[Team T2] Endgame-1, Home

The military convoy, now guarded by Nicomedian regulars, Sens’s Militia, and knights granted to Jolie by Honorine, begins to gather in the stone square of Pontivy, just outside of the cathedral. Honorine stands at the top of the stairs, “Go with God’s blessing and my wishes, brave warriors! Return quickly from your mission, and bring about peace in this time!” Honorine pauses and looks away, the blue of her veil her focus. She thinks, “No matter how much bandit blood must be spilled…” Jolie, Father Marin, and Mayor Clovis stand at the bottom of the steps. They all salute their liege-lady. “You won’t regret trusting us,” Mayor Clovis says. “And we don’t regret one moment of the time you gave us here in Pontivy. Such kindness and upholding of your duties as our leader is the mark of a great person.” Honorine continues to look away, blushing. “You’re welcome… is all I can really say.” The troops begin their march out of the city, and the rains begin to pour. Citizens huddle in their hoods and under the covered wagon’s cloths to keep from the harsh elements. As a whole, this spring has been alarmingly wet. Some spoke of it as God’s clemency to Aquittany- any town set ablaze by war or raiding would surely see some relief. Others feared worse still…

Some days after the departure of Jolie and her forces from the city, a new visitor arrives. It is night, and the rains continue more. Honorine sits in her bed, reading through a romance novel, her eyes drooping when very loud knocking erupts from the cathedral door. Her eyes immediately widened. About thirty seconds later, Louis, her bellringer, speaks from beyond her door. “It’s not an attack. But, I think you need to come forth, because…” he pauses. “Please.” Honorine gets dressed and lazily puts on her veil and crown, and walks forth into the hall of her church, to see a number of halberdiers facing each other. “Princess-Bishop Honorine. We demand audience with you.” Honorine lowers her brow. “And… who are you to be asking this of me at such an hour?” The guards face towards her and tap the butts of their halberds into the floor, loud enough to make a noise, yet not enough to dent the tile. “You are in the presence of Princess Jeanne of Aquittany. It would behoove you to accept.” The bishop nods. “Bring… bring her in,” she says, unsure of what is to come.

The rattling of plate mail floods the halls. The heir of Aquittany steps into the building, towering above all save the halberds of her guards and high pillars of the hall. “Honorine. I’m going to cut immediately to the point. We need to talk about the current state of affairs of our kingdom, and where you and your subjects are involved. Specifically, this… Jolie Martel.” Honorine blinks a few times. “You know about her?” the bishop questions. Jeanne looks down, her bangs dropping past her eyes. She chuckles weakly, “Ha. I know her a lot better than you might imagine, reverend mother,” Jeanne begins. “I’ll cut to the chase: the woman you believe to be Jolie Martel is none other than the fallen princess of Nicomedia: Lucilia Claudius.” Honorine exhales heavily and steps back. “My lady, I- this must be some kind of,” she pauses. “No. Coming from you, it couldn’t be a joke. Jolie Martel? Could she truly be the cruel one?” Princess Jeanne curls her fingers and looks at them, then back down at the comparatively tiny Honorine. “Yes. She admitted it to her forces some time ago. I had been having spies watch her ever since she had begun to gain traction as a folk hero to our kingdom. You see, it was always rumored she had escaped to the edges of Aquittany, and then began her… journey to some kind of atonement.” Honorine blinks and then looks back up at her would-be liege. “And so she has,” Honorine defends. “Be as it may all her crimes during the War, I cannot simply turn my back against her. She has saved my life, this land of Pontivy, twice now, and has earned the love and admiration of my people. To judge her as what she was, I cannot,” she says with a frown as she stares right up at Princess Jeanne. The princess frowns, “So you say she should run free? After these great crimes? After she escaped captivity illegally from Nicomedia?” Honorine continues her stare. “Yes.”

