The Siegebreakers Battle for Gilneas

[Swifthoof]

The small ship rocked gently at the small jetty, in the gentle evening breeze that swept over the shoreline and onto the gently rolling countryside that was Gilneas. The deck was deserted, but in the hold a small company made preparations for war. The breeze was a welcome relief to the summer heat, as it drifted in through the port flaps that had been tied open for that purpose.

They went about their business with the easy confidence of those that had faced death a thousand times and survived to tell the tale, easy with each other's company, in the way of those that were used to trusting each other with their lives. There was not the bravado of a sporting event, or the arrogant aloofness of a business venture, there was only an unspoken confidence and trust in each other’s abilities, shown by scarcely spoken mutual respect.

Leyujin a scrawny, but powerfully muscled troll, with tribal markings that made him almost seem masked, scowled as he sharpened his axe on a whetstone that he occasionally lubricated by spitting on it with unerring accuracy. The monotonous, whispering rasp of steel on stone would occasionally pause as he raised the axe close to his eyes, pursing his lips, scanning for the slightest nick or imperfection in the edge. The rest of the company held their breath hoping that the blade would pass inspection, only for the scowl to return and the rhythmic rasping to restart again.

Knithawk a forsaken mage who had been carefully painting himself with symbols to ward him in the coming battle while muttering protection spells, finally spoke up. “Ley, can I borrow your stone?”
“Wat joo want, it fo? Joo want to sharpen ya wand?” Leyujin cackled coarsely.

“I’ll show you”. Leyujin looked up curiously as the mage took two strides over to where he sat, picked up the stone and tossed it out of the nearest porthole.

Leyujin, without taking his eyes of the mage, reached into the satchel next to him, pulled out another whetstone, spat on it and recommenced his sharpening. Knithawk sighed and tuned away from the troll’s unblinking gaze recommencing his muttering, but this time some of the words seemed to be less than magical.

Swifthoof, a large tauren with hair that was now starting to turn grey with age, pulled his lips back in what passed as a smile for his race. He was one of the healers of the company together with Sangjai, and Deminthus. The banter between those who dealt death rarely spilled over into the healing group; Meeting one’s god was a privilege best reserved for old age, one did not want to speed up the experience by giving offence to those that kept you alive. He glanced across at Ashenfury the lone orc of the company, who smiled back and waggled his fingers clad in vicious sharpened steel spikes at Knithawk’s back.

Two other warriors Guduk and Daviani, near the door, were checking their armor, and tightening the various straps that held it in place, when they looked up suddenly, hand moving for their weapons. Seemingly appearing out of nowhere, a goblin and a cat that was almost as large, looked at each other. The goblin pointed at the cat, “Ha, they saw you first Julkah!”

The cat shimmered and a troll appeared, “Joo a fukin’ liar Grendze, joo dun distrac’ dem at I”.

The goblin laughed, and then looked across at Leyujin. “Boss, we got ‘bout ten scum, coming down from the hills, they’ll be at the lighthouse in 3 minutes”.

[Daviani]

Leyu'jin drops his whetstone back into his satchel and stands, looking about at the rest of them. "Joo all know da plan. Dwo fists. Deminthus, joo will be mendin' Guduk as joo in'ercept dem at da light'ouse." Leyu'jin looks at Knithawk, "Make sure day don' get a foot'old dere.
"Da oder fist will be setten up a foot'old at da waderworks." He looks over at Daviani. "Don' be letten joo bloodlust take joo doo far indo da badle. Fight wit da clear 'ead, dere, elf.
"Turn on joo goblin commuacatas. Loa be wit' as. Le's take dem out, and le's take dis place as ours. PEACE THROO ANNILATION!"

"PEACE THROUGH ANNILATION!!"

