Hist. Ref. - Winter 1006 - Siege of Silence - Seawatch Stand

{221Hist. Ref.{_-{_{222Winter{_1006{320{_-{_{540Siege of Silence - Seawatch Stand 1{n{n

{c{221Hist. Ref.{_-{_{222Winter{_1006{320{_-{_{540Siege of Silence - Seawatch Stand 1{n{n|/|n|!CFebruary 22nd, 1006 AR.  |/|/|-|h|!WThrough the efforts of Marquessa Demura and Duke Cristoph along with many others, the advancing tide has been slowed. While the city has recovered for two days since the attack on the Lower Boroughs, Knights of Solace and other harassing elements have brought word. The armies of the Bringers of Silence will soon arrive. |/|/|-It's early into the winter day, a crisp, sunny day of pleasant weather with a light snow on the grounds outside Arx. To the north in the Gray Forest, riders begin to approach, bearing word the arrival of the Bringers are imminent. Less than an hour later, the forces begin to emerge from the northern tree line, about two miles away. Far out range of fire, but enough to start to see the massive horde begin to array itself. Distantly, extremely tall banners can be seen as the armies begin to gather beyond the trees. As the horde slowly approaches, it becomes clear that there are thirteen banners, and they are more like thirty foot tall crosses- with a slain knight of solace crucified to each one. The army pauses, eerie in its silence, completely frozen for a moment, and then starts to slam their weapons on the ground, a deep beat loud enough to be heard across the great distance.|/|/|-The Bringer Army still has a wide field to march through before approaching the gate. In the long field, half a hundred fortifications have been dug, with pits and snares to slow the advance as they move through a killing field to approach the Seawatch gate- the point fo entry as the Bringer army has no visible siege towers or scaling ladders or the like that they'd need to assault the northern walls that make up the Wards of House Thrax, Redrain or Valardin. Oathlands cavalry, many of them the experienced skirmishers that had been under Duke Cristoph, are under orders to try to bleed them with quick archery strikes as the bringer forces march and try to move along the coastal strand towards the gate. Five hundred oathlands cavalry begin their charge...|/|/|-No one in the Compact are as experienced riders as Valardinian Knights. They wheel in front of the massive bringer formation, pausing to unleash a volley, and wheeling away, scores of shavs in the massive tide dropping, with the hail of arrows launched in response dropping a handful of the Oathlands cavalry. As they wheel again, approaching the center of the advancing bringer army, a single figure in jet black platemail in the front of the bringer forces raises a single hand as the volley of arrows from the Oathlands begins to fall. The arrows all seem to fall apart in mid air. As the Oathlands cavalry turns to wheel away and return back to Arx, they all seem to trip as one and dissolve into dust before they hit the ground. They are just gone.|/|/|-The bringer army begins to advance.|/|/|-|h|!WPanic is, of course, one of the biggest dangers at times like this. Fortunately, many of the most experienced and resolute leaders of the Compact are at the Seawatch gate, bolstering the resolve of the soldiers who had just witnessed something no one could explain, and had every reason to be overcome by terror. While some of the Iron Guard look shaky despite the best efforts of Lord Michael Bisland and Lord Commander Silas Mercier, a number take heart at the unshakable Lord Ywaine of the Crimson Blades. Northmen hear the cry of their highlord, Prince Darren Redrain, and echo the cry, "TO THE LAST!", standing firm on the ramparts. Lycene watch Archduke Niccolo Velenosa speak and stand firm as the bringer army marches on. And Knights of Solace and Templars hear Legate Orazio, and stand ready to do battle with a foe that they could label as truly evil. |/|/|-|h|!WBut would the forces on the rampart have routed for all that? Perhaps, if it was not for Armel, whose words bolstered so many, as soldier after soldier nods in agreement and cry out, "We have the Faith! Stand firm, we have the gods!" There is no rout from the foul magics. And then, in reply, the ballistae begin to fire...|/|/|-|h|!WThe siege weapons on the ramparts were largely the work of Duke Gabriel Bisland and Lady Maude Ashford, the latter one of the more experienced generals of the Compact. They were positioned with care, for exactly this reason, to rend apart an enemy advancing towards the Seawatch Gate, that would have to walk along that long strand and come under fire. Out of range of archery from whence the invading horde can reply, the trebuchets and ballistae begin to fire, a ballistae bolt fired by Prince Tristram cutting a swath through an advancing unit, as the ballista under Deva's command appears to turn a bringer into fine paste. |/|/|-|h|!WThe same figure in black platemail waves a hand almost contemptuously, and the ballistae seem to all fall apart, as they aged a thousand years in a moment, with the trebuchets collapsing and crushing men that were manning them. The Bringer army starts to march into arrow range, and a strange mist on the otherwise clear day begins to move from the sea, coating the battlefield in a sudden, inexplicable fog.|/|/|-|h|!WTwice now, the forces have avoided a rout by the words of Armel as he also uses the example of the legate Orazio and calls to the gods. The Lord Commander Silas of the Iron Guard keeps those soldiers firm, while the Crimson Blades stay stalwart with their leader Tobias' orders being shouted. The former Lord Commander of the King's Own, Lord Rymarr Lyonesse, provides confidence on the field. Arrows rain from both sides, notably the Lady Clover dropping as an arrow finds her in a terrible wound, the woman losing consciousness from blood loss.{n