The Conflict in the North
The Covenant of Steel had a large band camped on the border of Angmar, the noble Blince Kolten was the elected commanding member among the brothers fortified there, Annastaysia, his second. He commanded around twenty five mercenaries, mainly men, though few were women, and a few stern dwarves of the company were among them also... Some better known, proven, members such as Nehani, dwarven father and son, Thorgom & Thormi, a few expeirienced prospects, Shadow(Karthos), Beoson & Ghauron aswell as a dozen other, less senior members.
Back in Bree-Land, the rest of the council, Tylan, Brenorn, Arthaniel & Rhyya got word from an informant, about Nalokha plotting to ambush Blince's company, they prepared a mounted group, and just after notifying their allies, The Shadow Blades, they rode north hard, Rhyya stayed in Bree to manage things at home, as the only council member remaining.
It begun, an Angmarim horde was mustered and closing in on the small fortified ruin Blince's company was based in, Dagrell ran in, out of breath as he warned Blince that a horde was coming for them, Blince rallied his men, blades were drawn and barricades positioned, flax stretched and axes sharpened... LIttle did they know how large the horde was, or that the red witch commanded it upon them.
Angmar was upon them, they held the broken walls to begin with, arrows bringing down foes, cleaving them from the barricades... The first life belonged to the fierce Nehani, as she placed her javelin through a foe's throat, bringing it slamming to the ground, the company held the make-shift fort's main arch, as it was the choke point of the attack, Annastaysia Hawthorn, carved her way through, duel blades flurrying swiftly, the bold Beoson at her flank sculpting his own foes with steel.... The battle raged and the mercenary company felt they had the upper hand, they had better fighters, better tactics, and was truly syncronised with each they called brother, even Shadow and Ghauron had each others back in the dense pit of clashing steel.
Kolten began to see his men tire, a few of his own fall, he looked to see the dwarven father and son were slighty enjoying themselves in this dire time, father, Thorgom, slammed a monsterous headbutt to a rather brutish enemy, before his son Thormi cleaved the staggering evil-doer's head clean off, they could not help but to laugh in celebration, though, even the dwarves laughing faded, as the angmarim kept flowing into the fort, the tides were turning, Nalokha's Influence was still strong in the north, and she was clearly, happy to prove it.
The commanding Blince Kolten, thought hope lost, as he begun to lose men on each side of him, he roared on, charging into the fray, and his brothers and sisters followed, wounded too, they pressed out of the fort, unable to flee as they were simply surrounded. But, down from the hill, coming in from the North Downs, The Covenant of Steel, was reinforced, Tylan, Brenorn, Arthaniel, Gallius, Lucaras.. and many others rode harshy into the angmarims, purging their ranks from engaging the wounded, Blince maintained command, as it is his mission, and that is the way of the Coven.
Though morale shifted, and the wounded fought on, Angmarim troops were still ariving... this was their land after all...
Blince battled on at the head of the Covenants forces, both sides mashed together, the bruiser of a commander threw, slashed and cleaved through his foes, but he was overwhelmed, Blince took a harsh hatchet to the thigh, he dropped his blade, gasping in pain, though he did not let this foe finish him, Blince slammed his bulky hands ferociously to either side of the Angmarim's face, gripping down, he roared as he twisted its neck harshly, breaking it, Blince fell.
Tylan, Arthaniel and Brenorn rushed to their brothers side, Arthaniel placing arrows into the throats of the near Angmarim, Tylan crushed the edge of his sheild into the face of a brutish foe, wrecking his skull, and taking its life, Brenorn stood over Blince, cutting a brutal 'X' into the chest of a foe which aimed to end Blince, once that foe fell to his knees, Brenorn Greymane removed his head cleanly.
Blince was lifted, and the whole company was pushed back, losing brothers and sisters at their flanks. Tylan nodded once to Brenorn, who nodded back understandingly, before sounding his horn, The Covenant fell back, into the reach of the North Downs, and The Angmarim horde did not follow, whether they had not wished to lose more lives, or had simply stated Nalokha's statement, was unknown, though far more Angmarim lives were taken, they were but grunts, The Covenant lost brothers, sisters, they all rested, camped outside of esteldin, tending to the wounded, saying words and telling stories of the fallen, some prospects, such as, Shadow, Beoson.. Ghauron too, definatley earned their stripes, and would soon be patched in as brothers most likely.
Nalokha plotted this, Angmar is hers, and she made that clear, though the mercenaries took far more lives than she, they lost men, she lost tools, brainwashed to die, this was a victory for her, and no matter how many kills the brothers gained under their belt, they knew, this was a loss.
