Re: Re: Siege of Whitewall

From: John Hughes <john.hughes_at_...>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2004 15:28:38 +1100

>I don't think the Lunar plan was ever to starve the Orlanthi out -
>both in 1619 and 1621, the plan is to assault the city with
>overwhelming force.

> I doubt that
>between assaults there was more than two or three regiments near
>Whitewall - why bother?

I believe the plans changed over the course of the siege. Fazzur never expected Broyan to have prepared the city as he did, and no doubt was surprised as 1619 wore on. But after the Bat was vanquished, and Heortling herobands began to respond to the blue arrow calling, the situation changed drastically. The Empire demanded results. Internal Lunar politics became even deadlier (if that's possible).

Now I'm sure the Lunar regulars around the city were overtaxed and overtired and overstretched. I'm sure Fazzur wanted as many of them *elsewhere* as he could manage, though political interference made this increasingly difficult. I'm sure the local Lunar allies were unwilling to commit to more than a show of force - they want the high kingship, not a fyrd of dead heroes- and are bored and restless.

However, for Maximum Dramatic Effect and MGF, for Whitewall to be a crucible of heroes and the seedbed of experimental heroquesting and collegiate magic wyters, surely we need it to be a **continuing pressure cooker**, and a place that attracts a steady stream of Lunar heroes and exotics.

Possible reasons?

• The Emperor and Glamour upper classes demand victory, or at the least, stunning hero tales of courage against the barbarians. Crucifying cattle raiders doesn't cut it anymore.
• Anyone who defies and defeats the Bat cannot be allowed to live. Deal with it, no matter the cost. Now.
• They're not going anywhere. They're the last of the barbarians, and reasonably competent. Lets try *this* new tactic/magic/ruse. (Doubly so for the College of Magic).
• Peace? Extra Full Moon Year? What a blow to the professional military! Lets go to Whitewall and make our name before the fighting stops. Lots of the most desperate barbarians have fled there. Some of their heroes are actually rather good, and seem to have a thirst for hero combat. How quaint.

Now Kallyr left the siege in Dark 1620. I'm advocating, for MDE/MGF, that there was a quarrel or argument - something typically Heortling, and of course a variation on the Archilles gambit. If this is so, *some* of the Sartarites would join in the sulking/exodus. (This is a bit the skalds tend to skip).

By 1621, faced with the horrifying prospect of having to cancel or postpone one of the Emperor's victory parties, all the stops get pulled out. Even so, the defenders endure all through the summer. It is only in Dark, after (so I conjecture) more fractures and betrayals, and possibly intervention by Jar-Eel or other megaheroes, that the city falls.

I've done some preliminary figure work on the overall numbers at Whitewall and how they vary through the siege, but will share them with those interested on the new Whitewall list (have set up a Yahoo group- more soon).

Cheers

John