Blockade Broken - RPLOG
Participants
Date
29/3/477
Log
Noon at the docks, just outside the shipyards. It has been some time - since the last Shadow attack - when the reservists were last and truly mobilised for war, but it still seems that none of their efficiency has been lost as beings are dragged out of their civilian lives - and those who aren't Sweetwater subjects are there for their own reasons, of their own accord.
Many of the vessels have been freshly fitted due to the recent logging venture in Eastbank - however, they don't look like dedicated naval vessels, and will probably be retrofitted for merchant use later. Whatever the case, it seems like everything is good to go. Priests ply the waterfront, dispensing their blessings to crews, while captains fill their subordinates on the battle plan: meet up with the Shralestan fleet approaching from the other side and crush the lot like a nut in a vice.
Rumours abound amongst the sailors about a trump card the Shralestans are carrying which will turn the tide of the battle, but few know what it truly is.
Valor walks down to the docks, his leather and metal armor glinting in the sunlight. He had a sword strapped to his belt and his hammer on the other side. He was here to help in what way he could, which would probably be fixing things. The weapons and armor of course were a precaution. He headed into the midst of the crowd, the tall heavily built equine towering over some of the smaller folk.
Bite sways towards the docks, armed with a stick and math, the serpent looks eager to participate. She ditches her cloak and stretches, adjusting her outfit. She looks around for somewhere to fall in, getting ready to take orders and aid Sweetwater as best she can.
Siyu is having a rather spirited discussion with some of the shipwrights as the final vesel is let loose from the docks. The rodent is making sure every ship is secure with it's new outfitting. The old growth timber makes strong masts, and hearty hulls. Ships with his timber are filling the bay. Statisfied that whatever problem is taken care of he turns and goes to head over towards the rest of the Freeswords. Not dressed in silks, but leather and mail, ready for combat. "So...we're finally doing it"
Heavy armor, a large tower shield, and... A snack or two hidden away within his coat pocket. With all of this, Dio had everything he needed to perform what's required upon this naval battle. That and a couple of spells. The lion heads towards the docks and takes a quick breather after carrying such a large mass upon his back for so long and looks out for perhaps anyone that would fill him in, especially one that might be familiar with the large weapon they had transported not too long ago.
A bona-fide call to arms! Much to his family's dismay, Brutus had insisted it was his duty, and rounded up some cannon fodd--er, cannons and brothers in arms. The rotund skunk makes his way to the amassed crowd, hand cannon slung across his broad shoulders as his strange beast/Being hybrid and a nervous adolescent soldier follow behind him. He gazes over the others as he waddles into the crowd--a lot of familiar faces, but a few fresh young conscripts. "Hail, good brothers and sisters in arms!" he calls out.
Alef stands on the dock, studying several scrolls, compared to the mail and leather armored figures shes pritty casually equipped, wearing her normal cotton robes, and padded armor underneath, despite the sun coming down she has her hood up, the two bulges under her hood squrming abit as she trys to ignore it, talking it seems to herself quietly as she gives everyone a smile. "Il do whatever I can to help." Nodding lightly, waiting for the order to board the ship.
Yuki makes her own way down the docks, the bat sweeping the staff-like end of her scythe before her. She's dressed in fine silks with the flexible, layered plates of her armour over it. Around her eyes is a silk blindfold, the tails of it woven into her long braid. She stops near to what she believes to be a large crowd and says, perhaps a bit softly, "Would someone be so kind as to show me to a ship? Preferably one that will be metting up with those of my homeland, if possible." The bat's voice carries a distinct Shralestan accent.
Recalling the mission last time and those rather curious crates, the tigress certainly wanted to see what would come of it. That and free trade was a lovely thing, of course. As such, Kaelli found herself answering the call and striding down towards the shipyard once more. As always, the tall feline was found encased in her dark fullplate with an assortment of weapons on hand. Pausing to look over the growing assembly, one hand was raised in greeting to those she knew. Taking note of the bat, her head tilted at a curious angle but her sharply accented voice was still polite, "If it is like before, there will be..ah..talking first."
As the last of the reservists fall into place, the Good King himself arrives on the scene, his impressive girth and the sword of the Good line unmistakable amongst the Solacious canids who flank him. A leader who leads from the front, indeed. There is no time for a formal inspection of the troops or even a speech - he casts an eye over the motley crew of sailors and shipmen on the docks, then nods and speaks in the universal language of being, poor or rich, noble or commoner: he smacks one meaty fist into the palm of his other hand, the sound of such far louder than it should be, perhaps thanks to a little air magic.
