Chapter 7 - "The Glorious Five"
Welcome back to Let's Play Dark Omen. Let's not waste any time, since typing this stuff up is the longest part of LPing, to be frank, and when you'll be at the end of this post, I'll have edited and written on this forum post for about ninety minutes. Let's go!
Last time we met, the grand magic foozle of the emperor consulted the
Liber Mortis.
Let's see if that was any use, huh?
:idea: (Wizard) That was a hazardous consultation of the Liber Mortis my Lord, an ordeal of high and low doom. The moment I approached the book it bit me most ferociously. I must apologise for the explosion that blew off the door to the Chamber Unbreachable [!] but the simultanous release of seventeen demons from the book's spine caused a spiritual detonation in the soul-stored air of the room. This was a most unpleasant thing, one only I could have survived, and even I suffered a minor damnation and my soul is twisted as a corkscrew.
:!: (Emperor) I suggest you keep the state of your soul to yourself and inform us instead what you have gleamed from the grimoire.
:idea: Well, there was mentioning of an obscure horror, the Dread King, but of his nature or kingdom I learned nothing. But there is rather more- something about three objects that are related to the present threat of the empire. The first of these is the Jewel of Moresleep, apparently located in the East of Sylvania. The second is the Hand of Nagash, rumoured to reside in the region of Kisleth, and the third is the Black Grail which might conceivably be found in Bretonia.
:!: These objects must be investigated. Commander, I give you the task of seeking them out. As Countess Isabel was captured by Carlstein of Sylvania I suggest you first move to Castle Drakenhof, deep in Sylvania. It would seem the most likely location for the Jewel as Count Carstein is clearly involved in this matter. Also, it is imperative that you rescue the Countess before the Count gives her the Kiss of Blood and makes her his vampire slave.
:evil: (Morgan) I'll save her, whatever it takes. This... is personal.
:!: Volkmar... What more can you tell us of the Jewel of Moresleep?
:idea: All I know is that the Jewel is most certainly in Sylvania. It is, so the Liber Mortis says, a special evil.
(Inquisitor) A spiritual avatar like Bernhardt isn't capable of completing this mission unaided. The path with be ripe with undead most foul, infernal traps and devilish spells. I, however, pure in spirit, am immune to all demonic tricks. I also have excellent contacts in Sylvania [Hmmm...] which I am sure Bernhardt has not. I'll ride up ahead and... (noticable pause) ... ...spy out the land. [Aside:] ...just as soon as I burned a few heretics...
:evil: Do what you must, Mathias... just don't get in my way. And call me Commander.
:!: Whatever quarrel you have with the Witchhunter General, leave it aside for the moment. You must direct all your attention to finding the Jewel and rescuing the Countess. Good fortune- though it won't be easy to find in Sylvania. Farewell.
:riding noises:
Undead forces ahead!
:evil: Prepare to engage!
Battle 8 - The Trap
This is the only enemy regiment, and it's right next to a treasure chest containing gold. Hmm.
Between those wights that sparkle blue - a clear sign of them carrying a magic item - there are many of those abandoned hill graves. Wait... hill graves? Surely that doesn't mean...
...that undead will swarm out of them!? We hastily retreat the Bright Wizard and pelt those minor undead with the cannon, spells, the Grudgebringer sword and the crossbows.
As you can see by the swiftly dwindling numbers of undead, ranged attacks are very effective. Also, our crossbowmen leveled up last battle, so they are about 33% more accurate, resulting in even more ranged carnage. The undead follow the wizard, giving the crossbows ample time to decimate the undead while the cavalry is busy fighting some skeletons.
Soon the crossbows destroy the minor undead and are ready to deal with the new threat- skeleton archers our cavalry can't deal with... yet.
Weakened by bolt and cannonfire, the skeletons offer no challenge to our Grudgebringers.
Remember that treasure chest? We teleport the wizard right next to collect it and to scout the area- seems like there's more undead. Luther is going to like this next bit.
Look, a new enemy regiment-
Additional damage to fire, huh? Well, that can be arranged.
We (ab)use the Bright Wizard- he lures the undead around in circles, occasionally burning a few, while the cannon and crossbows target everything dumb enough to get into range.
