The column marched through the misty valley. Prince Caeladan was tired, but elated. The legends had proved to be true. They had found the dwarven tomb high in the mountains, as the old scrolls had said. The elves were surprised to find the entrances still sealed – even after thousands of years they hadn’t been raided by goblins or skaven – or worse. Inside they had discovered a king’s ransom in treasure, which they had happily liberated to add to the trade revenues of Tor Calith. How the board of shareholders back in Lothern would be pleased!
A songbird sounded as the army passed a farmstead, following the line of the valley as it narrowed into a draw in a ridge. At this time of year, the fields were yet to be ploughed and were just a patch of dust within a rickety fence. The few humans who lived in this part of the world were nowhere to be seen. Odd, thought the elf general… almost as if the knew the army was approaching.
Suddenly a war-horn sounded from the ridge line ahead and a thunderous blast rang out through the valley. A burst of smoke appeared on the hilltop, and before Caeladan could react the chariot beside him had been smashed to splinters. An artillery emplacement had been concealed behind some brush, and he now saw a line of men with missile weapons stand up on the crest of the hill, and begin firing at his troops. Incredulous, the elf general could scarcely believe they could miss such an obvious ambush. Caeladan cursed himself for carelessness. Too late now to wonder where his scouts had been, the Prince ordered his knights to speed ahead.
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As the elves advance through the valley, the ambush is sprung! |
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The elf infantry, commanded by Captain Kolvaer of the Lothern Seaguard. |
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The cavalry, led by Prince Caeladan. |
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The elven scouts, who were obviously too busy looting this village to do their job properly… |
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The dastardly humans surprise the elves! |
…
On the left of the elf position, Captain Kolvaer led his company of seaguard forward. Before him was a small wood, and he knew that the valley continued on toward the left. To the right of the wood, the land rose toward the ridge where the enemy cannon was positioned. A regiment of troops with long polearms was advancing toward him from that direction, while the path up the valley was guarded by cavalry. Kolvaer reasoned that his best hope was to advance quickly through the valley using the wood as cover from the artillery, and trust that Caeladan with the cavalry could meet up with him beyond the ridge. If they could outpace the human troops, they might be able to regroup and see off the attackers.
The elves marched forward, and the humans with their dwarf allies advanced to meet them. This type of manoeuvre was dangerous, Kolvaer knew, because if his troops lost their nerve and broke formation then they would be easy prey for the enemy. From behind the woods ahead, a patrol of human cavalry emerged, blocking the elves path. Surrounded, Kolvaer saw that the mercenaries were preparing to charge. Outnumbered, the elves would never make it out of the valley if they had to fight their way through the humans.
But Kolvaer had a plan. Placing a finger to his lips, he blew a high-pitched note, and the White Lions hidden in the woods to his right emerged along the tree line, suddenly visible to the mercenaries. The elf saw the mercenary captain check the advance of his troops as the new company of the elves threatened his own flank. Kolvaer seized the opportunity and called to his troops to follow him. The human cavalry blocking his path were surprised at the elves fast advance and faltered as the seaguard began to charge. They turned to retreat, but their horses stumbled in the uneven ground and the swift-footed elves caught them, piking their horses as the riders fled into the hills. Finally out of view of the enemy artillery, Kolvaer began the long march up the valley, praying that Prince Caeladan would meet him at the end and not another ambush.
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Light cavalry screening the valley makes a juicy target for longbows… |
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With the White Lions threatening their flank, the mercenaries think twice about charging the seaguard. |
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Charge! The seaguard go after the cavalry. |
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Not so fast – the dangers of fleeing from a charge, as the light cavalry gets mowed down by elf spearmen. |
…
Caeladan’s blood ran cold as he spotted the human knights across the valley. He recognised their banner at once – the same horsemen who had escaped his army a month ago. He had thought he’d seen the last of these mercenaries after his scouts had reported that they’d left the Arabian coast, but they must still have spies watching his movements.
