Underdark- Plunging Depths Region
Empire of Night- Fortress of the End
Jacob looked out at the First Legion that was waking up, they had taken the Fortress of the End without one single life being lost. The defenders upon seeing the Legion had surrendered unconditionally. The few Drow that had tried to force the War Slaves to fight, had been slaughtered. Only 300 War Slaves and 50 Drow Warriors had been present, well 40 Drow Warriors now. They had all been stripped of arms and armor and shipped back to the Fortress of Midnight for observation.
Jacob didn't trust the former War Slaves, and he definitely did not trust the Drow that had surrendered. Beyond the wall though was one of his surprises that he had hated creating, but had no choice in the matter. They needed troops and he didn't have any other source so he had done something he had promised himself he would not do. He had expanded the Dead Legion to assist with offensive operations.
Two whole Legions worth of Undead were camped outside the walls. Skeletal Warriors, Archers, Mages, Captains, Bonelords, Wraiths, Wraith Knights, Minor Liches, Death Wagons, and a Reaper to command them all. The Reaper was a true monster, level 75 with a health pool of 400,000. The Death Wagons were mobile Siege Engines though, and the true power of that small army out there.
Spoiler: Spoiler
Name: Death Wagon
Damage: 1,500
Range: 400-800 Feet
Rate of Fire: 1 every 45 Seconds
Crew Size: 4 (1 Must be a Skeletal Mage)
Durability: 2,000
Description: Death Wagons are highly mobile Siege Weapons that take two minutes to deploy for battle. While in travel mode, it looks like a wagon. It is capable of firing either Explosive or Poison/Plague Ammunition.
They had twelve Death Wagons deployed among the Undead. The First Legion had another battery of Siege Weapons, two battering rams, and four Siege Towers. The Stronghold of Oblivion was very similar to Gahlin before Jacob had captured it. "Your worry woke me, what is it?" Cathrine asked as she walked up behind him.
"Our allies are going to be joining us in a couple of hours, I don't want to be judged for creating all of them," Jacob stated.
Cathrine sighed as she hugged her husband, "They are a tool, like armor or a sword. Nothing more. Mindless drones to be used and put away when no longer needed."
"I do need them, I need them to hold the Duergar at bay. To show the strength of the Empire to Clan Darguun. The question is the Immortals, this could galvanize them against me. It might also attract a darker crowd to my side, I don't want those people in the Empire, I know we will get some no matter what I do, but...I do not want an army of monsters growing in my own backyard." Jacob told her.
Jacob looked down at his Guildmates and their Bonded. Another 500 souls to help fight the Sisters of the Damned, the Earth Splitters and the Bloodfangs were also coming adding another 4,000 together. Clan Darguun had promised 4,000 to help in the fight. They were all waiting on Jacobs forces to deploy Portal Anchors, once they did they were committed.
----------------------------------------
Jacob watched as the Dead Legion members flow through the open Portals, four of them were currently open and would take his army about 1 hour Southwest of the Stronghold of Oblivion. After that, they had a short march to the cavern where it had been built. Alinthia Der'Gal and the remaining member of the Council of Damnation lay within. Jacob would extend no offers of surrender to them, they would die one way or another today for their crimes.
"LEGION!!!' Jacob roared out and the First Legion responded with an overwhelming cry. 'I want you to take a look at your brothers and sisters around you. Some of them will not be alive later today. I cannot protect you from what is coming today. Blood and death are coming this day. I made a promise though, I made a promise to help you all get justice. Today we will make sure the Sisters of the Damned and their Council of Damnation will face justice for what they have done to you and thousands more like you!!! Today we will see those monsters brought low and that they will have a reckoning for their crimes!!!"
Alert...
Unbreakable Will: Due to your speech and facing the ones that have abused them, the First Legions Morale is 'Unbreakable' for the duration of the battle. The First Legions Damage has also been increased by 10% for the duration of the battle.
Alert...
General Brox smiled at Jacob and saluted before turning and started giving out his commands to all his Lieutenant-Commanders. The Dead Legion was through the portals with half his guildmates and their Bonded. The Siege Weapons had started through next, they would be followed by the Dawn Guard and Heart Guard then finally the First Legion.
One Cohort of the First and one Cohort of the Dead Legion would be staying at the Fortress of the End as a garrison and to give them a safe location to fall back too if they lost the battle. Jacob was fairly self-assured that they would succeed though with their allies and mercenaries coming.
----------------------------------------
Underdark- Plunging Depths Region
Sisters of the Damned- Outside of the Stronghold of Oblivion
Jax and his group had been stomping through the Underdark for almost an hour when they heard it ahead. The explosions and shriek of a shield maintaining itself beyond what it could take. "Looks like we got ourselves a real party ahead brother. I am starting to like this Jacob Longstrider, he always takes us to the most interesting places." Fred called out. Several other Myrmidons that had been with them on the Anchorhead raid laughed in remembrance.
Suddenly one of the scouts dropped out of Stealth directly ahead of him. He looked stunned for a second before shaking it off. "Well the siege we were invited too has turned into an all-out battle. I am assuming someone within the Empire of Night hired us because we got a Legion ahead of us. Several thousand of their allies, and even more Undead. We apparently are going to be taking a Stronghold. Its...dude you guys got to see this." Jax looked at his brother before he started jogging, the rest of their group falling in behind them.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Emerging into a large cavern Jax understood what the Rogue was talking about. A Stronghold lay ahead, parts of its outer shield had fallen allowing several missiles from Siege Engines to get through and parts of the outer wall were on fire. Four Siege Towers were in route to the wall, a battering ram was already pounding on the main gate, well over ten thousand Locals and Undead were waiting to get inside as the Siege Engines continued to pound the shield and walls. Two locations looked like they were about to breach.
