Aquila Schwarzherzig - Bungalows and Bodycounts

[Stabbity]

Aquila grinned ferociously as she took her place in formation with her men. She gripped her barbed sword in one hand, and a meat hook in the other.

"The Solstice came early this year! More skulls!" She roared, and grinned with a feral glee, seeing the enemy line up, up close. "The fools want to die quickly! Oblige them!" She shouted, and her captain blew on his horn, signalling the advance to begin, whilst the Tilogian troops cowered and hid. Arrows flew, and the cavalry charged, and the Abyssal Rejects pressed on in a tight column, chanting as they went, and then they were upon the enemy. The Abyssal Rejects crashed into the Blackpikes, and the column quickly broke the box formation before them. Men spilled out of the column, screams of rage in their throats. Pikes were battered down, and the Rejects fell upon their foe, butchering the men of the Blackpike. Aquila was with them, and with a bloodthirsty roar, she laid into her foe, her barbed blade ripping the man's throat out. She pivoted, and was face to face with their commander, Dame Elena.

"I'm going to make your hide into a new pair of boots!" Aquila roared, swinging her blade in a wild arc, which Elena blocked, throwing her off balance, and Aquila stepped in, sinking her meat hook into her armpit, the point finding a seam in Elena's armor, and piercing and ripping flesh. Elena screamed, and at that moment the Blackpikes broke, fleeing, and Elena took the opening to rip free, and flee with her men. As the Blackpikes fled past, one of them drove his pike into Aquila's back, her armor keeping the pike from sinking too deep. Aquila cried out, a mix of pain and ecstasy, and she dropped her meat hook to the ground, her left arm hanging useless at her side.

"Get back here!" Aquila screamed, hacking at the fleeing men with her sword.

"Onto them!" Aquila bellowed, and she and the Abyssal Rejects surged forward and into the Fitz Roberts Almogavas. The mixed infantry was already having trouble with a mob of angry peasants, their commander already wounded. The Abyssal Rejects cut a swath through them, the Gothicans falling like wheat under the scythe. Aquila spotted Hedwiga, Gothica's Necromancer, limping away from the fight.

"No you don't!" She roared, breaking ranks, and throwing herself into the fleeing commander. The two women tumbled to the ground, and Aquila wound up on top, ripping off her foe's helmet. She raised the helmet and brought it down on Hedwiga's face, causing a sickening crunch as Hedwiga's nose exploded into a mist of blood. Aquila brought it down again, and again, screaming "BOIL MY HEAD! NO, BOIL YOURS YOU INCOMPETENT TART!" Aquila brought the helmet down again, and stood up, glancing around. She flexed her left hand, and laughed. She already felt better, the wound on her shoulder rapidly healing itself, thanks to the blessings of the Pyre of Plenty. She continued to giggle, and looked at the dazed and bloodied form of Hedwiga Fitz Roberts, and spit on the stunned noble.

"Bring me a chain!" Aquila barked, and fastened the chain around Hedwiga's neck. "Take her weapons."

Her men quickly stripped the Gothican noble of her weapons and armor. Aquila snarled, and pulled on the chain. Hedwiga, recovering from her daze, tried to stand. Aquila kicked the Gothican hard, in the ribs, taking the wind out of her.

"Crawl, like the worm you are." Aquila barked, kicking the Necromancer again. Aquila began to drag the Gothican along, until she finally found her bearing on all fours, dragging her past the jeering crowds of Arenese and Halcyonian troops.

[Stabbity]

 Roleplay from Dazen Guile
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 19 hours, 51 minutes ago

With his six surviving unwounded soldiers, Dazen gathers up his box of jams and preservatives and carefully picks his way across the battlefield mere hours after the battle finished. Crows have already started cawing and circling overhead, adding a surreal music to the odd sight of a fully grown man in the standard blacks and reds of House Guile...skipping along and whistling through the corpses men and women from both sides of the war.

Looking around, Dazen realises that he doesn’t actually know which direction the Lady Warlord’s tent is. He knows the banner of his kinswoman and her esteemed House, but nothing of the layout of an Arenite camp. Getting inspired, he stops by one of the wounded who isn’t quite dead, but has been left on the field as a lost cause...

