Tribes of Kurgan

[Tribes of Kurgan]

Border with the Dead Land's:
Kodrim 'Gutripper' stared at the hulking piece of flesh as it stalked forward, it's shambling steps taking it ever further into Kurgan Land's. '' It's the fourth dead flesh sack this week. '' Kodrim snarled slapping his rusty sword against the palm of his small green hand. A ghoul beyond the Dead Land's was a rare thing to see but as the Plain's of the Kurgan slowly began to rot and die, the sight of these creatures had become increasingly widespread that the Council had ordered additional troops along the border when they should have been thrashing and ripping those knife bastards to bloody pieces. Kodrim hadn't been born when Varinius the Sorcerer marched through their lands but the magic he had wrought was still very much alive.

'' Stupid dead thing hasn't seen us yet. '' Trojar cawed in his ear. '' Let's rush 'em. '' Gutripper and his warband were still learning the best ways to deal with the ghouls. Fire was seemed to be unreliable, it took to long to burn 'em, and in the meantime the thing's would just keep coming. The best tactic that had worked with success so far was for Kodrim and his boys to rush 'em and crush their skulls. Kodrim nodded and then signaled to his men. '' KILL THE DEAD THING! '' Over twenty of the small Goblin's swarmed to the creature. High pitched voices raised in almost comical war cries but there was nothing comical's about their intent as the Ghoul was swarmed. It tried to fight, it grabbed Trojar when he came too close and promptly smashed his face into the earth with a sickly pop of crushing bone and brain matter. Stupid runt, Kodrim had never liked him anyway. That didn't stop the Goblin's from surround the Ghoul. Eareb rammed his spear through the Ghoul's midsection, twisting the weapon and spilling out ropey dead entrails as he pinned the Ghoul to the earth, Kodrim brought his blade down on the Ghoul's neck. Black ichor oozed from the wound, it took four more good whacks until the head was completely severed and the Ghoul stopped writhing. Kodrim panted, his small chest eagerly dragging in oxygen as he stepped back from the dead thing.

'' What do you want us to do about Trojar boss? '' He said pointing to the still form of the goblin, crimson blood beginning to pool around his corpse.

'' Burn the runt with the dead thing. ''An hour later a pyre was burning. The stench of burning meat and ash heading towards the direction of the Dead Land's. Kodrim wondered just how many more of the Ghoul's would be coming down in the day's to come.

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Royal Palace / Kazerak :
'' No, no, no please O Great King! '' The servant begged at Azag's boots only to receive a swift kick in the face for daring to touch him. His nose broke with a snap, blood spraying all over the King's robes as Azag the Slaughterer stared down at the simpering wretch. Despite the fact that Azag had far outstripped the life of a normal Goblin, he didn't look a day over twenty when he first bent the knee to Vanarius. The court had gone silent as everyone stood transfixed on the scene.

'' You poisoned my wine! I know it! '' Azag roared, his exhausted and sunken features twisting into a grotesque visage of pure rage. Despite the plea's for mercy, he was ignored as the ring on the King's finger blazed to life. Slowly it seemed as if the Goblin's flesh was being stripped away. Flesh, the underlying meat, to the bone. All the while the servants horrible scream's rang throughout the court, no one moved to intervene. By the end of those five minutes of long agony, what was left of the Goblin was nothing but charred bones and ash. It was as if his bones had been picked clean..as if the creature had been burned within.

'' Let that go as a lesson to the rest of you! '' Azag roared, drawing his sword. '' I will brook no traitors in this court. I will burn you all!'' He snarled before assuming his seat on that iron throne, his chest rising and falling. His bodyguards stepping closer to the foot of his throne, the servant had been his fourth victim this week and no one was eager to become his fifth.

Summary:
Ghoul's from the Dead Land's are becoming more common.

King Azag displays a streak of his rampant paranoia by murdering a servant whom he has accused of poisoning his wine.

