Turn #66 - Caelcorwynn campaign

[X-Aerenwe/TS (Miloš)]

One moment Maravoel was trying to hold his men together, and the next most of his soldiers were lying around broken, the few survivors running away from the raging treants in panic. He rides among the fleeing men, alternating between sounding his horn and shouting "Form on me, right flank! Stand and fight or die as cowards!" He desperately tries to rally the surviving men and lead them to join the center.

[DM B]

Maravoel manages to rally what is left of his command; it is not much. Scores of infantry slain, many more injured. Archers all over the place, trying to hide, running away. No cohesion, only chaos. With perhaps fisty men in tow he returns to the fray...

Ibrahim's aid and the arrival of infantry to back them up saves the scouts from destruction, allowing them to fall back in good order to join with the regulars and archers on the 'left flank', the men under the elfblood Tycho.

The main force is doing quite well - holding the treants at bay, inflicting damage on them - while keeping alive...for the most part.

That's when the real fight begins. From literally out of nowhere they appear, groups of sidhe archers, numbering in the hundreds (i.e. 2 units). Elven shafts race out, catching the left flank in the back, killing at least a hundred men in the first confusing minutes (the Archers taking 3 HITS, and the Regulars taking 1 HIT - neither unit routs).

Next comes Rhuobhe and his gheallie sidhe knights, tall elven warriors in gleaming mail, bearing down on the infantry, lances gleaming. They rush over the left flank, heading straight for Braedonnal (the Regulars take 3 HITS and are destroyed - sidhe cavalry can charge in forest terrain).

On the heels of Rhuobhe are several hundred (2 units) of lightly armed and armored sidhe. They do not have the same menacing aura as the others. They job is to deal with the remnants of the left flank...the rest of the archers are routed (takes 1 HIT and is destroyed), but the Warden scouts stand firm!

The entire expeditionary force is wavering - this is the moment where they either break en mass, or find their courage to stand and die.

[X-ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor)]

Trelien, seeing the near catastrophe, leaves the remnant of pikes to slow and distract the treants while ordering archers to redirect fire to elven knights as they pass by in their charge to Tuare's reserve. Archers are ordered to aim for the steads in hope of slowing the enemy and confusing their ranks so that their charge lose the momentum. That is the last thing he can do to postpone immediate collapse of entire army.

[DM B]

Several elven knights are felled, but it is too little too late. The knights of the ETN strike back with righteous anger, causing the sidhe to scatter and fade, Braedonnal hot on their heels.

Then the rest of the shide and their tree-allies close the noose. Arrows and fey-forged blades are everywhere. Forest leopards and great stags leap forth to take men down, all the while the great branches of the trees shatter bone and crumple steel.

But Anuireans do not kill easily - they stand their ground. Fighting back, killing even as they are killed. But it is hopeless, truly hopeless.

(the treants, though damaged, continues to savage the infantry with their power attacks, while the terrible sidhe archers keep firing and firing, and the light infantry and summoned frest creatures pick of what's left - but the army does not break)

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Sirous stares in horror as the expedition is utterly overrun.  Nothing more than a glance is needed to realize the Anuireans can never hope to defeat the forces now arrayed against them.  He spares one moment more, one wistful glance back down the expedition's path, towards the safety of the forest's edge... but only a glance.  No Anuirean steed could outrun the Wild Hunt.  And he'll be damned if he'll give them the sport of running him down.

"To me, men!  Defend the flag!" he bellows, turning his horse towards the elven knights and Tuare's guard.  "Rally to the flag!"  A few words leave the Irregular's commander pale, but the man nods jerkily and begins to lead his troops to support the Wardens' scouts and delay the forces there as long as possible.  Sirous himself leads the Armsmen in a rush to support Tuare, and perhaps - perhaps - see the hated Awnshegh brought down with them.

[X-Points East]

IC:

Ibrahim attempts to make his way toward Hermedhie.

[DM B]

Sirous intentions may be good, but the effort proves futile. The infantry, the armsmen included, are hopelessly entangled with the animate trees. Even as they try to move in support of the knights, they are mercilessly hammered, loosing whatever cohesion remains to them. Sirous survives, but is thrown from his horse and into some bushes, landing hard. Whatever armsmen survives are cut down by arrows and javelins, or torn to pieces by wild animals.

One good things comes of it though. The mad assault of Sirous and the armsmen have attracted the attention of the enemy, allowing the sad remnants of the human army to fall back into one semi-coherent block that is falling back to a better defensive position. Not all make it though. Gweneviver is hit repeatedly by sidhe arrows and is killed. Brave Ibrahim tries to aid Hermedhie, who is hard pressed, barely able to defend herself, let alone attack. A black panther pounces on him, and before he can get up he is pierced by sidhe spears. Tycho fell along with the left flank.

Hermedhie uses the distraction to let a sudden gust of wind carry her into the sky...then she becomes the wind...racing away faster than a galopping horse...is she fleeing or does she have a plan?

