Redwall Under Attack! [EXTRAVAGANZA EVENT]

[Captain Tammo]

OOC: So it looks like Rune, is up for grabs! I'll post as her now but if anyone wants them, just hop in and take over. Here's her mini-bio: An almost dwarfish-sized fox who is also Zanna's seer and advisor. Starting out as a slave in Zanna's army, Rune has raised herself higher than the Zanna's captains on nothing but her wit and will to survive.

BIC: Rune had been waiting patiently for Zanna to call her forward all day. A brief seance had been done just the night before, in which Rune promised Zanna a grand victory of the red fortress. Though she did not show it, Rune breathed a sigh of relief at the discovery the fortress was not a fortress. It was an abbey!

Rune was beginning to think that Zanna had forgotten about her when she was called to Zanna. A captain, who was among the dullest and most idiotic creatures to achieve the position (according to Rune, that is), simply muttered to her, "Er, Miss Rune? Chief wants yer. I'm s'posed to take ye to 'er now."

The tiny fox obeyed, albeit begrudgingly. Nobody liked taking orders from a half-wit. The fox had a plan to get Zanna her victory, but it would involve a great deal of listening and figuring out what the warlord would likely do anyway...

----

Wally had an answer ready for the question of the Long Patrol. "Well, we just gotta bribe a bird to take it to Salamandastron for us. Then we'd only have to hold the baddies off for a little bit before help arrives." Even still, the mouse knew this would be difficult and take too long. "Journey from here to Salamandastron 'll take quite a while. And there's no guarantee the bird we hire will follow through unless we hire a lot of them... Hey, wait a minute! What do we need the Long Patrol for? I swear I read something earlier and marked it that mentions something of Mossflower Defenders! They were a group of peacekeepers that relied on guerrilla tactics to get the job done. If they're still around, maybe we could find them. Or if not, perhaps we could try some guerrilla tactics of our own?"

Looking about the room, there would certainly be a lot of talking. The question to answer was this: would there be enough time?

[HoltLutra]

Zanna waited impatiently for the Captain she had sent to fetch Rune. She set the book aside and looked up as the tiny fox entered the campfire area. Zanna, with a wicked smile, gestured for Rune to sit down. "So, my seer, what would you suggest I do?"  She leaned back and bit into a cooked bird that some hunters had killed in the forest.

[Captain Tammo]

Rune already felt a familiar uneasiness around Zanna. She was a scary beast. Keeping her cool about her, Rune closed her eyes.

"The answer to your victory lies within..."

Zanna did not sound amused by the snorted reply that came to her. So Rune continued.

"Your paw was stunned when the fool on the walltop threw something at you. What was it?"

Zanna replied that it was a book.

"And what lies within the book?"

These were all things that Zanna could figure out for herself, so she berated the seer to tell something she did not know.

"Very well, master. Please, I require a piece - however small - of the abbey you seek to conquer. A single chip of a single one of its bricks in the wall will do just fine. I cannot proceed without it."

[HoltLutra]

OOC: I'm also going to play a little bit as the rat that Zanna sent to investigate Redwall...

Shadow(Rat): Shadow approached the Abbey under cover of darkness. He began at the front gate and slowly made his way around to the Eastern side where he found...a small wicker gate in the wall. He began to fiddle with the lock, and it slid back after a moment. He eased his way into the courtyard of the Abbey. He slid into cover of a bush and began watching the Redwallers, how many troops they had, how they were armed, and many other things the Warlord would love to know.

Zanna: Zanna spat at the foot of Rune. "You're useless! I know everything you've told me!" But then, Rune mentioned something  interesting. Zanna prodded one of the guards with the handle of her flail. "You...go now, get me a piece of the red fortress, however small, just get a piece. Go!" she shouted at the guard who scurried out of camp toward Redwall.

[Nadaz, voice of the host]

Skipper agreed with Wally ''If there is help that could get here sooner then the Long Patrol we must attempt to seek them out. I will leave imeaditly to find them.'' Grabbing a map of Mossflower skipper set off across lawn. As he approached the wallgate and saw that it was open. Concerned Skip looked around and saw a rat barely visable behind a rose bush, he cried out ''Attack! The abbey's been breached, to arms!'' Skipper lunged forward and stabbed at the rat with his javelin.

