2022/10/12

Last time in the Iron Kingdoms, the battle for Five Fingers began.

As the clock ticked down towards the arrival of the Crucible Guard detachment, there were many at work trying to make as many preparations to defend the city as possible. Conversly, there were also a number of people who decided that leaving the soon to besieged city state was for the best. Thus the ports were uncommonly empty. With the party, Atrixia made time from her busy schedule to drop off a message that because the party was likely to play a crucial part in the defense of Five Fingers that the high captains had set aside some funds for outfitting them before the battle. All the party had to do was to fill out what they were looking for and the city government would work on tracking it down for them. The party thanked the high captains and filled out their requests. Over the next couple days their gear was requisitioned from the various abandoned stores and warehouses that are within Five Fingers. Abe's gear was a significantly large crate, that was carried in by a laborjack. Inside was a set of Man o War heavy steam armor, with the Khadoran insignia helpfully filed off. At the encouragement of the party Abe climbed into the new armor and was reminded of his first time in Rig and the events that occurred then: the death of his grandfather and the kidnapping of his sister. Abe quickly opened the canopy and got out of the armor. Shakes offered to perform some modifications to the armor so that it would better fit Abe and that hopefully he would be more at ease inside.

With all the preparations that could be completed having been completed, the time comes for the Five Fingers Revolutionary Defense Army to leave the city to intercept the Crucible Guard. The army sets up camp in the path of the Crucible Guard and near an area that has been decided to be advantageous to the Five Fingers side. As the day drew to a close, tensions around the camp began to rise as the reality that war was really here set in. The party did its best to either impose discipline upon or reassure the green army. Charlotte went and filled in as a commanding officer for the volunteers and conscripts, while Xavier led some Morrowan rites before the battle. Shakes was off assisting in the mechanik's tent, both producing some last minute armaments to distribute to the soldiers. Hector took an early nap to attempt to divine what was to come. His question of what are our odds of victory was answered with “ Victory will be found beyond the Dragon's teeth”. Which he interpreted to mean that Five Fingers should expect heavy casualties. Eventually the party was called before High Captain Sebastyn D'Lamsyn who greeted the party and informed them that the day of the battle would likely be rather strenuous for them. Five Fingers doesn't have much in the way of special forces so the party's role would be twofold. First they would be kept in reserve to counter any critical pushes from the enemy. Second they were designated as the best to face the enemy commander, with the hopes that if they fall or are forced to retreat the enemy would follow. Hector shared his prophecy and interpretation, which was received with acceptance. D'Lamsyn elaborated that Five Fingers was outnumbered and outgunned, even in victory they were expecting heavy losses. Regardless, D'Lamsyn bid the party to get some rest for the coming day.

The next day came far quicker than anyone was hoping, with the army beginning to mobilize in the early morning to get set up. Much of the party rose at the same time out of tradition though they were not part of the first wave. As the lines of battle were set, the army had nothing to do but wait for the enemy force to join them on the field. Five Fingers didn't have to wait too long, as at a little before 11 in the morning the Crucible Guard force came into view, a sea of teal to crush the fledgling free city. For those with no experience to war the beginning of battle had no grand opening, just a steady increase of gunfire from either side. Before long the battle had officially begun. The party remained in reserve, having to hope that they wouldn't be needed too much on the various fronts of the battlefield. Eventually the call came in for them to support an encroached upon slugger crew. In the lead up to the battle, Five Fingers had gotten many slugger crews as a counter to the rocketmen that the party observed during their reconnaissance and sabotage. And they were considered vital to defending the rear lines of the army from aerial attacks. Thus the party was sent to cover the retreat of the slugger crew so that they could be set back up at a fallback point. The party arrived to see a company of heavily armored soldiers pushing upon the slugger crew. Shakes identified the enemy as assault troopers, heavy infantry with armor that protects against incoming ranged fire. With no time to lose the party set upon the enemy and held the line for the retreating slugger crew. After a short battle the party was victorious as the slugger crew had retreated and the Crucible Guard had decided that this was not the hill to die upon, ceasing their assault against the party. The party was relieved by regular forces who reinforced the new front line.

The party withdrew to repair what they can as well as to prepare for where they were next needed. Charlotte spent most of her time tending to Kitten who had suffered significant damage from the assault trooper's thermal hammers. After a little rest the next disaster that the party would have to deal with presented itself, as a roar that the party had heard before while fleeing from the Crucible Guard sounded over the cacophony of the battle. The party was already moving to see what was going on when reports of horrible monstrosities attacking the front lines began coming in. These reports only hastened the party's approach, and it wasn't long before they saw these monstrosities. The party identified the beasts as winter trolls, full blooded trolls that hail from the north and are noted for their ice affinity. Though these trolls were unique as it seemed that something had been done to them, where their eyes should be was instead grown over with skin and there were bony protrusions from their knuckles and joints. Shakes recognized the effects as dragon's blight, the mutagenic phenomenon that warps those in the presence of a dragon. Shakes hadn't heard that the Crucible guard had captured a dragon though that seemed immaterial at this point. With the blighted trolls descending upon the Five Fingers defense the party had to do something and quick about these trolls and their handlers.