LINESII- Into the Darkness- Part II
- Thread starter Lord_Iggy
- Start date
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Do what I always do. Irritate her.
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
edit edit, nothin here
Cuivienen
Deity
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2003
- Messages
- 8,011
You're not helping.
JosefStalinator
Я буду снова здесь
You know the worst part is when you are a second rate power who sent orders assuming he'd have only a week before he would be able to rectify the situation he was throwing himself in 
How late, Iggy? 2359 hours? :3
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
I do believe Iggy won't meet his deadline of tonight.
Update 26- Years 1677 to 1730: The Sun Sets
Yathai has settled almost all of the available land around it. It is increasingly coming into conflict with the barbarians to their south. Attempts to civilize and convert them remain difficult and generally fail. The people are frustratingly stubborn, for reasons that the leaders of Yathai remain unsure of.
(-500 Spearmen)
Syracia has launched a quick campaign to destroy an isolated Ida’an’i’i pirate group on the mainland, suffering barely any casualties. It then launched a strike against one of the large pirate islands. Initially, the attack went well. The pirates were quickly pushed back, and eventually forced off the island with several quick battles. The island was secured, and supplies kept flowing, despite several concerted efforts to break the Syracian navy by the pirates.
With its naval dominance now confirmed by its recent victories, Syracia now began to explore into the archipelago- although not far, as the isolated exploring parties are vulnerable to raids.
A second offensive has begun further into the archipelago, and is so far successful, though the defenders are providing to be much more prepared and difficult this time.
(-10 Galleys, -1000 Axemen)
Being both a center of agriculture and production, and a major base for campaigns against the pirates, Ean Samhradh has become an economically strong and important city.
Trade attempts with Kelios have been made with the construction of a road to the border, but they have not yet been reciprocated by an increasingly militaristic Kelios.
(+Ean Samhradh Economic Center)
Kelios has been, as said just a moment ago, growing increasingly militaristic in response to the recent resurgence of the Divotheists and the threat of the Tsayan barbarians in the north.
Campaigns up the Allan river have brought Kelios’ borders up to those of the Tsayans. Outposts have been set up as an early warning system against possible attacks. Already they have succeeded in defusing a few possibly dangerous raids down into Kelios.
Both Kelios and Syracia have expelled all Divotheist missionaries from their countries, further omens of impending trouble for their western neighbours.
In more peaceful news, Kelios has completed the Cenotaph, and Aldis is restored to most of its original glory.
It appears that the Alse and Atheists fears were well-founded. Riding on a wave of Divotheist resurgence, Justok Nictuma and the leaders of Chancotol’s Merchant Council have officially merged their nations into one simply referred to by the hybrid name of ‘Chancosanx’, with its capital at Sobol. Alse was outlawed, though this was not strongly enforced. Practitioners of the faith were fined, but nothing else. This nation clearly doesn’t want to cause a conflict with Kelios.
But just in case the situation should come to that, several fortresses were built near the Kelios border.
Shortly after the union of the two Divotheist states, a book, the Logari Ixpurazi, was written, detailing all of the different forms of Divotheist worship.
(+Confidence)
Chief Kenna has outlawed Pirian Oneism within his nation. Several acts against Pirians took place. Those who could escape fled by various means to Arcadia. Others weren’t so lucky and were forced to fight against their oppressors. Finding victory impossible after a quick series of defeats at Nog and Murias, the remaining Pirians in the country fled to the north, where they set up a loose-coalition which holds out to this day.
(-500 Tuatha Swordsmen, +2000 Davian Volunteers (Battle-Ready Pirian Tuatha who fled to them)
Adar has formally united its nation with its conquests in Zemora. Possibly taking a subconscious hint from Chancotol and Sanx, it hybridized its name to Zamdar.
Bi and multilingualism is being encouraged, and cultural exchanges are going both ways. Pleased with Zemora’s calming influence on Adar, the Citadel has finally lifted its half-hearted blockade, allowing Adar back out into the world at large. Traditionalists in what is now known as the Province of Adar are horrified at what is happening, but they are a dying breed. The new generation of Zamdar is more tolerant and worldly than any that has ever lived in Malkavia or Adar in the past.
From a preliminary look, Zamdar seems to be leaning more towards the Khemri bloc than Veritas and its allies, though it has not made any official statements or actions yet.
Malereficar has expanded its territory and army, but little else.
Gamorrea has attempted to improve the economy of the impoverished regions of former Malkavia, but the area is still largely unproductive. Despite this, the city of Barakuir is showing some promise, should more investment be put into it.
Much more interesting than minor economic development is the massive religious upheaval that is sweeping the country. Centuries of settlement and pacifist existence (save the constant campaign against the northern barbarians) had allowed New Eldism to flourish in the country. Strengthening friendship with the small and advanced nation cemented the mix of faiths. However, the more orthodox and traditionalist inhabitants of the north, who maintained a nomadic lifestyle of hunting and fighting, were sickened by the ‘mass heresy’ in the south.
This simmering distrust was both augmented and reduced by the rise of Temuj Azgorra as leader of the Zam council. He devised a pragmatic faith uniting the beliefs of Gooranism with those of New Eldism, turning a violent tradition and a knowledge-seeking tradition into a hybrid middle ground of defensive nationalism and the pursuit of prosperity.
The new faith Gorrahnism, quickly gained some popularity, but it remains a minority, followed primarily in the more cosmopolitan south. Many New Eldists maintain their faith, and many of the northern Gamorreans have strengthened their current beliefs to counter those of their southern bretheren. However, no bloodshed has been caused, which given the potentially volatile situation is a victory in itself.
Due to its close relationship with the Citadel, Gamorrea has advanced into the Imperial Age
(Citadel of Knowledge and Gamorrea Enter Imperial Age)
Fairhelt’s shockingly fast advance into Merhai continued to within only a few day’s march from the capital city, Kaliai. A few fortifications delayed them, but not severely. But shortly into their assault upon the final fortress (though the shoddy, jury-rigged structure barely deserved that title), a totally new force entered the conflict.
3000 Iron Face cavalry smashed into Fairhelt’s flank. Having no experience fighting with or against light cavalry, the army was confused, scattered, and nearly annihilated, while inflicting minimal damage upon their attackers.
Taking a breath of relief, Merhai managed to send a few hundred soldiers to help, but their military and limited manpower were bled as white as the snow that covered much of their nation.
Realizing that Fairhelt would win by attrition, a counteroffensive was launched, to help force them to peace negotiations or possibly even turn the war back in Merhai’s favour.
The Iron Face cavalry led the attack back towards the inland sea, but they were soon met by a fresh Fairhelt army led by Arok, the son of the recently deceased Saro (A name usually followed by glorious titles such as ‘The Conqueror’
. Arok needed no such label, his goal was clear enough to need no description in his name: To bring an end to Merhai, the one tribe with the nerve to refuse unification with Fairhelt during the great amalgamation of northern tribes several centuries earlier.
Biographical details aside, this force was both fresh and prepared to fight highly mobile forces. Huge numbers of military Ramids were used to drive off and break enemy formations, and large, heavy shields were provided to the several thousand spearmen in Fairhelt’s army.
Both forces were stalled, and skirmish warfare slowly wore away at them.
But while this took place, a force of thousands of axemen and dozens of Wooly Ramids slipped around through the northern reaches of Merhai and launched a daring strike on Kaliai from the Northeast. The small garrison was overcome, and the council was captured. A peace was signed, and the nation officially became a region of Fairhelt.
Most of the nation collapsed into chaos, to be later captured by Fairhelt or pledge allegiance to Gamorrea. Only the forces alongside the Iron Faces retained a semblance of order.
The force which had captured Kalia swung around to the north and advanced on the Iron Faces, surrounding much of the force. Many of the cavalrymen were not caught, of course, and tried to break the encirclement from the outside, but they were eventually dealt with by Fairhelt’s seemingly unlimited supply of Ramids, or by hypothermia and starvation if they tried to flee to the south (where they would be of far greater use to Khagan Khorchi).
Ultimately, Lengel involvement only delayed the inevitable. Merhai fell, albeit with much heavier casualties than expected by Fairhelt.
(-3000 Lengel Horsemen, -1500 Fairhelt Spearmen, -2000 Fairhelt Axemen, -35 Wooly Ramids, -Merhai)
Croyodon has been slowly and steadily growing in power, alongside its neighbour of Gorin. Following the Civil War and under the looming shadow of imminent Gorinese collapse, Croyodon began to grow more bold. It fashioned itself as an equal to the largest empire ever to exist (though many cartographers would claim it to be the original Lengel Empire, though it was a short lived flame compared to the boulder of Gorin). Any attempts made by Gorin to affect the internal affairs of Croyodon were rebuffed.
In Northern Gorin, almost all non-military control had dissolved. Croyodon moved some troops in to the lands west of the Wardash River to help maintain control, but it didn’t go further for fear of the Iron Face Lengel forces.
The military control found the form of a joint Gorinese/Croyodonian force, under the command of the Bajo-Oni general Treski Merleth. With massive, concentrated force it could crush any resistance it came upon, but due to Gorinese Command’s refusal to split up the force, recently reclaimed areas soon again fell to the Iron Face Lengels.
Nevertheless, Gorin marched onwards, fighting off all raiders who dared approach its mighty army.
The advance stopped at one of the larger Lengel settlements. The city was seized, though few could defend. As all of the war-worthy had joined the Khagan already, the only people present were the young, the weak, and the elderly. The population was rounded together, then massacred.
This failed to bring the result that Gorin desired, to draw the Iron Faces to battle. Therefore, Gorin simply repeated this act on the next village it found.
In the Iron Face camp, anger was boiling over. Khagan Khorchi could not continue his actions of slowly pecking away at Gorin’s forces unless he wanted a mutiny, his soldiers hungered to fight a real battle and avenge their slain brethren.
The Lengels’ anger was directed at a small Gorinese farming settlement in the great plains, somewhat ironically named ‘Deth’ (roughly translated to Gorinese as ‘Golden Fields’. The Iron Face horde descended upon the city, but was intercepted by the Gorinese/Croyodonian force. Perhaps it was a traitor who had given away the plans for attack, perhaps Gorin’s commanders had expected an attack on the vulnerable settlement, or perhaps it was just a massive coincidence. Regardless, this would be the decisive battle for the Lengels. If they won, Gorin would have half of its army broken, and would likely collapse under the weight of its previous defeats. If they lost, Gorin would continue its extermination, destroying the Lengel race like the Gerbers several centuries earlier.
