Recaps

Victor selected four detachments from Golden Sunflower Territory for the campaign against Blackwater City, while leaving Santos behind to oversee the territory. Victor departed with two detachments, and Santos reassured his attendant that the lord would remember the contributions of those who stayed behind.

• Victor told Santos that he would remain in Golden Sunflower Territory and asked him to recommend four detachments for the campaign.
• Santos recommended the 7th, 4th, 9th, and 10th Garrison Detachments and explained the commanders’ experience, including Panfilov’s service.
• Victor accepted the recommendations and planned to rendezvous with the detachments before marching north with allied troops toward Blackwater City.
• Victor boarded ships at Linshui Town with the Guard Cavalry and the 9th and 10th Detachments, while Santos saw them off.
• Santos’s attendant worried that staying behind might cost Santos a title and rewards, but Santos said the lord would remember their contributions.

Victor received Count Colt’s order to delay the Southern Marching Legion’s march north and prepare to cut off the Duchy Army’s supply lines in Raine County. At Viscount Haines’s funeral, Count Colt defended the decision to let Victor rebuild his strength before joining the main battle.

• Victor appointed Panfilov permanent commander of the Fourth Detachment and promised support for his family.
• Little Paru delivered an urgent order from Count Colt directing Victor to rest before advancing into the Central Region and targeting the Duchy Army’s supply lines.
• Victor stationed his troops on Raine County’s border and sent light cavalry and scouts to gather intelligence on Blackwater City.
• The Northern Alliance Army held a funeral for Viscount Haines and the soldiers killed in the same battle.
• Viscount Ziegfried and other nobles questioned Count Colt’s decision to send Victor toward Blackwater City instead of north immediately.
• Count Colt explained that Victor’s army needed time to recover and said it would join the fighting when the time was right.

Alex questioned Count Colt's deference to the Northern Frontier nobles, and Count Colt explained that their support legitimized the rebellion. He revealed that political rivals and he himself had reasons to limit Victor's military gains as the Alliance approached victory.

• Alex complained that Count Colt had been too polite to the Northern Frontier nobles, and Count Colt explained that their support gave the rebellion legitimacy.
• Count Colt suggested that powerful territories had sent the nobles to test him and weaken the Iron Birch Family's standing after its losses.
• Alex questioned why anyone was already planning to divide the Grand Duchy's lands before the Civil War was won.
• Count Colt said Victor's capture of the Southern Region made Alliance victory inevitable and that other commanders had delayed Victor to limit his military merit.
• Count Colt admitted he had supported the delay because Victor's rising power might let the Golden Sunflower Family become a threat to the Iron Birch Family.

Alex reflected on Victor’s importance to the Northern Alliance Army and resolved to try to change Count Colt’s mind about suppressing him. Meanwhile, Victor reviewed intelligence on Blackwater City and decided to begin the siege before the city could send more supplies to the front.

• Alex considered how Victor’s trade, money, weapons, and support had strengthened the Iron Birch Family and the Northern Alliance Army, and decided to persuade Count Colt not to oppose him.
• Two of Victor’s light cavalry scouts observed Blackwater City’s heightened defenses and returned with intelligence, though only half their squad survived.
• Orlando dismissed the scouts’ reports as redundant after confirming they matched information from the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce.
• Orlando gave Victor the verified intelligence, including details about Blackwater City’s garrison, defenses, food stores, and delayed supply convoy to the front.
• Victor told Orlando not to investigate the convoy delay and decided to begin the siege immediately, preventing Blackwater City from sending further supplies.

Viscount Krick arranged to burn a grain convoy as rebel forces approached, intending to cover up a military provisions deficit and secure Viscount Pelei’s favor. He considered using the evidence of Pelei’s collusion as protection if he later joined the rebels.

• Gaita informed Viscount Krick that the rebels had arrived, and Krick ordered the grain convoy to depart.
• Gaita assured Krick that the fleet’s grain officer had been bribed and would burn the ships when the rebels attacked.
• Krick explained that destroying the provisions and surrendering the convoy’s soldiers and laborers would settle the grain accounts.
• Krick sent Gaita with a letter for Viscount Pelei in Silver Maple City.
• After Gaita left, Krick reflected that Pelei owed him a favor and could be exposed if he ever needed to defend himself.

