Conqueror (18+)

The Mountain Pass

You are Bjun. You have the honor of being titled Archmage of the City of Kaara, you are High Chieftain of the Orcs of the Western Province. You are King of the Dragons in the air, and of the human cities Kaara and Shiera. 

In the last few weeks, you and your pet dragons (Nali the shapeshifting dragon mage and Tannor their former king) have been making overtures of an alliance with the Mountainshore Elves. While their lands are not directly in your sphere of influence, their mountains form your northern border with the Empire of Man. 

You're generally pretty happy with the peace you have with the Emperor, the magical aura of authority and control that you carry allowed you to put down a rebellion within his borders and you removed and rehoused thousands of rebels within your lands as a gesture of good will to him. But you are also not a fool. You sit upon a throne in a city that once paid taxes to the Empire, and only the fact that Ruki's rebellion in the southlands was the larger problem for the Empire of Man than you were kept your home city from being invaded.

Your throne room is quiet today. You eat a small lunch with your slaves and pets while Aldrich- the former mayor of Kaara- gathers reports and missives from the guards outside. Most of the peasants who have come with petitions are gone, though a few have been allowed to remain in some of the government-controlled portions of the city.

Eventually there is a small commotion and Aldrich bursts in with a missive. "My Lord," he says. This is from the Giddi and Elves to the north, they call for urgent aid!

You summon Giddi, red-bearded Elf ambassador to your court. "Come here, you may approach the throne." Nali, your pet dragon whose magic currently holds her in human form, tenses at the end of  her leash as she sits on the floor beside you. "Giddi," you say. "Aldrich informs me that you would like me to send aid the elves?"
"Yes! Send our army to aid the elves! Kill them all!" Giddi says, clearly beside himself with worry. 
 
You ask Giddi why the elves suddenly need your army. "We are under attack!" Giddi says. "Who is attacking them?" You ask calmly, while signaling to Aldrich to bring in your guard captain and Markus, the vice archmage. "Some of the human kingdoms!" Giddi says.

"Are these attackers from the Empire of Man?"
"Yes." Giddi says.
"We have never finalized an alliance between your people and mine. What will your people give me if I defend the,?"
"Anything!" Giddi says.
"Anything?" You ask.
"I would like to see that you have the most powerful army I can give you, but the Empire dwarfs us. Are you saying that you will offer anything? Or that your people will offer anything?"
"Yes! Please, anything." Giddi repeats.
"Anything?" You ask a second time.
"Anything!" Giddi says, and at this pronouncement you sit back, thinking.

"Giddi," you say after a minute, "if the elves are willing to migrate south, along the southern slopes of the mountains, I will send dragons and infantry to defend them from the Empire. However, once they are in my kingdom, they will be subject to my rule and ownership in the way the orcs are. Do you agree to these terms? Will your people honor this agreement?"
"I do! They will!" Giddi says.

"I will send the army to your kingdom within the week. Until then, I will hold you to the promise."
"Good." Giddi says.
"This means that you are my slave starting now. I command you to ride Nali back to the elves, inform them of the agreement, their new status as my slaves when they enter my land, and oversee their relocation."
"As you command, master." Giddi says, turning to leave.

You unclip Nali from her leash and she walks forward, ready to transform for Giddi in the courtyard outside the throne room. You don't see the flash of light when she resumed her original form, but you hear the thunderous woosh of a dragon taking flight and turn back to Aldrich, Markus and Alva, a young female orc warrior and captain of your palace guard.
"I have a thousand men in the city." She tells you.
"I have twenty-three dragons, though" you say, recalling your last conversation with Tannor before he surrendered his kingship of dragon kind to you.

"Aldrich, to place 2 infantrymen on 22 of the dragons and send them north to aid the elves." Meanwhile you gather up Alva and go with her to the dragon roost at the top of your palace. The final dragon is left without orders is Tannor and you command him to fly Alva and yourself to the front lines of the empire's war with the elves.

As Aldrich sends additional men north on horseback, you and Alva fly north to meet with Fax, the enslaved orc chieftain in the forested preserve you found for his people. The orcs once roamed the wilderness of your kingdom, but after killing the wizard who had been using them to besiege your city, they submitted to your plans for them without protest- glad to be done marching. You bring Fax along as well, hoping that a multi ethnic force of rescuers will help to win the hearts and minds of the Mountianshore Elves to your side. You also order his wife, Zelzu to await yours and Fax's return at the palace in Kaara.

You and your orcs fly northeast for the rest of the day and night, and land on the southern flanks of a mountain range with 44 of your infantrymen who have set up a small camp on a high pass that separates your holdings from the imperial land to the north.

