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| Action Id: 1848 | Crisis: | Participants: Cristoph, Calista, Bianca, Jael, Norwood, Eiran, Reigna, Klaus, Margerie and Thorley | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: March 4, 2018, 4:07 p.m. | Public: True | GM: Puffin |
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Economic Resources: 550 Military Resources: 1150 Social Resources: 450 Action Points: 50 |
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Action by Cristoph
House Valardin has decided that 1/3rd of its cavalry will ride to Southport in order to protect its interests there and to reinforce defenses, should the city be attacked. Duke Cristoph Laurent will be taking the lead on this leg of the campaign, bringing down 1/3rd of ALL the mustered cavalry within the fealty of House Valardin.
These cavalry will ride patrols around the city of Southport, keeping an eye out for trouble as well as looking rather impressive in all their armor. Their focus with patrols is going to be on getting advanced notice back to Duchess Malvici should they spot anything in the surrounding area that looks suspicious or if they should see anything along the Lycene split while patrolling. They will also fight the enemy if it becomes necessary.
Cristoph will be investing personally in the well-being of of the troops and their horses.
1500 military and economic total combined resources: To be used for hiring experienced farriers and those well versed in the care of horses. Several armor and weaponsmiths to take care of equipment repair. Tents, uniforms and other necessary non-edible gear for the knights as well as their mounts. Non-perishable and longer-lasting perishable food items so that there isn't an unnecessary strain on Southport's resources.
500 social resources: To be used on items to keep idle Oathlands troops from getting bored and starting theological/moral debates with their Lycene cousins that are camping outside of Southport. and/or the Abandoned. Cristoph is also going to be recruiting the help of several skilled people in order to produce some pamphlets and other literature in order to help keep his troops out of trouble. There's been some historical friction between the Lyceum and the Oathlands and he's sensitive to what a bunch of heavily armored and trained soldiers might like to people already stressed from their current situation (The Turmoil in Southport + the Abandoned outside the gates).
Action by Jael
As an accomplished rider, Jael will be going out with cavalry patrols on her wicked black war stallion of hell, that foul beast from the east, that hulking creature of venom and spite known as...Freddie the warhorse. Anyone who looks suspicious is getting an arrow in the knee...if they're lucky.
Action by Norwood
Norwood will be going with Duke Cristoph to Southport to assist in leading that 1/3 of the mustered Cavalry. He will be involved with patrols to make sure the Duchess has all the information she needs about advancing troops. He'll be working with Cristoph to stay abreast of the evolving situation and making sure that he is free to go at the drop of a hat if needed, even if Cristoph must remain behind. Keeping the Laurents at Southport like, ALIVE, is also a main goal.
Action by Thorley
While no commander like Norwood or Klaus, Thorley has been busy with his own duties and assisting with teaching those soldiers that will be participating in the action, training with their blades and skills in combat to keep their minds and blades sharp and on the task at hand. He attends the nightly briefings from Cristoph, the knight is making sure that the information is disseminated to the ranks.
Action by Klaus
Klaus Speaks nightly with his men and closest under him. His words are encouarging and aggressive at times, enciting some of the soldiers to possess anxious feelings. He enjoys being in command and is attempting to harness the momentum that his duchy has been building.
Action by Eiran
Eiran is going to Southport with Cristoph and the rest. He's a knight (seriously though, honest!) and he's going to do the respectable thing and knight around with his mace and shield. But he's useful for more than just soldiery: he's a natural when it comes to chatting people up and understanding and/or swaying their feelings, and he's fairly sharp. All of those things will have a place in his efforts to keep a finger on the pulse of what's going on locally - with the knights and with local citizens - and to help things run smoothly, with minimal kerfuffles.
