[en] The Tavern at the Inn

[Webmaster]

yeah, thanx alot ;)

[Dobber]

Apri 11 --Dobber's log

A conference was held with a young recruit that was proving himself an able man. He informed me of grumblings from some of the recruits. I did not understand, they were being paid for their services, what was the problem? This new recruit, Angryminer, told me that the men had heard there was to be a long march across treacherous lands. I promoted him to Battallion Commander and told him to inform the troops that we were not traveling with the main force, but to make no mention of it to anyone else. Ships had been hired to carry the armies across the Channel. I had hired two ships and we were going to board our ships as the rest of the forces, but crossing the channel ?, no, we would sail to the Moorish lands of North Africa, there we would recruit more men, there were many there who wished to fight and help others win their independence from the Byzantines, just as their peoples had won theirs earlier. From there we would sail into the heart of their empire, to Constantinople. I trusted the seas more than I did King Navatar. I just could not place my life and the lives of my men under the leadership of the man that had betrayed us to the Normans. Our ships would be flying Norman flags we had taken from the battlefields of Mercia, for we had learned that the Byzantines had sent an entourage in mid-March to forge an alliance with the Normans. With luck, we would sail right into the port at Constantinople and take the city with little trouble! For I am sure the Byzantines will be building their forces along the Bulgarian border, and the city will be lightly gaurded. Upon taking Constantinople the Byzantine Empire will be split in half and supplying their troops will be a much harder undertaking!

[Angryminer]

Angryminer's Tale
Chapter 4

Oh, how fortunate I am! My leader Sire Dobber called upon me and promoted me to Battallion Commander! He also told me of his strategy how he would savely travel to Byzantia.
With my new rank I was able to rally up men and tell them that they wouldn't risk their lives but achieve a great victory over Byzantia due to Sire Dobber's great and most cunning strategy! The word spreads among the soldiers and many believe my words, giving them new strenght and will to follow Sire Dobber.
I sincerely hope Sire Dobber is right.

Angryminer

[hawk_knight]

Hawk_knights log the 12th of April

When i was taking care of my dragon an messenger came to my castle. He said that a lord had caught one of the enemy’s spy that was stealing the plans of which route we where going to take to get our army to the borders of Byzantine. But i told not to worry because there where fake the real plans of which route we would take are still safely lockt up in my castle.
When i was finished taking care of my dragon i was going to train with my men to perfectionise our skills as we started to train an urgent knight came to me and saying that the normans where still not defeated a large number of norman soldiers where joining the army’s of Byzantine in and he also said that there was also an army ready to invade my lands from the north by the Byzantine’s and there new allies and my old enemy who i had crushed many times in battle the Novgorods. I said we will first deal with the Novgorods and the Byzantines from the north. I quickly sended a message to The Bulgrians, Navater and Dobber that my army will not be coming in a month but i could be longer then expected because my Kingdom is threated by an army of Novgorods and the Byzantines in the north and that i must first deal with them before i can join them in battle.
I sended to all the lords of my land a message about the army from the north and that we will first deal with them and later we will join the other kingdoms to take constanopel.
We will march at the end of this week to the northen army of the Novgorods and the Byzantines and defeat them in battle.

[Dobber]

April 12 -- Dobber's log

Angryminer has reported back that the morale of the troops has greatly improved upon hearing we would be traveling by ship and stopping to visit with the Moors. I think they have ideas about the mystical Moorish women. The morale is so much improved that we have had others wanting to join our forces!
I have commissioned a messenger with 3 mounts to go with haste to Constantinople to tell them that Norman troops will be arriving by ship to aid them in their quest and to please have some fine steeds awaiting us. (Are they going to be surprised!) I asked the commander to have the ships supplied and to have the men ready to sail within 4 days.

[Nike]

Nike's Diary - 14th of April

Everything is falling apart! All hope is lost!
Sire Dobber has decided to travel through Africa with the men of Mercia. A real suicide! They stand no chance against the Arabs, who will no doubtedly attack them. After all, Byzantium didn't signed peace treaty with them by chance. But on the other hand, there can be no real peace between Byzantium and the Arabs. They've been fighting for centuries and they would probably keep fighting for even more! Perhaps if Sire Dobber could persuade them, they might even help him in besieging Constantinopol! But does he know their manners and customs? The Arabs demand respect or they'll just cut his head off. I wish him luck, for he will need a lot of it! And Constantinopol has never been captured before... Well, except that one time, during the reign of our Khan Tervel, who helped the Byzantine dethroned emperor Justinian to take his throne back. But if Justinian didn't told us about that secret passage, we would never be able to capture this city, even if we had all the armies of the world! A tough task is in front of Sire Dobber and the Mercian men...
I have also received news from Lord Hawk Knight that he's under attack from both Byzantine and Norman forces and also from his old enemies, the Novgorodians. He'll be busy for atleast a month. But I wonder how did those Byzantine forces reached so far north in such a short term... I had no report of their armies moving in that direction. And how could they pass beyond the Bulgarian or the Serbian borders? The only other way is through the Black Sea. But that would also mean they have reached the Bulgarian shores and are probably marching through my land. In this case, I have no other option than to travel as fast as I can to help defend my King and my people! Let's just hope Xuca has reached his homeland and that his King has agreed to help us! I'll take farewell with Sire Dobber, warn him about the dangers on his way, wish him luck and then I'll leave immediately without an escort, so that I can reach my country as soon as possible...

[Xuca]

Advantures of Xuca

14th April

l reached the shores of Serbia and hurried to see my king. He said:
-l am happy to see you, friend. lt's been a long time sice you...
-No time for that, my king. We must quickly gather our armies and march to aid the Bulgarians against the Byzantins.
-Wait a minute. Why are you so rushing? l plan to send them aid soon, but they will have to wait a little longer...
-No! l go now, with or without an army!
-Very well, we will march tonight.

16th April

We are now on a peak of the Balkan mountain. l see the long battlefield. The Byzantins sorounded the Bulgarians in the southern bottom of the mountain and the rest of the Bulgarians is fighting on the shores of the Black Sea where the enemy landed. l will send a mesanger to the rest of the army, which is far behind, to tell them to go and help the Bulgarians on the east, and now l will try to save the sorounded army, if l reach them soon enough...

[Richard]

Well seens so many are in this story, I might has well join the fun :knight:

Knight Richard's(The Iron Head) adventure
Chap. 1 A Time for war.
March 4, 1005.
Today in the morning the king called on all the generals and marchals of East Aglia. He said that a great war had exploded in continental europe and that our allis would need the help of Aglia, so he asked for a voluntire to lead an army to help serbia and bulgaria in the war. I quickly accepted because this seemed like a great opportunity to win fame and fortune. So I prepared my force of 5,000 men and tomorrow we set sail across the channel into france, in hope to reach serbia and aid them.

April 16 1005
1 long month of march across the land and we are near the lands of a a man called Hawk knight. I have heard great storys about him having a dragon and that his man fight fearslesly. He is also an alli of serbia so we will probably fight side by side, this brings me satisfaction as it will be an honor to fight alonside with people of such corage. So I was enjoing the great view of the land when one of my scouts reported.

"Sir!, Sir! He called, "I'm afraid I bring bad news."
"What is it?" I said, "Speak man."
"I heard from the surrounding villages that a great convine force of Byzantine, normans and novgorodians are attacking Hawk knight's kingdom." The scout said
"What!? How many are them?" I asked
"I'm not sure sir, some villagers said there where over 30,000 men, but there is no way to confirm this." He said
"Tell the man to set camp here and prepare, we march to aid hawk knight at sun rise." I orderered the man.

So now we prepare for what seems to be our first battle, I only hope to get there in time, as if hawk knight's kingdom falls, our enemy will have a great advantage and big hopes of winning this war will be banished.

[Dobber]

Welcome to the story Sir Richard! We can use all the forces we can get for the Byzantine army is very large!

