Swissempire
Poet Jester
Ken, its fine and in the copper age, around 5
ChipNES03: The Rise of Mana
- Thread starter Swissempire
- Start date
- Status
TheBladeRoden
Deity
I'd like a PM reply too 
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
Okay, Swiss, after much debate, I've decided to try out a magic NES. One question though: are you arbitrarily assigning starting armies or do we get a say? Oh and place me on the rightmost of the northern rivers on the coast.
Sadrith Mora
Race: Dark Elves
Cities: Mournhold
Leader: The Avatar/LittleBoots
Color(as in Magic Type): Black. Like Cleric's soul.
Religion: The Arcane Way (branch of Elvish polytheism)
Government: Tyrannical Theocratic Dictatorship
Economy: 2- 2/0
Mana:
Population:
Army:
Navy:
Air Force:
Academia:
Technology: Copper Age
Confidence:
Culture:
Wonderous Works:
Description: Centuries ago, the Sadrith, a wood elf tribe, were taken from their brethren and reforged by Thanatos into an instrument of His Will, as the ones chosen to walk His Way. They are ruled by the Holiest of Holies, the Avatar, a man blessed by the spiritual possession of his soul by Thanatos. His word is divine, his rule absolute. Bound by fanatical devotion to Thanatos, they desire nothing more than to serve their Ruler's kingdom in this realm before becoming eternal citizens in the next.
Sadrith Mora
Race: Dark Elves
Cities: Mournhold
Leader: The Avatar/LittleBoots
Color(as in Magic Type): Black. Like Cleric's soul.
Religion: The Arcane Way (branch of Elvish polytheism)
Government: Tyrannical Theocratic Dictatorship
Economy: 2- 2/0
Mana:
Population:
Army:
Navy:
Air Force:
Academia:
Technology: Copper Age
Confidence:
Culture:
Wonderous Works:
Description: Centuries ago, the Sadrith, a wood elf tribe, were taken from their brethren and reforged by Thanatos into an instrument of His Will, as the ones chosen to walk His Way. They are ruled by the Holiest of Holies, the Avatar, a man blessed by the spiritual possession of his soul by Thanatos. His word is divine, his rule absolute. Bound by fanatical devotion to Thanatos, they desire nothing more than to serve their Ruler's kingdom in this realm before becoming eternal citizens in the next.
Swissempire
Poet Jester
You can have your units renamed if you wish Flavorly of course, but yes the starting armies are arbitray
Flavorly of course, but yes the starting armies are arbitray
Swissempire
Poet Jester
Stats and maps updated. Send in your orders ASAP, because i'm doing the update as they come in. Be creative and much will be written about you.
And could someone please tell me how do do that thing iggy does with the names on the edge of the map. That would be great. And post it in the thread, i don't want my pm box to fill
And could someone please tell me how do do that thing iggy does with the names on the edge of the map. That would be great. And post it in the thread, i don't want my pm box to fill
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
Thanks! And, not to harrass you with too many questions, but how long is the update, timewise? A year? 10 years? BT-length? If I missed it somewhere in the thread, many apologies. Just need to get a feel for what kind of orders to write.
Oh, and to suffer a temporary lack of creativity, you can call my galleys Black Sails.
EDIT: I meant the other river on the north coast, north of Darkening. Sorry!
Oh, and to suffer a temporary lack of creativity, you can call my galleys Black Sails.
EDIT: I meant the other river on the north coast, north of Darkening. Sorry!
Swissempire
Poet Jester
Thats cool, i'll move you. And I will rename them, and this update is like a starting on, it will go up too 200 RH(Recorded History). But send orders kind of like you would for a longer fresh start update.
And if anyone else wants to give theri units flavor names, i would love that.
And if anyone else wants to give theri units flavor names, i would love that.
TerrisH
Mischief?
Orders in. and Ignore them. I hit the send botton to soon.
