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Renfield: Of Children and Lost Souls: Oblivion comes to Green (UPDATED)
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Renfield
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Oblivion comes to Green pt 1
Session: Four
The ghost of Nym figured he still had some part to play in all of this, afterall, why else would he still be here. He discovered some advantages to being 'dead', for one, sleep was not a requirement, for two, neither was walking. He floated up a tree and reclined in it's branches as best an incorporeal being could. Delver had revealed the contents of his bag to be skulls, numerous skulls at that, which were the focus of his wards. They'd float about and attack any intruders making some sort of clatter in the process. Or so the dark elven necromancer claimed.
He had taken much advantage of his form... as it stood he could not be seen, and apparently he could still call upon Gaia, for while it is *normal* for a spirit to go to the afterworld and eventually return to earth, it's still quite *natural* for the soul to stay on the mortal plane. He had made his way to the main entrance of the tunnel whilst Amarbie and Delver took the children towards Green and saw the soldiers and priests of Talisar assembling to follow after... So after calling lighting down upon them and summoning the plants and roots to bar the main door he figured he had delayed them enough to help his companions with the escape. He also learned of an added bonus to his abilities, apparently he could now shift into the form of elementals as well as animals.
The children were huddled around a campfire and three of Delvers zombies made a patrol around the perimiter of the clearing they had found. All in all a pretty secure campsite. Delver was up in a tree as well supported in it's branches by some form of magic that Nym didn't want to know too much about. He didn't agree with Delvers ways but he did make some interesting points in their many philosophical arguments and seemed to be a decent sort... if a little apathetic at times with anything not involving death.
Amarbie was down with the children so as to comfort them, the kids were none too thrilled with the zombies and most were downright scared so the True Elf's gentle aura and almost motherly nature (just don't say that to her face) assisted greatly in the childrens sleep.
The night was quite uneventful...
The morning was quite the opposite.
*****
Morning crept over the mountain and a figure stirred. It was a man with an olive shade of skin more popular towards the south, he was slim with shoulder length raven black hair pulled back into a pony tail, he was also quite handsome, enough to make even the most frigid woman make a second glance... or a third. His most remarkable quality was his eyes, that constantly shifted in color, and it was these eyes that looked upon the odd assemblage in the clearing a distance away. Zombies, children, a True Elf, a Dark Elf, not a typical group. Likely they kidnapped the poor children who shied away from the lumbering zombies.
He had stumbled across the group as they were making camp and was suspicious, though the fact that the children didn't seem to fear the people themselves had made him pause, especially the boy with the fire in his eyes. Still, they were quite the suspicious looking bunch so he figured it'd be best if he keep an eye on them. He awoke early in the morning when the light started filtering through the trees and awaited their making of camp. Watching carefully he saw an odd sight. The bald, badly burned figure was lumbering around with the other zombies, when it suddenly flew against a tree, falling into a slump only to lift an arm to attack at whatever it was that had thrown it so far.
He saw the zombie get pressed to the ground and a vicious looking rake appear across it's chest, another one next to it, more viscious rakes along the legs and part of the face of the zombie came off as though something bit it off. The other two zombies moved forward to try and attack whatever it was that was attacking the zombie whilst the children began screaming. Suddenly a form of a lion was outlined with dancing green flames and Alias' eyes widened. A Hellcat.
He was commited, even if these people were of an ill sort whoever sent a hellcat after them had to be worse still, he quickly began the workings of a summoning spell and whispered as the celestial bear began to heed his call "There is your mortal enemy, attack!" he said then the bear appeared, a black bear with gold tinged furr, and it moved to attack the devil. Again another rake across the chest, and then another bite before the zombies head came off and the body was still having been thoroughly shreded.
The hellcat focused it's attacks on the bear and one of the zombies, slashing here and biting there, eventually the zombie dropped however the combined efforts of the bear and the other zombie took down the spawn of evil. Alias watched as confusion seemed to fill the area as the zombie moved to remove the remains of the other two zombies while the kids looked in fear at the bear. One young boy and a little girl ventured forth and reached out to pet the mysterious bear as the True Elf and the Dark Elf seemed to be talking, both confused over the situation. The bear nuzzled the childrens hands before fading out of view, it's time on the material plane expired. This is when Alias decided it was time to leave... these folks were heading to the village of Green, that was the only place they could go in this part of the land.
*****
Elsewhere Sorith stood stiff as a board staring into an image floating above an alter, the image was a sending from someone far more powerful than him, the razor toothed maw hisssed at him and spoke in a sinister rasping voice that Sorith could barely withstand when he wasn't in trouble. "You let them escape!!!" the voice said, one would think Sorith went down, opened the doors to the pens, handed the children rations and invited some adventurers in for tea and paid them to take the kids home. The thing was, when his superior said it, he almost thought so himself... afterall... security was rather lax around eveningfeast...
"MiLord..." Sorith began "I summoned a Hellcat to slow them down... that should give the rest of my forces enough time to-"
"Silence!" the figure interrupted. "You're forces have already been slown down, and never dare talk like I do not know of every event, every breath and every trip to the privy that goes on around here." the figure said, and from it's back spread large leathery wings. "This venture is too important to screw up dear Sorith, and you being in charge I knew I'd likely need a back up plan," he said his raspy voice now low and menacing... as though it hadn't been menacing before. "the unfortunate stalling of your men at the front gate was something unforseen however... that you shall be forgiven for, but when this is over I assure you your punishment for letting the children escape into the arms of those adventurers will correct any future inconsistancies." His lips parted and curled into that razor sharp toothed grin. "And should you fail in the future you'll at least wish it had."
Sorith could merely swallow, his mouth was quite dry, and he new that should he slay himself to escape his superiors punishment things would merely be worse for him in the Underworld. "Sir, what would you have me do to correct my incompetance?" he man said, lowering his head, his humility quite genuine.
The smile grew disturbingly wider "Simply attack the village of Green, slaughter them all, barring that... well, I'll take care of things on my end. Be sure to send them through the stones and do it on the morrow when the Blood Moon is in the sky."
Sorith bowed and the sending faded away. A shudder went through him as it always did when dealing with that thing. Yet another reason he was glad his superior had left the keep. Sorith stood tall and left the chamber of candles and shadows and returned to his quarters, he had a lot of frustration to vent and apparently one of the acolytes had spilled a glass of wine meant for him, there was some satisfaction to being a high ranking underling afterall.
*****
Joran cursed under his breath. There simply weren't enough people or enough wood or simply enough time to erect defenses against the comming attack before nightfall. He sighed and looked around as Guardians of Fire and town militia as well as various strong young men built up stake barricades and makeshift walls from some of the nearby tree's and some of the peoples own homes. They didn't have enough time to go to the nearest town and get wood for the attack would come tonight.
He was a stocky man, but surprisingly agile despite his broad shoulders and compact build, and far more cunning than some gave him credit for. He was a scout of the Guardians of Fire, the elite corps of the Kingdom of Alagor, dedicated to the protection of the kingdom... though that wasn't what brought him here. The man pushed his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes and stroked his unshaven beard as he though of how best to defend this village from the comming attack. Oh he had a better reason to be here, one that superceded all other reasons, and all he had needed to hear was the mention of Talisar.
It was no mere coincidence that he had happened to be in the room when the Solaran priest at the barracks had been contacted by the village priest Loren, and when they mentioned Talisarans and and sacrifices, well, it would have been hard to keep him from going with or without the half and a score of Guardians at his heels. No, he had a vendetta, and his skills were often called upon whenever there were bad encounters with the dark cult, for he hated them with a passion and considered himself duty bound to slay as many as he could before his death. He shook his head and snapped out of his daze so as to focus on the problem at hand.
The village green was scattered over a number of hills, primarily amongst five hills that where surprisingly, though naturally even. The center hill was smaller than most but had the biggest building in town, the inn, at it's top. The inn, ironically, would also be the easiest building to defend, especially considering it was damn near all stone. He nodded and looked over noticing an armored figure in a red tabbard emblazoned with a flame on one side and a sunburst on the other. The man was middle aged and had a drooping mustache, and sandy blonde hair mixed with flecks of gray, the man was Treskan, captain of the contingent of Guardians of Fire here in the village. There was supposed to be a score stationed here, recruits mainly, granted recruits could normally take on any three standard soldiers, he motioned the captain over.
"Treskan... have the men relocate everything to the hill with the inn... wall and barricade the perimeter... when the battle is joined we'll set archers on the roof." he said motioning to the central hill.
To this Treskan nodded and looked around and sighed as he reaches up to stroke his mustache, he sighed, "Aye, tends to be what we do against the humanoids from the Shorntooths whenever they come down..." he says. That was the entire reason this small village even had the twenty elite soldiers... they were very close to the mountains and were threatened by the occasional humanoid raids. The captain shook his head "But this time there'll be priests and as we scryed likely some mages at work as well."
Joran nodded "And how fares the esteemed heroes of the village?" he asked... that was what he was waiting for, according to Treskan, Loren, and Erias these adventurers were quite competant, something he could use in this battle.
At this Treskan smiled, a good thing, a very good thing, he had known the man for a short time but he already learned his reputation for being rather serious. "They should be here before evening, with the children!" he said with a chuckle. "I only hope they're willing to help further... they've done so much as it stands and our village isn't exactly rich enough to reward them..."
Joran spat. Rewards. That was right, adventurers weren't really much more than vaulted mercenaries at times, hopefully these proved otherwise... "Well, when the night is through I imagine the looting of our dead enemies will be a reward enough... if they prove their character I'll see to it that the Guardians of Fire reward them personally." he said and he smiled for while he technically didn't have the authority to back such words he had strings he could pull.
The hours rolled by slowly as the militia and the Guardians worked together. All the buildings on the outlying hills were abandoned. Save for a few stubborn families in their farms who decided to board themselves up in basements but he had a feeling they were quite safe. This was the night of the bloodmoon, the Talisarans had lost their prize children, so now they would seek the blood of those children in any way possible... He remembered another similar situation... the Talisarans were intent on making a mass sacrifice and had their soldier puppets carry sacrificial daggers and finish off their enemies with them... that had beena horrible night. This night though, this night was different, it was a blood moon, one of the darkest days known to civilization which is why people are normally very glad it's rare. Unfortunately it's also one of the greatest days for cultists of evil everywhere.
Eventually the sun sunk closer to the horizon and the the hilltop was getting closer to being finished. Joran frowned... some people had given up the very walls and wood of their homes to help defend this village and he began to have a sinking feeling that tonights battle would end in terrible tragidy. He paused and noticed some new figures standing over with Treskan, his attention was caught by a guard asking wether a wall or a spike barricade should be erected and after directing the man he ran a calloused hand through his brown hair and noticed the short wry form of the odd True Elf walking towards him. He looked her over and sized her up, she was definitely a more than competant fighter though had the dressings of an amazon... he smiled softly, definitely an uppity one.
"You're Joran?" she asked, her large liquid fey eyes stared up at them, however he had dealt with the fey before... though this was was obviously different.
He made a point of looking her over and sizing her up and met her gaze "A True Elf." he stated matter of factly.
Amarbie hmphed, a amusedly cute sound "Yes, your point is?" she said staring up at him defiantly.
"Where are your wings?" he asked curiously looking over her back.
Again an harumph and an incredulous look from Amarbie "I don't have them I was raised by Amazons." she asked. Her tone implied she though that should be common knowledge, even amazonian women weren't any different in thinking people should be able to read minds.
"Well, I imagine you're Amarbie then... I am indeed Joran." he says and looks around at the construction of the defences to make sure everything was going allright "And you're just in time for war."
*****
Delver stood before Treskan as the man explained the situation, apparently Loren and Erias had divined the success of the odd trio and predicted that there would be an attack later that very evening... the evening of the blood moon. On this night they'd try to kill the children, likely having already done something to link them to the moon for a sacrifice even if there was no ritual, regardless they would come and there were many more of them than the mere fifty or so Guardians and Militia of the village of Green. This town would fall without assistance.
