Session Ten 30th Peonu - 1st Kelen 720

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Session Ten 30th Peonu - 1st Kelen 720

Postby Neil » Thu Nov 09, 2006 6:35 pm

30th Peonu 720

The warband awake early in the morning as the members of the thran begin to awake and go about their morning routines.

The days weather looks bleak with a chill being brought in by a strong wind from the NE, the clouds hide most of the sky and people draw their cloaks a little bit tighter than usual if they need to go outside.

With the morning meal had the warband they are drawn outside later in the morning by the sounds of animals being slaugthered. The warband are greeted by what few beasts that made the trip to the inner compound are now being slaughtered in the outer compound. Sheep, goats, cows and foul are being slaughtered. The warband notice that this is not the usual season for this sort of thing and question one of the locals. “We are low on fodder and can’t keep them” comes the reply.

The clouds close in completely blocking the sky and a sleet begins to fall during the morning which dissipates by early afternoon.

The butchering goes on for most of the day with each carcass being bled and gutted before being brought back into the main compound.

Several of the beasts are placed on the hearth fire in the main hall and are had for dinner tonight.

Raan while taking his leave of the hall to tend his ablutions catches the sound of rock on rock being carried by the wind. On closer inspection finds numerous torches making their way through the night, they are not moving closer to the thran but with the lighting conditions it is hard to distinguish what is happening amid the eerie light.

Raan raises this curious find with one of the Ivinians on watch and he agrees that it is indeed perculiar and informs Raan that Lord Ragan should hear about this and tells Raan to go and get Lord Ragan.

Raan enters the main hall and finds Charrin one of the Lords huscarls and informs him of his find. Lord Ragan is promptly summoned and exits the thran. He makes his way towards the wall with his huscarls in tow, the warband and several of the other warriors make their way outside too.

Their is a whispered conversation between Lord Ragan and Charrin for a short while then they turn and return inside the hall.

Each of the warriors satifies his curiousity before returning inside the hall, before long the hall is abuzz with the rumours of what could be happening.

Amid the rumours the activity in the hall slows as the night wears on and the warband settle into the crowded main hall and get a good nights rest.

1st Kelen 720

The new day dawns with the chill still in the air but the wind has died down some with only a slight breeze now from the NE still blowing, the clouds barely hide the sky from view today.

The warband are packing their sleeping gear away as the first rays of light begin to break and from one of the guards comes the call of the alarm.

Warriors grab weapons and shields and make for the compound of the thran quickly.

Looking about the warriors can see assembled tothe south east of the thran numerous Jarin standing behind a makeshift wall poorly constructed and only partialy built.Their the warriors muster while Lord Ragan surveys the scene. Lord Ragan commands the warriors to stand down and get some rest. Leaving people standing at the assembled force numbering some 80 or so Jarin.

As the warband return to the hall they resume their positions. The last few days have been boring for the warriors and they itch for action.

Early in the afternoon Lord Ragan summons the warband to him. They are admitted for the first time into Lord Ragan’s quarters. Before them Lord Ragan sits at a table flanked by this 2 huscarls he says “I feel that these Jarin mean to offer battle to us this day. If they are willing to offer then it would be rude of us not to accept do you not agree” he says with a smile. The warband all nod in agreement.

“Very well, I want you to command a bench of my warriors each in this coming battle, I with my 2 huscarls and Atol will be the centre of our line, Kjarl, you and 3 of my warriors will be my left flank, Raan, you and 3 of my warriors will be my right flank, Anvil, you and 4 of my warriors will act as a skirmish screen and should they attempt to run as they have done previously you will attempt to halt their escape until we can pursue ourselves. Kalyn, you will command 3 of my warriors and act as our reserve. Should they flank us or breach our line you will throw yourself against this position and re-establish our line.” Looking at each warrior in turn he continues “We will approach the Jarin line in a shieldwall , as we near their line Maddin will sound his horn and we will charge them in spearhead formation” stopping to draw an example of this formation on a parchment for all to see. Drawing the plan so that each of them will know what role he or she will fulfil.

Looking back at the warband Lord Ragan says “Are there any questions” Each member of the warband shakes his head in response to this question. With that the warband are dismissed.

As the warband leave Lord Ragan’s quarters they notice that each of the warriors are preparing their equipment for battle and the warband sensing that the battle will soon be upon them do the same.

The warriors muster outside the main hall, the famiies are hugging at sons, fathers and husbands the women dare not cry but the faces of the wives and daughters show fear and dread.

The warriors lead by Lord Ragan make their way to the outer gates and form up in a shieldwall near the thran some 300 yards from the Jarin line.

Standing atop a hill the warriors look towards the Jarin line the warriors notice 2 small stone wall some 20 long and no more than 2’ high with a gap between them of around 30’ or so. Standing in the centre of the gap is a small knot of men carrying shields and spears the rest are carrying a variety of weapons and appear to wear little or no armour. They appear to have adopted no formation and look to have formed a loose line of 2 ranks with a third rank to the rear of archers.

Lord Ragan takes several paces forward and turns his back on his foe, looking at each of his warriors he says “Warriors of Fornin, Sarajin is bestowing upon us a great honour and priviledge. We will have the opportunity to strike the first blow against this rebellion. A victory here will see this rebellion squashed within a tenday all over the island and everyone will know that is was clan Ragan and the warriors of Fornin who delivered this victory.”

