UPDATE FOUR
Unexpected battles
Map:
By some sort of miracle, several people in Uthrarthe, the former
Myrde capital, have banded together and organised a traders guild. This is not your regular traders guild, mind you. In fact, even the worst merchant of any of the neighboring countries would scorn it. But in Myrde, it's almost functional, and helps bring food from foreign lands in exchange for stuff made in Myrde that's actually worth something. Not that there's much of the latter. Even then, it is still not sufficient to bring in enough food to feed everybody. People die of starvation in the realm, and malnutrition helps spread even more diseases. Corpses litter the land, and cannibalism is commonplace. The northernmost city is abandoned and only ruins remain of it (although they are ruins with a nice city wall). People flee to the fields and woods in hope of finding some food. Rains of dead fish provide more nutrition to the citizens, but the rotten fish are barely edible, and Myrde inhabitants use them more as toys in their silly games than meals.
In the south, many of Myrde invaders around Tlanetzutl start sprouting tails instead of legs, and they dive into the nearby sea. Living in the waters is not easy for those insane mermen, and most of them die. In the city itself, the same transformation afflicts some of the fishmen. Instead of being two-legged scaly humanoids, they become big fish with two arms. The transformation is terrible for them, as many are locked in the city and can't move and get out of it because of the surrounding army. The tailed fishmen are thus immobilised and many die. The hygienic conditions of the city degrade, and as people stop resurrecting the day after their death, the situation inside Tlanetzutl is indeed terrible. Infection ravages the city.
One day, the captain of Tlanetzutl guard decides to leave the gates open, saying that the madmen won't attack. Indeed, they don't. Or, better said, they don't attack immediately.
While the captain reasons with the city authority, the Myrde rubble outside the walls draws dragons in the sand, hoping to summon some in this way. For a few days, the captain is considered a hero in the city. He saved the place from the madmen. The fishmen rejoice, their gates wide open.
After about a week, Fatrasie realises the gates are open, and orders the whole lot of madmen to attack. After two days of gathering those who were having a bath in the sea, she manages to bring an invasion party to the walls. The fishmen hastily grab their spears and try to repel the invaders, but most defenders find themselves unable to move, paralysed by waves of madness, and they end up as sashimi.
Madmen versus fishmen
After the city is conquered by Myrde, madness ensues. The city council is devoured. Many a Myrde invader dies, but the end result is that what little sanity remained in Tlanetzutl is lost, and the dreams of Fùxaxxatlìnnùnìnùtlectlìbrrrìxxatl reach the city and smother it in madness.
This is the time chosen by a troop of corsairs to land near the city. There are several hundred soldiers, and they are offering their services as mercenaries. Seeing the locals seem, well, a bit weird, they also send messages by boat along the coast up to C'tis, offering to serve for 12 gold per year any who can afford to pay them. They are strong of 3 heavy infantry units.
In
Bhumi, north of Logapur, a pyramid has been uncovered in the jungle. A few bold explorers went inside, but very few came back alive. One of those who did, his hair whitened with fear, tells of creatures that should be dead but wouldn't leave this world. They guard tight corridors in the dark interior of the half-ruined building and mercilessly kill all the explorers who don't run away fast enough.
In the city of Logapur proper, a big temple shrine is constructed near the river bank, drawing many faithful.
In Nagapur, an assassin killed several important merchants. The killer has been seen when escaping by a surviving bodyguard. Noone knows who paid for the murders but the killer was a dark-skinned man, much like those who live in the southern kingdom of
Machaka.
Meanwhile, the Bhumi army massed at Fornalis marches south towards the Machakan city of Shalu. There, they find that king Ungulungo has brought back most of his troops from Umfolongo, leaving only a few archers in the newly captured city. Most of the Machakan army is behind the city walls when Bhumi forces come by, led by their prophet Madhavali.
While Bhumi armies are preparing an assault on Shalu, the Pavitra Bacce himself travels across chaos lands, staying near the border of chaos and order, until he reaches the region of Ilfundune. Heavily armored, with a shield, a longspear and a falchion in his hands, he enters the city at night with the help of some of his worshippers. When the sun next starts shining in the east, he marches on the barracks where Gulnops keeps the eye of the fanatic arrested the previous year.
In Shalu, Ungulungo orders his army to exit the city walls in order to make use of his spider knights in open terrain.
