Y1106: Border Towns [KRAEGER]

After receiving the message, Baltasar returned west to aid the Kingdom of Harondale against those same barbarians who have so recently taken Blackwall from him! They rode under the banner of Jarkonas, the human barbarian who managed to unite the tribes. If left unchecked, he is a danger not just to the Empire, but to Kraeger's rebellion as well.

Still, he would take months of marching before he could offer his help to his new allies. Luckily, Vodan is a half way stop, so he can take his men home to rest for a few days, before embarking on his new campaign....

Helena's plans were stopped as Lyonar warned her of her nephews return! To avoid suspicions, she would have to remain, receiving her nephew's messengers and preparing for his short stay. And, to her dismay, the wizard Guthbert is expecting an important cargo to be delivered with the next shipment from Anduran's Skerry, so he will stay around longer...

Helena sighed with relief. The troops had just finished drills and had returned to the barracks just as the messengers rode up. Father Whitemane had kept them in the barracks while Helena took the message. Helena strode over to the barracks. As she approached, she heard uproariously loud laughter. The priest opened the door, speaking "Helena, I told them the joke about the candelabra. I told you it was pretty funny. Wha..." The priest trailed off seeing Helena's grimace and the note in her hand. The baroness spoke, "He's returning. He got lucky and now we have to surrender our fresh troops to him. He cannot be trusted, but we have no choice. We'll raise new troops and send out missives to Jarkonas. At least I don't have to wear that awful armor now, right, old man? The pair laughed.

---

The next day, the tired army of Baron Baltasar Blackwall returned home. He rode in on a white horse. The peasantry gave the expected gestures expected of them, but no more. Many of them didn't care for their lord's adventurism. He had cost too many of their sons, brothers, and fathers their lives. Collette shoved the sleeping seneschal awake, but he still didn't react to the solemn mood of the crowd. Collette scowled and reached for the alms box that the seneschal had prepared, and started throwing coins to the peasants. The seneschal realized what was happening through his hungover state, and seized the box. "We don't have a major-domo in this house so that's my job." He yawned loudly

---

The carriage came to a stop in front of the small keep that served as the home of the Baron(ess) of Blackwall's exiled nobility in Voden. Harold got out and followed his lord into the front entrance. Collette made to follow him, but when nobody was watching her, she slinked into the shadowy stables. She approximated the caw of a raven. Her trusted companion, Marie, flew down from the rafters and perched on Collette's arm. Collette tousled the bird's feathers and gently tied a note to her leg. "Fly this to your brothers house, mon ami. His master will help me bring you home to Blackwall."

---

Lyonar was having his own clandestine meeting at the same time as Collette. He couldn't let the master of the house know that he was alive, out of Elven prisons, and in the employ of his aunt. Luckily, his colleague couldn't risk discovery either. Lyonar stood with Druuk, an Orcish diplomat. "I'm really quite sorry that we couldn't be upstairs on the couches. Preferably with a nice mead and some fresh ahi, don't you think? Next week, we'll be free and clear to recruit the army I promised you that we could raise for your lord Jarkonas. Remember to take the first left and then go straight at the first intersection and then go right at the second. That will help you get out of these sewers." The orc then spoke in the human tongue. "You do me a great honor, Lyonar, for speaking in my ancestral tongue. When we win, I'd love to have a meal with you, although I'd prefer an aged Malbec with some venison. I might walk with my Barbarian brothers, but I am fully able to show you a proper meal. I hope to see you soon. Jarkonas will thank you for the advance warning.

The unexpected reunion in Vodan created a number of difficulties and opportunities for everyone.

Helena has been training the few loyalist troops she had available. She hoped her nephew would make a mistake or, less likely for the young fool, finally come to his senses. But she needed to be ready to move against him to save the family when the time come. Loyalty tut now she had to hand her men over to Baltasar. The boy was radiant with the new, fresh and very well trained troops that would boost his army in his campaign for the reconquest of Blackwall (and all the tribes! as he never forgot to add).

She would have to levy more men. Francis, eagle-eyed as ever, also advised her against such spending. It would drain the treasury and do nothing more than risk peasant rebellions. Father Whitemane agreed, as he knew far too well how people were already tired Baltasar's pointless wars. Forcing the farmers and the hunters to fight their own would destroy their moral and the barony. Above all, it would have to be done in secrecy as Baltasar was about to leave the wizard Guthbert behind a little longer (and as the temporary castellan of Voden!)

But all was not lost as now they were sure loyalist knights where amongst her nephew's army....

