Mongol at the Gates

"Tell me the truth, Prince Alex." you say to your second-finest bogatyr. "Is home-and-mother Ryazan doomed to savage Batu's horde? Is there no hope for us?"

Prince Alex draws his greatsword. "By the blood of Christ and by the old gods, I swear to you my liege, we will not fall. The blood of true heroes flows in our veins, unlike this foolish horse rabble from the east. Let them come, and taste a true warrior's steel! They will go running like so much mice before a lioncat!"

"No my liege!" Astra exclaims, throwing herself at your feet. "You have not seen what these savages have done in the Aryan plains and the mountainous kingdoms of Kitai. They have set entire cities to the sword, killing all, even old men and suckling babes. They rape the maidens and slay them, while driving the young attractive ones east to marry their hideous khan. They destroy even holy places, churches and libraries, and they leave the city a smoking ruins, its very name erased from the history scrolls. I beg you my lord, agree to this Batu's terms, no matter how harsh they may be."

The tension in the room is palpable as the door suddenly swings open, and a dark, foul-smelling man enters. Your scrier exclaims "Batu's emissary Bob-gilchatai-bob, your lordship!"

"Greetings." you say grimly, surveying the messenger. He is short and squat, clad in leathers and horsehide. A bow and quiver are at his back, and a dagger at his waist. It is this dagger that he draws and holds forward in front of you.

"You." Bob says gruffly. "Batu khan sees fit to entreat with you. In his infinite grace and mercy he has chosen to let Ryazan and its peoples live, as long as you pay the price."

"A price!" Alex exclaims. "Tell Batu that the free men of Ryazan need pay no price to heathen savages! Run back and tell him, dog, before we send you back in pieces!"

"Let him speak." you say grimly. Never has the crown of Ryazan felt so heavy on your brow.

"The price." Bob grins. "A mere tenth part. Less than what Batu has asked of others for their allegiance. A tenth of your food, grain and rice and wheat. A tenth of your livestock, horses, cows and chickens. A tenth of the city's treasure - silver, gold and jewels. A tenth of your people, to serve in the Horde. And a tenth of the city's maidens, only the most attractive of course, to be wives to the great khan and his warriors."

Alex had been listening with growing disbelief. "Is that all!?" he exclaims sarcastically. "Perhaps you would demand of us our manhoods as well! Listen well, dog of Batu..."

Princess Astra interrupts him. "It is a small price to pay, milord." she cries. "For the sake of our people, let us agree to these terms!"

"Never!" Alex rages. "I would fight, and so would every man in this city with the true blood of Rus in his veins!"

Bob smirks. "Ryazan is but a tiny stepping stone on Batu khan's path, Rus-man. Batu aims at the heart of Rus, at the cities of the golden heads. You are nothing to him. If you defy him, not one of you will live to see the morrow."

"Lord Fred, what do you think?" you ask.

Fred had been sitting silent the entire time, his longsword in his lap. Now he finally looks up. "We cannot win this fight, my lord. I do not wish to die, no more than any man. But neither will I live as a Mongol slave! We will do battle, my lord. We will fight and lose and die, our city burned to the ground and our names wiped out from history. But one day, men will remember, and they will speak the name of Ryazan. They will speak of those who refused to bow, and they will honor us."

You turn back to Bob. You know what you must do.

1. Agree to the Mongol's terms.
2. Say "When you have defeated us, you may have everything, not just a tenth of everything."
3. Mount Bob on a catapult and launch him back at the Mongol hordes.

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