Chapter 5

“Outbreak of War”

10-15-2007 Edited by Chrisy Demaroney

11-3-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm

12-8-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm

(Old chapters 11-12a)

            A few hours after the fight in the stables, that left twenty-two of the assassins, and Aulus Serpentis dead, Dekari, Aiken, Firatri, Ancus, Dorlum, Torto, Dredskif, Kane, Draven, Appius and Lepidus arrived at the Ironfist ranch. Aiken and Dekari talked at length with the town Sheriff, and explained that an Assassins Guild had sent the thirty-two men up north to kill Bruce and that they had killed four others the day they found their father murdered. They explained that Marcus Ironfist had been at the ranch and had said that Bruce killed many of them, according to the assassins, that Bruce had killed six of the enemy.  Quintus, the Sheriff, had wanted to arrest Aiken and Dekari’s group but Firatri said that as a Paladin he made the law wherever he went, and that avenging the death of their father was what Marcus had wanted. Firatri further said that if the sheriff wanted to take it up with Marcus, he was never far away. Naturally, the sheriff had cleared all eleven men.

            For Armor and heavier items, the men had bought large sacks in town and had put the gear in the back of the wagon. Once they reached the barn, Aiken instructed the men to take all the horse tack off the horses and all the gear off the mules. Aiken had the mercenaries put the twenty-two horses in the pasture with the rest and put the five mules in a pasture of their own as there was plenty of pasture land on the ranch.

             Aiken and Dekari began walking from the barn to the house and could see Numa sitting on the porch supervising the laborers.

            “How goes it, Numa?” Dekari asked as he climbed the last step up the porch.

           “Well. The ranch hands you hired are hard workers,” Numa said.

            “Good to hear,” Dekari said.

            “We won’t be staying,” Aiken said. “It’s only mid-afternoon.”

            “Why don’t you two stay for the night and get a fresh start in the morning?” Numa said.

            “After a quick count, there seem to be more ranch hands than ten.” Aiken said.

            “Aye,” Numa said. “Out of that twenty gold you gave me I took it upon myself to hire ten more men.”

            “Thank you for putting the money to good use,” Dekari said. He glanced around and said, “looks as if that part of our property is seeing use.” referring to several fields in the valley.

            “The ten men I hired and five of the original ten I have farming those acres on that end of the property,“ Numa said. “I left this morning after talking with the two of you. I came here to the ranch to see what it needed, and got the idea of turning those acres into farmland.”

            “What are you growing?” Dekari asked

            “wheat, potatoes, blueberries, and strawberries. “Numa said.

            “I appreciate the decision-making on your part, Numa,” Dekari said . “My father left us with several hundred acres. This entire valley is ours, and I would appreciate it if you hired more laborers and tried to turn a profit from the property. I’d like you to hire some mercenaries from town to protect the property, more assassins from the south could come to the ranch.

            Dekari reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out fifty gold. Dekari handed the sum to Numa.

            “What’s this?” Numa asked.

            “Another thirty to see to the upkeep of the property and twenty for your trouble. We should be gone a few weeks. If it turns into longer, we’ll do the same arrangement as before. If upkeep costs reach more than the thirty gold, you will be paid upon our return,” Dekari said.

            “Very well. Working in the service of the Ironfist brothers is going to make me a rich man. On my plantation I was making near twenty gold a month, but you’ve given me seventy gold alone in one day. Twenty profit and fifty towards the property.” Numa said.

            “Once we are finished with our business elsewhere, you’ll be paid more for your time and trouble.” Aiken said.

            “Understood Master Ironfist,” Numa said.

            “Next trip into town, I’d like you to pick up supplies and more laborers. I want a carpenter hired and two granaries built. Heres an additional twenty gold for the pay of workers and supplies,” Dekari said as he put the coins into Numa’s hand.

            “You been digging into that chest?” Aiken asked.

            “No, the chest remains untouched,” Dekari said. “I had some savings in the house that I’ve been using. Also I took some gold, iron, and silver pieces from some of the dead men at the stables.” Dekari said.

            “What stables?” Numa asked

            “We found the men that killed Bruce. We killed twenty-two in town yesterday, we killed four on the ranch the day father died and our father killed six when this started, and one of the farmhands that got killed, killed one of them. All in all thirty-three Assassins have been killed since they came to the farm the night before last, ” Aiken said.

            “Those mercenaries are with you for your revenge then, I take it?” Numa asked.

            “Yes. A group of eleven warriors is a much stronger fighting force than Dekari and I alone,” Aiken said. “there were twelve of us, but one of the mercenaries were killed.”

            “Mid-afternoon or not, we should stay the night.” Dekari said.

            “Mid-afternoon is as fine a time to leave as any,” Aiken said

            “I’d prefer dawn,” Dekari said.

