It's a cold, rainy day, fit for the general mood in Etruria Castle. You've been summoned to the War Room, where in the days of old the top commanders of Etruria's army would sit to discuss. A large stone division whitout windows in the first floor of the castle, suported by intricate columns, with a massive oak table at its middle, on the top of which rests an equally massive map of Elibe covered in tiny colored flags and detailed miniatures of troops and fortifications. Blue ones, represeting your forces, are very few and concentrated in a very small area of the map, surrounded by a sea of red ones representing nearby enemies, and a few green ones scattered across representing neutral parties. Scrolls filled with reports and supply lists lie half-scattered over the map as well. Around the strategy table are dozens of chairs plus a small metal throne at the position of honor. They're all empty now.
The one that summoned you stands on his feet, clad in his full set of heavy steel plate except for the helmet, revealing the bald head of an old, tired man. Guard Captain Vallace, called from the retirement on his farm to command the Etruria's castle garrison force when the young king Mildain left on his quest taking the royal guard and the remaining elite forces on the castle with him.
You all have heard of Vallace's great deeds during his prime time on the army, holding off small armies by himself, protecting the weak and injured in the fray of battle, an highly skilled warrior with an equal high sense of honor. However it's clear to any that look at him now that even if he still has some fight on him, his best years have passed long away. Calling him off from retirement was a clear desesperate measure of a desesperate kingdom.
Still when he crosses eyes with you, you can see nothing but determined will as he starts speaking:
I'm not going to try to pretty up this-The situation we find ourselves into is the most dire I ever remember. Reports keep coming in of Etruria's villages and farms being raided by bandits, what's left of our army is being pushed back relentlessly by Bern's military, our supplies are dwindling and even this castle only has a token garrison left. If Bern were to launch a fast attack here and catch us off-guard, that would be the end.
Our young King Mildain left me in charge of Etruria Castle before he left. I grudgingly accepted because the castle and the nearby lands need to be protected while his highness is away. But I'm now afraid that if we just sit here waiting for the enemy to come to us or King Mildain to come back, we're doomed as it is.
We need to protect the distant farms and villages. We need to secure our supply lines, draft and train new recruits.
We need to take the fight back to the enemy!
But I never was much good at logistics or large-scale strategy. Fighting on the front, organizing the defense of a castle, I'm good at that if I may say so. We need much more than that to overcome the current situation.
I can't be everywhere at once, and I wouldn't know where to start...
But you... You have talent. Potential. Experience. You can turn this situation around if you're given the opportunity to lead.
So, even if it's disobeying the orders I received, I'm puting you in charge of Etruria's forces until King Mildain's return!
Vallace takes his right gauntlet to his chest and makes a large bow towards you
Now, what are your orders, my lieges?