25 Nuzyael 720

[GM]

With darkness prevailing you are awoken by several men from clan Nildrom. "Up and at 'em" one of them says as he taps Jurri's foot with the butt of his spear.

The fire is low and only a few embers glow in the darkness.

Barak is slower to rise this morning but he is first to place a log or two upon the fire, soon the flames lick up from underneath the timber. Algared attempts to boil some water to prepare some food but a passing warrior turns to him and says "No time for a warm meal this morning, get ready to march within the quarter watch."

The man keeps walking and disappears behind a clanhouse.

With the time given there will be time enought to wash the sleep from your eyes, pack your gear, gather your equipment and make yourselves ready to move out.

[Borygg Raal]

Borygg washes up, muttering a quick prayer for a successful day while he does so. He then rolls up his bedroll, checks to make sure his belongings are properly stashed in his knapsack and belt pouches, dons his armour, and gives his weapons a once-over. He'll look around for something to eat. If nothing is available, he'll eat a bit of the cheese he has been carrying.

[Kugald Daas]

Kugald unclenches the dagger under the gambeson he has been using as a pillow. He groans, stretches and starts to get up and get ready.

TTYL

- Kerry

[Guest]

"Hrmm... Wha...?" Vidar groans incoherently after a solid sleep. He packs up, offers quick prayers for the coming journey, and assists the warband in getting ready to move-out however it is best deemed.

[Algared]

Mutters under his as the passing huscarl gives the time of march, realising it'll be a cold breakfast. Algared washes, packs up the cooking utensls and then dons his armour. He makes a last check about their camp site ensuring he has not forgotton anything before the band march off.

[GM]

With the warband now up and making itself ready to move, Cunate Daas travels among the warriors greeting everyone by name, some with a nod, others with a handshake and a wish for good luck and others still with a slap on the back and smile.

With a slap on the shoulder and a smile he greets Kugald, with a nod he greets Borygg, Barak and Vidar, with a smile he greets Algared and with a handshake he greets Jurri "Well met skald, it is good to see you are still with us" he says as he glances to the wound on your head.

Scanning the warband in the growing light you can now see that you now number around six hundred men maybe less.

Soon the warband is ready to move out, with the first rays of sunlight lighting the eastern sky the head of the column begins its journey north along the road. Kelsi and his skirmishers are the first to leave ensuring that the warband will not be ambushed along the way. Your small group is now toward the rear of the march column.

With a small detachment left behind in the thran to secure the rear you begin to head north.

Within a quarter watch you have made your way steadily north, spears at the trail and all seemingly calm and peaceful. You march through areas of fallow fields and pastures dotted with small areas of woods. Kelsi and his skirmishers ensuring that the woods are clear of any enemy warriors.

Soon you catch word from the scouts that the thran of Lihea is empty.

By the time you arrive at the thran of Lihea the van of the Daas warband have cleared the surrounding area and it looks like everyone and everything has up and left. The Daas wishing to keep the warband moving does not stop his march north. The thran is empty, clanhouses stand empty, furniture and those goods that could not be carried away have been left behind. It would seem that your presence here in the south is now known.

While resting to gather water you word from the scouts reaches the main force and rumour spreads rapidly. The Ibanvaal have gathered a force of some one thousand warriors not more than a kilometre north of Lihea. It would appear that they were heading south but now that they have encountered our scouts they are beginning to deploy into battle formation to await our arrival.

About a kilometre north of the thran of Lihea the Daas begins to form his warband in it's battle formation.

The men from clan Daas make up the right and centre of the line while the men from the minor clans make up the rest of the centre and the left flank. With the warriors arrayed for battle Vidar is in the front line flanked by Barak to his left and Kugald to his right, Borygg stands behind Vidar with Jurri to his left and Algared to his right. Several of Kelsi's skirmishers stand behind Jurri, Borygg and Algared, their bows ready to shower the enemy line in arrows.

Cunate stands (having dismounted from his horse) in the centre of the line surrounded by his huscarls. Through the mass of men it is hard to see where Thorin stands but it would appear that he is with his Jarl in the line of battle.

The is a nervousness running throught the warband as you gather and wait. Men fidget with spear and shield as they adjust their armour. Soon a horn blares from the centre of the line. With a slight hesitation the Daas line begins to move forward, cresting the small rise to your front.

There before you stands the enemy. Around four hundred yards seperates your force from the enemy. The enemy force some one thousand in number split into two groups the first numbering around five to six hundred occupy the ground lowest on the opposing rise, the second group numbering between four to five hundred stands directly behind the first several hundred metres to their rear. The ground between the two opposing forces is a pasture the ground soft underfoot but not likely to slow your approach, a small creek runs down the left of the field, a stand of trees lies several hundred metres to your right flank and well behind the enemy lines. Judging from its position if it were to contain any enemy they would be of no threat to your warbands flank during the coming fight and it seems unlikely that the enemy would have concealed any of their number within.

