Winter.
"Well that fucked them for a bit" says Tamric Drubine the field commander after he, Mira Reinholt the mage, Helbe the elven thief and Beldane the cleric.
Come back to the town of Gensa through a gateway cast by the cleric Beldane.
After witnessing the attack upon the enemy along the stretch of the main road about twenty miles to the north of Gensa. That Mira Reinholt mined yesterday with a number of his mageglobes.
The effect was devastating to say the least. With easily over a thousand casualties. Either dead or wounded. From the mageglobes going off at various times as the enemy column passed over them.
"They'll be going cross country after that" says the young noble originally from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
The trio of spellcasters who accompanied the young field commander this morning, nod their heads in agreement with him.
"It'll give us more time to continue the evacuation" adds Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by the others in the group.
Lord Farque nods his full helmed head at that, then he turns to commander Tracklen and tells him "Continue the evacuation, i want everyone who isn't in your army, or a hired mercenary out of the town by the end of the day".
"Yes my lord" says commander Tracklen, who turns to a couple of his staff members, and tells them "See to it".
The senior most officer in the loyalist army continues with "We want Gensa emptied of it's citizens quickly".
The loyalist officers nod then hurry off along the top of the north wall, and head to the nearest set of steps.
As the evacuation of Gensa, the largest town to the north of the city of Kuradum, continues.
The road leading south of the walled town is busy with people making their way to the capital city about thirty five miles away.
The journey there will be tough for those on foot. For today, like yesterday, it's a cold and windy day here in this part of the north of the city-state.
The push south by the enemy forces is a diversionary tactic. Even so, lord Farque who is in charge of the loyalist's campaign against the rebels led by councilman Hirrye.
Is going to make the so called duke of Kuradum and his rebel army pay for their tactics.
The undead warlord gave up on the walled town of Gensa immediately when he realised what the enemy forces were doing.
The loyalist forces, even with his third army. Don't have the manpower to withstand a drawn out siege to hold Gensa.
As well as fight in the east of the city-state where the main frontlines of the war are.
As well as counter the main attack by the enemy forces which will come from down in the south of the city-state.
So the large, heavily armoured deathlord is basically going to give the walled town here in the north to the enemy.
True, he's going to make them fight for it. And eventually withdraw, and let them have Gensa.
It's then when he'll make them truly pay for their diversionary tactics.
"How goes it?" asks the lord and ruler of the lands Farque as he looks at the war engineer Tovis.
"Everything in position now?" adds the undead being, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin to the people of his lands.
"They are my lord" replies Tovis the war engineer, who continues with "The last of them were set up during the night".
The undead warlord nods at hearing that, then looking at the loyalist commander Tracklen, asks him "The other preparations here in town?".
"Going well my lord" says the loyalist senior officer, who follows that with "We've put them where your engineers have instructed".
The Kuradian senior officer then says "Now we're putting the rest where the next most damage will be done".
Adding to that, Mira Reinholt the mage says "I'll put some surprises scattered throughout the town too".
"We'll help out there as well" says Helbe the elven thief, who with a nod of his hooded head, indicates Beldane the cleric, and Saanea the witch as well.
"Very well" says lord Farque who briefly looks away to the north, then looks back at those on top of the wall with him, and adds "Get to it".
As they move off, the lord of the death realm looks away to the south. To the pair of hills just to the south of Gensa.
They're on either side of the main road that heads south to the capital. They're not particularly high hills, and one is only a hundred and twenty yards to the south of the walled town.
Though both hills are fairly broad, much to the satisfaction of the undead warlord.
As it's made his plans against the enemy when they get to Gensa, so much easier.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque has told the ruling council of the city-state of Kuradum that they're going to lose the town of Gensa.
Draugadrottin just hasn't told them how exactly they're going to lose it. As that will be a surprise for both them and the enemy.
Lord Farque turns and says to Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic "You two with me".
And the undead warlord leads the ork warleader from the southern polar region of the world, and the nobleborn knight from the kingdom of Druvic.
Along the top of the north wall of the town of Gensa, to the nearest set of steps that head down into the walled town.
Goema, at just twelve years of age. Has been working in the stables for more than half of his life.
The stablemaster took him on after Goema's mother died of the wasting disease.
The young stable hand never knew his father. Who was probably one of the soldiers in the barracks, or a traveler who stopped off one night, and took a fancy to his mother, who was a maid at the inn.
The inn, is basically the local garrison's establishment. As it's right up against the barracks, here in the north of the walled town of Gensa.
Infact the stables here at the inn, are more often than not. Used by the garrison when they've got extra soldiers and mounts in attendance.
Like they do now, for the last three days here at the inn. And for that matter throughout the walled town. Is the busiest that Goema has ever seen it. Infact, the stablemaster Podma has never seen is so busy.
Especially with the orders coming from a couple of days ago, that Gensa is to be emptied of it's citizens.
With the exception of the army, the mercenaries hired to fight against the rebels. And those closely in support of both of them.
Which includes the stablemaster Podma, and his stablehands like Goema. As they're basically close support of the local barracks here in town.
"Wonder what that is?" asks Goema, as he and the stablemaster stand outside the stables and watch some of the local soldiers.
Who under the watchful eye of those from the mercenary army from someplace called Farque, all of whose soldiers are clad in black uniforms, armour and cloaks.
