Chapter #1163
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+ THE ADVENTURERS +
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+ Epic VI +
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+ Many of the locations, non-player characters, spells, and other +
+ terms used in these stories are the property of Wizards of the Coast +
+ which has in no way endorsed or authorized their use. Any such +
+ property contained within these stories are not representative of +
+ Wizards of the Coast in any fashion. +
+ The player characters depicted in these stories are copyright +
+ 1991-2024 by Thomas A. Miller. Any resemblance to any persons +
+ or characters either real or fictional is utterly coincidental. +
+ Copying and/or distribution of these stories is permissible under +
+ the sole condition that no money is made in the process. In that +
+ case, I hope you enjoy them! +
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+ +
+ Belphanior 18th/18th/18th level elven fighter/wizard/thief +
+ Hope 16th level female human wizard +
+ Poulos 8th level human warrior +
+ Irina 14th/7th level female human priestess/warrior +
+ Paige 13th level human female warrior +
+ Razor Charlie 12th level human fighter +
+ Skektek 14th level human wizard +
+ Ys 14th level reptilian fighter +
+ Parekh 18th level female human wizard, innovator +
+ Drak 15th level human barbarian +
+ Wu 18th level human wizard, transmuter +
+ 6 elite ogre magi +
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+ Mongo 20th level dwarven fighter +
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+ Date: Richfest day 2, after 6/28/586 C.Y. (Common Year) +
+ Time: late afternoon +
+ Place: the city of Istivin, capital of Sterich +
+ Climate: sunny and cool +
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+ "He thinks I'm being extreme...but I have to deal in extremes if +
+ I'm going to make a difference. That's the only way to make the +
+ war work." +
+ - from _The Punisher_ volume 2 (1987) issue 71 +
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MCLXIII. The First Liberation
As the army he led approached once-great Istivin, capital of occupied
Sterich, the dwarven hero and general Mongo Thunderhead wasn't sure what
to expect. His force, comprised of elements from six different allied
kingdoms and regions, had departed the Good Hills two and a half days
ago and moved westward at an aggressive pace. Upon entering Sterich
proper yesterday morning, their scouts had encountered sporadic groups
of enemies - usually humanoids but sometimes a giant or two. These had
been dealt with swiftly and efficiently, and Mongo's only regret was
that he himself hadn't been there to participate. Things had gotten
more serious when they were further into the fallen kingdom; this very
morning, shortly before midday, they had come upon a larger group of
foes. A couple hundred in number, and composed mostly of gnolls (with
two dozen ogres and five giants) this sizable enemy force had initially
encountered Mongo's long-range scouts. Those worthies, recognizing that
they were outnumbered and overmatched, had retreated...and the humanoids
(being what they were, and of course having no way of knowing that the
others were out in front of a substantial army) had immediately begun to
pursue the scouts eastward with great enthusiasm.
That enthusiasm had vanished when they encountered the main body of
the liberating army. The scouts (having fast horses while the humanoids
were mostly on foot) had been able to return and warn the army...which
meant that Mongo had joined the front ranks. The dwarf, a hero of many
battles and adventures, typically refused to lead from the back - and
with the power of his warhammer and the damage it could do to giants
and giant-kin, he could singlehandedly turn the tide of battles. While
he and the roughly nine thousand infantry forged onward to meet the foes
directly, he had his mounted cavalry (about a thousand total, comprised
of both Sterish and Keoish riders) split into two parts and ride ahead
on either side, each group a league distant from the main force. This
meant that the giants, ogres, and gnolls were heading into the throat of
a pincer movement...which would mean no escape once the formation closed
around them and the trap was sprung.
And that was exactly what happened. At first, the foes were surprised;
they had ruled this land for years with no resistance during that time,
and had done as they pleased. That complacency had ended with the attack
on Istivin early this morning - an assault which they still didn't really
understand, as they had fled for their lives before learning any details.
The occupying forces normally had a fairly high level of morale and were
not afraid of anything, but then they had never faced flying wizards who
blasted them from above with great and terrible magic...or dragons who
could wipe out entire companies of troops with a single swipe of a giant
claw or a great gout of searing flames. Worse, the word had gotten out
that King Galmoor - their supreme commander and strongest warrior - had
been slain.
