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

[Spider_Jerusalem]

“I am Torious. Aasimar of Ravens Bluff"

Milo thrashed deeper into the hillock of snow as the gates groaned open to the sound of the horn. Isplit’s sharp weasel claws dug into his chest as Milo caught his breath. The horn call pitched higher for a note then stopped. Sorcerer and familiar trembled as the thunder of the knights shook the ground they lay on and filled the air with explosions of ice.

The horse’s hooves crashed past only a few feet from his huddled form. Twisting his head to the side, and feeling the cold crackle into his ear, Milo watched as the knights galloped up towards Thalin and the villagers. Unlatching the safety on his crossbow, Milo swung his aim on the receding knights, and began to steady his shivering hands.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Thalin whirled towards the villagers, and beckoned them to be quiet with an urgent swipe of his father’s sword. Thalin closed his eyes for a moment and narrowed his concentration. His mind reached out to Dariel, who was huddled with the villagers for warmth, Quickly my friend, fly to the fore and tell me what we have to face. Thalin felt Dariel snap to attention, the sudden rush of synergy like a gust of wind in his mind. He then turned to the corner the knights would soon come round, his hands crackling with a nimbus of energy. Dariel blurred past and spiralled into the blue sky with a shrill screech.

Mikka stooped behind Thalin, his nervous hands shakily loading a bolt into an ornate crossbow, which had mysteriously appeared from within the folds of his cloak. Mikka inwardly cursed his Amnish contacts as the intricate mechanism slipped out of line for a second time.

Vaerana pressed herself against the rear of the boulder, her longsword drawn and makeshift helmet covering her face. Her shield-hand flexed impatiently in its strap as she prepared to close off the knights’ escape.

As the hooves of the horses drew closer, Thalin’s fingers began to draw delicate runes in the air, despite his fingers aching with resistance. Mikka threw the beautiful but useless crossbow to the ground with a grunt of anger and began to do the same. Where was Torious when you needed an Aasimar shield?

- - - - - - - - - -​

Torious let Freedom’s Edge drop into the snow with a crunch. His eyes darted between the eight figures that stood encircling him, their crude weapons hemming him in. Each captor was wrapped in a montage of animal pelts, some still bearing the heads of the unfortunate victims. Torious raised his hands a little higher as a tip of a spear scraped across his armour.

“I am Torious. Aasimar of Ravens Bluff.” declared Torious in a defiant voice that seemed to be swallowed by the snow his boots were knee deep in.

One of the figures stepped forwards, his array of pelts a more splendid selection of colours than the others. He came within a pace of the aasimar, then stopped. Torious could see between the strips of hide to the face beneath. The man’s skin was charred black and blistered cracks of blood had frozen solid. As he spoke, Torious could smell a burnt waft of breath on his face.

The language which grunted from the burnt mans mouth was Ulutian. Torious knew this much from his experience of listening to Thalin barter with traders. Unfortunately, he hadn’t had the foresight to get to grips with what he had considered to be an entirely unneeded and almost dead language. However, these Ulutian barbarians were very much alive.

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

Or Silence, Protection from Chaos or if all else fails, Tasha's Hideous Laughter.

Oh there are so many more.

Spider J

Perhaps there's scope for a Children's Entertainer PrC.

Good update, as always. Keep 'em coming ...

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

Perhaps there's scope for a Children's Entertainer PrC.

Good update, as always. Keep 'em coming ...

Thanks, and oh yes, children's entertainer PrC is a surefire hit. Probably a subsiduary class after Blackguard. And Illithids only. :\

I'm trying to keep a pacy update schedule (we are sooo close to the new material - i can't wait), especially for this Another Brick in Wall section. Speaking of which, update should be tomorrow and I'll do my gosh darn bestest to get a map of this borderwall for you guys... if all else fails, I'll hit Paint and scribble something out.

Anyway.

See you (unless something sinister occurs) tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Spider J


[EDIT!]the map is taking longer than planned... give me time[EDIT!]

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

“Follow me and justice will be yours!”

