"Whoever wants to live in Peace must prepare for War." - Niccolo Machiavelli
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To the north-west of the realm lay a land without a border, an army without a flag. And the inhabitants were beasts of no nation.
That was six months ago.
A nation was born, and along with it a new race of beings; Cobalians. They were known by many names; orcs, imps, bugbears, gnomes. But most of all, they were known as Goblins. The weakest of all monsters. As a rash is but a nuisance to the body, so are these monsters a nuisance to the realm.
But a single, decisive event would change all of that forever.
No one could have anticipated such a dramatic event and the rise to power.
Not even the Gods.
Such an anomaly would defy the concept of fate and destiny. For a race, doomed to suffer and live an inherent evil, would rise up under the leadership of a goblin that had broken the chains that restrained his being.
They were beasts of evil instincts.
But soon, it shall be apparent that when the world insists you are evil,
The only response is to show those bastards what it truly means to be evil.
…
Life in Cobala was ridden with poverty, hunger, disease and violence. Under the guise of a newborn nation, all was dirtied. There were over fifty former tribes now united under one banner and conviction, but that did not solve all their problems like magic.
One of the first reforms passed by the Caesar, with the assistance of his staff and the Cobalian senate was to establish an agricultural sector. Thanks to the knowledge and wisdom learned at the established academies in Cobala, the Cobalians were able to imitate and copy the farming techniques of human farmers. Stolen books provided much needed information on how to till the land, fertilize, sow and reap crops. Crop-rotation, an ancient but effective method of improving harvests and preserving soil quality began to be used by Cobalian farmers with promising results. But Cobalians also pioneered their own unique way of farming: Terracing.
Cobala is a rugged and mountainous land, with hills and valleys cutting across the forests and glades dotting the woods. Plains and clear patches of land were rare, and often unsuitable for farming. Cobalians were also warned not to build and farm on open areas, as they run the risk of being discovered by human and elven scouts and attacked. Because of that, the nifty Cobalians practiced terracing, which involved digging and cutting strips on the side of hills and valleys, creating an area of soil that was arable. Terraces appeared to be earthen staircases carved on hillsides, where crops such as roots, corn, lentils, beans, flax and even wheat was planted. Although the former was less popular than the other crops, as Cobalians were not fond of bread or grains. Most importantly was the irrigation system. As Cobala is a mountainous region, there were almost no rivers across the land. However, there are numerous streamlets and springs dotting the terrain, mostly stemming from the mountain tops and highlands of the north. The Cobalian farmers took advantage of these water sources and dug impressive canal and ditches that channeled water down the terraces. Perhaps one of the advantages of Cobalians was that their farms were far from rivers and thus, they did not face the burden of flooding during rainy seasons, when the rivers burst open their banks. On the other hand, this meant that the nutrient-rich soils and silt from the rivers during floods did not enrich their farms. Cobalians relied on manually fertilizing their terrace farms, sending out foragers to collect decomposed plant and animal matter to bring back and apply on their cultivated lands. Additionally, the farmers would gather wood, which was in plentiful supply from the thick forests in Cobala, and burn the wood into charcoal and ash, which they used to help preserve the soil and purify the water without the use of magic.
Cobalians worked in groups of up to twenty, toiling on the hillside terraces fulfilling labor and tasks daily, such as digging, clearing the bush, measuring and drawing the land details and keeping away wild animals. There were separate groups that worked day and night shifts; during the day, there was little commotion and work, but Cobalians preferred to work during evenings and through the night, when the temperature is cool and their senses best functioned.
Farmers utilized tools both stolen and forged in Cobalian smithies. Farming tools such as axes, hoes and scythes often had much longer handles and shafts than the regular tools used by humans. As Cobalians were smaller and weaker in comparison to a human farmer, they relied on the physical mechanics of leverage and such; longer handles meant that less power was required to exert force on digging and cutting, relying on momentum and gravity to assist a Cobalian in his task. Shovels in comparison had much shorter handles, and thus were lighter. They could dig trenches and ditches quite fast, but if the soil was too hard, they would use a hoe or axe to break it up. Cobalian farmers could expect up to a hundred bushels of assorted roots, beans and grains per acre on harvest. One bushel of wheat yielded around forty pounds of white flour for humans, but Cobalians milled their grains whole, which allowed them to stretch the quantity to seventy pounds of whole-wheat flour. Quantity was often valued over quality. Food was often bland, but it was nutritious. Cobalians bake their bread without yeast, thus creating a dense, compact mass of carbohydrate that did not spoil and was fundamental to military campaigns which relied on affordable, portable food rations. Roots, lentils and beans were often boiled together into a watery soup called puls. It was terribly bland and unappetizing, but condiments and salt brought in from the northern seaside provinces of Prasinus and Sucidus helped make food a bit more palatable.
An acre of terraced farmland yields around a hundred bushels of crops. This could feed over two-thousand troops for a day, or 5-7 Cobalians for a year, eating only roots and solid bread. A recorded account of a certain farmer detailed the quality of the food as; "From the hill, we reaped short of a hundred baskets of potatoe, rootes, lentilles en flax. That, we threw into a pot and let stew into a watery paste. It was like mud, and very terrible. But if I add a pinch o' salt and throw a bone from yesterday's hunt, it was edible. The bread was tough like a stone, and could use fat en oil..."
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On the contrary, goblins, though much smaller in stature and size than most other beings had a voracious appetite and could burn through more calories on an active day than a human. Goblin bodies have a much higher muscle to fat ratio. Though they were much weaker than humans, goblins are actually quite strong for their size - able to lift up to twice their body weight, and could train their strength much more efficiently. However, it was without drawback. They reached maturity at a seemingly early age. They lived fast and died young. Thus, their rapid metabolism meant that they needed a lot of food to sustain themselves. There was also little time to develop their intellect, and thus they were only educated in the essentials; that being, the art of war.
Meat and fish are the most popular food for the Cobalians. Cobalians, though omnivorous, tend to lean on animal-based food sources, as they have an innate craving for blood and flesh that is inherent to their race. They hunted, trapped and fished animals for their flesh, bone and skins. On hunting, they targeted deer, boar and beasts. Hunting was a very important part of Cobalian culture; it was an art in itself. Wolf-riders and archers honed their skills with the bow and arrow during hunts, wild beasts served as a way of challenging one's courage and determination in the face of danger and provided the war-like Cobalians with a pastime that quenched their thirst for war. Trapping was also important, and often, it was a way of practicing important techniques and skills that would serve the Cobalian soldiers during war; it taught them how to hide and conceal their tracks, scent and traps. In this way, they also learned different methods of using poison, taking down prey and setting ambushes and more. This also meant that it was more dangerous than ever before for an adventurer to journey into the depths of the frontier lands. Fishing was prominent to the north, in the provinces of Prasinus and Sucidus. Cobalians would soon learn that fishing was one of the most efficient and sustainable sources of food, and the sea brought very important resources - aside from fish, it yielded stone, metals, ice and countless more materials to be used. But most of all, it provided them with salt.