[Captain Tammo]

Alarm bells tolled (in Wally's mind, at least). No sooner had Skipper left the room than did the cry of "attack" come out. Many creatures dashed towards the exits and out into the night air to see what the commotion was. A mismatch of makeshift weaponry was brandished by many creatures as they burst onto the scene. It did not take too long for a few creatures to take notice of where Skipper was and what situation he was in. Was he... fighting a rat?

Wally was there, too. Though not outside. Rather, he was brandishing a large book (he had rather taken to the idea of Abbess Hannah's weapon of choice... so long as it didn't contain military secrets) and keeping watch over the library. It was very doubtful anybeast would make it up there if an invasion were to occur. But just in case...

Rune snickered inwardly. only a few moments after the guard disappeared toward the abbey, all this commotion started happening. It was times like this that reminded Rune of her perceived, general incompetence of most of Zanna's horde. It was no wonder that Rune had worked her way up from a slave to the right paw of Mossflower's soon-to-be most powerful ruler.

Speaking of Mossflower's soon-to-be most powerful ruler, Zanna was up and in arms already. Rune did not get up, but assumed that the seance was officially over. At least until the commotion died down.

[HoltLutra]

Shadow: Shadow thought he was well hidden, he was wrong. A burly otter leapt at him and yelled something about the Abbey being breached. The otter stabbed him in the shoulder and the rat whipped out his dagger and stabbed the otter in the upper leg. A small army from inside the Abbey seemed to appear as the two beasts were locked in a combat to the death.

Zanna: Zanna heard the commotion rise in the Abbey and growled. "Shadow must have been caught...stupid, stupid rat..."

[Lady Amber]

When Raylin heard shouts about the abbey being breached, she dropped the book she was reading and dashed out the library door. She hurried down the stairs and out onto the lawn. She saw other abbeydwellers running out as well, brandishing different kinds of weapons. The squirrelmaid saw Skipper and a rat fighting on the other side of the lawn. She ran in that direction, taking out her sling and loading it with a few stones from her pouch as she went.

Raylin reached the site of the skirmish and halted, breathing heavily as she watched the otter and rat. She looked around, but didn't see any other vermin at present. Glancing over at the wallgate, she saw that, though closed, it was unlocked. She hurried over and locked it, then turned back towards the fight. She couldn't exactly get a shot in with her sling because Skipper was in the way, so she stood, watching, waiting, ready to launch a stone if the rat managed to get away and try to run.

[Nadaz, voice of the host]

Skipper winced when he was stabbed in the thigh. He spun to avoid shadow's next slash, feeling the blade whipping past where his head had been. Getting a idea skip leapt backwards over the pit he had dug. Shadow charged after skipper falling into the spike filled pits that were covered with dried grass. Skipper stepped back to allow Raylin a clear shot.

[HoltLutra]

Shadow: The lithe otter flipped backward and Shadow rushed to pursue his quarry. As he was about to reach his foe, the ground gave out from under him. He fell into a pit of sharpened sticks and impaled his footpaw on one. He struggled to free himself. He spat at the otter, "Coward!" Shadow saw a squirrel with a sling aiming towards him. He struggled even more. His footpaw painfully began to come free.                                                                             

[Nadaz, voice of the host]

Seeing the dark-hued rat pulling his footpaw off the spikes skipper decided that he couldn't wait for Raylin to attack. Stepping forward skipper plunged his javelin deep into the rat killing him instantly. A second later skip heard a crack and felt a searing lance of pain spread from his cheek across his whole face, then he passed out. Inadvertently he had in his hurry to kill shadow he had stepped into the path of Raylin's slingstone.

[Lady Amber]

OOC: I didn't actually say that Raylin had thrown the slingstone yet, but that's fine. I'll just go with it.

