Reviews:
Guest 1: They're both very threatening in concept, but both are technically neutered threats. The Vampires/Undead of Warhammer by infighting, the loss of multiple legendary figures, and basically in a ironic twist attrition. Maybe if a few leaders didn't get themselves playing pirate by pirates, or needlessly killed in battles the Dead would rule.
Meanwhile the Scourge/Undead of Warcraft are neutered by plot demanded idiocy from their leaders, heavy attrition due to losses, an actual plot point for the Forsaken for a bit, and generally doing the opposite of what is considered playing into their strengths on the battlefield, they at least have interesting boss fights...yay -_-. As the Warcraft Undead are more of the body horror, chem warfare, basically resident evil theme as opposed to the mythic horrors of legend.
Guest 2: The real good news comes from the Children of Ulric (not sons of Ulric they're a bunch of dicks) That should make the Ar-Ulric or anyone of Ulric nearby enough 'paws' to not make the mistake between them being skin-wolves. As for the Diplomacy, there be lots of a factors, I mean people credit a play in Moscow for why the US and Russia didn't nuke eachother over Cuba.
Guest 3: Actually so far an army that size is barely larger than what's common on tabletop which itself typically counts as a detachment of your "common" army as Norscan raiders in lightning raids in Franz's lore still come with borderline thousands of soldiers and its considered small quick forces on both sides of that battle. And the Undead can steathaly move armies that outnumber the living 12 to 1 in lore and that 12 to 1 ratio in lore isn't seen as too bad of a numeric advantage as thats typically what's an even exchange between state troops and zombies. Of course if such a force encountered an empire patrol is a whole other story, as Warhammer fantasy unlike many other fantasy settings has more skirmishes and small battles than big set peice battles. But the Elector counts are maybe a weeks away, if they notice at all is a huge question, if the local garrisons, patrols and encampments notice and acts is a whole other story.
And it's Mordheim a city that by Empire records the Empire officially destroyed, which creates a interesting canon conflict Considering the city that many fans of the events/games that are put after the "Official" destruction attribute to warp fuckery.
Guest 4: So WoW fans have scaled and rescaled Azeroth over the decades, but as of Legion multiple attempts at a rough measurement of the planet puts it approximately at the size of Mars, where Warhammer world best guesses based off the legends of multiple maps and semi-offical distances between major cities, rivers and mountain sizes makes it about 40% larger than earth, particularly since it features the warhammer fantasy equivalent of the continent of Atlantis. That's a roughly 50% to 80% difference in planet size, the Empire could account for Lordaeron, Stormwind and all the old human kingdoms plus maybe the main Dwarven kingdom and Gnomericon, only Cathay or Ind coud be arguably larger than the Empire.
As for Imperial Battlemages both those points are fairly spot on. The maliability/mutability of humanity is something of note in the Warhammer world.
Guest 5: It's all the risks of a first contact and stupidity of a people who assume themselves just and thus more or less immune to consequences or conflict and that their word is the only allowed. (suck it star trek)
as for the events in Mordheim, the problem there is that as a army the difference in scales between Warhammer and Warcraft might be making the Undead army seem larger than it actually is, also holding out for support is certainly great, but a releif army from the Empire proper is less likely since it's a siege of a pair of mansions with a simple wall. Typically those are lucky to hold for days, not the week to month a full army would take to mobilize. But the Empire has more than the provisional armies so other forces might be able to intercept.
Guest 6: I'm very very much dreading looking into it, between subpar writing, apparently making the equivalent of Timmy into someone more important than Arthas that the fans should automatically love because a single no story side quest, and the convoluted looking "not levels of hell" system, it just feels like a mess from the outside...BUUT at the same time it makes itself distinct from Warhammer and allows for some more mechanics questions or conflicts between the worlds.
Guest 7: The winds of magic themselves as a raw seem to embody the near totality of what Azeroth magic is, but lacks the ease of control or restraint. But with the dieties and game mechanics behind the Azeroth magics and with the seperate magical entities and Gods of Warhammer the difference between the two worlds starts to become very stark very fast.
Hakuryuu: I'll skip a couple of your statements there just to both keep from repetition and to be cheeky, but as for Slayers, since they don't tend to respect the Empire's borders it could be extremely possible some of them would notice, but it's also the city of Mordheim, a place that's odd considering it should be a slayer mecca yet based off the math of what the Mordheim game allows and how few Dwarves in general they put in the city there is probably as many slayers who are traveling with human companions as there are slayers in Mordheim...which again is odd but fits the unnatural sense of the city.
