Battle of Agnadello
Venetian commander Bartolomeo d'Alviano leads a desperate cavalry charge against superior French artillery positions in a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the Battle of Agnadello.
Setting
Rolling plains near Agnadello, dotted with vineyards and farmsteads, now turned into a battlefield. The ground is uneven, with patches of mud from recent spring rains. Smoke from artillery fire drifts across the field, obscuring parts of the action.
Characters
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
primary
A battle-hardened Venetian condottiero in his mid-40s, with a muscular build and a weathered face marked by years of campaigning. His dark hair is streaked with grey, tied back in a practical warrior's knot. A prominent scar runs from his left temple to jawline, a testament to previous battles.
Venetian Standard Bearer
secondary
A sturdy man in his late 20s, with a muscular build from years of military service. His face is streaked with sweat and grime, and his dark hair is matted under his helmet. His hands are calloused from gripping the heavy standard pole.
French Artillery Captain
secondary
A grizzled veteran in his late 40s, with a wiry build and deep-set eyes that have seen too much war. His face is lined with scars and weathered by years of campaign life, with a prominent hawk-like nose and a closely cropped beard gone mostly gray. His hands are calloused from handling artillery, yet move with precise efficiency.
Wounded Cavalryman
background
A Venetian horseman in his late twenties, with a lean but muscular build from years of riding. His face is streaked with dirt and sweat, and a deep gash on his left arm bleeds profusely. His dark hair is matted under a dented sallet helmet.
French Gunner
background
A wiry, sunburnt man in his late 20s with close-cropped dark hair and a week's worth of stubble. His hands are calloused from years of handling cannon tools, and his forearms bear small burns from sparks and hot metal. His eyes are squinted from constant exposure to gunpowder smoke.
Dialog
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Par Dio! Forward, my lions! Break their cursed guns or die trying!
Venetian Standard Bearer
Commander—the left flank buckles! Their tubes reload...
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Then we strike before those hell-born tubes speak again!
French Artillery Captain
Mon Dieu... The madman charges straight into our fire! Gunners—grape at fifty paces!
Venetian Standard Bearer
The banner—hold the banner high! Venice watches!
French Artillery Captain
Feu! Let's see how these condottieri dance when iron sings!
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
For San Marco! Charge!