Mhaldor Mhun War Play

THE MHUN WAR

Reevah says in a dry, decorous voice, "A part of this play will be narrated by one of our youth. A shy child that will be facing such weakness by presenting to you all, and in such will grow from it."

Reevah says in a dry, decorous voice, "With that said, please settle back and enjoy the performance."

Reevah nods her head once, before she steps down from the stage and settles off to the side.

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Act 1, Scene 1

The curtains open upon the Mhaldorian market, stalls line the back of the stage and stagehands dressed as merchants and civilians quietly go about the mimicry of the daily events in a busy  marketplace.

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "Brothers and sisters!"

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "Enslavement will soon end, for freedom will be ours again."

Veerah stands in the front left corner of the stage making it clear she isn't in part of the scene playing out behind her.

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "The year is 353 AF. A Mhun Captain of the Guard has travelled to Mhaldor with a message, both for his people and the Mhaldorians. He waits north of the market  district, dwarfed by seven granite pillars depicting the Truths of Evil."

Minifie says triumphantly in a deep, churlish voice, "Mhaldor, I bring you a message! Your destruction at the hands of the Mhunna's soldiers awaits."

Lii strides in with silent steps with her deformed visage unseen. A palpable aura of malevolence surrounds her.

Minifie draws her gaze towards Lii.

Aegoth floats in on a pillar of flame, glaring down upon the mhun as he alights slowly upon the ground.

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "His cries do not go unnoticed by the city leaders, who gather to find out what he wants. He is one Mhun against several competent Mhaldorians, and yet he does not  cower."

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "You call yourself the city of Strength?"

Minifie spits on the ground in disgust.

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "You are oblivious to the weakness that rots at your foundations! Soon, you will fall to our might."

Aegoth looks exhausted and opens his mouth in an enormous yawn.

Aegoth says, "Speak plainly, Mhun. Your vague threats don't scare us."

Minifie pridefully steps gazing upon the Mhaldorians with disgust.

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "We have been digging right out from under your noses, fools. The very foundations of your City have been undermined."

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "Free our people, and submit to the Mhunna."

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "Or your city shall end up as naught but rubble."

Aegoth blinks.

Taking a slow, measured step toward the mhun, Aegoth laughs derisively at Minifie, his crimson eyes naught but pools of disdain before unleashing a vicious, backhanded blow with a taloned  holocauster's glove to the creature's face.

Aegoth says haughtily, "We will never submit, vile curr. You speak of ruins? Mhaldor was built upon the very ruins of the Malevolent's prison itself! What can your pitiful little band of rebels  accomplish? An entire legion of His best troops shall fall upon your hovels."

Throwing his hands in the air, Aegoth tosses his head back and laughs sadistically.

Aegoth says, "Foolish fool foolishly fopping upon a fool's errand! Bring what misery you can, for I doubt it will do more than slightly irk us."

Minifie grips tightly at the blade in her fist.

Minifie says angrily in a deep, churlish voice, "You will see! Your stubborness will be your downfall! You will only bear regret in your actions."

Lii levels an icy gaze on Minifie.

Minifie steps with confidence towards the pair, overbrimming with an aura of audacity unbecoming of her station.

Lii says quietly in a cold, merciless voice, "If you will not serve Him, then you have no other purpose but as a living whetstone upon which to sharpen our blades."

Lii smiles a disturbing smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Lii summons her daegger without hesitation. With a look as cold as the grave, she charges Minifie with Aegoth backing her up.

Lii lets out a devilish laugh, and a look of confusion spreads across Minifie's features.

Minifie falls back, her features contorted as colour drains from her skin.

Minifie bearing down Lii with her blade in hand, she strikes out with great vigour, bringing the blade down from above her head.

Lii lets out a devilish laugh, and a look of confusion spreads across Minifie's features.

Lii touches Minifie, who writhes in agony as her flesh withers.

While Minifie is preoccupied with Lii, our story's hero Aegoth is able to use the distraction to his advantage. An insidious finger is pointed towards the Minifie, who simply bursts into flame as her skin rots and melts. With a wide smile, he casually approaches the mhun, fire concentrating into a globe in his hand.