            “We can still get a good jump on the trip and camp somewhere south of Greendale,” Aiken said.

            “Very well. I’ll ready the men. Leave in about an hour?” Dekari asked his twin brother.

            “Good enough,” Aiken said.

            “Numa, if our mother Lucila comes home, tell her all that you know of the last three days,” Dekari said.

            Aiken walked to the barn to talk to the nine men, and Dekari sat beside Numa.

            “The reason I wanted you to hire mercenaries is because the Assassins Guild from Mohawk will undoubtedly seek retribution for the loss of so many of their members. If you have a dozen or so mercenaries here I wil rest easier knowing that the property and those who work it are safe,” Dekari said.

            “I’ll rest easier knowing that I’m not going to get killed while I look after this place, I’ll hire some men tomorrow,” Numa said.

            “I cant imagine why someone would have wanted Bruce killed,” Dekari said. “I suppose we’ll find out once we get to Mohawk and confront the guild responsible.”

            “The nature of the guild that had him killed would leave me to believe that Bruce intervened when he shouldn’t have and angered the wrong people,” Numa said.

            “Possibly,” Dekari replied.

            A little over an hour later, Aiken climbed atop the two-horse wagon, and all made final preparations to leave. Before they left, they all fitted their armor on and sharpened their blades and their wits.  Dekari rode his horse with a pack horse on lead behind him. Aiken’s horse was tied to the back of the wagon. He had enough food, grain, arrows, bolts, and rope for the long journey. Dorlum and Torto climbed into the back of the wagon and argued more than talked.

            Firatri rode behind the wagon with Ancus beside him. Firatri and Ancus were both god-fearing folk and both from Rockport. The two had D’Hellzaben barbarian blood. D’Hellzaben, now under Del’gothian rule was considered a province of Del’Goth. Both men religiously devout would refer to themselves as D’Hellzaben Barbarians and not Del’gothians. Firatri taller and stronger than most, though average build for a member of his barbarian race wore his white platemail while Ancus wore the grey robes that most monks wore.

            Behind Firatri and Ancus rode Dredskif upon his huge Clydesdale his thick hide armor over his muscular frame with his secondary machete tucked under the saddle and wearing his bracers of haste, two-handed longsword, large mace, large iron-bound wooded shield and his other machete strapped onto the inside of his shield. Dredskif’s elixer of health, a dirty jug, hung from his belt.

            Behind Dredskif rode Kane. Kane had a single-handed longsword on his left hip and a shortsword on his right. Kane also wore his grey Chameleon Robe and a bag with poison, healing herbs as well as herbs for various ailments.

            Behind Kane rode Draven, Appius, and Lepidus, side by side. Draven's fight style relied heavily on his agility, and so with this in mind he wore studded leather armor with 12 small sheaths for throwing knives across his chest, a longsword at his left hip, a large hunting knife at his right, and a heavy recurve bow on his back alongside two quivers.

            The two brothers, Appius and Lepidus, both used single handed longswords, recurve bows, throwing knives, hunting knives, and a quiver of arrows.

            While Aiken readied the nine men, he went through the pile of armor in the barn that he and Dekari had gathered from the four dead assassins and gave Dredskif a Longbow and a quiver of arrows. Aiken also gave a heavy recurve and a quiver of arrows to Kane, along with a suit of band mail and a war hammer. The band mail was much stronger than studded leather, though it made more noise. Kane opted to take the better protection in exchange for the loss of quiet movement.

            All of the eleven warriors brought two horses except Dorlum and Torto who each rode in the back of the wagon. Dekari and Aiken bid Numa farewell and the eleven headed for Greendale with plans to head to Mohawk after that.

Dekari: Human Fighter (Bear)

Aiken: Human Thief-Mage (Bear)

Firatri: Human Paladin Rockport (D‘Hellzaben blood)

Ancus: Human Monk Rockport (D‘Hellzaben blood)

Dorlum: (Mountain Dwarf) clan of Buhrodar:  Empire of Haraxis             (Drifter/Mercenary)

Torto: (Hill Dwarf) Clan of Syrkyst:  Empire of Palaxis (Drifter/Mercenary)

Dredskif: (Minotaur) the Clan of Warlord Bolthorpe (Drifter/Mercenary)

Kane: Crimson Elf Ranger  (Bear/Qualistay) Aikens friend

4 Mercenarys Hired from greendale

Draven: Human Fighter (Beaver:Heathgoth) Drifter/Mercenary

Appius Hortensius Serpentis: (Human) (Drifter/Mercenary)

Lepidus Servius Serpentis. (Human) (Drifter/Mercenary)

(Old Start of Chapter 12)

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            The party of eleven men were headed away from the Ironfist property towards Greendale, with every intention of heading further south to Mohawk, when up the road a small orb of blue light flickered into existence in the middle of the path. A moment later the ball of light expanded to reach a twelve feet high and an eight feet wide portal.

