[Arryn]

Turn #18, Early Fall of Year 2
Road kill.

This month, no travellers bring word from afar of events in distant lands.

A market gathering occurs in the Feral Woods, increasing tax revenues this month by 100.

The priest Geiserik safely arrives at the Well of All Waters, as does Ualgo at Jotunheim. Bdvar reports that Rhas has a well-organized provincial defense, and that the fortified capital city of Marignon itself is in the province (#19) just to the southeast. Oedre identifies Hoburgdorf's lone non-PD troop as a crossbowman.

Ensconced within the stone walls of the citadel my army finds Kanuka the Pythium pretender (a Frost Father with 6W7S), a Serpent Priest and a Serpent Acolyte, 1 Standard, 13 Gladiators, 2 Hastatus, 2 Velites, 2 Principes, and 16 Horned Serpents. All the troops are, indeed, starving (as I had hoped), and many are diseased and have one or more afflictions due to the wretched conditions within the long-beseiged citadel. I have numerical superiority, and my troops are stronger and in far better health. The prospects for success appear excellent, so long as Fate favors me, and the Pythium pretender does not use his considerable Astral power. The Pythium towers fire 8 ballista "bolts" each turn, and they will be the cause of most of the deaths among my Jotun troops. The battle proceeds:

• Round 1 - my troops escape harm from the towers. Kanuka casts Twist Fate on himself, while Urd's Protection is cast on Jorgun, who casts Body Ethereal per plan. Other casters on both sides make the obligatory Blessings and such.
• Round 2 - my troops take some nonfatal hits from the towers. Kanuka has transformed into a Blue Dragon! (4W5S, 125HPs, 18Prot, 18MR, 25Str, 16Att, 12Def) while my casters continue their plan and my troops hold.
• Round 3 - the first death of Jotun due to ballista fire. Kanuka flies to the far left rear to attack my Jotuns, which are well-matched against his Cold Breath as they are 100% Cold Resistant. As such, the dragon eats one of my giants. My prophet casts Fanaticism to counter the morale shock of losing 2 of their number this round. Six of the Jotuns attack the dragon, inflicting significant damage (-20HPs).
• Round 4 - four more Jotuns fall before the onslaught of the ballistas, and another is eaten by Kanuka. Grymis casts Fanaticism again to shore up morale. The vengeful Jotuns hack away at the dragon and inflict many serious hits (-74HPs, Kanuka has just 31HPs left).
• Round 5 - another brave Jotun is impaled by ballista, but the injured dragon's strike is insufficient to outright kill his next victim. Grymis casts Fanaticism, the Jotuns finish killing the Pythium dragon-pretender, and the rest of the giants head towards the citadel to engage the leading defenders who have just exited the outer gates.
• Round 6 - two more Jotuns fall transfixed by bolts. The Serpent priest attempts to Banish some of my longdeads, but fails. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and my lead Jotun spearmen kill the lead enemy gladiator. My avatar has moved up behind the mass of Jotuns.
• Round 7 - the tower ballistas miss my troops but kill one of the gladiatiors. Both Serpent priests attempt Banishment without success. A gladiator strikes at a Jotun Huskarl, but is killed by repel. Grymis casts Fanaticism. Two more gladiators and a horned serpent are killed by my Jotuns.
• Round 8 - the tower ballistas again miss my troops, as does the repeated Banishments by the two Serpent priests. Grymis casts Fanaticism. 3 more horned serpents are killed (as best I can tell in the melee).
• Round 9 - the ballistas kill another Jotun, though the Banishments have once again missed my longdeads. Grymis casts Fanaticism. It is hard for me to keep track of what's been killed, other than observe that Jorgun eats two gladiators this round. Remaining Pythium forces are: 2 priests, 9 horned serpents, 1 standard, 2 velites, 2 hastatus, 2 principe, and 5 gladiators.
• Round 10 - the tower ballistas miss my troops, as does a Banishment. The situation has grown so dire for the defenders that the other priest casts Sermon of Courage. Grymis casts Fanaticism. Remaining Pythium forces are: 2 priests, 7 horned serpents, 2 velites, 1 hastatus, 2 principe, and 4 gladiators. 33 of the original 44 Jotuns survive.
• Round 11 - the ballistas kill 2 more Jotuns. Two Banishments miss their targets. Pythium's troops rout. Grymis casts Fanaticism. Remaining Pythium forces are: 2 priests, 6 horned serpents, 1 hastatus, 1 principe, and 3 gladiators. Thus far, the entire battle has been fought outside the walls. As my forces chase the routing defenders inside, my troop loss rate will dramatically increase.
• Round 12 - another Jotun becomes a ballista casualty and two Banishments miss their targets. Pythium's troops continue their rout. Grymis casts Fanaticism. My troops give chase.
• Round 13 - the ballistas kill 2 more Jotuns, and in more confined quarters, Banishment kills 1 longdead giant and a longdead human. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the chase continues.
• Round 14 - yet another Jotun falls impaled by ballista fire, while Banishment kills another longdead giant and my remining longdead human. As I had feared, the bottleneck at the gates is proving deadly, though it could have been much worse if the enemy forces had not already routed. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and a third of my troops are now inside the main courtyard, having killed the serpent acolyte near the inner gate.
• Round 15 - no ballista casualties, nor any from Banishment. Urd animates a skeleton, though she is so far from the routing Pythium troops it is a pointless action. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the Jotuns kill 2 of the Last 3 gladiators, and engage the Last Pythium Serpent priest.
• Round 16 - the ballistas fell another brave giant. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the Jotuns kill the Last commanding priest, leaving the already-routed enemy leaderless.
• Round 17 - 2 more casualties from concentrated ballista fire. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the vengeful Jotuns kill 3 of the fleeing horned serpents and the Last principe.
• Round 18 - another 2 casualties from concentrated ballista fire. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the Jotuns continue to chase down foes.
• Round 19 - another casualty from concentrated ballista fire. Grymis casts Fanaticism, and the Jotuns kill a lagging horned serpent.
• Round 20 - a final Jotun ballista death before the Last of the enemy has fled, ending the battle. In summary, of the 24 Jotuns I lost in the battle, all but two are killed by "artillery fire". Ouch.