 "We should be able to hold off the imperial forces." You tell the others. "They are not as well equipped as we are, and while we're small in number we hold the high ground, the only pass, and we have dragons to watch over us"
"True." Tannor says, blowing smoke rings from his nostrils as he watches northern valley.
"Alva, you command the humans soldiers. You hold the high mountain pass to the north. Fax, join her there as her lieutenant- head north to connect with the elves if you can.
"As you command." Alva says.
You join Tannor and Alva on the northern slopes of the mountain range, and turn to face the dragon lord and the Nali.
"Tannor, you and Nali divide the dragons into two groups. Take turns surveying the elves  and harrying any advancing soldiers from the empire. Nali, you are allowed to use forbidden magic to enslave or to simply kill and eat any enemy you come across."
"As you command." Tannor says, spreading his wings. "Nali and I will see to it."
Alva steps up to your side you as the buffeting wind from the dragons' take off dies down. You command her to have her soldiers dig into the high pass and wait for any Imperials to come to you. "The lands of Kaara and Shiera are at your backs," you remind her. "We need not venture into the Empire, just as they need not chase any feeling elves beyond their own border."

The battle appears to rage between the Empire's army and the elves who are falling back. You and Fax mount a dragon and fly north, past your defensive front lines, to find Giddi among a band of fleeing elves. You land and order the dragon to help the elves escape, so that they are not overrun in their small valley. The constant harrying from the dragons slows the empire's army and they divert slightly west of your position, attempting to climb the high pass into your kingdom.

"Where is Fax?" You ask after a while. "He is not here, I think he flew south to be there when the Empire finds your forces." Giddi says.
"That's fine," you say "how many elves are there? How many have made it into my kingdom?"
"We are all that are left." Giddi says, "but we must leave."
"How many are you?" You ask as the areal evacuation continues. "We are 200 strong here." Giddi replies.
 You look at the valley, see the burning ruins of what must be an elf town, then at the elves themselves."
"Do you think you can get over the pass before the main bulk of the imperial army gets here?" you ask.
"We can." Giddi says.
"Okay. Then then let's figure out what we can do to help." You look around, and see some grasslands to the south of the valley. The land is too far away to of use but the grass is tall and very dry. You move with the elves up the valley, burning the grass behind you as you go, finally crossing to the high pass and meeting with Alva and Fax in a small forest, snowy.

"What news?" Alva asks.
"We will advance slightly down the slope of the pass and attack the empire now that they have a wildfire to deal with, only a fool would want them to keep advancing." You say. Alva and Fax laugh.
"What's so funny? Is the empire's army chasing us?"
"Nah, we're just happy you're planning to attack. We can fall back to our trench if we need to." Alva says.
"Then we'll do it." You say "How many men are the empire sending after us?"
"About 2,000 soldiers, and the wildfire isn't slowing them as much as you may have wanted." Alva says.
"We can handle them," you say. "The 42 of us on this pass have yet to loose anyone while the Empire is advancing though a literal fire.  Have they started to trying to climb the steepest parts of the slope up to us yet?"
"No." Alva says.
"Ask the dragons how many they have killed since harrying began."
"We haven't killed any." Alva says, and you groan.
"Dragons, fly down from the heights and breathe fire on the empire.  Nali, use forbidden magic to enslave as many as you can and force them to turn on their fellows."
"As you command, lord." Nali says. You watch as the dragons fly down from the mountains and begin to rain fire on the Empire's army.

"Alva and Fax, instruct your men  ready themselves with archers and boulders to push down slope. Giddi, contact that elves and bring their soldiers up here."
"Yes master." Giddi says.
You watch as the men and elves begin to form a new defensive line farther down the mountainside, with the occasional dragon landing to help them.
"Giddi, report," You say after you see him leave the front lines for fetch more arrows. 
"We've killed about 50 so far, but I don't know what the dragons and the fire has done, and there are still so many men on the way." Giddi says.
You see Nali flying overhead and you flag her down. "Nali," you ask "have you enslaved any of the imperial army?"
"No, nor have we killed any though magical means." Nali says.
"If there are any dragons in reserve, send one down to attack the empire's army, with you then then return."
"As you command, lord." Nali says.
You turn to Tannor, as he lands nearby. "How many soldiers have your dragons killed? Does the empire show signs of retreat?"
"They've killed about 20 so far, lord." Tannor says.
"Send another dragon down."
"As you command, lord." Tannor says.
You stop him from taking off with a raised hand as an idea comes to you. "Do any dragons create frozen breath?"
"Only myself and Nali, lord."
Meet me on the highest part of the pass with Nali after her sortie into the Empire's ranks."
"As you wish" He says and takes off with a blast of air and sound.

