Turn #67 - Living vs. Manethander in Elinie (Grey Hills)

[DM B]

I have made a little schematic of how I imagine the valley battle might be taking place.

The orogs coming from the side can go after the armsmen or the dragoons who would have used missiles up until now.

Archers and scouts would move hastily to the back.

Ending up pretty much like the attached picture, if we are lucky.

Very nice - but with one alteration; the mausoleum entrance is cut into the middle of the left valley 'wall', so it is where the orogs are pouring out, pinning the Anuireans in the middle.

They fall upon the rear units - the archers and dragoons. The armsmen are already locked in combat with Osoerdan infantry. The scouts are...fighting dispersed and trying to avoid getting killed.

Suddenly there is some sporadic missile fire from above, targeting the enemy Osoerdans. The angle is bad though and damage is limited.

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

More like this then?

[DM B]

Superb.

[DM B]

Topside the commander receives a report - goblins have been spotted once again...but not scouts or anything...actually they can't make any sense out of...it's almost like a migration of goblins.

[DM B]

The Sword Mage returns to the fight to find the inner column arrayed to support those below with missile fire - there is no getting down to them in the dark.

But there is more - the outer column has deflected some sort of goblin migration. And the scouts have reported the real reason for the goblin exodus - they are being driven to their deaths by an Anuirean army coming down from the north.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

Exhausted and bloodied the Swordmage takes command again. She has not yet heard of the death of her brother and with a little luck, that will remain unknown until she is done leading the army. This is not a good time for a breakdown.

Part of the first column is busy helping out the soldiers in the valley. With the dark, it is impossible to retake the valley immediately. Archers are ordered to keep firing, to keep their arrows directed towards the center of the valley, the Swordmage hopes that the soldiers down there are wise enough to press themselves against the cliff walls. Heavy melee units are posted at the valley mouth, to prevent the orogs from spilling out and to help those who try to escape that death trap. Engineers and auxiliarries are sent there, to see if they can't find some way to let troops descend into the valley. The soldiers down there are not to be given up for dead, especially not the Swordmage's brother!

Thus, the first column is split in two, as it prepares to aid the second column against the army that is coming from the north. Since only shock troops remain in the first column, it will play the role of flanking force or reserve, held back to charge downhill at an opportune moment.

The second column is told to prepare for defense. It is nighttime and currently the army is fighting one battle already.

The scouting force is sent against the army coming from the north. They are told not to engage, but to get a look at the enemy troops and, if possible, contact them. Scouts are given letters of parley and introduction, to hand to the commanders of the force. The presence of the pontiff and other temple's are remarked upon, to try and reason with this new force... if it should prove hostile. If it turns out they will not talk, then the scouting force is to slow them down a bit, if possible, but not engage and focus on getting back to second column.

The Valley Support:
1 Archers (Green) - Ghieste
1 Archers (Green) - Tornilen
1 Crossbowmen (Green) - Ghieste
1 Armsmen (Elite) - Tornilen +2 weapons
1 Pikemen (Skilled) - Elinie
1 Armsmen (Veteran) - Elinie

The reduced first column:
3 Hell Hounds (Summoned) - Tornilen
2 Knights, dismounted (Crack) - Osoerde
1 Regulars (Veteran) - Tornilen +2 weapons

The second column:
1 Armsmen (Elite) - Roesone +2 weapons
1 Knights (Elite), dismounted  - Roesone +2 weapons
1 Regulars (Veteran) - Tornilen +2 weapons
1 Knights, dismounted (Veteran) - South Hold, Bellamie
2 Armsmen, dismounted (Skilled) - Osoerde
1 Regulars (?) - Ilien
1 Pikemen (Green) - Elinie
1 Pikemen (Green) - Ghieste
1 Swordsmen (Green) - Ghieste
2 Archers (Skilled) - Elinie

The Scouting Force (And Screening force in battle)
1 Irregulars (?) - Ilien
1 Skirmishers (Green) - Ghieste
2 Scouts (Green) - Tornilen
2 Scouts (Green) - Elinie
2 Dragoons (Skilled) - Elinie
2 Outriders (Skilled) - Elinie
1 Dragoons (Crack) - IHH +2 weapons, Aid the Righteous, Vestment of the Gods

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

General Kerric, commander of the Elinien Cavalry approaches the SM.

"Commander, there is not much left in the valley. There is a magical light down there, pushing for the wall, where the catacomb is supposed to be. "

"Can you send magic to cover them, or perhaps, once we cannot see their light, even break the cliff wall and collapse it before the tunnel? - Even trapped, their chances would be improved."

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

The Swordmage looks at him tiredly.

"I have little magic left, and my place now is here. Go to the valley and see what you can do. The men there are at your disposal. If you can collapse the cliff... do so. Speak with the captains there, perhaps they have some ideas."

