THE SKY WENT BLACK,

[agogemod]

WHO? Everybody!
WHAT? Agoge's inaugural TDM.
WHEN? The Battle of Hattin, 1187.
ANYTHING ELSE? Violence, as always. Please warn in subject lines for anything beyond physical violence, and move to a personal journal if things go beyond PG-13.

FROM JERUSALEM WITH LOVE;

the horns of hattin, 1187: the holy land

read the jerusalem setting infopage

Your eyes open, and above you is the roof of a tent, a heavy woven material that blocks you from what must be an otherwise glaring heat that is beating down. Near you stands a man - you understand him, but you aren’t sure you are supposed to. Aware as you are that he is speaking Arabic, a trickle of words as he dabs water on your brow, that as you go to reply, you realise, you are speaking Arabic too. Urging you to sit up slowly, and now that you are awake -

“Good, slowly does it. You are meant to have heat stroke. Nothing sudden now. The Commander will explain it to you soon - in here it’s safe, no outsiders can come in. Check your BCE, it will tell you what has happened - ”

As he indicates to the small pack that seems to hold your belongings, he explains: you are in the encampment of Saladin, the greatest commander in all of Islam. He has been fighting the crusading invaders since the death of the Crusader King Baldwin VII. But one of the most important was about to start: you are here, at Hattin, though the enemy hasn’t arrived yet. Not that it means it’s time to rest: this is a war camp. There is much to do. Saladin runs a impressive army, and it wins by its discipline, no idle hands here, and for you, newly awakened to it, there is just as much to do. So enjoy the first few moments of reprieve, there won’t be much of it in the coming days.

MISSION OBJECTIVE

The forces of COST-- allied, today, with the armies of Saladin, though they will never know-- aim to win the day.

This is imperative, because Saladin's victory at Hattin makes his next victory possible: he intends to march on Jerusalem, long held by invading Crusaders, and take his city back. Historically, he wins a Hattin and at Jerusalem. But, the Regency supposes, if they could weaken Saladin in Hattin, perhaps even completely defeat him, he would not be so able to take the city.

Preserve the flow of history. Aid Saladin's army. Defeat the Crusader army at Hattin.

A MESSAGE FROM GROTHIA

>>@CMDR

@ALL I don't have time to explain right now, but the transporters have played havoc on the way in and we think that the - nevermind, the techdacts don't make any sense at the best of times. Your memory has been tampered with, one of the Regency's tricks, no doubt. Price for late intelligence, we didn't know until we made the transfer.

Short of it is, I put you all down as having a bout of heat stroke that knocked you out and that’s the story you need to stick to. Even if you don't want to trust me, you're going to have to follow my instructions if you want to live through the next week. We can do our reintroductions later.

Follow our instructions and we’ll all make it through this with minimal casualties.

Welcome back, soldiers. Good to have you with us again.

WIN THE DAY

MEDICAL

Help build up the army after the Siege of Tiberias.

After this battle, Saladin's forces turn toward Jerusalem, and eventually take it from Crusader control. It's imperative, then, that Saladin's forces are strong, healthy, and most importantly, alive. This is war: there are a larger number of soldiers who are wounded and require medical care to maintain the numbers. Saladin's forces are lucky: their medics are some of the best in the medieval world. But there is constant need for more hands on deck to assist. Whether that’s holding down a soldier to cut off his leg - or dress a wound. Maybe it’s just as simple as a soldier that wakes up from his fever wanting water, there is always something that needs doing.

STEALTH

Sabotage the water supply of the crusaders.

All armies march on their stomach, and in the desert, access to water means life or death. Saladin knows this, and the Crusaders are heading for the largest oasis between Jerusalem and Hattin to replenish their stores. Saladin has placed a line of defense at the oasis to stop the Crusaders. Some truly desperate Crusaders are risking death, attempting to break through the defenses in an attempt to get some water. Your orders are simple: no Crusader should be getting to that water.

STEALTH

You know what else armies need? Sleep. For those brave enough, its been encouraged to try and exhaust those Crusaders. Your orders are vague, leaving plenty of room for creativity: psychologically mess with them, mimic loud animals to wake them up, forcibly introduce these 12th century men to Cyndi Lauper at the top of your lungs. Whatever takes your fancy, just try not wake Saladin’s forces, they still need their beauty sleep. And most importantly: don't get caught.

