The Letomian Crusade

The Third Company marched eastward along the Brikio Highway towards Letomia and beyond. The sky was filled with dark clouds that looked down upon Forios menacingly ready to pour down rain at a moments notice. Order Marshall William Beckly sat upon his warhorse and watched the column march by, here he was, a holy man waging an un-holy war. Letomia had recently spoken out against the Templar Order and the Grand Master had let this pass, but when Letomians started to desecrate the Templar holy places he could ignore them no longer and quickly dispatched the Third Company to bring an end to it. Marshall Rosewood approached him on her steed.

''Sir, scouts report Letomian forces have secured the Fords of Bremith,'' she said to him ''What are our orders?''

Without twitching Beckly replied ''Give them one chance to through away their false gods and to join the Order and then kill all those that don't.''

Elinia Rosewood grimaced as she heard his words ''It shall be done.''

''Oh and Rosewood, I don't want there to be any survivors.''

''As you command.''

She turned her horse around and rode to the front of the column and issued the new orders, come nightfall they would reach the Fords and battle would begin.

General Gerontius Flatfoot stood by, watching his forces secure the prisoners they had captured after their successful battle at the Fords of Bremith, a main fighting choke-hold that the gnomes have been eager for in their wars against the Order. Gerontius was not a cruel man, and treated his prisoners with respect, but they were still the enemy, so he made sure that they weren't too comfortable. His subordinate, Captain Brothaway approached him and saluted.

"All the prisoners are rounded up, sir," he said to Gerontius, saluting. "They are all chained and secured."

"Thank you, Captain," Gerontius replied happily. "We've had a successful day today. We're one step closer to defeating the Order."

Captain Brothaway wasn't too sure how to reply to this, as he did not share his General's optimism. Gerontius smiled as he saw his unfaithful subordinate's face.

"Establish a base of defense here," he said to the Captain. "I want watches going on and archers set up and ready. Those people won't be too happy about us taking this ford."

"Will do, sir," the Captain replied, running off to give out orders. Gerontius stood by and awaited for the battle that he knew was inevitable...

The redundant sound of armored boots hitting the stone echoed throughout the valley as the Templar marched towards the Ford. Thunder burst out followed by rain, it came slowly at first but then it was pouring but they still marched on. Elinia looked back at the soldiers behind her and the other officers, they said nothing but she could tell they wanted to break for the night. He orders told her not to but she knew that tried and dreary men could not win a battle.

''Column! Halt!'' she called out,the order was echoed along the column by sergeants

The sounds of hooves informed her that Beckly was approaching

''Marshall! What in the holy name of Athros is going on?'' He shouted ''Did I not order you to take them to the Fords of Bremith and battle the Letomians?''

''Indeed you did Sir, but the men need to rest, we will surely lose if we engage without a rest.''

''It is not your place to decided what to do, Marshall Rosewood, I'm placing Commander Calnir in charge of this company, you will stay with me and watch the battle from a distance.''

Elinia bowed her head, Calnir didn't have the ability to lead such a large force, the most he had commanded was a raiding party of thirty men and he was a junior officer.

''Very well sir, if those are you order I will follow them.'' she said

''They are my order, Commander Calnir!'' Beckly called

A young Elf from about halfway down the column looked up

''Sir?'' Calnir said

''You're in charge, take your place at the front of the column and get these men moving.''

''Sir? Are you sure that I should be leading? Marshall Rosewood seems much more fit for this task.''

''You're in charge Commander, Marshall Rosewood has decided to allow you to have the chance to prove yourself.''

''Really? I mean yes sir!''

Calnir turned and began to issue out orders to the company as Beckly moved of to the side with Elinia following him.

''Watch now Marshall as the young Commander takes all the glory that could have been yours if you had not disobeyed me.'' Beckly said a sneer

Elinia ignored his words and grimly watched as the column began to march again, she knew this would not end well.

Gerontius sat back in a chair that he found at the ford site, probably used for fishing. He watched as his men sat at campfires and ate food, laughing gleefully as they did so. He smiled himself at these laughs, but then he suddenly heard a call from one of his men. It was Captain Brothaway again.

"Sir!" he said to the general, panting after running so far up the hill to his position. "Our scouts have spotted columns of warriors from the Order!"

Gerontius nodded and stood up, looking at the Captain with a mild expression.

"Looks like they finally got here!" he said, chuckling a bit. "Order the men to form ranks and establish some archers on the high ground. I want a solid defense with no mistakes this time, got it?"

