Conflagration

[Kaiser B'caw I]

The captain of the Sword of Mors peered quietly into the darkness beyond the windows of the bridge. Around him, senior members of the crew hurried in and out and around, checking weapons readiness, getting reports from the rest of the crew, watching radar. There was an excitement in the air that all of them shared, as the ship, like they knew many others were doing at precisely the same moment, continued its slow, steady glide toward Musica.

The policies of Musica with regards to taxes on maritime traffic had irked merchants in general and Sunderspray in particular for quite some time. The city's position on the great trade routes had made it obscenely wealthy, and the tariffs it levied even more so; for a people whose entire existence was dependent on exactly the kind of trade Musica wanted an arm and a leg for, it was intolerable. When the Duke had called for forces to help him bring the small county under the aegis of Mortis, it had not required much convincing.

Behind them, other ships were already preparing a blockade; the Sword of Mors was among those lucky enough, and heavily armed enough, to take part in the waterside assault. At the same time, he knew, forces from the north would be waiting to attack from land; the Sundeesprites just awaited their signal.

The light of early morning had not yet begun to wash over the horizon, but to the north there was the distant crackle of fireworks and booms of small bombs being detonated as the Musicans celebrated the beginning of La Fiesta de la B0O0O0/\/\. In most of Shireroth, the festivities usually started well into the morning, but the... enthusiasm of the Musican version generally required that they have the day free.

After half an hour or so, a glow finally appeared on the horizon... but, again, it was to the north. As it grew brighter, and columns of smoke rose into the sky, the captain nodded. Musica was burning... again. And the signal should be coming soon, when the citizens were distracted with combating the flames...

[Harvey Steffke]

Burning this city is truly one of our better traditions.

[Kaiser B'caw I]

*Nods happily* Now THAT's a party.