Siege of Dwarven Town of Shone

 

Shone Siege Accounts

Journal of Lady Toga wife of the Captain of the Watch (Kharsh in Runes)

I write this to help pass the time, imprisoned as I am, captured by Queen Indrana’s army. Goodness knows what state my home, the Town Hall will have been left in by Indrana’s goblins?

These were eventful times. We heard that the ancient King Grocus was dead. A dwarf, he had ruled for far longer than any man’s life so it was a great shock. Not that we expected it to affect Shone much. It has prospered as the market place for the produce of the mines and the food from the countryside. Mainly the dwarves do the mining and the humans the food growing and my husband Sir Rouge Sonne helped keep the peace between them. Then we heard that Queen Gimawl had claimed the throne but Queen Draffa who was here and was a dwarf princess, declared that she had more right. She was backed by our dwarf Count Rankyn and they went into Varadh to seek the support of Draffa’s father King Druffin. However the dwarves are reluctant to give females any power, so Draffa had to marry Count Rankyn. Only then would King Druffin claim Willen County as part of his Kingdom, as it had been long ago. It was long, long ago that Shone had ever been threatened by warfare and the walls had to be repaired in a hurry. Count Rankyn called up the Dwarf Militia and set the Justicar Gild’s half dwarves to watch the borders. The humans who worked in the citadel were sent out, except for three maids whom they taught to shoot crossbows. The dwarves who lived in the town were taken into the citadel. Every fit man and woman was set a place in the defences and trained to throw down hand stones from the battlements. The mothers and children were all to stay in their houses.

We heard that Queen Gimawl was to be crowned in Regalis on midsummer’s day, 14th of the Sixth Moon but of course no-one from Willen was allowed to attend. We had heard that the Queens Parsifa and Indrana were also refusing to accept Gimawl. We hoped that she would not dare to attack us whilst so many others were hostile to her. Next we heard that because of the presence of the Tarkgh delegations, the citizens of Regalis had risen up on coronation day. They were aided by an army under Queen Indrana the Amazon. Gimawl was deposed and allowed to take her supporters away to a ruined college in Aschponte. However Queen Parsifa raised an army and fought Indrana’s at Atilo just outside our border. Parsifa lost and fled away to the north. Next we heard from Justicar Gild that Indrana’s army was being ferried over the Rillo which could only mean that she intended to attack us here!

So the dwarf shopkeepers retired into the citadel and everybody was put on the alert. Count Rankyn ordered that all the watch bowmen be put in the Hex Tower and adjoining wall, so as to help protect the Citadel. He thought that the enemy would concentrate their attack on it. He ordered Justicar Gild’s unit as a reserve with sortie ladders, so that they might attack the enemy in the flank if the chance arose. My husband naturally was given command of the Hex Tower with Sir Alfred and the Mayor in charge of the West Gate and adjoining wall. I was drafted in as a nurse and with the maids manning other walls we left the Town Hall empty.

Indrana’s army arrived on the afternoon of Workday 2nd of the Seventh Moon and camped for the night. There were a lot of them but they made no attempt to invest us. Sir Rouge said he was sure we could not be starved out as the enemy would go hungry first. Furthermore of course, King Druffin would send an army to relieve us.

We stood to before dawn on the third and sure enough there were the enemy massed ready to attack us. There was one large battle threatening the south wall of the citadel but I do not think they moved whilst I was on the tower top! Their left wing was composed of mainly orange coated troops but opposing us was the bulk of their army. They advanced on us at a regular march and there were some springalds mounted on carts amongst them. Our bowmen and engineers loosed at them as best they could but too few were falling. Then a host of small arrows started arriving. So many that our people had better have stayed in shelter! Gonar and Shurd both fell wounded and I dressed their wounds. Then ladders were put up and apart from my husband we had no hand to hand fighters with us! They were still in reserve in the town behind us! I fled down the hatch with Sergeant Prese but my stubborn husband stayed to fight the foe. It was Hagoth’s providence that he was only brought in sore wounded with a sword thrust in his lungs. But he had lost a lot of blood! Fighting three at a time his shield had been smashed but he had held his own a goodly while! He said! Then the goblins came into the tower and we surrendered.