"Yes, sir. On my way, sir."

The Captain ran off to issue commands and the General took his seat in the chair and awaited for the storm to come...

The Fords slowly came into view as the Templar forces marched wearily onward, then the command was given and the column split and assumed it's battle formation. Then they began to march once again, Calnir watched as the Third Company halted about five hundred meters away from the Fords themselves. He then assembled a small group of officers and bodyguards and rode out to the Fords with a white flag of truce.

''Gnomes of Letomia! I am giving one chance out of the mercy in my heart to allow you to repent your wicked crimes, cast away your false gods and to take up arms and join the Templar Order!'' He shouted across the river to the Letomians ''Those of you who do not will face dire consequences, what say you?''

He looked at them and waited for a response.

Gerontius looked at the army assembled before him, and walked forward through the ranks of his men to look at the messenger. He started to laugh after he heard their offer.

"Does the Order really think we took the Ford just to have tea and leave?" he asked them rhetorically. "No. We will stand our ground and take this country back no matter what! No one, not even the Templars can stop us now!"

The gnomes cheered on his response and Gerontius retreated to the back lines where he would command the army. No one will push a gnome around anymore! he thought to himself, grinning.

Calnir smiled to himself, he would enjoy this.

''Then we have nothing else to say Gnome, I hope you have a good time in the afterlife!'' He shouted ''We will give no quarter and you shall regret your words before the night is young.''

As he said these words the rain started a new and it poured down harder then before. He turned his horse around and returned to his position amongst the army and began to issue order.

''Company! Today we go to battle to cleanse the world of sinners and heretics! Today we bring peace through battle! Today we bring salvation through death! Today we bring justice through mercy! It is our mercy that will spare the lives of countless people after this day is through! We will bring an end to this tyranny! Now I bid you fight! Fight for what you know is right!'' he called to them.

The Third Company cheered as Calnir finished and then prepared for battle, arrows where notched to bows, stones loaded into the siege weapons and swords drawn. The Zealots readied themsleve for what was to come and prayed to find a place in Celestia after they died.

Gerontius looked upon his army and chuckled.

"These Order fools will stand no chance against the might of the Gnomes!" he roared out to them. "Show your loyalty to your comrades and fight with all your might until the end! Give 'em hell!"

The army cheered and prepared their defenses. The archers readied their bows, catapults were loaded, and ballistae were readied, prepared to push back the assault. It was their enemies move now. They would move the first piece in the great battle that would occur at the fords...

Calnir raised his hand brought it down in one swift move, the catapult crews saw this and then let loose their stones. The stones were quickly followed by a storm of arrows from the Archers, as the projectiles hit their targets the Zealots banged their weapons against their shields and charged with shouts of battle. The rest of the Templars stood ready awaiting the next command from Calnir. As the Zealots clashed arms against the Gnomes Beckly sat on his horse and smiled, today would be a good day.

Gerontius ordered all the men to fire their weapons at the enemy. Projectiles flew from bowmen, ballistae, and catapults at their enemy, smashing into the ranks. Captain Brothaway was positioned at the mouth of the ford with all the other melee units. The enemies projectiles had taken a toll on them, but they were still surviving. The Zealots clashed soon after into their lines.

"Hold the line!" Brothaway yelled, heaving his sword and cutting down a Zealot in front of him. "Don't let them pass."

Despite the calls from their Captain, the gnomes were holding the line very uneasily, some letting up and other being shot down by the enemy. It was looking bad for them, but they had to persist. They had to win.

As the Zealots began to fall Calnir signaled for the Shieldbearers to move forward, they assumed a Turtle formation and began to slowly march through the ford. The Swordsmen also began to cross the ford but due to the Shieldbearers marching at such a slow pace they waited about halfway across for them. The catapult crews switched to using a number of smaller stones instead of one larger stone, this would be more effective against infantry and save the larger stones for the city sieges. As the rain poured down the Templar grew uneasy, they had marched all day and now the ground beneath them was turning to mud and the river was rising slowly but steadily. Then the winds started up, the resounding crack as a tree snapped in two caught Beckly's attention, he watched the banners wave madly in the wind and the trees bending down under the force of the storm. Any other Templar officer would order his men back but Beckly did not view any form of falling back a option available to him and when Calnir looked up to him for orders he just signaled to continue the assault. Calnir grimaced, truly this man was mad.