Simple language indeed, as most of the gathered reservists break into cheers. One by one, the ships are loaded, the gangways are lifted and the ropes cast off. The Good King himself boards the grandiose royal flagship, while most of the gifted are assigned positions near the centre of sailing formation. By good graces, after everything has been sorted out and positions assigned, everyone is shown to a freshly outfitted battleship not too far from the Good King's own before pushing off.
Valor finds himself shown onto a ship and quickly busies himself, helping out any way he can. He does bump into Brutus and recognizes the cannoneering skunk, but manages to. "You need anything?" He asks, looking over the skunk's gear, which was fairly immaculate. Still, it was courtesy to ask.
Siyu glances over to a...a blind bat? He bows his head a small bit and offers a small touch, "Here we're all going on board a fresh battleship, looks like most of the Freeswords are packing into it." he'll offer a faint guide, unsure. But then again, souless are very special beings.
Bite looks around to her fellow soulless, smiling and waving to those she knows as she watches their progress. "I can't wait to show those pirates that they can't keep us down." she hisses, full of pride for sweetwater at the moment. "At least we're close enough to everyone that we can respond to the most immediate task at hand, I'm sure we'll be fine!" she adds.
After the king's speech, Dio bangs the base of his spear against the dock a few times to add to the growing cheer! Hoo rah! But after that initial morale boost, the lion ceases his banging and waves towards the other gifted mingling about. There would be plenty of time to speak on board the ship! After getting his assignment like the others, he clambers on board the designated ship and looks around, getting familiar with the layout and crew during the set-up period.
"Good King Good!" Brutus excitedly murmurs, sweeping into a half-bow as much as his mobile artillery will allow him. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be a good time to pester the man or curry favour with him, but at least he could tell his folks that even the King doesn't shirk the duty of defense. He waddles up the gangplank and looks for a suitable place to rest up on the journey out--though he looks up in curiosity as the strange Horse approaches him. "Hm? Ah, no, no, I am quite alright, and 'tis too late even if I weren't," he replies with an air of aloofness, then pauses. It'd do no good to treat a fellow conscript as a lesser, even if he seemed to behave a bit...familiar. "I do not recall if we've met before, good citizen." He extends a heavy, meaty hand. "I am Brutus, of the noble House Blackback, academic, cannoneer, novice golem mechanic, and a veteran of a few sorties. And who do I have the pleasure of fighting beside?"
Alef stands at attention with the others, her training having kicked in as she quickly and efficently bounds up the gangplank onto the warship she and the others have been assigned, frowning at the thought of going to war now... but still, the chance to help end this stupid, needless foolishness from the pirates makes her abit happyer about going. looking at the various freeswords and sailors, marines, and assorted others busying about, looking out across the bow toward there destination somewhere on the ocean. "The sea will burn before the day is out..." Sighing lightly to herself.
Yuki turns her head slightly at the touch and nods, letting herself be guided toward the ship. Once she's aboard the ship she uses the railing to guide herself towhere she would, hopefully, be out of the way. She pulls out a small sharpening stone, running it on the blade of her scythe and says, "I would personally rather the seas themselves not burn. Just the pirate ships."
"Ah," the tigress offered up in soft exclamation, "Right to the point this time. Very nice." The words were mostly thoughts spoken out loud and the feline's tail swished about in approval even as she hefted her shield and raised her favoured weapon - a large lochaber axe. Moving forward with the others gathered, she would incline her head in silent thanks as she was shown her place for this outing.
It's not too long before the Isharan fleet and their blockade is spotted, a mass of wood and sail that peers from over the horizon. How do they stay supplied during the blockade? Who in their right mind would wage such a protracted war for no perceptible reason? Questions for the historians later, perhaps, but now the sailors on deck are busy priming the cannons -two rows of them - and swivel guns, securing the powder store, and bracing for the inevitable that will soon happen. The Shralestan fleet is nowhere in sight yet - hopefully they will show up on time...
"Lockjaw!" The Good King's voice thunders out from the royal flagship, carried over the water by air mathemagic. "I know you can hear me! You have had a week to depart, as Shralesta warned. This is your final chance to depart peacefully from Sweetwater waters, and -" his words end in an angry snort as a clipper at the fore of the Isharan fleet looses a volley of mast-shredding chain shot from its guns, and the battle is joined, smaller vessels fanning out to engage each other while the heavier naval juggernauts remain in formation about their flagships. It's not too long before they meet, though, one of the heavier Isharan vessels loosing off a volley of flaming cannonballs at the battleship everyone's on.
Brutus gains 50 wounds for RP reasons.
Alef gains 50 wounds for RP reasons.
Bite hisses discontent as they are fired upon, the ship catching fire and being taken apart. As she wavers in balance she sighs and calls upon her dediction as she decides what to do, before working to enhance the fire of her comrades with a bit of air magic, speed and guidance being given.