BIC:
Raylin gasped in shock as the slingstone collided into Skipper's head and he collapsed to the ground. She hadn't meant to hit Skip; she'd thought that she had a clear shot at the rat. She dropped her sling and ran over to where Skip lay on the ground. The rat was dead, Skip's spear protruding from his chest, his face frozen in a pained expression, sightless eyes staring ahead blankly. Raylin averted her eyes from the gruesome sight and crouched down next to Skipper. Blood oozed from a gash on his head where the stone had hit him.

The squirrelmaid looked up at the crowd of creatures gathered around. "Somebeast get help! We need the Infirmary Keeper!"

[a crumb]

Hannah was hurrying across the Abbey grounds, a couple stout otters in front of her. Over most of the day, the two otters had been patrolling the grounds, and ferrying any messages that needed to be communicated. Now, the two quickly aligned themselves both sides of Skipper, one asking the chieftain if he was all right after the impact. Hannah, two small books in hand, stood alongside Raylin, as other Abbeybeasts on the walls called down as to the nature of the commotion. 

[HoltLutra]

OOC: I just realized I've been calling the Abbess a squirrel, but she actually a mouse, my mistake!

BIC: The guard that Zanna had sent to retrieve some Abbey stone bustled back into camp, cradling a brick-sized piece of stone carefully. Zanna, sensing that the fight within the walls had stopped, sat back down on a log across from Rune. The guard ran into the circle of light cast by the fire. He gently set the stone down on the log next to Zanna before bowing nervously and walking out. Zanna unceremoniously tossed it at Rune across the fire and waited for the seer to do something.

[Captain Tammo]

OOC: BIG POOOOOOST

BIC:

Wally finally relieved himself of the (admittedly ridiculous) self-appointed job of guarding the library. Mostly because the young mouse's attention could not help but shift from where he was to all the commotion outside. Keeping his book with him, Wally began making his way down to the abbey grounds, though in an overly-cautious fashion. He was very clearly paranoid that someone had infiltrated the abbey and would undoubtedly kill him if they got the chance... but it didn't happen. The halls of Redwall were just as devoid of vermin as any other time that season.

Finally making it out onto the grounds, Wally saw creatures begin to file back inside. Skipper was being carried in on a stretcher of sorts and looked to be in rough shape. The action had already come and gone. Wally asked a passerby what had happened. They explained the struggle between Skipper and Shadow, and how a bit of confusion in the darkness had Raylin throwing the rock in her sling and it hitting Skipper. Apparently, some creature had really just snuck in through one of the side gates. Wally was taken aback. How could they have been so stupid to rely on the wicker gate's single padlock for security? "Unbelievable. Is Skipp gonna live?" asked Wally to the passerby.

"I don't know, little one. I certainly hope he pulls through, though. For the abbey's sake. This war will tear us to shreds if we're not careful!"

"Do you know where the foremole is? I've read a few ideas that might help the effort. A good deal of them, actually!"

The passerby pointed over to the wicker gate and Wally took off, holding the book to his chest. When he found foremole, he and his crew seemed to be trying to figure out the best way to reinforce the gates. Wally was a young mouse, but the expression on his face seemed to speak for itself, even in the lantern light of creatures surrounding the gate (of course, being mindful of the hole in the ground. "Excuse me foremole, may I make a suggestion?" It took a little bit of time but eventually the foremole's attention was obtained, and with it the rest of his digging crew. Wally was a little intimidated to have so many beasts staring at him. "Erm, what if - ah, that is... I think I have a way to reinforce the gate that doesn't involve as much effort as maintaining a trap that would only work once the abbey has already been broken into." a dozen pairs of mole eyebrows rose up. Wally continued, now more confident. "Seasons and seasons back, the creatures who lived here were concerned about the same thing - it's all right here in this collection of abbey wartime I'm piecing together. Er, rather it's upstairs in the library. This right here is just a set of records with nothing terribly useful... Er, anyway, the creatures of the abbey managed to keep the gates reinforced by blocking them in with great heaps of each. Dirt, rocks, leaves, mud, the works! It kept anybeast who was trying to get inside with a battering ram from making any progress at all, and burning the gate would only leave the invaders faced with something even harder to get through than what was at the start! So... what do you think? It worked for them. Why not us?"

