RWBY 40k – Salem, Mistress of Inquisition.
Ep 27: Jaghatai Khan.
Chogoris is a fertile and green world. Whose seas that cover it are azure blue.
The technological level of the planet barely matched that of gunpowder.
Despite this, the Palatine Empire had managed to take control of most of the planet.
This empire had achieved this feat thanks to a disciplined, well-equipped army. Infantry units and supported by heavy cavalry made them win wars.
The Lord Palatine with this army had a reputation as an infallible general because he had won all the campaigns in which he was.
But there remained a region that was not under the control of the Palatine Empire.
It was an immense plain beaten by the winds to the east.
A full stretching as far as the eye can see named by many the Great Steppe.
Tribes of nomads composed of savage horsemen have scoured these arid plains since time immemorial. They lived in yurts, following seasonal migration cycles.
In summer, they settle in the large pastures. In winter, they shelter in the valleys of Khum Karta.
The tribes fought among themselves for the control of the pastures or just for the pleasure of doing so.
The Great Steppe until now was never invaded by the Palatine Empire because it had no value for the Lord.
A sunny day.
Ong Khan, the chief of the Talskar tribe was leading the herds of cattle with his guards.
As the group moved towards the Quonon River, a river that has nourishing tall grasses.
A light crossed the sky and headed towards the river in the distance.
Ong Khan: "What's going on?"
Soldier: "What is that star?"
Soldier 2: "We should take a closer look."
The troops continuing their slow march.
They arrived at the Quonon River and discovered a surprising scene.
They saw a gigantic crater in the grass.
Inside was a metal capsule.
Ong Khan: "Stay there."
The Khan descended to take a closer look at this metal capsule.
As he approached the capsule, he saw its glass shattered and discovered a baby inside.
Ong Khan: "What? A baby?"
He took his sword and broke the rest of the glass to open a larger passage for his arms and the baby.
He then sheathed his sword and plunged his arms into the pod and gently picked up the infant.
He was impressed by the beauty and perfection of this baby.
He returned to the group of breeders and guards who were taken by this same surprise.
Breeder: "Amazing."
Guard: "There is no denying..."
Ong Khan: "It's a sign from the stars. Heaven gave it to us."
A dull noise was heard and the baby began to cry.
Breeder: "Oh...I think he's hungry."
Soldier: "What are we going to do?"
Ong Khan: "Is there milk left in a cow's udder?"
Soldier: "I think so..."
Ong Khan: "Then find the right cow."
Farmers began to check cows' udders.
Then one of them manages to find some milk and starts milking the cow.
Eventually, the breeder returned with the milk seal.
Ong Khan sat down on a rock and put the seal of milk on the baby's mouth.
The baby calmed down seeing the milk and began to drink.
Herders began to graze cattle all day long, all to the sound of the river filling the crater.
The soldiers under Ong Khan's command released the capsule as proof of the baby's divine existence.
Towards the end of the day, everyone gathered their things and went back to the nomadic village.
During the journey, one of the soldiers approached the Khan.
Soldier: "I have a question great Khan."
Ong Khan: "Which one?"
Soldier: "What are you going to name the baby from heaven?"
Ong Khan: "Hm... I had thought about it a lot. I think I found it."
Soldier: "Which one?"
Ong Khan: "Jaghatai. I saw his gaze, a gaze of fire. A gaze of a future warrior."
Soldier: "It's true... You really think it will be."
Ong Khan: "I have confidence."
Jaghatai Khan began to growing up in the Talskar tribe. Traveling between plains and mountains.
The young warrior showed incredible strength that far exceeded the expectations of his adoptive father Ong Khan.
He excelled in the art of fighting and with his strength did the work of five tribesmen.
Jaghatai in the eyes of the tribe has become a true role model for all young Talskar boys.
One day in Ong Khan's yurt in front of the Khum Kartha mountains, Ong Khan accompanied by Jaghatai was a great chief of another nomadic tribe.
Ong Khan: "What do you want from me?"
Chief: "A proposed alliance. I have heard of your son's prowess."
Ong Khan: "How would it benefit our two clans?"
Chief: "With the wisdom of your son. We can make our two tribes one great and invincible force."
Ong Khan was silent for a moment.
Ong Khan: "I don't think that's possible."
The chief was surprised.
Chief: "What?"
Ong Khan: "I guessed that you want an alliance out of mere interest. It's very cowardly of you. All because my son has the strength of a god."
The leader remained silent but was now frowning.
Ong Khan: "Know one thing. I would be willing to alliance. But if it concerns Jaghatai, I don't want it. You think you are approaching him and influencing him. It will not pass as long as I am alive."
Jaghatai spoke.
Jaghatai: "Do you think you are approaching the divine with me? You are wrong. It is this kind of manipulation that leads to dissolution. We will never be able to secure a lasting alliance between our two clans."