She sends a runner with him, to tell the units there to follow his orders. Then she turns back to the task of preparing the army to repel another enemy.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Rogal Destar, the Pontiffs personal assistant accompanied by the Pontiffs bodyguard arrive hearing the last part of the instructions.

"General Kerric me and the Pontiffs men put ourself at your disposal. I have a few tricks up my sleeve among them a rock shattering divine blessing which I think could be of some help" [Shatter Cleric 2nd level spell]

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

Kerric leads Rogal and his men to the edge of the cliff, slightly to the side of where the entry is, so that they can see down.

"There they are. See how they struggle to reach the portal."

Studying the face of the valley wall, kerric notes that the topsoil is loose upon a sheet of rock. Held in place mostly by a few of the straggly trees and bushes.

If something were to pull at those roots, or perhaps even shatter the outcropping just below, a nice landslide could be provoked. Hopefully enough to bar the way for the pursuing enemy units or at least reduce the front on which the fighting must be held.

"There, those bushes, the outcropping below. If you blast that, when it is time, then I will try to get some men tied to ropes so that they can jump down on the covering and provoke more earth to slide."

Kerric shouts to his men, and three gets tied to each their rope, held by spikes and yet more men. The swingers are given hatchets and spades, to chop at the soil.

Then the group waits. Hoping and praying that the defiant light below makes it into the cave. Arrows from the archers leaning out whizz into the depths, but aside from the hollers and clash of steel below, there is little to see.

[DM B]

While all this is taking place something else happens; Baron Blaede and about 1000 men arrives in the middle of the night, after having marched hard and long. They are wondering what is going on...and they also bring a warning - Archduke Osoer is out younder, trying to regain control over his troops from the treacherous Marquis Braecous Bellamie. IF he succeeds he should be here within an hour or two, before dawn at the very latest. Look for his banner - if you see it not then William is dead and Braecous still in command. Then you'll have to fight him. The Osoerdan officers are clearly unsettled by these news and would rather race of into the night to find their liege.

[DM B]

In the valley below the arrows are now raining quickly - striking friend and foe in equal measure. Whomever concocted this plan failed to take into account that soldiers pinned between two enemy formations have little opportunity to receive orders...and even had they heard the call to 'press against the walls and take cover' they would not have been able...had they even tried they would have been broken and cut down as fleeing dogs. Moreover - for all their skill the IHH templars can just disengage from a numerically superior force that pushes and pushes. The can run of course and hide in the mausoleum - the way is relatively open now that the orogs are busy butchering the dismounted dragoons - but that would be their end as a battle-worthy unit. And finally...there is really no-one to command them anymore. Each man, each squad, each company...they are doing as best they can.

[DM B]

Kerric and Rogal acutally manages to create a small rockslide - one that crushes half a dozen orogs below and opens the way into the crypt...if someone could actually benefit from that act...

[X-Elinie/RiD (Niels)]

Rashida, pushing hard as she could against the orog formation, found herself and a few dragoons and stray scouts before the opening.

Triumphantly, she jumps up a few steps before the great portal. Bleeding from a dozen smaller wounds, and favoring one leg after a blow from a mace to the other. She turns to see the units blockaded, trapped between enemies, not able to retreat.

The only ones moving with some ease are the scouts, and even they cannot get out.

In her mind there is no doubt. They are all going to die here. She looks to a scout near her and says; "Gather who you can and save yourselves. We will hold them as long as we can."

She then takes a deep breath and prepares to charge back into the fray, when, from above, she hears a rumble and is covered by rock and mud, falling beneath the debris and losing consciousness.

[X-Osoerde (Alan)]

As always Avanlae rises to chase Rournil away, their eternal dance to court the Sky and thus, perhaps auspiciously, a tense night gives way to an anxious morning. No dawn here, not in the Shadow World - welcome btw...

From the north at first there are no signs of movement, though all can clearly see the smoke signals, telltale signs of campfires.   The battles lines are drawn for it may be an an enemy coming; it is eerily quiet save the whine of horse, cough of man and the rustling wind.

Silence is broken by the sound of rhythmic march and warriors beating upon their shields.  At first it is only a few soldiers-at-arms, but soon they array the horizon – thousands of Osoerdean forces fully arrayed for battle, organized and disciplined, moving with intent order. The sun’s rays sparkle and glimmer from their armor and weapons.

From their ranks, a lone horseman rides forth. His sword raised high as he races along the Osoerdean line before riding back to the center.  He is joined by cavalry that bear a standard, un-seeable from the Elinien angle. As it turns forth, all know it to be the harbringers of fate today.  The wind catches it, unfurling it parallel to the ground and as it settles...

William I, Archduke of Osoerde