More undead from the east- a regiment of skeleton archers. A direct cannon hit killed six of them, the cavalry finishes them off. Take note of how we keep guiding the surviving undead from southwest to southeast with the wizard.
The wights from the beginning and some more skeletons join the fray. Our cavalry with maximum armor and wearing the enchanted shield is less than impressed.
Score!
This magic item is a double-edged sword- since it prevents the wearer from running away, ever, that means a regiment carrying it could very easily be completely destroyed if you're not careful. Anyway-
There was a lot of rejoicing and maybe some celebrating, but not for long- duty called us further, to the east.
We rest in a town called Kemperbad for the night and witness this little episode-
A regiment of Imperial Greatswords has been waiting for us. They've been instructed to join your army and fight with us to the very end. That's the good news.
:evil: And the bad news?
The Kemperbad townsfolk have sighted undead in the surrounding countryside-
I have to leave you for a while to... eh... pursue my mission; the mission of saving souls.
:evil: That's good news for me and bad news for the souls. Ready the men, Klaus! We march for Sylvania!
:!: New Unit :!:
I like them about as much as the Grudgebringer Infantry. Though doing more damage, they are more fragile and have just as low morale. In addition to being unable to wear much armor, it also happens that they will ALWAYS attack after the enemy, taking losses no matter what. I hate infantry. If only there was some cool infanty, like, I don't know, mercenary trolls or maybe some crazy berserker squard that wears no armor but is actually powerful... Too much to ask for, I guess.
:riding noises:
Who the hell are these maniacs? Oh no- they're flagellants, about to whip themselves into a frenzy as usual.
:evil: They don't seem too keen on flogging their own backs at the moment.
That's true. Usually flagellants wouldn't do that unless they have an enemy to lash out at instead. I wonder what made them stop... HEY YOU! Are you the leader of this regiment?
:shock: Yessss. I am the leader... Eusebio the name. Can't you sense an evil presence there in the forest? We were marching towards that but we had to stop. They're watching us from the trees... evil eyes, evil eyes!
:evil: There's nothing out there in the forest. You men are frightened by your own shadows!
:shock: Listen to the silence...
[No sound is heard, no owl hooting at the night, no insects chirping, nothing...]
He's right, Morgan. Listen to the silence- something has frightened the animals of the night.
:evil: I see your point. Eusebio- why don't you and your men join up with us?
:shock: Gladly, Commander. Safety in numbers.
MORGAN! Greenskins coming from the trees!
:evil: Greenskins? That makes a change- ATTACK!
Battle 9 - The Dark Forest
First, let's check out the...
:!: New Unit :!:
HELL YEAH
Ah! Finally! An infantry regiment I will use! The Flagellants are crazy sonuvabitches that fight in only robes, so even a stray arrow will kill one of them easily. But unlike our pussy Greatswords or the Grudgebringer Infantry, those guys have great morale and will pretty much never flee. Better yet, they hit HARD. Even powerful enemy regiments go down quickly when the flagellants torment them with their heavy spiked flails. Another advantage: They are very cheap to replace, and their numbers are small, making them easy to maneuver. I'd much rather have a unit of nine useful fellows than one of twenty useless wimps. Grudgebringer Infantry, I am looking at you.
Hell yeah! Let's wreak some havoc with them.
We start the battle "blind", not knowing where enemies will come from. But what's this...
:shock: There! They're to the North!
:evil: No! To the East!
:shock: They're all around us!
Gah! Focus, focus...
Finally we actually see, not only hear some of them. Archers from both sides, and a goblin shaman.
As every other spellcaster in the game, the shaman can easily decimate half a unit in seconds. Cannons! Archers! All fire at the magician! Cavalry! Keep the archers to the east of our backs!
We score some DAMN lucky hits- not only do our crossbows annihilate the archers as well as the shaman, no, better yet, the greenskins don't get to release their "surprise" which hence I'll have to show you another mission. Anyway, the battle rages on- the fallen greenskins are quickly replaced with more from the northwest and some sort of monsters swarming us... like what the flagellants are fighting.
That's right, a monster. Flagellants are excellent at killing them, being able to resist fear well and also happening to be extremely tough.
Meanwhile our archers notice something creeping up on us- Great! A fucking spider!
