Aloria Story Progression As Lightning From Stone

[MonMarty]

The Obermark would once more be center of military attention reaching the end of April, though this time not by the hands of the Lieutenant General who was still in Ellador, this time rather by the hands of the Inspector Admiral Count Valdemar. The Inspector Admiral started with a relatively promising rotation of decrees, practicing the naval routes, getting acquainted with the waterways and attempting to seek closer relations with the King of Nordskag. His unfortunate mistake however, came when he decreed that the navy should capture one of the Mirnoye Stormbreakers. Privateering and Piracy of the waterways by Regalian Naval vessels was nominally not illegal, especially since the Navigation acts declared Regalian sovereignty over all waters, and all nations had simply to respect those proclamations. Attacking a vessel with the intent to capture it however, was always a risky and diplomatic move, a gamble which Count Valdemar made incorrectly in this case.

The first engagement occurred when three Girobaldin Fregats, RS Wodenstaff, RS Vladimir and RS Norn escorting a Regalian merchant colonne encountered a Mirnoye Stormbreaker. Despite knowing nothing about the Novilyud military capabilities, the Frigates broke off from the convoy and encircled the Stormbreaker vessel which moved very slowly. The Fregats opened their gunports and prepared the grappling hooks, though as soon as the grappling hooks flew out, the Stormbreaker struck back. Stormbreakers themselves were strange vessels, resembling almost floating coffins made of black wood, with seemingly no real method of propulsion. When the grappling hooks made contact with the top deck (which had no sailors or anyone on it), a hatch opened and a black granite obelisk was raised. The crews of the Fregats seemed woefully unaware of this happening and were preparing to board the vessel with the intent to capture, as their Inspector Admiral had commanded the fleet that any Stormbreaker met should be captured and brought back to harbor. Then the markings of the granite stone lit up, and the chaos erupted.

When the markings of the stone reached the top of the object itself, a light formed and immediately a flashing arc of lightning shot out from it, hitting the RS Wodenstaff. The ship immediately and violently tore apart, the arc of lightning hitting the gunpowder storages and violently exploding. The explosion was so heavy that it rocked the other boats, breaking the boarding lines. The captains of the RS Norn and Vladimir immediately tried to break contact and save the sailors that were drowning, having jumped off the RS Wodenstaff that was quickly sinking. Some Mirnoye sailors now appeared on the deck carrying strange tubes and chords. They attached them to various segments of the ship while the Granite stone was dragged further to the front of the deck. There, when they connected those tubes to the granite stone, the markings lit up once more. Both the RS Norn and Vladimir now tried to sail full sail and started opening fire with their cannons. A few shells hit the sides of the Stormbreaker, causing it to make water, but it did not seem to hold back its attack, as a second arc of lightning shot its way to the RS Norn.

The force of the lightning arc was so severe that the entire front bow of the ship shattered, the front sail collapsed onto the water and the whole ship started pulling over to starboard, yet remained afloat. A nearby merchant vessel quickly approached, attached pulling lines to the Norn and dragged her out of the combat zone while the RS Vladimir was now fully in position to hammer the enemy vessel with cannonfire. The cannonfire seemed to work, the Mirnoye were screaming and yelling as their ship started pulling on its rear end. The Regalians were ready to start rescue operations on the sailors still in the water as the Mirnoye started disappearing under the water, before one last arch of lightning shot from the granite pillar and raked the RS Vladimir, incinerating nearly half the crew in an instant. The captain's quarters was completely destroyed and the steering controls were utterly wrecked, though this ship too was saved by a Merchant vessel that quickly approached and towed it back to port.

The Mirnoye quickly caught wind of the military action, and considered the Regalian attempt to seize a vessel of theirs nothing short of a declaration of war. The Mirnoye sent a single messenger to inform the Regalians that the Mirnoye considered themselves in a state of war with the Regalian Empire, and would come to cleanse the Skagger coasts of Regalian presence. Stormbreaker vessels could be seen mobilizing just beyond the Maelstrom from the Nordskag coast, alerting both Regalian and Nordskag forces of an impending invasion.


The King of Nordskag was reportedly outraged at this unnecessary provocation. He was forced to sign a truce with the Hvitskaggers and halt his momentum to split his forces south to prevent Nordskag itself from being invaded, while the Emperor who was still on military training with the Obermark wasn't all too pleased. The Emperor took three battleships from the Ostmark Theatre, the RS Blackmark, the RS Silverwolf and the RS Poppy along with the Nautknight Laridae with him to reinforce the Obermark, and also personally proceeded to join this naval detachment to reinforce the Obermark personally to oversee future movements by the Inspector Admiral and Lieutenant General in that Mark.


Back at home, Regalians worried, for they had never faced the Mirnoye people in battle, and knew even less about them. Were they magical? Did they have technology that Regalia did not? How was a single Stormbreaker able to defeat three Fregats? Would the Battleships and Nautknights defend Regalia? Was a war with the Northerners really that necessary for Regalia right now? Questions that would be answered in the future, as the Mirnoye were very clearly not playing around, and all eyes were now on the Obermark to see how the leaders would respond after this procovation.

