Turn 6 Battle Phase
The cold blade of a weather front pierces through the middle of the island. In the mountains, it is simply unseasonably hot. The temperature, doing much to delay the formation of snow and ice on the peaks. In the jungle, it brings storms that work to bring back heat and humidity lost with the clearing of the trees. At the heart of the island, the hills harden with sudden frost and icy fog obscuring the marching armies, creating confusion and chaos.
The Xi Shan have opted to deploy their elite Earth Mage Battalions. Each Earth Mage is able to raise fortifications, empower their fellows to fight better as well as wield the earth as a weapon. They have also upgraded their Sword Gauntlets making them among other things slightly stronger, tougher and more flexible. Combined these improvements represent a wide-ranging increase in the gauntlet’s battlefield capability.
The Loji have developed a weapon for the glory of their warriors. The unstoppable greatswords known as Horizon’s Edge. In support of such mighty weapons, they have also developed the Targe of the Bloodthirsty to support the weighty advance of Loji’s chosen warriors. Long having used standardised armour, the Loji upgraded to the latest edition known as Doomscale Armour. A variant that sees the forces of the Loji more organised than ever, seeming to display uncanny amounts of teamwork built on acceptance of the outcomes for good or ill.
Like the Loji, the Iqua have also deployed a greatsword and a shield. The Living Bloodblade strikes with the viciousness of a snake, each blow in symbiosis between wielder and blade. The Midnight Shield improves upon the traditional shield of the Iqua with greater resilience to flame and heat. Healing Brew v2 delivers an alternative to the Marching Brew permitting rapid recovery from all manner of injury, provided one doesn’t mind the scars or the blood. Last but now least the Iqua bring the Earthmover’s Order to battle. Dressed in simple white robes, these earth controlling chanters raise mighty fortifications with which to master the battlefield.
The MountainsThe heat wave hitting this region leaves the Xi Shan feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Fearing the daylight hours. They hide in the darkness, seeking any escape from the oppressive heat. Travelling upon their Earth Runners to avoid over exerting themselves. With the direction of attack being largely downhill, their advance is mostly unhindered, though any retreat is likely to be slower.
The Loji defense forces sail out to meet them on their carts with eerie discipline as they spread out to deliver pincer attacks or set themselves to guard the siege equipment. Crossbow armed soldiers prepare to fire blind into dug-in positions as Jarls and officers alike raise Horizon Blades in preparation for the coming melee. The enemy advance would first be stymied and then gradually position after Xi Shan position would be swept from the field.
From the Xi Shan position the Earth Mage Battalions set to work raising walls of earth and stone with which to shelter the armies of Xi Shan from Loji aggression. Unwilling to advance in the face of the superior ranged mobility of Loji, the Loji advance becomes stilted and sporadic. They wait for openings and opportunities to lay down new barriers with which to corral their enemy.
On the Loji side the Dreki Fangs are blocked and often extinguished where they strike at the walls of their enemy. The attacks of the Hellbringers meanwhile force the Earth Mages to also consider roofing prolonging the time it takes to prepare each new fortification. Groups of Conflagration Ballista prove able to damage the walls but with the unflagging chanting of Earth Mages, the walls heal far quicker than the damage caused can add up.
Faced with an enemy able to shrug off their ranged attacks the Jarls embrace their role and step forward. Each a terrible unstoppable force for the rank and file of the Xi Shan, able to still the very air around them to immovability and force them to struggle for every step. Able to strike with speed that defies reaction and cleave cleanly through any defense they might offer. Occasionally a Xi Shan warrior might instead find themselves propelled violently away a great distance instead, but those are the only ones luck enough to survive the brutality of the first offensive. For walls of stone prove little barrier to the Horizon’s Edge.
It is not however the rout that Loji might hope for. For the Earth Mages give up on further advance and the raising of new fortification to prepare the Nightblades for battle. Drinking from a pot the re-energized chanter begins to chant. A fist rises from the earth with a needle clutched in its hand. The tip of the needle advances into the nightblade’s darkness. From within can be heard the grunts and screams of a tortured being that soon turn to laughing exaltation. The darkness remains at rest for only a moment before racing forward with speed comparable to a Jarl.