So between the sudden and violent surprise of the attack, the insanely
overwhelming force brought to bear in that attack, and the loss of their
leader...large numbers of the humanoids had decided that discretion was
the better part of valor, and retreat was the best form of discretion.
They had hauled ass out of Istivin as fast as their legs let them, and
headed in every direction. This band had reformed about an hour later,
a great distance to the east of Istivin, and never looked back. Some of
those in the ranks reported that others fleeing the city had been slain
by pursuing wizards or dragons. Even the biggest, toughest giant among
the survivors wanted none of that...and so the group marched on as fast
as they were able, driven by fear and uncertainty. They headed east with
vague hopes of finding others in the outlying lands, and maybe forming a
force large enough to strike back.
And then they had run into the army's scouts...and pursued them, never
making the connection about what foreign riders in Sterich might mean...
and now they had crested a short rise in the plains, only to see a much
larger force headed their way. Their surprise was doubled as they turned
while pondering a retreat...only to see their rear flanks now completely
encircled (albeit at a great distance) by what looked like large numbers
of armored riders. The aforementioned largest and toughest of the five
hill giants among the group - one Blustis by name - had begun to bellow
out a command, but that had been interrupted by a single rider breaking
off from the approaching army and moving out ahead of them, its armor
gleaming in the morning sun. Figuring that maybe a challenge of each
sides' champions was in order, and that winning such a fight might help
in some way, and mostly just wanting to kill something...Blustis had
begun lumbering toward the lone opponent, his giant war-club held ready,
the iron spikes driven into its length rusty but sharp. And then, the
approaching foe had begun whirling a weapon in one hand as it rode...
before hurling that weapon at Blustis from afar. Incredibly, impossibly,
the thing had sailed across the distance between them - flying further
than should have been possible, with an accuracy that spoke of powerful
magic and great skill. The last thought that had gone through Blustis'
mind had to do with the whispered legend among the giants...the tales of
a dwarven hero of surpassing might, armed with weapons most terrible...
the one known as the Killer of Giants. And then the hammer had struck,
after which Blustis no longer had a head. The bolt of lightning which
followed the hammer's flight tore into the front ranks of the humanoids
just behind their fallen champion, slaying a dozen in a singe moment.
After that, it had been a rout. The foes broke ranks and lost what
little focus they had, and were massacred in short order by the larger,
stronger, and far more motivated army from the east. Once all of that
grim work was done, the army continued its relentless march westward,
its members now invigorated by the battle and their triumph - and the
knowledge that they were steadily drawing nearer to the most important
initial objective of this campaign: the capital city of Istivin.
Mongo's thoughts returned to the present, and the scouts who he'd sent
out ahead of the main force. In the distance, they could be seen riding
hard as they headed back, presumably with important news either good or
otherwise.
Mongo: (having remained out in front of the army's main body, he reins
in his horse as the scouts once again approach)
scout #1: (breathless) Good news, General - the gates of Istivin are
thrown wide open!
scout #2: (also excited) And someone has impaled a large giant, just
outside the city.
scout #1: There are dozens...no, hundreds of slain ogres and gnolls all
over the plains outside the city, too.
scout #2: And some fallen giants.
Mongo: (grins) Belphanior...that son of a bitch did it. He actually
did it.
scout #1: We stopped short of the city itself - we first wanted to let
you know what we'd seen first.
scout #2: There appear to be a few wizards standing atop the city wall,
near the opened gates. Also saw one flying around above.
Mongo: (nods, quite pleased) Good work, men. (he turns to his five
captains, all veteran warriors of various races, from various kingdoms
or other areas) Pass the word. Istivin appears to have been liberated
by our allies, but everyone is to remain battle-ready until we know the
full story. (he turns back to the west) We should be there within the
hour.
