Niefel AAR: "...Some Say In Ice"

[Peter Ebbesen]

…Some Say In Ice: The Throne of Heaven

“Then came he from the North and smashed the Throne of Heaven, and by his act divided old from new” – the Omega Question


Supplies are low.

The fleet inhabitants of T’ien C’hi are able to evade the foraging parties with distressing ease. As I suck the marrow from an oxe, I am minded that my men are getting uncomfortably lean. Yet my presence boosts their morale. What true soldier can remain dejected when his god walks with him?

Thus morale remains high, despite the crippling disease that has afflicted most of the survivors of the failed attack on Hebei. Failed? Yes, in my heart I must remain honest. No tactical retreat, no advancement in retrograde, but defeat, hated defeat.

A shame, really. After two months of siege, the fortified city was on the verge of falling, but who was to know that so many soldiers remained? Truly, their number of soldiers appears incalculable. Forty dead in the first skirmish, fifty in the second, and, finally, some eighty soldiers led by several Celestial Masters attacking Last month. It proved too much. Casualties were high. Ten invaluable Jotuns slain on the field of battle, their puny frames incapable of withstanding the arrows and glaives of T’ien C’hi..

I will not accept this. It will not be. Reinforcements from Siberia are marching to our relief even as I speak, six of my Niefel guard and 4 Jotuns, and my emissaries have gone out to seek the aid of mercenary archers. Though it tears my heart, I will have to rely on midgets for my next attack. Fortunately, their limited intellects should be able to understand their job. With mercenaries suppressing the enemy archers, the Niefel giants should be able to press the attack.

And I have an extra advantage.

Angerboda has been rounding up some sage midgets, and have had them working on spell research. When I enter battle next time, I will be quickened as I launch my cold bolts, and the enemy will freeze.

It will be so.


And so it came to pass. With mercenary scum eliminating the enemy archers, Tjordulf was able to goad the guard into a battle frenzy destroying all three T’ien C’hi armies that sought to hinder our return to the imperial city, and in front of the imperial city, with our bridges burned and the enemy hot on our heals, we tore down the walls, and we charged through the streets slaying all who would stand against us and all who impeded our progress, and we reached the Palace of Heaven itself.

Through waves of magic that sought to tear them apart, the guard stormed the Palace of Heaven, and it slew the Lich’s guard and crushed its bones, evil misbegotten thing that it was, and they carried the day. In serried ranks they stood, four Niefel giants to a side, as I strode through the Palace and came unto an exquisite hall, the banners of a thousand families hanging from the walls, and in the centre of the hall, the Throne of Heaven, a pitiful man-shaped throne, perhaps, but one of immense symbolism to the natives.

I smashed it with a single blow of my fist and I let slip my ice and my cold, and the hall froze, and I scattered the ashes of the lich to the four winds, and I saw that it was good. Though the lich was to return for battle many times, each fight would see it diminished and destroyed.

Now, with the Throne of Heaven fallen and the power of T’ien C’hi broken, it is time to re-establish the lines of contact with the Jotun home and to take all that belonged to the Khans. It is said that far to the west, in Golden Samarkand, the Khans still rule, and I know that their writ is still accepted in most of Eastern Asia, but now is the time to reap the rewards of my toil.

Rewards, yes, but also a time to prepare for war. On my western border, a nation born under a lucky star and led by astrologers seems intent on conquering, and it is rumoured that the winged folk of Caelum controls the central Asian highlands. The people of Hebei also tell of an ancient star that fell into the world-sea and spawned a race of monsters, the R’lyeh, who prey on them even to this day: Myth or legend? Time will tell.

For now, a gentle campaign to reclaim Siberia would seem in order.

Fall, Year 2 of the Ascension Wars

[Arryn]

Just want to say that I'm enjoying your storytelling immensely. Keep up the good work ...

[Bossemanden]

As always your AARs are great. Good work professor...even if you had to resort to midgets

[MCArt]

Ahh, finally, an AAR, from no one but the master of EU2 world conquest himself

I like your style, keep it up, Mr. Ebbesen!

[Peter Ebbesen]

…Some Say In Ice: The Mother of Monsters

With the new temple erected to my honour in the old capital of T’ien C’hi, worship now flows to me from Siberia, Hebei, and Ultima Thule. It is a beginning.

I have decided that Hebei, with its stores of ancient wisdom, will be the centre of my magical efforts. I call on Angerboda to take control of the city and to direct my mages in pursuit of the good work. I task her with summoning aid as required. From Siberia the giants will march and from Hebei the magic will flow and create regiments infinite. It will take time, and research, but it will be done. It is my will – and her destiny. The Great Hag, the Mother of Monsters, will bring forth new broods to trouble the world. To help her out, I summon a Sea King from the depths of the sea to provide her with an essential guard of sea trolls and order a Skratti to begin mass-producing clams of astral pearls. It is a beginning.

From the fortress of the Jotuns march new armies to subdue eastern Siberia, while Tjordulf prepares to lead the survivors of the invasion army to subdue the countryside of T’ien C’hi. Despite all his men suffering from multiple battle afflictions, and half of them being diseased, their morale remains high, for I am with them, and who can lay idle when their God has returned?