Minifie screams in agony as their flesh peels from their body. Faltering, she attempts to hold her weakened body up, before being met with a violent globe of pure fire, penetrating her jaw and throat. A detonation of pure fire leaves behind naught but flame and viscera.

As Aegoth steps away from Aegoth's incinerated opponent in a dramatic blaze of glory, Lii turns with a swirl of swirling robes of black velvet to gather the troops.

Minifie looks out from offstage, seemingly the remains of only a prop sits on stage.

Lii says loudly in a cold, merciless voice, "Mhaldor! The Mhun seek to fight us so we shall bring the fight to them. To me! Let us show this filth what it means to stand against the Master's Faithful!"

The curtains close, swing briefly and then settle as silence fills the area.

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Act 1, Scene 2

A crescendo of clattering hooves erupts loudly from behind the curtains which vibrate dramatically.

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "The Mhaldorians travel to Moghedu with bloodlust. All inhabitants that stand in their way are struck down, no match for the strength of their army."

Lii leaves to the out.

Wails of torment fill the air and the clashing of metal punctuates sudden flurries of movement in the curtains, as though the heavy fabric is being struck from behind.

Lii arrives from the out.

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "The Mhun are slaughtered with extreme prejudice and soon there are none left for the Mhaldorians to terminate."

A keening wail ends abruptly.

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "However, while their attention was on Moghedu, the city suffered. Reports come in of great cracks starting to show in the walls. The ground would shake and split. It is as if the great city was sinking into the ground."

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "Try all they like, there is little the Mhaldorians can do to save their city. Though that does not stop them from trying. But, alas, it was all in vain... All is lost..."

The curtains behind to open slowly...

Veerah says in a warm, steady voice, "Until..."

Finishing their trek across the front of the stage, the curtains reveal a large statue to the Malevolent one. Proudly center stage, its base is strewn with hundreds of decapitated mhun heads.

The irreverent statue of Lord Sartan begins to glow, empowered by the heads of Mhaldorian enemies. The glow spreads, encompassing the city in its red hue, and the statue takes the city's weight.

The Sword of Damocles falls from the Statue, rending open a great pit filled with tunneling Mhun.

Minifie tumbles in from the out.

Minifie screams in pure abject pain, attempting to escape the imminent destruction coming her way.

From the statue's eyes, a horde of Lord Sartan's Daemons spew forth and rush into the great pit. As the last of the Daemons enter, the pit closes behind them until all that is left are the echoed screams of dying Mhun.

The curtain closes abruptly and the last rending scream fades to deafening silence.

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Act 1, Scene 3

The curtains open once more.

A Mhaldorian child enters the stage, moving to the centre where she comes to a halt. She then shuffles forwards, searching for an unseen mark before she pauses again, clearly satisfied with her positioning.

She says, her high pitch little-girl voice carrying far into the audience, 'The damage to Mhaldor was great and the Mhun were enslaved to begin repairs. Lord Sartan was not pleased with the damage done to His city and met with the council to prepare.'

She continues, 'There was only one way to repay these attacks and that was with war. The Mhaldorians only had one goal: the total ann-- anne-- annexation.' The child pauses to look off-stage, as if for confirmation, before she continues, 'The total annexation of Moghedu.'

The Mhaldorian girl cries proudly, 'And so, the Mhun War began!' She rushes off into the eaves.

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Act 1, Scene 4

A black gloved hand unceremoniously pushes the Mhaldorian child back onstage. She moves over to the side, cue cards in hand, her complexion flushed.

Minifie marches on stage, her staunch watch gazing over all before her.

Minifie begins shouting orders at an unseen commotion.

Suddenly, Aegoth and an army of Mhaldorians burst onto the stage. The Mhun are immediately cut down with ruthless efficiency, unprepared in the face of Mhaldor's military prowess.

Lii raises her hand to Aegoth to smite Aegoth.

Lii runs onto the stage with her other priest allies. They meet the Mhaldorians with unwavering Faith and a look of fervent zeal in their eyes. Each helping the Mhun where they can, they lay down rites and, with guardian angels brilliant beside them, begin to drive the Mhaldorians back.

The Mhunna booms, "Close the gates! Let no outsiders intrude upon our walls!"

In an unmodulated tone, the girl says, 'But the Mhunna's attempts to shut off Moghedu were in vain, as the Mhaldorians were already inside.' She adjusts her cue cards.

