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UDO OF BREBANT KILLED Captain-General Dies in Battle near Schwarzeberg A terrible disaster has befallen the Doomgarde. During its recent campaigns against the Dwarf Robber Barons. Udo of Brebant – The Captain-General of Mercenaries was foully slain in a pitched battle. Many Doomgarde were also killed. The Robber Barons still hold their castles along the Neirsteiner river, the Middleland Princes now look for a new leader. The battle happened three leagues from the strategically Important town of Schwarzeberg where the Neirsteiner River converges with the Ahrein. Udo had left the safety of the Doomgarde fortress at Schwarzeberg to ambush troops of the Dwarf Robber Barons reported to be attacking river traffic on the Neirsteiner. Dwarven Deceit However unknown to the brave Udo, these reports were falsehoods given to the Doomgarde by unscrupulous bandits n the pay of the Dwarves and n fact a large Dwarf force lay n wait for the unsuspecting mercenaries. As the Human force reached the scene of the reported attacks, they soon found themselves surrounded m three sides by a massive Dwarven host, their backs to the river itself! The deceitful Dwarf leader "Baron" Gimlit Thragaronsson called upon Udo and his force to surrender, promising to only execute one in ten of the mercenaries. Brave Udo's response of "You and the Pig you rode in on Dwarf!" is the stuff of legends and no doubt will be the focal point of many a balladeers song in the years to come. Heroic Stand With that the Dwarvish host launched a concerted attack on the Doomgarde position, but the brave mercenaries, swinging their halberds like Death's scythe, cut down many of the undergrounders, forcing them to retire. Twice more the Dwarves launched attacks on the human shieldwall, only to be forced back after suffering heavy casualties. Seeing his plan starting to go awry Thragaronsson ordered his crossbow units to fire repeated volleys into the Doomgarde ranks. Under this intense barrage of deadly shafts Udo's force soon began to disintergrate. The Captain-General seeing the futility of his position, ordered a cadre of his troops to form on him, whilst ordering the remaining mercenaries, to attempt to flee the battlefield and reach the safety of the fortress at Schwarzeberg. Valiant Charge As the mercenaries started to exit the field of carnage, Udo drew up the small cadre of Doomgarde he had selected and launched a heroic and futile charge against the Dwarf lines. With missiles raining down upon them, Udo's small unit hacked and slashed its way through the Dwarves before finally falling to weight of numbers. A Woman Leader? Speculation is now rife as to who the Middlelands Princes will choose as the new Captain-General to replace Udo of Brebant. Although not certain, radical thinking suggests the possibility of female Doomgarde Captain, Ulrica von Viebriek being appointed the first female Captain-General in history. Webmaster's Note Originally published in Orcs in the Hills, Issue 5. |
