Log: Kill the Mountain-Killers!
--[ Playing hardball with cannons ]--------------------------[ Somewhere ]----
(This is a temporary room.)
Aryn, Beatrice, Meric, and Psycho are here.
------------------------------------------------------------[ Exits: Out ]----
Aryn shifts to her wolf form along the way. Fleet of foot she may be, but anything on four legs is faster than anything on two legs. It's a matter of math.
Orders passed down the line send the cavalry out to mill in the gap between where the raptors will emerge, A, and the defensive line, B. On the given signal they are to retreat towards B, in a fighting retreat.
The raptors have obviously never met wolves before - they seem to think of the Weir as prey as well.
Beatrice gives her men the, "Go!" as they are piled into. Held steady, they fight hard as and sell the retreat -- horses tightly managed to keep them looking like they are fleeing.
Meric darts around amongst them all, trying to draw the quick raptors to him. He manages to stay just a fleet footed step ahead of them.
Then Meric is the first to find out that Raptors hunt in packs. Dodging sideways out of the jaws of one, he finds he has collided with another that came from nowhere, and it would like a word with him, and that word is TEETH.
Aryn throws herself into the melee, fast food in a compact package. Her intent - it appears - is to break up the charge by distracting the dinosaurs; if she can get some of them to follow their instincts, to twist rapidly to chase her, perhaps she can get them to unbalance or to overstress a leg-bone.
Meric howls as he finds himself face to face with another raptor. Teeth versus teeth. It's an interesting combination of a fight. He gnashes his teeth, trying to get at the Raptor's neck.
Aryn is successful with the very first. Her speed attracts the attention of one of the flank raptors, and it twists, its tail hits another, and both go down in a pile of reptilian bodies, riders, and bruises.
The horses at the back of the 'retreat' are getting pulled down, but they are providing the second row with a break, as the attackers stop to eat their prey. Wisely, those knights who find themselves grounded stay down.
Aryn howls. It might be a challenge. But to those who understand it, it's actually more like 'Woo hoo!!!'
From the culvert come bigger, lumbering animals now. Moving battle-towers that have man men on.
many men on...
Kincaid still sits upon his horse, as with some of his more skilled officers. But Raptors and men begin pushing past the wall. "Fall back!" He calls, bringing down his blade to cleft open one of the raptors throat. The Sunriders begining to turn and double back, the ones with Kincaid forming a rear guard to eliviate some of the threat of turning one's back to a fast predator like a raptor.
Kincaid and Beatrice both find themselves at the back edge of the battle line, both facing large teeth and angry riders.
The opponent that Meric faces is as fast as he is, but not as smart. In trying to bite down on the back of his neck, it leaves its throat unguarded.
Meric takes one down by the neck, yanking it firmly to the ground and gnashing until the thing is surely dead. But he doesn't linger, there are too many others bearing down on him. He braves them and darts around biting teeth and between legs, trying to trip them up.
The front of the retreat is nearly at the main defensive line now, splitting up into groups to dash through and turn.
In the middle of Aryn's Woo hoo!!!! comes an answering roar from a huge set of lungs. Veering off from the main line comes a huge, nay, gigantic raptor, runnig at her with its head already down and the man on its back readying a long spear.
It is a fighting retreat, and Beatrice has already taken quite a few cavoraptors and their riders on since she got here. Knowing the weak points helps, and her blade and spear find their way to not-a-few of them when they get too close to her horse. She doesn't seem surprised by the giant lizards coming with more on them, but then, she can't do much about them until they get close. Riders around her who seem confused or dazed by the speed of the enemy are given sharp instructions. "Head DOWN -- Aim left. Take the forelegs out if they are too close, go for the throat...." but there's little time for such thoughts as they thread their way -- fast-- past the pits in a pattern designed to bring their enemies into them.
Military training: This is going to be touch and go, really it is. Ben must be taking some huge sort of risk.
In the middle of the pack of raptors, dodging and weaving and jumping up like they do, Meric goes his merry way. They have never seen such a thing before, and time and again they underestimate it. However, each time they trip they are hitting him hard, and sometimes a claw catches or a bite snaps at fur. He will be ground down by sheer luck, at some point.
Kincaid and his fine red horse begin to grow overwhelmed. His blade lashing out at sharp teeth and blocking pointed spears, "Come on Red!" He calls to his mount. The horse kicking a set of jaws coming in at its throat and a whirl of the knights blade fends off another. The two begin to bring up the rear in retreat.
