The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

People fear me. I don’t care why. I just care that my enemies feel pain and know despair before they die.

I serve the great god we call silent, the watching one, the unsleeping god, he who waits. These many years we have fought many peoples. I write this account now, as our despicable enemies surround us on every side, so that our glory will be known. For we the ever-young are strong and fierce, and our exploits put dismay into the hearts of our enemies. And if we should fall in the field of battle against the slave legions or the blood-soaked apes we will take a thousand of their number with us.

But I should begin at the start, before this hideous darkness came over the sky. In my youth I played and ran under the sun in our great city, in Validor, on the western coast of the sea. My mother was only 58 when she bore me, a great sorceress of our people. Finola is her name. My father I never knew. My mother understood the great mysteries of all living things, and also the power of the skies. She taught me the art of disguising my appearance, how to move silently and unnoticed among the lesser peoples, how to live in the deep forest. I grew up as a warrior and as a king. I lived six hundred years under the rolling sun, and fought the other kings who vyed for dominance. Six hundred years and yet sixty before the silent god emerged from the forest, mighty spear in hand, beckoning all should lay aside petty differences and stand against the gathering tides of evil peoples, who unknown to us, drew near our lands with dreams of its despoiling.

I came before the mighty god. The massive shaft of his great spear towered over me as I knelt before him. When my life was spared I knew he had accepted my service. I became a warrior in his service, nay, an executioner of those worthless dogs who oppose us. The unspeaking god gave me a sword of strange fashion to wield in place of my lance. Some strange power of winter was locked inside its blade, for when it is drawn forth it bursts into cold flames of blue which smite many men. Also given me was a hauberk made of gleaming silver, light yet strong. Finally I was given a shield of cunning design, made of living vines, which will attack any men who raises a weapon against me.

Thus prepared I rode out to do battle with the enemies of our people. At first I journeyed across the great plains to the south, destroying such primitive people as stood in the way. At length I came to a range of foothills. When I rode to the top and gazed beyond I saw the abomination the silent god had seen before me: foul spawn of the eastern ocean, crawled upon dry land. Creatures so monstrous that they bore no resemblance to man or beast, and some who by trickery or dark magiks had the appearance of men but were not.

I prayed for the blessing of the silent god, and his power shone upon me. I felt surrounded by a shield of protection, felt new energy run into my limbs, felt my body quicken, and knew his power was behind my every stroke. Quickly I intoned an ancient charm to harden my skin, and drew on the magic of the air rushing past me to make my body like the mist itself, and then I charged down onto the plain. My cry dismayed the weak and twisted creatures, yet with a steady resolve they rose to challenge me. None lived; all died knowing despair at the moment they fell. Those wounded were cut into pieces, my sword freezing the wounds shut even as they were made. In the end they watched, with dying eyes, as the pieces of their own bodies flailed and became still.

After this onslaught the fell creatures, which had overrun the whole southland, were quickly driven into a great inland sea, where we were powerless to defeat them. By night their foul brethren would swim up the river from the eastern seas, so that in the morning their numbers were increased. The silent god made a guard be set around this lake - eight of the most powerful sorceresses in pairs watched each corner of the lake, ready to send great blasts of lightning upon the miserable creatures, should they break their exile.

For a time the land seemed to know peace, though it was a troublesome peace. To the east across the great mountains a sickly and horrible race of beasts grew into a mighty kingdom. They looked like men but stouter, and with hair over their bodies. Tales said they reveled in unclean ceremonies, in which they drank the blood of the living and the dead. To the north where the great forests of our land end, beyond the river that marks our boundary three races arose: a different monstrous race born of the ocean took to land, and though they did not attack us, their fearsome bodies were hard and rough, and their weapons ever ready in their hands. At the same time, out of the deep north the giants were seen: shapechangers of legend. Finally our ancient enemy, the cursed Fomorians came upon our lands. These brutal creatures, not content to suffer wrath from heaven, visit their curse upon the world yet, their great single eyes roving in search of something good to destroy. The ghastly goat-heads of their warriors marking them as deserving of a goat's death.

I was drawn to the north, to face down these monstrosities, and hold our lands against any who would come. Seaghdha, one of the sidhe warriors, had begun a rampart to hold our enemies at bay. We built a temple in honour of the silent god, and waited.

Meanwhile in the south the god-queen of the hideous sea creatures enlisted the aid of sea creatures of fell repute, who can make their form like onto the fairest maiden, and so tempt the weaker men to go to their embrace. Many soldiers went to their deaths in the sudden watery embrace they found. The sea creatures had to be dealt with.

