Japhet's Folly Assault pt.1

[AN]: I don't really have experience with such big battles, so I appreciate any tips on how to do them better. There is a decent chance things may get confusing or inconsistent. If it does, please forgive me. Alright. Here we go with the big fight.

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Rictus looked out over the water as the sun's rays splayed across the horizon. The boat was rocking as the waves rose and fell. Men and women were constantly trimming sails and working the ropes as the ship moved forward relentlessly towards their objective. They had left Winterhold last night and should be there sometime after noon since the wind was with them.

Boarding the East Empire Company's ships had gone off without a hitch. The Restored and Winterhold guardsmen were spread out between a couple of the ships since there was not enough room for them all on a single ship despite the impressively large sailing vessels. It was best not to have too many people crammed together on a boat anyways. Having them spread out also helped ensure there would be a better chance at least one of the ships would be able to land and let off the ground forces.

The boat Rictus was on was the largest one in the fleet. Despite appearing as a trading vessel, it was well equipped for battle. There were 6 ballistae on the ship. 1 on the bow and stern, and 2 on both the port and starboard side. Each had a variety of different types of bolts from the standard bolts to ones which were basically an exploding firepot on a stick. That last type was apparently a closely guarded alchemical secret the Company had a monopoly on and was much more powerful and stable than the normal firepots. Maybe the Restored will eventually get some people who are skilled in alchemy and be able to recreate them. The few which found their way into Rictus's storage would be a great baseline.

The leadership were all located on the ship as well. The main leaders were Rictus, Jarl Korir, and Adelaisa. Adelaisa was the official leader of the foray since she commanded the fleet and was the highest-ranking member of the East Empire Company. Rictus and Korir were basically acting like marines on a navy ship. Yes, they were all on the same side, but they were only under her command while on the ships. Once they landed, Rictus and Korir would be on their own.

It wasn't long till Rictus's peaceful morning got interrupted by Ken. Apparently, another one of his Restored was feeling a bit seasick. The sailors had been a bit disappointed at the lack of sickness on board. Usually, they would have friendly wagers on who would get sick the most or puke the furthest when a group of land lovers boarded their ships. Rictus had ruined all their fun. A little bit of imagination, his knowledge of the human body, and some magic had seen to that. His alter body spell had worked wonders on restoring equilibrium to the inner ear of his people and thus staved off the normal seasickness many would suffer. After spending a bit of time with the normal rank and file, it was time for a final strategy meeting.

The meeting was in the captain's quarters. It was a mostly spartan room besides the giant table in the middle of the room with a detailed map of northern Tamriel. Everyone who would take part in the meeting was already there. Adelaisa was there representing the company. A grizzled looking imperial named Ashtemius was there as the commander of the EEC's warriors. Jarl Korir was there for the forces of Winterhold. Ken, Reysera, and Faralda were also there providing counsel. The final surprise member there was Dante representing the Vigilante of Stendarr.

Rictus had been caught off guard by the man joining him. Dante had apparently heard about the actions of the pirates while going around and doing the good work of Stendarr. Once he found out there was going to be an assault on their main base, he joined their little expedition along with a handful of the faithful. It was a welcome addition in Rictus's mind, even if it did mean he couldn't try out the Sanguine Rose in combat. The additional group of mages proficient in Restoration magic and combat were a good trade for not using the artifact, especially given the news Dante had brought with him.

"Alright, I just want to reiterate what I had found out during my travels. These Blood Horkers have been busy recruiting anyone they can get their hands on. Rumors being forced to join or have you soul captured in a black soul gem run rampart through the seedier communities around Winterhold and the Pale. This has led some solitary necromancers and rouge mages rallying to their group, especially with the archmage putting so much pressure on them recently. There should not be a huge number of these additional mages, but they still present an additional threat. An unconfirmed rumor even mentions a daedra among their ranks, but we have no evidence of this being true."

The rest of the party was discouraged hearing what Dante had to say about the bolstered Blood Horkers. It showed the consequences of Morrigan's attempt at uniting all mages under her banner. While some joined, others fled her enforcers for what they saw as a haven from the Mage's College. Now, their job had gotten significantly more difficult.

Adelaisa brought everyone back out of their ruminations of the task ahead of them.

"This just provides even more reason for attacking now. The longer they go unopposed, the more power they shall accumulate. The Empire is too caught up in the civil war right now among other things. Our plan will succeed despite the additional opposition."

That got nods from everyone there as she continued with the basic plan they had created.

