Developments in Chevalia

From the diary of Elias Artocopus, commander of the Chimera Legion in exile

I have learned about recent developments in Chevalia from Brother Pitor.

• The kingdom heard of King Bertrand's death, but never received confirmation.
• Instead, the King suddenly appeared in Luminia, the capital city of Chevalia. However, his public appearance occurred at night. He was far from the crowd (speaking from a balcony of the palace), and he was masked.
• Sir Guy, our adversary from last year, was made regent. The King hasn't been seen since.
• There are rumors that the king did die, and that the the person who appeared is either an imposter or undead. Most people discount the undead rumor.
• Prince Omri, the heir to the throne, has disappeared.
• Duke Etienne, the king's brother, was assassinated by shadowy figures. His family likewise disappeared.
• Since then, one of Pitor's fellow priests discovered that the king is actually a lich. He shared that information but was arrested by Sir Guy. He has disappeared.
• The news reached Selina, daughter of the king's cousin. She is the closest living relative to Bertrand. Her council investigated the rumor and found it reliable.
• Selina then challenged Sir Guy's regency and claimed the throne herself. Guy accused her of treason. Both sides are arming for war.
• Pitor sent word to the Empire. He is not sure if the Emperor received it. He was shocked when I told him of the Emperor's murder.

It makes sense for us to ally with Selina and unite in effort to destroy the lich king.

Abomination in the Abbey

From the diary of Elias Artocopus, commander of the Chimera Legion (now in exile)

After being banished from the Empire, I invited my comrades in arms to follow me on my quest to destroy the lich king. I am pleased that many did.

We booked passage to the port city of Baronne in Chevalia. From there, we made our way to the abbey of St Swithins. At the abbey, we met a priest named Brother Pitor. We learned that he is on the same quest as us - destroy the lich king.

Quest for the Book
Pitor explained that he acts on behalf of Princess Selina, the surviving heir to the throne of Chevalia. She needs a book in the abbey to destroy the lich and claim the throne. We agreed to retrieve the book.

I sent in First Company, led by Jayden and Sprouts,.

They entered the church of the abbey. They were accosted by thralls of the lich king - once human, now undead minions. The Legion hacked their way through them to the altar.

That's when they came upon a demon. 

Bathed in fire, it wielded a flaming two-handed sword. It smashed shields and cut through armor.

While Jayden tied up the thralls, Sprouts ran past the demon. It slashed at her, but she avoided the blows. She reached the altar, grabbed the book, and ran for the exit.

The demon and some thralls gave chase. Weapons bit into her flesh. She went down.

But Jayden retrieved the book and escaped. The legion managed to pull out our wounded, including Sprouts. Our quest was a success!

Quest for the Crown

Brother Pitor was pleased! He then asked if we could complete another quest. Also in the church was a crown, an ancient crown of the kings of Chevalia. With it, Selina could further her claim to the throne.

This time, Second Company went in, with Lionhart and Gian leading.

Gian attacked first, diverting the attention of the enemy. Lionhart then used his stealth abilities to sneak past the enemy. He reached the crown, grabbed it, and ran off. The rest of the company covered him. He escaped with the crown.

Another success!

Aftermath

Pitor has asked us to deliver the crown and book to Princess Selina. She has taken residence at Castle Valcoeur. We have accepted.

Banished!

I, Comes Elias Artocopus, once commander of the Chimera Legion, have received a troubling missive from the Imperial Council.

By the order of the Council, the Legion has been disbanded and I have been banished from the Empire.

I fear for the future of my soldiers. They will have no future in the Empire. The reputation of our Legion will cling to them like the stench of death on a battlefield. The army will not accept them and they will not be able to find work. They will spend the rest of their days begging for scraps from passersby.

As for me, I see only one honorable course of action. I will hunt down the lich king and destroy him, or die in the attempt.

I invite all my comrades in arms to join me. Together we will restore our honor.

The Emperor is Dead!

This is the personal diary of Comes Elias Artocopus, commander of the Chimera Legion.

What we expected to be a cushy posting turned out anything but that!

The First Battle

We were in reserve while the Imperial Guard protected the Emperor. Suddenly, there was an alarm from the Emperor's quarters. We rushed to assist. First Century, led by Lionhart and Ryan were first on the scene.

They found the guards and the Emperor lying in pools of blood. A dagger protruded from the Emperor's back!

Suddenly, the Emperor arose. But he was not the Emperor; his face was skeletal! Lionhart and Ryan were frozen in place.

The thing that was the Emperor then taunted them, saying that it was King Bertrand of Chevalia, come to wreak vengeance on the Empire and the Legion. He then commanded the dead guards to rise and kill the legionaries!

Thus ensued a pitched battle. The guards kept swarming the century, who hacked them to bits. The Emperor-thing kept throwing spells at the legionaries. But Lionhart and Ryan finally broke through the guards, and struck down the Emperor-thing.

After the battle, we found a note on the Emperor's person. This is a copy.

This is the message that the Patriarch received from a Chevalian monk.