Rune was a bit surprised at how Zanna simply dismissed the commotion over at the abbey. She must have really been interested in what was happening. The little fox regathered her thoughts. Taking the big brick, she smacked it on a rock until a paw-sized chunk broke off. That would do just fine...

"Very well. Now I have everything that I need to make contact with the spirit world. This is something you have seen me do before, master. If we truly want to meet the spirits, silence is required... You there! Throw wood on this fire, snap to it!... Now then, master, let us begin..."

Rune took out a bag of seemingly random items: glass, wooden beads, a bone fragment of a bat's wing, a dried and hardened toad's eye, a peculiar twig that resembled the shape of a tiny paw and had been polished. Each item seemed to be increasingly stranger than the previous. After examining each piece, Rune reached into her cloak and grabbed a pawful of dust. With a nod to Zanna through the fire, she threw the dust into the fire and watched as green flames pounced upward in a flash. Quickly, Rune gathered all of the contents of her bag, save for the piece of red sandstone, and shook them violently in her paws. "Ooooooh, ooooooh, oooooh, spirit realm, hear the request of that which is still bound by flesh to speak with you. I come at the request of Zanna Crowely, the most powerful fleshed beast on this earth, in search of your council. Make your selves known to me, the door between your world and this one, so that I might communicate what the future holds for my master!"

Rune bowed her head momentarily, then began to shake. When she raised her head, she spoke in a voice that did not sound like her own. It was much deeper, raspy and strained. "You, Zanna Crowely! You are to finish what we could not. I know now how to conquer the abbey. Take but a single creature from within those walls and threaten those inside with it. Those creatures value life above all and will surrender the abbey quickly if you do so." Rune coughed. It sounded like she was a creature on their deathbed.

When she started speaking again, the voice was higher and trill, "Krakah! You will take the redstone house, Zanna Crowely! Do it for all of us who could not. And when they ask how you did it, karkaaah, tell them the spirit of General Ironbeak flies with you!"

"EEERRRAAAAGH! Redwall will fall. Kill! Kill! Challenge a beast to single armed-combat. Kill them and spill their blood. I can see your skill - you will not be killed. Kill for Gulo! Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Yet another voice spoke up, "I had that abbey conquered! Beware the mouse in armour. He is a threat which should be dealt with as soon as possible. My hordes used to chant the name of Cluny the Scourge. Now I hear them curse me from the gates of hell!"

Rune blinked a few times. It seemed to be over. Zanna asked why she had stopped communicating and Rune explained, "A mortal spirit can only stay in the spirit world for so long. As time goes on, more and more strength is needed to keep the door open. Each spirit that was heard was more powerful than the last. I would listen to each of them. They know of the abbey well. I believe each of them was once..." Rune trailed off without warning and grabbed her head. "Something does not feel right." she said.

Zanna was perplexed. "What is it? Is it a spirit?" after not getting a response from Rune, Zanna persisted, ignoring the formalities of her proper place as leader of the horde. "How will a bunch of dead creatures accomplish anything? They're all dead for a reason!"

Rune shook her head, as if to try to shake whatever it was off of her. "I feel strange. Like I am being pulled back by something." Rune reached down to collect her tokens. When she placed a paw on the piece of red sandstone, a powerful voice ripped from her chest, "You, who claims to be mighty enough to take Redwall, who says that I am dead? Your pride and selfishness will place you in the same grave as all the other villains who tried to take my abbey. Know this, vermin: I am Martin the Warrior, and I am a force to be reckoned with. For you cannot escape me so long as you are near this abbey. I will haunt your dreams and give you no sleep. I will influence those around you to turn on one another and watch your forces crumple beneath you. If you try to breach the haven's walls, you will be well met by the sword that lives on through five. Leave here while you still have your life or die as you have lived, a coward to the last!"

Rune's eyes shut, the voice left her and she collapsed on the ground, still as a corpse.