Divine Intervention III: RagnarReign of Terror
- Thread starter TheForestAuro
- Start date
LiberiGlacialis
To the stars!
True. I'll think up a reward. But...vra's got it right now.
No story again, sorry.
It seems the Dutch have chosen to empty the weapons store, and several citizens, inspired by their Gods, have rushed to army service.
A little known lord from the South has marshalled an army, rebuilding the Hall of the Lords. This was possible because it was not razed as it should have been in the original invasion...while not a powerful Lord, his banner has attracted a following in these trying times. Sadly, it seems he has pioneered a powerful new defensive weapon...but the little supplies available means the Dutch cannot expect to see anymore soon.
In the ruins of the Dutch city, it seems a bunch of men, seeing their homes wrecked have chosen to grab some swords and try to inflict some damage on the people who ruined their lives...led by a local baker, this ragtag team was inspired by Joao`s deliverance to take action...and hope chance and fortune are on their side.
If you make peace with the Dutch now and restore thier lands, the God of Ice *may* be merciful.
It seems the Dutch have chosen to empty the weapons store, and several citizens, inspired by their Gods, have rushed to army service.
A little known lord from the South has marshalled an army, rebuilding the Hall of the Lords. This was possible because it was not razed as it should have been in the original invasion...while not a powerful Lord, his banner has attracted a following in these trying times. Sadly, it seems he has pioneered a powerful new defensive weapon...but the little supplies available means the Dutch cannot expect to see anymore soon.
In the ruins of the Dutch city, it seems a bunch of men, seeing their homes wrecked have chosen to grab some swords and try to inflict some damage on the people who ruined their lives...led by a local baker, this ragtag team was inspired by Joao`s deliverance to take action...and hope chance and fortune are on their side.
If you make peace with the Dutch now and restore thier lands, the God of Ice *may* be merciful.
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
Ragnar muses in light of things.
"This Ice God is clever - he does not risk awakening the beast, because he has been acting in Inspiration."
The Viking Lord frowns. "I fear the gods only see things in one light. I would remind them I had an excellent relationship with the Dutch prior to their meddling."
Ragnar sighs, boot pressed against a Dutch Soldier, Axe held up to his throat as his dead comrades rotted all around them. "You would do well to remind both Willem and his Ice Lord that the snow would not be so stained with Dutch blood if not for pointless divine tinkering."
And with that, Ragnar let the man go, sure his message would be delivered earnestly.
"This Ice God is clever - he does not risk awakening the beast, because he has been acting in Inspiration."
The Viking Lord frowns. "I fear the gods only see things in one light. I would remind them I had an excellent relationship with the Dutch prior to their meddling."
Ragnar sighs, boot pressed against a Dutch Soldier, Axe held up to his throat as his dead comrades rotted all around them. "You would do well to remind both Willem and his Ice Lord that the snow would not be so stained with Dutch blood if not for pointless divine tinkering."
And with that, Ragnar let the man go, sure his message would be delivered earnestly.
((Winston, let me know if you disapprove of any of the following and I'll edit.))
Below the waves, the storm god watched a hideous battle unfolding. The monster, fully awakened now, had grown tremendously in strength. Were it not for Winston's intervention, surely the entire world would have drowned already... but the religion of the beast-worshippers was strong, their people numerous. The mortal had done well to convert as many as he already had, but there were... so many.
A tentacle shot forward, enveloping the sea god. Winston struck back, his trident skewering the beast, which let out a tremendous roar. At its roar, an overwhelming wave shot forward, aimed directly at Viking lands.
"No, monster," the storm god snarled. "You shall not take my people! Let the drowning you have so earnestly desired to wreak upon the world strike home upon those who have brought you upon this realm!"
The water boiled and hissed, green and putrid - not the briny water of the sea, but some malignant creation from the depths of the hells. Summoning a windstorm, Eldarion hurled it headlong, sending the waves crashing against far shores - the shores of the beast-worshipping Dutch. Screams echoed from the dying cities as its citizens felt their flesh melted from their bones - shrieks of agony that resounded across the world.
((Drowned two of Willem's Islam-only coastal cities.))
