Empires of Ashes

*They do so. Avoiding the giant death bull.*

*assuming all goes well, the journey continues*
Kenshin:"You know...I've never been here before"

Joachim: Most people haven't probably.

it snorts at them but otherwise ignores them. several hours of travle lets them see more forms of wildlife ranging from dierwolverines to mamoths

*They wisely stick to the road.*

*should we skip a while?*

*Yep*

*you pick when*

*They arrive near the front lines about a month later.*

Mako and kenshin stay close to joachim

Joachim: It may be best to sneak our way through here...

a few scouts on hourse back approach them "state yer name a business in the name of the old badger"

Joachim: We're just travelers returning home. I am Joachim, leader of this group.

Mako and kenshin look on quietly

a while later, they finally cross into brigardi borders
Mako and kenshin are looking around

*The climate already feels noticeably colder.*

they look at eachother but dont' say anything about it
"How far?"

Joachim: Awhile yet, especially with all the outbound travel.

Kenshin: this place is...different

Joachim: I imagine it would be as different to you as your homeland was to us.

*The group eventually comes to the Brigardi capital after almost another month of travel. It is a far cry from the cities of Voldamia or the Thengari. Its walls stand monolithic and bleak, and the castle seated on a hill in the center of the city looks bleaker still. Inside the gates are tightly packed houses with slanted roofs and countless people going about their day.*

Mako: that looks....unnerving.

-----------------------------------------------------

Drago Tajima, Shogun of all Voldamia, gripped the handle of his war fan tight. The sun beat down on the plain before him. It was a warm day. A dry day. Great open fields lay before him. Perfect conditions for cavalry. Around him stood his army. Almost all the fighting men of the western clans, over a hundred thousand horsemen, had answered their lord’s call to arms. Dozens of different clans, each with their own coloured armour and sigil upon their banners, in a great rainbow of colour, steel, man and horse. It was truly a sight to behold.


The plan had been to simply surge forth, annexing land from the northern barbarians as they went. Word from the scouts had put those plans on hold however. Word was that an enemy army had assembled on the other side of the forests, and was riding south to meet them. In response they had assembled here, ready to meet this army in the field, and show them the might of voldamia in one crushing victory.


To the shogun’s left, his son Madara was surveying the treeline in the distance with his telescope. He frowned. “Father, I see the enemy force. They are emerging from the Forest.”
“Let me see” Tajima demanded, taking the telescope from his son. Peering through the lens he could see them. He smirked. The enemy had brought nothing but cavalry to face him. The men arrayed before him wore metal armour, each holding a long lance, and sat upon horses that Tajima could tell from looking were bred for agility and speed. These horsemen also had some kind of curved swords, not unlike a katana but clearly different. Most striking of all, upon the back of each soldier was a wing like crest of feathers, sticking up from behind them like the war banners each voldamian wore. The shogun handed back the Telescope, still grinning. No one had ever bested voldamians in cavalry on cavalry warfare. Their horses and warriors were legendary throughout the phoenix isle for their skill and power. Even the legions of dracia knew to fear their charge. The enemy had handed them victory before the battle had even begun.
“You seem...confident father” Madara said, putting the telescope away.
The shogun turned to him, grin still firmly on his face. “Namiko and Makamo will be pleased. We’ll be home far sooner than planned.” he chuckled, reaching for his kanabo, “Tell the Daimyo to prepare for the charge. We’ll soon clip their wings.”

Joachim: Then it is doing its job.

Mako: heh. guess you're right.

--------------------------------------

King Sobieski sat atop his horse as he marched alongside his men, marked out from his fellows by the deep shining black of his armour compared to their gleaming silver, and the regal purple of his billowing cape and wing. He observed the shogunate forces from his vantage point, his men already organising into positions around him. He chuckled to himself. Their numbers were about equal with the locals, just over a hundred thousand horsemen from what he could see. This meant that skill would determine the victor, not numbers. Sobieski was not, however, a rash man. Despite his confidence in his men’s superiority, he wasn’t a man to send his full force into one headlong charge. Even if he won, the cost in lives would be great. He would beat the enemy with skill and strategy.

The king turned to his general, sat beside him, marked by his own, red cape, speaking in a language alien to any phoenix isle natives. “Józef , chcę podzielić armię na cztery równe części. Mają banery w kręgu wokół boków i otoczyć wroga po obu stronach , podczas gdy mężczyźni są z tyłu pozostaje w tyle. Nie chcę się angażować , chyba że jeden z pozostałych trzech grup potrzebuje pomocy. Poprowadzę mój lancę prosto w dół na środku , w sercu wroga.”
Józef nodded at his king’s command. “Tak, to rogi byka dzisiaj swój majestat ?”
The king nodded as he grabbed his lance in hand. “Przyjdź Józef. Pokażmy tych drani potęgę husaria!”

*They eventually find an inn and pay for board and food for the night.*

Joachim *sitting down at table*: I've sent a message to the castle. We'll see how long it takes for them to get back to us.

Kenshin: Right. hopefully this goes well eh?

Joachim: I figure in all likelihood with walk away with our heads still attached unless someone does something remarkably stupid.

Mako:...such as?

