You discuss tactics and settle on a cunning plan proposed by Shrett and Bog: they would use Conceal spells (w/Boamund too) on everyone, kept in touch by Mindspeech via Bog, and scale the western wall, making way for the tower in order to take out the Zzaburi as fast as you could. You cast spells and join the Sottogh ambush forces.
The attack launched in early afternoon. Over four hundred colonists and Giranois allies assemble around the walls of Humbertsville, with diverse magics glimmering and weird, scary spirits or demons released. The defenders do the same, with rivers of magic scintillating down from the upper windows of the centrally located tower of the Tumbledown Inn. But they are well outnumbered, about 3 to 1, and begin a defensive battle. However, they follow their Codes of War-Horse War Beast Society Talari heavy cavalry charge out of the gates under cover of crossbow and arrow fire from on and before the walls, followed by Lion War Beast Society Horali on foot or horseback, and skirmishing St Orvar scouts, and a motley crew of other forces such as mercenaries. The sparse Dronari militia remain covering the walls.
You cross to near the tower OK, seeing the interior defensive forces mostly gathered between the tower, manor and gate. There were four stone statues outside the tower in a ring. These are smooth grey statues, realistically carved, of athletic men in simple but elegant Second Age Seshnelan garb. You cast spells of Detect Sorcery, finding indeed that they are magicked, and Fraud's Soul Sight shows that they have essence within them and some sort of magical eye energy, plus a magical connection between their feet and the ground.
As you approach the tower, attempting stealth, the statues spin toward you with their eye-beams fixing on you, and they move toward you to intercept. The statues, which you recognise now as coming from the statuary on the western side of the village, share confident, masculine expressions that do not change, and their unclosing eyes emit constant thin beams of white light. which can be seen even in the daylight. Their footsteps shake the ground beneath them, revealing great stony weight. You sprint to the door and Shrett and Bog make it inside, ascending the spiral stairs, but two of the statues make it in behind them. Bog trips on the infamously treacherous steps and falls, with the statue coming up to him and starting to relentlessly kick at him. Fraud comes up behind it to help, and Boamund behind him, with the three other statues in pursuit. With great effort, you slowly wear down the sturdy statues, whose Stasis magics keep their feet rooted to the floor and whose stone makes them impervious to much damage. You out-skill them, and Bog gets to his feet after Boamund slashes his statue's head in, then finally Shrett deals a brutal head-severing blow to the one punching at Bog. Shrett and Fraud, now back Concealed, ascend the steps in stealth and see the upper inn's barroom is brightly lit with magic, and multiple voices therein. They wait, while Bog watches to ensure Boamund makes it up. Boamund fights a defensive retreat, and you prepare to spring your final ambush.
An armoured man in half-plate with Law and Light runes steps forth to confront you by the doorway, challenging you by St. Iames. He is Estien de Laurentiis, Ward of Dawn and War-Zzaburi defender. Shrett charges and shield-bashes him backwards, taking a mace-wound in return. From behind Estien, another Zzaburi casts a spell onto Shrett that dispels his Conceal magic. Bog slips around that melee and rushes a tall, thin, pale, black-bearded Seshnelan with Law rune on tall conical bronze helm, in thick, bright red robes emblazoned with Magic and Metal runes. He is Master Akerbus, War Zzaburi (Reader of the Order of Iron Blood), sought by Shrett and the colonists for cruel deeds. Bog makes short work of him, stunning his head. A Zzaburi healer steps up and uses “Deny Wound” sorcery to stabilise him. This is a calm-faced man in thick white-furred robes with a silver Law rune pendant sparkling from a necklace on his chest, and straight blonde, square-cut hair and beard that stand firmly in the windows' breeze as he holds onto his white-ash staff tipped with a Fertility/Life rune. Fraud comes in by Shrett and hits the Iames maceman from behind, knocking him down and soon he's unconscious.
Bog attacks the fourth Zzaburi, who cursed him as a krjalki and that only made him madder. She is a female menene of St Iames; white-robed with runes of Law and Life on the fringes in bright gold. Her eyes grab one's attention, peering out in their stark gold sheen from within her silvery frock of wavy hair and cowl. Her skin glint with a similar tint. She holds a long, thin copper pole (seeming like a metallic branch) as her staff; carved heavily with Life runes and sparkling softly in the sunlight. She blocks his maul with her staff but still takes a wound in the abdomen, and fails to avoid his next blow, a brutal one that bashes her guts open and she dies. So passes Isabeau, Life-Giver of Parthenay.
