Theoden report, part 2 :

As this second war horn rung, we had but a few seconds to ready ourselves.

I decided to switch from a blessing to a targeted reinforcement of our defenses.

Using the faith in my oath, I designated Bri as my target of protection. She was by far the most resilient member on our front.

So I took the gamble and put everything on her.

A decision that revealed itself to be wise, as the terrifying creature that is Bri became near untouchable.

I spent most of the time trying to not get hit and keep up this protection.

It was in the few last moments that I could help taking down some spined devils and a couple imps with a few tridents I had on me.

I took an arrow to the side, but got quickly healed by a strange man wearing purple glasses and a hat. I unfortunately do not know the name of our helper.

The battle finally ended, and there were no casualties to report. Which is a miracle, considering that everyone seemed lost on strategy during this fight.

The only thing that saved us was the might of some of our most experience members. Without them, we would have definitely lost this battle.

I hope that in the future, a leader shows itself to take the lead during troubling times like these. Otherwise, I fear the Syndicate might fall one day.

After everything calmed down, we regrouped in the hall to count the heads. No one was missing fortunately.

But it seemed that this fight had troubled more than one. As Solia started a heated argument with Sir Yashir.

Where they found the energy to fight after such a grueling battle, I do not know. I heard that some people call this "drama". I'm not sure to be familiar with the concept.

Seeing that this argument was to last, I decided to take my leave and rest.

As we say in Cormyr : the sun will rise tomorrow.

Theoden Brightshield

A second wave.

Someone must be really hating our presence here.

Am I safe? Should I stay alert? Maybe I should start investigating, even if I am not payed to.

17 Flamerule 1502 D.R., Part 2

The second wave was worse than the first. Our kobold allies, largely inept as they had been, were still useful in the first wave; they were all dead when the second came. Worse yet, I was caught outside, trying to prevent the catapults from being reused -- and the enemy did not notice me there, and focused all of their attention upon Arlis and the kobold called Snap. Brave and competent as they both are, they are not as resilient as I, and the arrows of our enemies took a dreadful toll upon them from which they would spend the rest of the battle recovering.

Still worse, invisible imps had slipped within the walls of the Syndicate and were slaughtering our kobold artillery. Surx linked some of our minds, and I let Solia know about them -- but they got the drop on her even as she hunted them. I confess I rather lost my head when I heard her fall, but Arlis and Surx talked me down, and the latter went to her aid in my stead.

The battle was grueling from there, but reinforcements arrived from the members of the Syndicate who hadn't made it in the first wave. Finally, once the hobgoblin captains were slain, the remaining forces lost their morale and were quickly routed.

Now all that remains is to deal with Orlak himself. Before he strikes again.

-- Yashir adh Rumahr

17 Flamerule 1502 D.R.,

Just when Jue thought that the attempt at a siege has ended, did come the second wave of Goblinoids and Devils. Jue still doesn't know why they decided to siege the Syndicate, but Jue believes it was likely something that happened because of the other members. An adventures live is hard and filled with friends and enemies alike.

During the second Wave, Jue was mostly on defence using the balista's the Kobold defenders left behind after they fulfilled their purpose and died. Jue is still lacking and thus Jue did not contribute much to the defence, but Jue did hit some flying devils with the Balista.

The second wave was defeated easier then the first, as the western front came together and got reinforcement from the east. In the end the Syndicate was victorious and our enemies lied dead or were running. Jue doesn't believe this is the last time the Syndicate will be attacked, so Jue formally requests through this report to shore up the defences of the Syndicate. Mostly the Western Side, as the North, East and South have better equipment, placement and structures.

• Jueinuma, formerly of the Balista

Attack on the Syndicate (Wave 2)
17 Flamerule, 1502 DR

I should forewarn that to this day I still am unclear regarding who Orlak is. I know he is a goblin mage who has angered the veteran members of the Syndicate. And now I am aware of what forces he can summon. This is a dangerous character, and an enemy to us all. Regardless, I will recount my time defending my home.

The day started like any other, chatting with folks in the feast hall. Then drums and horns sounded in the valley. We took up arms and rushed out, finding an attack on the eastern and western fronts. My group in the east defended marvelously.

