The four members of the Brotherhood of Valor - the Ren'dorei warlock No'lariel and her Imp, Relpad, the blind Draenei Lightforged paladin Zallanna, the Halfling hunter Bizibit and her animal companions, and the human street rat known by some as Jon Chess had routed a large force of Irontide raiders attacking the Kul Tiran Capital city of Boralus. Zallanna and Bizibit had just dispatched the behemoth raider known as "Chopper" Redhook, and together the four of them began looking for more invaders to neutralize with deadly force. They had reached the neighborhood of Hook Point when they were hailed by Gunny, more properly known as Praetor Baron William Gunrik, the commander of the Brotherhood of Valor medical division.
"We are needed urgently! Fall in!" Gunny commanded, and without looking to make sure they were following, set a fast pace towards Proudmoore Keep. The four of them followed in his wake, instinctively following his order. Jon had followed Gunny into battle before, on medical missions to various parts of the Alliance. Gunny had proven himself a fierce soldier and skilled field medic, his loyalty to his comrades and friends proven beyond doubt. His faith in the Light was strong, and he was a strong believer that people were in control of their own destiny - and part of his destiny was to defend others, no matter the cost to himself. Jon knew him to be an honorable man always striving to improve himself and his abilities - Gunny had earned the respect of the cynical Agent of Cheese.
The Praetor led them to the approach to Proudmoore Keep, the center of government for Kul Tiras. The squad took cover, and Gunny gave them their pre-action briefing.
"An Irontide pirate captain named Lockwood has brought her ship up the canal side and trained her ship's cannons on the Keep. Our job is to engage them and keep them from beginning their bombardments. Jon, sneak around and board the ship if you can - blow the powder and ordinance," Gunny ordered, waiting for Jon to nod his acknowledgment before continuing. "Bizibit, I want you to hold our flanks with covering fire. Snipers and cannoneers are your primary targets."
Bizibit threw a salute. "Got you covered, Gunny," she said with a grin.
"No'lariel, you and Zallanna and I will engage the Dread Captain Lockwood, and see if we can distract her and her crew. In fact, I hope to 'distract' them to death..." Gunny grinned fiercely. "Nola, try and stay between and behind us, so we can help cover you."
"Oh, don't worry about me, Gunny" No'lariel smiled. "I'll be raining fire down upon whatever that upstart noble wants to throw our way." Nola grinned, surveying the stretch of space before them while her mind reviewed and prepared the appropriate spells to make good her promise. "Just keep them away and they'll be kindling."
Gunny nodded. "Jon, Biz, get yourselves gone - we'll give you a 40-count and then engage." Bizibit nodded, and she and her pets sought a suitable vantage point from which to conduct counter-fire while her animal companions kept her safe. Chess mumbled a cantrip and faded away into the concealment of Shadow.
Gunny impatiently but methodically counted slowly to forty, and then said: "It's showtime!" The stroke force charged from cover to where Captain Lockwood stood with some of her crew, determining through a spyglass where to best order the cannon fire. Gunny engaged Captain Lockwood's bodyguards as Zallanna put up a Light-powered shield to absorb the musket fire that almost immediately greeted them from Lockwood's crew.
Captain Lockwood grinned nastily. "At them, me hearties! Show them the foolishness of challenging the Dread Pirate Lockwood!" Moments passed. Pirates died, from Zallanna or Gunrik's blades, or screaming from the rain of Felfire from No'lariel and her Imp. From her sniper position, Bizibot found target after target, firing headshot after headshot to any crew stupid enough to try and fire at her comrades. Lockwood's smug certainty changed to dismay and disbelief as the Brotherhood of Valor decimated her thugs.
As Lockwood began to withdraw, Gunny and Zallarra stepped forth to challenge her directly. Lockwood drew a brace of flintlock pistols and fired at the two approaching paladins. Zallarra again invoked Light protection, but the shot bounced off of Gunny's armor and lodged itself in No'lariel's stomach. Gutshot, Nola collapsed and her Imp incorporated. Gunny turned and rushed to No'lariel while Zallanna rushed Captain Lockwood. Lockwood broke into a run, and Zallaanna was blocked by a pair of Irontode cannoneers, who swiftly perished at her hands, but not before she could reach the relative safety of the cannons and crew onboard her ship.
The safety proved temporary as a series of fiery explosions rocked the ship's main deck. Chess had gone below to the gun deck and had used his Gnomish F.R.I.E.D. grenades to ignite the power magazine. Jon swung over the heads of the Irontide raiders and sprinted towards his friends, just ahead of Captain Lockwood and her remaining crew, who were forced to abandon ship.
