From A History of the Lords of Westmarch - Volume XIV

Part 3

By Lady Myrs Kratys

Moments after the main gate fell, the orcs attacking the north gate breached the keep. They rushed in, their rusted axes and spiked clubs swinging. The foremost of the orcs fell into a pit of boiling oil which was quickly lit aflame by Llewyn and several more of the savage beasts fell wreathed in flames and writhing in pain. Yet this did not deter the others.

Seeing the walls breached, the men in the main hall and tower bolted for the door toward the courtyard to lend a hand. Eswin herded the children from the main hall into the pantry - a much more secure room, and then dashed out into the courtyard to join the others.

Back at the main gate fifteen orcs charged in thinking to cut down the two druids standing guard, but a net trap rigged by the defenders fell on them tangling them up in a mass of limbs and weapons. The ogre entered behind and swatted a few orcs aside to gain entrance, killing them in the process. Kieren, hot with the blood of the fire giant began hurling chunks of bricks at the ogre hitting it savagely several times. The ogre swooned and nearly fell, but still came on. He stung Kieren with a mighty blow from his giant flail, knocking the young druid to the ground.

Goran Shae, in a moment of compassion for his pupil, called upon the spirit of the wood and transformed his staff into a mighty two-headed treant. But the young druid was far from bested. He picked his bruised body up off the ground and with one mighty swing from his scimitar cut the head off of the ogre. With the aid of the treant, he then made quick work of the orcs trapped in the nets. In a feat of strength I have never seen equaled, Kieren picked up a net with five orcs in it and smashed it against the keep’s walls, crushing their bodies into a bloody pulp.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the courtyard, the orcs which had felled Lord Kratys surrounded his son Bran, scoring several blows upon him. With his strength nearly gone, Bran was saved by the wizard Talos who summoned to him the power of Hypnos and put most of the orcs to sleep. He then sent his manservant Thurin in to slit the slumbering orcs’ throats.

Back at the north gate, the fighting was fierce. Llewyn, Salisbury and the attack dogs were keeping the orcs at bay – and much to their relief were soon aided by two contingents of peasants wielding swords. But out of the smoking rubble of the north gate emerged a unit of heavily armoured orcs and their captain, the half-orc Hallir. Weilding a black-bladed bastard sword named Heartrender, the half-orc called out a challenge to the lord of the keep. Salisbury took up the challenge and the two met amid the flaming bodies of several dead orcs, trading numerous blows.

When the attack dogs joined in on the combat, the half-orc cried foul. Appearing out of the gloom behind Hallir, Goomjaba the orc shaman materialized. Whispering prayers to some foul demon, he drew upon the powers of darkness to paralyze Salisbury. Hallir then began to beat upon the helpless Salisbury with his sword, sending him tumbling to the ground in a bloody mess.

Fortunately, Goran Shae was able to get to Salisbury before his lifeblood emptied to the ground and healed him of his wounds. Though he was unable to continue the fight, Salisbury was alive, and he limped to the rear of the defender’s line.

Goomjaba once again called upon the power of his fell demon lord and sent a wave of magical fear over the defenders, causing a unit of peasants, along with the druid Kieren running for their lives. The heavily armed orcs also managed to cut down a unit of peasant defenders. Things began to turn against the defenders once again.

Talos Magicks a Web to Capture Goomjaba

Knowing that if the shaman remained standing the keep would surely fall, Talos summoned his own magics and cast a web at the orc shaman. Too slow to get out of the web’s path, the orcish shaman was wrapped up and held prone by the ensorcelled web. Seeing his magical support neutralized, Hallir fought on in a frenzy, but one of the attack dogs managed to clamp its jaws around his throat and end his life. Eswin then strode up out of the night and quickly put an end to the helpless Goomjaba. The remaining orcs fought on, but by then it was a lost cause and they were quickly killed off by the remaining defenders.

It was a hard fought victory, and after all was said and done, the lord of the keep along with the valiant Sir Salisbury were bandaged up and need a week of bedrest each. On top of this only five peasants were killed. The attackers did not fare so well. They were slaughtered to a man, and the raiding of the Broken Moon tribe was finally put to rest.

When the smoke cleared and the cleanup began the next morning, the defenders realized that some orcs must have gotten away. For the fabled gem called The Salamander’s Heart had been stolen from the main hall and it was not recovered on any of the orcs’ bodies. For all the chaos, the battle had only lasted but a single night. The cleanup and the fallout however, would last many more. However, were it not for the bravery of the four visiting heroes, there would probably not be a keep left standing at all.