Our leaders found a tribe of the same monstrous sea creatures found in the north, except somehow separated and living in peace on the shores of the western sea, far to the south. These we called shamblers, on account of their slow but steady stride. Figuring them to be natural enemies of our adversaries we hired them in great numbers, led by one of my brethren, Tuathal, who had somehow come across a mystic talisman which allowed him to breathe pure air, even under the dark seas.

Once Tuathal attacked, and upon driving back a small force found a great under-sea fortress, made of the living seaweed, yet inpenetrable. As our forces set in to siege it they were set upon by a vast horde, and had to flee to land. Twice Tuathal attacked, and once again reached the kelp walls, only to be rebuffed. Three times he attacked, finally with an army so mighty that another of my brethren, Tegue, with a magic ring similar to Tuathal’s talisman, came to join in the attack, leading hundreds of tall sea peoples down to fight their ancient enemy.

The walls were reached, and the troops made ready to withstand a third assault. In the darkest hours, when no light penetrates the gloom of the deep waters, the attack came. Countless foul tentacled creatures, hundreds of lightless fell beasts came against them. Yet their positions they held, and when the opposing army saw that their attack would be in vain their spirits broke, and they fled down the river to the deep ocean, to nurse their many wounds, leaving their fortress deserted.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

An AAR! Amazing. Long time no see one. Very well written and enjoyable too ;)

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Yes, that's very well written, with just enough actual dominions language to let you know who he is talking about each time. Nice.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

That was awesome. A great account of the life of a commander undoubtedly in the Hall of Fame. Will there be more? I hope so. :clap:

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

If you have a minute, correct the typo right at the start, "our despicably enemies". It just bugged me, sorry.

Other than that, it was flipping awesome. The setting and potential atmosphere of Dominions is one of the reasons I like it so much, so it was fantastic to see it explored well in a piece of good writing like this.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I intended to post part 2 shortly after the initial post, but my computer died and took several weeks to repair. Now that I have it back I will be continuing the account, just in case anyone was wondering.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

:party: Great! We want more :viking:

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

AARs are great for people like me who don't do MP. It lets us experience it in a way. Great writing!

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

A great read - where is volume 2?

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

The world has grown old. Corruption and evil omens have filled the land. Strong foes assail us. Lesser men’s hope would fail.

Yet we are not lesser men, but warriors of renown come from the land of youth. Our enemies will yet rue the day they raised blade against us.

After the defeat of the hideous sea creatures in the south we drove eastwards, til we reached the shores of the sea the creatures had first come from. There we set a watch on the waters, and raised many prayers to the silent god. The underwater fort we had gained was manned and provisioned, and we encountered the original inhabitants of this strange undersea land. They were formed as men yet not, and rode great undersea steeds into battle. Their numbers were few and yet their hatred was strong against those who had despoiled their homes. With their help a mighty army was slowly raised, ready to go down the river to the sea and pursue the enemy to the last.

And so would all our strength have been behind the stroke, when it fell, had it not been for war also in the north. For a long time our people had lived peacefully between the western slopes of the great mountains and the western sea. In only a few places were the high mountains cut by a pass. From north to south our people began to see a foul people fill the land on the eastern side of the mountains. Like men and yet furred like beasts, wielding swords and bows and crazed with blood, they cast down all in their path.

The silent god caused a watch to be set, and at the southern end of the mountains a fort was raised. Alas for now it has been taken, and those within slaughtered - many sisters of my race in quiet study cut down. Unmerciful revenge will come swiftly.

In the north the cursed Fomorians grew in strength and well we knew they bore us no love. And so we found ourselves faced with three foes, and we prepared ourselves for war.

I was summoned to the presence of the silent god, and he entrusted to me two things: a mighty artifact and a bold mission. I was to go alone into the deep north to destroy as many of the cursed ones as my sword could reach. Ever they would strive against me and ever I would prevail. Hundreds were to assail me and be thrown back. I was to be the sword that does not turn in the hand, the high tower that cannot be taken, the thorn lodged deep in the flesh, the light in the northern sky. The shield he gave me, for such it was, was a mighty artifact of another time, painted with the faces of monsters whose very appearance would turn the one whose unhappy eyes took in the sight to stone.

And so I set forth, hatred and glory in my heart, to maim and destroy the unholy cursed ones. I passed out of our forests, bidding farewell to the last outpost of our people and faithful Seaghdha and into the fields of Fomoria. As before, I invoked the name of the silent god, prepared myself with such protections as my skill afforded, and fell upon the enemy. I left none to tell the tale, save the mute witness of their mutilated bodies for all of heaven to see.

