Turn #11, Late Winter of Year 1
A disability.
This deep into winter, there are no travellers bringing word from afar of events in distant lands.
The siege of Pythium enters its fourth month. Meanwhile, my avatar seeks more horseflesh in the plains of Bel. My faith has gained a foothold here, but many heathens abound still. The independent defenders oppose my arrival with a much lighter than expected force of two mounted commanders, and a half-dozen each of heavy cavalry and heavy footmen. Jorgun begins the battle again at the rear of the field, which allows enough time to prepare spells of
Personal Luck and
Body Ethereal before the enemy cavalry charge arrives. My avatar receives the charge, while preparing to cast
Astral Weapon, and takes four hits (for a total of -11HPs), with one of them finding a weak spot in Jorgun's scales and wounding him, which weakens him noticeably (-4 Str) though his remaining strength (22) is still better than that of most Jotuns. The cavalry, affected by my avatar's fearsome presence rout immediately after failing to kill him, never even drawing their swords. Jorgun eats one of the mounts and it's rider as the rest flee. The footmen and commanders move forward to engage the Wyrm, and one of the footmen is struck and poisoned. This, coupled with Jorgun's aura of fear is enough to rout the remaining force. As they turn to flee, my avatar has one of the footmen as an after-dinner snack.
Jorgun adds another 2 kills and 7 trophies to his tally. The proceeds from the plains of Bel (45g) increase my income by a further 11%.
The human commander Ualgo arrives in Jotunheim from his home in the Alps.
The number of dissenters declines by one in the Black Alps and Gwyrth, but rises by one in Eribon after the departure of my avatar. Damnable snake-lovers! Oddly enough, the peasants of Pythium itself begin to grow accustomed to the surprisingly benign presence of my giants, who do not pillage or molest young virgins, so unrest there drops back down (by one) to the same level as when the citadel was invested.
The Norna Rimdriva joins the coven at Jotunheim, which achieve mastery of the third rank of 'Enchantment' and first rank of 'Construction' magics. This Enchantment lorecraft enables my avatar to add the spell of
Astral Shield to its pre-battle preparations. This will enable it to ignore most physical attacks, unless the attacker is very resistant to magic.
The ancient king Tahmar is brought forth from burial in his mound, as are eight long dead Jotuns and two humans, all in rusted chain or scale armors.
My realm has:
- __6 Provinces (+Pythium under seige)
- 309 Treasury.
- 442 Income. (+47)
- 144 Upkeep. (+17)
- 131 Resources in the capital. (unchanged)
- _65 RPs
Gem income is:
- +3 Astral (33)
- +1 Death (03)
- +2 Nature (17)
I command that another of the Seithkona in Jotunheim join my coven, and I also command that 4 Jotun Huskarls and a Jotun Spearman be readied, and a Jotun militia (and herse) in both Eribon and Bel are to be recruited as provincial defenders. These preparations drain the treasury of 262 coins
My prophet Grymis has failed to make progress proselytizing to the inhabitants in the farmlands surrounding the citadel of Pythium, but he continues to preach. My avatar, still alone, continues north into the wastes known as the Well of All Waters (#125), which may have as many as 30 amazons and at least one gryphon rider. Tahmar, the half-score longdead, and a half-dozen Jotun spearmen set out for the Alps, on their way to join the encampment at Pythium. Ualgo remains behind in the castle to command the Jotuns soon to be recruited.
PS - All provinces with positive dominion, except my capital and the adjacent Iron Range (both at Cold-2), remain at Cold-1.
I repeat a small, but careless mistake this turn:
- I leave the scout Bdvar in place for an eigth consecutive month in Saeborea.
to be continued ...
[ February 11, 2004, 18:01: Message edited by: Arryn ]