Jorgun adds 3 more kills and 7 more trophies to his tally, while Bove claims 2 more kills and 10 more trophies (gaining a second star), though at the cost of acquiring a never-healing wound (20% HP loss, -6HPs). The end of the Serpent Cult and it's false god brings great jubilation, along with great sorrow for the two dozen brave giants who fell to cowardly missiles. The victory roughly doubles my water and nature gem income, and removes a very annoying thorn in my side. The added gold income will be enough to allow me to replace my losses in just a few turns, and to do so in a larger castle that is closer to my expanding land borders.

The number of dissenters declines by one in Eribon, Gwyrth, Iron Range, Pythium, and Ultima Typhia. The level of faith rises to 10% in Eribon, and 20% in Pythium.

The Seithkona Modgunn (second of the same name) joins the coven at Jotunheim. Research continues in Conjuration.

My realm has:

• __5 Dominion max.
• __2 Temples
• _10 Provinces
• 703 Treasury.
• 626 Income. (+104)
• 198 Upkeep. (-35)
• 133 Resources in Jotunheim. (+1)
• 156 Resources in Pythium.
• 102 RPs

Gem income is:

• +0 Fire (15)
• +0 Air (--)
• +5 Water (13)
• +0 Earth (01)
• +4 Astral (21) (includes 1 Clam)
• +1 Death (05)
• +5 Nature (34)

In Pythium I recruit a Seithkona and 3 Jotun spearman. I recruit another human priest in Eribon, a half-score provincial defenders in Pythium, and I also increase the defenses of Eribon by 4 (to 5), and Bel and the Black Alps by 1 (to 2 each). These preparations cost 303 coins, leaving exactly 400 coins for buildings.

I have the Skratti Tunne forge another Clam of Pearls and I allot 10 water gems for the task.

The priest Geiserik begins building a temple at the Well of All Waters, while my prophet Grymis does likewise in Pythium. Ualgo and a half-score of fresh Jotun spearmen head out from Jotunheim to the Alps, to join the survivors of my army in Pythium. I send Urd, with a bodyguard of longdead giants, to the Well (with the intent that she build a lab there). The newly-ordained priest Albrecht is sent from Eribon to Ultima Typhia (where I will erect another temple so as to push my dominion into the Ashikagan realm). Bove and the score of battle-hardened veteran Jotuns, along with Tahmar, begin a patrol of Pythium to quell the remnants of dissent there. I (deliberately) decide to leave Oedre in place in Hoburgdorf to monitor any potential buildup of Ashikagan troops in their one province that borders my realm. I have the intrepid Bdvar move northeast to independent plains of Troban (#36) which is due north of the Marignon capital, with the intent that he work his way to the east of that city.

The biggest decision left to be made is what to do with my avatar? I can take him north and munch on some woodland provinces west and north of the Well. I could send him due west, into Ashikaga's rich farmlands, but that would provoke an enemy I do not feel ready, as yet, to confront, especially so soon after my war with Pythium. Using a SC to spread dominion is a waste, IMO, so that idea is dismissed. I decide to have him move to the Black Alps, on the way to Zenthra on the coast just west of my capital. This gains me the Last province in the "Jotun Peninsula", and will place him on the coast so that I can use my amphibious SC to scoop up some sea provinces from Atlantis, which at the moment appear to be weakly held (PD only, if any).

[ February 15, 2004, 20:08: Message edited by: Arryn ]