Ten years ago King Aiden Perenolde betrayed the Alliance and sided with the Horde of Orgrim Doomhammer. Nine years ago Prince Alric Perenolde, the second heir of Alterac was sent into exile for his own protection. This exile turned permanent and Captain Normand Garside, your guardian for the past nine years made sure that you were safe and learned the useful skills that would help you in the future.

Now you are ready to carry the responsibility and unite the scattered Alteraci people and reclaim the lands that were once the Kingdom of Alterac.

For Eligius the past several days have been rather dreary days. Since revealing to others that he is in fact a warlock, he has been forced to be more on his toes than before. And when they got into Strahnbrad, Pai decided that their cover story would that of a married couple, and of course later that night she tried to get close to Eligius. That didn’t work to Pai’s disappointment as Eligius was revealed to have the fear of being touched. Now the unlikely duo have enlisted themselves to help the Syndicate in Strahnbrad as things there are going to get more busy.

For Malevus the campaign has been full of work. To bury and bless the dead according to the rites and rituals of the Church. To console those who are dying or have lost their friends. To heal and patch up those who will survive their wounds. The work she did wasn’t easy and she knew that more work would be ahead of her. At least she managed to acquire an assistant that lifted a bit of work from her shoulders.

For Alric the campaign has been full of fighting and marching through the ancient forest. Battling both the gnolls and the influence of Fel, Alric metaphorically knee deep in dead gnolls and blood carved a path of Total Gnoll Death through Durnholde. He fought against a gnoll mage and its warband in the north, he brought the Alteracis against gnolls in the clearing and burned them all alive. Hundreds of gnolls dead for very few of his own at the end of the day.

And now he is ready to finish the job.

Welcome to Alterac Resurgent Quest!

…

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MedivhQM
/qst/ Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Alterac%20Resurgent%20Quest
Prince Alric Stats: https://pastebin.com/rysxdRsv
Quest Mechanisms: https://pastebin.com/CyD88qqf
Character List: https://pastebin.com/FkYd6wkJ
Side Character Stats: https://pastebin.com/aRfyksUG

>>6222383 (OP)

Nothing had happened during the night as the men had mostly concentrated on sleeping and resting. The patrols around the combined Alteraci and Regional Defenders camp hadn’t spotted anything nor had they heard anything. Just an odd night bird here and there.

But the wind had picked up and the cloud cover had grown heavier. When the sun started to rise and you were woken up, just barely the light penetrated through the forest cover.

“The weather turned bad.” Captain Cromwell said to you.

“It is not yet raining.” You said back to him.

“But soon it will be.” He replied.

Cromwell was probably right about it. The good weather has lasted too long and you can be lucky just so long.

“Why do you have to be so pessimistic?” You said and sighed at your right hand man.

“Realistic Prince Alric, just realistic.” He replied and scratched the chin that could cut stone. “We got news from the Durnholders.”

“Oh, we found them?” You asked.

The 1st and 2nd column had apparently pushed somewhat ahead of you after you got caught dealing with the small pool of liquid Fel. And during the night your messengers had found them thankfully in one piece and without having any further incidents having happened. They spoke with the sleepy and groggy Karramyn Langston who agreed that they would wait a bit to allow you to catch up. It would be better if your combined column would advance east along the same line with the Durnholders and rest of the Regional Defenders.

It was just a matter of starting to march forward.

…

The day approached noon and you stood on top of a fallen tree. The terrain was awful to move in, assorted rocks and tree trunks littered the forest floor. This was an old forest, not touched by human hands in a long time. It was practically impossible for the cavalry to move through this without dismounting which limited the potential of your cavalry reserve and forced Lord Blackmoore to walk again. It also made it very difficult for your soldiers to keep ranks or form up in case a battle would happen right now. Everything would devolve into a set of skirmishes.

And then the first drop of water hit your helmet.

Tip tap, it started slowly as the howling of the wind was joined by the constant whoosh of light rain. You knew that your men under Lieutenant Radan were covering their matchlocks and your archers wrapped their bows within their cloaks. For the rest of you, the rain brought a bit of a relief from the past few weeks of scorching sun.

1/3

>>6222384

“Prince Alric, we found something.” One of the archers said to you as he stepped out of the bush ahead of you.

“What did you find?” You asked and nodded to acknowledge his deep bow.

“A trail, a very clear trail and used recently.” The archer said to you. “It comes from the south and turns east.”

“How many tracks?” You asked.

“Dozens and it was a wide trail my Prince, the brothers think that we found the main path they are using.” The archer replied.

“To where?” You asked next.

“To their camp, their main camp.” The archer said.

Splendid, you have found what you have been looking for.

“Thank you, let the men replenish your water and rest a bit before returning.” You told the archer and turned to Cromwell that was standing next to you. “Call the officers, I think we got them.”

“Yes my Prince.” Cromwell said and saluted.

So close, today would be the day when the gnolls stop existing in Durnholde.

…

Your own officers had joined you along with Major Reginald and his own officers from Regional Defenders. You had told them what the archer had said to you and asked for their opinions.

“If that is the way to their camp, we should call the cavalry and the Durnholders here. Mass up our forces together and then deal with them once and for all.” Major Reginald said to you.

“I agree with the Major, it would be safer for us as well.” Lieutenant Beckston replied as he leaned on his short Kul Tiran pike.

“Though the longer we stand here, the more likely it is for the gnolls to notice us.” Cromwell said to them. It was rare to see him this aggressive when it came to going into a battle. “How long could we wait till they come to us?”

“Captain has a good point, an hour? Two?” You replied.

“Prince Alric, I still think that would be the best course of action.” Major Reginald replied back.

Lieutenant Radan had carefully raised his hand.

“Lieutenant, how many times have I said that you don’t need to raise your hand.” You said back to him.

“Sorry, I forgot… but the Captain is right. Longer this rain continues, the more likely it is for our guns to get wet.” He said to you and continued. “Master Bakhtet told us to do our utmost to protect them from water and rain.”

The rat looking man was right, the longer you waited, more likely the handgunners, archers and crossbowmen would get their weapons wet. And in case of the matchlocks, inoperable. But both sides had their good arguments, act now and advance till contact is found and try to surprise the gnolls. Or gather your forces and advance together and deal with the gnolls and hopefully their camp.

The decision would be yours.

2/2

>>6222386


>Send in the cavalry first. If the trail is clear, they could maybe ride and follow it till they find something to attack, harass and raid.
>Combine the columns and pull all the men under your direct command. Staying together will allow stronger mutual protection and stronger hitting force when engaged in battle.
>Advance along the trail and seek the gnolls by yourself. Send a message to Langston, but order him to keep advancing as planned.
>Other, write in.

Columns:
1st Column (Durnholde, Langston)
70/110 Footmen, 60/80 Archer, 10/20 Bandit Rogues
2nd Column (Regional Defenders, Maxwell)
115/120 Footmen, 45/50 Archers, 4 Ballistae

3rd Column (Alterac, Alric)
60/80 Foot and Pike, 29/35 Archers, 15/20 Crossbows, 20/25 Bandit Rogues
4th Column (Regional Defenders, Reginald)
90/100 Footmen, 50 Archers,

5th Column (Cavalry, Foecourt)
43/44 Knights, 25/30 Mounted Sergeants

QM: New thread! New adventures! Let's go!

Welcome everyone to yet another thread of Alterac Resurgent Quest. We are at thread number 35, that is quite lot and we have gotten quite far in the story of Alric Perenolde.

Now with the new thread, I will extend the same request as before. If you have questions about the Quest, its characters or events, or for the QM itself, go ahead and ask. I will try to answer them as well as I can without going too deep into meta knowledge.

And as always, please have fun reading, playing or just lurking in the background.


But I do have a question for my lovely anons, where are you based? I am asking this mostly because I somewhat want to know what timezones are you in and when do you do questing? Being an European myself, my timezones are rather easy to guess, evenings for proper updates and early afternoons for rolls and such. But what about you, when is it easiest for you to play? This could help me to time my updates a bit better and to allow more of my lovely and beautiful playerbase to participate.

Thank you.

>>6222389
>Have the archers run ahead to find the camp the columns may encircle it.
Unless the terrain here actually allows the cavalry to pursue, this is what will inflict the most casualties to the enemy.

>>6222396
-3 GMT. I check qst throughout the day but only vote whenever Im in a lull and only do more elaborate participation when I have actual free time.

>>6222396
Central european time.
Usually afternoon/evening hours i check on qst. Sometime even the morning.

>>6222389
>>Advance along the trail and seek the gnolls by yourself. Send a message to Langston, but order him to keep advancing as planned.
Like Cromwell said they might notice us. If we can attack first...then again the full expeditionary army combined would be a guaranteed destruction of the enemy. So many pros and cons

>>6222389
>>Advance along the trail and seek the gnolls by yourself. Send a message to Langston, but order him to keep advancing as planned.

Mmm I really wanted to attack their main camp all together for the big battle, a united effort look ya know. Atleast we have Reginald with us. I expect the Gnoll numbers to be quite large even if they aren't well equipped, they won't have the Warcamp or the Raiders, but most importantly they will actually have their Gnoll Leader here to rally and command them in response to situations and opportunities. Which probably means a charge on something soft. A surprise attack, if we pull it off, takes him off the table for a bit. Cromwell is being aggressive for once.

On the one hand its a harder chance to not get spotted for a surprise, and an hour or two more in the rain they maybe lose the matchlocks, plus wet ranged weapons...But we get 300 more troops, the Cavalry, another priest, and the 4 Ballistae from the get go.

If we go in without them Langston is still ahead of us so they might be close enough to find the battle before it gets too messy.

Terrain wise I imagine there might be some clearing around the main base camp whether thats good or bad idk. The raiders had to take down so many trees to arm their gnolls with clubs, seems like a good chance for the main camp. Maybe with the roots and vegetation the rain won't get the ground that muddy. Then they'll have some cover with their huts, and maybe more if they've been fortifying or just felling (heh) trees to make cover.

Magic wise, fire magic in rain makes a sad pyromancer. BUT with Alric having trusted his underbelly mages he can add his own might to empower those fireballs with Dragonfire. If we juice him up with TGD he can spread it even further. The gnoll huts should make for nice tinder. Coast on that and ranged for a couple rounds, hope they aren't organized enough with their leader to rally and charge.

>>6222396
US East, peek in when I can. If I have a thought I'll see where it takes me.

>>6222455
>>6222525
I think my encirclement plan has the best pros and cons. If we were in a flat plain then just the Alteracis and the cavalry would be viable but we've been informed that the terrain is terrible.

>>6222441
I'm also in favor of encirclement by archers. The terrain is not ideal for cavalry- forest is the land of the light infantryman and skirmisher.

The modification I'd propose is that the archers should only half-encircle them, and lure them into infantry. I'd also suggest having our cav circle around and catch them when they rout.

>>6222396
EST here- long time lurker. Honestly, with daily updates I think that any time works for me.

>>6222551
>>6222823
So we've got 150 Foot and Pike, 114 assorted Ranged, and our Mages. I don't know if I believe the archers can really encircle the main gnoll base camp. Like anon says if half encirclement works, eventually the allies will come in on the flank to complete it. Otherwise maybe the formation we used in the clearing battle

Warcamp and Raiders together was about six hundred gnolls. How many gnolls do they truly have? I'll just presume we are outnumbered and hope its not much worse than 2-1, but hopefully shaken by the losses.

How will their leader act I wonder. He'd probably see the problem of the mages and ranged, or spot the most fabulous armor on the field. Rally and charge them once he shakes off the surprise and fear. Then I suppose Alric and Reginald countercharge. Pair slingers against our ranged and go for Alric. or something else.

>>6222396
I've got one question. Wheres the gnoll mage loot, put it in the bag or see if the mages can use it before the big battle

I wonder if Alric could 'Kuwabara' it and summon his own blade lol, and any magic is instinctively easier with Fel. If Alric ever got disarmed by a bad combat roll that would be a pretty good move, summon his own blade and stab them unless its just easier to grab the dagger.

dice+1d10

>>6222823
Encirclement by the archers? I meant encircle their camp with everybody the archers are to scout where the camp actually is.

>>6222906
This rain and rocky terrain also gives a big defender advantage too. Much better for us to force them to come to us then try to do a cohesive charge because if they don't rout then we'll get bloodied.

I am seeing a mix of following the trail with archers ahead trying to half-encircle the gnolls being the winning choice. Durnholders are called to help you, but they won't get there that quickly.

So rolls for this please, I will write the update tomorrow when I have actual time to do. The 1d10s are for Alteracis, Regional Defenders, Alteraci Ranged, RD Ranged.


>4d10, Best three of four
>DC 14, 20, Crit 24

Rolled 1, 5, 1, 6 = 13 (4d10)

>>6223047
So the Alteracis take uo defensive formations while waiting for the reinforcements to complete the encirclement? Acceptable.

Rolled 6, 8, 1, 7 = 22 (4d10)

>>6223047
This is definitely not the terrain for cavalry unless the gnolls had cleared enough room around their camp.

Rolled 1, 6, 2, 2 = 11 (4d10)

>>6223047
FOR ALTERAC!!!

Rolled 8, 9, 6, 9 = 32 (4d10)

>>6223047
TGD

>>6223075
I CAN FEEEL THE EAGLE OF ALTERACCCCC SCREAMING IN MY HEAD TGD TGD TGD TGD TGD
TOTAL GNOLL DEATH RAAARRGH!!!!

>>6223047
>15, 23, 9, 22

Oof so close to a crit for the RD there, and a failure from the Alteraci Ranged. Very sad. Any chance theres a question like the Jandice Murder Mystery you'd offer to secure that Crit for the RD lol

I'd say the veterancy of Alric's units could maybe change their range compared to the RD but a 9 is quite abysmal no matter what. Officerwise the Rovers and Radan, do they have a chance to clean up whatever little mess has gotten in their way.

>15, Success!
>23, Success!
>9, Failure!
>22, Success!


You gave your orders. Messengers would be sent to other Columns to inform them of the situation and to come to help you with the camp, but you couldn't wait for them, you had to act immediately.

Your archers found their position to your left and ahead of you, while Regional Defenders moved to your right with their archers screening them. The plan was to get as close as possible to the gnolls and partially try to flank them if you can. If everything goes as planned, the gnolls you find will end up fighting you and the Regional Defenders on their left flank.

Silently the order was given for the men to move ahead, flags and pennants were furled around the pikes and poles, weapons were readied and no one said a word. You would move as close as possible, hoping to catch the gnolls by surprise.

And for some time it worked, until ahead of you loud shouting started. The now familiar twang of crossbows was followed by several snaps of matchlocks. Looks like your archers and other ranged troops found the gnolls, or more accurately they found your men.


>You don't know their situation, order general advance and rush to their assistance, throwing stealth away.
>Get there as fast as you can personally, while everyone else keeps their stealth.
>Continue as is, your ranged troops can handle themselves against small patrols. The gnolls haven't spotted you yet.
>Other, write in.

>>6223418
>>Get there as fast as you can personally, while everyone else keeps their stealth.

>>6223418
>>Get there as fast as you can personally, while everyone else keeps their stealth.

>>6223418
>Get there as fast as you can personally, while everyone else keeps their stealth

Who is the best fighter in that little skirmish, Radan with his knightly armor?

>>6223452
4 Athletics and 4 Martial, a solid fighting officer. Hes still got those Bandit Knight Special Skills, I figure he can pull out some 'unchivalrous' combat moves in life or death and against a filthy gnoll at that. His other skirmisher weapons like the javelins, or maybe some throwing knives?

Unless Bakhtet is with the Radan's Rifles then we could actually see some Dark Iron action and how he fights which would be sweet. Hes gotta be a contender for strongest fighter?

Though still stumped on who the #1 fighter in the area is over Alric. We went through a bunch of guesses and didn't find it, with the clue that its someone in the Hillsbrad and Durnholde area. So presumably that doesn't include Thrall, and not the Gnoll Leader lol. I don't think Redpath was that valorous, nor Maxwell. Garithos could have been, but Alric just roasted his ass. So who is even left.

"Continue moving! I will go there personally!" You told the orders to your men.

Wasting no time, you mounted Epona and followed the trail ahead of you full gallop. The shouts and screams of battle were getting louder and louder closer you got them. And then, following a turn on the trail, you saw the first gnoll.

One of your crossbowmen was on the ground defending himself with his shortsword while the gnoll tried to poke and prod the man with what looked like a shovel. The man frantically blocked and tried to back away as the shovel came at him again and again.

He needed help, there was no time to waste!


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 13, Crit 20

Rolled 10, 9, 10 = 29 (3d10)

>>6223528
KILL GNOLLS

>>6223531

Alright Alric! Calm down! It is just a single gnoll, but I guess this will set the pace for this battle.

Rolled 9, 2, 4 = 15 (3d10)

>>6223528
im just gonna roll for rollings sake.

Rolled 2, 2, 5 = 9 (3d10)

>>6223531
Guess the dog man is getting bisected.

>>6223528
>>6223559
Would be funny if we got a 30 though

Rolled 1, 7, 1 = 9 (3d10)

>>6223528
ALTERACCC

>29, Crit Success!


Near silently you drew the Cinder Sword as you raced towards the gnoll. The dull grey blade started to shed embers near immediately as the rushing wind heated it up. This time you didn't even need to set the blade on fire as the gnoll got closer and closer to you. It still hadn't noticed you.

And with a simple passing slash you decapitated it, the head falling on the ground with its eyes still blinking and searching, only seeing its own body still standing before dropping like a sack of wheat.

Turning Epona around, you quickly approached your soldier.

"What happened?" You asked him, looking down at the relieved man.

"We just bumped into them, they were gathering firewood." The man replied.

"Where are the rest?" You asked next and knew it to be a stupid question, you could hear the sounds of fighting.

The crossbowman just pointed at the general direction of the sounds and you didn't need more guidance as you were immediately off.

You rode as fast as you could, just avoiding the biggest tree branches and in moments you saw the first casualties of the day. Couple of your men lay motionless on the ground in their own pools of blood, they were joined by an equal number of gnolls. The dead gnolls all had a random assortment of improvised weapons with them. Ahead of them the battle was on going. The forest here had been picked up clean of fallen trunks and smaller trees, there was actually space in here to fight mounted or in formation. Around the place your men fought their individual duels against the opposing gnolls.

A gnoll suddenly charged at you with what looked like a pitchfork, without much effort you blocked and found your riposte pushing the tip of the blade into the gnolls head, killing it instantly. A third came at you, but suddenly dropped as a matchlock shot struck it down without much effort. That brought you back to the scene around you, they needed your help, you had to act now!


Choose two:
>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Crossbowmen are scattered and are fighting their individual duels against the gnolls. At least they have armour and solid weapons.
>The Bandit Rogues are holding out, but several gnolls with actual weapons and a bit of armour are approaching them.
>Lieutenant Radan is separated from his men and is surrounded by gnolls, several of them already dead.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.

QM: Crit gave you two options to take.

>>6223866
>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.
Really the best way to save everyone is to have the gnolls retreat and drawing attention to Alric and having him be as intimidating in battle as he usually is will do that. Second choice is simply because they're the squishiest targets.

>>6223866
>>The Bandit Rogues are holding out, but several gnolls with actual weapons and a bit of armour are approaching them.
>>Lieutenant Radan is separated from his men and is surrounded by gnolls, several of them already dead.
ALTERACCCCCCCCCCCC

>>6223866
>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.

I guess the fight goes on. No Bakhtet with Radan's Rifles eh, thats a shame.

Makes sense to me. Save the least melee worthy group, and taking pressure off the rest. Crossbowmen have armor and weapons. Radan's Bandit Rogues are pretty handy. Radan is a solid fighter and hes got knight plate.

>>6223866
>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.
Rally the men, organization and discipline is key.

>>6223866
>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.

I agree with cobbling a small force together; we can amplify our effect on the outcome of successive actions...

>>6223866
>>Your archers are being pressed by the gnolls and you know that they aren't the best fighters in melee outside the Rover Brothers.
>Several scattered men surround you, rally them and attract the attention of the gnolls, easing the pressure on the others.

If there's one Warlock spell I'd want Alric to have its Fear. Possibly Demon Skin since healing magic takes a backseat to defensive magic. Which is really funny if you find your first and only defensive spell is a Warlock spell.

Alric rallies his men and goes to help the archers before things go completely sideways. The 1d10s are for Alric, Archers, Crossbowmen, Bandit Rogues and Alan Radan. DCs in same order.


>5d10, Best of four for Alric, best of three for others
>DC 13, 15, 17, 16, 20, Crit 22

Rolled 5, 6, 7, 3, 4 = 25 (5d10)

>>6224159
KILL GNOLLS

>>6224159
Hmm Medivh is there the option of using Alric's magic to influence any of the fights like Radan's? Though how obvious from up close or from a bit of distance is a question. Since we anticipate a big battle coming up theres probably not enough time to recover mana, but natural Fel could be replenished?

Set a gnoll up with Fel Fire, claim its some kind of gnoll Warlock whose own spell blew up in its face lol? Pretend Williams gave us a scroll or some other disposable magic now that they are in on it.

Rolled 5, 10, 10, 9, 3 = 37 (5d10)

>>6224159
TGD TGD TGD

Rolled 1, 1, 7, 8, 9 = 26 (5d10)

>>6224159
Kill gnolls?

Rolled 10, 6, 7, 3, 7 = 33 (5d10)

>>6224159
>>6224174
Bad rolls

>>6224161
>>6224165
>>6224174
>>6224193
>>6224159
>21, 22, 24, 20, 20
Successes all around with archers and crossbowmen hitting the crits too.

>>6224201

Only Alric has best of four, others get the first three. So the rolls would be.

>21, Success!
>17, Success!
>24, Crit Success!
>20, Success!
>16, Failure!

Only one who failed is Radan, he should be fine though, right?

>>6224164

Yes, but not with everyone noticing it first. Basically the genie would be out of the bottle at that point. But if the anons want to do it, I am open for it. The update will come later this evening in any case.


Use magic to save/help Radan, everyone notices it:
>Yes
>No

Magic: 2/2
Fel: 2/2

>>6224209
>Yes
ONLY if he dies if we dont interfere.
I gotta keep my redeemed ratman alive. He still has such potential.

>>6224209
No, you said the others get three out of four. Alric gets four out of four, you even complained about getting these two confuses remember?

>>6224209
>Yes

>>6224209
Ahhhhh I'm fighting for my life but I can't help nooooticing!

Noticing isn't comprehending? Though if you really mean the genie is out of the bottle thats rather a strong statement to no cover being good enough.

The funniest misunderstanding is if Radan and his men thought he had awakened to some kind of sorcererous power in his time of need from some non-human bloodline, of which his ratlike appearance was a sign. Maybe hes actually part dragon on his father's side!

That said if Warcraft logic holds up and anyone can use a Scroll, Williams is sharp enough to catch on if questioned. Or if we really wanna ham it up, claim the Cindersword can light things up now. Maybe it always could and we just figured it out, or maybe its a recent upgrade since the sword was a technical failure to begin with.

Though perhaps a gnoll warlock that blows itself up trying to claim the prize is fine.

Too bad Alric hasn't visualized lightning, or fire from the sky if thats how medieval people think of it, striking one of the gnolls. Though if he did try that Fel does instinctively make magic easier, completes that cognitive leap. It would be cool, and it would be like a sign from the Holy Light striking down the evil gnoll to save the goodly reformed Radan. Maybe he awakens to his own connection to the Light lol

On the other hand would it be a nice little exploration into Alric's guilt if Radan was gravely wounded, needed the full healing of Malevus who saves his life deepening his affection for her only for the eventual breaking of his heart. How am I to deny him such sweet dramatic suffering?

>>6224221

"Best of four for Alric, best of three for others"

I think I am pretty clear about it this time. Alric gets best of four, not even best three of four, because he kicks ass hard right now and is on a roll, pun intended. Others get best of three, so just the first three rolls because they are not on a roll.

I call this matter settled. I remember my previous confusion, but the way it went now was done on purpose.

>>6224239
Oh some extra suffering, would Alric have to cauterize Radan's wound closed with the Cindersword before help arrives.

Any thoughts on Alric being able to visualize lightning magic with or without Fel?f

>>6224239
Why the change then? Not like these fellas became worse soldiers since then.

>>6224209
On the Radan question, only if he would otherwise die.

>>6224244

The roll of 9 was really bad and set the scene for the battle. A better roll would have resulted in better dice and DCs That’s more or less it, though everyone else than just Radan seems to have pulled their shit together.

>>6224241

Back in 2016 Olympics in Rio, Usain Bolt threw javelin for 56 metres. We all know that his expertise is the 100m run, but because he is a super athlete, 56m with a javelin was a pretty solid result.

Alric’s expertise is fire magic, that is what he is studying hard. If he was to try other styles of arcane magic, he could probably pull it off in the future. But not yet as he is not an Archmage or with this example a super athlete.

>>6224248
If I may borrow your super athlete example, he didn't have the super steroid of Fel juicing him up if need be lol. But that's fine.

>>6224265

Yeah, Bolt is the only one who hasn't been caught juicing. I just like pulling out that story as I have a friend who was a professional javelin thrower. He never broke out of the national level with PB of 75m~ and usually hitting around 65m. And boy was he ultra salty after that throw of Bolt, gave us a proper drunken rant how this geek that doesn't even throw javelin professionally is hitting those numbers with limited training.


Regarding magic, the way I have understood the lore and we go in the Quest is that most mages just pick and choose their specialty and stick with it, but all of them if Dalaran taught, know basic Arcane magic that Alric also has been learning along the way. Boyd, Williams and even Martin knows the basics and as much as Boyd has thrown his lot with fire, he could cast lightning or electricity based magic if he was to put his effort to it. But he wouldn't be as effective at that type of magic compared to his fire specialty.

Jandice Barov meanwhile just went all in on Illusions and became Archmage good at it. You have seen her sling basic Arcane magic missiles and dabble with Fel, but if she wanted a fireball it wouldn't be outside her skills. But because she has specialised hard with the Illusions, she hasn't bothered to learn it.

Someone like Kael'thas or Jaina Proudmoore, are all-around skilled mages. Fire, ice, lightning or just bog-standard Arcane are stuff they know how to do, or in Jaina's case learn to do in the future. Being a generalist and an Archmage gives them a stupid amount of versatility, someone like Boyd or ultra-specialist Illusionist in Jandice just doesn't have.