As I passed north, the skies began to darken. I perceived by my arts that this was no natural thing, but the oppression of their cursed king. In these godless lands where the Fomorians hold sway their king steals hope from the people, ruling by fear and intimidation.

And yet I went on, passing from field over hills to a great wasteland, where distant mountains could be seen beyond. Each place I found a temple raised to the cursed god I tore it down and destroyed it.

At length I turned eastward because I perceived a great host dispatched to fell me issuing from a mighty fortress in the eastern mountains. I met them under a dark noon and scattered them, and yet I, as one alone, was not able to take their citadel. Those too cowardly to face me on the open field jeered from the walls of their fastness. Eventually I passed on, to seek more enemies to kill.

I found that as I had pressed north the cursed ones had come back to fill again the lands I had passed, and so I returned south, destroying all in my path, until I reached the borders of my own land and heard about the grievous doings in the east and south, for not against all foes had we fared so well as against the cursed Fomorians.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Wow, nuff said

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

No, we want more. :D

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Three foes rose to challenge us. Three threats, three actions, three outcomes. Against one I became the mighty spear thrust, the pebble in the road that throws the rider from the horse, the keen-eyed eagle striking fiercely, the fire that consumes and is gone by the dawn. Against the second we thought to play the peaceful part, thinking that he would find war from another quarter. Against the third, under the deep waters, we fought a strange war with the help of strange creatures against a stranger yet foe.

To this third struggle my miind now turns. This our first foe, and in some ways our most bitter. We drove him from his fortress, in the depths of the great lake, and manned its ramparts with our allies in the fight: slow moving unarmoured creatures who breathed as easily under the sea as in the bright air. They have a tremendous strength, though they bear no arms, and they are tough in body, though they wear no armour. These named themselves Atlanteans, once from an ancient kingdom but long parted from their kin. We also enlisted undersea knights on sea-horses, wielding spears tipped with poisonous coral.

In time we built a strong force and one night in midsummer Tegue and Tuathal led a great company down the long miles of the river to the sea. They passed into the realm of the monstrous sea creatures just as the day was dawning in the sunlit world. Our foes were dismayed by our host, or at least feigned dismay, and fled north. As our forces pursued they saw a huge pinnacle of dark rock, which took the form of a mighty fastness. Here the creatures made their stand. This place seemed filled with menace, and yet we encircled the rough walls and began a siege that would last several months. Twice we were challenged and twice Tuathal and Tegue pushed them back and maintained the watch on the walls, until finally the great strength of our Atlantean allies made a breach.

Summoning what power they could, our forces broke through the walls and a great slaughter began. Hideous creatures that ought not to be were crushed to lifelessness, their bodies ripped asunder and left to float away as a testament to the justice of the silent god. Yet not all foes fell so easily. In the centre of the city a huge pulsating mound was found, that sounded incomprehensible madness to all who dared approach. Brave Atlanteans would be paralyzed merely by the thought of approaching it. This monstrous thing was the mother and god of the race we warred against.

Pain breeds fear among some creatures, and paralyzes others so that they cannot act, but among the sons and daughters of Danu pain brings resolve. At the last the creature was brought down, many blows laid upon her, and it seemed that we had won.

And yet our guard was not vigilant enough. We cast down the rude temple that had been raised to honour this false god, and raised a humble dwelling in honour of the silent god. Many Atlanteans were killed and many more wounded. Our numbers were few.

Reports were heard of fell creatures still roaming the sunless sea bed, but some counseled that these were the defeated remnants of a broken people, and so our guard was lowered.

Yet our forces, weak as they were, woke to find this same hideous creature already once destroyed arrayed against us. Somehow by dark magiks she who we killed was found to be back to life and once again opposing us. This time we fared less well. Tegue was manning the patrol while Tuathal was in the city when the attack fell. The sea-knights were destroyed, and the strength of the Atlanteans failed. Tegue fled to the western shore of the sea. He shall have to explain how a king of the race of kings, in service of the silent god, should fly from battle like an ignorant Fomorian. Tuathal was locked inside the walls of the fortress, which thankfully had been repaired.

The walls of that fortress are thick, if it stands still, but Tuathal was left with barely an honour guard of local fish-men armoured with turtle shells to defend it. Wise in secret lore he prepared the incantations to summon underwater lions to aid in the defense.