Halting just over the rise you warband waits.....

[Guest]

Vidar prays with a morbid smile on his face as he excitedly awaits the coming "ceremony":

May the Lord of the Icy Winds,
Through the aid of his Elkyrie,
Grant to me and my blade-brethren
Triumph by blood and bravery.

May there be no transgressions
From His Ljarl in this contest;
No stain to dishonor these men,
Bringing naught but honor to the rest.

After the prayer, he glances back to Jurri and says, "Quit yer snickering, you! I'm not the poet here." With a wink, he turns back to gaze at the artistry of the deadly panorama before him.

Quietly to Kugald, Vidar mutters: "It's... beautiful. Isn't it?" and nods towards the formations moving in place.

EDIT: I'm sure Vidar would put his gear with the rest.

[Kugald Daas]

"Beautiful? Yes, in a deadly sort of way. Like watching a mountain lion about to pounce."

Before the horn sounds, Kugald slips his backpack off his shoulders and drops it where he stands. He flexes his shoulders. "That is better. I can move faster without the weight of my extra equipment. If I live out the day, I can come back for it."

They march forward. As the Daas troops come to a stop facing the enemy, Kugald looks around at the other members of their band.

"We stay together...agreed? Together, we are far safer than if we split up."

Kugald checks his sword is not blocked and easy to draw. His hand axe is slipped through his belt across the small of his back. He hefts his new spear and shield, getting comfortable with their balance.

He eyes up the Ibanvaalese and prepares himself.

TTYL

- Kerry

[Borygg Raal]

Borygg also removes his knapsack and bedroll and stashes it with Kugald's. He slings shield on his back and strings his bow. Since we still have a ways to march before engaging the enemy, he'll hang on to his spear, planning to drop it when he is able to start firing off arrows.

[OOC: I have never had a character that used both a bow and spear. Is my handling of them here believable?]

[Algared]

Slipping his pack from his shoulder, Algared places it with Kugald's and Borygg's. Pulling his staff sling out and attaching the leather thong Algared also picks up sev eral rocks slipping one into the thong ready. His shield he keeps slung by the strap over his shoulder hooking his thumb through the shoulder strap so that it remain covering his side while also enabling him to hold his spears as the brave six hundred march unto the fray.

An extra long range missle or two may, if sarajin pleases help balance his fight.

"Aye Kugald we stay together,"

[Jurri Grebel]

Jurri begins to drum slowly, providing a background tempo. He speaks so Kugald and the others in his immediate company can hear him,

"Kugald, I will start and stay with you so long as I can, but do not worry about me. So long as you can hear my drum, I am well and taking care to observe your great deeds. No one need fear death this day."

Then, picking up the pace of drumming, he shouts in his deepest voice for those further away,

"MENGLANA!!"

If the host doesn't immediately answer, he will repeat it until they do, and then as often as needed to help build an energy suitable for the task ahead. If he needs to, he will challenge each of the clans by name to proclaim their readiness for battle, to drive the Ibanvaaler invaders from the field in defeat. If it has the additional effect of demoralizing the enemy, so much the better.

[OOC: Attempting to use Oratory to improve the allied morale state, enhanced to whatever degree possible by music (drum). I propose that a MS=+10 to morale checks, CS=+30.]

[Guest]

Vidar responds to Jurri's rally fervently, beating his shield with his axe. MENGLANA!

[GM]

The morning air is chill as the sun having risen above the eastern peaks now shines upon the battlefield. A light breeze blows in from the north west. The sky remains clear but for a few wisps of white cloud.

With Jurri's cry of Menglana!!! a few of the warriors closest repeat the cry at first, soon as the cry is carried across the field it is taken up by everyone.

Joining in with your drum other warriors begin to beat their spear against their shields......

The noise is deafening as the cries of MENGLANA, MENGLANA, MENGLANA resound across the field, accompanied by the rythmic drumming of Jurri's drum almost drowned out by the cresendo of spears banging against shields.

A light breeze blows into your faces from the north west carrying with it across the field the battlecry of the Ibanvaal forces almost drowned out by your battlecry and drumming.

The two opposing forces seem to be conducting a staring competition as each side strains not to be the first to blink....

[Jurri Grebel]

(ooc: This is where Kugald moons the enemy, right?)

Wrong movie

[GM]

As the two battlelines view each other from across the battlefield, the sound of horn blows out thrice above the din of the yelling and screaming men of the Daas warband.

The centre of the Daas line begins to advance towards the waiting enemy line. The remainder of the Daas line joins in the advance as the distance begins to close slowly between the two battlelines.

