WAR ♞ MARCH ON CENTRAL WEST PLATEAU

[boardmaster]

MARCH ON CENTRAL WEST PLATEAU
20 AUGUST (GLADIA) 2016

The quiet, seemingly unremarkable town of Friedgood doesn't seem like a prime target for a Noir attack. Ask any outsider what a Friedgood local's favorite activity might be, and they’ll likely respond "I don't know, digging?" They're not wrong: Friedgood's primary industry comes from the excavation of precious stones and minerals in the nearby mountain ranges and volcanoes. Those who don't make their living from mining most likely still enjoy digging, as the town is a hot destination for archeologists from the school of Pigeonsblood looking to uncover the ancient secrets of Gammon.

More important than shiny rocks, however, is Friedgood's strategic location within the country, specifically the checkpoint known as Platform 42 and 5/8ths. It forms a stark contrast to the sleepy town it resides in. This bustling travel hub is known as the "Gateway to Gammon", and boasts fast transport to almost anywhere in the kingdom. Security is tight here, with grim-faced Gammon soldiers working around the clock to ensure that criminal activity doesn't stand a chance. Keep your contraband at home — an infraction will cost you heavy jail time. Friedgood is also the only town with a road providing access to Grantebrycge, Gammon's illustrious University town.

By conquering Friedgood, Noir hopes for universal access to all of Gammon.

On the 20th of Gladia, amidst strong winds and persistent thunderstorms, Heroes will arrive to the Central West Plateau. Even surrounded by tall mountain ranges and ominous volcanoes, its ancient wall is truly a daunting sight. A marvel even by modern construction standards, it was built over 300 years ago to defend against hostile nomadic tribes, and remains as strong and sturdy as the day it was built. It also provides an important environmental buffer to the people of Friedgood — the wall is resistant to lava.

Basic info on the war can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙ The War of Three Armies
It’s time to head to the battle, Hero. You may be walking, riding a mount - your own, or a borrowed spider or boar - or hitching a ride from someone else. It’s a miserable trek to the plateau, but at least you’re not alone. Once you arrive, Verdoni is there to greet you, accompanied by another Gammonian, the commander of this battle.

Pinta [ so god damned salty about not being a naval tactician and assigned to ships ] Ah, yes, the vaunted Heroes I’ve heard so much about. The name is Pinta, ah... naval tactician to Gammon’s armed forces. Ask why and I’ll show you a bloody hell. Anyway, welcome to the Central West Plateau! During ancient times, the volcanoes were said to be a wall of flame that protected Gammon. But if that stopped the Othellians, I suppose I wouldn’t be here, ahaha! Now, with them dormant, we must instead rely upon our steel and our wall. It’s strong enough to protect Gammon even if every volcano in the area were to erupt all at once! At least that’s what the locals say. They didn’t sound too dodgy, but... moving on! If you have any questions, our men will be glad to explain; show you how the cannons work, where the traps are and whatnot. Again, this really isn’t my expertise—oh! Our wizards have been creative as of late. We’ve these wind platforms that will fling those Noirs up, up, up! Into the air! Try not to get caught in them, yeah? Our navy will take care of our seas. They’re an outstanding lot, they are. All we need to do is focus! Gammon shall not sink here!

You’ll then be handed a magical bracelet. The miners use it protect them from toxic air, so this is a precaution; should you need it, it should last for the duration of the battle. Now all you have to do is wait and prepare for the battle. Acquaint yourself with the battleground: explore the Defense Wall and see what traps there are. It may give you some ideas of your own. There are also war cannons aligned on the top wall and within its interior. Otherwise, check your supplies or rest and collect yourself for what will come. Your mount may also want attention.


TWO ♙ Fellowship of the Bling
Initially cloaked by thick fumes of sulfur, ozone and the dreary overcast of the storm, the Noir battalion finally arrives. Their general, Spicy Spice, steps, nay, struts forward.

