Post by The Stranger on Jul 25, 2008 10:18:23 GMT -5
Letting his hand drop to his side again, Darien focused on the helm that was crudely nailed to the wall with a bit of rope. “Relaxe.” He told himself, before putting a firm grip on the dagger hidden in his sleeve and letting his arm shoot forward. The dagger flew straight, however missed the helm by a few inches. “Damn it!” Darien shouted, kicking over the table standing next to him. He could see Asha looking in threw the door and, noticing that he was suitably angry at himself, returning back into the adjacent room. “You can do this.” Stone said, retrieving his daggers and putting them back into their secret compartments in his sleeves. It had been a few days now since that final vicious attack on Deep Den, and Darien was glad to be away from the stress of being besieged… for a while anyhow.
Concentrating again on the target, Darien threw first left then right dagger. The first weapon had narrowly missed the helm again, the second however made a satisfying ‘clank’ as it hit the iron hat and fell to the floor. “About time.” Darien mumbled, retrieving his daggers again and continuing his practice.
It was later in the day that Darien went for a little stroll around the castle. Most of the corpses of both defenders and attackers had been removed, and the injured were being seen to by a Maester. As he strolled up the steps to one of the walls, Darien came across a man he’d had the fortune to be acquainted with when he came to Deep Den; A relatively short fellow, donning short black hair and a moustache. “Erryk, good to see you!” Darien exclaimed as the man finally spotted him. “Well, if it isn’t Ser Darien Stone!” Erryk said joyfully. “Ah, well not Ser, but yes. How are you this relatively fine day?” Erryk chuckled briefly before patting Darien on the shoulder. “Surely they should knight you for your efforts here. And I am well. I hope Asha is well?” Putting on a mock frown Darien stepped back a little. “The Seven are not my gods, so I don’t reckon I’ll be knighted any time soon. And yes, Asha is well. I did however have the joy of being awoken by her retching this morning…” Erryk laughed and gave Darien another pat. “Be glad you aren’t the one carrying a child in your belly. By any means, I should probably get to work. Captain says he wants my help in fixing one of the gates.” “Take care, Erryk.” Darien said with a wave as the man went to do his work. With a slight sigh, Darien stared at the now empty field outside the castle walls. “What now?”
It was a few hours later that he found himself in the castles library, fumbling idly through books on battle tactics. ‘The Compendium of Advanced Strategy’ was the first book that had caught his eyes, and it was this large grey tome that interested him the most.
‘It is important to remember the advantages that one can get from choosing the right terrain and the most suitable selection of men for it. Whereas heavy cavalry can bring great death upon an enemy on a vast, flat terrain, in mountain passes they become only a hindrance.'
Darien mumbled something along the lines of “I already knew that.” Into his now relatively full beard, before turning some pages and finding a more interesting section.
‘To counter a charge of heavy cavalry, which has a reserve of light spearmen, one should assume the following formation: The brunt of the force should be light infantry; light on their feet, in a standard formation. Assembled behind these two rows of archers, to rain down arrows on the enemy spearmen before they can assume their attack following that of the cavalry.’
Darien found a quill and some parchment and sketched out what he had already read.
‘Two ranks of light cavalry, armed with crossbows, and one rank of heavy cavalry on the left and right flank. The light may charge once the enemy horse is approaching the infantry, hitting them hard with bolts before giving way to the heavy cavalry to attack, once the enemy has made contact with the infantry.’
Darien, becoming a little confused, started sketching out more ranks on the parchment, before adding some arrows to represent movement.
‘Once the enemy’s cavalry retreats to give way to the spearmen, ones light cavalry may hound them to prevent a second charge, whilst the infantry charges the enemies spearmen, under cover of archers. If executed correctly, victory should be assured.’
After having made final notations Darien read the section twice more before moving on. During that evening he not only learnt how to repel a pincer of spearmen and light cavalry, but also how to perform the hammer and anvil, albeit all theoretically. Finding his bed late that night, Darien was met with a sleeping Asha, curled in bed and not giving inch to any part of the ‘bed’. With a small smile on his lips, Darien grabbed a pillow and reclined on the floor.
