Chronicles of the Larci and the conquests of the Trans-Jarnvidian peoples

[Parsideon Denix]

(OOC: This thread is a prequel to the main Myth storyline, and is told in a set of memoirs written by the participants. If you would like to be involved, please PM me or let me know otherwise)

To the reader,

I do not write of the events in this pamphlet to aggrandize or to lend myself to boastful propaganda. The discussions herein are to familiarize the ignorant as to recent interactions with the amalgam of races and tribes that inhabit the western barbarian forests. If my verbosity is limited in terms of easy linguistics, lay the blame on my low and soldiery manner. If fortune finds this pamphlet, a writer with more gifted words will use my crude descriptions to some higher work. If no such fortune finds my words, I will endeavor to make myself plain to both scholarly and vulgar study.

Further, this text is written of my own design. Those familiar with my General C. Csephion Draxus will be forewarned to consider this neither an endorsement nor an indictment from his person on the events within. While Csephion Draxus responded graciously to my numerous interrogations in following these demonstrations of arms, his contributions shall be deemed as merely material reference, with no political underpinnings carried forth.

In these words may there be truth,
L. Parsideon Denix, Cap Talo I, Arma VII Igneon Venata

[Parsideon Denix]

Prologue

The Brotherhood of the Larci is no doubt the better known of the brigands and cutthroats of the western lands, thanks mostly to hearsay and allegation. It is Denix's opinion that not even half of the banditry and violence on the western frontier is due to to the Larci. More likely are the many tribes of Men and Fian who live at the threshold of the frontier. To illuminate this ignorance, Denix shall educate the reader upon these tribes, and how their transgressions led us into violence.

The Corvi are a tribe of Men, nearest to the foothills of Doventia, and thus to our field peasants of the western territories. Despite an occasional appetite for pillage and troublemaking, they are comparatively civilized, having learned our ways of trade to some fashion. They wear cloth and linen, exchange coin for goods in proper commerce, and erect fixed dwellings made of felled timbers and bound thatch. Having written this, Denix must point out that they nevertheless have a queerness about them. Like many western barbarians, they grow out the hair on their faces, though the Corvi manage to keep a hygienic trim to it. The Corvi attempt civilized agriculture, though they rely far less on the fruits of harvest and more on the meat of wild game.

These Corvi consider themselves distant cousins of Dalriada, as do many barbarians, though perhaps here the similarities are easier to find. When spurred to war, they ride atop giant horses that can only be of Dalriadan stock, and bear to the field of arms enormous longswords. Their infantry wear animal skins on their shoulders, though they are civil enough to be equipped with mail beneath. Most of these infantry carry thrusting spears, though some do furnish a type of axe that is equally suited to war as it is to forestry.

For all of their potency at arms, the Corvi lack the martial discipline to effect a threat beyond localized rapine and pillage. Their tribes are independent of each other, and without the uniting leadership of a warlord, they are content to pester and annoy at the frontier, or squabble among themselves. The more docile of the Corvi have learned the benefits of a civilized lifestyle, and there is limited trade amongst the merchants in farthest Doventia.

For the Corvi to become a solidified threat, as they initially did, there would have to be a significant motive present. This motive was manifest in that the Corvi were initially invaded by a more crude clan of barbarians from the south and west. During this time, a drought had parched the steppes of Verbannen, and precipitated the mongrel Trowish races to stir like so many hornets. In concert, the Larci themselves turned upon the Corvi, sensing that they had become soft and feminine from prolonged contact to civilization, as well as their recent ravaging from Trowish war clans. Though both were eventually repulsed, it caused the Corvi to crystallize, and to consider their options.

[Parsideon Denix]

As it is well known, the Satrap of Doventia, K. Grapseon Proxis was petitioned by the Corvi for asylum. A man named Dramdovir was promtly installed as the king of the Corvi, for he was of noble blood and landed with the largest claim. King Dramdovir urgently pressed Proxis for leniency in letting a number of Corvi into our lands. These would consist of their women, children, the elderly and otherwise infirm peoples. Dramdovir set an estimate at 50,000 head, a drove which we would be hard pressed to feed and house. Further, there was no cause for Necia to grant such an unprecedented kindness, on account of the brutish and changeable nature of the barbarians. It is also no small consideration to question how to compel such a mob to leave once it has expired its welcome. The Satrap thus wisely refused the King's plea.

