Mandatory Service!

[Anvael Andares]

The 35th Brightening of Cryxatum, Summer, Era XIV Post Fractum

It began in the morning, but a few brightenings after the article had been published in the local newspaper.

The citizens of Sherian were just about to rise from their beds and go to work, when they appeared: Men and women, some of them carrying drums, some of them equipped with nothing but their voice, stood in all larger squares in the major cities, the biggest villages and spread the message:

All citizens of Sherian between 16 and 25 ordinations of age were required to go and contact the Sherian Serpents. Mandatory service had been introduced, and those that refused to show up at the Conscriptions Center or the camp of the Sherian Serpents before the month was over would have to face the consequences. On the other hand, there were rewards waiting for those that obeyed, for those that eventually became officers: A free plot of land, once peace had been brought to Sherian and money for certain soldiers.

But this was not all. Towncriers couldn’t reach everybody, and some citizens would pretend not to have heard them. They would not react to anything but a letter, a personal “invitation” to join the army. Thus soldiers, members of the provincial army delivered letters to all houses where potential recruits lived. There were three dozen of them in Taralon, and another fifty in the countryside, moving from one area to the next.

They were joined by members of the Black Shields, fear-inspiring in their black armor. Very few would ever dare to disobey them …

Among them were a Nimalni Elf, carrying a banner and a young, white haired human with a drum who used it to get the attention of the lucky citizens that had been chosen for the army.

OOC: This is mostly to find out how many NPCs I’ll get for the Sherian Serpents, but if you want to be drafted into my new army (or attack the messengers) feel free to post here!

[Steve]

All this activity attracted mostly children and old men. They were curious and anxious to see what was going on. Most of those between 16 and 25 were either working on farms, in the mines or at other jobs. Most of the women that age were tending to their children at home.

Some of the men and women for whom the message was intended did come out of their homes and places of work, but not many. Most of them tended to their daily activities. The crying babies and the orders for goods would not wait.

A few able bodied individuals stepped forward, anxious to serve. Most were still in their teens. Most were males but a fair percentage were females who were interested as well. The immediate response was not encouraging.

[Anvael Andares]

All that activity attracted mostly children and old men. The children were sent back home with a few words of encouragement to practice hard and come back when they were of age, and most of the old men were back as well, unless they had skills that would be of use or were still in good shape. As for those that were in the required age range, they would be told to come to Taralon and present themselves at the Conscription Center.

Since the first part of the recruitment drive had not been particularly encouraging, the soldiers would appear again a couple of brightenings later, this time in the evening, when those that had been working would hopefully be at home. It was quite likely that there would be complaints, but it was for the good and the safety of the province.