With Vincel and Bri on the frontlines, Orri and Tealight manning the balistae, and a mix of Jax, Tova, Aber, Theoden, and myself, we held the bridge. Bugbears, imps, and spined and bearded devils battered us. No one collapsed, and especially no one died.

I hear the western front struggled. A lack of chemistry and communication it seems. Multiple folks fell, brought back from the brink thanks to our healers. But when the eastern front retreated, so had the west. Only the various kobolds who serve our Syndicate were not so lucky- many perished due to flying devils that escaped our attention.

Days later, we still recover. But we persist. The Glassfang Syndicate is both resilient and stubborn.
-------
Loot
- A lot.
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Rest in peace, my kobold friends. -Sylkran "Sylk" Teke'zynge

And ANOTHER thing. There aren't even any protections on the Syndicate to keep out hostile enemies. Anybody in the world can more than likely walk right up to the Syndicate and just curse it and we wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Would Thrax even care if I tried to assist in making a plan. Would anyone care about having a proper plan developed when some have egos that are shoved so far up their own asses they can't listen to anyone except themselves.

I actually can't.

Location: Syndicate

There was so many voices telling us to advance and retreat. And then the big shadow tentacles blocked the bridge so it was hard for us to reach the enemy. It would have been okay if the fuckin' goblins and hobgobbles didn't have ranged attacks. Got rained on with arrows and fuckin' weird stick magic. Snap and me both went down, I can't remember how many times. We were lucky Fen was there and the drow girl, Wuyon'e showed up. Found out that there were even some new recruits that showed up to aid.

We're still feeling the wounds that the siege had caused. I hope though, that after all of the frustration and anger, it'll bring the Syndicate together. I know Sal wants to work on a strategy in case something like this happens again... And... I have a strong fuckin' feeling this won't be the last siege on the Syndicate...

17 Flamerule 1502
The Syndicate

The reprieve between assaults was disappointingly brief.

A second wave descended upon the Syndicate before many of us had properly recovered from the first. The enemy forces were larger than before and showed no signs of hesitation.

A fellow fey asked for my assistance in dealing with a bearded devil that had broken through our lines. Together we focused our efforts upon it, and after a difficult struggle, we succeeded in bringing the fiend down.

Side note: I should ask them if they would be willing to help train me sometime. They fought with remarkable confidence, and I suspect there is much I could learn.

There was little time to dwell on the thought.

A drake covered in jagged spines managed to slip past our front line and take to the air. With relatively few combatants capable of meeting it above the battlefield, I diverted my attention to intercepting it. After a brief chase through the skies, we managed to bring the creature down before it could cause further damage.

While airborne, I also assisted in clearing several imps that had perched atop one of the defensive towers, harassing those attempting to hold the walls.

The battle was long, exhausting, and far bloodier than the first assault.

Yet, despite the overwhelming numbers, the Syndicate held.

When the last of the enemy finally fell, an uneasy silence settled over the battlefield. Our walls still stood. Many were wounded. Some would require much time to recover.

But we had endured.

I cannot help but admire how readily the Syndicate's members stood beside one another. Adventurers, staff, kobolds, strangers—when the attack came, distinctions mattered very little.

For today, at least, we all fought as one.

17 Flamerule 1502 D.R.

...the second wave arrived. I found an imp, or rather it found me. I spent part of the time on the floor of the Syndicate until Surx could arrive to get me back up. All I was able to effectively do was shoot from afar, and even then not very well.

I was in my own head... unfocused. Yashir was hurt, Arlis was hurt, Bri was hurt... everyone... everyone was hurt. And no one could rally a defense that made any kind of sense. The orders came to fall back, and eventually the strongest among us were able to drive off the second advance. I'm disgusted with my own performance and inability to control anything. Of course I trust my friends and companions, but the sight of them hurting that badly over a domino I tipped is more than I can handle.

I want that goblin's head. I want him to bleed for what he's done to me, to these people that I love and to the innocents he used to get where he is. I don't care what it takes. I'm not resting until this task is done.