Edit: Orders fixed, correct version sent. sorry about that Swiss
Edit: Orders fixed, correct version sent. sorry about that Swiss
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
At the dawn of history, the Avatar decided that the Dark Elves would be split up based upon ability. The people were split up based on what traits their family historically displayed, with those who consistently proved strong or magically inclined in the upper classes, while those without any particular ability, or, worse, a precondition towards stupidity or weakness, in the lower classes. Thus they evolved within their own class and their traits concentrated, towards good and bad.
The Class Structure of the Dark Elves of Sadrith Mora
I. The Chosen
The Chosen are the upper echelons of Dark Elven society. They are the generals of the armies, the high priests, the leaders. They meet in council to decide a number of things, but they all defer to the current Avatar. The Chosen are the only people from which an Avatar can be picked, as they are descended from the first Wood Elves Thanatos reforged and as such are the most directly connected to the Ancient of Shadows. They are all interrelated and highly incestuous, which has produced a concentration of magical ability.
I.i. The Avatar
The Avatar himself is a former Chosen. Typically the strongest, most magically adept, most ingenious Chosen, the Avatar is the incarnation of Thanatos Himself. A variety of secret trials, rituals, and competitions are held between the few who are identified as potential Avatar candidates produce only one survivor, who then becomes the Avatar through a soulbinding with Thanatos in a secret ritual involving the sacrifice of lower class Dark Elves. As the Avatar is Thanatos Incarnate, the reign of one Avatar is not distinguished from another - they are all Thanatos.
II. The Risen
The Risen constitute a peculiar class of Dark Elves immediately below the Chosen. They are noble slaves, high class servants. The Risen were once warriors of Sadrith Mora who volunteered for soulbinding with great Dark Elf heroes long dead. The Risen are the source of the Templars of the Black Rose and are completely loyal to the Avatar through magical bonds. The Dark Elf heroes make a pact with Thanatos that allows them to possess and absorb the soul of the volunteer, but in return they are physically incapable of going against Thantos' will, and thus the Will of the Avatar.
III. The Priesthood of Death
The Priests are essentially the non-combat arm of the Templars. They are also sources of willing hosts for the creation of a Templar, as well as serving as the Avatar's representative to the lower classes. The Priesthood is not very large, as the Sadrith Mora have a living god in residence and as such have less need for a large developed priesthood than other peoples. It is, however, a fairly powerful group and performs much of the day to day bureaucracy as dictated by the Avatar and the Chosen.
IV. The Shieldbearers
The Shieldbearers are the warrior elite of Sadrith Mora. They supply the bloodlust-mad Raiders and spend their entire lives developing their combat abilities, along with combat-related magics. They are only above the lower classes due to their ability for combat and life is brutal for them. They are trained from the age of 7 in a barracks, away from their family. They are not allowed to marry until 30 and have their brides chosen for them. They are indoctrinated with complete loyalty to the Avatar and complete disregard for their own lives. Those with weaknesses either die in the intensive training process, or are culled starting at a young age. The females of the group exist essentially as child bearing machines. They bred for child bearing ability and fertility and perform industrial (creation of armour, weapons, pottery, etc) work when not in the process of creating warriors.
V. The Fieldmen
This is the second lowest class of pureblood Dark Elf and the third lowest class overall. The Fieldmen are essentially comparable to a lower middle class. They are the merchants, the small landowners, the temporary military reserve. They have limited freedoms, but are not the lowest of the low. They have access to some degrees of education and are kept in this status because they occasionally produce useful people with magical, administrative, or military talent. All in all, their lives are not as rough as others, even some of those higher on the ladder.
VI. The Insects
The Insects, as they are called, are the lowest a Dark Elf can possibly be. They are essentially slaves. They very rarely produce people of any individual worth and their main contribution is as a group. They are used for all the menial tasks, such as farming, mining, construction, etc. They are also used frequently in the myriad sacrificial rituals of the Dark Elves and are barely regarded as worth keeping alive. They are routinely terrorized to remind them of Thanatos' awesome power. They are allowed small families and slum living conditions, but this is mainly so that the upper classes have something to threaten if the Insects get out of line. To date, the Insects have not created problems. The reason their ancestors become Insects is because they proved to be good at very little. They are essentially bred for stupidity, docility, and compliance.
