Bulwyf looked first to Swift, "It will work, if for no other reason than it has to. As long as we draw breath, the Huns cannot win. Besides, if we all die, who will tell our story?" he grinned an placed a hand softly on her shoulder, to Salen, "Salen, it seems our only and best choice really. If I can, I will fight atop one set of stairs myself, leaving more fighters for other areas. Unless the stairs are too wide of course."

Ovo looked the site over with a more practiced eye.

"I wonder how deep we kin get the trenches about the Citadel. Start'n just below where the hillock rises up. Here would be the place we can lure the Iron Warriors and hopefully make those trenches muddy ta boot."

The dwarf nodded "We'll need our toughest and most armored warriors at the stairs wi' archers tak'n out any who try ta climb the steep sides o' the hill."

He turned to his friend Salen and brother to the Queen "I be honored ta fight along side ya lad. Well any o' ye for that matter."

Swift sigh as she leans into Bulwyf "I guess after seeing the cities that had such great walls fall, these walls look almost like nothing. But I guess the harder part for the Huns is just getting here. At least in a place like this, I can be more sneaky" she grins.

"Oh, I need to get a bow and a few quivers of arrows if I am going to fight here"

The party at the Citadel is not alone.  For one, they have the party of Elves from the First Ward.  And when they reach the Citadelle, they discover that some of the Elves living and working here do not wish to leave.

There are the tenders of the Owley, for one.  About a dozen of them.   And more Elves, those in the Dawnsinger clan, who live here.  They are all adamant about staying.  They seem to think it is unthinkable that the Huns could actually reach this place.

"This isn't like before," one of the Elves says, referring to the surprise attack of last year.  "The Huns are known, everyone is ready.  They will be no real threat to this place."

And there are the Owls, of course.  Some of them are quite large.  Very, very large.  Like they could carry off an entire deer.

The Great Owls will also fight in the defense of their homes, the Owl tenders say.

* * * * *



GM's note.  The Citadel is modeled on a real life place- this might help get an idea of the landscape.   The real life Citadelle de Namur is much bigger.  Compared to the real place, the Elven citadel is much smaller, but higher.  The "prow" would be at location 8 in the picture at this site, with the wide end at about locations 19 and 20:

http://balladesenwallonie.skyn...adelle-de-namur.html

Ovo listened to the elves and noted their pride when speaking about their fair city. He gave them an curt nod.

"He who fears death invites it to visit. Me kin have jus such ah say'n. So I will nay ask any who wish ta stay n' fight for your city ta leave. I'll be stay'n meself. We need ta hold this city to allow Theoderic to catch the Huns from behind. I also agree we should make it deadly n' costly ta reach this fair place. Each orc that lies stone dead in yon forest kin nay make mischief here. However, make no mistake aboot it lads n' lassies. The Huns will come n' they will make it here. Their army is too grand for us ta stop it. The best we kin do now is make this place an unwelcome one for them when they arrive."


Again, Ovo will spend his time trying to make deep ditches around the citadel itself. If he can convince the elves to do it, he will advise destroying any stone walk ways leading up to the citadel's stair and replace them with wooden bridges that may be burned away when the time comes.

Ovo quickly gets the idea that many of the Elves were hoping for just such words of encouragement.  After all, if the Dwarf is going to stay and protect OUR homes... how can we leave?

He can tell that a few, on the other hand, were kind of hoping for "No!  Save yourselves!  Flee or you will be killed here!"  But they are not going to leave, not with the bulk of their brethren staying.

* * * * *

It is hard on heroes, being on the back end of a battle.  But they know... the way the Elves are defending their forest, it is much too fluid for them to keep up.  All day long, they here reports of fighting in the forest, heavy fighting, and it is most certainly headed this way.

Late in the day, more Elves show up.  It is becoming clearer to the Elves that a battle for Namaco is looming.  They are still not comfortable with the idea of using a fixed defensive position, but they realize that the Citadel is going to be in a good position for communications and observation, as the Huns close on the town.  These things are handled by specialized Elven magic users, and several, along with assistants and guards, show up.