Action by Calista
Duchess Calista Fidante is set to use her rather skilled silver tongue when it comes to the matter of assuaging two very different types of military personnel with the hope that both the Oathlanders and the Lycene forces can work and fight together against the common enemy. As a first cousin to Duke Cristoph Laurent (their fathers were brothers) and wife to the former Inigo Malvici (Now Duke-Consort Inigo Fidante), Calista appeals to both parties on a very personal level. Clearly she has everyone's best interest in mind. Sure, the last time fighting broke out among these two groups, it was Duke Leo with the aid of House Valardin and the Oathlanders who took down Count Lucien Malvici in the Tor-Southport War, but with Calista's marriage to Inigo being favorable and Prince Edain's marriage to Caelis Malvici also being widely accepted, all that former bad blood should be water under the bridge. Right? At least that is what Calista reminds the people when she speaks to them. Elegant and graceful, yet strong and passionate, Calista sets out to prove to the people of her beloved family that she is not called The Steel Rose for no reason. Now is the time to put aside any residual feelings and work together.
Action by Margerie
Margerie Keaton consults with members of the faith and Lycene companions before writing up pamphlets to be distributed amongst the literate set of soldiers heading south to fight. Ideas on activities, cultural sensitivities, how not to get bent out of shape when someone tries to prick those delicate Oathlander sensibilities with licentious displays, diplomatic ways to not tell someone you think they are going to be condemned do the Abyss for all eternity because they looked in a mirror. She's putting her gentle, charming humor and respect for all involved into the pages. Might even find some illustrators to lend a hand.
Action by Reigna
Reigna is deploying units of healers to Southport under the guidance of an NPC leader who has been thoroughly trained in how to work with Laurent forces. These healers have been trained in setting up and breaking down triage tents and hospitals. The healers have been trained to work within the ranks of the military forces there.
Action by Bianca
With her work in Southport and her roots in the Oathlands, Archscholar Bianca hopes to stand as a representative of the Faith and further bridge the theological mindsets at play alongside Duke Cristoph, Duchess Calista and Lady Margerie's efforts. She will be enlisting the aid of a small grouping of Arx local Scholars to join her and assist in the distribution of the pamphlets Lady Margerie prepares (200 social). In this act she hopes to stand as an icon of the Faith and bolster morale, offering blessings over the gathered calvary. Prayers to Gild focus on those of the Oathlands troops as they make their way from the North to the South. Prayers to Gloria to uplift a sense of honor in and off the field of war. Prayers to the Sentinel in that their efforts may be just and the righteous guarded. In hopes of not stirring up any contention she strays away from any other sweeping prayers/blessings to avoid riling sensibilities, but amidst the camps and in the quiet of the evenings each grouping is offered private counsel and prayer.
Result
In all of this, as the reports of casualties come in and weary commanders sit down to write letters to the loved ones of dead soldiers, people look strangely at a sizeable force sent to Southport. The Malvici armies stayed in Southport - which, considering there are shav camped outside is understandable - but for some reason some Valardin forces and Velenosan forces also deployed there. With no public reports of the Pirate-King targeting Southport or sending his fleets there why, people wonder, were ground troops sent there at all?
In truth, some in Redrain wonder at the heavy deployment of ground forces in Setarco, what with the entire fleet deployed there too. Some argue that it was necessary for Setarco to be saved so that the chain of cities beyond that initial port weren't vulnerable. But then what about Grayson and Redrain lands? Are they not important too? They look at the destruction of Stormwall and they wonder - why so many?
And they look too to the armies at Southport and they wonder - is there some kind of corruption in the Ministry of Defense, that Compact forces were diverted to the city ruled by the Minister of Defense herself? Or was there some reason others are not privy to that made the deployment make sense? As with any confusing strategy, people start talking about it and become very passionate as they argue one pet theory or another. Overall though, Calypso, Edain, Alis, and Eleyna take some heat with Redrain, Thrax, Darkwater, and Pravus folks for diverting soldiers to a port that was never in danger from the Pirate King. Perhaps, as tempers run high, it's time for a little diplomacy.
For those in the army deployed to Southport though, the people are less concerned - particularly as they were just following orders. And, when it became clear there was nothing to do in Southport and that Setarco was seriously under siege? They high tailed it to the thick of the fighting and did their level best to make sure that they helped keep the Silk City free from the tyranny of pirates. After all, the Lyceum may be full of shenanigans and people of dubious moral character, but they're not pirates. Most of them. They're far too civilized for that.