Besieged

[FlemishSupremacy 4969]

Besieged

 

(Credit to some AI generator on google images)

 

One moment, they were charging up the hill, through the snow, smashing through the raider flank. Heavily armored cavalry men had overcome traps and storms of arrows, overwhelming the enemy thralls, swiping them and their mounted allies off the ridgeline. The massive keep loomed overhead, defiant in the face of a siege. Cavalry faltered, snow began to sweep them away, and yet, it was a moment of triumph… A warrior had taken their leader down the mountain, and was confident he would slay him in mere moments! Triumph was his, the foe was beaten! Soon, they’d be swept from the mountain entirely!

 

Then, in the blink of an eye,  this champion had escaped, stepping into foul shadows and disappearing, and the reality of their position set in… Most of their mounted men unhorsed, many trapped beneath the snow, a few slain, more injured. A warhorn sounded from below the mountain, and soon, they would be attacked from the rear by fresh raiders. Crawling to his feet, the warrior looked around, helping to pull another man to his feet.

The retreat down the mountain was cut off by a mob of raiders, and so, the Haeseni around him began to call for a retreat into the safety of the fortress walls. The warrior’s heart sunk in his chest. It was not the first time he had taken part in an engagement that had gone south, but it stung nonetheless. As he waded through the snow, the cold began to set into him, fought back only by one feeling; rage. 

 

Soon, he was within the walls, near a fireplace, which banished the cold but failed to dissipate the rage. The warrior was seething at the turn of fortunes. Those around him agreed that, at worst, this was a draw. They had smashed the enemy with minimal casualties and reinforced the keep, but the warrior felt cheated and determined to make those responsible pay. 

It didn’t take long for the warrior to convince the Rutherns to give him access to their store of cannons, ballistae and ammunition. Soon, he would begin to ply his deadly trade and the forces arrayed around the keep would know no rest. Much to his pleasure, the Ruthern lords were diligent in their work, and had ample ammunition stored in the keep, and a sufficient amount of powder to match it.

5 positions were set up for cannons, and the warrior ‘requisitioned’ a few unfortunate defenders cursed with having to help him hauling ammunition and cannon pieces up to the walls. The warrior was pleased to find out the defenders were no stranger to using siege equipment, having recently besieged several fortresses in the midlands with success, and so, they set to work; soon, none of the shadow raiders would be able to pop their head out of cover without fear of cannonballs or ballista bolts taking that head off.

 

With his resolve steeled and his cannon positions established, the roar of guns soon disturbed the quiet, with persistent bombardements of targets around the walls of the massive keep, whenever they presented themselves.

 

Spoiler

Just a little narrative post to indicate the defenders of Morteskvan are not sitting idle! @Sarven @Miniguy15736 @seannie

 

[GMRO 5275]

Ser Rickard of Valdev found himself grinning at the new weapons in their arsenal, ready and waiting to go. “The enemy sallies forth yet there is no place for a shadow to hide amongst pitch and fire. Let them come, we shall be waiting.”