| Two types of invasion and an exodus |
| IC Date: | 1875-04-15 |
| Related Information: | April Stewardships |
As the lands of Hellsmouth struggle to convert to the Imperial system during a time of hardship and war, two types of invaders flood the lands.
The first, the more expected type, is an invasion of the pillaging variety. Roughly a thousand Qatunax invaders of a type that has never been seen so far west before flood out of the lands around Rogers and head west to sack one of the previously defended townships along the river. The militia stationed there, and the populace, are swept away along with a great quantity of goods and victuals. The Horned Knights, famed for their ability to respond to raids, do not shame themselves here, although their response comes a little to late for the village of Smallport.
The alarm goes up, knights and lancers gather, and soon the hunt is on! Trapping the qatunax against the foothills the cavalry of the newly reformed horned knights cohort sweeps into the strange dark skinned foes.
Ludovic being Ludovic, is amongst the first of the knights to engage. Smashing into the center of the enemy formation, and cutting men down left and right. Cheered by this display of somewhat reckless bravado the lancers and raider cavalry rush in behind to push at the enemy. At first, the enemy gives way, especially in the centre around Ludovic…
But as the qatunax centre bows back, the flanks curve around as a crescent, particularly on the right side, and the skirmishers start pelting the cavalry force with missiles. It doesn't look dire, but it doesn't look good.
Then, with the penants on their lances streaming gloriously in the spring sunshine the reserve flies in and smashes the enemy skirmishers from the rear! Pushing through them to their flank the horsemen begin to roll up the enemy line from the flank. The enemy beings collapsing..
And the qatunax are forced to abandon their ill gotten loot as they flee towards safety with the horsemen in pursuit. Sadly many escape to fight another day, showing a familiarity with the terrain that leaves tendrils of unease in the minds of the d'korbina commanders.
Whilst the qatunax invade another, less violent, invasion takes place. Members of the chancery, convinced that they have the right and the best solutions for the management of their new province, flood into the region and start trying to take over. Confusion, anger and resentment soon starts welling up as the slow and steady changes intended by the d'korbina are suddenly thrown into place overnight.
The people who had doubts about the change of leadership soon decide against remaining and they join with those who had already been prepared to leave.
The chancery demands that they be press-ganged into service. As is appropriate. But Ludovic confronts them, telling them that the people were guaranteed freedom and freedom they will have. Sadly the ensuing arguments help nothing. And people still flock to the docks to take ship away from the lands ruled by a excommunicated sorcerer who sold them out to the Imperials.
And so two forms of invasion support an exodus as those peasants who chose to take up their right to leave, now that they are freed from the restrictions of serfism, do so.
And as they go labour becomes more and more of a problem. The farmers and herdsmen mostly remained but they need a great deal of seasonal labour from the towns if they are to truly thrive and that labour is filtering away through the open ports..
Hellsmouth is surviving on that razors edges where a single blight, or sickness, or any of a hundred smaller disasters could easily push them into true hardship.