#Vanguard Bandits

[clockworkcrane]

A little Alden from Vanguard Bandits as a commission for a friend!

[mercuryartes]

@adropofshadow

[thefrogwhobarks]

That is certainly one of the battlecries of all time

[genshin-impact-updates]

Stalwart Strider

"He sees and hears everything, as if he had the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox, like some kind of mythical beast. Fighting tooth and nail, he drove away bandits and ruffians like devils with all the auspicious momentum of the suanni."

— A plaque of gratitude received by the Sword and Strongbox Secure Transport Agency from a merchant whose caravan was safely escorted by Gaming

◆ Name: Gaming

◆ Title: Leonine Vanguard

◆ "Sword and Strongbox" Transport Guard

◆ Vision: Pyro

◆ Constellation: Leo Expergiscens

If you happen to hear the sound of drums and gongs as you're walking through the streets of Liyue Harbor, let your ears lead the way. With a bit of luck, you might just be fortunate enough to witness a performance of Gaming's remarkable Wushou Dance.

When he puts on his mask, he shakes his head and blinks like a waking beast. The vast array of emotions he conjures up, the unpredictable twists and turns... Following his every move with rapture, the audience can't help but cheer and applaud.

"Thank you for your support, everyone! And remember, if someone you know's thinking of booking a Wushou Dance, don't forget to recommend the 'Mighty Mythical Beasts'!"

It's just a shame that, more often than not, he receives nothing but applause in return. But Gaming doesn't let this get to him — he laughs it off, saying that the audience's attention is all the recognition he needs.

Once the crowd has dispersed and his mask is off, Gaming swiftly returns to being a "guard" and thinking of work matters once more: How many cargo shipments still need delivering? Which clients does he need to escort? And so on...

Usually, when there's nothing urgent on, he heads to Xinyue Kiosk to while away the time with some dim sum — a pot of tea, a selection of bite-sized nibbles, and leisurely chatter in the company of good friends.

As a guard, the task of escorting goods from Yilong Wharf to Liyue Harbor couldn't be easier for Gaming. But as the head of the "Mighty Mythical Beasts," his dream of making the Wushou Dance a regular occurrence in Liyue Harbor still has a long, long road ahead of it...

So in the meantime, why not sit and enjoy another cup of tea?

[dailyadventureprompts]

Adventure: Countess Ledrick's (Re)Doubt

You were warned about bandits in your travels through the Kingsfault mountains, but you didn't expect them to be such gracious hosts. It's about after your third stein of ale at their leader's high table that you start to think they might want something from you more than coin.

Even monsters can change, or so thinks Ledrick as she wipes the blood of her latest kill from her blade. A little over a decade ago she was at the vanguard of a mercenary force pillaging through the land clearing the way for an invading army. After the fighting was done while most of her companions were either going home or turning bandit she decided to take over the keep of a minor noble she'd help to butcher.

It was mostly a joke, a commonborn killer like her declaring herself a countess and presiding over a court of outlaws as they drank a dead man's wine. Presiding turned into setting down rules for her gang, which turned into negotiating for food with nearby villages in exchange for protection from monsters and whoever didn't want to follow her rules. Fast forward eight years and Ledrick's being cheered by the people she once came to conquer as she stands between them and and ettin looking to break down their village gates.

Time has a way of changing everything... grudges are buried, children are born, and necromantic cults of dragon worshippers emerge from their tomb sleep... all part of the great cycle.

Adventure Hooks:

Tracking a bounty into the mountains leads the party to the countess's court, where their quarry has thrown himself on Ledrick's mercy as someone who fought alongside her in the early days of securing her lands. Lendrick will let the party plea their case, but conflicted between a soldier's honour and wanting to be a lawful lord will instead send them out searching for the local priestess of Tyr, god of hardwon peace, who has offered the countess wise council in the past and has been missing of late on pilgrimage to a shrine in the wilderness.

The party may also fall into Lendrick's company after their quest or patron sends them to defend against a threat lurking in the mountainous wilderness, where they'll use her fort as a forward operating base. Learning to live alongside the Countess and her retinue of semi-retired killers may take some getting used to, but if the party can win their trust they'll have no truer allies when the threat comes calling.

There have always been drakes roosting in the Kingsfault mountains, but in recent months the countess's domain has seen more attacks than it has in the past twenty years. Something is driving these beasts to attack, and the former merc has put out a call for aid to , knowing herself ill equipped to investigate the causes and that her people would be better served with her managing the monsters.

