Brigands of Thoralinar - turn #63

[X-DM Jon]

Duke Hiriele is caught very alone on the rampart, pressed by many orogs and supported only by a thin line of his own bodyguard. They are clearly no match to a full-fledged unit of orogs and are dying all around him, spending their own lives to save his.

 Your scouts are no close combat unit, indeed they aren't worth much in combat generally. But they follow your command and move to save their Duke, placing themselves in harms way, but otherwise making not a dent in the heavily armored orogs. You manage to pull the Duke out of immediate mortal peril however. His bodyguard is not as lucky. They are all dead, to a man. Nets and ropes lie strewn about...

[X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)]

Flecked with the blood of his own men Hiriele's face looks haggard and tired. He gestures to his Armsmen, acknowledging that between them and the knights are the best chance of breaking these Orogs before they break his army in turn.

He spits on the ground in front of his feet, somehow a slightly strange and almost a sad farewell to the dedication of those who gave their lives.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

OOC: Just checking, you do remember that Orogs take huge penalties in daylight?

[X-DM Jon]

The focus of the battle has clearly changed now.

 Your forces outnumber theirs by far and they know it, but your line is thin and easily broken. At the exact point where Hiriele and the Swordmage is, protected by the few scouts trying to fight the orogs, are where they attempt to break through. Throwing the scouts completely aside. The knights obviously try to prevent them and kill many of the hulking brutes in their retreat out of the settlement. But still it is not enough to stop them. Your scouts are woefully unable to make even a dent in the side of these armored titans, but somehow... By sheer force of will and great luck, do they prevent the orogs from breaking through!
 Meanwhile your crossbows open fire once more, but even bolts are not enough to penetrate their armor.

 On the side your dragoons throw themselves into the fight against the regulars slaying many in their flanking attack, allowing the armsmen to shift focus towards the orogs. But to no avail.

 Then a great flash of fire breaks out amongst your scouts, sending many to a burning death below and the explosion throwing both Swordmage and Ghorien Hiriele headlong over the ramparts. The blast and fall severely injures both of you, and the last you see is scores of orogs vaulting over the walls and force marching out across the fields. The huge horned figure in the middle of them.

 Then blessed unconsciousness untill your knights find you amongst the blood, muck and bodies of the fallen.

[X-DM Jon]

OoC: Orog's receive a -1 penalty in sunlight.

IC:
 The aftermath is as follows.

 All the enemy units were either routed, broken or destroyed, all but the orog unit have been taken prisoner or have simply fled into the hills. The Ghoeran commander was captured alive and awaits your pleasure.
 You know not what happened to the orogs... Their march was so effective and swift, that they were gone before your bewildered and bloodied units knew what to do. They disappeared into the most forbidding areas of the hills.

 The status of your units will be entered in your DO's.

[X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)]

As he recovers his wits Ghorien orders a lock down and search of the settlement for stolen goods, treasures and effects. All humans who survived battle are to be questioned on their activities and then offered servitude or death - all accounts and witness statements are to be recorded as are the contents of the ramshackle town.

It is at this point that the Duke realises that he is within the borders of Torlinen and apologises for his presumption offering her the pleasure of interrogating the prisoner.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

The Swordmage staggers to her feet with the aid of a knight. After she is on her feet, she removes her somewhat dent helmet and takes a look around the field. While she and the Duke are being led to the men, she wryly remarks to the Duke Ghorien: "That was an interesting tussle, but next time we do this, I suggest we bring a bigger stick." She laughs at her own joke, a still coming down from the blood rush.

Once they have joined the men, she first goes to command the recovery of the field, making sure that all the fallen are accounted for. She suggests that they take the prisoners - a small selection of soldiers and all the officers that they have caught - back to Tornilen. The rest of the prisoners they will hang them on the way there, putting them along the roads they have terrorized. If the Duke does not protest, the prisoners will be offered

On the way back they can also collect whatever loot is left at the site of their first camp, adding it all together. She offers the Duke to take 2/3 of the total collected treasure, as his troops bore the brunt of the fighting. Once the prisoners are taken to Tornilen, they can interrogate them at their leisure the coming season.

[X-DM Jon]

The first camp you "attacked" was obviously the main base. All that is here are supplies and a fine place to stage raids into all surrounding provinces.
 The prisoners are a mixed rabble, those goblins that were not slain or fled, yield you little in the way of information. They're apparently a mix of Spiderfell and Markazor goblins... The humans are another matter, the surviving regulars are actually part of Gavin Tael's old army - or so they claim. Most of the rest of them are brigands of the usual caliber. Disgruntled peasants from all over Anuire, former mercenaries and just plain criminals.
 But the special thing about them all is they banded together in this small army... Something they inform you was due to the "Ogre" forcing them into service. They all claim to have served this "Ogre" out of pure terror and claim to be quite innocent otherwise! The "Ogre" was planning to reconquer Ghoere, him and his wizard friend.
 They all want to accept Ghieste's deal of servitude. You don't believe they would be a very trustworthy bunch of regiments however...

 The Ghoeran is one Commander Gaine Alward. He was apparently second in command to the Ogre. And once one of Gavin Tael's elite soldiers.
 He refuses to talk.

[X-Ghieste & HOT/GH (Matt)]

The Duke sits in some comfort in an ornate high backed chair under a beautifully decorated pavilion while he reviews the paperwork and materials that his stewards have gathered already. As he sips at his wine he peruses the documents and attempts to assess the value of the information there within; the detailed losses of the regiments and the field dispatches and commentries from his officers that he demands after each major engagement, the notations for extraordinary valour that at least brings a little good news to the monotany of the names of the dead and the wounded. He also examines the lists of those who captured of the enemy who are willing to swear servitude and ensures that the oath that he will require them to swear should the Sword Mage be agreeable is couched in the terms he wishes it to be and he smiles as he re-reads the text he has approved. In his mind he calculates the numbers and types of men that have survived and what that would equate to in the form of regiments for Torlinen's armies.

And then it is with some delight he turns his attention to Commander Gaine Alward. He requests he is brought before him and made to stand in the field, not in the shade, with no food or water while he reads, while he eats and while he drinks. Every so often Ghorien will look up and gesture to a chair opposite him at the table asking the Commander if he wishes to speak yet. The smile everytime he asks drips with sarcasm.

[X-DM Jon]

 It takes you well around three weeks to get back to civilization, what with all the wounded and shattered men to transport. Prisoners to escort. And the demands set upon you by the added weight of the loot wagons.
 The reports are clear enough. All around your regiments performed admirably. Holding their ground to the very last, a most commendable deed indeed. Most interesting, your knights appear on the charts as the unit that saw the least action.

 Alltogether, included what loot you found in the brigand's second camp, the total tally of ill-gotten gains amount to 6GBs. Quite a fortune for such rabble!

 Of the units willing to swear service to you, there are two units of broken skirmishers and a unit of broken regulars, both skilled. Obviously not to the Swordmage since she declared that they were all to be hanged - and has already had most of the goblin prisoners, as well as some of the human, hung on the way here as a dire warning to all.
 Indeed these three broken regiments are what remains - and it is up to you whether to intercede with the Swordmage or let her hang them. Your commanders are of the general belief that these men cannot be trusted and should be hung.

All these and more trivial matters of supply, takes your time in the cool afternoon sun. Winter is approaching slowly...

Commander Gaine Alward remains standing, not responding to your questions. He looks straight ahead, not looking at you either.