	Why is it that every time I come around, that Cochrane Bridge wants to go down? [ ADJUSTS HER WORLD CUP BRA ] They can’t keep that wall up forever.
Let’s make this a quick one, so we can get out of this smelly rain! [ gets ready to fire her gun in the air when she remembers something ] And don’t forget, target their puny pathetic healers, first. [ raises gun high above her head, signaling for the attack with a BANG! ]

On her cue, the Noir Vanguard rushes forward with a fearsome war cry, followed soon after by the Rearguard.

ENEMY ♟ Mounted Noir Soldier
Weak against None	Strong against Fire	Immune to None
These soldiers gallop onto the battlefield with their imposing GOLDHORN GOAT mounts. These are bigger and stronger than the average goat, and their golden horns tend to ABSORB SPELLS directed at their riders. Some spells in a soldier’s arsenal: GRISTRELKI sets fire to the rain — literally. It converts the rain in the sky into a barrage of fireballs. Pray your umbrella’s fireproof! With the PLAMEVODA spell, they can turn hot water (i.e. those from geysers) into bubbling hot lava. When combined with a strong cooling spell, the spell can trap you in rock… That is, if the lava doesn’t kill you first! DVIZHE SMERTI is a dangerous spell that paralyzes its target, rendering them unable to even speak or blink. This can be cured with mana exchange. Hurry before Noir strikes with a rain of fire!Of course, the soldiers are capable of HEALING SPELLS to assist their injured allies and mounts. The VANGUARD is lead by an impressive wall of massive shield units, armed with various melee weapons: swords, maces, and daunting battle axes. Herd them into the traps around the battlefield to render them immobile! The REARGUARD, armed with bows and arrows, will try to overwhelm the HEROIC VANGUARD. HEROIC DEFENSE back them up with long-ranged attacks and the cannons! If they get close enough to the wall, the Rearguard will relentlessly attack the Defense! Both units are under strict orders to prioritize an attack on the HEROIC SUPPORT. If they see any Hero or Gammonian soldiers helping each other or performing rescues on the battlefield, they will give chase IMMEDIATELY. DROPS: Shield with Noir Emblem, Flame Staff, Assorted Non-Magical Weapons, Golden Goat Horns, Lava Lamp

In the heat of battle, you will feel the ground beneath you shake and tremble. In a turn of events neither side could have predicted, a dormant volcano in the distance erupts, raining down fire and scorched earth on the area. More alarming, however, is how the resulting earthquake sets off powerful, white-hot geysers on the battlefield. Stay alert! To make matters worse, the approaching lava makes Noir’s fire spells even more deadly, and Noir shows no signs of letting up on their assault.

Spicy Spice You think a little bad weather is going to stop us? Don't make me laugh. [ laughs anyway, then falls into a coughing fit ] Urghh, damn these fumes — Oh whatever, Send in the riders!

THREE ♙ The Desolation of Noir
Undeterred by the eruptions, the geysers, or the bad weather, they’ve called in their aerial units, fierce griffon riders who’re trying to fly over the wall and into Friedgood. Don’t let them pass! Make use of your resources and shoot them down: Heroes with long ranged weapons or magic will find their skills useful here. Learned how to fire a cannon? Now’s your chance! If not, protect your allies, Hero and Gammonian, as they line up their shots.

ENEMY ♟ Noir Griffon Rider
Weak against None	Strong against Fire, Lightning	Immune to Wind
For the first time, Heroes will witness firsthand how Noir’s legendary griffon riders—often called masters of the skies—live up to their name. A griffon’s powerful wings not only lets them soar at great heights; they can whip up terrifying BEAMS OF LIGHTNING. Griffon riders are armed with JAVELINS which they can also throw and cast the same spells as their counterparts on land. However, they share a closer bond with their griffon mounts. Upon losing their master, the griffons will go BERSERK and proceed to kill everything in sight. If a Hero gets caught in a griffon’s talons, the creature will drop them into their boiling demise at either a GEYSER or VOLCANO. DROPS: Mount Treats, Riding Gloves, Noir Lance, Harness, Griffon Feathers, Griffon Talon

The lava is fast approaching and Noir can no longer take the heat. The griffon riders are maintaining their assault, but the rest of their army is falling back to escape. Time for you to retreat too before Gammonian soldiers seal the wall and you’re trapped on the plateau side. Fried Heroes ain’t Fried Good.

