Nachgeheim, 2502
Morrsleib Looms
The night after you and your knights return from the Reikwald is spent by candlelight, writing letter after letter stamped with your seal while your knights wake the initiates at ungodly hours and exchange steeds to ride at first light. You stay awake only by the urgency of the matter at hand and your meditations in the form of the Fire Dragon, though the odd massage or tidbit by Luise does wonders.
By dawn you and your order set off at speed, racing against time before Morrsleib next shines and the brayherds pour out into the Reikland. The majority of riders will be headed for outlying villages with instructions to take charge of their defense, while your knights are headed for Castle Reiksguard and the larger towns with requests for support. You and a handful shall make for Altdorf; Sir Darron shall bring your request to the Colleges, while Sir von Stolpe will speak to whichever general your brother did not bring along to Wissenland.
You? You will speak to the Cults. If they would dare stand by while Sigmar's people die, then they will have to explain to you.
----
Your arrival in Altdorf is met with pomp and circumstance, but the crowds that would have gathered to gawk and stare at the Princess dive for cover instead as you ride your charger through the streets, forcing paths open with equal parts skill and screaming as you head for the temples of every major cult in Altdorf. Besides Verena; she can't offer anything anyways.
Or so you thought until you ran over a squadron of Knights of the Everlasting Light. A few apologies later they raise their lances in support of your mission and pledge to aid you or die trying. Which, considering they are of the Everlasting Light, is probably soon. But at least they are brave.
The Shallyans come through in droves in expectation of the casualties to come, in support of the armies you hope to raise and the villagers who are going to get slaughtered, and the cults of both Sigmar and Ulric send two Warrior-Priests each, along with apologies that the rest of their number are otherwise occupied - the Sigmarites with marching alongside the Emperor, the Ulricans settling matters in the Nordlands. Ultimately, though, it is Taal and Rhya who come through - mostly Taal, because Rhya isn't one for murder like that.
When you emerge three days later it is with a small but capable force - and an army of Shallyans - ready to fight beastmen or die trying.
You hope it does not come to that.
[Cult Support]
[Sigmar: 32 +18, 50]
[Ulric: 28 +18, 46]
[Taal: 91 +18, 109]
[Verena: 56 +14, 70]
[Shallya: 82 +18, 100]
Cults Rallied!
8 Warrior-Priests (2 Sigmar, 2 Ulric, 4 Taal)
80 Longshanks, Templars of Taal
20 Knights of the Everlasting Light, Templars of Verena
Shallyan and Taalite support for all Army Groups! +5 to Forest Navigation, Reroll to Casualty Survival
----
The other forces available to Reikland, however, do not bode well.
"...You're shitting me."
Sir von Stolpe stiffens when you snap your voice, but the man sitting before you is not nearly as swayed. Instead he shakes his head, his greying moustache bobbing with the motion.
"Unfortunately not, Lady Johanna." General Deltef von Arnaustein is in dress uniform, his chest festooned with medals - but, interestingly, a lack of battle honours. You frown at the implications but wait for him to continue. "The Emperor has mustered the sum total of Reikland's State Troops and brought them with him to Wissenland, along with all the artillery." He takes a deep breath as he counts the numbers. "Even if you were to round up every man, woman and child in Altdorf with the slightest modicum of battlefield experience, there aren't the spears to arm them with!"
"Thousands of beastmen are about to charge out of the Reikwald, general. People are going to die. Villages are going to burn!"
von Arnaustein sighs and rises to his feet, looking you right in the eye. "I am a General of Reikland, Lady Johanna, not a miracle worker. I have nothing to offer you but faith and steel."
"What of gunpowder?" You ask with an arched eyebrow.
"The Emperor took all of it," he responds bitterly. "I can offer you myself four companies, Princess; two of spearmen, one of swordsmen and one of crossbows. But no more. The rest will have to make up the difference with double shifts."
"They will or thousands will die."
"They are but men, Princess," the General sighs. "I'm sorry, but I can only offer so much." He sits back down and quickly pens a letter for you. "Hand this to any quartermaster in the city. If you can't get enough supplies on your own, they will make up the difference. Good hunting, Lady Johanna."
You take the letter and not curtly at the man. He is doing his best, but it is not enough. "And to you, General."
[State Troops: 53]
[Cavalry Cohorts: 2]
[Engineers: 2]
State Troops Mustered!
200 Spearmen
100 Swordsmen
100 Crossbowmen
General Deltef von Arnaustein
----
You return to your estate in Altdorf that night fuming at the limits of men and curse Ranald for the sheer, horrible timing of your brother leaving Reikland with the majority of the army when this is happening, and wake up the next day expecting more bad news. Instead, as you organise your troops and prepare a plan with the various Captains, your staff report the arrival of a number of men bearing the heraldry of the Reiksguard at your doors, requesting to be let in - with a certain Sir Reinhard Edelstein leading the detachment.
Reinhard has grown well in the years since you left the Order, gaining a powerful muscled frame and a long scar under his left eye - a varghulf, apparently, during that business in Stirland. Now he is Knight Preceptor, and as is traditional for new Preceptors, he has been left in charge of minding Castle Reiksguard while the rest march off to war.