The Battle of Deth began with the small Iron Face force which had first spotted the Gorinese racing off to the main war-host in a panicked retreat. Gorin’s considerably larger force made a rapid and organized advance, with Croyodon watching its flanks. The Iron Face main force fired with flaming arrows, igniting several alcoholic flame-traps, causing a frightening spectacle but killing few.
The Iron Faces launched several attacks on the front of Gorin’s force, firing arrows on them then retreating. This fighting retreat continued for quite a while, and was thoroughly inconclusive.
Growing tired of this repetitive combat, Gorin launched several cavalry charges to meet the attacking Lengels. Their Horse Archers were much less deadly when their mobility was matched, and havoc was wrecked upon their forces. Still, Khorchi seemed reluctant to attack, as if he were waiting for something. Taking advantage of their enemy’s apparent indecision, Gorin and its ally continued their relentless attack.
Around this time, a freak snowstorm engulfed the battlefield. Snowfall was not uncommon at this latitude, but such a storm in an area as far inland was strange indeed.
Khorchi planned a massive flanking maneuver against the Gorinese, using the poor visibility as cover. However, as this move was being executed, he himself was flanked. Croyodon had made its move earlier, and its highly skilled and professional forces had been extensively trained for a fight with mobile horsemen.
As Croyodon crashed through the Iron Face ranks, Gorin charged as well. The whole battle soon began to devolve into a melee. Khorchi’s forces fought with renewed vigour, but many of the greener portions of the Lengel force began to panic. General Merleth himself led an attack into the heart of the War-Host, and led several fellow Bajo-Oni in an attack against the Khagan’s personal bodyguard. The General of Gorin and the Khagan of the Iron Faces both fought in an epic horseback battle. It was very close, and Merleth managed to swing his mighty sword into the Obsidian mask of Khorchi. It shattered, but the counterblow of the Iron Face leader decapitated Merleth. He then slew a second Bajo-Oni, but a third sliced off his arm, then ran him through.
Throughout the battlefield, Gorin and Croyodon advanced, and many of the Lengels fought to the death. Others fled to the north. Regardless, all of the victors could feel that the Iron Face Empire was as broken as the Obsidian Mask which had been a symbol of it.
However, the losses suffered were bitter. And most of the survivors were defeated by a Nkondi force which struck a few weeks after the battle. The Nkondi rebels soon secured much of the area to their north, with no real forces to oppose them. The rest of the northern region (populated mostly by the few remaining Lengels) fell into anarchy, or simply was abandoned. Croyodon has sent a force to help restore control over the uncontrolled regions.
(-1000 Croyodonian Archers, -1000 Swordsmen, -500 Guards of the Council, -2000 Gorinese Cavalry, -5 Bajo-Oni, -1000 Spearmen, -10 000 Conscripts, -Iron Faces)
A series of explosions went off in the great forge complex of Hemleth, causing significant damage, both economic and structural (not to mention its negative effect on supplies for the war effort)
(-1 Economy Point for Gorin)
A second army of Gorin traveled through the south, re-establishing control over the area. Several small Emoran statelets were found, populated with refugees from the south. They refused to be moved, though they agreed to pay taxes to Gorin as long as they were allowed to govern themselves.
Gorin’s army then advanced up the Kalmar River, passing the growing Free City of Tigot before reaching Nkondi-held lands. The Nkondi fought strongly along a series of fortifications, but the power of Gorin was simply unbeatable. With no further outside enemies to fight, all internal conflicts were fighting against simply insurmountable odds. With the fall of Alaki, the Nkondi formally surrendered, and peacefully rejoined Gorin. Under the brilliant leadership of Lord Kaiser Basu Oborski VII, Gorin was saved from what some had predicted to be its inevitable demise. Other, more pessimistic observers predict that more of the same and worse will come in the future, and that no empire as large as Gorin can last long. And despite its successes, there is still much internal dissent within Gorin. A pacifist movement is growing, and moderate Masra-followers are chafing with their more extreme bretheren (who tend to be the ones in positions of command).
(-1000 spearmen, -500 archers, -1000 cavalry, -2 Ramids, -5000 Conscripts, -Nkondi Rebellion)
The Union of Ardan, staggering from the terrible loss at the Battle of Red Hill and the subsequent fall of Davar, has gone into damage control by emphasizing the connection between Arcadia and Orum, united in a spirit of defiance against Khemri. Unfortunately, there is still a large amount of resentment against Arcadia for its original heavy-handed and bloody invasion. Also, attention has been given only to the New Eldists, who were nearly wiped out during the aforementioned invasion, while the Gooranists were generally ignored. The Davians should be thankful that Orum hasn’t rebelled from their control yet. Expecting the people of Orum to help them is far too much to ask.
However, the occupation of the holy city of Ardan has the Pirian population of Arcadia in a state of religious outrage. The official submission of the city by the Bishop Jare accentuated this, and threw all practical power over the Union into Styatior Vain’s hands. Vain has skillfully channeled this anger into military force. Arcadia is ready for war, and close co-operation with Veritas has brought technological advancement.
(Union of Ardan Enters Imperial Age)
In Davar, large-scale civil disobedience has prevented Kalmar from profiting from its latest conquest. A man named Hugi, a leader of the resistance movement, was captured and martyred as an example. This cowed most of the resistance in the cities, but his death was a rallying point for the rebels in the upland countryside, who have grown quite powerful and are frustratingly hard to eradicate.
But this is not the only trouble Kalmar is going through. Growing increasingly frustrated with the collaboration with heathens against their Oneist bretheren and feeling a stronger connection to the ‘Courageous Valins’ then the ‘Cowardly Kalmarians’, the Keran tribes under the leadership of a defecting military officer named Servei Karseyn launched a rebellion.
The Keran homelands were captured easily, and collaboration with some Davians allowed Strategium to fall into rebel hands.
A Valin rebellion in Kallamas broke out, but was efficiently crushed by the large troop contingent in the city.
Despite these troubles, Kalmar has done a good job of preventing the rebellions from spread further. Without Kalmar’s tenacity and loyal troops (the Keran defectors ignored), the entire nation would have collapsed within a few years.
(-2000 Kalmar Axemen, -1000 Archers)
Several acts of economic sabotage have taken place throughout Khemri, such as sinking trading vessels, burning warehouses, and killing merchants. This was originally attributed to Veritas, and confirmed when a group convicted of killing several traders admitted that they were doing so at the command of members of the Assemblum Popularum of Veritas. News of this ‘cowardly slaying of civilians’ was spread throughout the nation, causing a general uproar and the dissolution of the illusion that Veritas was fighting an honest and honourable war.
(Completion of Silk Route delayed by one turn, +10 000 Militia)
Yathai has settled almost all of the available land around it. It is increasingly coming into conflict with the barbarians to their south. Attempts to civilize and convert them remain difficult and generally fail. The people are frustratingly stubborn, for reasons that the leaders of Yathai remain unsure of.
(-500 Spearmen)
Syracia has launched a quick campaign to destroy an isolated Ida’an’i’i pirate group on the mainland, suffering barely any casualties. It then launched a strike against one of the large pirate islands. Initially, the attack went well. The pirates were quickly pushed back, and eventually forced off the island with several quick battles. The island was secured, and supplies kept flowing, despite several concerted efforts to break the Syracian navy by the pirates.
With its naval dominance now confirmed by its recent victories, Syracia now began to explore into the archipelago- although not far, as the isolated exploring parties are vulnerable to raids.
A second offensive has begun further into the archipelago, and is so far successful, though the defenders are providing to be much more prepared and difficult this time.
(-10 Galleys, -1000 Axemen)
Being both a center of agriculture and production, and a major base for campaigns against the pirates, Ean Samhradh has become an economically strong and important city.
Trade attempts with Kelios have been made with the construction of a road to the border, but they have not yet been reciprocated by an increasingly militaristic Kelios.
(+Ean Samhradh Economic Center)
Kelios has been, as said just a moment ago, growing increasingly militaristic in response to the recent resurgence of the Divotheists and the threat of the Tsayan barbarians in the north.
Campaigns up the Allan river have brought Kelios’ borders up to those of the Tsayans. Outposts have been set up as an early warning system against possible attacks. Already they have succeeded in defusing a few possibly dangerous raids down into Kelios.
Both Kelios and Syracia have expelled all Divotheist missionaries from their countries, further omens of impending trouble for their western neighbours.
In more peaceful news, Kelios has completed the Cenotaph, and Aldis is restored to most of its original glory.
It appears that the Alse and Atheists fears were well-founded. Riding on a wave of Divotheist resurgence, Justok Nictuma and the leaders of Chancotol’s Merchant Council have officially merged their nations into one simply referred to by the hybrid name of ‘Chancosanx’, with its capital at Sobol. Alse was outlawed, though this was not strongly enforced. Practitioners of the faith were fined, but nothing else. This nation clearly doesn’t want to cause a conflict with Kelios.
But just in case the situation should come to that, several fortresses were built near the Kelios border.
Shortly after the union of the two Divotheist states, a book, the Logari Ixpurazi, was written, detailing all of the different forms of Divotheist worship.
(+Confidence)
Chief Kenna has outlawed Pirian Oneism within his nation. Several acts against Pirians took place. Those who could escape fled by various means to Arcadia. Others weren’t so lucky and were forced to fight against their oppressors. Finding victory impossible after a quick series of defeats at Nog and Murias, the remaining Pirians in the country fled to the north, where they set up a loose-coalition which holds out to this day.
(-500 Tuatha Swordsmen, +2000 Davian Volunteers (Battle-Ready Pirian Tuatha who fled to them)
Adar has formally united its nation with its conquests in Zemora. Possibly taking a subconscious hint from Chancotol and Sanx, it hybridized its name to Zamdar.
Bi and multilingualism is being encouraged, and cultural exchanges are going both ways. Pleased with Zemora’s calming influence on Adar, the Citadel has finally lifted its half-hearted blockade, allowing Adar back out into the world at large. Traditionalists in what is now known as the Province of Adar are horrified at what is happening, but they are a dying breed. The new generation of Zamdar is more tolerant and worldly than any that has ever lived in Malkavia or Adar in the past.
From a preliminary look, Zamdar seems to be leaning more towards the Khemri bloc than Veritas and its allies, though it has not made any official statements or actions yet.
Malereficar has expanded its territory and army, but little else.
Gamorrea has attempted to improve the economy of the impoverished regions of former Malkavia, but the area is still largely unproductive. Despite this, the city of Barakuir is showing some promise, should more investment be put into it.