[Tribes of Kurgan]

Kurgan Plains:
The roars echoed across the plains, the Goblin's watching the battle between the titan's couldn't help but cower in fear. The Giant's grappled, each standing well over fourteen feet in height. Muscles strained as they became locked in combat, blood was already pumping as the Giant's Damrok and Gamrar met in combat. Both were veteran's of the War of the Realm's, though Damrok was the elder of the two.

'' Why do they fight? '' Taskmaster Gamlen inquired from Ogrhen's side. Oghren Necksnapper was a legend amongst his folk. For years the Giant's amongst the Kurgan had been dying, succumbing to age and old wounds but Oghren had done something that no Goblin had managed before. He had found female Giant's which had allowed the Giant folk to re-populate and once again muster forces to serve under the Kurgan banner.

'' A mating ritual. Spring is upon us. As the elder, Damrok has first rights to every female in the Clan. Gamrar disputes his right to lead. Foolish thing's. '' Necksnapper piped, his small hands holding the whip like a vice as Damrok sent Gamrar hurtling to the ground, crushing an unlucky Goblin that had been unlucky and stupid enough to be in such close proximity to the battle between the creatures. Damrok was on him instantly, huge meaty fists punching down to connect against Gamrar's brutishly ugly face. Roars of pain, agony, and rage would continue until Gamrar held up bloodied fingers signaling an end to the bout. Damrok the victor, stood and went padding over towards the waiting den of females to fulfill his right's as leader.

'' Let them have their fun. Tomorrow we send them to the border to smash-crush any forest Elve's who dare challenge us. '' Oghren said turning as the horrible sound of 'Giant' mating drifted across the plains.

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Corridors of the Royal Palace:
The sound of the twisted wood connecting with the floor echoed down the hallway. Warlord Skag, his body old, frail, and decaying leaned heavily on his walking staff as his still sharp eyes turned to regard the soldier at his side,. '' Another servant you say? '' Skag allowed a titter to leave his lips, a smile gracing those wrinkled features to expose rows of jagged and yellowed teeth.

'' That ring has warped his mind. '' Urzgot replied in a low voice, the Goblin general was Skag's eye's and ears in the field and at court. While the old one's fighting day's were long since over, his influence over his clan and at affairs in the intrigues of the Royal Palace never had ended. '' He advocates for war against the Elve's. We do not have the strength for another two front war. '' Urzgot murmured.

'' Then we must focus on one and then the other. '' Warlord Skag replied. '' There is also the disturbing reports of Ghoul's to consider, more and more coming down each day from the Dead Land's. Walking flesh bags. '' Skag snapped, a hacking cough leaving his lungs before he spat a gob of bloody phlegm onto the floor and continued walking.

'' If the King must have war then we had best make preparations. We shall need more troops, more supplies, and intelligence on the enemy. '' Urzgot murmured.

'' Then bolster our defenses on the border, dispatch small scouting forces to probe Ainrii's reaction and those of Sith'ari, we shall see how eager they are for a fight. Yes...we shall see. ''

Summary:
An example of the day to day life of a Giant wrangler.

A force of 6,000 goblin's is dispatched to each of the Kurgan's borders. (3,000 skirmishers, 3,000 swordsmen) in each force. Combined total of 12,000. Along with 2 Giant's in each Horde. Each force will send out small scouting forces to determine possible Elven strength and reaction times.

[Silvan Elves of Sith'ari]

Tribes of Kurgan

The band was growing tight around the Mad King's finger. He had worn it since only a few years since the end of the War of the Realm, but only recently had he discovered it's immense power and only recently had he heard it's call. While he tossed and turned, attempting to sleep, the ring burned a silent echo into his head. Thus, it was the night after he had commanded troops to his border that the nightmare started, though it was no dream, it was real. Soaked in sweat, the Mad King sat up and peered into the darkness that cloaked the huge room that was the king's bedroom.

