0:The Shattered Kingdom
1:TSK %d
2:Original Knights and Merchants campaign
10:The traitor's henchmen have succeeded in breaching our defenses. The fortress has fallen and shouldst thou not drive out the scoundrels, the kingdom shall be lost and the throne robber shall triumph. To thy weapons!
11:Thy victory hath given us hope. But the time for revelry is not yet upon us. The enemy hath retreated in defeat to a village nigh to thy location, where at they form anew. The prince shall soon once more force battle upon us, as his rogue forces by far outnumber thy stalwart fighters. Control thine anger, and let not thyself be lured into open battle. The terrain is suited for defensive tactics on thy part: the enemy must needs cross the river at the narrow ford. Shouldst thou attack him there, thine inferior numbers shall be equal to his greater force.
12:A memorable day! The rogue forces of the rebel prince are in full retreat. The road to the Barony of Lauenburg is now open to thee. The Baron of Lauenburg, the knave, hath formed an alliance with our enemies, therefore thou must perforce reckon with stout opposition on thy way to the rogue's province.
13:Verily, our enemies have indeed failed to halt the advance of the king's loyal troops. The Baron of Lauenburg has perforce retreated with all his soldiers to await our attack. The commoners of the barony have received us joyfully. Now, indeed, thou hast the glorious chance to increase thine army and perchance capture Lauenburg. Shouldst thou defeat the baron, this shall indeed serve as a warning for all traitors to the crown!
14:The Baron of Lauenburg hath yielded to thee and received pardon from our king, in that he hath shown true regret for his dastardly deeds. Thine aim shall now be the capture of Moorbach. Our spies have discovered a deserted stronghold which thou shalt use and enlarge according to thy needs. Now that Lauenburg is our ally, the soldiers of that barony are perforce threatened by our enemies. Thou shalt protect the Lauenburger troops at all costs. This will needs strengthen the trust between us and our new allies and thou shalt perchance gain new soldiers for thy stalwart army.
15:Moorbach hath fallen to us. Our enemies are soundly defeated and deeply humbled. Now our spies inform us that a new army of rogues and scoundrels forms to the northwest, to avenge their humbling at thy hands in Moorbach. Howsoever, we are in troth strong enough to enter into attack ourselves. Thou shalt attack this army, and surprise them afore they can become organized. In this, thou must needs count on the Lance Carriers of Lauenburg, a stalwart company which hath joined with our own.
16:Verily, news of thy victories spreads like wildfire throughout the kingdom. Everywhere the commoners rise against the tyrants. Walheim lieth to the north, still held by our enemies. The Ruler of Walheim hath refused to receive our envoys, and in troth, hath sworn to defend the town until the last man hath fallen. The commoners of a small village nigh to thy strongpoint have perforce declared against the tyrant. These good commoners shall supply thine army with new weapons and recruits. Verily, with such a large and well-equipped army, thou shalt find no problem in capturing Walheim.
17:The battle of Walheim hath brought with it an absence of power, and there exists a state of confusion. The savage Northern Tribes band together to fall upon the kingdom. Thou must needs stop them, before thou canst again do battle with the rebels. In the ruins of Walheim, thou wilt find building plans for watchtowers of a verily advanced sort. Thou must needs form a bulwark against the barbarians. Thou shalt destroy them, but utterly.
18:The barbarians fight amongst themselves. Perchance by persuasion and guile canst thou win over to thy cause two of their chieftains, and all their warriors, that these shall fight at thy side. Thy location at this time is simple to defend but cannot be enlarged, so that thou must needs plan with care. The enemy readies himself for battle and the attack is nigh. Prepare with all haste, so that thou canst verily welcome the enemy in such a manner that he shall never forget!
19:The wicked despot threatens one of our towns. Only if thou hasten there with all thy speed, canst thou bring thy soldiers there on time. According to our spies, thou must needs reckon with a large enemy force. Deploy thy soldiers well. Thou wilt achieve victory by thine usage of clever tactics. If thou charge in a blind fashion, thou shalt indeed regret it!