Madhavali has spent days preparing for battle, causing a breeze to blow in favor of her archers and against those of Machaka on that fateful day. She also draws the sword of Gandharva spirits, a weapon which wails terrible complaints and instills fear in all on the battlefield. Ungulungo uses his amulets and scrolls to cast fire bolts and lightning among the invaders, but Bhumi archers are better equipped, and their naga soldiers are fearsome, and the Machakan army quickly routs as the infantry and a few archers get turned into pincushions. The Bhumi human infantry got badly hit in the battle, when they were charged by spider knights. In the end, Bhumi prevails and Shalu falls under its control.
Machakan and Bhumi armies meet in the plains near Shalu.
Meanwhile, the Pavitra Bacce makes way to Gulnops's barracks, and his spear and falchion slay many a machakan warrior.
Defenders are disorganised and surprised, and the four-armed giant who attacks them leaves them no chance. As archers prepare and shoot arrows, they feel their life strength drained. The Pavitra Bacce slays many soldiers, until they finally decide to stop fighting and hide in the buildings. When there's only a sporadic arrow shot left, the god of Bhumi reaches the place where the bottle containing his follower's eye and soul is contained, and breaks it with a spear stab. The eye falls on the floor of the barracks, and the Pavitra Bacce seizes it with one of his many hands. He then heads out of the building and utters scary words of power. The eye floats into the air and, around it, a dark mist coalesces into a man-like shape.
The one-eyed spectre
The shadowy creature and the four-armed god stand alone in the place in front of the barracks. Not even their followers dare go out in the streets. Some archers took position on rooftops and start shooting at the pair. The Pavitra Bacce and the newly-formed wraith retreat out of range, and the few inhabitants they meet faint or lose consciousness as the pair walks past them. The God realises that he has beaten most of the soldiers, but he lacks troops of his own to help him take control of the city and therefore he decides to move back with his wraith out of the city walls.
In
Mallitain, a group of smiths in Massad is encouraged to form a guild with promises of state sponsorship. They already executed an order for chain hauberks that are distributed to all the existing heavy infantry units.
Cassiopeia moves to the north of the region, and she orders apples from the Tree of Life distributed to the sick in Jassar while she personally heals those she can. Once all are healed in Jassar, Cassiopeia continues to the north, and so do the apple bearers. As they move northward, they cure all the diseased and soon the Yellow Plague is only a bad memory in Mallitain, but a memory that marked a few villagers. One of them comes to be known as Lord Logar as he moves into the chaos lands to reach Patalnila, carrying only his great scythe.
In Ulanbar, the city between Bhumi, Patalnila and Mallitain, a Cult of the dead is rising. Some people have started a cult of the ancestors in the city, asking them protection from the harmful changes brought by chaos. However, those ancestors worshippers have more to fear than simply chaos, as Jack Churchill of Mallitain reaches the city with a large army and orders them to capitulate. The rulers would be allowed to continue governing the city, but would have to pay tax and serve in Mallitain armies. Worshippers of Emeseran would also have to leave the city or renounce their faith. Seeing that they have more archers than the attackers, although they have less melee soldiers, the Ulanbar council of elders refuses. They are confident that their walls and superior position will make their archers deadly enough.
What Ulanbar didn't take into account is that Mallitain bows are much better than theirs, thereby mostly negating the advantage of firing from a height. Furthermore, Mallitain front troops bear big kite shields and strong armor, and Jack sings songs of courage and his warcry sends fear in the heart of his enemies across the whole battlefield. Battering rams breach the gates and a melee ensues.
Ulanbar defenders are overwhelmed, and Mallitain infantry takes control of the city even as their horse archers rush through the gaps to pursue the last defenders in the city streets. The council of elders has to surrender, its army defeated. Followers of Emeseran are sought, but none is found. Jack leaves part of his army to guard the city and heads back to Mallitain.
In the
Darkswamp, a great caravan from a distant land arrived in the province. Merchants from far and wide gathered and there was much commerce. Tax revenues were 30 gold.
However, some hunters have angered a vengeful entity of the wild. A monster boar is now ravaging the north-east of the bog. Farmers are afraid to enter their fields and refuse to work. Hunters dare not hunt far away and barely bring home enough food to survive. Unrest is growing. Food is lacking, and people starve. Unless someone finds the dire pig and slay it, unrest will continue to rise and people will either die of starvation or leave the region. Many have already left the country in hope of finding a safer place to live and disappeared in the bog.
