Chapter 286: Death and Fertilizer

Chapter 286: Death and Fertilizer

The huge monster stepped out of the hole and loomed over the battlefield.

Before anyone could act, Alwyn was spurring his mount toward the creature, a lance in his hand. The Gophorian Behemoth didn't notice him as it yawned and tried to come fully awake. The Fae Lord drove his lance into the tender spot between two toes, the enchanted spear going in at least six feet before breaking and causing the creature to yowl in pain. It bellowed loudly as it took a limping step and found it had been wounded. The bellow was loud enough to be heard in Sedgewick, five miles away, and caused abject terror in all the Tier one farmers. They turned and fled for their homes. Mudhead panicked, and Ben found himself unable to control the horse as it ran. Any remaining gophers did likewise, burrowing to avoid death. Marcus found his horse bucking and rearing. The Baron and Baroness had none of these problems. Their coal-black steeds not reacting at all. The cohort stood its ground, Decurions promising much worse than death to anyone looking to the rear.

Alwyn's elven steed wasn't phased by the yelling but didn't like being so close to the angry creature. The giant club swung down, and Alwyn pivoted his horse to avoid the weapon. He focused on the club, waiting for the backswing, only to be kicked hard by the Behemoth. Horse and Fae Lord went flying through the air. His mount was beyond saving. He would miss it. Mourning his lost pet would teach the young Fae a lesson he was overdue in learning. Alwyn himself was only saved by impacting the branches of the Fae Maple. Being one of his subjects, it did what it could to soften the blow. Alwyn still broke most of his bones and was bleeding from many wounds as he slid down the tree trunk. His hound found him and stopped the bleeding enough that he lived to joust another day.

Captain Woodrat thought better of getting anywhere near the creature. That club would heavily damage his ship. He brought Splinter around, keeping high and beyond the creature's reach. At his command, half of the ship's twelve ballistae fired, followed by a quick turn to bring the other half of the weapons to bear. Each time the ship moved past the Behemoth, she unleashed half a dozen ballistae into it. It was nearly impossible to miss but very difficult to keep the ship moving in tight circles and not give the monster a chance to hit the ship.

The workers had a harder time, being further away. But as they put more and more shots into the creature, it turned toward them. Unlike the ship, it could reach them. Billy directed the workers to drive off in the wagons, splitting up and firing when possible. This worked for the spear throwers, but the catapults needed to be braced. The four machines carried a much bigger punch than their smaller cousins. Jorges put two stone balls into the Behemoth's belly, wounding it. The heavy stone shots made bleeding wounds as they penetrated its skin and pulped internal organs. They got one more round of firing, and all four hit at close range. The next moment the huge club swept across the wagons, killing the entire crew except for Jorges. His higher levels let him survive, but he was wounded and unconscious. The giant gopher bent down, picked him up, and swallowed the fortress builder.

The assembled players began casting spells and shooting arrows. Fighters and clerics moved forward to engage the creature in melee with disastrous results. The Behemoth started to stomp on them, bouncing from one foot to another. Each stomp killed two to three players. The mages learned a lesson in spreading out when two long strides and a kick sent three spellcasters flying with broken bones. Marcus decided against ordering his men to charge. He'd seen the folly of that. "On my mark, throw your pilum, then fast retreat. Drop your shields and pull slings. Spread out and fight as guerrillas. Aim for eyes or weak spots."

Ben finally got control of Mudhead. He and Suzette headed back to the battle. "I can only hit that thing twice with my big spell, but it should set it on fire nicely. After that, I'll be out of mana, but I will try to keep its attention. If you can blind it, we can give the war machines time to keep wounding it."

Suzette looked at the creature and where it cast a shadow. "I'll try. The damn thing is tall, which cuts down my range. But I can make this work if I keep in its shadow."

Ozzy had seen what happened to Alwyn and hadn't liked his chances in a head-on assault. Instead, he maneuvered behind the creature, sent a shark to start chewing on it, and cast his curse to increase damage by ten points per hit. Billy was suddenly near him, his horse moving silently with muffled steps. "You call that a curse? I'll have to start giving you lessons.

"Begone from my lands!" A black mist poured from Billy's mouth, forming a cloud around the creature that Ozzy could make out.

"What the hell does that do?"

Layla rode up and did something similar. "Feel the Scorn of Gadobhra!"

"We've been working on our curses. Together, those two curses add 200 points of damage. The creature must be invading our lands, and the blows struck by one of our subjects."

"Nice, but we should back off. Ben's winding up, and we can't know where ugly will start stomping once he's on fire."

Alwyn, the Summer Lord, has gained +1 WIS and 3000 experience in jousting plus 15 CSP.

Captain Woodrat receives 15 CSP and has gained the skill: Sailing close to the fight!

Squirmie, Rolly, Suzette, William, Layla, Benjamin, and Jorges will receive 25 CSP for their contribution to the battle, along with 3000 points that may be applied to any skill they used in the war.

As the General who both started and ended the war, Ozzy earns himself the Title: Gopherbane (+200 damage to any Gopher or Gopher Ally), 40 CSP, and 5000 points that may be applied to any skill used in the battle.

In the remains of Fort Bucktooth is a large chest that held the mercenary companies' loot and pays. Each person will gain a share of money or loot.

Extending a Helping Hand: Quest Complete!

You've offered to house and feed 500 refugees driven from their homes in the south. Commendable, but it's easy to say and harder to do it! Requirements:

-Led 500 refugee peasant farmers to the Promised Land. (Or at least the land you are promising them.)

-House 500 refugee peasant farmers.

-Clear 500 acres of farmland.

-Construct five small hamlets with a well, town square, 10+ houses, community storehouse, and roads connecting them to Sedgewick.

Sedgewick and Gadobhra each gain 2000 Building points.

Duke Carl will see a report and look favorably at Baron William's actions.

Merchants are many times more likely to attend fairs and harvest festivals in the Barony when news of the increased population spreads.