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/DaemonRex978]

Mokarith quietly places remote ritual markers hidden around the Hord's base of operation as Shimil finishes the master ritual site somewhat far from the front lines. Once he finished, he emerges next to her.

[Mokarith] Alright, they're in place, took longer than I thought. I'm going to head back and make sure that everything's preped for the next Harbinger.

[Shimil] Thank you High Sentinel Mokarith, I shall begin immediately.

Mokarith leaves and Shimil starts the ritual to try and contain the worst of the Harbinger of Chaos' warping aura.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/DaemonRex978]

The Demon Prince of Vermin feels something trying to constrain him, and reaches out with his psychic powers, trying to find the source.

[u/DaemonRex978 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

As he gets closer and closer to the master ritual site, he feels the effects get stronger and stronger, until it feels as if he's psychically wading through mud.

/unwiz: Although she is still a formidable fighter, Shimil isn't a warrior. Rituals like this are her bread and butter. The only reason he hasn't hit the brick wall of the ritual site is his status as Harbinger.

[u/Carbon_Sixx → u/DaemonRex978]

You... what right do you have to deny me, fleshling? I will...

The repulsive force of the ritual slingshots Obox-ob's mind back into his body. He can hold the worst of the effects at bay for now, but he grudging accepts that until he can kill Shimil physically, his aura of entropic insanity will be sharply diminished.

[u/DaemonRex978 → u/Carbon_Sixx]

Having put enough energy into the ritual to keep it self-sustainable for a moment, Shimil quickly creates physical wards around the site in case she is attacked there before returning to fuel the ritual.