Naval Battle of Lashid (Draw)

Sessauan-Shidran War
Turn 1

Current Weather: Calm, cold ocean, weak southern winds
Time: Late afternoon
Location: Lashid Colony

The Sessauan-Ezria Navy had left that morning from Hrothar heading southeast, the direction the Dark Wave had fled into that very morning. Luckily the Captain of the Colossus was a capable captain and had plotted their course on his charts during the last rays of sunshine before the Shurmanda was sunk and then enemy lost. Once a the heading was passed around to their human allies the Sessauan-Ezria navy had left Hrothar seeking the home of the Dark Wave. Once found, they'd deliver the message they had intended to deliver upon arriving at the Hrothar Colony. When the Halflings navy was crushed under the combine might of the Empire and Kingdom the small people would be crazy not to sue for peace.

The resistance from the southern winds had lowered greatly and whatever the cause the rowers of the fleet didn't care they were simply thank full. Able to maintain an adequate speed without straining themselves the rowers after some years of service were used to rowing steadily for a day and doing it repeatedly for days on end. Luck was with them it seemed for when they arrive at Lashid they were only slightly fatigued, but that was forgotten as adrenaline pumped through their veins when they skirted the island from the north east side and saw the Halflings impressive fleet.

For the Elves though it was a different story. The extra rations provided the needed moral boost especially the wine they were allowed to drink but it did little to garner the Avian's their support. The Elven captains were the ones whom received the thanks and praise for the extra rations not the Avian Officers. When alerted of the Halflings fleet ahead the Elven crews didn’t exhibit the same enthusiasm as their Human counter-parts. The Elves knew the reason why they were here, to aide their allies, ensuring good relations for the Avian’s current war against the dwarves. But it wasn’t the elves fight; they were less than mercenaries, nothing more than slaves to the new regime of the Kingdom of Ezria.

Lashid Colony; On the Island

The Halflings had fortified the small colony town with a small wooden palisade (Wooden Defenses) surrounding them. It had included the docks; unfortunately the lookouts on top of the homes were too far away from the northern part of the island to give a decent warning to the general population or the ships that had just docked for resupply. The Sessauan-Ezria Fleet saw all of Lashid Colony when they came around from the north-eastern part of the island.

With the ships docked the crews of the five ships had disembarked and were enjoying themselves in the colony. No one among the Union of Shidrus had expected the fleet at Hrothar to attempt a pursuit of the Dark Wave so quickly, especially after the vessel had successful sunk one of their immediate pursuit Biremes, the Shurmanda. When the Sessauan-Ezria was spotted there was a few moments of confusion before those ships under Admiral Tinian leaped into action.

Forces

Empire of Mille Sessau
1 Galley (Thomas ; 300 Sailors)
1 Trireme (Defenseur; 200 Sailors)
3 Biremes (Vievenue, Jeune Fille, and the Sentinelle; 120 Sailors per ship)

Empire of Ezria
2 Triremes (The Victory and Colossus; 210 Sailors per ship)
3 Biremes (The Coronne and Matrija; 130 Sailors per ship) (Agrina; 128 Sailors)

Union of Shidrus
7 Triremes (200 sailors per ship)
2 Biremes (Dark Wave 80 sailors; 120 sailors for other Bireme)

Notes
-- This is Moderation Mark 1
-- Fleets will engage next Moderation Mark
-- Reinforcements from Union of Shidrus at Moderation Mark 3 (Five Triremes docked at Lashid)
-- No Reinforcements for the Sessauan-Ezria Navy
-- Mille Sessau goes first followed by his allies the Kingdom of Ezria, then defender Union of Shidrus then posts afterwards.

Off the Coast of Lashid Colony

The Thomàs was the lead ship in the Sessauan-Ezrian Fleet, still called the Grand Flotte by Admiral Aqués Rousset. He half turned and motioned to one of his Leftenants. " Monsieur, flag the Ezrian vessels and have them hold. Have them engaged the subsequent vessels that seek to ram our ships once we've committed. I'll not have the birdmen stealing my victory! "

The Leftenant nodded and motioned to the flag-bearers who began to wave to the Ezrian vessels who followed behind them. As it stood, they had caught the Halflings unawares. They had not been able to launch the entire docked fleet and Admiral Rousset would use that to his advantage.

" Signal them all forward. Now! Engage that trireme with a volley and prepare for boarding. " Rousset maintained a cool composure, doubled up by the reassured presence of the steel saber at his hip.

The entire Grand Flotte maneuvered forward, every single vessel intending to board with an enemy Halfling vessel. The archers loosed their volleys, and Sessauan sailors drew their short swords and readied they bucklers for the hopeful boarding action across the entirety of the fleet.

