Battle Reports

[_Tristan_]

Blood Raven
Alexandria, 1125

Muhammad sat behind his stall in the main market of Alexandria. His stock was almost empty. The siege of the Crusaders had taken its toll. He had been able to resupply when the first wave had been defeated but had barely had time to gather enough supplies to last a few days before a second wave, more numerous had appeared, coming from the cost.
Though his stall was almost empty, Muhammad was happy. The scarcity of food allowed him to reap large benefits. Benefits he already envisioned invested into a caravan of camels to trade the riches of the confines of Egypt.
Muhammad displayed proudly the green armband of the Defenders on his arm, granted to him by the city council for his participation in throwing off the Crusader’s assault. Many in the city had taken up this sign of recognition, as a show of pride and faith.
A clamor was suddenly raised at the other side of the market where the palace was found. Looking in that direction, all that Muhammad could see was a flurry of activity. Emerging from one of the alleys, Muhammad spotted Rasheed, his associate, running like a madman, the man also sporting a green armband.

“Muhammad…” Rasheed called, out of breath “They are taking the captured crusaders out…”

“What ?” Muhammad was non-plussed “But why ? They’re not freeing them…”

“No… Don’t worry… The guards are going to send them to their God… And we’re allowed to take part… I’m going… And you ?”

Muhammad didn’t think long before following in Rasheed’s wake, running in pursuit of the crowds that followed the guards. In the middle of a group of guards, Muhammad managed to see an ox-driven cart on which a metal cage contained a score of men, some standing, targets of small stones thrown by children, some sitting dejectedly. Muhammad could see that all wore black and gold tabards with some sun design on it.

Finally they went through the south gate, the gate which led to the main camp of the Crusaders.

In front of the gates, a line of guards kept the crowds at bay from great crosses planted in the ground. The cart crossed the line and the escort guards opened it and began flogging the men out of the cage. They drove them to the crosses and began tying them up.

From his vantage point in the crowds, Muhammad could see that the men were badly bruised. Most were hanging limply from the ropes that tied them to the crosses. Only one seemed to have gathered enough strength to raise his head and stare defiantly at the crowd, his gaze then going to the distance where his countrymen were encamped, a quarter of a mile away.

Absorbed in the contemplation of this man’s bravery, Muhammad didn’t hear a word of what the guard captain said. Only the last words caught his ears.

“… leave the punishment of the Infidels to you, people of Alexandria… Defenders, walk forward.”

A great many men, with ages ranging from youth to elders, stepped forward, crossing the line of guards, Muhammad and Rasheed among them.

Muhammad could now see that small piles of stones had been gathered everywhere in front of the crosses. So that was to be the fate of these men… Anger welled up in Muhammad when he thought of the unwarranted aggression of the so-called Crusaders, the cause of the death of so many good Muslims and a continued threat to all Egypt. Stooping down, he grabbed a large stone and with a cry of “Allahu Akbar”, threw it at the man nearest to him, the one that had stared so defiantly at the crowds. The stone took him on the side of the head, drawing blood and stunning him. That first stone was all that the crowd had waited for and a hail of stone pelted the tied-up men.

Sometime later, the piles of rocks had been depleted. The men on the crosses all hung limply, their bodies turning black from the many bruises, blood streaming from cuts.

Muhammad’s fury slowly abated and he contemplated the work done. Seemingly, all the men were dead.

“That will teach them” said Rasheed by his side. “Let’s go… It’s over…”

“Go… I’ll stay a while” Muhammad answered.

The crowd slowly began going back through the gates, its anger and frustration spent.

Only a small number of guards kept a picket around the crosses.

Muhammad remained a moment looking at the bodies of the men sprawled on the crosses.

“Teach them… I fear they would need much more to learn their lesson” Muhammad mused.

Finally turning around to go back to his home, Muhammad spared a look towards the Crusader camp. On a small hillock, an arrow throw away, a small group of men dressed in the Byzantine fashion were sitting on their horses. One walked his horse a few paces forward.

Sensing the man’s gaze hovering on him, a ripple of fear wracked Muhammad’s body.

******

The same day, at evening.

After witnessing the lapidation of the Crusaders, Methodios had walked back to camp and gathered his captains, Solomon among them.

He had wanted to wait some more before launching the assault. They were not enough siege weapons to lead a decisive assault but what had happened today had strengthened his resolve. Some of the tortured men may still be alive and he had to rescue them.

Orders were dealt out : the latinkons would drive the ram to the east gate under the cover of night, while Solomon’s sergeants and his Byzantine guards would launch an assault on the west wall, with the archers’ support.

The cavalry would remain facing the south gate, to lure the garrison to that same wall.

Night had fallen and with it a light wind had blown rain-ladden clouds from the sea. Rain began pouring down, when Methodios ordered the advance.

The attack took the Egyptians by surprise. The events of the day had made them confident that the Crusaders would think twice before attacking.

All their forces had been gathered in their quarters near the central plaza.

The latinkons managed to drive the ram to the eastern gates undetected. On the other side, ladders went up and men began pouring on the walls just as the spearmen of the militia themselves reached their stations.

