Hail and well met, fellow WoD'rs,
I described an exciting and strenuous afternoon earlier today in my missive titled "A Prophet Afternoon". I had just returned home and taken my boots off when I realized I still had two bulging grab bags full of loot. I sighed as I remembered there had been a couple magic items in my take when I was up at the Brigand's Fort. Hopefully one of them would be something good that I could sell because my younger brothers still needed a certain degree of high level training to properly do their jobs and earn their room and board. I might be eldest but I wasn't going to support them forever!
I pulled my boots back on and gestured to Darlin, my darling horse. She rolled her eyes at me and huffed. "Yes, I know you are tired and just want to eat some oats and nap, but we really need to unload this loot, my Darlin", I crooned. She glanced pointedly at my feet and I groaned at the thought of even walking across the road. "Now listen, Darlin, it's just a short trip across the road to the gate and Jhelom and I'll buy you a sweet when we get there, ok?" I wheedled. She nickered happily and turned about, sticking her large equine rear end in my face. I sighed and pulled myself up in the saddle.
We trotted across the road to the gate and thence to Jhelom. There I flirted with Babette as she picked out the "good stuff", as she called it. I winked at Charlotte and picked up my patient Darlin outside the door. We galloped to the bank to deposit the gold and picked up a sweet for Darlin to munch on when we got home. I had run out of recall scrolls and so decided to just do the Gate shuffle to get home. It is disorienting, especially to a battle fatigued mind, but it works quite well.
The first hop took us to Yew, naturally, and then we backed into the gate again and appeared on the mound of dirt surrounding the Skara Brae gate. The entire area filled with red names and our ears were filled with shouts, curses, and words of power! I didn't have a chance to think before Darlin ducked us back into the gate on her own initiative. We both were shivering with pain and shock as I fumbled for a healing potion. 3rd degree burns, lightning scorches, curses...oh my. We sat a bit and I thought. I didn't inform Darlin what I was thinking.
We took the Gate shuffle again and as we hit the Skara Brae gate again, I immediately kicked Darlin in the withers and we galloped madly through the crowd of shouting foes. There seemed to be more enemies than trees or bushes but we managed to make it to the edge of town. In fact, this is what I saw:
You see:
Bitalo the angry master assas: *Bitalo the angry master assassin springs from hiding!*
a Praetorian mage: In Jux Sanct
a Praetorian mage: In Jux Sanct
a Praetorian mage: Kal Vas Xen Flam
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
a Praetorian mage: In Jux Sanct
a Praetorian mage: In Jux Sanct
a Praetorian mage: Kal Vas Xen Flam
You see: Nelek the angry necromancer
You see: Brody the angry village marksman
You see: Floyd the angry townsperson
You see: Nelek the pirate brute
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
You see: Crandall the angry townsperson
You see: Earl the brigand
You see: a Praetorian mage
You see: Benedict the angry village archer
You see: a Praetorian sergeant
You see: Shea the angry townsperson
You see: a Praetorian captain
You see: a Praetorian
You see: Chapin the angry adept mage
You see: a Praetorian mage
You see: Chauncy the angry townsperson
You see: a Praetorian knight
You see: Ethan the angry townsperson
You see: Gustave the angry townsperson
You see: a Praetorian sergeant
You see: a Praetorian sergeant
You see: a Praetorian
You see: a Praetorian general
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
You see: a Praetorian captain
You see: a Praetorian archer
You see: a Praetorian knight
Kasen the angry assassin: *Kasen the angry assassin springs from hiding!*
Yarin the pirate: *Yarin the pirate springs from hiding!*
Harith the pirate: *Harith the pirate springs from hiding!*
You see: Bitalo the angry master assassin
Nelek the angry necromancer: In Jux Sanct
Chapin the angry adept mage: In Jux Sanct
You see: a fire elemental
a Praetorian mage: Kal Vas Xen Ylem
You see: Salim the adept mage
You see: an earth elemental
Dewey the pirate captain: *Dewey the pirate captain springs from hiding!*
Chuck the adept mage: In Jux Sanct
Critical hit!
You see: Chuck the adept mage
You see: a Praetorian general
You see: Blaine the brigand necromancer
You see: Dewey the pirate captain
You see: Lamar the angry townsperson
Leighton the pirate marksman: *Leighton the pirate marksman springs from hiding!*
You see: Earl the brigand
Nelek the angry necromancer: In Por Ylem
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
You see: Amiel the master mage
You see: Damion the pirate brute
You see: Leighton the pirate marksman
You see: Mander the rogue knight
You see: Nevin the brigand brigadier
a Purple Potion: 2
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
You see: Kasch the rogue knight
You see: Atman the mercenary
Rutherford the pirate brute: *Rutherford the pirate brute springs from hiding!*
Your magic reflect spell saved you!
You see: a Praetorian general
You see: Ansley the angry townsperson
You see: Thaman the brigand necromancer
You have entered the protection of the town guards.
You see: a Praetorian knight
You see: a Praetorian
Marshal the brigand marksman: *Marshal the brigand marksman springs from hiding!*
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
You see: a Praetorian captain
You see: Rutherford the pirate brute
You see: Ciro the pirate mage
You see: Marshal the brigand marksman
Bakari the brigand archer: *Bakari the brigand archer springs from hiding!*
a Praetorian mage: In Vas Mani
You see: Salim the adept mage
You see: Bakari the brigand archer
You see: Steven the brigand
Leron the mercenary: *Leron the mercenary springs from hiding!*
Woody the pirate captain: *Woody the pirate captain springs from hiding!*
You see: a Praetorian
You see: a Praetorian knight
You see: Howrence the adept mage
You see: Leron the mercenary
You see: Woody the pirate captain
Hilton the pirate marksman: *Hilton the pirate marksman springs from hiding!*
You see: Hilton the pirate marksman
You see: Maxwell
Chuck the adept mage: Des Sanct
You feel yourself resisting magical energy!
