They would find the country deserted around them, villages and farms standing empty. Food, clothing and livestock has all been taken wherever the people of the Lion Kingdom have gone, presumably to the fortress.
The horsemen move on, picking through homes for provisions left behind in hurry. Eventually, they are within sight of the castle, and Lord Ulrich orders his men to ride towards the gate in two columns. They display banners and weapons but they do not appear hostile. At the head of the columns are Lady Rietta and Lord Ulrich and behind them ride Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Sir Alister Madel.
If the castle is empty, they ride in and take up in the keep. If not, they wait before the gates.
They would find the country deserted around them, villages and farms standing empty. Food, clothing and livestock has all been taken wherever the people of the Lion Kingdom have gone, presumably to the fortress.
The horsemen move on, picking through homes for provisions left behind in hurry. Eventually, they are within sight of the castle, and Lord Ulrich orders his men to ride towards the gate in two columns. They display banners and weapons but they do not appear hostile. At the head of the columns are Lady Rietta and Lord Ulrich and behind them ride Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Sir Alister Madel.
If the castle is empty, they ride in and take up in the keep. If not, they wait before the gates.
As they approach the castle, the far-sighted among them might have noticed a crowd of villagers hastily moving within the walls, and the gates closing.
Once they arrive, they find tracks that indicate virtually the entire kingdom is sheltering within the walls, though it appears many of them have been stretching their legs and performing other outdoor activities without. The castle is clearly ready to stand siege, although the largest of the banners flies at half-mast and no large force of men can be seen upon the walls.
Eventually, five men appear atop the outer gatehouse. Four are guardsmen, while the fifth looks to be a lesser noble of some sort. He hails the party loudly, calling, "Who comes to Castle of the Lion Kingdom?"
The horsemen move on, picking through homes for provisions left behind in hurry. Eventually, they are within sight of the castle, and Lord Ulrich orders his men to ride towards the gate in two columns. They display banners and weapons but they do not appear hostile. At the head of the columns are Lady Rietta and Lord Ulrich and behind them ride Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Sir Alister Madel.
If the castle is empty, they ride in and take up in the keep. If not, they wait before the gates.
As they approach the castle, the far-sighted among them might have noticed a crowd of villagers hastily moving within the walls, and the gates closing.
Once they arrive, they find tracks that indicate virtually the entire kingdom is sheltering within the walls, though it appears many of them have been stretching their legs and performing other outdoor activities without. The castle is clearly ready to stand siege, although the largest of the banners flies at half-mast and no large force of men can be seen upon the walls.
Eventually, five men appear atop the outer gatehouse. Four are guardsmen, while the fifth looks to be a lesser noble of some sort. He hails the party loudly, calling, "Who comes to Castle of the Lion Kingdom?"
The Lord, who has no need for a herald looks up and shouts out in response; "You address Lord Ulrich von Zweihand, chief of the House Zweihand of Castle Schwarstein, prince of Flusberg, duke of the Seebring and uncrowned King of Sylvania, first of his name, and duchess Rietta of Seebring, the lady in Schwarstein and uncrowned queen of Sylvania. We have passed through many trials out of the North to come unto this land. We demand admittance and audience with your lord, and none amongst us would be averse to a bit of food and drink; we have ridden many leagues without rest."
As they approach the castle, the far-sighted among them might have noticed a crowd of villagers hastily moving within the walls, and the gates closing.
Once they arrive, they find tracks that indicate virtually the entire kingdom is sheltering within the walls, though it appears many of them have been stretching their legs and performing other outdoor activities without. The castle is clearly ready to stand siege, although the largest of the banners flies at half-mast and no large force of men can be seen upon the walls.
Eventually, five men appear atop the outer gatehouse. Four are guardsmen, while the fifth looks to be a lesser noble of some sort. He hails the party loudly, calling, "Who comes to Castle of the Lion Kingdom?"
The Lord, who has no need for a herald looks up and shouts out in response; "You address Lord Ulrich von Zweihand, chief of the House Zweihand of Castle Schwarstein, prince of Flusberg, duke of the Seebring and uncrowned King of Sylvania, first of his name, and duchess Rietta of Seebring, the lady in Schwarstein and uncrowned queen of Sylvania. We have passed through many trials out of the North to come unto this land. We demand admittance and audience with your lord, and none amongst us would be averse to a bit of food and drink; we have ridden many leagues without rest."
"Our lord is gone to war, as are all the lords of the south. I have orders to deny entrance to any company of armed men not already in alliance with our people, for fear of allowing this castle to fall into the hands of disguised Xains. If you would seek the Lord Demiu, you might find him in the Dragon Kingdom."
The Lord, who has no need for a herald looks up and shouts out in response; "You address Lord Ulrich von Zweihand, chief of the House Zweihand of Castle Schwarstein, prince of Flusberg, duke of the Seebring and uncrowned King of Sylvania, first of his name, and duchess Rietta of Seebring, the lady in Schwarstein and uncrowned queen of Sylvania. We have passed through many trials out of the North to come unto this land. We demand admittance and audience with your lord, and none amongst us would be averse to a bit of food and drink; we have ridden many leagues without rest."
