Magic and Muskets: The River War (flintlock fantasy)

[IrishWolf]

War is stirring in the Vridux colonies. All winter long and into the spring, rumors have reached Governor General Augustin-Loup, Viceroy of New Theula, that the Brudians are planning a military expedition, from their colonies into the Wáhta Valley. The broad, flat lands on either side of the Wáhta River, to the west of the Oxrior Mountains, which had formed a barrier to the Brudians, cries out for settlement. Rich soil for farming, vast timber reserves and brimming with game. Not to mention, the deep river itself, runs far south to the sea and far north, right into the heart of the New Theula. In fact the Wáhta Valley or the Wáhta Country as the Brudians call it, is Theulian territory.

At first, the Governor General had dismissed such rumors. The original whisperings had mostly come from their allies among the Alfin tribes, the native peoples of Vridux. They are just pointed eared savages after all. These tribes had always been eager to make war on their rivals in the fur trade and their traditional enemies to the south and west. While the Viceroy had no problems pushing west, south would provoke Old World problems and he had forbidden the soldiers serving in the colonies from aiding their allies in raids southward. He had of course, ordered a vigorous defence from raids coming from the south.

As the winter thewed into spring, Theulian trappers, explorers and merchants, began reporting that the Brudian militia had been drilling through the winter and a great deal of supplies had been gathered near the Sterstead gap, where the Wáhta cut through the Oxriors. Worse still, a fast sloop had arrived from Theula, with intelligence from the Navy Ministry. A small convoy has sailed from Brudan, aiming for their colonies in Vridux, carrying at least one regiment of Regulars, a battery of guns and the supplies to raise yet more regiments of foot. It all points to an invasion of the Wáhta Valley.

The intelligence came with a promise that the Navy was raising more Colonial free companies of Marines, to bolster the defense of the colonies. There were also hints that regiments from the Royal Army might be sent and maybe the King was considering dispatching a mage. However, the Viceroy needed to act now, least the region be lost. Hopefully the Brudians wouldn’t be willing to fully commit to war, if the region was already settled or at least had a Theulian presence, rather than just the local Alfin tribes. Or at least they might hesitate and buy the Theulians time to reinforce their colonies.

Dispatches flew from Roubeuge, Capital of New Theula. Some ordered companies of Marines to march south, others added a few companies from the Provincial Guard, to the force, instructing them to build a fort in the Wáhta Valley. Militias were raised and ordered into the Valley, with promises that they would be allowed to settle the region, which had been forbidden before, least it provoke the Brudians. These militia men would also bring their families, allowing them to serve as camp followers, the cooks, washerwomen, farriers, blacksmiths and other hangerons, who would be needed to complete the objective.

However, not many soldiers from the regulars could be spared, without stripping the already stretched defenses of the colonies. Four understrength companies of Marines and three of the Guard, which when combines would still be three companies short of a full regiment. The militia was not to heavily counted upon. They were mostly to be a labor force and might be steady enough behind defensive works. Of course, there are far braver individuals among the militia, but most of them are of farming stock, intended to permanently stake the Theulian claim on the region.

So the call has gone out to the allied Alfin, for warbands to join the Theulians in the valley, with promises of weapons, munitions and support for raids. As well, envoys have been sent to the more local tribes, to bring them into the fold.

As work on the fort begins, a smaller force is ordered southwards, down the river, to establish an outpost near Sterstead gap. What is wanted, was at least one blockhouse with a palisade, overlooking the river, to emplace a pair of swivel guns and serve as a first line of defense. Forcing the blockhouse, should also slow down the Brudians, long enough for a messenger to warn the proper fort, up the valley. With any luck, a small township might spring up around it and the blockhouse could serve as a tax collection point, for river trade, in the future. 

Newly promoted Sergeant Luc Berger, has been placed in command of the effort to build the outpost. With him are his scouts, a small band of Marines and Alfin warriors, normally used to patrol the frontier. He has also been given command of a number of militiamen, to speed along the building of the blockhouse. Due to frictions between the officers of Marines and the Provincial Guard, several Guardsmen have been forced upon the Sergeant, so the Guard also has a hand in this ‘vital’ task.

