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EdgeofThorns 说:

I like how you're doing the screenshots, but I really wish M&B had pose mods like Elder Scrolls and Fallout.  Two characters just staring at each other makes for an unnatural looking conversation.

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Yeah, it's a drawback. I try to wait for the precise moment where the characters are actually even making eye contact. It's difficult, but it can work.

Lady Raubrey 说:

I'm not an avid reader of AARs, but this one caught my attention. The effort put forth in the formatting and screenshots alone is worthy of praise. I've written a novella myself, and not sure in what manner I will publish it, but thank you for the inspiration -- as I am lost in screenshots a bit frustrated. Regards.

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Thank you very much. I wasn't sure where to start, but I found a way that worked! 

Following the grant of Mawiti, Cronis made haste to settle down at the new village. While the fighting had been fierce and he had served aptly, Benedictus began to show his age, and, rather than attempt to try to fight now the Rhodoks, set forth towards Mawiti. There, his son Patroclus was waiting, surveying the damage of the ruined town. In their correspondence, Patroclus had mentioned to his father that various scholarly efforts on his part suggested new ways to manage the village, methods unused by his fellow Emirs. Patroclus did not elaborate. Benedictus would hopefully find out in person. He was offered, in the meanwhile, a ransom by the Khergit Khanate for the noble Marmun, a hefty 3,100 gold, which he accepted. On the way to the village, however, near Ahmerrad, Cronis encountered another Khergit noble with few soldiers and supplies - Darga Nasugei.



While Cronis sought to avoid continued violence, he knew he could not let Nasugei escape, considering he threatened Sarranid farmers and villagers. Giving chase, the party chased Nasugei throughout the evening, finally finding them in the desert near midnight. A short skirmish resulted in victory for Cronis and his army. Nasugei escaped, but his soldiers killed the entire Khergit force while losing only two. The army continued to gain experience, with some of the encouragable young men from the Swadian villages at the beginning of Cronis's journey now becoming men at arms. Victory continued to follow Benedictus.



Cronis continued across country with his party for some time, eventually making camp at Ahmerrad. While Mawiti could be reached, the village was simply unsuitable for occupation. Patroclus was there, overseeing reconstruction, with the new funds from the ransom from the Khergits providing much of the capital. The elder Cronis gained further funds by ransoming his captive Khergit soldiers for about 1,500 gold pieces, a hefty sum.



Recruiting more young soldiers from Sarranid villages, Cronis left wealthy and tall Ahmerrad for a more humble abode, Samarra Castle, located close to Mawiti. There, he could more easily meet with his son and continue to coordinate rebuilding efforts. Entering the castle one day was his son - the vaunted, the young, the intellectual Patroclus Cronis, who presented everything that Benedictus was not. Patroclus told his father of several things he learned while at the court of the Sultan. Perhaps a dozen or so years prior, learned men of the Sultanate traveled about, studying how taxation and prosperity were related. They reported back to the Sultan a stunning result, one that was suppressed - high taxes by nobles stifled prosperity. Cronis thought it interesting, but knew little about governance or management, and told his son that he would be placed in charge of the finances his father's domains. The two men continued to wait as the village underwent reconstruction. News came from afar - Narra was at risk, which had pushed the Sultan to enter into a peace with the weakened Khan. The lengthy Sarranid-Khergit War was over, with the Sarranids indisputably the victor. To keep busy and to enhance the rebuilding effort, Cronis began to patrol around Mawiti, fighting groups of bandits as he found them.



Cronis continued to do these things - Mawiti, for better or worse, was now a new "child", and it had to be restored and protected. His fortunes would ride on it.

Thane_of_Dhirim 说:

PatCronz 说:

Again assuming that Christian/Islamic antagonism doesn't exist or is subdued in Calradia (very possible, considering that other lords regularly join and leave the Sultanate depending upon how the other factions do), it's likely that Cronis's reputation wouldn't be damaged by associating with Sultan Hakim. Remember - while your proposition might be true in 1257 A.D. Europe, this is Calradia. Religious antagonism seems minimized at best, and Cronis (aside from his banner of a foreign Saint), has made very little statement regarding his faith. Additionally, the Sultanate forms alliances with other states, which also lends to the idea that there isn't too much religious friction.

