The Private Audiences, King's Strategy Room, Early Spring...(The Mask) Erik sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. Save for Commander Leif, who had been deemed loyal enough to act as bodyguard for such meetings, the King and spy would be alone. For once the Minister of Internal Affairs, Erik's near constant companion in the past few months, was not present -- likely off dealing with his informants or something like that. As the Mask entered, Erik gave a short nod in greeting and motioned to the seat on the opposite side of the table.
Later...(Ludwig) After the Mask had left, a man by the name of Ludwig was scheduled to meet with Erik in private less than fifteen minutes later. So Erik simply turned to make casual chat with the Commander, casually reminiscing about those who no doubt died in Miring. It was a sad conversation, to be sure.
The King's Chamber, Early Spring...(Minister Kain) King Erik was surprised that the Minister even needed to request a personal audience. With the way he had been acting the past few days, Erik had assumed Kain would simply begin such an audience whenever the moment suited. He supposed there was still some need for formality, even among friends, however. When the request had been made, the Minister had been invited to Erik's chamber for a bottle of wine that night, though Erik preferred less
refined beverages he understood the favor such drinks held amongst most members of his court.
"So, Kain," he asked, offering the Minister a freshly poured glass,
"What is it you needed to speak to me about?"The Sheepstead Palace, Early Spring...(Mahtan 3+2) You return to your palace and set to work to examining Gunther's bloated corpse. Luckily, it isn't bloated beyond recognition and your monkey is able to make up for the gaps in your research. (
+30 research points) However, you're only able to get so much work done before the palace guard, spear-headed by a knight you don't recall ever seeing before, arrives at your door. The King wants to see you.
The Streets of Sheepstead, Early Spring...(Ludwig 5) You tail the merchant, and find that you're quickly able to learn how best to slip in and out of crowds and alleys, as well as how to blend in with the world around you. All said and done, today has been a productive day of work (
+30 research points towards Stealth)
Southern Eelspine Range, Early Spring...(Meng 3+1) With the 2 ducats worth of meat you have been given by the Nahk, and your natural affinity with animals, you're quickly able to tame the bears.
By the end of spring the Nahk will have a regiment of bears (Heavy Berserker).
(The Nahk 1+1-1) Both of your regiments attempt to claim the plateau, but three nights in a freak blizzard tears through the area. Many men die of frostbite, and when all is said and done the surviving men with enough fingers to hold their weapons correctly are only enough to constitute a single regiment.
(Kytuzian 3) Luckily, it doesn't look like your guards have reported on anything but a daily prayer session planned between yourself and your acolyte, Meng. (Meng 4) Even better, Meng's guards don't even bother to report about that.
Preston, Early Spring... (Partially Iituem's Post)
Terenos and the Preston Fleet of 2 Warships return one early morning, carrying with them their grave tale of Elbreth's loss.(Tearakudo) You make some short inquiries at Port Sleen. There are still serious shortages of staple goods and instability will be keeping military goods prices high for quite some time. [4] Grain is selling for the princely sum of 2.5d/shipment, should you wish to cash in on your investment. At this point there is no sales tax in place in Miring, though rumour amongst the merchants is that the sales tax in Vasir is being reinstated and will now be in line with that along the rest of the Storm Coast. (3) Soon after your dealings are finished, you realize that one of the Preston ships you pulled into port alongside are bearing Terenos d'Avistral's banner. Further, the Preston banners of the castle have been replaced by those of Elbreth's.
(Tearakudo 3) Your journey back to Preston goes as normal, perhaps because of the recent naval battles that have plagued these waters. You pull in one morning, shortly after the Preston fleet. (1) Sadly, there is not as much of a need for grain in this area as you thought and the price is lowered by 2 increments. As it a staple, though, you're able to sell it for 1 increment more anyways so things aren't so bad. Since Preston is still recovering from the recent war, the price is also raised by 2 more increments for a grand total of +1 increment. You're able to sell each unit of grain that you have for 1.3 ducat.
The Port of Vasir...
(Hans 3) You are able to purchase cloth at 4 ducats per unit, as it is not natively produced in Vasir and is a staple good. With 2 ducats to your name, and the storm coast credit you should be able to get some of it. (I'll let you re-decide how much you buy now that you know the price). You can buy up to six units before the markets run out.
(Iituem's Post)
(Hans) [5] With the blockade on Port Sleen lifted, you load your wool shipments aboard the two vessels under your hire and make excellent time reaching Vasir. [6+1] Your early arrival means that you catch the best possible prices for the start of Spring, and the local clothworkers are eager to pay top ducat for your wares. At 2.25d/shipment, you make 4.5 ducats on the sale. This should leave you some 2 ducats in pocket.
There is somewhat less pleasing news from one of your fellow merchants. Now that Spring has started, Vasir is reintroducing its 10% Sales Tax on goods. You just managed to avoid it this time, but it appears that the tax holiday had been in honour of Duke yl Marchis' 50th birthday. This tax rate is about equal to the rate going in the rest of the Storm Coast.
The High Seas...(Renard 3-1) You sail around for a while, but you're unable to find any islands that you can attempt to settle. You'd be better off heading from port to port for a time, until you can afford maps or someone straight up tells you about a city where pirates frequent.
(Locanil/Drua 2) A rain-storm blows your ship off-course. Where you would have arrived by mid-spring you will now likely not arrive till the advent of summer. Though there's always a chance you'll come across land before then, or that you'll make better time in Mid-Spring.
