Return of the Me'owtzlan

On the southern arm of Ember Shoals is a virtually impenetrable tropical jungle known as the Jungle of Tloth.

Deep within the jungle are scattered stone ruins, clearly the habitation of a race of now-vanished humanoids. Throughout the ruins are many carvings and statues of human figures with feline heads. This fact has given rise to the popular belief that the ruins were the work of a race of cat-people. Scholars scoff at this notion and instead propose that the inhabitants worshiped some kind of jaguar god, who is the subject of the artifacts.

Regardless of who built the now ruined cities, artifacts from this vanished civilization have become very popular as decorations for the rich and powerful of the city of Kyrath. An organization known as the Benevolent Antiquities Lodge was organized to journey into the jungle and recover lost treasures. One of the most prized was a 10' tall obelisk with intricate jaguar carvings. Based on a rough translation of the hieroglyphs along one edge, it became known as the Zcrat Xeen Pozt.

Thus, the BAL (Benevolent Antiquities Lodge) organized a large expedition to carry the Pozt back to Kyrath. Teams of workers had to slash through dense jungle and build causeways across swampy ground. They were followed by wagons drawn by scores of horses. Finally, the archaeologists, escorted by trained warriors, brought up the rear. Once at the site, they were to supervise to ensure that the Pozt remained undamaged.

The trip to the site was uneventful (aside from the laborers and pack animals who fell ill to various jungle fevers). Once there, the archaeologists wasted no time getting to work. Diggers began undermining the obelisk's foundation so that it could be tipped over and then dragged onto the wagons.

Suddenly, there was a blood-curdling screech, like the cry of the lost civilization's jaguar god. After a short hesitation, the archaeologists shrugged and went back to work. So what if it was a jungle cat? That's why they hired mercenaries.

Another roar sounded, this time from the other direction. Then the jungle practically erupted with the sounds of screeching cats. The workers looked around in a veritable panic while the warriors gripped their weapons tight.

"Keep calm! We have protection!" announced the chief archaeologist.

Out of nowhere, a large jaguar rushed the chief, knocking him to the ground. It then stood upright, lifted a large club over its head, and pummeled the archaeologist into pulp. More cats rushed form the jungle into the Pozt's clearing. They stood on their hind legs and were armed with shields and clubs edged with razor-sharp obsidian shards.

"Cat-people!" screamed the laborers as they tried to escape.

They fled in all directions into the dense jungle. Unseen jaguar-headed humanoids pounced on the unfortunate men, dragging them down and dispatching them with blows or powerful bites.

The mercenaries hired by the league kept their heads, however, and formed a defensive circle in the center of the clearing. The surviving archaeologists huddled inside the perimeter. Scores of the cat-men emerged from the jungle, hissing and growling as they approached the human warriors.

Suddenly, one of the men rushed forward, sword and armor shining in the sun. His opponent leapt into the air over the warrior. Landing silently, it lashed out with its club, severing the warriors head. At this, the rest of the cat-warriors charged the defensive perimeter. The air was filled with yells and growls, as neither side would give no quarter,

Despite their superior armor, the mercenaries could not hold off all the attacks. One by one they fell to the feline attacks. Some of the cat-warriors made their way into the center of the circle, killing archaeologists until a mercenary was able to cut down the enemy. Soon, only a small band of humans was left.

"We can't hold out indefinitely." said one of the warriors.

"Then we must fight our way out!" And with a word, the remaining members of the expedition charged forward. They managed to cut their way through the wall of attackers and reach the jungle. But once there, the could not see the pursuit. One by one, they were cut down by sudden and silent attacks as a cat-warrior pounced.

Finally, only a lone archaeologist was left, shivering with fear in the midst of the jungle. He could hear the cat-men surrounding him, but he could not see them through all the foliage.

Then, one of the cat-warriors, the one who began the battle, emerged. He glared at the man, then spoke in broken Common Tongue.

"Go, and never come back. These are our homes."

The archaeologist turned and fled. As he ran, the leader of the cat-men roared a challenge: "Tell your people that the Me'owtzlan are back!"

And thus began the Me'owtzlan War.

OOC Notes

• The Me'owtzlan War was a series of battlegames that formed the theme of Kettlebaun's second reign.
• The idea of the Me'owtzlan began when Kettlebaun (Robb) asked what the theme should be and Shroudstar (much to Robb's chagrin) suggested cat-people.
• Kudos to Robb for giving the cat-people (the Me'owtzlan in Ember Shoals' parlance) a unique and freehold-specific backstory.
• Some of our members got into the storyline:

Me in some Me'owtzlan garb

• Others not so much

Robb is not enjoying the cat ears

The First Node

Once he learned of the first Node of Mana, Lancelot gathered his troops and rode out of Landfall Castle. (Due to my illness I was unable to ride with them; I stayed on defense at Landfall). After much hard riding, the Sentinels arrived in a valley that gradually narrowed to a point. At the very end of the valley was a cave. Lancelot stopped and consulted the map provided by the sorcerer. It looked like the place but he was not sure.