So for Alric while the dragonfire of Nalice is his specialty or nature, it won't stop him from learning the other stuff, he just needs to learn the basics of Arcane really well to have the foundation to built upon. And the arts of warlocks are there if he wants to delve into them further, plenty of useful spells included.

>>6224209
>>Yes

Apologies, IRL intervened and took my writing time. The update is pushed to tomorrow which might be a blessing in disguise. You have more time to vote will Alric use magic to help Radan? I am seeing currently four Yes votes, but two of them lean no if he isn't in a danger of dying.

>>6224209
Use magic to save/help Radan, everyone notices it:
>No
No, of course not. This would be an awful thing to do. Keeping secret our capability for spellcraft is our greatest defense and trump card. Life of a single retainer is not worth such a reveal considering what would come after. Dalaran will begin to meddle in our affairs, they don't like rogue wizards, not at all.

>>6224209
Hmm Medivh, I did have an idea. I imagine Radan has fired his matchlock and discarded it and other bits so its not in the way of his fighting? If Radan's powder horn exploded in a bunch of smoke would that be a sufficient distraction for him to regroup, would that be less of a magic genie out of the bottle moment than a gnoll suddenly being covered in flames. Maybe a gnoll kicked the horn and got the dry powder to the still lit slow-match which might be water proof. If that doesn't work I'm probably out of sneaky ideas lol

>21, Success!
>17, Success!
>24, Crit Success!
>20, Success!
>16, Failure!


"Rally to me! Rally to me!" You shouted and raised your blade up and with a snap set it on fire.

The men close to you realised that help had arrived and immediately started to move closer to you.

"We need to help the archers!" You shouted at them as the scattered men grouped together, notching arrows and reloading their crossbows.

You didn't wait for them as you rode ahead, interrupting several gnolls who were assaulting your men. The sudden introduction of a knight on horseback waving a burning sword around made them back off enough to allow a volley of arrows to hit them from the men you had rallied. And then one more gnoll found itself too close to you, eating a hit from your sword.

Looking around you saw your troops rallying, the Archers had pushed the gnolls back allowing them to be targeted by accurate arrow and bolt fire. Crossbowmen stuck in melee with the gnolls had managed to defeat them and under their sergeants were reforming their ranks and reloading their crossbows to repulse further attacks. Even the Bandit Rogues of Radan with a combination of their assorted blades, darts and matchlock stocks had managed to fend off their assailants. At least a dozen gnolls were now dead on the ground with a dozen more wounded and unable to properly fight again. The worst had been avoided.

But for Lieutenant Radan the day had turned to worse as you turned to look at him. Three more dead gnolls were on the ground around him, but a couple more were still attacking him. His left arm was limp by his side, armour barely dangling on it as if someone had tried to rip it all off as he fended one gnoll away with his sword. For a moment you raised your left hand up and prepared to set the gnolls around him on fire, but as your men were regrouping, you had a better idea.

"Loose your arrows and bolts, kill the gnolls!" You shouted as the men took notice of the situation.

Just as you raised your left arm up and were prepared to bring it down to give the signal, a gnoll with a mallet struck Radan on his back, making him fall face first on the forest floor.

"Now!" You shouted and dropped your arm. The Archers, Crossbowmen and a couple of the men with matchlocks all let loose.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 14, Crit 21

QM: Radan is wounded, but not dead so no magic this time. This is for all ranged troops.

Rolled 2, 9, 10 = 21 (3d10)

>>6224792
KILL GNOLLS

Rolled 6, 8, 2 = 16 (3d10)

>>6224792

Rolled 6, 10, 4 = 20 (3d10)

>>6224792
Complete Gnollocide for hurting my boy.

I was thinking about magic and what to do incase we did need to do it to save radan. The first thought i had was just to deny it and claim its a scroll that helped us do it. As most people propably have zero idea how magic works we could potentially hold some scrolls of magicy gooblygook and secretly cast our magic and excuse it as a scroll we got either from our mages or some other contacts such as Jaina.

>21, Crit Success!


In an odd sense of luck, as Radan fell on his face and smacked on the ground, he was out of the way of all the arrows, bolts and shot that soon peppered the gnolls who had been fighting against him.

The gnoll with the mallet was peppered with all of them and others still standing found themselves pincushion and soon dead. And when the archers nocked new arrows, those wounded who were still standing got their own fair share of arrows into their hides. And as the last of them fell, you immediately rushed to your Lieutenant who was lying motionless on the ground. Jumping off Epona, you sheathed your sword and turned Radan's body over on his back. He thankfully wasn’t dead.

"Are you alright?" You asked him as you pulled off his helmet.

His armour was beaten and probably needed to be replaced based on the dents and bent pieces.

"Arm hurts like hell and my back too." Radan replied between breaths. "I'm sorry, I fucked up."

"You did not, how about your legs?" You asked next.

"They aren't hurt." Radan said and moved them. "Ahh fuck!"

You had moved his left arm and used your utility dagger to cut off one of the straps keeping the armour on. Then you saw the full extent of the damage done. His arm was clearly broken from both forearm and upper limb. And it looked like a gnoll had tried to bite his elbow off based on deep bleeding teeth marks through his gambeson.

"What happened?" You asked him as others rushed to his aid.

"We just walked on them, Brothers had no chance in warning us. Soon they were in our midst." Radan told you as you gave space to a couple other men who started to strip off his armour and see if there were more wounds.

"You fought well Lieutenant, we will get you out of here soon." You told him. "At the camp you will be patched up."

His arm had taken a couple nasty hits, you weren't sure if Madam Martin and Malevus could even save it if the bones were too badly broken. Or if the bite is too deep.

"But look… we found their camp." Radan replied and raised his right arm just enough to point at a couple bushes.

Beyond the bushes was what you had been looking for and walking to them you saw it all.

Within the midst of the forest, between trees that were still standing were dozens of tents and you could see gnolls running left and right. It looked like some were trying to set up defences while others were packing their belongings. There were dozens of them and probably more hidden within the tents. The surprise was definitely gone by now, they knew that you were here, but not in how big numbers or strength.

"Right then." You muttered to yourself and turned around to look at your soldiers.

1/2

>>6224841

They were collecting arrows and bolts that could be reused or helping those who were wounded. They had been hit hard and you did have more casualties to deal with now, most likely their impact on the rest of the battle would be limited or just enough to provide support. With Radan being out of action, it fell to the Rover Brothers to command your ranged troops.

"Brothers! Get the men ready immediately!" You shouted at them.

"But we have the wounded?" Arthur argued back.

"Immediately!" You repeated yourself.

Captain Cromwell and the rest of your men weren’t here yet, probably just right behind you, but you had no idea of the status of Major Reginald and his Regional Defenders to your right. How long could you wait, should you just push in and try to break the gnolls before they can get their lines in order?


>Mount Epona and start skirmishing with the gnolls in the camp with your ranged troops to occupy their attention.
>Get Captain Cromwell here at once and advance immediately at the gnolls to break them before they can react to you any better.
>Sound the trumpet to inform everyone that you have found the gnolls. Wait till you have your own men and Regional Defenders on the right flank to deal with the gnolls.
>Other, write in.

QM: Options go from action now to waiting for reinforcements.

>>6224842
Wow so the camp is right there. If anyone was going to fuck up a stealth portion of the mission I would not have expected the most veteran Scouts of the entire army. Though a single 3d10 to hit a dc14 is still a 29% chance to fail, with a fourth dice that might not be kept it should be slightly better. Though instead of just rolling for them we rolled for 4 different parts of our column so the odds of someone fucking up goes up.

I'm not sure I understand why we don't know Reginald's position since we combined columns with him and he would be with Cromwell?

>>6224836
I'm with you man I brought up scroll before here >>6224164
seems like something Alric could have thought up before for little emergency situations and in the company of laymen. Not something he'd risk doing a lot.

>>6224846

Reginald is somewhere to your right and as planned is attempting to flank the gnolls to partially envelope them. He isn't that far from you, but you don't know exactly how far and where to your right.

>>6224842
>>Get Captain Cromwell here at once and advance immediately at the gnolls to break them before they can react to you any better.
If the gnolls are distracted fighting us wouldnt that make the flank better? if nothing else the gnolls propably already know were here.

>>6224846
Ah yeah i dont read all the replies in the thread. Some anons are very verbose and QM has a bad tendency to post late in the eveing for me.

>>6224842
>Sound the trumpet to inform everyone that you have found the gnolls. Wait till you have your own men and Regional Defenders on the right flank to deal with the gnolls.
>Mount Epona and start skirmishing with the gnolls in the camp with your ranged troops to occupy their attention.
Sound the trumpet for engaging, start skirmishing not committing to an attack as a distraction, do so until confident that reinforcements are in position to sound the trumpet for help.

>>6224842
>>Get Captain Cromwell here at once and advance immediately at the gnolls to break them before they can react to you any better.

Getting Cromwell here and engaging the gnolls. This roll is for the getting the men ready just before the first clashes.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 12, 15, Crit 21

Rolled 8, 1, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>6225396

Rolled 9, 9, 9 = 27 (3d10)

>>6225396
Im so sick of gnolls.
blackthorne better pay us well for this.
TGD

Rolled 8, 1, 5 = 14 (3d10)

>>6225396
>>6225398
Gnolls BTFOd

Rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16 (3d10)

>>6225398

With rolls like this, the gnolls really don't stand a chance. Jeez, Alteracis aren't messing around today!

Give me one more set of rolls thanks to the 27, the DC to beat is whatever I roll for the gnolls this time. Let's see if anything funny happens.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC X

Rolled 7, 1, 8 = 16 (3d10)

>>6225420
TGD

Rolled 10, 8, 9 = 27 (3d10)

>>6225420
DEAD GNOLLS

Rolled 10, 3, 4 = 17 (3d10)

>>6225420
TGD Vengeance for hurting my ratman!

>>6225420
>>6225423
Alric must have evoked a terrifying level of élan and discipline in the troops. To the gnolls, the alteracis here must seem like a cohesive yet overwhelming horde of madmen hellbent on their destruction.

>>6225398
>>6225423
>>6225460
The desire for kill gnolls raises even further.....

Rolled 45 (1d50)

The update will be out tomorrow. I have written it to half-way point, but sleep is overtaking me. Apologies for that.

That being said double 27s are a pretty good result. I thought about tempting fate and asking for one more set of rolls, but chose against it. Enough is enough and I won't ask for more rolls from you. Though, I do roll myself to have one result. Remember when I asked about the female and child gnolls, yeah it is about them.

Side note, as a RPG player I do dislike the idea of "Nat 20 instant success", but as a QM rewarding lucky rolls like that feels more natural. It is probably questing as a playing style that encourages it, you want the big damn moments and the game to move forward. So that 2x27, pretty good stuff!

>>6225557
A lot of tremendous rolls today my goodness. I thought I was rolling hot with the couple crits around the Radan skirmish. Poor little Ratman still got ruffed up good but atleast hes alive. I suppose I could have brought up that old boon I never cashed in, but I have it in mind to save it for Nalice in some way. Plus I figured he would probably live. Poor little guy was still raising his hand in meetings. His confidence now shattered, the nice new armor ruined, arm mangled by a man sized pitbull that could have been named Princess.

Back when the quests were still on /tg/ we were rolling 1d100s, and I used to get the most nat100s lol. Even a double nat100 on 3d100 a couple times.

>>6225423

>>6225557
No update today either?

>>6225597
Best he get some practice then, the whole army even. Imagine the power if they did enough drill.

>>6225753
HERESY

>>6226071
What he needs are some options and creativity. Turning his powder horn into a smoke bomb when hes just surrounded and cut off. Wiklish to turn the rockets into little medieval grenades.

Some may think this a wild precaution but some tactical hotsauce you dab around when you find an enemy that wants to bite you, which is many, who will be laughing says I. Plus the rations could probably use some anyways. lol. But for real it would be good to find someone who can make those rogue assassin bits that Pai had during Durnholde.

>>6225753
Me looking at Alric covered from head to toe in blood of his enemies totally content and fulfilled in battle. Two fel mutations (eyes and nails), one arcane mutation (really nice hair), waiting on another from dragon related magic any season now.

>27, Crit Success!
>27, Success!
>45


"Send a runner to the Captain now, and get him here immediately!" You shouted more orders to your men as they were regrouping.

As the gnolls in the camp were preparing for their battle as well, you had a bit of time to look around the skirmish site and the now dead gnolls. Kneeling next to one, two things were apparent immediately. It was a female gnoll, the first one you had seen which made sense as you had found their camp. And the weapon it had carried was a simple shoddy hatchet. Looking around you saw similar signs elsewhere. Repurposed tools, more female gnolls. Outside the couple gnolls with armour, these weren't frontline fighters. Sure they were gnolls that could rip a man's arm off with their bare hands, but you had a feeling that they wouldn't be as good fighters as the ones you had already faced before.

You heard commotion behind you as Captain Cromwell led the remaining Alteracis to you half-jog.

"We are here as ordered my Prince." He said to you.

"Good, get the men in battle formations, we will engage the gnolls immediately." You told him and pointed at the direction of the camp. "Have the trumpeter to make the call that we have engaged the gnolls and then that we have found their camp."

Cromwell nodded and started shouting orders. The men ran out of the small clearing past those wounded and your archers, taking their positions well within the sight of the camp. For you this was an ample time to take your shield off your horse and join the men on foot.

The trumpeter blew to his horn and the sound echoed through the forest. Everyone would hear it, but you wouldn't wait for them to come to your aid. Today the day would be carried by Alteracis and as you took your position in the middle of the formation, you surveyed the scene for the last time.

Captain Cromwell had organised the men in two ranks to maximise the frontage. In the middle as always were the Royal Foot Guards, to your right stood the footmen and to the left pikemen. Crossbows, Archers, what remained of Radan's men moved to the flanks. Unsheating your sword again, you let it taste the air for a moment before igniting it, only a simple command followed it.

"Alteracis advance!" You shouted and started marching forward.

1/2

>>6226091

The gnolls had cut down half of the trees in and around the camp, turning the forest rather sparse and easy to move through. Thanks to that your men didn't have much difficulties at traversing the terrain as they held their formation remarkably well.

"Alteracis at the double!" You shouted again and the brisk walk turned to a jog.

The gnolls ahead of you had gathered to face you. You could see them wavering, holding their assorted cudgels and weapons with two hands. Some of them had slings that they used to launch stones at you without much effect, a couple crossbows of theirs hit your pikemen causing two men to fall on the ground wounded. But the rest, they were scared

"Charge!" You shouted.

The men replied in unison as everyone just ran ahead, covering the last couple dozen yards. Pikes were lowered and weapons leveled at the gnolls. Archers and Crossbowmen let loose one final volley and gnolls found arrows and bolts sticking on their hides. Matchlocks snapped once more and they were followed by darts and javelins, felling a couple more of the dog creatures.

And then your shield struck the first gnoll and the Cinder Sword pushed into the soft flesh. In an instant the gnolls broke, their rear ranks fleeing and screaming while those in front died on the spot. Those in the middle had to make their decisions quickly and as some elected to stand and die, some smarter chose to run.

There were a lot more gnolls than there were your men, but the resistance they offered was practically minimal. As you pushed past the first gnolls, there were pockets of resistance that quickly found themselves eliminated. Some found themselves peppered with arrows, some were hacked apart by Radan's men hell bent on vengeance. One group was incinerated as fire streamed out of Boyd's bandaged hand. But what was common between these groups was that they seemed to be older gnolls and more females. You weren't fighting against their frontline troops, but against their civilians if you could call them that. This was their camp after all.

More trumpet calls were made as Major Reginald and his Regional Defenders joined the fray to your right flank. They cut off one line of retreat for the running gnolls and entered orderly into the camp, cutting down those who dared to get too close.

You looked around. A lot of the gnolls would escape, hundreds maybe, but they lacked their supplies and weapons as they ran towards north. Maybe Langston would intercept some of them, but you had a feeling that you wouldn't have to worry about them that much. A great victory had been won today, the gnolls in their camp had been defeated!

But you had a nagging feeling within you, a small web of anxiety around your heart. There was Fel here, a small trace you could feel around you. And it wasn't the product of the battle itself, not formed by rampant death.

A warlock, it must be a warlock!

2/2

>>6226093


>Warn Boyd and Williams about what you had just felt within you.
>Try to locate the source of the Fel that you had felt.
>Make the warlock show itself by making your own presence known somehow. That will flush it out.
>Other, write in.

QM: There we go, apologies for the wait. The gnolls just broke and fled.

>>6226093
>A lot of the gnolls would escape, hundreds maybe.
This is why I wanted a full encirclement... at least the majority of them will die of attrition or by running into hostiles further north.

>>6226097
>Warn Boyd and Williams about what you had just felt within you.
>Try to locate the source of the Fel that you had felt.
Better with backup than just by ourselves.

>>6226097
>Warn Boyd and Williams about what you had just felt within you.
>Try to locate the source of the Fel that you had felt.

Solid win

We did hire them for this and the effort of opening up a bit. I hope we can get the loot from the gnoll mage soon...Would Dalaran pay for a live gnoll warlock? I wonder if he would have a neat grimoire.

Will Blackmoore continue his tradition of picking up babies for his arena, and will whatever survives be enough captives for him. Gotta chip away at his reluctance to join the League.

>>6226097
>>Warn Boyd and Williams about what you had just felt within you.
>>Try to locate the source of the Fel that you had felt.

>>6226097
>Warn Boyd and Williams about what you had just felt within you.
>Try to locate the source of the Fel that you had felt.
It seems TGD eludes us once more.

Rolls for Alric, Boyd and Williams can help here somewhat. It is a faint trace to follow.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 13, 19, Crit 22

Rolled 10, 6, 6 = 22 (3d10)

>>6226343
Channel the inner TGD no gnoll left behind.

Rolled 4, 8, 1 = 13 (3d10)

>>6226343
SLAUGHTER GNOLLSSS

Rolled 7, 9, 6 = 22 (3d10)

>>6226343

>>6226346
>>6226349
Nice crits.

tfw this ancient forest can support a 1000+ gnolls, 600 or so far that were in good fighting condition, god damn thats fertile hunting grounds. Blackmoore could probably make some good money off these lands, barring if we find something that drove the gnolls south lol.

Hmm so this warlock is actually carrying some Fel in themselves already if Alric is picking it up, or carrying it with them in some way. Gnolls do have some skill at making things like the necklace or the sentinel wards. The frost wand or whatever the gnoll mage had, unless he just stole that.

I'd have thought a gnoll warlock could be more open as an uncivilized tribal society that respects power and ruthlessness. Did this warlock avoid getting drafted by the gnoll mage or big chief. Or did we strike too fast for them to step up and take charge over these 'civilians'

far off chance the warlock is the humanoid who made the Fel Pool, but insane enough to wear an illusion and hang around?

Hmm ya know what there might be a good reason to take this one alive since its probably smart enough to talk. If it saw or sensed the mage-warlock who made the Fel Pool that could be a strong clue to find them or their hideout.

This luck streak has me just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for us to fail miserably on an easy roll at the worst possible moment.

>>6226380
I don't think the forest was enough to sustain them which is why they started their raids again. It would be wise to have some hunters in these woods to keep an eye out for a possible return of the gnolls in the future.

>>6226532
Farmers gotta change their crops to some spicy peppers, make the gnolls give up on human food lol. Those would be some brave hunters. Maybe Dalaran will send a mage who can help. Reintroduce an apex predator who can keep the gnoll population down lol

>22, Crit Success!


Looking around you saw the Regional Defenders starting to search and pull apart the tents the gnolls used, joining the effort by your soldiers. Pressing from two sides, the space within the camp will grow smaller and that should flush the warlock out or to make it reveal itself.

It was just a matter of time and you didn't have much remaining by your own thinking. And so to catch the warlock, you needed help.

"Boyd! Williams!" You shouted and caught their attention. The duo was following a squad of footmen preparing to search a larger tent. "Come here!"

Not waiting for them to reach you, you instead ran to them.

"There is a warlock in the camp." You told them. "I could feel it."

"Warlock? W-what direction? Where?" Boyd immediately asked as more of your men ran past you to join the efforts of quelling what remained of the gnoll opposition.

"I might be able to sense the Fel." You said to them.

"Alright, we will support you. Dead or alive, it is coming with us." Boyd replied and Williams nodded back.

You closed your eyes and concentrated on the Fel within you. Not to rile it up, but to feel it, have a comparison within your mind. And just like when you practiced sensing magic, you started to feel for it around you.

There in the darkness surrounding you, you could feel Boyd and Williams standing next to you, they weren't that special feeling, but further away was something. A faint repugnant, corrupted and oppressive feeling.

"There!" You turned and pointed out in the direction where you had felt it. Opening your eyes, you realised you were pointing at the spot where your own soldiers had been just a moment ago fighting the gnolls. Several men were still there in fact, making sure the corpses were actually dead.

And amongst them was a man wearing a brown cloak over dull coloured clothes. He wasn't an Alteraci, all of your men had orange cloaks or dark green like your Archers had. He wasn't one of yours, nor was it a Regional Defender.

"There! That man, it is that man!" You pointed out the man to the two mages. They now spotted him as well.

"Luke, just like in the Underbelly." Boyd replied and patted his friends back. Seemingly they had some experience at apprehending people.

1/2

>>6226848

And what followed was one of the most anticlimactic events you had ever seen. Williams just raised his short steel reinforced staff up as he started to cast a spell. Faint purple light gathered around the staff and the man wearing the brown cloak suddenly started to move really sluggishly. Slowed by the spell, Williams just walked to the man who now had realised what was going on and tried to get away without much success, and whacked him to the back of his head with his staff. The man dropped like a sack of flour.

"Well then." You could only reply.

Walking to him, Williams turned the man around for you to see. It was definitely the warlock you had sensed, he practically stenched off Fel. The man was in his forties with a short beard and something that made you immediately realise who it was. An orange handkerchief poked out of his pocket.


>That ain't no gnoll…
>That's a Syndicate warlock!
>Have Williams search the warlock immediately and make sure he is tightly bound and secured.
>The man is unconscious and not a threat, return back to deal with the gnolls.
>Kill the warlock immediately, you have a bad feeling about him.
>Other, write in.

QM: Slow, useful at catching people.

>>6226849
>That ain't no gnoll…
>That's a Syndicate warlock!
>Have Williams search the warlock immediately and make sure he is tightly bound and secured.

If hes got some orders or messages thats atleast immediately useful, if not handy little magic gadgets.

>Other, write in.
Have him taken to camp, and have Madam Martin keep him absolutely smashed on whatever cocktail she can make until we can interrogate him. Dream dust would be ironic.

The ol spy camp follower, and maybe another warlock to the collection of captured syndicate agents.

I guess there would be the option of also sending back a priest or Raleigh for some kind of holy ground to keep him on, but I imagine hes busy with our ranged from the skirmish at the moment. Whatever works really.

>>6226849
>This ain't no gnoll…
>It's a Syndicate warlock.

>Have Williams search the warlock immediately and make sure he is tightly bound and secured.
Sorcerers do need their hands to cast right? If they don't then this could be a lot harder, then again Otto Wanz wasn't that difficult but this guy might not be as cooperative.

>>6226867
I figure send him to Martin. If hes cooperative than a-ok. If hes not, get him juiced up and docile. If he breaks through even that, then at the very least we can see her magic used to subdue him. Plus maybe another Malevus win.

>>6226867
Also I wanna say Wanz once said the manacles didn't really stop him from casting, but I'd have to dig around to confirm that.

>>6226849
>>That ain't no gnoll…
>>That's a Syndicate warlock!
>>Have Williams search the warlock immediately and make sure he is tightly bound and secured.
We did find syndicate fuckery earlier. I guess this means they are still cooperating.

>>6226849
>>That ain't no gnoll…
>>That's a Syndicate warlock!
Amogus...

>>6226849
Sidenote, really funny to think they have an orange handkerchief on themselves at all times. We institute random patdowns looking for orange handkerchiefs. They counter with socks and other garments they turn inside out to reveal orange inner linings. Change the colors slightly, "Syndicate Orange? No thats Autumn Brown".

Groups start carrying pressed orange flowers or various autumn leaves for identification. "This meeting of the Southern Lordaeron Maples, Dogwoods, Chestnuts, etc, may now begin. We turned down the motion for using red fox pelts, the chance of overhunting and cost was too great". Hmm...The Fox would be a pretty great name for a spy, assassin, or Alteraci Ranger.

On the other hand if he has his handkerchief one might assume he intends to use it for other agents here. Precautions like his being killed to tie up loose ends should be standard if they aren't working alone. Unless he took it along just so someone doesnt find it wherever he was living lol. If a warlock is here, did he have an apprentice nearby.

Work woes, no update today, but I could use a standard random event and weather roll for it. Let's see if the light rain changes to anything else. I will have the update out tomorrow.


>1d10
>Best of three, taking the second roll

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>6227408

Rolled 8 (1d10)

>>6227408

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>6227408

>>6226873
I cant remember where he said that (probably when he heard our last argument with Pai [suicide mission]), but he did say that

>9
>8


"That is not a gnoll…" You said and continued after a disappointed sigh. "But a Syndicate warlock. What the hell is he doing here, didn't we just find a mass grave full of them a couple days ago?"

"We did Prince Alric." Boyd replied.

"Fuck! This makes no sense." You said and continued. "Williams, search the man thoroughly and then wrap him up so tight that he is unable to cast any spells."

The mutta man nodded back to you as you took a couple steps away and closed your eyes to think.

Last autumn you had found a couple Syndicate corpses in the ancient forest, now you had found a relatively fresh mass grave of Syndicate soldiers there, but this guy was still here and outwardly not hurt at all. How did a warlock succeed in staying alive if everyone else was killed? And did he have anything to do with the pool of Fel that was found? He would need to be thoroughly interrogated.

"One more thing. Tell the men to not touch anything suspicious, I want no accidents with his stuff." You told your mages. "Extra thing, when we are out of here, I want to see what the gnoll mage had with it, you two have the loot right?"

"Yes we do." Boyd said and patted a bag hanging off his belt.

"Good, then don't let me interrupt you." You said and left the two mages alone.

The rain had ceased, but the wind and overcast was still there. The change in the weather didn't matter that much as all of you were already soaking wet, the fighting had kept you occupied enough to not think about the rain as much.

Walking through the gnoll camp, the fighting had ceased completely and your men along with the Regional Defenders were being organised to handle the searching of the tents and handling of the prisoners. Oh yes, the prisoners. A number of gnolls had been surrounded in the middle of the camp and a tense standoff had begun.

"Great victory Prince Alric." Major Reginald said to you and gave you a salute. "I wouldn't have thought you being so eager to attack the gnolls to not wait for us."

