RE: The Rise of Domrius

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Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (1/29/2015 13:36:57)
Hyden had seen many different types of deception in his life and line of work; the Zaran commander's was no different. After Ytha's comments two very different people stepped forward. One claimed themselves to be Ishia, yet they were timid and passive. Only stepping forward after the other began to move. The other, moved with more authority and refused to tolerate Ytha's words. It was clear who was the fake and who was the real one in Hyden's eyes, however, Ytha did not seem to notice this. He would not tell her though. This was her mission and his pupil would have to find out on her own. As the mission began, Hyden, Ytha and the rest of the unit disappeared with only the wind blowing faintly where they once stood. Je's stealth group didn't stray far from Zara's. Keeping a close watch on them from the treetop Ytha and her unit made their way across the mountain side and to the foothills. She was extremely grateful that the forest was big enough to have a few good treebranches that could support their weight. Being down there with Ishia, she felt, would end up being detrimental to the mission. As she waited, one of her scouts came back, appearing on a nearby branch. "Well?" The scout bowed to Ytha and gave his report. "Hai, it is just as Master Fon believed. Besides the scouts we've saw in the forest, beyond this point, there are also trained guards." Ytha looked around from her vantage point. "One, two, three.....four. Four scouts near our area. We should start to move again." "Hmm, well we should at least warn the other below us. The mission would go up in flames if they were to be caught lagging behind. Ok, lets talk to Zara before we continue moving down." Ytha looked around once more to confirm the location of the enemy before moving. However something old happened that made her break into a clod sweat. "One, two....two...two....what happened to the other two? Their gone, but where did they go to so quickly?" It was never a good sign when your enemy moves fast. I could mean only one of three things in her situation. First is that that got new orders and this is what Ytha hoped, but it was highly unlikely with that short of a time span. Second, they were killed, and moved to a different spot, but Ishia was that dumb was she? Third, which was the worst possible outcome, was that they were spotted and the enemy went to sound the alarm. Continuing to scan, Ytha saw what looked to be a hand sticking out from behind a tree. Moving to a branch with a better view, Ytha saw one of the scouts she couldn't find dead with one of the Zaran infiltrators standing over him. Ytha felt relief knowing that was what had happened, however, that relief soon turned into anger. Ytha turned to the one would had addressed themselves as Ishia before the mission had started and spoke to them in a venomous tone. "Oi, what are you doing!? Are you stupid? Attacking the enemy out here? Did you forget what are mission is? We are to move to Domrius main camp and find out the kinds of resources he has and report on the construct that was being build! Where in that did you get killing people at random!? This mission was something you brought up after all, the hell are you thinking blotching it up. Did you even think about where you were going to hide the bodies? You do know that if anyone finds them, the whole camp with be on alert, effectively making our job that much harder! Did you even think this through or did your assassin brain decide to kill everything that wasn't an ally? Idiots, step back from the body we'll get rid of it ourselves." The Zaran fake stood still for awhile, seeming to be confused at the sudden turn of events. As if waiting for a decision, the hooded girl stood in silent not answering Ytha, which made her even more mad. "Oi! Are you deaf, or are you that unconfident that you're unsure of how to command your own troops?" This fool girl had just risked the mission that her Papa had given her, if she didn't answer her soon Ytha was ready to chew this girl out.

Bastet -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (1/29/2015 18:29:13)
Ytha had decided to take her squad over to the treetops, and it wasn’t a decision Ishia lamented. She and her group would’ve had an easier escape in case things went wrong, even though Je’s vantage point could’ve been useful for ranged weapons. Still, the Zaran troops were comfortable with the current strategy. Ishia ventured forth alone, silent as a ghost. She carefully minded her steps to minimize noise, but walked at a fast pace. Her crossbow was in hand, but not at the ready: it was reserved purely for emergencies. As the commander of the squadron, her true weapon was the signals she could give her fellows with her free hand. They weren’t far behind her lead, and the lone Ishia walked with the steps of fourteen. Not before long, Ishia spotted what she determined to be Domrius’ scouts. They hadn’t been alerted to the Alliance’s presence yet, and moved lazily about their businness. They were surely guarding their master’s back from indirect attacks. The infiltrator counted no more than four, and raised four fingers on her right hand. Perhaps it was one of the simplest hand signals to interpret, but her other troops were sure to receive the correct message. Ishia spent some time stalking the guards, clearly intent on not just sneaking past them. It was a perfect occasion to fulfill the secondary objective she had given her troops. She stalked her prey for a bit more time, and gave another signal. She raised her free hand for about five seconds, to make sure none of the infiltrators missed the message, and signalled for the two closest guards to be taken out. She smiled as four crossbow bolts flew right past her, and the scouts dropped to the ground. She was so used to seeing death all around her that she hadn’t even flinched at the thought of furthering the list of people she had gotten killed. An infiltrator approached her; the conversation to follow was too complicated to be efficiently carried out through hand signals. She knew her soldier was awaiting orders, and wasted no time to give them. “As I said before. Secure the outfits our preys had, and bring them back to camp. Bring the entire corpse if necessary. Two infiltrators will carry our prize back to the camp and update the man as to our progress. Go.” Her subordinate nodded and went back to the others to communicate Ishia’s orders. The girl herself walked over to one of the bodies, preparing to inspect it. Yet, when she was standing over one of the kills, the troublesome Ytha called to her again. Ishia looked up to a branch above her, where the girl was talking to her from. "Oi, what are you doing!? Are you stupid? Attacking the enemy out here? Did you forget what are mission is? We are to move to Domrius main camp and find out the kinds of resources he has and report on the construct that was being build! Where in that did you get killing people at random!? This mission was something you brought up after all, the hell are you thinking blotching it up. Did you even think about where you were going to hide the bodies? You do know that if anyone finds them, the whole camp with be on alert, effectively making our job that much harder! Did you even think this through or did your assassin brain decide to kill everything that wasn't an ally? Idiots, step back from the body we'll get rid of it ourselves." Ishia sighed. She didn’t like being called stupid, and wished she could’ve just executed Ytha on the spot. She would’ve been easily hit by a bolt of hers from where she was standing, but the consequences would’ve been… dire. "Oi! Are you deaf, or are you that confident that you've unsure of how to command your own troops?" Now she was really getting on Ishia’s nerves, but she would get what was due to her at the appropriate time. The Zaran prodigy wasn’t one to forget insults. “Leave this bickering for later and quit your ranting, you’re slowing down the infiltration more than I have.” Ishia simply turned around and continued on her path to Domrius’ camp, content that she had had the occasion to move her plans forward. Now that she knew of the enemy presence, she advanced much more carefully. One wrong step, and she could've been spotted. Behind her, two of the soldiers she had brought along prepared to secure the bodies and carry the important bits back to camp.

TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (1/30/2015 19:27:15)
Aesa let out a strained grunt as she tugged on the rope that had held the gate of the wagon closed. As it was let loose the wild boar quickly rambled their way out of the wheeled platform and into the wooden pens that the other soldiers had built. The Proven Varan on the otherwise of the cart made his way around and towards Aesa. "That should do," he said, "thanks. I'm not entirely sure why Volrun had us round them up, but he's a resourceful man so I'm sure he's got a plan." "Aye," Aesa replied, observing the rambunctious behavior of the swine, "he seems to know what he's doing." The Proven nudged her with his elbow and chuckled, "I hear he's a single man too." While the remark was said in a joking tone, Aesa knew he was also suggesting another action. Aesa brushed off the thoughts, "Pfft. He's a Valgard, and you know the fame they uphold. There's no way he'd look at a farmer like myself." The Proven laughed again and patted her on the shoulder before turneing and heading off. Aesa started to realized the attention Volrun had given her within the past few days. No, she thought, he wouldn't shame his family like that. She quickly extinguished such thoughts. This was a time of war and bloodshed, no love and romance. But a question still remained: what was Volrun and Koros up to you? With curiosity getting the better of her she quickly paced herself over to the commander's tent. Along the way she noticed some of the Varan looking at her. They weren't stares of attraction, but rather notions of honor and respect. Some of the more experienced soldiers placed their right hands, in a fist, on their chest, signifying the respect they held for her. She couldn't help but smile; her performance and leadership in the previous battle was nothing of note, and earning the attention of the adviser - a Valgard no less - was sure to make her a noticed figure within Varan ranks. As she approached the tent she could hear a mighty yell rip through the air, stopping her dead in her tracks. It was the battlecry of The Grey Eagle! Not two seconds later she saw two men come plunging out of the tent's entrance curtains: one was Koros, mighty battleaxe in both hands, pushing forward with all his might. On the other side was Volrun Valgard, also gripping the battleaxe but being pushed back by the gargantuan strength of the commander. What was this? "Volrun! Koros!" Aesa called out to both men but by then it was to late. The surrounding Varan rushed over to see about the commotion and encircled the duo. Seconds later Koros' Thanes came rushing out, swords withdrawn. "Stay back," yelled the Thanes, "let'em fight like men!" And so they did. Koros pulled back on his axe before shoving it forward again towards Volrun. The shaft plummeted towards Volrun's chest, causing him to lose his grip on the battleaxe. The Valgard, however, was quick to respond by retreating in a rushed maneuver and drawing his own blade. "Raahh!" The Varan soldiers cried out in glorious battlecries, enjoying the fierce battle to come. Had the Alliance and Alquen soldiers quietened down they may have thought the Varan were fighting their own battle back at camp. Aesa shook her head, displeased to see the two men fighting, but more concerned about the safety of Volrun. It reminded her of the stories her father use to tell her, when the Varan were naught but barbarians who roamed the land to slaughter other barbarians, attempting to become the greatest warrior in the land; it was a time where only the strong survived. Even with a lame leg, Koros wielded his battleaxe with the fury of the gods. He brought in a wide arc, swinging it over his head like a mace and then cutting a large swath in the air with the edges. Had Volrun not stepped back he'd have been sliced in two. Volrun would need to close in on Koros to evade the awesome range of that battleaxe. Koros heaved the axe over his shoulder, stepped forward with his good leg, and brought the head of the head crashing down towards Volrun's position. Volrun responded by side-stepping to his right, then taking the opportunity to dash forward, lunging with his sword. "Agh!" Koros roared out in anger as the tip of the sword pierced his chainmail vest and cloth shirt underneath, puncturing his skin beneath. In quick fashion the Valgard withdrew the blade and turned his body in a full circle, positioning himself to Koros' left. Koros was still trying to pry his battleaxe from the ground and never managed to deflect Volrun's next blow - this time to his shoulder. "No!" Now with his axe ready to go he swung it once again in a wide arc towards his left, hoping to smack Volrun with its shaft. But Volrun was two steps ahead of the great beast, ducking down and slicing into Koros' bad leg. There was nothing the Grey Eagle could do but fall to his knees, roaring out either in pain or anger - or perhaps both. It didn't take long for Volrun to leap back up to his full height, plunging his sword deep into Koros' neck. The gurgle of blood filled the air as the surrounding Varan quietened down. Koros' hands reached up and grabbed the blade, gripping the sharp edges and trying to pull it from the point of entry, but his body had already had enough. "Die... like a Varan," Volrun said before pulling the blade out, bring it back, and then swinging it in a wide arc that removed the Grey Eagle's head from his body. For a moment there was nothing but silence as the Varan looked on in surprise and confusion. But they were Varan. For a moment, the changes the Varan culture experienced in the Age of Heroes was gone; they were barbarians now. Koros was weak, Volrun was strong - and only the strong survive. "Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!" One of the Varan Proven began calling out in a victorious roar before being joined by the others. It didn't take long before the entire camp roared out with thick battlecries, celebrating the rise of Volrun Valgard: the new commander of the Varan forces. The worn warrior looked over at the Thanes, equally surprised. They bent down to their knees, swords drawn and stuck into the ground, hands on the pommel and with bowed heads. "We swear an oath to you, brother," Worun called out, "and we will protect you with our lives!" Volrun smiled. It was a shame Koros had to die, but if the Varan wanted to survive then Koros could not be in charge. "Thank you brothers," Volrun said, barely audible over the chants of the Varan. Once they saw him speaking they hushed their voices until only a few remained. "And now... we got to battle! Let us rescue our friends from the evil that is Alquen!"

Zephyrial -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/1/2015 0:31:10)
For a while, the battle proceeded as planned. Despite his misgivings about his treatment of the Thanisgard commander, the worthy fellow seemed to have submitted to his authority, for the cavalry and archers dutifully arranged themselves as he had demanded. With admirable discipline, the remainder of the Alliance troops did the same, and soon the army was arranged in a tight, ordered formation with plenty of room to maneuvre. The mages, arranged in three ordered rows and shadowed by the remaining Sentinels, stood behind the hundred-strong unit of archers that had formed from all the disparate battalions of the Alliance. A heavy block of infantry flanked them on either side, with the least-defended sheltering at the back, and at the rear of the army, the Thanisgard and Gilrade cavalry stood in readiness, itching to chase down their opponents. Above their heads, the shield thrummed with a reassuring timbre, promising protection to all. With a satisfied air, Sayden quietly sat back and observed the approach of the Alliance army. The sky went black. With unbelievable speed, the block of archers loosed a stupendous volley towards the Allied lines, then another, then another. Readily supplied by the heaped carts which trailed the formation, the exotically-garbed archers conjured up a swarm of nightmarish locusts from the sky, a sight which would drive any ordinary army to terror and ruin. Domrius no doubt valued these troops greatly for their skill, and no doubt considered them an insurmountable foe. However, he had not reckoned with the ingenuity of the Oramus Collective. The air became filled with a deafening thrum as the storm of projectiles neared the shield... then gave way to a cacophony of cracks and creaks as the arrows collided en masse with the great barrier, and were immediately arrested. As quickly as they arrived, they were destroyed, and not a single Alliance soldier was felled. The mages of the First and Second Divisions grimaced as they weathered the assault, but they stood strong and were not overwhelmed. Smugly, Sayden watched as the commanders of his archers, sensing that the time had come to respond, gave the call to loose. The arrows passed effortlessly through the barrier, pouring scorn on those of the enemy. Their barrage was not a third as impressive as that of the Alquen archers... but almost each and every arrow found a mark. Ten men fell, then twenty, then a hundred... but to Sayden's dismay, their formations remained as firm as ever. As quickly as they were diminished, their ranks were filled from the rear, and the Alquen troops maintained discipline that had to be seen to be believed. Impressive... the Lion's horde is truly impressive. But why are they not retreating, or advancing? Surely they must realise that they cannot hold this pos- A sudden nausea claimed him, bending him over, sputtering. Panicked, he looked out across the battlefield... The palanquin, with its ominous aura, had been uncovered. No doubt its covering must have been prodigiously enchanted to repress the energies within, for the moment it was pulled back, the disruptive aura that emanated from the cart began to grow and grow, like a tornado emerging from calm skies, sending a wave of evil power through the valley. With gasps of shock and agony, the first and second divisions lost control of the barrier, which faded away into nothing. The barrage of arrows ceased to be stopped, only slowed... and then, rained down on all parts of the Alliance formation with terrifying effect. Sayden had been saved by his own weakness, for the shock of the event had caused his hovering disk to rapidly descend, depositing him before his Sentinels, who quickly shielded him. The Alliance's only defense had been destroyed. Despite his disturbed state, Sayden was nevertheless conscious enough to realise that inaction would mean ruin. Scrambling to his feet, he barked along the mental link, struggling to be heard against the disruptive effect of the artifact. All... divisions... We are- are undone! Put all... you have into... -ning... maintaining... the shield... Fight, for as long as you can! He succeeded in calling across that great divide. Heeding his words, the mages collectively braced their backs and poured every ounce of energy into maintaining the shield, causing it temporarily to flare up to full strength. But the strain this effort caused was plain to see - sweat dripped from every brow, eyes watered with agony and exhaustion, and knees threatened to buckle at any moment. They were brave and determined, but Sayden knew that even all together, they would be unable to maintain the shield for more than a few minutes longer. The relentless barrage of arrows beat a hellish rhythm as they bounced off it, calling to mind the sound of rain on roof - though with none of the soothing qualities of the same. Something would have to be done. The defensive strategy was no longer viable, and so it stood that the only available course was to adopt that once proposed by Gilrade back in the commanders' tent: all-out attack. Once again, Sayden cursed the Varan for their absence. Provincial as they were, the northern warriors' fighting prowess would have been of great use in this situation... nevertheless, the course was set. Disregarding the proximity of the Alquen forces, Sayden once again summoned up his magially-enhanced voice, piercing through the clatter of split arrows. The concept of the signal was abandoned: only clear instructions could transmit his intentions. "All units! The barrier will not hold! Infantry! Cavalry! Move to your positions. And when the barrier falls... Charge! Target the artifact!" Jaw set, he prayed for a miracle. The arrival of the Varan. The success of the stealth mission in creating a distraction. The Alliance was at the point of no return.

Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/1/2015 12:22:57)
Collab post between me and Bastet “Leave this bickering for later and quit your ranting, you’re slowing down the infiltration more than I have.” As Ishia turned to continue heading towards Domrius’ camp, Ytha moved in front of her path. Narrowing her eyes, Ytha looked at the girl coldly. “Who are you? You’re not the one who introduced themselves as the Zaran Commander before, but you sure do sound like her.” Ytha was already annoyed with this girl’s foolishness, if she had also tried to tric- no, she was on a mission. She would stay calm, that was apart of her duty after all, but she wouldn’t ignore this though. “Well? Who are you actually?” Ishia stopped, about as annoyed as Ytha was. She grimaced under her mask, and spoke once again to her interloper. “I already introduced myself to you, I’m Ishia. Now, would you mind if we carried on with our task?” Ytha looked at the one who had just named themselves as the Zaran commander as well. The looked back at the fake she had just yelled at. “The who are they? Didn’t they state that they were Ishia before this mission?” Turning towards the Zaran Commander, Ytha raised an eyebrow and grinned. “I didn’t know that Ishia, the Zaran Commander, was one to hide behind her soldiers.” Ishia wondered why she was wasting her time with such a bothersome individual. Once again, she wished she could just draw her sabre and silence Ytha’s mouth… permanently. She struggled to maintain her composure, though the philter her mask put on her voice was certainly helpful. “I don’t hide behind anybody, I am my soldiers. You should know about as well as me that such chattering will just slow us down and risk our detection. Step aside.” Ishia’s clone wasted no time on her job and recovered the dead scout’s body as quietly as she could before vanishing in the foliage. Ytha snickered at the new Ishia’s comment. “I am my soldiers? That a new one. I’ve never heard that excuse before.” Ytha stopped grinning and held her left hand to the bridge of her nose. “You should seriously stop though. Whatever your planning with those pieces of armor won’t work, considering you took the wrong armor pieces. These are just the scouts. The real soldiers are down there.” Pointing towards the foothills Ytha continued her explanation. “Down there are guards who are not only protection the path to Domrius’ camp, but also keeping the one’s dressed as scouts up here. Trying to waltz over there in that outfit will get you killed. Even though it don’t mind the thought of this mission failing, it was giving to me by a very important person, so I’d rather it didn’t.” Pulling out a map from her garb, Ytha unfolded it and laid it on the ground. “Sometimes stopping isn’t always wasting time. Do you want to know the patrolling of the guards or would you rather risk it?” Pretending she hadn’t heard Ytha’s provocations, Ishia sighed and kneeled down next to the map. She observed it carefully, comparing it with the one the Zarans had examined back at the camp. “Yet, most of the time you stop you’re looking to waste time. Alright, where are the soldiers?” “If you weren’t doing such dumb thing I would have to waste time.” Ytha whispered under her breathe. She then turned upwards “Ivis, haiti!” Next to them, one of her soldier jumped down from the trees. “Yes, Lady Fon?” “Show us where you saw the patrols at.” “Of course.” He moved towards the map and knet. Pointing at a spot where the foothills branch out, becoming a valley path. “Many of their patrol guard this location. If I’m not mistaken, this path acts as a back entrance to Domrius’ camp. Three more patrols of three to four men walk the rest of the area to this valley.” Pointing towards a small spring on the map Ivis continued. “Using this spring the guard can effectively continue to stay in this location. I’m sure that they receive food from the main encampment. If I may be so bold to say, we can either try to move past the guards or tamper with the water supply, and force them to take shifts, increasing our chance at moving in unnoticed.” “Thank you Ivis, that is all.” The scout bowed and headed by towards the tree tops. Ytha looked at Ishia. “I’m inclined to trust my soldier, he has never steered me wrong before. However, as much as I dislike the thought, this is your mission. The decision lies with you.” Ishia listened carefully to Ivis’ tale, considering the idea of immediately sneaking past the external guards. She quickly discarded it though, as it significantly increased the chances of the Alliance’s infiltrators being discovered. Tampering with the water supply would’ve supplied them with the distraction they needed to be able to take a brief look at Domrius’ camp. She was also glad that Ytha had recognized her as the one who made the choices during the operation. Perhaps she wasn’t as stubborn as she looked. “Moving in without distracting the guards would just lock us between them and the camp, with a high chance of being discovered. I say we should rather tamper with the spring and secure a safer entrance.” Ytha rolled up the map and placed it back in the folds of her garb. “Very well, leave that to us.” Ytha smiled “It’s our specialty after all.” With that she left as fast a she had appeared leaving Ishia alone. Ishia smiled at how quick the girl had scurried off, and called over her soldiers. She briefed them as to the patrols’ paths and Ytha’s mission. They silently nodded, and Ishia conceded to herself a brief rest. It was probably better not to move away and possibly end up confusing her partner, even though she surely had tasked some of her own infiltrators to keep an eye on the Zarans. After Ytha briefed her soldiers and master about the next step, she went to complete her mission. Finding a wild animal. Spotting a hog, Ytha went for the kill. Slaying the beast wasn’t hard. Two darts to the neck ended it’s life quickly. Having her men bring the hog back to their camp, they cut it into separate parts and hung it up, waiting for it to start decomposing. Soon, it’ll become the perfect poison to Domrius’ water supply.

TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/1/2015 14:46:44)
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" A thunderous assault of berating shouts rang out from behind the Allied ranks. A division of Varan warriors marched with incredible repertoire, banging swords and axes upon their shields. The volley of the the chanting men echoed throughout the valley, ricocheting off of the rocky formations on either side. The repeated and combined thudding of boots only strengthened the resolve of the march as it erupted from beneath their feet. At the forefront of the fierce warband was none other than the new Varan commander, Volrun Valgard, and his second-in-command, Aesa Jojora. At their backs marched five stoic warriors known as Thanes, sworn by oath to guard and protect them both, just as they had for Koros Jarn. The contingent of roughly ninety other Varan marched behind them in three lines, with each line compensating roughly thirty men each. Dozens of Varan banners waved in the wind overhead. Ensigns adorned in red, yellow, blue, orange, black, and white. Upon them was stitched images of bears, dragons, wolves, serpents, ravens, crows, eagles, and more. The Varro clan, the Storn clan, the Haruun clan, the Skarsgard clan, and more. Below the pennons, wrapped around the necks of their wearers, acting as scarves, capes, and cloaks, were worn traditional Ki'gars belonging to the families. It was truly a glorious sight to behold, and one which would echo throughout the annals of history within Asgeir. In the distance one could observe a great aura of magic protecting the Allied forces, deflecting a swath of deadly arrowfire that would have surely rained down upon the Varan allies. Another volley, and then another, but they all failed to surpass the barrier. Until... The magic of the Oramus Collective greatly impressed Volrun in the previous battle, but the ability to conjure a protective barrier? It was an incredible asset, and one which would surely come in handy. But as Volrun's appreciation of their magic began to ripen, it soon came to a standstill as it failed shortly after - allowing streams of the enemy arrows to rain in from overhead. No! Despite the situation, it seemed the Collective stood steadfast, their resolve allowing them to further reinforce the barrier. Volrun picked up his pace, "we need to hurry, that barrier's not going to hold for to much longer! Sound the Bear Horn!" Worun Nulgard, Thane of Asgeir, pulled a rounded horn from his belt and lifted it to his mouth. A loud, deep, baritone sound erupted from the horn, signifying to the Varan to pick up their pace. The chanting of the warband had ceased, but the tempo of the thudding boots only increased. He could not let his troops tire out before the battle even began, so he kept their face to just below a jogging attempt. The Allied troops would no doubt engage the enemy first, and then the Varan would arrive. Volrun turned his head and observed Worun out of his periphery, "Worun, sound the Eagle Horn, let them know we're coming!" Once more Worun pulled another horn from his belt and similarly blew into it. This time a loud, higher-pitched screech sounded, one that the Allies would surely hear despite the sounds of battle. A pause, and then another blow. Another pause, and then another blow. The repeated signals rang out as Worun announced throughout the valley that the Varan had arrived, and were here to help. "On my order, blow the Turtle Horn and prepare the formation." Worun nodded to Volrun in acceptance, ready to carry out the order for the massive shield wall in case the archers were to fire upon them. "Aesa," Volrun continued, turning to his shieldmaiden, "focus on where it counts; find our weakspots and solidify them, do not let the Alquen soldiers break our ranks again, understood?" "Aye, commander," Aesa responded before heading off to the left, towards the northern flank of the Varan forces. Volrun sighed as they continued to close in. "Let's just hope we're not walking to our deaths..."

