Narissa drops one of the rebels, but 2 fire crossbows back at her
One hesitates at Doc's threat, frozen in inaction. The remaining 2 start removing barricades.
Barricade outside:8
Barricade inside:4
Trap in light house:3
Narissa snips again, and then tries to stealth.
Jace continues to build up the blockade inside the tower.
Davin takes a breath and calculates the odds.
"Just in case this goes badly, I want you all to know that it's been an honor."
He then continues setting up another trap.
"Stand down or you will be killed!" Doc booms.
Jace piles more stuff against the doorway, while Davin sets another cunning trap for when the place gets overrun. Narissa puts a bullet in another and Doc's threats keep one in inaction, hoping to play it both ways.
The 2 keep removing barricades and the other keeps firing bolts at Narissa. .
Torches appear on wall as another 5 man squad runs in to try to close the sea gate before it is too late.
enemies:9
Barricade outside:6
Barricade inside:7
Trap in lighthouse:4
Narissa, bleeding heavily, snipes another and then drops back.
Saturday laid a hand on Narissa's back and whispered a prayer to Sobo, loa of strength.
Narissa sighs as the wounds close over. She wipes the blood off her hands before reloading her rifle. "Thanks Doc, damn bowmen."
Davin continues to create a room of death inside the control room and Jaces works at the barricade. Narissa's deadly work continues as she kills another rebel from the shadows.
enemies:8
Barricade outside:6
Barricade inside:10
Trap in lighthouse:5
"Disperse immediately!"
The men keep coming. What was a trickle soon becomes a flood. They tear apart the outer barricades and begin to work on the door. Boiling oil soon puts an end to that, leaving screaming in agony and twisted corpses littering the ground. Still the men persist, forcing you light the oil.
The flames block the way, suddenly die down. Among the recent arrivals stand men in robes. As the flames die down, one lowers his staff, while another raises her own. A bolt of blinding energy arcs out and slams into the door, exploding it inward in a rain of splinters and knocking those inside from their feet. Rebels surge in behind.
The first through the door fall to the devious traps laid down by Davin, giving you time to regain your feet. Shoulder to shoulder you prepare for the final stand, but you were never meant to fight an army. Suddenly, night air is alive with the thunderous roar of firedust cannons. Their flames light up the harbor, showing the outline of the Risuri navy entering through the sea gate.
The first volley is followed in quick succession by another which rakes the sea wall. The carnage is immediate and horrific. Men are reduced to red mist and limbs go flying. The few that make it through unscathed, turn tail and run, seeking cover within the city.
The cavalry, as they say, has arrived and for now at least, you have a moment to catch your breath.
Narissa looks out the door at the burned and charred bodies. "Who ordered takeout?" She asks, deadpan, and then looks out the window at the ships. "Probably ought to stay off the wall, don't want to get shot by our own allies." She opines, and checks her supplies of firedust. "Hmm, I think I have enough to make a small sparkler."
Jace, exhausted sits down for a moment. I am not going anywhere.
Davin stares for a moment at the carnage before excusing himself. He moves to a private corner. The loud, distinct sound of retching is quite apparent. He returns to the group, looking pale.
"They should have surrendered." he says quietly to no one in particular.
"Davin, had they surrendered, the king would still likely have executed them for being traitors. Dead if you do, dead if you don't. They committed an act of war by occupying this place, and could have embroiled us in a major war, where thousand or tens of thousands could have died. No way the King can let them off after that." Nyssa explains why this was always a wetwork mission, even if their own hands weren't supposed to get all that dirty.
"There's always another way, Constable Sandstone--I just didn't find it this time."
Davin took a depp breath and calmed himself. Next time he would find a better way.
"Davin, you can't fix stupid. You didn't put them in this position, they did. You couldn't save them from their own actions." Narissa says, patting the man on the shoulder, and then heading up to the lighthouse to get a view of the battle, just in case any of it decides to head their way.
Risuri warships sail into the harbor, firing cannons, arrows, and spells at the duchess’s forces who dare to break from cover. The duchess’s forces fall back to the walls of the Outer Fort, while ships line up out the mouth of the harbor. Crews lash gangplanks from prow to stern so a thousand soldiers can march to the mainland.
Axis Fortress still has damage from the last time it was sacked, and so the Risuri loyalist forces have several options for breaching the defenses. They outnumber the duchess’s forces five to one, and easily climb over the walls with the aid of siege engines they have brought on the lead ships.You watch tiredly, as the Risuri forces push the Duchess' soldiers back from the Outer wall and deeper into the city.
Eventually, you see a group of Risuri marines make their way up the sea wall towards you. In their midst, you recognize Captain Rutger Smith of the Impossible. He's all grins and greets you with a "Bloody well done, Constables."
Narissa eyes the gore and charred bodies at the entrance to the tower, and gives a small laugh. "That is probably the most accurate phrase, in multiple senses." She gives a salute. "We also left some prisoners tied up in the forest, that way." She gives the directions to the prisoners. "Some of them were in bad shape when we left, my knife, so if they died, you can blame it on me." She settles that hash first.
Jace takes some pride in what the team accomplished. Thank you sir. I had hoped there would be less bloodshed after the gates were opened and the inevitable began. I do not understand fanatics. Are we relieved?
"Relieved?" He snorts. "No rest for the wicked, I'm afraid."
He pulls out a package of cigars and hands them around. "You hold onto those until we get the Duchess, then I'll light them myself."
