As the party trudges towards the town and the Citadel they are to defend, Yerras describes the city of Namaco.  Much of it is familiar to Bulwyf, he was in this city recently, after coming back from Mos Trajectum.

(the rest of this post is background information that may be of use, if nothing more than to give characters a sense of where they are.)


Where the Sambre river meets the Meuse there is a spur of land with tall, steep bluffs facing the river merge.  The bluffs rise sharply from the west bank of the Meuse, and are less abrupt to the east.   The Meuse flows north from the south, and makes a broad arc towards the east, so that from the merge its course is eastward.  The Sambre comes in from the west, flowing east, joining the Meuse here.  Both are important rivers for the Elves, providing them with fast transport as well as fish.

At this junction of rivers, the Ardennes Elves have built a town, mostly in lines along the two rivers, much of it in almost Human fashion.   It has become the commercial heart of their kingdom.  Namaco follows the line of the Meuse for about a mile and a half, and the Sambre for a half a mile.  The Elves proved they can build on hills as well as trees, and the town reaches up the slopes of the tall spur, which is capped by the Citadel of Namaco.   The town is also built up along bluffs on the north and east banks, making an overall T shape.

About 10 percent of the population of the Elven Kingdom of the Ardennes lives here.   It is the one Elven town most “open” to Humans, with the heart of Belgica being nearby.  Close to Human and situated along the importantriver intersection, Namuco gets a lot of travelers.  More so in  the past, but still, busy enough to warrant things like a traditional Human style tavern and other conveniences.

The Elven ideal of commerce and the Human ideal are different.  The Elves tend to make things “to order”.  When an Elf wants a pot or a cape or a saddle, he or she usually won’t go to a store.  He or she will go to someone who can make the item in question, and the artisan will then produce it, specifically for that customer.  It’s a slower process than merely selecting something premade, sitting on a shelf in a store, but it’s the Elven way.  On the other hand, nothing is ever 100%.  Just as there are Human artisans who make things to order, there are Elven merchants who trade and stock goods- and quite a few of them are here in Namaco.  After all, sometimes even an Elf cannot wait for the artisan to craft what is needed.

Although there are two key rivers here, there are no bridges.  With their many buildings, the Elves have already forced all the concessions they wish from nature- the rivers will flow freely.  But there are many boats.  The finest of the Elven boats, the Swan Boats in their various sizes (often including the famous Swan Boat of the Marquis and Marquessa) can be seen in numbers, connecting Namaco to other Elven settlements.  There are smaller fishing boats, because the Meuse and Sambre are productive rivers, and because many Elves simply enjoy the river.

Where the Ardennes Elves settle, they grow their enormous “home trees” to build in.  There are possibly as many as a hundred scattered in and around Namaco, though they tend to be smaller than the giants deeper in the Ardennes.   They are a mix of types, mostly Oak, Willow, and Cherry, with some Chestnut and even a few giant Apple trees (which do not produce oversized fruit, by the way).

The densest portion of the town is the river merge area- here, the town is divided into five  main regions:

1)  The north side, consisting of the north bank of the Sambre upstream of the merge, and the north/west bank of the Meuse after the merge.  This is a broad flat plain backed by a hill on the north side.  Since this is the side that has the trail to Bruxzella and gets the most Human traffic, this is where the traders tend to be, and the one “Human style” tavern, which sits close to the water by the river merge.

2)  The market heart, on the west bank of the Meuse upstream of the merge, up onto the slopes of the Citadel hill.  This is the densest portion of the city, with docks and houses and markets.  It features food and craft markets, and the “Children’s Market”, a market specializing in clothes, toys, and other goods for children.  Children make up a smaller percentage of the population among Elves than they do among Humans, but they are treasured, and Elven children can look forward to being showered with gifts not only from parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents, but great grandparents, great great grandparents, and sometimes a few generations past that.

