Battle at Illapse Keep

The Great War between OoSM/DoL and HC/PoR

Fri Oct 26 2001

Battle at Illapse Keep

ghalleon: Ot was perhaps 3 days into the 2nd geat war between 4 houses. All 4 houses had minor skirmished for a few dreams, each trying to build their armories and vaults. It was shortly after class one evening when word reached us in the ceremony hall that HC and PoR forces had obviously gathered their resources , and were massing in illapse

ghalleon: i was very young then , no more than perhaps early into my 3rd sphere , those of us who were able and willing went to the aid of our allies at DoL

ghalleon: me being the overzealous and self reliant kind broke off from the main group heading up , and inadvertantly took the long way to illapse keep

ghalleon: when i arrived the fight was little more than the skirmishes we had seen out genning for items... but as more of us arrived , more and more HC and PoR poured in , before we knew it , there was perhaps 30 of us trying to fight a losing battle against 45 or so well armed and trained warrior from HC and PoR

ghalleon: among us were some of the well known names of OOSM , such as ahria , alldaytrooper , roland , sir grunt , stalker333 and van gash

ghalleon: while HC and PoR had Kage and his merry band of mercenaries

ghalleon: van gash was the second youngest of us , but a wonderful tactician , noted DoL reinforcments arriving at the house

ghalleon: as HC had started the fight against dol when it was nearly empty

ghalleon: we warded the portal to the house facade , and regrouped there to push the two houses back off the mount

ghalleon: van gash led the offensive back into the keep , but by this time , the battle was perhaps 100 dreamers or more strong , many of us stormed crossing over.

ghalleon: those of us who stormed reawajed at the house and rushed back up the mount to help. i was the last to head up , and inadvertantly found the same ward trap that the rest of us who stormed , had found as well.

ghalleon: it seems the offensive led by van gash was an overwhelming success and had managed to rout HC and POR from the keep and halfway down the mount where in desparation....they lined the cliff side , warded up both sides of the room , and rained literally a hail of flame and chakram down on any who came

ghalleon: when i arrived i saw ahria , sir grunt , stalker , and many of the first wave of DoL forces floating helpless. i had but a chance to blink , before i joined them myself.

ghalleon: Kage himself stuck a blow to me with his blade while i tried to climb the cliff

ghalleon: this was , when i was young , and inexperienced... my assumptions of the dream led my avatar to manifest any harm done to it , much like in the physical realm

ghalleon: i have since learned better than that... but for the time , kage had for all pracitcal purposes , taken my right eye , and collapsed me

ghalleon: i still wear the scar , but i do so by choice , as it stands as a reminder to me of one of the bloodiest battles i have ever taken part in , and in remembrance of my dear housemate

ghalleon: van gash , who left us many many dreams ago.

ghalleon: and that night was his final heroic moment with us

ghalleon: i know you were probably expecting a story of me , and of some victory... but this is my dearest story , and it is of a dear friend , and our defeat together

ghalleon: not just he and i , but as a house

ghalleon: later that eve after most of us had gone to dreamless sleep...

ghalleon: this same van gash , ahria , stalker333 , and sir grunt , fended the entire OSM house from 20 or more HC attackers throughout the night

SeVeNRoSeS: What was proven in the Mt. that day?

ghalleon: what was proven is even some of our greatest defeats , are still some of our greatest acheivements

ghalleon: and when the dawn came , and the dreamers returned , the 4 stood badly injured , out of reserves , but solid in spirit , and in a house free of any attackers.

ghalleon: Kage was my sworn enemy for the longest time seven...

ghalleon: and even now , the pain to my pride is still there from time to time.

ghalleon: but i have a nearly limitless amount of respect for him , and all the others we faced down that day

ghalleon: it is a close parelell to the bond forged inside our own house as we stood together.

SeVeNRoSeS: Who claimed victory in the end?

ghalleon: OOSM and DoL extended their laws to their lands and enforced them fiercely , HC and PoR conceeded to punish any of their own who broke them.

ghalleon: when a battle consists of dreamers versus dreamers , none of us are trully victors.

ghalleon: but i think we all got what we wanted in the end

SeVeNRoSeS: Which was what?

ghalleon: the right to practice our beleifs without direct interdiction by others.

ghalleon: which was , prior to that war , a shaky concept at best

ghalleon: before then , hunts were always interesting , each group condeming the other for their practices..

ghalleon: often resulting in a hunt for each other , and not the mares :)

ghalleon: i for one , do not miss the war , or turbulence... but i do miss the comradery it forged between enemy and ally alike... bonds stronger than the thickest steel