Yale
08-20-2006, 08:35 PM
The valiant fighters of Serpent’s Hold had triumphed. Many could be considered veterans now, having shed much blood, sweat, and tears for two of Britannia’s noble cities now. New friendships and alliances flowered, misunderstandings and racial bigotry ignored, while other random acts of compassion and honor from citizen to citizen told a story of victory before the battles had even begun. Unfortunately, the war was perhaps just half over. Vesper now waited, and after that the jungle city of Papua.
Yale pondered as they waited and thought about one particular example of differences cast aside. An orc had joined the citizen army in Skara’s first dark days. The ranger had sniffed the orc out quickly and was alarmed of course, as his mother died fighting an army of them, Yale himself a veteran of dozens of orc attacks and more then a few major wars in the past. As the ranger studied this particular orc however, something was different of its posture and demeanor, as it appears to be friendly and non-threatening. Yale observed the orc at work for the first few battles, its deeds proving valor and honor time and time again. “So even an orc was here to drive the snakes back, indeed these must be dark times” the ranger noted to himself and chuckled. His guard began to drop around the orc and Yale started to develop a small amount of communication with it. He understood his name was Ug’Zyx from the grunts he could decipher; however Yale was not at all keen on spoken orcish. Between nods, hand gestures, and a few words sounding familiar here or there, an understanding had developed with the ranger and the orc Ug’Zyx. There was even a time or ten when they cross-mended each others wounds while fighting side by side in the days that followed. Yale smiled and then observed the ranger’s ship, Stinger, approach their position.
The tiller man of the Stinger swung his ship around and dropped its anchor, close to the main bank vaults of the Hold. Five freedom fighters emerged from the jungle’s thickness and boarded the vessel with purpose. A parade of skills and affiliations, they all had camaraderie for a common cause and fellowship brewed from this. Two Rangers of the Heart, Yale Mistraven and Faris Solic, first boarded the vessel and prepared it for deep sea sailing. The beautiful and dangerous Elisanda sprung across the boarding planks to join them, while a distinguished gentleman and war reporter, Lord Franklin, asked permission to board and follow us to the new front. With the four aboard, a lass with powerful magical energies known as Sage, jumped aboard just before the anchor was raised; the fighters finally taking in all they had experienced as the ship was skillfully moved from shore to open ocean.
The course was almost directly north, and the winds were very favorable. The tiller man kept the boat traveling swiftly, while the warriors unwound, talked, and laughed. Elisandra showed another striking side of herself, gracing the crew with unforgettable pirate song as they sailed smoothly into the evening. Work was to be done however. The freedom fighters of Serpent’s Hold had left under their many banners hastily, and intelligence was scarce. The Stinger’s compliment examined the charts and a beach assault was thought best, just south and west of Vesper’s southern bridges. When the time came to hit the beach, the Stinger combat-dropped it crew off without a hitch and sailed away from danger, her mission finished for now, her tiller man waiting offshore for prearranged signals, determining it’s next move.
The beach was undefended and the five quickly gathered, however they soon realized they were cutoff from the main fighting force, which had assembled on the north side of the city. A wild melee initiated and a rolling fight back to the main front was more or less accomplished, the chaos in war always showing its mysterious face. More familiar faces to the ranger were at the front, including a man named Aedon of Aegis, and an elf named Beleg of Silverwood; both of whom had auras of leadership emanating from them. Yale thought to himself that he would have no qualms following either of them for a goodly cause, after partaking in the fierce battles they had experienced together the days and nights before.
The fighting at Vesper was more of the same that was witnessed at Skara Brae and Serpent’s Hold. The snakes had what appeared to be even more forces at each stage of the counterattack, but the will and momentum of the resistance fighters was too much. These days, the heart beat sheer numbers. Vesper was soon liberated, and the fighters rested and prepared for the next stage of the counter-attack, the once lost jungle village of Papua.
When the time was right, the forces then entered Papua, many from a magical circle guarded to the north of Moonglow. The forces first broke out of a pinned down position within the Mage shop, and then circled around and slogged through the muck of the leech infested swamps surrounding the village, cornering and slaying many top commanders and echelons of the Ophidian forces, many of them proving to be fierce, cruel opponents. Nevertheless, the Ophidians were soon routed; status quo was once again established for the time being. Small pockets of the snakes still were being found at various locations, but the main force, the Ophidian army, was defeated and the resistance fighters had finally felt victory at their grasp. Vigilance would still need to be kept, and the ranger Yale noted to himself at least, that he would need to patrol some of these locations for the near future. Future battle plans had yet to be drawn, and how far would the counter-attack press?
One final thought crossed Yale’s mind as news of the major victory spread and jubilee ensured across the land. What was to become of these alliances and fellowship? Were they to continue on past this crisis? What would happen, Yale deliberated, if the ranger and Ug’Zyx the orc crossed paths again, the orc or perhaps it’s companions doing more typical dastardly orcish things….would he hesitate in dealing with it? He silently hoped he did not have to make that decision. Changing the subject within himself, the ranger decided to create some patrol routes through and around Silverwood and Aegis, adding them to his self-imposed guardianship the ranger provided. He also had to thank Elisandra again for her large donation of feathers, enabling the rangers to fill many a quiver. She had an establishment she mentioned….perhaps he could chop some firewood for her or cut down any nasty corpsers in the area; regardless he would have to make sure he patrolled there on occasion as well.
