"My abilities are far more suited to the battlefield than held in reserve" Alorah answers
Lord Sosiel
"He's at the command tent right now, strategizing with the commander. Our tent is over by the river channel wall. There."
With a series of barked orders, Irabeth directs the operation to commence.
Assembling quietly on the South Bank road, the signal is given and the Knights of Kenabres launch into their charge!
At the crossroads, Sir Arles veers right to lead Company A up to the base of the bridge on the South Bank. They dismount and rig up some basic barricades, readying a total defense in case the Schir demons come storming south.
Company B continues straight across the intersection to crash into the camp of the Tiefling army camp.
Company C veers left and charges straight West down the long South Bank road to the Cultist army camp.
Company B Vs Tiefling charge attack:
Company B Vs Tiefling charge attack:
out of 12hp.
Company B's charge takes the tiefling army completely by surprise, at ease in their camp. The army is obliterated. The handful of survivors are too shocked or wounded to offer any further resistance.
Company C vs. Cultist army charge attack
= out of 14.
As you make the approach, you see with dismay that the Cultist army has barricades up. They were ready for an attack!
But not nearly enough. Despite improvised barricades and vile magics, Company C's charge of mounted Paladins cuts through the Cultist army in a blaze of silver fire! The army is obliterated. The handful of survivors are too shocked or wounded to offer any further resistance.
As her squadron tears into the enemy soldiers, Alorah is shocked and horrified to recognize the elegant elven curveblade she'd last seen in Kankai's capable hands.
In an unrelenting barrage of crossbow bolts and divine fire, the sorceress lays him low, moving to pick up the fallen blade as the rest of the company completed the rout.
Arthas had ridden into the cultists with Radiance gleaming and striking beautiful golden arcs of death through the corrupt, diseased and disloyal. Resistance crushed and the area held. Briefly celebrating with the rest of the mounted Paladins, he admonished them to heal their fellow faithful and remain vigilant.
”Celebrate this battle, but the war is far from over and there are many more to come. Be prepared for ambush and counter attack and our own next offensive. Heal and comfort the injured so they may rejoin us and remember our dead.”
”The enemy’s barricades afford us the opportunity to fortify this location for ourselves until we have secured a more formidable defensive position.”
”After your duties are done, rest, reflect, and renew yourselves.”
”I am going to see how the other Companies faired.”
Sir Arthas, Sword of Ragathiel, then rides to Sir Arles position.
”General, the cultists have been crushed they had prepared for an attack, but faith and fate were with us. I have come to join you and your men here should the enemy choose to leave their position.”
Company C's charge should have been stopped in a shockingly bloody meatgrinder; but was so swift and skillfully executed that there were barely a score of injuries, and no fatalities at all!
Sir Mathis, Commander of Company C, dismounts and leads them all through an Iomedaean Ceremony of Giving Thanks for Victory.
As you begin policing up the Cultist camp, you realize that they’re guarding a series of large buildings. Investigating, you find a large amount of what appears to be captured crusader gear. Not only have you decreased the city’s defenses, but the gear could augment the resources of your own army.
When policing up the tiefling's camp with Company B, you discover that they're guarding an old hippodrome, now rigged up as a slave pen. It is largely empty, except for a handful of emaciated captured Crusader slaves, now deliriously happy to be liberated from their hopeless existence.
They inform you that most of the slaves are at work on the Schir demons defensive works.
They also lead you to the VIP cells, where you find a tengu, arms and legs pierced by bolts and laden with chains.
Your old companion, Kankai!
He moved amongst the army troubled with the knowledge he had gained. Possession could well explain things, but he didnt think that would have gone unnoticed. The answer was out there, He would have to seek his friends to ask for advice or help.
"Kankai!"
He began his heart swelling with joy, He moved quickly to the bird woman hands already aglow with healing energies.
"We came out of that fallen temple and you were gone, Sir Thetin was gone we feared the worst."
He began pratically trembling as he tried to remove the bolts and chains carefully hoping to not cause further damage.
Carilain is pleased to see Kankai. He seems distracted though. ”The attack went better than could be hoped. I wonder what holds the demons on that hill with such perfect, and uncharacteristic discipline.”
Kankai had heard the sounds of battle but it seemed so distant at first. Hearing someone come in she steeled herself for the torture to come, only to stare at a familiar face.
"Keldan? You are here? Then that means the army is here." Kankai's shoulder slumped in relief. "So the battle was not my imagination. Please tell me what is going on."
Kankai snapped her beak shut when he started to remove the bolts from her hands and feet. She hadn't given the demons the satisfaction of hearing her scream and now she just didn't want her allies to worry. She was tough, she could endure the pain.
Upon feeling the healing go through her she sighed softly.
