Ghoria: The conflict that is today known as the Battle of Orapal Tamas was not expected, at its beginning, to bring together hundreds of fighters and dozens of guilds. In fact, it wasn't even supposed to be a conflict. The Mages of Díedne, of whom I am a follower, had become aware of the existence of a crypt which, according to ancient texts, housed numerous objects with various occult powers. Wanting to know more and wanting to protect the Balance of the Worlds, we decided to walk towards the region of Eraldosse where the texts affirmed that this ancient school of Magic called Orapal Tamas was located.
What was only supposed to be a trip of study and exploration quickly became a conflict with major stakes. It is through extracts from my personal journal that I took the passages necessary to write this story. Without having the neutral character that History requires, you will still find in this work the broad outlines of this conflict. Do not look for impartiality or objectivity, they were not at the forefront of my thoughts when I noted certain facts. These are my feelings, my ideas and my opinions which form the story of my personal experiences relating, directly or indirectly, to the conflict which opposed us to the Salmarak guild and from which we emerged as big winners.
Adept of the Earth Sphere
Minister of Díedne
What led to war
Excerpts taken from my personal diary.
Year one thousand and two of the Central Lands, ninth day of the eleventh month, Domaine de Trappe, imperial province of Mariembourg
It's only been a few days that I've been enjoying the calm and comfort of my home in Mariembourg and nursing my wounds, memories, among other things, of our fights in Rissa against it's-we-don't-know-too- what about the Castenza (are they sailors, merchants, men of faith or fighters? Do they like Magic or do they not like it? Partisans of Queen Malika or King Léotaut?). A few injuries, but barely, and none serious, come to me from the conflict which opposed the Lord of Ghoria, whom we supported, and the Duke of Buy, where the latter showed, once again, his incompetence to carry out a successful military campaign.
So I'm quietly enjoying the end of autumn, a season that I prefer above all others. The eastern sea being only a few leagues from the estate that I manage on behalf of the Tower of Díedne, the autumn air is soft and pleasant. The surrounding woodlands are flamboyant with golden leaves, the bewitching smell of this season fills your nostrils with a pleasant aroma that words alone cannot describe and the behavior of the animals reminds us that winter and its difficult conditions will soon be over. our doors. Our farmers have been busy for several days harvesting grain and preparing their homes before the first snow falls. Even here, a few servants make sure that everything is ready for the arrival of the cold weather.
But, I who thought I could enjoy a peaceful winter season spent in front of the fireplace, studying the books that Mistress Yasraena left me, writing the story of our campaigns in Dendroica and those of Lord Baey in Reikwald as well as record the many ideas and rumors that populate my head, today I saw my hopes shattered. It was in fact at the end of the day that Elgar Victorinox, messenger from the Tours, arrived at the castle with in his bag a missive signed by the hand of Mistress Åsa, addressed to her husband, Egill Henrikson. The content, however, did not only concern him: Mistress Åsa brings the Council together at the Tower. It will therefore be necessary for us, Captain I-Hann Dragonar, Treasurer Egill Henrikson and I, to leave for Ghoria. This time of year which is so dear to me also means that once we arrive at our destination, we will have to stay there all winter, because the roads will be impassable. This fact does not displease me, since I will be both in the comfort of the Tower and away from the inquisitive gaze of my neighbors in the fiefdom. In fact, what I fear most is that we will be caught by the first storms. I don't particularly like the heat of summer, in fact I hate it, but I don't cherish the idea of having to travel in a blizzard any more. And since the province of Ghoria shares its northern border with the kingdom of Nasgaroth, winter hits mercilessly there, and early.
I must of course comply with the summons of the Mistress of the Tower and go to Bethel. Captain Dragonar has taken charge of the arrangements for the journey, which makes me believe that all will be well and that we will ride safely and quickly.
Year one thousand and two of the Central Lands, seventeenth day of the eleventh month, Domaine de Trappe, imperial province of Mariembourg
The preparations for the journey ahead of us are finally complete. It is with five Hecates, the soldiers of the Tower, that
we will travel to Bethel. A few soldiers will remain in Trappe to ensure that everything here goes in order during our absence.
The captain has established a safe and quick route that will avoid leaving the main roads. We will first join the imperial road of the Tracé de Polignac where we will ride west to Ekengrad and, from there, we will turn north towards the Chemin du Corlieu, to finally join Ghoria on the said path.
