[Center][h1][u][b][color=darkred]Kingdom Of Zakol[/color][/b][/u][/h1][/center] [hider=Hakurei, Capitol of Zakol (25)] Messengers ran back & fourth through the halls of the grand palace fortress, as various officials & politicians gathered throughout the grounds swapping the latest information & gossip as it became known. Among all this lord Rahmas stood in the doorway of a dormitory room connected to the larger luxurious chapel room in the palace, watching quietly as two acolytes respectfully cut & carried down a corpse that was hanging from one of the ceiling rafters. High Priestess Yotul eventually turned her attention to the silent lord in the doorway as the acolytes carried the body away on a stretcher, "One of the seers, the worsening visions of what was coming drove him to such an act despite the sin it'll cause his soul" Rahmas just stared at her for a moment longer before he spoke as he turned to leave back to his office "i wounder what he knew that we don't?". Meanwhile Lord Claymont was hard at work overseeing various communications, while yelling at every one of his assistants like they where all incompetent idiots, the veterans among them knew it was his way of clarifying the exact details of the tasks needed to avoid confusion while the newer ones desperately carried out his orders fearing they'd lose their jobs. "You boy!, see that this gets dispatched to General Mokur immediately! he's to assist our allies efforts now that he's been reinforced & is for the time being under their command". Claymont all but throws the letter at the young messenger who scurries away, "You!, i want the latest reports from the south now!" an older servant bows as he walks out of the room to do as asked. "and you!..." Claymont looked up to a near empty office only his guards standing behind him kept him company. Without batting an eye he spun around to face one of his guards "Yes!, you! go to lord Rahmas's office i want our stockpile reports on anything & everything!" the puzzled guard tilted his head but rather than say anything just followed the order, the sight of an armed, heavily armored ogre running down the hall passing other staff caused a massive debate amoungst the politicians as they're volume increased trying to figure out what the emergency was, several of the younger politicians giving chase to find where the guard was going. [/hider] [hider=Eastrock Province (28)] General Venn stormed into the town council chamber slamming a steel gauntlet into a wooden desk causing it to fiercely & loudly Crack from the sheer force "What is the meaning of this Arnet!, we just got this province & you want me to retreat without a fight!, i have to makeup for my failure at the boarders of Iparis i cant run again!, Do yo..." The extraordinarily young looking human elegantly placed down a scroll she was reading onto the desk as she looked up at the enraged general, cutting her off mid sentence as she gently raised her hand in-front of Venn. "A truly skilled leader stays prepared, gathers intelligence, weighs & considers their options, knows when & where to fight & when to not!", she paused for a moment "And that's just some of the basics required". General Venn stood there blankly trying to figure out if she was hearing an explanation or being insulted by the young war-magi who sat there with an innocent expression. Arnet having created a uninterrupted silence continued her explanation to the hot-headed general "From our scouts reports & witness accounts from sailors & fishermen there are likely two large forces approaching this province, the Lagosami tribes race from the south and i believe what everyone's been fearing approaches from the water east of us, we have only a small garrison here in comparison and even if we fight resourcefully as possible against one we'll be too weakened to fight against the other!". "So what we just run & abandon everything?!" the General looking displeased while better understanding the situation, "Yes" Lucretia Arnet said bluntly her innocent angelic expression unchanging "The bulk of the lagosami hordes are also descending on Mandalia our numbers here will help bolster the main forces numbers in facing them, if we can put a halt to their momentum & numbers in the battle there, it will buy us crucial time to prepare for future battles & lessen our overall immediate losses". "And what of everything else here?, & what of the lagosami coming here will still be a threat", Lucretia smiled sweetly "You really don't see it do you?, if we leave we can help the princess while the 'TWO' forces approaching this province will have no one else to meet but each-other!, As for 'everything' here i assume you mean the locals, foodstuffs, & ships we're building? tactically they're liabilities we should burn the grain silo's & un-built ships to deprive our enemies of them & as for the people they'd slow us down, simple!, what would you have us do?". The Young war-magi raised an eyebrow at the question to the general who seemed shocked at her reasoning. "I get going to aid the princess & leaving our enemies to weaken each other, ok!, B-but! i will never agree to just abandoning innocents to be slaughtered like cattle, and burn the grain? what would the people have left to live on?, you can go if you wish I'll move my forces and evacuate the people & their stores the princess would expect no less!". Lucretia laughed to