Tis I, the jester! To ensure spirits remain high during the siege!

Burgher? I hardly knew her!

>>4667708
>08

The rowdy soldiery seem to care little for your clownery, jeering at your jests with obvious disdain. Perhaps there is a better use for your talent as a fool?

>>4667661
I'm the guy who pours boiling oil on invaders, but I'm a little trigger happy... hopefully no allies cross my path underneath my post!

I am Scargot, local petty lordling, and I will take my fencing rapier, skills honed through years of petty bourgeois arguments with my peers, to the wall to show up the common soldiery.

>>4667990
>90

As the arrows start whizzing between the archers guarding the red battering ram and your own archers on the wall, you duck behind the cauldron of heated pitch that you've been tending to. You're unharmed by the exchange of fire, but you can't say the same for a few of the archers who were standing to either side of you - the man to your left is yanking an arrow out of his brigandine with one hand while the man to your right is dead, eyes crossed in an almost morbidly comical attempt to gaze at the arrow lodged between them. A thundering of footsteps draws your attention down to the gate, where a host of enemy soldiers are filling the defensive ditch in front of the gate to create even ground for the ram. Figuring now's as good a time as any, you dump the contents of your cauldron over them, drenching them in tar hot enough to light grass aflame. Needless to say, their armor does little against the viscous, burning stuff, and their screams of agony as their melting flesh fuses to their armor and clothing is like music to your ears.

>>4668023
>23

The situation at the east wall is grim, as the siege tower, bustling with enemy soldiers, draws ever closer. This, of course, is of little issue to you: unlike the rest of the garrison, should be battle be lost, you will simply be held for ransom, an uncomfortable but bearable fate. With an impenetrable air of confidence, you practice a few of your most showy techniques with your gaudily etched rapier, making sure to get dangerously close to a few of the rabble. A few of them look irritated, and even whisper a bit among themselves, but none overtly react. Looks like they know their place.

Pastor John Campbell here.
Sound the church bells and send the clergy to direct women and children to the church.

Lotus here.

I might be a cheap one but it's been a while since this man left me and this big dagger unchecked, time to cut some throats.

Or rather throw knives because I am better at that.

There better be a cowardly peasant who sells knives, this dagger looks too hefty.

>>4668059
Time to find another pot to tip! Oh how I love the screams they make down below

>>4667661
Fear not, the brave knight has arrived to hopefully protect his small section of the wall

>>4668059
I, Scargot, shall use my ineffable charm and boyish good looks to inspire the rabble to repel the siege tower.

>>4668061
>61

Life in the monastic cloister is no easy life at all, but years of labor, fasting, and charitable work have hardened your will and body alike. Ringing the heavy bronze bell in the castle belfry is no easy task, but your effort is met by an overwhelming sonorous tone marking your success. Sure enough, many of those who have been hiding in their homes, mostly those incapable of or unfit for combat, begin a hurried excursion to the keep and the parish, aided and directed by the friars you dispatched.

>>4668079
>79

The streets are being vacated at the very moment, with all those not manning the walls heading to safety. While this rules out the possibility of purchasing knives, it also makes it much easier to walk into a vacant home with its door left ajar and snatch as many pointy, throwable objects as you can see. A quick sprint brings you to the southern gate, where a hefty ram is closing in on the gate. Although the ram itself is covered by a shelter made of lacquered wood, the soldiers accompanying it are far less protected. The soldiers standing near you watch in awe as you throw the clumsy implements with a marksman's accuracy. While they do little against the scaled armor of the cataphracts and their mounts, the infantry mobbing the ram fare far worse, their padded armor woefully insufficient in terms of both coverage and resilience. By the time you're down to your dagger, at least ten men are either dead or incapacitated on the already bloodied ground.

>>4668083
>83

Of pots there are aplenty, and not just pitch either! Water, sand, tar, quicklime, and plain old rocks, all waiting to be dumped on the heads of the poor sods underneath the wall. You're almost giddy as a ladder mounts itself against the wall directly under a vat of heated sand. You quickly position yourself behind the sand and wait until a good number of soldiers have already started climbing before peeking your head over the rampant to gaze upon the horror of the man under you as you tilt the vat forward, dumping flame-heated sand over everyone on the ladder. The climbers quickly drop from the ladder, arms flailing, as the sand quickly works its way through every gap in their clothing with an audible sizzling noise. Once that's done, you get help from a few others manning the wall and push the ladder away from the rampart. Sadly, the upside of dumping various boiling substances on people comes with the downside of running out of boiling substances, a predicament you find yourself in.

>>4668085
>85

Your shiny bascinet and colorful surcoat handily distinguish your esteemed personage from the militiamen clustered at the wall where one of the enemy siege towers is momentarily about to drop its gangplank and let loose the shouting soldiers within. You notice that your presence alone seems to embolden some of the men.

Still, this newfound air of confidence is blown away as the enemy gangplank slams down on the rampart with a loud crack.

Ran out of characters. I'll try to keep things shorter by merging actions in the same vicinity.