Dragonnightwolf -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/1/2015 14:59:15)
Thanisgard: Terrace Falls: Chapter 4: Trevor The commander of Thanisgard was still in a foul state of mind. The missing Varan, the indignant questioning of Enric. Now the Mage supreme had dared pull a stunt like this. Trevor had seen war before. But this! This was a massacre of arrows. As they struck near, the arrows broke without harming a single ally. Trevor had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach though as he gazed across the battlefield at the very back seeing the robed figures. "I have a very bad feeling about this." Trevor said. "Unit's to hell with what the mage ordered us. Break the lines, prepare to attack." Just as he said that all hell broke loose. "All units! The barrier will not hold! Infantry! Cavalry! Move to your positions. And when the barrier falls... Charge! Target the artifact!" "Men. To the artifact. Destroy it at all costs!" Trevor gave a quick, measured glare at the all powerful mage supreme and turned his attention to the battle. Thanisgard: Terrace Falls: Chapter 4: Harry"Return fire!" Harry ordered his archers. He frowned as volley after volley struck the shield. He heard the commander break the lines. Then he heard the order to destroy the artifact. "Prepare for close quarters combat." He warned the archers with him gazing over at the mages. They looked sick and weak all of a sudden. He understood there was something very wrong going on. Thanisgard: Terrace Falls: Chapter 4: Thomas "Prepare yourselves!" Thomas ordered. As soon as the volley of arrows swung out, there was a thunk as they hit shielding. "Unit's to hell with what the mage ordered us. Break the lines, prepare to attack." Trevor called out. The shield above them wavered and broke. Thomas didn't have time to give another order as an arrow struck him through the chest right into the heart. His eyes stared blankly, cold, and dead. Trevor would not be pleased to hear of his death later. If there was a later. His hand held a death grip to the horse's reins and one of the cavalry with him gently touched his shoulder. Thomas didn't respond. The soldier saw the arrow in his chest and than the death mask on the sub-coommanders face. The horse reacted to it's rider's death with a vehement anger in it's eyes and charged forward without a care. Going on a rampage. Intent to kill as many enemies as it could get it's hooves on before it died. There would be hell to pay later. For both the Varan troops and the Oramus Collective.

black knight 1234567 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/4/2015 11:40:42)
''What do we make of this, my lord?'' ''That the Alliance is a bunch of bloody idiots, Jerald.'' Garin let out a small sigh, overlooking the pass with his personal companions at his side. Jerald, Jack and Dante. All 3 of them were there that one night that changed the course of everything, their and Fellwalker's life. ''They refuse to press their advantage. Another defensive stance allowed Alquen to press its initiative while we stand there as reactionary forces, but none the less it is out of our hands, for now''. While the bulk of Gilrade's forces was stationed at the skirmishes and sides once again, they weren't alone. On each flank of the archers stationed infront of them were the combined forces of all Alliance infantry. Upon exposure of the enemy and the firing of the first volley, they were to serve as an impregnable line of defense to all that attempt to harm them, with a little bit of magic on their side from the Oramus collective, of course. The Viscount stepped out for a bit, overlooking the pass to study the enemies formation as they came closer and closer. Their ranks were without blades, swords axes and maces, they were all poking weapons, such as Spears and Halberds, a sign of a defensive stance of their own, along with a massive force of archers, no doubt hellbent on showering the Alliance this time. But they weren't just infantry. They were in a strange box like formation with wooden wagons. Very peculiar. His analysis was cut short however as a thundering noise was heard from above, that of their high commander Sayden of the Oramus Collective, a showcase of power and authority, and if the sound and sight of Thanisgard's captain tumbling down his stead was any indication, it was done for a reason. Power struggles and the ranks haven't even fully assembled yet. They may have won the day last time and morale is high, but such incompetence will be the last nail in the coffin. But the time for thought was over and the time to fight was upon them. The Sword of the Voiceless took his place among his men as he watched the enemy fire volley after volley only to be met by the barrier supplied by the mages, while their own ranks prepared to return fire. The arrows of the Alliance was let loose upon the sky, raining death upon Domrius' pawns. The warriors of Gilrade looked up to spot their very own archers playing their part, their silver headed arrows with a blue ribbon attached near the end stood out distinctively from the standard issue wooden arrows most of the Alliance had in use. But something was clearly wrong when a hostile arrow lodged itself straight in one of the Allie's archers, straight through the chest. That could mean only one thing as the dreaded realization was painted across every single soldier's face.... Somehow, some way, Alquen managed to disrupt the barrier, the only true measure of defense the Allies had in check. Chaos ensued in the ranks as the chess play Sayden had put into effect started to collapse, this was Alquen's first check mate. All units! The barrier will not hold! Infantry! Cavalry! Move to your positions. And when the barrier falls... Charge! Target the artifact! Garin didn't need to reiterate the order to his men, that same thundering voice that was used to put Thanisgard in check was now telling them to rush the artifact, but Fellwalker was wiser than that. Those halberds were there for a reason, they wanted to force the Alliance to rush into suicide. ''Beacon the archers, use the horn!'' commanded the Viscount, as a swordsmen of Alquen emerged from within their ranks with the tool in hand, the silver horn was embroiled with gold and gemstones along its length, its noise as catching as the jewelry that decorates it. One blow was enough to alert the archers of Gilrade as they quickly rushed to their brother's side, abandoning their post in the center of the battle field. ''We must weaken their defenses to that the rest of the forces could break through the lines. We'll move along the sides, supporting the troops with long range archery and holding off any attackers with our blades. Once we reach a satisfactory vantage point, we'll help them break the line with arrows. Now, move!''

Dragonnightwolf -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/6/2015 18:48:55)
Thanisgard: Sorrows of Rage: Chapter 4: Battle Phase 2: Trevor As the crescendo of the shield's wavered. Trevor yelled out. "SHIELDS!" As the last remnants of that fateful shield waned and struggled. The commanders troops brought up their own protection in the shields. "Let's go! Charge the enemy lines, Deflect the long range weapons aside with your skills and your maneuvers! Go!" Trevor made the motion of charge and charge they did. In the back row's mounted archers took to firing off arrows and sending those aimed towards enemy lines that held the longer range bows or the longer range spears that were a problem. Thanisgard: Sorrows of Rage: Chapter 4: Battle Phase 2: Cory Though he was out of action Cory could hear the sounds of battle from far off. He looked that way momentarily distracted, than returned his attention to the blacksmiths. "Well if that's all you really need," Cory whistled and his steed came running of it's own accord. It settled beside him snorting and quieting down. "Say hello to the nice men, Jesper." Cory said looking at the horse. The animal in return gave two hoof stomps and a simple bow. "They aren't all trained like that really, I had to teach that myself." Cory went to the saddlebag and retrieved his own armor and showed it to the men. "When we saw you in the tent, it was figured you might need some idea of what it was that Thanisgard may need. Between my armor, and the horse, that should give you a pretty good idea, no?" Cory gave them a friendly, polite smile.

Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/7/2015 19:56:45)
It is said that, on the second day of the battle, Trevor Arcturus Minx, called Bastion by his men, went mad. Conventional wisdom points out the folly of a cavalry charge against an enemy that is prepared to receive it. A formation of pikes and archers, standing in defensive readiness, could shower arrows down amongst an oncoming formation, disrupting it and blunting the force of the charge, which would then shatter on the pikes as its own momentum was used against it. What men might survive the initial charge against the pikes would be stalled and dispersed, easily pulled from their saddles with billhooks or cut down by halberds. In fact, the Macenites had successfully used such tactics against the Empire in the early days of their war. The historical record shows several instances, most notably that of the famed First Levy slaughtering two detachments of the Empire’s cavalry on what became known as the Field of Blood. The Macenite bow-captain, at the very least, would have been familiar with the tactic. It is fortunate for Minx that the Macenite bow-captain was not commanding Alquen’s forces that day. That honor was held by Detro Pleyr, at the center of the pike block on the left flank. The Macenite held their line, sleeting arrows up into the hazy sky as the cavalry took off. Oaken shafts slashed down from the sky, hissing and buzzing like clouds of malignant wasps, pinging and tinking off armor, burying themselves in shields or punching through armor to bite into the flesh beneath. Pleyr was late in giving the order to move, perhaps from surprise at Minx’s action, or perhaps through simple incompetence upon his part. Rather than marching the pike blocks together to form a single way against the advance of the Allied cavalry, Pleyr hesitated, and by the time he gave the order it was too late. The pikes could not retain their solid formations and also move together before the cavalry arrived. Perhaps Minx was mad, or perhaps, in a moment of military genius, he recognized an opportunity and took it. The Thanisgardian cavalry threaded the needle, thundering between the closing blocks of pike, arrows threshing through their formation, and slammed into the Macenites. Enric swore, watching the Thanisgard cavalry take off after the snorting, rearing horse of one of their officers. “The fools are going to get themselves killed!” Dalen lifted the visor of his helm from his position next to his commander, snapping off the shafts of several arrows that had buried themselves in his shield. “The pikes will close. They’ll never make it.” “No… No, they will! The pikes haven’t moved yet. They won’t be able to stay in formation to receive the charge and still into position before the cavalry arrives!” Shaking his head, Dalen gestured with his sword. “Fine, but the archers will still slow them long enough for the pikes to pin them from either side.” “Not if we get to them first. Forward men, give these Alquen dogs a taste of iron!”

TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/8/2015 11:39:13)
A mass of hoses suddenly formed up and charged for the enemy position. The Thanisgard cavalry was either itching for combat, or acting out of desperation - but whatever the case, Volrun could not help but fear what was to come. In the distance he could observe the faint outlining of pikes and spears, ready to stop the relentless charge of the oncoming cavalry. Trevor and his forces would make minimal impact against such a formation and the bulk of his forces would be ripped to shreds. Volrun recalled the Age of Heroes, back when the hero Joric commanded a force composed of nothing but cavalry. Through shock and ambush tactics Joric was able to route entire armies with a much smaller force and was renowned for reclaiming the entire eastern region of Asgeir from an invading force. Joric was killed before he could realize his victories, but his legend lived on in the form of a guild: the Jorian Riders. It was unfortunate the Riders could not be here with in the pass, as they would have proven a valuable asset for the Alliance, but at least the Thanisgard cavalry was here. Volrun tensed up as a premonition filled his head: images of the horsemen being thrown from their horses and being tossed in the ranks of the pikemen to be massacred. But that's when things went quite fortunate for Trevor. Perhaps the enemy commanders were incompetent, but the pikes never formed a true battle line and never fortified their position - allowing the horsemen to break through and succeed in the charge! "Unbelievable..." But how long would it last? Would Trevor force his men to stay and fight, or would he break through and round-about for another charge, or even retreat back to safety? Volrun tried to analyze the situation, trying to figure out where best to position his soldiers.

Dragonnightwolf -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/8/2015 21:13:56)
Thanisgard: The cascading wall of echoes: Chapter 4: Trevor Trevor was already in a foul mood. The wind itself seemed to blow with anger. His whole world spun. First Enric, than the mage. Trevor was in an extremely hostile mood because of what had transpired. "Hold together men! Take them down! Company C! Make for the Artifact! Destroy it!" Trevor glanced Harry's troops riding quickly to take down the artifact. He turned back a moment too late and caught a surprised Halberd to the shoulder. The commander went flying off his horse and swung his sword arm up just in time to deflect an incoming bi-hook to the throat. "Oh no you don't!" Trevor said as he stood up and gave a quick whistle while deflecting the next attack with his superior skill with a sword. The horse kicked out and the cavalryman next to Trevor deflected another blow from the side intent on taking the commander's head off. Trevor grasped the reins with his shield hand and swung his entire body up onto the horse in a single fluid motion taking off the attacker's head with the next swing of his sword. An arrow came at his face and Trevor instinctively lurched to the right side dodging the arrow at the last second. "Hurry. Take down as many as you can men!" Thanisgard: The cascading wall of echoes: Chapter 4: Harry It was at this strange point in the battle that Harry spied Thomas's horse. And as he saw the slumped figure in the saddle and the rampage of the beast. Harry suddenly knew the truth. Thomas had died in battle. Harry heard the call for the destruction of the artifact and his company made all haste. Breaking past the pikemen and the archer's and riding them down, Company C took on the task of battling the robed figures and the artifact. Arrows flew at the robed mages that guarded the artifact. Hooves were directed to attack the emetic evil device. Even as horses spurned from the un-natural feel of the artifact's power. Harry could hear the 2 companies of horsemen attacking the ranks of the pikemen as best they could. There was going to be blood and hell to pay when this was all done with. "Give it to em men!" Harry shouted discreetly. "Show them what we of Thanisgard are capable of! Go! go go!" (minor edit to the story)

Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/14/2015 13:14:13)
Any bard will tell you that there is nothing quite like a good cavalry charge. It is the stuff of legends, of heroes. The arrival of the cavalry is a common trope in both Lorian and Terran literature, so much so that it is now often subverted for comedic or dramatic effect. Still, it is hard to deny either the efficacy or the appeal of the charge, which evokes the high ideals of chivalry and the thrill of a reckless casting of the dice, a hinge moment upon which fickle fate balances. Minx’s cavalry hammered into the Alquen auxiliaries, but such luck as let the Thanisgardians thread the needle could not hold, and Pleyr’s pike blocks closed, menacing the rear and flanks of the cavalry. Things might have become very grim indeed, had not Brzerzin’s Kulaki arrived, threshing into the back of the pike formation on the left flank… Enric hunched behind his shield, swearing as a pike’s point grated along the embossed surface of the wood and metal bulwark. Pushing upward, he heaved the pike back, sword slashing out and clanging off the metal langets protecting the shaft from being chopped apart. “Keep pushing!” He shouted, his voice swallowed by the clangor of battle. Hitting the rear of the pike formation meant that at least one of the blocks was held in place. It might, might, be enough to give Minx’s cavalry time to escape before the other pike block could fully engage. But would the Thanisgardian commander take the opportunity? Ahead, past the throng of Alquen pikes, the Macenite archers had drawn swords, engaging the Thanisgard cavalry in a desperate struggle to buy time as the cart bearing the Urn lurched into motion, moving back towards Alquen’s makeshift fortress. The dark-robed acolytes threw themselves upon the swords of their foes, buying only a few more seconds, but those seconds proved decisive, letting the cart get a headstart to avoid the milling, steelshod hooves of a Thanisgardian steed. “For Thomas! For Thanisgard! For-” Whatever the Thanisgardian cavalryman might have cried next was lost. Upon the distant wall of the Alquen log-fort barring the head of the pass came a distant snap-thrum, unheard by the combatants upon the field, as a heavy string slammed forward, vibrating against padded stops. The six-foot javelin, hurled from a scorpion mounted to the wall of the structure, slammed into the cavalryman, crunching through his breastplate and hurling him from his saddle. The lambegs thundered, and the doors of the log-fort swept open, disgorging a column of spearmen who charged forward to support the retreating cart bearing the Urn. Upon the wall a series of scorpions fired, casting their long darts over the intervening distance to drive back the Allied cavalry. The combined infiltration force of Rinchen and Fon was stymied for a time by the discovery of a forward scouting outpost, which made forward progress difficult. They might have been stuck for some time, but for a disturbance in the camp itself. Just what, precisely, happened is lost to the pages of history, but for some reason the greater body of scouts and guards departed, leaving behind a skeleton force to mind the camp as the majority moved up one of the mountain trails on some unknown errand. After an appropriate period of caution, lest the movement should prove to be some manner of trap, or the errand a short one, the scouts moved forward, skirting the encampment and continuing down the mountain until they finally came into sight of the min Alquen encampment. A famous Terran sage and once declared that “all warfare is deception.” Battle, according to Sun Tzu was based on telling lies, as convincingly as possible, to one’s enemies. The side that believed the other’s lies was the side that lost. A rather less well regarded Terran leader had taken a different view, saying “quantity has a quality all its own.” From their sheltered hiding places, the Alliance infiltration team was, distressingly, able to see that Domrius had not, in fact been lying. He had, at best, only been modestly exaggerating. At the base of the mountain was a large motte and bailey of rammed earth and harvested timber, a construction whose walls surrounded rank upon rank of crimson tents, all the more impressive for what must have been a hurried construction. Clustered outside the walls, with varying degrees of their own organization, were the encampments of the Alquen auxiliary forces, as well as the inevitable camp following that sprung up around any major army on the march. It was a stunning array, easily ten times the number of soldiers that the Alliance had sent to hold the pass. With so many men, it was clear that Domrius could have forced the Gripclaw pass at any time he chose. The only logical conclusion to be reached was that Domrius was waiting for something…

