The Commander's Journal

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 02:59 PM

Saturday 5th August

It?s quiet. Too quiet. Arinar?s been transferred back to Gorimdor permanently, Mordred has gone to study under my father (not sure if he realises what he?s let himself in for, poor bastard), Samson?s on leave, and I?ve not seen Kai for several days.
Last night I spoke to Ulran about his own imminent departure. He, too, is being recalled to Gorimdor, and it appears to be permanent. Apparently the Priesthood don?t think we need a priest, since they are under the impression (quite wrongly) that we are not fighting any wars.
How the hell do they expect us to realise the Prophecy if Ulran is stuck in some backwater garrison in Treido? Maybe they don?t have faith in the Prophecy. Or maybe they fear its implications. If so, they are not true Razans, and do not deserve to be priests.
Of course, all this will leave us without a priest, but we will also be losing a strong warrior and, more importantly, a good friend. Ulran really is the only one who understands what it is I have to go through, because he and I are the same. There is a strong possibility that I might never see him again, and that thought is unbearable to me.
It as if all the good men are being bled away. Jess left for Gorimdor and never came home. Rolo died. Zool, Scorpz, Dimman, Vaxan?even Leanna?all gone.
The Tyevers will be next, and even if they are only gone for six months, as Foxy says, there is no guarantee they will have anything to return for.
I fear becoming like Kai; the last of my kind. I hope I die before that happens.
I wish Kai were here, not that he knows how to comfort, or give affection. I just need someone right now, who can understand.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:00 PM

Monday 7th August

Much better today.

Kai returned on Saturday, looking rather tired and battered. He has been putting himself through some insane sort of training involving rocks. I remarked that it was little wonder his people got wiped out if they indulged in such dangerous forms of training. He didn?t seem to disagree, though I suspect that was because he was too exhausted to argue.

Funny thing. As I was salving his bruises with arnica ointment, I got the distinct impression we were being watched.

I later found a small hole in the wall between my bedchamber and the guest room next door, where Enforcer Grimholt is staying. I know that he has been instructed to observe us but, in my mind, there is only one reason why a man would attempt to spy on a woman?s bedchamber. It?s a good job my union with Kai has been, thus far, chaste.

I have instructed Jones to fill the hole with fresh mortar, and I have also warned Grimholt that if such a thing happens again, I will inform Dryden. He mumbled something incomprehensible and left. I will be keeping an eye on him.

Yesterday?s raid on Minoc went extremely well, despite a bumpy start. We were all lined up outside the Swaggers, waiting for Cove, when some Waywatchers struck. Of course they went for me, but Foxy had my back, and they were chased off by the Vesper militia.

Finally Cove showed up and we trudged off to Minoc. We actually got there before Klion?s goons so we had a slight advantage. To my surprise and joy, Jess Fortus turned up, and proceeded to give a very good account of herself in battle. Despite being bombarded with firebombs and peppered with arrows, the Kaldorians stood firm and we had only one casualty. Unfortunately the casualty was Ulran, but it seemed the only thing wounded was his pride and he was well enough to speak to Jess later in the temple.

I feel proud of the Kaldorians today. Although the loyalists tried to lure us out of our box formation with their brigand-like hit and run tactics, the men stood firm and they were unable to hurt us. I hope Dryden makes good note of this at the meeting tomorrow?

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:00 PM

Wednesday 9th August

Monday was quiet aside from the meeting with Dryden. Not that he doesn’t want the moons on a stick! He wants to merge several of the units and he also wants half of Strongholt rebuilt, including the Keep! He ordered some explosives and then blew the keep up last night (I wonder whether he was a sapper in his younger years?). The general wasn’t too pleased about that when he turned up, I can tell ye. Still, he can’t do much as Dryden outranks him. Now we have to go and get the stone and wood and leather needed to build a new keep. Shouldn’t he have arranged for us to get this before he blew up the old one? Bloody interfering councillors!

