Blog: Big Small Worlds
Owner: Padre
Author: padremack
Post: To Rise Above the Machinations and Lies of Weaker Men
In the Spring of 2405, there is much to be discussed in Tilea. As well as debates in council halls, princely courts, army councils and even lowly alehouses and taverns, letters fly hither and thither across the realm, to and fro between princes, lords and generals. Most of these are private, their contents known only to those who penned or read them, but some few have been made public by their authors, as has long been the practise when a ruler wishes to advertise his intentions and opinions, either to explain or excuse his actions, or to garner support, or even to mislead others.
Although the letter that follows was not intended to be made public by the sender, because closely similar versions of it were widely distributed to a variety of rulers of the city states, including Remas, Portomaggiore, Alcente, Verezzo, Ridraffa (as well as others), its contents became known to many a ruler and captain. It was sent in the midst of the Winter months, before the battle fought on the edge of the realm of Remas in which an army of ratmen was obliterated and their second engine discovered to be false, and was as follows …
This letter is sent in earnest from Lord Silvano Gondi, regent of the ancient and noble realm of Pavona during the time of Duke Guidobaldo Gondi’s convalescence. It should not be lightly ignored or put aside for future consideration, for it concerns a clear and present danger threatening all the city states of Tilea.
Every noble ruler, governor, high council and captain in Tilea has no doubt heard of the great and terrible weapon employed by the uomini ratto in their attack upon the realm of Campogrotta, which did not only kill almost all who were on the field of battle, but has since poisoned the land for leagues around, and so tainted the waters of the River Tarano that flora and fauna suffer sickness and death along its banks almost unto the sea.
The vermin leaders are unlikely to be satisfied with their conquests of Ravola and Campogrotta, however. For many centuries they have been known for their greed and lust for power, their urge to swarm across the whole world and make themselves the foul masters of all. If they can fashion one such engine, then they can make more. If they have consumed two realms already, then they surely intend to feast on more. It seems probable, that they intend to benefit from the turmoil caused by the wars against the vampires and brutes, to strike while Tilea’s city states remain weakened by the years of conflict.
Only last month an uomo ratto spy was discovered in our city of Pavona. It was killed before it could attempt whatever assassination it had in mind, or pass on what intelligence it had gained. I warn all the rulers to be wary of such spies. Know that we are, all of us, being watched, and it does not bode well. The uomini ratto are natural spies, for they (like their smaller, animal cousins) favour the darkest and most squalid of places, the sewers, cellars and alleys of our cities, and can navigate beneath us without our knowing. From there they hear our words, and can creep forth to steal and murder. For over a year now we have known that several many companies of uomini ratto warriors, some of considerable size, have been scouting the Trantine hills & surrounding areas, and that they have once again found a way to travel beneath the ground, perhaps repairing and extending the underpasses of past ages.
Spies, assassins and scouts, combined with assaults, conquests and terror weapons, all together reveal that the vermin are no longer planning and preparing, but have commenced an open war. And so it is, that if any state within Tilea wishes to survive this new assault, a grand alliance must surely be agreed. Only a force to rival that with which Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore drove back the undead into the marshes, could possibly defeat and destroy the verminous hordes.
I bravely served in the war against the vampires and was gravely wounded in the battle to defend Remas and the whole of the south from the Boulderguts’ double army of ogres. I am now fully willing to serve again, and to command every soldier Pavona possesses in the battles which are to come. No state, alone, can hope to win against this new threat, so I now ask the city states of Remas, Verezzo, Portomaggiore, Ridraffa & Alcente, to send all they can to join with me. The grand alliance army so formed, governed by a council of war and the noblest of generals, should then act to defend any and all of those states who contributed a proportionate force to the army, immediately and as required, against the foe, to discover and destroy every verminous army sent against us.
The young prince, experienced in battle beyond his years, has apparently taken his new responsibilities to heart, now that he has effective command of Pavona while his father, Duke Guidobaldo, lies abed as a consequence of his grievous wounds. Having spent two years volunteering to join no less than four different forces engaged in the wars against wicked enemies, be they vampires, brute ogres or ratmen, he not only seems to have the will to fight on but considers himself able to lead the alliance army he hopes to forge.
