To visit, and make an offer

You walk in to your command tent and spot Crown Prince Barticus of Coreli the 23 year old blond-haired short commander of the Coreli Strikers, a unit made up of 300 elite horse archers. Before you can greet him, you spot Victor's gleaming shaved scalp, only one year older than Barticus, the crown prince of Biessoi was First of his city's famed heavy cavalry.

Galeon spots you and gives you a happy nod. In part you hope, because you're safe, but more (you suspect) because now you can takeover dealing with your Oath-Brothers. You sneak up on Victor and grab both his shoulders giving him a scare.

"By the Gods!" He spits his wine "Why do you always pick on me and not Barticus?"

Before you answer, Barticius sees the blood and dirt still covering you.

"Not now Victor, our brother is injured." He takes you by the shoulders and scans every iota of your frame for fresh wounds. "I told you Spook was acting up when we arrived; the only time that beast is fidgety is when Bruce is in trouble."

"That blood's not his you old woman," Victor scolds his oath-brother, "Stop worrying."

"Aye its true, my brothers." You laugh as you hug the pair happily, "I'm unharmed, but what brings you rabble-rousers to my lovely vacation home? Your wives get tired of you already?"

"Victor and I have come to rescue you from this peacekeeping shit and offer you a way to turn Kalion from an out of the way city-state into an Empire." Ignoring their dismissal of your homeland as second rate, you focus your attention on the second part of their statement.

"How do you propose to do that?" You ask the pair incredulously, "No city has the power to expand without drawing the wrath of the others. Look at what's happening to Athenapolis."

"Bruce, what Barticus is trying to say is if our three states joined together we'd be able to expand without the other nations interfering." Victor moves to your other side and hands you a goblet of wine, "All Biessoi and Coreli need to move, is your help forming an alliance with the tribes East of Kalion, if we don't make a stand we might not have anther chance; the 100 Tribes are coming either slaughtering or absorbing smaller tribes"

"My Brothers, you two do realize that even together we're still vastly out-numbered. We would only have your Calvary, Kalion's Drakes, maybe 1000 hoplites and say another two thousand or so light skirmishers." You go over the numbers again, and in the interest of complete transparency, you add "I should have another twelve rookie Riders in a few months if there are no accidents at the academy but even that's not enough to take on the combined forces of the 100 Tribes once they start moving." Barticus nods, accepting your estimates without argument, but he and Victor had clearly thought this through.

"Yes," he counters, "but if your tribesmen friends allow our horsemen to join them, we can slow the 100 Tribes down long enough for you to get to Poseidonapolis." You stare at the pair almost taking the bait they offered. "Even more than Athenapolis, Poseidon's city was the worst trafficker in slaves in all the Hellenic city states. Unlike Athenapolis' lust for pretty sex slaves, the port city to the East processed thousands of muscular men for their galleys and salt-mines each year. To overthrow Poseidonapolis would lift a blemish from the whole land, and these two knew you'd have to at least consider their plan for this reason alone.

"Victor how many troops are currently guarding the Slave city?" You ask thoughtfully and he smiles broadly as he provides the information.

"About 300 Hoplites and maybe 1,000 forced militia that are decently trained but are pissed at their King's taxes and shortage of food; they are close to revolution already and would welcome your rule."

"You want me to use the captured galleys and freed slaves to sail around the Thalus Marsh and hit the 100 Tribes' lands from the West." Barticus and Victor give each other high fives,

"I knew he'd get it!" Victor slaps Barticus on his shoulder as you consider this bold strategy.

It is a reasonable plan, but will require a great deal of thought before a decision can be made. You'll have to have Alexia go over all the details and double check Victor's optimistic assessment of the moral of the people of Poseidonapolis. Pushing aside the image of a naked Alexia in your bath, your remember her warning about your behavior."

"I will think about all this, my Brothers, but before we celebrate we have to host an Envoy of The United Armies and under orders of spymaster and her many knives we are to act like Royals while they're here." Both your Oath-brothers let out dramatic groans as if you had just announced their death sentences, and you have to cover your mouth to keep from laughing like a schoolboy. Instead you remind them of the upcoming activities.

"Don't worry, my friends, tomorrow there will be Games held to honor the temporary truce in this bloody war before they go back to killing each other." You smile at the pair and shrug. "I'm likely going to be forced to take sides at some point, but thanks to your arrival I may be able to keep this delicate balance a little longer."