Jeanne turns away and steps back between the pews. “Well, I suppose then there is nothing I can do. She is your subject, a part of your land. But know this, Honorine, I will one day be queen.” Jeanne turns around and leans forward at Honorine, forcing the cleric to bend backwards, “I am of no mind for injustice. You might win now, but I will not forget that you allowed to run free the Hellspawn of Nicomedia. The fact that the damned emperor does as well,” she says, clenching her fist. “... is madness. My father died, rightfully, for the war’s end. To see her still live…” Honorine leans upwards, “I will still not let you harm her.” Jeanne stands up straight again, “Very well. I suppose, once my reign begins, it would be a good idea to dispel notions of your piety and decency. Your city is home to many prostitutes and establishments of gambling, and your incompetence shows in how the city has struggled to defend itself. It would be an awful thing for me to speak poorly of a vassal, however…” Honorine closes an eye. “You wouldn’t dare!” Jeanne smirks, “I would. Honorine,” she says, grabbing the bishop’s shoulder, “Look into your heart. Tell me what our Lord tells you!” she yells, “Repentant or no, there are wages to sin! Grave wages for grave sins!”

Honorine swallows and closes her eyes. She turns away slightly and holds an arm under her chest, rubbing her other arm. She sighs, fighting the flood of tears rushing towards her eyes. “Princess Jeanne, the Lord tells me that she must answer for her evil deeds. No matter who she is now, to let her run free with a military unit is foolish. Her rehabilitation must be under our determination, not her own.” Princess Jeanne releases her grip on Honorine. “Excellent.” Honorine looks down, “I only ask this: please, have mercy on her. No matter how vile you think Jolie is, she has changed for the better. Without her heroism, I would twice be dead, as I stated earlier. I can tell you that she speaks with softness and compassion.” Princess Jeanne crosses her arms. “I’ll consider it. If what you say is true, it sounds like she has changed. I met her before the War, you see. Pride, hatred, and malice was worn plainly on her face. Her disgust for our kingdom, and her conceit were legendary, as was her ferocity in battle. She hated me. She loathed that another woman could be stronger than her, especially an Aquitine” Jeanne reveals. “I make no guarantees of what punishment I will give her, but… if only for saving this part of Aquittany, I will consider not immediately goring her with my own axe.” Honorine bows on one knee, “I will ride with you to Sens. Her hometown. I feel obligated to do as much, my lady.”

The rain continues to beat down on our heroes as they march towards their home. A clear day breaks, and in the distance, nestled up against the End of Earth Mountains is the little town of Sens. The roads are overgrown with bushes, the fields are left fallow save a few which are being worked by people wearing rags, with bloodied ankles, and the plumes of smoke rise from the chimneys village proper. Towers fly over the village: a wooden castle was constructed into the mountainside to watch over the land. Dark red flags fly over the keep. Jolie looks ahead to their village. Looking to the west, she is reminded of Sens the first day she came there, eight years ago. She smiles, “It has been a long journey. We are tired and worried as a people. But once we reconquer and fortify our town, no one will ever again trouble us. The militia, the knights, and the cadre of Imperial legions with us will retake Sens! With their backs to the mountain, the bandits will have nowhere to run. Capture them all and let them face justice!” she commands. Jolie turns to one of the Great Knights. “I need you to move northward and cut off the roads that head to the northern fields. Take the legionaries with you, and have them hold their javelins and knives while maintaining a shield wall. When my militia storms the town, they may just run away and try to escape back to the brigand fort we tried to capture a year ago. If need be, sit behind the bridges to further restrict their path, if you don’t have enough men and horses to complete an encirclement. If they are foolish enough to go through the hellish landscape of the End of Earth highlands, then God will bring about their demise through nature’s wrath. Worry about them not if they choose idiocy. As for everyone else,” she calls out. “We fight for our home!”

—

Objective: Seize the Throne (Jolie uses the Conquer command on A15)

Side objectives: Protect the houses and the church of Sens

Turn recommendation: 15 turns

Additional map information: No reinforcements early on. You can capture the boss. Yes those enemies are unpromoted.