Viscount Krick watched from Blackwater City's wall as enemy cavalry pursued the grain fleet, then used the fleet's destruction to rally the defenders. He left with Gaita, planning to visit Book's family and take advantage of Book's widow.

• Viscount Krick refused to leave the wall while the grain fleet sailed north, and Gaita assured him that Book could protect it.
• The Northlands Cavalry rode north after the fleet, but Krick forbade the city's cavalry from pursuing, warning that the enemy might be setting a trap.
• Gaita pointed out another force of two or three hundred riders carrying the Golden Sunflower banner, and Krick's caution appeared vindicated.
• Smoke rose in the north, and Krick announced that Book had sacrificed himself to keep the grain from the enemy, promising to honor him and give his family twenty gold coins.
• The defenders cheered Krick's speech, while he privately praised Gaita's advice and revealed that he wanted to visit Book's beautiful widow.

Victor arrived at the burning grain fleet and ordered Belger to concentrate the men on saving a few ships. After most of the fleet burned or sank, Belger brought Victor wheat stalks and husks, revealing that the ships’ cargo was not what they had expected.

• Victor met Knight Belger, who reported that the cavalry had suffered few casualties and that the enemy commander had set the ships on fire before killing himself.
• Victor ordered Belger to gather everyone and focus on saving one or two ships rather than trying to extinguish the whole fleet.
• Victor corrected Little Paru for assuming Belger lacked initiative, explaining that Belger had waited for his lord’s orders.
• The fires consumed most of the ships, and Victor remarked that the grain ships were burning unusually fast.
• Belger told Victor that the rescued ship’s cargo seemed wrong and showed him wheat stalks and husks.

Victor discovered that the fleet’s cargo sacks held wheat husks and stones instead of grain, then sent a letter and package to Viscount Krick as he prepared to besiege Blackwater City. The next morning, Krick met with Gaita and learned that Victor’s troops had made no move overnight.

• Victor inspected the burned fleet and found sacks filled with wheat husks and stones rather than grain.
• Victor questioned the guards, concluded that Viscount Krick had likely arranged the false grain shipments, and decided to use the discovery against him.
• Victor sent a letter and package addressed to Viscount Krick into Blackwater City through the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce liaison.
• Victor established camps around Blackwater City and considered how to take it without siege equipment, deciding to wait for the letter’s effect.
• Viscount Krick woke in the city lord’s manor beside Mrs. Buke, dressed with Gaita’s help, and asked whether Victor’s troops had made any moves overnight.

Captain Rust proposed using repeated cavalry sorties to harass the enemy camps outside Blackwater City, then relying on the rested defenders if the enemy attacked. Gaita questioned whether the city had enough cavalry, and Rust argued that merchant guild guards could make up the numbers.

• Captain Rust urged Viscount Krick to send cavalry through the undefended gates to wear down the enemy camps.
• Gaita warned that the city defenders had fewer cavalrymen than the enemy and might not be able to handle them.
• Rust said the cavalry only needed to draw the enemy’s attention before retreating under support from the city defenders.
• Rust claimed Blackwater City’s merchant guilds had at least three or four hundred mounted guards who could join the plan.

Viscount Krick rejected Rust’s request to requisition merchant guards but approved his sortie, then plotted to betray Rust to protect his authority. After Victor Golden Sunflower exposed Krick’s diversion of military grain and threatened to reveal it, Krick agreed to help the enemy and sent Gaita with a letter, while having guards accompany him under suspicious circumstances.

• Viscount Krick refused Rust’s request to requisition merchant guards, approved the sortie against Victor’s besieging forces, and offered his own guards instead.
• Krick told Gaita he wanted Rust killed or discredited and considered informing the merchant guilds about Rust’s plans.
• Krick opened Victor Golden Sunflower’s letter and package, learning that Victor had evidence of his diverted military grain and the burned grain ships.
• Gaita urged Krick to accept Victor’s terms, and Krick decided to help the assault by betraying Rust.
• Krick sent Gaita to deliver a letter to Victor and ordered more than a dozen Governor’s Guard soldiers to accompany him, leaving Gaita afraid they were monitoring or silencing him.

Gaita went to meet the Northern Frontier Rebels’ contact in Blackwater City and discovered that it was President Geshilton, a man he had not expected. Geshilton revealed his former position in the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce, leaving Gaita questioning the rumors and Viscount Yorick’s role.

