Victory Upon the Vineyard

[clearlynoko 201]

 

 

 

A Retelling of the Battle of the Vineyard.

 

Issued by the

Master Sergeant of the Order of the Oak

On the 12th of Sun’s Smile of the year of 2032.

 

 

[!] The brave Initiate Harlow firing his bow at the beast.

 

FOREWORD/INTRODUCTION 

 

A firsthand account by Caspian, Master Sergeant of the Order of the Oak, of he and his men bravely fighting off the trolls plaguing the vineyards of Stirland, with the help of courageous volunteers. This was transcribed by another’s hand, as at the time the story was told Caspian was unable to write for himself, injuries so severe. Despite his drug-addled mind, every factual statement within this retelling is true, according to the witnesses who confirmed his story.

 

 

---

 

1. The Element of Surprise

Creeping Upon the Beasts

 

Master Sergeant Caspian and his men, Initiate Turtwin and Initiate Harlow, and the volunteers, Victor and an unnamed Goblin, stuck low to the ground as they advanced up the vineyard. A scared sheep’s cry rang through the mountainside, the trolls having trapped it for their own selfish whims. Caspian gave the men firm directions, to which they followed. Young Harlow kept to his horse, firing at a distance with his bow. The Goblin snuck up into the vineyard, throwing fire at the trolls, who were so simple in their fear. Caspian, Turtwin, and Victor quickly took the distraction for their advantage.

 

2. The Heat of Battle

Cutting Through Their Ranks

 

Arrows flew and fire burned. The trolls hide deflected the arrows, coarse and leathery they are, and as fire burned the trolls fearfully investigated its source. Caspian and Harlow took the chance, Harlow choosing melee once the bow had proven ineffective, and with flame-oiled halberds the two assaulted the most distracted one. 

 

The flame of the two soldiers caught the biggest, tallest one’s attention, surely their leader, and logs were thrown down the path of the men. Young Harlow had fallen from his horse, may the poor creature rest well in its death, but remained otherwise unscathed. As had Caspian, who jumped out of the way.

 

Their leader, the monster it was, targeted the Initiate, picking up the boy in his fear. Caspian charged forward, swinging down on the hand that carried the boy. Turtwin threw chained bola at its feet at the same time. Harlow was dropped, but at his demise—the leader began to fall at the weight wrapped around his legs and Caspian’s swing. There were mere moments to act before the young Initiate Harlow, no older than seventeen, was crushed to death.

 

3. The Act of Sacrifice

A Sunny End to the Tale 

 

The accounts from here on begin to be far more personal, rather than a continued retelling of the events. Some parts have been sourced from other witnesses.

What convinces a man to die for another? 

 

Caspian’s blood ran hot at this moment, his heartbeat pounding so loud that his ears rang. The boy mere feet ahead of him, terrified and frozen in his fear, was surely about to die. Without a thought, Caspian had grabbed Harlow and pushed him away from the coming danger, trading their places—and for a moment, Caspian was convinced he was trading their lives.

 

All Caspian could remember from this moment on was praying, begging for his life to be spared, and his thoughts of his loved ones—Ophelia Aeval, his beautiful fiance, of Harlow, hoping the boy’s life would be spared, of Captain Alexander Arrcado, and surely more. 

 

God answered his prayers, as he lives, thanks to the quick actions of Turtwin, who had pulled Caspian from underneath the thrashing troll with nothing more than a crushed leg and broken rib to spare for his life.

 

As the morning sun rose, it was described by the rest of the witnesses that the trolls had turned to stone. 

 

With that, it was declared: the Battle of the Vineyard was victorious for the Stirlandic people.

 

Spoiler

The “unnamed Goblin” is Glimm’Lur, but Caspian does not know his name in character. I didn’t want him to be credit-less in this post, because he did great work.

 

 

Caspian,

Master Sergeant of the Order of the Oak

Edited June 9, 2025 by clearlynoko

[wx4927 82]

Harlow will never forget this day.

Edited June 9, 2025 by wx4927

[tadabug2000 4918]

The leader Troll, a beast sixteen feet in height, turned stone - stood guard within the Oakenwald Steakhouse. It loomed over all in its vicinity, maw twisted forever into a scream of rage. Some tavern patrons even say they can feel its gaze upon them, moving, though whether true or not is unknown. What a terrifying sight, and thought, for any who would dare go against the Vineyard Trolls.

 

Spoiler

 

Some troll event memes

 

 

[Turtleofthewoods 106]

*reads the misseve soon after he finishes hauling one of the trolls that turned to stone into his tavern as a decoration" this will make a fine decoration"

 

[Digit___ 1224]

Aviel puffed his cheeks as he read over the missive from his bed, sick with a small cold. “I wish I was there, I could’ve taken one!” He exclaimed before coughing!