File: 1352652070758.jpg-(35 KB, 312x490, art-of-war.jpg)

>>21531655
>>Try to get into the army’s leadership tent during the on-going council and offer them your sage advice?

Strategy time!

File: 1352652369775.jpg-(127 KB, 442x750, 1352015800002.jpg)

You get into that tent and point out that the wall is in extremely poor repair and that use of the army's siege engines will knock it down with a bit of effort.

Okay, so Second Crusades. Are we under King Konrad, or King Louis?

Strategy tent.

IIRC, Damascus is independent, and the main danger to them is really Nuraddin Zangi or somesuch. Why not attempt diplomacy and make a deal? They support us, we protect them. Because our supply lines are tenuous at best and expensive, Venetian and Genoese merchants are making a killing off of us.

File: 1352652861120.jpg-(325 KB, 821x1200, Blondie Templar.jpg)

>>21531655
Romance the runaway-princess disguised as a Crusader knight in some hidden wadi somewhere in the wilderness

>>21531883

Damascus was indeed independent. We're under King Baldwin III of Jerusalem. We were the illegitimate child of a knight brother of the Hospitallers, but your mother wouldn't say who. You WERE going to be a Sergeant-Brother, but then your dad was the Grand Master and made you a knight.

>>21531913

Eventually. Eventually.

>>21531919

Oh, wow. Yeah, that's not going to end well.

We should push for them to commence an attack. Say you had a vision from the Lord, and that it'd drive you to put the infidels to the sword. Also point out that their walls are GOING TO GO DOWN, and that the men are just wasting away like this.

We need to get something happening, or the siege will stall, and the men will get restless.

>>21531655 (OP)

>Try to get into the army’s leadership tent during the on-going council and offer them your sage advice?

Deciding food can wait, you make your way to the huge-ass tent sitting brightly in the rising sun. Eight knights bearing the livery of the three different Kings and one Lord block your way, so you slip around the back and crawl under the tent side. Like a goddamn cat, you are.

You greet Baldwin III of Jerusalem, Conrad III of Germany, Louis IV of France, and Thierry of Alsace in French.

"Sup, Your Majesties. Before you kick me out, why don't you let me hear what we're planning?" Ignoring the shocked look on their faces, you push on. "I've heard that we're planning on hitting up the East side? That's stupid. We've got engineers from Italy. Let's hammer the shit out of their wall HERE, so we don't get ass-raped by reinforcements block this side. In fact, let's attack right the fuck now. We've got fifty thousand men. Even if we lose half, we can still defend the city. God is with us, sirs."

>>21531985

This. We can take the city TODAY.

>>21532014
(2/2)

Baldwin notices your surcoat, and you go 'Oh shit'. Royal notice is good, but, uh, fuck. He's the goddamn King of Jerusalem.

"I've seen you around the Castle, son. What's your name?" You tell him, and he nods. "Well, since we're attacking NOW, you can have the honor of leading the assault."

>Ohshit
>Do we thank him and wreck infidel shit?
>Do we thank him and then hide like a little girl?

Also, from now on

>Other, Specify

Shall go unsaid.

>>21532056

>Do we thank him and wreck infidel shit?

> "It'd be my honor, Sire."

Go for it. This is going to be a bloodbath, but you know what? This is, crazily enough, the best way to get out of it alive.

And in the confusion, if we can find somewhere safe, so much the better. Glory to the first man into the city and all that.

>>21532140

Heh. Maybe with luck, we'll find that runaway princess disguised as a Crusading knight. With even more luck, we might even save from an infidel sword.

>>21532172

I'm rather more worried about keeping *our* head attached to our shoulders. Given that we're a trained knight, we have a slightly better chance than the riff-raff.

Honestly, our life expectency is better if we go in, than if we say no TO THE KING.

>>21532056
>>Thank him and wreck infidel shit

If we're going to be the Hound of Heaven, we need to own that shit. Hiding like a little bitch is for bitches. Besides which, valor from the front inspires the men, which, withal, increases our chance of success.

>>21532056

You are Brother William MacMahon of the Knights Hospitaller, you're 20-ish, and you've just told the King of Jerusalem, Baldwin III, that not only are you going to take the city for him, you're going to drive straight through to the central compound and have wine and fruit waiting for him.

The other Kings and Lord nod their assent, before kicking you out to laugh at your impending doom. Bastards. You leave their tent, before making your way to your own. There, you pick up a spear and your shield. Shit's gonna be serious.

>Make your way to the wall and begin an assault by yourself, hoping men will rally to you and aid you.
>Yell for volunteers to sack the city.
>Find food AND then attack a city.

>>21532283

>Yell for volunteers to sack the city.

We are going to *do* this shit. Lay down some serious hellfire and brimstone here. Above all, DON'T LET THEM SMELL YOUR FEAR.

We'd get at least some of the craziest, hard-bitten killers, the people sick of waiting for something to happen, and the genuine religious nuts.

Go for it.

>>21532328

I like this. Let's refine upon the idea a bit. We need to plan this out. We have Italian engineers, let's figure out how to use them. Get with them, have them tell us what needs to happen for them to do their thing. Then go find the most insane priests and get their help, have them round up the nutjobs. Then go find some friends in low places and figure out who's totally down for rape, murder and pillaging. We'll get the craziest and worst of the worst to exploit the breach the Italians create for us.

>>21532283

Man, those are not good options. There's probably no food, if we haven't been able to find it. Our best bet is to get on with it, and start the party.