Yuck!
A lucky cannonball destroys it. Protip: The best and safest way to deal with monsters are cannonballs and archer-fire combined. But there's something even faster- a direct hit with the "Blast" or "Flaming Skull" spell can kill them just as efficiently, at least the scorpions and the spiders. If one doesn't do it, two should.
Barely having caught their breath from fighting the nightgobbos, the cavalry already has to rush to the south-west to catch those scorpions before they charge our cannon crew! Notice the nightgoblins advancing from the south-east and another spider from the north.
:evil: You're TOAST!
All that's left is a spider and more nightgoblins- easy pickings.
More gold!
Well, this sure was worth it.
Another reason to love the Flagellants - 20 gp per man? Hell yeah.
Emerging victorious once again, we continue to ride to the east- only to be interrupted AGAIN.
Ah, Commander! I am Ludwig van Uberdorf of ze Imperial Army. Our Steamtank's been damaged, can you help us?
:evil: I am not a mechanic.
I meant, can you help protect us vile ve are reparing ze tank?
*chuckle* He knows what you meant. Don't take that straight face of the Commander too seriously. Anyway, what happened to you?
My crew were driving the Steamtank to
Blighted Towers. We are part of a force ordered to exterminate a rabble of greenskins that has taken over the tower. But... uhm...
Your tank broke down...?
Ja! Und now ve're isolated. Our escort halberdiers have been killed by orc patrols. Ve're all alone.
:evil: How did you survive the attack that wiped out the halberdiers?
Wir... Ve hid inside the Steamtank until the orcs left. But they could return any moment. Will you aid us?
:evil: Tell me more about Blighted Towers.
Zey are on die way to Sylvania and rise high up into the clouds. But, they can be taken, mylord, with courage and resolve.
Orc ambush!! Watch out!
:evil: Prepare to defend!
Battle 10 - Ambushed!
First off, the new unit-
It's... a panzer!
Now, let's take a look at the area-
We're right below that steep cliff... since we know we're being ambushed, it would be reasonable to assume the greenskins are coming from there- We order all troops to go there. I am using the greatswords so you guys can see how much they suck.
Greenskins! Greenskins by ze dozen! They shall not get the tank!
As you can see, there's a whole lot of orcs right on our necks- We tangle them with the infantry and the suckswords, using the cavalry to strike at their flanks when appropriate. After a short and not very noteworthy battle...
...we pick up this strange glowing banner the Arrer Boyz were carrying.
Today is a good day.
Enemy forces ahead!
Many, many greenskins coming from the north, among them the dreaded Boar Boyz, the greenskin cavalry. As they ride boars with long tusks that count as polearms, charging them with cavalry of your own results in them +8 to their Strength. So, uh, don't do it.
This mission is pretty boring and business as usual- the cannon and the archers keep the orcish spellcaster away and decimate the Boar Boyz...
... and the Cavalry and the Flagellants kill the archers.
Notice how, even though six of their brothers died, the Flagellants just keep on fighting. Awesome. With the last Arrer Boy dead, we win the battle.
Our cannon levels up. +1 Accuracy.
After the battle...
Commander! My crew can reach the Blighted Towers and assault the orc force. But we can't succeed without your assistance!
:evil: Well... it is on our way, and my sword arm could use some exercise... [...despite him having killed twenty-one orcs a few minutes ago...]
If we help you, will you and your crew come with us to Sylvania?
Sorry, but we need to go back to Altdorf after that for essential repairs.
:evil: Somehow I knew you'd say that.
Morgan! We could lose valuable time here.
:evil: And we might gain valuable allies. Let's press on to the towers!
Well... kinda weird, this. It almost reads as if the designers wanted this to be an optional mission that rewards you with the steamtank, but they removed the choice and streamline you into doing it. The difficulty, as you will see, sure would make this worthy of an optional mission.
To Blighted Towers!
:riding noises:
Ze cannon and mortar crews are already here, Morgan, primed to attack the Towers. All they were waiting for was the Steamtank.
Commander! If you join forces with us we have a good chance of wiping the tower clean of orcs!
:evil: Agreed. Launch the assault!
Battle 11 - The Glorious Five
First, let's take a look at the mentioned cannon and mortar!
