To Aubastia

After the Legion defeated Kraxius, Elias received word from the capital.

His orders read "War has begun. Advance into enemy territory and secure the town of Aubastia."

Aubastia, more commonly known as Bastion, once was an important stronghold of the Empire. One of the Legions garrisoned this town on the borderlands. Its troops kept watch for the enemy, until the day the hordes overran it.

Now the legions would return, with the Chimera Legion in the lead.

"Pass the word," Elias called to Basilius, his second-in-command, "we march in the morn."

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A week later, Sage, Rowan, and Daniel found themselves on patrol. They were ordered to advance on Bastion and scout for the enemy.

They passed through a dead land. The grass lies brown. Twisted and stunted trees thrust from the dust. Not a bird, not a creature stirs. Death surrounds them.

As our heroes approach the town, the gate creaks open. A sole figure walks out.

"Fools! Begone. Return to your camp and enjoy the last few hours of your life. For your end is nigh!"

Rather than turn and run, our heroes attack.

They swarm the death knight, but their blows glance harmlessly off its armor. It strikes, drawing blood from the heroes.

Then one of the heroes stabs. The point finds a gap in the creature's armor. It plunges deep into the knight. It falls to its knees. Its head droops forward. Is it dead?

But no, the death knight lifts its head.

"Fools! We the servants of the Dark Magi do not die!"

It rises to its feet and attacks. Its blade strikes Rowan. She collapses, badly wounded.

Sage grabs her and and begins to drag her to safety. The death knight pursues.

"Daniel!" Sage cries out. "Cover us!"

Daniel intercepts the death knight. They begin to spar, allowing Sage to pull Rowan out of the fight. But now Daniel is hard pressed. Blows rain upon him and his blood flows. He knows he cannot last much longer so he retreats from the fray. The death knight does not pursue, but its mocking laughter follows after them.

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Game Notes

Saturday was our scheduled lore day. Alas, we did not have the numbers to pull it off so I simplified the scenario. We were running a mutual annihilation with the death knight (me) against the rest of the players. I had heavy armor and some spells to even the odds.

I lost one life but I don't recall who killed me. Then rain interrupted the game. 

We had a Halloween lunch (ghoul-ash) before resuming. By this time Sage and Rowan had to leave. Daniel and I then sparred a bit. 

I declared the scenario a draw and fictionalized the results as an inconclusive skirmish with the death knight. We'll try for a full-fledged battle next time.

Confronting Kraxius

"You have a choice, Elias...and days to make it.  How many die due to your hubris? How many lives wasted in folly and arrogance?"

The necromancer grins derisively and continues to speak.

"My ghuuls will dispatch your weakling Legion. To the man, to the bone..."

The necromancer again chortles before dipping his gloved fingers into the waters of the mirror.

"FIGHT & DIE...I will see you all to the grave. Submit and be spared! We will let you die and remain thus. Fight the will of Erlich, god of death, and we will raise you.

 You'll serve the master's will and slaughter your brethren in his name!"

The necromancer laughs in contempt once more.

"I AM Kraxius the Corpsebinder, the left hand of damnation and YOU WILL SERVE...or YOU WILL DIE to serve again, paladin."

Elias woke with a start. It was just a dream. He was still in his cot at the Legion's camp in the Crescent. Still, a foreboding of danger filled him.

Elias got up and rushed out of the tent, calling for his adjutant.

"Organize a scouting party. I have a bad feeling."

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Soon a scouting party headed toward the caves a few miles from the Legion camp. Sage was the senior member while the rest were new recruits like Olveblod and Raf. They arrived at the caves and the stench of death welcomed them.

They peered in and saw a lone figure cloaked in black surrounded by corpses.

Kraxius laughed and bid them welcome. “Come, legionnaires. Join my army of the dead!”

Kraxius raised his staff and spoke an incantation. The corpses began to rise! They grabbed rusted weapons lying upon the ground and advanced on the party. Soon the cave echoed to the ringing of blade upon blade. But the ghuuls, the reanimated corpses, pressed upon the legionnaires, driving them back. The party took a stand in the cave mouth, which funneled the ghuuls into a killing zone. Soon, none of the creatures moved.

Again, Kraxius laughed. “Do you think you can win that easily?” He raised his staff and the ghuuls rose again.

“We must kill the necromancer to stop the ghuuls!” one of the scouts shouted. They began hacking their way through the ghuuls toward Kraxius.

One of the legionnaires reached Kraxius. He sliced at the necromancer, who muttered an incantation. The legionnaire’s blade passed harmlessly through thin air. He could see Kraxius’s shadow, but the necromancer was gone.

Kraxius’s laughter echoed through the cave. Suddenly, he appeared on the other side of the cavern. Again, he raised his staff and the ghuul rose. They attacked anew, and the Legion began to suffer casualties.

A tall Rhuunish mercenary named Olveblod positioned himself near a pile of the ghuuls. Whenever Kraxius re-animated them, Olveblod cut them down again. Meanwhile, his fellow legionnaires carved a path through ghuuls toward Kraxius. Olveblod took advantage and charged the necromancer. He struck. The blade sliced into Kraxius’s flesh, and he collapsed to the ground.

With the fall of the necromancer who controlled them, the ghuuls slumped to the ground, their moldering corpses still once again.

After verifying that the enemy forces were all dead, the scouting party left the cave and headed back to camp. They did not hear the echoing laughter that filled the cave.

“Fools,” the voice said. “They think this minor skirmish is a major victory. This is just the beginning. The have no idea what horrors face them!”

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OOC Notes

Above is an account of our very first lore battle in the Olden Wyrld setting. We fought it on September 10.

The initial part of the narrative came from Robb's preliminary post on our Facebook page. It set the stage for the battle.

Sage, Brett, and Raf played the legionnaires, Elias and Daniel were ghuuls, and Robb was Kraxius.

Essentially, the scenario was mutual annihilation, except that ghuuls had infinite lives but needed Kraxius to raise them back up. Kraxius had several powers. I won't reveal them here because the Legion may face other necromancers in the future.

Thanks to all the participants. It was a very enjoyable game. I'm looking forward to more. Stay tuned!