Background: It was a little over a year ago when one of Ledrick's old warbuddies came calling, a battlemage named Hess who in recent who's post-retirement delving into the more esoteric side of magic has led him down a dark road. Showing up all smiles and grand stories of their shared suffering, Hess convinced the countess to let him and his acolytes apprentices delve an old ruin in her territory, promising to share some the riches they unearthed as repayment.

Hess was good on his word, tribute to the countess's court arrived after just a few weeks of delving and maintained at a steady trickle ever since. Part of this tribute happened to be a cursed idol that unless properly contained attracts the violent attention of dragonkind. Hess neglected to include care instructions when he sent it along, hoping to use the countess's defence of her lands as a means of harvesting drakeflesh under the guise of helping to search for reasons behind the attacks.

Further Adventures:

Several of Ledrick's underlings are beginning to fall under Hess's sway; sure the drakes have killed a few dozen peasants but merchants are willing to pay for their horns and teeth hand over first, to say nothing of the drakescale armor some of the more gifted armorers have been knocking together after their hunts. Would they really let all this stop to all this just because some do-nothing farmers got hurt?

Behind his jockular attitude and harmlessly crass jokes, there's something deeply wrong with Hess. War left wounds in his psyche and now something festers beneith his scars eating away at who he is, driving him to delve deeper into the tomb and unlock its secrets. Pretending to help with the party's investigation, he'll send them on a wild goose chase into the mountains towards a dangerous ruin claiming it as the origin of whatever's causing the drakes to attack.

By the time they realize the deceptio Hess and his followers will have cleared out of the ancient tomb, leaving behind a series of spells that will lock the party inside and reactivate all the traps and guardians the cult spent months disarming. Perhaps most dangerous of all is a construct of Hess's own fevered design; built of drakebone and sinew grafted into armor, a half finished war machine that will stalk the party through the darkened halls.

Art 1 Art 2 Art 3

[possessedscholar]

No idea how long Ancient Roman will take, so just to make sure everything is squared away, I’m already setting up the poll for the stream after Ancient Roman.

[cloaksandcapes]

Paladin Subclass, Oath of Protection

We've released our first subclass, the Paladin's Oath of Protection on our Patreon!

The Oath of Protection is all about becoming the shield for your allies. Commanding the attention of your foes, and taking the hits that would send others to their knees.

If you're idea of a Paladin is protecting those who can't protect themselves in the fantasy worlds of Dungeons & Dragons, then the Oath of Protection may be for you!

The Oath of Protection calls to paladins who wish to protect the meek and innocent from the dangers of the world. It is their aim to be a stalwart defender of their companions, and those who cannot defend themselves. These paladins see themselves as shields before swords, they wield temperance and empathy instead of retribution and divine fury.

Protection Paladins are just as adept at war and combat as any other, but their focus is on mitigating damage to others, even if it means putting themselves in harm's way. An Oath of Protection paladin might dedicate themselves to a village with little defense, standing up against a force of bandits or monsters. They may seek to swear themselves to an individual who seeks to do good in the face of adversity, that otherwise wouldn’t be able to defend themselves, such as an outspoken activist against a local thieves guild, or capitalistic trade authority.

Tenets of Protection

A paladin who takes this oath is reminded of their tenets through the many scars they bear, having prevented another from needing to wear them.

Stand Against Tyranny. Cruelty and oppression thrive in the presence of the weak, you must be the wall that stands against its tides.

Protect the Meek. There is beauty and promise in all people, regardless of their strength or influence. But not every living creature has the means to stand against those with power. You use your shield to protect those who cannot fight for themselves.

Walk Your Own Path. Men with power and gold fear losing it, and often hire strong arms to protect them. But you walk a path that is your own, unswayed by material gains, seeking to keep balance in a world that others look to tip in their own favor.

Oath of Protection Features

Paladin Level Feature

3rd Oath Spells, Channel Divinity

7th Bastion of the Meek

15th Unyielding Shield

20th Divine Defender

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how Channel Divinity works.

Shield of Light. You can use your Channel Divinity to shield an ally and blind their attacker. When an attack targets one of your allies within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to summon a bulwark of light that redirects the attack towards you. If the attack hits, you take only half damage. The attacker must then make a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC or be blinded until the end of their next turn.

Holy Vanguard. To defend others, you must be willing to take the hard hits that no one else can. As an action, you drop your defenses, encouraging enemies around you to press the advantage. For 1 minute, the first attack roll an enemy makes against you each round is done with advantage.