herself gaining the anger of the ogre general before she spoke up again "You're not completely without hope Loxa!" the magi stood up from the desk signalling some of the attendees over for tasks still smiling away, "We must hurry our preparations, if we're to stand any chance of getting away with supplies & the people in tow". Venn even more confused than before "But you wanted?!" the magi was looking at her staff as she rattled off various orders "You, go get the towns mayor, you lot start loading everything vital on the wagons, this goes, as does this, leave that, burn the documents in that box.. No!, that! box if you burn the papers in that one i'll have your heads". She took a pause from her task to look at the general "I said they where tactical liabilities, not what i intended to do loxa, now could you please be a dear and summon any available scout leaders and sappers i have some plans...". [/hider] [hider=Northern Zakol (18)] General Mokur was reading the same orders for the eighth time before his second in command reasoned with him "Sir, We're to march under the lead of our allies to assist them, we really should start mobilizing our forces" The ogre stood sighing deeply before resolutely following his orders as a solider of Zakol "Very well, i don't like the thought of marching under another kingdoms banner, but they are our allies and, i do owe them much... if the full might of Quaris had been able focus entirely on us and not in three different directions i fear we wouldn't of been as lucky". Mokur seemed to briefly pause as memories of the flame engulfed battlefield still flashed in his mind before he shook it off "Start mobilizing our troops, We march to aid our allies against Dagrenas!". his second in command & other officers saluted as they where fiercely determined to fare better in future battles. [/hider] [hider=Western boarder of Eastrock Province (28)] Some days later... A Mass-exodus of troops, horses, wagons, supplies, & people trailed in a long caravan filling a merchant road for miles as it slowly moved flanked by outriding cavalry to guard them along the way. Several scout riders raced back to the mobile command unit mid convoy to report, "M'am! we've done as asked we've left false trails leading to the ocean-side villages and a large false trail circling the rocky terrain you pointed out on the map, to make it seem like a large military force snuck past the boarders into the south!". General Venn stood silent studying everything since she burst into the council room days back, as Lucretia Arnet acknowledged the scouts endeavors "Excellent, that should but us valuable time, they'll think we're trying to flank their forces rear if the follow that trail while any who follow to the coastal villages will charge into the oil & fire traps rigged in them & the unfinished ship frames, sorry to ask this, i know your men are tired but please assist in patroling this road & the convoy". The scouts all saluted in unison "No need to ask M'am!, we'll see these people to safety yet!, We'll give our all for Zakol, lesser unworthy lords of other kingdoms would of likely abandoned the common folk out of convenience, its good to know we fight for the just & the innocents regardless of the situation!" The scouts promptly took off to help patrol the roads. Lucretia secretly feared future issues of doing what was 'just' could cause serious problems for Zakols survival down the line but she never displayed any emotion to her thoughts, as she turned to face the general with a huge grin on her face "doing the right thing & inspiring loyalty of your troops are also things a skilled leader should seek to accomplish!" General Venn now greatly approving of this young strategist who had been transferred to assist with domestic matters in the province not so long ago. In the following days the large convoy eventually linked up with the princesses main force in Mandalia province without incident or encountering the lagosami at all, not aware of how narrowly they'd evaded the invading forces in Eastrock. [/hider] [hider=Invasion of Mandalia Province (27)] The princess sat in war council with her officers & generals in the provinces central town of Eren, after much debating a strong stationary defensive stratagem was elected, to be set up under the planning & organization of the aged & highly experienced Lt.General Grumret & the young but highly intelligent upcoming (war-magi) strategist Lucretia Arnet. Layered defensive formations & positions where setup in and around the walled central town using it as an operating base to supply & work from, a series of spiked pitfall traps & tripwires linked to incendiary traps were also established well away from the town & friendly forces, directly in the path of the invading enemies behind that two makeshift fake wooden forts were built & packed with pots of oil & more incendiary traps, amoung straw dummies dressed with equipment to make the forts look occupied to lure in the attackers to set off the traps. Anti-Cavalry & Pavise's (mobile shield/walls) defenses were established in & around the infantry formations to help offer some protection them from being flanked, overrun, or pelted with projectiles. As a last ditch precautionary measure hidden spike walls where setup to spring at the towns gates if any enemy cavalry tried to charge at the innocents & the supplies. The artillery was set