VII. The Cattle
The Cattle are the bastard children of other races and Dark Elves. They are slaves through and through. The males are castrated at birth and the females used as child factories and manual labourers. The males are used in large scale sacrifices, along Insect slaves in work projects, and sometimes as rabble hoards used to soften up the enemy before battle. They are traumatized their entire lives and molded into creatures without any concept of self worth, who have a sick love for their tormentors, and believe that all their punishment is deserved and are therefore some of the most loyal of all the classes. They are universally regarded as subhuman "living tools", even by themselves.
The Class Structure of the Dark Elves of Sadrith Mora
I. The Chosen
The Chosen are the upper echelons of Dark Elven society. They are the generals of the armies, the high priests, the leaders. They meet in council to decide a number of things, but they all defer to the current Avatar. The Chosen are the only people from which an Avatar can be picked, as they are descended from the first Wood Elves Thanatos reforged and as such are the most directly connected to the Ancient of Shadows. They are all interrelated and highly incestuous, which has produced a concentration of magical ability.
I.i. The Avatar
The Avatar himself is a former Chosen. Typically the strongest, most magically adept, most ingenious Chosen, the Avatar is the incarnation of Thanatos Himself. A variety of secret trials, rituals, and competitions are held between the few who are identified as potential Avatar candidates produce only one survivor, who then becomes the Avatar through a soulbinding with Thanatos in a secret ritual involving the sacrifice of lower class Dark Elves. As the Avatar is Thanatos Incarnate, the reign of one Avatar is not distinguished from another - they are all Thanatos.
II. The Risen
The Risen constitute a peculiar class of Dark Elves immediately below the Chosen. They are noble slaves, high class servants. The Risen were once warriors of Sadrith Mora who volunteered for soulbinding with great Dark Elf heroes long dead. The Risen are the source of the Templars of the Black Rose and are completely loyal to the Avatar through magical bonds. The Dark Elf heroes make a pact with Thanatos that allows them to possess and absorb the soul of the volunteer, but in return they are physically incapable of going against Thantos' will, and thus the Will of the Avatar.
III. The Priesthood of Death
The Priests are essentially the non-combat arm of the Templars. They are also sources of willing hosts for the creation of a Templar, as well as serving as the Avatar's representative to the lower classes. The Priesthood is not very large, as the Sadrith Mora have a living god in residence and as such have less need for a large developed priesthood than other peoples. It is, however, a fairly powerful group and performs much of the day to day bureaucracy as dictated by the Avatar and the Chosen.
IV. The Shieldbearers
The Shieldbearers are the warrior elite of Sadrith Mora. They supply the bloodlust-mad Raiders and spend their entire lives developing their combat abilities, along with combat-related magics. They are only above the lower classes due to their ability for combat and life is brutal for them. They are trained from the age of 7 in a barracks, away from their family. They are not allowed to marry until 30 and have their brides chosen for them. They are indoctrinated with complete loyalty to the Avatar and complete disregard for their own lives. Those with weaknesses either die in the intensive training process, or are culled starting at a young age. The females of the group exist essentially as child bearing machines. They bred for child bearing ability and fertility and perform industrial (creation of armour, weapons, pottery, etc) work when not in the process of creating warriors.
V. The Fieldmen
This is the second lowest class of pureblood Dark Elf and the third lowest class overall. The Fieldmen are essentially comparable to a lower middle class. They are the merchants, the small landowners, the temporary military reserve. They have limited freedoms, but are not the lowest of the low. They have access to some degrees of education and are kept in this status because they occasionally produce useful people with magical, administrative, or military talent. All in all, their lives are not as rough as others, even some of those higher on the ladder.
VI. The Insects
The Insects, as they are called, are the lowest a Dark Elf can possibly be. They are essentially slaves. They very rarely produce people of any individual worth and their main contribution is as a group. They are used for all the menial tasks, such as farming, mining, construction, etc. They are also used frequently in the myriad sacrificial rituals of the Dark Elves and are barely regarded as worth keeping alive. They are routinely terrorized to remind them of Thanatos' awesome power. They are allowed small families and slum living conditions, but this is mainly so that the upper classes have something to threaten if the Insects get out of line. To date, the Insects have not created problems. The reason their ancestors become Insects is because they proved to be good at very little. They are essentially bred for stupidity, docility, and compliance.
