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Chapter 15: The Battle Begins
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Key



Joined: 08 Feb 2004
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:51 pm    Post subject: Chapter 15: The Battle Begins  

The story so far: You are Lodevar, the leader of a rebellion of sheephead slaves against their masters, the Bullroar minotaurs. You allied with the merfolk against the Bullroars, but discovered that the merfolk King planned to betray you and allow the Bullroar fleet to pass through to your island base and slaughter your people. You, the mermaid Lalomea, and your advisor Nelectitus, found the island where the merking was hiding his secret son, Lewellyn, who has the same unique form as you. You tried to convince Lewellyn to help, but the Merking returned, took Lewellyn away, and condemned you to death by summoning a storm that would submerge the island.

At the end of the last chapter, you decided to send Lalomea into the sea to find allies.

Petrosian’s chariot sinks beneath the waves near Freehome. For the second time today, your life depends on Lewellyn.

The first was when the Merking cast his curse on you. In twenty-four hours this island will be covered with water, he said. And no sooner than he had uttered those words, the wind picked up and the waves grew.

They grew for hours. And the rain fell and the tide came in and the water covered more and more of the beach, until finally there was no beach left. You retreated inland and sent Lalomea for help. You knew that the island was guarded by merfolk and you might be sending her to capture or even death at her father’s hands, but what else could you do? If she escaped the guards, maybe she’d survive, you thought, even if she couldn’t save your life or the lives of your people.

But she didn’t return, and as the storm grew and the wind whipped the trees like blades of grass, and the rain came down in sheets, forcing you higher and higher, you selfishly regretted sending her out, wanting to have her by your side as you were washed away.

But then a miracle happened: the storm broke, as suddenly as it had started. The clouds parted, the water drained off, and an hour later, Lalomea swam into sight, with a hundred merfolk–and Lewellyn!

You thought that she’d escaped the guards and found help, but quickly she told you that it was Lewellyn who had rescued her and you. He’d rebelled against his father and fought him off, also driving away a giant sea serpent in the battle.

You could hardly believe that the scared little prince you’d met the day before could have been so brave. But Lewellyn did look different –more confident, more serious. Something had changed in him.

And so when he took charge, ordering you and Lalomea and Nelectitus onto his fastest chariot and making for Freehome, you didn’t object. You were both kings now, and the sea was his domain.

But you didn’t stop worrying. You rode so fast to Freehome you left his small army behind. And when you asked him what he had planned, he said that he would convince Petrosian to join his rebellion. From what you knew of Petrosian, that was a long shot. But without any better options, you kept quiet.

When you reached Freehome, you could see the battle: Bullroar warships were sailing to the island. Some had already landed and there was fighting on the beach. You peered ahead from your sea-chariot, trying to make out the defenses, hoping for a glimpse of one of your lieutenants. You were about to ask Lewellyn to bring you closer when Petrosian surfaced in his own chariot.

You don’t know who surprised him more–you, Lalomea, or Lewellyn. But he soon decided that he had nothing to say to you, and he addressed Lewellyn in the strange liquid tongue of the merfolk.

They spoke back and forth for a few minutes. Lewellyn started strong and Petrosian was taken aback, but as they talked Lewellyn seemed to lose his way. Finally, Petrosian spoke low with an expectant smile, and though you knew none of the words, you could tell that he was issuing a challenge, a challenge that he expected to win.

Lewellyn considered, and answered shortly. Then he turned to you and said, “I’m going after Leviathan again. If I can drive it off, Petrosian swears to obey me, and order the army to attack the Bullroars.”

You looked at him with pain in your eyes. Is this our only hope? you thought, that Lewellyn would drive away a sea serpent? And that Petrosian would keep his word? You didn’t know which sounds less likely. But once again you were left with no choice. “May the Makers be with you,” you said to Lewellyn. He looked surprised. “And you too,” he answered.

And with that he climbed into Petrosian’s chariot and dove under the waves.

