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Post by Fuzz on Jul 17, 2017 22:47:38 GMT -5
Sarah would find her mother with Frau Lovich, performing a variety of neurologcal exams on the woman, who remains catatonic. "No one bothered to check if she has a biophysical issue rather than some psychochemical imbalance?" she mutters.
As Sarah walks in, a few of the Baron's maids would come up, holding up strips of all the bedsheets, well laundered, "Doctor Geroux, will these do for bandages? And the maids have found some brewing pots for you to boil your... erm... tools. Why must they be boiled?"
"So they're clean and won't spread infection," she looks at Sarah, who gives her a long diatribe, and snorts, reaching up and gently rubbing some soot from the girl's chin as only a mother could, "put these somewhere clean, and take these," she points to several large sheets of burlap, "out to the carpenters outside, to fashion a few gurneys with."
She doesn't answer Sarah's question, merely turns back to her exam of Frau Lovich, using a small spyglass to shine a point of lantern light in the woman's eyes, then check all of her reflexes.
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Post by leroybrown on Jul 17, 2017 22:52:11 GMT -5
Sarah grumbles in a manner only a petulant daughter still in her teen years (albeit late) could. The girl does as instructed, and moves the burlap out to the carpenters. Gurneys... why didn't she think of that already? She'd be sure to explain the concept of boiling tools more thoroughly in her training to come, a bit shocked at that not already being common knowledge.
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fen
Chesterfields
Morbo finds steampunk quaint
Posts: 56
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Post by fen on Jul 17, 2017 22:57:53 GMT -5
Early one morning, Allison packs her bag full of several days worth of supplies. She gets her other things in order - armor, overcoat, rifle, pistol, sword, and a decent supply of tea - before getting ready to head out. While on her way to meet with Allie, she would drop by Alex's quarters, offering him Anton's sword.
"Hope you're doin' better. Here. I... have a feeling he'd want you to have this."
Afterwards, she'd swing by to consult a bit with the others.
"Allie and I are going t do some scouting, see what we're dealin' with. We aren't going t' engage them, just see what they have lined up f' us. We'll see if there's anythin' on the landscape that might come into play while we're at it. If there's somethin' in particular you need me t' locate, now's th' time to tell us. If we're not back in a few days... well, keep waitin', I suppose."
With that, she would wait at the gate for Allie, tinkering with her rifle's scope idly as she waits to head out.
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Post by Fuzz on Jul 17, 2017 23:03:00 GMT -5
Allison would find that Alex is nowhere to be found in the infirmary area of the Keep. Any of the maids helping out inside would inform her that he apparently wandered out the day after he was brought in, saying he was headed for the pub, despite warnings to the contrary.
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Post by leroybrown on Jul 18, 2017 1:34:04 GMT -5
Early on, Sarah would find some additional supplies, brought from home, for her to prepare - myriad options, a mix of a little of everything, even for specialist brews, left for her with a note and a cup of coffee: "Use it well. -E.H."
The coffee is sipped with an exceptional amount of gratitude as the girl ponders her new treasures. These would certainly be put to use, especially if the assortment could spare a brace or two of "Mountain" or "Blue Moon". They'd take some time to concentrate properly, and she'd not have a good idea of what was ready until painfully close to the battle. Still, this would undoubtedly help. The girl checked her supply of smoke and wash grenades, sighing at the conclusion. It wasn't much, nor were her personal supply of curatives particularly grand at the moment, but it'd be enough to help if calculated properly.
Later that night, the girl collapsed against her new clinic's wall. Light waned in the hall, though all was silent save for the racing metronome of her own heartbeat. An onslaught of thoughts raced through the girl's mind, though that did not slow the crushing veil of exhaustion. She couldn't stop now, there was still work to be done! As Sarah Bishop felt the embrace of slumber start to cradle her, she whispered a partially-defiant verse to the darkness; "And thus Leah spoke; 'Til all that Is, is Good, And all that is Good, Forever, I cannot rest, nor tire, For my Mother weeps, And my heart lies heavy with Her sorrow. I grieve as She does, For the things I must do." She hoped for anything - a spark, a burst of spirit - but it was for naught. She had no say in the matter; further preparation would have to wait until the morning.
