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The defence of Targos (an IWDII battle report)


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The attack had come suddenly , the yelling of goblins and the steady beat of drums was the only warning as the horde poured out of the night.

Yells went up along the walls and bows twanged in unison as the front line fell to the arrows of the defenders.

The archers screamed as they were envoloped by fire and a section of the palisade walls burst asunder.

 

Recovering quickly from her debriefing and the healing of minor wounds incured fighting the reluctant iron collar, Talia snatched her weapons from the rack,incanted a spell that made her skin as hard as the thickest bark and raced out into the darkness.

 

The recruits were being cut down like wheat under the scythe of Cheantue, no match for the feverish goblins driven on by their leader Cabalis and those unholy beating drums.

 

The goblins spotted her as she emerged, arrows thudding into the frame where she had stood only moments before.

The wolves were first to reach her, she called on her gifts of animal calming , but like the goblins the wolves were in a frenzy beyond reason.

 

Raising her hands skywards, and calling on nature the sky was rent with thunder. Lightning crashed down onto the lead wolf sending it spinning into the goblins that followed.

Outnumbered Talia snatched the flasks of burning oil from her belt , these had been a gift from Isherwood for the timely resuply of his archer company. With practiced ease she tossed the flask into the horde and watched in satisfaction as 5 of them collapsed to the floors rolling in agony as the flames melted their green flesh.

 

In the light of the flames she could see a goblin, larger than the rest and mounted on a giant wolf.The wolf leapt for her as she desperately twisted to avoid both spear and fang. Her own small dagger seemed an inadequate weapon against such a beast,even blessed as it was by the tears of the spirit of Viera.

 

The spear and fangs of her foe nicked her flesh, the bark keeping the worst of the damage from her. Even so , she knew she was outclassed. Such close quarters fighting was not suited to her small halfling frame.

All she could do was hope to keep the wolf and it rider at bay just long enough to...

....Once more the sky was rent by a bolt of lighting it struck uneringly tossing the goblin from its mount , a look of shock and suprise on its face. Without a rider the wolfs spririt broke and it bolted into the night.

 

Talia's breathing was heavy and ragged. But her respite was short lived. Another wave of goblins had broken through somewhere to the north of her.

Still, now she had space they were on her terms. She spotted the goblins about the same time they spotted her.

They pointed and snickered. What threat could a lone halfling possibly be after they had dispatched the heavily armed defenders of the wall.

 

Whizz! Thwack ! The foremost goblin fell clutching his face. Without waiting for response,Talia darted off out of sight. The goblins cursed and gave chase but even a horde of goblins are no match for a swift halfling in the dark. Before long the last goblin fell and Talia smilled to herself. That had been fun.

 

Her moment of mirth was shortlived as the gates of the Palisade crashed inwards. At least she thought, whoever was breaking the gates was wasting those spells on wood and not her tender flesh.

 

She was desperately low now, on both spells and flasks of oil.But there was no time to regroup, the fate of Targos hung in the balance.

She spied the leader, Caballus. She recalled the name from Koluhm's conversation with the dead Goblin. If she could just kill him , it might break the spirit of the horde and set the running.

 

Throwing her final flasks at the advancing ranks she gripped her tiny knife and grimly charged forward.

Caballus saw her! Weaving his hands,a split second later a wave of coloured light sprang forth, knocking her to the floor. She felt the sting of an arrow. It was enough to rouse her from dizzied state. Spinning on her heel , she deftly planted her dagger through the eye socket of the goblin that had thought to finish off the helpless halfling.

 

Cabalis screached in rage and Talia screamed in horror as her world went dark.

Deprived of sight, her nimbleness did her little good. The goblins seeing her panic advanced bashing their axes and promising her torment.

Using the sounds she unleashed an arc of cold from her fingers, her final spell, but she was determined if she was going to die, she would sell her life as dearly as possible.

 

Arrows thudded into her and it was only a matter of time before one found a vital.

Sure now, that this was indeed the last of the goblins she played her trump card.

The small halfling body expanded, growing thick matted white fur, her delicate features melted into a snout, framed by two goring tusks almost a foot long.

 

Relaxing into her new form , she let the spirit of the Boar take over, even blind as she was. It's animalistic rage gored goblins left and right. Arrows stuck into the thick fur ,but the matted coat provided layer of protection that the goblin archers could not pierce.

 

The Fight with Caballus was long,the matted fur of the Boars body could not fully protect her from the stinging blows of his stave.Knowing

she was blind he made no noise, her only warning being the sting of his stick.One lucky lunge caught him a glancing blow, he grunted in pain and that proved his undoing. Lunging forward Talia caught him on both tusks,goring him into the ground until he hung lifeless and broken.

 

Resuming her natural form , she wiped the blood from her mouth and spat into the snow....

When her vision finally cleared she could see that she had indeed won the day. But the price of victory was heavy indeed. Scarce few of those who she had chatted and shared stories with remained alive. In the carnage , she found Isherwood, surrounded by at least a score of punctured goblin bodies. His bow lay broken beside him, one half of it still protruding from goblin skull.

 

With a sigh, she turned and headed back to the guard post for her "reward". Somehow the thrill of wealth and riches didnt have the same

allure that it had only a week ago when she had left Luskan aboard the Wench. Perhaps Shawford had been right. There was more to this and her part in it than money.

I have to agree with Volourn.  Bioware is pretty much dead now.  Deals like this kills development studios.

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Ask and ye shall be given. As good as I thought it would be; mix of battle report and dramatic telling. Thanks.

kirottu said:
I was raised by polar bears. I had to fight against blood thirsty wolves and rabid penguins to get my food. Those who were too weak to survive were sent to Sweden.

 

It has made me the man I am today. A man who craves furry hentai.

So let us go and embrace the rustling smells of unseen worlds

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Nicely written Shadow. It makes me want to play that whole sequence again.  :)

 

Glad you liked it. I found my old Xcom diary while searching around in the cupboards yesterday, the whole thing sort of snowballed from there.

Unfortunately its the only one I have on the computer (because someone wanted to use it for something).

I have to agree with Volourn.  Bioware is pretty much dead now.  Deals like this kills development studios.

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