“You there, ugly. Which way to Lady Aquila’s encampment?” Dazen asks in a friendly tone, dropping into a crouch next to the man and cocking his head from side to side like a fox that hears a mouse under the soil.

“I....curse...you....bloody Portions!” The soldier from Aren gasps out, rather predictably.

Dazen simply shrugs, withdraws the stiletto dagger from his left sleeve, cuts the mans throat, wipes off his blade and returns it home, hops up and keeps skipping through the field of dead with his small retinue of men shocked at the sight of their commander full-fledged murdering after a battle. Dazen had apparently inherited more of the Guile Sickness than previously thought.

“LADY WARLOOOOORD! Where in the blazes is she?” He shouts from atop a small pile of Tilogian men who must have put up a ferocious fight. “If she wants to meet, she will need to find me” plopping down unceremoniously on top of the corpses, Dazen shifts one under his knees so he can recline and still have a good vantage of the area.

Roleplay from Aquila Schwarzherzig
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 19 hours, 44 minutes ago

A small group of burly, heavily scarred men cocked their heads and approached the curious man calling out for the Warlord. Having shed their thick platemail, one could see the eagle branded upon their chests. They carried short, hooked blades, and burlap sacks, stained and dripping.

"OY, MAGGOT LORD!" Their leader bellowed at the man. "THE WARLORD WILL SEE YOU!" And he gestured, his hooked blade dripping with gore.

Roleplay from Dazen Guile
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 19 hours, 38 minutes ago

Looking at the cattle-branded troops of his cousin, Dazen knows he has found the right people immediately. Very few are capable of the shenanigans that his direct or extended family get up to. Sniffing towards the muscled dunderheads, the young Knight of Windaria is appalled by their uncouth demeanour.

“You, sir, are terribly loud. I have ears that work, obviously. Now, take me to your leader! There is jam at stake, man!” Dazen retorts to the shouting man.

Roleplay from Aquila Schwarzherzig
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 19 hours, 18 minutes ago

"THE QUIET OFFENDS THE WARLORD!" the man bellowed, gesturing for Dazen to follow. The man and his posse lead Dazen on a winding path past camps, and through a maze of sharpened stakes, and into a camp. The noise was overwhelming, a mixture of racous laughter and screams. Prisoners were being strapped down to posts and flayed. To add further indignity, the soldiers were rubbing a yellow powder onto the flayed bodies, eliciting screams even from the Tilogian soldiers.

Dazen was lead past several large pots of boiling vinegar, his stomach turning to imagine what was within. Another turn and a large, luxurious tent was in sight, and next to it, a throne of pristine skulls... The Warlord's trophies. A female voice reached Dazen's ears... Singing.

"Five little Tilogians,
Jumping on the bed.
One fell off,
And bumped his head
Mama called the healer,
And the doctor said:
No more Tilogians
jumping on the bed!"

And as Dazen approached, he could see a petite woman, skipping rope... No, not rope. Dazen was greeted with the sight of one screaming Tilogian soldier and one screaming Portionese soldier, tied down, and their intestines unfurled and being used in what appeared to be a morbid game of double dutch.

Aquila noticed the newcomers, and made her way toward her throne. She sat upon and looked at Dazen.

"Dazen Guile I presume?" her even, civilized tone seemed to clash horribly with the surroundings. She was clad in fine silks, the reds and blacks of her house, a similarity shared with House Guile.

Roleplay from Dazen Guile
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 19 hours, 1 minute ago

With nothing but an oblivious smile on his face, Dazen takes in the sight of the Warlord’s camp and easily overlooks the pain and suffering that is happening to those around him.

A tip of his head and a soft bow at the mention of his name, and his head resumes cocking back and forth while absorbing all that is his Cousin’s throne and style.

“Indeed m’lady, it is I: Dazen Guile! Jam master and berry aficionado extraordinaire! A pleasure to meet you, although I do wish it had been under more peaceful circumstances. That is quite a seat you have, I imagine the logistics of transport are a bit of a nightmare...” he says in his normal cheerful tone.