The burnt man finished speaking with a flourish to his companions, who acknowledged his speech with a host of aggressive grunts. Torious could see that most of the other barbarians were scarred with painful burns. This was Robar’s doing. These men pursue the heads of the demons who marked them.

Torious nodded with understanding before raising his hand towards the gate wall, then pointed to his path back. He was quite a height above the wall, and whilst he was gesturing towards the border wall he noticed a steep snowdrift, which led from his current position directly onto the ramparts of the wall many feet below.

Turning back to the barbarians, whose weapons had eased a little, Torious went to speak but his voice caught in his throat as he heard the baying of a horn from the border wall. Thalin and Milo! Vaerana! The Villagers!.... Mikka.

A detachment of knights ride out of the gates. The grunts of the barbarians rose to snarls and snarls led to roars of anger. Torious pushed through the barrier of weapons, the barbarians suddenly lost in a chorus of war cries. His aasimar eyes focused quickly, picking out the near-invisible form of Milo as the halfling swung his crossbow towards the knights. With a sudden rush of panic he saw a pair of guards on the wall point at Milo’s uncovered form. Quickly tracing the route of the knights ahead of them, Torious picked out the figures of Thalin, Vaerana and Mikka as they readied to attack the knights.

Torious hefted Freedom’s Edge from the snow. Assessing the situation, he stabbed his sword into the air and began to speak in a commanding cry, “Ulutian men! Your time has come!”

Torious swept his arm across the gate as the barbarians turned to him, their faces already savage with hate. The swell of the horn ended, leaving a sudden silence. Torious’ voice built to a new volume, his words booming as the search for justice ignited inside him.

“Follow me and justice will be yours!” cried Torious, his last words slipping into a trembling howl of celestial fury. With a torrent of light, his scars stretched open. Torious turned and launched himself down the snowdrift and towards the border wall, the Ulutians just behind.

- - - - - - - - - -​

The knights rounded the corner in a surge of banners, platemail and steeds. Thalin immediately whipped his hands forwards, violently clawing into the minds of the knights. He pulled his fists back with a shout and four of them slumped into unconsciousness. Two of the sleeping knights bucked backwards and crashed into the snow. The other two steeds bolted forwards, thundering out of sight with their riders bouncing wildly.

Vaerana dashed forwards and slashed at the trailing knight who was still awake. His horse bucked but he stayed seated. The knight wheeled his steed around to escape. He was halted as Milo’s perfectly timed crossbow bolt hissed into his face, punching through the visor. The remaining knight kicked his heels and bolted forwards, lowering his lance at Thalin, “For Robar!”

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

Right then. Here is one of those wonderful back-of-a-school-textbook maps that we all know and love. I would press to say that it was a deliberate choice for the style, but it isn't. Oh well.

But it serves, and as each post comes up, I'll draw on some funky ass battle arrows to show what is happening and to which character. And where, on the big map, Torious's body parts finally land after the explosion.

Anyway.

Spider J

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

"We must attack now..."

Mikka stumbled backwards as the knight wheeled just past him. He quickly finished his spell and let loose.

Thalin drew Erifeci up instinctively to protect himself from the lance. He felt the tip punch against his chest. Thalin waited for the rending jolt, but instead heard the tinkling of glass. Looking up, Thalin saw the knight rush past as the shattered remnants of his lance crumbled from his gauntlet. Mikka winked at the mage before dashing to cover the knight’s path back to the wall.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Milo loaded the next bolt quickly as he watched his first shot, which he had infused with a healthy dose of Tymora’s luck, zip to its target. The knight had collapsed onto the road. If I can see that, the whole wall can as well! Milo cocked his crossbow and contemplated his next move as he saw Dariel swoop over him and whip over the battlements at a great speed.