Lii kneels and lays down a rite of piety as her lips silently murmur prayers against the heathens.

Minifie drags her wounded body stage left.

Subjugator Minifie Lichlord, of His Legion yells, "For the Mhunna!"

An arrow flies in towards Aegoth.
The arrow strikes Aegoth, gouging a deep and bloody wound.
Horror overcomes Aegoth's face as his body stiffens into paralysis.

"Bah!" Aegoth retorts disgustedly.

A shimmering barrier of crystal forms about Aegoth.

You see Holocaust King Aegoth Aristata, Consul of the Wicked yell, "You curr! You shall rue the day!"

Obviously reading from the cards, 'The Mhun had thought that, with their Shallamese and Hashani allies, they would be able to keep the invaders out. They were wrong. The Mhaldorians gathered more warriors and fought back with more force.'

Aegoth faces Minifie. He seems surprised by the fact she is not a puddle of burnt organs anymore, but quickly shakes off the shock. Once again the Captain simply explodes, joining the mass of burning corpses that litter the ground. The stench is overwhelming. Soon, only the Mhaldorians stand, victorious.

The Mhaldorian child says loudly,  'Mhaldor held Moghedu for three days. Even the Mhunna was considering giving up. But it was a well-timed worldburn that eventually pushed the Mhaldorians out and allowed the Mhun and their allies to regroup. Faced with the large numbers, the Mhaldorians struggled to regain the power they previously held.'

Veerah jostles the child as she remains silent. Startled, the child continues, 'Mhaldor held Moghedu for three days. Even the Mhunna was considering giving up. But it was a well-timed worldburn that eventually pushed the Mhaldorians out and allowed the Mhun and their allies to regroup. Faced with the large numbers, the Mhaldorians struggled to regain the power they previously held.'

The agonising screams from an unseen man fill the room, echoing around you. He cries, 'Fine, fine, I'll tell you anything! There are still tunnels underneath the city that are connected to Mhaldor!'

His cries continue, 'No-- What do you want from me? Our army will be leaving soon to get the non-combatants out. All of the Mhun will be gone, it will only be the allies. Please--'

The screams are suddenly cut off with a gurgle, and then silence.

As Veerah squeezes the child's shoulder, she blurts out, "A Mhun scout betrayed his people, revealing an important weakness that the Mhaldorians quickly took advantage of. They found the tunnel and, on the other side, were only met with the allies. Several huge battles took place before the defenders were defeated and the Mhunna's treasure plundered."

Without prompting, the girl says, 'Unfortunately, the Mhun army soon rejoined the allies. Together, the defending force was able to drive out the Mhaldorians. No matter how hard the Mhaldorians fought, victory didn't seem possible. The Mhunna felt victorious.'

Minifie drags herself in, battered, bruised, beaten. Her blade falling at her side as she looks with unabated dismay over the gathered Mhuns.

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "Moghedu's walls... Should they be incurred by the western filth, cut them down without remorse."

Minifie says in a deep, churlish voice, "The rest of sapience may walk freely, but ensure they leave with your blades in their gut."

'While the Mhaldorians were defeated in this battle, that doesn't mean they surrendered in the war. The conflict between Mhaldor and the Moghedu continues even to this day. And the Mhaldorians grow stronger with each battle. No matter how many battles must be fought, the Mhaldorians will always meet them, and the Mhun will fall,' says the Mhaldorian girl proudly. She quickly pushes past Veerah and rushes offstage.

Minifie drags herself off stage right.

The curtains drift closed.

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Reevah returns to the stage, settling herself in the centre of it once again.

Reevah says in a dry, decorous voice, "And so ends our performance."

With a flourish of his arm, Aegoth bows deeply.

Reevah turns to look at the curtains expectantly.

The curtains open, showing the full cast center stage.

Minifie bows coughing up some slightly-burned fluids.

Aegoth bows once before setting the stage on fire.

Lii bows slightly with her feet lightly stepping away from the flaming appetizer.

The small Mhaldorian girl runs to center, trips, bows twice very quickly and runs off once more.

Veerah bows then casts a pained but not surprised expression towards Aegoth.

Throwing his hands in the air, Aegoth tosses his head back and laughs sadistically.