ooc: How things started anyway
ILLUMINATI (Illum) 15 2,453,667 163,577
EMBRACE OF NIGHT (EoN) 5 738,067 147,613

DRINKERS OF THE BOWL (Bowl) 16 3,151,511 196,969
:ooc

Caylindren glanced across the table, his eyes memorizing the positions of the heathen armies. The war had just started, and the forces of Bowl moved quickly through the few truly powerful EoN territories. The strike was Cayl's first, or rather the first time he had planned one. It went smoothly thanks to the expert warriors and leaders he worked with, and things seemed to fall into place quite nicely.

As he turned his attentions to the forces of Illum, a runner came into the war room.

"Lord Caylindren, we have a message from a heathen runner. He said it was urgent."

Cayl stared at the man with a look of sarcasm. What could be so urgent? Were they clamoring for peace already?

"Fine, I'll read the damn thing, but it had better be good."

Snatching the scroll out of the runner's hand, he unrolled it and read. It took several moments to process, but soon he realized that something was amiss. There was confusion with one of the targets as to their guild affiliation. However, this could be dealt with later.

Then came another runner. This one was out of breath and barely able to stand. "M'Lord...EoN...has...dis...band...ded..." After muttering these stunning words, he promptly collapsed.

"Damnit! My first war and my enemies simply fall apart?! I'm gonna get hell for this!"

Suddenly, several more runners entered the room. Each one seemed unsure whether to approach Cayl in his angered state or hang back in hopes of another stepping up.

"Well? Out with it, all of you!" Cayl yelled, furious that his war was becoming a shamble.

The four runneres each began to spew their news, and Cayl could only catch bits and pieces of it. It seemed that the leaders of Illum were accusing Bowl of down-hitting and were demanding an explantion. This was absolutely expected, but how could Cayl explain the situation to their satisfaction? The simple truth was he couldn't.

Sighing, he sent the runners back, telling all the kingdoms of Bowl to halt their attacks. Hopefully they would get the word before too much damage had been done. It was the first hit of Cayl's career as a GM, and it was the most miserable thing he'd seen in a long time.

We started our attack and we were trampling the heathens when a runner came to me. "I have and urgent message M'lord!" "It is from Lord Caylindren!" He handed me the message and I looked down upon the parchment, "Lord Iblade, cease your attack, EON has disbanded!" I frowned and yelled for the horn master.

He came riding hard behind me, " Sound the halt, EON has disbanded, we will regroup over yonder grove and wait further orders" He saluted and raised the horn. "My Lord, will there be trouble because of this?" My Lead Captain asked. "Tis not for us to worry about Captain, Lord Caylindren will take care of it." "Move the men to the grove and see to our wounded, while we wait our orders."

Well I knew Lord Caylindren was furious, His first attack as lead Drinker and the enemy trickled through our fingers. I laughed out loud I would not want to be in his camp this day.

Iblade

"Lucky really" Austraud said, rather quietly. "Strange how Darden looks on and blesses us, even when we fail Him, we try and he rewards."

"Its's just, I mean," The latest steward of the empire completely failed to note the sour expression of Deimos. "Well with what happened and all, we still had something for the armies to go and do...."

Austraud began to gurgle, at first, with a look of shock - then utter horror, then a blank look of vacancy, all within a few seconds....

The Daemon signalled the guards to remove the body, simultaneously the geat doors of the Lords Hall began to swing open, ponderous and awe-inspiring in their magnificence. Gold and Platinum, Eog and Rael covered the portal, wrought into a metallic tapestry depicting the past Stewards of the realm.

A young looking man, shelled like a Skarab in his jet black armour, stodd at the centre of the opening doors. As they completed their manouvering, he stepped forward, walking passed the corpse without so much as a glance.

"Vallace, Metrim, Rachael, this is your new master." Deimos' voice resonated throughout their skulls.

"Enfer, you know your task. Rise to it and our Guide shall reward us all."

The young warrior responded. "Sire, I have taken the liberty of utilising the readied armies. Pray it be within thine will."

"Aye - that enough has shown some promise," The Mistress de Sorcere put in, "Was not Austrauds orders that sent the armies on their way... he was still in one of those coma's he called sleep." Her dsilike for the old man shone through, the beautiful face made the guards pale when such vitriol crossed it. "Enfer took his armies to the realms of the friendless, whilst Austraud still snored on his throne."

"Enfer, know thou now, three Stewards in as many months have sat on that throne. As many have died horrible deaths for their ineptitude. You have a past that promises much for the future, yet so did they, so did they. Perhaps it is some curse we cannot see, yet you must be told - failure is not acceptable, it matters not how hard you try."

None of this changed by a mote, the expression of readiness on the Stewards face.

" Deimos, Daemon Lord, you know who and what I am. I will not sleep when there is war to be made, nor will I shudder when I hear the beats of the enemy drums. With these," pointing at the Masters, " We shall march and pray and build till heathens know to fear our return. "

News came, News went.

Heathens followers of Darden replaced Heathens followers of Inca.

And so the war begun. And very soon it seemed the war ended. Or did it.

He wondered looking at the burning kingdom that had once been his. Which had been devasted hours after the enemy had withdrawn. Seemingly.

Nouth remained. 9 out of ten buildings had been destroyed over 2 hours after the ceasefire. And in an flailing attempt to secure the devastated land one thousand acres had been taken.

Iskimio wouldnt stand for it though. These lands werent fertile anymore. The woods had been burned by foul reeking magicks of the unholy. And as such the burning remains were discarded. That which just recently had been the most beautifull garden of Illuminati was no more then a pile of ashes now.

"What does it take to get some ale in this hall?!" Cayl yelled down the corridor. It seemed that he'd been waiting hours for a drink, and his throat was parched as...well...Hell. The day had been full of negotiations and changing demands and conflicting stories, and it was far too much to deal with. All Cayl could think was how well the war had started off.

The worst part of the fiasco was dealing with the reports of attacks after peace. Cayl had ordered the members of Bowl to cease fire, and so they had agreed. But did some ignore the order? Were some not told fast enough? Were the heathens lying? Cayl simply did not know. Perhaps it was a little of both...

"Darden blast all you unworthy peons! Get me a damned ale or I'll launch you all by catapault into heathen territory!"

No, he had no grounds for believing either conclusion, so the only course of action was to wait and see the reports.

At least some of those who followed the whore queen were civil, and to Cayl's surprise he'd met two such heathens just this war. It was certainly an event worth marking on his calender for the followers of isonia were his first hate, the prime targets of Bowl's crusade. Clearly Darden must be laughing at Cayl's quandry with irony.

At long last, a small girl entered the room carrying several mugs and several gourds on a copper platter. She walked nervously, and eyed Cayl with fear. After setting the platter down slowly on a short table, she made a quick bow and scurried out of the room in near tears.

Cayl was confused. He knew we wasn't THAT scary, at least not when he was in his own home. Well, HE thought so anyway. Strolling calmly to the table and lifting a gourd, he noticed his reflection in a wall mirror. Staring back at him with fire streaming from its nostrils and spikes exuding from every inch of skin was a great demon with...could it really be?... a carrot nose and a party hat. Cayl wondered for a second as to what was going on, then the demon winked and grinned a wide, toothy, ridiculous grin.

"Ya know, Goo, if you're trying to make me feel better by playing this prank, it worked." Cayl immediately began laughing from the pit of his stomach, a loud, hearty sound. That man always knew what to say, or how make a situation better. And he always did have a thing for party hats.