We had a run in with loyalists from Jhelom last night, during a patrol of Serpent’s Hold. It seems they have no idea that Jordan Jurrel gave us the deeds to the isle and that we’ve been in residence there for more than a year and a half there. Of course, being the blinkered idiots they are, they refused to acknowledge this. Referring to us as scum sealed their fate, and we gave them all a good battering which, I might add, was very satisfying.

The one in charge turned out to be Olaf Hulveig, former town drunk (and drunken guard) of Trinsic. Took him back to Strongholt for questioning, where he continued to be abusive. A good flogging from Jhan sorted him out.

Of course, his men (looking a bit battered and tattered) turned up to retrieve him but we dealt with them once again. One proved particularly irksome, however, as he kept running away and then sneaking back to try and attack us, even though his comrades had been vanquished. I don’t know why loyalists insist on adopting such cowardly fighting styles. Ye’d have thought they would have some pride, but it seems Britannians lack the intestinal fortitude of Kaldorians. Even Cecil fights with more valour.

Jess excelled herself in battle once again. It’s really good to have her back. I hope she decides to stay.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:01 PM

Friday 11th August

Sent the lads and lasses off to train in Cove while I mooched around the Trinsic market. There wasn't really anything there to tempt me, especially not that ghastly fop, Lindley, who turned up in what looked like a whore's nightgown (bright pink, of course). When I pointed out that he'd forgotten to put on his britches, he poured scorn on my apparent ignorance of the current fashion trends. Fortunately, Pierre was just as ignorant and demanded that he cover up or be arrested for indecency. And indeed, it was indecent, because it was quite clear that he was wearing no undergarments, for when he moved a certain way, the family heirloom slipped into view. Not a pretty sight, either, I might add.

Kai turned up a while later and we went for a drink in the Keg and Anchor. I bought him dinner - a roast suckling pig with a side dish of minted peas. Kai didn't know what to make of the peas. Apparently, vegetables were never part of his diet in Kororth. I told him they'd be good for him so he forced them down, but seemed to enjoy them about as much as Mordred used to. It must be a man thing.

I ordered some ice cream from the cook, in the hope that he might find the experience novel. However, he didn't much like that, either, pronouncing it "disgusting." I suppose someone who has been raised on a diet of unseasoned meat would find the sweetness and coldness of ice cream a bit shocking. Still, never mind. All the more for me...

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:01 PM

Saturday 12th August

It might be August but there's already a hint of Autumn chill in the air. It's been quite grey and a rainy this week, but even when the sun comes out ye can feel it.

I went to the Rose last night for a drink with some of the lads. Shelly, Ulran, Talon, Gorn and Kai were there, though Kai looked tired and left without saying anything. He seems very withdrawn since his mountain ordeal. Perhaps he is just exhausted from his training, or perhaps he is depressed. He seems to have trouble relating to the others in the army; even me. I think he lives in terror of the day I will ask him to father a child (as if I would put aside my duties to bear children!) He fears intimacy, and clings to his virginity like a preacher's daughter, though he must be nearly thirty by now.

Anyway, I wanted to speak to Talon so I took him outside the Rose. Once we'd done and he turned to go back in, a bloodstained man staggered over and fell at my feet. I was about to try and help him when another man popped up behind me with a warfork. Then another appeared.
"String her up," one of them said.
I wasn't sure whether they intended to hang me or tie me, but I wasn't about to find out. Fortunately, Talon returned, bringing the others with him. No doubt he'd known they were there all along. He's a bit spooky like that.
Of course, they legged it before we could stop them, so we returned to Strongholt for quick meeting in my quarters.

Talon reckoned they might have heard what we were talking about, which wasn't good. I wasn't sure whether they were common brigands or hirelings. I didn't recognise them, at any rate. Wanting to be on the safe side, I sent Ulran, Shelly and Cecil out to patrol, and Talon to shadow them.

