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[Peradon]

Yes. Call upon the elves allies that we have!

[Generally me]

Lets get the people digging spike pits and making some boiling tar to throw on the defenders. Also if there is time dig a ditch around the walls to increase its height.

[Urist Mc Dwarf]

Are there any noncombanants in the fort? Like cooks or something?

[a1s]

reserve with roughly a thousand or more servants, workers, and the like in the inner courtyard complexes.

[adwarf]

... Well I finished the update, and then I screwed up and pressed backspace changing it to the last page erasing all of the work. Apparently Lazarus was also for some reason disabled, so the update is gone. The new update will be up tomorrow ....

[Parsely]

Build ramparts for the musketmen between the inner and outer walls, make them tall enough so they can fire down into enemies even while they're engaged with the rest of our infantry. Have the non-combatants and reserves do most of the work so the front line troops aren't exhausted.

Lets get the people digging spike pits and making some boiling tar to throw on the defenders. Also if there is time dig a ditch around the walls to increase its height.

I recommend we dig that ditch along the front of the inner wall. Since that wall is shorter and protected, we'll be able to make it much deeper and wider than if we built it along the outer wall. If we try building one on the outer wall, I doubt we'd be able to finish it in time.

... Well I finished the update, and then I screwed up and pressed backspace changing it to the last page erasing all of the work. Apparently Lazarus was also for some reason disabled, so the update is gone. The new update will be up tomorrow ....

RIP

How big are the cannons on the walls?

[adwarf]

How big are the cannons on the walls?

They're demi-culverins that fire 9 pound shot roughly, they're the standard for artillery pieces in the world though there are a small handful of larger or smaller pieces, but they're very rare.

[Generally me]

Build ramparts for the musketmen between the inner and outer walls, make them tall enough so they can fire down into enemies even while they're engaged with the rest of our infantry. Have the non-combatants and reserves do most of the work so the front line troops aren't exhausted.

Lets get the people digging spike pits and making some boiling tar to throw on the defenders. Also if there is time dig a ditch around the walls to increase its height.

I recommend we dig that ditch along the front of the inner wall. Since that wall is shorter and protected, we'll be able to make it much deeper and wider than if we built it along the outer wall. If we try building one on the outer wall, I doubt we'd be able to finish it in time.

... Well I finished the update, and then I screwed up and pressed backspace changing it to the last page erasing all of the work. Apparently Lazarus was also for some reason disabled, so the update is gone. The new update will be up tomorrow ....

RIP

How big are the cannons on the walls?

This = good plan, therefore +1.

[adwarf]

"Send riders out to all nearby villages, towns, and cities warning of the approaching Jormund army and asking for reinforcements against this most hated of enemies. Our current position is strong, but could use much more work fortifying it so have the noncombatants get to work digging a trench along the bottom of the inner wall, and use the dirt from it to help build ramparts towards the back of the outer courtyard which the musketmen can use to fire over our forces into the enemy.

The fact that this fortress was built across the only valley that passes through this mountain range makes it of vital importance, if Jormund wants to attack our Kingdom they'll have to head along the mountain range and head south east, or force their way through here. With  this death looming so close at hand I'm worried of the troops' resolve so gather those who can be spared from their duties to the inner courtyard, I'll say a few words to steady their hearts and ready them for the war that is to come."

As you finish the knights all speak their agreement before offering a small bow, and running off to oversee the work you've ordered to be commenced. Unhurried you follow after them as your mind begins to wander to the possible futures that await this kingdom should you fail to hold back the Jormund heretics ...

----

Standing up straight you look at the gathered men milling about in front of the keep, a few thousand men who could be spared from their posts long enough to hear the words you wish to speak. Looking at them you see many of them have their backs bent forward with looks of despair or fear about them, and you can understand their doubts. Scouts reported the heretics had managed to gather an army many times larger than this fortress' garrison for the sole purposes of destroying this kingdom, one of the few lands that still remained loyal to God even in the face of such a force.

Clearing your throat a few knights signal to the gathered men, and the quickly fall silent leaving you to speak freely.

"We stand here today not as mere soldiers of the Carstein Kingdom, but as legends just waiting to happen. We stand here as heroes whose actions have not yet been recorded, and whose path can change the entire course of history to come. The Jormund heretics have managed to conquer most of the known world, and it is known that they scourged the worship of God from every nation they conquered to replace it with a religion that follows their false deity. If we do not make our stand here, if we do not force them to pay for every inch of ground with a river of blood and a mountain of their soldiers then they will turn their sights on Carstein, on our homes, and our people.

They will pass through our country burning, and slaughtering everything that goes against their false deity and push the worship of God from the records of history as if he never existed. Our God, the true God whose words were delivered to us by angels who brought peace to a war-torn land, will be ripped away from us where he cannot be the light that guides us in our worst hours. Some of you fear the heretics that march on us, but I tell you this, each of you has been chosen for greatness.

All of us have been chosen to be God's champions against the coming darkness, and so how can we choose to falter in front of mere heretics for he stands with us to strike down those who have fallen from his light. Do not give in purely because they number more than us, instead I ask you to fight against these heretics with every piece of your being until your strength leaves you. I ask you to stand with me here, with God, and to protect your homes. To protect your people. To protect the way of worship of the true God!

Death to the heretics brothers for they have fallen from his light! Death to the heretics for they failed to recognize his glory!"

