The Winter War: February 28

Day: February 28

Weather: 6 (Clear)

Initiative Order for the week: 

1. The Principality of Oraving
2. Beastman Hordes
3. Undead Legions
4. Men of Hambley
5. Wood Elves of Arbelladon

Troop Movements:

A trumpet blast rings from the walls of Hriving, the defenders declare parley with the commander of the Wolf Riders:

"Now it is known to all the world that the men of Hambley are the most servile creatures ever born. Not the most craven goblin, nay, nor even the most simpering kobold catamite has as his equal in lust for servitude the Hambley man. See how eager they are for chains, how wholly devoid of pride and dignity! Look across the field and see how readily they crouch and lick the claws that so recently brought them humiliation. Verily, they flaunt their bondage! Never was a neck more fit for orcish chains then a neck from Hambley!

"We ye may kill, perhaps, if your fortune in war be far greater than that of your captain whose sword the Overlord has taken. But your slaves we will never be. Nor will you return to the Ironburg with any treasures from this city scorched by the dragon, not even in victory.

"Think ye on this as the bovine folk of Hambley pass your host with polished chains."

The gnoll captain is a ragged and scarred looking thing, froth gathering at the corners of his wide black mouth.  He sniggers.  "You want us to leave, you'll need to make it worth our while.  A bit of treasure for the Lords Below.  Maybe some food for the boys. Something magical for me."

"How about one that covers all three? Tasted ye the milquebisquit, secret known only to the master of Hriving's baking guild? Light of weight, pleasing in flavor, and long in keeping, it is the king of travel rations. A patent alchemical ingredient scrubbeth thy fangs to a white so gleaming only the most noble-blooded can clearly discern." To prove this, the Lord castellan looks down from the battlement and smiles broadly. The well-dressed Burgher and Countess of the Walls wince and avert their eyes while the shabby and muddy vigiles on his left don't react at all.

The Gnolls agree to this, and the Gnoll commander is granted a supply of Milquebisquits along with a magical shield, in return for leaving the walls of Hriving.

Meanwhile, the Overlord Atheldard harangues his men on the walls of Oraving:

The overlord addresses his men: "What unsettles you, men of Oraving -- is it the ragged host arrayed before us? The bandit army from every villain people that rangeth the wide earth? Every storehouse of hell emptied of its fiends, every deception, every betrayal and abandonment by our allies. At long last, what has it brought them? To stand before our adamantine gates, staring up at our lofty battlements, as they always have. Once already have they dared to trespass these walls and paid for it. The Fang of Vassuryn at my side will remind you if you have already forgotten. Think ye they have forgotten? Would you trade places with them?

"Smile, men! Be of good cheer! For this is the last night of the war! It has come down to the strong shoulders of men, as it always must. The vaunted Elves took flight at not half so hard the blows that you have weathered. The coward heathens of the north have struck their own chains in terror of it. But what say the Men or Oraving, upon whose strong thews and steady nerves rest the fate of the world? We smile! We laugh! For we trust that matters have come down to the only hands capable of righting them. If in the din of war you come to doubt my boast, then look for my banner flying there amongst you, and know that I do not doubt it.

"In victory or in death, the world will know that every man here did his duty. Victory or death: those are your two escapes. There is no other. If you live, live to conquer! If you die, die such that history never forgets the name Oraving."

The Overlord also sends a pigeon message to Hriving with his final message: "Oraving expects every man to do his duty."

The forces of Hambley, the Beastmen around the walls of Hriving, and the Undead legions of Trazynel, converge upon the city of Oraving, attacking it from three sides, and (in the case of the Undead legions), from the air. The Ironburg is emptied of its garrison, who force march all night to reach the walls of Oraving. A great battle is fought.

Reinforcements: 

1 Company of 120 Gnoll Longbowmen, led by a 6 HD Gnoll, are sent to the Ironburg to join the final assault on the forces of Law.

Oraving and Hriving raise 1 company of Militia each.

Battle Resolutions

The Siege of Oraving (028,021)

The First Wave - The Beastmen Hordes 

Force 1: The Beastmen Hordes - BR 39 (23.5 without breach)

• 1 company of 60 goblin Wolf Riders (spear, short sword, shield, leather, dire wolf), led by a 5 HD chieftain - BR 6.5 (BR 1.6 without breach)
• 1 company of 31 Slave Cataphracts led by a 5 HD Orc Chieftain - BR 3.84 (BR 0.96 without breach)
• 1 Company of 30 Slave Light Cavalry - BR 1.75 (BR 0.4 without breach)
• 1 Company of 30 Slave Medium Cavalry - BR 2.5 (BR 0.6 without breach)
• 1 Company of 60 Slave Heavy Cavalry - BR 6 (BR 1.5 without breach)
• 1 Company of 60 Ogre Light Infantry (From Ironburg) - BR 4
• 2 Companies of 120 Kobold Light Infantry, led by a 3 HD Kobold Chieftain (From Ironburg) - BR 0.5
• 1 Company of 120 Orc Bowmen (From Ironburg) - BR 1
• 2 Companies of 120 Gnoll Longbowmen each, each led by a 6 HD Gnoll Chieftain (From Ironburg) - BR 13

Force 2: The Men of Oraving - BR 15

• 3 companies of 120 Militia/each, each led by a Level 5 Human Fighter - BR 2+3
• Light Infantry - BR 1+1
• 1 Company of 120 Slingers - BR 1+1
• 1 company of 120 slingers led by a 5th level Human Fighter - BR 1+1
• 1 company of 120 Dwarven Heavy Infantry led by a 5th level Human Fighter - BR 3+1

Surprise: Neither force is surprised.

