Chronopia > Events, Army Ideas, Battle Reports
[Battle report] Prince of the Plains - Crystal Lotus vs. Blackblood vs. Vultures
Horned Owl:
Duke Cadion of the Emerald House met his assassin in the dead of night.
For a long time, he stared at the shadows in his lavishly furnished bedroom, his emaciated hands clutching at the sheets.
"Were you a servant, you would have knocked and announced your presence. Were you a guard, and someting were amiss, you would be breathing harder. It follows that you are neither."
There was a slight rustling in the shadows, which could have meant anything.
"I am sorry to disappoint you if you meant to find me sleeping soundly. We, the aged, miss the deep slumber that is one of the prerogatives of youth... there are nights where sleep eludes me altogether. Forgive me for not offering a seat to my murderer." Cadion was proud that his brittle voice did not betray his racing heart. A lifetime of playing the Elven courts had its benefits, he supposed.
This time there was a soft laugh. Something moved.
"I have to admit that Iīm intrigued.", the Duke continued. "Why now? You have come to my chambers, past the nightingale floor and the secret Lotos traps, past threescore guards quite a feat, I would say. Some would have deemed it impossible. I must assume your services command no humble fee. I am an old man already on the threshold of death. Why not wait half a year and simply let nature take its course?"
From the shadows, a melodious voice answered, "Duke Crassus is not noted for his patience."
Cadion willed his hands to stop shaking. "Yet he is also noted for his stinginess. In fact, I presume that at this precise moment he is shedding hot tears over the terrible sum of money that brought you to my chambers. So tell me, my unbidden visitor, why does Crassus of the Obsidian House desire my death, and my immediate, not to mention expensive one at that?"
The dark figure took a step forward. The shadows seemed to slide away from it, revealing robes of dark green and turquoise, and a narrow face deeply lined with worry. Duke Cadion might as well have looked in a mirror. It was his own visage that looked back at him. He did not wish to admit it, but the signs of age and decrepitude shocked him. He coughed softly.
"So, this explains part of the riddle of your unexpected entry, I take it. Of course the guards would have let their master pass."
His own face nodded. "And I relieved the watch of their duties. There is no one within call now." The tall Elf took off the mask, and the facial features on it seemed to harden into pale green jade. The face underneath was young and not uncomely, if somewhat ordinary.
"Thank you", Cadion said. "At my age, I feel I am already talking to myself too much for my taste. A Lotus Eater, then, presumably a Jade House mercenary?"
"You are quite correct. As to your other question, I can only speculate, but your opposition to the proposed marriage might be a motive."
The Duke groaned. "A marriage between my daughter and Crassusī son might have been politically opportune for our house. The Emerald Dragon would have much to gain from Crassusī lust. Yet I am not convinced that the Obsidian prince, or Crassus himself, for that matter, would be well for her health."
The assassin shrugged. "Crassus is a man who enjoys defiling for its own sake. Elves of his mindset always feel the draw of the fresh, the innocent, and the pure. It lures them the way the doe lures the tiger. Crassus would view her as a delicate canvas to work on and I have heard he raises his son to the same artistic sensitivities."
"Crassus must know that my son will follow me on the Emerald throne. And Corian will be as adamant as myself on that matter. He loves his sister dearly and would never condone any harm done to her. Oh!"
The assassin was silent.
"You are not telling me that there is already a poisoned blade ready for him!" Cadion sat upright in the bed. His hands were trembling badly now despite his best efforts.
"He is out in the grassland plains, leading the fight against the Blackblood. Many things can happen in war, as you know. I believe his head already has a price attached to it with the Vulture clan."
Cadion was thinking frantically now. "You you are a mercenary! I will not offer resistance to your task. I ask you only to to save my son. Or at least impart this information to him that you gave so freely to an old dying man. The House of the Emerald Dragon is rich. Name a price! Itīs yours. I will not haggle." But the Jade Elf shook his head.
"I am afraid my employer has foreseen this, and there is a clause in my contract guarding against this request precisely. I am sorry, I really am." There was a blade in his hand now. The Duke shrank back against the head of his bed.
"This has been an interesting talk, but I suppose our time is up. Do not stir! I would like to make it painless." The assassin moved closer, around the corner of the bed. The shrunken, aged form lay very still, every muscle bunched.
When the knife came slashing down, the old Elf burst into frantic motion. He tumbled down the edge of the bed. The murderer lunged again, across the tangled bedding, and Cadion kicked the side-table against his shins. It was futile. Once he had been a proud warrior, leading armies from the front. But now he was a frail old man. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, and his back felt sprained. He knew he was no match for the trained, lithe young Elf. Not anymore. He looked down at the knife protruding from his chest, at the blood on the sheets. It was surprisingly little blood. His hands and feet felt numb.
He looked up, but the assassin was already gone. He heard steps on the spiral stairs. The guard. But too late. A wry chuckle shook his frame and sent blood bubbling on his lips. He felt the life leaving him rapidly. His thoughts had a strange, detached clarity. His son. His daughter. The blood. Yes, the blood.
He awkwardly dipped his numb finger into his blood and began writing on the sheets.
This was to be a game of Crystal Lotus vs. Blackblood... with a twist. The leader of the Crystal forces, Prince Corian of the Emerald House, would be ambushed by a small force of Vulture Clan Dwarves on Turn 4. On the same turn, reinforcements from the Houseīs Lotus Guard would arrive, trying to intercept the ambush before the Vultures can shoot down the Prince and his retinue.