Aboard the Trireme Victory:

Admiral Caranir was only too happy to let the Sessauan admiral take all the glory (and all the casualties) that he wanted. The Ezrian flotilla hung back, archers readying volleys of arrows and rowers ready to ram any ships that attempted to hammer the flanks of the Sessauan fleet. Ezria was to gain nothing from this fight so why should he risk his neck or more of his precious ships for Mille's glory? That didn't mean his boys were out of the fight entirely. Soon Ezrian arrows would be whistling through the air, and the Ezrian navy would be looking for opportunities to board the enemy armada and capture a ship or two in order to replace the Shurmanda.

Sessauan-Shidran War
Turn 2

Current Weather: Calm, cold ocean, weak southern winds
Time: Late afternoon
Location: Lashid Colony

As the two opposing fleets began to maneuver their vessels into position the roar of an explosion rocked the island and surrounding waters causing many to lose footing. The island’s inactive volcano, or what had thought to be an inactive volcano, had built up pressure and exploded. Both fleets stopped to star in horror. The debris hadn’t been launched with sufficient force to reach the budding village on the shore or the sea but the slow moving lava oozing from the top of the volcano was of great threat.

Admiral Tinian ordered flags to be raised so the forces could negotiate. Although he had little doubt that his force would survive the conflict what ships remained would be far too few in numbers to safely transport the population back home. As Admiral Aqués Rousset of the Thomàs obliged his counter-part the two meet in longboats between the huge Sessau Galley and the medium Trireme of the Halflings admiral.

Admiral Aques Rousset wasn’t a dumb man, he knew that the forces of the Halflings had a better chance of victory then his own forces once those Triremes at the docks joined the fighting. Without them the forces were approximately even in number and overall strength, with them the Halflings had them. As the Halfling Admiral Tinian offered his terms the human knew he’d accept, “As we can both see the battle would be devastating for both sides and whoever remained wouldn’t have sufficient ships to transport the citizens of the Lashid Colony to safety. I purpose that we cease hostilities. The Guild Union of Shidrus will give up their claim on the Hrothgar Colony as long as the Empire of Mille Sessau aids in refitting some of our ships to transports so that we can remove our people safely.”

Without a moment’s hesitation Aques accepted the terms, “I’ll accept those terms as long as my ships get re-supplied for the journey home as well.”

“Bargained well and done,” the short Halfling replied accepting it. There would be a large amount of supplies left over that their ships wouldn’t be able to take on, no sense in them going to waste.

Two days later

General Simone Reynault arrived at Lashid Colony to find and unexpected sight. No fighting had occurred yet the ships crew of the Halflings and his own Empire were working together to re-class some military vessels as transports. Finding out from Admiral Aques Rousset what had happened the General was highly pleased and informed the Avians of the termination of their short lived treaty.

As the Humans and Halfling sailors were seen tearing down the wooden fortifications and using it to refit some of the ships to transport the 4,000 Halflings in Lashid the remaining five ships were being admitted to the docks only three at a time as two of the bays were being used to refit the Halflings vessels. The Colossus, Agrina, and the Victory were being resupplied for their journey home. Not a single Elve aboard any of the Empire of Ezria vessels were happy about the recent turn of events. The war had progressed and ended within a week. Not only that but the only casualty was one of their own vessels and they weren’t even given the chance to avenge their comrades because of the Humans and Avian’s lack of back bone.

As the last two Biremes docked for resupply the Empire of Ezria’s vessels went out to sea past their human allies ships. Attempting to rebel the Colossus and Agrina succeed as their Avian task masters fled to the Victory and aided the ships assigned Avians to retain order. The twin of the Shurmanda the crew of the Agrina followed their larger sister the Colossus on a plot home where they would continue to cause trouble for the Empire of Ezria. The Avian’s were at fault for the loss of the Shurmanda, if they had never aided the humans the ship never would have been lost. They’d fight the Avian’s back home and ensure no other elves lost their lives needlessly for the Avian’s like the crew of the Shurmanda.

The Avian crew of the Victory went to the humans and with their help retained control of the Coronne and Matrija as both ships attempted the same tactic but failed because the humans aided in maintaining order out of guilt for the loss of the Shurmanda, the only vessel lost through this whole war.

The three remaining Ezrian vessels left a day after the mutineers heading home in pursuit after bribing the crews with money and alcohol for their continued loyalty. How long that’d last though was anyone’s guess.

Important Notes
-- This is Moderation Mark 2
-- The Sessauan-Shidran War/Colonial War has ended with the overall victor being the Empire of Mille Sessau but this battle a draw
-- The Island where Lashid Colony resided is uninhabitable for 3 years game time
-- Empire of Ezria lost the Colossus and the Agrina due to happiness issues after losing a ship and not avenging the Shurmanda which caused the Elves aboard the ships lost whatever little trust/respect they had for the Avians

(OOC: Explains the disappearance of the Lashid Colony with that Volcano thing.)