During these last few weeks, a lot of people have been driven from their homes, had their lives turned upside down, or their businesses destroyed by the rampaging undead. But what about the people on the front? Knights, squires, medics, all those men and women that fight the undead horrors to keep us safe, secure, and very much alive. I am conducting a series of interviews to find out more about how the battles are going, and for this first article, have found my way to Lakeshire, where I got the opportunity to talk to a group of brave soldiers that fought the undead tooth and nail over the last days and weeks. Lord Jeremiah Leonheart, Master-Sergeant Alexander Wilde, Harper Fawks and Rulfe, also known as ‘the Rat Guy’, participated in several battles, and agreed to answer my questions. To first get a good overview, I had to find out what it is exactly that our protectors are up against.
Cassie: What kind of undead were you facing? Are we talking ghouls here, gheists?
J. Leonheart: Raised orcs. A Warlord. A frostwyrm. Ghouls, gheists and a large fleshbeast.
H. Fawkes: Raised ettin, bats... screechers. So many different types.
A. Wilde: Mh... there were ghouls, geists, skeletons and raised Orcs, at first; but it progressed beyond that, pushing up towards Stonewatch. We encountered the living - necromancers - raising shriekers, eagles, and the aforementioned creatures from up the hill. Wasn't just the dead. The spiders, too - Nerubians, are they called?
J. Leonheart: Mh.
Rulfe: Mostly been fightin' an endless amount of ghouls 'n' those bat like creatures. There were other undead but I didn't fight with many of those myself, least not in Redridge.
I was shocked, to say the least. I’d heard of ghouls and gheists, and sure, burned the occasional shrieker, but I had never realized just how dire things were, and that’s just in Redridge. Knowing what kind of threats they were facing, I had to know how many brave men and women were holding back the tide in those battles.
Cassie: That's quite the assortment of monstrosities... How many soldiers were here to defend Redridge?
H. Fawkes: From private companies and militias, one-hundred-and-twenty, possibly more. There was also backup from other alliance forces. The numbers dwindled further and further into the campaign, people were either dead, injured or exhausted.
Knowing that more than a hundred soldiers faced these monsters definitely reassured me. Still, the thought of an undead Ettin just wouldn’t let go of me, and I just had to know more about it. Only two of my interviewees were there when those creatures were let loose, but they definitely had quite some things to say about them.
Cassie: Now, you said that there were necromancers, too, and they raised both orcs and ettin. How did you feel when you saw the first undead ettin make its way toward you?Article continues after the ad.
H. Fawkes: Ah, well. It first approached over the hill.. The mood shifted dramatically. These men and women held firm, Constabulary, infantry.. the like stood firm as it came crashing down. It was pure dread really. Death was looming around the corner for everyone.
A. Wilde: Mh... what is there to say? You feel the ground shake before you see it crest a hill. You hear it roar before you smell it. Line must've been at least sixty, seventy people strong - easily. Men in blue, gold, silver and red. Didn't matter what they wore. It hit a line of plate two persons deep, but they were still flung a good eight, nine feet through the air into the sides and to their allies. It tore the front line like paper, charging down from Stonewatch.
H. Fawkes: It was horrific.
Cassie: How did you ever manage to bring down such a foe?
A. Wilde: How? Almost anything'll fall when you've got nearly a hundred people hacking at it, firing at it, or casting hellfire upon it. Just a matter of time and a bodycount.
Horrific as it might sound, our brave defenders managed to bring down the monstrosity before them, and many more after it. Life prevailed in the end, here in Lakeshire, and the Scourge was pushed back, and denied a victory. As the interview concluded, I asked if there was anything that our quartet of steadfast defenders would like you to know, our dear readers.
J. Leonheart: We're winning; but don't get complacent. Keep fighting, keep supporting.
H. Fawkes: Enjoy your things, places and people that make existence feel like life. Hope is what keeps us human after all. Or... Humanoid...
A. Wilde: Be safe. Not brave. We're not heroes, and neither are you. Don't play for a legendary story. Report the infected, presumed or otherwise, to the relevant authorities for purification and remain safe. Don't try and be the Uther that you're not.
Rulfe: We all have a part to play in this and together we'll get through this. One day after another, one hour after another, One moment before another. We’ll get through this.
Cassie: That we will. As I've heard a great man once say: We shall not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight.
So there you have it. Directly from the frontlines, a report of what our troops are actually facing, while they ensure that we regular citizens get to stay home and stay safe in these trying times. Heed their advice, and remember to live, laugh, and read the paper. More reports will be following shortly, so keep your eyes open to get more news from the front. Cassie, signing out.