And then.. yet more reinforcements.  In the light of the setting sun, a line of little boats, each stuffed with cargo, can be seen coming up the Meuse River.  They dock in the market area, just east of the Citadel.

The Halflings are here.  A few of them trudge up the stairs, carrying loads of cargo with them.

"Ho there!" the first one announces as he approaches.  "We've brought dinner!  Anyone here with an appetite?"

Swift looks at the Halflings "Yes, I am hungry. What have you got to eat?" she is just witing at this point. She is not a military tryp to go and dig or anything. She might want to go scout but the elves know this forset far better then she.

Curious Elves show up as well, as the Halflings begin to unpack.

They had thought this was just story... Halflings couldn't possibly be so food-centric, could they, that they came all this way dragging packs full of food?

On the other hand... food was important.

A hefty, bearded Halfling who could almost be a Dwarf unloads his pack in front of Swift.

"Well, these are Grandpa Gimbert's sausages," he says.  "Good, robust and a little sweet, they go best with a snappy ale.  I prefer like an Autumn Rye Light Gold, myself, and I've got some here..."

The Halfling rummages through his pack, putting things down all around.  An Elf reaches for some cheese.

"You do make excellent cheeses in the Nethershires," the Elf says.  "May I?"

The Halfling looks panicked.  "Don't cut that!  That's a military grade cheese!  A Trajectum Deep Veined Heavy!"

The Elf gives a look of utter bewilderment.

The Halfling attempts to explain.  "Cheese fermentation.. you know.. alchemical things happen in the cheese.  Normally it can build up flavor and change the consistency.. we tweak it a bit.  Old Halfling arts.  Build up somewhat more volatile ingredients."

The Elf goes from bewilderment to astonishment.  But then, some bewilderment creeps back in.

"You're holding a cheese-bomb," the Halfling says.

Very quickly, the Elf is no longer holding it.

The Halflings have about thirty of them.

Bulwyf nods to swift befor the halflings appear, "I've no doubt this battle will be more suited to your talents Swift, you've already proven you can handle yourself. I am indeed honored to have met you, all of you, and fighting beside warriors such as yourself is the highest compliment I can receive. Thank you all for your help." If he's needed to help dig, he will, otherwise he will eat with the halflings, and laugh heartily at the cheese bomb and the elf who picked it up. "Explosive cheese... interesting to say the least."

Ovo took time out from supervising the digging of the trenches and wondered if this fortress had any siege engines when he saw the halflings. He did not know much about the small folk except that they had already been attacked by the Huns. Food store would certainly aid the elven city if it came to a siege. As the dwarf walked up he overheard some such about a cheese bomb.

"Greetings ta ye both, Master Bulwyf and Mistress Swift. Tis ah fine day. N' ta ye as well Master Halfling. Wot's this aboot ah bomb o' cheese? Have ye e'er used such ah thing in battle afore now?"

Not being a foot soldier (for the most part) Salen spends his time making himself familiar with the fortress. He will make enquiries as to whether it would be possible to have access to the higher points of the citadel, the better to acquaint himself with the view of the surrounding forrest. He will also visit the Owlery to see what they have there, and will ask of the giant owls, and if they ever come to this part of Namaco (the aerial cavalry officer in him getting the better of him).

He will mix among the defenders of the citadel as he goes, continuously offering advice and words of encouragement where they are needed. The reports from this forest will be spread quickly, and assurances that all will be well will surely not be missed.

Later, he will meet the arriving halflings and inspect their wares. He is rather hungry himself, and will make sure he feeds himself adequately given what lies ahead. But he is just as amused/bemused as the others.

"Cheese bombs?! Why this is cunning warfare indeed! I have known some dwarven ales and troll liqueurs that would have one's stomach explode, but cheeses is new even unto me!"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:19, Mon 19 Nov 2012.

Swift looks at the cheese "wow, exploding cheese. Only halflings would thing of that." she looks at the halfling again "Can I have some of the sausages?" she grins. She was hungry afer all.