The faerie in Lasanak contracts a disease. Her lovers seek all kinds of expensive cures for her, without effect. The beautiful woman withers slowly. Utlimately, it is Murok, Sakarlaisk's apprentice, who diagnoses that the only cure would be fresh air that is not to be found in the Darkswamp. Following his advice, the faerie leaves Lasanak.
In the
Patalnila capital of Vanas, a wealthy and influent man has captured many poor children in order to perform a huge sacrifice, hoping to gain tremendous powers this way. Of course, it failed, as magic does not work that way: Sacrifice only works if what's sacrificed is of value to the wizard, but the man wouldn't understand that. Many inhabitants have been killed by this wizard wannabe. The rich man and his personal guard are now more or less at war with the local population. If no action is taken, things will degenerate into even more bloodshed and battles in the streets.
This happens while the rulers of the realm, Emeseran and his prophet Launar, are far away with their army in a march to the north, up to the city of Pythia. While the soldiers were still preparing to march north, Emeseran himself entered the city alone, ahead of his army. Soon after his arrival, the first signs of a new disease are seen in the region.
This disease occurs just after terrible hailstorms destroying crops and shacks around Pythia. It starts affecting mostly soldiers from the Darkswamp: They show skin lesions, and those affected are weakened and unable to walk or move for a week or more. The disease spreads slowly but it is horrible to look at, and at first Pythians shun the bog inhabitants, whom they believe brought the disease with them. However, Sakarlaisk the prophet raises a temple by magic in the city. The temple is a small building, and Sakarlaisk invites the diseased to visit him. He is in fact very gifted in healing magic, and those who go to his temple all get cured miraculously. This greatly enhances the faith in the Bog Serpent in Pythia. In addition, Darkswamp funds the rebuilding of the city and its walls, and the economic revival gives a lot of confidence in Darkswamp rule.
Unfortunately for Darkswamp, the Bog Serpent itself is busy trying to hunt down the undead Ditanu in the swamp, but he doesn't seem to succeed in his endeavours. Therefore, when the plague in Pythia seems to be controlled at last, Sakarlaisk leaves the city and leads Lasanak soldiers to find the undead giant. As soon as he leaves, the disease strikes again, more virulent than ever. Without the prophet's magic, the disease soon debilitates many Pythians, who all start praying for the return of Sakarlaisk the healer.
Sakarlaisk leads his troops in the north and finds the lair of the Ditanu. He sends forward his vipers, but the beasts can't poison that which was already dead, and their fangs barely scratch the ghostly being. The monster uses his sword and feet to cut and stamp the animals. Archers send volleys of arrows, but the Ditanu's shield protects him, and those which manage to hit often don't manage to penetrate the armor and skin. Eventually, Darkswamp soldiers close in and when the giant undead king is busy fighting in melee, he can't use his shield to protect his head from the arrows. His legs are chopped off, arrows protrude out of his head, and he finally collapses and dissolves as mists in the swamp, but Darkswamp armies have paid a heavy toll, with their vipers all stampeded to death and many a soldier dead.
At the same time, near the end of the year, as Sakarlaisk is hunting down the undead, Launar arrives to the walls of Pythia with his army.
Patalnila army attacks Pythia. A few infiltrated Patalnilans, helped by Emeseran, manage to open one of the city gates but Darkswamp soldiers come in and fight the invaders. The Darkswamp troops are too few in numbers, and many are diseased. Their prophet and troops are busy handling the Ditanu in the north, and so the defense is desperate. Although they inflict a lot of damage on the attackers, the Darkswamp defenders of Pythia are overwhelmed. The Bog Serpent itself tries to intervene, but, although he poisons many attackers, he can't single-handedly defeat the whole army, and his archers are too few and in too bad shape to assist him efficiently, so he returns to the bog.
The battle of Pythia
When Emeseran conquers the city, his soldiers ask the sick if they revere the Bog Serpent or Emeresan the Healer. Almost all of them say they worship the Bog Serpent, and the few who don't don't worship Emeseran either, whom they hardly ever heard of until this day. Emeseran leaves to die most of the citizens as a result and heals only a handful.
C'tis ships are built and sent to the south into the sea.
In the capital, hierodules (royal spouses) are ordered to go preach in the marshes and fields and the cities of Unug and C'shegi.