"They broke immediately." You told him as you slung your shield on your back. "We saw an opening and went for it. Besides, just look at them. Females, their spawns and the rest."

You looked at the gnolls who were huddled together, they held their weapons, but many of them were wounded. And a good number of them were females like you had said with several younger dog creatures amongst them. They were kept at pikes length away while crossbows pointed at them. If the gnolls tried something, they wouldn't get that far. Thankfully they hadn't tried anything, but then standoff should be resolved somehow.

"Gnolls?" Blackmoore bellowed as he rode to the scene, he had stayed back and watched the events unfold. "Are you going to kill them or not?"

You looked at Blackmoore and then the gnolls, there were maybe three or four dozen of them.

1/1

>>6228139


>Yes, your mission here is to get rid of the gnolls. Kill them all.
>They are prisoners, they will make good gladiators for Blackmoore's arena.
>They are not fighters, their place is in a camp or somewhere far away from here.
>Too many of them are rather young. You won't kill whelps even if they are inhuman creatures.
>Kill the weak ones, keep the healthy ones as prisoners.
>Other, write in.

>>6228140
>Blackmoore can take as many or as few as he wants. All those that remain are to be killed.
I hope nobody starts spewing bleeding heart shit.

>They are prisoners, they will make good gladiators for Blackmoore's arena.
We already know he wants his new gladiators. The better his gains the better reasons he has to join the League, outweigh whatever his political or personal reasons that seem to outweigh it for the moment.

I wonder how strong your magic detection has to be to detect other people detecting you. Probably pretty damn good. Being Fel touched seems to have helped Alric pick up on a few things, but his own Fel is sealed up inside nice and tight.

They sure do like sending warlocks out. Otto Wanz, the namesless one who got splattered across a wall in Southshore. This guy. I wonder if he knew about Alric's mages if he would have hesitated to join this outing as a camp follower or whatever. If I were them I'd rather just make a full warlock team of 5 and have a laugh at whatever went up against them. Maybe they're all too much of drama queens and primadonnas. Plus the Fel stink of them I suppose.

Finally the gnoll mage loot...

>>6228139
>>6228139
>They are prisoners, they will make good gladiators for Blackmoore's arena.

Let Blackmore decide how many he wants. Any others we do what we came here for - if we let any go they'll come back and make war on us and ours again.

>>6228140
>>They are prisoners, they will make good gladiators for Blackmoore's arena.

>>6228140
>They are not fighters, their place is in a camp or somewhere far away from here.
MANIFEST DESTINY

>>6228326
Honestly if anyone would be willing to try getting use out of the gnolls in a camp it would be Blackmoore. Could you convince a mother Gnoll to endure hard labor by holding onto her whelps, raise them to not have pitbull fits with training. Maybe take one out to go truffle hunting or something lol.

Just for the sake of imagination I wonder what such an option like sending them far away would even look like. Is there another place in the Eastern Kingdoms where you could reasonably say that introducing competition like the gnolls would over time pin down other troubling enemies? Ogres, Trolls, Orcs, or just some place savagely wild with absolutely no interest in civilizing.

Dump them into the forests of an enemy and call it a day lol

>>6228142
gnolls are too hated by us

>>6228140
>>They are prisoners, they will make good gladiators for Blackmoore's arena.
gnolldiators


These can't be the last gnolls.......

“Gladiators Lord Blackmoore, future ones that is.” You said to him and pointed at them with your hand like presenting them to him. “The females are just as strong as the male ones, and the whelps, think of them as crops that will grow.”

“Gladiators? I did see the one already sent to Durnholde. Fierce things really, but the whelps?” Blackmoore questioned you.

“Lord Blackmoore, you have gladiator games ahead of you, don’t just think of the present, but the future as well.” You told him and shrugged. “When Mr. Langston gets here, we will start preparing their transportation to Durnholde.”

Your reasoning was simple, if his tricks work with the orcs, they should work with the gnolls as well.

“Good, he knows what to do with these creatures.” Blackmoore replied and rode a circle around you like examining you.

“We will continue clearing the camp and searching their tents.” You told him and continued. “The gnolls and their main camp are dealt with.”

“What about those who have fled?” Blackmoore asked you back.

“Langston and Captain Maxwell might intercept some of them, but the rest? They don’t have what is needed to fight.” You told him and looked around once more. “We will have the men ready shortly and if they raise their ugly heads again, we will be ready.”

“Good, I expect progress from you.” Blackmoore replied.

At that point you realised he was sober as a man can be. Sober Blackmoore was more argumentative than the drunk one, he might have his wits with him that makes him like this.

“Of course Lord Blackmoore.” You replied and gave him a polite nod to excuse you from his presence. Turning to face Major Reginald, you spoke to him. “Try to find a way for them to throw their weapons away.”

“Any ideas?” Reginald replied and switched between looking at you or Blackmoore.

“None, but Kul Tirans are a crafty folk, ask them.” You said back to him.

“Alright, let’s see if we can think something through.” Reginald replied and shrugged while Blackmoore rode away.

…

In the end they did manage to get the gnolls to disarm themselves through a set of examples. None of them spoke Common, but after Lieutenant Beckston had singled out a gnoll carrying an axe through aggressive pointing and shouting, he had shown an example of throwing his boarding axe on the ground and passing the buck to the gnoll. Finally they had understood what Beckston had wanted them to do and one by one they had thrown their axes and assorted improvised weapons down on the ground.

Carefully the gnolls had been led away from where their weapons lay and instructed to sit on the ground while under a watch. Same time the camp had been thoroughly searched and some rather interesting things had been found.

1/2

>>6228673

Chests and bags holding coins, old Alteraci ones mixed with more newer Lordaeron ones. You would guess that they were the payment to the gnolls by the Syndicate, or just things they had stolen from whoever. Along with the coinage, there were other valuable pieces like jewelry and silverware. Either loot or some other sort of payment, to you it didn’t matter that much, as long as all of it were cataloged and made note of. After this campaign is over, there would be plenty to be shared as a prize money.

As the day turned to afternoon the knights arrived at the gnoll camp and later in the afternoon, Langston finally reached the camp. Coming on horseback, he rode to the middle of the camp and dismounted in front of you. You had found a nice tree trunk to sit on and as he approached you, you stood up and straightened your back.

“Prince Alric.” Langston greeted you.

“Mr. Langston.” You greeted him back.

There was a bit of contrast in the Durnholder in his rather normal plate and mail, while you stood there in your masterwork elven made Aurvan’kal.

“You didn’t wait for us?” He asked you.

“Major Reginald asked the same.” You told him. “We had an opening and the gnolls folded like freshly washed laundry.”

“We realised that, some of them ran straight into our men.” Langston said to you. “How many of them did escape?”

“I am really not so sure, hundred? Two hundred?” You said and shrugged as the wind blew a gust of air through your orange Alteraci cloak. “Hard to say as like I said, they just folded. Broke apart the instant we struck them.”

“Any casualties? Langston asked you.

“Some, mostly from the skirmish that preceded this.” You said to him. “How about you?”

“None really, the gnolls were rather panicky.” Langston said back to you.

“Good, good. I want your men ready, but most importantly for them to deal with the gnolls we have captured.” You said to him. “A gift to Lord Blackmoore, gladiators and future gladiators.”

“Of course, I saw them already.” Langston said back. “If I were the one capturing them, I wouldn’t capture them.”

What he meant was rather clear.

“But Lord Blackmoore will enjoy feeding them to his fighters at the end of the day.” Langston sighed. This all just meant more work for him. “Prince Alric, do you think this is it? The end of the gnolls here?”

2/2

>>6228676


>No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized spot missing in the list of gnoll casualties.
>They don’t have a base to locate themselves to, so technically yes this has been the end of the threat.
>We are at the mopping and tallying up the loot portion of the campaign. The gnoll threat is over. They are done for.
>Syndicate warlock was amongst them, that is still a thing for you to deal with. Tell him about the pool.
>Other, write in

Columns:
1st Column (Durnholde, Langston)
70/110 Footmen, 60/80 Archer, 10/20 Bandit Rogues
2nd Column (Regional Defenders, Maxwell)
115/120 Footmen, 45/50 Archers, 4 Ballistae

3rd Column (Alterac, Alric)
55/80 Foot and Pike, 25/35 Archers, 10/20 Crossbows, 15/25 Bandit Rogues
4th Column (Regional Defenders, Reginald)
90/100 Footmen, 50 Archers,

5th Column (Cavalry, Foecourt)
43/44 Knights, 25/30 Mounted Sergeants

QM: Casualties updated, in total your forces took about 20 casualties in this battle. Things do get rounded up and down a bit.

>>6228677
>>No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized spot missing in the list of gnoll casualties

>>6228677

>No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized spot missing in the list of gnoll casualties
>Other, write in
Something caused these gnolls to migrate south, we should take a look while we're out here

That should buy Bakhtet all the time he needs

>>6228677
>>6228701
I'd say chase them further north too, chase them until they run into something else. Although I'd also suggest letting the 1st and 2nd columns take the prisoners and go home, it'll be easier on the supplies with these fewer men.

>>6228734
That sounds good. If they can be driven south, might as well drive them back to the north.

>>6228677
>No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized spot missing in the list of gnoll casualties.

I think if we hold this army too long, though, we'll end up burning through the goodwill this campaign will give us.

I agree with >>6228734 , but I'd suggest we only send back the 1st column along with the prisoners due to casualties (almost 50% infantry casualties will likely significantly reduce their fighting capability independent of the sheer numbers loss) and retain the rest for a push northwards.

>>6228784
How about this: shift 25 and 10 footmen from Maxwell into Alric and Reginald's forces respectively, 10 archers too. And Langston gives us his 10 rogues.

That's 55 more men for this new force. 348 men is more than enough to deal with the problem no?

Anyway, this will only burn through the goodwill if we have no dead gnolls to show for it.

>>6228808
Agreed - I'd prefer we transfer the ballistae to Reginald on the off chance we encounter a palisade/syndicate minor fortification... but I could see ditching those may make us more mobile. If anyone objects I'd be ok with loosing them.

True re: goodwill... that'd be only if we don't find anything after a while/started tying up forces for no real benefit.

>>6228808
>>6228828

I don't know if we need to retire any of the columns just yet. In comparison many of them have hardly gotten much glory, and the RD see this as their duty. Whoever kills the leader will reap a goodly reward too for motivation.

We're trying to nail down a single gnoll leader in hiding or with a greatly diminished amount of gnolls under his control to the north, maybe the east. A wide formation will be handy for that, and to drive them catching some weaker gnolls should atleast make it feel less fruitless until we catch him.

If we are looking for whatever drove the gnolls in the first place it was a force strong enough that even with their 7-600~ or so fight worthy gnolls they decided it was better to retreat and move south. If we actually encounter this force we would want to be in a strong position. Would 348 men be enough.

With everything it'd be 540 infantry and ranged, 68 cav, and 4 ballistae.

I suppose theres also the mystery forest warlock who made the fel pool somewhere unless we assume hes already left. From the gnoll tracks that went to check out the fel pool it seems like it hadn't been too long since it was made. Theres probably some merit in trying to find them or their forest hideout, likely in the minefield.

But if we want to we could pin it on this syndicate warlock, credit our mages, and take a little extra glory.

>>6228677
>>No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized spot missing in the list of gnoll casualties.

Gnoll chieftain is still missing. Looks like that is the priority discussion right now with maybe some Column shuffling.

I could use one more final roll for the soldiers as they search the camp is any more goodies or bits come up.


>1d10
>Best of three

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>6229037

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>6229037

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>6229037

>>6228862
I see what you're getting at- both that it would be nice to have those extra men and that it could be a slight to Maxwell to send him back... but we still need to guard those Gnoll prisoners on their way back - and that likely demands a few soldiers. At minimum, the Durnholders likely need to return. with them to Durnholde. Plus they've taken ~50% casualties.

>>6229337
errr I'm >>6228828

>>6229337
They've taken some hits but hes still 66%, 140/210.

Alric's numbers arent that great either, 105/160, if we round up its also 66% lol.

Test? Are we back?

>>6229402
We are so back

>>6229402
Oh yeah we solid

"No, there is a gnoll chieftain sized hole in all of this." You said to him and continued. "We have defeated their warband up north, raiders down south and now their camp is ours."

"But their leader…" Langston started.

"Is missing… yeah, not exactly good news." You said. "How are your men faring?"

"Holding Prince Alric, thankfully Captain Maxwell and Marshall Redpath are with us." Langston said and seemed suddenly tired.

"How about you?"

Langston seemed a bit surprised due to the question.

"I am not really built for this." He said. "Truth to be told, I dislike all of this."

"You have lost a considerable amount of men, so for now just deal with the gnolls and guard them." You said back to him. "We still have the camp to be searched and whatever remains prodded and turned over. While the others are working, have your men rest. We will have a meeting with the officers a bit later."

"Of course, thank you Prince Alric." Langston replied to you.

It didn't hurt to pull them back, even for an hour or two while the current situation didn't change one bit. It was the illusion of rest that mattered. With the gnoll chieftain being missing worrying you greatly, it was better to be alert.

…

>9


With all the men here, you had ordered a full set of watches to be organised around your current location. While the Durnholders were tying up the gnolls, a trick you hoped to work and deter them from escaping, remaining men who were resting continued their efforts to search and loot the camp.

You had no use for the tents, nor any wooden crafts or items the gnolls had made and so they were getting thrown into a hastily set up pyre. Shields were broken apart, axe handles removed and so on. As the men went through everything again, in hopes of finding more coin or something else valuable, underneath a wooden bench buried into the dirt was a chest. A shoddily hidden thing, but still nearly had avoided being found. And when the men had found it, they had immediately called for you as it was full of something that would interest you.

"Elven made." You mused and picked up what seemed like an old necklace before putting it away. "Helmet too."

Taking them out of the chest one by one, it didn't take too long for you to realise what it was. It was an old elven armour, just thrown and stashed within the chest. It was dirty and required some thorough cleaning and repairing too. So many of the pieces were dented and in need of refurbishment, but the metal seemed to have avoided overt rust, maybe it actually could be repaired?

"Put everything back in the chest and don't let anyone else touch it." You ordered the men. "This is an old armour and if I were to guess, taken from its previous owner by force."

Everyone thought the same thing, maybe this was worn by someone during the Second War? Finding that out would have to wait till some other day.


>Old and battered elven plate mail

1/2

>>6229581

"Not much remains." You said to your officers and clapped your gauntleted hands together.

The hundreds of feet had turned the wet ground into mud as the wind still continued to blow, sending embers from the pyre through the forest and up into the sky.

"Prince Alric, how much do you believe still remains?" Captain Cromwell asked you.

"The camp was just females, olds and their spawns, their fighters and their chief is still out there somewhere." You replied.

"Even with the warband destroyed?" Major Reginald asked. "I mean, we fought against many gnolls with proper arms and armour."

"You are right Major, but we can't be sure until the chief has been found dead or alive." You replied back. "We have searched the south and west, so they are either…"

"North! That is where the gnoll rabble escaped, we should go after them." Blackmoore bellowed. He had managed to find alcohol and had gotten quickly drunk.

"Thank you Lord Blackmoore for such an apt observation." You replied back to him. "It is plausible that they have fled north, but…"

A horn blew, it wasn't one of your horns. Turning to look at the direction where the sound came, you saw a Stromic soldier running towards you.

"Prince Alric! The gnolls have come!" He shouted and stopped to salute.

More horns blew as your soldiers started to pick up their weapons and stand up. They were sluggish, the days of fighting and marching had finally caught up. The short rest had blown their endurance away. Looking east past your men, at the edge of the half-cleared forest gnolls started to appear. First in singles and then in dozens. They were brandishing blades and wore armour made by both their hands and that of men. And as more gathered, you knew you had to act as well.


>Take the initiative, rally the knights and the cavalry and order them to charge the gnolls immediately.
>The gnolls don't seem to be in a hurry, organise the troops into their regiments to face them in good order.
>You are in a hurry, get the men into a battle line immediately.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.
>Parlay? Stranger things have worked before.
>Other, write in.

QM: We are so back! Also looks like the tripcodes have changed. Nevertheless the gnolls are here.

Finally back, I missed this place.

>>6229585
>You are in a hurry, get the men into a battle line immediately.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.
I'd like a visual of the battlefield if possible

>>6229585
>The gnolls don't seem to be in a hurry, organise the troops into their regiments to face them in good order.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.

Muddy forests so cav action is not great. Hardly got to use the Ballistae save for blasting the warcamp a bit. Ranged is King. It could get them to focus more on the RD and take some pressure off us, atleast until Alric's mages start blasting.

I wonder if the Gnoll Chief is trying to find the human leader/Alric before the battle starts which is why they don't seem to be in a hurry. Or make the appearance here obvious to help conceal an attacking force on the flank. Would it think more along the lines of trying to pick out the weakest column to break that one first, aka Langston. Possibly even actually focus on freeing the prisoners.

Parlay would be really funny. How much info could we get about what drove them south, what they know about the Syndicate, or even the mysterious fel pool Warlock before it breaks into a duel between Alric and the Gnoll Chief to start things off. Could really hype up the men. But, trying that knowing how treacherous they are? I feel like it devolves into a duel immediately followed by both sides charging into melee which is not as great as shooting them first as they charge through mud. Though killing the Gnoll Chief is quite devastating...

I am surprised they didn't wait for a night attack, but going at us before we can rest is probably better.

>>6229585
>The gnolls don't seem to be in a hurry, organise the troops into their regiments to face them in good order.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.

>>6229585
>The gnolls don't seem to be in a hurry, organise the troops into their regiments to face them in good order.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.
WE ARE BACK
FOR ALTERACCC!!!

>>6229585
>You are in a hurry, get the men into a battle line immediately.
>Open the battle with the ballistae, see how the gnolls like getting hit by very angry wooden poles.
>Hold Langston and the Durnholders back as reinforcements and to guard the gnoll prisoners.
nice for things to be back. Missed this quest.
Parlay would be theoretically possible but that would get in the way of TGD

Find Alric, kill him, break a weaker column if they have enough gnolls hidden for a flank attack.

Though if I was them, I suppose destroying the supplies of everyone might be the last best bet to survive after this. Then outrun the pursuers till they run out of supplies and will to endure. Hopefully with Langston as reinforcements he and Redpath will be in position if it does happen.

>>6229966

>Find Alric, kill him

I see you are playing the Gnoll Raiders Quest instead!


Jokes aside, looks like we have a plan to start with. Organise the troops and open fire with the ballistae while observing the battlefield. Langston stays back and guards the prisoners. Could we have some rolls please. First 1d10 is Alric, second your army and third the ballistae. DCs in same order, no crits.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 14, 16, 15

Rolled 9, 1, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>6230003
Give praise to the TGD gods and be rewarded.

Rolled 9, 5, 9 = 23 (3d10)

>>6230003
KILL GNOLLS

>>6230007
oof that 1 and 2

>>6230003
Hmm no roll for the mages in particular?

Rolled 3, 2, 3 = 8 (3d10)

>>6230003
Need a 10 and a 4

>>6230008
dead gnolls

>>6230017
Joever

The life of the ballistae engineer. Fuss over his beloved war engine for weeks as it gets pushed and pulled through a forest, then through rain and mud. Get to the one battle where it has a chance to really shine, and jobs it.

>21, Success!
>8, Failure!
>14, Failure!


"Major! Captains!" You turned to face Reginald, Cromwell and Maxwell. "Get your men back into order and ready to face the gnolls. Mr. Langston!"

"Yes Prince Alric?" He asked you.

"Durnholders stay with the gnoll prisoners and guard our rear. I want you to be our reinforcements, ready to plug any holes." You gave him the orders.

The officers saluted you and immediately left to get the soldiers in line.

"Sir Foecourt, I want the cavalry to my left, be ready to go around and charge the gnolls when ordered." You said to him and saw a number of the Regional Defender siege engineers standing idly there. "And get those ballistae ready!"

"I will stay here." Blackmoore said to you and took the reins of his horse.

"That is a smart choice Lord Blackmoore." You said to him.

Orders had been given and the men started to find their groups and form ranks at the eastern edge of the camp. The day had started to slowly approach the late afternoon, the summer sun would still be up and visible for hours if not for the clouds obstructing it. And as the men were being organised, it gave time for both you and the gnolls.

The eastern side of the camp was a bit more open than the other sides. The gnolls hadn't fully cleared it and tall trees sparsely were there to break the line of sight or marching regiments. It shouldn't hamper your ranged fire either that much, that is if your archers or others even had much ammunition remaining. And you saw the gnolls, more and more had gathered at their side of the half-clearing. The distance was maybe hundred and fifty yards, well within a matchlock or crossbow fire. Majority of them looked like fighters, but there were some who either were those who had fled from the camp or just had poorer weapons.

Their horns blew once more and amongst their midst a gnoll larger than the rest stepped out. The horns of its helmet resembled that of stags and its green eyes were practically burning within the eye sockets. As the gnoll howled and bellowed a mighty warcry, you realised under what influence it clearly was.

Fel.

The gnoll chieftain raised its battle-axe and flail up for everyone to see as it was now its turn to observe the scene. Seeing that the humans who had destroyed its camp and killed its people, were still in a process of reorganising their ranks, the chieftain saw an opening.

1/2

>>6230138

"Ballistae ready!" Their commanding officer shouted.

"Open fire!" You shouted back as you had seen the same thing as the gnoll chieftain had. Your men weren't ready and gnolls matched them in numbers. You had to take the initiative.

The four ballistae deployed between your Alteracis and Regional Defenders to your right send out four large iron tipped wooden poles at the gnolls. To your and everyone's annoyance, the results of the first volley were poor. One of them struck a tree half-way to the target, two flew over and past the gnolls and only one found a gnoll to hit. Though while the poor creature was torn asunder in near instant, it was only one gnoll.

The gnoll chieftain bellowed once more and the mass of gnolls lurched forward. Surrounded by a pair of gnolls carrying staffs and wearing dark cloaks and hoods, the chieftain led the gnolls at marching pace towards you. Twangs of crossbows could be heard and then screams of pain as men fell over.

As the tree that had been hit fell over, the battle was upon you.


Alric:
>At the frontline with Royal Foot Guards causing most havoc.
>Moving wherever the battle is the most urgent and where you are needed.
>Seeking the gnoll chieftain and dueling it

Ranged:
>Concentrate on the armoured gnoll fighters, ease the pressure on your footmen.
>Counter the gnoll crossbows and keep their heads down.
>Fire at will, choose own targets.

Mages:
>Target the largest concentration of gnolls with the fire magic.
>Influence the battle with Slow and other tricks.
>Counterspelling any gnoll magic.
>Supporting you specifically.

Cavalry:
>Immediately charge the gnoll flank to take off pressure from the footmen.
>Have them move through your ranks and charge the gnoll center head on.
>Keep them back, their time as the hammer is not yet.

Langston:
>Reinforcements are not yet needed.
>They are needed.

QM: Plenty to vote.

>>6230141
God damn they still managed to match us in numbers, minus the Durnholders in back. Hopefully our ranged can gain superiority.

Also whew the Gnoll chieftain is juiced as well. I guess that means those hooded gnoll casters are probably warlocks and can keep casting if not taken care of, but at the very least finally some mage on mage spelldueling. Tempted for the fire magic just to let Alric juice the first blast tho.

With the Ranged keeping the Gnoll Crossbows suppressed that should atleast let the Cav charge in without getting shot up, and take some heat off the badly positioned footmen. Then keep Langston in back for when someone rolls bad and needs reinforcement to buy time for Alric to kill the Gnoll Chief. Or if an opening appears.

>Seeking the gnoll chieftain and dueling it
>Counter the gnoll crossbows and keep their heads down.
>Counterspelling any gnoll magic.
>Immediately charge the gnoll flank to take off pressure from the footmen.
>Reinforcements are not yet needed.

>>6230141
>the gnoll chieftain as a battle-axe and flail
This will be a tough and possibly dangerous fight, and like we believed he sounds very much armored (he has even an helm with stag horns !). Plus Fel. He does not have a shield, so i think he is full on aggression for combat.

>Seeking the gnoll chieftain and dueling it
kill him, he cannot be left around be for command in the battle or as an hero unit. We must engage him.
Give a warcry for the men before starting.

>Counter the gnoll crossbows and keep their heads down.
while the armored infantry gnolls are an issue (because they bring actual armor, plus gnoll ferocity and aggressivity in melee combat against our own infantry), those crossbow cannot be allowed to fire back at our men. Slug it out between ranged, the Rover Brothers and Bakhtet should be able to kill many (even if Bakhtet will go in melee at a certain point, he is a champion). I trust Reginald, Cromwell, Redpath and Maxwell to keep our infantry steady in the furious melee that is about to begin.


>Counterspelling any gnoll magic.
take out their mages, Mr Boyd, Mr Williams please blast this savage moving carpets back where they belong.

>Immediately charge the gnoll flank to take off pressure from the footmen.
They do not have cavalry. They are about to learn what having it means.
Foecourt, Gravis do the honors to teach them. I think Foecourt and the Durnholders Knights will really like this. They do want to gain honor and glory in battle, no better place than this. It will be probably the penultimate battle of the campaign (still have to go north to hunt down and slaughter any gnolls there). Likely the largest though, and the more important one. Thankfully we are in a clearing since the gnolls made their main camp here.

>Reinforcements are not yet needed.
I am not sure if there is even more gnolls around for flank us. I doubt it.
But we can keep Durholders and Langston for later. Blackmoore can sit there while watching the slaughter.


///
Sir Cyrus will be jelly of not being here. He is another combat addict.

>>6230234
Maybe the Gnoll Chief is dangerous enough to pull out the Fel powered Cinder Sword...

>>6230141
>>Seeking the gnoll chieftain and dueling it
>Concentrate on the armoured gnoll fighters, ease the pressure on your footmen.
>Supporting you specifically.
>Keep them back, their time as the hammer is not yet.
>Reinforcements are not yet needed.

I wonder if Malevus's courtier knowledge of elven heraldry is enough that she could spot something on the old elven armor or if it'll have to wait for Melondras or some other specialist.

Do we end up keeping it or giving it to Malevus once its repaired, if shes ready to wear a plate mail. Sending it to Kael and Quel'thalas if it is a Second War armor, a mighty fine gift and symbol of reconciliation. Or gift it to Melondras himself, imagine if he could be convinced to join as Alric's royal armorer. What depth and breathe of talent beside Wiklish and the Dark Irons.

