A Precarious Position
When one-hundred and fifteen thousand men are taken from the region surrounding the Elven Cities, to be deployed in the Avanthar Crusade, the Cadar's Wing find themselves in a precarious position.
When one-hundred and fifteen thousand men are taken from the region surrounding the Elven Cities, to be deployed in the Avanthar Crusade, the Cadar's Wing find themselves in a precarious position.
Contents
- Lack
- Flames
- Hoofs
- Slaves
- Sand
Lack of food, lack of water; lack of hay, lack of cloth; lack. It had been a week now since the Ravenstad levies had been redeployed to the Avanthar war effort, along with several other cohorts, transfered over the Regalian Empire's overseas ventures. Yet no sooner did they leave on the Eve of March, 306AC, the twenty-thousand Ailor soldiers occupying the City of Colael found themselves without some of the basic amenities of their campaign. Supply lines had been severed with Fort Tond, with Large-Host of Nelfin troops having marched from neighbouring Vall & now occupying the field the fort overlooks - Thus was the report of Officer of the Horse, Gideon Andre Hackett, who along with some 5,000 horsemen of the du Pont levy, scouted the surrounding area to find the supply wagons.
Grumbles could be heard within the municipal government building, where a stern, but calm looking indivdual with bright blonde hair and dulled blue eyes watched the reactions of the Field Commander and his accompanying officers to the latest scouting report. What was meant to be the start of a march, alongside the State Army of the General Typhonus, had been turned into a desperate need for resupply.
"Those pointy-eared, dirt-eating, good-for-nothing B*****s!" Growled the 2nd Lieutenant with a ferverant passion. "And what were Our men doing while these supplies just vanished? Sitting on their a***s?"
"Calm yourself, Barrulf." Advised the Field Commander, placing a reassuring hand on Barrulf Blackmyre's shoulder, before lightly squeezing it. "All is not lost - we'll have to make do on the supplies we have currently"
"I agree, but unless we want to face a siege ourselves, we cannot stay here" Noted Lieutenant Czylle Ravenstad, before turning to the Officer of the Horse. "Thank you for the report, Officer Hackett."
With a singular motion, the Lieutenant flashed a salute, which was mimicked in accurate timing with that of the Officer of the Horse. Swivelling on his heel and holding onto his helmet beneath his right arm, the Officer proceeded to march out of the war-room, while the rest of the General's Commissioned Officers stood around a map of the Elven Cities. The discussion continued on long into the night, as the various officers debated the merits and consequences of any subsequent plans of action. It was only until the early hours of the morning that Officer Cadet Alexander Donsly burst through the doors:
"Sirs! The Colael Nelfin, they've burnt the market district, they are revolting!"
Flames licked the exteriors of the buildings within the Market District, sending the encamped Reinard levy into a flurry of action, hastily getting whatever water they could to stave off the inferno from hitting their own tents and wares. Among them, Pvt. Juliette Howlester attempted to ensure some organisation into the men as best she could, developing several water lines from the nearby wells. Passing the buckets on one-at-a-time, the fires were pushed back, but not without consequence. Half of the Reinard levy's assigned grain went up in the blaze, including some martial tents & construction material.
Arriving on the scene, General Hamelin d'Vaud attempts to assess the extent of the damage, alongside his bodyguard unit of Reinard men and the Officer Cadet Alexander Donsly. His eyes gazed solemnly at the chaos that the rioting had caused in this district alone, before uttering over his shoulder:
"Officer Cadet Donsly"
"Sir?"
"Send runners for the quartermasters to be summoned to the War-Room, from each of the various districts and levies"
"Sir, Yes Sir!"
Turning his back to the hot blaze behind him, the General marched back with his bodyguard unit to the municipal government building, while the Officer Cadet took to his duty with a dash. Collecting a handful of men from the Reinard levy that were able to be spared, he sent word to the du Pont, Piergarten and d'Ortonnaise camps. Soon enough, the gathering of Quartermasters arrived at the War-room with the tired Commissioned Officers of the Cadar's Wing.
Resting a single hand on the map which sat on a central mahogany table in the middle of the room, the General weighed up the advice of his Officers from earlier, before turning to the Assembly of Quartermasters.
"Break camp and load the wagons, we march North-East immediately."
Hoofs pranced in rhythmic fashion, boots trample the dusty roads, barely a full league from the city of Colael. Outside, whispering d'Ortonnaise troops murmured of the dark plume of ash and smoke that reached into the skyline, like some dark god sending forth its hand towards the heavens & invoking some foul omen upon those it shaded. A foolish fantasy of divine retribution for their recently-removed officers, but such murmurs were swiftly silenced as the Officer of the Horse darted past on his horse, on his way to the head of the d'Ortonnaise Column with Drixon Cavalry-sabre in hand.
