Tactics of the Trattato

Lucia uses her Mentem magic and air of seduction to make any attacking grogs forget their purpose, render them insensible, or turn their swords against their own allies.

If Avedutus has any Arcane Connections to his enemies he uses his anvil and hammer casting tools in his wagon to assault them through magic. He does this before taking to the battlefield where his enchanted arms and armor let him attack mundane troops with impunity and potentially outmatch even magi whose magic may be subject to failure in stressful situations. He is acutely aware of his own magical weakness and threats to his wagon can distract him and pull him out of the battle, which is why he leaves a trained combat group to guard it. It is worth noting that his sword has no constant magical effects, which means it can be used normally against opponents with Magic Resistance.

Al-'Aqrab is most likely to retreat, abandoning his allies as soon as he sees the odds turn against him.

The almost-faerie Patronus rejoices in summoning/creating forest upon forest of swarming wooden faeries who surge at his enemies. However, these faeries only last a Diameter at best, which means he has little time to prepare and must cast his spells while he is in harm's way.

There is the potential for a siege to become a significant or even central event in a saga as the events now start to play out on a seasonal basis. But this also provides the magi with the opportunity to use their time to develop magical defenses or to plan and prepare to take the battle to the Trattato.

In place of the normal rolls used to determine the outcome of siege events,

the troupe magi are presented with a different challenge each season, to which they must find a solution. They may take any approach they wish, including a purely magical solution, to resolving the problem. Failure at any of the events sees the city buckle under the pressure and the frequency with which events must be faced increases: season to month, month to week, and then week to day.

The following events may be presented in any order and repeated where appropriate. Storyguides are encouraged to tailor the events based on the troupe characters present or design new events that present additional challenges.

The enemy engineers use mines to weaken and breach the southern walls. The magi must find a way to anticipate the mines and prevent the mining, or to repair the damage already caused. Failure reduces the city's defense bonus by one and sees an increase in event frequency.

The enemy siege engines begin relentlessly pounding the walls, threatening to reduce the southern wall to rubble. The magi must destroy the enemy siege engines, prevent the missiles from striking the walls, or repair the damage already caused. Failure reduces the city's defense bonus by one and sees an increase in event frequency.

Focus moves to the eastern wall across the river and soldiers are committed to escalade; scaling the walls and trying to gain access to the gate houses. The troupe characters must again play the defenders and prevent the gates from being opened. Failure reduces the city's defense bonus by one and sees an increase in event frequency.

The blockade starts to bite as resupply becomes harder. The population are reduced to scratching around for food and are forced to make even the inedible edible. The troupe characters must ensure that a supply route is reopened or that sufficient food for the city can be magically created or brought to the city. Failure reduces the city's siege conditions bonus by one and sees an increase in event frequency.

Months of deprivation take their toll on the population. An outbreak of flux (Art & Academe, page 47) drives across the city. The magi must find a way to cure or contain the disease. Failure reduces the city's siege conditions bonus by one and sees an increase in event frequency.

After having been under siege for so long and enduring so much hardship and death, the Veronese people are ready to sue for terms with the duke. This is a dangerous time when the council may lose control of their people. Failure to restore morale or resolve likely sees the end of the siege as the people accept the duke's terms and those who ruled the city are punished by its new ruler. Unless the magi leave or avoid capture, this may well include them.

The presence of so much conflict attracts creatures from the four realms to the city. Demons influence the leaders on both sides to take actions which would clearly result in more death. Faeries try to incite acts of fruitless personal valor, feeding off the vitality generated as heroes die tragic deaths. Magical spirits of pain, rage, or hopelessness

start to affect the populous. Finally, divine spirits urge reconciliation in order to prevent more bloodshed. Whatever the creature and whatever the realm, the magi must prevent its plan from coming to pass.

Succeeding in as many events as the storyguide wishes to present means that the city, with the help of their magical allies, has outlasted the duke. After seasons subjecting Verona to siege, he withdraws his army from the surrounding area and returns to Casalmaggiore without his prize.

If the troupe characters helped Giuliano to attain the dukedom, Lucia's grip is not so strong, and the besieging army not so resolute. Reduce the number of siege events that they face by two, making the siege easier to weather.

The above events cast the magi in the role of being reactive to the duke's assault and subsequent siege. But they may seek to raise the siege by taking direct action. This may not require the magi to enter combat if they have planned ahead and used their time and resources to arm or prepare their grogs, companions, or the Veronese garrison.

Use of spies or magic to gain information on the movement of key personnel in the enemy army reveals when the Trattato magi are present and when any of them are away, likely in Casalmaggiore or Castello del Selvaggio. The characters can use this information to time any counter attack.

The players should be free to decide their own strategy of course, but the following battlefield events may be useful:

The troupe characters, each within a combat group of five men, lead an attack against an equal number of lightly armed levies as they charge from the city gates and assault the earthworks destined to be used in a new mining attempt.

With the levies driven away from the earthworks, the troupe characters defend their position against overwhelming odds. Heavily armed soldiers surge to replace the fleeing levies. If they succeed in defeating the attacking soldiers, they have held the line and can make a push towards the enemy command position.