----

Meanwhile Braedonnal has run into trouble too. The ETN knights are not very mobile in the heavy forest, but the magical sidhe steeds and local knowledge is on the elves' side - Rhuobhe has chosen his ambush site well. So when Braedonnal pursues - a reckless move at the best - the knights come under fire from sidhe scouts that have remained hidden up until now, then Rhuobhe wheels and re-engages. But the knights prove nothing if not resilient and fight back with great fervor...but how long can it last?

----

'MAIN' BODY
Commander - Maravoel Dhon (Aerenwe)
Commander - Aedon Dhon (Warden 'general' and Circle member)
Commander - Trelien (ETN)
Scouts (crack) (Wardens) - 2 HITS taken
Irregulars (Bellam) - 3 HITS taken
Armsmen (veteran) (ETN) - 4 HITS taken
Pikes (Aerenwe) - 2 HITS taken
Archers (Bellam)

IN A BUSH
Commander - Sirous (cousin to Baron Tristan)

PURSUING THE ENEMY
General Braedonnal Tuare
Braedonnal's bodyguard (very skilled followers)
Knights (crack) (ETN) - 2 HITS taken

PLAYING IN THE WIND
Hermedhie

----

The Anuireans are in a good defensive position with a coherent front. Facing them are two crack sidhe archers (with the Archer buff spell). Supporting the archers are two locally recruited green sidhe irregulars - they've taken a beating. Sadly there is not much you can do except slowly get shot to death...

...and of course there treant units are still there, as are the summoned army units...the former has taken some damage, and the late quite a bit, but its not enough!

The knights unit + Braedonnal are tangling with the sidhe knights + sidhe scouts + Rhuobhe. Anuirean crack knights are TOUGH, but in this place they are outmatched.

And Sirous is lying in a bush...

[X-ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor)]

There is little option but another mad charge. Archers fire at the enemy while the remnants of Armsmen and Irregulars, lead by Trelien in person, surge forward with a great shout in a self-sacrificing move trying to draw enemy's attention. When the elves and forest creatures are busy massacring them, the rest of the units and commanders try to slip towards the place Knights are fighting in a hope to help them finish off the sidhe knights and perhaps make it possible for Tuare to engage in person with Rhuobhe.

[DM B]

Trelien - and a few others - find themselves preciously alone...the men are not advancing.

[DM B]

Having some feedback from Hermedhie would be appreciated; specifically - does she flee or join the struggle with Rhuobhe?

[X-ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor)]

OOC: Meanwhile in Caelcorwynn province, can ETN (maybe the Aerenwan too) ships crews occupy the province and reduce Rhuobhe's holdings there?

[DM B]

No. You needs units for that. And you can't call any levy either, since there are no manors. But you (ETN) could muster units. You need at least 2 to occupy the province, and some more to actually deal with the Rhu holdings.

[DM B]

I will be wrapping up this adventure tomorrow.

Input from Hermedhie is sorely missed; she is the only PC regent present, and has not yet made any posts.

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Sirous groggily begins to sit up, touching his bleeding scalp, then freezes as elven steeds thunder by bare feet from where he lies.  As they continue on, he carefully eases forward and brushes aside a few ferns to see out - then hisses in fresh pain at the sight of the crumbling remnants of the army.

A long few moment passes as he stares, forcing himself to remain crouched.  There is NOTHING you can do there!  The elven forces have engulfed the Anuirean ones - he has no way to rejoin his men.  He swears, violently and silently, beginning to wiggle backwards.  All he can do now is try to creep away and at least bring word out of the woods of the army's defeat.  His sword is gone, but he retains his longknife - little more than a tool, normally, but any edged steel is better than none.  If you break cover you're dead.  There's nothing you can do, but you can still run.  So do it while you have the cha-

More hoofbeats begin to near, forcing him to freeze in place yet again.  Through the leaves, he can see flashes of movement and sprays of blood.  The vicious, moving battle between the human and elven knights has shifted towards him, hammering back and forth but steadily growing closer.  He sighs, staring, and mutters beneath his breath.  "I can take a hint, Kind Lady.  Just... catch me, when I fall."

Minutes later, as Rhuobhe spins his mount away from the latest human vermin to feel his blade's bite, there is a rustle of leaves and a flicker of steel, and a long-handled knife embeds itself in his horse's eye.

Catch me, Kind Lady.

[X-Hermedhie (Ronny)]

OOC: Sorry about that. Been some crazy busy days this week... Okay, I'm not sure which spells I have chosen or anything, since my papers only list realm spells. So I'm just making up some spells she might have in her arsenal here.

Hermedhie flies high above the battleground watching the slaughter. As the Sidhe charge to finish the Anuirean army, Hermedhie hovers closer(just within 200 feet) and starts chanting. A fire grows from nothing right on top of the densest part of the sidhe army, growing 20 feet high and 200 feet long, a wall of fire now stands where only the sidhe army was before.

OOC: Hermedhie casts a wall of fire right on top of the densest part of Rhoubhe's army, aiming the waves of fire towards the rest of his army. All the while staying in the air, about 200 feet away.