Below the waves, the storm god watched a hideous battle unfolding. The monster, fully awakened now, had grown tremendously in strength. Were it not for Winston's intervention, surely the entire world would have drowned already... but the religion of the beast-worshippers was strong, their people numerous. The mortal had done well to convert as many as he already had, but there were... so many.
A tentacle shot forward, enveloping the sea god. Winston struck back, his trident skewering the beast, which let out a tremendous roar. At its roar, an overwhelming wave shot forward, aimed directly at Viking lands.
"No, monster," the storm god snarled. "You shall not take my people! Let the drowning you have so earnestly desired to wreak upon the world strike home upon those who have brought you upon this realm!"
The water boiled and hissed, green and putrid - not the briny water of the sea, but some malignant creation from the depths of the hells. Summoning a windstorm, Eldarion hurled it headlong, sending the waves crashing against far shores - the shores of the beast-worshipping Dutch. Screams echoed from the dying cities as its citizens felt their flesh melted from their bones - shrieks of agony that resounded across the world.
((Drowned two of Willem's Islam-only coastal cities.))
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
City removal/alteration is perfectly within the bounds of the rules. This is - after all- Divine Intevention - and especially the AI is more susceptable to "DM fiat", as we call it.
That's fine, Eldarion, and pretty much as I imagined it.
Oh, and I can assure the evil Dutch (and their patrons) that there'll be a whole load more smiting on the way, if I ever get free of these damned tentacles.
Oh, and I can assure the evil Dutch (and their patrons) that there'll be a whole load more smiting on the way, if I ever get free of these damned tentacles.
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
Got it.
XCL
XCL
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
Finished Turn.
------
[Dutch are Dead]
[Arabians took Eldarion Briefly but have so far been oblitered in respective casualties. Eldarion retaken.]
[Churchillton Taken. I'm sorry Churchill! Your punishment made me weep]
[Actually, I just sued for peace and gave Rotterdam to Dutch as a treaty. They all fought it out.]
[Hannibal is dangerously close to culture win so I'm probably going to rush him next turn.]
------
[Dutch are Dead]
[Arabians took Eldarion Briefly but have so far been oblitered in respective casualties. Eldarion retaken.]
[Churchillton Taken. I'm sorry Churchill! Your punishment made me weep]
[Actually, I just sued for peace and gave Rotterdam to Dutch as a treaty. They all fought it out.]
[Hannibal is dangerously close to culture win so I'm probably going to rush him next turn.]
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
Ragnar stood in front of an army. It was not his. Outside Nidaros, the warrior was fully armored and armed, standing before thousands of Dutch and Arabian soldiers. They had been transported there divinely, clearly, for no army could move so quickly through grounds so defended.
"Perhaps it is time for a peace treaty..." he mused, as the soldiers nervously looked forward at their singular foe.
------------------------------
"My Lord, you were right!" an advisor announced, moving into the court. "Willem fell for the gift! Rotterdam has been seized by Churchill directly following our withdrawl and return to The Hague."
Ragnar smiled, recalling his plan. Initially facing an army of Churchill's troops and Willem's both outside a recently captured Rotterdam, he immediately called for a cease-fire and returned the city to Willem. Churchill, blinded by his fury, tore the city by force and engaged in a bitter defense. In the disorder, Thanatos stole the life of Churchill. Ragnar felt the Plague Lord would be pleased with this particular soul.
After the crushing defeat at Rotterdam, Willem submitted to Arabian control as a last-minute plea for protection.
-----------------------------------
(Not really a good explanation in-game for this: Founded a city to increase cultural pressure on Aden and then culture bombed it. Great artists never really struck me as IC justifiable.)
-----------------------------------
The brand new naval forces of the Viking Empire set sail for Churchillton, the wind not moving fast enough to speed the sailors who still held in recent memory the catastrophic forces raised by Churchill. Never before, no matter the threat, had a god forced peace.
But peace did not last. As war broke out in a few years later, the first major naval battles in Viking history were overwhelming Viking victories.
-----------------------------------
(Churchill your barbarians are absolutely frightening.)
