First Battle of St Albans
Yorkist forces led by Richard, Duke of York, clash with Lancastrian troops under Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in the narrow streets of St Albans, marking the first major battle of the Wars of th
Setting
The narrow, cobbled streets of St Albans, lined with timber-framed houses and shops. The battle rages around the market square and near the Abbey gates, with alleyways providing choke points for skirmishes.
Characters
Richard, Duke of York
primary
A tall, imposing nobleman in his mid-40s with a strong, angular face, piercing blue eyes, and a closely trimmed beard streaked with grey. His shoulders are broad from years of military training, and his hands bear the callouses of a seasoned swordsman. A fresh cut mars his left cheek from the battle's fray.
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset
primary
A nobleman in his late forties, with a strong, battle-hardened physique. His face is lined with the stress of command, framed by short, dark hair streaked with grey. His piercing blue eyes are filled with determination and a hint of desperation. A scar runs from his left temple to his cheekbone, a remnant of past conflicts.
Yorkist Captain
secondary
A grizzled veteran in his late 30s, with a muscular build and a scar running from his left temple to his jawline. His sun-weathered face is framed by a short, unkempt beard, and his piercing blue eyes scan the battlefield with practiced vigilance.
Lancastrian Soldier
secondary
A young man in his early twenties, lean but muscular from years of military training. His face is streaked with dirt and sweat, and a deep gash on his left arm bleeds profusely. His short, dark hair is matted with blood from a glancing blow to the head.
Town Baker
background
A middle-aged man with flour-dusted hands and a worried face, his broad frame softened by years of kneading dough. His hair, streaked with grey, is tied back with a simple leather thong. A faint scar runs along his right cheekbone, perhaps from a long-ago kitchen accident.
Dialog
Richard, Duke of York
Thus Somerset meets his reckoning at last! Archers, loose upon the Lancastrian dogs!
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset
You'll not take St Albans this day, York! To me, men of Lancaster! Hold the line!
Yorkist Captain
My lord, their right flank falters! Press the advantage!
Richard, Duke of York
Aye, and let God's justice be meted here upon these traitors to England's rightful rule!
Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset
Rightful? You dare speak of right as you spill noble blood in these streets?
Yorkist Captain
My lord, the tavern's aflame! Their rear guard is cut off!
Richard, Duke of York
Then let fire and steel drive the lesson home - England will have no more Lancastrian misrule!