When they arrive on the mountaintop, you command the dragons to construct a 100 foot ice wall behind the trenches to block the way, then fly to the elves and instruct them to continue to fortify the northern border between them and the Empire. You fly south and supervise the ice wall's construction, and also send a messenger to the trenches at the front line, to summon Fax.

"Fax, how many Imperial troops are left alive?"
"About 1,000, lord." Fax says.
"Send a messenger to the front line, instruct them to continue to fight the empire, but prepare for a pull back"
"As you command." Fax says.
"Does the empire appear to waiver at all?"
Alva interjects before Fax can answer. "No! They're still coming. Their quarry has fled, they stray into enemy territory, and they've lost half their number by now. I don't understand it." 
Fax nods in agreement, as he steps away heading back to the fight.
"Start an avalanche on the front lines, get the dragons to help you. Keep up pressure and push them back!"
"Yes master" Alva says.
In less than an hour of frantic, reptile-led digging, a load of ice and rubble  shifts, gathers speed, and then slides en masse down the mountain pass.

You ask Tannor to bore a hole in the base of the ice wall to allow your troops to fall back.
"As you command, lord." Tannor says.
Before your orders are completed, enemy arrows reach your position and Tannor's rushed digging causes the ice wall to collapse. Without orders, but expecting some sign, your troops surge backwards, retreating along with the elven troops past wall of frozen rubble. 
You begin to dig in for the next clash, once order is restored, and wait for the imperial troops to walk though the gap in your wall, but none show themselves.

Your men close the opening in the ice rubble and erect stairs for a cadre of elven archers to patrol the top of the wall. You send your dragons and soldiers to the northeast, between the mountains and the sea, to prevent the empire from attacking in that direction, but remain with Giddi and the elves atop the rubble to fight the empire. You send a messenger to the Alva, instructing her to continue to fight, and to sortie out if a possibility presents itself.
Soon, you and your troops begin to fight with everything you have. Men and elves struggle and fall close at hand. When a wave is beaten back you summon Tannor and Nali to fight on foot at your side. "There were 1000 troops left when we last checked. How many enemies remain?"

"About 400, lord." Tannor says.
"Send a messenger to the infantry. Tell them to pin the imperial phalanx against the ice wall, if they fail to turn back."
"As you command."
You stand atop the rubble of the ice wall with Giddi the elf to act as your your herald.

At your direction, Giddi calls of a halt of hostilities and signals that you are willing to negotiate." The ice wall's begins to shift, and you and Giddi retreat to the top of a stone ridge. You try to call for negotiations with Giddy again once the rubble settles, but the imperial remnants give no indication of hearing you. You keep Nali, in her dragon form, close at hand as you wait for the response from the invading troops.

Finally, one of your messengers arrives with a reply. The commander of the imperial forces tells you that you can either surrender unconditionally, or fight to the death. You look out at the field of imperial bodies coating the pass and shrug, confused. You ask Nali if she is able to reach the 400 soldiers with her forbidden enslavement magic.
"No, lord." Nali says.
You discuss the situation, which seems to be deteriorating for the Empire and decide with Giddi to "fight to the death," which is a very strange way of saying that you will continue to roll fire and boulders onto an army that has already suffered an 80% casualty rate.

After a barrage of rockslides and arrow volleys, you call forth and all out charge from all of your dragons at once, then move into the now smoldering area with you infantry.
Once contact with the surviving forces is made, you send a message to the infantry to stop fighting. They comply and surround the now disheveled knot of desperate men in a phalanx, bristling with halberds.
You send the elven soldiers back to their people, but keep Giddi with you.

Next, you ask Nali how many imperial soldiers remain, and if you have suffered any major losses.
"Only about 200 soldiers remain, lord." Nali says.
You offer to negotiate with the 200 remaining imperial soldiers.
 The fighting stops, and while the knot of imperial soldiers keeps their shields up and lances pointed out, you think overtures are going well, but then one of the imperial soldiers takes aim, and shoots you in the chest with a crossbow bolt.
The shock and pain knocks you to your knees but your mind remains quick enough to react.
You have Nali eat the offending imperial solider, then lie back and use healing magic on yourself.

Your pain subsides to the accompanying sounds of mail tearing and bloody cries as your men surge forward again, but can't see the battle, stuck as you are on your back.
The fighting and shouts continue for a while longer, and with a shudder your lung re-inflates to its full capacity. Exploring your chest with your hands, you find that you are still alive and whole- though the gem on one of your rings has been reduced to cinders from the sudden loss of magic. As you stand, the struggling slows among the imperials and they realize that you cannot be so easily defeated. You tell the soldiers to drop their weapons and surrender unconditionally in exchange for you sparing their lives.

