Boer vs. Avan #63

[DM B]

Ogres are sometimes hired as mercenaries...not very often, but it happens.

[DM B]

Prince Avan sends his regards to the Archduke for a battle well fought and won, and invites him to dine with him.

[X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)]

Hah! won.  We can't afford any more victories such as this.  I accept his invitation.  I hope it's not too showy or fancy of an affair.  we have work to do and I am thankful that Avan's army has arrived, but I am not in a celebratory mood.  Baron Enlien, can you see to General Shaeme's wounds?

I need a head count, of who is alive, and we need to secure this hill.  I sure hope our sacrifice gives Avan the edge and that he does not let it go to waste.

Also round up the Ilienese Pikemen who fled or sat on their asses. bind them and take them captive, I'll figure out what to do with them later, but keep them separate from the other prisoners.
 

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

As the battle ends, another kind of battle begins. Weary soldiers trudge the battlefield, looking for comrades, looking for survivors and some, possibly, looking for loot.

Priests and acolytes of the Celestial spell, left behind once the battle began, now move among the bodies on the ground, at times stopping and stooping to tend to the needs of a wounded or give a fallen Medoerean his last rites. It is a grim job, but they set about it with determination, intent on making up for the time they waited, unable to aid their friends fighting on the hill.

---

Tired to the bones, Kaven Enlien slumps down on a overturned cart, wiping grime and blood from his face. He has a grim-faced expression, his jaw set and his eyes seemingly burning from within as he surveys the battlefield and the dead and dying littered all around it.
"To the victor goes the spoils", he comments bitterly, his right hand unconsciously balling into a fist around the time a messenger brings the news of the Archduke requiring his presence.

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Hah! won.  We can't afford any more victories such as this.  I accept his invitation.  I hope it's not too showy or fancy of an affair.  we have work to do and I am thankful that Avan's army has arrived, but I am not in a celebratory mood.  Baron Enlien, can you see to General Shaeme's wounds?

I need a head count, of who is alive, and we need to secure this hill.  I sure hope our sacrifice gives Avan the edge and that he does not let it go to waste.

Also round up the Ilienese Pikemen who fled or sat on their asses. bind them and take them captive, I'll figure out what to do with them later, but keep them separate from the other prisoners.
 

"I will try to aid as best I can, Liege", Kaven replies.
"May I suggest moving those ballistas up on the hill, and have Endiers artillerists dig them in. Mayhaps they can show those Ilineese how to do things propperly?

Liege, we also need to decide, if we wish to dig in here for winter, or rest a bit, and move on."

Ogres are sometimes hired as mercenaries...not very often, but it happens.

Ooc: how is this viewed "normally"? Are ogres considered Azrai's spawn and hiring them a despicable act?

[X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)]

Diem stoops down, his gauntlets and riding gloves long discarded, and grasps a fistful of dirt with his bare hand and then examins it before letting it flit away, wiping the remainder on his gambeson.

"Spoil's eh?  There's nothing here to loot but broken corpses.  I trust you so I will tell you the truth.  This Pyrrhic victory I count but loss.  I was hoping that by example I would haste Avan's arrival but not before the battle was over.  Nay Avanil dons the late crown today.  but maybe there is some redemption in the fact that we did force Brandon's forces to retreat.  If we would have waited for Avan's course to bring him here naturally then Brandon and even more soldiers would have stood against us when we finally chose to fight.  To the myopic I say, we died for dirt, for a hill, but to he who has the eyes of an eagle, I say that chapter is not written yet but maybe we, here today, saved our future."

"As for what to do next, evidently I will be seeing the prince himself tonight, but we still have two more months of good weather left, to dally here for long would be foolishness.  I however do not feel we should be the vanguard any longer.  We have turned the flank, now let's see if Avan can smash through the middle and capitalize on our sacrifice."

"I will have to leave soon for Roesoene's wedding but I hope as soon as it is over to ride back as fast as the wind and with the Baron and his Bride in tow.  This is turning out to be a war for a Cuiraecenite if I ever saw one."

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Looking in the direction of the indisposed Ser Shaeme, Kaven nods as he draws the conclusions.
"And what would you have me do in your abscence, Liege? The troops could do with rest, and we need to prepare for Boer's retaliation. Do we wait for him here, and prepare for the onslaught, or do we march when Avan comes, and if so, which way? Brosengae or Taeghas?"

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Though focusing on Avan/Diem troops, the clergy of the RCS also stay aware of any soldiers who wear the livery of a noble by order of the Baron. When such men are found, acolytes call for assistance to carry them away.

Such knights or aristocrats are then laid out in a line, to discern their identity. It matters not which side they fought on during the battle, the Baron ordered a tally of every dead nobleman, wanting to know who fell in this battle, so their names can be remembered by history.

[X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)]

I'm suspecting Taeghas, we have to march through part of it anyway before we could cross a bridge into Brosengae.  And the last thing I ever want to do is fight an offensive battle across a bridge.  However, I will know more after I dine with Avan tonight.  If his vanguard has already arrived, the rest of the army should be here within days I would surmise.

[DM B]

The Prince of Avanil is in a good mood when the Archduke arrives. He seems oblivious to the losses suffered - but then again, why would a prince care about dead mercenaries?