• Gaita arrived at a bar with Governor’s Guard soldiers and was challenged by a garrison officer.
• The garrison officers and soldiers drew their weapons and surrounded Gaita’s group until a man ordered them to stand down.
• Gaita recognized the man as the contact the Governor had sent him to meet and followed him into a private room.
• Gaita confronted President Geshilton about being the Northern Frontier Rebels’ inside man in Blackwater City.
• Geshilton said he had formerly led the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce’s branch in Wright County and called his relationship with Viscount Yorick a long story.

Geshilton manipulated Gaita into turning against Viscount Krick by claiming Krick had been offered generous surrender terms, including the possibility of an independent barony. Gaita agreed to help Geshilton and Viscount Victor take Blackwater City, hoping to earn a position under Victor.

• Gaita delivered the governor's letter to Geshilton, who promised it would reach Viscount Victor that night.
• Geshilton pointed out that Governor's Guard soldiers were following Gaita, prompting Gaita to suspect Viscount Krick planned to silence him.
• Geshilton described Victor's surrender offer and falsely claimed Krick might receive an independent noble title, stirring Gaita's resentment and jealousy.
• Geshilton offered to help Gaita escape, but Gaita instead asked for a chance to work under Viscount Victor if he helped capture Blackwater City.
• Geshilton and Gaita agreed to cooperate with Viscount Victor in taking the city and dealing with Viscount Krick.

Gaita learned that Geshilton’s Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce had built a powerful network in Blackwater City and was prepared to help Viscount Victor take control. Impressed by Victor’s desire to preserve the Governor’s Mansion’s records, Gaita agreed to Geshilton’s protection and left the tavern with the Governor’s Guard.

• Geshilton told Gaita that his agents controlled hundreds of Garrison Regiment soldiers and that more officers, including a battalion commander, had begun contacting him.
• Geshilton revealed that the Chamber of Commerce had hidden hundreds of armed guards among the forces of cooperating businesses.
• Geshilton explained that Viscount Victor was waiting so he could secure the documents and land registers in the Governor’s Mansion intact.
• Gaita shared his knowledge of Blackwater City and offered suggestions that impressed Geshilton.
• Geshilton offered to assign men to protect Gaita, and Gaita accepted before leaving the tavern with the Governor’s Guard.

Victor's forces used Gaita and other insiders to defeat Blackwater City's defenders and seize the city with little damage. By sunrise, Viscount Krick was dead and Victor had become the city's new master.

• Krick promised to support Gaita's inheritance if he helped the Northern Alliance Army capture Blackwater City, and Gaita accepted while secretly passing the defenders' plans to Victor.
• Victor learned that Rust's forces would attack his camp and planned to use Gale to track their movements, hoping to take the city without bloodshed.
• Rust led six hundred cavalry out of Blackwater City at night and attacked Victor's apparently empty camp, where Victor's forces surrounded and trapped them.
• Fire arrows ignited the camp, Rust's troops fled and were captured, and Rust died by suicide in the flames.
• Gaita's men disarmed the Governor's Guard, seized the eastern gate with help from insiders, and let Victor's troops enter as city defenders defected.
• Gaita and Geshilton secured the Governor's Mansion, Krick died in his sleep, and Blackwater City woke to find Victor in control.

After taking Blackwater City, Victor tasked Gaita and Geshilton with restoring trade and stabilizing grain prices before autumn. He proposed a tax rebate to persuade the city's merchant guilds to buy goods from the Eastern Region, leaving Geshilton to coordinate the effort.

• Victor watched crowds and merchant caravans leave Blackwater City as Northern Alliance soldiers kept the gates open.
• Gaita described Blackwater City's strategic importance, and Victor credited Gaita and Geshilton for helping him capture it.
• Victor promised Gaita and Geshilton that their achievements would be recognized, then demanded that commercial tax revenue reach seventy percent of last year's level before autumn while grain prices remained stable.
• Victor said he had asked nobles in the Eastern Region to prepare scarce goods and assigned Geshilton's Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce to coordinate purchases with the city's merchant guilds.
• Victor proposed returning fifty percent of commercial taxes to merchant guilds as rewards based on their total purchase values.