Nym was invisible to the other two, he had learned out to make himself appear and disapear, however his normal appearance was quite hideous being that of a man scorched to death by a fireball. So when he showed himself he was sure to take on the form of an elemental, his preferrence running for air. He overheard the conversation and learned Erias was off on a large hill not too far away and was with Loren apparently trying to find out more about the enemy and how close they were to attacking.
The dead druid became an air elemental and flew towards the hill at an amazing speed showing up there only a few moments later. There on the hilltop surrounding a pool, likely a scrying pool, were the priest of Solar and the Druid. He flew down and came to a stop and watched the two for a moment before allowing himself to come into view. Both were startled and looked ready to defend themselves from the odd translucent air elemental before them.
"Who are you." Erias said narrowing his eyes, recognizing something odd in the elemental... something other than it being transparent.
Nym laughed, an odd windy sound from the swirling etherial vortex "Why don't you recognize me?" he asked enjoying the puzzled looks that fell upon the druid and the younger priests faces. Finally Erias furrowed his brow and lifted an eyebrow "Nym?" he said taking a tentative guess and the elemental bobbed in a fashion akin to a nod.
"None other." he said in the odd voice that sounded distant as though a call carried on the wind. "And it seems there is much to discuss."
*****
Amarbie had started making a circuit of the town, she didn't particularly like the idea of being with all those men helping them build defences, so she voluntered for patrol duty. She had elected to go out on her own knowing anyone else would hamper her talent for staying hidden. As she came around to the main 'road' that lead into the village, more a wide beaten path than an actual rode like she had been accustomed to in the empire, she saw a site that struck her as odd.
A man wandered down the path, a rather handsome man with black hair and rather oddly colored eyes, well, an odd shade of green. Stranger still was that while the man looked decidedly human, his ears were pointed. More suspicious still was that now, on the eve of this villages apparent destruction, this man would happen to walk into town. She righted herself up and while the man did not notice her just yet she made herself noticed in another fashion "Halt." she said in a voice that was surprisingly strong for the sleight and petite True Elf.
The man stopped and looked up at her and nodded and smiled. "Greetings." he said simply.
Something about this man irritated her to no end, he was too confident, not too cocky, just too confident. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a clipped tone.
The man simply shrugged "Only passing through." he said casually, definitely very confident.
Amarbie narrowed her large eyes in suspiciously and tightened her grip on her great club, such an awkward looking weapon in the hands of such a small figure. "Awfully suspicious that you should be passing through now when the village is about to be attacked." she said.
The man smirked, and that merely infuriated her more, "And it is awfully suspicious to stumble across a True Elf, a Dark Elf, a couple of zombies and twelve children wandering through the forest wouldn't you say?" he countered, that confident smirk still on his face.
Amarbies eyes widened and she brandished her club "You were spying on us!" she said anger in her voice as the man lifted a brow.
"Spying? What, you expected me to reveal myself to such an odd group, especially when they were attacked by a hellcat?" he asked eliciting a drop from Amarbies jaw.
She paused and gave him a look "You were the one who summoned that... that bear?" she asked, Nym was the only one who summoned creatures and he had denied bringing such an animal to assist them.
The man nodded "I decided to assume you were the lesser of any evils if you were being attacked by a Hellcat." he said casually.
Amarbie narrowed her eyes again "You were following us then." she accused, the man sighed.
He still held his smirk "I merely happened by miss." he said.
Amarbie was about to say something more when she was interrupted "What is going on over here?" a voice said as Joran strode out from a nearby copse of trees. The True Elf cursed and scolded herself in her mind, she should have been on the watch for that... that man!
Joran looked over the confident odd looking man and chuckled "And who might you be sir?" he asked. Amarbie squinted, she could have sworn the intruders eyes had been green, now they were a silver color!
The man stood up straighter, "I am Alias the Abstract." he said and smirked "And you would be?"
"Joran, ranger of the Guardians of Fire." Joran said "We are in troubled times, if you are travelling to our village you are more than welcome to stay in one of the huts, just know that the village may not be here when you awaken." the man said with a laugh.
Amarbie looked at him like he was crazy "How can you trust him, he could be of the enemy!!!" she protested.
"Your village is in danger?" Alias asked. "Well, perhaps I can offer my asistance..." he offered.
Ignoring Amarbies protests he continued to converse with Joran. "We would welcome any assistance you can give." he said and the stranger nodded.
Amarbie huffed and glared at Joran to which he replied "Easy my dear, you must learn to not be so suspicious, this man here is not evil." he said motioning to Alias.
"And how, exactly, do you know that?" she said defiantly.
He removed a amulet with four arrows pointing out like a compass rows. "This my dear."
"Well I didn't have one of those." she countered and he shrugged.
"Still, without it I still would have doubted he held any ill will." he said shrugging.
Amarbie huffed again and began to stalk off Jorans chuckle following after as she heard the two converse. "Do you by chance have any chalk, candles, and a large room?" Alias asked.
"Sure, I'll get you some candles, and there should be some chalk in the school house." Joran said after him. "Why."
"I have a plan."
*****
Session: Four
The ghost of Nym figured he still had some part to play in all of this, afterall, why else would he still be here. He discovered some advantages to being 'dead', for one, sleep was not a requirement, for two, neither was walking. He floated up a tree and reclined in it's branches as best an incorporeal being could. Delver had revealed the contents of his bag to be skulls, numerous skulls at that, which were the focus of his wards. They'd float about and attack any intruders making some sort of clatter in the process. Or so the dark elven necromancer claimed.
He had taken much advantage of his form... as it stood he could not be seen, and apparently he could still call upon Gaia, for while it is *normal* for a spirit to go to the afterworld and eventually return to earth, it's still quite *natural* for the soul to stay on the mortal plane. He had made his way to the main entrance of the tunnel whilst Amarbie and Delver took the children towards Green and saw the soldiers and priests of Talisar assembling to follow after... So after calling lighting down upon them and summoning the plants and roots to bar the main door he figured he had delayed them enough to help his companions with the escape. He also learned of an added bonus to his abilities, apparently he could now shift into the form of elementals as well as animals.
The children were huddled around a campfire and three of Delvers zombies made a patrol around the perimiter of the clearing they had found. All in all a pretty secure campsite. Delver was up in a tree as well supported in it's branches by some form of magic that Nym didn't want to know too much about. He didn't agree with Delvers ways but he did make some interesting points in their many philosophical arguments and seemed to be a decent sort... if a little apathetic at times with anything not involving death.
Amarbie was down with the children so as to comfort them, the kids were none too thrilled with the zombies and most were downright scared so the True Elf's gentle aura and almost motherly nature (just don't say that to her face) assisted greatly in the childrens sleep.
The night was quite uneventful...
The morning was quite the opposite.
*****
Morning crept over the mountain and a figure stirred. It was a man with an olive shade of skin more popular towards the south, he was slim with shoulder length raven black hair pulled back into a pony tail, he was also quite handsome, enough to make even the most frigid woman make a second glance... or a third. His most remarkable quality was his eyes, that constantly shifted in color, and it was these eyes that looked upon the odd assemblage in the clearing a distance away. Zombies, children, a True Elf, a Dark Elf, not a typical group. Likely they kidnapped the poor children who shied away from the lumbering zombies.
He had stumbled across the group as they were making camp and was suspicious, though the fact that the children didn't seem to fear the people themselves had made him pause, especially the boy with the fire in his eyes. Still, they were quite the suspicious looking bunch so he figured it'd be best if he keep an eye on them. He awoke early in the morning when the light started filtering through the trees and awaited their making of camp. Watching carefully he saw an odd sight. The bald, badly burned figure was lumbering around with the other zombies, when it suddenly flew against a tree, falling into a slump only to lift an arm to attack at whatever it was that had thrown it so far.
He saw the zombie get pressed to the ground and a vicious looking rake appear across it's chest, another one next to it, more viscious rakes along the legs and part of the face of the zombie came off as though something bit it off. The other two zombies moved forward to try and attack whatever it was that was attacking the zombie whilst the children began screaming. Suddenly a form of a lion was outlined with dancing green flames and Alias' eyes widened. A Hellcat.
He was commited, even if these people were of an ill sort whoever sent a hellcat after them had to be worse still, he quickly began the workings of a summoning spell and whispered as the celestial bear began to heed his call "There is your mortal enemy, attack!" he said then the bear appeared, a black bear with gold tinged furr, and it moved to attack the devil. Again another rake across the chest, and then another bite before the zombies head came off and the body was still having been thoroughly shreded.
The hellcat focused it's attacks on the bear and one of the zombies, slashing here and biting there, eventually the zombie dropped however the combined efforts of the bear and the other zombie took down the spawn of evil. Alias watched as confusion seemed to fill the area as the zombie moved to remove the remains of the other two zombies while the kids looked in fear at the bear. One young boy and a little girl ventured forth and reached out to pet the mysterious bear as the True Elf and the Dark Elf seemed to be talking, both confused over the situation. The bear nuzzled the childrens hands before fading out of view, it's time on the material plane expired. This is when Alias decided it was time to leave... these folks were heading to the village of Green, that was the only place they could go in this part of the land.
*****
Elsewhere Sorith stood stiff as a board staring into an image floating above an alter, the image was a sending from someone far more powerful than him, the razor toothed maw hisssed at him and spoke in a sinister rasping voice that Sorith could barely withstand when he wasn't in trouble. "You let them escape!!!" the voice said, one would think Sorith went down, opened the doors to the pens, handed the children rations and invited some adventurers in for tea and paid them to take the kids home. The thing was, when his superior said it, he almost thought so himself... afterall... security was rather lax around eveningfeast...
"MiLord..." Sorith began "I summoned a Hellcat to slow them down... that should give the rest of my forces enough time to-"
"Silence!" the figure interrupted. "You're forces have already been slown down, and never dare talk like I do not know of every event, every breath and every trip to the privy that goes on around here." the figure said, and from it's back spread large leathery wings. "This venture is too important to screw up dear Sorith, and you being in charge I knew I'd likely need a back up plan," he said his raspy voice now low and menacing... as though it hadn't been menacing before. "the unfortunate stalling of your men at the front gate was something unforseen however... that you shall be forgiven for, but when this is over I assure you your punishment for letting the children escape into the arms of those adventurers will correct any future inconsistancies." His lips parted and curled into that razor sharp toothed grin. "And should you fail in the future you'll at least wish it had."
Sorith could merely swallow, his mouth was quite dry, and he new that should he slay himself to escape his superiors punishment things would merely be worse for him in the Underworld. "Sir, what would you have me do to correct my incompetance?" he man said, lowering his head, his humility quite genuine.
The smile grew disturbingly wider "Simply attack the village of Green, slaughter them all, barring that... well, I'll take care of things on my end. Be sure to send them through the stones and do it on the morrow when the Blood Moon is in the sky."
Sorith bowed and the sending faded away. A shudder went through him as it always did when dealing with that thing. Yet another reason he was glad his superior had left the keep. Sorith stood tall and left the chamber of candles and shadows and returned to his quarters, he had a lot of frustration to vent and apparently one of the acolytes had spilled a glass of wine meant for him, there was some satisfaction to being a high ranking underling afterall.
*****
Joran cursed under his breath. There simply weren't enough people or enough wood or simply enough time to erect defenses against the comming attack before nightfall. He sighed and looked around as Guardians of Fire and town militia as well as various strong young men built up stake barricades and makeshift walls from some of the nearby tree's and some of the peoples own homes. They didn't have enough time to go to the nearest town and get wood for the attack would come tonight.
He was a stocky man, but surprisingly agile despite his broad shoulders and compact build, and far more cunning than some gave him credit for. He was a scout of the Guardians of Fire, the elite corps of the Kingdom of Alagor, dedicated to the protection of the kingdom... though that wasn't what brought him here. The man pushed his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes and stroked his unshaven beard as he though of how best to defend this village from the comming attack. Oh he had a better reason to be here, one that superceded all other reasons, and all he had needed to hear was the mention of Talisar.