Not bad, not bad at all.
Since we have to use the Tank and the Imperial Artillery, we might as well leave our own cannon at home. As well as that useless infantry and greatsword units. Bah. We have Flagellants now!
The two ballista-shaped banners represent orc-ballistae- their cannon equivalent, and just as deadly. The banner to the north-east is the dreaded rock lobber, their mortar. It HURTS. Hence, put all your units as far to the south as you can.
I'll use this rapidly advancing regiment of Boar Boyz to show off the Imperial Mortar. Take aim... fire...
...obliterate!
Greenskins try to assault us and fail miserably. Note the fleeing Orc Boyz. The ones closing in will soon follow suit. If you wonder why they are still this big- for some weird reason, arrows had no effect on them. They also drop a magic item when killed, but we're too busy to investigate this further... Also notice that the enemy has a spellcaster and three, count them, three units of archers just waiting for us to move too far to the north.
Our usual approach: Cannonball the hell out of everything and let the crossbows do the rest.
I was going to introduce the orc shaman at this point, but a cannonball to the face killed him before he was noteworthy enough for me to bother making a shot of his profile.
Stalemate. We destroyed most of the orcish mobile defenses, but their archers, ballistae and the dreaded rock lobber, a catapult, are still in place. We'll have to think of something. Our wizard can't teleport this mission.
Remember that magic item I mentioned, and the orcs that weren't harmed by missile attacks? Our cavalry drops their enchanted shield (hold ALT, click on the item) and rushes to the magic item, just north, but in range of the catapult. I do hope they don't get hit! They're so damn expensive.
Almost there, please don't get hit, please don't get hit...
BULLSHIT!
The unit more than cut in half, NINE whole mean dead from a single, direct hit by the orcish catapult, our cavalry finally reaches the item- a magic shield... a familiar shield. We possessed it once, way back in SotHR - the shield of Ptolos, making one immune to archers, crossbows and ballistae...
Unsmiling, the grim Grudgebringers leave their fallen friends behind and ride towards the orc artillery with menacing determination...
And ride right back- More Boar Boyz! Remember, they ride boars, which have tusks, thus giving them the edge against cavalry.
Out of range from the dreaded rock lobber, our own cannon and mortar pelt the Boar Boyz relentlessly...
Flagellants, Cavalry and Crossbows work in harmony and get rid of all three units of Boar Boyz with no losses at all, our Bright Wizard setting ablaze as many of the fleeing filthy orcs as he can. Finally, they're all dead and only the archers and artillery remain.
:evil: Not for long.
Seeking vengeance for their fallen comrades, the Grudgebringers ride right into the middle of the battlefield, the shield of Ptolos warding them from most of the projectiles. One by one they slay the orcs, cutting each of the greenskins down with quiet fury.
Their rage - after all, nine of their men were just killed by bad luck - makes them careless and we lose even more men... soon there's only five horsemen left alive.
The Glorious Five.
Click for suitable background music.
Driven by sheer hatred, bloody, beaten, battered, the cavalry fights on, fights for the friends they have lost, their swords thirsting for blood.
No prisoners.
No remorse.
No regret.
It is done... and all that is left is a trail of corpses.
We make no profit from this mission. But it was so worth it.
Huh! Morgan! What are you doing here? Indulging in swordplay with the greenskins while the undead march upon the Empire?
:evil: Just passing the time.
You! Cannon and mortar crews, stay where you are!
Taking up war as a profession now, Witchhunter?
As an emissary to the Emperor, I am commandeering one of those war machines for the mission to Sylvania. Now... cannon... or mortar - which one shall I choose?
:evil: You don't. -I- choose.
I can't waste my time arguing with you. I have an urgent mission to fulfill and must leave immeadeately!
:evil: More heretics to burn?
You'll end up in hell, Bernhardt!
:evil:
I was born there.
Choice time! Shall we take the cannon, of which we already have one and that can only shoot in a straight line or shall we take the mortar which can shoot in an arc, hence from behind cover? Choose wisely.
A: Take the cannon! The only thing better than a cannon is two cannons!
B: Pick the mortar! Embrace diversity!
First three votes decide. Hurry up, the next missions are great, though I only tried out the next two. After that it's terra incognita.