[hawk_knight]

Welcome to the story Sir richard as dobber says the army of Byzantium is very large and we can use every army that there is. welcome Sir richard

[Nike]

Welcome Richard! :cheers: Finally some fresh blood in this story!

@Hawk Knight, btw it's not Byzantine. Byzantine is an adjective (f.e. Byzantine forces), but the country is Byzantium (or the Byzantine empire, or the Eastern Roman Empire). Oh, and another thing - we're not Bulgrians but Bulgarians. Thanks!

Nike's Diary, 29th of April

Finally, after a long and exhausting ride with almost no rest I arrived at my homeland. Many defenseless villages were burnt, but the people would rebuild them when the war is over. And I heard good news - obviously Xuca arrived as fast as the wind and just like a hurricane his army smashed into the surprised Romeans. He managed to push them back beyond the Balkan and captured the ships with which they landed. I will meet him tomorrow when I reach the Black Sea shores, where he's preparing for an eventual counter-attack. I'm interested to hear how he fought the Byzantines off. And perhaps he could give me some news. I'm worried that I haven't heard anything of Sire Dobber and Lord Hawk Knight so far. I hope they're not in an insurmountable difficulty and would be able to come to help once they deal with their own problems. Xuca may have pushed Byzantium back, but the pressure at the mountain passages is getting stronger and I don't know how much could the two armies (the Bulgarian and the Serbian) hold the strongholds there...

[Angryminer]

Angryminer's Tale
Chapter 5

The preperations are going on. It seems we will be able to get hold of enough ships until the 18th of April, the day of departure.
The support of the population is great. The people see us as their liberators and it is easy to get good conditions for buying supplies.
Because of the new volunteers in our army I also tried to get hold of more armor for our troops. There is a lot of cheap Norman armor around in Mercia, taken from the battlefield by the population. I will suggest Sire Dobber to fund the buying of this Norman armor. I already gathered a lot of armor with my available money, but we will need more if we are to defeat the army of an Empire.
Today I sent 18 men with 6 oxes to retrieve three slightly damaged catapults from the battlefield where the Normans were defeated. They will pack the catapults unto wagons and bring them to the harbour of Mercia. I believe they will be of great use for us once we have repaired them. No one knows wether we will be able to construct siegecrafts on our way to Constantinople.
While a lot of our men are getting suplies on the ships we already have and doing basic work in our camp near the harbour I began training some of my men in the usage of the advantages of heavy armor. My experience from the training of a town guard is of great value here. Currently I hand out the available armor only to the most skilled fighters because I lack the equipment.
I gave long spears, javelines or bows to those without armor. We will need quick auxiliary troops on the battlefield beside armored infantry anyway.
Cavalry is another chapter... Only few horses survived the slaughter at the battlefield and supplying horses on ships is a difficult task. I will suppose Sire Dobber to pack up as many equipment for horses as possible and get the required horses on our way to Constantinople. But I am afraid that cavalry won't be the strenght of our army.
I try to set up the best army possible in this situation...

We may not have fine equipment or uniforms like the byzantine armies, but the men are willing to fight and they will wield any weapon they can carry.

Angryminer

[Dobber]

April 15 - Dobbers log

My Commander has informed me, we will not be ready to sail tomorrow as I had requested. There seems to be some problem with ship acquisition. It seems the morale of our men had caused our forces to swell and the ships I had acquired were no longer enough. I reminded Angryminer that we hoped to pick up some Moorish mercenaries along the North coast of Africa along the way and that we would need passage for them also. I am not sure my friend there has access to ships.
Sir Nike, before he left for his homeland expressed great concerns about my plans, being the Arabs are currently allies with the Byzantines. But he does not know that even now there are those that are unhappy with that arrangement and would gladly take opportunity to try and sever that relationship.
I have heard that Constantinople is seige proof and that it has two walls surrounding the city. But if my plan works we will not have to lay seige to the city, nor will the walls be a problem.

[Xuca]

Advantures of Xuca

17th April

The Byzantins were well stunned. lt was a great victory, we managed to capture many of them. l interrogeted them and l found out that there is a large army near bulgarian border. lt was to reinforce this army if it gets hot. Well, it got hot, but there was no Byzantin who escaped to report the defeat. l must go now to lead the other army to fight on the shores of the Black Sea. l just hope that the Byzantins don't come to see what hapened to their army, we would then be in a lot of trouble...