It was no mere coincidence that he had happened to be in the room when the Solaran priest at the barracks had been contacted by the village priest Loren, and when they mentioned Talisarans and and sacrifices, well, it would have been hard to keep him from going with or without the half and a score of Guardians at his heels. No, he had a vendetta, and his skills were often called upon whenever there were bad encounters with the dark cult, for he hated them with a passion and considered himself duty bound to slay as many as he could before his death. He shook his head and snapped out of his daze so as to focus on the problem at hand.
The village green was scattered over a number of hills, primarily amongst five hills that where surprisingly, though naturally even. The center hill was smaller than most but had the biggest building in town, the inn, at it's top. The inn, ironically, would also be the easiest building to defend, especially considering it was damn near all stone. He nodded and looked over noticing an armored figure in a red tabbard emblazoned with a flame on one side and a sunburst on the other. The man was middle aged and had a drooping mustache, and sandy blonde hair mixed with flecks of gray, the man was Treskan, captain of the contingent of Guardians of Fire here in the village. There was supposed to be a score stationed here, recruits mainly, granted recruits could normally take on any three standard soldiers, he motioned the captain over.
"Treskan... have the men relocate everything to the hill with the inn... wall and barricade the perimeter... when the battle is joined we'll set archers on the roof." he said motioning to the central hill.
To this Treskan nodded and looked around and sighed as he reaches up to stroke his mustache, he sighed, "Aye, tends to be what we do against the humanoids from the Shorntooths whenever they come down..." he says. That was the entire reason this small village even had the twenty elite soldiers... they were very close to the mountains and were threatened by the occasional humanoid raids. The captain shook his head "But this time there'll be priests and as we scryed likely some mages at work as well."
Joran nodded "And how fares the esteemed heroes of the village?" he asked... that was what he was waiting for, according to Treskan, Loren, and Erias these adventurers were quite competant, something he could use in this battle.
At this Treskan smiled, a good thing, a very good thing, he had known the man for a short time but he already learned his reputation for being rather serious. "They should be here before evening, with the children!" he said with a chuckle. "I only hope they're willing to help further... they've done so much as it stands and our village isn't exactly rich enough to reward them..."
Joran spat. Rewards. That was right, adventurers weren't really much more than vaulted mercenaries at times, hopefully these proved otherwise... "Well, when the night is through I imagine the looting of our dead enemies will be a reward enough... if they prove their character I'll see to it that the Guardians of Fire reward them personally." he said and he smiled for while he technically didn't have the authority to back such words he had strings he could pull.
The hours rolled by slowly as the militia and the Guardians worked together. All the buildings on the outlying hills were abandoned. Save for a few stubborn families in their farms who decided to board themselves up in basements but he had a feeling they were quite safe. This was the night of the bloodmoon, the Talisarans had lost their prize children, so now they would seek the blood of those children in any way possible... He remembered another similar situation... the Talisarans were intent on making a mass sacrifice and had their soldier puppets carry sacrificial daggers and finish off their enemies with them... that had beena horrible night. This night though, this night was different, it was a blood moon, one of the darkest days known to civilization which is why people are normally very glad it's rare. Unfortunately it's also one of the greatest days for cultists of evil everywhere.
Eventually the sun sunk closer to the horizon and the the hilltop was getting closer to being finished. Joran frowned... some people had given up the very walls and wood of their homes to help defend this village and he began to have a sinking feeling that tonights battle would end in terrible tragidy. He paused and noticed some new figures standing over with Treskan, his attention was caught by a guard asking wether a wall or a spike barricade should be erected and after directing the man he ran a calloused hand through his brown hair and noticed the short wry form of the odd True Elf walking towards him. He looked her over and sized her up, she was definitely a more than competant fighter though had the dressings of an amazon... he smiled softly, definitely an uppity one.
"You're Joran?" she asked, her large liquid fey eyes stared up at them, however he had dealt with the fey before... though this was was obviously different.
He made a point of looking her over and sizing her up and met her gaze "A True Elf." he stated matter of factly.
Amarbie hmphed, a amusedly cute sound "Yes, your point is?" she said staring up at him defiantly.
"Where are your wings?" he asked curiously looking over her back.
Again an harumph and an incredulous look from Amarbie "I don't have them I was raised by Amazons." she asked. Her tone implied she though that should be common knowledge, even amazonian women weren't any different in thinking people should be able to read minds.
"Well, I imagine you're Amarbie then... I am indeed Joran." he says and looks around at the construction of the defences to make sure everything was going allright "And you're just in time for war."
*****
Delver stood before Treskan as the man explained the situation, apparently Loren and Erias had divined the success of the odd trio and predicted that there would be an attack later that very evening... the evening of the blood moon. On this night they'd try to kill the children, likely having already done something to link them to the moon for a sacrifice even if there was no ritual, regardless they would come and there were many more of them than the mere fifty or so Guardians and Militia of the village of Green. This town would fall without assistance.
Nym was invisible to the other two, he had learned out to make himself appear and disapear, however his normal appearance was quite hideous being that of a man scorched to death by a fireball. So when he showed himself he was sure to take on the form of an elemental, his preferrence running for air. He overheard the conversation and learned Erias was off on a large hill not too far away and was with Loren apparently trying to find out more about the enemy and how close they were to attacking.
The dead druid became an air elemental and flew towards the hill at an amazing speed showing up there only a few moments later. There on the hilltop surrounding a pool, likely a scrying pool, were the priest of Solar and the Druid. He flew down and came to a stop and watched the two for a moment before allowing himself to come into view. Both were startled and looked ready to defend themselves from the odd translucent air elemental before them.
"Who are you." Erias said narrowing his eyes, recognizing something odd in the elemental... something other than it being transparent.
Nym laughed, an odd windy sound from the swirling etherial vortex "Why don't you recognize me?" he asked enjoying the puzzled looks that fell upon the druid and the younger priests faces. Finally Erias furrowed his brow and lifted an eyebrow "Nym?" he said taking a tentative guess and the elemental bobbed in a fashion akin to a nod.
"None other." he said in the odd voice that sounded distant as though a call carried on the wind. "And it seems there is much to discuss."
*****
Amarbie had started making a circuit of the town, she didn't particularly like the idea of being with all those men helping them build defences, so she voluntered for patrol duty. She had elected to go out on her own knowing anyone else would hamper her talent for staying hidden. As she came around to the main 'road' that lead into the village, more a wide beaten path than an actual rode like she had been accustomed to in the empire, she saw a site that struck her as odd.
A man wandered down the path, a rather handsome man with black hair and rather oddly colored eyes, well, an odd shade of green. Stranger still was that while the man looked decidedly human, his ears were pointed. More suspicious still was that now, on the eve of this villages apparent destruction, this man would happen to walk into town. She righted herself up and while the man did not notice her just yet she made herself noticed in another fashion "Halt." she said in a voice that was surprisingly strong for the sleight and petite True Elf.
The man stopped and looked up at her and nodded and smiled. "Greetings." he said simply.
Something about this man irritated her to no end, he was too confident, not too cocky, just too confident. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a clipped tone.
The man simply shrugged "Only passing through." he said casually, definitely very confident.
Amarbie narrowed her large eyes in suspiciously and tightened her grip on her great club, such an awkward looking weapon in the hands of such a small figure. "Awfully suspicious that you should be passing through now when the village is about to be attacked." she said.
The man smirked, and that merely infuriated her more, "And it is awfully suspicious to stumble across a True Elf, a Dark Elf, a couple of zombies and twelve children wandering through the forest wouldn't you say?" he countered, that confident smirk still on his face.
Amarbies eyes widened and she brandished her club "You were spying on us!" she said anger in her voice as the man lifted a brow.
"Spying? What, you expected me to reveal myself to such an odd group, especially when they were attacked by a hellcat?" he asked eliciting a drop from Amarbies jaw.
She paused and gave him a look "You were the one who summoned that... that bear?" she asked, Nym was the only one who summoned creatures and he had denied bringing such an animal to assist them.
The man nodded "I decided to assume you were the lesser of any evils if you were being attacked by a Hellcat." he said casually.
Amarbie narrowed her eyes again "You were following us then." she accused, the man sighed.
He still held his smirk "I merely happened by miss." he said.
Amarbie was about to say something more when she was interrupted "What is going on over here?" a voice said as Joran strode out from a nearby copse of trees. The True Elf cursed and scolded herself in her mind, she should have been on the watch for that... that man!
Joran looked over the confident odd looking man and chuckled "And who might you be sir?" he asked. Amarbie squinted, she could have sworn the intruders eyes had been green, now they were a silver color!
The man stood up straighter, "I am Alias the Abstract." he said and smirked "And you would be?"
"Joran, ranger of the Guardians of Fire." Joran said "We are in troubled times, if you are travelling to our village you are more than welcome to stay in one of the huts, just know that the village may not be here when you awaken." the man said with a laugh.
Amarbie looked at him like he was crazy "How can you trust him, he could be of the enemy!!!" she protested.
"Your village is in danger?" Alias asked. "Well, perhaps I can offer my asistance..." he offered.
Ignoring Amarbies protests he continued to converse with Joran. "We would welcome any assistance you can give." he said and the stranger nodded.
Amarbie huffed and glared at Joran to which he replied "Easy my dear, you must learn to not be so suspicious, this man here is not evil." he said motioning to Alias.
"And how, exactly, do you know that?" she said defiantly.
He removed a amulet with four arrows pointing out like a compass rows. "This my dear."
"Well I didn't have one of those." she countered and he shrugged.
"Still, without it I still would have doubted he held any ill will." he said shrugging.
Amarbie huffed again and began to stalk off Jorans chuckle following after as she heard the two converse. "Do you by chance have any chalk, candles, and a large room?" Alias asked.
"Sure, I'll get you some candles, and there should be some chalk in the school house." Joran said after him. "Why."
"I have a plan."
*****
Black_Kaioshin
First Post
Ahh, Alias the Abstract. What a fun character to play...
Look_a_Unicorn
First Post
Great story hour, I'm very much enjoying reading it- so thanks.
Black_Kaioshin
First Post
Bah!! Don't be a sissy, Renfield. Take it like a dwarf should. 
Renfield
Explorer
Fine fine, okay, anyone checking this out expect an update tonight or tomorrow, up until today I've been dealing with dial up shared between two computers... not a fun thing. But cable is back so I can actually access the website in under five minutes 
and am currently working on a wonderful little post that will conclude this particular chapter of the campaign called Of Children and Lost Souls. So now I get to create a wonderful new title for the next stretch as well, GRRR, where's my damnable muse when I need her?
and am currently working on a wonderful little post that will conclude this particular chapter of the campaign called Of Children and Lost Souls. So now I get to create a wonderful new title for the next stretch as well, GRRR, where's my damnable muse when I need her?
Renfield
Explorer
Oblivion comes to Green pt2.
Nym and Erias flew towards a stone circle they had learned about, the divinations had discerned that the Talisarans had been travelling by teleportation stones and they needed to find a way to hinder them... quickly. Nym looked into the sky and new that the full blood red moon he saw would climb higher and soon enough the village would be attacked. They had to hurry.
They came to the stone circle, the stones were the size of small boulders, hidden easily by the grass though laid in an obviously unnatural pattern and looked like a lot more stone was buried in the ground. This was the circle that the attackers had likely teleported to the night of the raid. "It makes sense really." Erias said as he looked at the surrounding hills. "The grass and the hills hide most of it, it's no where near the temple mountains and close enough to the village to get to in an hour."
The ethereal air elemental that was Nym bobbed in what could have been a nod then smiled "Well, let us make it difficult for them at the very least..." he said and concentrated for a moment. Muttering in druidic he called out to the grass and the plants of the area, and they answered.
Soon grass and weeds and roots from nearby trees were growing and entangling over the entire area... anyone who teleported in would have to hack a path through and while that would only grant the village a few minutes it'd be that much more time to prepare. Nym looked over the stones as they were buried beneath the overgrowth and smiled as he began the incantation to summon the very clouds and the powers of lightning. Then he paused as he remembered something. "The stones..." he muttered.
