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Author Topic: Nesar-Kuhl  (Read 3295 times)

Dezza

Nesar-Kuhl
« on: April 25, 2011, 07:21:58 pm »
// 2 days after Razeriem and Hardragh capture Prim

"Go ahead and find out why our *curse* army is not moving" The Mad Doctor raged while seated on a wagon in the column of soldiers marching towards Vilsna. The combined Nesar armies had crossed into Kuhl and had made fairly good time along the main road from Nith to Vilsna over the last few days.

Alandric had graciously allowed General Zan Rimous to take his armies first since they would have to branch off to skirt around Vilsna and head to Amaria leaving Alandrics forces clear to assault the large town of Vilsna. But now, not even halfway to Vilnsa the long columns had slowed and now stopped with no word from the General as to why. Alandric was in a foul mood anyway and this just added fuel to the fire.

One Eye rode his tall black warhorse along the lines where tired soldiers took the moment to sit down or rest from the toiling march. Men and women flinched away from the sight of him as he thundered past.

Eventually he reached the forward units and the Generals party.

"The Doctor wants to know whats going on General, he is not pleased with this delay."

The General turned his mount to look at the large Raven then averted his gaze.

"We have Cult soldiers ahead, they have formed defensive lines across the road and into the rought terrain on either side. I've sent out scouts to assess how many lie in our path."

The Raven's horse shifted under him as he spoke, "You have soldiers, send them in and you will soon find out how many Cultists lie ahead."

The General licked his lips nervously and angry mutters could be heard from several of those in his party.

"Of course that will reveal those immediately before us but it would be a waste of life and will most likely not tell us if the enemy has other surprises for us further back that we cannot see."

"It is not a waste of life, those that fall can be used again."

More angry mutters and the general developed a sheen of sweat upon his brow.

"Yes, yes of course, how foolish of me to forget that. It is indeed lucky for us that the Doctor is present that we have the benefit of such powerful magics. I humbly ask for one more hour for my scouts to return, if they do not then I shall do as you request."

Jehorum's horse shuffled back and forth and he seemed to consider the words.

"Very well, one hour then you assault their positions," a pause, "and you will personally lead the assault." He wheeled his mount around and raced back down the lines leaving the General and his staff angry and afraid at the same time.

An hour later, as ordered General Zan Rimous led his army into the enemy positions on the road to Vilsna, and lived to talk about it later although many of his men didnt.

They reached the barricades and threw themselves onto them trying to breach them and drive a hole in their ranks to send cavalry in and around them to cut them off. They managed to do so before a small group of four Myr'drachs appeared and cut into their ranks decimating them within minutes. By this stage Alandrics forces had reached a position where they could watch the battle.

He ordered them to hold their positions and even chuckled a few times at the scene of carnage before him. Eventually however he signalled to Adder, Gimli and Eyebite to lead their Corathite soldiers into the fray.

"Clear this mess up for the general will you, otherwise we'll be here all day."

Hours later the armies had formed up and were marching past the broken enemy lines. Dozens of small trees had been cut into posts and staked up around the area and numerous cult bodies hung from them for the crows to feed on.

Alandric glanced behind him as they moved forward once again and commented to Jehorum who road his horse beside the wagon.

"Good days work One-Eye, the enemy are all dead of fled and our army swells with soldiers more biddable and less fickle than before."

Jehorum grunted in agreement and glanced behind the wagon where dozens of undead Cult and Nesar soldiers shuffled along behind them. Around them dozens of Corathite priests kept them in line and moving forward. Behind them a wide space had opened up between the undead and the first groups of Nesar infantry. Fear in their eyes as they stared at the horror that walked before them, some of them had been friends the day before, some enemies, and now they were undead.

The march to Vilsna continued.
 
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Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2011, 08:09:04 am »
// 6 days after Raz and Hardragh capture Prim, 4 days after Ractrafiorez rips down the south wall at Fort of last Hope.

"This entire campaign is one mess after another. It would be quicker to slaughter everyone and raise them again and send them on, at least they could march all day and night and it wouldnt matter. This endless starting and stopping is ridiculous." Alandric continued to rave and rant from the wagon on which he sat. For the last three hours General Rims armies ahead of his own had been diverging from the main road to take the branch to the north west in order to head towards Amaria through the Hills of the Lost.

It was taking ages to move the supply trains for the generals force to the fore and out of Alandrics own armies way. They had been moving for almost a week now along the main road with only one main encounter with Cultists and still according to the scouts they were at least a day or two from the outer reaches of the lands around Vilsna.

Just the day before a flight of Myrdrachs, four in all, had drifted towards their column creating all sorts of panic but they had seemed content to watch them for a while before flying off to the north back towards Vilsna.

Alandric could tell from the quietness of the soldiers marching in long columns behind his people that they were growing more and more concerned and worried as they got closer and closer to Vilsna. The sight of General Rim's large force moving away from their own also left them feeling unsure.

Alandric called Jehorum over. The large raven drew his horse alongside the wagon to listen.

"When the Generals people are out of sight, tell the Ravens to break out the whips. I want this column moving faster than this pace. The Cult know we are coming now, they know we're moving slowly. I want to suprise them and not give them a chance to prepare anything too nasty for us at Vilsna. Get me Adder as well, we need to start making plans for taking this city from the inside if we can."

