Background wrote:
A regal nobleman dressed in the finest silks strolled through the Market, surveying his massive stockpiles of cash and troops. He was not one to keep his wealth on display as it was gathered, instead preferring to reveal it all in a single massive orgy of greed, flaunting his wealth to all the other nobles at a predetermined date. But the people, the common folk on whose backs this nobleman had built his Empire, found this flagrant display of riches abhorrant. They found it insulting that their overlord was living off their hard work while they starved in squalor and abject poverty. This ritual of decadence was repeated every month, and the people grew more and more restless. Ultimately, it was time to act; but through what vessel would they act, through what mouthpiece could their oppression be expressed?
One night, as the rest of the world was sleeping, a small group of adventurers came to the land. The Dark Order, they were called. A secretive group, they existed for a single reason - to be a catalyst for change, to overthrow those who ruled the lands unjustly. Why they came to this land, nobody knows. But, they were here, and their blades were at hand.
The first village they arrived at was a sorry little place, downtrodden under the thundering hooves of the nobles' decadence. As the nobles traded land openly, each attempting to put on the grandest display at the end, the people were used and reused. No ruler cared for his folk; in fact, the situation was such that nobody knew to whom what territory belonged. They simply sent their armies to claim an area and rape it of its resources.
The people saw, in this Dark Order, a chance for some sort of freedom. A chance, however futile and ultimately pointless, to take down these lords. They knew that some new lords and ladies would simply fill the void that they would leave. But, ultimately, they wished for a way, however brief, to gain true freedom from the ignoble nobility. They wished for a way to show that their lives were more than a number, a statistic to play games with.
The Dark Order had found their calling in these people. They would lead this rabble into war against the overlords. They would bring them down, no matter for how briefly. Each member of the Dark Order took their place at the head of a group of their newfound allies and prepared for the long battles ahead. Armed with only pitchforks and crudely-made hunting bows, this would not be an easy task. And yet, it is one that must be undertaken...
The Dark Order soon found their first target - a decadent nobleman that went by the moniker of "Ruddertail". This man was renowned for his massive displays of wealth at the monthly revealing and the villagers seemed to be in agreement - this was one of the worst. And so, Willem "Assassin" Blackcloak, the leader of the Dark Order, formulated his plan. They would bring about the downfall of Ruddertail's empire, or they would die trying.
The first to act was the renowned Spymaster, a man known only as "Mad Dog" for his insane and bloody devotion to the Dark Order. He, along with a legion of the stealthiest and sneakiest of the Order's villager allies, embarked in a quest to reduce Lord Ruddertail's defences to rubble. Through poisoning and propaganda, Mad Dog caused the desertion or death of well over half of Lord Ruddertail's forces. Causing confusion from within was the key to the Order's plans, and he had executed this well.
The next to act was the Order's leader, "Assassin" Blackcloak. The legions of villagers that had lain in wait for this day sprung forth, ready to give the oppressors a taste of their steel. Meanwhile, the Order's strongest Warrior, a man known as "Slasher" for his keen swordsmanship and his sharp wit, launched his own bombardment in tandem. A key weak spot in Lord Ruddertail's defences, revealed through careful espionage, allowed the Order's forces to rapidly push the enemy forces to their final stronghold.
Now, the true test would begin - would the spirit and numerical advantage of the rabble overwhelm the bastions of skilled archers that had fallen back in defence of their lord? As a hail of death descended from above, the Order's forces did not waver. They pressed forward, despite massive casualties. For they knew that it was better to die free, than to submit to the nobility once more.
As the rams pounded against the doors of Lord Ruddertail's final stronghold, the Order stood ready on the frontlines. For it was their duty, as the leaders of this expedition, to execute the vile Lord against whom they had waged this war. As the doors caved in, "Slasher" and "Assassin" rushed forward into the grand hall from where Lord Ruddertail had surveyed his massive defeat. A legion of guards rushed forward to attack the two adventurers, at Lord Ruddertail's command. The two comrades needed no words, however, and knew how to handle themselves against a horde of hostile attackers. Together, they evaded the charging column and moved to confront the defeated Lord.
Lord Ruddertail was not one to cower, however, and he was renowned for his excellent swordsmanship. "Slasher", a master swordsman, knew that this was a challenge he could not pass up. Signaling to "Assassin" to hold off the guards, "Slasher" turned to the warrior Lord. They were both prepared and, wordlessly, they launched their respective attacks.
The outcome was not swift, and nor was it assured. But, in the end, the Order's warriors were victorious. As "Slasher" finally disarmed his opponent and plunged his blade into the Lord's unprotected chest, the last guard toppled to the ground, lifeless. As the bloody slowly pooled underneath the vanquished Lord Ruddertail's lifeless body, the two comrades left the burning stronghold to meet up with their other companion. The mission had been successful, but the cost had been great; the corpses of many a villager and soldier alike lay strewn across the battlefield. There was no jubilation, only silent acceptance of their deed and the cost it had brought.
As the victorious army limped off the battlefield, having buried their comrades, they wondered if they could ever return to the life they had before. The Dark Order had no doubts; they knew that these people had dedicated their lives to the path of war, and there would be no turning back.
[edited because of a glaring mistake]
