Varica: Children of the Sky

I certainly won't object to it; as I see it, making a collaborative (hi)story is the whole point of this, and there can't be any harm in sharing the results. Glad to hear circumstances have finally worked out in your favour.
 
I have no issues with you sharing our collaboration- I just hope I can get around to writing more stuff for the Dolu.
 
OOC: Fulton was supposed to have posted this a few days ago, but he didn't so here it is... :( And I grant you permission to use my stories.

IC:

To: The Kingdom of Huroto
From: The Kingdom of Validira


Let it be known that the Kingdom of Validira declares war upon the Kingdom of Huroto. We declare war in the defense of the Kingdom of the Sunta. We do not seek the destruction of Huroto Kingdom. Far from it, we wish to preserve the continued existence of all the states involved in the present war.

We do not seek to wage war without limits or restraint. We recognize that war itself is the means of last resort under Haeka's watchful eye. The wanton aggression of King Cul Funkard of the Huroto Kingdom will not be allowed to continue unhindered.

In declaring war upon the Huroto Kingdom, the Kingdom of Validira makes it known to all our eternal commitment to the blessings of peace. We sincerely hope that there shall be a quick end to the hostilities between every respective state and that the joys of peace be experience by all.
 
Sorry about that Alex.

I hoped to do modding today, but too many things piled up. Tomorrow is an 12 hour day (special after-after school class stuff) and Friday night I have plans. Modding with be finished Saturday.

I have 4000 words for the update so far and I haven't even done the two major wars yet. It will be worth week it takes to produce ^_^
 
OOC: (sigh) I knew this was coming, be prepared cause Cul is angry, and you don't want to see Cul when he's angry :p

IC:

To: The Validiran backstabbing scum
From: The Great Huroto Kingdom

Your excuses are meaningless, merchant. You just look for an opportunity to stab me in the back and take my lands from me.

Know this, you will not claim one step of my lands for yourself. I will crush your army and send you your warrior's heads.

The only way this will end is if you withdraw your army and promise never to invade my lands again. You will get nothing from the Huroto. Nothing!
 
IC:

To: The Kingdom of Huroto
From: The Kingdom of Validira


It pains us that King Cul Funkard is unwilling to negotiate a peaceful end to his unwarranted aggression upon the Kingdom of the Sunta. The Kingdom of Validira shall do what she must to guarantee against the Kingdom of Huroto in order to bring about the peace of the South.
 
The update is now 9,140 words. That's more than 5,000 today. For comparison, last update was 6,123 words. Still have stats, map, a minor war, and half the economic reports to do. I'm tired guys. It's not coming out tonight. Tomorrow.
 
OOC: Awww, it's okay Fulton. You don't have to justify yourself to us, we understand :)
 
Update 2: AF 145

The wars in the south and north draw greater and greater numbers of men to the armies of Varica. In the south, Validira strikes the rebel Huroto in order to save the savage Sunta. In the north, the Black army brings the Romadi and a resurgent Assfell to the lands of the Manische. The minor tribes are dragged into the war, the Werar call up their levies, and one tribe somewhere is wiped off of the map forever. Everywhere the thune march to war and

But the eyes of Varica are turned inwards to the Imperiam Mother as her champion fights for the life of her new mistress. Tensions raise throughout the Empire as cracks appear. Only in the north-west, the center of the wars that nearly broke Hroth IV’s rule, do the people of Varica know peace and tranquility.

Great Happenings

The Trial of Callista
“Haeka, hear my prayers.”

Vorchk knelt at the foot of his master’s tomb. The Emperor had been a good master. He had never abused his champion. Always, he had been a just king. He protected the weak from the accusations of base men. Lesser masters used their champions to abuse their power, to remove their enemies. But Haeka always saw the truth.

In the six years he served the Emperor, Vorchk had never known defeat. Eight times he had been called upon to prove the innocence of the Emperor’s subjects. Eleven times he was called to bring justice to the Emperor’s enemies. In all nineteen of his bouts, he had brought about the justice his Emperor demanded. Nineteen trials and nineteen victories.

“Let justice be done tomorrow.”

The men of the court showered him with praise. The women threw themselves at his feet. He ignored them both. His master knew the truth. Vorchk was not a man to be praised. He won no combat on his own merits. Every bout, every man defeated, was defeated by Haeka’s hand. No warrior, no matter his greatness, could prevail over even the frailest opponent if they were not in the right.

“Let me know victory, if that be your will.”

The Emperor knew this. He never congratulated Vorchk on his victories. He never praised him on his technique or his strength. The reward was always the same: he would clasp hands with the Emperor at the wrist and the Emperor thanked him for being the tool of Haeka’s justice. No gold, no women, no fine food or lands could compare to that feeling when he knew that for the slighted moment he had been the conduit for a fraction of Haeka’s light; just enough to shine on the truth.

“Guide my hand so that we may see the truth.”

Hroth’s death left a great hole in Vorchk’s heart. He’d lost one of the few men he’d ever known who understood him. He had prayed to Haeka for guidance and he was shown the way. His master might be dead, but his oath still stood. He would protect Hroth’s line, forever, so long as Haeka favoured him as the messenger of his justice.

He prayed, as he always did on the eve of a trial, so that Haeka might shine his light on the truth. He would rather die fighting an innocent than live as a champion of the unjust. He prayed before the tomb of his Emperor, his master, his path to Haeka’s light.

He prayed in the center of a sigil made from fires elegantly arranged to catch the eye of Haeka’s daughters, so that they might tell their father of his prayers, as was the way of his people, the tribesmen too wild even for the fierce Varathu.

A man, a servant of his Venci, thane of the Varathu and wife to his master, came into the circle of light and spoke his name.

“Vorchk, I come to you with a gift from our mistress.” He bowed his head and held out a small pouch.

Vorchk turned to face the man, a pitiful fellow with his hair shorn in the way of a servant. “She is my mistress no longer. I can be bound to one man only, and I am bound to Hroth. If she wished to keep me, she should never have gifted me to her husband.”

“Hroth is long dead and you are a mighty warrior. But of course, you know this. You still wear the black ribbons to mourn his death.”

Vorchk’s eyed narrowed. His voice grew cold. “I will keep these ribbons so long as I fulfill my oaths to my master. He may be dead, but the oath lives on. I will fight for him and his. Venci has no right to anything.”

The Varathu took a step backwards, afraid, “I- She- My lady simply wished to give you this token. Spices from the south, said to sooth the soul and bring luck. Wear it tomorrow around your neck, in memory of the bond you once shared with our lady.”

Vorchk grabbed the pouch. He took a tentative sniff of the pouch and then threw it into the nearest fire. “Witch! Tell her to keep her foul magic to herself. Haeka’s justice will prevail tomorrow.” The warrior shouted. The servant fled.

Vorchk knelt down again before Hroth IV’s tomb. The pouch burned. It’s fumes drifted, diluted, in the clearing around the tomb. Unbeknownst to Vorchk, they drifted into his nostrils…




The whole of Varica turned at the ancient amphitheatre at the heart of Varica for the trial of Callista, the Imperial Mother. The stories said that it was an ancient structure dating back to the days of the Sargothi. Haecomus fought for their lives against Fulanti, Sargothi, Yomba, and other monsters for the entertainment of the dark children. Today, Haecomus come here to fight for their freedom, not their lives. Here any man can win his freedom, no matter his crime, should he meet the challenge set by the Emperor or his magistrate, Tomakin, Thane of Varica.

Aiding Tomakin in his duties overseeing the trial were the High-Priest Villieldr, Great-Uncle of the Hrafn King and the mother of Callista, Elissa. The three ensured that the challenge was fair.

As the champion of the challenged, Vorchk had the right to set the weapons for the duel. He choose dueling shields, a tradition favoured by Hroth IV. He claimed that fighting with his axe or the fighting claws favoured by the wildmen would be an unfair attempt to change Haeka’s judgement. Instead, they would use the shields, which both men were acquainted with but neither had mastered.

To represent the challenger cane Helgiverðr, a Hrafn priest and Raeka. His name was known to Vorchk. The two men honoured each other as the rituals to purify the arena were performed. Some remarked that Vorchk seemed unduly affected by the winds that blew. His breathing seemed labored and slow, but he was judged to be hale by the priests, despite some reservations by Elissa.

