vonHavsvik:
Pyro sent Empress Sorcha to help fight the Ashur cultists. But she arrived far too soon and with scant forces.Mithras:
He was punishing her, I've heard the Empress refused to gather slaves for his new doomsday device.vonHavsvik:
Ah, at the time I only knew it had gravely endangered our purpose.Charnel:
You must hurry. Your minions have gone ahead to aid the Empress, but they have not fared well. This Jadugarr is maginificent.vonHavsvik:
I could scarcely describe the horror of what came next.vonHavsvik:
It cannot be! Marduk.Marduk:
Greetings, old friend, but they call me Ashur here.vonHavsvik:
Why have you come?Marduk:
Our bargain is incomplete. Your rivals have fallen, but our reckoning is not yet fulfilled.vonHavsvik:
My rivals? You destroyed everything! The very earth was crumbling beneath my feet.Marduk:
Do not blame yourself overmuch. The doom of Jhera was pre-ordained. Content yourself that you were but a pawn... as you will be again. As for you, little imp. I will not forget your role in all of this.Zyzyx:
Is he gone? Oh... master, there are other worlds. Other places we could go.vonHavsvik:
Nay. We will do something to stop him this time.That's Marduk. He's bad. Few steps forward and we see Sorcha and Jadugarr fighting in the open field.
Sorcha:
Not all the locals are sympathetic to Jadugarr. Perhaps you can win their aid where I have failed.Zyzyx:
There's Jadugarr, last of the centaurs. He abandoned Stratos after his people were slaughtered. I think he's still a bit... bitter about itJadugarr is the guy surrounded by mist. The larger white unit in the middle of the screen is a storm giant. Stratos' equivelant of firefist/netherfiend.
Sirocco beats up Jadugarr.
I have my units stand guard while I quickly build a shrine next to Sorcha's altar. Shrines function much like your altar, allowing you to convert souls there.
Jadugarr attacks Sorcha while I'm securing a manalith.
Thanks to that minor hill, my lightning hits the ground instead of Jadugarr's manahoars. No biggie.
Jadugarr does his best to keep Sirocco out of the fight with his freezing spells. Futile effort, of course.
Sorcha's spitfires spit their flames at Jadugarr while firefists and Sirocco give him a royal beating.
Jadugarr has a well defended Manalith in that valley.
But first we will find those locals Sorcha talked about. On the way over I summon two basilisks. Afterall, I can't just steamroll with Sirocco, even she would get shot down sooner or later without support.
Two gnomes and a ranger. Persephone units. Surely they will aid us against Jadugarr.
Ranger:
What is your purpose here?vonHavsvik:
I am hunting those who have declared themselves for Ashur. They are the enemies of all gods.Ranger:
No greater enemy to us than the minions of Charnel and Pyro. Get out of my sight.I see. Sirocco, basilisks, would you please?
Thanks.
I get the manalith up just in time to support Sorcha repel another attack by Jadugarr.
Jadugarr's sac doctor is trying to hike away with my Netherfiend's soul. LIGHTNING STRIIIIKE!
With Jadugarr repelled, I prepare a counter attack. Sirocco will spearhead the assault while 6 sylphs and 2 basilisks will provide ranged support.
Raise dead spell in action. The purple lights fill the resurrected unit while it hovers in place for some seconds before being as good as new.
Sirocco's tanking does wonders.
Looks like we have another fight like that in our hands. If I was smart I would summon some more beasties. But that would take time. I order my units to attack the hilltop.
On closer inspection I see the manalith is guarded by several brainiacs and squalls. Squalls are Stratos equivelant of a basilisk, only they do damage + knockback effect.
Sirocco has trouble getting past my archers, while they take heavy damage from enemy fire. Squalls don't do much damage, but sylphs are pretty much the weakest unit in the game. Also both brainiacs and squalls have a knocback effect in their attacks. My sylphs get thrown downhill and often take some damage from falling down.
I ended up resurrecting more sylphs than I fielded in the first place. Luckily Sorcha charged with her firefists. The combined sylph-Sirocco-firefist assault made short work of Jadugarr's defences.
There. One final leg and we will have secured Jadugarr's altar.
I sacrifice a frostwolf at the altar while sending my forces with Sorcha to take out Jadugarr's last manalith.
That lightbeam from the skies is pointing at Jadugarr. When a wizard's altar is being descecrated, the wizard in question turns into a divine lightpost.
FIRE FIRE FIREEE.
Jadugarr:
Another time...Mithras:
You defeated Marduk's champion, a favourable sign.vonHavsvik:
He was outnumbered and we had caught him by surprise. Even then I knew...Mithras:
Wh... what?vonHavsvik:
The worst was yet to come.