At the front of the column, marched the Field Commander, Benedictus d'Vaud. His right-hand resting on the grip of his seathed mace, while his left hand swung with the rhythm of the march. As the Officer Gideon Andre Hackett came in to ride alongside him marching, his face red as he looked down to the Field Commander and offered momentary salute.
"What is it, Gideon?" Asked the Silver Bear.
"Report from a du Pont Cavalryman at the rear of the column, Lieutenant-Colonel - The damned Nelfin in Colael have sent a rabble to try and harass us. Give me the word, and I'll spill their peasant blood in the dust for daring to come up against us." Snapped Gideon, his demeanour stormy and reaction hot-tempered, teeth bared.
The Field Commander replied sternly, his head not moving as he did so: "No - Send out the Cavalry from the rear to ride ahead and screen our approach to the North-East, inform General Hamelin. Then issue the Second Lieutenant Blackmyre a command to provide rear guard action if it is necessary."
"Sir, we should snuff this threat out before it has hope to grow - I'll split the Cavalry, sending a detachment to cut down the Colael partisans while using the other half to guard our supplies while we retreat, two birds with one stone."
"You've been given your Orders, Officer of the Horse." Retorted the Lieutenant-Colonel.
The Drixon officer grumbled momentarily before saluting: "Sir - Yes Sir! He-Ya!" he spoke, before driving his stirrups into the horse and riding back down the column, issuing the orders to his du Pont Cavalry and the Second Lieutenant. The Piergarten troops in Barrulf's Command remained alert of any attack.
Slaves stood in long rows, once forced to walk in front of a detachment of Piergarten troops with the Second Lieutenant, soon found themselves stopped. Their wrists tied behind their back, a rope noose wrapped around their necks that connected continuously to the one another, with some of their clothes ripped by the mark of the whip. Travelling down to the rear of the halted Column of the Cadar's wing, the General Hamelin d'Vaud travelled to meet the leaders of the Colael rabble that had been shadowing them all this time. Under a white banner of truce, he stood facing the Colael Elders, along with a small retinue of trusted Reinard Bodyguards.
Spontaneously, he negotiated the safe passage of the Cadar's Wing, in the Elven tounge:
"More blood of your children will flow, and it is not our armies that will draw it. Those who brought wrath and fire alike to the Avanthar turn their eyes to you."
"You have not come offering a banner of truce to offer threat, Ailor. What do you want?" Spoke the most Elder Nelfin with a glare.
"I know of the ambushes and attacks your men are planning on the rearguard, call them off in exchange for the lives of your own flesh and kin. The prisoners that had been taken, they will be freed."
The Elder turned around to murmur with his peers momentarily, hushed whispers among themselves could barely be made out, before the elder spoke:
"We'll take our kin and offer our word that we will not pursue you"
Satisfied, the General departed with his banner of truce and bodyguard, offering the banner to be striken by a Reinard levy. With a simple command and gesture of the hand, the Nelfin slaves were escorted by the Piergarten men to the rear, where they were transfered to the Nelfin Elders and their rabble of Elven peasantry.
At the front of the column, marched the Field Commander, Benedictus d'Vaud. His right-hand resting on the grip of his seathed mace, while his left hand swung with the rhythm of the march. As the Officer Gideon Andre Hackett came in to ride alongside him marching, his face red as he looked down to the Field Commander and offered momentary salute.
"What is it, Gideon?" Asked the Silver Bear.
"Report from a du Pont Cavalryman at the rear of the column, Lieutenant-Colonel - The damned Nelfin in Colael have sent a rabble to try and harass us. Give me the word, and I'll spill their peasant blood in the dust for daring to come up against us." Snapped Gideon, his demeanour stormy and reaction hot-tempered, teeth bared.
The Field Commander replied sternly, his head not moving as he did so: "No - Send out the Cavalry from the rear to ride ahead and screen our approach to the North-East, inform General Hamelin. Then issue the Second Lieutenant Blackmyre a command to provide rear guard action if it is necessary."
"Sir, we should snuff this threat out before it has hope to grow - I'll split the Cavalry, sending a detachment to cut down the Colael partisans while using the other half to guard our supplies while we retreat, two birds with one stone."
"You've been given your Orders, Officer of the Horse." Retorted the Lieutenant-Colonel.
The Drixon officer grumbled momentarily before saluting: "Sir - Yes Sir! He-Ya!" he spoke, before driving his stirrups into the horse and riding back down the column, issuing the orders to his du Pont Cavalry and the Second Lieutenant. The Piergarten troops in Barrulf's Command remained alert of any attack.
Slaves stood in long rows, once forced to walk in front of a detachment of Piergarten troops with the Second Lieutenant, soon found themselves stopped. Their wrists tied behind their back, a rope noose wrapped around their necks that connected continuously to the one another, with some of their clothes ripped by the mark of the whip. Travelling down to the rear of the halted Column of the Cadar's wing, the General Hamelin d'Vaud travelled to meet the leaders of the Colael rabble that had been shadowing them all this time. Under a white banner of truce, he stood facing the Colael Elders, along with a small retinue of trusted Reinard Bodyguards.
