City of IF

[Chinaren]

Overall map of the lands around Yroth.







































The story so far:

Byrold, the second in line to the throne of Yroth, is suddenly recalled from his studies in the Academy of Wizards. His father and elder brother have been killed in an accident and he is now to be crowned king.

He returns to the kingdom, accompanied by Hark, his weapons tutor and Arms Master of the land. Awaiting him is his step-mother, Eldra, who wishes the throne for herself and Bryold’s half-brother, Mikal.

Outwitting several plots, none of which can be directly traced to Eldra, he survives until his coronation, though he has to kill Duke Brone of the Easteer provinces in a duel first. Having finally been crowned, he is immediately magically attacked by mysterious mage assassins. His own wizard, Mazel, manages to blunt the full force of the assault, but Byrold is still transported to the far north of the Fractured Lands, to Vestrel, an insular nation.

Managing to work his way south he meets a beautiful but mysterious young woman called Alice. He soon discovers that Alice works for a secret organization dedicated to the reunification of all the lands under one rule. To help them do this they are searching for a mysterious ancient artifact called the ‘Pinnacle’.

Byrold eventually makes his way back to his country, but a Dark Age is spreading across the continent. To the south the countries of Gerwain and Karak have banded together to attack the Jut, trying to rid the area of the Swarm, a race of wild humans who rape and plunder for sport.

In the east, Neil-so is having difficulties with Farn, a country that they had previously conquered. Freedom fighters are causing unrest. The mad Tzar of Farn orders in nearly his entire army to quell the uprisings, but this makes his own lands vulnerable. Gerwain and Karak break off their invasion of the Jut and launch a surprise attack into Neil-so, using spies and double agents to get them through the dangerous mountain passes.

To the north things are no better. Iswyle, the race of lizard people, join up with the desert trolls of Glormp and the elves of Etherial to attack the mysterious Centic, a race of ancient insectoid creatures. The Centic have remained reclusive for many years, but recent spy reports have led to rumors that they are planning a massive attack on the other countries.

Iswyle, Glormp and Etherial band together in a Northern Alliance and launch a pre-emptive strike upon the Centic lands. At first all goes well, with little resistance, but then their forces encounter a huge army of Centic fighting beasts, which counter-attack, forcing the Northern Alliance on the defensive.

The fighting is brutal, with the NA barely holding. In an act of betrayal, the Iswyle and Etherial forces pull back suddenly, leaving the desert trolls to fight the insects on their own whilst they retreat to defensive positions in their own lands.

Meanwhile Byrold isn’t having a good time of it either. Arriving back in the palace Eldra and her allies, including the new Duke of Easteer, stage a revolt. He escapes, but now it’s civil war!

Byrold is moving through his own city in disguise with Hark and a wizard bodyguard, trying to reach a friendly garrison, when they stumble upon a fight between loyalist troops and rebels…

~ ~ ~


Chapter 14 – The City Streets.


” Sylverna!” Byrold turned to the mage, one hand on Hark’s arm to restrain him from entering the fray. “We need to do something. How are your powers? Can you hit the rebels whilst not harming the loyal troops and citizens?”

The wizard thought for a moment, but then nodded. “I believe I know a spell, but I’ll need to drop your disguises.”

The king nodded, pulling his hood up over his head. “Very well, do it.”

Sylverna took a deep breath and stood back a pace. Raising her arms, she began to speak in slow tones, the words falling from her lips sounding alien and totally out of place coming from one so young. Byrold tried to follow the incantation, but apart from one or two words of Power, it was far too advanced for him.

Instead the king put a hand to his sword. “We need to protect her,” he said to Byrold. “If something interrupts her, the spell will be lost.”

The fighter nodded, and the two kept watch as the mage apprentice continued her incantation.

“Is it me, or is it getting colder?” Asked Hark after a few minutes of nervous standing about. He drew his robe tighter about him.

“Look!” Byrold pointed. A light blue light was forming about Sylverna’s hands. As they watched, it moved, flowing down her body and onto the ground, winding its way along the floor between their feet like an insubstantial snake until it was lost from sight in the crowd. Sylverna gasped and slumped to one side. Byrold caught her, holding her up.

“Is it done?” He asked.

“Watch,” she replied simply, nodding her head in the direction of the fighting.

The rebels were pushing forward now, and the loyalists were hard pressed to hold them. Byrold looked on in puzzlement. At first he couldn’t see anything, but then he noticed several of the men at the back of the rebel troop were remaining still, a strange blue tint covering them.