COMBAT

The Crusaders are here: fight them. Crusaders will in heavy chain mail into battle, often with a padded gambeson underneath them. Aim your weapons for the chinks in the points that quickly immobilize: the throat, armpit, inner elbow, inner thigh, inner knee. You will always want to aim for the veins and joints. This isn't about clean, this is about hard and fast. Battles in the desert are made worse for every hour spent in the gruelly heat.

They fight with heavy sword and shield, and the metal they wear makes them more strongly defended, but also slower; they cannot mount their horses without some help, so if you manage to unhorse a Crusader, they must survive the remainder of the battle on foot. Often if you wounded a horse, it can kill the man riding it.

Medieval warhorses are huge animals that can do serious damage with a single kick; however, by Crusader tradition, many are stallions, which are famously willful difficult to control. Being thrown from one of these horses, especially in armor, is no small thing. This is where by contrast Saladin's army comes into its own. They ride a lighter horse more suited to this kind of warfare, and the cavalry works by spiking in quickly, reigning down an attack, then retreating. The Turks are famous for riding by, and shooting down arrows into foot soldiers before retreating out of range again.

Aside from the knights on their horses, keep an eye on hired mercenaries and others of all classes storming into battle. Watch out for crossbows: a single bolt can punch through thick metal, much less whatever you might be wearing. However, the shots take a great deal of time and strength to load, requiring the user to pull the bolt back while standing on the bow. The weapons are not stealthy, and striking an opponent while they load them is the surest route to victory. More traditional archers are far more difficult to defeat; though their arrows can't cut through metal, they can shoot from much farther away and draw another arrow ten times as fast. Other fighters charge in with cudgels, maces, spears, axes, polearms, and the fervent determination fanaticism brings. Do your fellow soldier on the battlefield a favor: try and take out an archer whenever you can. But for those fielding the arrows, don't stay put, they'll always try and take you out first.

The battle of Hattin is one of the most bloody in the history of the Crusades; famously, it is said that its outcome left the sky black for all the birds hungrily circling the carnage. Your job in this battle is twofold: fight to win, and survive.

COMBAT / STEALTH

Capture Guy D'Lusignan.

History dictates Guy D'Lusignan, current King of Frankish-ruled Jerusalem, is captured by Saracen forces, which later leads to Muslims recapturing Jersusalem from Frankish hands. Help the Saracen war parties ride out, make sure they aren't sabotaged, and attack King Guy's war party. Along with them, you'll find Reynard de Chatillion, another nobleman whose capture will herald a collapse of the Crusader forces. Medieval battle isn't like modern warfare, where soldiers fight on in spite of their leader's capture or death.

A medieval battle ends when one side gives up, or when a leader has been killed or captured. Capturing the heads of an army leads to the immediate death of the battle's morale and will to fight. To win the Battle of Hattin, it is imperative that Guy D'Lusignan and Raynard de Chatillion are captured, as they were in history.

read the jerusalem setting infopage

NAV. NETWORK LOGS OOC PLURK DISCORD

Comments

YOU KNOW, I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW MUCH MELODRAMA THEY HAD IN ACTUAL MYTHOLOGY UNTIL APP WRITING

[horsepowered]

[The arrows are not anything special. Their arrow heads were made by men living here. Now. The style of the Greeks, the craftsmanship, it is absent. There is no expected, anticipated signature, only a plain arrowhead.

If there is to be hope, then it lies in the speed in which the arrows continue to fly to the air, their arcs getting sharper and sharper as Chiron begins to tear through the battlefield. He's plenty fast on his two legs (but would be so much quicker on four).

An arrow flies past Achilles' left shoulder, deftly landing in a gap in an enemies' helmet. There's a break in the crowds that show a familiar advancing figure, one reloading as he runs.]

[chariotry]

[ The arrows don't do anything to confirm the identity of the archer. But he doesn't have more time than he's already spent to mull, as a sword is moving down on him in a sharp arc towards his head.

He's invulnerable to such attacks dealt by man, but he'd be shamed to grant an opening to the enemy regardless.

So his attention is diverted, but not for long as he cuts down the offender. With the area mostly clear, he launches himself into a short sprint across the field, away from the shooter. He follows the trajectory of the ensuing arrows, seamlessly matching their momentum.

Achilles is a sentimental man, but his teacher had pushed his tendency to give into his own feelings out of him in his youth. In war, his focus is solely for the enemy and not anyone else.

