Results
The following all happen, in the order stated:
Iuz, working WITH the kender, overwhelms the agents of the Black Brotherhood.
The Doomgrinder is retaken, although exactly who is in charge of it (Forrester or John Brown) is a real question.
Iuz is finally able to capture some of the agents of the Black Brotherhood - alive. This is the first time this has been done in the IR so far.
The dwarven spelljammers arrive to pick up the Doomgrinder Juggernaut and set it on Vecna's rear flank.
It seems that Iuz does not mind this, so that is indeed what happens.
After the dwarves figure out that a truly enormous number of cables are required to lift the stupid thing.
Fresh reinforcements from Uvenelei and from Black Omega hit Vecna's northern front, hurling it back towards Dyvvers and away from southern Furyondy.
The reinforcements from Erypt and Suhfang (William, Darkness) arrive with the help of Kaboom's Flying Citadels and Flying Ships, and slam into Vecna's central advance.
Vecna and the Shade begin a furious battle for Celene with these fresh forces and the forces of Alyx.
More forces arrive via Kaboom's Flying Citadels and Flying Ships from the Dark Swamp (Zelda, Turrosh Mak.)
These hit Vecna in the rear.
The Silent Ones arise and gather their strength, but they do not move to aid in the battle against Vecna.
They see something that everyone else is missing.
The Kevellond League and Baklunish Confederation send out the plea for more help to the drow and other races of the Under-Oerth and Underdark, and to the Dark Union.
Apparently, only the Dark Union responds, and they refuse to help.
Anabstercorian, who has reaped a massive number of kills on both sides in the great battle (as, in the thousands) assails Sauros of the Shade.
Anabstercorian is victorious and Sauros - being intelligent, and severely wounded - flees the battlefield and returns to Shadow Throne.
Anabstercorian has, indeed, gotten the point across that Ilsensine is not to be insulted!
Vaeregoth assaults Anabstercorian before he can retreat to the Godspires (to commence his attack on Vecna as stated in the post.)
Both Vaeregoth and Anabstercorian are torn apart by the ensuing battle, minds severely injured, and both are forced from the battlefield.
Anabstercorian ends up in bed in the Godspires, while his allies attempt to heal his mind with Restoration spells.
Vaeregoth ends up back with the drow, while they also throw Restoration on her.
Forrester's troops decide to hold the line, withstanding the continued, furious assault of the Legions of Vecna.
Inspired by this, others who were retreated rally to the Banner of the United Commonwealth of Toril.
And, incredible, the kender and Iuz work together to bring the Doomgrinder to bear against the Legions of Vecna.
By the thousands, they are mowed down by the contraption, or reduced to goo as it's weapons fire on them, or squashed so flat not even puddles remain as it runs over them, crushing the very bedrock they were standing on.
Iuz is STILL missing his staff, and now - it is missing for good.
The kender who took it, lost it.
It is lying somewhere back on the battlefield, and nobody knows where it is.
Iuz, minus his staff, sends Forrester some of the Black Brotherhood prisoners.
They have been ... let us say ... surgically tortured ...
Forrester then decides to retreat to the Lortmils.
This causes the main body of allied forces to retreat with him.
Leaving Celene almost defenseless, for most of her elves are dead or were driven back into the Kron Hills with Dagger's people.
(And yes, the Turn is almost over. Only a few days left.)
(OOC answers to John Brown:
The Doomgrinder is assaulting the rear of Vecna's onslaught, and is in the Welkwood.
Almost all of Vecna's troops are pursuing the western front.
The Shade, however, left some of their forces to protect the Shadow Throne.
And yes, you received your couple of minutes before Vecna eats you!
)
GnomeWorks decides his forces will charge.
Nevermind that everyone else is falling back.
The Army of the Lortmils charges right into Vecna's southern flank.
Tanks and artillery boom and rocket, and machine guns fill the air with death, as the gnomes and dwarves counterattack the Legions of Vecna.
The Legions of Vecna in the south continue their onslaught, heedless of the enormous casualties they are taking.
Another force from the Lortmil Technomancy passes through Forrester's retreating troops into Celene.
A good thing, too, since the forces of Vecna, the main forces of the Shade, and Vecna himself are assailing that country.
