Celtic Carnage ============== Introduction ------------ Three battles have already been fought and much blood shed in the winning of them, but still the war rages on. Finvarra had been a struggle, Santa Barbaro even more intense and Tenochtitlan the hardest of the lot. But they would pale into mere insignificance when compared to the battle that was soon to rage on the shore of the "Emerald Isle". For once again Chronos has need of the legendary Phoenix ... the "traveller-in-black" ... for once again the evil forces of the "Primal Darkness" have reared their heads and cast their wanton eyes on a land to be conquered. Once more poor simple souls will be their target, and their lust for blood, power and domination their only driving force. Yet again it will be up to Phoenix to drive them back to the dark, dank corners from whence they came and there to lick their wounds in deep, abject failure. The Story So Far ---------------- The Great Temporal Struggle Continues: "Know you, that over 2000 years ago there lived a proud race of warriors in the land of Erin. Many were the heroic deeds of the Celts in battle and many were the legends of this people; although, without doubt, the greatest of them was Setanta or as he was to be later known ... Cuchulainn. The son of the god LUGH and the beautiful Dechtire, he was already a "living legend" because of his incredible feats of strength and valour - even before he had reached the age of twenty. Know you, that when Ulster's need for heroes was greatest, Cuchulainn disappeared and the Red Branch Knights of King Conchobar were laid low by a terrible sickness known as the "Cess Noinden Ulad". This was the time when Queen Medb of Connacht crossed the border on the infamous raid, the Tain No Cuailgne. Initially just to steal the prized bull, Queen Medb now intends to conquer Ulster and slaughter every warrior, and she has every reason to believe she will be successful - for she has some formidable allies. Summoned from the "Primal Darkness", she has several of the most fearsome Formorrians. Not only Balor of the Evil Eye, but also Bres, Cical Footless and even the bloated Lot, each ready to quench their thirst for blood and souls. Know you, that it is the task of Phoenix to cure the "sickness", stop the forces of the evil Queen Medb and her Formorrian allies and, of course, to learn what has happened to Cuchulainn, the hero of Ulster. If he fails then the course of history in all the Emerald Isle will be dramatically altered and, in turn, possibly the future of the entire world. But will even the mighty Phoenix succeed against the forces arrayed against him. He has known success in the past, or was it the future .,. but perhaps the odds are too great this time. For not only Balor and the Fomorrians have emerged from the "Primal Darkness' ... there is also gore!!!