The First Battle
The trees shook and the earth groaned. Silwin startled and stared, afraid that
the surrounding trees were alive and that their fingered branches would reach out
for her. The earth shook again and she stumbled, falling onto the back
of Fienilh.
"Carefull!" Fienilh snapped, her voice afraid.
"What's going on?" Silwin asked, "The trees shake like in storm, but there is
no wind."
"I do know know, and I like it less. Listen..." Fienilh said suddenly, crouching
down to the trembling earth as when she did searching for tracks.
Silwin listened, as did all the other Tautha maidens of their party. They stood
still as rock, ears straining. At first there was nothing, but when the trees and
earth fell silent banishing all sound from the forest... except one.
A wail, as shrill and terrible as the dark night wind through hollow or branch.
The maiden's flesh crawled and turned cold.
Gwellyn, a glamourous damsel, drew out a long knife. "Something fell is coming
to us, Sisters. Ready your bows and skinning knives."
Silwin could not take her eyes of the naked blade, the tip catching a soft ray
of light that had filtered through the green canopy overhead. She was a hunter and
held a stron bow in her hands, but she had only killed wild animals, and none with
a howl that could take away her courage.
The wail came again, much closer. Silwin drew out one of her slender arrows, two
feet in length, and laid it in place with trembling fingers. Then she felt pressure
and warmth on the back of her hand and looked up.
"Courage, Sister," Fienilh said softly. "If we look out for each other we will
be all right."
Silwin turned her hand and gripped Fienilh's tightly. "Yes," she said. "Yes. No
matter what comes out of the trees."
They did not have long to wait. The cries and screams multiplied and came from
all around, closer and closer until between trunk and bush tall lithe shapes emerged
at a run, their faces flat with burning eyes and sharp teeth. And them from behind
came monsters the colour of fresh blood pounding the moss. Uptop rode crouching more
demons of the forest.
Background
The first Tautha were explorers and colonists from afar. The land they found in The
Basin suited their naturalist tendencies and many settled deep in the forest in small
communities. They did not know of the Fae until some foragers stumbled upon an ancient
Grove and disturbed the sleeping Spirit. The result was the beginning of a terrible
war that almost eradicated the Tautha from the continent.
The Tautha Settlers
|
Unit 1 |
3 x Archers |
30 Points |
30
|
|
Unit 2 |
3 x Archers |
30 Points |
60 |
|
Unit 3 |
4 x Rangers |
40 Points |
100 |
|
Total |
|
|
100 Points |
|
Heroines |
Gwellyn |
12 Points |
12 |
|
|
Siobghail |
12 Points |
24 |
|
Items |
Tautha Long Bow - Unit 4 |
10 Points |
10 |
Fae Host
|
Unit 1 |
4 x Manifest Fae |
60 Points
|
60 |
|
Unit 2 |
2 x Swift Fae |
40 Points |
100 |
|
Total |
|
|
100 Points |
|
Heroines |
Silla |
15 Points |
15 |
|
Items |
Fear - Unit 2 |
10 Points |
10 |
|
|
Spirit Pact - Silla |
10 Points |
20 |
Meadow of Glamour
The Tautha were in woodland when the Fae first came at them. Terrified the Tautha's
morale broke and they fled, loosing many maidens to the Fae and Dryads until Gwellyn
could rally them on some clear hills. This battle starts with the Fae attacking the
hills just before dusk from out of the trees.
The Tautha deploy on any or all of the hills - a Unit has to be completely on the
hill. No Units can not be on a hill. The Fae choose any two table edges and can deploy
up to 6" in from the edge.
The Fae receive the Initiative first.
Victory Conditions
The battle is a standard Aryiki game; the winner is the side who Routs the other army
first. If both sides Rout on the same turn then the game is a draw.
|