In Which a Fortress is Besieged.

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Dienekes22
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In Which a Fortress is Besieged.

Post by Dienekes22 » Sat Feb 04, 2023 4:07 pm

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Mathias, flanked by his guard and his colors, makes a show of walking to the gate of the fortress Chateau de Claver. Above him, on the walls, bowmen muster and shift nervously on their feet. Behind him, nearly lost in a rising cloud of dust, the siege train rumbled into position. He had waited to make his show until the enemy could see the glimmering helms of the approaching infantry and smell the odor of pack animals sweating to convince them it was foolish to fight back.

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"Mathias, Hero of Bryton, veteran and victor of many wars and fights and battles beyond counting, arrives at your gate seeking to parley!" he shouted once he had reached the gate.

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"And Jeanne de Montaumont, Peer of Touraine, answers thus. Is this the Mathias of great fortune who commanded his troops in the coastal battle and was driven off by foes of lifeless calcium after his failure to secure his quarry?"

"We need not discuss such matters, for they are unpleasant, indeed. And most unpleasant will be the fate of Jeanne de Montaumont, she who serve the Lioness, if she heedlessly gives battle against me."

"You, sir, art mistaken, and thou art curr for such words. I will, as you say, heedlessly give battle. What have I to fear? Are the walls of this fortress not of sturdy stone and timber? Are the warriors upon it not of the best stock in Medivo and equipped by the finest battle implements in the Brikverse? Nay, sir, the unpleasant fate belongs only to thee. I pray you will keep this energy of arrogant words and mocking voice when you surrender to me and quit this land."

"I see, with great sadness, that you will not quit your position and cede this fortress to me, as my Queen demands. I should not even continue with her terms, gracious as they are, but since she gives commands and I obey them, I will still tell you. Throw down thy arms and leave the castle in peace, or I will take it by force of arms and put all of you to the sword, I swear this to God."

Jeanne ignored him, "What brings such a force here, to my doorstep? Surely, you see no riches worth taking or lands worth stealing."

"Ah, am I to pretend I do not know what is kept in the fortress, Jeanne?" Mathias answered. "I know, as all do, the treasure that lies in the buried bosom of the fortress, though where exactly none can say, but I can say that I shall find it. If I am to participate in such a farce, I say that if there is nothing of value here, then why would your queen send you, her most trusted Knight, to defend it?"

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Jeanne looked up at the arriving battle train before answering. "I have nothing left to say that there is nothing here for you, save death. I demand you leave at once."

"I will not," Mathias answered, turning to leave, "so we will fight."

~~~

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Jeanne stood on the wall above, the host of men-at-arms about and below her. She was surrounded by royal forces, the only professional troops available, and nearby was Anselme who had only recently been promoted after he saved the fortress from betrayal and perfidy.

"The enemy has given their terms and I have rejected them," Jeanne said, not usually one for speeches and rabble-rousing.

"Hear, hear!" the troops shouted unexpectedly.

"Soon they will do battle with us, and I know we will push them off our walls and back into the hills. We have only to hold until reinforcements arrive, which I expect could happen any day. Will you stand bravely with me, and destroy our foes?"

"Yes!" the troops shouted.

"Then meet with your officers and prepare for my orders, for much must be done to prepare ourselves for the fight ahead."

Jeanne surveyed the troops as they began to move this way and that, confident in their strength.

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And so the battle began, just days later, when the Brytons had prepared their camp and set their weapons in place.

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Cannon fire boomed, the smoke choking the air for weeks at a time.

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The men fought back against ladders and ropes, repulsing each wave of the enemy.

And so the two sides fought a bloody stalemate for six long months, though for the participants it felt longer, as if all of eternity had contracted to the fortress and brought the immeasurable suffering of the Brikverse into their midst.

Up next... the battle.
stubby wrote:Oh man, look at these guys. Beautiful units, photos in focus, appropriately cropped, white background... what if I remove all the current photos from the rulebook and just replace everything with these
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