There is but one Zzaburi left conscious now, the one with the copper staff; Reader Vauquelin the Steady. He changes his tune from calling for you to depart, to asking for mercy and offering their surrender. He holds up his pendant and the statues cease their attacks; in time, these two remaining ones are returned outside of the tower. Shrett steps forward, puts his silver sword to the Reader's neck, and commands him to kneel, which he obeys. The fallen Master Akerbus and Estien de Laurentiis survive as captives, and Vauquelin is bound up too. You look out of the tower, hearing a battle at its base, and see St Iames guards facing off against a crowd of colonists and Giranois. They soon die in defense of the tower. But the gates have been broken open and the Giranois have stormed the walls, driving the surviving defenders into the core of Humbertsville. The light in the Inn's tower fades, a signal to the invaders that the Zzaburi have fallen. Baron Ronalio finally returns in his former glory as a Talar-resplendent in his heraldic Pithdaran plate armour and barded war-horse, his face proud and bold unlike its humble expression that has persisted for years. He fights Baronet Enguerran in a mounted duel and slays him. By his side, the colonists see his twin brother in battle for the first time: Baron Reginaldo also shows his mettle, besting a Horse Talar that blocked their way to the Baronet's manor. Your allies' morale has soared to see their lords victorious and heroic, and your brave victory is celebrated.
The Seshnelans put up a good fight, cornered in desperation outside and within the walls of Humbertsville. But they soon are encircled outside and inside the walls and quickly cut down. They are routed. Plenty surrender. Some escape on horseback, some sneak off into the swamps, and who knows what happens to some others, but there are few survivors that didn't surrender. Casualties on the colonist-Giranois side are modest, but will still slow progress toward St Thosos. The Giranois burn their dead in piles, and some badly wounded enemies (and other dead Seshnelans), and then slink off with captive foes, surely for unspeakable practices, but that is the price of their allegiance. Your captives are imprisoned in the same place the Baronet's family was, with other ranking enemies, but Baron Ron insists that they will be given honourable treatment while he ponders their fates.
While the Rokari improved the infrastructure of Humbertsville, the scale of human suffering becomes evident. It was known that the Baronet was executed and the Losers Movement wiped out completely, but the plight of the Dronari here disturbs even some Giranois. Charred bodies at stakes cluster near the market, and word becomes that anyone not converting or showing good faith to the Rokari way here had this fate. The population thus dropped from about 300 to 150, although some of those people had escaped when the invasion came. None will add to the ranks of the forces headed westwards. It no longer is a place of well-kept peace, although no one misses the Losers. Baronet Humbert's family are freed from imprisonment in the basement of the main barracks, and plan to return to Fay Jee in distant Maniria, as they have little left here. So, in time, a new Talar will be sought for rule of Humbertsville. For now, the colonists try to manage recovery.
The leaders of the colonist forces gather in the old Baronet's manor to discuss their next moves. You are welcomed there. It is quickly agreed that the war must speed forth its momentum, pushing westwards over coming days. They must not give time for any reinforcements to arrive. Shrett asks Baron Ron if you might use the power of Quick Sister to aid the forces, and he welcomes any aid from native powers. Times sure have changed from when the colonists belittled the “froggemen” Giranois; the allegiance has been cemented, with mutual respect.
On Quick Sister, her location remains unknown; she is thought to be in hiding, sought by Umbrodriith and this mysterious Chuckling Babe entity. Rokari prisoners tell that some demon fitting their modus operandi had indeed been troubling the Seshnelans around Toadhaven. The Zzaburi, asked by Boamund, did not know of Cyroosta's fate except that she was in the St Thosos keep, watched but not jailed.
***You are granted trophies of battle for your service. Yay! The Zzaburi only had pendants and staves of use to their orders and Rokari Zzaburi, so these get destroyed. However, there is the following to choose from (take total of 4; 1 each): -From Baronet Enguerran, an iron kite shield (AP 7, HP 18), and an iron broadsword (AP7, HP 18) which does +1 damage and always Pierces 1d2 armour. -A regular iron broadsword. -An iron-tipped kontos (longspear). -From a dead Zzaburi advisor of the Baronet: a dull grey Gar Crystal; blood of a dead god; which holds 3 MP that must be recharged via its keeper, but cannot give them its MP except to fuel spells. It can be used without attuning (i.e., can be handed to others for immediate usage). -An amethyst necklace that gives knowledge of the Avert folk spell when worn.
For Friday: the push for Toadhaven, and search for Quick Sister!
-John
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