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Post by Lugwy on Jul 18, 2017 1:54:34 GMT -5
Early one morning, Allison packs her bag full of several days worth of supplies. She gets her other things in order - armor, overcoat, rifle, pistol, sword, and a decent supply of tea - before getting ready to head out. While on her way to meet with Allie, she would drop by Alex's quarters, offering him Anton's sword. "Hope you're doin' better. Here. I... have a feeling he'd want you to have this." Afterwards, she'd swing by to consult a bit with the others. "Allie and I are going t do some scouting, see what we're dealin' with. We aren't going t' engage them, just see what they have lined up f' us. We'll see if there's anythin' on the landscape that might come into play while we're at it. If there's somethin' in particular you need me t' locate, now's th' time to tell us. If we're not back in a few days... well, keep waitin', I suppose."With that, she would wait at the gate for Allie, tinkering with her rifle's scope idly as she waits to head out. Allie would arrive without too much fanfare or change in wear. Her curved blade rests against her right hip, a small axe adorns her left, and at her lower back's slung a folded small rifle. "Why did I agree to this?" She bellyached, but waved towards Allison at the gate. "Well, I'm as ready to freeze to death as I can be. Shall we go and know thy enemy before it gets too dark and cold?"
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Post by Kitsunenotsume on Jul 18, 2017 1:54:34 GMT -5
As his companions carry out their various roles, the mechanist is found throughout the city and castle at various times, rarely anywhere for long outside the workshops. Often traveling astride his plated mountain-pony, James oversees the proceedings with diligence; Assessing the training and quality of the militia, surveying the ramparts and roads, offering brief but insightful improvements to work, and supervising the collection and implementation of supplies with the punctuality of a corporate foreman. His primary work is performed at the forge and hasty lumber and carpentry sites, where he directs and demonstrates proper techniques, measurements, and assembly of the numerous devices and engines that shall ascend the cause. When such work allows, and after the completion of the crossbow sprint, the experienced business manager actively seeks out areas lagging behind schedule or experiencing unexpected delays, providing assistance where it is requires to ensure the plan is followed or adjusted as required. When the Reconnaissance-Team Allie prepares for their scouting mission, a thick plush pelt as the colour of fresh snow is provided among their equipment along with a warm mottled-light-grey blanket each wrapping the tapered blue cylinder of a cryonic detonator. "Our information was five thousand strong, but failed to include composition, or the scale of support that an army on-the-move would inevitably accrue to maintain it's encumbered momentum. If at all possible, information on the divisions of their forces and the state of their siege-engines could mean a lot of saved lives. While it would be unfortunate, if a critical camp were to suffer the harsh and biting fate of a blizzard in their tent, it might also aid our chances and they knew it was a risk when they slogged into this winter."The Maid and Matron Bishop are provided a full collection of eight exotic glands known for their elementary natures. "I was hoping that I might use these to demonstrate a few of my more experimental theories, but it seems that for now I shall stick to the elementary. Perhaps you can see that better use is made of their particular properties. Some draughts of hardiness against the chill for the troops might not to awry. As troops are trained and the militia grows, he will return to his draft time and again. "We have too many troops for the castle as intended. I suggest we revise our numbers: Seventy-five crossbows and their gunners and aids upon the ramparts of the castle; one third around the keep, the other fifty on the lower wall. Another seventy-five in five-weapon teams distributed across and throughout the City; Ten-man squads aught to provide enough men to maintain morale while permitting sufficient coverage. Twenty weapons and their troops will be dedicated to the skirmishers, and a matching forty men at arms skilled in woodsman-ship and snares if possible; harass as available, support the forces within and around the City, and respond to the signal fires lit by any of the Watch-squads. The remaining thirty crossbows and their troops should provide compliment to our infantry - watching the flanks and providing close fire-support in the event that pitched combat is likely beyond the range of any of our static emplacements. Those entrusted with incendiaries will be split between the City and the Keep: Ten to supervise the watch-squads, and ten for the castle. Incendiaries will be saved for Siege-engines only.
All remaining troops will be split between the City and the Castle. We can only support about three hundred people at combat readiness within the castle, less if the battle proceeds beyond a couple days. We will maintain an initial force of one hundred within the Castle courtyard with space for hospice and logistics, and the rest shall be awaiting and quartered within the City. Keep a good distribution of more seasoned soldiers through the militia who are rallied, and encourage all to keep up their spirits and get to know those to their left and right whose trust they shall require and be required by.