Round 1: The Beastmen assault the gate, attempting to seize it. Due to an outbreak of diarrhea among his troops, the Gnoll commander has trouble directing his troops during the initial assault, and the Beastmen deal only 1 BR of damage. The Men of Oraving repulse them from the walls, dealing 3 BR of damage. Additionally, the Overlord uses the abilities of the Fang of Vassuryn, which he has bent to his will, to teleport the Ogre light Infantry 150 feet in the air above one of the companies of Gnoll Longbowmen. The Ogres crash to the earth, destroying or scattering both units for an additional 13.5 BR of damage.

Round 2: With more than half their numbers eliminated, and no way of breaching the walls, the Beastmen furiously charge the gate again. They deal 1 BR of damage before they are repulsed from the gates again, taking 5 BR of damage. Disheartened and leaderless, the remaining Beastmen scatter into the countryside. 

The Second Wave - The Undead Legions

Force 1: The Undead Legions - BR 26 (22.7)

• 11 Spectres - BR 23.5
• 1 Vampire - BR 3.4
• 1 Wight - BR 0.305 (BR 0 until Drawbridge is seized)
• 60 Wolves - BR 0.72
• 49 Giant Bats - BR 4.6
• 120 Massed Vermin - BR 0.5
• 300 Zombies - BR 3 (BR 0 until Drawbridge is seized)
• 4 Wraiths - BR 2.5

Force 2: The Men of Oraving - BR 13

• 3 companies of 120 Militia/each, each led by a Level 5 Human Fighter - BR 2+3
• 1 Company of 120 Slingers - BR 1+1
• 1 company of 120 slingers led by a 5th level Human Fighter - BR 1+1
• 1 company of 120 Dwarven Heavy Infantry led by a 5th level Human Fighter - BR 3+1

Surprise: Neither force is surprised. 

Round 1: The Zombies and Wight recoil from the moat, which has been filled with Holy Water. The flying troops (Trazynel and his bats, the Spectres, and the Wraiths) fly overhead, attacking the city from the air, while the wolves and the vermin swim the moat and the latter (primarily rats) swarm over the walls and begin to infest the city, biting men with their diseased fangs. The Men of Oraving take 3 BR of damage, taking refuge under holy symbols and firing arrows dipped in holy water as they repel the initial assault, dealing 4 BR of damage.

Round 2: The forces of darkness continue to swarm over the city, terrorizing its inhabitants as they deal 8 BR of damage. They seize the gatehouse, lowering the drawbridge to allow the Wight and his legion of Zombies to cross, and allowing the wolves to enter. The men of Oraving fight savagely, dealing 2 BR of damage as they are hemmed in around the Overlord's citadel.

Round 3: Trazynel mounts his final, terrible assault on the Overlord's citadel, dealing 3 BR of damage, and taking no damage from the Men of Oraving as they storm the citadel and Trazynel feasts on the Overlord Atheldard. Oraving has fallen. 

The Third Wave - The Men of Hambley

Force 1: The Men of Hambley - BR 19.5 (17.5 without breach)

• 1 Company of 120 Light Infantry A - BR 1
• 1 Company of 120 Bowmen - BR 1.5
• 1 company of 120 Heavy Infantry A (spear, sword, shield, banded), led by a 5th level Human Fighter, - BR 2
• 1 Company of 20 Forest Trolls - BR 7.3
• 1 Company of 60 Lizardman Heavy Infantry - BR 3.75
• 1 Company of 30 Lizardman Chameleon Riders - BR 4 (BR 2 without breach)

Force 1: The Undead Legions - BR 22.7

• 8 Spectres - BR 17.2
• 1 Vampire - BR 3.4
• 1 Wight - BR 0.305+1
• 60 Wolves - BR 0.72+1
• 49 Giant Bats - BR 4.6
• 300 Zombies - BR 3+1
• 4 Wraiths - BR 2.5

Surprise: Neither force is surprised.

Round 1: The Men of Hambley, weary from their forced march, arrive at the city walls to find Oraving occupied not by the Overlord's men, but by the Undead Legions of Trazynel, and the city fills with the screams of those few living who still inhabit it. Seeking to seize the city, the Men of Hambley attack, assaulting its gates and dealing 1 BR of damage. They are repulsed by the Undead, who swarm upon them, spreading disease and fear among their ranks, dealing 5 BR of damage.

Round 2: The Men of Hambley renew their assault, dealing 1 additional BR of damage before they are repulsed from the gate, taking 7 BR of damage. The Men of Hambley begin to waver.

Round 3: Attempting one final time to take the gate, but are unable to deal it any damage. The attack proves disastrous, however, and the Men of Hambley take an additional 8 BR of damage. Their remaining forces are scattered and destroyed. 

Outcome: Undead victory.

Casualties: The Oraving Garrison, the Beastman Horde, and the Men of Hambley are all defeated, their dead raised as servants of Trazynel. Trazynel seizes the Fang of Vassuryn,