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You don't get it, don't you?!
First of all, I didn't said that Christian/Islamic antagonism exist in Calradia ( it is not even stated of which religion they are)...
But I want to say that you make of your main character a Christian ( and in that period of 1257 AD, he should hate all other religions, not joining some sort-of-Islamists as their vassal)... 
So you made a mistake! Maybe Cronis's reputation wouldn't be damaged by associating with Sultan Hakim in story, but it would be in the eyes of the readers.
So just delete the mention of Christianity in your AAr, but leave ( if neccesary) the idea of God.

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You're making assumptions about the nature of Cronis's character, the nature of Urcean Christianity, and the nature of Christo-Islamic relations within the fictional world, which are based upon real life historical progressions. What I don't understand, however, is coming to my AAR and telling me that I've made a mistake, that I'm wrong, when really this is entirely my creative vision. If the antagonism doesn't exist, it won't be a problem, and that's really that. I don't see a problem with that.

Thane_of_Dhirim 说:

Yes, but Christians didn't respected the other religions during the Middle ages ( especially during that time - Crusader wars)...
They were trying to exterminate or baptize pagans ( and opposite), so Cronis is presented as a betrayer of Christ in your AAR. 

If you already decided to join to Sultanate, then you should to edit your previous chapters . ( Leave the element of religion if neccesary, but don't state of which religion particularly is Cronis ).

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Again assuming that Christian/Islamic antagonism doesn't exist or is subdued in Calradia (very possible, considering that other lords regularly join and leave the Sultanate depending upon how the other factions do), it's likely that Cronis's reputation wouldn't be damaged by associating with Sultan Hakim. Remember - while your proposition might be true in 1257 A.D. Europe, this is Calradia. Religious antagonism seems minimized at best, and Cronis (aside from his banner of a foreign Saint), has made very little statement regarding his faith. Additionally, the Sultanate forms alliances with other states, which also lends to the idea that there isn't too much religious friction.

Thane_of_Dhirim 说:

I'm sorry but it does not make sense  . You created your AAR with ( unnecessary ) religion elements and then made him to join a Sultanate ( figuratively the greatest enemies of Christianity in the Middle age). 

If you already started with Christian elements, then you should follow your story in that way.

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The religious elements are more of a portent for later elements. While I had considered that the Sultanate could perhaps be non-Christian, I decided it wouldn't be too much of an issue, considering that religion partisanship seems to be non-existent, and lines are more political than religious, akin to what developed in Europe in the 17th century. Cronis isn't necessarily trying to advance Christianity, but rather simply meet his destiny, which he doesn't yet understand. The Christian elements are entirely personal and immaterial to the world around him - it's never even explicitly stated what the faith of the Calradians is, though for the purposes of this I assumed that they are secularist Christians of some kind, save the Sultanate.

With the resounding victory over the Khergit Khanate at Ahmerrad, many within the Sarranid Sultanate, both in the ranks of the military nobility but also among the people, called for a push back at the Khergits that could perhaps enrich the dominion and win the war. Cronis was no different; still tired of loss, he sought to push on with the victory at Ahmerrad and perhaps push west, towards Narra. However, no initial order came from above, so Cronis began to instead patrol the countryside and recruit more soldiers for the cause. Entering Tamnuh at night, the town at first received him unenthusiastically. Failing to even find the village elder, Cronis took a ladder to a local home and stood atop it, calling out to the people of the town.



He began to tout the victory at Ahmerrad, the strength of the Sarranid people, and the atrocities he had witnessed at neighboring villages by the Khergit. The people began to gather, and by the end, they committed what little they had to the war. While the town had been heavily recruited from and taxed, they gave Cronis all they had to give - six boys who had just reached farming age. He left the town, graciously thanking them for this contribution. Rumors spread of this foreign noble who made himself "taller than life" to inspire the peasantry. Most loved it, while some of the nobility dismissed it. After resupplying in Durquba, word came down - Narra was under siege, by largely the same force that had defended Ahmerrad. Cronis made for Narra at once, and met with the siege commander - Quadi-consensio Mundhalir, the same commander who had lead the troops at Ahmerrad.