The fighting is furious, and it is the fell power of Shade versus GnomeWorks ingenious combination of gasoline and phosphorus.
Kessel GnomeWorks himself leads the counterassault.
The Lortmil Technomancy has another new weapon.
A devastating weapon.
They have firearms that fire, not bullets, but miniaturized iron golems.
Being hit by one of these things kills like a bullet does, but a bullet doesn't continue to try to kill you after it hits.
These miniature iron golems, do.
So do the flying iron golems, who - like the hornets from hell - swarm over the battlefield, breathing minature clouds of poison gas, sticking minature enchanted needles into things, and biting off chunks of flesh with miniature teeth.
Some have vials of high explosives they are carrying.
Some of the flying golems drop them upon the foe, and the battlefield rocks with the concussions.
Some of the flying golems, fail to drop them, and blow up in midair, creating a spectacular fireworks show.
All of this comes just as the Shade REALLY start pounding Celene, bring their main forces to bear.
Shadow dragons scream down, raking the earth with blasts of fell dark energy, trees and grass and soil withering, turning as dead as the moon Luna.
Others assail Enkstad, the capital, raking the civilian population with devastating barrages, massacring thousands of people.
The spectacular crystalline and stone buildings of Enkstad crumble under the attack, crashing down, silencing the screams of hundreds of elves who took refuge in them.
Shadow Mages evaporate the city walls, and elves cry out and fight futilely against the grey pallor enveloping them, withering and dying where they stand.
Despite all the efforts of GnomeWorks, who is fighting alone without Forrester's help, Enkstad falls, and all of it's hundred thousand people are killed, or (if the Shades choose it) taken away in chains as slaves.
GnomeWorks is soon up to his ears in alligators, for now Vecna and his Legions thunder onto the battlefield.
Against Vecna, Kessel and his people cannot stand alone, and they are beaten back with great loss from Celene, as Vecna, his staff now glowing light the sun, unleashes blast after unholy blast of energy, blowing hills apart, levelling woodlands, blasting craters in the ground, bringing huge buildings down with one hit.
Kessel GnomeWorks is finally wounded so badly he has to retire from the battlefield.
The Lortmil Technomancy DEMANDS that Forrester come to their aid, and quit hiding out in the relative safety of the mountains.
Celene must be held at all costs, say they, and northern Celene has already fallen to the enemy.
As for Vecna, he looks across the remaining miles, and sees his ultimate goal.
There are the Lortmils themselves, and within them, the Lortmil Technomancy, still unscathed.
He grins evilly, bringing his staff up high, and lightning streaks from it into the sky, a bloody promise for those up in those mountains.
In the control room of the Doomgrinder, Ahlissa, Baelros, Rhamagaum, and Rivalen all arrive to fight Iuz - who is still there (that is a ruling on my part.)
That control room is real crowded now, what with Iuz, the Shade, the kender, and the Black Brotherhood all in a 50 foot by 50 foot room.
The subsequent battle turns the control room into an inferno of blood, fire, and flying shards as the delicate equipment that runs the Doomgrinder is reduced to spare parts by the combatants.
The kender don't help matters, as they unleash magical spells at the Shade to aid Iuz. The magical spells hit the Shade, but they also hit the walls, the controls, and Iuz himself.
Iuz is injured so badly he is forced to flee the control room.
All the agents of the Black Brotherhood in the control room are killed.
Most of the kender in the control room are killed.
The control room, is killed.
Black Brotherhood agents who were secretly hiding out in the Doomgrinder, awaiting their chance, strike now.
Baenros was killed fighting Iuz, and Rivalen was severely injured.
The other two Shade NPCs, battle the Black Brotherhood and the kender (who consider them enemies!)
The kender, the Black Brotherhood, and the agents of Shade battle it out, causing further mayhem and destruction throughout the Doomgrinder, damaging the main control mechanisms, causing them to lock in the on position.
In the end, the Shade are victorious, and gain control of the Doomgrinder.
Except the Doomgrinder cannot be controlled now.
The Doomgrinder clomps on.
It is now out of control permanently.
The control room, the emergency overrides, and the main mechanisms are all damaged beyond repair.
There is no way to pull the plug.
