Rohan Events

[Tanthalas]

Im planing to use this section for things that wouldnt be public knowlage but make for interesting reading and background on The Mark

[Tanthalas]

Aiden glanced over his shoulder at the commandos behind him, in the dim light they all looked identical to himself right down to the black died Hardened leather Cuirass with the silver seal of The Brotherhood on their left shoulder.  Good men all of them Drawn from some of the harshest environments on the planet, all of them like himself had thought they were tough had thought they had witnessed the worst life could throw at them... that is until the brotherhood had got a hold of them. 

Aiden shook off his reverie, and glanced at the old man coning the boat "how much longer till Landfall" He asked.
Bairn glanced at the Young Capitan and smiled "about another 20 minutes lad, we launched a good distance out to minimize the chances of detection, wouldn't want your mission to end before it was properly started would you?"
Aiden smiled grimly back at the older man, no he wouldn't want this mission to end to quickly.  He owed these bastards and as far as he was concerned the score was nowhere close to being even yet.  He had only been a child when the raiders came, He remembered little of his life before that time, but of that time he remembered every grizzly detail, he could still hear Mother and Dympna Screaming, while he and father were forced to watch them tortured and repeatedly raped.  The animals had even eaten pieces of them while performing their barbaric rituals, he had known his time would come soon but the men with black faces had come while they were still torturing Papa they had cut through the animals like a sit he through grain.  Not soon enough to save his family but soon enough to save him, their leader had carried him back to their boats himself.  A few days later offering him a place among The Brotherhood, he hadn't been promised an easy life only that if he chose to accept he would have the chance to prevent what had happened to his family from happening to others.  At 9 it had been enough, truth told at 25 it was still enough, he felt this was what he had been born to do...

Bairn cleared his throat to get the young captains attention "look there sir" he said as he pointed toward the front of the boat.
Aiden saw only blackness at first, and the moons white trail acrossed the water, but continued to search the space the old man had indicated until he found a low black shape breaking into the sheen of moonlight on the waves.  As he squinted into the darkness the silhouette became more detailed.  The shape grew steadily into a squat, irregular triangle, with one side trailing longer than the other before sinking into the waves.  This was it then time to go to work he thought as he glanced over his shoulder making one final check on his squad, every man was as prepared as it was possible to be but he couldn't help wondering who would be lost tonight.

Before the Boat was even ashore they were off into the surf and running toward the Rocky beach of Isla Natividad, "Druce and Lain took point just as they always did moving swiftly from the beach to the rough terrain surrounding it, Fergus and Seoras had drag and were the last to leave the beach.

Druce came back swiftly but silently through the heavy brush and stopped to whisper "sir we found the Village" the last word said almost as a curse "Iain stayed to watch it but we best be moving on em swiftly sir, Don't think he will be able to restrain himself for long they got a couple girls in there they be workin on if ya get my meaning"
Aiden cursed silently under his breath and quickly gave the necessary orders to position the men around the Animals lair, his men knew what the signal would be.  He always took the right to be the first in and prepared himself as best he could mentally for what was to come.  Then drawing both his Pistols he stepped swiftly out of the brush and took careful aim on what he assumed to be the Chief Priest of this group, that would let any other followers of The Eye know exactly who had done this.

What followed was 15 minutes of Pure and total Chaos as he and his men remorselessly slaughtered every last man woman and child in the village, it was no less than they deserved they weren't really human anyway, they were animals, then put the torch to the Village.  Aiden personally placed The Mark of The Brotherhood on the Priests chest, driving the nail into his heart with an almost savage glee.  Then he and his men with the 2 young women made a swift withdrawal to the beach to board the waiting boats and return to the Battleship Arcadia, they were torn up preaty badly but he thought they would live, the question was would living be better than dieing, he had to hope so he thought to himself as the boats sped quickly away from the rocky coast.  It had to be enough, it just had to be.

[Guinness]

Aw geez. Rohirim raids on Confederate territory? They must be getting their information from Pancho Villa. :)

Or maybe this is ancient history?

