Ta'Vaalor/Defenses

Ta'Vaalor uses town defense systems as detailed below. The Crimson Legion helps to defend Ta'Vaalor as well.

Ballista

Ballistae are large siege weapons usually located in towers which are designed to fire sharpened logs in a similar manner to crossbows, but with considerably more destructive power. The ballistae can be used to fire normal sharpened logs, or blessed logs for use against undead invaders. The towers also often house cabinets for storing arrows/bolts for used with ranged attacks made through the windows. More information is available at town defense systems.

1. LOOK BALLISTA to see the ballista's status.
2. Load the ballista if necessary. GET LOG, LOAD BALLISTA, PULL BALLISTA
3. PEER BALLISTA to see what its aiming at (and to see if there's anything to fire it at).
4. Old model - TURN BALLISTA to move it toward a different window (to PEER anew).
5. New model - TURN BALLISTA towards a specific compass direction and aim at different distances with PUSH BALLISTA
6. FIRE BALLISTA

Notes: There is considerable roundtime associated with GET and PULL when loading the ballista; it is helpful to work in teams.

Ammunition

Logs for use with ballistae can be gathered in certain forests by using any axe-type weapon and CUTting a tree. There is considerable hard roundtime associated with this and it takes a number of CUTs to fell a log. For this reason, it's advantageous to work in groups. Once a log has been felled, CUT the log again to sharpen it into a sharpened log. At this point, it can be used in a ballista on living creatures. A cleric must bless the log and turn it into a white sharpened log to use it against the undead. Logs can be stockpiled in ballista towers for later use and will not be lost to the janitor.

The Fire Drake

Access to the Drake can be found just inside Annatto Gate. Defenders can SEARCH to discover a trapdoor.

[Ta'Vaalor, Annatto Wey - 3523] (u14100038)
A large stone building, with a small mithglin sign posted above its open doorway, stands near the elaborately carved Annatto Gate.  The building's pristine limestone facade is adorned with several crimson and gold pennants.  A young elven legionnaire stands at attention, guarding the entry and nodding respectfully to the few officers moving in and out of the building at the late hour.  Several city guardsmen carefully inspect travelers passing through the gates.  You also see a peak tiger and a wooden barrel.
Obvious paths: north, west

>search
You make a careful search of the area and discover a flame-shaped trapdoor!

Once on the other side of the trapdoor, defenders can make their way to the Orb Storage Room by traveling: se, se, se, se, climb ladder, climb rungs, down, go arch.

[Orb Storage Room - 25635] (u14115003)
This room, occupying the base of the drake is built of heavy, rough-cut blocks of stone.  Overhead, a platform provides access to the mithril chamber.  The room is impeccably clean and illuminated with blue-tinged light cast by several small globes mounted to the walls.  You also see a concave pedestal, a mithril chamber, a large rack, the alchemist Tarlier and a ladder.
Obvious exits: out

Unfortunately, access to the Drake is restricted to those with full or partial citizenship of Ta'Vaalor.

>go arch
You cannot enter.  This area is for citizens only.

Loading the Fire Drake

Once inside the Orb Storage Room, defenders must lower the pedestal so alchemist Tarlier can prepare an orb. You can lower the pedestal by KICKing it.

>kick pedestal
You kick the lever on the pedestal which releases the gears to wind the pedestal back down to the floor.

Tarlier grabs a glass orb from the rack and fills it with a bright orange liquid and mutters something while running his hand across the surface of the orb.  Placing it on the pedestal, he says, "Ready for....deployment."

After Tarlier has loaded an orb onto the pedestal, it must be raised into position. To raise the pedestal, defenders must TURN it into position. It takes two turns to fully prime the Drake, each turn producing 10 seconds of roundtime. This action can be performed by two defenders in order to speed up the process.

>turn pedestal
You turn the crank on the pedestal and it travels about halfway up to the mithril chamber.
Roundtime: 10 sec.

R>turn pedestal
You turn the crank and the pedestal rises up into the mithril chamber.
Roundtime: 10 sec.

Firing the Fire Drake

After the pedestal has been loaded with an orb and raised into position, the Drake is ready to be fired. A defender must CLIMB the LADDER into the upper level of the Fire Drake and PUSH the STRIKER.

You climb up a ladder.
[Fire Drake, Upper Level - 25634] (u14115004)
Rounded walls, obviously the interior of the drake's torso, enclose this space.  A sturdy platform that covers the majority of the chamber overlooks the room below.  You also see a rectangular window, a ladder and a striker.
Obvious exits: none

>push strike
You slam the striker forward into the mithril enclosure with all your might.  The striker strikes the orb inside shattering it and igniting the mixture inside.  The mixture ignites into a massive conflagration that streams out a pipe in the chamber.  The whole area shakes with the explosive release.

While manning the Upper Levels, defenders can PEER through the WINDOW to watch the bridge below in order to time the firing of the Drake for maximum effect.

>peer window
Gazing into the window, you see...

[Ta'Vaalor, Annatto Bridge - 10494] (u14100040)
The limestone bridge stretches across the Mistydeep, the quiet trickle of the water as it tumbles past the bridge's massive supports barely carrying on the breeze.  Several city guardsmen stand at alert, examining passersby as they enter and exit the city.
Obvious paths: southeast, northwest

Teamwork

Once the Drake has been fired, the pedestal can be lowered and reloaded. This defensive weapon is most efficient when operated by a group. While it's possible to be manned solo, it's better with two, and best with three (two defenders working the pedestal in the Orb Storage Room and one manning the STRIKER.) Defenders in each location can see what the other is doing, facilitating teamwork and timing. While in the Orb Storage Room, you can see when the defender in the Upper Level pushes the STRIKER.

Aharil slams the striker forward into the mithril enclosure.
The striker strikes the orb inside shattering it and igniting the mixture inside.  The mixture ignites into a massive conflagration that streams out a pipe in the chamber.  The whole area shakes with the explosive release.

Similarly, the defender in the Upper Level can see when the pedestal is lowered and raised.

Anarquendi cranks the pedestal about halfway up.
>
Anarquendi cranks the pedestal into the mithril chamber.
>push strike
You slam the striker forward into the mithril enclosure with all your might.  The striker strikes the orb inside shattering it and igniting the mixture inside.  The mixture ignites into a massive conflagration that streams out a pipe in the chamber.  The whole area shakes with the explosive release.
>
The pedestal retracts back down to the floor.

See Also

• Town defense systems

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