"May my blades drink more than yours." Daviani said as a parting shot to Guduk as he ran through the door, and up the stairs to the upper deck.
The evening breeze had increased a little since he was last on deck, and Daviani could now feel salty water on his face, as he ran accross the deck to his armored blue windrider. A bloodly body of an orcish deckhand lay at Blue's feet. Daviani cursed circumstances that prevented the foul-tempered beast from flying today as he mounted. It's still recovering from it's physical intolerance to sea travel, the unpredictable and unfamiliar shore breeze coupled with the fact that it just ate. However the beast may feel, Daviani spured it over the railing, to the shore, and onward to the waterworks, yelling in thalassian "Our enemies will fall!"

[Duskheron]

The Siegebreakers flew off of the boat as a unit, the paladin's magic spurring the mounts faster across the uneven terrain towards the mine. As they closed in on the fork in the road, the Lighthouse fist veered right. Sang'jai's raptor's powerful muscles slowed as the paladin's magic fell out of range. As they passed the mine, the goblin Grendze smoothly jumped from his vehicle and secured the area before continuing only slightly behind the rest of the Water Works fist.

They rounded the mountain and flew over the creek that surrounded the mill. Sang'jai could see the enemy approaching from the opposite direction, and he growled as he numbered them at seven. He slid off his raptor and targeted Leyu'jin as the other troll drove his beast into the middle of the oncoming enemies. With practiced efficiency he channeled energy into a healing spell and let it fly, followed closely with an area effect to aid all of the Grim fighters.

A bullet slammed into Sang'jai's shoulder armor, knocking him sideways. He grunted and turned back towards the battle, moving forward to get in range again, only to trigger a trap filled with snakes. He located the enemy hunter, a black-furred worgen even as another bullet whizzed past his face. Ignoring the sharp, venomous bites on his calf, he gestured with his hands, manipulating the air around the worgen till he was caught in a cyclone.

Jul'kah screamed in rage, his feline form leaping from enemy to enemy, slashing, clawing, his form a blur. Daviani's twin swords aimed precisely towards a dwarf's neck bounced off the dwarf's kite-shaped shield. Grendze was deeper behind the enemies' lines, desperately trying to keep a human priest from her job. Sang'jai eyes scrambled across the field, searching for the white haired troll to find him on his knees, his shield just barely keeping the blades at bay. Again Sang'jai cast a healing spell for the troll followed by a spell that would bolster the group. Leyu'jin sprang up with renewed energy, only to take a blow to the kidneys as a night elf appeared from the shadows behind him. Jul'kah became caught in a frost mage's icey tomb. Daviani did his best to fend off a draenei paladin's advances, but the alien beast's size and rapid strikes were pushing him back. Sang'jai let out another round of heals, but experience told him this fight would not end in their favor.

Leyu'jin must have come to the same conclusion. "Fall back, Grim! Fall back!"

[Knithawk]

Meanwhile, at the lighthouse, a fierce battle ensued. The banner of the Horde flew high above the towering monument. Guduk, an exalted warrior of The Grim, twisting and thrashing around in a whirlwind of axes and and blades, slicing everything in his path. Deminthus and Swifthoof throwing their mending abilities to aid the vanguard as well as the two other present, Knithawk and Ashenfury. Knithawk and Ashenfury were swapping their control spells on a human priest in the backfield, amusingly changing the fool from a frog to a monkey, while Guduk slashed a menacing paladin practicing holy arts, to her death. As the warrior moved in to attack the monkey, (the only remaining mendor) He noticed a massive group incoming from the water works. He screamed over the communicator, "Incoming to the Lighthouse, we need all available HERE NOW!"

It was too late, He looked where he last saw Deminthus to find a penguin lazily flapping his wings as he waddled about. Swifthoof was 15 yards away in tree form swarmed with alliance stabbing, clawing, and draining the tauren of its life. He leaped at the mob in a last ditch effort to save his mendor, stomping and shaking the ground making all those around cower in fear. However his attempt was in vein as Swifthoof collapsed.

The mob quickly moved to Deminthus. Ashenfury summoned his wolves to the paladins side instructing them to show no mercy. The Orc sprinted to the flag, dropping guardian totems at its base before running to his mendors aid.

