Post by The Stranger on Jul 12, 2008 3:20:21 GMT -5
“Move it you lolly gaggers, if we don’t get to Deep Den in time we will be looking at 40,000 men, believe me you’ll want to be behind the walls then,” a sergeant screamed at his men as the group of Crownlanders forced marched from the Capital.
Alexander had decided that time was of the essence and that Deep Den would need to hold as long as possible to give the realm any hope of surviving this foreign invader.
While not as dangerous as the Dornish sun the snow that covered the Gold Road was just as hazardous. Alexander had not wanted to tell the King or Regent, but he was resigned that the men he led to Deep Den might not survive. While the Butcher of Sunspear had seen his share of death, the thought of going into the unknown with a scant 10,000 men scared even him.
“If your neighbor falls, git them the fuck up and keep marching. We are fighting for our homes and our lives men we must make this stand,” another sergeant encouraged in a martial kind of way.
Alexander had heard the same tales as the others about the size and number of the enemy, on his left Ser Goodwin and Ser Ramsey rode close to their charge. Along with Ser Shelton and Ser Chauncey they had been by Alex’s side since the assassination attempt made on his life in Dorne. The Cardinals of Uplands as they were known and the 100 men that followed the Lord Hand had seen some of the fiercest battles in the past 6 years. From the walls of King Landing, to the Deserts of Hellsholt, the group was about as prepared as any in the realm. The same could not be said for the Crownlands who had not raised its full force in a long time. They were untested and untried but in times of war beggars could not be chooser and Alexander knew that there would be some heroes to emerge from their ranks.
As the Army marched they stopped for only 5 hours a night, they did not have much wood for fires and most men dug tunnels into the snow in an attempt to stay warm. By the fourth night of pushing the men to their limits not even the cold bothered the men and some awoke with fingers and toes no longer functioning as they were too tired to even take precautions. Many men did not make the march, but Alex knew that none of the men would have a chance if the enemy had already surrounded Deep Den. It was a risk that Maesters might debate years from now, the questions was would the debate be in a tongue Alexander’s children would recognize?
As the men neared Deep Den, the thick black smoke that rose up from around the countryside worried Irwyn. Could we be too late he thought but it soon made sense that the defenders had scorched the earth to take everything from the enemy.
As they got closer to the Keep, Alexander slowed the men to allow scouts to look ahead and ensure a clear path to the Keep. A small group of scouts moved ahead of the main body ready to warn of the enemies approach or to alert the defenders that their reliefs had arrived. As Alex thought back at the distance they had covered in short order, he wondered if he would have time to mourn the men that died along the way? If Deep Den fell then he knew the question would be insignificant in the larger scheme of things.
Results:
Alexander gains Expert Persuasion for RP and Scenario
The Hand and Crownland Army force marches from King’s Landing to help reinforce Deep Den
400 men die as a result of hypothermia's and exhaustion enroute.
Alexander had decided that time was of the essence and that Deep Den would need to hold as long as possible to give the realm any hope of surviving this foreign invader.
While not as dangerous as the Dornish sun the snow that covered the Gold Road was just as hazardous. Alexander had not wanted to tell the King or Regent, but he was resigned that the men he led to Deep Den might not survive. While the Butcher of Sunspear had seen his share of death, the thought of going into the unknown with a scant 10,000 men scared even him.
“If your neighbor falls, git them the fuck up and keep marching. We are fighting for our homes and our lives men we must make this stand,” another sergeant encouraged in a martial kind of way.
Alexander had heard the same tales as the others about the size and number of the enemy, on his left Ser Goodwin and Ser Ramsey rode close to their charge. Along with Ser Shelton and Ser Chauncey they had been by Alex’s side since the assassination attempt made on his life in Dorne. The Cardinals of Uplands as they were known and the 100 men that followed the Lord Hand had seen some of the fiercest battles in the past 6 years. From the walls of King Landing, to the Deserts of Hellsholt, the group was about as prepared as any in the realm. The same could not be said for the Crownlands who had not raised its full force in a long time. They were untested and untried but in times of war beggars could not be chooser and Alexander knew that there would be some heroes to emerge from their ranks.
As the Army marched they stopped for only 5 hours a night, they did not have much wood for fires and most men dug tunnels into the snow in an attempt to stay warm. By the fourth night of pushing the men to their limits not even the cold bothered the men and some awoke with fingers and toes no longer functioning as they were too tired to even take precautions. Many men did not make the march, but Alex knew that none of the men would have a chance if the enemy had already surrounded Deep Den. It was a risk that Maesters might debate years from now, the questions was would the debate be in a tongue Alexander’s children would recognize?
As the men neared Deep Den, the thick black smoke that rose up from around the countryside worried Irwyn. Could we be too late he thought but it soon made sense that the defenders had scorched the earth to take everything from the enemy.
As they got closer to the Keep, Alexander slowed the men to allow scouts to look ahead and ensure a clear path to the Keep. A small group of scouts moved ahead of the main body ready to warn of the enemies approach or to alert the defenders that their reliefs had arrived. As Alex thought back at the distance they had covered in short order, he wondered if he would have time to mourn the men that died along the way? If Deep Den fell then he knew the question would be insignificant in the larger scheme of things.
Results:
Alexander gains Expert Persuasion for RP and Scenario
The Hand and Crownland Army force marches from King’s Landing to help reinforce Deep Den
400 men die as a result of hypothermia's and exhaustion enroute.