(no subject)

[bnw_void_npcs]

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]

Comments

[bnw_void_npcs]

Gigas somehow avoided most of the ill affects of the Cataclysm. To be sure, they lost much of their infrastructure, but their technology far outstrips our own. They are numerous too, they outnumber is greatly. In times past we might have stood against them but today? That becomes much more difficult.

As to their motives, I suspect they want our steel. From what little trade we have had with them we do know that our steelcraft is highly prized among them. I suspect they have long eyed our city's treasures, and now they feel strong enough to take it. Perhaps they shall, but they will find we were not idle these last 40 years.

[antiseptic]

[That would make sense; steel is a precious resource, only recently available widely in the Union. But he doesn't see any way he can make use of the information; negotiation isn't his forte.

So he turns his attention back to the problem of countering Gigas.]

What sort of technology are they using against you? Is there any way to sabotage it?

[bnw_void_npcs]

The biggest concern is their superior firearms, they have compact, hand-held weapons that can sustain continuous fire which is very dangerous. They also have particularly strong artillery, while our Earthkin have been maintaining the walls the bombardments are rather dangerous. Sabotage is difficult, the regular soldiers are hard to manage but if we could get into their artillery and break some it'd definitely help.

whoops sorry if it's lux's turn...

[antiseptic]

[ooc; and also let's just say Jade overheard the Earthkin discussion so we don't get too much repetition going on!]

[Firearms? Not the weapon of Jade's choice, but he knows very well how dangerous they can be, especially if they could fire continuously. He frowns slightly as he considers the situation.]

And how would we go about breaking their artillery?

[It's just a delaying tactic, not a solution, but at the same time he's also interested into seeing their artillery up close. The Union may be able to learn from it.]

[He still hasn't fully committed to actively resisting Gigas yet, but it's best to be prepared.

Totally fine she told me to go ahead and continue and she'll jump in as needed

[bnw_void_npcs]

Destroying or capturing the artillery would be ideal, it's just the question of how to get to it. The keep it at the center of their formation so it's nigh unassailable.

[antiseptic]

I see...

[He'll have to look at their formation later.]

I assume you have other tactics you've been using against the Gigas troops? Or is Caldera too preoccupied with the matter of defense?

[ladyofluminosity]

I'd like to know about these tactics as well.

[bnw_void_npcs]

Most attacks have been carried out by the Battalion of Steel. As they know this mountain well, we've mainly been attempting to block passages with timed detonations and rock slides, and have made a few raids on straggler units. Nothing major, unfortunately, we simply lack the manpower to face them head on.

[ladyofluminosity]

Battalion of Steel?

Are their troops really so large? It's our knowledge that those in Team Evolution from Gigas that we've encountered do not have any Enlightened--Earthkin--within their ranks. Do you know if it is the same for Gigas? Perhaps using something like that to our advantage...

[Although they probably already thought of that. She tries not to wince at her impoliteness.]

[bnw_void_npcs]

It is true, but our Earthkin are few in number. The constant bombardments have kept them too busy holding the wall to be able to launch any counterattacks. The Gigas forces know our strength, and they carefully planned to neutralize it.