He dreamt about battles.
Darien Stone advances to Apprentice Knife-Throwing
Darien Stone advances to Noteworthy Battle/Command (for scenario and rolls in the First Battle of Deep Den)
Concentrating again on the target, Darien threw first left then right dagger. The first weapon had narrowly missed the helm again, the second however made a satisfying ‘clank’ as it hit the iron hat and fell to the floor. “About time.” Darien mumbled, retrieving his daggers again and continuing his practice.
It was later in the day that Darien went for a little stroll around the castle. Most of the corpses of both defenders and attackers had been removed, and the injured were being seen to by a Maester. As he strolled up the steps to one of the walls, Darien came across a man he’d had the fortune to be acquainted with when he came to Deep Den; A relatively short fellow, donning short black hair and a moustache. “Erryk, good to see you!” Darien exclaimed as the man finally spotted him. “Well, if it isn’t Ser Darien Stone!” Erryk said joyfully. “Ah, well not Ser, but yes. How are you this relatively fine day?” Erryk chuckled briefly before patting Darien on the shoulder. “Surely they should knight you for your efforts here. And I am well. I hope Asha is well?” Putting on a mock frown Darien stepped back a little. “The Seven are not my gods, so I don’t reckon I’ll be knighted any time soon. And yes, Asha is well. I did however have the joy of being awoken by her retching this morning…” Erryk laughed and gave Darien another pat. “Be glad you aren’t the one carrying a child in your belly. By any means, I should probably get to work. Captain says he wants my help in fixing one of the gates.” “Take care, Erryk.” Darien said with a wave as the man went to do his work. With a slight sigh, Darien stared at the now empty field outside the castle walls. “What now?”
It was a few hours later that he found himself in the castles library, fumbling idly through books on battle tactics. ‘The Compendium of Advanced Strategy’ was the first book that had caught his eyes, and it was this large grey tome that interested him the most.
‘It is important to remember the advantages that one can get from choosing the right terrain and the most suitable selection of men for it. Whereas heavy cavalry can bring great death upon an enemy on a vast, flat terrain, in mountain passes they become only a hindrance.'
Darien mumbled something along the lines of “I already knew that.” Into his now relatively full beard, before turning some pages and finding a more interesting section.
‘To counter a charge of heavy cavalry, which has a reserve of light spearmen, one should assume the following formation: The brunt of the force should be light infantry; light on their feet, in a standard formation. Assembled behind these two rows of archers, to rain down arrows on the enemy spearmen before they can assume their attack following that of the cavalry.’
Darien found a quill and some parchment and sketched out what he had already read.
‘Two ranks of light cavalry, armed with crossbows, and one rank of heavy cavalry on the left and right flank. The light may charge once the enemy horse is approaching the infantry, hitting them hard with bolts before giving way to the heavy cavalry to attack, once the enemy has made contact with the infantry.’
Darien, becoming a little confused, started sketching out more ranks on the parchment, before adding some arrows to represent movement.
‘Once the enemy’s cavalry retreats to give way to the spearmen, ones light cavalry may hound them to prevent a second charge, whilst the infantry charges the enemies spearmen, under cover of archers. If executed correctly, victory should be assured.’
After having made final notations Darien read the section twice more before moving on. During that evening he not only learnt how to repel a pincer of spearmen and light cavalry, but also how to perform the hammer and anvil, albeit all theoretically. Finding his bed late that night, Darien was met with a sleeping Asha, curled in bed and not giving inch to any part of the ‘bed’. With a small smile on his lips, Darien grabbed a pillow and reclined on the floor.
He dreamt about battles.
Darien Stone advances to Apprentice Knife-Throwing
Darien Stone advances to Noteworthy Battle/Command (for scenario and rolls in the First Battle of Deep Den)