Twisting to check his next target, Milo was dashed back against the snow as a bolt burrowed into his shoulder. With a shriek of pain, Milo dragged himself back into his meagre cover and uncorked a healing potion with his good arm. Isplit nudged out of his waistcoat with a squeak and pointed disapprovingly at his biscuit, which was snapped in two by the bolt.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Vaerana glided sideways past the knight as he charged her down. Sliding her sword neatly into his side, she used her momentum to lever the rider from his mount. With a thud he crashed into the snow. The knight motioned frantically for Vaerana to halt, but her longsword cut a ragged breach through his neck guard.

Thalin stalked over and dragged Vaerana back into cover. The wall horn bayed again, this time higher and more urgent. Thalin turned to address his companions.

"We must attack now," intoned Thalin, "any longer and all the defences of the wall will be ready to repel us. We could not overrun it with a hundred men."

"Where the hell is Torious?" seethed Vaerana

"Forget Torious, he'll make his own way, I'm sure. But whatever happens, we need..."

Thalin's face flashed with a mix of suprise and horror as he suddenly convulsed and collapsed to the ground clutching his chest. Three quick wrenches of pain stabbed through Thalin. He felt as though a wolverine was writhing in his chest, biting its way out.

- - - - - - - - - -​

High above the fort, Dariel’s limp form plummeted towards the ground. His feathers were charred black, a thin trail of smoke tracing his descent groundwards. The three fiery orbs which had sped up from the gatehouse had blown the owl clean out of the sky.

 

[Funeris]

Heh. I was just checking in...and then realized...I'm all caught up already. But hey, spidey...I'm trying to be like you (I've update 4 times in the last 25 hours).

Keep up the good work, SJ.

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

Hey Funeris, good to see you about.

Well, your update-star is rising whilst mine is plummeting groundward - very busy job at the moment. 4 times in 25 is a neat target - don't challenge me though, I'm just like Marty McFly when someone says "you can't do this or that".

Anyway. Enough of an updateless A Chronicle of Ice, Luck and Honour! It is time to read! It is time to rejoice as the borderwall puts up a admittedly shaky defence! It is time to know if Dariel survives! Enough enough enough!

Spider J

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

“Keep this safe"

As Thalin crashed to the ground, Mikka sprung into action. His hands were a blur as a protective spell melted into existence around the fallen mage. The warning horn of the border wall ceased abruptly.

“Thalin! Get up!” cried Mikka as he edged to get a view of the wall from behind the boulder.

Thalin squirmed to his knees, “Dariel,” his breathing heavy and ragged, “Dariel!”

His mind called too, and a feint thrum of life pulsed back. Thalin felt Dariel’s pain. Thalin’s chest felt collapsed and his arms felt shattered, but they were not. Dariel’s were. The sharp focus of reality washed over him. The ice crystals beneath him glinted in the sun, like a hundred stars lain at his feet.

“Mikka,” said Thalin as he drew himself to his feet. “Make me fast”

Mikka felt obliged to ask for a ‘please’ but thought better of it. As he cast the spell, Mikka looked up at Thalin. The mage's eyes were clouded white, and Mikka noticed that Thalin too was weaving his hands in the air. The tiefling finished the incantation with ten claps that got quicker and quicker. A pop of energy sunk into Thalin. At the same time a shimmer of ice shot over the mage’s skin.

“Keep this safe. If someone should attack, escape and take it to Tilverton,” said Thalin to Mikka as he unslung Erifeci and placed it into his hands, his face stern.

“Righto. And what then?”

“I don’t know,” answered Thalin truthfully.

With a final flick of his wrist, Thalin’s scimitar Shard was coated in a crackling sheen of frost. The air near the blade hissed in protest.

Thalin turned to Mikka, “if you sell that staff, I’ll give Torious your family tree.”

Mikka gave a look of hurt as Thalin launched forward and out of the protection of the boulder, his body moving at a blinding speed.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Milo sent the string of little lights up into the air, their fuzzy bodies bumping and spinning together. Seconds later, a crossbow bolt zipped through them. Choosing his moment carefully, Milo crouched forwards and jumped towards the wall. He heard the call of the guards as they saw him move. Dammnit. The silhouette of a helmet was momentarily eclipsed against the sky, and Milo loosed a bolt upwards.