Salt may be one, if not the most important of all elements. It was white gold.
And it was a weapon.
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Cobalians lived in underground tunnels called Puntos, situated in well-positioned hills and valleys. In contrast to their previous dwellings of filthy and damp caves, their current dwellings were dry, well-lit and the walls were plastered with limestone. It was not a luxurious dwelling by any means, but it was miles better compared to a dugout hole. The sleeping quarters were at the highest point in the tunnel system to ensure that it was dry even in the events of flooding. The nurseries were on the second highest, and it was constructed with better materials and a solid stone door. The captured women were usually kept in the most secluded room, but they were generally sent away to a spawn camp, farther into the woods.
These underground bunkers were essentially strongholds where a battalion of up to 400 troops could rally. That rarely happened, and the average inhabitants of a single puntos numbered around forty. If the puntos was close to the frontier, it was often a well-defended military post without a nursery and instead fine-tuned for warfare. There were larger caverns inside for accommodating more troops, the walls were reinforced with mortar and cement, and there were always escape tunnels. Courtesy of Cobalian engineers, all the puntos possessed a simple, but effective ventilation system of tunnels and shafts that brought in fresh air and cleared smoke. The engineers long faced the common problem of asphyxiation and poison gas, but with some planning and the guidance of books and captive builders, they were able to incorporate ventilation systems on all underground constructions. It did not stop powerful poison gas attacks and magic-attacks however, but it did give Cobalians a cleaner and more hygienic dwelling, lessening the incidences of disease and infection outbreaks. There were armories for weapons and keeps for storing loot and imprisoning hostages. A primitive kitchen containing an earthen oven and fire pit was always available in every puntos, and if it was a tunnel for other than soldiers, it was more luxurious and often had wall-paintings and furniture.
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On the subject of warfare, all of these developments were possible by the efforts of the new leaders governing the Cobalian nation. By all means, Caecus did not inherit a powerful army upon seizing control of the nation, and more so, a stable country. Everything was mildewed. The council of ancients and the council of commons were created at the same time he was pronounced Caesar, the leader of the entire nation.
But that was only nominal. He was the titular Caesar of a faceless empire.
One does not make men follow him by a crown and a throne alone.
What is a throne, but an overly-decorated piece of wood, gilded with gold?
And what is a crown, but simply, a hat that lets the rain in?
If Caecus was to really become the Imperator of Cobala, he would have to prove himself.
…
Two weeks into the revolution. A week after Caecus had been bestowed the title of Caesar, he had set out to unite his people under the nationality of Cobala. Alas, it was not that simple. Goblins are vicious, belligerent creatures that could only obey the strong. It was almost a bizarre stroke of fate that the half-blind Caecus had risen to the seat of power, but what has been done is done. If Caecus cannot prove his capability to rule, he would be brutally murdered.
Trimagasi, a goblin shaman whom Caecus had spared during the revolt had pledged his fealty to the Caesar. Trimagasi was ruthless, calculating and disciplined, his command of troops was as precise as how he casted a spell. With his help, Caecus was able to quickly storm and turn the neighbouring tribes to his side at spear-point.
And thus began on April 16, 1398. the first unification campaign.
The stronghold of Metz was the very first Cobalian province to be established. From there, Caecus and Trimagasi began to consolidate their forces in order to overthrow the neighbouring rival tribes that threatened the Caesar's authority. The revolution had indeed thrown the scepter of power onto the hands of every goblin, but only the few could wield it. That was the ironic truth. The leviathan was strong, but it cannot have a hundred heads. Plenty resisted and desired to lead their own tribe by themselves. Some others were wiser, and decided that it was better to live another day than die in a fleeting conflict. Among those who allied themselves with Caecus was Goreng, a quiet and keen trapper with a specialty for digging trenches and placing traps. D'Olpi, a captive who had escaped from dwarven imprisonment, and along with him, he brought knowledge of tending to weapons. The four cooperated on a campaign to march onward and into Viridis castle, where the remainders of those loyal to the goblin lord gathered.
Caecus had decided that a siege would be the wrong approach to conquering the goblin horde remnants bunkered in Viridis castle, but negotiating was neither an effective method. They would have to destroy the enemy from within, and execute the leaders. Without the head, the beast cannot live. 'Sarhento' Goreng was tasked with undermining the weakest portion of the castle wall and preparing an assault, while 'Capitane' Trimagasi was tasked with presenting a diversion on the other side of the stronghold. The plan worked, as over thirty goblins were coaxed to leave the safety of the castle and rushed out to meet their rivals, who numbered no more than twenty. However, Trimagasi had put his troops on a defensive position on high ground. The orders were to avoid direct confrontation, and try not to kill the enemy soldiers. Any other commander could not have resisted the urge to issue a counterattack, and Trimagasi could easily push back the assailants who were only armed with swords and knives. Trimagasi's troops were all armed with spears, and half a dozen archers were prepared to let loose at a moment's notice. Trimagasi's force withdrew slowly, keeping the enemy away with a bristling wall of spears, their flanks anchored against a steep slope and on the other by dense bush. 'Sarhento' D'Olpi commanded a reserve of a dozen soldiers carefully hidden amongst the bush, ready to encase the enemy in an envelopment attack to the rear. The enemy was oblivious to the trap set before them, and soon, D'Olpi had his heavily-armed foot soldiers flanking and pushing the enemy goblins against the wall of spears behind them.
Surrender was offered, and it was taken. The condition was that the twenty-five enemy goblins pledge new allegiance to the Caesar now. That was an easy choice. Now, Caecus had a small army of a little over fifty Cobalians waiting outside the castle walls.
…
Sarhento Goreng on the other hand, had successfully dug a shallow passage under the crumbling wall of Viridis castle and smuggled nineteen soldiers, including Caecus inside. A horn was blown, and the signal was given to storm the courtyard. The shamans had once again fled, leaving the rear-guard under the command of a soldier goblin known as Khmer, who now faced Caecus' 53 soldiers with no more than forty defenders. He could conduct a fighting withdrawal, but no doubt they would be pursued by wolf riders. Little did he know, there was already an ambush set by Capitane Trimagasi outside to catch the fleeing shamans.
By sunset, the entire castle was captured by the sheer momentum and surprise of the Caesar's attack.
That night, an execution took place.
The shamans and their accompanying soldiers were intercepted, captured and impaled on stakes, but the rear guard and their captain, Khmer, who had refused to run but instead hold their ground, were offered generous terms of surrender. Khmer, the daring soldier who had refused to let his men retreat even in the face of overwhelming odds, and held the rear gate to buy time for the shamans to flee, to the surprise of Caecus' staff, was offered a position in his army, and the surviving rear guards compensation and a promise of a new venture.
