Dual Surprises

Game: Orichalcum Handbasket

Join War

As the two armies amassed and faced each other across a no-mans land, Feyth delivered a speech to his gathered army, raising their anticipation of the battle to come, and standing as a figurehead and target for the snipers in the oncoming 17th legion. Using their attempts to strike him down before the battle had even begun as cover, Feyth slipped under the trap-door to begin his battle preparations.

As the real Saloy Hin worked his army up into a fervor, there was more going on on the Circle's side of the break. Arisa, riding high atop her daunting steed, delivered a short but functional speech to her men, whipping them with only her voice into a frenzy of anger at the supposed death of their true commander.

Round 1

The two armies exchanged no words, only arrows, with the attacking 17th legion dealing no real damage to the frenzied men of Arisa's line. Though it was clear that her men were only plinking away at the men on the other side of the field, they seemed confident that fate was on their side.

Ebon led the camp followers to throw pitch at the Warstriders of the opposing army. While her attacks hit their mark, they did little to slow the onslaught.

While Saloy Hin's attention was on the attacking force and the visible Solar Exalt on her Tyrant Lizard, the first ambush leapt from the sand tunnel to take him by surprise. Feyth and one of Admiral Sand's loyal Terrestrial Exalts pounded into the midst of the army, tearing a path straight to Saloy Hin.

While he was still shaken by the initial surprise, the true ambush was sprung, directly in the face of Saloy Hin himself. Coming through a crafted curtain of sand roared Admiral Sand driving a battle platform of significant prowess. This platform carried not only his men but also Sirokos and Duricorre. Taking the initiative as usual, Sirokos fired a full clip from both of his guns into the warstrider of Saloy Hin, incurring visible damage to the hull, and injuring the opposing war leader. Once the shots had been fired, it was Duricorre's turn. In an impressive show of stoicism, Duricorre simply punched his way through the warstrider to the man within. The punch was so forceful, it pushed Saloy Hin out through the other side of his Warstrider -- There's no door there.

Round Two

With no war leader, the cleanup of the remainder of the 17th legion was over with in a snap, with some conversions, but many many deaths. From here, the 17th legion would have an almost religious devotion to Feyth, whom they not only believed to be Saloy Hin, but whom they also believed to be capable of resurrection.