The Siege: Section 3 (South)

Placeholder.

Together with the Dragon and Dawn forces the Silvermist approached the southern walls. Before they got in range of the enemy archers Fitzmerwill raised his hand and indicated the troops to hold.

Zachariah, take your squad and assess the range!

The sergeant nodded and his men took several shots in the direction of the city walls, examining how near they would have to go in order to take them under fire.
Some shots later they had found out.

Readjust the lines! Fitzmerwill bellowed and the rangers rushed into place, readying their bows.

Meanwhile the Dawn had taken position behind the Silvermist, the ballista had been set up behind the lines and the Dragon formed a shieldwall in front of their archers that lined up some yards in front of the Silvermist. When everyone was in place, Fitzmerwill raised his hand.

Rangers, archers, ballista! Make ready! Fire at will!

A rain of arrows started to go down on the southern walls.

[OOC: I should think that the Silvermist have enough range to stay out of the range of the archers on the walls, but I'll leave it to you to decide that, Azlanek.]

Kra-Swoosh! the ballista went off, hurling a huge bolt towards the defenders on the walls. The first shot went a bit astray, but the ranger commanding the ballista, who had followed the trajectory of the bolt with the help of a simple sextant, already gave appropriate orders.

Two degrees higher, five and a half degrees to the left!

Arrows! bellowed one of the sergeants and another volley of Silvermist arrows went down on the wall.

The Dragon captain and Fitzmerwill stood behind the lines on a small mound overlooking the site.

Captain, Fitzmerwill said, order your men to pair up, one shield bearer to each archer, so they can quickly take cover in case of counter fire.

The man nodded and grunted something unintelligible towards his adjutant, who hurried off to the lines of the Dragon, which were closer to the walls.

Hugh, Fitzmerwill added turning to one of his sergeants, position yourself close to our lines and watch out for counter fire, so you may warn our troops. Pass on the order that for the time being even our rangers are to take cover, since we do not know the actual range of the enemy's archers or artillery.

Hugh saluted and sped off towards the rear lines.

Fitzmerwill turned to see who the newly arrived rider was.

Ho! he called. What is your name and business?

Ana looked to the man for a moment, before responding

I am Ana Sulran and I am here to see the schismatics of Javiksholm burn.

I am Ranger-Captain William Fitzmerwill of the Silvermist and commander of the southern assault. Are you a member of the Dawn?

A pleasure, Captain. I am no Knight, of course, but I would call myself a friend of the Dawn, and servant of Astraea. Is it your intent to storm the walls, Captain?

Fitzmerwill exchanged a quick glance with the knight-sergeant of the Dawn detachment nearby, so as to ask for confirmation of the lady's statement. When the knight nodded, Fitzmerwill said:

Our main objective is to build up pressure on the southern wall section so as to let the enemy thin out his forces while trying to hold the entirety of the curtain wall. When the main assault starts, we rush north to support it.

And what of the harbor? A few ships could carry enough troops out to to flank the northern force without this force remaining here. Has a fire-ship been prepared to prevent them?

You will need to talk to Grandmaster Aranor about that. You should find him north of here, preparing his troops to assault the western wall.

I'll speak to the Grandmaster after these schismatics burn. If a ship hasn't been prepared, there likely isn't time. I'll remain here, in case they should attempt such a sally.

Ana gripped her spear a bit tighter, with no shield she didn't appear prepared for storming the walls as for a cavalry charge

The ballista groaned and with a swoosh another bolt flew towards the walls.

Do tell me, Lady Sulran, Fitzmwerwill went on, if you are not a knight, what is your standing? Your equipment seems to be of rather high quality.

I am the lady of Sulran, daughter of Lord Alrich and niece of Sir Ailo of the Dawn. My equipment is only to reflect the glory of Astraea, the glory of the Dawn.

Ana gazed at the walls for a moment

And you, Ranger-Captain, why is your order here? Have you perhaps seen the glory of the Dawn and come to rid the world of these... Heretics?

Our order takes a general interest in the welfare of the smallfolk. Many of our rangers are also recruited from the commoners, since we are not a knighthood order in the strictest sense of the word. Since there have been multiple reports about the atrocities committed by the Red Dawn we have decided to aid the Loyal and the New Dawn at eradicating this sect. We would have sent more men, but as you see, there is also a lot of trouble in the east.

He glanced over at the ballista, where the ranger was trying to turn the four militia men assisting him into an agreable artillery crew - more or less via learning by doing.

As you seem to be the lady of your own castle, mylady, are you by any chance familiar with siege engines?

I have had some experience, though the ballista seems most effective when combined with fire. If there were enough pitch here, the walls may be lit with Astraea's fury. They'll not burn for long, of course, but there is no better distraction than fire, and it will make men group closer to it with their buckets.

Since we moved out not to destroy but to conquer the city, I fear, we have no properly inflammable substances available. We will have to do with what we have here.

Ana made a somewhat disgusted face and looked back at the wall, then back to the ballista crew, and finally back at the Ranger-Captain.

Destroying the city would have been unfortunate, but better than a massacre of Dawn soldiers. With no fire, and no fleet, the heretics can't even be starved out. That leaves only the blood of Dawn. When do you plan to march north?

Fitzmerwill frowned at the criticism. This woman was not even a member of the Dawn, still she complained to him about the general battle plans.

Sir Aranor will send us a messenger, he simply said and then turned back to his troops.

Ana Sulran pulled an apple from her saddlebag, taking a bite before she addressed the Ranger-Captain


Have you brought any Noldor with you, Ranger-Captain? I've always wanted to see a real live Noldor.

Fitzmerwill turned halfway around to her.

There is a Gauntlet detachment present here. What do you think they would do to a Noldor? If you want to see Noldor, you must at least come to Laria.

What would the Ebony Gauntlet really do? I've heard that the Noldor cannot be killed by mere mortal weapons.

He snorted derisively.

They bleed and die just as humans do. They are just so skilled that humans seldom get to wounding them. And if the Ebony Gauntlet found themselves facing a considerably smaller group of Noldor they would certainly not hesitate killing them.

Ana took another bite of her apple.


They should have come here, all the same. The Grandmaster would not have allowed the Noldor to come to harm, and I'm sure their bows would have been useful.

Her eyes followed a ballista bolt towards the wall.

Perhaps if a few Noldor had come, the ballista would fire accurately.