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

Wizards of Vyrgothia:]
Darkly circlet of night,
Crown of the King,
Unfettered at last the of Might,
The sceptre, the sword, and the ring.

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

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

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

[Baalthus
Our banner flies ever glorious, 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 Southern Host, of the Horde, Bane of the Over-King, we
to war!
And so, the Emperor himself rides to rendezvous with Vane,
accompanied by his aide. The Legion of the Ebon Tiger reaches
Gul-Kothoth at dusk on the fifth day of their march the fields of
Kai-Vorg, halting the great arid plan which stretches before the city,
the dust 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 and banners, and assembling their gargantuan siege-wag ons,
the Emperor stands gazing at the brooding walls and colossal cyclopean
gates of the city-fortress before him, vowing a torrent of red slaughter
shall befall Gul-Kothoth, of any sorcerous trinkets the Vyrgothians
may possess, and the Over-King shall pay dearly for his sublime
arrogance. And twelve leagues distant, an army of five score and ten,
the Obsidian Crown, the city...

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

Byron]
[Music: and Chris Maudling]