Much more interesting than minor economic development is the massive religious upheaval that is sweeping the country. Centuries of settlement and pacifist existence (save the constant campaign against the northern barbarians) had allowed New Eldism to flourish in the country. Strengthening friendship with the small and advanced nation cemented the mix of faiths. However, the more orthodox and traditionalist inhabitants of the north, who maintained a nomadic lifestyle of hunting and fighting, were sickened by the ‘mass heresy’ in the south.
This simmering distrust was both augmented and reduced by the rise of Temuj Azgorra as leader of the Zam council. He devised a pragmatic faith uniting the beliefs of Gooranism with those of New Eldism, turning a violent tradition and a knowledge-seeking tradition into a hybrid middle ground of defensive nationalism and the pursuit of prosperity.
The new faith Gorrahnism, quickly gained some popularity, but it remains a minority, followed primarily in the more cosmopolitan south. Many New Eldists maintain their faith, and many of the northern Gamorreans have strengthened their current beliefs to counter those of their southern bretheren. However, no bloodshed has been caused, which given the potentially volatile situation is a victory in itself.
Due to its close relationship with the Citadel, Gamorrea has advanced into the Imperial Age
(Citadel of Knowledge and Gamorrea Enter Imperial Age)
Fairhelt’s shockingly fast advance into Merhai continued to within only a few day’s march from the capital city, Kaliai. A few fortifications delayed them, but not severely. But shortly into their assault upon the final fortress (though the shoddy, jury-rigged structure barely deserved that title), a totally new force entered the conflict.
3000 Iron Face cavalry smashed into Fairhelt’s flank. Having no experience fighting with or against light cavalry, the army was confused, scattered, and nearly annihilated, while inflicting minimal damage upon their attackers.
Taking a breath of relief, Merhai managed to send a few hundred soldiers to help, but their military and limited manpower were bled as white as the snow that covered much of their nation.
Realizing that Fairhelt would win by attrition, a counteroffensive was launched, to help force them to peace negotiations or possibly even turn the war back in Merhai’s favour.
The Iron Face cavalry led the attack back towards the inland sea, but they were soon met by a fresh Fairhelt army led by Arok, the son of the recently deceased Saro (A name usually followed by glorious titles such as ‘The Conqueror’
. Arok needed no such label, his goal was clear enough to need no description in his name: To bring an end to Merhai, the one tribe with the nerve to refuse unification with Fairhelt during the great amalgamation of northern tribes several centuries earlier.Biographical details aside, this force was both fresh and prepared to fight highly mobile forces. Huge numbers of military Ramids were used to drive off and break enemy formations, and large, heavy shields were provided to the several thousand spearmen in Fairhelt’s army.
Both forces were stalled, and skirmish warfare slowly wore away at them.
But while this took place, a force of thousands of axemen and dozens of Wooly Ramids slipped around through the northern reaches of Merhai and launched a daring strike on Kaliai from the Northeast. The small garrison was overcome, and the council was captured. A peace was signed, and the nation officially became a region of Fairhelt.
Most of the nation collapsed into chaos, to be later captured by Fairhelt or pledge allegiance to Gamorrea. Only the forces alongside the Iron Faces retained a semblance of order.
The force which had captured Kalia swung around to the north and advanced on the Iron Faces, surrounding much of the force. Many of the cavalrymen were not caught, of course, and tried to break the encirclement from the outside, but they were eventually dealt with by Fairhelt’s seemingly unlimited supply of Ramids, or by hypothermia and starvation if they tried to flee to the south (where they would be of far greater use to Khagan Khorchi).
Ultimately, Lengel involvement only delayed the inevitable. Merhai fell, albeit with much heavier casualties than expected by Fairhelt.
(-3000 Lengel Horsemen, -1500 Fairhelt Spearmen, -2000 Fairhelt Axemen, -35 Wooly Ramids, -Merhai)
Croyodon has been slowly and steadily growing in power, alongside its neighbour of Gorin. Following the Civil War and under the looming shadow of imminent Gorinese collapse, Croyodon began to grow more bold. It fashioned itself as an equal to the largest empire ever to exist (though many cartographers would claim it to be the original Lengel Empire, though it was a short lived flame compared to the boulder of Gorin). Any attempts made by Gorin to affect the internal affairs of Croyodon were rebuffed.
In Northern Gorin, almost all non-military control had dissolved. Croyodon moved some troops in to the lands west of the Wardash River to help maintain control, but it didn’t go further for fear of the Iron Face Lengel forces.
The military control found the form of a joint Gorinese/Croyodonian force, under the command of the Bajo-Oni general Treski Merleth. With massive, concentrated force it could crush any resistance it came upon, but due to Gorinese Command’s refusal to split up the force, recently reclaimed areas soon again fell to the Iron Face Lengels.
Nevertheless, Gorin marched onwards, fighting off all raiders who dared approach its mighty army.
The advance stopped at one of the larger Lengel settlements. The city was seized, though few could defend. As all of the war-worthy had joined the Khagan already, the only people present were the young, the weak, and the elderly. The population was rounded together, then massacred.
This failed to bring the result that Gorin desired, to draw the Iron Faces to battle. Therefore, Gorin simply repeated this act on the next village it found.
In the Iron Face camp, anger was boiling over. Khagan Khorchi could not continue his actions of slowly pecking away at Gorin’s forces unless he wanted a mutiny, his soldiers hungered to fight a real battle and avenge their slain brethren.
The Lengels’ anger was directed at a small Gorinese farming settlement in the great plains, somewhat ironically named ‘Deth’ (roughly translated to Gorinese as ‘Golden Fields’
. The Iron Face horde descended upon the city, but was intercepted by the Gorinese/Croyodonian force. Perhaps it was a traitor who had given away the plans for attack, perhaps Gorin’s commanders had expected an attack on the vulnerable settlement, or perhaps it was just a massive coincidence. Regardless, this would be the decisive battle for the Lengels. If they won, Gorin would have half of its army broken, and would likely collapse under the weight of its previous defeats. If they lost, Gorin would continue its extermination, destroying the Lengel race like the Gerbers several centuries earlier.The Battle of Deth began with the small Iron Face force which had first spotted the Gorinese racing off to the main war-host in a panicked retreat. Gorin’s considerably larger force made a rapid and organized advance, with Croyodon watching its flanks. The Iron Face main force fired with flaming arrows, igniting several alcoholic flame-traps, causing a frightening spectacle but killing few.
The Iron Faces launched several attacks on the front of Gorin’s force, firing arrows on them then retreating. This fighting retreat continued for quite a while, and was thoroughly inconclusive.
Growing tired of this repetitive combat, Gorin launched several cavalry charges to meet the attacking Lengels. Their Horse Archers were much less deadly when their mobility was matched, and havoc was wrecked upon their forces. Still, Khorchi seemed reluctant to attack, as if he were waiting for something. Taking advantage of their enemy’s apparent indecision, Gorin and its ally continued their relentless attack.
Around this time, a freak snowstorm engulfed the battlefield. Snowfall was not uncommon at this latitude, but such a storm in an area as far inland was strange indeed.
Khorchi planned a massive flanking maneuver against the Gorinese, using the poor visibility as cover. However, as this move was being executed, he himself was flanked. Croyodon had made its move earlier, and its highly skilled and professional forces had been extensively trained for a fight with mobile horsemen.
As Croyodon crashed through the Iron Face ranks, Gorin charged as well. The whole battle soon began to devolve into a melee. Khorchi’s forces fought with renewed vigour, but many of the greener portions of the Lengel force began to panic. General Merleth himself led an attack into the heart of the War-Host, and led several fellow Bajo-Oni in an attack against the Khagan’s personal bodyguard. The General of Gorin and the Khagan of the Iron Faces both fought in an epic horseback battle. It was very close, and Merleth managed to swing his mighty sword into the Obsidian mask of Khorchi. It shattered, but the counterblow of the Iron Face leader decapitated Merleth. He then slew a second Bajo-Oni, but a third sliced off his arm, then ran him through.
Throughout the battlefield, Gorin and Croyodon advanced, and many of the Lengels fought to the death. Others fled to the north. Regardless, all of the victors could feel that the Iron Face Empire was as broken as the Obsidian Mask which had been a symbol of it.
However, the losses suffered were bitter. And most of the survivors were defeated by a Nkondi force which struck a few weeks after the battle. The Nkondi rebels soon secured much of the area to their north, with no real forces to oppose them. The rest of the northern region (populated mostly by the few remaining Lengels) fell into anarchy, or simply was abandoned. Croyodon has sent a force to help restore control over the uncontrolled regions.
(-1000 Croyodonian Archers, -1000 Swordsmen, -500 Guards of the Council, -2000 Gorinese Cavalry, -5 Bajo-Oni, -1000 Spearmen, -10 000 Conscripts, -Iron Faces)
A series of explosions went off in the great forge complex of Hemleth, causing significant damage, both economic and structural (not to mention its negative effect on supplies for the war effort)
(-1 Economy Point for Gorin)
A second army of Gorin traveled through the south, re-establishing control over the area. Several small Emoran statelets were found, populated with refugees from the south. They refused to be moved, though they agreed to pay taxes to Gorin as long as they were allowed to govern themselves.
Gorin’s army then advanced up the Kalmar River, passing the growing Free City of Tigot before reaching Nkondi-held lands. The Nkondi fought strongly along a series of fortifications, but the power of Gorin was simply unbeatable. With no further outside enemies to fight, all internal conflicts were fighting against simply insurmountable odds. With the fall of Alaki, the Nkondi formally surrendered, and peacefully rejoined Gorin. Under the brilliant leadership of Lord Kaiser Basu Oborski VII, Gorin was saved from what some had predicted to be its inevitable demise. Other, more pessimistic observers predict that more of the same and worse will come in the future, and that no empire as large as Gorin can last long. And despite its successes, there is still much internal dissent within Gorin. A pacifist movement is growing, and moderate Masra-followers are chafing with their more extreme bretheren (who tend to be the ones in positions of command).
(-1000 spearmen, -500 archers, -1000 cavalry, -2 Ramids, -5000 Conscripts, -Nkondi Rebellion)
The Union of Ardan, staggering from the terrible loss at the Battle of Red Hill and the subsequent fall of Davar, has gone into damage control by emphasizing the connection between Arcadia and Orum, united in a spirit of defiance against Khemri. Unfortunately, there is still a large amount of resentment against Arcadia for its original heavy-handed and bloody invasion. Also, attention has been given only to the New Eldists, who were nearly wiped out during the aforementioned invasion, while the Gooranists were generally ignored. The Davians should be thankful that Orum hasn’t rebelled from their control yet. Expecting the people of Orum to help them is far too much to ask.
