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Thread: Blood of the South

  1. #1
    The Mad Skylord's Avatar Tribunus
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    Default Blood of the South


    Forces

    Naval

    Harlaw Fleet
    65 Ironborn Longships(AOR Ships)

    Narf's Fleet
    30 Heavy Galleys

    Total
    95 Ships


    Army

    Harlaw Army
    100 Elite Infantry
    900 Hearth Warriors
    850 Heavy Infantry
    500 Archers
    150 Heavy Cavalry
    100 Polearms

    Stonetree Forces
    600 Hearth Warriors

    Total
    2700 men


    An enormous fleet had assembled in Harlaw Bay. Over a hundred ships and over 2500 men. Harlaw smiled darkly as he looked out over the battlements. He awaited the arrival of only Drumm and Hoare now. There were no Ironborn who could put as many ships to sea as King Ralf Ironwolf, but this time he had outdone himself. He could not see the banners of Volmark in his fleet, but not even that managed to sour his excellent humour. Hoare and Drumm would get a shock when they sailed into the bay.
    Last edited by The Mad Skylord; December 19, 2015 at 04:24 PM.

  2. #2
    Narf's Avatar Reach for the Stars.
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ulptur stood on the beach watching as his brothers ships arrived. 30 Heavy Galleys loaded with 600 Ironborn Hearth Warriors with the stonetree banners... He ran over to help them dock and navigate the crowded place.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf Ironwolf left the battlements and made his way down to the docks and the beached ships. He marched along the beach to Stonetree and Ulptur, having watched the ships begin to land. Every Ironborn on the beach jumped up from their seats around fires hastily as their king marched passed, and many viewed him with the utmost awe. Never in their lifetimes had such a fleet been assembled. Even the Drowned God seemed pleased, for there was not a sign of a storm in the sky, and the sun beat down on the ships, with a good sailing breeze whipping down from the north.

    Ralf marched up to Ulptur, and watched the Stonetree ships for a second. He turned to him. "Ulptur, you will sail aboard my flagship with me." He glanced back to a Stonetree ship, which had made a successful landing on the beach. Ironborn were jumping off to pull it further up the sand. "Ulptur, I intend to conquer the Shield Islands, it will let us toll any trade that might come down that river, and it will give us free access to reave. It also has excellent shipbuilding facilities. We must capture the Islands, no matter what. It is imperative that neither Hoare nor Drumm beat us to them."

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    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    The clear sky greeted a small ship as it reached Harlaw's harbour. The Drowned Priest onboard led the others in prayer to the Drowned God for his blessing and for guiding them towards their destiny. The sight of the armada that greeted them filled Urron Squideater's heart with new vigour and hope. The Lord God had given him a sign, and he had obediently followed it to what could only be a new chapter in the priest's life. Once on dry land, the party quickly made their way to the docks where the fleet laid at rest. Over a hundred ships and thousands of men, Ironborn reavers who lived and breathed for blood, battle, song and the Drowned God, was truly a sight to behold. Whatever King Ralf Half-Hand was planning it was nothing small, for no war fleet of this size had been seen on the Iron Islands for ages. The Drowned Priest was so taken that he climbed up on a barrel and began crying his sermon.

    "Free men of the Iron Islands, hear my words! The Lord God who drowned for us has shown me the future, and it is one of glory for you all! As he created you to reave and rape, to carve out kingdoms and write your names in fire and blood and song, so you shall do today, in his name! You, fathers and sons, lords and commoners, on this day there shall be no difference between you, because for each of you, old and young, awaits a realm to make and immortality to take!

    "The Drowned God has shown me visions, that I shall witness your rise to greatness as the annals of history are filled with your names, written in the blood of your foes! Will you seize this moment? Of course, for you are Ironborn! Those who die gloriously in battle will live eternal in the halls of the Drowned God, while those who live will honour the fallen with songs into the end of days when the mountains have been turned to dust and the Lord God's watery realm covers the world!

    "For what is dead may never die, but will rise again, harder and stronger!"

