By Steel and Thunder
Twenty Sixth Day of the Second Month 294 AC
From atop one of the ancient stepped pyramids raised to the glory of a House now long since fallen to obscurity the eight of you have a commanding view of the Astapor's harbor walls and the empty bay beyond, few ships still venture here passing the inspection of galleys from Tolos and Mantarys to serve the city's meager seaborne trade.
A harpy statue still crumbles atop the crimson harbor gate of Astapor, for all its 'Sons' have been outlawed, for this realm has made of history's grave its bed and here Asmodeus plans to bury it. There are Unsullied here, tanned faces hardened into lines of pain and endurance over long years that had seen them the object and tool of their master's cruelty. Now though the dark 'blessing' they have taken within themselves, clear as the blazing sun above to your eyes, they have simply reprized their role upon a greater board.
"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we had traveled east four and a half years ago?" Dany whispers in your mind along the
bond for battle forged between all of you.
"Would we have gotten here faster, broken their chains upon the flesh before they could be exchanged for even weightier ones upon the soul?"
"Since I would be dead in a gutter in Braavos or worse I'm happy you didn't just the same," Garin replies wryly as he sets up his shot over the shoulder of some snarling grotesque that to your eyes looks more Valyrian than Ghiscari, for all its probably been here for longer than most of the city's leading Houses.
A
whisper of shadow touches the bolt and then with a thud that hangs heavy in the air it flies. A crossbow is not Garin's favored weapon, nor is this one enchanted, but his eye are still sharper and his hand steadier than many a master marksman. A centurion collapses forward, steel piercing his throat.
In a voice by magic carried to every
thinking being within twelve miles you call out: "Behold the Harpy's Talon piercing the tools of the Unclean One, the Thief of Slaves!" The spell should be powerful enough to give the devils cause to worry without giving most people cause to suspect your hand.
Thunk, another bolt flies, another soldier falls, this one struck through the heart. Then Dany rises into the air wearing the guise of a harpy
hurling thunderbolts into the fray. They don't kill as swiftly as Garin's bolts, but she can keep tossing them for a quarter of an hour at need and you are quite sure you will get a response long before that.
"They are taking cover," Teana calls while Garin readies another shot. Unlike the rest of you, she and Benerro are flying high above, ready to ambush any devils who may assault the pyramid.
It would take them at least a few minutes to get into the proper cover but you might need to get closer...
The thought breaks off abruptly, the smell of brimstone fills the air, and from darkness beyond the world steps forth a scorebone of devils and just as many furies ready to deal with any who would meddle in the doings of the Lord of the Ninth.
More than half their forces... no, you realize looking around in the fragile stillness before battle is joined in earnest,
half of them are summoned for the battle only, a hammer made twice as deadly in the moment.
At your side Dark Sister stirs eagerly.
"You must seem not yourself, casting fire and sorcery upon your foes, yes? Draw me forth and let me taste the blood of fiends for the first time in half a thousand years."
How do you fight?
[] Write in
OOC: I'm sure you guys will have more interesting ideas for alternative combat styles than me, but Dark Sister really wanted to fight.