Remnants of the Horde:The Return of Zuregath

[Uriel]

Stepping through you are caught momentarily in a pain the likes of which none has before, save perhaps that moment when you were born screaming and writhing into a cruel and brutal World. That pain passes in mere seconds, replaced by a bitter cold as you are buffeted by strong winds bearing the smell of death and fire.

Home

Standing upon a plateau overlooking a barren valley, you gaze at the far-off sight of Castle Zuregath, perhaps two miles away, a black dot upon the side of a volcano. Blooms of color signify sorcery and,even at this distance, you can see little ants moving about it's base and up and down the slope around the castle.
There is battle underway at the Castle.

Wekerak quickly spurs Frostbite forward,motioning to Blaught as well. The two Hobgoblin Calvary fall in alongside the Goblins on the scouting run, in case things go badly.

Durgo,Kurg and Bargo all breathe a sigh of relief. The stink of perfumed elves was nowhere in evidence, replaced by the familiar smell of sulpher and ash.
Forlash, though unaccustomed to this place, notes with interest that whoever established the Castle chose a good location, as the fires of the Volcano were doubtless excellent for the forging of Items of Power.
Vespazian greets the sight of the castle with mxed feelings. Being away from the blasted border keep was refreshing, yet somewhere ahead was the treacherous Spider who had sent him there...

Taking stock, it seemed that all but one Hobgoblin Trooper had made it through the Portal intact. Doubtless, that fool was even now wandering in some other part of Myrach, or perhaps he had been shot by the arrow of some advance elf, dallying before entering the Portal.


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Cruga looked about him, confused. He had been with the others and was thinking about a welcome return to the Castle.Then, his mind wandered back to the fact that the other idiots at the Keep had completely forgot about the Behir... Entering Urcar's Lair, Cruga had found a wealth of the choicest loot, his pockets quickly filled with jewels and rings, his rucksack filled with all manner of treasure. Smiling to himself, his eyes finally focused upon his surroundings...
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The Feeder salivated at what it saw before it. Such a juicy Soul, so rich with wonder and fear. Long had it been since It had fed on those from the Material World. It would savor this tasty windfall for a century...
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Cruga stopped,seeing what appeared to be endless tunnels of ...webbing running in evey direction. He looked to be in a...jewels fell from limp fingers ans the *thud* of his shield resounded as a quiet echo through web-filled tunnels.All around him, Cruga saw dark forms wrapped in webbing,still and dissicated forms both small and inpossibly large. Was that a Dragon!?!
Running forward, stumbling along, Cruga looked furtively left and right.he had heard something moving, had he not? Then, an overhead strand of webbing shifted.
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The Hobgoblin's screams of panic and dread lasted much longer than any hapless Soul deserved.The Feeder fed well for the first time in a very long time...

 

[Velenne]

For a moment, Durgo is lost in the moment. The brimstone clouds rolling off the volcano. The black, blasted, impervious walls. And, most of all, the promise of a new battle. He could sense the impending victory. Almost dere. Shay-man Big-big in Castle. But first...

The Muragar's Gulgathan turns around expecting to see matching basalt pillars. Like a door, but to another place. Nope, Durgo still didn't care for mojo one bit...

OOC: If there are signs of a portal on this end, Durgo wants to smash it so the elves can't follow them. If there isn't one, he'll want to be moving along presently!

 

[doghead]

The hobgoblins. Tsu'koka breathes a sigh of relief as he sees the Marshall gathering the milling hobgoblins into units again. All of them? More than I dared hope for. It is good.

The riders Tsu'koka turns to the two beside him. "You did good. I am pleased. Now ride with the scouts. Pair up with them. Watch and learn. They have forgotten more than you know. Go!"

The Muragar. Durgo has his kin in hand.

A light touch moves Blood forward and Tsu'koka approaches the Marshall and troops. "You did well. Post the battle hardened to watch the portal. I doubt that anything will come through there, but watch it anyway."

Finally, Tsu'koka guides Blood over to where Vespazian sits awkwardly on his wolf. And like Vespazian, he carefully takes in what lies ahead.

 

[deadestdai]

The last of the troops bundled through the portal and Vespazian, with the image of Castle Zuregath firmly in his mind only offered the Elves the merest of a glance before he too urged his mount through.

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It had been painfull. No, it had been PAINFULL. Glad the ordeal was over, he trned his attention to the scene before him. He nudged his mount forward to better take in the scene and noted the Songspeaker moving up next to him. The castle was besieged, not by Elves, but by other "enemies"! That idiot had allowed the Dark Lord's enemies to knock at the castle's very doors!

