Scenario 7, Scene 2 and 3; The Battle lines are joined

Scene 2

Contact has been made and battlelines are being drawn. Captain Heager has called a council of war in his command tent, and his 3 leutenants stand gathered round a map he has laid out on a large table in the middle of the tent. Verden watches his peers carefully. The leader of the rangers who have been tracking and hindering enemy movements is a stealthy looking warforged called Dart. He was one of the ones who initially discovered the threat Verden recalls, along with the leader of the elemental artillery division - A stern looking woman called Kayla. According to Jolene she was a shipwright who was reassigned to artillery after discovery of the threat amidst some kind of scandal.

“We will fight them tomorrow and get this over with. Sergeant Dart, can you appraise us of their disposition?”

Verden listens patiently as the Warforged ranger describes the terrain, pointing out salient features on the map and describing skirmishes his men have had with their counterparts. “They seem to plan on crossing the Brey river here. It would be a good place to force a confrontation.”

Lets design the battle. Heager is obviously the Brelish General. His counterpart is

(A meek servant, comparable in power to the party. Seek pride, compel contraband, communicate peace).

Loughrigg – a warforged Cleric of the Lord of Blades.

I enact the will of the Lord of Blades Himself

Peace can be found through steel

Good                      Faith, Will

Fair                         Lore, Fight, Physique

Average                  Provoke, Lore, Rapport, Empathy

3 stunts (tbd)

Loughriggs Raiders

Good                      Physique

Fair                         Fight

Average                  Stealth

Rangers (Rank 2)

Seige artillery (rank 2)

Warforged Infantry (rank 2)

We also need a strategist for each army. Kayla and Verden are both suitable, but I will go with Verden for his military experience.

For the Warforged;

(A devoted hermit, comparable in power to the party. Secure progress, construct harmony, and distress poverty).

Monk of the Iron Blade

My spirit is stronger than steel

My hand is my blade

Good                      Faith, Will

Fair                         Fight, athletics, empathy

Average                  Notice, Lore, Rapport, Physique

Stunts (3 tbd)

So, Breland is massively outmatched. This could well be a slaughter.

Roll for dominance. Verden lacks Lore so rolls -3+0=-3. Iron Blade rolls 2+1=3. Iron Blade wins with style, gaining a boost and a free invocation on his strategy.

The warforged opt for a constrained battlefield with 3 zones. – Difficult river crossing – Boggy Marsh – High ground

The warforged place their Infantry and artillery on the high ground with their Rangers in the Boggy Marsh whilst the Brelish are caught in the difficult river crossing.

“The last thing we want is them getting past the river. Who knows what havock they might cause.” Heagen says

“Look, Garrens ridge lies just past the crossing.” Verden says “If we can take that befor they can reach it, we will have a string position to hold them off. They will have to come to us if they want to cross, otherwise we will be able to take them out piecemeal.”

“Hardly necessary to deal with warforged Rabble, but it seems wise to be prepared.”

Dart bristles at the insult to his kind, but Kayla motions him to silence and interrupts “It leaves us to vulnerable. If we don’t make it we will be caught with our backs to the river. There will be nowhere to retreat if things go wrong. Surely we are better holding on this side and forcing them to cross into our lines.”

“Retreat! From mutineers and outlaws?”

“Kayla has a point.” Verden offers “Holding this side of the river is our safest recourse.”

“This is Madness and Cowardice no council.” Heagen splutters, “We will finish with them by lunchtime tomorrow and return home as heroes. I wont have it heard that we were afraid to cross a river. Now get prepared, we move at first light.”

“The madness was putting a boy like you in charge of an army.” Kayla retorts (self compelling for a fate point), sharing a despairing glance towards Dart and storming out of the meeting “Bloody lunatics.”

Verden sighs and turns to Dart “Have your men prepare the crossing. My lord I assume my militia will lead the vanguard?”

