The Green Sands

[Lostshadow]

The is the fluff to go with my most recent battle report
From now on every battle I play will be part of the fluff of my character, so please watch out for the link to my website containing everything you need to know about my fluff and the rebellion against Malakith


Battle Report:
http://www.druchii.net/viewtopic.php?t=70237&highlight


The glare from the desert sun forced the robed wizard to look away as he emerged from the ruins, three heavily armoured elves with halberds close behind him.

Finally he had found something of value, a glowing orange orb unlike anything he had ever seen. Now that they were in the light of day again, he placed the orb on an ancient crumbling wall and examined it closely.
All around him were druchii, their campsite around the ruins was vast consisting of just short of five hundred heads. All of them rebels against the witch king. True, once he had been a loyal warrior to Malakith, one who had never delved into the secrets of magic, yet now almost a century later he had come far in the dark arts. Joining the very mages he had hunted, his lust for power had corrupted his mind and the path he had followed was dark even for his kind.

All those that followed him were traitors, criminals and outcasts from druchii society. If they joined him he promised them protection, riches and one day to overthrow Malakith and take his place. There were many groups like this that were under his command, but this was his main force currently looking for objects of power in the deserts, he had thousands of followers, but the majority were hidden in the human, Asur and Druchii lands instead of being in the open.

The heat was getting to most of the elves, for they were used to the cold harsh lands rather than blistering heat of the deserts. The camp reeked of sweat and blood, for they still upheld their slavery traditions and trade.
As Amaranth observed the orb and took notes, a faint and very distant bellow echoed across the sands. Elves all over the camp looked up, grasping their weapons tightly and looking around for the source.
"Lord," Mantar, his battle standard bearer and bodyguard said," the shades have not returned, should I send someone to investigate,"
"When were they supposed to be back?" Amaranth asked, continuing his research.


"At least an hour ago, Lord," the warrior replied, his narrow eyes always watching....waiting as if every shadow hid an assassin about to make an attempt on his Lord's life.


Like many of the soldiers Amaranth had, Mantar also owed his life to the mage. Countless numbers amoung them had been freed from slavery and other such morbid places. This far away from Malakith was the only way to ensure that armies of the witch king could not find him, always on the move, always at the ready he planned for the day that he would rise to power.


Mantar quickly looked to his left, to the north. His cold eyes narrowed and he suddenly cried out.


"Greenskins!"


********************************************************************************

Why they were he was not the concern, the fact that they were here was the problem. Now the elves knew the fate of their scouts, tied to the banners of the orc and goblin army were the corpses of shades, mangled and lifeless.
Goblins trickled across the open sands, other larger orcs bellowing orders as they closed the gap to the ancient ruins. The druchii did not care why the orcs were here, perhaps they were here for the same reasons, to aqquire ancient magical items for their own uses.


All that mattered was the fact the Druchii were vastly outnumbered, around five hundred elves stood in silence, watching the rabble try and form some kind of battleline. There must have been at least a thousand goblins alone.
"The troops are ready, Lord," Mantar said, returning from the formations of elven solders.


"Good," Amaranth said, observing the field.


He had rigged a number of chariots, but they would have to be careful. They would have to stay away from the deep sands, only useful on the harder terrain. The other elves were eager to fight, yet some did give each other nervous glances, the sheer numbers alone would be enough to overwhelm them.


At that moment, when their courage was already dwindling, a heavy thud shook the ground. For a moment there was silence until another thud, this time much closer, echoed through the ruins.


To the right flank something moved, and elves all along the ranks shuffled, some taking a nervous step back as the crashing grew louder. From behind an old tower a giant appeared, moving in large slow strides it grasped a tree in one hand.


"Fear them not," Amaranth called, his voice carrying through his magic so all could hear," we are Druchii, these pathetic creatures will feel the strength of our steel. Stand your ground,"


Amaranth gave the order to his right group of chariots to move forward, but as he did a group of fast moving spider like creatures sped across the hard ground to his left. He rose a flag, sending a trail of black smoke into the air and pointed at the spider riders. From this distance the small group of chariots understood and turned towards the oncoming riders, the shadow guard out of their own accord moved to protect the chariots advance, although they could not keep up they at least watched out for anything trying to sneak up on them.