Maintain vigilance around the city, but within ensure that the gates are barred save the one across the river from the castle, and that the roads are impassable for formations and cavalry. Chevel-de-frise should be emplaced to screen the southern side of the bridge and road between the City and Castle. Avoid direct property damage to buildings if possible; but survival has a higher priority. Between these acids and oil, we should be able to make a self-burning mixture toxic to inhale but won't eat through a solid wooden wall - too quickly, anyway. We may need to supplement steel along the causeway, but I think we should have enough copper and batteries to make the main approach to the castle a shocking surprise - We can use a defibrillator for the capacitor bank and switching mechanism, but it will need to be nearby at the base of the gate or the charge will dissipate before delivering its full potency. I still have a tank of Cryosine I brought which has proven otherwise ineffectual, but I believe that if distributed among the casks of water slated as catapult ammunition it could provide a crucial accelerant to the wrath of the Saderian Winter."He updates the current battle-map to reflect the various areas and preparations around their headquarters. 1: Explosives emplaced in the river ice at structural weaknesses 2: Wires planted across the slope 3: Oil/tallow on road for later ignition 4: outlying buildings trapped fumigating-canisters RED: expected effective suppression range of crossbows(~80 meters, assuming effective accurate range at ~30) BLUE: expected range and combat arcs of catapults (stated as "A couple hundred meters", and assuming 120 degrees travel) ((If I got my distanced wrong, I do apologize, as I was working without a scale))
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Post by drunkensolamnic on Jul 18, 2017 2:22:27 GMT -5
Having spoken with the common people, and those in the castle she felt the need to initiate conversations with Kitara reports to the work stations and begins to aid in the conversion of crossbows into crank-box crossbows. The remainder of her time is spent mostly at forges and such workshops, assisting in the conversion of the bows, production of spears, and creation of caltrops. She does her best to train any volunteers that are strong enough to work the iron to forge the caltrops, the simple constructions of twisted metal a dangerous way to take men out of the fight given the snowy Saderian winter which will quickly camouflage them.
The majority of her breaks involve her joining the training peasants, saying a few extra words of encouragement and insisting on drills about how to give ground slowly and close ranks. She stresses the importance that the remaining professionals share ranks with the peasant levies in the castle courtyard. Her insistence is that the infantry be split into two to three blocks; with herself, Friedrich, Grayson, and Baron Leopold among the ranks to help them hold their morale. She stresses the goal of the infantry is to hold the enemy at the gate for as long as possible, while the crossbowmen and wizards work their destruction upon the enemy ranks.
She would make sure that significant portions of the caltrops, go to the city with the squads to help them cover their withdraw and relocation maneuvers. The rest are reserved to line the approach to the castle gate, her goal to make getting into the gate as difficult as possible before any blows must be traded by the infantry.
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Post by ronan on Jul 19, 2017 11:37:22 GMT -5
Immediately following the cessation of fire for the day, Grayson would make his way from position to position along the battered walls, a singular message repeated at each station. "Brave men of Stargfelson, you have done well this day. You have faced the opening of war and come through, not unscathed, but stronger for it. The shelling has ceased, and tomorrow we shall approach something you are more acquainted with. We shall look the Kaiser's men in the eye, and let the strength of our will and our conviction be known."
His gaze would rest firmly upon each man, staring them down until they appeared more steady than before. "If you still harbor doubts that God is with us, let your mind tarry not upon the cannons, for your walls stood strong against them! Instead feast your eyes upon the city..... for the city still stands unscathed, and the Kaiser's men litter it's approach! Those that did not fall upon the bridge have washed into the depths below, claimed by Saderia itself, for even the land stands firm with you! Look to the green haze rising over the outlying buildings, and know that even now the Kaiser's men choke upon the fumes within! It will not be a steady foe you face tomorrow, but an uncertain one, for they will suspect what we know: That there is more strength within these walls than they realized, and far greater horrors awaiting them at the gates and within these walls than they or you have yet faced! Tomorrow, they shall face our best, and they shall waver!"
Once the men appear at least somewhat settled, he would spend an amount of time walking among the wounded being tended. He would stop at each coherent soldier, telling them how brave they were, and that they can now rest well under Leah's gaze and the touch of her blessed healers, for Mat's wrath awaits their foes the next day.
