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Post by ashenmoon on Aug 28, 2015 16:21:30 GMT
Turn 24 - about 10 pm - turn ends Sunday 30th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_024.jpgThe RepublicThe Republican rests, restlessly, before the walls of Falor - den of demons, lurid flames painting the dark firmament with its ruddy glow. The Pioneers hold their uneasy positions on the walls, but before too long send messengers to the high command, requesting other regiments take up the burden of front-line guard. They will have no rest perched as they are. The high commanders, meanwhile, are gathered once more today. The First Citizen’s lieutenant, Ramon Caltabell, represented his liege lord at the meeting. The air between him and the High Inquisitor was thick with mistrust, and lesser captains’ roving eyes passed between the assembled generals - Haunheim, Garrek, Corso, the Inquisitor - trying to gauge where the balance of power was shifting. For now, Garrek introduced Dynkar the Godslayer. Dynkar was brief. His goal was to see Radiance burn. He said he knew of a hidden passage outside Falor, leading deep into the city. It began where the ruins of Black Sun’s extramural palace still smoked, northeast of the city - in the hills overlooking the enemy cavalry encampment.
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Post by kerrah on Sept 1, 2015 15:38:20 GMT
"We're not going anywhere yet", Garrek said at this stranger's suggestion without even waiting for the others to have their word. "Not until we know more of this. It sounds fishy beyond belief."
"Exactly", High Inquisitor Gori said reservedly. "This is a decision best made carefully. For the nonce, we'll remain where we are. Tell us more of this supposed tunnel." Though his manner was polite, there was a chill to his voice that almost made Garrek shiver.
Just as Dynkar was about to start speaking, the inquisitor spoke again: "In the meanwhile, I would advise for the artillery to be moved on top of the walls, for a better bombardment vantage point." His eyes fell on Commodore Corso, before moving back off him. The two had quarreled, if the rumours were true. The words were a suggestion, not a command. The First Citizen remained neutral on the matter, not stepping in to end the dispute, merely waving for their guest to speak.
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Post by ashenmoon on Sept 2, 2015 19:33:19 GMT
Turn 25 - about 2 am - turn ends Saturday 5th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_025.jpgor www.dropbox.com/s/ololb7fs18rjcrt/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_025.jpg?dl=0The Republic
The night passes by. Midnight comes and goes. Republican officers pore over the details Dynkar provides them. The passage was a part of Black Sun’s palace complex northeast of Falor, unknown to all save those who had had Black Sun’s confidence. It was a small passage, enough space for two men to walk side by side comfortably but no more than that. It led into the basement of a building in a residential area outside the northeast corner of the Palace of Light in the centre of Falor. Dominion infighting earlier in the day had led to the destruction of Black Sun’s palace, and Dynkar had come to know of the secret tunnel - to his knowledge, it was entirely undefended. Only its location close by the enemy cavalry encampment made it dangerous. If the cavalry were chased off, or a small force circled the cavalry and approached from the north, the road would be clear to the very walls of the heart of Falor. The Inquisitors could not detect any lies in the man’s speech. Furthermore, Dynkar informed them that the southern and eastern gates to the Palace of Light had been thoroughly barricaded - an assaulting force would have to approach from the north or west, unless they were capable of scaling the walls... and the spells in which the walls were covered. The claim that several of the gates had been barricaded was independently verified with the Dominion prisoner, Tycorro Tassar. While deliberations continued, two artillery batteries pulled up to the very walls of Falor, and weary pioneer and terrain inquisitor-magi made all the arrangements for carrying them onto the wall’s towers. It could be done in less than half an hour, once the order came through, but as the Commodore remained mum on the subject, and the cannon anyway were not ordered to fire, and finally that the Dominion zealots were seen to creep closer and closer in their fight against the city fires… the cannon stood, for now, at the bottom of the walls. In the Vigil Unblinking, the Inquisitors summoned an unholy apparition. Wintercloud, one of the great Dominion eagles - and the one whose body had suffered the least harm in the fall - spread its wings once more. Possessed by as powerful and mad a spirit as could be lured through the Spirit Well which had enveloped the fortress in a skein of phantasms and otherworldly visions, the beast could not yet fly - it would take many hours for it to come into its new body fully. And even then, it was doubtful that the creature would ever be an effective asset - too weak and uncoordinated to do battle as Wintercloud of old would have done. If nothing else, it was terrifying - a revenant, reanimated. Most of the Republican camp was still lying in their beds, twisting and turning - fully rested - when a flash of light echoed over the night sky. The commanders in their closed tents were slowly made aware of the rising susurrus of voices outside in the camp. Shouts and cries of alarm followed. General Garrek burst out of his quarters, Oshett in tow. And he saw what everyone was staring at, fixed, fear reflected in ten thousand faces. The pillar of light which connected the earthly presence of Radiance with the heavens above - previously so dim and faint as to hardly be noticeable save in certain airs - now shone with a strong, unmistakable glow - strong enough to cast shadows. The High Inquisitor felt it. Radiance was waking up.