VII. The Cattle
The Cattle are the bastard children of other races and Dark Elves. They are slaves through and through. The males are castrated at birth and the females used as child factories and manual labourers. The males are used in large scale sacrifices, along Insect slaves in work projects, and sometimes as rabble hoards used to soften up the enemy before battle. They are traumatized their entire lives and molded into creatures without any concept of self worth, who have a sick love for their tormentors, and believe that all their punishment is deserved and are therefore some of the most loyal of all the classes. They are universally regarded as subhuman "living tools", even by themselves.
The Strategos
Thanatos
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2002
- Messages
- 1,175
@Little Boots: Just out of curiosity did my title (the word under my user name) which I've had for over a year influence your gods name or just a coincidence?
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
The Pantheon of Elvish Gods
Kaelkannan: God of the Sky, Kaelkannan (or Kael'Kannan, Kaelukan, Kael). Kaelkannan, Lover of Lightning, Master of Storms, controls the winds, the clouds, land based storms, and is the marginal "Consul" of the Gods. While slightly more powerful than most other gods, he cannot force his will on all of them at once and so, while influential, he could not be considered King of the Gods. (In some traditions, Kael'Kannan is actually a pair of gods, twins Kael and Kannan, who rule over the sky, one storms, the other wind. Likely simplified due to redundancy.)
Soliarii - God of Light/the Sun, Soliarii (Sol, Solar, Solarus, others). Soliarii, Light of the World, Lord of the Eternal Day, is another candidate for King of the Gods and is widely believed to be as powerful as Kaelkannan, with less ambition. In the Beginning of Time, Soliarii was all important, as there was originally no night in the Heavens and he was responsible for the Eternal Day. Soliarii eventually created Nod, Goddess of Night, in an experiment proved unable to destroy her, although he was successful in preventing her from using her powers until the Dividing of the Realms. Soliarii's main flaw is his distraction with the lesser Deity, Knowledge. He constantly plies Knowledge with questions, to the detriment of his other duties and as such is a patron of scholars of sorts.
Thanatos - God of Death (also occasionally God of War), Thanatos (vast variety of other forms). Thanatos is the first born of twins. His mother, Nod, Goddess of Night, also gave birth to his brother Hypnos, God of Sleep. Thanatos dominates his subservient brother and the two work together. See below for the larger story of Thanatos.
Eleria - Goddess of Life/Love/Beauty, Eleria (numerous forms). Eleria is the daughter of Kael'Kannan and Mother Earth, although sometimes it is said that she herself is Mother Earth, and the deities are often used interchangeably. She is the most beautiful of all the Gods.
Mother Earth - Goddess of Nature/Fertility/Harvest, Mother Earth (too many forms to number). Mother Earth was created by all the Gods as a perfect place for the offspring of the Gods to reside. Originally, there was no darkness and no death, but after the Dividing of the Realms, Mother Earth was spoiled. As such, she weeps for a portion of the year every year in memorial and neglects the land (winter).
Along with numerous other lesser deities.
The (Abbreviated) Creation Story
In the Beginning there was nothing but the Heavens and the gods bickered. Conspiring together to find a way to distract the other gods and prevent a war, Kael'Kannan and Thanatos came together and proposed the creation of world other than Heaven, where the offspring of the gods could dwell. This idea went over well and Mother Earth was created as a collaboration of the gods.
The Dividing of the Realms
However, when the time came to assign realms to the gods, Kael'Kannan tricked Thanatos into accepting a vast Realm of Shadows, and his brother Hypnos Dominion over the Night. For in the beginning, Night had no power and the World was Eternally Lit. Similarly, Eleria held sway over all living things and nothing died. When Thanatos discovered his Realm was of the Dead and that it would never be populated, he rebelled against the Gods, along with his brother Hypnos and mother Night.