Ingkay Ertrandbay isay ayay ichlay. Ehay osespay ayay reatthay otay allay ivilizationcay. Ouyay ancay indfay ayay ueclay onay owhay otay efeatday imhay atay ethay abbeyay ofay Aintsay Ithwinsay inay outhernsay Evaliachay.

We were able to translate it. It reads:

King Bertrand is a lich. He poses a threat to all civilization. You can find a clue on how to defeat him at the abbey of Saint Sithwin (sp. should be Swithin) in southern Chevalia.

The Second Battle

The Second Century, led by Jayden and Sprouts, arrived in relief.

Suddenly, another group of undead guards, led by a death knight, burst in the Emperor's chambers. Again, there was another pitched battle. Undead swarmed the century, but they slashed the enemy to ribbons. Sprouts then broke through, hacking at the death knight. With a rattle, it collapsed.

Aftermath

We have returned to our barracks, bloody but victorious. I plan to nominate Ryan for the Order of the Eagle for his role in destroying the undead Emperor. I also commend Sprouts for destroying the death knight.

I have sent a messenger with news to the Imperial High Council. They will need to take control of the Empire until the Emperor's heir is crowned. I will also volunteer to lead an expedition to Chevalia to find and destroy the lich.

OOC GAME NOTES

• The scenarios were essentially one-sided Kill the King games. The Legion had to kill the Emperor and death knight. The bad guys won if the legionaries ran out of life.
• I gave the legionaries 3 lives. The undead guards had infinite lives.
•  The big bad guys had 1 life, with 6 hp. They probably should have had more hp.
• We had 5 players today - myself, Jayden, Sprouts, Lionhart, and Ryan.
• Ryan is new - welcome to the Legion!

Orders

Legionaries, we have our orders.

As a reward for our sterling service in the war against the Dark Alliance, we have been posted to the Imperial Palace to protect the Emperor. It should be a relatively safe and simple posting.

In service to the Empire,

Comes Elias Artocopus

The Final Battle

This is it, the final battle for the fate of the Empire. The Dark Alliance gathers their hordes and descends upon the Imperial capital. If they win, the Empire is doomed.

The Emperor has assigned us, the Chimera Legion, the honor of meeting the onslaught. Fortunately, we have gathered important resources from our earlier victories. 

• The villagers of Palmyra provided us bandages. 
• The dryads provided crucial intelligence on the enemy forces. 
• We previously reduced the enemy numbers by defeating the duergar.
• And our morale was high due to Howl's tournament victory.

I split the Legion into two wings. I led half that defended the northwestern approaches. The other half, under Jayden Rannal, protected the northeast.

The Northwestern Wing

My force included great warriors, like Bloodrose, Sprouts, Howl, Jesper, and Lionhart. We were ready for the enemy horde.

We saw them approaching us down the road from the west - a wave of red cap goblins and  Anubai, led by the dark elves. As they drew near, their archers let loose with a volley. Our shields protected us from the arrow storm.

Although numerous, they were scattered and ill-disciplined. I saw the opportunity to break them.

"Charge!" I commanded.

We rushed forward, smashing into the enemy. They buckled. The dark elves hit us with spells, breaking our shields and webbing us to a halt. Yet with heavy armor, I was able to push forward. Howl supported us with missiles while Lionhart and Jesper  flanked. The enemy could not resist us. They broke and fled back to their camp.

We pursued. The dark elves managed to rally their forces. I formed a shield wall with Bloodrose and Sprouts and we crashed into their line. The rest of our force rolled up their flanks. They could not withstand us; we swept them from the field.

The Northeastern Wing

This is a report from Jayden, who commanded this wing. This force also included Beans, Wren, Celer, Chris, and Louis.

While the Legion seized victory in the West, a battle raged in the East. The second section met the Dark Alliance forces in a clearing of the Eastern woods. The Dark Elf commander was strong in support magic. He strengthened his forces as well as himself before blades met. The Legion advanced cautiously, using offensive magic to wear down the massive shield the Dark Elf brought to the field, but it was not enough. The command was given for the Legion to charge the center and divide their forces. With the Dark commander separated from his forces, the legionaries slayed the red caps and Anubai. Their numbers thinned, the Legion encircled  the remaining forces. The field was theirs! The Dark Alliance retreated to their camp.

After using healing magic, the Legion pressed on. At the Dark Alliance camp, the Dark Elf commander recuperated himself and his forces and dug in for a defensive fight. The legion advanced. As the enemy came to meet them throwing twisted and blood stained blades and stone through the air, the Legion came back to back. Trying a new tactic, the Dark Elf commander tried to encircle the legionaries, but their numbers spread too thin, and the imperial warriors repelled and expanded, clamping the enemy in a crushing jaw of shaft and steel. At each turn the enemy took to face the legionaries, arrows would fly from their flank and strike true. The Legion's archer,  Beans, drew back her string and loosed each arrow with her honed skill. One by one they fell, each shot frustrating the enemy more. By the end, all the Legion stood, and none of the Alliance remained. The battle was over, the war won, and the Empire saved. Huzzah!

