[i]The Battle of Paella River[/i]
[b]Chief Gultuk Leathermane Bronzespear  (-3 - 56)[/b]
[quote=General Darius Brighteye Sunwalker, 36]It was a warm summer's day the day Chief Bronzespear strode into the Emperor's camp astride a chestnut charger, dressed in a litany of looted jewels and gifts. He demonstrated the lands upon which he held stride, and the new lands which had been looted from the Chief of Tollscythe. He pleaded prostrate before him, demanding revenge upon his rival, the lamentable Ulden Horselord. His words were stilted, but his command of language had been far greater than what those above had granted onto a barbarian tongue. 

"I have sworn unto you my fealty, my service, and my honor, in return, all I ask is your aid in one stubborn matter, the likes of which you have dealt with many times prior, your support shall be rewarded with a bounty unseen north of the witch-mongers of the west." The Emperor granted upon him naught but a small chuckle in that moment, holding his palms to the east and west, his golden armor shining in the sun as none like it had before. "I have no need of bounty, my domain spans all the sun touches, my bounty is gifted upon the backs of my enemies, I recognize that the men of the steppe need not land other than that which is fit to graze their horses, this is a matter of blood and pride." 

Bronzespear's face was one of confusion, but he nodded to his better. "Your knowledge is unconstrained, Emperor Aedrius, it is as you say, my forces had suffered a horrid embarrassment due to the machinations of Chief Ulden, I wish to wipe his horde into the sea, cast him into hell, lo! This fool shall never again place his foot near the lands of Bronzespear if, by your grace, my soldiers are bolstered by ranks upon ranks of the fine men of Aedria." The king granted upon the room a laugh, shaken were the windows, the floors, and the torches upon the walls. "Then let today be the day that the horselords are tamed, the soldiers of Aedria shall pierce their hearts and harvest their livelihoods upon their spearheads, bathed with the barbarian blood!"[/quote]

[quote=General Darius Brighteye Sunwalker, 36]By the emperor's grace, the honor of general was granted upon me, along with a force two hundreds and ten more strong, barely a scuff upon the empire's grand army, but given armor more than any others had. The forces met at the River of Paella, a ford, blue like a jewel, cast upwards towards the sky with every boot and hoof placed within. The force of the Horselord clan was tenfold more than anything Lord Bronzespear could field, but they knew well the face of an imperial hoplite. Already the horsemen took to spinning their spears and grinding upon their teeth, nervous to face the power of the empire-conquering army.

The Bronzespears were more than eager, taking to the ford and planting their spears within, hurling calls and whistles like had been done for years immeasurable, but the Horselord's men failed to respond. Finally broke the silence, the Strongsaddle's destrier's hooves echoing across the silent battlefield. Personally, the Horselord chieftain lead a charge into the Bronzespear lines, tossing men as if insects. The Chieftain's example bolstered his troops who charged forth into a drizzle of arrows. Their cries lamentable and their dead many, horses began to drift down the river, shining red with precious ichor.

It was then that my spears took to the battle, washing themselves upon horseskin and manflesh. The song of battle struck the air, blowing far into the distance, delivering to the Emperor a message of great conquest. A flanking force found a ford upstream, crossing atop the corpses of their allies, only to find Chief Bronzespear himself, garbed in plate gifted by the Emperor. The barbarian swords broke on the civilized men's shields, and the iron drifted through their cloth as easily as a boat through water. The losses amongst the steppe-men were equal on both sides, but the Emperor's own spears had not even begun to tire. The armored Chief crashed into the spine of the enemy force, using the enemy's own ford against them. It was then that the Chief Horselord was again revealed, his horse long since pining for the skies. His feet drifted through the reddened water, his blade cleaving through even the phalanx. I had thought to draw my own blade as I saw him approaching, but finally his scalp was sliced, and he fell under the feet of the combined.

The barbarians saw their guide and guardian fall below the tide, their faces blanching and their knees collapsing like broken twigs. The rout was inspiring to the long since exhausted combined armies, and a great war-cry rang out as the Steppe-men took again to their horses, what remained at the very least, and charged at the backs of the fleeing. Most were slain, many were wounded, but the force of the Horselord was forever shattered like waves against the shields of the Imperial phalanx. A cry rang out to the sky in honor of those fallen, and finally the dead were left alone, their purpose not in vain. Lord Bronzespear shined like the emperor himself as he claimed himself Chief of All Steppes, and none except the dead dared question him.[/quote]