They are not truly as fast, but it is a closer contest than any other warrior of Xi Shan can offer. Thin flexible blades advance out of the darkness seeking to spear a Jarl only to flex and fail to penetrate the tough Doomscale Armour protecting him. The Jarl responds with a humming chant that stills the air and an implacable swing of an unstoppable greatsword. Before this the Nightblade movements barely slow, strained but filled with energy as they attempt to parry with both gauntlets crossed. The Horizon’s Edge blows through such a defense unswayed, but the energy with which it deflects the gauntlets allows the talented physical prowess of the Nightblade to turn a slaughter into retreat.
Alone a single Nightblade even bolstered by an Earth Mage would be no match for the Jarls, forced into desperate assaults on the eyes to stop their advance. Yet the Nightblades do not need to act alone, for with every passing moment more of their number are bolstered and when the Nightblades have all been boosted the seemingly limitless magical stamina of the Earth Mages turn their attention on the rank and file. Soon a nightmare horde of warriors seeks to surround every Jarl forcing them back lest numbers begin to tell. Before the increasing might of the Xi Shan warriors the Loji are forced to rely on mobility and lucky crossbow strikes to retreat safely.
Xi Shan Advances.
The HillsOn icy ground Iqua marches, line on line of hot breath making little clouds in the air. Mile after mile, hour after hour they endure. They march past crops that ought to have withered were it not for the light and mystical growth of the second sun. Heavy armour and body heat combine to build up sweat that in turn freezes. The Earthmover’s Order is called upon to build shelters at stopping points to provide relief from the cold.
Like on the Xi Shan front, what was once a mobile war has turned into a much more static affair. With the Iqua relying on fortifications to control the battlefield. Walls and bunkers raised to fend off ranged attacks while allowing their archers to return fire. A ranged battle even enough to force a more decisive melee assault.
The Loji advance into the face of fear. They spite their instinctive revulsion with each well prepared assault. Lead by Jarl to who cleave through walls with the superior weight and quality of their Horizon’s Edge. Just as easily they cleave through armour and weapons. Those fighting them forced to draw back outside their reach before advancing to strike in the short time it takes them to recover. Facing them are the viper fast Living Bloodblades of the Iqua elite and the tough Moonlight Sabres now produced in enough quantity to equip the rank and file.
The Living Bloodblades prove the lesser in this battle of the greatswords. Before the speed and armour of the Jarls, the vicious strikes of the Bloodblades find few targets. Only in their death do they prove effective as each shattering of the blade is accompanied by the hissing chorus of a horde of snakes. Each blade shattering into nine pieces many of which serve unerringly towards vital points such as the eyes or existing chinks in their foe’s armour.
Without Lady Adiva the battle would have devolved into a bloody stalemate. As it is her white robed figure can be seen at the heart of the fighting, raising mighty spikes of earth that splay out into umbrellas of earth and rock. Spearing the unfortunate as they impede even the Jarls. Assaulting with waves of rock spears rising from beneath the feet of the Loji. Knocking foes off their feet to be buried in quickly sealing tombs of earth.
Iqua Advances.
The JungleThe conditions in the regrowing Jungle are kinder, but the slowly disappearing craters do not much change the nature of the warfare from the other fronts as Iqua seeks to use fortifications to hold back the assaulting Loji.
On this front things go decidedly poorly of the Loji. Well planned offensives meet cunning generals who seem to have anticipated each move. Jarls at the linchpin of the assault finding themselves the victim of mass coordinated waves of arrow fire. Others succumbing to the mystical mud of the Mire Monks used as part of the defensive barrier only to be tipped over on top of them as they cut through the defenses.
The more successful assaults leave many injured severely only for the application of Healing Brew to aid a swift recovery. Single-armed Iqua soldiers charging relentlessly into battle without caring for danger, spraying the blood of fresh injuries into the eyes of their attackers even as the wounds heal once more. It quickly becomes apparent that any injury not serious enough to lop off a wound will end up as little more than a war scar.