While Holy Vanguard is active you reduce damage dealt to you by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1). In addition, if an enemy that you can see within 30 feet of you attacks an ally, you can use your reaction to deal radiant damage to the enemy equal to your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1) and give them disadvantage on the attack.

If you enjoyed this preveiw of our content, join us in Discord or on Twitch every Mon\Wed\Fri! We create new Homebrew with our chat every stream. And to support us check out our Patreon for 600+ magic items, monsters, tokens, maps, and more.

[one-of-many-journeys]

Day 73

Shattered Kiln

Changed out of my kestrel armour and set out from the camp at sunrise.

Past the distant Shadow Carja forts and back south east to Meridian to deliver my intel to Marad.

Rested on the way; keeping out of sight of the Snapmaws.

A pack of Scrappers chased me down. They would have hounded me all the way to the city gates if I hadn't speared them through. Then through the mountain pass into Cut Cliffs, where for the second time I was ambushed by a group of bandits lurking inside. They went the same way as the Scrappers. How are there still so many of them in these lands?

Through Cut Cliffs and to the city gates. Still not on fire.

I headed for the palace to speak to Marad. I couldn't tell him much more than what he already knew, but could at least confirm the singular angle of attack, and that the Eclipse were bolstering their ranks with every Shadow Carja man they could. In the unlikely event that we survive long enough for an opportunity to counterattack, taking back Sunfall will be easy. It might even be necessary; I doubt anyone that Helis would leave in charge would ever stoop to surrender, no matter how hopeless the stand.

Marad will send his own agents to watch the ravine for signs of the Eclipse assembling their invasion force. He also told me I was free to stay in Olin's old apartment. Seems a bit...callous.

Marad told me that some Nora warriors had arrived in my absence, though they refused the invitation to enter the city and receive a royal welcome from Avad. Cursed earth is one thing, but a cursed city...I guess that's taking things too far. The important thing is that they came. Marad had also stationed the Vanguard on the Alight, and Erend was there making defensive preparations. He was already hearing word back from his agents sent afield as well; many outlanders were willing to come to Meridian's aid, some for loyalty or decency, others for shards alone. Avad certainly has plenty to go around. Others, he said, came for me. My name was enough for them to pledge themselves to a cause that wasn't theirs against an enemy they didn't understand. Well, rumours about me have spread far, I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

I've done things too, I suppose. I've done a lot. Free of charge too, for the most part. That goes a long way in a dangerous world. It'll only grow more hostile unless I stop it. I didn't know it then, but everything I was doing...it's exactly what I was made for. Downing murderous machines, patching up the consequences of the Derangement—all a direct result of the destruction that was my creation. A nice thought, but only if I succeed.

One of Elisabet's journal files repaired itself as I made the trek to the Alight. She wrote of the Odyssey, the space station belonging to Far Zenith.

When I first heard about it I was excited by the possibility, though from the data I found at ZD, their escape from the planet failed. Elisabet seemed...less optimistic. Despite the doubled chances for humanity's survival, she worried about the world Far Zenith would create, and their underdeveloped version of the Apollo database. 'What's to stop them from playing god?' No less than what was stopping Elisabet and her team, surely. They were in the process of building god, but I can infer her meaning. Elisabet was a good person surrounded by like-minded colleagues. She cared about others and about life, all life, while the members of Far Zenith kept their identities secret to avoid a public outraged by their exorbitant wealth and technology. The way I've heard them described, it's like they controlled everything. I can't imagine that people like that wanted a better world for life to come, just for themselves.

I met Talanah on the Alight, helping the others prepare the defences. She'd left the management of the lodge to Ligan and roped in as many hunters as she could to join her in battle. Where else would she be, she said, than by her Thrush's side. After Tarkas, she wasn't willing to let her own fight alone again. Of all the people in this city, she just might be the one I'll miss most when I leave these lands behind. If I get the chance, that is. She never once doubted me, even when all I was in her eyes was a stubborn outlander sticking it to Ahsis. It's refreshing having someone who can keep up with me in a fight too.

True to his word, Varl stood on the Alight with a group of Braves, well away from the locals. The others with him went to bow at my approach, but he hastened them to stand. Still called me the Anointed though, if not to my face. I get it, the only reason the Nora are here are because they think I'm on a holy mission from their goddess, that I'm her mortal vessel, my words are her dreams, etc. As for Varl, he would've come anyway, he said. He came for me.

