The Swords of Sunndi in Defense of the Rieuwood

Cast of Characters (in order of appearance):

The Swords of Sunndi:
Wrye Leagallow, halfling archer and ranger of the Hollow Highlands
Strider, Wrye's riding dog
Kobort, half-orc knight of Heironeous
Kespin eth Lunar (a.k.a Little Rendie), half-dragon bard and adventurer
Irurthak, Kespin's white owl
Ambrose "Mike" Steel, swordsman and adventurer
Westwind Hillfollow, halfling swordsman, rogue and adventurer

Elf messenger, mounted on giant eagle
Thamiel, elf, leader of village in the Rieuwood
7 elves, male and female, some archers
20 elf children
4 hellhounds
3 elven Rangers of the Rieuwood
120 hobgoblin soldiers
6 hobgoblin sergeants
Fiendish Minotaur, soldier of Hextor
Kulg, half-orc soldier of Hextor
Priest of Hextor, hobgoblin

Scene I:

Off the road at the edge of the Rieuwood. Smoke rises from a spot in the woods and clouds have gathered in the sky only above that spot. A giant eagle rises amid the smoke and glides closer.

The Swords of Sunndi enter, stage left, with Wrye in the lead mounted on Strider.

WRYE (pointing at clouds and smoke): Yonder, look! The lightning strikes no longer.

KOBORT: Yes, but there-- someone approaches. What news?

The eagle swoops low, and we see an elf mounted on it, armed with a bow and arrows. He calls down to the Swords of Sunndi.

ELF: Beware! The village has fallen! Evil
Is among us!
[ Elf spots Kobort and swoops away, aiming bow and arrow at him. ]

ELF: Enemies abound, but
I must find safe harbor for my people!
[ Exit up, stage left. ]

KOBORT: Wait! We are friends! We are too late, I fear.

KESPIN: Methinks he little liked your countenance.
Orcs we may find looting that village.

MIKE: Or worse, for elves can surely handle orcs.

KOBORT: We will see. Wrye will lead us to the elves,
And we will see the danger for ourselves.

[ Exit all stage right. ]

SCENE II:

At the edge of the woods. Across the field is the road toward Dunne.

An ELF enters stealthily stage right, then signals by giving a convincing bird cry. One by one, the survivors of the elven village wearily emerge from the woods, the adults leading a few horses with CHILDREN mounted triple. Four ELVES form a rear guard, carrying bows and glancing back into the woods fearfully.

As they cross the field, the Swords of Sunndi enter stage left.

KESPIN (with Irurthak on his shoulder): That was not a bird. Look there! Elves, and they
Seem as though they may have seen a battle.
[ calling to the ELVES ]
Ho there, and wait! We would help if we may!

The elves train their bows on Kespin and the Swords of Sunndi, and there is a tense moment. MIKE and WRYE reach for their bows as KESPIN holds up his hands in a sign of peace.

THAMIEL: Who are you and what do you want of us?

KESPIN: We have seen the smoke from yonder forest
And we would help those who have been attacked.

Suddenly, the HELLHOUNDS charge out of the forest at the ELVES, and battle erupts. THAMIEL directs some ELVES and CHILDREN to continue while a few ELVES remain with bows to defend them.

THAMIEL: Help we need! To arms, protect the children!

MIKE and WRYE shoot at the HELLHOUNDS, but cannot stop them from ravaging an ELF. WESTWIND runs to the ELVES' defense, jumping out in front of two onrushing HELLHOUNDS.

WESTWIND: Don't worry, boys, there are only two
Of them! I can handle them!
[  swings and misses, but attracts the attention of the hounds. KESPIN jumps in to help.  ]

KESPIN (laughs lightly and springs in): Oh, you can?
But surely you would not protest my blade,
For these are hellhounds if I trust my guess
And straight from Hell's own fires hot they spring.
And though I would not take your glory, these
Offspring of a mutt and Fiend must die!
[ skewers a HELLHOUND. It whimpers and dies. ]

KOBORT (charging to rescue an elf from the jaws of a hellhound):
Fiend!
I will send you back to the pits of hell!
With Valor in my hand I challenge you
To face me in Heironeous' holy name!

MIKE charges in to meet a HELLHOUND at KOBORT's side. As he closes, the HELLHOUND breathes fire on him. He wards it off with his shield.