Unknown to the Viceroy or anyone back in the Kingdom of Theula, Brudians are willing to risk open war. Tensions back in the old world are running high and war is a popular rallying cry, which is why the Brudian King was willing to back the proposal of the local Governor in Vridux. That and the promise of a quick victory. For Governor Ravenswood, has a secret weapon. In his employ are a set of triplets, three brothers, all of whom can touch magic. Now in the old world, their powers would be considered too weak to be proper mages but out on the frontier? Men who can throw balls of fire or hurl lightning, no matter how small or underpowered, can be devastating if unleashed at the right time. Say, the storming of a breach or setting fire to an enemy fort.

So, I am looking for players to take on the role of the scouts, both Marines and allied Alfin warriors, Provincial Guards, militiamen and a handful of camp followers, as they build the blockhouse and suffer the first blow of the Brudian invasion. They might just make it back to the real fort or have to spend the rest of the war, fighting Alfin style.

Magic
Magic is invoked with the speaking of special words and the right hand gestures. There is no one language of magic, as humans have learned, as they explore and colonize the world of Tirione. However, since they discovered writing, humans for have a single language, those few graced with the ability to use magic, conduct their spell work in, with unified hand gestures. A mage from one human nation, knows just what a mage from another is doing, if they can hear or see them. It is well documented, among human sources, that mages always have great appetites, for food, sex and drink. The more powerful the mage, the greater their desires. It is theorized that their bodies are tempting to fill the void, when magic is not flowing through the mage. It should be noted there are few fat mages, no matter their hunger but mages to tend to have lots of children, although said offspring have the same chance of being a mage, as one with none mage parents.

Alfin however, do not. The words vary from tribe to tribe, as do the gestures. They also have a great deal more magic users then humans do. However, these mages or shamans as the Alfin call them, as far far weaker then their human counterparts. In fact, when humans first landed on Vridux, they did not think the Alfin had mages and thus no human kingdom has invested time in studying Alfin methods. In fact, no Human mages have ever been sent to Vridux.

Where human mages make grand displays of their power, hurling fire and lightning or rise up walls of earth or tearing open the very ground beneath an enemy’s feet, Alfin magic is far more subtle. Shamans pour their energies into grinding herbs and plants in just the right way, chanting the words their teachers told them, to make health salves or more importantly, the body paint used by warriors. The warpaint can make a warrior stronger or faster or even luckier, in small ways. Just enough to overpower a bigger warrior or to make a long shot or run away. It is said that humans once used magic like this in the far past, druids painting warriors with woad but as writing evolved, so did their magic.

Colonial free companies of Marines

All of the Theulian colonies, scattered across newly discovered lands, are under the supervision of the Navy Ministry. To provide them with regular troops, the Navy raised scores of Colonial free companies of Marines. These men under arms, were never intended to serve aboard ships, despite being called Marines. Mostly recruited from port cities and their surrounding areas, many of these men are criminals, given the choice between the King’s Justice or the King’s Crown (a silver coin). Others are men who for one reason or another, need to leave the country. Some of young men looking for adventure. Colonial recruitment is discouraged, as most colonies have labor shortages.

Upon enlistment, each Marine is given the following;

Black felt tricorne hat
Grey-white and blue forage cap
Grey-white coat with copper buttons, blue cuffs and turnbacks
Blue long-sleeved waistcoat
White shirt
Blue breeches
Blue stockings
White woolen gaiters
Black leather shoes

Sea pattern musket (ten inches shorter than Land pattern)
Triangular bayonet
Hatchet
Cartridge box with thirty rounds
Powder horn

However, the Marines on the frontier are on the end of a very long supply line. Often they don't receive new uniforms for years. In the Vridux colonies, those uniforms are often intercepted by the Viceroy, to use them for his provincial guard. Not to mention, a good Theulian made woolen coat and tricorne are worth a good deal on the frontier, to the barely paid marines. Often the marines in the Vridux colonies, sell their coats or keep them for winter and use the waistcoat as their uniform in the warmer months. Those marines, who did not save their coat for winter, often wear a locally made coat called a capot, which is made of wool, hangs down to the knees and has a hood. Their tricornes also get sold and most marines wear either their forge caps or locally made knit caps. The woolen gaiters and leather shoes wear out rather quickly and tend to be replaced with Alfin style buckskin leggings and moccasins.