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sparky
Chesterfields
Wishing Well Repair Man
Posts: 243
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Post by sparky on Jul 19, 2017 12:44:48 GMT -5
*Carter, for his part, looks over the scope of his medic's carbine, grumbling something about it obviously not being sighted in properly. That evening, still riding out his Bottled Lightning and Blue Moon, he'd pick a spot by the gate, and get ready to do a bit of target practice, to help get the sights set right. When he sees enemy sentries watching the gate, he'd know he's found his targets. Wasting no more than five rounds on the troubling target practice, he'd fire every once in a while, spending most of his time adjusting the sights until they're to his preference, taking up an hour to do so. After this, he'd offer the last of his few cartons of smokes to anyone who'd want one. With them around, he'd clear his throat and speak loudly enough so any around can here*
"Ye's want t' know what I think o' th' situation?" *he'd pause long enough to light his last smoke, looking to each but not really waiting for a response* "Aye, I'd say it looks bad, at first glance. Until ye actually take a breath, and look closer- Right now, they've wasted a good three quarters o' their gunpowder with them cannons, and what can they say for it? Th' walls have held strong, at most they've taken thirty o' us, and wounded twenty. At best, on their part." *he takes a puff of his own smoke,ashing it to the side* "As Grayson said, Stargfelsen itself has taken God only know how many o' them, and those that made it t' th' village are chokin' on meltin' lungs. And ye's know what? We ainnae even broken out our best preparations yet. Let them bloody come. Come mornin', they'll be near froze, gunpowder'll be gone in smoke, and when they roll th' towers t'wards us, we'll light 'em up like candles. Then, they'll fight on our terms. Dinnae let yourselves be afeared o' those that cannae put near th' dent on us that we have on them, but dinnae get cocky- Cocky gets ye killed. Stay sharp, stay steady, r'member t' breathe, and keep your cool. Do that and ye'll get through this. And dinnae any o' ye's be mistaken- We'll have those dogs broken long b'fore they'll break us. Come mornin', we be one step closer t' victory."
*once his smoke with the men is fished, he'd find somewhere to get some sleep, and get what few hours he can in*
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Post by leroybrown on Jul 19, 2017 19:41:57 GMT -5
Sarah would spent her time following the siege tending to what injured she could, while also directing the support staff in their own tending. The girl would also seek out her mother's attention, to look at the wounds Sarah acquired during the initial siege. With the exception of giving orders or concise answers for questions, the girl is mostly silent. A follow-up would be given to Kitara and Carter, inquiring about if those braces she gave them were distributed among the defenders.
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Post by drunkensolamnic on Jul 19, 2017 19:53:29 GMT -5
Kitara holds herself in reserve, getting as much rest as she can in the night. She rises with the third watch in the wee hours of the morning to join the men at the gate and courtyard. She gives them a confident smile, her statements as she stands with them are short and simple.
"With their assault, comes our hour."
"Our vengeance for your brothers will be herald by their footfalls."
"Saint Benediction is on our side, for we stand in defense of the young Wolfgang. Remember, that is our charge and as we hold it we cannot fail."
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Post by Kitsunenotsume on Jul 19, 2017 20:00:52 GMT -5
For his part, James will check the various supplies remaining, tend to the matrix of wires outside the gate, and angle the upper-keep's catapult to have a clear trajectory to the middle of the river and approach to the castle. He will seek out Barry, with the young man's equipment in hand, and offer them along with a pardon (pending the Baron's approval) and a reference to the University of Calidor in exchange for 'A grand performance before the Armies of the Kaizer'. After checking on the stores and equipment, the mechanist will retire early intending to be up at the crack of dawn to double-check all the preparations.
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Post by Fuzz on Jul 20, 2017 13:50:34 GMT -5
As your party falls back to lick its wounds, the three of you still standing, Carter, Kitara, and Sarah, all make the rounds to assess your current holdings:
60 Able-bodied men 60 Wounded men, some of them gravely Marguerite Geroux Ser Friedrich (injured but able to still fight) Klaus Herzog Barry Barry's oaf Baron Leopold Baron Wolfgang
The Baron remains inside the Manor itself, Wolfy with him. He has been leading a mass to pray with some of the injured men for the last hour, with no sign of letting up. Much of your equipment was recovered in the retreat, and there are enough auto-crossbows to arm all 60 of your fighting men, you so choose. There are enough armaments for them to defend the gate bodily, as well. The choice is yours.
