Tales of Ettan: The Fall of Thront Part II

No more than a mile off shore, five, massive ships weighed anchor. Within each ship's hull, mechanisms were manipulated to release hundreds of cage doors. From these doors issued men of all shapes and colors, some from Ettan, some from beyond its borders. They walked the narrow space between cages to the stairs leading to their ship's deck. They walked without speech or quibble, they walked with order and purpose, though their faces lacked all emotion.

Once up the stairs and on deck, each were handed a weapon by men wrapped in black cloth who chanted strange words just above a whisper. Swords, axes, maces, all in varying states of misuse were given to the marching men and without so much as a nod to the tool of war forced into their hands, each warrior continued their steady pace to the bow of their ship where, one by one, they leaped overboard and sank until they met earth.

The ocean filled their lungs and stomachs, but this did not stop them. Hundreds plunged, weapons in hand, beneath the ocean and once they could sink no more, they began a slow walk over sand and stone, through tide and sea weed, to Thront's many docks.

Tales of Ettan: The Fall of Thront Part I

The city had stood for hundreds of years. From Thront came the settlers of Datual, capital of the great kingdom of Ettan. Its ports' traffic rivaled that of even Brackelry to the west. It was proud and strong, as were it's citizens, and it could not have foreseen what was to come.

Word had come from the capital that hamlets, villages and towns to the north were being attacked by goblin hordes. The king had sent many of his men to push back the threat, but the goblin numbers were too many. King Mavvus required Thront's help.

With little delay, Thront issued nearly half of its military force to aid the Datule soldiers in their fight. But it soon became clear that the goblins were but a distraction. By late fall, word came late at night by horseman that the Capital had been attacked, not by goblins, but by an army of orcs that came through passes, mines and secret tunnels through the mountains north and east of the city. It's forces diminished, Datule City fell. The king and his guard held the castle walls and did not allow the orc threat to take the thrown. Not even Datule Castle, though, could long hold against the orc siege.

Once again, Thront was called upon for help. They were the closest, by far, in the kingdom to Datual with military force. So Thront was left with only its city guard to protect it as its remaining soldiers marched to the capital.

It was that night, a night of moonless sky, that the ocean brought death to the great port city.

8 Minutes

How much can one man say in eight minutes? I mean really. The world could flow from my fingertips, magic wonder, deep insight. Or I could vomit useless nothings, misspelling all the way.

Damn. Four minutes to go.

Here's a thought. Kiss my ass, writer's block.

Okay, that took up a minute.

Just sat there for about 30 seconds not writing anything just now.

How's a guy supposed to get anything worth while out in eight minutes, anyway?

I hate bigots, war, ignorance, REM, greed, fundamentalism, and working a job that has nothing to do with me.

There. That had value. Not bad for ate minnets.

Post: The First

Hi all

I've tried several times to draft a clever, creative first posting to my very first blog, but I never got too far. So here' s a nice, simple opening post.

I'm Andy. I've got a lot on my mind. I feel like putting it somewhere.

Movies, books, gaming, web design, theater, politics, all things I love, things I want to talk about, talk about right here.

Okay, that'll do for now.