" Who are you! " The Goblin shouted, the tall and thin silhouette that stood near the corner of the room remained unmoving, but it was no friend, the cold chill in the air told Azag that. Without a reply, the king shouted again: " Who are you! " The shouting caused the huge double doors to swing open and a half dozen goblinoid guards hustled into the room.

" Wha' is it m'liege! " One of them yelled, unsheathing a short sword of iron. He pointed to the shadowy figure in the corner, and the guards rushed him immediately, but as they neared they slowed and eventually fell limp. Azag surmised they had fallen under a spell of sorts, and retorted by raising his hand, the hand that carried the Band of Fohsi. The room was immediately lit ablaze with fire, a flamethrower like effect that engulfed both the figure in the corner as well as his immobilized guards. Once the spell ended, Azag strained his eyes to see what he had wrought.

His response came in the form of a slow and durge-like laughter. The silhouette advanced toward the King, coming into the light offered by the hall. He was tall and thin, perhaps a human at one time but no more. His hair radiated, though it was the hue of onyx. A widowspeak gave him a devious look, and his pale skin and dagger like fingernails told the King exactly who this villain was. One of Varinus' Black Captains. His name escaped Azag, as even during the War of the Realm, Azag had found that these devious servants of the black wizard were more suited to assassinations and debauchery than wartime command. He cared little for them.

" .. You? How are you here, demon! You fell with your master! " King Azag murmured.

" You have summoned me, King Azag, as you have taken one of the masters trinkets. I have answered your call. " The mere presence of such a creature gave Azag chills. He looked a mere man, disfigured and humming with necromantic energy, Azag knew that what stood before him was more than mere man, more than mere mortal.

" You cannot have the ring, fiend. It is mine! " King Azag shouted.

" I do not wish for it back, but instead .. listen what I have to tell you. "

With a flick of his wrist, the double doors closed, the light exhausted from the room and plunged back into darkness.

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Sith'arian-Kurgan Border

The huge goblin scouting force maneuvered north and set up half a dozen camps just a few thousand yards south of the beginning of the huge forest. As night fell, they lit their torches, and when the sun rose patrols entered the woods. Twenty-five here, thirty here. Strangely, most returned. They replied to their leaders that Elven Rangers were few and far in between. They were still there, but the huge Ranger Companies that ambushed them during the Goblin War were absent. Only a handful had been encountered, and one had nearly been killed, a certain tale of contestation between two goblins on whose arrow had struck the ranger and whose hadn't.

The Giants were not used, held back for fear of being targeted by the rangers in the forest. It was most likely that the Elves already realized the Goblins had such a force on their hands, as hiding a Giant on the great plains was difficult.

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Ainrii-Kurgan Border

The force dispatched south initially found only small Ainrii hamlets and farm villages of the lower caste. At one point a traveling Ioran mage was met by a patrolling group of goblins and summarily killed after himself killing over a dozen goblins. The goblins set up a series of small camps, all within sight of each other as they set their probing units forward. However, the Goblin Commander felt a strange presence as soon as they neared the Ainrii border.

As if they were being watched by an unseen presence, however he could never pin the source of his feeling.

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-- Previously thought killed after the fall of their master, one of the Black Captains visit King Azag and tells him something of great importance. (Check your PMs).

-- Patrols into the Sith'arian-Kurgan Forest reveals very few Elven Rangers present. Previously a point of great hinderance to the Goblins, the Elven Rangers are in short supply it seems.

-- The Goblin force to the south meets no resistance except for farmers and a single Ioran mage who is slain. The Goblins feel as if they are being watched the whole time[/b].

[Tribes of Kurgan]

Royal Palace:
When dawn broke, it finally banished the darkness inside the King's room. When his attendants came in as usual to go about their routine they found King Azag sitting motionless, staring at the spot in the wall from which the Black Captain had emerged. The scorched guards that had been caught in the path of his ring lay about in charred pieces. The only sign that Azag was alive was that his small chest continued to rise and fall. His manservant Gnarshak, tentatively stepped forward while the rest of his fellows went to get help. Soon, the room would be overflowing with guards and courtiers all eager to see what had happened.

