Author: Decimus Atreides
Original Thread: AM / Practice AAR - House of the Red Serpent-

AM / Practice AAR - House of the Red Serpent
The Chronicles of Khadur of the House of the Red Serpent - I

‘So far, everything seems to be going according to plan’. Muttered Fadih, Khadur’s second in command.

They had been waiting for the better part of the afternoon now, and the patrol had finally come into sight. It would have been different if they weren’t in such a hurry, for the men of Harad may not be among the stealthiest of Middle Earth, but the southern lands where well-known to them. Small dustclouds revealed their position at the end of the now dry riverbed, and flashes of gold and blue could be seen in the distance.

‘So it would seem…’

‘Juding from the dust I’d recon they brought one-fifth of a batallion sir, probably led by a captain’.

‘You know what to do, I don’t care how you dispose of the rest, but I’ll need the captain for….interrogation. It may be the only chance we get.’

Khadur’s men swiftly positioned themselves among the trees and rocky outcrops on the eastern side of the valley. Armed with sturdy bows, light robes and a curved blade, Khadur assembled this warband of veterans, accustomed to swift hit-and-run attacks for missions like this. And swiftness and the surprise of the ambush was all they could rely on, since the patrol consisted of hardened and skilled tribesmen of the House of the Blue Tiger, and without these advantages, Khadur’s men would probably not survive to see the sun rise again.

Silence fell over the valley, and only the rithmic thud of the nearing patrol could be heard. Fadih's guess was close enough, twenty-two men marched towards their position, clad in blue garments, covered with hardened leather tunics, some with metal decorations. Each tribesmen was armed with a spear and scimitar, exept for their captain, who marched out in front of them and carried a vicious looking two handed blade.

On a sign of Khadur, the air filled with arrows, and the surprise of the ambush had devastating effect. Twelve of the blue clad men had hit the ground , clutching the arrows sticking out of their breast and gasping in disbelief, before the rest realised what was happening. This was the critical moment. Without uttering a battle cry, ten of Khadur’s men, including himself, rushed from their hidingplace to assault the remaining force, while others provided supporting fire.

Khadur faced their captain, who had recovered from the shock and stared back with grim determination, his visious blade unseathed and ready. Quickly realising the disadvantage of fighting an enemy with a sword nearly as long as his body, Khadur disposed of the idea of fighting an honest battle, and while engaging his opponent, struck him in the face before he could make a swing. Statisfied with the sound of air being forced out the opposing captain’s lungs when he hit the grass, Khadur moved in to knock the man uncounciouss.

Which nearly ended his life. Only at the very last moment had Khadur seen a flash of silver in the corner of his eyes, and instictively ducked, which made him fall right on top the man. While the massive two hander was of no use on such a short range, Khadur could have stabbed the man with his shorter blade, but since capturing the man was his first priority, that was not an option.

They rolled over trying to place themselves in a better position, both clutching the other’s swordarm with one hand, while trying to get a grip of each others throat. Khadur’s strenght proved his luck, for he was able to wrestle his arm free from grip, after which he planted a devastating blow between the mans eyes, instantly knocking him out. The whole struggle had felt like hours, while all happened within seconds. Rising up, victory was evident. Khadur’s party had overcome the patrol. Eightteen blue soldiers covered the ground, three others had been captured alive, although one looked like he wouldn’t last another hour, and their leading officer had been taken captive. Two of Khadur’s men were injured, but both would survive. His soldiers saluted in respect of their Captain.

‘Glad you’re still with us sir.’

‘Woudn’t want to miss all the fun thats about to come, Fadih’. ‘Give the orders, we’re marching home.’

Episode– II

After returning to the family property near the Great City of Umbar, issues were passed on to higher authorities, as they always do in such cases. Khadur hardly ever questioned them, both because he had no reason to, and it just wasn’t in his nature to complain. Soon after sunrise the day after, Khadur received a coded message, brought by a servant, who left as quick as he appeared. Khadur studied the message for a while.

‘We’re summoned’.

Khadur let slip what only Fadih could recognise as a sigh.

