Battle of Agnadello
Venetian commander Bartolomeo d'Alviano leads a desperate cavalry charge against the superior French artillery in a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the Battle of Agnadello.
Setting
Rolling fields near Agnadello, Lombardy, Italy. The battlefield is a mix of trampled wheat fields and mud from recent spring rains. The terrain is slightly elevated with scattered farmhouses in the distance.
Characters
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
primary
A rugged middle-aged Venetian commander with a muscular build, weathered face, and piercing blue eyes. His dark hair is streaked with grey, tied back in a loose queue. A prominent scar runs across his left cheek, a testament to previous battles.
Venetian Standard Bearer
secondary
A sturdy man in his late twenties, with a square jaw and sun-weathered skin. His dark brown hair is cropped short beneath his sallet helmet, and his muscular frame strains against the weight of the banner. A fresh cut on his left cheek drips blood onto his padded gambeson.
French Artillery Captain
secondary
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late thirties with a weathered face, sharp blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. His posture exudes confidence and authority, honed through years of military command.
Wounded Venetian Cavalryman
background
A young Venetian cavalryman in his mid-20s, with a lean and muscular build from years of training. His face is streaked with sweat and blood, and his dark hair is matted under a dented sallet helmet. His left arm is badly wounded, and his gambeson is torn where the French artillery shrapnel struck.
Dialog
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Per Dio! Forza, cavalieri! Charge through their fire or we are lost!
Venetian Standard Bearer
Per San Marco! Hold the line! The Lion watches over us!
French Artillery Captain
Ajustez les canons! Feu à volonté! Let them taste French steel!
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Ignore the fallen! The Republic demands our blood today!
Venetian Standard Bearer
The banner falls and so do we! On, brothers, on!
French Artillery Captain
Encore! Another volley! Crush these Venetian dogs!
Bartolomeo d'Alviano
Then let it be a charge for the histories! Avanti!