"As we have already discussed, the East Empire Company will provide the naval support against enemy ships. We will keep them tied up so they cannot land and flank the ground forces. Best case scenario, we launch the lifeboats and make landfall without them noticing. Worst case, we send the two ships holding the forces straight at the docks and unload that way. If possible, our ships will provide fire support before landing to weaken the defenders. Rictus will lead the main assault while Jarl Korir's forces will provide additional support and clear remnant forces since Rictus will focus on pushing the assault. Once we defeat the sea forces, we will continue fire support for as long as it is needed. Any questions?"

Determined looks were shared across the room. Everyone knew their responsibilities already, and this meeting was just in case there were any final remarks or changes. Everyone was dismissed after this to see for final preparations of their followers.

Korir and Faralda went off to talk to the couple of Winterhold guard captains. Faralda had decided to stay with the Winterhold forces since they lacked any magical support. Surprisingly, 3 apprentice mages had joined Faralda on this trip. They had been following her commands since the battle against the magical anomalies and did not want to abandon their leader now.

Rictus went down below decks with Ken and Reysera where all the Restored were resting in the cargo area. They were all doing last minute preparation or going through their own prebattle rituals. Some prayed, others sharpened their weapons, some had just a bit of mead for courage, while the faint sounds behind closed doors hinted at a different kind of activity. Each and every one of them were determined though. The pure confidence they looked at him with was humbling. These people had full confidence in his abilities and knew they would come out victorious in the end, despite the likelihood of casualties.

He shared a look with Ken who then went off to see to the men leaving just Rictus and Reysera.

"Reysera. I have a gift for you."

The dark elf quirked an eyebrow and smiled back at him.

"Oh? What could it be now? Another type of advance magic? Maybe some enchanted gear?"

"Just wait a second longer."

Rictus smiled at her confused look as his hand contacted her head. Her face soon morphed into shocked wonder as she felt a power coursing through her. Unlike Ma'randru-jo, she was much more experienced and powerful in magic which gave her a bit more awareness of what was happening. It was a totally unique feeling as she felt her magic changing and evolving. It was as if something clicked in her mind. Her thoughts raced as she made connections about her alteration magic she had never considered before. She turned a slightly awed face towards Rictus.

"What just happened?"

"I have made you my apprentice. I have a certain magical blessing which allows me to designate a few people as my apprentice. As my apprentice you will greatly improve your magical abilities in Alteration magics. Additionally, Ma'randru-jo tells me his magic overwent a qualitative change. He became more powerful, and his mana reservoir increased."

She had a slightly confused face at his explanation. She had never heard of something like this being done before. It made her so much more curious about what else the man before her knew about magic and the world around her. She had already joined the group and was planning on sticking around, but this solidified her desire to stay a part of this group and learn more about the possibilities of magic. There were not words worthy of showing her appreciation for this gift. Rictus seemed to understand her thoughts as he simply smiled and patted her shoulder in a gentle manner. The return of Ken with a group of 9 other Restored and a Vigilant of Stendarr brought the pair back to the present.

"I have brought the group we talked about. They should prove more than capable for the job."

"Good. I have a job for you Reysera."

"Of course. Tell me the job, and it is as good as done."

The confident remark amused all those around her. She had always been confident, but there was a new kind of energy there after going through what she just did. She didn't even notice the sly grin on the faces of the other Restored as they thought of why she could be acting so giddy after spending some alone time with Rictus.

"Ken, Dante, and I have discussed it, and we believe there will be a hidden entrance to the main base. I want you to lead this group around the island looking for it while we assault the base. Infiltrate it and cause whatever disruptions possible. I care more about your lives though so stay safe. Even if you cannot assault them from the rear, keep an eye out for anyone trying to escape. We do not want anyone not receiving the justice they so deserve."

Everyone nodded their heads in understanding. There was a little disappointment at not being with the main assaulting force, but they also felt honored at being chosen for a mission like this. Rictus was sure they would do their job well, especially after seeing Reysera take charge of the group and start strategizing with them about their objective.

Rictus started feeling a slight change in the air. It was extremely faint, but there was something different. A sailor running towards him distracted him from following up on the feeling.

"Adelaisa needs you on deck right away sir."

No time was wasted as he hurried to see what she wanted. As he got above deck, the feeling from before got stronger. Looking out ahead of the ship showed the problem. The sky was extremely overcast, and a dense magical fog was blocking their path. Adelaisa and the other leaders came towards him as they observed the fog.

"This is the work of Haldyn. We will have to try and take him out before we can assault the base. You will have to sneak in there and kill him before this fog lets up."