At just over a hundred yards the first volley of arrows leaves the Ibanvaal line. The Daas warband hunker down behind shields as the volley arrives. A warrior behind Barak has an arrow strike his shield but is left unharmed.

The advance towards the enemy line continues under the hail of Ibanvaal arrows. As one volley arrives Jurri feels the thud of an Ibanvaal arrow as the point has just enough force behind it to pierce his shield the arrowhead just protruding the other side of the shield.

With every step the Daas advance bringing them closer to the Ibanvaal line and safe from the hail of their arrows. With the distance between the two opposing lines now just under two hundred feet you notice with a quick glance behind them you are able to see only three warriors laying on the ground behind your line.

A little over one hundred and fifty feet from the Ibanvaal line and under the rain of the Ibanvaal arrows, the Daas' voice calls for a halt to the advance, the booming of a horn adds to the volume of the order as the Daas line comes to a halt. Within moments just like the time you have trained the archers to the rear of the line (making up the third rank) begin to return fire towards the Ibavaal line.

[Borygg Raal]

As Borygg is carrying his bow, once the band stops, he will drop his spear and join in the missile barrage on the Ibanvaaler line.

[Algared]

If it is possible to join the archers, without hampering the ability of those within the shield wall to provide defence from the ibanvaal archers, then Algared will use his staff sling to add extra weight to the volley. He will use the sling will use the sling one handed enabling him to use his his shield to block incoming archery.

As already stated the ranks are to tightly packed for you to be able to swing your staff sling from the ranks

Unable to move so that he can use his staff sling he stays in line keeping position. As the line draws closer to the Ibanvaal one Algared gets ready to grab a throwing spear and hurl it when the order is given to throw.

[Guest]

Vidar watches the mighty storm of arrows as it sails over his head and rains down in his field of vision. He prepares his shield and his axe for the ensuing charge.

[Borygg Raal]

Borygg has set his spear down while he is using the bow. If given warning that a charge by our side is imminent, he will pick up his spear and move forward with the group. Once the enemy is engaged, he will stay back a bit, drop the spear, and resume firing point blank into the enemy line.

[OOC: As i mentioned above, I am not sure how to handle Borygg's use of the bow while also having a spear. Anyone have experience or thoughts about this?]

I think there is no problem thrusting your spear point into the ground while you are using your bow, if you charge it might mean leaving the spear or the bow behind to keep up with the advancing line or you may wish to gather your spear and bow thus leaving you behind the line by a little bit.

That will be a decision you will need to make based upon the immediate situation.

[GM]

The command is given "Loose" and the first volley from the Daas line speeds forth towards the Ibanvaal line. It appears as if this first volley catches them by surprise as it seems as if every arrow finds it's target and men from the Ibanvaal line fall like wheat stalks during harvesting.

The men from Daaslund exchange several more vollies with the Ibanvaal line. The Ibanvaal arrows thudding into shields and striking the ground around the Dass line. A warrior several places down from Kugald takes and arrow to his body and collapses to the ground. Meanwhile the Ibanvaal line seems to be having the worst of the exchange.

Cuante Daas sensing the time is right orders the men from Daaslund to advance....

Again slowly under the rain of arrows your line advances closer to the Ibanvaal defenders, the defenders in the second line to the rear appear to be holding their ground in anticipation of their chance to fall upon your line.

As you advance towards the first line you hear an order to "Throw" coming from the Ibanvaal line and soon a volley of spears is hurled towards you, Jurri is able to aviod the blow of one spear as he deflects the spear point away with his shield. The advance slows momentarily and you can see several shields being discarded with spears embedded in them.

Moving closer another volley of spears is hurled towards you this time the effect is more devastating as several men fall nearby from being struck by spears.

Closing the distance still until the lines not much more than fifty feet apart the Daas orders another halt and amid the confusion and the arrow storm the line halts hesitantly. Soon with the line in order a horn blows and above the din of wounded men and the sounds of battle the order to "Prepare to Throw" is given, men prepare throwing spears and after another volley of arrows the order to "Throw" is given.

Throwing spears are hurled towards the enemy line, it is hard to make out individual weapons as they blend with each other as they sail in an arc towards the enemy line. The spears fall among the enemy line but it appears that no enemy warriors fall to the weapons, but it can be seen that quite a few enemy warriors discard their shields and search out replacements from among the fallen.

Some of them manage to succeed before the second volley of spears are hurled towards the enemy line, others are not so successful you see one enemy warrior directly opposite your line fall to a spear through his leg.

A long blast of the signal horn begins the advance towards the enemy line once again.

The pace of the advance quickens as you close with the enemy and at a distance of about thirty paces another long blast of the horn signals the final charge.....