And yet, at the start of Spring, a letter made public by Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore, shows that not every prince has confidence in the young general, nor, it seemed, even a shred of respect. The shadow cast by the dreadful deeds committed by Lord Silvano’s father stretches far and wide, and those directly slandered by the duke’s lies and deceptions find it hard to trust the son of such a lord.
From Lord Alessio Falcone to Lord Silvano Gondi
This to Lord Silvano, heir to, and regent of, Pavona
We thank you for your letter, received this last week. As you might imagine, the Sartosan pirates’ cowardly assaults upon our beloved Portomaggiore did greatly offend us, and threatened to reduce my soldiers’ spirits, despite returning victorious from the long war against the vampires, which we saw to completion, burning the entire city of Miragliano, so that every accursed corpse was reduced to ashes and the very ground cleansed of taint to a depth of several feet, in a fire so hot that the waters about the city boiled.
Yet in truth, your letter raised my captains’ spirits, for they considered your father’s insult, that of employing my personal standard in a duplicitous attempt to pin the blame for your own heinous crimes on Portomaggiore, so wrong, that they were happy to hear that you tremble in fear at the threat presented by the verminous hordes, so much, indeed, that you are forced to beg for aid from those you have most foully slandered. Several captains even maintained that they would rather have sided with the late duchess than with a Pavonan, such is the magnitude of their anger over your father’s monstrous deed.
Yet, I myself am both practical and honourable, able to rise above the machinations and lies of weaker men, and if not to forgive easily, then at least to find a way to prevent the further, unnecessary suffering of the common people. And so, rather than dismiss your proposal of an alliance against the uomini ratto, I am willing to enter into such, provided that either you or your father (presuming he is sufficiently recovered to do so) offer a formal and public apology for your father’s transgressions, as you gave to General Valckenburgh of the army of the VMC and even unto Barone Iacopo of Verezzo, to satisfy myself, my captains, my subjects and every other Tilean realm, that you acknowledge all the blame arising therefrom. And, furthermore, that you pay a full and suitable monetary recompense for the impugnment of both mine and my captains’ honour.
This offer is made, howsoever doubtful of an honest & reasonable reply, in light of Tilea’s future survival. Lord Alessio Falcone
It seems the mysterious elves dwelling in Tettoverde are also dispatching letters to several rulers, although their missives are not among those openly read in the squares and temples, nor published in print, only rumoured at and spoken of in curiosity. Not so the letter sent by a recent returnee to Tilea, the Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti, who by publicly revealing the words of his missives to both Portomaggiore and Alcente, is obviously keen that all in Tilea understand the reasons for his arrival in Luccini.
This to Lord Alessio Falcone, from your old friend Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti
From childhood I both honoured and respected you, noble lord, and in continuing the same, as well as knowing the fondness you bear for my cousin, King Ferronso III, I wish to inform you of my motives and aims concerning my arrival at Luccini. I want only to assist my cousin and his realm in any way I can, to ensure that Luccini prospers, and will no longer be a burden on realms such as your own Portomaggiore, but instead become a benefit to the whole of Tilea: able to defend itself, assist its neighbours, and contribute to the commonweal of the entire peninsula. Furthermore, although I am most keen to help in any and every way I can, I was earnestly invited here by Duke Ercole Perrotto, in his capacity as regent while his nephew the king is incapacitated as a consequence of his tortures at the hands of certain Sartosan captains.
Duke Ercole desires that I employ my military experience as well as mine own forces both Solsonan and mercenary, to guard Luccini from further incursions and not only regain control of those settlements critically injured in recent months, but to ensure that they are nursed back to full health. Whether it be Sartosan corsairs or the vile uomini ratto, any who threaten this realm in future will surely soon regret their actions, and indeed suffer considerably as a consequence.
I pray that Morr & all the lawful gods guide & protect you, & reward you bountifully for your great service against the vampires.
…
This to the honourable General Valckenburgh, from Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti, cousin & servant to King Ferronso of Luccini.
