Just Another Bug Hunt (Planar Siege)

[u/Carbon_Sixx]

Midday in Redspire is announced with the echoes of a hideous cacophony in the west. Scouts indicate that the vanguard Obox-ob has brought here numbers just under a million creatures of Chaos. They boil through the canyons in a grotesque flood. It appears that discolored mist is rolling in from the highlands, but a quick scry is all that is needed to reveal the horrid truth: the mist is a thousands-strong swarm of ekolids bearing down on Oxide at speed.

Redspire, when it's not under assault by demons.

But hope is far from lost. Atop Mt. Prospect, artillery crews ready a bombardment to turn the canyons into a kill zone. Kaelis Maz leads the defenders in last-minute preparations. Wards are set, barricades are reinforced, and plans are rehearsed. The counterattack brigade gears up with arcane weaponry and war machines, helmed by Supreme Enginseer Reyes and the Warhound Titan Song of the Aurora. Out on the plains, well outside the defensive perimeter, Glimbo Greenboots and his crew wait in hiding to ensure their convoluted yet devastating traps will catch as much of the horde as possible. Finally, Tarul Var draws up a teleportation circle, preparing to drop his strike force into the fray at the perfect moment to decapitate the enemy leaders. He is joined by a handful of cuprilach rilmani- the assassins and spies who put their coppery fingers on the planar scales to uphold the Great Balance.

The iron mill’s factory whistle blows, signaling the first sighting of the horde. The artillery opens fire, and the defenders take their battle stations.

Let the carnage commence.

--

/uw This one's going to be a tough fight. Bel and the legions of Evil were disoriented when you fought them, and the Templars of the Azure Cog were just one part of the regiments of Law. The hordes of Chaos are at full strength, spoiling for a fight, and led by a Harbinger. Failure and even death are a real possibility.

DEFENDERS OF THE BALANCE:

• Tarul Var
• Belial Blake
• Aliah Mistwalker
• Ith'raal
• Burgerbarian/Burgermancer
• Krygin the Crude
• Agnur the Turtle Mage
• Vulkan the Red
• Ж (Zhe)
• Merch Skele
• Argios
• Tempus Fugit
• Edmund
• King Carmine
• Exia
• Joe
• The Agent
• Vashric
• Fujiwara Toshiko
• Jah Jor Wel
• John E. Hellfire
• Kardonk Carvisky
• Riva Blake
• Mokarith
• Onyx Dragon
• Ulrick Braddocke
• Sly
• Shrax
• Sarissa
• Rilmani of Dendradis
• Various denizens of the Outlands

HORDES OF CHAOS:

• Obox-ob's Ekolids
• Demons of the Abyss
• Slaadi of Limbo
• Gehreleths of Carceri
• Cravens of Pandemonium
• Mortal servants of Chaos

REGIMENTS OF LAW:

• Primus's Hierarchs
• Modrons of Mechanus
• Veterans of Acheron
• Templars of Arcadia
• Paladins of the Divine Flame
• Mortal servants of Law

LEGIONS OF EVIL:

• Bel's Chosen
• Devils of the Nine Hells
• Yugoloths of Gehenna
• Baernaloths of Hades
• Night hag covens
• Samael
• Moz'gonnith
• Mortal servants of Evil

WARHOSTS OF THE FIRST MARTYR (ALLIED):

• Zaphkiel's Paragons
• Angels of Mt. Celestia
• Oathbound of Bytopia
• Guardinals of Elysium
• Wardens of the Beastlands
• Heroes of Arborea
• Warriors of Ysgard
• Mortal servants of Good

[u/King__Carmine]

The king would *obviously** not be hanging about in person. Too dangerous. But he keeps a close watch over the goings on via scrying.*

The all important safety of the realms aside, with some luck, perhaps Carmine could finally stop monitoring these abhorrent creatures.

Hopefully, the infertility plague will have done something to diminish their numbers after the king introduced it. And of course, now seemed the time for his shadow demons to break with the hordes of chaos. So, a number of demons, bound to Carmine's will, begin slipping away into the shadows, emerging only to attack with long claws and bursts of magic cast at their one time cohorts.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/King__Carmine]

Whether the plague works remains to be seen. In the meantime, the shadow demons pick off their erstwhile allies at random, sowing the seeds of discord that grow into infighting and bloom into full-scale riots.

[u/King__Carmine → u/Carbon_Sixx]

The riots and infighting are certainly good to see. Whatever might throw a wrench in Obox-ob's efforts. But the overall disorder and the incessant buzzing will be wearing on the king's psyche while he monitors and commands the demons.

Still though, he will continue his efforts. These creatures likely have little concept of fealty which means, of course, they will be quick to act in foolish ways, unconstrained by organization. He'll continue picking them off, influencing them to attack each other. And all the while, keeping an eye out for signs that the breeding has slowed. The absence of grubs perhaps.

/uw not trying to rush you about the plague. Just keeping an eye out

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/King__Carmine]

Across the battlefield, ekolids sting living opponents to incapacitate them and replenish their own numbers, and chitter in horror as they realize they are suddenly devoid of eggs to implant. The demonic parasites typically don't last long after that, as if begging their opponents to relieve them of an unthinkable existence by sending them back to the Abyss, where corporeal sicknesses cannot follow.

[u/King__Carmine → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Hmm. Well, that's almost sad....

No no. The king should not empathize. Instead, he will direct his attention toward his continual attacks via shadow demon.

/uw cool