She looks at Bulwyf "I am glad to have met you. hopefully we will be able to fight for a longer together. I still need to find a bow and a quiver of arrows"

Hearing Swift's request, Gimbert looks at the nearby Elf who almost cut the wrong cheese.  "You're Elves, right? That means you must have bows. You must have a spare or two you can lend her."

The Elf pauses.  "Well, yes, of course, we have a few in our tree."

The Elf heads for the great Home Tree at the southwest end of the Citadel, and returns shortly, holding an elegant looking Elven longbow.  "It isn't enchanted," he says sounding a little embarrassed.

There is a colorful shimmer from Swift's longsword.  An aura of color seems to flow out of it, and reforms itself, into Ziool, the leader of the three Prismatic Fey.

"That can be remedied," the rainbow-colorful creature says.  "It was starting to seem like a choice I made too hastily anyway.  Swift tends not to favor her sword."

The Elf looks impressed.  Exploding Cheese, now this.  "Ipronyl Dawnsinger, ...sir?"

"Sir," Ziool agrees, nodding.  Then he turns into colorful light again, and this time, flows into the bow.

Ipronyl stares.

But not for long.  A very large owl, 12 feet from wingtip to wingtip, alights nearby.  Even this creature is not the largest of the owls here.. but it is a big one.  And now, the group learns... these giant owls can talk.   It speaks in Elven, but Ipronyl translates for those who don't speak it.

"There are two river that converge here," he says.  "The Sambre is the smaller, and it is to the west.  To the east is the larger Meuse.  The Hun formation has broken up into smaller groups... each of these smaller groups is still more than a thousand strong.  And they are moving quickly, and they are crossing the Sambre.  They are freezing the river and crossing on ice.  One such force may be turning this way.  Given their speed and distance, we have an hour.. maybe two at most."

As Swift's sword shimmers and another of the Prismatic Fey emerges, Salen can't help but raise his eyebrows, impressed. He watches it's exchange with his fellow Elf, Ipronyl, and then smiles at its response before it merges with Swift's new bow.

"What colourful surprises you bear with you, dear Swift. Most colourful!"

Just then a giant owl, or at least a very large one, swoops down to join them. He was not that surprised to learn that it could speak, and in Elven too, given the wisdom and intelligence for which these creatures were noted. He introduced himself.

"Greetings, friend Owl - I am Salen Soulwater, of Geneva. Do we have anything by which we may break the ice, and slow the Hun advance? Perhaps some bombs - whether of cheese or no - dropped from a great height? Such as the height an Owl might fly? Even rocks, stones, cauldrons of flame..?"

The Elf directed his last remarks to all around him, thinking that between them they just might come up with something suitable for the purpose.

"How many of you are there, friend Owl? A number of you employed in this manner could help us enormously."

Swift takes the bow and quiver and slings the quiver over her shoulder. "Thank you sir" she says to the elf.

Swift lauhgs as Ziool comes out "Yes, I love having them with me. They are so good. I was going to ask you Ziool, could you use the river to move by the rainbow?" she was curious if they could use it as an escape if they needed too.

She looks at Salen "I am full of surprises. We should go out and see how far the huns have moved, maybe if we could ride the owls?" she looks over at the owl "Is that possible?"

Bulwyf waited to hear the owls answer, or at least some sort of answer. Bombs would be a good solution for the ice the Huns were using.

Ovo did his best to shore up the trenches and make good use of the dirt that was left. He checked once more on any available siege engines as well. The dwarf wondered out loud if mayhaps elven patrols could lead some of the smaller groups of Huns astray and get them lost in the woods.

One of the Elves nearby Ovo, a young man (although with Elves it can be very difficult to judge their ages) agrees with him.

"That is what our brothers and sisters who are warriors and wizards are doing," he says.  "They are in the forests all around, using traps and stealth and ambushes.  But the Orcs come in such great numbers... and I think my great grand father is right... they will want this place."

"Of course they will!" one of the Halflings says as he hands Ovo a pair of cylindrical cheeses covered in dark green wax. "We've been tussling with the Orcs for a month and a half now.  They seize strategic places... except with us, no place is strategic.  Been driving them crazy.  They take a fort, we just go on doing what we do in the countryside around it.  But they take the forts anyway.  Old Captain Greenbottle said it was because they were cave creatures once, and where they lived there was no such thing as countryside, and so they never learned to appreciate it."

