Underdark
Outside Fortress Ill'Gargon
Jacob watched as the army formed up and started marching toward the fortress, 2500 strong and the fortress wall was compromised. The drums sounded and kept everyone together as they approached the fortress. While most of the defenders were occupied with the infiltration team and the follow-up strike by every Rogue Jacob had under his command. It was pure chaos and it was allowing the army to approach unnoticed for the most part. A few of the defenders noticed that an army was approaching and a few magical strikes had reached out and slammed into the magical shields covering the army. 10 minutes to cover the distance and the army flooded into the fortress. The Earth Crackers immediately swarmed up the remains of the wall and started to clear off the remaining opposition. The Bloodfangs immediately moved toward the overflowing slave pens to ensure their safety and to pin down the majority of the military might of Lady Illinn. Jacob and his troops pushed on toward the primitive keep where a knot of Elite Drow Warriors about 100 to 150 strong waited for them led by a woman in armor with a short sword and whip.
Lady Amada Illinn
Class: Sword Maiden/Slaver
Level: 33
Abilities: Unknown
Health: 3000
The Lady Illinn led the charge against Jacobs small army, a volley of crossbow bolts, fireballs, and a few lightning bolts slammed into the oncoming Drow, a few died but the majority continued on and slammed into the formation but the discipline of Jacobs soldiers held them at bay. Screams and blood flew as the Drow tried to push the invaders back but they had come for blood and a debt that the Sisters owed to every single army member. Jacob watched the press and checked on how the others were doing, The wall had been cleared, the fight at all the slave pens was ongoing, but they were slowly falling to the Bloodfangs.
Jacob turned back toward the fight in front of the keep and saw that the Elite Drow were holding the line but Jacobs army wasn't pushing forward much, they were trying to get them to literary grind themselves to death on the shields and short swords that they wielded. Jacob can see as some archers and magi start to mount the walls of the half done keep when they started to attack his line of battle. 'Cathrine, ask Darren to gather all the Rogues. I need them to help clear the archers and magi that are starting to hit my line hard.' Jacob sent out the mental call to the Banshee. She didn't answer with words but he felt a slight pulse of emotions in acknowledgment.
Suddenly several rogues un-stealthed on the flank and rear of Jacobs army, several soldiers went down screaming before the formation changed and suddenly the Rogues faced a united front of shields and swords. A couple of the friendly magi started targeting the Rogues and blast them with fire and lightning. Anything to stop them from disengaging and disappearing back into stealth. Suddenly Lady Illinn and the Elite Drow Warriors increased the pressure on the other side, they were trying to crush his army between the two when two dozen friendly Rogues attacked the enemy Rogues from behind. It is a complete slaughter for the enemy Rogues, the enemy force of a few dozen, is quickly cut down to a small handful that tried to disengage but Darren's and Cathrine's Rogue strike team did not let them disappear and started to hunt them all down while other friendly Rogues started scaling the walls to get to the archers and magi on top of the keeps walls.
"Captain Thorgron, send in the Dawn Guard please to reinforce the regulars. It is time to end this." Jacob ordered. The Duergar saluted then called out some orders and Jacob heard distantly as Brox called out orders and the Dawn Guard marched into battle for the first time. The gear and training definitely made a difference as the Dawn Guard as they slammed into the Elite Drow head-on and started pushing them back. Suddenly a roar drowned out the battle as the Bloodfangs cried out in victory, while the Drow in front of him fought even more desperately. Suddenly the incoming arrows and magical firepower started tapering off as the friendly Rogues went to work and started killing the Drow on top of the keep walls. It's only a matter of time before the remaining Drow forces fall when suddenly the Drow line collapsed and they tried to flee toward the safety of the Keep.
"We are going in!! Don't let them fall back to the Keep!!" Jacob called out as he charged ahead. Jacob could hear Thorgron cursing as Jacob charged after the fleeing Drow.
----------------------------------------
Amada watched as her latest Swordmaster was cut down by the flashing sword of the invaders. She knew she had extended her forces to much when the Council ordered her to set up all those outposts but she had no choice. They were also slow to reinforce her position here and now they were about to lose everything here. She snarled as she lashed out with her whip when suddenly she saw a red-eyed halfling throw himself at her retreating men. He moved fast and strong cutting into her men left and right. Amada moved to engage him which caused him to smile and launch his attack at her. He matched her strikes with his shield or sword but her whip was the wild card and would occasionally break through his defenses. She was steadily driving him back when he activated a ability and Amada suddenly felt like her insides were on fire and she stumbled. She saw several other soldiers also fall to whatever the ability was when the red-eyed warrior went on the offensive.
----------------------------------------
Jacob smiled as the woman before him stumbled back after he triggered Hemorrhage and 3 nearby Elite Warriors almost immediately died and Lady Illinn life started dropping rapidly. Jacob immediately went on the offensive launching an attack to try and overwhelm the woman's defenses. If he could kill her, the SIster's power and the remaining army her would be broken. So Jacob went out on an all-out attack to try and overwhelm her defenses and cut her down. His reckless assault compromised his defense and another Elite Warrior slammed his sword through his back and Illinn lashed her whip around his throat choking Jacob.
Lady Illinn smiled as she drew her blade back to cut Jacobs head off, "You forces might win today, but you will still die. Remember this when you come back Immortal one." Suddenly Cathrine appeared blocking the descending blade, the only thing Jacob could feel was rage from the Banshee as she stopped the Drows cut. Chalxae jumped down from the wall and slammed her daggers deep into the other Drow screaming in rage as the leader collapsed under the attack. Both women kept stabbing and slashing at the downed woman as she tried to stand but Chalxae surprise attack had broken one leg and her right shoulder. The injuries hobbled her movements and the attacks of the two Rogues were quickly killing her.
