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When?

What lunatic sends the Crimson Bat in Disorder Week? Best recipe to summon Urox! <Joerg>

I haven't overlaid holy days on the calendar yet, apart from, on the dailies, having a preference for Lunar attacks on the full moon and Orlanthi attacks on Windsday.

The same thought occurred to me, but I rationalised the ever-victorious, ever-invulnerable Crimson Bat to be above such piffling limitations as elemental associations. Can change it, though, if necessary.

<John>

Who was known to be there?

Broyan!

And I note that at the Battle of Iceland? (OID 53), Broyan does a 'Summons of Evil?' to call the Lunars. Would he have attempted this at Whitewall? It would mean a deliberate escalation by the Defenders at quite an early stage, and that they had a firm plan. And I don't think anyone expected the Bat. Constantly changing game, constantly changing strategies. <John>

KoS p 211: Leika

Who was speculated to be there?

Kallyr

How did it work?

Greg's explanation (to be confirmed): Select band flies/teleports onto Bat's back and kills Bat priests, so the Bat becomes uncontrolled. Bat kills randomly for a bit, then heads south for month long vacation in Jolar. Or whatever.

I think that there is more to this than that. I have been reading Moon Rites and I think that the Bat-Blat must have been either (1) a heroquest to defeat some great foe of Orlanth; or (2) the culmination of such a heroquest. The Bat is simply too powerful to otherwise stop. I'd like us to get more creative than the above explanation. <Jeff>

But the above explanation is GAG, and has been for many years. Add to it by all means, but let's not contradict it. <Jane>

Well of course, Broyan and his companions have to fly onto the Bat, kill the Bat Priests, and defeat the Bat (either by having the Bat go out of control and attack the Lunar army which must ultimately destroy the Bat - or have the Bat go out of control while B & companions are killing the Bat Priests, and then B & companions kill the Bat). Either way, Broyan and company are going to need to be massively amped up with ritual magic, community heroquest bonuses, heroquest boons, and nifty magical items like the Black Spear of the Colymar and other such stuff. <Jeff>

<John> And specific quests might be needed to say, protect them from the bat's Chaotic Scream. I've a feeling beeswax won't do it. </John>

If servitors (see BatStat) are rounding up bat fodder, some (desperate!) heroes might allow themselves to be captured in order to get close to the priests or overcome the guards at some point. It's very risky, but offers one possible supporting strategy. <John>

I think the initial confrontation would take place about the Air Temple with the Bat and its priests trying to literally dislodge the source of power for the fortress from its rocky spire. Broyan and pals make a stand atop the swirling temple, teleporting (insert other heroic deeds) atop the bat from the temple itself. I refer to it initially here The Air Temple <Mitch>

I wonder if this was more Larnsti magic in action. Did the select band somehow overcome the strong fear magic of the bat? Maybe they had to undergo some terrible sacrifice in order to have the ability. Perhaps they sacrificed/traded fear/madness for some other emotion. A creepy thought. Remembering the RQ version of the bat the bat priests might be a "relative" pushover and no match for a band of sane Heortling warriors. Maybe the act on the surface was as simple as teleport/fly on and kill the priests. Any other Lunar units may have had to pull back to keep out of the radius of effect. Broyan and group would have quite sometime in which to prepare a ceremony. The Bat can't travel fast enough and they would have had weeks prior notice. <Oliver>

An Opening Suggestion...

Air is certainly the key. We have an Orlanth temple, and Storm heroes and godar and disciples aplenty. And if my dating doesn't have to shift, it's the beginning of Storm Season 1619. A last, best hope for survival.

First, up read the quote from Thunder Rebels about the Seven Storms.

This gives more structure to the reasons why Whitewall is so important to the Lunars. And how their concept of chaining Orlanth works.

The Seven Storms also give a possible structure for Batblat, and even a possible reason why the Bat was called to Whitewall.

0. Summoning of Evil

Orlanthi Summoning of Evil ritual. it may be just a coincidence, but the Bat arrives.

1. Panic

Rumours of the approaching bat. Glowspot appears on the horizon. Panic and rioting in the city. Lunars massacre those who attempt to break out of siege lines.

2. Defender Storm

Desperate Vingans and Air Temple priests call a Defender Storm to buffet and delay the bat. The call goes out for further storms and winds, the the great rituals begin. All the Storms wil be summoned to Whitewall, Ohorlanth and all the Thunder Brothers.

<Chris> I would say that the Air Temple priests call the seven storms, without emphasis on Vinga. See my comments on who the Seven Storms are on the Seven Storms page. </Chris>

3. Lunars Retreat

The Lunars fall back from the city, taking shelter from the Bat's intended attack. That Chaos Scream cuts both ways.