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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf marched down from the castle, followed by the crew of his own ship, The Reaper's Scythe. Today was a momentous day, for Ralf Ironwolf would put his flagship,which had not been to sea in nearly 3 years, into the water. As he marched down from the castle, men lined up and chanted:
    "Ironwolf! Ironwolf! Ironwolf!". They smashed their weapons onto their shields, stamped their feet and howled. While Ralf Ironwolf was feared for his ruthlessness and reputation, every one of his crewmen respected him unconditionally. They were eternally loyal. Ralf marched straight up to the Drowned Priest who had made a sermon only minutes before. He was simply the Priest closest to Ralf's destination, but Urron Squideater had a reputation. Ralf bowed his head slightly. "Priest of the Drowned God, bless my Flagship and my crew, for we go to reave in the Drowned God's name!"

  6. #6
    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Breathing heavily, Urron started coming back to the real world. He felt complete, that the Drowned God himself was there in spirit. The priest was invincible, he knew he was. When the King of Reapers spoke to him, his head turned instantly, eyes wide and clear.

    "I shall, King Harlaw, for the Drowned God has chosen me to spread his message! I am his prophet above the surface, and he will fight by your side as you spread his name across the seas!"

    He jumped down and opened up his sack of saltwater, turning to Ralf Harlaw.

    "Bow, so that I may anoint you with water taken from our Lord God's holy realm."

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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf Ironwolf bowed, and the whole army watched with expectation. They knew the Ironwolf was sick of waiting for Hoare and Drumm to rear their miserable heads, they knew he was asking for this blessing so he could go forth, and conquer in the name of the Drowned God. Harlaw would sail with or without the fleets of Hoare and Drumm, and Volmark.

  8. #8
    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Urron Squideater went completely silent, standing as still as a statue. He listened to the waves, the screech of gulls and the silence of the men around them. This was his calling.

    "Let King Ralf Harlaw, your servant, be born again from the sea, as you were. Bless him with salt, bless him with stone, bless him with steel. Fill his sails with favorable wind and guide him to foreign shores, give him bravery and strength to go forth and conquer and reave in your name."

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    The Mad Skylord's Avatar Tribunus
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf knelt quietly, accepting the blessing of the sea. Once Urron was finished, he rose and turned to his men. "Get the Reaper's Scythe into the water! We sail for Greyshield! Hoare and Drumm and Volmark be damned!" He bellowed at the top of his voice. Ironborn cheered and howled and stamped, before sprinting to their ships, which they began pushing into the water, to make sail.

    Ralf turned to the priest and clapped him on the shoulder. "Urron Squideater, I make you welcome aboard my own flagship. We sail for the Shields, which we will conquer for the Ironborn. This will allow us to reave up the Mander freely, the first Ironborn to have done so in centuries. Will you come with us, to give us the word of the Drowned God?"

  10. #10
    Jokern's Avatar Mowbray of Nottingham
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    The priest nodded contently.

    "You've read my mind, King of Reapers. The Drowned God has shown me the way, and it is my destiny to follow you on this reaving. It would be an honour to guide the Ironborn on the path laid out by our Lord God as we venture into eternity. The Reach is a ripe fruit waiting to be plucked, guarded by thorns we will easily overcome. But did my ears deceive me or is King Drumm and King... Hoare, going to join you as well?"

    Urron knelt and filled his sack with seawater before pouring it on the bow of King Harlaw's ship, speaking the litanies for blessing ships.

    "What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger."

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf looked towards his ship, which had already sent a longboat back for him. "He was, but he never showed." Ralf looks quiet for a moment. "I know he is a Half-Andal bastard, but his men are not. WHy should they be denied the right to reave because their king is not true Ironborn?"

    Ralf sets off towards the longboat, where he waited for Urron to board before they set off for the Reaper's Scythe. Once they were aboard, the fleet flew away, on the South-Easterly breeze that would take them to Greyshield.

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Quote Originally Posted by Skylord_Conor21 View Post
    Ralf Ironwolf left the battlements and made his way down to the docks and the beached ships. He marched along the beach to Stonetree and Ulptur, having watched the ships begin to land. Every Ironborn on the beach jumped up from their seats around fires hastily as their king marched passed, and many viewed him with the utmost awe. Never in their lifetimes had such a fleet been assembled. Even the Drowned God seemed pleased, for there was not a sign of a storm in the sky, and the sun beat down on the ships, with a good sailing breeze whipping down from the north.

