Inside the dock is also one warship, the Amperage. Its 500 meters long, built out of Antimagic steel and contains a spellpool in the middle which powers the 40 guns built into the ship which can fire rays or exploding balls of magical energy (element is the choice of the person firing). The siege weapons include portable ballista emplacements and catapults, with an assortment of trebuchets added for some extra punch. Out of the 20,000 troops defending the city, 2,000 of them are spellcasters, 10,000 are ranged attack based, 4,000 are scouts, and 4,000 are melee attack squads. The preferred tactics of the city is to use hit and run style in the mountains and surprise attacks on enemy troops who get separated from their main forces using the melee troops. Defenses include scout towers powered by mages dotting the mountains, Large gates covering the two dozen various tunnel entrances on the outside of the mountain, a castle that stands over the farm entrance to the tunnel system and various traps placed inside the tunnels themselves. Intelligence comes in from the three small cities near Maleign named Arbosh, Calentation, and Bornt. The area surrounding the mountains consists mainly of plains and flatlands. You must use these resources to keep the evil forces from taking the city. Be warned that if the farms are taken, the city will only have resources to last for three months. Now go and make preparations to save the city.

 

[Kerrz]

OOC: Post Deleted because I'm leaving the game. Good luck guys.

 

[Endovior]

Born in a village in a forest on the continent of Almanion, Eladrin learned at an early age that he was... different from the other Elves. He was far more serious and disciplined then they, a difference which slowly but surely drove a wedge between him and his peers. He would spend much of his time far outside the village, training his body and mind, and testing his capabilities... not uncommon for aspiring young Elves, but few could match his dedication. It was on one of these excursions that he encountered a group of Human Monks, travelling across the land. He admired their skill and self-discipline, and asked to train under them. After a lengthy discussion amongst themselves, they agreed to let him join if he passed their tests. And strange tests they were, as well. They said that to learn their ways, he must be absolutely obedient, accepting all orders without question. Thus it was that he would, for example, count the number of people in his village, keeping seperate tallys of soldiers and wizards and such, or draw detailed diagrams of the village, including defensive positions, armories, etc...

He didn't think anything of it at the time, and after provinding a lot of quite detailed information on not only his own village, but several others, and a good sampling of towns and cities throughout the area, he was sent to a monastery in a far off land over the seas, 'to study our ways under greater masters', as they said. But throughout the process, he noticed many little things that would nag at the back of his mind as he trained. There was the balcony far above the training grounds where sinister-looking black-robed men would watch the training from time to time. There was the statue of a six-armed god (which his superiors named Hextor) that all were required to bow before... that requirement being a stark contrast to the worship Eladrin had previously witnessed. There were the slaves, visible on rare glimpses outside the walls of the monastery, where Eladrin could see their endless toil in the bleak lands outside. There were the speeches, in which grim men would speak of power, and how only the strong should rule, with the weak being subject to them. Most of all, though, were the rituals. For four times a year, those black-robed men would be present in force, and would sacrifice slaves before Hextor's statue in a grim and bloody way. Eladrin noted this in as calm a way as he could, and on the spot decided that as soon as his obligation to his masters was complete, he would leave, and forge his own path.

But once his training was complete, he found that leaving Hextor's service was far more difficult then entering it was. The very day his training was deemed 'complete', he was ordered to return to his homeland in the company of a much larger group. A huge fleet, grim and dark, sailed against the Elf homehand, and it carried an army of darkness. There were numerous engagements, while still at sea. Battles would be fought ship-to-ship, and (though the troop transports were kept well back of the fighting), Eladrin knew that those were Elven ships sinking, that Elves were dying to stop his advance. When the ships landed, it was worse. Orders were always being given from some faceless superior above, to attack this town, or defeat this force... and Eladrin had no real choice but to obey the orders. Frequently, he was commanded to act as the agent within... entering a town in common clothes and opening a gate in the middle of the night, and similar acts. Occaisionally, he would hesitate, or even question orders, receiving harsh rebukes and punishment. On one occaision, a control spell of some type was placed upon him to ensure his cooperation. This continued for some time... until his unit was hit with superior force. His comrades fought hard, but they were no match for their enemies. His last conscious memory that day was that of a warrior in shining armor shouting "Die, Servant of Evil!", as he swung a large glowing sword... and the resulting blow knocked him out.