 

[FireFan96]

When word final reached the Kaisermark Lieutenant-General's office, the reaction was less than desired. The fuming Drache proceeded to flip over the planning table in the middle of the room, sending papers and troop markers careening down to the floor below. The next step wasn't too different, as the enraged man tore apart his map of the Archipelago, which just days ago had the Drixagh plan mapped out on it. Storming out of the ransacked room, the Lieutenant-General ordered his nearby troops to fix the office at his return.

All was not quiet on the home front.

 

[Valentinian]

A reminder to look at (these rules). Only IC responses are permitted on progression posts.

 

[Wumpatron]

The news of the recent campaigns of the Obermark would reach the ears of the Logistics Consul Nicolas Delacroix. Knowing that there was nothing he could do at this time, he sat down and began to write a letter to the Inspector-Admiral and Lieutenant-General. A smile upon his face as he wrote. Once finished, the Consul ensured that his letter would reach the Obermark with the next available supply shipment.

"Spirit be with you both. The world is watching."

 

[Anseran]

Whitlock sighed and thought to himself for a few moments... His eyes glistened across the bristling tavern, and it was clear that the bustling couldn't be compared to the perhaps soon cracks of thunder and lightning that they may soon be riddled with. Even so, he lowered his head... "I wonder if I could sail for the navy..."

 

[Arganam]

As Sir Jonathan Birkwood, logistic coulcilor, read this news, he stoop up from the dinner table, and quickly walked out of the room. He proceeded to knock a table over, before putting it upright, and laying a map of the three skags out, trying to figure out a supply line, and plan of attack.

 

[ScaledSupremacy]

As these news reached Edmure's ears he grit his teeth, sinking a bit in his seat.
"What in the spirit's name is that man doing up there."

 

[StarkFromAway]

The Kaisermark Inspector-Admiral grit his teach as he signed his latest orders, sitting back in his office chair with a deep groan.
"Damn it, Valdemar! You had one thing to do! Gah!"
With that, Nathaniel stood, making his way out of the room as he lit a cigar.

 

[CptSilvyrall]

When Syrum would hear the news, he would sigh, and mutter at a volume only he could hear:
"Well, good luck to those getting back by boat..."

 

[fantuinn]

Arl would promptly yell and screech, running through his Tribe's home. In his eyes, the Shendar were winning. "We did it! Regalia's falling! Woooo!" probably waking up the other members of the Tribe.
He promptly smacked his head into a support pillar, and passed out.

 

[Conflee]

Conf: Shrugged , "Not like we could have predicted they had lightning rocks. Who the void in their right mind would be able to even guess that?"

 

[Epsilyon]

Cerysia leant back in her chair upon hearing the news, giving a long and disappointed sigh as she let the occasional sparks of static around her hand flicker between fingers. The notice was less than pleasing, seeing the conflict grow while the crown ran without the point leaders.

"Oh by Estel, they figured out how to make magical cannons."

 

[Mortisian]

Out on the Trade lines in the Obermark Theatre, the Inspector Admiral was busy penning away at this and that. Suddenly a frantic knocking erupted upon his door as he called out, "Come in." The courier came bounding in and placed a correspondence upon his desk. "Inspector Admiral sir! This is the recent report from our first encounter with the Mirnoyes Storm Breaker vessels its...its not pleasant." Eirik exhaled through his nostrils and began reading it over, each line getting worse and worse until he finally sets it down reading over the casualty numbers and their names. He rose from his desk and looked to the courier with a neutral gaze saying simply. "I will be writing to the families of these people to explain to them what happened. Ensure that you are ready to send them out once I finish. Their families will want to know and mourn." The courier saluted and moved out of the room before Eirik returned to his desk and began writing a new letter to the first name.

To the family of Deckhand James McHallister,

My name is Inspector Admiral Eirik E. Valdemar of the Obermark Theatre. Your son served under my command upon the RS Wodenstaff, a Regalian Navy Battleship stationed within my Theatre. His vessel was tasked with the acquisition of an unknown piece of technology to our Empire the, Storm Breaker vessels that the Mirnoye possessed and did his best to do as was ordered. He along with the crew of the vessel however, were shot down by this strange piece of technology that the Mirnoyes had upon their vessel. His body was retrieved drowned within the water after the ship had begun to sink. It is with my condolences that your son James, has perished in the line of duty. I know that my words can do nothing to shoulder the burden of a lost loved one, nor will any amount of stipend be enough to grant you relief from this sorrow. However, take heart in knowing that your son fought for the Empire and by proxy he served the Great Way of Unionism as a proud Regalian sailor within the Obermark fleet. Take this letter to the local recruitment office of your household and there you will receive 6 months of the pay he would have received should he have lived on through this coming war. Again, I thank you for allowing your son to serve and sacrifice himself in the work of our Empire. Spirits Blessings Mrs. McHallister.

Sincerely,
Inspector Admiral Count Eirik "Einhenjar" Valdemar of the Obermark Fleet