The two warriors met in the center of the arena. The two fought with surprising skill, but soon Vorchk lost his vigour. Exhausted and badly beaten, the mighty Wildman refused to yield. The crowd gasped as Vorchk was knocked to the ground. When Helgiverðr came to finish him off, Vorchk scored two glancing blows to the head of the Hrafn in quick succession.

He staggered to his feet, ready to take advantage of the dazed Helgiverðr. But Vorchk stumbled. He dug the spikes of his shield into the ground and fell to one knee. Spectators saw him cough up blood. The Hrafn recovered quickly and raised his shield. With one mighty swing, he knocked aside the shield that blocked his way and thrust his own downwards.

Helgiverðr stopped the shield an inch from the kneeling warrior and screamed “Yield!”

Vorchk looked up from his right arm, now covered in blood from his nose and mouth. There were tears in his eyes. “Haeka has forsaken me. What have I done wrong?”

Chaos filled the arena. Venci, appearing from Hrafn corner, ordered her bodyguard to take Callista into custody. The Hrafn tried to restrain her, as it was the Emperor’s duty to met out justice. Villieldr rushed to the combatants to see what wounds had beaten Vorchk. Elissa cried foul, saying dark magics had felled the champion and that the battle was voided. The Raeka spirited Callista away before any harm could befall her.

Fearing violence, the lesser nobility fled the amphitheatre. Soon, the young emperor was left alone but for his regent, his cries echoing off of the amphitheatre wall.

By the punishment set by the Emperor, Callista will be banned from Varica. No Varican can give her aid. Venci pushes for punishment to be enacted, but both Elissa and Callista refuse to accept the verdict. They decry Venci as a witch and her for the outcome. Callista has fled to her new family in Bexuni. What the Bexian choose to do will test their new marriage alliance with the Validirans, but also change the nature of Emperor’s rule. For his part, Villieldr views the matches outcome as suspicious. Vorchk received no wounds that would cause his injuries. Was it sorcery as Callista claims, or Haeka’s judgement as Venci does? History will record the verdict.

The Wild War
The combined armies of the Tikeecee and Drisili continue to push south into Tarnee. Following their victory at Itzkree field last year, the allies forced the Tarnee peasants before them. Tarnee now has to deal with an army of refugees as well as an army of foreign invaders. These refugees are causing problems for the Tarnee forces. Tarnee supply caravans have been overwhelmed by starving citizens and the roads are clogged, hampering military movement.

The Tikeecee have brought their own people to occupy these villages. Some Tikeecee armies have large civilian trains of their own, consisting largely of families looking for new homes in the south. The continue southwards towards Tarnee itself, fighting with reckless abandon. Tarnee is completely on the defensive now and unable to cope.

While many Drisili march with the Tikeecee, word has been spread to Oerdan and Validaran merchants in Tessilki that they are fleeing massive armies of Drisili and Zostor tribes. Both the Drisili thune and Zostor haecomus are working together as they head south. They fight with the same wild ferocity that has infected the Tikeecee, forcing the Tikeecee southwards.

The Cirici March Again
After their conquest of Kissulin, the Cirici rested and waited for the Karskian and Tessil response. While the Tessil have remained aloof, Karskians have sprung into action, declaring their intentions to remove the Cirici from Kissulin. They offered the Cirici one chance to withdraw.

The Cirici refused. They marched north to the city of Sbsisi, the strongest of Karski’s allies. The Cirici and their Yumin allies were met by the Sbsisians at Ky Tor, the great rock that rises high above the dusty plains of the Thune Cities. The Sbsisians gave up the lands around them and retreated to the Tor that protects their city from her enemies. This great fortress proved the ruin of many armies and even the Cirici couldn’t break the Sbsisians.

With only one rocky route leading to the top of the tor, the Cirici numbers couldn’t be brought to bear against. Only a hundred thune could fight at a time and the defenders had the advantage of familiarity and higher ground.

Rather than waste their army here, the Cirici withdrew back to Kissulin before the Karskians could muster. The Karskians have the largest army of the thune cities and have gathered all of their soldiers for one mighty gambit to break the Cirici once and for all. It seems a great battle will surely be fought in the coming year.

[/b]The Starlight Ride
Ubjion looked every bit the model of the Manische Lord. At six foot four he towered over the other Manische, a race already known for their height. His ruddy skin, slanted eyes and bulbous nose were the hallmarks of his race, the signs of pure Manni heritage.

His demeanor, however, was more akin to the hot-headed Hyren barbarians of the west than the calm, stoic manner of his people. Even now, in the presence of his oathsworn prince, he fought against his instincts to scream with rage.

It was this very energy that Prince Hymbae liked about the young Ubjion. There was something honest in his rage. You knew where you stood with Ubjion. So long as his passion could be roused, he was a reliable tool. As he would be now, if he could be shown sense. The Prince watched as Ubjion’s skin grew redder. The young man clenched and unclenched his hands, hoping to channel his anger into nervous fidgeting.

“My prince, I beg you, lead your army west. The Varessans have destroyed two of your armies. You can’t let it go unopposed!”

“My lord, if I leave now, I’ll abandon the work of four years.”

“If the Varessans attack, then they’ll undo the work of a hundred years! It’s your duty to defend our people! How can anything else be more important?”

“The Emperor has declared that these lands are to be conquered in his name. We have sent three expeditions to enforce his will. So far, two of them have been defeated, utterly. If I fail here, then what will the Emperor say?”

He didn’t give the boy a chance to answer. “There will be a new prince. Lord Ein, most likely. Even if you can convince that fool to help you, do you think he’ll have the skills to do it properly?”

Ubjion turned his head aside. He had no answer for his prince.

“These Varessans will advance to Duke Zio’s. The new duke won’t make the same mistakes as his brother. He will hold them back. Send your own men to meet him. Your father may be dying, but your brother, Lord Ucae, is competent. Have him command your armies to the defense of Zio’s strongholds.”

“In one year, I will march my forces west. With our work her done, Duke Jorrae will march with us. The Varessans won’t be able to withstand the might of three duchies and the Imperial Guard. Hold fast for one year, then we can rid the work of the southern barbarians.”

Lord Ubjion brought his right fist over his heart sharply. “Your will be done, my Prince. I will do my duty.”

Prince Hymbae knew that tone. Ubjion would strike out on his own and get his army killed piecemeal unless he could be directed elsewhere. “There is another way we could strike as these Varessans. It seems their empire is larger than we thought. There are tribes of their race near to our position here. I need the Imperial Guard here, but my cavalry, they can be spared. A few other fast elements to support them and you’ll be ready. Ride by the guiding light of our ancestors. Sow terror in the heart of the Varican nation.”

Lord Ubjion saluted a second time, this time with vigour. “Your will be done, my Prince. I will do my duty.” The young lordling repeated, this time, however, that passion, that fire, broke through his stoic façade. He turned and left the command tent.


The stories began in the spring. Daemons from legend had come for the Voth. Travellers discovered empty villages and dead caravans on the road. Terrible screams filled the night. The unaligned Voth, with no greater protector, rallied their men at the great hall of their thane. They called on their friends to the south, the Varth and Paredor, to sent aid to them.

The Varth thane, Rejan, mustered his greatest warriors to come to the aid of his friend. When he arrived just after mid-summer passed empty, burned out villages. The few survivors he found told of an army of wild haecomus riding on Yomba, the hell-birds of Varican mythology that peck to death the souls of the damned. Together man and bird were fifteen feet tall and breathed fire. Those who weren’t burned or eaten by the mounts were lanced by the spears of the riders or impaled on arrows of unbelievable size. Those who could had fled to the hall of their thane, Helian, for safety.

When the Varth arrived at Helian’s hall they found the place had already been burned. As they drew closer a hail of missiles larger than that of the greatest Varican bows flew from the burned hall. Rejan fell in the first volley. His men broke ranks and fled. The Varth regrouped that night far from the great hall. They were roused by the screams of daemons. Instead of the cavalry the stories had told them off, a herd of Yomba roared towards the camp riderless. The Varth’s sentries were quickly killed and their camp overwhelmed. Those who could fled but few could outrun the terror birds.

As they fled, they were pursued by the voices of men chanting in a strange tongue, like that of the Zostor tribes. The voices hunted the Varth, but no living Varth saw the bodies those voices belonged to. Only at dawn did the Varth find safety as Haeka’s light banished the daemons.

