[b][/b][i]"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs, obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud. Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, my friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est Pro patria mori." [/i] -Wilfred Owen [center][h2]Winter of 1756[/h2][/center] [img]https://i.ibb.co/nmG6kQB/Labelled-Map-1-1.png[/img] [b][u]2nd of October[/u][/b] General Albert Riechsand has sat by for too long. With every day that passes, more men of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b] are killed defending a city that they cannot possibly hold. And every day, the court of Dorist continues to offer no answers. Finally, the patience of the man reaches an end. Leaving General Tilman Grohl in command of the defensive lines, General Riechsand rides through the night until he arrives at the Royal Palace of Talfist. Although some of the courtiers attempt to turn the general back, Albert's influence is formidable, and the fire burning in his eyes cowers those who do stand in his way. The general demands an almost unprecedented private audience with King Fred Thumer, and no-one but the two men know what was discussed in that room, although the servants do whisper of raised voices being heard. Whatever was said, when General Albert Riechsand leaves the palace, he clutches a handful of orders, and wastes no time in executing them. The conscripted soldiers, raised only weeks before, are disbanded, sent home to help with the harvest, while General Riechsand rides for the city of Kronik, a royal decree in his hand. [b][u]3rd of October[/u][/b] The arrival of the ships of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] have been a blessing for [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], and a major thorn in the side of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] and [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b]. Paranas and Khazaria had stood on the precipice of total naval victory, only for Kalseran to snatch it away. Unsurprisingly, Komentiolos strive to be gracious hosts for their unexpected saviours. The last remains of the kingdom's own fleet is brought north to join the Kalseran warships, and it is quickly made clear that all of the Kalseran's needs will be met by Komentiolos, a small token of their appreciation, but a welcome one nonetheless. The bond between the two nation, formed largely at the State Dinner of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], has proven to be a strong one, and with Khazaria and Paranas rushing to react, it is a bond that will no doubt be tested again in the coming months. [b][u]4th of October[/u][/b] In a move that is testament to the strength of the alliance between the two nations, [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] does not leave [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b] to fight alone. As newly raised regiments are diverted away from the border with [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] to help the defence of Paranas, there is another action that causes even more of a stir. General Yitzhak ha-Sangari is a brilliant commander, the student of military strategy from all across Europe, and as the sun rises, he arrives in the heart of the beleaguered Paranas army. The following conversations are brief, and before mid-day, Yitzhak ha-Sangari has taken personal command of the defence of Paranas. It may take some time for the gold-clad commander to truly leave his mark in the defence, but overnight, the armies of Paranas have become a more formidable weapon, now that a master is wielding them. [b][u]6th of October[/u][/b] While [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] continues to buzz about the invention of the 'Vera Engine', it is quickly apparent that innovation is not limited to the Iberian Peninsula. On the island of Pesana, there is a surprising figure that is destined to carve their name into history. Silvio Luciani is a gunsmith, making his trade out of a humble workshop in one of the island's handful of towns, mainly supplying the local garrison of [b]The Empire of Reria[/b], but it is Silvio's wife, Arabella who will prove herself to be the more inventive of the two. Passing the time by experimenting with the left-over powder that Silvio's workshop always seems to have lying around, Arabella stumbles across what will quickly come to be known as 'The Luciani Ratio'. Gunpowder is simply a combination of saltpetre, charcoal and sulphur, but the ratio that is discovered on a lazy afternoon in the late autumn sun not only produces high-quality, potent powder, but it also opens the doors for more potent weapons. The news is slow to get going, Silvio himself unsure of what his wife has really discovered, but it is not long before the Empire itself turns its attention towards this humble workshop, and the rest of Europe is sure to follow. After all, death has long been the most attractive trade. [b][u]7th of October[/u][/b] As the army of [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b] finally starts to recover from the first blow, the line is withdrawn from the province of Kavatsona. With a heavy heart, the Paranas soldiers abandon the province to [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], preferring instead to draw new battle lines defending their capital of Alirgos under the careful guidance of General Yitzhak ha-Sangari. Pockets of resistance do still exist within the province, but the land has effectively been lost, and Komentiolos has claimed an impressive victory. However, rather than pushing the advantage, the commander of the Komentiolos invasion, General Marcian Augustus, seems