Sigmar: The Sisters are something I'm internally debating based off the timeline for the city when combined with the official Empire stance on the city, but i am making use of the "unofficially more official than AoS" WarhammeArmiesProject where i can so while Mordhiem is in a almost intentionally weird lore spot of both officially still existing yet somehow also being leveled by a Imperial Army over 50 years ago, but somehow the Sisters still train in and operate out of the cursed city. But certainly once your in the city and smoke is coming from a River bound merc camp, even in a heavy rain storm and cannon fire going off there's no way people wont take notice. It's just a question of who's going to leave their camps and spoils to act and if forces outside the city would bother entering Mordheim, to help or to take advantage depending on whose going in. I really like the call to the Augurs since they honestly slipped my mind, but it is the Eastern Empire so their influence is questionable, but now that i consider it, it certain Morr would have sent them plenty of dreams the moment the ball got rolling.
but as everyone is on about the scales of the two worlds i always laugh thinking about how freakish both worlds are having earth like gravity, since Azeroth is so small, and Warhammer is so large AND rich in heavy metals.
Kevin Bakeland: Your welcome.
Lore Comparison:
Shamans:
So i figured as we dive into what makes the divine of each world seperate as well as pointing out the different mechanics of magic between the worlds it was time to touch on the most inconsistent bunch of fantasy magic casters possible. Be it holding tournaments to determine their king with ghost partners at their side, basically being the good guy witch doctors, a conduit for Gods, or the mediator/boss of the elements, Shamans are consistent in their inconsistency.
But Fortunate we are there is actually a layer of similarity between the Warcraft Shamans and a particular form of magic in Warhammer. While Warhammer Shamans are just dugged up Orks who think a stupid dance makes them talk to their Gods, and that is very different from the Shaman class/unit of Warcraft, the warcraft Shamans have particular spells and a particular basis for their abilities that we can tie to Warhammer.
The Warcraft Shamans are more or less known as a very flexible class able to DPS at range, melee or serve as a healer. And this is due to their Elemental abilities, be it chain lightning, a totem that stuns foes via earthquakes, punching someone with a fire fist, dropping a or healing totem that gives life to a whole area via magic mists. This class is also known for summoning ghost wolves to aid it.
This power comes from the Shaman's ability to communicate with and use power gifted to them by Elemental Spirits and Spirits in general. On Azeroth the Elemental Spirits hold a significant amount of power and even moreso on Draenor. The Elemental Spirits and Elementals naturally control the the basic elements water, earth, fire, air, *insert avatar joke*. But with the Elemental Spirits who are in various degrees of conflict or at least disagreement with one another, and the "Element of spirit" the Shamans work to keep all of this in balance and are thus granted powers by the Elemental Spirits in reward for their service and so the Shamans can act on their behalf, and Shamans or even mages may also summon Elementals, a sentient manifestation of each element, to aid them.
On Mallus, the World of Warhammer, elemental beings also exist, but they are more like primal sentient manifestations of the winds of magic. But with these manifestations while they usually possess less intelligence than the Elemental Spirits their power can be considered conprable, particularly when made to manifest by particular Wizards and magic casters. The way these energies make themselves manifest on the Warhammer world is through "Elementals" which are the minor sentience in the winds of magic given form, typically in a humanoid form similar to it's creator that then has the Elemental characteristics and displays a raw ability. Next is the more common Djinn's used by the Arabayan Magicians. These are also a form of Elemental, but rather than the manifestations that both Azeroth and Warhammer Elementals typically can be seen with, Djinn are bound in jars which when shattered frees the Djinn after they obey the command of the one who shattered it. Djinns can also be bound in other manners often allowing Arabayan Magicians to form more unique items such as their famed flying carpets.
The big difference between the worlds seems to be the type of intelligence between the Elementals of each world, as Azeroth's Elementals can be considered more "human" in their intellect, while the Warhammer ones are far more like a machine, knowing what they know and not caring to learn what they don't already know.
No Retreat
If there was any cheer to be found on this night, none of it could be seen in the long abandoned Noble's quarter of Mordheim. Rather, fear, sorrow, and frantic activity filled the living in this region as hundreds of Undead now sieged the two mansions that the Alliance had built their encampment around. Inside the mansions the nearly two hundred Alliance defenders held the windows and doors against the Undead. Rotting hands constantly reached to try and drag the defenders out, or to try to tear away at the buildings, while Skeletal warriors used spears, swords and axes to try and stab or cut the defenders but with priests, shamans, potions, and druids all nearby only blows from the heavily armored 'Grave Guard' as the defenders were learning the foes were called. Even seemed to pose a threat of killing the concentrated defenders.
Besides the Undead's numbers two details made the defense harder for the over two hundred Azerothean survivors. First was that they were unevenly divided between two buildings, while only a small, abandoned and decrepit garden had divided the two structures the Undead had ensured the two buildings had been thoroughly seperated and an attempt to cross from one to the other would be suicidal. So on one side One Hundred and Forty-two souls held the line, on the other sixty-three had to hold against the Undead.
The next issue for the defenders was the presence of the, fortunately depelated, human force of the enemy. While nearly half their original number, the human servants of the Undead had handguns and crossbows they could use to good effect, keeping the living defenders from showing themselves at the windows or openings of the mansions for too long. The threat of the Cannons also existed but the enemy haven't fired them again since the walls had fallen.
On the other side of the portal the Alliance was preparing to send through whatever they could but the portal was currently unstable and the Alliance commander was currently unwilling to send anything other than a force that could turn the tide, unwilling without perhaps Jaina's permission to risk losing men to a unknown battle that by the few reports was strongly against the Alliance forces.