The Varth warband has been crippled by the daemons. They count themselves lucky that any of them survived. The Voth simply disappeared. Perhaps one in ten Voth remains, huddling together for safety in the villages of the Voth and Paredor.
 
The Manische War

Forces Involved:
The Allied Varican Army
- Commanded by Haecadem II of Werhold, Thane Boheort serves as his second
- Army of King Haecadem II: 335 Archers, 325 Spearmen, 235 Tiaka, 90 Raeka
- Imperial Varican Army: 180 Archers, 170 Spearmen, 160 Raeka led by Hronu
- Hrafn Contingent: 140 Tiaka and 115 Raeka led by Dalrir
- Validiran Contingent: 70 Raeka led by King Matteo and Prince Miaeus
- Gibraly Contingent: 60 Archers, led by Captain Berg
- Hrafn Volunteers: 100 Warriors, 35 Skirmishers, 20 Aikings
- Sisiric Auxiliaries: 200 Thune Skirmishers
The Army of Sisiric
- Commanded by Chief Riciki of the western Sisiric, seconded by Earl Beriar of Werhold
- Werar: 70 Archers, 60 Spearmen, 30 Tiaka
- Sisiric: 400 Thune Skirmishers
The Black Army:
- Commanded by King Vigvitr, seconded by Queen Jyanna (de facto commander)
- Hrafn: 400 Spearmen, 200 Archers, 208 Tiaka, 100 Raeka
- Romadi: 200 Tiaka, 200 Warriors, 20 Aikings, 10 Seers led by King Goros

The Army of Duke Zio
- Commanded by Duke Zio, seconded by Lady Rian the Hyren
- Ducal Oathmen: 1600 Manische Spearmen, 400 Manni Blood Brothers, 300 Thune Skirmishers, 1 Star Warrior (Zio)
- Princely Contingent: 200 Imperial Guardsmen, 50 Yomba Cavalry
Locian Garrisons in Sisiric
- Ducal Oathmen: 300 Manische Spearmen, 80 Manni Blood Brothers, 120 Thune Skirmishers
The Army of Duke Locia
- Commanded by Lord Ucae, seconded by Lord Hysos
- Ducal Oathmen: 800 Manische Spearmen, 200 Manni Blood Brothers, 100 Thune Skirmishers, 2 Star Warriors (Ucae, Hijon)


Preparations

The Varican forces in the Sisiric Freeholds have kept their spirits up over the long winter thanks to their victory and good leadership. The winter months and early spring were spent cementing their position in Sisiric. To occupy their time the men were put to use building a fortified campsite at Rissik.

This fort worked as a rallying point for Sisiric thune eager to take out their anger on the Manische. Nearly five hundred arrived over the course of the spring, including a warleader of the western Sisiric confederation. After much bargaining with the thune, King Haecadem agreed to allow this warleader, Riciki, take command of the form when the Varican pressed on, but under the watchful eye of Earl Beriar. In return, the Sisiric swore a pledge of allegiance to the Emperor. However, pledges mean something much less significant among the Sisiric than among Varicans.

Additional supplies were laid in from Werhold. The supply trains had difficulty moving through the territory and a couple of wagons were lost, but the early arrival of the supplies was well received by both the Sisiric and Varicans. Haecadem decided to wait for the arrival of the Romadi and Hrafn reinforcements before he set out against the Manische. While Haecadem hoped it would be a short wait, the necessity of training the new warriors meant that the Hrafn and Romadi would arrive much later than expected.

Jyanna oversaw the raising of the new Hrafn army. This new force, the Black Army, was raised with a singular goal in mind: vengeance. The Hrafn donned black cloaks and covered their shields and faces with black paint as a sign of mourning for their old king and his warriors. They slit their hands and smeared a simple symbol of Haeka on their shields. They swore an oath by their blood to their Queen and to Haeka that they would see vengeance.

The romantic Romadi, themselves coming for vengeance after the death of the King’s son-in-law Rodull, were inspired to do the same. They too donned the black cloaks and paint. However, rather than simple, honest, blackness they covered themselves in sigils of black, poems and oaths of vengeance. They drew stylized suns on their shields with their blood and swore the same oath on Haeka.

Once Vigvitr returned from the debacle of Callista’s trial and the Black Army was ready to depart they left for the camp at Rissik with a large supply train. They arrived in early summer. Finally ready, the united Varican army departed for the lands of Duke Zio.

Freeing the Holds

Realizing how much time he had before the Black Army arrived, Haecadem decided to do something productive with his army. He knew that sitting inative on Thune lands consuming their food in a difficult spring would destroy much of what he’s accomplished thus far. The remaining Manische forces in Sisiric had gathered together in two strong points. The Varican and Hrafn marched against the southern strong point at Sikli while the Werar marched against the northern stronghold of Liliss. Both were aided by the Sisiric.

The Manische had built significant fortifications at both locations. However, the quality of the men differed greatly between the two. Hacaedem met the weaker of the two. The Manische numbered over three hundred, but had few archers compared to the Varicans. Haecadem ordered night infiltrations and constant arrow barrages to weaken the resolve of the defenders without wearing down his army. After three weeks of siege, the Manische commander came out under a flag of truce. They bargained the surrender of their garrison and weapons in exchange for freedom.

The fighting in the south was much more fierce. Hronu decided on a direct assault as soon as ladders could be made, against the recommendations of Dalrir. The elite Raeka and Dalrir himself picked off the thune crossbowmen to protect the assault, but they were still repulsed by fierce resistance.

Further smaller assaults at night and attempts at infiltration by the Thune mostly failed. However, eventually, they worse down the Manische who lacked the resources to do much about it. Eventually, Dalrir convinced Hronu to stop the attacks and let him attempt to stop the Manische. After three attempts over two days, Dalrir managed to shoot the gate off of the Manische palisade. Without their gate, outnumbered, and terrified to see a holy weapon in the hands of their enemy, the Manische surrendered. They secured a similar bargain. Both forces would be released when the army marched to Manische land. Surrendering Thune at Sikli were massacred by the Sisiric.

Opening Moves

The delay in launching the campaign allowed the Sisiric scouts to acquire significant information about the lay of the land in Zio’s Duchy. Despite his death at the hands of Dalrir, the Duchy was still commanded by a Duke Zio. Haecadem learned that while Zio was the name the Duke was known by, the name is tied to the land, not the man. Thusly, when he died, his brother took the throne of the duchy and the name of Zio.

They learned that the land was mostly gently rolling hills and tall grass prairie dotted with copses of trees. The wild regions are home to wild cattle while the settled areas are home to tightly clustered prosperous farms.

Three major obstacles stood in the way of an invading force. Zio’s Capital of Zioc stood in the north-eastern corner of the realm. A similar settlement at Jozio’s Crater held the south-western portion of the country in check. Zio’s army, while significantly depleted by the battle two years previous, have rallied and could do serious damage to the invaders on home ground.

The march to Zio was largely uneventful.

The Siege of Jozioc

Though he had originally intended on marching on Zio’s capital, the discovery of the castle at Jozio’s Crater put those plans on hold. The army within could not be allowed to remain unopposed behind his lines.

The march to the crater was an easy one for both Manische and Varican. While Lord Eijion and his Manni Blood Brothers remained as prisoners, the hundreds of peasant oathmen were released to their farms. Lord Eijion gave them his word that their duty had been fulfilled in this war, they need not fight again. The Varicans treated the common people well. Their goal was to build relationships with the locals, liberate duchal food stores, and destroy their armies to weaken duchal authority. In this they largely succeeded. The locals put up no resistance so long as they were treated well.

Jozio’s Crater is named for a legendary figure, Jozio, an ancestor of the Manische. The Manische believe the stars are the souls of their ancestors. Jozio threw himself back down to Valdis to purge a great evil from the land. The crater from his coming became a holy site and a natural rallying point for the Manische.

Sitting in the crater’s heart is the fortress of Jozioc. This castle was unlike any the Varicans had ever seen. It was small, but tall and made completely of stone. There were homes housing craftsmen on the lip of the crater a kilometer from the castle’s wall, but there could only have been a thousand men on the outskirts combined. The thune reported similar situation at Zio’s capital. The fortress was three times are large, but the outlying population could not have numbered more than two or three thousand, if even that. It appears that the Manische derive their strength from these castles, not from the walled cities of Varica.

