Race Wars (forum game)

[Gamerprinter]

Brunhild had kept herself hidden under the heavy boughs of sentinel pine, just above the giant's cave. Despite her fiery red hair and the ornate knotwork patterns tattooing her slightly freckled skin which both arroused and exasperated the warriors of the mead hall at her clan home, she was nearly invisible in her stillness. The ash hafted spear vibrated in her tightly quenched grasp. Though she sat silent for more than an hour now, she hadn't really noticed. In solace she waited for spirit within to awaken. It was there now, but like a glowing ember trying to catch fire.

It was almost a year to the day, when Brunhild told her father that she was not following the path of the Spirit Walker, as her fore mothers had always done. She had killed a man on that day. One of those soft town dwellers up in the mountains on some quest. He chose was trying to "quest" her, so she laid him low. Though already showed the talent in the shaman way, a death at her hands meant the taint would never bind her close enough to the spirit world. She could only become a shield maiden, a warrior woman of the clan - the first in three generations, or so the old bard sings.

A curse though may that have been, Brunhild made her own choices, and today her choice was revenge for the loss of her family, so many years ago. Today, like many in the past was to help them pay their debt to her. As the hill giant evening guard was taking his post, just as he was seating himself on the Watch Boulder below, Brunhild was already in freefall above him with her iron spearpoint aiming just inside his collar bone to graze the left side of his skull skull - straight through the heart and vitals below it; a killing blow at this angle.

In sudden surprise the hill giant died nearly instantly. Not waiting for its brethren to discover him, the barbarian girl loped off toward the next hill giant den...

Barbarians: +1
Giants: -1

Human: 21
Elves: 25
Barbarians: 24
Dwarves: 28
Dragons: 27
Undead: 29
Halflings: 26
Giants: 26
Orks: 17
Drow (evil elves): 27

[AslanC]

When the Kingdom of Aslanica decided to expand their territory in the fertile Knobbly Hills, they expected little resistance from the rotund and lazy Halflings who lived there. The King even jested with his generals that perhaps the Halfings would make excellent Serfs.

Having failed to learn the lessons of the Orcs, the Humans arrived in late summer, expecting a short campaign.

Hell hath no fury like that which is 3 feet tall!

By the time winter set in the King and his army were cut off, under equipped and starving.

By the following spring, young Price... I mean King Osric was present in Bumbledown Hall for the singing of a treaty that generously benefited the Halflings.

The feast that night was legendary.


Humans: -1
Halflings: +1

Human: 20
Elves: 25
Barbarians: 24
Dwarves: 28
Dragons: 27
Undead: 29
Halflings: 27
Giants: 26
Orks: 17
Drow (evil elves): 27

[Ghostman]

Liannath, the eldest daughter of High Priestess Glea, had fallen in disfavour with her mother and the Twilight Godesses. She had fumbled up her initiation ceremony, thus bringing shame upon her bloodline. This failure was not her own fault, but caused - she was certain - by sabotage of her jealous younger sister. This however was irrelevant, for the Drow and their bitter deities cared not for who was in the right; only success mattered. Now she had no choise but to take upon an endeavour of high risk, in order to make amends to her clan. Success would ease her station somewhat. Failure - well, in all likelyhood she would not be returning alive.

These matters haunted her mind as she squatted by the entrance to the vaunted Obsidian Cave, a group of Drow warriors skulking in the shadows all around her. The name of that cave had not been uttered outside of a curse from Drow lips for more than a millennium. It was the lair of Rho Qom, a Dragon more ancient than even elven memory could recall. It was said that Rho Qom had undergone a strange and hideous transformation, becoming in body like the obsidian that decorated his cave. This was speculated to grant him immortality.

Liannath forced such thoughts out of her mind. She had to disbelieve the legends and lead her band of warriors to victory. Failure was not an option. The Drow had come to reclaim their long-lost relic, the Twisted Scarab amulet, which had been taken by Rho Qom many generations ago. The Dragon would not give it up without a fight, of that she could be sure. Of corse, it would be ideal to catch the great lizard in slumber and put it down swiftly with the art of assassination that Drow had honed and mastered. Finally Liannath gave the signal, and the Drow party began to silently advance into the cave, under the cover of her obscuring spell.

When they arrived in Rho Qom's lair, they found it vacant, though the Dragon's hoard lay before them, a massive heap of purest gold and lustrious jewels. The Twisted Scarab amulet glittered on top of the pile. That moment a true terror crept into Liannath's heart; she knew that this was all too easy. She knew she was being played a fool. A great bellowing roar suddenly sounded through the obsidian-encrusted tunnels and a tremor shook the cave, collapsing the route through which the Drow had entered. They would have no choise but to flee to the tunnel on the opposite side of the chamber, and try to find their way out through the labyrinthine web of tunnels.