A feeling of weak magic swept over Amaranth as he entered the ranks of his raiders, his apprentice sorceress Limira standing in the ranks already. He detected the magic easily, it was of such a lowly skill level he almost laughed. Scanning the goblin ranks as they advanced, he was unable to see the caster as he likely blended into the ranks, but he knew there was one there.


His warriors led by Mantar moved forwards towards the enemy lines, at a swift march. Amaranth kept slightly behind the main lines with his troops, he wanted to see if the enemy had any real intelligence in warfare. He knew they were likely stupid and would just charge mindlessly at his battle line, but he had learned never to underestimate his opponent no matter who they were.


Knowing that the giant would cause havoc in his forces, Amaranth began to grasp as much of his power as he could muster. He drew a stream of purple light and sent it streaming into the ground at his feet. The earth in front of the giant suddenly split and shadowy tenticles whipped and twitched as they tried to pull the giant into the abyss below, a shock of feedback swept through the floor and the pit caved in, the enemy mage who was still hidden had forced the hole to close.


"Shields!" Mantar cried, arrows rained down upon the spear elves and those too slow to raise their shields fell. The poorly made arrows killed few, mostly maiming those they hit, leaving them to fall to the hot sands unable to continue forward. The druchii trampling over their wounded comrades instead of moving around them.


The giant took one step towards the spears and Amaranth focussed on the giant's flesh, if he couldnt kill it yet he would at least weaken it. The giant slowed and looked at it's hands, dropping the tree. Its skin had become shredded and withered like paper.


It cried out, not in anger or for a charge, but more like an extremely large child crying. It stood there stunned, its flesh falling from it and peeling. At least for now it was distracted if nothing else.


Blue light shone from the ranks of the goblins and Amaranth felt the presence of the enemy mage disappear, and cloud of fire swept out of the goblin ranks sending a number of them flying into the air while others simply fell to the ground. He smiled to himself, the stupid goblin mage had gone and blown himself up.


A crash from the left flank alerted him and a chariot spun out of control, mounting the side of a wall and flipping over as arrows slew the riders. The other chariots were now heading straight at the larger force of spiders in a head on charge.


The shadow guard turned and aligned their ranks alongside the corsairs, the chariots crashing into the spider ranks, not stopping there. Perhaps it was the fear of the cold ones, or the force of the impact, but immedietly the spider riders turned tail and fled, chariots blazing after them in a shroud of dust.


Keeping his own unit as a reserve, Amaranth ordered forward the rest of his army. They began a run towards the goblins, they knew their only chance was to hit them head on and kill as many of them as they could.


The warriors led my Mantar sprinted across the field, hundreds of elven troops with spears raised....until a horde of craized goblins emerged from the goblin ranks. Chaos ensued and even screams of elves dying comrades didnt slow their advance. The elven line smashed into the goblins and the roaring and clash of metal became deafening, the archers of the goblins hiding near the giant as it still looked around confused.


For a moment, all seemed to be going well until from the ruins a large group of a few hundred black orcs appeared, hidden behind some ruins they hit the side of the Shadow guard, cutting down elf after elf from the surprise attack.


Summoning his powers of darkness, Amaranth combined his power with Limira and pulled forth a manifestation of chaotic power into pysical form. The corsairs weapons sparkled with angry red light, his own sword joining them. He motioned his elves forward, when he realised Limra had not let go of the power she was holding. The power of the weapons increased and she suddenly exploded, showering the ranks with blood and gore.


Dismissing the death of his apprientice, Amaranth began a run forward followed closely by his most savage and brutal warriors, possessed with unatural rage even without the powerful weapons they now held, none of them had any doubt of the slaughter that was about to ensue.


