Canonfire! - Omnipotent View – Siege of Grabford

Planting 6, 596 CY.

Lord Abel Toss paced restlessly as he thought about the upcoming conflict. He arrived in Grabford a few months earlier with a group of a dozen soldiers from lands to the south. News came through earlier in the day of a large army of humanoids, giants and priest of the Old One to the south of Grabford. Count Jakartai called his adviser and prepared to respond to this threat.

As the Count called for the defenders of Grabford to march with him south to defeat this foe in battle, he left trusted men to guard Grabford at his back. Since the threat was from the south, the Count left behind one of his most trusted vassals to guard the southern gates. Lord Abel Toss, although unknown to the Count, came from a well respected southern family and as such the Count put him in charge of the northern gates.

Seeing to the defenses to the north, Lord Abel Toss could not resist the chance to see the Count march south with his army. Standing on the parapets of the southern wall, Lord Abel Toss watched row upon row of Furyondy cavalry march through the southern gate led by Count Jakartai himself. Riding by the Count’s side was his long time adviser Sharapel Endereth, a Fire mage Adept of great note. They were followed by the infantry, two hundred strong. Interspaced between the regular troops were priests of weal – St-Cuthbert, Mayaheine and Heironeous. These valiant men and women of Grabford had frequently fought against this foe and knew that many would not return to the city.

As Lord Abel Toss watched from the troops march south, he noticed two small figures moving north towards the safety of the city. The Count paused as he neared them, seeming to know these two figures, and waved Sharapel over. Much like the rest of those witnessing the exchange, Lord Abel was curious about who could make the Count stop while his troops continued to pour forth and march south. Luckily Lord Abel had a magical bauble to enhance his vision, which he used to see the identity of the two individuals – a dwarf and a gnome. Dusty from travel they are - probably fleeing from the horde to the south. Wait a moment, Lord Abel knew the dwarf. Thalum! That was his name. This was not good news for Lord Abel.

There must be a way out of this, thought Abel. Yes, this morning some mercenaries brought in a prisoner – a large orog. Abel would go to his cell and see if they could come to a mutually acceptable solution.

Meanwhile said orog was stewing in his cell, praying to his god to grant him a way out of his predicament. Melbrug looked around his small cell and knew that although Iuz was all powerful, Melbrug had to continue to help himself for Iuz respected cunning and strength. Already Melbrug proved his cunning in the battle where he was caught.

Surrounded, with his squad devastated by the three mercenaries, Melbrug knew he had to surrender or die. But he also knew that if word got out of his surrender when he escaped, he would be branded a coward. So Melbrug did the only correct thing, he killed the orcish shaman fighting at his side to eliminate a witness. He then turned that betrayal to his advantage by claiming he now served the mercenaries and dropped his sword. Surprisingly, the mercenaries did not immediately trust him. But he knew they would eventually fall to his cunning schemes. As they tied him up, he had a moment of fear – the fools left four orcs alive and captured them as well. He knew he had to silence those last four witnesses to his betrayal. Watching the three mercenaries for a weakness, Melbrug thought hard. There was a Lord Duransden, he seemed a noble knight type. Useless. The second was a priest of Mayaheine, once again useless for his cause. Ah, Sulik a dark skinned tattooed rogue. This one liked knives and making threats. Melbrug found his weak link.

By providing Sulik information about the army and any other information needed, Melbrug knew Sulik would see there was no need to keep the four orcs alive. Once again Melbrug’s cunning insight succeeded and Sulik killed the four orc prisoners thus eliminating the last threat to Melbrug’s reputation.

Now to find a way to escape his cell. He knew that Iuz would provide a chance, Melbrug just needed to grasp it when it came. Perhaps that noise coming his way was the chance he was waiting for. Approaching the cell were his jailer and some human noble. Unfortunately Melbrug was chained to the wall otherwise he could kill the two of them and escape.

“Leave us, I wish to interrogate the orog without witnesses” commanded the noble to the jailer with a smile. The jailer smiled back, he knew what that meant. Not all nobles had what it took to fight evil, but the jailer did. He knew what needed done to these animals that killed his son. He would leave the noble with the orog prisoner for as long as it took. The jailer knew he could trust the noble; the noble had that effect on people. He had a way to make everyone like him.

As the jailer walked away, the noble approached the cell and drew a dagger. Melbrug began to have doubts over his ability to escape this situation and started pulling on the chains but to no use.

“As much as your struggles please me, I am not here to hurt you.” Said the noble.

Melbrug knew what that meant, it meant the noble was going to kill him. Melbrug had nothing to do but die with honor.

“I am Melbrug the Crusher of the Red Tusks. Kill me then and the curse of my ancestors on you!”

“Stupid orog, I am not here to kill you.” Said the noble as he knelt by the dirt at Melbrug’s feet. He drew a symbol in the dirt. “Do you recognize this symbol Melbrug?”

After a short pause Melbrug answered. “Yes. Shadowclaw.”

“Very good, you might survive this yet. I need you to do a job for me Melbrug. I need you to kill a dwarf for me. Can you do that?” asked the noble.

“Free me and I will kill a dozen dwarves for you!”

“I do not need a dozen killed, just one - a dwarf by the name of Thalum. He is an earth mage so you need to kill him quickly and without warning.”

“I can do that. How will I get out of this cell?”

“I will pick the lock to your chains and cell door unlocked. When the jailer comes down to feed you supper, you will kill him and escape. Not before. After that you will wait until dark and then meet me at the abandoned shrine to Norebo by the old inn of the Broken Anchor. Do you know that place?”

“Yes, I know the place. It was there when we occupied the city a few years ago.”

“Exactly. I will then tell you where to find the dwarf and you can go kill him. After that you are to leave the city and rejoin your victorious Red Tusks in the south.”

With that the noble unlocked the chains on the orog’s wrists, left the cell door unlocked and left the jail. At the top of the stairs, the jailer approached.

“So Lord Abel, did you get all the information you needed?” asked the jailer.

“Yes, the orog was most cooperative. They are animals, but with the proper incentive they can be taught. Thank you for the alone time.” Said Lord Abel.

“My pleasure, I wish more noble were like you.” Said the jailer.

As he walked back to his residence, Lord Abel counted the days until the northern army arrived at Grabford. He hated being caught in large battles and the sooner this was done, the faster he could return to Furyondy’s southern provinces and the softer living there.

With a final sigh at his fate and the sacrifices made in the Old One’s name, the one known as Lord Abel thought to himself “Old One, let it not be said that Bradus is not a faithful servant.”