He awakened, bound, in a tent elsewhere, with white-robed men looking at him curiously. They told him that he was spared because a Paladin of theirs had tried to smite him... but his effort had failed, proving that Eladrin was not evil. The questioned him for a long period of time, and eventually, his story came out. His captors left, and returned some time later. They offered him the chance to atone for his actions, and perhaps right some of the wrongs his actions had caused. He considered their offer carefully, and after a time, accepted. And he was then cleansed by the light, and emerged from that tent changed.
He soon returned to the fight (for the other side, this time), but he fought with a new strength, for he now had a prupose, a higher goal beyond merely following orders. Throughout that war, he sought out his old superiors one by one, defeating each in single combat. He took this on as a personal quest, and was quite successful in it. Eventually, in the final decisive battle of the war, he faced the master of the monastery. The man had been been battered by previous fights, but he was confident that one wayward novice would pose no threat. He mocked Eladrin for 'weakness', and 'giving in to emotion'. He claimed that Eladrin had abandoned discipline, that the softness of Eladrin's new allies had weakened him, preventing him from getting stronger. Eladrin remained calm, and announced that strength came in many forms, not all apparent to one devoted to darkness. With that, he tapped deep into his innermost reserves, awakening a long-dormant energy within his being, and defeated his one-time master in a close battle. The rest of the battle had gone equally well for the forces of Good, and the armies of Evil were repelled.

That being accomplished, Eladrin was ever-wary of losing the discipline he had maintained all his life, so he constantly sought higher challenges. Eventually, he sought out the Githzerai masters within Limbo, and, after much study, mastered all that they could offer. Eventually, he grew old, and 'retired' to a demiplane for contemplation... (where he remained for centuries) until the disasters occured. He knew at this point that his time was near, and that the day of his death was nearing. He considered various methods he had heard of prolonging the inevitable, and even of escaping the universe entirely... but instead he found himself recruited by the newly-ascended deity of Self-Control, Morlyn. Although at first amused by such a young entity's claim to the portfolio of self-control, Eladrin was soon impressed by the level of mastery such a young being had attained in such a short time. As a result of their discussions, he has now decided to confront the evil, to fight in this last epic battle with existence at stake. He's done it all before, and is confident that he can do it again... one last time.

 

[Albedo]

Ooc: *bump*

 

[Jarval]

The Riversouls have long been protectors of the forests of Almanion, and have served the gods of nature. Lina was born into this family twenty-nine years ago, her path already clear before her. Trained in the ways of divine magic, and brought up in part by the fey who have shown the Riversouls great favour over the years, Lina felt herself bound to nature. As many of her family have, she took a fey for a suitor, a satyr by the name of Shakil Arvid.

While the Riversoul family has favour with the spirits of nature, it also has enemies aplenty. Many are the fiends, undead and aberrations that hate the natural order, and hate the ways of the new goddess who watches over it. The forests of Almanion, particularly the area surrounding the Lake of the Gods, a site most holy to spirits of the forest, have suffered many assaults from those who hold only distaste for the beauty of the green. Each time, the Riversouls and the fey have risen to turn back these invaders.

As Lina grew more confident in her training, she began to accompany the defenders when they hunted the fiends, and learnt quickly how to handle herself in battle. Her faith and her skill-at-arms proved impressive for one so young, and word began to spread among both the mortals and fey living in the settlements around the Lake. "A Riversoul is in grace with the gods." "Lina Riversoul walks the path of the Exalted, and is becoming one with the fey." "She is the one spoken of. She will bring the downfall of That Which Devours Gods." Many heard these words, and a slow but steady flow of mortals and fey alike came to find the Riversouls and pledge their allegiance to Lina.

After consultation with her mentors, and although somewhat bemused by her newfound reputation, Lina accepted these pledges. She set her followers to keeping the balance of the forest, and to the service of the gods of nature. She herself remained focused on serving the will of the gods, and keeping the forests free of the fell beasts that would taint their purity.

It was late summer, in Lina's twentieth year, when her role was to change. She and Shakil had taken a month away from the settlements to explore the forests for themselves. A week and a half into their wanderings, Lina received a sending from the High Priest of the Lake. He told her that her settlement was under attack, and that all the champions of nature should return to defend the Lake. Taking Shakil by the hand, Lina spoke a word of recall, and they found themselves standing amid the flaming ruins of what had been Lina's home town. Torn, broken and burnt bodies littered the village square, including those of Lina's parents. In that moment Lina threw aside the mantle of protector to embrace the fierce anger of the hunter.

Shakil's animal companion quickly found a trail leading away towards another village, and they sped along after the creatures that had despoiled Lina's village. Within hours they had closed on the undead warband. Lina threw herself into their midst, and called upon the gods. The soldiers of the warband burst into dust as the radiant light she brought forth touched their bodies, but one remained. A robed man carrying a heavy curved dagger turned to face the girl. A single word from the man, and Lina felt her heart stop dead for a moment. She fell to the ground...

No, my daughter. Yours is a greater destiny that this. The words echoed within Lina's head, forcing life back into her body. She and Shakil threw themselves at the necromancer, bearing him to the ground and ending his life with a quick stab of a knife through his chest.