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Not those guys again… |
Suddenly the elf lord saw movement beyond the trees off to his right. From the reactions of his knights, he knew they had seen it too. A band of ogres was planning to attack as the elf cavalry broke across the open ground. Caeladan would be damned if he was going to wander into two ambushes in one day. Calling out in an ancient elvish tongue, he commanded one of the great eagles that accompanied his force to intercept the human cavalry. Recklessly, the ogres and the cavalrymen all charged the eagle, trying hack it to pieces. Wounded, the eagle fell back toward the nearby trees, pursued by the knights as the ogres rushed forward toward the elven cavalry.
Prince Caeladan spurred his retinue forward to meet the brutish ogres, their lances piercing thick skin and knocking the monstrous creatures to the ground. The ogres struck back with their enormous weapons, smashing elf knights from their saddles. But the elves were too many and they hacked the last ogre to pieces as the human knights emerged from the trees. Seeing the ogres cut down and the elvish knights covered in blood, the humans turned and ran. “Cowards!” the elf prince yelled out after them, still in a frenzy from fighting the ogres, and screamed at his troops to pursue the humans.
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After chopping up the eagle, the ogres almost overrun into the silver helms, while the knights end up in the trees. |
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Seeing the elves make short work of the ogres, the knights decide not to risk it – flunking a panic test they run away… |
Caeladan dug in his spurs, but without warning his horse gave way beneath him and the ground rushed up as a sound like thunder burst in his ears. The prince collapsed onto the earth, his ankle twisted in the stirrups and he realised the enemy artillery had cut through his squadron like a knife. Beside him, more of his knights were on the ground, wounded or worse, horses whinnying and writhing and as they tried to free themselves.
The elf prince tried to get to his feet but his left leg was agony. One of his knights, a young noble named Althrain, appeared and helped the prince to his feet. “My Lord, we have to take shelter” he said as they both limped toward the woods. Caealdan watched his knights pursue the humans away from the battleground as the cannon blasted more iron shots into his army. “Will the gods grant no mercy?” he wondered to himself as the two elves staggered into the undergrowth of the forest.
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Splat! A cannon shot takes out half the knights… |
…
Captain Kolvaer waited at the end of the valley as the shadows of the trees grew longer. He couldn’t wait much longer, he knew. If Caeladan and the cavalry couldn’t join them soon then he would have to lead the rest of the army back to the coast.
He watched his scouts fire at the humans on the crest of the hill as they crept up the slope. The artillery piece seemed to have developed some malfunction, the men were desperately trying to resolve it while taking cover from elven arrows. This was why the elves never bothered with these blackpowder weapons, he thought to himself. Too temperamental. As he watched, one of the men clutched at his chest and fell, struck down by the elf scouts’ missiles. The rest of the artillery crew either went to ground or seemed to be trying to retreat.
Then a burst of colour appeared above the crest of the hill and Kolvaer’s heart lept. The familiar banner of the Knights of Eataine rose up, resplendent in the sunlight as the silver-helmed knights charged up the far side of the slope. They swept aside the mercenary crossbowmen, lances cutting down any man who couldn’t flee in time, crossing the top of the ridge like a wave breaking onto a shore. Kolvaer and the seaguard cheered in celebration.
But as the knights rode down the slope toward their comrades, the elf captain could see the look of consternation on their faces. Prince Caeladan wasn’t with them, and Kolvaer feared the worst. “What of the prince?” he called out as the cavalry approached. “He fell.” replied their captain, “Artillery shell. We lost a number.”
Kolvaer could see that many of the knights were wounded, their armour bloodied from combat. “The humans are regrouping sir, we need to keep moving.” spoke the knight, and Kolvaer knew he was right. Wherever the prince was, if he were still alive, they wouldn’t be able to retrieve him today. Until they could bring in reinforcements and mount a rescue, Prince Caeladan was on his own.