Despite my apprehensions about passing through the heart of the province of Ekengrad, newly under Redemptorist jurisdiction after mysterious events took place there in the village of Logneraie and the chaotic city of Garganesh extended its influence there, I must admit that Wardon Capum speaks the truth when he says that nine lightly armored people should not attract too much attention from the Lady's men, who have many other cats (rabid lions would be more accurate) to worry about. These arguments make sense, but as an Adept I will not feel safe until we leave Ekengrad. There is no doubt in my mind that our departure will not go unnoticed and that our ride will be under intensive surveillance.
Departure is planned for the day after tomorrow. Today the weather is gloomy, the rain is falling heavily and doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. A north wind portends a rather unpleasant road ahead.
Year one thousand and two of the Central Lands, twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month, Trévoux-le-Haut Domain, Imperial Province of Ekengrad
Trévoux-le-Haut… This corner of Ekengrad at the foot of the mountains is not very populated, but we were still able to find a small and discreet village at the eastern end of Chemin du Pic. The locals told us that the place was once called Adamas, which in the old imperial language means "diamond." At that time, the region was rich in the numerous diamond mines that surrounded it, hence the name of the village. Then, around 950, when the imperial authorities lost interest in the mines which had been exploited as much as possible, the village, which emptied of its population, was renamed Fin-de-Pic, because it was located at The eastern end of Chemin du Pic. This name has stuck with him until today and in my opinion suits him wonderfully.
Lady Fortune having us in her good graces, we were relieved to find a small inn, deserted of course, apart from a few regular customers living in the tiny hamlet. “L'Auberge de la Pioche Brisée”, named thus since the fire which ravaged it twelve years ago, certainly does not stand out for the originality of its name and certainly does not allow its tenants to dress in gold, but it is nevertheless very welcoming. The innkeeper and his wife seemed very happy to see nine people arriving asking for meals, alcohol and rooms. I wonder, moreover, how many travelers can pass through here in a year. After all, there is nothing to see further apart from mountains and old abandoned mines. Perhaps some people tried their luck believing they had found diamonds. I doubt they found anything.
A downside, however. Yesterday, a soldier who accompanied us stopped the trip. He pointed to the east and we all looked there. In the distance, there was unhealthy-looking smoke, even at this distance, and everything around seemed dead. Thus, we were able to see, from afar, the extent of the devastation caused by the sacrifices at Ténamhuac, we had before us a desert of Garganesh. I have often said to myself that I would have to go and study these devastated regions one day or another, but this simple vision makes me fear that day which, I suppose, will come sooner or later, when I will have to tread on this blackened ground.
Plus, I can't help but imagine that men dressed in black and white are watching our every move. We can’t wait for us to reach Ghoria and finally leave the “Land of the Lady”!
Coming back to the trip, we traveled the Polignac Trail for seven days and left heading north four days ago. The first three days of the ride were very difficult because, although the weather was neither hot nor cold, we saw a few flakes, the rain often took over. Traveling wet in cold weather is a very unpleasant experience. Since then, the clouds have passed overhead without dropping any rain or snow. Today the sun was shining in the sky, making the trip almost pleasant. The captain estimates that we will reach the Chemin du Corlieu in ten days and, from there, the road to Bethel should take a week, at most.
Year One Thousand and Two of the Midlands, Twelfth Day of the Last Month, Gilam Dominion, Imperial Province of Ghoria
My biggest fear turned out to be true. At sunrise
Today, this morning, the snow started to fall intensely and the weather deteriorated very quickly. Towards midday, the road had become impassable and it became dangerous to continue. We therefore had to stop at a farm which ran alongside the path we were following. The Gilam Estate, where we are located, is only a day's walk from Bethel and the Tower of Díedne. Before they left for the kingdom of Ozame, the people of Gaia's guild were here the guardians of the forests of Duke Hyronimus of Forbach, who also owns Gilam. Perhaps this is why the road is a little less maintained as it enters the woods. Unfortunately, with this storm, I fear we will have to stay here for a few days. When we leave, our progress will be slow and difficult.
For the moment, I am enjoying the hospitality of the farmer and his wife, Niklas and Lea, as well as that of their five boys and three girls. The arrival of nine people could have put off more than one person, but the welcome they gave us warmed my heart despite the storm. The dinner was one like those of my childhood and the evening was rich in stories and anecdotes. When they learned that we were going to the Tower of Díedne, that we were living there, and that I was instructed in magical knowledge, some of them seemed fearful, but I was happy to correct some small erroneous beliefs. I-Hann and Elgar told them about some battles and military campaigns, Egill gave them several anecdotes in his own way and we briefly described life at the tower. Eventually, the father had to stop his children from asking questions. I sometimes miss peasant life without politics or military concerns. I know, however, that I could never return to such a life. I swam in the river of the political world, which led me to the sea of the world of Magic. I can no longer go against the tide.