• Defense, continue shooting at any enemy target in range! Be attentive and aid your allies as they retreat back to the wall. Do not fear, you have the advantage.
• Vanguard, fall back! Watch the skies for any griffon riders on the way to the wall. Once you arrive, take down enemies who try to breach. Letting even one enemy pass could spell disaster.
• Support, grab the wounded and check the wall’s condition! Any damages should be repaired immediately to prevent the lava from entering Friedgood.

FOUR ♙ There and Back Again
The wall closes, sealing the lava and ending the battle. Hopefully no one got left behind.

Spicy Spice Now I'm wishing that I didn't wear these shoes (I hate heels). Better get up out my face! [ trips on her way out ] Oh shit!

Catch your breath, Hero. You won. First, check up on everyone and heal your wounds. If you borrowed a mount you might want to take the time to say farewell, since the trip back to Friedgood means you’ll be parting soon.

The people of Friedgood are grateful. They know what would have happened if you lost. There’s no time for fancy parties. They’re pulling out whatever they can find for a makeshift street party right then and there.

You can find bowls of Splotched Richard - a dessert pudding - and Bangers and Mash. If you’re in the mood for something strong you can get pints of Guileless or Pale Noir, maybe a Lasker Train Bomb if you can find someone who’s willing to mix it. Or perhaps you fancy a CreamAle, the favored drink of Grantebrycge.

You’re welcome to stay out and party as long as you like - the party is for you, after all! In fact, the people will respect you more if you get drunk and pass out on the side of the street. But for Heroes who’re tired from the war, you’re always welcome to stagger into the Bollox Inn for a room, free of charge.

Comments

[timetogetdown]

"...They're flying machines. Don't worry about it."

He had, of course, heard about the unholy mess that was Operation Dasvidaniya by now. He was also an optimist at heart, though. "Heh, okay maybe it won't be that easy, but we can do it. We gotta lot of good people here, you know."

[rememberher]

Flying machines? "You mean like an airship?" She asked, quirking her head to the side inquisitively. Judging from her tone, she wasn't going to let this one fly.

They had a lot of good people on the train as well. Their people, the innocents... How did that make this any different? She turned her attention to the road ahead of them. To the wall. "Is this your first battle?"

[timetogetdown]

"Smaller."

It helps if you're an optimist at heart. They're the good guys. Of course they're going to win.

Granted, he wasn't exactly a combat veteran. Started a revolution, stole some technology... "Eh...sort of? I mean I've done some stuff, but not really just a straight out and out battle."

[rememberher]

Some stuff, he said. That hardly paid her mind any kind of solace, it just proved that he was green. That she had been as well, when she first arrived, meant little to nothing to her. Flirting with death, feeling one of her teammates die beside her and not being able to do a thing about it. Hearing the way the upperclass spoke, brushing aside the needless death of innocent people (and those refugees were people, despite what the upper-crust thought). She didn't want to experience that again.

So his explanation simply wasn't good enough, and casting a long look at him, she made that abundantly clear. "Such as?"

[timetogetdown]

"I'm not a soldier, or even much of a fighter. I'll admit that. But..."

Damn, she wasn't the type to let things go, was she? First she was bugging him about helicopters, and now this? He hadn't intended to go over his history today, but on the other hand he wasn't exactly hiding it either.

"It went down like this. After the war, my hometown was a mess. The Vishkar Corporation moved in with all kinds of fancy promises about how they were going to make everything better, but eventually I realized they were lying through their teeth so they could control us and exploit us to make a quick buck. So I stole their sonic tech and reverse engineered it so I could rally everyone together. There was a big riot. Lotta people got hurt, and I'm not proud of that, but we managed to chase them off with their tails between their legs. I am proud of that."

[rememberher]

Knowing your limits was important, but if he was aware of the fact that he was not a soldier or a fighter, then why was he here instead of heading toward the support outpost? Lux frowned at that. He was going to get himself killed.

But a sigh escaped her. She had been like that too, herself; it was easy to forget that. She was a soldier in rank but not in profession, a public figure by day, and infiltrator by night. She should cut him some slack.