As the the soldiers sailed forth, they gripped their rifles tightly. The surf kicked around the boat, and the shore was in sight. The main defenders, according to Aerial recon, were longbow-equipped barbarians.
But then the skies roared, and the seas exploded. Flying, roaring machines raced by, dropping bombs on the fleet. Some of the ships were instantly incapacitated, explosions ripping Galleons in half while several Ships of the Line began to slow, fatally up in flames.
Although frightening, it became clear that these machines were not in large enough numbers to halt the landing.
And the Battle of Churchillton ended with the capture of the city that had been revealed to them so long ago.
(Fighters! FIGHTERS!)
-------------------------------
General Zhuge ducked into a trench, with bullets flying overhead. A soldier stood up from behind cover, and unloaded half a magazine on a charging brigade of macemen and curassiers. The battle of Eldarion had gotten fierce, within initial overwhelming numbers forcing Viking forces out of the city. The tide was turning, however, and the casualties had climbed to almost five arabian deaths to every one viking. But the invasion force was indeed massive, enough to construct a building directed at it's oversight specifically.
"General Zhuge! The 32nd Battalion has pushed forward into the east wall of the city!"
"Does the Eldar Shrine still stand?"
"Yes sir!"
"Funnel troops over to the breach! RALLY! We have them on the run!"
(Saladin had a stack of almost 60 units and it took about 4 turns for my recapture-stack to kill off all the units occupying Eldarion while a small attack force meandered around and died near Nidaros)
------------------------------------
The music played, and it played sadly. The heroes of this nation were many, and they were known in every household.
As immortal as Ragnar himself, it was known that the leader of these was the fearless, merciful Dame Lancelot. But tragedy is blind, and it had finally struck. The official procession carried through the streets of Uppsala, and as Lancelot was lowered into the ground, even Thanatos was given pause.
--------------------------------------
Willem stood in his hall, halberd held guardedly towards the Viking Warrior. "My blood will not be on your hands today, Ragnar."
All alone, Ragnar took two heavily armored steps forward, gripping his axe tightly. "Need we talk, Willem? I offer you the same offer I did Joao, Lincoln, and Catherine. Capitulate, renounce Saladin, and I will leave you to your country - and more importantly, your life."
"I have no alliegence to Saladin - it is our Lord, the Runner, and the Deep Savior, that compels him to accept me in a treaty that would disallow your heath-"
Ragnar roared, taking three more steps forward and lifting his axe up, bringing it down towards Willem. The Dutch immortal took only one step back and caught the blade on the axe head of his polearm, thrusting the blade back over Ragnar's head, unbalancing the Viking and sending him sprawling. Pulling the halberd back horizontally, he lept forward and thrust it down towards Ragnar's gut.
Letting the axe go, Ragnar thrust his palms forward and electricity pulsed out, jolting Willem. Dropping the Halbard, he twitched and jerked, retreating slightly but not falling. As ragnar pushed himself to his feet, he launched into a run and grabbed his own wrist, juking to the right and bringing a metal elbow up at Willem's face. With a sickening crack, he fell and blood stained the Viking's armor, although this was nothing even remotely new to the warrior-king.
As a metal boot descended, Willem rolled and marble cracked; a pistol was drawn and the derringer smoked. Two blasts ricocheted off of the armor, and the Viking regained his balance.
But the time had cost the Viking, and the Dutch Immortal was on his feet and running for a gun rack. Ripping a rifle off the wall, he turned, and stared into the face of a foe he had never seen before.
Ragnar leveled his new ally, a Viking-Made revolver, his face grim and confident. "It seems the days of valor and combat have come to an end, Willem."
Willem's breathing slowed, and his adrenaline faded. He closed his eyes, and quietly set his weapon aside, leaning it against a wall.
"Hannibal will be a great foe, Ragnar. I know you will defeat Saladin and Augustus, but he is not the same as those two."
"I do not plan to ever lose a fight, Willem. If I do, it will mean that I have died, and I will have little to worry about then."
"Do not let my children see me."
"You're the only one left, Willem. You're the only one left."
Ragnar found it disturbingly easy that it took only one twitch of his finger to destroy the Netherlands.
