"Now dawns the Day of the Ayekal."
(ZAKEL, God of War; upon the conclusion of the Battle of Yarmena, 25 IX 2501)
"The Weapons of War are Evil Chaotic Artifacts wielded by the Ayekal: dread Furies Who follow in the path of ZAKEL, God of War. Their names vary, but Their Aspects remain constant. By Their most common names They are FORTH, Harbinger of Fire, KRAK, Harbinger of Famine, and SITH, Harbinger of Pestilence. They are Demigods, allied with ZAKEL, and in the camp of the Gods of Hell."
(from "Artifacts and Extremism", a thesis by Csiero, of the Palace of Love)
"We are in truth considering the reverberations from the shock of the last year's wars. For example, KRAK's motivation is certainly clear. The death of ORIL in that foolish-ness at Rockholme at the end of Spring had profound effects. Crops have grown, but the harvest is failing. It is KRAK's role to ensure that Famine and Death result. To the seasoned observer, this may appear as but one part of the Great Design of the Powers of Evil."
(AINI, Demon of Conspiracy; from a recent Summoning)
"It is as foolish to ignore the warnings of Demons as it is to trust them."
(Bjorn II, the "Demon King" of the North; from his Grimoire)
"I hunger for You, and will return soon to claim Your body."
(KRAK, Demigod of Famine; from a letter to His Demon Lover)
"My first priority is to bring my citizens back under control. Then I shall deal with any famine and pestilence amongst them."
(Arril I of Tarm, Emperor of Valdrea, at the commencement of the Siege of West Post)
"Seek to Intervene forcibly in My Empire of Law if You will, all of You, but know this. We are strong, and We are on the recovery from Our war wounds. The Sun of SARAN is setting upon the Day of the Ayekal, and You shall be driven back into the Night whence You came."
(SARAN, Goddess of Law, to the Powers of Evil Chaos, towards the end of Numist 2501)
"Take care with Your Reconstruction. I shall be back!"
(FORTH, Demigod of Fire, to MIORA, Demigoddess of Reconstruction)
Bandit King Zergal and his army of Kavaleri and Western Valdrean rebels and militia retreated down the military road from Yarmena to Shoderon and West Post (renamed Ralania by its rebel occupants). Zergal and his cavalry rode behind General Falgar and his infantry, providing a wide-ranging screen against the pursuing Imperial cavalry, under the personal command of the Emperor. Behind Arril, the main body of the Valdrean infantry followed up, under Firanor, Champion of Satril, Lord Warden of the Central Military District. Firanor regarrisoned Yarmena, appointing a Military Governor, who imposed strict martial law, and began work on the reconstruction of the sacked, burnt and famine-ridden city.
It was not the Valdrean Army that ultimately caused the downfall of Zergal's invading army, but the plague. The first symptoms appeared amongst the Bandit forces 3 Numist. Men developed buboes, accompanied by weakness, sickness and delirium. They were abandoned by their retreating comrades, and those who were not put to death and burnt by the Valdreans, and did not succumb to hunger and exposure, soon suffered the putrefaction of their swellings, which burst, leading to a most unpleasant death.
The plague spread rapidly, and Zergal's cavalry were badly demoralised when Arril's cavalry and Imperial Guard caught up with them 4 Numist on the plains on the left bank of the River Shodra.
In the battle that followed, about half the Kavaleri cavalry were killed, but the remainder escaped, and regrouped under cover of night.
The more fanatical amongst them, reasoning that death in battle was more glorious, and certainly less unpleasant, than death by plague, launched a desperate countercharge at dawn of 5 Numist into the heart of the Imperial Guard, aiming for Arril himself. They were all killed, but took a number of Valdreans with them. The Emperor personally despatched their leader, Yarz, who was surely reincarnated amongst the bodyguard of his God, ZAKEL, Who selects the souls of those heroes who die most gloriously in battle, with His name on their lips, for this honour.
The rebel town of Shoderon barred its gates to Zergal. He was unable to assault the town across the river, and a retreat to Ralania was impractical, with his plague-ridden army disintegr-ating, and Arril at their heels. Nor could he bring the Valdrean cavalry to battle now his own cavalry was destroyed, and if they stayed in place the vastly superior force of Valdrean infantry would soon arrive. The Bandit King therefore disbanded his army on 5 Numist. On 6 Numist Shoderon opened its gates to Arril.
It was now every man for himself. Those who were able fled West and North West, towards Ralania, the hills and the Bandit Kingdom, and ultimately Rockholme beyond. But few made it all the way. The plague claimed many, the Valdrean cavalry many more. Arril had ordered strict precautions to prevent the plague spreading to his own forces. Their mouths masked so that they looked more like bandits themselves, the troops of grim Imperial cavalrymen put every enemy soldier they found to the sword, piled the bodies in great mounds, and torched them. Gamart Province and the former West Post Military Area now presented a bitter vista; black and smouldering funeral pyres scattered across their withered and trampled fields.