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Post by Zula on Sept 4, 2015 17:14:25 GMT
The dead body twitched in a unnatural rhythm as it shrieked.
It was glorious, a perfect mockery of the Dominion.
He did not know how useful it would be once it could fly again, but atleast it would prove to demoralize the enemy even more. It came to him first, before he saw it.
A shiver in his back, disgustingly similar to fear.
Then the sky grew brighter.
Everyone turned around to see the shadows that were being cast, it almost seemed like if dawn was approaching a few hours earlier. But it was not dawn.
He knew well, his men knew it well too.
It was Radiance.
He ran over to the highest tower, and there in the distance he could see it. The pillar of light was shining, growing stronger by the second.
De campo was just behind him.
‘’He is waking up.’’ De Campo said.
‘’Yes, its time.’’ He replied and then he looked towards De Campo.
They straddled down the stairs, swiftly, almost nervously.
‘’Contact every General, every officer tell them the time has come. I will take the elites and go meet our Dear First Citizen.’’ He took his road, and encircled by his loyal Inquisitors rode towards the tent of the First Citizen, his creature. As he ran he could see the fear in the eyes of the troops, after all they had seen they still feared Radiance.
But soon that would end.
Some of them recognized him and asked him, in cries of fear what would happen. As he rode he just shouted ‘’Victory.’’
Finally he got to the tent of the First Citizen.
The guards were slightly reticent at first, but the light of the cursed god was more convincing than any words. When he got in, the First Citizen was getting dressed.
When he left, the First Citizen was still about to get dressed, but his fingers were dirty with Ink.
He looked at the parchment in his hands and smiled.
It was easier than he thought, thankfully.
He got on his horse again and rode for the tent of General Garrek.
When the man saw him, and heard him he seems filled with extreme reservation and suspicion. It slightly amused and annoyed Gori, the fact this man did not trust him at all. But well, things happened.
After getting his signature, he rode back; the meeting of generals was getting near.
When he got there all of them were already there, the First Citizen too.
His presence was crucial; it was what validated the parchment of paper he held.
‘’Well my dear Generals, as most of you might have probably noticed, the Radiant Lord, our dear objective seems to have just woken up from a very long nap. And I would wager that he is not pleased to see what he sees has bugs encroaching his dearest and decadent city. Its due to this reasons, of extreme emergency, our dear and bright First Citizen of the Republic has entitled Inquisition with the command of this expedition.’’
Murmur filled the room, but he kept on.
‘’So with this huge responsibility that’s entitled to me, I name General Garrek sub commander of this forces. But before we continue our deliberations on what we would subsequently do.
I want to remind you all that this light we see, is the very reason we came here. My dear, generals, we are the hammer that’s going to break the shiny piece of crystal this mockery of a human realm the Dominion is. And we are going to start with Radiance, be him awake or not the eclipse is neigh and so is his end. Everyone who does not want to fight this battle is free to go back to the republic. I hope you fare well on your long journey home, and dearly hope you enjoy your time until we get back and court martial you all for desertion.’’
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Post by kerrah on Sept 4, 2015 19:04:47 GMT
Garrek nodded slowly as the commanders commented to each other of the nomination in hushed tones. I wish I'd been told of this beforehand so I could have had a new uniform tailored, he thought to himself. He had to suppress a smile when he procured a Field Marshall's baton and placed it on the table in front of himself. He saw several people in attendance eyeing it with reproach, probably thinking he'd had one made before this campaign started, back when he was still a commandant, already looking toward getting promoted all the way up. In truth, General Otakar's personal effects had ended up surviving the first skirmishes of the day while the man himself had not, and this was found among them. Garrek held on to the ivory rod banded with gold for a bit before clearing his throat.
"I have no speech to hold. Let's just get to this and win this battle. All of us will have time to rest afterward... whether in the grave or above the ground", he said and looked over the rough sketch drawn out of scouting reports and existing knowledge of the city and its surroundings.
"Our position here is too advantageous for us to abandon it entirely", he said, putting steel in his voice and trying his best to exert authority. As he exaplained his plans, he gestured with the baton at the map to show the others the locations he spoke of. "We must follow the Grand Inquisitor's plan of raising cannons onto the walls, lest we let the rabble take us by surprise. If we show aggression from this position, we can draw the enemy's eye at us and slip the Godkillers through this secret entrance.
"The enemy cavalry is heavy in that region. Slipping through is impossible", said Brigadier General Heunheim, only adding a sir of courtesy as an afterthought.