------------------------
World Recap:
"Perhaps it is time for a peace treaty..." he mused, as the soldiers nervously looked forward at their singular foe.
------------------------------
"My Lord, you were right!" an advisor announced, moving into the court. "Willem fell for the gift! Rotterdam has been seized by Churchill directly following our withdrawl and return to The Hague."
Spoiler :
Ragnar smiled, recalling his plan. Initially facing an army of Churchill's troops and Willem's both outside a recently captured Rotterdam, he immediately called for a cease-fire and returned the city to Willem. Churchill, blinded by his fury, tore the city by force and engaged in a bitter defense. In the disorder, Thanatos stole the life of Churchill. Ragnar felt the Plague Lord would be pleased with this particular soul.
After the crushing defeat at Rotterdam, Willem submitted to Arabian control as a last-minute plea for protection.
-----------------------------------
(Not really a good explanation in-game for this: Founded a city to increase cultural pressure on Aden and then culture bombed it. Great artists never really struck me as IC justifiable.)
-----------------------------------
The brand new naval forces of the Viking Empire set sail for Churchillton, the wind not moving fast enough to speed the sailors who still held in recent memory the catastrophic forces raised by Churchill. Never before, no matter the threat, had a god forced peace.
But peace did not last. As war broke out in a few years later, the first major naval battles in Viking history were overwhelming Viking victories.
Spoiler :
-----------------------------------
(Churchill your barbarians are absolutely frightening.)
As the the soldiers sailed forth, they gripped their rifles tightly. The surf kicked around the boat, and the shore was in sight. The main defenders, according to Aerial recon, were longbow-equipped barbarians.
But then the skies roared, and the seas exploded. Flying, roaring machines raced by, dropping bombs on the fleet. Some of the ships were instantly incapacitated, explosions ripping Galleons in half while several Ships of the Line began to slow, fatally up in flames.
Although frightening, it became clear that these machines were not in large enough numbers to halt the landing.
And the Battle of Churchillton ended with the capture of the city that had been revealed to them so long ago.
Spoiler :
(Fighters! FIGHTERS!)
-------------------------------
General Zhuge ducked into a trench, with bullets flying overhead. A soldier stood up from behind cover, and unloaded half a magazine on a charging brigade of macemen and curassiers. The battle of Eldarion had gotten fierce, within initial overwhelming numbers forcing Viking forces out of the city. The tide was turning, however, and the casualties had climbed to almost five arabian deaths to every one viking. But the invasion force was indeed massive, enough to construct a building directed at it's oversight specifically.
Spoiler :
"General Zhuge! The 32nd Battalion has pushed forward into the east wall of the city!"
"Does the Eldar Shrine still stand?"
"Yes sir!"
"Funnel troops over to the breach! RALLY! We have them on the run!"
Spoiler :
(Saladin had a stack of almost 60 units and it took about 4 turns for my recapture-stack to kill off all the units occupying Eldarion while a small attack force meandered around and died near Nidaros)
------------------------------------
The music played, and it played sadly. The heroes of this nation were many, and they were known in every household.
Spoiler :
As immortal as Ragnar himself, it was known that the leader of these was the fearless, merciful Dame Lancelot. But tragedy is blind, and it had finally struck. The official procession carried through the streets of Uppsala, and as Lancelot was lowered into the ground, even Thanatos was given pause.
--------------------------------------
Willem stood in his hall, halberd held guardedly towards the Viking Warrior. "My blood will not be on your hands today, Ragnar."
All alone, Ragnar took two heavily armored steps forward, gripping his axe tightly. "Need we talk, Willem? I offer you the same offer I did Joao, Lincoln, and Catherine. Capitulate, renounce Saladin, and I will leave you to your country - and more importantly, your life."
"I have no alliegence to Saladin - it is our Lord, the Runner, and the Deep Savior, that compels him to accept me in a treaty that would disallow your heath-"
Ragnar roared, taking three more steps forward and lifting his axe up, bringing it down towards Willem. The Dutch immortal took only one step back and caught the blade on the axe head of his polearm, thrusting the blade back over Ragnar's head, unbalancing the Viking and sending him sprawling. Pulling the halberd back horizontally, he lept forward and thrust it down towards Ragnar's gut.