That hour passed quickly, and when the army reached Istivin, a small
and familiar group ventured out to meet the new arrivals. Belphanior
himself greeted Mongo, assuring him that all was well; after that, the
army began setting up camp in and around the city, including defensive
positions in case the humanoids returned in significant numbers. That
wasn't likely to happen, but had to be considered. Mongo and his group
of captains accompanied Belphanior into the royal palace and then up to
the large hall he'd been using as a command center. It had several huge
windows which opened to the east, affording a spectacular and sweeping
view of the city and lands beyond. Parekh and Wu were also present, as
they were essentially co-leaders of the group that had taken the palace.
Mongo: (listening to Belphanior finish giving a full accounting of the
events of the last day...his initial infiltration, the learning of key
information, the slaying of the giant-king, and so on) Damn fine work.
Belphanior: There's plenty still to do. I have to assume that a very
few foes yet remain hidden in the palace, in places we don't yet know
about. Same goes for Istivin itself, on a larger scale - that's where
your forces will need to intercede. The dozen of us couldn't do that
kind of sweep.
Mongo: Not a problem. We can go street to street and get it done one
at a time. (he frowns) Maybe if one of you can be airborne and on
the lookout in case we run into something and need magical help.
Belphanior: Skektek would love that.
Mongo: Heh.
Belphanior: It's good that you set up sentries and defensive positions
outside the city. While I doubt it will happen, there's always the
chance that some of the giants and such will regroup, somewhere out
there, and try something. (he frowns) And we've also got an unknown
number of them holed up in an old cellar, underneath this palace.
Mongo: (scratches his beard, a bit surprised) And no one tackled that
problem yet? You have some real go-getters in your team...I'd figure
one of them would have wanted to deal with that.
Belphanior: We've all been up for an entire day, except for really short
naps here and there. A couple of them haven't slept at all. And some
of the wizards have cast many dozens of spells, counting those created
by wands. (he shakes his head) So no one's in top form right now.
Mongo: I see.
Wu: However. (he yawns) Since it's no good to have enemies on the
loose, we did put up a wall of iron to block them in until it's time
to address the problem.
Mongo: Hmm. Yeah, that'd work for sure. Okay. So, after some final
work, we can consider this city retaken?
Belphanior: I think so. (he smirks) If the humanoids ever do return,
the first thing they'll see is their slain king on a spike outside
Istivin.
Mongo: Nice touch, that. How'd you get the giant impaled on that tree-
trunk?
Parekh: That was Drak. He grew to giant size, found an uprooted tree,
stripped and sharpened it, then drove it into the ground out in front
of the city.
Belphanior: It was my idea. Kind of grim, I know, but the message it
sends could keep hundreds of foes away.
Parekh: All he asked was that the giant be impaled through the back, as
opposed to any other way.
Belphanior: Wasn't a problem.
Mongo: I want to thank you. You made this a hell of a lot easier than
I - or anyone - ever thought it would be.
Belphanior: (nods to Parekh and Wu) I had a lot of help.
Mongo: And I thank you too.
Belphanior: It gets better. (he smiles thinly) With the information
obtained from Galmoor before he perished, we know some things about
his allies in Geoff and the Crystalmists. I know it's not time yet,
but when Istivin is fully clear, and when the invaders have been fully
driven out of Sterich, and when you and your army are ready to embark
on the next phase of this campaign...Geoff to the north is in similar
dire straits.
Mongo: (not expecting to have been offered this much help, he grins)
Awesome.
Belphanior: I'd suggest we plan and execute that fairly quickly, since
word of events here will spread like wildfire. I wouldn't be surprised
to find Geoff a much tougher nut to crack.
Mongo: (nods) That's likely true, unfortunately.
Parekh: Take heart. In situations like these, I've found that it helps
to exert more...force. (she folds her slender arms) And we can draw
upon considerable reserves of such.
next: we take a break from this campaign, and look in on others
map: http://www.peldor.com/world/atlas/bright_desert_1156.jpg
www: http://www.peldor.com/download.html
homepage: http://www.peldor.com/
email: tmiller@peldor.com
released: 8/16/2024
notes: I am no expert in the ways of warfare. I have vast stores
of that knowledge in my personal library, though, so perhaps I should
spend some time exploring that wisdom.
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