With that you give the gathered men a nod, and turn to walk back into the keep. You hear shouts coming from the men behind you, and smile as you realize they're cursing the Jormund heretics, and yelling praises to God.

------

As the day passes you check in on the work occurring in the Outer Courtyard, and are amazed by the amount of progress the workers are making as the trench for the Inner Wall seems to expand by leaps and bounds by the minute. Watching the somewhat tired workers tear away at the ground with hoe, and shovel you suspect that at this pace it shouldn't take more than a day to finish the trench completely though you're going to have to find a use for the pile of dirt building up.

Aside from the trench the rampart you ordered built is going well, using some wood and stone the workers quickly erected a low wall coming up to about your head, and began using some of the dirt dug up from the trench to build up the rampart to match the height of the wall. Its certainly not the finest built fortification, but the work is impressive and it looks sturdy enough to take a shot or two from a cannon before it starts to come apart though only battle will prove if that is true.

Spoiler: Forces of the Kingdom's Border Fortress (click to show/hide)

Outer Wall
3 Companies of Archers [Bows; Leather Armor; Bloodied]
2 Companies of Musketmen [Muskets; Leather Armor; Bloodied]
2 Cannon Sections [Bloodied]

Outer Courtyard
7 Companies of Spearmen [Spears; Leather Armor; Bloodied]
2 Companies of Swordsmen [Swords; Chainmail; Bloodied]
2 Knight Divisions [Swords, Lances; Plate Armor; Bloodied, Mounted]

Partially Finished Ramparts
Company of Musketmen [Muskets; Leather Armor; Bloodied]

Inner Wall (33% complete Trench at the base facing the Outer Courtyard)
3 Companies of Archers [Bows; Leather Armor; Green]
3 Companies of Musketmen [Muskets; Leather Armor; Bloodied]
2 Cannon Sections [Bloodied]

Inner Courtyard
7 Companies of Spearmen [Spears; Leather Armor; Green]
3 Companies of Swordsmen [Swords; Chainmail; Green]
2 Crimson Guard Divisions [Swords, Lances; Plate Armor; Veterans, Inspiring, Mounted]

Spoiler: Important Events (click to show/hide)

Jormund Army arrives in half a day
Outer Courtyard Ramparts will take roughly half a day to complete
Inner Wall's Trench will take a day to complete
Rider returns with news about the requested reinforcements in a day

GM Note: A slight mistake I made in the last update. The religion that the known world follows is the Church of the Crimson Teachings, but I accidentally typed it as Church of the Crimson Church which comes off a tad insane :v

[Parsely]

We can shore up the inside of the gate with dirt. That way it would be impossible to open, the only way you could get in is if you smashed the whole thing.

[Generally me]

We can shore up the inside of the gate with dirt. That way it would be impossible to open, the only way you could get in is if you smashed the whole thing.

This

Also I doubt that the heretics will start assaulting the walls straight away so we will be able to finish off most things.

[a1s]

We can shore up the inside of the gate with dirt. That way it would be impossible to open, the only way you could get in is if you smashed the whole thing.

Not to be all pedantic, but how do you expect to let the reinforcements in (or sally to help them flank the enemy) if you turn your gate into a wall?

[Urist Mc Dwarf]

How many gates do we have?

[Parsely]

We can shore up the inside of the gate with dirt. That way it would be impossible to open, the only way you could get in is if you smashed the whole thing.

Not to be all pedantic, but how do you expect to let the reinforcements in (or sally to help them flank the enemy) if you turn your gate into a wall?

Do you really think they're going to ride through the enemy lines? No, correct me if I'm wrong but we must have another gate at the rear, in the direction of our kingdom. And if the first wall hasn't fallen by the time they get here then we'll just, you know, move the dirt at our leisure.

[adwarf]

Since there is some confusion let me explain the fortress layout in greater detail.

The fortress itself was built at the mouth of a valley through a mountain chain known as Oathkeeper's Spine, a mountain chain that is highly dangerous to cross due to the overall height you have to travel leading through the extremely cold, and near desolate landscapes of the upper peaks and the rather strong presence of two of the worlds most deadly predators. The Razorwhelp which looks something like a rather large Komodo Dragon with the ability to attain flight for very short periods of time, and its claws and teeth are capable tearing through plate armor with ease though thankfully they're rare existences even in Oathkeeper's spine. The beast that helps dissuade people from crossing over is a pack animal called Rockeaters, the beasts are large and somewhat fat, but are completely blind relying entirely on their acute sense of smell and hearing to find their prey. The Rockeaters are burrowing animals of high intelligence known to dig traps in the front of their prey causing them stumble, and leaving them vulnerable to the beasts claws and teeth.

Due to these three facts while small caravans, and parties of looters may choose to brave a trip across the mountains it is extremely hazardous to move large units like armies through them without risking a large number of casualties, and morale attrition. Due to these factors the fortress you command has an outer wall, and inner wall facing north across the valley opening, but has no wall facing south instead having barracks and storehouses sprawled out around the keep that looks out over the fortress with a position capable of harassing any force that tried to move further south.

In conclusion the enemy will come from the north, and your allies (if they come) from the south. No need to worry about going out the gates unless you want to go harass the enemy before they arrive, or do some kind of insane charge at a far superior force with your cavalry