22 Vorgeheim, 2449, City of Parravon
I've set the galloper guns and some cavalry to guard the bridge over the stone bridge over the River Grismerie. They will be sufficient to hold the bridge until he rest of my men can be mobilized and brought to bear. I've also sent out scouts to determine the location of the ork army, and put sharpshooters in the hills to the east, both the guard that approach and act as lookouts.
The bridge over the Grismerie is the only practical means of crossing this major river for many leagues north and south. The ork army is, we are now confident, to the west of the river. Word has reached the Duke that the Army of Quenelles won't be relieving Parravon anytime soon. On account of having been waylaid and massacred by the greenskin horde
The greenskins certainly did not cross over the bridge going west, so must have found a crossing someplace else. Perhaps they've used rafts. Or built a makeshift bridge of their own? Surely they have not gone as far north as Vingtiennes to seize the bridge there?
Grismerie is the the Bretonnian equivalent of the River Reik, starting in the Grey Mountains as far south as Loren, cutting northwest through many leagues, before turning west towards the sea. It's not quite as grand as the Reik. Let's say the equivalent of the upper parts of the Reik. But still a mighty river, plied by many trade barges.
If stable trade routes can be established through Karak Azgaraz, I think Parravon shall become a great link in the Adler chain. From Parravon we can access the western seas. If trade can be diverted from the Gisoreux Gap to flow through Parravon into Übersreik, rather than go from Montfort to Helmgart...
23 Vorgeheim, 2449, Quenelles countryside on western bank of the Grismerie
Crossed the bridge with 50 pistoliers and Thesalva. We're now technically in the Ducky of Quenelles, though I think not the orks care much about that distinction. We found mostly plundered villages, burned houses, and dead people. The devastation is significant, but not total. The peasants will soon return and rebuild. They always do.
Rode back to camp for the night. Laetitia professed a desire to leave Bretonnia and come with us to Reikland. With an aunt that's a Damsel of the Lake - and a mother who was promised - there is a good chance she's got magical talent. And like Malthus used to say: you can never have too many attractive young wizardesses in your employ.
24 Vorgeheim, 2449, Quenelles countryside on western bank of the Grismerie
Crossed over again today. Ranged much further. More of the same. Spent the night at an abandoned mill. Our rest was disturbed by some sudden squalls - and the orc army. It's too soon. My own forces are still ten days away and I've yet to receive word.
We pursued the greenskins but did not engage. I will not risk my men against an enemy force of unknown strength and composition.
25 Vorgeheim, 2449, Quenelles countryside on western bank of the Grismerie
The horde is even bigger than we feared. Five thousand greenskins, the bulk of them common orks, with a smattering of black orks and a sizeable contingent of goblins. Two thousand or so beastmen. And a thousand odd humans. Even a few elves were sighted. And here I thought all elves loved Bretonnia.
A force this big, bearing straight towards Parravon... we could not even hope to delay it. Yes, we are more mobile and have pistols, but the orks have bows and spears and the will to fight. So we circled around, looking for an opportunity.
And behold, the ork loot train of Zul the Mighty. We found a sharp action against superior numbers, losing only eight men (and some injured) and fifteen horses. We came away with sixty prisoners, mostly big, strong warriors used as slaves. And more gold and valuable than we could carry. We disengaged before the orks could figure out what had just happened. We managed to get the prisoners to safety and slipped past the ork lines during the night and back across the river.
From the captured Bretonnians we learned that Zul had slaughtered the Army of Quenelles. He'd used his earth magic to shattered the human lines with what was described as "a great wave of earth". A thousand knights (and who knows how many footmen) slain in a single day.
26 Vorgeheim, 2449, City of Parravon
We must now prepare and plan for the inevitable attack on Parravon.
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