up in the rear of Zakols formations their task was simple "rain rock & fire down on the distant enemies ranks before they closed the distance". The Magi units where given two tasks in the opening of the battle one unit was to use air magic to fuel & direct projectiles & flames towards the enemies forces across the battlefield the other was to use earth magic when the enemy made it halfway across the battlefield to throw them off-balance & disrupt their formations footing while the archers could pelt them in the open with projectiles to help reduce the numbers of the closest forces before the front-lines would eventually clash in melee. Additionally with this plan two reserve forces sat in the back from the bulk of the main defense forces under Grumret & Arnet, one force under Princess Wolph to move and support any critical situations that arise in the defensive formations outside of the town. The second reserve force under General Venn comprised of mostly of cavalry & some light infantry was to hold back & strike at any critical targets with lighting speed & force. Even with all the preparation's to hold & fight the overall plan was to try and delay the enemy & buy time for their new allies Iparis to arrive & setup to support Zakol against this large invading force from the south. [u][b]The Battle[/b][/u] The scouts raced back reporting the approach of the Lagosami tribes, it wasn't long before they could be seen advancing towards Zakols forces, Princess Yui Woplh looked around the battlefield but there was still no sign of their allies at all, she noticed Grumret checking as well when their eyes met the elderly general gave a reassuring nod, as if to put the princess at some ease the elderly general simply raised his fist into the air with out a word, as his veteran troops & personal honor guard all cheered & yelled war-cries in unison, as weapons slammed against armor & shields adding to the noise, which had a chain effect as it replicated itself throughout the ranks. The horde of the tribes descend upon the defenders disturbingly fast, As the first wave of them charged forward screaming guttural and vulgar war cries as they reached the incendiary traps and pitfalls at full pace, charging frantically with wanton-abandon fueled by blood lust, their war cries were soon drowned out as screams of agony filled the air, infantry, Riders & horses alike burst into flames, or fell crashing down into pits of sharpened stakes. But all too soon the screams of those who fell quickly faded as the next wave simply ran through the traps seemingly unfazed of what happened to their brethren. The more skilled of the lagosami cavalry began easily turning & evading the Zakolian's artillery as rocks rained down towards them they moved like flocks of birds turning & flowing around as each bolder smacked into nothing but dirt. As their forces grew closer the Lagosami entirely ignored the dummy forts bypassing them entirely as they charged desperately at the larger target of the main force of Zakols troops in their defensive formations. having closed most of the distance they continued to charge towards the Zakolian lines as the earth magics churned up the ground beneath the lagosami's feet mid way to little success as troops and horses tripped & fell the others behind them just trampled over their fallen allies continuing the crazed charge into weak points of Zakols infantry lines where the anti-cavalry defenses didn't intersect. metal smashed against metal as the wave of attackers slammed into Zakols front lines a fierce & bloody battle had erupted both sides holding their own in the fighting but Zakols heavy ogre infantry where slowly gaining the advantage hammering back the light cavalry that had charged into them to reclaim the breech in their line. Above the deafening roar of the conflict, the very ground seemed to shake as the air filled with the rumble of charging feet & more blood-lust fueled battle-cries, as a new wave comprised mostly of infantry begin to close the distance to support their forces already in the thick of the fighting. With there being still no sign of their allies & not wanting the situation on the front lines to turn dire, Princess Yui charged her reserve force in to support the main defense force to add to their numbers & help finish up the light cavalry, before the incoming wave of infantry joined the conflict, As General Venn lead a counter charge into the incoming waves flank smashing into them as they continued to charge smashing into Zakols infantry lines as well. With the two forces clashing together in a whirl of chaos the elite hellfire banshees gave a full on display of their skills & prowess as they leapt into the fighting on the front lines with a fury that was frightening to behold, in only a few moments they'd completely finished the light cavalry forces that had slammed into zakols defense line, everyone of the Lagosami warriors who briefly encountered the banshees were butchered as if in the blink of an eye they where so lethal. While the reserve forces moved to aid the rest of their forces in the brutal fighting Lucretia Arnet raised her right hand to the skies as her fingers curled as if she was physically grasping onto something, the other War-Magi raised their staves casting the same fire magic she was conjuring. It wasn't long before Lucretia with her usual happy angelic expression giggled