263 PART 2
Where was I?
Oh, right.
It has been my worst fear for some time that our raiders would be attacked on the way back to the ship by a large force, when they're most spread out and vulnerable, and it's finally happened. The forces of the necromancers catching us unawares, intent on revenge for their fallen tower!
Our dwarves are spread out for a long way behind the front of the column now under attack, and none of the seasoned raiders are anywhere to be seen!
Besmar Zelerzuntir, one of the regular crew, though caught by surprise bravely ran forward to meet the enemy.
Poor besmar was really no match for them, but he allowed the dwarves behind him to start to form a rudimentary combat line instead of being taken out one by one as they arrived at the scene. Before long he had fallen, hacked to pieces by the Warriors' axes and crushed beneath their feet, and the other crewmembers weren't faring too well.
Totally oblivious, Delphonso marched towards the clash, carrying of all things, an orca leather bag? Not much of a haul but I guess a raider takes what one can get.
Note how Delphonso doesn't appear as a hammerdwarf, since he's still not in military mode, considering this a relaxing walk back to the ship.
As dwarves died all around him. Delphonso walked almost right through the ranks of the Warriors or Cuthroz before being attacked, and didn't seem shocked at all...
Seeing the dead dwarves around him he finally seemed to grasp the situation, and pulled out his legendary steel warhammer, striking some mighty blows
In seconds one of the warriors was on the ground, dying, and the others were crippled. The fisherdwarves, smelters, carpenters and such fighting at his side were only accustomed to fighting as a group under King Zultan's command but they did their best against the dazed and injured Warriors Delphonso left for them.
As skilled as a dwarf as Delphonso might be, against opponents that know neither fear, nor pain, nor fatigue, one dwarf is bound to make a mistake at some point, and alas that's what happened:
Protected by his armor from the first hit, the second unfortunately pierced his arm, and The Reward of Cooperating, the deadly hammer, fell from his hand. Without hesitation though he swung his SHIELD at the enemies, with such force it hardly seemed like he needed the hammer at first.
The Warriors of Cuthroz though were relentless, and soon Delphonso had suffered a series of blows that would render any other dwarf unconscious and dying, Delphonso's hand cut off, leg torn and useless, body bruised, would not give in. By this time Recon106 and some more of the crew were arriving and it seemed the attackers had been beaten back.
Delphonso had done a great deal, but had rolled and dodged away from our main line of battle and though resisting fiercely was now surrounded, injured and on the ground. I won't share the details of how they finished him off, but if it was not pretty at least it was quick. Moments later Recon106 and the others struck down the remaining warriors.
What's left of Delphonso is somewhere in the middle there. This could have been a lot worse, Delphonso died a true hero, distracting them to the last and protecting the more vulnerable crew members.
A life at sea allows for little sentimentality unfortunately, and though burdened by grief the rest of the party stripped the weapons and armor from fallen friend and foe alike and proceeded back to the Lionfish.
Delphonso was given a burial at sea, and a slab was engraved and placed prominently in the dining room to remind us of his deeds and heroic sacrifice.
sobered by our losses, but victorious nonetheless the Lionfish weighed anchor and set sail once more. Our crew now stands at 39.
As requested here's an update on Recon106:
Quite the soldier. Legendary speardwarf and accomplished Weaponsmith if you care to know.
SO! what does the future hold? It's been 6 years, and although as the kea flies we're quite close to where we started we have covered quite a large distance. What comes next will be a greater adventure still! Having plundered the fondled fields for all they're worth, and disposing of some foul necromancers besides, it's time to head for a new hunting ground, around and to the north of the gloved dune, through the straits south of the Field of Renown, and through into the great bay of the plain of comedy!
As you can see, the western edge of the bay is ripe with settlements for the raiding, be they some of them dwarven is no matter, all creatures of the land are equally at our mercy! This will be the most ambitious phase of the journey yet, our scholars estimate it will take at least 1 year, depending on the winds to reach the island of calming (that tiny dot in the southeast of the bay) and there are no trees, nor likely any edible plants there. A worthy test for our ship and our crew!
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Topic: SeaMenace, A community Ship - Back to raiding (Read 25309 times)