In
Firland, the Phoenix orders shrines to be built in every city, and a bigger one in Nijlarmund.
High priestess Burner summons fire mephits whom she sends east and south to scout the region and give her information about the surrounding lands.
The Phoenix rounds his army and marches southwards to the city south of Firland. This city, called Lisonar, resists briefly in front of the Phoenix's infantry and fire magic but is soon conquered.
Firland conquers Lisonar
In
Heldenthal, a dam is built on the river and a canal is dug to irrigate fields south of Oberklingenbach.
Taurus and his army move to Boserein, where the God-King of
Boeuf orders a series of games to be held. The newly conquered citizens are encouraged to participate. Lavish rewards are offered, and people flock to the games, celebrating the spirit of fertility and life. As the presence of Taurus causes flowers to bloom when he walks in the fields, Boserein people are very impressed. Ultimately, the winner of the games is challenged to wrestle with Taurus. The man, big and sturdy as he is, is no match for the huge minotaur, but the Bull-God picks him as a member of his personal guard nonetheless.
The Horned Temple in the capital is still being worked upon, with masterful frescoes adorning the walls.
Erynini priests build a small temple in the independent city of Drakalor. There, the Burning Man also performss miracles and impresses the population, and many people start worshipping the Eternal Pyre.
In Marignon, some faithful of the Eternal Pyre are caught and arrested. It is found out that they received important funds from outside the city to help spead their faith. The authorities blame Erynini imperialism and try to raise the population against the Eternal Pyre and its people.
A massive temple is being constructed around the Pyre. This temple, known as the Hearth, is still under construction by the end of the year. Many a craftsman who works on the Hearth sees his bruises healed when he rests by the fire, and work goes very well. Many claim that the Pyre itself is blessing workers from all around the land, from those who work the quarries to those who assemble the stones.
Taernsvwyn sees the construction of many roads and river ports. Inns spring around these ports, and caravanserais are also constructed all the way to the mountains and towards Falaxan. Mines and metal industry around Fenberg is also ehavily invested into.
The Red moves to Vanholm with men at arms and, this time, they investigate thoroughly all the officials. Spending money to improve the administration, the Red weeds out the corrupt ones and eventually a vast organisation of smugglers and tax evaders is found and dealt with. Guilty officials are arrested and judged, and the rich merchants that bribed them join them in jail. All of these result in an impressive economic boom in the country. The Lady moves around the country, helping people, curing wounds and helping plants grow faster.
Falaxan, on the other side of the mountain range, builds roads to help drag boats upriver, and these roads continue to allow easier crossing of the mountains. King Hector also orders heraldry schools to be built in every city, to teach everyone the lineage of the king and the noble families, and he orders poets to explain the miracles performed by Ezio to help Falaxan get rid of his unjust king in favor of the current dynasty. The realm expands upward along the river valley.
A brigand leader and his followers have been rounded up and delivered to one of
Arcoscephale bailiffs by a striking woman astride a unicorn. Unrest has decreased as peasants are able to toil the land safely around the city of Byzantia.
In southern Arcoscephale, the generals of Argos keep preparing for war. They send exploration parties to the south, organise mock skirmishes, and some soldiers are rumoured to hold some kind of secretive ceremonies to a god of war that they worship. Therefore, when news of mobilization of all armies of Arcoscephale are sent across the city-states, the soldiers of Argos are the first to march to the meeting place. People speak of a flying figure looming over their camp at dusk, and in the shadows of their campfires at night. Descriptions are unclear, but Arcoscephale soldiers say that this shadowy woman is their guardian angel as they go north to regroup in Byzantia with the rest of the army.
In the
Ermor capital of Eldergate, a healer of great talent has been enlisted in the army. He can reduce the losses suffered and attrition by a good amount, but he has some moral principles that some gods and generals may disagree with
(think red cross).
In southern Ermor, the city of Upper Ermor sees the construction of new temple crypts. Work progresses fast under the supervision of the Pontifex.
Samael groups most of Ermor armies and prepares to march northwest once more. A large legion backed with auxiliary cavalry goes towards Redonum.
Marverni and Ermor horsemen meet on the way, and soon Marverni learns of the army marching on the neutral city they vowed to defend. Messengers run from Redonum to Carnute, and between Carnute and the various tribes of Marverni. Soon, Esos brings his army to the east, hoping to reinforce Redonum before Ermor can take it.
