TheFlame52 - Oh, those are much simpler, just add FOUR_TENTACLES to the BODY section in the raws.
10th Moonstone 678 - MorningThe plan was decided very quickly soon after the vote in favour and in a half-hour the militia had strapped on their armour and prepared their weapons. The Iron Guard would remain behind and protect the entrance, with the ballistas manned by Bayar and Urist serving as extra protection, while the rest of the militia would move out and eliminate the groups of Nothing. The drawbridge out was soon lowered and the militia moved out as one.
The bright glare of the morning sun briefly blinded them all, even the Elves and Humans as they moved out of the dark underground and a wall of fresh air slammed into them as strong winds blew through the valley. Once they had adjusted to the light and the cave adaptation symptoms subsided Derm turned round to face them all, taking charge as Sheriff.
"Ok, now we don't want to taken any unnecessary risks," he said, "and that," he paused to glare at Juggernaut, "means
no jumping straight at the enemy. We hit them from afar until they get closer,
then we melee."
Juggernaut scoffed but said nothing, gripping his axe tighter while the rest of the group nodded. The outer drawbridge lowered itself slowly and the militia and volunteers moved forward while the Iron Guard consisting of Ahra and four Dwarves remained back.
The first group of Nothing lay right opposite the drawbridge, almost idly moving down the valley slopes. Once the militia left the confines of the fort though dozens of red eyes fixed themselves on them and the Nothing began to move down. From the sides too came a larger swarm, moving slowly towards the militia and the open drawbridge.
"Which group do we go after?" Reno Monty asked, the Human raising his crossbow and aiming towards a Nothing ahead.
"Might be best to stand our ground, if we go after one group we leave the way open for them to swarm into the fort." John Lock replied, raising an eyebrow towards Derm.
Besides him, Melagius scoffed, the Dwarf swiping his sword through the air. "That's what the Iron Guard is there for. And at any rate, we'll have sweeped up that group there before the other group can even get close to the drawbridge."
"We won't have if everyone insists on standing around talking." Kuro remarked, drumming his fingers impatiently on the blade of his sword.
"The group there by the river is closer, if we attack them we'll still be close enough to block the other swarm if they try to cross." Kadzar said.
Derm nodded. "That's what we'll do. Markdwa- uh, marks
people! Line up ahead and shoot at will!"
Rovod, Doc. Steve, Reno, BranRh, Jessica and Rar moved ahead, crossbows aimed and ready and as the Nothing moved in they fired a volley.
"They're getting pretty close now, you might wanna move in and help maybe?" Jessica remarked, sending a bolt flying into a Nothing. Behind her, a cry to Armok rang out as Juggernaut leapt forward, swinging his axe, soon followed by Hammer of the Gods, likewise crying war chants to the gods, and then finally the rest of the militia. The militia and Nothing met as two opposing armies. The militia, charging through, swept into the centre of the Nothing, axes, swords and hammers swinging while behind them the markspeople continued to send bolt after bolt flying into the Nothing.
The pushed the Nothing back up the valley slope, towards the bridge over the river. A well-placed hammerstrike from Hammer of the Gods sent one Nothing tumbling into the river, another from Rashem sent a second down into the river where they sank to the bottom and weren't seen. Derm found himself struggling against five Nothing and despite his best efforts he soon had two broken fingers, several bruises and a torn ear for his troubles.
This turned out to be a bad thing as a furious Fori cut two Nothing down, twirling like a dancer in an exotic play, her sword sweeping through the air.
Xenir meanwhile found himself surrounded by several Nothing and soon, tired and over-exerted he lunged too far, and a tentacle caught him straight in the throat. Winded he fell back, only for more tentacles to strike him and soon he was swarmed, one of the dark tendrils suffocating him while the other tore at his armour. Kadzar saw him on the ground and tried to move in, but with his spear jammed in a Nothing he was powerless to help and soon the thrashing Xenir stopped moving.
Kadzar was soon joined by Bax and Kuro and together the three cut down the Nothing around Xenir. Doc. Steve, seeing from afar Xenir's prone body, rushed up, hands already opening the first-aid kit he kept strapped to his belt. He checked Xenir's pulse then with a mournful expression shrugged at Kadzar, Bax and Kuro. The scene was interrupted by more Nothing as the swarm concentrated itself in a ring around the militia. The battle dragged on as the militia fought Nothing after Nothing until eventually the field was clear, with just Nothing tentacles littering the ground, soon to dissipate into the black substances that formed the creatures.
"Xenir..." Fori began, moving to the Human's corpse.