With the failure of their plans the fear of Dreadmonks reasserts itself, breaking advancing warriors and causing them to rout from the field. Positions occupied by Conflagration Ballista are swiftly overrun forcing Hellbringers to destroy them rather than allow the Iqua to turn them against retreating Loji forces.
Iqua AdvancesKnown Equipment
Elite Unit
Voiceguard: Holy magic users dedicated to the chanting arts.
Shroudweavers: Capable of deploying smoke to the battlefield to obscure vision.
Windsingers: Bring forth the wind under their control.
Enkindlers: A wind filled with embers that can set fires and distract those subjected to it.
Hellbringers: They deploy columns of flame that descend from above to burn all in their path.
Jarls of the Maelstrom: The Jarls of Loji were once leaders, rulers and warriors. Now they have sought to leverage the secrets of magic to become warriors without peer. Armed and armoured in the finest equipment Loji can produce, each item glowing with runic symbols. axe and chant with deadly effect.
Equipment
Longsword: A double-edged blade and a cruciform hilt. A versatile weapon capable of cuts, slices and thrusts. Requires training to wield, can be used one or two handed.
War Axe: Can be used as a tool in a pinch, this is a single-handed weapon that does well against heavily armoured foes. Can be used with minimal training.
Northman’s Shield: A round wooden shield with a metal spiked boss. This shield is reinforced with metal around the edges. These shields are carefully painted with unique designs to help identify the hero who wields it.
Pavise Shields: Metal reinforced, wooden shields designed to be worn on the back to protect a crossbowman while they reload their crossbow.
Brigandine Armour: Strips of Windforged Steel cushioned by wool and linen on both sides. Only the vital organs are protected with steel in order to keep costs low. Cloth gloves and hood help to ensure that every part of the body has at least some protection.
Light Crossbow: Based on the bow and mounted horizontally on a frame. Powerful, but reloading is slow and dangerous. Each crossbow has been standardised, allowing even lesser skilled crafters to build a functional weapon of war.
Medium Crossbow: A larger, steel reinforced crossbow. This crossbow has a metal stirrup and claw reloading method. Improved bolts allow for greater effectiveness against armour. It also has a superior range compared to the light crossbow.
Standard: A flag used to identify units and maintain order in battle.
Wind Cart: A four wheeled cart with a hollow cylinder in the back. This cart is travels at walking pace. It provides shelter for crossbowmen, allowing them to fire and reload on the move.
Sail Cart: A four wheeled cart that offers no protection from arrow fire or the elements beyond the sail used to propel it. The front wheels tilt allowing the cart to turn.
Conflagration Ballista: A ballista mounted rearwards on a smaller variant of the sail cart. It has a variety of ammunition from stone ball to steel bolt. Rearward firing with a large firing arc.
Cone of Chill: A chant that chills the air inside its cone of effect.
Dreki Fangs: A barbed bolt that heats up in flight.
Psalmfounts: A talisman the deep metallic blue of a clear sky. It speeds chanting.
Horizon's Edge: A greatsword capable of unstoppable swings that knock aside all before them.
Targe of the Bloodthirsty: A northman’s shield that advances with unnatural weight and knocks aside all before it.
Doomscale Armour: An upgrade on the standard armour of Loji’s forces that enhances their coordination, speed and discipline.
Windforged Steel: All metal equipment has a blue colouration with the strength of steel.
Red Steel: As strong as Windforged Steel and carrying a painful heat.
Stillborn Steel: Unnatural weight and momentum.
Stormcrown Fortress: A defensive location positioned to defend the route to the mountains.
Hero
Lady Adiva Shrivastava: A skilled archer and leader, this golden haired warrior is a proud warrior of Iqua.
Elite Units
Blademonks: An order of chanters dedicated to calm contemplation of battle, capable of cutting down all in their path. They carry a number of Moonlight Sabres and wear Moonlight Chainmail.
Dreadmonks: An order of chanters dedicated to mastery of fear, capable of berserk strength and suicidal resolve. They wear Moonlight Chainmail and wield Moonlight Sabres.
Mire Monks: An order of chanters dedicated to providing long range support with the aid of their poisoned mud. They carry a barrel of liquid on their backs. They wear Moonlight Chainmail and wield the Moonlight Sabre when they must.
