A new encounter

[Sir Nichtmar]

OOC: I've got 40 footman with me and since Gravien and Cathan aren't exactly going to jump in and RP I'll consider them out doing rogue stuff somewhere.

IC:


"Taos!? He's here...we could use his elven wisdom."

He turns thinking a moment, rubbing his chin.

"I will wait till later, I'd rater you be prepared."

He turns back with his hand on his belt.

"I'll join the footman, and let them know you and Taos are in command. I ask that if I do lose control and if I am endangering our men, I ask that you put me down. I will not have anymore of my own peoples blood on my hands."

[greybeardabbot]

Moving roughly sixty men in silence... is slow work, but the unit moves with relative discipline.
It is only a half hour to dawn when the advance guard at last rondesvous with Taos.

Taos: "Good thing these vikings are hard aslumber, half drunk on success, and hard of hearing... No elf would ignore you heard of cattle."

Furey: "Lord, you elves... either you boast, or you're arrogant S.O. B's"

Greybeard: "No doubt a little of both. Good friend... what is the situation? What are we looking at encounter? I would hear your council before I put forth my ideas."

[Taos]

Taos gives Furey a serious look.

"This is not the time for levity. With our numbers as they are, we should be able to strike a crippling blow just before the dawn breaks, while they sleep deepest. Unfortunately, their sentries are highly professional...our cavalry may only have 20 or 30 seconds of relatively unopposed killing before their warriors begin fighting back, and the footmen should be prepared for particularly brutal fighting."

He looks back and forth between the other commanders.

"Also, they have prisoners chained together in the center of the camp. I don't expect much from them, but if they can be freed, it would be to our advantage."

He puts on his leather and chain helmet as he speaks, checks the connections of his armor, and stands up, pulling his sword, elven script faintly glittering up and down the blade.

"You should know I never boast, Furey, but I do bet. 10 gold says I take the head of their leader."

[Baethor]

Meanwhile, deep in the thunder mountains, Baethor winds his way through the interlocking tunnel systems. Holding forth a large bit of parchment he makes markings and watches the walls every few feet occasionally taking a chisel and making a small dwarven rune-mark. "Ach..i s'pose thats the best I'm gonna find around here for now..." Hefting a large bag across his shoulder the dwarf makes his way through the tunnels once again, checking his self-made map works his way to the surface.

After making his way down the mountains a little ways he finds his camp, tosses the bag of ore samples into his cart. Stretching the dwarf lets out a loud sharp whistle. After a few minutes a pair off great-horned rams boudn into the campsite and nearly bowl over the dwarf. Laughing the dwarf reaches up and scratches them between their horns. "There's me boys, ye have fun running amok in the mountains Fjallar? How about you Skirvir? Hah. Well one more night here, then we return home. Be back in camp by sunrise, y'hear?" The goats bleat and bound away, as the dwarf walks back to his cart and retrieves himself some bread and dried meat, opens one of the barrels he brought and dips his tankard deep into it to fill it with his homemade brew.

Sitting in the dark, Baethor enjoys his meal as best he can, until he hears the snapping of a twig in the forest. Quickly downing his ale, the dwarf moves to the back of his cart, sliding his battle axe Doric from the bed. The pale yellow runes glow dimly as he grips the handle, waving his hand across them they dissipate their glow. Another snap alerts the dwarf and he moves slowly to the tree line of his campsite, crouching in the shadow of a great tree, a shout and a group of men move into his camp. Weapons not drawn, they must not have seen him. They shout to each other and move to his cart, in their torchlight Baethor recognizes them, sort of. Northmen, like the kind his family would trade with many years back. They had a call they would use among each other, to signal friendship. Maybe it would work here...

"OOODIIIN!" The dwarf stayed crouched as the men turned around in confusion. "I've no quarrel with ye, if i come out, perhaps we can share a drink, eh?" One shouts back, "Perhaps we can. Show yourself stranger." The dwarf gripped his axe tight, standing and moving forward into camp, mutters spreading through their group. "A dwarf? I have not seen your kind in many years." "AI, i could say the same for northmen." I replied planting the pommel of my axe in the dirt and leaning on it. "What brings yer kind through the mists then? Perhaps ye can tell me over some good drink, I still have one full barrel in me cart." Baethor moved his way to his cart slowly, feeling the eyes of the northmen on him as he cracked open a fresh barrel filled with amber liquid.

[greybeardabbot]

Greybeard dropping to one knee and drawing in the dirt...