That night, Caecus stood in front of the tall stakes from which the dead hung high. And he said to the soldiers, pointing a finger on the examples of the impaled, "That will be the fate of all those who oppose me," then he continued, "But you, men, I promise you greatness and riches beyond your comprehension. But you will not fight for me, no! You will fight for the man beside you, as a citizen of our nation, a Cobalian!"
"You have fought for the goblin lord, and what has he given you?"
The crowd murmured amongst themselves. It was true. Indeed, what had the goblin lord rewarded them, but defeat and dishonor? Though they were beasts, vicious and repulsive, to all must be given the privilege of honor, no matter how ludicrous!
"I will give you victory, if my name is not Caecus, Caesar of Cobala!"
And the battle of Viridis was won.
And the men rejoiced, and decided to follow this seemingly insane 'Cobalian' on an insane campaign.
A campaign that indeed, was truly epic.
…
The very next day, the numbers of Caecus' army swelled up and rallied at the castle of Viridis. Trimagasi was promoted to the rank of 'Praeceptor', or general, and commanded a force of eighty light infantry and a hobgoblin and was ordered to take the stronghold of Virens up north. General Trimagasi, compelled with a strong sense of conviction and loyalty to the Caesar swore to capture the stronghold, and he did. General Trimagasi marched his troops north divided into two columns. Despite only being supplied with rations to last four days, he was able to drill his troops and cover almost eighty miles in three nights, reaching the stronghold of Virens two hours past midnight.
His light-equipped troops, armed only with spears and bows seemed outmatched by more than a hundred goblins under the command of a goblin shaman. But general Trimagasi had marched his troops in two columns, had he not? So then, he appeared from two directions, first column from the west flank of a hill and the second column on the east, thus compelling the enemy shaman to divide his forces. But little did they know, Trimagasi had funneled three-fourths of his first column into the second the moment the enemy had divided, and thus, the second column of Trimagasi had over sixty soldiers against forty.
An account of the battle recorded by the aide-de-camp of general Trimagasi, who was in command of the left wing; "it was dawn, then the enemy emerged from the breastworks and towards us, pikes bristling and it was a terrifying sight. The words of generale Trimigasi was 'let loose a rain o' arrows, and dissolve into the woods. Keep them away from the right wing,' and so we did. We were outnumbered four to one, and when the enemy began to climb through bushe and towards us, we inched backwards. Out of nowhere, a wolf and her rider surged on my left, and the wretched beast nearly jumped the man to my side into the ground, and one struck it with a lug and the rider speared at me with a lance - I pulled, and the men were on the dog, in an hour of fighting and running, generale Trimigasi, accompanied by a hobgoblin and his men appeared from behind, furious and cut the enemy to pieces. To my great surprise, Trimigasi's men held enemy colors, but was they not the enemy from two hours ago? Nevertheless, the battle was won, and our losses were four wounded, and one dead from trampling. The enemy had seven cut down, and we will have the damned shaman's head..."
…
The battle of Virens was a stunning victory by general Trimagasi, who showed skill and genius in the face of battle. Though his enemies outnumber him, he demonstrated a brilliant use of the military concepts of 'Concentration of Force' and 'Divide and Conquer'. He had defeated a force that numbered larger than him by utilizing flanking maneuvers and concentrating his forces on a local sector of the battlefield. This victory resulted in the capitulation of the goblin horde remnants in the north, and secured Virens under the control of Cobala. Trimagasi had not only destroyed the influences of the old order, but coaxed the enemy soldiers to switch sides and thus, he gained over a hundred and half troops, who were enemies, only days ago. Under the instructions of Caecus, the captured goblin shamans and soldiers were to "have a stake driven into the bastarde, and parade them as an example of terror. Thus, the enemy shall jump to your colors and let them,". Word spread, and indeed, the use of cruel tactics and psychological terrorism was effective in scaring the remaining insurgent tribes to lay down their arms. The following days, and in a week, six tribes pledged allegiance to the Caesar and joined general Trimagasi's battalion.
Impaled victims and sweet promises were an unbelievable combination.
So unbelievable, they began to believe it.
…
Meanwhile, to the south, Caecus marched with three columns and four hobgoblins. Goreng, now promoted to 'Ductore', or lieutenant, commanded the left wing with fifty-four soldiers. Ductore D'Olpi commanded the right wing, with fifty-nine soldiers. Caecus led the center, sixty-three strong infantry. Capitane Khmer was in charge of the advance guard. In five days, they had marched short of a hundred and twenty miles to conquer the tribe lands and seize the goblin-occupied abandoned strongholds, given the names "Cobalus", "Troyes", "Susa", "Kumbaya" and "Tres Lineae".
The first was the stronghold of Cobalus. Since the defeat of the goblin horde under the command of the goblin lord, the horde split in two bodies during the disorderly rout. Caecus was in pursuit of the southern remnants, which were scattered into several camps and the main force concentrated in Cobalus. Along the 120-mile march, they had steamrolled over five goblin camps and managed to recruit four out of five. Caecus, on a great stone-hued wolf, rode in front of the column and rumors spread of a supposed 'goblin prince' who had come to save their race. But the shamans were furious to see that this was the same commoner who had started the chaotic revolution that threatened to engulf their race into self-destruction.
The last High Shaman, with his powerful magic and incorrigible fealty to the deceased goblin lord gathered all the tribes in the forests around Cobulus, and raised a horde of three hundred and a dozen warriors, with five shamans controlling a portion of the force. On the eve of battle, the two armies were on a collision course set to destroy each other in the fight for Cobulus. Caecus, with no more than two hundred troops faced off against odds of two-to-one. During the night, he ordered D'Olpi, who held his right wing, to move his troops farther west and fall on the enemy left flank. Caecus had Goreng and his men cut down trees and bushes and build a barricade of stakes and redoubts before the enemy, right at the foot of their side of the valley. The soldiers of the Caesar were lightly dressed and lightly equipped, the long march meant they had to ditch their heavy armours and weapons in favour of faster mobility. But now, Caecus must face an enemy superior in attack and defense.
The High Shaman was presenting a pitched battle.
…
Dawn came, and the battle began. Caecus' troops held their ground as the masses of the enemy descended upon them, and the order came once the enemy was no more than a hundred yards away. Caecus' archers let loose a volley of arrows, slaughtering dozens in the first wave, and breaking the momentum of the attack. The enemy had reached the redoubts by the third volley, but their impetus was fully stopped by the dense line of wooden stakes and branches.
From 4:15 AM and onward, capitane Khmer's light infantry fought skirmishes and minor engagements in the woods to the right of Caecus' centre. Khmer's skillful tactics and movements pinned down dozens of goblins and prevented them from joining the battle and overwhelming Caecus' flank. Khmer refused to fight the enemy directly and instead resorted to hit-and-run tactics that frustrated the assailants and resulted in mounting casualties.
However. past 4:30 AM, the High Shaman troops began to pour in from the left and right flanks, with Goreng's light infantry steadily holding the left wing. The center and right wing however, was in danger of collapse.