= = =

Soon we were joined by Sir Albert and some of his men and even a couple of Justicar Gild’s Duergar! Things were not going well for us!

= = =

An Account of the siege of Shone by Lady Kona {in Kazid using Runes}

I had been used to keeping the Dvaunana accounts for Count Rankyn under lady Judiah, the Count’s half dwarf Gherrin. This continued after the marriage of the Count to Her Royal Highness Queen Draffa. When the attack on Shone was imminent Her Royal Highness instructed me to write up an account of the action as it happened. She said that too much history was written by males and we owed it to future Dvauhood to start to redress the balance.

The enemy arrived on the 2nd of the Seventh Moon and attacked at dawn on the 3rd. I was with the Queen in the Dvaunana Tower. Facing us on the south side was a large force around five score strong. But whilst other larger forces attacked from the west these remained immobile. We did loose some missiles at them, but to little effect. Count Rankyn had expected the enemy to concentrate only on taking our citadel but it seemed she was intent on attacking the town and the Hex Tower in particular first. He had posted Justicar Gilds unit as a reserve there but they remained inactive whilst the foes took the tower and two adjoining walls. From our tower we could see Sir Rouge Commander of the Town Watch fighting alone until he was cut down!

= = =

The enemy then concentrated on clearing the west facing walls with the West Gate. It was not possible for me to see but I assume those pouring over the walls defeated and routed Justicar Gild’s Duergar as we saw some of them fleeing towards the temple of Bikon. Meanwhile the troops opposite the Citadel’s west wall had advanced and overwhelmed our bow dwarves there with showers of arrows. Count Rankyn sent up some of his reserve to replace the archers. The enemy erected ladders, one of which was destroyed by Sergeant Tailer the Town Taylor’s Flame blaster. A big laugh went up from the Corner Tower. It seems that the enemy had thought the door propped up against the foot of the Tall tower as a practise target could get them inside. So they brought up a ram to force it. Already rotten, of course it crumbled into pieces at the first blow and they found solid masonry behind it!

= = =

However whenever our defenders showed themselves to fire at the hordes coming against the west wall such torrents of arrows came up that they were slain. On that wall our defenders bravely slew many who came up the ladders but then disastrously some found the short wall unmanned and flooded in. Count Rankyn sent warriors to stop them but they were driven back down the steps in disarray. Despite his own puissant efforts to stem the route his warriors cried for quarter and he perforce had to surrender with them. Meanwhile the enemy division that had stayed immobile to the south now advanced and began exchanging missiles. Those manning the wall realised that with the enemy pouring over the west wall they could be fired on from behind! So they retired into the Dvaunana. Her Royal Highness, now realising that her husband was captured and that we had little chance of holding the towers left to us. {The Tall tower had gone silent.} There were just too many of the enemy swarming around. She shouted that she would surrender under terms! All the fighting stopped and there was a long delay whilst Queen Indrana was brought from without the walls up a ladder on the west wall to come down into the courtyard.

We are prepared to spare all except Queen Draffa!” she declared.

In that case we shall fight unto death!” answered Her Royal Highness and we all shouted ‘Yes!”

Indrana’s courtiers whispered to her so she asked “Well, what terms do you seek?”

For all of we dwarves that are left to march out bearing our arms to retire to Varadh? If you kill me my father King Druffin will be duty bound to seek revenge upon you and yours! I doubt not that our Willen miners will give him all the support they can! ”

We have penetrated your walls at considerable cost and under the rules of war your lives are at our discretion. However I have been persuaded to save your life an you agree to promise not to bear arms against me?

We shall swear such an oath an you allow us to take such of my following as wishes to stay with us?”

Such a following might be overlarge a reduction in the number of our prisoners. We will permit you your normal Queen’s escort of four, provided you surrender your orb of authority! That is my final offer!”