Vespazian scowled beneath his visor and turned to the huge Ogre captain. Gulgathan, the castle is in need of relief. Our force, small in numbers that it is, is needed to aid the defenders. If Zuregath is indeed still alive as you have said, he will expect "something" from us. I expect to see you and your troops at the gates in good time. And with that, he turns to the Hobgoblin Marshall and barks an order for him to lead his men on the double toward the castle and hopefully a less "obvious" entrance so as to help the beleagured defenders sooner and without having to engage the enemy on the journey.

 

[doghead]

Tsu'koka freezes momentarily as Vespazian begins ordering the group forward. Does he know more than is apparent to the eye? Is the man bold, or just a fool?

"It would be good to know a little more of who lies outside, and who lies within the castle."

 

[deadestdai]

The Captain looked over the battlefield, straining to find standards of it's besiegers.

Inside lie the forces of Zuregath. Outside..... Well, perhaps this is his immediate family gathered for afternoon tea? He turned to the scene before him, scanning for a smaller less obvious entrance - a sewer or some such opening.

OOC - if there is one, he will point out to the Bard what he means, if not he will wait for the scouts to get back and if they have no better suggetion, he'll head around the attacking force giving them a wide birth and try to find an entrance from another direction.

 

[Uriel]

The Captain looked over the battlefield, straining to find standards of it's besiegers.

Inside lie the forces of Zuregath. Outside..... Well, perhaps this is his immediate family gathered for afternoon tea? He turned to the scene before him, scanning for a smaller less obvious entrance - a sewer or some such opening.

OOC - if there is one, he will point out to the Bard what he means, if not he will wait for the scouts to get back and if they have no better suggetion, he'll head around the attacking force giving them a wide birth and try to find an entrance from another direction.

Not able to see clearly from this distance, Vespazian is nonetheless able to see the colors of the larger flags. Those upon the wall are green and white...not the colors of Zuregath.

Some of those attacking indeed bore the red and black of Zuregath as well as there being some elsewhere outside bearing green and white.

It would seem that the battle is far from a simple affair.

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Wekerak and Blaught rode, accompanied by two hobgoblin calvary, down the hillside and out amongst the barren crags of the plateau.
In the near distance, they could see other forms moving here and there. Scouts, spies, deserters...it was hard to tell at this distance. Chances were that whoever it was woud think the same of the Goblins as well.

One of the Hobgoblins moves up to Wekerak and taps him, pointing at something close by. In the lee of a massive heap of volcanic slag,a group huddled.
A Bugbear, a trio of gnolls and several hobgoblins (and one lone goblin) had bedded in. They clearly wore the marking of Zuregath upon theor uniforms and (using Spyglasses), Wekerak and Blaught could both see the Corporals markings upon the Bugbear's Shoulder-plate.

 

[doghead]

Not able to see clearly from this distance, Vespazian is nonetheless able to see the colors of the larger flags. Those upon the wall are green and white...not the colors of Zuregath.

Some of those attacking indeed bore the red and black of Zuregath as well as there being some elsewhere outside bearing green and white.

It would seem that the battle is far from a simple affair.

Tsu'koka sees the dismissive look in Vespasian's eyes. The man does little to hide it. But Tsu'koka also notices with satisfaction the slight stiffening as the man realises that he had been ... hasty. Tsu'koka says nothing and keeps his face carefully neutral. Instead, he returns his attention to the flags and banners and trying to identify them and thus the bearers. {1}

"The scouts should be able to tell us more. Those two goblins know their trade. Would you like me to tell the Marshall to take defensive positions til we hear from the scouts?"

{1}OOC: Bardic Knowledge check (+13 w/Knowledge (history) bonus)

 

[Capellan]

Wekerak grunts in acknowledgement of the other group's presence, and angles Frostbite down towards them,

"Circle 'round and stay out of sight." he orders the others, "They might tell more to one than they would to many." a cold grin slides across the goblin's lips, "And then again, they might think one is a target. If so, I expect you to be close enough for aid." a thought cross his mind: an unfamiliar one. "If it does come to fightin', take the bugbear alive. We'll need a prisoner to put to questioning."

OOC: sorry for slow reply - for some reason I never got notification of the change of thread

 

[deadestdai]

Taking in the scene, Vespazian nodded at the hobgoblin's offer, though still did not turn to him. The song speaker, whilst a much needed member of his motley band was beginning to irritate him. Always pointing out things that he should have thought of first. Well, he admitted that's what he was there for really. To offer his council. But he didn't like the bard any more for it.

Zuregath's forces were attacking the castle. Not defending. He looked for the banner of whoever commanded the Myrach troops. Answers were dearly needed.