            Marcus rode out of the portal on a large chariot. The chariot had five spears in a rack upon the inside, as well as an extension of the rack that was used for holding his heavy recurve and arrows. After Marcus was through the portal, one-hundred-sixty Elite Del’Goth heavy infantry followed him in rows of four.

            The Del’goth Elite, Avengers, were trained from an early age to use all forms of weapons as well as extensive hand to hand martial arts techniques. Avengers were the heavy infantry of Del’goth. The legend behind the Del’goth Avengers, as they were known was an image of brutality and ruthless, self-righteous justice. Under the direction of Marcus, the Avengers, his preferred corps, hunted down criminals and enemies of the state with iron determination and patient planning. They ruthlessly exacted vengeance upon those whom Marcus decided were enemies to the state or the people of Del'goth, including the lands to the north, the continent formerly the Nation of D‘Hellzaben. The training of the Avengers was a mix of martial arts, meditation, religious piety, wilderness survival, languages, and weapons training. The Avengers worshiped Feldan, the god of the hunt, and Victor, the god of war. Each Avenger wielded a steel katana, two shortswords with ivory handles, a heavy recurve, and a war hammer. Many Del’goth Avengers also wore more weapons of their own choosing. The Elite Unit wore partial plate-mail, a breastplate, plates of steel over their shoulders, thighs, and calves for armor, with red cloaks.  

            As the last of the one-hundred-sixty Avengers stepped through the portal, four groups of forty avengers, made a square perimeter around the large house, and the road where Aiken, his brother, and their companions were. Next, Duncan and his brother Talon stepped out of the portal. Talon had an escort of twenty Crimson elf rangers, and Duncan had twenty monks and twenty Paladins with him. Marcus’s elder brother, Charlemagne, stepped out of the portal next with the kings of over half of the barbarian clans.

            “Hello, Dekari and Aiken,” Charlemagne said.

            "Hello, my grandsons," Marcus said

            “Hello,” Dekari said.

            “Hi,” Aiken said.

            “I had a vision last night,” Marcus said. “I saw the two of you and your mercenaries fighting in a stables. Congratulations on your bitter-sweet revenge and justice. Whoever contracted the kill on your father is most likely still alive, though they might be hard to find.”

            “We were just heading to Greendale and then to Mohawk.” Aiken said.

            “I’ve brought some men with me and I want you to gain intelligence and storm the assassins guild,“ Marcus said. “I had a vision of Aiken outlining his plan for Mohawk. To join the guild and find out about the contracted murder from membership in the assassins guild. I want you to find out as much as you can about the guild, kill the guild master, and find the person who hired the assassination. There are pressing matters of state I must attend to. A war has begun.”

            “War has come to the world,” Charlemagne said. “It looks as if it might be a conflict of apocalyptic proportions. Draxis’s moon and Julia’s moon, the two purgatories, will be overflowing regardless of the outcome. Your father is dead, my nephew is dead, but this is not the time to mourn.”

            “Dominus Severus, King of Heath’Goth, Michael Severus, King of the Bronze Republic, Marcus Ironfist, Emperor of Del’Goth, Titus Paprius Damaticus, Emperor of Kulan and myself all met this morning in Auchter. The five of us talked a good deal.”

            “I am ruler of the state of Auchter, the city-state south of Heath’goth as well as director of the Barbarian Confederacy.”

            “For the last six months, the two nations of Minotaur, Korosodo and Gobtel, to our west across the sea, have discussed the possibility of an Alliance, with the two mountain dwarf nations of Malaxis, in the west, and Haraxis, here on our home continent,” Charlemagne said. ”The blood elves of both Gorwyn and Westfyrd and the lizard men all look to be joining the alliance. With the promise of conquest and riches, all nations involved in the pact have formed an alliance for the aforementioned cause. For Kulan it was a bad start to the war. In the west there are two islands that Kulan had held with multiple colonies. Three legions on one and five on the other have been defeated. Kulan has already lost their foothold in the region as well as 80,000 men. An advance fleet has been deployed from Minotaur waters and is harassing shipping lanes and are slowly taking the coral isle.”

            "That fleet from the west is made up of Blood Elves, Lizard Men and Minotaur,” Marcus said. “They’ve already landed on the coral isle and are dealing with resistance there from five legions."