"What was that?" Erias asked.
"The stones... The two skull like boulders." Nym said in his airy voice.
"What about them?"
"What if they're where they Teleport from?"
Erias looked puzzled for a moment then a smile crept slowly to his lips "That, my friend, would make enough sense to be worth a shot..."
Nym bobbed in his air elemental nod once more and gave what must have been a smile "Well, you can call lightning correct? Perhaps you can give them further difficulties here and I can go to the boulders and see if I can't harass them there."
Without waiting for Erias to even finish his nod of agreement Nym sped off at full speed flying over hills and small copses of trees over that lush landscape that felt so barren and lifeless with Talisars shadow looming over it, invisible to every sense save for that that raised the hairs on the back of ones neck. Soon the two hills on either side of the rode with the large stones shaped like boulders came into view, once again when Nym was right atop them practically, he slowed to a stop and started the beginnings of another plant growth spell, he only had this one left so he centered it in between the two stones hoping the area in between would be enough. He then smiled and began summoning clouds over the area, when enough had gathered he decided to wait. Then he saw something odd.
A ribbon of light, like a rip in the air, appeared over the rock that bore closer reseblance to a human skull. Without wasting time he sent a bolt of lightning through the obvious portal and heard a satisfying scream. Smirking, well inwardly smirking as the air elemental form lacked enough discernable features to reveal a smirk, he waited until he could launch another blast. Then a man came through, a gaunt robed figure wearing odd goggle like spectacles, and he looked directly at Nym. Now normally this would have been impossible but Nym new how to make himself invisible to normal eyes, he groaned when he realized it likely had something to do with the goggles. The man wove a spell and more robed figures stepped from the portal, five total. The man muttered another spell and appeared over on the more human looking boulder.
Nym frowned, a feature noticeable in his elemental form, and sent another bolt at the man and pursed his lips when it hit and crackled over a spherical barrier. The figures continued their chanting and Nym sent another bolt down. Some of the figures screamed and fell off only to be replaced by more from the portal. The man frowned and stared at Nym and pulled a vial out from his robes. Unstoppering it he poured an odd blue liquid over the top of the boulder that hissed as it made contact. He then began weaving together another spell. The ghostly druid braced himself for something that might hit him even as a ghost. However the mans hands shot out toward the boulder with the chanting and a fireball erupted over the skull boulder incinerating the robed figures and filling the air with their dying screams. The dead druid could only stare down in grim thoughts as the man disapeared once more. He had just witnessed the appearance of a ritual, and one of sacrifice, something that definitely did not bode well.
*****
Back in the village of Green everyone labored to put up the last bit's of defences, a crude wall built from walls of houses and huts and stake barricades had been set up around the upper tier of the large central hill of the village. While the advantage of higher ground was a good one the odds still weren't in the towns favor. Archers had been positioned on the slanted roof of some of the houses and a group of elite Guardians of Fire stood in front of the village inn who's sole purpose was to be the last line of defence between the comming attackers and the village children. The children of which were being kept in the basement while some of the older and younger villagers who had been or would be in the militia guarded the common rooms. However they were being protected by the Guardians without almost as much as the children.
Delver stood on the roof of the Inn, he had a good view of the entire battle field. Below him to the north part of the hill was Joran with a few Guardians along with Amarbie all looking grim and battle ready... quite the fitting group despite Amarbies friction with that Joran character. To the north and west part of the hill was a relatively large force of the more competent of the village militia backed up by more Guardians and Loren the cleric of Solar. Delver narrowed his eyes in the priests direction but relaxed them upon remembering that the priest had done nothing to hinder his gruesome practice. To the south and west was Treskan and a few more Guardians and militia while to the south and east the newcommer, Alias he called himself, sat upon the roof of a house in a chair no less, Delver could almost swear the odd man was smiling. There was a scattering of Militia and Guardians filling the gaps while the larger groups were focused on the most vulnerable points of the defences.
The Dark elf looked up into the sky to the full blood red moon and frowned. Oblivion was not a natural things, it was the path of the spirit and soul to exist, sometimes they didn't move on like they were supposed to and he worked with those particular spirits using them to animate the corpses he came across. However for them to be wiped out from existance to fuel the energies of the Dark One was something he could not allow. He concentrated ever so slightly, he had managed to find a rat, one of the few creatures that hadn't fled Green as Talisar's shadow swept over the land. This rat he had killed and re-animated sending it down into the basement of the Inn where the children were. If the enemy got through the rat could deliver Delvers magics to the children and rob the attackers of their prize letting the childrens spirits and souls roam free to go wherever they were called which was far better than them being anihilated.
He nodded to himself and looked around, the attackers would be here any moment, and Delver would be more than willing to send them to the next world as fast as they came. He might even get a few more zombies from this battle he thought on a positive note. Clouds began to gather above Treskans group and Delver turned noticing that Erias had returned. He smiled thinly, there were many numbers on the side of the enemy, some of them clerics and wizards, but the people of Green had some rather competent warriors of their own. He looked out into the distance trying to spot the comming attackers, the light of the moon and the numerous torches around the village seemed to be sucked in, and the clouds gathering in the sky didn't seem to help much so Delver slowly adjusted his eyes to view in spectrums that did not require light, and he saw them.
*****
Amarbie looked out over the hill and narrowed her large eyes, they were comming, a large group of mercenaries with some of the dark robed priests behind them. A rather large one was leading the group one akin to the one she had fought during the raid on the village earlier. She readied her bow and checked to make sure her large club was easily accessable. The club looked to be almost as big as the wiry muscled True Elf. Her ears flattened against her skull as thunder rumbled over head, something telling her that the clouds above weren't entirely natural, she had seen Nym summon the very lighting from clouds that gathered swiftly and she hoped that these were from either Nym or Erias. She ran a hand through her wild hair and returned her focus on her quarry, this battle was hardly fair, all her enemies were men.
An arrow slid out of the quiver and was knocked and the bowstring drawn back. Her bow was made for those with strength, and while she may not look it the sleight and wiry True Elf was stronger than most of the men here, even without the gauntlets she wore that enhanced her effective strength considerably. She took aim, one of the soldiers near the large one, he was one she wanted to crush personally with her own club. She waited and waited and finally saw her opening as the soldiers began to move forward at a quicker rate. She loosed her bow and the arrow sped forth and struck true as a scream of pain and rage tore from the mans throat. Amarbie gave a pursed smile and readied another arrow as the sounds of battle begin to rise about her.
*****
Alias smiled as he looked down at the approaching enemy soldiers and clerics. He scanned the area for anyone who might retaliate with arcane magic however there did not appear to be anyone. There were a few archers on the roof of the nearby house, and a few soldiers down at the side of the house where the only wall between buildings was the wooden spiked barricade. Yes, he was at his most useful here, these poor bastards would be overwhelmed otherwise. He smiled, a disturbing smile that spoke of one who enjoyed and reveled in the power he held at his fingertips, he smiled wider as a fireball erupted cooking a goodly number of soldiers in their armor. Apparently Delver had been focusing his attention this way. He smiled to himself again revelling in the comming battle. Then he began casting.
The lightning bolt was far brighter than it normally would, he had energized the already devastating spell to increase it's power, and the grin on his face was broad indeed when he saw the energy fry his enemies within their metal armor. A few of the priests dropped too, though the most damage was done to the mercenaries, some of which were still standing after jumping aside from the bolt. Alias frowned at this. The cultists began chanting and the sorcerer lifted a brow. "Protection from Good..." he murmered, "Bless and Prayers..." followed by a frown. "Well, if they want to be protected from me then so be it..." his olive skinned face broke out into a grin. "But they'll have some difficulty in fighting evil creatures." and proceeded to mutter another incantation as the Black Fists charged and the Archers on the roof nearby began firing at them. Two Wolves, with glowing red eyes and coal black fur shimmered into being in a red glow, "Sick 'em." Alias said and the fiendish beasts went after the enemy soldiers with a hunger.
Alias nodded, quite pleased, while the wolves would be cut down eventually he had already slain a good chunk of their number before they had even begun the charge. It was going to be a pretty easy fight and the chances were he'd only have to use his trump card just for his entertainment. He smiled and relished the idea.
*****
Amarbie let loose another arrow which flew wide of her intended target, she frowned and let off another one, this one struck true though her frown didn't disapear. They were closing in. The True Elf ran a slender hand through her wild hair and picked up her great club giving it a good test swing. She had the backing of a few soldiers, and that Joran, the though of this made her frown deepen. Fighting alongside so many men. One of the mercenaries began working to break the barricade and was soon met with more of his Black Fist brethren, Guardians moved in to engage them before they could do too much damage and soon swords were out nearly at arms length as they tried to fend off the attackers. Joran hit one of the mercenaries with two well placed strikes cutting him down as a heavily armored man came up and brought his sword down on the barricade sundering it with apparent ease.
Amarbie didn't have time to give pause as the Black Fists charged forward she swung her great club and easily broke through the male's meager defence of an upraised swordblade through the sword arm wide as her club connected solidly with the mans skull. Blood flew from his mouth and nose and his crushed face as the wiry True Elf leapt into the air and came down with her club connecting for a finishing blow hearing the satisfying crack of a snapping neck. Barely having time to wipe some of the man's blood from her face she saw the large armored figure with the black cloak cut down the two of the members of the village militia that fought with them with ease. She looked to Joran who was fighting off two competent looking mercenaries, lieutenants she imagined, he looked at her and then to the large figure and nodded before resuming his combat. That one, while being annoying in the True Elfs eyes, was a good warrior. She took his cue and swinging her oversized club with such great force that she heard it crush the mercenaries ribs through the meager chain and mail and proceeded to advance toward the Black Fist captain. He paused and welcomed the comming of the amazon with an evil grin.
*****
Loren was hard pressed, he had had just enough time to cast a few spells on his men to bolster their defences when the enemy struck the barricade, he broke through one of the higher soldiers force of will and the man managed to cut down a few of his lessers before swords and axes from both sides took him down. He frowned and cast another spell on himself, he was a cleric of Solar, and while he didn't worship the valorious combatative aspect of the Sun God he did know a few things about fighting and had prayed for the appropriate spells for such.
He was still close to the back of the defenders, mostly militia backed up with his spells and a decent number of Guardians, Treskan was across the way defending another weak point with more of the Guardians. The young priest managed to get off a couple more spells of defence before the fight reached him and waded towards one of the mercenaries in plate and mail. He swung his mace which was deflected off the enemie's shield and raised his own shield deflecting the returning blow. He pursed his lips and swung again the enhanced power of his blow, the gift of Solar's favor, dented the enemies armor and he heard the crack of ribs before the mercenary let out a scream of pain and rage. This one was a tough one though and kept comming despite the viscious blow. His shield now enchanted with the divine protection deflected a furious combination of blows from the man before Loren brought his mace to bear again. He made as though to swing the mace at the warriors ribs once more, the mercenary moved to strike at the apparent opening, and Loren switched the angel of the swing at the last moment using every ounce of his enhanced strength and the momentum of the swing to bring the mace down and up. The mace broke through the soldiers sword and came back up in a viscious uppercut shattering the mans unprotected jaw, the mercenary staggered bumping into a Guardian who promptly pushed him back towards Loren and into the life ending swing of the priests holy mace, the metal clade figure dropped to the ground his corpse lit by a flash of lightning from one of Erias' summoned lightning.
Loren didn't wait and waded back into the combat he had drifted from and smiled, a little deception while fighting in Solar's name and for the sake of a village was of little consequence to the priest, the price of failure would be far to great for him to consider any foolish notions of fighting with honor. He smiled grimly, that was why he had become a cleric and not a paladin... a slightly different point of view and approach to serving Solar. "Grant no quarter!" he cried as his mace came down on the helmeted head of another soldier the armor doing little to save the man from a broken neck. "Green must not fall this night!"
