Phebis Under Attack by Amazon Raiders (Update: Conditionals now in use.)

Your first day of ruling Itheria appears to be going quite well for a young ruler. At first, many different kinds of people address their various issues to you, and you do your best to answer them, with the help of your advisors. On occassion, an aging nobleman or prestigious tradesman would come with their daughters in tow, offering their hands to you in an act of betrothal, in exchange for favors. Strangely enough, you tell each of them that would consider their respective offers. Although you are the only legitimate descendant of your long-dead parents, and that getting your immediately family started is one of your top priorities, you also know that choosing the wrong bride could spell disaster for Itheria.

All of a sudden, the doors swing wide open, and you watch as a young man comes limping towards the throne. From the looks of him, he's a Phebian Messenger, as their relatively rich clothing and attire reflects the tiny kingdom being an important hub for trade. Of course, with such a lucrative trade, where all kinds of goods, lore, & ideals from lands far beyond what you have learned regularly in your studies, it attracts outside threats. And given how worn and beat-up the messenger looks, things do not appear to be good for Phebis. His clothes are torn-up, and there are blood-soaked bandages all over him. His face is caked in dirt, and reddish from the constant beating of the sun.

"Messenger of Phebis," you ask the man, "you appear to be in a dire situation. Speak up!"

"Your majesty," the messenger tells you, taking a scroll from a pouch on his left side, "I bring ill tidings to you from Phebis. We are under attack...by women!"

"By women?" You ask the man, as Sir Garret steps forward, and takes the scroll from the messenger. "Are the peasant wives revolting again because of your king's ill decisions?"

"Your majesty!" The messenger replies. "They are women, but not the kind of women we are used to seeing! Fishermen & coastal villagers saw them come in strange-looking boats from the distant sea! They cut down most of the men, and took the young girls & women away! What they didn't find valuable, they burned it to the ground!"

"What of your king's militiamen?" You ask the messenger.

"Their task of pushing them back has become much harder than it looks, your majesty!" The messenger tells you. "They wield spears & sharp blades that can cut through even our knights' armor! Their archers are very accurate with their bows, and they have shamans that can heal their wounded! And their battle cries....their battle cries sound like banshees...BANSHEES, I TELL YOU!! They fight like demons are possessing them, twisting them into powerful beings!!"

"Amazons!" Lord Gilbert tells you, as the messenger faints & collapses onto the steps leading to your throne. "You may've read what little we know about the strange band of women from the distant islands far to the South. They are very adept sea women, your majesty, and sometimes raid coastlines for other women, as well as resources."

"And now they come for Phebis." You tell Lord Gilbert, as you direct the servants to take the messenger to a spare bedroom. "I do not know how they learned of Phebis & the valuable trade route, but we cannot let them lay siege to their capital, or come for our lands next. After all, we swore that we would protect Phebis from outside threats."

"But your majesty," Sir Garret, "you have little or no training in leading our army directly, and you have hardly learned to wield a sword in battle. I strongly advise you let me lead our army into Phebis, while you remain here."

"Yet Lord Gilbert has taught me that knowledge can be just as powerful as the mightiest sword." You tell your Marshall. "I suggest I come along to the aid of Phebis against these Amazon Raiders. I want the people of Phebis to know that I can be a strong & intelligent ruler of Itheria, and honor the agreement of protecting them from outside threats."

"And you must remember that you will be a very high-value target for the Amazons, if you go out into the battlefield without sufficient training." Lady Vessa tells you. "If outside threats like these Amazons sense weakness, or find out that Itheria has fallen into a civil war, then they will raid our coastlines with impunity."

"The choice is yours, your majesty." Lord Gilbert tells you.