So now you, Lalomea, and Nelectitus are on a sea-chariot off the shores of Freehome, with a hundred Bullroar ships invading your people’s island. “Take us closer to the beach,” you order the driver. The chariot skims along the sea. Six ships have landed and let loose their troops. The Bullroars have taken the beach and planted the flag of the Golden Bull.

Freehome is hard to conquer. The beach is surrounded by cliffs, and to reach the inside of the island the Bullroars would have to fight their way up through a narrow pass. Your people have barricaded the pass and manned the cliff-tops, and are now throwing rocks and spears onto the Bullroars below.

But the Bull is nothing if not determined. The soldiers have formed squares with their large shields above and in front, and are marching slowly up the pass, each company like a giant turtle protected from the hail by its shell. What discipline! you think. Your people have hearts like fire, but they never learned to march in formation quite like the Bullroars.

More Bullroar ships are on their way, with red sails and golden prows, laden with ladders and war machines, one with a battering ram. Your people are fighting bravely, but even against six ships of Bullroars the battle won’t be easy. Against a hundred they cannot hold the pass.

You look to the cliffs, trying to guess where your friends and lieutenants are. Haman must be at the top, directing the attack. Drogan, who would have built the barricades, is surely defending them. Philos, who always wants to be in the thick of the fight, must be down there too. Your heart burns to think of them fighting without you, especially when you remember the harsh words you traded when you left. You were going to secure the merfolk alliance by marrying Lalomea. You were sure that you were doing the right thing, but they had doubted, and they were right: you should never have trusted the merfolk.

Too late for that. But what must they think now, when the merfolk let the Bullroars pass and you’re not around: maybe that you betrayed them, too, or at least that you were too afraid to stand by them.

You slam your fists together in frustration. If only I could reach them. But there are hundreds of merfolk between you and the barricades. You scan the cliffs. Maybe you could climb them, you think doubtfully. But you’d be exposed and in danger of falling, and who knows how long it would take? The battle might be over by the time you reached the top.

You look back to the sea again. The Bullroar ships are being harried by the merfolk, who thrust their tridents at the hulls and cast nets around the oars and bow. But the hulls are made of sturdy metal and the Bullroars easily cut loose the nets. Could you help the merfolk sink one of the ships? You have your sword, and the sea-chariot. But there are at least a hundred Bullroars on each ship, and you don’t know how much the merfolk will help. As far as you know, until Lewellyn turns the tide, their orders are to feign attack and let the ships pass.

What do you do?

Read the posts below, and click "Reply" to post a suggestion for the Lodevar’s next action. Anyone is welcome to post. You can suggest what he would do based on his personality, what you think he should do based on what would be best, or just in general what seems like a good idea to you. Feel free to comment on other’s suggestions, but please be courteous.

You're also welcome to ask questions about Lodevar's background or about the world of the Wheel.

Update: Poll's up! Scroll down to vote.
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Random
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:42 pm    Post subject:  

You have been too long from your people. Return to them and inspire them to fight on. Inspiration has turned the tide of nearly every major battle. Courage and cause are what your people need right now. Only you can give that to them. Plus it is time to look at some alternate strategies.

For example, perhaps it is time to try and get one of those boats.
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 5:20 pm    Post subject:  

The merfolk soldiers still think they are supposed to pretend to be your allies, so they'll let you pass. They might even offer slight assistance if you insist. I say the only good thing you could do is inspire your army by fighting through their side. Or, since those boats are empty of soldiers right now, you can take them and make them sail towards the other oncoming ones and hopefully crash them. This could buy us some time.
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DeSuFnOc
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:49 am    Post subject:  

I'd say ask Nelectitus for advice but the odds of understanding what he has to say arn't very good. Taking a boat would be a good idea if we had time to spare but it doesn't seem like we do. We must get to the troops in a hurry to aid and inspire them.
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:33 pm    Post subject:  

