The Holy Ones

I'd like to finish it up to the end. I'm kind of stuck on writing up the Arabian war though. I have something started but it isn't quite what I want yet. It'll come to me eventually though.

I'll have to get something started for the Pacifists too. I think I'll avoid the whole turnlog style I started with on this one though. I think its more interesting if I keep it to an actual story with character interaction that is based on the history of the game.
 
you're probably right. but what you've done so far has been great. it was a difficult task and you made it look easy.
 
A lot of work Sir Brian or now Gyurme Zangpo but I agree with Codeman what you have done so far is an excellent read.
 
The Squire's Revenge as written by Sir Brian

Saladin was puzzled by the reaction of The Holy Ones. He had expected the Black Knight to immediately send an invasion force into his land but instead, they had placed a squire in charge while they mourned the death of their beloved King Richard. He could hardly believe it when his informants first told him the news. He thought they must surely be mistaken. They were not mistaken. The Aztec leadership seemed to be crumbling. Saladin considered launching his own surprise offensive but then dismissed the idea. There was no need to start a war that might never come.



Quentin carefully surveyed the land before him. He had decided that Khurasan would be the first stop along the road to Mecca. There were no walls there to protect Saladin's forces and the terrain was nothing more than flat grassland. He would return to camp and inform his captains of this plan in the morning.

"Can you believe they still have a squire leading us?" Quentin overheard one of the captains remark as he approached his own tent. Quentin stopped and hid behind a tree to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"The Brethren must surely be mad with grief." replied a second captain. "Why else would the Black Knight still be in Eden? It's been ten years now since they buried Richard and all they do is talk."

"The Hindus are no doubt snug in their beds tonight. They have no need to worry about an invasion until the Black Knight has come to his senses and returned to the battlefield."

"He spends too much time with his brothers in Eden these days and not enough time in Sun Tzu. They have convinced him to be "diplomatic" about the situation. I say we teach these Hindus a lesson."

"I agree." Quentin said as he stepped from the shadows. Both of them jumped to their feet.

"My lord, we were only running off at the mouth." the first captain said nervously. "Please accept our apology."

"Yes, please accept our apology." said the second captain.

"Nevermind that!" Quentin snapped, "Prepare the troops! We attack at dawn!"



When the morning dawned along the Arabian border, the Hindu's awoke to a frightful sight. Thousands upon thousands of Aztec soldiers were storming across the border. They flooded the outlying areas of Khurasan with their numbers. Had the Black Knight returned in the middle of the night? Where had they come from and how had such a force been assembled in secret? These were the questions that every Arabian Hindu in the land contemplated as they fled towards the perceived safety of Khurasan. Those who understood the vulnerablity of Khurasan were quick to pack their things and head for Mecca.

The Siege of Khurasan lasted for nearly three years as the Aztec army approached the city and began it's bombardment. Many brave warriors died but it was not in vain. Their comrades soon destroyed the last of the Khurasan defenders and stormed into the city. Khurasan was now under Aztec control and would remain so to this day.
 
The Razing of Mecca as written by Sir Brian

Amedeo was proud of his squire. Quentin's preparation had all but ensured the success of the Brethren's campaign against Saladin. The annihilation of Arabia was now in Amedeo's capable hands. He would continue the march on Mecca and follow through with his orders to burn the place to the ground. He had just finished writing to his beloved when a messenger burst into his tent.

"My lord, I come with news from the governor in Redemption!"

"Yes, what is it?" Amedeo replied, curious as to why the boy seemed so alarmed.

"Redemption is under attack!" the boy screamed, unable to contain his excitement. "The governor requests that you send reinforcements at once!"

"Please, calm down boy!" Amedeo commanded. "Why the urgency?"

"The Arabians have sent catapults and archers on horseback to assault the city! The governor of Redemption fears for the people's safety!" he breathlessly replied. He was clearly ignoring Amedeo's command. Amedeo pondered the report but hardly felt that it was something to be so troubled about.