Once the youngest had gone to bed, Niklas told me of his fear of seeing his two oldest boys conscripted into the lordly army. I looked at them both and told them that none of us could prevent them from serving under the banner of Ghoria if that was the will of the lord of the province, but that I could perhaps, at least, recommend them to the lieutenant of the Black Company, the independent mercenary troop of Lord Baey, or even to Don Miguel or Duke Hyronimus, the two highest authorities of the said company. I reassured them and let them know that they would be treated well there as long as they obeyed orders. I revealed to them that it was in the Black Company that Elgar and I experienced our first real fights and that, in the end, we didn't do too badly!
It's getting late and I'm falling asleep. A few days of work await us as we will give a helping hand to the people of this farm in thanks for their hospitality. However, I don't believe this is enough. So, I will talk to Egill and ask him to give them a solar for each member of the family so that the winter will not be too difficult for them. In addition, I will ensure that their stored grains and seeds are neither prey to rodents nor prey to disease. Next summer, their harvests will be lush…
Year One Thousand Two of the Midlands, Winter Equinox Tower of Díedne, Bethel Domain, Imperial Province of Ghoria
The precipitation turned out to be less than the storm led us to believe. We still stayed one more day at the farm and helped Niklas and his family put back in order everything that the wind and snow had damaged or made impossible to access. The solars that we gave them in gratitude for their warm welcome seem to have satisfied them.
When we left, we followed the road which, in the woods, was passable without too much loss of speed. The snowdrifts along the path allowed us not to get lost.
It was two days later, on the fifteenth day of the month, that we arrived at the Tower, exhausted but happy. I returned to my rooms with joy and was able to speak at length with Mistress Yasraena, telling her about the trip and questioning her about the reason for summoning all the members of the Council. On this, she would tell me nothing, except that a messenger had arrived two days before the storm, bearing a missive indicating that the Auvrindar Adept was a week's ride away.
Today was Equinox day and Mistress Åsa held the council at the zenith. I let Egill and I-Hann report on the situation in Mariembourg and listened attentively to Daerhaun's report on the situation in Rissa. It seems that the people of Castenza do not want to see Arganne shared and defended by more
several individuals, preferring to keep everything for themselves, at the risk of losing everything by being the only ones to raise arms against a possible invader. So, they are not ready to make any concessions and I sense a long political conflict looming on the horizon...
When all the members of the Council were in tune with the latest political events concerning the Tower, Mistress Åsa got to the heart of the matter. From a black leather bag, she took out several parchments and a somewhat faded grimoire. Master Boreas and Master Alvarez did not seem at all surprised, which leads me to believe that a meeting of the Masters of the Tower had been held well before the Council was convened. Mistress Åsa then revealed to us that she knew the location of an ancient school of magic where dozens, even hundreds of objects with various powers would have been kept safe and that these objects were just waiting to be found. This school, Orapal Tamas, would have been destroyed during the great conflict which pitted the Empire and its southern provinces against each other. The Mistress of the Tower closed the session by giving us all a document recounting the history of Orapal Tamas. Nothing, however, about how the documents came into his hands. Everyone is entitled to their secrets and it would have been rude and perhaps even imprudent to ask too many questions at this time. Before leaving, I looked at each of the masters and none seemed surprised by the news. I think the captain and the treasurer noticed it too.
A vote will take place on the last day of this year to decide whether the Mages of Díedne will mount an armed expedition to search for these almost forgotten objects. It’s a safe bet that this will be the case.
Year one thousand and two of the Midlands, twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month Tower of Díedne, Bethel Dominion, Imperial Province of Ghoria
I have read and reread the documents concerning Orapal Tamas. It is surprising to note that such a great school of Magic could have sunk into such… profound oblivion. It is true that the year 640 was rich in various events: wars, coups d'état, betrayal, resounding victories and crushing defeats. I will transcribe here the main lines of the history of this mysterious school.
Orapal Tamas was one of the greatest esoteric schools in the Middle Lands. All the great masters of the schools of thought of Kalt and the followers of the teachings of the red breath were trained there. The masters of Orapal Tamas devoted a large part of their lives to studying and collecting objects holding occult powers. In the year 647, in the heart of the Dark Ages of the Central Lands, the school was completely destroyed as the region was ravaged by the armies of the northern and southern provinces. The school was never rebuilt and the villagers who survived the conflict left the region permanently to settle on more suitable land.