"The question is, then, how many men can we send to punch through the cavalry without making it obvious this is a vital part of our strategy, and what remains here is merely a distraction?" Garrek asked pointely, not betraying his annoyance at being questioned before he was finished. "These forces would help the Godkillers find the entrance and enter it, and then continue onward, somewhere northwest, so as to not betray their true purpose."
What followed was a discussion. No one openly challenged Garrek's authority, but he could sense all their scepticism in their tones and word choices. He kept himself calm and answered their questions as well as taking many suggestions to improve his plan. Finally, everything was ready, and the preparations began.
"I will stay here with Commodore Corso and the other high staff", Garrek said, tapping the site of their camp on the map with the ivory stick. "The First Citizen and the Grand Inquisitor will leave us when the time comes. Hopefully the sight of the First Citizen's banner will give legitimacy to the idea that the men under his command are the true purpose of this push north."
The others nodded and grumbled their approval. Garrek dismissed the meeting and turned to leave the tent. He had a few more speeches to make in the next few hours among his own.
"The time's come, Radiance. Bring me your best shot", he said to himself, watching that pillar of light when he emerged from the high command's tent.
OOC: The terrain inquisitors will finish transporting the cannons on top of the wall. Bombardment of the city will immediately continue at full strength, using fire shot. The damage inquisitors will set that stretch of city east of us with enemies lurking on it on fire.
At 5 AM, the Forlorn Hope batallion will detach from our camp and move north along the river, trying to avoid being seen, and make it for the northern mansion where the entrance to the secret tunnel is. When closing upon the enemy cavalry camp, they will charge it and try to disperse and defeat said units. At the mansion, the Godkiller inquisitors and a selection of my best Foreign Guards will march through the tunnel while the rest of the army continues northward.
The Forlorn Hope batallion consist of the following units: Green Parties 2-3 ; Green Company 3 ; Yellow Regiments 1, 2, 6, 7 ; Red Regiments 1, 2
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Post by ashenmoon on Sept 9, 2015 16:42:37 GMT
Turn 26 - about 6 am - turn ends Monday 14th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_026.jpgwww.dropbox.com/s/6l07rjqlqfhdqgz/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_026.jpg?dl=0The RepublicIn the midst of night, the Forlorn Hope batallion formed surreptiously within the Republican camp. Garrek’s foreign legions crossed over to the west side of the Florid river, and - farther west - the additional batteries of artillery were hauled onto the walls and commenced a heavy barrage into the city. Not long after, the disorganized hordes of Dominion zealots were spotted forming to the north, issuing forth from beyond the city walls. The front ranks of the Forlorn Hope moved forward - elites of Garrek’s and the First Citizen’s troops. When the zealots charged, it was a massacre. They died in their hundreds, screaming into the night. Yet they kept coming. Alarms were raised from the fortress of the Vigil Unblinking, on the other side of the Republican positions. Powerful enemy magics were detected, and soon the fortress was under both supernatural and melee attack from the west. Thousands of regular Dominion troops closed in, and with their magics, battered through the Vigil’s walls. The main body of Inquisitors had already moved out, to join the Forlorn Hope. Republican units on the fields between the city walls and the Vigil engaged in confused night skirmishes with enemy archers, while battle erupted inside the Vigil. For a moment, the Republican army paused - wondering if the zealots were merely a distraction from this second, more focused, assault - or the beginning of a pincer movement. Then the Pioneer troops and artillery batteries on the city walls saw movement - coming straight through their barrage, the enemy charged through southern Falor and rushed straight at them. They paid a horrible price, braving cannon and gunfire - but the soldiers atop the walls were near exhaustion. Reinforcements were called for, and the pressure only mounted - now with sorcery flickering from atop the hill where earlier in the day Lightdancer had rained destruction from; that same sorcery was spun once more and raked the Inquisition's feeble defences. Hundreds of Republican troops entered through the gate into the city. Confused, bloody melee reigned in fire-lit streets while death - cannon and magic - fell from above. Then the Vigil Unblinking exploded. With no reinforcements coming their way, the situation had quickly become hopeless as elite Dominion troops took over the fortress. Some few hundred of the Inquisitor troops stationed inside had made it out, but several hundred - among them many of the thumbless prisoners - had been caught inside the fortress. When the Dominion’s crack troops pushed through their last defences, the Republicans rigged the two artillery batteries’ remaining munitions to explode - killing themselves, and hundreds of Dominion soldiers with them. Almost two hours had passed since the first zealot charge. By now, only scattered bands of zealots remained, drifting through the dark. Orders were called out. The troops on the city walls - and inside them - pulled out, hastily lowering the cannon batteries back on the ground. The Forlorn Hope batallion moved forward… and with it came the entire Republican army, moving northeast. Barely had the front regiments begun to move forward, when they stumbled into the Dominion cavalry coming at them at a charge. For a few, panicked moments, Republican officers screamed their lungs out as the long trains of torches moving out of the night resolved into cavalry squadrons. But what had at first appeared to be a concerted assault, soon turned out to be a series of disconnected attacks. Perhaps - probably - it had been intended as the first, but in the night and confusion of other Dominion units milling through the dark, the force of the attack was blunted. When faced with the Forlorn’s heavy gunfire, the cavalry withered, then fell back. As the Republic moved forward, it ceded ground to the west. The Dominion retook their own city walls and began firing upon the retreating Republican troops. The gates through which Republican reinforcements had passed into the city, now let out Dominion counter-charges. Magic lanced out from afar, and the Inquisitors were spread too thin to counter it all. Chaos reigned. Faintly grey, dawn crept closer.
