Knightly_Maps |
Posted on 04/25/08 @ 06:14 AM (updated 04/27/08)
File Details |
Map Size: |
200x200 (Small) |
Difficulty: |
Hard |
Minimap:
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Upon a tomb in linkunshere,
there is a writ of olde,
"A time of famine and despair,
a winter with worse than cold.
"With bow, and sworde and iron fist,
a war was waged in winter's mist.
"It carried on for 19 years,
a war of death, full of fears.
"Here lies a lass, who died of tears,
for the man she will now always be near.
"If only the lords had their word kept,
then Christ and His Saints
would ne'er have slept."
-The Anarchist.
The Anarchy - The Tale of the Nineteen Year Winter
"To till the ground was to plough the sea: the earth bare no corn for the land was all laid waste by such deeds; and they said openly that Christ and his saints slept. Such things, and more than we can say, suffered we nineteen winters for our sins." -The Anglo Saxon Chronicle
"Anarchy: Noun - political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control"
The Anarchy - By Knightly_Maps
00 - Trial And Tribulation
England, beset by Civil war, is in total Anarchy. A period of turbulence, lasting for almost 2 decades, ending the reign of the Norman Kings.
The History
"Following the death of William Adelin, the only legitimate son to the King of England through the sinking of the White Ship, the King, Henry 'The Lion of Justice', stipulated that his daughter, Empress Matilda, Widow of Emperor Heinrich V of the Holy Roman Empire, was to succeed him as monarch of England and it's continental holdings of the Duchy Normandy. This decision was not taken lightly by many barons, but the king forced them to swear allegiance to her, and announce her Queen of England upon his death.
Due to her gender and the fact that she was the wife of Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, there was a certain misgiving to her as heir. The Angevins, rumoured as the Devil's spawn themselves, were at constant ends with the Normans, and the nobility of England felt this tension. When King Henry died on December 1st, 1135, Stephen of Blois, Count Mortain and nephew of the late monarch, rushed to be crowned before Matilda was able to reach England from inland France. Proclaiming that the late Henry had declared that he was to be future king, and entering London with great haste, he was elected as king by the townspeople, preferring a male Norman, rather than a woman, the wife of the devil's advocate on Earth.
With the crowning of Stephen on December 22nd, 1135, David, King of Scotland decided to make war. On the pretext of assisting his niece, Matilda in her attempt for the throne. In a single month, he claimed much land in Northern England; in Cumbria and Northumberland, such as the castles of Carlisle and Newcastle. On February 5th, the Treaty of Durham was signed between the two lords, David keeping Carlisle, with his son Henry gaining land.
With the winter of '36 / '37 over, David again invaded, silenced quickly with another treaty until November. Tension is strife throughout this land..."
The Story
23rd April 1137 - off the coast of Northern England
The oars break the shimmering water, shattering the sunlight splayed upon it in all directions. The exhalation of air, in unison, broke the silence, second only to the creaking of the wooden bow.
At the helm Edward awaited impatiently. Wind in favour, he was making good progress, and his cog, propelled by nature's gift and by the strength and endurance of man, was making it's way steadily north. 'twould not be enough; he knew not what was happening.
Edward had little idea of what was awaiting him.
Sir William, faithful servant of Empress Matilda, had been tasked with raising support from the northern English people, but with limited success. The peasantry, lives disturbed by the Scottish invasions to the north, and the English armies marching from the south, were keen to accept the leadership of the benevolent Stephen.
Unfortunately, just as William was preparing to return to Robert in Gloucestershire, Sir Everard, keen for the favour of the king, marched and nigh on captured William and his small band. Fleeing to the shoreline, William, trapped like a fox, quickly erected a palisade. Through cover of night, runners were sent to the north, to any Scottish patrols; and to the south, to the nearest land in favour of Matilda.
Sir Edward, a knight banneret in the service of Earl Robert, had been in York with his band of soldiers, and had heard about William by chance; a fleeting recognition of the runner from the court of Robert.
Now, sailing on a hired cog, you were aiming to rescue William and any survivors, and take to the boat.
As mid-morning came to an end, and the sun was nigh on it's zenith, you made dock at a small beach, close to the location of William's outpost.
The place you landed was very treacherous, the rocky slope could kill any man. An ancient goat path, weathered by use for hundreds of years was hardly discernable, was the suggested method of travel. Edward swore; in sight was another beach, closer to William. He mounted his horse.
Across the stream, Edward could just espy Williams fort: Already under siege...
The Boring, Albeit Slightly Important Bits.
This is the first submission by Knightly_Maps, and is an adaption of GrumpyGills' Civil War Series, which I have abandoned. Pioneering this series, in collaboration with Nathan, I will be creating a better series out of a similar concept.
Although there is a historical background, that of the Nineteen Year Winter, or Anarchy period, a turbulent episode of grief, famine and war in England's history, the actual events in the game are not completely of historical accuracy, if at all.
Beginning, you are with three groups of men: A Scottish patrol to the north, headed by Lachlan McCleod; There is Sir Edward -the protagonist of the series- to the south, on a boat and at the beach; and Sir William, holed up in his little fox den.
It will be hard to discern your men from the enemy's, they are all of English blood, or under the English flag; as such, they are all kinsmen, and are indiscernible from each other. This will add partially to the difficulty, but hopefully not much.
Liking prologues, this map, Trial And Tribulation serves as a short prologue. You must simply reach and defend the outpost.
We wish for you to enjoy this scenario: It was fun to make, and I hope you get that same enjoyment.
Reviews and comments are absolutely welcome!
Watch your step my liege, the mountains are very treacherous these days.
The Anarchist and The Knight.
"Over a throne, and shiny crown,
after a prince in his ship drowned.
"Stealing, killing, trouble and strife,
many a man was brought to new life." |