Holding the line...
-
Peltarch's southern gate hangs in twisted ruins, the streets are choked with rubble after the recent fighting. But the walls are still manned by Peltarch Defenders, with more than a few Legion alongside them.
A daily occurance now is the crash and splintering of lofted boulders, lending an air of random destruction to the siege. More feared by less common are the concentrated salvos of Dentin Strauss' shriekers, some sort of firey projectile that screams through the air in droves to burst in flames across a narrow area.
The death toll for both sides is said to be huge.
-
_As Peltarch's brave boys man the barricades in the Civic District, perhaps sharing jokes, or speculating on how the war will end, a darker narrative is emerging well capable of staving off these Defenders' interminable mix of precariousness and boredom.
The soldiers report that at least twice, sometimes three times a day, a dark-clad elven witch materialises near the shattered ornaments of Ashald Park, and before bolt can be loosed at her - one of their number collapses, quite lifeless, eyes numbed with empty terror. The exact timing of these visits prove irregular, sporadic, but the constant possibility of the dark lady making another call is probably enough to keep Peltarch's ragged Defenders less than at their ease.
People may speculate that this sorceress' attacks have not been limited to the barricades, however, as a number of unaccompanied men in uniform may be discovered lying in the streets of the Civic District in a similar condition…_
-
_Defenders and volunteers alike managed to retake the civic district, and have since begun fortifying the ruins of the city hall. Trough the night, a mysterious ship bombarded the alliance of N'Jastan, Highhold, Renegade and Eastlander soldiers, causing enough confusion that no immediate counterattack could be mounted. At dawn, the ship was shown to carry both a blue flag with a star and a cutlass, and the black sails flag.
With the victory comes a raise in moral for the loyalists, while the N'Jastans seem to suffer somewhat under their first real loss. That, and the loss of Jiyyd seems to cause concern among many of the soldiers. A reborn Dentin has been reassuring the troops that Gond is still with them, and they can overcome even these difficulties if their faith remains true.
"This is no longer a war to purge the corruption from this city. The enemy has become desperate, and shown its true nature. The remnant of the Legion has gone mad, opening up gates to the Abyss that continue to spew out demons, and the remaining loyalists support them in this. If we do not succeed to take and hold this city now, they will spread far beyond the borders of this land. We must succeed."_
-
_Another bombardment of catapult fire echoed across the city for hours, the Defenders returning fire along with several adventurers. It even seems the group of adventurers headed out into the pass and relieved the traitor Dentin of his head, bringing it back as a trophy. Bringing back a force of N'Jast soldiers and Armatures, yet holding the city against the onslaught.
Despite the fact that Dentin may come back from the land of the dead.. a few people seem to be getting a good laugh at the fact that he was beheaded. Especially a certain Selunite Defender Sergeant who walks the walls daily and smiles south._
-
Myeil Dralomar, who has been working to strengthen the defenses of the city, stands at the destroyed gate. Two murmured spells later, the gateway has been sealed with two masses of solid iron, closing the breach with six inches of metal. Myeil nods once, and walks back into the city, seeming not to care whether the defenders appreciate the help or not.
-
From the N'Jast camp, one tall officer comments on the encouraging shouts and speeches as they are heard at the line. "All bark, and no bite. Half of them don't even know what they are fighting for."
-
Lyte is helped by a pair of strong hands. Looking up and to her right, she sees Maya’s smiling face looking down. The smile bears a grimness too it, but there is calm in her expression.
"Time has come. I am here for fight beside you, for be friends, and in service of Tempus. I have gather as many faithful of Tempus as can. There will come time when have to face Kara. But must remember that she is not Kara of Kelemvor, but someone else. This will be battle of blood against very great evil, and will mean more than defend of Peltarch. We must win."
"It will be honor for fight, and if necessary, die beside you."
-
*A pissed off beaten up elven woman in Legion colors sees to the first practical start of the construction of barracades around the front gate and down the wide open town thouroughfare that she seems to have the audacity to state ought to have been started weeks and weeks before now.
"The time to set barracades in place, people and soldiers of Peltarch, is BEFORE the enemy is charging around the downtown commons!
Covered with blood, dirt, sweat and dents and rents in her armor from fighting with no cover at all, she angrily rolls a big round piece of a building half as big as her towards an open, once cobblestone street, which now has pieces of stone sticking up everywhere, causing her to trip and swear every few steps.
"Farking dozen battles and that cowardly, sniveling, treacherous louse of a poor excuse for a leader the N'jastians have is still hiding under a mattress in some reinforced basement somewhere! What is she waiting for? Is she waiting to mellee Peltarch's women and children after were all dead!? Wretched bitch!"
-
_Mordechai joins Lycka his other fellow Ceruleans on the walls with a staff in hand instead of the bow he normally carries. He walks the lines speaking with the beseiged defenders, offering magical protections to those most likely to face incoming assaults.
He saves his elemental protection spells for the siege weaponry and attempts to ward the critical devices with the intent to prevent or lessen the damage from the incoming incindiary rounds._
-
The morning after the attack, Sir Roland is seen riding through the city and inspecting the damage. He appears deeply moved by the scenes of death and devastation.
In the commons, he stops next to the ruins of the sundial and begins speaking to the defenders and citizens gathered there.
_"They overran Jiyyd, killed women and children, and we fell back. They invaded the Nars, menaced our neighbours, cut off our trade routes, and we fell back. They threw all of their dark magic and cursed machines at our watchtower. And we fell back.
No more. A line has been drawn here. Peltarch is where we make our stand against the approaching darkness, and it is no mistake that the battle is taking place here. This city is a bastion of hope for Narfell. It shall not falter. We will not allow it.
Peltarch is where the tide will turn. They will crash against us like waves against the rocks. Their army will be no more.
And one day you can tell your grandchildren how you were there, when N'Jast joined the rest of Peltarch's enemies on the ash heap of history."_
-
Cerulean Knight Lycka is often seen near the walls, offering what skills she has at healing to Defenders and civilians alike, along with soft words of encouragement, smiles and the occasional song to lift spirits. The otherwise sweet young bard's mocking imitation of Dentin Strauss is surprisingly cruel, and with the accompanying song and dance routine, perhaps enough to stir even the hard-pressed Defenders to chuckling.
-
Mariston is often seen at the forefront of the line, riding is warhorse back and forth. His very presense seemingly boilstering the courage and resolve of those near him.
-
After the first assault was fought to a standstill, Elissa can be seen walking among the rubble and offering words of support for the surviving defenders. The dead don't seem to spared a second thought, but those alive are congratulated, and in some rare instances even healed. Some even say the Beshaban priestess participated a bit in the fighting.