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Post by Zula on Sept 14, 2015 16:52:03 GMT
The light sky was alight with the demonic magic of the Dominion Mages and the distant blinking flares of what used to be up to a few moments the Vigil Unblinking.
Darkness surrounded them and a distant dawn was seen on the horizon. The first and few rays of light until the eclipse approached.
And with it the moment he had awaited all his life for, time to take revenge on the sun.
As he gave commands to the troops to keep forth the march forward, he also gave orders to his inquisitors to start chants among the troops.
‘’Man’’ He muttered ‘’Victory’’ They had to remember just hours ago they had faced a god and emerged triumphal as even more deadly magics were thrown at them.
He did not know whetever this tunnel was real.
But he knew the Eclipse was coming, and with it, the shadow spirits would surge again as the sun dwinled.
As he marched forward, he chanted.
He was High Inquisitor.
He was the bane of gods.
OOC: The army is to march up forward, towards its position. Priorities are to stay together, and avoid splits like the first day. Enganging the mages, in anything more than defense is useless. Idea is to get off their range as soon as they can. If the Eagle can do anything, with the cover of the night. It would be helpful. Maybe set it to be a
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Post by ashenmoon on Sept 15, 2015 20:13:40 GMT
Turn 27 - about 8 am - turn ends Friday 18th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_027.jpgwww.dropbox.com/s/k8oy4o6bobfpf8i/eclipse_republic_tactical_ag80135dgva_027.jpg?dl=0 Quick OOC updates, for now at least. The RepublicThe army advanced north and east, taking a fair amount of damage from ranged attacks from the city, plus attacking units from the south. Enemy cavalry stayed mostly out of range, screening the Republican advance. The army is holding formation around the ruins of Black Sun’s mansion, advancing slowly for the moment with artillery batteries firing in rotation. The High Inquisitor’s strike group is gathered outside the tunnel, ready to go in. Enemy cannon have fired earlier, and there are long-ranged enemy magi nearby in the city as well - the current positions are just outside their range of attack.
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Post by kerrah on Sept 19, 2015 0:51:58 GMT
The ride north had been an exhilirating one. Garrek stayed atop his stallion, shouting commands and gesturing with Otakar's baton. "Stay together! The Republic will prevail!" He yelled when they reached the mansion, before turning to Captain Dureheim, an outstanding lad in the Foreign Guard, who had stayed by his side during this ascent. "Captain, you know your duty. Escort the inquisitors into the city. See that no harm comes to them. Your name will go down in history, as a martyr for our cause." Dureheim saluted him and left to gather the men who'd been specified to keep the Godkillers safe.
When the young, blonde soldier left, Garrek shivered slightly. What he did in this battle mattered little, anymore. It was the Godkillers who were the only thing that mattered. The rest of the army was at best a distraction, and honestly they did not need to do much to serve that role. "We called the select troops which were to escort the Godkillers north the Forlorn Hope", he said to no one in particular. "Little did we know that all our army would be a Forlorn Hope, in the end." He saw Oshett standing nearby, and turned to him, saying: "It has been an honour serving alongside you."
Oshett ignored the remark, and asked: "What are your orders, general?"
"Turn the army northwest. The cannons are to punch a hole in the walls north of the Keep, to maintain the illusion we are preparing an assault on it, before resuming a bombardment of the city. Roughly 1500 yards northwest of here, form up in a square around the cannons."
The commandant nodded and left to distribute the orders.