content with consolidating his position. Perhaps it is the news of the enemy being bolstered by [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color], or perhaps it is simply a case of following orders, but for now, the Komentiolos advance grinds to halt, and the army busies itself with taking up defensive positions of their own. Winter is beginning to set in all across Europe, and it looks as if it will be a harsh one. If the snow does fall, then there will be little movement, and for now, both armies lick their wounds and prepare for the next battle, whenever that may come. [b][u]10th of October[/u][/b] There were some who believed that [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] would try and avoid outright war in the east, that their naval presence in the Black Sea was more of a warning than an actual threat, but as dawn breaks, the sound of marching boots echo across the republic, and there can be little doubt that Kalseran means for war. Fresh from helping to bring about the downfall of the short-lived 'Calassa Rebellion', General Bettino Gianni marshals the army of the republic and marches east, taking up defensive positions along the border with [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b]. The strength of the republic has long rested in it's navy, but it's army is still something that Paranas cannot afford to ignore, and more importantly, it opens another theatre of war from Paranas, and indeed their commander, General Yitzhak ha-Sangari, to contend with. Not content with simply holding the line, the Grand Lady of the Republic orders her commanders to draw up her own plans of invasion. As of yet, war has not been declared, but there can be little doubt that Kalseran intends to not only sail to the aid of [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], but to march as well. [b][u]13th of October[/u][/b] It is only the iron will of General Wolfgang Draton that has stopped the city of Kronik from falling. Supplies have all but run out, and corpses are piled high on nearly every street, the gutters stained red with blood. When General Albert Riechsand finally lays eyes upon the city, he can scarcely believe that the scorched husk was once a proud city of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b]. Flying a flag of truce, Albert is granted another audience with the commanders of [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b], General Jozef Motycka and General Luka Volodin. With the kings authority, Albert officially presents the surrender of Dorist. Official apologies are offered for all offences, and the province of Shardvul is surrendered, the land returned to Stevata. Stevata and Teclav have been bloodied in this war, and the siege has been draining their supplies as well, so the two commanders agree to these terms. Albert then approaches the city of Kronik itself, and is granted a begrudging audience with Wolfgang, but only after presenting the royal decree. The soldiers that hold the city are gaunt, uniforms torn and bloody, and a thousand blank eyes watch Albert as he moves through the city to the half-ruined church that Wolfgang has been using as a base of operations. Albert has seen war, he has known death, but the stench of the city turns his stomach, the reek of decay thick in the air. Wolfgang himself is a shadow of his former self, his clothes hanging off him like rags, and a long ugly scar across his face from one of countless skirmishes in the streets, but his eyes still burn with defiance. It might be pure grit that has kept Wolfgang going, but he still values loyalty above all else, and he does not argue when the order is placed in front of him. Gathering his remaining officers around him, and holding his head high, General Wolfgang Draton abandons the city of Kronik, flanked by the rag-tag remains of his army. Those who can walk carry those who cannot, and the besieging armies of Stevata, Teclav and [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] part before them. Even Alp Tarkhan arrives to watch this strange procession, and his riders form a surreal honour guard for the bedraggled army, trailing them until they reach the new border of Dorist. The legend of Wolfgang has only grown, and although the siege has ended with bloody defeat, Alp Tarkhan has been greatly impressed by the sheer steel of the Dorist soldiers, his warriors already singing songs of the man from the west. For now though, the province of Shardvul is lost, and it will take Dorist years to recover from the loss, let alone honour the countless dead that litter the province. [b][u]14th of October[/u][/b] The tensions between [b]The Kingdom of Arhan[/b] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] have almost reached boiling point, and while [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b] seems unsure as to how to react to the pleas of Queen Ameline I for them to join the seemingly inevitable war, [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] has no such qualms. Grimhout has been making impressive strides in diplomacy over the recent months, and they clearly hope to continue this run of good fortune. A diplomatic party is sent south, and a clear message is presented to Queen Ameline. Whether it is fuelled by a desire to strengthen it's influence over it's neighbour, or by a genuine belief in peace, Grimhout implores Arhan to turn away from war, to cool tensions. Even going so far as to volunteer as a neutral mediator, Grimhout points to the devastation that war has already wreaked across Europe, and the argument proves to be compelling enough to cause Queen Ameline to pause. Perhaps the tensions have already gone too far, and war