Campaign: The Siege of Sedalia

The Siege of Sedalia

Setting: Sedalia, the Largest city of the Imperium upon the mainland, and it's last major foot hold still in it's grasp. Originally built out of necessity as a rallying and rearming point for the military, it evolved over the, thus far, 27 year course of the world to a thriving fortress city, home to almost as many non military personnel as actual Legionnaires.

The trading quarter comprises most of the city, spiraling out from the Military Quarter, and the stretch of coast it surrounds, most of the buildings are short wooden, and rather squat, mostly the houses of the citizens, with the local economies being mostly driven by the necessities of war. Food is mostly drawn from the sea, though Sedalia has sufficed mostly on importing goods from the rest of the Imperium at large, the cities docks, located in the trade quarter with a smaller military dock in the Fortified military quarter, have thus far remained open despite the best efforts of the allied fleet, and most people initially displaced by the Allied counter advance have already retreated to Imperium lands.

Proper stone walls do not surround the entire of the settlement proper, rather a wooden palisade stands as the Imperium's first line of defense, manned by a token force of scouts designed mostly to keep potential saboteurs out and give time for the trading quarter to retreat to the more heavily guarded Military ward.

The Military ward is initially guarded by a stone wall encircling the soldiers barracks, the warehouse, the docks, and the Keep Proper. The Wall is 20 feet tall, 12 feet thick, and warded against spells, and magical attacks. There are three main gates into and out of the wall, all of which are heavily guarded by a Gatehouse flanked by two towers, roughly 30 feet tall. Two more towers are set into the walls at the angles of the wall, these are 50 feet Tall, and twice as thick as the other gate house towers, functioning almost as 'MicroKeeps' in and of themselves.

Beyond the wall, the stone barracks of the men are lined up against the wall proper, taking maximum advantage of the cover it provides, and acting as supports in the event of prolonged bombardment. Further still are 12 crude but highly efficient trebuchets, set into the ground in such a manner as to allow them to rotate (In a limited arc) and return fire upon invaders if necessary, while still gaining a margin of cover from being entrenched into the earth. Beyond that are the stone Warehouses, the wells, and the secondary barracks, the roadways lined with all manner of makeshift defensible barricades, and further still is the Central Keep.

The Keep, is a large stout structure, higher then the Wall, but shorter the the grand towers. A Bastion of last resort, the Keep is essentially a large thick wall surrounding the docks, the walls being tiered at the three levels, all of which with arrow slits for archers to rain fire down upon an enemy. Inside the main gate is a choke point were all manner of firery projectiles may be rained down upon potential invaders before a secondary gate is reached, beyond that is a large open courtyard, open still to attack from the walls, designed to repulse attack from land and sea as it were, with two Great doorways, on either side, leading into the interior of the Keep Wall.

The attacking forces have setup camp within plain sight of the palisades, and a siege has formally been set in motion for five days or so now, as the allies prepare to request the honorable surrender of the City, least all the defenders die there-in.

The Plot: The last bastion of Atimarian influence upon the mainland, Sedalia is the only thing standing between the Alliance and a full scale counter attack upon Island home of the Imperium. Well protected, manned by Remnants of the 2nd Legion, the newly created 9th, and a slew of other forces scrambled by a desperate Atimar, it will not be an easy shell to crack, but the forces arrayed against it are massive in scale, well motivated, and determined to have their vengeance.

The Role Playing: Characters from all factions are allowed, and in fact a variety is encouraged as a interaction and mixing of cultures is the main goal of this specific RP. Positions as High Level characters are opened, though keep in mind rping as such individuals will be seen as taking on the responsibilities of the individual in question. In example, rping the leader of a regiment of swords men, means you would have to see too and control the actions of all the NPC's directly under your characters command.

Bare in mind the ultimate goal of this RP is too see the interaction of characters from the major (known) world powers with a military backdrop, not the inverse. And while the end game will entail the sacking (Or Saving {ooh Alternate History}) of Sedalia, the pacing is intentionally going to be slow initially to allow full inter relationship development before proper military action is taken.

One or two minor surprise 'events' have been planned to be integrated at random/opportune moments that will affect the pacing, but ultimately the attack will begin when we're damned good and ready.