Roll a number of barrels, some large, others smaller. Towards the large stables at the back of the inn.
They watch as the local soldiers, many of them they know. Set up the barrels in and around the stables.
Putting some in empty stalls, while others are rolled into position around the stables.
As Podma goes off and talks to a couple of the soldiers. Goema steps inside the stables, and makes his way over to one of the empty stalls.
Well it's empty of a horse. As there's now a large barrel standing upright in it.
And as the stablehand gets close to it. He catches wind of a familiar smell. It's pitch. The thick heavy kind used on airships, as well boats that ply their trade on the nearby river.
Podma checks out a few of the other stalls that have barrels in them. And they all have barrels of pitch with the exception of one.
That one is a smaller barrel, and that one doesn't smell like pitch at all.
To Podma's nose, it smells similar to lamp fuel. Though not quite.
It's more like lamp fuel, mixed with a lye soap of all things.
He's not exactly sure what it is. But whatever it is, it must be dangerous in some way.
For the pair of local soldiers who carried that particular barrel into the stables. Were a lot more cautious than the others who brought in the barrels of pitch.
Infact they hurried away from it as soon as they placed into the stall at the end next to where the hay is stored.
Goema backs away from it fairly quickly after getting a whiff of it's strange smell.
He makes his way out of the stables, and walks over to where Podma is talking to a couple of the local soldiers.
Who have been joined by a pair of black clad mercenary soldiers from the lands Farque.
One of whom Goema sees is a young woman of all things. An attractive one at that.
He refrains from shaking his head, as he never thought he'd see a woman soldier.
As there's none in the barracks here in the town of Gensa. Infact, he's not all that sure if there's women serving in the loyalist army at all.
Or for that matter, in the rebel army too. At least not as soldiers. As you'll see plenty of women doing other jobs in the warring factions who are trying to rule the city-state of Kuradum.
As Goema approaches, and stops just back from the group. Standing behind the stablemaster Podma.
He sees it's the young woman in black who is doing all the talking. And that the local soldiers defer to her.
"No one is to touch those barrels, or move them" says Lisell Maera the scout.
"They're there for a reason" adds the attractive young woman who hails from the coastal city-state of Brattonbury.
"You can figure out why" dryly continues Lisell Maera, or Lis as she's more commonly called by the others in the group.
The scout Maera, who with Zam the ex mercenary is overseeing the placement of the barrels of pitch and naphtha in this area in the north of the walled town of Gensa.
Looks at the stablemaster of the inn, along with the youngster standing a bit behind him, who must be one of his hands.
"You and your hands will be leaving once the fighting starts?" asks the attractive young woman in the scouts and rangers division of the armies of Farque.
"Yes sir, i mean ma'am" replies Podma the stablemaster.
"Good, make sure you do" says Lis, who continues with "And I'll say it again, keep away from the barrels" followed by "Especially the slightly smaller ones".
The scout Maera glances sideways at Zam the ex mercenary, who just cleared his throat.
Lisell Maera sees Zam nod away to the right, and the scout spots a couple of Farqian engineers approaching.
They're carrying a number of instruments with them. One of which is similar to a sextant found on sailing ships.
Though the scout Maera knows the one the engineers have, goes on top of the tripod stand one of them is carrying.
One of the engineers calls out something in the elven language to Lis, and she replies in the same language.
Then reverting back to the common language, the scout in the armies of Farque says to the stablemaster "Clear the rest of your hands out of the stables for a while".
Then she says to the local soldiers from the barracks next door "Then clear everyone away from around the stables and the inn".
The scout Maera nods over to where the two black clad engineers are setting up their equipment, which also includes a long, brass, cylindrical eyepiece, and she says "They need to do their measurements and calculations without any hindrance".
The pair of loyalist soldiers, and the stablemaster nod, then move off to do her bidding.
As they walk back to the stables to round up the other hands, Goema after glancing away to the pair of black clad soldier setting up some kind of strange instruments.
Quietly asks Podma the stablemaster "What kind of mercenary soldiers are those?".
As the two men in black, are wearing long leather armoured vests, similar looking to a blacksmith's smocks.
Though both men have warhammers strapped to their backs, and smaller hammers on their belts.
"And what are those things they've got?" quietly adds the stablehand as one of them puts up a strange looking, tripod stand.
"I have no idea to both of your questions young Goema" is the quiet reply of Podma the stablemaster, who then quietly says to the hand "What i want to know is why they want to keep us away from those barrels?" followed by "What's in them?".
As they enter the stables, and the stablemaster calls out to the other hands to get out, and keep clear of the stables and inn for a bit.
Goema tells him that the barrels are full of pitch, then he adds "Well, except for one, it's got what smells like lamp fuel in it".
He briefly pauses before continuing with "Well lamp fuel if you mix it with the lye soap that the washer women use on the bed sheets and clothes".
As the other hands exit the stables, Podma winces after hearing that from Goema, then he says "Hells" followed by "That's naphtha, no wonder they want us to keep clear of it".
The twelve year old stablehand has heard of that before, and nothing good about it, he winces too, then says "Hells".
The two of them might not know what's fully going on in the defence of their town of Gensa against the rebel army of councilman Hirrye.
But if it involves pitch and naphtha being set up in their stables, as well as elsewhere in town.
They know whatever it is that's going to happen, it's going to be destructive for sure . . . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment