Preparation for Battle

The last time we saw our heroically bearded heroes, the town of Franklin is under siege by the sultry Enchantress and the maniacal Witch Doctor, along with their undead army. The heroes devise a plan to rid Franklin of this ominous occupation. The Gunslinger, Barkeep, and Distiller sneak into town and rendezvous with the Roaster, acquiring a pair of horses and a wagon. Captain Crimson and the Scribe are bringing the Mystic Wave around to the docks, preparing to bombard them with the ship’s heavy cannons. The Witch Doctor, enraged by the sudden intrusion, responds to the attack himself. With all the commotion about, one might wonder what happened to the other heroes…

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Dr. Wolf winces as the shelves rattle violently as the Mystic Wave’s forward cannon pounds the unsuspecting undead. The Hero and the Marksman are sitting in what used to be a dining room. The Hero sits, sword laid across his lap and legs anxiously bouncing up and down. The Marksman leans back into a corner, closing his eyes, calming himself before the storm. All of the valuables had been stripped from the house and what hadn’t been taken had been tossed around the house and scattered across the floor. It looked as if a savage wind storm had torn through the house. The trio was able to scavenge together some chairs and blankets from upstairs to make their stay in the ravaged house comfortable. 

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Earlier that week, the trio disembarked the Mystic Wave several miles up the coast and journeyed back to the town. The Marksman snuck in first scouting the area to find provisions, a safe place to take shelter, and try to make contact with friends in the area. He found the old house the first night sneaking around Franklin and stayed throughout the next day. He observed that there wasn’t too much attention paid to this part of town, so the next night, he snuck the Hero and Dr. Wolf into the house. 

The Marksman was able to stay in contact with the crew of the Mystic Wave through a pretty colorful messenger. Every night, just around midnight, the Marksman crouched on the roof of the house, waiting with an offering. The rustling of wings would fill the air as Captain Crimson’s macaw descends to light on the Marksman’s finger. The Marksman feeds the bird a piece of bread while attaching a note detailing troop movements, abandoned areas, etc. The Marksman would pet the bird, allowing it to rest after its long journey and then, after a while he would bid the bird goodbye, sending him off into the night.

After a couple more nightly jaunts, the Marksman noticed a mysterious figure sneaking around at night. He followed him at a distance, using his sharp skill set to listen to the light footfalls of the figure slipping through the alley. The Marksman was also aided by the sweet and savory aroma that trailed the figure wherever he went. The scent smelled warm and familiar to the Marksman but he couldn’t quite place it. Sweet, salty, earthy, bold, something like candy, but not quite. Maybe caramel? The Marksman wasn’t sure but a suspicion began poking at the back of his mind.

The Marksman continued to stalk the stranger from the roofs of buildings. The shadowy figure spent the whole night taking food and medical supplies to families hiding throughout the town and even dared to sneak these provisions to prisoners kept in the town square. When the Marksman would enter the building, the Marksman would sneak close to see if he could discern the identity of the mystery man. His voice was of a bright but firm timber, reassuring the citizens that things would be okay. The Marksman followed the figure back to the local coffee house, which confirmed the Marksman’s suspicions. The Marksman snuck into the coffee shop behind the Roaster. He was startled at first, drawing his rapier, but once the Roaster realized the identity of the intruder, he welcomed him to a late night brew. The two discussed the heroes’ journey, the loss of the Wizard and the Inventor, and their plan to try and win back Franklin from the evil Enchantress and Witch Doctor. The Roaster offered whatever he could to aid the heroes in their efforts and mentioned the horse and wagon that he was able to keep hidden in a stable outside of town.

The Marksman thanked the Roaster for his hospitality and his offer and promised he would be in touch. The Marksman returned to his safe house and began writing a note for the macaw. He had all the information he needed and given the generous offer made by the Roaster, they had all that they needed to accomplish their objectives. If the Captain agreed, the attack would commence three days from then, giving the Marksman enough time to warn the Roaster and make preparations…

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A crescendo of cannon fire echoes through the town as the whole house shakes. The Mystic Wave had fired on the docks. A bellow of primal rage replies from the center of the city. The footsteps from the gargantuan and angry Witch Doctor rattle the windows of the house.

“That’s our cue,” says the Hero aloud as he jumps to his feet. A single exasperated look from the Marksman informs the Hero that despite the cacophony of chaos outside, their silence was still required. The Marksman leans up, retrieving his crossbow that was propped up in the corner. 

Dr. Wolf, typically stoic, grinds his teeth and his jawline flares. Stealth is not typically the modus operandi of the Wolf, however, Dr. Wolf could be subtle if the situation called for it as this did. While being discovered was not the intention of their mission, if discovered they would need to fight like the devil. And the beast within allows the Doctor to, well, fight like the devil himself.

The heroes walk to the door, but pause just as they begin to exit. The battle has begun. The fight for the future of the world begins now.

Narrated by Brandon Warner