AAR: [8M][E] Return to the Horror Cloud (2020-12-02 7:15 EST)

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Dougansf
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Re: AAR: [8M][E] Return to the Horror Cloud (2020-12-02 7:15 EST)

Post by Dougansf » Thu Dec 03, 2020 4:48 pm

The Adventures of Sandrin
Chapter 20 - Return to the Horror Cloud

After nearly a year of planning and preparations, the Arnegir is finally ready to return to the flying citadel surrounded by Stormwraiths and corrupted Wyverns. Norg, LaShanna, A'horangi, Thorkell, and Zivilyn join me and the crew.

Helga and Dorcha are there to see us off. They offer us Last Grasp Blood Charms to prevent us from falling off the ship. They also implore us to bring the ship back in one piece. Considering our strange ammunition, it's a reasonable request.

We fly for the better part of a day. Thorkell notices the citadel in the distance, a bit farther South than the previous location. It’s still getting blotted out by the horror cloud, which seems to have noticed us. We’re still a few hours away, so we make various long term preparations.

Soon we get within cannon range of their front line. We don’t slow and begin opening fire with the Earth Cannons. They work perfectly, knocking Stormwraiths out of the sky. This creates enough of a gap in their line that we're able to climb up and then dive on the other side of them to break away.

We slow the ship to begin our recon of the citadel. Meanwhile, 9 Stormwraiths attempt to board us. The first one comes aboard and sends a lightning spear at LaShanna, the Living Crystals ward her from the lightning strike. I shout tactical orders at the crew to repel boarders and defend the crystals.

I make my way amidships and hurl a sun blade at one wraith to free Thorkel from its grasp. As I’m about to enter the fray more directly, we hear the shriek of one of the wyverns approaching from the stern. I run back to the helm and hurl a sun sword at it. The blade cleaves through its wing, sending it plummeting to the ground. The crew destroys the rest of the stormwraiths and approach the citadel.

There’s a flash of light from the citadel. A moment later the ship shakes from a bolt of lightning, the crystals deflect the worst of it. Apparently, someone is manning a type of weapon. There’s movement inside the courtyard. We run up some flags to declare our peaceful intent. They fire again. The astral is tainted, and it’s getting thicker. We take evasive maneuvers and approach at full speed.

When we get close, we see many people in black robes manning a lightning cannon. There are 2 people not in black robes, one in shifting color robes, the other is an orc with ornate armor. There are some kind of animals in the courtyard, hydras. The one in shifting robes stabs his hand, and we hear a murmuring of voices. One of them speaks more clearly, “Awfully high for Cave Worms, don’t you think?” Shank Tooth from the Scorched Tusks. They then begin goading us to go down and feed them.

Thorkel notices that the vines are starting to reach at us. We fly underneath the citadel, firing up at the vines and bedrock to make some break free. LaShanna grabs some samples for tracking later. We then head back for Throal, sailing at night. We arrive just before sunrise.

We’re greeted by the dock crew. Drosha and Helga ask us how it went. We go over the Scourge, a large group of horror worshipers. Ruinations (powerful Horrors) are worshiped by the cult.
The Beauty That Plummets From On High
The Terrible Burden of Wonder

Human Illusionist: Soben Tarl
Orc Warrior: Shanktooth

verse86
Posts:269
Joined:Tue Jun 16, 2020 11:16 pm

Re: AAR: [8M][E] Return to the Horror Cloud (2020-12-02 7:15 EST)

