Lords of the Danube Courtroom

[Nightbringer]

This is the main in context thread for Lords of the Danube, and represents Hungary's royal courtroom, wherever that may be.

The royal court is currently in Varad, of which Myth (the King and owner of Varad) has kindly written up a description.

Varad's fortress was a sturdy and practical structure with thick walls of grey stone, narrow windows and even narrower arrow slits, a massive gate hiding behind an iron portcullis and a main hall large enough to have fifty men feast around the table. The high table, where the ruling baron and his most trusted and closest men sit, could accommodate a party of eight.

The kitchens, barracks, stables, blacksmith, fletcher, the armoury and the cellar were all protected by the walls of the inner keep and separate from the town proper. The main hall itself was plainly decorated, with shields hanged upon the stone walls, braziers to take the bite out of the air and a large fireplace where meat would roast when there was a feast to be had. Varad was no capital, and this was no palace, but the location was secure, sturdy and the roof did not leak, which was in itself a boon. Someone had remembered to hang tapestries and standards with Hungary's Royal Banner and the banners of the assembled nobility, though the coats of arms on the shields across the walls suggested that knights from all across Europe sat and served here in the past.

[Myth]

The King and his household knights enter the main hall. His men sit at the long table, all of them still clad in mail. The Hungarian ruler sits himself on the high table and waits patiently for the nobility to answer his summons.

[House Stark]

The Lord High Marshall and his retinue arrives at the hall. After bowing to the King, he seats himself with his military engineer aide seated to his right and a priest serving as his scribe seated to his left. The few knights accompanying him fade back to stand against the wall.

[Myth]

The King waves for a servant to bring wine and food.

"Lord Vata, I am happy to see you are well. How go your affairs? What of the Venetians and Romans?"

His Latin is fluent, as is expected from the King. Not all the nobles were happy to accept the language as Hungary's official one, but they all speak it. The blond, blue eyed man waves at the knghts lining themselves against he wall.

"Please, share my hospitality. Let your men sit at the long table and remove the chill from their bones with some wine and a hot meal."

[phonicsmonkey]

A party of knights enter the chamber bearing the coat of arms of the Junior King, Count of Zagreb. Bokeny himself is not among them. As they take their seats they glower at those already assembled. One of their number, whose armour is more ornate than the others, rises to address the chamber. He is an older man, large and has the bearing of a formidable warrior. His hair and thick beard are jet black and his face bears the scars of many battles.

Those who are familiar with recent history know his family to be long standing and loyal vassals of the Count of Zagreb who fought on the side of Saul in the war of succession.

Your majesty, lords of the realm, I greet you on behalf of the Junior King who is unable to attend at this time.

My name is Istvan of Carniola, I bear the Junior King's seal and I am authorised to speak on his behalf. He bids you greeting and wishes you to know that he has, this campaign season, erected fortifications along the banks of the Sava, at the ford to the west of Zagreb, as insurance against the presence of two large Venetian armies which are encamped within their own territory on the other side of the river.

Our forces are currently heavy in spear and with little in the way of missile troops. To rectify this we are currently recruiting and training crossbowmen and when they are ready we plan to move against a large force of Croatian rebels who currently hold the bridge on the Sava to the southeast of Zagreb, blocking our ability to defend against Venetian incursions and cutting off our communications with the rest of the Kingdom.

Past that we have no specific military plans but would like to gauge the thoughts of the assembly on the prospect of a campaign to liberate the Dalmatian coast from the Venetians.

In our assessment the current state of uneasy peace with Venice will not last long and we should be prepared to take pre-emptive action to secure our western front.

He sits, awaiting the King's reply.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOC: Please do correct my geography if I have the wrong river!

[Myth]

The King's eyes narrow.

"The Junior King must attend such meetings as is his duty before his King and his peers. As for Venice, the presence of these two large armies signifies hostile intent to all but the blind or daft. Bokeny should coordinate with the barons to ensure that our Western border is not breached and that Venice can be bled should they attack.

For now I will write them and his Holiness the Pope, do not cross the river until I receive their answer and give you the order. There is also the matter of an elite army of Roman cavalry that is within striking distance of Constantinople, so there is more than one problem that requires swords to be resolved!"