'' My liege.. '' Gnarshak said in a low voice, his old hand coming to touch the Goblin King on his shoulder. The physical contact snapped the King out of whatever trance he was in and sent him leaping to his feet. There was something alive in Azag's eyes that Gnarshak hadn't seen in the decades since serving him, a sense of purpose.

'' Send for Skag and the rest of the council. '' He said, ignoring as his feet stepped within the remains of charred flesh and bone. Azag had stood on much worse in his day's as King of the Kurgan. No, he would not simply be known as Azag anymore.. It was Azag the Slaughterer and once again the Elve's would know fear. He would burn every town, kill every man and woman, and enslave their children in the years to come. Once and for all he would destroy the Elve's. Of the Black Captain that had been in the room, not a trace remained. It seemed as if he had escaped with the shadows. The King would brook either no delay or argument, sending out his servants to carry out his bidding. Soon every warlord and clan leader on the Council had been assembled as Azag took his seat the head of the table.

Warlord Skag attempted to speak first but Azag cut him off with his hand slamming into the table. '' I have had a vision...Varinius calls to me, he has sent me a messenger and now I know what I must do. '' The Council members stared at each other, not sure if this was a sign of Azag's renowned paranoid delusions but for the first time he spoke with something approaching clarity before Azag drew his dagger. He buried the blade directly into what was known as the Elf Lands to the South the Mandate of Ainrii. '' We focus here first. Varinius wanted me to crush both simultaneously it cannot be done nor will I squander precious resources by splitting them on two fronts. The Ainrii are the most potent threat, they have shamans with powers. We crush them first, we rip out there heart's, and then we focus on their brethren in Sithari. We shall burn their precious forests around them. '' Azag said, spittle from his lips. Despite his rambling's, Skag understood that the King was speaking tactical sense. Now all that was left for the old warlord was to refine the King's plan. A holding force would remain in place to ward off any Elven attacks on the Sith'ar-Kurgan border. Meanwhile, the bulk of Kurgan strength could strike south, using its numerical superiority over the enemy to sweep them away in the tide.

'' You will have the Clan's of the Wyrm Wood at your side my liege and our giants! '' Oghren Necksnapper said. The rest of the Council followed in agreement.

'' The Red Eye's blades belong to you! ''

'' As do the Nightrunner's! ''

They now drowned themselves out in an attempt to prove that they were the most loyal. Skag merely watched the developments, he had already scribbled out a note to Warlord Urzgot Skullcrusher to begin the mobilization of the Goblin army.


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Kurgan Plains:
They would come in their thousands bearing the banners of dozen's of different clans. Each hoisting different totems, each lead by a different War Chief, but all united under the Kurgan cause. Dozen's of war drums sounded summoning the Goblin's to battle for a force of over 50,000. Not since the War of the Realm's had such a large Goblin army been gathered and this wasn't even the entire Goblin force that King Azag the Mad (or Slaughterer) could call upon. Goblin's weren't the only thing that Azag could summon. The ground shook under the feet of Giant's. Each towering over their smaller four foot brethren as they joined their compatriots in their push into Ainrii. Once again the Elf Land's would burn...

Total Goblin Force:
54,000 troops
Lead By: Warlord Urzgot Skullcrusher
12,000 Spearmen (iron)
15,000 swordsmen (elite / iron)
18,000 warriors
9,000 skirmishers (iron)
6 giants

(this is including the 6,000 Goblin's already on the Ainrii-Kurgan border)

Summary:
King Azag accepts the Black Captain's aid and moves to invade the Mandate of Ainrii with a huge Goblin force (while also leaving a strong force to guard his border with Sith'ari) . The 6,000 Goblin's already on the Ainrii border will remain in place and continue their probing and scouting maneuvers to discover what the Elve's can muster in their defense.