He was no soldier nor fighter, but listening to his story, her expression grew complicated. A man from a war-torn town. People came to save them, to help, and... what then? They didn't live up to their expectations. His expectations. "You incited a riot... because the people that came to help you didn't move fast enough." It wasn't a question, but a statement. A very loaded one at that.

[timetogetdown]

He was heading to the support outpost, actually. He'd just wanted to get a closer look at the big wall first.

But first he had to explain himself because it sounded like Lux had heard him wrong. There was no other explanation for how she could have misinterpreted his words so hard.

"No, I incited a riot because they never planned to help us in the first place. Just control us and use us."

[rememberher]

No, she heard him well enough, there was nothing wrong with his hearing. What was wrong were his philosophy, his motivations, and his actions. Her hand gripping the reigns tightly, she continued to stare forward, toward the wall.

At least focusing on that kept her from flying off the handle at him. "How do you know that." Again with the statements rather than questions. Really, what was her problem? "And what gave you the right to act on the behalf of the people? You alone. How could you possibly know what their needs were?"

Someone like you, her tone seemed to suggest.

[timetogetdown]

Lucio took a moment to assess the situation. It wasn't that he doubted whether or not his actions against Vishkar had been right. That was beyond question in his mind. It was more that he was realizing this wasn't just another casual conversation. He wasn't going to duck out of this one with a joke and a subject change. Lux had an intensity about her that was entirely focused on him right now.

His voice had a bit of an edge to it when he replied to her. "When Vishkar arrived, they had a contract to redevelop large tracts of the city. Everyone was excited. Why wouldn't we be? After years of being ignored, someone had finally come in to help us!"

His gaze drifted away from Lux, as he focused inwards instead, on memories of how it all went wrong. "Then came the curfews. Then the enforcer squads patrolling the streets to make sure no one was engaging in 'lawless behavior,' whatever that means. People vanished sometimes. You heard from the occasionally, talking about how much they loved their new jobs with Vishkar, but it never sounded like them. They installed sonic devices for dispersing any kind of crowd or organization. The only things that happened there happened because Vishkar wanted it."

Lucio snapped back to the present, forcing aside images from the past. "They had no right to just move in and take over like that. They just had money. What would you do if someone else took over your home and started deciding that all your traditions were an irritation that had to be put aside?"

[rememberher]

It wasn't that simple, Lucio. If her time here in Enprise had taught her something, it was that nothing was ever that simple. Her world, once painted in stark black and white, now mudded and graying at the edges, twisted and pulled, churning in confusion to the point that, at times, she wasn't sure which way was up.

But in a desperate attempt to anchor herself, to tell herself that she was right, that what she knew was right, she chose to ignore the glaring inconsistencies and false truths that she had begun to see in her former life. In her wonderful country of Demacia. A place where it was the greatest honor to serve crown and country.

The greatest honor.

Something he wouldn't possibly understand. Couldn't possibly understand. Anything that didn't align must have been a lie. That was the only explanation. Who was he to decide what was best for them? Not a soldier, not a noble, a person, a man with no title or prestige. And she wouldn't hear any of it.

Men like him were they reason why innocent people died. Illogical, emotional, wrong.

"That would never happen."

Her voice dripped with venom, with self-assurance. Her prince told them that he would bring any and all enemies of Demacia to their knees, and oh how they cheered. She was still young then, a girl without a title, but the love that she had for him that day that he returned, rallying them behind a banner of righteousness and justice...

She paused, swallowing something hard in her throat. Doubt. Fear. Her hands gripped her reigns tighter, trembling.

"Never."

[timetogetdown]

Lucio heard the venom. He also heard the unassailable confidence behind her words. Man, he'd thought for a moment he might be getting through to her. But no, he couldn't hear any give in that voice. She sounded...

Actually, she kind of sounded like one of the Vishkar enforcers. All perfect control and cold contempt. If she had any doubts about what she said, Lucio sure couldn't pick up on them.

In the end, they'd been proven wrong too, though.

"Yeah. You're right, it's totally impossible. That kind of thing can only happen to other people."

He gave her one more good glare before yanking the reins to the side and sending his mount off to trot away. "Only happens to other people until it happens to you."