Reclaiming Berwick

[Barry Goldwater]

Richard, Duke of Gloucester is finally making preparations to retake the town of Berwick, previously given away to the Scots by the Lancastrians. His first stop on the road to the borders will be York, where he hopes to be joined by like-minded lords from the North or wherever else he can gather them - those who aren't too busy dealing with the Hansa, at least.

List of forces & characters attached to Gloucester's own:

Characters

Richard, Duke of Gloucester: +4 Battles +2 Personal Combat +2 Survival +5% income -2 Charisma

Forces

Gloucester: 50 men-at-arms 50 mounted archers 150 yeoman archers 150 yeoman footmen Total strength: 400 men --- Durham: 49 Militia Footmen 1 Cannon --- Northumberland Force - 300 men 100 Yeomen Archers 200 Yeomen Footmen Montagu Force - 600 men - 100 Men-at-Arms - 200 Yeomen Archers - 300 Yeomen Footmen

[The Mad Skylord]

I can probably roll this, seeing as Gandy will be holidaying.

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Bishop of Durham arrives at the mustering with 49 Militia Footmen and a newly forged Cannon named "St. George's Fist."

[Lucius Malfoy]

A messenger arrives from the Duke of Clarence.

My good brother, Richard,

The Queen's regency is in turmoil now. I suspect you have heard, but your nephew, my son, John, Earl of Warwick, has been detained in the Tower now. The Queen has now arrested three great nobles of good families and blood. We cannot let this continue! I know you planned to head for Scotland, but good brother, I need your help. Please, turn this army south and help me free our nephew, the King, from his tyrannical mother. Or else you will return from Scotland with Lancastrian nobles and Woodville family members having replaced the whole of England. A conclusion that will surely make our good brother, the late King, roll in his grave and cry from the heavens.

We must do this together, we must free our nephew from the grips of his mother, or our beloved England, built by our ancestors, will surely be thrown into total chaos.

Signed by an urgent hand,
George

[Lucius Malfoy]

Later that day, the forces of Northumberland and Montagu arrive to join with Lord Gloucester's forces.

Northumberland Force - 300 men
100 Yeomen Archers
200 Yeomen Footmen

Montagu Force - 600 men
- 100 Men-at-Arms
- 200 Yeomen Archers
- 300 Yeomen Footmen

[Barry Goldwater]

In light of certain recent developments, the Duke of Gloucester has deemed it necessary to summon those great lords of the North who had come to add their strength to his own - Percy, Neville of Montagu, and Durham - to his pavilion. Of his affinity, Sirs William Catesby and Richard Ratcliffe are conspicuous in their absence at this meeting, having already been dispatched on errands of great importance in different parts of the country.

[Pontifex Maximus]

The Bishop of Durham arrived as summoned

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lord Montagu arrives shortly after the Bishop of Durham, news of title and land being removed from him certainly seething within him.

Lord Percy stood as well, and still remained with the Northern forces, despite his attainder.

[Gandalfus]

An emissary arrived from the capital, bearing a message from the King.

Uncle of Gloucester,

We hope this message finds you well, with your campaign against the Scots underway. However, we bear thee grave news. Lord Northumberland has sent Our sister Eleanor FitzRoy across the sea to marry Lancaster, a betrayal that has seen him forfeit his lands and titles. We charge thee with bringing Lord Northumberland to Our justice, thus the campaign against Scotland must be postponed until Lord Percy is brought to London in chains to meet the fate of all traitors to the crown.

Sealed, and signed with the King's own hand.

[Barry Goldwater]

"Well, this has been a most curious development, my lords." Richard greeted the various lords once they were all present within his tent. In one hand he held the letter from his nephew the King, demanding that he bring Percy back to London to face justice. His tone and expression both seemed outwardly neutral and stoic as usual, but there was a slight edge to the former that was a signature of the Duke of Gloucester's fury; it was the edge of a calm man trying to restrain himself from simply exploding with rage. "It would appear my nephew is quite irate with the Earl of Northumberland. Something about...sending his niece, who is also mine own, across the sea to join the court of Lancaster? Certainly, it's an issue which he believes would necessitate the suspension of our campaign against the Scots to resolve." He turned his dark gaze to Percy. "Please, by all means do try to explain this, my lord."