I asked for his honest opinion on all this. I could tell he was uncomfortable, beyond the sweat soaking his furs. His woes were those of a typical Nora: foreign lands, accursed structures, a Metal Devil of myth come to life, and a woman chosen by the goddess. He felt like he should worship me, after everything—after the battle in Devil's Grief, the cleansed corruption, the broken siege, and then the mountain...and here I was insisting he do nothing of the sort. How very tragic. I couldn't help but show a little of the distaste I felt at his words. I thought we were friends...I thought that maybe, given time to reflect and recover, he might arrive here eager to learn all I've discovered. I know he means well. Better than most, but again, I expected too much.

Sona was standing a little further off with the more seasoned warriors, gazing with distrust at the towers on the mesa. To build so high was to invoke the fate of the ancients, she said. Yes, lets all live in huts and hovels, ignorant of all that came before just because knowledge was denied to our caged ancestors. The Nora would have thanked Faro for his great sacrifice, purging Apollo and the Alphas with them.

To be fair, it was Sylen's hunger for knowledge that caused this mess in the first place, but I wasn't about to further fuel the Nora's convictions.

Still, Sona pledged her loyalty, eager to fight for my cause, even though the Nora's numbers were dangerously thinned in the recent attack. She spoke as if she was ready for death too. They always are, these old soldiers.

At the foot of the Spire I met Naman, who was casting his blessings on the soon-to-be battlefield. He'd been speaking to the Nora, learning of my new place among their mythology. Between that and the deeds I'd already performed for him and in service of his people, Naman said he believes I'm a blessing of the sun. So I'm the Carja god's will incarnate as well now. That's more than enough divine pressure, thanks, but again, I know it comes from a place of kindness. I just hope it doesn't catch on with his red-robed brothers.

Over to Erend and his Vanguard next. The soldiers were very...enthusiastic. They had battle chants and everything. Erend had a few kind words for me, and I for him. He wanted to know what we were really up against; I suppose all he got was a second-hand account from Avad, who didn't seem to grasp most of what I told him anyway. But I knew the technicalities didn't matter to Erend, only that if we lost, the whole world would too. Pretty big for his first battle as Vanguard captain. He seems to be doing a lot better now than he was before he set out for the Claim. I guess he saw to it that Dervahl got what he deserved once they arrived.

He's got preparations under control, and from what Marad said, many are soon to join him in his efforts. Confident, or confident enough, that the Eclipse wouldn't be attacking that very night after what I saw of their own preparations, I picked up a Charger back on the jungle floor and rode hard into the east.

When I descended from Gaia Prime, in my panic to reach Meridian I forgot all about the two power cells I've now acquired, which will unlock the Old World armour I found back in the Sacred Lands. Extraordinary tech, and still functional after all this time. If I'm going to face an army of Faro bots, I could really use it, just as the Old Ones did when facing them the first time around.

Up into the Gatelands, heading for Daytower. Lone Light was bustling with life for the first time since I first crossed the border from the east. With the impending invasion, many of those in Meridian and the Maizelands have evacuated further east. It would have been nice to stop by, but I don't know how long I have to retrieve this armour.

Rested a while outside Morning's Watch as the sun set. My body wanted to sleep there and then, but I pressed on.

There's no taking the road to Daytower without invoking the wrath of its guardian Stormbird. Made it out of the blast zone this time, but it was a close thing.

I stopped in Daytower for a meal, sitting amongst rumours exchanged about the Shadow Carja's demon overlord and its army of rabid machines. Some at the fort were fleeing the conflict, while many hunters were passing back from the Sacred Lands to join the effort. I wish I could have quelled the wild rumours. On their face they seem overblown, as many of the hunters attested. Not so.

I took a spot out in the open under light snows. No sign of Balan. The remaining soldiers said he'd headed west with most of his men. It was already late when I arrived, but I set my Focus to wake me in just a few hours. I should try to be back in Meridian by tomorrow night if I can. Who knows how fast the Eclipse are moving, despite Marad's assurances.

[dicknouget]

Sorcières de la Nuit

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM A FANFIC I'M PLANNING. IT IS NOT A PART OF THE THREE SENTINELS.

Coming from the shower, Pyrrha was met with an empty room. Not surprising, given it was about dinner time and she was the last one to use the shower to get cleaned up. Turning on her scroll’s screen, she saw a message from Jaune letting her know that they went to the dining hall to get a table and some food. She replied with a thumbs up emoji, before setting her scroll down and dressing herself.

She reflected about the 28 hours that she and her team, as well as Blanche and Noir, had spent at Mountain Glenn, defending that tunnel for only the brothers know how long. The stress and exhaustion had worn off, much like the injuries, but she, and she could only assume the others, were still coping with the shock of the scale of their defence.

By all accounts they SHOULD have perished.