Siyu gives a look over at Brutus, he really should have brought his cannon too, but he's feeling as if there's plenty of cannon to be had on the warships. The smell of the fresh timber, pitch and hemp makes him proud. He knew his wood would be needed. Frankly they took nearly all of it. He allows himself just a minor little moment of glee at how much wood was sold before he'll refocus back upon the fight at had. Burning arrows and sniping officers are going to be the name of the game today. He'll walk over towards Alef, once it's clear Yuki knows her way around a ship, "Feeling all right today Alef?" he inquires. "This wood is hard, have n ofear, old growth timber. It'll take quite a bit to actually light it. The wood itself resists it." he says as a cannon shot hits and splinters the deck, he epps as shards go flying, "Damnit!" he strings his bow and looks over towards the closest ship. Drawing breath he'll light the pitch arrow. Bags of powder should be around somewhere, he tries to spot one, or a barrel, or the hold, somthing that might cause an interesting fire. He takes aim and looses from the long bow.
As the king's ultimatum is placed down, Dio didn't expect the opposition to back down considering all of their previous actions. Reaching to his back, he unstraps his heavy tower shield, a process interrupted by a shot upon their fine vessel. The lion wobbles and grabs onto the nearest rail as he gains his balance, roaring into the open with leonine energy! "Stand tall, lads!" He shouts out, words laced with inspiration and valor to boost morale! "We ain't gonna let a bunch o' pirates push anyone 'round anymore. This stops today! An' after the seas 're safe 'gain, we'll drink out all the Freesword alcohol reserves!" There was something about that crusader soul that could really get the blood pumping.
Once again, the lion roars and he soon heads for a better position to see the enemies before him, running a few calculations within his head. Before long, he conjures a volley of arrows made of fire and directs it at the foes, attempting to cause panic and perhaps a fire or two if possible.
Jut as Brutus settles in, a horrible crash erupts nearby, and he finds himself sprawled out on the deck. This wasn't fair! He wasn't supposed to be on the front lines here! As heated bits of wreckage sear his skin, he roars with anger and rolls over, pointing his hand cannon, lighting it, and letting off a shot before even listening for a command.
Alef turns to Siyu as he approaches, giving the rat a smile, "I trust your quality Siyu. Its a good ship your lumber made." at the booming of the Good King's Voice she turns, seeing the blockaid fleet ahead, frowning as the responce is a cannonball. Eyes widening as part of the deck near her suddenly explodes, eyes closing on reflex as her robes absorb the splinters. "Damn them." Noticing a tear in the hood of her robe her right hand reaches up and pulls it back, both her extra heads on display as the right snarls "Damn them!" Clinching her fist as her heads each takes a moment to chant in sync, a long equation bristling with firemath! "O incandescent locus, annihilate the vulgar before me! Spiral Flare!" Her eyes, all six, burning as a spiral tornado of flames erupts out on the deck of one of the smaller Monitor's moving through the fight. The mast in the center of the flames as the sails burn.
Yuki stumbles as the shot hits the ship, sending her sharpening stone out of her hands and causing it to fly overboard. She reaches out and grabs the railing, her other hand tightly gripping her scythe, keeping herself and the weapon from following that stone. She takes a few minutes to regain her footing and calls out, "If there are any who are injured from that and not needed returning fire, please come here. I will help whoever is most injured first." That said the bat reaches into her bag and pulls out an odd device, one of the creator machines it looks like. Her thin fingers move with practiced motions, getting it preped for use.
Nothing really seemed to break the tigress' buoyant mien. Shifting her hold on her tower shield, the feline widened her stand to allow better balance as the first volley was loosed. Her axe was slung into its frogge with practiced haste and her now-free hand braced against the ship with just barely enough time to get a proper hold. As the shot strikes true and rocks their vessel, Kaelli squints against the debris thrown up and quickly takes note of the fallout. Once more adjusting her stance, the feline darts towards one of the unmanned guns on deck and decides to try her hand at returning fire.
Fortunately, the Isharans aren't as stupid as to leave their powder store exposed. Unfortunately, there ARE some exposed kegs freshly brought up for the battle. Guided by Bite's mathemagics, Siyu's and Dio's arrows strike the kegs, sending the reptilian fiends scrambling for cover before they go up with a bang. The opposing ship is winded, but not out of the fight as it draws close enough for chains attached to grappling hooks to be launched, drawing the two battleships together. Calls are made to prepare to repel boarders and dislodge the hooks as the pirates prepare to leap across.
The small group's vessel isn't the only one under attack - all about them the battle rages, and on the horizon, yes, on the horizon, a smaller, sleeker fleet of ships, accompanied by a single airship with...something sticking out from the bottom of its hull, something not too unlike a figure head...but also not quite one. In any case, they're too far off still, although gaining with considerable speed.
