A Chronicled War, a prequel (Lazzamore and ChelonianCommander)

Lazzamore

Lazzamore

WAAAAAAAAAA-
Clog the Immortal marched with 100,000 Orcish troops south. With bloodthirst in their hearts and the propaganda-born dreams of easy living in their minds, the traipsed through the ashes and smog. There was a smell of the sea in the air, almost drowned out by the smell of volcanic sulfur, but the sea was not visible through the heavy grey smog and snow of ashes. Albeit this is a bad day, the sun has still not been visible through the smog for almost 150 years.

Clog coughed up some blood as they descended the mountain into tamer flatlands. Or, flat as best as they could tell. a partition of 2,000 soldiers (150 Lindlords with 1,500 War-sarkas, both Orc and some Kobold, as well as 200 Gunthars and their squires (about 150)) broke off as ordered, and then broke off into four even groups. They went to the hamlets and mines to clear out the workers and site the grounds of a makeshift fortress they planed to build.

The main group arrived near a large city, it's torch glow visible in the afternoon twilight, and they made camp.

Clog the Immortal traveled to the edge of Valentianae, the Forged Born city, and demanded a parley with the leader there, saying in a close approximation of their dwarvish tongue "Clockwork of this city, heed me! I am Clog the Immortal: Gunthar of the first circle, and I am here to claim your town and all it's land and hamlets-" at this he coughed violently "-for the glorious Derugn of Gundertog. You have a fortnight to vacate the premise as the terms of your surrender, or by order of great Derugn Agronak we are to seize this land through violence. Do you understand?"
 
Seeing the orcish horde at their doorstep, the stationed guards quickly sent a runner to the city's King, Tadia the Builder. The orc horde has only arrived roughly half an hour ago but the entire guard has been put on alert as tens of thousands of Orcs moving at once had been rather noisy. Tadia herself already knew the Orcs arrival as she began to formulate a plan of action with her two generals.

"King Tadia, our watch has reported over 50000 Orcs, but the night hides them. There is likely more hidden in the black." Said the first general. "I suggest we hold them off while we evacuate the city."

"Evactuate where? We only have a garrison of 10000 warriors, and they number more then 5x that. Even if with our walls and defenses, it is only a matter of time for the Orcs to overrun our defenses and chase down the refugees." Said the second "We must call upon the people and gather whatever forces we can! If we are to keep our city we must fight now!"

"Calm yourself Kaeso." Said Tadia to the second general. "I have no intention of leaving. I have built this city with the blood and sweat of the old world, and if this city falls, I shall fall with it. But I have no intention of letting our civilians broken and enslaved. We shall send our people to Scuipi while recruiting whoever is willing to fight. Send messenger birds to the remaining cities. We shall slow down the advancing horde so that the rest may living to fight. Am I understood?" She asks and her generals nods. "Good. Kaeso, you shall handle the recruitment and evacuation. Vel, you shall handle with the messages and defense. As for I, the leader wishes to parley so I shall parley." She ordered and the two general nods as Tadia heads out with her 120 Praetorian to meet the Orc leader just outside the city, where she can easily kill him if things go wrong.
 
Clog's personal guards alerted him to the city gate opening. Turning to the mechanical queen, a unnerved look crossed Clog's face, as if of prejudice. "Greetings" croaked the old orc. "Queen Tadia, I assume? Like I told your... Guardsmen, The Derugn has sent me to acquire this city. You have two weeks to comply." he said curtly. During the whole speech, he handled his handaxe tightly, clearly not trusting his opponent. "If you have any counter terms, now is the time to make them, clockwork."

Surrounding Clog was a unti of 20 or so Gunthars, 10 armed with greatswords, 5 with orcish double-axes, about 5 with massive longbows, whom stay back, just within sight of the parley. There was also a group of 30 of what was evidently war-sarkas, poorly armed and armored criminal-slaves drafted into war. the 3 unidentified soldiers were then most likely Lindlords, a Sheriff similar in roll to a standard drill sergeant.
 
The orc was large, very large compared to the King and surrounded by bodyguards much like the Tadia herself. The king listened with great disdain, one that the orcs cannot see due to their clockwork bodies, as the fool rambled on about taking the city and how they had two weeks to surrender. Which was good. Those two weeks would be time for reinforcements to arrive as well as evacuating and recruiting.

"You will address me as King Tadia or not at all Orc. The Forged Born are not lead by weak queens, but mighty kings and you should do best to remember. However your proposal has given me time to think. I have lived for centuries and I am no fool. I shall think of this and return with my answer in two weeks time." She answered to the Orc. She had no intentions of actually surrendering the city, but instead needed to stall as long as she can for her forces to be bolstered.
 
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"Lies are unbecoming." said Clog, in a moment of shocking honesty "You need not moments for your answer, but take all the time you need. I will be back at the end to wage war, unless you are too cowardly to fight." His bodyguards looked surprised at this, and he simply turned, coughed, and spat up blood. "Posturing only gets us so far, soldier." he barked at the Orc giving him odd looks "But still certainly farther in life than questioning me. You can learn from that as well, queen." Clog grinned with malice at that as turned back to Tadia, knowing from her response that it got under his opponent's proverbial skin.

At that the orcs left the Parley, and messengers were sent out along with worker's and supplies and the command to quickly construct a small fort in the most prime location discovered by the four search parties: Atop a hill near a stream with fairly open line of sight. They were told to be on full alert with double guard: they have two weeks to complete there tasks, possibly less.
 