Haecadem appealed to his thune allies for assistance. Unfortunately, the Sisiric were revealed to be less advanced than both the Manische and Varicans technologically. Luckily, a member of the Tessil delegation to Assfell decided to join the expedition. He said that his people had weaponry that could aid in besieging such a fortress and engineers who could create more. Of course, he was just a lonely architect himself with a dabbling interest in the army. He began drafting plans for a giant crossbow he had seen in use in Tessil, but no successful prototypes have been finished yet.

Lacking siege equipment that could challenge the walls, the Varicans attempted to starve out the defenders. Despite the siege of the crater and the loss of duchal granaries in the countryside, Zio’s forces refused to show themselves. It appears that they have withdrawn to the two castles. The reason for this became apparent at the beginning of the fall. A force more than a thousand strong from the Duchy of Locia was reported to be approaching the Duchal capital of Zioc by the Varican scouting parties.

Haecadem decided it was time to return to their camp. There they met another reinforcement column of Werar warriors brought up by Earl Beriar and settled in for another winter. By the end of the campaigning season, the Varicans had taken very few losses, cemented their position in Sisiric and freed it of Manische holdouts, and successfully humiliated Zio.

Home for a Rest
Winter has been kinder on the Varicans this year. The supplies brought by the Werar and Hrafn, combined with the looted grain from Manische granaries has allowed the Varicans and their Sisiric allies to have full bellies all year. In fact, enough supplies were available that some was given to looted freehold villages and refugees. The now well developed camp also helped the Varicans survive the winter in greater numbers than last year.

The Romadi have helped to keep spirits high by presenting a satire based on the years campaigning. The satire lasted for five days and was largely improvised. No lord was spared from being made an object of laughter. Hronu was presented as the faithfully as the drunken oaf, solving his problems by throwing more men at them. Haecadem’s youth was mocked by having a ten-year-old boy play his role dressed in robes far too large. His friendly nature towards the prisoner Eijion was mocked by havig the two play chess with living pieces fighting to the death. Dalrir was presented with his entire hands and feet bare, blackened, and immobile, poking fun at his frostbite two years before. Goros was presented a mad fool bursting into song and dance at the drop of a hat. Even the Thune and Jyanna were mocked by the performance. While the satire cheered the ranks, some of the aikings and commanders were offended by the traditional Romadi performance.

The winter gave the commander time to collate the information they and their scouts had gathered to find their eventual goal: the city of Mannioc. From the information supplied by Manische peasants, they learned that Mannioc lay beyond the Duchy of Zio and another duchy, Frulin. The city itself is built on a Sargothi ruin that is rumoured to have survived in better condition than any in the known world. It is a city on par with Varica, ten times the size of the second largest city in the Manische Empire, if the stories are to be belived. It is defended from a central castle built into the Sargothi ruins. Surely, it will be a difficult goal indeed for the Varicans to achieve.

Results:
- Sisiric swears to Varica, strongly fortified campsite created at Rissik
- Two Manische garrisons defeated
- Varicans go on the offensive, stopped by Manische castles
- Varicans have the run of the countryside, steal 10 units of grain, bring 7 units back to their camp for the winter
- Duke Locia’s forces arrive to create a larger army
- Varicans retreat in a stronger position after humiliating the Manische, but not doing any permanent damage
- Reinforcements arrive from Assfell, the Romadi, and Werhold

Forces Remaining:
The Allied Varican Army
- Commanded by Haecadem II of Werhold, Thane Boheort serves as his second
- Army of King Haecadem II: 315 Archers, 300 Spearmen, 220 Tiaka, 85 Raeka
- Imperial Varican Army: 135 Archers, 130 Spearmen, 140 Raeka led by Hronu
- Hrafn Contingent: 125 Tiaka and 105 Raeka led by Dalrir
- Validiran Contingent: 60 Raeka led by King Matteo and Prince Miaeus
- Gibraly Contingent: 55 Archers, led by Captain Berg
- Hrafn Volunteers: 80 Warriors, 25 Skirmishers, 15 Aikings
- Sisiric Auxiliaries: 180 Thune Skirmishers
The Army of Sisiric
- Commanded by Chief Riciki of the western Sisiric, seconded by Earl Beriar of Werhold
- Werar: 260 Archers, 250 Spearmen, 225 Tiaka
- Werar Warband: 680 Warriors, 225 Skirmishers, 115 Aikings
- Kaldar Warband: 200 Warriors, 70 Skirmishers, 35 Aikings
- Bealdar Warband: 300 Warriors, 110 Skirmishers, 55 Aikings
- Torica Warband: 300 Warriors, 110 Skirmishers, 55 Aikings
- Sisiric: 370 Thune Skirmishers
The Black Army:
- Commanded by King Vigvitr, seconded by Queen Jyanna (de facto commander)
- Hrafn: 380 Spearmen, 190 Archers, 200 Tiaka, 100 Raeka
- Romadi: 190 Tiaka, 190 Warriors, 20 Aikings, 10 Seers led by King Goros

The Army of Duke Zio
- Commanded by Duke Zio, seconded by Lady Rian the Hyren
- Ducal Oathmen: 1500 Manische Spearmen, 400 Manni Blood Brothers, 280 Thune Skirmishers, 1 Star Warrior (Zio) (some die in scouting skirmishes, replaced by new levies)
- Princely Contingent: 195 Imperial Guardsmen, 50 Yomba Cavalry
Locian Garrisons in Sisiric
- Eliminated
The Army of Duke Locia
- Commanded by Lord Ucae, seconded by Lord Hysos
- Ducal Oathmen: 800 Manische Spearmen, 200 Manni Blood Brothers, 100 Thune Skirmishers, 2 Star Warriors (Ucae, Hijon) (a few die in scouting skirmishes, replaced by new levies from Zio)
 
The Great Southern War

Forces Involved:
The Army of Huroto:
- Commanded by Thane Rutor Lassa
- 160 archers, 100 spearmen, 240 Tiaka, 230 Raeka
- Huroto Warband: 480 Warriors, 155 Skirmishers, 85 Aikings
- Gorka Warband: 310 Warriors, 95 Skirmishers, 55 Aikings
- Rugasa Warband: 140 Warriors, 40 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
- Loupor Warband: 80 Warriors, 25 Skirmishers, 15 Aikings
The Army of Skav:
- Commanded by Cul Funkard
- 400 levies, 300 Archers, 340 Spearmen, 56 Tiaka, 50 Raeka, 5 boats (including reinforcements)
- ~150 second line warriors and skirmishers
The Army of Lokvar:
- Commanded by Lovaris
- 85 Archers, 80 Spearmen, 34 Raeka, 40 boats
- Lokvar Warband: 220 Warriors, 75 Skirmishers, 40 Aikings
- Oortan Warband: 120 Warriors, 40 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
Terasu Siege force:
- Oortan Warband: 150 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 30 Aikings

Collected Sunta Forces:
- Commanded by Dhakaan and Duren
- 220 Archers, 100 Spearmen, 150 Berserkers, 180 Tiaka
- Sunta Warband: 600 Warriors, 170 Skirmishers, 60 Berserkers, 90 Aikings
- Terasu Warband: 170 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 30 Aikings
Northern Army
- Commanded by: Thane Gregor of Andala
- Xanfa: 100 Archers, 100 Spearmen, 50 Raeka (reinforced later)
- Xanfa Warband: 150 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
- Andala: 280 Warriors, 100 Skirmishers, 50 Aikings
Southern Army
- Commanded by: Thane Zarchek of the Karghta
- Xanfa: 100 Archers, 100 Spearmen (reinforced later)
- Xanfa Warband: 150 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
- Kargtha Warband: 260 Warriors, 85 Skirmishers, 40 Aikings
Central Army
- Commanded by: Lord Kipt, seconded by Prince Acacio
- Xanfa Warband: 300 Warriors, 100 Skirmishers, 50 Aikings
- Xanfa: 300 spearmen, 240 archers, 128 tiaka, 150 Raeka, 120 boats (including reinforcements)
Varra Rebellion
- Varra: 200 Warriors, 70 Skirmishers, 35 Aikings


Foresight
The Sunta and Huroto spent several months of AF 145 in negotiations. Finally, Thane Rutor had had enough. He issued his honey-coated ultimatum to the Sunta. The Sunta, surprisingly, considering the negotiations thus far responded by sending out the head of a Huroto captive with its genitals stuff into its mouth and the words ‘No Peace’ cut into its forehead.