Archduke, congratulations on a battle well fought - and won! You have stopped Brandon Boer from entering the Maesil valley, which is a great achievement. Now we must pursue his forces, find the 'King' and chase him back to the windy coast where he belongs.

Save for a small mobile reserve and a guard in Daulton, I have little but militia defending Avanil. Everything is either here - or on its way to join us. If you have any more men to contribute, now would be a good time to bring them up. Mine own vassals suddenly found some more units when the promise of land in the West was made; perhaps yours would as well, if you make it know that they will receive manors and lands? Victory is close at hand, and we must not squander it by playing it safe.

I hear that you will be leaving for a wedding soon? Is that correct? And is so, who will you leave in command? This Baron Enlien? Is he competent - and senior - enough? Should I listen to his counsel, or just use him as a commander? Pray tell, I would hear you speak your mind good Duke.

[DM B]

Preparations to march out have already begun and scouts and outriders are already on the move to locate enemy detachments and scree then advance of the main force (whenever it decides to move).

It also becomes quite obvious that not all the units are fit to move; they shall have to remain her and act as a sort of guard - protecting your line of retreat and supply, and waiting for additional reinforcements to arrive.

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

The day following the battle, Baron Enlien is up and about once more. Directing some of the men to start the construction of a field fortification for the units left to guard the pass (mainly by building up earthworks), he also orders the Ballistas brought up on top of the hill, requesting them set up in an advantageous position overlooking the ground leading into Taeghas.
Once done, he oversees the rookie crew fire a test shot or two, to determine the range and angle of the machines, confering with some of the artillerist from Endier and the men operating the machines to some length as they discuss trajectories and firing lines.

Later, he is seen confering with some of the Avaneese soldiers, as he has them look at a map of the land. Pointing several times to various point along the sketched river, he asks for bridges from Brosengae into Taeghas and the material they're made of.

And finally, after speaking to some length with his quartermaster, he does what he can to assist in the treatment of the injured, using his divine power sparringly to mend wounds where he can.

In the evening, he seeks an audience with his liegelord and the Prince both.

 

[X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)]

"Thank you Prince Darien, you are most kind with your words.  It was a good victory, and a needed victory, but largely it was a one shot.

I knew going into this that there were no second chances.  There was no waiting it out to see who would win.  To even answer your summons was to put me on Beor's list of enemies.  We have one opportunity to push him back, all or nothing, show up or go home...

So with that in mind I pulled every diplomatic card I had.  Taken out loans from every guilder I could find.  I could scrape the barrel and maybe raise Five more companies, perhaps ten if the gods truly smiling on me, but without more gold even that would be a mean feat.

It was to the end of opposing Beor here and now, and preventing him from entering the Maesil valley that I have put my all.  as of right now, my troops are not quickly replenished, and I have no supply of cowards or weak-willed underlings who's fiefs I can twist more than I already have.

As to Baron Medoere, his plans often seem audacious, and to a practical ruler like you or myself, his paladin ways may seem cumbersome, but he is favored by the gods.  His plans have always been sound.  He is a strong military mind and a leader of men.  When it comes to ethics I cannot speak of any one higher, and by far I have never seen anyone take on as many endeavors with such little probability of success and pull through.  From fighting the shadow in Aduria to the siege of Ilien, to this war here he does nothing but win win win.  I make it a habit to consult him on Military matters, and besides myself, he is the best person to lead my troops.  I trust and listen to him, and so can you."

[X-Diemed/Carvaloen Diem (Sheldon)]

"Also, Prince Darien, I have been looking over the maps and talking to my commanders.  You are definitely correct in that now is the best time to pursue, We have forced his troops to break and fall back.  We cannot allow them a chance to rest.  Also, Many of the favors I have pulled require renegotiating come winter, before next year's campaign season, and thirdly, we now hold the Initiative.

Baron Medoere and I have worked on some goals that if we can realize them still this fall should help lead us to victory.  One, we both feel strongly that there are some Brosengae lordlings that in the face of our victory might consider switching their allegiance to the right side through acts of diplomacy.  They should be reached out to.  Kaven is working on this right now, but you with your vast knowledge of your realm would be key in realizing this as I'm sure it would take considerable diplomatic effort and espionage.  Secondly, we may have to destroy the bridges between Brosengae and Taeghas.  Whatever can separate our enemies, protect our flanks, and force them to spend considerable effort maneuvering, and allow us to take them apart piecemeal.  Thirdly, we may want to consider fortifying this hill with field fortifications.  This is the only way back into the Maesil Valley and we want to keep it strong so that should we lose, we will have a place to return to and slow down a Beor Counter Advance in order to give us a second try, but should we succeed we can protect our supply lines.  We have many troops that are unfit for marching.  I imagine those companies would stay to erect and man the fortifications.

When I return from the Wedding, I will be bringing in tow strong leaders, warriors, and such, and since I will be passing through Ilien, Hopefully my Countess will feel compelled to meet her obligations with soldiers that are actually worth a damn."

[DM B]

OOC: Note that the Ghieste units where inadvertently left out of the list...but they DID participate (otherwise you would have been CREAMED).