[HQ Ignorance] Scene 56: The Battle for Segurane City

[Nic Hughes]

Lev Lafayette wrote:
> Scene 56: The Battle for Segurane City
>
>
> Within the walls, Anzhur surveyed the forces present.
> The city, although depleted in numbers, was still
> defensible. On an open battlefield, it was clear that
> the sheer weight of numbers would mean their defeat,
> but here - here there was a chance, if not of victory,
> at the very least of a stalemate and forcing
> Theoblanc's army into adopting a seige position. As
> expected, a militia soldier from the army outside the
> gates had brought a message. The message condemned
> Guilmarn for failing his faith by living a debauched
> life, an immorality which now made itself present by
> his inability to defend the Kindom of Seshnela from
> outside invasion. The missive argued that power should
> be given to the faithful who could not only defend the
> Kingdom but re-unite with the historical lands of
> Nolos and Pasos.
>   
OOC: Loran, if you have not seen the film Kingdom of Heaven now might be 
a good time to watch it. Not only lots of good tactical pointers but 
that scene of the mass knighting seems like just the sort of wildly 
romantic gesture that Azhur might use. You might want to draft in the 
farmer caste to play that most ancient and dishonorable game called 
"drop the rock", a boulder dropped from the top of the walls is a 
surprisingly nasty weapon.

While Theoblanc has been moving far too fast to have brought siege 
weapons with him I'd be shocked if there were none in the city. Enjoy.


>
>
> To the west, Aalmon Far Rider, with subterfuge magics
> and bearing a large quantity of gold, penetrated the
> other mercenary army under a flag of truce, with the
> trollkin following. He is taken to a three who are
> introduced to him as representatives of some of the
> mercenary army - others are further a-field. All give
> the appearance of long-standing mercenary soldiers.
> The largest of the three, Sir Reinhaart, dressed in
> black iron plate armour and with a great black bushy
> beard questions Aalmon with mocking bellows. "So this
> is one third of what the City of Segurane offers if we
> leave them alone? That would mean that two-thirds
> still remains within the walls - and we have at least
> half a chance of getting that if we don't betray our
> paymasters, right? And you say that many of the undead
> have been swept away? Well, good for them, they were
> cannon-fodder anyway. Better the old stinkin' bones
> than us. So tell me, courier, I have never broken a
> contract in my career. Why should I start now? And
> tell me more, what loss do I incur if I simply take
> this gold as a bonus and be done with you?" Yet
> despite this intimidation however, Aalmon could see
> that the Reinhaart was genuinely interested in
> learning more. [roll of 3 vs roll of 11]
>
>
>   

Aalmon smiles laconically "There is nothing to stop you from simply 
taking the gold except your own good sense. If somehow you win it is as 
much yours anyway as that grasping old bishop will permit. If you lose 
you are better as a knight who can offer ransom than as a thief on the 
gallows.

As for the contract, bring me the contract and one of those petty 
scribes or lawyers and soon enough we could prove it fulfilled or find 
some such clause. After all the fat old fool of a king is dead and gone 
and things are very different around here to how they were a few days 
ago, which ruler of Seshnela are you to support and which oppose in this 
civil war - does your contract name them?

But really these are just formalities are they not? There is an 
opportunity there for anyone willing to take it. For just as the old 
king carelessly mislaid much of his army the new king will be wanting 
some men proven in combat who will do his will. Now personally I'd 
rather be employed by living men. If the merchants see no profit in the 
dead running their city then I wonder what benefit it really is to 
soldiers such as ourselves. Maybe having those corpses do your fighting 
for you seems appealing - although I'll tell you the truth when I say 
they are useful only for frightening old ladies or children after what I 
have seen this night - but when it comes to wenches the living ones are 
a whole lot more appealing. But then ask, when the merchants have no 
trade and the rulers no taxes would it be cheaper to have your lifeless 
body clump around dumbly than have expensive soldiers who need feeding 
and paying? No, I think the men of the city have it right, in the long 
run there is no profit in serving those who serve death and will 
sacrifice anything and anyone in their grasping for power.

So you can make your choice. There is profit in serving life, here is a 
downpayment and there is more if you earn it. Here is an opportunity to 
make yourselves invaluable to a new power in the land. Or you can throw 
yourselves at the fortress walls and maybe more than a few of you will 
still be breathing by the end of the night, although I expect most of 
you will still be blindly throwing yourselves at the stones whether 
breathing or not. I daresay you would have had your half-chance against 
that slovenly failure Guilmarn but he is gone and so has your chance."

OOC: Game mechanically I think the wealth of the merchants is probably 
still the active ability. He is using his Speaker to Barbarians and 
Seduction magics to augment plus a few more mundane abilities, like 
military customs and the winning smile he is using. Depending on their 
attitude to such things the underlying arrogance of his Bastard 
personality trait might be a negative augment.

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