One Eye nodded without a word and set about getting the Ravens ready to see about moving the columns along for the impending battle to follow for Vilsna.
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2011, 07:17:36 am »
// 8 days since Ractrafiorez gave his ultimatum at Last Hope, 2 days after Gel'larian and Ferrit stumble back into the Fort of last Hope.

Jehorum rode down the column and wheeled his horse around near the Doctors wagon reducing it to a walk alongside the slowly moving wagon. "We've reached the outskirts of the city. There are some large estates that appear abandonded coming up on the left and right sides of the road. It seems the Cult are holed up in the city proper. They've got a large wooden palisade all the way around the main town with several towers as well."

"Where is the graveyard?" Alandric stared ahead over the heads of the infantry towards the large town ahead surrounded to its north and east by thick forest. Smoke trailed into the air from numerous chimneys in the town. One could almost imagine they were not expecting to be attacked at any minute.

"Near the western edge of the town, the palisades been built right through it."

Alandric didn't respond, several different ideas running through his head. Jehorum continued to walk his mount beside the wagon waiting for additional orders. It was several minutes before Alandric said anything.

"Any idea on their numbers?"

"None whatsover."

Alandric cursed, "Whose stupid idea was this anyway?"

Jehorum diplomatically remained silent until Alandric continued.

"Set up camp two bowshots from the town, we'll fan out into some of these farms then we'll go and speak with the leaders of the town."

Jehorum turned his head towards Alandric, his suprise masked by his helmet.

Alandric waved a dismissive hand at him. "I'll make them an offer they would be most foolish to refuse. See to it."

Jehorum hesitated a moment before urging his big horse forward to issue orders.

Hours later the Nesar lines were still setting up camps across the farms before the town. Scouts had been sent out to skirt the town to see if the enemy had hidden forces in the forests or along the roads to the west. Meanwhile a small party moved forward towards the main gates to the palisade and the town.

Alandric, Jehorum, three Ravens and a shambling undead creature belonging to the Mad Doctor moved to within hailing distance of the towers above the wooden gates. Faces of Cult soldiers stared down at them over bows and crossbows trained on the group.

Alandric raised his voice so he could be heard.

"Soldiers of Kuhl, know this. You have two days to make a decision.

You will either surrender the town and its inhabitants over to us and we will allow any who do not wish to remain here to leave unharmed.

Or, you can stay here, within these walls and face the greater burden of disease, poison and your dead walking the streets trying to kill you. And when thats finished then you will have to fight us and our demons and undead and all manner of creatures you would rather wish never to see.

Rest assured, once we start, there will be no end, for when you die we will ripo your hearts from your chests and fill your worthless bodies with life that will serve us in death even though you resisted us in life."

Alandric motioned to the undead near him to shuffle forward.

"Look well upon this creature men of Kuhl, he was once one of yours and now he serves me. Such will be your fates if you do not surrender to us.

The choice is yours."

No response came forth from the towers but Alandric could see a large number of soldiers pressed up against the tall wooden posts trying to glimpse what was happening outside.

Once they were a safe distance away Jehorum dared to speak.

"Do you think it will work?"

Alandric shrugged.

"I don't really care, tonight Adder can send his poison rats in and our people will raise the dead in the graveyard. I have neither the time nor patience for this."

"What about the two days you gave them?"

Alandric shrugged, "So I lied, I want them dead and rotting long before then. We need more men to take Zolinar next and I intend to get them from here. Now stop questioning me and start working out how you are going to get inside the city."
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2011, 04:00:35 am »
The night was especially dark or at least he thought so.  Perhaps it was his mood.  Over the previous days they had set up camp outside Vilsnar and Alandric had been sending his Orraculi under the cover of illusion magic to scry on the strengths and weaknesses of his advesary.  He also sacrificed some of the Nessar men, under duress of couse, his comrad Jehoram whipping them into running the distance between their camp and the fortified walls, measuring speed, time and accuracy of their archers.  They all died naturally but is was a small cost for valuable knowledge.  Their corpses would always be recycled regardless.
Vilsnar was not a problem.  He did not expect to lose this battle and calculated a small cost in men.  What aggiated him was his destination after...Zolinar.  He had counted his army of men and undead and felt weak against the rumours of Zolinar.  That was where the true battle would be fought.  He could not afford to be defeated.  Failure was simply not acceptable.  Better to sacrifice oneself and have the soul mother take all your strands that have the Mad One grab hold of them.  Alandric was riled with how he would overcome the innevitable battle against a horde dwarfing his own army.  The skill of the Raven under Jehoram and guile from Stygian's poisons were certainly battle winners but they would surely not turn the tide of war.  He had one last option and he summoned his comrads.

Jehoram and Stygian entered his tent and waited patiently for Alandric to address them.
"My friends, I leave now on the eve of battle to seek more strength for our army.  As you know this battle poses little problem for us.  Vilsnar will certainly fall.  What bothers me is Zolinar.  We simply don't have the force to take it.  We need more allies."

He pauses for moments.  The two look at each other but their stern expressions betray no thoughts.

"Hence I will leave this very night by means of magical travel.  I leave the nessar army under your charge Raven.  Lead them well.  Follow the tactics we've been discussing and victory will be ours."
To Stygian, "You'll lead my orraculi and sancti.  Catapult the diseased corpses over the walls and raise them from the inside.  Get to their graveyards and raise what you can.  With chaos from the inside the Nessar army and Ravens will have little trouble taking the fort.  Cover their advanace in darkness and ehnhance their weapons and armor.  I'll leave the rest to your discretion.  Try to save some of your posions for the battle ahead."

