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Following is a long, disjointed description of the invasions of Yew, Minoc and Britain. There were other battles this day as well when the Prophet flexed his muscles and drove his allies and troops to suicidal frenzy.

I had spent a long, lazy day doing chores about the house, currying my Darlin horse, reading books and just taking it pretty easy for a change. Wydyn had been out all day making sandcastles and playing in the mud, at least that's what I called it. The other two brothers were off somewhere so I just kicked back finally and decided to catch a few rays again. The last time I had tried to relax in the sun, I had been interrupted by and Ogre Lord and a Praetorian invasion. This time, nothing was going to bother me. I put a pitcher of ice water on the small table by the ladder leading down into the shop and stretched out luxuriously in the beaming sun, prudently away from the beehives.

I heard the front door slam open and closed, then stumbling footsteps up the ladder. SPLASH! Wydyn ran into the pitcher of ice water, spraying it all over my nicely heated body. "AGH! You blithering idiot! You sand pounder! You mud slinger! You log jammer" I yelled as I bounced up. The bees buzzed ominously as cold water splashed off their hives. Wydnyn's eyes and mine grew large and we quickly scampered down the ladder to the relative safety of enclosed house.

I opened my mouth to deliver some more carefully worded scathing comments when Wydyn burst out, "It's an invasion in Yew! What do we do??!!", flinging his arms out and nearly braining me with his clay encrusted shovel. I shoved him into a chair and groaned. I just wanted to relax, catch some sun, ease my abused muscles a bit....but, WoD was in danger!

As I quickly pulled on my armor, Wydyn said hesitantly, "So big brother, you can take care of this, right? I really need to dig more clay for Shao so he can make..." "You stay RIGHT here and guard the house!", I growled as I pointed one plate armored finger at him. He gulped and grinned and sat back down in the chair. I ran down the ladder to get Darlin. She rolled her eyes as she saw me in armor but didn't complain too much as I vaulted onto her back. Quickly starting a small campfire, I started casting the small cantrips that were so effective in sustaining my life and improving my battle abilities.

"I think you are addicted to those regeants!", Wydyn offered, hanging his head and peering at me. He coughed as smoke of the fire roiled up at him. "I can quit anytime!" I responded as I nudged Darlin into a fast trot.

We didn't break speed as we went through the moongate into Jhelom, then pivoted and went back through to come out west of Yew. We galloped towards Empath Abbey. I could just imagine the slaughter among the peace loving, and ineffectual, brothers who lived there. But, there was no one there. No bodies, no one lurking, no Praetorian sneakies at all. Hmmm, maybe the actual town of Yew.

I galloped down there and saw Chelsea Duklain putting the finishing, fatal touches on a Praetorian mage. We said hi and trotted into the rustic Yew town. I saw Nox Starfire, Thane Stormrider, Zero Hu-Long, Edison and Kronos Leir polishing off a few Praetorians. I noticed some movement must northwest of Upton's building and went to investigate. Well, it wasn't very exciting, just a few rats. There was an ancient sewer rat, a deadly sewer rat, and ethereal sewer rat, a giant rat and a plain ole sewer rat. Oh rats, I was hoping for a Praetorian or two. I chose the deadly sewer rat as the most probable danger of giving me a little bitie and I leaned over and swung my mace at him.

Suddenly, magic attacks began to slam into me and the ancient rat leaped up and sank his vile teeth -through- my plate armor and into my chest. I reeled back, knocking the rat loose and swung my mace again, gulping a healing potion and applying another bandage. More magical blasts hit me as all the rats leaped on me and ... Bayn's death cry is heard throughout the land!

Oh man, this was embarrassing. Killed by rats? I was really going to catch some ribbing from everyone, I just knew it. The rats leaped upon my sweet Darlin and ripped her to shreds as I ran ghostily towards the others in the center of town. Thane Stormrider's death cry is heard throughout the land! Chelsea Duklain's death cry is heard throughout the land!
Wow, what was going on? I arrived in my immaterial form and watched Thane yoink himself as the last baddies fell. Then more attacked and the battle swirled past me, bodies thrusting, dust twirling up into the air. Finally, the dust settled and Nox resurrected me. Suddenly, more foes rushed in and everyone closed ranks and attacked. I quietly slipped around the corner of the building in my deathrobe and tiptoed northwest, where my body lay next to my trusted steed, Darlin.

Hmm, no rats in the immediate vicinity, that was a good thing! I ran up and began recovering my possessions. I had to dart off once when a deadly sewer rat headed my way but he changed his mind and went back and I crept up to recover everything. Well, most everything. My shield and helm were missing but everythign else seemed to be there. Poor Darlin, lying in a pool of blood with flies already beginning to buzz around her. I felt my eyes fill and then blinked them back. This was not the time for grief. I felt so very vulnerable running back to town on foot. I felt I was moving so slowly.

