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Post by Father on Jan 12, 2020 14:58:27 GMT 1
There are no banners hanging over the forces having laid camp around the seven-sided compound wall of the septry, nor any organization suggesting a central leadership, more like five knights each staking out their respective dominions, with their followers clustering around their pavilions. In the haphazard fashion that is the result of five co-equal leaders that tries to agree upon whose vision is to be followed while lining up their men, their brace for the Bracken assault looks rather pitiful, they might as well surrender.
Bracken Forces Commander: Parmen Redwyne 10 squads of trained freeriders.
Blackwood Forces: Commanders/heroes: five knights of unknown pedigree and ability. 5 squads of dismounted green freeriders.
Battlefield conditions: -Win by routing all opposition squads. -The camp provides sufficient cover to prevent flanking (only one attacking squad may engage a defending squad at a time) and mounted charges.
Special: Parmen may chose to take advantage of the confusion in the enemy ranks: Awareness (Notice) TN 9 Warfare (Command) TN 9 Warfare (Tactics) TN 9 -Each DoS reduces the starting condition of an enemy squad by one step.
Alternatively, he may approach the opposing forces to parlay: +2 Chivalry, chance to make them stand down without battle.
Rewards: -Win the battle: +1 glory, an additional +1 glory if no squad has it's conditioned worsened during the battle, +1 glory if sustaining zero casualties. -Lift the siege of the septry: +5 Chivalry, an additional +3 if doing so peacefully. -Securing evidence of Blackwoods attacking the faith will inflict 10 Counts of War Crimes on them.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Jan 12, 2020 19:58:13 GMT 1
{OOC: Can Parmen detect any obvious signs of war crimes (hanged septons, mutilated Bracken soldiers, burned religious buildings, etc) from where he sits?}
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Post by Father on Jan 13, 2020 14:16:19 GMT 1
Nothing of the sort.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Jan 13, 2020 23:11:45 GMT 1
Dammit...Guess it will be parley. I'll break out the dialogue tomorrow.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Jan 18, 2020 0:08:20 GMT 1
Parmen cursed softly under his breath and called himself seven different kinds of fool. It would be so much simpler to just ride down and kill them all.
His older brother Sandor would do it without thinking twice. The heir to the Arbor was a chivalrous knight but he would not hesitate to order the attack on heathens who were laying siege to a septry. His brother, Roland would not order an attack but only because he would want to challenge the leader of the force to single combat. Unfortunately, Parmen had spent most of the past several months advocating to whoever would listen that honorable knights needed to look for ways to prevent the upcoming war. And despite the centuries long feud between the Brackens and Blackwoods, the current fight was the first skirmishes that would indicate how terrible that war would become. So now, instead of drawing his sword and ordering his riders down with lances couched, his forces were surrounding the besiegers while he rode down under a flag of truce. Along with Edwyn who bore the flag Parmen had chosen two of the most experienced and seemingly reliable freeriders to join him. How in seven hells did I wind up playing the role of peacemaker? At least maybe we’ll learn something about whoever controls this rabble, Parmen thought with a look at the disorganized camp desperately trying to move into something resembling a battle line. Parmen waited while the knights who he presumed were the leaders rode out from their camp to meet him, trying to force himself to look more confident than he felt. “ Well met,” he said once they were close enough. “I am Ser Parmen Redwyne of Highever and these are my colleagues.” Parmen allowed his men to introduce themselves, and waited while his opponents gave their names. “You have attacked a place dedicated to the Seven, a crime in the eyes of gods and men. I have no desire to further profane this holy place by spilling more blood. The Mother calls on us to be merciful even to those whom the Father will sit in judgment over. I am willing to accept your surrender and avoid a battle that you will not win. Which of you is in command? Call on your men to hand over their weapons and I will see that they are dealt with fairly." Parmen couldn't help but wonder if the Blackwood riders would fight for the glory of command or if they would each try and claim that the others were responsible for this goat screw that they had suddenly found themselves in. {OOC: Rolling Knowledge to see if Parmen has heard of any of enemy leaders. {P3A1} DefenderoftheFaith: Knowledge: 3d6 12
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Post by Father on Jan 19, 2020 14:19:23 GMT 1
There is some small amount of confusion among the five knights riding forth to meet them, none apparently submitting to any one particular leader among them. Eventually a Ser Guyard of Northmarch steps forward, Parmen recognizes the face by his massive mustache reminiscent of the tales of giant blubbery creatures off the Frozen Shore told by some merchants plying those waters, bringing back ivory from their great tusks. He seems very proud of it.
"We know who you are, Ser Parmen the unfaithful" Insult appears to be how he asserts his authority to speak for the others. "Lackey to the godless Levalle's, bringing dishonor to your wife, ser" He halts his rounsey atop an outcropping so that he may look down upon Parmen with arrogance, head held high, but he is a rotund sort of knight that hardly would be much of a threat, and Parmen knows not of any deeds to his name. "Come to take holy vows as a brother of the faith as penance for your sins? Otherwise, I suggest you stop talking such nonsense and leave this place"
Parmen can do Awareness (Empathy) and Awareness (Notice).