But his eyes do stray every now and then, catching glimpses of his teacher from the distance. He isn't shocked to see him, nor is he disappointed. ]

Tch. [ He wants nothing more than to go to him, to join him at his side or to aim a blow for his head (are they allies? enemies?). Too caught up in his own adrenaline, he can't understand the mixture of overwhelming feelings overtaking the front of his mind. So he pushes all of it to the back. ]

[horsepowered]

(Chiron does see the glances cast his way every so often, and if he was not set upon from every angle, he would take a moment to wonder why it was Achilles was still giving in to his sentimentality. Hadn't they just gone over this?

But that moment never comes. Instead there are advancing crusaders to contend with, and cover to provide. The luxury of endless arrows is not present, however, and soon after, the rain of arrows ceases.

There is no calling out when this happens, only a cool acceptance of this fact. Chiron places his bow across his back, and looks for a sword to take up instead. His gaze is not on his former student, but Chiron suspects that the reverse will not be true.)

[chariotry]

( Chiron doesn't look his way unless he happens to be in his line of sight, and that's when Achilles realizes he's in a one-sided competition of stolen glances. It's embarrassing, and he can feel heat rush to his cheeks as he had whenever he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to as a youth.

He steels himself, determined to not shame himself any further. His pride depends on it, and when he puts his mind to something, Achilles always succeeds.

So he doesn't look his way, even as he can hear the slash of a sword hitting flesh and bone in the distance. He would love to relish witnessing Chiron fighting in war, to anticipate his movements like he would if he were fighting him himself.

Eventually, they meet in the middle, cornering two soldiers who have attempted to make a retreat, only to be sandwiched between Achilles and Chiron.

With a knowing grin, Achilles raises his spear, like a man presenting a cup for a toast. ]

im at work so I feel you what is html right now

[horsepowered]

(Chiron only gives his former student a curt, acknowledging nod in response to the raised spear. In lieu of more arrows for his bow, Chrion picked up an abandoned sword from the battlefield. It was not his preferred weapon, but it was much better for the close combat he had been wedged into.

That same sword is used swiftly to engage one of the two unfortunate soldiers caught between the two. It is hardly a fair chance, all things considered. Armor makes Chiron's opponent slow, and Chiron himself has the advantage of speed. The only barrier to a swift end is the armor itself, and Chrion's struggle is to find the right opening to bring the man low.

This time, he does glance Over to Achilles. Not for curiosity or out of concern, but to see where the other has found weak points.)

[chariotry]

[ Achilles bristles like an excited cat anticipating a feast. He's high off of adrenaline, feeding off of the reverence in the eyes of their comrades and the fear in their enemies' faces. His senses are heightened as a result.

Most fighting this war might not be able to get past the blood -- the smell of it, the sight of it, the taste of it -- but Chiron taught Achilles to expand his horizons, to take in all the layers of war and not just the surface of chaos and destruction. He's hyper-aware of the uneven ground they stand on, the darkened sky above, and the vultures making their rounds circling the battlefield. He has to constantly be alert, aware of every shift no matter how insignificant.

Chiron is a focal point in this case. The centre of his surroundings, when he shouldn't be. So he's delighted to have finally reached his goal, though he'll never admit to the other divine being that he was his goal in the first place.

So, his gaze is cast elsewhere when Chiron looks over at him. He turns his stare onto the soldier in front of him. And flippantly, he says, ]

Don't wait to make your move on my account, Teacher. There's no need for that kind of courtesy between us. [ And to prove his point, he drives the spear into the crusader's throat. Blood bubbles up in the man's mouth, causing him to choke. ]

[horsepowered]

It is hardly a matter of courtsey.

[Another man might also make a point taken pun. Chiron does not. He instead focuses on the now staggering soldier before him, and with a swift manuever, slams the man down onto the ground. It is precisely directed, and the force of the impact sends his helmet flying off into the distance. An exposed throat is much better to work with, and Chiron cuts it swiftly. The expected splurt of blood comes up, landing on Chiron's own armor, his exposed skin, his hair.

Satisfied that the man will not rise again, Chiron's gaze moves towards th soldiers in the distance. Their backs have begun to turn, giving the two the luxury of conversation on the battlefield.]

Have any of the servants in your faction been called here, or is it just you and I?

[chariotry]

[ The man drops to his knees as the remaining flicker of life fades from his eyes. The spear head is dislodged with a thick, wet noise, carving out the meat in his throat in the process. Once the body is down on the ground, Achilles turns to his old mentor with an impassive expression. ]

If there are other servants here, I wouldn't know. You're the first I've made contact with. [ Right. They should talk about their situation, but Achilles is the type of man who deals with things as they come. ]

I don't feel a connection with a Master, so I doubt I was summoned. The link I had with my previous Master is severed, too.

