Episode: But Strong in Will
Posted by Story on 12/16/23
The Horned God is attempting to end the world. With the faltering of the Despite of Fable, that once secret arcane hiding of dark truths from the people of Arvum, that much can now be made clear without forgetfulness, without forces trying to blot it away or conceal it. The great, ancient enemy of the Compact has gone to Harrow Hall, a ruined castle once inhabited by the first king of Arvum so many thousands of years ago, and surrounded it with a massive, miles long hedge of thorns while he begins a great arcane working to end the world, and bind it forever more under his control. A barrier to protect him from interference, to buy time for the simplest of reasons. So he can win.
Time the Compact will not grant him if it can help it.
Great hosts march on Harrow Hall. Highlord Liara Grayson calls forth the armies of the Crownlands, and Grandmaster of the Templars Sir Preston leads the armies of the Faith of the Pantheon, marching to Harrow Hall and surrounding it while many work on solutions to the hedge.
There's alchemical mixtures and Arvani fire. There's massive groups of armed men trying to cleave a tunnel through the hedge. There's attempts to dig under it. And there's no small number of those with unmistakably magical abilities, using their newfound talents to try to destroy it in a multitude of ways. These are all disappointments, with the hedge extending deeply underground, and though powerful effects do destroy chunks of it, it regrows all but immediately. And through it all, the dark whispers of the Horned God echo for miles, and his work continues, with precious time slipping away.
But then scouts of the Compact discover something. There's a small section of the hedge cast in darkness, where the tall towers of Harrow Hall block the moonlight from shining down upon it. And in that section, the Hedge is vulnerable. In that section, it does not regrow.
At that point, there's a massive attack upon it.
The hedge breaks and rends, and before long, a narrow path to the fortress is open. Gargantuans of the Nameless move down to block the way, and thousands of horned god minions are moving from the hedge and castle to form a defense. And the Horned God's work continues. Sometimes the options are complicated and all but impossible to decide. And sometimes there's painful simplicity. It's time to attack.
But sometimes the simplest things can be very, very difficult.
Time the Compact will not grant him if it can help it.
Great hosts march on Harrow Hall. Highlord Liara Grayson calls forth the armies of the Crownlands, and Grandmaster of the Templars Sir Preston leads the armies of the Faith of the Pantheon, marching to Harrow Hall and surrounding it while many work on solutions to the hedge.
There's alchemical mixtures and Arvani fire. There's massive groups of armed men trying to cleave a tunnel through the hedge. There's attempts to dig under it. And there's no small number of those with unmistakably magical abilities, using their newfound talents to try to destroy it in a multitude of ways. These are all disappointments, with the hedge extending deeply underground, and though powerful effects do destroy chunks of it, it regrows all but immediately. And through it all, the dark whispers of the Horned God echo for miles, and his work continues, with precious time slipping away.
But then scouts of the Compact discover something. There's a small section of the hedge cast in darkness, where the tall towers of Harrow Hall block the moonlight from shining down upon it. And in that section, the Hedge is vulnerable. In that section, it does not regrow.
At that point, there's a massive attack upon it.
The hedge breaks and rends, and before long, a narrow path to the fortress is open. Gargantuans of the Nameless move down to block the way, and thousands of horned god minions are moving from the hedge and castle to form a defense. And the Horned God's work continues. Sometimes the options are complicated and all but impossible to decide. And sometimes there's painful simplicity. It's time to attack.
But sometimes the simplest things can be very, very difficult.