(Quest) - Settlement

[Ryu Yin]

Za Ban scanned the settlement from a forest clearing. His army waited hidden amoungst the trees. He smiled at the sight. A perfect place to begin his conquest. This region was small and this settlement was basically the only thing that prevented Turban dominance over the region.

Za Ban approached the settlement alone from one of the town roads which had a perfect view from the forest that his army laid in wait. It seemed like any normal day to the townspeople and the street was busy being one of the main streets. Smiling faces of young lads and ladies. Many merchants at their stalls. Ban thought of it as a shame that their homes would be burned. Their worldly possessions stolen and bartered off in some far away place.

Lost in thought he became aware after a small girl tugged at his pant leg smiling up at him. It almost made him want to turn his army around and come again another day but he knew he couldn't do that. Turning around he began to see the yellow colored Scarves emerge from the forest slowly. Turning back to the girl he patted her head and told her to go on to her mother who was a few steps away.

Earlier he had accepted that this is war and to destroy the Han the people will have to suffer for a short while. Taking a look back at the forest they were almost about to enter the clearing. The townspeople had yet realized the approaching horror that was decided upon them for them to suffer. If he was to stay the same he had to tear out his heart and lock it away until this was over. For without a doubt he knew that those who resisted were to be butchered like animals.

( One hour earlier )

[Liang Feng]

Feng rushed to his master almost out of breath as if he looked everywhere for him.

"So this is where you were. I've been looking all over for you know. The troops are in position, but the Captains yet await instructions for the attack. They grow very impatient every passing minute. What shall I relay to them?"

Feng calmed his breathing so that he could listen to his master's instructions clearly.

[Za Ban]

Ban sat up from his seat and brushed off his clothes and turned his attention from the forest trees and the sky to Liang Feng.

"Tell the Captains that we commence the raid in an hour. Also tell them to focus on pillaging their homes, shops, and make the Han Government buildings burn so that the neighboring villages may see the smoke. Lastly kill all resistance but let innocent villagers flee. Keep civilian casualties to a minimum any who purposely try to attack civilians will be executed including the Captain that commands them. Make sure that is understood. We need those villagers to spread the word about the attack to the neighboring villages and the surrounding regions. Our goal is to instill widespread terror and a loss in faith of the Han regime. That will be all. See you during the raid."

Ban walked away from the scene and started down the road to the settlement and it's people to see those that he had just decided their fate.

( The Present )

Za Ban began to hear screams and the nearby village entrance guards had weapons in hand. Without a moments notice Ban drew his own weapon and cleaved the head off of the nearest town guard then throwing his sword into the second one. Even more screams started as he walked to the dead guard and retrieved his blade. Frightened and horrified faces stared at him and the wave of yellow that was now moving ever so quickly toward them. Flaming arrows soared high above him and fleeing villagers. The raid had begun.

(( Any who dare to defend this poor settlement come now otherwise this mission will be complete. ))

[Zhou Yu]

Qu Yi Yong groaned as he woke up to a hammering on his door. His head was splitting and bright lights danced across his field of vision. As they should be for he was blind drunk when he had gone to bed 3 hours before. He curses and yelled for whoever was outside to leave him alone. Did they not know the imperial inspector was not to be disturbed at a time like this. The man would not go away however and the banging continued.

“I’m coming.” Qu Yi Yong yelled grabbing a sword off his desk and pulling his robes over his head. He was filthy and blind drunk. He was planning to punch whoever was outside.

“My lord we are under attack, yellow turbans.” The captain of his guard yelling pulling him out of the house. A flaming arrow struck where he had stood a second before. His house was already burning. He dropped his sword and just stared slack jawed at the Charging hoard of the enemy. The captain grunted in disgust and decided to take command while the inspected was well.......indisposed. the things he did for duty.

“For up meet the enemy with steel as they come. They have the number but we have the discipline.” He yelled as his Han troops began to form up. Before long his force of Han troops entered the streets some without armour not having had time to dress properly. Perhaps only 10% of his men had been on watch most of those already dead slowing down the enemy. He grunted and drew his sword. They were outnumbered but he hoped to at least protect the inspector.

(additional reward if you capture the Imperial inspector)

[Ryu Yin]

Ban watched as the area of the town they just attacked was already engulfed with flames and was quickly spreading. He himself was leading the horde through the main street their goal was to take the Center of the Settlement and spread out from there. Turbans were already storming into homes and seizing precious items and riches. His force was in charge of wiping out the defense force. The Peasant militia were busy pillaging while the rest of his force were killing off any signs of resistance. Most weren't organized since they were caught off guard and were cut down before they could retaliate.