4. Thunder War

The Father of All Storms forms over Whitewall. Wind, hail, lightning, and thunder do incredible damage above and below.

The Six Storms take on the Bat. Battle is fierce, but they are defeated, as they have been before. Yet these storms, backed by Hurricane Umbroli, distract, blind and stun the Bat, drown out its Chaos Scream, and blow many priests and servitors from its back.

As the Bat closes to screaming range, the Air retreats. Hard. A semi vacuum forms about the Bat. It falls, plummeting crazily. More priests fall.

As the air retreats, the Bat cannot scream.

As the air retreats, the bat priests cannot breathe.

A seeming pocket of still air tempts the Bat higher, away from the city. It rises higher.

5. Helemakt

If Helemakt is not the Last Storm (but one of the four Fighting Storms), his storm too rises in fury from Whitewall to attack the Bat.

6. The Last Storm

The Last Storm (Helemakt? Ohorlanth? Orlanth?), previously undefeated, takes on the Bat. Battle is fierce. Broyan & his fliers/Second Sons land on the Bat at this point. Its a close run thing, but the Last Storm is defeated. The Bat will triumph, Whitewall will fall! Orlanth is defeated!

7. The Seven Winds

Unsuspected by nearly everyone except that Kev on the battlements that no one listens to, the Seven Winds appear! This is secret Orlanth, this is Primal Air! Perhaps they are godly winds that can attack the Bat directly on the Other Side. This final buffetting gives Broyan and his band the few minutes they need to finish their work.

<Chris> See my comments identifying the Seven Winds on the Seven Storms page. Followers of each Wind arrive unsummoned -- Uroxi from Prax, Valindings from the North, Kolati from the Hendriki wilds to the south, Humakti from the west, Brastalos (unseen) in Whitewall, and the other wind from the underworld. I think it is the arrival of this Ghost Wind from the Underworld that explains why The Dead Sea Returns.</Chris>

8. Bat Blat

Broyan and his fliers kill the priests and servitors guiding the Bat.

9. Vengeance

Jubilant defenders break out of the city to strike at Lunars still cowering in their shelters. Massacre.

However, the Manifestation of the Seven Winds 'cements' Orlanth himself into Whitewall. It's no longer about Helemakt. Its now a battle to defend Orlanth himself.

Orlanth is now at Whitewall. And he can be defeated there.

Pure atmosphere. Perfect Storm.

<John>

What was going on at ground level?

There would have been some notice. My speculation is: much fear and loathing among defenders, many panic and try to break out in an obvious fashion, most are killed by Lunars.

Among heroes, intense ritual preparation amidst an incredible storm.

Building on the assumption that the Lunar's have no automatic immunity from the Bat and its Scream etc. ...

Lunars shelter back from the city, safe from the Bat. Their plan will be to advance one the Bat's departure to 'clean up' any sane survivors.

What really happens is that the Bat takes chunks out of the Lunar camp as well as sections of Whitewall's upper wall, which totally demoralises and panics them. Orlanthi seize on the opportunity to launch a particularly nasty raid, burning down the Lunar supply camp and no doubt massacring many camp followers, auxillaries, and stray groups of troops.

<John>

I had the idea that while the Bat was attacking, and most defenders are no doubt fleeing or paralysed, the Lunars launch yet another attack on some weak point or other. Opportunity for some insane force of Storm Bulls or Humakti (or anyone else with a very inspirational leader) to try to hold it. <Jane>

How much damage did it do before being beaten?

We know it was beaten off at a high cost. Damage done to walls? Casualties to the flying crew? Casualities on the ground?

How much damage did it do on the way out?

To the Lunars, that is. Do we want to mention any specific units or people as being Bat-food?

What other consequences are there?

The defenders could try to Identify Aroka With The Bat, to gain the benefits of the Aroka myth in killing the monster.

Away from Whitewall, and in the longer term, it seems the Lunars will need to designate a new High Priest of the Crimson Bat, then sacrifice him to bring the Bat back into the mortal world. There's one renegade priest in Sun County who might be suitable... but this is perhaps more MGF than we need? Coriander, Discussion <Nick>

<Jane>Sure, why not? We started the original Secret History based on the date of Starbrow's Rebellion being the same as that of a Count-swap in Sun County (no, it wasn't a coincidence), so why not have some more Sun County-based consequences in the future? But we can leave it for now: discuss it on the Sun County list if we feel the need to do anything with it.</Jane>

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