"What do you mean we're not going through? The portal is open, we should be either evacuating them or reinforcing them now!" One of the on hand Knights cried out, her heavy armor and lance clanking with each movement.
"Not until the portal stabalizes or Jaina gives us proper orders." The commander countered, glaring at the knight. "Until then we can only pray for their safety."
"Hold that damn window damn it!" Kyn'ra shouted, for the fifth time in the last half hour cursing her terrible luck. In the retreat she had been seperated from Eike, and worse she had been forced to retreat to her left, away from the portal. Now she and nearly sixty other survivors were left isolated in the second mansion.
"I heard you the first time!" A femine voice grunted back as a pair of howls excentuated the response. A Draenei shaman grunted in exertion as she and her spirit wolves drove back a push by nearly thirty skeletons through the power of flames and Elemental Lightning.
"Shut it, Emis! Just hold the line." Kyn'ra shouted in response. Twelve of the mansion's survivors were currently fighting here in the main hallway to hold off the Undead. The plan, as much as it could be called one, was for them to hold as much of the buildings main floor for as long as possible while a small group prepared the upstairs of the mansion to hold out once the main floor was lost.
"Move move move! Kyn'ra! Door! Barricades now!" A voice commanded as five of the Alliance's pioneers charged through the door to the west wing, eight survivors had gone that way.
"What happened?" Kyn'ra demanded her bow already prepared, a moment later one of the Grave Guard exposed itself, a massive two handed falchion blade in its hands, Kyn'ra put one, two, three, five, arrows into the charging wight, only the seventh dropping it as the other four defendeds finally put several obstacles blocking the hallway.
"That damn Skeleton breached Forimush's door, after that the defense started the crumble as Skeletons pushed in. Rorgor and Kindra, stayed behind to make sure the stairway on our side remained secure against them, we don't know if they made it or not." The human leader of the group explained, two of his survivors taking to watching the hallway as the other two rushed off to help with the main hallway's defense. Already the press of the Undead was getting worse, the melee combatants like Emis had to keep sprinting from location to location to block Undead as they breached holes, broken windows, and through underguarded side entrances.
Kyn'ra scowled, the defense was wavering more quickly than she, or likely the sparkling eyed Gnome Paladin who made this defense, had intended. Turning she began to order the human who had lead the East Wing defenders, "check with west wing we need to know how long they're going to hold out." The Elf ordered, getting a slight glare from the human but then who took off to comply with her order.
Even as this all took place defenders like Emis struggled to keep back the constant push of the Undead, the Draenei Shaman's twin maces constantly swinging and striking down zombies and skeletons alike. Still holding the defense here was becoming more difficult and certainly they would all grow tired after a while. Kyn'ra shook off those thoughts and began scanning the entries to the room firing off arrows at every target or opening she could find, hoping that the stockpile that sat in the middle of the room would hold out.
As the room fought and and after minutes of struggle Kyn'ra watched the Draenei Shaman collapse, shouting in frustration panting on exhaustion. Swiftly the Night Elf rushed to the Draenei's side and quickly scanned the room. Emis had collapsed in the middle of the room running to support one of the windows, everywhere else the rest of the defenders were enaged, but holding strong. Kyn'ra immediately leant her bow to the defense of the window as Emis gasped, panted and growled in outrage at her side.
"What happened?" A simple but important question, one Kyn'ra needed an answer to.
"The spirits. I hate this world, the spirits here are far more difficult to summon, many are fouled by grudges, and most are barely capable of anything more than animalistic thought. And whenever I call them, it's like I have to force them to stay. Like the spirits have no intentnl to stay or are being swept away. That's draining, and-and wrong, a shaman doesn't bind or enslave the Elemental Spirits." The Draenei woman stated as Kyn'ra tried to help her up.
"Do you need to be relieved?" Kyn'ra asked the shaman, getting a negative shake of the head from the woman.
"I can still fight, I-I think I can't rely on the spirits beyond the few I can sustain, but I'm ok to fight." The Draenei claimed and Kyn'ra nodded.
Locked into the thickest of the fighting in the main mansion Aursuun was exhausted. Calling upon the light in this other world had become relatively easier, but still more taxing than it had been on Azeroth or Draenor. And unlike most campaigns on Azeroth or Draenor this nature of this battle was somewhat diffrent with enemies sacrificing themselves simply to wear out defenders, to leave small gashes and other elites closing in with cursed blades that seemed to drain the lifeforce from those who had been struck.
So thus Aursuun had been casting one minor healing spell or even using the light of dawn one cast after another, keeping the melee combatants at top shape, or reacting quickly to strikes by cursed blades. However even with his presence and the presence of a few priests they couldn't avoid casualties, so far of the One hundred and fourty two defenders, Aursuun knew of at least four who were dead.
"What do you mean they wont let us retreat through the portal?" One of the defenders asked, a sense of panic setting in. "Do they want us all to die here?"