We march south, conquering all in our path, leaving a trail of blood and ice behind. Fully half of Siberia has been conquered, and it appears that the hoplites of Arcosphale have overrun the western holdings of T’ien C’hi. In front of us lies the mighty citadel of Ankor Wat, under the rule of rule, apparently, of giant lizards.

Most peculiar.

Apart from their outpost in Taiwan, this seems to be the only lizard outpost in the neighbourhood. The defending forces appear small and insignificant, and my army contains eight Niefel giants and twelve lesser Jotuns.

I never did like lizards all that much in the first place.

As we approach the fortress, Tjordulf readies the men for battle and bright battle is offered that overcast morning in the spring – but it is not the battle I expect. The cowardly lizards huddle behind the gates rather than offer battle and as we are unpacking the first tents we hear highly-pitches voices crying on the wind. From the heavens themselves, Caelum forces swoop down to the attack.

Did they intend to attack the lizards or is this a fully intentional attack on me without provocation? I may never know. I brace myself against a swooping Caleum Iceclad, and prepare to bLast the hordes of winged archers with my icy spells, when I realise that they are most likely immune to the powers of cold.

With a sigh I draw my sword and I prepare to stem the tide. We may be outnumbered eight to one, but we are giants and they are midgets. It will have to be enough. It too, is a beginning, of sorts.

[ February 20, 2004, 01:17: Message edited by: Peter Ebbesen ]

[sachmo]

Great stuff!

[Peter Ebbesen]

…Some Say In Ice: Things Fall Apart, the Centre Cannot Hold

The prowess of my Niefel Guard knows no limits! Most are suffering from three or four afflictions now, including the dreaded disease, yet they soldier on! Tjordulf claims it is because of the fresh mountain air, which is as likely an explanation as any.

If only the Jotuns were half as tough. Casualties have been brutal.

It is nigh on a year since the destruction of Caelum’s ten-score archers in the accidental battle of Angkor Wat, but the months have cost my cause dearly. Perceiving weakness, the ordered hoplites of Arcosphaele declared war and invaded following the debacle of Angkor Wat, and the swift winged blizzard warriors of Caelum have struck into my newly conquered lands of Siberia.

My worshippers are down to a total of four temples again, due to the unfortunate habit of mine enemies to raze them to the ground. Only the temples within castles still stand tall and strong. It is most vexing.

While my capital holds yet, all lines of communication have been cut, the outer line of defense wiped out. The 30-strong provincial defense backed up by Jotun Godes proved insufficient to the task of halting the hoplites. My capital will hold, though, as it’s defense is backed by Godes and Niefel Guards. Even so, I am under severe pressure, as even Ultima Thule is under attack by the High Seraphs!

Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold.

With a minor force holding Angkor Wat, I have had to strategically regroup back to Hebei, where Angerboda’s newest brood of monsters are ready to be thrown into the fray together with Jotun reinforcements. She now has two Sea Trolls, 2 Lamia Queens, and a Spectre aiding her in the unnatural conjuration process, and new monsters arrive on a daily basis. I will regroup, aye, and I will take every soldier and throw my forces like a spear straight and true into the Heart of Caelum, the secret Fastness in the depths of the Himalayas. I will not be denied: They shall learn to fear my wrath, for it is great indeed.

Arcosphaele will just have to wait their turn.

[Arryn]

Now the story is getting very interesting indeed ...

[Bossemanden]

Forward the Professor!

[Peter Ebbesen]

…Some Say In Ice: Year Of The Troll

Grudgingly, I have come to value these watery monstrosities. From their spawning pool in the Celestial Palace of Hebei, ranks of Sea Trolls have marched, soggily, at the behest of their kings, to swell my growing armies. With their aid I have regained control of the countryside around Hebei and relieved Angkor Wat. While the road to Niefelheim is still blocked by the forces of Arcosphaele, news has arrived on the wintry wind of magnificent battles outside its icy walls, and the triumph of the defenders. Ane, the Jotun Gode leading the defense, has now gained a reputation for quickness and his blessings and sermons of courage spur on the defenders. I have no doubt that he will soon have amassed an army strong enough to begin reclaiming the surrounding forests.

He had better. I will tolerate to failure.

In the mountains, fighting has been fierce, but the brunt of the casualties has been born by the Sea Trolls sparing the fragile Jotuns of whom only a scant dozen remain in the South. As I survey my encampment in the ruins of an ancient temple in this comfortably cool Tibetan valley, I have high hopes for the battles to come. The guard is in high spirits, so Tjordulf assures me, and they are better provisioned than ever before. Sure, the magical food from the cauldrons Angerboda has prepared does not have the flavour of a good mammoth served raw and seasoned with herbs and a handful of salt, but it is filling.

It sure beats eating ice.

My lookout reports that only sixty or eighty defenders guard the crone, who holds the Heart of Caelum, and I have triumphed often enough in the past against larger armies of the birdmen On the morrow, we march, and the Himalayas will fall.