Battlefield Awards - Fort Zayes
From FiranMUX
Summary
After a few of the battles - notably Judano's Climb, Fort Triumph, and Fort Zayes - Lord First General Donos Ista Aldrik gave battlefield award ceremonies to honor those who showed exemplary skill on the field or who perished in the fight. This is just his words, edited out of a far larger log which contained much cheering.
Text of Awards Ceremony
There are many who fell in the taking of Fort Zayes. They fell so that others may live, they fell doing their duty. To their families, to their Clans and to the Republic. Today we honour some of those who fell.
Sentry Tabarus of the Gold Dragon Clan was found dead at the end of the battle. None reported seeing him fall, he was found beneath the body of a Shamibelian warlord, his sword sticking out the back of the goat, taking his enemy with him as he died. The litter bearers reported that he had a smile of satisfaction on his face. Well done Sentry..you did your duty.
Sentry Ulyn of the Hydra clan did not so much charge across the platform to reach the battlements as leap. Reports say he scrambled up the top of part of the fortifications and leapt into the midst of the enemy. While others tried to reach him, he fought on, battling an entire squad of the enemy. By the time the rest of his line could link up with him he was already dead, but his sudden and surprising attack had delayed a large number of the goats, so scared were they of this grim-faced Hydran warrior in their midst. Sentry Ulyn is awarded the Republic Achievement medal and his family will receive fifty thousand stenis and the thanks of a grateful Republic.
All soldiers who went onto the battlements of Fort Zayes during the battle will be awarded the Fortification medal, hereafter to be given to any soldier who has partaken in the taking of a heavily defended enemy fortification.
Before we reached Fot Zayes and did what has not been done in a generation, however, we fought at Garen's Gully. The goats sought to trap us there, trying to destroy us in an ambush. Thanks to our scouts, we knew the ambush and so turned it upon them.
Captain Thaddia led a team of soldiers on a vital assault. Sneaking up behind a company of Shamibelian archers, she and her team ambushed them, spoiling their ambush. Heavily outnumbered, they tied the archers up to prevent them from shooting at our griffons and pilots. This caused such confusion that in the end we destroyed all of the Shamibelian ambush on the field at Garen's Gully without losing a single man for the attack. Captain Thaddia, and her soldiers when they are made known to me, are hereby awarded the Garen's Ambush medal, a new medal commisioned by my order for that achievement.
Lord Centurion Katarus N'Gato was a man who knew what duty meant. Despite being old enough to have fought in the Great War, he came out to battle again this year, joining us on campaign. He knew that this was the best chance we have ever had to defeat the goats and he was determined to be there, fighting with us and showing how a Firan nobleman should behave. During the assault on the enemy flanks at Garen's Gully, Lord Katarus thrust himself into the path of a spear intended for one of his squad. It is unsurprising that he would choose to sacrifice himself to save a woman, but it is no surprise to those who knew him that before he died he took the goat's throat out with him. Lord Katarus is awarded the Republic Achievement Medal and is family receives the thanks of a greatful republic.
Lord Talion certainly had a colourful life..and by all accounts a colourful dead. After seeing a shamibelian get up behind the line, he took it upon himself to go round and make sure all the fallen were dead. This certainly saved many soldiers from a surprise attack to their rear but, alas, Lord Talion missed the Shamibelians bearing down on him while he was concentrating on the fallen. He did turn and fight, his squad struggling to get to him. Alas, after being knocked to the ground, a trio of arrows struck him, killing him before the healers could reach him. His family receives the thanks of a grateful Republic.
Sentries Timon and Kaedin died almost together. After pushing through the goat's lines they found themselves in amongst the enemy spearmen and for some considerable time kept them from being able to advance as a block into the company their swords were engaged with. Fighting desperately, unable to pull free for relief they did not seek to flee and escape but instead bought time for the pushed assault of their company with their own lives. If not for their sacrifice, their company would have gone into the fray with far heavier losses. They are likewise to be awarded the Garen's Ambush medal and their familes given fifty thousand stenis and the thanks of a grateful Republic.
Alessandro and Marsalos led a highly dangerous scouting mission by the airforce. While Captain Marsalos was concentrating on mapping and scribbling as fast as he could on parchment, Alessandro saw that the squad had but one chance to be able to accurately scout and gather information on Fort Zayes. He therefore had his flight drop all of their equipment and dived into the heart of the Shamibelian griffons above the fort. So surprised were the goats that they were unable to react as, moreover, they were also engaged in a pitched battle with Centurion Sharin's eagle that had been sent in to try and open a path for the scouting flight. Alessandro has been promoted to Captain for his heroism, and he, Sharin, Aeryk, Evius, Jericho, Eriden, and Marsalos all receive another new award for this campaign, the Silver Wings of bravery, to be awarded to pilots who manage to withstand impossible odds and still fulfil their mission.
Captain Kendra was found dead within Fort Zayes. Captain Kendra had gone out on a dangerous scouting mission and had sacrificed her own chance of escape to ensure that her companions and the information they had would get back to us. Captain Kendra has given a lifetime of service to this Republic and she is awarded the Republic medal of Achievement and her family given one hundred thousand stenis and the thanks of a grateful Republic.
Certainly without the actions of the next two soldiers, we might not have taken the fort at all. Risking almost certain death, and probable death even if their mission was successful, Adan and Sarina snuck into the fort and so delivered the Red Bloom jars to the enemy. This was a long-planned mission, one that we knew could turn the tide for us, as our victory has shown. Adan managed to get back out of the fort, Sarina remained inside and continued to risk her life in order to disrupt the Goat's defences. Adan and Sarina are hereby awarded the Medal of Honour for their Heroism and actions that helped tide the battle so dramatically.
Lastly, Lord Centurion Esen had a..most unusual death, but then that's not surprising as he had a most unusual life. A skilled craftsman who became a neo-noble, he gave up his crafting..mostly, though I was always impressed when I saw the fine carvings he passed the time with, all without selling them of course. He had already sustained a serious head injury when he went into Garen's Gully and there he fell, his body battered beyond any healer's ability to save him, though try they did. A spear had been thrust through his chest earlier in the battle though he continued to fight on, only falling at the end when someone told him the day was won. Lord Centurion Esen is awarded the Republic Medal of Achievement and his family receives the thanks of a Grateful Republic.
You have all done well Soldiers. Every one of you has performed beyond what I, or the Lord Viceroy expected. Now, eat, have a drink..not too many mind, and turn your thoughts to the end of this campaign. The Battle for Ellish, freedom for our Kith and Kin and Damnation to the Goats!