An account of Caecus' aide-de-camp described the battle for the centre as "stake and bushe, shield en spear clattered along with the din of battle - the enemy, were so numerous and clawed at us with blades and javelins, our pikemen and archers throwing them assailants out and away. Some manage to climb over the frail barricades we had stuck into the ground and like dogs, broke into our line, but I and three rushed over to knock one asleep and drive two back into the mob. There were arrows and rocks flying through the sky, and the hell broke loose when a hobgoblin pulled apart a portion of our defense and in came a dozen goblins. Our own brother hobgoblin came and with furious anger, struck the enemy hobbe across the face with a branch and drew blood. I was hit by a stone on the head, and though I wore an iron cap, blood dripped from my nose. Mi Caesar, I saw his highness farther to the right angrily and shot two men dead with a bow. I could hear and see wolves in the distance, and I feared that the beasts may shatter our flank and devour our rear... t'was almost half an hour past, and we were sure that the devil had poured all in ..."
…
At around 4:55 AM, Caecus sensed that most of the enemy troops had been mobilized. Indeed, the Goblin Shaman had been observing from the heights, and moved down to support the assault and crush the centre once and for all. Three horns were blown as three bolts of fire flew over and struck the Cobalian lines, a terrible predicament. On the right wing, a dozen goblins each armed with a shield fought against ductore Goreng's light infantry, who were slowly driven back to the higher ground. The enemy took losses from Cobalian archers, but were not able to break the Cobalian left. Though Goreng now found himself at an extreme angle and putting the center at risk. On the right, Caecus had ordered a fighting withdrawal to the heights, and reform their lines in front of the tree-line. This feint withdrawal encouraged the High Shaman to order a general advance, as the enemy streamed in, like water coursing through a collapsing dam.
Then, Caecus had his own signals raised. Four horns were blown, and another volley was fired.
Ductore Goreng's aide-de-camp, who had been wounded by an arrow to the stomach during the withdrawal of the left wing, wrote, "insanity must have set in, for our Caesar, with a lance, pointed at the enemy and howled 'Forward!' and perhaps he was an insane, but we were not to be labeled as cowards! Thus the men ran after the crazed general and met the enemy with renewed vigour. Our shamans were expending all their spells, for each casted only four balls of fire, there was smoke and hell around us. One of our comrade received a blade across the face, horrifyingly, his nose hung by his lips and his blood ran into his mouthe… The grass and earth was riddled with holes and mud, and when us met the enemy masses, plenty were reduced to wrestling and brutal melees, with men falling and piling on the ground, and they play tug o' war pulling at each other's pikes… "
It seemed as if Caecus did not retreat from the battlefield now, his army would be destroyed where it stood. They were about to face three-to-one.
But the signal had been received.
D'Olpi's right wing, who for the majority of the battle were concealed in the mist and bush on the west of the battlefield, had crept undetected to move in deep on the enemy left flank. Caecus had ordered him to conduct a "Maneuvre derriere", and when the signal was raised, his troops marched out from the mist and assaulted the heights occupied by the High Shaman. The enemy was so surprised to find an entire platoon marching up the heights that they fled. The sheer impetus and element of surprise brought by D'Olpi's assault turned the tables around and at 5:10 AM, the battle went back to the Cobalian's favour.
…
D'Olpi fell upon the enemy left wing and rear, annihilating the goblins in minutes. The High Shaman was pummeled to the ground by a wolf, and nearly mauled to death. Upon becoming aware of the dire situation, the enemy right wing broke into a disorganized rout, and skirmishers were let loose to pursue the stragglers.
And Caecus wrote, "once the enemy had broken through those barricades, I knew they had indeed fallen into the jaws of the beast. My companions sounded the signal, and in the distance lieutenant D'Olpi and his fifty men, armed with pikes and axes charged, banners and trumpets blaring. Like a wave, they washed over the enemy heights and chequed the High Shaman with an opening volley of arrows and javelines before closing the several dozen yards and we smashed the masses from two fronts. Those at the rear cried charge, and those at the front cried. The bodies piled up like a mound of stone, and the air was a forest of blades and spears… attacked from two fronts, the enemy was confused, and though we were wounded and outnumbered, D'Olpi's fresh reserves had saved our day."
…
At 5:20 AM, the battle of Cobulus was won.
It was a decisive victory for Caecus, who had defeated over 300 goblins under the command of the High Shaman, with only 180 Cobalian soldiers. The battle was fought on over a kilometer-wide front, with skirmishes and minor engagements breaking out across the woods until the two armies converged on a local sector in the valley overlooked by the stronghold of Cobalus. Along the barricades and defenses hastily constructed by Goreng's engineer party, vicious fights broke out, and it was twenty against nine, who barely held the mass of assailants. There were only a hundred and thirty Cobalians engaged in the centre and flanks, facing off more than two hundred goblins. With the skillful use and movements of the skirmishers, Sarhento Khmer was able to pin down dozens of enemy troops away from Caecus' sector of the battlefield as he waited for the High Shaman to finally move off the heights. When the decisive moment came, D'Olpi appeared from behind and swung with all ferocity and violence, paralyzing more than half of the attacking army. With the High Shaman knocked out and most of the shamans down, the enemy quickly descended into a chaotic rout.
That morning, when fighting finally died down across the battlefield, the Cobalians lost twenty-three dead, seventeen wounded and among them, Caecus himself, with a cut to the foot and his wolf killed under him. The enemy on the other hand, suffered thirty-nine dead, and no less than a hundred and forty captured or wounded. Several dozen fled and disappeared back into the forests. The battlefield was strewn with broken weapons, litter, the dead and dying. Aide-de-camp to Caecus wrote "Here we are, in the aftermath of a battle, and the smell of smoke and flesh lingered in the air… there were too many dead, and though I should and will celebrate this as a grace, mi Caesar and the companions left this field of glory in haste… it is always so pitiful in the beginning and the end."
After gathering the dead onto a funeral pyre and tending to the sick, the troops and captives were all gathered unto the plain, and the execution of the goblin shamans took place. In front of the now captured enemy soldiers, the High Shaman, according to an eyewitness account, "And the leader of this ferocious army, drove an axe into the cheste of the Higher Shaman, and pulled out his lungs, in a cruel display of mercilessness… and we trembled in fear, for never had we seen such a brutal execution. The High Shaman, unable to support thyself with magic, for his tongue had been severed, was thrown into the blazing pyre, and the remaining shamans and several soldiers suffered impalement on stakes… it was then I realized why this army had no banners, for their flag was death."
And thus, Caecus had won yet another battle. And the enemy was awestruck with fear, that when offered the terms for surrender, they were bewildered that they were not to be punished but instead offered the chance to fight under the Caesar! Thus, it was an easy decision and in the blink of an eye, the enemy was turned ally.