Another roar was heard, this time resembling sinister laughter. Liannath trembled at the sound. She knew that the cruel game of cat and mouse had just begun - and she was not the cat.

Drow (evil elves): -1
Dragons: +1


Human: 20
Elves: 25
Barbarians: 24
Dwarves: 28
Dragons: 28
Undead: 29
Halflings: 27
Giants: 26
Orks: 17
Drow (evil elves): 26

[Karro]

There was a new peace settling between the kingdom of Aslanica and the neighboring Knobbly Hills, and prosperity began to flourish as King Osric focused his attention on improving his people's condition.

As he sat in consult with the lords of the realm planning a new dike to divert the River Cordalia toward the lowlands of Aslanica, providing much-needed water for farmers, a messenger burst into the counsel room.

"My Lord, King Osric," the messenger yelled, panting. Sweat glistened on the messenger's brow. "News from the Southern Marches!"

Osric bid the messenger speak with a wave of his hand. "My Lord, the Undead Scourge is terrorizing the villages along the southern march. Though they have not attacked outright in full force, they make nighttime raids, stealing away women and children. The people there are sueing for relief."

Osric turned to the lords assembled with him. He did not want to repeat the mistakes of his father, and lead his armies into a disastrous campaign.

"This is grave news indeed. My Lords, your counsel?"

Lord Edvart of Colden's Hold, which sat furthest south of the King's castles and had dominion over the Southern Marches, spoke first. "My Lord King, word has reached us at Colden's Hold of the rising of the Lich King Iskartos. They say he has strived to establish an empire of the Undead in all these lands, to serve some darker purpose of which we know nothing further. But our scouts say that he has turned his eye toward Aslanica. We have heard of no force in all these lands that has been able to turn aside the Undead Scourge or halt their advance. But I pray you, we must find away to protect our Southern Marches, or else the Scourge will overrun the entire Kingdom."

Lord Arctur of Caem Leothr, one of the oldest holdings in Aslanica, was next to share his counsel. "My Lord King, all is not lost. You know that the lands of Caem Loethr on the northwest was once the center of an ancient kingdom, now past long before the rise of Aslanica. Our people there still hold to the ancient ways, and we have strong ties to the ancient race of elves, and to the other old peoples that live on our borders there. We have heard tell of a new and mysterious force of mountain elves gathering in the Weathered Peaks to stand fast against the scourge. The word has it that these mountain elves are lead by a mighty dragon. As you know, the people of neighboring Marlinlar have long worshipped a dragon who reigns over all the lands there, though we have had little word of that dragon's fate since the undead began attacking the lands of Marlinlar. We should send an immissary at once to the Weathered Peaks in search of this elven band and their dragon, entreating an alliance against the Undead."

Lord Edvart spoke again. "We cannot wait on the whims of elves to fight off this scourge. We must rally our armies now to engage them immediately before they overrun all the southern marches and overtake Colden's Hold."

Lord Andrik of Tyre's Gap followed. "My Lord King, perhaps the Halflings of Knobbly Hills would lend us aid, now that our old feud is settled in peace. Certainly, the Undead Scourge threatens them as assuredly as it threatens us. If the Southern Marches fall, it is an easy thing for the Scourage to pass over into the lands we ceded to the Halflings."

King Osric weighed his options. Before the night was done, he had dispatched emissaries to Bumbledown Hall and to the Weathered Peaks seeking alliances. With the light of morning, Osric was riding out with a muster of his gaurd and Lord Edvart and his men in tow toward Colden Hold. He prayed to the Princes of the Nine Heavens that his messengers found him allies in this war.

From Colden Hold, Osric directed the preparations for defense against the expected onslaught of the Undead Scourge. As the campaign commenced, his elite cavalry reported early victories against the zombies and ghouls in their nighttime raids. But with those victories came other, disturbing reports of what became of the abducted women and children.

Humans: +1
Undead: -1

Human: 21
Elves: 25
Barbarians: 23
Dwarves: 28
Dragons: 28
Undead: 28
Halflings: 27
Giants: 27
Orks: 17
Drow (evil elves): 26

P.S. an update of the placenames and characters so far visited/met is attached. It's like a map, but less structured and more freeform, and it evolves with the game if I can keep it up Let me know if you guys think it unnecessary, but my guess is others of you may find it useful if you want to refer back.