The Grudge of Grail

The Warband of Change
======================
Gemmel (Grail), The Servant of Change
L2 Tzeentch Sorceror, Barded Warhorse, Chaos Armour, Halberd, Staff of Osiris

Retinue
..8 Chaos Warriors (Std/Muso)
...Chaos Armour, Shields, Banner of Wrath

..5 Marauder Horesmen (Std)
...Flails, Light Armour, Warhorses, Warbanner

..1 Ogre
...Double Handed Weapon

Dubai Moonface
L1 Tzeentch Sorceror, Disk of Tzeentch, Chaos Armour, Destroy Magic Scroll, Flail

Retinue
..11 Chaos Marauders (Std) + Warrior Leader
...Double Handed Weapons, (Chaos Armour)

..Chaos Chariot
...Scythes, Light Armour, Shields, Flails, Banner of Sorcery

Drakewald Darkglaive
L1 Tzeentch Sorceror, Barded Chaos Steed, Chaos Armour, Staff of Flaming Death

Retinue
..11 Chaos Marauders (Std) + Warrior Leader
...Flails, (Chaos Armour), Storm Banner

Hunter
Unaligned Chaos Champion, Chaos Armour, Additional Hand Weapon, Sky Arrow of Naoler

Retinue
..5 Chaos Hounds

..6 Chaos Hounds

The Noble Host of Longtooth
===========================
Longtooth
Woodelf General, Elven Steed, Light Armour, Shield, Lance, Longbow, Black Amulet

The Cloud
L1 Mage, Elven Steed, Dispel Scroll, Longbow

Fin
L1 Mage, Dispel Scroll, Longbow

Settri
Wardancer Champion, Additional Hand Weapon, Black Gem of Gnar

Cajun
Wardancer Champion, Additional Hand Weapon, Heart of Woe

5 Warhawks
Light Armour, Shields, Spears

Settri's Troupe (9 Wardancers incl Std)

Cajun's Troupe (6 Wardancers)

14 Archers (Std)
Longbows, War Banner

8 Scouts
Longbows

8 Scouts
Longbows

8 WayWatchers
Longbows

Treeman

----- Start of Battle -----

The howling winds blew cold and chill, freezing the very flesh to the bone. Longtooth surveyed with a dubious eye the approaching storm, sighing audibly. Indeed it was as the Oracles did mention, it blew against the wind in an unseemly and completly unwholesome manner. It bode ill omens if ever a storm did. Grail was approaching, under the guise of Gemmel, a servant of the Dark Chaos powers and a fugitive from the Empire.

He turned, looking out over his forces. "Today, we fight an evil unlike any other. Today we fight the very elements itself. The enemy has bound the forces of his dark magic to thawt us, let us then prevail in the face of this adversary, let us prevail in the name of the King and Queen in the Wood".

A cheer rose then like none other that Longtooth could remember, but deep in his soul he wept. For he himself had foreseen the destruction of the wood at the hands of this villain. His dreams had shown him the blight and death that this storm would bring on it's tail.

He looked up, managing a smile though the storm quickly approached.

------

Deploying his troops to take advantage of the little cover on the eaves of the forrest, Longtooth sought to destroy his opponent before he could close. The less cover taht his opponent had, the more killing zone, thus he arrayed his forces. To his far right both Wardancer Troupes deployed with Gnarlfist the Ancient Treeman. Slightly behind them and to the middle of his battle line were the Archers. The only noticeable amount of woodland occupied the Elven left flank, and within this both units of Scouts and the Waywatchers deployed, with Longtooth himself and his two Magely advisors. Threatened by the likely magical onslaught and the sorcerous storm, the Warhawks hid behind the woods, awaiting the best time to take to the air.

The enemy had arrived, but had seen the Elven battleline deploying. Thus, making use of the only piece of cover, the Marauders with the Magical Banner that brought forth the Storm hid behind the only hill. The rest of the force deployed in a long thin line, hoping perhaps to try and maximise the speed of the force, or to allow units to move in and around the elven defensive line.

Quickly and skillfully arrows were drawn and released in fluid grace. The twisted remains of the man known as Hunter fell to the raining death as 3 arrows pierced his body, felling him where he stood, defiantly and arrogantly on the crest of the hill. As the body toppled to the ground, the Elven host gave up another cheer. One of the chosen of Chaos had already been slain.

