Elves -- turn 1.

Hmm...fairly unimpressive little settlement we've inherited. Have to expand, expand...there are rumors abroad that the dark elves have returned to the forest, and we'll have to build our strength if we're to send them back where they belong (not sure exactly where dark elves do belong...in a tiny corner of a dark, faraway cave, perhaps?).

Turn sent.

Dafyth, if you want to play from work and home, that's fine.

Whoops, Dafyth, I may have made a mistake. I downloaded the map we're playing from AOWH. I just noticed that BTIOC has a version which is described as modified and balanced for tournament play -- downloaded it and took a look at the Elven start position, and it's quite different (much more developed, and a starting hero). I'd guess that one will get us into the thick of things faster -- would you prefer that I restart with that version? I'm also happy to continue as we are. Up to you.

Sorry about the confusion.

OK JWorth, lets use the newer version. You can resend the first turn on the new map.

Restarted with tournament version of Danny's Sock.

Turn 1 sent.

We're finally off .

Dark Elves -- Day1

I return from the void with no memory. I have command of Earth magic, and my loyal Dark Elf followers; a small cadre of Orcs is also mine to use as I see fit. Well, whatever the situation, I shall do what I do best; conquer and control!

I claim a nearby mine, send my troops out to explore, and attempt to cypher the deep and hidden meanings of the signpost markers. Surely they must be the work of some mighty but long gone Wizard . . .

TS, played on home computer.

Elves, turn 2.

Scout and fight. Scout and fight... My troops are starting to complain. Well, we'll see whether they prefer the glacier or the swamp.

Perhaps if I massacre the inhabitants of that goblin village up ahead, it will goad Arachne into a mistake? Only time will tell.

Turn sent.

Dark Elves -- Day2

My forces continue to explore the area, and several resources have been identified. These are guarded fairly well, so I will be careful which I appropriate first. there is no sign of activity from rival Wizards, but I'm sure that I am not alone.

TS, played on home computer.

Elves, turn 3:

The goblin settlement falls to our scouting forces. A foul stink in the lake has my scouts convinced that dark elves have already arrived on the far shore, but there's no definite sign of them yet. That smell may just be the natural stench found wherever goblins camp.

Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-08-2003 @ 04:33 PM).]

Dark Elves -- Day3

Haha, a small and pathetically defended halfling village is spotted in the distance by a scout. What a strange land this must have been before my return here from the void, for Halflings to establish such a weak colony so close to the master races. It is almost as if they are begging to be conquered. Very well then, they shall soon have thier wish.

TS, Game restart -- played on work computer.

Elves, turn 4:

I dispatch a messenger with word to Arachne ("But where is she?" my messenger asks -- "That's your problem" I say, "But I want this letter delivered"), informing her that all halflings in this realm are under my protection.

Disturb that village at your own risk.

Turn sent.

Dark Elves -- Day4

My seers tell me that they sense the presence of our weak cousins in this land; perhaps being lead by a wizard, or more accurately what passes as a wizard among those pale wasted shadows.

When pressed for details -- numbers and locations -- the seers simply mumble and point to their bones and runes and tea leaves. Enough! I have no patience for this claptrap. If the Elves exist then let them show themselves, if they dare. Regardless, I intent to have my way here in any case.

TS, played on work computer.

Elves, Day 5

A human settlement appears before our advancing scouts. What, they don't recognize our sovreignty in this land? Don't they realize that it is we, and not the foul dark elves, who represent the force of good here?

We'll see if our swords convince them of the justness of our cause.

Turn sent.

Dark Elves -- Day5

Ahhh, for once, it seems that my seers are correct. My scouts have run across the frozen corpse of what appears to be an Elven messenger. The evidence indicates that he was unceremoniously trampled to death 'neath the hoofs of one of my wild boars! Quite a fitting and ignoble end for such a wasted fool as he.

Whatever message he thought to deliver is long gone, but his presence he in the North is message enough for me. If Serena wanted a reply, then I leave the boar's response as one transparently apropos.

Now I know mine adversary, and now I know that no quarter shall be asked nor given. Have at thee Serena! First blood has been drawn . . .

TS, played on work computer.

Elves, turn 6.