"Our lord is gone to war, as are all the lords of the south. I have orders to deny entrance to any company of armed men not already in alliance with our people, for fear of allowing this castle to fall into the hands of disguised Xains. If you would seek the Lord Demiu, you might find him in the Dragon Kingdom."
"You would deny entrance to friendly folk who come with naught but good will? The legendary fairness of the Lion's Kingdom seems to have been misplaced. Nonetheless, I will go thither, if only to find a lord who will accommodate us, and hear our pleas."
With a motion of his arm, Lord Ulrich bids his men to turn and begin slowly making their way east.
"Our lord is gone to war, as are all the lords of the south. I have orders to deny entrance to any company of armed men not already in alliance with our people, for fear of allowing this castle to fall into the hands of disguised Xains. If you would seek the Lord Demiu, you might find him in the Dragon Kingdom."
"You would deny entrance to friendly folk who come with naught but good will? The legendary fairness of the Lion's Kingdom seems to have been misplaced. Nonetheless, I will go thither, if only to find a lord who will accommodate us, and hear our pleas."
With a motion of his arm, Lord Ulrich bids his men to turn and begin slowly making their way east.
"I would act out of necessity. A kingdom under invasion, its people protected by a skeleton garrison, cannot afford to take risks."
"You would deny entrance to friendly folk who come with naught but good will? The legendary fairness of the Lion's Kingdom seems to have been misplaced. Nonetheless, I will go thither, if only to find a lord who will accommodate us, and hear our pleas."
With a motion of his arm, Lord Ulrich bids his men to turn and begin slowly making their way east.
"I would act out of necessity. A kingdom under invasion, its people protected by a skeleton garrison, cannot afford to take risks."
Several horsemen ride across the plains at high speeds. To every man they meet, be him highwayman, vagabond or stouthearted farmer who refused to leave his home, the horsemen offer sums of gold to rally outside the Dragon HQ on the hill with the Zweihand Knights.
Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Lady Rietta von Zweihand come back to the castle to meet the petty lord at the gate.
"We have returned, lord, with tidings, news and renewed hope. As you can see, our number is but three, and we bare few arms. We pose no threat, but we offer great reward. Will you not open the gates?" Lord Cyrill says.
Several horsemen ride across the plains at high speeds. To every man they meet, be him highwayman, vagabond or stouthearted farmer who refused to leave his home, the horsemen offer sums of gold to rally outside the Dragon HQ on the hill with the Zweihand Knights.
Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Lady Rietta von Zweihand come back to the castle to meet the petty lord at the gate.
"We have returned, lord, with tidings, news and renewed hope. As you can see, our number is but three, and we bare few arms. We pose no threat, but we offer great reward. Will you not open the gates?" Lord Cyrill says.
The lord ascends the gatehouse with his guards again. He pauses for a moment, before crying, "Open the gates!"
He vanishes from view, and various clanks are head within. At last, the portcullis lifts and one of the gates swings open to admit them. Once inside, they are lead by a soldier through a wide passage. They might notice murder holes above them and, towards the other end, arrow slits set into the walls. They soon emerge into the first level of the concentric castle, which is filled with stacks of weapons and tents occupied by civilians. Stable boys hurry forward to take their horses. Once dismounted, the guard leads them to a pavilion set in front of the gate to the next level. Within is in a round table, but no chairs. The lord who spoke with them at the gate waits within. He looks up as they enter, saying, "Welcome. What are these tidings you bring?"
Several horsemen ride across the plains at high speeds. To every man they meet, be him highwayman, vagabond or stouthearted farmer who refused to leave his home, the horsemen offer sums of gold to rally outside the Dragon HQ on the hill with the Zweihand Knights.
Lord Eldarion Cyrill and Lady Rietta von Zweihand come back to the castle to meet the petty lord at the gate.
"We have returned, lord, with tidings, news and renewed hope. As you can see, our number is but three, and we bare few arms. We pose no threat, but we offer great reward. Will you not open the gates?" Lord Cyrill says.
The lord ascends the gatehouse with his guards again. He pauses for a moment, before crying, "Open the gates!"
He vanishes from view, and various clanks are head within. At last, the portcullis lifts and one of the gates swings open to admit them. Once inside, they are lead by a soldier through a wide passage. They might notice murder holes above them and, towards the other end, arrow slits set into the walls. They soon emerge into the first level of the concentric castle, which is filled with stacks of weapons and tents occupied by civilians. Stable boys hurry forward to take their horses. Once dismounted, the guard leads them to a pavilion set in front of the gate to the next level. Within is in a round table, but no chairs. The lord who spoke with them at the gate waits within. He looks up as they enter, saying, "Welcome. What are these tidings you bring?"
Lord Cyrill speaks first, "You address lady Rietta von Zweihand, the duchess of the Seebring and true queen of Sylvania; You will address her as, 'your grace'."