>>4668085
>85
>>4668136
>36

The brave knight is quickly joined by Scargot, who managed to rally a decent number of begrudging soldiery to follow him to the ensuing skirmish. The knight's fluid swordstrokes claim the lives of many a foe, while Scargot's men charging in from the side pins the enemy down between two pikewalls.

Just as the enemy's resolve seems to crumble, an imposing man in a cataphract's heavy lamellar armor, face shrouded by a casque with a maille aventail, steps out of the tower, accompanied by a retinue of sword-and-buckler men. A wave of his mace rallies his men, who fight with terrifying vigor and resentment. It seems the enemy commander has set his sights on Scargot.

>>4668172
Ex-Crusader man-at-arms.
Tower shield and spear. Gambeson, helmet and basic chain mail.
Help organise the defence of chokepoints with me and the lads.

>>4668172
Scargot is pleased to finally have a worthy opponent, and moves to challenge him.

>>4668172
The militia captain bellows orders to hold the line, armed with stentorian voice and raised sword in hand!

>>4668172
The knight would raise his sword to mimic the action of the mace in an attempt to embolden the troops and provide support to Scargot

ALRIGHT MEN! Ahem. Brothers, tend to the people here. I am going to check the situation at the wall.

Oh shit, this is too hefty to throw, GTG fetch more knives.

Lesson learned: drop the dagger and don't throw stuff on armor.

>>4668172
Lacking things to pour in the incoming soldiers, I hurriedly try to prepare more substances.

If none are available, I start chucking the pots themselves down

>>4668181
>81

Your men, having served with you time and time again in crush of battle, entrust you with their lives as you move to create a shieldwall to block the enemy from disembarking the leftmost siege tower. As a professional soldier, you're able to quickly and efficiently create a stalwart point defense, and as the enemy infantrymen run across the gangplank, long-hafted battleaxes at the ready, they're met with an unmoving line of kite shields and thrusting spears. An enemy infantryman embeds his axe in your shield, leaving him hapless as you drive your spear into his chest. The defense goes well so far.

>>4668192
>92

A wordless glance from the man is enough to confirm that he accepts the challenge. He leaps down from the gangplank, bludgeoning your men left and right as he paces towards you. He's quickly given a wide berth, and faces you in a circle both his and your men allow for your duel. You make the first move, and its rather successful - a quick jab at his waist, aimed at the gap between his maille chausses and his lamellar cuirass lands perfectly, evidenced by the foe stumbling back and coloring your rapier a sanguine red. A good start, but he doesn't seem finished yet.

>>4668209
>09

Your shouted orders are lost in the screams of the wounded and the clash of steel on steel. Being the only captain to hold against the siege tower on the right, you can only wonder if you'll be able to keep your men from wavering.

>>4668214
>14

Already on the frontline of the fight, your attempt to rally the men to you is quickly met with an enemy infantryman hacking you in the chest with his axe. Your cuirass is more than able to take the hit, but the force offbalances you, leaving you exposed as another enemy slips in for the kill with a dagger aimed at your eye-slits.

>>4668222
>22

The situation on the wall is rather dire. You hoped that the enemy wouldn't gain a foothold so easily, but their three siege towers have already gained passage. On the right, a huddled group of militiamen and levied pikemen are hard-pressed by a fierce attack by enemy axe infantry. In the center, a man you recognize as a local nobleman is engaged in a fierce duel with an imposing fellow in horseman's armor. The situation on the left seems the best, with the enemy still held at the edge of the gangplank, unable to gain ground on the wall against a shieldwall.

>>4668399
>99

This time, you're a bit more discerning in what you take as a throwing implement, having learned well that kitchen cutlery doesn't finish the job too well. A quick ransack of the town leaves your arms overflowing the sharpest, best-flying pointy knickknacks you can get in the castle. You figure this would even be able to pierce the armor of the cataphracts at a close range, though you doubt it'll be much better from the ramparts.

>>4668411
>11

It seems there isn't much left to dump, and you sorely lack the time to boil anything more. Out of ideas, you start hurling the pots themselves - it's not quite effectual, but the heavier cast iron cauldrons certainly make a smashing display when they hit an unprotected head.

South Gate Integrity: 100%
North Gate Integrity: 100%
Archers: 186 (24 wounded)
Pikemen: 377 (17 wounded)
Militia: 157 (9 wounded)
Men-at-arms: 55
Knights: 25
Castellan: Alive

>>4668609
In a blind panic, I start grabbing whatever is available. Chunks of armor and weapons from dead or unconscious ally soldiers on the walls, random crates or objects.

As fun as dumping boiling things on people was, if those attackers actually get in then they're probably not going to treat me so kindly for torching their ranks!

>>4668608
Scargot continues his assault, a decapitation strike should demoralize the enemy rabble!

>>4668608
The knight shall attempt to dodge the knife before decapitating the man with his sword and moving on to help his lord Scargot

>>4668608
Coordinate people in burning the tower while we defend them with our shields.