As he watched, a cry of alarm went up from the rebel soldiers. A citizen threw a rock, hitting one of the men with the blue sheen. There was a sharp crack, clearly audible over the shouts and clash of weapons, and the victim shattered, exploding like an icicle dropped from a height.

There were more screams. “Sorcery! We are attacked!”

The loyalists shouted too, but in triumph. “Forward! For Byrold and Yroth!”

The cry rallied the troops, and they pushed forward with renewed energy. The rebels, half their number now ice, panicked and turned to flee, pushing their erstwhile comrades to one side as they did so, causing more than a few to fall and smash on the cobbles.

Within a few minutes the victory was complete.

Byrold turned to Sylverna. “Well done mage,” he said. “Remind me not to make you angry.”

Sylverna smiled wearily. “The battle is won your majesty, but I am unable to re-cast your disguise until I have rested. How will you get through to the garrison now?”

“I don’t know,” said Byrold, “but one step at a time.” He turned to speak to Hark, but the fighter was looking at the soldiers who were still milling about.

“Idiots,” said the arms master and, before Byrold could stop him, he stalked over to the troops.

“You lot! Fall in! Double time!” Byrold heard him shout. “You and you, yes you! Collect the weapons and armor of the fallen. You, what’s your name?” The soldier in question mumbled a response, lost to the king over the general hubbub.

The two watched as Hark organized the troops and civilians alike, calling for veterans or experienced fighters from the citizens and distributing the captured weapons amongst them.

Finally he had them lined up and, with plenty of onlookers still watching, he paced up and down before them.

“You showed bravery today,” he shouted, “but bravery alone will not win the fight! You need organization and cunning! You have to work together! What unit are you with?”

“Who are you to ask such?” One of the men ventured.

The Arms master drew himself up. “My name is Hark. Maybe you have heard of me?”

Most of the men obviously had, for there was a general straightening up and eye widening amongst the ranks.

“Now we have my credentials sorted out, again: What unit are you with?”

Another soldier put his hand up. “We’re from the Southern training camp. Our squad was called in to reinforce the garrison, but we were split off from our main group when we entered the city and the rebels ambushed us.”

“You’re new recruits?” Hark raised his eyebrows and muttered something under his breath before continuing. “In that case you did well indeed today, but you were lucky. That’s not something to rely on.” He turned and looked at where the king and the mage were standing. “Still, perhaps our meeting is fortuitous. You may serve your country better than you had imagined today.” He smiled.

>

Muhmmiel Garrundi watched impassively as the scout hobbled up towards his throne. The rest of the trolls watched the messengers’ progress with a mixture of dread and fascination, occasionally muttering in low voices to each other.

Every now and then one of the more sophisticated courtiers would wave a fan in an attempt to ward off the heat of the day. Despite the royal tent’s double layer of canvas, designed to keep out the worst of the desert sun’s rays, and the containers of ice dotted around the room, kept from melting by the shamans magics, it was stifling. The closed design of the tent didn’t help. Usually Glormp living spaces were little more than a shelter supported on four sticks, the sides rolled up in the day to allow the desert wind through. Muhmmiel Garrundi though, desired privacy.

Now the so called ‘Desert Troll’ chief waited patiently for his soldier to report. He already knew of the betrayal by the elves and lizards, now he wanted to know the damage to his army, and the progress of the Centic.

The scout finally arrived at the base of his throne, and went to both knees in a gesture of respect.

“Rise warrior,” the chief said. “Tell me the news.”

“It’s not good,” replied the troll. “The Centic are at our border, and General Rufus estimates the defenses there will not hold long. Perhaps they have already fallen in the time it has taken for me to bring you this news, though I rode non-stop, killing three mounts, to bring it to you.” The scout looked at the floor, expecting the worse for bringing this bad news.

Muhmmiel Garrundi took a deep breath, eyes narrowed in thought. “It is bad yes,” he said eventually, “but it could be worse. Our army has fought well and bravely, despite the cowardice of our supposed allies, may their bones bleach in the dust.” In another country he may have spat upon the floor to show his distain, but here in the dry north such an act was symbolic of wasting water, a great sin. Instead he made a rude gesture with his hand.

Standing up, the chief approached the scout, who braced himself, preparing for the worst. Instead the leader slapped him on the back. “You did well to bring me this news scout. I hereby promote you to Senior rank. Go to the barracks, take your share of water and rest. You will be needed to fight again soon.”

