Garrol's Fall

Rainard leaned against an ogre corpse, using it's back as something to rest against, his brown eyes following the other Legionairres about as they settled in for the night. He smirked, his black moustache and beard curling up in amusement as he watched a couple drunken fellows dancing with a Genlock body, "Keep that up and you'll fall for that one and if yer do, take er ta the tunnels. I ain't got a stomach fer that." He guffawed.

*Garoll was drinking as he usually did, sitting atop the dead ogre, with a full flask of Dwarven ale at his hip, and another in his hand. He hiccupped. "Sodding hot down there, eh Rainard?" He asked his second in command. He scratched his chin through his blazing orange beard that was tied up in messy queues.

*"Near a furnace, Garoll." He said back with a snort, keeping a beer in hand but slowly drinking it. He was not as rowdy as most but he was a damn good fighter, "Next time we tell em ta move along to a cooler area. This is sodding crappy. I'm soaking my pits with this freaking heat."

*Garoll grunted an acknowledgement through his flask as he took a long swig of the swill. "Yeah. Sodding terrible camp ground." He muttered and slid off the Ogre's stomach, hiccupping again. "Alright lads!" He shouted and his company stood at attention (as best as they could, they were all kind of drunk). He wiped a hand across his forehead to get rid of the sweat. "Lights're out. We'll be moving again tomorrow. I want Targ and Yancy on guard duty, the rest of ya's sleep for a few hours and take shifts for night watch as usual."

*Rainard nodded and stood, "Meeting I take it?" He snorted at the lads as they started getting ready for sleep. He knew the drill even if he'd only been in the Legion almost four years and gone up the lines pretty darn fast to become Garoll's second in command. Planning the next route would be the next move.

*He nodded, gathering his two other officers as they discussed where to move next. "The Darkspawn are retreating back into the Deep Roads, which means we'll need to be extra sodding careful." He grunted, he figured there was a Blight up topside due to the decreased number of Darkspawn for over two years. Now that they were coming back, he knew that his men wouldn't live much longer.

"The Darkspawn will be coming in droves once again, so we'll need to force the bastards back into the sodding pits. There's a bridge about a day's march from here."

*He pointed to the makeshift map he drew on the ground. "We'll take that bridge and hold it. It's just outside Helmi Thaig."

*The concept seemed good enough but he still thought it over very carefully, "Sending for backup this time or still a loner run? They're gonna sodding be crazy with their own reinforcements and we have quite a few injured." He had no problem with fighting but he also liked at least a semblance of a chance to get out, "And what about here and here?" He pointed at two corners, "Perfect pincer spots from the Darkspawn. We'll have to reinforce them or set up ballistas."

*Garoll nodded. "Yeah, we'll be needing backup for this one. Commander Nissia's forces are nearby, probably closer to the bridge than we are so we can meet up with them. The problem is, if the Darkspawn destroy that bridge, we will not be able to get back, but if we destroy it ourselves without having anyone atop it...Well, the Darkspawn are terrible at climbing walls." He grinned. "Sodding terrible. They'd be trapped in that sodding hole forever. As for the corners, Ballistae would be a sodding great idea. We would also need three men by each to man them properly in case one gets offed by an arrow."

*"Sounds like a plan to me. There should be an officer stationed near the ballistas to keep the men hyped an on their toes. Y'know how these lads sometimes like to slack and ferget it ain't no game." He snorted, "The Commander?" He smiled. He liked her maybe a bit too much, "Ah. Lookin' forward to rejoining her. Hope she ain't got nothin bad from her last campaign. I could use a good relax after this one."

*He snorted a laugh. "Hah. You wish, bub," He clapped a hand on Rainard's shoulder. "Hard to picture "Gore Fiend" Nissia under a pup like you." He chuckled. "As for the officers, Yes, if we meet up with her group, we'd have enough to boost the morale.

*He laughed heartily and clapped Garoll on the shoulder, "She likes em young and hearty, maybe a bit stupid so she can feel superior. You know how she likes ta take command's everythin." He winked, "An' I mean everythin'. There'd be much morale then. Them gals are ball busters. I'm sure the men in her platoon are useful to them."