So that you may not be deceived by false rumours and suppositions to believe untruths concerning my purpose in Tilea, I want you to know that my goal is only to aid my royal cousin in the heavy burden of nursing his realm to full recovery after the punishments inflicted upon it by the Sartosan scum who similarly ravaged your own realm of Alcente. In so doing, Luccini can be made both defensible & strong, as well as healthy & prosperous. The threat of Khurnag’s horde is no more, thanks to the victories of your own army, and the Sartosans have, for now, quit our shores, however, Luccini cannot be allowed to lie wounded and weak for any length of time at all. It ought never be a burden on its neighbours, but rather be a strong friend & ally against evil.
What else was added to these missives, for the recipients’ eyes only, can only be guessed it, if indeed there were any such additions.
Lord Silvano Gondi, before receiving the letter from Lord Alessio Falcone (above) has redoubled his efforts to bring to fruition his grand alliance army, and as well as letters sent elsewhere, including some continued exchanges with Pavona’s erstwhile enemy Verezzo, did pen a further, public missive to the three greatest rulers in the west and the south, which is as follows …
This to the noble rulers of the three greatest city states in the south and the west of Tilea, His Holiness Bernado Ugolini of Remas, Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore and General Valckenburgh of the Army of the VMC, from Lord Silvano Gondi, ad interim regent to the ancient realm of Pavona.
None in Tilea can fail to know the threat presented by the uomini ratto, resurgent as they are in the wake of several destructive tides, as if having smelled the blood of Tilea’s wounds they now seek to strike while the city states are reeling from the blows they have received.
It is not in my nature to seek refuge in such a time, to lie abed in my chamber, or shelter behind the city walls, nor only to pray that the gods might inspire other commanders to take up the sword of battle. It is widely known how I have fought in many a battle, despite my relative youth, against the foulest of foes, in the defence of mine own and several other realms, even unto being grievously injured in the defence of the holy city of Remas. Despite such trials, immediately upon recovery I rode off in earnest in command of a Pavonan force to assist in the defence Campogrotta against the ratmen, only to be forced to return by the news of the assassination attempt which so wounded my father.
I have never yet broken a vow to fight any enemy and intend not to do so now, thus I shall return to the fight against the verminous hordes. The Remans under his Holiness Bernado faced the ratmen in battle only a month ago, and General Lord Alessio led an alliance force far to the north to victory, fighting against the foulest of foes in battle after battle. It is too much to ask either of these great leaders to shoulder the burden yet again, especially after all the suffering of their own realms, and so I offer myself as captain-general of a new grand alliance force to push northwards and secure the realm against any and all verminous resurgences, to nip their growth in the bud before they can muster sufficient strength to threaten the heartlands of Tilea, and to ensure that the defeat of their army by the Remans is truly the beginning of the end of their incursions.
Thus it is, that I beg of you, in service of the people of Tilea and all the lawful gods, to send what force you can to gather at Trantio, a city I know well, having once ruled as protector, being perfectly situated to act as a bastion from which either to launch the assault or break an attacking foe.
And as a sign that this is a new age for Pavona, under the guiding hand of an enlightened prince, as proof of Pavona’s transformation and rebirth, I have decreed that dwarves will once more be welcome in our city: to dwell, to trade, to prosper, as full and respected citizens. This is done also in thanks to the dwarven king Jaldeog, who cleansed the northeast of the brute ogres, using both his own warriors as well as mercenary armies, seeking not conquests, but only to bring peace and prosperity for the city states there and elsewhere.
I pray that Myrmidia might guide us in battle, that Mercopio might help feed and arm our armies and that holy Morr might ensure a heavenly welcome for those who die bravely in this great cause. And I pray to all the lawful gods that once the uomini ratto are driven from every corner of this great peninsula, then at last, well deservedly, Tilea might commence a glorious era of peace and prosperity.
Will the young lord command his grand army? And how strange should it be that the one general absent could be Lord Alessio Falcone, who has achieved so much for Tilea, and at such a cost to his own realm? Can the other rulers of Tilea put themselves under the command of one so young, who bears a name so tarnished by his own father?