Post by verse86 » Wed Dec 09, 2020 2:40 am

Thorkell's Journal:
A group of adventurers consisting of Sandrin, Norg were planning a return trip to a large group of flying horrors since they now had better equipment. Norg knew I had some knowledge of air sailing and invited me along. We also brought along Zivilyn, A'horangi, and LaShana. The air ship was something to behold and the cannons were of a make I had never seen. Our goal seems to be to break through this large group of horrors and find out what they are guarding.
As we approached the sky practically darkened with all the horror constructs. Between Sandrin, Norg, and me (with some coaching from Sandrin) we were able to keep the ship moving through the enemies while LaShana and A'horangi manned the cannons. With some tactical planning we were able to blast a hole in the wall of constructs and jump through.
Unfortunately some were able to board the ship. One of the horrors engulfed me in a cloud of lightning. We were able to fend off the large number of them. Sandrin was able to cripple a wyvern zombie that spiralled towards the ground. I can't imagine the mess that will leave.
What we found on the other side was almost unbelievable, but I swear by Upandal every word is true. There was a floating castle that seems to be run by the group we have come to know as the Scourge. They even had beasts under their command as daunting as Hydras. At this point we were set upon by some form of lightning cannon. We took evasive maneuvers to avoid the shots, moving to the underside of the castle. The very roots coming from the earth reached out to attack us. We quickly blasted a chunk of the ground off so that we could use it for tracking purposes and left before this floating monstrosity could attack us further.
Heed me, we must deal with this threat. I fear the current air strength we have will be no match for this threat. I believe we should reach out to the Troll moots for aid. The Scourge must not be allowed to carry out whatever nefarious plans they have.

sigfriedmcwild
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Joined:Wed Nov 13, 2019 6:59 am

Re: AAR: [8M][E] Return to the Horror Cloud (2020-12-02 7:15 EST)

Post by sigfriedmcwild » Sun Dec 13, 2020 11:48 pm

From "The Skies of Barsaive", as penned by Norg, Brother of Earth and Sky, Corsair of Throal

Almost two years after her first flight the Arngeir was finally ready to return to the Howling Cliffs and investigate the floating fortress and its horror cloud. Sandrin once again captained the ship while I took the helm. In the absence of Icarus and Vlolkir we were joined by Thorkell, Zivlin, LaShana, and A'horangi a t'skrang Monk and Bodyguard.

Zivilyn worked on navigation, Thorkell, who had learnt some Air Saling since the recovery of the Scorched Tusk drakkar, managed the rowers, and LaShana and A'horangi manned the cannons.

The flight was swift, even with all the extra load from the armour, guns and ammunition but our quarry had moved a good distance to the south in the intervening time, something that should have been a hint to the true nature of the situation.

As the stormwraiths and wyverns swarmed towards us we prepared for combat. The plan was to punch a hole in the swarm and fly through counting on the ships superior speed to buy us enough time to reach the floating castle and thanks to the earth imbued ammunition Sandrin had procured, it went off without a hitch. We sailed by so fast only a handful of straggling stormwraiths managed to make contact with the ship

We repelled the boarders easily, although Zivilyn seemed to be punching them instead of his usual spellcasting. Just as we were about to be rid of the pests, a clearly undead wyvern managed to close in to the ship just to have its wings brutally maimed by Sandrin. I hope no one was below us.

Clear from immediate threats we approached the flying island for a better look and had to dodge lighting being shot at us. As we got closer we could see several people on the parapets including the human Illusionist that was heading the plot with the hydra eggs and the invasion of the Scorched Tusk moot, Soben I believe was her name. One of the others seemed to be Shanktooth the orc fighter who'd helped her raid the moot.

Given that the floating fortress seemed to be a Scourge stronghold, Sandring decided it would be too dangerous to try and land, much to my disappointment. Before leaving we flew under the island to collect a sample of the rock, and had to dodge the giant roots dangling underneath which had animated and were acting like tentacles.

Sample secured we made full speed back to Throal, where I and Zivilyn started spreading the word about the Scourge and tried to find more adepts that had encountered them. With the floating castle under their control they no longer were the joke I had previously assumed them to be but a clear and present danger to all of Barsaive.

Once the rumours about the Scourge were strong enough to self sustain, I decided it was time to start working on an idea that had been in my head for a while: Throalic privateers, the navy would never have sufficient numbers to defend all of Barsaive, but private ships could help if properly sanctioned and even once the Scourge was removed, Thera would be coming back soon enough.

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