With a sound of scattered clinking, shields and swords fall. Halberds and poleaxes are lowered. The remaining imperial troops surrender and stand, exhausted and dazed before your equally exhausted men. The surviving imperials are brought before you, and they are allowed to surrender formally.
You order Nali to inventory the number of surrendering soldiers, and ask her how many there are.
"Only 40 remain, lord." Nali says. You ask her how many imperial troops surrendered, and she answers. "All 40."

You ask if there are any officers left, and if so, that they be brought before you.
"Only 4 officers remain, master." Nali says.
You ask that the highest ranking officer be brought to you, and have him or her introduce themselves.
After a moment, a man in fine steel armor steps up. He is smeared in dirt and gore and he has lost his helm. The face beneath is oddly blank: devoid of the usual emotions and passions of a normal person.
"I am a commander in the imperial army, sir. I am Lord Kotharion" He says.
"Lord Kotharion, why did your forces attack the Mountainshore Elves?"
"We attacked the elves for several reasons, sir. I am told that the elves were using magic to bring down the ice walls of the valley. They would have destroyed the entire valley, and us."
 "I am unsure whether that is true, sir," you say. "But I am sure we can both appreciate that elves who are no longer in Kotharion Province are no longer a threat to destroying your valley and lands. Why did you continue to advance into my kingdom, even when you had clearly driven the elves out of the Empire of Man?"
"Lord, we were ordered to move out and attack the elves as part of the leave granted to us by his imperial majesty. The elves were using magic to bring down the ice walls and flood the valley. We had no choice."
You sigh, and look again into the rigid face only to be reminded of a mechanical statue with a clockwork mind. "I disagree with your reasoning, sir. Are you the lord of the city of Kai'era?"
"Yes, lord."
"You have three other officers with you, tell me their names?"
"Xavier is my right hand man. He is a wizard of some skill. There is also Leko, my second in command."
"And I am Dren, the general." Dren announces, before Kotharion can pick his face and armor from the crowd.
"Lord, the people of Kotharion province shall not be allowed to trespass, massed and armed onto my lands. I will ensure that it not happen again."
You have Alva lead Xavier off behind the rubble and execute him swiftly with your sword before returning to speak to the others.
"Lord Kotharion, Leko, and Dren. Are we in agreement that your surrender is unconditional?"
Three heads nod.
"You will order your troops to forsake the empire and swear fealty to my nation. You order the imperial troops to swear fealty to me as well, on pain of death."
They do so without question. Next you say "Leko and Dren, swear yourselves into my service as slaves, then put on collars, travel down the mountain to the elves to help them build a new place for themselves on this side of the mountains. When they are satisfied with you, you will continue south to Kaara to present yourselves at my palace."
"As you command, lord." Leko and Dren say, departing.
"Lord Kotharion, do you have a family back home in Kaaera?"

"I have a son, a daughter, and a wife."
"I wish to meet them, lord." You say.
"I would be honored to have you meet them, lord," he replied with a courtesy that betrayed zero emotion.
You groan. This empty husk of a person was not worthy of your court in Kaara.
"Kotharion, you have surrendered to me following an illegal attack on my lands, regardless of your relationship with the Mountainshore Elves, your life if in my hands, do you understand?"
"Yes, lord." He answers, glancing towards the rubble where Xavier disappeared to.
"Good, come with me." You say.
You and Kotharion ride Nali to your new elven preserve and approach a cluster of huts and tents.
"Lord Kotharion, what is your first name?" You ask.
"Kotharion, sir. I had a different one until I took on this lordship."
"Speaking of which," You say unfazed, "you will forfeit your title of lordship to me, and bind yourself to me as a slave."
"Yes, lord."
You and Kotharion dismount and lead him though a block of tents and shacks.
"Kotharion, I will bestow the title of lord back to you but it will be mine to give and remove as I see fit, and it will be up to me to determine what being a lord means for you. You will swear fealty to me, renounce the empire, and pledge your lands to my rule."
"Yes, master." He said, flatly.
You and Kotharion walk to the rest of the former imperial soldiers, who have assembled at the edge of the village and you pass a quiet word to the first few among them. You ask Nali to tell the dragons that they are free to disperse, and command the bedraggled soldiers to march to Kaara to join your city guard. With only a few of your officers wandering around in a mix of elves, your elves, you lead the leashed former lord around, looking for Giddi.