Manic _Miner:
Great intro to a game.Set's the scene very well.Looking forward to hearing more and seeing what forces you use.
Cirith:
--- Quote from: Manic _Miner on January 07, 2012, 12:21:22 AM --- Great intro to a game.Set's the scene very well.Looking forward to hearing more and seeing what forces you use.
--- End quote ---
Sounds exciting... looking forward to the read.
Horned Owl:
The House of the Emerald Dragon is a minor House nominally affiliated with the Crystal Lotus. It sits on the Great Houseīs borders on the Northern Plains. The Dukes of the Emerald House take pride in their hereditary position of defending the Elven Realms against the numerous raiding tribes, Devout incursions, and recently, Blackblood ambition in this far-flung corner of the world.
The present, though, has seen its share of political upheaval. Duke Crassus from the Obsidian Houseīs Southern provinces blatantly claimed the hand of the reigning Emerald Dukeīs daughter, Lissa, for his son backing up his courtship with political pressure in the Elven Courts and veiled military threats. The shrewd Crystal Duke Zazen has noted this turn of events with disquiet. The marriage seems a minor enough affair, but if something was to happen to the reigning Emerald Duke and his son, suddenly Crassusī son would find himself head of the Emerald House which would expose the Crystal Lotusī Northern flank unless concessions were made to the Obsidian Dukes for the continued defense of those quarters.
Zazen quietly backed up the Emerald Duke with promises of military aid, and started to foil Crassusī allies in the court. Cadion, emboldened by Zazenīs support, dared to defy the Obsidian Serpent, refusing the marriage outright. Duke Crassus flew into a rage and ordered Cadionīs death and that of his son. Not even caring to disguise his lust, he swore that he would break Lissa to his will, make her his and his sonīs plaything, and force the summoned spirits of her father and brother to watch.
Crassusī hired assassin killed the Emerald Duke, but the old man managed to write a message in his own blood before he died, telling of Crassusī treachery and the dire danger for Cadionīs son. When Duke Zazen received word of this, he reacted immediately and sent an elite force of Lotus Guard and Crystal Knights to the grasslands where Prince Corian was orchestrating the fight against a blackblood incursion, trying to reach the young Emerald Prince before the trap was sprung. He just hoped his warriors would arrive in time: already the Vulture mercenaries were closing in on the area.
-----
The Emerald House Contingent
Prince Corianīs retinue were standard House troops. A honour guard of Axemen accompanied the Prince (as there was little chance of anyone on this battlefield causing fear, I decided to forgo the standard, but took a full complement of Axemen and Axemasters). For the Prince, we shook a quick set of stats from our sleeve. I did not think of him as in the same league as a Crystal Knight or anything similar. He was a young man who had had to mature quickly due to his fatherīs frailty, reasonably battle-trained but still reliant on advisors. One such advisor was Alaric, a Blue Lotus-Eater seconded from the Crystal House. His presence was fortuitous with his sorcerous powers, he might be able to whisk the young Prince to safety, or protect him from arrows with the Ethereal Dragon.
The axemen were supported by two units of Spearmen from the palace guard with heavy oval shields and curved spears. The rest of the troops were Emerald House rangers (using Archer stats) and Militia the Houseīs standard troops for patrols on the wide Northern Plains.
Prince Corian
CC [14] - MW [10] - Pw [ 0] - Ld [15] - Ac [ 3] - W [ 2] - St [ 0] - Mv [ 3] - A [24] - Def [-2] - S [ 1]
Special abilities: Immune to Panic. Secondary Attack. Feint.
Armed with: 2 Longswords.
Alaric
Blue Lotus Eater
- Ethereal Dragon
- Wind Blast
- Sky Chariot
- Tempest
Axemen (Corianīs honour guard)
8 Elven Axemen
2 Elven Axemasters
1 Elven Axeman leader
Spearmen
6 Elven Spearmen
1 Elven Spearmen Standard bearer
1 Elven Spearman leader
Spearmen
6 Elven Spearmen
1 Elven Spearmen Standard bearer
1 Elven Spearman leader
Militia
8 Elven Militia
1 Elven Militia leader
Militia
8 Elven Militia
1 Elven Militia leader
Ranger contingent
6 Elven Archers
1 Elven Archer Leader
Ranger contingent
6 Elven Archers
1 Elven Archer Leader
Horned Owl:
The rescuers
Zazenīs elite troops were hastening to the grasslands. They caught up with Corianīs rearguard and learned that the young prince was leading a sally against the retreating Blackbloods and had been separated from the main host. As no one could say for sure where the Prince could be found, Zazenīs host divided into several troops, each led by a Crystal Knight, and fanned out. One of these contingents finally reached Corianīs force just as the ambush was sprung.
This contingent would show up at the start of Turn 4 (at the same time as the Vulture troops). Each warband and individual would arrive at a random point in the Elven deployment zone.
Lord Phristan
Crystal Knight
Zazenīs Lotus Guard
4 Lotus Guard
1 Leader
Zazenīs Lotus Guard
4 Lotus Guard
1 Leader
Zazenīs Lotus Guard
4 Lotus Guard
1 Leader
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version