Your strength has changed by -5. It is now 124.
Your dexterity has changed by -5. It is now 105.
Your intelligence has changed by -5. It is now 68.
Blaine the brigand necromance: Por Corp Wis
You begin applying a bandage...
You see: Darrel
You see: Serafina
You see: Bolton the adept mage
You see: a Praetorian captain
You see: Leron the mercenary
You must wait to use your healing arts again!
You have healed 37 hit points.
You see: a Praetorian general
You see: Mander the rogue knight
I apologize but that will give you an idea of what I had to thread my way through to get to town. It was SCARY!!!!
We stood gasping by the temporary shelter of a store. I gulped another heal potion and I msg'd Nox Starfire. "Say Nox,Wassup?" I inquired casually. He informed me he was bashing vampires in Vesper. I mentioned the horde of angry soldiers and such around the moongate. "They are Praetorian's, Nox, I am sure of it." I said. Nox replied cheerfully "cool get in the green gate".
A glowing green gate appeared before me. Odd, Nox couldn't cast Druid spells. I stepped through and found not only Nox Starfire but the valorius Thane StormRider and the glorious Israfel the Great, his beloved dragon. We decided the bank would be the best bet for a sortie. We gated to the Skara Brae bank and immediately saw the area outside swarming with more Praetorian's. I paused for a moment to check my pants...err, I mean to check my regeant supply and msg'd other adventurers throughout the land.
I charged out of the bank, swinging my mace and bellowing a battle cry as I heard Nox mutter behind me "Where are you going?" Immediately, I was engaged in furious battle, swinging and parrying and healing and gulping potions at an alarming rate. Nox msg'd me and asked casually, "So, where are you?".
I yelled out "Umm, I'm outside killing bad guys. I'm doing well. I'm completely surrounded.....help?"
I heard a muttered remark about too eager newbie warriors and he and Thane charged out of the bank, Israfel roaring!
Soon, we had cleared a small space by the bank and caught our breath. Israefel looked about proudly, licking his lips and chirped "That was over too fast. Lets go find another." I stared at him in disbelief but Thane just chuckled. Suddenly, Kronos Leir and his dragon Muktar the Great, as well as the lovely and deadly Sachiko, showed up on the scene.
I wont' try to give a blow by blow description of the battle but it raged over the whole of Skara Brae. There were probably others that joined the fight at times but I was too busy trying to stay alive to really take notice. My head was spinning half the time from the nonstop battle, dodging offensive spells and gulping potions.
At one point, we were back at the bank area and I heard a terrifying Maxwell's death cry is heard throughout the land! I wondered who this poor guy was and what sorts of massive invasions were taking place o'er this shadowed land. Then, I heard an the sound of a resurrection spell and lo and behold, there was Maxwell himself, standing in a white robe in the midst of dozens of fallen foe. He shook his head, as in disbelief at the absolute carnage about him.
Nox noted his low health levels and compassionately cast a spell. The coins in the bank rattled fiercely, my teeth vibrated, the earth shook and Nox said,
"Oops, wrong spell."
Maxwell's death cry is heard throughout the land!
We waited breathlessly for Maxwell to show his ghostly body so we could resurrect him again, and to provide Nox an opportunity to apologize, of course.
But, he never appeared again. The best we can assume is that he decided it was way too unhealthy in Skara Brae with hundreds of bloodthirsty Praetorian's...and Nox Starfire. *grin*
Now, I won't even begin to describe the valorious acts I witnessed. The unselfish charges into foes to take the heat off another adventurer. The constant healing Nox and others granted those of us who got ourselves enmeshed in more Praetorian's than you could shake a stick at. We had cleared most of the town and then found one corner still seething with masses of enraged Praetorian's. I galloped up as Nox stood alone amid a group of them and he quickly snapped, "Back off, earthquake time again." Either I was too slow or not far enough away because the ground shook, my teeth shattered, Darlin made a big mess in the street.
I couldn't help it, I broke into song
"I feel the earth, move, under my feet, I feel the sky come tumblin' down, tumblin' dooowwwnnnnnn, I feel my heart start to trembling, Whenever you're around..."
Nox glared at me and muttered something about plagues while Sachiko giggled.
Kronos finally had to leave us but the four of us continued the battle. Kronos had saved me personally innumerable times and just his and his dragon's support were invaluable to the mission. After another timeless interval of unending battle, the isle of Skara Brae was cleared. Nox, Sachiko, Thane and I toured the other moongates and routed out a few angry clusters of Praetorian's and Brigand's but we finally returned to Skara Brae and gathered in the bank.
Now, I know I am leaving out others who fought valiant battles here but I just didn't see you, so please forgive me. I also do not know what happened elsewhere upon the Land. It would be good to hear what other attacks were met and foiled.
We divided up the spoils of the hours of battle, leaving an equal portion for Kronos and smiled at one another. We had a dire struggle but the isle of Skara Brae was free of all the Prophet's cohorts. Yes, Cathavene had been attacked near the Magincia moongate earlier and had found a note saying, "The Prophet wishes it known that he has struck a new alliance. We shall soon have new brothers alongside us in our struggle. Rejoice for the end is in our grasp! To the cause! "
This is indeed dire news if the ones we fought this evening are his "new brothers". It seems obvious they are for many were wearing sashes proclaiming a Brotherhood. The Praetorian's are numerous, well trained and vicious. If the Prophet has somehow convinced them to fight for his cause, then it will be dangerous to even gather flowers in the land.