In the center of town, everything was quiet for the moment. Pyros and Jacky, two dragons, were refusing to obey but dragons do that sometimes. Everyone was huffing and buffing so I joined in and replenished my magical reserves. I admitted somewhat shamefully that rats had killed me and heard a smirk from someone but Edison said, "We've got to recover your armor. Where are those rats?" I led them up to my body where Nox ressed my lovely Darlin horse. I made a mental note to always carry a wand of life with me from now on. I remarked that my body looked so peaceful and careful, and good looking, lying there and Thane said, "Arr, we should take that head." Chelsea laughed then frowned at Thane who whistled innocently and looked about for more foes. And foes there were!

The rats leaped out and battle swirled. It was a vicious dusty battle in Yew but they were defeated time after blistering time. "Tough rats", the one time smirker commented in awe. I just grinned grimly and we rode slowly about town, clearing out nests of Praetorian's and gangs of vicious rats. Spirit wolves tore into the vermin with a ferocity unmatched by mortal beasts and dragons roared and flamed. Adonis Agave joined the battle at some point and fought fiercely, teeth bared as he cast corruscating bolts of lightning into battle. Belle Remings also came out of somewhere and charged into the fray with equal magical destruction. Katrina Delsbar was there as well. So many people, so many enemies, I wished I had some sort of automatic journal to record this all in but I was too busy swinging my mace!

Praetorian Lords, Sergents, Generals, Knight and foot soldiers attacked and died. There were pauses in this dusty, confused battle where everyone panted for breath and Belle would meditate on the great beyond, as did the other mages and druids. Me, I just slumped over Darlin's neck and thought about sunning myself on the roof.

Finally, it was over. Someone mentioned that we should go to Occlo or Minoc next but Nox and I made a sweep past Benson's to make sure he was ok first. Nox cocked his head as if listening to something and said "Thane is in Vesper. We must go there." A gate was formed and we charged through.

Most of the action was done when we got there but there were even more people here! The two misbehaving dragons, Jacky and Pyros, were behaving quite well now and Zero's Slayer was there as well. I dimly remembered Slayer in the Yew battle but didn't know who he had paired with. Raspberry the Great was there as well, he was in Yew also, maybe Belle's? There was so much going on it was hard to keep track of it all. Here we also joined up with Bronwyn and Jocilyn as well as Erundul Faelfain.

We all talked a bit and decided to head north to Minoc. It was a short ride to the sleepy mining town and soon we moved carefully in. Annita BloodOak and Jaden were there, Jaden composing poems to the departed. Praetorian guards yelled, "Beware, intruders!" and attacked. Now that was the final straw. This was OUR town and they dared call US intruders? The battle commenced... Erundul Faelfain's death cry is heard throughout the land! and we rushed to protect his body from the Praetorian's. A Praetorian General looked up as we descended upon him, his eyes widened to the size of saucers and in the end "Aw, look at the poor little Praetorian general, all smashed to bits... Ha-ha!", Burat the Great chuckled. There were evil, powerful rats here as well but plenty of powerful, insane Praetorian's. It was a chancy and desperate battle.

There were even more adventurers here. Kale Greeneye and Crozius Eisengrim was there, battered but valiant. Dahlia Xaranthe was there with Adonis. I couldn't believe my eyes, she was so young, much too young to be out adventuring with this level of danger. But, she wove eldritch magics to combat the foe along with us. Adonis stuck by her side, defending her with an unmatched fury. Orion Michaels reported that the mines were clear. Burat the Great belched and then blushed, remarking "The best way to a Praetorian sergeant's heart is to gnaw his breastplate open!" Lyllwen Green and her lethal Gragus the Green reaped a bloody harvest in the Praetorian ranks. Time vanished as the battle raged and then returned slowly with a surreal feeling.

We looked about, awed and shaken. Minoc was cleared and quiet. Messy, but quiet. We all took a breather and then headed to Occlo, another city supposedly under attack. We found it quiet, probably cleared already. More than one person breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Everyone returned to Britain to relax and split up the loot. It was confusing there, with so many people and at least seven or eight dragons. Others were there who had not been in the battles I had been in, had been battling elsewhere and we all came together in a victorious group.

As the splitting was going on, I took a quick patrol around Britain. It was quiet...too quiet. Normally you see a llama or horse or two, along with singing birds but nothing was there. Even the shopkeepers had barred their doors. Well, I didn't blame them, this was one dangerous afternoon. I returned to the bank and talked a bit with Kronos Leir. Suddenly, Brax's death cry sounded and he msg'd me saying, "..gasp..at the Ethereal..."