Aursuun called upon his natural connection to the Light, soothing and envigorating the man. "We can retreat, it would put Azeroth at risk of this Undead menace, also we would be abandoning those we leave behind to their deaths, if we stay we can save them all and we can and will win this!" Aursuun cheered taking a moment to join the defenders in fighting off a probing attack by the Undead at one of the doors.
The defense of the mansion was holding strong, and moat of the surviving archers and mages from the wall defense now were on the upper floor firing down into the oncoming Undead, or their fuether out allies. Even another attack from the Cannons was unlikely to break the defenss entirely.
All they had to do was hold, and hold they were doing. Once the Alliance's reinforcements come the battle would turn against the Undead. On the defensive the Azerothean line was, if barely winning this conflict of attrition against the foe. 'However', Aursuun thought to himself, 'this might all change if their leader commits to the battle again.
Aleksandr watched the battle unfolding with careful and analytical gaze. His Undead pressed the defenders hard, but were, as intended, only serving to draw out the foe and where they could corral them. Indeed it seemed unlikely this foe could escape the Vampire's wrath, though the spirit of their defense at least impressed the Vampire. Perhaps he would show mercy to at least one of them, maybe a few others, if they impressed him.
"Volkbert, fire the cannons again, tell the gunmen to aim for the left mansion's doors." The Vampire spoke aloud though his psychic control meant that he had never needed to. There was a slight delay, but then the reverberating crack of two Cannons firing preceeded the tumbling of two cannonballs that went crashing through the intended mansion. The first through the wall next to the door and the second barely clipping the intended target.
"Let us ride to glory!" Aleksandr cried while his Nightmare reanimated beneath him.
"Hold! The West Wing is going to be joining us shortly once they do we wait for the all clear from upstairs and we can pull back! Nit much longer now!" Kyn'ra tried to motivate everyone as best she could. She wasn't even a real leader, but still all the other Pioneers here seemed to defer to her, likely because her encounter with a Vampire.
At her side Emis was once again resting after once again overexerting herself casting lighting and burning far too many undead. The Draenei breathing for a moment, while her spirit wolves still remained fighting before eventually the Shaman stood up drawing her maces and rushing toward the defense. However after only a couple minutes the Draenei returned to rest besides Kyn'ra, she had taken a terrible toll on the Undead, slaying nearly thirty of them before pulling back, but the rate the Shaman was going Kyn'ra feared for her.
"Come on everyone, we're going to make it." Kyn'ra encouraged all the other defenders as a group of eight defenders came running into the main hall from the west wing.
"Our side is clear!" The last shouted as their compatriots began barricading the doors.
"Good! Hear that every-" As Kyn'ra spoke the world suddenly exploded. A Dwarf went flying past, his legs ripped off, and a cannonball removed the arm of a human soldier as it passed. Shards of wood and splinters scattered around the room several embedding themselves into Kyn'ra. Before she could reorient herself the Night Elf heard a dread noise that nearly stopped hear heart. The pounding of hooves followed by the Neighing of a horse shortly after accompanied by the death screams of more of the defenders.
Finally Kyn'ra brought herself about immediately firing arrows into the attackers. Half a dozen mounted Undead, and a full formation of shield weilding, Grave Guard slowly followed already filling the gap left by the cannons in the wall.
Now thirty-four...no thirty-one stood against twelve Undead Knights and perhaps fourty or more Grave Guard. The Arrows fired by the Night Elf had found purchase, but the mounted Knight they had struck did not fall, instead he charged at the Night Elf, Kyn'ra only just avoiding the black blade of the Undead and firing a arrow into the skull of the Knight's Skeletal mount. The steed collapsed into a pile of bones, but the rider remained standing, and now pursued Kyn'ra on foot. However a scalding wave of fire sent by a mage overtook the skeleton dropping it. Kyn'ra then turned to the rest of the battle, her eyes quickly scanning from the futile attempt to block the advancing grave guard, the slowly pushed back assault on the Black Knights, and lastly the desperate defenders guarding the stairs against the leader of the Undead.
Immediately Kyn'ra knew the greatest threat at the moment. If anyone was to survive at all until reinforcements came, that leader had to be stopped from scaling the stairs. She loosed a arrow, and then two more. Each hit with force, but the first and second were deflected off the Undead's armor, and only the third struck his exposed back earning a hiss of suprise and pain from the creature. It quickly pivoted it's evil mount and faced down Kyn'ra.
The Night Elf loaded another arrow, lightning struck as the sound of the rain intensifying meet the unnatural snort of the mount. Another strike of Lightning and the monster charged, Kyn'ra loosed her arrow but the beast's lance intercepted the shaft. Kyn'ra sighed as she prepared her next arrow, she wouldn't be in time, if the lance hit her first she was done, if not maybe she could get another arrow off before the steed trampled her.
The tip of the lance came close, Kyn'ra ducked and threw herself to the side. The tip of the lance caught her ear removing part of the flesh agonizingly, but otherwise the weapon missed, Kyn'ra fired her bow, the arrow embedded itself into the chest of the Nightmare mount. The beast continued as if it hadn't been struck, so that was it, Kyn'ra would now be run over by this monsterous horse. The first hoove struck the Night Elf in the temple, the second came but never arrived.
