Ok, its getting late and though I'd like to add more, I'm done for the day.

I have opened Book Three to the general public and though I'd like to merge Fighting Back with it, I couldn't quite get it to work right now. If anyone wants to give it a try, go ahead, I'm off to sleep.

By the by.

Though I approve of these sniping assassination attempts, do keep in mind that what is considered sniping today isn't quite what it was back in those days.

Sure, a proper rifle of its time is pretty accurate, but of course it will never have the range of anything we know today.

Despite that, at the time they had no scopes or anything like that, which is probably a far greater problem than the lower quality.

Since I can't say I'm a hunter or something like that, I don't know what kind of ranges we ARE talking about here, so I did some quick checking.

Supposedly, with practice, you could hit a MOOSE with a modern day rifle at a distance of 200 yards with just good old fashioned iron sights.

Considering these people are probably hunting with weapons far more sophisticated and accurate, and we're not trying to shoot a moose, but a ta'kun or perhaps a mermadon I think its reasonable to assume you have to be at 100 yards or less for your shot or you're probably not going to hit the intended target, let alone kill it.

Keep that in mind, it might be closer to your target than you'd like.

Here's some research:

Sniping

Well sharp shooters definitely existed but unlike today where any fool can pick up a high powered rifle with a scope and have a half decent chance of hitting their mark, especially at 300 yards, people in the 19th century needed some serious skill, and it wasn't common.

Today people adept with a rifle commonly make 1000 yard shots, unheard of in the first half of the 19th century. In the later half though I do recall that more sophisticated high powered rifles were made.

This is quoted info:
The long rifle is said by modern experts to have a range of 80 to 100 yards. This figure is meant for the normal or novice user. A trained, experienced shooter who knows how to take variables into account such as (gunpowder) load, windage, drop, etc. can easily extend the medium range of the long rifle to 400-500 yards.

Sandy Graves is an exceptional marksman, a dead-eye and can make consistent 300 yard shots. Were the world more stable and the lad more innovative he could be in a carnival entertaining people instead of dying in battle.

The Percussion Cap

The percussion cap, introduced around 1830, was the crucial invention that enabled muzzle-loading firearms to fire reliably in any weather. In the 1850s, the percussion cap was first integrated into a metallic cartridge which contained the bullet, powder charge and primer. By the late 1860s, breech-loading metallic cartridges had made the percussion cap system obsolete.

Basha has been using percussion caps, but as it says above they were not combined with the metal cartridge we are all accustomed to until the later half of the 19th century so his caps are loose. So the cap is added, then the shot, and the hammer sets off the cap. Simple.

Since he uses caps he is more limited to a 250 yard shot, since he cannot fiddle with the power of his charge. Realistically he is most likely not going to hit anything that is beyond 200.

The metal cartridges were first invented to accommodate riders, who were constantly fumbling with the little caps on their mounts and consequently getting their butts shot off.

That beats my pulled out of the ass estimation...

Darn!

So alright, Sandy can definitely go beyond what I figured might be appropriate, I suppose the lesser skilled will need to be at a 100-150 to get a good shot off. Regardless, its not as far as any modern weapon today and I wanted to be sure all of you were aware. Seems someone was way ahead of me though...

Since we're babbling about 19th century gun technology anyway I might as well delve a bit deeper into the Shut-Eye.
It uses paper cartridges which combine powder, percussion cap and actual projectile, wrapped in several layers of paper in order to combine the parts with one layer but keep certain bits from mixing with an other. Instead of the percussion cap being at the bottom it was actually in the middle and when triggered the gun would make a needle pierce the paper, pass through the compartment of powder and then ignite it with the cap.

An advantage is that once fired the chamber of the gun is always empty; The "shell" is made of paper and has ignited, and both the PC and the bullet have been shot out of the barrel. Supposedly igniting the powder "backwards" creates superior internal dynamics and adds to stability and thrust for the bullet, but despite that contemporary bullets don't use this to their advantage. Probably because paper cartridges are made of paper and that kind of sucks in its own way, and sticking a needle through metal is kind of difficult... Of course, I doubt there's a huge visible difference between a "needle gun" and the kind of long rifle the snipers will be using for example when it comes to accuracy, range and force of impact or whatever.