I don't know how it happened, or why, but we were attacked. I came out to chaos- an injured man who I healed and followed outside, only to see fighting on the bridge. I ran to a ballista. I loaded and fired it a few times. Someone was down. I got him up, but the order for retreat came and was ignored by the many, as those I needed to heal rushed into the fray. It was exhausting, I barely got to hit anything or revel in the bloodshed, and I still never got answers.

They also killed my favorite waiter kobold. So, I will have to enact my vengeance sooner or later.

Battle cries. Yells. The second wave hit. Cyrus had been too late to help with the first.

On the western front, goblin archers bombarded Fenris, Arlis, and Yashmir on the front, empowered by their hobgoblin captains. In the back, Jue, Cyrus, Salviron, Wutony'e, and Ivor cast spells, fired ballistas, and held the line as they could.

When a call to retreat sounded, Cyrus echoed it, moving to help Wutony'e heal an injured Arlis to the front and dousing the bridge with oil as he left. He followed the orders and retreated into the Syndicate where he helped the injured kobolds as he could.

aNoThEr WaVe Of iNsIgNiFiCaNt GoBlInOiDs, bUt ThOsE fIeNdS aRe FeEdInG mE wElL sO i'Ll Go FoR tHeM As WeLl!

NoNe PaSsEd ThE bRidGe AnD iNsTeAd BeCaMe FuEl FoR oUr FiRe! BuT tHe LiMiTaTiOnS oF tHiS vEsSeL sToPpEd Us FrOm TaKiNg ThEm AlL! wE nEeD tO rEgAiN mOrE oF OuR aRcAnE mIgHt AnD sOoN!

aLtHoUgH yOu GaVe Us A wOnDeRfUl OfFeRiNg VeSsEl, So We'Ll Be KiNd AnD sPaRe ThEsE wOrThLeSs SyNdIcAtE mEmBeRs OuR dEsTrUcTiOn, FoR nOw, EvEn If SoMe ArE pRoMiSiNg FoR oUr GrOwTh!

If a moment of respite was to be had, it did not come quick enough before the Syndicate was further assaulted by another wave. Bri and I stood on the front lines as the newest members of the Syndicate provided back up, and quickly our work began. Taking out force after force, devil and goblin alike fell to our weapons. Despite it all, I had the utmost confidence in our capabilities. My faith never wavered in us.

The other side did not fair as well. Orders of retreat were mistakenly taken on our side, when we needed to press our advantage. Members began to pull back when they should have remained, and I was left momentarily aghast at the sheer witlessness of the circumstances. Despite this, of course, we prevailed, and pushed them back further, routing what forces remained and solidified the Syndicate as a force to be reckoned with.

Exact details of what occurred are still unclear, even now as I write this. The specifics are not important, however. We won. The only casualties were the kobolds, and that is good enough.

17th of Flamerule, 1502 DR

Mostly the same people

When we thought all their troops were gone, already a difficult battle, a second wave of them came, as large as the first. This one, somehow, went even worse than the first. Especially for me...

The goblins so chose that I was a prime target, along with Arless. It seemed as though arrows and magic were sent at nobody but us two for many, many turns. I crawled my way through the bridge, failing to hit anybody. Jasmal nearly retreated as well, after somehow knowing some Sophia went down inside the building.

I rushed to a ballista, flying up to a tower. But by the time I got a shot off, which missed entirely, they were finally retreating. Battered and tired, I spent the night up there.

Fortunately, we had no member casualties. Unfortunately, we had many staff ones.

I hope if we ever find ourselves in such a situation, which ideally does not happen, our communication improves.

• Snap

Realizing I never got around to writing this here set of notes, I figured I would provide a little bit about the second time around. We held the place even stronger the second time around. My storm fulfilled all it needed to. Fireballs sent. Vincel was a force, Sylk was a force, Everyone, Bri, hells I can't even remember all those that were there.

Apparently the goblin responsible for it is no longer as the veterans were able to track him down and take care of the issue.

I am growing and growing more and more powerful. Next time anyone tries a siege, they will not fair so kindly.

~Tova~