A fierce fight started on the western wall while on both sides archers shot arrows upon arrows at the milling mass of men.

Sending Solomon and the skythikons to the East gate, Methodios took the lancers with him and headed west.

Seeing his arrival, the Byzantine guards broke from their fight with the militiamen and managed to seize control of the western gate, opening it.

That was all Methodios had waited for and both his retinue and the lancers launched themselves through the gates. Making for the main square of the city, they were met by the Egyptian cavalry.

Methodios ordered his lancers forward to the square while he dealt with the engaged cavalry.
Cutting a swath through the Egyptian riders was easier said than done and many of the lancers fell from the javelins of the mounted shooters. They finally broke through and entered the plaza, threatening to capture the city.

At the same time, the ram finally broke the eastern gate and the Latinkons poured through into the streets of Alexandria, unopposed. The Egyptian dismounted lancers sent to defend the said gates had turned around back to the plaza, intent on reclaiming it from the Byzantines.

The battle was uncertain. On the western wall, the Byzantine sergeants broke and ran down the ladders to the safety of the plain.

Then, all of the sudden, the tide of the battle turned. Methodios managed to kill the captain of the garrison and finish the last of the cavalry while on the western wall the two units of militiamen broke and ran for the central square. Byzantine guards gave chase and led them directly into Methodios’ waiting men.

At the eastern gate, Solomon saw that the Latinkons had secured the access to the city and rode forward with his men.

Now, what remained of the defenders had taken place on the plaza, intent of going for a last stand.

(OOC : I encountered a bug at this time. A unit of desert archers was split in two with 4 men remaining on the walls while the rest occupied the plaza. This prevented me from charging or attacking them with cavalry, but I could still target them with arrows, hence a shooting duel…)

Methodios and Solomon were only too happy to oblige and led charges after charges into the massed ranks of spearmen, under a barrage of fiery arrows.

Desert archers had taken up position on the roofs of city buildings, putting them out of reach of the Byzantine crusaders, except for their archers.

(OOC : I encountered a bug at this time. A unit of desert archers was split in two with 4 men remaining on the walls while the rest occupied the plaza. This prevented me from charging or attacking them with cavalry, but I could still target them with arrows, hence a shooting duel…)

Byzantine guards went sent to root them out and succeeded when they killed some of the men that had taken up position on the high western wall. The rest of the archers then got down the roofs and ran to the plaza, where they were cut down by the cavalry like the rest of the garrison.

******

Bjarki found Methodios sitting on the marches to the governor’s place, nursing a nasty cut on his left cheek.

Lifting his head to his veteran companion, Methodios asked. “How many men have we lost ?”

“One hundred twenty-one… Most of the losses were suffered by Solomon’s men… Though we have lost around twenty riders and around thirty footmen…”

“Go and tell him he’s done some good work here”

“I will… What do we do of our prisoners ? I asked the city council to pay for their freedom but they refused…”

“Kill them… Kill them all…”

A dark expression settled upon Methodios’ face, while he thought about the events of the day.

“Round up all the men of the city and gather up all those wearing those green armbands…”

“What shall I do with them ?” inquired Bjarki.

“Make them Blood Ravens…” Methodios said, in a coarse voice. “And seize their properties. The Empire will need every penny we can extract from this place if we are to secure our hold of these lands…”

Bjarki was taken aback by Methodios’ orders.

“But Methodios, sacking of a Crusade target is forbidden by law…”

“I know… Just as exterminating cities was some years ago and still… I will face whatever consequences… These people deserve every evil we can act upon them for what they did today… You have your orders…” Methodios said, grim-faced.

******

Muhammad was roused up from his sleep by the noise of battle reverberating through the city. Quickly getting into his clothes, he ran outside to witness the assault of the Crusaders.

Panic caught up with him and he ran back inside to lead his wife and kids deep into his cellar under his house. Then, fetching his old scimitar from the wall, he ran into the streets intent on fighting and killing the Infidels.

He hadn’t gone two streets from his home when a group of riders appeared in front of him. Before he had time to hide, the horses were upon him and a he was struck a blow on the head.

Pain erupted in his skull and he dropped to the ground. Blood thumped in his head, his vision blurred then darkness fell.

Howls awoke Muhammed. His head hurt like hell and he noticed he was tied up and lying on his side on the ground. Opening his eyes he saw many others of the city inhabitants, tied like him. Looking around him, he could see a ring of Byzantine soldiers keeping guard upon the group of men. All of the prisoners around him wore the green armband of the Defenders. A quick count enabled Muhammad to estimate their numbers at two thousand. Whimpers could be heard all around and a smell of slaughterhouse permeated the air.

Another howl sounded in the distance. Muhammad wriggled on the ground to see what was happening.

On a raised platform on the other side of the plaza, two Byzantine soldiers were holding a man kneeled while a third man covered in blood and armed with a large knife made large cuts into his back. Then sheathing his knife, he reached bare-handed into the man’s back and tore out his lungs which he unfolded on his back.

Horror at the sight made Muhammad faint, his last thought being that the kneeling man looked so much like some Christian angel…

(OOC : though chivalrous by nature, Methodios also has the “Fine with blood” trait which explains such actions…)