"Return to the governor and tell him he is to defend the city with the forces at hand. His fears are unfounded and the Black Knight would be seriously offended by his apparent cowardice. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir. I understand." The boy's face fell. Amedeo sealed the letter to his beloved and handed it to the boy.

"Here. Deliver this letter upon your return to Redemption. It is very important." The boy took the letter and his face began to lighten a bit. He was honored to be given the task of delivering an important message from Amedeo. He left the tent without another word and mounted his horse immediately. When he had left, Amedeo allowed himself to relax. He had not wanted to show fear while the boy was still in his presence. The idea of the Arabians storming into Redemption had struck close to his heart. He had left his beloved there when he left for Khurasan. He tried to get her to leave Redemption for the safety of Faith but to no avail. She was a stubborn woman and Redemption was her home. She would stay and assist in the war effort.



The Siege of Mecca was bloody but surprisingly short. Quentin had prepared several batteries of catapults to assist in its destruction and Amedeo made sure that they were put to good use. Mecca's defenders were severely weakened by the time Amedeo sent his knights and macemen into the fray. Some fell by the wayside but their companions continued forward and slaughtered the Hindu's left and right. By the time the siege had ended, nothing was left of Mecca's former glory. The entire city was laid to waste. Not a single stone had been left standing and the smoke could be seen for miles. Despite his victory, Amedeo was determined to press forward. He understood that the Brethren would not be satisfied until Saladin's head had been delivered on a silver platter. He pushed towards Medina, burning and pillaging as he went. The Arabians would pay dearly for their trespass against the Holy Ones.
 
The State of the Empire in 1511 as written by Sir Brian

The Brethren were pleased by the progress Quentin and Amedeo had made in the northlands. They were also pleased to see the progress the empire had made in other areas. Quentin had overseen the completion of a beautiful cathedral in Jerusalem and Amedeo had founded the city of New Mecca atop the ruins of old Mecca. Relations with Genghis and Bismarck had soured somewhat, however, but this was to be expected. Their own war against the Malinese had prompted them to request our assistance on numerous occassions. Quentin and Sir Amedeo had politely declined each and every request, as required by law. Genghis and Bismarck had done little more than grumble. They knew they did not really need the help of the Aztecs in defeating the Malinese.

Quentin had attempted to garner support for our crusade from Genghis but alas, Genghis had no interest in fighting the Arabians. Our acknowledgement of the Malinese as brothers and sisters of the faith had led Genghis to distrust us somewhat. He considered the Malinese a threat to his people and he was determined to wipe them out once and for all, with or without our help. Entangling himself in a war with the Arabians at this point in time would only serve to distract him from that goal. Quentin, of course, was disappointed to hear this but he understood the Mongolian position. He would do his best to put their minds at ease and salvage the relationship. He offered to send our priests to Karakorum and explain the concept of Divine Right in exchange for a reasonable sum of gold for the treasury and Genghis readily accepted.

A new world view began to surface among the German people. They referred to this new ideology as Liberalism. Some of them spoke about abandoning the strict adherence to Judaism and treating all faiths as being equal. The more outspoken ones demanded freedom of expression and the right to speak their minds. I was not sure what to think of these new ideas or what course our empire would take if our people began to express a desire for these same freedoms. Bismarck maintained his adherence to the Jewish faith however. It appeared that the majority of the German people were happy to see things remain the same.

In the north, Medina would soon fall. The Black Knight had returned to the battlefield and was preparing to lead his men into the streets of this heathen city. He was anxious to finish the Arabians once and for all. He had long coveted the Arabian territory and it appeared God would soon grant him this promised land.
 
Nice to see you carrying on the story. Loads of work for you,appreciated.
 
I was in a mood to write some more today and figured I should add a couple more installments before I end up on the second page :D I should really be working on the SGOTM02 spoiler though. I was going to get started on it a little while back but then got sidetracked.
 
The Black Knight's Wrath as written by Sir Brian

"Good to see you again" Amedeo said as he greeted the Black Knight. The Black Knight grunted his acknowledgement. Amedeo continued. "Our catapults have been bombarding the city for some time now. There is little left of their fortifications and they seem to have lost their will to fight. Our main force should arrive soon and be ready to finish off the defenders."