Shaking her head free of that she pocketed her scroll, before turning to the door, when she felt something call out to her. The silent voice was whispering her name, enticing her to turn around and look again at the room. Scanning each bed, Pyrrha eventually found the source of the voice on Jaune’s bed.

It was his journal.

Pyrrha was not one to snoop and interfere with someone’s privacy, let alone Jaune’s. A journal was an extension of one's mind and heart, and to read it without permission was a violation of trust in Pyrrha’s eyes. However, there was something about his journal that called out to her, encouraging her to open it.

Caving into the unrelenting scream of her leader's notebook, she opened the cover and flipped through it, only to see… poetry. It wasn’t award winning but she could understand what each one was based off of, and in a way felt like she was reliving certain parts of their time at Beacon. One titled Camouflage detailed initiation. The Royal Guard was about his squire work with the Valean Knights Order. Race to the Sea was about RWBY’s escapade at the docks.

Flipping to the most recent entries she saw two poems. The first was labelled ‘The Defence of Mountain Glenn’ and detailed the events of JNPR and BLND’s stand against the Grimm and bandits. The four bar refrain of the poem pounded into Pyrrha and reminded her of the emotion, the determination, the VALOUR that filled the group during their defence.

Stand and follow command, our blood for the homeland

Heed the Mountain Glen’s call, and brace for the storm

The vanguard will never give in, there is no surrender

Force them into retreat, and into defeat

Those four lines filled her with the same resolve that she felt when she heard the four words leave Jaune’s mouth.

‘Not One Step Back’

It was a phrase that she had heard before, in a history class while at Sanctum. It was commanded by the second premier of the United Vacun Council Republics, who had learned that Atlas was 50 km from the capital, Shade. She remembered her professor telling that story and commenting that the leader knew that the world would condemn him for that order, but the nation and the people would remain free in the end.

Pyrrha shivered thinking about it, before moving over to the second poem titled Sorcières de la nuit. It was only twelve lines long but perfectly described the explosive damage done by Jaune’s sisters.

From the depths of hell in silence

Cast their spells, explosive violence

Valean night time, stealth perfected

Flawless vision, undetected

Undetected, unexpected

Shells of glory

Tell their story

Demolition, deviation

Undetected, stealth perfected

Beneath the starlight of the heavens

Unlikely heroes underground

As they rise up from the rubble

The wind will whisper when the Night Witches come

[funfeathers]

Got Your Back!

After a bandit nearly breaks Baablu’s wings, Kier and Dev start a habit of constantly flanking him. This way one of them is always watching his back. Of course Baabdab picks up on his and becomes their vanguard in return, always the first to check for danger in their group. This is before Boosfer joins their group so none of them know how to properly splint wings. After he joins the triad’s habits still remain the same but Boosfer himself will often switch with Baablu to scout ahead first.

[randomnameless]

Artbook stuff!

Dev notes for the last Cornian people, Melisande'n'Colm, Tatiana, Renault and Monica (not that in order but ssh)

Monica!

Unlike her Fire Emblem namesakes, she is alive and not a comic relief (even if I had to include her defeated sprite because... just why)

Fluffy and curly hair isn't that common in the JRPGs sprites? Her being brave is basically spelled out in her recruitment paralogue/map, she's willing to fight against a cause she knows is just and would even like to join it... but she has to side against Alain'n'co, because her people's lives are at stake.

Sadly, all of her turmoil and dilemna was for naught since her grandpa was sekritly funding Alain's Liberation army, but at least she acted as a nice decoy so Zenoira wouldn't suspect him and target their people? Her mischievous side is played on in her second rapport convo with Clive, where she trolls a drunk!Adel and tries to guess what kind of leader Alain is when she asks him to rekt bandits who brought harm to her people, and yet she's one of the few characters who have something that is as close as a canon romance with another character save for the mandatory "can become Alain's love interest" thing.

(and even then, her maiden convo mentions Clive lol).

IDK who her seiyuu is, but I confess I also really loved her voice, tldr : Monica's surprisingly a well rounded character (for a character who isn't plot important!) even if I feel bad for her being left out of the loop regarding what her grandpa was doing with the Liberation Army.

Melisandre is... a seemingly vain character who is, well, actually vain (iirc Colm mentions she falls in love with someone different each day, save for Alain) but bar that, she's also someone really proud of her swordsmanship. Is it what the devs refered to when they mentionned her being "arrogant?"

I liked the random bouts here'n'there about her being aware of sekrit identities (Aramis can't pretend to be a merc) but ultimately she also brings some comic relief or fresh air to the otherwise serious Cornian cast.