Continue reading on the Big Small Worlds blog
Owner: Padre
Author: padremack
Post: To Rise Above the Machinations and Lies of Weaker Men
In the Spring of 2405, there is much to be discussed in Tilea. As well as debates in council halls, princely courts, army councils and even lowly alehouses and taverns, letters fly hither and thither across the realm, to and fro between princes, lords and generals. Most of these are private, their contents known only to those who penned or read them, but some few have been made public by their authors, as has long been the practise when a ruler wishes to advertise his intentions and opinions, either to explain or excuse his actions, or to garner support, or even to mislead others.
Although the letter that follows was not intended to be made public by the sender, because closely similar versions of it were widely distributed to a variety of rulers of the city states, including Remas, Portomaggiore, Alcente, Verezzo, Ridraffa (as well as others), its contents became known to many a ruler and captain. It was sent in the midst of the Winter months, before the battle fought on the edge of the realm of Remas in which an army of ratmen was obliterated and their second engine discovered to be false, and was as follows …
This letter is sent in earnest from Lord Silvano Gondi, regent of the ancient and noble realm of Pavona during the time of Duke Guidobaldo Gondi’s convalescence. It should not be lightly ignored or put aside for future consideration, for it concerns a clear and present danger threatening all the city states of Tilea.
Every noble ruler, governor, high council and captain in Tilea has no doubt heard of the great and terrible weapon employed by the uomini ratto in their attack upon the realm of Campogrotta, which did not only kill almost all who were on the field of battle, but has since poisoned the land for leagues around, and so tainted the waters of the River Tarano that flora and fauna suffer sickness and death along its banks almost unto the sea.
The vermin leaders are unlikely to be satisfied with their conquests of Ravola and Campogrotta, however. For many centuries they have been known for their greed and lust for power, their urge to swarm across the whole world and make themselves the foul masters of all. If they can fashion one such engine, then they can make more. If they have consumed two realms already, then they surely intend to feast on more. It seems probable, that they intend to benefit from the turmoil caused by the wars against the vampires and brutes, to strike while Tilea’s city states remain weakened by the years of conflict.
Only last month an uomo ratto spy was discovered in our city of Pavona. It was killed before it could attempt whatever assassination it had in mind, or pass on what intelligence it had gained. I warn all the rulers to be wary of such spies. Know that we are, all of us, being watched, and it does not bode well. The uomini ratto are natural spies, for they (like their smaller, animal cousins) favour the darkest and most squalid of places, the sewers, cellars and alleys of our cities, and can navigate beneath us without our knowing. From there they hear our words, and can creep forth to steal and murder. For over a year now we have known that several many companies of uomini ratto warriors, some of considerable size, have been scouting the Trantine hills & surrounding areas, and that they have once again found a way to travel beneath the ground, perhaps repairing and extending the underpasses of past ages.
Spies, assassins and scouts, combined with assaults, conquests and terror weapons, all together reveal that the vermin are no longer planning and preparing, but have commenced an open war. And so it is, that if any state within Tilea wishes to survive this new assault, a grand alliance must surely be agreed. Only a force to rival that with which Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore drove back the undead into the marshes, could possibly defeat and destroy the verminous hordes.
I bravely served in the war against the vampires and was gravely wounded in the battle to defend Remas and the whole of the south from the Boulderguts’ double army of ogres. I am now fully willing to serve again, and to command every soldier Pavona possesses in the battles which are to come. No state, alone, can hope to win against this new threat, so I now ask the city states of Remas, Verezzo, Portomaggiore, Ridraffa & Alcente, to send all they can to join with me. The grand alliance army so formed, governed by a council of war and the noblest of generals, should then act to defend any and all of those states who contributed a proportionate force to the army, immediately and as required, against the foe, to discover and destroy every verminous army sent against us.
The young prince, experienced in battle beyond his years, has apparently taken his new responsibilities to heart, now that he has effective command of Pavona while his father, Duke Guidobaldo, lies abed as a consequence of his grievous wounds. Having spent two years volunteering to join no less than four different forces engaged in the wars against wicked enemies, be they vampires, brute ogres or ratmen, he not only seems to have the will to fight on but considers himself able to lead the alliance army he hopes to forge.