Knithawk stood atop a boat, him and his water elemental desperately trying to peel the combatants off of his healer, wondering where the reinforcements Guduk had called for were.
The mage was suddenly distracted from the mob by a burst of light. When he turned to look the Horde banner was in flames. "Noo-*hmph*!" the forsaken yelled as he took a shot to the kidneys.

Enemy rogues stabbed, deathknights plagued, Knithawk froze all around him in their tracks and blinked away to Deminthus, looking for the paladins righteous heals. When he appeared he got one good look at his mendors corpse before being blinded and stabbed to his demise.

As the mage fell to his doom, his eyes opened and he witnessed a dark sky, the clouds rolling in like waves in an ocean. The leaves of trees, falling from their branches. The blue and gold lion banner, flying high above the lighthouse.

[Guduk]

Desperate to keep the Lighthouse from Alliance control for too long, Guduk charges to the aid of Ashenfury, swatting the Human Deathknight aside with a devastating blow of his Sword, giving Deminthus the time to recover, his holy shield flickering out of sight as he gives a sigh of relief and gives a quick prayer, releasing his energy to heal himself from his wounds.

"I'll need some help here!" comes a familiar voice as the three turn to face the flag, finding a green goblin attempting to pull down the Alliance flag while smoke begins to form around him from a grenade nearby. Joined by Daviani and Jul'kah, Ashenfury and Guduk leap back into the fight as they chase down a Draenei Paladin and a Gnome Frost Mage. Deminthus gets back to work, recovering the Grim from their wounds until he sees a Rogue about to sneak up and attack Grendze, with a roar of fury he flings his Hammer at the rogue cracking the Nightelf in the head. Hanging from the Flag post by one hand and a foot hooked around the middle, Grendze glances back at the nightelf, then to the Paladin and with a cocky grin finishes hanging the Horde flag "Nice throw"


OOC: Of course since KnitHawk jumped me in turn I still had my mindset on 'We get Lighthouse' so now I have messed up the situation.

[Grendze]

Grendze had been hacking madly at the priest by the water mill. As the holy man healed his group he simply ignored the Goblins efforts and created a shield of holy protection. Plate was not even this frustrating. The rogue could find a weakness in most any armor but this power turned his blade away like magnets of opposite charge. No matter how true a strike the dagger would glance off the priest. His hands ached from the futile effort.

"FALL BACK!" was the command.

At the Lighthouse Grendze had gotten caught in the ropes of the flag pole and hung from his feet throwing knives at anyone coming close. Eventually Guduk untied him and bid him go to the mines while they cleaned up the mess. It was easy for the little one to sneak off. No one ever paid much attention to a Gobo unless one was at your feet or on your back.

All was well at the mine and only the faint strike of pick on stone could be heard from deep inside the mouth of the cave. Grendze approached silently looking for the cat Julkah. He found him in what looked like the middle of a nap. Before he had even settled into guard duty forms made shape on the horizon. One, two, now three. He whispered into his stone that they had company then turned it off. Both of the Grim sat stoned faced, hidden as the riders approached. Grendze poked the Cat just to make sure he was in fact awake only to be answered by a low rumbling growl.

The Alliance searched the mines looking for enemies, doubtful there were none. Until they made for the standard both Julkah and Grendze would remain hidden. As they waited for the moment of attack, they could see more Alliance pouring over the ridge from Waterworks and more Grim coming from the Lighthouse. A melee was to ensue and Grendze had to banish the craven inside him as a dirty Gnome began offending the Horde banner. " FOR THE HORDE!!!!" Yelled our Goblin as he plunged his blade into the squealing Gnome's pink backside. Tiger claws and blood flowed forth and everything around him was chaos except for the Gnome, the flag, and the blade in his hands.

[Grendze]

Grendze had been hacking madly at the priest by the water mill. As the holy man healed his group he simply ignored the Goblins efforts and created a shield of holy protection. Plate was not even this frustrating. The rogue could find a weakness in most any armor but this power turned his blade away like magnets of opposite charge. No matter how true a strike the dagger would glance off the priest. His hands ached from the futile effort.