Big up for the devs to have written her Scarlett convo as something kind of wholesome and not turning it in a catfight for Alain - sure they start with a contest to find the cutest accessories to catch his eye, but then forget all about him as they shop all day long. I wouldn't say her "cute" personality is based on her latching on the Lord, but rather her forming bonds with other people (like Liza, Sanatio or her heartwarming second Colm rapport!) and offering to help them.

Class wise... much like the FE swordfighters, she's supposed to be a dodgetank and can Astra stuff, but my dodgetanks units have a tendency to tank things with their faces, so I have a biased opinion on them lol.

Colm is Melisandre's retainer - in a way I would compare him to FE13's Frederick.

Good for him to have been promoted to a playable character lol!

His convos are often about Melisandre or him being her retained/minder/butler, but even if the fanbase seemingly hates vanguards (his class) I found him suprisingly decent, especially since he can protect people against flying units! Not a lot to say about him though.

Tatiana's design is certainly unique, apparently the devs came up with the buns to make her stand out even when she wears her plague mask? Her dark eyes (tired?) imo worked for me as she was supposed to work night and day on dissecting/experimenting on people who caught the plague to find an illness, while dealing with Baltro and his "how to aggravate, I mean, cure the plague I totally didn't came up with!"nonsense.

That plague subplot was interesting, even if iirc, Tatiana doesn't end up having the same realisation Hilda later has about how this was no natural plague but something Zenoira came up with, I wonder if Tatiana has a battle convo with Baltro but I suppose she would - the dude is basically responsible for creating and spreading the disease she tried her best to fight and cost her mentor's death.

Not to be confused with that loser Laurent, Renault is the archetype of the knight dying with guilt over what he was forced to do, but in his situation, he was really forced to since his body was possessed by some Zenoiran dude. Add to that he feels like trash for having survived when Ilenia didn't, and wants to atone for what a Zenoiran did using his body, and we have a perfect FE guy lol

Everything about this guy screams "remorse" and "guilt" but I agree with the devs, it felt nice at least if only on the cover art of this artbook to see him enjoy a drink with his former allies, and finally not feel like trash anymore!

Good for him!

[mercuryartes]

Princess Sadira - Vanguard Bandits

[cyborg-squid]

"With my ironclad cavalry, I made life very hard for the thieves and bandits of Mount Liang."

That she (they?) did! And that was even after, in trademark Liangshan fashion, they persuaded the two subordinate generals (Han Tao and Peng Qi) to join them, as well as the artillerist Ling Zhen, "the Heaven Shaking Thunder". Despite these setbacks, Huyan Zhou's iron chain linked cavalry formation was impenetrable... but for a very specific type of barbed lance that, if it managed to piece the defenses of one horse and fell it, would bring the entire formation toppling down with it!

The chieftain Tang Long (Gold Coin Spotted Leopard) had the schematics for one such weapon, and while the bandits could make it in-house, they needed someone with the talent to wield it, and thus sought out Xu Ning, Tang Long's cousin and a legendary lance commander. Who was also, coincidentally, in posession of a legendary suit of nigh-impenetrable armor known as "Lion's Fur". The bandits surmised that, if they were to steal said heirloom armor, Xu Ning would have no choice but to follow them back to Liangshan, and they sent the master thief Shi Qian (Flea on a Drum) to steal it for them.

So, to summarize: To beat the iron cavalry formation, they make a special weapon. But they need a person to wield said special weapon. And to get the person to wield the special weapon to defeat the chain linked cavalry, they need to steal a suit of armor from the guys house to. In order to involuntarily recruit him, in trademark Liangshan fashion.

And while the spear-horse plan worked in breaking the formation, that wasn't even the last of the struggles against Huyan Zhou, who, after retreating the battle, had their beautiful horse stolen and ended up fighting future Liangshan VIPs Lu Zhishen and Wu Song(who were currently leading their own bandit gangs) before finally being captured and persuaded to join.

Tried to make this as concise as possible but still super long, sorry! I started reading Water Margin because of FGO, and so I took special note of how and when the ones in FGO appeared. While Huyan Zhou doesn't gave much more of an arc after this (unlike, say, Yan Qing), Huyan still stands out as one of Liangshan's toughest, and most worthy, opponents, and is made one of the 5 Tiger Vanguard Generals!

So listen to what she says, and praise her! She's got the skills!