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sherwood quaffed down a small glass of wine, feeling immediately better for having done it. Strange things were happening in London, and this news weighed heavy upon him. Percy was his friend, but this seemed like evidence of possible sedition, if not treason, provided it was true. All the same, it would be a shame to suspend the campaign against the Scots.

[Trot]

After some time a small company of riders could be seen in the distance a party of about six men each with two horses. Their clothes were travel worn and it was clear they had been riding hard for some time. Upon reaching the edge of the camp the leader a young man announces himself as Edward Hastings and asks to meet with the duke.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Percy keeps a straight face before sighing.

"My only crime is being a Percy and being related to the late Queen and her children. With the late King gone, the Queen has seen it fit to use this opportunity to remove me."

He turns to Lord Gloucester.

"We have always been under suspicion compared to the rest of the families! Yet we defended the North when the Lancastrians invaded through Scotland. And, as you know, my father betrayed my sister... my niece never came to Alnwick. She never even knew my face, Your Grace. Most likely due to the actions of my father."

He continues to look at the Duke.

"As I have said, my only crime is being a Percy. Just as it was a crime for Bourchier to be Bourchier and you being an uncle of the king. We are all at risk, today it is me, but tomorrow could be anyone else."

He had to lie to get through this. For the sake of his family and his niece.

[Pontifex Maximus]

"The Queen has removed the Archbishop from his office as Lord Chancellor." Sherwood added "He is related to the Duke of Aumale, of course. It would seem anyone who can be remotely implicated as against the Queen's interests are at risk. In truth it makes me wonder...what friends does she have left?" She seemed an easy target, making new enemies with every turn, and in this the Bishop of Durham saw an opportunity for himself to play a larger role in the realm's politics. He took another swig of wine. "And let us not forget...the Queen has been excommunicated, albeit by the Archbishop. We do not know if Rome will concern itself, but this could be of little concern. The Archbishop's proclamation can be as real and binding as the Lords of the Realm choose it to be. Of course, I am saying that we may choose to see it as legitimate and act accordingly. There is justification for doing so." He turned to Percy. "You have been a stalwart friend to me for years now, and I know you to be a good, upright, and Christian man. I do not recognize the authority of the Queen to attaint you. I name her a most wicked counselor to our good King, mayhaps even a witch."

[Pontifex Maximus]

A messenger arrives from Stansted Manor, in Essex, bearing the Bourchier seal.

To the Duke of Gloucester,

I am informed of my brother's baseless imprisonment by the Queen by my brother. I am ready to bring the weight of Essex to bear against the Queen and her other counselors who have led England into tyranny. I can bring some 300 men to the cause of doing to the Queen what she did to you and Clarence in recent times. We must force her utter abdication and drive her from her seat of power.

Signed,
Sir Thomas Bourchier

[Barry Goldwater]

"...it is true that the Queen's behavior as of late is cause for tremendous concern. And I am all too aware that the Queen has a penchant for vendettas, if her and her family's treatment of the Marquess of Montagu is any sign to go by." Gloucester began, ponderously. His gaze did not lift from Percy, nor did it turn any less accusatory, but he was beginning to consider the broader strategic picture. He could arrest Percy (who he knew to be the head of a former Lancastrian family, to be the uncle of the Fitzroy who had escaped, and to have plenty of reason to want to see his brother's progeny by Woodville displaced as a result of his sister's humiliation) on the spot, march down to London and hand him over for execution, but what would that get him? Alternatively, he could march this army to join his brother and retake the reins from a nakedly power-crazed regent with no respect for the peerage. He'd also sent Catesby to get more funds from the Archbishop of Canterbury, whose brother was now moldering away in the Tower if he hadn't already died...