"Don't think you are out of hot water yet. The leader of this place was approached by a small figure muffled in a cloak. They discussed things for a long time before the figure left. I had blood in my eyes at the time so I can't give you any more details and they weren't close enough to hear anything." Gingerly she would flex her hands and feet before going to stand.
"Carilain, good to see you again too. As for what holds them. What holds any creature in an army. The belief they will win."
”Sir Arles, I am guessing a greater demon or other being of considerable power is holding those Schir demons back otherwise they would be on us. Have your troops detected any traps or hazards ahead of us? Have you heard word of what lurks behind the gloom over the Cemetary?”
"we are here friend and sorely glad to see you.. does.. does that mean Sir Thetin is here!?!"
He began suddenly his heart full of hope despite his brain telling himself to not get to full of hope. He continued his work healing their friend and ally.
"We shouldnt give them too much time to ready their defense surely they have to know where we are now."
"Seeing you again is a welcome relief Kankai." Alorah says as Kelden heals the tengu's wounds. "Welcome back, I think you'll be needing these." she says with a warm smile, presenting her swords.
"I retrieved them off the corpse of one of the squadron leaders."
Kankai would reach out taking her simple swords and nods whispering to the blades. "Thank you Alorah. As for Sir Thetin I haven't seen him but I know they have other prisoners. I was just their favorite toy to torture here. I have feathers i am not sure will grow back."
Kankai's injuries, visible and invisible, are extensive and would have needed weeks of healing. But because he was practically alone in the healers tent, the physical damage is dealt with quickly; the process of regenerating bone joints, fingers and other organs ripped out by torture takes most of the day, but are also dealt with with dispatch.
In the command tent Commander Irabeth is exultant.
"The operation was a brilliant success! Two enemy armies destroyed, warehouses with tons of supplies and equpment captured and control of most of Southbank established!
"Now, while we have the initiative, we need to turn our attention to Paradise Hill and the Schir demon army there."
”The attack went better than could be hoped. I wonder what holds the demons on that hill with such perfect, and uncharacteristic discipline.”
Anevia nodded.
"It's true. Schir demons are powerful and arrogant. They should have jumped up and swarmed to attack; but our scouts said that there was just a stir of more activity than usual when our forces attacked."It makes sense that a strong enemy leader holds them to more discipline."
Sir Aaron studied the maps intently.
"We would need everything we have to go straight up the middle. It will be a horrible meatgrinder though....
"Could we make use of this ring road around it? It seems to be relatively clear, compared to the hills interior."
Commander Irabeth glanced over to Carilain.
"sir Carilain, you had some thoughts about this earlier?"
Kankai would see the waver in the tip of her sword and sheathed it. Being betrayed again had left its mark in her. Looking around the healer's tent at everyone before stepping out and looking around.
Who was that small person that came cloaked. Who would report to the leader and be going off. She was woefully uninformed of the entire situation.
She decided to start gathering information as she also checked out everyone at the camp.
”I did.” Carilain answers Irabeth. ”But I was proven wrong.” Carilain runs his fingers through his hair. ”I might suggest that we bypass the hill. A hill has no military value of its own. They’ve got prisoners up there though. Means we’ll have to take the hill at some point.”
Carilain looks away, up toward the hill in question. ”I can’t imagine what would draw them out.”
Arthas rides to Irabeth’s side.
”I still believe we may have a mole in our army. But, I have an idea. What if we could taunt the Schir down the hill? Use the sword and I as bait. Signal to the army we plan to sweep the gloom covered courtyard and assault the citadel in order to bypass the fortification on the hill. Leave me and a small holding force. We entice the Schir’s bloodlust, they stream down the slope then our combined forces double back and sweep their lines after they leave their stronghold. I believe our horses can out pace them if they did attempt the fall back, then we could assault the much less defensed high point.”
”If the mole feeds the improper information they might also move assets to the citadel and weaken the hill even further?”
”Maybe we even move the wounded marking them hungry for helpless sufferers?”
”Or at least let them think that. . . “
”We move the hospital tents and make it look like we are setting up, but inside are crossbowmen and heavy foot soldiers ready to shoot then set for charge. Then stalled on the pikes, our Calvary sweeps in from the flanks before following the rout up the hill.”
”When we set this in motion we pair a known loyal to watch each other.”
”We see who leaves . . . “
"And if their mysterious leader is smart enough not to take the bait?" Alorah asks.
”Then we actually clear out the Cemetary.”
Irabeth listened closely to Arthas' proposal.
"Yes, yes. You have the right of it Sir Arthas; two, perhaps three birds with one stone! I will give the order." She said, nodding.
Going back to the command tent, where the rest of the team was still debating as to what to do, Irabeth rapped sharply for attention.
Irabeth gives the order to setup hospital tents near the bridge, then orders Companies A, B and C to mount up and publicly ride out to clear the shadowed Drezen Cemetery.
