Nartecia Colony

[Ysne]

I'm going through all the old Oblivion files on my portable hard drive and came accross this mission statement.

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Instructions To Be Opened Only After Embarkation For Nartecia Colony On Pain Of Imprisonment

By The Authority Vested In The Commander Of The Emergency Nartecia Colony Relief Force By His Reverence Chancellor Ocato Acting In Lieu Of His Late Majesty the Emperor, All Those Who Read This Text Are Bound By The Following Oath: That If Capture Or Death Of A Holder Of This Copy Be Imminent, This Text Must Be Burned, Eaten Or Otherwise Rendered Illegible, To Prevent The Enemy Gaining Access To Military Secrets. Failure To Prevent Such A Catastrophe Will Result In Summary Court-Martial And Any Punishment Deemed Necessary By The Commander.

Emergency Nartecia Colony Relief Force Personnel Essential Information

Part One – Relevant History

The Island now known as Nartecia Colony existed as an independent island territory until the Imperial annexation of 3E 277, as part of Uriel V's campaign of meticulous preparation for his eventual invasion of mainland Akavir. Indeed, the island and the port facility built upon it was later used very successfully as a staging area for the final assault on Esroniet. The annexation was met completely without resistance, the indigenous beast-folk seemingly indifferent to the Imperial presence. Though various attempts to educate them and convert these unenlightened beings to the one true Alessian faith were made, these creatures, believed by scholars to be examples of the ones described by the Akaviri Potentates many years ago as the Tang Mo, proved utterly recalcitrant, and were eventually dismissed by both ambassadors and the priesthood as unworthy of their attentions. From them, however, was discovered the original name of the isle, Nar't-Cha, from which was derived the Cyrodiilised name Nartecia, applied when the territory was officially incorporated as an Imperial Colony. In the years that followed, leading up to the disaster at Ionith which resulted in the loss of the entire Imperial Expeditionary Force and Uriel V himself, settlers moved to the island, but due to its immense distance from Tamriel, the settlement never prospered beyond a simple agrarian and fishing lifestyle. With the news of the catastrophe on the mainland many fled, fearing immediate retribution by the Tsaesci. But none came. Ever since the island has been eerily, uneasily quiet. The Expeditionary Force did not observe any Tsaesci Navy during their presence on the mainland, and it appears that they are utterly deficient in this regard. Certainly, until very recently it appeared that they were content to remain in their own lands and leave the Imperial offshore colonies to their own devices.

Part Two – The Nature Of The Current Emergency

Given that they appear from all accounts to be ignorant of seafaring, how the Tsaesci first made landfall on New Pelagiad, the closest colony to the mainland, is a mystery, as is why they waited for so long before launching their offensive. Despite a strong garrison New Pelagiad fell immediately and ever since, probing attacks and raids have become more and more frequent on all remaining island colonies. As yet no more direct mass attacks have taken place, but the skirmishes have built up to such a frequency that, like a rising tide, the garrisons are being slowly and inevitably overwhelmed. Information is limited, given the stretched communication lines of the Battlemages stationed among the colonies, but it appears that last month, the Imperial Governor of the District, Titus Sellus gave the order to fall back from the colony of Telbera, abandoning the port to the Tsaesci. Since then, Esrionet's coasts and even Black Harbour itself have come under attack, though no serious fighting has taken place as yet. The Tsaesci's capacity for transport over water appears to be limited in terms of distance, and the Battlemages have observed a distinct “stepping-stone” pattern to their attack on the islands. Following this pattern, the next step will be Nartecia Colony, conquest of which would allow the enemy to launch a two-pronged offensive on Black Harbour which the Elder Council doubts it would be able to withstand. True to the Battlemages' deductions, Nartecia has come under increasing pressure, and a final assault is expected. The Esrionet garrison is too thinly spread itself to lend assistance, and thus the Elder Council has, in its wisdom, made the difficult decision to dispatch a relief force composed of the limited number of Legionnaires that can be spared from Cyrodiil duty and as many civilian volunteers as can be recruited. The Empire shall make its stand at Nartecia Colony.

Part Three – Rationale For Deployment

Given the current severe nature of what has been dubbed by certain sensationalist members of the public “the Oblivion Crisis”, several members of the Elder Council questioned the value of dispatching valuable troops needed to maintain order to defend a remote outpost. This argument was refuted thus: it is considered unlikely, perhaps impossible, that the assassination of His Late Majesty and the Tsaesci attack on the outer colonies should occur within such a short span of time could be pure coincidence. We cannot discount the possibility that both assaults comprise a single, co-ordinated strategy to destabilised Tamriel, though to what end we cannot tell. Loss of the colonies would leave our eastern borders open to attack at a time we especially cannot afford it. This may be the opening volley of a larger battle. The security of the entire Empire may hinge on whether Nartecia Colony stands or falls.

Part Four – Tactical And Topographical Information

The colony of Nartecia is actually two islands, one much smaller than the other. On this smaller island lies the supposed Tang Mo settlement. They have shown no interest in Imperial presence in the past and are considered unlikely either to be an asset or a threat to the defence of the colony. It is the larger island which has come under attack from the north and east. Once covered by dense jungle, the western extremity was cleared to facilitate the building of the port facility and attached settlement. The eastern extremity, dominated by a tall volcano, is almost cut off from the rest of the isle, except for a forbidding natural rock bridge over the chasm. This eastern end of the island is believed to be completely under the control of the Tsaesci, as is the rock bridge itself. Moving troops freely across, the enemy have established a base camp on the high region directly across the bridge, and have begun launching offensives through the jungle which is now all that separates them from the port.

Part Five – Overview Of The Emergency Relief Force Structure and Mission

The Emergency Relief Force is placed under the sole command of Borus Dendrius, who will be in direct communication with the Elder Council via his attached Imperial Legion Battlemages, and to whom the responsibility for success or failure of the mission exclusively falls. Armour will be supplied to civilian volunteers, unless they can provide their own. These volunteers are to be sworn in as Acting Legionnaires, and are expected to follow all relevant orders and face all the same penalties for disobedience.

The primary objective of the Emergency Relief Force is to make landfall on Nartecia Island and reinforce the besieged garrison. The port and its associated settlement must be held at all costs. This is the primary objective – all others are to be considered targets of opportunity and at the discretion of the commander. A counter-offensive against the Tsaesci is only to be attempted if the chances of completely driving them from the island outweigh the risks of trying.

The best of fortune is wished to our gallant troops. Talos be with you, soldiers of the Empire.

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Does this look at all familar to anyone?