He turns and grabs his pack and sings it over his shoulder.  From his robes he withdraws a magical device.  "I'll try to return before the battle ends but in truth I don't know how long it will take to convince him."

"Who are you talking about?" one of them asks.

Alandric grins..."an old friend" then activates the device and disappears.

 
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2011, 08:21:42 am »
// Several days later, the day the PC's in Fort of last Hope head into the tunnels under the fort.

Jehorum regarded the burning buildings on the outskirts of the western edge of the large town of Vilsna. Nearby work crews made up of residents from Vilsna worked furiously under the watchful gave of Nesar soldiers and Black Raven guards to put out the fires. Behind him further back in the centre of town more Vilsna citizen work crews were being forced to bring all the dead from the several day long battle to take Vilsna into the centre square.

There were probably not going to be enough to satisfy Alandric Jehorum thought and for a moment he contemplated ordering the Ravens to randomly kill another few dozen citizens or captured soldiers to add to the piles but as he opened his mouth to give the order another voice interrupted him.

"Lord One Eye the graveyard crews are now digging up the corpses to add to those in the centre square as ordered." Adder gave a lazy salute while Gimli and Eyebite not far away swaggered about.

Jehorum closed his mouth and looked down at the man from his black horse.

"Good, The Doctor will be back at any time, when he appears see that you inform me immediately. Did those Drach units escape into the forest or did the cavalry catch up to them."

Adder shrugged, "I saw the Nesar Captain return to the city with most of his men and no captives so I assume they failed."

Jehorum casually responded, "Bring me the Captains head for failure. No, belay that order, tell him to chose a man from his division to die for his incompetence. That should motivate him to do better next time."

Adder grinned and rushed off to comply. As he left a large brute of a man with huge square shoulders and a thick neck wandered over to Jehorum. From his mount Jehorum didnt have to look down far to see the mans face, he was that tall and broad. He wore the uniform of the Nesar peasant infantry and Jehorum vaguely remembered he had been a blacksmith in Nith before being pressed into service.

"Lord One Eye, we've secured all the areas of the town now and are sending groups out to the farms to check them too. We found a few more Cult soldiers hiding in some and put them with the others. Still no sign of any of them Myr'drachs."

Jehorum nodded to the man who lumbered off. Vilsna had almost been a let down. Once they managed to get some undead into the large town at night and got a few fires going in several points around the palisade surrounding the town they had been able to rush the main gates and bring them down with relatively little loss of life. It seemed that most of the professional soldiers had marched for Zolinar days before they arrived leaving local levies and a handful of Cult soldiers in charge with only a few Myr'Drachs.

Once the Myr'drachs had been taken down and most of the soldiers captured or killed the rest surrendered very quickly. Of course Jehorum had executed all of the towns leaders and those who had denied them entrance and would have kept going if the Nesar Infantry Lieutenant hadn't threatened to leave and take all his men. The matter had irked Jehorum at first and he had consiodered doing it anyway but in the end decided it wasnt worth it and that the Doctor might punish him if he returned and found half the army had left because they were a bit squemish that he'd killed a few people.

He glanced up at the sun in the sky and for a moment hoped the Doctor returned soon. He figured that they would be ready to march within a day or two after the clerics had raised the dead in the centre square and a few other matters had been taken care of around the town.






Meanwhile a week away from them now General Rim and the larger portion of the hastily assembled Nesar army were engaging in a series of heavy engagements against dug in Cult soldiers along the road to Amaria. For Days they has struggled to make any headway against the fortified positions of the Cult. Still at least two days travel from the city proper General Rim and his forces were making very slow progress.




Further south thousands of soldiers including large numbers of mounted infantry and cavalry were moving in organised columns following the road the Nesar armies had taken weeks before as they invaded southern Kuhl.

The combined Rofireinite and Toranite Host had made relatively good progress since leaving Nith two days prior. They made a spectacular sight as they moved along the roads, banners and pennets snapping in the wind as they moved north.
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2011, 09:58:26 pm »
Alandric returns later that evening, the familiar smell of formaldehyde heralding his presence.  He paces into the room which was once a house that they converted to a office during the battle.  Alandric is visibly tired but there is an eagerness in him that emanates triumph.
Jehoram lifts his head and immediately reports.  Alandric holds his hand out to stop him, "you've done well. I've taken the liberty to perform an inspection and all is as i had planned.  I expected nothing else."
Jehoram shows no sign of pleasure and simply asks another question.  "And your mission?"
"A total success" Alandric replies almost too suddenly.  I have the means to turn the tide of war when we reach Zolinar.  The battle will be fierce and we still need to win the strategy, but we'll have a little help when the moment is right.  Timing must be the key."

Jehoram nods and simply waits patiently.

"Send for some wine and tell me everything that happened here.  We've fot time to rest for a few hours before we begin our march on Zolinar."

Jehoram snaps his fingers and a servant appears.  "Wine and three goblets.  Find Adder and bring him here."

The servant departs and Jehoram begins making an account of the triumph in Vilsnar.
 

Ravemore

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2011, 10:32:16 pm »
Adder opens the door and steps into the confines of the small house. The sickening sweet smell of decomposition hangs about him. A small red pit creature with a long forked tail and a maw full of cruel looking fangs, his familiar, follows close behind. Adder bows his head towards Alandric, "Your Orraculi and Sancti performed well, Orraculum Stipatio." There is an evil grin on his lips. "Directing them in their tasks was very enjoyable, it is with a tinge of regret that I hand them back over to you. How are we to proceed from here?
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2011, 01:08:07 am »
Two days later Alandric and the Nesar army, including the undead and the regular troops, Black Ravens and Corathite priests and mages are moving again.

