Fantasy RP

[Bannanachair]

@ Othan: "Thurum's still a young boy and his notion of war is still that people always fight for glory and always come home alive. I thought that as well, once, but when our cousin Thurum died... Well, it's better for him to know what war is really like from some stories than to only learn about the ugly reality of it the way that I did, and that his namesake did."

@ Alfred: "I'll go with you when we deliver it. He was a good kid, and a good sailor."

(Hey Duck, you can just make up a surname if you'd like to also edit your last post. edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/whats-name-how-did-surnames-come-be is an article that I found about peasant surnames in the middle ages, if you need any inspiration.)

[Tikobe]

Othan

"I understand," I reply, trying to be as gentle as possible, though it sounded like slightly less stoic than usual tone of voice. "Well then, I will head to my horse right now and update Raethus on our number. How about you, Northan?"

[Leggo]

(I want y’all to know that my household guard equipment is literally what a Roman Legionary equipped without the Latin names. I’m obsessed with Roman battle strategy and equipment. It was so good. The turtle is literally a testudo translated to English. I might’ve overdone the explaining.)

Jonos

Now that we’ve more less taken the wall over here, it’s time to start sweeping the streets. I get off the wall and shout to my household guard to rally them to my position, which in all honesty shouldn’t take long considering we’ve trained for moments like this.

Once I’ve got them all near me, I assemble them into a formation we’ve trained with, the turtle. I shrewdly and carefully picked their gear sets out so that they’d be most effective on the battlefield. With their rectangular curved shields effective at forming missile-blocking shield walls, their two-edged pointed swords, javelins, mail armor, and extensive training on combat, tactics, and formations, I can put my full trust in my household guard. I begin our formation march towards the palace.

[Duck14]

(@leggo, the Romans were great.)

Alfred

I nod in appreciation. “That he was Garry.” The parchment lay on the desk where it would stay until I wanted to move it. “I think I’ll stay below for a while longer. I’m not really in the mood for the river air.”

[Bannanachair]

@ Othan: "I'll check with some of the knights here to see who's interested in hanging outlaws and meet you at the stables."

As you arrive at the stable, you see a young boy, maybe thirteen years old, who you don't recognise doing something with Raethus's stuff that's on his packhorse.

@ Jonos: Your men march in the city towards the palace, with very little resistance. It seems like as many men as could be mustered were sent to the city walls once it was apparent that you had started storming the city, leaving very few to try to stop you.

@ Alfred: "Aye, and I don't thin that you want to be out in the rain again. It's dying down some, but it's still pouring."

There was a knock on your door, and the Ayomoran man from earlier walked in after Garry opened it. "Captain, I want to discus the payment that you said you would give me for saving your first mate's life, and for then saving your navigator. I don't want money or gold, as I have as much of that as I could want. What I want instead is a favour. I'll be disembarking at Estermere and riding north for Belgate, but I feel that I may have need of a ship on the Nubarb again at some point, and probably not too far from now. I want a promise that you'll take me where I need to go when I need to go there."

[Leggo]

(I forgot to mention that I dismounted Solmyr and let him fly around since this is a testudo and it’s all footmen, though I don’t think it’s important)

Jonos

Interesting. I march the formation onwards to the palace then. I do hope the Count resists violently instead of surrendering, so I can kill him and tie up that loose end quickly. Either way, he’ll eventually die. Once we arrive at the palace entrance I examine the scene. I’ll need to develop a plan promptly.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nodded without a second thought, that was more than the man deserved and much less than we could provide him in compensation. “You have my word. We’ll be stuck in Estermere for a little bit to fix our ship. But after we’re shipshape again we will take you across the Nubarb.” We probably had to report the storm once we docked, not that the other sailors wouldn’t have seen or heard it.

[Tikobe]

Othan

Odd, what is this boy doing here? As I approach the lad, I scan all over him and the area around, mostly his bags, if there's anyway to see what's in them and what his hands are doing.

"Why hello there, young man," I say as I kneel down near him, hiding my ill intent behind a half-hearted smile. "Who would you be?"

[Bannanachair]

@ Jonos: Despite the fact that the streets were empty, the palace evidently was not. The doors to the palace were shut and seem like they would take a battering ram to open. All the first-floor windows were boarded shut tight as well, something that would have taken substantially longer than the few hours you were storming the city to accomplish.