The Weyland Highlands...(Sir Joseph 2-1) Despite not really knowing where you're headed, you set off to Weybridge anyways, in an attempt to assassinate the leader of the McKinley clan. You are also dressed as a warrior, despite the warnings against such things. However, before you're even halfway there a band of armed men appear from out of nowhere, immediately surrounding you. Weapons bared, their leader grins viciously and calls out "'ey! Drop yer weapon, an' maybe we'll let ya live!"
(Doc 2) You're unable to find any terrain advantages that either side could make use of, but the good thing is that Sir Jormund's berserker tacticians have joined up with the main group as you marched.
(?) As you march into your former lands, you realize that the village has been razed to the ground. Your people have been enslaved a third time, no doubt, as they are nowhere to be found amidst the smoldering wreckage. As you march deeper into the village, in search of the McKinley forces, the burnt corpses begin to rise and the ashes of the buildings begin to stir and rise amidst a glimmer of steel. Your men don't even have time to draw their weapons before the ambushers are upon them.
The Battle for Doc McJohnston's LandMcJohnston: 2 Regular Infantry (1 each), Heavy Berserkers (str 3) and Tactician Berserkers (str 2 + 1 tact) led by Sir Jormund (Total: STR 7 + 1 tactics) and 2 Tactician Berserkers (str 2 + 1 tact each) led by Donald McMurray (Total: STR 4 + 2 tactics) (TOTAL: STR 11)
McKinley: 3 Heavy Ambushers (str 2 each), 1 Tactician Ambusher Regiment (str 1 each) (Total: STR 7 + 2 ambush + 1 tactics + 1 tactics) and 1 Ambush Regiment (str 1), 1 Berserker Ambush Regiment (str 2) (Total: STR 3 + 2 ambush + 1 tactics) (TOTAL: STR 14)
Tactics: [REQ 7:Roll 7] Because of the nature of the Doctor's tactics, Sir Jormund's group is immediately split from Donald's group. While Sir Jormund's men face the brunt of the opposing force, Donald McMurray's men will have to cut through an ambush regiment and a berserker ambush regiment before they can aid the main group.
Sir Jormund's men attempt to organize the Doctor's forces so that they're able to cycle their wounded to the back, keeping fresh troops at the front of the battle as they pull back to avoid being surrounded. [REQ 2:Roll 2] Their attempts are effective, though not for a lack of trying on the McKinley's part. Meanwhile, Donald McMurray leads his men in a pincer-flank [REQ 2: Roll 7], and easily pull it off; the ambushers were expecting the opposing force to be only what had entered the burnt-out village.
Meanwhile, the McKinley's heavy berserkers, led by an expert tactician, attempt to charge the main group in order to do as much damage as possible [REQ 2: Roll 5]
Round 1:Sir Jormund: 5+1+1+3+2+2 = 12
vs
Roy McKinley 2+2+2+2+1+2 = 11
Donald McMurray 5+2+2+1 = 9
vs
McKinley Ambushers 3+1+2 = 7
Sir Jormund's tacticians are apt and in a complete reversal from the cavern debacle Sir Jormund and his tacticians are able to form a tight circle, staggering backward whilst cycling out their men to avoid more than a few casualties in the initial assault. (No Manskinner Forces Lost; McKinleys lose a Heavy Ambusher Regiment and a Tactician Ambusher Regiment)
Meanwhile, Donald McMurray's men carve a bloody swathe through their opposing forces, though not at the cost of some men. The remaining McMurray regiment quickly joins Sir Jormund, flanking McKinley forces from the west. (Tactician Berserker lost; McKinleys lose ambush regiment and berserker ambush regiment)
Round 2:Sir Jormund and Donald McMurray: 2+1+1+3+2+2+1 = 12
vs
Roy McKinley: 5+2+2+2 = 11
Though the McKinley's fight valiantly, Sir Jormund personally leads his and the Doctor's men in brutally cutting down the opposing forces as they move to retreat -- directly into Donald McMurray's remaining men. The battle still rages for a long time, however, and by the time Sir Jormund's longsword has found its way to Roy McKinley's heart Donald McMurray has been rendered unconscious and his men slain or mortally wounded. (Tactician Berserkers killed; McKinley forces wiped out to a man)
As the dust clears, you realize all you've done is put yourself back in the position you were before first beginning to take lands. Darn.
Battle RecapRoy McKinley got cocky here, and it cost him his life. Going into the new year, he had led his uncle's men in a crushing victory against Manskinner forces. And he thought he could do so again. However, he didn't count on the flank splitting his forces, and he underestimated just how useful encircling Manskinner forces had been last time. By going for the route, he decided to forfeit a slight advantage in order to try and cripple the Manskinner army after they had already recruited as much as they could. This obviously didn't go as planned (though it could have. The dice were against him).
However, things could have gone somewhat different had Sir Joseph not been around. In the second round of combat, McKinley forces were dangerously close to a draw, and had one of their heavy ambush regiments not been tied up in dealing with a wandering warrior in their lands (Sir Joseph) then they might well have had the numbers to take a victory and beat a retreat...saving Roy McKinley's life.
In the future, McKinley forces will be lead by a more experienced tactician. They will not make this sort of mistake again.
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Topic: You are King! (Spring 315a) (Read 188786 times)