I only stepped out of my front door for a moment when one of the brigands appeared again. It seemed he'd been hiding in my flower bed because he had leaves stuck to him. I'd have laughed but he had a warfork to the bank of my neck, which is never a good position to be in. I knew it wouldn't go through my gorget, and told him so, but then his friend appeared and told me he'd stab my eyes out, so I thought it best to comply at this point. A blind commander would be of little use to anyone.
They ordered me to go east, so I moved, albeit slowly, knowing the others were patrolling.
One of them told me not to try anything. They wouldn't hurt me, apparently. They just wanted a "chat." I know as well as anyone what a "chat" entails, so I was quite relieved to see Ulran's patrol come into view.
The one who seemed to be in charge made some excuse about wanting jobs as scouts, and just demonstrating their talents. A likely story!
"Can' wuh jus' clobbur thum here 'un now?" Cecil asked, which is probably the most sensible thing he's said all week.
I asked the brigands (although actually, I now doubt they were brigands - more like hired hands) who they were working for and the leader said if he told us they'd have no chance of escape.
I told the lads to take them to the Interview Suite but the three tried to run off. Ulran brought down one but the other two fled. By the time we'd returned to where the injured one had fallen, he'd crawled off.
We'll have to keep our eyes out in case they return. I'm not sure I fancy an audience with whoever they're working for.
I suspect it might be Jhelom, after our encounter the other night. No doubt they fancy some revenge.
Ah well, it's to be expected, I suppose. In these lands, war isn't just fought on the battle field.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:02 PM

Sunday 13th August

Aeries and Kai have incurred my displeasure.

Last night, Kai and I were stood on the bridge in Trinsic, talking – or at least, what passes for conversation with Kai, which is mainly silence punctuated by the odd word – when Aeries arrived.
She asked if there were any orders for her and I said not tonight, as it was Saturday. She replied that if she was to be a commander, she’d have to earn it, which surprised me a little. It had never occurred to me that such an empty-headed young girl would nurse such aspirations.
I asked if she had her eye on my title, and she said, in that stupid voice of hers “oh maybe not as low key as this,” as if being commander of the Third Battalion was akin to being a stable girl or a serving wench.
Does she not realise what a bloody struggle it was for me to earn this rank? How many times I’ve heard, “ye’ll never be commander because yer a woman,” or “there’s no point promoting ye when yer only going to go off and have children in a year or two.” How many times I’ve been passed over for promotion in favour of a man. How many times I’ve not been taken seriously because I happen to have been born a woman.
At least Paladis has faith in me, but how many other generals will see fit to promote a woman when there are men vying for the same rank?
Of course, Aeries is too vacuous to understand this. She thinks the world is a happy place full of daffodils and fluffy white clouds and equal rights for women. Bloody Dondinians. They make me sick!
At least she was smart enough to get out of my sight when I shouted at her.

Kai couldn’t understand why I was so angry, but of course, the society he grew up in was matriarchal, and there is no way he could understand the sort of prejudices women face in this world and in Gorimdor.
He asked about other times I have been angry, and then he talked about strength. The next thing I know is that he’s left me up, armour and all, and slung me across his shoulder. Of course yelled at him to put me down, but he ignored me, and marched over to the gate, where Aeries was sitting at a table, selling bread, for some reason known only to herself.
Quite calmly, he took some of the bread and offered it to me, as though it was quite normal to eat a snack whilst dangling from some giant maul knight’s shoulder. It was so undignified. I can’t believe that Kai would show me such little respect, after all that I have done for him. And Aeries, well! She made some smart comment along the lines of “commander’s going to burst” and encouraged Kai to throw me in the pond to cool off!
Fortunately he stopped short of that – I’d have sunk like a stone in my platemail – but the damage he’d already done was sufficient. It is hard enough to deal with all the prejudices as it is, but when yer own men endeavour to make ye look a fool, as if it’s some kind of joke to them, then it’s adding insult to injury. I slapped Kai pretty hard once he’d put me down, and then I went to Aeries and put my axe through her table. I hit her two, if only to knock the smile of her dumb face.

I am disappointed in the both of them, but particularly in Kai, because I thought he cared for me. It seems he wanted to see how angry I would get. He wanted to see fireworks.