'Here is what I propose then, the mounted men will ride in front of the column, our men in two lines, when we reach the edge of their camp, (if we have not been seen already and alerted the guard) we five what gallop through the camp, the column running in after us, Toas and furey you ride in first and lead us to the prisoners, I will dismount and attempt to free then if they still live... Millard and Maynard will cover me. Toas, you and Furey will assist in my defence as long as you can... but DO NOT dismount, if you please... You must live and fight. Nichtmar, can stand with me, or go bizerker if I can handle the situation. If I cannot do this quickly you are to ride on and lead our men in a raise of the camp... torches, murder, mayhem... and then off through the camp... and form a shield wall here on this side infront of this pass... it's not ideal, the rocks are low, on this side and the trees do not provide a formitable barrior on this side... but thier anger may blind them to this and it's possible we may not be outflanked... I will of course join you if I am able otherwise...
Well... otherwise I will seek my way to Mittlemarch in a few days and you can look for me there.

You have my leave to take Furey and Nicktmar too, if i have a simple time of it.... and may search at will for thier leader once I've freed the hostage.

Is thie agreable? Taos, if you have any suggestions, we should be quick time is pressing.

If this is agreable

[Kotaro]

Kotaro returns with his team in the monk's robes they've taken for disguise to the Mao camp. Gesturing to the sentry in a movement that was taught to the monk to indicate who he was, Kotaro approached.

"Do you know where I may find Hiroto-dono? I need to speak with him as soon as possible."

The monk nodded. "Follow me," he said simply, and lead the way to the head monk's tent. "He's inside."

Kotaro thanked the monk and bowed, and dismissed his team of ninja, thanking them as well. He then entered the tent. "I'm back, Hiroto-dono, and I've completed my sweep of the area, and I'm pleased with the terrain. It offers us many advantages to aid us in defending this camp. Now, we must discuss fortification."

[Tatsumura Masamune]

The sound of horses was almost unheard. The light horses of the Shogunate made little noise as they appeared before the assembled forces of the Land. Masamune road forward to Greybread, Furey, Taos, and Nichtmar, bowing from his saddle.

"The Shogunate has come to lend aid aid against these "Northman." Where do you want us?"

Their numbers where seen by the others. Masamune, Sanjuro, and 15 other samurai, and 5 shugenja that looked slightly out of place amongst the armored samurai.

[greybeardabbot]

Well... this is welcome news indeed! What I had intended as a sortee against these heathen, has now become certain war. Let us line our foot soilders four abreast.

My 8 Pikemen can fight alongside your Shugenja... let then run in behind the horses...
Your Samurai can follow in behind with the five infantry men from my order.
Showgun, I leave it to you, either to ride in after these men and serve as caverly, with Sanjuro... which is most dangerous... or to ride with us at the head, and hopefully form the line on the far end of camp. In any case we need to move quickly, the dawn is very near and the light of day will not find them as unprepared as I we need. Already I get the voice that tells me we have only minutes before us.

[Taos]

Taos pulled his steel shield off his back and smoothly mounted his charger, looking off into the east.

"Greybeard is right. If we start moving now, the fighting should start at dawn or moments before."

He nudged his steed around to face the assembled footmen.

"Many of you will not know me, but the finest generals of this land are gathered here. We make one pass through these Northman's camp, and then we will gather and face the survivors at Lion's Pass. If you become seperated, make all speed for the pass. Every day these barbarians spend in our beloved land is an affront to the gods, and we can no longer stand it! For our families, for our homes, for our lands, we shall drive them back across the seas, so they may spread the word that the only reward invaders can expect from us is DEATH!"

Thrusting his blade into the sky, his steed rearing at his last words, Taos turned towards the Northmen's camp and started off at a trot, slowly building up speed on the approach.

[Tatsumura Masamune]

Masamune turns to the five Shugenja.

"Unleash the kami's fury, then make straight for the pass. The rest of you dismount and form up with Greybread's men. Sanjuro, your with me. Ryoshin, take the remaining horses to the pass. We may be able to put them to use there."

Hearing the words of Taos, Masamune knudges his horse into a trot behind the elf. He holds out his hand, his no-dachi appearing out of nothing once again, followed by the same mysterious voice that rings out from the blade in a haunted whisper, "Let me feed!"

[Sir Nichtmar]

Nichtmar kicks his heels into his horse. Galloping along side Taos.

"It is good to battle with you again, elf!"

When we get there I'll dismount with Greybeard.

OOC: Before we get deep into the battle, I'm gonna see if Haldour wants to get into this or what. In July we're gonna do an RP battle, so we can't slaughter them

[greybeardabbot]

Furey: "Aye, it'll be good to fight longside ya, once more, GB."

Greybeard: "Fight! Don't die." Together they follow behind Taos. "Get me to that prisoner, after that you are on your own. We shall meet at the Lion's as you said."