3)  The east side, consisting of the east bank of the Meuse.  Gentle hills rise further east.  The “suburban” side of the town, with Namaco slowly fading in to the forest to the east.  There are no real boundaries to an Elven town.

4)  The west side, consisting of the south bank of the Sambre, from the spur of Citadel Hill west about a half mile.  There are small gardens, farms and orchards here, and some workshops.

5) Citadel Hill.  The Citadel is a defensive fortress more in idea than reality – gathering in one fortified place and holding it runs against the grain of Elven military thinking.  But the Citadel, the fortification shaped like an 2000 foot long arrowhead at the northern end of this hill, pointed straight into the river merge,  is the most defensible point in the city.  The tip of the “arrowhead” has a watch platform set up like the bow of a ship, with a tower rising, higher behind it,  both with commanding views of the city.  The fortress, being different in layout and concept from Human and Dwarven fortresses, also includes two of the Home Trees, and several buildings used for the raising and housing of the giant owls- the Owlery.

Ovo shook his head sadly as he viewed the beautiful city before him. He was sadden mainly for two reasons. Ovo, being a diplomat, had visited many different places and was able appreciate its beauty fully. However, looking upon it now, he also knew it was doomed to the onslaught of the Huns. There were no walls or even moats or trench lines. The place just seemed to sprawl out before him. Even the mightiest fortress itself was nothing like he had ever saw nor would its position or stone protect it for long. Thinking of such a place destroyed pulled at the dwarf's heart, although he would never admit it.

The second thing that saddened him was how indefensible the place really was. Even from the tower... archers and artillerists would have a hard time picking out targets as the orcs, and worse, made their way forward using the town's own buildings and trees for cover.

So, Ovo stood still as his eyes scanned the place for a final time before he cleared his throat.

"How long will it take to evacuate this place?" he finally said.

Bulwyf waited silently for an answer to Ovo's question. His thoughts raced to the coming siege, and how he could be of use. He was ultimately useless in a ranged battle, his bow skills were not exceptional. He needed to be up close and personal and let his swords do the talking for him.

Yerras and the other First Mark Elves are horrified to hear the two warriors talk of evacuating Namaco... even though, the closer they get, the more obvious it is that Elves are already being transported to the safe east bank of the Meuse.

"I don't know how long it takes to move everyone," Yerras says.  "It's never been done before.  I think that if the Riverlights said to do it, most would go, and it could be done in less than a day since their are many boats."

The Riverlights are the Marquis and Marquessa, of course, but Yerras drops a reference to the uniquely Elven view of Authority:  In general, nobles give leadership, not orders.  It is up to individual Elves to determine what they ought to do, and in all but the most solemn of proclamations, deciding not to comply is not a crime.

But many have already complied.

There is a complication everyone sees on their way to the citadel:  The Elves have far more than just their own numbers to worry about.  Many Human refugees from Bruxzella are here, and they come to the intelligent conclusion that if the Elves are evacuating, best that they do so too.  Things are much busier than they would be otherwise.

* * * * * *


At the Citadel, the characters have some time to wander around, explore, get their bearing and see what's what.  This is a guide to the map of the Citadel below.

1. The Prow.  Whether it most resembles a great tree limb, the prow on a tall ship, or the neck of a swan, straightened for flight,  is up to the interpreter- this is a long projecting walkway stretching northeast towards the river confluence that is the heart of Namaco.

2. Arduinna’s Tower.  The first of two watch towers is dedicated to the patron goddess of the forest.  It is made of wood, carved from a single tree and like much of the wood used here, enchanted.  Inside, a ladder leads up 30 feet to the observation deck.

3. Eostre’s Tower.  The second tower is larger, and dedicated to the goddess of the dawn, as each morning, this is the first part of Namaco to see the sunrise.  It rises even higher than Arduinna’s tower and has chambers on several levels.  Projecting forward of the tower is another narrow walkway, similar to the prow but even slimmer and smaller.  From, cloth can be suspended to make a tent of part of the prow.