But as they fall back, two raptors fall in tow behind them. A set of teeth sink into his horses back leg, tripping the beast and sending Kincaid flying to the ground.
Now that they are in range, arrows are darkening the sky. One unluckier than the rest pins Kincaid to the ground by his hand.
Meric is a force to be reckoned with when he wants to be, but yes, he takes his fair share of wounds for all his troubles. He's bleeding down one side and there are chunks of fur missing in some places. Still, he moves around as much as he can, but he's making his way towards the others and to lead the raptors on as they were told to. No more charging into their midst.
Aryn, charging to try to trip another raptor, does not register the big one coming at her. She brings the one raptor down, with a crunch of leg-bone that means it will surely never rise again, and its rider likewise is struggling horribly, but the massive raptor and his rider bear down like a juggernaut. The next moment she is skewered, run completely through. The weight of her body pulls the spear-point into a little tussock of earth, and the spear snaps, unbalancing the rider and unseating him. His mount lumbers on, unguided.
The big raptor decides to go eat one of the lumbering beasts, pushing it into a panic, and straight over the pits. By some miracle, or lack thereof, it misses every deadfall, and squashes the line.
Now it comes down to a race between Meric and the things that want to eat him. Coming into the last furlong it's Laughing Boy a length ahead of Streamline and Spearman...
Beatrice fights on in the left flank, entirely unaware of the dire straights Kincaid has found himself in. Chastity, her great brown stallion -- among one of the finest mundane horses ever bred or trained -- is feeling the stress of *so many* cavoraptors in close proximity, but is bearing up. The horses under the riders around her are feeling it, as well. Many are unhorsed due to death or injury and some horses are being snatched up and eaten. Some horses without riders are massing into pits. Beatrice manages to growl out orders in the heat of the fighting for a few of the men around her to take specific charge of the riderless horses, to avoid mass horse-panic.
RPG: Meric challenges a difficulty of 6, using his Grace. Meric almost succeeds.
Aryn is seen by one of the raptors. Oh look. Food. And it's not moving. The thing comes over to her and tries to glomp her down, but merely manages to get the transfixing chunk of spear, with her body vaguely centered in it, wedged between its upper and lower jaws. It would be funny it if weren't so horrible. The beast's rider reaches around to try to clear his mount's mouth, but the raptor shakes its head in quick sharp jerks, each one unbalancing it and sending it staggering.
Meric is running along so fast with the things right on his tail that he misses his footing completely. He manages to lead two of the raptors, and their riders, right down into a pit with a lot of loud chrunching. "Ow..." comes up from the pit. "Damn raptor! Get off!" CHOMP! That's what's heard from down below and is followed by more CHOMP! CHOMP!
With an arrow through his hand and several others that pin his white cape to the ground, the night pulls himself. The fine red horse was not so lucky, dotted with a few arrows and a raptor still upon it. Wincing at the sight of his horse in its last moments, he finds his sword with his good hand, his men unaware the commander had fallen as they puch back. The knight begins to hoof it, best he can, still shaking off the fall.
Kincaid on the ground was probably safe. Kincaid on foot? He can see that the charge has bowled over where he fell, and he is behind the dinosaurs. That leaves him isolated if late-comers see him. And yes, two do.
Under Beatrice's orders, the men she commands get back past the pits, and now she has space to look around. Kincaid's unit should not be milling like that - something has gone wrong.
Bijin enters from Along the Ghenesh pathway.
Bijin has arrived.
There are still cavalry out there, on an area that should be free of them right now. It's going pear-shaped...
Jaeger enters from Along the Ghenesh pathway.
Jaeger has arrived.
And then...
Beatrice's gaze narrows. Back at the line, her owl answers her call and takes the sky as she, leaving her men with orders to keep luring towards the pit and a clear commander in charge, goes forward to take control of Kincaid's unit. It means plunging back through raptors who are missing the pits (she manages to surprise one, just barely duck another's rider's spear). Chastity takes leg commands well and her own steel spear is ferocious. This gets us as far as his milling unit, at least, where she'll shout orders to get them back to their purpose.
Aryn's would-be predator is noticed, due to its erratic behavior, by other raptors. Two of them come over to try to take its tidbit away. This causes the first to run in the general direction of the pits, because they aren't paying attention, its rider trying vainly to guide it away. The man actually bails off just in time to avoid the pile-up in the bottom of the pit.
The Ghenesh path opens out into a large clearing here. Benedict's defensive line at the far edge is holding, but the area should now be clear of cavalry, filled only with raptors who are in a killing ground. Then Jaeger's mounted men come into view - from along the path, the hammer to Benedict's anvil. All they have to do now is hold on.
