Muldoon

1438 ATC

The town of Muldoon laid on the north east border of Vorland where it met the unexplored areas. A simple trading post well as home to a hundred families, humans mostly but with some Pryldahnians. Although spared the raids seen by most frontier towns, it wasn’t exactly defenseless and boasted a short but sturdy wall as well as a full time guard rotation. For the most part the only Pardusese, panther people activity they would see would be the occasional ambush of trading caravans outside the city walls. This all changed today.

The panther people warbands appeared around the town perimeter and demanded the mayor meet with them. Ignoring their demands, the mayor summoned the guards to chase them off. They then took to surging against the walls, probing the defenses until the next day.

Many of the town guards assisted the citizens to take to the shelter just as a loud and ominous horn began blowing which was soon joined by an equally terrifying mass battle roar... In a rout the civilians, nearly all women, ran for the sanctuary doors. The same building that served as the town hall, it was built thick and sturdy to withstand the unpredictable weather as well as armed attack. In theory they could hide there for weeks while help arrived. The first of the savage cat people began breaching the wall strike down the defenders in front of them before making a mad dash towards the church. At the last, a patrol of four men carrying a wounded mayor, They wasted no word or minute before laying him down and seizing the doors, shutting them with all haste and laying the bars in place to seal it while mass chaos broke out in the small town streets.

The citizens of Muldoon heard pounding noises on the other side. Furious voices howled their rage at being so thwarted. Time passed, and still the enemy kept their efforts up. The dozens of women and the few men left looked around as if they expected the panther people to spring out of the walls. Why were they being so aggressive all of a sudden? In the distance, they could hear screaming. There was nothing they could do, the few guards protected their loves ones.

A loud commanding voice was heard on the other side, then the door was given a solid blow that made it sway. Minutes of discussion in the growling language then they could hear something heavy being dragged across the stone street towards the building. The guard looking out the one viewport in the room got a look at what was happening and his face drained of color.

He fell back with a start when the door shook under a heavy hit. Terrified cries of ‘battering ram!’ passed back and forth through the cowering people. Slowly they could see the door being warped and then crack under repeated strikes until it split the bars, throwing the doors open in an all-out hit. The five remaining guards drew swords and waited in a line for what would come through.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Off in the distance, the thundering sound of hooves was heard along with the sounding of a bugle horn, and the screams and shouts of charging men on horseback. Outside many a horse with men wearing blue jackets and beige pants rode through the town, several of them carrying the yellow and blue banner of Bonneville's Brigade.

''Bonneville's Brigade! We're saved!'' Cried one woman looking out one of the windows. But her eyes widened when at first it seemed a wall moved through the smoke to coalesce into a massive panther man built like a tree with wide shoulders and just short enough to walk through the doorframe without having to duck. His fur was covered with scars of a warrior of his kind. His crude vambraces, greaves and chest armor was of scavenged iron with only his midsection covered by a waistcoat of simple cloth. All of it was of blackened, culminating with an axe that he hefted into the ready.

The five guards charged. One minute they were battling this panther chieftain and the next they were on the floor, either dead or wishing they were. As the last of them fell, the other panther men came into the room and flanked their leader some of them dragging what remained of the last defenders away into the chaos in the streets. Some of them moved forward as if to do the same to the huddled women inside but the chieftain held up his hand, a massive fist.

“Maybe now they will be willing speak! To us!''

“Please.'' The mayor begged. “You have the spoils of the town! Have mercy and let these poor people go in peace!”

The panther chiefton made a sound that gave an impression of half amusement and half interest. “We have everything now Commander Bonneville!''

A tall human flanked by several mercenaries in uniform entered behind them calmly. Commander Rik Bonneville hadn't even drawn his saber yet, which hung on his hip in a bronze sheath. A blue cloak lined with red fabric hung from two metal shoulder pads that only added to the physical presence of the man. He was a warrior with every breath and wore his battle scars with pride. He possessed high cheekbones and a strong, broken nose. His brown eyes deeply recessed and his greying hair slicked back, the sides of his head shaved.

''Excellent work Jakarta.'' Commander Bonneville's voice was deep and commanding. The Parduses chief snarled and watched as the man walked into the church, his spurs jingling as he walked.

"Lieutenant Ennis, take a few of the men and search the town high and low for some medicine. Jakarta. You may set up your warriors may set up your war tents wherever you like."

The fiend motioned to one of the mercenaries waiting and the smaller soldier stepped forward to grab the mayor by his arm and heave him to his feet. He howled in pain being brought to stand with a wound on his leg. One woman rushed towards him to beat the mercenary off of the mayor when one of the chieftain’s massive clawed hands encircled the back of her head, pulling her away. She screamed and tried to pull the hand from her skull but soon found herself pinned against a column, a hand holding her by the throat.

“What do we have here?” Jakarta boomed, looking her up and down. “A bitch with some spirit?”

“You bastard, let him go!” She shouted. ''Why? WHY Captain Bonneville? Why are you helping them? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!''

The Pardusese chiefton looked back to the hardened mercenary commander.

"Put them all in chains, and put then all to work! This is where we will make our home. The mayor and his guards... We will decorate our new home with their heads as a warning to those who dare oppose us!"

Commander Bonneville smiled wildly, consumed by madness and embracing the noble savagery of his new Parudese companions.

"I am taking what King Rian Rust of Vorland promised and did not give! My own land... For my own people! Now, we make our own fortune and will make our own lands and titles!"