“Some of us may dwell in Talagaard by tonight but know that the rest of us shall honour their passing and their deeds. We shall drink in their memory and tell the tale of their valour from this forward.”

“Remember, the men down there were once our neighbours and some may have even been your friends. If they ask for mercy than show it to them. If they wish to defy us then let them feel the point of our spears and the sting of our axes. LET US DECIDE THIS BATTLE!!!!”

Lord Ragan turns towards the Jarin and raising his axe above his head waves it towards the waiting Jarin and advances towards them.

The warriors quickly catch up and begin to advance....

As the line begins to close with the Jarin Anvils command falters while the rest of the line continues it’s advance.

Moving quickly to catch up Anvil’s command moves ahead of the now slowly advancing Ivinian line. Arrows from Anvils command begin to take their toll on the Jarin line. While return fire from the Jarin archers is ineffective and those arrows that look to strike are blocked by the solid shieldwall.

The Ivinina line moves closer towards the Jarin line. Anvil with his command ventures to close to the Jarin line and are charged by some of the Jarin fighters.

The advancing Ivinian line is slowed by poor command until finally as the Ivinians near they Jarin they suspect that perhaps a ditch has been dug and concealed between the stone walls and change move to avoid the gap. Lord Ragan and his command finally charge the left section of the wall while Raan charges in an attempt to flank the left wall section while Kjarl holds the centre against a massing Jarin horde.

The Jarin right begins to move forward against Kjarl and his command. Some 30 warriors move to swap Kjarl and his command. Meanwhile Raan and his command have started to flank the Jarin line while Lord Ragan and his command are struggling to clear the wall of the defenders. Kalyn has kept her command steady at the rear watching for any breakthrough or outflanking. Anvil is tied up in a melee against dwindling numbers of Jarin fighters.

The Jarin archers now out of arrows begin to move to the left in an effort to re-establish their left flank.

Suddenly in the centre of the line Charrin is wounded severely and falls the first of the Ivinian casualties. The rest of Lord Ragan’s command finally gains the walls and begins to push against the Jarin line. Kjarl and Kalyn are both fighting valiantly against overwhelming numbers to try to hold the left flank. Anvil’s command is still locked in combat with only a few Jarin fighters but the Jarin fighters are buying the comrades valuable time.

As Raan’s command fights to turn the flank Anfrin Denesen son of Nori Denesen the Hideworker falls wounded but soon regains his feet and continues the fight.

The fight hangs in the balance until Kalyn’s command charges a group of 8 Jarin fighters and in the space of 20 seconds has wiped them out. Bjan Ragan brother of the Valhakar falls in this exchange killed on the end of a Jarin spear.

Kjarl’s command still holding the line when Dassar Ragan nephew to the Valhakar is wounded a second time and falls to the ground. He too soon takes to his feet again and continues the fight.

Finally Anvil has despatched the Jarin fighters and moves towards the opposite flank to help Kalyn and Kjarl hold against the tide of Jarin fighters threatening to overwhelm them.

By now most of the Jarin left flank has either been put to the spear, fled or surrendered and the Ivinians look to have the battle won when the Jarin fighters with spear and shield commit themselves to the fight against Lord Ragan and his small command.

The fight looks even until finally a Jarin spear strikes Lord Ragan and he succombs to his wounds and falls to the ground, Maddin and Atol try to protect his fallen body but another Jarin fighter attacks the fallen leader and pierces him through the stomach, killing him.

The Ivinians now enraged at the loss of their Valhakar unleash a fury against the Jarin and before long the Jarin leader falls to the ground dead pierced by an Ivinian spear.

With their leader killed the rest of the Jarin loose heart and those that still resist throw down their weapons and surrender. With the words of their now dead Valhakar ringing in their ears they accept the surrender of the Jarin fighters.

Of the 68 Jarin fighters 14 fled the battlefield, 8 surrendered the remainder are laying dead or wounded on the battlefield. Of the 22 Ivinian warriors 2 were killed and 11 were wounded.

With the hour growing late and with the Ivinian warriors now in control of the battlefield and with wounds in need of treatment, collect their wounded and dead and return to the thran.

The families of the dead are struck with grief as their bodies are brought within compound. The hug the now lifeless corpse of their loved one, the young children hang from greiving widows as they weep at the passing of their husband and father.

The warriors join friends and family in treating the wounded within the thran. Kalyn begins to treat the more seriously wounded. The rest of the warriors return to the battlefield in a state of shock that their leader is among the fallen they find that the field is littered with the remains of only the Jarin dead, broken weapons and shields and the weapons of the dead still litter the field and in the fading light it appears asif the Jarin wounded have been carried off also. There is little of value to had from the corpses apart from a few weapons and the like.

Those warriors searching the battlefields are heard to mutter oaths of vengenance against those that took their Valhakar.

The warriors after searching the battlefield till darkness head back into the thran to find that most of the warriors are still undergoing treatment for their wounds.

With the moans of the wounded drifting through the main hall the warband retire for the night except for Kalyn.
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Neil
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