Roleplay from Aquila Schwarzherzig
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 18 hours, 51 minutes ago

"I imagine the logistics of transport are a bit of a nightmare..."

Aquila clapped twice, and half a dozen men with brands upon their foreheads came rushing up, seizing iron bars attached to a wooden platform, and lifted the throne, with Aquila still seated upon it.

"There is nothing that cannot be done through the application of brute force and sheer willpower cousin." Aquila remarked with a smirk. She clapped again, and the slaves set her down. She clapped again and a young woman came running, and knelt next to the throne, meekly mumbling,

"Domina."

Aquila gestured towards a cushioned bench.

"Have a seat and enjoy my hospitality. I have had my own special jam prepared for you. Fresh as can be." Aquila snapped at the slave, and soon a table was set up before Dazen, with a plate, a slice of fresh baked bread, a jar of gooey red paste, and a small silver butter knife.

"Please, tell me what you think."

Roleplay from Dazen Guile
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 10 hours, 47 minutes ago

“Impressive thrall-work. I might need to get me a few of those kinds of servants. Mine are too free-willed.” Dazen says with a glance to his few remaining men.

Watching the table be set and the red jam placed before him, Dazen very unceremoniously digs in and devours the bread, the salted and rather thick jam, and is chewing on the silvery knife before he remembers his place.

“T’was different, and of a berry I am not familiar with. You must send me the recipe, I feel that is a delicacy that could be taken around the entire Colonies to great success.” He says, wiping his mouth quite delicately as he rises. With a silent gesture to his men, they come rushing up and carrying the treasure trove that is the Guile Jam Box. Selecting two dark purple jars with little white red ribbons around their necks, Dazen places them in the table for his cousin.

“These are from Coness, in far away Beluaterra. I am quite sure nothing like them exists elsewhere, as the recipe was that of the First Grand Wizard of the North. You must forgive me cousin, I hear the horns blowing and I must be returning to my foolishly wounded men. We shall meet again, trust in that. And of course, thank you for the treat! All jams, be they berry or not, are worthy of consideration.” And bowing with a flourish, Dazen and his men make a bee-line toward their camp, skipping the entire way to throw off any archers who might be taking aim.

Letter from Aquila Schwarzherzig
Message sent to everyone in Bode Batura (30 recipients) - 2 days, 6 hours, 27 minutes ago

Dear cousin,

You left before I could tell you how to make my famous Portionese Eyeball jam!

Lady Aquila Schwarzherzig
Warlord of Aren
Dame of Alowca
Marshal of the Alowcan Prowlers

[Stabbity]

Aquila stroked the goose in her lap, making gentle shushing noises at the bird. She fastened a sealed note to its leg, and released the bird. The bird took off, hissing and honking, snapping at those too slow to get out of its way. The bird was destined for the Lord Flayer, demanding his presence. On its way, the Goose maimed a baker, a mason and killed at least one child.

As Aquila watched the bird go, she smiled.

"A success. Have the Dominion's entire messenger guild replaced with Geese."

[Stabbity]

Alowca 10-21-1018

The Warlord looked at the assembled units of militia, and handed their captains each a bag of gold.

"Your services are no longer needed. Disband and go home." Aquila growled at the men, who gleefully counted out their shares of the gold. Grinning, almost... Cheerily, Aquila made her way towards the palace, outside of which her men were assembled. She nodded at her captain, and noted the presence of Sir Myles and Sir Usul.

"Where in the blazes is Idaho?" She barked at the two knights, who offered shrugs. "No matter. It is time."

She nodded at the messengers, who carried out her proclamations. The Khanate was dead. The Dominion was all that remained. Drawing her sword, Aquila addressed the assembled men.

"MAGGOTS!" She bellowed, and the men roared back in response. The Warlord was popular among the soldiers of Aren for fighting alongside them, as one of them.

"Today marks the last day of the Khanate. You will no longer suffer and bleed because our Khan is a doddering fool who cannot make up his mind. No more will we die on foreign soil for foreigners who won't do the same. Too long Aren has been confined to our peninsula, devoid of the respect that we deserve! NOW LET'S GO KILL THE BASTARDS! TAKE THEIR SKULLS FOR YOUR HARBINGER!" Aquila shouted, pointing her sword at the last two score of militia who had taken up positions in the palace, and were now nervously surveying the ranks of battle hardened men, lead by their General. They were to follow her orders, yet they were also to be loyal to the Khan. They chose the latter.