Letting the axe go, Ragnar thrust his palms forward and electricity pulsed out, jolting Willem. Dropping the Halbard, he twitched and jerked, retreating slightly but not falling. As ragnar pushed himself to his feet, he launched into a run and grabbed his own wrist, juking to the right and bringing a metal elbow up at Willem's face. With a sickening crack, he fell and blood stained the Viking's armor, although this was nothing even remotely new to the warrior-king.
As a metal boot descended, Willem rolled and marble cracked; a pistol was drawn and the derringer smoked. Two blasts ricocheted off of the armor, and the Viking regained his balance.
But the time had cost the Viking, and the Dutch Immortal was on his feet and running for a gun rack. Ripping a rifle off the wall, he turned, and stared into the face of a foe he had never seen before.
Ragnar leveled his new ally, a Viking-Made revolver, his face grim and confident. "It seems the days of valor and combat have come to an end, Willem."
Willem's breathing slowed, and his adrenaline faded. He closed his eyes, and quietly set his weapon aside, leaning it against a wall.
"Hannibal will be a great foe, Ragnar. I know you will defeat Saladin and Augustus, but he is not the same as those two."
"I do not plan to ever lose a fight, Willem. If I do, it will mean that I have died, and I will have little to worry about then."
"Do not let my children see me."
"You're the only one left, Willem. You're the only one left."
Ragnar found it disturbingly easy that it took only one twitch of his finger to destroy the Netherlands.
------------------------
World Recap:
Spoiler :
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
Ragnar stood at the edge of the sea, stand atop the floating ice on the western coast of his continent.
"God of Ice!" he roared. "I have proven your people are weak! I have destroyed your chosen! You have plenty of time to choose the right people still; if you still live! Your people all venerated Runner, and the vile Sea Beast!"
There was no reponse and his eyes narrowed. "My people always come first; I know your wrath comes but I urge you to reconsider. Have you not seen? Have you not watched? The world quakes in fear, and you stubbornly assume that I will eventually bow to your icey call? Better that you make peace with me, and that you ask of me things that make sense! I cannot destroy the ice you have corrupted even these tropical seas with, but I will survive whatever you can throw at me!"
Ragnar's cape billowed in the arctic wind, and he sneered. Joao stepped quietly to the side of the raging Viking King, looking over the ocean.
"In the end, Ragnar, I do envy you. The gods were able to sway my mind easily; it seems you are not so keen on their plans for you."
"Bah! You know nothing of me, Joao. I have seven gods telling me to kill someone and seven telling me not to. I only do these quests when they coincide with my best interests. The audacity of these childish beings to think that I would depart from my role as king to serve as their little toy?"
Joao shook his head, and sighed, placing a hand on Ragnar's shoulder, before making his way back towards the house on the hill.
"God of Ice!" he roared. "I have proven your people are weak! I have destroyed your chosen! You have plenty of time to choose the right people still; if you still live! Your people all venerated Runner, and the vile Sea Beast!"
There was no reponse and his eyes narrowed. "My people always come first; I know your wrath comes but I urge you to reconsider. Have you not seen? Have you not watched? The world quakes in fear, and you stubbornly assume that I will eventually bow to your icey call? Better that you make peace with me, and that you ask of me things that make sense! I cannot destroy the ice you have corrupted even these tropical seas with, but I will survive whatever you can throw at me!"
Ragnar's cape billowed in the arctic wind, and he sneered. Joao stepped quietly to the side of the raging Viking King, looking over the ocean.
"In the end, Ragnar, I do envy you. The gods were able to sway my mind easily; it seems you are not so keen on their plans for you."
"Bah! You know nothing of me, Joao. I have seven gods telling me to kill someone and seven telling me not to. I only do these quests when they coincide with my best interests. The audacity of these childish beings to think that I would depart from my role as king to serve as their little toy?"
Joao shook his head, and sighed, placing a hand on Ragnar's shoulder, before making his way back towards the house on the hill.
digitCruncher
Emperor
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2007
- Messages
- 1,012
Got it...