Lady Rietta spoke next, "Your forces in the Dragon Kingdom are in peril. They are beset on all sides by vicious foes, and dragons assail them from the sky. Victory is difficult to hope for. But it need not be; Our cavalry are dispersing over the plains at this time collecting any willing to fight under our banners on behalf of your forces. Will you not send out the guard and any men-at-arms that can be armed by the castle armories? Your civilians are quite safe as the thought of your enemies are bent solely towards that battle. If you would commit to us but 500 men to march under the banner of the Unicorn, victory could be ensured."
The lord ascends the gatehouse with his guards again. He pauses for a moment, before crying, "Open the gates!"
He vanishes from view, and various clanks are head within. At last, the portcullis lifts and one of the gates swings open to admit them. Once inside, they are lead by a soldier through a wide passage. They might notice murder holes above them and, towards the other end, arrow slits set into the walls. They soon emerge into the first level of the concentric castle, which is filled with stacks of weapons and tents occupied by civilians. Stable boys hurry forward to take their horses. Once dismounted, the guard leads them to a pavilion set in front of the gate to the next level. Within is in a round table, but no chairs. The lord who spoke with them at the gate waits within. He looks up as they enter, saying, "Welcome. What are these tidings you bring?"
Lord Cyrill speaks first, "You address lady Rietta von Zweihand, the duchess of the Seebring and true queen of Sylvania; You will address her as, 'your grace'."
Lady Rietta spoke next, "Your forces in the Dragon Kingdom are in peril. They are beset on all sides by vicious foes, and dragons assail them from the sky. Victory is difficult to hope for. But it need not be; Our cavalry are dispersing over the plains at this time collecting any willing to fight under our banners on behalf of your forces. Will you not send out the guard and any men-at-arms that can be armed by the castle armories? Your civilians are quite safe as the thought of your enemies are bent solely towards that battle. If you would commit to us but 500 men to march under the banner of the Unicorn, victory could be ensured."
The lord ascends the gatehouse with his guards again. He pauses for a moment, before crying, "Open the gates!"
He vanishes from view, and various clanks are head within. At last, the portcullis lifts and one of the gates swings open to admit them. Once inside, they are lead by a soldier through a wide passage. They might notice murder holes above them and, towards the other end, arrow slits set into the walls. They soon emerge into the first level of the concentric castle, which is filled with stacks of weapons and tents occupied by civilians. Stable boys hurry forward to take their horses. Once dismounted, the guard leads them to a pavilion set in front of the gate to the next level. Within is in a round table, but no chairs. The lord who spoke with them at the gate waits within. He looks up as they enter, saying, "Welcome. What are these tidings you bring?"
Lord Cyrill speaks first, "You address lady Rietta von Zweihand, the duchess of the Seebring and true queen of Sylvania; You will address her as, 'your grace'."
Lady Rietta spoke next, "Your forces in the Dragon Kingdom are in peril. They are beset on all sides by vicious foes, and dragons assail them from the sky. Victory is difficult to hope for. But it need not be; Our cavalry are dispersing over the plains at this time collecting any willing to fight under our banners on behalf of your forces. Will you not send out the guard and any men-at-arms that can be armed by the castle armories? Your civilians are quite safe as the thought of your enemies are bent solely towards that battle. If you would commit to us but 500 men to march under the banner of the Unicorn, victory could be ensured."
The man they are addressing gives Rietta a brief bob of the head, before responding, "500? Where do you think our army is? We have but 25 warriors here, and at best we could hope to rustle up around that number of civilians who have some familiarity with combat. Our men have ridden to war, and most of those that remain would be cut down within minutes were they to follow. I am sorry, but the only large force this land can muster was gathered and rode away long before you arrived."
Lord Cyrill speaks first, "You address lady Rietta von Zweihand, the duchess of the Seebring and true queen of Sylvania; You will address her as, 'your grace'."
Lady Rietta spoke next, "Your forces in the Dragon Kingdom are in peril. They are beset on all sides by vicious foes, and dragons assail them from the sky. Victory is difficult to hope for. But it need not be; Our cavalry are dispersing over the plains at this time collecting any willing to fight under our banners on behalf of your forces. Will you not send out the guard and any men-at-arms that can be armed by the castle armories? Your civilians are quite safe as the thought of your enemies are bent solely towards that battle. If you would commit to us but 500 men to march under the banner of the Unicorn, victory could be ensured."
The man they are addressing gives Rietta a brief bob of the head, before responding, "500? Where do you think our army is? We have but 25 warriors here, and at best we could hope to rustle up around that number of civilians who have some familiarity with combat. Our men have ridden to war, and most of those that remain would be cut down within minutes were they to follow. I am sorry, but the only large force this land can muster was gathered and rode away long before you arrived."
"Then send them all forth; all that can walk and hold a weapon. If your enemies prevail, do you think they will spare you if you hide behind walls? Ride with me now to the Mercenary village where more men might be found."