[Tanthalas]

IDK I used one of the furthest south west coast islands I could find.  It is rather old news though, it was mostly to set the stage for future operations.

[Guinness]

You could do it in the Revillagigedo Islands. Their Lands of the Mark.  ;D

Bah, I've got enough trouble with Eye Worshipers (or at least those suspected by certain Mesoamerican Colonels to be Eye Worshipers) south of the border. A few more probably aren't a major complication.

If I didn't already have too many irons in the fire, I might even write something. Needless to say, if Richmond ever gets wind of Rohirim landings on Confederate territory, there will be a rather strongly written note delivered. Maybe even an official protest. So watch your step!

[Tanthalas]

^.^ ill keep that in mind, these guys arnt regular army in any shape or form, think more along the line of SEALS.  Lightning fast small unit operations against The Eye, and doing the math this raid would have been like 1905ish.

[Guinness]

Oh that's cool then. That is ancient history...

[Tanthalas]

The meeting had been going on for well over two hours, which was far longer than Eorl had feared, but far shorter than he'd hoped.

"Between protecting the Canal zone and defending our own coast, there just aren't enough ships to go around, I can't see how we can possibly do anything about the situation in the South Pacific," Anason Seawalker Advisor to the King for Naval Affairs, said, as he threw up his hands in frustration.

"Then we pull faces if we have to," Eorl said, looking at the gathered ministers. "We bluff. We are the Riders of The Mark.  If the reports out of Indochina are true, and at this point we have no reason to doubt their Validity, we have no choice but to attempt to reduce the suffering of the people faced with such Barbarism."

"Any operation will be ruinously expensive," Anason Walks on Stones, Third Marshal of the Mark noted.

"There can be no half Measures," Eorl replied coldly. "War is waste. The people of the region if reports are true didn't ask to be treated as they are.  My friends we sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm, and every man deserves that Right.  If I have to I will take The Prince Royals Own to investigate myself."

"That would be a very rash decision milord," Anason said. "I know your heart sir no one questions your willingness, only the wisdom of such an action." The diminutive Marshal shrugged, and the King grimaced. "Besides that, there are far better choices for such an operation than the Crown Prince of The Mark."

"We could always . . . send an emissary to The Chinese," Gamling Arodson, Foreign Advisor to the King for the Pacific Nations suggested, only pausing as Eorl's hiss cut him off.

"NO!" Eorl said and, then looked at Gamling. "Why ask the Weasel itself if it's raiding the henhouse?"

"You yourself just pointed out that we have to investigate, Your Highness," Gamling said coldly. "Negotiations especially, negotiations we don't intend in good faith might be one way to prove or disprove with minimum involvement the allegations in question, and if it should turn out that there actually was some sort of atrocity, why—"

"Now I know I don't like it," Eorl said, his voice colder than Gamling's by several degrees.

"Nor do I," Theocro said. His voice less chill than his son's, but undeniably frosty in it's own right. "The RRC is in a state of rebellion. If they succeed in breaking off permanently from the Middle Kingdom, or even merely seems to have temporarily succeeded through their Barbarous actions—others will try to do the same. Before long, the World would descend into an honor less chaos, and the expense at that point will be enormous. No, Eorl has a point," he conceded, looking at him balefully nonetheless. "We must investigate.  However we will not take any step which even suggests we might ever treat with rebels as if they were a legitimate heads of state. Instead, we'll send—"

"—and I'm very much looking forward to our state visit to California, aren't you Eorl, Great fun visiting another Nation." His voice changed abruptly, crisp decisiveness shifting into Boisterous Bravado, and he gazed at assembled ministers with a look of absentminded confusion.

"As am I," Eorl said. His expression had frozen into an iron mask as the King's had changed to one lost in Confusion. "Isn't it about time for your Ride Father?"

"Oh, yes a Capital Idea, my boy," the King said. "Will you be coming along today?"