@ Alfred: "You'll take me anywhere on the Nubarb that I desire at all? My destination is not likely to be any major port, which is why I need this as a specific favour."

@ Othan: "My name is Tammen, my lord. Tammen Almerry, that is," He said. "I'm be- "

He was cut off by the arrival of Raethus Shan. "He's my new squire. Hartwig's grandson."

[Tikobe]

Othan

I look to Raethus.

"Really? Hartwig's grandson, you say?" I question in surprise, before giving a sigh. "I hadn't even known you were going to squire someone so soon Raethus. Well, I suppose that explains why he was near your things."

I look to Tammen.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Tammen. I am Othan Mallowater, friend of your mentor right here."

[Duck14]

Alfred

I leaned forward with a frown. He was questioning us now? I was more than happy to take the offer without question but it seemed he wanted that. “Alright, do you know where along the Nubarb your most likely to head? Should we expect more men to come with you? And how many supplies would you likely be bringing along? I’m more than happy to take you anywhere though.”

[Leggo]

Jonos

I order my men to hold while I inspect the palace for any weakness we can exploit. I also send two high-ranking household guard to the front - where surely the gate is open - to call for any siege equipment that can fit through the narrow streets. Perhaps the Count will try to parley with me. I would sooner put an arrow in his throat.

[Bannanachair]

@ Othan: "I know who you are, my lord. Sir Raethus had me saddle your horse."

@ Alfred: "I don't quite know precisely where, but I know that, if I do need to call in this favour, it will be rather far upstream. As I said, I'll be heading north to Belgate first, where I'll find out if I'm right or wrong about something. If I'm right, then I'll call in the favour. If I'm wrong, you'll never hear from me again."

@ Jonos: Some battering rams manage to get sent through, though most of your siege equipment was damaged in the storm - both the whether and the fighting.

[Leggo]

Jonos

I give commands for the battering rams to assault any entrances or openings on the front section of the palace. I split my men into two battle-groups (one led by Wallace and one led by me), then send one to form a breaching formation on the main entrance. The other one will sit back with me and assault any openings that get made by the other battering rams. I’ll watch above with my bow, anyone who wants to peak will take an arrow.

[Tikobe]

Othan

Quite a crass manner of speech. Well, I suppose it's the young who are prone to speaking back. Although I could most likely be misreading the situation, but I'm sure Kallian taught me to always return a proper greeting, although I don't always listen to everything he says. Either way, I suppose that Raethus will be beating some manners into this child.

"I see. Onto another topic, Raethus, I've informed my brother Northan and asked him for his aid. He'll be bringing Thander Marthus, Thurum and about one or two others with us. He apparently already sent Thander Marthus to saddle the horses."

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nodded again, we still owed the man. Though my instinct suggested that he would come back and that we would end up travelling upstream. It was the way of the world. “I’m fine with that. Though if you do return I request that you tell us more about what we’re getting into. I have a crew to look after.”

[Bannanachair]

@ Jonos: It takes several minutes, but eventually the battering rams manage to burst open the front door and Wallace's men are sent in. Some of your vassals who were still trying to take the gate the last time you saw them have since come to join you here, assisting the men who are fighting inside. From what you can tell nobody is trying to escape the palace that you can shoot at from the air.

@ Othan: "Your son was here and he was fast," Raethus said. "He saddled three horses and then took off with them in a very short amount of time. It think that he went to get Thurum. Do you know who else your brother's bringing along?"

[Bannanachair]

(Goddammit, a latepost. This is the first one on this thread since I accepted Tik's CS and you posted yours a second before I posted my post!)

@ Alfred: "I understand that. It's been a pleasure speaking with you in better weather conditions. My name's Naroth, by the way."

[Leggo]

Jonos

I spit my contingent in half. I will take my half in to assist in fighting and reaching the Count. I order the other half to establish a perimeter around the palace so no possible reinforcements sneak in and nobody escapes. This guarding contingent will be led by the highest ranking officer in said contingent. I also order any archers who are just now coming from the main gate to stay out here and keep their bows trained at the rooftops.

After all these orders are commanded, I shout a warcry and lead my men into the palace.

[Tikobe]

Othan

"I've yet to confirm an exact arrangement of names, though Northan did mention that the attendance of a man named Sir Boderick was highly likely. Beyond that, however, he said that at best he'd be able to bring one or two more."