*Garoll chuckled. "Alright, alright...weird ass sodding pup." He shook his head and stood up. "Alright, get some rest lady and gents. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

*Rainard grinned and went off to his own bedroll, flopping into it and closing his eyes to sleep.

*Garoll also went to his bedroll and blew the candle out, plunging his area of the camp into pitch blackness. Only Dwarves and Darkspawn could see well in the darkness.

*The next day, Garoll called his men out to start marching and they set out for Helmi Thaig

*He scratched his beard while burping and looked at Garoll, "Quiet night. Not sure I like that."

He shook his head. "Quiet nights give me the sodding chills. Even to this day." He muttered and hiked up his shield to wear it on his back, and checked to see that his sword was clear in its scabbard at his hip, and started moving.

He snorted. "I'll get her for that someday when I find 'er." He grunted, remembering being robbed by a noble hunter in the street.

*He chuckled, "Eh ... never been so easy as ta be oughta that mess. Ye ain't got no place when they ditch ya fer somethin' easier ta handle. Never understood stuff like that."

*He shrugged. "I dunno. People are sodding weak minded sometimes." He sighed. "I think I'm going to retire soon." He muttered.

*"Really? That's a buncha nugwash and you know it. You'll be here for years yet, my friend." He watched the side tunnels carefully, "Did ja see dat warden and her group a while back?"

*He shrugged. "Nah. I hear they ran into Fang's group about a day from the Anvil." He sighed. "Man, we could have used some sodding golems to help us down here."

*He nodded, "Aye they'd'a come in handy. Still would. I wonder if they actually found it all and did somethin'. I saw em for a moment before we came out but just a quick look, y'know."

*He nodded slowly. "Yeah...what did you think, eh?" He took a swig from his flask as he walked.

*"Nice ass on da leader of em. She's a Dwarf lass, castless and short. Tough little thing they said. There were some guy with a shield and Oghren was with em an a Golem."

*He blinked in surprise. "Oghren? That old sodder's still breathing?" He chuckled. "Fool never joined us. He would have made a great Legionnaire."

*"Yeh he could'a done good with us but he ain't innerested in anythin' but Branca. Branca Branca Branca. Y'ed think she were still boppin his brains out then again guess he'd not get laid since she ran off on him."

*He snorted. "I heard he was snoggin' with that bar maid Felsi when Branka left for the Anvil."

*"Felsi? Heck, I'd tried to snog that one if'n she weren't taken to flyin' ta tha sky."

*He grunted. "Aye, she were a fine catch." He scratched his chin again. "Yeah. I heard my own family died back during the riots in the streets during the Bhelan/Harrowmont skirmishes."

*He shrugged. "I was dead anyway, so... Nothing to miss really. They're returned to the Stone."

*He shrugged, "Ain't had no parents for a long time so don' know no more what it be like. Take it mine wen't somere."

*He shrugged. "Well, I'm sorry about that then." He climbed up a steep slope and helped others get up. "We're about an hour away from Nissia's company."

*"Hope she's stuck about. She coulda gotten bored and wanted to kill em all before we get there."

*He snorted. "She wouldn't leave me out of a good blood bath. She knows me too well."

*He laughed, "I'm sure she would know better then. You ain't the type to just walk around picking up pieces."

*He shrugged. "Unless by pieces you mean Darkspawn ears." He had made it a bit of a sport for his group to collect the left ears off defeated Darkspawn

*"True enough."

*After about an hour, true to his word, they could smell campfires nearby. Garoll lead them into the camp of Commander Nissia's company, one of the best Legionnaires in the Deep Roads.

*Rainard smiled as they got into the camp, bowed his head slightly at the Commander and stood right beside Garoll, waiting for what was to come with their discussions.