Instead the beasts skull was crushed by a lightning infused mace as a pair of spirit wolves lunged into the sides of the creature knocking it to its side. Kyn'ra smiled, even as the world faded to black.
This night Aleksandr could not decide if he was to be wrathful or impressed. Twice now he had been dismounted, and now two enemies had managed to cause him pain by striking him in the back. Though what certainly impressed him was the seven foot being that now stood in front of him.
Despite her size she looked whispy, frail, tired, yet she looked at him with a fire in her eyes. A fire and a hint of sadistic desire, she wished to cause him agony. Aleksandr threw aside his lance instead drawing out his stylized falchion, the sword a black wing ready to remove the limbs of those who offend it's master.
"Come prey, show a true hunter what spirit you possess." The Vampire Challenged in Reikspiel.
"Abite ab illa, Monstrum!" The creature responded earning a wide smile from Alek, while not a single world it said was even close to something he could understand, the intent was far too clear.
"I will enjoy defeating you." Aleksandr growled storming towards the seven foot blue woman. In response the two spirit wolves of the woman attacked latching onto Aleksandr's arms and the woman brought a fire covered mace down on Aleksandr's head, quickly followed by a electrically charged double strike from her two maces. This series of blows causes Aleksandr to hiss in pain, before he threw one of the wolves off his arm and at the spirit user who thought herself his better.
Next Aleksandr stabbed the other wolf that held down his sheild arm dispelling the creature. The Strange blue woman charged him on a pair of hooved feet, swinging her off hand mace for his head. Aleksandr then parried with his sword, and as the woman swong for his stomach he blocked the attack with his shield.
"Pereant sordes iam mori!" The woman growled, before a bolt of lightning lashed out from her mace and into Aleksandr's chestplate. The Vampire slid back several inches but now he smiled.
"I'm going to spare you, and then enjoy what we will do to you." Aleksandr snarled with a wide smile.
"Tace, verbum non possum intelligere te mutum dicis." The woman hissed as she brought a flaming mace to strike at Aleksandr, only for the blow to be a faint as suddenly a spike of stone burst from the ground stabbing into Aleksandr's leg.
The Vampire smiled more, this woman was smart and vicious, he could see her swaying with exhaustion, hear her heart beating in a struggle to keep her body moving, yet she still was trying to cause as much harm to him as possible even if victory was out of her reach.
Aleksandr slowly pulled the spike through and out of his leg showing the earthen spear to his opponent, much to her astonishment as he grinned. The Vampire then threw the rock at her, immediately the hooved woman shattered the stone, but it was too late, Aleksandr was upon her, while her off hand mace blocked his sword, her face recieved the full brunt of his shield. Stunned the woman had no defense as he trapped her with his gaze, forcing her to give up to her exhaustion and collapsing.
With a quick mental command one of the Grave Guard was at Aleksandr's side. "We're moving upstairs, once we're there capture who you can. Take this one to somewhere safe."
Aleksandr looked over to his Nightmare, unfortunately now there was no ressurecting that particular steed. With a sigh of resignation the Vampire began to walk towards the stairs intent on leading his Wights up himself.
Countless miles away three soldiers of the Horde once again walked through their portal. Gin, Launchalot and Zannae all once again found themselves stepping out with the faintest hints of a coming sunrise. All around them was a scene or constructive chaos, Peons, Elven Engineers, and Tauren Volunteers all worked swiftly to build barricades, to establish Horde barracks and to build watchtowers, all with materials that were being pushed through the portal bit by bit, even as the merchants of the caravan tried to peddle wares and supplies. Meeting the Caravan merchants was the now arriving first waves of Horde Merchants and traders who were emerging from the portal behind the trio.
"Wow, to think we were convinced we were going to die here just a day ago." Zannae muttered as they looked over the flurry of activity.
"Doesn't matter Sylvanas is entrusting us to help here any way we can. Soon the Horde military will be setting up post here so lets make the most of everything that's happening." Their leader Launchalot tried to order only to get laughed at by Gin.
"It sounded more like Sylvanas was giving us a opportunity to go mingle with the locals, maybe buy a few things. Stop taking the mission so seriously." The Orc commented much the chagrin of the Forsaken.
"We must still carry ourselves with dignity and the respect of the Horde." Their leader insisted.
"I think if we just show our good nature and stay polite we can achieve that. But I'll keep a eye on Gin for you just in case." Zannae offered as he pulled out a coin pouch. "Come on Gin I'll buy first."
The Orc laughed heartily. "Food or do you want to explore their wares?"
"I was hoping for some food honestly." The Blood Elf stated with a smile.
Launchalot just sighed and went along with the pair. While he tried to hold whatever dignity he could the suspicious stares and occasional odd looks made the matter difficult for him.
Still today was certainly one of victory for the Horde, in hours the foundations of what was already being named the Crimson Post was being laid out and if these traders were anything to go by eventually the Horde would be too valuable to this world for the Alliance's propaganda to ever take effect against them. Perhaps Gin was right and the three of them truly could relax.