The Groups:

Defenders of Sedalia

The Second Legion - The last remaining Legion to make landfall upon Eadhaolian shores 27 years ago still operating on the front, all the others have either been withdrawn, disbanded, or destroyed.

Originally an army of roughly 50,000 impetuous young soldiers, eager to serve the Imperium, it has sense been reduced to a fighting force of roughly three thousand gruff and scarred veterans, no less loyal, but noticeably less eager. They look down upon their allies, unbloodied, untested, combat virgins the lot of them, but still do their best to make sure they live through what for most of them will be their first taste of combat.

They maintain a begrudging sort of respective for the Alliance, especially for the armies of the Wolfthrone, but it is still more along the lines of the respect a predator has for it's prey.

Despite the extent of how far the tides have turned, and their familiarity with the rules of war, it is hard from them to acknowledge Sedalia as 'the beginning of the end.' Rather they see it as a safe haven to weather the storm of the Allied attack, until the opportune moment for a counter stroke presents itself.

Their Commander, Exarch Centurion Gregor is acting Military Governor of Sedalia, and supreme commander of the men and women defending her. He is perhaps the only one who knows how desperate their situation truly is.

As it were the Emperor had, in secret, attempted at two separate occasions to sue for peace. Initially they sent diplomats individually to each member nation of the Allied forces. That ended with almost tragically predictable disaster when the Tyrvoldians returned only the severed heads of the ambassador, the other nations at least having the courtesy to return theirs relatively intact.

The second attempt came to the Alliance as a whole, and it too was flatly rejected. It seemed there would be no peace but one that the Alliance would force upon the Imperium. The only recourse now was to hold out until the either the Senate could find the funds to rearm/refit the remaining Legions, or until the Alliance showed signs of fragmentation or budging on their 'No Peace' policy.

In the coming Fight the 2nd would lead the way.

The 9th Legion - Commissioned formally by the Senate following the utter annihilation of the 5th in Tyrvoldia, the 9th Legion is comprised mostly of a new generation of young men who were not alive when this war began. Well trained as all Legions are, and well equipped with versatility in mind, in theory the 9th is a dynamic, flexible, and determined fighting force. In theory, meaning it has yet too see combat outside of the 5 year training course mandatory for all Legionaries.

Numbering ten thousand strong, it is technically the primary fighting force in the defense of Sedalia, but the completely green nature of their disposition does little too suggest this.

Eager, and impetuous as any new soldier should be, they look up too the 2nd Legion with awe and immeasurable respect, despite the almost...disdain, the veterans have for the 'rookies' so called. In regards to the enemy they've never before seen, they know very little save what the vets tell them. They know to stand in the path of Eadhaolin cavalry charge is tant amount to suicide, they know Imperator soldiers are mostly drafted militia, but fight well for what it's worth, and perhaps most importantly of all they now the Tyrvoldians no longer take prisoners...at least not for long.

Their leader is Centurion Cassius, a name that shall live in infamy. Former Centurion of the 5th Legion, and one of the 7 surviving members, after his army was lost, and he was evacuated from the collapsing Tyrvoldian front, the Senate, short on experienced and proven commanders, saw fit to commission his service once again in leading the newly created 9th, with the understanding that they would not tolerate ANY magnitude of failure.

As it were, it was he who ordered Tripohlia be put to the sword, and for what it's worth he still defends his decisions. A stoic man of grim disposition he is often quoted as saying 'War is cruelty, and to treat it as anything else is too prolong it.' A great scar rents his face in halves diagonally, a token of the High Prince's esteem that he barely survived, and a constant reminder that he is out to return the favor...

The Vassal Legions - Comprised of the conquered 'non-citizens' of the Imperium, the Vassal Legions is a blanket term for the military forces of the various people and cultures folded into the Imperium over the years, but allowed a measure of independence in return for their loyalty to the Senate and the Emperor. For that continued independence, and promises of proper representation in the Senate following the conclusion of the campaign, they answered the Imperium's call to arms.

Two such Legions were en route to Sedalia when the siege proper began, the Vernstalk, whom are a week away, and the Kerft whom are 5 days away. A third, the Ceruth, more a 'micro-legion' really, were already present at the city.

The Kerft - A rugged, isolated, woodsmen people, the Kerft were born of the forests of the Colonies, where they were long ago cornered and conquered by the Legions of Atimar, they still remain bitter of their Protectorate status, but retain enough of a tribal hunter's respect of 'to the victor goes the spoils' to honor their pact with the Emperor.