Greybeard set his shield, freed the lock on his dirk, and drew his norman pig sticker. and set to a loaping gallop, as they approached the clearing, Greybeard cried aloud...

"Cagato! Con vidas! Deus vult!" And with this the great grey percheron thunders forward.

[Suihaden]

Having been overlooked in the pre dawn darkness, Sui had received no orders. He decided to follow where his heart led him. Drawing sword and setting shield he spurred his horse after Greybeard. "Saint John and the Holy Seplecure!"

[Sir Nichtmar]

The rumble of the steeds awoke the Viking warriors, they tried to prepare as fast as they could, but they were caught flat footed. Some died without a blade in their hand. Taos and the other rabble caused the chaos that was needed to distract from the prisoner. Firoth was beatin, but alive. He grumbled at the disturbance. I did not see Haldour, but my blade yearned for his blood. Greybeard dove off his ride driving his shield into a man then sent him to the earth. He moved like the wind for man his age. I dismounted holding back as many as I could as Greybeard began to untie Firoth. As we were fighting I heard the yell of Taos.

“There are slaves over here, in the cages!”

I turned to Greybeard for an order.

[Tatsumura Masamune]

At the yell about the slaves, a wall of water appears to block the advance of the vikings. One of the shugenja stands there praying, proving to be the source of the wall. Several samurai circle around the camp, peppering the vikings with arrows, some killing, others only wounding. Masamune rides into the camp, Murasame appearing in his hand, calling for blood as always. A viking turns just in time to see the blade appear, but his vision ends there as Masamune severs his head from his body. He jumps off his horse near Nichtmar, and presses his back against Nichtmars.

"How do we always end up in this same situation?"

With that, he lunges out, impaling another Viking before jumping back to a defensive stance.

Four samurai make for the cages to let out the slaves. Without notice, one samurai drops, an axe embedded in his back. A viking rushes the three remaining near the cage. He drops one by hitting him in the leg, and splits the head of another with a powerful over the head swing. As he is about to hit the fourth, his eyes go blank, and his now lifeless body crumbles. A shugenja with white hair rides by and orders the samurai there to get to work on the cages. He rides on with two of the other shugenga heading towards the bridge.

[Kotaro]

Kotaro sits among the trees at the Mao campsite, his mind deep in meditation. He was fortunate to have been gifted with mind-vision, although it exhausted him to use it, so he limited his use of it. Earlier in the day, he had sensed a great chaos was about to ensue. So he left his crew to their business of building fortifications for the area and went into the forest, where he found it was easiest to get into the meditative state.

When at last the trance had taken him, he found his vision clouded with a red haze. The chaos of the aether is thick, he thought with what was left of his consciousness. With a force of will, he pushed aside the crimson fog and gazed upon a scene of pure, unadulterated ferocity. He saw Tatsumura-dono's samurai and shugenja wreaking havoc, and smiled to himself. Things seem to be proceeding well, he thought, before he began to feel the pinpricks of exhaustion on the fringes of his mind. Reluctant to leave his vision, he nonetheless started to close the bridge between the physical world and the aether. He once again found himself in the forest, the soft chirping of birds soothing. He proceeded to head back to camp.

[Sir Nichtmar]

The Vikings were shocked at the wall of water. This gave Greybeard and I time to head for the cages. We sent Firoth out of the brooding chaos to hide. On the other side of the water wall Furey and Taos fought on horse back commanding the men, but we were running out of men. Masamune and I fought back to back as Greybeard crushed the locks of the cages with his blade.

“Run, Run!” Greybeard yelled at the captured slaves.

Some escaped, but some stood and fought with us grabbing whatever weaponry they could. It was then Taos rode and hurtled the water wall over to our side.

His voice true, “It is time we left, friends!”

Just then Furey and his steed come rolling through the water wall, hurled to the ground, sword still in hand. The wall begins to fall to reveal the several Vikings on the other side. Furey drenched, but still ready to fight, sword in hand, he gets to his feet.

“That all ya got!?”

Furey stands like a forged hero ready to take on the world.

“Ya fight like a bunch of women, ya do!”

Amongst the carnage I grinned at the tenacity of Furey.

[Mao Hiroto]

Hiroto surveyed the encampment as his young pupils, along with Fuuma-dono's shinobi warriors standing watch over them, brick-by-brick and branch by branch began to fortify the treacherous mountain locale with walls and watchtowers. The progress was slow, but he was pleased with what he saw.