>>4669232
The shield boy BTW.

File: Ancestor_House_of_Ruin.png (70 KB, 400x225)

70 KB PNG

>>4668609
Shit SHIT SHIT!
'Tis I, Colbert, the cowardly burgher. One of the richest men of the city, but still not nearly respected as much as a noble. Nervously sipping the finest of wines from a wide chalice, I can only watch from my barricated and fortified home as the enemy breaks down our gates and fights on our walls. I cannot let my riches fall into the hands of the enemy, dying here would put my years of honest mercantile work to waste! Fortunately I have coordinated with the Castellan, covertly hiring a band of mounted mercenaries, promising them a fortune to harass our enemy from behind! Let's hope the swords-for-hire pull through...

I am but a civilian, I doubt being taken as a slave will be the worst thing that could happen to me, even though death is better and way less likely.

-Lotus

I am the apothecary, tasked with making sure that all these fuckwits don’t die because they ate a really good looking worm.
My hobbies include decapitating bugs, cooking drugs and making Greek fire

> name’s Robedi, Klieb Rubedi

>>4667661
Can you people decide on a name for these so they can be filtered?

>>4668619
>19

The various detritus you get your hands on proves to be of little use - unlike boiling sand or water, it doesn't seem to do much through a good helmet. Doesn't seem like there's enough time to start boiling more water, either.

>>4668670
>70

The decapitation strike proves... less effectual than you'd hoped. Duels generally don't involve heavy armor, but the man's aventail is more than enough to protect him from a slash. You're able to easily parry his counterattack with a flourish of your rapier, though, leaving him offbalanced and wide open for another attack.

>>4668761
>61

You've trained enough in your armor that the extra 40 pounds of weight are hardly an issue when it comes to moving in combat. Your assailant's dagger bounces harmlessly off of your bevor, and before he can ready another attack, you cleave his spine in twain at the neck, leaving his head hanging from his body as if from a mere thread of viscera and muscle. Once you regain your footing, fighting your way to the duel between Scargot and the enemy proves to be an easy task, until you come face to face with one of the captain's retinue. Unlike the other enemy infantrymen, this one is armored with a metal skullcap and cuirass, and armed with a steel buckler and side sword. It seems he's intent on stopping you from continuing onwards.

>>4669232
>32

You manage to get a handful of your men to hurl torches at the siege tower, hoping to stop the oppressive influx of oncoming attackers. Unfortunately, the wet hide covering the towers is there specifically for the purpose of fireproofing, a purpose which holds up against your attempt.

>>4669281
>81

While you are loathe to part with such a gratuitous sum as was the fee of the steppe mercenaries you bought, it's better than losing it all along with your life. A knock at your door brings your attention to the castellan's messenger, who informs you that the mercenaries have arrived, and are awaiting the agreed upon signal to begin their harrying. You give the word, and only a few minutes later, the noise of a deep horn echoes through the hold. Unfortunately, it's a bit hard to tell if your mercenaries are even present from the safety and comfort of your manor.

>>4669433
>33

Greek fire, while certainly an extremely potent substance when it comes to killing swathes of enemies, is costly and difficult to prepare. You have most of the necessary components to craft the stuff, as well as the coveted knowledge of its preparation, but you lack two key ingredients - quicklime and nitre. You know someone around must have quicklime, given the fact that you saw at least one pot of the stuff dumped on the heads of the poor sods below, but there's no guarantee that you'll find the latter: you could always try improvising without all the necessary ingredients, but there's no guarantee what the result will be...

>>4669552
>52

no

>>4669701
Try to destroy it's ramp and send some of the lads to make another strongpoint.

>>4669701
The knight has no time for such a soldier! I shall bravely push him off the wall

>>4669701
Try to find the apothecary to see if he's got some greek fire he'd be willing to loan me, maybe team up with him.

I'll introduce myself as 'Potticus Spillers'

I'm your local hunchback Grungle I've been locked in the dungeon to torture unruly peasants because it's what I do

My name is Bostwain. A large but humble farmer whose every thing dear was taken by the invaders as they ravaged the lands surrounding the castle. Husband to a murdered wife, father to a fallen sun, tiller of a soddened field. All that is left me being a not unconsiderable stature fortified of many seasons sow and harvest. A stout stick some seven planyars laid. It was my grandfathers stick. A good stick all said, stout and true. Bashing open invaders heads seems the only thing to do.

>>4669701
Dread and perverse anticipation eat at me in equal measure, I cannot bring myself to stop my hands from shaking as I bring another chalice to my lips. One of my servants is sent to a lookout tower along the wall overlooking the battlefield, with orders to confirm that the mercenaries are doing their work and to immediately report back to me. May the lord shelter him from harm, for otherwise I will be forced to take to the streets myself along with my armed escort....

>>4669701
Scargot thrusts just as his tutor taught him, aiming for the eye slit on his foe's helmet!