Leaving behind 200 pesant army and 100 regular army infantry to hold Vilsna they move north towards where the real battle will be fought. The Cult troops that had fled Vilsna before they arrived would be well on their way to Zolinar now and Alandric had it on good authority that the Cult General Cyn Chen, head of the Drach Tesak had already arrived at the city and was setting up her defences.

Alandric glanced back over his shoulder and the lines shuffling along behind his wagon. Roughly five thousand strong they were going to have to think hard before they approached Zolinar where Cyn Chen had at least ten to fifteen thousand troops at her disposal. The only consolation he took was the fact that every time she lost men in battle he would gain them.

"How much longer to Zolinar at this pace?" Alandric snapped at Jehorum who had once again moved alongside the wagon on his large black mount.

"Another week yet, we have to cross the Hills of the Lost to get there."

Alandric cursed at the slowness and spent some of the time trying to think about how he was going to explain his debt to the Sanctis.





Meanwhile General Rim had finally managed to reach a position where he could see Amaria in the distance but could go no further. The enemy were dug into defensive positions across the valley in which Amaria rested. The ground sloped gently downwards over miles and miles of open grassland with copses of trees located here and there. Farmsteads spread out across the entire valley, all empty now, with the approach of his army.

Just getting to this point he'd already lost a quarter of the seven thousand men and women under his command with running engagements against Cult positions since they had passed Kalar Lake. Their hit and run ambushes testing his people to their limits.

Now at the head of the valley he decided to sit and reorganise his forces and discuss plans to take Amaria with his officers. As he sat in his tent with several faces around him including the dark faced Corathite Priest from Arnax Ozri Nai who Alandric had placed in charge of the Black Ravens with General Rims army.

There was a flutter at the entrance to the tent and a guard entered with a message for General Rim. Asked to read it the guard cleared his throat and read the message the bird had just delivered.

" To General Rim from Toranite Field Commander Ardran Jertrouse,
Combined Toran and Rofirein Host, five thousand strong, heading north along coast road from Nith. Currently approaching Kalar river near coast and making haste to Amaria. Estimate arrival in Amaria lands within three days."

Excited words from those gathered greet the message until Ozrin Nai speaks cutting over them all.

"You must inform them to turn back they are not welcome here."

All eyes turned to face him their initial enthusiasm for the missive falling away. General Rim seemed to be thinking what to say.

"We can respect your differences Dread Priest but yours is only a small part of my army and if you can win this fight for us I will gladly tell them to turn about and leave, otherwise will will need to wait for them to reach us."

Ozrin snapped back and within moments those gathered were almost coming to blows. Eventually guards were called in and people separated.

Order restored Ozrin glared at General Rim.

"Take their aid then but you have lost ours, we will inform the Queen of your betrayal." With that he stalked out of the tent and within hours all the Corathites and the Black Ravens departed heading for Zolinar to rejoin Alandrics Host.

One of the lieutenants present glanced the pale General Rim.
"I hope you know what you are doing General."

The General looked at him.
"I have no family to go back to, it may be best that I die in the battles to come but if I do make sure they never get my body. For now let us focus on plans now that we know we have a real army coming."
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2011, 06:45:25 am »
// As Raz and Tralek, Gork and Hardragh settle in and make plans around Sundance.

"Again! We'll never reach the city at this rate!" Alandric ducked as with a roar three Myr'drachs swept over his wagon intent on attacking a group of soldiers in the rocky terrain to his left.

Fire rippled through the air from a cleric nearby striking one of them which turned and dropped down in front of the startled Corathite priest and ripped a claw through his body before seeing Alandrics wagon and turning towards it. Before it even got near Jehorum spurred his mount forward, swept his blade in a wide arc and removed the creatures head from its shoulders. Unfazed Alandric stood on the wagon and did a slow turn to take in everything around him. Fighting was going on it seemed all down the line of his troops. The Cult had ambushed them after entering the Kuhl forest and since then it had been a series of battles as Alandrics force were attempting to fight for each step they took. Every soldier from both sides that died was raised not long after to shuffle along with the growing number of undead in the army. That was not the only thing growing however, so was Alandrics impatience.

Jehorum stayed close to Alandrics wagon sweeping back and forth shouting commands at Ravens who swept back and forth up and down the line to where the fighting was heaviest. Another heavy detonation sounded in the forest to the right and an orange cloud climbed upwards to the tops of the trees above. Up and down the line spot fires in the forest were threatening to grow larger and spread. Soldiers formed pockets in the shadows of the trees trying to ward off attacks by Tesak, Myr'drachs and other Cult soldiers.

Vision was restricted by the smoke and trees around them and the sounds and cries of both sides in the forest echoed loudly with the sounds of metal on metal and men and women dying.

Aladric suddenly laughed taking in the chaos around him and thinking of the irony of it all. Jehorum glanced over at the sound of the sudden laughter but if he thought to say anything he decided against it. Alandric wasnt called the Mad Doctor for nothing.

"Its time I did something about this" muttered Alandric and leapt down from the wagon. He draw a staff filled with dark energy and tendrils of negative energy crackled around him, his visage altered and a wave of coldness spread forth. Cloaked in black energy Alandric strode into the chaos of the fight and began to unleash his own powers at the enemy cultists, shadowed closely by Jehorum.