‘I’ve got a feeling where this is going…’.

‘Think it had to do with our last mission, sir?’.

Khadur glanced at his second officer. ‘Let’s find out, shall we?’.

The residence of the First Advisor was an imposing building in the centre of the city, decorated with banners carrying the symbol of the greatest Noble Family south of the rotten plains of Mordor, a black serpent upon red cloth. They were swiftly allowed into its main hall, its walls adorned with a variety of paintings showing battles of an ancient past. At the end a proud-looking, older man sat on a pile of pillows, reading a manuscript. When Khadur and his officer approached, he raised his head, and faced the men.

‘We hardly have time for all the formal greetings, captain, so if you don’t mind we shall skip those and move on to the reason why I summoned you’.

Khadur merely nodded.

‘Your service record is exceptional, and so are your skills in warfare. The Red Serpent has seen it fit to assign a task to you. As you may have guessed, the officer you captured… ‘provided’…the last pieces of information we needed to figure out the position of the remains of the Blue Tiger.’

‘They must be destroyed.’

‘I’m glad your insight is as sharp as your blade, captain. Gather the troops you need, I’ll leave this to you.’

After a swift bow, Khadur turned around.

‘Oh, and captain…there is no room for failure, so take all the resources you need.’

Another bow, and together they left the old building.

‘Was looking forward to a quiet weekend.’

‘Soldiers life, Fadih.’

‘You don’t like him, do you?’

‘He’s a politician. Overall they talk a lot, but know as much as Mumak crap. Go to the barracks to assemble and brief the men, we’ll need about three battalions, and a band of them Hasharii.’

‘As Mumak crap sir, but don’t you think that would be a bit overkill? And pricy at best.’

‘He said to use all resources needed right?’

‘On my way sir.’

Episode – III

Clouds were littering the sky quicker then Khadur had hoped. Fighting in the rain was one of few things he really tried to avoid, among those was getting killed as a result of politics. Which, alas, were far from subtle, and so it had come to this. Down below, the valley they had surrounded stretched onwards to the horizon. Groups of trees blocked most of their sight, but the thin smoke trails gave away the enemy’s position.

‘Fifty Halberdiers, eighty Armoured Archers, one hundred and twenty-five Armoured Spearmen, 4 Hasharii, some Muhad-rabble…(glancing at the over-anxious fanatics) armed with…paint, and…a mighty War Mumak!’.

‘One more joke, and you’re the first I’ll send in, Fadih.’

‘Sorry sir. I’m just exited for the battle.’

‘Don’t be, if all goes well this won’t take too long. You’re a capable commander. I’ll be relying on you the coming hour.’

‘I know sir, I’m up for it.’

‘Repeat the plan.’

‘Swiftness over tactics sir. The main force of Spearmen will rush at them, backed up by (once more glancing towards the Muhad) those guys… The contingent of archers will be split up in two groups of Forty each, one to act as support for the main battle line, while one accompanies you and your…assassins. The halberdiers will be a relief force, in case all planned scenario’s somehow go wrong.’

‘Exactly. Make sure the men are ready to rush in as soon as the signal is given.’

‘And what signal will that be, sir?’

‘Trust me, you’ll notice.’

Not sure if he had actually see his superior grinning, Fadih went to check up on the men, knowing his captain would be off in a few moments.

It took a while to scout the area around the house they had found within the clutters of trees, and eliminate the watchmen. This house, rectangular in shape, consisted of screens of paper and was supported by wooden beams on every corner. The screens were of a clever design, being movable, and were used to profit from every puff of wind that blew in the hot desert summers. Next to the main building a barrack, a stable for errands and message-sending, a kitchen, a smith and a something that looked like a storage building were placed. Khadur had ordered the forty archers to position themselves in a rough half of a circle, to ensure no one got out alive.

