The Great War - The Kingdom of Valcanne's Guide to Keltorin

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The Great War

This is the historical account of the events known as The Great War. This record is written by King Baronton's Master of Knowledge Iremsi, it provides first hand accounts of the events surrounding both the war and the forging of the five Kingdoms of Balamy.

This historical record has been edited by King Raughn's Master of knowledge Rickharton only adjusting the notes to show the passage of time.

The Day of the Blue Banners Invasion

The following is eyewitness accounts from the day of the invasion sewn together to create a cohesive picture of the events of the attack.

It was early spring in the Kingdom of Valcanne, the day had started as any other the farmers were out working the land in the lower fields of South Valcanne. Mothers played with their children, fathers worked the land with their sons, the elderly watched and instructed those in need of their wisdom and experience.

No one had expected the horror that was to follow, screams tore through the sounds of work and chatter. The five farmers that lived above a hill line north of the invasion heard the screams and ran to the crest of the hill to see what had happened to cause such a commotion.

Upon witnessing the devastation heading their way four of the farmers fled, all except Maranchi and his son Balachi he sent his wife with their infant daughter to flee to the north with the others - but they remained to defend their people with all they possessed a rake and a pitchfork.

With a wave of their fellow villagers running towards them for their lives these two run to meet them armed with their garden tools, a Blue Bannerman was gaining ground on a young woman pulling her small son up the hill as fast as their legs could take them, when they both slipped on the trampled soil now growing muddy with the pounding of desperate feet.

The woman threw her body over her small child offering him the only protection that remained to her her body as a shield, she covered her head and waited for a hopefully quick death - a death that didn't come. She heard a thud behind her and turned to see the suspected threat, only to see the back of Maranchi and hear the sound of metal hitting metal.

Balachi appeared in front of her pulling her to her feet and gathering the boy along the way, he ushered them a few meters up the hill away from where his father now fought a Blue Bannerman. Then looked down the hill at the massacre that had already taken place, bodies lay strewn across the fields the elderly, men, women and children alike lay littered across the land.

Maranchi had deflected the soldiers downward swing with the metal end of the rake causing it to ring and vibrate when it struck the blade to the left, then recovering from the deflection Maranchi managed to pull back the rake and with a massive swing he impaled the man through the front of the face entering through his mouth and into the top of his chest - he fell to land on his knees but was propped up by the rake that now protruded from his body.

Maranchi picked up the dead man's sword glancing back at his son, who starred at the dead man's body propped in front of him. He then continued on seeing an elderly man fall unable to run fast enough to keep out of reach of the invading Bannermen, they murdered him as he attempted to regain his footing.

Maranchi approached running at full speed but still unable to prevent the inevitable from occurring, but quick enough the old man might know his murder was avenged. Maranchi's newly acquired sword took the Blue Bannerman through the side of his torso, he then ripped it forward disemboweling the soldier without honour.

Balanchi was still following behind his father, who strode up to him covered in the enemy's blood and handed him the second fallen soldiers sword and grasped him by the nape of his neck

"Today we hold this line boy, until the soldiers come there is no one else - We fight until we die and We Die For Valcanne!"

The last he bellowed for all hear, and the father and son continued into the onslaught of Bannermen now directed toward the only resistance to their invasion so far. Upon hearing his pledge other men young farmers were encouraged to finally put up a stand and not allow these invaders, their land without any attempt at defending it.

Maranchi led the defence with Balanchi at his side the two farmers were skilled and disposed of their enemies quickly moving onto the next, inspite of no formal training the men were fit and healthy from years of hard work and heavy labour.

The siege eventually pushes the group of farmers back up the hill towards the crest when finally the sound of soldiers coming to assist with the defence could be heard, again the farmers pushed forward women had now started to join the effort as well armed with rakes, knives, axes and hatchets.

Covered in blood and mud and armed with whatever was at hand, the farmers fought with the bravery of seasoned soldiers. Led by Maranchi the defenders surged forward to their wagons laden with hay for the horses of the Kingdom, setting them alight and sending them barreling downhill towards the approaching enemy.

The Bannerman's line's broke men fleeing from the oncoming fiery death, followed by a wave of farmers ready to die to reclaim their homes and land. As the farmers broke through the Bannerman's front line, the soldiers mounted the hill and saw a battle unlike any they had seen before.

The soldiers on horseback ride into the fray, offering much needed assistance to the civilians turned defenders. Some of the farmers started to break off from the defence of the southern farmlands, allowing the soldiers to take their place.

Men and women fighting with random tools, an extremely large farmer known as Borten was seen hurling a large wheelbarrow into a large group of Bannerman knocking several to the ground and killing at least one who was struck directly in the face.

Maranchi, Balachi and Borten were all who remained to fight, after the second wave of reinforcements arrived from the kingdom. Balachi now moving with confidence, using his lower height to his advantage often dropping to the ground and taking the soldiers in the unprotected calves.

Borten was a massive man and seemed to prefer using two small hatchets keeping one on himself at all times but throwing the other with amazing accuracy, taking multiple Blue Bannermen in the process always jogging up to the dead or dying man and retrieving his projectile afterwards.

Maranchi was the most formidable on the field in spite of no training in war he held a sword like it was an extension of his body, he moved forward through the swarm of enemy seemingly surrounded yet not once did an enemy's blade touch his skin. He moved from disposing of one Bannerman straight onto the next with amazing fluidity, even the trained soldiers watched him on in awe they fought their common enemy.

When the third and largest wave of soldiers arrived armed with bows the Valcannese soldiers were called to retreat and withdrew towards the waiting archers, who then let loose with a volley of arrow pushing the Bannerman back behind their portable fortifications that had been set up behind the frontline of fighting.

The first battle ended with a massive loss of land and life however through courageous efforts of those who worked the land the losses were stemmed and large portion of the southern farmlands would have been lost. History will remember the brave men and women that fought to secure the Kingdom of Valcanne a chance of victory someday.

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