Hours later the scattered army units had reformed, the dead now marched along with them and Alandric was urging Jehorum to make up for lost time.

"Two days to go, two days to go to reach Zolinar, then the fun begins." Alandric smiled.

Moments later a figure climbed up onto his wagon from the opposite side from where Jehorum rode along. Alandric turned to abuse the person and saw steel flashing towards him. Shocked Alandric drew back and almost fell out of the wagon as the assasins dagger glanced harmlessly off his staff and wedged into the back of the seat. The Drach Tesak Assasin cursed and pulled hard on the dagger trying to pull it free. Jehorums blade swept out over Alandrics head and licked towards the assasin who dropped low abandoning the dagger. Alandric meanwhile had regained his composure and reached out to grab the assasin, his hand glowing with an ominous light. Flipping onto the wagon top the assasin balanced easily and draw another blade from his clothes.

Meanwhile those nearby had started to react, Adder was climbing up the back of the wagon while Gimli and Eyebite climbed the sides and Jehorum moved his mount close to the wagon trying to reach up with his long blade to catch the assasin.

Trapped on the roof the assasin moved around trying to find a safe path out and finding none backed to the centre of the roof. One by one Adder, Gimli and Eyebite made it onto the roof and regarded the assasin. He feinted towards them and then leapt up to grab a tree branch that was passing overhead as the wagon rolled to a halt attempting to gain the higher branches. There was a sharp crack and a black bolt of energy lashed out and struck the man. He thudded back down onto the wagon where Gimli, Adder and Eyebite finished him off.

As they dragged the body from the roof Alandric called out to them. "Get him up and with the other undead. Nice of them to keep supplying us with more soldiers. The way we are going we'll have all we need by the time we reach Zolinar itself."
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2011, 04:28:15 am »
Later that day a group of Sacnti were summoned at Alandrics command.  Once in ear shot he gave orders.

"I know something of this Cyn Chen and the latest assassin confirms my thoughts.  Pray to the Most Unholy and grant our commanders and scouts the gift of true sight.  I won't have infiltrators sneaking in right under our nose."

They nodded and immediately left.

To those remaining he chuckled and added, "Little use assassins will have against the walking dead.  If we come up against them send in the dead first.  Lets just hope Cyn Chen keeps feeding us corpses."
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2011, 06:07:25 am »
Two days of hard fighting later Alandrics force reached the edge of devastation.

It seemed that Cyn Chen had wasted little time preparing for the oncoming army and had cut down every tree in the Kuhl forest within two miles of the outskirts of the city. Alandrics forces moved to the edge of the forest where a huge swathe of stumps dotted the landscape around them. In between them dozens of Cult soldiers were fleeing back to the city down in the now barren valley where the Cult had spent their time using the trees cut down and put them to good use.

A huge palisade now surrounded most of the inner city. There were a large number of buildings outside the palisade and even from where they now stood Alandric could see well prepared defences full of enemy soldiers.

Two flags waved high over the main tower near the gate into the palisade, one of Kuhl and one depicting a brackish coloured dragon bearing a bloody dagger. Alandric could only assume it was Cyn Chens own standard.

Jehorum set about spreading out the army at the edge of the forest ordering camps set up and ring trenches built around them to protect them from attacks from the forest. There were still a large number of enemy out there ready to ambush and attack them from behind if they let down their guard. The undead were spread out along the camp lines, hopefully they would draw any attacks and give the defenders time to repel them.

Alandric paced back and forth gazing down the valley at the city of Zolinar and its ring of freshly cut trees forming a high palisade. Cyn Chen had to have at least ten to fifteen thousand troops in and around the city and that meant Alandric was outnumbered almost three to one. He realised he needed more soldiers and fast. He had to move soon and put his plan into action. He soon realised there was no way he could order a direct assault on the city with the army he had. Suddenly he had it and called Jehorum over along with several of the Sancti and Adder, Gimli and Eyebite.

"I want you to take all the Ravens we have here and go west. According to the sketch that soldier we caught earlier gave us there are several villages there. Kill everyone, raise them and march them back here as fast as you can. With luck Cyn Chen has sent a lot of the city's people to those villages as well. Take as many priests and mages as you need from our army to make it happen but do it quickly!"

Within the hour two hundred armoured Ravens along with various mages and clerics rode through the forest to the west. A short time after that the first ambushes came. Forest raiders hit the camps, some of which were still only setting up and broke into their midst creating havoc and chaos as soldiers and undead moved to engage the rogues and assasins that struck so blatantly.

Without the Ravens to issue commands effectively to the army Alandric found he had to rely on weak willed humans to do his bidding. Luckily by now most were so afraid of the Doctor they jumped to do whatever he asked out of fear rather than anything else.

The attacks continued at regular intervals for the rest of the day and into the night giving the newly arrived soldiers to the area no peace at all. By morning many more were dead and others were found in their small tents with throats cut in their sleep.

Alandric cursed the lost soldiers but ordered them piled up in a central area for his clerics to tend to when they returned.

The battles continued for much the same for the rest of the day. Most of Alandrics army's attention was spent protecting their rear facing the forest from the incessant attacks of the Drach Tesak forces of Cyn Chen.

Late in the afternoon the gates of Zolinar opened and streams of soldiers marched out. Long columns advancing through the buildings outside the palisade and upon reaching the very edge of the city spread out in a long line. Alandric counted almost three thousand by the time they had finished spreading out. Then he heard shouting in the forest and through the trees several of his scouts raced into the camp yelling that thousands more were in the forest advancing towards their position.

