Re: The Aerandir and the search for the Black Moon (ORP)
Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:39 pm
Just as Tuv yelled out and led his forces in a the charge, he saw Marcus look towards the harbor and slightly pause. Tuv took that to mean that Jim and the Armada he was leading had now engaged the Red Claw fleet. Tuv smiled as the two forces were now running full speed at each other. He and Marcus were charging directly at each other. As they narrowed the distance, Tuv noticed a couple volleys of flaming arrows coming from behind him. He could hear that several had hit their mark. As the gap narrowed Marcus began to shift into his were nature and Tuv could see clearly his fangs and his claws. Not to mention the blood lust rising in Marcus's eyes. Tuv knew that Marcus would aim high to strike at his face and neck. Tuv used this to his advantage. Just as Marcus was about to leap for his attack, Tuv went into a rolling slide and as he came up behind Marcus he continued the roll and sliced, like using a giant pair of scissors, across the back of Marcus's knees. Both swords hit their mark and Dragonsbane bit deep into the right knee of Marcus. Tuv was sure that the leg was nearly severed, Marcus managed to get a slight cut into Tuv's left upper arm. Tuv shook it off as he popped up and quickly went into a defensive posture as the battle was fully engaged. He lost his sight of Marcus as he sliced and diced his way through the Red Claw horde. His duel blades becoming a whirling flash of steel as the Elven Sword Master displayed his skill.
In a brief respite during the battle, Tuv glanced towards the harbor. Jim and the fleet and fully engaged the enemy ships and from what he could see all of the Red Claw vessels were either sinking or where heavily engulfed in flames. Turning his attention back to the battle at hand, Tuv and about a dozen men under his command and gotten behind the Red Claw lines. They now turned back and began attacking the Red Claws from behind. The men he had amassed where winning the battle. The fate of the battle all but sealed. Sensing what was happening, many of the Red Claws were seeking to abandon the battlefield and risk the flames. Tuv and those close to him began to cut these changelings down as Tuv sought out Marcus in an attempt to end things on that area of this conflict.
As much as he looked, Tuv could not locate Marcus. Within 2 hours of the battle starting, it was over. The Red Claw fleet was destroyed. The ground forces routed. All in all only 40 Red Claw soldiers and sailors were left alive. They were chained together and handed over to forces belonging to the Viceroy of Muria who had just arrived on the scene. The rest of the Red Claws lay strewn about the meadow or floating in the harbor, either already dead or mortally wounded.
Despite all of this, Marcus and 3 members of his ground force command team could not be found. Tuv knew they could not have gotten far. He knew beyond a doubt that at the very least he had severed both hamstrings of Marcus, more than likely severing completly the left knee of Marcus. Even if he was able to regenerate completely, it would be hours, if not days, before the changeling would be able to walk effectively. Tuv put that thought away for now as he cleaned his weapons and but them back in their scabbards, grabbed his bow and quiver, and headed towards the woodline to find Wyllow and the twins. It was only then that he truly noticed that Marcus had managed to claw his left upper arm. Tuv paused, grabbed some water and brandy, cleaned the wound, and wrapped a tight bandage around his arm. The battle of the day had been won, a devastating blow had been dealt to the Red Claws, but until he could see the bodies of Marcus and the Command staff, he would not consider the war to be over.
When he found Wyllow, Tuv hugged her tight, kissed her and said It is over for now. It will be some time before they can do anything. Marcus was severely injured. I may have cut off one of his legs. However, he and a few of his command staff cannot be located. Lets rest for a bit and then plan our next move.
Tuv then grabbed a clean cloth and a bucket of water and began to wipe the blood and guts off his face, arms, hands, and armor as he looked out at the needless loss of life all about him. All in All off the Red Claw forces, over 300 lay dead or dying. Fortunately for his side, they had only lost 15 men. When he was cleaned up, Tuv led his forces in a brief ceremony to honor the sacrifices his troops made and had the dead prepared to be returned to their home towns to be buried amongst their friends and families. Tuv ordered the guards to remain posted and he sent out scouts to survey the areas about. He knew Marcus was still out there somewhere and he would not rest until he fully knew the fate of Marcus and this misguided war he found himself in.
In a brief respite during the battle, Tuv glanced towards the harbor. Jim and the fleet and fully engaged the enemy ships and from what he could see all of the Red Claw vessels were either sinking or where heavily engulfed in flames. Turning his attention back to the battle at hand, Tuv and about a dozen men under his command and gotten behind the Red Claw lines. They now turned back and began attacking the Red Claws from behind. The men he had amassed where winning the battle. The fate of the battle all but sealed. Sensing what was happening, many of the Red Claws were seeking to abandon the battlefield and risk the flames. Tuv and those close to him began to cut these changelings down as Tuv sought out Marcus in an attempt to end things on that area of this conflict.
As much as he looked, Tuv could not locate Marcus. Within 2 hours of the battle starting, it was over. The Red Claw fleet was destroyed. The ground forces routed. All in all only 40 Red Claw soldiers and sailors were left alive. They were chained together and handed over to forces belonging to the Viceroy of Muria who had just arrived on the scene. The rest of the Red Claws lay strewn about the meadow or floating in the harbor, either already dead or mortally wounded.
Despite all of this, Marcus and 3 members of his ground force command team could not be found. Tuv knew they could not have gotten far. He knew beyond a doubt that at the very least he had severed both hamstrings of Marcus, more than likely severing completly the left knee of Marcus. Even if he was able to regenerate completely, it would be hours, if not days, before the changeling would be able to walk effectively. Tuv put that thought away for now as he cleaned his weapons and but them back in their scabbards, grabbed his bow and quiver, and headed towards the woodline to find Wyllow and the twins. It was only then that he truly noticed that Marcus had managed to claw his left upper arm. Tuv paused, grabbed some water and brandy, cleaned the wound, and wrapped a tight bandage around his arm. The battle of the day had been won, a devastating blow had been dealt to the Red Claws, but until he could see the bodies of Marcus and the Command staff, he would not consider the war to be over.
When he found Wyllow, Tuv hugged her tight, kissed her and said It is over for now. It will be some time before they can do anything. Marcus was severely injured. I may have cut off one of his legs. However, he and a few of his command staff cannot be located. Lets rest for a bit and then plan our next move.
Tuv then grabbed a clean cloth and a bucket of water and began to wipe the blood and guts off his face, arms, hands, and armor as he looked out at the needless loss of life all about him. All in All off the Red Claw forces, over 300 lay dead or dying. Fortunately for his side, they had only lost 15 men. When he was cleaned up, Tuv led his forces in a brief ceremony to honor the sacrifices his troops made and had the dead prepared to be returned to their home towns to be buried amongst their friends and families. Tuv ordered the guards to remain posted and he sent out scouts to survey the areas about. He knew Marcus was still out there somewhere and he would not rest until he fully knew the fate of Marcus and this misguided war he found himself in.