>>4669701
I am a foreigner and mercenary, trapped in the city by unfortunate timing on my part. I was traveling through this place on my way to a country further beyond, seeking gold and glory. Now I find the opportunity to find some here.

I don my hauberk and cap, heft my bearded axe, and throw myself into where the fighting seems fiercest!

>>4669701
I am but a young lad of fifteen, armed with only a slingshot which I used to hunt rabbits to provide for my family. However, I hope to make a difference and aid the brave men defending the castle. Thus, I make my way to the castle battlements, taking aim at the enemy soldiers.

>>4669776
“Id be happy to give you fucking thing IF I HAD ANY LEFT. Drugs are readily available though. Let’s make a deal, you bring back to me every weird flower or smelly rock you find, and I will give Greek fire if I can make any”

>>4670556
I'll take you up on that action! I know where all the good shit we boil is kept so I can go fetch some stuff from there

>>4669701
i am many rat
i want to eat the quicklime
all of it
witness me

>>4669736
>36

While spears aren't quite the best weapon for demolishing structures, your men make a good show of it. Unfortunately, between the harassment from soldiers on the ramp and the strength of the lacquer that the wood was treated with, little damage is done. Your shieldwall manages to hold superbly, however, and you send some men to reinforce the crumbling lines at the locations of the other two towers.

>>4669771
>71

The enemy tries to close in with you, hoping to alleviate the inferior range of his arming sword. This proves to be a fatal mistake, as you use the flat of your blade to push him aside and his momentum does the rest, sending him over the side of the rampart. The path to the enemy captain is now clear.

>>4669776
>76

The apothecary's laboratory is a popular destination for anyone in the habit of dumping caustic substances over walls, and you quickly navigate your way to it.
>>4670556
>>4670564
>64
>>4670750
>50

Potticus, sent on a narcotic fetch quest by the not entirely sane Klieb, expediently makes his way to the munitions storage room. While he manages to secure a phial of the opiate theriac, he notices that a particularly defiant-looking congregation of rats is devouring the quicklime stores, having already worked its way to the last remaining vat. The tangled mass of rats somehow seems unaffected by the caustic substance it's eaten its weight in.

>>4669846
>46

The dungeon has been rather empty of late, and today it has but a single prisoner; Bessarion, a frequent adulturer who went too far when he made advances on a viscount's daughter. He's grown a bit accustomed to the branding iron, so he's not much fun to play with any more... perhaps it's time for a new method, or a new victim entirely?

>>4669915
>15

A hardy man with nothing more to his name than razed land, a stout ashen quarterstaff, and a grudge against the invaders. Though a number of the defending soldiers give you strange glances as you stride to where the combat looks thickest, none dare try to stop you. You make it to the fight, take a deep breath, and prepare your first pate-splitting blow... when an enemy axeman cleaves your trusty staff in twain. He grins sadistically as he winds up a second blow, aimed for your chest.

>>4669985
>85

The oppressively dark atmosphere of your manor almost threatens to choke you, the heavy pauses of silence weighing on you far more heavily than the intermittent noise of combat and death. You feel dread creeping down your spine as your servant still fails to return... is the city already lost? Just as you come to the conclusion that he's likely dead, he returns to the door, panting, but unharmed.

"The mercenaries have, ugh, they've come, m'lord. They struck at the enemy encampment, razing their myriad tents and palisades. It's caused quite the panic among their ranks."

>>4670226
>26

While certainly fit for a killing blow, a stab directly into the eye-slit of a moving opponent is a difficult maneuver to accomplish. The enemy commander stumbles to the side, but he's clearly shaken by your attempted killing strike. He hefts his mace above his head, clearly intent on bringing it down upon yours.

>>4670366
>66

And fierce the fighting is! Though you fight without a shield, your hauberk is more than enough to protect you from injury from those foolish enough to strike at you. Your axe is quickly stained with the blood of the enemy, but while swinging with abandon, you encounter a rather problematic situation - your axe embeds itself in the pavise of an enemy spearman. While this would spell death for the average man, the strength of your blow is enough to splinter the man's shield and send him reeling back, the pavise slipping from his grasp. Your axe is still rather useless embedded into the remains of a heavy wooden shield, though.

>>4670523
>23

You join the other archers on the wall above the yellow-painted battering ram, and sling a few stone bullets down at the enemy arrayed below. Their shields and helms protect them for the most part, but you do manage to hit a few in their limbs, at the very least disorienting them. When the enemy return fire, however, you're in an unfortunate situation - while the archers' brigandine is more than enough to protect them, your clothing does little against the arrow that hits you in the shoulder. It strikes a bone, you think, and only embeds itself superficially, but the wound is still painful and inhibitive, especially with the arrowhead still lodged in.


A loud boom echoing from the northern gate is indicative of the fact that the steel-capped red ram is now slamming away at the gate, each hit further bending and deforming the iron portcullis.

