Today, together with my able scout, Marko von Basten, we set off to research and catalogue the various fauna and flora that populate the mountain slopes. I hope to find some rare or undiscovered lifeform to complete my research.
About midday, after travelling along a rarely used mountain path, we come across many big footprints. I'm a size nine, these must surely be like size 20! After examining the tracks, Marko dismissively claims that they're ogre tracks and we should traverse in the opposite direction.
But this could be a great discovery! Although ogres have been catalogued before, but few humans have actually seen them travelling in a great herd. Even fewer have heard of ogres travelling so far west to cross the World's Edge Mountains. And I could be the one to document everything down! I can foresee a scholarship in the great University of Nuln! So despite Marko's protests, we decide to follow the ogres (after giving him an additional bag of gold).
Tracking ogres isn't hard at all. Even I, a novice can find the ogres easily. They have no outriders or scouts... although we did notice little grey creatures scuttling around, but they paid us no heed, instead were poking each other in the eyes and generally make squeally noises.
It was also easy to see where the ogres were heading, the village of Haffenburg, where I also stored most of my gear... And to my great surprise, an imperial army had mustered on the edges of the village! Sigmar be blessed! Maybe my things will be saved afterall...
* * * * *
The banner of Lord Kasfield whipped wildly in the wind, a great storm was brewing beyond the mountains, and on the slopes directly opposite them, he could see their foes. Huge hulking humanoids, loud and boisterous. Young Thom tried desperately to hold on to the banner pole, and the wind wasn't making things easier.Centering around Thom, Lord Kasfield's inner circle knights formed up, waiting for Lord Kasfield to arrive. Lord Kasfield was leaving the army centre to his second in command, a pyromancer. "Was this wise?" young Thom wondered, but he dispelled any negative thoughts, for these were greater heroes than he, and he knew that his liege lord would do all in his power for the good of the Empire.
Thom could see Lord Kasfield galloping on his charger up the slope where the knights were gathered. He was clad in simple platemail armour, for he was a simple man. Although he had land to his name, he was more a warrior at heart, and a warrior always appreciated the simple things. Simple plate would ward off blows better without the fancy laticework that other lords would wear; lighter and won't be snagged by enemy weapons. A simple steel blade would work better than one with a fancy hilt; keener and sharper. Yes he liked simple things, but it did not reflect a man of slow wit.
"How goes the battle line, sir?" young Thom queried when Kasfield arrived.
"It should hold till we arrive on the flanks, it has to. We're the only thing standing between the ogres and the villagefolk." Kasfield replied.
"Villagers would have fled by now. We're fighting over an empty village." Thom retorted.
Kasfield turned suddenly to look at Thom, staring intently at the young bannerman, making him squirm... slowly Kasfield softened his gaze. "Is that what I've taught you?"
"No..."
"Then form up with the others, we must ride now, and bring swift vengeance to the enemies of the Empire."
The Knights of the Inner Circle were veterans of many campaigns and Kasfield needed no rally talks to urge them forward. Silently as one, the knights galloped down the slope toward the enemy and to meet death in the eye and defeat it. No one spoke a word, and the only sound was the thundering of hooves and the clattering of platemail...
* * * * *
Hiding behind a rock, Marko and I could see most of the action, easier for me to take notes. As the ogres ran headlong towards the Imperial line, totally unhiding their intent and eagerness to close the distance between the two armies. The imperial gunners seem to be unnerved by the speed in which the ogres are approaching and they seem to miss their cannon shots...
The ogres have a wierd contraption crewed by the little grey creatures we saw earlier. It looks like a catapult of some sorts and it has been pummelling the poor empire infantry blocks with broken swords, forks and all manner of sharp things. The dying screams of the soldiers, as they're skewered by the detritus is rather unnerving...
* * * * *
Thom clutched at his banner hard with his left hand, bracing it within the holster slung across his shoulders. With his free hand he lowered his lance. Through his visor, he could only see a sliver of dark tanned ogre flesh, and it was there he aimed. He could feel the impact of the lance as his weapon tore into flesh; he could hear the lance snap in two, and feel the shuddering of his shoulder as the two forces collided. Instinctively, he dropped the broken weapon and drew his cavalry sabre. He could see Sir Rudi Voellor get smacked full in the chest by a crude great weapon of the armoured ogres, slamming Rudi off his horse, his breastplate was a crumpled mess. He would just hack away, left then right, he could see red blood streaming off the edges of his sabre, whether it was ogre or human blood, he did not know, nor care.
Suddenly, the ogres were turning away. One by one, the ugly monsters were turning to run! Filled with elation, young Thom raised his banner high, the charge had broken the enemy flank. Lord Kasfield's trick had worked.
* * * * *
From my vantage point I could see how the armies were faring. This is the first time I see an ogre army at work and I could witness the coldblooded brutality and efficiency of the ogres as they hit the centre of the empire line hard. There's a really large and ugly ogre clad in heavy armour leading the charge, henceforth I shall term this ogre as a tyrant. He and his ogres smash into the knights of Ulric with glee, tearing great chunks of flesh from human and horse alike; gorging themselves with the raw meat, elated in the slaughter... in the meantime the catapult contraption keeps punishing the poor infantry, suddenly the men break formation as I think they had enough of having forks and dinner knives flung in their direction.
It's not all bad news though, as the knights make short work of a big band of ogres on the imperial left flank. But I think it's too late for them to come back...
Looks like I'll have to find new gear... sigh.
* * * * *
Thom and the Inner Circle Knights wheeled their horses around to see that their once proud army was gone. The ogres were already in the village. Thom could see plumes of smoke rising from the village and great bands of ogres feasting on the meat of the fallen.
Lord Kasfield rode up to him. "It seems we were too late."
Thom looked at him, did he notice a little tinge of remorse? If so, Kasfield masked it well. "Yes sir, it seems so."
Lord Kasfield looked yonder at the smoke rising like grey angry locusts eating away the whitewashed walls of Haffenburg. "It would have been perfect."
"Yes sir, it would have."
* * * * *
Marko has decided that we retire and find a place to camp in the wilds. I was so hoping for a warm bath, but the only bath now in Haffenburg would be in a cauldron. As we turn to leave, we hear a great bellowing... "Brutan Brutan Brutan..."
Maybe I've got a name for that big ugly brute...
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