I think rushing to battle is getting pretty unanimous...
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Key
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:41 pm    Post subject:  

But how are you going to get to them? There are hundreds of Bullroars on the beach, and the Sheepheads are farther up, behind the barricades. Do you want to just land on the beach among the enemy?
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:46 am    Post subject:  

Well, we could always run our empty chariot into the bullroar masses. That would confuse them during a minute or so we could slip in among our people, rally them and battle the bullroars.
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DeSuFnOc
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:19 am    Post subject:  

That would be all well and good for Lodevar he's strong fast and a
very good fighter, but what about Nelectitus maybe it would be
better to leave him on the boat. Think of some other steathy way
onto the beach.

Ok climbing the rock face would take to long
we've gotta find another way up there.
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:18 pm    Post subject:  

Nececlitus (or whatever) could shout LEVIATHAN IS COMING! (which is true), and since he's a centaur and no one except the sheeps know who's side he's on, that would put the bullroars in terror.
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Araex
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Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:52 am    Post subject:  

Only if the Bullroars know about Leviathan. And if they did, the sheep people would also panic. I say we should go round the other side of the island, and come up from there.
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 9:06 am    Post subject:  

ok, whatever, when we gonna have the vote? By the way, the sheepheads wouldn't panic because to them bullroars or leviathan is the same, they got nowhere to run to.
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Key
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Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 10:46 am    Post subject:  

OK, poll's up! Happy voting.

o-)
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DeSuFnOc
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Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:07 pm    Post subject:  

I still don't get why we would want one of their ships? Even if we get one our people are still on the island DIEing
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Smee
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Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 11:06 pm    Post subject:  

I've gone for taking over a ship because:


It seems achievable
The 'ship' would be a good disguise for getting closer to the island to help.
The ship could get closer to the Leviathan to maybe help Lewellyn - if he wins then we get the merpeople help.
The ship could be run on to the beach - smashing and bashing all out the way. What better way to remotivate the soilders than their leader appearing in a Bullroar ship to capture the beach back. Plus it could block up the beach - making it that much harder for the bullroars to land on it.
The ship could have weapons that could be turned on some of the other ships - every little helps.

These may not all be true, but it's worth a vote from me. :D

Good chapter Key :)
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 2:20 pm    Post subject:  

As much as I would like to be like D and run in there by myself screaming, "Away, away!" I don't think that would be the best. Join the ranks of our people, and keep them motivated. The merfolk aren't likely to listen to us without Petrosian or Lewellyn among them.
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DeSuFnOc
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:21 am    Post subject:  

You'd have to get to the island to get a ship, or climb aboard one at sea and have to kill a couple hundred Bullroars.

Lewellyn doesn't need our help Laviathan has some fear of him for some odd reason.

again I bring up the sheepheads are dying while your waisting time with this useless ship.

They need inspiration now not latter, getting to them is best
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:18 pm    Post subject:  

I voted for the ship
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Hyperion
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 4:25 am    Post subject:  

I voted for the island as he may find a strange person/item/thing there... the prophet may say something like "You!" And you will ask "What are you talking about? You know _____?" And the prophet may say "No, but I know of one with ____'s power..."
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Random
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:54 am    Post subject:  

I voted to go for a boat although I see the inherant problems here. This is a perfect opportunity for the merguards to get at you. But it could take a long time finding a way to climb up the cliff face, and landing in the midst of the Bullroars seem likes a foolish choice. I took the choice of less time and higher probability of living. :)
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Key
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:57 pm    Post subject:  

Tied again. I need somebody to break the tie before I can write the next chapter.