So when your knights showed up with your seal requesting aid, he gathered a squadron of Knights - along with any Imperial Footmen he could pull out of the Imperial Palace - and made straight for your estate. And as he introduces you to the Foot Preceptor in charge, you take note that they still have impressive hats, popped collars and stiff moustaches. Some things never change.
[Reiksguard Support: 70]
Your Alma Mater Pulls Through!
50 Imperial Foot (Greatswords)
20 Reiksguard Knights
Knight Preceptor Sir Reinhard Edelstein, Squire of the Schadelknackerin
----
Right after that, though, Luise arrives under a parasol and whispers in your ear that a collection of individuals in colourful outfits are gathering outside before politely requesting permission to evict them from the premises. You instead go meet them yourself, and the moment you step out the door a griffon screams in your face.
Blinking twice, you frown and take a step back. Magister Lord Taran von Raukov steps forward them, gruffly pushing the bird monster aside before glaring it into submission. He nods to you, saying nothing as he steps to the side and lets Sir Darron step forward with eight letters, each tinted a slightly different colour.
In summary, though the Colleges have been fully committed to other matters - including but not limited to the Emperor's campaign in Wissenland - they have lent the services of several Magisters in the name of not letting Reikland get savaged by a sudden brayherd from the middle of nowhere. The Light College has sent an additional Magister and the Celestial College sends a Battle Wizard, but it is the Amber College who shows up in force; excepting the Magister Lord Taran, the Wild Father has dispatched a Battle Wizard and two Amber Magisters to back him up. The Gold College has, at least, sent a Journeyman who was in the area.
Only the Jade College is absent, and for apparently good reason; plague has broken out in Mordheim again, and the College has deployed in force to contain the plague before Ostenmark is consumed. Combined with their obligations to the Emperor, there are none left that could be spared.
You don't much care, though. You have Shallyans. More importantly, you have two Battle Wizards and a Wizard Lord.
If the arrival of the Reiksguard has not improved your mood, this many Wizards has. You actually feel good about your odds now.
[College Support]
[Bright: 65]
[Light: 72]
[Celestial: 82]
[Jade: 2]
[Amber: 93]
[Grey: 70]
[Amethyst: 69]
[Metal: 58]
The Colleges of Magic Answer!
1 Bright Magister
2 Light Magisters
1 Celestial Battle Wizard
1 Amber Battle Wizard, 2 Amber Magisters, Wizard Lord Taran von Raukov
1 Grey Magister
1 Amethyst Magister
1 Gold Journeyman
----
Your initiates and knights return by the end of the week with word that every village from Ussingen to Dunkelburg has been informed and is preparing for the worst. Each of them has a garrison ready, as well, as eager to fight for their homes as they are to support any army group that arrives at their homes. They will only have slings and pitchforks - some might have heirloom swords or spears or whatnot - but the numbers will be much appreciated.
[Village Support: 70]
Now, however, lies several questions about the future. The wizards are being regarded with suspicion by the state troops and the priests, as ever, but this many wizards is causing some real grievances. With the odds stacked against them, their morale is crucial - more saliently, having this many wizards can do a lot of damage. You can always have a single wizard accompany each detachment, with the remainder fighting independently as, on a lark, Battlegroup Wizard, or you could have them fully support the detachments. Or you could trust the priests to counter the Bray Shamans you are sure to find.
And then there is the matter of what you are going to do. Will you take the knights and hunt down the beastlord at the very heart of the matter? Or will you protect Rottfurt as is your duty, leaving another to claim the goat's head?
...Will you bring Beast Slayer? Will you risk it?
[] Ensure a bare minimum of magical support and throw the rest into Battlegroup Wizard.
[] All magisters are to support the army detachments
[] Faith is enough. Wizards are to form Battlegroup Wizard and do what they do best
[] Take charge of an army detachment and hunt down the Beastlord. You are the most eligible for the task, so you will do it
[] You have a responsibility to a fief and to your order. Focus on defending Rottfurt
[] Take the Runefang
[] Leave the Runefang
Final Tally:
9 Knights of the Iron Arm
27 Initiates of the Iron Arm
Sir Darron von Sternburg
Grand Master Johanna Holswig-Schliestein, die Schadelknackerin
2 Warrior-Priests of Sigmar
2 Warrior-Priests of Ulric
4 Warrior-Priests of Taal
80 Longshanks, Templars of Taal
20 Knights of the Everlasting Light, Templars of Verena
200 Spearmen
100 Swordsmen
100 Crossbowmen
General Deltef von Arnaustein
50 Imperial Foot (Greatswords)
20 Reiksguard Knights
Knight Preceptor Sir Reinhard Edelstein, Squire of the Schadelknackerin
1 Bright Magister
2 Light Magisters
1 Celestial Battle Wizard
1 Amber Battle Wizard, 2 Amber Magisters
1 Grey Magister
1 Amethyst Magister
1 Gold Journeyman
Amber Wizard Lord Taran von Raukov
Shallyan and Taalite support for all Army Groups! +5 to Forest Navigation, Reroll to Casualty Survival