Caecus, always the one who had an eye for talent, and though blind in one eye, he was not blind to the marks of a genius. During the closing phases of the battle, a rear-guard of no more than a dozen goblins stood their ground, their positions anchored on a huge stone protrusion downvalley, to delay the Cobalian advance and give their allies a chance to escape. And Caecus approached the trembling soldiers, and said, "Soldiers! You have fought well, and your unbending valor in battle is worthy of praise. Lay down your arms, and you shall fight another day."
But when he drew closer, the leader of them lunged forward with a sword, which was easily parried by Caecus. The goblin, though taller than Caecus and certainly stronger, was visibly wounded, and finally fell to his knees. His body was dying, but his eyes were fierce.
"Surrender, no… fight, death!" the warrior spat back in broken Cobalian tongue.
And Caecus raised his sabre, as the warrior lowered his face, finally accepting his fate.
But no!
Caecus brought the sabre down and struck the succumbing warrior across the cheek with the flat of his blade, drawing a line of blood. The warrior looked up to him, and his narrow eyes widened. The Caesar held his hand forward, and with hesitation, the goblin took it and got to his feet.
"On your feet, soldier. Your unbroken will in battle is truly admirable. It would be a shame for it to go to waste. You have fought long and hard, but for what? Now, I offer you a chance to fight once more, under my flag. Under our flag, for the nation of Cobala. That scar shall be the mark of a true general!"
And the once-enemy soldier, a beast of no nation; he was given a name, a nation. He became known as 'Scipio', the bravest of Cobalians.
And Scipio, all shocked and in awe, was left wondering.
…
The stronghold of Cobalus was captured, but there was little time to celebrate. There were four more crucial objectives to finish, and the province of Troyes and Susa was next. Caecus drew a strategy for a triple-pronged attack by which their forces would hit the targets simultaneously and converge on the village of Kumbaya and sweep east and finish the campaign at the fort of Tres Lineae.
The Caesar and Khmer, now promoted to ductore, would march with a hundred light infantry and defeat multiple tribes on the southwest march to Susa. Khmer, in command of Caecus' left wing, fought several actions where he proved his noteworthy capabilities as a military commander, capturing goblin chiefs and driving off insurgents from abandoned forts. There was a particular engagement where twenty Cobalian soldiers were locked in tense fighting against skilled archers of the Alqon goblin tribe. The well-defended hilltop camp of Goblin-chief Algoaquin changed hands several times during the night, with the Cobalians repeatedly breaking through the moats and scaling the wooden walls, before being thrown back by the furious Alqon defenders. It was only when sarhento Scipio's sapper parties arrived at dawn and threatened to set the hill on fire that chief Algoaquin finally agreed to accept the alliance proposition of the Caesar.
Farther to the west, Caecus, after sending Scipio and twenty-four sapper infantry to assist Khmer, now marched to fight three tribes consecutively, in under forty-eight hours, pushing his troops to breaking point. Caecus possessed thirty wolf-riders, a new addition to his army after the capture of Cobalus castle. However, the riders were inexperienced and the wolves lacked discipline. But he used this weakness to his advantage by turning the innate wildness of the wolves as a weapon to intimidate the tribesmen. And thirty beasts were often enough to convince the goblins to peacefully surrender and switch allegiances. During Caecus' march, he came face to face with the Ponus tribe, and their leader, Ponuski. The Ponus were skilled riders, and after a mock battle of display, the Ponus wolf-riders decided to join the Caesarian army without conflict, provided that Ponuski was allowed to retain command of his own squadron.
When the columns of Caecus and Khmer converged on the hillside fort of Susa, which was under the command of Melas, a goblin-lord loyalist, the Cobalian armies swiftly surrounded the fort with over two hundred troops. Melas, with only forty soldiers, were safe inside the fort, but they were besieged. Initially, he refused to surrender, but when Caecus appeared with a procession of impaled goblins and a promise of burning the wooden fort along with its defenders to the ground, Melas quickly reconsidered. Caecus assured safe conduct in exchange for allegiance, and it was decided. After all, the rise to power snowballs like an avalanche. And Caecus was building up a storm.
At high noon, goblin lord influence in Susa capitulated.
The Cobalian western column swelled up from a little over a hundred at the beginning of the southern campaign, and 120 miles later, they numbered more than three hundred.
…
The centre and eastern column of the three-pronged offensive, under the commands of ductore Goreng and general D'Olpi respectively marched towards their objectives with clear orders. Fighting for the control of Troyes was characterized by exchanges of arrow volleys and chaotic charges of infantry. After a night of fighting, it finally surrendered to the Cobalians. Now, after a good rest, there was another battle underway. However, in a defiant act of disobeying the strategy, D'Olpi instead marched his column of a hundred men straight for Tres Lineae, leaving a distressed Goreng to assault Kumbaya stronghold on his own. The latter was able to besiege fifty goblins inside the stronghold, where twenty-eight hours later, Caecus and his column joined the siege and swifty subdued resistance. But when they finally caught up with D'Olpi, Tres Lineae was already occupied by the Cobalian general.
D'Olpi was able to reach Tres Lineae after fifty hours of marching, covering eighty miles in the night, and resting his troops during the day. Tres Lineae, a fortified position with defensive earthwork lines facing three directions. Cobalians, though new to open-field battles, were masters of close-combat fighting, and the abandoned trenches of Tres Lineae meant that the sheer number of D'Olpi's troops overran the enemy positions and like a flood, the Cobalians poured in with clubs and shields, defeating the enemy who were armed with unwieldy spears. In two hours of fighting, by sundown the defenders were driven off the earthenworks with minimal casualties on both sides. Soon, before midnight, a truce was offered and over forty-five goblins joined D'Olpi's force. When Caecus rode forth and saw D'Olpi proudly standing atop a hill, he was impressed. Though Caecus was initially displeased with the general's insubordination, he later remarked, "the good commander is one that can formulate his own strategy, on fulfilling the grand strategy."
…
Those events occured within the first month of the revolution, in mid-April, and paved Caecus' road to power. His leadership in the unification campaign was crucial and solidified his control over his army, and the nation of Cobala. The success of the unification campaign culminated in the creation of the councils of commons and ancients. For the next two months, there was rapid progress in all aspects of Cobalian life - culture, education, military and art was practiced, and the provincial system was established. By all means, it did not mean Cobala morphed into a powerful empire. In fact, after the unification campaign, which was essentially a goblin civil war, Cobala was ridden with famine, disease and crime.
In the fourth month, after a brief period of relative peace and stability, a new demand arose; Cobala was in desperate need for metals, in order to produce their own armours and weapons, as well as tools, construction materials and various other necessities for a fledgling civilization. Stolen equipment and goods from the raids were not enough and the council had warned against provoking an elven or human retaliation, and thus, raids were carefully conducted to avoid dangerous repercussions. Still, it soon became clear that raiding and scavenging was not enough, and Caecus began to conceive another military quest; the Ironvalley Campaign.
