[FFH2] Rise of Patria - A Rise from Erebus AAR

Dannbiguous

Chieftain
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Jun 4, 2011
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Having lurked on the forums for a while and read a few AARs, I figured I might have a go at one of these myself. I'm running the Rise from Erebus mod for the ever so popular mod Fall from Heaven 2, and I'll be sure to heavily dramatise all the events that happen. For those of you that are familiar with the mod and its backstory, be aware I am going to be taking some liberties with the lore, because dammit there's just too much backstory for me to remember. :(

For an added challenge, I am running the End of Ice modifier (or whatever it's called), so that the world begins frozen and then gradually heats up. This is my first attempt at something like this, so bare with me. I may go back to edit this post and make it a little more interesting to read.


1 - Age of Rebirth

Mulcarn's reign of Winter has ended. The great hero Kylorin has slain the God that held Erebus in his icy grip since time immemorial. Erebus, once a proud world of advancement and enlightnement has been crushed into a series of petty tribes clinging to survival. As the remnants of Man struggle to make ends meet, a shift in the air itself can be felt as Kylorin strikes Mulcarn down and the Age of Ice finally comes to a close. This shift is felt by all, living and dead, mortal and immortal, intelligent and bestial.

The Age of Rebirth has arrived.

Sirona's beacon is one of the last remnants of a much better time, having weathered centuries upon centuries of cold and frost, its light shines as brilliantly as it did when it was first constructed. The tribe that lives in its glow are a hardy people, children of the frozen hills and tundra they hunt in to sustain themselves, and only a handful of dedicated druids still maintain the beacon, basking in its glow as they offer prayers to the old gods. And yet unbeknownst to these old mystics, far beneath the beacon lies one of the grandest and most expansive tombs ever constructed, the so called “Endless tomb”, a catacomb that houses thousands upon thousands of the fallen, once proud citizens of a once glorious, proud and decadent empire. At the very center of the tomb lies their Emperor, still wearing the shining golden armour he was interred in. The tomb has been silent and still since the Age of Magic, but as the world moves and a God is killed, something stirs. Something ancient.

Ferrik tugged at his robe as the wind howled about him. The Beacon had flickered this morning, something unprecedented in their cult's entire history; everyone knew that the Beacon was eternal and unfaltering, the sign of it wavering was either an ill omen or a wondrous one. As the wind blew and the druids both young and old crowded around the towering structure, few heard the grind of stone against stone as a massive stone door slowly swung open, and from it strode a majestic, if otherworldly figure clad in ornate golden armour. It did not take long for the druids to notice the hundred others that followed behind him.

Patria was great once. echoed the Risen Emperor. It shall be so again.
Spoiler :
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The Patrian dead have risen again, and have enlisted the scattered tribal folk living in the forests surrounding Sirona's beacon. These units of warriors and peasants are little more than tribal soldiers, smearing their faces with ash as they fight for and serve their undying bretheren. The Patrian Dead refer to them as Centeni.

Spoiler :
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The Patrian Dead, with the aid of the Centeni, settle in a relatively sheltered clearing in which large, grey beasts roam. These elephants become the primary food source, and their ivory is greatly prized as a commodity as well as a resource of bartering. A community of druids living in the hills is absorbed into the settlement, and they bring with them gold and trinkets from the Age of Magic. The Risen Emperor retires from the public eye as soon as the settlement is completed.

Spoiler :
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An engimatic guardian rises from the ranks of the militia to guard the settlement, and appears to be physically incapable of leaving its confines. The Druids recognise some manner of enchantment at work, and as they begin to attempt to decipher the mystery, rumours are abound of the origins of the so called Korinna the Protector. Some claim she is the daughter of the Risen Emperor himself, but none dare to say it loudly.

Spoiler :
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News soon arrives of a savage tribe of Goblins dwelling in a ramshackle fort beyond the Hills to the Southeast. Rather than risk a battle at the settlement, Korinna dispatches her Centeni warriors in an attempt to keep the so called "Scorpion Clan" contained as she leads her own detatchment of militia back at the capital. A local government is beginning to form, and the Patrian Dead soon refer to themselves as The "Scions of Patria".

Spoiler :
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Velites, undead warriors with the volition and will of the other Patrians but the decayed, withered visages of their less sentient counterparts, scout the surrounding areas. The Velites begin a proud tradition in the Patrian military of purposefully adopting monstrous and intimidating visages when serving within her army, although their presence does little to improve the morale of the Centeni living in Avitas. They discover a Mana Node, a site of great magical power that even the Druids cannot fully harness.

Spoiler :
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The ice begins to melt and thaw, soon uncovering a dry, sandy wasteland. While hardly preferable to the icy wastes, there is much excitement in Avitas: The Age of Ice has truly ended! With each year that passes the immortal and unaging population of Avitas is bolstered by newly awoken Patrians from the Endless tomb. It is unknown how many still lie slumbering, however a new cult of priests has arisen that seek to devote themselves to rousing those still within from their slumber: The Church of the Gift.