*Nissia greeted the two of them. She was stocky for a female but still had the appropriate curvature. She greeted Garoll as usual by a punch to the jaw with her gauntleted hand, staggering him back a couple paces. "You're sodding late, Stonebrach!" She snarled at him with a grin. He spat a tooth and some blood out and grinned in kind. "Sorry, darlin'. Shouldn't have taken that left turn at Ortan Thaig." He said.

She then greeted Rainard by groping a hand between his legs. "Nice to see you too, Rainard."

*The younger man smirked at the friendly friendship between Garoll and Nissia then grinned with pleasure as she groped him, "Likewise, Nissia. What's the timing like about here." He put a hand on her hip, staring into her eyes hungrily, hoping she'd say they had some time to spare for a one on one session of fun.

*She gave him a none-too gentle squeeze. "Don't call me that. It's Nissia you twat." then she shoved him backwards. "We're leving in an hour. My group's preparing provisions for the journey."

*"Hmm. You didn't mind it last time." He hazarded jokingly even if her squeeze had hurt a bit. He certainly refused to show it as much as it did, "Too bad. At least we'll have some excitement."

*Garoll smirked. "By the Stone, Rainard. She's got you tagged."

*He snorted, "Of course. If she was willing to tag you wouldn't you take a swing at it?"

*He chuckled and offered his flask to Rainard. "I like my pacakge too much for her to rip em off. She's strong enough to."

*Rainard drank back, gave the flask to Garoll and smirked, "If she likes you enough she leaves em intact for future use."


*He chuckled. "Comforting." He spat some more blood out. Then he headed into her camp

*He followed along with a grin. He liked his women tough these days. It helped him get his adrenaline going and brought him much more excitement, even though he seldom showed it outwards with all the others but with a strong, dominating woman he could.

*Garoll greeted some of the other company and drank with them as they prepared to leave. Nissia was staring out into the darkness beyond, seperated from the camp.

*Rainard watched everything going on and then quietly followed Nissia into the darkness, watching for where she was headed.

*She looked over her shoulder to him, and offered a small smile. "Hello, Captain"

*"Hello Commander. Any ... commands for me?" He grinned.

*She smirked. "Yeah, gear up. No sex for you tonight."

*He put his hands out to his side, "Already geared up, Commander. So what are we doing out here? If you need thought time I'll leave you be."

*"Just looking out at the path, Captain." She brushed her fingers through her graying black hair.

*"Anything interesting or just some feeling?" He watched her lazily.

*"Just a bad feeling." She muttered. "Something bad's going to happen."

*He nodded, "Just what we need with them massing. Have you seen anything, a dream or some such, or just gut wrenching feeling?"

*She shrugged. "Just a gut feeling, and my gut feelings are never wrong." She said and walked towards the camp.

*Rainard watched the area for a few more moments, sighed under his breath then followed her back.

Back at camp, the rest of the men were swapping drink and stories, Garoll was telling what would have been an impossible story if it were anyone else but him, about his taking on of a whole nest of Darkspawn by himself, having been cut off from his unit that day.

"I was soddin' bleeding from beard to toe, not just my own sodding blood, but the blood of them blackhearted uglies." He said with swooping hand gestures.

"Thats what I looked like when my squad found me, an' the first thing they said was 'Yeah, you look good in red, chief.'" He barked a laugh after that and took a long swig of his drink

"That's acuz you did." Rainard chuckled as he leaned against a wall, "Yer one stubborn mister. So ... what else do we know about what's around this section. I don' think I've been about this part o' the mazes for long."

Nissia smirked, as did Garoll. "These tunnels lead to where the Archdemon was uncovered for the Blight. It means it's crawling with the bleeders." She said. "It also means we get to fight a hell of a battle and show those black beasts who's boss."

He nodded, "Sounds like a run. Should give everyone quite a rush and work out." The fighter rolled his shoulders then stretched, "Well, it won't be long now."

Nissia nodded. Garoll shrugged. "We'll make it. We're the best of the Legion."

Rainard looked back at them, "I meant it won't be long until we get to fight. Ye think I'm a pansy?"