is indeed inevitable, but if the drums can be kept quiet for a while longer, perhaps they can be silenced for good. [b][u]15th of October[/u][/b] News has only just begun to spread surrounding the surrender of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], but already [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] reacts. The orders that reach Alp Tarkhan call for him to send half of his reserves south, to the aid of [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b], with the rest of his forces following once the siege of Kronik is broken. But with the city already in the hands of [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b], Alp Tarkhan is free to muster his entire host, and march at once. Khazaria blood has been spilt for the province of Shardvul, but Alp is always hungry for war, and he still commands a formidable force. The riders of Khazaria have grown impatient over the last few weeks, with little part to play in the siege, but now that they have the promise for most glorious battle, Alp Tarkhan leads them ahead of the main force, leaving the Infantry and Artillery to follow in their wake while the thunder of hooves bears down on Paranas, and [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] beyond. [b][u]17th of October[/u][/b] Just as the soldiers of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] march homewards, the war against [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b] won, their mission achieved and the province of Shardvul returned to the hands of [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b], the surviving defenders of 'The Second Siege of Kronik' finally return to their own homeland. As they pass through the defensive lines arranged along the new border, an eerie silence descends. The survivors look like ghosts, bones stretching deathly pale skin, stares blank and empty, shaking hands clutching battered and rusting muskets. Some of the men in the two groups know each other, but if the survivors have any recognition of the men that approach to greet them, they do not show it. General Albert Riechsand rides at the head of this strange procession, flanked by General Wolfgang Draton, looking just as haggard as his men, and as the survivors march, a slow clap begins to build, until a thunder of applause follows the procession as it continues towards the beds and doctors prepared for them. If any of them even hear the applause, they do not raise their heads, simply looking straight on and continuing to march in rigid file. Fathers, brothers and sons had marched into the city of Kronik, but only soldiers had marched out. With a heavy heart, General Albert announces the surrender of Dorist to the remaining soldiers of the kingdom's proud army, and after months of bloodshed, a strange sense of calm seems to descend. Whatever the cost, the kingdom of Dorist has survived, and now is the time to mourn those who did not. [b][u]20th of October[/u][/b] The rush to war between [b]The Kingdom of Arhan[/b] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b] seems to have faltered, although whether it is due to the lack of intervention by [b][color=ed1c24]The Kingdom of Hispalis[/color][/b], the intervention of [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color], or a combination of the two, only Queen Ameline I can know for sure. Whatever the reason, as a ship sails into the harbour of Cappes, the Arhan capital, it quickly becomes clear that there is yet another incentive for peace. The two sons of Emperor Clarenzio III are bonded through marriage with sisters of King Nikolaos Andreas Koromelas II, and the two nations have always enjoyed a friendly relationship, but with [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] going to war with [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color], Komentiolos has called in it's favour, and officially declared itself a military ally of Reria. The message is clear, and with Arhan lacking the ally it hoped to have in Hispalis, the balance of the conflict suddenly swings in favour of Reria. Queen Ameline I is not a fool, and she sends word to Grimhout that she accepts their offer of acting as a mediator. The dove of peace has triumphed over war, at least for now. [b][u]22nd of October[/u][/b] As news reaches [color=ed145b][b]The Empire of Stabuga[/b][/color] regarding the surrender of [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], Tsar Viktor Barinov will no doubt be keeping a careful eye on the increasingly powerful alliance that all but surrounds his own borders. After all, the bond between [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b], [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b] and [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] has been tested in the flames of war, and only grown stronger in the process. It is perhaps a sign of how seriously the Tsar is taking the situation that when he does send out a diplomatic delegation, it is led by his only son, Tsesarevich Petya Barinov. With wolves gathering at the gates, this delegation makes for a safe harbour, [b]The Kingdom of Orvag[/b]. The two nations have a long history together, both bloody and peaceful, but both are nations that understand the frozen north, and in that there is a certain kinship. Petya offers the condolences of Stabuga for the loss of Fridrik, and the gesture is appreciated by the ageing King Valterri IV. Orvag has long been looking to free itself from the influence of [b]The Kingdom of Fosbak[/b], and with the attentions of both Teclav and Stabuga, they have never found themselves so in demand. Petya proves himself a talented diplomat, and Orvag agree to a series