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Jacob was doing his best to fight off the Elite drow but the sword strike had damaged his spine and he lost nearly half his health when he felt as healing magic course through his body and he saw both Snaggletooth and Mug looking at him as the healing magic did their job. The magic had healed his spine enough to throw himself at the Drow and activate his Bite ability quickly draining the life from the Drow. The Drow died screaming in pain and loss as his very life healed the one he had wounded so badly.
When he looked back at how his wife was doing he saw that one of her daggers was buried to the hilt in Lady Illinn chest and Chalxae had her fangs buried in her throat draining her remaining life as Cathrine started twisting her dagger. The look of panic and desperation was on Lady Illinn face as she died realizing she never really had a chance to defeat them.
Alert...
Lady Amada Illinn has fallen in battle, all Sister of the Damned forces within Fortress Ill'Gargon and the surrounding area have a...broken...morale status.
Alert...
Jacob looked at the two dangerous women, "Thank you both for saving me. I won't ever forget it. Let's press on into the shitty keep, I want to finish this and see to our wounded. Brox, Thardan, and Thorgron deploy your men into the main keep. Sweep it for any remaining enemies. If anyone resists, put them down. If they surrender though...we will take prisoners. Is that understood?" The three men saluted and started barking out orders to Jacobs army, time to finish this up.
----------------------------------------
Fortress Ill'Gargon
Throne Room
30 minutes later the battle for the fortress was over and all the prisoners were contained. Every healer was now working on the former slaves and the army was either distributing food and water or keeping watch on the remains of the wall. The slave pens had contained 3000 beings and the armies remaining food stores were being used to give them all a small meal. They were all surprised that they were being treated again as people and not as objects to be owned. They had captured a little over 100 members of the Sisters, mostly support personnel while most of the warriors, magi, and rogues died in the battle or at all the outposts. Tarren came into the Throne Room, "So, are you going to claim the fortress or not?" Both Rexxar and Braxus looked up from talking to their subordinates in amusement at the Immortals comment.
Jacob smiled as he stopped talking with Brox, the new captain had his men helping with the newly freed slaves while the Tomb Guardians and the Dawn Guard made up most of the troops in the keep. "Last time gentlemen to claim this keep. If you don't want it, I am claiming it!" Jacob looked at both the Orc and Kobold as he made his statement, but both just waved him on to the throne. The throne was gaudy and overdone, but it served as the interface for the fortress and he had to sit on it to claim the fortress.
Alert...
Do you wish to claim Fortress Ill'Gargon and all the buildings/resources/supplies contained within? Yes/No
Do you wish to rename the Fortress? Yes/No
What would you like to name the Fortress? Fortress of the New Dawn
Alert...
Regional Alert...
The Fortress Ill'Gargon has fallen to an army led by...Lord Jacob Longstrider and has been renamed...Fortress of the New Dawn.
Regional Alert...
War Quest Completed: War with the Damned (Stage 1)
Description: You destroyed the Sisters of the Damned presence in the area by destroying their outposts and conquered Fortress Ill'Gargon. Word of your activities has reached the Council of Damnation and they will dispatch a response, be on your guard.
Outposts Destroyed: 12/12
Fortress Ill'Gargon: Conquered
Rewards: 1,000 Gold, Control of Fortress of the New Dawn, War with the Damned (Stage 2), 10,000 Fortress Experience, Primitive Keep Blueprints
War Quest Issued: War with the Damned (Stage 2)
Description: Clan Darguun has informed you of reinforcements have been dispatched to reinforce Fortress Ill'Gargon, destroy the army and capture intelligence on who dispatched the army and from where.
Rewards: Variable
Jacob watched as all the prompts flooded before his eyes and he contemplated his thoughts and ideas. He really needed to get a Portal Pad built at the Fortress of Midnight, it would make everything so much easier. He also needed to appoint a steward here. "So gentlemen, we are splitting the spoils 3 ways, then includes the resources located here. The former slaves though...you guys understand I am building an army and know why I am, correct? I would like a chance to recruit among them before you guys offer them a home, ok?" Both the Orc and Kobold nodded in understanding. Jacob hoped for maybe a 1000 recruits if he was lucky, but he wasn't going to ask the newly freed slaves until tomorrow after they have had time to get used to the idea of freedom and choice. "Do we have enough food and water for everyone? Do we have enough shelter for everyone?"
"We have enough food and water for a couple days, the reserves here are dangerously low but from what we can determine they do have some farming areas to support this Fortress and the people within it. I am sure some of the former slaves will have no problem working the farm so everyone can eat. I do not know how many people the farm can support though." Brox reported
"Thank you, Brox, feel free to ask around but make sure whoever agrees to work whatever farms know they will be paid. They are not slaves!!" Jacob told the Orc who simply saluted and left. Most of Jacob's War Party was nearby, none of them liked the fact he had almost died all of them were on edge. "You guys need to relax a little, the battle is done. Ok? The Fortress is secure and we have an army around us. Ok?"
Most of his War Party relaxed but Cathrine, Chalxae, and June remained hypervigilant but from what he could feel, they all had something to say when they were alone. "Tarren, we need a steward for the fortress. Feel like adding some Admin duties to your plate?" The Paladin laughed in Jacobs' face.
"Dude, hell no I am not getting saddled with running a fortress. Not yet anyway. I would suggest talking to our guildmates, I am sure some of them have either experience or want the job." Tarren responded before walking out of the throne room. Dam...