With this rebuke, there was a high likelihood for war in the west. Dramdovir had united the Corvi, but they were dashed against the Larci and the Trowish peoples. To look at the eastern foothills and their soft, rich farmlands, it must have appeared to Dramdovir that he was not between three rocks, but instead two rocks and a pile of goose down. Proxis understood the situation, and presented his case to the Assembly of the Satrapy. Through his demonstrations of urgency, it was commanded to set three armies against this potential menace. Arma II, Arma VII, and Arma XX were thus mustered to a forced march until Doventia was reached. Denix was at this time an Impellor within Arma VII, with duty under General C. Csephion Draxus, whom the Satrapy raised to the title of Imperator for the duration of this threat. Draxus' Imperatorship was drawn to govern the three armies as one unified force.

[Parsideon Denix]

The Expeditia under Draxus reached the city of Permanticum within the week, and levies were immediately drawn throughout Doventia for units of Kompanata to join our forces. These arrived within three days, and encampments were struck on the city's outskirts. The frontier peasants were promptly interrogated as to the recent movements of the Corvi, and it was understood that they would send raiders across a fordable stretch of the River Medas, some fifteen miles from our camps. Our Machinae reservists were ordered to this spot, as were five Talae of armored foot.

Under Draxus' orders, we set about to install earthen works and timber palisades, sufficient in scope to deter the barbarians from this river crossing. The remainder of the Expeditia was compelled to remain in camp, so to be beyond the Corvi's scope of reconaissance. It was a stratagem to convince the barbarians that while Necia's borders were secured under force of arms, the size of such resistance was not a strong deterrent. In effect, it would be a crucible for King Dramdovir's intentions. If his desire was for raiding and other minor annoyance, he would be deterred. If his intention was more serious, as it was believed to be, he would view our minor show of force as a weakness, and deliver the first attack.

[Parsideon Denix]

As fortune would stand, we did not have to wait long before Dramdovir's intentions were laid bare. At sunrise within two days, the Corvi approached the ford in the River Medas. This war party was perhaps at five thousand head of infantry, with another one thousand cavalry in support. For what amounted to confederated bands of hunter gatherers, it was an impressive show of collective effort.

As the five Talae were plucked choice from the seventh Army, Denix found himself as the Impellor of the first Maniple of the first Talon, in effect the direct subordinate of the Talon Captain Lupo Clovernus, who delegated him to be in charge of the center-line defense. Denix set his immediate Maniple to post, and soldiers mounted the palisades at strong points, set concave to the riverside to make the passage as much of a hardship as we were permitted. The remaining Maniples were beset us to either side, so that every ascent to the wall was extremely contested.

The contest began with the blast of a ram's horn, and the Corvi cavalry led the ford, kicking about a great spray of water with their giant horses. A column of infantry passed closely behind, following the shallow path to the other side. To be able to fight, these vanguards would have to broaden their battle lines out of the column they used to cross the river. Being that the Corvi were unused to an existence of organized war, this took some manner of clumsy movement and much debate from the enemy commanders.

The Machinae were given the orders beyond the palisades, and they delivered accurate catapult fire, peppering the ford with clusters of melon-sized stones. This drove the mass of man and horse into a panic, and they dispersed. Some attempted return across the deeper and swifter portions of the river and were drowned. Others mistook stupidity for valour and attempted a charge on our palisade. Our soldiers made easy work of their foolish brave men with several volleys of javelin. Not a man made our wall, and at least five hundred were slain in the attempt. The remainder of the enemy situated on the far river bank withdrew their first attempt and struck camp at some slight distance away. Our first day of blood had gone well.

[Parsideon Denix]

The next day arrived without any significant movement or threat of incursion, and it was suspected that the Corvi would attempt a crossing at a less advantageous point on the river. The first Talon quit their post at the palisades, allowing the fifth Talon to relieve them. With the fourth Talon in reserve, they held the ford with the Machinae still attending to the artillery support, and the remaining three Talons supported reconnaissance work, sending sorties to each direction of riverbank so that a crossing would be better detected.

