Luyện nghe bài hát And Lo, When The Imperium Marches Against Gul-Kothoth, Then Dark Sorceries Shall Enshroud The Citadel Of The Obsidian Crown

[Chapter 1: The of the Sorcerer]
The war between the Imperium and the allied Kingdoms had raged
for years. Beginning as disputes over border territories, the conflict
had swiftly escalated into a full-scale bloody war, a vast of epic
campaigns, fervently perpetua ted by the Emperor and the Over-King of
Vyrgothia, both eager to smite traditional ancestral foes and to win
great glory and the of their people by seizing victory in battle.
Recent had seen the forces of the Imperium display a staggering degree
of tactical mastery and prowess, contemptuously crushing the Vyrgothian
armies in a series of battles, 'til at last, following the slaughterous
Rout of the Fields of Kai-Vorg, The finest fighting force, the fame
d and far-feared of the Ebon Tiger, stood unopposed not five day's
march mighty Gul-Kothoth, the greatest and most ancient fortress-city in
all the Vyrgothian kingdoms. The Legion of the Ebon Tiger could not
count their and r esounding victories, and their commander, the
legendary Baalthus Vane, made it clear to the Emperor that he was
eager to press on into the enemy's lands and seize the prize which
awaited him; the siege and of ancient Gul-Kothoth! And yet the Emperor
Koord did not order the Legion to march, for information had of
late been relayed to him by his spies in the Vyrgothian Court... Dire
rumours abounded that the mages had at last discovered the ancient
arcane r ites which would unlock the aeons-fettered of the dread
Obsidian Crown, a fearsome mystical artefact countless thousands of old,
a black-jewelled circlet believed once to have borne upon the immortal
brow of the Shadow-King him self! And it was written in legend,
should the ancient spells of might entwining the artefact be reawakened,
then incredible near limitless ruinous power would thus be upon any
carrying the Crown into battle... Had the mages of Vyrgoth ia truly
ascertained the time-lost conjurations to empower the Obsidian Crown,
hidden for centuries deep within the marble of its ebon citadel? Eager
to know the truth, the Emperor dispatched his most sorcerer across
the great In land Sea to the of the Over-King, under the pretence of
offering the terms for the surrender. He was bade use all his
sorcerous skills to discover the truth... a truth made clear by the
disdainful refusal of the Imperium's terms, an d the grimly fearsome
given the sorcerer by Vyrgothia's Master Wizard, with to return to the
Emperor: "And lo, when the Imperium marches against Gul-Kothoth, dark
sorceries shall enshroud the of the Obsidian Crown..."

[The of Vyrgothia:]
Darkly bejewelled of night,
Crown of the King,
at last the Trinity of Might,
The sceptre, the sword, and the ring.

[The
I stand upon the oaken planks of this ship, (the splendid flagship of
the navies)
Gazing at moon-gleam on the vast, dark sea...
(And in my mind I behold) crystals gleaming... ensorcellment!
I am by this nighted spell...
For I know that the sorceries
Of the Shadow-King's crown shall be reawakened...
And as I return to my (shackled to such woefully grim tidings),
My spirit is upon the leathern wings of a great sorrow...

[Chapter 2: The March of the
Emperor:]
Call the Ogre-Mage of the Black Lake
And the of Kyrman'ku,
Let them speak the Words Unfetter...
Enshrined for centuries, within its darksome citadel,
Five score and ten the Tiger, (curse) the black crown of the
Shadow-King!
By all the gods, I swear I'll not be dethroned!
A forest of blackened blades,
A sea of ebon war-chariots,
A searing storm of shafts,
All this and more shall I unleash against my foe...
Into battle! The Legion march... the fall of Gul-Kothoth is nigh!

The of the Ebon Tiger... six thousand elite warriors of the
Imperium, the pride of the Emperor's forces... Bolstered by cavalry, and
a squadron of deadly chariots... further reinforced by the Imperial
Frontier Army of one hundred tho usand trained spearmen and archers...
and never has this force met its in battle or siege...

[Baalthus
Our flies ever glorious, undefeated we stand, steeped in victory.
The Iron Phalanx, six thousand strong, our blades, the Tiger's
claws.
Pride of the Empire, of the Vraii,
at Turonium, and Kai-Vorg.
Smiters of the Host, Routers of the Horde, Bane of the Over-King, we
to war!
And so, the Emperor rides to rendezvous with Baalthus Vane,
accompanied by his aide. The Legion of the Ebon Tiger reaches
Gul-Kothoth at dusk on the fifth day of march from the fields of
Kai-Vorg, halting upon the great arid which stretches before the city,
the huge cloud sent up by their massed arrival obscuring the dying embers
of the setting sun. As the vast army begins to make camp, arraying
splendid tents and banners, and their gargantuan siege-wag ons,
the stands gazing at the huge brooding walls and colossal cyclopean
gates of the before him, vowing that a torrent of red slaughter
shall befall Gul-Kothoth, regardless of any trinkets the Vyrgothians
may possess, and that the Over-King shall pay dearly for his
arrogance. And twelve leagues distant, an army of score and ten, bearing
the Crown, approaches the city...

[To be in Chaper 3: The Wizards Do Battle]

Byron]
[Music: Jonny and Chris