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Post by ashenmoon on Sept 22, 2015 19:42:42 GMT
Turn 28 - about 10 am - the Eclipse is starting! - turn ends Friday 25th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_15370fas_028.jpgAnother round of quick OOCish updates. Also, exhaustion has been updated. The RepublicGarrek leads the army on to take up positions a few kilometres ahead. The enemy cavalry falls back to the northeast. Ranged elements from the city attempt to reach out, but only two attacks make any noticeable damage: the enemy cannon, for which there is defence, and an enemy magic attack, which is (partially) fended off by the remaining Inquisitors. The current positions afford artillery range across the entire north portion of the city, down to the inner city’s (the Palace of Light’s) walls. Artillery has successfully created a large breach in the city walls, not far from one of the gates. Enemy units have been spotted on the walls and behind the breach, but have pulled back (probably only a short distance) after continued fire. The Pioneer soldiers are all quite exhausted, so if they were to lead a charge on the city walls, they would quickly fail. While most of the army moved away from the ruins and the tunnel entrance, regiment 1 of the foreign troops was entangled in fighting with two enemy regiments. After a prolonged fight, the Republican soldiers prevailed and scattered the enemy attackers. Meanwhile, Gula led his two elite Inquisitor parties into the tunnel, along with the some seven hundred men of the foreign regiment 7. They wound their way through increasingly labyrinthine ways, led by the Godslayer’s instructions. About two-thirds of the way in, they ran into Dominion soldiers. Confused battle broke out in the dark cramped space. The Dominion soldiers were the Wardens of Danton Redwind - elite, terrifying. Garrek’s men of the 7th regiment faced them head on in a bloody melee. When Gori’s Inquisitors made their move to support the fighting, they were countered by some strange form of Dominion magics. Pushing harder, the Inquisitors were suddenly attacked by an overwhelming force - almost a dozen of the elite soldiers went mad on the spot, their magics raging out of control, their bound spirits breaking free and causing mayhem. Gori recognized at last the magic at work against them - a spirit-song of freedom, a powerful force strengthening bound spirits and giving them the will, and means, to battle against their shackles. Several spirits break free from their Inquisitor masters - but are soon snared again by Inquisitors farther back and unaffected by the attack. An anti-Inquisition weapon, targeted solely against Inquisitorial magics, of tremendous strength. The Inquisitors were helpless. Only the tunnels saved them from further disaster - stepping into side-tunnels, they were soon shielded from the enemy onslaught. The regular troops rushed forward and pushed the Dominion Wardens back, one bloody step at a time. While the entrance is close, the long fight in the tunnels must surely have alerted the rest of the Dominion of their advance, and the anti-Inquisition magics waiting outside means the death of any Inquisitor to step above ground… Then the elite Inquisitors felt a sudden burgeoning in their powers. In the dark, listening to the sounds of combat in the main tunnel, their eyes were gleaming. Above ground, the Republican army cried out as one. Pointing at the skies, they saw - the eclipse had begun.
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Post by kerrah on Sept 23, 2015 17:38:16 GMT
The tunnel had turned into a chaotic din full of lights and sounds which reflected off the walls, breaking off the sights and sounds of men dying. The foreign regiments were trying to hold off the Dominion, giving the inquisitors time to flee from the weapon that had de-powered them.
The confusing, branching tunnel network had become a battlefield, and neither side seemed to know its layout very well. Grand Inquisitor Gori found himself and some of his elite inquisitors in a dead end branch, along with a handful of foreign guards who were laying suppressing fire at the enemies down the main tunnel.
A sudden vibration ran through the whole tunnel network, causing dust to be loosened from the ceiling. It was followed by the sound of a large explosion. It was coming from behind their backs, back along the tunnel! The sound of falling debris and cracking stone spoke of a collapsed ceiling.
Captain Dureheim, the man Garrek had set in command of the men down here, rushed away from the sound of the explosion, covering his face, and took cover not too far from Gori, followed by some of his men. They were coughing from the dust and smoke. One of the foreign guards next to Gori, a middle-aged sergeant, inquired what had happened.
Coughing loudly, Captain Dureheim stood up. He was a tall and muscular man, well over six feet, with short blond hair and mud-brown eyes. His red uniform was coverd in dust which left it grey. One of the men alongside him handed him a musket, which he promptly pointed at Gori and fired. The sergeant pushed the Grand Inquisitor aside, only to be hit by the bullet himself. As Gori was rushed furhter into the tunnel to put him out of view of Dureheim and his men, elsewhere in the tunnel new sounds of battle were rising. At the sound of the explosion intending to block off their retreat, more men at the back of the republic force were turning on their own, leaving them pinned between traitors and the Dominion force.
Dureheim yelled: "KILL THE GODKILLERS! NOT ONE MUST MAKE IT THROUGH!"
Above ground, Garrek was watching the forces arrange themselves. The cannons were still firing, and the enemy cavalry was looking for weak points to strike at. The general held his baton in a gloved hand. He'd lost the other glove at some point, but he didn't remember when. "Orders, sir?" Oshett asked him.
"I have none to give", Garrek responded and began to dismount his horse. "Our job is done here. The only thing left is to die."
"What do you mean?" Asked the Commandant, sounding confused.
"The final outcome of the battle is entirely dependant on the Godkillers' success. The die is cast, and whatever we do is irrelevant. And with the amount of destruction we've dished out to their city, I doubt any of us can surrender and receive mercy, either..." He put his hand to his heart, and felt the envelope in his breast pocket. How he wished that it wasn't destroyed when he died. How he wished they identified his body and read the letter.