However, the occupation of the holy city of Ardan has the Pirian population of Arcadia in a state of religious outrage. The official submission of the city by the Bishop Jare accentuated this, and threw all practical power over the Union into Styatior Vain’s hands. Vain has skillfully channeled this anger into military force. Arcadia is ready for war, and close co-operation with Veritas has brought technological advancement.
(Union of Ardan Enters Imperial Age)
In Davar, large-scale civil disobedience has prevented Kalmar from profiting from its latest conquest. A man named Hugi, a leader of the resistance movement, was captured and martyred as an example. This cowed most of the resistance in the cities, but his death was a rallying point for the rebels in the upland countryside, who have grown quite powerful and are frustratingly hard to eradicate.
But this is not the only trouble Kalmar is going through. Growing increasingly frustrated with the collaboration with heathens against their Oneist bretheren and feeling a stronger connection to the ‘Courageous Valins’ then the ‘Cowardly Kalmarians’, the Keran tribes under the leadership of a defecting military officer named Servei Karseyn launched a rebellion.
The Keran homelands were captured easily, and collaboration with some Davians allowed Strategium to fall into rebel hands.
A Valin rebellion in Kallamas broke out, but was efficiently crushed by the large troop contingent in the city.
Despite these troubles, Kalmar has done a good job of preventing the rebellions from spread further. Without Kalmar’s tenacity and loyal troops (the Keran defectors ignored), the entire nation would have collapsed within a few years.
(-2000 Kalmar Axemen, -1000 Archers)
Several acts of economic sabotage have taken place throughout Khemri, such as sinking trading vessels, burning warehouses, and killing merchants. This was originally attributed to Veritas, and confirmed when a group convicted of killing several traders admitted that they were doing so at the command of members of the Assemblum Popularum of Veritas. News of this ‘cowardly slaying of civilians’ was spread throughout the nation, causing a general uproar and the dissolution of the illusion that Veritas was fighting an honest and honourable war.
(Completion of Silk Route delayed by one turn, +10 000 Militia)
Veritas has made one final call to arms, focused on Norvalin, the only Valin Republic not yet directly affected by the horrors of war. It is now nearly bled dry, further calls to arms will cripple the economy at a level comparable to the Swades.
Xenophon, the defender of Old Veritas, has left to Exilsium to command the forces, leaving his second in command, Vespasian, to defend against the mighty forces of Khemri, led by Ithaeur, (The Void) and the Knight.
In Old Veritas, The Knight led a daring attack towards Emor (the one in Veritas, not the one in the Swade Ascendancy), then curved up to the coast. Andama, now isolated, quickly fell to Ithaeur’s force. Vespasian’s beleaguered forces had no choice but to retreat, though the troops trapped in Andama fought to the death.
Vespasian’s retreat concentrated all of his forces in the highly-fortified city of Lux. Khemri’s two great generals descended on the city in a great two-pronged attack.
The city of Lux is built in a valley through the small mountainous area in central Tellium. There are two logical entrances to the city, one in the northeast and another in the southwest. The other sides are difficult to access, being highly mountainous and containing only mining roads.
The Knight’s force attacked from the southwest, The Void’s from the northeast. Ithaeur’s force struck first, advancing towards the eastern gate with thousands of Royal Guards, Crystal Knights, and other assorted soldiers. Vespasian sent out a small force of Urban Militia in a suicidal attack- most of it didn’t even reach Khemri’s army before being taken down by arrows or cavalry charge.
Khemri’s advance continued, then Veritas sprang a defensive trap. Its two surviving Yetis, positioned uphill from the battlefield, began rolling boulders (partially coated with Valin Fire) down at the attacking army. This dealt heavy damage to the formations of Khemri, forcing Ithaeur to break them up in order to avoid the boulders, which in turn resulted in more casualties from Phoenix Archers stationed on the walls of Lux.
However, the Yetis and their handlers soon ran out of large boulders. The massive creatures were sent down the hill in a terrifying charge. One was killed by intense arrow fire before reaching the army (though its body continued to roll down the hill, crushing several Royal Guards), the other taken down by a heroic Crystal Knight after smashing its way through a pikeman formation.
As the Yetis made their last attack, The Knight arrived with the second Khemri force. He immediately charged a Valin army waiting outside of the city walls. Brutal Crystal Knight charges with support from the Royal Guards caused great casualties against the Valin force.
Meanwhile, just having fought off the Yetis, Ithaeur’s now-struggling force was attacked by seven thousand of Veritas’ cavalrymen, ranging from mighty Rose Knights to Militia on Farm Horses, and everything in between.
The charge smashed apart the disorganized remnants of Khemri’s light infantry formations, and then met the Crystal Knights.
The tides of that particular battle raged for nearly an hour, as cavalry struck and maneuvered, while Khemri’s infantry attempted to box them in. But despite the skill and professionalism of Khemri’s army, Valin numbers managed to crush their force. The Void fell in battle, losing an arm and being impaled by the sword of a Rose Knight.
However, on the far side of the city, a different story was shaping out. The Knight’s force had smashed apart the Valin infantry, whose remnants had by now retreated back into the city. Rams advanced up to the city’s walls, and began to smash at the gate. It gave away soon, and Khemri’s force destroyed all who raised arms against them in the city. After a brutal street battle, the last armed resistance surrendered. Vespasian was captured, and his whereabouts since are unknown to all but Khemri.
With the victory secured, The Knight mourned for the death of his mentor, but wasted little time in continuing the campaign. Within a few weeks of the battle, all of Old Veritas was once again in Khemri’s hands.
(-2000 Khemri Pikemen, -500 Swordsmen, -6000 Royal Guards, -500 Horse Archers, -4500 Crystal Knights, -10 000 Militia, -3000 Valin Rose Knights, -2000 Phoenix Archers, -1000 Palantioi, -1000 Pelarioi, -500 Scimitari, -2000 Cavalry Militia, -5000 Urban Militia, -2 Yetis)
While traveling to Exilsium, Xenophon finally passed away of old age. He was buried in Pax upon his arrival. Command of the forces in Exilsium fell to the highest-ranking local Septilion, Endrius.
Endrius was quick to act against the Swade invaders. The surviving Oneists on the island fought guerilla warfare and tried to demoralize their invaders, but the fanatic Swades would not be swayed by the ridiculous claims of the Valins (such as the war with Myocaca, civil war within Swade Lands and the economic ruin of the Ascendancy).
Endrius’ forces managed to hold their ground against the growing number of Swades (they had more than enough food from the captured fields, and many of the last remnants of the civilian population were fleeing to join the military, as it was an easier job), but dire news reached them. The Swade Fleet had attacked the holy city of Exilsium, which was nearly undefended. It fell to a ‘small’ force of several thousand swordsmen, and was utterly destroyed, like Veritas before it. Only two of the five great cities of Veritas (Veritas, Kallamas, Exilsium, Redemption, and Unias) still stood, and only one of them fought for the Valins.
The force which had sacked Exilsium now traveled to Pax. The Valin fleet was prepared, however, and destroyed them before they could land.
(-10 Bladeremes, -10 000 Bladeist Conscripts, -1 Titan)
But this victory was to be short-lived. While Veritas was holding out, external forces moved to crush it…
The Knight’s Army, following victory in Tellium, took to the sea, reclaimed the island of Veritas, then joined the Swade attack.
A massive navy smashed the Valin fleet once again at the Second Naval Battle of Pax (the first being the victory over the Swade fleet), and Khemri made landfall. The Assemblum was captured, soon followed by both cities.
Endrius and the ruined survivors of Veritas gathered for a final stand in the mountains. They dealt massively disproportionate casualties to the Swades, but could not hold out against such numbers, especially when their enemies were aided by Khemri’s elite.
Soon after the total defeat of Valin forces in Exilsium, Khemri retreated from the island, leaving it in Swade hands.
(-8000 Urban Militia, -4000 Cavalry Militia, -1000 Scimitari, -15 000 Swade Conscripts, -1500 Royal Guards, -5000 Khemri Militia)
With captured maps and oceangoing vessels, Khemri set sail for the last bastion of Orthodox Oneism- Norvalin.
Returning its army to Tellium (landing them in Norvalin would be an untenable situation without enough supplies), several ships of the Khemri fleet blockaded the coastline of Norvalin, and Arcadia for good measure. Both groups were helpless against the blockade, for their fleets were both many weeks of sailing away, under the command of the Veritasian Oceanus Selenica.
Selenica, as of yet unaware of the disasters in the Republics, prepared to make a strike against the weakened heartlands of the Ascendancy itself.
But he did not strike alone.
Guangfei, disgusted by Swade barbarity and madness, joined the war on Veritas’ side. Its first move was to join its fleet in Qingdao with that of the Oceanus. The combined fleet set sail for the Emoran coastline. They no real resistance on the way, in fact, the tiny fleet of Myocaca joined them as they passed.
Davian Marines made the first deadly assault, chopping through the coastal defenders and establishing a beachhead. A Veritasian force followed.
As the military campaigned inland, Veritas made sure to treat the civilians well. They were allowed to continue practicing their religion and were generally left alone- in fact, they were treated much better by their occupiers than their own government, after all of the damage it had done to them.
And the rumours of this spread like a wave before the invaders.
(-1500 Davian Marines, -1000 Tuatha Volunteers, -4000 Urban Militia, -1000 Swordsmen of Divine Enlightenment, -10 000 Conscripts)
Of course, even before this, Myocaca and Sintonia had begun to fight the Swade.
Sintonia was weak, and seriously underestimated the Swade’s capability to damage them. The Swades instantly sent tens of thousands of troops stationed at or near the area in an assault against western Sintonia, while a smaller force struck at the capital from over the mountains, capturing the Sultan.
He was not deposed, but was forced to surrender and allow the Swades to conscript his people into the army.
After this brief campaign, Sintonia was out of the war. It was damaged, the Sultan was unpopular, but the nation remained independent.
(+20 000 Swade Conscripts (Net), -3000 Sintonian Swordsmen, -1000 Archers, -Confidence)
Myocaca performed considerably better. After the victory at Herim tower, many Oneists returned to Myocaca as military volunteers. General Sunez was given the difficult job of defending Diliculo from the final, massive Swade assault, while other Generals worked away at other targets.