Caught behind a rock and a hard place Alandric ordered his army to form back to back lines to defend against both sides and moved the undead into large pockets in front of those lines.

The next half an hour dragged into eternity as the army from Zolinar marched up the slightly slopped valley through the arrays of tree stumps towards Alandrics position and in the forest the other force advanced on him as well.

Alandric cursed suddenly, they were set to fight on both sides but he highly doubted they would last very long. Yelling loudly he changed his previous commands.

"TURN AROUND TOWARDS THE CITY, GO AND KILL THEM!" he pointed to the advancing force. At least this way they were moving downhill and had some advantage over the soldiers coming up the slight slope towards them.

Alandric had to yell abuse several more times and then had the signaller sound the horn. As the note warbled across the terrain Alandrics entire force moved towards Zolinar and the three thousand soldiers coming their way.  The few remaining priests and mages forced the undead to the front, shambling and ambling along, using what magics they had to hasten their movement and soon the entire army was moving.

It was more a shuffle into each other than a full blown charge. The soliders from Zolinar were obviously not expecting the Nesar Corathite army to engage them with another similar sized force at their back and were taken by surprise. Even so once the fighting began it was a mass of confusion as the two armies merged with each other.




In the tower of the city Cyn Chen watched with annoyance. It was not what she had expected the Corathites to do and it worked against her plans. She could see some of the regular cult soldiers were spooked by the undead and wished she had more Myr'rachs than she did to send out and rip them to pieces and be done with them.

She signalled to an archer who shot a green fletched arrow high into the air.  Moments later the other force she had sent out into the forest reached the crest above the milling confusion of the battle in the cut down forest near the city. As she watched several demons appeared in the battle and her secondary force began to move down to engage them as well. if things worked here she could crush the Nesar-Corathite force in the first engagement.

However things in this war never seemed to work out the way they were supposed to or they had been told they would and Cyn saw movement again at the edge of the forest behind her second army. A large force of mounted cavalry wearing dark armour spread out along the ridge. Cyn cursed viciously.
"Why didn't I know about them? I thought you said their Ravens went west yesterday you fools!"


Moments later Corathite priests and mages unleashed a volley of spells into the back of her second force that had been intent on joining the battle in the valley. The spells tore through their ranks. Cyn saw the familiar signs of death spells cast at her soldiers and saw them die in clusters to the powerful magic. Then the force of Black Ravens, roughly three hundred of them charged on their heavy warhorses down the slope. Her people never stood a chance and she ordered the retreat even as the cavalry cut great swathes through the lightly mounted troops on foot.


An hour later Alandrics army was retreating wearing back up the hill dragging the dead with them while Ozrin Nai reported directly to Alandric and told him of what had happened in the west near Amaria many days before.
 

Ravemore

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2011, 01:34:05 pm »
As things begin to calm down and defensive positions are prepared near the top of the hill overlooking the city, Adder gets to work. He motions Gimli and Eyebite over and briefs them quickly on what is going to take place. "We need to weaken or destroy those palisades. Prepare yourselves, for after the sun sets we will head out. The two of you will be responsible for ensuring the enemy does not reach me while I am working." Gimli spits and scratches his butt vigorously with a grin. He did not need to say anything. The grin said it all. It promised quick death to any enemy soldier coming within reach of his axe. Eyebite only mumbled and twitched in an agitated manner.

Adder entered the tent where Alandric was currently hunched over a map of the city with Jehoram. He looked up as Adder entered and asked "Any changes on the battlefield?" Adder smiled malevolently, "Not yet. Hopefully soon though, and in our favor. I need three of your Orraculi. I intend on taking down or damaging those palisades enough to compromise their defensive use." Alandric looks thoughtful for a few moments then responds, Take three. Try not to get them killed. I have other uses they can be put to." Adder nods and ducks out of the tent to find his three conscripts.

As night falls the six of them make their way towards the enemy walls. Armed with true sight enchantments and invisibility spells to enhance their effectiveness. Once close enough, Adder mutters a short incantation and touches each party member then motions them to spread out horizontal to the palisades. The three Orraculi pull out the multiple wands that Adder armed them with prior to beginning their mission and begin hurling fireballs into the wood defensive positions. Adder begins the complicated incantation for a powerful summoning spell and within moments a rift in space and time opens up and a monstrous winged devil begins pulling itself out. He struggles mentally as the pit creature tries to break free from its binding, but in the end proves too strong willed for the beast. He orders the huge creature to take down the walls. Within moments arcane fire and brimstone are falling from the sky as the creature unleashes destruction... and the fireballs continue to strike repeatedly.
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2011, 10:01:09 pm »
Later that evening Alandric departed the company of his commanders and secretly wandered the battlefield.  The task he had in mind was too important to leave in the hands of others.  Also he simply didn't trust them, not even his own commanders.  There was no such virtue in the temple and anyone who put faith in others usually ended up dead.
With greater spells of cloaking in place he trudged through the recent battles looking for a fallen enemy that might still be clawing onto the thin stings of life.  It took over an hour to locate one.  His army was very thorough in recycling the recently deceased.  One that they had missed managed to drag his way a few hundred feet behind a fallen tree.  His blood trail was a clear path for Alandric to follow with his darkvision.
The man was panting profusely, a sure sign that death was on his doorstep.  When Alandric materialised suddenly in front of him his eyes opened wide in horror but he was too weak react.
"Greetings my friend" Alandric taunted him.  "You almost got away but you have something i require."
The Khul warrior in a thick accent whispered back "what do you want fiend?"  His voice was barely audible.
"Only you blood" Alandric replied, "Or at least what's left of it."  And with that Alandric gently lifted his wrist and turned it over palm upright in an almost tender like way.  Alandric then drew a scalpel from his robes and dragged it across the veins in his wrist, severing them and allowing for a thick warm stream of blood to flow.  He placed his scalpel back into his robes and withdrew a glass flask from his pack, holding it under the stream of blood and collecting as much as the man would spare.
The man's eyes were beginning to roll back into his head.  He was too weak to fight against Alandric.  He managed to ask one more question before he passed.  "What are you, some kind of Vampire?"
Alandric chuckled.  "Oh no.  This isn't for me.  It's for someone else."
Alandric squeezed every last drop from the man and corked his flask.  Hiding it within his pack he re-cloaking himself in magic and headed back to his command tent.
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2011, 08:31:35 pm »
// As Molvaren assaults Castle Hilm in the three day assault (plot finale)