Our forces were scattered, and yet a fire burned in Tegue to redeem his name, that it not live forever in disgrace among our people. He travelled the land to put together a great army of any creature that could survive in the watery depths, while Tuathal kept a silent vigil, far away from hearth or home, far away from the forests of his home, and far even from the sun, whose light pierced the gloom of the undersea only in a glimmer at noontide.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Brilliant. Thanks for posting this.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Bravo! Must complete the story.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Freedom comes hard-fought. Violence can be the shield of peace.

War with those who seek our destruction cannot be avoided.

Yet long we dwelt, in hope that war would not be forced upon us on every side. I know not the inscrutable ways of the silent god. Mayhap he knew better what the turn of years would bring than even we did, who measure our years by many lengths of men’s lives. But of the devastation there is not doubt. Of the loss of our people no one can remain silent. Yet our vengeance is even more certain.

The beasts that walk like men slowly destroyed the other races our scouts had seen on the eastern side of the mountains. The proud giants of the ancient north, the Atlanteans of whom our allies were a lost tribe, perhaps many others, all were not seen any longer, and in their stead came the beasts, drenched in blood, with crazed eyes and evil intent.

We set a watch on the passes through the mountains. In the south we raised a fortress as a bulwark against their might. The land seemed to sleep.

Our people grew. Poetry and song rang in our halls. Great understanding was gained of ways to control the wild power of the wind and sky, and even the very earth yielded up its secrets. We grew strong in lore and thought ourselves invincible. In the north I was the silent god’s sure hand, destroying our ancient enemies, in the south we waxed strong against the monsters in the depths. Even Lugh of the long hand returned from his wanderings to serve the silent god.

Until they came.

When the sun set on the lonely fortress in the widest pass in the mountains the land all about seemed at rest, and yet morning brought a different picture. The sun rose sickly red, at the back of an army many hundreds strong of crazed beasts. A messenger was sent west to the capital, and those who could bear arms girded themselves for battle against impossible odds.

Many brave warriors shed their blood that day. The creatures wielded great maces or wicked curved swords with frenzied strength, and behind them hordes of archers sent a rain of arrows. Yet our warriors donned illusions by their arts, and went to battle. They earned honour, fighting an implacable enemy who traded them ten blows for every one they gave. In the space of a few minutes they were a few islands in a sea of bronze-armoured animals. Slowly they were overwhelmed. Slowly the islands grew smaller until they sunk beneath a sea of flailing maces, striking with animal rage.

Two of our sorceresses called mighty lightning strikes down upon them, but it was not enough. Wounds that would kill a man only enraged them. At the last the ever-young tasted death, falling to the rage of lesser creatures.

Yet some mind was behind them. Some cunning directed their actions. Among them were ghostly apparitions who you could see through. Also warriors who seemed to have died and yet were walking, wielding their armaments with deadly strength. Hordes of smaller beasts attended them, throwing stones and clamouring. Recognizable in their midst were a battalion of human archers, forced to fight for the beasts who were obviously their masters.

The siege did not last long. The bulk of our strength had died in the initial assault, and those few left inside the walls were not warriors but sidhe women, in study and contemplation. Relief was sent from the capital but the assault was so fierce, and the strength of the enemy so great that scarce had a month passed that a breach was made in the walls and the enemy poured through. They cut down our people without mercy. They left nothing but carnage.

And so as I returned from the far north I found that the ever-young had suffered defeat and despair at the hands of mere animals. My rage burned within me, and I rode east, towards the mountains, to ride from one length of their land to the other, cutting out their black hearts. People fear me. May they try to resist rather than fly from me. They will find a stronger foe than the day they cut down our women. They will find a nightmare who will haunt their last living hours and the eternity beyond. They will find the rage of the silent god.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Anyone still reading? If so I have a contest - guess Desle's heroic ability and be written into the story!

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

What I'm wondering about is if this is an AAR for a real game, and if you intend to make the game files available once you have finished with it...

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I'm still reading totally, and about your prophet's Heroic Ability... Unequaled Obesity? :D (I don't think, it would be a little too funny into your so epic saga :p )

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I'm still reading - this is excellent.

My guess for heroic ability, based on the first line of your AAR, is Legendary Cruelty.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

He, would make sense, nice one Val ;) Not only in the first line this guy is a real b4d4ss

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I'm going to take the safe path and go with Valor.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Excellent AAR. Thank you.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Very good.
He's fearsome, isn't there an heroic ability that grants fear? Might be heroic cuelty or somesuch, I can't remember.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Anyway, if I can make a serious guess (Unequaled Obesity was only 4 fun :p), I'd try Battle Prowess ;)

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I'll go with Legendary Cruelty too (though I doubt I'd make it in either way, since I'm the second if I'm right, and wrong if I'm not :D ).

