Jiyyd Rumors
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_Rumours filter back through the west gate and through the inn of a particularly intense battle that erupted before the walls. Many had turned up to hold the walls, including a pair of chessentans from Akanax. As the battle begun, they were the first to charge from the gates in an unusual lack of discipline, screaming their war cries at the approaching orcs.
It is said one fell after the first charge, and the other went berserk, cleaving a bloody path through giants and orcs alike until the battle finally drew to a halt to recover the fallen.
Before leaving the field, the spearman turned and yelled an oath of blood towards the orcs, swearing to drown them in lakes of their own._
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_Rumour has it a great white dragon landed on the archer's ledge by the western defences, greatly demoralizing the defenders present. The dragon seemed satisfied with this demonstration of might, flying off to leave petty matters like actual fighting to the orcs, giants, bugbears, hobgoblins and goblins.
The defences held strong, with forces from the Peltarch defenders aiding the Jiyydians, as well as a large contingent of Black Sails, fearless Chessentan spearmen, Gypsy defenders and a host of other brave adventurers._
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_The well of Norwick located beside the inn is unusually filled with water recently, filling up the caverns below.
A horde of rats can be seen overruning the town just for the moment before they were easily put down by the Jiyyd's townfolks._
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*Lyte can be seen accompanied with Theaon and a repair crew with a wagon of spikey baracades, carefully inspecting the already meticulously sealed off border between the western defenses and town….all along the cliffs, woods, and hills, which start on the western defense tower cliff and terminate in town, above the batcave.
At any spots where there seems to be any signs of weaknesses whatsoever, at places with enemy footprints, tree limbs overhanging, signs of clothing or armor bits caught on the tall sharpened spikes, repairs and modifications are made to the the existing fortifications, and a new trench is started on the defenders side of the baracade, with broken glass and extra big sharp metal sharp caltrop like things dumped into the trench for good measure, to discourage any single scouts who somehow force their way through the seemingly impenetrable thorn thickets and woods and gullies that have always kept people from crossing in these areas.*
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Jerr, standing on the tower to the east watches his brethren hit the lines and leans forward, as though willing to jump.
"They are giving reinforcements to the featherflights. Now the Orcs have a flank to worry about. If they make the battle call we will know we can hit the Orc flanks ourselves."
He pauses and looks around. "But there are women and children in there, and I need to get them out. Lyte is going to be calling for volunteers to help me in that. Keep an ear open."
He then goes back to looking out onto the plains where screams of the dying are swiftly cut off and then a very distant cheer as some of the reinforcements make it to their destination.
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In the last attack by the orcs and frost giants, it is said that several giants fell screaming, clutching their heads, and expiring, eye wide in terror. Several witnesses attribute the sorceress from the Black Sails being responsible for the giants’ deaths
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As the morning mists that cover Jiyyd slowly begin burning off, a number of the defenders hear a soft chant started from a single voice within the Heyokarr camp that has been quiet until now. As the mist clears more voices raise into a song of praise to Tempus as a number of warriors begin gathering near the gates heading south into the plains. With a final loud roar coming from every voice a group of seventy break into a jog heading south, the last shutting the gate behind them. From the watchtowers the guards watch as the group of warriors bust into the orc lines and beyond heading straight south. One guard is heard making the single comment of….
"What the fark was that about….?"
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*After the initial onslaughts, General Lyte can be seen among the defenders, thanking them for their efforts and listening to various ideas and plans.
She seems calm and professional, and neither dismayed at the ferocity of the orcs and giants, nor overly confident that the probing attacks were destroyed.
Teams of carpenters can be seen building new gates around the Legion hall. Sgt. William continues leading groups with shovels and earth elementals east of the town. General Theaon, accompanied by legion soldiers and inhabitants of the Silver Valley, are seen surveying border areas inside the valley, looking for possible entrances into it.
Major Uchi, builder of the town's best conversation piece, the huge and shiny steel well cap, is seen working on another large steel project.
Inhabitants guess on what this might be. Several theorize it will be a giant steel badger, that the legion will offer in tribute to the orcs, that the orcs will wheel to the orc chief, and that General Grag will pop out of the inside of it and slay the beastly thing, though, this seems a little bit fantastic an idea to some. More likely, wiser villagers note, it will be a steel ox.
Rumors also fly of some nasty battle out on the eastern road near Ormpur involving giants. More villagers are seen packing, with Peltarch seeming a desirable vacation spot.*
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Is it a message of hope? Some reports from the defences talk of another dragon in the area, a Silver, that might aid the insignificant speck that is Jiyyd. Maybe the Legion know more about the new ally. Maybe the council do.
Travelers from the pass mention hearing of sightings of Orcs to the north, circling to cut Jiyyd off from needed supplies from Peltarch. Following the recent fighting, the defences are hurriedly repaired and whispers say that a concerted assault would still break them.
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Ladies in crimson and black are seen throughout Jiyyd spreading the word that when the orcs choose to attack, or when Jiyyd chooses to take war to them, the Sisterhood is opened for any and all to stay at. There will be a healing station set up there for all to take advantage of.