Then one of his troopers spoke: "This must be the place, Lord Lancelot."

"Why do you think that?" Lancelot asked.

"Look," the trooper replied as he pointed across the valley. A band of voidlings had appeared and were racing toward the cave. Lancelot was about the give the order to ride for the cave when a loud roar split the air. Then, from the cave appeared a reptilian head. It was followed by another and then another until several were writhing from the cave.

"A hydra!" one of the Sentinels said.

The Sentinels dismounted from their now skittish horses and began to rush to the cave. They and the voidlings arrived at the cave mouth at the same time. As if by mutual agreement, the bitter enemies ignored each other and instead attacked the hydra.

With a roar, the hydra began lashing out at the invaders, striking with its jaws and spewing gouts of flame. Many a warrior was burnt or bitten, leaving bodies strewn upon the battlefield. The Sentinels unleashed a storm of archery upon the beast while the voidlings hacked and stabbed with fury. One by one, the heads were severed, until the creature shuddered and died.

But the battle was just beginning for the Node was inside the cave. Now the Sentinels and voidlings turned on one another. Lancelot cut his way through the enemy and reached the Node. He grabbed it and began saying the incantation to claim the Node. Then a voidling crept up behind him and knocked him senseless. This time a voidling grabbed the Node. The Sentinels rushed it and sliced it to bits. The Node was knocked aside and rolled around the cave floor. Hands tried to grasp it but it kept rolling about. Finally, a voidling seized it and raced out of the cave. The Sentinels gave chase but could not catch it. The Node was gone.

The remaining Sentinels tended to their wounded. They revived Lancelot and told him the bad news. He shook his head in dismay as he pondered the fate of his home. Would this defeat usher in the beginning of the end? But then he steeled himself.

"They may have won this battle." he firmly stated, "but we will prevail in the end."

His troops nodded in agreement as each vowed to fight that much harder next time.

OOC Notes

• Rufus does not appear in this account because I am the reeve for the scenarios. I guess Rufus will be stay at home defending the castle, although I did have an illness (a cold) this week.
• I don't recall all the details of the battle although I remember Vibe's and Artimis's archery with Lancelot and Beast on the front line. Many others contributed but I was closest to the Sentinels and was most aware of their fighting (sorry Kage).
• Lancelot first reached the Node, Rage was the voidling who grabbed it next, and XIII was the one who raced off with it. Congrats to Kage for their victory.
• Thanks to Barnabis, Holly, Ryan, et. al. who served as the hydra. And thanks to Mercy for being a second reeve.
• Finally, I made a slight oversight and forgot to tell the teams that the rope represented the cave walls. A couple of members of Kage rushed around the hydra and ran through the walls. Oops.

The Nodes of Mana - Introduction

I (Rufus) am getting to old for this. This time I had come down with some form of plague. I was resting at Landfall Castle when the sorcerer arrived.

He was a short, wizened figure wrapped in a dark cloak. We could not see his face because his hood was pulled low. He approached Lord Lancelot, who beckoned him to speak.

"I come to offer my regrets, Lord Lancelot."

Puzzled, Lancelot responded "Whatsoever for?"

"The destruction of Landfall Castle." the figure replied.

Well, that got everyone's attention.

The sorcerer then took a crystal ball from beneath his cloak and placed it on the table in front of Lancelot. We all gazed into it, and it seemed as if we were drawn into the scene that the ball displayed. We could see Landfall Castle in ruins, the Sentinels, dead, scattered throughout the stronghold.

"What does this mean?" I asked. "Does this ball show what will be?

"Not what will be but what may be. 'Tis shall happen if ye take no action."

"What kind of action?" asked Lancelot.

"To seek the Nodes of Mana."

We looked at each other, puzzled expressions on our faces. The sorcerer then explained the situation. Somehow, nine Nodes of Mana had been pulled into Caligo. In the wrong hands, they had the potential, the power, to wipe out Landfall Castle. But they were currently hidden throughout Caligo. Lancelot seized on this point.

"If they are hidden, how can they threaten us?"

The sorcerer replied: "Because the voidlings know how to find them."

My eyes grew wide with the tension. If the voidlings found those first, well words cannot describe the horror. Lancelot asked how to find the Nodes. The sorcerer showed him a map.

"Here," he said, "is the first Node. Find it and it shall lead thee to the others. But beware, for it is guarded."

"Guarded by what?"

"Ye shall see." stated with sorcerer, with a chuckle as he turned and strode from the hall.

Lancelot wasted no time. He called for the Sentinels to gather their gear and prepare for an expedition to retrieve the first Node.

OOC Notes

• This is an introduction to a new campaign I have introduced to Caligo. Every month during our Amtgard Day we will have a battle to claim one of the 9 Nodes. Once the Nodes are claimed? I have some ideas that I wish to keep secret for now.