I will have to decide what to do with the pair of them. I should bust Aeries down to footsoldier and see how that fits in with her career plans. Kai I don’t know. There is little that would hurt him, physically or mentally. He didn’t exactly choose the army; a demotion would have little effect on him, and he’d see a flogging as a test of endurance. I know what he fears above all else, but I cannot use that against him. To do so would be immoral.

He has disappointed me, and I can’t say I’m not upset by that. Perhaps he will learn from it, perhaps not. We shall see.

In any case, I can’t afford to dwell on it. We have a campaign to fight, and I must direct my energies towards that. Last week’s battle was a triumph. I can only hope we repeat our success.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:02 PM

Monday 14th August

I had a lovely surprise waiting on my doorstep when I opened the door this morning. It was a flag, in the colours of Yew, with a message scrawled in red ink, or possibly blood. It read, “Poking your noses into business that doesn’t concern you, as is ever the case with your kind. Leave the rebellion. This will be your only warning. We will be watching.”

Naturally I had to reply. I wrote, “When Yew hijacked an aid caravan filled with medical supplies and food for the beleaguered citizens of Vesper, ye stepped over the line. No longer protectors of Yew, ye became thieves and tyrants. The Guardsmen Militia is a cancer eating away at this land. This cancer must be purged.”
Not being overly melodramatic, I wrote it in ink.
I had a Viper place it with a Kaldor flag outside the Stonekeep Citadel. I wonder if they found it…

The rest of Sunday was both good and incredibly frustrating. I had another argument with Kai, and it did not go well. I told him I was disappointed in him – he’d upset me for my own amusement, and didn’t seem to care. Then he replied that he was tired of my moaning! If he wanted to rub salt into the wound, he succeeded! What the hell has got into him?

At least I got to take it out on some loyalists later.
There were perhaps seven of us for the battle; not a huge number, but enough to make our presence felt. Kai, Ulran, Dane, Foxy, Masoj and Kade came to the Keep (or what’s left of it) and from there we made our way to Minoc, via the moongate.

There were a good number of Covians, Vesperians and Swaggers bar staff there (it always amazes me how a barmaid can simply slap on a helm and then charge into battle, still wearing her apron), as well as a couple of ophidians who had slithered over from Vesper. The high ranking ophidians are tricky customers, but between us we managed to dispose of them…eventually. It’s little wonder the Swaggers has been abandoned with so many of the buggers besieging it.

A young man who asked to join up last night in Trinsic was also at the battle, but in Cove colours. Some people have no patience these days. Still, if he changes his mind so easily, then we don’t want him. What’s to say he won’t run off to join the Guardsmen Militia next?

Despite a slow start (the loyalists were in the mining camp, and Kiran thought he could march us round behind them, completely forgetting that the only route was full of ophidians) we gave a good account of ourselves. Foxy gated us round behind the enemy and we had them trapped behind their own barricades. They fought bravely, but they fell where they stood. It was carnage.

They counter-attacked us a short while later, but could not oust us from our position. The Yew militia proved particularly irksome (it seems they select them on their ability to run) but we got a few of them. I took down a mage apparently wearing a stolen Vesper uniform, and handed him to the Vesperians to deal with as they wished. Kai felled Klion, which almost made up for his behaviour earlier, but then I lost track of him while I was dealing with a mage in a black hooded robe.

After the battle, Foxy, who had also been injured, told me that Kai had fallen. She’d last seen him staggering off, clutching his chest, as he used to do before his misadventure in the mountains. If he needed his medicine, we had to find him quickly.

Dane told me he’d last seen Kai walking in the direction of the moongate, but he’d ignored Dane’s entreaties to stop.

I went after him but found no sign of him around the moongate, or between Trinsic moongate and Strongholt. I even checked Trinsic and he wasn’t there.

Perhaps he has gone somewhere to sulk. However, it worries me that he is feeling ill. We need to find him as soon as possible. I’ve instructed the Vipers to do what they can.

I found Shelly back in Strongholt, with her hand bandaged up. Apparently Vognar had stamped on it to teach her a lesson about not wearing gloves. Three fingers had been dislocated, and though Cyri had put them back in their sockets, the hand was too swollen to hold a weapon.