Their muskets, which are not sold, under threat of a flogging, do break, get lost or stolen. Sometimes there are extra sea pattern muskets for a marine to replace their longarm with but often those in the frontier garrisons, have to replace their weapon with a locally made musket, which will be of the same caliber but can’t take a bayonet. Other times they are replace them with the longer, more accurate but smaller caliber and longer to reload, hunting rifles made in the colonies. In some cases, the best one can do is a blunderbuss or fowling piece. Marines also tend to add fighting knives and pistols, when they can get them, to their personal armaments.

There are rumors that some of the men in the Colonial free companies of Marines, are not men at all but women in disguise. Young women who have made themselves up to look like boys, so they can enlist for adventure or to escape marriage. Some rumors say that these women are the wives of soldiers who died from disease or combat, taking their husband’s place, with the officers looking the other way, due to manpower shortages.

Such rumors, might be based in truth but are always denied.

Provincial Guard Regiment

The Provincial Guard are generally considered by most, to be the Governor General’s toy soldiers, raised from among the colonists. Until now, they have never been deployed more than a day or two’s march from Roubeuge. Not to mention, the Viceroy personally funds the regiment, with him named the Colonel-in-Chief. They are the most professional looking troops in the Theulian colonies, mostly because the Viceroy’s authority is used to get shipments of uniforms, weapons and acucuments, meant for the Marines, to find their way into the Guard’s storerooms. This has caused more then a little resentment, at least among the Marines and has also caused the Guard, to feel superior to the more shabbily dressed Marines.

Each Guard is equipped with the following;

Black felt tricorne hat
White and Bright yellow forage cap
Grey-white coat with copper buttons, blue cuffs and turnbacks
Blue long-sleeved waistcoat
White shirt
Blue breeches
Blue stockings
White woolen gaiters
Black leather shoes

Sea pattern musket
Triangular bayonet
Hanger (a small slightly curved sword)
Cartridge box with thirty rounds
Powder horn

Alfin Warriors

The Alfin are the native people of the Vriduxian continent. They resemble humans to a great degree, with long, tapering ears and a slightly darker skin tone, with black or dark brown hair. They live in villages, grouped into large tribes and even form confederacies or alliances, normally base around language. Like humans, there is no one Alfin language but families of languages.

The Alfin warriors or at least those of the tribes living in or around the human colonies forming New Theula, go into battle covered in warpaint. The face or even whole head, chest and arms are colored in patterns of black, red or blue, each unique to warrior with overlapping style by tribe. The greater amount of paint, the more skilled and experienced the warrior, although the sons of chieftains often get more paint then would another warrior of equal skill. These paints, made by the tribe’s shaman, are said to enhance a warrior’s skill. It is believed that an enemy must be able to see the warpaint for it to work and thus most warriors go into battle in little more than moccasins, leggings and breechcloth. Most warriors also shave the sides of their heads, leaving a strip of hair running over the top or shave most of their head, leaving only a knot of hair at the back of the skull. Their hair is then styled with tree resin and feathers. Piercings, of bone or those trading with the humans, gold or silver, are common.

It is uncommon but not forbidden for Alfin women, to take the warriors path. Most of the time, Alfin women only take up arms for a short period, in harsh winters, when the tribe needs as many hunters has they can get or in times of war, when the warriors are away and the village is attacked. However, some find they like the warrior life and remain as much. Others take up weapons for revenge and live only to fight their enemies. However, female warriors who get pregnant, are not allowed to fight or hunt and when the child is born, must give them up or stop being a warrior to raise the child.

Alfin warriors have a large variety of weapons;

Bows, with arrows tipped with bone, stone or steel
Lances, long spears again tipped with bone, stone or steel
Hatchets, stone or steel
Knives, stone or steel
Warclub, a one handed club with a rounded hardwood or stone ball at the end
Gunstock club, a two handed weapon, shaped like a musket stock, if far more flat
Muskets and rifles, either trade for, given as gifts, stolen or taken off the dead
Smallswords, again either trade for, given as gifts, stolen or taken off the dead
Some Warriors have had human blacksmiths make them custom weapons

Militia

Hunters, trappers, farmers and townsmen, the Militia is made up of all able bodied men in the Vridux colonies. Some groups are more than willing to defend their homes but not to leave them. Most of the militia in the Wáhta Valley, are there because they’ve been promised land there or are the more adventurous of the population, willing to go to war. Leadership among the militia is very loose, often each band will elect their officers. If they get lucky, such men are fighters and not just very boastful and convincing.

