Open Chronicles The Raid

[Szesh]

Szesh's life had become more complicated in recent years. It had brought him a good deal more inner peace in the end, but it had also forced him to confront an uncomfortable amount of his past and do troublesome introspection. He was glad for a distraction, and to not think about such things for a while.

This job was just what he needed: Simple. Not easy, mind you, but not complicated either. Breach a compound, secure a tower, kill a man. A specific man, by the name of...

"Edwin Cobb," the name was said with a tone of disgust by the portly and thick-mustachioed Mr. Lainwright. "He and his troupe of bandits have been blighting the highways for the last half year. They take everything they can but are especially keen on grain. He's trying to make our countryside hungry, and himself the richest man by selling our people back their own harvest at triple cost." The sturdy wooden chair groaned as Mr. Lainwright leaned back and surveyed the small company in front of him. It was clear he didn't much care for any of them, but seeing as these were desperate times, whatever ruffians answered the posting would have to do.

"Find him. Kill him, and bring his rotten head back as proof."

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Getting to the compound had been easy. It wasn't exactly hard to miss, taking up the entirely of a small island in a large river. It was an old building recently "renovated" by Cobb and his associates, and torchlight burned warmly from the stout tower while smoke rose from within the outer walls.

Szesh crouched behind the treeline beside the other sellswords. His wings and tail were tucked in to lessen his sizeable silhouette, while inky eyes looked inscrutably over his temporary partners. They were hidden well, for now, and his silver scales appeared dull gray in the darkness. He wore nearly nothing to cover them, as very few tailors wished to accommodate wings and tails and cobblers balked at his oversized, clawed toes. A heavy warhammer hung at his side. Even with its magic depleted, it flattened skulls as well as ever.

Three things needed to be accomplished: they had to cross the bridge, breach the outer walls, and take the tower. They were outnumbered and would need to use the darkness, their own guile, and the element of surprise to their advantage. Or they could go in smashing. Szesh did enjoy smashing.

Spoiler: The Fort

 

[Nycto]

Szesh

Nycto stood next to a tree, standing beside the other mercenaries. He stared out across the water, examining the compound. He could see a good amount, night time made his vision far better than a normal person's, allowing him to see further and clearer. Nycto sized up the defenses, determining the best plan of attack.

Nycto was nearly invisible in the darkness of the night. His all black clothes made his body practically invisible, and his white mask appeared dull in the dark of the night. Nycto liked the nighttime and the darkness. When it was dark, it made his powers and strength much stronger, and allowed him to do a lot more things. The darkness was his strength, and nighttime was the best time for him. This should be a breeze. Nobody could exploit darkness as well as Nycto. Plus, Nycto always enjoyed a good old bandit hunt. This job was gonna be a fun one. The bandits wouldn't know what hit them.

Nycto turned his head, looking at the other sellswords and mercenaries. One of them was some sort of large Draconian. Strange, Nycto hadn't seen many of them. His large size would no doubt make stealth difficult for the party. Though, his large size would also make him a good backup plan if things went south. The large warhammer on his back seemed like it would be really good for flattening and smashing people. This would be an interesting job.

"Well, they got the bridge locked down. They got at least a couple guards on watch on the outer walls. Getting in won't be too simple." Nycto said. "Of course, it won't be impossible. I got a plan to get us in, unless anyone else already has a plan in mind." He told the group.

 

[Szesh]

Szesh could not help but agree, getting in would be tricky. He had considered simply flying to the top of the tower within, but that idea had faded as he saw the archers atop the walls. Even if he came in quickly enough to avoid their arrows they would certainly sound an alarm.

The figure next to him, he hesitated to call it a man, spoke his piece. A plan was at least a place to start, seeing as their employer had given them nothing in terms of advice or leads.

”Wot is et?” asked an earthen-haired woman at Nycto’s opposite side. She leaned on her curving bow and made no sound in her soft leather armor. Szesh tried to remember her name. Neyda, that was it. ”Wot’s the plan?”

The rest of the small group looked expectantly at the dark person, Szesh included, though he kept on eye on the pacing watchmen at all times.

 

[alphabunny]

Rou was itching for a good fight. She hadn't been part of a group for a while. Her last couple jobs were boring but this one proved a challange. She inched closer to Nycto keen to hear the plan he had thought up. Rou had a few ideas of her own but would be keeping them to herself for now.

As they waited she began tightening the string of her bow and examined her dagger for any blunt edges.

 

[Gerald Mercia]

It had been months. Or no, had it been years now?

Yes, years now since that fateful day in the city, the day he'd helped that Anirian.

Ever since then he'd been transferred from his post in the city to patrol the outer fringes of Alliria's influence, far out into the Allir Reach. Only, he'd been given only so much provision, so many orders, and no estimated date of return. But provisions ran out rather quickly, and it wasn't long before he was hardly living the life of a guardsman of Alliria, but rather of a sell sword out in the midst of lawlessness. And indeed, that is what he had come to, that is what this was. And it was hardly the first time.