Lyonar was forced into hiding. He did not know how Baltasar would react to his presence in Vodan, but he was sure there would be many uncomfortable questions. Though moving in the shadows turned out to be an advantage... Druuk, an Orcish diplomat from the "Kingdom of Jarkonas", the confederation of the eastern tribes, was smuggled in and out of Voden. Lyonar, the silver tongued diplomat was oiling to wheels of fate and setting in motion the events that would see Helena as the Baroness. Maybe the tribes were the answers to Father Whitemane's prayers and the key to return to Blackwall

While Baltasar and Harold enjoyed their time at home, Collette was busy plotting her next move, informing her family of the new opportunities to come from this war...

But the time to rest was about to end as news from a large force close to the border reached Baltasar...

Baltasar, Harold and Collete marched east to find Harondale already under Adelaide Lyfthyrde siege. Though the situation looked desperate at first, Stronghold has already held against 4 attempts of conquest and the besieging army they defeated turned out to be the demoralised and disorganised remains of the previous attack.

All in all, only the surrounding villages have been taken by the invading barbarians but they have lost their initial impetus. The reason for that was the unremarkable warlock Adelaide Lyfthyrde. With the few men at her disposal, she turned the Harondale’s garrison into a impenetrable fortress against everyone’s expectations.

She didn’t care much about politics and who sent he renforcements. With the new army, Harondale now has the resources to be on the offensive for once! Retaking the settlements would be the first step and Weed Patch’s tribal leaders are the first on the list!

Adelaide strode into the Isenmearc planning hall. Collette and Baltasar were discussing how to seize Weed Patch. "...attack on the walls just like Timberhill."

Adelaide interrupted the planning session. "The key to seizing the town is in the nomads. Two hundred years ago, the town was a regular human city like in the interior. We had problems with barbarians then, so we paid them to settle down. The nomads patrol around the area between Roc Haven, Avalon, and Weed Patch. The nomads know all the weak spots in Weed Patch. We negotiate with them, and we can guarantee a nearly bloodless campaign. I'll reach out to my contact."

---

Adelaide met with her contact, Masinissa. "Greetings, I hear those horrid barbarians fenced in your horses and eliminated some of your grazing area toward Roc Haven. That's quite unfortunate." Masinissa responded, "Ugh, my cousins have been far too greedy as of yet. It's usually tolerable when they make these types of demands, but since Jarkonas took over, they are asking too much. Sometimes, I don't even think it's them anymore. Jarkonas intimidated them, calling them fake barbarians and generally humiliating our kin. Maybe my..." Adelaide interrupted the nomad with a hand on his shoulder. She smiled at him before speaking again. "If you marshal your nomads, I'll bring you a hundred head of sheep, and I'll personally rescue your steeds.

---

Adelaide stepped out of the tent, signalling to an aide. The man ran up to her, and she spoke softly to him, "Bring me my horse, and then head back to town, we need 120 sheep brought here to Masinissa's camp. I have to go horse shopping."

---

Adelaide and a dozen men sat on their steeds in the woods outside Weed Patch. She was watching a small camp of Orcish horse-rustlers. The partying barbarians feasted. Adelaide cursed as she smelled the impossible to mistake smell of roasting horses. She sent her shock cavalry to charge the disorganized camp of orcish barbarians. She galloped herself into the camp throwing a fireball at the fence holding what was left of Masinissa's herd. The battle was small but chaotic. 7 orcs died never having reached their wargs. Their raid complete, Adelaide whistled to her men. They had a siege to plan.

Turn 3

Though Collette and Baltasar felt a direct assault on the small settlements would be the best course of action, Adelaide, being used to dealing with less men, proposed a different strategy. Having the Blackwall's army defending Stronghold would give Adelaide some space to prepare for their offensive . As leader of Stronghold, she knew the locals best and, if she played her cards well, she get the local nomads to turn over Weed Patch, cutting off Jarkanos from his "cousins", a demoralizing blow for the barbarian tribes. The men could rest from their long march for now. Soon, they would be needed to force the barbarian out of the region...

Meeting with Masinissa, her trusted contact, Adelaide managed to negotiate for him to rally his nomads to her cause. Appealing to their greed, she bought their cooperation with 120 sheep and promises to free them from "Jarkonas' tributes". But it wasn't to be that simple. Adelaide would have to rescue Masinissa steed from the orcish raiders in the area. However, the horse-rustlers had already killed the horses...

The 3 armies gathered in the woods outside of the Weed Patch. Stronghold's and Voden's army marched toward the town. Masinissa's men swarmed the animal pens, and Weed Patch's men surrendered en masse. Masinissa's men rode away with their loot. Weed Patch was properly subjugated under its two suzerains.

