Remnants of the Horde-Flight from Aruth

[Uriel]

OoC: Sewing things up here...

IC

Wekerak and Frostbite tear into the lone remaining Elf officer, wounding him sorely.

Growlith hits the last trooper (Crit,dead elf), and Blaught swings out, slamming the elf officer from behind, caving in his skull.

Kurg slays the last elf trooper before him.

The EOwl Riding Wizard fires a Melf's Acid Arrow at Forlash, missing him...
Forlash returns fire with his Lightning Bolt Wand...little is left of the elf afterwards.


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OoC:Since the elves and Myrachians are enmeshed in melee...

Tsu'Tsoka rides on, his massive steed plowing into the rear of the elves,his weapon smashing into elves,slaying one.

Vespazian brings his axe down on the Elf Officer, splitting his head in twain and with that the remaining elves are fodder for the hobgoblins and Ogres.

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Aftermath

Three wounded Muragar and 4 Hobgoblins remain, as well as Vespazian and Tsu'Tsoka, across the valley, Bargo blows his horn in Triumph, Kurg waving the Standard high with pride, chattering and yipping.

Finally, Durgo thought, as the Gnoll paused to heal his wounds, finally Zuregath's Band wins one. Things changing, maybe get real good , though it would take time and some Stragedee to get foul userper from Castle Zuregath. First, a rest, a day...

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OoClease RP at will, I am just posting this for you guys since I am running off for the week...

Back at the Keep, Blaught is able to show Forlash where the former Wizard (killed a week ago) had his Lab. It is a sparse affair, though there are a few items of note.

A Wand <Identify 19 Charges>, 3 Scrolls of Invisibility <6th Lvl>, 1 Scroll of Ropetrick <6th> and a scroll of DIspel Magic <6th>.

Listing of the Loot in the OoC...

 

[deadestdai]

A severly wounded elf survivor screamed as an ogre played with it's now very broken body, whilst gnawing upon it's leg. The scream stopped abruptly as the Aruth legionnaire luckily passed out from the pain, never to wake up again.

Vespazian pulled off his helm and swept his hand through his sweat drenched hair and knelt by the body of the elven officer. With his dagger, he cut off any finger that had a ring upon it and stuffed them into his pouch with the others from the duel previously. The third gladius, he stuck into his belt next to the matching pair already retrieved.

After ordering his Hobgoblins to be sure to keep anything that could be magical apart from the stock elven equipment, the Captain sat upon the hill and awaited the arrival of the new "mystery force" from across the way, absent-mindedly twiddling the thin stick the Aruthran officer had tucked in his belt.

 

[doghead]

While there is little point in one way, Tsu'koka has his reasons for beginning a Song of Courage as the hobgoblins and Orgres finish up the remaining elves.

It is important that they know, that they feel the power and vitality of the song. One day, they will hear the call, they will remember, and they will answer.

As the sounds of the battle fade, Tsu'koka presents himself to the captain.

"Captain Vespazian. It is good that you are well. I have come with allies of Zuregath. And they are something to behold. The Muragar called Durgo leads them."

 

[Velenne]

Panting hoarsly, Durgo lumbers and limps over to Kurg and demands healing. Death's gaze slowly turns from the Muragar, preoccupied with the many elven souls departing the area, and the image causes Durgo to smile- a rare thing. He leans down and whispers to the gnoll,

"Find elfies's mojo and keep. Hag-thing find out what it do later, but no share with dem across valley unless Durgo says. Durgo not sure him like hoo-man captain yet."

And with that, he takes up the standard of Zuregath, the Storm Giant's Greataxe, and marches alone across the valley. If any follow, he does not object, but if there are those who wish to stay behind, he does not object either. He does say one thing to all of them before he leaves,

"More come tomorrow. Be quick. Need to get to Keep and make ready."

****

Durgo approaches the other band, raises Zuregath's banner high, and shakes the earth with his mighty, roaring warcry. When the cheers die down, he looks around harshly, nods, and strides up to Vespazian. The Muragar jams the banner's staff into the ground and eyes up the hoo-man.

"I am Captain Durgo, Muragar and Gulgathan*. Captain Varn is dead. We go to Castle wif orders from Zuregath, who is not dead. What happening here?"

