ravendisplayed (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ravendisplayed) wrote2004-02-17 10:38 pm
ravendisplayed) wrote2004-02-17 10:38 pm
War Stories
War was great. The fighting was excellent, injuries were at a minimum and fun was had by all. I'm going to post several of my favorite stories from Estrella XX here. I would have posted this all yesterday but my net connection at work was down. More updates to follow.
The first time we met the enemy was on a broken field full of bushes and dust. Twice my men were asked to break through the enemy lines so that the rest of the Southern Outlands Army could make headway against the opposing wall. Twice did my men follow me in a reckless charge, and twice we broke through and upon looking back did we see the enemy lines collapse in our wake. It was a beautiful sight that I will never forget.
Later, on a nearby bridge we were again asked to break an enemy line, and again the enemy could not withstand the charge of the Guard. Again and again in battle after battle we were asked to lead a charge against a solid formation of spearmen and shieldmen, and again and again we destroyed their resolve and they ran from our fury. All present soon learned to fear the unstoppable fury of a Golias charge.
Towards the end of the war we were stationed inside a small castle that was being assaulted by the full force of the enemy. Knowing that my men have no fear I asked for us to be stationed in the front rank of the defense. We locked our shield wall in front of one of the three gates of the castle and prepared for the fury that was to come. Just before the enemy descended upon us I looked up and saw my King, His Royal Majesty Hoegaarden, take up his spear and stand behind us. I smiled knowing that my men would not disappoint the Crown.
We were besieged by wave after wave of enemy fighters charging down on us, but our wall would not break. Eventually, the sheer weight of the enemy bodies caused us to start to fall on our backs, but the men behind us helped to prop us up again. And still the enemy charged headlong into our shields only to have their charge broken as they fell upon our shieldwall and were killed by the spearmen behind us.
After what seemed like hours we could not hold up under the massive weight of the dead pressed against us and we fell under our shields. Yet the enemy could still not get through, for the pile of their own dead stopped them. While under this pile I saw one who still drew breath and freeing my sword from the pile I quickly dispatched my sixth enemy for the day.
The bodies were cleared off of us and we got back up, ready for more. And still more came, a seemingly endless supply bent on taking the gate that I had sworn to defend. But all their effort was for naught, for when the battle was finally over the Golias Guard had managed to hold the gate until the end.
Sveinn and Bjorn Work for Their Mead
Bjorn is my shield-brother. We have fought side by side through many years and gone on many adventures together, some of which we are even willing to admit to. This might be one of them.
It was the evening after the afore-mentioned castle battle and Bjorn and I were returning to camp, having been at the Outlands Bardic, to try and scare up some good drink to help sooth our minds after such a long day of fighting. We sat down around the fire and proceded to have a horn each of some good beer that my brother provided. While we were enjoying this, someone informed us that a good gentle at the camp of Citadel was so impressed with our fighting that we had been invited to join them and, more importantly, share in their mead. Unfortunatly, by the time we made it to the Citadel camp most of its populace was asleep, and the few hardy souls that remained informed us that the mead had been locked up for the night and was not to be opened until the next night.
Now Bjorn and I, being Norsemen and having more than a bit of a sweet tooth, were dissapointed by the lack of mead, so we tried to convince those that were left to open the mead for us as we found out that one of them was the bartender and had a key. We tried all sorts of things to convince him to get us some mead, including tales of our glory, promises of fine things we could bring back from our raids, and base threats. Finally, a good gentle sitting around the campfire took pity on us and offered up a suggestion he could not pass up.
But first you must understand a few things.
The camping arrangements this year were such that St. Golias was positioned between the Baronies of Citadel and al-Barran. The Barony of Citadel has a great banner that they fly over their encampment which can be seen from great distances, and al-Barran has a large, loud bell that can be heard for miles. It also happens that the Baronies of Citadel and al-Barran have been rivals for many years.