South Gate Integrity: 100%
North Gate Integrity: 92%
Archers: 184 (26 wounded)
Pikemen: 369 (23 wounded)
Militia: 150 (11 wounded)
Men-at-arms: 55
Knights: 23
Castellan: Alive

>>4671242
>>4671245
I'll stomp those damn rats to bits and bring the limestone back to Klieb!

>>4671242
My lord seems to ve having a hard time with the captain, do him a favour and attack from behind

Lotus here:

Only attack unarmored shoulders, lungs, and guts.

No taking hard aims, risks, or chances.

>>4671242
Get some milita with pikes and crossbows in positon behind our shieldline.

>>4671242
I am Mittens, the lovable local stray cat. After taking opportunity of the chaos to sneak in and shit on Scargot’s bed, I went wandering for food and found some... in the Ammo Dump. I help Potticus by eating the rats.

>>4671904
>04
Scratch that, I guess I catch exactly one rat and bring it to Potticus expecting petting.

>>4671911
I will simply pet Mittens and call them the best kitty in the whole world

>>4672071
^ ^
( ^w^ ) ~ Prrrrrrr

>>4671245
Baladoc the Sergeant at Arms. Spirited and frankly not much of a leader, but respected by the men for my grit and my abilities with sword, warhammer, and shield. The Castellan has tasked me with leading a dozen other men at arms in defence of the south gate. Seeing as a sally from the postern would be suicide with this many soldiers guarding it, that means exhorting a pack of militia to brace the gate while those of us on the wall hurl stones and darts down on the ram and those manning it.

...rats? Eating quicklime?
I can make this work
Strangle the rats then fill the rats with sugar, flour, fertilizer, anything I can find. Then keep it to ferment for a couple of days.
Give the rats to the guards on the ramparts and tell them to throw them down the walls after setting them on fire. Watch the explosions

>>4671245
I do my best to dislodge the wood from my axe quickly, failing that, I pick up the arms of the fallen and continue fighting with that. The enemy isn't going to patiently and politely wait for me after all!

>>4671248
>48
>>4671904
>04
>>4672670
>70

Potticus immediately gets to work, stomping, kicking, and bludgeoning rats as quickly as he can. Unfortunately, as quickly as he can isn't nearly quickly enough, and the ratpile devours the last of the quicklime before he's made a noticeable dent in their numbers. Klieb, seeking to salvage the situation, encourages Potticus to keep at it, and by the time the two are done with their rat murdering spree, they have a heap of dead, caustic, burnt lime filled rodents at the ready. Mittens the cat foolishly eats one of said rats, and in a testament to both the foolishness of animals and the deadliness of the quicklime, drops dead mid-purr. Truly tragic. Klieb and Potticus prepare the rats by stuffing them with sawdust, flour, and other combustible substances, turning the creatures into vile little pockets of chemical explosive.

>>4671264
>64

Scargot is nigh helpless as the enemy captain's deathblow comes down. It's parried at the last second by your blade, which catches the haft of his mace and locks your weapon with his. The sunken eyes of the captain furrow into a boring glare from under his helm as he yanks his mace away and turns to face you, circling you slowly, each footfall jingling the iron lamellar plates of his armor.

>>4671351
>51

While there aren't many unarmored soldiers among the enemy host, those that are quickly find themselves regretting their mistake as a flurry of knives bore into their exposed vitals, dropping them for good. Just as you're getting down to your last knife, the enemy infantry scamper away out of your range in a hurried retreat, where they form a shieldwall. A heavy boom from below lets you know that they've finished their task - the yellow-painted ram has begun hammering away at the gates, and its operators are safe under the lacquered wood canopy. At the rate the ram is pounding away at the gate, it won't be long until the fighting spills into the streets...

>>4671854
>54

You're able to hail a number of crossbowmen and pikemen to join you behind the shieldwall and skirmish from safety, riddling the enemy lines with a continuous volley of fire. The heavy windlass crossbows at this range are capable of penetrating even maille, and while they're slow to operate, the effects on enemy numbers and morale are devastating. The pikes prove to be somewhat less efficient, being unable to fight at full capacity from behind the shieldwall while additionally attacking from the lower ground, but their added efforts still help keep the enemy at bay and in the line of fire of the crossbowmen.

>>4672439
>39

While some of the seasoned soliders recognize your voice and flock to your command, the levied militiamen and castle men-at-arms ignore your orders, following instead whatever task they've been given by their own superiors. The men you do have are determined, strong, and stouthearted, however, and they brace themselves along the gate, holding it back as it shudders with each pounding blow of the ram. There aren't any left to harass the ram from above by the time they've lined the gate, but it's probably not too important, given the protection of the ram's wooden canopy.

>>4673005
>05

Your best simply isn't good enough, and the time wasted spent trying to kick the pavise from your axe allows the enemy soldier to regain his bearings and strike at you with his spear. You feel warm blood drench your leg, accompanied only a second later by the all too familiar sensation of white-hot pain corresponding with a wound. You force yourself to look down and see that the man's spear is stuck just above your right knee, having passed through the divot in the skirt portion of your hauberk.

