Editing The Capture

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{{TErow| 1 |day 1|I pushed my troops hard and fast to catch up to Gelu.  Those that couldn't keep up were left behind.  It is the Nighon way.  Unfortunately, I marched too far, too fast.  Before I knew it, I was surrounded by the Elven troops.<p>I knew this plan was risky when I first heard it, but it would take a risk such as this to learn where Gelu expects to find the Sword of Frost.  Just as Neez predicted, Ufretin remained behind.  But Neez didn't foresee the Dwarf's ingenuity.  Ufretin waited for my forces to catch up to him before he came out of hiding, attacking quickly.<p>That first ambush cost me dearly, nearly crippling my army.  Then he gave me an opportunity to surrender.  That was his mistake.  By backing off, Ufretin has given me an opportunity to dig in and rebuild my forces.  Let him think I'm too weak to fight.  Soon, his compassion will come back to bite him.}}

{{TErow| 7 |day 7|A messenger from Ufretin came today demanding my surrender.<p>"We have given you more time than you deserve," the messenger said, "If you don't drop your weapons now, we will kill every last one of you!"<p>I nodded, and a moment later an arrow appeared in the messenger's arm.  I stepped in front of the man, who looked up into my eyes knowing that he had made a terrible miscalculation.<p>"When you wake, go tell your boss he better make sure I'm dead next time, because I will never give up!"<p>Then I punched the messenger so hard I felt his jaw shatter beneath my knuckles.<p>It felt good.  That's what frightened me.}}

{{TErow| 9 |day 9|"The Dwarf, Ufretin, commands his army from behind a gate in the south," my advisor, Kilkik, informed me this morning.  "Unfortunately, we cannot pass through this gate without visiting the Green Keymaster's Tent first."<p>"And where do I find this Tent?" I asked.  I pretended not to care as I ate my breakfast.<p>"Some of my spies have found it northwest of here, but the enemy has surrounded them.  We'll have to hurry.  They will protect the Tent as long as they can," Kilkik said.<p>I nodded, dismissing him with a wave of my hand.}}

{{TErow| 10 |loc={{blue}}|day 10 - computer|freq=7|For Computer - DO NOT TRANSLATE|effect=+60 {{c}} [[Crystal]]s, +45000 {{g}} [[Gold]]}}

{{TErow| 16 |day 16|Despite his bold behaviour in the past, Ufretin has been cautious so far.  He refuses to face me in the open field despite numerous challenges.  I even allowed Neez and Kilkik to display some of the tortured prisoners outside Ufretin's gate.  Nothing.<p>So, Ufretin isn't stupid, and now he probably suspects that I up to something.  Why else would I stay and fight when I could flee and continue my pursuit of Gelu?<p>None of that matters.  Ufretin committed himself to this battle.  He knows that I will come after him sooner or later, which only means that he will be well prepared for my arrival.}}

{{TErow| 22 |loc={{teal}}|day 22|Neez and Kilkik brought a dozen Troglodytes before me today, accusing them of losing the 2100 Gold they were transporting from one of my mines.<p>"I need all the Gold I can get!  How can you lose that much?" I shouted.<p>The Troglodytes couldn't answer, choosing instead to cower and plead for their lives.  Neez, however, offered a possible scenario.<p>"They probably went to sleep and didn't post a guard.  Elves aren't above stealing when they need to.  Who else would take the Gold but leave these scum alive and well?" Neez said.<p>"Sleeping!"  I slapped the nearest Troglodyte hard enough to knock it unconscious.<p>What was I going to do?  Showing mercy with these workers would make me appear weak.  Mistakes of this calibre were always punished in the same way.  Death.<p>But I couldn't execute them.<p>"You are the luckiest scum I have ever met!" I said.<p>Neez squinted at me curiously, and said, "Lucky?  How are they lucky?"<p>I threw my weapon on the ground.<p>"Because I can't kill them today, and I really want to!  But I had a dream last night that told me I would die in battle with an Elven arrow through my neck if I killed any of my own troops today," I explained.<p>I glared at the Neez and then at the Troglodytes with my eyes as wide as possible, hoping that they would realize this was just one of my moments of insanity.  My Beholder advisor, however, just scowled at me.  He was not pleased.  I wasn't going to get away with this one.<p>"But I have another idea," I said quickly.  I marched in front of the hapless Troglodytes and to them I said, "I have a mission for you, men!  I want you to march on the Rampart of my enemy, the Dwarf Ufretin.  You will bring him back to me, alive.  Just to be sure you follow your orders, my advisor, Neez will accompany you."<p>The Troglodytes, who a moment ago thought they were safe, now appeared crestfallen.  How could such a small number conquer so many Elves and Dwarves?  It was a suicide mission.<p>"But Overlord..." Neez said.  He realized that his own life would be in danger as well.<p>"Oh, don't you worry, Neez!  I'm not asking you to attack the Rampart - just to watch over these Troglodytes until they have captured the Dwarf or died trying.  Whichever comes first?  Do as I order, because tomorrow I am no longer restricted from slaying my own troops!"<p>At least this way, the poor Troglodytes had a chance - even if it was a miniscule one.  Unfortunately, something had to be done about Neez.  I could tell by his look that I had just earned another enemy.|effect=-2100 {{g}} [[Gold]]}}

{{TErow| 26 |day 26|Kilkik floated into my tent this morning with a menacing look on his face.  I knew the Beholder wouldn't be foolish enough to attack me one-on-one, but there was something in his dark eye that told me Kilkik no longer felt any loyalty toward me.<p>So, I stood and called, "I want to introduce you to someone, Kilkik.  Trongar!"<p>A secret slit in the back of my tent parted and a massive, black Minotaur King stepped inside.  He had to bow his great head to avoid tearing the ceiling of my tent.<p>"Kilkik, meet Trongar, my new bodyguard.  I hired him last night," I said.<p>Kilkik studied the Minotaur for a long time, realizing now that I was twice as powerful as before.<p>"So, why have you come here, Kilkik?" I asked.<p>"To report some bad news," Kilkik said.  "The Troglodytes you sent to capture Ufretin were killed before they even reached his Rampart.  An Elven ambush!  Unfortunately, our loyal companion, Neez, was slaughtered as well!"<p>"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that!  I really am," I said.  "You may go now.  Leave me to my grief."<p>Once I was alone with Trongar, I tossed him a heavy bag of Gold.<p>"That one's dangerous," Trongar said.<p>"Yes, I know, but he just lost his strongest ally.  It will take him a while to regain his power," I said.<p>Just before Trongar left the tent, I said, "Good work, by the way.  I assume the Medusas used Elven arrows to make it look like our enemy did it."<p>"Yes.  They were all too willing to get back on your good graces - and to get at least partial revenge for the deaths of their sisters," Trongar said.<p>I smiled, but inside my guts were twisting with shame.  This kind of treachery was all too easy for me.}}