The suggestion was simple. In exchange for bringing the al-Barran bell to the Citadel campfire, Bjorn and I would be provided with all the mead we could drink. I quickly agreed to this, as did the bartender. Bjorn took a bit of convincing, but agreed after requiring that one of their number would help up cary the bell as it is bound fast to a large tripod. A young gentle volunteered and we set off.
We slowly snuck up to our target only to find that it was being guarded by none other than Baron Trevor, Baroness Fermina and a few members of the Barionial Guard. I tried to distract the assembled al-Barranians but it was to no avail. At first their Excellencies were slightly upset about the attempted bellnapping, but were more amused by our antics, and then overcome with curiosity as to who had hired us for this deed. We were not going to spill on our employers, but after the Baroness plied Bjorn and I with several drinks of good whiskey from the Baron's flask and the Baron gave us both an amber ale from his private stock one of number somehow let it slip.
Upon hearing this the Baron made us a counter-offer. If we would bring him the Citadel banner he would provide Bjorn and I with a few more bottles of amber ale and a large bottle of Roga. For those of you who don't know Roga is a much prized drink that only a very small number of Gypsies know how to make. After some private consideration we decided this was also a good offer, and we could still try to get the bell later that night.
So we made it back to Citadel's camp and found that the banner, while flown by the tent of the Baron of Citadel, was unguarded. Working quickly Bjorn, the young gentle from Citadel, and I brought down the banner-pole and freed the banner. We then sped back to al-Barran and traded the banner for our reward.
Now Bjorn, being more cautious and probably much wiser than I, decided to find somewhere far away to enjoy his half of the spoils. However, I still wanted that mead that was promised me. So I finished the Roga that was in my horn and returned to the Citadel fire, confident that we had not been noticed while taking the banner. Indeed, not only had we not been noticed but the bartender was so sure of Bjorn and I's abilities that he had already brought out the mead! I proceded to explain that while we had made it to the bell it was too well guarded at the moment. I reassured the assembled gentles that the guards would not be there for too much longer and then I would return and take the bell. The bartender though this was a good plan and proceeded to pour me horn after horn of good mead.
After some time the gentles around the campfire noticed that the banner was missing. I took this as my cue to exit and quietly slipped away onto another adventure that I will not repeat here.
And those are some of my adventures at this Estrella. I hope you all enjoyed the telling.
The first time we met the enemy was on a broken field full of bushes and dust. Twice my men were asked to break through the enemy lines so that the rest of the Southern Outlands Army could make headway against the opposing wall. Twice did my men follow me in a reckless charge, and twice we broke through and upon looking back did we see the enemy lines collapse in our wake. It was a beautiful sight that I will never forget.
Later, on a nearby bridge we were again asked to break an enemy line, and again the enemy could not withstand the charge of the Guard. Again and again in battle after battle we were asked to lead a charge against a solid formation of spearmen and shieldmen, and again and again we destroyed their resolve and they ran from our fury. All present soon learned to fear the unstoppable fury of a Golias charge.
Towards the end of the war we were stationed inside a small castle that was being assaulted by the full force of the enemy. Knowing that my men have no fear I asked for us to be stationed in the front rank of the defense. We locked our shield wall in front of one of the three gates of the castle and prepared for the fury that was to come. Just before the enemy descended upon us I looked up and saw my King, His Royal Majesty Hoegaarden, take up his spear and stand behind us. I smiled knowing that my men would not disappoint the Crown.
We were besieged by wave after wave of enemy fighters charging down on us, but our wall would not break. Eventually, the sheer weight of the enemy bodies caused us to start to fall on our backs, but the men behind us helped to prop us up again. And still the enemy charged headlong into our shields only to have their charge broken as they fell upon our shieldwall and were killed by the spearmen behind us.
After what seemed like hours we could not hold up under the massive weight of the dead pressed against us and we fell under our shields. Yet the enemy could still not get through, for the pile of their own dead stopped them. While under this pile I saw one who still drew breath and freeing my sword from the pile I quickly dispatched my sixth enemy for the day.