Elven quality is pretty resilient, could it have come from an earlier conflict or expedition before the Second War. Its also by itself, no weapon. Was that just broken beyond the desire to keep as a trinket, or has this set exchanged ownership more than a few times.

Was this armor lost in the Hills itself? Seems unlikely given the supposed lack of actual battle that took place here, and this not being an armor that a Ranger would use. Perhaps in the ranges of gnoll scavengers venturing out from the Durnholde Hills and forests.

Was it actually lost somewhere further north, scavenged by gnolls, and then brought down when this group migrated south with whatever they could carry. Which could put it as being lost somewhere deep in the Hinterlands between Aerie Peak and the Trolls. That seems slightly more likely to me.

>>6230141
>Seeking the gnoll chieftain and dueling it
>Counter the gnoll crossbows and keep their heads down.
>>Counterspelling any gnoll magic.
>Immediately charge the gnoll flank to take off pressure from the footmen.
>Reinforcements are not yet needed.

There was no time to waste standing around as you shouted the orders and pushed your way past several of your men and stood in front of the Royal Foot Guards.

The line was still organising itself, deployed in two ranks it would be a thin frontage, but your men were veterans. They knew what they were doing. And as you drew the Cinder Sword, you knew as well what needed to be done.

The head of the gnoll chief would be yours.

It was apparent how the large armoured gnoll was clearly the most dangerous foe around here and how it would fall to your hands to deal with it. You were the best fighter of this campaign and so dealing with the chief was best to be left in your hands. There was no need to endanger the others. But as you were going to concentrate on killing the gnoll chief, the battle around you would go with its own weight and without your direct supervision. Your officers would have to carry the day for you.


>3d10, Best of four for Archers, Best of three for the rest
>DC 14, 15, 18, Crit 22

QM: Roll four times, last roll is only for the Archers. 1d10s and DCs in order of Archers, Crossbowmen and Handgunners. We will split this battle into smaller pieces before we get into dueling as Alric is going to find himself in his dueling martial trance.

Rolled 4, 5, 1 = 10 (3d10)

>>6230804

Rolled 8, 2, 6 = 16 (3d10)

>>6230804
KILL GNOLLS

I think I'd rather see the officers carry some rolls, the Handgunners have already failed and we haven't even seen the third roll

Rolled 1, 7, 9 = 17 (3d10)

>>6230804

Rolled 5, 8, 2 = 15 (3d10)

>>6230804
TGD

>>6230141
>>6230179
Support.
I'm glad that we're back, and that I have time to post once more. Lots of mandatory travel and the travel flu kept me from this beloved quest.

>>6231167
Me too anon.

>>6230804
I wonder if we still had Radan if a 16 would have passed. Although if its an officer thats needed who knows how to direct handgunners, I might suppose that Bahktet could fill the role.

>18, Success!
>14, Failure!
>16, Failure!


You are Arthur Rover, you are also Alfred Rover, the twins in service of the Prince and leaders of his archers.

The past two weeks haven't been easy for you. Constantly moving ahead of the army, having fought multiple battles and skirmishes, having already used most of the arrows brought for the campaign. And today already a skirmish and then another battle had been fought. Casualties had been taken and the men were weary, but this seemed to be it, the last of the gnoll threat.

"Deal with their crossbows!" The Prince shouted at the two of you.

Right, that made sense to you as several Regional Defenders fell, holding their bodies wherever the bolts had struck them.

"You heard the Prince!" Arthur shouted out.

"Make your arrows and bolts count!" Alfred continued.

The crossbowmen started to aim and the first archers joined them. The veterans of many battles, most of them trained by your father, picked their own targets and let loose the first arrows. Couple gnolls immediately fell to the arrows with a volley of bolts following with less than stellar results. There were hits, but the approaching mass of gnolls made arming hard and most of the bolts either hit the trees or failed to take the gnolls down.

"Handgunners! Fire!" One of Radan's men shouted and a score of matchlocks snapped, filling the air with smoke, but only two gnolls fell hundred yards away. "Sir, we are out! No more shot!"

"Then take your swords!" Arthur shouted back at them.

"And defend us!" Alfred continued as he notched one of his last arrows.

The gnolls' crossbows were still there standing, but some of them were wounded. It had been enough to keep them occupied, but soon they would be done with reloading and let loose a volley capable of killing many men.

"Let's make these count." Arthur said to Alfred who just nodded back to him as the brothers raised their bows and chose their own targets.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 14, Crit 19

Rolled 6, 7, 4 = 17 (3d10)

>>6231200
Can the officers pinch out a hard fought win in the face of these rough conditions

Rolled 4, 1, 4 = 9 (3d10)

>>6231200
I feel like im missing it, but where was a 18 rolled, and where did that count as a failure for the handgunners if they rolled a 15 instead of a 16?

Rolled 2, 9, 7 = 18 (3d10)

>>6231200
I hope all these shit rolls don't make our advantages dissappear. Defender in bad terrain, better training, better equipment, cavalry flanking.

>>6231217
The first d10 in the 3d10s. 4+8+1+5 = 18

Rolled 7, 4, 10 = 21 (3d10)

>>6231200

>21, Crit Success!


The first one to loose their arrow was Alfred. It flew near silently through the forest, handcrafted by Alfred himself, and hit a gnoll raising its crossbow up to aim directly on its throat. The crossbow was dropped as the gnoll tried to stem the blood from escaping the body. Arthur succeeded similarly, his arrow also made by Alfred punched straight through an eye socket and entered the brain, killing the gnoll in an instant.

The twins took a second set of arrows, notched them while looking for targets, drawing and loose!

Arrows and bolts from the rest of the men joined the effort and now immediately the effect was noticeable. As they pincushioned or outright killed their targets, the gnoll crossbows failed to let loose more volleys that could kill more Regional Defenders.

But as the arrows ran out, the grim realisation struck them.

"Swords!" Arthur shouted and drew his shortsword.

"Make them pay!" Alfred followed as the advancing gnolls were nearly on top of them.

Question was just what could a bunch of men wearing leather at best do to stop charging gnolls? The couple men of Radan's were there and the crossbowmen had some armour and an actual helmets. If this was it, the twins were ready to make their lines cost the gnolls as much as possible.

…

…

…

You are Bakhtet, a proud member of Blacksteel Clan and a warrior honourbound to protect the Prince.

And you are really fucking pissed.

Master Garrick had warned you that the Prince was eccentric and did whatever he wanted and that you should keep your eyes on him to ensure that he is not in any danger. And the moment you took your eyes off him to go and relieve yourself, the gnolls had chosen to make themselves shown. And before you got your armour back on, the Prince had disappeared somewhere amongst his men and between them and the gnolls. It should be easy to spot his flaming sword or pansy elf made armour, but now you couldn't just find him.

Which made you really really really fucking pissed.

"Swords!"

"Make them pay!"

The two brothers were clearly in trouble. Crumbling your bad luck, you knew that the Prince would get mad if you didn't protect his underlings just as well as him. And the gnolls were nearly on top of the men.

Slinging the matchlock off your shoulder, you would make the gnolls pay. If something happens to the Prince and you can't prevent it, your honour is done for.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 12, 15, Crit 20, 25

>>6231217

If I ask for rolls for multiple people or groups, the rolls are read vertically. Faster this way than asking for multiple rolls or some monstrous 10d10s etc.

Rolled 7, 5, 8 = 20 (3d10)

>>6231291
BLACKSTEEL

Rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12 (3d10)

>>6231292
ah, that explains it. Thanks Medivh!

>>6230239
mayhaps....

Rolled 5, 1, 5 = 11 (3d10)

>>6231291
KILL GNOLLSS!!!!

>>6230574
possibly she comes from a family specialized in clothing so heraldry should also be something she knows. But Melondras is far more specialized for it obviously.

idk, could be an idea giving it to her. Or even Kael.

>Or gift it to Melondras himself, imagine if he could be convinced to join as Alric's royal armorer.

I feel that would cost us a big amount of coins. He is a master.

Until we take a better look, we will probably not know. Could be older wars or the Second War. I feel like the second option makies more sense, they probably found it around and looted it as a great prize.

Rolled 4, 7, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>6231291

>20, Crit Success!


You cursed loud enough for everyone to hear, as you stepped past a pair of archers, your Dark Iron armour making you a recognisable figure on the battlefield. Holding the matchlock by your hip, you pointed it at the first charging gnoll and pressed the trigger.

The matchlock snapped and the lead bullet struck true. Hitting the gnoll squarely on its cuirass, the poorly made plate ended up getting penetrated with the now deformed slug of lead causing a terrible mess within the gnoll's chest cavity.

"Beware! The Dark Irons come!" You shouted in your own language as the matchlock was unceremoniously dropped and your trusted axe was pulled out.

You weren't a fan of shields, never were and so you only carried axe with you. It wasn't as big as the battle-axe carried by the human Captain Cromwell, but it was a nimble and very deadly tool in your hands. Stepping forth, a quick slash as the now fallen gnoll's neck finished it, just as more of them were upon you.

These bastards would die today!


>Concentrate on a single gnoll at a time. Take no risk and methodologically deaä with them.
>Fight multiple enemies, dash between them and try to defend the humans as much as possible.
>Go for devastating strong attacks for one-hit kills. High risk, but very high reward.
>Damn the humans, try to reach where the Prince is as he is whom you are supposed to defend.
>Other, write in.

>>6231330
Imagine the Felsword cutting through its weapons and armor. Maybe make a clearing with fire walling the fight off from interference, stop it from trying to run if it loses. I do wonder if a warlock threw felfire at Alric could the sword absorb it and achieve the same effect. Dip it in some felfire burning on the ground even in the rain.

>>6231337
If we do keep it for whoever it would be a nice project to work on it. Try some dragon runes. Alric already knows the rune for strength, could he make the plates stronger? Could he use the set meant to counter the magic mine trap to give it protection against magic.

Coin I wouldn't mind forking over. I must wonder why he came to Dalaran, I'm sure the elves would also buy masterpiece enchanted armors in Quel'thalas. Maybe hes a man, or rather an elf of opportunity.

>>6231368
>Go for devastating strong attacks for one-hit kills. High risk, but very high reward.
Hes a dark iron warrior on a mission for his honor and hes very angry. Invoking his ancestors and gods before berserking into the enemy seems right up his alley.

>Other, write in.
If I had anything clever to try it would have been tossing the powder and shot along with a lit torch into a crowd of gnolls as a one time fuckyou. This is the big battle after all. Rally some of Radan's men to join him, they're probably pretty pissed.

>>6231368
>>Go for devastating strong attacks for one-hit kills. High risk, but very high reward.
KILL THEM ALL

>>6231379
could be could be.
a no escape kind of zone ?

I feel like that risks to hit us all the same, even if it might hit Cinder Sword too.


We could ask Nalice maybe.
Thats a good question. Tbh he would make money anywhere. Easily.

>>6231401
No escape zone. We've already seen Alric move the flames at will when he was juiced up on TGD.

Though maybe we just hit him with a 2 Mana Fire Blast and see how it takes it. Even if its raining it IS Dragonfire. With the Fel neither of them will be getting tired out but I think they still feel pain? Though if hes already on fire maybe running through a wall of fire doesn't matter anymore lol, but nothing else to get in our way at least.

I wonder how Raleigh is doing, if he might go for the gnoll warlocks or if the mages will be able to counterspell them to death. Plenty of officers will get an action scene it seems. Or maybe just the units that roll bad and need their officer to carry the day lol

Hopefully Nalice is back soon, and then handling how to accept her romance and Malevus as the main wife. Alric is Malevus's mentor since shes his squire. Nalice is Alric's mentor. Bit of a pattern there. Malevus was fine with the idea of noble mistress when it was Jandice, but Nalice is someone she hasn't even met.

>>6231421
Actually nvm I do believe they got acquainted when Alric had his heart attack and they had to try and fix him. Apart from that I don't think too much interaction between them.

>>6231421
Why not just try and ignite the fel the gnoll is pumped full of? That would be a much more effective solution rather than putting on a show.

>>6231368
>>Fight multiple enemies, dash between them and try to defend the humans as much as possible.

>>6231446
That would be a pretty sweet move if Alric can pull it off, but I don't think hes trained in warlock arts at all though. Might be worth a shot. At that point we could just blast it with 2 mana and 2 Fel. More if we can pull from the battlefield's natural fel too.

Its a show either way. Alric is the flashiest mother fucker on the entire battlefield fighting the biggest armored Gnoll who has a helmet with big antlers. Also showmanship always pays off.

>>6231379

Thread 7: "“The weapons are not for sale, I do not sell them anymore.” Melondras said as two of you walked past the weapon racks and armour stands. “Enough blood has been spilled by them.”

“Then what can you offer?” You asked him.

“The best armour in Azeroth.” He boasted and pushed open a wide door."

Thread 17: "Precisely." Kael'thas said back. "Many of his finest works are held by our best knights or Magisters. It was a huge shame and a loss to us when he moved here hundreds of years ago.""

Regarding Melondras, the implication is that he found making swords and other weapons of war distasteful, so he moved to where his customers wouldn't ask him to make them. An ornamental dagger to a important lord or a king sure, but a longsword? Nope.

>>6231421

Jeez you really like Nalice.

>>6231446

That would be really balsy move, but beyond Alric’s skillset. Besides the Fel is inside the gnoll, you would have to actually get it out first to interact with it.


And looks like going for strong attacks is the way. I will try to churn out a couple updates today so asking for the rolls now. DCs do reflect the difficulty of this.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC19, Crit 21

Rolled 1, 6, 4 = 11 (3d10)

>>6231734

Rolled 8, 10, 7 = 25 (3d10)

>>6231734
Black iron supremacy?

Rolled 1, 8, 7 = 16 (3d10)

>>6231734
BLACKSTEEL CLAN

Rolled 10, 8, 8 = 26 (3d10)

>>6231734
TOTAL GNOLL RAMPAGE

>>6231734
Yeah I felt he had Hattori Hanzo vibes. Obviously we just need to find his fallen apprentice Billenathil.

>26, Crit Success!


Gripping the axe with both hands, the first gnoll didn't know what happened to it as you just charged it, swinging the axe down and breaking past the gnoll's guard. Quite literally in this case as the Dark Iron metal of the axe broke the handle of the gnoll's mace in two. The axe struck the mail the gnoll was wearing, easily splitting the rings apart and then slicing into the flesh, vertically splitting the gnoll's chest and stomach open. The hot entrails and the gnoll's last meal spilled on your feet.

"Kill gnolls!" You shouted loudly in your own language and pushed the gnoll down as your eyes locked with another one.

The gnoll came at you with a sword and a shield. It like the others were wearing mismatched armour, which could have proven to be some protection against most enemies, like those Bronzebeard bastards, but not against you. Raising your axe up, one strong swing was enough to scatter the wooden shield, second broke the gnoll's sword in two and third struck by the neck, nearly decapitating it.

"Kill them all!" You shouted, this time in Common.

"Kill you!" A gnoll shouted back.

You turned to look at the big mongrel. Armoured from head to toes, this one carried a two-handed flail. And how the gnoll carried itself and based on the bones trophies it had, this one was a strong fighter. Finally someone worthy to be your opponent and to be killed by your axe.

The gnoll charged, a heavy horizontal swing missed you as you stepped back. Second passed over where your head was as you ducked. The gnoll was strong, but clumsy, it would create the opening you wanted. And there it was, the gnoll tried to swing the flail directly down on your head, this would create you the opening.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 15, 20, Crit 23

QM: I was thinking if I gave you too easy DCs with the last roll, but nope. You ended up rolling really well.

Rolled 4, 7, 7 = 18 (3d10)

>>6231838

Rolled 3, 7, 2 = 12 (3d10)

>>6231838
BLACKSTEEL

Rolled 2, 10, 4 = 16 (3d10)

>>6231838

Rolled 7, 5, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>6231838

>19, Success!


The flail came down and with a sidestep to the right you avoided it at the last second. Now the gnoll was overextended and it would pay.

A strong two-handed strike down shattered the shaft of the flail, but the gnoll was quick to react as it dropped the remnants and pounced towards you. For a mongrel of its size, it was quite fast as before you could lift the axe to block it, the gnoll had tackled you on the ground.

It tried to claw at you and sink its fangs into your neck, but your Dark Iron plate did its work. Struggling against the gnolls weight, you got your right arm free and started to punch at it, finding the unprotected snout several times that drew blood. The gnoll for a second lost its hold on you which was what you needed. With a one smooth move your hand found a dagger on your belt and jammed it straight into the gnolls throat.

There was a quick whimper and wheeze as life left its body and the carcass crashed fully on you.

"Fuck! You are heavy!" You cursed loudly. "And smell bad too!"

Pushing the gnoll off you, you quickly got up and picked your axe. Who's next to taste death!

…

…

…


You are Sir Foecourt, a landed knight in the service of Lord Blackmoore and duty bound to serve him on the battlefield.

"Sir Foecourt!" The Prince shouted at you. "Flank the gnolls and strike hard!"

You didn't need confirmation as you lowered your visor and raised your lance.

"Follow the Durnhold banner!" You shouted your own command and kicked your destrier into a gallop.

The rain had turned the forest floor into a muddy field, but now it wasn't a time to be careful. The men depended on you and the knights to bring the victory home. If you were to succeed, plenty of renown and honour would be placed on your shoulders.

The knights and mounted sergeants followed your lead as you circled past the Regional Defenders before slowing down and turning on their flank. You looked and saw the gnolls approaching closer and closer to the footmen as the rest of the mounted warriors took their positions. Nearly seventy men on horseback, more than half of them knights, you had the mass and the skill to blow those gnolls apart with one charge.

"Lower the lances!" You shouted the next order and ready riders in three ranks followed suit.

"Any plans?" Lieutenant Gravis, the Prince's chief bodyguard asked you.

"No, just follow me." You replied. "I have done this once or twice."

Bloody peasant, up jumped soldier had been promoted into an officer after leaving Durnholde. You would show him how things are done properly!

"Hiyaah! For Durnholde!" You shouted as you charged forward, knights following just behind you.

1/1

>>6231970


>Charge the gnolls closest to you, the ones attacking Regional Defenders and roll up their flank.
>Push into their rear and decimate the gnolls now weakened by arrow fire. Make sure no one escapes.
>Ride past the first gnolls and go for their center, that is where the Alteracis should be as well.
>Avoid prolonged melee and lead the knights to harass the gnolls all over.
>Other, write in.

QM: Good that you passed that DC 15, high risk high reward would have meant that if you had failed, I would have killed Bakhtet right there.

I am also going to ask a question as I think it has been a while since the last time, and because it might help me in future depending what sort of answers I get. How do you think Alric’s romance life is going? Is it going to be Malevus or could someone else still steal Alric’s heart? A lover? A daring adventure? I hope I haven't fumbled things as a QM and a writer. What do you think?

>Write in

>>6231975
>Charge the gnolls closest to you, the ones attacking Regional Defenders and roll up their flank.
Follow Alric's direction, collapse the flank.

>How do you think Alric’s romance life is going?
Alright.
>Is it going to be Malevus or could someone else still steal Alric’s heart? A lover? A daring adventure?
In spite of the hate it got by some, I still espouse a harem for Alric. Live up to his reputation. Not flings though since that doesn't really have room for character interactions.
>I hope I haven't fumbled things as a QM and a writer. What do you think?
You're have no issue here nor the plot nor the characters. The only problems I have are with your prose in general which is often repetitive. One example that comes to mind is that every time someone adresses Alric or answers one of his questions they always say "Prince Alric...".

>>6231975
>Avoid prolonged melee and lead the knights to harass the gnolls all over.
We don't want to get bogged down in muddy terrain and go the way of Crecy and Agincourt. Apply constant pressure with repeated charges and inflicting general disarray, giving our troops the openings they need. Sure, ours is not light cavalry, but they still are faster than anything else out there.

I've been with this quest since the start, and I think that ditching Calia was the worst thing that had happened so far because muh elf. That's what the people voted for, so I have no choice to abide by the outcome and yet I think something had been lost with Alric becoming what the rumors at first unjustly claimed him to be.

>>6231975
That inner Foecourt monologue calling Gravis a bloody peasant and an up jumped soldier, lol. Smug Syndicate Noble looking, mysterious accent slipping, distant bothersome to look into origin making, dead knight mentor having, spy. I see you Foecourt.

Who could use the most help or where can they make the biggest impact, its gonna be a tough fight and the cav is a big advantage.

The RD are in pretty good shape coming into this battle, least casualties and probably the best condition to make a move, apart from Garithos shaming himself and Reginald needing to step in. It would be good to have Reginald rack up a win for when they need a permanent replacement for Garithos.

With Langston's Durnholders in reserve the unit thats taken the most casualties and certainly been in the most battles to tire them out would be the Alteracis. With Alric making way to duel the Chief its probably the best of what he has left around him. More Glory to Alric if the enemy center collapses.

>>6231975
>>Charge the gnolls closest to you, the ones attacking Regional Defenders and roll up their flank.
to battle ! Crack them down !

>How do you think Alric’s romance life is going?
right now with Malevus ? Splendid i think. They seem very happy together. There are many uncertainties for the future, but thats something for the future. I don't think Alric would ever want to lose Malevus unless something exceptionally bad happens (even if he marries someone else for politics).
>Is it going to be Malevus or could someone else still steal Alric’s heart?
Malevus is well positioned, and they are in love so... it would be hard for anyone else XD. Jandice might, but she is very much supportive of this relationship. Nalice maybe (which is a very different woman than Malevus) ? Idk

>I hope I haven't fumbled things as a QM and a writer. What do you think?
you did well, and you made something really nice. Things have grown on their own in my opinion. On the matter of relationships they can be difficult. I also like that the characters think on it a bit before fully confirming a decision, and you do check on us if we are sure about the path taken time to time.

>>6231975
>>Charge the gnolls closest to you, the ones attacking Regional Defenders and roll up their flank.

>How do you think Alric’s romance life is going?
I think Alric's romance life with Malevus is going great. More Malevus teasing please. The 'secrecy' lasted all of five minutes, but hey what can you do they were really into that bath scene and each other. Malevus teasing Gravis with the laundry was also very funny. They have support from everyone around them who knows about it. Having Malevus, or any romantic interest, where they can actually interact is powerful. They love and trust each other. Have been vulnerable with each other like Alric's night terror episodes and her worries over the fel influence. I don't believe he would want to see her hurt.

>Is it going to be Malevus or could someone else still steal Alric’s heart?
Barring considerable developments, as it stands I think its pretty likely and deserved for Malevus to win the Alricbowl.

I'll root for some kind of path where Nalice also wins and feels organic. Theres plays to be made with a dragonriding in the sky date. Hunting for an artifact. Another mindscape scene like where she revealed her dragon form, etc. Like anon says shes a very different woman. Idk its either mentoring and adventuring over a while or the Dragonfire and her lifeforce into Fel inside him has made an irresistible bond between them lol. Start seeing each others dreams and flashbacks.

Theres the potential of politics, Katrana, and other great events. Not to meta but if Blood Elves still happen a ways down the line Malevus could succumb to the need for Fel and risk madness, except thats such a deeply personal struggle Alric also experienced it would give them even more to bond over. Was she open to Alric having a mistress, and even encouraged Alric adopting Tari's child as his own? Yeah. Could it come up again? Maybe. Would she feel bad if she thought her own baby might be born addicted to Fel? Maybe, might be too soap opera.

Jandice was fun I really liked the cabin, the magic and illusion training, the magic writing confession scenes.

>I hope I haven't fumbled things as a QM and a writer. What do you think?
From Callia to what happened with Tari to Jandice to Malevus I think you did very well. Even if you changed the game from Nation Building to Katawa Alric I don't think you need to be too hard on any choices on your path.

>>6231975
>>Push into their rear and decimate the gnolls now weakened by arrow fire. Make sure no one escapes.

>>6231985

You are right about that, I am somewhat too repetitive with the "Prince Alric". It comes from me trying to use the "correct" terms and wanting to keep Alric and his servants separate. When he is with his friends, it is first name basis for the most part, but with his officers the chain of command/social order is in effect.

Technically by going with the British model, Alric would be called Your Highness when addressed for the first time and Sir afterwards. But I feel like going with the Sir brings him too close to all the knights who are way below him in the social order and as much as Alric and Gravis are friends, they are still a Prince and a knight and not two equals pissing about.

Though Warcraft itself throws these rules into the bin as the peasants in WC3 call Arthas everything from "Prince Arthas" to "My Lord". But like you said, I do use Prince Alric too often and need to be more conscious about it.

>>6232127

Yeah like some anon said a while back. You come for a nation building quest and end up in a visual novel. It is a balancing act and sometimes the pendulum swings too much to one side.


Thank you for the replies, I appreciate them a lot and they have gotten me plenty to think about. If you lot have anything else to say or something comes to your mind, please go ahead.

Now back to the fighting, charging the gnolls ahead of you is the way to go. A charge by the knights especially as there are so many of them is very hard to fail so there's going to be guaranteed damage, but at minimum try to pass the first DC to avoid issues and fumbling around.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 16, 19, Crit 26

Rolled 2, 5, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>6232316
Insert Monty Python coconut reference, and the Rabbit

>>6232316
Maybe you could alternate with some other titles and nicknames.

Yeah Sir wouldn't work. What was the official title we had gained for the Expedition? That one could work is a temporary one anyway. A bit long

Rolled 1, 10, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>6232316
CHARGEEEEEE

damn thats low...

Rolled 2, 5, 2 = 9 (3d10)

>>6232316
My prince, my liege, my lord, Sire, Sir are all valid forms of address n my opinion.

>>6232381

The knights, arguably the strongest single force in the army finally getting to do a proper cavalry charge, nearly goes out and jobs. Jeez that was close.

Update will come later today!

>>6232457
If Alric starts his own Church by deciding to not work with the Church of Light he could work out some other fun titles and honorifics. Or do a bit of Larping and pull out the ancient Alteraci and Arathi Empire titles. Ard Ri Alric.

Style himself as the First Knight. First Sword. A second name intended as the Official Royal Name. Military General, or whatever rank like Lord Commander, Marshal, Chief. I could see as a backhanded one from Garithos, Alric the Green. Sun Prince lol.

That said, I don't mind 'Prince Alric' or 'My Prince', because beyond that it really just seems like a matter of personal preference of which honorific for the occasion. Cromwell probably likes Lord Commander or Expedition Commander. Beckston probably likes one thats a bit more eccentric and flavorful. Malevus in bodyguard mode is still My Prince. But for most of this campaign Alric has been with his own men outside the occasional full meeting, who would naturally default to their usual honorific outside the big meet.