>>Yell for volunteers to sack the city.

>>21532368

There was an orchard on the west side of Damascus when the Siege commenced. We've got food and water.

>>21532365

Is this the best option to everyone else, or shall we just yell for volunteers?

>>21532409
>>21532422

Get a drink first, THEN go for this option.

You are Brother William MacMahon. You're about to start attacking Damascus. To this end, you find a wineskin, guzzle all of it, and find the Italian siege engineers. You briefly explain what you want; their weaponry needs to be battering one side of the Western gate, while you get fanatics to assault the other side with ladders. You yourself will be with the fanatics, leading them from the front.

They nod assent, before you find some of the priests with the army. Again, you explain your intentions, and they agree to preach a sermon labeling you as "The Wolfhound of God", and the fanatics will follow you.

Now you need men to attack the gate itself. You walk to the outskirts of the camp, where the rapists and murderers are gambling. You explain you need men to man a battering ram and hit the gate while the walls are hammered. They nod, knowing that if they get through the gate, loot and rape are theirs.

Your men assemble in their locations, and then the Italians begin it in the mid-morning haze. Their weaponry sends rocks forward with the groaning and creaking of timber, and the rocks slam it into the wall. The ram begins moving forward, and so do the ladders, with you carrying the back end of the first one.

Arrows begin peppering the men carrying shields, protecting the ladder carriers. You can't spare anymore thought for the other attacks; these are your men, and you'll either lead them to victory or die trying. Hopefully the first. You order the men around you to begin running, and you do the same. You'll be the first man up the first ladder.

Now rocks begin flying from the ramparts, and now your men are dying. Ignoring their screams, you bellow for the ladders to move faster, spurring them on with an unintelligent warcry.

"KILL THE HEATHEN BASTARDS, FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND HIS MAM'S TITS, LADS. THERE'S WOMEN AND WINE INSIDE!"

And now the ladders are clawing towards the sky, and before your's is even finished hitting the stone wall, you're climbing, praying to God that the defenders won't notice you. A small piece of masonry hits your skill, stunning you for a moment. Ignoring it, you reach the top of the ladder and clamber over the top bits of the wall.

>Drop your spear and begin laying about with your sword?
>Use your spear for as long as it isn't broken?
>Try bulling through to the gatehouse?

>>21532600

>Use your spear for as long as it isn't broken?

STAB FIRST. Stab until you can't stab, and slam your shield into anyone that gets close. Clear an area so the other scum can swarm onto the battlements. If the momentum stalls, you're fucked.

>>21532600

> Use the spear.

Start shanking people, until more of your guys are up here. THEN go for the gatehouse.

>>21532600

Do we have a shorter spear and shield? If so, stick with the spear. If not, and we're about to be in close-quarters combat, switch to sword. In any event, we need to clear space for the rest of our crazy bastards to get up there. We get stopped, we lose.

>>21532690
The spear is about eight feet long. It's not an anti-cavalry spear. It's more like a shield wall kind of spear.

>>21532725

Oh, bugger. That's not a good choice, then.

Drive it through the nearest guy/chuck it into someone's face, then get our sword out and start swinging. We need to drive them back so we can clear some space.

>Drop your spear and begin laying about with your sword?

>>21532725

Okay, yeah, we should probably go with the sword then. That spear's really too long for this situation.

>>21532725

If we have a dagger, get that out too. It's essential that we keep the infidels at bay, and *scared*. And nothing's more scary than a madman with two swords.

>>21532600

You are Brother William MacMahon, and you're on the walls of Damascus. You've lost your spear after having it broken in the shield of an infidel.

You draw your sword, and begin slaughtering the men around you. Anyone with a dark face dies; for they are the infidel, and you are the wolfhound of God Himself. You feel your blood begin to rush, and time seems to slow for you. You see every sword blow before it happens. You see an archer send an arrow at your face, so you throw your shield up and deflect. You're bellowing with rage and hate and even a bit of fear, but by God, you're the son of the Grandmaster of your Order. You're hot, you're tired now, and these are the bastards keeping you from raising the gate to begin the sack of the city. A righteous rage fills you, and now that there's more of the religious fanatics on the battlements with you, you begin a sally towards the gate house, slaughtering as you go.

Nothing seems to stop you, save your sword dulling with the flesh and bones you've hacked through. Ramming it back into your sheath, you pick up one of the infidel's swords and continue onwards to the stairs of a tower.

Even more men are flooding the battlements behind you; the rapists and murderers manning the ram have abandoned it and are flooding up the ladders as professional soldiers bring even more to exploit the breach not much more than your rage has created.

>Battlements are pretty secure.
>Head for the gate house to open the gate?
>Begin leading men downwards into the city itself to slaughter even more defenders?

>>21532826

>Head for the gate house to open the gate?

Well, that went well. Get the gates open, and we have the city. We're doing great, but we have to keep the pressure on.

Our happy horde of god-bothering murderers are going to run out of steam. Good thing there's plenty waiting in the wings!

>>21532826
>>Head for the gate house to open the gate

Let's get as many people as we can inside the city, as fast as we can. True command and control was just a wet dream, and with this it'll be even further away, but utter chaos suits us at the moment.

>>21532860
What will we do with the chaos of a city being sacked and fought over at the same time?

>>21532826

Eye on the ball. Let's get our boys in. Rally as many guys as you can, and make a hard push on the gatehouse.