*****
Treskan didn't like how this was going, a few of his Guardians were already dead, sure they were but recruits but they were better combatants than even the most seasoned veteran footsoldiers of any normal military. Alas the enemy had the aid of priests in enhancing their mercenaries from the look of it, not to mention these were Black Fists, tougher than most, after all this was the group where the toughest and meanest and most amoral mercenaries went after being kicked out of all the other bands. These were the ones who'd literally do anything for the right gold, slaying or kidnapping children, slaughtering a village, these thoughts filled Treskans mind and fueled his sword arm. They were going down easily enough but more would come to fill their places. They had two units of Black Fists here, which if he recalled correctly meant two captains and four, possibly six lieutenants, which meant a tough fight even for the battle hardened Guardians of Fire fighting at his side.
His sword found an opening in a plate of armor of one of his enemies and slid through his thigh with ease. Pulling it out seemed to be another matter as the sword wouldn't come. He frowned and swung his armored fist connecting solidly with the mans jaw the helmet must have fallen off earlier in the battle. He planted a boot to the mans chest and shoved him back glad for the advantage of height in the combat as the mercenary fell down the hill knocking over comrades as he fell. Treskan gave a grim smile and removed his battle axe from his belt, he preferred fighting with that particular weapon anyway.
A couple soldiers came at him at the same time, the battle hardened veteran deflected both attackers with axe and shield before bashing one aside and bringing his axe down on the other where the shoulder met the base of the neck, wrenching the axe free he pushed him down the hill to meet his lieutenant in the hells and swung the axe around just in time to throw aside the second soldiers blade. Guarding his side from any counterattack he reversed his swing bringing the axe back around to cut through the protection og the mercenaries helm and lodge into his skull. He wrenched the axe free again and proceeded to lay into the enemy not stopping but only letting out a muttered curse as he saw another unit of Black Fists attacking. One was struck by lightning dropping the man to the ground as he spasmed from the voltage flowing through him. Using that sign of divine aid likely the courtesy of Erias he called out "For Green!" and the call was met, a simple yet effective way to boost the morale of his comrades, this was going to be a hard battle on this end.
*****
Delver unleashed another fireball to relieve the beleagured defenders of Captain Treskan's group. He nodded in satisfaction as he saw a good number of enemy soldiers fall then frowned, the one's the Guardians had been in melee with had managed to squeeze around or had been trying to fight over the baricade, now after his fire ball a good swing with the sword and pull with the gauntlet brought the thing down opening a way for the attackers. He watched as they isolated and cutdown two of the guardians of fire then saw Treskan shove the man down the hill and proceed to defend against two mercenaries before a bolt of lightning struck. He nodded noting that that group had the backing of Erias their druid and turned his attention back to Amarbie. He saw a group of mercenaries charging in to aid in fighting Joran and the Wild Elf and their Guardian allies and smiled as he let loose his final fireball dropping most of the soldiers in screams of agony, though some of the reinforcements arrived.
The Dark Elf turned his attentions to the area Alias was helping defend and noticed some soldiers had broken through the baricade and were giving the few soldiers stationed there a hard time. He began casting an incantation and soon a bolt of ice blue light shots forth with a snap striking the wounded soldier who let out a gasp of shock as his very blood was slowly frozen. The mercenary stiffened and fell to the ground in a heap. He frowned and looked over at the defenders fighting around that wretched priest, they were looking hard pressed however he was out of fireballs and couldn't recall and other spells that had that efficiency. He paused and looked back to the group he had attacked and frowned seeing more had arrived.
*****
Nym and Erias flew towards a stone circle they had learned about, the divinations had discerned that the Talisarans had been travelling by teleportation stones and they needed to find a way to hinder them... quickly. Nym looked into the sky and new that the full blood red moon he saw would climb higher and soon enough the village would be attacked. They had to hurry.
They came to the stone circle, the stones were the size of small boulders, hidden easily by the grass though laid in an obviously unnatural pattern and looked like a lot more stone was buried in the ground. This was the circle that the attackers had likely teleported to the night of the raid. "It makes sense really." Erias said as he looked at the surrounding hills. "The grass and the hills hide most of it, it's no where near the temple mountains and close enough to the village to get to in an hour."
The ethereal air elemental that was Nym bobbed in what could have been a nod then smiled "Well, let us make it difficult for them at the very least..." he said and concentrated for a moment. Muttering in druidic he called out to the grass and the plants of the area, and they answered.
Soon grass and weeds and roots from nearby trees were growing and entangling over the entire area... anyone who teleported in would have to hack a path through and while that would only grant the village a few minutes it'd be that much more time to prepare. Nym looked over the stones as they were buried beneath the overgrowth and smiled as he began the incantation to summon the very clouds and the powers of lightning. Then he paused as he remembered something. "The stones..." he muttered.
"What was that?" Erias asked.
"The stones... The two skull like boulders." Nym said in his airy voice.
"What about them?"
"What if they're where they Teleport from?"
Erias looked puzzled for a moment then a smile crept slowly to his lips "That, my friend, would make enough sense to be worth a shot..."
Nym bobbed in his air elemental nod once more and gave what must have been a smile "Well, you can call lightning correct? Perhaps you can give them further difficulties here and I can go to the boulders and see if I can't harass them there."
Without waiting for Erias to even finish his nod of agreement Nym sped off at full speed flying over hills and small copses of trees over that lush landscape that felt so barren and lifeless with Talisars shadow looming over it, invisible to every sense save for that that raised the hairs on the back of ones neck. Soon the two hills on either side of the rode with the large stones shaped like boulders came into view, once again when Nym was right atop them practically, he slowed to a stop and started the beginnings of another plant growth spell, he only had this one left so he centered it in between the two stones hoping the area in between would be enough. He then smiled and began summoning clouds over the area, when enough had gathered he decided to wait. Then he saw something odd.
A ribbon of light, like a rip in the air, appeared over the rock that bore closer reseblance to a human skull. Without wasting time he sent a bolt of lightning through the obvious portal and heard a satisfying scream. Smirking, well inwardly smirking as the air elemental form lacked enough discernable features to reveal a smirk, he waited until he could launch another blast. Then a man came through, a gaunt robed figure wearing odd goggle like spectacles, and he looked directly at Nym. Now normally this would have been impossible but Nym new how to make himself invisible to normal eyes, he groaned when he realized it likely had something to do with the goggles. The man wove a spell and more robed figures stepped from the portal, five total. The man muttered another spell and appeared over on the more human looking boulder.
Nym frowned, a feature noticeable in his elemental form, and sent another bolt at the man and pursed his lips when it hit and crackled over a spherical barrier. The figures continued their chanting and Nym sent another bolt down. Some of the figures screamed and fell off only to be replaced by more from the portal. The man frowned and stared at Nym and pulled a vial out from his robes. Unstoppering it he poured an odd blue liquid over the top of the boulder that hissed as it made contact. He then began weaving together another spell. The ghostly druid braced himself for something that might hit him even as a ghost. However the mans hands shot out toward the boulder with the chanting and a fireball erupted over the skull boulder incinerating the robed figures and filling the air with their dying screams. The dead druid could only stare down in grim thoughts as the man disapeared once more. He had just witnessed the appearance of a ritual, and one of sacrifice, something that definitely did not bode well.
*****
Back in the village of Green everyone labored to put up the last bit's of defences, a crude wall built from walls of houses and huts and stake barricades had been set up around the upper tier of the large central hill of the village. While the advantage of higher ground was a good one the odds still weren't in the towns favor. Archers had been positioned on the slanted roof of some of the houses and a group of elite Guardians of Fire stood in front of the village inn who's sole purpose was to be the last line of defence between the comming attackers and the village children. The children of which were being kept in the basement while some of the older and younger villagers who had been or would be in the militia guarded the common rooms. However they were being protected by the Guardians without almost as much as the children.
Delver stood on the roof of the Inn, he had a good view of the entire battle field. Below him to the north part of the hill was Joran with a few Guardians along with Amarbie all looking grim and battle ready... quite the fitting group despite Amarbies friction with that Joran character. To the north and west part of the hill was a relatively large force of the more competent of the village militia backed up by more Guardians and Loren the cleric of Solar. Delver narrowed his eyes in the priests direction but relaxed them upon remembering that the priest had done nothing to hinder his gruesome practice. To the south and west was Treskan and a few more Guardians and militia while to the south and east the newcommer, Alias he called himself, sat upon the roof of a house in a chair no less, Delver could almost swear the odd man was smiling. There was a scattering of Militia and Guardians filling the gaps while the larger groups were focused on the most vulnerable points of the defences.
The Dark elf looked up into the sky to the full blood red moon and frowned. Oblivion was not a natural things, it was the path of the spirit and soul to exist, sometimes they didn't move on like they were supposed to and he worked with those particular spirits using them to animate the corpses he came across. However for them to be wiped out from existance to fuel the energies of the Dark One was something he could not allow. He concentrated ever so slightly, he had managed to find a rat, one of the few creatures that hadn't fled Green as Talisar's shadow swept over the land. This rat he had killed and re-animated sending it down into the basement of the Inn where the children were. If the enemy got through the rat could deliver Delvers magics to the children and rob the attackers of their prize letting the childrens spirits and souls roam free to go wherever they were called which was far better than them being anihilated.
He nodded to himself and looked around, the attackers would be here any moment, and Delver would be more than willing to send them to the next world as fast as they came. He might even get a few more zombies from this battle he thought on a positive note. Clouds began to gather above Treskans group and Delver turned noticing that Erias had returned. He smiled thinly, there were many numbers on the side of the enemy, some of them clerics and wizards, but the people of Green had some rather competent warriors of their own. He looked out into the distance trying to spot the comming attackers, the light of the moon and the numerous torches around the village seemed to be sucked in, and the clouds gathering in the sky didn't seem to help much so Delver slowly adjusted his eyes to view in spectrums that did not require light, and he saw them.
*****
Amarbie looked out over the hill and narrowed her large eyes, they were comming, a large group of mercenaries with some of the dark robed priests behind them. A rather large one was leading the group one akin to the one she had fought during the raid on the village earlier. She readied her bow and checked to make sure her large club was easily accessable. The club looked to be almost as big as the wiry muscled True Elf. Her ears flattened against her skull as thunder rumbled over head, something telling her that the clouds above weren't entirely natural, she had seen Nym summon the very lighting from clouds that gathered swiftly and she hoped that these were from either Nym or Erias. She ran a hand through her wild hair and returned her focus on her quarry, this battle was hardly fair, all her enemies were men.
An arrow slid out of the quiver and was knocked and the bowstring drawn back. Her bow was made for those with strength, and while she may not look it the sleight and wiry True Elf was stronger than most of the men here, even without the gauntlets she wore that enhanced her effective strength considerably. She took aim, one of the soldiers near the large one, he was one she wanted to crush personally with her own club. She waited and waited and finally saw her opening as the soldiers began to move forward at a quicker rate. She loosed her bow and the arrow sped forth and struck true as a scream of pain and rage tore from the mans throat. Amarbie gave a pursed smile and readied another arrow as the sounds of battle begin to rise about her.
*****
Alias smiled as he looked down at the approaching enemy soldiers and clerics. He scanned the area for anyone who might retaliate with arcane magic however there did not appear to be anyone. There were a few archers on the roof of the nearby house, and a few soldiers down at the side of the house where the only wall between buildings was the wooden spiked barricade. Yes, he was at his most useful here, these poor bastards would be overwhelmed otherwise. He smiled, a disturbing smile that spoke of one who enjoyed and reveled in the power he held at his fingertips, he smiled wider as a fireball erupted cooking a goodly number of soldiers in their armor. Apparently Delver had been focusing his attention this way. He smiled to himself again revelling in the comming battle. Then he began casting.
The lightning bolt was far brighter than it normally would, he had energized the already devastating spell to increase it's power, and the grin on his face was broad indeed when he saw the energy fry his enemies within their metal armor. A few of the priests dropped too, though the most damage was done to the mercenaries, some of which were still standing after jumping aside from the bolt. Alias frowned at this. The cultists began chanting and the sorcerer lifted a brow. "Protection from Good..." he murmered, "Bless and Prayers..." followed by a frown. "Well, if they want to be protected from me then so be it..." his olive skinned face broke out into a grin. "But they'll have some difficulty in fighting evil creatures." and proceeded to mutter another incantation as the Black Fists charged and the Archers on the roof nearby began firing at them. Two Wolves, with glowing red eyes and coal black fur shimmered into being in a red glow, "Sick 'em." Alias said and the fiendish beasts went after the enemy soldiers with a hunger.