Victor secured Blackwater City’s commercial recovery by promising merchant guilds a rebate of half the commercial tax revenue, then reviewed his forces’ losses and the city’s captured supplies. The city remained under his control, and he planned to transport more grain from the Golden Sunflower Territory while sending the captured craftsmen back there.

• Victor promised Geshilton that at least half of Blackwater City’s commercial tax revenue would subsidize merchant guilds, prompting Geshilton to organize them to restore trade.
• Victor appointed Gaita to draft the Tax Rebate Policy standards, instructing him to balance profits on both sides while maximizing tax revenue.
• Victor learned that his troops had suffered few serious injuries and that most of Blackwater City’s defending soldiers had been captured or surrendered.
• Victor’s secretary reported that the city held only about eight hundred tons of military grain but abundant other supplies, including weapons, materials, and more than a thousand craftsmen.
• Victor decided to send several thousand tons of grain from the Golden Sunflower Territory and recognized that many of the craftsmen had come from Haiden City.

Victor planned to expand the Southern Marching Legion with prisoners from Ironvine Territory and Blackwater City while anticipating the Duchy's eventual defeat. News of Blackwater City's rapid fall spread through the armies in Sextus County, leaving the Northern Alliance jubilant and the Duchy Army's morale shattered.

• Victor decided to prepare two new regiments, using captured Duchy soldiers and supplies purchased through the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce.
• Victor sent news of Blackwater City's capture to Northern Alliance Command and trusted Count Colt to respond appropriately.
• The Duchy Army learned that Viscount Golden Sunflower had taken Blackwater City after fewer than five days of fighting.
• Despite having grain and materiel stockpiled, the Duchy Army lost confidence in victory, while the Northern Alliance Army celebrated.

Viscount Borey convened the Duchy Army’s commanders after the Northern Alliance Army cut off their supply and retreat routes, and they argued over how to restore morale and expose enemy spies. Geis announced that the grand duke would send the Silver Maple Secret Guard to purge the camp, with orders to treat anyone who obstructed them as an accomplice.

• Viscount Borey told the commanders that the Northern Alliance Army had cut off their supply line and retreat route, then asked them to propose a response.
• Count Kimberly argued that supplies would last for now and urged the army to raise morale by rooting out spies spreading rumors.
• Legion Commander Rabia called for severe punishment of suspected rumor-spreaders, while other commanders warned that harsh measures could spark a mutiny or riot.
• Geis challenged Rabia’s proposal and said the grand duke would send the Silver Maple Secret Guard into the camp to find enemy agents.
• Geis ordered the commanders not to interfere and warned that the guards could treat anyone obstructing them as an accomplice of the Northern Frontier Rebels.

Viscount Borey and Labia used Grand Duke Mora’s order to purge the Coalition of Nobles’ legions, replace their officers, and transfer troops into the Duchy Legion. The furious nobles went to confront the grand duke, while Labia asked why Mora had ordered the move.

• Viscount Borey assigned the First Regiment of the Imperial Guard Legion to assist the Silver Maple Secret Guard in purging the army.
• The purge arrested or executed officers and soldiers in the Coalition of Nobles’ two legions, while new officers took command under orders from the grand duke and the War Department.
• Viscount Borey and Labia directed the transfer of units into the Duchy Legion as the independent nobles realized they had lost control of most of their troops.
• The nobles confronted Viscount Borey, accused him of forging Grand Duke Mora’s order, and left to seek an audience with the grand duke.
• Labia asked whether Grand Duke Mora had truly issued the order and why he would offend so many independent nobles; Viscount Borey confirmed it was genuine.

Labia learned that Grand Duke Mora was stripping command from nobles whose loyalty was suspect while Kimberley’s Fifth Legion distracted the Northern Frontier Rebels. Kimberley halted his advance and formed a defensive position, waiting for Imperial Guard Legion reinforcements.

• Viscount Borey told Labia that nobles who had received letters from Colt but failed to surrender them would lose command of their private armies.
• Labia realized Kimberley’s Fifth Legion was guarding against a rebel attack while the other forces seized control of the Coalition of Nobles.
• Kimberley led the Fifth Legion toward a key Northern Alliance Army camp, but nearly ten thousand elite enemy cavalry stopped its advance.
• Kimberley recognized that the purge was meant to place military power under Grand Duke Mora’s control and decided to support it despite the nobles’ likely objections.
• Kimberley ordered the Fifth Legion to halt and form a defensive position, assuring his officers that the Imperial Guard Legion would reinforce and escort them back.

