A Chronicle of Ice, Luck and Honour - updated 19th December

Broccli_Head said:

Cool..Almost caught up from the last incarnation...

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It's so close I can feel the spittle on the back of my neck.

Hey, what do you guys think of spacing out the dialogue like I've been doing in the past few posts? compared to previous stuff... so the newer

"Hey, what the hell are you grabbing me for?" growled Cornelius

"That's not my hand!" stammered Samuel, grabbing for his Multiple Wish Wand

"You filthy liar!" cried Cornelius, "I just saw you!"

"I wish you didn't notice me grabbing you!" squeeked Samuel for the umpteenth time.

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or...

"Hey, what the hell are you grabbing me for?" growled Cornelius
"That's not my hand!" stammered Samuel, grabbing for his Multiple Wish Wand
"You filthy liar!" cried Cornelius, "I just saw you!"
"I wish you didn't notice me grabbing you!" squeeked Samuel for the umpteenth time.

Click to expand...

I'm undecided. Smooth my worries please!

Spider J

spacing is better

Spider_Jerusalem said:

Hey, what do you guys think of spacing out the dialogue like I've been doing in the past few posts? compared to previous stuff...

Click to expand...

I like the newer spacing. I think the extra return makes the reading easier, at least on the eyes. But I dunno...that's the way I do it...so maybe I'm biased.

~Fune

Yep, in agreement now. Spaced it is.

Anyway. Enough of the grammar-sleep-over-party. Time for an update.

Spider J

oh... and here's the next map. Are these ueseful whatsoever? Ah who cares. I like making them.

Spider J

Torious roared again, his voice cracking with bursts of celestial fury. Drawing Freedom’s Edge from the chest of a flailing guard, he whirled and pitched a second into the courtyard. The Ulutians pressed forwards, their frenzy of revenge having left a spattered trail along the wall. Two of the barbarians had fallen to the crossbowmen of Robar, a further three had died in the assault. Led by Torious’ beacon of scarlight, they plunged into the last ragged line of guards.


Thalin slid to his right, and guided the flaming blade to the ground. The illusion was cheap, and Thalin had soon worked out where the real mage was. The border-mage was clothed for the cold, his chubby face a snarl of concentration as Thalin slid Shard into his shoulder, dashing another spell from his mind.

The duelling mages crashed swords together again. Slivers of ice and droplets of fire cascaded around them, baring the courtyard in a bleeding pulse of light. They weaved between the statues of the frozen crossbowmen, waiting for a moment to strike. Thalin altered his grip, then aimed low. His sword crackled across his opponent’s thigh. As he darted away, Thalin felt a molten pain rip through his shoulder.

The two mages disengaged for a moment, their blades trailing angry sparks of energy as they circled each other.

“You must be the boy from the Glacier,” crowed the border-mage as his free hand crafted another attack, “Such a pity to come so far to die in a place like this!”

“Boy from the glacier?” spat Thalin as he prepared to counter, “well yes, but then you must be the pig from the wall.”

“Petty child!” laughed the mage, his eyes narrowing to vicious beads, “then let this pig be your slayer!”

The border-mage shot both hands forwards with a grunt. Thalin whipped his free arm from behind him, sending discs of ice hissing into the gut of his opponent. The border-mage fell back with a gasp. As he toppled, a white-hot spark flew from his outstretched hands and landed behind Thalin.


Torious ducked as the heavy blast shook the wall. Ice and mud rained around him. A sword found his side in the confusion and Torious staggered back, quickly healing the seeping wound. The Ulutian leader pounced past, bludgeoning the guard's head into a pulp with a howl.

Torious stepped back from the melee and took in his position. Only two guards left on the wall. The explosion came from the courtyard, yet his aasimar eyes couldn’t pierce the cloud of ice and dust that bulged into the air.

i like the map

I like the map(s) as well. They give a better sense of how things are positioned, though you do an excellent job in describing where things are.

Maps are good.

Thanks, I'm loving going over these old battles and figuring out just what happened and where (my minds-eye is good, but it is so nice to put it all out on paper).

Anyway. Here is the next map and update. Enjoy!

Spider J

On the far side of the gate, Torious could see the hunched form of Milo. The halfling was crouched over a dead guard. Probably checking for money. Dammnit Milo, we need you right now. Torious felt the flesh knit together in his side as Tyr blessed him another wave of strength. As his muscles flaring with the might of Tyr, Torious didn’t feel the first crossbow bolt puncture through his waist. He felt the second and third.

More crossbowmen had appeared on the far side of the wall. Torious could only make out three through the fog of the explosion. There are always more. One was advancing on Milo, the others were firing into the throng of Torious’s melee. The Aasimar snapped the bolts from his waist with a grunt and moved to intercept the first guard.


Thalin spat ice from his mouth and tasted hot blood. His skin was alive with an unbearable tearing. Through the haze of the rubble-strewn courtyard, the border-mage stalked forwards. Thalin’s hands clutched the cobblestones. Trying to push himself to his feet, Thalin collapsed back as his legs buckled and pain tore through him. The border-mage looked down with a satisfied smirk.

He outstretched a hand and began to summon a last attack, “I told you. You never stood a chance you fool!” gloated the border-mage, “ Robar wanted to kill you himself, but it looks like I’ll have the pleasure”.

Thalin lolled his head to the side and coughed a laugh. The mage only had time to glance up as Dariel dove through the fog with a predatory shriek, and plunged his talons into the mage’s face. With a gasped incantation, Thalin cast his final attack through his familiar. With a violent hiss, the border-mages’ head shattered into a fine mist of blood and ice.

The decapitated mage stood erect for a moment, his body trembling before collapsing in a heap. Dariel was lost momentarily in the fog, then came swooping back. He skittered to land next to Thalin, his feathers burnt and ugly. A pained squawk escaped his beak. Thalin pulled his familiar close, his fingers teasing at the crusted feathers. As one, Dariel and Thalin slipped into unconsciousness.


Torious vaulted another body and cleaved Freedom’s Edge through the backtracking crossbowman. His voice lost in a continuous whispered prayer, Torious toppled two more guards with cold precision. His scarlight cast brilliant shadows across the border-fort, then died in an instant. Milo was crouched at Torious’s feet, his back to the aasimar.

“Milo! What are you doing?!?” cried Torious as he miraculously deflected a crossbow bolt with the hilt of Freedom’s Edge.

Milo did not answer. Torious saw then that Milo’s arms were coated crimson up to the elbow. The halfling bent forwards again and Torious felt his stomach lurch as he watched Milo immerse his head into the hollowed chest space of a guard.

“MILO! By the gods!” roared Torious.

The halfling slowly moved his head to look at Torious. His pupils were pinpricks in pools of white. His head was slick with blood. Torious felt two more bolts scatter off of his backplate.

Torious saw Milo’s hand clutched Vampire. The hilt was a vicious web of teeth, and the blade was bulging and misshapen. Milo looked up with no recognition and Torious knew he was lost.