Alias nodded, quite pleased, while the wolves would be cut down eventually he had already slain a good chunk of their number before they had even begun the charge. It was going to be a pretty easy fight and the chances were he'd only have to use his trump card just for his entertainment. He smiled and relished the idea.
*****
Amarbie let loose another arrow which flew wide of her intended target, she frowned and let off another one, this one struck true though her frown didn't disapear. They were closing in. The True Elf ran a slender hand through her wild hair and picked up her great club giving it a good test swing. She had the backing of a few soldiers, and that Joran, the though of this made her frown deepen. Fighting alongside so many men. One of the mercenaries began working to break the barricade and was soon met with more of his Black Fist brethren, Guardians moved in to engage them before they could do too much damage and soon swords were out nearly at arms length as they tried to fend off the attackers. Joran hit one of the mercenaries with two well placed strikes cutting him down as a heavily armored man came up and brought his sword down on the barricade sundering it with apparent ease.
Amarbie didn't have time to give pause as the Black Fists charged forward she swung her great club and easily broke through the male's meager defence of an upraised swordblade through the sword arm wide as her club connected solidly with the mans skull. Blood flew from his mouth and nose and his crushed face as the wiry True Elf leapt into the air and came down with her club connecting for a finishing blow hearing the satisfying crack of a snapping neck. Barely having time to wipe some of the man's blood from her face she saw the large armored figure with the black cloak cut down the two of the members of the village militia that fought with them with ease. She looked to Joran who was fighting off two competent looking mercenaries, lieutenants she imagined, he looked at her and then to the large figure and nodded before resuming his combat. That one, while being annoying in the True Elfs eyes, was a good warrior. She took his cue and swinging her oversized club with such great force that she heard it crush the mercenaries ribs through the meager chain and mail and proceeded to advance toward the Black Fist captain. He paused and welcomed the comming of the amazon with an evil grin.
*****
Loren was hard pressed, he had had just enough time to cast a few spells on his men to bolster their defences when the enemy struck the barricade, he broke through one of the higher soldiers force of will and the man managed to cut down a few of his lessers before swords and axes from both sides took him down. He frowned and cast another spell on himself, he was a cleric of Solar, and while he didn't worship the valorious combatative aspect of the Sun God he did know a few things about fighting and had prayed for the appropriate spells for such.
He was still close to the back of the defenders, mostly militia backed up with his spells and a decent number of Guardians, Treskan was across the way defending another weak point with more of the Guardians. The young priest managed to get off a couple more spells of defence before the fight reached him and waded towards one of the mercenaries in plate and mail. He swung his mace which was deflected off the enemie's shield and raised his own shield deflecting the returning blow. He pursed his lips and swung again the enhanced power of his blow, the gift of Solar's favor, dented the enemies armor and he heard the crack of ribs before the mercenary let out a scream of pain and rage. This one was a tough one though and kept comming despite the viscious blow. His shield now enchanted with the divine protection deflected a furious combination of blows from the man before Loren brought his mace to bear again. He made as though to swing the mace at the warriors ribs once more, the mercenary moved to strike at the apparent opening, and Loren switched the angel of the swing at the last moment using every ounce of his enhanced strength and the momentum of the swing to bring the mace down and up. The mace broke through the soldiers sword and came back up in a viscious uppercut shattering the mans unprotected jaw, the mercenary staggered bumping into a Guardian who promptly pushed him back towards Loren and into the life ending swing of the priests holy mace, the metal clade figure dropped to the ground his corpse lit by a flash of lightning from one of Erias' summoned lightning.
Loren didn't wait and waded back into the combat he had drifted from and smiled, a little deception while fighting in Solar's name and for the sake of a village was of little consequence to the priest, the price of failure would be far to great for him to consider any foolish notions of fighting with honor. He smiled grimly, that was why he had become a cleric and not a paladin... a slightly different point of view and approach to serving Solar. "Grant no quarter!" he cried as his mace came down on the helmeted head of another soldier the armor doing little to save the man from a broken neck. "Green must not fall this night!"
*****
Treskan didn't like how this was going, a few of his Guardians were already dead, sure they were but recruits but they were better combatants than even the most seasoned veteran footsoldiers of any normal military. Alas the enemy had the aid of priests in enhancing their mercenaries from the look of it, not to mention these were Black Fists, tougher than most, after all this was the group where the toughest and meanest and most amoral mercenaries went after being kicked out of all the other bands. These were the ones who'd literally do anything for the right gold, slaying or kidnapping children, slaughtering a village, these thoughts filled Treskans mind and fueled his sword arm. They were going down easily enough but more would come to fill their places. They had two units of Black Fists here, which if he recalled correctly meant two captains and four, possibly six lieutenants, which meant a tough fight even for the battle hardened Guardians of Fire fighting at his side.
His sword found an opening in a plate of armor of one of his enemies and slid through his thigh with ease. Pulling it out seemed to be another matter as the sword wouldn't come. He frowned and swung his armored fist connecting solidly with the mans jaw the helmet must have fallen off earlier in the battle. He planted a boot to the mans chest and shoved him back glad for the advantage of height in the combat as the mercenary fell down the hill knocking over comrades as he fell. Treskan gave a grim smile and removed his battle axe from his belt, he preferred fighting with that particular weapon anyway.
A couple soldiers came at him at the same time, the battle hardened veteran deflected both attackers with axe and shield before bashing one aside and bringing his axe down on the other where the shoulder met the base of the neck, wrenching the axe free he pushed him down the hill to meet his lieutenant in the hells and swung the axe around just in time to throw aside the second soldiers blade. Guarding his side from any counterattack he reversed his swing bringing the axe back around to cut through the protection og the mercenaries helm and lodge into his skull. He wrenched the axe free again and proceeded to lay into the enemy not stopping but only letting out a muttered curse as he saw another unit of Black Fists attacking. One was struck by lightning dropping the man to the ground as he spasmed from the voltage flowing through him. Using that sign of divine aid likely the courtesy of Erias he called out "For Green!" and the call was met, a simple yet effective way to boost the morale of his comrades, this was going to be a hard battle on this end.
*****
Delver unleashed another fireball to relieve the beleagured defenders of Captain Treskan's group. He nodded in satisfaction as he saw a good number of enemy soldiers fall then frowned, the one's the Guardians had been in melee with had managed to squeeze around or had been trying to fight over the baricade, now after his fire ball a good swing with the sword and pull with the gauntlet brought the thing down opening a way for the attackers. He watched as they isolated and cutdown two of the guardians of fire then saw Treskan shove the man down the hill and proceed to defend against two mercenaries before a bolt of lightning struck. He nodded noting that that group had the backing of Erias their druid and turned his attention back to Amarbie. He saw a group of mercenaries charging in to aid in fighting Joran and the Wild Elf and their Guardian allies and smiled as he let loose his final fireball dropping most of the soldiers in screams of agony, though some of the reinforcements arrived.
The Dark Elf turned his attentions to the area Alias was helping defend and noticed some soldiers had broken through the baricade and were giving the few soldiers stationed there a hard time. He began casting an incantation and soon a bolt of ice blue light shots forth with a snap striking the wounded soldier who let out a gasp of shock as his very blood was slowly frozen. The mercenary stiffened and fell to the ground in a heap. He frowned and looked over at the defenders fighting around that wretched priest, they were looking hard pressed however he was out of fireballs and couldn't recall and other spells that had that efficiency. He paused and looked back to the group he had attacked and frowned seeing more had arrived.
*****
Last edited:
Renfield
Explorer
Oblivion comes to Green pt. 3
Alias stood on the roof nearly dancing as he launched out another empowered lightningbolt though this one slayed less than the first. He frowned upon seeing more mercenaries advance and decided to pull out his trump card. He moved to the top of the roof and called out to the clouds above "Now!" he cried and pointed to the soldiers as they finished off the last fiendish wolf "Attack!"
As he spoke the clouds whirled down and a huge cyclone of air and cloud sped down to the earth landing shortly after Alias had spoken the command to attack. The huge air elemental glared down at the assembeled mercenaries who gaped up in fear at the thing. One column of air that spun so hard it seemed solid swung down and slamed into the body of an unfortunate Black Fist throwing the mercenary like a rag doll. The body flew past Alias who had to dodge aside to avoid being hit by the corpse. Alias stood back up tall and laughed, laughed maniacally at the rush of the sheer power he held, which was far more than most of his calibur and experience should have but he was smart and played his card right. He continued to laugh as the air elemental batted aside soldiers like insects and easily avoided or absorbed their blows not seeming phased in the slightest by the puny swords.
Alias looked down and frowned noticing that a group of mercenaries had gotten through the barricade and were making short work of the small group of Guardians of Fire left defending that area. He saw one of the men get struck by a blue bolt of energy and smiled in satisfaction as he froze from within and fell to the ground with a thud. "I love that spell!" he said to himself and laughed madly as he sent unleashed the same spell hitting another soldier and watching as he stiffened before frowning when he continued fighting. "Damn idiot," he muttered to himself "doesn't want to die the easy way." he added and after seeing the mercenary slay another guardian of fire he cast another spell sending a bolt of fire down and angling it just right that he not only his the mercenary that chose not to die but his comrade fighting next to him. This time the man dropped and his friend howled in pain, a distraction that earned him a sword in the chest from one of the defenders, Alias laughed maniacly once more and turned just in time to see another body flying towards him "Hey, watch where you're throwing those!" he shouted to the elemental. What a dupe, agreed to join in the fight just so i could spend a year or so being taught about the Prime Material Plain, and it didn't even know much to begin with.
"This is getting fun." Alias said to no one in particular and sat back down in his chair.
*****
Amarbie swung her club up just in time to parry the powerful downward strike of the captains blade, this man was good she hated admitting that but he was, he had gotten in two good hits and she had yet to get one in. His armor was strong, likely enchanted, as was his sword she imagined. The wild elf nimbly dodged another powerful swing bringing her club up in time to parry yet another attack. She managed to surprise him with her strength there and threw his sword arm wide and tride to swing her club back in to the opening but he twisted and managed to deflect the blow with his shield. This was pissing her off. She concentrated on her oponent, thought about how he was working for money, how he agreed to help Talisarans slaughter children and innocent villagers for nothing but a gold coin or three, she was almost surprised at how fast the rage came too her.
The Black Fist captain took a step back as he saw the slightly figure of the True Elf literally grow, her corded muscled buldged and she seemed to visibly gain a few inches in height, still the human towered over her but the effect was startling nonetheless. Oh he had fought others who use the power of rage on occasion but never a True Elf. She gave a high pitched war cry and lunged forward swinging her great club at the man's leg, he moved his sword to parry the blow bracing himself but grunting in pain as her club threw the guarding blade to the side and crashed into the mans shins. She danced around to the mercenaries side and swung the club once more hitting the man in the gut denting his armor. He spun around and swung his sword at Amarbie, the True Elf spun around trying to move with the blow but still managed to get a deep gash in her thigh for her efforts. She used the momentum of her spin to swing the club around and slam the huge chunk of wood and metal into the mans back.
He roared with rage and swung another blow of which Amarbie had tried to duck away from and managed to avoid the strike, for the most part, he still managed to cut into her shoulder with the sword tip and she felt blood trickle down her arm to match the feel of the blood running down her thigh. Then there were the two blows she had taken earlier that had her side and her other leg. She growled and shook her head red rage clearing away the pain. She had to finish this warrior, now. With another cry she swung her from the right purposefully comming up short, the mercenary fell for the feint, she batted aside the parrying sword and used the momentum of the swing to bring the club to her left and them up overhead and down right atop the mercenaries skull. She heard a satisfying crack that was as likely from the neck as it was the skull and landed on the ground, not realising she had jumped up, as the Black Fist captain fell to the ground dead.