Numbering three thousand strong, they are equipped mostly with leather armor, longbows and arrows of the highest quality, and a variety of short range melee weapons mostly daggers, axes, and short swords.

Their leader is Prince Gideon of the Langloneers tribe, whom looks upon this campaign as a grand opportunity for the betterment of his people. He covets the promised Senate seat, for perhaps only he, of all the kerft, truly understands the implications and possibilities of representation on the highest council of authority in the Imperium. A veteran of guerrilla tactics, he knows little of city fighting, but he is savvy enough to adapt his strategies based upon the advice of others.

The Vernstalk - Another matter entirely. Born to an island nation similar to Atimar, the Vernstalks, or simply 'Verns' are a people with a long lineage of pillaging, and killing each other to scratch an existence off rock under their belt. That is until the Imperial Legions kicked down their collective doors, demanding their sworn allegiance, and a portion of the mostly untapped resources of the Island, in return for advancing their way of life.

Truthfully the 'Verns' are perhaps the most loyal of the Protectorate nations, their lives revolved mostly around fighting and pillaging to survive before the Imperium, and after they came it changed in only that their allegiance allowed them to fight less for survival and more for recreation, as they reaped the advantages of being subservient to a powerful, advance, and resourceful nation quite willing to scratch the backs of those who respond in kind.

Numbering roughly five thousand strong, the Vernstalk are a hardy, brutish, front line folk, prone to wearing great spiked armor, and great animal pelts. Chainmail, platemail, broadsword, axe, and shield, very few are their ranged troops, save a scant hundred or so crossbow men.

Their leader is Jerelf, a great mountain of a man, who smells of the sea. He is drunkard brawl happy individual typical of the Verns in many respects. He views a seat on the Senate as a long sought after step towards Equality for his people, with hopes specifically that the Imperium will open a chapter house of the Arcanious Scholari, upon their island home. His grasp of tactics is somewhat...nonexistent, save for the tried and true 'charge at the enemy, and kill the F**K outa'em,' he is however a greatly skilled warrior, proven in many battles, and a very charismatic individual to rally behind.

Ceruthian Loyalists – Only few Ceruth now call Atimar home. Though the Ceruth have been forced to kneel for hundreds of years, they have kept their pride and culture strong through their religion. Atimar forced the Ceruthian men to war, leaving the women and children behind. Most of the Ceruthians managed to smuggle the women and children with them as they set off towards the eastern flank. The remaining Ceruth, who have pledged their fealty to Atimar, are currently in Sedalia.

Immeric, a strong-bodied man with a stern demeanor, leads the three hundred Loyalists. They are all strong and proven warriors, equipped with a mix of stolen equipment, equipment from the Imperial armory, plainclothes and improvised weapons. Each of them carries a large leather bag, usually pieces of torn clothes stitches together, that holds a chunk of rock or rubble.

Immeric plans to have his Loyalists sling the heavy weights out from the walls, smashing down the charge of the enemy. The Imperial soldiers, and even those of the Vassal Legions, are weary of the Ceruth for their reputation of being stubborn and independent. No one trusts the men, especially not now that they can be marked by holding a heavy sack at all times. The Loyalists keep to themselves and hope to earn favor from Atimar, as they know there is no favor to be had from Tselim, and prove themselves a capable asset.

The Imperial Auxilia - The Local militia, keepers of the peace, and enforcers of local, and Imperial law, the Auxlirai in Sedalia have undergone a massive conscription regiment sense the Atimarians quit the field of battle some months ago, with every man of able body and sound mind within the city being drafted into their ranks.

Numbering 30,000 strong, they are equipped relatively lightly, sufficing mostly on; bows, arrows, and spears of 'suspicious' make; leather armor short swords, and small shields. They are many, but have only managed a total of 5 months training time before the siege began, leaving them woefully inept in the eyes of all the proper soldiers.

Brave, as any defending his home should be, they are mostly unpredictable in a battle, fight or flight being a difficult response to measure, they are mostly over looked in the considerations of Exarch Gregor.

Their leader is Magistrate Norail, a popular, charismatic figure, he campaigns hard for the worth of the men under his command, but his lack of proper military experience does not exactly help his cause.