"Chess, see to No'lariel" Gunny barked. Ren'dorei healing was often a tricky thing, given that they were touched by the Void, and Shadow magic was intertwined with their mind and bodies. While Gunriks first inclination had been to treat Nola's injury with Light-based healing, he knew that the pain would likely at least send her into shock, even as it attempted to heal her body. He also knew that Chess, a user of Shadow magic himself, had alchemical means of healing in the field that might be much more effective than Light for a Ren'dorei patient.
Jon knelt by No'lariel and gently turned her over onto her back. Blood oozed out of the nasty, ragged hole in her stomach - without magical treatment, such gut wounds were invariably fatal. Jon didn't want to think about how the bullet had probably ricocheted inside her body cavity; fortunately, the shock and pain had rendered her unconscious. Jon rummaged through his field medical kit until he found one of six healing draughts he had purchased from a warlock alchemist named Laurel Nox, whose nature had effectively guaranteed that nothing she used in the making would harm a user of Shadow and Darkness. Biting the stopper off, he slowly poured the elixir down her throat and then taking the razor sharp knife from the medical pack, he searched and removed the bullet from deep inside her abdomen. Unstoppering the second bottle, he poured half of it directly into the wound, and then the remainder past her lips.
Slowly the wound began to close, as her body absorbed more and more of the potion. No'lariel's eyes fluttered, and she woke, only to wince in pain. "Jonny... seeing your face upon waking is nice, but to be honest, I'd rather it had been for a different reason..." she complained, attempting a smile.
"You're just lucky that your outfit didn't include enough clothing that the impact didn't take small parts of cloth with it," Jon said softly. "The secondary infections would have been almost as painful as the wound itself... but you're a tough bit of shoe leather, you'll be fine. Just remember that magical healing is a loan, really... when we're done today, you will owe yourself a week in bed."
"A week in bed? Will my favorite field medic join me?" she laughed, flirting relentlessly, as was her habit with Jon.
"A week in bed resting... a week with you in bed-sport, and I'd need a few healing potions!" Chess quipped.
When Jon looked up from his patient, he found that Gunrik, Zallanna, and Bizibit had made short work of Captain Lockwood and her surviving crew. They had surrounded Jon and Nola, facing outwards, making sure nothing had threatened them.
"Report?" commanded Gunny.
"She'll live to play the violin, Praetor," replied Jon with a happy grin.
"...which is amazing, as I didn't know how before..." joked No'lariel, getting to her feet. The hole in her tummy had closed, with not even a scar to show her injury.
"Jon does good work," confirmed the Praetor, deadpan. "If you can move, we need to report to the General at Unity Square - he has a giant problem he needs us to help him with."
No'lariel took a moment to summon Relpad once more, and the team began to move through Upton Borough to their destination.
"We are needed urgently! Fall in!" Gunny commanded, and without looking to make sure they were following, set a fast pace towards Proudmoore Keep. The four of them followed in his wake, instinctively following his order. Jon had followed Gunny into battle before, on medical missions to various parts of the Alliance. Gunny had proven himself a fierce soldier and skilled field medic, his loyalty to his comrades and friends proven beyond doubt. His faith in the Light was strong, and he was a strong believer that people were in control of their own destiny - and part of his destiny was to defend others, no matter the cost to himself. Jon knew him to be an honorable man always striving to improve himself and his abilities - Gunny had earned the respect of the cynical Agent of Cheese.
The Praetor led them to the approach to Proudmoore Keep, the center of government for Kul Tiras. The squad took cover, and Gunny gave them their pre-action briefing.
"An Irontide pirate captain named Lockwood has brought her ship up the canal side and trained her ship's cannons on the Keep. Our job is to engage them and keep them from beginning their bombardments. Jon, sneak around and board the ship if you can - blow the powder and ordinance," Gunny ordered, waiting for Jon to nod his acknowledgment before continuing. "Bizibit, I want you to hold our flanks with covering fire. Snipers and cannoneers are your primary targets."
Bizibit threw a salute. "Got you covered, Gunny," she said with a grin.
"No'lariel, you and Zallanna and I will engage the Dread Captain Lockwood, and see if we can distract her and her crew. In fact, I hope to 'distract' them to death..." Gunny grinned fiercely. "Nola, try and stay between and behind us, so we can help cover you."
"Oh, don't worry about me, Gunny" No'lariel smiled. "I'll be raining fire down upon whatever that upstart noble wants to throw our way." Nola grinned, surveying the stretch of space before them while her mind reviewed and prepared the appropriate spells to make good her promise. "Just keep them away and they'll be kindling."
Gunny nodded. "Jon, Biz, get yourselves gone - we'll give you a 40-count and then engage." Bizibit nodded, and she and her pets sought a suitable vantage point from which to conduct counter-fire while her animal companions kept her safe. Chess mumbled a cantrip and faded away into the concealment of Shadow.