Spoiler :
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The Velites encounter a nearby tribe of great Horsemen. Although little more than organised Centeni, these so called "Hippus" are already showing a greater drive than the subjugated and absorbed Centeni. Korinna informs the Velites to remain watchful, but unobtrusive.

Spoiler :
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A new manner of creature has appeared in the area, the humble camel. A group of the Awakened leave with Centeni settlers to domesticate these beasts, thus forming the Scions' second settlement. As the climate continues to warm up, it appears that Saecati will prosper for centuries to come.

Spoiler :
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The Centeni in Saecati grow restless, and soon become distrustful of the forest to the east. It is said that spirits and ghosts reside there, and these are soon known as "The Forest of the Dead", much to the amusement of the Patrian population.

Spoiler :
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An abandoned fort far to the north is soon occupied, beyond it lies a humid jungle. A detatchment of Velites is dispatched to scout beyond it.

Spoiler :
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Exploring beyond the jungle has yielded a discovery of another tribe, the so called "Elohim". Little more than a bunch of compassionate monks, these self styled protectors and guardians are led by an ancient order sworn to protect Erebus and its people. They are deemed a minor threat.

Spoiler :
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Korinna practised her sword drills, her movements concise and efficient, her hand unwavering and her blade all but singing as it cut through the air. It was the same drill she performed every day, every day for every week, every week for every month, it was a drill she had performed for the fifty years she had served as the protector of Avitas. Korinna's world was a simple one, one of servitude to the Risen Emperor, the man whose life she was willing to give her own for a hundred times in defence of her country, the man whom she was sworn by the gods and by Erebus itself to protect, whose side she could not leave even if she desired to.

Korinna did not look up as the messenger entered. He was a young lad, fleet of foot and wavering of voice and she was seemed to recall that he was the son of her previous messenger. How many had that been now? She seemed to recall that three generations of messenger had served her, and while these men were little more than runners and couriers, they carried a great deal of respect within the Centeni. Korinna slowly came to a halt, thrusting her blade gracefully through the air before straightening and motioning for the lad to continue. She could not remember his name.

"My Lady, the Scorpion Clan, they..."

Korinna remained silent, she noted the blood and mud that stained the lad, the wounds that labored his breathing and the smears of ash that still adorned his face. It was impressive that he still stood, part of Korinna lamented that he could not become a true Patrian, a recipient of the Gift. Korinna nodded at him silently, motioning for him to speak up.

"My Lady, the Scorpion Clan have been amassing. They took us by surprise, broke through our lines..."

Korinna turned away from the messenger, looking out the door of her hall across the rough wooden buildings of Avitas. Fresh snow was falling, and the sun was setting behind the hills, the very hills that were no doubt now swarming with Goblin barbarians.

"The Centeni?" asked Korinna.

"Killed to the last man." replied the messenger, his voice wavering. He sounded as if he was on the verge of tears.

"Very well. Inform the men. War is coming to Avitas."



 
Wow, this looks like it's gonna be awesome :goodjob:

Welcome to CFC, Dannbiguous :band: - and what a way to make your first post :thumbsup:!
 
Thanks. I wasn't sure how this would go down, as I don't think there's been many (if any) Fall from Heaven AARs in this particular subforum for a while now, and you guys have been reading about babylonian empires invading america and stuff like that rather than the undead denizens of a long dead civilization looking to reforge their own empire. Look forward to subjugating barbarians that simply insist on defying the will of the emperor and a civilization built on decadent, hedonistic immortality. :p
 
It's good to have a change in reading material :D

Good luck.
 
Sorry for the quiet period. Been a little busy, and hoping to get a new entry up either tomorrow or the day after.
 
I would personally like to see this get going.

If you ask me, I think this has the potential to become the best story on this forum.
Just my two cents.
 
Who knew moving house was such a hassle? Here's section 2. Added a table of contents to the original post. Sorry this took so long, and for the relative lack of dramatic prose.

2 - Birth of a Legion

Ania clutched her woollen robe close as she nodded to the grocer, her basket of herbs and garlic hanging loosely off her arm. Despite all the talk of the impending Goblin invasion life still carried on in Avitas as much as it had done before, and although the sight of decaying warriors standing guard upon the Palisade was disconcerting at first, she had come to understand that the Patrian ruling class still possessed the spark of intelligence that marked them as people rather than mindless beasts, even if they lacked the spark of life. Progress on the mighty stone walls of Avitas was progressing nicely, although there were whispers that the structure would not be finished before the Goblin Horde arrived. Ania did her best to put these thoughts from her head as she hurried back to the estate. She had been told her ancestors were well respected shamans and witch doctors before the coming of the Patrians, rather than the servants and retainers to undying masters. Ania did her best to put these blasphemous thoughts from her mind as she passed a group of Velites, all eerily silent as they stood at their posts. Undead or not, Ania knew she would rather serve under masters from beyond the grave than a Goblin's whip. The muddy roads soon led to paths of cobblestone, the ramshackle wood buildings replaced with stone and clay and plaster she passed back into the Patrian part of the city. The Centeni Quarter was one of the few places in Avitas where one could purchase food necessary to survive, as the Patrians ate solely for the taste or out of boredom while the Centeni were to live upon bread and onions and other staple foodstuffs. It was odd, but with the majority of the city's population unable to starve it meant that the peasantry were afforded an ample food supply, not to mention the protection of the Velites and the Centeni militia.