General Swithrine led his forces to join with the Valin and Davian armies (though there was at first a small amount of distrust between them).
General Aaron attacked through the bottleneck area separating the Swade heartlands from Ozkir and Alatia.
Meanwhile, Guangfei struck from the south, with Buguan assisting. Ozkir was quickly overrun, while Buguan took Alatia.
Guangfei also launched a campaign into what had once been New Veritas. All they encountered in Swade territory there were civilians, who they conquered with minimal casualties.
(-1000 Ma Gun, -1000 Ma Bing, -5000 Guangfei Conscripts, -1000 Buguan Swordsmen, -2000 Myocacan Swordsmen, -2500 Bigjaur Riders, -1500 Cavalry, -6 Ramids, -Countless Swade Conscripts)
On all fronts, the Swades were collapsing. Evern IV Wilipi was being increasingly viewed as insane, even by his own people. He even began to lose his sense of ‘honour’, twisted though it was. For when Horthen Ceaser Emor arrived for his one on one ‘epic’ with the Swade Leader, he was killed by arrows on sight. On top of this, the civilians of the Ascendancy were sick of the brutal policies of Evern, taking away their young to fight and leaving their parents to starve due to a lack of agricultural workforce. While the military remained unfailingly loyal, the surviving civilians were all but rebelling.
Furthermore, all invaders were compelled to advance. Myocaca due to its need to survive, Guangfei and Buguan due to their strong desire to win a morale-boosting victory over one of their biggest historical threats, and the Oneists for their pure hatred for Evern IV ‘The Mad’ (plus the fact that Khemri’s fleet prevented them from leaving safely).
A brief time of hope arrived with a most unexpected occurrence. Aryie had been going through a leadership struggle, resulting in the throne going to Zekat, a Bladeist. Shortly after his ascension, things started to go badly in the city. Bladeist fanatics took to the streets, and began to fulfill Evern’s Extinction Doctrine. The nation’s military did nothing, until the entire nation was purged. Then, even more unexpected, the government went violent.
Most suspect that Zekat was merely a puppet of the Swades. Regardless of this point, the army of Aryie joined the Swades. Several thousand swordsmen advanced into Myocaca. They pillaged in a most uncharacteristic manner, fighting their way up the Myocacan coastline until forces could be redirected to stop them.
At the same time, a second force landed in Sintonia and began doing the same. Hazim II’s struggling government took another blow, but managed to prevent the fall of any major cities.
(-3000 Aryien Swordsmen, -5000 Myocacan Militia, -1000 Myocacan Cavalry, -1000 Sintonian Swordsmen, -500 Ky, -1000 Archers)
Despite this small aid, bit by bit, the forces of the Swades were forced back, to the ancient city of Swade itself. Here, Evern III Wilipi gathered his forces to make a last stand, in the holy city of Bladeism.
The invading Valins, Davians, Guangfei, Buguan, and Myocacans lay siege to the city, undermining its walls and fighting off countless Swade sorties. The battling was brutal, and neither side gained or lost an inch.
However, the arrival of Khemri changed this.
At first, the allied invaders believed that Khemri was here to relieve the Swades. But Khemri declared that it had tolerated the brutality of the Swades for too long, and joined the attacking forces.
They were distrusted, naturally, but never attempted any trickery.
At the end of the first month of the siege, one final change in the players decided the fate of the Swades.
A great ram, built by all of the besiegers together, finally smashed through the gate to the city, and attackers poured in. And a second, unexpected attack came from behind.
A force of three thousand Bigjaur Riders, led by a Swade man riding a rare Albino, charged into the city. It smashed a path straight to Evern, where he commanded his troops. The White Rider flung a javelin, and it impaled the mighty Swade leader.
All seemed to fall silent as the regicidal warrior spoke.
"The Tyrant is now gone, his corruption fertilizing the Earth. He deserves not the honourable blade in death, for he destroyed so many in life."
He continued to speak, but chaos broke out. The Swades attacked the man’s Bigjaur force, but they simply resumed their charge, breaking apart the Swade formation before leaving the battlefield.
The rest of the Battle of Swade was a slaughter. Every Swade Soldier was killed, and the city was put under joint occupation. Khemri maintained a truce with the Oneists, though it did not let them leave until negotiations could be held about if the war was to continue, or if they would accept peace terms.
(-Swade Ascendancy, -2000 Guangfei Spearmen, -500 Crossbowmen, -9000 Recruits, -1000 Khemri Crystal Knights, -1000 Horse Archers, -5000 Militia, -1000 Myocacan Bigjaur Riders, -500 Davian Marines, -500 Scimitari, -1000 Pelarioi, -2000 Urban Militia, -3000 Cavalry Militia)
Skilv’so has finally cast off what remains of its original name and culture, declaring itself to be Zuoharra. This has been accompanied by a large military reorganization.
Gerougia and Guarela are both growing together, mutually deciding that most of the outside world is too violent to get involved with for their tastes.
Destre has begun to develop economically, with the government focusing on improving agriculture.
(+1 Region)
Magland, under the rule of their first Emperor, Odan, has launched a grand campaign against the barbarians to its east. The army of nearly 15 000 soldiers smashed apart all resistance with ease, reaching the border of Rozan before wheeling around, campaigning back towards civilization.
All of the men who fought were killed, women and children were enslaved. All in all, this was reminiscent of Trinlin's early campaigns, where they enslaved their own religious bretheren.
This brutal attack has solidified the resolve of the remaining Trinlinist tribes, who are now growing hateful of the powerful nation which can destroy them apparently on a whim. They are drifting further and further away from the Trinlinist religion. For the opposite reason, Magland is also beginning to develop Trinlinism further.
In Magland proper however, the attack has been a great success. Huge amounts of plunder have been brought to Magon, and a large population of slaves has strengthened the economy and improved the standard of living for their captors. However, it has brought a large, discontent minority into the population, which is never a good thing.
(+1 Bonus Eco Point, +Confidence, -4000 Recruits, -500 Swordsmen, -500 Cavalry)
After the White Rider slew Evern IV Wilipi, he left for the coast. He left Cultesia with his followers and set sail for Exilsium.
Upon arriving, he declared it to be ‘The Free and Holy Land of Otaria’. He took control of the remaining militia there and began to resettle the land. The remnants of the Swade navy also joined him.
The new nation is apparently peaceful, and no actions have yet been made against it.
(+Otaria)
Following these busy years, the world is very much a changed place, but in other ways maintains the status quo. Khemri is an immovable boulder of a nation, as always. Gorin has made a temporary recovery, but it maintains severe unity and internal problems.
Veritas is shattered, most of its population is dead. A sizeable population still resides in Old Veritas largely unscathed, and Norvalin remains untouched by war- at the time of this writing, at least. But its power may be forever broken.
The Swade Ascendancy, despite all of its military prowess and fanaticism, is dead. It is completely occupied, and the civilians are quickly turning on each other, forming their own factions.
But the apparent end of this war shows not only suffering. It shows a possible path to future peace. A scholar of the Citadel based in Swade, shortly after the climactic battle, perhaps puts it best:
"All civilizations are founded to end violence. Men band together to prevent wanton slaughter and disregard for life. They entrust government with power over them, in return for protecting their rights, and allowing them to live as they choose provided they do not harm others.
Civilization is certainly better than the alternative. We know it to be so; for civilizations have steadily expanded and fostered imitators. The barbarians on the edge of civilization must eventually either be incorporated, found their own states, or flee to ever more remote locations.
But independent states are not the culmination of mankind's ingenuity, but only a step above anarchy. Corruption and thuggery become more subtle, but they persist. More people have more freedom, but not all have as much as they would wish.
The thuggery of civilization becomes apparent in the phenomenon known as war. Wars are almost never started for the good of the entire nation waging them. Instead, one ruling class, which has installed itself as ruler over the rest of the world, looks greedily or enviously at the domain of another ruling class. And then they attempt to take it by force. But, of course, they do not go themselves. Instead, they send those who are worth most in society, but given the least privileges. They send the common people, without whose power and whose actions no civilization is possible, to fight and to die in service of an empty cause, to fuel the greed of their oppressors.
This is only barely better than anarchy. And there is a better way, one that will benefit all men, not only those who happen to be born to the right family, one that does not require the needless death of millions.
That way is peace and cooperation, for the advancement of all mankind. War is the antithesis of peace, but also of progress. From its bloody grip, no society can recover. All across the world today, bloated nations batter each other, using their people as mere tools of death, to be thrown away at a whim and for no gain.
The way of peace is possible, and it is approaching. The day is very near when all mankind will live together in harmony. Join this cause, march together with us to end war, to end hate. Wherever we march, peace shall follow. And we will not rest until every nation is united in a brotherhood of peace."
Notes: Kelios only got 500 cavalry for its eco point because it was expensive to ship horses from the lands in the far west, and its current population of horses was low. In the future they will be normal price.
Hybridizing names? It must be some sort of fad. Who knows what we’ll see next? Norvexilsitasium, Khemrexou, Arcadavar, Gorimari (oh wait, that’s already been done)…
@LittleBoots- Could you give me a description of the religion, so I can put it in the stats?
@Luckymoose- In your face!
@Thlayli- In your face!
@Everyone else who doubted my solemn vow to finish tonight- In your face!
Xenophon, the defender of Old Veritas, has left to Exilsium to command the forces, leaving his second in command, Vespasian, to defend against the mighty forces of Khemri, led by Ithaeur, (The Void) and the Knight.
In Old Veritas, The Knight led a daring attack towards Emor (the one in Veritas, not the one in the Swade Ascendancy), then curved up to the coast. Andama, now isolated, quickly fell to Ithaeur’s force. Vespasian’s beleaguered forces had no choice but to retreat, though the troops trapped in Andama fought to the death.
Vespasian’s retreat concentrated all of his forces in the highly-fortified city of Lux. Khemri’s two great generals descended on the city in a great two-pronged attack.
The city of Lux is built in a valley through the small mountainous area in central Tellium. There are two logical entrances to the city, one in the northeast and another in the southwest. The other sides are difficult to access, being highly mountainous and containing only mining roads.
The Knight’s force attacked from the southwest, The Void’s from the northeast. Ithaeur’s force struck first, advancing towards the eastern gate with thousands of Royal Guards, Crystal Knights, and other assorted soldiers. Vespasian sent out a small force of Urban Militia in a suicidal attack- most of it didn’t even reach Khemri’s army before being taken down by arrows or cavalry charge.