With a shout the corrupt host moved forward, the dweomered banner held by the flail wielding marauders shot a blackened bolt into the sky, causing the wind and howling sleet to batter the field of battle further. The Warhawks screamed in protest at the onslaught, wishing they were safetly under the crest of the trees and out of the torrents of rain that struck their fragile bodies. Then, without warning, the attack began in earnest. Bolts and mists of dark and deceitful sorcery were hurled towards the elves, and though many were dispelled into the vortex of the Winds of Magic, a single bolt of fiery death struck one of the units of scouts, destroying 2 and causing the rest to flee in abject terror.

Still the Wardancers and Gnarlfist came on, though wary of the deadly foe they were baring down on and the terrible magics that he seemed to wield without any effort. The fleeing Scouts rallied, finding solace and courage in the fact that they were amongst the only ones keeping this enemy from the heart of the forest. More arrows flew outwards, but all fell short, the reach of the Elven bows being cut in half by the evil winds. The Cloud, seeing the desperate situation tried to call on his own knowledge of the Arcanne, but to no avail, as Gemmel sought him out, destroying his mind in a mighty duel. Fin seeing the utter death of his friend sought retribution, but alas as he drew his magics the mutant from far off Cathay, Dubai Moonface read from his scroll, tearing the very knowledge of the spell from the Elf.

The storm continued, but the elegant martial skill of the Wardancers and the mighty and imposing stature of Gnarlfist seemed to cause the approach of the Chaos Worshipers to falter with the exception of the lone and mutated ogre who continued forward, eager for blood. Still the magics came forth, Gnarlfist consumed momentarily by a darkened mass of ethereal blades, fighting them off, but suffering a serious wound in the process. Bolts of lightning and fire lashed the ranks of the elves, with 2 Wardancers falling to the evil forces before Drakewald Darkglaive became a mist of evil shadows, only to reappear in mortal conflict with the Warhawk riders. Startled by the sudden apperance of their enemy they were not able to ward of the fiery blast levelled at them so close. 2 fell to the flaming death, and as the resolve of the remaining three broke they turned and fled from the nightmarish apparition that had so quickly materialised before them.

Longtooth heard the yell and screams of pain and death behind him. Spinning his steed around to survey the situation he was startled to see the enemy sorceror amongst the ruined remains of the once brave Warhawk riders, not a one left remaining on the battlefield. Cursing he ordered the Scouts to deal with the enemy whilst he himself decided that he should seek out the villanous Gemmel and challenge him to single combat. He spurred his steed into action, leaving the safety of the forest whilst behind him Drakewald was quickly surrounded. Settri bellowed his warcry and led his troupe against the Chaos Ogre, Chaddash. But the creature, under a directive from his fiendish master turned tail and fled, luring the Wardancers into the charge range of the enemy Chariot. The Waywatchers again drew their bows and let fire, this time at the hounds that drew towards them. A number fell and the beasts turned tail to flee. However the Scouts failed in their bid to slay the dark sorceror, as though a number of the darts did strike him, all failed to penetrate his darkened armour.

Sensing victory, the Chariot and Gemmel's Honour Guard of Chaos Warriors charged forth, striking into the startled Wardancers. Likewise, the dark sorceror, Darkglaive charged forward into the scouts who had attempted to shoot him dead. With a demented grin he drew his wicked broadsword as his mutant steed lept forward. The scouts though had seen the destruction of the Warhawks and had no desire to meet their fate, they turned and fled from the field of battle, the maniacal sorceror chasing them still. Settri gave the command for the Shadows Coil, but the grace and speed with which the Wardancers moved into the fluid and beguiling dance could not stop the death of half of his troupe as the mighty chariot of war crushed or slashed bodies with it's momentum and wicked scythed blades. Gnarlfist clenched and relaxed his massive limbs, ready for battle. He would show these pitiful creatures that the power of the forest was not something to be trifled with. Again bolts of magical fury surged forth lightning, beams of green death and finally the ethereal swords all fell on the mighty Ancient one. Gnarlfist struggled under the oppresive weight of the Dark Sorcery, but alas as the clouds of evil incantations lifted, only a shattered husk remained of the once mighty creature.

Longtooth saw the death of the mighty treeman and his soul darkened. The sorcerous power was too great for his force to combat. He moved forward still, noticing that the Chaos Ogre and Hounds had rallied, threatening his own flank. Things were not looking good for Loren, though Cajun had led his Wardancers in a mighty leap, charging over the top of the hounds that threatened them into the very general of the Chaos forces, Gemmel. Seeking to sell his life dearly, Cajun cursed when the enemy Sorceror and General fled. Settri lept forward through the mass of the Wardancers, thrusting out his Black Gem and speaking the words of activation at the same time, trapping both himself and the enemy chariot in the mists of time. However short lived was the joy as the Warriors of Chaos slew the rest of the Wardancers to a man, hewing their bodies as though a farmer might hew stalks of wheat.