Beatrice can reach the unit, but half of the command team there is dead or down, and she will have to fight her way back once more.
There's a mass of howling and chomping and growling and a bunch of other things from within one of the pits. Meric is having his way with the downed raptors and their riders, though he's pretty well injured.
In the distance beyond the enemy a mounted regiment in green and black rides into view. In the lead a horse and rider easily half again as large as any who follow him. The noise of their distant hooves is not yet enough to be heard over the tumult, but soon...
Almost alone by his dead horse, Kincaid is a pretty obvious target. The two raptors that decided that are coming in fast.
From the pit with Meric in, an arm flies up. It's not one of his.
Trumpets blow to tell the defensive line to hold fast.
RPG: Beatrice challenges a difficulty of 9, using her Wits plus SKL-MC. Beatrice succeeds.
Those playing tug-of-war with Aryn follow into the pit as well.
Bijin is, currently, little more than the ocassional splash of color that flies into view from behind Jaeger. She has settled in against him, mostly hidden by his frame, save for the sporadic flash of vivid blue silk that flies out in the wind from their ride.
Kincaid has been taken from his horse and is on foot behind the cavalry and before two hungry raptors. Cradling the hand with the arrow still through it and taking a heavy breath, his blade readies. Two may be difficult when wounded and the coming wave behind will surely sweep him away.
Beatrice gets into the thick of Kincaid's men and shouts, "To me! Sunriders to me! FORMATION!" Her voice is thick with authority and clear, and she seems to know which direction to go, which helps.
Meric lays waste to the ones in the pit and then looks around. It's too deep for him to get out of as a wolf so he shifts to his human form. He's bloody and torn up all over the place. Arm looks to be broken too. Still, he jumps for the edge of the pit and tries pulling himself out.
Aryn crawls unsteadily out of her pit, a bloody mess, and still with a piece of wood sticking out of her side. By luck, it's on the far side of the pit. She lays there and doesn't try moving any more. If this baits another raptor into the pit, so much the better.
Earlier, a large beast broke through the line. Now the line opens once more, to let it back out. There is a fight going on on top of it.
Beatrice manages to *just* get the rest of the Sunriders threaded back past the pits at full speed, luring some more cavoraptors into them (one hopes they don't fall on Meric in there).
Dirk enters from Along the Ghenesh pathway.
Dirk has arrived.
Now there is a solid defense, a series of pits, and an uncontrolled brontosaur. The raptors mill for a moment, uncertain. Then the trumpets blow the advance.
Dirk is actually on the brontosaurus.
Those close enough will see that Dirk is up on the dinosaur, wedged on its neck with his hand on one of the metal chains used to steer it. Spearmen also up there are trying to get to him, but to no avail. Rather heavier than a loose cannon, it makes its unstoppable way across the field.
Meric pulls himself up out of the pit and settles on the ground a moment. He surveys what he can see and looks over to Aryn. Moving to his feet and keeping low, he runs in her direction, good hand drawing his spear for protection for the moment.
Once silent from a distance, the massive front of calvalry has thundered over the gap building speed and fury. Uniformed riders brandish spears and blades as they bear down in a tremendous crash of muscle-driven metal with Jaeger at the point.
Once silent from a distance, the massive front of calvalry has thundered over the gap building speed and fury. Uniformed riders brandish spears and blades as they bear down in a tremendous crash of muscle-driven metal with Jaeger at the point.
The trumpets blew the general advance - that means everyone gets a turn now, who wants it.
Dirk starts to climb the bronto. He draws his sword and starts slicing at spearmen. He also does his best to send then all the way down to the ground to get squished into spearman Jelly.
Beatrice is with the Sunriders, holding the line. They fight hard against anything able to reach them around the pits, but fortunately the traps funnel the enemy in a way to keep this task remotely possible. It means anyone emerging between pits can be hit hard from sides as well as front by the men in formation.
It takes a long time for Dirk to establish control, and he will end up on the far side of the battle.
Bijin might perhaps be more visible now, as she and Jaeger ride closer. She clings easily to his back as the cavalry crashes together, using his solid weight for balance and stability.
Dirk lets the dino stomp raptors and turn them into raptor Jelly. He triees not to get thrown overboard himself.
Now the infantry, which has waited patiently, moves forward with spears and shields. The Gheneshi are the filling in an 'ow' sandwich. They may be mounted on raptors, but they are outnumbered and hating it.