The Marshall reassured the Urcean Noble - the defenders of Narra numbered at about three or so hundred, while the Sarranid force numbered more than seven hundred. Cronis felt reassured - Ahmerrad and now Narra could potentially cement his status within the Sultanate, even leading to joining the nobility. He assured the Marshall that his forces would be "the first the to the wall and the first over". The besieging forces lay in wait, and no aid for the city came - no reinforcements dared pass the siege camp. The siege soon began.



Benedictus stood before the double layered wall at Narra, when it all became real for him. No longer was he a comfortable noble - he had staked his fortunes and his life in a foreign land. Before him, young men of the Sultanate fought to get to the second wall, avoiding the deadly arrows of the Khergit archers above. Cronis and his men became inspired as they saw Sultan Hakim himself lead the charge over the wall. While the Sultan and some of his cohort were eventually wounded and needed to be carried off to the side, the fight continued as the Marshall lead the forces into battle with Cronis.



Charging up the wall with the Marshall, Benedictus avoided the "bloodlust" he had entered at Ahmerrad, instead fighting valiantly and consciously, putting many Khergit soldiers to the sword as Sarranid forces established a foothold within the walls. While descending the stairs, Cronis fell, but this managed to end in his favor - he flanked the raw reserve Khergit forces, allowing him to gain allied forces an upper hand,  and he did just that. Covered in blood and weakened, Cronis retreated to the top of the wall and viewed below as Sarranid troops cut down Khergit peasant soldiers like chaff of wheat. He saw the last remaining forces scatter into the streets, and saw Sarranid troops celebrating. All in all, his personal forces had only lost one man, for which he was thankful. After the battle, he approached Sultan Hakim, who was leaving for other matters...



Not only did Hakim thank Cronis personally by giving him various arms and armor for him and his company, as well as access to recruit the prisoners freed from Narra, but he was also willing to hear Benedictus's requests. Cronis had the opportunity now to ask to swear his sword in fealty to the Sultan, and he asked just that. The Sultan considered it; while Cronis was a foreigner, he was both a steady sword and a competent commander. He said the words to Cronis, which he repeated firmly; "I swear homage to you as lawful ruler of the Sarranid Sultanate. I will remain your loyal and devoted man so long as my breath remains, and I will be at your side should you need my sword against your enemies. Finally, I will uphold your claims and those of your lawful heirs". With that, Cronis took a knee to the Sultan in his tent outside Narra, and the Sultan conferred upon him titles of nobility and the fief of Mawiti, a village outside Ahmerrad.



After becoming lord of Mawiti, Cronis fitted himself and his companions in their new equipment, given by the Sultan. Ymira, who viewed Cronis now as a father figure and valiantly fought along side him at Narra, had been named by Cronis as the Thane of his domains.  No sooner had they adjusted to their new situation did news come from the Sultan himself.

The Rhodoks had declared war on the Sultanate.

Bruce  Almighty 说:

You dont have to make them every three seconds, at least I do make them every two minutes... It does helps you a lot when you write a new chapter after all.

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It wouldn't be a problem, save M&B runs awful on my desktop and I used to have a laptop in a dock - I'm waiting to get my keyboard, mouse, et cetera, back, so I can start doing this again.

I have grander story elements down the road. As I said, sometimes it's a little hard to get enthused, since the best that is yet to come is still somewhat far!

Bruce  Almighty 说:

Well then, I can't wait for the new chapter...
It's been quite a lot time you last updated your aar.

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I just need to try and wrap my head around it. It's hard to get enthused about it when, during play, I have to stop any take screens every three seconds!

Not dead. Just really haven't had a chance to play Mount and Blade that often. Also, for awhile I was without Photoshop, which rendered a lot of my screenshot capturing time consuming and annoying.

Not to worry. With luck I'll publish some more soon. Just wish I could get the story rolling towards what I'd like quicker, but I guess the journey might end up being as rewarding as the ending.

Bruce  Almighty 说:

PatCronz 说:

Apologies again for the lack of updates, as I've been working on a new mod for another wonderful Paradox game, Europa Universalis III, which I hope will be out shortly. Thanks for the encouragement! Really keeps me going!

