Post by storyteller on Dec 22, 2008 14:25:12 GMT -5
A full week has passed since the Jovians invaded the lands of Mittelmarch and took the city. Things have gone . . . unexpectedly.
Firstly, I suppose it should be noted that the Jovians did not come with the intentions of destruction as so many others have sought to cause harm to Mittelmarch. Instead, they came as conquerors intent on ruling the land as their own. To this end, the city was left relatively unscathed. Those soldiers that managed to cause damage to the infrastructure received moderate punishments, such as loss of their pay for the month. The only truly grisly sight was the burning of the bodies following the battle. The Jovians heaped the dead into a pile, gave funerary rights, and then burned them all at once; Jovians and Mittelmarchers alike. Now that the weather has calmed, any remaining blood from the fight has been scrubbed away. The city looks as if the battle had never happened now, yet it no longer feels like home.
The streets are quiet, leaving a sense of dread about the entire place. It seems the citizens of Mittelmarch that could not escape are terrified of their conquerors, as I was, but they seem much more amiable now than ever. The city gates stand open, and any may pass so long as they are unarmed. It seems the Jovians do not trust an armed populace, and so they confiscate all weapons they see, making the gates a useful place to collect contraband. They are fervently trying to keep trade moving despite the battle. The defenders managed to evacuate a number of craftsmen, which has hurt the potential for trade from the city, but the Jovians have replaced such craftsmen with members of their own army until new ones move in. They have also subsidized many necessary businesses, like bakeries, paying the owners to bake bread which they hand out to those in need of food after their homes had been destroyed. They claim this is only temporary, though it has made great strides in calming the people here in the city.
Lastly, and most interestingly, is the fate of the combatants. It seems their policy toward common soldiers is that they are merely tools of those that commanded them. All soldiers of Mittelmarch that were captured were treated for injuries until they were capable of walking, at which point they were offered a position in the army in exchange for insurance that their families will be taken care of and they will eventually receive land. Given that they are in dire straits, a good number have agreed to the terms, and many more linger in the city, considering the offer. On the other side are the officers, who I have not seen since their capture. Some were in the infirmary for awhile, but when they were well enough to move on their own they were taken in chains to another part of the Keep. Some have returned as members of the Jovian army, like Baethor, but as for the others, I am yet unaware of their fate.
Mittelmarch, I have seen many types of enemy in my time, but not one that truly offers peace. Perhaps the cost will come, but right now I feel in no danger. They have left our history and library alone and have granted me permission to continue cataloguing. I serve Mittelmarch my friends, perhaps you should ask yourself who you are serving, by not staying.
A Servant to Mittelmarch,
Helvaryn
Firstly, I suppose it should be noted that the Jovians did not come with the intentions of destruction as so many others have sought to cause harm to Mittelmarch. Instead, they came as conquerors intent on ruling the land as their own. To this end, the city was left relatively unscathed. Those soldiers that managed to cause damage to the infrastructure received moderate punishments, such as loss of their pay for the month. The only truly grisly sight was the burning of the bodies following the battle. The Jovians heaped the dead into a pile, gave funerary rights, and then burned them all at once; Jovians and Mittelmarchers alike. Now that the weather has calmed, any remaining blood from the fight has been scrubbed away. The city looks as if the battle had never happened now, yet it no longer feels like home.
The streets are quiet, leaving a sense of dread about the entire place. It seems the citizens of Mittelmarch that could not escape are terrified of their conquerors, as I was, but they seem much more amiable now than ever. The city gates stand open, and any may pass so long as they are unarmed. It seems the Jovians do not trust an armed populace, and so they confiscate all weapons they see, making the gates a useful place to collect contraband. They are fervently trying to keep trade moving despite the battle. The defenders managed to evacuate a number of craftsmen, which has hurt the potential for trade from the city, but the Jovians have replaced such craftsmen with members of their own army until new ones move in. They have also subsidized many necessary businesses, like bakeries, paying the owners to bake bread which they hand out to those in need of food after their homes had been destroyed. They claim this is only temporary, though it has made great strides in calming the people here in the city.
Lastly, and most interestingly, is the fate of the combatants. It seems their policy toward common soldiers is that they are merely tools of those that commanded them. All soldiers of Mittelmarch that were captured were treated for injuries until they were capable of walking, at which point they were offered a position in the army in exchange for insurance that their families will be taken care of and they will eventually receive land. Given that they are in dire straits, a good number have agreed to the terms, and many more linger in the city, considering the offer. On the other side are the officers, who I have not seen since their capture. Some were in the infirmary for awhile, but when they were well enough to move on their own they were taken in chains to another part of the Keep. Some have returned as members of the Jovian army, like Baethor, but as for the others, I am yet unaware of their fate.
Mittelmarch, I have seen many types of enemy in my time, but not one that truly offers peace. Perhaps the cost will come, but right now I feel in no danger. They have left our history and library alone and have granted me permission to continue cataloguing. I serve Mittelmarch my friends, perhaps you should ask yourself who you are serving, by not staying.
A Servant to Mittelmarch,
Helvaryn