Though certainly you can fire the Shut-Eye way more often, given all you have to do is open the breech, insert a cartridge, close, fire and repeat. Supposedly this kind of rifle was also quite reliable, and the only part of it likely to break was the needle, which was easy to replace, even on the field of battle, provided you have a spare.

Yes, I checked on that technology (you knew I would). Basha being a gunsmith would be aware of the technology, but had simply not yet embraced it.

Paper cartridges would be cutting edge technology at the time, something the Basha does not yet deal with, going more the route of the percussion cap by itself. His guns have converted hammer strikers, which was possible to do to regular flint lock pistols, I am not sure how, but I read something that said gunsmiths were able to do it.

The paper cartridge is an excellent idea, but people like Basha would probably stick with the percussion cap, because they are all weather.

You have however got me thinking. Sandy and Basha may in fact carry paper cartridges for their rifles. The reason being, someone who knows what they are doing may be able to modify the gun powder in the cartridge to allow for the extra range the way someone would accomplish this with straight black powder and wadding. What do you think, Socks? Not sure if it may be more realistic or not.

Well, I had my doubts... but I had assumed as much, heh.

Just trying to educate the masses, you know.

Well, the problem is you can't fire a paper cartridge without the needle. And I doubt you can fire the more ordinary kind of shot WITH a needle, so you'd need separate rifles for the different kinds of ammunition.

Aside from that, they might be walking around with one of the earliest types of breechloaders. The amount of Shut-Eyes is most likely extremely limited around the world.

But aside from that I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself.

Ah, just go with the rifle. It had good range and, for the gun technology of the time (as depicted in our story, anyway), it was the preferred weapon of skilled shooters. And skilled shooters could shoot 3-4 rounds per minute without fail.

Just my two cents. I borrowed them from Dann. I'll pay you back, Dann.

Ah ha ha haaaa! What excitement aboard the Sylph!

I know! The story just seemed to write itself... I had no control! I think you pulled a Jedi mind trick on me!

Np you have an excellant line of credit, will that be a fixed intrest rate or variable?

So, I am going to make a little write up for Sandy Graves and bump him up to a Minor Character with aspirations to be Major.

I'll also try to thin the herd and create some mayhem for the other groups, that is if someone else doesn't beat me to it. My soldiers are all expendable so run them through the wringer if you wish or back them into a corner.

I am not sure how many Long Spears there are, I was trying to not to build them up too much. Realistically they may be traveling in two groups, in the echoing tunnels their high pitched language would allow them to communicate at a distance. That being said, both the Eastern and Western groups could be in jeopardy.

Sandy Graves would naturally run in the direction that Sergeant Lasekura was bound to inform him of Basha's fall, so that's the way I seeing things occuring in the sewers at the moment.

o.O

Just so I don't screw things up royally.....Meitharal is a port town with accomodations and the like, correct? It's not just a fishing village is it? I can't remember from the previous posts regarding Meitharal what was there.

Here is the information you need to navigate the coast.

The beacon of Aullyndor yet loomed in the distance as the three riders
followed a seaside trail that followed the cliff's edge at a safe
distance. Gulls soared upon the ocean winds that played at unfastening,
Gertrude's bound tresses, their cries mocking the earth bound travelers
that slowly ascended the high ridge.

-----------

"Long ago, the fortress of Aullyndor stood strong, ever watching the
oceans for signs of the northern ships that plagued the coastal
communities. If they spied a vessel, the beacon was lit and its warning
could be seen for leagues at night, for that was the most common time
that the raiders struck.

One ill fated day, the fortress fell under the siege of the pirates, who
had through the night scaled the cliffside to attack at dawn. The battle
lasted for many days, but in the end, Aullyndor was destroyed and the
northerners descended upon the coast at will.