The bodies were cleared off of us and we got back up, ready for more. And still more came, a seemingly endless supply bent on taking the gate that I had sworn to defend. But all their effort was for naught, for when the battle was finally over the Golias Guard had managed to hold the gate until the end.
Sveinn and Bjorn Work for Their Mead
Bjorn is my shield-brother. We have fought side by side through many years and gone on many adventures together, some of which we are even willing to admit to. This might be one of them.
It was the evening after the afore-mentioned castle battle and Bjorn and I were returning to camp, having been at the Outlands Bardic, to try and scare up some good drink to help sooth our minds after such a long day of fighting. We sat down around the fire and proceded to have a horn each of some good beer that my brother provided. While we were enjoying this, someone informed us that a good gentle at the camp of Citadel was so impressed with our fighting that we had been invited to join them and, more importantly, share in their mead. Unfortunatly, by the time we made it to the Citadel camp most of its populace was asleep, and the few hardy souls that remained informed us that the mead had been locked up for the night and was not to be opened until the next night.
Now Bjorn and I, being Norsemen and having more than a bit of a sweet tooth, were dissapointed by the lack of mead, so we tried to convince those that were left to open the mead for us as we found out that one of them was the bartender and had a key. We tried all sorts of things to convince him to get us some mead, including tales of our glory, promises of fine things we could bring back from our raids, and base threats. Finally, a good gentle sitting around the campfire took pity on us and offered up a suggestion he could not pass up.
But first you must understand a few things.
The camping arrangements this year were such that St. Golias was positioned between the Baronies of Citadel and al-Barran. The Barony of Citadel has a great banner that they fly over their encampment which can be seen from great distances, and al-Barran has a large, loud bell that can be heard for miles. It also happens that the Baronies of Citadel and al-Barran have been rivals for many years.
The suggestion was simple. In exchange for bringing the al-Barran bell to the Citadel campfire, Bjorn and I would be provided with all the mead we could drink. I quickly agreed to this, as did the bartender. Bjorn took a bit of convincing, but agreed after requiring that one of their number would help up cary the bell as it is bound fast to a large tripod. A young gentle volunteered and we set off.
We slowly snuck up to our target only to find that it was being guarded by none other than Baron Trevor, Baroness Fermina and a few members of the Barionial Guard. I tried to distract the assembled al-Barranians but it was to no avail. At first their Excellencies were slightly upset about the attempted bellnapping, but were more amused by our antics, and then overcome with curiosity as to who had hired us for this deed. We were not going to spill on our employers, but after the Baroness plied Bjorn and I with several drinks of good whiskey from the Baron's flask and the Baron gave us both an amber ale from his private stock one of number somehow let it slip.
Upon hearing this the Baron made us a counter-offer. If we would bring him the Citadel banner he would provide Bjorn and I with a few more bottles of amber ale and a large bottle of Roga. For those of you who don't know Roga is a much prized drink that only a very small number of Gypsies know how to make. After some private consideration we decided this was also a good offer, and we could still try to get the bell later that night.
So we made it back to Citadel's camp and found that the banner, while flown by the tent of the Baron of Citadel, was unguarded. Working quickly Bjorn, the young gentle from Citadel, and I brought down the banner-pole and freed the banner. We then sped back to al-Barran and traded the banner for our reward.
Now Bjorn, being more cautious and probably much wiser than I, decided to find somewhere far away to enjoy his half of the spoils. However, I still wanted that mead that was promised me. So I finished the Roga that was in my horn and returned to the Citadel fire, confident that we had not been noticed while taking the banner. Indeed, not only had we not been noticed but the bartender was so sure of Bjorn and I's abilities that he had already brought out the mead! I proceded to explain that while we had made it to the bell it was too well guarded at the moment. I reassured the assembled gentles that the guards would not be there for too much longer and then I would return and take the bell. The bartender though this was a good plan and proceeded to pour me horn after horn of good mead.
After some time the gentles around the campfire noticed that the banner was missing. I took this as my cue to exit and quietly slipped away onto another adventure that I will not repeat here.
And those are some of my adventures at this Estrella. I hope you all enjoyed the telling.