He looks down at the two cheeses now in Ovo's hands.  "Oh, they'll go off in about a ten-count after you cut the wax.  The air starts the reaction.  Builds up heat and then poof."

"Poof?"  the Elf asks.

"Poof," the Halfling confirms.  "Big poof.  You don't want to be within about 25 feet of it."

* * * * *

Meanwhile, the others learn that of the Owls here, there are several that could take cargoes and drop things from their talons.   Only two are big enough to carry riders... and neither of them would be big enough for Bulwyf.  They could manage light passengers like Elves.  The two large owls are Moonwing and Great Ambereye.  Great Ambereye is the biggest of them all.    He looks like he might actually be able to carry Bulwyf, actually, but as cargo, not as a passenger- it would interfere too much with his flight.  Moonwing could carry an Elf, but not quickly.

Flame weapons, Salen learns, would never be considered as a tactic by the Ardennes Elves in defending their own lands.  They view the forest as sacred.  Burning part of it, even out of necessity, would be revolting to them. So they have no large scale flame weapons, no cauldrons of oil.  And the front line forces of the Elves have taken most of the powerful magic weapons.

 * * * * * * *

Ziool looks out over the two rivers.

"If there was a natural rainbow, yes," he says.  "If there was spray or mist coming off a river, often, that makes a rainbow in the sun.  And.. yes.. like that."

He points to a light on the shore of the Sambre river, close to where the two rivers merge, about five hundred feet from the north "prow" of the fort.

* * * * *

A message comes from a messenger owl.  It is an update on the movements of the nearest enemy.  The Huns, if they reach the Citadel, will most probably reach the south west part, near the Dawnsinger Tree.

Ovo gave the halfling a nod of thanks.

"Thank ye for this here cheese. I think it will come in handy. Now then, ye said ye fought the Huns before now. Yer tactics were ta let the Huns take over yer forts and then jus avoid them? Not bad for keep'n yer hides in tact but does that not leave yer land in their control?"

The dwarf heard the news and looked to the trenches toward that side, near the Dawnsinger Tree, to see how deep they were. He asked the halfings it they were any good at building tunnels and such as well.

Bulwyf shrugs, someone sad he wouldn't be riding an owl, but he moves on, "Ovo, sometimes, keeping your hide is all you can do." he gives the halfling a nod, "Some fights are fights you cannot leave, some fights are not worth dying over. I have experienced far more of the kind you can't leave recently than even I appreciate.  Demons, dragons, huns... I fight, we all do, so that those who can't or shouldn't do not have to. We fight because we are able. We fight because we care. We fight, because this Hun force is a blight on the land, our land, the elves land, the dwarves, the halflings... the hun will kill or enslave us all. That is why we fight!"

In an uncharacteristic manner, Ovo placed a calloused hand upon Bulwyf's broad shoulder and nodded in agreement.

"Well said lad! Nay, yer right in all o' that. I be say'n sorry to me halfling brethren here. That, and it will be my pleasure ta serve some orcs yer fine cheese this day. I nay care if they like it o' no! I thank ye for allow'n me to have that honor."

Swift looks out at the side that the Huns are coming and then to Ziool . "If we have too, we might have too. I hope we don't have to retreat anymore. We have to stop them at some point."

She looks at Bulwyf "I will guard your back, depepnding on what we have to do. It will be a hard fight"

Bulwyf nodded to the dwarf, then to Swift, "Thank you Swift. I know it won't be easy, I would be honored and happy to have you at my back. Do you have any special tricks I should be aware of Swift?" Bulwyf smiled, these people were coming together, perhaps for the last time, but if that were the case, the Huns would feel the sting of people fighting for their homes, their lives.

The dwarf looked between Bulwyf and Swift.

"Don't ye forget about me! I will stand wi' ya!" the dwarf gave the pair a rare smile and wink.

Nodding, "I would expect nothing less Ovo, It was not chance that you all arrived when you did. We were meant to be here. We will defend this town, we will stop the Huns!"