And yet, at the start of Spring, a letter made public by Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore, shows that not every prince has confidence in the young general, nor, it seemed, even a shred of respect. The shadow cast by the dreadful deeds committed by Lord Silvano’s father stretches far and wide, and those directly slandered by the duke’s lies and deceptions find it hard to trust the son of such a lord.
From Lord Alessio Falcone to Lord Silvano Gondi
This to Lord Silvano, heir to, and regent of, Pavona
We thank you for your letter, received this last week. As you might imagine, the Sartosan pirates’ cowardly assaults upon our beloved Portomaggiore did greatly offend us, and threatened to reduce my soldiers’ spirits, despite returning victorious from the long war against the vampires, which we saw to completion, burning the entire city of Miragliano, so that every accursed corpse was reduced to ashes and the very ground cleansed of taint to a depth of several feet, in a fire so hot that the waters about the city boiled.
Yet in truth, your letter raised my captains’ spirits, for they considered your father’s insult, that of employing my personal standard in a duplicitous attempt to pin the blame for your own heinous crimes on Portomaggiore, so wrong, that they were happy to hear that you tremble in fear at the threat presented by the verminous hordes, so much, indeed, that you are forced to beg for aid from those you have most foully slandered. Several captains even maintained that they would rather have sided with the late duchess than with a Pavonan, such is the magnitude of their anger over your father’s monstrous deed.
Yet, I myself am both practical and honourable, able to rise above the machinations and lies of weaker men, and if not to forgive easily, then at least to find a way to prevent the further, unnecessary suffering of the common people. And so, rather than dismiss your proposal of an alliance against the uomini ratto, I am willing to enter into such, provided that either you or your father (presuming he is sufficiently recovered to do so) offer a formal and public apology for your father’s transgressions, as you gave to General Valckenburgh of the army of the VMC and even unto Barone Iacopo of Verezzo, to satisfy myself, my captains, my subjects and every other Tilean realm, that you acknowledge all the blame arising therefrom. And, furthermore, that you pay a full and suitable monetary recompense for the impugnment of both mine and my captains’ honour.
This offer is made, howsoever doubtful of an honest & reasonable reply, in light of Tilea’s future survival. Lord Alessio Falcone
It seems the mysterious elves dwelling in Tettoverde are also dispatching letters to several rulers, although their missives are not among those openly read in the squares and temples, nor published in print, only rumoured at and spoken of in curiosity. Not so the letter sent by a recent returnee to Tilea, the Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti, who by publicly revealing the words of his missives to both Portomaggiore and Alcente, is obviously keen that all in Tilea understand the reasons for his arrival in Luccini.
This to Lord Alessio Falcone, from your old friend Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti
From childhood I both honoured and respected you, noble lord, and in continuing the same, as well as knowing the fondness you bear for my cousin, King Ferronso III, I wish to inform you of my motives and aims concerning my arrival at Luccini. I want only to assist my cousin and his realm in any way I can, to ensure that Luccini prospers, and will no longer be a burden on realms such as your own Portomaggiore, but instead become a benefit to the whole of Tilea: able to defend itself, assist its neighbours, and contribute to the commonweal of the entire peninsula. Furthermore, although I am most keen to help in any and every way I can, I was earnestly invited here by Duke Ercole Perrotto, in his capacity as regent while his nephew the king is incapacitated as a consequence of his tortures at the hands of certain Sartosan captains.
Duke Ercole desires that I employ my military experience as well as mine own forces both Solsonan and mercenary, to guard Luccini from further incursions and not only regain control of those settlements critically injured in recent months, but to ensure that they are nursed back to full health. Whether it be Sartosan corsairs or the vile uomini ratto, any who threaten this realm in future will surely soon regret their actions, and indeed suffer considerably as a consequence.
I pray that Morr & all the lawful gods guide & protect you, & reward you bountifully for your great service against the vampires.
…
This to the honourable General Valckenburgh, from Vizconde Gismondo Giacometti, cousin & servant to King Ferronso of Luccini.