Two days of constant attacks by Tesak rogues and assasins on his campsites was keeping his army far busier than he would have liked, of course each and every dead ally or enemy were put to good use and his undead army was glrowing slowly it still was nowhere near enough to make a difference against the heavily defended city ahead of him.

It was three days now since Jehorum took his own Black Ravens and most of his priests to bring in more undead and the delay was annoying him. it was fortuitous that Ozrin Nai had returned with all the Corathites that were with General Rim near Amaria, that was an unexpected boon and one pivotal in ensuring their forces were not annhiliated in the first engagement. But now he was stuck. Not enough soldiers to advance, too much pride and fear of failure to retreat. He knew he had the opportunity to win this battle in his robe pocket and unconsciously patted the bottle of blood as he thought about it. But, the problem was making it count and there was no way to do that until they were at least within the walls of the city or had the opportunity to break through.

He had already tried sending groups around to other parts of the city and they had stumbled back into the camp telling of being ambushed by groups of Tesak and soldiers who tore into them freely. One group of over a hundred he never heard from again and so stopped sending out smaller units. He couldnt afford to lose the bodies at this stage. And so, they sat in camps on the treeline looking down over the city and suffering attacks from the enemy at all hours of the night. If that wasnt bad enough during the early hours of the morning the Tesak had started targeting mages and priests and that just would not do.

Adders efforts previously to destroy the palisades had been lucky and turned out to be less affective than the overall effect seemed to have been. When the smoke and dust had cleared the still wet timbers stood tall and strong and subsequent attempts showed that the Tesak had set all manner of terrible traps and pitfalls around the city.

Alandric stood suddenly and called over Adder. "Have you found a way to get those rats into the city without being seen yet?"

Adder shrugged "Its too open to go during the day and there are too many Tesak at night to get close enough without being seen."

Alandric opened and closed his hands the anger rising. "I didn't ask for excuses I asked for results. Find a way to do it tonight. I want them spitting blood and covered in boils and all sorts of nasty diseases and I want it done yesterday! I want them to feel fear in their bones, I want them to know that they do not mess with teh Corathites because we do not care what we do to them and when they die...well....it is only the beginning of what we will do to them. GO!"

Adder bowed and backed away leaving Alandric seething and staring down the gentle slope to the city. "Soon my friend, soon you will rise in glory." He patted the bottle of blood absently one more time then resumed his seat staring down at the city as if by willpower alone he could tear it down.
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2011, 09:07:12 pm »
// 8 days prior to this near Amaria

"General Rim, lookouts report that the Rofireinite and Toranite hosts have appeared on the coastal road."

The General emerged from his tent at the news, mounted his horse along with many of his general staff and rode out to the far edge of thier camp on the ridge overlooking the valley where Amaria sat. Reaching the rise he dismounted and gazed down towards the ocean.

Several miles away over a deep valley thick with heavy woods and foliage he could see a column on the ocean road leading to Amaria. As he watched a deep frown creased on his forehead.

"What are they doing?" he asked one of the lookouts.

The young man nervously looked back, he looked worried. "Sir, They are leaving sir!"

"They're doing what!" roared the General.

"Leaving Sir! We saw them arrive several hours ago and those ships out there arrived and they have sent in dozens of longboats and taking them onto the ships."

One of the generals staff ventured an opinion vagualy hoping it might be the truth of the matter but like many present did not hold out much hope. "Mayhaps they are going to attempt to take the docks and invade from their, General?"

General Rim watched as men and horses were slowly, carefully ferried out to the waiting ships. As they left he felt they took all his hope with them. They were not going to help. He could not take Amaria without them, nor could he return to Nesar in failure. There would be no combined assault on Amaria then.

Suddenly hollow inside the General turned back to those gathered on the ridge. "I will go down to Amaria to discuss the terms of their surrender. I imagine when they see the army down there leaving the talks will not go well. We have not the manpower to take the city. Our lot will be to hold and wait for aid or to turn about and withdraw."  Grim faces met the statement.

For the rest of the afternoon they watched in despair as the Rofireinites and Toranites, over five thousand of them were loaded onto the ships. There was no way from their position to get word to the force of their situation and to find out why they were leaving.

Three days later the last of the army were aboard the ships and they watched as they sailed out into the ocean giving Amaria a wide berth and continued north.