Aquila's forces threw themselves without mercy at their countrymen, showing the soft militia troops what it was to be a true warrior of Aren. Missiles rained down, and Aquila barely noticed the arrow that buried itself in abdomen. She let loose a blood curdling scream, as she sprinted at the palace guards, her men half a pace behind her, and she threw herself into their ranks. The mixed infantry and archers that composed the palace guards were inexperienced, and definitely not trained for melee combat, and swiftly broken. The Khan's Archers, derisively known as the 'pointy sticks' fled the courtyard and barricaded themselves inside the palace. Aquila stood before the palace's Legionaries, a cluster of green mixed infantry, holding their captain's head in one hand, her sword in the other. Covered in blood, and a maniac fire in her eyes, she was an imposing sight. In almost perfect unison, the men knelt before the Warlord.

"Our spears are yours Warlord." one of them spoke. Aquila grunted, and snapped off the length of the arrow buried in her abdomen. It was at this moment Lord Idaho arrived.

"Where you to bloody absorb all the wounds?" She snarled at the man, and grinned. "The last of the loyalists are barricaded in the palace. We'll dig them out on the morrow." She hissed through gritted teeth, the adrenaline of the fight wearing off and pain flooding back. The healers carted her off to remove the arrowhead.

10-22-18

The rebels, now bolstered by the arrival of Lord Idaho and his fusiliers, and the defection of the Legionaries, hauled up a battering ram to batter down the palace doors. The ram crashed into the doors, and after a few swings, the palace doors splintered and burst open. The men, absent the Warlord, flooded in and made quick work of the besieged archers. However, in the chaos, the fickle Legionaries slipped past the fighting, and barricaded themselves in the throne room, proclaiming themselves loyal to the Khan. Back in camp, Aquila heard the report of the treachery of the surviving Legionaries, and flew into a rage, kicking over cooking pots and stacks of weapons, before being restrained by the healers, lest she tear open her wound.

10-23-18

Axes were brought up, and the doors to the throne room being hacked down, the Warlord herself hacking at the door with an axe. No mercy, no survivors was the order of the day. As the door gave way, the fickle spears of the Legionaries began to thrust through gaps at the attacks. Aquila grabbed one by the shaft and pulled the man into the door. She shouted screamed something incomprehensible, while stabbing the man in the eye with a dagger. Suddenly the doors gave way, and the Warlord's forces pushed through, into the throne room, Usul, Idaho, Myles and Aquila leading the charge. They and their men made quick work of the last of the turn coats and piled their severed heads before the throne. Aquila walked up to the throne, and sat upon it. The Khanate was dead.

[Stabbity]

Aquila watched the assembled forces of Oritolon across the fields of Abaka, and sneered as Ares's unit, misleadingly named Archers, tried to slink away from the battle, but was spotted and corralled back into line. The Harbinger drew her sword, and hefted her meat hook. She thrust her sword in the air and roared,

"SOLDIERS OF THE DOMINION! TIME TO FILL THE BLOOD MOAT!"

The men roared their approval and began bashing their swords on their shields as the enemy blew their horns and began to advance.

"Shields!" Aquila bellowed, and the men locked their shields, in front, and overhead. The box advanced under cover as arrows rained down upon them, and then they were upon their enemy. The formation held, swords scything out from between shields and cutting down the men of Ikriff Puff. They forced their way into the gap, and turned their blades on the men of Blyzaards Stormers, continuing the orgy of killing. The men screamed with a mixture of hate, agony, and ecstasy as they killed their way through the Oritolonese troops. The last time they had taken to the field wit Oritolon, it had been as allies, and they relished the joy of turning on the yellow Oritolonese troops. The Abyssal Rejects was locked into fierce fighting with the special forces of Blyzaards Stormers, and Aquila bellowed,

"Break formation, INTO THEIR BASTARD RANKS!"