19th April

l reached my army before they engaged the enemy. l had a great plan how to dedet them. The Bulgarians retreated and the Byzantins passed us allowing us to attack them from the back. Again it was a glorious victory, and we captured thier ships. Foulishlly, they left them almot ungarded. Now the last of their strike force waits for us.

23rd April

A large army it was, indeed, but l had another great plan. We took the Byzantin uniforms, disguised as the Byzantins and falselly tied the Bulgarians to loke like they are our prisoners. We really looked like a triumphing army. But the men were tired and l didn't think that battle would be an easy victory like the others

24th April

The guards of the enemy camp spotted us from a large distance. We were velcomed with ovations. l tried to look like a Byzantin general, and l am sure that if it was day, they would recognized us and our plan failed. But it was night and we marched in the center of the camp. l shouted:"Attack!" But they grabbed their weapons quickly and a fierce battle. They were still confused and we defeted them, although we suffered many casualties.
There is still many large armies around, but we are safe for now.

30th April

l am telling this story to Nike, who brought me the news about attack on the Hawk Knight's kingdom, and that the army of sir Dobber which is comming to help us is stopping to visit the Moors, and his plan of capturing Constantinople. He'd better be quick, the Byzantins attacked again, and l don't know how much we can hold them this time...

[Alchemist]

-News about rencounters in Balkan reached me.
I hope Bulgarian and Serbian armies will be strong enough to defend the mountain passages.
I should send the messenger there.

How many lives the war will cost..?-

[hawk_knight]

Welcome Richard! :cheers: Finally some fresh blood in this story!

@Hawk Knight, btw it's not Byzantine. Byzantine is an adjective (f.e. Byzantine forces), but the country is Byzantium (or the Byzantine empire, or the Eastern Roman Empire). Oh, and another thing - we're not Bulgrians but Bulgarians. Thanks!


:sad: oops

my mistake :biggrin:

[hawk_knight]

hawk_knight's log the 1th of mai
My army was finally ready to assault the army of the Byzantium, normans and novgorodians.
My army had a strenght of 29000 thousand men which included 5000 dragons who where heavly armed and ready for battle.
i gave the signal to begin the march to our border at the north the march will take three days to get there. While we where marching one of my scouts reported that Sir richard of england was leading a force of 5000 men to aid us in battle against the Byzantium, normans and novgorodians.
They will join our army in two days on our march to the north to fight against the Byzantium, normans and novgorodians forces.
While my army was marching i had going forward with my dragon to scout a head for any ambushes and if some soldier are willing to join us in battle.
when i was done with scouting i returned to my army. When i came there i said to the lords we will make camp on the hill for tonight and we will have more guards on duty for tonight. but now we will rest because tomorrow we will march again.

2th of mai
We had broken our camp and we marched again to the northen border of my kingdom mithdrill. A half a day march we finally saw the army of sir Richard from the west. they quickly joined our ranks and we continued our march. While we where marching a scout reported that the army of the Byzantium, normans and novgorodians forces had started invading ouwer kingdom and that we will meet them tomorrow on openfield for battle the scout also said that we can make camp on a hillside infront of the openfield. I quickly jumped on my dragon and called the lords together and said that si Richard is now in command until i come back and that they must march to the hill while i will secure the hill with my dragon squad. When i came to the hill there where some enemy horsemen making camp on the hill. I gave the signal to assault the horsemen we quickly defeated them and secured the hill for that the rest of my army can march safely to the hill. When my army was at the hillside we made camp and we will now rest so that tomorrow we will be at full strenght to fight the Byzantium, normans and novgorodians forces out of the kingdom Mithdrill. in the morning i will call al the lords to the table to think of a strategy to crush the enemy army because you can not only relya on brute force.




i have a question How shall we name the story ?
maybe the knights of fellowship ? :cheers:

[Richard]

Knight Richard's adventure
Chap.2 A view of the battlefield

April 17
We began the march right after sunrise, but it seems I was late to the battle as our allis got a great victory pushing back our enemys. My scouts reported that hawk knight was marching with a great army after the enemy to finish them once and for all, so I will have to fallow them and hope to get there in time to help. This,however, has made the moral fell, has my men have done nothing but march. Hopefuly joining forces with hawk knight will make my men happy.