"I dunno, the way you shy away from the bathin' makes us all wonder..." Garoll smirked

He guffawed, "You all know I like scaring the Darkspawn away with the charming scentsations of real man!"

Garoll chuckled and Nissia rolled her eyes but grinned. "Yes, you do -exhude- manliness." She mocked.

He winked at her, "Of course. Not sure but I think the boys are getting a bit antsy." His jaw pointed towards a couple of men who were fighting a bit more rambunctiously than normal as both were rivals who were vying for the same woman, "Think it's your turn to keep the Darkspawn fodder high."

Nissia growled and stormed off to the two combatting Dwarves. "Hey! Save the cock comparison for the Darkspawn! I will not have in fighting in my unit!" She shouted at them, and proceeded to slam a gauntleted fist into each of their cheeks.

Rainard crossed his arms and grinned, glancing down at Garoll, "Don't you love seeing someone else tear a new one on idiots like that. It gives a good feeling of accomplishment ... not as good as when you wipe them up yourself but still fun."

Garoll nodded, grinning. "She's a real firebrand, that's no mistake." He chuckled. "Wouldn't want to get on her bad side."

"Not at all." He agreed calmly, "Where to after this one, Garoll? We've ... " He looked towards the path he and Nissia had been in and growled, "They're early."

Garoll placed a hand on his sword. "After this...we move towards the aforementioned spot, fight that horde, kill em, pack up and go back to our usual haunting ground."

"Sounds good to me." He got out his own weapons and rushed forward, yelling an attack as he slashed into the first Darkspawn, slashed it with both swords and jumped onto it's chest, felling it under his feet as he took out two more.

He nodded slowly and walked towards a bunch of Darkspawn and drew his longsword and shield, then threw himself into battle. The rest of the two companies went to arms and joined the fight.

Rainard got into the fight with all his being, slashing, cutting and ripping apart his opponents. He got hit here or there but nothing horrible.

Darkspawn, Darkspawn and more Darkspawn. The blighters never stopped moving towards the companies of Legionnaires. Garoll grunted and slammed on forward, breaking a Genlock's neck with his shield. He beheaded another in one motion of his sword.

There were so many of them that Rainard wondered where they were coming from and for what reason. Usually there would be at least a break but he didn't mind so much, except when he watched a Legionaire chopped in half, removed from their ranks. He fought like a madman, yelling and hacking, slicing and dicing, his body in motion like nothing normal. Rainard shifted his weight as an ogre came forth, stomping on it's comrades as it rushed ahead. The younger Dwarf sprinted up it and went for the throat, chopping open it's neck.

Garoll watched his second in command take an Ogre on by himself. He figured the lad could handle it and he himself focused on a crowd of Darkspawn, whom he simply put of their misery with a wide sweep of his blade, hacking off their heads or limbs, or wounding them severely. Black blood soaked his stout, armored body as he plummeted into the fray further.

Rainard used his curved sword to rip through the ogre's throat once more then jumped off it and onto a Hurlock's head, crushing it's skull as he swung his straight blade to hack through another. He was fast with his strikes and was soon back beside his commander, "It's non-stop, Garoll. Should we back off or are we to take our spot no matter what?"

"There has to be an end! Keep fighting! Send the blighters home in pieces!" He cheered down to his company and the pushed even harder, eventually forcing the Darkspawn back.

The laugh was almost manic in viciousness, "You are such a hardass nug fucker, you know that?" He continued to slice away as well.

Garoll laughed with Rainard. Meanwhile on Nissia's side of the conflict, she was fighting harder than ever, the Darkspawn had nearly taken them completely by surprise. "Keep going! We need to regroup with Garoll's men!"

There was a craziness in Rainard's actions and part of that was due to knowing how badly Nissia's crew was situated. He wanted to get her and have the three of them beat this back together but it wasn't working that way, not yet. Dark lightning flashed from his curved sword, a feature he'd never used before. It took down more Darkspawn in one shot than he and Garoll could have taken in that moment.

Garoll blinked in disbelief. "What the sodding hell was that!?"

Rainard swore under his breath, "Feature of my sword. I normally don't need that."