The Doomgrinder stomps - at full speed - westward, unheeding as it stomps over the Legions of Vecna, the defenders, and the terrain alike.
It is heading directly west, towards the Kron Hills.
No magic, including Wishes, seems to be able to bring it back under control.
Thayadon Fasfoni decides to join in the conflict between Anabstercorian and Vaeregoth.
He arrives in time to catch the tail end of their conflict.
He and Vaeregoth trade mental and physical punches.
Thayadon Fasfoni ends up unconscious on the battlefield, mentally damaged (a Restoration spell is needed.)
(To John Brown - your force in the Cairn Hills has been decimated, and the Doomgrinder is lost - although a few surviving kender are frantically trying to figure out how to stop the thing.)
The Agents of the Black Brotherhood are delivered to Rary.
Kas, knowing Vecna is attacking in Celene, teleports to Celene to fight him.
And there he is.
Kas sees Vecna.
Vecna sees Kas.
Vecna's face contorts in EXTREME rage.
FOOL!!!
Vecna charges, staff at the ready.
Kas charges, the Sword of Kas drawn.
The epic battle begins.
Sword and staff swing and parry. Thunder echoes from the clashes, and lightning jumps from the hits.
Staff screams it's power and willingness to kill in blazing mauve and sickly white.
The Sword of Kas answers in a brilliant, unholy red.
More of the Agents of Shade come to fight Iuz, only to find the Doomgrinder out of control, and Iuz gone (Iuz is lying unconscious in Doraaka right now ...)
Forrester hears GnomeWorks strident demands for reinforcements, and I am assuming he turns around from the retreat, and rejoins GnomeWorks forces counterattacking in Celene.
The battle in Celene waxes FURIOUS, as the full force of the allies hits the full force of the Shade and the Legions of Vecna.
And in the middle of it all, thunder and lightning, and cries of anger that reverberate through the sky, announce the duel of Vecna and Kas.
Mr Draco said:
Kas and his honor-guard are teleporting back to union hq in light of melkor's request and promise.
((Overruled. Vecna is in Kas's face. This battle both have waited all too long for.
If Kas tries to teleport away, to anywhere in Greyspace, Vecna will instantly follow.))
creamsteak wrote:
If this fight still isn't over yet...
Sanctus Punitor is returning to the Lortmills to join the refugees of the Gnarley Forest (appropriately renamed).
This (4 PL) force + All My Planars (PL 6 this round?) + Sanctus Punitor (PL2) = 12 PL in addition to the rest of the forces in the Lortmills.
So don't forget about me and mine defending the Lortmills.
((That's great. You are defending the Lortmils. Both Forrester and GnomeWorks, and now Dagger, are screaming for you to GET IN THERE and be of some use in the great battle currently raging in Celene!!))
((There is no Gnarley Forest. It died, along with a lot of other things, early in the battle.))
Into the battle raging in the north, where the Legions of Vecna are falling back from Dyvvers, and failing to take the Kron Hills, a dwarven citadel appears overhead.
Lightning bolts and storms of magic missiles hit it, but it holds on it's way.
Then the doors swing open, and a sea of Holy Water, endless millions of gallons of it, thunder down upon the Legions of Vecna.
The result is a titantic blue explosion, as if a small nuclear weapon had been set off.
The undead, the forest, the living defenders, and the dwarven mountain itself, all disappear as a gigantic blue fireball rises into the sky.
The blast wave of blue energy blows trees 3 miles away down, and shatters windows out to 10 miles.
The blue fireball towers above the clouds, soaring into the heavens.
A wild magic storm erupts, and thunderstorms with blue clouds and blue lightning start raging all across the entire region.
The Legions of Vecna scream and die under the deluge of Holy Rain.
Rivers burst their banks, flooding, sweeping away house and barn, pouring down into the Nyr Dyv.
Massive explosions and firestorms erupt across the Nyr Dyv as the Holy Rain hits the fell poisoning of the Shade in the waters.
Soon, the Nyv Dyv is a churning mass of roiling blue and purple flames, overflowing it's shores on all sides, sending tidal waves smashing onto the shores, a writhing caldron of rage, as the thunderstorms continue to deluge it with Holy Rain.