"Hold on you two. I think if you're gettingnany drinks those should be on me." The Undead Knight stated with a level of cheer that felt like a long lost friend.
Such the three Horde soldiers began their day of trade, drink, merriment, and amusing faux pas as they engaged with the other worldly merchants. Watched as the Horde continued work on Crimson Post and celebrated their continued survival.
Aleksandr survayed the defenses arrayed agaisnt him. Behind a barricade was a unique array of individuals. Small folk, even lesser in statue than the Halflings of the Moot, all male unfortunately Aleksandr would have to slaughter them for the crime of taking arms against a superior Vampire. Odd purple skinned Elves stoof against him, one armed with unique looking rings held his attention enough that he might spare her and take her prisoner.
Aleksandr paused...a Dwarf woman, weilding magic? Aleksandr immediately considered taking her and trying to force her to be his...but a grudge for killing a dwarf was one thing, turning a dwarf woman was a certain doom Aleksandr even wasn't stupid enough to tempt. He'd just kill her and be done with it.
A gunshot and a round bouncing off of the Vampire's shield ended his musing. Instead Aleksandr charged using his strength to break through the barricade they had tried to place before him. The barrier shattered in a spray of wood and ruins, as now warriors tried to stop the Vampire. However Aleksandr was not merciful using death magic of Life's End to strip the first Gnome to oppose him of its life. Their soul thrown away from their rapidly rotting flesh.
Aleksandr pushed past the first victim, his sword carving into an armored human, while his blade failed to cleave through the man, but the crumpled armor of the man crushed his lungs and the human started to die slowly as the Vampire moved past to start carving into the other defenders.
Aleksandr didn't need to kill them all, his Grave Guard was filling in behind him. So the Vampire blocked a Dwarf's hammer strike, and parried a human's sword pushingnpast both to the magic casting dwarf even as she threw flames igniting Aleksandr burning him with infernal flames. The Vampire responded by decapitating the dwarven woman.
Aleksandr pushed forward more, targeting the gun weilding human at the back of the defense, the hallway leaving him no where to flee. Quickly Aleksandr tore into the gunman stabbing him repeatedly in the heart. Then with a cruel laugh the Vampire clenched his fist, calling upon the winds of magic. As the winds churned under the will of the Vampire the dead in the hallway began to rise, even the Dwarves bodies unexpectedly responding to the Vampire's great power. The dead grasped at former comrades, using weapons they no longer had the skill to weild, and serving only as a distraction. Instead of seeking to exploit the advantage, Aleksandr instead saught out the Elf he had seen before. She was at the center of the resistance fighting fiercely.
With a mental command the Grave Guard surrounded her position and pushed on the Elf while Aleksandr joined them. The Elf struck left and right, but still could not hold until eventually as Aleksandr carefully lashed out agaisnt her, the Vampire knocked her weapons away and the Grave Guard were able to trap her eventually dragging away the struggling Elf woman even as she kicked and screamed, but was otherwise disarmed and helpless. Several other survivors were also being taken, but Aleksandr had no interest in them, instead Yegor Häussler the second Tomb King under the Vampire had taken interest in these ones and claimed their value as prisoners.
With the upper halway secured only the final stragglers would need to be killed or captured. Stalking the halls The vampire heard two survivors in yet another room and burst in, only to find what looked like a furry female Minotaur and a blue skinned tusked creature that looked like a mix of Ork and Elf almost like the one he ahd recently captured but feral like a Norscan would be to a Tilian.
"Wait, we are not with them. They are The Alliance, we represent a faction known as the Horde." The Minotaur stated in accented Reikspiel, even as Aleksandr was closing on the pair. This gave the Vampire significant pause.
As Kuyo and Kaxu prepared their luggage and watched the door carefully, all too aware of the battle around them but still hopeful that a opening to the portal would present itself, the door to their room burst open. A black armored warrior came in, his bat-wing blade covered in blood and gore, as was his fanged mouth and armored chest. The creature slowly stalked into the room, the look of a animalistic predator in its eyes.
"Wait, we are not with them. They are The Alliance, we represent a faction known as the Horde." Kuyo Softtusk calmly pleaded with the human-like monster that had barged into their room. She had already seen this creature outside in the earlier stages of the battle, and this being was certainly the leader of these Undead.
The creature stopped stalking forward a look of shock on its face before it stalked forward again.
"And why should I not just kill you and take your souls?" The being hissed at Kuyo and Kaxu. At her side Kaxu seemed to grow nervous holding a spear.
"Because then any chance you have of having the Horde's support goes away and we might instead support the Alliance against you. You certainly have seen what they can do by themselves and with such a small force, the Horde certainly has greater numbers on our side, and just as skilled of warriors." The Tauren threatened but with a calming and peaceful demeanor.
"I don't see or know of any Horde, beast." The Vampire once again growled.