"My brother is of much the same mind as you, Reverend Excellency of Durham." He stated finally, having made up his mind. "He sent me a letter, imploring me to join the growing resistance against the Queen-Mother's excesses. And I've dispatched my faithful servant Catesby to procure financial aid from the Archbishop of Canterbury, both for use against the Scots and the Woodvilles should the need arise. In time, we should be able to raise additional troops at Dover and join my brother. But I need an excuse to turn south without incurring Woodville's suspicion too soon, my lords. And now I think I may have found that excuse." Having briefly glanced around the tent at the other lords, he now refocused his eyes on Percy alone. "We shall, at the least, pretend to arrest Lord Percy here, and send a missive to London informing them that we are coming south to deliver him for judgment. Of course, we'll actually be marching to Worcester Castle instead, to join my brother. Naturally, I will need you to either disband your men or place them under my command if this is to work - Percy men marching under Percy banners alongside our own, after we have ostensibly placed their master under arrest, would give away the game rather quickly, I should think."

"Your thoughts, my lords?"

---

Edward Hastings is shown into the Duke's tent after the above meeting had concluded, for good or for ill.

[Trot]

Edward Hastings is shown into the Duke's tent after the above meeting had concluded, for good or for ill.

Edward had ridden hard and had little time to clean before being presented to the Duke. He bows to the Lord Gloucester.
"My Lord Gloucester. My father sent me to tell you he makes ready to join your brother." The youth starts. "He was hoping to get you to abandon your plans to march to Scotland and join them."

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lord Percy felt a great relief within him. If he could march alongside Gloucester, the attainder and warrant against him would be lifted. And then, Henry could work towards helping his niece and the exiled King Edward of Westminister. For a dead or landless Lord Northumberland would be hardly of any use to the Lancastrian cause. Unlike his father, who stuck his head in the sand, Percy would not follow suit. If he was to see the prominence of the Percys return, Henry needed to play his cards well. And the first hand had been dealt well.

I shall agree to this, my Lord Gloucester, as a sign of my cooperation. My soldiers will dress themselves, as men of Gloucester, in order for the deception to work well. Please, ensure the wrongs done to my family by the scourge that resides in London are reversed. For the sake of my father's deeds to your late brother, His Majesty, King Edward IV. And for the sake of the North's peace.

Lord Montagu tried his best to hide his disgust at the decision of Lord Gloucester. The one chance to rid the Percys, once and for all, was overlooked. Yet he had his own troubles to worry about; the Queen had recently removed Westmorland from under him, continuing to deprive the Yorkist Nevilles, relatives of the present King and the brothers of the late Edward, of lands and titles for the sake of either her peasant sons or her Lancastrian allies.

My Lord Gloucester, we will continue to suffer under the reign of the Queen Regent. Let a message be sent so that we shall march. I want my lands returned, I want my family to be removed from this fabricated suspicion and this witch-hunt, perpetrated and provoked by the Whore of London. I will see the King freed from her grip and see my family thrive under the rule of those who were born to do so.

This was his best chance to have the lands of Westmorland, Salisbury and perhaps even Glamorgan be returned to him. He would ensure that was happened.

[Pontifex Maximus]

"I believe it is inspired, your grace." Durham replied "I am with you. Additionally, Percy's men might march under my banner. They've all fought together before, and it would be a pleasure to be of service to my friend."

[Barry Goldwater]

"Excellent. We shall move once my reinforcements have been fully drilled and reach us. We can say they were needed to ensure Percy's arrest went smoothly." Gloucester said, leaning back and steepling his hands. He took his eyes off Percy, as if to show that his distrust of the Earl of Northumberland had lessened somewhat, though in truth he still suspected the man of having sent his niece to join Lancaster's court - Alnwick seemed to be the most logical place to send her, and the Percies were known to have basically gained nothing from assisting in York's ascendancy. Well, that, and he didn't want to believe that his friend Buckingham was capable of betraying him and the entire House of York so viciously by punting Fitzroy over the Channel. I will have to have a word with my brother about Northumberland's ultimate fate, he thought, But first and foremost we need to get the Woodvilles and Greys out of our way.

---

"Mine own brother asked me to do as much not long ago." Gloucester coolly answered Hastings' entreaty. "I agree with you both. The campaign against the Scots has been suspended by royal request, anyway. We await only my reinforcements from the south, and then we shall turn this host around."