    Ralf marched up to Ulptur, and watched the Stonetree ships for a second. He turned to him. "Ulptur, you will sail aboard my flagship with me." He glanced back to a Stonetree ship, which had made a successful landing on the beach. Ironborn were jumping off to pull it further up the sand. "Ulptur, I intend to conquer the Shield Islands, it will let us toll any trade that might come down that river, and it will give us free access to reave. It also has excellent shipbuilding facilities. We must capture the Islands, no matter what. It is imperative that neither Hoare nor Drumm beat us to them."
    Ulptur was chewing on some dried meat. Pointed at the fleet with it.. "There ships can hold those islands from any fleet. I cant recall another lord having so many Galleys. The islands will be ours. Though.. They can't follow up the river they will make sure none enter or exits the river without our sayso." He looks to his king, inhaled through the nose.. "Must say Ralf, It's an impressive fleet you've gathered here.".

    Quote Originally Posted by Skylord_Conor21 View Post
    Ralf knelt quietly, accepting the blessing of the sea. Once Urron was finished, he rose and turned to his men. "Get the Reaper's Scythe into the water! We sail for Greyshield! Hoare and Drumm and Volmark be damned!" He bellowed at the top of his voice. Ironborn cheered and howled and stamped, before sprinting to their ships, which they began pushing into the water, to make sail.
    Ulptur gave the signal to raise anchor, and then a twist with his hand to raise the sails.. He looked to Ralf nodded. And walked towards the nearest Galley..
    Last edited by Narf; December 19, 2015 at 09:15 PM.

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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf nodded cooly. "I expected another 50 or 60 ships, and another few thousand men, but Drumm, Hoare and Volmark never showed. I swear I'll wring Volmark's neck when I return." He watched another of the galleys come in. The Shields could field hundreds of fishing boats, no match against a proper Ironborn fleet. They would be cut apart in the water.

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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    "As you say, my King.". He answered sternly.

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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf Ironwolf stood at the prow of the Reaper's Scythe. He heard the crewman in the crow's nest. "Land!" Ralf had brought them straight into Greyshield, an impressive navigational feat, especially when he had sailed several leagues away from land in some places. Already he could see ships taking to the water. There was going to be a battle. He roared at the top of his voice "Ironborn! Ready yourselves for battle! We conquer in the Drowned God's name!"

    A roar of approval was heard across the fleet and the Ironborn Armada turned and began racing towards the enemy.

  16. #16
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ulptur stood with his jaws bit tightly together, he gestured to his secondman who started barking orders..

  17. #17
    Poach's Avatar Civitate
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    I rolled a 12, which with modifiers added means the province is fully alerted. You will face their full forces, meaning to begin with 400 Levy Ships sail out to meet you.

  18. #18
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    O.o

  19. #19
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    Default Re: Blood of the South

    Ralf Harlaw gazed across at the 400 boats that had been assembled to fight him. He was already beginning to feel the first signs of bloodlust. He gave his orders. "Drop sails! Run out the oars! Shieldwalls!" So the battle had begun, Ralf was determined for victory. He had already laid out his plan to his commanders, his son and brother.

    Orders

    Right Flank:
    20 Ironborn AoR Ships - +3 Battle Roll
    10 Heavy Galleys
    Commander = Harras Harlaw - +3 Naval Battles

    Left Flank:
    20 Ironborn AoR Ships - +3 Battle Roll
    10 Heavy Galleys
    Commander = Victarion Harlaw - +3 Naval Battles

    Centre:
    25 Ironborn AoR Ships - +3 Battle Roll
    10 Heavy Galleys
    Commander = Ralf Harlaw - +4 Naval Battles

    Plan:
    The fleet would assume an arrowhead formation, and sail straight into the centre of the enemy fleet. The objective is to separate one half of the fleet from the other, and thus destroy the puny Shield Islands forces. Once the enemy fleet is divided, it is to be methodically attacked and destroyed by the Ironborn, who have been instructed to take any nobles they might find as prisoners. Once the fleet is defeated, the Ironborn are to sail fast into the bay, to stop the Islanders rallying.

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