The Suntan refusal formed one clue to a larger puzzle. The second clue came in the interception of a messenger bound for the Varra urging them to revolt. Another messenger, sent to the Loupur was turned in to Cul soon after. Cul, already paranoid of the Validirans despite the mutual lifting of their blockade last year, was already preparing an active defense for the outcome these clues pointed to.

Immediately after peace talks began as 144 turned to 145, Cul ordered the return of 400 men to the capital at full speed. He ordered Rutor to withdraw more carefully to prevent a re-energized Sunta from catching them from behind. The Sunta skirmished with the Huroto as they withdrew but were in no condition to give serious resistance. They did what they could to slow the Huroto, with mixed success, nipping at the warband rearguard.

The Lokvar withdrew with the majority of the Yolo and Welaku tribes back to Lokvar territory. Despite their best efforts, the journey was slow.

Lay of the Land
The Huroto pulled their fleet back towards Skad except for five ships. When a fleet of eighty boats loaded with Validirans acting as marines, the Hurotoans fled. They knew that their chances of escaping were slim and even if they could escape, they would have the Validirans on their heels. Four of the boats quickly beached and felled trees which they dragged into the river. The fifth headed south towards Skav as a warning. The remaining four bought precious hours as they sold their lives dearly in a last stand on the river.

A force of over a thousand men sailed down the river or marched on its banks towards Skav. On either side of the river, a force of eight hundred men aimed at the Huroto’s primary vassals. The Sunta continued to snap at the heels of the withdrawing Huroto while a fifth column of Varra rose in rebellion against the Lokvar.

It was now a race to see who would arrive first at the Hurotoan heartland and the Validirans had a much shorter and easier route.

Rugasa
The Northern Army of Thane Gregor was charged with the investing of the Rugasa and Oortan. With Rugasa’s men away on campaign, their will to resist was weak. Cul did his best to inspire the Huroto with promises, but their dislike for Cul was well known. The Validirans offered them peace if they accepted King Naxis’ rule, but they refused, knowing they would have to make a stand of some sort to protect them from Cul’s wrath should the war turn against the Xanfa.

Two hundred second line warriors met the Kargtha and Xanfa as they approached the thane’s hall. They fought for a few hours, but couldn’t stop the Xanfa. The Rugasans were defeated decisively. Satisfied that their stand would protect them from Hurotoan reprisals should the war turn against the Xanfa, the Rugasa happily submitted to Validiran rule.

With Rugasa under their rule, the Xanfa moved on to Oortan.

Gorka
The situation was quite different among the Gorka, the second strongest vassal, strongest supporters of the Huroto, and target of the Southern Army. They mustered their men but spread them throughout the countryside. They engaged in a war of guerilla attrition against the Xanfa as they marched. The Gorka could do little to prevent the Xanfa from occupying their cities, but it was a costly occupation. The Gorka resisted fiercely and were never pacified. Xanfa and Kargtha warriors were richly rewarded with plunder and promises of land once the Gorka were brought to heel.

As if it were day
The campaigns on either side of the southern fork were sideshows for the real showdown taking place in the Hurotoan capital of Skav. Cul himself, still bandaged and weak, but forcing himself to be seen, delivered a short but rousing speech to the people of his city. Even before word reached him that the Validirans were coming, he was preparing for the eventuality. Emptying his coffers to arm any willing man who presented himself, Cul set about training a quick levy of warriors. These levies, some second line Huroto tribesmen, along with the advance guard of 400 men would be the defenders of the city when the day came. They would exhausted from the long, quick march, but they were sorely needed.

They prepared the city with barricades of stones and detritus through the main thoroughfares, pilled stacks of dried wood against the inside of the city walls and poured pitch on the docks. The city suffered from the focus, but all agreed that it would suffer more if it fell to either of the Huroto’s enemies.

The Validirans arrived ready for battle. As expected, they attempted to invade the city by its large and vulnerable docks. Some of the The first men that lept onto the docks slid off and into the water. Others fell and came up covered in black. Prince Acacio quickly ordered his command back, realizing what was about to happen. Volley of flaming arrows from nearby buildings set the pitch-covered docks aflame.

The Validirans waited for the flames to die down. Without the docks, they had a much harder time assaulting the city. However, the secondary goal of the assault was to destroy the docks. Despite the loss of a few dozen men, the Xanfa claimed victory. They decided to attempt a second assault on the docks before they attempted their back-up plan. Under fire from the Huroto archers, the Validirans pushed on for their second assault.

Both sides feel to bitter, confused street fighting quickly. While discipline could be maintained, the Hurotoan spearmen braced behind their barricades and supported by archers held back the Xanfa easily. Where chaos reigned, the Xanfa’s warbands carried to day against spearmen whose formation broke and the low quality of the other men they faced.

The Xanfa fought hard, knowing they would need to take the city to have a hope of winning this part of the campaign. They slew a great many of the Huroto’s levies and second line troops. Reinforcements brought in later once they were trained aided both sides as the battle expanded. A final thrust towards the south gate of the city led by the Prince brought the Validirans to the wall itself. As they approached, the Huroto set fire to the gate to prevent it from falling to them. It was frustrating, but a sign that the Xanfa were beginning to take the city, block by block.

Perhaps some soldiers were too frustrated by the lack of progress, or perhaps the Huroto attempted to deny the entire east city to the Xanfa, or perhaps an accident simply knocked over a candle in the wrong place. Whatever the rest, the eastern city was soon consumed by fire. The Xanfa and Huroto were forced to retreat back to the waterfront and gatehouse respectively.

After weeks of fighting, Thane Rutor’s men arrived at the gates of Skav. Lord Kipt attempted to rally his men and prepare the boats for his withdrawal. Spearheading the reinforcements were an elite force led by Cul’s son Rulf. His mission was simple: Kill Lord Kipt and Prince Acacio.

As the Xanfa formed a final shield wall and boarded their boats, Rulf launched his men towards them while Cul’s exhausted survivors attacked from other directions. Rulf’s Tiaka broke the shield wall, but it was too late to catch the Xanfa commanders. The remaining warriors leapt into the river to avoid the Huroto. Only the discipline of the Xanfa’s archers kept the Huroto from slaughtering the swimming men.

Skav was saved, but at an enormous cost to its infrastructure. A third of the city is homeless, it’s docks in ruins, many of its men dead, but Cul still stands supreme in his capital.

Fifth Column
The Lokvar withdrew towards the Varra to prevent them from rising. Unfortunately, the multitude of Yolo and Welaku following them prevented Lovaris from arriving until long after the Varra had liberated their own territory and advanced towards the city of Skad. Cul’s fleet prevented the Varra from crossing to the city, so they instead turned southwards.

The Oortan withdrew last as a rearguard to prevent the Sunta and Terasu from killing the refugee train. They arrived just in time to see the Varra drawing up to face down their Lokvar oppressors. The Varra rushed headlong into the Lokvar and broke their shield wall. The Oortan countercharge was the only thing that kept the Lokvar from facing a complete rout. Many Lokvar and Oortan were slain in the battle, but the Varra were eventually forced to withdraw. A Sunta raid on the Welaku behind them drew the Lokvar to the rear while the Oortan proceeded to Varra. The Lokvar called up their remaining forces from Skad to besiege the Varran warriors in their walled mead halls.

The Varra still control most of their own territory and the Lokvar and Oortan lack the strength to stop them.

Gorkan Homecoming
The Gorka arrived in their homeland ready for blood. They joined with the guerillas and drew themselves up ready to fight the Kargtha in open battle. In a hard fought campaign, they forced the Kargtha into the northern third of Gorkan territory. They have the upper hand heading into AF 138.

Pressing on
The Thane of the Andala continued to press on from Rugasa to Oortan. The Loupor and Rugasa, the weakest links in the Huroto vassal system, were there to oppose him. The Oortan were delayed fighting the Sunta and Varra and couldn’t arrived at their home in time, much to their own frustration.

The two vassals deployed in a long line, ready to envelop the Xanfa. As battle was joined, a pair of Rugasa called from the Xanfa lines saying their tribe had already given up. The Rugasa were thrown into disarray. The Loupor, who decided to stick with Cul, fought hard, but were forced back to river’s edge. Here Cul’s fleet helped the Loupor across the river. The Oortan’s second line warriors fought, but were badly demoralized by the loss of their allies and soon were forced to give in.