Gunny impatiently but methodically counted slowly to forty, and then said: "It's showtime!" The stroke force charged from cover to where Captain Lockwood stood with some of her crew, determining through a spyglass where to best order the cannon fire. Gunny engaged Captain Lockwood's bodyguards as Zallanna put up a Light-powered shield to absorb the musket fire that almost immediately greeted them from Lockwood's crew.
Captain Lockwood grinned nastily. "At them, me hearties! Show them the foolishness of challenging the Dread Pirate Lockwood!" Moments passed. Pirates died, from Zallanna or Gunrik's blades, or screaming from the rain of Felfire from No'lariel and her Imp. From her sniper position, Bizibot found target after target, firing headshot after headshot to any crew stupid enough to try and fire at her comrades. Lockwood's smug certainty changed to dismay and disbelief as the Brotherhood of Valor decimated her thugs.
As Lockwood began to withdraw, Gunny and Zallarra stepped forth to challenge her directly. Lockwood drew a brace of flintlock pistols and fired at the two approaching paladins. Zallarra again invoked Light protection, but the shot bounced off of Gunny's armor and lodged itself in No'lariel's stomach. Gutshot, Nola collapsed and her Imp incorporated. Gunny turned and rushed to No'lariel while Zallanna rushed Captain Lockwood. Lockwood broke into a run, and Zallaanna was blocked by a pair of Irontode cannoneers, who swiftly perished at her hands, but not before she could reach the relative safety of the cannons and crew onboard her ship.
The safety proved temporary as a series of fiery explosions rocked the ship's main deck. Chess had gone below to the gun deck and had used his Gnomish F.R.I.E.D. grenades to ignite the power magazine. Jon swung over the heads of the Irontide raiders and sprinted towards his friends, just ahead of Captain Lockwood and her remaining crew, who were forced to abandon ship.
"Chess, see to No'lariel" Gunny barked. Ren'dorei healing was often a tricky thing, given that they were touched by the Void, and Shadow magic was intertwined with their mind and bodies. While Gunriks first inclination had been to treat Nola's injury with Light-based healing, he knew that the pain would likely at least send her into shock, even as it attempted to heal her body. He also knew that Chess, a user of Shadow magic himself, had alchemical means of healing in the field that might be much more effective than Light for a Ren'dorei patient.
Jon knelt by No'lariel and gently turned her over onto her back. Blood oozed out of the nasty, ragged hole in her stomach - without magical treatment, such gut wounds were invariably fatal. Jon didn't want to think about how the bullet had probably ricocheted inside her body cavity; fortunately, the shock and pain had rendered her unconscious. Jon rummaged through his field medical kit until he found one of six healing draughts he had purchased from a warlock alchemist named Laurel Nox, whose nature had effectively guaranteed that nothing she used in the making would harm a user of Shadow and Darkness. Biting the stopper off, he slowly poured the elixir down her throat and then taking the razor sharp knife from the medical pack, he searched and removed the bullet from deep inside her abdomen. Unstoppering the second bottle, he poured half of it directly into the wound, and then the remainder past her lips.
Slowly the wound began to close, as her body absorbed more and more of the potion. No'lariel's eyes fluttered, and she woke, only to wince in pain. "Jonny... seeing your face upon waking is nice, but to be honest, I'd rather it had been for a different reason..." she complained, attempting a smile.
"You're just lucky that your outfit didn't include enough clothing that the impact didn't take small parts of cloth with it," Jon said softly. "The secondary infections would have been almost as painful as the wound itself... but you're a tough bit of shoe leather, you'll be fine. Just remember that magical healing is a loan, really... when we're done today, you will owe yourself a week in bed."
"A week in bed? Will my favorite field medic join me?" she laughed, flirting relentlessly, as was her habit with Jon.
"A week in bed resting... a week with you in bed-sport, and I'd need a few healing potions!" Chess quipped.
When Jon looked up from his patient, he found that Gunrik, Zallanna, and Bizibit had made short work of Captain Lockwood and her surviving crew. They had surrounded Jon and Nola, facing outwards, making sure nothing had threatened them.
"Report?" commanded Gunny.
"She'll live to play the violin, Praetor," replied Jon with a happy grin.
"...which is amazing, as I didn't know how before..." joked No'lariel, getting to her feet. The hole in her tummy had closed, with not even a scar to show her injury.
"Jon does good work," confirmed the Praetor, deadpan. "If you can move, we need to report to the General at Unity Square - he has a giant problem he needs us to help him with."
No'lariel took a moment to summon Relpad once more, and the team began to move through Upton Borough to their destination.
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