Khemri’s advance continued, then Veritas sprang a defensive trap. Its two surviving Yetis, positioned uphill from the battlefield, began rolling boulders (partially coated with Valin Fire) down at the attacking army. This dealt heavy damage to the formations of Khemri, forcing Ithaeur to break them up in order to avoid the boulders, which in turn resulted in more casualties from Phoenix Archers stationed on the walls of Lux.
However, the Yetis and their handlers soon ran out of large boulders. The massive creatures were sent down the hill in a terrifying charge. One was killed by intense arrow fire before reaching the army (though its body continued to roll down the hill, crushing several Royal Guards), the other taken down by a heroic Crystal Knight after smashing its way through a pikeman formation.
As the Yetis made their last attack, The Knight arrived with the second Khemri force. He immediately charged a Valin army waiting outside of the city walls. Brutal Crystal Knight charges with support from the Royal Guards caused great casualties against the Valin force.
Meanwhile, just having fought off the Yetis, Ithaeur’s now-struggling force was attacked by seven thousand of Veritas’ cavalrymen, ranging from mighty Rose Knights to Militia on Farm Horses, and everything in between.
The charge smashed apart the disorganized remnants of Khemri’s light infantry formations, and then met the Crystal Knights.
The tides of that particular battle raged for nearly an hour, as cavalry struck and maneuvered, while Khemri’s infantry attempted to box them in. But despite the skill and professionalism of Khemri’s army, Valin numbers managed to crush their force. The Void fell in battle, losing an arm and being impaled by the sword of a Rose Knight.
However, on the far side of the city, a different story was shaping out. The Knight’s force had smashed apart the Valin infantry, whose remnants had by now retreated back into the city. Rams advanced up to the city’s walls, and began to smash at the gate. It gave away soon, and Khemri’s force destroyed all who raised arms against them in the city. After a brutal street battle, the last armed resistance surrendered. Vespasian was captured, and his whereabouts since are unknown to all but Khemri.
With the victory secured, The Knight mourned for the death of his mentor, but wasted little time in continuing the campaign. Within a few weeks of the battle, all of Old Veritas was once again in Khemri’s hands.
(-2000 Khemri Pikemen, -500 Swordsmen, -6000 Royal Guards, -500 Horse Archers, -4500 Crystal Knights, -10 000 Militia, -3000 Valin Rose Knights, -2000 Phoenix Archers, -1000 Palantioi, -1000 Pelarioi, -500 Scimitari, -2000 Cavalry Militia, -5000 Urban Militia, -2 Yetis)
While traveling to Exilsium, Xenophon finally passed away of old age. He was buried in Pax upon his arrival. Command of the forces in Exilsium fell to the highest-ranking local Septilion, Endrius.
Endrius was quick to act against the Swade invaders. The surviving Oneists on the island fought guerilla warfare and tried to demoralize their invaders, but the fanatic Swades would not be swayed by the ridiculous claims of the Valins (such as the war with Myocaca, civil war within Swade Lands and the economic ruin of the Ascendancy
).Endrius’ forces managed to hold their ground against the growing number of Swades (they had more than enough food from the captured fields, and many of the last remnants of the civilian population were fleeing to join the military, as it was an easier job), but dire news reached them. The Swade Fleet had attacked the holy city of Exilsium, which was nearly undefended. It fell to a ‘small’ force of several thousand swordsmen, and was utterly destroyed, like Veritas before it. Only two of the five great cities of Veritas (Veritas, Kallamas, Exilsium, Redemption, and Unias) still stood, and only one of them fought for the Valins.
The force which had sacked Exilsium now traveled to Pax. The Valin fleet was prepared, however, and destroyed them before they could land.
(-10 Bladeremes, -10 000 Bladeist Conscripts, -1 Titan)
But this victory was to be short-lived. While Veritas was holding out, external forces moved to crush it…
The Knight’s Army, following victory in Tellium, took to the sea, reclaimed the island of Veritas, then joined the Swade attack.
A massive navy smashed the Valin fleet once again at the Second Naval Battle of Pax (the first being the victory over the Swade fleet), and Khemri made landfall. The Assemblum was captured, soon followed by both cities.
Endrius and the ruined survivors of Veritas gathered for a final stand in the mountains. They dealt massively disproportionate casualties to the Swades, but could not hold out against such numbers, especially when their enemies were aided by Khemri’s elite.
Soon after the total defeat of Valin forces in Exilsium, Khemri retreated from the island, leaving it in Swade hands.
(-8000 Urban Militia, -4000 Cavalry Militia, -1000 Scimitari, -15 000 Swade Conscripts, -1500 Royal Guards, -5000 Khemri Militia)
With captured maps and oceangoing vessels, Khemri set sail for the last bastion of Orthodox Oneism- Norvalin.
Returning its army to Tellium (landing them in Norvalin would be an untenable situation without enough supplies), several ships of the Khemri fleet blockaded the coastline of Norvalin, and Arcadia for good measure. Both groups were helpless against the blockade, for their fleets were both many weeks of sailing away, under the command of the Veritasian Oceanus Selenica.
Selenica, as of yet unaware of the disasters in the Republics, prepared to make a strike against the weakened heartlands of the Ascendancy itself.
But he did not strike alone.
Guangfei, disgusted by Swade barbarity and madness, joined the war on Veritas’ side. Its first move was to join its fleet in Qingdao with that of the Oceanus. The combined fleet set sail for the Emoran coastline. They no real resistance on the way, in fact, the tiny fleet of Myocaca joined them as they passed.
Davian Marines made the first deadly assault, chopping through the coastal defenders and establishing a beachhead. A Veritasian force followed.
As the military campaigned inland, Veritas made sure to treat the civilians well. They were allowed to continue practicing their religion and were generally left alone- in fact, they were treated much better by their occupiers than their own government, after all of the damage it had done to them.
And the rumours of this spread like a wave before the invaders.
(-1500 Davian Marines, -1000 Tuatha Volunteers, -4000 Urban Militia, -1000 Swordsmen of Divine Enlightenment, -10 000 Conscripts)
Of course, even before this, Myocaca and Sintonia had begun to fight the Swade.
Sintonia was weak, and seriously underestimated the Swade’s capability to damage them. The Swades instantly sent tens of thousands of troops stationed at or near the area in an assault against western Sintonia, while a smaller force struck at the capital from over the mountains, capturing the Sultan.
He was not deposed, but was forced to surrender and allow the Swades to conscript his people into the army.
After this brief campaign, Sintonia was out of the war. It was damaged, the Sultan was unpopular, but the nation remained independent.
(+20 000 Swade Conscripts (Net), -3000 Sintonian Swordsmen, -1000 Archers, -Confidence)
Myocaca performed considerably better. After the victory at Herim tower, many Oneists returned to Myocaca as military volunteers. General Sunez was given the difficult job of defending Diliculo from the final, massive Swade assault, while other Generals worked away at other targets.
General Swithrine led his forces to join with the Valin and Davian armies (though there was at first a small amount of distrust between them).
General Aaron attacked through the bottleneck area separating the Swade heartlands from Ozkir and Alatia.
Meanwhile, Guangfei struck from the south, with Buguan assisting. Ozkir was quickly overrun, while Buguan took Alatia.
Guangfei also launched a campaign into what had once been New Veritas. All they encountered in Swade territory there were civilians, who they conquered with minimal casualties.
(-1000 Ma Gun, -1000 Ma Bing, -5000 Guangfei Conscripts, -1000 Buguan Swordsmen, -2000 Myocacan Swordsmen, -2500 Bigjaur Riders, -1500 Cavalry, -6 Ramids, -Countless Swade Conscripts)
On all fronts, the Swades were collapsing. Evern IV Wilipi was being increasingly viewed as insane, even by his own people. He even began to lose his sense of ‘honour’, twisted though it was. For when Horthen Ceaser Emor arrived for his one on one ‘epic’ with the Swade Leader, he was killed by arrows on sight. On top of this, the civilians of the Ascendancy were sick of the brutal policies of Evern, taking away their young to fight and leaving their parents to starve due to a lack of agricultural workforce. While the military remained unfailingly loyal, the surviving civilians were all but rebelling.
Furthermore, all invaders were compelled to advance. Myocaca due to its need to survive, Guangfei and Buguan due to their strong desire to win a morale-boosting victory over one of their biggest historical threats, and the Oneists for their pure hatred for Evern IV ‘The Mad’ (plus the fact that Khemri’s fleet prevented them from leaving safely).
A brief time of hope arrived with a most unexpected occurrence. Aryie had been going through a leadership struggle, resulting in the throne going to Zekat, a Bladeist. Shortly after his ascension, things started to go badly in the city. Bladeist fanatics took to the streets, and began to fulfill Evern’s Extinction Doctrine. The nation’s military did nothing, until the entire nation was purged. Then, even more unexpected, the government went violent.
Most suspect that Zekat was merely a puppet of the Swades. Regardless of this point, the army of Aryie joined the Swades. Several thousand swordsmen advanced into Myocaca. They pillaged in a most uncharacteristic manner, fighting their way up the Myocacan coastline until forces could be redirected to stop them.
At the same time, a second force landed in Sintonia and began doing the same. Hazim II’s struggling government took another blow, but managed to prevent the fall of any major cities.
(-3000 Aryien Swordsmen, -5000 Myocacan Militia, -1000 Myocacan Cavalry, -1000 Sintonian Swordsmen, -500 Ky, -1000 Archers)
Despite this small aid, bit by bit, the forces of the Swades were forced back, to the ancient city of Swade itself. Here, Evern III Wilipi gathered his forces to make a last stand, in the holy city of Bladeism.
The invading Valins, Davians, Guangfei, Buguan, and Myocacans lay siege to the city, undermining its walls and fighting off countless Swade sorties. The battling was brutal, and neither side gained or lost an inch.
However, the arrival of Khemri changed this.
At first, the allied invaders believed that Khemri was here to relieve the Swades. But Khemri declared that it had tolerated the brutality of the Swades for too long, and joined the attacking forces.
They were distrusted, naturally, but never attempted any trickery.
At the end of the first month of the siege, one final change in the players decided the fate of the Swades.
A great ram, built by all of the besiegers together, finally smashed through the gate to the city, and attackers poured in. And a second, unexpected attack came from behind.
A force of three thousand Bigjaur Riders, led by a Swade man riding a rare Albino, charged into the city. It smashed a path straight to Evern, where he commanded his troops. The White Rider flung a javelin, and it impaled the mighty Swade leader.
All seemed to fall silent as the regicidal warrior spoke.
