First Battle of the Longcoats

One week after mid-Autumn's eve, the Legion arrived at the front. The Division passed by a column of retreating Jabalina infantry in shock from their recent disastrous battle. The Legion arrived at a cliff overlooking the river defining the Jabalina-Baso border at sunrise and set up camp. Shi-eh was informed of the strategy for the battle ahead. To halt the Mujikan advance, the Foreign Legion would counter-attack before the Mujikans crossed into Jabalina at the river. The plan involved the Legion throwing three brigades at across the river, up the northern cliffs, and attack a fortified Mujikan division.

Shi'eh led her squad with the east flank across the river, but the forward scouts failed to discover Mujikan heavy artillery beyond the cliffs. The Legion was bombarded by trebuchet as they attempted to reach the cliffs and after suffering heavy casualties were ordered to fall back to south of the river and make camp.

While in charge to watching the camp in the last hour before sunrise of the second day of battle, he accidentally revealed his brigade's position. Overnight, the Mujikans pushed their artillery forward and now used the smoke from Shun's accident as their target for a new barrage. The brigadier general commanded his brigade to hold their ground while under the bombardment for an hour before finally ordering the unit to fall back to the main camp. Battered and exhausted, Shi' led the seven members of her ten-soldier squad back to camp for the night. Shun made friends with one of the army's captains and Lore practiced her arcana.

The Legion threw more soldiers across the river valley the next day. The Mujikan artillery pounded the incoming Legionnaires. By the time they finally made it over the cliffs, the Foreign LEgion suffered over 50% casualties. The unit was nonetheless ordered to continue. When the party's brigade charged toward the east wall of the Mujikan palisade, Scorpion ballista rapid-fired four pound stones at the incoming forces. In a single round of fire, the incoming Legionnaires lost half of their charging forces.

Shi'eh managed to rally her entire platoon after the lieutenant was killed by artillery fire, but was still unable to establish a foothold against the fort. The bugle call for retreat sounded all across the line. The party retreated under artillery fire crossing back all the way across the border river and back to the main camp. At the end of the three-day battle, the Legion's numbers had dropped from twelve thousand to just over five thousand.

A cold rain moved in and served the task the Legion failed to accomplish. The Mujikans dug in for a cold winter and halted their advance. Likewise, the Jabalina Foreign Legion was ordered to dig trenches and await the remise of the Mujikan invasion. For her actions under chaos in the battle, Shi'eh was promoted to Lieutenant of her platoon. Shun and Lore were also commended for their actions in the battle and were promoted to Sergeant.