On 6 Numist the Valdrean Army of the North, under Lord Marshal Tindral, Champion of Gytrasan and the Lord Warden of the Northern Military District, Hugran 3rd Champion of Tarm and Imperial Weaponmaster, reoccupied the small town of Cieri, on the River Yarmen. Hugran then took a force up the Yarmen towards Geyorl, whilst Tindral and the main body of the Army of the North turned and retraced their steps North Eastwards, to meet the now more serious threat of the approaching Badlander clans, who had reached the River Midro 3 Numist, and were now advancing down it, towards the Dyke of SARAN.
On 9 Numist the Valdrean Army of the South, under Deputy Marshal Glaryv, 4th Champion of Gytrasan and the Lord Warden of the Southern Military District, Dentras Champion of Aven, subdued the rebellious town of Mehgrin, in Torel Province. Leaving Dentras in charge of restoring the area to order, Glaryv headed for Torel, now in a state of unrest after the occupying Bandit General, Salax, had fallen victim to the plague.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of the North, a major forest fire, sweeping through the North Western Forest, threatened to destroy the city of Grinen 9 Numist, but was checked by a concerted effort from a hastily-raised levy, who cleared a fire break, and Clerics, who caused a rainstorm.
The Church of ESCUS in the Kingdom of the North had made an ambitious attempt to counter the growing famine, with a number of Cornucopiae created by ESCUS in their major Temples, from which food was distributed to outlying areas by a network of Aerial Servants. But their success was short-lived. After a series of accidents, some fatal, to the Clerics involved, the Church ceased the distribution by Aerial Servant.
In any case, it was becoming unclear whether there were still faithful citizens to receive the food parcels in the frontier settlements. For example, a story going the rounds in the taverns of Bjarmigen claims that one Aerial Servant returned with a polite thank you letter from the leader of a goblin tribe which had massacred the inhabitants of the village, and, having consumed them all, had been wondering where its next meal was coming from.
14 Numist Krell McAndar, Warlord of the Badland Clans, led his people unopposed across the Dyke of SARAN, and into Midro Province, where they fell to looting, rapeing and burning.
On the night of 14 Numist Harlequin played a controversial concert in the village of Ols, on the Eastern outskirts of Bjarmigen. Ols had been deserted since it had been overwhelmed by ghosts in Weven 2500. Now a sizeable crowd of revellers converged upon the place. But the party was short-lived, as Harlequin had to cut short his performance in order to escape the King's soldiers, who tried to arrest him. Panic then broke out, when the audience were assailed by ghosts. Apparently, at least some of these were subsequently found to be Chaotics with sheets over their heads. Harlequin sent a letter of apology to King Bjorn and the Church of ESCUS, saying he had sought a quiet location, to which he could bring back a little life and joy, and disassociating himself from the undead attack.
Remnants of Zergal's army, principally Valdrean rebels and Ralanian militiamen, gathered in Ralania, under the command of Military Governor Calan, a local rebel leader who had played an important part in the original capture of the city. Calan had conscripted most of the able-bodied male population into the militia, and was busily shoring up the fortifications. Arril arrived on the scene 15 Numist with an advance force of cavalry, which threw a light picket line around the city. When the rebels refused his offer of surrender, he launched a surprise attack on the night of 17 Numist, through a breach opened by his Magic-Users. Assisted by Harrek of Grinen and other notable adventurers, the assault came close to success, but the defenders' morale held, and Arril withdrew from what had become an exposed salient. The Bandits took the opportunity to flee the city. Firanor and the Army of the Centre arrived on 20 Numist, and the siege proper began.
Torel, the second principal Western city, was also now under siege, Glaryv and the Army of the South having arrived on the 17th. By 24 Numist the plague had spread from Salax's troops to the rebel population, and the town surrendered to Glaryv the following day. The Deputy Marshal only sent in a minimum garrison, and restored command to the former Governor, Dakro of Normeikl, now released from captivity.
During these further battles, Zergal was notable by his absence. The Bandit King had not been seen in public since he disbanded his army on the 5th, and rumours were circulating. Some averred that he had died of plague, but this seemed unlikely for someone of his resources, now that Antidote Potions were becoming available amongst the Valdreans, to those sufficiently rich or privileged. Others had it that he was raising another great army in Rockholme, and would come to their rescue, but the Bastolli of Rockholme knew otherwise. Few believed the man had simply abdicated, and certainly no Bandit General had yet dared to raise his standard in a bid for Kingship, though Falgar, who was said to be rallying men to Fort Kostof, seemed the most likely candidate. The most disturbing rumour said that he was busy, in his boarded-up tower in the Citadel of Rockholme, working with his Binders on some dreadful Summoning that would strike a devastating blow back at the Valdreans. Some even linked the Valdrean outlaw, Stirros III of Satril with this story. But since Stirros had previously devoted his life to the eradication of Demon Summoning, this is most implausible.
And what of the Apostles of Change? Red, the Apostle of Imposed Change, had been amongst the defenders of Ralania, but is not credited with having taken any part in the fighting. It is said he left after a fight with another Apostle. Green, Apostle of Agreed Change, remains at the Temple of Peace on Earth, teaching the Creed of RAVAR to all who are interested. Violet, Apostle of Experimental Change, has also been seen around the TPE.
Blue, Apostle of Restorative Change, is said to have had an audience with MIORA, Demigoddess of Reconstruction, at the Temple of FIDAR on Earth.
© P.R. Wild, 16.9.89
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