Guild Wars: High Ground

Chapter 8: Secret Weapon – Three days have passed. Maybe the Charr aren’t coming. Maybe the King’s forces have turned back the tide. Maybe the Charr are in retreat, unable to pursue the Ascalonian refugees. With no communication from the outside world, it is impossible to know for sure. The defenders of Wysoki tower are getting restless. They want to know the status of their fellow countrymen.

TANK ponders the situation. In his heart he doesn’t believe that the Charr have fled. Yet, what if King Adelbern pulled off a miracle? What if the Ascalonians are in need of reinforcements, in order to defend a newly gained advantage? What if the war has to turned in favor of Ascalon?

TANK shouts, “OK, I’ll need a volunteer! Who wants to scout out for Charr activity?”

Fifteen Ascalonian Rangers immediately raise their hands. TANK chooses one and then sends him outside the gates. All watch with anticipation as the lone Ascalonian wanders into the wilderness. Not ten minutes later, an awful scream is heard. You don’t need a degree from the Ascalonian Academy to realize what happen. The Charr were waiting in the woods.

The death of the Ascalonian archer has broken the silence. Hundreds of Charr are running up towards Wysoki Tower. These predators are no longer content to hide or sneak. The Charr are crazed and driven by blood-lust. They intend to attack you head-on.

TANK yells, “Prepare for battle. Ready my weapon!”

What Weapon? What is TANK babbling about? He’s already carrying his sword. The Ascalonian Archers immediately open up with a volley of Arrows. Yet, the Charr have prepared a countermeasure. The savages are holding large shields. While it encumbers their movement, it completely defends them against the arrows. The shattering of projectiles, as they smash against the Charr shields, instills a sense of panic amongst the defenders of Wysoki tower. The Ascalonian archers have been completely neutralized. The Charr are coming. They’re running up the ramp towards the tower gates.

TANK shouts, “Block this you beasts… FIRE!”

You don’t understand what TANK is shouting about. Your attention was focused on the encroaching Charr. You turn your attention towards TANK, who is unveiling a secret weapon. The late night banging, the emphasis on wood and metal salvaging, TANK was building a catapult. The giant arm swings into action, hurling a huge bolder at the Charr. It smashes right into them. Their shields are worthless against such an attack. The bolder doesn’t stop with the initial impact. It bounces down the hill, crushing even more enemies.

The Charr forces are in chaos. Broken bones and blood litter the landscape. However, one group was clear of the impact. The Charr ahead of the blast are continuing up the hill. They’re preparing to assault Wysoki Tower. TANK shouts, “Reload!”

You realize that there may not be enough time to rearm the weapon. The archers will not be able to stop these shield wielding Charr, but can you? You reach into the magical chest and grab the nearest magical scrolls you can find. Three are in your possession, which one do you want to use?

• Fire Storm – Create a Fire Storm at target foe’s location. For a brief time, foes adjacent to that location are struck for moderate fire damage each second.
• Meteor Shower – Create a Meteor Shower at target foe’s location. For a brief time, foes adjacent to that location are struck for massive fire damage and knocked down every 3 seconds.
• Lava Font – For a brief time, foes adjacent to the location where this Spell was cast are struck for moderate fire damage