"Good. I want to capture Medina as soon as possible and move on to Baghdad. How are things in Redemption?

"The governor of Redemption has done well in defending the city. I think my questioning of his bravery may have inspired him a bit. The Arabians have attempted raids on the outlying areas but forces in Redemption have been quick to respond."

"More good news. It appears we might get through this war with little damage to our own countryside. Anything else to report?"

"Some of our units have taken a pretty good beating along the road to Medina. It would be best to let the men recuperate while they are reinforced and brought back up to full strength."

"Very well. Return to your wife in Redemption. You have earned the rest."

"Thank you," Amedeo replied. With that, he departed from the battlefield and headed for Redemption.

The Black Knight's siege of Medina took nearly three years but his bloodlust was somewhat satisfied when it fell to his forces in 1515AD. He was not about to rest now, however. He pushed the men onwards to Baghdad. He would not stop until the Arabians had been wiped from the face of the earth.

With his forces on their way to Baghdad, the Black Knight returned to Eden for a short while and attended to some of the more mundane business of the empire. Hatshepsut came to visit Eden while he was there and asked if our people might be willing to assist her people in setting up guilds in Egypt. The Black Knight had begun to soften towards Hatshepsut. He knew that I was quite fond of her and he had started to admire her people for their ability to survive in the face of persecution by Alexander. He granted her request. She was quite pleased and thanked him immensely. The Black Knight, not being one who was comfortable with receiving such sentiments, dismissed her quickly and returned to the battlefield. He was anxious to finish his campaign.

He was dismayed to find that Saladin had acquired the knowledge of Gunpowder during his time in Eden. Baghdad was fiercely defended by a small army of musketmen well trained in city defense. He cursed the Germans, for he suspected that it was Bismarck who had assisted the Arabians in discovering this secret. Our law forbid him from doing anything about it and this made him curse even more. Despite this obstacle, he was determined to bring Saladin to his knees. He would lay siege to Baghdad and to hell with the consequences. He would lose many good men but such was the price that had to be paid.

After two years of laying siege and constant bombardment of Baghdad, the Black Knight was finally ready for his assault in 1524AD. The losses were heavy and many families were left without husbands, sons, and brothers that year. The mourning in Eden and Jerusalem could be heard throughout the city. I was disturbed by the news of such losses but I understood our need to continue the fight. What must be must be. I prayed for the souls of our fallen heroes and did my best to comfort their families. Their loss was not in vain, however. Our forces were victorious and the Battle of Baghdad ended with the city firmly under our control.

The Black Knight now set his sights on further conquest. The cities of Carib and Kufah would be the next to feel his wrath. He chose to move his armies on Carib first. He also chose to send an envoy to Genghis Khan and request the Mongolian's assistance in our crusade against the Hindus. The Malinese-Mongolian conflict had been over with for a few years now and Genghis had finally triumphed against Mansa Musa. What remained of the Malinese empire had become part of the Mongolian and German empires. With his own war behind him and a sense of nationalism spreading in Mongolia, Genghis agreed to stand by our side against Saladin.
 
Paladin's Holy Campaign as written by Sir Brian

"I hear you have some distressing news, brother" Paladin said as he entered the Black Knight's tent.

"Our scouts have returned from the south of Carib. They report that Saladin has been able to bolster his defenses there with musketmen well trained in the city's defense." replied the Black Knight.

"That is distressing. It would seem that our "friend" Bismarck's trading practices have put a serious damper on our progress. Perhaps it would be better if we turned south and sacked the city of Kufah before they are able to bolster the defense there as well."

"A wise decision, brother. I will leave you to complete the work that God has entrusted to us." With that, the Black Knight left his brother alone in the tent and set out for the city of Sun Tzu for a much needed rest.

Paladin exited the tent himself and grabbed the first messenger he came across.