He was successful in forcing the corruption of the world and the invasion of Sleep, however it is a constant battle and every day the battle tide shifts, from Nod and her sons to absent-minded Soliarii in his power. This is reflected in the ebb and flow of night and day, and the grip of Sleep on the populace when Night holds sway. Thanatos came to a truce with the other gods after getting some of what he wanted (a fact that allows them occasional victory over Soliarii in his isolation), but secretly plots against them.
It is prophesied that the End of the World (and thus the Eternal Dominion of Death) will come when the Thanatos can summon enough power to himself to overthrow the villains of Heaven all at once, and he has gathered large numbers disaffected lesser deities to aid his cause.
OOC:
@Swiss, I hope this lasts, I'm feeling creative
@Strategos: No, actually, I hate to admit I have either not seen it or have seen it and forgotten about it. I'm a bit of a student of Greek History (as may be inferred from my own title, referencing a semi-obscure Greek tyrant), mainly Greek Law and Mythology, and a lot of my ideas for this religion is based on Greek gods (with Norse influence). Interesting though!
Kaelkannan: God of the Sky, Kaelkannan (or Kael'Kannan, Kaelukan, Kael). Kaelkannan, Lover of Lightning, Master of Storms, controls the winds, the clouds, land based storms, and is the marginal "Consul" of the Gods. While slightly more powerful than most other gods, he cannot force his will on all of them at once and so, while influential, he could not be considered King of the Gods. (In some traditions, Kael'Kannan is actually a pair of gods, twins Kael and Kannan, who rule over the sky, one storms, the other wind. Likely simplified due to redundancy.)
Soliarii - God of Light/the Sun, Soliarii (Sol, Solar, Solarus, others). Soliarii, Light of the World, Lord of the Eternal Day, is another candidate for King of the Gods and is widely believed to be as powerful as Kaelkannan, with less ambition. In the Beginning of Time, Soliarii was all important, as there was originally no night in the Heavens and he was responsible for the Eternal Day. Soliarii eventually created Nod, Goddess of Night, in an experiment proved unable to destroy her, although he was successful in preventing her from using her powers until the Dividing of the Realms. Soliarii's main flaw is his distraction with the lesser Deity, Knowledge. He constantly plies Knowledge with questions, to the detriment of his other duties and as such is a patron of scholars of sorts.
Thanatos - God of Death (also occasionally God of War), Thanatos (vast variety of other forms). Thanatos is the first born of twins. His mother, Nod, Goddess of Night, also gave birth to his brother Hypnos, God of Sleep. Thanatos dominates his subservient brother and the two work together. See below for the larger story of Thanatos.
Eleria - Goddess of Life/Love/Beauty, Eleria (numerous forms). Eleria is the daughter of Kael'Kannan and Mother Earth, although sometimes it is said that she herself is Mother Earth, and the deities are often used interchangeably. She is the most beautiful of all the Gods.
Mother Earth - Goddess of Nature/Fertility/Harvest, Mother Earth (too many forms to number). Mother Earth was created by all the Gods as a perfect place for the offspring of the Gods to reside. Originally, there was no darkness and no death, but after the Dividing of the Realms, Mother Earth was spoiled. As such, she weeps for a portion of the year every year in memorial and neglects the land (winter).
Along with numerous other lesser deities.
The (Abbreviated) Creation Story
In the Beginning there was nothing but the Heavens and the gods bickered. Conspiring together to find a way to distract the other gods and prevent a war, Kael'Kannan and Thanatos came together and proposed the creation of world other than Heaven, where the offspring of the gods could dwell. This idea went over well and Mother Earth was created as a collaboration of the gods.
The Dividing of the Realms
However, when the time came to assign realms to the gods, Kael'Kannan tricked Thanatos into accepting a vast Realm of Shadows, and his brother Hypnos Dominion over the Night. For in the beginning, Night had no power and the World was Eternally Lit. Similarly, Eleria held sway over all living things and nothing died. When Thanatos discovered his Realm was of the Dead and that it would never be populated, he rebelled against the Gods, along with his brother Hypnos and mother Night.
