thought Burbon's soldiers
would have rushed down from their elevated positions to meet the raiders
head-on. He would have lost several goblins, but the threat of archers would
have been eliminated.
To Okyiq's growing annoyance, the
majority of human soldiers were not actively engaging his minions. They showed
great patience and resolve, qualities he always believed the humans had in
sparse supply. They remained at their posts on the walls and in the towers.
Very few guards moved in from street level, and those that did advanced
cautiously and avoided full engagement. The small conflicts that erupted were
controlled and quickly fell to the guards' advantage. Rather than allow the
goblins to goad them into one furious encounter after another, the soldiers
were forming lines to cut his minions off from the center of the town.
Okyiq, however, didn't care about
advancing further into Burbon. He wanted supplies, as much as he could take,
but nothing more. He held no plans of conquering the human town, not with only
two hundred goblins. He would never be able to hold his gains. Again, he was
not an intelligent creature, but his considerations surpassed that of a normal
goblin.
He needed to create more havoc, to
engage the human forces in condensed but bitter street brawls. He wanted mayhem,
chaos that would distract the guards and allow him to send more pillagers into
nearby shops and storehouses. For that, he needed the human archers off the
wall and out of the towers, and all the ground forces occupied.
Snarling with frustration, Okyiq
looked about the streets, desperately searching for an answer, but his mind
grew clouded. He had contemplated more strategy on that one night than he had
done in an entire season. His mind was weary and irritation rattled his nerves.
He almost ordered an immediate
offensive. If the humans would not come off the wall or down from the towers,
he would send his minions after them. It would be a suicide rush, but it would
also create the necessary turmoil.
Before he gave the order, he
realized that his raiding party lacked any ranged weapons. Every short bow and
crossbow had been left to the goblins still in the hills. Okyiq's raiders were
armed only with short swords. They lacked the ability to attack the humans on
higher ground unless they climbed to the higher elevations. If they did, they
would be cut down by arrows and then outflanked by the soldiers in the streets.
It would certainly be suicide, but it wouldn't be mayhem. It would be a quick
slaughter.
Not wishing to give up or to
engage in a futile battle, Okyiq shouted out the only remaining order he could
imagine.
"Forget the soldiers! Take
everything you find!"
The goblins in the streets did not
wish to leave the safety of their cover, but they had no choice. If they did
not move, Okyiq would simply leave them behind to the soldiers. They scurried
out from their hiding places and jumped toward the nearest buildings. Some were
caught outside of locked doors or windows and were quickly brought down by
human archers. Many, however, broke through weak barriers and made their way
into the surrounding shops and storehouses. Nearly fifty goblins shrieked with
glee as they ransacked that small portion of Burbon.
#
Sy read the tower signals before
the first messenger arrived at the barracks to inform him of the raid. He knew
the goblins had broken through the gate, and he was already forming his own
strategy as the messenger revealed the details of the goblin attack. He spoke
out loud as if responding to the messenger, but he was really focusing his plan
in order to ensure he was not making any error in tactics.
"Residents are already in
secure positions. Civilian casualties will be minimal at worse, especially if
we hold the goblins to the southern section of the town. The thrust of the
attack is on the south gate. I don't think this is part of some bigger assault.
I'm going to bet the river rogue incursion and the goblin raid are
would have rushed down from their elevated positions to meet the raiders
head-on. He would have lost several goblins, but the threat of archers would
have been eliminated.
To Okyiq's growing annoyance, the
majority of human soldiers were not actively engaging his minions. They showed
great patience and resolve, qualities he always believed the humans had in
sparse supply. They remained at their posts on the walls and in the towers.
Very few guards moved in from street level, and those that did advanced
cautiously and avoided full engagement. The small conflicts that erupted were
controlled and quickly fell to the guards' advantage. Rather than allow the
goblins to goad them into one furious encounter after another, the soldiers
were forming lines to cut his minions off from the center of the town.
Okyiq, however, didn't care about
advancing further into Burbon. He wanted supplies, as much as he could take,
but nothing more. He held no plans of conquering the human town, not with only
two hundred goblins. He would never be able to hold his gains. Again, he was
not an intelligent creature, but his considerations surpassed that of a normal
goblin.
He needed to create more havoc, to
engage the human forces in condensed but bitter street brawls. He wanted mayhem,
chaos that would distract the guards and allow him to send more pillagers into
nearby shops and storehouses. For that, he needed the human archers off the
wall and out of the towers, and all the ground forces occupied.
Snarling with frustration, Okyiq
looked about the streets, desperately searching for an answer, but his mind
grew clouded. He had contemplated more strategy on that one night than he had
done in an entire season. His mind was weary and irritation rattled his nerves.
He almost ordered an immediate
offensive. If the humans would not come off the wall or down from the towers,
he would send his minions after them. It would be a suicide rush, but it would
also create the necessary turmoil.
Before he gave the order, he
realized that his raiding party lacked any ranged weapons. Every short bow and
crossbow had been left to the goblins still in the hills. Okyiq's raiders were
armed only with short swords. They lacked the ability to attack the humans on
higher ground unless they climbed to the higher elevations. If they did, they
would be cut down by arrows and then outflanked by the soldiers in the streets.
It would certainly be suicide, but it wouldn't be mayhem. It would be a quick
slaughter.
Not wishing to give up or to
engage in a futile battle, Okyiq shouted out the only remaining order he could
imagine.
"Forget the soldiers! Take
everything you find!"
The goblins in the streets did not
wish to leave the safety of their cover, but they had no choice. If they did
not move, Okyiq would simply leave them behind to the soldiers. They scurried
out from their hiding places and jumped toward the nearest buildings. Some were
caught outside of locked doors or windows and were quickly brought down by
human archers. Many, however, broke through weak barriers and made their way
into the surrounding shops and storehouses. Nearly fifty goblins shrieked with
glee as they ransacked that small portion of Burbon.
#
Sy read the tower signals before
the first messenger arrived at the barracks to inform him of the raid. He knew
the goblins had broken through the gate, and he was already forming his own
strategy as the messenger revealed the details of the goblin attack. He spoke
out loud as if responding to the messenger, but he was really focusing his plan
in order to ensure he was not making any error in tactics.
"Residents are already in
secure positions. Civilian casualties will be minimal at worse, especially if
we hold the goblins to the southern section of the town. The thrust of the
attack is on the south gate. I don't think this is part of some bigger assault.
I'm going to bet the river rogue incursion and the goblin raid are
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