"The Alliance and the Horde, we come from a portal, it's in the other mansion. The Alliance has several human kingdoms, everyone you've fought here is just their vanguard. The Horde can help prevent them from bringing down their full might agaisnt you. Currently our own Warchief is also of the Undead, leading the state of undercity, and we have much experience working alongside your kind." The Tauren then stated hoping that both a intimidation of the Alliance, factual details, and some claims of kindredness would help.
"So you serve Vampires?" The Vampire asked.
"No, I serve my Tribe and Thunder Bluff, but currently Sylvanas, The Forsaken Queen, is the Warchief of the Horde and thus ultimate leader of Thunder Bluff and all the states associated with the Horde." The Tauren supplied, the statement meant to allow the Vampire to draw the positive conclusion he wanted while keeping herself independent and not in a position to be intimidated or commanded by the Vampire.
"You're offering 'help' 'assistance' and 'negotiations' yet I see nothing, creature." The Vampire hissed again, now easily within striking distance of Kuyo.
"Surely you can sense the magic in the other mansion. The portal is there, my companion and I will remain here. Take this communication Orb, a very rare device where we are from, It will allow you to communicate with us." The Vampire showed obvious suspicion towards the offered Orb but accepted it.
"If this is some ruse, I will bind your souls to your flesh and use you and your screams of agony for my army's banners!" The Vampire threatened, then with a growl left the room slamming the door behind himself.
Tolgar and Aursuun watched and despaired as the Undead began to file out of the second mansion. Some former comrades, now Undead slaves, dragging away twelve captives. What the enemy intended for them the Alliance members couldn't guess, but the fate of these few was likely something terrible.
"If only we could have brought them over here." Aursuun muttered, pitty for his fellow Azerotheans weighing on him.
"They bought us time, and if any of us are to survive that's what we need." Tolgar countered the Paladin's guilt ridden statement.
"Tolgar, The Gate! She's here!" A injured human hobbled into the hall shouting to the pair past the mages, archers and gunmen who were firing from the windows.
At the Portal Jaina Proudmoore stood, behind her Stormwind Guard, Dwarven Warriors and gunmen, Night Elf Huntress' and even some Lightforged Draenei were already passing through the portal. "What has happen, Tolgar, where is Datris and Avenah?"
"Dead and still on a diplomatic mission respectively." Tolgar answered, as he spoke one of the mages fell a gunshot in their shoulder. Immediately Aursuun began healing them.
"Let me see." Jaina insisted before walking to the window, heavy rain pelting her as she did so.
Outside shrouded in darkness was a army of Undead. Just beyond the army, faintly visible was a wall with enemy shooters.
Frustrated, furious with the audacity of these Undead, and surging with power Jaina reached out with her power into the rain. With what was only of little cost to her power the Lady of the Sea froze the rain, turning it into a razor hail falling on all the Undead within the courtyards.
Those unarmored and unshielded were tore into by small pellets and razors of ice. In seconds Jaina's power had killed several hundred Zombies. In response the Horde of Undead surged upon the mansion, but the famed Archmage summoned ice which sealed all the entrances to the Mansion.
As confused Undead struggled to shatter the Ice Jaina turned to the others in the Hall. "Let's prepare our counterattack." Immediately a cheer rose from the survivors.
Hope had returned to the beleaguered defenders, these Undead may have taken the lives of more than two fifths of them, but now with Jaina at their side they might even force thid enemy back.
As the Alliance forces gathered and prepared to sally forth, Jaina began her Interrogation.
"I need to know everything about this foe now." The Archmage demanded.
In response Aursuun stepped forward, his armor dented, dulled, and his scars over his eye flaired from the days exertion. "We believe the leader of these Undead is a creature called a Vampire, from our encounters I can say with certainty they are fast, strong, and intelligent as well as capable of using Dark Magic and Necromancy. They are susectable to The Light however so I'd advise the Lightforged fight him. They have living allies to the rear, with cannons, crossbows and handguns. The rest of the force is divided three ways, Zombies which while easy to dispatch they can easily bring back into the battle, basic Skeletons which seem to operate more like puppets or automaton, and then the heavily armored Skeletons which seem to possess a degree of free will, sentience and more skill than a professional soldier. Fight these as you would any foe, but be aware that they have a tendency to get back up after we strike them down. The only ones with weapons of worry are the heavily armored ones who seem to have some sort of cursed blades." The Draenei provided going into detail.
Jaina nodded before pointing to points in the formation which each of the Lightforged and paladins rushed to fill. "And why are we fighting these Undead?"
Now Tolgar spoke. "Likely because we killed another of Vampires just recently."
"Right, anyway. ON MY MARK, I'LL LOWER THE ICE WALLS! THREE, TWO..." Jaina's count was stopped by the sound of a large explosion. Confused many of the defenders looked among eachother and through the building, no cannonballs had rippes through them or the building.
"What was that?" Tolgar mused, forgetting the battle and the Alliance's counterattack.