As Gemmel turned around, rallying from the enemy Dancers, he noticed that the Storm had started to dissipate. Darkglaive had returned to the battle, his sword slick with blood and gore, an evil smile on his face. With but a thought, Gemmel sent word to his forces, commanding them of what was needed. The Corrupt Horsemen and Chaddash the Ogre charged into the Dancers of Cajun, whilst Dubai and the Hounds moved forward, seeking out the destruction of the Enemy Archers who had been gladdened by the lessoning of the Storm. Cajun hearing the thundering hoofbeats behind him spun in time to see the foe crashing into them. The Dancers broke into the motions of the Shadows Coil, confounding both the Horsemen and the Ogre. Still dazed by having run recently, Gemmel was unable to draw forth the darkened powers needed to fuel his sorcery, but this did not worry the other sorcerors, Drakewald and Dubai. As their powers were drawn forth, a bolt from the Banner born by the Warriors felled a single archer. The Moonfaced mutant hurled his blackened manifestation towards the Archers, felling 3 more of them before again Drakewald vanished, only to reappear in combat with the brave archers. Thankfully though they held firm under the evil gaze and firey blast from his staff that slew another of the defenders of Loren.

He had left his run too late, but Longtooth thought to make ammends, and so charged the reappearing chariot, attempting to help Settri destroy it. The remaining Scouts and Waywatchers opened fire upon the emerging Marauders from behind the hill, slaying 2 of them, but not enough to cause them to waiver in their task. Darkglaive slew a single archer with a powerful thrust of his mighty sword, but the magics held within their banner saw them remain and saw the desire for battle in their enemy falter, if but momentarily. Settri, reappearing with the Charriot moved into the Whirling Death, slashing left and right, thrusting and cutting, dodging and raining blow upon blow upon blow upon the chariot. A single steed fell, it's blood gushing in a fountain onto the ground. It was soon followed by one of the 2 crewmen, his body dismembered even as he toppled dead from the cab. Longtooth steadied his aim as he charged, his lance piercing the body of the remaining crew directly through the cab, splintering wood, flesh and bone at once. Smelling the blood and death, the remaining warhorse paniced, fleeing but it was cut down in a wicked onslaught by both Woodelf General and Wardancer alike. Cajun saw through the melee the triumph of his companion dancer and general and the Whirling Death against the horsemen and ogre commenced. 2 Horsemen fell dead, crushed under the bodies of their slain steeds, but the Ogre, Chaddash, was too strong and too resilient to the feeble blows of the Elves. 5 of his troupe fell from the combined blows rained down upon them by the Chaos worshipers. There would be no triumph for Cajun and his troupe today, turning in terror they fled the field, followed closely by both their enemy.

The day already belonged to the forces of Chaos, but Gemmel had not yet finished. He wanted Longtooth, and he wanted Settri. He spurred his steed into a gallop as the horsemen and Ogre returned fresh from the slaughter of the Wardancers. As he moved behind the running Wardancer and enemy General, Gemmel yelled at the one remaining Hound, urging it to aid Darkglaive in his battle with the Archers. However, the battle fared not well for Chaos against these resoloute warriors, and the hound though powerful and mighty fell instead. Darkglaive failed to wound any of the enemy, and this time, the magic in the banner was enough to force Drakewald Darkglaive to rethink his role in the battle and he turned and fled, followed closely by the enemy he had sought to destroy. Gemmel laughed, Darkglaive, the weak fool couldn't even slay but a handful of pitiful Elves. He drew the winds of Magic to him, sending forth the deadly Arnzhipals Black Horror. It scorched from his clenched fist, but as soon as it struck Settri, the Wardancers Talismanic Runes threw the power to the 4 corners of the world, scattering it's lethal force. Dubai Moonface hurled his mystical Blade Wind against the archers, slaying many of them, but they refused to give quarter, though but a handful remained.

Gemmel cursed to himself, though he had won the day, he had not taken the skull of his foe, Longtooth. As he sat astride his mighty steed he watched the retreating Elves and his cursing turned to laughter. There would be other times, other chances, and the burning of these precious trees would certainly bring more foes to quench his desire for destruction of both body and soul.