May 2th.
ALAS, after almost 2 weeks of march, I finally joined forces with hawk knight. It was impresive as he had 5,000 dragons, something that neither me nor my men had ever seen. The moral quickly rose as my men felt more secure with the great army of hawk knight. We where marching and he gave the order that his men were to fallow my command while he was gone attacking some horsemen camp on the hill, this was a great honor has it showed he trusts me as a friend. I also sended a massage to the king calling for reinforcements, hopefully they will be here by the end of May. Now we are camped on the hill hawk secured, which is near the battlefield where most likely we will have a battle tomorrow. My men are training hard as they are as eager for a taste of battle as I'm. Hawk knight called for all the comanders to device some kind of strategy, which is agood idea.

[Angryminer]

Timewarp?
That way you don't know what the other knights will have done while you are predicting the future...
In my timezone it's the 14th of april.... I don't know how you do it, but I write my diary usually at the late evening of the day, not a couple of weeks before I live that day... :confused:

Angryminer

[Nike]

@Angry, what timewarp? I don't see a timewarp.

@Hawk Knight, no, no! You made it wrong again! Byzantium is the country itself, but it's forces are Byzantine. Byzantium - noun (name of the country), Byzantine - adjective. Now you owe me $10 for the English grammar lessons. Or you could buy me a beer. :wink:


Nike's Diary - 30th of April

I spoke with Xuca this morning. He told me of his clever tricks with which he destroyed the Romean army. Smart! Now he's rebuilding his forces and our army is recovering, too. Many Bulgarian warriors have fallen in the desperate defense of the two fronts. Some even say that when our men at the Balkan passes ran out of arrows they started to throw woods, rocks and even the dead bodies of the fallen friends. [offtopic: Hehe, Shipka :biggrin: ] And when all seemed lost, the Serbian reinforcements came to help. A really heroic battle! But many men have died and our armies are not in the good shape I would like them to be. The war continues and we'll have to think of something to hold the line. I'll ride now to our capital of Veliko Tarnovo to speak with my King. I must tell him all I've learned so far. I should've done it at first, but I was too eager to see the battlefield.

Later that evening

I had a meeting with the King. I told him that I fulfilled my mission to travel to Mercia and that the Mercians have agreed to help us. I also told him about the unexpected allies that joined us as well. I think he was relieved to hear that. But then I had to tell him about the fights in Mithdrill and Sire Dobbers plan to travel through Africa. he wasn't very happy, so to make it somewhat easier, I told him of a plan that emerged in my mind when I saw the captured ships. I already discussed it with Xuca and he thought it's a good plan and might bring us some hope. So I decided to tell my King about it:
1. The Byzantines are still pressing on the Balkan passes, but their control over them is not very good and I think I would be able to sneak through with a small group of men. After that I would move through Thrace and Macedonia. The people there definitely don't like the presence of the Romeans, who, as every army (especially one that consists mostly from mercenaries), plunder all stocks they can find. The local population is also used to war, since the battles between Bulgaria and Byzantium were fought mainly on the Thracian border. That's why my purpose would be to incite a revolt in the back of the main Greek army. It's true they're only peasants and have no good weapons and armor, but it's still better than nothing.
2. The second part of the plan is to repair the captured ships. When that's done and we're ready to fight, Xuca will board most of his army and lands also at the back of the Byzantines. I will lead the rebels to join him and then at the same time both we and the defenders at the passes will strike down at the enemys army. The best defence is the attack!
This is just a rough plan, but my King liked it and appointed me Commander of the Resistance. I should go and discuss the plan more thoroughly with Xuca and arrange the details. But I still have no news from abroad...