>>6232467
If Foecourt had failed and died, the end of whatever notes and plots concerned him, that would have been really funny and sad. Maybe just knocked out and Gravis could still step up.

>>6232467

I lied, no update today. IRL events caught up with me so no work got done. But I could ask for the rolls for Foecourt, he needs to do some lifting here.


>3d10, Best of three of four
>DC 15, 20, Crit 22

Rolled 4, 5, 2 = 11 (3d10)

>>6232591
Bring out the Holy Hand Grenade

Rolled 7, 1, 6 = 14 (3d10)

>>6232591

Rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9 (3d10)

>>6232591
Do some lifting? With these dice? I won't hold my breath.

Rolled 9, 2, 10 = 21 (3d10)

>>6232591
KILL GNOLLSSS!!!!!!!!

>>6232623

Good save! I was tired yesterday and I am tired as hell today as well. 1st of May all hands on deck at work.

Apologies my lovely anons, but you will have to wait a bit longer. I am just way too sleepy to finish the update today.

>16, Success!
>21, Success!


The distance between you and the gnolls wasn't that long, but it felt like an eternity. The gnolls had started to react to your presence by those who weren't yet fighting the Regional Defenders, turning to face your charge. But while they are gnolls, they are no match to knights in armour.

Riding side by side, knees nearly touching each other, you aimed the lance at a gnoll staring back at you. The muddy forest floor made the charge to not be as potent as it could have been, but there wasn't much the gnolls could have done to stop you as you delivered the charge into their scattered lines.

With a crash the first gnolls were struck down, lances splintered or were dragged down by the deadweight stuck on them, fallen gnolls were trampled by dozen hooves as the cavalry broke the attacking gnolls apart and relieved the leftmost flank of Regional Defenders off the pressure.

Your lance had found its mark and you had thankfully retained it. While the charge immediately had lost its momentum and the knights picked their own duels to fight, the mere presence of mounted soldiers caused the gnolls to falter. Dozens of horses moving left and right, gnolls squeezed between them and trying to fend off attacks from all directions was a futile task. There wasn't much they could do and you played a part in that.

Jabbing at a gnoll with your lance, the tip pierced into its shoulder and made it drop its sword. Second jab pushed the gnoll away into the axes carried by some Stromic footmen.

"Cavalry! Rally to me!" You shouted and raised your lance as a signal. Dozen knights left their fights and moved closer to you. "Break the gnolls!"

Just a dozen yards, a short charge into another group of gnolls pushed them over and made an opening for the footmen to make a push. In an instant the men were all over the gnolls hacking them to pieces.

1/2

>>6233924

"Very good to see you Sir Foecourt." Captain Maxwell, their leader greeted you. Apparently he had worked for the Prince previously.

"Lovely day isn't it, but let's not gossip around, what is it?" You asked him back.

"Keep breaking their groups and we can roll their flank." Maxwell said to you.

"We have the same idea, just follow us. We will leave the killing to you!" You replied and raised your lance once more. "Knights, Durnholders! To me! To me!"

This was going rather well all in all. There were still plenty of gnolls around you, but the wind was turning. You were gaining the initiative and when all of this is over, people will recognise your accomplishments. Just first you need to win the battle.

…

You are Jon Boyd, a pyromancer from Dalaran in service of the Prince and with you is your best friend Luke Williams, skilled and mute arcanist.

"Boyd, Williams! Make sure their magic won't reach us." The Prince ordered the two of you.

"Aye my Prince!" You said and saluted with your left hand. "You heard him, let's go."

Williams nodded back as the two of you followed the Prince to his most elite soldiers. The dark grey Dark Iron armour of the Royal Foot Guards made them an imposing sight and you took your position to the left of them.

There you saw the same thing just like everyone else had. The gnoll chief was a big bastard, it wore plate mail and its weapons were mighty. But you saw the same thing as the Prince did, the helmet of it had horns. More accurately the horns looked like they had grown through the helmet. It was the influence of Fel, it must be as its eyes burned brightly.

But that would be a problem for the Prince, you had your own problem.

There were two gnolls carrying staffs and wearing dark cloaks and hoods by the chief's side. How they carried themselves and how bits of bones and wood dangled off their cloaks, it made them look like sorcerers. And then you felt them which made shivers spread through your body.

"You felt that?" You asked Luke, he nodded as he stepped next to you. "What do you think we should do?"

Luke crossed his arms in front of him.

"Yeah we could try to dispel anything they would try." You replied.

Luke was your senior, but you were usually the one making the decisions. Benefits of being able to actually talk and think aloud. Two mysterious gnoll sorcerers, probably warlocks based on their chief. You dealt with a couple of them in Underbelly, but gnolls? They might have a trick or two up in their sleeves.

2/2

>>6233927


>Try to dispel any of their attempts if they try anything. See what their first move will be. 1 Magic Williams
>Have Williams hit them with a Magic Missile, see how they react to an offense like that. 1 Magic Williams
>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd
>Create a Wall of Fire in front of them, that should "counter" them. 1 Magic Boyd
>Don't do anything. Just watch and see what they and importantly what the Prince will do.
>Other, write in.

Jon Boyd:
Magic: 3/3

Luke Williams:
Magic: 2/3

QM: We are back to the very beginning of the battle. Williams is a bit tired, but Boyd has recovered. Apologies for a long wait.

>>6233928

>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd

The faster they die the better when they can pull fel from the battlefield and our two can't. Though if Williams could make their own spell blow up in their faces or over their troops that would be fun too

>>6233928
>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd
Even if it doesn't work it will get their attention on Boyd. Williams should get out of sight before then and go gank them.

>>6233928
>>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd

>>6233928
>>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd
fire!

>>6233928
>>Take the initiative, cast a Fireball and burn the gnoll warlocks. 1 Magic Boyd

Rather unanimous. Could I get some rolls please, the DCs are the way they are for a reason.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 14, 23, Crit 27

Rolled 8, 1, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>6234328

Rolled 7, 6, 6 = 19 (3d10)

>>6234328

Rolled 4, 7, 5 = 16 (3d10)

>>6234328
KILL GNOLLS

>19, Success!


Stopping their magic could be interpreted as simply as killing them. If they are dead, they are dead and can't cast spells!

"Luke, watch out for me." You told him and raised your arms.

The plentiful casting had made using your right arm an agonising experience. As the sleeve of your robe fell down your arm, you felt the pain follow it as it dragged the old bandages. Still the rush of fire was worth it as within your palm a small fire appeared.

"Burn brightly and cast the shadows away!" You chanted and released a fireball towards the two gnolls and the chief standing next to them.

It streaked through the air, making the fifty or so yards in near instant and hitting the leftmost of the two gnolls with a shower of green sparks and fire.

"Yes!" You shouted to yourself as fire and arcane flowed through your body.

But to your dismay as the flames cleared, the gnoll that had been hit was pushing itself up from the ground as green reflective light and electricity flickered in front of them.

"What!" You now shouted.

This was the type of magic Luke knew, protective warding and shielding against mundane and magical threats. The one that you had hit was clearly the one handling the protection.

The gnolls got closer and now the two gnolls had put their attention towards you. As the first footmen clashed with the gnoll fighters, the rightmost of the two gnolls started to cast something, eyes fixated on you and Williams.


>Try to dispel their attempt to cast their magic. 1 Magic Williams
>Have Williams cast Slow on them, that should throw them off. 1 Magic Williams
>Fireball! The first one knocked one of the two down, next one should work better. 1 Magic Boyd
>Create a Wall of Fire in front of them, that should "counter" them. 1 Magic Boyd
>The Prince is just about to engage the gnoll chief, he could interrupt them.
>Other, write in.

Jon Boyd:
Magic: 2/3

Luke Williams:
Magic: 2/3

QM: Potentially another update today if there’s enough votes around.

>>6234427
>Have Williams cast Slow on them, that should throw them off. 1 Magic Williams

Well their protection is down nows a good time to debuff

>>6234427
>>Have Williams cast Slow on them, that should throw them off. 1 Magic Williams

>>6231975
>I am also going to ask a question as I think it has been a while since the last time, and because it might help me in future depending what sort of answers I get. How do you think Alric’s romance life is going?
Alric is living his life, dedicated to his honouring original and adopted family, and to the love of his life. I'm wary of the harem route, but political implications are what they are, but there are probably burnt bridges between the Menethil royals and Proudmoore Gilneans.

>Is it going to be Malevus or could someone else still steal Alric’s heart? A lover? A daring adventure?
Malevus is too cute, but obviously the tryst with Jandice our neighbour is there and waiting to re-enter. Then Onyxia and Nalice.. It is too funny that Alric isn't sticking with baseline humans.
Nalice is for being the strict and sexy older teacher

>I hope I haven't fumbled things as a QM and a writer. What do you think?
You're doing great, but sections do drag on and might not leave the meaningful impact that they're meant to. I keep forgetting about Calia.

>>6232316
>>6232374
Also they're not using his military title for the campaign Lord Commander :^)
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2024/6111138/
>>6111419

>>6234427
>Try to dispel their attempt to cast their magic. 1 Magic Williams
>Fireball! The first one knocked one of the two down, next one should work better. 1 Magic Boyd
Two mages, two actions right? Dispel the shield, fireball their face.

Rolled 2, 10, 8 = 20 (3d10)

Attempting to slow them down, let's see how this will work out. DC is what I roll and if it is above the Crit, then no Crits this time.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC X, Crit 25

Rolled 2, 1, 7 = 10 (3d10)

>>6235105
KILL GNOLLS

>captcha 'w0nkyy'
Hmm very opinionated captcha today

I imagine the dispel or attack agaisnt that gnoll is against that roll either way, either to dispel or to cast faster than the gnoll.

I'm gonna say good no call on not devoting Boyd to an action, because unless my fellow anons clutch its gonna be time to see what his options are.

He did explode his own fireball when he felt it being dispelled by the gnoll mage, which given how fast these things move is pretty impressive.

Can he dispel it and make it explode early over the gnolls, can he counter it with his own on the spot blast, or a firewall.

Cheeky surprise option, he pulls out whatever the loot was from the gnoll mage and uses that. Maybe it was a wand and he decides to use it like a sidearm.

Rolled 2, 9, 3 = 14 (3d10)

>>6235105

Rolled 2, 8, 7 = 17 (3d10)

>>6235105

Tough luck, but I guess if Williams was good at dice he wouldn't have ended up in the Underbelly in the first place.

Captcha: Johjo

Rolled 4, 8, 5 = 17 (3d10)

>>6235150

Close, but not where is should have been. Not a total failure though, but as magic is tricky, I am going to ask for another set of rolls for how things will go. DC is what I roll, no Crits.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC X

Rolled 4, 6, 10 = 20 (3d10)

>>6235190

Rolled 3, 5, 10 = 18 (3d10)

>>6235190

Rolled 10, 4, 10 = 24 (3d10)

>>6235190

Rolled 7, 2, 8 = 17 (3d10)

>>6235190

>17, Failure!


“Luke! Slow them!” You shouted and pointed at the gnolls with your right hand. As much as it hurt, you didn’t let it bother you at the moment as the gnolls struck the line of footmen left and right of you.

Pikemen and the Royal Foot Guards found themselves to be under the gnoll assault with varying results. While the pikes kept the dog creatures away, the Royal Foot Guards took the brunt of the assault. The gnolls struck and clawed at their Dark Iron metal shields of theirs without much success. But it bought Luke enough time to do as you had thought, in fact it had been his idea from the start.

As your friend casted his magic, the gnoll was first to finish their spell and a bolt of sickly green energy flew through the air towards you and before you could react or try to defend against it, it hit you.

You screamed in pain as the sickly energies spread through your body and chest into your limbs. Dropping on the muddy forest floor, you could see in the corner of your eyes Luke sending his own spell forth and you could only hope that he had succeeded in catching the gnoll warlocks as the pain made your mind roll back and find sanctuary in unconsciousness.

…

…

…

>24, Success!


You are Prince Alric Perenolde, Lord Commander of the Expeditionary Force.

The gnolls had made their appearance at the corner of the forest and you had raced your men to face them. And as you had pushed past the Royal Foot Guards to face their chief in combat, you could see to your left how the archers exchanged fire with their crossbows and managed to silence them and how the knights struck to the gnoll flank, sending them reeling and scattered. That was a good start, now you just needed to take the head off the snake.

A fireball streaked past you and struck one of the hooded gnolls surrounding the chief with a shower of sparks and flames as you ignited the Cinder Sword and allowed it to burn brightly next to you. As the sparks and flames faded, the chief was still coming at you unharmed and you could see the other gnoll to start casting its own spell.

1/2

>>6235484

And you could feel it within you, the Fel and nauseating feeling that came with it. Within you it tried to break free, but your mind was stronger than it, but it didn’t make it possible for you to stop what was to come. A streak of green lighting struck forth from the gnoll and hit Boyd who fell screaming on the dirt, but in riposte Williams managed to put out his own spell and suddenly the gnolls in front of you started to move more sluggish. And you knew exactly what to do.

Around you the footmen and the gnolls engaged in battle giving you the concentration to go at the gnoll chief and his minions freely, now moving like stuck in mud with their whole bodies, you singled out the most dangerous of the three and charged it to deal with it once and for all. It wasn’t the chief whom you knew that you can deal with in a melee, but the one who had struck Boud down.

Cinder Sword effortlessly pushed into the gnoll’s chest and the flames licked up and down its skin, setting the fur on fire. You bashed the creature with the tall kite shield of your’s and pulled your sword out just in time to block both the battle-axe and the flail. The spell had had a minimal effect on the gnoll chief that was towering over you as it had broken through it in just seconds. But now one of its the two gnoll companions were dead or more accurately dying.

“I kill you!” The gnoll chief bellowed.

“Not before I kill you!” You shouted back and pushed its weapons away from you.

The chief wore a plate mail made from mismatched pieces. It covered it from head to knees, rest having a mix of leather or mail on them. The helmet of the gnoll was a bascinet corrupted by the stag horns that had pierced through the metal. You saw the gnoll’s eyes burning brightly as its muscles bulged between the plates. It was stronger, it was probably faster than you as well. So you just had to outsmart it, or just outright burn it alive.


>Alterac Footman Drill.
>Might and magic. Set the gnoll chief on fire, might attract some attention to you.
>Devastating two handed strikes, high risk high reward.
>Play dirty, play elusive. Dodge, weave and avoid the attacks until an opening comes.
>Other, write in.

Magic: 2/2
Fel: 2/2

QM: If choosing magic, another vote will follow

>>6235485
>Play dirty, play elusive. Dodge, weave and avoid the attacks until an opening comes.
It seems easily upset, see if annoying it will lead to an opportunity.

>>6235485
>Play dirty, play elusive. Dodge, weave and avoid the attacks until an opening comes.
Maybe maneuver towards the other caster to see if he hits him while flailing around? Interpose him between us and the chief at an opportune time.

>>6235485
>Might and magic. Set the gnoll chief on fire, might attract some attention to you.
Burn it. We'll call it a dying attack from the gnoll warlock that missed, or Boyd getting 'revenge'.

Also damn. I was curious what he would do with Luke failing and having to defend against magic, I guess the answer is get fucked up. I really wanted to play out the magic duel. Next time I'll remember to have them both casting. Always be attacking.

>>6235485
>Play dirty, play elusive. Dodge, weave and avoid the attacks until an opening comes.
We are aiming to win here, not impress an audience. AFD is fine when you fight a humanoid sized enemy, but this kind of foe is more akin to an ogre. His other shaman is also still alive, let's save our magic for later when we truly need it for a decisive advantage.

>>6235485
>Play dirty, play elusive. Dodge, weave and avoid the attacks until an opening comes.

>>6235485
Thanks for including Boyd's action.
So to check, both mages are disabled? One by fireball and the other by hot shishkebab?

>Might and magic. Set the gnoll chief on fire, might attract some attention to you.
We cannot afford this big guy turning his attention away to our soldiery.

>>6235817
The one that got fireballed got up afterwards, it's still alive.

>>6235642
If we're aiming to win then opening with our strongest advantage should be the play. Its stronger, from Alric's guess faster than us, and we're in the middle of a muddy battlefield.

Playing dirty, playing elusive. I could use some rolls for tomorrow, work busies say no to an update today.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 15, 22, Crit 24

Rolled 10, 3, 7 = 20 (3d10)

>>6236009
here's a roll

Rolled 5, 8, 5 = 18 (3d10)

>>6236009
ALTERAC

Rolled 1, 2, 7 = 10 (3d10)

>>6236009
Inb4 shit rolls

Rolled 7, 1, 9 = 17 (3d10)

>>6236009

Apologies for the lack of updates, but I have been horribly swamped by work and IRL events.

I will try to have the update out as soon as possible, but I can't say exactly when due to work.

>>6237137
Np

>>6237137
Godspeed Medivh

>>6237137
Happy Mother's Day

>20, Success!


Taking a slightly wider stance to be better ready to move around, you kept your shield between you and the gnoll to both block any attacks of its and to hide your own movement. The gnoll wasn’t your normal enemy, so you have to be tricky and pull all the small tricks that you know about.

The gnoll didn’t give you much time to think as it pressed on you again. The battle-axe came down on you, forcing you to step back and immediately to dodge the flail coming for your head. The axe swung at you, striking your shield as you weren’t quick enough to step back, but thankfully the flail missed you again. It was hard, two weapons so different from each other to fight against. The axe was a simpler thing, just a pair of blades on a stick, but that flail. Its head had momentum and the chain made it unpredictable, it was a tricky thing to avoid and deny.

But you had a plan as the gnoll made some space for itself before coming at you again. The flail came straight at your shield and you had to sidestep it to avoid it and you moved straight into the axe that came towards your head. Which was something you wanted to happen.

Cinder Sword appeared from behind your shield and connected with the axe, pushing it past you and directly into the chain that held the flail together and then into the ground. With both of the weapons to your side and away from you, this gave you an opening to do something and you chose a trick you had used to annoy Malevus a lot during your sparring.

Digging the tip of your feet into the muddy ground, with a kick a blob of muddy earth flew and hit the gnoll straight on its helmet and vision slits. It howled in a way that made it clearly annoyed and angry at what had happened and just as it tried to pull its weapons back, you lunged forward and found a gap in the plates of its armour and succeeded in pushing the Cinder Sword’s tip through the layers beneath the plates.

The gnoll chief screamed and swung his weapons wildly at you, hitting you on the right side with enough force to make you lose your balance and fall on your shield on the ground. The hit didn’t really hurt you and you quickly rolled back up to your feet, preparing for another set of attacks that didn’t immediately come. The gnoll chief looked down at its side where slightly green tinted blood started to drip as it barked some commands to the remaining warlock as it tried to shake the mud off the helmet and its eyes. That was clearly bothering the chief as you saw it blinking its eyes to clear them. Your small trick had worked.

As the warlock started to cast again, you didn’t know what it was trying to do. Williams was still standing somewhere behind you and he might be able to repel whatever the gnoll warlock was attempting so you could probably leave it to him. Or you could take the matter at hand and deal with the warlock by yourself, as they didn’t seem that adept at melee combat.

1/1

>>6240062


>Go at the warlock and prevent it from casting its spells.
>Continue evading the gnoll chief and find openings through more tricks and try to get it to make mistakes.
>You have weakened the gnoll, go for proper attacks and try to deal with the chief.
>The chief is now distracted by the mud, go for a high risk killing blow and end this battle right here and now.
>Other, write in.

QM: Apologies for the long wait, work and IRL just overwhelmed me last week.

>>6240063
>Other, write in.
Use Alric's Fire on both of them.

>>6240062
>You have weakened the gnoll, go for proper attacks and try to deal with the chief.
Can we afford to get in close yet with big flames? I think gnoll limbs will find a surplus on the market soon.

>>6240098
So tempting to support, but there's other ways to manage this I think.

>>6240063
>You have weakened the gnoll, go for proper attacks and try to deal with the chief.
An attack to the back of the knee or to the heel would be my choice. Anything that would make landing hits easier.

>>6240063
>You have weakened the gnoll, go for proper attacks and try to deal with the chief.


Also just found out that Alteraci is supposed to be pronounced as "alterackee" and not "alterachi" like I always thought.
I can't believe this.

>>6240616
It's "Alterasee" and I don't care what anyone has to say otherwise.

>>6240616
Alterakai

I have always pronounced it with hard c, so "Alteraki".

Either way, rolls for going at the gnoll and attacking it.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 15, 18, Crit 22

>>6240063
>You have weakened the gnoll, go for proper attacks and try to deal with the chief.
wound it
>>6240616
real ?
"alterachi" sound much better. "alterackee" is weird

Rolled 10, 8, 7 = 25 (3d10)

>>6240638
FEL GNOLLS WILL ROAST

Rolled 7, 10, 6 = 23 (3d10)

>>6240638
>>6240658
wow

Rolled 9, 5, 4 = 18 (3d10)

>>6240638

Rolled 1, 6, 9 = 16 (3d10)

>>6240638
Duelric Once again proves hes might.

>>6240658
TGD IS COMING HOME !!!

>25, Crit Success!


There was the opportunity, the required opening as the gnoll kept blinking its eyes. Dashing the couple yards straight at it, you lunged and surprised the gnoll chief momentarily with the Cinder Sword finding the same spot you had struck before, but this time the tip pushed deeper into the gnoll’s side.

The chief howled and tried to strike you down with both weapons, but you were faster to raise your shield to block the battle-axe and side-step the flail. There was the opening again and you slashed at the gnolls left armpit and found the mail protecting it lacking. The mail split and your blade cut the flesh again with its tip, but not enough to render the arm useless. The flames tried to lick the cloth and fur to set it on fire, but without success.

“I KILL YOU!” The gnoll shouted and swung its weapons left and right with wild abandon.

It became difficult to keep them away from you as you tried to block them or redirect them away from you. Embers and sparks flew away as your blade found the gnolls weapons and you couldn’t really find a proper rhythm for the duel. Such a difficult opponent, erratic and now rather enraged. The battle around you continued to rage and you could hear it, but couldn’t really give a look, otherwise the gnoll would have taken off your head.

And then you saw an opening, the gnoll chief lunged at you again with its battle-axe, but the attempt was a poor one and the flail wasn’t even used to distract you. Easily you caught the axe head with your shield and your riposte went straight for the gnoll chief’s head. Suddenly the air was filled with green sparks and electricity as your sword nearly stopped mid air.

For a second you were surprised and the flail nearly struck you, forcing you to step aside again to avoid it and pull your sword next to you. But the gnoll chief clearly didn’t expect you to try again as you lunged at it, now pressing your bodyweight behind the sword and this time you found success.

The Cinder Sword struck the invincible shield around the gnoll chief with a sound of a thunder as green sparks and flames burst forth and this time it wasn’t strong enough of a shield to stop you as the Cinder Sword pushed through it and found its mark.

The gnoll chief howled in pain and pushed you back as your blade found the gnoll’s right eye and cut it in half. Now half-blind the gnoll growled at you and you could see the fire intensify in its remaining eye. And you couldn’t avoid smirking.

1/2

>>6240900

The spell the gnoll warlock had casted was clearly some sort of a Fel magic shield that covered the air around the gnoll, but clearly no shield is perfect as you had gotten through it and wounded the gnoll further. Its side was bleeding heavily, the left armpit was clearly hurting it and now it only had one eye remaining. The only hit the gnoll had gotten on you was that weak blow to your right side that you had just rolled through and gotten all muddy and dirty for it. The question now just was, how should you continue and if that warlock had any other tricks up its sleeves? And speaking of that gnoll warlock, it had stayed by the gnoll chief’s side and was holding its arms up and clearly channeling the magic for the shield.


>You need to get the shield down if you are to beat the gnoll chief, go for the warlock and kill it quickly.
>Keep doing what you are doing, the gnoll chief is wounded and you have the momentum right now.
>The shield is clearly powered by Fel, what if you were to interact with it? Could you control it?
>To get through the Fel shield you need to strike it hard. Heavy strikes could reward you well, but they would be risky.
>Other, write in.

QM: Tricky opponent!

>>6240901
>You need to get the shield down if you are to beat the gnoll chief, go for the warlock and kill it quickly
>Other, write in
Use Alric's Fire on the Warlock (and then Chieftain)

Chief has a magic shield but I'm guessing the Warlock can't protect itself at the same time, answer magic with magic. Better than Alric opening himself up by trying to get past the Chief physically. Blast them and it will look like the Warlock messed up his spell.

The Gnoll Warlock really did have a shield made of Fel, that's pretty sweet. I wouldn't mind hoping for a lot roll to find it's grimoire. But it shows that technique is possible with Fel.

>>6240901
>The shield is clearly powered by Fel, what if you were to interact with it? Could you control it?
Drain mana in combat? Is it possible to convert to sword flame and use it to attack back?
Lets do this!

>>6240901
>>Keep doing what you are doing, the gnoll chief is wounded and you have the momentum right now.

>>6240901
>>You need to get the shield down if you are to beat the gnoll chief, go for the warlock and kill it quickly.
die!!

>>6240901
>>You need to get the shield down if you are to beat the gnoll chief, go for the warlock and kill it quickly.

Geeking the warlock, or will you get geeked? Let's find out!


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 18, Crit 23

Rolled 2, 7, 6 = 15 (3d10)

>>6241221
Inb4 the rolls fuck us over now.

>>6241230

Fight for Malevus and her ears! Grand motivation!

Rolled 6, 6, 7 = 19 (3d10)

>>6241221

Rolled 3, 6, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>6241221
DIE GNOLL !!!

Rolled 4, 10, 2 = 16 (3d10)

>>6241221
FEL GNOLLS WILL BURN

>>6241264
partial gnoll death...?

>19, Success!


The battle-axe came at you horizontally and you ducked to avoid it, evading to your left towards where the gnoll warlock was standing and casting. The chief fumbled its next move and the flail aimlessly struck the mud where you had been standing.

The warlock blinked and stopped casting, lowering its arms to do something else instead.

The warlock blinked, you had succeeded in what you had planned to do. Killing it outright would have helped, but now the spell was down and it would take a moment for it to be cast again. You had an opening to attack the chief or kill the warlock now that it is near defenceless.


>Attack the warlock and try to kill it as quickly as possible to get rid of it.
>Bluff again and switch back to the gnoll chief, trying to surprise it and getting another opening for you.
>Other, write in.

QM: Option what to do next? If you had failed, the warlock wouldn't have dropped its spell. Crit would have killed it.