I made a formal complaint to Dryden, and also told him about the hole in the wall incident, and about Vognar’s drunken episode in Trinsic the other night. He will deal with his protégé, I’m sure.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:03 PM

Tuesday 15th August

Vognar is dead.

Dryden confronted him about the allegations and he did not deny them. He was put in a cell, and not just one of the normal cells intended for wayward army personnel, but one of the isolation cells intended for breaking down enemy prisoners who are under interrogation.
Then, for reasons that are known only to Dryden, he put Shelly in the same cell.
The girl can be disobedient, aye, but she did not deserve that.
Veggy, bless him, insisted that Vognar be restrained if he was to share the cell with Shelly. He was chained by his one remaining hand to the wall.

Only Shelly knows what happened next. Perhaps it was the shame of failure that drove him to it; perhaps he saw Dryden as a father figure and knew that he had let him down. Somehow, he used the chain to choke himself to death.

According to Veggy, Dryden implied that Vognar’s death was Shelly’s doing, and left her in the cell, though mercifully, he allowed Veggy to remove Vognar’s body.
She was still in that cell when I came across Veggy by the keep, so I let her out and called a meeting.

Shelly could not possibly have hanged Vognar by his own chains. He outweighed her by at least one hundred pounds and, though he was missing her hand, she was also missing the use of one hand; the hand Vognar had stamped on two nights previous.

It’s unfortunate that Shelly was involved in Seon’s death a few months back, accident though it was. I will try and keep that bit of information away from Dryden, though I expect he will find out eventually.

He has ordered that Shelly be kept in prison during each evening, though she is allowed out during the day. Veg, of course, thinks this is madness, and I agree with him. She is a nursing mother, and her child needs her. I confronted Dryden about this and he didn’t care in the slightest. He said the child could stay in the prison with Shelly, which, of course, is completely unacceptable. Shelly has done nothing to merit incarceration. More to the point, she is not a flight risk, as I told Dryden.
I informed him that Shelly was living with Vegeta and if he needed her, that was where she would be. Of course, being the belligerent old bastard that he is, he insisted she be locked up.

I’ve told her to go with Veggy. Veg will look after her; I hope the others do the same. If Dryden doesn’t like it, he can deal with me. We are already fighting one war with the loyalists. We don’t need to be fighting another with some pompous old fool from Gorimdor.

Kai is still missing. Talon reported that he is not in Stonekeep; at least, not that he could tell.

Serpent’s Hold is also out of bounds. Like Vesper, Papua and, now, Skara Brae, it has been overrun by ophidians. Too bad. In truth, we don’t need Serpent’s Hold while we have Strongholt. It was just somewhere we took to appease the Council and keep them off our backs. Aye, it was the last place the Kaldorians saw before Mondain exiled them to Gorimdor, but its historical significance has long been lost here. History is always written by the winners. Wolfgang and Kaldor have been forgotten. Mondain was merely an obstacle between Lord British and the throne he has seen fit to abandon. And we, the Kaldorians, are in limbo. Much as I am, it seems.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:03 PM

Thursday 17th August

It never rains but it pours.

I was standing outside the Temple of Dondinia after Vognar’s funeral (bastard Dryden wouldn’t let us bury him, so we had to cremate the poor bugger and give Dryden his ashes to ship back to Gorimdor), talking to Foxy and Shelly, when a rag-tag bunch of men turned up and started spouting rubbish about being nobles or some such. Then one of them shouted “grab her” and before I could do a think, Foxy was out cold and I was having manacles slapped on my wrists.

After the note that appeared in front of my house the other night, it was pretty obvious they were Yew militia. Shelly tried to protect me, bless her, but even when Veggy and a few of the others ran out to see what the commotion was, it was too late. Shelly took a dirt nap and I was hauled off through the jungle and off to Stonekeep via the moongate.