Well, now we know that our brave messenger has finally delivered our proclamation to the craven elves who defile this place. However, Arachne, just in case your illiterate boar failed to recognize the significance of the letters carried by our glade runner (under a flag of diplomatic embassy, no less, but I had no expectation that you would follow the niceties of war), here's the short version:
"This land is under our protection. Cease your invasion at once, or face our wrath! And leave our favored subjects, the halflings, at peace."

Now, I'll have to make a note to the royal seargeant to double the escape and evasion portion of our glade runners' training. Arachne's captain was almost within our grasp before that foolish -- I mean mourned -- scout gave away the position.

At least our soldiers feasted on roasted boar by the day's end.

Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-10-2003 @ 01:17 AM).]

Dark Elves -- Day6

Heh, Serena would have me leave the Halflings in peace. Well I have done just that -- they are in enternal peace now! And that pathetic locatoin has been given to my Orc followers for a job well done in conquering a cosmos node. Perhaps the Orcs can turn that worthless village into something worthy of my banner.

Serena has committed somewhat heavily in the glacial North by sending her hero there. Perhaps a welcoming party is in order.

TS, played on work computer.

Hey Dafyth,

Could you resend? The attachment was missing on your last e-mail.

Thanks,
JWorth

Turn resent

Elves, turn 7.

Hmm...after all that I've risked for them, I would have expected the halflings to be more grateful. It seems that I shall have to put a few of the shire folk to my own sword, though, unlike the vile Arachne, I do so with only goodwill towards them in my heart.

Elsewhere, things are quiet. I trust that my scouts have taken their new training to heart as I dispatch them to gather news of Arachne's movements.

Turn sent.

Dark Elves -- Day7

A rather slow but productive day. Orc residence continue to arrive and evict the remnants of the Halfling colony -- soon the migration process will be complete. The Elves on the Glacial slope have scurried away, and scouts in the Southwest report all clear, except for a very dirty Dwarf seen across the river peeing into a watermill intake. It will please me greatly when I can rid the fair land of such foul creatures.

TS, game restart -- played on Lab computer.

Elves, turn 8.

There is good in all creatures, even dark elves. A harried clerk (with an unpronouncable elven name sounding something like "ohnowhyisautomoveon?") mistakenly issues orders sending elven troops running hither and fro along the frozen banks of the Sock River, across which the rival northern armies eye each other warily. Generously, Morrandir, general of the dark elf army, remembers the old ways, and she orders a pause to allow the elven army time to properly array itself for battle. This moment of chivalry gives my soldiers hope that the differences between our two peoples may not be irreconcilable after all, but the sudden appearance across the river of a band of starving halfling refugees hardens their hearts anew, and they gird themselves for battle...

Thanks, Dafyth .

Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-11-2003 @ 01:50 AM).]

Dark Elves -- Day8

How typical -- Elven troops defending a human village. Did those fools learn nothing from all the previous times that Human armies took to the field of battle? When did it not result in the death and sorrow of all Elves, even the pale weak ones?

Very well then; their blood is already weak. Go ahead and let them weaken it even more by coddling their pet humans. But soon the humans shall share the same fate as the former halfling colony did. The Elves had best run back to their capital before my hero decides to go there and have a look around.

TS

[This message has been edited by Dafyth (edited 04-11-2003 @ 03:27 PM).]

Elves, turn 9.

These humans, I would have my twisted brethren know, are kind, and good, and generous (both with their efforts and with their bolts). In short, they are everything that my dark elf kin are not. If you care to waste your men in an assault, I welcome you -- and we've laid down an ample supply of food and water, in case you contemplate a siege .

Yesterday's era of good feelings appears to be over. To arms!

-- Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-11-2003 @ 04:06 PM).]

Dark Elves -- Day9

"These humans . . . are kind, and good, and generous"

Oh my, that changes everything!

Well no, actually, it doesn't.

TS

Elves, day 10.

Ok, ok, I was a little over the top . I don't like the humans much either -- still, they've offered their help, and I'll take them over the orcs you're hanging out with, any day.

In other news, the cowardly Morrandir continues to refuse our challenge, instead wasting her time recruiting more useless vermin into her army. Why does she bother? They'll only give my crossbowmen more experience when they fall...

Turn sent.

Dark Elves -- Day10

Har har! I pleases me greatly that see these nature-loving "Elves" cowering behind the walls of a Human village, and forced side by side into cramped quarters with their new "friends". While they are getting acquanted, My hero has managed to explore a campsite, gain a new artifact, and bring a few more burly Orcs to buff up the retinue, right under their very noses.