"FALL BACK!" was the command.

At the Lighthouse Grendze had gotten caught in the ropes of the flag pole and hung from his feet throwing knives at anyone coming close. Eventually Guduk untied him and bid him go to the mines while they cleaned up the mess. It was easy for the little one to sneak off. No one ever paid much attention to a Gobo unless one was at your feet or on your back.

All was well at the mine and only the faint strike of pick on stone could be heard from deep inside the mouth of the cave. Grendze approached silently looking for the cat Julkah. He found him in what looked like the middle of a nap. Before he had even settled into guard duty forms made shape on the horizon. One, two, now three. He whispered into his stone that they had company then turned it off. Both of the Grim sat stoned faced, hidden as the riders approached. Grendze poked the Cat just to make sure he was in fact awake only to be answered by a low rumbling growl.

The Alliance searched the mines looking for enemies, doubtful there were none. Until they made for the standard both Julkah and Grendze would remain hidden. As they waited for the moment of attack, they could see more Alliance pouring over the ridge from Waterworks and more Grim coming from the Lighthouse. A melee was to ensue and Grendze had to banish the craven inside him as a dirty Gnome began offending the Horde banner. " FOR THE HORDE!!!!" Yelled our Goblin as he plunged his blade into the squealing Gnome's pink backside. Tiger claws and blood flowed forth and everything around him was chaos except for the Gnome, the flag, and the blade in his hands.

[Julkah]

Jul'kah's face splits into a wide grin as the as the gnome begins his attempt on the flag, and he and Grendze attack with lightning precision. The poor fellow didn't even have a chance to turn around before he'd lost too much blood to even stand. Quickly, the pair turn to face the remaining two allies, hoping to dispatch them before their reinforcements can arrive. Jul locks eyes with a Night Elf Druid: already casting regenerative spells on the Worgen Warrior to her right. With a roar he pounces, flying over the elf's head and twisting mid-air. Landing behind her, he shreds at her back viciously with his claws and tusks as Grendze targets the warrior, ducking and rolling nimbly out of his reach while making quick strikes to weak points in the warrior's armor.

But, for every new slice in the elf's skin, an old one closes. And for every stab Grendze makes, he's forced to take two steps back, all the while the Allied reinforcements grow dangerously nearer as the Grim's struggle to catch up. Jul hisses angrily, doubling his efforts on the druid, but in vain... The Allied reinforcements have arrived.

Both Jul and Grendze abandon their targets and begin fighting defensively, attacking only those who make a move for the flag, while dipping, dodging, jumping and rolling away from incoming strikes. He hisses again, hoping he can just hold out until the Grim arrive. Just then he hears a shout from Leyujin: "Abandan da Mine! Ever'wan strike Watah Work!" Grendze immediately tosses a smoke bomb to the ground, disappearing altogether into the shadows. Jul looks around, finding himself surrounded by blues. His ears and whiskers droop.

Jul shifts forms, becoming a bear. A deep growl builds in his throat as his powerful paws begin to smash a clear path through the blues towards Waterworks, but for every step he takes, more blades, curses, and spells reign upon him. His growl becomes an agonized roar.

Just as Jul thinks he can take no more, he headbutts a human before him: his tusks sinking easily into the man's abdomen. As the man falls, Jul sees an open path before him. Immediately, Jul returns to his cat form and begins sprinting forward, but a Mage's frost bolts continue to keep him slow. Jul begins frantically shifting forms- bear, cheetah, cat, cheetah, troll, cat, bear, cat, cheetah... It's practically impossible to tell what he is; just a shifting white and blue blob. A warrior charges to intercept him, only to fall flat on his face, his legs tangled by thorny roots that sprung from the ground.

By the time Jul reaches the Waterworks, his breathing has become ragged gasps and his sprint no more than a limp. Blood pours from multiple deep wounds and dribbles from his mouth, and his eyes begin to shift in and out of focus. Drearily, he calls out for healing as the Horde's flag is torn down behind him, replaced by one of blue and gold.

