Truly Machiavelian Renaissance Games

Secret Victory:
William De La Onslogger

By Otto Schmidt

When Legolam, son of Ltihium, self-styled “King of the Elves” once again revolted in the north, and Beltelephon approached you with an offer to take contract with him, and you had high hopes. The pay would obviously be good. The Prince of Belgravia, his brother hinted at the position of Captain General of Atholl, a title equal with the Great Sigurd’s himself! You did not know that he wished you purely as a counterweight to the Swinns, who’s regiments he also hired (and feared).

This has been terrible. It has been a desperate struggle on your part, as it has for the Swinnish commanders to keep your men from tearing each others throats out. Bad blood has gone on for a long time. But you can see the handwriting on the wall. The future of the black legion is bleak. It must either disband, find a way to work out a rapproachement with the Swinns, or suffer extermination on the field. If not today then some day in the near future. But how to do it? You cannot be sure of your men. Will they agree, or will they tear you to pieces? And what to do? On the other hand, if you can prove yourself instrumental in winning the battle, and perhaps getting rid of that eternal annoyance, Prince Lanolin, you might become the Captain General of Atholl and the Swins can go to Hell! Either way will serve.

1. You get FOUR Victory Points for each wagon load of gold (100,000 florins each) that you have in your control at the end of the game. (This means that you can pay off the men and disband and everyone can go home rich!)

2. You get SIX Victory points if you can work out a “rapproachement” with the Swinns. But if you do the SWINNS are automatically not part of the Atholli army any more. HOWEVER if you do reach an agreement then you must roll a dice and if the roll is a 5 or 6 your men assassinate you, and go over to the SALACIAN side and become one his units. You are out of the game, and have NO points.

3. You get FOUR Victory points for each ZWISS unit you destroy or break.

4. You get two Victory points if Prince Lanolin is killed and two victory points if the King of Belgravia is killed (clearing out of your way of Political opposition in the Atholli Court.). You have heard rumors of a possible rapproachement between the Zwiss and the Swinns. This would be disastrous! It would lessen the impact of your returning to the Swinns and might not even be desired at all by the Counts of Flotsam and Jetzam.

5. If you loot and sack the town of Mortadella for three turns you get two Victory points.

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