[IC] The Marching Storm

[Grey_Fox]

Originally Posted by Epic Kobold

“As it stands” Grok said as he approached Godfrey without pausing for a moment after his trek (which felt like it went by a lot faster than he expected) “Astaron is holding up in his manor like a frightened weasel and has fortified his cowering place with magical defenses. We've already suffered some injuries and nearly lost one man all together because of magic arrows falling from the sky. Currently our forces are holding up in a chapel with the exception of Ezrael who is ensuring that the fool doesn't escape out the back way like a small, helpless bird in a bush. At the chapel, we met a man who claims that he can be of great assistance to us, but will not until meeting with you first, so he can proceed in good conscious. So, with appropriate haste, I present Raphael Caluya, the Raimaker.”

"Greetings Raphael, it is an honor to have you in our land" Holds out a hand in friendship "I am Godfrey Stonegate of Simonton, ask what questions you will of me but please do so quickly, every moment we waste is another moment my uncle has to escape justice for his crimes" whilst speaking with Raphael Godfrey gestures to his second in command "Split the remaining force in half, you will return to Simonton with one half and defend the town against further trickery, I will lead the other to Astaron's manor."

[Talosian]

Originally Posted by Grey_Fox

"Greetings Raphael, it is an honor to have you in our land" Holds out a hand in friendship "I am Godfrey Stonegate of Simonton, ask what questions you will of me but please do so quickly, every moment we waste is another moment my uncle has to escape justice for his crimes" whilst speaking with Raphael Godfrey gestures to his second in command "Split the remaining force in half, you will return to Simonton with one half and defend the town against further trickery, I will lead the other to Astaron's manor."

Raphael clasps his hand firmly before releasing it. "Thank you, my lord. I hope you will forgive me for being terse, but as you said, time is short. I would know how you came to succeed Lord Walton, and what lead to your battle with Astaron. Even more important, I would know what kind of ruler you will be. Since you have only just become the Lord of Simonton, and time becomes ever more scarce, I must simply ask of you what your goals are, and trust that you will speak truthfully." Raphael comes to a halt, having been pacing rapidly back and forth. "So, Lord Godfrey, what does being a lord mean to you? What do the folk who live on this land mean to you? What do the men who have already died for your cause mean to you?"

[Grey_Fox]

Originally Posted by Talosian

Raphael clasps his hand firmly before releasing it. "Thank you, my lord. I hope you will forgive me for being terse, but as you said, time is short. I would know how you came to succeed Lord Walton, and what lead to your battle with Astaron. Even more important, I would know what kind of ruler you will be. Since you have only just become the Lord of Simonton, and time becomes ever more scarce, I must simply ask of you what your goals are, and trust that you will speak truthfully." Raphael comes to a halt, having been pacing rapidly back and forth. "So, Lord Godfrey, what does being a lord mean to you? What do the folk who live on this land mean to you? What do the men who have already died for your cause mean to you?"

Godfrey looks slightly taken back buy the straightforwardness of Raphael's questions, he had been asking himself the same questions ever since the announcement of Lord Walton's death. "Lord Walton was my uncle, but in truth he was more a father to me then an uncle. Although related I was not noble born, my father was a common man. Upon his death Walton raised me to nobility and gave me rights to claim Simonton, to be honest nobility was never something i wished for but the other two men who could lay claim were known to me as wicked men, lord Walton was a great ruler and was beloved by his people, I could not stand by and watch as everything he had worked towards was torn down, and so I seeded my claim. By the laws of the land I am now named lord of Simonton, Astaron felt jilted by this and has declared war upon Simonton, he recruited an army of lizard folk and has employed evil magic in an attempt to usurp me.....his attempt has failed, I will not see the people suffer under the hands of such a man. You asked me what my goals are and what the people of this land mean to me, My goal is to protect the peoples of Simonton from those who would bring them harm, the men under my command are my brothers and the loss of even a single man saddens and angers me, I do not know if I will be able to be even a tenth of the ruler that Walton was, but with God as my witness I will give every ounce of my being in the effort to try and measure up to his example. That is what being Lord means to me Raphael."