The stories tell that the masters of Orapal Tamas had all the magical objects they held protected in a crypt which they walled up at the start of the great revolt in the year 640.
According to archives and the statements of certain copyist monks, the crypt houses several hundred parchments, potions, talismans and magical weapons of various origins.
Last day of the year 1002 Tower of Díedne, Bethel Estate, Imperial Province of Ghoria
The Council meets again today. The decision was quickly made to set off an expedition to recover the objects from the crypt beneath the Torascon plain. Everything will be planned as soon as possible. Everyone at the Tower, from the citizen to the master, including the guard and the apprentice, will have to carry out their tasks with more professionalism than before. The task before us is of great importance for the preservation of the Balance of the Worlds.
Year One Thousand and Three of the Midlands, Twentieth Day of the Year Tower of Díedne, Bethel Domain, Imperial Province of Ghoria
The masters, the Tower Council as well as several soldiers will leave in the coming days for the port of Pamoisardl where the festivities at the Auberge du Galion will be held in two months.
Year one thousand and three of the Central Lands, twenty-fifth day of the second month, Domaine de Trappe, imperial province of Mariembourg
While other inhabitants of the Tower continue their journey towards Pamoisardl, I return to my domain to inquire about the latest news. Although there have been some deaths of children and elderly people due to severe flu, it seems that everything is going well. My farmers are preparing for the arrival of spring which, according to the predictions of the elders, will occur very early this year. Indeed, although in Ghoria there was a lot of snow, it seems that the rigors of winter spared the east of Ekengrad as well as Mariembourg. The mountains and the sea air are a blessing. I leave
today towards the Auberge du Galion. I will have to push my mount to the limits of its strength, which I hate to do, but the situation demands it: I cannot miss these festivities! With a few words, the right words, of encouragement, my horse should come out of this with a need to rest for a few days, nothing more.
Year one thousand and three of the Central Lands, eleventh day of the third month, Ranvier Domain, Imperial Province of Reikwald
I have been staying at the Auberge du Passeur for three days, a very popular establishment since its owner also owns two boats allowing people to cross the Reikwald to the port of Pamoisardl, all for the modest sum of 20 coins. This man must be very rich, even if he doesn't show it.
Elgar met up with me this evening to update me on the latest events and news. It seems that everyone from Díedne who was supposed to go to the Galleon got there in perfect condition. Six horses are said to have died during the journey, four due to wolf attacks. So it's nothing too dramatic. Already, our treasurer is reportedly concluding several commercial agreements. Master Alvarez and Adept Auvrindar have resumed negotiations with the people of Castenza, including Duke Morgul DuDrake himself. Maybe this situation will get resolved one of these days.
Everything couldn't have gone so well... The Messenger of the Towers told me that a persistent rumor was that sailors had heard of an underground cavern where a great magical treasure was hidden. Said sailors, still according to rumor, would like to get their hands on the treasure. The people at the Tower are investigating, but everything matches too much for it to be just a coincidence. I should be in Pamoisardl in two days at most. It's urgent.
Year one thousand and three of the Central Lands, Spring Equinox, Domaine de Butasard, Argan province of Dendroïca.
The Galleon festivities are finally over. What exhausting moments, but oh so satisfying! If only to see old acquaintances again, the trip is worth every effort!
An agreement was finally possible between us and the Castenza guild. The Adept Auvrindar, head of the domain of Butasard, has placed his signature alongside those of the other landowners of the fief of Rissa to appoint Bastian Oséric, Castenzians and count in Nasgaroth, as master of the fief. This is an important agreement and one less case on the shoulders of the Council.
The importance of this news was confirmed a week ago, during the culminating moment of the Galion festivities, during the big banquet organized by the port leaders. Indeed, while Adept Auvrindar and I were both in the middle of a discussion, we were interrupted by men of Duke Salmarak of Buy who happened to pass by. One of them, completely drunk, insulted the Auvrindar Adept by attacking him for his nature as a dark elf and his smell. The latter didn't respond, just stared at the drunk. For my part, I told the one who supported his colleague that they would do well to look elsewhere if we were there. Unfortunately, the one who could hardly stand on his legs began to insult the Adept of the Sphere of Souls again. Again and again weak insults compared to its smell. It goes without saying that the lexical field of these sailors without a boat is very limited and is close to that of the peasants when the time comes to fertilize the fields, although I know many peasants whose list of insults originals is very impressive! And I who believed that sailors were colorful people and that this was reflected in their language... I will have to find time to study this environment, perhaps I have only witnessed the exception which confirms the rule ? Perhaps the frustration of the men of Salmarak is only the fact of knowing that they have navigating ancestors, but of not having any ships? Or even their accumulated defeats, such as Liberec, in the year 1000, where we, mercenaries hired by the Duke of Buy, waited in vain for him and his men before deciding, finally, to confront the troops of the Order of the Redemption alone (what a massacre…); or even Reikwald, in the year 1002, where the political weight of the Horde of Gorghor Baey earned Salmarak a crushing and complete defeat while they were crushed under the number of allies of the lord of Ghoria? So many hypotheses, so many possibilities...