South Gate Integrity: 92%
North Gate Integrity: 84%
Archers: 182 (27 wounded)
Pikemen: 365 (26 wounded)
Militia: 148 (13 wounded)
Men-at-arms: 55
Knights: 23
Castellan: Alive

>>4674179
After briefly mourning mittens, I'll use those newly created Rat bombs with Klieb and move to the top of the wall again, slinging them down at our adversaries!

>>4674179
Help reïnforce the weaker points in the line.
>Shields up boys.

>>4674176
Rip, can I make a new character QM sir? (It’s gonna be an actual soldier this time too.)

>>4674176
What better than to deal with an armoured opponent than by attacking his weak points in the armour!

>>4674176
Scargot uses the enemy's distraction to attack a joint!

>>4674360
Also send a few boys to help guard the gate. A few men-at-arm will help organise the lesser quality boys into somewhat decent formations.

>>4674431
Pikemen to the gates because they are worthless behind our shields.

>>4674185
“Studying with the witch will never be useful Klieb”, “when will knowing how to make flour explode help you in life Klieb” well who’s dumb NOW mom huh?!
Anyway, let’s go mate. We’ve got some assholes to burn and a legend to write

>>4674179
I punch out the offender and pull out the spear, intending to use it against him. He will learn the hard way that one must always strike with the intent of finishing the enemy in a single strike!

>>4674369
>69

For sure

>>4674900
Nice
Shootistein the crossbowman puts on his chain mail over his gambeson as he rushes to a tower next to the yellow ram. He was on night watch last night and only just woke up. Grabbing his trusty arbalest, he looks for high value targets. Particularly the leader among the cataphracts near the yellow ram, as they would be a nightmare to fight when they get inside the walls.

>>4674179
Baladoc again, just not on my phone anymore.

I peel off half those holding the gate to scrounge for wood and other such materials to try and brace the gate shut for at least a little longer. It'll free up manpower for other pursuits.

Lotus: RUN.

File: 1508624012287.jpg (328 KB, 1920x1080)

328 KB JPG

And suddenly I, Dra'qeth'ang the Devourer of Cities have awoken from my ages long slumber flying toward the besieged city to lay ruin to it!

>>4676065
Dra'qeth'ang gets shot down by archers and ballistas on both sides, since they both want the city in one piece. A truce is rapidly formed and the dragon is slowly but surely stabbed to death by the swarm of cataphracts, pikemen and spearmen surrounding it. Then the battle resumes as normal.

>>4674185
>85
>>4674573
>73

While the rats lack the long-burning tenacious flame of greek fire, they make up for it with the horrid show they make when they melt over a man's face, melting it and fusing it to the carcass of a bloated rat. The lacquered wood canopy of the red ram is no match for the assault, and the operators who foolishly believed themselves to be safe are immolated as violently combusting rats are dumped over their quickly charred heads.

>>4674360
>60

The line holds. The enemy forces seem to be losing morale, their formation wavering and their men breaking rank.

>>4674393
>93
>>4674397
>97

The captain, having turned to face the knight, is in turn helpless himself as Scargot thrusts his rapier through the unprotected bottom side of the armor's shoulder joint and through the enemy's left armpit. The captain gags in horror as his blood spurts copiously from the wound, and his distraction is more than enough for the knight to replicate the injury on his right side. Two of his arteries pierced, the captain collapses against the rampart, having bled out in seconds. His men falter at the sight of their leader's death, and some even sprint back to the siege tower from whence they came. It seems as if you've nearly crushed this offensive.

>>4674431
>31

Not many men are willing to follow your order, intimidated by fact that should the enemy ram break through the gate, they'll be the first to die.

>>4674579
>79

Your fist collides against the man's face with a meaty thunk and a slight crunch, sending him reeling backwards to the ground. While the spear getting yanked out of your leg hurts almost as bad as it did going in, you're pretty certain it hurts a lot more for the soldier you've sprawled out on the ground when you shove it between his ribs, running him through. You figure you hit a lung given the fact that he coughs up blood a few times before dying.

>>4674962
>62

Your arbalest at the ready, you scan the ranks of the enemy cataphracts. They're all equipped more or less the same - conic casque helm, maille aventail covering their faces, lamellar chestplate and skirt, and thick leather boots that go up to the knee. None of them have any regalia that would suggest a position of leadership. You decide that the closest thing to hitting the leader would be hitting the man in front, so you take aim. You take your shot, but between the inaccuracy of such heavy arms as your own and the distance between yourself and the cataphracts, you can already tell your shot won't land before it even hits. Fortunately enough, it doesn't hit the cataphract, but it does hit his mount squarely in the head, toppling horse and rider alike. You're pretty sure the weight of an entire horse crashing down on his leg will take him out of the fight.

>>4675079
>79

You're pleasantly surprised by both the quality of the materials used and the speed and efficacy with which your men create a barricade to reinforce the north gate. By the time they're done, the gate shudders drastically less with each ram-a-slam, and the attackers will have a mound of detritus blocking their advance even if they do break through.

