Turn #8, Late Fall of year 1
The noose descends upon the head of the snake.
Travellers from afar bring word that an Anathemant Warlock of the demon nation of Abyssia has been appointed as the false prophet of Theag. I am puzzled that even the most foolish of mortals would listen to, much less heed, the lies of those that consort with creatures from the nether realms.
My avatar Jorgun, prophet Grymis, and 13 Jotuns engage the defenders of Pythium as my force approaches their citadel. Facing me are 2 centurions, 6 velites, 50 fanatics, and 25 slingers. Missile fire from their own rear kill as many of the fanatics as fall before my advancing giants. The velites put up a valiant rearguard action, engaging my giants in the face of certain death, to permit the remaining fanatics to retreat from the battle. All told my giants, once again with no losses to themselves, kill two-thirds of the fanatics, two-fifths of the slingers, and all the brave velites. Seventeen fanatics, fifteen slingers, and the two centurions manage to flee into the Pythium citadel before the gates slam shut.
Jorgun nearly doubles his kills, to a total of 15, and obtains 8 more trophies. An easy victory, and the 72 gold income of Pythium's farmlands are a very welcome addition to my coffers. My force settles in for a seige that I expect to Last into the next year, as the citadel's walls are formidable, twice as strong as those of my own castle, with ample supplies for the survivors huddled within.
Unrest remains stable in the Black Alps, and drops in Gwyrth and the Iron Range as I have expected. The end of fighting in these lands has calmed the populace, and their lives are slowly returning to the predictability mortals seem to prefer.
The Seithkona Roskva is the fifth to join my coven of magical researchers, who have presented me this month with the welcome news of having achieved mastery of the third rank of 'Alteration', and are near to completing the first rank of 'Enchantment' magics. Jorgun adds the defensive spell
Body Ethereal to the magics he prepares before engaging in combat, while the Seithkonas do likewise. With knowledge of the spell
Protection, with its greater breadth, I instruct that one of their number be sure to cast this first in any conflict, so that the others in the coven need no longer cast Barkskin.
My realm has:
- __4 Provinces (+Pythium under seige)
- 262 Treasury.
- 346 Income. (+77)
- 101 Upkeep. (+10)
- 130 Resources in the capital. (+1)
Gem income is:
- +3 Astral (24)
- +1 Death (08)
- +2 Nature (11)
In light of my success in driving back the forces of Pythium, I feel that the Fates will be receptive to my request for one of Lit's sister Norna to join me, so I command that the appropriate gifts and celebration be prepared. I also command that one more Jotun Spearman be readied for the siege of the Pythium citadel. These preparations drain the treasury of 250 coins, and I defer bolstering provincial defenses, preferring to wait and see how Pythium reacts to his successive defeats.
I decide to leave the scout Bdvar in place for yet a fifth consecutive month. [I just forgot about him I guess.] Bove and his eight Jotun spearmen continue to march from the Alps to join my beseiging force at Pythium. I decide to have the Seithkona Urd join my army, so I send word for her to commence travelling to the Alps, by way of Gwyrth, and she is to bring along the five Jotun spearmen which had been acting as bodyguards to the coven members. I expect that the Pythium pretender will be more concerned about my army camped at his gates than in the residents of my castle.
to be continued ...
[ February 11, 2004, 14:24: Message edited by: Arryn ]