Ong Khan: "Well said, Jaghatai. If you have nothing else to offer. You can go again."
The chief of the tribe had an irritated look and decided to get up in silence then left the yurt.
The followers of the chief and himself straddled and left the large village of several thousand souls at full speed.
All under the eyes of the two great chiefs of the village.
Jaghatai: "The third covenant proposal in less than ten moons. What have they all been seeking to obtain my power by proxy?"
Ong Khan: "Don't forget Jaghatai. When a man sees the opportunity to attain the divine. He will do anything to get it."
Jaghatai: "I see, father."
The days pass peacefully in the village.
Jaghatai was then training with the most muscular soldiers of his tribe.
He fought with a large wooden sword, all under the watchful eye of the Captain of the Guard and the Khan.
Jaghatai was fighting fiercely against the five warriors.
Jaghatai finally manages to put them down.
The captain: "Resolutely, great Khan. Your son will become invincible."
Ong Khan: "We can thank heaven."
But as everyone was about to return home, horns were heard.
Ong Khan: "What?! It's the warning horn!"
A soldier arrived at the training ground.
Soldier: "Great Khan! The Kurayed tribe is attacking! They are charging towards the village!"
Ong Khan: "How soon?"
Soldier: "Any moment!"
Ong Khan: "Quick! All men take up arms!"
The village is taken by a frenzied agitation all the men and young men equipped themselves with their spears and swords without forgetting their armours.
Jaghatai was dressed by the Khan's servants and tied his long hair in a high ponytail.
The soldiers then left the village while the women, children and old people hid in the yurts.
Jaghatai accompanied by Ong Khan looked at the moor and saw a cloud of dust in the distance.
The gallot of the cavalry made itself heard louder and louder.
Jaghatai: "There they are..."
Ong Khan: "Don't flinch!"
The soldiers moved behind the shields and waited apprehensively for the cavalry charge.
The gallot became deafening, with war cries and the cries of horses.
Ong Khan: "Go! For the tribe, for your wives and children!"
The soldiers screamed and took the full charge.
The first line was quickly destroyed by the charge.
But the attackers' momentum slows down with the other lines.
The soldiers struck the riders and horses with their spears and swords.
The archers struck with their arrows the horses and the soldiers in the vital points.
Jaghatai and Ong took part in the fight.
Jaghatai slaughtered with his immense strength any adversary that presented himself to him.
His fists shattered bones as he cut flesh like grass with his sword.
Jaghatai made his way through the melee, clearing a path for the tribe's many warriors.
The soldiers, galvanized by the strength of their champion, the ideal embodiment of their warrior society, began to repel the enemy cavalry.
But suddenly, cries are heard in the village.
Everyone turns around and the Talskars see with untold horror that their village has been attacked by other riders.
They killed able-bodied men and kidnapped women.
Ong Khan: "The traitors! They got us! Jaghatai! Let's kill them! Let's kill..."
He took an arrow in the neck, under the horrified gaze of Jaghatai and the soldiers.
He fell to the ground, inert.
Jaghatai froze in shock.
But an immense rage seized him immediately afterwards.
Jaghatai: "RAAAAHHHH!"
With a howl of rage, he slaughtered the horsemen by the dozens.
Faced with this terrifying anger, the enemy cavalry fled without asking for their rest.
He then turned towards the village and the enemy soldiers terrified by this spectacle tried to flee. But those who were overtaken by Jaghatai and the other Talskar warriors suffered the same fate as the horsemen.
A few moments later...
Dead silence reigned in the village.
A third of the women in the village were kidnapped while a quarter of the young boys were massacred.
Everyone was mourning the death or kidnapping of their loved ones.
Jaghatai in particular had lost a father.
He was with his father's body in the yurt. This corpse was covered with skins.
Jaghatai: "I will avenge you father. I promise."
The next day, the elders and other great warriors of the tribe.
Jaghatai sat in front of the group.
Elder 1: "We have all decided unanimously. You will be the new Khan."
Elder 2: "You are now Jaghatai Khan."
Warrior 1: "What are you going to do now?"
Jaghatai was silent for a moment.
Jaghatai: "We will ensnare them. We will take them by surprise. If we spot their village, there will be no mercy."
In the weeks that followed, horsemen and other spies traveled across the plains near the mountains.
Eventually, the Kurayed village was spotted on top of a mountain.
Jaghatai: "I see... If we can't attack. Let's starve them."
Jaghatai applied scorched earth tactics on the grass plains, starving the cattle of the enemy tribe of food. The wheat and rice fields were destroyed in turn and the Kurayed were starved.
One day, the Talskars saw that the horsemen and other soldiers came out of the village.
Jaghatai: "They're trying to get out. Alright."
Although the Kurayed had the advantage of the terrain, they were weak and hungry.
