bravenewworld | (no subject)

The Advance Party arrives to find a city besieged. Nestled about midway up a towering mountainside, the area to the east is stained with the glow of torches and the assembled legions of Gigas, their distinctive gray banners flapping in the wind. Their encampments are neat and orderly, with rows upon rows of soldiers, Ponyta cavalry, and Pidgeot cavalry, as well as several cannons well-protected within the ranks.

Upon your arrival, the city greets you warily, and it takes a number of exchanges before an aged but stern man appears on the walls. These walls are much smaller than those of Union, but they are unique in that they appear to be formed of raw iron, not forged but instead shaped around the city. The city itself is also rough-hewn from stone and steel, the buildings squat and functional but not terribly graceful. Caldera is easily the size of Union, but without the sweeping towers of Union it is much smaller in population, numbering perhaps only 200,000 souls at best. But it is a hearty place of strength and resilience, and even as beleaguered as it is the soot-stained faces of its people still shine with grim defiance.

After a brief discussion, the man orders his men to open the gate and permit access to the city.

"I can't say my people will trust you, but any offer of allegiance is better than none. I am General Brand Ironborn, I have defended Caldera for some fifty years now. Gigas has ever claimed this land to be part of its former empire, and demands our surrender that we might be re-incorporated into their civilization. We would have none of it, but we cannot fight much longer. You are welcome within my city, and any reinforcements you can send are appreciated.

You may have free rein of the city and I am happy to answer any questions you might have. The major issue before us is the army. We cannot hold them for much longer. We either need to convince them to back down, or we need to cripple their supply lines that they cannot keep themselves fed. Hopefully that will prove enough to force them to withdraw. Either way, if this "Union" you speak of is as large as you say it is, then perhaps we can make it through this siege yet.

He hesitates for a moment.

"I hate to be the beggar, but in our hour of need I am left with no choice. Please, good people of Union, some of my men are gravely injured, and we have many elderly and children behind our walls. I need them escorted to safety, if you can spare the aid. Will you take them in?"

[This is an open post, characters are free to tag General Ironborn at will and ask questions about Caldera and the situation]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well met, Ranger Asuno. Our defenses are maintained by the Battalion of Steel, Caldera's crack troops. We've several hundred trained gunmen and swordsmen in our ranks. They are supported by the Rock Legion, our volunteer citizen's levy. They are not as highly trained, but as with all men and women of Caldera they are fierce and unyielding. Finally, there are the Earthkin, those who wield the power of earth, steel and flame. They are much fewer in number, but their powers are immense. They form our crack troops, and Gigas fears and covets their power.

[That last bit especially catches Asemu's interest. They sound like Enlightened. Furthermore, it sounds like something Gigas lacks -- especially based off his own experiences with Team Evolution.]

I'd like to meet an Earthkin. It sounds like they have abilities similar to the kind you can find in Union.

[He smiles wryly]

You're speaking to one.

Oh! Good, that makes things simpler. Can you give me a short demonstration of what you can do? I'll return the favor -- or go first, if you want.

Hmmm... I suppose that won't hurt.

[There's a burst of flame that envelops his arm and five fully-forged, rather ornate swords seem to pop out of the arm itself, flipping through the air with practiced ease and landing blade-down in the ground. They're all of exceptional quality, their blades still glowing slightly orange as if they were just forged moments before - which indeed they were]

[Asemu watches, very clearly impressed. He hasn't seen anything quite like that so far. Still, it seems very similar to Enlightened abilities.]

Wow... That must have taken a lot of training to get to that point.

[As much as he'd like to look closer at the blades, it's his turn now. So he focuses energy into his hands and feet, and then leaps into the air, releasing it so that he flies up into the sky. He flies in a circle, then lands about where he first started.]

Use of flame to induce flight, if I'm not mistaken? Very tricky. You're quite talented for one so young.

Ah...thank you.

[Asemu acts awkward in response to the compliment. He's still not used to taking that kind of praise.]

So...anyway. I'm pretty sure your Earthkin are the same as our Enlightened. If Gigas doesn't have them, then we should exploit that.