On the way one of them mentioned Kai. (Kai turned up for the funeral earlier, and later told me he’d gone to Stonekeep on a rampage after the Minoc battle, though he didn’t remember much about it). Apparently, Kai had blurted out that he loved me, but didn’t want to, and had gone to Stonekeep to die! They felt that sorry for him that they let him go.
Made a mental note to ask him about this later (assuming I got out in one piece). For such a stoic man he’s a hell of a drama queen.

I wasn’t treated badly, considering. They didn’t beat me or try to take my armour, and I got a cell with a bed, even if it was a bit smelly.

Got woken up yesterday by the captain fellow, Dart I think he’s called (any relation to Robert Dart, I wonder?) wanting to ask questions. Here we go, I thought, expecting the worst, but he just stood on the other side of the bars and asked questions about the rebels. I didn’t give him anything remotely useful, so he changed tactics and started trying to persuade me to ditch our allies and ally with Yew instead.

At this point, Devante turned up and wanted to talk (actually, he wanted to flirt – and I was quite literally a captive audience), but his attentions were interrupted by the arrival of my rescue party, Raza bless their souls.

Veg had arranged the rescue, and Kelen had gone to Cove to get reinforcements from there, so amazingly, they managed to bust me out with only a few casualties. Once Cecil had smashed my manacles with a hammer (trust me, that was the most frightening part of the whole sorry episode), I joined the fray, and managed to get the final blow on Klion. Damn, that was satisfying!

The rescue was timely, as according to Dart, I was about to enjoy a date with a templar and a hot poker. It brought back unpleasant memories of my last trip home and my stay at the Inquisition building. Flesh smells like cooked pork when ye a pply a hot iron to it. Put me off bacon for ages.

I was glad to see Kai among my rescuers. He gave a good account of himself, but then they all did. I am proud of them all.

I managed to speak to him about his own capture, and he told me he wasn’t thinking straight, and didn’t want to die anywhere except in battle, with me at his side. Bless him.

Soon as we got back to ‘Holt (we’d invited the Covians to the tavern) we were informed that the Marksmen were attacking Cove, so off we went again, and engaged them in battle.

Damn those Marksmen run! I nearly had a heart attack chasing that Tokuno girl around. Running in full plate on an empty stomach is not something I can recommend.

Managed to get Devante down, though. Bastard still flirted with me when he was on the ground! Maybe he likes rough women.

Still, Kai has nothing to worry about. After all we’ve been through, and in spite of his mood swings, I can’t envisage myself with anyone else. Hopefully he feels the same way.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:05 PM

Saturday 19th August

Got a message from Kiran to say that the loyalists were mustering in Vesper.
Grabbed a handful of Kaldorians and went to see what was going down.
Sure enough, there were a lot there: Britannia Guards, Yew militia, Marksmen, and heaven knows what else.

We had Kiran and a few Covians there – enough to make a dent, but not enough to push the loyalists back to their camp.

I took a blow to the temple that made me see stars, but after a short breather I was alright to continue.

Regrouped at the tents, and then mounted a second assault. This time the loyalists were dealt with. The initial assault had thinned their numbers enough that we could handle them on the second attempt.

I may not be the youngest or the fastest or the strongest, but damn, I love the battle. I ran into the enemy formation to take down a mage, but Raza was with me, and he fell. The look of surprise on his face was something to behold.

Raza enjoys this war. I feel His approval. It is gratifying to have spilled enough enemy blood not to have to give my own.

The men enjoy it too. They fight with new found discipline. If only that damned enforcer would see it! He thinks we are a rabble, but he is wrong. It is not discipline that the men need, but war. War give them purpose. Purpose gives them focus and motivation. For too long we have festered in the south, paralysed by indecision.
Now that we have put aside old rivalries, we will be strong again. We will silence the critics from home, and show them that we can succeed.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:06 PM

Monday 21st August

Another resounding victory in Minoc last night. Reports suggested that numbers were even, but it felt to me as though we had the advantage. The Kaldorian formation seemed almost invincible - no one fell during the initial offensive, and only Shelly was brought down during the defence of the mine by what appeared to be a large dog. Fortunately, its teeth failed to penetrate her platemail to any extent and she suffered only bruising and a small graze.