From between the thick bush, he peered across the waters at their quarry - a heavily fortified keep. At a glance, he hardly expected their rag-tag group of misfits to have any hope of coming anywhere near their objective. But, words of a plan stirred his interest, and his hope.

This job promised a healthy payout, and that was exactly what he needed right now.

 

[Ryder]

Brignads, vagabonds, ne'er-do-wells. The list was endless. And all names could at least at some point be associated to Ryder. At least, that's what he thought while he walked the walls of the fort. The bounty placed on Edwin Cobb was more than enough to gain his attention and so? He joined a band of thieves. After all, storming the compound would be no easy feat.

Sure, he has to rob some peasants, push down an old lady or two and even kick a puppy, but that was beside the point. He was in. And his mark, Edwin, had started to trust him. The fool. Had there been no bounty, and Ryder had just happened upon the man in the wild, he would kill him on principle over the name Edwin alone.

To make things more interesting he could have sworn he had seen movement in the trees. Thankfully, out of range of any bow, he would act as if all was fine before descending the steps and leaving the wall. If he was right, and people were attacking, he could take advantage of the chaos.

Reaching the cookfire, he would flag down one of the workers and snatch a tankard from them. Looking around at the milling crowd he would lift his tankard with his trademark devilish grin. "TO EDWIN COBB! HA-HAA!" he would shout over the noise and the other rogues would all shout and cheer in unison. "We have had quite the success! So we drink to mark the occasion! We are a kingdom unto ourselves!"

The crowd would roar and cheer, most of them finding some sort of mug to down. Such simple folk. Would be a sad shame when most of them started to die. Well, not to him. Maybe their mothers. Except Fred. Fred was so horrid, Ryder knew his mother had to despise him.

 

[Szesh]

A cheer went up from within the camp, and Szesh tensed at the sudden noise before realizing it did not mean they had been spotted. On the contrary, the bandits were relaxed if they were taking the time to celebrate. A far cry from soldiers, these were just men with pointy sticks... albeit many of them.

Szesh's inky eyes panned the keep, sweeping over the few archers on the uneven walls before snapping to the side as a faint glow approached. Two men with one lantern between them moved up the dirt road. They were armed and, if their shabby clothes and rough weaponry were any indication, members of Cobb's crew. They didn't worry Szesh, but what made his lip curl into a silent snarl was the dog that padded in front of them.

While the two men carried on in conversation, the dog paused and sniffed the air, then it set its nose to the ground and swept back and forth, taking step after deliberate step towards the group.

"Dog scented us," he said in a low, gravely hiss. As if to punctuate his concern, the creature began to bark and growl with its eyes pointed straight at them.

Neyda had her bow drawn. "Ah can drop the cur but the men will call alarm 'fore I can pin them both."

Nycto Ryder Gerald alphabunny

 

[alphabunny]

Rou nodded along. She spotted the two men on the road, her ears starting to twitch.

"I have an idea for a diversion," she turned to the group. "But it will only work if one of us have some alcohol on hand." She looked around expectantly.

"All we do is drench a piece of cloth in alchohol. Then either myself or Nedya wrap it around on of our arrows. We shoot the the lantern those two are holding." She pointed to the men. "And poof," she mimicked an explosion with her hands. "Diversion created and then we go on with the real plan."
Rou looked around the group, waiting to find out if her idea was either going to be considered brilliant or brushed off as something that sounded good but was ideal to the mission.

 

[Nycto]

Szesh Ryder Gerald alphabunny (sorry for the long wait, had a lot going on for a bit)

”Wot is et? Wot’s the plan?”

Nycto turned to her and looked at her. "Alright, listen up." He said to their ragtag group of mercenaries. But then, suddenly, another one of theirs suggested a diversion.

All we do is drench a piece of cloth in alchohol. Then either myself or Nedya wrap it around on of our arrows. We shoot the the lantern those two are holding."

Nycto listened to her, and nodded. It would actually fit his plan quite well. "Yes, that would work. The darkness is our ally. If you can do that, my plan will be much easier."

"My plan is to use the darkness to sneak us in. If you can do your diversion and create more darkness, all the better. You see, I can... teleport through darkness, of sorts. Well, not exactly, but it's practically teleporting." Nycto explained, continuing. "I can teleport us into a dark spot of their fortress easily. If some of you take out some of their lights, and one of you create a distraction on the bridge, I can move the rest of our party right into their fortress. Then, we can strike from where they least expect it, from within."

Nycto looked around at the party. "Sound like a plan? Anyone a good enough shot to take out their lights, and any volunteers to be the bridge distraction?"

"Dog scented us,"

Nycto turned and saw the two men with a dog walking along the road.

"Ah can drop the cur but the men will call alarm 'fore I can pin them both."

"Take out the dog and their lights, I will handle the other two." Nycto said.