The Imperial Arcanious Scholari - The mystical arm of the Imperial military maintains a force of roughly five hundred properly trained 'Battle Mages' spread out into groups of five amongst the defenders. Their position is to act as a counter balance to Allied magics, and supplement the conventional military forces as best they see fit.

Perhaps the most fanatical in their devotion to the Imperium, a place that they see as the last shining beacon of light in a time of perpetual dark, the Mages of the Librarium (Another name for the State Operated Organization) are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the survival of the Imperium, as any cost.

Their leader is Exalted Magi Darron, a wizened veteran mage of great power and experience, long has he served alongside the 2nd Legion, and great is his reputation among the Conclave for the 21 separate occasions in which he defeated and killed a Master of their order in single combat.

The Free Mages Guild - The native mages of the mainland, long feared and repressed by their own people, and hunted by the conclave, sided with the Atimarians at the onset of the invasion, with promises of protection, freedom, proper teachings of their gifts, and citizenship for 5 years of service to the Imperium.

The offer was too good for many, and virtually all major mystical organizations sided with the invaders when they came, until only the Conclave was left supporting the mainlanders.

As it were they stand now on the brink of collapse, many having deserted Atimar as the tides turned against their would be saviors. The Chapter House of the Guild, located in the Trading Quarter near the docks, is the only one still standing, and the ranks, roughly a thousand strong, are the very last of their number, and the coming battle is as much about their survival as it is about Sedalia's.

Their training is varied, some being grizzled veterans of many battles, and others still being little more then children scared out of their minds and as likely to blow themselves up as the enemy...

Their leader is Trenton, a bitter jaded individual whom is in his position solely because no one else would take it. Already resigned to death as he is, he is determined to make something of his last few days, and perhaps manage one last spit in the eye of the people who curse him for simply being.

The Allied Nations

Armies of the Wolf Throne - (To be Added by Crom)

Armies of the Rising Sun - (To be Added by Crom)

Armies of the Union - The People of the Swords States were second to enter the Conflict by a brief span of five years, and have arguably suffered the most for it. Kurgoria suffered massive devastation to their infrastructure, not limited to the sacking of their capitol city, but extending all the way south to their common boarders with Stralinoth. Stralinoth was not spared either, her great industrial fortress Gondolia damaged extensively on their western side, and great stress put on the fragile artifact-engines of the Locke System.

But unarguably the worst damage was done to Tripohlia, whose civilian population was almost irreparably damaged by the savage attack upon their capitol city.

Because of this, and the burning personal vendetta the High King has declared against the Imperium, the Sword States have called to muster no less then 4 independent standing armies to the Walls of Sedalia. The Leader of these collective arms is technically High King Kandor, though ever sense the loss of his family in Tripohlia the Supreme Master of the Praetorian Order, Herus, has been made to handle the brunt of the military organization, as well as smooth over the diplomatic processes of coordination between so many varied military forces, a task complicated by his King's increasingly lapses into enraged madness and consuming depression. For his part Herus bares the burden with a stoicism above and beyond what is typical of any soldier, but lately it has become increasingly apparent to those around him that the increasing demands of his job are getting to the old war hero.

The Third Confederated Army - The main fighting force of the Union as a whole, indiscriminately built up from every nation of the Union, under the command of the Praetorian Knights, in service of the High King and the interests of the union. At the initial onset of hostilities between the Confederation and Atimar, the High King commissioned a massed expansion of the Confederated Army, surpassing it's legal peacetime limits of two armies to a grand total of 5 separate fighting forces.

Of those 5 three were sent to supplement Eadhoalin forces fighting the main Imperial advance, another was sent to aid Kurogoria in defending their flank, and a third took it's it's eternal post in Kerak`Den ever vigil of the Wastes.

By the time of the siege attrition had greatly reduced their number, and necessitated structural reorganizations, leaving three armies where previously there had been five. One guarding the wastes, one facilitating rebuilding in the war ravaged homelands, and the third left to seek revenge for the rest.

For their part the forces of the Third Army, numbering 10,000 strong, have fought this war almost exclusively on Eadhaolin lands sense it's beginning. They are almost as familiar with the strategies of the Islanders, and the horse masters, as they are with their own blades, respecting both parties for their skills, if nothing else.