>Head for the gate house to open the gate?

>>21532866

We might get the chance to do some serious sacking ourselves - And go home a rich man, or one who's made substantial contributions to the order. First things first, though! Get those gates open.

>>21532866

The same thing that always happens: grab as many people under our direct control as possible so we have at least some degree of organization and mass, hope that everyone who runs off to rape and pillage provides a good distraction for devoted defenders, stab anyone who's not one of ours, and go burn stuff that looks important or which turns out to be defensible.

Speaking of which. How's our supply of torches? It's not a proper sack if we don't burninate a quarter of it.

>>21532826
>Begin leading men downwards into the city itself to slaughter even more defenders

Can't let others get in on our looting.

>>21532914

FIRE CLEANSES EVERYTHING.

Pillaging is the best part!

>>21532914
Most of the city is wood. We get one spark in the wrong place with a good (bad wind for them!), and most of it's burning.

>>21532826

You are William MacMahon of the Knights Hospitaller, and you're leading a so-far highly successful attack on the city of Damascus. Despite this, you feel the need for more men inside aiding you in your not-so holy cause of finding a woman, some wine, and hopefully some cold hard coin. To this end, you decide the gate needs open. This section of the top of the wall has been cleared fairly well, with Crusaders pushing forwards on both sides. You decide a speech is in order.

"ALL RIGHT, LADS, LISTEN UP! WE'VE GOT THE WALL. NOW WE NEED THE GATES. WHO WANTS TO SLAUGHTER SOME MORE OF THE INFIDEL PIGS?" A resounding cheer greets your question, and you assume that this is approval.

"Then follow me, you God-loving bastards, and we'll find some women and wine when we're done!" With more men flooding the battlements, you feel secure leading a group of armored and armed sergeants. These are the professional soldiers that are Crusading for cash or loot; men after your own heart. To this end, you lead them to the towers securing the gates themselves, and lead the men following you downwards, hacking through defenders as you go. Half of your men have split off to go to the other tower, and soon you have some of your remaining men opening the gates.

>Now what? We're opening the gates, the siege weapons are hammering a hole in the wall, and the battlements are mostly secure.

>>21532958

Time for *pillaging*.

The best loot will be in the palaces - But that's where that shit will be really, really heavily guarded. Their temples will also have highly valuable items. Alternatively, the merchant's quarters will be just LOADED with coin.

Any of those three places will work fairly well. Keep an eye out for organized resistance, though; If they make a serious counterattack, things could go bad fast.

>>21532974

Also, go for jewellery. It's portable.

Before I write anymore, do you guys want me to describe the further sack of the city, or just assume everything is successful?

>>21532974
+1 for temples
Loot the mosques and we can at least pretend we're doing it because we're crusaders.

Also flip off any members of orders other than our own.

>>21533002

That's up to you. Personally, I'd love to see how things go down, unless this is all a prelude to the main story or something.

>>21533028
Well it could be. Dunno what the main story'd be, though. I'll now take suggestions for that.

>>21533004

Yeah, the mosques sound like a good idea. Most of our brethen are going to go for the low-hanging fruit, but we can make a pretty penny this way.

>>21533054

Damn, I thought you had something in mind. You know, like an overarching goal. Otherwise, we're either going to be stuck here in the counter-siege, or go home with an armload of gold...Assuming nothing untoward happens.

>>21533092
Hm. About setting up another Crusader kingdom for our MC? That counts as an over-arching goal, right? :P

>>21532958

You are William MacMahon. Not only have the gates been opened, but the breach in the wall has been made. God himself seems to be aiding you. Or something. Now that you've done your duty to King Baldwin III of Jerusalem, you decide you want some cold hard coin, and some women. These Moslem infidel heretics usually have huge palaces filled with both. However, the mosques are an offense to God and the Christ-child.

"All right, lads. Here's the new plan. We're going to attack the richest mosque, and then one of the palaces. We'll use the palace to attract more men with which to guard it, and then we'll sally out to sack more mosques and palaces. Who's with me?" Another cheer; apparently, you have good ideas. With any luck, the capture of Damascus for the three Kings and one Count-Lord thing outside will result in some land and possibly a wife.

With that, you lead the men in this tower and the other one towards the religious part of the city, hacking your way through civilians and soldiers alike. None are spared, for all are infidels. Plus, it means the ones that run in front of you and your men break the ranks of any shield walls that are formed. That happens several times, and a broken shield wall is a dead shield wall. Which you prove with a clear intent to kill.

>>21533119

Historically, the attack was repelled, and Muslim reinforcements led by Nur ad-Din Zangi cut off the Crusaders. But here, we're actually INSIDE the city...Which means that we may end up being besieged, ourselves, if we don't pull out in time.

File: 1352659259789.jpg-(138 KB, 1193x669, Gothic.jpg)

>>21533152

You and your men arrive at a mosque defended by literally one imam. Ignoring what are undoubtedly his pleas for mercy, you push him into your men to let them have the kill, and kick the door of the mosque open. Your men have seemingly found a cart out of nowhere, and begin loading gold and silver religious iconography, coins they find out of nowhere, and even some women. These guys are good. One man approaches you, seemingly an officer or subofficer.

"Sir, I had scouts out. They've found an emir's palace that's completely undefended. What are your orders?"

>WAT DO GUYS? This one's completely up to you. I'll either run with the consensus or the best suggestion imo.