Rictus frowned at her comments. If he was going to have to sneak into the heavily populated pirate base alone, why did he even bother bringing all these people here. It was insanely risky for him to try and assault the base alone. Even if he took his people with him, they would most likely be discovered. It was possible for him to go alone and kill Haldyn, but then he would be stuck in the middle of a pirate base surrounded by enemies. He wasn't some main character in a video game or a sneak archer. He was a mage dammit.

"No. I will get rid of the fog and the assault will happen as planned. I may be busy keeping it at bay or low on magic after dispelling it, so Faralda would you be willing to help lead the assault in my stead? I doubt there would be anyone here capable of stopping someone as skilled as you."

The Altmer smiled at the compliment and nodded in agreement. Adelaisa was about to say something, but the buildup of pressure emanating from Rictus stopped her in her tracks.

Rictus started drawing upon his power. It was unreasonable, but he felt slightly insulted someone was trying to stop him by controlling the weather. A spell which he had mastered as the Skilled of Alteration. He could tell the person casting the fog was extremely powerful, but the spell creating the fog was not nearly as refined as his spells. A bit of rage began building in him at the thought of being denied so close to his target.

Rumbling could be heard in the sky. The wind started picking up, and the sailors rushed to trim the sails and drop anchor to keep the ship from going forward. Raindrops began falling in a light drizzle. The people on deck stared in wonder at the magic being wrought before their very eyes. Weather control was a very rare and powerful magic which was usually only done by a large group of powerful mages. It was not something really even seen in Tamriel anymore.

The fog was driven away by the wind and beat down by the rain. A bolt of lightning crackled across the sky as thunder trumpeted signaling the defeat of the fog. The pirate stronghold was finally revealed.

A large dock held 4 different ships which were still tethered to it. Another 2 ships were anchored a boat length away from it since all the spots were filled. There were a few different buildings near the water which looked like warehouses or storage areas. Past those, an open wooden palisade led further into the base. Another two walls of logs could be seen further up the island before reaching the large stone keep which sat at the very top of the island. Overall, it was roughly the size of Winterhold. It was not as sprawled out though and was hemmed in by the large rocks along the edges.

The East Empire Company ships wasted no time as they quickly made their way towards the pirate base aided by the strong winds whipped up by the storm Rictus created. The pirate ships were sitting ducks right now, especially since no one seemed aware an enemy fleet had appeared right at their doorstep. Even if they were noticed right now, the pirates could at best get two of their ships moving.

Adelaisa and her men were quick to alter their battle plans and sent up flags communicating with the other ships in the small fleet. They would swoop in and destroy the pirate fleet right now as they were still docked. Once the boats were destroyed, the ground forces would land and begin the assault while the ships would bombard the rest of the base at their leisure. The EEC people were so busy with starting the attack, they did not notice how Reysera and her Restored had already taken one of the lifeboats to begin looking for the hidden entrance.

Rictus pulled a chair out of his storage as he took a seat after working such large-scale magic. He would need a moment to rest before taking part in the assault if he wanted to be at full strength. He turned towards Faralda as he was sitting down. No words were shared as she simply nodded her head at his unspoken request. She would now be the leading mage for the assault. It really made more sense for a master of destruction to lead anyways.

A loud bell began ringing out, alerting the pirates something was wrong. Sadly for them, it was too late. The EEC ships were already right upon them and had already launched their first barrage at the moored ships.

Rictus calmly watched the battle play before his eyes as he continued resting. Experiencing a naval battle like this was a novel experience. It made him think of Earth's ancient sea battles. The EEC ships even had reinforced metal at the bow of the boat which they used to great effect ramming the 2 ships which were anchored away from the dock. The other 4 pirate boats were being bombarded by flaming pots and the exploding ballista bolts as the EEC ships set up a firing line. 2 of the smaller EEC ships had actually broken away from the initial assault as they would start patrolling so there would be no surprise ambush on the fleet.

Despite the slight rain, the pirate ships were up in flames in no time. The normal ship countermeasures to fire were too little too late. The pirates had not arrived in time to make a difference. Once the pirate ships started sinking, the EEC ships turned their fire towards the rest of the expansive pirate camp.

The ground forces had started marshalling and boats were being prepped as the ground invasion was about to begin. Rictus watched his men with pride as they would salute him before boarding their respective boats. He wanted to be right there with them on the first assault but knew he needed to wait. There would be more than enough fighting today, and there were more than enough enemies for everyone. If the heavy hitting mages of the pirates made an appearance, he needed to be prepared for a fight instead of wasting energy on the opponents his and the Jarl's men could easily handle.