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Jan 20, 2020 17:32:53 GMT 1
{P3A1} DefenderoftheFaith: Awareness(Notice): 3d6 9{P3A1} DefenderoftheFaith: Awareness(Empathy): 4d6k3 16
Parmen’s smile could have cracked rocks. “ According to the septons we all have sinned and fallen short of the gods’ teachings, yet some sins leave a greater stench than others.”
“Let us be frank with each other: you are surrounded. I have many more men than you do and they are better armed and positioned. If we choose to fall back we can do so; when you retreat you will be trapped against the walls of the septry. If you fight us you will die and die quickly.”
“Luckily for you, we are not without mercy. If you give up your weapons and surrender now I will see that you are dealt with fairly. Those who show penance and bear witness to which authority sent you to attack a place sacred to the Seven and those who sought refuge within it will be given the opportunity to make amends.”
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Post by Father on Jan 20, 2020 21:41:47 GMT 1
"Our place is here, ser." The last word is uttered with such disdain as would be properly levied at Simon Tarly or the Brute of Bracken. "Between this holy place and those who would defile it, you may damn your soul to the deepest part of the seven hells, Ser. But we shall be martyred before allowing dishonoring the vows we took" Ser Guyard has just the right amount of pompous arrogance to completely miss what is increasingly obvious to Parmen. Ser Guyard increasingly appears to be a mostly harmless buffoon with the impression that Parmen is here to desecrate the septry and is offering up a speech worthy to be chronicled as the last words of a knight of the seven, in his mind, surely an epic to be retold in the halls of kings and high lords, not a leader of unscrupulous sellswords willing to do just about anything for coin, and likely would have yielded on the spot when faced with an overwhelming force as such cowards are wont to do.
Though the message sent to Lord Bracken might just have been a misunderstanding, it increasingly looks like a trap, the question remains though, would they find the valley closed behind them by the true enemy force, or was the idea nothing more than to divert Bracken men that could contribute elsewhere to chasing snarks and grumpkins? Though Bloodraven or the sly Ser Morgarth, one of them undoubtedly being involved in such a scheme would surely not mind Lord Bracken having his honor rent asunder by men under his banner committing a massacre at the doorsteps of this holy place.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Jan 26, 2020 12:08:35 GMT 1
"It’s a trap!”
The famous words of the legendary Admiral Aekebar Redwyne, ran through Parmen’s mind as he realized the situation he had unwittingly led his forces into. The Admiral had managed to fight his way through the Andal fleets threatening to surround him. Parmen hoped that he would not have to do the same today.
“I was told that you were laying siege to this septry and threatening to burn it down and the Bracken men seeking refuge within it. Are you telling me that instead you, like us, are seeking to defend this holy place??” Seeing the shocked look on the hedge knight’s faces Parmen cursed himself under his breath and demanded that the Septon be brought out to confirm Ser Guyard’s story. He also turned to one of his men and told him to carefully recon the Septry to ensure that there were not any Bracken men being held there against their will.
“If what you say is true then we will be on our way and cause you no injury. Be warned that we were told that the Blackwoods had plans to attack this holy place. The House of the Warrior is sacred me but House Blackwood serves different gods.”
He turned to the other rider and instructed him to head back to the men and send out scouts. Parmen had a sinking feeling that unfriendly visitor might be arriving at any time.
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Post by Father on Jan 27, 2020 18:20:28 GMT 1
Oh, Ser Parmen has no reason to fear, Ser Guyard nods approvingly to the mention of Blackwood heathens. By the grace of the seven, any such Blackwood force will be defeated by him and his four gallant companions. No number of Blackwoods believing in their false Gods can overcome five True Knights of the Reach. He sounds like he believes it.
Parmen may pass freely of course, and it turns out that there are no men of Lord Bracken at all. Several once served Stone Henge, but have now taken holy vows. This would imply that the Blackwoods have killed or captured all those previously believed to have sought refuge here. Parmen's scouts returns with no news or sightings of any Blackwood force.
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Post by Parmen Redwyne on Feb 1, 2020 22:52:42 GMT 1
{OOC: Parmen rolls to try to determine where the Blackwood forces might be hiding or where they would be likely to set a trap for his force as it returns to Blackwood lands} {P3A1} DefenderoftheFaith: Cunning(Logic): 4d6k3 14 "I salute you and your men for your faith and your valor, but would also urge you to set your defenses in case the Blackwoods attack."
"My men and I will offer our prayers, briefly, and then ride on," Parmen said. "If you have additional information to share with us regarding the fighting we would thank you to share it with us."
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Post by Father on Feb 4, 2020 11:02:43 GMT 1
The best place for a trap would be as the Bracken force moves back out throughout the valley, although the scouts reports no signs of any Blackwoods laying ambush, and no ambush occurs either. Parmen's caution, though probably wise, turns out to be irrelevant as he leads his men away from the septry.
That would be a tactics test, but with same dicepool, so 14 it is.
Parmen: +2 Chivalry +2 Influence
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