His ongoing diplomatic negotiations with his allies within the Dragoon ranks seemed to be progressing as well. However, there was trouble within the Northern Steppes brewing rapidly. The Black Orc tribes, being sheltered by their allegiance with the corrupt Kingdom of Llorac had created much unrest among the nomadic peoples of the lands. If the Dragoons of the North were to send aid to the South, they would have to abandon their strategic positions and chaos would ensue. It seemed that in order for aid to arrive, the Llorac Kingdom and the Black Orcs would have to be defeated. This idea was close to the heart of Brother Hiroto, and he was willing to pledge his assistance to forge an even stronger alliance with Rowan Proudoak and his friends from the past. He believed in aiding the people of the Northern Steppes in their endeavors in the North, a campaign could easily then be launched in a very short time by a coalition force. The Legion of Dragoon warlords, the small band of tribal fighters known as the Forsaken Guardians, the monks of the Mao Temple, and the Fuuma's shinobi would be quite adequate in number to turn the tides to Mittelmarch's favor. They could march quietly to the South and flank the unsuspecting Viking raiders, cripple their supply chains, and drive them from the Lands.

Brother Hiroto turned, his reflection interrupted by Kotaro-dono. He smiled and laid forth the results of his quiet contemplation on his strategic endeavor. Kotoro pondered it, then smiled as well and nodded. "I shall send word to Tatsumura-senpai immediately. Hopefully the forces shall hold out long enough for this ambush to work. I trust in your judgment, however, Hiroto-dono, for your competence has not wavered thus far." He bowed and set forth posthaste in his stealthy trek back to the front lines.

"Now...if only luck continues to smile upon us..." Hiroto muttered to himself.

[greybeardabbot]

"RIDE!" I shout at Furey as the vikings advance. "Beware the war ax!"... as if on cue I see millard fall vilently from his horse, carried away by the force of blunt trauma. The ax burried to the hilt in the side of his chest. Next came the automatic movement to rise my shield. Just in time... the powerful throwing ax took the sheild into my head with great force... I was now bleeding from a cut above my eye, and likely to be quickly blinded on that side....
"SHISA!"
I turned with my shield held behind my back, point up, and ran toward my horse...
"Cogito! Zu Mich!" I was pleased to see Him gallop to me... then time slowed down...

I saw the movement of a small spinning object flash by my right side... relieve it passed me by such a wide mark.... it traveled forward, as Cogato turned and planted his hooves in the wet turf... Strange... this blurr and my horse seemed to intersect... at the point of his great neck... then the object halted hard and the blood exploded from the animal, and cogito fell brutally... What took less than the tick of stone, passed in front of me in frozen minutes...

"NOoooo!"

My Anger flashed in rightouess vengance in the blink of an eye... I pivited and planted myself to spill much blood... heedless of death... I fixed my sword to my hand and choose my first target.

OCC; Yes the life of my horse seemed to inflame me more than the life of my brother in the order... but life is like that sometimes.

[Suihaden]

Chaos, , sweat. Suihaden franticly strove to stay close to Greybeard in the fight, without success. A viking axe smacked into his sheild, knocking him from his horse. Discarding the now useless sheild, Sui wen't beserk, screaming and left and right.

"Saint John!!!"

Out of his left eye he saw Nichtmar cleave a viking, then he saw one of his Hospitaller brothers fall.

"NOOO!"

Forgeting the fight he rushed over to Millard, but one look showed the dying monk was beyond help. "Mea.....Cupla....." Millard gasped, then died. Sui swung his sword like there was no tommorow, but he felt his strength begining to sap. He could'nt last much longer.

(OOC Mea Cupla is the knights dying prayer, it is Latin I believe for my faults. See Song of Roland.)

[greybeardabbot]

OCC: Or... "I'm responsible." But it also carries the flavor of "my appologies" or "I'm sorry."

[Sir Nichtmar]

A whirlwind of blood and steel move along the rocky coast as Nichtmar defends himself against the Vikings. He is enraged that Haldour is not here, he takes it out on the lesser Vikings. One is knelt and wounded begging to spare his life. His wild imagination takes him to a village the Vikings were attacking, he sees the man killing and raping. And in his mind he asks, “Did you spare them?” But all is heard is the cleaving sound of steel through meat and from right ear to left jaw the man’s head opens up like a melon. Nichtmar continues towards Greybeard.

“There’s more than I thought!” Nichtmar screams over the battle sounds.

[greybeardabbot]

There are seven of them. But I can tell which of them took down my horse, because he is happy at my anger. They all fix on me, and advance. I can tell at any moment they shall break to a run and overwhelm me. But I know something they do not know. I watch them with very intent eyes... I do not wish to give away my advantage. I see him moving behind them, a vague black figure loaming larger, but still I refuse to break my gaze lest I make them aware by the slightest twich of my eyes.