While the Rugasa have melted away, the Oortan have vowed to keep fighting for Cul. The Validiran army is now quite depleted from

Among the Sunta
With the withdrawal of the Huroto, Duren has gathered his beleaguered Sunta and marched on his opponents. By mid-summer, they had submitted to him. Though he sent parties out in the spring to harass the retreating Huroto, his main strength was focused on unity. In the fall his men spread out over the countryside, reclaiming their lands and burying their dead. They are still badly, badly damaged, but they will be ready to fight next. With their Validiran allies.

A Moment’s Pause
The Validirans have achieved great success with their northern thrust and Varran insurgency, but the Huroto’s preparations mauled their main thrust as Skav and stopped their southern attempt. Huroto has been hit hard, but Validira lost much of its strength doing so. The Sunta are ready to fight, but are in worse condition than both Validira and Huroto. Will the war continue to expand, or can all sides see reason before they destroy themselves?

Summary:
- Validira invades Huroto with three armies
- Southern army unsuccessfully fight Gorka
- Nothern Army conquers Rugasa and Oortan
- Central Army defeated in bloody fighting at Skav
- Skav badly damaged, 3,000 people homeless (2,000 can be resettled for 40E within the next three years)
- Production of 3 boats removed from Skav, 3 boat trade units destroyed (production can be rebuilt at discounted price in the next three years)
- Varra rise up, beat Lokvar, but forced to retreat
- Sunta revitalized and ready for action
- Yolo and Welaku retreat to Lokvar territory
- Huroto desertions stop for the most part, nowhere to desert to
- The Rugasa will refuse to fight the Huroto, but will pay tribute. The Oortan refuse to pay tribute of any sort to Validira. The Yolo and Welaku cannot afford to pay tribute to the Huroto

Forces Remaining:
The Army of Huroto:
- Commanded by Thane Rutor Lassa
- 140 archers, 80 spearmen, 235 Tiaka, 220 Raeka
- Huroto Warband: 440 Warriors, 140 Skirmishers, 80 Aikings
- Gorka Warband: 270 Warriors, 85 Skirmishers, 45 Aikings
- Rugasa Warband: Dissolved
- Loupor Warband: 60 Warriors, 20 Skirmishers, 10 Aikings
The Army of Skav:
- Commanded by Cul Funkard
- 140 levies, 200 Archers, 220 Spearmen, 40 Tiaka, 40 Raeka
The Army of Lokvar: (Lokvar reinforcements added after campaigning completed)
- Commanded by Lovaris
- 60 Archers, 60 Spearmen, 30 Raeka, 40 boats
- Lokvar Warband: 300 Warriors, 80 Skirmishers, 50 Aikings
- Oortan Warband: 210 Warriors, 55 Skirmishers, 40 Aikings

Collected Sunta Forces:
- Commanded by Duren
- 270 Archers, 150 Spearmen, 450 Berserkers, 210 Tiaka
- Sunta Warband: 570 Warriors, 160 Skirmishers, 60 Berserkers, 85 Aikings
- Terasu Warband: 150 Warriors, 45 Skirmishers, 30 Aikings
Northern Army
- Commanded by: Thane Gregor of Andala
- Xanfa: 90 Archers, 90 Spearmen, 45 Raeka
- Xanfa Warband: 125 Warriors, 45 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
- Andala: 240 Warriors, 80 Skirmishers, 40 Aikings
Southern Army
- Commanded by: Thane Zarchek of the Karghta
- Xanfa: 80 Archers, 80 Spearmen
- Xanfa Warband: 110 Warriors, 35 Skirmishers, 18 Aikings
- Kargtha Warband: 190 Warriors, 60 Skirmishers, 30 Aikings
Central Army
- Commanded by: Lord Kipt, seconded by Prince Acacio
- Xanfa Warband: 150 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings
- Xanfa: 200 spearmen, 140 archers, 100 tiaka, 125 Raeka, 105 boats
Varra Rebellion
- Varra: 150 Warriors, 50 Skirmishers, 25 Aikings



Into the Eye

Forces Involved:
Rheni
- Commanded by Prince Bereniki
- 100 Spearmen, 100 Archers, 100 Tiaka
Lombek
- Commanded by Thane Thrombeki
- Lombek Warband: 220 Warriors, 80 Skirmishers, 40 Aikings, 20 Slingers

Sargothi’s Eye
- Led by Loka-Jaw of the Two Lines
- ~800 Fulanti Warriors

The Rheni, after years of political isolation, have begun a diplomatic offensive into the surrounding tribes. The Lombek, the victims of constant attacks from the Sargothi’s Eye, were the most eager to make friends of the revitalized Rheni. The Lombek promised their support to the Rheni should they assist, the Rheni have sent their most reliable general, Prince Bereniki, to assist the Lombek.

Together, the Lombek and Rheni planned to fortify and defend the largest villages. The plan had worked before when the Huroto and Xanfa assisted the Revnor and Rendor, and also when the Bexian defending the Mannu and Coa a decade later.

However, Loka-Jaw of the Two Lines, so called for the two huge scars down his back and the skull of the a great Loka (large predatory reptile) that he wears over his head, had seen his brothers killed by such tactics many times before. Now that he was warleader, he refused to let his people fall into the same traps.

Loka-Jaw enforced extremely strict discipline on the usually chaotic Sargothi’s Eye. He ordered his men to yell and scream in shifts all night long in sight of the walls but out of arrow range to keep the men awake and terrified. During the day, he marched his warriors in front of the fortified villages, half in the woods at a time and half out, in view of the walls. He ordered those in the trees to change their war paint as they walked, giving the impression of a never-ending stream of daemon warriors.

When the attack finally came, it came silently, under the cover of another night of howling from warriors kept back in their usual place. One by one, the enemy fortresses were taken by these quick, sudden assaults as Fulanti leapt over the walls and consumed the sentries while others tried to sleep.

Bereniki and a wounded Thrombeki huddle for safety in the last fortress, the hall of Thrombeki himself, waiting for the final assault to come. Only reinforcements or a sortie can save them from what could very well be another destructive siege.

Summary:
- Sargothi’s Eye raid Lombek
- Rheni ride to aid Lombek
- Rheni and Lombek outwitted, trapped


Forces Remaining:
Rheni
- Commanded by Prince Bereniki
- 60 Archers, 60 Spearmen, 80 Tiaka
Lombek
- Commanded by Thane Thrombeki
- Lombek Warband: 120 Warriors, 35 Skirmishers, 20 Aikings, 12 Slingers

Sargothi’s Eye
- Led by Loka-Jaw of the Two Lines
- ~720 Fulanti Warriors
 
Growth and Trade

The actions of rogue Dolu and Darians on the border with Darian March have gone unremarked by both parties. It seems peace serves the interests of both parties. The raids have died down as the bloodlust of the on both sides appears to be sated for now.

The Dolu continue to grow peacefully, remaining aloof of the struggles to the north and south. The symbol of Dolu’s growing strength is the great hall of Cradu. King Radu has focused attentions on this new hall, much larger and stronger than the one his father defended twenty years ago. A new generation born in the wake of the war is now growing into manhood. If the Dolu can put this new generation of young men to proper use, they will surely grow great again.

The Hrafn have sent a force of a hundred men into the depths to hunt for metal. In the darkest corners of the ruins they met strange and terrible beasts. These things were in the general shape of a Haecomus, but the details were all wrong. Each abomination differed enough that no description could fit them all. History has seen fit to forget the name of these beasts. Some of the search parties disappeared completely. Many others were killed before the searchers realized the things feared the light of their torches. With the gift of Haeka in hand, the abominations were driven from the hole they hid in. The chamber the Hrafn found was untouched by looters due to its guardians. Within was a haul of metal as great as any ever retrieved from the depths. (3(!) metal for Assfell , 20 spearmen and 20 archers dead)

As her son the king went south to observe the trial, the regent Jyanna oversaw the growth of his realm. Her objectives were focused on the war in the east, in one way or another, yet they still allowed her people to flourish. Her largest project was the construction of Brandhaus (which means the House of Adalbrandr). Brandhaus was a new city with significant stone defenses. Built largely by slave labour under the direction of Tessil engineers, the city rises out of the plains between the Gnott and Reyli. This town will serve a bastion for the outlying Hrafn tribes to rally around. The raising of the Black Army is detailed elsewhere in this record and we will not retread it.

