WHFRP 2e - The Winter Kings (IC)

[Erulasto]

The Red Song Reavers

Otto and Hygd

Otto, Hygd, Gunnar and Herger were kicking in the doors to the hovels immediately upon the beach, looking for treasure or anything valuable to pillage. The Winterscorn and Red Song reavers had massed on the beach, fighting against the line of Imperial halberdiers. Still on higher vantage points, the handgunners were frantically loading and firing into the fray. But for the moment, the reavers bulk would prevent any of the Imperial soldiers from pressing down to the beach to engage the looters.

Otto caught sight of Bodhi cleaving an arm from a halberdier as her rime-encrusted halberd cut through the haft of the man’s weapon and through the leather of his sleeve.

Most of the hovels at the beach held footstuffs; barrels of raw fish from the day’s catch and, more pleasantly, one of the better constructed huts was filled to the brim with large oak kegs of ale and several clay casks of wine from the Imperial southlands.

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Larus

At Larus’ command, Ulf drew back the black-fletched arrow in his horn bow and let fly.
There was a sharp yelp of pain as the arrow sunk deep into the soldiers chest but the sound was cut off abruptly as he staggered, then toppled to the side – dropping his rifle with a clatter to the stone rampart below him.

Larus led the rest of the reavers towards the guard tower, and stormed through the open door with a roar. There were three soldiers within, all hastily gathering their halberds from where they rested in a wooden rack along the far wall. There were open kegs of ale, half-eaten chickens, salted fish and a large wheel of pale yellow cheese upon the table.

The Norscans flooded the guard tower, quickly swamping the Imperial soldiers. Larus himself led the charge, spear lancing out to try and catch the closest one. He saw Hrodgar beside him, weapon flashing. The halberdier managed to bring the haft of his polearm up and knocked the Hrodgar's weapon askew before bringing the bladed head down in an vicious strike that slipped past Larus’ defenses and clipped the Norscan’s left leg. In return, Larus' spear had caught the halberdier in the knee - and the man cried out in pain and alarm as he felt the spear-tip shatter bone and rend tendons - splattering blood against the flagstone

He could feel the heat of his blood running down his leg, even his companions surged around him, blades flashing and blood flying.


Egil and Groktur

The young halberdier was on the verge of panic as Groktur drove his spear towards him. He tried desperately to bring his polearm up to deflect the oncoming attack but to no avail. A cry of anguish rose above the din of battle as Groktur’s spear tore through muscle and tendon in the young man’s right shoulder. With one hand gripping the haft of his halberd, he tried to jab the sharp spike upon the end into Groktur, but the Beastman deflected the blow with a bellow of rage.

Nearby, Egil and his companions had caught up to the staggered line of halberdiers who were coming to the young man’s rescue. Egil’s bellow set them off-kilter, and the halberdiers momentum seemed to falter. Taking the initiative, Egil charged the closest but the skittish Imperial soldier was able to stumble out of the way of the blow. He managed to recover his footing enough to spear the halberd forward, catching Egil under his shield and driving the point into the flesh of Egil’s side above his hip.

The pain was bearable, but he felt hot blood run from the wound, incensing him further.


Morgul and Nicoli

Chaos had come to Grenhoff it seemed, as the Norscans renewed their pressed assault on the line of halberdiers. The Imperial soldiers seemed to be flagging already under the relentless attacks. Nicoli it seemed was now forgotten in the midst of the carnage unfolding before him, as the two halberdiers who had been dragging him up to the stake turned their aggression against the terrifying Beastman shaman before them.

The shaman struck the Sergeant again with the heavy, gnarled staff – his arm bent at an unnatural angle from the strength of the blow. The man was whimpering pitifully on his knees, all the wrath and pride he had been showing Nicoli now gone in the face of true opposition.

One of the halberdiers jabbed forward with the point of his polearm, but Morgul swatted the weapon away with a braying howl in the man’s face. Unfortunately, it had opened the shaman up to attack by the other halberdier, who bull-rushed the Beastman and tried to force him off the platform they were scuffling on. But the Ruinous Powers had their eyes upon Morgul for the haft of the polearm snapped when thrust at him, leaving the halberdier unarmed.