Masinissa, now styling himself as 'the Mace of the West,' rode away from his cousin's town, comfortable in the knowledge that his tribe's future was secure. His relationship with the people of Harondale was secure. He might even be able to assist in the wars of Harondale against other barbarians. After all, Masinissa was an opportunist...

---

---

Collette sat in her own war council across from Oscar and Olivia. Marie had brought a reply.

Collette pets Marie and feeds her a few seeds before checking for a message. She draws her notebook from her bag, placing it on the small table of her own little "war council". She looked at the two minotaurs, who looked back silently. By now, they were used to not asking any questions and, though curious, they remained silent as Collette started to cry. What happened? they wondered, running all the possibilities through their bovine heads.

As suddenly as it started, Collette's tears dried up and she started to draw, cross and write on the strange note. And then, she gasped! "This is not possible!"

---

After the success of Weed Patch, Baltasar set his eyes on Avalon. The blow dealt to the barbarian tribes would no doubt convince the dwarves to rise against the invader and join Harondale. Continuing until they found the alchemist tower at the rivers' crossing, the armies marched north, following the waters into the forested area just south of Avalon. But something was wrong.

Adelaide stopped, checking the surroundings. "This forest is too quiet. What are the dwarves up to?" she said worried. Harold shrugs his shoulders and simply mentions that Baltasar is afraid of no ghost. However, Collette knows that maybe there is something ghostly indeed to Adelaide's feeling...

---

Threat

Jarkonas' army of orc, goblin and human barbarians stands on the outskirts of Avalon. They rode day and night to reinforce the settlement. Harondale has been a thorn in their feet for too long and they could not afford to loose the rich mines of the dwarves to the newcomers. They were to meet with the turncoat who help the tribes raiding the region to finally conquer Stronghold. The scouts already found that pesky little Harondale girl moving with a large army through the forest so they had no time question the methods. The forest was a good place to ambush the large army...

But they were not expecting what they found... The dwarves were either dead, chained, or ... well "not dead"?

They were used to the cruelty of war, but the cruelty of magic was something they had trouble facing. And watching an army of putrefied corpses and skeletons walk away never fails to send a chill through their spine.

Olivia and Oscar sat nervously as Collette paced back and forth. Finally Collette took out her dagger and stabbed it into the table. Those animals killed Oudart. He was supposed to be supporting us on our way 'home.' I told him Melchor Einarson was shady even for one of 'us.' Oscar stifled a smirk, and got that dagger thrown at him for his trouble. The knife barely missed him and lodged in the wall.

The undead now bolstered by Dwarven zombies, skeletons, and ghosts shambled toward the town of Stronghold. Divided into two columns, they had enough force to sack the city. Melchor marched through the woods, while his lieutenant, Maccus Bloodthirst, a vicious killer turned vampire, marched through the plains. Melchor plugged his ears as a banshee's scream sounded the charge.

---

Collette pulled Olivia aside. I have to move stealthily. You stay here and tell anybody who asks that I had urgent business out in the woods. They should remember what I found in the woods last time. They should trust me. Collette saddled her horse and rode off with Oscar.

---

Collette rode into range of the siege camp. The frightened screams of the townsfolk couldn't mesh with the murmurs of tortured souls, but Collette smiled anyway. A small smile because this time, she wouldn't get to enjoy the fight but break it. Collette sent Oscar to cause a distraction. His axes killed a dozen sentries as he melted back into the woods. Collette and Oscar noticing the gap in the camp's defenses infiltrated the camp. Collette almost got sighted but they made it to Maccus's command tent. Maccus was sitting at the table and smirked at her. Are you lost, little girl? I've lived 7 centuries as a lord in this realm and 4 millennia before that as well. An assassin of your stature and a Minotaur Guard as well. This will be easy. He bared his teeth and drew two shortswords. Collette smiled as she stepped behind Oscar. Maccus started to laugh. I'm afraid you can't run. Collette stabbed into her guard's right femoral artery and his left carotid artery. He staggered, then fell to his knees. She slit his throat. Drawing her crystal, she murmured some foul incantations. Maccus just stood there watching this vicious display with visible pleasure in his eyes. His smile only widened as the minotaur rose to his feet. He continued, Uh, you must be Oudart's cousin. He bowed his head, and then realizing his mistake, fell to his knees. "I remember my oath as an undead cavalier" Maccus left the tent and ordered the banshees to give the call to charge. Melchor didn't even have time to order the defense as half his army plunged into the other half. Chaos reigned as his skeletons were reduced to bone meal, his zombies collapsed in pieces and the ghosts' ectoplasm fell to the ground in piles. The elite undead corps stood down or joined in on the defection

---

Collette and Maccus led their army into the woods. Collette ordered them to return to the city of Roc Haven. She had to return to Baltasar. But she would return for her army. Soon