It pleased me to hear of my son's deftness. Now all I need to do is attend his strategy lessons to make sure that he is not lacking in that regard.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nod. “Nice to meet you Naroth, I personally hope to meet you again. Out of interest more than anything else. My name is Alfred, but of course you know that already.” I extend a hand to him. I was intrigued by his proposition.

[Bannanachair]

@ Jonos: As you enter the palace, you immediately see that there were close to a hundred enemy soldiers inside the entry hall, in a shieldwall against the crowd of soldiers that you sent in before you. It's extraordinarily difficult to move around in the mass of people, but the battle line is moving towards the interior of the palace. "Your majesty, I'm glad that you could make it!" Sir Wallace shouted over the clanging of swords and the screams of the dying.

@ Othan: "As many men as he could get would be useful, but what we mostly need is organization," Raethus said. "Between the four villages under my protection there are probably close to a thirty peasant families, which would each have maybe one or two fighting men apiece. The difficulty is that, though I've been forcing them to train in using weapons, not one of them would make for a half-decent officer. Fifteen well-organised bandits versus sixty unorganised fighting men spread across four villages each slightly over an hour's ride away from eachother doesn't bode well for us, at the risk of making a pun on your brother's friend's name."

Your son, covered in bruises from training, arrived about a minute later. He was on horseback with Thurum and with three other horses in tow. One of them would be your brother's horse and one a packhorse.

"Father, it's good to be going on this trip with you. Both uncle Kallian and uncle Northan have been saying that I should do more father-son bonding things with you, so this will be good for us." It is true that they have both been saying that, though likely for different reasons. His eyes then turned to young Tammen. "I don't believe we've met before. Are you my father's new squire or Sir Raethus's?" He asked, dismounting and going to initiate conversation with the younger man.

"Uncle Othan! Uncle Raethus!" Thurum shouted, excited and happy as only an eight-year-old could be, having forgotten about last night's spectacle. "We're going to see mother and Aldona and my new baby brother! What do you think his name will be? Thanner's told me all about him!" He momentarily dropped his reigns and moved forward as if to try to hug you or Raethus, then he remembered that he was on horseback and corrected himself.

After several minutes of idle chitchat among the squires and between Raethus and your mutual nephew, your brother arrived with three other knights and their squires. Sir Boderick was one of the knights, and the only one who didn't seem to have an accompanying squire. You recognised another as one-armed Galad Forsnith, who lost his right hand under your command during the Battle of Estermere in the Second Galbror War but has since been training with his left. You don't recognise the other knight, though you're certain that you'll become acquainted over the journey.

(Sorry for skipping forward past lots of character introductions for this scene, I just wanted to get it moving without having a page of conversation each time someone else enters the stables to mount for the expedition.)

@ Alfred: Naroth took your hand and shook it. "Even if I don't need to go where I fear that I may, if I ever have need of a ferry on this great river of yours again, you've proven yourselves to be some of the most reliable and stalwart sailors that I've ever met. You're Eredalian, right?"

[Tikobe]

(That's fine)

Othan

"Well, once we reach Castle Shan let all of us here have a discussion," I say to Raethus. "I've a few ideas to help at least mitigate the risks posed by the organization problem. Of course, I would like some time to think about them in depth before I propose them, not to mention I'm sure we're running short of time. I'm willing to leave on your call."

I walk over to my horse to examine it's luggage to see if the servant has prepared what I asked them to.

[Leggo]

Jonos

I shout to Wallace with a grin, “Wouldn’t miss it!” as I make my way into our shield wall. “Rally the troops into a charging line! We need to facilitate an entry point in their shield wall! Once we have a wedge to break their wall we’ll open our wall and charge through!” My throat pains me already, I’m authoritative vocally, but this palace is really loud. I’ve got to really shout. I stab my sword into any holes I can find in the opposing shield wall.

[Bannanachair]

@ Othan: Everything that you requested is indeed there. "Then take this as my call," Raethus said. "We ride out now!"

@ Jonos: Initially you couldn't find any openings because you were a few rows of men behind the fighting itself, but as your men form the wedge that you had ordered you could feel the battle move forward, and the frontline got larger and closer to you. Eventually, however, you found yourself in the centre of the wedge with only one man in front of you. When he was cut down, you became the frontline, and you fought ferociously, eventually managing to fight so deep into enemy forces that you split them into two groups surrounded by your men, one pinned to the wall left of you and one to the wall right of you. There was also a third group, those who routed down the hallway in front of you to try to get away from you and your men.