briefly like a young-child, as her hand closed into a fist and she swung her arm as if pulling something down. The other war-magi followed her lead jestureing the same with their staves, as the skies above the rest of the lagosami hordes in the distance not yet committed to the fighting blackened, and what could only be described as a fierce meteor storm rather than a shower erupted from the black skies as fire rained down engulfing large swaths of the horde in a roaring inferno. Despite which the Lagosami continued attacking the front lines as magic & arrows rained down upon them. The fighting on both sides was fierce & bloody neither side yielding. Zakols forces despite being heavily outnumbered, fought like demons possessed inspired by their greatest hero's & leaders who where also fighting beside them & regardless of rank or standing, and more notably the fire princess herself had taken to the thick of the fighting the troops rallying to her to ensure her safety driving zakols warriors to greater feats of skill in combat. Yui Wolph had a smile across face like a demon having found a victim to toy with, smashed into the enemy troops duel-wielding her parents ancestral swords her skills in combat made the elite banshees abilities seemingly pale in comparison as she cut down three to four enemies with each swing of a sword, every so often she'd briefly pause to cast fire magic, her hair seemingly changing color as she did so, if a magi witnessed the actual magic though they wouldn't describe it as any fire magic they know of, the flames where a mix of blue & black and unlike traditional fire magic being fired, Yui's fire magic seemed to combust from inside the targets, more than that the flames didn't splash or spread, they seemed to cling to the victims and engulf them until they burnt down into little more than dust or charcoal. As the fighting fiercely continued as neither side seemed to relent, a blinding flash of light came from the horizon, as explosions began to tear apart the tribes forces, far-off cannons unleashed a deadly bombardment on the lagosami, while massed proud lines of heavy infantry advanced from the direction of the cannon-fire, with their armor and weapons glowing with divine magics as they charged & slammed into the flank of the Lagosami forces who desperately tryed to turn and face the new threat to no avail as confusion & panic swept through their ranks. A massed cheer erupted from Zakols forces as their troops were further inspired by the arrival of their allies from Iparis, not wanting to let them grab all the glory however Zakolian infantry poured all their effort to push back against the lagosami now, no longer holding their lines on the defensive, eventually driving the invaders back in a flurry of blood and steel. It wasn't long in this chaos before the tribes morale broke and they began to flee in a panic, small groups from the rear at first until their entire force began to turn and run for their for the boarder while still under a hail of arrows and magic, & being chased down by charging infantry and cavalry. War-cries mixed with cheering erupted throughout the allied forces as they chased off the invaders, insults being hurled at the lagosami as the last of them desperately fled the field out of range of the archers & magi, the entire allied army had been halted by the command horns & flag signalers recalling all forces to their rally & staging points, As celebrations & cheers continued to echo across the battlefield for the rest of the day. [/hider] [hider=Actions] > Diplomacy - Large shipments of Zakolian forged weapons, equipment & gold sent to Iparis in appreciation of their allied assistance against the lagosami tribes. - Agents sent to gather any additional Intel on the Lagosami, their movements & actions. > Military Action - Reforming forces in the south after the defensive battle. - Northern forces dispatched to assist allied war effort. > Personnel Transfer - To Allied Command against Dagrenas(NPC)(19) -Volaq Mokur -2 Unit of Light Infantry -26 Units of Heavy Infantry -2 Units of Archers -2 War-Magi -1 Unit of Magi -3 unit Heavy Cav -4 Artillery > Recruitment - 1 units light infantry (27) - (Nts: of 2 units) - 1 unit heavy infantry (25) - 1 units heavy Cav (18) - (Nts: of 6 units) - 1 unit Conscript Infantry (16) - 0 units Crossbowmen () - (Nts: of 4 units) > Naval Construction - 2 war ships (18) - 2 war ships (25) > Research - Fortitude (turn 3) complete! i think? Tech & Magic: - Gained steam engine technology & construction, in return for instruction of fire magics to Tushienia. [/hider] [hider=Garrisons] North Zakol (18) -Volaq Mokur -2 Unit of Light Infantry -26 Units of Heavy Infantry -2 Units of Archers -2 War-Magi -1 Unit of Magi -3 unit Heavy Cav -4 Artillery South Zakol (25) - Glasha Yotul - Priestess of the Sun & Moon - 5 units, Crossbowmen - 1 units, War Magi - 1 units, Magi (20) - 1 units,Trebuchet artillery - 2 units, Light Infantry - 21 units, Heavy Infantry - 1 unit, Javalin Ogres Mandalia (27) - Yui Wolph - Ozma Torth - Loxa Venn - Lt.General Grumret - Lucretia Arnet - 1 Unit of Hellfire Banshees - 7 Units of Light Infantry - 23 Units of Heavy Infantry - 4 Units of Archers - 3 Units of War-Magi - 2 Units of Magi - 8 Units of Heavy Cavalry - 4 Units of Artillery Navy Locations - 7 warships (E12) - 7 warships (E13) - 9 warships (F13) - 57 transports (E12) [/hider]