Turn #9, Early Winter of year 1
The noose tightens on the snake.
Winter having set in, there are no travellers bringing word from afar of events in distant lands.
Some of the defenders within Pythium's citadel sally forth in a weak, vain attempt to drive me away, aided by a half-score gladiators from the Feral Woods (#110) to the northeast. My beseiging army (avatar Jorgun, prophet Grymis, Herse Bove, and 21 Jotuns) engage one of the commanders that I have previously battled, two velites, and a total of twenty-three gladiators. We slaughter the entire enemy force, save for one velite that escapes into the Feral Woods. But the battle is not without a price. The accumulation of wounds from previous battles finally takes its toll, and three of my Jotun spearmen lay dead on the field before the citadel, and another half-dozen carry various injuries. Fortune is with my commanders, and they remain unhurt.
Jorgun adds 4 more kills and 9 more trophies to his tally, while Bove claims 2 more kills and 10 more trophies, but the mood is somber as we remember the fallen.
The number of dissenters declines by two in the Black Alps, and by one in Gwyrth. The number of faithful in still-independent Zenthra rises to half the populace.
The Norna Skade joins her sister, Lit, in my coven, which achieve mastery of the first rank of 'Enchantment' magics and make rapid progress towards the second rank.
My realm has:
- __4 Provinces (+Pythium under seige)
- 213 Treasury.
- 346 Income. (unchanged)
- 111 Upkeep. (+10)
- 131 Resources in the capital. (+1)
Gem income is:
- +3 Astral (27)
- +1 Death (09)
- +2 Nature (13)
I command that another Seithkona be found for the coven, and 4 more Jotun Spearman be readied for the siege of the Pythium citadel, to make up for any losses we should suffer there over the winter. I also decide to seek out a human commander from amongst the inhabitants of the Black Alps. He may prove useful in guiding reinforcements from the capital to join with my army. These preparations drain the treasury of 240 coins, and I once again defer bolstering provincial defenses, since it appears, at least for now, that my lands are under no threat. It is a calculated, but reasonably safe risk this early in the war.
The Seithkona Urd, bringing five Jotun spearmen to replace our losses, continues her march from the Alps. Judging the strategic situation to be well in hand, I decide to leave my beseiging Jotuns under the able command of my prophet, while my avatar, alone, goes forth to the independent river valley of Eribon (#74), and the estimated half-score heavy cavalry that await there.
PS - All provinces with positive dominion are currently at Cold-2.
I make a number of small, but careless mistakes this turn:
- I leave the scout Bdvar in place for yet a sixth consecutive month. The continued oversight is due to not checking F1 as I should each month. Of course, if IW were to provide a small icon in provinces with hidden friendly units ...
- I put my beseiging troops under the command of my prophet (because his morale is better than the Herse's). I should have put them under the Herse and ordered the prophet to preach down the dominion in the beseiged province. I do catch this oversight next month, but I should have started it in this month.
- Having just achieved Enchantment-1, and with enough Death gems, I was now ready to have one of the Seithkonas cast Reanimation. I simply forgot, but I do wake up this coming month.
to be continued ...
[ February 11, 2004, 14:23: Message edited by: Arryn ]