MIKE: These creatures have an evil look to them
As though they seek to kill all things of light
Condemning them to burn in brimstone bright
And sulfur's stifling fumes in hell's own halls.
We will protect the innocent behind
Us, though it cost us all our very lives.
Die, creature of evil! Die on my sword!

WRYE: Arrows pierce their ugly hides as well
As any mortal monster. Strider, kill!

STRIDER bounds over to assist KESPIN and WESTWIND with the last HELLHOUND, and is bitten and burned by the HELLHOUND's fire breath. STRIDER falls. WRYE rushes to his side as WESTWIND and KESPIN surround it.

WRYE: Strider! My faithful hound, burned and bitten sore!
You will be avenged!

WESTWIND (jumping in to the kill): Watch these hellhounds fall!
Together we will save the fleeing elves.

In a few seconds all finish off the HELLHOUNDS. THAMIEL approaches the Swords of Sunndi. They are scratched, but none are badly wounded. Two elves have fallen to the Hellhounds' attack, and WRYE works to save STRIDER and the wounded elves.

THAMIEL: My friends, although I know not who you are,
You have been of greatest service here.
I name you Elf-friends all. We that you see
Are the last of all the village yonder.
An army born of Hextor fell upon us
As we went about our peaceful duties;
Our people all were slaughtered in the village
And now the army camps within our homes.

KOBORT: Tell us of this army! We will fight it
If you lead us to them.

THAMIEL: There are hundreds!
Rows of humanoids all led by one huge
minotaur or fiend, we could not tell! He
pulled a half-orc with him on a chain
As if that fearsome servant were a pet.
Surely you alone would not survive if
You attacked them by yourselves.

KOBORT: Nonetheless,
I cannot stand by and let the servants
Of a god who represents such evil
Claim the victory within the borders
Of the Rieuwood. You who dwell here know that
You have long resisted the invasions
Of the demons of the Great Kingdom
To the north, and if the Rieuwood falls the
Border is sore compromised. We cannot
Allow the fall of this strong bastion.

KESPIN: He
Will not back down from this, friend elf. We
Will investigate these evil deeds, for
Kobort cannot let this work of Hextor
Stand and give the victory to evil.
But where, pray tell, has my horse gone? If you
Will please excuse me, I must fetch him back.
[ KESPIN calls to his horse offstage left. ]

WESTWIND: In the woods, we will not need our horses.
These elves must flee with children, so to them
I offer mine.
[to the elves]
Please, take my pony so
You may move quickly on from here. And wait,
I have some waybread too to share.

THAMIEL: Waybread?
Then you are elf-friend more than once. I thank
You doubly then, and beg you not to go.
I would not see you fall on foolish errands.

MIKE: Foolish though it be, we must go see the
Army that has done this to your village.
We will not be swayed from our course.

THAMIEL: Then please
Allow me to come as your guide. You would
Not find your way as easily without
An elf to show the path.

WRYE (exclaiming, with Strider again beside him): But Strider lives!
So we, my dog and I, could find our way
As easily, perhaps, as many elves.

THAMIEL: Yet we do not design our homes to be
So simply found. If you must go to scout
I will go too. Arm yourselves, and ready!
The rest will go to Dunne and wait us there.

KOBORT: Come, my friends! Our horses go to help these
Elves and children safely back to Dunne, while
We will go to find these Hextorites and
Chase the army forth from Sunndi's borders.

WESTWIND: We rush to fight, we five against a hundred!
Our courage grants escape to Thamiel's kindred.

Exit all stage right, into the forest with swords and bows drawn and ready.

Scene III:

Deep in the Rieuwood.

THAMIEL, WRYE and STRIDER enter stage right, scouting. The rest of the Swords of Sunndi follow, all at the ready.

WRYE: I hear the sound of many booted feet
Approaching our position. Hold! And listen.

THAMIEL: It is the army. Our rangers stayed with
Aim to harry them and guard our backs, but
I have little hope for their survival.

WRYE: But wait, for who is this that comes along
The hidden forest path that we all walk?
They move so silently and hide themselves
As if they were but trees and were not elves.

THAMIEL: Our rangers! I could not hope to see them
Still alive, and yet they are! I will ask
Them of the evil army. Ho, Rangers!
Stay a moment, please, and give us news. These
Warriors wish to fight the hands of Hextor!