"Quickly boy! You must ride forward and give this message to the lead commander. We are turning the army towards Kufah at once! Now ride like the wind!" he exclaimed, punctuating his message with a sharp slap to the horse's hindquarter.



Upon arriving at the outskirts of Kufah, Paladin saw fit to instruct some macemen to take up position in the hills north of Kufah. It was not long afterward that some Mongolian troops joined the macemen. The camaraderie within the camp could be felt everywhere. The Mongolian and Aztec soldiers shared a special bond that can only develop between two sets of people that have long fought together upon the field of battle. Many of the men had become lifelong friends and looked forward to serving with one another whenever possible. However, there was one important difference between the two armies. The Mongolian commanders believed that brute force was the way to win wars, whereas most Aztec commanders understood that cunning and deception played an important role as well. There were often good hearted "discussions" amongst the commanders from these two nations regarding which strategy was best and why. What neither side realized was that war is dynamic, there is no strategy which works well in all situations. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Mongolians would be the one's to learn that lesson come sunrise.

The sun had just barely broke over the horizon when the Mongolian troops stormed down from the hills and towards the city of Kufah. Paladin watched in pained silence as they moved closer to the city. He had tried to warn the Mongolian general several times that this approach would not work against the defenders in Kufah. They were well prepared to meet this sort of onslaught. They might be weakened, but they would not likely fall. The general had listened politely, but Paladin knew that he was not likely to take the advice of an Aztec, even if it were coming from a member of the Brethren. The Mongolians had been at war so often, and for so long, over the last few centuries, that they felt they had a certain monopoly upon the proper way to conduct a war. Paladin tried, but it had fallen upon deaf ears. The Mongolians would storm the city using what they knew best. Sheer brute force, exactly what the Arabians were counting on.

The Mongolian musketmen were surprisingly accurate and the firepower they delivered was devastating at times, but it was no match for the sheer volume of arrows that the Arabians were able to deliver into the open fields surrounding the city. Most of the Mongolians were killed before they ever reached the city walls, some before they had even been able to fire a shot. The assault ended almost as quickly as it had begun. There were few survivors and those that had survived, would not likely be able to last through the night. Paladin swallowed deeply. He had liked the Mongolian general, despite his stubborn refusal to hear reason. He was dead now. No amount of sorrow would change that. It was time to avenge his death properly. Paladin gave the order to bombard. Suddenly, the sky darkened as a large number of immense projectiles filled the air and hurled towards the city of Kufah. Fires sprang up immediately within it's walls.

"Charge!" Paladin howled as he led the men into the city. The sudden bombardment had caught the defenders off guard, They were already weakened and disorganized from the Mongolians previous attack. Many fell where they stood while others were killed as they turned to run. Paladin's men stormed into the city and took control. They were victorious! A feast of celebration was in order before moving north.



The messenger arrived early in the morning. His news left Paladin with mixed emotions. The Mongolians had penetrated further north than the Brethren had anticipated and were now nearing the city of Carib. He would have to hurry if they were to beat Genghis. While the Brethren appreciated the Mongolian assistance, we felt it was our divine right to possess all of the northern lands, including the city of Carib.

"Here," Paladin replied to the messenger. "Pass this amongst the various commanders. We are moving out immediately!".

While Paladin was busy in the north, our knights in Sun Tzu had successfully developed a new style of warfare. Our long military tradition of knighthood, combined with the advent of firearms, gave rise to a new breed of cavalry. They would soon prove themselves in the north as Paladin drew closer to Carib.



"Fire!", the battery commander shouted. A series of catapults released their payload towards the city of Carib. Paladin watched from his hillside encampment. He still suffered from mixed emotions over the failure of Genghis to take Carib. The Mongolians had clearly failed to learn the lessons of Kufah. Perhaps that was largley because few had suvived to tell the tale. The Mongolian commanders had again insisted on brute force in taking Carib, only to be rebuffed by the Arabian musketmen fortified inside the city. On the one hand, Paladin was pleased to see that he still had a chance to claim Carib for the Brethren. On the other hand, he was dismayed to see such a tremendous loss of life in the Mongolian ranks. He felt a certain kinship with the Mongolians. There losses were his losses too.