Eyes wide at this unexpected reprieve, the scout bowed deeply, and then turned and jogged out of the tent, half afraid perhaps that the king would change his mind.

Muhmmiel Garrundi watched him go, shaking his head slightly. ‘Couldn’t they see that they needed all the men they could get now?’ Killing a messenger for a job well done made no sense to him, but then his countrymen were slaves to tradition. He scowled. Such devotion to outdated concepts were why the Glormp had been held back for so long. Well, no more!

He turned to the rest of the courtiers. “Let that soldier’s example be a lesson to you all. Now is our time of peril! Beset by foul aliens intent on destroying us, betrayed by those who pretended to be our allies, we are on our own! Send forth the word. All tribes must send forth their warriors. We shall prepare our defenses and fight to the last! This is our land. Whilst a single Glormpian is alive, we shall resist! We shall fight and never surrender!”

The onlookers cheered at this rousing speech, slapping each other on the back.

Muhmmiel Garrundi shook his head again. He knew that in the coming weeks they would need more than fine words to survive. But where would they find such aid?

He didn’t know.

>

“I still think this is risky,” said Byrold.

“Whatever we do is risky just now,” replied Hark.

“What if the rebels have cast blocking spells around the garrison?” Said Byrold, determined to pick holes in Hark’s plan.

“Then we will have to think of something else. No plan survives intact once battle is joined,” the Arms Master said in a patient voice.

The king sighed and lapsed into silence. They were trotting beside the rescued loyalist troops, who Hark had taken under his wing. A hasty battle planning session had taken place back in the square where the fight had been won, and Hark had managed to convince Byrold that his plan was the best way to enter the fort.

“We have these men, we may as well use them and hit the Easteer forces at the same time,” Hark had justified. “If we leave them like this there is a chance they will fragment and we will lose them, or they will run into another band of rebels and be slaughtered. They are fresh from training, they need guidance.”

Eventually Byrold had agreed to the plan, which relied on Sylverna contacting the garrison mage and co-coordinating with him.

The impromptu squad double timed it through the streets, picking up several more loyalist troops along the way, either stragglers or men who had become separated from their units in the confusion. By the time they were close to the garrison, they had more than doubled their original size, with nearly forty men. They didn’t encounter any more rebel forces, an ominous sign in Byrold’s mind.

Hark held up a hand and halted their men, moving them into a defensive position in a small street. Once that was done he turned to the king, who had remained hooded, and the mage. “Can you reach them from here?” He asked Sylverna.

“I’ll try,” the young wizard answered. She closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath. After a moment she frowned and tried again. This time she smiled. “I’m through,” she said, without opening her eyes.

“What’s the situation there?” Asked Hark.

More mumbling followed, as Sylverna communicated with the garrison wizard. Eventually she related what she had learned: “There is a sizable force surrounding the garrison, nearly twice the number of loyalists inside. They’ve attacked a few times, but the fort has repulsed the attacks without any real effort. Now they are waiting, probably for more siege equipment to be brought up. They don’t have much there just now, which is one reason why the fort is so secure. They defending wizard said there hasn’t been any magical attacks so far, though they are ready for them if there is. The men inside are in good spirits.” She stopped and opened her eyes. “I’ve been cut off.”

Byrold looked at Hark, who frowned. “There are more men outside the fort than I had hoped for. The Easteer forces must be trying to wipe out the main resistance as fast as possible. If the garrison falls they can mop up the remaining forces fairly easily, and then fortify the city against reinforcements from outside.”

The Arms Master sighed. The plan had been to get the troops in the castle to distract the ones besieging them, and then take advantage of the chaos to break through from behind and force a way into the fort. Now though, it would be a riskier proposition.

The king looked around. “Perhaps we can put these men to another use then,” he said.

They fell silent as they considered the options.

>>>>>>

So, sorry for a rather uninspired chapter people. I’ve been a bit distracted.

The DP here then is: What is their next move? Try and get into the garrison as planned? Use the troops in another way?

Suggestions please.

<<<<<<

[dinranwen]

To follow through the orginal plan is obviously sucidal, so obvilously we have to use the soliders in another way.

However it beats me how we're supposed to do that. I'm not miltary stragertist after all.

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[Chinaren]

Z wrote: If I understand this right, they are on the outside of the castle, potentially soon to meet with resistance forces that are sieging the castle. They were planning on having those forces already there launch an attack, while the king's men tried to get in through the 'backdoor'... am I right?