Many sacrifices were made in both Varica and Assfell to protect both Province and Empire as well as their young rulers. The Hrafn continue to prove their devotion to Haeka and his old ways. This display has had the side effect of stopping Phridian growth in Varica this year.

In other matters, the Tessil left Assfell at the end of the year. They promised to send engineers next year to replace them, in exchange for the same price they were paid this year. The Hrafn discovered a better way to produce vellum from saon. Vellum, which uses saon skin to produce high quality parchment, is much in demand in the more literate parts of Varica like Werhold, Varica city, and Validira as well as the thune cities. Support for the young King remains high thanks to the gentle taxation of the provinces and the loyalty of Jyanna to the traditions of her adopted tribe.

Life in Werhold remains good as well, despite the war beyond its borders. The Kingsmen and tribal thanes continue to rule peacefully, slowly gaining in power as the king remains away on campaign. The Kingsmen continue to expand their two cities. A road connecting the two has just been completed, easing internal commerce. Werhold has built internal roads and attempted to expand the city to its new walls. It has had some luck enticing Gibraly and Romadi, as well as local tribesmen. Thanesburch has seem greater success due to the kingsman’s invitation to Sisiric and Zostor refugees. More than three hundred Thune has accepted the offer thus far. This gives Thanesburch the second largest Thune population in Varica, second only to the Oerdan city of Ernica. Other cities with Thune populations are Varica and Paredor with ~200 thune, and the Rheni capital with ~50.

Support for the war is high and the tribes were eager to answer the call when it came to join the holy war against the Manische. Gifts to their leaders helped this enthusiasm grow further. The warbands marched happily to Rissik under Earl Beriar.

Oerdan today is a nation of fear. Crippled by a sickly king, the thanes fear that they will be drawn into one of the three wars that ravage the nations on three sides of the Oerdan. They have focused their attention on squeezing out Validiran and Rheni attempts to trade with the thune but have done little to slow them.

The Rheni and Nimosans continue to compete for dominance of the seas. Though the Nimosans remain in control, the Rheni are slowly gaining influence in the Thune cities. They are attempting to court Cirici, but the Yumin are intent on blocking them. Their attempts to court the Tessil are yielding greater results. A trade route has been established, much to the chagrin of the Oerdan.

Things among the Rheni are changing rapidly. The king has embraced the introduction of outside ideas. Most notably, he has instituted a council of men from his own and vassal tribes to provide advice and a check to the kings of the Rheni. While the King has entirely appointed the first council, new councilors will be elected by their peers on the council. This has earned the King support for his other reforms, as the thanes see it s a way to protect and even expand their power. The addition of two Condotta, strange refugees from the south, on the council has concerned many. The king’s acceptance of the Condotta and democratic thune traditions are being watched by the populace carefully, but not rejected yet. Phridian Haekism continues to spread here, thanks largely to the arrival of Phridia himself.

The Nakar and Four Claw were consumed by petty squabbling between rival councilors and chieftains for most of this year.

The Romadi and Gibraly continue to grow slowly, complacent and guarded on all sides by friendly provinces or impassable mountains.

King Ban of Bexian faced the greatest trial of his rule. His own brother, Bailan, along with several conspirators, attempted to kill him. The brothers fought and Bailan was killed. The king ordered a purge of the Bexian nobility. The guilty were quickly found and received no mercy. Their heads were paraded on pikes and now hang on the walls of Bexuni as reminders of the king’s strength. King Ban rules was further strengthened by a marriage alliance with Validirian. The Xanfa princess Liliana married Prince Axium of the Bexian in a great celebration. However, his newfound strength with be sorely tested by the arrival of Callista, the Imperial Mother, as a refugee to his court. If King Ban will grant her protection, then she demands he give her safe passage to her family in Validira.

King Ban has ordered a new hall to be constructed In Bexuni for his greatest generals. There, they will share their knowledge with each other and teach what they have learned eager young Bexian. King Ban has attempted to draw men learned in the art of war to his capital to assist him. While he has not attracted many, those he has attracted are of the highest quality. The most notable addition is an veteran thune from Cirici. Cirici is well known for the discipline and courage of its warriors and this thune, Irzki, has an impressive record. He brings with him a Yumin Philote, a Yumin Haecomus warrior trained in the thune style.

Validiran attempts to search their ruins for metals have failed this year. Luckily, none of the searchers were lost in the ruins. Otherwise, peace and prosperity reigns in Validira. Phridia’s teachings expand, Trade with Tessil increases, the marriage alliance with the Bexian has strengthened the King’s position and the populace has rallied behind Callista, supporting the Imperial Mother in her time of need. The war is draining the economy, but not greatly as of yet.

In Huroto the economy is in a shambles. Great portions of Skav have been ruined and its docks have been destroyed. However, the loyal tribes remain dedicated and the Huroto and Lokvar heartlands is are untouched. The economy remains focused on the war effort.

The Sunta are in worse shape than the Huroto. They have spent much of the year focusing on food production and training more warriors. They needed the rest to be able to campaign effectively in the coming year.

The Teral remain out of the conflict in the south for now. Only Haeka knows what they will do, especially with relatives of the Imperial family joining forces with the Teral’s greatest enemy. A difficult decision awaits King Tyrion.

Rumours

A Gamar party has raided a village on the border of the Darian March. They claim that they were simply retaliating for a similar raid by a party Cheminids.

A similar Gamar raiding party has had success against the Nakar. They managed to steal a large herd of cattle from a herd owned by a Councilor.

In the spot owned by the Four-Claw where the man of the western plains danced last year, great hailstones the size of a man’s fist lashed the earth for a short span of time in the early weeks of autumn. Hail is extremely rare at any time on the plains, let alone that time of year or that size.

Nimosan and Rheni traders have been spotted with huge seagoing vessels with great sails in the style similar to the Thune. Ships such as these are unknown throughout the rest of Varica.

A Teral caravan was ambushed by a group of black men. They numbered only a dozen and were easily beaten. Two of the men were slain. It appears they were naked but for a strange black paint they’d covered their bodies in. They were as white as Sunta underneath, similar to the hillmen of the south.

The minor Fulanti tribes of the Boreol have become more active this year, leading small raids against the Ropp, Rokina, and Oerdan. Thus far, only a few score Haecomus have been killed and two small villages lost.

Diplomacy

From: King Goros Snakecharmer, High Lord of the Mountains
To: His allies, the Oerdan, Varth and Paredor

Fear not, men of Varica! While our Manische enemies ride the daemon-birds of myth, they are still lesser men who cannot stand the light of Haeka’s brilliance. They midnight rides are signs of their true allegiance to darkness. But we, the Romadi, have our own allies in nature. The great serpents of the rivers, the Jumanda, have been tamed by our seers. We will ride into battle with the beasts of legend just as they do, but with Haeka’s light behind us, nothing can stop us!

(The Jumanda are the largest snake on Valdis, they have even been known to eat people on occasion. They are constrictors, so they have no venom. They appear often in Varican legends and are just as often heroes as villains, unlike the Yomba, who are always villains.)

The Map



I finally got around to adding the names of cities, something I should have done back in the first game.

OOC stuff

I haven't done stats yet. I thought I'd send this out now though. I don't know if stats will be finished today. Next week I expect half of my classes to be cancelled due to exam prep run by my Korean co-teacher taking the place of my lessons. I have the week after completely free. No classes, just sitting at my desk doing whatever I want and getting paid for it. I hope to get stats out by tomorrow so I can mod the next turn in the exam week. Official deadlines are coming with the stats.

Commanders were really lucky this update. Not a single one was so much as injured except the Lombek thane at the end.

As always, let me know if I left something out or screwed something up.

@Sheep,
You couldn’t afford 200 boats if you spent your entire starting cash on them. You have 40 boats instead. Also, I need you to do a budget next time with specific numbers. Catch me on MSN sometime if you need help.

@Everyone,
I’ve been doing the years wrong I just realized. Update 1 was AF 144 and this year was AF 145. Sorry for the mistake. I was dating from the beginning of the first game, not from the end of it.

@Everyone,
I just noticed this is missing from the rules: It takes a full year for recruited soldiers to be available. This is the time it takes to train. As it was missing, I allowed soldiers raised during this year to arrive halfway through the campaign as a logical compromise. I apologize for this oversight. In the future this rule will apply.
 