"I don't think so Father," Eorl interrupted calmly. "But I think, that this meeting's lasted long enough, don't you?" As he waved to one of the guards by the door.

When the Lost and Confused King had been led patiently from the room, Eorl stood and swept the people still seated and those standing around the conference table with eyes of Grey ice Sheathed in a face of Iron. "Not a word," he said. "Not one bloody fucking word. Meeting adjourned"

[The Rock Doctor]

Excellent story - and it's good to see the Mark interested in world affairs again.

I think.

[Tanthalas]

Eorl glanced again at the missive laying on his desk and then glanced at the gathered Royal advisors.  "Gentlemen this is not quite a Disaster but I see not how we could even think of refusing to send troops to aid their position" Eorl then glanced at Marshal Walks on Stones.  "Anson how fast can you have troops ready to move?" he inquired.

Anson Walks on Stones looked carefully over his notes before clearing his throat and standing to address Prince Eorl "Sir we can have White and Blue Companies moving within three days, anything else however will take longer" Anson Paused to take a drink of his Coffee "However moving anything else short of Gray Company, or The Brotherhood would prove difficult in less than a month, I However believe that they should prove sufficient to detour the Rebels and provide relief to the refugees until further troops can be made available for this purpose." Anson resumed his seat and looked at his Prince expectantly.

Eorl steapeld his fingers as he looked around the table at his fathers other advisors.  "And you are all in agreement" he inquired, they all knew it really wasn't a question but a statement of Fact. "Good then Make it happen, I will not allow our Neighbors to suffer like this because the Swiss have evidently gone mad" Eorl slammed his hands on the Table. "Has every nation lost their sanity as surely as Father has" Eorl raised his hand stopping the murmurs of the gathered advisors.  "No use hiding it in this room we all know father episode some how damaged his mind.  Physically he is fine but his grip on reality is tenuous at best" he then glanced to his left.  "Eormil have you any Idea what forces the Swiss may have in the region and to that end can you assure the safety of Aid sent by Sea?"

Eormil Eorlson glanced briefly at his notes before standing and beginning his brief.  "Your Highness the Navy stands ready to provide any security necessary to protect any aid sent by sea to Ahtena, Swiss forces are almost nonexistent and last reports had one of their few functional battleships sitting at pier side in Hawaii it is my belief that first Battle squadron will be more than sufficient to cover any eventuality" Eormil then resumed his seat.

Eorl stood again and looked around the table "Good Make all necessary Preparations gentlemen I want this done and I want it done now" Eorl then turned and strode from the room drawing the meeting to an obvious close.

[Tanthalas]

Master Chief Goffery Cotton sat placidly in his office onboard Uplond V.R. and looked for the third time at the most recent letter from what he once thought of as home.  If his Nephew Giles was to be believed things in Georgia were even worse than they were when he left home 30 years ago.  Lord knew they weren't spending any more on Educating the Negro than they were in his youth. If he needed any proof of that all he had to do was look at Giles Missive.  Stealing himself he prepared to attempt again to decipher the letter

Gofry, I know Mama say you was Crazy when you runs away up norf to that cold wet land o yours, but Reckon say I wishn Is had a way to come up there wif ya, things dey real bad down here n I cant see dey gona get much betteh.  Folks are sayin that that there Nessau treaty is gona fol up n den deh good ole CSA be facin dem damn Columbins all by our lonesome, I jes can see how we could do dat.  Dey gots all dem frinds in der Soufern Cross en weuns woud jes be all by uselfs agains em.  jus mah luck I knows im gona ge drafted inta one O dem work talions, gona stick meh ou der digin a ditch n no even guna le me haven a gun.  Anywho ifn thing get much worse dun ere, Is may hav ta find a way tah get up der

The Master Chief removed his spectacles, and rubbed his eyes.  If the Boy was going to come to Rohan it would be better sooner than Later, assuredly he was going to have to be taught to read and write properly at least.  Who knows he thought as he picked up his fountain pen and a sheet of fresh unlined paper with the ships emblem on its header Maybe it wasn't too late for the boy, only time would tell.