…
Thirteen-hundred and ninety-eight years since the fall of the Elven empire and regression of civilization across the realm, the beginnings of possibly the greatest empire the world will ever see drew beginnings from a ragtag group of mercenaries in search of iron. It was a humorous stroke of fate, but in truth, this was all none of the Gods anticipation. For all the recent events had wreaked havoc on the game played by the deities. The Gods were awestruck upon witnessing a piece, take on the color of jade green from black, and grow from a pawn and into a king. What was it? A goblin? A man?
But the devil, himself?
The Dwarves who inhabited Svartalfheim also lived along the coasts of the Black-ice sea in the far northwest. Dwarven boats sailed the Black-ice sea, connecting the land which Cobalians referred to as 'Oblast Peninsula' to the 'Svarti Peninsula', by ferry boats. The distance between the two peninsulas was no less than a hundred miles, and a trip across the Black-ice sea lasted for three days. Oblast peninsula was technically Dwarven territory, but dwarves were a minority there. It should be noted that Dwarves still followed a tribal lifestyle led by a chieftain, and few original Dwarf tribes remained. Their people merged with human civilization as blacksmiths and miners. The Svarti peninsula is where the most number of dwarves could be found in one region. Stories tell of a magic portal located in the Svarti peninsula that bridged the realm and Svartalfheim, but the dwarves never tell.
…
July 26, 1398. Two months prior present day. After four months of rapid changes, Caecus was prepared to strike once more. The Unification campaign had garnered enough political support from the councils, who gave him their full backing. Viridis castle became their capital, center of operations. There, Caecus and his military staff studied and trained for seven weeks. During those seven weeks, the Cobalian army was reorganized, and rebuilt. A new doctrine was adopted, which called for emphasis on light armors, ranged weaponry and fast-moving columns. Trimagasi, now promoted to marshal and Caecus' military surgeon, was tasked with the capture of smithies located across Cobala. Lieutenant Scipio was entrusted with the duty of border surveillance, defense and raiding, as well as building a Cobalian cavalry element. Engineer Goreng was in charge of construction projects, and laying out defensive lines.
To the south, lieutenants Algoaquin and Ponuski consolidated wolf-rider forces, in coordination with lieutenant Scipio. They patrolled the territories and carried out raids. This was also the start of terracing hills and valleys for agriculture. However, there were still several unaligned tribes and famine was present.
The Caesar, marshal D'Olpi, general Khmer and ductore Melas set out in four columns to seize control of the Ironvalley from dwarven control. This campaign had to be done in under fourteen days, and without arousing Dwarven retaliation if possible. On the midnight of 26, four columns of eighty light infantry each left Viridis and marched southwest towards Ironvalley. Marshal D'Olpi and ductore Melas formed the right wing, and marched down the valley to fall on the coastal villages and mines near the Black-ice sea, while Caecus and general Khmer moved along the heights. They were about to attack the dwarven mines in a pincer movement, a strategy they have learned during academy training but now, they must put to the test.
August 2, after seven days of marching the Cobalian forces have marched two hundred miles. The journey was perilous, with food barely enough to sustain each of the soldiers. The Cobalians did not rely on supply wagons, for they were slow, cumbersome and they lacked horses and wagons. Instead, they fed off the land, hunting and foraging along the way. It was enough to sustain their need for food, but it was certainly not the best. Compared to other armies, Cobalians moved extremely fast, on par with the cavalry. This is, of course, due to the light equipment and the doctrine of feeding off the land. As Caecus once said, "the war must feed the war". The soldiers wore practically anything available. Stolen clothes from villages, worn-out armour and cheap leather tunics. But nearly all wore light clothing. Few wore chainmail, and of the ten wolf riders in each column, five were dressed in metal. Food was palatable, to say the least. An account from a certain footman wrote; "During the midday, we would rest for an hour in the shade, I and some would be sent off to hunt fowl and boar with my bow. The foragers dug rootes and collected fruit. We roasted the meat over fire and often threw the roots in the fire. Then we pared off the char and ate the baked root… occasionally, we would see young adventurers traveling along trails, but we never ambushed them. I was told, be patient for there is a bigger prize..."
…
Actions at dwarven mine I. On the evening of the third of august, general Khmer's advance guard collided with dwarf scouts on the outskirts of the mining facility. The half-dwarves were well positioned behind the cover of rocks, and a tense standoff began. Both sides were equipped with bows and arrows, but Khmer judged quickly that they would sound an alarm soon to the neighbouring mines. Three wolf-riders were sent to move around the enemy positions and intercept fleeing messengers. By the time Caecus had arrived, several dwarves have joined the fight, with one dwarf shaman present. A dozen Cobalians were sent to flank the left of the enemy while Caecus moved forty soldiers to the right. Khmer ordered a feint charge and it succeeded in tricking the dwarves to move out of cover and unleash a hail of stone and arrow. Unaware of their flanked positions, their left was charged by a dozen goblins. When the shaman turned his sights on the left however, Caecus unleashed a combined assault of twenty goblins armed with knives, bows and supported by the Caesar himself, riding on a wolf followed by five more of the beasts and mauled the enemy right. In ten minutes, the dwarven positions were overrun and the mine was captured. The wolves were sent in to sniff out hiding miners. That night, seventeen dwarves were captured. Seven were killed. Cobalian losses were light. One knocked down by a stone and another, shot on the hand. None killed.
...
Actions at the Black-ice sea coast. Marshal D'Olpi, moving along the coast of the Black-ice sea, attacked the Dwarf-Port village. During the night, there was not a single lookout on duty, so the marshal took his time and sent lieutenant Melas to fall into the main entrance of the village. The latter too, sent a wolf-rider and seven soldiers to block the exit opposite of D'Olpi's entry point. Once the Cobalians were in position outside the wooden walls,D'Olpi stormed in with sixty soldiers and killed most of the villagers in their houses. They did not set fire to the village however. In under five minutes, the entire port was in goblin hands. More than a dozen managed to escape through the side gate or climb over the walls, and a dozen more jumped into the water to flee. The sail-boats were all caught, save for one that was overturned in the ensuing chaos. Melas let loose the wolf-riders who easily picked off the villagers running along the beach, with arrows. Twenty-four killed, twenty captured. The hostages were tied against posts and two more were killed, impaled on stakes to scare the people into obeying the captors. The women were not raped… yet.
...
Battles of mine II & III. 10:40 PM, half an hour after the capture of mine I. Caecus and Khmer now approaching the second dwarven mine, saw that there were no present dwarves on the surface, and issued the storming of the mine. Unaware that the third dwarven mine was only two hundred yards away and with alert guards, the miners, at the first sign of attack, joined the defense of the mine and struck the goblins head on. The battle initially went in the dwarves favor, who had caught the Cobalians by surprise and shoved them back, as the few soldiers who managed to get inside faced the threat of getting surrounded. The enemy was heavily armed with shields and axes, and defeating them without heavy casualties would require additional support. Caecus ordered general Khmer to move into the rear of the enemy and surround them, as he urged the rear columns to move forward. With sixty light infantry steadily stretching a line and threatening the dwarven flanks, the Cobalians were prepared to launch a counterattack. The dwarves were unaware that the enemy outnumbered them five to one, as most of the goblins were hidden in the bush. An attack by Khmer's company had the dwarves checked from the rear and the miners immediately broke and ran down the wooded valley when Caecus charged forward. Unfortunately, word has reached the following mines and the dwarves were on high alert. Seven Cobalians dead, a dozen more wounded. Dwarven losses numbered no more than ten dead or wounded.