Viscount Hawke and Ricardo failed to break Kimberley's Fifth Legion and settled on surrounding it until Alex arrived with news of a rift within the Duchy Army. Alex planned to join his father’s approaching army and attack the Duchy Army’s main camp.

• Viscount Hawke refused Ricardo’s proposal to charge the Fifth Legion with the light cavalry and waited for infantry reinforcements.
• Ricardo searched for a weakness in the Fifth Legion’s formation, but its defenses repelled him and the cavalry.
• Hawke and Ricardo blocked retreat routes and then attacked with infantry and cavalry, but the Fifth Legion held firm.
• Hawke ordered his forces to surround the Fifth Legion and wait for it to retreat.
• Alex arrived and reported that the Coalition of Nobles and the Duchy’s Direct Legion were at odds, then announced a plan to attack the Duchy Army’s main camp with his father’s approaching army.

Hawk prepared to block the Fifth Legion’s retreat as the Northern Alliance Army’s main force advanced, but Kimberley chose to fortify his position instead of fleeing. Alex revealed that his spies had lost contact with their senior agents and suspected the Silver Maple Secret Guard had destroyed his intelligence network.

• Hawk decided to lead his Infantry Regiment and elite Cavalry Regiment to block the Fifth Legion’s retreat, despite Ricardo’s objections.
• Alex offered to accompany Hawk and asked Ricardo to command the main force.
• The Fifth Legion shifted pikemen to its flanks and strengthened its formation rather than retreating.
• Alex told Hawk that his agents had sent few reports and that he had lost contact with his most important senior spies.
• Alex concluded that the Silver Maple Secret Guard had likely dealt a devastating blow to his intelligence network.

The Duchy Army arrived to reinforce the Fifth Legion as the Northern Alliance Army faced them down. Count Colt chose to avoid a decisive battle, and both armies withdrew after the Fifth Legion escaped.

• Kimberley refused his officers’ pleas to retreat and used executions to stop soldiers from deserting.
• Viscount Borey led a force of fifty or sixty thousand from the duchy’s camp to relieve the Fifth Legion.
• Count Colt and Alex learned that the Duchy Legion had purged traitors and forcibly absorbed the Coalition of Nobles.
• Count Colt ordered Alex and Hawk to open a retreat route for the Fifth Legion rather than start a decisive battle.
• The Fifth Legion withdrew to join the duchy’s army, and both sides pulled back.

As the armies withdrew without fighting, Viscount Borey nearly collapsed from exhaustion, and Rasul discreetly helped him mount his horse. Alex confronted Count Colt over his decision not to attack, but their argument over the failed intelligence network deepened their rift.

• Viscount Borey nearly fell after the danger passed, and Rasul caught him and helped him onto his horse without drawing attention.
• Viscount Borey hid his exhaustion as the Fifth Legion began its withdrawal, concerned that others might exploit news of his condition.
• Alex demanded that Count Colt explain why he had refused to attack the Duchy Army while it was positioned between Alex's and Hawk's forces.
• Count Colt blamed Alex's intelligence network for failing to detect the Duchy Army's movements and ordered him to rebuild it.
• Alex and Count Colt argued fiercely and parted in foul moods.

Alex restored the Northern Alliance Army’s intelligence network, revealing that Grand Duke Mora had seized the independent nobles’ military authority while the Duchy Army’s new command structure remained fragile. Count Colt and the Northern Alliance Command decided to attack the Duchy Main Camp in three days.

• Alex reestablished contact with the Northern Frontier Chamber of Commerce’s surviving intelligence agents inside the Duchy Army.
• The restored network sent the Northern Alliance Army intelligence about unrest and the Duchy Army’s recent takeover of the nobles’ forces.
• Count Colt and the senior officers learned that Grand Duke Mora had imprisoned the nobles who opposed him and that the Duchy Army’s orderly appearance concealed incomplete integration.
• Count Colt called a general meeting, and the Northern Alliance Command ordered the army to prepare for battle.
• The Northern Alliance Army planned to attack the Duchy Main Camp in three days, while its forces were still weakly integrated.