A 'Mad' Insurrection
Even with a surname as 'the mad', Insurrection had never crossed Serrill's (Sir-Eel) mind. Not that he approved of the current king, he hated his cousin Stefanus (Steh-Fah-Nuss). Always had. Hating the King and revolt are not equivalent.
Then one night, as he returned from his favorite watering hole, Serrill was handed a note by an unknown messenger. Once home he opened the note that simply said: Tomorrow night at the hour of repose (10 pm) at the Timid Tortoise.
The timid Tortoise was known for only one thing, being the worst establishment in East-Town. That was probably why Serrill loved it so much. He stopped by hours earlier and took a small table in the back corner. Exactly when the hour of repose started, a tall stranger sat down in front of Serrill. He introduced himself as Blavier, a retired Colonel. He explained that his employers needed his help in executing a swift and decisive coup against the King. Usually, Serrill would have dismissed the thought immediately. His drunken state made that more difficult. Visions of sitting on the throne, a beautiful queen by his side, surrounded by valuable treasures.
On the designated night, during the hour of the second dream (2 am), Serrill, Blavier and ten other ex-soldiers crept in the castle dressed as servants. Immobilizing the guards that patrolled, the small group went chamber by chamber searching for the King. Once the royal bedchamber was found, Serrill flung himself at the bed, stabbing frantically with his short sword. The Queen was fatally stabbed three times, while her lover was stabbed five times. The King was nowhere in sight. After a few minutes of searching desperately, they found the King in his study with his eldest son, enjoying a game of chess accompanied by a glass of wine. Once again, it was Serrill that attacked with abandon, and was parried by two guards that he had mistaken for statues. A small melee ensued where three attackers were slaughtered, Serrill managed to severely injure the young prince, one guard fought outnumbered, to his death while the other secured the King through secret tunnels. Once the King was safe, the alarm was raised. With reinforcement, it took no time at all to chase the assailants out of the castle.
With rumors that the miscreants took refuge in Northburgh, the king sent a small unit to retrieve them by any means necessary. When they did not return, he sent four. When the four did not return either, the King ordered the Royal Executioner with his troupe to figure out what was happening. Word came back that Serrill was in command of a small army of at least one hundred thousand soldiers, retired or un-ceremonially dismissed. The suggestion from the Royal Executioner was to assemble the army but to wait for his signal before sending them.
Within two moons, the small army could be seen setting up camp outside Estergard. Barricades were being built while catapults and trebuchets were being assembled in the distance, elevating the distress in the inhabitants of the capital. What the King and the inhabitants of Estergard did not know was that Callum, the Royal Executioner, with Rilo, the best forger, infiltrated the enemy's camp. Once inside, they took the blueprints for the catapults and trebuchets and modified the measurements for key connections and junctions.
On the morning of the third day, the attacking army looked formidable camped around the city, with their weapons of war. At the midday hour, orders could be heard to fire at will. What the few people who had access to windows higher than the guarding walls could see was much less formidable. Each catapult that fired it's payload, collapsed within itself, and the payload traveled only a handful of paces, injuring more soldiers. The trebuchets on the other hand, since they are more massive in size, created more destruction as they also fell apart. Within moments panic and bewilderment engulfed the attacking army. Understanding the forewarned signal, the king sent his army to attack.
Serrill and his army retreated back to Northburgh where reinforcements waited. The skirmishes continued over the next season until a ceasefire was emitted. When all was said and done, over sixty thousand soldiers lost their lives. The Queen was buried in the Royal Cemetery with a ceremony that lasted three days. Her eldest son was buried next to her after succumbing to his injuries.
If the King was angry after the failed coup, the Power Quintet was furious. The amount of gold wasted, not to mention the time and energy. If the coup had been successful, it would have been a bargain. Time to prepare the next attack.
Then one night, as he returned from his favorite watering hole, Serrill was handed a note by an unknown messenger. Once home he opened the note that simply said: Tomorrow night at the hour of repose (10 pm) at the Timid Tortoise.
The timid Tortoise was known for only one thing, being the worst establishment in East-Town. That was probably why Serrill loved it so much. He stopped by hours earlier and took a small table in the back corner. Exactly when the hour of repose started, a tall stranger sat down in front of Serrill. He introduced himself as Blavier, a retired Colonel. He explained that his employers needed his help in executing a swift and decisive coup against the King. Usually, Serrill would have dismissed the thought immediately. His drunken state made that more difficult. Visions of sitting on the throne, a beautiful queen by his side, surrounded by valuable treasures.
On the designated night, during the hour of the second dream (2 am), Serrill, Blavier and ten other ex-soldiers crept in the castle dressed as servants. Immobilizing the guards that patrolled, the small group went chamber by chamber searching for the King. Once the royal bedchamber was found, Serrill flung himself at the bed, stabbing frantically with his short sword. The Queen was fatally stabbed three times, while her lover was stabbed five times. The King was nowhere in sight. After a few minutes of searching desperately, they found the King in his study with his eldest son, enjoying a game of chess accompanied by a glass of wine. Once again, it was Serrill that attacked with abandon, and was parried by two guards that he had mistaken for statues. A small melee ensued where three attackers were slaughtered, Serrill managed to severely injure the young prince, one guard fought outnumbered, to his death while the other secured the King through secret tunnels. Once the King was safe, the alarm was raised. With reinforcement, it took no time at all to chase the assailants out of the castle.
With rumors that the miscreants took refuge in Northburgh, the king sent a small unit to retrieve them by any means necessary. When they did not return, he sent four. When the four did not return either, the King ordered the Royal Executioner with his troupe to figure out what was happening. Word came back that Serrill was in command of a small army of at least one hundred thousand soldiers, retired or un-ceremonially dismissed. The suggestion from the Royal Executioner was to assemble the army but to wait for his signal before sending them.
Within two moons, the small army could be seen setting up camp outside Estergard. Barricades were being built while catapults and trebuchets were being assembled in the distance, elevating the distress in the inhabitants of the capital. What the King and the inhabitants of Estergard did not know was that Callum, the Royal Executioner, with Rilo, the best forger, infiltrated the enemy's camp. Once inside, they took the blueprints for the catapults and trebuchets and modified the measurements for key connections and junctions.
On the morning of the third day, the attacking army looked formidable camped around the city, with their weapons of war. At the midday hour, orders could be heard to fire at will. What the few people who had access to windows higher than the guarding walls could see was much less formidable. Each catapult that fired it's payload, collapsed within itself, and the payload traveled only a handful of paces, injuring more soldiers. The trebuchets on the other hand, since they are more massive in size, created more destruction as they also fell apart. Within moments panic and bewilderment engulfed the attacking army. Understanding the forewarned signal, the king sent his army to attack.
Serrill and his army retreated back to Northburgh where reinforcements waited. The skirmishes continued over the next season until a ceasefire was emitted. When all was said and done, over sixty thousand soldiers lost their lives. The Queen was buried in the Royal Cemetery with a ceremony that lasted three days. Her eldest son was buried next to her after succumbing to his injuries.
If the King was angry after the failed coup, the Power Quintet was furious. The amount of gold wasted, not to mention the time and energy. If the coup had been successful, it would have been a bargain. Time to prepare the next attack.
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