20:Indeed, only narrowly was the attack on our town beaten back. But the treacherous attack did in troth leave its cruel mark on the town. The enemy torched it ruthlessly and killed nigh all who dwelt there. Thou wilt answer this massacre with bloody revenge! But firstly, thou must needs build the town anew before thou bringst the cowardly scoundrels to account.
21:The enemy is destroyed and the remnants of that army retreated to the north. The iron ore mines in the north are of great strategic importance for thee, since the iron thou wilt find there shall aid thee in the continuance of the war. Thou shalt build a new army, an army which shall drive all rebels from this region for all time to come. To the east of thy location is a bridge. This bridge will aid thee in thy defenses, whilst thine army in strength grows.
22:Forsooth, our enemy are still possessed of huge reserves, and the knaves plan a counterattack against our stalwart army. However, the mountains nigh to their location may be an obstacle for a large army to traverse. Thou shalt advance into the mountains with thine army and await the enemy in the highest pass. Let not the traitors ever again gain upper hand!
23:At last thine efforts bear fruit! Everywhere in the kingdom, the king's serfs rise against the cruel reign of the prince. Verily, even his generals agree not with the barbarisms and cruelties practiced on the commoners. One of the generals has passed a secret message on to us....that the dastardly prince desires to make a cruel example of a village whose people have openly rebelled against his treacherous rule! Thou, and thou alone, art the bulwark between the tyrant and the stalwart villagers! Thou must needs put a stop to this barbarous scoundrel's plans!
24:The end is nigh for those black-hearted scoundrels, the enemies of the king. Thou hast forced them to their knees. The prince hath changed his tactics, and doth hold important deposits of raw materials. This doth be a hindrance to us. Thou shalt capture ye iron ore mines nigh to thy location put the rebels to flight! Forget not the great marsh which lieth before thee. Prepare thyself and thy stalwarts well! Verily, thou shouldst remain in fear of thy life!
25:Thou hast much fertile land and rich deposits of raw materials at thy disposal in the province which lieth before you. Let not thyself be in doubt that soon the enemy shall advance to gain this fruitful land for himself. Defend the province and show no mercy to the enemy soldiers! No quarter shall be given them!
26:In the north, the traitor gathers together his vassals, that he may again attack unashamedly and boldly. But, in troth, he doth not be yet prepared to face thee on the battlefield. Thou shalt advance toward him and destroy him, whilst he is as yet unprepared for thine assault. Thou must needs traverse the mountains to achieve thine aim, but beware! The scoundrel hath to all accounts occupied the pass to hinder thee in thy mission. Still, thou must proceed to the north, cost what it will!
27:Thy last victory hath forced thine opponent to retreat in defense. He hath entrenched himself in a natural stronghold wherein he, like the coward he doth be, awaits thine attack. Thou willst find it hard to capture this stronghold! Many a general hath tried before thee, and all have failed. Let not thy courage fail thee and thy heart grow weak! Perchance have these valiant generals left articles behind, articles which shall aid thee in thy brave quest!
28:This doth be a black, black day! An insidious, dastardly assassination plot hath cost our beloved king this day his life! The prince, shameless scoundrel he doth be, and, methinks, the rogue behind this great tragedy, hath proclaimed himself the new king. He hath ensconced himself behind mighty walls wherein he hopeth to find refuge from thy wrath. Thou shalt storm these walls and bring to this upstart, self-proclaimed king the fate of which he doth be most deserving. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!
29:Our quest is well-nigh over. The city, which doth be the last remaining bastion of the upstart king, is surrounded and under siege. Show no mercy to whomsoever remaineth true to the upstart and slay all thine enemies! Thou, oh loyal hero, shalt raze all traces of his dastardly rule to the ground! Only then, through thy heroic deeds, shall peace and freedom once more reign in the kingdom. To the gallows with the pretender, where he shall hang like the common criminal he doth be!