After splitting up into a few groups Ban's group finally met some sort of resistance they must be near the center of town. Ban raised his right arm and his group came to a stop infront of the line the guards had formed most with just weapons in their hands unarmored. He turned his head to the side and nodded to the right and left to the Infantry troops behind him. In response they spread apart and hugged the walls of the sides of the street revealing behind them a line of Hunter Bowmen. Walking infront of his troops he cleared his throat.

"Defenders! I see you intend to resist because it's your job to. But I have a proposal and I'll tell you why it will be beneficial for you and those that occupy this settlement. I propose you surrender to myself being the leader of this band. I am willing to show mercy to those who are willing to lay down their arms but only to all of you. I am not fanatical like some. Also not to mention that there are Marksmen back there that have all of you in their sights and will fire on my order and seeing that most of you aren't armored arrows will piece easily. If you choose to resist I will order you to be butchered along with villagers who have yet fled the settlement. I would prefer not to put heads on spikes and have your daughters and wives be raped by countless men. I would prefer not to hang your friends and butcher and torture innocent people. Their fates rest in your hands now. Surrender and I will see to it that your men are taken care of and hopefully be able to see their families once more. Surrender and I will continue to let the innocent flee from this place. Fight and you and the citizens still here will suffer like no other. Those are the terms and I will not change them. Take a moment to think and be quick there are other groups and they might find their way behind your line."

With his proposal finished, Ban stood out of the line of fire his eyes trained on the man that looked liked the leader of the group waiting for the decision. He didn't want to be responsible for mindless bloodshed and suffering but if they chose to fight he would have to be true to his words and have the things he said done to townspeople after his troops meet up in the center of town.

[Zhou Yu]

Inspector Yong looked at the Yellow turbans and sneered at their leader as he waved a drunken first at him. The inspector was clearly drunk out of his mine and started to yell at the yellow turbans cursing them, their family, their ancestors, even their pets and sacred animals. Some of his men groaned knowing they were not going to get out of this alive. Others cheered his words needled by the arrogance of the Yellow turbans, jumped up peasants. They hated them for killing their friend and burning there town too. It was obvious that surrender was impossible.

“Kill em all.” Qu Yi Yong belled drunken waving around and shaking his fist. About 50 of his men raised crossbows and fired at the Yellow turban archers. The rest of his men lead by their captain advanced. Arrows were little worry away once blades clashed no one could fire for fear of hitting their own men. Around the town other groups of guards joined together to hold parts of the town and try and organise against the Yellow turban riders.

[Ryu Yin]

At that instant when they fired the Turbans fired as well arrows passing bolts and into eachothers bodies. "You goddamn idiots! Keep Casualties to a minimum knock them out! Now Charge!" The defenders had no chance and that drunk must have some authority. Ban drew his blade and turned it so that he'll use the non-lethal side of the Katana. "Are you going to listen to that drunk! Do you want people to suffer longer than it is needed! The Han regime's arrogance and corruption is right behind you!" His words were now directed to the captain of the guard and those that had doubts and wanted to surrender before since he couldn't reason with the drunken man. Ban kept a habit of staying true to his word but he didn't want to do the things he said.

Ban's Marauders were in larger number and were on the edge of becoming mindless killing animals and they would be if their leader didn't want them dead. Charging from their position they were ready to give the enemy one more chance to lay down their arms or fight with them, but once they clash blades it would be too much for them to control their blood lust.

[Zhou Yu]

The captain of the city guard drew his sword making his way to the front of the lines. Most of his men came with him although some at the back tried to force their drunk Inspector away from the battle. He was still yelling insults at Za Ban. The captain pointed his blade at the enemy commander.

“You come hear and burn our homes and slaughter my men in a surprise attack then expect me to surrender. I will teach you some respect lad.” The captain a man in his 40’s at least swung his blade as he cleaving into the yellow turban marauders. He cut about him with great strength laying everyone he could reach. His men seemed to hearten from his defiance and fought harder around him. The guards following his example charged the yellow turbans. In the dark and the smoke no one could tell who was winning anyway.

[Ryu Yin]

Ban was furious the men that stood before him fought for everything that is wrong. They ignored their duty out of blind hatred for them. To create a new and better world you must first destroy the previous. To create worlds you must destroy them first. Homes can be rebuilt, towns can be settled elsewhere. Instead of escorting their people out of an already burning town they fight the people who started the fire.

Ban clashed blades with the captain of the guard and immediately he began a flurry of attacks with his Katana putting great force into each one to keep the captain on the defensive. During his flurry of attacks he began to yell with anger.

"You fool you failed those that you wanted to protect! Why do you ignore your duty! Why do you fight the person who started the fire ignoring the ones who are trapped inside the burning building! You swore to protect the people not these buildings and certainly not the Han Government! Why do you fight for all the wrong reasons! The people you swore to protect and keep from harms way will now suffer for your actions and you yourself will watch them suffer! For what reason do you sacrifice them for your blind hatred!"