>>6241290
Where the hell is Williams? Shouldn't he be creeping up on this wizard?

Anyway how plausible would it be to have the gnoll commit friendly fire?

>>6241314

Friendly fire is tricky, because you don't know what the gnoll warlock is actually casting. It could be anything from deadly spells to yet another magical shield.

And for Williams? You will see.

>>6241290
>>Attack the warlock and try to kill it as quickly as possible to get rid of it.
Ignite Cinder Sword and cut this moving carpet down

>>6241290
>>Other, write in.
Use Alrics fire and set them both on fire

I want to reach Magic 3 with Alric and this will atleast make some very good progress. Also once the Warlock is dead my excuses for how they were set on fire do rather go up in smoke, pun intended. Its the big battle and the big duel. It should catch the gnoll chief by surprise as well so lets make it a slam dunk

>>6241290
>Bluff again and switch back to the gnoll chief, trying to surprise it and getting another opening for you.
Mind games! But get the chief between us and the warlock asap.

>>6241484
That Magic 3 thing sounds like an excuse, you just want to use magic don't you? I don't begrudge you for it since magic is cool but I'd rather not bust such a massive secret on these two scrubs.

>>6241503
How is that an excuse its how the system works, you use magic you get better at it and I want Alric to be better at magic. We might draw attention was how its been put and if need be an excuse of Friendly Fire where the Warlock fucks up his spell. Who is going to counter-say us especially when we have the underbelly mages like Williams on our side now.

>>6241290
>>6241362
gnoll skewer supported

>>6241530
>How is that an excuse its how the system works, you use magic you get better at it
And this is one single use. Something that can be done many times over in secret. I assumed we were already doing this within our magic practice, if we aren't then I thank you for bringing this mistake to my attention.

And I have no doubt that someone will be looking at our fight should we start throwing magic around. Can't lie our way out of that one.

>>6241680
I think Battle experience is way stronger than practice. Medivh brought it up a few times that we would need a strong fencing partner like Kael or that orc we captured to reach 6 in practice fights. Then Alric manages to reach it in battle. Or using the Fel/TGD to spread the flames and getting to 2 in one little session.

Alric snaps his fingers behind his shield or around his sword and an enemy is on fire, hes not breathing dragons breath (yet). Also lets be real my man, Alric lies his way around a bunch of things. Telling some laymen soldiers that the warlock fucked up after Alric got in stabbing range is an easy lie, especially when Williams would back us up.

Also I'd say his magic focus lately was Magic Sensing, which worked out pretty well so far. He does have to focus on certain subjects one at a time.

Rolled 10, 10, 7 = 27 (3d10)

Looks like geeking the warlock is the winning option. DC is what I roll, if more than Crit, then no Crit.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC X, Crit 24

>>6241756

Magic be unpredictable

>>6241756
Welp, guess theirs no point in rolling in that case with a DC of that size of a 27. Looks, like some Gnolls are just that good with Magic and swiftly running away with their tail bravely tucked between their legs.

>>6241765

That is not an outright failure. Even if the DC isn't passed, a good roll might mitigate the situation.

So please, go ahead and roll. Who knows what is the result?

Rolled 7, 1, 5 = 13 (3d10)

>>6241769
We'd need a miracle to match that. It ain't gonna happen.

Rolled 9, 10, 6 = 25 (3d10)

>>6241756
KILL GNOLLS

Man what I wouldnt do to just be able to blast this thing with 2 mana and 2 Fel

Rolled 5, 7, 8 = 20 (3d10)

>>6241769
Doubt thats going to happen with my or anyone else's luck, but if we can indeed mitigate this fuck up, then im all game for it.

>>6241774

See! >>6241776 That's pretty close! Would have hit the Crit in a normal situation.

>>6241781
You and I both know getting a 27 or greater on 3d10s is a 2% chance. That said a 25 is pretty good

Rolled 1, 7, 10 = 18 (3d10)

>>6241769
Is it still Bo4?
Gnoll getting introduced to the paintrain slowly now.

>25, Failure!


The gnoll warlock spoke in its crude language and you could feel the simmering Fel in the air intensify. And then everything felt wrong. A pain coursed through your body as you could feel a nauseating coldness spread through your muscles, you tasted rot on your tongue and felt like your hair was withering away. Whatever this was, it had to stop.

You dashed and closed the distance with the warlock with just a couple quick steps and slashed at it with the Cinder Sword. The muddy forest floor beneath your boots felt hard and cracked under your steps. Your sword burned brightly and left embers and droplets of fire behind it as it came down at the gnoll, slashing its chest and creating a long nasty looking wound.

In near instant the rot and nauseating feeling disappeared as the warlock dropped whatever it was casting and moved its hands to check the wound. It wasn’t deep enough to kill it, but it must hurt like hell. For now the warlock had to be put aside as it wasn’t casting anymore as the gnoll chief hadn’t forgotten that you existed and pressed on you.

Pivoting on the spot back to the gnoll chief, you blocked its battle-axe again and pushed it aside. The chief looked worse for wear, the couple wounds you had inflicted were bleeding and the destroyed eye made its face a gruesome sight to look at. The flail swung past you and it wasn’t that difficult to avoid it. The cut you had managed to inflict on the left armpit was making swinging it a difficult task. Another swing with the axe got blocked by your shield and your riposte was deflected away by the shaft of the flail. Third pass came and you managed to reach the gnoll’s right pauldron strap, cutting it off and making the pauldron hang there awkwardly, but you couldn’t push through and find the flesh beneath the mail.

Whatever the spell the warlock had casted had been, it had gotten the wind out of you and you started to feel tired. The battle had kept you going and feeling energetic, but now sweat gathered on your brow and breathing had gotten heavier. This wasn’t a duel you enjoyed even if a couple good successes had been there. This was a struggle, but it looked like now the gnoll chief was struggling more than you were and now there were openings for you. The right shoulder, right side of the torso, left arm holding the flail. All weak spots for you to deal with.


>Go for the head, loss of the eye must make it hard for the gnoll to see right now.
>Right shoulder could be reached and the mail punched through. Get rid of that battle-axe.
>The already wounded side could be exploited, a deeper wound would kill the gnoll quickly.
>Disarm the flail by attempting to disarm the whole left arm.
>Other, write in.

QM: Success would have killed the gnoll warlock, but you managed to interrupt it before any long lasting damage happened and got a couple good swings at the chief too.

>>6242052
>>Right shoulder could be reached and the mail punched through. Get rid of that battle-axe.
If a clean cut cant be made, aim for maim it. He will not be able to use that axe well anymore, but he could use the arm regardless evem if it becomes a brutal mess. The chief is certainly an hard fight

As a seasoned warrior and war leader he will be guarded for his head, and probably for his side (organs). He can allow himself to receive some cuts in the arms, not too much, but is better than being beheaded or gut like a fish.

The Fel inside him might allow him to keep going even with some brutal wounds though. His armor is somewhat damaged but most of it is still there, we could probably push through it with an overheated Cinder Sword but a thrust would leave us open to the axe or the flail coming down on us. And both of those weapons in the chief hands are perfect for someone armored like Alric.

I was thinking one of the legs but that could end with us being kicked by it, and even those have still armor. This was great for Alric combat experience.

>>6242052
>Right shoulder could be reached and the mail punched through. Get rid of that battle-axe.
To me, the target doesn't matter as much as actually landing the hit so I'll go along with anon for the sake of expediency.

>>6242052
>Right shoulder could be reached and the mail punched through. Get rid of that battle-axe.

>Other, write in.
Dump mana into the Cinder Sword as we try to punch it in. Maybe we get it hot enough to melt the mail so Alric can punch through. Maybe we cook the Gnoll from the inside and turn muscle into useless roasted meat. If the liquid quality of his fire mana lets Alric soak and flourish his blade splash the gnoll chief with fire, that would be a good opening move.

>>6242052
>>6242156
Support both here. Let's empower this fiery attack

The gnoll pounded your shield with the axe and you felt the strikes through it. It tried to overpower you and keep you occupied as the flail came towards you once more, forcing you to jump back to avoid it and clear some space between the two of you. The gnoll again tried to charge you with another set of wild swings, but you had the same idea and caught the axe with your shield once more, giving you an opening to aim at the left arm and the flail.

The gnoll chief smartly realised it and blocked your swing that came at its arm with the flail’s shaft once and then for a second time. Getting a hit on the arm and disarming the flail would turn the tide of the fight to your favour if you could achieve it. But that wasn’t your plan, your plan was to find an opening where you could skewer the now weakened right shoulder. The pauldron hung there uselessly and could easily be pushed aside and the mail underneath couldn’t hope to defeat the Cinder Sword.

The blade was burning, its colour was that of heated metal and with each swing embers and cinders flew out of it, sparks erupted when the metal struck metal. Having learned how to ignite it clearly had an effect on your enemies, be their normal gnolls or this chief. The risk of getting caught on fire if getting hit was a real threat, already many gnolls had gotten their fur singed by your blade and the chief must be very conscious of this possibility. But what if you could do something more, how much more could you do with the Cinder Sword and your fire magic?


>Make the Cinder Sword to burn with larger flames, try to obfuscate and fool the gnoll chief, preventing it from realising where your blade is actually going.
>Try to make the Cinder Sword to drip more fire and flames, showering the gnoll with fire in hopes of lighting it on fire.
>Attempt to superheat the Cinder Sword even further to amplify the magical damage the blade does.
>Other, write in.

Use Fel to boost the magic:
>Yes
>No

Magic: 2/2
Fel: 2/2

QM: Let’s have a magic option vote.

>>6242330
>>Try to make the Cinder Sword to drip more fire and flames, showering the gnoll with fire in hopes of lighting it on fire.
>No

>>6242330
>Attempt to superheat the Cinder Sword even further to amplify the magical damage the blade does.

Use Magic to boost the magic:
>Yes
fuck fel

>>6242330
>>Attempt to superheat the Cinder Sword even further to amplify the magical damage the blade does.
>No

>>6242330
>Attempt to superheat the Cinder Sword even further to amplify the magical damage the blade does

>No

A fine morning to find a magic option vote and feeling spoiled for choice. I like them all. The drip flame is a really close second. I guess if it came down to it, why not both. Or next round.

If Alric was ever disarmed I wonder if he could push it to try and shape a sword out of fire magic. After all he can only blast a couple times before he's down to Fel, but if he can hold the shape it would be handy. How well such a thing holds up is rather a question, can he make it solid or is it more like a lightsaber and it's just passing through solid weapons so it can't parry. Could be a handy quality.

I look forward to a life or death battle that will require pulling out the Fel Sword, but Alrics not that desperate yet. Or hype it up as TGD lol

SUPERHOT!


>3d10, Best of four
>DC 14, Crit 25

Rolled 1, 4, 8 = 13 (3d10)

>>6242570

Rolled 1, 1, 8 = 10 (3d10)

>>6242570
RAAAAARGH TGD

omggg

Rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17 (3d10)

>>6242570

Rolled 7, 10, 4 = 21 (3d10)

>>6242570

>>6242607
Crit! I think? Not sure how Bo4 works since I don't think its been used a lot on this thread so far. Hopefully this still means we can finally kill this fucking Gnoll.

>>6242688
Bro the Crit DC is right there >>6242570

Do you not understand how Bo3 works? Bo4 works the same way. Sincerely, are you new here?

>>6242688
Best of four so we get four rolls of 3d10 to try hitting the dc and the Crit dc, that's typical for the Heroes who knows their special skills.

The army units in a battlefield scene usually end up getting 3d10 worth of dice read vertically, so the dice might be three rolls of 7d10 assigned to archers, pikemen, footmen, etc. but in the end they will get 3 d10s maybe 4 if they had surprise advantage or some other favorable conditions to be worth a fourth roll of 7d10.

1, 1, 5, 7. Had that been an army units they would probably all be dead from shame for a result of 7, or just barely scrape by with 14 had it been some kind of ambush we had sprung.

>>6242700
Ah, thanks my anon on explaining on how this works for dice rolling and what counts for what roll wise, I haven't really been much in the thread besides occasionally popping up to see if someone needs a roll or not. Not really all that engaged with much of the other stuff going on since I think everything going on is nice, but is going to need me to read more then 30 threads in order to get some context to everything, which is just something I can't pull off right now for the safety of my brain, if not my eyeballs with summer transfer shit.

>>6242701

Don't let it bother that you haven't read all the threads. Generally most votes don't require that deep of a knowledge and I try to explain the things in the vote/update.

Besides if the topic of recent updates is somewhat unknown to you, you can always go ahead and ask. I am happy to help explaining the stuff then.


Also no update today, I am too tired to concentrate on writing a coherent story, but that roll of 21 is a solid one.

>>6242700
Now explaining the army rolls are understandable since it's not the norm of the board.

>>6242701
Brain and eye hurty? With that I sympathize.

>21, Success!


Arcane magic revolves around imagining the inherent nature of the magic that is to be casted. A Hydromancer creates water through the power of their will by imagining raging streams, dams breaking under the pressure and the water carrying everything away. An Arcanist wills in the cold logic of arcane powers, creating power out of thin air and releasing it in a volley of piercing darts. Pyromancer like yourself push their mind and will into finding sanctuary in the scorching power of fire, how it destroys everything by burning it to cinders and scatters the ashes around.

Warmth, light, reassurances of power and strength.

Cinder Sword was a failure, it was supposed to light on fire on its own after being taken off the sheath, but instead it just smouldered and slowly heated up. It is a magical weapon, it both cuts and burns its enemies, but the weaponsmiths in Stormwind City expected more from their product.

And you wish to give them what they had expected.

Swinging the burning blade at the gnoll chief, the chief caught it with the battle-axe. You pulled the blade back and jabbed three times, trying to find an angle to get through the defences. Each strike added pressure on the gnoll to defend more vigorously and gave you time to do what you wanted. Within you the fire raged, the churning maelstrom of boiling fire spread through your body into your sword arm and then into the blade itself. The flames that had burned so brightly retracted and stopped burning like they had done before, instead this simmering heat formed around the white hot metal of the blade. The superheated metal made the light around it bend like with a mirage.

And you were grinning, you hadn’t done anything like this before and it seemed to be working. Feeling the rush of fire through you gave you energy to continue and pushed the tiredness away if only for a moment. The effects of the sickly spell that had struck you were washed away and strength returned into your arms.

The Cinder Sword danced and strike after strike landed blows at the gnoll chief. Small notches appeared where the weapon struck on the battle-axe and the breastplate of the gnoll. There you found your opening and you guided the blade towards the right shoulder. The gnoll chief wasn’t fast enough to avoid the hit, the tip of your sword struck between the breastplate and the pauldron, scraping the metal and pushing on it till it reached the pauldron that it easily pushed away. The mail links easily broke apart and the leather underneath did nothing to stop it.

1/2

>>6243081

The gnoll howled in pain as the sword pushed into the flesh and bones of its shoulder. Nothing stopped it as it punched through the other side before you pulled it back and sliced upwards, cleaving the shoulder in half and making the arm drop half useless on the gnoll’s side. The pain must have been excruciating even for the Fel strengthened gnoll. With both arms wounded or useless, you knew the fight was over. The gnoll couldn’t pose serious danger to you anymore.

It was time to finish this.


>3d10, Best of four
>DC Automatic Success, Crit 25

Rolled 5, 5, 10 = 20 (3d10)

>>6243082
Whew thats gotta smart something fierce, next time maybe the liquid fire slash but superheat certainly makes it mark. I wonder how the Crit on Superhearing it would have changed it, appearance wise and in doing even more damage to the gnolls weapons and armor. Then I can only imagine the Fel variant would have been even stronger.

Rolled 6, 9, 7 = 22 (3d10)

>>6243082
When did I last roll well? I don't remember rolling above a 20.

Anyway, showing off this dog's decapitaded head should do wonders for morale damage to the enemy.

Rolled 5, 4, 3 = 12 (3d10)

>>6243082

One more roll please, I don't want to roll the fourth roll for you.

Rolled 3, 4, 1 = 8 (3d10)

>>6243082
i didn't want to roll again after the poor result

I wonder if Superheat would be the least visible use of Fel Sword. The big flames receded into the blade which itself became white hot, just lots of shimmering in the air. Maybe white hot with a very subtle green on the edges if any color.

>22, Success!


The gnoll fell on its knees, the mud beneath its feet cracked after getting dried thanks to your flames and the spell casted by the warlock. It looked at you with the lone remaining eye that still burned bright with green flame. You could understand what it wanted, a quick death.

Looking at the gnoll, as it dropped its axe and flail on the ground, you didn’t give it that long of a time to beg for death as you raised your sword and pulled it behind your back before swinging it as hard as you could with one hand at its neck.

Like a hot knife on butter, the Cinder Sword cut through through the mail collar like it wasn’t there and severed the head of the gnoll chief. The head flew off the shoulders and landed on the mud, the lone eye blinking once and then twice before ending up silent. The body stayed upright for a second before falling on the mud.

You breathed heavily as the Cinder Sword stopped burning and returned back to normal, albeit still white hot. Several times you blinked to clear your eyes off sweat as the fire within you receded and you felt the tiredness overtake you. Not once you had found yourself within your fighting trance, the world around you hadn’t disappeared and you weren’t alone without prey. Taking the straps off your left arm holding the shield, you let it stick on the ground before letting off it and allowing it to fall on ground. You still had a duty to do and as much as your feet started to feel like logs, you had to do it.

Reaching for the gnoll chief’s head, you grabbed it from the horns growing through the helmet and raised it above your head for everyone to see.

“ALTERAC STANDS! DURNHOLDE STANDS! LORDAERON STANDS!” You shouted as loudly as you could and turned on the spot to see the battlefield.

On your left flank the knights, Durnholders and Regional Defenders were finishing their enemies, killing those still standing and finishing those on the ground. There were no runners, no stragglers, no survivors. To our right the Regional Defenders under Major Reginald watched as the gnolls ran and the ballista bolts crashed into their disorganised ranks killing and maiming many.

And around you the Alterics did their grim work. Archers had joined the melee and were finishing those on the ground, Lieutenant Beckston and his Kul Tirans were joined by the rest of the pikemen in ditching the pikes and they were hacking at the gnolls with their boarding axes, swords and falchions. Captain Cromwell lead his swordmen in cutting down the gnolls that were trying to feel and the Royal Foot Guards pushed aside who were still standing as they stepped closer to you to protect you.

“DEATH TO GNOLLS!” You shouted while holding the gnoll chief’s head up high.

The soldiers who could hear you raised their weapons high and shouted cheers in unison.

“DEATH TO GNOLLS!” You shouted again.

The troops cheered as they saw you raise the gnoll chief’s head high above your head.

“TOTAL GNOLL DEATH!” You shouted finally.

1/2

>>6243425

You took several deep breaths and dropped the gnoll chief’s head down on the ground. You looked once around and felt the strength to leave your body. Sticking the Cinder Sword on the mud, you managed to balance yourself on it and stay upright. The fighting had drawn most of the energy out of you and you took several deep breaths to keep yourself steady. As much as you had felt normal in the second half of the campaign, as much as you suspected the natural Fel and taking it in having given you strength, you now felt tired. As much as you wanted to push your dragonfire within you through your body to keep your strength up, you found your body protesting against it. The couple weeks of fighting had taken their toll and finally said no to you.


>Fall on the ground and lose your consciousness. You are way too tired to stay awake and need to rest right now. Your underlings will carry rest of the fight and day for you.
>Let yourself stumble and fall on the mud before being helped back up by the Royal Foot Guards. They still need you.
>You need to stay standing, you are their Lord Commander after all. Orders need to be given and so the rest can wait till later.
>Other, write in.

QM: Congratulations, the campaign is over and you got through it not wounded at all, maybe?

>>6243430
>>You need to stay standing, you are their Lord Commander after all. Orders need to be given and so the rest can wait till later.
TGD
TGD
TGD
TGD

Right now after looting, burning corpses and carrying our own we should rest at the main camp for a little. Its mostly a few orders to give, even if we are really tired right now.

Then we will have to finish looking east,and lastly look north. The campaign should be over, what gnolls remain in the ancient forest will be crushed by us with little effort. What a great victory !

>>6243430
>Let yourself stumble and fall on the mud before being helped back up by the Royal Foot Guards. They still need you.

Alric is quite spent. Let Cromwell take over hes probably still in good position

Enough energy so we can maybe have enough energy to have a scene with someone we want to talk with post battle? Or if Alric is too tired later will someone decide the campaign is over and start sending people down before we can organize the search of the east and north.

>No Battle Trance in the Big Battle
FelMalevus hoarding the juice, not that we needed it this time though if that Warlock's Crit of Death and Decay hadn't been interrupted by our good roll it probably would have been a different story. Alric suddenly has all white hair, or maybe a skunk tail of a little white. The almost black swordsman.

>>6243430
>You need to stay standing, you are their Lord Commander after all. Orders need to be given and so the rest can wait till later.

We can rest when we are dead.

No rest yet! Could I get some standard rolls for what comes next?


>1d10
>Best of three, taking the second roll

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>6243931

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>6243931

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>6243931

>5
>5


As much as you wanted to rest, that would have to wait. There were more pressing matters at hand.

“Cromwell! Captain Cromwell!” You shouted at the direction where the Alteracis were.

Leaning on the cooling Cinder Sword, you looked around once more. The battle around you was dying, the knights went after the routed remnants of the gnolls. No real battlelines or troops in formations existed as order had broken down.

“Great victory my Prince!” Cromwell greeted you and lifted up his visor. You could see that he was very tired and covered in gnoll gore as well.

“Thank you Captain.” You replied. “Take control of the battlefield and get the troops back in order.”

“Of course, what will you do?” He asked you back.

“I will have a look around, there might be things that require my attention.” You told him and continued. “And find Beckston and have him organise the evacuation of the wounded with Langston and Durnholders.”

It was good that they were in reserve. In case of prolonged conflict or something else happening, having a bunch of fresh men available would be of tremendous help. Even if it was just to carry the wounded out. And as the sounds of fighting died down, they were replaced by the sounds of men moaning in pain or gnolls gurgling their last breaths. By the sound and look of it there were quite a lot of casualties on your side, but at least they were moaning, they weren’t dead.

Taking a couple deep breaths, you walked to your shield to pick it up and examine the gnoll chief. Your shield was now all muddy and dirty, but you didn’t let it bother you as you strapped it on your back. Looking at the chief, its headless body was where it had fallen and next to it was the warlock that you had killed. But when you looked around, the second warlock of which chest you had slashed was nowhere to be seen. Just a puddle of blood on the mud, but no trace of the gnoll.

“Light be damned.” You muttered to yourself. It might have escaped when it realised how hopeless the situation was for it.

1/2

>>6244501

You couldn’t do much about it, unless the knights manage to kill it with the rest of the routed gnolls. But if it manages to escape, catching it now would be quite difficult. It and whoever else that had managed to escape would have to be chased down in the future or just left alone. Whatever small bands that still exist can’t pose a credible threat to Durnholde anymore. It was still rather annoying and to make your annoyance worse, the rain returned as a slight drizzle started to fall on you.

It was a victory, but a costly victory. The full bill of casualties would be apparent to you in a couple of hours. But now you need to handle some tasks and allow your officers to do their own things.


Choose two:
>Check on Boyd and Williams. Boyd got hit by that nasty spell and Williams didn’t support you further. See them and how they are doing.
>You need to check on your own Alteracis, they expect to see their Prince walking amongst them and to hear the news of how big of a success this battle was.
>Major Reginald and the Regional Defenders to your right bore the results of heavy fighting. Talk with Reginald and organise the overall follow up to this battle and prepare defensive patrols just in case.
>Langston and the Durnholders stayed in reserve. Go see him and help organise the treatment and evacuation of the wounded soldiers.
>Go and check on yourself. Even if it was just a brief moment, getting caught by that spell by the warlock does worry you a lot.
>Other, write in.

QM: Only two because of time constraints, you can’t be everywhere at the same time.

>>6244502
>Check on Boyd and Williams. Boyd got hit by that nasty spell and Williams didn’t support you further. See them and how they are doing.
>You need to check on your own Alteracis, they expect to see their Prince walking amongst them and to hear the news of how big of a success this battle was.

Good morning

Seems like it should be about what Alric can delegate here, and what he can't.

Cromwell was gonna handle the post-battlefield, Beckston will get orders to go handle the wounded with Langston. Though I am tempted for the Langston one just thinking it might save a few more men.

Williams must be trying to keep Boyd stable I suppose. Alric's the only one who can really help Boyd if its pulling out Fel from his wound, at least until Raleigh and the Priests aren't swamped. Hes got some experience from pulling Fel out of that orc's arm and quietly dispersing it. He is their Prince too now, I imagine they would appreciate not feeling forgotten. Especially Willliams. I wonder if he felt forgotten or given up for dead while he was captured, it might mean a lot to them for Alric to check up on them.

Plus it will free up Williams as someone magic on top of hunting that gnoll warlock.

Then its a bit of a toss up for me. Maintaining the morale of our Alteracis could maybe be left to Cromwell and the officers, but Alric certainly does it best. Considering plans to keep them afield to search around it wouldn't hurt. On the other hand that was quite the spell

>>6244502
>>Check on Boyd and Williams. Boyd got hit by that nasty spell and Williams didn’t support you further. See them and how they are doing.
>>You need to check on your own Alteracis, they expect to see their Prince walking amongst them and to hear the news of how big of a success this battle was.
Sure this chekovs gnoll warlock will never come up again.

>>6244502
>>Check on Boyd and Williams. Boyd got hit by that nasty spell and Williams didn’t support you further. See them and how they are doing.
>>You need to check on your own Alteracis, they expect to see their Prince walking amongst them and to hear the news of how big of a success this battle was.

>>6244502
>>You need to check on your own Alteracis, they expect to see their Prince walking amongst them and to hear the news of how big of a success this battle was.
>Langston and the Durnholders stayed in reserve. Go see him and help organise the treatment and evacuation of the wounded soldiers.

Rolled 5, 6, 8 = 19 (3d10)

I would like to have a roll for Boyd please. I will roll myself as well, but that won't be the DC this time. I will write the update tomorrow when I actually have time again.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 12, Crit 24

Rolled 5, 8, 8 = 21 (3d10)

>>6245272
sounds easy enough

Rolled 8, 8, 7 = 23 (3d10)

>>6245272

>>6245283
>>6245272
God fuckin damn one off again I swear

Rolled 2, 2, 4 = 8 (3d10)

>>6245272

I dont suppose theres another question Medivh would want in exchange for a +1 lol

Hopefully all this work gives Bakhtet time to finish the blueprints.