There is no uniform along the Militia or standard arms. Each man wears his own clothes, ranging from the jacket, waistcoat, shirt, breeches, stockings and shoes of the farmers and townsmen, to hunting shirts and even full Alfin garb. Weapons range from hunting muskets to rifles, blunderbusses, fowlers and pistols, with hatchets, woodaxes, knives, hammers and all manner tools, pressed into service.



Character Sheets

Code Select Expand


[b]Player:[/b]

[b]Name:[/b]

[b]Age:[/b]

[b]Gender:[/b]

[b]Race:[/b]

[b]Faction:[/b] (Marine, Guard, allied Alfin tribe, Militia or Camp follower)

[b]Rank:[/b] (if Marine or Guard)

[b]Appearance:[/b](pictures are welcome, please also give a written description)

[b]Sexual Preference:[/b]

[b]Equipment:[/b] (weapons, trinkets and gear)

[b]Backstory:[/b]


Current Roster

Luc Berger

Player: IrishWolf

Name: Luc Berger

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Faction: Marine

Rank: Sergeant

Appearance: Luc is a man of average height, standing around five foot six. He normally keeps his black hair trimmed short, forgoing the soldier’s queue and has grown a moustache, both of which would have gotten him punishment duty, back in Theula. His light brown eyes are wary and watchful, in his weathered face. Dozens of scars dot his hands, arms and chest, some are old and fading, from his less then lawful youth and some are more recent.

He has managed to keep or replace his issued shirt, waistcoat, breeches and forage cap. His coat and tricorne are long gone, as are his shoes and gaiters, which he replaced with buckskin leggings and moccasins.

Sexual Preference: Hetero, dominate

Equipment: Sea pattern musket, bayonet, hatchet, knife, cartridge box, powder horn, clay pipe, wooden canteen, oxhide pack with extra shirt, moccasins, extra thirty rounds, spare musket flints, tinderbox, bottle of applejack, tobacco pouch, mess kit, small brass spyglass, haversack with hardtack, dried beef, salt pork, dried peas, corn meal.

Backstory: Luc was born a bastard. His mother was a prostitute and who his father was, was a mystery, could have been a sailor or a merchant or a lord. His mother did her best for him, what little that was and tried to keep him safe. However, by the age of six, he was running with other street children and by the age of ten, had learn to pickpocket and beg. He did his best, when his mother grew sickly, to support her but when he was twelve, he was an orphan and homeless. His skills kept him from starving and when he was fifteen, he had joined a gang. Learning how to burgle, he became a housebreaker and killed his first man at sixteen, when a house he broke into wasn’t empty, like he thought.

By the age of twenty-two, he had a rather long list of crimes, including a few more murders. However, he was caught in the middle of a burglary, when the boy he was teaching that skill, gave them both away to the police. Capture, with no willing to pay for his release or able to break him out of prison, Luc found himself facing a judge. Given the amount of silver and gold on her person, when he was captured, he was looking at a hanging, until the judge offered him a way out, to join the Navy’s Colonial free companies of Marines. Better then swinging for a jeering crowd, he took the deal.

Marched straight from the court to the garrison, he was equipped to be a soldier and within the month, was sent across the sea to Vridux. His skills at moving quietly and his wary eyes would save him, within a year. While out on patrol under the command of a lieutenant, then private Luc survived his first encounter with the Alfin. His lieutenant, a man more interested in surveying the land with a spyglass, so it could be divided up, did not notice the warriors from a raiding band. Luc did however and raised the alarm. The marines were able to see the warriors off but not before the lieutenant took an arrow in the back, as the man started to berate Luc.

Over the last four years, he was made a scout and rose to the rank of Corporal. He would have that rank still, had not his own sergeant taken ill with typhus and died. With this rush into the Wáhta Valley, his Captain chose to promote Luc, instead of trying to fit a new man, with more seniority, into the ranks of his scouts.