[lunarrolls]

No. 8 quote for Whumptober with FCG?

heheheeeee had some fun incorporating some meta thoughts i had about fcg after 4sd 17 into this one! i sorta combined the quote ("it's all for nothing"), the lyric ("i've got a soul but i'm not a soldier"), and one of the words (outnumbered) for the full inspo. i love me some good put that robit in situations <3

F.C.G.’s no good in a fight, not a straight one.

It’s not like he doesn’t have weapons at his disposal—he has his buzzsaw, he has his bolt thrower, he has that one spell that can smack people with divine energy in various forms, and another spell that summoned those tiny F.R.I.D.A.s one time. He has weapons. He’s just really bad at using them. It’s almost laughable, how often he misses shots that should be so easy.

They’ve never had to rely on just themself, though, there’s always been others to fight with them. Always. So their lackluster combat skills that consist mostly of flailing wildly and trying to look intimidating weren’t a continuous issue, a fatal flaw, more than they were mostly a joke.

Nobody’s here, now. F.C.G.’s been dragged off to the side of this particular skirmish, far out of sight of their friends. It’s his own fault. He was supposed to be on watch while his soul-touched friends slept, since he didn’t need as much rest. They’re all probably still asleep right now, blissfully unaware of the danger he’s in.

Because F.C.G.’s no good in a straight fight, and there are so, so many more of them than there are of him.

He, of course, has been trying to fend off his attackers himself, which is why they currently have his bolt thrower captive. He'd tried to skewer one of them with it only to have them catch it and yank him in, severing the rope that tied it to his arm with a swing of a shortsword and throwing him off balance in one fell swoop. The second they get close enough, he's sure they're gonna take the buzzsaw he has strapped to his back; he hasn't had the chance to put it on, yet, and it wouldn't do much good anyway considering how he's avoiding getting close to them as much as possible.

There are four of them, best they can see, which wouldn't be a problem if the entire group was up, but with just F.C.G., they're completely helpless. All of them seem humanoid. They're not wearing the reds of the Ruby Vanguard or the pendants of the Paragon's Call, so F.C.G. guesses that they're just bandits completely unaware of the situation at hand who saw something shiny they could grab and sell. Probably didn't expect it to fight back, which might be why he's still alive at all.

They have a spiritual weapon up, but they can't see out here, and their attackers seem to be purposefully keeping it dark. All of them must be fighters like Orym or Ashton, without access to spells, because he's not been hit with a paralyzing spell yet, and they seem to be growing tired of the fighting.

"It's all for nothing," one of them growls, swiping out at F.C.G. so quickly their spiritual weapon goes completely wide. "You're coming with us, one way or another."

Their strike lands on the metal of F.C.G.'s jaw, denting the plate significantly. Before they can move, another one plants itself squarely in the center of their chassis, and another spins their head on its socket. They reel back, surprised at the effectiveness on mithral-reinforced metal, and reassess their options.

This is bad. This is really bad.

Sending's not working. He knows that. He knows that, he does, but oh, this is so bad, and he really wants to get back to his friends, and they can't hear him from where he is, and none of his spells are doing anything helpful here anyway, so--

"Imogen! Help--some bandits came while I was on watch and they dragged me away from camp and I think I'm in some real trouble--"

The spell cuts off. F.C.G. curses themself for not giving any further instructions. They're just gonna have to hope Imogen gets the message.

They wait. The spell didn't seem to unravel when they cast it, no static or strange feedback (that's good, they might still be in range, there's still hope), but there's still a decent beat of silence. In the meantime, the closest combatant has slipped closer, and though they manage to get a good strike in with their spiritual weapon this time, the bandit yanks one of the wires stored deep within F.C.G.'s chassis and tears it out, forcing their body to go limp.

"Letters? We're on our way. Just hang in there. Fearne thinks she knows where you are. We'll be there. Promise."

Imogen's message is nice, but F.C.G. doesn't really have a choice in the matter at the moment. The stunning strike vanished his spiritual weapon. He's only barely conscious, completely functionless without that damaged wire. His captors grumble something about having to carry him.

He hopes that his friends hurry. He's no soldier. He can't hold his own.

[thatboreddrake]

Sir Neidhardt, the Barricade

Unlike many of those who would become his comrades-in-arms, Neidhardt did not aspire to glory on the battlefield. Quite the contrary, the boy was taught from a young age that any conflict could be overcome through stoic endurance. After all, all things pass away with time if one will but have the patience to outlast them.

This philosophy was not developed for lack of threats, however, as his home village of Summonwater was often plagued by bandit raids from the Caelid Wilds. However, Neidhardt's people suffered not, for they were under the protection of the Congregation of Vows, a monastic order dedicated to maintaining peace and tranquility throughout the neighboring provinces of Limgrave and Liurnia. The order was led by turtles, sage creatures revered by the people of Limgrave for their long lives and great wisdom.