Also, how many of your heroes survived the initial strike?? I lost 2 when I played... you seemed to lose only 1. I think...
[Edit]Yes... fighters. Only to prevent you jumping in with fighters of your own, and bombarding them. This tile is meant to be hard to fight for. Its not a tile on a platter.
If it helps, aside from interception, they have no promotions...[/Edit]
[Edit2]Alas, my laptop is on the fritz... it seems to think there is a constant, and dangerous overheating problem. There isn't. I am getting it serviced on Monday, and I expect it to be gone till Thursday... so I will ask people to remotely modify these programs
Digit appeared before Ragnar in his trophy room. Ragnar was sitting on a chair, watching him. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.
"I will not speak of my Gods, as they do not bother you. But I am sorry... for my actions, to give you greatness, have caused you to lose your sole friend. America
I would have thought you wouldn't declare on your only friends, but they are the holders of the second Holy Whales. And if you capture them, then you will become VERY strong. And as a result, I have sown the seeds of the revolution, and now those seeds blossom into full-scale war.
You will find Diplomacy will fail you. But at least you will be able to capture the whales, and as a result, capture the entire continent. The costs of maintaining a civilisation on that empire will be almost unbearable, but I will help you. You MUST capture the whales north of the Garden, and following that, you MUST keep that city, not converting it to a colony.
But congradulations on the new source of whales. And as a result, you will gain a very nice bonus. You will never see such a bonus, but you will get it nonetheless. It is the invisible reward. And you will continue to gain bonuses as long as you capture new sources of whales.
Alas, I will no longer be able to support you in your wars, or anything else. My power is solely in my pacts, and it is up to you do fulfill them."
Also, how many of your heroes survived the initial strike?? I lost 2 when I played... you seemed to lose only 1. I think...
[Edit]Yes... fighters. Only to prevent you jumping in with fighters of your own, and bombarding them. This tile is meant to be hard to fight for. Its not a tile on a platter.
If it helps, aside from interception, they have no promotions...[/Edit]
[Edit2]Alas, my laptop is on the fritz... it seems to think there is a constant, and dangerous overheating problem. There isn't. I am getting it serviced on Monday, and I expect it to be gone till Thursday... so I will ask people to remotely modify these programs
Digit appeared before Ragnar in his trophy room. Ragnar was sitting on a chair, watching him. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.
"I will not speak of my Gods, as they do not bother you. But I am sorry... for my actions, to give you greatness, have caused you to lose your sole friend. America
I would have thought you wouldn't declare on your only friends, but they are the holders of the second Holy Whales. And if you capture them, then you will become VERY strong. And as a result, I have sown the seeds of the revolution, and now those seeds blossom into full-scale war.
You will find Diplomacy will fail you. But at least you will be able to capture the whales, and as a result, capture the entire continent. The costs of maintaining a civilisation on that empire will be almost unbearable, but I will help you. You MUST capture the whales north of the Garden, and following that, you MUST keep that city, not converting it to a colony.
But congradulations on the new source of whales. And as a result, you will gain a very nice bonus. You will never see such a bonus, but you will get it nonetheless. It is the invisible reward. And you will continue to gain bonuses as long as you capture new sources of whales.
Alas, I will no longer be able to support you in your wars, or anything else. My power is solely in my pacts, and it is up to you do fulfill them."
Spoiler NFFE: What to do... what to do... someone else do it plz :
Spoiler NFFE: What to do in each 50 turn block :
TheForestAuro
Whisper in the Trees
@Digit:
I offered Willem Rotterdam for peace. My troops were ejected to the Hague, Churchill struck and rended the town a new one, and they bickered at each other. I lost a Hero at another point.
I offered Willem Rotterdam for peace. My troops were ejected to the Hague, Churchill struck and rended the town a new one, and they bickered at each other. I lost a Hero at another point.
((Not changing anything with the save yet - this is a tale of how the actions of the mortals affect the realm of the gods.))