Bah, where are the Goblin's big beetles when one needs them? If this siege drags on much longer, I shall have my troops build a giant hollow wooden bunny and hide inside. When the silly weaklings bring their prize inside, my troops will jump out and take them from within.

It would probably work . . .

TS

Elves, day 11.

Choosing to loot rather than to march and join her advancing siege train (my spies report no goblin carpenters, but I shall beware all of Arachne's offerings, no matter how apparently benign ), Morrandir leaves her army exposed for a moment. The odds will never be better for us than they are right now, and Elme gives the order to attack...

Victory! Morrandir has paid for her greed, but the price is great for us as well, and we weep for the fallen. All elven life is precious, light and dark, and dozens of immortal lives -- along with countless of the lower races -- have been snuffed out this night. Elme and Morrandir shall be buried side by side, and between them we shall lay Morrandir's noble sword and ring, which none in either of our kingdoms are now worthy to bear.

Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-12-2003 @ 03:55 PM).]

Dark Elves -- Day11

Humph. What a bloody mess. The elves and humans actually found the fortitude to sally forth and engage my troops. The near mutual annihilation favors the enemy short term, as they still have the village and a few extra troops. Long term -- who can say.

Time to rebuild the army.

TS

Elves, day 12.

Arachne's follow-on army arrives at the battlefield to find nothing but corpses. My survivors are too weak to engage them in the open field, so it's back to taunting from the walls...

Ditto that last comment -- it's rebuilding time.

-- JWorth

Dark Elves -- Day12

Blasted Halflings -- they just seem to pop out of the forest like the rodents that they are. Three appear at the Human village where there were none yesterday! Halflings, Humans and Elves -- oh my! Perhaps Serena is preparing a zoo, or some kind of freak show, hmmm?

I observe the water tarts approaching my shores, apparently volunteering to become pincushions. I would think that they'd be back at the human village, entertaining their troops. No matter -- I have a plan to deal with them.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. It would be a shame to let good artifacts go to waste . . .

TS

Elves, turn 13.

Welcome back, Dafyth.

Grave robbing, eh? Bad news for me, I think. I was hoping you'd have to pay somewhat greater long distance fees... Oh well, no matter, what was taken once can be taken again, and perhaps these so-called heros will be dissuaded from joining your cause, once they see the mortality statistics.

BTW, The water-tarts, as you see delicately call them, invite you to join them for a dance. Word has it that your archer greatly enjoyed himself, before the end...

Turn sent.

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-17-2003 @ 05:22 PM).]

Dark Elves -- Day13

Ah yes, the mystery of those Crumb Snatching rodents has just about been most satisfactorily concluded. How long have they been shaking in their nasty little bolthole, waiting to be discovered? Well, we will end that misery shortly.

The nymph problem has been checked for now -- a more permanent solution is in works.

My new Orc hero is buffed, spelled, and much more durable than my previous champion. Though that mutated horse wasn't much of a workout, it will do for starters.

TS

Elves, turn 14.

The maneuvering on Sock Glacier continues. Arachne's army abandons the siege for darker pastures, and we sally forth to impose proper justice on the foul tomb robber, Brogg (or whatever his unpronounceable orcish name was). The relics of the first battle of Sock Glacier shall be returned to their proper resting place.

I think you got the better of that one, Dafyth -- six scrubs and a village for your hero. Still, we'll see if your marauding army ever gets back into the battle...there's lots of fight left in the elvish army .

Turn sent.

-- JWorth

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-17-2003 @ 07:44 PM).]

Dark Elves -- Day14

It appears that I have overplayed my hand once too often, and I find I have been out-manuvered at every turn. My Hero was betrayed by an illusionary forest and has paid the price.

I return to the void to dream and plan for when I am next summoned. And when I am, I shall not repeat the mistakes of this incarnation.

Nice game JWorth!

Thanks, Dafyth. That was a real nail-biter. I think we're both much wiser in the treacherous ways of that forest on Sock Glacier .

I'm game for a rematch, with switched sides. Perhaps this time we'll fight in the swamps?

-- JWorth

[This message has been edited by JWorth (edited 04-18-2003 @ 02:45 AM).]