Bishop Beren, the leader of the Summonwater contingent, instructed the people of Summonwater in the ways of passivity, but not pacifism. Situated as his church was on the border of a unruly wasteland, Beren recognized that while violence must never be one's first result, one must not be afraid to defend one's own. It was thus that the Congregation held the line against roaming bandits, enduring their assaults when they could, yet wreaking havoc with powerful magic when pushed. For such is the essence of true humility, to keep one's own power controlled to only be used when necessary. For the humble avoids fighting out of a desire to protect, but a coward avoids fighting out of a fear of loss.

Eager to aid in the defense of his village, Neidhardt volunteered for service with the Congregation when he came of age. The turtle monks taught him the art of the shield, instructing him on how to center oneself so as to become immovable. But Neidhardt refused to pick up a weapon, for to him the best offense began and ended with a perfected defense. If he could but train himself to weather all assaults, then there would be no need for bloodshed at all, and thus young Neidhardt sought to achieve true enlightenment.

Outside of the occasional raid, Neidhardt got his first taste of true combat in the Liurnian Wars. When Radagon the Red, champion of the Golden Order, declared his desire to conquer the Academy of Raya Lucaria in the name of Queen Marika, the Congregation of Vows came to their defense. Bishop Miriel called for aid, and Beren answered the call. Leaving a small contingent of monks to defend Summonwater Village, Beren took a vanguard to repel the aggressors. Though he was loathe to go to war, Neidhardt felt that his oath of protection applied to all those friendly towards the Congregation, and so he took up his shield and joined the Bishop.

It was here that Sir Neidhardt earned renown for his prowess with a shield, for it was said that such was his determination that in his hands a wooden beam could withstand the mighty swing of a troll. The combined might of the Carian Knights, Raya Lucaria, and the Congregation repelled the hostile forces, pushing them back up the Lift of Dectus and out of Liurnia in its entirety. However, Miriel knew the fight was not yet over, for Radagon had sworn not to leave his work unfinished. And so the defenders prepped for a second assault, yet all the while Neidhardt worried that his home was left vulnerable by the monks' absence.

As later became apparent, the second defense was not necessary in its entirety. Long before his forces reached Beren's line of defense, Radagon repented of his territorial aggression and sought absolution at the Church of Vows. Bishop Miriel asserted that his repentance was sincere, and so the would-be conqueror was wed to the Queen of Raya Lucaria. At long last, the Lands Between would know peace once more.

But it was not to last for Neidhardt, for he returned home to tragedy. Without Beren and his monks to give themselves as a living wall, bandits from Caelid had sacked Summonwater Village and burned his church to the ground. As Beren wept for the loss of his flock, Neidhardt searched the village for survivors, yet all he found was a young child huddled in a cellar, clutching a talisman of the Congregation in a desperate plea for salvation.

Neidhardt felt naught but despair. In his mind, the teachings of Bishop Beren had come to naught. The villagers had stalwartly endured their trials, confident that their troubles would one day come to an end. Yet their faith had rewarded them with nothing but death and ruin. Thus did Neidhardt cast aside his shield, forsaking forever the safety of defense, and instead determined to demolish those who would prey on the innocent. The wandering apostate tracked the bandits to Mistwood and tore them apart with whatever weapon he could find, yet none lasted long as the same focus with which he had withstood harrowing assaults during the Liurnian Wars now concentrated his power into the tip of a spear, the edge of a sword, the flat of a hammer.

His mission completed but his work far from over, Neidhardt scoured Limgrave in a self-imposed crusade of penitence. It was in the southernmost reaches of that land that he encountered a stranger whose posture betrayed his regal lineage. When Neidhardt challenged the wanderer he identified himself as Morgott of the Golden Lineage. On learning that Morgott hailed from the order which Neidhardt felt had stolen his family, he went into a blind rage. Yet the knight's fury could not compare to the prowess of a demigod, and so Neidhardt was defeated. Yet Morgott spared his life, and in this act of mercy Neidhardt perceived the humility of the Congregation: power under control.

Morgott explained that he was in search of recruits, knights who would do whatever was necessary to maintain the peace which the Lands Between now enjoyed. Neidhardt accepted without a second thought, and so Sir Benadur inducted the newest member of the Night's Cavalry. Now, Neidhardt has a new creed and a new mission. The time for passivity is over. The time to execute judgment has come.