Oshett looked at him queerly. Did he suspect? Of course not. Poor, simple Oshett.
"Hold your ground, and show the enemy the toll of spilling the blood of the Republic", he ordered out loud, and sat down on the trampled grass, breathing out heavily and relaxing.
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Post by Sp00ky on Sept 25, 2015 18:03:48 GMT
Dearest Elliana
How did it ever come to this? When I was first called to take up the mantle of leadership by our wise and esteemed senate, I did so with a blazing fire burning in my heart and with a firm belief in my own abilities as a leader of men. The same was true when my political rivals brought chaos to the streets of our capital, and also when the malverians embraced a flawed and ultimatly futile understanding of their own maratime power. Time and time again have I proven myself to those who would question me, to those who would earn much influence should I ever fail in my opligations to our beloved republic.
Is it any wonder then, that I embraced the challenge of this campaign with the same fevor as I had any other task before it? That I expected the rabble of these wastes to cover in the face of our grand and magnificent army? There more I think about it the more it smells.. how could our sources have been this wrong? Why did they advise aggression when the enemy would fight with the kind of determination that we have thus far faced? Whatever the answers to these questions might be, the fact remains that I am now trapped deep within our enemy's domain.. with only a fraction of our orginal force at my command and the hour of the eclipse drawing ever and menecingly closer.
The gravity of our situation maneged to do what no case of senatorial backlash has thus far achived; a linkering selfinflucted doupt about my own abilities, the fate of those figthing under my command and, ultimatly, my own chances of ever seeing you, our children and our homeland again. Needless to say this development has left me paralyzed.. allowing what remains of my force to rot away under the rule of apperantly inactive or indifferent officers.. allowing our situation to evole into an ever diterioating direction.
By the time you recive this letter news of our defeat will most likely have reached the shores of our homeland. I ask you to be strong in the face of the political hysteria such a defeat will most likely cause.. to be strong for the sake of our family.. to be strong because of those who seek to destroy you. Unless I have somehow maneged to turn things around, and our streets are filled by celebration and song, tell our children that I love them.. and that their farther died in defence of their future.
Thank you for the many years I got to spend by your side. Thank you for putting up with my difficulties. Thank you for allowing me to love you.. even when your farther wished it otherwise.
With unyealding devotion Your husband Avus Agula First Citizen of our glorious republic
"Yes.." Avus whispered as he folded the letter and hid it well within the side pocket of his uniform "How did it ever come to this?" He knew that he might be doomed.. that before long his loyal and beloved Elliana would be a widow and the bulk of the backlash directed at her and their children. Though the doubt still lingered.. he knew in his heart that she would not have wanted him to face his end with an unbrawn blade and a bloodless shirt..
"Why are our cannons not fireing?!" He shouted and the nearest soldire as he rushed from his tent.. with his uniform unbuttoned and without his boots. "we eh.. we" the poor soldire stubbled.. obviously shaken. "we have recived no such orders your excellency.. we.. we were asked to stand our ground and nothing more". "Stand your ground?!" Avus shouted again "We fight for our very survial here.. and your officers saw fit to turn this into a camping trip?!" The soldire walked backwards for a moment, almost tripping over a tilted flagpole.
"but we.. we.." he stubbled again "We what?!" Avus demanded "We.. dont know what else to do.."
"Is that so?" Avus spoke slowly as he approched the soldire.. now standing but a few inches from his ace. "Then liten carefully.. I want our troopers to keep protecting us from that blasted calvery.. and while they are doing so.." He paused.
"ye.. yes?" the soldire asked nervously "and while they are doing that... I WANT EVERY SINGLE CANNON BLASTING AT THAT ACURSED CITY! I WAS IT TURNED TO CINDERS! REDUZED TO RUIN! LEFT NOTHING BUT A SMOLDERING PILE OF RUBBLE!" Avus lowered his voice once more "Can you do that for me.. soldire? Can you spread this command to the rest of my men?" "Ye.. yes your excellency!" "Good.. and bring me that damned calvery commander.. I have orders for him.. EVERYONE in this force now answers to ME once again!"
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Post by Zula on Sept 28, 2015 15:34:36 GMT
‘’Betrayal?’’ He mumbled to himself while his loyal men dragged him over, into the darkness of the passageway.
Was it infiltration? Was it Garrek? Could it be? The mand had killed thousands of peasants to get them here, he had done the unthinkable to gain his trust. No, it couldn’t be? Or could it? Oh boy, it could, what if it was? Had he truly made a noble man kill so many innocents to make him get to this point? To make it gain his trust?
He wanted to laugh so much, so much, oh yes. He wanted to laugh, to kill he godkillers, was that his plan? Was that why he wanted to send him during the night with the first citizen into the tunnels? What of the army? He was in command of it now, oh, boy. ‘’Oh yes’’, he tought. The tingling sensation of laughter came to ran through him.