 

[Jacob Ford]

Jacob liked a good old fashioned bounty hunt. Wondering about for for months on end, his demon katana ached for carnage and his lips begged for blood.
Leaning on a tree listening to his misfit comrads lay out their plans, Jacob held his katana by the hilt with his eyes shut.

Their priority was getting into the fort undetected. Nycto could get the everyone in, but they needed a distraction. Jacob had just the perfect plan for that.

"Take out the dog and their lights, I will handle the other two." Nycto said.

"Nycto, you can leave the humans to me. Focus on getting the others in, I'll follow shortly. What do you think?"
Jacob gave this contribution while looking at the masked misfit.

 

[Ryder]

Ryder made his way to the darkness behind the large kegs and pulled his dagger free. Using it to pierce a small hole in the top, he would procure a pouch of diced mushrooms and dumped the entirety into the keg. These men would soon begin to hallucinate, of that he had no doubt.

Re-appearing he melded into a group of cheering men and *Fred*. Gods he hated Fred. "You boys better not be slowing down! Each of you are to try to drink me under the table. The winner, earns this pouch of gold!" About a dozen men grew intrigued by the wager and would match their own pouches for a chance.

Unfortunately for them, they had all just agreed to make Ryder more rich. A small cut to the waitress and he would be drinking water while the others got hammered. Perfect. The keg was pulled from and the dullards drank their fill.

As it grew darker, more torches and lanterns were lit, with the only darkened areas remaining just behind the walls. But due to the efforts of a single Rapscallion, most backs would be turned, with only a small amount watching the walls. He didn't care what happened, but when the attack came, he was killing Fred first.

Szesh Jacob Ford Nycto alphabunny

 

[Gerald Mercia]

Szesh | Nycto | alphabunny | Ryder | Jacob Ford​

---

From where he was, he could be little help until the fighting really ensued. He looked to Neyda, ready to fire her bow at one of the guards. A glance across the others as they bickered amongst themselves about their next course of action, but all it took was a few more moments for them to waste and they'd be found out.

He liked Rou's plan.

He reached into his coat, pulling out a flask he'd been nursing most of the evening. He tore at his shirt, and claimed a generous piece of it which he proceeded to douse, mournfully, with his alcohol. But he could tell himself, at the very least, that sacrificing this drink could lead him to many more.

Quickly then, he handed the thoroughly drenched cloth to Neyda, nodding his head saying, "shoot."

 

[alphabunny]

Rou rolled her eyes, Nedya Nedya Nedya , everything was always about Nedya.

Rou was just as good a shoot. Who knew maybe even better.

Regardless, no use getting jealous. A job needed to be done.

"Got any more if that?" She turned to Gerald. " Theres guards on the walls too. If Nedya and I shoot at the same time we will have two explosions instead of one. Causing even more chaos."
Rou now looked to Nycto, "then we go ahead with your plan." She looked around the group, "does that work for everyone? And remeber, somebody needs to make sure the grain isn't touched by anything that can remotely cause damage."

 

[Jacob Ford]

Nedya and Rou were ready to cause the big bang for the evening. Jacob decided to get into position.
Speeding across the road using his high speed and hinding in a bush ready to pounce, he waited for the bang.

Once the arrows were shot, he'd take out the two men who would be in panick. Easy snap of the neck and quickly carrying them off into the near by bushes...
Looking back to the group from the cover of the bush, he awaits the signal....

 

[Szesh]

Szesh grunted his approval. He didn’t care for magic, didn’t trust it, but if Nycto could get them through the walls before the fighting even began he would take it.

”Aye, clever again,” she chirped at Rou. She nodded to Gerald as she took the drenched arrow, and winked apologetically as she passed him another to give to Rou. They’d owe him a drink when they were done.

Neyda gave a quick countdown… and fired. The arrow flew swift and silent, but the lantern light erupted with a loud whoosh and bang to consume the men and patrolling beast. If the explosion had not been heard, then their screams absolutely would be.

Szesh readied his hammer and stood taller, looking to the masked man. He hoped whatever magic was about no happen would not hurt.

Nycto alphabunny Ryder Gerald Jacob Ford

 

[Gerald Mercia]

Szesh | Nycto | alphabunny | Ryder | Jacob Ford​

---

Gerald was not often a very emotive fellow, but he couldn't help the half smirk that crossed his lips. He could feel Rou's flare of frustration, well hidden but his eyes could see. It was playful of course, a little out of character for him, but with a wordless smile he handed her the arrow with a similarly drenched piece of cloth wrapped around it.

He took the last little swig of what remained in his flask, and then said with a hushed voice, "better make it count..."

His fingers slowly wrapped around the hilt of his sword, which was eager to begin its work.

 

[alphabunny]

(Ooc: will be back soon. Bit of a rl crisis going on)

 

[alphabunny]

Spoiler: Question

How are they getting into the fort? Over the bridge?

 

[Jacob Ford]

Spoiler: Question

How are they getting into the fort? Over the bridge?

Well am guessing using Nycto's magic. For the others, that is.