>>21533204
True. That said, if we can sack the city and get it re-defended fast enough, we might actually be able to meet the reinforcements in the field and shatter them.

>>21533207

Go for it. Saddle up as many guys as possible, and head in. For yourself, grab what's light and portable - And make a push for the palace. To live dangerously is to incur risk.

And with that, I'm going to turn in, guys. Good luck, and let's hope we stagger out of here RICH AS FUCK. Sharpe could do it; Let's follow that trend.

>>21533207
Attack the palace, try to capture as many infidel nobles as possible, they're worth more alive

>>21533207
"PURGE THE INFIDELS! LET NONE SURVIVE!"

>>21533289
seconded

>>21533207

"We're going after the palace. Round up as many men as we can find. We'll use the palace to stage further looting. Organize the men into groups of twenty. We'll rotate three defending the palace and however many more we can raise sacking and looting. Let's get moving, gentlemen."

You let the officer that approached you lead the way at a fast dogtrot, eating the city blocks at a fair clip. You're arriving at the front gates of the palace, which the scout has opened by scaling the walls of it, when a block of Saracen spearmen enter the block.

>Oh shit.
>Do you form a wedge and try to break their line?
>Do you try to get everyone into the palace?
>Do you run away?

>>21533436
"WITH ME BROTHERS! TO THE PALACE!"

>>21533477
This.
We chaplain now.

>Do you try to get everyone into the palace?

"Fuck! All right, I need forty men with me to hold the line while the rest get the cart into the palace!" With the professional men you've picked up, the levies raised, and some of the fanatics, you now have about two hundred soldiers at your command. Twenty professional men-at-arms answer your call, with the rest made up of the fanatics and levies. You set the men-at-arms at the flanks of your shield-wall, with the fanatics and levies in the center. You place yourself in the first rank of the center as well, to keep the levies' courage from failing. You block the Saracen's approach while the rest of your men start entering the palace and begin fortifying it. Time to rally some courage, you think to yourself.

"All right, men! We're only a few minutes, and a bunch of dead Saracens, from being able to sack this area of the city at will! Are you going to stand with me and hold this line, or will you break like little cowards?!" The Saracens began their attack, then.

>Do you hold the line and slaughter?
>Do you try to slowly withdraw?

>>21533639
Our men aren't trained well enough to conduct a slow fighting withdrawal, and besides, they're fucking saracens.
Purge the infidel scum, etc.

File: 1352661123546.jpg-(80 KB, 1280x1024, 1322844738894.jpg)

>>21533639
HOLD THE LINE! NO RETREAT! NO SURRENDER!

File: 1352661625935.jpg-(271 KB, 759x751, Advancing Hospitaller.jpg)

>>21533639

Fuck it, you decide. They're only Saracen scum. "If anyone of you sacks of scum decide to break ranks and run, if the Saracens don't kill you, I will! Our brothers in the palace are fortifying it against further assault! Hold this line, slaughter the infidel, and not only will God reward you the next life, I'll reward you in this one!" And then the Saracens are upon your shield wall, trying to break it. Spears thud into shields, weighing them down, but your men don't lower them, stabbing outwards like madmen. Now your men are proving themselves men; the Saracens keep killing themselves upon the shields and swords of your men.

Eventually, you and your men prevail. You've lost most of the fanatics and levies, but the Saracens are broken and fleeing. The sun is in the West now, setting, and the night still promises your men loot. You allow them out of the palace, to find women and wine and money, but you yourself remain in the palace, sipping from a wineskin.

>What do you do?

File: 1352662524155.jpg-(481 KB, 1920x1080, 1344158261063.jpg)

>>21533778
Take a look around the palace before it gets plundered. Look for shit of strategical value.

>>21533778
>Before I post, is the fellow that suggested making off with the princess disguised as a Crusader still here?

You've found wine, you've found food. Your men have found the women and cash. Unconcerned with losing any, as they're going to be YOUR men soon enough, you decide to look around the palace. Richly decorated with Byzantine vases and Persian rugs, with water fountains all over the place, and a light airy design, you decide this will be YOUR palace from now on.

Still wandering around, you eventually come across a crying slave girl. She's got pale skin and hair, and you heard her cry in French. Now that you're not clothed in a blood spattered surcoat and coat of mail, you don't look like one of God's avenging angels.

>It's a girl. She's crying. What do you do?
>Do you comfort her?
>Do you demand she shows you around the palace?
>Both?

File: 1352663456251.jpg-(437 KB, 3000x2400, 1317056347835.jpg)

>>21534141
I think it's only me and you now.
Both.

>>21534186
Oh well. Any suggestions on anything? Also, your pic is hilarious. Sorry I took so long. I was getting some food.

>>21534141
You kneel beside her and wrap your arms around her, feeling her stiffen at your touch. Before she can try to run, you speak in French.

"Shh, my dear. What's wrong?" She's shocked you know French, and replies before she can stop herself.

"My master said the Crusaders were in the city and that they were going to rape anything that moved."

"I'm a Crusader, and I'm not going to do that. My name is William. what's your name, dearest?" She sniffles quietly, before rubbing her eyes.

"I'm Marie, sir. Since you seem to own the palace now, are you my new master?"

"No, Marie, I'm not your master. You're free now. Will you show me around this place?" She nods, and you both stand up and begin walking.

>Do you go back to the gates and start there?
>Or, as your lost, do you let her get you even more lost?

