Battle of Singing Arrows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Battle of Singing Arrows [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Phantom_Lord
01-16-04, 01:56 AM Anybody got any info on this? I'm thinking of doing a little adventure based on this event that took place in Sembian history. All I know is that it took place in 884 Dale Reckoning and that its a pretty important part of Sembian history.

Some more elaboratory information would be pretty nice - thanks.

Kudos!
Lackadaisical
01-16-04, 03:48 AM The Battle of Singing Arrows was the final battle in a prolonged war between the Sembian army and the barbarians of the Ride. After seizing an armada from the Moonsea, the barbarians sailed south until they reached Sembia's coast. They then proceeded to raid and pillage throughout Sembia as they progressed towards Selegaunt. The chieftains laid seige to the city and begin to shower the city with arrows for fifty days and fifty nights. All the while the mighty skalds of the Ride motivated their fierce companions through an unorthodox orchestra of mime and dance routines to the beat of bagpipe music.

On the opposing side of the battle, Sembian forces made use of highly advanced catapults and 'acquired' elven long bows to slaughter barbarians by the dozens. Sembia likewise had a devoted tradition of bardic music dedicated to aiding warriors in the heat of battle.

After fifty days had passed both sides and exhausted their supply of arrows and rocks. As the Sembians lacked the strength to defeat the barbarians in the field and the barbarians lacked the technology to storm the walls of Seleguant, the battle becaming a staring match of shocking intensity, in which both sides lost half their remaining forces do to eye strain. At the same time the rain of arrows was replaced with a rain of water. As the rain and stares poured down upon the soldiers the bards continued there routines with aplomb.

This served to greatly annoy the drenched warriors and after a short while the bards were loaded into catapults and fired at the enemy. Such sunny dispositions the bards of both camps had that even as they plumeted to their deaths they continued their orchestra. Hence the title 'The battle of Singing Arrows.''
Phantom_Lord
01-16-04, 06:25 AM ummm. wow. this all is ... very different from what i've read so far. i mean wasn't this batlle between the elves and the sembians? in 'a grand tour of the realms' by greenwood & grubb the entry of battle of singing arrow is totally different from yours, what is your source?

thanks for the info though.
Critical Hit
01-16-04, 04:30 PM According to the FRCS pg. 190, the Battle of Singing arrows was between the Elves and Sembia. It was very much a one-sided battle with total victory and few casualties for the elves. The event also limited Sembian incursion into the Dalelands for centuries.

There is also an account of the Battle of Singing Arrows in the Sembia novels.

As I said before, with so much fan fiction on the net it's hard to find cannon sources. Try to stick with published print material.
Lashan
01-16-04, 05:01 PM Lackadaisical, that's pretty funny!
Maskanodel
01-18-04, 07:19 PM Theres a reference to the Battle of Singing Arrows in Cormyr: A Novel. It says in 884 DR, the Elves repelled the Sembians and their Chondathan mercenaries from the Dales. The Royal Magician Thanderahast said that the Sembians were heavily logging Elven lands, thinking that with Myth Drannor gone, the elves would be too weak to stop them. He also notes that the power of the elves never lied in their cities, but in their forests.
Phantom_Lord
01-21-04, 02:29 AM thanks for your help guys - kudos!
Alac Luin
01-21-04, 11:13 AM Originally posted by Lackadaisical
...... the battle becaming a staring match of shocking intensity, in which both sides lost half their remaining forces do to eye strain

.....the bards were loaded into catapults and fired at the enemy....

I think I played this adventure once

;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Phantom_Lord 01-16-04, 01:56 AM	Anybody got any info on this? I'm thinking of doing a little adventure based on this event that took place in Sembian history. All I know is that it took place in 884 Dale Reckoning and that its a pretty important part of Sembian history. Some more elaboratory information would be pretty nice - thanks. Kudos!
Lackadaisical 01-16-04, 03:48 AM	The Battle of Singing Arrows was the final battle in a prolonged war between the Sembian army and the barbarians of the Ride. After seizing an armada from the Moonsea, the barbarians sailed south until they reached Sembia's coast. They then proceeded to raid and pillage throughout Sembia as they progressed towards Selegaunt. The chieftains laid seige to the city and begin to shower the city with arrows for fifty days and fifty nights. All the while the mighty skalds of the Ride motivated their fierce companions through an unorthodox orchestra of mime and dance routines to the beat of bagpipe music. On the opposing side of the battle, Sembian forces made use of highly advanced catapults and 'acquired' elven long bows to slaughter barbarians by the dozens. Sembia likewise had a devoted tradition of bardic music dedicated to aiding warriors in the heat of battle. After fifty days had passed both sides and exhausted their supply of arrows and rocks. As the Sembians lacked the strength to defeat the barbarians in the field and the barbarians lacked the technology to storm the walls of Seleguant, the battle becaming a staring match of shocking intensity, in which both sides lost half their remaining forces do to eye strain. At the same time the rain of arrows was replaced with a rain of water. As the rain and stares poured down upon the soldiers the bards continued there routines with aplomb. This served to greatly annoy the drenched warriors and after a short while the bards were loaded into catapults and fired at the enemy. Such sunny dispositions the bards of both camps had that even as they plumeted to their deaths they continued their orchestra. Hence the title 'The battle of Singing Arrows.''
Phantom_Lord 01-16-04, 06:25 AM	ummm. wow. this all is ... very different from what i've read so far. i mean wasn't this batlle between the elves and the sembians? in 'a grand tour of the realms' by greenwood & grubb the entry of battle of singing arrow is totally different from yours, what is your source? thanks for the info though.
Critical Hit 01-16-04, 04:30 PM	According to the FRCS pg. 190, the Battle of Singing arrows was between the Elves and Sembia. It was very much a one-sided battle with total victory and few casualties for the elves. The event also limited Sembian incursion into the Dalelands for centuries. There is also an account of the Battle of Singing Arrows in the Sembia novels. As I said before, with so much fan fiction on the net it's hard to find cannon sources. Try to stick with published print material.
Lashan 01-16-04, 05:01 PM	Lackadaisical, that's pretty funny!
Maskanodel 01-18-04, 07:19 PM	Theres a reference to the Battle of Singing Arrows in Cormyr: A Novel. It says in 884 DR, the Elves repelled the Sembians and their Chondathan mercenaries from the Dales. The Royal Magician Thanderahast said that the Sembians were heavily logging Elven lands, thinking that with Myth Drannor gone, the elves would be too weak to stop them. He also notes that the power of the elves never lied in their cities, but in their forests.
Phantom_Lord 01-21-04, 02:29 AM	thanks for your help guys - kudos!
Alac Luin 01-21-04, 11:13 AM	Originally posted by Lackadaisical ...... the battle becaming a staring match of shocking intensity, in which both sides lost half their remaining forces do to eye strain .....the bards were loaded into catapults and fired at the enemy.... I think I played this adventure once ;)