[Tanthalas]

Capitan Camlin Macaula in spite of having just received command of The Marks newest Battleship Uplond things were definitely not looking up.  Just today he had received word from a Junior Officer that Master Chief Cotton was stalking around the ship dressing down the crew for any imagined infraction, to say that this was not in character for the normally Jovial Command Master Chief would have been like saying a horse could fly... One might believe it if he saw it for himself but without that evidence one was more likely to dismiss it out of hand.  To that effect he was heading to the Chiefs office to find out exactly what in the hell was going on.  Capitan Macaula turned the corner and banged on the door marked Command Master Chief, opening the door almost as quick as the word "Enter" passed through Master Chief Cotton's lips.  Giving the Large man behind the desk his Crustiest stare he asked "What is this I hear about you being on the Warpath Chief?"

Master Chief Cotton looked up from the letters littering his desk "It's nothing that anyone can do much about I'm afraid sir, not even the crews fault... I'm trying to avoid letting it interfere with my performance sir" he said looking again at the stack of papers on his desk.

"Master Chief you know I have nothing but respect for you, but if your having some sort of problem you should bring it to me.  After all what else is a Commanding Officer good for if he doesn't take care of his Sailors, ALL of his Sailors Chief" Capitan Macaula said dropping into one of the chairs in the small office.

Master Chief Cotton shook his head in resignation.  "It's not that kind of Problem Skipper, its my Nephew Giles sir we have been trying to get him out of the CSA and well we just cant" the Chief said pointing to the stack of letters.  "Things are bad for a Negro in the CSA, you know that sir you have heard my stories often enough." He said shaking his head again"

"Well what's the problem then Chief, if you don't have the money to pay for his trip why didn't you just come to me? Damit Chief I like to think we are friends"  Capitan Macaula said a look of something that could almost be called insult painting his face.

"It's not the Money Camlin" Master Chief Cotton said shaking his head again while using his friend's first name.  "He doesn't have the Papers they require to get out sir, He cant even leave the state of Georgia... Apparently things have changed since I left but for the worse instead of getting better" He said pushing the pile of Letters towards his Friend and Commanding Officer.  "It's all in there sir, every horrible detail of life for a Negro in the CSA... I would understand if you had some difficulty reading them though, Lets just say his education to this point has been as bad as mine was before I joint this Navy" the old Master Chief said shaking his head Ruefully in remembrance of who exactly had taught him to read and write properly

Capitan Macaula looked up from the first letter shock crossing his normally placid face. "Surely things cant be this bad there Chief i'm sure he is exaggerating the situation"

Master Chief Cotton shook his head sadly.  "No sir, I'm sure he isn't.  Things were bad when I left sir, but from all the letters I get from what family I still have well sir they are getting worse in a Hurry" he said pausing to wipe his eyes "and to make it worse for me sir, Every Paper in Rohan talks about how wonderful life in the CSA is... It's enough to drive a man crazy sir, and not a damn thing I can do about any of it"

Capitan Macaula Looked a crossed at the man he had known since he was a Midshipman, a man he before this moment would have said nothing could touch, and made one of the Snap decisions he was famous for.  "Chief mind if I borrow these?" he asked.

Chief Cotton looked at HIS Commanding Officer with sad brown eyes.  "I don't see what harm it would do sir, not like I need to read them again I have them all memorized anyway, but if you don't mind me asking sir what do you want with them?"

Capitan Macaula smiled slightly.  "I have a friend at one of the Papers, I would like to show them to him maybe he can do something to help.  Hell Chief it cant hurt right?" he said cheerfully.

Master Chief Cotton smiled slightly "if you say so sir" he said.  "And like you said sir, it surely cant hurt"

Capitan Macaula stood up and looked again a crossed the Desk "Good ill see to it this afternoon, but lets have no more dressing down Junior Officers for Imagined infractions Chief... Lord knows they give us plenty of Real ones to rip on them for" he said turning and opening the door.