We saw Jordan Jurrell and Lady Flame in Minoc but they wouldn't get involved. Jurrell seemed almost sheepish when confronted by the Vesperians. He knows the ruling council has done bugger all about the ophidian invasion and seems embarrassed by the fact. He would have made an impressive captive, but if the council doesn't care enough to send troops to fight the ophidians, then it's unlikely that they would care about Jurrell. He is not so much a commander as a public relations official whose job it is to distract us from our woes with his blonde good looks and rallying speeches. Without Lord British, this land has no figurehead, and Jurrell must somehow fill this void. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for Kaldor), he is just a puppet, and his strings are being pulled by a bunch of fat, uncaring bureaucrats in Britain.

Feeling almost sorry for him, and ordered the men away, for there were still a few militia men left to deal with. I put a couple of the loyalist lapdogs to the sword, but I felt rather unsatisfed. I actually wished they'd put up more of a fight. Their morale must surely be suffering. I sense some harsh reprisals heading our way.

Still, I cannot fault the men. They have done fantastically, despite the lack of support from back home. However, Dryden continues to bully Shelly, and has now had her reassigned to Sandholt garrison on the Treido border.

Perhaps the posting will toughen her up, but she has done little to deserve it. Sandholt is certainly no place for a child so Shelly will have to leave her here, which is a terrible thing for a child so young.

I am angry at Dryden, not just because he has picked on a girl who does not deserve it, but because he has also cost me one of my most loyal fighters. Shelly always was a willful girl, but she has matured somewhat, and she is a valuable part of the unit. Whilst we have a couple of new recruits, they are not seasoned fighters, and it will take time before they can be effective in battle. Shelly will be missed, along with Veggy, Foxy and Ulran.

It is so frustrating to lose good men when the army is finally starting to achieve what we set out to do all those years ago. And crusty old fools like Dryden do not help.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:06 PM

Tuesday 22nd August

Woke up with my face stuck to the pillow. Realised my nose had bled in the night. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

I'd called a meeting at the new keep last night to discuss the changes (the various departures and what we were doing to fill those gaps). Unfortunately, few turned up aside from Ulran, Kai and some of the newer people.

Part way through the meeting there was a hammering at the door, so I went down to see what the racket was. There was a templar there, and his sidekick, apparently a squire. Not a Knights Templar, mind ye - this had the look of a religious fanatic, and he kept banging on about some lord. I have a feeling this was the fellow with the pokers from Stonekeep.

Seems he had his friends with him, at any rate. I got the lads to box up on the stairs but there was little they could do against so many. Fortunately no one was badly hurt, though I got a crack on the head and there's a bit of a bump there now. And the bloody nose, of course.

The Yew fools seemed satisfied with damaging us and left the buildings be (I doubt Dryden would be too happy to see the keep destroyed before it's even been refurnished). They evidently trooped off back to Yew to feast on cabbages or somesuch. Smelly bastards, the lot of 'em.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:06 PM

Wednesday 23rd August

Twothumb turned up in Strongholt last night with his entourage (Olk, his niece Erika, and various others, although not Hanse, surprisingly). He wants to unite the "rebels" under a northern council, where each faction would be represented by three people.
The general and myself would be obvious choices but who would be the third? One of the captains? The mayor? Someone else?
I suppose I should let the general worry about that.

Seems like a good idea anyway.

The keep is almost finished and, despite my misgivings, it looks good. I hope the general will be satisfied with it, as it contains his own living quarters. The tavern is the next building to be targetted for a facelift. I hope that isn't out of action as long as the keep - the men will be insconsolable!

Hmm, no Poste for two days now. I wonder what's going on?

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:07 PM

Thursday 24th August

Mordred returned today. I almost didn't recognise him at first. He'd dyed his hair blood red - it will take quite some getting used to.

I nay got much chance to chat to him but it seems that his stay with my father has done him so good. He should now be better able to deal with the Rage.
Ulran turned up so, knowing that they'd have much to talk about, I left them to it. Unfortunately I had to go and deal with some demolition work that was happening in south Strongholt. The tavern is being expanded, and the little storage room behind it was down to be demolished, which meant shifting all the stored goods there to another building. Tedious stuff indeed.