The ship or the cliff...the ship or the cliff... thinks Lodevar. o-)
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:18 pm    Post subject:  

Ties looks broken. Curses, too late to do anything. :cool: All I have to do now is wait.
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Hyperion
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 3:37 am    Post subject:  

Oh, no. OH, NO. Oh, no. OH, NO. Oh, no. OH, NO!
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Mother Goose
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Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:09 am    Post subject:  

I made it more definite. Smee convinced me that seizing a ship is the only practical choice, and even that's pretty iffy. But finding a way up (if there is one) would take too long, and fighting through the Bullroar army all by himself seems impossible.
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Hyperion
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:13 am    Post subject:  

I really think that we should go with the island... please listen to me people..
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Smee
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:46 am    Post subject:  

We are listening Hyperion, but you're not giving any reasons ;)
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Hyperion
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:05 am    Post subject:  

I gave them before. They can seek help on the island ina hidden nook or cranny. However, if they capture a ship, they will probably, after engaging in a fierce battle with the ship's guard, be shot down by their own men!
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Hyperion
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:08 am    Post subject:  

I gave them before. They can seek help on the island ina hidden nook or cranny. However, if they capture a ship, they will probably, after engaging in a fierce battle with the ship's guard, be shot down by thier own men!
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Smee
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:35 am    Post subject:  

Quote: help on the island ina hidden nook or cranny

What help is currently hiding in a cranny? Some minature army perhaps?

The island doesn't offer us help...besides it's almost impossible to get there :

Quote: But there are hundreds of merfolk between you and the barricades. You scan the cliffs. Maybe you could climb them, you think doubtfully. But you’d be exposed and in danger of falling

The ship is not much better, but still offers that slightly better hope. :)
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Hyperion
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:08 pm    Post subject:  

Don't be ridiculous Smee. I meant that there could be a wise hermit or maybe a squad of Bullroars scaling the cliff face: " You see a squad of Bullroar soldiers scaling the cliff face, far above you. They wear black, strangely bulky robes in place of the normal armor that would reflect the light making them a beacon for miles around... The King is ever more intelligent then you thought... You must figure out a way to stop them!
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 1:00 pm    Post subject:  

Smee, you forgot to mention Hyperion appears to have twins. :D On to the point of your recent post, Hyperion, you're putting a lot of hope in there being somebody or groups of somebodys in these caves. But your optimist I say, and Smee and myself seem to be the pessimists.
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Hyperion
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:32 pm    Post subject:  

Oh, come on. Chances are that, if someone gives you an island, there has to be something on it... maybe there is a being that the mermen fear...
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:01 pm    Post subject:  

Well we already know that they fear the Leviathon...and Lewellyn has gone after it. Maybe Lodevar will find the two battling, who knows? Or even better we find the remnants of an old sea village before the merpeople moved below the waves.
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Guest
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:08 pm    Post subject:  

Hyperion has a point- after this battle, Freehome will no longer be safe, the merfolk could have something hidden about it. OR they don't, they just gave the island randomly since they don't use the islands anyway.
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Guest
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:21 pm    Post subject:  

- D-Lotus
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Hyperion
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:07 pm    Post subject:  

Well, they stuck Lewellyn on an island, didn't they?
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Ravenwing
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:21 pm    Post subject:  

Hyperion wrote: Well, they stuck Lewellyn on an island, didn't they?

But Lewellyn was different. Unlike the rest of his kind, he had legs to walk on. I am sure the merfolk make use of the islands, but it would seem they prefer underwater trenches as prisons. Did they not put Lewellyn in one those later on in the story?
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Hyperion
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:30 am    Post subject:  

Doesn't mean that there aren't mutants... like sheepheads that have human faces and sheep bodies...
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D-Lotus
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:27 pm    Post subject:  

This is stupid. It doesn't matter because the ships won anyway, too late to change it.
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Shady Stoat
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:03 am    Post subject:  

Just to add my voice to the hubbub,

I went with the ships because it's a concrete gain. I don't think you can afford to go with wishful thinking when you're a leader. There might be assets that we don't know about, there might be a whole troop of tap-dancing pigs, but there is a ship :-D
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Hyperion
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:36 pm    Post subject:  

*mutters**muttermutterstupidmuttermutterdancingmuttermutterconcretemuttermutterpigsmuttermutter*
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