[Leyujin]

“Dis be where we make o’ break, Siegebreakahs! Ovah an’ at dem!” Leyu’jin roared, splashing through the river to the other bank. Daviani followed along behind him, the two druids Sangjai and Swifthoof morphing like fish leaping from the water as seals. Knithawk had already blinked across the divide, his bony hands weaving a stream of magic runes. With a sudden pop of air, the human paladin standing at the banner point turned into a sheep. Narrowing his eyes, the forsaken mage hurried to place the Horde’s flag. “You know there’s more of them,” the druid Swifthoof said, rising from the river banks like a leviathan.

The mage grumbled as he began to tear down the Alliance’s blue and gold. At that moment, a night elf druid and a worgen hunter stepped from the shadows; one raised her hands and the other his gun. An bullet hissed as a flare of arcane fire descended on Knithawk, who simply grunted and raised a hand, blunting the bullet’s force with a shield of mana. The moonfire passed through the rippling energy and set part of the forsaken’s robes on fire. Frost formed on Knithawk’s skin and he sent out a spear of ice at the hunter, which glanced off the worgen’s chestmail, tearing a bloody rift.

The paladin popped back out into human existence as Grendze the rogue appeared from the shadows, burying his blades into the chinks of the paladin’s armor. “Kill THIS guy, people!” the goblin exclaimed. Leyu’jin nodded tersely to Daviani. “Go, take ‘im out. Ah’ll sit on da druid,” the troll said. Letting out an ululating cry, Leyu’jin thundered forwards, slamming his shield into the night elf and knocking him down. Behind him he heard Grendze yell, “His shield’s up!” The sin’dorei warrior replied, “Breaking…”

And then it was all over. Jul’kah stumbled from the river, to be wreathed in swirling clouds of glowing leaves. Invigorated, the druid shook his fur, roaring, then the big cat surged forwards, tackling the bestial hunter to the ground. As Sangjai placed the banner, blades and spell fell on the druid and the worgen alike, bringing them down in a spray of blood. Stepping back, a gigantic grin spread from ear to ear of the white-maned troll. The Horde’s colors flew over the Waterworks.

[Deminthus]

As Leyujin fearlessly leads his six warrior to overtake the Waterworks, he informs Deminthus over the goblin communicator that he is to defend the Lighthouse with Guduk and Ashenfury. This soon to be incoming wave of filthy pink skins were no doubtedly going to be large in number and all at once with the kind of firepower Leyujin was reigning down on the Waterworks. No fear though, with Ashenfury and Guduk by his side, Deminthus had no doubts that even though difficult, this task could prove to be rather fun.

Deminthus blessed the trio, preparing for one of the most difficult skirmishes of his life. The only ones to prove more difficult were those that ended standing next to a spirit healer. As the wave of blue shirts enveloped the three, Ashenfury released his wolves and cast Bloodlust. Whatever foul smelling creature was nearest the shaman never stood a chance with him and Guduk working off eachother; his menders obviously as shocked as he was.

Even though one had fallen so quickly, the trio were still faced with four fiercely angry blue shirts. The falling of their comrade fueled a fire that tipped the odds of battle. Guduk and Ashenfury switched to defensive mode as Deminthus hid from sight behind a few skiffs stacked to the side. As more Alliance fell from Leyujin's assault, more were reinforcing their Lighthouse assault. Just when all seemed to be lost, two frostbolts streaked across the field, alleviating Deminthus of his two attackers. When free, Deminthus looked over to see Knithawk transforming their mender into a sheep. At that moment Ashenfury and Guduk jumped on the only other mender, making easy work of him.

Little by little the force was dwindled down to one last mender, still in sheep form. The four of them stood around laughing and sticking the helpless animal with their blades. Deminthus said aloud, "Wonder if he would taste like sheep or pink skins if we were to cook him right now?" Ashenfury, obviously having attempted such a feat before, mutters "Tastes like filthy chicken."