And Aquila emerged from the tight tortoise formation, screaming at the top of her lungs as she plunged into the Oritolonese special forces. Her sword whipped to and fro, blooding spurting as she went. She sunk her meat hook into a man's neck, and as the man gurgled, one of the Oritolonese soldiers swung his sword at her head. The blade caught her helmet, sending it tumbling from her head, and leaving a cut across her forehead. Blood running into her eyes she shrieked, lunging with her sword, and running the man through. She flailed her sword about more, dropping men in her path, and the Stormers broke, fleeing before the unchecked rage of the Harbinger.

The Black Cavaliers, seeing a gap in the line, rode into fill the gap, but were unable to gather enough speed for the charge. Out front, Aquila was isolated, and the cavalry descended on the Harbinger. Aquila pulled one man of his saddle, and speared him with her sword, but the blade became trapped in the man, and as she struggled to pull the blade free, her world erupted into a sea of red. An enterprising trooper had scythed down with his saber, opening Aquila's throat. She staggered, and another man ran her through with his company's guidon. Pinned to the ground, Aquila became motionless, limp but still standing.

The men of the Abyssal Rejects paused, seeing their leader with her throat laid open, and pierced clean through by an enemy banner. Both sides paused, and an awkwardness arose over the battle. Then, the young woman twitched, and she pulled herself up a bit, and pulled the spearheaded guidon out the front of her chest.

Aquila Schwarzherzig, Harbinger, Reaver of Aren, Royal of Aren, Duchess of Bzlah-ech'ya, Marshal of the Urban Renewal Committee has been killed by Black Cavaliers (2).

Aquila tried to scream at her attackers, but all she could manage was an awkward gurgle. She thrust the guidon at the man who had slashed her throat, catching him in the face, before ripping it free, the trooper's face exploding in blood. She whirled the captured guidon over her head, smashing the butt into head of the trooper that had impaled her, knocking him from his horse, and as both sides looked on, Aquila stomped the man's head into a bloody ruin.

Aquila circled the corpse, gesturing rudely at her foe, challenging them to attack. The Abyssal Rejects roared triumphantly, and ran to catch up with their commander. The Black Cavaliers, terrified, fled the battlefield. Aquila pumped her fist triumphantly, and began to charge across the field at the last remaining unit on the field, the Blind Specialists. Aquila charged, blinded by blood and hate, when the Oritolonese special forces loosed. A veritable wave of crossbow bolts smashed into Aquila, who staggered and slowed, but kept advancing.

Aquila coughed up blood, and offered the enemy a rude gesture. Five more crossbowmen leveled their crossbows and fired into the form of the Harbinger. She inhaled sharply, and planted the guidon in the ground, leaning heavily upon it.

"Is that all?" She rasped, despite her ruined throat, glaring hate at the Oritolonese troops as they reloaded. Another soldier advanced, and fired his crossbow into the woman, and she finally heaved a final breath, still standing, and clutching a captured guidon. The Black Spears advanced past her, roaring defiance, bringing death to the last of the Oritolonese troops. Even in death, Aquila had lead Aren to victory. But, was this the end?

Aquila Schwarzherzig, Harbinger, Reaver of Aren, Royal of Aren, Duchess of Bzlah-ech'ya, Marshal of the Urban Renewal Committee has been killed by Blind Specialists (3).

[Stabbity]

Aquila received a few challenges for duels to the death while she rested in the middle of the battlefield, undisturbed by man or beast, unmoving, but still standing, gripping her captured standard. She naturally accepted her challenges of course. A silly thing like death wasn't about to quell her lust for killing.

The appointed hour arrived and some Oritolonese soldiers arrived and formed a half circle as the two Oritolonese nobles circled and taunted the unliving form of the Harbinger.

"I guess twice was enough!" One of them shouted. Both nobles had their backs turned on the Harbinger. Then they noticed the looks of pure terror on their men's faces, seconds before the men bolted. Blyzaard turned to find himself staring into the dead, white eyes of Aquila, right next to him. He screamed, and both Oritolonese nobles fled the field in terror.

The dueling officials canceled the duels. Disappointed, Aquila's reanimated corpse wandered off. The last anybody saw of the Harbinger, she was headed into Castle Arak...