But he couldn’t laugh, not yet, as bullets were shot. As rubble fell.
As the eclipse started.
It was so glorious, was he afraid now? Oh probably, yes, he was afraid.
Wise people were afraid.
He was the one that was most afraid of them all.
It was hilarious.
But the most hilarious thing of this all, was that even despite all this treachery, no one had found out his plans.
The grand plans of the Inquisition.
The Last Argument of Man.
Not even the First Citizen realized it, and he knew of it. He damm knew of it. And he never thought that he was being tricked. He actually thought they served him, that they wanted him as King, as Emperor, as Supreme Chancellor.
HILARIOUS, isn’t it? He thought to himself. Oh yes, it was, so hilarious.
Even Manlia thought he was going there for the same reason.
No one knew, except that thing.
It did not mattered why that thing knew, by all accounts it probably knew more than everyone in this wretched continent.
He did not liked to call it a deal of course, deals are when people agree to do stuff together. He knew it wanted to trick him, he probably knew that all this was a grand setup. A grand trap.
But He, and the Inquisition determinated it was worth it.
Chaos was probably the original state of the world, the one that had brought forth creation. Chaos was that, a force of nature, it was a storm, it was people on the streets it was gods being slain and mothers giving birth.
Godkillers, you fools.
The Inquisition the most holy of all institutions in this world, due to its realization of the ungodliness of the Archons, of its false faith, would gain nothing by slaying something they knew was not a god.
If they killed Radiance, they would be godslayers, they would be heros that killed a mythical being.
Archons were not mythical.
They were oversized family spirits, beings of energy.
They were, just like the mountains that they mined, just like the fish they fished, the cows that they milked.
Like the people who bent under the whip of their overlords.
They were, and just like they were. They could be changed.
They were tied by the laws of reality.
Of all of them, the last argument of the republic, of man.
Of humanity, was not to kill the gods.
It was to crush the faith of the dominion utterly and absolutely.
It was to remind the Archons that beautiful thing that had kept him alive all this time, that pushed him to burn his mummy, to raise through the ranks, to kill the consul and finally to accept the help of a demon.
And today was the day, it mattered little now what happened to the army.
The only thing that mattered was to get to the ancient throne of the Faloran Empire, to gaze upon the legendary visage of the Radiant Lord before he bound it to his will.
The will of the Inquistion, of Man.
Of a little boy who prayed for rain that never fell.
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Post by ashenmoon on Oct 4, 2015 19:28:22 GMT
Turn 29 - about 12 am - about 4 hours (2 turns) left of the Eclipse - turn ends Friday 9th dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14467358/eclipse/eclipse_republic_tactical_15370fas_029.jpg The Republic
The army stalled for a few, precious hours. General Garrek did nothing, said nothing to the messengers sent to him. Commodore Corso had not been seen since early in the morning - rumours were spreading that he had been assassinated by a Dominion agent… or had been imprisoned by the Inquisition. Avus Gula, First Citizen, roused at last. The cannon spewed a hellish torrent of fire upon the city - pulverizing entire sections of the wall and wakening lurid flames beyond, even as the Eclipse grew complete and utter darkness fell. The men milled, muttered, glancing nervously at the skies, waiting in formation- -when the Inquisitors went mad. For the last several hours, the Inquisition had stood on the front lines, fending off magical assaults arcing from the city with little difficulty. All seemed well, until - dimly in the distant dark - a small group of figures was seen descending the walls and headed over the fields towards the Republican lines. There were only two dozen or so, and few paid them any heed - the landscape was crawling with parties of men of both armies. But when their song began - an unearthly wailing as of chains rattling and breaking - not a man in the Republic could avoid but notice them. Of the Inquisitors who did not go insane at once, the men of the Republic learned who it was: Adjumot, seraph of the Burning Man, leader of the Chainbreakers. Magic only rumored to exist, blasphemous even to the Dominion… Every single Inquisitor on the southern lines went insane, their magic spinning out of control, dark spirits assaulting everyone around them. Aghast, the men of the Republic turned on their own defenders - slaughtering entire companies of defenceless, but marauding, Inquisitors. In the chaos, the Dominion magic assault doubled, tripled in ferocity. Order was dissolved. Entire regiments broke formation - rushing forward into the breaches made by the artillery, attacking rather than suffering the bombardment. More and more joined the charge, thinning out the flanks. Even the line facing the enemy cavalry was hollowed out - there was no movement from the north. * Gori followed Dynkar deeper into the dark of the underground. Behind them, death crowded the tunnel. They ran: breaths hard, hearts beating, through a warren of twists and turns. Gori realized they were being helped - some entity was spinning magic around them, revealing what had appeared to be solid walls as passageways, spinning illusions in their wake to