The guard toppled forwards and crunched heavily into the snow beside the halfling. Reloading the next bolt, Milo saw the billowing robes of Thalin as he sped across the open plains, a crackling blue sword in his hand. Milo shrugged and felt his bolt tense into position. The guards above him began to fire shots at the sprinting mage. Using the brief respite, Milo kissed Tymora’s Ring and vaulted upwards. With a whoosh of magical energy and a shriek of battle, Milo back-flipped onto the wall.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Thalin counted his steps as the crossbow bolts zipped past him. One bolt had grazed his side but he had kept his momentum, and most importantly, his spell. With his last two steps he kicked forwards onto the rough wall. His gloves and boots stuck fast.

Momentarily stunned by vertigo, Thalin heard a bolt sluice through the air under his chin, and he began to climb.

A guard rushed to the battlements and leant over. His body shook once then slumped backwards, a crater of frost where his visor once was. Thalin crept onto the parapet and surveyed the scene below.

The courtyard was small and paved. A thin slush of ice covered the stonework, and the milieu of guards kicked and splashed about in it. He thought of his years as a boy in the courtyard of his father’s castle. A crossbow bolt thudded into shoulder but Thalin's magic slithered across it in an instant and it fell away in a fine dust.

“Dariel!” shouted Thalin again, both out loud and in his mind.

An immediate screech came from the wall on the other side of the courtyard, where Thalin saw the white flash of Dariel’s wingtip. Two more bolts whistled into Thalin's chest, but he only felt a faint push before they fell away into dust.

Thalin let a laugh escape his lips. Such a pitiful resistance. His thoughts crumpled in his mind as three fiery orbs erupted into the cold air from the centre of the courtyard and streaked towards him.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Torious plunged forwards, the frozen top layer of snow cracking under his weight. The Ulutian’s had drawn level to him now, their awkward gait suddenly seeming perfect for this kind of descent. Torious had watched as Thalin and Milo had stormed the wall. Guards were dropping quickly, though not quickly enough.

Reaching the end of the snowdrift, Torious felt his boots thud onto the wall. He still had to reach the gatehouse, and the bolts that had begun to whistle past had to be dealt with.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Milo landed perfectly on the inner parapet, an opening bolt pitching a guard forwards and off of the wall. Two lumbering guards, each wearing the insignia of Robar, lurched towards him. Milo weaved sideways and unsheathed Sliverspike, though he found that his fingers had instead found Vampire. With no time to change, Milo brushed the first guard to the side and traced his sword over the achilles heel of the second. The small sting of pain on Milo’s hand was quickly subdued by a surge of energy, speed and strength. And thirst.

- - - - - - - - - -​

Thalin gasped as the orbs blasted into him, his skin suddenly blistering and bursting as the energy crawled over him. Staggering back from the force of the attack, Thalin pushed himself to a stand. Another shower of bolts cascaded into dust around him. Dariel’s wheezing breath began to falter, and Thalin felt a rip of pain deep in his chest.

I will not lose you, my friend.

Thalin felt the air crackle with magic as his hands instinctively pulled the elements under his control. Below him, the guards had lined themselves in two rows of crossbowmen. That won’t save you. Not from me. Thalin’s eyes frosted over and his clothes prickled with a cold sweat. His hands moulded the surging energy together.

The guards fired again, and from the fog of dust around Thalin came back a nimbus of frost, which sped into the centre of their ranks. With a sound like someone sharply taking in breath, the unit of crossbowmen crusted white with frost. Their bodies stood as statues, the lethal plummet in temperature leaving their blood frozen and their flesh rock hard.

Dropping down into the courtyard, Thalin could only hear the sound of Milo’s cries, Torious’ far off battle howls and the soft tinkle of the dead crossbowmen. Almost lost in the moment, Thalin just managed to bring up the crackling Shard in time to deflect the swing of a flaming scimitar. Whirling to confront his enemy, Thalin found himself face to face with four identical men. Each held a blazing sword of fire....

 

[Broccli_Head]

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