"Yes Sir" Master Chief Cotton said a smile breaking out fully on his normally Jovial face.

[Tanthalas]

Capitan Camlin Macaula looked a crossed the Table at his Youngest brother, god but spending time around Eamon made him feel old he thought as he slid the neat stack of papers out of his attaché case, and handed them acrossed to him.

"What in the Gods Names have you brought me this time Camlin?" Eamon inquired a look of intense Curiosity on his face as he began to sort through the pages.

Camlin smiled slightly. "Oh its nothing much no maning reports or deployment orders, just some letters that once I managed to Decipher made me quite concernd about our Nations relationship with our neighbor to the South" the good Capitan paused taking a drink of the excelent whisky his brother had orderd for him. "You can rest assured they are quite genuine of course, the gentelman who gave them to me recived them from his Nephew"

Eamon Looked at his oldest Brother, with a odd mixture of distaste and gratitude.  "Your absolutly sure they arnt fakes? well ofcourse you are" he said without even pausing for his brother to answer him.  "Im not sure my Editor will be willing to print them but if he will the Fallout could be rather spectacular you realise?"

Camlin smiled over the rim of his Glass. "I was rather hoping you could do something about getting the boy out of the CSA, this entire issue is making one of my best friends and a Damn fine Master Chief esentialy useless to me Eamon"

"I wont lie to you Camlin, im not sure what if Anything I can do to get him out of the CSA if what im reading here is accurate.  But I will promise to try and ill see if I can get in contact with anyone who might have a better idea whats involved." Eamon said looking again at the tresure trove of letters in his hands.  "do you realy supose they write like this?" he asked looking somewhat ashamed.

Camlin smiled Ruefully.  "Oh I can guarantee that they do, I knew his uncle when he arived here 30 years ago and trust me his ability to read and write wasn't much if any better than that" Camlin stood tossing back the last of his drink.  "and on that note I have to get back to my Ship little brother, keep me updated if you learn anything, Oh and if you print it I want an advance copy for The Chief" he said turning and striding to the exit before his brother even had a chance to respond.

[Tanthalas]

Eamon Macaula rushed into the papers bullpen less than an hour after he had departed for lunch.  The place was mostly deserted at this point the reporters all either out working their beats or more likely still at their extended lunches.  He rushed towards Finlay Tiernay's office, the Editor might be tough but he was more than fair, and he had a feeling what he was holding had the potential to be front page.  He opened the door to his boss's office, not even pausing to knock and blurted out "Sir I think I have tomorrow's front page"

Finlay looked up at the young fireplug of a man that had just barged into his office interrupting him just as he was about to take a bite of a perfectly marvelous Pickle. "And what per say might that be?" he said in a dry obviously frustrated voice.

Eamon completely ignoring his boss's dry tone reached quickly into his jacket and extracted his precious letters and laid them out quickly on the Editors desk. "This sir, I have it on the most excellent source that they are absolutely genuine." He said in a rush.

Finlay looked carefully over the arrayed letters occasionally pausing to read one in depth as the news room began to repopulate, completely oblivious to the bluster and noise around him.  "Can you confirm any of it from another source?" he asked his voice carrying genuine shock so rarely heard from a veteran newsman.

Eamon was virtually bouncing with energy, as he looked at his chief pleadingly "Sir isn't Elisha down in printing from Virginia originally? I'm sure if I remember right he is, and i'm also sure he will be willing and able to confirm some of these letters at the least"

Finlay smiled a very feral smile, the kind he reserved for the rare occasions he was about to cause total chaos to his competitors.  "Why yes he is the old editor said managed to get here oh about 10 years ago, and come to think of it he never did say exactly how he came to end up here.  I have never had much to do with him personally but I would think he might be able to shed light on these, Check with him and get back to me if you decide you have a Story" He said still smiling but obviously dismissing the reporter.