[horsepowered]

Mm. Then if we are not connected to them, there is no reason for us to view each other as opponents.

[Chiron too felt the lack of connection, but appearing in a new place still felt like a form of summons. That was a matter to mull over later, away from the dead and dying, when a moment's quiet was permitted. Such time was also meant for considering what another strange turn of fortune this was, to go from enemies to allies with one of his students.]

You continue to be too sentimental on the battlefield.

[There was an undercurrent of did we not just discuss this? in Chiron's tone. The words betrayed the fact that yes, he had caught Achilles sneaking glances. It wasn't as if the attempts were subtle.]

[chariotry]

[ His expression shifts to something more unreadable, before tension creases his features and reveals something that might look familiar to Chiron. Not quite a pout, but still dejected-looking enough to be reminiscent of his youthful scowls. Achilles never did like being chastised. ]

What does what I choose to do on the battlefield matter when the end result is the same? A victory remains a victory.

[ A scoff. ] I'm no longer wet behind the ears, you know. Do you realize how many battles I've fought since that time we parted?

[horsepowered]

(It is not the expressions of youth, no, but Chiron recognizes it all the same. The response is what makes the whole exchange fall into a sense of de ja vu, the only true difference being Achilles' height.)

I do realize and I am very aware. That does not exempt me from pointing out that against the right opponent, it can still be an issue and invite harm.

[chariotry]

[ The earns a laugh from Achilles as he shifts his lance, bracing it over the bow of his shoulder. ]

Invite harm to who exactly? These men cannot kill me, let alone even hurt me.

[horsepowered]

[There is a look on Chiron's face, a quirk of an eyebrow and soft little snort that concedes the point without forcing the man to say so out loud. Part of Chiron worries that Achilles might end up being contradicted out of spite by the Fates, but it seems whatever path they've put both himself and Chiron on is far more complex.

Where Achilles has his lance, Chiron places the borrowed sword in his hand down, driving it into the ground. Some other man who needs it is welcome to the thing. He then turns his back and begins a retreat of his own.]

I do wonder what abilities are limited without Masters though. We've both felt some kind of shift, after all.

[chariotry]

[ Chiron has conceded and that's all Achilles can ever ask for. A spike of pride bubbles up within his chest, and he can't contain the smile it spurs. While it is a childish reaction, he can't deny himself the satisfaction.

He follows obediently despite it all, as if it were the natural thing to do. His lance bounces against his shoulder as he trudges through the deep sand, kicking up soft grain with the bloodied toe of his boot. ]

What? Are you worried we'll fade eventually without Masters? [ A little wry, like he doesn't think it is possible. But it is. ] For now, there are other ways of harvesting mana. Right, Teacher?

[ There's added inflection to his voice, emphasizing the suggestion. ]

[horsepowered]

[Chiron can't help but have a very small, thin smile cross his face as Achilles begins to follow after him. Without any faction to split them, they seem to have fallen into their natural patterns as if no time had elapsed at all. The continuity is not a surprise, but it is still something remarkable. Something to treasure.

Now who was being sentimental?]

My understanding is that yes, there are other ways. But likewise, do the changes that we've undergone even require mana? [Probably? Who's to say? Chiron couldn't give an answer one way or the other at the moment, and his feet continued to move towards the encampment.]

Do you intend to rest immediately after, or do something else?

[Chiron himself only had one destination in mind.]

[chariotry]

[ It's so like his master to be asking those kinds of questions. Achilles had thought of it in passing, but with his life essence not waning just yet, it didn't seem so pressing at the time. ]

No, I don't intend to rest. I'm going to keep fighting. [ Because that's what he enjoys, and that's what he's been brought here for. Plus, he's hoping to find more answers to what's going on in the process. ]

If you're worried about your mana reserves, you shouldn't push yourself, Teacher. Conserve what you have right now. [ Looking out for his sensei... ]

[horsepowered]

[That Achilles does not intend to rest is no surprise at all. Sure enough, Chiron had passed before the entire debacle at Troy had come to an end, but the love of the fight had been apparent in all of the lessons Chiron had imparted to him over the years. Nor is the concern.]

I do not intend to. Working at the medical tent should not require a massive expense of energy.

[As if he'd be heading anywhere else.]