So in the face of such big mouths and such little wit, I couldn't help but respond. Not to defend the Auvrindar Adept, who could have done it himself if he had thought it was worth it, but simply out of principle and because I had, at the moment, nothing more important to do. . Of course, Mistress Yasraena would not have approved of my actions, she who finds me too impulsive and impatient, but since she is not
unspeakable.
Certainly, the fact that the Salmarak guild sees its income and production reduced to nothing should rejoice me, because they are now our avowed enemies. But too many innocent people died needlessly in these events, far too many...
And on a purely political (and religious) level, Garganesh's curses are not to help us. The Holy Order of the Iron Fist, armed arm of the True Faith, is likely to unite with Salmarak in this ordeal. Only time will tell, but I believe that the battle that will take place in Eraldosse in a few weeks is, for us, lost in advance. The True Faith, and especially the Iron Fist, is a little cousin of the Order of Our Lady of the Redemption and losing the military support of these two experienced guilds in Salmarak would represent, in my opinion, an almost certain defeat, since it must be taken into account that they will probably bring other factions with them. However, I believe that it is not impossible to convince Redemption of the merits and advantages of fighting on the side of the Tower of Díedne.
In three days, I will leave Trappe with many peasants and soldiers to join the rest of the inhabitants of Díedne in the Éraldosse region. Very few people will remain behind, as very few remained at the Tower: we are going to war.
Year one thousand and three of the Central Lands, tenth day of the seventh month, Trévoux-le-Haut Domain, Imperial Province of Ekengrad
I joined the ride four days ago. All the Mages of the Tower of Díedne are gathered and it is under guard that we march openly towards the crypt of Orapal Tamas. On the way, I was told two important pieces of news and, as nothing can always be perfect, there was good news and, of course, bad news. The good news, or rather the excellent news, is that our friends and allies in Fhaín, barring an improbable
exceptional change in the situation, are giving us their almost unconditional political and military support in the coming conflict. With each passing day, it seems that the relationship between the Magi of Díedne and the Fhaín continues to grow stronger. This is a good agreement destined to last. Long live Fhaín!
For its part, the bad news is rather worrying. It is common knowledge that the Salmarak Guild will refuse to engage and even negotiate with so-called chaotic or evil troops. He is as well known to all as we Mages of Díedne know him. It would seem that, seeing their value diminish since one of the two sides will refuse to pay them, the troops of chaos are at work and are discussing the creation of a third front. During almost every major conflict, there is a rumor of an additional front which will be created by people who are dissatisfied and unable to have everything they want to obtain. These fronts are rarely realized, being too complex to organize and, above all, often being forced to be composed of too few fighters to achieve an unexpected victory. However, the troops in question today are said to be chaotic, but some of their elements are good military strategists and would be able to rally many warriors to their cause. If it came to fruition, this front, even with few combatants, would ensure our military defeat. Worse than a military defeat, the Balance of the Worlds would be even more in danger if such an army were to seize the treasure of Orapal Tamas. For either of our two adversaries to possess all of these artifacts would mean the coming of catastrophes that we can barely even imagine. We could laugh at the Great Khan's past curses because they seem so minor to us.
Year one thousand and three of the Central Lands, thirtieth day of July, Region of Éraldosse
Camp is set up. The region is still rather deserted, but will not remain so for long. Our scouts report several troop movements converging towards us. It seems we are ahead of the bulk of Salmarak's troops. They certainly have a few spies and scouts around, but their army is still several leagues from ours.
Tomorrow, I will go to the Torascon plain to note the particularities of the land and its surroundings. All the greatest known generals spent more time preparing for battle than fighting. If I can help Mistress Åsa and Captain I-Hann be recognized as great generals, even if only by providing them with a detailed map of the region, I will be more than happy.
The days pass and I fear for our future. How could we win with empty coffers? I don't know what the Council is planning, but they will have to pull off a major feat. Salmarak is much richer than we are and, as if that were not already enough, they are supported by the strength (and fortune) of Brabancourt.