Amarbie smiled and wiped blood from her face before seeing a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eyes, she shot out a hand and grabbed the object that had been thrown to her and looked to Joran who nodded and smirked, she frowned then smirked as well and unstoppered the vial and downed the liquid contents. The sweet taste of the liquid was no sooner down her throat than she felt it working it's magics on her body sealing some of the more viscious wounds. Not as potently as she would like but better than nothing. She then jumped as something heavy fell not five feet away from her. She looked over and saw the crumpled body of one of the mercenaries and looking up from where it fell and slid she imagined it had been thrown there. She shook her head and looked to Joran who quickly dispatched the final mercenary on their area.
"Quick, Loren and the defenders are being overrun!" he shouted over the din of the battle and they both moved to assist the priest.
*****
Treskan was in a bad way, he and a few Guardians were fighting back to back, and the lightning strikes had ceased falling a short time ago while there was still plenty of enemy soldiers attacking. Their forces had been cut down like lambs to the slaughter on this end. He swung his blade and awkwardly parried the two swords that came in from two different mercenaries, both lieutenants and both reasonably skilled, singlehandedly they'd be easy, together they were quite difficult. He parried another attack from one with his shield and with his sword parried the other. He had lost his axe earlier on and had taken up the sword from a mercenary captain he had killed and was putting it to good use, use that didn't involve losing because it got stuck in someones leg, he threw aside the blade of one attacker while blocking an attack with his shield and brought his sword around and up thrusting the blade deep into the left side of the mercenaries chest. His heart to be precise.
He managed to quickly dispatch the other soldier spinning and slicing at the back of his leg cutting through his tendon bring the man to his knees before whipping around to behead the mercenary. He parried the blow of a footsoldier and kicked him back before lunging forward and plunging his sword through the mans unprotected throat. That was when Treskan realised he had been seperated from the rest of the Guardians. A mistake on any battlefield and one well known to the grizzeled old veteran. He rushed back towards the three remaining guardians as they tried fighting off the soldiers shoving one mercenary down the side of the hill and sticking another from behind. He got up just as a Black Fist captain took down one of Treskans men with a blade through the chest.
Treskan screamed distracting at least one of the enemy soldiers enough for a Guardian to take advantage and dispatch him. He made it back and turned giving a shout of encouragement to his doomed companions. Two captains left and plenty of their lessers to back them up. Not good indeed. The fireball had taken the barricade and now it was only those three holding that part of the hill. The captain of Green's Guardians felt one of his comrades go down his body falling towards the captain that had dispatched him throwing the enemy off balance enough for Treskan to plunge his sword into the black armored mercenary's side. He twisted his blade and ripped it out planting a foot behind the captain before shoving his shield into his chest and sending the dying man down the hill. He now fought back to back with the last remaining Guardian.
This was the end. He knew it. Both knew it. "For Green and Alagor!" both cried out and renewed their attacks with fury, he felt a stab of pain in his shoulder and looked back to see the Guardian had been run clean through. Ripping his sword out of the footsoldier he had slain he whipped his blade around but not in time to deflect the blow. Pain shot through his side as the enemies sword cut through his armor and into his ribs under his shield arm. He clutched the blade there with a gaunleted hand growling as he brought his sword around in an awkward angle but still his the intended target of the mercenaries neck sinking his blade in deep. Treskan felt another pain, far more potent than the one before, and screamed as he saw a sword point sticking out through his breastplate. He dropped his sword and reached behind himself to clutch at the offending wepon to get it out of him. He felt himself going faint and growled in defiance but only got a slash at his leg for his troubles. The blade was wrenched free sending another jolt of pain through his body, causing him to pass out and drift into the darkness of death, this was indeed the end.
*****
More ice blue bolts shot from both Delver and Alias's hands striking different targets as they ran through the barricade and towards the inn. "They've breached the southeast wall" Delver called down in warning to the Guardians though they were well aware of the comming soldiers. There were only a handfull of Guardians, and the enemy soldiers that were attacking might pose only a mild discomfort, though one could never be too safe.
Alias looked over and saw the mercenary soldiers heading over to the central building and saw Amarbie turn to assist the Guardians there. He nodded and turned in time to duck yet another thrown body and growled at the elemental "Are you *trying* to hit me?" he shouted then shot a line of flame down at some passing soldiers. He frowned in frustration as one dodged the attack and the other didn't seem to hurt by the flames.
Turning he shouted to the air elemental "You, stop them!" he said pointing to the two fleeing soldiers. The air elemental tornadoed into the air above Alias' head and came down in front of two very frightened mercenaries. Alias turned and bent over to look in one of his numerous pockets for the spell components of another combative spell and stood up after feeling a rush of wind over his body just in time to see the flying corpse of a mercenary hit the ground near the base of the hill. He glared daggers at the elemental as it moved on to attack a few more stragglers before turning and noticing it was all clear on the west side. Funny, he hadn't seen any of the Talisaran priests rushing into battle. "Cowards." he scoffed dismissively.
*****
Joran rushed to Loren's side, the beleagured priest of Solar was hard pressed and gave the ranger a thankful look when his two blades stabbed into either side of the Black Fist captain the cleric had been fighting. A look down the side of the hill showed Erias finishing off a few mercenaries with the aid of a few summoned creatures though the top of the hill still had mercenaries to fight. Joran frowned, most of the mercenaries here had come from the southwestern wall which likely meant Treskan had fallen, he was a good man and a great warrior whom Joran had fought alongside in a few previous battles. "Live by the sword..." he muttered before swinging one of his shortblades to parry a blow from a soldier, his other blade came around to parry the attack of another soldier. He saw Lorens mace crush the skull of the first so he turned his attention on the other fighting back to back with Loren his left blade threw aside the mans shield while the right blade his the mercenaries sword and with a sharp flick of his wrist he flung the weapon to the side just enough to plunge his sword into the mans chest.
Kicking that mercenary back he quickly dispatched another and smiled as he noticed that despite the odds it almost seemed like they'd win, hell, the clerics had all left, that thought only caused him to frown before he grunted as a blade cut into his arm. He growled and lunged forward his shortsword sticking his attacker in the neck. With battle awareness boardering on precognition his other blade snapped out to parry yet another attack and he spun around twirling his shortsword so that he held it blade down and stabbed it into the offending mercenaries back.
He whirled about to look for another fight and saw that all was silent save for the labored breathing of the town defenders. Some of the militia had survived and a bout ten of the Guardians of Fire not counting those guarding the Inn stood around him. Loren was standing near him breathing heavily having just felled the last apparent Black Fist captain. The Guardians quickly went about ensuring that all the soldiers in the immediate vicinity were dead, one way or another.
*****
Nym had arrived toward the end of the battle and saw that the town was to win he landed upon the roof next to Delver who had exhausted most of his spells. Delver looked over to the spirit as the dead Druid was making sure he wasn't seen by the defenders of Green. They both watched as the last enemy soldiers were slain and the remaining defenders looked around as though not believing the battle was over. There was no cheer of victory.
Nym looked up to the moon that sat fat in the night sky and shone blood red as it hung above them. The druid's burned face frowned "Something isn't right..." he said.
"What do you mean?" came Delver's calm voice betraying a hint of concern. Druids had a knack for feeling things that were unnatural, and there was very little in the world that wasn't natural in some respect.
Nym's ethereal brow furrowed in frustration "I don't kno-" he said but was cut off as both of them saw it at the same time.
Looking down the ghostly druid and the dark elven necromancer watched as motes of red lights floated up from the various corpses and into the sky coalescing into indivual spheres, likely one for each of the dead, their soulspirits. The two only watched in horror as the spheres of crimson light floated towards the moon and seemed to just blink out of existance. Soon after others began seeing the lights, collective gasps and breaths of shock and horror came from the assembeled defenders as they realized what they were seeing, these soulspirits were blinking out of existance.
Realization dawned upon Nym's face as he made his way down to where Loren stood Delver stayed upon the roof watching the resulting oblivion of the soulspirits of the dead simply frowning. Loren looked up at the ghost his eyes glistening with held back tears showing he too realized the gravity and the tragedy that was occuring here. "How is this happening?" he asked himself with a steady voice that screamed with the desire to break.
"I-" Nym started, he had made himself visible for the priest who didn't so much as flinch at the undead druids sudden appearance. "I think it was the ritual I saw performed at the Skull Stones..." he said.
Joran approached as he heard this and frowned, blood caked his beard and he looked as though he had seen better days, "A last ditch effort..." he said.
"What?" both priest and druid spoke in unison. By this time Delver had joined as well.
"They couldn't have the child sacrifices they needed in time, it was too late for another kidnapping so they made this a last ditch effort." the ranger said still frowning. "The ritual you saw was likely one that would get the same effect but used all who died this night as sacrifices..."
"Oh Solar..." Loren said "all those souls obliviated... for Talisar." the priest looked as though he were about to break down before he took a breath and stood up bolstering himself "I must attend to the wounded." he said and proceeded off on the task.
Delver looked a little pale to Nym and he frowned and moved closer to the dark elf. "Something troubles you more than the obvious my friend, what is it?" he asked.
Delver looked up at the ghostly druid and said in his passive dry voice that did well covering any emotion the necromancer might have. "I had set a rat down there so that I could slay the children should the mercenaries get through... it was to keep their souls from meeting oblivion..." he said and paused. "If things hadn't gone as well..."
Nym nodded in understanding and looked up to the Blood Moon with a frown. Joran was explaining what the motes had been to Amarbie, they were all gone now. Every enemy slain, every, defender slain, chances are the Talisarans had sent the number of mercenaries afterthem that they did for the soul purpose of maximum casualties. All of the enemy or all of the village, either way didn't matter to them so long as they got their sacrifices. This would be a night mourned for a long time in the village of Green, a night that would be imbedded in the souls of all the men who had seen the soulspirits die out, it would be remembered as the night Oblivion had come to Green.
Alias stood on the roof nearly dancing as he launched out another empowered lightningbolt though this one slayed less than the first. He frowned upon seeing more mercenaries advance and decided to pull out his trump card. He moved to the top of the roof and called out to the clouds above "Now!" he cried and pointed to the soldiers as they finished off the last fiendish wolf "Attack!"
As he spoke the clouds whirled down and a huge cyclone of air and cloud sped down to the earth landing shortly after Alias had spoken the command to attack. The huge air elemental glared down at the assembeled mercenaries who gaped up in fear at the thing. One column of air that spun so hard it seemed solid swung down and slamed into the body of an unfortunate Black Fist throwing the mercenary like a rag doll. The body flew past Alias who had to dodge aside to avoid being hit by the corpse. Alias stood back up tall and laughed, laughed maniacally at the rush of the sheer power he held, which was far more than most of his calibur and experience should have but he was smart and played his card right. He continued to laugh as the air elemental batted aside soldiers like insects and easily avoided or absorbed their blows not seeming phased in the slightest by the puny swords.
Alias looked down and frowned noticing that a group of mercenaries had gotten through the barricade and were making short work of the small group of Guardians of Fire left defending that area. He saw one of the men get struck by a blue bolt of energy and smiled in satisfaction as he froze from within and fell to the ground with a thud. "I love that spell!" he said to himself and laughed madly as he sent unleashed the same spell hitting another soldier and watching as he stiffened before frowning when he continued fighting. "Damn idiot," he muttered to himself "doesn't want to die the easy way." he added and after seeing the mercenary slay another guardian of fire he cast another spell sending a bolt of fire down and angling it just right that he not only his the mercenary that chose not to die but his comrade fighting next to him. This time the man dropped and his friend howled in pain, a distraction that earned him a sword in the chest from one of the defenders, Alias laughed maniacly once more and turned just in time to see another body flying towards him "Hey, watch where you're throwing those!" he shouted to the elemental. What a dupe, agreed to join in the fight just so i could spend a year or so being taught about the Prime Material Plain, and it didn't even know much to begin with.
"This is getting fun." Alias said to no one in particular and sat back down in his chair.