“And take the glory for yourself?” Heagen nods towards the swinging tentflap “She might be a bitch, but her artillery is worth a fortune. Your half trained runaways can make sure she doesn’t get it destroyed out of spite.”

 Scene 3 – Battle is joined

Warforged 1

The Infantry move into the marshy terrain to support the rangers

Breland 1

Rangers attempt to push into the Marshy terrain led by Dart (rolling 0, +1 for Darts athletics=1. Failure)

Warforged 2

The artillery rain fire down on the Brelish infantry (for -2, +2 rank, +2 free invocation=2, GM spends 1FP to tag ‘difficult river crossing’ for +2, -2 for range=2, against will -1. Success with style) who break and flee along with captain Heagen.

Breland 2

 Rangers attempt to push into the Marshy terrain led by Dart (rolling 0, +1 for Darts athletics=1. Failure)

Warforged 3

Artillery rain fire down on the Brelish Artillery (for 0, +2rank=2, + 2 for free invocation on artillery, +2 for GM invocation on difficult river crossing -2 range =4. Against will -1, +1 for Kaylas leadership = 0. Success with style.), crushing the artillery section.

Breland 3

Verden orders the militia to form up a defensive wedge around the retreating artillery, (athletics 0, failing).

Warforged 4

More rocks and bolts hurled by the Warforged artillery fall amongst Verdens Militia, scattering them into the river. The Brelish army is decimated and Dart’s Rangers are left doing what they can to cover their armies scattered retreat.

Scene 4

Well that was a predictable disaster. The Brelish army has been driven back in a rout and practically destroyed. The tattered remnants regroup a few miles away where warm campfires dry sodden clothes, liberal ale warms sodden spirits, and beleaguered clerics, healers, and engineers race to return the army to some semblance of fighting form as the Warforged march ever closer to the now vulnerable Fort.

Captain Heagens sub-lieutenants gather in a well-guarded tent at the heart of the militia camp, brought together by Jolene to discuss mutiny.

“That was a disaster.” Verden says, pulling off his gauntlets and dumping them heavily on the desk.

“What a surprise.” Kayla responds “Between you and captain junior over there we were caught with our pants down in the middle of a bloody river.”

Verden looks chastened, but Dart pulls Kayla away from him, “I was responsible for our safe crossing. If you are looking for someone to blame it should be me.”

“I think we all know who to blame.” Jolene interjects, “and I think we all know what needs to be done.”

“By the flame.” Verden turns away from the table, unwilling to look his fellow conspirators in the eye.

“He was appointed by the king of Breland.” Dart says resolutely “We are sworn to carry out his command.”

“He was appointed on behalf of the king, not by him.” Kayla says, giving her old companion a hard look, “and we are sworn first and formost to defend Breland. As is the Captain.”

“Something which he is clearly incapable of doing.” Jolene adds “The question is, are we?”

“You are talking treason.” Verden says simply

“Not for you. Your men are not Brelish.” Kayla says, “Besides there is precedent. If he stands down then duty would demand we fill his place.”

“That popinjay would never stand down. His career is riding on this.”

“Like I said, your men are not Brelish. They are not his to command, and I suspect that if they impress the alternative upon him forcefully enough he could be made to see reason.”

“And who would take his place? You?”

Kayla shakes her head slowly “I am a thinker not a leader.”

“You.” Jolene says, jabbing him in the chest. “The men respect you. The church and the flame give you authority.”

“These men have just escaped a massacre.” Kayla says, leaning across the desk, “They are all survivors now. Like you. Like the men you led out of the Mourneland. They are angry, scared, ready to fight back.  All they need is something to believe in – something bigger than themselves, bigger than the battle they have just lost. Reforge this army in the flame of your faith and we will march to victory.”

Verden sighs and leans heavily against the desk, shaking his head as he wrestles with choices he would rather not make.

“The alternative is slaughter.” Jolene says, placing a hand on his shoulder that he finds somehow less reassuring than he thinks she means it to be.

Finally he nods. “It seems we have no choice. Very well, what do you propose?”