Reports as submitted by the Deputy Warden, Sir Robt. Carey
(aka Jim S)

Last Update: 2-4-06

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 Turn 6: 

This week sees more strife along the borders. Our opening gambit sees the beknighted Laird Robson once again put upon by the relentless Clan Nixon.

This time in a direct assault upon the Robson homestead, the Nixons took aim at rendering the Robsons helpless. With undaunted fury, the beseiging Nixons launched attack after attack upon the wounded clan which had taken refuge within the walls of their sturdy bastle.

After decimating the assembled peasantry, the clansmen continued by attacking the entrenched Robsons. Man after man of the Robsons was laid low under the pounding brought forth by the Nixon bowmen. Only the well entrenched Laird and several of his loyal arquebusiers remained within the walls of the keep. And so they would remain.

While succeeding in their aims of lightening the sheep stock of Laird Robson, the assaulters had little success in doing heavy carnage to the men of the clan. Luck laid on the side of the beseiged and many of the wounds caused did little serious lasting damage. The men of Robson would live to fight on - and may soon be calling upon the Nixons for some payback!

And while he was deeply ensconsced in his plan for the demise of the Robsons, the Laird Nixon paid little mind to the fleeing yeoman seen running for from the sally port of the bastle. This may yet bode ill for the plans of Nixon since a successful escape may bring the wrath of the Warden falling upon the men of Clan N!

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The dawn rose misty as the stalwart Lairds Armstrong and Graham set forth to ravage the homestead of the wily Laird Elliot. Approaching Bastle Elliot via a nearby wooded copse, the raiders moved stealthily on their way -- somehow totally missing the Elliot clasnsmen who had laid a wooded trap for them!

Having come in sight of the farm and its' outbuildings, Laird Armstrong dispatched several men to search the premises while the Graham sent his men around the other side of the wood where he came under fire as soon as he stuck his head out of cover. The tricky Elliot - having been warned by his spies of an attack was well placed in ambush to cover all avenues of approach and filled the air with flights of arrows.

Almost immediately two of the Graham clan went down with wounds before an opposing fire line could be drawn up. Once done though, a heavy cross-fire began and slowly, both sides began to take hits.

Meanwhile on the far flank, the Armstrong raiders, hearing the ruckus and having pilfered some silver and pewter, decided that discretion be the better part of valor! With a blast upon the hunting horn, Armstrong recalled his clansmen to his side and sent word to the Graham that perhaps the time had come to return home with the spoils in hand. Needless to say, Graham was more than willing to comply and pulled his men back into the copse to begin a withdrawal.

Now was the Elliot trap fully sprung! As the two raiding Lairds and their henchmen approached the far side of the wood, the hidden Elliots poured a healthy dose of bow-fire into them. As the Armstrong/Graham cabal drew up in surprise, the Elliot launched a full-frontal assault with a heart-stopping cry! And thus began one of the bloodiest battles yet fought in this part of the borders.

To and fro the battle raged as first an Elliot fell and then a Graham. Even Armstrong felt the sting of Elliot steel and nary a man was seen without blood on his tunic! For a long while the outcome was in doubt, but when the end was in sight it was the Elliots that took the short straw. While Graham was to suffer several cuts - some severe and even the Armstrongs had wounds to bind, it was Elliot and his men who suffered the greatest with several men laid severly low and even two near death. Only time will heal these wounds and perhaps even a blood-feud may be in the offing in future 'tween Elliot and Graham! Stay tuned for future events.

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One last bit of business to tend to is the stoppage of Clan Nixon by the Warden as he stole home after his foray at Robson's Roost.

As Laird N and fellows were a-trail with their new "found" bounty, they happened upon a lone horseman who stopped them for a parlay. Sgt Henry Dodd had been sent out by the Warden upon hearing of the raid upon clan Robson with the charge of retrieving the disputed herd. While Laird Nixon was at first averse to surrendering said sheep, upon eyeing a dozen of the Warden's finest arrayed in a ring of iron around his men, Laird N saw the light of reason and proffered the herd in payment to the Warden for further considerations!

Thanking the good Laird Nixon for his reasonable course, Sgt. Dodd took the sheep back to pen at Dumfries where they were put under the Warden's "protection". (Needless to say, Sgt. Dodd and his men will eat well tonight!)

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 Turn 7:    

Twas a fairly quiet week upon the moors with nary a clan astir but for the Elliots and Forsters who paid a visit to the Graham estates.

Laird Graham, being ever vigilant, was well apprised of the approach of his light-fingered neighbors. Laying a small ambush for them, he placed his clan's huntsmen in a small copse of trees on the homestead's right flank and had his Heidman and several stout bows within the manse proper where they could give direction and moral support to a large group of peasants.

Having arrived at their destination via differing routes, the Elliots and Forsters split their attack along the two approaches to Graham Tower. This allowed Elliot to advance unmolested to within shouting distance of the estate while the larger Forster party would come under the bowfire of the hidden ambush.

 
 

Luckily for our marauding clansmen, the usually trusty bow-arms of the Grahams couldn't place an arrow within spitting distance of either assault -- and when an arrow did happen to strike, it bounced harmlessly off the attacker's armor! This did not bode well for our entrenched heroes.

Riding as swiftly as they could, both arms of the attack made for their appointed destinations with all abandon. On the right, the Elliots chose a likely shieliing to plunder while on the opposite flank the Forsters had designs on a juicy herd of sheep.

Dodging more bowfire than they could have wished for, the Forsters broke into the Graham household scaring the assembled peasantry into fits of melancholia. This forced Laird G to place his bowmen in a likely spot to stop the Elliot assault before dashing off to regroup his skittery clansmen. This unfortunately left the bowmen on the Elliot flank in a blocked position from which they were unable to stop the ensuing raid on the family silver.

 

On the Graham's right, Laird Forster succeeded in entering the barmekin and gaining control over the flock at hand. With Laird Graham spending all his time trying to gain control of his peasants, the Forsters managed to set up a firing position which allowed them to decimate the poor farmers before they were able to come to grips with the situation.

Meanwhile back on the opposite side of the homestead, the Elliots were busy grabbing as much pewter and silver as they could stuff in their saddles - all the while keeping out of sight of the nearby Graham bows! Once the bags were amply filled, the Elliots made all haste to exit the property.

With the herd of Graham sheep tagging happily along, Laird Forster whipped his ponies around the rear of the bastle and surprised the unsuspecting bowmen who had been languishing on the far left of the stockade. Though they did their best to bring the Forsters under bowfire, their shots were as errant as those of the opening rounds.

   

Laird Graham, having finally given up on trying to pursuade his peasants to join the fray, gathered his bowmen to hand and made as much mischief for the attackers as he could. In the end, the Elliots escaped unscathed while the Forsters were to lose but one rider to a serious arm wound. On the Graham side, none but the peasants were to fall in the attack -- and there are always more peasants to be found!

 
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  Turn 8:   

 

 
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  Turn 9:       
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 Turn 10:   

 

 
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