The Orc seems intent to goad Tadia into a battle, but she knew better then to lose her calm against this foe. The Orc ends the parley and leaves as did she, retreating back into her castle in the middle of the city to coordinate the city's defense. Over the course of the two weeks, the Forged born had recruited whatever warriors they could for the battle ahead and the rest evacuated towards Scupi. During that time Scupi sent a large force to reinforce the siege and the other cities had sent back messages that they have mustering their forces to counter the Orc's horde. Still the Orcs outnumber Tadia's forces 5 to one at the end of the two weeks, with the city holding around 20000 warriors and the orcs invading force of over 100000.

Still the city shall be Tadia's greatest asset as its walls, towers and gates will keep the enemy out and the streets shall make for effective choke points to slow the horde's advance. Still this might not be a battle she cannot win, at least not completely. The best she can hope for is that the other cities will sent their combined armies to relieve Valentianae within the month.
 
Two weeks pass quickly for the Orcs. Too quickly. Clogs brow furled as he saw an orcish runner come towards the newly finished fortification from the north. He knew this wasn't good.

"Tell Derugn Agronak to stave off his biting flies." (a disrespectful orcish proverb meaning "don't lose your patience") said Clog, to the runner.

"But sir, respectfully-"

"I'm sorry!" barked Clog to the runner "Did I just hear the term 'But'??" The Runner tried to explain himself, only to be met with another gutteral bark "I am a Gunthar of the First Circle, dog! I will speak now. The Derugn will receive the crops he promised to the people as soon as I win this war. NOT. BEFORE. Am I understood?" again the runner tried to speak, only to be cut off by a guttural bark from Clog. The runner nodded his head 'yes'. turning away, Clog continued "The Derugn promised these soldiers families glory and cakes on the back of my promise of simple war. Let the wretched little politician sweat a little bit. Serves him right..."

The following evening the troops rallied to set off. It was the evening of the 14th day, which meant it was time for the second parley.

1,000 Gunthars with longbows held up the back, surrounded by 30,000 war-sarkas ready to hold up the flanks as 5,000 more Gunthars with melee training lead the party to the town of Valentianae that night. A party from this force, smaller then the one that previously accompanied the parley, approached the gate. One of Clog's advisers stepped forward. "I am Ranock, Gunthar of the Second Circle. I am hear an behalf of Clog the Immortal to..." he gulped "...To accept this cities surrender on unconditional terms! Where be the lord of this realm?"
 
Tadia stood on top of the command tower of the northern wall, looking over the Orc army with her strategists and advisers. She was impressed at the number of Orcs they now face, and she would commend their leader for amassing such a force if it wasn't pointed at her city. Her attentions was drawn to a runner that ran up to the city walls. They announced themselves as Ranock of the Second Circle and they told that Clog, the name of the leader she assumed, to accept the unconditional terms of the city. When asked who was the lord, she shouted from the tower with a commanding boom.

"You speak to the King of Valentianae! I have spoken to your leader and I see that he is but a coward to beg me for a surrender. We shall not surrender! We shall not falter and we shall not fail in our defense!" She said to Ranock. Tadia steps down and turns to a signaler. "Give the command. Rain bolts down upon them." The signaler nods and blows a giant warhorn mounted to the command tower. the sound rings throughout the area and it stirred up the northern wall's defenses.

Forged Born on 10 Bolt Thrower Towers loaded up their artillery equipment with standard and multi-shot ammunition and began to rain down upon orcs with the standard bolts flying into the ranks of the Orcs farthest within the Bolt Throwers' range and the multi-shots into the Orc ranks closest to the walls, trying to force the Orcs to approach and punish the Orcs for approaching.

On the walls 1000 Crossbowmen were on standby to fire upon any orcs that came into their range while 5000 Hastati Swords and Spears and 1000 Legionary Axes were stationed on the walls to defend against Orc climbers and ladders. The last 13000 Warriors to hold back to be used as necessary.
 
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Arrows tipped in burning tar were fired back, each carrying a payload of a small, brittle clay jar of pitch. Strategically falling back and flanking the city, the men on the walls were not the target of the first few volleys that followed, but the city itself, as anything flammable within the wall that got struck would shatter the pitch jars and set aflame.

The main force was broken into two, each force with two battering rams. They waited in the darkness for the glow of a city on fire to charge and attack two gates of the town, one north and one south.
 
The Orcs fire their longbows fly over the wall and Tadia watches as most of them land within the city. Pitch leaked from the arrow tips and fire were lit among the buildings. normally this wouldn't be too terrible as the city is made mostly of stone and metal, but the wooden frames sand beams were valuable and must be protected. Tadia orders half of their engineering crew, the Forged Born version of a medical unit, to go and snuff out any fires that may have started.

Tadia's generals orders the Bolt Throwers kept firing on the Orcs archers to stop them from setting any more fires and the crossbowmen to fire upon the battering rams, lighting their bolts up with pitch and firing them into the rams and their crew in order to keep them from breaking the steel bar gates. Rangers and spotters report that the enemy has circled around to the south and reacting as nessisary, Tadia sends 1000 Crossbowmen and 7000 Hastati Swords and Spears to the south in order to man the southern wall and their towers.
 
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