Perhaps the best equiped fighting force in the Union, nearly every soldier has a sword of the finest make at hand at all times, chain mail or light plate mail is common place, as well as shields of both wooden and iron make.

Their leader is Forma, Grandmaster Praetorian, a figure of no small renown amongst both the allied forces for his daring front line leadership, his utter fearlessness, and almost reckless disregard for his own safety. This is perhaps most exemplified by a now infamous incident during one of the many battles for Krak de Monutem, in which the Grandmaster spotted a gap in the defensive lines, and seeing no men readily available to plug it, left word with his aid to gather a squad of reserves to plug the hole, before rushing in himself.

By the time the aid had returned with reinforcements the Grandmaster had cut down twenty and three men. The line secured once more, Forma returned to his post at the barracks issuing orders and addressing his men as if he wasn't coated in the blood of his enemies...
((TBC))

Mages of the Conclave - hroughout the war, the Conclave has aided the mainland forces against the Atimarian invasion. Early on in the conflict, the Conclave, an organization which has only tasted dominance and stability in the last couple generations, determined that the success of Atimar should not come to pass.

Should Atimar succeed, the Conclave’s island fortress could easily be sieged and everything the organization has worked for will slip away. Not only will the Imperial Arcanious Scholari replace the Conclave on the mainland, but the free mages may be allowed to resume their unchecked work. The purpose, the ideology and the physical organization itself will be jeopardized. Due to such a threat, the Conclave has spared no expense in thwarting Atimar.

The host of the Conclave is numbered strong and personally led by Grandmaster Bronsmyr of Eadhaolin descent. While the Grandmaster has some ties to Eadhaolin, the forces of the Conclave are subject to no higher ruler, though they often collaborate with the officers and leaders of the Allied Nations. While the Allied Nations must acknowledge the prowess of the Mages of the Librarium, the Conclave has within its ranks some of the most talented mages in recorded history, taught by the written wisdom of even more talented mages who founded the Conclave.

However, such talent has been methodically erased by the enemy leader, Exalted Magi Darron. The fledgling Inquisition, a branch of the Conclave created to enforce the control of magic and serve as the Conclave’s special forces, has sworn to find, imprison and execute Darron. Little is expected of the newer branch, but Lord Inquisitor Wehlsmann, who commands the Inquisition, fully intends to establish the Inquisition as something even more frightening to its enemies than the Conclave.

The resolve of the Conclave and Inquisition is strong, and so too is their capacity for ingenuity. Sedalia is under an imperfect siege as the Atimarian Navy, limping as it is, has thwarted any attempts to encircle it. A medium-sized naval force, composed of the remnants of the Allied Nations’ navies, is being loaded with magical artifacts and manned by a good portion of Conclave mages at their island stronghold. While such an act will reduce the available magical power on the front, should this magical navy break through the Atimarian defense, Sedalia will be finished. Lord Inquisitor Wehlsmann, who devised the plan, plots for the Inquisition to then advance upon the city and purge the Scholari from existence.

Overall, the Conclave hosts around a thousand mages, a mix of terrifying ability and graduated apprentices who have tasted some measure of conflict. The rest of their capable mages are being sent along with the naval force in an all-or-nothing to break apart the Atimarian Navy. The Inquisition is composed of just under one hundred Inquisitors who command a force of twenty-five hundred soldiers and mercenaries. Some of the men under their command have become infamous during the war, while others are peasants who have nothing left but scorched earth to their name lured by the promise of wealth and Conclave aid.

Their Commander, Exarch Centurion Gregor Eisenhorn

I had to do it. It was necessary.


The fortifications are really something. Very complex and of amazing quality it appears.

I'm somewhat confused, if Sedalia was sacked canonically, then wouldn't Atimar not have any land holdings? Or was it retaken or something?

Some information on the effectiveness of the siege would be nice, estimates of how long supplies will last before rationing begins to cause symptoms of starvation and dehydration, stuff like that. I'd really like to see what you do here, though.

Along with the Ceruth, I had some ideas that Atimar would have pretty much sucked up people and cultures that didn't make it to the mainland, and that they'd have some groups of... sort of vassal-like soldiers, separate from the true Empire, but of varying degrees of allegiance and military heritage. If that idea's agreeable, it might be interesting to see some groups appear as hasty reinforcements to the struggle before the siege began since it might not have been likely that Atimar would have sent them near the beginning of the invasion, or if they did it's been long enough for those groups to sire a new wave of soldiers.