After dismissing the unit commanders, she pulled Sir Mathis, the commander of Company C aside and gave him private orders to ditch their horses when out of sight of the Paradise Hill, and infiltrate back to conceal themselves in the hospital tents. If and when the brimorak demons come south across the bridge, Company C will hold them and the other two companies will ride back quickly to envelope and crush them.
He wanted to lie in wait concealed with the company in the hospital tents... but if the demons didnt take the bait and attack he would be the most use with the undead.
"I will remain in the hospital tents, to aid with the wounded."
He said aloud with a slight frown. He didnt like not being able to be in both places at all.
”Your luck is uncanny, General Irabeth.” Carilain says this with no trace of sarcasm. ”But luck can run out. I believe that the commander on Paradise Hill is running wheels within wheels. Why else not take the opportunity to annihilate our army as we attacked the tieflings and cultists?” Carilain gazes up toward the hilltop. ”I feel we are being played. I will stay with the general staff for this one .
Irabeth looked aside at Carilain.
"Mmm. No, I believe you give the Paradise Hill commander too much credit Master Carilain.
"Aside from the fact that an army of paladins coming out of nowhere would give even a demon prince pause; there are intense rivalries between demonic commanders. For them to come 'oh, too late' to a battle, or suddenly retreat, or even turn their army around and into a rivals is nothing to them. Even if it costs them the battle!
"No, I would lay good money that we were simply doing his dirty work for him."
Sir Aaron laughed.
"And I'll take that bet Commander!
"Think on it. He HAS to come across to hit us now. If he doesn't, well his boss in Drezen Citadel may wonder at his subordinate's courage, or loyalty."
He turned to the tent flap.
"Lady Anevia! Any sign from the Citadel?" He called out.
Anevia ducked into the command tent.
"I have eyes on every gate in that fortress. The walls are manned, but there is no sign of troop movement." She said, clearly having expected something more.
Sir Aaron nodded smugly.
"See? His boss isn't sending reinforcements. He's gotta prove himself now."
Kankai would look at the exchange quietly her tongue clicking silently in her beak.
Finally she speaks. "Carilain, which troops will you be joining?" She also takes a close look at everyone in the tent to see who would have information on their plans so as to weed them out as possible betrayers. Not that there was one but she had been betrayed twice now an it was best to keep a close eye on everyone.
"We must be careful with this plan and keep it close to vest. We don't want them getting word of our plan." She said looking to see how everyone would react to those words.
The orders were drawn up and sent out, and within the hour Companies A and B make a great production of arming, mounting up in ranks and marching out east along the south bank road.
Aravashnial took a suggestion from Carilain; he and his circle produced a credible illusion of Company C (at least from a distance) and moved it out behind the others, disappearing after it rounded a bend behind some warehouses.
The real Company C crouched, armed and ready concealed by the hospital tents.
Time ground on slowly. The air grew hot and stifling. Still nothing moved on Paradise hill.
Anevia ducked back into the command tent and shook her head.
"Still nothing."
Lady Nurah hemmed and hawed as she fidgeted with her horn.
"So, well, what if they DON'T come down the hill?"
Irabeth grinned toothily at Nurah.
"Well then, I suppose that I will apologize to Lord Carilain and go with his plan." She said thoughtfully, leaning back on the cot.
Sir Aaron paced tensely around the tent, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Shut up! It'll work!" He exclaimed harshly.
He stopped abruptly, his face going white.
"Uh, all due respect Commander." He said more softly.
Suddenly there came the enormous blaat of a deep horn; the sheer volume seeming to paralyze those who heard it.
A soldier ran in; "They're coming!" He shouted.
Running outside you can see the whole of Paradise Hill boiling with movement. Schir demons on fire bounded out of their hidden trenches and formed howling mobs as they streamed down the hill on the main road down to the bridge.
Captain Mathes waited until the first Schir demon set foot on the bridge before he shouted "NOW!"
The sides of the tents dropped and the paladins of Company C ran to their positions at the near end of the bridge, a forest of lances upright in their hands.
As the Schir demons charged screaming across the bridge, the paladins lowered their lances, now running with silver fire, and the two forces came together with a mighty crash!
In the command tent, Irabeth nodded. Now for the jaws of the trap to close. She signaled to Nurah.
Nurah nodded and stepped outside. Taking a deep breath, she winded her silver horn, its sound clear and piercing. The signal for the other companies to charge back and trap the foe.
TO THE WEST...
At the moment Nurah blew her horn, the leading elements of Company A ran into the leading crowd of shambling corpses, skeletons and zombies heading east, towards your encampment.
An enormous number of them.
There was a moment of complete surprise on either side, then the two natural enemies erupted into combat!