Soldiers Away from Home|Untold tales from the Land of Liuda (Full Version)

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mastin2 -> Soldiers Away from Home|Untold tales from the Land of Liuda (7/10/2008 13:38:14)

Disclaimer: This Story is set in Alixander Fey's Aduil.

Liuda: One of the many great deserts in the world of Aduil. Now there's more than once place for heroes to be born, but heroes around here are much less noted, else they wouldn't live that long as heroes. This land has been practically dominated by the vampire lords, but it is also a land almost completely abandoned. A good thing, too, or else the few remaining humans in the land would fall prey to those who contain powers ten fold of their own.

However, just because heroes are not noted, just because they aren't as powerful wizards and sorcerers nor dracomancers from the west, their power and deeds are still higher than that of the average folk. Some say that some of the greatest heroes of the world once originated--or at least visited and/or trained--here, perhaps even the likes of Mathey Fey, who is known to not originate from BlackWood Keep. But records are purposely poor in this area, so such stories are mere rumors.

However, those are heroes of the past. Today, there are some well-known heroes. Well-known heroes at least for Liuda desert. Ones who fight undead, orcs, and the very, very rare vampires. Those in the desert have to be strong, so are rarely encountered. Occasionally beastly wyms will come up, though no dragon would dare touch this land. If a dragon did stumble in, the heroes would likely die.

But avoiding hypothetical situations, the heroes of this desert lead the resistance against the dark vampires, especially despising the power of a very powerful dark vampire lord. Contact with the outside world is rare, but does exist. In those contacts, the people inside learn of the outside world, and those outside catch rumors of the rogues banding together for a mighty fighting force. But to them, these really are nothing but rumors, as with their location, it is impossible to tell. These are those untold stories of some of their greatest. Mages, Wizards, Knights, Archers, and more all populate this one location, fighting for what is just...




mastin2 -> RE: Soldiers Away from Home|Untold tales from the Land of Liuda (7/10/2008 13:39:38)

"So, did you get the news about outside?" a robed figure questions as he walks into the room. His brilliant black robe makes him stand out in the yellow sands that he calls home, but at this time of day--or rather, night--he blends in. The yellow trimmings decorating the robe reveal how this robe is custom designed, just for him.
"What about them?" a figure by the fire questions, holding his hands out for warmth.

As a sidenote, the robed figure stares at the night sky, full of the stars he knows all too well. "A lovely night in the desert. Liuda can be quite beautiful." He then continues "I don't know how long ago; knowing here, it well could have been five or more years ago, yet could have also happened yesterday. But they say that a 'Count Olesa' marched on BlackWood. Some of us know the place all too well, so don't just go rushing out of this land to see there. Rumor has it that this Olesa is a dragonknight, though I hope such rumors are false. Anyway, I hear that some of the most well-known fighters of BlackWood--Porel, Derez, Roz, and Cozak--perished in battle. The warlord Alixander Fey managed to single-handedly wound--some even say kill, but I doubt that--the dragon mount and earned the title 'Dragonsting'. If you go by the less-than-likely latter, than that name is Dragonbane.

"Anyway, the armies attacking--did I mention how they were undead 150,000 in number?--were crushed by a brilliant strategy. I hear it had something to do with a sword and a shield, or was it hammer and anvil? Considering how news travels, I can't say for certain. Anyway, we should stay away from such topics; the very thought of lands other than our own and those of dragonrings make me sick. I got a written version of the tale, if you wish to read about it." The figure who had asked sighs, before responding "No, I do not wish to. I, too, hate such rumors. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole thing is just a legend some poor sap in an inn was telling in the hopes of getting a free stay."

The two share another round of laughs before the one at the fire asks "Alacos, Any undead nearby? With your wizard powers, you should be able to tell."
"Feris, by now I thought you could overcome the misconceptions about magic from your land. You yourself have done a little work in it so you should know by now: As much as I'd love to call myself a wizard, I'd be dead afraid to cast magic against another magicer. I am merely a mage."
"Stop degrading yourself. You simply don't train enough. You have experience, but you have the disadvantage of little time to practice and also the little fact that you have only been doing magic for a few years. I hear it takes some to do in a lifetime what you have, Alacos."