The night that they approached Mierathal, the villagers were all asleep
save for a few sleepy guards. Even with notice of the oar driven ships
there would be little that could be done as reinforcements would never
arrive in time, but that night the beacon shone bright. An eerie green
glow emanated from the burnt tower and the ocean stirred, then as swift
as the northerners set upon the beach a squall ripped through their
forces, as powerful as any army. Crushing waves and a gale, capsized all
the boats but one, and their sailors drowned at sea. The surviving ship
sailed home to tell its tale and ever since then, not a single northern
ship ever threatened their peaceful homes again for fear of angering the
sprits of Aullyndor."

--------------

The hungry travelers took their noontime picnic on the sunny,
wind-brushed hillside below the Beacon of Aullyndor as their horses
grazed the tall green grass.

-----------

Mierathal was just as Payden had remembered it, a quaint settlement
surrounded by an ancient rock wall the height of two men, offering a
false sense of security against a horde of leaping Ta'kun, but providing
security nonetheless. The bastion bent and twisted around the sturdy
stone buildings and ended at the seaside cliffs and the harbour, the
tips of the ships masts just appearing over the steep drop. A single
road that descended the cliffs was the only entry or exit from the
marina, which consisted a long stone wharf, connected to a few wooden docks.

A thick limbed man with a raspy voice had been one of the first to greet
the travelers when they had rode through the open gates. He had
approached Payden with a welcoming smile and had addressed him as
'Cloud', of which he would later explain to his companions was a
nickname he had received when he had first came there.

Payden introduced the man as, Marshal William Kallend, and it was
apparent by his size and the weaponry he carried that he maintained the
peace and provided security for the village. Then he in turn offered the
names of his traveling companions as Miss de Pontu the ward of Mr.
Starling, who was actually the name of a character from one his
favourite books as he could not think up any other name for Curt at the
spur of the moment. Subtly he cast, Curt an apologetic look for his poor
choice of title but as they had not discussed a suitable alias for a
last name he did his best.

Marshall Kallend, extended warm welcome to Curt and Gertrude, then
offered to buy them all a drink after securing the gates, which were
always closed just before sundown. Payden knew the way, and lead the
group to the stables where a young lad, took care of their mounts then
he showed his companions to the inn.

The inn was called the 'Brackish Bed', a two story building built at the
cliff's edge overlooking the harbour and the rolling sea. The innkeeper,
a pleasant, motherly woman saw them to their rooms which were meager at
best, but the beds were soft and the fireplaces in each a glow and warm.
Soon after they were settled, and returned down stairs to the dining
hall for some sea side fare, Marshal Kallend entered and told them to
order anything their hearts desired. He assured them that despite the
size of Mierathal, they boasted a selection that would rival that of
Fort Glory.

Drinks in hand then, he toasted to "Safe travels.", then proceeded to
inquire more of the happenings of Fort Glory and of where the travelers
were bound for.

--------

With Marshal Kallend as their guide through the bustling wharf,
candy-bright awnings and ship’s flags dancing above their heads in the
frisky wind, they soon found a suiting vessel for their journey. A
grizzled, brown-colored old fisherman named Arner had a thirty-two foot
(9.75 meter), two-cabin, one-head sloop named the Sylph that he was
willing to part with to the tune of two hundred and seventy-five golden
sovereigns. Kallend gave his friends an apologetic look and opened his
mouth with what looked like diplomatic determination, but Curt waved him
off.

----------

The terraced orchards of Mierathal seemed to float above the sea, along
walled ledges, silver branches flickering, ornamented with the tiniest,
tenderest green leaves and fragile gossamer blossoms of spring. The
breezes ballooning down from the rows of slender trees were heady with
the bee-luring fragrance of fruit-to-be and mingled pleasantly with the
salty musk of the bay.

EXCELLENT! That's what I was looking for! Thank you so much, Tiph. I can go with this info and not worry about not getting it right,.

Now Colleen can run into Marshall Kalend and learn what became of Payden.