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So, you're playing EU3 as well... Nice, u have an arr?

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No, just working hard to put together this alternate history mod. I love EU3 but I don't think I could really do an AAR for it.

Apologies again. Be assured that this AAR is not dead by any stretch, I consider story elements for it daily, just working on this other project.

Apologies again for the lack of updates, as I've been working on a new mod for another wonderful Paradox game, Europa Universalis III, which I hope will be out shortly. Thanks for the encouragement! Really keeps me going!

The Khergit Khanate had launched yet another major war, and now Benedictus was on the receiving end of that, along with his Sarranid employers. Benedictus found himself entirely fed up, fed up with the lack of success, fed up with the lack of recognition and his lack of a fief. He was failing himself and his God. He needed more men, and more experienced men on top of that. With a lack of denars, Cronis decided to launch a campaign to have men join his company without paying. First traveling to Amashke, six local villagers were persuaded to join, and soon enough, Benedictus was called by the Marshall of the Sultanate to join him in the siege of Ahmerrad, which had fallen to the Khergits after a prolonged siege. On the way to the ancient Sarranid city, he witnessed a great destruction, not seen since his early campaigns in Swadia. Many of the villages on both sides had been burned and destroyed. Cronis arrived outside the city. The Sarranids, under their Marshall, Quadi Mundhalir, were now endeavoring to take back what was once theirs.

"Greetings, Cronis; I have long waited this meeting", said the Marshall. "Wait in my company for some time and do as I ask, and your career in our Most Glorious Sultanate will be long and fruitful. Your exploits in this land have been long whispered, but not shouted. You and I shall come to work together", encourages the Marshall, which Cronis appreciated. Heading east to recruit two more men from Aab, word came that the battle had begun. Cronis and his party rushed back to the city, and joined the siege camp of the Sarranid troops. Cronis and his men observed the ancient walls from afar at the siege camp, but before long, they were to face them up close...

In this battle, Benedictus would not lead from behind nor trust his men in the hands of other generals. No, his frustration lead him on and forward, up the ladders of Ahmerrad and hopefully into the heart of the city, where he himself could claim glory for himself and for God. Taking glancing blows from arrows of the Khergits, he charged onward, now being splattered with the blood of the fallen around him, which shook him, but he had to move forward. He led a good deal of men up the ladder and onto the wall, the blood-stained Urcean noble serving as an inspiration to his men and the others around him.

Reaching the wall, the noble found himself behind a horde of men from both sides, exchanging blows and not moving. In a maneuver unfit for his age, he first hopped atop one of the battlements on the wall, and then behind the crowd, with several Khergit backs exposed to him. His impatience and lack of victory so far had driven him nearly mad with blood-lust on this particular day, betraying his usually calm, collected, and kind demeanor. Continuing to lead, Benedictus would later recall that the latter portions of the Siege of Ahmerrad were beyond his memory; the old Urcean noble simply blacked out. Memory or none, Cronis went down the stairs and led some of his men head on into the Khergit horde below. Now drenched in the blood of friend and foe, the old noble, who had never fought so fiercely in his life, looked to the Khergits as if the devil himself had stepped out of hell just to drive them from the city.

Ymira, present at the fighting, genuinely feared for her older friend; she had never seen him this fierce nor this reckless, and could barely identify the Urcean noble, as his actions during the Siege were so uncharacteristic and so unlike him. Still, he fought on, a restless juggernaut for the Sarranid cause during the siege. The fighting continued and so did Cronis, laying down any Khergit that stood in his way. The fighting ended, the city in Sarranid hands, and the Urcean noble finally collapsed.

When Cronis awoke, he found himself in camp with his men, of which eleven had died in the fighting but the other had grown in experience, being tended to by Ymira, who had just completed pulling an arrow from the thigh of the aged noble. Cronis had no recollection, but Ymira recounted to him the tales of the bravery of the Urcean, who had apparently killed fourteen Khergits single-handedly and had injured dozens of others.

Attributing his victory and actions to the Holy Spirit, he said several prayers and the party continued on its way, once more seeking to replenish its number. Traveling to Fishara and Iqbayl, four new Sarranid recruits joined the ranks of Benedictus's party, and the party as a whole then departed, across the lengthy desert, back north-west in order to further find villages with willing men and looking for further fights.