File: 1352665249932.jpg-(142 KB, 1191x670, 1321048234904.jpg)

>>21534334
Let her lead me around for a while.

>>21534537
All right. Do we want to keep going with the exploration thing or do we want to skip to the day after the Sack of Damascus?

>>21534831

lets keep exploring, lets check if we can find some fine books or other useful shit

>>21534334
You are Brother William MacMahon of the Knights Hospitaller of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. You have successfully assaulted the city of Damascus at the behest of King Baldwin III of Jerusalem. You've successfully lead a group of men to loot, plunder, and sack, the religious district of the city, and now you and your men have fortified a palace in the city. Your men are still sacking parts of the city, contributing further to the cause of everyone's wealth, while you're begin lead around the palace by Marie, a former slave.

The city is filled with Crusaders raping, plundering, and killing anything that isn't female or Crusader. Marie has stopped crying, but is still quietly sniffling as she shows you the palace's place of worship. To your surprise, instead of a Moslem, Jewish, or Christian shrine, it's got a figure of a goddess bearing a sword.

>What the fuck is this shit, and what do we do?

>>21535035

Ask marie does she know anything about it. Also what kind of sword is it? Is it ceremonial weapon or actually fully functional blade? Also try to look some books, there is good chance that there is this...Thing's religious text.

You are William MacMahon, Brother in the Knights Hospitaller, and you've just found either A; LOOT, or B; a pagan shrine. Either way, you're intrigued.

"Marie, do you know what this is?" You stare at it, noticing that it's nude. The sword is a curved saber, like the kind you used earlier today to slaughter the infidel scum.

"No sir. I'm sorry." Marie sounds apologetic, but one girl's issues aren't your problem. You've got a MYSTERY TO SOLVE! Moving forward, you poke the statue. Nothing happens, so you try to shift it some. It moved a little bit, so you push against it further, revealing a hole in the altar it's on. Inside it is a book written in Latin.

Thanks to your father's sudden niceness, you're able to read the title. "The Truths of the Goddess". An intriguing title, no doubt. However, you're halted from opening it and perusing the book by a scream from Marie. She's fainted, and there's a woman standing behind her. The woman's features are that of the statue's.

>Oh God what is this
>What the fuck is going on in this place
>WAT DO

>>21535411

She's a...swordswoman...so I suppose we salute. And for fuck's sake, be polite and don't leer, we've women enough who will give it up willingly when we're ready to go take them. You don't mess around with heathen idols lightly, especially when they actually do something.

I suppose we should ask her what her name is and what her nature is. Assuming nonhuman.

Ask her whatsup, ready the sword in case she attacks, while making it clear we are not about to make an offensive move.

>>21535411
>heresey
>magics
>pagans
get the men, and purge with fucking flame

>>21535411
You are William MacMahon, there appears to be a goddess in front of you, and you're holding a book you pulled from under her statue, and the sword her statue was holding.

You decide to try Latin. "Sup. I'm William. Wh-"

"I know who you are, murdering scum! You're the one that breached the walls of this city. You're the one that cut down innocents and soldiers that had surrendered alike. You're the scum that CHOPPED DOWN SOME OF MY SISTER'S TREES FOR YOUR WAR MACHINES!" Oh. Oh shit. She's pissed. And then the normal, 20-ish years old part of you takes over.

"You have a sister? Is she as hot as you?" OH FUCK, BRAIN. WE HAD A PLAN. BE SMOOTH, BRAIN. BE COOL, BE CALM AND COMMANDING. BUT NO. COMMENT ON HOW HOT SHE IS.

>You're quite probably royally fucked.
>Run away?
>Try to extract situation?
>Run away through her?

>>21535884
Run and then purge with flame. Also, get the priests, this shit is fucking Satan. Jesus Christ would not approve of this satanic evil. We must retreat, and then come back to purge, salting the Earth, and even telling the dreaded Moslemen this place has great evil.

>>21535884

"We chopped those trees down for GOD. Obviously he was stronger than your sister then. If you want some of this, come and get it. Perhaps you will kill me, and I shall go to my Heavenly reward. Or perhaps you will not. It matters little, for the Hand of God shields our enterprise and your Heathen powers are not great enough to overturn his hand and slay all of us.

"Now, we can be civil or we can be violent. Your call. I admit that I have no goddamn idea what's going on here, so given my lack of information I'll let you decide how we're going to play this ...but seriously. You have a sister?"

>>21535924
This

Damned pagan magics

>>21535970
Better in my opinion

10/10 waifu quality.

Would covert to christ and wed

File: 1352671713403.jpg-(59 KB, 640x512, NeedsAName.jpg)

>>21535884

"It doesn't matter if my sister is pretty or not. You, scum, must answer for your crimes." With that, she starts advancing towards you, bearing a spear. Yeah, fuck this. Anger time.

"Crimes?! CRIMES?! I have committed no crimes! We chopped those trees down and turned them into war machines for GOD HIMSELF! WE ARE HIS DIVINE RIGHT ARM, THE STRENGTH OF HEAVEN! You will not accuse me of crimes! I am William MacMahon, TAKER OF DAMASCUS! You are in MY PALACE! And you will TELL ME WHO YOU ARE!" Taken aback by the strength of your rage, she retreats. Smelling weakness, you advance, only to be thrown against by the wall by an unseen force. Now standing next to her is another woman, bearing an uncanny resemblance.

"You will leave my sister Asherah alone! She has done nothing to you, save try to protect me! You are- you are- you are a jerk, human!" Oh God two of them, and you can't move.