Meric skewers a rider off of his raptor with his spear which sends the uncontrolled raptor into a pit. Then he's along again and doesn't stop until he's right beside Aryn. He kneels down beside her, eyes up and alert. "Aryn, can you move?"
A light snow starts to fall over the battlefield. Sometimes it's Christmas every day.
The flash of Kincaid's sword is brilliant steel followed by a streek of red as one raptor struggles in vain to stay on its feet and alive. The sight of Jaeger and Bijin with the cavalry is a relief to be sure and the knight turns his attentions to finish off the second raptor.
The charge was dramatic like an image from an artist's war rendering, but once Jaeger's men get to close quarters their fighting is about as graceful and gentile as a belt sander applied to a human forearm. Blades swing, cut, and stab as horses dance about and impact madly in the chaos of the fray. The butchery has begun and the cutting won't stop until the cleaver reaches the cutting board.
On Benedict's side, the infantry is doing the main work of killing, but there is still room for cavalry heroics.
Crouched by dead bodies, Kincaid has just enough cover to try to get a contact.
Meric plays the defense of Aryn, all with a broken arm and blood all over him. Between the raptors and the pit he's taken a beating. His spear drives home many times, killing any that come near that aren't friends.
Dirk struggles to control the bronto before it stomps on anyone and or squishes them. He's on the far side of the battle as he turns to look over the area.
Then the last of the infantry is past the pits, and hemming in the raptors. They mill, too close to each other for their own comfort.
Falling the second Raptor and leaving the rider pinned under the dead weight of the beast. Kincaid drives his sword into the earth and with his good hand produces a trump.
Bijin's movements flash behind Jaeger, her fans giving him the appearance of wings as she attacks in quick flurries beween his slower, stronger motions.
Like a winged death of many arms, Jaeger and Bijin carve through the field. Now that they are no longer attacking, the dinosaurs are beginning to panic. They recognise alpha predators. More, many of them lack riders and therefore instruction. The Gheneshi are now struggling to get out and past Jaeger's unit, while Benedict has just ordered in more archers.
Beatrice pushes her cavalry back out, now that the infantry has the fall-back position. The Sunriders push forward to meet Jaeger's men with the Ghaneshi in-between. They are under strict orders not to break away and search for Kincaid -- yet. Beatrice herself keeps her spear flashing, in the thick of it as any cavalry commander must be.
Kincaid is covered in dirt and blood, with an arrow lodged unknowingly in the metal shoulder of his armor, "Robin." He greets with heavy breath, "The battle looks to be ours but could use a hand out of here." Reaching his hand out into the air.
Kincaid becomes momentarily two-dimensional, then fades away, leaving behind a rainbow afterimage.
Kincaid has left.
Meric is still hovering over Aryn so as to make sure she remains safe since she's down and not immediately responding to him.
Jaeger mixes swings of his fist amongst the swings of his blade, the impact enough to unseat riders and concuss mounts with the occasional crack of a shattering skull. The riders under his command, and the agile Jadean woman sharing his horse continue to press in, the teeth of the trap grinding against the jaw.
Beatrice's Sunriders are not going much further than around the pits -- Jaeger and his men have the field. A few more riderless cavoraptors are lured to spiky deaths. She manages to keep them in check and *back*, as evidently there is some instinct to plunge in looking for their commander.
Dirk is sitting on the back of a bronto. He looks down and yells "Anyone need any help?"
Aryn isn't moving by the side of the pitful of dinos, except the shift of the splintered spear in her side, indicative of breath.
More signals now, and the infantry let Beatrice's unit try themselves, while they hold fast and let the cleaver hit. It cuts the enemy in two, so that as Jaeger and Bijin reach other other side, they can clearly see the Sunriders, bloodied and torn but intact as a unit.
The trumpets blow the tune 'mercy me'. The battle is won, and prisoners should be taken, it says.
Meric takes a deep breath as it seems the battle is won. He puts his spear back on his back and looks down to Aryn. Kneeling down, he reaches his good hand to her shoulder and shakes her. "Aryn, wake up. We need to get you to some help."
Aryn mutters to Meric, "It... only...a..."
Bijin's fans flash and whirl, buffeting against her chosen foes. As the trumpets sound, and the riders fall or are captured, she manages to settle back neatly against Jaeger. She lets her gaze sweep over the field now, taking in the survivors.
Meric moves his good arm beneath Aryn and scoops her up from the ground, careful of her wound. He turns his gaze to Dirk. "Hey you! Can you ride us out of here to the healers?"