He himself went to possible death. Armoured only with a light mail covered by pitch-black robes, sturdy boots and gloves, and armed with set of throwing knives and a fist-weapon similar to those used by some of the Hasharii, who followed him ever quiet, Khadur moved quickly, crossing the simple garden on the eastern side of the terrain, furthest away from all activity. They would only have moments before chaos struck, following the death of the sentries. He and his four highly trained Hasharii took obstacles like they weren’t even there, swiftly climbing over walls, jumping over small fences and running as fast as they could. Alarm would be raised any second now. They stopped behind a hedge, feeling the need of a diversion. One of the assassins removed a package from his back, and quickly unravelled it, unveiling something that Khadur could only think of as a lot of noise. It was assembled within moments, a four-foot stick carrying a tube the size of a man’s arm filled with black powder. A fuse was set alight using a burning piece of coal in a metal casing. They jumped over the hedge, continuing their path to the house. Then a rushing sound that resembled a thousand twittering birds came from behind them, ripping the relative silence apart. Up to the heavens it shot, until no one could see it rising anymore.

Utter silence.

Then the blast came…it resounded from the hills on either side of the valley with such force that it may have sounded like Morgoth’s scream that resounded throughout Middle Earth, when he was held by the nets of Ungolianth, ages ago.

When the first blue-clad warrior appeared in an opening of the rectangular building, disorientated by the noise, a flash of silver shot by, and his body had hit the ground before he knew what hit him. All five of them rushed inside, moving towards the rooms of the Noble that ruled this house. A bell was sounded, followed by the thud of moving feet, and the screams of officers shouting orders. These sounds were then met by the battle cries of Khadurs men, led by Fadih, and the clash of weaponry.

Instead of moving through both two levels of the building they had targeted, and facing all the guards inside, Khadurs group used grappling hooks to climb up to the Noble’s rooms. Up there, they searched through everything, finding…nothing at all. Now he was getting restless. When moving to open the last paper screen-door, Khadur almost got skewered on a spear that was rammed through. The screen fell backwards, revealing more then 15 men of the Noble’s personal guard, among which he himself stood, heavily armoured.

Now all went as in a dream. Khadurs training was once again his lifesaver. Grabbing a broken pole from the woodwork of the now broken screen, he blocked the first incoming thrust by directing it slightly to the left, then, stepping in and finishing his assailant with a stab in the neck from his fist weapon. Kicking the mans body backwards into the group, he stabbed at another one, hitting him in the stomach, sending him off to a painful death. Another spear thrust aimed at his lower body, blocking this one by making a pirouette, and redirecting the blow with his armoured left-arm, hitting the guard with the wooden pole. Which only annoyed him. Quickly stepping in however, he hit the man on the throat, cutting his airways and sewering his arteries to the brain.

He could not see his last enemy, and only noticed him when he had lost all feeling in his right arm, red blood coming from under his sleeve. Turning around, he could only partially block the slash along his torso by raising his left-arm protector, and the pain from the cut was terrible. Thrown of balance by the force of the slash, Khadur fell to the ground, staring at the blade that was about to finish him, when is was blocked by of one of the Hasharii. Khadur then kicked at the man’s feet, sending him to the ground with a loud thud when he hit the floor. He was eliminated without making a sound.


Only two of the trained killers stood upright, and the room was littered with bodies and blood. One of his own men sat against a wall, ran through by three spears, but somehow still breathing, the other lay silent amongst the others. Khadur was quickly helped to his feet, and a rope was tied around his arm to quell the bleeding, the cut on his chest would have to wait. Looking from the open windows on the far end of the room, Khadur stared down. Although somewhat outnumbered, the Blue Tiger tribe fought like their name implied, and a stalemate was reached among the fighting party’s. Khadur ordered one of his men to take a great War-horn from the wall. Dragging the body of the Noble, and heaving him up on the edge of the window, he let loose a horn blow. The Blue Tigers, assuming a rallying shout from their leader looked up to stare at Khadur and his men. Slowly, their faces turned pale as they saw their leader being thrown down two stories, to land with a bone-breaking smack a little behind his men. Another horn blow, coming from behind the storage building. While the contingent of Halberdiers rounded the corner, Fadih’s forty Archers came running from the woods, blades in their hand. The Blue Tiger massively surrendered. Before Khadur passed out, he could hear his men shouting his name in victory, and he smiled.