This causes you to burst out laughing at the sheer stupidity of it all. A former slave girl sprawled on the floor, unconscious, you're trapped against the wall, and there's what appears to be two goddesses menacing you. You'd probably be more fearful if they weren't at least slightly adorable looking.

>You're trapped.
>Try to talk your way out of it?
>Try to charm them?
>Stay silent and reveal nothing?

>>21536286
Talk
Attempt to convert them to the one True Faith, Christianity. That way, they can become one with Jesus Christ.

>>21536286
>Stay silent and reveal nothing

Our Lord will protect us.

>>21536286
Convert them in the name of the Lord! They must realize their subordination to the one true God, or be damned forever, and that'd be such a waste

We should totally talk with them about faith and try to convert them. We are God's right arm, and we are always hiring!

we've already pissed em off, if we talk we need to be careful with our words. try and bargain.

>>21536498
> bargain
>heretics
What are you, an Albigensian?

>>21536286
Just read the thread and have to say: I like it so far, OP.

Would actually prefer non-magic setting and some battle mechanics or something instead of just story-telling but oh well. You said that you don't have an overarching plot (yet), so I guess that's an excuse.

Could be cool to become Grand Master of our own order and try to take over Arabia.

>>21536286
Time to gain some converts for Christ, you decide. Hopefully, they don't hate you. Yet.

"So, uh, ladies... Have you heard the good news about the Lord Christ? There's thing called Christianity. Christ is our Lord and Savior; He died for our sins, to save our eternal souls."

You pause, trying to see how your words so far have been taken. Not well, you see. Time for a new tack, but before you can, Asherah's sister throws her spear through the loose part of your tunic, coming awfully close to a pair of your most prized possessions, and then Asherah speaks.

"We know about your Christ-child. We were walking this Earth with our worshippers before the Christ-child's false father was even thought of."

>wat
>God is false?
>Flip the fuck out?
>Your world has been shattered?

>>21536677
>Flip the fuck out

My faith shall not be sway by your lies!

>>21536677
Why are your false gods dead then?
Literally every civilized person knows about Abraham, and if your God was so strong, he would have destroyed our invading ships.

Ergo, Jesus is Lord, your god is weak, QED.

Go all logic on them

>>21536677
I just finished reading up, fun stuffs op.

"Fale? Your worshippers? You must not realize this, but you are spouting HERESY TO GODS OWN YOU VILE WITCHES"
Flip the fuck out.

>>21536726
This guy knows whats up

>>21536726
Seconding this. If all else fails
>flip the fuck out
>all zealot berserker rage

>>21536677

[ ] FLIP OUT LIKE A NINJA

Hold the FUCK up. Your sister couldn't even protect some goddamn TREES from Our Lord and Savior's soldiers, and you want to talk shit?

You better explain yourself FUCKING NOW.

For what it's worth, Asherah's sister has kindly disarmed herself. We should consider how to subtly make use of this.

>>21536677
You are William MacMahon, Taker of Damascus. You're currently pinned to the wall by a spear and mind bullets from two goddesses in the cellar of your own palace.

Your God has just been called false. You're beyond angry. You're ballistic.

"FALSE? MY GOD, FALSE? HAD HE BEEN FALSE, YOUR SISTER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HALT THE DESTRUCTION OF HER TREES, ASHERAH. I am William MacMahon, Asherah and sister. You don't know what you're stirring."

>Keep raging?
>Calm down?
>Go silent?

>>21536952
Deadly Calm Fury.

>>21536952
>Go silent
Wait for them to slip up and be ready to attack.

>>21536982
Seconded.Be calm with the look of a raving madman in our eyes.

>>21536952

[ ] Calm down. At least until the next time they say something that makes us flip out. We may follow a merciful God who would be willing to forgive, but we are not He. We are his soldiers. And we are not paid to have a sense of humor.

>>21536952
Calm down, and still point out that if her god was again strong, he would have been smited, and her religion would be leading Europe into a united era, or her religon wouldn't have been defeated by the Lord's people, when they took over the holy land, as the Vulgate points out. She is clearly one of Ba'als servants, or worse, one of those demons mentioned early in the Holy Word. We must pray for Solomon's wisdom,

>>21536952

You are William MacMahon, and despite being ready to slaughter ALL the infidels, you cannot keep up yelling that loudly.

You're about to speak, but footsteps can be heard approaching. Slamming your mouth shut, they speak at the same time.

"We will find you again, William of Damascus." They disappear, and so does the spear stuck in your tunic. You land on your feet and hide the book, sword, and statue swiftly, before lying down next to Marie, carefully changing her, and your, clothes to look disheveled, as though you had been in coitus. One of King Baldwin's messengers walks in. He takes one glance at the room, before stepping back outside.

You make your way outside, and order him to speak. "Sir William, King Baldwin and Count Thierry demand your presence. I'm to escort you there." Oh. That's cool. Hopefully they'll give you Damascus.

>Do you carry Marie to a bed?
>Do you leave her there and take off?
>Do you gather an escort of the professional soldiers that fought in the shield-wall with you, and take them to your meeting with Baldwin?

>>21537307
Tell Marie to go to her bed, leave some guards of needed, then go with the escort/Honor guard. It is only just that they should share in the glory. Unless they need to keep pillaging i suppose.

