WHERE'S ROGER? | A RUNAWAY TALE

[Coronate 5528]

 

 

WHERE’S ROGER?

CAN YOU SPOT HIM?

 

Spoiler

 

 

10th of the Deep Cold 2043 I.T

 

ROGER’S MIDNIGHT EXCURSION

WHEN LAST we heard of the infamous renegade ROGER, he was seen running from the field of battle, his favored tactic. The proud lord of Drusco and his minions marched into Numenost late at night, perhaps believing that the young men and women of Numendil would be too off guard to fight back in their pajamas. He was horribly mistaken.

 

Taking three citizens from the square of Numenost, he made off like the ne’er-do-well he is. Locking them deep in the heart of Waldemar, the forces of Drusco amassed in hopes that they would either crush the rescue force or make a missive about how there was no rescue at all!

 

NO MAN LEFT BEHIND

 

Ralling the forces in Numenost was the CARANDIR and SER VORKEHEART, who amassed a trivial force, to honor their promise that no man shall be left behind. Meanwhile, within Golden Field, CAPTAIN VANDER and JUDE AMARANTH  drank their fill whilst dreaming of a summoner’s rift; their dreams were swiftly cut short as an Idunian crier shouted: “ Come, Captain, come quickly Jude! They have awayed with more unarmed citizens! “ 

 

AT WALDEMAR

 

SO THEY RODE . . . and at their destination, the ne’er-do-wells roosted. They believed firmly that with almost equal numbers, they would rout the force of primarily LEVY SPEARMEN. After minor skirmishing upon the walls, the force clambered into the keep; this would be their first sally… Leaving men and women dead upon both sides, the sally withdrew to account for their numbers. An equal trade… Perhaps the Druscans would grow confident? The force of the Cavaliers saddled up and awaited, but no force came? They rode back, they mounted the walls, and suddenly a poor spearman fell into the keep. “WAIT!” shouted the Warlord Captain Vander. “LET HIM BE BAIT.” This was crude… Letting a soldier be bait? What an Orcish Tactic, still the men listened and waited. The Druscan forces marched! “KILL THE LONE MAN!” the hooted.

 

SO THEY TOOK THE BAIT.

 

AND THE LEVY SPEARMEN CHARGED . . . and the Druscans fled, they thought their gates would save them, “FOLLOW ME IF YOU WANT TO END THIS WAR.”  The Vanders of Golden Field charged.

 

 

AND THE DRUSCANS DIED... and Waldemar was awash in blood. “STAY TOGETHER, NO MEN BEHIND!” cried Carandir as the Cavalier forces slaughtered the enemy. “FIGHT AND DIE WHILE I ESCAPE!” shouted Roger, allegedly, and fled.

 

The castle was cleansed, the enemy forces either dead or gone, and the Cavaliers had but one question on their minds:

 

 

“ WHERE’S ROGER? ”
 

"The Lord of Drusco, famed for swifter heels than steel."

 

"That Noble of Naught, who leaves his men to the grave whilst he seeks his chamber."

 

---

 

Oh, Roger of Drusco, he spurred and he flew,

All cramped in his hearth before anyone knew.

“Stand fast!” cried the Vander monk, “Stand fast, if ye dare!”

But Roger was halfway to Drusco’s own stair. 

His men lie in blood, yet he’s far from the fray—

For Roger loves living, and runs all the way.

 

The Runaway Roger.

-Written by a Norn Poet.

 

Spoiler

Heroes of 3 AM. Third battle of the War of the Unemployed.

 

[ChainedDragons 1374]

Bron smiled to himself from the safety of his bedroom within the walls of the white city. Roger was imposing in person yet these repitive moments of the man fleeing battle honestly made the devil question if the man who caught him and the man who fled were the same one. Who leaves their fellows to die in their stead? Roger apparently ...

[The Vulgate Cycle 578]

The Blood Royal Castamir sat beside his sister and his best of friends in the clinic. They had been abused as they fought to make their way into Castle Waldemar. He himself had been captured in that castle for months. He could think of nothing sweeter than washing away the Druscan Blood upon his blade and the trophies he took. 

[Tainga 521]

The High Chancellor limped back beside Azruphel, bloodied but unbowed–and oh, she was seething. 

"I had him!" Athaenis Vourkehardt's voice rang out through Angrenost's stone walls. "Roger laid at my feet–I was binding him, but then he slipped free and ran! The coward!"  She paced like a storm caged in flesh, each step grinding her teeth, each turn fueled by rage. 

Thrice now she had crossed blades with him. 
Thrice he had wriggled from her grasp. 

But not forever. 
No man flees the hand of justice forever. 

"Glory to Idunia." She spat, more vow than prayer.

[Ninjay 1197]

Jude Amaranth, associate of the towering Vander Monk, grumbled and muttered as he cleaned his weapons and armor. Denied the use of his magic by the damned War Charter, the shadows under his eyes grew longer and longer as his exhaustion increased; not only due to having to don armor and armament, but also having his sleep interrupted by Druscan shenanigans at 1 a.m. Eastern Saint's Time in some attempt at dodging the most experienced of soldiers and fighters on their side - and they still lost.

For the first time amidst the entire conflict, he spoke to the Vander (@Coronate) in a bitter tone following the battle.

"Can't these losers just surrender already?"

[Baccaaa 494]

Konstanze had mistakenly been bucked off her horse and into the walls of Waldemar. She laid there in defeat and embarassment, only for the voice of Carandir to bring in hope, followed by the storming of the area by the levy spearmen of Idvnia. "Did we win?" the adunian woman asked of the forces that had now secured Waldemar. "We won." a firm response was then given, followed by Konstanze limping back to safety with assistance.

[Nectorist 12871]

Lorian, not having expected to see his first live combat that very night, emerges from Waldemar with both life and sword intact.

 

"Wow... I never expected war to be like this!"

[JoshBright 3016]

8 hours ago, Coronate said:

They rode back, they mounted the walls, and suddenly a poor spearman fell into the keep. “WAIT!” shouted the Warlord Captain Vander. “LET HIM BE BAIT.” This was crude… Letting a soldier be bait? What an Orcish Tactic, still the men listened and waited. The Druscan forces marched! “KILL THE LONE MAN!” the hooted.

Jarad Mah’nel wiped the blood from his blade in slow, careful strokes. “Call it tactical maneuvering in order to kill a rouge horse. I did get a little too close to the ledge” he admitted, a wry smile tugging at his mouth. “But it worked. I’m honestly surprised how cleanly they took the bait.”

[MrMojoMordor 2413]

Bon'Ox shoo's away the messenger - marking letters about the recent war as spam-mail, until something interesting happens, as this is becoming embarassing.