Legend of the Bear
Military action
"A tale that has varied tellers. It’s said that there was never a task to great or not possible that the threads of truth may be in that light. It is of one of these I speak kindly to, as one who knows the light of it." Excerpt taken from the Chronicales of the Lightning Brigade...
To understand the weight you must first feel its burden.......
Riding off the great success of Recoveries, Rescues, Excursions behind enemy lines and lastly, of capturing a Bullette for trenching… no small task mind you. . The Bear Claw was with each task undertaken, growing the Renown of the Barbarian of Branaford seemed to become almost legendary at times.
He Led a group some familiar, some new to the unit, to the latest challenge…
He came back from a brief with the command…. “Team, its been asked of us to seek out the enemy discover why the latest undead seem more resilient… or resistant... capture their cargo or destroy it to prevent its delivery.”
Day1> No Sign of patrol nor our goal... just like the lumbering undead to have us wait.... at least weather is cooperative.
Day2> My patience grows thin.... I've always hated the wait of the hunt..
Day3> Third day travel from the outpost mid day, our first sign of our quarry….. The Weather cloudy and rain seems possible, the down-trodden road is like a wasteland between wars wandering its way between two hills.
- The meandering mass slowly make their way down the road dragging a makeshift wagon behind one in the rear… slowly making the way to your location at the opposite end of the road. They shamble as most undead seem to pay little mind to the real world around them…. Singular in the focus of the task at hand…..
- Checking left and right up the hill, our leader sees nothing left and nothing revealed to the right. And he then declares the charge, to catch the enemy off balance. Leading the way, he seems to hold back waiting for the rest of us to match his pace. Driving full force, Our Kallestren Squad veers slightly to strike the enemy along their left side. One takes the charge, yet the others of his group barely seem to notice.
- As the Battle for some forgotten piece of road ways itself out for the gods amusement, the Squad takes the first of their opponents. But as soon as that victory comes, more of his shambling friends take notice and enter the fight. First 2 more then 3, then all but the wagon hauler seem to press to us, and the tide suddenly begins to turn,
- As quickly as we patched our wounded comrades another was in need of aid… or worse, beyond it. The Barbarian Rose to battle them nearly single handed for a time, as we tried to rally our troops. The ferocity of his thundering voice seemed to not sway our opponent, though if I were they I would have certainly fled..
- He Handed one of our fighters a magical potion to save the fallen priest, myself…. On being revived by the grace of Tritherion and the Magic elixir of our leader, I tried to save some of the others, but the chaos just simply came too fast.
Tried as we could the wounds became more grievous and Tritherion was soon to test our metal. But the Barbarian Commander would not be swayed…..
His rage boiled into a fury and from the fury sprung forth a great bearlike beast mauling our assailants. It seemed the more we fought the creatures, the more they resisted.. as we engaged one, others would rally to its defense..
The Bear raged against all foes, clawing and biting, gnawing and ripping, until, he to, regrettably, was claimed by Tritherion in the great battle of wills. - A wounded fighter, a grievous wounded patron of the Church, and myself were all that were left when they fell the Great Bear that fought for us.
My fellow patron of faith was unconscious and in no condition to move nor likely to survive the day, and at seeing out leader sunder in his bear form, the fighter fled only to be cut down by the enemy we had engaged some scant seconds ago. In spite of what seemed like forever, Tritherion had past judgment in seconds. Our victory was now our demise, and the great bear and his squad lay on the field awaiting the call to return to the hall. But as faith has its own mind, he granted me instead a moment of opportunity to walk unassaulted by those that razed us to the ground. And it it only through the mercy of Tritherion, I am her to rereport the battle to you my lord. I cannot report of a victory, but I can report .. And I do so, as this tale of great battle should not go unsung…. Nor the fallen that attempted it.
Lord Kalestrien nods….. “ Anything else?” “No my lord” replies the priestess,… but hesitates…. “Well?” Kallestrien Repeats. “ I’d just like to add, that it be told that it is possible beyory may permit the great Bear to wander through out the land, gnawing old spit where ever he might come across him., the bear seemed to enjoy it. Kallestrin nods,” Then let it be so, and let the scribe take note of the following… To give condolence and notice to her Grace the Duchess of Branaford, for her man that served well. And let there be a law that it will be considered unlawful for any to hunt the blackened bear, till Old Spit is put down… Just incase.”
The Forth Generation
The Chronicales of the Lightning Brigade
World of Greyhawk Timeline