[Jurri Grebel]

Jurri will keep a pace or two behind the advance so he can maintain a view up and down the line as contact is made. As soon as the missile barrage ends, he will resume drumming and begin singing the most rousing battle songs he knows. As he does, he will be glancing up and down the line of battle to see what he can of the overall situation. He will pay special attention to what's happening with the members of Kugald's warband, but will try not to miss any significant events elsewhere. In particular, he's keeping an eye on that Ibanvaaler reserve.

[Guest]

And now that "it's on," Vidar advances towards a foe (in time with the rest of the party), ready to engage axe-and-shield.

[Algared]

Following the line as they advance and charge, Algared sticks behind Kugald. Once combat is joined if he is able to thust his spear safely between Vidar and Kugald at he'll add his spear to the stabbing points, always stabbing low. Hoping that even if he fails to contact just the threat will open the foe to an attack from Kugald.

[GM]

The two battlelines engage with a crash of shield against shield and warrior against warrior.

The sounds of battle echo across the field as men fight for their lives against their enemies. The fight ebbs and flows as each man seeks advantage against his foe. Kugald stabs at an opponent after charging him to the ground striking the man in the belly but before any finishing blow can be given any enemy warrior steps forward to engage Kugald. The rest of the line continues to do battle.

The fight continues for the time it takes to drain three ales and before the warband a hole in the enemy line appears. Through this hole you can see the enemy streaming away from the fight. Within a few moments the hole gets bigger as more men take to fleeing the battle. From Jurri's vantage point he can see this hole plus another near where Cunate and his huscarls are fighting.

Like the spring thaw the enemy take to their heels in panic. The men from Daaslund in pursuit spurred on by Cunate and his huscarls. It is like clubbing baby seals as the men from Daaslund attack the fleeing enemy, few offer any resistance and most seem more intent on fleeing the fight.

The enemy second line watch as the first line begins to flee and hoping that their numbers will add the necessary weight to the fight to swing it back in their favour begin to advance towards the men of Daaslund.

Like a torrent running down its bed the men from Daaslund pursued, Kugald his spear broken hacks and slashes his enemy with his sword, Borygg having left his spear behind continues to fire arrows into the retreating enemy, renewing his quiver several times as he does so, Algared his spear broken to by a blow from a sword was forced to draw his sword and take to the fleeing enemy, Barak with his extra speed was able to keep up with even the swiftest of foes and dispatch them. Vidar like a warrior possessed pursued the fleeing enemy taking down all before him in his advance. Jurri followed the flow of battle moving from vantage point to vantage point so that he could take in the sights of the battle.

The fleeing enemy now pinned between their advancing comrades and a foe bent on destroying them are faced with a grim choice, they try to push their way through the second line, in doing so they break up the strong defensive formation and allow the men from Daaslund to fall upon them in complete disorder.

Within the time it takes to raise and secure a ships sail the second enemy line has been engage and defeated. They like the first battleline are in complete disarray. The pursuit is swift and murderous as the men from Daaslund cut down all who do not surrender.

During the fighting against the first line each of the warband become seperated from each other such is the slaughter before them. Loosing sight of their comrades as each is forced to fight in different directions against different opponents.

With the battle won, the skirmishers continue the pursuit of the beaten enemy, while the rest of the army exhausted from the fight hold the ground of their victory.

With the battle won the casualty figures you hear are eight dead, sixteen greviously wounded, thirtytwo seriously wounded and over one hundred with minor wounds. The enemy losses amount to over one hundred and thirty dead, some one hundred and eighty greviously wounded and over two hundred seriously wounded. There have been thirty men taken prisoner.

After a search the members of the warband are able to rejoin all being able to identify Jurri as he wander the battlefield surveying its carnage. Borygg is the first to return to find Jurri uninjured. Borygg is also uninjured. Algared is the next to find Jurri he to carries a minor wound to his right upper arm. Barak is the next to arrive as the growing group becomes more identifiable, Barak has tied a quick bandage around his left hand which has suffered a minor wound. He states that he was struck after his shield was destroyed but before he could find another an enemy warrior slashed him with a sword. Kugald is the next to return his byrnie pierced but the wound minor to his right shoulder and another minor wound to his left calf. Vidar the last to return has the evidence of his struggle as a small wound to his left thigh testifies.

[Algared]

Once the band are gathered, Algared says "I suppose we should reltrieve our kit and the foe of anything that is useful to us, mail, plate, bandages, coin, rings broaches. Barak has a wife he wants to buy. And a church wont establish itself without coin eh Vidar? Then I'd suggest we try patch our wounds. and find what the Daas desires of us what say you Kugald?"
Algared winces.
"Right shoulder again.. I think I'm going to need some major patching to my armour as well."

Algared waits for Kugald to speak and others to make suggestions before moving off.

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