Ermor mounted auxiliaries try to intercept Marverni scouts, but the armored Marverni horsemen, although they are slightly slower, are usually much tougher than the Ermorian horsemen. Thus, although scouting is hindered, it's hindered for both armies.
Ermor soldiers march fast, and reach Redonum walls without problem, the occasional cavalry skirmish aside. The presence of Samael in the army does much to make such skirmishes rare, as the Marverni knights run away as soon as they see the flying angel coming to the aid of her troops. Siege engines are built as Ermor prepares for a siege.
Ermor scouts soon bring the news that Esos's army is going to reach them before the walls can be breached. Although the besiegers' camp is itself fairly well fortified, it runs the risk of being caught between Redonum soldiers, should they exit the walls, and Esos's forces.
At night, Samael flies over the Marverni camp, and, seeing the sentries' torches on every border but not in the center of the camp, she dives straight into said center, and slays several soldiers before warning horns are blown, and she flies away in the darkness.
Early in the morning, Ermor and Marverni armies are ready in their camp, but neither wants to move. Finally, Samael decides to move first, considering her troops have been encamped for a few days while the Marverni just arrived after a forced march and aren't as rested as her own.
The biggest clash of armies in the World to date
This is the biggest battle seen in the World since the fall of the Pantocrator, between many living and dead legionaires on one side, and barechested warriors backed by slingers and Redonum crossbowmen on the other side.
Redonum troops indeed manage to get out of the city and join their forces to those of Marverni, which makes for about equal numbers in the armies. Samael flies over the battlefield, checking where her cavalry would be needed. She splits the auxiliaries in two platoons, one going to counter the Eponi knights, the other one trying to flank the enemy and strike the crossbowmen. Marverni's center manages to break the Ermorian light troops who stand in the middle, but they have a much harder time denting the line of heavy infantry, both living and dead, that stands behind, and the Marverni flanks are under high pressure.
The Marverni knights manage to rout the auxiliary cavalry and try to flank the legionaires, but they are arrested by the pikes of triarii. Meanwhile, the crossbowmen slaughter the rest of Ermor horsemen, but while they were busy picking these targets, they couldn't harass the bulk of Ermor army, whose discipline slowly breaks the morale of Marverni and Redonum soldiers. Samael dives to hunt down and repel the last Marverni knights. Soon, Marverni soldiers rout and retreat to the west to hide in the forest.
Marverni soldiers rout
Samael orders the city to be taken, and it surrenders easily as its defenders have fallen or fled in the battle.
Esos is found dead on the field, but the Marverni regroup under their various tribal leaders and retreat.
As Samael rejoices about her victory, an exhausted messenger reaches her with dire news from the south.
While Ermor army was moving northwards, those Marverni messengers who warned of the attack on Redonum also sent word to
Arcoscephale, which had been preparing for years. The Arcoscephale army grouped in Byzantium and, using boats and barges, moved downriver. Their boats continued up to Eldergate, where the defenders were preparing for a siege. Samael decided to fly back to the capital in haste, leaving the army leaderless to garrison Redonum. When the angel of Death reached Eldergate, she realised that most barges were empty, and this attack on Eldergate was a feint. Most of the Arcoscephale army had in fact left the river several days before, and a huge army had been marching towards the city of Upper Ermor.
Led by generals Pergos and Lykomenes, two Arcoscephale armies arrive on Upper Ermor. One from the north had disembarked from the river barges, and one from the west arrives by land. They converge and bring battering rams, then send their war elephants on the city gates, smashing them down and charging the troops Pontifex had to defend the city.
Elephants open the way for Aroscephale phalanxes
Elephants, chariots and horsemen charge through the opening, followed by hoplites and hypaspists. Javelins rain from both sides. Chariots and elephants are brought down, but the Arcoscephale infantry is now past the gates. The elite warriors in tight formation cut the Ermor velites to pieces. They invade the city and capture the Pontifex, behead him and put his head on a pike at the city gate. The temple crypt which was being constructed is desacrated and destroyed. The priests are killed or reduced into slavery and sent to Byzantia.
Late in the night, the headless body of the Pontifex raises. Stumbling in the darkness, guided by some unknown force, the corpse manages to move out of the city and leave Upper Ermor for the north.
Very good update. If all these wierd events keep happening, I will turn into the Myrde of the North.