Of course, the demolition of the tavern could not have come at a worse time. I'd scheduled a talk there on Kaldorian history, but was forced to move it to the Temple of Dondinia due to the building work.

The talk itself was well attended, though a few people were late, and Lord Valin fell asleep, silly old fool.

Poste turned up today. There was an item on the Yew militia's attack on Strongholt. The Poste writer described our formation fighting tactics as cowardly! I'd like to see that silly bint stand in a box formation without fleeing when an overwhelming number of enemies come charging at ye. Daft trollop. Got a good mind to write an angry letter, but it's probably not worth the effort. Perhaps I should seek out this "Helen Hearsay" (now there's a made up name if ever I heard one!) and give her a good talking to. Perhaps she'd enjoy a tour of Strongholt culminating in a visit to the Interview Suite. Then we'll find out just how brave she is.

Cal Soulshadow · 24-09-06, 03:07 PM

Friday 25th August

It was training day, so I’d ordered the men off to Cove for their exercises, and then popped in to Trinsic to see if any were still loitering there.
I saw VanQa, and went over to see how she was (that drow who’s been stalking her has cursed her and she can no longer speak), but she was with Captain Devante.
We got into an argument about the war (he said we’d betrayed them, and I said we’d never ally with a bunch of inbred, elf-burning bigots) and VanQa stalked off, unhappy that two of her friends were arguing.
Then another of Devante’s marksmen turned up, and saw fit to insult me in way that questioned my gender. Naturally I saw red, and told Devante to get out of my way so that I could remove the bastard’s tongue. He refused, of course, but his minion thought it was funny to insult me more, so I told Devante I’d put the sword away once the lad apologised.
And ye know what? Devant had the temerity to say that if I hurt the lad, he’d never sleep with me. Cheeky sodding bastard!
So I went for the marksmen and chased him around in front of the jail (naturally, he ran in circles like the coward he is) until the guards came out and told us to desist.
Reluctantly, I complied, and they ordered the lad to apologise. He did so, but appended the apology with “sir”. Well, I wasn’t having that. I hit him again and he tried to run, but such was my rage that he was down in moments.
I allowed the guards to arrest me, though, of course, I’d done nothing wrong. They told me I’d get an hour in the cells to cool down, and a 1,000 crown fine, which I’d pay quite happily just to see the smirk wiped off that impudent marksman’s face.
So I cooled my heels for an hour, until the guardswoman, Natalie, came to let me out. I was expecting an escort to the bank so I could get the money to pay the fine, but instead she says she has a job for me. Evidently, they’d changed their mind about the fine, and wanted me to clean the jail!
Well, there’s no way a Kaldorian commander is going to clean for Britannians. I’ll not be humiliated, which is why I’d punished the marksman in the first place.
As I was arguing with the guards, Mordred turned up, with another maul I didn’t recognise. I’d noticed this maul earlier, as I was arrested, so evidently he’d seen what happened and had gone to find someone. Turns out he was Vognar’s younger brother, and looked a lot like Voggy, save for having both of his hands still.
Anyway, Mordred made a big song and dance about how I wasn’t going to clean because commanders didn’t do menial work, and whilst they argued, I had an idea.
I sent Mordred and the maul, whose name was Kurgan, off to the embassy, then I grabbed a mop and made as if I was going to start cleaning. I went up the stairs and fortunately, none of the other guards followed. Suckers.
From there I simply left the jail via the upper entrance and walked along the walls to the embassy. No one saw or tried to stop me.
The guardswoman, Natalie, came to the embassy soon after, having realised I’d left, and told me there would be a warrant out for me soon. Fortuantely she was smart enough to realise that the embassy is Kaldor soil, and didn’t try to arrest me again.
I’m not sure how this will turn out, but I’ll not be humiliated by the Trinsic guards for doing something that needed doing. Even they admitted the lad was an arse. But apparently it amused them to see a commander with a mop.
Well, to hell with them.