You are. Nice to see someone paying attention. ;)


Z wrote:
1) If the men IN the castle are somehow forced out to face these forces in the field, would they likely fall?

If they were in a straight fight, they would likely lose, as they are fairly badly outnumbered.

Z wrote:
2) Are there forests anywhere nearby?
A few days travel away.

Z wrote:
3) Is it possible to build more siege engines, preferably catapults?
Ah, I understand the forest question now. Yes, from stocks held in the military base, but not a huge number. There are also siege engines elsewhere in the city, but again, not many.

Z wrote:
4) How much livestock is in the area?
There are cows and sheep in general farmlands surrounding the city and the suburbs.

Z wrote:
5) How long could the defenders last a siege if they were simply starved out? (of course, that's really not a good idea unless we could hurry things a bit)
Probably quite a while. Actually, in some ways time is on their side, as loyalist troops from the southern border have been called.

Z wrote:
6) Do we have anything else to worry about like reinforcements likely to come to those defending the castle?
It's not known exactly how many rebel troops are in the city, or on the way. Remember, the loyalists are the ones inside the garrison, where Byrold was heading.

Z wrote:
7) What is the ballpark estimate of troop numbers, armament, and experience, on both sides?
Ah. I haven't exactly worked that out yet. However, for now, let's say between 200 and 500 in the castle, and nearly a 1,000Rebels outside. More than expected in one area.

Z wrote:
8) What magic options do we have and how would they defend against them?

Currently Mazel is the only serious wizard nearby, though others could be found. He isn't enough to do serious damage on his own, though maybe some kind of trickery... The mage capability on the other side is not known, though the magical communication was cut off my someone. :shock:

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[LordoftheNight]

Wait what? I thought the troops inside were the good guys, and Byrold was trying to join them? And that the loyalists were those loyal to Byrold.

Are you sure you've got it right Z?

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[Chinaren]

Ah. Allow me to clear up the confusion.

The Loyalists are those loyal to the ligit crown (Byrold in this case) The rebels are the ones on Eldra's side.

[LordoftheNight]

Good - that's what I thought.

And the loyalists are inside the castle, beseiged by the rebels yes?

[Chinaren]

Yes. The king and co. are trying to get inside. At least that's their original plan.

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[Mother Goose]

I thought we were in the middle of the capital city.

[Chinaren]

Indeed. Or to be exact on the west side of the city.

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[D-Lotus]

btw, can the Centic withstand the Desert heat?

[LordoftheNight]

Could an illusion be used here again? Magicing up some general, or the Queen herself, and ordering the besieging soldiers elsewhere?

Claim Byrold is leading an assault on the east side of the city, and he must be repulsed? When the soldiers - or some of them at least - go off following 'orders', then he might have enough men to overwhelm them, and enter the castle.

[Chinaren]

Z wrote: I suggest all out geurilla warfare!

Hmmm, good idea! They could probably get the populace to help too.

D-Lotus wrote: btw, can the Centic withstand the Desert heat?

It's probably not going to slow them down much! ;)

Lordy wrote: Could an illusion be used here again?

Indeed, maybe so, if carefully done. They are bound to have some mages on their side too. Maybe they could combine illusions with Z's geurilla warfare idea.

[Chinaren]

Well pick me up and blow me down. I thought I had posted the poll already. Here I am looking to start the next chapter, and I find I haven't polled! :mad:

So, now it's up. Vomit into the voting hat of your choice.

[Kalanna Rai]

I'd vote but it seems your poll's already closed China...

[Chinaren]

Very strange. Okay, I deleted and readded. Try again if you would.

[Kalanna Rai]

Still no...

[Chinaren]

It should be okay now.

[OldJoe]

Voted fer the last 'un. We goin' ter see the next episode soon like Mr. Chinaren? Been a while like.

[Chinaren]

Mmm, well, it's quite close. Maybe I should wait a little longer... ;)

Okay, I know this has been quiet lately. RL has been keeping me from writing much lately.

It's next on my list... Soon my pretties. Soon. Mwahahahaha.

[dinranwen]

I think we should be afraid.

Very afraid.

*Din hides in battle ready bunker and hunkers down for the next chapter or half chapter whatever comes first*

[Chinaren]

Unfortunately I have too much on my plate in RL at the moment, so I am putting this on hold until things clear up.

Sorry for the inconvenience people.

[Chinaren]

Good news! I've finally managed to collate my information and started work on the next chapter.

Expect L&L to be active again soon. :D