Aundair raiders - Game started.

[Voda Vosa]

Most of the warforged could have been destroyed during the battle with the dragon, given that anyone but I have decided to play a warforged, we can say Arcandes was the opnly survivor.

 

[Blackrat]

I gotta ask your opinion guys. I'm still debating between the Poverty or not. I'm thinking that I would make a Monk/sorcerer with support spells. I mean like Feather fall, Shield etc, so that our main casters can focus on more useful spells. I probably won't be taking more than couple of levels of sorcerer though. The poverty feat would be more a RP-option than mechanics option. I'm just having a bit of trouble that RAW is that vow of powerty is taken as a Uber-goody-goody-altruistic option, as my character idea is more like that he would have taken to poverty as a mean of self-perfection. Like materialism disturbs ones soul. More like eastern monks. But if I do go there I fully intend to play it by RAW.

 

[Blackrat]

Okay, something of a short backstory. 51st getting their nickname (In timeline: Continueing this: )

It had been a tough past couple of months fighting. Being stuck in a drainage ditch of some burned farm in the middle of the Crying Fields was not exactly the type of heroic bravery and valor the 51st had initially envisioned. The Crying Fields, an ironic name since the only liquid that wet this ground was the blood of honorable men. Here, in this drainage ditch, the pointlessness of the war had not started to settle into the Aundairians’ hearts, for they know that even though they fight for scorched soil, bereft of life and devoid of hope, they would rather die than fall to Thrane. This was their pride, their honor and valor, their heroic bravery tied to these few square miles that they so steadfastly held with no mercy, this is Aundair and no Thrane would ever hold this land.

Time had taken its toll, however; time and hunger. They had received no word from command in two weeks save to hold this line. With diligence and passion, the brave soldiers of the 51st Airborne did just that, knowing their brothers and sisters harbored the same dedication to their country and to each other. Though they did not push, they held, the stalemate endlessly enduring. Days would pass between skirmishes, yet complacency never set in. Supplies ran low, food scarce forcing rations to be cut, stomachs to be empty.

Despite all this, the 51st Airborne had suffered minimal casualties while reaping devastating effects against their foes. They achieved this through camaraderie, superior teamwork, and a wealth of skill. While their training had prepared them for battle and life on the lines, it had failed to prepare them for the attrition they faced.

In their religious zeal, the Thranish converted any Aundairian by the sword; they scorched any land not yet blackened. Opposing scouting parties were common, as was their immediate capture. When orders dictated a change of locale, the 51st would meet any foe head on, attacking with the fervor one would expect from a soldier from Aundair. But a friend would fall, sometimes two, and the doubts began.

While it was important not to lose any ground to Thrane, at times it seemed pointless to fight and die for such trivial land. Surely there were more pressing matters the 51st Airborne could be doing. For a platoon with such a stellar record, their efforts seemed wasted in this desolate land.

It was the night that 51st first got their nickname. No-one expected them to return, it was a suicide-mission to take the lone granary-tower in the middle of Crying Fields. But the Lightning-ballista atop that tower had already dropped two supply-ships and it had to be taken down. So colonel Arthus asked for volunteers and it was the 51st that answered this call. It seemed a better option to die a heroic death than to die of hunger. "Tonight you will know peace" the priest of Dol Dorn had preached, giving them the last blessing of dying men. To this day it is still a bit of a mystery how they were able to sneak so close without being detected (probably they just got lucky and some of the enemy lookouts were dosing), but they were well inside a 100ft of the granary before the sniper-mages saw them. And by then it was too late for anything but a few magic missiles. The frenzy with which the tower was taken is still spoken about with reverance. After they had cleared the surrounding site with the lightning-ballista and returned to the camp, it was the colonel that said "The dead men walk back from the grave".

 

[Drerek]

I gotta ask your opinion guys. I'm still debating between the Poverty or not.

I like Vow of Poverty in theory, but I've tried it and the gamer in me just cringes and screams when it comes time to divvy up the loot.

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

Sounds nice. Could solve one of the possible problems. I could NPC the captain of the ship, leaving y'all free to drop off the ship and do your nast stuff. Offcourse, should anyone accidentaly have a suitable dragonmark... Whatever you want to play, I guess.

My character will have the appropriate Dragonmark to fly the ship, for what it's worth. That said, that doesn't mean I am the Captain, I could just be a pilot/the pilot/back-up pilot.

 

[Eryndur]

Blackrat, I like the origin story. It's like what Jemal said earlier: this is game is already so cool, and we haven't had a single IC post yet!

I don't know the mechanics of the Vow of Poverty, but the concept seems cool.

 

[Blackrat]

Blackrat, I like the origin story. It's like what Jemal said earlier: this is game is already so cool, and we haven't had a single IC post yet!

I don't know the mechanics of the Vow of Poverty, but the concept seems cool.

Yeah. I too agree that this game is already friggin awesome.

 

[Blackrat]

a jump ahead of few months, our first meeting with Adal:

The 51st were deep behind enemy lines. It was again one of those missions they weren't expected to return from. They were beginning to get famous for returning victorious from suicide missions. This time they were setting the charges to blow a cliff so it would block the way of enemy supply-train, then infiltrate the train, capture a High-priest of the Flame and blow up the supplies. There was over a hundred possibilities for the mission to go wrong but they pulled it off, by the plan.

After their return the 51st was recalled from the line to Fairhaven. There they received medals of honour and after the ceremony they were invited to a private meeting with the commander of northern forces.

"At ease" came the powerful voice of Warlord Adal. "You have earned those medals by your honour and relentlessnes. Be proud knowing that your actions have many times made a difference in our struggles on the V&V line" He gives a smile looking at the rugged group of warriors. "The enemy fears the words Dead Men. It seems your commander gave you a fitting nickname. My spies tell me there are rumours running in enemy camps of a squadron of Wraiths, ripping their way through any obstacle, impervious to any weapons." He laughs out loud: "Hah. Some of these rumours have even reached Fairhaven. Just yesterday Bishop Ollan of Dol Arrah came to see me and demanded that we cease the use of undead in our army. My congratulations men, you have become a myth. Return to your base and know that I have something special in my mind for the future of the Dead Men." He gives a wry smile. "Dismissed!"

 

[Drerek]

How are you handling HP's? And why is my guy the only sheet in the RG?

 

[Blackrat]

Hmm. The RG seems to be in the wrong forum. I'll go and ask the mods to move it to plots, places and rogues.

Oh. And in case anyone haven't noticed, Dr.Z will probably be away until saturday. He said so in here: http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=3762306&postcount=116