The Talskars opposed the force of their rage and hatred.
The Kurayed forces were wiped out by the Khan's forces, leaving the village defenseless.
Jaghatai: "Let's get back our due and avenge our brothers and sisters."
The Talskars attacked the village and massacred the men, women and children.
The women who were abducted were rescued.
Jaghatai found the leader and cut off his head.
Thus, the Kuyared were annihilated.
In the ten summers that followed, the other tribes fell under the rule of the Talskars led by the Primarch.
Some were conquered by force, others surrendered without a fight.
Soon, Jaghatai was at the head of a gigantic army named Mathuli ("Irresistible Force" in Talskar).
Jaghatai carefully mixed the warriors of the different tribes to strengthen the unity of his nomadic empire.
Jaghatai meanwhile grows in vigor and strength. Which further strengthened his posterity.
A true giant who instilled fear and respect in even the most reckless soldier.
One day, the gigantic caravan of Jaghatai descended the mountain pastures towards the winter camp.
The blizzard was blowing hard and vision was difficult.
Soldier: "Great Khan! We can't see! How are we going to move forward?"
Jaghatai: "Have faith! When we get downstairs, we can take shelter! Let those with cold hands and feet swap places with able-bodied men!"
The soldier walked away to convey the orders.
The journey continued slowly.
Jaghatai was still ahead, the cold doing nothing to him and seeing the valley as if a great sun was in the sky.
But at one point, a tremor was felt, panicking the animals.
Jaghatai: "An avalanche... Everyone take shelter!"
The avalanche fell on the caravan but also took Jaghatai in its stride.
He fell several hundred meters below, covered under several meters of snow.
He managed to get out of this blanket of snow and looked around. The wind was much weaker, a kind of light breeze.
Jaghatai then saw in the distance a sort of column of horsemen.
Squinting, he recognizes their clothes.
They are nobles of the Palatine Empire, surely on the hunt.
Jaghatai had never liked these men, who occasionally captured tribes to enslave them or hunt a lone nomad for sport.
To make matters worse, Jaghatai was spotted.
Noble 1: "Look! A savage!"
Noble 2: "I think chasing him won't hurt!"
Jaghatai saw that the nobles took their weapons and realized that he was the target.
Jaghatai tensed in anger and pulled out his sword.
The noble horsemen charged and charged straight towards Jaghatai.
But the Khan cut up the horses one after the other.
The nobles understood that they faced a man of terrible strength.
The Khan slew the men with his great sword and took the richly dressed man by the neck.
Man: "No! Spare me! I'll give you land! I'll give you gold! Anything!"
Jaghatai: "You made the mistake of attacking me... You will pay with your life."
Man: "If you do this... my father, the Palatine Emperor will come and exterminate your tribe of savages!"
Jaghatai: "Let him come... The People of the Steppes no longer belong to you."
He crushed the prince's neck so hard that the head separated from the rest of the body which fell to the ground.
The last living noble trembled with fear as the Khan approached him.
Jaghatai: "You. Go take my words to Emperor Palatine and the head of that arrogant prince."
The noble seized by this animal fear obeyed before mounting his horse and setting off at triple gallot.
Jaghatai then climbed up the mountain and rejoined his caravan which by then was worried sick.
The trip resumed without a hitch and the tribe finally arrived at the winter camp.
Several months later...
Jaghatai Khan was eating with the old and great chiefs.
Suddenly, a soldier entered the tent.
Jaghatai Khan: "What does this intrusion mean?"
Soldier: "Great Khan. There is urgent news."
Jaghatai Khan: "Which one?"
Soldier: "The scouts have spotted a gigantic army. With Palatine at their head."
Everyone was surprised.
Elder: "Palatine has decided to destroy us."
Warrior: "What are we going to do? Their army is invincible!"
The others began to discuss the decision to be made.
Jaghatai raised his hand, silencing the council.
Jaghatai: "I feel your fear. But it's time to face this arrogant empire which thinks itself blessed by the stars. This will be the fight of our lives. (He turned to the soldier). Where are they?"
Soldier: "6 leagues from the Valley of the Khans, to the west."
Jaghatai: "I see... There's no time to waste. We're 4 leagues from Lon-Suen, which is at the exit of the valley. Arriving at a forced march, we can take them quickly .Soldier, warn the whole army!"
Soldier: "Yes Great Khan!"
He got out of the tent, Jaghatai got up from his place.
Elder: "The winds are unleashed. Fate's word is upon us all."
Jaghatai: "Let's see what he has in store for us."
Jaghatai took his army and it made a forced march on the plain of Lon-Suen.
4 places of nervousness travel, which the soldiers who were warned were nervous. They were afraid of crossing Palatine's gigantic army and being reduced to shreds.
Jaghatai himself was deeply worried.
Finally, they arrived in the valley of the Khans, at the exit of the plain.