Earthmover's Order: An order of chanters dedicated to fortifying the battlefield to best protect their allies. They wear simple white robes over more practical equipment.
Equipment
Sabre: A single-edged blade that favours cavalry combat over infantry combat. Requires training to wield, one-handed.
Spear: Essentially a dagger on a long stick. Very cheap, requires minimal training to use. Can be used double-handed, or single handed with a shield.
Pike: A longer spear, the butt has a bronze spike for embedding in the ground when defending against a cavalry charge. The pike is best wielded two-handed without a shield. This design is well balanced with a leaf-shaped blade of iron.
Hands-Free Hardened Shield: A smaller shield with a metal spike in the centre. It has a strap that allows the shield to be hung around the neck and handled a little with the shoulder. This allows it to be used by soldiers whose hands are otherwise occupied with two-handed weapons.
Padded Armour: Very cheap, just layers of cloth, but doesn't protect against much. Well ventilated in hot conditions.
Chainmail: Interlinked riveted iron hoops. Very effective against most weapons.
Songbow: A medium bow with draw strength greater than our normal composite bows. They are not practical to use while riding a mount.
War Horn: A musical instrument made from a ram’s horn used to communicate over a distance. Used to deliver orders and sound the alarm in the event of an attack.
Symphony Quiver: These quivers contain a variety of arrows each envenomed with a poison known to the Iqua. Currently two types of poison have been seen. One inflicts bleeding and the other fatigue.
Swan Pike: A pike with a poisonous blade. The venom inflicts bleeding. Notably the blade flexes a little, allowing it to cause wounds even when the blade is blocked.
Dragon Pike: A pike with a poisonous blade. The venom inflicts fatigue. Notably the blade flexes a little, allowing it to cause wounds even when the blade is blocked.
Moonlight Sabre: A sabre made of a white iron that is as hard as steel.
Living Bloodblade: A blood red greatsword that is constantly in motion producing a vicious and relentless fighting style.
Midnight Shield: A fire resistant wooden shield that has been reinforced with metal.
Flamequencher Cloak: A dull black cloak that protects the wearer from fire.
Scroll of Fear: These scrolls inked in green flame, grant its reader the ability and the knowledge needed to speak its chant for a season.
Scroll of Blooming Shadows: These mats inked in green flame, summon a black rose that blooms into great black flower petals that expand to obscure a squad in darkness.
Marching Brew: A black elixir that glows malevolently darkening the room a little in close proximity to it. Fills the drinker with energy.
Healing Brew v2: A blood red potion that allows the drinker to recovery from injury.
Elite Units
Nightblades
Covered in darkness, these mysterious warriors wield thin blades that strike without warning.
Earth Mage Battalions
These mages control the earth, both to attack and defend. Even calling upon it to deliver cursed strength to their allies. Their chants show a versatility not often associated with chanting.
Equipment
Wooden Short Spear: A sharp wooden spear designed for jabbing.
Wooden Shield: A simple shield of wood.
Composite Recurve Bow: Constructed of a composite of horn, wood and sinew laminated together. The shape of the bow curves away from the archer. This recurve increases the draw weight of the bow, storing more energy without breaking. This bow is designed to fire arrows with simple metal tips.
Furs: Patchwork armour constructed out of the pelts of small animals caught by the hunters of the Xi Shan. Iron plates have been added to protect vital areas.
Spade: Combined with proper training, allows the warriors of Xi Shan to dig in and create a variety of fortifications.
Nightmare Pot: A clay pot filled with poison that chills those struck and subjects them to ongoing nightmares.
Nightmare Arrows: Some arrows carry the same poison as is used with the Nightmare Pots.
Shadowflash Shield: A simple shield of wood that bears glowing runes, when activated it can hide those behind it with darkness or dazzle those in front with light.
Strengthened Sword Guantlets: A thin blade with a guard that completely covers the hand. It bears glowing runes. The sword displays high performance in a range of capabilities.
Earth Runner: A floating cartbed capable of carrying a squad into battle.
Author
Topic: Arms Race: War of the Rune (Read 6519 times)