With that last line Ban put all his strength and all his ideals into a final attack to either knock away his weapon or knock him down. If he was to be beaten he would only be beaten if they fought for the right reasons. Not for blind hatred, not for the Han, and not for homes and buildings that can be rebuilt one day. But for those that only have one life.

[Zhou Yu]

The watch captain stepped back parrying desperately. It was clear he was far more skilled blades man than most but against Za Ban he was clearly overmatched. His blade and arm shock as he parried each blow. Behind him his men were falling back with him. It was getting hard to see anything now in all the smoke.

“You expect me to let you get away with your crimes unchallenged? You think i should run around putting out fires while you set more and slay my men? I shall extract retribution for the dead from your corpse Yellow scum.” The captain yelled furious. Like any trapped animal he fought with the desperation and hate of someone who knew he was doomed. On one of Za Ban’s slashed the captains blade shatters and Za Ban’s strong blow cut deeply killing the captain instantly. As he fell many of the Han troops retreated back through the smoke. It was thick and choking and made it hard to see more than 10 feet in front of you. Through the smoke Za Ban could hear the inspector’s voice as he yelled drunkenly for his men to kill the Yellow turbans.

[Ryu Yin]

Ban looked down at the dead captain as Ban turned him around and grabbed him by the collar dragging him across the ash filled bloody ground. His anger ceased when he heard the drunk. He looked to his men that were now beside him after pushing back the Guards. "Bring him to me!" Ban pointed and yelled for he was gonna sober him up real fast. There was needless bloodshed and soon to be needless slaughter of innocent people. The defense of the town was soon to crumble along with it's buildings. By now most of the people had escaped. Ban would do the things he said he would do. At least to 1 person for each thing he said. If only these men had layed down their arms Ban would have let them go free.

[Zhou Yu]

In corners of the town some of the town guard still put up a fight but they were being quickly overwhelmed by the pure numbers of the Yellow turbans. Many of the guards having seen their leader fall has just ran in the direction of Jin Yang. The smoke at least was useful to cover their escape.

The Imperial inspector had enough time to escape in the confusion but he was too drunk to do so and his guards had simply fled. The yellow turbans dragged him still yelling curses to Za Ban’s feet. He spat at the Yellow turban commander’s face as all around them fire spread and ravaged the town.

“You damn scum burning my town down. Don’t you know there were innocent people in this place? You didn’t even offer us any warning you just came in with your bully boys starting fires and killing. Well Damn you and damn all of you to the lower side of hell.” He screamed at the tops of his lungs. It was clear the man was blind drunk and did not realise the danger he was in. He seemed more angry than scared but then he was very drunk.

[Ryu Yin]

After clearing out the defense force by forcing them to retreat Ban had the settlement looted. Supplies, gold, riches, and funds from the government buildings brought to the outskirts of the settlement. Corpses were brought to the outskirts as well to be buried. Captured citizens and soldiers were let loose except for the drunk which he had learned was an imperial inspector. Most of the work was done and most of the settlement was engulfed in flames. Although it didn't go exactly as planned their wasn't much blood shed. Injured civilians who were dying were put out of their misery the ways that Ban had described when he proposed a surrender.

Having the Inspector brought to him the drunk spit in his face. Wiping the spit from his face Ban kicked the drunk in the head with his boot to shut him up for a minute. Crouching down to his level Ban spoke to him in a civil tone.

"You do realize Inspector that me and my men probably killed less than twenty innocent villagers this day. The only ones who were killed purposefully were the ones who fought back. Which their duty was to lead the people to safety instead of fighting with us. I would have let you all go after the pillaging was done. We had no intention on killing needlessly. Our only goal was to scare you away for all of them to lose faith in the Han. Some of those corpses you see lifeless on the ground are your doing. If the Han truly did their job as your government they should have warned you when my army crossed the border and into the region. You should have expected an attack but it seems what you said you weren't warned of our activity in the region. Curse us all you'd like. I know that I belong in hell for my actions and I welcome it."

Ban stood up wiping his face once more of sweat. "Take him with us to the camp and let him sober up and think over what I said." he ordered the Marauders who pinned him to the ground and with that they took him away. Looking around he was already seeing his people packing things up and moving the seized riches to the camp for preparation of moving on and away from the settlement and back into Turban Controlled lands. Hopefully before all that he would find a place for his head to rest.

[Zhou Yu]

Quest rewards
+ 500 gold from loot
+ 200 bonus for inspector
+ 6 leadership
+ 6 Cunning
- 100 Marauders
- 20 Hunters