Benedictus Cronis was pleased. He had found that the tables had turned, and he felt like a conqueror, and not the conquered. He needed a seasoned group of soldiers, and, slowly enough, they were developing.

smothdude 说:

PatCronz 说:

I mix Huscarls w/ Vaegir guards for profit

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You need some ranged bro!

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I find ranged siege units most effective versus Nord cities, as they use double walls for some cities. Otherwise my Huscarls and Guards do fine.

(They get slaughtered in those Nordic sieges)

I mix Huscarls w/ Vaegir guards for profit

Hey all - just letting you know I'm taking my Easter weekend, thus the no posts! Will be up and running again tomorrow night most likely! Looking into some M&B stuff

Thane_of_Dhirim 说:

Yeah, but just one objection ( you don't have to change that - i just say it bothers me) - you used too much screenshots on which is Benedictus, you don't have to take a picture of him in every battle or town you are ( you can simply take a screenshot of enemies or your army, not just him sitting onto his horse). 

Although, your AAr is very interesting 

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I figured it helps visualize; I'll try to get more variety in the screenshots, but I figure a nice picture helps breaks up walls of text. I prefer to have cheats off, so I can't really put on Ctrl + F5 and then take shots, that's all.

I will keep it in mind.

Patroclus was well ahead of them, ahead of them all. Using his connections in court, he was able to determine the immediacy of war between the Nords and Vaegirs. Making haste to leave the city, he was already well out of the area the next day - when war was declared. He, under disguise had to make haste across the countryside, and would meet his father in a pre-determined location. Unfortunately, he was traveling and did not have the means to communicate with his father, so he would take shelter where he could find it.

Making haste east, Benedictus noticed that the village of Fenada was being looted by the Vaegirs. Unfortunate, but he had to make haste to find his son, hopefully in the border region between the two kingdoms. Speeding towards the border, Cronis approached Ismirala Castle, but took note of an army of nearly a thousand Vaegirs marching south, which he skillfully avoided; Cronis surmised that Dhirim was now under threat of changing hands once again. Once the army passed, Cronis and his men joined up with a force headed by Tulya heading east, which gave pursuit to the Vaegir lord, Marmun; a battle ensued. Cronis took the lead of the soldiers alongside Jarl Aeric,other Lord of the Nords.

Deferring to his counterparts combat experience, Cronis decided to allow Aeric to lead the charge and for Cronis to stay behind the men and push them forward, although he was surely to participate in the battle. The Nordic force outnumbered the Vaegirs more than two to one, but this was little consolation for Cronis and his men, as the inexperienced troops of the Urcean noble were the first and many of the casualties endured by the Nordic force. Indeed, initial fighting was fierce and there was no clear winner; both sides lost a great deal of men in the initial blows. However, once Nordic reinforcements took the field, it became a one sided affair, with nearly five or six Vaegirs falling for every one Nord. The fighting ended with twenty two men of Cronis's company counted as casualties, while the enter Vaegir party was annihilated.

For arriving to help, Aeric conferred the honor of capturing Marmun to Cronis, which he took. He was also given a share of the captured equipment, which Cronis also took and would sell for denars. The victory of Ismirala Wood allowed Cronis to advance to the village of Ismirala, where he encountered his son. The party took flight back to the Nordic territory and towards Tihr, the new residence of Patroclus. The troop itself had grown in experience and prowess, but many of its men had been lost, so Cronis, before reaching Tihr, made village stops in Fenada, Kwynn, Jelbegi, and elsewhere, where they recruited fifteen young Nordic volunteers to help fight in the cause. Arriving in the port city, he deposited his son and then decided to take a rest for himself.

Departing Tihr and recruiting more men from the countryside, the party made way for a training field belonging to the Kingdom of the Nords that was about in the middle of the country, however; during the travel, Cronis and his party errantly wandered through a village being raided by the Urcean noble's former brother in arms, Count Rafard. Not wishing to fight, Rafard sought vengeance for what he viewed as betrayal. Cronis feared for the survival of his troops; for they were not exactly recruits, but he doubted they had the experience of the Swadians. That being said, the local villagers supplanted Cronis's men, so he had, at least, numerical superiority.