throw off pursuers. And they were - they were being pursued. Dynkar slowed down. Gori and his dozen Godslayers - not a quarter of them had survived - looked around them. Their flight had taken them deep, deep into the bowels of the earth. The walls were carved with runes too ancient and worn to be recognized. Marks of a civilization that had long ago vanished from the surface of the world, come alive in the flickering light of their torches, their hushed voices intruders in this reality. “Why are we slowing down? Where are we?” they demanded of Dynkar. They had followed him, having no other choice than to remain in the tunnel and die. But he was the one who had led them into this trap… Then they saw, ahead, men moving to block the passage. The rustle of movement from their back told Gori they had been surrounded. Wardens. The Wardens of Davaerid. Leading them, glimmering nimbus of magic outlining him in the gloom, was Davaerid himself - or, as he was also known, Danton Redwind. The last acolyte of the Arbiter, the dead archon, power emanating from him in waves - enough, even, to quench Gori’s burning hatred. Pulling on a silver chain, he forced a panther creature before him onto the ground. “It is over,” Davaerid intoned. At the Palace of Light
Inside the Palace of Light, high atop the Cariapolis and overlooking the ancient city of Falor, is the hall of the Curia. For millennia, this has been the home of the God-King Radiance and his court of mortals and seraphs. Now, High Palatine Manlia Suren Issander lay dying on a stretcher at the floor of the Curia. Above him, atop his high throne, sat the god-king himself - no longer a blinding light but visible to the mortal eye, a golden humanoid form mouthless and with eyes like copper coins. The painted-glass windows facing the city to the east and south were shattered, shards scattered over the floor amidst pools of blood and splinters of wood. The rows of seats were still in disarray, the marks of battle yet visible, but no more than a handful of men were present - wandering the aisles, raising falling chairs, cleaning away smears of blood. The doors of the Curia were thrown wide open and Davaerid, Danton Redwind, last acolyte of the Arbiter and his only remaining Warden, marched in. His hard-bitten followers came after, scores of them, weary and battle-worn. Three of them held on to silver chains that pulled forth a great panther, sleek-skinned and with flashing eyes. Black Sun - the Seraph and daughter of Radiance. More held on to ethereal tethers that bound the High Inquisitor Gori and a dozen of his followers. They were all led into the Curia, shoved to their knees. The prisoners gazed up at Him - the devil, the slaver; the creature that had usurped mankind’s destiny; the Lord of Light, the Prince of the Morning, the God-King, the Archon; The Radiant Lord. Gori spat. A warden kicked him savagely, doubling the High Inquisitor over, coughing. “Danton,” wheezed the Palatine. “What is this…” “Here is the slattern,” grated the last Warden, indicating Black Sun - “the traitor. I caught her trying to render aid to these ungodly blasphemers.” -daughter-Radiant Lord’s voice reverberated through the spirit realm. Even weakened by the eclipse, diminished to a fraction of his original strength, the voice - the presence - of the God-King of Varantium brought several of the Wardens to gasping tears. “Ten thousand years!” they wailed, though no one listened. -daughter… what is this-The panther slumped on the floor, dejected, said nothing. “Her treason is no more. All her plots have failed. Even now, as the Republic launches a desperate final attack on our walls, she knows she has failed. She tried to bring the Inquisition here - here! To the sanctity of the Curia!” Davaerid sputtered, red-faced, stopped suddenly. “... but Danton,” the Palatine breathed, “what… why have you brought him here?” Gori looked up. He smiled, teeth red with blood. The Warden paid no heed. He fell to his knees, cradled his own head, talking to himself. His followers glanced between themselves, confused. A terrible silence fell upon the assembly. Danton Redwind, last acolyte of the Arbiter, whispered madly to himself. In the acoustics of the Curia, his voice carried far: “no… no it cannot be… it is but I… damn you! DAMN YOU!” he screamed. One of the wardens’ prisoners - Dynkar, leader of the godslayers - burst out laughing. “He sees!” One by one, the Inquisitors began to laugh. Mad, insane, the laughter of men sentenced to death, watching with glee their prison burn around them. “Danton!” the Palatine cried. With a visible effort, the last Warden recovered his senses, straightened up. “Radiant Lord…” Gori was laughing, maniacal, hysterical laughter pealing throughout the Curia, repeating, increasing, mocking. “... I condemn you. You have established a system of inequality, where mortals and spirits under your rule have not been held to the same set of laws: this is against the Common Law, and I condemn you to fines and to redress the injustices of your rule. You have enslaved mortals through the system of Tributes without honoring a Pact or repayment: this is against the Common Law, and for this I condemn you to imprisonment with no...” The Warden fell to the floor, sobbing. “... no appeal! And… you have... you have taken possession of a human body: this is against the Common Law, and for this I condemn you as a chimera and sentence you to death.”
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Post by kerrah on Oct 29, 2015 20:23:42 GMT
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