Dirk nods and yells, "I can try, I am not the best dino driver. But if you can get her up here we can try."
Jaeger cups his hands around his mouth as a makeshift megaphone and belts out full-throated howl to the heavens above. His men, seeming to read it as some kind of signal, shift from slaughter to the more ordered pursuit of clean-up and capture.
With her fans covered in blood and her robes splashed, Bijin is getting more than her fair share of angrily scared looks from those who no longer dare fihgt.
Beatrice waits for the field to calm, shouting to the Sunriders, "Careful taking prisoners -- no chaining or tying. Disarm and guard them and line them up." She nods permission for some among them to scour for fallen comrades who are merely wounded -- particularly Kincaid, but they'll have no luck there.
The men of the Gheneshi understand the concept of parole, and they also understand that they have been beaten. Many are affected to the point of tears, and others look numb.
Dirk climbs down to pick up the two thaaat need a ride. "There we go."
Meric grabs onto Dirk's hand with the hand on his bad arm which causes him some pain, but he is still pulled up along with Aryn. "Thanks."
Beatrice makes sure the Sunriders are thoroughly briefed in the danger. "ONLY tie up the ones that aren't bullying. Touch nothing directly. EVERYTHING run the risks of infection."
Bijin murmurs someting quietly to Jaeger, now remaining still beside him. She looks around, only falling yet more still at Beatrice's words.
Dirk forms a cluster with Meric.
The Sunkillers still have plenty of cavoraptors to kill -- some belonging to the surrendering men. It turns into a sad and dispirited task, especially as their commander fails to fetch up. But when it seems in hand, Beatrice allows herself to trot in Jaeger's direction, giving a respectful hail.
Jaeger slides away his blade and then takes a whiff of his shirt before murmuring back to the liddle woman sharing his saddle.
Jaeger remains mounted, cantering his horse about to shout out the occasional order to his men. In the lull between such bellows he raises an empty right hand in Beatrice' direction.
Dirk takes the dino back towards camp the very long way around so not to damage the good guys...
Aryn gets a ride back to camp, bronto-style. It's the sort of thing to tell your grandchildren, if one was conscious to enjoy it. As it is, she'll be grateful later.
"Yours will be, also," Bijin replies to Jaeger, with a bit of dignity. She looks toward the approaching Beatrice, and inclines her head in reponce to the lifted hand.
"Jaeger," Beatrice greets as she pulls up. "Brigadier, is it?" She glances around even as she speaks, to make sure the round-up and cavoraptor slaughter is proceeding properly.
Jaeger's chin drops once, heavily. "Better'n tromping a watch while the jewels freeze off and drinkin' boot tea round the fire. Whatcha need?"
Beatrice shakes her head, "Only to congratulate you and tell you these are Kincaid's men. He fell in battle and hasn't been found. If your men find him..."
Bijin keeps her hands rested on Jaeger's side, quiet for the moment.
"They'll toss him on a horse and ferry him to a medic. Build a stretcher if necessary," Jaeger answers then casts a sharp gaze at a man nearby to delegate the order. "After they've finished the stragglers I'll break 'em out to search for wounded amidst the carnage."
Beatrice nods her head sharply. "I'm leaving Kincaid's captains in charge here, with orders to follow any directives you give them, and heading back to camp to see if he made it back somehow." There is an owl spiralling down to land on her arm, which she stretches out to receive it.
Jaeger says, "We'll take the clean-up then. Any of his officers around to help run 'em down and form 'em up?"
Beatrice nods, and points them out to Jaeger. A curious glance is spared for Bijin in the midst of the business of hand-over.
Bijin watches the landing of the owl, then returns her attention to the two conversing. She seems to be a woman of few words, based upon her thus-far quiet, but her lips remain curved in a pleasant smile.
Most of the dinosaurs lie dead. About half of the men are captured, of whom many are injured. Two brontosauruses are grazing at trees peacefully. Three more are dead, and one is under Dirk's control. A few hundred yards away is a basic-looking camp, with only a few tents, but plenty of evidence of men having slept there. Some of them are putting up canvas covers even now.
Jaeger purses his lips and blows a piercing whistle as he points to a pair of the men indicated and then waves towards himself with a hand to summon them over. "Got it. We'll get 'em bivouacked after the clean up completes."
Beatrice nods her head, "See you in camp." She rounds up some of her men and the prisoners they've taken so far who are funneled where they need to go -- not into camp proper. She rides that way, though.
You walk towards the way out.