>>21537307
tell the messenger to gather our professional soldiers, lay marie in bed, then go to the meeting

>>21537390

What this guy says. We can at least try to look and act like gentlemen.

>>21537390
And make it very clear to them, should they touch her, we will touch them.

File: 1352676653758.jpg-(20 KB, 220x300, 1345861404732.jpg)

Pretty sure we are supposed to be chaste bros

>>21537307

You are William MacMahon, Knight Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and you've been summoned to meet King Baldwin III of Jerusalem and Thierry, Count of Flanders.

You scoop Marie up swiftly and gently carry her to a bedroom, depositing her in the bed. Ignoring the looks Baldwin's messenger is shooting you, you have a passing soldier round up the men that fought beside you in the shield-wall and gather them in the courtyard. You needed to dress.

In the room set aside as yours, you find your cleaned armor and surcoat, re-sharpened sword, and your shield, with all ten or eleven dents in it. Shrugging the coat of mail on, you put the surcoat on over it, before belting on your sword and picking up your shield. You skip the helmet and proceed to meet with your men, and then the King's messenger leads you and your merry men to the central palace in the city.
(1/2)

>>21537629
Finally there, your guide and Baldwin's messenger leads your men and yourself into the feasting hall where Baldwin, Conrad, Louis, and Thierry are all holding court. You bow, and your men follow suit before lining up against the wall.

>Do you greet the Kings and Count?
>Do you force them to acknowledge you first?
>Do you snag a passing serving girl and kiss her, ignoring the Kings and Count?

>>21537670
Wait patiently, it's hardly our place to berate our betters. Glance knowingly at the local herald, if there is one. Herald our presence!

File: 1352677182831.jpg-(486 KB, 579x900, 1346253448012.jpg)

>>21537670
1st option

Going to get some of dat glory, we just took one of the most important cities in the world

>>21537670
Put on a grin and ask them how they liked the show.

>>21537670

[ ] Greet the Kings and Count
I know William MacMahon is not big on decorum, but this is just the smart thing to do. They're kings, you don't become and stay a king by having a sense of humor or glossing over lese majeste.

>>21537670
"My kings. Deus Veult. God willed it. And we did it."

>>21537737
My lady, surely you must choose more suitable armaments than that

>>21537670
>>Do you greet the Kings and Count?

>>21537670
You are Brother William MacMahon, and you've captured Damascus. Parts of YOUR city still burn, but you don't care. Three of the most powerful men in the world sit in front of you, contemplating how to reward you.

"My Kings, Emperor, Count. God willed it, and I made it happen. Damascus is MINE, and I claim it by right of conquest." You nod firmly, as though you've planned this speech for hours. In reality, you're winging the fuck out of it.

"Sirs, I said I would take Damascus. I took Damascus. This city is mine. I have the funds to secure soldiers and men-at-arms to my banner. I have the necessary skills to keep this city under control, and I can make Damascus a secure fortress with which to secure this area of the Holy Land." Your case made, you sit back and wait for their judgement.

They whisper among themselves for a moment, before finally subsiding, thinking. King Baldwin stands, and nods.

"We shall grant Damascus to Thierry, Count of Flanders. He shall be Lord of Damascus, and you shall hold it in trust for him, Brother William." And it's all come crashing down, you think to yourself. So much for another Crusader State, administered by Duke or King or Earl or Lord or Count William of Hospitaller. Bitterly disappointed, you settle back on your feet.

>Do you begin plotting to rebel against Thierry as soon as the main body of the army is gone?
>Do you begin plotting to slip out of the city with your men and money, to go somewhere and start over?
>Do you begin plotting to go back to Jerusalem and something something something?

>>21538084
[ ] Begin plotting to rebel against Thierry as soon as the main body of the army is gone

That's fine. There's plenty of opportunities to deal with Thierry. He's going to have other problems soon enough anyway, especially if we can get a lot of the better men-at-arms to choose to stay and serve us. We have a rich and historically significant city under our control and therefore the tax base to pay them. This wasn't exactly an uncommon situation historically, and as long as we can indeed make a secure fortress of Damascus, it might as well be ours.

>>21538084
Lets meet the chap before plotting to overthrow him. Settle into our new duties, should be ample opportunity to hopefully lay claim to some primeo real estate. Plus, there will probably be saracens stragglers for Thierry to deal with, and a good leader leads from the front. Which is quite lethal.
Are we going to question the freak episode of the witches to anyone?

>>21538169
Best to figure out what those pagan witches were up to and what else is going on around here.

>>21538215
Fair enough, otherwise, before you know it we'll be fighting assasins and looking for apples of eden due to nutcase witches/"precursors".

>>21538246
Getting food and securing loot will also be necessary. Look good for a bit until this Thierry shows, make sure we have a good group of knights to watch our backs. We could even go rat killing.

>>21538279
So, secure supplies, a good cut of all the loot, perhaps to redistribute to worthy people/honor guard and so on, essentially establish our own powerbase, find out how many troops we are keeping as garrison, especially engineers. Going to need to clean up alot of damage after all the pillaging is over. Also, put out the word to HQ and setup a local Hospitaller "base"?

>>21538084

You decide to wait out the feast, and then begin securing the support of the best men-at-arms in the city. As well as this, you're going to need to be laying in grain and salted meat. The breach in the wall will need to be repaired. The populace will need converted. So many things to do, so little time before Thierry leaves and you can declare yourself Lord of Damascus.

>What do you do first?
>Supplies?
>Men-at-arms?
>Repairing the wall?
>Something else?