Unfortunately, Cronis's troops were neither courageous nor competent; twenty two men were killed compared to only three losses by the Swadians. The initial fighting allowed the party the opportunity to take flight from Jelbegi, which they did; fleeing under pursuit from Rafard, the party was nearly destroyed when a large Vaegir party, heading north, threatened to trap Cronis between the two. Fortunately, the small speed of the party allowed it to avoid capture, and the party continued south towards Ambean. During the pursuit, proper attention was not given to the prisoners, and Count Grainwad of the Swadian Kingdom managed to escape. The party reached Ambean and, finally, the training field, where much-needed training and sparring would occur.

Whilst at the sparring grounds, Benedictus learned that both Dhirim and Uxkhal were under siege, and he couldn't help but feel, in jest, that he was a curse and a blight upon whatever sovereignty took him in. He knew war was his only way, at least that he could control, to further himself in the land, but it was growing hard for him and he longed for peace so that he might be properly prepared. He did not understand the visions given to him and they frustrated him immensely; if he was not such a man of pious devotion, he would have left for Urcea at once. It was not just his faith though, something inside him pushed him forward, knowing this to be his ultimate fate, to fight and win or to fight and die in Calradia.

After taking some time sparring, the party returned to camp for the afternoon, and Benedictus felt the urge to confide his visions in someone. He preferred his son, who was not present, so instead he took the confidence of Ymira, who was slowly becoming his closest aide and confidant. Telling her of all the dreams and visions, and particularly describing the "Cross of Fire" dream to her in vivid detail.

"Perhaps, perhaps, my Lord," began Ymira, "that these visions mean that you are to, one day, play a critical role in unifying Calradia under one of its Kings, perhaps even our liege, Ragnar. Despite recent difficulties, the Nords have been nascent, my Lord", continued the girl. This explanation was quite satisfactory for Benedictus, and the one that he adopted as his own interpretation, though he doubted highly that the unification was to occur under the Nords, considering the current state of affairs. The party remained at camp and sparring until being chased off by a group of about two hundred and fifty bandits and deserters. Cronis was sick, personally, and frustrated that the troop was always such a pitiful band, so again he scoured the countryside looking for men to join the cause. Finding most villages to have been burned and looted, Cronis went back to Tihr, a defeated man. He decided that he had had enough of war, and intended to leave the Nords, the second faction he had joined, and learned that the King was outside of Uxkhal, and Cronis made haste towards the city, and learned that Dhirim had fallen. Wishing for peace and stability, he intended to join the Sarranids, but, almost comically, he learned as soon as he left Tihr that the Sarranids had gone to war with the Khergit Khanate. War would be upon him always, which he accepted, so he figured he may as well join the new Sarranid war.

The travel to Uxkhal took two days and two nights, but when coming upon the city, he saw a large battle between the Swadians and the Nords in which the King was involved. The forces of Lord Rochabarth had been ambushed by the Nords, and Cronis joined the battle, which was massively swayed in the Nords favor.

As expected, the battle went quickly, but three Nords fell from Cronis's party, which deeply infuriated him. He took every Swadian prisoner he could, and recruited a peasant woman to his party that had been captive of the Swadians. Quickly meeting with the King, Benedictus was now untied from the Great War in the West, and headed east, towards the Sarranid realm. A few days after leaving the King, Benedictus heard on the road that the Nords and Swadians had made peace in order to focus more on their respective wars with the Vaegirs and Khergit Khanate. Much like the last siege of Uxkhal, it had appeared Cronis delivered a war-ending blow.

Benedictus sought to recruit more soldiers, but nearly every town from Uxkhal to the easternmost border of Swadia had been looted over the course of the preceding months, and there were no men to join Benedictus. After several days travel, he reached Shariz and the local villages, where there were plenty of men ready for war. Meeting with a local Sheik, Benedictus now found himself in the mercenary employ of the Sarranid Sultanate. His son traveled on his own accord to Shariz at his own expense. While camping outside Shariz, he had heard good news which would be sure to please his Swadian troops; the Sarranids and Swadians agreed to a non-aggression pact.

smothdude 说:

So many chapters! I LOVE IT! 