*****
Amarbie swung her club up just in time to parry the powerful downward strike of the captains blade, this man was good she hated admitting that but he was, he had gotten in two good hits and she had yet to get one in. His armor was strong, likely enchanted, as was his sword she imagined. The wild elf nimbly dodged another powerful swing bringing her club up in time to parry yet another attack. She managed to surprise him with her strength there and threw his sword arm wide and tride to swing her club back in to the opening but he twisted and managed to deflect the blow with his shield. This was pissing her off. She concentrated on her oponent, thought about how he was working for money, how he agreed to help Talisarans slaughter children and innocent villagers for nothing but a gold coin or three, she was almost surprised at how fast the rage came too her.
The Black Fist captain took a step back as he saw the slightly figure of the True Elf literally grow, her corded muscled buldged and she seemed to visibly gain a few inches in height, still the human towered over her but the effect was startling nonetheless. Oh he had fought others who use the power of rage on occasion but never a True Elf. She gave a high pitched war cry and lunged forward swinging her great club at the man's leg, he moved his sword to parry the blow bracing himself but grunting in pain as her club threw the guarding blade to the side and crashed into the mans shins. She danced around to the mercenaries side and swung the club once more hitting the man in the gut denting his armor. He spun around and swung his sword at Amarbie, the True Elf spun around trying to move with the blow but still managed to get a deep gash in her thigh for her efforts. She used the momentum of her spin to swing the club around and slam the huge chunk of wood and metal into the mans back.
He roared with rage and swung another blow of which Amarbie had tried to duck away from and managed to avoid the strike, for the most part, he still managed to cut into her shoulder with the sword tip and she felt blood trickle down her arm to match the feel of the blood running down her thigh. Then there were the two blows she had taken earlier that had her side and her other leg. She growled and shook her head red rage clearing away the pain. She had to finish this warrior, now. With another cry she swung her from the right purposefully comming up short, the mercenary fell for the feint, she batted aside the parrying sword and used the momentum of the swing to bring the club to her left and them up overhead and down right atop the mercenaries skull. She heard a satisfying crack that was as likely from the neck as it was the skull and landed on the ground, not realising she had jumped up, as the Black Fist captain fell to the ground dead.
Amarbie smiled and wiped blood from her face before seeing a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eyes, she shot out a hand and grabbed the object that had been thrown to her and looked to Joran who nodded and smirked, she frowned then smirked as well and unstoppered the vial and downed the liquid contents. The sweet taste of the liquid was no sooner down her throat than she felt it working it's magics on her body sealing some of the more viscious wounds. Not as potently as she would like but better than nothing. She then jumped as something heavy fell not five feet away from her. She looked over and saw the crumpled body of one of the mercenaries and looking up from where it fell and slid she imagined it had been thrown there. She shook her head and looked to Joran who quickly dispatched the final mercenary on their area.
"Quick, Loren and the defenders are being overrun!" he shouted over the din of the battle and they both moved to assist the priest.
*****
Treskan was in a bad way, he and a few Guardians were fighting back to back, and the lightning strikes had ceased falling a short time ago while there was still plenty of enemy soldiers attacking. Their forces had been cut down like lambs to the slaughter on this end. He swung his blade and awkwardly parried the two swords that came in from two different mercenaries, both lieutenants and both reasonably skilled, singlehandedly they'd be easy, together they were quite difficult. He parried another attack from one with his shield and with his sword parried the other. He had lost his axe earlier on and had taken up the sword from a mercenary captain he had killed and was putting it to good use, use that didn't involve losing because it got stuck in someones leg, he threw aside the blade of one attacker while blocking an attack with his shield and brought his sword around and up thrusting the blade deep into the left side of the mercenaries chest. His heart to be precise.
He managed to quickly dispatch the other soldier spinning and slicing at the back of his leg cutting through his tendon bring the man to his knees before whipping around to behead the mercenary. He parried the blow of a footsoldier and kicked him back before lunging forward and plunging his sword through the mans unprotected throat. That was when Treskan realised he had been seperated from the rest of the Guardians. A mistake on any battlefield and one well known to the grizzeled old veteran. He rushed back towards the three remaining guardians as they tried fighting off the soldiers shoving one mercenary down the side of the hill and sticking another from behind. He got up just as a Black Fist captain took down one of Treskans men with a blade through the chest.
Treskan screamed distracting at least one of the enemy soldiers enough for a Guardian to take advantage and dispatch him. He made it back and turned giving a shout of encouragement to his doomed companions. Two captains left and plenty of their lessers to back them up. Not good indeed. The fireball had taken the barricade and now it was only those three holding that part of the hill. The captain of Green's Guardians felt one of his comrades go down his body falling towards the captain that had dispatched him throwing the enemy off balance enough for Treskan to plunge his sword into the black armored mercenary's side. He twisted his blade and ripped it out planting a foot behind the captain before shoving his shield into his chest and sending the dying man down the hill. He now fought back to back with the last remaining Guardian.
This was the end. He knew it. Both knew it. "For Green and Alagor!" both cried out and renewed their attacks with fury, he felt a stab of pain in his shoulder and looked back to see the Guardian had been run clean through. Ripping his sword out of the footsoldier he had slain he whipped his blade around but not in time to deflect the blow. Pain shot through his side as the enemies sword cut through his armor and into his ribs under his shield arm. He clutched the blade there with a gaunleted hand growling as he brought his sword around in an awkward angle but still his the intended target of the mercenaries neck sinking his blade in deep. Treskan felt another pain, far more potent than the one before, and screamed as he saw a sword point sticking out through his breastplate. He dropped his sword and reached behind himself to clutch at the offending wepon to get it out of him. He felt himself going faint and growled in defiance but only got a slash at his leg for his troubles. The blade was wrenched free sending another jolt of pain through his body, causing him to pass out and drift into the darkness of death, this was indeed the end.
*****
More ice blue bolts shot from both Delver and Alias's hands striking different targets as they ran through the barricade and towards the inn. "They've breached the southeast wall" Delver called down in warning to the Guardians though they were well aware of the comming soldiers. There were only a handfull of Guardians, and the enemy soldiers that were attacking might pose only a mild discomfort, though one could never be too safe.
Alias looked over and saw the mercenary soldiers heading over to the central building and saw Amarbie turn to assist the Guardians there. He nodded and turned in time to duck yet another thrown body and growled at the elemental "Are you *trying* to hit me?" he shouted then shot a line of flame down at some passing soldiers. He frowned in frustration as one dodged the attack and the other didn't seem to hurt by the flames.
Turning he shouted to the air elemental "You, stop them!" he said pointing to the two fleeing soldiers. The air elemental tornadoed into the air above Alias' head and came down in front of two very frightened mercenaries. Alias turned and bent over to look in one of his numerous pockets for the spell components of another combative spell and stood up after feeling a rush of wind over his body just in time to see the flying corpse of a mercenary hit the ground near the base of the hill. He glared daggers at the elemental as it moved on to attack a few more stragglers before turning and noticing it was all clear on the west side. Funny, he hadn't seen any of the Talisaran priests rushing into battle. "Cowards." he scoffed dismissively.
*****
Joran rushed to Loren's side, the beleagured priest of Solar was hard pressed and gave the ranger a thankful look when his two blades stabbed into either side of the Black Fist captain the cleric had been fighting. A look down the side of the hill showed Erias finishing off a few mercenaries with the aid of a few summoned creatures though the top of the hill still had mercenaries to fight. Joran frowned, most of the mercenaries here had come from the southwestern wall which likely meant Treskan had fallen, he was a good man and a great warrior whom Joran had fought alongside in a few previous battles. "Live by the sword..." he muttered before swinging one of his shortblades to parry a blow from a soldier, his other blade came around to parry the attack of another soldier. He saw Lorens mace crush the skull of the first so he turned his attention on the other fighting back to back with Loren his left blade threw aside the mans shield while the right blade his the mercenaries sword and with a sharp flick of his wrist he flung the weapon to the side just enough to plunge his sword into the mans chest.
Kicking that mercenary back he quickly dispatched another and smiled as he noticed that despite the odds it almost seemed like they'd win, hell, the clerics had all left, that thought only caused him to frown before he grunted as a blade cut into his arm. He growled and lunged forward his shortsword sticking his attacker in the neck. With battle awareness boardering on precognition his other blade snapped out to parry yet another attack and he spun around twirling his shortsword so that he held it blade down and stabbed it into the offending mercenaries back.
He whirled about to look for another fight and saw that all was silent save for the labored breathing of the town defenders. Some of the militia had survived and a bout ten of the Guardians of Fire not counting those guarding the Inn stood around him. Loren was standing near him breathing heavily having just felled the last apparent Black Fist captain. The Guardians quickly went about ensuring that all the soldiers in the immediate vicinity were dead, one way or another.
*****
Nym had arrived toward the end of the battle and saw that the town was to win he landed upon the roof next to Delver who had exhausted most of his spells. Delver looked over to the spirit as the dead Druid was making sure he wasn't seen by the defenders of Green. They both watched as the last enemy soldiers were slain and the remaining defenders looked around as though not believing the battle was over. There was no cheer of victory.
Nym looked up to the moon that sat fat in the night sky and shone blood red as it hung above them. The druid's burned face frowned "Something isn't right..." he said.
"What do you mean?" came Delver's calm voice betraying a hint of concern. Druids had a knack for feeling things that were unnatural, and there was very little in the world that wasn't natural in some respect.
Nym's ethereal brow furrowed in frustration "I don't kno-" he said but was cut off as both of them saw it at the same time.
Looking down the ghostly druid and the dark elven necromancer watched as motes of red lights floated up from the various corpses and into the sky coalescing into indivual spheres, likely one for each of the dead, their soulspirits. The two only watched in horror as the spheres of crimson light floated towards the moon and seemed to just blink out of existance. Soon after others began seeing the lights, collective gasps and breaths of shock and horror came from the assembeled defenders as they realized what they were seeing, these soulspirits were blinking out of existance.
Realization dawned upon Nym's face as he made his way down to where Loren stood Delver stayed upon the roof watching the resulting oblivion of the soulspirits of the dead simply frowning. Loren looked up at the ghost his eyes glistening with held back tears showing he too realized the gravity and the tragedy that was occuring here. "How is this happening?" he asked himself with a steady voice that screamed with the desire to break.
"I-" Nym started, he had made himself visible for the priest who didn't so much as flinch at the undead druids sudden appearance. "I think it was the ritual I saw performed at the Skull Stones..." he said.
Joran approached as he heard this and frowned, blood caked his beard and he looked as though he had seen better days, "A last ditch effort..." he said.
"What?" both priest and druid spoke in unison. By this time Delver had joined as well.
"They couldn't have the child sacrifices they needed in time, it was too late for another kidnapping so they made this a last ditch effort." the ranger said still frowning. "The ritual you saw was likely one that would get the same effect but used all who died this night as sacrifices..."
"Oh Solar..." Loren said "all those souls obliviated... for Talisar." the priest looked as though he were about to break down before he took a breath and stood up bolstering himself "I must attend to the wounded." he said and proceeded off on the task.
Delver looked a little pale to Nym and he frowned and moved closer to the dark elf. "Something troubles you more than the obvious my friend, what is it?" he asked.
Delver looked up at the ghostly druid and said in his passive dry voice that did well covering any emotion the necromancer might have. "I had set a rat down there so that I could slay the children should the mercenaries get through... it was to keep their souls from meeting oblivion..." he said and paused. "If things hadn't gone as well..."
Nym nodded in understanding and looked up to the Blood Moon with a frown. Joran was explaining what the motes had been to Amarbie, they were all gone now. Every enemy slain, every, defender slain, chances are the Talisarans had sent the number of mercenaries afterthem that they did for the soul purpose of maximum casualties. All of the enemy or all of the village, either way didn't matter to them so long as they got their sacrifices. This would be a night mourned for a long time in the village of Green, a night that would be imbedded in the souls of all the men who had seen the soulspirits die out, it would be remembered as the night Oblivion had come to Green.
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