>>4675586
>86

A quick duck and tumble on your part is enough to save your life, arrows that would have pincushioned you instead whizzing over your head. The full-scale fighting doesn't seem to have started yet, and the combat that was occurring on the ramparts seems to have subsided, with the attackers starting to retreat back to their towers.

>>4676065
>65

See >>4676099

>>4676099
>99

based

>>4676773
In an effort to deepen his budding friendship with Klieb, Potticus will offer to run ahead and try to grab some dragon bits the apothecary can use as reagents

>>4676770
I heft my axe again and use it as a bludgeon. That piece of wood has to shatter at some point! I shout out a warcry and charge once more!

>>4676770
Go myself to the gate and lead the men we can spare.

>>4676770
Eh, good enough. Shootistein turns to the east wall and notices the local annoying, but kind(er than most) noble taking down the captain. He’ll try to look for and shoot any other leadership figures on that wall. Figuring further morale loss should rout that offensive.

More knives to throw.

Be wary of enemy archers and their locations.

'tis Lotus, remember that.

>>4676784
...are you sure you want to go into the war zone alone? I mean- yeah I could probably make something out of the corpse, certainly some fire breathing potions. Maybe something out of the eyes.

> try to make something to enhance reflexes and give it to Potticus
Here, this will probably help

"Wait, you guys really casually slayed a dragon?
Nice, dragon scales make wonderful throwing knives and arrow tips.
If it is not too inconvenient or dangerous, grab me some scales on your way to get its eyes, head scales are light, sharp, and harder than steel, they drop and regenerate like claws when the dragon is alive, but they should be easy to remove because the dragon is dead."

No pressure.

>>4677942
Yeah I can help with this too

>>4676770
Scargot rallies the men as the enemy retreat, and asks for torches and oil to set fire to the enemy tower.

>>4676770
The perfect time to push! The knight shall attack these retreating invaders and offer them a swift demise.

File: Drawing.sketchpad.png (49 KB, 400x400)

49 KB PNG

It's hard to draw with a trackpad. It's also hard to draw when you're bad at art.

>>4676784
>84
>>4677862
>62
>>4677992
>92

Potticus, after imbibing a potion whipped up by Klieb that makes him feel far more athletic and spritely, sneaks his way out of the castle by climbing down the side of one of the siege towers. In the panic of the enemy's mass rout, nobody in particular takes notice to his skulking, and Potticus is able to make it to the dead dragon with little issue. He's able to grab an eye, but can only nab a few smaller scales that got knocked loose as the dragon plummeted from the sky. As he turns around to try and sneak back into the castle, he is confronted by one of the enemy cataphractii, astride an armored warhorse.

"Hey, you there!" he shouts in a distinctly eastern accent, "Yes, you, fooling around with the wyrm. Are you one of Earl Morcar's men?"

You aren't too sure who Earl Morcar is.

>>4676884
>84
>>4677147
>47
>>4678378
>78
>>4678466
>66

As the battle rages on, the mercenary finds that the enemy's resolve seems to have broken. Pressing on despite the injury to his leg, he wields his shield-embedded axe like a bludgeon, beating down enemy soldiers left and right until the pavise splinters to pieces, freeing his weapon. Scargot inspires the men with a rousing speech, who follow the knight's lead and drive the enemy back into the tower. Their somewhat organized retreat devolves into pure chaos as Shootistein drops one of their sergeants with a bolt to the chest. Scargot, seizing the moment, is pleased when one of his men rolls a barrel of oil over to the gangplank. While the outside of the tower is flameproofed with wet hide and lacquer, the inside is far less protected. The cask is busted open, a few torches are dropped inside, and the flaming barrel is rolled down the gangplank and into the tower interior. The flame quickly spreads, and the middle siege tower turns into an impassable inferno.

>>4677140
>40

Accompanied by a cadre of three of your best men, you head down to the north gate. It seems that one of the men-at-arms has barricaded it with a heap of woodwork and debris, and the attackers have yet to make much of a dent in the impromptu defense. The south gate bears no such defense, however, and it doesn't seem like it will hold too much longer...

>>4677168
>You're running out of places to ransack for knives, but you manage to get one last good armful out of the houses you haven't raided yet. There aren't many targets in range that aren't under the safety of a ram now, though. Hopefully Pottistein pulls through with those dragon scales.

The combat seems to have drawn to a lull as the attackers abandon their siege towers. The gates won't handle much more from the rams. It seems, however, that the enemy forces are more diverted and scattered now than ever before. As the midday fades to a red and cloudy dusk, the castellan strides to the wall, seeking to plan a strategy to capitalize on the foe's weakness.

"They've left their rams undefended, deterred by the marksmen on our ramparts. If we sally forth now, we could destroy the rams before the enemy can dispatch reinforcements to aid the operators. We'll only have one chance at success, and killing the crew alone will simply not be enough. If we can simply hold on for a few more days, reinforcements should arrive and relieve us of these damned besiegers, but we won't last a few more days at the rate our gates are being demolished. We can fight out there, or we can fight in the streets here, but either way, we must fight eventually."

