Rumble Strike

"Great shooting, Captain! Henry Hinckwell chose well when he led us to you! I think you should both focus on Cannon A whilst we have the Monk's Guardian Angel with us. Without any archers or maintenance crew we can hopefully whittle the cannons down without taking much more damage. U'Voros, take a rest, I will help Daneeka with the machine. Battle Order Monk Pretzel Monk Pretzel Captain Lane Captain Lane Tarn Valco U'Voros (does nothing)

"You are right," agreed Tarn, modifying his strategy. "If you can use the weapon, Helbaerend may be yours for the right price. It s a fine weapon, with me since my first Quest, and the hollow blade added by the glass blowers shoppe in Eubric. Very handy in a battle."

OOC: Thanks Zeph, I appreciate you doing that Tarn uses a Nostrum on Captain Lane whilst asking U'Voros to help Daneeka again, all in the back row. "Captain Lane, can you concentrate your fire on Cannon B, back row, and if Hastened then Cannon C, back row?" Battle Order Monk Pretzel Monk Pretzel Tarn Captain Lane Captain Lane (if Hastened) U'Voros

Tarn was very glad to see the Monk's Guardian Angel appear. "U'Voros, please help Daneeka with the machine again, whilst I use a Nostrum on Pretzel. Captain Lane, can you fire at Cannon A from the back row please?" Battle Order Tarn Monk Pretzel Monk Pretzel Captain Lane U'Voros Edit - Zeph can we still use this, I wouldn't have wanted Tarn to do nothing. If not, I understand, but I swear I just took a long time with the post and did not see you update.

OOC: Did you roll twice for Tarn, as he is Lucky? From the combat it doesn't look that way.

"I get now what you are planning. Atramor and Arthur would be proud. Very well, follow my hit on Cannon A with one of your own."

"We need to engage the cannons, even though we have no real hope of destroying them initially, otherwise they will be free to blow holes in this ship. I do not see the point in you taking on Cannon A with me when that leaves Cannon C free to shoot at us."

This was all new to Tarn, the sheer scale of the battle was daunting but he knew he must protect those he had sent down below. As he barked out orders, he thought of Atramor calling the shots in his previous Quest, and wished he had his friend here to help him through this. He put that thought away and focused. "U'Voros, can you help Daneeka with the machine (back row?), as you have no ranged weapons that can help us here. I will attack Cannon A from the back row using the Unlucky Horseshoe, in the hopes that I can ravage all our foes and Jinx them. I am Lucky at the moment so there is a chance. Captain Lane, can you attack Cannon B from the back row. Monk Pretzel, if you could do the same against Cannon C, then those are the 3 heavy hitters we need to make sure we aren't allowing free hits from, or this ship is doomed." Battle Order Tarn Monk Pretzel Monk Pretzel Captain Lane U'Voros Old Bonaparte Ship OOC: Zeph, Tarn should have 8 SP, not 6. And I wasn't sure if the ship needed to go in the battle order or not?

OOC: Is Tarn not allowed to use the Unlucky Horseshoe because in this battle it wouldn't be 'retrievable'? Does that mean the only ranged weapons we have at our disposal are Pretzel's Flying Cross broomstick and Captain Lane's cannon?

OOC: I imagine it would fit in a lifeboat, Tarn was able to carry it from the Doc's lab. "I don't know how to save the Princess, U'Voros!" shouted Tarn, "Arthur will look after her. We need to get this machine onto the lifeboat!" he says, indicating that the U'Kin should help himself and Pretzel get it onto a lifeboat.

Tarn frowned as Pretzel relayed what he saw. "Sounds like trouble is approaching, then. Everyone, be on your guard!"

Tarn smiled grimly. "If they are pirates, they have picked the wrong ship to try to board. Do we have any cannons?"

"He seems a reasonable fellow, based on what we have seen of him thus far," remarked Tarn in response to the captain. "Ella trusts him, and her judgement is always sound." He turns to Monk Pretzel. "Did you truly not wish to go down to the depths? I appreciate you staying here, but I worry for them. Not knowing what is happening is difficult."

You don't need to when some fool runs in with a rather large bomb!

Tarn races to the side of the boat to try to see the Princess and Arthur as they descend in their bubble. "Stay safe, my love," he whispers, his words dancing on the crest of the waves.

Tarn nodded. In his time with Heroica he had been the party leader several times, and each time they had succeeded in their Quest. This had given him a focus, a belief in the job he was hired to do. He had no real way to articulate that to the monk. Thinking carefully, still downcast that he would not see the bottom of the ocean, he took out a Phoenix Essence and handed it to Arthur. "Take this, in case you have any... Difficulties. Find this lost book and fulfill the quest. The princess... You have to take care of her."

That was a really hard decision for Tarn to make!