He was successful in forcing the corruption of the world and the invasion of Sleep, however it is a constant battle and every day the battle tide shifts, from Nod and her sons to absent-minded Soliarii in his power. This is reflected in the ebb and flow of night and day, and the grip of Sleep on the populace when Night holds sway. Thanatos came to a truce with the other gods after getting some of what he wanted (a fact that allows them occasional victory over Soliarii in his isolation), but secretly plots against them.
It is prophesied that the End of the World (and thus the Eternal Dominion of Death) will come when the Thanatos can summon enough power to himself to overthrow the villains of Heaven all at once, and he has gathered large numbers disaffected lesser deities to aid his cause.
OOC:
@Swiss, I hope this lasts, I'm feeling creative
@Strategos: No, actually, I hate to admit I have either not seen it or have seen it and forgotten about it. I'm a bit of a student of Greek History (as may be inferred from my own title, referencing a semi-obscure Greek tyrant), mainly Greek Law and Mythology, and a lot of my ideas for this religion is based on Greek gods (with Norse influence). Interesting though!
TheBladeRoden
Deity
Not my top choice but we were in desperate need of some blue.
Nation Name Uroussydia
Race: Human
Cities: Windshore
Leader: Cian Odynalmos/TheBladeRoden
Color(as in Magic Type):Blue
Religion: Worship of Otreus, God of the Currents
Government: Chieftan elected by a Council of Elders
Economy: 2- 2/0
Mana:
Population:
Army: Javeliniers
Navy: Otrean Long Ships
Air Force:
Academia:
Technology: Copper Age
Confidence:
Culture:
Wonderous Works:
Description: Even as nomads the people of Uroussydia have kept close to the sea. The early tribes built their first settlements as fishing villages along the coast. Their reliance on the ocean instilled a repect for the elements and sea life. Naturally a mythos developed around the sea and what wonders may lie beneath the surface. Thus, out of the myriad of gods available to mankind, the Uroussi chose Otreus as their dominant one. By the onset of written history, Windshore had become a sizeable trading port. Scholars had learned much about the peoples outside their borders. By keeing relations with them there is potential for growth and advancement, but there are also dangers. The barbarious forces of the land are seen as a threat to the Uroussi's orderly way of life, but for now they have no choice but to deal with it. Maybe with enough devotion and research, they will find a way to cross under the waves and be with their god. But they may also find that running away from their problems will do anything but solve them.
Okay that started getting a little teen dramedyish at the end there didn't it?
Nation Name Uroussydia
Race: Human
Cities: Windshore
Leader: Cian Odynalmos/TheBladeRoden
Color(as in Magic Type):Blue
Religion: Worship of Otreus, God of the Currents
Government: Chieftan elected by a Council of Elders
Economy: 2- 2/0
Mana:
Population:
Army: Javeliniers
Navy: Otrean Long Ships
Air Force:
Academia:
Technology: Copper Age
Confidence:
Culture:
Wonderous Works:
Description: Even as nomads the people of Uroussydia have kept close to the sea. The early tribes built their first settlements as fishing villages along the coast. Their reliance on the ocean instilled a repect for the elements and sea life. Naturally a mythos developed around the sea and what wonders may lie beneath the surface. Thus, out of the myriad of gods available to mankind, the Uroussi chose Otreus as their dominant one. By the onset of written history, Windshore had become a sizeable trading port. Scholars had learned much about the peoples outside their borders. By keeing relations with them there is potential for growth and advancement, but there are also dangers. The barbarious forces of the land are seen as a threat to the Uroussi's orderly way of life, but for now they have no choice but to deal with it. Maybe with enough devotion and research, they will find a way to cross under the waves and be with their god. But they may also find that running away from their problems will do anything but solve them.
Okay that started getting a little teen dramedyish at the end there didn't it?
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
And for the record, I don't believe in or endorse any of the views of the Aerurikae, nor do I view them as how magic is or should be. Nor do I view hedonistic theocracy as the perfect form of government. Hmm... I guess that clears it.
The Strategos
Thanatos
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2002
- Messages
- 1,175
For Little Boots 
They say you always remember your first time. It matters little whether its the first time with a woman or the first time killing, your first time is etched into your head.