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Legionnaire William and woodworker Ginger were seen heading into the trade hall with a large load of oak boards. Rumour has it the oak will be used in building defenses around Jiyyd.
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Rumour has it that the former Banite wizard known as Ezachiel can once again be seen walking the streets of Jiyyd in peace, undisturbed by the guards. He usually just walks straight to and from the Inn though, being too busy with the construction work to enjoy his new freedom.
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_In the midst of all of this work, Dwin leads 2 Rothe-pulled carts, piled high with something under oilskin tarps, directly into the front door of his farmhouse (carefully avoiding the pits and workers along the way).
After several hours he emerges, now riding in one of the carts with a discernable, sad look on his face.
He tosses a gold coin into his corn fields (possibly an homage to a certain Dwarven God?) and continues back to Jiyyd._
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*Citizens around Jiyyd note that while things are 'on the rise' west of town, with walls and cliffs popping up everywhere, that to the east, things are going down.
Massive holes are being dug, around the existing farms and fields, and especially along and on the road east. Wagons are carting the earth away west as fast as the massive earth elementals can dig it, and a tiny gnomish fellow is using string and some kind of looking glass on legs to carefully keep the sides of the pits straight. The holes seem to be chaotically, unpredictatbly placed, a hodgepodge of wide chasms reinforced with long logs with steeply slanting sides.
Farmers look aghast, looking off their properties down into deep pits. Some complain loudly to council members about their rights to bear wheat, and gripe that their chickens and pigs are falling in and getting hopelessly stuck in the deep earthen troughs. One farmer desperately runs to shoo away his ducklings, who are are in constant peril of squashing as they constantly waddle too close to one of the mighty elementals massive stoney feet.
Some more prudent familes are seen to start packing as if for long trips, boarding up windows, and laying giant-proofing charms, herbs and home remedies on the roofs of their homes.
One large barn roof has bright red letters painted on it, facing east, in a strange language. Those fluent in gianteese would recognize the following words, written in blocky, 8 foot letters …"Nothing tasty in here, Giant go home!"*
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_"Workers, with the aid of earth elementals, quickly repair the damaged wall. As they work, orcish catapults begin pounding the area with big rocks.
General Grag and a small group of strong defenders rise to the challenge, rushing out with speed and determination, destroying the artillery and small accompanying force, and then beating a hasty retreat back to the defenses, before a large response can be made.
Soon, the defense is once more intact, and new stones are set into place, thickening the walls and it is clear the Western Defensive Plan is coming together, despite the recent skirmishes threatening to damage it."_
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_A swift and staggering blow is dealt to Jiyyd's defensive effort as, late in the night, the sound of beating wings is heard over the long road. Blasts of icy breath rain down and in moments a long stretch of the partially completed defensive wall is reduced to ruins. Also ruined is the moral of many of those that aided in its construction only to see toppled so effortlessly.
Fierce orcs spill through the gap, attacking the builders mercilessly on the other side.
After several hours of fighting the attacks stop just as quickly as they began, leaving the name 'Sharn' engraved into the minds of all those that witnessed first hand the destruction he wrought._
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_Splitting time with the Western defenses, Engineer Sudoc and the overworked Legion monsters… er...,_mages _can be seen headed out to the East Road as well, accompanied by Legionnaires with shovels and wagonloads of lumber, under the direction of Sergeant William of the Legion. A couple of wagons covered with canvas tarps head east as well.
The wagons return in a steady stream, loaded with dirt for the earthworks on the west side of town, though it is anyone's guess as to where the earth is coming from, or where all the wood is going, since when the workers leave each day, the East Road looks much as it did before._
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Dwin offers to assist with the cow-launchers since the Union built and stored them for the last Orc war. he also recommends that the old ones be dismantled as they are now decades old and probably not fit for battle.
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Sudoc has been seen grinning ear from ear at all the new siege equipment,. He has also been directing the repairs of the old siege weaponry.
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_"Activity the likes of which have never before been seen continues around Jiyyd, much of it quite unfathomable to the common farmer.
Workers sit near the legion hall repairing a trio of damaged catapults, greasing axles and adding new ropes. Two catapults in good repair are quietly wheeled back away from the southern wall, to the rear side of the stone legion hall.
The third catapult, after have sat in readyness for years atop the hill near the bat cave, is rolled well back off the hill, where it is pegged to the ramp on the far side, which seems strange to some locals, as it cant be fired from there.
Recently, really big wagons have been seen rolling through town, pulled by large teams of oxen. On these wagons are massive single boulders, some 8 feet tall, which are then wheeled out of town towards the defenses.
Children returning from following the wagons are quizzed by locals, and it seems Umber hulks are setting the massive rocks on the edges of the plains facing new hills…purposes unknown.
A crew of dirty dwarvish workes bearing shovels and pickaxes march off east, instead of west.
The shiny plate clad General Lyte leads a score or more of....old ladies....with.....sewing equipment...into a nearby field, where they sit down to begin sewing what looks to be all the world like big, grass green blankets or picnic ground coverings maybe.
Many locals simply shake their heads, wondering what the beetle blue blazes is going on around Jiyyd these days.]/i]_