The conversation killed, Alacos joins his friends by the fire, extending his hands to warm them; deserts at night are quite the cold place to be. "Oh, and Feris, Jax, Meldor, Stromus, yes, there are some undead nearby. They just set up camp a short distance away; tomorrow, we can raid them. Now, let's get a good night's sleep for battle tomorrow. It isn't good for the leaders of the army sections to all be tired in the heat of battle."
***
The next morning, the small group of people assembled last night are ready, each taking five men from their divisions. Alacos leads the magic experts, Feris leads the knights, Jax leads the archers, Meldor leads the Pikemen, Halberds, and Spearmen, while Stromus leads what little cavalry is ridable in the heat. "Come on boys; let's have some fun!" Feris shouts as the group charges over the hill, battle-ready. This raid is just a normal raid for them, nothing that they consider worth noting. As they charge over a hill, a force of 300 greets them. "Thirty Versus three-hundred...outnumbered thirty to one...this'll be fun!"




A young man runs towards a room, the importance dire. Running in, he takes little note of the red carpet, the yellow brick walls, nor the black flames glowing from each torch. He is not vampire, no soldier with extraordinary powers. Just a normal messenger. "My lord, they did it again!" he panics as he runs to the center of the room. He puts his hands on his knees and his head toward the ground, some sweat coming from him. Kneeling down but still not making eye contact with what he knows must be a large throne, he reports "The rebels did it again, my lord. We just lost a valuable force of three-hundred undead."
"A loss, but undead can be replaced," the voice booming from the throne comments, clearly annoyed at his servant's dismay. He has far grander plans than mere rebels attacking his petty forces; he has many left in reserve. "Do not repeat this kind of petty incident again, puny human. You're lucky I allowed you to live under my services instead of killing you and turning you into another simple undead, Grelos."
The servant identified as Grelos is still heartsriken with fear at his master, simply muttering "Y...Yes, sir Sir Reff"
"And try not to call me by that pathetic name you humans call me. I have a much grander title to go by, you know. Prepare a strike force if these rebels truly worry you, Grelos, I shall give you a thousand undead; the rest is up to you. Travel now and strike at them with your forces. I may actually respect you if you return alive with results."
"It shall be done."
"Crush them, Grelos. Leave none alive."




mastin2 -> RE: Soldiers Away from Home|Untold tales from the Land of Liuda (7/10/2008 13:41:37)

Alacos pants as he walks back with his friend, exhausted from a hard-earned raid. The others carry the spoils, but he has a more important task which requires him to focus his energy. "That battle took forever; the sun is going down already," Feris comments as he carries a large sack of gold. "And today, no moon shall show."
"Which is why my task is more important, Feris. I need to save what little strength we have to light the way, as this dessert's stars give minimal lighting. It takes more energy to cast a spell continuously, you know, so I cannot afford to waste my energy."
"Speaking of which, the sun is setting behind Dune Mountain, so we need that light."
"Very well," Alacos responds, readying himself. He holds his small wooden staff out, ready to cast the enchantment.

Asimov!

With that one word of draconic, a light emanates from Alacos's staff, illuminating the now-gray thick sand 'hills'. The party moves onward, not a single member missing. "Well, we did it again, but I am sure we'll attract unwanted attention. Maybe an army or two of orcs will try and challenge us."
"Don't count on it, Meldor," Alacos projects back to the pikeman, his head fully turned. "The most we'll likely see is a thousand. I'd hardly call that an army, so don't get your hopes up."
Feris is reluctant about this statement, proclaiming "Alacos, I'd like to believe you, but some people fret over the least of worries."
"Yes, but to our knowledge, the worst here are crime overlords."

Feris stares into the eyes of the mage, thinking to himself "But the key word there is 'to our knowledge'. We've never been wrong before, but that is no guarantee that this will always be so; sooner or later, we're bound to be. Alacos, you may be a mage, but you seem to be closing yourself to basic knowledge. We're facing a dire thread here somehow; I seem to just sense it."


Grelos knows that his instruction was not an order, but he'd take it like one anyway. However, he has a more devious plan...why risk losing your own men when you can hire a force to do your work and then eliminate the survivor? He had been waiting, so now calls upon the service of an old friend, though he must manipulate this mercenary carefully. If he knew that I was in league with orcs, I'd be dead in ten seconds. He only takes jobs as to fund money for his next expedition, never killing those who will possibly hunt his dreaded foe as well. So, I must find a way to word this that makes them sound like they are his enemies as well...


More coming soon!




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