Warden of the Pale

[BenevolentManacles 2232]

Warden of the Pale

 

An Orenian soldier ambushing a lustful Hangman as he attempts to seduce an unwilling Orenian woman. – circa 1777

 

“In Aldemar,” an exasperated elf cried out between deep breaths, his legs exhausted from the run that brought him to the gates of the Bastille, “Tresery, surrounded.”

 

A young Cadet furrowed his brow at the suggestion. The Hangmen had infiltrated Aldemar, and taken it’s prospective warden by surprise? If it were true, it would be destructive to their efforts to rebuild the Pale’s eminence. A stain on his grandfather’s honor, and on the plans of the Archchancellor to create a domain where elves may live free and practice their ways, without the anarchy of the realms outside the Empire.

 

Philip nodded once to the elf, who named himself Leatherback, and approached the bell nearby. Beside him, a soldier protests.

 

“A trap, Cadet. There is no use, if he is surrounded, and in the Pale. They will turn tail and run with him, or they will catch you in their maw with some trick.”

 

“Am I forbidden from going then, Sergeant?”

 

The other soldier does not respond. He simply shakes his head and returns to the street, disinterested in the Cadet’s ambition.

 

With luck, Philip’s call is answered. George Galbraith, Lieutenant DeNurem, several other soldiers and even a few elven refugees accepted Philip’s call and rallied. He gathered them around, and allowed Leatherback to tell them what he had just told Philip.

 

Within the hour, the retinue had departed with Leatherback leading the way.

 

“They have locked the gate, but there is another route,” he insists, the speculative soldiers glancing between each other incredulously. Philip remains stalwart. If this were a trap, then he had enough soldiers to ensure a safe retreat. Any murmurs of a lack of confidence would only serve to dampen their resolve.

 

Leatherback found them their path; a stone cliff which climbed from caverns underneath, precariously, into the open city itself. They clambered up the cliff side cautiously, though now the protests had ceased. They were committed to whatever they would find at the top.

 

At the top of their climb, their pace hastened, and within seconds, the retinue had grounded itself within the city walls, and the sight was just as Leatherback had suggested. The unmounted brigands had the fabled Tresery surrounded, and vastly outnumbered. Philip had brought enough to give them a three to two advantage. A short standoff ended with Tresery retreating to the safety of the Orenian retinue, and the bandits digging their heels into the ground and fleeing.

 

Not fast enough.

 

The bandits divided their forces, attempting to harass the Orenians from two flanks. A foolish maneuver, and brazen from fighting less organized forces. Once one of the flanking forces had pushed themselves too close to the Orenian force, a full charge was ordered. With the rest of the enemy forces too far to the other flank to assist their comrades, or execute any sort of maneuver, several of the enemy were immediately cut down, surprised by the sudden charge. The remaining force fled along the road to the Hangmen’s keep from Helena, the Orenian retinue giving chase.

 

At their fort, they hid inside, attempting to draw the Orenians into the traps they had built as escape routes. They failed, and instead it was they who were drawn into the trap. Philip directed the retinue,

 

“We retreat. They will follow, thinking they can harass our rear, hoping to pick off stragglers.”

 

Of course, the enemy’s pride got the better of them. They sallied out, and from a distance, attempted to pick off the Orenian’s rear guard. Too close, though, for when they were drawn too far from their cowardly traps to hide, the Orenians executed their flank. 

 

The remainder of the Hangmen’s forces were decimated, leaving the brigands to slink back into their stone hut with their tail between their legs. Some great warriors they were, so totally defeated, without the sense to safely hide when outmatched. With forty Hangmen casualties and merely ten Orenians, victory was absolute.

 

The Orenian retinue returned safely with Tristin Tresery in tow, the bandits thwarted, and Aldemar and it’s Warden saved.

 

Philip takes himself to the Church, offers confession for the bandits they had slaughtered, and  prays for the Empire’s continued success as well as the Pale’s future prosperity.

[Guest]

Leatherback Ithelanen, Saneyir of the Pale of Camlannen, readies a shipment of gear to be carted to the capital posthaste. In a rapidly changing world consumed by war, he was certainly feeling grateful to the ISA for helping save his dear old friend.

 

”The Hanged Men are a tough adversary to crack. But I cannot let this Imperial reciprocity be one-sided.” 

 

 

 

[Shezept 304]

Allium twists her head in a most peculiar way, her gaze holding a look of utter confusion as what is stated goes against Rule 4 of the Hangman Rule book and has not been seen since the formation of the Hangman broken, with a shrug she’d doubt the propaganda and carries on looting Oreners which lay wasted upon the fields by the dozens 

 

“Ah yes, free stuff from the Oreners, I hope this means they will come to fight more, I grow bored of waiting”

[Gustando 1990]

“T’is fake! Rule 4 of the hangmen; you cannot lust over women unless commanded!” a fellow hangman grunts in response to yet another piece of orenian propaganda

[ronin_champloo 5951]

”Rule 4 – We are forbidden from lusting after women!” An ‘Aheral hearkens out, before wearing multiple belts; To prevent it from being undone by lusty maidens!