Megas Logothetes' and Senators' Reports

[TinCow]

http://www.mizus.com/files/pbm/LOTR-1126-9.zip

Efstathios Laskaris (Ibn-Khaldun) was disappointed at his inability to reach Alexandria before his rivals. With a heavy heart, he turned and marched east towards two great tributaries of the Nile. Soon the army started noticing something odd; there were signs posted on the road, which claimed to point towards Cairo, but they were all pointing West. Efstathios' cartographers were not confused by this blatant sabotage attempt, and instead navigated by their own maps, oriented by the sun and stars. They eventually reached the Nile tributaries and made camp between them as they had intended.

Methodios Tagaris (Tristan de Castelreng) was an ambitious man, and it was beginning to worry his army. With Alexandria only just secured and the population greatly unhappy, he set about preparations to march south with part of his army to lay siege to Cairo. He selected a small corps of elite men, mounted Latinkons, Byzantine lancers, Crusader Sergeants, and Byzantine Infantry and instructed them to march out of the city with him, leaving the remainder of his army and Annios' behind as a garrison. Methodios gave instructions that the taxes be lowered as much as possible to appease the population, but he did not count on the effect of his personal charisma. He was already a legend amongst the Crusaders, and his departure from the city greatly demoralized them and upset the Egyptian commoners. As he attempted to leave, they constantly obstructed his path and clawed at his cloak in an attempt to keep him as their protector. He would not hear any of it, and eventually managed to march out of the city with his men. Hoever, the delays in leaving had their cost and he will not reach Cairo until next year. In the meantime, a revolt is simmering in Alexandria even with the low taxes and Annios Solomon and the remaining garrison are powerless to prevent it from happening.