Knowing what he had to do Eamon turned quickly and almost ran toward the printing area of the paper in the basement, praying that the Young Negro was actually there, but damn he needed confirmation on this.  Turning the final corner into the press room he almost ran smack into a large Man, who grabbed him just in the nick of time to prevent his falling.

"Easy there" the man said "don't know where your headed in such a hurry but if your not careful you'll get hurt rushing around like that down here"

Eamon looked at him with a rather flushed and flustered expression on his face. "I don't suppose you could tell me where I might find Elisha?" He inquired

The Large man smiled rather good naturedly "that I can he will be over in the office eating his lunch"

Eamon thanked the man profusely and hurried off toward the printing department's small office opening the door he saw a rather small black man sitting at one of the tables eating a typical lunch for any working man of Rohan. "Excuse me would you be Elisha?" he inquired.

"Yes Suh I am and who might I ask are you, and why you looking for me?" the small Negro Elisha asked a look of guarded concern on his face.

Eamon smiled and extended his hand.  "Eamon Macaula and I work for the Paper, I need to ask you to look at some documents and them perhaps ask you a few questions" he said extending the sheaf of letters towards the obviously startled man.

Elisha took the stack of letters from the reporter and went pale under his dusky completion almost as soon as he had started to read them.  "Suh I don know nothing about Georgia, but this sure sounds a lot like things was in Virginia when I left" he said shaking his head.  "Suh some of this I don't know nothing about like this treaty the boy refers to.  It wasn't around back then"

Eamon smiled hugely. "That's quite alright" he said turning toward the door.  "Elisha would you mind if I came back to talk to you again if I have any questions?"

The Young man shook his head. "Up to you Suh but Ill be around here somewhere i'm sure, never got treated nearly as good as I do here down in Virginia" he said a smile creeping a crossed his face.

"Good Good Eamon said turning again towards the Door, making a mental note to stop by the chief's office before he went to his desk to pound out the story, this was going to be Dynamite...

[Tanthalas]

A Tall young man fair of Complexion and Hair, Second Lieutenant Cathal McKibben looked quite out of place in his brightly polished Cuirass and Sallet astride his Great Black horse as he rode haltingly through the streets of Ahtena City.   On occasion he would stop and hand out Hard Candies to the various Children in the streets.  It was only a small act, but unknown to him it was like hundreds of other acts being preformed throughout the small country that White Company Second Korps of The Kings army had been sent to relive.

Cathal had always carried the small hard Candies with him, their original purpose had been to keep his younger brothers from pestering him relentlessly, but here in Ahtena he had found a new use for them.  Bringing some small measure of Joy to the children of this poverty stricken nation gave him some small bit of solace for the regret he felt that his Nation had not acted sooner to relive the abject poverty he hadn't even known existed only a few hundred miles from his families own estates. 

The situation in Ahtena was truly as horrendous as reports had said it was.  Everywhere Cathal looked he found something else that needed to be addressed promptly, the problem was Capital.  Not that Rohan wasn't pouring massive amounts into the tiny nation, but it took time for that capital to have a noticeable effect.  Cathal had written multiple reports on the situation since his Arrival, somehow none of it made him feel any better that Rohan had allowed the situation to exist in the first place.

Cathal signaled to his personal escort sending the rest of the platoon back to the Company Area, as he took just his 3 man bodyguard off onto a side street.  As they arrived at his destination, Cathal quickly dismounted handing his horses reigns to one of the troopers and withdrawing a small package from his saddlebags he quickly walked up to the door of the small house and knocked.  The door was answered promptly by a small woman whose smile almost split her face as she bowed to him and ushered him in after he returned her bow.  She led him to the small kitchen at the rear of the house where Hanako was waiting.  Cathal handed her the small Ivory combs that the quartermaster had thought he was insane for ordering but the look of pure joy on her face made the expense well worth it.  An hour later he emerged from the house and quickly took his reigns and mounted Faun turning swiftly toward the company area.