Distant from the fighting, and watching from the eyes of the dead, Abram stood next to the Cannons observing while trying to keep out of the reach of the Wight King Volkbert in case the Wight King, or even his master, decided to strike him down. Currently the less than two hundred human gunmen and archers attempted to skirmish with the defending archers and wizards inside the mansions, and like worthless living servants they didn't risk their safety for advantage and instead hid away from enemy fire and only fired when they thought they were relatively safe. All weaknesses of the living.
The living in the mansions also seemed to follow these weaknesses, however they had magic and overall stronger defenses. Still the advantage of numbers and the expendable nature of Undead slaves meant that Abram's master would always have this foe stretched thin where Aleksandr could always start taking them apart, peice by peice.
It was to not just Abram's, but as the Necromancer could magically sense, also Aleksandr's vast suprise and chagrin that suddenly the rain which had been helping mask the Undead from the defenders suddenly turned to hard hitting hail and razors of ice, thinning the ranks around the last mansion considerably.
A much more powerful magic caster had joined the enemy. Even before Abram could recover the army and move them into the mansion, swarming before the enemy could take advantage of the attack, each of the entrances sealed itself with ice before the Undead, the freezing Ice even entombing some of the Skeletons and Grave Guard Abram had sent forth.
Psychically Abram could sense his Master's scream of outrage.
Command of the Undead was once again ripped from Abram as his master had them tearing with their weapons at the walls and ice. Abram could only stand and scowl at his Master's antics. He could already sense the Vampire willing to throw himself alone into the second floor of the mansion, wanting to tear through these foes.
'If it wasn't that his death would cost me the battle I'd allow the fool to kill himself.' Abram thought to himself. Acting quickly the Necromancer started to shout out orders to the living...servants, at his side. "Gather the powder and Cannonballs, perform a full sweep of that mansion, level the building entirely."
The mortals working the Cannons moved to obey immediately, trembling from both cold in the rain, and growing fear. Soon a cart full of powder was parked next to the Cannons and the crews were loading powder and cannonballs.
'Let the Master waste our time with mortal failings. I have much greater concerns.' Abram thought to himself while debating using the Transformation of the Liche. The spell was taxing on his power, power he could use against that other magic caster. And while becoming a Liche was certainly desireable over dying a true death in battle, it would be dooming Abram to certain conflict in the future in his aspirations to gather the most ancient necromantic magics. If Abram could simply become a vampire then undoubtedly he could eventually embrace the blood of the Necrarch bloodline, and eventually gain access to their long hidden away secrets, perhaps even get access to the secrets of the Lahmian Sisterhood and learn the long lost secrets of their ancient queen.
'But if I were a Liche this blasted flesh would not hold me back at least. Damned Aleksandr, he owes me the blood kiss already. If not for me then his stupidity would have lost us this battle already. I will demand some sort of reward from him...is that a fireball?' Abram's thoughts were interrupted as a ball of flame passed over him from behind and into the powder cart. Immediately the Necromancer reinforced himself with Corpse Flesh, but that was all as the fireball simultaneously ignighted all the powder meant for the cannons. Abram, with his malnourished and half dead body was picked up by the force of the blast and thrown into and through a building wall.
Even as his skull ringed the Necromancer began to pull at the nearby Undead, he needed them to shield him. Shouts and battle cries rang from behind the Undead army as humans with two seperate liveries began to race into battle, at their head a wizard who seemed to be physically on fire as he channeled his power to throw beams and bolts of flame into the Undead. "Gentlemen of Gunther, Let us repay these Undead for what they did to the Ravagers!" The Wizard shouted.
"Idiotic mortals." Abram muttered as he stood, his undead army would be more than enough, the dead mortals slain by the powder explosion were already raising as Abram's own zombies. And Volkbert was clearly preparing his skeletal mount to charge, only for a sudden group of Orange Mohawks to stand in his way, three Dwarven slayers shouting obscenties clashed with the Wight.
Dwarven Slayers and Human mercenaries? Abram cursed, but no matter, his master was distracted, Abram just needed to call some Grave Guard to himself and they could scythe through these fools. However as Abram's Grave Guard stepped through the breaches in the Alliance's walls the found themselves flanked, nearly twenty mace and club weilding women shouting prayers to their barbarian of a God.
The situation was souring quickly of course great force invited the challenge of lesser fools. But for now Abram would work to distract them, even if his master failed to slay the survivors in the last mansion, the prisoners would be a worthy conciliatory prize. Until they escaped Abram would simply hold the line, and prepare his own means to flee from this battle.
Translations
So i have been given a hell of a time, as I wrote this chapter as I encountered a bit of a translation nightmare.
Common despite being presented as it's own language with its own spelling etc etc, is just english, and as I'm writing this story in english that doesn't do me much good. AND there is no functioning translator for Draenei that i could find...AND going to what the Draenei names and everything is based off, Hebrew messes up the formating...so i went the lazy route
Common from now on will be presented as Latin whenever someone cannot understand Common, or doesn't regularly speak it.
Abite ab illa, Monstrum! (Stay away from her you Monster!)
Pereant sordes iam mori (Damn you filth die already!)
Tace, verbum non possum intelligere te mutum dicis.(Shut up, I can't understand a word you're saying you dumb animal.)