"YOU IMMORTAL, STAND FAST AND IDENTIFY YOURSELF." An Orc called out ahead of them. Jax almost went for his rifle, but several hundred of his armed and armored clanmates were nearby.
"Jax of the Myrmidons, we are mercenaries hired by the immortal Jacob Longstrider, to assist in this battle," Jax replied while telling everyone in his raid channel to relax. The Orc nodded and passed the word to those behind him. After a few minutes a female hybrid, if Jax would have to guess a mix of Elf and Orc, appeared with a heavily armed escort.
"You are here to speak to Jacob Longstrider?" She asked while studying Jax and those behind him. She ignored the catcalls coming from Jaxs ranks that stopped when Fred glared at them.
Jax nodded, "Yes ma'am, he hired us for a job. I assume to assist in the attack on this place." The Dwarf responded.
She nodded and pointed to Jaxs left and deeper behind the invading armies ranks. "That way is the command tent and my husband. Do not take to long mercenary, he does not suffer fools or those that break their word. Go!!" With those instructions, she turned back and rejoined the ranks of her clansmen. As far as they were concerned Jax and his group no longer existed.
"Husband?" Fred asked.
Jax glared, "NDA and discretion my friend. Let's go report in before we got paid to run all this way for nothing." With a finale screech and shout from the invaders, the outer shield finally collapsed. The Siege Engines continued to pound the wall and defenders though. The outer doors were starting to crack and Jax could see all the attackers preparing to go in as he picked up the pace.
----------------------------------------
Jacob looked at the display of the tactical map in front of him. Four cohorts of the Dead Legion were deployed facing the northern tunnel incase the Sister had any nearby reserves or Duergar decided to show. Two Cohorts of the First were assigned to protect the Siege Engines, "I think we should keep four Cohorts of the First Legion in reserve." Jacob stated as he looked at Nadal and Brox.
Brox frowned but nodded, "Yes in case we need to cover a retreat four Cochorts would be enough of a reserve force to do it. What about the SIege Engines?" Nadal asked.
"If they manage to defeat us and our allies, I don't care about the Siege Engines, we can build more. Keeping the army intact is a far more important goal in my mind." Jacob told the Drow who smiled and nodded.
A Dawn Guard suddenly poked his head into the tent, "My King, the Immortal mercenaries have shown up. Two of them are requesting entry." Jacob nodded and indicated that they should be let in. This should solve their other major problem if they took the outer wall.
Jax and Fred entered the tent, Fred was eyeballing Jacobs armor and its changes since the last time they had seen each other. "Gentlemen, welcome to the Siege of the Stronghold of Oblivion. I am glad you could make it."
Fred snorted and laughed a little Jax just rolled his eyes, "You realize I am already getting requests from my guildmates for next time you hire us. They don't care what they are doing at the time, they want in. Apparently, you always take them to the most interesting places. Now, how can we help with the siege?"
Jacob smiled, "Do you have any Druids that are good at working with wood?" Jacob asked as he flipped the tactical map from viewing the deployed forces to a view of the fortress and the ongoing assault against it. Two sections of the Outer Wall were highlighted red, the outer gate was also highlighted red meaning that all three locations had suffered immense damage and were about to fall.
Fred and Jax nodded at Jacob question, "Yeah we have six people that can work with wood rather well. Why?" Jax asked as he studied the besieged stronghold.
Jacob nodded and highlighted the Inner Wall bringing it into focus, "We have no problem breaching the Outer Wall and gate. The Inner Wall and gate is the problem. Due to the incline leading up to the Inner Gate, we would have to set up a series of pullies to get the battering ram into position to batter down the gate there. However, I know Immortal Druids can learn Skills or unlock Abilities that allow them to warp and destroy wooden objects. I can get your people there, I need them to take down the inner gate. I also need your people to act as a hammer for any tough knots of resistance once we breach the inner defenses and keep. Are you guys up for it?" Jacob asked as he reset the tactical map to the general overview of the fortress.
Fred had a huge shit-eating grin while Jax nodded while he continued to study the map, "Yeah we can breach the gate for you and our people will be your hammer too. No, our people won't get sticky fingers while inside the keep, you are being more than fair at the loot for our kills."
Jacob smiled, "I never had any doubt about you or your people, Jax. Ok, have your Druids report to General Brox here.' Jacob indicating to the overly large Orc, 'He is in command of the First Legion, he will work with your Druids and get them an escort once we breach and take the Outer Wall. Jax, you will be staying with us. If I am not off joining the party, you will take orders from Captain-General Nadal Despval. He put the bad in 'bad-ass' gentlemen and is the real deal. If he speaks, it's with my voice, understand?" Jacob asked the two who simply nodded. Jacob smiled as he signaled for them to head out, Brox saluted and followed on their heels.
"Are you really going to be joining the battle?" Nadal asked looking at Jacob in disbelief.
Jacob nodded as he picked up his helmet and prepared to leave, "Do not ask your men to do something you are not willing to do yourself. I will be in danger, but I got those two watching my back,' Jacob indicated June and Chalxae,'The rest of my War Party, my wife, a squad of Deathwalkers, and 800 of the Dawn Guard and Heart Guard. I am almost certain the Myrmidons will also throw a five-man team to help cover me as well. I think I am covered, my friend."