"No time vor dat!" Meinhard yelled, pointing off to the second group of Nothing that was still advancing down the valley slopes towards Nomekast.
"We can't just leave his body here-"
"Ve'll get it later! Now ve fight!"
The second group of Nothing was much smaller and more spread out than the first, however with everyone already tired from the first fight more mistakes were to be made and soon Rar and Kuro soon sported broken fingers. Hammer of the Gods meanwhile, all while chanting battlecries to the gods had taken it upon herself to sweep clean an entire group of Nothing by herself. This did not turn out to be a good idea as the dozen or so Nothing swarmed the zealous Goblin. Despite her best efforts, batting one away into another with a strong hammerblow she was soon overwhelmed and with a last gasping cry to Id and Armok, she fell.
Eventually the Nothing was beaten, their bodies melting into the wispy black substance they were made off and dissipating into the air.
Surveying the scene, Tarran swore. "They shouldn't be this hard to beat, once upon a time we could beat ten each with a training sword" he said, sending Derm a look.
The Sheriff nodded, nursing his broken fingers. "They're getting stronger," he replied. And there was silence for a few seconds as everyone took this in.
"But how? And why now? And how are we supposed to beat them?! We've just lost two people to two fairly average-sized swarms!" Sandra asked, one hand covering a nasty bruise on her face.
"I don't know, but I don't like this one bit. We should get back. Obviously we're not nearly ready enough for this." Muenster said.
Fori nodded. "This has the hallmarks of a trap or an ambush. We've already lost two people, let's recover their bodies and get back."
"We need a...proper military, or at least a better organisation." Rovod said, loading a bolt into his crossbow.
"Yeah but- wait, what in Id's beard is that?"
Four spear-wielding figures, Goblin-shaped and pulsing with the same substance of Nothings, along with a large burly Human decorated with bones and carrying a flail moved into sight as they came down the valley.
"It was an ambush!" Bax hissed, pulling his dagger out at the ready.
Having got close to them by hiding in the foliage, the ambush smashed into the tired militia and a third battle broke out. Melagius was the first to engage them, the Human swinging his flail at the Dwarf but missing as Melagius jumped back and counterattacked. For his trouble one of the infected Goblins stabbed the spear into his arm, severing a motor nerve.
Despite this, the rest of the Goblins and the Human were soon slain, the black substance melting away to reveal the Goblins below. There was no respite however as a second group appeared, this time crossbowgoblins led by an axeman.
With one wordless cry the militia charged them, rushing up the valley slope like a barbarian horde. The crossbowgoblins aimed their shots and fired.
With a cry of rage for his fallen friend Tarran collided into the Human axeman and began a fierce onslaught, hacking at the axeman.
With a fury unmatched, the rest of the ambushers were soon dispatched. And as they did so the sound of a bell rung out across the valley. The bell they had had installed in the fort as a warning system. There was no verbal acknowledgement, the militia were working simply on autopilot now and as one they charged to the fort.
It was the Ahra of the Iron Guard who had spotted them while scouting out to ensure no Nothing were approaching; two more squads of infected Goblins, bowgoblins and hammergoblins led by another axeman and a crossbowman. By the time the militia arrived the hammer squad were about to cross the river while the archers lay behind the wall that protected the fort from behind.
They silently joined up with the Iron Guard who were guarding the drawbridge; from the blood caking their armour and weapons the Iron Guard knew better than to ask questions and why three of them were missing.
It was Reno who reached the infected Goblins first, and he received an arrow in the torso for his troubles.
He tried to move back only to be faced with the Human axeman, who hefted a large great axe. As the rest of the militia engaged with the hammergoblins and bowgoblins Reno dueled the axeman. Tired and wounded he would have died there, if it hadn't been for his helmet.
Before the axeman could finally land a proper hit, Rashem came from behind, swinging his large war hammer.
Furied and grieving, the militia and Iron Guard made short work of the rest of the Goblins, soaking the grass with blood.
For a while they waited for yet another inevitable ambush or Nothing swarm, only for nothing to happen. Then at last they collapsed, breathing hard. There were few people with no injuries. Ahra had fractured a leg and had his lower body cut open. Rar had broken a hand and his ear had been torn. Meinhard had broken a finger. Reno lay unconscious, his lower and upper body cut open. Loral had had his ear torn open. Rovod and Tarran had had their upper bodies cut open and Melagius and Bax their right arms. Kadzar's leg was cut open and Derm had broke several fingers, as had Kuro. And as they prepared to haul the wounded back to Nomekast and collect the dead, more figures appeared on the horizon.
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Topic: [Community] Nomekast - At War with Nothing (Read 174992 times)