OOC: *Gulgathan - Giant for "Protector", an honorific bestowed on the mightiest of Muragar, typically after slaying a dragon. When Durgo says this, he casts his gaze across his brethren.

 

[deadestdai]

Vespazian did not get up nor did he hardly acknowledge the Hobgoblin's presence as the goblinoid offered his report. He thought of how his meagre force had been cut down so easily - how the elves would come again and drive even further into Myrach. Perhaps now was a good time to leave - A good time to serve another Iron King?

The stench of the Songspeaker's mount almost offended Vespazian's senses threatening to bring him out of his thoughts and he would have turned his head in disgust had he not noticed the large Muragar approaching from afar. Our newfound "allies" approach Tsu-koka, ready yourself incase I like him not.

The huge ogre stomped up the hill toward the smaller human, large axe and Myrachian battle standard in his hands. Vespazian was impressed with the beast's stature, this one had seen many battles and he saw also the reverence his own Muragar awarded him. The Ogre thrusted his banner into the ground, only inches from Vespazian's foot. "I am Captain Durgo, Muragar and Gulgathan. Captain Varn is dead. We go to Castle wif orders from Zuregath, who is not dead. What happening here?"Offering only a fleeting glance to the fact that he had almost lost his foot, Vespazian plucked a few blades of grass and, studying them as they swayed in the slight breeze replied without looking to the ogre, I am Captain Vespazian. Commander of Ruier Vragganar. Captain..... Durgo is it? I am charged by the regeant Yrendol to hold this southern pass against the Aruthrian advance. I am glad you arrived with your troops when you had, your aid will be most welcome in the confilcts to come. Organise your troops, we head back to the keep. And, grabbing his axe from where it lay next to him, Vespazian starts barking orders to his troops to make ready to return to base.

 

[doghead]

Hah! And I was worried that after all the disasters and misfortunes that we have suffered that things would not be as they have always been. But no. Our champions and leaders still dislike each other only slightly more than they dislike the elvankind. And they will as quickly turn on each other as before.

Tsu'koka snarls and marches off towards the surviving hobgoblins. Fortunately, Tsu'koka has found that, outside the goblinoids, few can distinguish one hobgoblin snarl from another. A grin fleetingly crosses his face as he walks, but is quickly surpressed before he reaches his fellow hobgoblins.

"You have done well today, and together we shall do well again, as we always have. Who is injured? I will set you right."

Tsu'koka then proceeds to heal any of the wounded. If there are only a few minor wounds, he will use his CLW spells, then the second CLW wand*.

*50 Charges. Klug has the first one.

 

[doghead]

Once done with the Hobgoblins, Tsu'koka will turn his attentions to the Orgre troopers, giving them praise as well as healing.

 

[Velenne]

Nope. Durgo no like hoo-man. Puny and use big words but afraid to look Durgo in eye. Heh.

He calls over to his Muragar kin in giant, "Tonight we feast on elfies and hang dem's heads from wall! Let all who see know dat Muragar is here!"

Snatching up the banner, he turns to the hill where his companions are merrily looting and waves it, catching Kurg's eye. He thrusts his arm toward the Keep and begins walking that way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much later, Durgo is climbing the steps to the Keep's war room. The scent of roasting elf is the sweetest thing he has smelled in weeks. Still, he always preferred his elfie raw and the evidence of such is now drying into crimson crust on his chin and chest.

A few minutes before, he had sent the two gobbie scouts out to find the Storm Giant's head and return with it so that they might hang it from the walls with the other trophies. He gave Wekerak, the gobbie who had scouted for them longest, the longsword taken from the Frost Giant in the Hag's lair.

Turning from the goblins as the pair rushed out the gate, he approached Kurg who was annointing the soldiers with the Elves' blood before preparing the feast. The ogres and hobgoblins were frothing for a hot meal but a cold one would be almost as welcome. The goblins huddled nearby hoping to scavange whatever scraps were left. As Durgo drew near, a swath opened in the crowd. The ogre could see how many of them had already taken large bites out of the dead elves (they were all dead now- tortured to the last and succumbed to the pain) who were piled near a blazing spit.

Durgo recieved the shaman's annointing from Yeenoghu and tore an elfie's arm off at the elbow. The feast would indeed be good this night...

Now climbing the steps -how many steps did stupid keep have!?- he passes the chamber where Forlash has taken up residence. He could hear chanting in there and see many-colored lights playing along the edges of the door. Durgo hated mojo...