It seems he's looking for input from anyone with something to say.

South Gate Integrity: 84%
North Gate Integrity: 80%
Archers: 174 (34 wounded)
Pikemen: 358 (31 wounded)
Militia: 142 (14 wounded)
Men-at-arms: 54 (1 wounded)
Knights: 23
Castellan: Alive

>>4679306
The Knight deciding that he has had enough for one day, takes a nap and let’s the others decide.

>>4679306
I, Scargot, volunteer to lead a sally out to disable the rams

>>4679305

"E-earl Morcar? Why umm, yes, I sure am! Very busy got to go secret mission and all, bye!" Attempt to skedaddle back to my friends

>>4679306
“I’m just gonna lay back and shoot no matter what, but I do know there are a bunch of very angry and well armed horsemen out there that I wouldn’t want to face. If you lot want to tangle with them it’s your choice, but there’s no way us crossbowmen can do anything about them until they’re right on top of you because of range issues.”

>>4679306
I can help hold the gates while the rams are dismantled. Just give me a moment to see to my leg.

>>4679305
Go to the south gate and rally as many people as possible to barricade it and put a fortification behind it.

>>4679317
>17

Resting in armor isn't exactly comfortable, but it's better than nothing.

>>4679322
>22

"You volunteer, hmm? Hmmph. Typical. Well, I suppose every petty baron's son needs to see his fair share of battle sooner or later. Well, I'm told you put on a good show up here, so maybe you're more competent than you look. Maybe we should get you some real armor, first - foppish clothes only make you stand out more as a target. Care to come with me to the armory?"

>>4679379
>79

"Hold it right there!" the cataphract shouts, blocking your path with his spear, "You aren't doing a very good job of keeping your mission secret."

Uh oh. Looks like he sees through the lie.

"We had an agreement with the earl. We fight with Morcar under the condition that we stake claim to everything that might be looted. That includes this dragon here. We both know how much dragonscale sells for, and the money we get from this haul might be enough to fund our rebellion against the Basileus to victory. Not that you care about anything outside of your impoverished domain. On that note, you'd better piss off back to the garrison before I beat the name of your superior out of you."

The cataphract doesn't seem to notice that you plucked an eye, given that it's now tucked away in your pocket, but he does seem to want you to drop the armful of scales you're clutching to your chest.

>>4679395
>95

"Noted." the castellan remarks, "Those horsemen are cataphracts, nothing like the cavaliers our foe usually fields - my guess is that they're mercenaries. Given such, it's reasonable to guess that they're fully trained and equipped, and they won't fight conventionally. We need to be careful around them... if we can draw them in to a range where our crossbows can penetrate their armor, we might stand a chance."

>>4680194
>94

You're able to limp your way over to one of the clergymen who are treating the wounded. While he doesn't have the time to tend to your own wound given the far more serious injuries of his other patients, you're able to get a clean bandage and a dose of honeyed wine to apply to the wound.

>>4680596
>96

Now that the battle has ended, you're able to rally quite a few idle men with you, and quickly get to work barricading the south gate. By the time you're done, it's even more heavily fortified than the north gate, barred with iron, boarded with wood, blocked with stone, and littered with anything else that might help make it impassable.

>>4681022
Oooh, the armoury! Shootistein follows behind Scargot to look for some traps, particularly bear traps and caltrops to slow those cataphracts down. He also volunteers for Scargot’s offensive just to get shooting faster.

[Deep lore] Ever since childhood Shootistein has always hated horses. Ever since one bucked off father and caused a broken neck. He’s very eager to kill horses in any way possible

>>4681022
If I have a rat bomb left, toss it at him and book it. If I don't, toss about half the scales to the ground and shout 'PICK THEM UP YOURSELF!' before absconding with the other half and the eyeball

>>4681022
Sneak up behind the cataphract and slam a ratbomb into his weapon-wielding arm. That ought to slow him
“FUCK OFF YE GREY CUNT. OFF OF MY FRIEND”

>>4681022
I look for a good quality sword and shield from among the fallen. It would be good idea to have a backup in case my axe fails me again. Then I go to help the men shoring up the defenses.

>>4681022
Scargot is mildly offended, but accepts the offer of armor, realizing he deserves the award of equipment for his significant achievements

>>4681022
Start leading groups of idle people with miltiamen at their head and start organising and arming the mob.
"EVERYONE FIGHTS NOBODY RUNS."

Oof

BUMP

is it finally dead?

>>4687209
Sorry, I'll update as soon as I can - a lot of shit just came up for me right now. My bank managed to fuck and lose thousands of dollars and now I'm spending what little free time I have sorting through old statements and making calls.

>>4688193
Oh shit, hope you get everything fixed soon man. Also thanks for letting us know- quests have been dropping like flies lately

>>4688193
It’s fine OP, make another thread once all this is sorted, we can wait.

Good night, sweet prince