As the war with Willem's folk raged, the underwater battle continued to take its toll on both god and beast. Winston speared the creature again and again, but for each wounded tentacle, it seemed three more would rise up to take its place. Soon the sea god would be overwhelmed.
"Winston!" Eldarion thundered. "Take my power! Strike upon the monster with all the force of a thousand hurricanes!"
Wind shrieked like a living thing as the sky grew black. The water churned violently, the turquoise of the ocean mingling with the vile sheen of the monster's bile, mixed again with the purifying rain that poured from above. As the din reached a crescendo, a maelstrom appeared, reaching downward to where god and beast still waged their endless battle. As the whirlpool's bottom reached the crown of the monster's head, Winston skewered the tentacle that held him fast, pinning it to the ocean floor. At the same time, Eldarion called down a massive thunderbolt, striking downward through the water to electrify the monster.
Enraged, the creature let loose a terrifying bellow, but this time the storm god was prepared for the watery blast. The wind howled, crashing the water in upon itself even as it broke free.
"Hear me, monster!" he thundered. "I am the god of the storm! I have seen you imprisoned before, and you shall not..."
And at that moment, the city of Eldarion was lost to the Arabian invaders.
The storm god doubled over in violent pain, his temple taken by heathens who worshipped the beast. The wind's fury abated, the whirlpool losing its force as its master failed, but the beast felt a surge of energy. Water surged once more, but this time its intended target was the god himself. Weakened as he was, drained of his strength, he felt himself pulled downward, toward the waiting maw of the beast. Tentacles wrapped around him, and he felt himself falling, drowning...
"Eldarion!" Winston shouted. Transforming himself into a giant whale, he crashed into the outstretched tentacles of the monster, severing a number of them. The beast screamed its fury, but it was at that time that Willem, one of the heathen leaders, was now locked in mortal combat with Ragnar. As a bullet ended the life of the Dutch warlord, so did the beast's strength wane. It let loose a pitiful cry, locked in its chains, and green bile oozed from the broken tentacles. As the whale bore Eldarion to the surface, the Arabians were cast out, and the storm god felt his strength returning.
"Winston," he murmured as he felt the light of day on his face again. "Thank you."
"We are even now, brother god," the sea god said. "But though the mortal has done well, and we have dealt the creature a ponderous blow, it will recover. We have bought the godling precious time - let us hope he makes the most of it."
As the storm god looked down into the seas, he did not mistake the look of pure hatred that the monster cast upon him. There would be more bloodshed before this war of the world was done.
As the war with Willem's folk raged, the underwater battle continued to take its toll on both god and beast. Winston speared the creature again and again, but for each wounded tentacle, it seemed three more would rise up to take its place. Soon the sea god would be overwhelmed.
"Winston!" Eldarion thundered. "Take my power! Strike upon the monster with all the force of a thousand hurricanes!"
Wind shrieked like a living thing as the sky grew black. The water churned violently, the turquoise of the ocean mingling with the vile sheen of the monster's bile, mixed again with the purifying rain that poured from above. As the din reached a crescendo, a maelstrom appeared, reaching downward to where god and beast still waged their endless battle. As the whirlpool's bottom reached the crown of the monster's head, Winston skewered the tentacle that held him fast, pinning it to the ocean floor. At the same time, Eldarion called down a massive thunderbolt, striking downward through the water to electrify the monster.
Enraged, the creature let loose a terrifying bellow, but this time the storm god was prepared for the watery blast. The wind howled, crashing the water in upon itself even as it broke free.
"Hear me, monster!" he thundered. "I am the god of the storm! I have seen you imprisoned before, and you shall not..."
And at that moment, the city of Eldarion was lost to the Arabian invaders.
The storm god doubled over in violent pain, his temple taken by heathens who worshipped the beast. The wind's fury abated, the whirlpool losing its force as its master failed, but the beast felt a surge of energy. Water surged once more, but this time its intended target was the god himself. Weakened as he was, drained of his strength, he felt himself pulled downward, toward the waiting maw of the beast. Tentacles wrapped around him, and he felt himself falling, drowning...