Her Royal Highness looked around at us, not liking this but not wishing for us to suffer more losses. We knew that the Durgid Amazons were known for their cruelty to captives! “We agree to those terms! Let us succour the wounded please?”

So she assembled her Palace escort of Wizard Gangrel, abigail Mona, and her bodyguards Grizl and Gurn. We gave them some food supplies and the enemy allowed them to go out of the Town’s West Gate, round the Citadel, over the bridge and on their way to Varadh. It being twenty-two myles away’ they would reach it by dusk. Meanwhile our flag was taken down and replaced with one of the Volcano of Hagoth! Now who knows what our fate is to be or indeed that of Count Rankyn?

= = =

= = =

Lady Mira’s record of Queen Indrana’s rule continued

The army took two days advancing towards Shone. Queen Indrana wished to view the fortress the afternoon before the attack, so as to decide the order of our deployment. So we were formed up and ready to attack at dawn on Woeday the 3rd of the Seventh Moon. It was a dull cloudy day with a moderate breeze from the west. The Fortress looked rather large to me but my husband assured me that they would be short of people to man all the positions.

= = =

Now all in Willen we slowly advanced towards shone collecting supplies as we went. When we passed near unto a forest Jarl Odd had his men make four additional ladders, thinking those we had were insufficient. We were watched by some large half dwarves and Prince Ah Mong suggested his fleet footed men might be set to destroy them. But Her Royal Highness thought they might be led into a trap.

We arrive before Shone on the afternoon of Workday the 2nd of the Seventh Moon. We reconnoitred the defences and her majesty decided the disposition of our forces. Prince Ah Mong suggested we attempt a night

Attack but my husband objected “The enemy knows we are here and the timing of separate attacks in the dark usually go wrong!” So Her Majesty decreed that we would attack at dawn. The army was divided into three great divisions. To right to the south of the citadel was one including Gin Hedz Groz Aughed, Duke Franz’ Thentians, Countess Redsun’s Wisentor Militia and Odd Gaffmaker’s Norsemen totalling eighty-three. These were all under the command of Duke Franz Neuman as we hoped to foment hostility between Thentis and Varadh. Her Royal Highnesses main division included her menie, Marshal Wazir Publush’s Trolls, the Grunez Porcian Goblins, Migrab’s Gashad Bolgburz Aughed, Essik’s Gashad Angmar Aughed, Gonar’s Hunting Unit and Mask’s Tempanian Axemen totalling One Hundred and Seventy-nine. The left wing division comprised the two Khmer Orange units with Count Sharda’s Sigis militia, totalling seventy-nine. It was under the command of Count Sharda.

The Queen’s plan was to take the town first so the Duke’s division was to stand immobile but pinning some of the citadel defenders away from the real threat. The centre and left wing moved forward taking some rather ineffective missile fire. When our massed archers got close enough their fire virtually silenced all those of the enemy. When our warriors ascended the ladders there was only a single knight on the Hex Tower to oppose them. He fell wounded and those in the Tower below surrendered.

= = =

Count Sharda’s men supported by the trolls captured the closest part of the west wall and the West Gate. Behind they defeated a large unit of Half-dwarves some of whom fled away to the Temple of Bikon. More prisoners were shepherded into the Hexagonal Tower. The West Gate was opened so that the Khmer Orange units could pour in and some women on the north portion of the West fled. Our one and only ram was used to shatter a door at the base of the Tall Tower only to find that there were solid ashlars behind it! Her Royal Highness wondered if we might find something in the town to make a heavier ram, in order to smash the Citadel Gate.

Meanwhile, having silenced the archers on top, the Aughed set up three ladders against the west wall of the citadel. One was immediately engulfed in flames from some un-natural dwarvish device!

= = =

Undaunted the Aughed with the Tempanian Axemen put up more and began trying to fight their way through the crenulations. The dwarves defended well but had neglected to man the short wall between the Tall Tower and the Citadel Gate. Count Sharda’s men approaching from inside the town ascended two ladders and could engage the defenders on even terms. More than even terms, as the dwarves recoiled in dismay.