I believe the Fel Pool was a bit west of here, I wonder if the warlock who made it has a hidden workshop in the dalaran trap zone, or around it in the areas we haven't scouted yet. But extra camps, the gnoll warlock, and whatever drove the gnolls south are also interesting.

Lots of potential talking to be done too before things end with some kind of post campaign award ceremony and celebration I hope. With Maxwell about what the matter of national security was regarding the bridge, and maybe about his thoughts on the troubles of Stromgarde, what does he think of his King wanting to take over Alterac. With Reginald on hoping the campaign reflects well on him so he can get that promotion if Garithos gets canned. Foecourt and his knights wanting to leave Durnholde for us.

The Syndicate Warlock who was spying here, and he had a bandana which to me says there are other agents here he was intending to talk to otherwise he wouldnt need it to show his allegiance. Blackmoore to figure out what it is he wants us to do at the SW meeting, since it seems like he considers joining the Darrowmere League as submitting to Alric's authority. It might be hard to change his mind but maybe Langston can show him some numbers to make it clear he would profit. Calling in that favor. Telling Langston that his rifles are well made fakes? Asking after his source so we can try to grab whoever is making them instead or turn them in for favor with the Alliance and Dwarves?

>23, Success!
>19


There were things for you to see and the first thing was your mage that had gotten hit by Fel magic during the fighting. You had defeated your foes, but hearing one of your men getting hit like that was something you didn’t want to happen in the first place. And Boyd was someone whom you had learned to like and trust. He knew about your magic after all with Williams.

Searching for them and finding them quickly, you approached them and found Raleigh the True already tending Boyd with Williams who looked distraught next to them.

“Williams, Raleigh.” You greeted them and kneeled next to still Boyd.

He didn’t look good, his arms were across his chest all stiff like he was ready to punch someone and his eyes were glassy and blank. His clothes where he had been hit were all burned and in rough shape, just like his right arm. The arm ruined by magical feedback was bleeding through the bandages.

“Prince Alric.” Raleigh greeted you with a nod while Williams gave a bit deeper one.

“How is he looking?” You asked them.

“I have seen this before, the warlock struck Boyd and drained his life away with the spell.” Raleigh told you and continued. “Unholy spell, work of a necromancer or a warlock.”

“Second War?” You asked.

“Yes, many of our knights fell to these spells during it.” Raleigh answered.

“Will he survive, that is the most important thing.” You asked him, now rather more serious.

“Yes, he will. Though it will take time and there might be long term effects.” Raleigh said to you and stood up. “I have done what I can for now, but what he needs now is rest and prayer. Holy Light will help him, if he were to accept it in his heart.”

“Prayer? I guess the Holy Light can push the Fel away.” You said to Raleigh.

“You would be right, I have instructed his mage partner to make sure he will get further help. If not from me then from Lady Malevus.” Raleigh told you.

“Of course, thank you Master Raleigh.” You said back to him and showed respect that you hadn’t really shown to him before.

Raleigh gave you a stiff bow and walked away to tend the other patients.

“Mr. Williams, you stayed with him since the moment he got hit by the spell?” You asked him and the bald man with a scarred head nodded to you.

“Did it appear to your mind that I could have needed your help, I fought against the chief and the other warlock all on my own?” You asked him and continued immediately. “Nevertheless, I managed to kill the chief and now I am here, but the second warlock is gone, disappeared, poof, away like a smoke cloud on a windy afternoon.”

Williams looked surprised and then rather sorry as his eyes averted yours.

“Doesn’t matter, what matters now is that you stay by your friend's side and make sure he will get healthy again.” You told him and leaned closer. “Because I need the two of you and I think I will need him to get better and stronger to avoid anything like this from happening again.”

1/3

>>6245862

Williams nodded back to you.

“When you reach the camp, tell Malevus to make Boyd her priority.” You said and Williams gave you a curious look. “Tell her that I said that, she will get it.”

Williams replied with a deeper nod.

“I will have to go see the others, take care of Boyd for me will you.” You said, it was more of an order than a request.

Williams nodded once more.

That was as much as you could do with him. Raleigh had helped Boyd to survive and rest was up to him. You were fairly positive that he would, but time would tell how fast it would happen.

…

Many of the Alteraci wounded were collected together. Archers, footmen, pikemen and even crossbowmen had been moved to the same place where they lay on the muddy forest floor waiting for proper care.

There were men with more serious wounds, broken arms and legs, cuts and lacerations, bite marks from desperate gnolls trying to chew through their flesh. Many would survive, but not so many would return back to the service. The priests in service of Regional Defenders could only do so much and Malevus with Madam Martin only so much more. You could really just hope that whatever help they would get would allow them to retire gracefully and live the rest of their lives without unnecessary pain or suffering.

The rain continued to wash over you, the drizzle had turned into proper droplets and it made all of you wet and miserable. Talking with each of the wounded men, you had taken off your helmet and spoke to them with gentle words of encouragement while kneeling in the same mud they were laying in. Those who needed bandages or care would receive it from you. For the men their Prince helping and tending for them seemed to bolster their spirits. And it didn’t seem to bother them that you had taken your helmet off at some point and kept tending them while looking at them with your Fel green eyes that a couple months back had made the men nervous.

You were their Prince, nothing would change that, not anymore.

…

The day turned into evening and the rain had continued to fall. Where the gnoll camp had been located, a series of tarps and tents had been set up to cover the wounded not yet evacuated away and for the officers requiring a slightly less damp place to meet in.

“A good victory Prince Alric.” Major Reginald said to you. “You have led us to quite a historic event.”

“Yes, I concur.” Langston replied. His men had been doing most of the work in carrying the wounded and helping them after the battle was over.

2/3

>>6245863

“Thank you, I appreciate what both of you have said.” You told them and ran your hands through your hair to keep it behind your head. You had taken your armour to not let the lightweight tire you down and stood in front of your officers in only your black arming jacket and trousers.

“So what’s next?” Lord Blackmoore asked. He was rather drunk, having found more wine and beer to drink, he had kept his drinking habits up during and after the battle, happily staying away from everything. Except trying to insert himself next to the officers to share some of their honour and glory with him.

“We have to get the wounded back to our base camp.” You told him and stared at him with your green eyes. “The men deserve it, they carried us all this far.”

The rain continued to drop on the tarp as a brazier burned some excess wood, bits and pieces of the gnoll weapon handles and such.

“We have organised it all, it will just take time.” Captain Maxwell said back. “Probably through the night.”

“That is better than I expected.” You said and sighed. “What about the gnolls?”

“The ones we took prisoners are still bound and watched.” Langston said to you. “They didn’t try much during the fighting.”

“Thank you, I didn’t even think of them, but those who managed to escape.” You said.

“We killed those who were around, but we didn’t try to follow them into the woods.” Sir Foecourt replied. The Durnholder knight seemed tired after a day of fighting. “The men and their horses are tired. Not many of us have the strength remaining.”

“Did you spot a gnoll wearing a hood and a cloak?” You asked him.

“No, should we have?”

“One of the warlocks serving the gnoll chief managed to escape. I cut its chest open, but that didn’t kill it.” You replied to him.

“Prince Alric, we counted the bodies before we started to burn them. Three hundred of them lay dead on the mud before we started clearing them out.” Cromwell told you.

Three hundred? How many gnolls would remain alive after all of this? You had exterminated their warband, their raiders, cleared their camp and defeated their mage and chieftain. Whatever remained couldn’t pose a serious threat against you.


>Ask about your own casualties. What is the butcher’s bill?
>What of the loot, has there been a count made of all the spoils?
>Order pursuit come next morning, no one will escape from you. The gnolls will be eliminated.
>Have the Expeditionary Force to retreat from the field come tomorrow. The men need rest and healing, that is your priority now with the gnolls defeated.
>Other, write in.

The 19 was a roll for Raleigh, he did well with his effort to help Boyd.

>>6245694

The pool of Fel is more or less west of you, though was as you burned it away in a rather grand pyre. Certain people would have been proud of that.

Now I need to just check how many bloody gnolls did you manage to kill in the end, quite many in any case. Quite a slaughter.

>>6245870
I think about 300~ combined from the Night Attack and Warcamp which was more of a shooting cleanup. Another 300~ from the Battle of the Clearing. Our little patrol ambush, and Radans Regret. Then the Camp, they broke after the charge but I think outnumbered us at around 400 mostly females and old gnolls? Then this battle they matched whatever our whole army numbers were after all the casualties, a litte extra. Maybe 4-500.

Langston and Forecourt had a battle with the raiders, as did Reginald, while we approached the clearing. So that should add some.

One Gnoll Mage. One Gnoll Warlock. One juiced up Gnoll Chief.

On the low end maybe 1400~ on the higher end maybe like 1700 if Langston and Reginald at least matched their own losses to enemies killed?

>>6245864
>Ask about your own casualties. What is the butcher’s bill?
>What of the loot, has there been a count made of all the spoils?

Maybe figure these out before deciding to look deeper or pull out.

>Other, write in.
Something north of here forced the gnolls to migrate south. We should at least scout it out before we leave. Maybe send some dudes up the big hills. That seems reasonable.

A few hundred short of 2000 gnolls decided to leave their territory. I dont imagine gnolls would migrate unless they were considerably outnumbered.

Bit of a question is what if it's Orcs part of Thralls moves to free his people, whatever was in the secret message we didnt read. What's best for Alric's Alterac. Though it could be trolls or Syndicate or something.

If Thrall blows up Durnholde we can move in and claim it. If everyone finds a big force here Blackmoore might be convinced to join the League for defense, and other neighbors soon after. Maybe some big moves open up.

Just something to consider.

>>6245902

What do you think the secret message was? What would be so important that Hellscream would send a messenger to Thrall?

>>6245911
A private joke between bros that couldn't wait, or maybe a love poem.

>>6245911
"I won't be the only one hellscreaming after tonight"

From Alric's point of view it could be a few things. What does one warlord send to another warlord, though we already know Thrall plans to break his people out of Durnholde that doesn't necessarily mean he has the support of someone like Hellscream.

It must be fairly important to risk a valuable skilled veteran like Asu, even more valuable for not suffering from their race's sluggish malady. Someone who also knows well enough not to get himself killed before he can deliver the message. Asu knew Thralls name, an orc who until recently lived in Durnholde, so the Clans have obviously been communicating which is important. We just don't know their current relationship. Someone like Asu could have made for a very skilled assassin, but he seemed satisfied the message got where its supposed to. Orcs are also very hardy. If they had waited for Fall or Winter I bet there would be almost 0 chance Asu gets spotted by any farmers or what have you, maybe mistaken for a wayward hunter with snowshoes. There was perhaps some urgency in the message needing to get there as soon as possible.

War plans
What was the season when we caught him in Strahnbrad? Spring? Early Summer? Maybe a bit late to try and coordinate anything big this year since by the time Thrall prepares it might already be Fall in Alterac and good raiding seasons presumably past. Maybe plans for next year or after.

Or its interclan diplomacy.
They send a response to some message of Thralls. An alliance, marriage arrangements if not for Chiefs maybe for a number of warriors of both clans. Where to have a ceremony that requires them to meet and travel through dangerous lands. Setting up a face to face. A warning if they have some big threat or problem on their end. If their peoples sickness suddenly got worse maybe they would want the help of a Shaman like Thrall. Or another Death Knight appears lol.

Thrall has to somehow reach Durnholde with a considerable number of troops to have any real hope of breaking them out. That would require moving through either human lands, ours or Syndicate held Strahnbrad, or perhaps moving around and into land near or controlled by Hellscream's clan. Or secured by them if Alric considers they were already working together.

Thrall knows his actions could start a Third War, hes communicating with another Clan. If Hellscream disagreed he could have either ignored Thrall and not sent a message, or tried to have him killed before he makes a mess for the sake of a bunch of useless soul sick orcs. If Thrall asked for help and Hellscream agreed, they prepare for war. Even if Thrall only warned Hellscream what he planned, and Hellscream sent his reply, it would be wise to prepare for war because the humans would react in this region.

>>6245864
>Ask about your own casualties. What is the butcher’s bill?
>What of the loot, has there been a count made of all the spoils?
lets hear the losses and what we gained, then we either move or return to camp for rest. Whatever the outcome, i still want to finish looking around east and then north before we say the campaign is done. Even with a smaller and faster force.

>>6245902
an interesting idea
>If Thrall blows up Durnholde we can move in and claim it.
Thing is, like we told Thrall is that we are coming to the defense of Durnholde if he attacks and that we will fight him. The Durnholders are our allies, we aren't letting him blow a thing there if we can have a say in it. In regard to claiming it, i am not so sure even with us having a claim. It would be a bold move, and the Durnholders do love us be noble, peasant or soldier. It does remain Alliance ground though.

>>6245911
It must be for coordinating their armies Thrall needs to time is attack on Durnholde well. Maybe they will take advantage of us having slaughtered the gnolls tribe here in the Ancient Forest. Though they will be guarded, Alric managed a lot. And Dawnholme remains near Durnholde.

Speaking of the Ancient Forest, kind of thinking of talking with Blackmoore about dividing it between the two of us.

>>6245864
I want all of these to be honest. Get the info, cavalry does a tentative chase and everybody else rest and heal

>>6245864
>Ask about your own casualties. What is the butcher’s bill?
>Order pursuit come next morning, no one will escape from you. The gnolls will be eliminated.

>>6246211
Fighting orcs if as I suspect they outnumbered the gnolls enough to get them to migrate I think we might be limited to skirmishes and targets. Enough to help the Durnholders evacuate. Holding the Bridge on the Darrowmere, keeping raiding parties at bay, trying to save the nobles and peasants to bring them to Dawnholme. A daring mission to save Gravis's secret child and possibly his wife if that gets arranged. Enough fighting to get to a negotiating table perhaps.

Between us and the RD we'd bring about 5-600 troops, if at full strength when the orcs attack. If they attacked while still trying to recoup losses that would be extra rough. Then I wonder if the RD might get downsized losing whatever support that Garithos might have had, difficulties in recruiting from the locals, wanting to save money to lower the high taxes, justifying that if there was a threat that everyone in the region can come together. Have to see if any of that does come to pass.


Its a bold move even with a Claim. I figure if we can get as many of the Durnholde people evacuated to Dawnholme as possible we can show them the Deed, have their support. If theres any surviving leadership like Langston or Blackmoore. Do we rush it and try to rebuild and install a local noble who wants to be Alric's vassal? Even then the ball would be in the Alliance court on what they do with the claim.

I do prefer the Darrowmere League path but it requires convincing Blackmoore. Maybe finding a big force up here will help convince him, and then once we have Blackmoore and Durnholde I think the rest of the neighbors should fall in line. If we can arrange that before we even show up to the SW King meeting that would be strong.

Apologies, work and IRL stuff keeps swamping me. I have the update halfway done and I will try to finish it tomorrow. Sorry for the poor pace of updates.

Good thinking though on the future, I enjoyed reading them.

>>6246865
np

>>6246865
No worries champ

>>6246211
>Speaking of the Ancient Forest, kind of thinking of talking with Blackmoore about dividing it between the two of us.
Well it is a lot of lumber and hunting. Leatherworking and herb gathering. But more land to patrol, though with Shoredon there it wouldn't be too bad I think. It would give us more control over this stretch of the Darrowmere river, and where the gnolls had their warcamp to guard the pass from whatever they were worried about in the deeper Hinterlands. Maybe get to see the Aerie Peak and bring Malevus.

If an enemy does come through the pass with the gnolls gone then its our land to defend, and our citizens to protect. If Thrall does have something organized between him and Hellscream will it include using this area in some way. How well can we defend it and how useful is it to have. Or maybe we just grab it, wait and see.

>>6246865
Ya know Medivh I think we might have a slight miscalculation in the supply income somewhere unless I'm forgetting something.

I think we spend 24 Supply for the soldiers. 4 for the Specialists. 3 for the buildings that require Supply. For a total of -31.

But from adding up the Supply incomes I believe we are making 32 Supply Gross. 33 if the Garside Homestead plus Noble Manor is 3 and not 2 supply income. So only 1 or 2 positive supply income diff not huge.

Unless between the Dungeon, Warehouse, Alliance Garrison, and Prisoner Camp there was a negative to our supply income, or some forgotten troop arrangement.

I can post my accounting if you like

"Sir Foecourt, I want your cavalry ready for tomorrow morning. There are stragglers that I might want to deal with, at least their wounded." You said and continued. "The gnolls should be tired as well so following them shouldn't be that hard."

"Could be done, but…" Sir Foecourt replied hesitantly.

"Just keep the men ready, tomorrow will decide it for us." You said and nodded up towards the tarp that kept the rain away.

The rain might wash the tracks and muffle the sounds. Slippery forest floor could end up being treacherous for the horses and their riders.

"If the gnolls go north, they will return where they came and face whatever pushed them out of the mountains. If they flee east, that could prove troublesome with the Internment Camps nearby. But I have a feeling that they won't try to attack any humans right now, survival is their utmost priority." You mused.

"Why do you think so?" Langston asked.

"I mean they are wounded animals, but they are not cornered. They have had the chance to escape many times and we have given it to them." You said and shrugged. "What about the loot, did we find anything useful?"

"Swords, blades, bits of armour we could reuse or make into something else." Langston replied. "The men have been cutting and stripping anything useful off them before throwing them into the pyre."

The smell of burning flesh and fur was everywhere, but at least the rain seemed to somewhat tamper it.

"Enough has been collected that we need to return here with ox carts." Langston said to everyone.

"We will have it divided at Durnholde, right?" Reginald asked you.

"Yes, everyone will have their fair share." You told them. Some soldiers might not be as driven by duty as the rest, for them the loot will be what they are after.

"And finally… the hard part. How many men did we lose?" You asked the men who suddenly got rather quiet. It hadn't been an easy victory.

No one said a word immediately, until Sir Gravis spoke.

"They can't be that high?" He said to everyone.

"They are." Langston replied. "We counted them as we started moving them off the field."

"Marshall Redpath is dead, he didn't survive the axe blow to his head even with the priests present." Maxwell told you and continued. "The men from Southshore bore the heaviest casualties on our flank. Thirty men in total."

"We were lucky if you can call it that." Beckston started to speak, you already had a good idea on your own numbers. "Many of our men are just wounded, but twenty five men need help and many of them won't return to service. If not for the Dark Iron… both the dwarf and the armours, it could have gone way more worse."

"Thank you Lieutenant." You replied. "Major?"

1/3

>>6247613

"As Regional Defenders, we were formed post-Second War to act as the first force to deal with local intruders, beasts or bandits. To buy time and inflict casualties before the actual Army of Lordaeron is gathered or Silver Hand arrives to deal with the threat." Reginald started to speak. "Our reputation has been that we are second-line troops with questionable morale and training, but let it be known that after this campaign we are just as good as the rest of them are and we are willing to fight."

Reginald seemed to be not exactly shaken, but clearly the fighting had been heavy on the right flank.

"I lost half of my footmen of which half are dead." He said and continued. "The ballistae proved near useless in this battle and it took awfully long time for the cavalry to come to our aid."

"We got beaten as well Major, the gnolls just wouldn't let us ride through them." Sir Foecourt defended himself.

"The fighting was heavy and the gnolls pressed us hard while we were tired. All of us fought really hard." You said to them to defuse the situation a bit. "Sir Foecourt?"

"Five knights, five sergeants and a dozen more unhorsed. They will get replaced in a couple of days." Foecourt told you his losses.

Doing some quick math in your head, you tried to come with a number of total casualties. Durnholders lost seventy out of two hundred ten, every third man wounded or dead. Regional Defenders in total took hundred and five out of three hundred and thirty, again nearly every third man. For your Alteracis it was seventy-five out of hundred sixty.

Nearly every second man. Maybe it was just a blessing from the Holy Light, but most of them were just wounded and not dead.

Cavalry had gotten through the campaign with relatively light casualties and of the men you care about, only one of your knights was concussed and should hopefully make a recovery.

But for the rest the casualties had been high, very high in some cases.

"Two hundred seventy casualties give or take a few out of nearly eighty hundred of ours." You said to them. "For one thousand and four hundred? I need to check my own reports later, but that is a conservative estimate of the gnoll casualties."

"One to five is a good ratio." Cromwell replied.

"They are dead! That is a splendid number!" Blackmoore bellowed and slapped Langston on his back nearly sending the man stumbling.

"Those are the numbers, I will have the precise lists done after we get back to Durnholde." You told them.

"But only after we have a grand feast to celebrate this victory. Langston, make sure to organise it and invite everyone." Blackmoore told him. He didn't seem to care about the casualties much at all.

"Of course." Langston replied.

"But that is all, if there isn't anything else to say then we all know our duties to follow." You said to the officers.

"No, nothing comes to my mind." Maxwell said.

2/3

>>6247615

"You did well Prince Alric, you led us well." Reginald told you and got a chorus of agreeing nods.

"We shall celebrate the Prince as well!" Blackmoore laughed.

"Hold your horses, first we need to get out of this blasted forest." You told them. "I have had enough of mud and big bloody trees for a while."

The officers laughed.

"The meeting is over, get the men to rest and finish our tasks." You said and clapped your hands once.


Columns:
1st Column (Durnholde, Langston)
70/110 Footmen, 60/80 Archer, 10/20 Bandit Rogues
2nd Column (Regional Defenders, Maxwell)
90/120 Footmen, 40/50 Archers, 4 Ballistae

3rd Column (Alterac, Alric)
45/80 Foot and Pike, 20/35 Archers, 5/20 Crossbows, 10/25 Bandit Rogues
4th Column (Regional Defenders, Reginald)
40/100 Footmen, 45/50 Archers,

5th Column (Cavalry, Foecourt)
38/44 Knights, 20/30 Mounted Sergeants

…

Under the tarp it was moderately dry and with the meeting done, you had found time to check your eyes and hair with a small mirror of yours. And thank the Light everything seemed just like before, the feeling from the spell that had struck you had been just a fleeting feeling. What would Malevus or others have said if your hair had withered away?

Though you didn't have much time to think about that as when you had laid down, before you even put the mirror away you had fallen asleep. With the fire in the brazier crackling and the rain tapping the tarp, you fell into deep exhausted sleep. You had been dead tired, barely managing to stay up at the end of the meeting.

You weren't the only one. Men laid down where they could and sleep overtook them in an instant. If someone was to attack you now they would have a simple victory at their hands. But your enemies were dead or taken prisoners, you wouldn't need to worry about them right now.

Now you would just sleep.

…

"Good morning Prince Alric." Sir Foecourt greeted you.

"Morning…" You were still rather groggy as you ate simple porridge.

It had rained through the night and everything was wet. Thoroughly soaked. The men wore cloaks around themselves to keep at least some excess rain away, but when everything was already wet it didn't help them that much.

"We send the last casualties back to the base camp with Langston. Prisoners… the gnolls I mean are being moved towards Durnholde with Lord Blackmoore and Captain Maxwell. The Syndicate warlock is kept under watch and is with them." He reported.

"Thank you, and the rest?" You asked him.

"Thirty of my knights are ready, as are the Alteracis and Major Reginald's men." Sir Foecourt told you.

"Could you follow the gnolls?"

"We could, but it wouldn't be fast and the men are rather tired." Foecourt replied. "If I may, we should just retire and call the campaign here."

3/3

>>6247616

>Have the cavalry follow the gnolls to the north, see if you can catch them.
>Order the remaining men to return to the camp with the wounded. They might need help there.
>Withdraw back to Durnholde and send a message to the base camp to do the same. The campaign is over.
>Take the troops here and chase the gnolls. You won't let them escape, especially with that one warlock still around.
>Other, write in.

If other than the last option chosen, where will Alric go?
>write in

QM: That took way long for me to write. I dislike it greatly to miss days. The casualties are updated and when we get back home we will go them through unit by unit basis.

>>6247261

The Supplies should be up to date, you are currently at 4 Supplies and 0 per Season. I have tried to keep my spreadsheet accurate to avoid mistakes and so I believe those numbers are correct.

>>6247629
>Have the cavalry follow the gnolls to the north, see if you can catch them.
>Order the remaining men to return to the camp with the wounded. They might need help there.

>write in
Alric will join the Knights as Lord Commander.
Don't make the men do something that you won't. Hes the best chance of hunting down that Warlock anyways with his Fel sense. Plus Alric can get a look north himself.

RIP Redpath, I would have hired you if you survived but it wasn't meant to be. What a loss, he would have been handy to gain the trust of Southshore in the days to come. Also ouch nearly half our dudes wounded.

https://pastebin.com/1AUKptaz
Heres my count, I have the 15 man squads as eating 1.5 Supply though if they both eat 2 supply that might do it.

>>6247658

What you are missing are couple decisions along the way that cost or add Supplies, for example providing Supplies to Shoredon is -1 per Season. And I have rounded down the upkeep costs with units of 15 men so they just cost 1 Supply per Season.

So don't worry about the Supplies right now, they are accurate.

>>6247658
Ill support this. +1

Any chance to bring our mages with?

>>6247629
>>Have the cavalry follow the gnolls to the north, see if you can catch them.
>>Order the remaining men to return to the camp with the wounded. They might need help there.
>>write in
>Alric will join the Knights as Lord Commander.

Maybe we can see about having the Rovers brothers do some scouting ahead, plus bringing Luke and Williams. It would be a nice combo to have, for better tracking and for take out the warlock.

For now the campaign is not yet over. Soon though, after we are done looking at the north and east.

With that done we can call it a victory and go home, its the action that counts for me. So no one at all of our enemies can say the campaign didn't check all the land and done well.


>>6247658
He was a good man Redpath. Too bad honestly he looked like a solid soldier/officer, and didn't seem to hold a negative opinion of us. If nothing else we arent short in option for future mercs (stone masons mercs, far steel mercs etc...)

Also Bakhtet made a name for himself it seems.

>>6247658
>>6247629
support

>>6247946
Mmm I think Boyd needs his healing from Malevus. I had thought maybe Alric could try to pull any Fel out of him but Raleigh was there lol. Alric did tell Williams to stick with his friend and see he gets healed, but he was feeling a bit guilty.

>>6247939
Solid.

>>6247978
Rovers wouldn't be bad either aye. Yeah we've got plenty of mercs on hand to hire as well lol, both good deals.

"No, we have work to be done." You said to him and finished the porridge. "Get the knights ready and pack up enough food for a couple of days. We will chase the gnolls whatever be the weather."

"I was going to mention the weather." Foecourt replied to you and sighed.