4. The Citadel Hall.  The oldest building up here.  This is a great hall made of wood and glass, with sparse but elegant furnishings within.  It is used often for celebrations- marriages, birthdays, and other happy occasions.  It has the best view in Namaco.

5. The East Slope is very steep.  The slope leads down to the Market Heart district, with many of the structures of that district, especially the newer ones, built up onto the slope.

6. The West Slope.  Not as steep overall but still a formidable obstacle, as just to the west of the Citadel a draw cuts in from the Sambre River, and the slope has been guarded with sharp thorns and other Elven defenses.

7. The Market Stairs.  A long stairway zig zags down the slope towards the market.

8. The Citadel Stairs.  The southern portion of the Citadel “main level” is higher than the northern portion.  These stairs connect them.  Between the two is the oldest part of the citadel- a stone block structure, the roof of which is a terrace.  This has small, utilitarian rooms and hasn’t been much used by the Elves in a long time.  Now, it is mostly storage.

9. The West Tower.  A recent addition.  This is a multi-leveled wooden structure built in the style of an Elven palace.  There is a large wooden terrace with an excellent view of the west.  The interiors are highly decorated.  Officially it belongs to the Riverlights, but they rarely use it- occasionally, a family member seeking some solitude and enjoying the views will be up here.

10.   Citadel Spire.   The highest point of the Citadel, although the views are better from the perimeter buildings.  Typically used as a public hall/meeting place/guest house by the Dawnsinger Clan, and as a residence for Elves working with the Owlery.

11. The East Tower.  A building with a wonderful view of the Meuse River, and the stairway approach.  The East Tower is an occasional residence used by artists, poets, and others wishing to be inspired by the views of the river from here.

12. The Owlery Tree.  A young “home tree”, nowhere near the older giants in size, used by the Owls of the Owlery, and the Elves caring for them.

13. The washrooms.  Because even Elves need to take care of things, now and then.

14. The Gazebo.  A raised platform with a room, magically lit at night.

15. The Citadel Cabana.  A small structure where the Dawnsinger clan provides food and drink for visitors to the Citadel.

16. The Owlery.  A structure used for the care and housing of the large and giant owls in the service of the Elves.  Most of it is small nesting chambers, but there are also rooms for the care of Owls, such as a special Owlet nursery, a cleaning room, food storage rooms (lots of live rodents) etc.

17. The Back Stairs- leads to the southern section of the ridge the Citadel is located on- more properties of the Dawnsinger Clan, mostly.

18. The Dawnsinger Tree.  The main home of the Dawnsinger clan, which lives on the ridge, and includes Elves who care for the Owls, and a few Clerics of Eostre, and others.  Despite holding such a prominent location, they are a clan of medium importance.  Some other Elves see them as “soft”, since they are not out in the forests and seem to have no interest in that.
 
http://europa512adgame.pbworks...9/citadelnamaco1.JPG

Swift looks at Bulwyf "So, what do you think? I am no general but I would think a wall would have helped. Will this stop the huns?" she was not too sure  but what could she do?

(there is a parapet wall around the perimeter of the citadel.  Since it's at the top of a tall ridge, it's a very high wall from the other side, chest high to an Elf on in the inside.)

"There are plenty of positions to defend up here, but the very position of the citadel itself is it's best defence. If we can defend the stairways in force we can keep the Hun - and whatever else the scum brings with him - at bay for a long time, and pick them off in great numbers. Hopefully with little casualty ourselves. The owls can keep whatever carrion crows and such the orcs have from being a threat, which means we can concentrate on the ground forces.

They are sure to strike for the citadel, given its trophy value in their eyes. Archers in the towers and at the walls, our best fighters - such as Bulwyf - at the head of the stairs...it looks good. Not a particularly elven way of doing things, but some of us have learned a few things from the other races."

Salen smiled, if a little sadly. Humour only went so far.