What passed for a war room now stood before him. Looked like any room to Durgo. Captain Ves...per...zoo...an was there studying maps.

"So? How we get to Castle Zuregath? Need to find dem's best shayman, den we can finish elfies for good!"

 

[Jeremy]

Bargo keeps to himself as always, muttering and talking to himself and Elf-Splitter. He growls at most any who come near him except Kurg.

***

Back in the strong walls of a Myrachian keep Bargo resumes his training with his massive sword. His grotesque form has adapted to the hulking thing's heft and balance well leaving him with more muscle than most full ogres but the distended arms and stoop shouldered gait of a troll.

But dedicated as he is to the weapon, there is no grace to his movements, only power and death. Things are not helped by Bargo's temper.

***

That night at the feast Bargo seeks out Kurg to find him busy with his wretched father. Kurg is the only company Bargo respects. But maybe... There was one other.

Bargo goes in search of the hobgoblin. The Song Speaker. Dat wun have power. Maybe hoo-man not see it, Durgo too stoopid t'see it. But maybe him like havin' Bargo 'round.

 

[deadestdai]

The journey to the keep had taken little time. Captain Durgo's troops were a motley bunch, with little discipline beyond the bullying tactics the Muragar Captain could produce. Vespazian wished for a full force of hobgoblin elite. With a regiment, he could hold the Southern Road for months, and still have enough troops left to march on Zuregath's castle to topple the fiend Yrendol's false reign.

As soon as they had arrived, Vespazian secluded himself away form the foul festivities of the goblinoids and giantkin. He hated their dietary habits and their lack of manners. After ordering his goblin servant to bring him a meal, he moved to the Keep's war room and pored over the maps there. The situation seemd impossible. He could never hope to stop any Aruth army from advancing into Myrach and he knew also that Yrendol would only see this as further material to use against him in his efforts to discredit his ability and right to command.

The last scream of an elven prisoner broke through his thoughts. Finally. Vespazian enjoyed the torture of captives as much as any other, but these Myrach troops, they went further than he could be bothered with. Pleasure was not what torture was for, it was for getting answers to questions.....

He turned his thoughts to the new individuals. The Gulgathan was a brute and hardly intelligent enough for his position. The respect accorded him by the Muragar at the Keep was merely instinctual and born of fear. Though, Vespazian had no doubt about the beast's fury in combat, he knew the ogre was ill suited for command. The cleric, Karg? Kork? Kurg? He was weak, grovveling about the Muragar Captain's feet. Vespazian was sure the dog-man had his uses, but he was not impressed by the mongrel and if he didn't prove himself usefull, would silence his yipping without a thought. We-ke-raak, another goblin. Another rider. Corporal Blaught was enough of a nuisance, this one seemed different only in the fact that he didn't have full blown conversations with himself. He seemed skilled and able to take orders. He and Blaught would make a fine team. That was enough, for now. The disfigured dwarf..... Now there was one to be most wary of. Not only repulsive to look at, his gait and manner were equally ugly. Vesapzian was pleased when the squat man had taken residence in the old wizard's quarters. And lastly, the massive malformed son of the ogre captain. Strange how he is so fearful of his father. He towered over the beast and seemed more than a match for the brute. If only he had the intelligence to obey orders correctly, he would be a fine addition to the Keep's elite forces. Perha....

"So? How we get to Castle Zuregath? Need to find dem's best shayman, den we can finish elfies for good!"

Vespazian looked up from the map. Narrowing his eyes, he regarded the slovenly appearance of the Muragar captain, the dried blood crusting it's face and drool swinging from it's jaw. Foul.
Durgo, how nice that you could find the time to tear yourself away from the festivities.
Idiotic brute! Do you not realise that our tarrying here is giving the elves more time to advance? Vespazian paused to take a breath.
Are my troops ready to defend this Keep from the elves? Or do I need to make an example to induce discipline amongst them? I have no idea of what you are takling about. Reports tell that Zuregath fell and now we are doomed to defend Myrach under the rule of an idiot. There are no "best shay-mans" who will turn the tide of this war. Only Zuregath himself can save Myrach from the cursed Aruth. What we need to think about is survival. Once you are done with the entertaining of the troops, get them ready. We will need to continue to defend the Southern Road.