>>21538667
Give the orders for the walls to be repaired, then set about everything else. And maybe take a look at the book, when given time.
But, It was fun OP, getting late over here though. I'll read the rest tomorrow, hopefully.

>>21538667

Men-at-Arms. If we don't have our own swords, we don't have anything.

>>21538667
>Repairing the wall
>Convince the Men-at-arms that we'll be a better leader.

>>21538667

After the victory feast, you find the Italian siege engineers and ask if they're as good at rebuilding stuff as they are at killing it. They nod, and you promptly set them to work rebuilding and then fortifying your city's wall.


Check one item off your mental list of shit to do. Time to find the men-at-arms and try to convince them to swear an oath of service to you. To this end, you start drinking with them. At the end of it, you're sozzled, in bed with a Saracen hooker, and now out all the cash you started the evening with, but you now command the personal allegiance of four-thousand professional soldiers.

You awaken with a pounding headache, the sunlight filtering through the shutters on the window, and a Saracen woman cuddled next to you. Rolling over, you slip out of the bed and recall something about grain.

>Recall all of yesterday's list?
>Go harass the English crusaders?
>Go find that religious book in your damned palace again and read that shit?

>>21538964
Recall that fucking list, if historically we're about to be sieged, we should at least be preparing our food store and water source.

>>21539055

What he said. We need to focus on keeping our ass in one piece. Then we can worry about whatever in the hell those women were.

>>21538964
Talk the Saracen woman she's bound to know about the city. Ask about sidestreets, known openings, and other ways to move about the city faster.

>>21538964
You are William MacMahon, and you're not feeling very knightly or brotherly. You're hungover, and you just rolled out of bed with what appears to be a Saracen prostitute.

You decide to recall your list from last night. Right! You've gotten everything done but laying in supplies from the surrounding country side. To that end, you decide pants would probably be your best bet, this early in the morning. To accomplish the task of putting on pants, you sit back down and quietly mutter about elephants. Although what elephants have to do with grain, or pants, escapes anyone's guess.

Pants securely on, and feeling slightly better about the world and life in general, you set out towards the farmer's markets. Once there, you stand up on the speaker's platform, snag a Crusader that speaks Saracen, and order him to translate.

"By Order of His Lordship Lord Thierry of Damascus, Count of Flanders, all farmers are to donate three-fifths of their product to the city's granaries in the event of a siege! You will be recompensed! Thank you! That is all!" Confident your will shall be followed, you stumble off.

>What do now?
>Harass any English Crusaders you find?
>Go back to your pad and read that religious book?
>Troll Thierry, Count of Flanders and Lord of Damascus?

>>21539636

[ ] Go back to your pad and read that religious book.

We can follow up on the other stuff later; let's give our underlings time to show results. In the meanwhile, let's figure out what the hell is really going on. The first choice is bad because we don't want to pick fights we don't need to; the third is bad because we don't want Thierry suspecting anything until he's low on supplies and locked out of 'his' city.

Survival first.

>>21539636

You are Knight Brother William MacMahon of the Hospitallers, Taker of Damascus, and you've done all you can to prepare to declare the city yours when Thierry marches with the rest of the army.

You're going to lock him out, and fortify the entire thing like a madman, because once you shed the protection of the Crusader army, you'll be an available target to literally everyone.

With that accomplished, you decide it's time to head back to your palace and chill like a villain on penicillin with that one book. You walk through the city, enjoying the cool morning air and scent of fresh commerce. By fresh commerce, you mean the burnt out hulks of buildings that will need rebuilt, bringing in TAX MONEY!

Once ensconced in your room with the book, "The Truths of the Goddess", you crack that baby open.

AND THIS CONCLUDES CHAPTER ONE. I'll now answer questions, folks.

>>21540119
Where will you be going with this?
What about an overarching plot?
What style of game will this be? Strategy? Intrigue? RPG?
What game mechanics will you implement? Assuming you could use this first thread as an introduction. Will you just keep going with some suggestions and make stuff up on the fly or will we have hard numbers to go around?
How much magic will this involve?

File: 1352686970135.gif-(17 KB, 100x100, 1348071946037.gif)

>>21540119
>I thought the quest was over until the next thread when I saw it on suptg. I stopped voting.

I was to late to bring the vote over to burning the book. Next time ;_;

When is next time by the way

>>21540282
I'll answer your questions in order.

This is literally my first /tg/ thread, let alone writefaggotry. I'm going to try not to wind up being a douche with it.

There is a small overarching plot, yes.

It's medieval Holy Land during the Second Crusade that hasn't failed from the get-go because of failing to take Damascus. I'm pretty sure it's going to be Strat/Intrigue with quite heavy doses of, "Fuck ruling this place, I'm bored, time to go troll some Englishmen."

Mechanics wise, I may implement dice rolls for the outcomes of battles such as that between the Crusaders and the reinforcements that were heading for Damascus.

Little to none, unless Anon of /tg/ can convince me otherwise.

>>21540340
Whut.

Next time will probably be Friday, 8 or 8:30 PM. I have school and shit all week every week, so unless it's a US federally recognized holiday, I'll only do this stuff on weekends.

>>21540385
le thanksgiving face

>>21540385
Good to hear about this. IMO you did well for your first time.
Also glad to hear bout the mechanics and the little magic, because I would prefer this to be nonmagical.

Gonna try and be there next friday, dear OP.