            “The coral isle is the cash cow of Imperial Kulan,” Charlemagne said. “With its gold mines and pearls. Once they take the coral isle, Kulan will have a much harder time funding a war. At present, we are looking at a force of near 355,000. The Western powers all rally behind a bloodthirsty Minotaur warlord, Noto Bloodrunner. Noto has taken the two Islands in the west for his clan and they have enslaved all the Kulan colonials there. The two Mountain Dwarf kingdoms of Everest in the east and Buhrodar in the west are in their alliance and are supplying them with Dwarven crafted weaponry and armor. They have sent emissaries to the Mountain Dwarven kingdom here bordering Del‘Goth, Kulan and Palaxis and the Haraxis Mountain Dwarves have thrown in with the lot of the invaders.”

            “That’s pretty brave. Only one nation on our continent against Kulan?” Dekari said.

            “My guess would be that they are Confident behind their walls that have stood for 2000 years,” Marcus said.

            “This war needs to be contained or it will spread across the entire known world,” Charlemagne said. “Malaxis also would see our demise. The diversity of their army as well as the excellent field officers and ruthless generals will make this a world war and the largest the world has ever seen.”           

            “Where there’s conflict Blood Elves are bound to be found.” Talon said. “The Westfyrd Blood Elves and the Gorwyn Blood Elves coming with their powerful navy’s and their archer-infantry.”

            “Del’goth, Heath’goth, Kulan, Palaxis, Qualistay are working out an alliance that will make invasion of our continent quite difficult,” Talon said.

            "Titus Damaticus already sent five more legions by ship to the Coral Isle,”
Marcus said. “He has instructed his generals to build fortifications and fight the Minotaur presence that is already attempting an invasion. Titus talked to Dominus and Michael yesterday and he worked out a deal with Dominus and his son. In exchange for the Bronze Republic and Heath’Goth helping in the war, Titus Damaticus would give the two kings horses, gold, iron, and enter into a pact of mutual protection. Titus explained to Dominus and Michael Severus that if Kulan fell then the western aggressors would have a strong foothold in this continent and Heath’goth and the Republic would both be in danger of further conquest by Minotaur, Blood Elves, Lizard men and Mountian dwarves. Titus said that the invading force would spread across the continent and that all the nations would enter a Dark age of slavery, oppression and the fight to regain freedom could take hundreds if not thousands of years. Michael Severus has already sent two fleets of his royal navy to the coral isle. And the other two he is using to protect his southern borders incase the enemy attempts to land a force on his southern frontier."            

            “Not to mention the fact that Hell’Goth merchants have been sending trade cogs east to the west coast of the Korosodo Minotaurs and the Lizard men,” Duncan said. “The current king of Hell’Goth does not consider his country to be a subordinate state of the Barbarian Confederacy. They will enter the war sooner or later on the opposing side, and when they do we must assassinate their king. And appoint a king to the throne of Hell’Goth or find a suitable heir to keep the populous content.”

            “This will not be an easy war to wage,” Marcus said. “We’ll have to fight on our own lands, not on foreign soil. One Minotaur fights like four men,  Minotaur have been at war with one nation or another since the creation of their race. Even lizard men are taller and stronger than the average man. We have the advantage of numbers but they have the advantage of brute strength. This war will be very difficult and the death-toll will be the highest man has ever seen.”

            “Hadrian took Bruce as squire and apprentice many years ago,” Marcus said. “He taught your father the ways of the Paladin. Dekari, you will get formal lessons in many different areas from Firatri and Ancus, and they will train you to be a Paladin.”             “The timing for this invasion will give the two of you practical battle experience and will better teach you the art of combat,” Ancus said who had been standing quietly and patiently beside Firatri.

            “You can take five of my monks and ten of my Paladins with you,” Duncan said. “They will prove quite invaluable if you incur any resistance.”

            "Ancus and I will be coming along as well." Firatri said

            “Ten of my Crimson Elf Rangers can also accompany you,” Talon said.

            "You can take forty of my avengers," Marcus said. “They will train you to be an Avenger, Aiken, and you will be able to fight as one of them.”

            “Traveling with just 2 brothers you would most likely incur resistance along the way or an assassination attempt. With these men you will stand a greater chance,“ Charlemagne said.

            “Good luck,” Marcus said.

            “I will pray to Draxis, to watch over you and help you with your mission,” Charlemagne said.

            Dekari put out his hand and clasped Marcus’s then Charlemagne’s forearm shaking each.

            Marcus rested his hand on Dekari’s shoulder and said, “Keep Aiken out of trouble.”

            Marcus spoke a word of magic and a small ball of energy appeared then grew into Marcus’s large portal. Marcus, Duncan, Talon and Charlemagne’s escorts left with them through the portal.

            “Too late to leave now. We’d be leaving just to make camp in a few hours. Looks like you got your wish, Dekari.” Aiken said

            Dekari simply smiled, not wanting to gloat.

            “We’ll leave at dawn,” Aiken said.

            “We’ll need some supplies for the trip. We can stop in Greendale and pick up rations, water, arrows, bolts and provisions for the horses among other things,” Dekari said.           

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