------------------------------------------------

The thunder of hooves filled the air, causing the ground to tremble as if the earth itself was ready to split open as the two armies began their charge. At almost the exact same moment, both sides had begun to advance towards each-other. The two forces moved very differently to each-other, however. The shogunate moved as one, all in one direction, their steeds thundering forward with tremendous speed and momentum, blades drawn, many shouting great battlecries in an attempt to get the blood pumping and the enemy intimidated. The winged silver horsemen of the enemy however, started off slow, in loose formation, lances raised as they approached the enemy. The shogun felt confidence grow in him further as he saw the enemy’s force approaching. He could see that those approaching were outnumbered significantly by his own men, and would easily be smashed aside. What he failed to notice however, was that those headed right for him were only a third of the approaching force, with the other two thirds of the enemy force seemingly moving away from them on the flanks.
As the two forces got closer and closer however, their purpose became clear to those who weren’t caught up in the rush of the charge. Those on the flanks were now circling round, and preparing for a full scale charge into the shogunate flanks, enveloping them. As the two forces enclosed upon each other, the winged horsemen’s forces began to tighten formation, slowly picking up speed as they approached. By the time they lowered their lances for the charge, they were matching the speed of the shogunate horsemen. The smash of the two armies clashing head on could be heard for miles around.

OOC: Whaaaa?

OOC oh hai rae :P

Joachim: I don't know. As far as I am aware, no one has even been dumb enough to provoke the Kaiser in his own house in such a way.

Kenshin: we'll keep our mouths shut then.

OOC: whats goin on ere then

Joachim: Probably for the best. The Kaiser will likely let us know when to speak as it is.

OOC well i was thinkin with trajan and ket we could skip a while to mid/post seige due to skipping over a month with the others
IC Mako: and if he asks who we are?

Joachim: Then you answer honestly.

Ket: *Standing upon the shattered remains of the cities southern wall* "Another victory for you Trajan. Your legend will be spoken of for many lifetimes."

OOC: Immediately post victory

Trajan: I do try *chuckles* but yes. It is done. *he's wiping blood off his weapon*

Mako: right. Here's hoping he approves.

Joachim: Aye. *He takes a swig from his beer stein.*

Kenshin does likewise

Tajima’s kanabo smashed a winged horseman from his saddle, shattering his armour and chest beneath. Before the man could struggle to his feet, the shogun’s mighty steed crushed the man’s skull underfoot. Tajima took a moment to get his breath. He could barely comprehend what was happening. Despite him personally doing well, the maelstrom of combat around him was firmly going the enemy’s way. All around him, the bodies of the voldamians outnumbered the dead winged horsemen three, maybe even four to one.
Looking ahead, he saw a figure in black armour, a great purple cape billowing behind him, flanked by more elite looking winged horsemen. Two of the horsemen charged the shogun, drawing their sabres as they did so. Grinning, Tajima counter charged. A swing of his kanabo caved in the skull of one, but the other managed to slice the throat of the shogun’s steed. He fell, rolling to his feet, seamlessly turning the roll into a lunge that took his foe from his saddle in a bone shattering kanabo blow.
The remaining two bodyguards of the black warrior charged, lances pointed forwards, as Tajima raised his weapon again. The first blow broke the legs of his opponent’s horse in one swing, causing it to fall, trapping the rider’s leg beneath. The second again took the rider from his saddle, collapsing his ribcage from the kanabo impact. His assailants dead, the shogun approached the black armoured rider, weapon ready for a duel. To his shock, the rider appeared to..,..sigh, before reaching to their belt, pulling out some stubby metal and wooden...tube like thing, like nothing Tajima had ever seen. He pointed the implement at the shogun, and a moment later fire erupted from the end. Pain suddenly shot through Tajima’s body as he looked down. A hole had bored directly through his armour above his heart...and right into the organ below. Darkness suddenly gripped Tajima as he fell to one knee, life leaving his body as he hit the ground, slain.

*The beer is very strong compared to the sak he is used to.*

he downs it surprisingly easily

*Joachim arches an eyebrow.*

Kenshin:..what?


----------------------------------------


The voldamians were routing. They had lost over two thirds of their army already, and the enemy had just revealed their trump card. They had held a full quarter of their army back, ready to sweep in late in the battle, relieve the tired attacking troops, and sweep away the enemy army. The voldamians simply couldn’t hold. They fled at full speed, leaving the dead and wounded behind them. Last to leave was Drago Madara, the shogun’s son. Against all odds he had managed to single handedly fight through the enemy soldiers and recover his father’s body, and had somehow survived the attempt. He was watching the enemy army regroup as his men fled. “Who are these men, to have bested us in cavalry warfare?” he thought to himself, rage building up inside him. He managed to calm himself moments later. Revenge, retribution, these things could wait. He had bigger things to worry about now…..

Joachim: I'm just surprised you're not passed out given how weak that sak stuff you Voldamians drink is.

*Mordred is no where to be seen*

Kenshin: charming *smiles*

OOC heeeey matt
thoughts on the battle above?

Joachim: Don't drink to much. You may not be able to hold it.

Kenshin: right.

OOC: Cool!