>>5994197______________________________
Northern side
Rolled 159 + 150 = 309 knight casualties in the assaultThe bloody business of the day is over. The stench of iron and blood lingers concentrated in the air all around. Dead bodies are gathered around the Christian palisade in order to be receive a proper Christian burial or to be stacked away from the living, if Muslim, and probably burned. The city archers don't allow for gathering of the dead knights in their range, maybe hoping to spread disease to the besiegers. Shouts of the wounded, friends and foes alike, can be heard for miles.
Godfrey is sitting completely exhausted in front of his tent, still wearing his bloodied armor, Gelfrid and Gebehart - stoic, silent, with red and black all over, are on his sides as always. The morning rays are rising over the battlefield. A lonely knight is looking for his brother somewhere in the distance. More than 4 000 souls have perished in the night, his forces bearing the brunt of the assault but providing victory. In front of him are the distinguished fighters of the battle:
Bernart of Aucorte, frankish knight
Adalbert of Clermont, frankish knight
Theodon of Werinberg, swabian infantryman
Arnold of Lyon, frankish archer
Bernardus 'Three Hands', frankish archer
Godfrey makes a gesture for Theodon to step forward and makes him kneel. Realizing what's to come, the German tries to clean his battlefield filth from his face as much as possible and raises his gaze to meet the eyes of his lord. Godfrey's sword is hovering over the kneeling man's head.
"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong. That is your oath." Godfrey brings the sword to Theodon's left cheek and makes a stinging cut. "And that's so you remember it. Now rise a knight!"
The knighted one receives only the screams of the dying as cheers. The rest of the men receive spoils of war.
[final losses: 344 knights | 601 infantrymen | 70 archers and crossbows]
[gains: 1 knight]
The battle on the Northern side is over.
