Keep Hope Alive

[Dracos]

"Right..." Dracos turns to exit the tent.

Dracos

[Brian]

There's a few minutes until the moon has completely set -- the second you clear the tent, it's packed up and loaded into a supply wagon.  Lord Farwell and Lord Roger are busy organizing everyone into the formation they want established for the charge.

The axe and swordsmen will be at the fore, in a wedge, to drive through the dreadmarch.  The pikemen will be directly behind them, followed by a few more swordsmen, and then, the archers.  All of the women, children, and supply wagons will follow that.

The plan is that once the wedge drives through the Dreadmarch -- regardless of the General -- the women and children will charge through the clear lane in the center of the wedge, and into the (hopefully) open gate.

[Dracos]

Dracos positions himself near the front of the wedge, prepared, though not particularly desiring, to lead by example.

Dracos

[Brian]

Lord Roger is nearby -- Lord Farwell is overseeing the rearguard.

[Rezantis]

Rez takes note, curiously, of where Liandral is - and also puts himself near Drac.

Don't Break Up The Team - Carson and Peters, page 823.

[Brian]

Liandral is following Phil around, his bow at the ready.

[Rezantis]

Rez tries to guage how long we have until moonset . . . and really, we're just waiting.

[Brian]

Well, as you'd planned, Eske first opens a gate to near one of the chasms -- that way any Dreadmarch that rushes through the other side of the gate won't be able to circle around and attack the storm-riders from behind.

[Dracos]

Dracos leads the storm riders into the gate and then makes a last run of the troops, making sure that Eske and Mattias in particular are safely towards the center of the arrangement.  Finishing in satisifaction, he returns towards the front, glancing up a bit nervously where the setting moon should be, though it's probably already hidden from view.

Dracos

[Brian]

From the plains you can see it, though, it's somewhat dizzying.  If you're at the top of the world -- in the arctic circle -- then the moon should spiral towards the horizon.

But it doesn't.  It goes in a straight line, from where you are, looking like it's going to set somewhere near the temple of ... Liene?  You're not sure where you are in relation to the temples at the moment.

Either way, there's only moments before the moon completely sets.

[Brian]

The moon sets, plunging everything into darkness.  The men are quiet, but obviously tense about the situation.  Just as everything is begining to calm, however, both Nathan and Phil hear a resoundingly loud: "NOW!" in their minds, followed by nothing.

[Dracos]

Dracos turns, calling at the top of his lungs to Mattias and Eske.  "It's time.  They're in position.  Open the gate now!  We go NOW!"

Dracos

[Brian]

Eske wastes no time -- the multi-colored edges of reality show themselves, then tear wide open.  Wide enough for a house, then a temple, then, an army.  The gate is three times as high as any of you are tall, but it's obvious that this is already a strain on Eske's ability.

Through the gate, where the first storm-riders are already charging, carving through the rear-ranks of the Dreadmarch charge, you can see the battlefield.  Stormwall Keep is imposing, and casts light across the battlefield.  It's not as bright as day, but after adjusting to the moonlight, it's good enough.

Nathan and Phil both spot a extra heavily armored ogre atop some newly erected earth-works.  Your charge is going to take you through what looks like a good seventy thousand orcs before you even get to the General.

[Dracos]

"Bowmen, Aim for the general!"  Dracos shouts, raising his sword and leading  the charge towards the general figure, depending greatly on the fact that there is some other army on the other side doing the same.

Dracos

[Brian]

Most of the bowmen do as you say, probably about half.  Even those that don't come close to their real target are still doing damage.  Most of the rest are still helping, in a fashion.  The storm-riders are really forcing the wedge formation, trying to drive through the heart of the Dreadmarch -- a tide of arrows and then charging pikemen and swordsmen seems to work pretty well.  At this point, about half of your forces (and two thirds of your non-coms) are through the gate, including Eske and Mattias, though as soon as they crossed, Mattias caused both to vanish.