I've also got some ideas for the Conclave faction. The Conclave would actually invest a lot of resources into this, because ensuring that Atimar doesn't expand is very important. If Atimar, a sovereign state which has resisted Conclave policy, annexes a lot of land that the Conclave depends on to function as powerfully as it does, then they could be at a position where their future and their beliefs are seriously threatened. There's a bit more to this than "Play for the highest bidder."

I imagine Sedalia was returned back into Imperial control, mostly in name only, following the end of the war, if only to justify the Allied powers taxing the piss out of a foreign city on their soil.

In regards to how long they can hold out, as of now the city's docks are still open, as attempts to blockade it have been thwarted on several occasions by the battle scarred, but still very viable, Imperial Navy.

This status may certainly change over the course of the siege, and probably will, but for now the length they can hold out is mostly indefinite, provided they can thwart attempts to storm the city by force.

The vassal solders, an idea I quite like, has been retroactively incorporated, with two separate 'Legions' so to speak, en route to the city proper at the time of the campaign's beginning.

The Verns are perhaps a bit 'generic viking esc' now but they were originally introverted 'stone-age' types that owe pretty much all they know of civilization to the Imperium.

The Kerft, on the other hand, are a complex loosely associated tribal people from the Colonies, whose greatest Tribe is somewhat forcefully subservient to the Senate. Sort've like 'iron-age' Native Americans. Resistance, and bitterness over their state as 'vassals' is compounded by the fact that the Imperium really has nothing they want, save perhaps a deeper understanding of magic they can't quite grasp on their own, and yet seems more then justified in taking or demanding whatever they want of the Kerft's.

I'd love to see whatever ideas you have for the Conclave's involvement in this campaign.

Personally I've always sort of counted the Invasion as the event that ultimately solidified the Conclave's position as 'Ultimate Magical Authority,' in the (known) world, through a long series of events, like the fact that they were possibly the only major mystical association of any significance to turn their back on the Imperium's offer.

Also, that was an awesome book, and I'm glad someone besides me read it.

MidgetNinja wrote:I imagine Sedalia was returned back into Imperial control, mostly in name only, following the end of the war, mostly to justify the Allied powers taxing the piss out of a foreign city on their soil.

Alright.

In regards to how long they can hold out, as of now the city's docks are still open, as attempts to blockade it have been thwarted on several occasions by the battle scarred, but still very viable, Imperial Navy.

This status may certainly change over the course of the siege, and probably will, but for now the length they can hold out is mostly indefinite, provided they can thwart attempts to storm the city by force.

Ah, so it's not really a siege, it's just a "We're going to wait a bit and then murder you. A lot."

The vassal solders, an idea I quite like, has been retroactively incorporated, with two separate 'Legions' so to speak, en route to the city proper at the time of the campaign's beginning.

Glad to see you liked them. If you don't care I might try to incorporate a small group (around perhaps 200) of loyalist former Ceruth there, or something. Would be very interesting to expand on the idea of other cultures who barely survived the Fall, or evolved afterward, and were swallowed up by the Empire.

I'd love to see whatever ideas you have for the Conclave's involvement in this campaign.

If you'd rather I write the Conclave's piece, let me know. Otherwise you can write it and we can brainstorm from there.

Personally I've always sort of counted the Invasion as the event that ultimately solidified the Conclave's position as 'Ultimate Magical Authority,' in the (known) world, through a long series of events,

Yeah, that would definitely boost their image and status.

like the fact that they were possibly the only major mystical association of any significance to turn their back on the Imperium's offer.

Because you don't make offers to the Conclave, the Conclave makes offers to you. =P

Also, that was an awesome book, and I'm glad someone besides me read it.

Glad you got the reference. Indeed, 'tis awesome. Ravenor omnibus was unfortunately not as epic, but Gaunt's Ghosts are definitely great reads.

Admin wrote:
Glad to see you liked them. If you don't care I might try to incorporate a small group (around perhaps 200) of loyalist former Ceruth there, or something. Would be very interesting to expand on the idea of other cultures who barely survived the Fall, or evolved afterward, and were swallowed up by the Empire.