Fresh conflicts will arise again and forces will clash, it is in our nature. When that happens, the rangers come from out of the forests interior and make right the wrongs against nature and good. When it is over, many rangers melt back into the woods….few to be seen but they are ever vigilant and waiting quietly, silently, until the next time they are needed.
Viva la Resistance.
Yale pondered as they waited and thought about one particular example of differences cast aside. An orc had joined the citizen army in Skara’s first dark days. The ranger had sniffed the orc out quickly and was alarmed of course, as his mother died fighting an army of them, Yale himself a veteran of dozens of orc attacks and more then a few major wars in the past. As the ranger studied this particular orc however, something was different of its posture and demeanor, as it appears to be friendly and non-threatening. Yale observed the orc at work for the first few battles, its deeds proving valor and honor time and time again. “So even an orc was here to drive the snakes back, indeed these must be dark times” the ranger noted to himself and chuckled. His guard began to drop around the orc and Yale started to develop a small amount of communication with it. He understood his name was Ug’Zyx from the grunts he could decipher; however Yale was not at all keen on spoken orcish. Between nods, hand gestures, and a few words sounding familiar here or there, an understanding had developed with the ranger and the orc Ug’Zyx. There was even a time or ten when they cross-mended each others wounds while fighting side by side in the days that followed. Yale smiled and then observed the ranger’s ship, Stinger, approach their position.
The tiller man of the Stinger swung his ship around and dropped its anchor, close to the main bank vaults of the Hold. Five freedom fighters emerged from the jungle’s thickness and boarded the vessel with purpose. A parade of skills and affiliations, they all had camaraderie for a common cause and fellowship brewed from this. Two Rangers of the Heart, Yale Mistraven and Faris Solic, first boarded the vessel and prepared it for deep sea sailing. The beautiful and dangerous Elisanda sprung across the boarding planks to join them, while a distinguished gentleman and war reporter, Lord Franklin, asked permission to board and follow us to the new front. With the four aboard, a lass with powerful magical energies known as Sage, jumped aboard just before the anchor was raised; the fighters finally taking in all they had experienced as the ship was skillfully moved from shore to open ocean.
The course was almost directly north, and the winds were very favorable. The tiller man kept the boat traveling swiftly, while the warriors unwound, talked, and laughed. Elisandra showed another striking side of herself, gracing the crew with unforgettable pirate song as they sailed smoothly into the evening. Work was to be done however. The freedom fighters of Serpent’s Hold had left under their many banners hastily, and intelligence was scarce. The Stinger’s compliment examined the charts and a beach assault was thought best, just south and west of Vesper’s southern bridges. When the time came to hit the beach, the Stinger combat-dropped it crew off without a hitch and sailed away from danger, her mission finished for now, her tiller man waiting offshore for prearranged signals, determining it’s next move.
The beach was undefended and the five quickly gathered, however they soon realized they were cutoff from the main fighting force, which had assembled on the north side of the city. A wild melee initiated and a rolling fight back to the main front was more or less accomplished, the chaos in war always showing its mysterious face. More familiar faces to the ranger were at the front, including a man named Aedon of Aegis, and an elf named Beleg of Silverwood; both of whom had auras of leadership emanating from them. Yale thought to himself that he would have no qualms following either of them for a goodly cause, after partaking in the fierce battles they had experienced together the days and nights before.
The fighting at Vesper was more of the same that was witnessed at Skara Brae and Serpent’s Hold. The snakes had what appeared to be even more forces at each stage of the counterattack, but the will and momentum of the resistance fighters was too much. These days, the heart beat sheer numbers. Vesper was soon liberated, and the fighters rested and prepared for the next stage of the counter-attack, the once lost jungle village of Papua.
When the time was right, the forces then entered Papua, many from a magical circle guarded to the north of Moonglow. The forces first broke out of a pinned down position within the Mage shop, and then circled around and slogged through the muck of the leech infested swamps surrounding the village, cornering and slaying many top commanders and echelons of the Ophidian forces, many of them proving to be fierce, cruel opponents. Nevertheless, the Ophidians were soon routed; status quo was once again established for the time being. Small pockets of the snakes still were being found at various locations, but the main force, the Ophidian army, was defeated and the resistance fighters had finally felt victory at their grasp. Vigilance would still need to be kept, and the ranger Yale noted to himself at least, that he would need to patrol some of these locations for the near future. Future battle plans had yet to be drawn, and how far would the counter-attack press?
One final thought crossed Yale’s mind as news of the major victory spread and jubilee ensured across the land. What was to become of these alliances and fellowship? Were they to continue on past this crisis? What would happen, Yale deliberated, if the ranger and Ug’Zyx the orc crossed paths again, the orc or perhaps it’s companions doing more typical dastardly orcish things….would he hesitate in dealing with it? He silently hoped he did not have to make that decision. Changing the subject within himself, the ranger decided to create some patrol routes through and around Silverwood and Aegis, adding them to his self-imposed guardianship the ranger provided. He also had to thank Elisandra again for her large donation of feathers, enabling the rangers to fill many a quiver. She had an establishment she mentioned….perhaps he could chop some firewood for her or cut down any nasty corpsers in the area; regardless he would have to make sure he patrolled there on occasion as well.
Fresh conflicts will arise again and forces will clash, it is in our nature. When that happens, the rangers come from out of the forests interior and make right the wrongs against nature and good. When it is over, many rangers melt back into the woods….few to be seen but they are ever vigilant and waiting quietly, silently, until the next time they are needed.
Viva la Resistance.