"Eldarion!" Winston shouted. Transforming himself into a giant whale, he crashed into the outstretched tentacles of the monster, severing a number of them. The beast screamed its fury, but it was at that time that Willem, one of the heathen leaders, was now locked in mortal combat with Ragnar. As a bullet ended the life of the Dutch warlord, so did the beast's strength wane. It let loose a pitiful cry, locked in its chains, and green bile oozed from the broken tentacles. As the whale bore Eldarion to the surface, the Arabians were cast out, and the storm god felt his strength returning.
"Winston," he murmured as he felt the light of day on his face again. "Thank you."
"We are even now, brother god," the sea god said. "But though the mortal has done well, and we have dealt the creature a ponderous blow, it will recover. We have bought the godling precious time - let us hope he makes the most of it."
As the storm god looked down into the seas, he did not mistake the look of pure hatred that the monster cast upon him. There would be more bloodshed before this war of the world was done.
PaulusIII
Unholy Warlord
The second 'immortal' human had just entered the Netherworld for all eternity. Pavlos could not help but smile as he saw the spirit of Willem van Oranje drifting into the Netherworld. 'This is what you get for earning Death's enmity. You are one of few immortal men, yet you still manage to anger the gods to the point you are killed. Fitting, is it not?'
His musing on Willem's death was interrupted harshly by a great rumble throughout the whole Netherworld. Pavlos stood up, with a sense of foreboding.
Then, a tentacle swept through and tried to grasp Willem's spirit.
As Pavlos struggled to keep the creature from seizing Willem's soul and taking him from the Netherworld, he came to a shocking conclusion:
'The revering of the creature has also weakened the threshold between the overworld and the Netherworld!'
Pavlos chanted ancient words of power, each word sealing off the creature from the Netherworld. With a tremendous effort, the rift was sealed and the creature kept out. For now.
Pavlos left the Netherworld, his face set grim. Someone had to put an end to that creature and its worshippers. And he already knew on which mortal he was going to call to finish the task he himself would start. Ragnar would once more receive help from him, and he would unleash yet another plague upon the worshippers of the beast.
... But yet, even in the lands of the Vikings temples were built, where under the guise of Islam the great beast was worshipped, and therefore Pavlos felt the need to aid another mortal as well... one, far away, where beast-worship was a small niche and other gods were worshipped. Bargaining with Cyrus did not take long... the small cliques in Persia that worshipped the beast all died mysterious deaths, and nobody was surprised by the fact that Persia had got new legions seemingly out of nowhere. All pointed to another divine pact to stop the beast.
His musing on Willem's death was interrupted harshly by a great rumble throughout the whole Netherworld. Pavlos stood up, with a sense of foreboding.
Then, a tentacle swept through and tried to grasp Willem's spirit.
As Pavlos struggled to keep the creature from seizing Willem's soul and taking him from the Netherworld, he came to a shocking conclusion:
'The revering of the creature has also weakened the threshold between the overworld and the Netherworld!'
Pavlos chanted ancient words of power, each word sealing off the creature from the Netherworld. With a tremendous effort, the rift was sealed and the creature kept out. For now.
Pavlos left the Netherworld, his face set grim. Someone had to put an end to that creature and its worshippers. And he already knew on which mortal he was going to call to finish the task he himself would start. Ragnar would once more receive help from him, and he would unleash yet another plague upon the worshippers of the beast.
... But yet, even in the lands of the Vikings temples were built, where under the guise of Islam the great beast was worshipped, and therefore Pavlos felt the need to aid another mortal as well... one, far away, where beast-worship was a small niche and other gods were worshipped. Bargaining with Cyrus did not take long... the small cliques in Persia that worshipped the beast all died mysterious deaths, and nobody was surprised by the fact that Persia had got new legions seemingly out of nowhere. All pointed to another divine pact to stop the beast.
Spoiler :
ElonaOfCedarie
Chieftain
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
- Messages
- 21
hey guys... sorry i haven't been on in awhile... had an astronomy mid-term... papers, quizzes... a ForestAuro on my computer... lol... just bust with school and stuff... any who... i will actually mettle out some punishments and rewards some time tonight...
((Astronomy mid-term? Did you at least get some free galleons out of completing the research?))