[Talosian]

Originally Posted by Grey_Fox

Godfrey looks slightly taken back buy the straightforwardness of Raphael's questions, he had been asking himself the same questions ever since the announcement of Lord Walton's death. "Lord Walton was my uncle, but in truth he was more a father to me then an uncle. Although related I was not noble born, my father was a common man. Upon his death Walton raised me to nobility and gave me rights to claim Simonton, to be honest nobility was never something i wished for but the other two men who could lay claim were known to me as wicked men, lord Walton was a great ruler and was beloved by his people, I could not stand by and watch as everything he had worked towards was torn down, and so I seeded my claim. By the laws of the land I am now named lord of Simonton, Astaron felt jilted by this and has declared war upon Simonton, he recruited an army of lizard folk and has employed evil magic in an attempt to usurp me.....his attempt has failed, I will not see the people suffer under the hands of such a man. You asked me what my goals are and what the people of this land mean to me, My goal is to protect the peoples of Simonton from those who would bring them harm, the men under my command are my brothers and the loss of even a single man saddens and angers me, I do not know if I will be able to be even a tenth of the ruler that Walton was, but with God as my witness I will give every ounce of my being in the effort to try and measure up to his example. That is what being Lord means to me Raphael."

Raphael watches Godfrey intently, examining his face and watching his eyes as he speaks. When he finishes, Raphael waits for several moments, then nods. "Very well. I will hold you to your words. There is a passage that leads from the manor to the chapel. As it was meant to enable the lord's escape, I would expect it to be lightly defended, if at all. I have two final requests, both of which your man Duncan has accepted. First, ensure that no harm comes to those who have no part in the battle, and second, accept any offers of surrender that are unconditional, or that ask only for their lives. I expect that your prisoners will be treated mercifully, and that they will be tried fairly." He turns away from Godfrey, and begins to walk back to the chapel, "You should get horses, you need to move quickly. And try to be subtle. Astaron will certainly be prepared if a whole army marches into the chapel."

(Raphael probably has a default to Riding (Equine), but he won't accept a horse unless Harry says that just riding up the hill won't require a roll [at default, it normally would]. No point in having him fall off :P)

[Grey_Fox]

"You have my word Raphael". Turns to his second in command, "Captain assemble a single squad of the greatest close quarters fighters we have, you will ride with them to Duncan and inform him of the tunnel and place yourself under his command, I will ride with the remaining forces and stage a false siege of Astaron's manor, I will remain out of his reach but well within his sight, if all goes well all eyes will be on me and that should allow you and Duncan to enter the manor unnoticed and capture Astaron, and do as Raphael has said, show honor and grant mercy to our foes, we will fight them, not become them. If your task proves impossible your orders are to try an open the gates and bare Simonton's flag, that will be the signal to attack"

With that Godfrey assembles his men and rides to the manor and begins siege preparations (staying out of artillery or arrow range and setting up tents, beginning to dig trenches, deploying spikes etc, for all intents and purposes Godfrey will treat it as a real siege banking on the idea that if the tunnel plan fails then the siege will be needed anyway.)

[Harry O'Gane]

A small company of men assembles and gets ready for siege. They are consisted of about 60 men, 30 of which are medium infantry, 20 archers and 10 light cavalry.

Sir Fharin, as Godfrey's second-in-command, replies:

"I'll go with Duncan and the others to this manor. I know Astaron very well, and I believe it would be wise to question him properly. He is a scum, but even they need a proper trial."

[Epic Kobold]

"And what would you have of me, Lord Godfrey?"

[Talosian]

(Skipped forward.)

As Raphael approaches the chapel, he waves to Duncan. "Come, we must make haste." He opens the doors, and walks down to the third row of benches. He moves to push the bench, "There is a trapdoor under the pew. It is the entrance to a tunnel that leads to Astaron's manor." (Assuming that Duncan or his men assist Raphael...) The pew moves slowly forward, scraping across the stone floor. Once it has been moved, an old trapdoor is revealed. "I have never opened it, so I cannot say what might be in the tunnel, or beyond it."

[Grey_Fox]

Originally Posted by Epic Kobold

"And what would you have of me, Lord Godfrey?"

"I am sure Duncan would not mind having your aid Grok, and I can see this has become personal for you, go with the tunnel soldiers and bring Astaron to justice, that is unless you feel you could be of better use elsewhere?"

[Epic Kobold]

Grok silently grimaced at the width of the trapdoor and hope the tunnel did not significantly narrow.