"The Tyrant is now gone, his corruption fertilizing the Earth. He deserves not the honourable blade in death, for he destroyed so many in life."
He continued to speak, but chaos broke out. The Swades attacked the man’s Bigjaur force, but they simply resumed their charge, breaking apart the Swade formation before leaving the battlefield.
The rest of the Battle of Swade was a slaughter. Every Swade Soldier was killed, and the city was put under joint occupation. Khemri maintained a truce with the Oneists, though it did not let them leave until negotiations could be held about if the war was to continue, or if they would accept peace terms.
(-Swade Ascendancy, -2000 Guangfei Spearmen, -500 Crossbowmen, -9000 Recruits, -1000 Khemri Crystal Knights, -1000 Horse Archers, -5000 Militia, -1000 Myocacan Bigjaur Riders, -500 Davian Marines, -500 Scimitari, -1000 Pelarioi, -2000 Urban Militia, -3000 Cavalry Militia)
Skilv’so has finally cast off what remains of its original name and culture, declaring itself to be Zuoharra. This has been accompanied by a large military reorganization.
Gerougia and Guarela are both growing together, mutually deciding that most of the outside world is too violent to get involved with for their tastes.
Destre has begun to develop economically, with the government focusing on improving agriculture.
(+1 Region)
Magland, under the rule of their first Emperor, Odan, has launched a grand campaign against the barbarians to its east. The army of nearly 15 000 soldiers smashed apart all resistance with ease, reaching the border of Rozan before wheeling around, campaigning back towards civilization.
All of the men who fought were killed, women and children were enslaved. All in all, this was reminiscent of Trinlin's early campaigns, where they enslaved their own religious bretheren.
This brutal attack has solidified the resolve of the remaining Trinlinist tribes, who are now growing hateful of the powerful nation which can destroy them apparently on a whim. They are drifting further and further away from the Trinlinist religion. For the opposite reason, Magland is also beginning to develop Trinlinism further.
In Magland proper however, the attack has been a great success. Huge amounts of plunder have been brought to Magon, and a large population of slaves has strengthened the economy and improved the standard of living for their captors. However, it has brought a large, discontent minority into the population, which is never a good thing.
(+1 Bonus Eco Point, +Confidence, -4000 Recruits, -500 Swordsmen, -500 Cavalry)
After the White Rider slew Evern IV Wilipi, he left for the coast. He left Cultesia with his followers and set sail for Exilsium.
Upon arriving, he declared it to be ‘The Free and Holy Land of Otaria’. He took control of the remaining militia there and began to resettle the land. The remnants of the Swade navy also joined him.
The new nation is apparently peaceful, and no actions have yet been made against it.
(+Otaria)
Following these busy years, the world is very much a changed place, but in other ways maintains the status quo. Khemri is an immovable boulder of a nation, as always. Gorin has made a temporary recovery, but it maintains severe unity and internal problems.
Veritas is shattered, most of its population is dead. A sizeable population still resides in Old Veritas largely unscathed, and Norvalin remains untouched by war- at the time of this writing, at least. But its power may be forever broken.
The Swade Ascendancy, despite all of its military prowess and fanaticism, is dead. It is completely occupied, and the civilians are quickly turning on each other, forming their own factions.
But the apparent end of this war shows not only suffering. It shows a possible path to future peace. A scholar of the Citadel based in Swade, shortly after the climactic battle, perhaps puts it best:
"All civilizations are founded to end violence. Men band together to prevent wanton slaughter and disregard for life. They entrust government with power over them, in return for protecting their rights, and allowing them to live as they choose provided they do not harm others.
Civilization is certainly better than the alternative. We know it to be so; for civilizations have steadily expanded and fostered imitators. The barbarians on the edge of civilization must eventually either be incorporated, found their own states, or flee to ever more remote locations.
But independent states are not the culmination of mankind's ingenuity, but only a step above anarchy. Corruption and thuggery become more subtle, but they persist. More people have more freedom, but not all have as much as they would wish.
The thuggery of civilization becomes apparent in the phenomenon known as war. Wars are almost never started for the good of the entire nation waging them. Instead, one ruling class, which has installed itself as ruler over the rest of the world, looks greedily or enviously at the domain of another ruling class. And then they attempt to take it by force. But, of course, they do not go themselves. Instead, they send those who are worth most in society, but given the least privileges. They send the common people, without whose power and whose actions no civilization is possible, to fight and to die in service of an empty cause, to fuel the greed of their oppressors.
This is only barely better than anarchy. And there is a better way, one that will benefit all men, not only those who happen to be born to the right family, one that does not require the needless death of millions.
That way is peace and cooperation, for the advancement of all mankind. War is the antithesis of peace, but also of progress. From its bloody grip, no society can recover. All across the world today, bloated nations batter each other, using their people as mere tools of death, to be thrown away at a whim and for no gain.
The way of peace is possible, and it is approaching. The day is very near when all mankind will live together in harmony. Join this cause, march together with us to end war, to end hate. Wherever we march, peace shall follow. And we will not rest until every nation is united in a brotherhood of peace."
Notes: Kelios only got 500 cavalry for its eco point because it was expensive to ship horses from the lands in the far west, and its current population of horses was low. In the future they will be normal price.
Hybridizing names? It must be some sort of fad. Who knows what we’ll see next? Norvexilsitasium, Khemrexou, Arcadavar, Gorimari (oh wait, that’s already been done)…
@LittleBoots- Could you give me a description of the religion, so I can put it in the stats?
@Luckymoose- In your face!
@Thlayli- In your face!
@Everyone else who doubted my solemn vow to finish tonight- In your face!
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Nice Iggy you proved me wrong. Worth the wait.
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
What exactly happened to my attack on Veritas? (island).
JosefStalinator
Я буду снова здесь
Psh, Joe still doesn't see stats .
Yay for waiting a month to see myself mentioned four times
.Yay for waiting a month to see myself mentioned four times
~Darkening~
Weep, Mother.
I never wanted to invade Emor :[. I wanted to attack Veritas! *sigh*
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Long Live the Emperor Long Live MAGLAND!
Rust and Decay
"A tool is a tool, unless it does the job itself."
-Anonymous
All in all, it was fairly amiable. The Extinction Doctrine had been amiably kept. The army was well in line due to his strategic placing of loyal secretly Bladeist commanders dispersed throughout the army.
How I do love war.
He grinned to himself in the room full of generals and remembered. The Swades had promised him splendor, wealth, and greatness. If only they would side with him...and it was so easy! Just kill off a few Oneists (those scum) here and there, and maybe offer some military support.
It was to come.
"We strike for Myocaca and Sintonia!" he roared. "They have not been true Bladeists!"
They cheered. Bloodthirsty Bladeists, every one of them. They were truly his troops. How faithful he was! How the Blademaster would reward him in the afterlife!
It was deceptively simple. Nobody would expect the Aryien troops to storm across the borders. Once there, they would obviously storm across and hit capitals and seize important cities. Surprise was on their side.
And so the plans were laid. Strike north and south. Vague it was, to be sure, but he preferred to let his generals think of the silly and insignificant details. What to do after, well, he would worry about that after. Zekat was a big picture man, after all.
--
A success! Good news indeed, in the dark times. The Swade Ascendancy looked to be crumbling. But surely, there was no way that Evern IV Wilipi could fall. A brave, loyal man who lived his life all for the Blademaster. Surely he was infallible. But still, dark, dark times. A spot of good hope was sorely needed.
And so messengers had brought back word. They had won victory after victory! They had fought, those loyal Aryien soldiers, up the Myocacan coast, pillaging for the greater good, up until those slow traitors had finally noticed. They were stopped, but no matter. What was theirs was theirs.
In the south, less success, though by no means disappointing. Hazim III, the pig, was struggling and on the verge of breaking. No major cities were taken, but he had to be content with what he had.
Now was the time for dialogue, though. It was time to break the good news. He would start with his small council.
"As you all well know," he began, ever direct, "we have had good news concerning our blessed nation of Aryie."
He waited for the people to add their various voices of approval and agreement.
"We have finally conquered some territory! Our cowardly ancestors have never had the bravery necessary to shed blood for the good of Aryie, and now that we have, we control a veritable kingdom! Nay, an empire!"
Muttering this time, less approving.
"An empire, my king?" His pesky pacifist economic advisor, Aklan Floun.
"Emperor," he said, acerbically. "The Emperor of the Holy Empire of Aryie. I've decided. It's to be mine."
"Yes, yes, we've perhaps doubled our territory, but--"
"No buts. This is but a first step to farther glory and fame."
"No, you see--"
"An empire." His eyes glowered.
"Oh yes, the Holy Empier of Aryie!" Aklan was unable to keep the derision from his voice. "Do you even expect that we will be able to hold onto it? The Swades are doomed. Sue for peace. Our prosperity will be short lived."
"Aklan of House Floun, rescind your comments, or I, acting as Holy Aryien Emperor, will be forced to make you retract them."
"I refuse." He got up and stormed from the room in anger, or at least, he would have, had the Commander of the City Watch not called his troops to seize the man as he got up.
"Wait!" he said, wildly. "I acquiesce! You are right! The Blademaster himself, he told me, he told me to apologize, he told me."
Zekat studied him curiously. "Your first infraction, my dear friend. But we go a long way back. Release him."
"How could he release him just like that?"
"Treason! It's treason, all right!"
Disturbed complaints fluttered around the room as Aklan sheepishly took his seat. It was all interrupted, however, for hark! Another messenger. Surely it was good news. The Swades had launched a successful counterattack, surely?
He grabbed the letter and dismissed the messenger with a curt nod. He broke the seal and read voraciously. His smile dropped and melted away into a grim slash across his face, and there into a veritable scowl.
He had the messenger hanged, of course. There was no way the Swade Ascendancy could be on the verge of breaking. Absolutely not. The Blademaster had far more kindness, surely, than to let their efforts be for naught.
--
A feast tonight to celebrate?
Aklan had passively resisted for long enough. Zekat had been a reasonable man. But he could no longer stand behind him.
He had scoured the shops for a deadly poison and found one, hidden deep away within an apothecary.
"I require a poison, on behalf of the Holy Aryien Empire."
She had nodded. The shop was, after all, on the shadier part of Karholm.
"Those that heal also have the power to hurt," she had said. "Do not forget that."
Those that build an empire also have the power to destroy it.
"The Constrictor", they called the poison. Once ingested, the victim's throat clogged up and he became unable to breathe. Death by asphyxiation was soon to follow. Aklan fiddled around with some of the colorless crystal. It looked like salt, or maybe even sugar. It was supposed to dissolve quickly and leave almost no trace.