of trade agreements, as well as a declaration of friendship between the two nations, but he can also sense that Teclav, and the alliance behind it, is always at the back of King Valterri's mind, and his attempts to push for a deeper bond between the nations are deflected at every turn. Undeterred, Petya re-boards his ship, and embarks on the long voyage for Elhavn, and the palace of Queen Marta II. [b][u]24th of October[/u][/b] Tsar Viktor Barinov was right to cast a wary glance over the strengthening alliance of [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color], [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b] and [b]The Kingdom of Stevata[/b]. Just as the hordes of Khazaria rode to the aid of Stevata against [b]The Kingdom of Dorist[/b], now that Khazaria and [b]The Kingdom of Paranas[/b] find themselves under attack, Stevata and Teclav do not sit idly by. While Stevata is largely occupied by restoring it's control over the province of Shardvul, and keeping its guard up in case Dorist has a change of heart, Teclav is able to send a considerable force to march to the aid of Paranas, following the host of Khazaria that is already on the march. The weather is beginning to turn, slowing the journey, but when the winter does pass, Paranas will find it's own meagre army bolstered by soldiers of both Khazaria and Teclav, and [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color] will find it's second campaign far more difficult. [b][u]26th of October[/u][/b] Even while his son looks to the west, Tsar Viktor Barinov turns his own attention back to the east, beyond the borders of [color=ed145b][b]The Empire of Stabuga[/b][/color]. The land is sparse and barren, the ground bare and the best of times, and frozen at the worst, but there is still potential. General Desya Sorokin is ordered to oversee the construction of a string of forts and outposts, reaching out into the east like a thin sliver of civilisation in the wilderness. Desya commands a small contingent of soldiers, but he does not wish to muscle his way into the cold, and he is careful not to tread on the toes of those hardy tribes that do call the frozen east their home, instead attempting to make contact with these tribes, with the aid of those men of Stabuga that also stray beyond the border. The Sorokin family is a powerful one, and Desya is a capable diplomat, but these tribes do not know the careful social dance that the nobility of Stabuga perform, so the first encounters are difficult, but with the weight of the empire at his back, Desya perseveres, and the first outpost, Fort Barinov, is established, and the first hardy settlers make the journey east. [b][u]27th of October[/u][/b] Word is yet to reach Europe of the events in India, but that is no respite for those that are attempting to carve out a life in the far east. The messengers of [b]The Kingdom of Kehsi[/b] find that their appeals for aid from the colonies of [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] fall on deaf ears. After all, there is no love lost between the two nations, and Kalseran can only benefit from Kehsi losing influence in the region. Stein Fehn has played his ace, and as reports tell of [b]The Viswan Empire[/b] mustering another army, he realises that he is out of options. Despite the Kalseran forts offering no aid, Stein gambles on their humanity, and sends the woman and children of the fort in their direction while he prepares to make a desperate last stand. When the Viswan army does approach the fort, Stein marches out to meet them alone, under a flag of surrender. The Viswan commander has his orders, and although there is perhaps a level of respect between the two soldiers, Stein is beheaded before the front gates of Fort Ivars, and the fort itself is burned to the ground. When the ships of Kehsi and [color=87CEEB][b]The Empire of Grimhout[/b][/color] do reach India, they will find a charred husk, and the head of the man who defied the Viswan Empire mounted on a spike above the gates. [b][u]30th of October[/u][/b] As the defending army under the command of General Yitzhak ha-Sangari continues to be swollen by soldiers under the banner of both [color=FFD700][b]The Empire of Khazaria[/b][/color] and [b]The Kingdom of Teclav[/b], the two great commanders of Khazaria meet. The two men cannot be more different, representing the two sides of the coin that Khazaria, the cultured modernity of the west, and the savage wildness of the east. Despite the internal turmoil that the two men represent, they have always managed to maintain a civil relationship. After all, for his wild brilliance, Alp knows that he has little interest in holding the line, and Yitzhak is all too aware of what a formidable weapon his compatriot can be. The two men greet each other, and Alp does not challenge for the command of the defence, instead he simply sets up his tent with his riders, behind the main defensive lines, and waits. Battle will come, and glory with it, but even Alp Tarkhan needs to rest sometimes, and he knows that Yitzhak will not deprive him of a fight. The battle lines are drawn, and while Dorist struggled alone against the combined might of Khazaria, Teclav and Stevata, the war that is brewing in Paranas could well dwarf that struggle. Khazaria, Teclav and Paranas look across the narrow gap between the front lines, and even through the early snows, they can see the banners of [color=#018c85][b]The Kingdom of Komentiolos[/b][/color], [color=BA55D3][b]The Republic of Kalseran[/b][/color] and [b]The Empire of Reria[/b]. The rivers will run red with blood, and men will carve their names into legend. Few doubt that the coming events will echo in eternity.