Garoll's eyes widened. "Use it more often, damnit! We're getting killed out here!'

"Using it." He said as he pointed his other sword at some other Darkspawn, freezing them in spot, "Uh yeh ... this one too."

Garoll grunted. Must have been rune crafting. He returned to the fight, working his way to Nissia's company.

They continued through, Rainard's swords being a help until the energy seems to have run out and the Dwarf was breathing heavy.

Nissia's troops were doing well, lasting long enough for Garoll's company to reach them. By then the Darkspawn had been held off long enough for the smelling beasts to retreat.

Rainard got to Nissia's side, trying not to show any weariness from using the swords but he did lean against a post.

Nissia blinked over at Rainard. "What do you want? Were you expecting me to throw myself at my rescuers?'

He snorted, "You're more likely to chop off a guy's balls if they give you even the slightest idea that's what they thought."

She barked a laugh then kissed Rainard. "Thanks handsome." Garoll smirked and then turned to see if there were any remaining darkspawn.

Rainard kissed her back only as much as she wished and looked towards where Garoll was looking, "They seem to be regrouping." He growled.

Nissia broke the kiss and put her helmet back on. She stood beside Garoll with Rainard. Garoll grunted. "Yeah. Probably at the bridge I told ya about."

"Probably." Rainard rubbed the back of his fingers against Nissia's cheek tenderly then walked forward, "I'll check the troops."

Garoll nodded and started scouting ahead of the others to see how far the Darkspawn were going. He followed them for a few hours.

Rainard got the troops together, checking out the area as he did so then went after Garoll to help him.

Garoll was on his way back when he found Rainard. "Yeah, they're headed to the Thaig." He grunted and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Ah fun." He growled, "Time to get the troops."

He nodded and headed back. "We've got to think of this carefully. Shit can get bad pretty sodding quick if we ain't careful" Garoll said, Nissia nodded in agreement. "Aye. We need to hold that bridge at all costs."

"Aye so how to hold the bridge. We've lost quite a few of our troops but ..." Rainard looked about, "Do we have oil? I thought I saw some sodding barrels about before."

Nissia nodded. "Aye, we've oil we make torches out of. We can use that to mine the bridge, you think?"

He sniggered, "We can and we won't even need to get close to blow em."

They both nodded. "Alright, we'll gather barrels and start mining the bridge, then get archers to light it up."

Rainard started off to get the troops to do as they needed.

It took some time, but they finally completed their task. Garoll was preparing the archers to fire their flame arrows at the oil-soaked bridge.

"Wait until they show?" Rainard asked as he pointed his sword at the barrels at the end of the soaked area.

He nodded. And an hour later, Darkspawn started to come out of the darkness and charge the bridge. When they were in the appropriate spot, Garoll ordered the arrows to fire.

As the arrows started to fly and the first round of Darkspawn passed the barrels, Rainard pointed his sword and let loose black electricity which blew the barrels.

A huge explosion rocked the bridge but the sturdy construction stayed where it was while Darkspawn were thrown into the black abyss below. Garoll then signalled the charge to stop any getting through the inferno. He lead the charge, slamming right into an Ogre Alpha.

Rainard was not far behind Garoll, slashing and using his swords in the magical manners as well but being careful not to overdo his stamina, knowing that it would not be good for him to lose control of his ability to fight.

Garoll took a bad hit from the Alpha, the wind knocked out of him. It also looked painful as he staggered back. Then the Ogre threw another fist at Garoll, sending him hurtling over the bridge and into the dark depths below.

The younger Dwarf yelled at the Alpha, bringing his swords in for a double sweep, gutting the creature but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the Ogre. It slashed at Rainard's chest, pushing him back against the wall of the bridge. As the other fist came down, Rainard moved but the hit on the ground smashed the bridge in that spot and they both tumbled through. As Garoll fell he could see the two falling then the air seemed to shimmer around Rainard and a hawk flew away from the area, screeching and looking about through the din.

And then blackness. Garoll had been knocked unconscious.