Lina spent the next handful of years patrolling the forests with Shakil, and ending the existence of any unnaturals she found within. Her power continued to grow, and the voice that echoed within her mind spoke to her more and more frequently. The voice told Lina that it's name was Gnarla, and like her, worked to protect the forests. It told Lina that it had been watching her from youth, and that she was becoming a vessel for nature to strike back at those who opposed it.

Only with the freeing of the Hecatoncheires and the death of the gods did Lina truly realise the importance of the voice that spoke to her. Gnarla ascended to the glory of godhood, and Lina became a living saint in her service.

The rampage of the Hecatoncheires proved a key moment. The unnaturals began to enter the forests more often, seeking a place free from the god-killer. Lina lead the people of the forest to drive them back, her new divine status filling fey and mortal with new resolve. The name Riversoul is feared by abomination, devil, demon and walking dead alike. Tales have spread across the lands, speaking of the winged vessel of wrath that walks land, air, and water alike, bringing ruin to the despoilers of nature. The words spoken in Lina youth now ring out across nations...

"A Riversoul is in grace with the gods." "Lina Riversoul walks the path of the Exalted, and has become one with the divine." "She is the one spoken of. She will bring the downfall of That Which Devours Gods."

 

[Albedo]

OOC: Alright guys,we don't want the Evil team to get too much of a head start here so feel free to start. Good Luck.

 

[Endovior]

ooc: Fine. Since nobody else is going to post this...

All of the characters on the good team are sitting around a table in a great hall in a building on Mamanth. A map of Maleign is spread out over the table, with figures representing military units placed in various positions throughout (shifting as various characters make different plans). Also present, off to the side, are a number of varying figures depicting evil creatures of numerous varieties, which have been brought in on occaision to demonstrate potential weaknesses in this plan or that. This has been going on for several hours now. Eladrin, who has been silent for a time, speaks.

"This is getting us nowhere. We could spend an eternity discussing possible threats that might counter anything we put in place, but that gets us nowhere. We can't plan for every possible contingency. What we can do is make a good, rounded, flexible plan, and improve on it when the time comes, if neccessary."

 

[Jarval]

"You're right, Eladrin." Lina sighs. "We don't have any real intelligence yet, and the specifics of our plans must wait until we know for sure what we face."

She gets out of her chair and walks over to the table, tapping her finger amid the farmlands.

"This is where our focus should first be. Without the farms, any army need do no more than wait for the city to fall. We must protect them at all costs, at the very least until the harvest has been gathered in.

"Given the difficulty that any land creatures will have breaching the mountains, I think we should expect an aerial attack as an opening move. It need not even be a large force. A handful of spellcasters, or a few young dragons could start disastrous fires in the farmland, and destroy a great portion of our crops.

"The watchtowers would give us forewarning for any sizable force, but the possibility of invisible or teleporting attackers bothers me greatly. The former could only be detected by magic, and then only if they flew close to a suitably enspelled observer. The latter could only be prevented by dimensional warding, and given the area that we must protect, it is in now way practical to use such methods."

She looks up from the table and sweeps her gaze around the room.

"So, by what methods might we prevent such ploys by our foes? I have a few ideas of my own, but I would greatly welcome your suggestions on this matter."

 

[Endovior]

Eladrin shrugs.

"Fire is a problem... but it's an OBVIOUS problem. If our foes put the farms to torch, fireball, or dragonfire, we'll notice it... smoke is obvious. That being said, I doubt that a major force will entirely consist of invisible foes; so the utility of the invisible will be limited to small things, which mostly require us not to know about them. The counter to that are watchers at the gates with see-invisibility spells, preventing a city entrance, which leaves them only able to attack the farmlands... which gives away their position, as I mentioned before. Teleportation is relatively expensive, so I would expect it in only two capacities. The first is assassination, and the second is battlefield support, as in a force teleporting over the walls to attack the operators of siege weapons, or seize the gates. The first can be safeguarded against by vigilance... even the greenest Wizard can place an Alarm spell over a sleeping Lord, or Commander. The second can be protected against by assigning our melee forces to guard important structures. That should suffice for most threats... unless you have a better idea?"

 

[Ferrix]

Lian'ael'Sheri looks on at the sheer breadth of the domain they are to defend, the possibilities of potential attacks filled out into sheer probabilities within his exceptionally adept intellect, although the most prominent thought maintained was of a more particular nature, such attacks although potentially devastating from without are all the more horrible from within. If the Amperage were hijacked, even for a short time, the damage it could do within the walls... this thought caused him to blink his golden eyes slowly, the rest of the probabilities returned to the forefront of his mind.

"Although our concern with the outer farms is of the utmost importance, should a powerful enemy get within the walls without our notice, there are indeed dire consequences to think of," his radiant voice echoes strongly. Looking to Eladrin he nods thoughtfully, considering the comments.

OOC: Sorry for the massive delay, will get my background up in the next couple of days