General Rim received the news with a heavy heart and together with three of his advisors who volunteered to go with him he rode slowly down the road towards the first of the Amarian defences. There he was met and escorted towards the city. Not long after the foursome rode back towards their own lines and upon reaching the camp the General headed straight to his command tent without a word to anyone.

Near nightfall the gates to Amaria opened and armoured groups of soldiers marched out of the city along the road leading up to their forward defences. Thousands of soldiers joined the mass already at the frontlines and spread out.

Warning bells were rung in the Nesar camp and General Rim finally emerged from his tent in full armour. Assembling his army he addressed them as darkness finally fell. The entire valley and the ocean beyond were bathed in the soft glow of moonlight.

"Men and women of Nesar. We have been betrayed. Not only by those who rode with us from Nesar but also by those who we thought would surely come to aid us. The Rofireintes and the Toranites have left, the rumours you have heard is true. Now, the leaders of Amaria have decided that they wish us gone from their lands and are preparing to push us away. I am going to fight, I did not come this far to turn back now. They raided our lands, they murdered and they stole our people and we have marched halway into Kuhl to be stopped here? I think not. I am prepared to die for my country but I understand many of you may not feel the same way. This is an impossible battle to win. As such I have ordered some of my staff to lead those unwilling to continue back to the crossroads to Zolinar and set up a defence there and wait for more assistance from Nesar. Those who wish to stay will fight at my side and delay them long enough for the others to withdraw."  At that he turned his horse about and moved to the middle ofthe road not wanting to look behind him to see just how many joined him and just how many left.

Eventually the army separated, just under half began the withdrawel, most of them the peasant infantry who had homes, farms and families in Nesar they wished to return to. At the signal General Rim moved foward his greatly reduced army moving slowly and nervously at his back.

They spread out slowly along the ridge and began to move towards the oncoming army of Amaria they had done the same and were picking their way up the slope. At an unspoken moment the two forces charged each other and the bloody fighting by night began.

Hours later Amarian soldiers picked through the debris of the battlefield, ending the lives of those soldiers of Nesar who were too injured to bother healing. Hundreds of them moved through the area with lanterns to see by.  One group of soldiers found a man in full armour, a Nesar generals plume on his helmet who was killed and pinned beneath his horse as it too died. He appeared to have taken a large number of injuries before he succumbed to death. A noble ending for a man whose life could have been said to have been fairly mundane and average.
 

Ravemore

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2011, 10:26:06 pm »
As night fell, Adder whistled in his tent as he packed the supplies he was going to need. The next few hours were going to be the deciding factor whether he was going to find himself lying beneath the bindstone in Arnax, disoriented and ill. It mattered naught though. All that mattered was fulfilling the will of the Dark Lord. To lead the madness, one must be prepared to embrace it. He shouldered a makeshift backpack that was essentially a modified cage, full of rats enchanted with magical sleep to keep them quiet. He carefully placed the padded box full of glass vials in the top area. Glass vials full of liquid death.

Two hours later, he sat next to a sewer grate to one of the cities many waste lines. Wounded gravely and breathing heavily he checked his supplies. All rats were alive and still asleep. The vials in the box were undamaged. He took a moment to quaff a light blue potion to heal some of his wounds, and then he proceeded. It took another half hour to jimmy the latch off of the heavy iron grate. When done, he lifted it slightly, slipped the supplies inside, and then crawled in with them, closing the grate behind him. Sewage washed over his clothes and hands, the smell overwhelming. It could not have been timelier though, as an enemy patrol passed by. He held his breath, hoping the broken latch would not be noticed. It seemed an eternity, but they soon passed without any alarms being raised. He soon found why there was little concern. Halfway down the long pipe he was crawling through he came to the first of what he estimated to be at least two dozen iron grates built into the stone walls. It would take sappers forever to bypass those, and the noise would be sure to alert anyone of their endeavors. He chuckled though, because never in the designer's wildest dreams would they have considered rats to be the soldier that needed to be kept out. He pulled out a syringe, loaded it with biological agents, injected a rat, woke it from its magical sleep, and released it to the city, shooing it for good measure. He did this at least four dozen more times. Within an hour they would begin to enter the airborne infectious stage.

Just before dawn, a severely injured Adder poked his head into Alandric's tent. "Orraculi Stipatio, the biological weapons have been deployed." He then leaves and heads to his own tent, snapping irritably at a nearby Sancti to follow to attend to his wounds.
 

Dezza

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2011, 04:24:07 am »
// *coughs* Jehorums not back yet...
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2011, 04:59:55 am »
After hearing Adders words Alandric turns to Jehoram and Ozrin.
"Alright, there it is.  If his concoction works as well as it did in Nith you'll have the means to get me into the city."

He pauses for a few moments to catch his breath.  His next words are slow and stern.  

"I need to be in that city tomorrow.  Success rides on it.  Ensure that it happens or die in the process.  I won't accept anything else, dismissed."
 

Ravemore

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2011, 11:29:46 am »
//*Coughs* Edited... ;)
 

Polak76

Re: Nesar-Kuhl
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2011, 07:08:31 pm »
After hearing Adders words Alandric turns to Ozrin, "There you have it.  If his concoctions work as well as they did in Nith you'll have your opportunity to breach the walls in short time.  We can't wait for One-eye.  Start preparing and take what you need and get me in there tomorrow!. Ensure it happens or die in the process, now  Go!"
 

 

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