[ Several RANGERS of the Rieuwood move gracefully from tree to tree, remaining hidden except for one, who pauses to speak with THAMIEL. ]

RANGER: They will have their chance, for they draw near
To Hextor's minions in their units ready
To catch you in a trap is their intention
So they circle round us in formation.
We have done our best to slow them down
And sorely some of us are wounded from
Our strife. But we would stay and help defend
You here to have them know how dear we hold
This forest. Rangers, to arms! We will fight.

[ All RANGERS form in an archery line behind the Swords of Sunndi. WRYE and THAMIEL join them, readying their bows. ]

KESPIN: Be ready, friends and comrades, for we fight
For Sunndi, for the Rieuwood and for
All that is good! Hextor shall not win a
Victory here, for Heironeous stands
With us and he shall not be thwarted, should
All that is evil conspire to make
It so! Let is not be said that evil
Can live in this forest: for we shall be the
Instrument by which it is denied! Here
Shall be marked as the line they could not cross:
At this line we will count their deadly cost!
We are prepared now for the onslaught
Our shields raised against the tides of war
And with our blood this sacred place is bought
A bulwark strong for all the days of yore.

KOBORT: Stand firm! They come!

A unit of 20 hobgoblins marches in precise formation from stage left.

WRYE: But with this magic spell
The forest grows to capture them and hold
Them fast!
[ WRYE gestures, and vines and bushes grow up to prevent the unit from moving. ]

THAMIEL (to Wrye): Neatly done, and now we shoot them!

THAMIEL, WRYE and the RANGERS shoot, and several hobgoblins fall. Others struggle through the bushes toward MIKE, KESPIN, WESTWIND and KOBORT.

MIKE: Watch! For they have javelins and swords, and
Wield them more skillfully than other
Humanoids.
[ a hobgoblin narrowly misses MIKE with a javelin. ]
Cuthbert! I hate javelins.

WESTWIND: Then use your sword. Against this teeming mass
Its flame shall surely set a few alight!

A few hobgoblins finally rush MIKE and WESTWIND. MIKE waits until the last possible moment.

MIKE: Tel Khun!
[ MIKE's sword bursts into flame ]
And now my magic sword of flame
Shall roast hobgoblin flesh and cut them down!

Hobgoblins fall by twos and threes before both MIKE and WESTWIND. While they fight, Another unit of 20 hobgoblins is heard from stage right, behind the Swords of Sunndi.

KOBORT (turning): Another unit comes against our flank!
I call upon Heironeous' holy power
To burn these stinking hobgoblins from oerth!
[ raises his hands in supplication to Heironeous ]
O great Heironeous, grant your blessing!

RANGER (in surprise, looking on): Such displays of faith are rare and wondrous!
All the unit is destroyed!

WRYE (to Ranger): Kobort tends
To do that on occasion. And look! The
Sergeant of that force is now bereft, and
Seems to need an arrow in his chest. I
Shall oblige him. [ shoots ] There! Now he too is dead.

All the hobgoblins from the first unit have been cut down, and the Swords of Sunndi regroup. The sounds of many booted feet grow closer, and gruff orders are shouted.

KOBORT: The main force now approaches. Hear them: four
Full companies in strength. Prepare, for too
I sense great evil coming near. Perhaps
Their leader will hang back no more.

KESPIN: To arms!
We have them where we want them! They believe
We are within their trap, but now the trap
Is shattered. They cannot hope for vict'ry!

THAMIEL: Eighty hobgoblins march toward our line, and
We few will defeat them? Our whole village
Could not.

WRYE: But you did not have Kobort there.
Half-orc he may be, but half-orc valiant
And knighted by the order of Heironeous
For deeds of bravery in southern caverns
He is declared a Hero; Westwind too,
And Mike. If we had been there with your village,
Perhaps it would not be your children fleeing.

THAMIEL: I sorely hope it will be as you say.

WESTWIND: Fear not! There are only eighty of them.
We are nearly five percent! But here they
Come, and with a minotaur who bears a
Wicked axe!

KOBORT: And with him, on a chain, Kulg!
It seems our evil captive's found a home.
Yet by Heironeous' grace will I strike down
Two units first. My god, grant the power!

THAMIEL: Thirty down and more, from one great blast!

WRYE: Did I tell you? Ready, aim! And fire!
[ archers fire a volley of arrows. ]
We kill all that were left standing upright.

Archers continue to fire. Screams of dying hobgoblins echo in from stage left. Enter MINOTAUR, stage left, with PRIEST OF HEXTOR and KULG behind him. MINOTAUR sees MIKE holding his flaming sword, and strides to him.