"Sir! The Mongolian commanders have asked why we sit here and do not attack." Paladin's top commander appeared to be asking the same question for his own benefit as well.

"Do you question my command general? Or do you simply think me a coward?" Paladin replied.

"N..No. Of course not, sir" the general stammered. "It's just that the Mongolians appear to be losing faith in us. Their men are dying on the field of battle while we sit in our camp and do nothing."

"Do you call this bombardment nothing, general?" Paladin again replied. "Don't you think it wise to soften the defenses before engaging the enemey? Or would you rather that I write home to your wife, telling her how you died bravely on the field of battle?"

"Understood sir. I will inform the Mongolian commanders that we are preparing a charge of our own as soon as the bombardment is over."

Paladin's war strategy did not sit well with the Mongolian commanders. Talk of returning home to their families soon began to surface. It was becoming increasingly clear that the Mongolians were tired of war. Their war with the Malinese had not been over for long when they joined us against the Arabians. Now that the Mongolian military was losing confidence in our ability to wage war, it was only a matter of time before they withdrew. So it was no surprise when word came to us in Eden that the Mongolians had signed a peace treaty with the Arabians. What was surprising was the reaction of our own people. Outspoken critcism of the war began to surface. Paladin soon realized that he could not hold off the charge any longer. The people demanded that we either make progress or withdraw. With the bombardment complete and our forces reinforced and resupplied, the charge into Carib was soon under way.

When the smoke cleared, only a small number of macemen were left standing. Our forces had been decimated by the Arabian guns, yet victory had not escaped us. However, word soon came that Arabian reinforcements were on their way to Carib. There was no time to prepare. Paladin's reserves were depleted. No one was left to help defend the city. The men fought hard to defend Carib but they were no match for Saladin's ruthless counterattack. Paladin was distraught. He knew that he had superior forces, but that did little to ease the sting. So many had been lost. He prepared a second attack. This time, he successfully broke the backbone of the Arabian military. Throughout the duration of the war, they would prove to be much weaker. There would still be Aztec soldiers who would lose their lives, but no battle would prove to be as difficult as those fought at Baghdad, Kufah, and Carib.
 
Sir Brian's Letter to the Brethren following the Battle of Carib


Dear brothers and faithful companions,

The Brethren has done well in its crusade against the Evil One. Many of our faithful soldiers have fallen in battle but others have been quick to take their place and continue the fight. Our discovery of gunpowder and the establishment of military tradition has aided the fight a great deal. Our knights are now calling themselves cavalry and they have led many a valiant charge into the enemy's ranks.

As I prepare to take my place in the Holy Seat of Power, I am beginning to wonder if the cost is becoming too high. I know that our brave men in the north are ready to lay down their lives for the cause and would never disobey my command to fight the good fight. In Eden, however, many of the people are gathering to protest against the war. They demand that we end the bloodshed and bring our troops home. I understand and sympathize with the mothers. Their sons have certainly given their all to the Lord. Their families shall surely be blessed because of it.

So I write to the Order of God's Knights to hear what you have to say. Do we dare disobey the command of God in order to appease the people? Such a thing does not seem fitting for us to do but I fear that if we continue the fight our people might begin to rise up against us. Eden is already beginning to come to a standstill and Faith is not far behind. It is clear that the people of Jerusalem stand at the right side of God but it seems that the more secular minded Eden is straying from our Lord. What shall we do dear brothers? It does not seem possible for us to end the war quickly without suffering severe losses within our ranks. You all well know that my noble heart abhors the loss of life and I have even begun to soften towards the infidel. Is it possible that Saladin has suffered enough and could be persuaded to change his ways in a more diplomatic manner? Could God be convinced to show mercy and compassion towards the infidel now that the source of their wickedness has been burnt to the ground? These are all questions that I have before I begin my reign. I long to hear your words of wisdom.

Shalom
 
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