So that you may not be deceived by false rumours and suppositions to believe untruths concerning my purpose in Tilea, I want you to know that my goal is only to aid my royal cousin in the heavy burden of nursing his realm to full recovery after the punishments inflicted upon it by the Sartosan scum who similarly ravaged your own realm of Alcente. In so doing, Luccini can be made both defensible & strong, as well as healthy & prosperous. The threat of Khurnag’s horde is no more, thanks to the victories of your own army, and the Sartosans have, for now, quit our shores, however, Luccini cannot be allowed to lie wounded and weak for any length of time at all. It ought never be a burden on its neighbours, but rather be a strong friend & ally against evil.
What else was added to these missives, for the recipients’ eyes only, can only be guessed it, if indeed there were any such additions.
Lord Silvano Gondi, before receiving the letter from Lord Alessio Falcone (above) has redoubled his efforts to bring to fruition his grand alliance army, and as well as letters sent elsewhere, including some continued exchanges with Pavona’s erstwhile enemy Verezzo, did pen a further, public missive to the three greatest rulers in the west and the south, which is as follows …
This to the noble rulers of the three greatest city states in the south and the west of Tilea, His Holiness Bernado Ugolini of Remas, Lord Alessio of Portomaggiore and General Valckenburgh of the Army of the VMC, from Lord Silvano Gondi, ad interim regent to the ancient realm of Pavona.
None in Tilea can fail to know the threat presented by the uomini ratto, resurgent as they are in the wake of several destructive tides, as if having smelled the blood of Tilea’s wounds they now seek to strike while the city states are reeling from the blows they have received.
It is not in my nature to seek refuge in such a time, to lie abed in my chamber, or shelter behind the city walls, nor only to pray that the gods might inspire other commanders to take up the sword of battle. It is widely known how I have fought in many a battle, despite my relative youth, against the foulest of foes, in the defence of mine own and several other realms, even unto being grievously injured in the defence of the holy city of Remas. Despite such trials, immediately upon recovery I rode off in earnest in command of a Pavonan force to assist in the defence Campogrotta against the ratmen, only to be forced to return by the news of the assassination attempt which so wounded my father.
I have never yet broken a vow to fight any enemy and intend not to do so now, thus I shall return to the fight against the verminous hordes. The Remans under his Holiness Bernado faced the ratmen in battle only a month ago, and General Lord Alessio led an alliance force far to the north to victory, fighting against the foulest of foes in battle after battle. It is too much to ask either of these great leaders to shoulder the burden yet again, especially after all the suffering of their own realms, and so I offer myself as captain-general of a new grand alliance force to push northwards and secure the realm against any and all verminous resurgences, to nip their growth in the bud before they can muster sufficient strength to threaten the heartlands of Tilea, and to ensure that the defeat of their army by the Remans is truly the beginning of the end of their incursions.
Thus it is, that I beg of you, in service of the people of Tilea and all the lawful gods, to send what force you can to gather at Trantio, a city I know well, having once ruled as protector, being perfectly situated to act as a bastion from which either to launch the assault or break an attacking foe.
And as a sign that this is a new age for Pavona, under the guiding hand of an enlightened prince, as proof of Pavona’s transformation and rebirth, I have decreed that dwarves will once more be welcome in our city: to dwell, to trade, to prosper, as full and respected citizens. This is done also in thanks to the dwarven king Jaldeog, who cleansed the northeast of the brute ogres, using both his own warriors as well as mercenary armies, seeking not conquests, but only to bring peace and prosperity for the city states there and elsewhere.
I pray that Myrmidia might guide us in battle, that Mercopio might help feed and arm our armies and that holy Morr might ensure a heavenly welcome for those who die bravely in this great cause. And I pray to all the lawful gods that once the uomini ratto are driven from every corner of this great peninsula, then at last, well deservedly, Tilea might commence a glorious era of peace and prosperity.
Will the young lord command his grand army? And how strange should it be that the one general absent could be Lord Alessio Falcone, who has achieved so much for Tilea, and at such a cost to his own realm? Can the other rulers of Tilea put themselves under the command of one so young, who bears a name so tarnished by his own father?
Continue reading on the Big Small Worlds blog