Bite watches the chains and their attempt to get on board, and calls upon a little fire magic, her tentacles tracing out a little math as she does some herself. Things begin to get uncomfortably hot for the pirates, one of the chains melting itself away.
Siyu takes out a few more arrows. Where there are lines coming over there will be men to follow. One two three arrows into the faces of those who want to come over. But there's a lot of them, pretty soon it'll be down to knives and brawling, and the rodent' isn't sure how well he's going to do with that.
A fine hit! But it's certainly not over yet. After letting loose the volley of arrows, his eyes catch upon the obvious attention grabbing ship that's grabbing more than just attention! With his tower shield at the ready, the lion charges towards one of the 'lanes' of chains grappling upon their ship. Any unfortunate pirate jumping in his direction would have to go through a wall of iron and a nice bash of his shield too!
Brutus tosses his hand cannon into a nearby stockpile as the other ship draws close. Swapping out gems, he races (as fast as his girth allows him) towards the grappling hooks and the threatening horde. He barks a harsh order to his accompanying golem to shake the ropes and try to dislodge the hooks--or, at least, the boarding freebooters--as he sets to sawing at the ropes with his bladed Iron Fist. As this looked more and more fruitless, draws a pistol, barking a second order to his golem to prepare its four arms for a beatdown and firing his pistol blindly into a swarm of pirates on the other ship in a gout of spark and smoke.
Alef turns away from the roasting of the smaller costal escort, just in time to avoid getting a pirates saber planted in her side. "Meanie!" Lefties mouth opening wide as she takes a deep inhale, and exhales a cloud of poisonus miasma in the pirates face, the lizard coughing and choking on his own spit as a marine strikes him dead from behind, Alef nodding her thanks and calling up the wind's, sending cutting blades striking at pirates on the ships deck!
Yuki spends what little time she has before the boarding starts using that device to heal those who come to her. As the call to repel boarders goes out, however, she straightens up, placing the divice away, and says, "That would be my cue then." She grabs her scythe again and makes her way toward the chained railing. Going still and listening the blindfolded bat waits until she hears the pirates coming, then moves in a burst of motion, scythe blade and the creator maths on it flaring as she starts to cut through any of the villains foolish enough to get within reach. Each time she's attacked it seems to only fuel her fury, her swings becoming quicker, and striking her targets harder.
Kaelli fully realized that she..was not that good at ranged combat! As such, after the first round of gun-measuring between the ships, the tigress reclaimed her axe and once more hefted her shield as a grin curved her lips. Finally! A point to having all these weapons on a ship! Spinning the axe once to perfect her grip, the plate-covered woman was all too happy to attack both grapples and boarding parties. Taking note of those already on board the ship, however, the tigress' focus shifted and she left the hooks to the others while spinning about to pounce into the fray on deck. While she was perhaps not as good with her shield as a Crusader might be, the woman still used it to keep enemies at bay as she swung that vicious axe in an elaborate dance of blood and steel.
Amelia stands on the deck of the airship, looking over the side at the battle below with a frown on her face. She didn't like what was going to come, but she knew it had to end sooner or later. "They were warned," she mumbles, trying to reassure herself. It should be an impressive sight, at least.
High above in the sky, the strange figurehead is lowered, angled as it points towards the water. "Attention, Isharans!" a voice echoes from it. "I am Archbishop Geralt, and upon the authority of the High Priest and a properly-met convocation of the Church, it is invested within me the proper authority to put the machine spirits I have today to use. Would you have heeded our warnings..."
Nothing happens for a while. And then, as the shralestan flees engages the Isharan from the other side, a dull hum from the figurehead, point of red light that begins to grow - and in due time, is loosed.
Yuki's words become prophetic as the beam of Creator Wrath sets the seas aflame and steaming, the water itself a dull red from the terrible energies unleashed. The beam cuts through sail, mast, and deck alike with great efficiency. Destroyers are reduced to ashes, battleships are drawn and quartered with ease, clouds of steam roll over the waters, giving the appearance of fog.
"It saddens me to have to use this weapon," the Archbishop's voice calls out from the airship. "But it is said in the First Text that there are evils that know no rule other than that of force and that is why it was separated, and not destroyed. Stop this, Lockedjaw. Repent! Repent! Lay down your arms, and the Good King and I will let you leave in peace."
Bite pushes one of the isharan sailors off the deck with a bit of effort, before she stares at the mass of red and the opposing fleet. She says nothing before she giggles a little, shaking her head. "I wanted to do that!" she declares as she watches things boil and steam. "That's wonderful fire magic." she adds.