"I know, but leaving that warlock out there worries me greatly. Besides, I want to see the mountains, I want to have an idea of what might have driven the gnolls away and towards us." You said and continued. "Tell the knights that our pace won't be a fast one and the reason I am joining you is that I wouldn't ask them what I wouldn't do myself."

"Of course, I will tell the knights." He said.

"Thank you, I will speak with rest and let them know my plans."

Sir Foecourt gave you a salute and left you alone to prepare. Couple more days, with no army to burden you and hoping the forest to grow more sparse closer to the mountains you get, this should get easier for you.

…

Cromwell and Reginald would finish clearing the gnoll camp and the battlefield. Burning everything that you won't be retrieving as loot and making sure that the corpse pyre keeps burning for a bit longer, you especially wanted the chief and the head burned. No traces of Fel should remain. Having finished their jobs, they would then march out to the base camp and from there back to Durnholde with all the wounded men and the baggage train.

For a moment you did think about asking the Rover Brothers to join you as scouts, but they and the archers were spent and had barely any arrows remaining. Besides they would have had to run ahead of the knights and that would have been too much to ask from them.

"You seem tired Prince Alric." Sir Gravis asked you.

"We all are." You replied and straightened your back a bit.

Riding a head of a column of knights, you kept your eyes open and tried to spot any signs of gnolls having run through the forest. Your plan was to zigzag a bit to cover more ground and hopefully that way spot something that could help you to track the gnolls.

"It has been a long campaign, I bet most of the men haven't been fighting this long before in their lives." Gravis continued. "Outside the Second War veterans I mean."

You raised your hand as a signal to stop as you spotted something and dismounted Epona.

"What did you see?" Gravis asked as Foecourt joined him.

1/2

>>6248232

There was a bush with snapped branches. Taking a hold of one of them, you broke it off and inspected the half-washed away bloodstains on it before looking within the bush where it was drier. There you found what you were looking for.

"Blood on the leaves and footprints heading that way." You said to them and pointed approximately to the north. "The rain hasn't been able to wash the prints within the bushes away."

Getting back on your horse, you turned to speak to the knights.

"Keep your eyes open for blood, snapped twigs or branches, footprints in dry spots. The gnolls are afraid, they want away from us and they are going north. We will catch them and make sure in one blow that the gnolls will never threaten Durnholde again."

The knights now with a trail to follow seemed more enthusiastic and you got a couple ayes and nods back. Good, you had the knights with you. For a moment they seemed less than enthusiastic, but a promise of battle seems to work.

…

The day approached the evening as the rain continued. Sometimes it rained more and sometimes it seemed to clear up a bit and that was when you managed to make most progress.

More footprints, blood and snapped branches had been found. Couple pieces of armour too as if their owners had just ripped them off in a hurry. They looked like they were broken or damaged, probably thrown away because of that.

"Fresh blood." You said and smeared the droplet between your fingers. "They can't be that far away."

The track was clearer now, more footprints on the ground.

"It will get dark soon and I feel like the rain is getting heavier." Gravis said to you.

"I will have to agree with your knight, we are already half-deaf. The wind and the rain keep muffling the sounds." Foecourt said. "We could be riding into an ambush and we wouldn't notice it."

"I don't think they will ambush us, but you are right. The weather is not on our side." You replied.

"So what shall we do?" Gravis asked.


>Like said, all of you are tired. Make a camp nearby and continue the chase the next morning.
>Keep going for a moment longer, they might be closer than you think.
>Push into the night, the gnolls are just ahead of you and you have an opportunity to end this right now.
>Ride ahead alone and try to be nimble with your fresh horse. Try to feel for anything out of place around you.
>Other, write in

QM: Williams is with Boyd, so no mages either

>>6248234
>>Push into the night, the gnolls are just ahead of you and you have an opportunity to end this right now.

>>6248234
>>Keep going for a moment longer, they might be closer than you think.

Also rest in peace Redpath, you were a real one.

>>6248234
>>Push into the night, the gnolls are just ahead of you and you have an opportunity to end this right now.

"We will push into the night, it shouldn't be too dark before we catch the gnolls." You replied to Gravis and got back on your horse.

The rain clouds did a pretty good job at blocking the summer sky with the forest canopy and you hoped the forest would grow more sparse soon. You had already realised that you had been riding uphill recently. The forest should make way for the hills and mountains next.

"The blood is too fresh for them to not be too far away, let's go!" You near shouted to your officers.

…

The ride through the forest had picked up some speed as your wishes came true. The trees weren't as big as before and the canopy didn't cover you fully. Sure the terrain was more uneven than before, but when you didn't have the need to dodge every tree on your way the chase truly was on.

Though it did seem like the gnolls had picked up their pace as well based on their tracks. They weren't attempting to cover them anymore.

"Somethings ahead!" A knight leading the group shouted to you and averted everyone.

He was right, a dead gnoll lay beside a tree.

"Make sure it is dead." You ordered and the knight did as told as he moved closer and pushed the tip of his still intact lance into the gnoll's chest. There was no sound besides the crunch of broken bones and tearing fresh.

You dismounted and walked closer to investigate. The rain had washed the gnoll quite thoroughly and when you moved the gnoll it hadn't yet turned stiff. Couple wounds, cuts on arms and one on chest. The gnoll was probably too wounded to continue escaping and stopped to rest which was the final rest for it.

"They are not far. The body is still fresh." You said to everyone and that seemed to refresh the knights somewhat.

By your estimation it should get dark soon, but not too dark to hunt them down.

1/2

>>6248712

You were out of the forest and in the hills. Rocks and stones replaced the continuous forest by splitting the woods into smaller copses between the hilltops.

The gnolls were on full flight, they had probably realised that they were being followed and threw away any caution. Zig-zagging between the trees and rocks, you felt like you were getting closer and closer. Avoiding hurting your horses in the stony field you found yourself in, you pushed ahead as fast as you could.

A terrifying scream pierced through the sky without a warning. It came from somewhere ahead of you. As much as the rain muffled the sounds around you, it was followed by sounds of metal on metal.

The sounds of a battle.

"Do you hear the same as I do?" Foecourt asked you as the knights gathered closer to you.

"The gnolls are fighting, but what?" You mused aloud.

"Themselves?" Gravis asked and realised that you had drawn the Cinder Sword. "Orders?"

The dull grey blade sizzled as the rain hit the hot metal. The sounds of the battle were somewhere ahead of you, maybe two hills and forested valleys over. Should you interfere or wait till the sounds die down? Should you go ahead all alone and see what is going on?

Thunder joined the fighting and low rumble filled the dark sky. A storm was coming.


>Interfere immediately, charge ahead and join the battle.
>Ride forth to investigate what is going on, but avoid joining the fray.
>Stay here and wait till the sounds die down. You don't want to interrupt whatever is going on before moving there.
>Other, write in

>Ride there alone, they might not spot you if they are occupied by the fighting.
>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.
>Full force, all the thirty knights.

QM: Please vote both.

>>6248713
>>Ride forth to investigate what is going on, but avoid joining the fray.
>>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.

>>6248713
>Ride forth to investigate what is going on, but avoid joining the fray.
>Other, write in
If we're gonna investigate and be stealthy, dismount
>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.

'A terrifying scream pierced through the sky without a warning.'
A kind of hellish scream you might say?

>>6248713
>>Ride forth to investigate what is going on, but avoid joining the fray.
>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.

>>6248713
>Dismount and go forth to observe
>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.
Like anon said, riding horseback ain't conducive to stealth. Plus just three guys hide better than thirty.

>>6248713
>>Ride forth to investigate what is going on, but avoid joining the fray.
>Just take Gravis and Foecourt with you, the three of you should see what is going on.

>>6248826
Night, a big storm, and this battle with the gnolls hopefully makes for some pretty good cover so we can spot the action and get away. I suppose if we had waited we might have found just the aftermath to try and piece together.

If we get caught I wonder. If it is Hellscream here I think Alric might be a bit too tired for the high energy such a duel requires. He might have to TGD, but turn it up a notch to Laughing Alric if you catch my meaning. Though FelMalevus has a pretty good idea of when to turn on the juice if Alric is in mortal danger. Start pumping magic for one effect or another until the cavalry arrives. Fel powered Superheat.

Is Foecourt the kind of spy who would take the chance to expose his own position beside Alric and Gravis for the chance that Alric dies to orcs. Or if we sent him back for reinforcements would he delay getting back to the men. What faction does he belongs to leans into a lot of things. Who deserves his loyalty if we hope to flip him. I'd guess Alric's older brother faction. I wonder how we could actually flip his loyalty if so. He'd be devoted to the Perenolde line, but still to Aliden.

"Three of us will go. We will ride closer before dismounting." You said to Gravis and Foecourt.

"Closer? Just three of us?" Foecourt asked back.

"Thirty knights aren't exactly stealthy." You answered and continued. "Rest of you stay here, if we need help we will send a signal. Sir Gravis, do you still have a shot remaining?"

"I do." He replied.

"Good, that's the signal then." You replied. "Let's move."

Gravis nodded back a bit more enthusiastically than Foecourt did, but both of them followed you nonetheless.

Riding past some trees and rocks to get closer, the sounds of the battle started to quiet down and when you dismounted and left your horses by the trees with just a small rocky hilltop between you and the sounds, the first flash of lightning illuminated the rainy night sky and landscape.

"Follow me." You whispered to your compatriots and carefully started to creep closer to the hilltop and the rocks there.

If you could get there without being seen or heard, you could maybe avoid having to fight the remaining gnolls or you could surprise them and deal with them that way.


>3d10, Best of three
>DC 20, Crit 26

QM: Stealthy plate mail goes clank clank clank.

Rolled 1, 5, 7 = 13 (3d10)

>>6249020
Tsk they were the ones saying no one could hear anything with this wind and rain and a storm coming...

Rolled 4, 1, 5 = 10 (3d10)

>>6249020
Oh lads, alrics being silly again

>>6249039
Between a live battle between the gnolls and a mystery foe in the midst of strong winds, rains, and the coming of a great storm I would protest how even a plate's clanking could betray them. Yet if our rolls are like this I can only bow my head and plan for violence.

Rolled 8, 10, 4 = 22 (3d10)

>>6249020

>22, Success!


Realising the faint glow of the Cinder Sword could reveal your position, you quickly sheathed it and cursed yourself for having taken it out in the first place. The eagerness for a fight had gotten you for a moment.

With careful steps you avoided making much noise. Aurvan’kal that was unnaturally light for a plate mail seemed to help you step lightly and getting up the rocky hillside wasn't that difficult for you. But it was a bit of a struggle for Gravis and Foecourt whose plate mails weren't elven made. As quietly as they followed you, they made some noise as metal chafed against metal and for a moment you thought that you would be spotted, but thankfully that didn't happen. You weren't exactly the stealthiest, but the rain seemed to muffle the sounds and darkness cloaked you within it for you to actually pull this off.

As thunder crashed again and the lightning illuminated the hills, you crested the hill and stayed low with just your head barely above it. Taking off your helmet and letting the rain wet your black hair, you peered ahead and saw what you didn't want to see.

Ahead of you on the flat hilltop maybe two dozen orcs stood and fought the gnoll remnants. The dog creatures stood no chance as the orcs with their long blades and great axes cut them down one by one.

And one of the orcs, taller than the rest, severed a gnoll nearly in half with a large axe he carried. Then the orc let out a howl that went straight through you and made the fire within you be extinguished for a second.

"Hellscream…" Foecourt whispered and looked at you, you saw the fear in his eyes. "Let's get out of here."

The gnolls were dead or soon to be dead. The orcs that Foecourt now recognised as Warsong Clan and the tallest as their chieftain Grom Hellscream numbered as nearly as many as your knights. Even on horseback, the Warsong orcs wouldn't be an easy fight at all.

The tall orc looked at your direction for a moment and you didn't dare to move. Its long black hair cascaded down his shoulders and black chiselled jaw put emphasis on how he carried himself. But neither caught your eyes like the eyes the orc had. They burned deep red with fire that was fierce and determined.

Thunder crashed and the lightning illuminated the hills and the scene just as the orc looked elsewhere. He hadn't spotted you.

"Prince Alric, let's go…" Foecourt whispered.


1/1

>>6249078


>You followed the gnolls and saw them dead, you got what you wanted. Carefully back away and get out of here.
>Stay hidden and wait till the orcs leave. You want the confirmation that the gnoll warlock is amongst the dead.
>Stand up and reveal yourself. You want to know why a band of orcs have come down the mountains into human lands. Talking with them wouldn't hurt, you hoped.
>Order Gravis to shoot his rifle and call the reinforcements. Attacking the orcs and driving them back would be seen positively within The Alliance.
>Other, write in.

QM: Failure would have meant that they had thought that they had spotted something.

>>6249081
>>You followed the gnolls and saw them dead, you got what you wanted. Carefully back away and get out of here.

>>6249081
It would be really funny to step out and call him out. One of the greatest warriors of all time. It would then be even funnier if he didn't actually speak common. That said, could be an interesting conversation

Imagine if we had charged the knights into this

>>6249081
>You followed the gnolls and saw them dead, you got what you wanted. Carefully back away and get out of here.
Knew it. i was betting on either syndicate or warsong clan. Didnt expect grom though.

>>6249096
i was actually thinking about attacking after we understood we had combat ahead, but the idea of a quick check was never a bad idea.

>>6249081
>>Stay hidden and wait till the orcs leave. You want the confirmation that the gnoll warlock is amongst the dead.

I will write one more update today and I will start in maybe half an hour. At that point I will call the vote. So a bit more time.

>>6249190
Seems we are leaving. I would say Alric could try to sense for strong Fel, if the warlock had fought here he might have felt it. Unless he died to Grom just charging and cutting him in half lol.

I wonder if Southshore will hate Garithos for kicking out Redpath and his boys, which leads to their mercenary job and death.

How shall this domino fall. I'd like to think the victory, then finding Grom and the Warsong here would push Blackmoore into joining our little Darrowmere League. If not him then the other neighbors certainly. How much response can be expected from the Alliance whether they consider it a regional issue, or its proximity to the Camps.

On a personal note I wonder if this might stop Foecourt from pursuing his transfer to our court. If he ends or doesn't renew his 'contract' with Blackmoore right after finding Grom and the Warsong up here does that perhaps look bad for his and his knights honor. Though hes also a syndicate spy so he may have different priorities. I wonder how the Syndicate will react once they learn Blackmoore and the camps could get destroyed.

>>6249081
>Stay hidden and wait till the orcs leave. You want the confirmation that the gnoll warlock is amongst the dead.

You nodded once to him and turned back to staring at the orcs. You heard how Foecourt and Gravis started to back down the hillside as quietly as they could as you observed for a brief moment. The one who presumably was the Hellscream spoke in a deep voice, like giving orders and the rest of the band started collecting weapons and bits of armour.

They needed those arms and armour from the gnolls. They probably couldn't produce anything new, just repair and repurpose the old. Why would they need them, are the weapons even for them? More questions that you didn't have answers for.

Leaving the orcs back to their tasks, you followed the tracks down the hill and back to your horses. Mounting them in silence, just as carefully you backtracked until reaching the knights.

"Prince…" One of the knights started to say, but you hushed once to silence him.

"Orcs beyond the hills, the battlefield is not in our favour and we didn't come for them." You said quietly. "We will return from where we came from and make some distance. No blood will be spilled today."

The knights realised that you were serious about this and gave you nods in agreement. As they started to ride away, you gave one last look back as lightning lit the sky once more.

Hellscream, the orc Thrall had sought after and found. In other circumstances maybe you could have talked with him. But not now, now you are the Lord Commander of the Expeditionary Force and you have your duties and image to uphold. And that was to defeat the gnoll threat.

No one had said anything about the orcs.

…

It was past midnight when you had finally stopped. Having found a small spot where the forest was particularly thick, the knights had made a small camp there under the leaves. The thunder storm had passed and the rain had lessened enough for the trees to provide you a modicum of cover. You were soaked, but at least you didn't get rain on your face constantly.

"Prince Alric." Foecourt greeted you as he took a seat against a tree opposite of you.

"Sir Foecourt. You should get some rest." You said back and took a bite of the smoked ham you had.

"I am going to eat something first." He replied and took out some of his own rations.

Gravis was already asleep as were half of the knights. Couple of them were up keeping guard just in case. No fires had been made to not reveal your location, besides it was too wet for them out here.

"May I ask you something?" You said to him.

"Of course, what is it?" Foecourt asked.

"I have never asked for your first name?

"It is Aidan, but everyone calls me Foecourt." Aidan Foecourt replied. "More memorable name."

"Thank you." You said back and finished the ham. "I think I will close my eyes and sleep, I am dead tired."

"We all are." Foecourt replied.

You mumbled something incoherent as a reply and fell immediately asleep.

1/2

>>6249239

You are Lady Malevus Silverthread, a Paladin in training, ersatz surgeon and most importantly a girlfriend to your love Prince Alric Perenolde.

And you are dead tired.

Last night's storm had played havoc in the camp as tents had collapsed and tarps ripped apart. It was probably by a grace of the Holy Light that the medical tents were all still standing and their inhabitants were all safe and sound. Within the past couple days the intake of wounded men had nearly overwhelmed you and Madam Martin, and so the tents were overflowing with them. With very little sleep and overall rest, the days have been long for you. No time for baths or anything else fancy.

"... we will have these tents cleared up and the first wounded moved into the carts. I want the first group to move already today." Karramyn Langston said to you. He had arrived yesterday with dozens of wounded men and the dead. "Did you get that?"

"Of course, we will get to it." You replied and snapped back to reality. You really hadn't been listening to him.

"Good, I knew I could trust the squire of the Prince." Langston said to you and gave you a polite smile. "He knows how to pick those around him."

"He does, now if you excuse me…" You said.

"Don't let me keep you here." Langston replied as you were already walking away.

Later in the day Captain Cromwell and Major Reginald had also arrived and with them rest of the army, but your boyfriend wasn't amongst them. You had spoken with Cromwell and apparently Alric had gone after the last remaining gnolls with the knights. That didn't surprise you one bit, but it had made you very worried which unnerved you somewhat. What if something happens to him?

No, you can’t spend time thinking about him right now as much as you would have loved to daydream about him, there was work to be done. The camp and all the wounded depended on you.


Choose one:
>Sir Alan Radan had gotten badly wounded. Madam Martin had saved his arm, but he was now delirious from fever. Maybe a prayer could calm him?
>Jon Boyd the pyromancer had been struck by a wicked spell. You had blessed him and that had worked somewhat, but he needs more care.
>Karramyn Langston had asked you to get the patients ready for moving. Do as he told you as he is your superior right now.
>Other, write in.

QM: POV switch! Time only for one.

>>6249240
>Sir Alan Radan had gotten badly wounded. Madam Martin had saved his arm, but he was now delirious from fever. Maybe a prayer could calm him
Bit of a toss up Radans or Boyd

Thinking about it I guess we should have asked to borrow Tarren Mills priest for a couple weeks. Oh well, next time.

Radans having a rough time. I guess Boyd either still has some Fel in him or it's the damage done. Langston wants the first wave packed up.

How will Malevus handle dealing with Langston, and who might have a nice interaction. Depending on who she's tending she could get help from Madam Martin who saved Radans arm, or Radans men. Williams being protective of Boyd, and Alric did give an order that Boyd be prioritized. Both of those are kind of shielding herself with those around her or Alric's orders. If that's how she chooses to operate fine, otherwise I suppose stand up for herself knowing she's right.

Langston is being rather armchair general about this. Think like an Elf. A big storm just blew in. That means the ground around them is muddy as fuck, the trail back is probably covered in downed trees and big branches, 'but of course you know that and have men on it'. If another little squall follows it'll mean the first wave gets pelted by the storm, gets sick, and dies anyway. Unless heroic Langston can organize some wagon-covers in the mean time. Though if she just explodes at him and calls him out for being rude that's fine too. Maybe a duel.

>>6249240
>>Sir Alan Radan had gotten badly wounded. Madam Martin had saved his arm, but he was now delirious from fever. Maybe a prayer could calm him?
I choose Radan as Malevus has taught him about Light and Langston is acting like ass.

>>6249240
>>Sir Alan Radan had gotten badly wounded. Madam Martin had saved his arm, but he was now delirious from fever. Maybe a prayer could calm him?

Washing your face in a barrel of rainwater, you found it washing some of your exhaustion away. The cold water helped to clear your eyes and push dirt and sweat off, making you feel a bit better for a moment. Your wet hands ran through your hair and pulled them back behind your head where you tied them together with a piece of string.

Your robe had also seen better days, but getting it properly washed would have to wait as you walked into the medical tent to pick up your white apron. At least that had been washed and dried.

"Mr. Langston wants the first patients ready to be moved." You told one of the servants. "See to it please and… send just those who can really go."

"Of course Lady Malevus." The camp follower conscripted into as an orderly bowed to you. You hated to be called a Lady, it made you feel too important and old…

"I will go see the patients elsewhere." You continued and filled a satchel with fresh bandages and other useful things.

The walk through the camp didn't take long. Now with most of the soldiers here, the place was bustling with activity as tents were being fixed and soldiers were maintaining their arms and armour. The sounds of hammer on steel filled the air as passing Alteracis greeted you enthusiastically. That is where you were going, into the Alteraci camp. The decision had been made to move some of the wounded men back into their portion of the camp to give more space for the more urgent patients. The ones that had been moved were either walking wounded or those who were expected to die.

Radan was one of them and when you entered his tent, you found someone already being there.

"Lieutenant, I-I didn't expect anyone else to be here." You said to Richard Beckston who was sitting next to the bed where Radan were.

"My Lady." He greeted back. "We thought that someone should be with him. He is one of us after all."

"A kind gesture… can you?" You said back and gave him a gentle smile.

"Of course." The Kul Tiran stood up and gave you the seat.

You studied Radan as you took the seat. The shirtless man was breathing heavily and his chest heaved up and down. A wet rag covered his eyes and forehead to cool him down, the fever was burning him from inside. But the worst was his left arm, criss-crossing stitches went around the elbow and bicep, a pair of splints kept it still with leather bands restricting movement. His arm had been shattered and for a normal soldier that would have meant amputation. But as Radan was an officer and a knight, Madam Martin had tried to save it against her own instructions.

"Do you think he will make it?" Beckston asked you.

"If his mind is strong and he has faith. Then maybe yes." You said back to him and took the rag off Radan's head. "Can you?"

"Of course." Beckston replied and took it from you before refreshing it in a bucket of water and gave it back to you.

"His brow feels like it is burning." You said as you reapplied the wet rag.

1/2

>>6249684

"It would be a shame to see him die, Alan is a good man even though he is a…" Beckston said.

"Bandit?" You asked.

"Bandit." Beckston shrugged.

"You don't like bandits?" You asked and started swabbing the stitched wounds with wine and clean linen to keep them clean.

"Not really, no. There’s a difference between killing for coin and killing for coin while in service of some Lord or rich merchant." Beckston said to you. "Certain professionalism. One is clean work while the other is a dirty one."

"Are there bandits in Kul Tiras?" You asked him.

"No, just common robbers. Lord Proudmoore has been very thorough in dealing with any bandits or pirates." Beckston replied to you. "If he caught one, they were dropped into the sea with a stone tied around their ankles. Soon the rest of them learned to not ply their trade."

"I see." You said. Execution by drowning sounded like quite a horrible way to die.

You continued your work cleaning the wounds in silence as Beckston watched. After a while he spoke.

"I was supposed to ask you this before and sorry for wanting to prod your mind, but it is about the Prince." He asked carefully.

You looked up at him. The Kul Tiran looked serious, but had a careful tone in his voice.

"Is it about his eyes?" You asked and he nodded.

"The campaign has gotten the men to trust him again, they see him as their Prince, but I have served him longer than the most, longer than you. And I feel like something is off." Beckston said and continued. "And not in a needing the cane to walk around way, that's just a play to fool others. But as a person, he is hiding something and I don't know what."

"Why are you asking me?" You asked and were surprised about the subject.

"Because it bothers me and I should know as an officer if my Prince has something going on. And why you? You and Lady Foxton are the two closest to him, after the Incident you stayed by his bed and helped him to recover. If someone knew if something was off with him, that would be you." Beckston told you. "I know that I am asking a lot, but is everything alright with him? He sometimes acts strangely."

Oh you didn't expect Beckston to ask anything like that nor bring it up. You knew the soldiers had been iffy about Alric's eyes, but the morale now hasn't been any better. They would follow him to Blackrock Mountain if needed. So would telling Beckston anything in the first place a smart choice or should you obfuscate?

2/2

>>6249687


>Tell that Alric is hiding you and him being a couple. If he acts strangely, he is probably daydreaming about you.
>Alric is fine, if he wasn't would the men be so loyal to him now?
>The Incident and the poisoning keeps bothering Alric as well. That is why he is bit off from time to time.
>He actually knows magic and is keeping it a secret from everyone around him. That makes him behave strangely.
>There's actually a sliver of Fel still inside him after the Incident. You can feel it and keep a close eye on him as a servant of the Holy Light.
>Other, write in

QM: Choose a revealing option, obfuscating option or a fun one.

>>6249689
>>Tell that Alric is hiding you and him being a couple. If he acts strangely, he is probably daydreaming about you.

>>6249689
>>The Incident and the poisoning keeps bothering Alric as well. That is why he is bit off from time to time.

>>6249689
>Other, write in
Beckston is afraid that hes losing the sense of who Alric is as a person. That he is getting further away. Malevus is training to be able to understand people and the Holy light. She might be Queen one day. Reveal they are nearly plowing? Obfuscate? Resolve this man's fears, or change his perspective to one where he needs to be stronger and wiser. Or atleast strive for that, praise the Light.

'Alric likes your advice, your intuition, you both share a proactive view. Missing the Strahnbrad hills campaign, waiting for his strength to return, feeling the eyes of those around him. How would you or I feel? A consequence of that might be wanting to move faster, fight harder, and show only strength. '

'In service to the Holy Light as in service to our Prince. You are his arms, you are his legs, and you are also his wisdom to say its time to rest.'


I dont think anyone is going to make the argument to reveal magic, nor say that Alric has Fel inside him and we observe him in the name of the holy light. Nor try to just push aside his worries like Beckston is some overthinking grunt. For Malevus to have to LIE by calling it poisoning is something she should avoid. At that point its just the couple reveal, which is fine, but its not like Alric shouldn't have someone looking at him and thinking 'he seems weighed down and he might need a shoulder to lean on'. Or something like that if thats a bit much.