…
Closing the trap. Around 2:55 AM, a wolf-rider reported to Caecus that marshal D'Olpi had captured Dwarf-Port village. During the night, both sides were preparing, the dwarves barricaded the mines and evacuated the workers. Khmer's column was sent to occupy the high ground and fall on the dwarves from the east, while Caecus kept a close eye on enemy actions. He sent orders to D'Olpi to intercept the dwarves, who would surely be fleeing into the safety of the Dwarf-Port village.
"Go, and tell marshal D'Olpi to block the dwarves with forty soldiers at the foot of the valley. And send the rest of his men to move further west, and set ambushes and entrenched positions. At five o' clock sharp, I shall force them down the valley."
"Yes, sire."
Khmer's troops were now moving into position. "My scouts concluded four spell-casters present with the dwarves. Shall I have them taken out?"
"I would prefer that you keep the soldiers ready for the attack, ten minutes before five. We do not want the enemy abandoning their positions prematurely."
"Are they aware that we have them surrounded?"
"I imagine not. I do not think they too know of our wolf-rider squadron nor our reserve companies."
"Shall I initiate the terror tactics?"
"Si, si."
Thus, the Cobalians began using the dwarf hostages as a weapon to terrorize the resisting mines. Hidden deep in the bush and trees, they would torture their victims by breaking their fingers or slicing their skin, allowing them to scream in pain and terror. The terrible noise created by such an insidious tactic was enough to shatter the morale of the defending dwarves and keep their hair raised the entire night. The Cobalians would force the hostages to scream out messages and force the dwarves to run or surrender. The dwarves could not see where the screams were coming from, it sounded as if the entire forest was haunted.
"Help me! aaaeeehaaa!… Help me! Please! Somebody! Help!"
"Run! Run now! They kill you all- … run… run..."
The dwarves were shuddering in fear. They knew it was goblins, but what if it was something else?
"I-I don't think those are goblins anymore… we should go back to the village!"
"If we run, they'll kill us all!"
Little did they know, the trap was already closing in.
Nobody dared try to rescue the hostages. Nobody would walk straight into the wailing, dark forest. When the clock struck five, the assault began. But instead of charging straight towards the front of the dwarf redoubts, the goblins poured in from the sides and threw the dwarves out of their positions in mere minutes. The opening arrow volley killed three shamans and wounded ten dwarves. Attacked from three sides, the dwarves fled down the valley, with many falling to their deaths, caught on the protruding rocks. Wolf-riders and light infantry swifty invaded the neighbouring mines. Mine IV, V, VI and VII fell like dominoes, one after the other. Eight killed, fifteen wounded. Not a single Cobalian casualty.
…
Endgame. Several minutes past five AM, the fleeing dwarves ran right into D'Olpi's ambush. Dozens were killed in the slaughter. With nowhere to go, most of the miners were killed where they stood, at the foot of the Ironvalley. There were no clear, recorded accounts of survivors, as the wolf-riders were sent to pursue stragglers.
At dawn, Caecus and D'Olpi joined up at the foot of the valley.
"Soldiers! I am pleased with you."
And then there was dancing and cheering and the Cobalians rejoiced, for in under a week the entire Ironvalley was theirs. As promised, the soldiers were given each a pouch of gold coins, far more than they could ever hope to steal.
"Now, you have your gold. I have given you victory," the noise died down as the soldiers listened to the scrawny goblin in front of them. "Those who wish to leave and spend their treasures, may leave. But, if you stay, I shall promise you victory! Victory, and riches beyond your comprehension! But no, you will not fight for gold! You will fight for victory! You will fight for me! You will fight for our nation!"
And all raised their weapons and roared unanimously.
For the next six days, there was widespread looting and movement, as the Cobalians gathered resources and metals, loading them onto carts and wagons. They took the horses and mules in the village, and sent the spoils of war en route to Viridis, on a mountain trail escorted by the victorious troops. As the Dwarf-Port was stripped apart and destroyed, the mines were fortified and occupied by the Cobalians, who began to take over the mining operations. Marshal D'Olpi was appointed Blacksmith-chief and supervisor of the industry. The boats were captured.
Caecus was welcomed as a hero, and even more goblins joined his nation. Like moths drawn towards the light, Cobalians began to sense a new hope for their race. Caecus awarded his military staffs great honours and promotions, and held feasts and celebrations. Gladiatorial fights were held in the Viridis amphitheatre, with the prisoners of war pitted against each other as entertainment. And truly, here are the beginnings of an empire.
Ironvalley Campaign, late July - early August, 1398 ends.
All this, all these events occurring right under the nose of the Kingdom.
However, there are always witnesses.
...
Rumors began to circulate of another goblin-horde led by a goblin lord. There were missing adventurers, undocumented village raids, professional-level criminal operations and fewer goblin incidents. The elves murmured about a widespread conflict between goblin tribes. They thought the goblins were destroying themselves. The dwarven peninsulas of Svarti and Oblast, their land connection was cut. Stories of goblin pirates terrorizing the Black-ice sea circulated, but few could confirm.
On the other side, a powerful nation was in the making. The capture of Ironvalley and engineer Goreng's reforms meant that Cobala now possessed the capability to build metal weapons, armor and much more complex constructions. However, there was no time to rest. While the Caesar and his staff educated themselves under the tutelage of shamans and prisoners, the army was slowly being developed. In Susa and Virens, the Cobalians began terrace-farming and systematic hunting, foraging and raiding. Though all these recent events seemed monumental, it did not solve all the tasks on the list. Poverty, disease and famine was still rampant. Agriculture and hunting helped alleviate the hunger problem, and hundreds of goblins were taught the ways of procuring food aside from raiding. A crude and basic economy system copied from the Kingdom was implemented, but the concept of camaraderie and cooperation meant that there was relatively little need for money currency. Trading and buying of supplies from other civilizations was very tricky, as everybody would be surprised to find a goblin buying a pair of pants. Under the guise as monks, goblins would sneak in villages dressed in shaggy brown robes and use their gold coins to buy resources such as rope, nails, textiles etc. they would also infiltrate libraries and churches, stealing books and files. From these sources of information, the Cobalians developed a health sector that helped address the problem of disease, giving their troops and citizens better survivability and resistance to common infections and diseases that before, usually resulted in death. They were like mosquitoes, feeding on and absorbing knowledge. Nobody would realize that they, humans and dwarves in fact, were aiding a goblin menace.