Oh yea, write something up, I'm always interested to see other people's take on my works. Woot alternative perspectives.

Admin wrote:
If you'd rather I write the Conclave's piece, let me know. Otherwise you can write it and we can brainstorm from there.

If it wouldn't be too much trouble that would be great actually, though I am more then willing to help with said brainstorming.

Nah, I can handle it. I'll be moving back into Uni tomorrow (today), though, and things will be quite hectic for some time, so don't expect it too soon or anything.

I'm on my phone so I'll keep this brief until I get to a computer.

First, I really enjoy the idea of it. This is put it bluntly epic. It ties together a lot of issues and will be excellent way for us to advance the various national tics of characters. It also throws into light the past issue of strategy on a roleplaying forum that we let die earlier for the sake of progress in other arena's. You mention viking esque people that serve Atimar and I literally wrote the Vrord Tribes (whose nation profile will be up shortly) history as having contracted large number of their people to the war. We definitely are synchronized here. Love when that happens. And I can see all three agree this would be the turning point that ensures the Conclave's role as a super power.

But I think this is a developement campaign. In other words it is something for us to sharpen our RP. I've always imagined that we'd slowly build into an epic story arc (one of several) after hundreds of minor and plenty of large ones with dozens of characters with history of interactions between each other and their own goals and objectives. When we actually have the whole site up and running I will remain starkly opposed to just constructing scenarios of this magnitude.

That being said I'm totally behind this 110%. So two questions. First, is there any other specific input you want from me MN? Secondly, how are we going to do the strategic and army portion of this campaign?

Crom: I'm on my phone so let me keep it down to 264 words...
=P

Crom, while I'm on board with this as much as you, I do have to say I dislike your negative reaction to setting up campaigns like this. I think what you meant to say was "Once everything is really set up with a lot of interaction going on, we need to let go, not railroad anything, and really see the world come alive."

What you ended up saying felt a good bit different since this is a "In the past" sort of campaign, where not on the current characters can even participate.

That said, if you really mean at some point we really just stop campaigns, I have to say that I disagree. I totally agree with we should let go and stop railroading, but if we have interesting ideas for events, if they can't be put into canon or the present, we should move them to Free RP and the Arena. That's how I feel about it anyway.

As for handling strategy and army, we can try to finally put up a mock of a system (esp. now with Bronx's help), or we can fudge it as we go to see if we can identify any major problems or key points we must incorporate before we even start on a system.

I don't think we should stop making story arcs (refer to the story arc thread you already approved of) but I think they need to be closer to an extremely fluid framework as opposed to "Here's a battle. Here are the armies. Here is this enormous alliance" go at it. This is not an attempt to detract from the campaign in any form. Merely comment on a discussion we will need to have in the future.

I think Chaos is talking more 'non-canon' strictly 'for fun' campaigns, as opposed to 'all pieces are instantly in place lets do this no matter who is where at the time.'

But back to the topic at hand, Crom what I need from you is mostly just general information about your respective nations in the proposed scenario.

Rough estimate of their numbers, moral, disposition towards other allies, whom their leader is, basic equipment etc etc.

As for how to formally go about organizing a large scale battle on the forums, I honestly am not sure what the best method would be. That said I feel it's not AS MUCH a priority at this stage, if only because character interaction is the focal point of the first few stages of this campaign.

Not that it should disuade us from discussing ideas, more I'm just saying we shouldn't hold off on the campaign proper because of it, which I plan to kick off here inside the next week, you know, before it gets swept off into the dark musty corners of the site.

Impereich soldiers will probably be the bread and butter of the Alliance. They will have had the time neccessary to recruit and arm the vast hordes at their disposal so I'd reckon they could field an army of about 45, 000 with perhaps 20,000 of those being present at this battle.

Morale for the army would be high. They are disciplined and they see the war on the close. However at the same time they are realistic about how many will die in this siege so they won't have the highest standard of morale. -tbc-

Crom keep in mind we're besieging a HEAVILY fortified city with roughly a little over fifty two THOUSAND defenders.

So if Impereich is looking to be the main line faction of this battle, or indeed if it plans to take the city at all, it's going to need to commit a number of soldiers AT THE VERY LEAST in excess of forty thousand, not too terribly off your number, but it's worth stating all the same.