I was a White then, which meant, of course that I knew nothing. I had a spear, I had a shield, I was foolish, or perhaps arrogant, enough to think that that made me a warrior. A hundred of us were sent north. We had received word that some barbarians had come from the north, threatening some of the farms that depended upon us for protection. So of course, we went. My unit was the closest to the farms, and so we left, not waiting for reinforcements, hoping to surprise the barbarians before they would be able to harm the lives and livelihood of those who depended upon us.
And so my unit, all one hundred of us, went marching. I was a lad at this time, barely old enough to be even in the lowest of the Whites ranks. This meant, of course, that I was an elaphros, armed with several javelins and a small shield instead of the large spear and body-spanning shield of the barus. The plan was simple, as all good plans were. The elaphri would range ahead, deploying between the bari and the enemy, cascading the enemy with our javelins. This would hopefully throw the enemy in enough confusion that the bari could charge in, break the enemys shield line, scattering them.
It was a good plan, one that had served our people well in many minor brushes with the barbarians when they foolishly chose to disturb our peace. Unfortunately, as I have learned many times since, even good plans sometimes fail.
I was in the back of the line, my throat dry and gritty from breathing in the clouds of dust that were thrown up by the feet marching, almost trotting, ahead of me. To both my left and right were grains, almost as tall as a man, waving gently in the breeze. Ahead, I heard a shout. Though I could see nothing because of the dust, the rumor swept through the lines that smoke had been seen up front, presumably fire set by the barbarians.
And then in an instant, my life changed. To my left, I heard a cry, answered by another cry to my right. It was as if the grain had gained a voice and were crying their defiance at the hated invader. Except, of course, it was not the grain shouting a war cry, it was hundreds of barbarians. We were outmaneuvered, we were trapped, we were dead men walking.
Of course, I didnt think that at the time. There was no time to think, only to do. I could hear our centi yelling, yelling, though the words he yelled, if he even yelled words, escaped me. A man, or rather I should say a boy, for we were all boys in the elaphri, went down in front of me, making a sickly gargling noise, red foam flecking his lips, his arms waving purposelessly in the air in front of him. I wanted to be sick, right there, in the midst of the battlefield, to empty my stomachs contents repeatedly, until there was nothing left, and then crawl into a corner and weep.
That is what I wanted to do. Of course I did not do that. I did what I had been trained to do, I fought. It was, and still is to some extent, a strange sensation, when all thinking has ceased and you are operating only on the most basic functions, instinct and perhaps more-so, on training. It is as if you are outside of yourself, viewing another detachedly, watching that person do things you would never dream of doing.
That is the moment I first killed. As I said, my shieldmate went down in front of me. The barbarian who had killed them still had his spear stuck in the body. It appeared that it had got stuck on some part of my shieldmates armor when the barbarian went to pull it out. He had one foot on my shieldmate, and was standing over him pulling, when some unknown compulsion caused him to look up. We stood there looking at each other, him and I for a few moments of eternity. Then I rammed my javelin in his face, right through the right eye, causing me to be showered in a red rain.
There is nothing much to tell of the rest of the battle. I killed and watched others being killed. I fought and many died. We were rescued by a small group of Solarians from the city. They had left shortly after us to provide reinforcements, but because of they were farther away than us, had belatedly caught up with us. Seventy men they rescued. Seventy bleeding, fatigued men out of the original hundred. I was one of the seventy, and till this day for the life of me I cant figure out if I was one of the lucky ones, or if the lucky ones were the ones who died that day.
kai eidon,
kai idou ippos cloros kai ho kathemenos epano autou onoma auto ho Thanatos, kai ho Hades ekolouthei met autou
kai edothe autois exousia epi to tetarton tes ges apokteinai en hromphaia kai en limw kai en thanato kai hupo ton therion tes ges
kai idou ippos cloros kai ho kathemenos epano autou onoma auto ho Thanatos, kai ho Hades ekolouthei met autou
kai edothe autois exousia epi to tetarton tes ges apokteinai en hromphaia kai en limw kai en thanato kai hupo ton therion tes ges
They say you always remember your first time. It matters little whether its the first time with a woman or the first time killing, your first time is etched into your head.