Spontaneously, he negotiated the safe passage of the Cadar's Wing, in the Elven tounge:
"More blood of your children will flow, and it is not our armies that will draw it. Those who brought wrath and fire alike to the Avanthar turn their eyes to you."
"You have not come offering a banner of truce to offer threat, Ailor. What do you want?" Spoke the most Elder Nelfin with a glare.
"I know of the ambushes and attacks your men are planning on the rearguard, call them off in exchange for the lives of your own flesh and kin. The prisoners that had been taken, they will be freed."
The Elder turned around to murmur with his peers momentarily, hushed whispers among themselves could barely be made out, before the elder spoke:
"We'll take our kin and offer our word that we will not pursue you"
Satisfied, the General departed with his banner of truce and bodyguard, offering the banner to be striken by a Reinard levy. With a simple command and gesture of the hand, the Nelfin slaves were escorted by the Piergarten men to the rear, where they were transfered to the Nelfin Elders and their rabble of Elven peasantry.
Sand flew into the air briefly, before landing into a small dune behind the line of Piergarten infantry, equiped with shovels. Ditches stretch along the high dunes, from one side of the beach to the other, with the sand barely co-operating with the tired and disgruntled troops. Behind the dune, a palisade was being constructed of timber carried from Colael and some of the trees surrounding the beach by Reinard troops, though they be few and far between.
d'Ortonnaise levies, having placed upon some of the tents and primary camp fires as the sun began to set, before attempting to scavanger the surrounding landscape for any edible berries or wildlife. Their search, headed by Pvt. Juliette Howlester, turned up some Red Fairfin Fish in a fresh-water pond of some size nearby, captured ferrets and rabbits. Berries were also found, but all together, the scavanging barely brought up enough food and water to serve the needs of the full twenty-thousand troops. Supplements of grain were handed out at half ration, only enough to get by until some Miracle by the Spirit would save them. It was a blessing and a curse to be rid of the Nelfin slaves, more food, but less profit for the pillaging and more work for them.
The Howlester Private briefly picked at her food before beginning to eat, commenting to the troops besides her, "Tomorrow we'll head back out and do some more searching, we found some good spots. Where did we catch all those fish?"
"At the fresh-water pool over the sand dunes." Commented the soldier next to her, as he ate some of the watered down gruel with some berries.
"We'll stop by there first, can't hurt. Keep an eye out for any more of those rabbits, people seem to like them better than ferrets."
A small amount of chuckling came from the group as they conversed, joking among themselves as they attempted to make the best of their situation. However, the denouement that they found themselves in was a dire one. They had retreated to the shore, fortified their location, but they were between a rock and a hard place. They needed reinforcements, resupply or evacuation, lest the Avanthar come first and claim them all.
Do you want to be involved in the Cadar's Wing?
Do you want to be in posts such as this?
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OOC Note:
d'Ortonnaise levies, having placed upon some of the tents and primary camp fires as the sun began to set, before attempting to scavanger the surrounding landscape for any edible berries or wildlife. Their search, headed by Pvt. Juliette Howlester, turned up some Red Fairfin Fish in a fresh-water pond of some size nearby, captured ferrets and rabbits. Berries were also found, but all together, the scavanging barely brought up enough food and water to serve the needs of the full twenty-thousand troops. Supplements of grain were handed out at half ration, only enough to get by until some Miracle by the Spirit would save them. It was a blessing and a curse to be rid of the Nelfin slaves, more food, but less profit for the pillaging and more work for them.
The Howlester Private briefly picked at her food before beginning to eat, commenting to the troops besides her, "Tomorrow we'll head back out and do some more searching, we found some good spots. Where did we catch all those fish?"
"At the fresh-water pool over the sand dunes." Commented the soldier next to her, as he ate some of the watered down gruel with some berries.
"We'll stop by there first, can't hurt. Keep an eye out for any more of those rabbits, people seem to like them better than ferrets."
A small amount of chuckling came from the group as they conversed, joking among themselves as they attempted to make the best of their situation. However, the denouement that they found themselves in was a dire one. They had retreated to the shore, fortified their location, but they were between a rock and a hard place. They needed reinforcements, resupply or evacuation, lest the Avanthar come first and claim them all.
Do you want to be involved in the Cadar's Wing?
Do you want to be in posts such as this?
Apply here!
OOC Note:
- 5,000 Anglian horses were bought from a private citizen for the Cadar's Wing.
- This Lore Story is made with as much interaction as possible, in adherance with the Progression.
- DM rolls were taken independantly by MarquisAlex to determine the following:
- Supplies & Scavenging.
- Rioting damage in Colael.
- Strength of the Enemy.
- Negotiation with the Elders.
- Relative Cohesion.
- Supplies & Scavenging.