"Were is it?!" a bellow came from the orc ranks as Amaranth and his elves clashed into them.


Elves danced back and forth, cutting the orcs to pieces with ease, their new magical blades severing limbs and piercing armour instantly upon impact from their weapons.


The ranks parted, both orc and elf thrown aside as a great hulking figure some eight feet tall at least smashed through the fighting toward's the mage. The enemy general no doubt and a monster at that.


Amaranth watched as other orcs near to him backed away from the wizard, clearly they feared their master's wrath enough to know that this was his kill and that crossing the giant orc would be their end.


He observed the orc's stance, his heavy foot falls as they crushed a dying corsair. The orc stopped, also clearly not just another dumb minion of orc stupidity, behind those eyes was a slight glint of intelligence, perhaps even a worthy opponent for Amaranth.


"Yo mine elf!" The orc grinned, raising the great axe the beast wielded.
All around them his orcs were dying to magical corsair blades, their screams went unoticed by Amaranth or the orc as they watched each other, not moving.


"RRRGGGTTHHHH!" the orc charged, Amaranth easily stepped aside and dropped to his knees, rolling underneith the clumsy swing.


Or so he thought at least, the axe shaft turned quickly and stuck backwards, Amaranth knocking it aside with his own sword he barely avoided the spike on the shaft to his face.


The axe came again and Amaranth felt his amulet tremble as the blow was blocked and Amaranth vanished in a cloud of dust, appearing a few feet away from the orc.


Surprised at the orc's skill, he had no time to think as the orc twirled the axe into an uppercut in a swift step forward. Amaranth dodged and struck back with two swift blows, but the orc lodged his axe into the mage's blade and quickly took hold of the elf by the neck and smashing him into the ground.


Gasping for air, Amaranth struggled as the greatly stronger orc easily held him down.


It was true that Amaranth had once been a fighter and his long study of magic had taken his path away from the one of the warrior, he still knew how to defend himself. The orc strangeled Amaranth and he grasped the orb, flowing power into it he raised it to the orc's face and a cloud of black smoke engulthed the elf and washed over the orc. The Orc screamed and let go his hold on Amaranth, who quickly got to his feet and backed away as the orc held his face, the aftermath of the orb's power visible in an acidic burn that had devoured the orc's face to the bone on one side, leaving him with one eye.


Only seeming to anger his opponent, the orc moved with unatural speed for something so large. Again the elf activated his amulet and the orc blade met with the ground as he slammed down the axe at nothing, turning the orc swung with his fist which Amaranth ducked thrusting his own glowing blade towards the orc's stomach. Again an attempt to grasp the elf was made and he took the chance to take steps back as the orc made swing after swing, Amaranth too fast to hit, or teleporting out of the way with his amulet.


Strokes were thrown again and again, using all it's strength the orc missed and Amaranth teleported and twisted back and forth through the battle.
"Over here," Amaranth said, appearing to the orc's right.


"No," another Amaranth said, walking towards the orc.


"Over here,"


"Over here,"


"Over here,"


The orc looked around in confusion, striking out at the nearest apparation, it melted into the sand with a chuckle and the orc savagely struck out in all directions but more and more images would appear before him.


Thump


The orc's head fell from his shoulders from a sword stroke from behind and Amaranth finally took a moment to observe the battle, the orcs were dead to the last and his corsairs had been watching the duel for some time. He looked around at them, the pain growing in his neck now that the adrenline of the fight had worn away. Looks of respect passed through the ranks as they formed to watch the fleeing goblins being cut down by the shadow guard.


Amaranth gave his last orders for the camp then disappeared, teleporting into his tent and almost collapsing from the pain. His shoulder was broken and his neck not far from it, but he could never show weakness in front of his soldiers.

[Red...]

Looks interesting.

Could you perhaps double space between the paragraphs? As it stands the text looks very dense and uninviting to read...

Oh, and ditch the italics. They're useful for quotes - reading a huge block of text in italics is a pain (my head doesn't sit naturally at a 30 degree angle...)