GAME NOTES

• In reality, the Empire outnumbered the enemy in the first part (NW) 6 players to 5. I describe the enemy as  hordes for dramatic purposes.
• The legionaries had their full array of hit points and special abilities. In addition, we got buffs based on previous victories during the war.
• 6 bandages capable of restoring limbs,  from saving the villagers
• Know what the enemy hit points are, from saving the Dryads
• 1 reduction of enemy respawn, from capturing the forts
• +1 HP from tournament victory
• The enemy included
• A dark elf leader had a full bag of spell balls plus 3 hp
• Red cap goblins with 1 hit point
• Anubai with 2 hit points
• One buff - the Amulet of Inara, which can restore a life by sacrificing a limb. The pirates captured this from Fort Rogers
• Basically, the scenario involved a series of mutual annihilation games for control of 3 checkpoints.
• The first battle was for the middle checkpoint.
• The winner then advanced to the enemy's camp.
• Victory in the enemy's camp secured victory in that wing.
• In both cases, the Legion was 2-0 on both wings, for a resounding victory.
• Thank you to all who participated this season. It was a blast.
• Special thanks to
• our departing comrades - Celer, Wren, Beans, and Louis
• our Battle Master for this season, Jayden, who crafted all these scenarios

The King Is Dead!

Our conflict with Sir Guy has escalated into a full-blown international conflict. Meanwhile, the Dark Alliance continues to grow in strength.

To alleviate the tensions, the King of Chevalia and the Emperor of Aurelia agreed to meet and discuss the situation. The King sailed to the Empire's western coast, across the gulf from Nevora. From there, he planned to proceed overland to the capital.

The Legion's Duty

The Chimera Legion was been tasked with protecting the king. One company would escort him from the coast to Fort Nero, an outpost in the center of the Aurelian peninsula. Then the second company would take over and escort him the rest of the way.

To Fort Nero

Per reports I received, this is what happened to First Company, under command of Celer.

First Company met the king at port. Then they began the arduous journey overland. Shortly after embarking, a gang of bandits, likely part of the Dark Alliance, attacked. They swarmed the company, trying to break through and reach the king.

Celer ordered the company to push forward, breaking through the pack of marauders.

The bandits pursued. The legionaries countered, hacking their way through. Despite the casualties, the bandits kept coming. And they slowly whittled the legion down.

Finally, an arrow struck the king, knocking him to the ground. A bandit broke through the lines, and hacked at the king with his glaive.

The remnants of the First Company managed to hold off the rest of the bandits. One of the maesters set off a flare calling for help. Shortly thereafter, they heard horns in the distance. Reinforcements from Fort Nero! The king was rescued.

To the Capital

This report comes from Jayden Rannal.

Second Company, under command of Lionhart, waited at the Fort for the arrival of the King, but grew nervous as the sun lowered in the sky with no sign of the King. Suddenly, a magic flare shot up to the clouds. Blue and red...the signal for help and that the King was wounded. Without delay, the legionaries departed from the fort toward the location of the flare. When they arrived, they found the first half of the legion fighting off bandits while the King leaned on a nearby tree. The Second Company took the King under its protection while First Company held off the bandits.

Immediately Second Company began to push forward to the fort. Unfortunately, some bandits found their way around the fort and met them before their swords could even be drawn. Though the legionaries tried their best to stay at the King's side, the bandits were clearly better trained than most. They broke the Legion's formation. The King attempted a rapid advance, but the bandits knew the lands and headed them off using a hidden pass.

Two bandits flanked the King. Two blows came at once and met flesh as the King fell to his knees. The legionaries managed to fight them off, but it was too late. Just two mere miles from the walls of the Capitol, the King drew his last breath. The King's last words left his lips like bits of his soul leaving our world, "Forgive me my Son. I failed. But at least now I come to meet you in death." 

Aftermath

The Legion brought his body to the palace and presented him to an enraged Emperor. But as they set him down, a note fell from his robes. 

It read thus:

What I do, I do as a father, not as a King. My family's honor demands blood for blood. As my Son's blood was spilled by the Empire, so shall the Emperor's blood be spilt by this cursed dagger. This be done by my hand, not the hand of Chevalia. And so too shall the dagger take my life, so let it be done and no further. 

Without a doubt, Chevalia will contest the letters authenticity, but it may be enough to prevent war. One thing is certain, we face the coming battle alone...

GAME NOTES

• Thanks to Jayden for the narrative of the second stage of the battle.
• This was an escort mission, which we broke into two stages.
• Stage 1
• I played the king. I was accompanied by Celer, Wren, Chris, Kisha, and Ky Lara.
• We were close to Fort Nero when I went down, due to Beans's archery and Louis's glaive.
• Stage 2
• The Legion had to rescue the king first. We explained this as reinforcements from Fort Nero.
• RJ was the king. Lionhart, Beans, Sprouts, Killjoy, Arya, and Louis joined him.
• The Legion failed both stages, which will hurt us in the final, climatic battle.