Ania made sure to stop at a shrine so that she might offer a prayer to the Risen Emperor before returning home.

The goblin horde razes some of the outlying farms and estates, but opts to pass the Scion capital of Avitas by. The local garrison breathes an uneasy sigh of relief.
Spoiler :
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Although the citizens of Saecati have their own worries. Perhaps drawn by the haunted lands nearby, a foul scourge of undead have appeared in the hills northwest to the city. Unlike Avitas the garrison of Saecati is composed entirely of Centeni warriors.
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The battle is fierce, with the undead marching relentlessly upon the town's palisades, however despite all odds the poorly organised Centeni repel the invaders and subsequently put them to a much more final rest. Funeral pyres for the fallen illuminate the city the following night.
Spoiler :
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More goblins are amassing in the humid jungles to the northwest that seperate the Scions to their Elohim neighbours. Scattered companies of Velites combat them relentlessly, with a reasonable amount of success.
Spoiler :
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Seeking less turbulent lands, a group of the Scion estate owners and farmers head to the southern lands so they might harvest the native grain that has begun to grow there. The town is named after its founder and governer, Lucius Abissen. The Imperial Thaumaturges have expressed an interest in the Mana Node that lies within the tundra to the south east.
Spoiler :
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Diplomats from the neighboring Hippus tribe, which now insist on declaring themselves a kingdom, are attempting to embroil the Scions of Patria in one of their disputes, demanding that the Patrians cancel their profitable trade routes with the Elohim. The Patrians refuse.
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Perhaps as retaliation for this refusal, a brigade of Hippus horsemen clear out the Goblins of their fort in the hills northwest of Avitas, occupying it. The population of Avitas is alarmed at the Hippus stronghold so close to the capital, and the following months see a dramatic rise of tensions between the two civilisations. There are whispers that the Scions will go to war with the Hippus if something is not done.
Spoiler :
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The Elohim have started some manner of organisation known as "The Overcouncil", a federation of various civilisations, kingdoms and tribes that convene to vote upon laws and regulations that bind them all. The Scions refuse to take part.
Spoiler :
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The Centeni population of Abissen is struck by plague. While a few attempt to alleviate the suffering of their more mortal kin, the Cult of the Emperor initiate a campaign of propaganda, advertising how that the recipients of the Emperor's Gift are immune to such petty mortal concerns. The bodycount numbers in the thousands, but the campaign is a major success.
Spoiler :
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“Peculiar, are they not? These soldiers have taken advantage fully of the Emperor's Gift, and have opted to have their heads and vital organs removed so that they might serve the Emperor better. Of course they are small in number, but what do numbers mean when your soldiers are nigh impossible to kill?” - High Priest Janus
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Janus, tell me of the soldiers.
Janus licked his lips as he felt his throat go dry. He dared not look at the Emperor, whose golden radiance illuminated the entire throne room; the very fact he was even allowed to speak to the Risen Emperor was the highest honour a Patrian might receive, so why was he so nervous?
“The Soldiers are ready, my liege. They are each willing to commit themselves fully to your cause.”
How many soldiers make up the Honoured Band?
“L-Little below a hundred, my liege.”
Have them outfitted as The First Legion.
“Your will be done, Emperor.”
Tell me of Korinna.
Janus' eyes widened as they stared at the floor; Korinna was the emperor's bodyguard, and while she was unable to leave the confines of the palace or its estates it was no secret that the Emperor used her as his main method of maintaining contact with the outside world. So why was he asking him?
“We believe we are able to break the wards that bind her to your side, my lord.”
Janus was not sure how the emperor would react; there had always been speculation that the only thing binding the mysterious Korinna the Protector to the Emperor's service were the mysterious wards placed upon her hundreds of years ago.
Have it done.
Janus nodded quickly, relieved as he was finally allowed to scuttle from the Emperor's throne room. It appeared that Patria was to unlesh Korinna upon the world.
 
Expect a third entry up in the next day or two. I realise about 1 post a week isn't ideal, but I've got a lot of things going on at the moment.
 
Compared to some (why is everyone looking at me!?!), weekly's pretty good...
 
Hey, just looked at your story! Great story!

Tomorrow's - None can beat Princes of the Universe as the "Best Civ4 S&T Story" award!
 
:p

Sis is my idol, you can't beat him.
 
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