"So here's the situation: With the disaster that befell the infiltration team, you lot are technically the highest ranking authority when it comes to non-military matters. So that makes it your responsibility to deal with the Duchess once we reach her. I suspect she’ll hole up in the central keep, but the lads should be able to surround he rwithin a few hours. Once that happens, it'll be up to you to try to get her to surrender."
"Lovely, well, we were just complaining about how easy this was so far and how it hadn't really seemed like we'd earned our pay. I guess we can stop complaining now." She checks her powder horn. "Can we get resupplied in the meantime?"
Jace almost laughs. Try to get her to surrender? She is responsible for all this death. I bet she might just fall on her sword or something similar. But if you want us to try to talk her in then best get us some clean cloths, maybe a bath too. Or at least a wizard with Prestidigitation.
Jace almost laughs. Try to get her to surrender?
"I would not expect dat. Falling on her sword to avoid capture is mo' likely." Saturday rumbled, his face stoic but his eyes clearly pained by the carnage.
"In military matters, death is unavoidable. In this, confronting the duchess, it should be avoided at all costs." he said, his remarks mostly aimed at Narissa.
Captain Smith raises an eyebrow.
"I've got no orders to divert military supplies for RNC usage, especially in midst of a battle. And if you think anyone is going to divert a battle mage away from combat to tidy up your clothes, your out of you mind."
"This is a courtesy call. Capturing the Duchess was an RNC operation. If you're not interested, the Navy will be happy to take over. Regardless, I've had some marines detached to serve as an escort for you. Sergeant Glassman..."
A grizzled soldier steps forward, "No worries Sir. Me and the boys will keep this lot safe. If they don't want to move into the city, we'll be happy to take them back to the Impossible. Honestly, that would be my preference Sir."
"Killing her gives us not'ing. No answers, no justice. And dere is still da possibility dat she has been magically controlled." Saturday said firmly. "Dids is our job."
Stand and nodding Jace agrees I'll go and give it my best try. I can sometimes be persuasive.
Narissa hefts her oversized gun, and eyes Captain Smith. She draws herself up from her sitting position, her form raising up and up and she stalks forward, until she's looking down at the Captain from a few inches away, and the Captain will have to crane his neck to look up at her, or keep looking forward into her breasts, neither look would be good in front of his men.
She places the oversized rifle on her back, and then speaks in a cold voice. "I will be sure to inform command that when asked for resupply before this mission, that you informed us you had no orders to provide re-supply. I'll also make sure that your name is quite prominent, Captain Smith, should any of our people..." She waves a large hand at her squad, and then jabs a finger at the 'escort'. "...or your people die because you didn't resupply the squad that took the gatehouse and kept it from counterattack for you, that you get the proper credit for your...rigid interpretation of your lack of orders."
She turns to the 'escorts'. "C'mon boys, if you're so eager to protect me, then get your arse's in gear, the good Captain wants us moving out on the double." She jerks her head at her companions, and then promptly steps around the Captain, as if he were a pile of horse pucky that needed to be avoided.
Saturday rolled his eyes and gave the Captain an apologetic look before following Narissa.
"You'll have to forgive us. It's been a terribly long day."
Davin then walks away and catches up with the others.
"He could have at least offered us tea. It's only civilized."
"He's a Navy Puke, what do you expect?"
"I t'ink expectations are da reason you are upset."
Have busoes himself cleaning up as best he can in preparation for he diplomatic mission. He choose not to enter the discussion about the quality of Navy men.
"He's a Navy Puke, what do you expect?"
Davin frowns and then says, "A bit more decorum, Constable Sandstone, if you please. My brother was a 'Navy Puke' as you so colorfully put it. And he served faithfully and with distinction."
Davin takes a long, steadying breath.
"Right to the end."
Narissa nods. "Then he wasn't a Navy Puke, Constable Greyhill, he was a Navy Man. There's a difference, Navy Puke's are a dime a dozen.
A Navy Man is rare as hen's teeth." She says, firmly, and then notices he's robbing corpses. "As long as you're looting the dead, let me know if you see any fire powder."
"Will do," Davin says while turning over a corpse with as much gentility as he can manage.
Captain Smith's jovial demeanor drops and his face goes hard and grim. 'Your request and complaint have been noted. My men know how to take care of themselves."
Sergeant Glassman says, "I'm not taking a bullet for her."
Captain Smith turns to his men, "I don't expect you to. Your orders are to keep the RNC members away from the ongoing military operations. Remain here and do not engage the enemy. I'll have a runner sent if there is anything we need them for. If they try to leave, arrest them."
With that Smith heads off to supervise the unloading of the rest of the troops, leaving Sergeant Glassman and 4 marines behind.
"In the Yarasol, being dirty, sweaty and bloody is just something you have to get used to. You learn to dress accordingly, and use oils and sand as substitutes for soap and water. It is more important to stay dry than clean."
While you are waiting, a commotion breaks out in the harbor. Gunshots and screams of panic sound from one of the Risuri ships, hundreds of feet away from the lighthouse. A few flashes of fire light up the night, and then a massive ball of flame engulfs the ship. Smoke billows upward as the rigging catches ablaze and the flames seem to dance in hypnotic patterns. You can faintly make out a humanoid figure striding across the burning deck. It points a flaming sword and sweeps it in an arc toward the sea wall. All of the gas lamps shatter and go dark. The figure leaps thirty feet from the ship to the sea wall and disappears into the darkness.
Fey magic. Jace says in mixed fear and admiration. Likely a high elf. Can you tell if he is coming this way?