Jaghatai spotted Palatine's gigantic army, stretching as far as the eye could see.
He raised his hand, ordering the troop to stop.
Jaghatai: "He's here."
Warchief: "What are we going to do? We're outnumbered..."
Jaghatai: "According to the scouts. They have a large foot army but quite a small heavy cavalry. We have archers and other horses. We have to focus on that."
Jaghatai organized his horsemen to the side. The soldiers meanwhile formed a phalanx, while Palatine's army advanced its immense heavy infantry.
After a long silence and immobility.
Jaghatai: "Go ahead! Show the power of the Steppes!"
The army of the Steppes raced to meet the Palatine army and the battle of the Valley of the Khans began.
Jaghatai maneuvered with his cavalry to harass the enemy flans.
The foot soldiers of the steppes were much more seasoned than the soldiers of the Empire. Despite their outnumbering, they did not back down.
The battle lasted all day and into the night.
The harassment of the Khan's horsemen on the soldiers of the Empire got the better of their morals.
Eventually, both wings of the empire's army were shattered. This forces Palatine to fall back into the valley.
The horsemen pursue the warriors and a trail of corpses extends over the whole plain after this merciless pursuit.
Returning to the camp, everyone gathers to discuss this crushing victory.
Jaghatai: "Now we have to take advantage of this overwhelming victory."
Elder: "Now is the time to show our great power to this empire that calls itself invincible."
Warrior: "It's all up to you. Great Khan."
Elder 2: "I want to say one thing. Jaghatai Khan, you have proven to everyone that with perseverance, the impossible becomes possible."
Elder 3: "So we decided to give you this title. Jaghatai Gran Khan, Lord of All Lands. Lead us to victory."
Jaghatai: "Believe me. I will."
The invasion of the Palatine Empire then began.
Jaghatai split his army in two. Much of it was conducted towards the accessible borders to attract the bulk of the enemy forces.
Jaghatai for his part, took the road to the Kusil Quan desert. A place known to be impassable.
But after a long and arduous journey, the army of the Great Khan appeared before the border region of Kushaba, where only a small garrison was present.
Jaghatai: "For the great steppes and for the warriors!"
The army fell on the garrison which was taken by surprise.
Within moments, the garrison was wiped out, beginning the long war against the Palatine Empire in earnest.
In the years that followed, the armies of the Great Khan pillaged and razed the towns in their path while all resistance was destroyed.
Finally, he arrived in front of the city Cophasta, the capital of the Empire, where the Emperor took refuge.
Jaghatai had confidence in his soldiers because the sieges he had led had been crowned with success.
Jaghatai (at the top of his lungs): "I will raze the city if your emperor's head is not delivered to me. Nothing will be left of it, not even a stone!"
For an hour nothing happened.
But eventually, the doors open.
Jaghatai saw the nobles carry Palatine's head and threw it at her feet.
Jaghatai: "You saved your own life."
Thus, Jaghatai seized a huge empire.
He began to set up garrisons all over the Empire and together with the architects of the capital began to draw the plans for a new city in the steppes.
But then, that things were changing.
6 months passed in this year 865.M30 and Jaghatai couldn't believe what he saw in the sky.
A huge white-colored iron construction, accompanied by another gold-colored building.
Jaghatai then met the Emperor of Humanity and the Witch of Terra.
On board the Bucephelus, the trio were talking.
Emperor: "I have finally found you my son. I am proud to see what you have become."
Jaghatai: "Thank you."
Salem: "You will see that your family is waiting for you. Jaghatai."
Emperor: "Are you ready to fight for me?"
Jaghatai: "Serving the worlds greatest warrior is an honor among the greatest."
The following year was marked by the arrival of Jaghatai Khan on Terra.
If Jaghatai was initially impressed by the city's sprawl. He was disgusted by the Terrans that he considers too fat and soft.
Besides, the Primarch had a very special vision of his Legion.
He ordered his ship to be rebuilt. The capacity of primary plasma drivers was doubled, the shortening of turbo ducts, the removal of Warp Thrusters to replace them with fast primary engines that allow a ship to break speed records in seconds in the material universe. He also ordered that the other ships of the Legion be modified in this way.
Jaghatai had a truly suspicious opinion of the Imperium. Considering securalism as evil and the Imperium as a business of subjugation of men for dubious ideals.
For magic, Jaghatai asked Salem to provide him with shamans to predict the future and ensure victory.
But Salem retorted that for the moment, she had not succeeded in transmitting the magic to the men but that once it is done, he will have what he wants.
Jaghatai despite all this saw the Great Crusade as a way to travel and conquer the Infinite.
To be continued… Intermission 3 : The Lady of Chemos.
Edelgard, daughter of Fulgrim and court lady Udili grew up in a warrior society.
The Phoenician intends to make her a skilled and strong fighter.