He knew what he would do. He was to be seated near the king -- no, Emperor. He would have his hands enclosed within the sleeves of his ceremonial robe, arms folded, crystal inside. He would get up and walk to the king's cup, and then surreptitiously drop some inside his cup. It would dissolve while he asked the king to share a cup of wine with him for a future full of good tidings. And then he would be dead. Aklan did have friends in the council, he was sure. But it was too risky to involve anybody in this scheme now. A bell rang, crystal clear, echoing throughout the walls. It was time.
The feast was tinged with a hint of sadness. None of the council let it on to the other nobles, however. All they were told was that they were now proud members of an aristocracy of a veritable empire. They feasted wildly, and for a time, even the council forgot its woes for a while.
After the main courses had been served, it was time. Aklan was three seats away from the Emperor, who had guzzled gallons of wine by now. He had even used the ceremonial cup, larger than all the others, making his job more the easier.
He stood up abruptly, then walked purposely toward the king, not too quickly and not too slowly.
"Holy Emperor Zekat!" he called out. The Emperor's face was very red, like berries.
"A toast! Let us drink from your cup, to cement our friendship!" As he said this, he passed by the king's cup. It was time. His right hand slid down and grasped the cup by the top, with his hand. As he opened his hand, the crystals fell in with a splash that was dwarfed by the clamor in the hall. His fingers clenched on the cup, and he picked it up, then used his left hand to help stabilize it. He handed the cup to the king.
"To Aryie!" the emperor called.
"To Aryie!" the advisor agreed.
He drank deeply, and some wine trickled down his chin and stained his royal garments.
The effects...now.
"Wha--have--you--" The king's face grew profusely red, more red than Aklan would have thought possible. His mouth moved, but nothing came out. He hacked and coughed, the words stuck in his throat. He dropped the wine, a tasty vintage, and it splashed red against the white carpet, staining it. He clawed at his throat and then slumped to the ground, his head smacking against the floor with a sickening noise. His eyes were red, bright red, and the pupils were stained and almost disappeared. His chest heaved, his lungs surely dying for air. With his right hand, he pounded it against the ground, in a futile motion, and then he thrashed, hands at his throat, clawing at his chest, but it was over soon. He flailed, his body finally giving up the struggle, and he lay limp.
It was quiet. And then...
"Regicide!"
"The traitor!"
The nobles leapt toward him, in a rush. The council had backed up but now advanced, pointing fingers. They all blurred into one, the mob, and they all converged on him.
"Murderer!"
"Kingslayer!"
His allies had evaporated, or else they were blending in, or else they were too timid to do anything. In either case, what they were to do to him...he had seen the new Aryien torture chambers.
He scrambled down and picked the goblet up. There was still enough for a sip. It would be enough. He drank as the first man tackled him. The wine goblet flew out of his hands and hit the floor, a dull metal thunk, dry. He hit the ground.
"I'm sorry," he tried to say, but he found that iron fingers had tightened around his neck.
"A tool is a tool, unless it does the job itself."
-Anonymous
All in all, it was fairly amiable. The Extinction Doctrine had been amiably kept. The army was well in line due to his strategic placing of loyal secretly Bladeist commanders dispersed throughout the army.
How I do love war.
He grinned to himself in the room full of generals and remembered. The Swades had promised him splendor, wealth, and greatness. If only they would side with him...and it was so easy! Just kill off a few Oneists (those scum) here and there, and maybe offer some military support.
It was to come.
"We strike for Myocaca and Sintonia!" he roared. "They have not been true Bladeists!"
They cheered. Bloodthirsty Bladeists, every one of them. They were truly his troops. How faithful he was! How the Blademaster would reward him in the afterlife!
It was deceptively simple. Nobody would expect the Aryien troops to storm across the borders. Once there, they would obviously storm across and hit capitals and seize important cities. Surprise was on their side.
And so the plans were laid. Strike north and south. Vague it was, to be sure, but he preferred to let his generals think of the silly and insignificant details. What to do after, well, he would worry about that after. Zekat was a big picture man, after all.
--
A success! Good news indeed, in the dark times. The Swade Ascendancy looked to be crumbling. But surely, there was no way that Evern IV Wilipi could fall. A brave, loyal man who lived his life all for the Blademaster. Surely he was infallible. But still, dark, dark times. A spot of good hope was sorely needed.
And so messengers had brought back word. They had won victory after victory! They had fought, those loyal Aryien soldiers, up the Myocacan coast, pillaging for the greater good, up until those slow traitors had finally noticed. They were stopped, but no matter. What was theirs was theirs.
In the south, less success, though by no means disappointing. Hazim III, the pig, was struggling and on the verge of breaking. No major cities were taken, but he had to be content with what he had.
Now was the time for dialogue, though. It was time to break the good news. He would start with his small council.
"As you all well know," he began, ever direct, "we have had good news concerning our blessed nation of Aryie."
He waited for the people to add their various voices of approval and agreement.
"We have finally conquered some territory! Our cowardly ancestors have never had the bravery necessary to shed blood for the good of Aryie, and now that we have, we control a veritable kingdom! Nay, an empire!"
Muttering this time, less approving.
"An empire, my king?" His pesky pacifist economic advisor, Aklan Floun.
"Emperor," he said, acerbically. "The Emperor of the Holy Empire of Aryie. I've decided. It's to be mine."
"Yes, yes, we've perhaps doubled our territory, but--"
"No buts. This is but a first step to farther glory and fame."
"No, you see--"
"An empire." His eyes glowered.
"Oh yes, the Holy Empier of Aryie!" Aklan was unable to keep the derision from his voice. "Do you even expect that we will be able to hold onto it? The Swades are doomed. Sue for peace. Our prosperity will be short lived."
"Aklan of House Floun, rescind your comments, or I, acting as Holy Aryien Emperor, will be forced to make you retract them."
"I refuse." He got up and stormed from the room in anger, or at least, he would have, had the Commander of the City Watch not called his troops to seize the man as he got up.
"Wait!" he said, wildly. "I acquiesce! You are right! The Blademaster himself, he told me, he told me to apologize, he told me."
Zekat studied him curiously. "Your first infraction, my dear friend. But we go a long way back. Release him."
"How could he release him just like that?"
"Treason! It's treason, all right!"
Disturbed complaints fluttered around the room as Aklan sheepishly took his seat. It was all interrupted, however, for hark! Another messenger. Surely it was good news. The Swades had launched a successful counterattack, surely?
He grabbed the letter and dismissed the messenger with a curt nod. He broke the seal and read voraciously. His smile dropped and melted away into a grim slash across his face, and there into a veritable scowl.
He had the messenger hanged, of course. There was no way the Swade Ascendancy could be on the verge of breaking. Absolutely not. The Blademaster had far more kindness, surely, than to let their efforts be for naught.
--
A feast tonight to celebrate?
Aklan had passively resisted for long enough. Zekat had been a reasonable man. But he could no longer stand behind him.
He had scoured the shops for a deadly poison and found one, hidden deep away within an apothecary.
"I require a poison, on behalf of the Holy Aryien Empire."
She had nodded. The shop was, after all, on the shadier part of Karholm.
"Those that heal also have the power to hurt," she had said. "Do not forget that."
Those that build an empire also have the power to destroy it.
"The Constrictor", they called the poison. Once ingested, the victim's throat clogged up and he became unable to breathe. Death by asphyxiation was soon to follow. Aklan fiddled around with some of the colorless crystal. It looked like salt, or maybe even sugar. It was supposed to dissolve quickly and leave almost no trace.
He knew what he would do. He was to be seated near the king -- no, Emperor. He would have his hands enclosed within the sleeves of his ceremonial robe, arms folded, crystal inside. He would get up and walk to the king's cup, and then surreptitiously drop some inside his cup. It would dissolve while he asked the king to share a cup of wine with him for a future full of good tidings. And then he would be dead. Aklan did have friends in the council, he was sure. But it was too risky to involve anybody in this scheme now. A bell rang, crystal clear, echoing throughout the walls. It was time.
The feast was tinged with a hint of sadness. None of the council let it on to the other nobles, however. All they were told was that they were now proud members of an aristocracy of a veritable empire. They feasted wildly, and for a time, even the council forgot its woes for a while.
After the main courses had been served, it was time. Aklan was three seats away from the Emperor, who had guzzled gallons of wine by now. He had even used the ceremonial cup, larger than all the others, making his job more the easier.
He stood up abruptly, then walked purposely toward the king, not too quickly and not too slowly.
"Holy Emperor Zekat!" he called out. The Emperor's face was very red, like berries.
"A toast! Let us drink from your cup, to cement our friendship!" As he said this, he passed by the king's cup. It was time. His right hand slid down and grasped the cup by the top, with his hand. As he opened his hand, the crystals fell in with a splash that was dwarfed by the clamor in the hall. His fingers clenched on the cup, and he picked it up, then used his left hand to help stabilize it. He handed the cup to the king.
"To Aryie!" the emperor called.
"To Aryie!" the advisor agreed.
He drank deeply, and some wine trickled down his chin and stained his royal garments.
The effects...now.
"Wha--have--you--" The king's face grew profusely red, more red than Aklan would have thought possible. His mouth moved, but nothing came out. He hacked and coughed, the words stuck in his throat. He dropped the wine, a tasty vintage, and it splashed red against the white carpet, staining it. He clawed at his throat and then slumped to the ground, his head smacking against the floor with a sickening noise. His eyes were red, bright red, and the pupils were stained and almost disappeared. His chest heaved, his lungs surely dying for air. With his right hand, he pounded it against the ground, in a futile motion, and then he thrashed, hands at his throat, clawing at his chest, but it was over soon. He flailed, his body finally giving up the struggle, and he lay limp.
It was quiet. And then...
"Regicide!"
"The traitor!"
The nobles leapt toward him, in a rush. The council had backed up but now advanced, pointing fingers. They all blurred into one, the mob, and they all converged on him.
"Murderer!"
"Kingslayer!"
His allies had evaporated, or else they were blending in, or else they were too timid to do anything. In either case, what they were to do to him...he had seen the new Aryien torture chambers.
He scrambled down and picked the goblet up. There was still enough for a sip. It would be enough. He drank as the first man tackled him. The wine goblet flew out of his hands and hit the floor, a dull metal thunk, dry. He hit the ground.
"I'm sorry," he tried to say, but he found that iron fingers had tightened around his neck.
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