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Thanks - I think I'm going to stick to the "4 chapters per part" formula from now on, as it seems to give each a theme.

MAY 1st, 1257

Swadia is at war with both the Nords and the Khergit Khanate
Vaegirs are at war with the Nords
Nords are at war with Swadians and Vaegirs
Rhodoks at peace
Khergit Khanate at war with Swadians
Sarranids at peace



The following has changed hands (since default)
1. Most of Eastern Swadia, save three castles, now Nordic

Finding himself on the outside looking in, Benedictus took his force to the nearest training field, where he intended to make camp for some time in order to consider his future course of action as well as train his troop. Only after two spars, however, scouts returned saying a force of Vaegir deserters was coming to destroy the troop and take Benedictus captive. He, on the other hand, considered it simply more training.

The battle was not as easy a proposition as first surmised however; over half of the troop were killed or injured during combat, and Benedictus himself was rendered unable to fight for most of the battle. Watching from a tent behind the lines, he cringed as he could not help some young men of the troop be cut down. Fortunately, the Vaegir deserters were defeated, and the remaining men gained considerable experience; one so much so that Cronis declared him to be a man-at-arms of the troop.

With much of the force unable to continue fighting, Cronis retired the group to Curaw, where they would rest for a time. While there, he had heard that Uxkhal had fallen to the Kingdom of the Nords, and it wouldn't be long now until Suno and potentially Praven fell under siege. Additionally, he had heard that the Rhodoks and Vaegirs had concluded a non-aggression treaty, and at once considered moving cross country to see if there was any work to be had for the Rhodoks. Before deciding to leave, however, he decided it would be more prudent to make camp for some time; the troop found themselves quite tired and in low spirits after the most recent campaign.

That night, once falling asleep, Benedictus had yet another vision in his dream. This time there were no figures, saintly or otherwise, present. In his vision, he saw the entirety of Calradia. Small fires burned across the land, each on the spot of one of the major towns and lands of each Kingdom. Walls of fire burned where the political boundaries lay. All at once, the fires grew quiet and dissipated. After a few moments, a great cross of fire burned across the entirety of the land in the vision, and the land, which was in darkness, soon experienced dawn and then daylight. Benedictus soon awoke to find the sun in his eyes, as the tent flap had been left ajar. The party gathered its things and began to travel south, with Patroclus still in Reyvadin trying to make connections.

On the way south, either towards Nordic armies or the Rhodoks (Benedictus was not yet sure), he made sure to recruit several new Vaegir troops to replace ones that had been lost. The party reached Dhirim, now a Nord stronghold, in quick time, and in the city Benedictus swapped loot from the deserters for bread and cabbages for the troops. Upon leaving, he was confronted by Bulba, a Lord of the Nord Kingdom. Surrounding the camp of Benedictus with a large force, Bulba "politely" demanded of Cronis that he join the Kingdom of the Nords as a mercenary, something that Cronis saw he had no choice but to do. Not too long after, Cronis and Bulba found themselves near Count Grainwad, former Marshall of the Swadian Kingdom, Joining with a nearby Khergit force, Cronis again took the field in battle, but this time for the Kingdom of the Nords.

It turned out to be a decisive victory for Cronis and the Nord/Khergit allies; only one of Benedictus's men, a Nord, was killed in battle, while most of the Swadian force, numbering around forty, was killed or wounded. Again, Cronis was given the honor of the capture; in this case, Grainwad became a prisoner of Cronis. Bulba and Cronis continued onward to Burglen, until the two split and Cronis again went to different villages, both occupied Swadian and Nordic, to reinforce his troop. Disengaging from former Swadian land, Cronis returned to the Nordic heartland near Sargoth to recruit more men, before entering the city itself.

Upon entering the city, there was a great deal of news and chatter, to which Benedictus did not understand, until Ymira returned to him and told him; the Vaegirs and Nords were now at war. This news sent Benedictus into a panic; he had to get his son out of Reyvadin. He sent a courier ahead telling him to leave the city under disguise, and Benedictus would attempt to pick him up out of the country-side.

He considered himself a Wanderer, but once again had found himself in the heat of war.