Meanwhile in the town the Khmer Orange backed by the Trolls advanced to assail the NW Tower. Some of the townspeople now fled leaving the North Gate open. Fire from the Khmer Orange and the Sigis slingers induced Sir Kah of the NW Tower to surrender it. In the Town only the NE Tower remained holding for Queen Draffa.

Then came the call for a truce! Count Rankyn and his men in the Citadel courtyard had surrendered and Queen Draffa had proposed to surrender under terms. Her Royal Highness and escort went over the Citadel’s west wall and it was not easy heaving her orb of authority and its stand over a high wall! Hard bargaining followed. Queen Indrana wanted Queen Draffa dead but we persuaded her that clemency was a more sensible option. By taking the fortress, it made it doubtful if King Druffin would try to maintain his claim on Willen but killing his daughter would create a need for a revenge of honour! So she allowed Draffa with her normal Palace escort to walk off on the long road to her father’s Kingdom of Varadh. We all sought out and patched up the wounded. In the searching of the towers an Illicit printing press was found in the cellars of the Dvaunana. It had been used to print playing cards, banned in Varadh where gambling is forbidden but very marketable in the Tarkgh lands. Of course it could be used for printing other things like proclamations!

Your Royal Highness, where do we go next?” asked Sorceress Devilla.

Well we have not heard from the Counts of Palim or Yrshidim. We think that an we call on them with our thrice victorious army, they might choose their future wisely! Shid is closest so we call on Count Makentar first. Call for Princess Beh Monga, her unit shall carry Draffa’s orb back to Regalis to show our glory to the citizens!”

So I asked what was to be done with all the prisoners and who would rule Willen whilst we were away? And she said she would ponder on that but first she needed the tally of the casualties!

These were Dead Jingler Too, 5 Tempanian Axemen, 4 Angmar sword Aughed, 3 Sigi Hunting archers, 2 Bolgburz Aughed archers, 2 Khmer Orange archers, 2 Khmer Orange spearwomen, 1 Sigis County slinger, 1 Groz Aughed Warrior and 1 troll totalling 22.

Wounded were 4 Sigis spearmen, 3 Bolgburz Aughed archers, 3 Groz Aughed Warriors, 2 Porcian Goblins and 1 Khmer Orange spearmen totalling 13.

35 in all!

Of the enemy of Dead were found, Master Skroll, Sir Stak, Sergeant Lown,10 dwarf guards, 9 other dwarf soldiers, 5 militia billmen, 6 militia bowmen, 4 engineers and 2 women. The latter had been killed jumping off the North Wall trying to escape. Total 39

Wounded were The Mayor Kane, Sergeant Grosser the Grocer, Sergeant Horni, 4 spear Duergar, 2 dwarf archers, 1 dwarf crossbowman, 1 Militia bowman and 1 militia billman totalling 12 that is 51 in all!

Taken prisoner were of course the wounded plus, for the dwarves Count Rankyn, Head Engineer Fether, Priest Obern, Sir Hakit, Sir Smak, Lady Kona, Sergeant Bucher, Sergeant Tailler, Sergeant Kuch, Cook Kuk, Abigail Hoody, plus 35 soldier dwarves plus two dwarf maids. = 48

Duergar Justicar Gild, Fanier Rendo, Sergeant Supa, Lady Judiah and 14 soldiers = 18

Humans Combatants Captain Sir Rouge, Sir Alfred, Sir Lozenge, Sir Kah, Priest Graft, Lady Toga, Sergeant Perse, Brewess Raine, 8 soldiers and 5 women combatants = 21

Bouches Inutiles including the women & children in the town = 25

Grand total 124 captured. Around a score of fugitives, mostly women managed to flee to Cogwile.

 

History of Belmain

Origins of the Civil War                          

1. River battle at Bilia

2. Regalis Coronation

3. Battle of Antilo

4. Assault on Sigis Hold

5. Siege of the Dwarven town of Shone

6. Assault on the rebel Counts at Shid

7. Battle of Onin Bridge

8. Battle of Folga

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