Glad to see this. Thanks for finally adding the city names, too; though for some strange reason I always thought Thanesburch was to the east of Werhold.
 
Lord_Iggy said:
Fantastic Update Fulton!

Thanks dude.

Glad to see this. Thanks for finally adding the city names, too; though for some strange reason I always thought Thanesburch was to the east of Werhold.

It's location hasn't been important yet, so I can still change it if you like.
 
I'd rather you did; it was supposed to be closer to both Oerdan and the Thune city-states of the south-east (so kinda in the opposite corner of the realm from where it is now, away from the city of Werhold), and it shouldn't be stealing the western trade traffic from Werhold.
 
To: Vallari, Who Shows the Light of Haeka To All Men, Even to the Emperor of Varica
From: Villieldr High Priest of Haeka Serving Among the Hrafn


The events of the capital have horrified us both as servants of Haeka, for people charge that witchcraft has overthrown the judgment of Haeka. Because of this, I made no hasty action, but rushed to the Temple of Haeka in Assfell to consult the entrails of the sacrifice and to search the records of our Holy Precincts. Alas, the entrails spoke in riddles to me, and so I approach you, O holy Vallari, for if Haeka places a shadow over me, perhaps he will give light to you, on account of his love for you.

All men know that Haeka delivers judgment through his holy trial by combat. For the wicked cannot overcome the just, who are given holy strength, before which no mortal can stand, nay even if he has the strength to uproot mountains. We both observed how the needed rites were fulfilled by both the priests of Hrafn and the priests of Varica, whose piety and holiness is beyond reproach. I saw with my own eyes how the priests purified and sanctified the grounds, so that no dark magic could hold sway over it. But still Vorchk, the champion of the princess of Xanfa, fell, and with my own eyes I saw it was not by mortal hands.

Immediately whispers and doubts assailed my ears, proclaiming witchcraft. But I could not believe them. For would Haeka, when all the proper rites have been accomplished, allow his holy judgment to be overthrown by pacts with demons? Haeka forbid! Therefore I diligently searched through our records, to see if such a thing has happened in the times of our fathers: that Demons and the magic they teach was able to overthrow Haeka in the very grounds sanctified and dedicated to Haeka. I was able to find none. But rather I found that even when men try to influence Haeka's judgment through magic, Haeka always judges them for it, and so they perish for putting their trust in their own hands rather than Haeka. Therefore I write to you, knowing that the records in the Temple at Varica are more extensive than my own. Search them I pray, and examine the entrails of the sacrifices, and lift up your voice in prayer to Haeka's throne. And tell me what you find, for this matter concerns me and my honor, as my King entrusted into my hands the task of making sure the judgment, whatever it was, was to come from Haeka alone.
 
OOC: A very interesting update; in the future, please stop taunting me with your stories on msn :p

IC:

The emissary comes, fully expecting to leave either dead or grossly mutilated.

To: The Kingdom of Huroto
From: The Kingdom of Validira


On the behalf of His Royal Highness, King Naxis of Validira, I greet you. As His Highness has stated in his original declaration of war upon Huroto, we have never desired the destruction nor the dismemberment of the Kingdom of Huroto. Far from it, we desire only the continuation of peace and security amongst us. Thus, we propose an end to the war with the return to the status quo.
 
OOC: No classes cancelled today, ten hour day. I finished sending PMs and got all the stats done except for Sunta, Huroto, Validira, and Werhold. Tomorrow they'll be done, a new deadline given, a response to Villieldr's inquiry given.
 
The Futility of Dreams

“Visions of Haeka and Haeka’s purpose has been shrouded in long words and hidden from us. There are those who say Haeka is the Eternal Judge, the One who presides over all and judges indeterminably. I feel that this example takes away from the Truth. Haeka is not an overbearing parent, hovering above her child. Far from it, Haeka is the wise parent who watches from afar and grants his children structured freedom.”

Phridia, Priest of Haeka

“As such, it is with great regret that I inform you that I have declared and enacted war upon the Huroto. Know that…”

He crumpled the letter and threw it into the fire.

How was it possible?

After striving for more than three decades to build and maintain a cordial relationship with Cul of Huroto, his beloved and trusted, until now, son had essentially rejected everything he had done. War? To wage war in the defense of peace was one thing, but to wage war in order to balance power? Inconceivable!

--------

“My beloved sister, it is inconceivable to me that you return to Validira. You are not only the Imperial Mother, but the duly wedded First Wife of the Late Majestic Hroth IV. You are not the ‘Princess of the Xanfa,’ but the Empress Dowager of the Hrothnani. To return to your maiden family is to play into the hands of Venci and her ilk. I strongly encourage you to stay within Hrothnani territory and resist her heinous ambitions to unseat the reigning and legitimate Emperor…” Validiran King Naxis to the Varican Empress Dowager Callista

“I bear grave news my King. I have heard reports from very reliable sources that your Father, His Royal Highness, King Mateo has decided to leave the Northern Army. Milord, your father is disgusted with the direction that Your Highness is taking Validira. I am deeply concerned at what should be done should His Royal Highness decide to openly denounce your actions in the halls of Telius. I believe that further measures should be taken…” Validiran Ambassador to Varica, Lord Ephron to King Naxis

“… Our Church does not strive to bind the minds of the people to that of their earthly lords. Our Church seeks to bind the people to the will of Haeka. It is through the guidance of the Church that we shall lead the people to the joys that Haeka granted to us. It is not enough to simply pay lip-service. True believers must live moral and just lives to…” Sermon by Anonymous Phridian Priest

“Lady Hanna. It has been too long since we have last seen each other. My cook has concocted some new pastry recipes involving the usage of fruit. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to grace an old friend with your presence? There are not many of us left. Our peers are dying one by one. We were those who built this Empire and still remember the pains of civil strife so acutely…” Lady Elissa’s Card Invitational

“Ephron, make it clear to all that I am now the King and not my father. If he does decide to return to Validira, refuse him access at Validira. He no longer rules. I do.” King Naxis to Lord Ephron

“My beloved Father, it has pained me greatly that news has reached my ears of your anger and disappointment at the actions of your loving son. Know that while you might disapprove of the steps I have taken in order to ensure the safety of the Empire, and of Validira, I remain ever your dutiful son. Yet should you decide to leave the Northern Campaign, know that the war has made it dangerous for you to return to Validira. For your own safety, I have made arrangements for you to be quartered at Varica…” King Naxis to King Mateo

“You ask what I think of the Situation in Varica? Frankly, I do not care. Although I am Validiran, I am first a man of the Church. Yet if I had to choose, I would support Venci. Why? Because Venci will bring about instability, loss of central control and a further increase in the strength of the provincial Kings and that, will allow us to grow and spread. If Venci comes to power, we shall have souls aplenty to save for Lord Haeka.” Phridia in Letter to Haeka’s Disciples in Varica

----------------------

It could not be.

A life of diligent work and what he had perceived as the correct upbringing of his children cast to the winds. His beloved son Naxis turned to war and death. His precious daughter Callista was now an exile from her son and Empire, beset by treachery and deceit.

“Father, do you truly plan to leave?”

He looked at Miaeus. How ironic. He had always distrusted Miaeus, the child who loved war and spurned the arts of peace. Yet now it seemed that compared to Naxis and Callista, the destruction caused by his warrior son faded in comparison.

“Yes, I shall inform the King of Werhold prior to leaving. I must make for Validira and end this madness.” He continued to wait for his servants to pack as he sipped mead. He saw Miaeus shake his head in… pity?!?

“Father, your time is over in Validira. You are no longer King. You have power no longer over the minds of men. It is cruel is it not? But men are fickle. We warriors are the simple ones. Brother Naxis, and Sister Callista are the people who wage war of momentous proportions. Warriors simply carry out their duties and obligations. I would have thought you of all would have known the power of peace to wage war. You will not be allowed to get past Varica.”

“We shall see then shall we not my son? But I absolve you of your duties and obligations to Validira. You, and the Raeka, are free men, free to swear your loyalty to whatever lord you desire. If your heart seeks to follow the King of Werhold, and become his loyal vassal, I shall do naught to stop you. For dark times have come upon Varica and Validra and we shall not see them lifted in our lifetimes.”
 
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