Great story, by the way. I love it.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Legendary Cruelty it is! Thanks for everyone's guesses!

I was planning on writing the winner into the story, but then I realised that I forgot to turn on renaming. So...it just so happens that 'Valerius' is the nickname of one of the rising heroes of the story, and you will be hearing more about his exploits as the story continues...

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

It is a real game - I'm not sure what you mean by the game files though: do you mean save a copy of each turn? If so I haven't been keeping them up to this point. If you mean just the final turn's .trn file that of course is easily done, and I wouldn't have a problem letting other people look at it.

If Desle dies heroically I will probably end the story then, and maybe attach the turn files so everyone can see it.

Ich - did you have something else in mind?

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

"Heroically" includes even "by slinger"? :D

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

I was thinking along the lines of per-turn backups, yes, so people could follow the adventures of Desle later maybe and replay the things that you wrote about. Not a problem that you didn't keep backups, though, still :up:.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Hear now the account of the fall and ruin of powers ancient and terrible beyond the knowledge of men.

When I began my harsh journey through the lands of the blood-worshipping beasts our people had suffered a defeat at the hands of undersea creatures who came against them wielding fear, herding armies of slave minions before them. These creatures assailed the dark fortress we had earlier taken. One stood as a shield against their brutality and madness. Tuathal, gifted in the lore of the waters, watched from the lonely ramparts deserted by all save an honour guard. Death seemed certain in the darkness of the depths.

Yet it was not to be so. Tegue, having fled the field of battle once, raised a great army of Atlanteans and ventured a second time into the depths. Driven by the need to clear his name his resolve was strong. In the depths he prepared to strike a blow that would scatter our enemies. One division crept down the river, another gathered in the woodlands by the shore. Altanteans and fish-men stealthily slipped into the great still waters and made their way north to the sieged fortress. Tuathal had called from the depths a great serpent of great strength, and lions with the tails of fish.

The besieging force, together with their god queen, the huge plant-like monster, constantly giving birth to more fell creatures, swayed silent in the depths around the fortress. The waters were dark. Every spear was gripped with an iron hand. The great strength of the Atlanteans was held like a coiled spring to burst forth. Slowly the great serpent began to move. It slithered through the chill water and up over the parapet. This was the signal for Tegue. Even as the eyes of the monsters were turned to the serpent they drew forward. As they drew into position the gates opened and the meager but determined forces of the garrison spilled forth. The monstrous forms flitted forward to join the attack. As they approached the forces in the rear launched a devastating attack on the rearguard.

The rearguard was overthrown in a moment. One division pressed forward to encircle those who until a moment ago had thought themselves attackers, while the other wheeled around and began the assault of the queen of their kind. The great serpent streaked through the water to wrap its coils around the hideous queen.

The attackers died swiftly, for much of their strength has been sapped in their initial assault. Their queen took longer to die. Every second of the attack was filled with mental screams which destroyed the minds of many soldiers, stopping them in their tracks. Yet our might was great. For every warrior who fell two more took his place, and even those paralysed by the mental assault in time shook off the effect and roared their attack once again.

Before the hideous queen fell there was a mound of the broken bodies of Atlanteans - some thralls freed in death, others who had given their freedom that others might live.

And yet the victory was grim, for already once this fell creature had come back from the grave.

A guard was placed on the fortress, but most of the army continued north to stamp out this vile spawn.

A month later they found a contingent of the creatures in a gorge to the north, chastened but not destroyed. They were ground into dirt without mercy. More battles seemed inevitable, but the wisdom of the silent god was revealed and in a moment the war was over.

The silent god had filled the people with a complusion to build temples wherever our armies travelled. Many did not understand, but this month many saw, and finally understood his wisdom. The people who once feared and trusted in the hideous queen slowly grew to realise the wisdom and goodness of the silent god, and slowly they came to him. Slowly them came until in the end there was no one left who believed in the might of the monstrous god queen. Even her own soldiers began to know the truth that the silent god was the stronger. And in the end the belief of the people was the spear that pierced more deeply than any other. In the end the very threads that held the false god’s existence together were unravelled. Suddenly we found ourselves not facing the wrath of a unified people, but facing instead a scattered collection of broken tribes, who would never again unite. The war was over. The seas were ours.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Hey there! :) No more updates? :(

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Have you seen the periods of time that previous updates had? It's Christmas time, too!

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

oh, c'mon, it was just a sneaky bump ;)

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

Keep it up st. patrik, im looking forward to the next installment.

Re: The Recently Discovered Journals of the Legendary Desle
 

No ending? :(