Cobalian soldiers adopted a military doctrine that revolved around mobility, speed, tactical superiority and ruthless strategies. Their archers, though lightly dressed, were swift and deadly. It was around this time that they began to pioneer the construction and use of composite recurve bows, bodkin arrowtips, effective poisons, saddle and stirrups, lighter chainmail, silk shirts and durable footwear.
Bows were as old as the faeries themselves, used for hundreds of thousands of years. Recurve bows were much younger, and much more powerful than a straight bow. But composite recurve bows were an invention created by the Cobalians. Composite bows already existed, but the Cobalians were the first to combine composite and recurve and put it to use, with deadly efficiency. It stemmed from the fact that being weaker than most sentient creatures, goblins had to rely on mechanics to amplify their strength. Their bows were made from durable wood like birch, which was in plentiful supply. The birch body was combined with deer or elk bone strips on the belly (side facing the archer) and wrapped with sinew at the back (side facing away from archer). The whole composite is then molded into shape, and kept in place with wrappings. The whole process is lengthy and tedious, but it is worth it. The end result is a bow that when unstrung, curves beautifully into a letter C shape, and when strung, has a smooth recurve. It can have a draw weight of around 60 pounds to more than 150 pounds. This amount of force could fire arrows almost at ranges of 500 metres or more, depending on the draw weight. Such draw weights was difficult to operate, and required constant training. The Cobalians began practicing an old thumb-draw technique, rather than the index-draw technique used by humans and elves. Thumb rings, made of bone, stone or metal were used. Because the Cobalians were comparatively weaker than most races, they used the thumb, the strongest finger to draw the bowstring. It was difficult to master, but this allowed them to fire arrows in quick succession and avoid sore fingers.
In comparison, the Elven longbow without magic enchantments has draw weights of up to 90 pounds to nearly 170 pounds or more. But even with that force, without magic, the maximum range tops at around two hundred to three hundred, with a useful range no more than the former.
The power of the Cobalian bow lies on the bone and sinew composites. The draw weight increases geometrically as the string is drawn, and when the arrow is fired, the recurve snap adds power and speed to the accelerating arrow. Bodkin arrowheads are no longer used, but Cobalians revived its use with some increase in blacksmithing skills. Bodkins are cheap and simply squared spikes of metal. With some improvement, new, tempered steel bodkins that could punch through all kinds of chainmail and most plate armour was issued to Cobalian archers. Unless the plate armour was enchanted or no less than five millimeters in thickness, it had a chance to be penetrated. Bodkins were not as dangerous as broadheads, which caused massive internal damage and bleeding, but the bodkin's penetrative power and simple construction made it ideal to use for poisoning and anti-armour. Cobalians brewed much more powerful and lethal poisons than ever before with the help of kidnapped doctors and stolen manuscripts. Animal and plant poisons as well as synthesized toxins were created. Some of the more commonly used were Curare, Manwar, Tetrodotoxin. The latter was made from black pufferfish and the other was a paralytic made of dart frog extract and snakeroot. Use of poison however, was not used en masse… yet.
Wolves and dogs were the most popular mode of mounted transportation and as cavalry for the Cobalians. They valued their animal mounts, and a wolf was held in an almost divine regard. A wolf provided a soldier with fur clothes, edible meat, bone that can be used in numerous ways and much more. During long travels when water was scarce, a Cobalian could drink the blood of a wolf or dog for nutrition. Dragoons, a new form of Cobalian troop, were very versatile; a Cobalian could dismount his wolf and fight on foot, alongside the animal. It had a powerful tactical potential and revolutionized cavalry warfare. Even better, food for a wolf or dog was available at the end of raids or battle; dead enemy soldiers or villagers were eaten by the animals.
However, perhaps the most important was the use of stirrups. With stirrups, a Cobalian could ride his mount with ease, and reduced the odds of falling off to practically zero. He could also steer the animal with just his foot or body weight, and in battle a wolf-rider is said to become one organism. Indeed, a professional Cobalian wolf-archer outmatched all other kinds of cavalry, except for Dragon-riders. Mounted archery was virtually alien to the realm, and nobody practiced it. The Cobalians who were essentially creatures evolved for war and terrorism pioneered this deadly form of combat, mounted archery.
From the secretive 'monk' traders, Cobalians acquired silk textiles and clothing. Silk was almost never used as armor or military wear, except for decoration or by royal guards. Silk was expensive, but the massive amounts of gold and raiding operations meant that each Cobalian soldier could expect to be supplied a complement of one quality silk shirt. White was often used, as Cobalians rarely dyed their clothing. A good silk shirt could stop all, even a bodkin arrow. As the arrow penetrates armor and drives into the flesh, the silk is not torn but instead pulled in. gently teasing the silk out, a soldier could extract even a barbed war arrow with ease. Before silk shirts, a barbed arrow was a gruesome operation to extract. Either the flesh was cut open or the arrow was driven through the other side.
Cobalians wore some armour of course. Lighter types of chainmail were used, and though they were usually inadequate to stop arrows, they were excellent for close combat, helping against glancing blows and light stabs.
Footwear was fundamental to the doctrine of speed and mobility. Some soldiers were equipped with leather boots or sandals strengthened by iron strips on the soles. It was fairly expensive to create specialized shoes, and Cobalian shoemakers were scarce. Stolen footwear worked, but it was often loose or broken, and many soldiers marched barefoot or with rope flip-flops. Puttees and wrappings were also good substitutes.
…
One month prior to present day. The Unification campaign solidified Caecus' control over the nation of Cobala. The Ironvalley campaign ended with Cobalians taking control of over seven dwarven mines.
But it is not enough.
As they say, enough is never enough.
Because Cobalians, always belligerent, will cultivate internal conflicts. And the councils of commons and ancients are on the brink of breaking apart. The humor is that spontaneous solidarity often arises along with the appearance of a common enemy.
Because sometimes, democracy only works on paper. And Caecus may soon find out that tyranny is a necessary evil.
A growing nation is a voracious beast. It yearns to expand and consume.
That is the principle of an empire; it must keep expanding, lest it will collapse.
The Caesar set an eye for the land that would soon become the provinces of Prasinus and Sucidus.
If he knew or not, it did not matter. To the West, Dwarven retaliation was due. He had made his first enemy. South, the Elves were beginning to uncover a terrible predicament. From the East, the Kingdom would soon learn of a menace that would make the Demon Lord's army a silly excuse for a war.
And thus, whoever wants to live in Peace must prepare for War.
…
…
…
A.U.
Well, damn. So that is how the Cobalians seized the Ironvalley from the dwarves.
Next would be the captures of the provinces of Sucidus and Prasinus.
This is a flashback that follows the events culminating to the present day,
During the past six months of the goblin revolution.
…
Next: Oblast Peninsula offensive & Cobalian-Elven War