MINOTAUR: Is that a magic weapon in your hands?
I will crack it!
[ swings axe, crackling with dark magic, at Tel Khun. They ring loudly with the impact, but neither breaks. ]

MIKE: Though it holds, Tel Khun cannot
Withstand too many more of such strong blows!

MINOTAUR: [ laughs wickedly ] Once I crack your sword, you will soon follow
And then my axe will feast upon your soul!
[ to army ]
Charge! Kill them all! This battle will be ours!

Hobgoblins charge in, and WESTWIND steps up beside KOBORT to meet them while KESPIN backs up MIKE.

KESPIN: Hold still, and I will give you an advantage
More magic that will make you seem a blur
And cause his blows to often miss their target.

MIKE: This minotaur is strong and with that axe
I fear I will not hold him long, even
With your magic. Stand back! He strikes again.

MINOTAUR strikes, but MIKE manages to block the blow and darts in to slash the MINOTAUR.

MINOTAUR: [ roars with pain and frustration ] Impossible!
This puny man can be no match for me!
I will break his sword and he will fall!
You cannot stand against Hextor's will!

WRYE: Oh, yeah? Taste this, freak! My arrows will
Defend my comrades from the likes of you!
[ shoots, hitting the MINOTAUR square in the chest. MINOTAUR roars again in pain. ]

MINOTAUR: [ to army ] Kill the archers! Then we'll take the rest!
[ to MIKE ] Hold still! I will cut you into ribbons!
[ Releases KULG's chain ] Kulg! Take him from behind!

KOBORT (finishing off a hobgoblin): Not so fast, Kulg!
I suppose that you might not recall, but
We have our own business to settle.
In Heironeous' name, I challenge you! Fight!
And if you penetrate this holy barrier
Of magic spinning blades about my body,
I will finish you myself with Valor!
[ a whirlwind of spinning blades forms around KOBORT as he gestures. KULG is enraged at the sight of KOBORT, and charges in anyway, ignoring the MINOTAUR. ]

WESTWIND: And I am left to hold off two whole units
Of hobgoblin warriors. I like it!
Now I get to try my new techniques!
[ WESTWIND leaps into the fray, dodging blows and clearing whole swathes of hobgoblins.]

KOBORT and KULG battle while the MINOTAUR keeps trying to break MIKE's sword. KESPIN dashes through the battle, skewering hobgoblins on his rapier to assist WESTWIND. Several hobgoblins fire javelins and crossbows at RANGERS, several of whom are killed. PRIEST helps MINOTAUR and KULG with magic. RANGERS fire at PRIEST. PRIEST dies. WRYE fires again into the MINOTAUR, and MIKE strikes a fatal blow at the same time as KOBORT slices into KULG. MINOTAUR and KULG die.

MINOTAUR: To Hextor's crushing grasp I go! How could
I not kill you?

MIKE: Evil shall not triumph
Here, or anywhere that good men fight it!

KOBORT: Heironeous is with us all today.

WRYE: Hey, Westwind, are you still with us too?
I cannot see him in that unit now.
But since hobgoblins still are dying, I
Will take that as a favorable sign.

WESTWIND (from deep within the unit of hobgoblins):
Ho! I am nearly through the other side,
Although I fear some of them might escape.
I cannot reach them all with my short sword.

KESPIN: Patience, friend, for we are close behind you.

KOBORT and MIKE join in, and the last of the hobgoblins break and run in fear.

KESPIN: For their miserable lives they run!
But they will not escape so easily.
[ takes out wand, activates it. Flame spouts from the tip, and screams of roasting hobgoblins echo in from offstage. ]
A wand of fire is as good as prayer,
In certain ways. But see, the day is ours!
The army is no more.

THAMIEL: I now believe it,
And apologize for doubting all your skill.

KOBORT: I am sorry we could not protect your
Rangers better. They were brave and each was
Worth far more than just a single archer.

WRYE: I have checked the elves that might be saved,
But they were grievous wounded. One still lives,
But I regret to say the others died.

THAMIEL: Although we mourn our dead with greatest honor
They did not expect to be protected.
Rangers give their lives for the Rieuwood,
A duty they hold dearer than all else.
Our village may be pillaged, families killed,
But finally our loved ones are avenged.
You too risked your lives for strangers weary
We could not ask, but for that we are grateful.
You have fought beyond an army's measure
To save the Rieuwood, Sunndi's finest treasure.

Final Curtain.