Those of you who had defended the breach sit with many of the other wounded, being tended by Dr Geroux and Sarah. With some effort, you will be back to fighting form for the next defense, however that was a close call.
When there is a lull in the preparations, Klaus approaches some of you, the word quickly spreading to the others:
"We would not have held this long without your efforts and training... we owe all of our lives to you," he looks down, taking a deep breath as he scans the walls and watches the preparations, "I will gladly give my life for this country, as will every man here, but... you are outsiders. Things may, in fact, be dire, and... well, there is a secret way out of the Keep." He leads whoever will follow up to a rampart to point out a small boathouse on the river, a single small rowboat tethered near it. James' charges have broken up the ice considerably, creating a small channel of water over which the boat can cross. "There is a secret tunnel down to the boathouse... it can only be opened from this side, so I would not worry about the enemy attacking through it, but... if you have ANY doubts in your minds over our ability to hold this place, please... do me this one favor... take the boy. The boat is small, I'd say it could only hold 5 people. Please... if it comes to the walls falling, the Baron and his heir will surely be executed for their treason... while the Baron would gladly take the boat and abandon us here, I feel the boy would be safer in your hands, if you feel it will come to that. Four of you could quietly slip him out and remain undetected by the invaders," he gestures further along the north bank, to the nest of tents of the Saderian encampment, in plain view of the boathouse. "Some of you could slip out and keep him safe... that is, if you think we are not likely to hold against them. I leave the decision up to you, but I'll handle the Baron, should he object." With that, Klaus leaves to help the others prepare.
[[OOC: You ahve an option for 4 PCs to quit the field with Wolfy (or 5 of you to leave without him) if you so choose. You can take NPCs with you, but each one will take up one of those 5 spots, so Marguerite, for example, would take up a spot on the boat. You don't have to send anyone, if you think you can survive the siege and win, but consider this your "Last Exit Before Toll" in the event of something bad happening. Whichever PCs flee will be safe from any repercussions.]]
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Post by Kitsunenotsume on Jul 20, 2017 17:48:00 GMT -5
As the wounded are tended, the brass man takes to a small crate, surveying the remaining men. His left arm hangs loosely from a hook on his breastplate, and the mechanist’s metal hide is in places shredded and bloody. In spite of the damage (and his stature), the man’s posture is tall and confident, and as the eyes of the courtyard turn upon him he speaks in crisp clear tones that carry easily through the frigid air.
“Citizens of Stargfelsen, men and women of Saderia - we have reached a precipice. Whatever calamities may occur this night, tomorrow shall dawn a new age. We shall either rise victorious and throw off the yoke of a Dictator, or we shall doom all of Saderia to the Kaizer's Tyranny.
When we turn our eyes to the fading dusk, we see all that may be forfeit, all we have sacrificed, straining at the steel and bodies arrayed against us. We see the brothers and sisters fallen where they stood, each fighting to the last so that we may each draw breath.
And yet while we survey the death and destruction wrought by our foe, we find a much more startling truth. Upon those war torn walls and ramparts, we have seen the might of Stargfelsen blood. Out there lies the proof of your drive, your devotion. For every metre they took, they have lost five men. For every life stolen from us, you have repaid them tenfold.
So too have we seen the extent of the Kaizer's treachery and lies. He forbids the use of Industry, and then fields towers gilt in Dwarven steel. He decries guns and technology as evil, and proceeds to bombard us with Cannons and Powder. He claims to fight for God, and drives his legions to butcher the innocent, whose only crime was to wish for a better life.
This shall not stand.
My companions and I are not of this land. The country may change, the troubles may differ, but the heart of the people is what gives it life. When we arrived those weeks ago, this was not our fight. Since then, we have met with many of you and shared in your lives.
We hail from Neermore, Calidor, the Emerald Isles, and as far as Lan Cheng; though the stories were different, the morals were the same. We all know well the weight of oppression and the pang of loss, and in this we fight with you against a tyrant.
Though we stand by your side, we are but eight. We provided naught but assistance and direction and saw firsthand the power that your spirits could bear. It is you who carried the fight this day, and it must be you who topple the Kaizer from his blood-red throne.
Tonight, the Black-Heart Eagle shall learn its fateful folly. Tonight, We cast off its choking Crimson Chains. Tonight, we look towards the Azure Skies tomorrow.
For Tonight, Our Gryphon Shall Soar! For Stargfelsen!”
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