Dragonnightwolf -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/14/2015 16:57:54)
Thanisgard Pulling Order: Chapter 4: Trevor The commander deflected another arrow with his shield and turned his head to the right and left. The soldier behind him spoke quickly to him. "Sir, our rear and left are in a dire situation." Trevor gazed again to the right and realized there was a high chance they'd be boxed in if they didn't engage in a different strategy. Trevor yelled out to his men. "Men! On me! Formation Strike Ammarielle!" The lines of calvary broke their attack positions and charged straight forward and then rode swiftly to the right in a loop around. As they went forward they attacked the archer unit, intent on killing as many as they could take down with minimal casualties on their end. "Harry! Take that-" Trevor stopped in mid-sentence as a Thanisgardian went down with a Javelin in his chest. "Harry! You know what to do! Go to it. Company B and A, withdraw!" Trevor's brow beaded with sweat as a pikeman closed in on his left swinging up. Through sheer strength and skill the pikeman's weapon was deflected astride at the last possible second and a sickening plunge of the commander's blade went through the pikeman's neck. Trevor had just barely avoided death yet again. His gut told him they had to withdraw though. The cavalry pulled back in a loop around heading back towards the allied lines. Thanisgard Pulling Order: Chapter 4: Harry Harry struck down the mage closest to him as they approached the wagon. The mages were delaying the frontal attack. Thomas's berserk horse broke through the pike lines in a single-handed forward charge of rampaging speed and came up with Harry's unit to attack the wagon. "For Thomas! For Thanisgard! For-" Harry saw Jim go down in a guttural cry of surprise as a Javelin hurtled into his chest. "Harry! Take that-" the man heard Trevor call and turned his head briefly towards the commander. "Harry! You know what to do. Go to it." Trevor was withdrawing Company A and B. Harry turned his attention back at the forward battle and saw the Javelin men coming out. "Javelin's incoming!" He yelled to company C. "Formation Tres Scross!" The horses moved in a zig-zag pattern now, but it was more military style tactics. Harry leapt off his horse landing into the wagon as soon as they got close. He whistled and Thomas's horse responded kicking it's hooves out at the front wheel hard. Harry whistled again and several of his men appeared around the sides of the wagon swinging swords at the wheels to break them. Harry himself struck four times with his own sword causing a wagon wheel to collapse and sending him hitting into the urn. Thomas's wild and crazy steed broke the back left wheel with three sharp, straight kicks. Harry lurched forward swinging at the reigns that were tied to the front of the wagon, cutting them apart. Harry again whistled and a javelin narrowly missed his face as he saw it coming and pulled his body to the far right to dodge. The last two wheels collapsed beneath the onslaught and Harry whistled again. Thomas's horse berserk with furious rage ran forward charging the Javelins while Harry's own horse came up with several of the others. Forcing the Urn out of the wagon with both of his legs, Harry dodged the next thrown javelin by diving to his left right out of the wagon and right beneath his own horse. He quickly did a spin and grabbed the saddle and pulled himself up. Harry gave another whistle and his horse and several other company C horses attacked the Urn with their hooves. Harry swung his sword out striking the urn and winced as pain shot up his hand. An arrow stuck out of his wrist. Somehow one of those bloody archers managed to hurt him. "Destroy it quickly!" Harry ordered having his own horse kick the urn again and again. The javelins were flying now and the urn finally shattered against the onslaught of twelve men and horses combined attacking it. "Retreat! Now!" Harry ordered. Thomas's wild horse died by a Javelin through the skull. "Hurry! hurry!" Harry ordered as Company C retreated from their completed task. The urn was destroyed. And to make sure it couldn't be used again, Harry had taken a small piece of it with him. So no one could properly fix it. "Formation Lora!" He yelled out. The wind whipping past his hair as the intelligence of the sub commander came into play. The crossing of the cavalry in retreat made it difficult for the archer's to get off a properly aimed shot. Sure they could send tons of arrow's flying, but it was a little harder now to attack an enemy in withdrawal, who had witnessed their first onslaught and was now using a counter-tactic in order to avoid incoming missiles. It was already clear to Harry, they'd lost men in that attack on the urn. They definitely had lost men. Harry didn't have time to count, but his whole body moved instinctively to his full right side practically letting go of the reins to move more of his body as an incoming arrow missed him just barely hitting the edge of his shoulder plate.

Bastet -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/14/2015 20:15:58)
Ishia was quite enthusiastic about the success of the distraction Ytha had planned. Though she didn’t get to see directly just what method she had employed to force a movement in the patrols’ ranks, she was more than happy to take the opportunity to unveil the secrets of Domrius’ camp. Of course, she let none of her emotions transpire through her mask. Waiting near the mountain camp, hidden, was definitely one of the worst parts. Not that Ishia or any of her men would’ve been in danger if they were found; they could hastily retreat back to the Alliance’s territory and dispose of any pursuers. Still, carrying out the infiltration successfully would’ve let the Zaran girl carry out her plan: failing to garauntee her homeland’s safety would’ve spelled disaster when the enemy armies finally arrived there. The tensions was high, but when a large amount of soldiers luckily moved away from the outpost, the infiltrators took their chances and followed the descending path to Domrius’ main camp. Ishia was trying to mentally note down everything she could see, as it was likely she would’ve followed this path more than just this once. This mission was about much more than just reconnaisance. There wasn’t much distance between the outpost and the main camp, but that was compensated by the terrain. The descent down the side of the mountain had to be slowed down as to prevent dangerous injuries. The combined infiltrating forces had now entered the lion’s den, and leaving was probably going to be just as dangerous as entering it had been. As the objective finally came into sight, Ishia understood that Domrius possessed far more resources than he was actually deploying. Well-fortified walls had been erected around countless lines of crimson tents, clearly displaying the sheer number of men the Alliance’s enemy had in his army. Along with secondary tents, unprotected outside the bounds of the fortifications, were numerous resource storages: the enemy soldiers weren’t going to be starved of materials any time soon. Even though Ishia answered coldly to almost all emotional stimuli, she still couldn’t help but gasp in awe at the sight presented before her. Some kind of strange clay jars littered the area around one side of the camp, but they seemed harmless enough that the Zarans paid little attention to them. Spending hours trying to think of what purpose they could’ve possibly been made to fulfill would’ve been entirely pointless: Ishia knew she had to act. Quickly. Still, those from Je were not to be ignored. Ishia already had a plan, although it could’ve ended up possibly costing her her life. She now had very little interest in carrying out a risky sabotage when the stakes were so high; trying to tip the scales to favor the Alliance with such an act posed more of a threat to her plan than the possible reward would’ve been worth. Ishia turned to Ytha, and called her soldiers over. They quickly surrounded them, though as carefully as possible as not to make unnecessary noise. The Zaran commander spoke with a determined voice, intent on ensuring that things would go her way. If Ytha disagreed, or decided to put her bombs to use, the situation would become much more difficult to manage. “Ytha, I think this is about as far as we should push ourselves. Domrius’ camp is gigantic, and I’d rather get the information we have just recovered safely back to the Alliance than attempt a suicidal sabotage. We may come back another time, and do more than simply tamper with an outpost. It would be much better if we simply showed to the other commanders that I… we can get the job done. Besides, I don’t think that a few bombs could do more than alert the guards even more to our presence.” Ishia quietly awaited a response from the girl, hoping that things would go her way. A lot was at stake, and much more of it was left to simple luck than she would’ve liked.

TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/15/2015 9:41:17)
In what seemed would be a disastrous charge, the Thanisgard Cavalry had succeeded in destroying the Urn: a prized possession upon today's field of battle. Perhaps it was the will of the gods that allowed those horsemen such success, or perhaps it was the sheer tactical genius withheld in their commanders; whatever the case, the Varan commander felt relieved about the whole situation. Volrun's men had been delayed at the start of the battle, and even more so delayed in the initial charge, but he was content with providing his allies with much-needed reinforcements. The ensuing battle was just ahead - but the ranks of mages and archers prevented them from maintaining their advantageous formation. It would be best to break the forces in two - sending Aesa and her soldiers around the Allie's left flank while Volrun took his own men around the right flank. Once they made it around the archers and mages they would have the opportunity to regroup and bolster the Alliance's infantry battalion, or attempt to move in on the flanks of the enemy. Warcries and chants of impending battle continued to boom from the thick ranks of the Varan soldiers, swords and axes clanging upon shields, and great howls from the nordic folk could surely bolster the morale of their allies. "Kosik," Volrun called out, turning his head slightly to the right to catch the Thane's attention, "find Aesa, tell her to break off, await my signal to either flank the pikemen or regroup in the center." "Yes, commander," Kosik replied before darting off to the Varan's left flank. "Worun, have those horns ready." Aesa kept pace with the rest of the Varan forces, embracing the rumbling of inevitable conflict that sounded out behind her. It felt... euphoric to be a part of this. The sheer thought of being involved in a battle that would echo throughout the annals of history made her feel legendary. It was the moment of her life, though her destiny was far more important than what occurred at the Battle of Gripclaw Pass. "M'lady!" Looking over to her right Aesa spied the approach of Kosik the Thane, no doubt carrying word from Volrun. "M'lady, I have orders from Volrun. You are to break off - march around the archers and mages. Await the commander's orders on whether to flank the pikemen or regroup with us in the center." "Very good Kosik, let us hope we're not to late to save our allies!" "I shall stay here to guard you then, m'lady." Kosik took up position behind Aesa and they march onward. Volrun and about half of the Varan turned southeastwards, marching around the battalion of mages and archers while Aesa and the other half of the Varan marched northeastwards, similarly marching around the battalion of mages and archers. Depending on how the battle proceeded, they would be at a prime spot to flank the pikemen - or regroup and reinforce the center.

Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/21/2015 15:39:19)
The poisoning of the spring had worked, and combined with the replacement of troops from the encampment, gave the Alliance’s scouts the gap that they needed to infiltrate Domrius' main camp. Upon seeing it, Ytha gave a quiet whistle. It was as huge, if not more so, than the first number the received. However, Ytha did not take the time out to be impressed. Beginning her work quickly, Ytha took the bag from Hyden and move silently over to one of the construction sites. She was in the process of opening the bag when Ishia and her soldiers walked up to her. “Ytha, I think this is about as far as we should push ourselves. Domrius’ camp is gigantic, and I’d rather get the information we have just recovered safely back to the Alliance than attempt a suicidal sabotage. We may come back another time, and do more than simply tamper with an outpost. It would be much better if we simply showed to the other commanders that I… we can get the job done. Besides, I don’t think that a few bombs could do more than alert the guards even more to our presence.” Ytha was slightly annoyed at this. "We've come all this way and you want to leave already? Who knows when we'll get another chance like this. Not to mention that when we do come back the security will not doubt be higher then it was this time, since they'll find out two of their men are missing." Ytha paused slightly after this and gave Ishia a mischievous smile. "Besides that, suicidal? Why would I have joined this infiltration if there was such a chance? Maybe you might have but not myself." Saying such, Ytha pull out from the bag not a bomb like in the one given to Ishia, but a candle. Ytha then gave Ishia some advice. "You may want to cover your mouth and nose." Placing a few near the wood, but out of sight, Ytha began to light them using a flint. "Aaahh, Ishia does have a point though. As much as I hate to admit it, we don't have the time or recourses on us to scout and sabotage a camp this big. I can only hope that the wind works in our favor so that I can take down more then just this one construction site." After she had lit all of the placed candles, Ytha turned to Ishia with a hand over her face, even though she was wearing a mouth cover, and nodded to Ishia to state that she was ready to leave. She and her troops moved back to the path that led to the now skeleton-like outpost.

Zephyrial -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/21/2015 21:14:38)
The soldiers of the Alliance had proven their worth, demonstrated a thousand times over that they were no mere band of misguided fools. At his command, the massed melee forces had accelerated their approach, rushing into the fray with exactly the necessary amount of vigour. The Kulaki brawlers, together with the heavy infantry from Daret - quiet up to this point - led the charge against the Alquen Pikemen, holding back the rear of their formations and preventing them from closing in. Seizing the opportunity, the Thanisgard cavalry thundered into the pass through the gaps left behind, encircling the pikemen and exacting a terrible toll on their disorganised ranks. Signalling retreat, the archers - as well as the accursed artifact - rushed back towards the Alquen barricades, covered by a relentless barrage of slender javelins launched from the parapets. But the Thanisgardians were not dismayed; they continued on at significant cost, catching up to the cart containing the Urn and smashing it to fragments. The very moment the first crack appeared in the Urn, the oppressive blanket that had fallen over the battlefield suddenly lifted, and Sayden felt his strength immediately return. Spinning on his heels to survey his men, he was crushed to see that not only had many Sentinels received grievous wounds protecting his mages from the Alquen arrows, but many of the mages themselves had collapsed from the effort of maintaining the shield long enough to cover the charge. Some would recover... but many would not. Those who retained their strength lifted their eyes to meet his, and an unspoken agreement passed between the commander and his charges. They exchanged only a few words through the mental link. Take. Their. Lives. As the Sentinels carried the wounded from the battlefield, the remaining mages arranged themselves into some semblance of a formation. The Varen marched to either side of them, heading to reinforce the front lines. Questions would need to be asked about their absence in the battle - although, Sayden reasoned, their presence would not have made a great deal of difference. The mages stretched their hands outwards like zombies, and soon a dull hiss could be heard emanating from every one. A crescendo- then they screamed a banshee's wail together, and sinuous tendrils of blackness extricated themselves from each finger, and took off into the air. Like eels guarding themselves from a hungry fish they briefly writhed in a thrashing ball, before darting out over the battlefield. As if alive, the bolts descended from the sky towards the nearest man, piercing his chest and running him straight through - there was no wound, but each man so touched took only a few more steps before slumping, lifeless, into the dust. In this manner, the exhausted mages paid the Alquen forces back twice over. Sayden, however, did not join them. Calling once again on his power of flight, he rose into the air like a terrible god, lightning flashing in his eyes and green fire burning around his fingertips. As black bolts fell around him, he hurled spell after spell at the Alquen Pikemen, taking life after life. Bolts of lightning arced from man to man, turning their armour into a prison of pain as they screamed and arched their backs, before collapsing to the ground, smoking. Flame - in great sheets, not little balls - spread out through the air before descending onto their heads, clinging like napalm, and stripping flesh down to the bone. Clouds of jet-black smoke engulfed their heads, stealing their breath and revealing the stark whiteness of skull as the magic ate away at their essences. Alone, he could not have taken down more than thirty men, but still he displayed the full and dread power of the archmages of the Collective. Even as he fought, Sayden grimaced inwardly. The appearance of the Urn had shattered his otherwise flawless strategy, and though it was not his personal failing that had cost the lives of so many, the responsibility for the disaster nevertheless fell upon his shoulders. There would be a reckoning, surely. But that was the nature of war, and particularly of war against a far superior opponent, in a desperate situation. He stood behind his decisions, and would let the cards fall where they may. After a while, he felt his strength ebb, and he returned to the ground, steadying himself on the shoulder of the Captain. "Blood and hell," he whispered to himself over and over. "Blood and hell."

black knight 1234567 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/22/2015 11:32:09)
''Have they gone mad?!'' ''Desperate, rather.'' ''Or maybe they just know a good offensive opening when they see one'' As the Viscount's three most trusted me scuffled inbetween each other over what's unraveling infront of their eyes, Garin stood silent as he watched the Cavalry of Thanisgard launched themselves into utmost certain death, rushing into a line of halberds, billhooks and spears. ''Maybe its all three'' he uttered under his breath, he raised his hand nonchalantly, a sign for the archers to prepare themselves to fire. Perhaps their arrows could save a Thanisgardian life or two. His hand clenched into a fist, in perfect synchronization the archers pulled out their arrows and placed them on their gilded bows, pulling back in preparation to rain upon the enemy, that is until Garin's hand slowly loosened up again, retreating to its place by his side. The men of Thanisgard were shaking Domrius' formations, one can see very obvious gaps in their rank, cleaved by war horses, but the urn remained undestroyed. ''Hold your fire, but stay ready!'' he commanded, he leaned down upon one knee to get a better look at the battlefield. While the weaponry of the enemy forces was causing damage to the charge, they were doing an efficient job of sticking together and protecting each other's backs, and finally they reached the dreaded wagon. This is either sheer idiocy or brilliancy, but its going to win them the battle or cost us the pass. The Thanisgardians formed a formation around the wagon, weakening it and slowly breaking it all while dodging an onslaught of javelins that could easily pin them against rock if so desired, and finally it gave in as the cursed artifact was revealed to all, before quickly being crushed under the weight of the mighty horses. Alquen just lose its edge against the Alliance. It was only mere moments later that that the sky was clouded by the magic of the Oramus collective, their vengeful wrath taking the form of lightning bolts, only dark as night rather than bright incandescence, no doubt assisting in the retreat of the Cavalry. Garin quickly rose to his feet once again, his fist clenched in the air as the archers got back into position. He waited for the right moment to open up a clean path for Thanisgard's forces, as they approached the enemies' front lines, The Sword of the Voiceless threw his hand forward, as a barrage of arrows flew across the sky and over his head, every single arrow findings its mark among the chaos.

TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/22/2015 12:38:08)
As some of the Thanisgard horsemen freed themselves from the grasp of pikes and halberds, a small company of them still remained trapped. If the Alliance didn't act in time the entire company may be wiped out. Unfortunately, Volrun and his Varan infantry were in no position to help them. The best they could do would be to follow through with their plan and flank the enemy pikemen on either side: the northern flank and the southern flank. Aesa and Volrun's separated warbands were now just behind the Alliance's frontlines. Volrun, seeing the Alquen soldiers wavering, decided it best to flank the enemy and help wrap the battle up. "Worun," he called out, "full-charge, now!" The Thane named Worun responded by raising a large horn and blowing into it, unleashing a loud, deep noise across the battlefield. On the northern flank, Aesa and Kosik heard the Bear Horn and acknowledged its purpose. Raising her sword high into the air, the shieldmaiden yelled "Charge!" The fury of the northmen was evident that day as cries of battle rang out from both warbands, circling around the Alliance's frontlines and charging on Alquen's north and southern flanks. A loud bashing noise erupted on both sides of the conflict as the Varan soldiers fiercely smashed into the sides of the crumbling pike formations, pushing with their shields and hacking away with their own swords and axes.

Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/22/2015 14:16:37)
The Alquen position was untenable. Thanisgard’s mad charge broke the Macenite formation, and a renewed surge from the mages of the Oramus Collective wreaked havoc on the pikemen of Alquen. Alquen might yet have claimed a victory, but for the intervention of Viscout Fellwalker. Detro Pleyr fell, pierced through the heart with an arrow, and the Varan under Volrun Valgard hammered into the pike formations, which gave away beneath the weight of steel and magic. The Macenites were already withdrawing, abandoning their supply wagons and falling back under the shadow of the javelins whistling out from the Alquen fortress. For their part, the bowmen regrouped and drew back in good order, loosing arrows to menace the Alliance cavalry and hold them back. The pikes, however, fled, throwing down and taking to their heels. The spear reinforcements wheeled, pivoting aside to clear a line of retreat for the panicked soldiers as the Thanisgard cavalry galloped free. Once more, the gates of the Alquen fortress opened, accepting the flood of retreating enemy soldiers. Upon the walls the scorpions menaced, backed up by several ranks of crossbowmen. The Alliance was faced once more with the choice, as Alquen’s forces withdrew: press onward and try to take advantage of Alquen’s retreat, or accept the day’s victory for what it was and withdraw for now?

Bastet -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/22/2015 17:19:05)
"We've come all this way and you want to leave already? Who knows when we'll get another chance like this. Not to mention that when we do come back the security will not doubt be higher then it was this time, since they'll find out two of their men are missing." Ishia was, by now, used to Ytha’s taunting behaviour. She calmly waited until her partner was done wasting her breath. "Besides that, suicidal? Why would I have joined this infiltration if there was such a chance? Maybe you might have but not myself. You may want to cover your mouth and nose." The Zaran girl watched as Ytha pulled out yet another bag, this one containing strange candles, and moved off to do something with them. After ordering her soldiers to watch for enemy patrols and disperse once again, she turned to observe Domrius’ camp again. Even if there currently were enough soldiers to match the Alliance’s forces on the battlefield, the fortress was still bustling with activity. Your army better be as strong as it looks, Domrius. I wouldn’t want to waste my time on you. Never more than until then was Ishia aware of the fact that if she failed to fulfill her mission, or if her plans went wrong, Zara as it was would have died with her. While she never experienced proper affection for anybody, due to the condition of her homeland when she was born, looking after her country’s safety had become second nature for her. She had been training to fight against those who looked to subdue her nation since she was old enough to hold a weapon in her hands. Still, it wasn’t long before the nuisance known as Ytha was back. Ishia quit observing the camp any further and turned to face her, fully expecting the girl to begin yapping again. Instead, she nodded to signify that she was ready to leave and walked away without uttering a single word. Ishia did the same, carefully following backwards the path that had led them to their objective. She moved at her own pace, remaining somewhat distant from her partner. Although more soldiers could be seen moving near the external outpost, Ishia decided against killing more of them. It was likely that the two outfits she had managed to capture were more than enough for the purpose she had in mind for them. The skeletal garrison left there was not nearly big enough to sandwich the Alliance’s infiltrators between the external outpost and the main camp, and so the saboteurs made it out safely. Ishia let her soldiers go shortly after reaching her camp, after telling Kouras to store the bombs she still was carrying somewhere safe. Such devices could always prove useful, especially after Ytha instructed them as to how they were to be used. The girl took off her cloak and face-cover as she entered the workshop of Zara’s saviour. After spending so much time with her head covered by her garments, even the stale air of the tent felt refreshing. The tall man was hammering some kind of contraption togheter, but he could tell his apprentice wasn’t interested in his activities. Ishia threw her headgear aside and sat on the first chair she found among the maze of tools that could be found inside the man’s laboratory. Ishia relaxed and watched as the man pulled up his own seat and carefully listened to her. The infiltrator began recounting how the infiltration went and her future plans, grateful that she had some time to rest while the struggle on the main battlefield finally began coming to an end.

Dragonnightwolf -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/22/2015 18:16:05)
Thanisgard: Fates of the suns: Chapter 4 ending: Trevor Trevor himself raced back on the battlefield once the two companies were safe. Spurring his mount towards the wagon abandoned by the enemy. The wagon with precious scores of arrows. Three other horsemen rode up from Company C and together the collective group pulled the wagon safely to the alliance lines. Once across, Trevor went back on a fresh horse and stopped at the battlefield to personally inspect several of the dead. Gjorn, Glavin. The commander stopped cold in his tracks upon seeing the corpse of Thomas. "Thomas!" He threw himself off the horse and quickly lifted the sub commanders body into his arms. "Thomas, speak to me." Trevor saw the arrow stuck in the chest and pulled it out with a ferocity of anger. He flung the arrow aside and lifted the visor of his helm. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Trevor shouted out at the top of his lungs in pain. Thomas had served him so well. Trevor picked the dead sub commander up, slid him up on the back of the horse, securing him for the journey back. Several Pikemen had surrounded the commander and he pulled his blade free once more, preparing to attack. As he struck down a pikeman on his left. The one on the right let out a yell of hate before being struck by lightning. Trevor swore swiftly as the second bolt just barely missed his face and gazed upwards. It was that fool hardy mage again! Trevor was furious with the man. It was his fault that Thomas perished. His overconfidence had cost Thanisgard one of it's instructors. The third bolt struck just at the same moment trevor had shoved his blade into another man's torso. The blast swung through the man's body in a death spasm and went through Trevor's own blade before sending him pitching backwards into his horse's side. The creature gave a startled whinny of surprise and nearly took Trevor's face off when it's back hoof landed. He moved his head at the last second and barely managed to avoid the creature's hoof by a couple of inches. Trevor's sword hand trembled as he shook off the blow of electrical energy that had gone through him. His other hand closed tightly in a fist of anger. "I'll kill him!" Trevor growled as he rose to his feet. He struggled weakly onto the horse and carried Thomas's body off the battlefield. Thanisgard: Fates of the suns: Chapter 4: Harry "Go! Hurry!" Harry urged. Those left in his company headed for the alliance lines, avoiding the enemy as best as they could. He could see Trevor coming back on the battlefield and instructed 3 of his men to go to the man. He was surprised to see them taking a wagon of arrows back across the lines. Harry instructed his men into full withdrawal, choosing not to engage the enemy any longer. As he drew into the alliance lines his horse bucked and kicked sending him flying right off, scared by the sudden lightning. Harry caught and braced himself against an oncoming tree branch at the edge of the battle field, just barely avoiding getting skewered. "Bloody hell!" He said looking up. "Are they nuts?!" That's when Harry heard the yell from his commander. Turning he realized why and hung his head down in remembrance.

Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/25/2015 19:09:07)
The first commander of the Alliance to fall was Koros Jarn. Scholars debate whether this is attributable to the traitor within the ranks of the Alliance, or whether Jarn fell to an Alquen pike or Macenite arrow. The only definite conclusion is that Jarn died, and while I have, in other places, refused to speculate on matters that lack definite facts to back them, it is my personal opinion that Jarn’s death came at the hands of his second, Volrun Valgard. Valgard assumed command of the Varan upon Jarn’s death, and I am minded to mention that the Varan are a people of ancient traditions and long memories. Several surviving journals mention vehement arguments between Valgard and Jarn. I posit that the enmity between the men boiled over, and one or the other invoked an old Varan tradition: single combat, to the death. Jarn seems the more likely of the pair to have called for such a bout. His temper was infamous, according to surviving sources… There were more celebrations, after the second day of fighting, though perhaps not as loud, nor as merry as those of the previous night. They were not, we know, so wide spread either, for the casualties of the day were greater, and perhaps it was finally dawning on the Allies just how greatly the odds were stacked against them.

Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius (2/25/2015 19:57:12)
As the soldiers returned from the field, Ytha caught the attention of the allied Commanders, some of whom looked a little worst for wear. "My esteemed Allies," Ytha bowed, beginning the start of her grim report. "Ishia is not here as she has decided to return to her peoples camp, so I shall report our findings." Straightening out she looked the commanders in the eye. "The size of Domrius' camp is no lie, his numbers are as he said, if not greater and their resources are enough to outlast ours five times over. I dislike say as such, but, even if we were to sabotage their camp, it would simply be repaired as if they were only bitten by a fly." Ytha paused, then continued on. "As for the camp itself, one must first move past a scouting outpost. Once one has done such, they must fine a way past a well constructed wall defended by auxiliary forces, and then face a camp, that can only be described as a sea of crimson tents and soldiers." "As for the skill of Ishia Rinchen. She is indeed a skilled infiltrator, however, the forces of Domrius are no fools either and I fear that they are already on to us, as a large number of their scouts moved during our infiltration. I believe that she may needlessly throw away her life during her next mission." Ytha left out Ishia's attack on the two men, as well as, her own candle usage. Those were things that only her sister and Papa needed to know. "Therefore I suggest that my unit work along side Ishia's to insure our mutual safety. If one stealth unit is good, then two, that can get the job done faster, is even better." Haven say everything that she needed to, Ytha bowed once more and returned to her family's side.

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