Okay stuff about Tyrvoldian armies have been added, still waiting on you Crom and Chaos...

Here's my shot about the Ceruth and the Conclave



Mages of the Conclave – Throughout the war, the Conclave has aided the mainland forces against the Atimarian invasion. Early on in the conflict, the Conclave, an organization which has only tasted dominance and stability in the last couple generations, determined that the success of Atimar should not come to pass.

Should Atimar succeed, the Conclave’s island fortress could easily be sieged and everything the organization has worked for will slip away. Not only will the Imperial Arcanious Scholari replace the Conclave on the mainland, but the free mages may be allowed to resume their unchecked work. The purpose, the ideology and the physical organization itself will be jeopardized. Due to such a threat, the Conclave has spared no expense in thwarting Atimar.

The host of the Conclave is numbered strong and personally led by Grandmaster Bronsmyr of Eadhaolin descent. While the Grandmaster has some ties to Eadhaolin, the forces of the Conclave are subject to no higher ruler, though they often collaborate with the officers and leaders of the Allied Nations. While the Allied Nations must acknowledge the prowess of the Mages of the Librarium, the Conclave has within its ranks some of the most talented mages in recorded history, taught by the written wisdom of even more talented mages who founded the Conclave.

However, such talent has been methodically erased by the enemy leader, Exalted Magi Darron. The fledgling Inquisition, a branch of the Conclave created to enforce the control of magic and serve as the Conclave’s special forces, has sworn to find, imprison and execute Darron. Little is expected of the newer branch, but Lord Inquisitor Wehlsmann, who commands the Inquisition, fully intends to establish the Inquisition as something even more frightening to its enemies than the Conclave.

The resolve of the Conclave and Inquisition is strong, and so too is their capacity for ingenuity. Sedalia is under an imperfect siege as the Atimarian Navy, limping as it is, has thwarted any attempts to encircle it. A medium-sized naval force, composed of the remnants of the Allied Nations’ navies, is being loaded with magical artifacts and manned by a good portion of Conclave mages at their island stronghold. While such an act will reduce the available magical power on the front, should this magical navy break through the Atimarian defense, Sedalia will be finished. Lord Inquisitor Wehlsmann, who devised the plan, plots for the Inquisition to then advance upon the city and purge the Scholari from existence.

Overall, the Conclave hosts around a thousand mages, a mix of terrifying ability and graduated apprentices who have tasted some measure of conflict. The rest of their capable mages are being sent along with the naval force in an all-or-nothing to break apart the Atimarian Navy. The Inquisition is composed of just under one hundred Inquisitors who command a force of twenty-five hundred soldiers and mercenaries. Some of the men under their command have become infamous during the war, while others are peasants who have nothing left but scorched earth to their name lured by the promise of wealth and Conclave aid.





The Vassal Legions
Ceruthian Loyalists – Only few Ceruth now call Atimar home. Though the Ceruth have been forced to kneel for hundreds of years, they have kept their pride and culture strong through their religion. Atimar forced the Ceruthian men to war, leaving the women and children behind. Most of the Ceruthians managed to smuggle the women and children with them as they set off towards the eastern flank. The remaining Ceruth, who have pledged their fealty to Atimar, are currently in Sedalia.

Immeric, a strong-bodied man with a stern demeanor, leads the three hundred Loyalists. They are all strong and proven warriors, equipped with a mix of stolen equipment, equipment from the Imperial armory, plainclothes and improvised weapons. Each of them carries a large leather bag, usually pieces of torn clothes stitches together, that holds a chunk of rock or rubble.

Immeric plans to have his Loyalists sling the heavy weights out from the walls, smashing down the charge of the enemy. The Imperial soldiers, and even those of the Vassal Legions, are weary of the Ceruth for their reputation of being stubborn and independent. No one trusts the men, especially not now that they can be marked by holding a heavy sack at all times. The Loyalists keep to themselves and hope to earn favor from Atimar, as they know there is no favor to be had from Tselim, and prove themselves a capable asset.

Nicely written Chaos, I especially the fluff surrounding the Conclave's involvement with the war, and their approach to finalizing the siege.

I've already incorporated it into the main post above, now we're simply waiting on Crom, but I think I can probably kickstart us off here shortly based on what we have right now.