We had excellent intelligence on the Medas, and this was the only effective ford into this area of Doventia. To cross elsewhere, they would need the aid of a bridge, or some other cunning. What was discovered in a day's time suggested that the Corvi would use cunning of an immense scale. The barbarians afforded a crossing at a point both considered far too deep and swift, so as to be considered an unlikely choice. Their method of crossing was that of divine power. A mage with an affinity in the mysteries of Hydarion and his watery dominions was able to hold back the flow of the river long enough to allow the Corvi's crossing. The strain of the feat exhausted him in the end, and he was consumed by the spilling waters of the river, but the deed was done.

The Corvi advanced at speed towards Permanticum, and our three active Talae pursued them at forced march. The Corvi's many horse could have effected the journey very quickly, but they were hindered by their infantry, who strolled like peasants on a sightseeing tour. Some even stopped to pilfer foodstuffs from the local farmers, distracted from their strategem by their basic avarice. Thus the line of advance was sloppy and ill organized.

We met them within the day, and our infantrymen harassed their rear guard with javelins, causing them to press the mass of men forward to avoid us. The Corvi then responded by turning some of their cavalry upon us, which were more effective against our force. We took some fifty casualties, but the Corvi had little stomach for a direct engagement, when they could simply march and fall upon a Necian city instead.

Thus it must have broken their taste for battle quite utterly when they reached the outskirts of Permanticum, only to find it encamped by the remainder of our Expeditia. Our Talae spread into three-deep ranks in a broad formation, covering the exit and forcing the entrapped Corvi into considering either battle or surrender. Wisely they chose to lay down arms. Suing for peace, the commander asked to hear Necia's terms. Draxus rode forward from the camps, and bade the enemy commander to do the same.

The terms of this peace were lenient. The Corvi were to lay down arms, and return under armed escort to the river ford. They would be escorted back to their homeland after payment of tribute and an exchange of hostages. Draxus then offered a seperate bargain to the Corvi, that in exchange for considerable annual tributes, Necia's armies would support the sovereignity and sanctity of the Corvi homelands, and enforce these under arms against her invaders.

The Corvi commander begged Draxus to let him deliver these new terms to his king, and Draxus obliged him.

[Parsideon Denix]

The end of the war season afforded a blessed opportunity of reconciliation with the Corvi, and Csephion Draxus returned forthwith to Demos to brief the Satrapy of the terms, which were agreed to be wise, equitable, and most importantly advantageous of Necia's posterity. Rams were slaughtered in the Temple of Juratia Kratas, and fallen Corvi arms were melted into statues to honor the War Goddess and subserviant of Igneon Trasimos. Entrails were read by Priestesses to ensure the sacrosanctity of this peace, and when the Goddess was agreed to have given a favorable sign, the roasted flesh was quartered and given as alms to the poor.

Csephion Draxus, satisfied with the divine and political favor bestowed upon his deeds of battle, returned to winter with his Expeditia across the River Medas. The Corvi city of Sradneva held King Dramdovir's court, and guarded the ascent into the Upper Jarnvid. It was deemed necessary not only to Necian interest but also to the King's sovereignity to winter Arma VII and Arma XX on the outskirts of the King's walled city. To the south, on the Verbannen expanse, Arma II was poised. The King's levies supported the southern camp, but they were regarded as poor soldiers, and likely to take flight at heavy Trow cavalry raids.

The extent of the Imperator's power ended at the King's feet in the letter of the law, but the King did fear Csephion Draxus would seek his overthrow if he was found in disagreement. To this end, the King began holding covert council to bring the whole of the Corvi lands into open revolt if this were to occur. The King's cousin, a ginger-haired giant named Evegrad, was eager to listen to discourses at length on the subject of insurrection against the Imperator. It was known to Csephion Draxus that such council was held, and he in turn did hold council with tribal sycophants who could be bribed by Necian Aquilae. Thus a peace existed through the winter in public words, but a war in private.

In this time, it must be noted that Denix was summoned to the Imperator's side and given the commission of Captain for the duration of this Expeditia.