Crozius Eisengrim and I sped down past the mage shop to the east and then downwards toward the inn. More death cries rang out and I wondered what could possibly be happening. We had cleared the cities! As we rounded the corner, a veritable FLOOD of snarling, filthy rats poured towards us. I saw:

You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Fire Rat
You see: a fire elemental
You see: Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Ancient Sewer Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Giant Sewer Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Deadly Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Deadly Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Fire Rat
You see: Giant Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Fire Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Ancient Sewer Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Giant Sewer Rat
You see: Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Sewer Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Fire Rat
You see: Giant Rat
You see: Magic Rat
You see: Magic Rat

They poured up the narrow cobblestones by the inn in a snarling mass of verminish fury. We hesitated, we gulped, glanced at each other and then spun around and galloped back towards the bank to get help. Immediately, already exhausted warriors, druids, and mages streamed towards the new invasion, fatigue evident in so many faces. Bronwyn and I buffed again quickly, glancing worriedly at one another as death cries began to ring out through the air.

Ancient sewer rats and fire rats, breathed withering fire into our ranks. Vicious green poison rats and deadly rats leaped in hordes upon us. We were separated and fell one by one. More death cries rang out and then...then we joined instinctively together, healing and fighting and defending and attacking, one united group of Defenders of the World of Dreams, defending the city of Britain from this vile horde of vermin. We beat them back and vanquished them one by one. Kahji and Scott and Jasper were there, fighting with unrelenting ferocity against the invading hordes of unclean, diseased and evil vermin. The air stank with burnt hair and unlean rodents. The fell handed Homer Oldham stalked the streets, death gleaming in his eyes. Morigon and his Great chewed rats into shreds.

More and more of the enemy fell, but slowly. When our departed allies rejoined us, the tide turned and the rats turned belly up and their twisted spirits wailed shrilly as they descended into oblivion. Although the rats were horrific opponents, the Prophet had also brought the most powerful and deadly foe, Demon Lag. The Demon Lag took many of our lives as we felt our bodies seize up in cramps, unable to move as the stained toothed rats tore at our flesh. Finally though, the streets were clear of living foes.

Warily, we looked about at the smouldering ruins, the heaped bodies of friend and foe. The stench of death was bitter and sharp in the air. Pyros rolled his swirling eyes about, flexed his tail and glanced at Thane "I better get extra dessert tonight for that." Bobby Bugfixer peered out from under his table, his eyes wide at the carnage and then resumed his post. Brax started hiccuping and smilingly remarked, "Ya' All Deserve a Drunk!"

Again, we all went back to the bank. The rats had been overwhelming. The Praetorian's were expected, we knew how to deal with them. The rats were an unpleasant surprise of the Prophet for a note had been found telling us to expect vermin. Unpleasant might be too light a word. They had slain innumerable people and although we had vanquished them in the end, it had taken an incredible battle. I hope I have named everyone that was in the various battles but in the midst of battle rage, it is easy to miss someone, easy to overlook by accident.

The towns and cities of Britain are no longer safe. Anything can happen.

I'm starting to like this Prohpet guy.

-M

Bayn
Nicely written, the rats where something this side
of HELL. There bites and magic did fill the air
so much it was just an unreal feeling.
Things have opened up and are being pushed we
all may have to take a good look at this.
Maybe we need to find where they are coming from
or who is leading them.
Wonders if any sewers have been looked at lately.

Neassa Alaxion and I were looking for a place to put my new tower when we wandered along the miners camp and Mines of Minoc. We were assaulted by preats and rats. Whoever heard of a rat that can cast magic? We had all but cleared that side of Minoc when an Ancient sewer Rat came across the bridge and killed me. Neassa was able to shoo it away long enough for me to regroup. We lured it to the mines and assaulted it with a barage of arrows from me and magic from Neassa and were able to dispose of the vile creature.

What is this world coming to when a dang rat can kill a tank with the rat having the power and toughness of an ancient dragon?

When we met up with a group that had Bronwyn in it, that was coming from the other side of Minoc, we had to call it a day.


In all seriousness, that fight was really cool. I tip my hat to the seers and GM's for this. It was more fun than any Branubian fight was.

I have never heard of such creatures before, I assume they are new. Rats are nasty anyway but these were twisted and obscene. No, a rat should not contain the eldritch powers and viciousness that these did.

I do not know if going into the sewers would enlighten us to the source of these occurrences. If this is the Prophet then perhaps he possesses, or is possessed, by an artifact of darkest evil and power. Perhaps this Prophet is not a man or woman at all, but a being from another plane of existence that hates our world and wishes to destroy it. Perhaps the sta-puft marshmallow man has decided to take up residence in WoD.

Just wild guesses, there are no real clues to what the source is, where to find it, how to stop it. All we find are little notes that alert us to what might happen next. All we can do is meet these invasions time after time.

There must be a reason that rats were involved. Something concrete. The old saying goes that rats desert a sinking ship, and any of us whose ships have been sunk by pirates can recall the all too common scene of rats swimming out of the holds to rest and gnaw on the festering bodies of our former fellow mariners. Maybe something in the shadow realm has displaced these eldritch evil vermin. This leads me to ask, "What is powerful enough or terrifying enough to make an army of ancient, nearly invulnerable, spell-casting rats change their addresses?" To tell the truth, I'm not sure I want to know the answer just yet.

Rats, even spell-casting Abyssal ones, are survivors. I can only hope we survive them as easily as they are surviving us.