They are about to fall on me in force, when Maynard drops one, and then another with two quick arrows, and then he is on top of them. Through the neck the Vikings fell face first into the muddy patch that was thier encampment. The three who were left turned on him, but he was quick to take another's head. One of them smartly grabbed Maynard's horse by the briddle and dropped to the ground, pulling not only the horse down but effectivly throwing Mayard over the saddle and onto his face. Now I broke into a run and reached the man at the horses side... the same man who dispatched my beloved Cogato. He was a fool to become distracted.

I swung low across his body. It was his arm I was after and lopped it cleanly. Yes, I could have taken his head, but I was not really interested in killing him unaware... I wanted to look him in the eyes. But instead of pulling the manuver off with grace, I slid in the mud, and my momentum carried me into him. and we fell together, pinning him against the fallen horse. We stuggeld to kill eachother even as we fummbled for our footing. The best I could manage was to force the shaprened end of my quillion, the hilt of my blade under his chin and into his throat. I gained leverage in doing so and pushed myself up on his chest to watch him drown in his own blood. It was slower than I wanted. I had to hold him in place.

Meanwhile Maynard was on his back and wrestling with two opponants. I knew I would need to help him, but my man still held an ax in his good hand... If I moved, or shifted too much he would be able to swing it at me. I needed 30 seconds or so to make him draw a breath and then spasam and choak... or If I could put my knee into his belly, I could force him sooner...
But Maynard needed help... NOW.

So I rolled off him, and got quickly to my feet, but by now he began to struggle and drown in earnest... I stepped on him as I jumped over the horse knocking the other man to the ground. Too late I was aware of a short sword being pushed hard into Maynard side and his struggle ended as his body fell limp. I stood up by driving the edge of my shield into the new man's throat and pushing myself to my feet. The man I used convolced violently, and nolonger fought with me.
I raise the gard of wrath and brought my blade down solidly across the man who was gutting maynard. There was no wound, His wet leather jerken defied my blade. But I believe I damaged the mans spine. I kicked him off my monkish brother, and jammed the end of my sword through the man's open mouth, and pinning his head to the ground.

I glanced around me quickly... two men dead of arrows, a third man beheaded, my horse's villan --a bloodly mess, eyes open but stif and still, a fifthman writhing with a crushed larynx, and the man who was so kindly holding my sword for me... The seventh man... must have run off, for I did not see him.

I then stooped to examine Maynard... it may be that his injuries are not mortal. But alas... I debate moving him. It seems the best I can do for now is to lay his arms across his chest as in prayer, I place his sword under them. This small gesture is all there is time for... I took back my sword... having to first step down hard on the man's face in order to extract the blade. The bones of his neck, having wedged it tight. It took a good deal more effort to remove it then I had anticipated. But a second and more solid jerk pulled it free. I see Nichmar among the chaos... I walk quickly in his direction.

[Sir Nichtmar]

Lightening flickers in the distance as one of the Vikings grab Nichtmar’s shield with both hands, before he can stab the man in his neck, the sky cracks with thunder, and a spear buries it’s tip into Nichtmar’s shoulder, causing him to drop his blade. The shield is ripped from him and the spear is yanked out. With no hesitation he slams his helm into the one that stole his shield, grabs him by the shirt and spins him to intercept the next spear shot. Then blood from the poor fool’s kidneys poor out and he drops to his knees and then Nichtmar puts his heel in his mouth. Before the spearman could try for another shot his spine is cleaved and he drops, Greybeard standing behind him. Nichtmar sighs from relief and picks up his sword with left arm, he tries to hold it with his right but his shoulder won’t bare the weight. He grips it with his left hand. He looks to Greybeard through the visor of his helm. Then they look across the battlefield.

“Haldour and his main crew aren’t here.”

[greybeardabbot]

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Greybeard hears the news from his wounded friend, but Lord, it makes little sense... the small force engage the Samuri, Sui is saved from fighting two opponants by a timely black arrow. He see's only three of the pikemen standing... Furey is nowhere in sight... For the moment greybeard stands puzzled and paralized... What odds? Where is Heldour?

Greybeard bends to pick up Nichmar's sheild. Automaticly he adjusts the strap on it so Nichtmar might wear it over his shoulder upon his back. The Abbot fears He will soon need the protection.

GB: "I begin to fear a trap. We should be prepared... perhaps withdraw...." Then, almost immediatly this vague, self-doubting second thought... "Or should we slaughter these who may be the bate? I fear a hook, but let us nibble these worms down a bit shall we?"