Bicolline / Bataille de Bicolline

The Realms Embassy continues to serve their general purpose, as an Exploration Guild, of hunting monsters to save the people of Bicolline from their blight.  As they have been successful in assisting the various peoples of this land, lands and properties have been granted to the Embassy and its representatives.  These lands also have to be defended and certain expectations are to be upheld as citizens and landowners. 

The various nations of Bicolline are in an often state of conflict over disputes of land, ideology and pride.  During the summer months those conflicts tend to break out into large maneuvers.  During this time both military assistance and assistance in hunting various beasts is often requested of the Realms Embassy by its friends and allies.  At the Purple Ball, Emperor Karl requested that the Realms Embassy field a force to assist the Empire in various matters of battle and the hunt.

During this past winter, the nation of Carcosa sank Imperial Ships during the winter months. At the same time, Carcosa claimed that the Empire stole ships of theirs. During high summer, Carcosa and the Empire tried their hands at vengeance against one another. The Empire called their allies, the Realms Embassy, to assist.

War and hunting preparations had taken place a week prior to high summer where the Empire was planning to confront Carcosa. Many of the war camp's tents had already been set up and the raw structure of the Realms Embassy was in place prior to the arrival of the advanced party. The advanced team arrived in Bicolline a day before the main body to complete whatever construction was necessary. The main body of the Realms Embassy arrived the next day.

The start of the week would see the Realms Embassy's battle on the planes of Bicolline so the night before there is a council meeting to discuss the battle plans. The Realms Embassy deployed from the Ragnarok camp in support of the imperial province of Riksward against the Corcosa province of Eaux-Noirus at just past high noon. The battle started in the early to midafternoon when the Carcosan army appeared on the field. The battle was an easy massacre for the Empire as Carcosa's forces were demolished.

Dinner with Cavaliers du Bouc

In the following days Sir Shean, the Guild Master of the Realms Embassy, was invited, and permitted to bring a guest, to a dinner with new neighbors of the Realms Embassy Camp, the Cavaliers du Bouc. Culrick was Sir Shean's plus one, a thank you for his assistance in building the war camp. Dinner started with some hors d'oeuvres and cheese some beers and cyders. There was music and a magician whose sleight of hand was very good. He was able to make card ropes and objects do things one might never have believed possible.

The main course was a lovely roast chicken, sausages cooked in a maple sauce, Potatoes, stuffing and a nice Gravy. The Realms Embassy provided a cake for. Great Evening and Great Dinner!

Rumors of Terres de Sud and Haldorph

By the middle of the week, rumors started to circulate about Terres de Sud and Haldorph. The following day the Haldorph's army was set to face Andore with all each side can muster. The rumors were that no matter the outcome of the battle, the King of Haldorph, Agustus, would be removed as king and King Rathan of Terres de Sud would be stepping down as King. After some investigation, it appears that both rumors may be true but might not actually be happening until the Purple Ball in March.

Andore claims victory over Haldorph on Thorsday

At a battle on Thorsday, Haldorph was Crushed by the Andore army under the Prince of Andore with the assistance of the Realms Embassy easily.  The prince had asked Sir Shean personally if the Embassy to field on his side.  The fight inside the fort is so thick it is hard to see through the dust there is smoke from something.  A good, hard fight but still an easy win even being outnumbered a bit. Thursday night is Thorsday so Blue is a favored color for this Human God Blue is a hard color to find in nice clothing. It is too dark or too light of a blue never the right blue.

Gorgon Slaying

A messenger arrived at the Realms Embassy camp and relayed that they were requested to send five men to explore a crypt where hostile creatures would be expected. Sir Shean of the Realms Embassy placed the Baron Diamond of Bancroft, also of the Realms Embassy, in charge of the expedition. T'manicus, Rio and two others formed his team.

When the Realms Embassy team entered the crypt, they fought many beasts. As they worked their way deeper in, the came across a gorgon and tried to fight around it while avoiding eye contact. Eventually, however, the Realms Embassy was able to kill the creature and search the ruins. The head of the gorgon was taken to be preserved with the aid of those who deal in such delicate matters.

Plans for the Grand Battle

The end of the week during the high summer campaign sees lots of war meetings as the weekend proves to be the final and largest maneuvers before most nations and guilds head back to their lands to lick their wounds, rebuild or to enjoy the spoils of war. During the meetings the Realms Embassy attended, the upcoming grand battle was explained to have impossible checkpoints. The situation was described as a lose lose. In the described situation, there would likely be no way for the forces that the Realms Embassy support to win. The area of the battle was filled with tight spots and ditches making defense near impossible. The councils convened and tactics were discussed but there was a general consensus that the battle would be lost.

Performances 

Thorsday evening had "Les Murènes" as the music in oldtown. It is said that Les Murènes is the second-best band by some and some say it is the best. Les Murènes write a lot of their own songs but are a pirate band.  It is not for everyone so some, like Sir Shean, prefer The Swindlers. The Swindlers played during the last night of the campaign week.  According to Sir Shean the Guild Master of the Realms Embassy, that night saw the Best performance of the campaign "The Swindlers."

The Grand Battle

The morning of the Grand Battle was a scramble. The Realms Embassy fielded for the imperial province of Bryas under general Kronin against the Kaft province of Derzat.  The Realms Embassy departed at noon and marched a considerable distance before reaching the location they are to defend. There they waited for what felt like forever before the attacking army finally appeared. The enemy was everyone one could look. The Empire and Realms Embassy were incredibly outnumbered, and the bottlenecked areas of the defensive location were massively in the favor of the enemy.

The imperial line coved what they could. Part of the line, Skaal, and co. and a Ragnarok light squad was sent off to skirmish in the field and they did well there. The Realms Embassy filled in parts of the Ragnarok line, but the difference of the numbers was not even close compared with the enemy. There were cannons and some monsters that were just destroying parts of the battle lines.

It is a loss for the Empire, the Realms Embassy and their allies that day but not for the overall campaign. Even with major loss during the Grand Battle, the Empire still came out on top throughout the overall campaign.

The night after the final battle of the high summer campaign is an evening of purging anything left in one's kegs, bottles, food stores, etc... Phoenix fest is in Old Town. As the Realms Embassy sat around their fires cooking up the last of the bacon, they were joined by some new guests. A great night was had and new friends were made.

The following day, the Realms Embassy packed their camp and departed before lunch the ships to head home. But, with conflicts left unresolved, the Realms Embassy would be back soon.

Sir Shean O'Quinnlin