Tarn's face was a picture of doubt and confusion as he listened to Arthur's words. "I appreciate you putting forth your ideas in such a civilised manner. You are truly a gentleman, unlike many I have known. Likewise Monk Pretzel. Neither of you are slow in giving your opinions, you have mind to speak, yet you do not force your beliefs upon others." He paused, sighed, and continued, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he knew Ella was also listening. "I would love to go down to the bottom of the sea with the Princess. By now, I am sure you know how I feel about her, and to be together in a bubble, down in the depths of the ocean - I can think of no greater wonder, nor person I would want to share it with. But this is not about me and her, it is about fulfilling the Quest and finding this lost book. Arthur, I do not pretend to know anything about the ways of Ether, but I know you are a resourceful and capable hero. You will be able to keep the Princess safe, and have more tricks up your sleeve than me if anything goes wrong. Therefore you shall go with Ella, and I know you will carry out your duty to keep her safe."

Tarn nods at the monk as he decides to stay on the ship. He glances at Ella, then at Arthur, a serious look on his face. He speaks earnestly and with conviction. "Arthur, I would really like to do this for Ella. I have flown way up in the sky on an airship, so the inky depths hold no fear for me. With your leave, I will be the second person in the bubble."

"I know that the past is a prison with no escape, if you let it claim you. That is why I try to live in the moment. But unlike the rest of us, you, dear Ella, you must always live partly in the future too." Tarn smiled at Ella again, more wistfully this time. "I have monopolised your time, princess. Apologies. My companions may wish to talk to you also." Tarn bowed, with a glint in his eye, and stepped away from the princess. He stood by a railing, and watched the sea being cut through by the ship.

OOC: I know Tarn is hogging Ella at the moment but I'm nore than happy if Arthur wants to cut in. Tarn has said his piece, really.

Tarn nodded as Ella replied. "That is why I studied hard under Rystael, and listened carefully to him. He is a good man, a wise man. When I came of age, I knew I wanted to see the wider world, and see if I could prevent evil things happening to others, to save them from suffering as I did. Once I heard of Heroica, I knew that was where I wanted to go, to try and help people. Rystael encouraged me to go. He knew that was my destiny. I have been with Heroica over two years now, and been to many different parts of Olegaia. I have helped many people, but failed some too, as you know. The death of Constance was a hard burden to bear, and only with your help did I overcome it. And then later we failed a Quest and lost Jun Ji Pei. Again, it was a hammer blow to me, and again, you helped me see that I would overcome, and prevail against those who held him. I owe you so much, Ella. You help me to be a better person."

OOC: A bit of RP time is always good! Tarn smiled at Ella, looking into her eyes and holding the stare as he felt his stomach do somersaults. He felt at peace with her, and so decided to tell her of his past. "You are always so sure of the person I am, even when I doubt myself. I have only known one other person who has so much faith in me; my Master, Rystael." Tarn's voice lowered, it was clear he only meant Ella to hear. Hiis words are halting and spoken slowly, as if he is almost reliving them. "When I was a very small boy, a band of raiders came to my village and killed everyone in it. My family were slaughtered. My mother, she had heard the sounds of the commotion outside, and had hidden me in under a table to keep me safe. I tried not to make a sound. I couldn't cry and wail, I couldn't call out to my family, I had to be silent or I would be found. I could hear the men killing - the sounds of swords slicing flesh, the screams of pain. I heard it all. I would have been safe, though, had the raiders not been setting fire to everything. It seemed I was under there a long, long time, silent tears running down my face, too frightened to move. I could not comprehend such horrors fully at such a young age, but I knew something was badly wrong. Eventually the fire came for me. It had consumed most of the house. I was still petrified. I could not move my body, no matter how much I wanted to. I could feel the heat against my skin and hear the sound of the flames. And the smell. Then an old man came striding through the flames. It was as though he could not be touched by them. He took me in his arms, told me that he would keep me safe, and took me out of there unharmed. That was Rystael. He is a cleric in the Valco monastary. He raised me like his own son. I can never repay him for saving my life that day, nor for his wisdom and kindness since." This was perhaps the most Tarn had spoken at once in many years, and he had not told anyone in the Hall of his past before. Tears moistened his eyes as he finished his tale. OOC: Pictures of the horrible event are ]here, if you did not see them before as part of the second anniversary.[/color]

That is a fabulous picture, Sergi! You found a great location there! When I've taken pics with multiple Minifigs they are always falling over so good job keeping the Fellowship upright

I took a couple of Lord of the Rings minifigs with me on holiday, hoping to get some opportunities for interesting pics. Here is a closeup of Eomer on his horse, with the sea in the background. I know Rohan is landlocked but still! When I was on the beach, I saw that someone had built a sandcastle, using stones to create a different effect than just the sand. It made for a cool visual so I stuck Eomer on it: These pics were all taken in Lanzarote, which is a volcanic island, much as all the Canary Islands are. At Timanfaya National Park I took this pic of an Uruk Hai standing on an actual volcano. I know it should have been a Mordor Orc but I still think it looks good: Thanks for looking! If anyone is interested I have more pics (and bigger ones) in my Lego Scenery Pics folder on Flickr.