I was a White then, which meant, of course that I knew nothing. I had a spear, I had a shield, I was foolish, or perhaps arrogant, enough to think that that made me a warrior. A hundred of us were sent north. We had received word that some barbarians had come from the north, threatening some of the farms that depended upon us for protection. So of course, we went. My unit was the closest to the farms, and so we left, not waiting for reinforcements, hoping to surprise the barbarians before they would be able to harm the lives and livelihood of those who depended upon us.
And so my unit, all one hundred of us, went marching. I was a lad at this time, barely old enough to be even in the lowest of the Whites ranks. This meant, of course, that I was an elaphros, armed with several javelins and a small shield instead of the large spear and body-spanning shield of the barus. The plan was simple, as all good plans were. The elaphri would range ahead, deploying between the bari and the enemy, cascading the enemy with our javelins. This would hopefully throw the enemy in enough confusion that the bari could charge in, break the enemys shield line, scattering them.
It was a good plan, one that had served our people well in many minor brushes with the barbarians when they foolishly chose to disturb our peace. Unfortunately, as I have learned many times since, even good plans sometimes fail.
I was in the back of the line, my throat dry and gritty from breathing in the clouds of dust that were thrown up by the feet marching, almost trotting, ahead of me. To both my left and right were grains, almost as tall as a man, waving gently in the breeze. Ahead, I heard a shout. Though I could see nothing because of the dust, the rumor swept through the lines that smoke had been seen up front, presumably fire set by the barbarians.
And then in an instant, my life changed. To my left, I heard a cry, answered by another cry to my right. It was as if the grain had gained a voice and were crying their defiance at the hated invader. Except, of course, it was not the grain shouting a war cry, it was hundreds of barbarians. We were outmaneuvered, we were trapped, we were dead men walking.
Of course, I didnt think that at the time. There was no time to think, only to do. I could hear our centi yelling, yelling, though the words he yelled, if he even yelled words, escaped me. A man, or rather I should say a boy, for we were all boys in the elaphri, went down in front of me, making a sickly gargling noise, red foam flecking his lips, his arms waving purposelessly in the air in front of him. I wanted to be sick, right there, in the midst of the battlefield, to empty my stomachs contents repeatedly, until there was nothing left, and then crawl into a corner and weep.
That is what I wanted to do. Of course I did not do that. I did what I had been trained to do, I fought. It was, and still is to some extent, a strange sensation, when all thinking has ceased and you are operating only on the most basic functions, instinct and perhaps more-so, on training. It is as if you are outside of yourself, viewing another detachedly, watching that person do things you would never dream of doing.
That is the moment I first killed. As I said, my shieldmate went down in front of me. The barbarian who had killed them still had his spear stuck in the body. It appeared that it had got stuck on some part of my shieldmates armor when the barbarian went to pull it out. He had one foot on my shieldmate, and was standing over him pulling, when some unknown compulsion caused him to look up. We stood there looking at each other, him and I for a few moments of eternity. Then I rammed my javelin in his face, right through the right eye, causing me to be showered in a red rain.
There is nothing much to tell of the rest of the battle. I killed and watched others being killed. I fought and many died. We were rescued by a small group of Solarians from the city. They had left shortly after us to provide reinforcements, but because of they were farther away than us, had belatedly caught up with us. Seventy men they rescued. Seventy bleeding, fatigued men out of the original hundred. I was one of the seventy, and till this day for the life of me I cant figure out if I was one of the lucky ones, or if the lucky ones were the ones who died that day.
LittleBoots
The Bloody Banner
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2006
- Messages
- 1,979
Nothing here... (all moved to a later post and renamed)
Swissempire
Poet Jester
TBR, i shall add you post-update. Its almost done, and you know....
TheBladeRoden
Deity
Well that's ok I couldn't think of what to write up for my orders anyway. 
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Can't wait for update swiss.
No one post so he can post on top of next page.
No one post so he can post on top of next page.
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