Running Sky

Player: Elven Sex Goddess

Name: Running Sky

Age:  30

Gender:  Female

Race:  Alfin

Faction:  allied Alfin tribe/Camp follower

Rank:

Appearance: Running Sky is lithe tone in body, small chested.  Long straight flowing dark brunette hair.   That falls to her mid back.  Her eyes are a golden brown.  She is five feet and one inch in height.   She weighs around six score and three stones.  She has stretch marks on her stomach, signalling she has bore a child or children.   The most prominent feature is the long scare left of center down her back.   

Sexual Preference:  Heterosexual

Equipment:  Shaman rattle,  Pouch with herbs and poultice healing patches. She also has sling and stones.  A knife.  Leather wrap worn as a skirt and soft moccasin for warm months.  Winter months,  fur lined leather booths and leather tunic with fur coat.  Fur as blanket. 

Backstory:  Running Sky is a alfin squaw, a widower who is the soul survivor of her tribe.   From a horrific attack by three other alfin tribes, that have allied with the Brudian.   Her mate,  children were slaughtered in the attack.   She despite taking a sabre slicing her open down her back.  Would be the only one to survive the brutal attack.   

Recovering from her grievous injury.  She would one day show up in the follower's camp.   Through not as a whore,  she would at first help with menial tasks.   But as the days go on, and orders are coming down for the mission for the company.   It soon becomes apparent she some sort of alfin healer.    As she tends to minor injuries from around the follower's camp and then those men injured in training or having fallen ill due to sickness. 

She is not a warrior or trained as a warrior.  She through does have a knife,  more a utility tool for survival.   She also does have a sling and stones for hunting small game.   She knows the woods, and can travel quietly through them like a ghost.  An through she has not give much in way of where she has come from.   As she does know and speak Theulian, as well her own native language of her tribe.   It would be learned her tribe had been slaughtered by other alfin tribes.  Through she knows not the politics and alliances of those tribes.    For alfin tribes often warred with each other, long before outsiders came to the continent. 

[WaitingCynicism]

Posting interest

[Elven Sex Goddess]

Submission

Running Sky

Player: Elven Sex Goddess

Name: Running Sky

Age:  30

Gender:  Female

Race:  Alfin

Faction:  allied Alfin tribe/Camp follower

Rank:

Appearance: Running Sky is lithe tone in body, small chested.  Long straight flowing dark brunette hair.   That falls to her mid back.  Her eyes are a golden brown.  She is five feet and one inch in height.   She weighs around six score and three stones.  She has stretch marks on her stomach, signalling she has bore a child or children.   The most prominent feature is the long scare left of center down her back.   

Sexual Preference:  Heterosexual

Equipment:  Shaman rattle,  Pouch with herbs and poultice healing patches. She also has sling and stones.  A knife.  Leather wrap worn as a skirt and soft moccasin for warm months.  Winter months,  fur lined leather booths and leather tunic with fur coat.  Fur as blanket. 

Backstory:  Running Sky is a alfin squaw, a widower who is the soul survivor of her tribe.   From a horrific attack by three other alfin tribes, that have allied with the Brudian.   Her mate,  children were slaughtered in the attack.   She despite taking a sabre slicing her open down her back.  Would be the only one to survive the brutal attack.   

Recovering from her grievous injury.  She would one day show up in the follower's camp.   Through not as a whore,  she would at first help with menial tasks.   But as the days go on, and orders are coming down for the mission for the company.   It soon becomes apparent she some sort of alfin healer.    As she tends to minor injuries from around the follower's camp and then those men injured in training or having fallen ill due to sickness. 

She is not a warrior or trained as a warrior.  She through does have a knife,  more a utility tool for survival.   She also does have a sling and stones for hunting small game.   She knows the woods, and can travel quietly through them like a ghost.  An through she has not give much in way of where she has come from.   As she does know and speak Theulian, as well her own native language of her tribe.   It would be learned her tribe had been slaughtered by other alfin tribes.  Through she knows not the politics and alliances of those tribes.    For alfin tribes often warred with each other, long before outsiders came to the continent. 

[IrishWolf]

Running Sky has been added to the roster

[Elven Sex Goddess]

Thanks looking forward to the game.