[DttD] Round 2 Battle 5, G'Nerik N Bela'nd vs Von Richthofen Options

[Barret]

The night was dark, and the forest murky, but preysight let the Marshall see where other, less holy men would grope in blindness. The world was a shifting array of reds, the trees almost black and the long ropy frongs of fungus that draped their dead branches a soft pink. It had its own haunting beauty, but the eyes of Templar see only those who are to be smoten. The advance had become strung out, each Templar moving alone, with only preysight and the soft murmuring of the vox for company. The heretics had drawn them deep into the forest, and now fought a shadow war, using their warp-damned predilection for low-light environments to offset their inferior numbers.

Even as alert as he was, von Richthofen almost didn't see the Night Lord in time. It was only a face at first, a skull-helmed dyed soft salmon by preysight, above a gouged and befouled aquila. The Marshall's gorge rose as the traitor Marine rose from its crouch. They stared at each other for a long moment, still as statues.

Then the Night Lord lifted back his head and screamed, and even the Marshall's helmet filters couldn't keep the eye-watering noise out completely. Shoving aside the pain, the Marshall answered with a long and lusty roar, bellowing his Primarch's name, and ran forth to give the traitor battle.

The Night Lord was moving even faster, seeming almost to glide above the forest floor where von Richthofen had to leap over gnarled roots and duck beneath the grasping, sticky fronds. The Night Lord has a gleaming blade, glowing dully with outswept golden wings and set with blood-drops; a trophy of some ancient battle.

Von Richthofen groped for the Holy Orb at his belt, but the Night Lord was still faster and the first bolt shell struck beneath his pauldron, and the Marshall hissed with pain as the mass-reactive bolt tore at his shoulder. Still the throw was true, and the blessed grenade took the Night Lord full in the chest, but to the Marshall's dismay did little more than stud the defiled aquila with golden shards.

The Marshall brought the shield of Helmot up to address, and thrust Lightbringer forwards, but the Night Lord was simply not there. The midnight-clad monster flowed around the Templar like water, and the red sword flickered forth again and again. Once across each thigh, and the Templar fell to his knees. Once across each arm, and his sword and shield fell from nerveless fingers. Twice it kissed his chest, and the Marshall collapsed backwards. Each wound was a mere scratch, but von Richthofen felt some strange paralysis. His limbs grew warm, sweltering hot and his armour felt like it was suffocating him, smothering his failing breath. As his vision tunneled out, he saw the skull-helmed warrior lean over him, the rune stamped on that white face seeming to twist obscenely. "Sleep, my cousin. Sleep and dream of She Who Thirsts, for she has dreamt of you." And then the Night Lord's visage swam away, and left behind a suggestion of a pair of melting eyes above a smile that was warm, welcoming, and full of fangs.


They found him that way, hours later. The Night Lords had fallen back, leaving a dozen more Templars dead or dying, and the survivors were dismayed to see their leader so fallen, his blade unbloodied. What little breath remained, he was using to repeat again and again the Catechism of Hate, the words to drive away all things Ruinous, but would not wake.

Victory to G'Nerik N Bela'nd!

[Aurelius Rex]

Nooooo! Not another point to Curze in the endless grudge-match between the Night Lords and the sons of Rogal Dorn!

Congratulations to Nihm on crafting such a dangerous opponent - the combination of a bucket-load of attacks, I6 and instakill makes him someone who will take a whole lot of luck to stop. With the nun out of the picture, I would say that the best ploy to stop him is going to be via shooting, like the Space Wolf rune priest or the Word Bearer if they get to round 3.

Commiserations to JvR - but at least there is a chance for the chaplains to save his soul and return him to health - and to Barret for the good writeup.

[DaanofWar]

Congratulations to Nihm on crafting such a dangerous opponent - the combination of a bucket-load of attacks, I6 and instakill makes him someone who will take a whole lot of luck to stop.

... Or a moderate ammount of bad luck of course .

1 rolls on daemon weapons have the tendency to happen at the worst possible moments (trust me, I should know). G'Nerik obviously had some good rolls so far, but I wonder how long the magic will last.

Anyway, Congrats to Nihm and mr. Bela'nd. Keep doing the chaos forum proud .

This post has been edited by DaanofWar: Jun 10 2010, 01:43 PM

[Von Richthofen]

Alas, defeated. But hatred is strong, and the Red Baron shall rise again!

Good job on the write-up Barrett, and thanks for the great battle Nihm!

[Brother Nihm]

Thank you for stepping up, I am still waiting for that fateful roll of '1'!

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Seems being G'Nerik N Bela'nd is all the rage these days... conform to majority. Be one in the crowd..