TEATRC tribute & universe expansion

Random vaegir noble racist guy seeing the error of his racist ways and becoming a troubadour and joining a party of swadian mercenary landsknechts, where he sings about peace and love at the campfires. While this happens, situations force him to join the battles the mercenaries fight in and he ends up feeling the power of brotherhood and joins their quest for fame and fortune. His mercenary company catches the eye of Hengest the Elder and the cunning general becomes quite fond of this troubadour, until he catches him coming out of his daughters tent at night.
He was merely reciting poems to this honorable lady, but Hengest wouldn't take **** from him and he was almost going to be hanged for spying for the Vaegirs, but at the last moment(or a little earlier) something happens and.. [insert climax here]

Khara-khita is a mountainous region that divides the great Malik Desert. To its northeast lies the Khergit Khanate, to its east lies the Sarranid Empire. For centuries the Khergits and Sarranids attempt to use the Khara-khitan mountain range its mountain pass as an easy detour towards the western Malik Desert, rather than take the circuitous route to war torn Calradia to the North or the inhospitable Arkay Jungles to the South. However for any expedition to get through they must first contend with the Khara-Khitans. The Khara-khitans are semi-Barbaric steppe people descendants of the Xi. They usually live either as nomads or in small towns or villages. They are expert trackers and use the bow as their principal weapon. Unlike most of their neighbors however, horses are very rare on the mountainous region. Khara-khitans believe in mysticism and have strong sense of tradition which involve brutal practices of sacrifice and self mutilation. They are divided into many factions and clans to which interclan warfare usually occurs, thus the average Khara-khitan is warlike.

There is no centralized form of government, power exists in factions on nomadic clans or small towns. This made them seem as prey to the bigger Khergits and Sarranids and throughout the centuries the two empires have attempted subjugation or extermination of these people.

However, the horse armies of the Khergits and Sarranids proved ineffective over the rough mountainous terrain which was unlike their steppes or deserts. The Khara-khitans however, whom usually unite together when faced with external treats are deadly at performing ambushes, sniping their enemies from afar. The Khara-khitan is skilled with the bow. Taught at a young age how to construct and use one.

To the west, at the foot of the mountains where the land once more bears similarity to steppe is the land of Mylesia. The People of Mylesia are descendants of Khara-khitan nomad clans whom have left the mountains, and Ptian travelers. The offshoots of these two races are the Mylesians. The Mylesian culture and tradition however is prevalently Khara-khitan. In the steppes, the Mylesians have inherited the Ptian’s horsemanship and thus throughout the ages, the Mylesians have transisted from foot bowmen to mounted light riders. Unlike their Khara-khitan cousins they have formed larger towns that made them appear as a civilization on its own right. Like their cousins, they are mystic and warlike, upholding bloody rituals that demand its warriors to seek battle.

And the scapegoat to these traditions is Mylesia’s neighbor to the West, the Ptians. The Land of Ptia is desert, and cities and towns are situated on oases. The Ptians are naturally peaceful, but are not afraid of fighting and defending their land. They are descendants of Khergits whom have come from Calradia during the time when the Khergits where still there. They are commercialistic and export their famed spices to their neighbors. Despite this booming trade, Ptia is young and has not fully developed into a power yet. Its trade caravans are usually raided by Mylesians, even the outlying towns are pillaged when a Mylesian Warband grows big enough. Due to this, the Ptian towns, decided to form a federation to protect each other. This federation’s first act was to have each town offer a part of its income and manpower to form a proper standing army that would protect its borders and its spice convoys. The Ptian Guard was formed. A mobile force of Horse Archers that divide into warbands each commanded by a Lord Guard.  They patrol the borders, protect merchant convoys and reinforce a besiege town if needed. This usually kept the Mylesians at bay, but not what comes at 1450.

Year 1450, the Army of the Lion enters the Malik Desert. Its leader, Pope Saldian spreads its religion with sword and fervor. Veterans of the Southern campaign, the Lion Throne invades Ptia. The Ptian Guard, whom were divided into autonomous warbands quickly engaged the Lion Throne army. Each warband employed harrassing tactics, engaging in skirmishes and avoiding main engagements and evacuating unwalled towns. The Ptian Guard recalled its warbands back together and reformed back into one army. The Ptian Guard staged itself on the capital city of Tarrakesh. There they awaited further warbands to arrive. There on the desert outside the city, they would face the Lion Throne Army. Unbeknownst to them, the Lion Throne army they have been facing is just a small part of the mighty host that Saldian commands. A month, after the first engagements with the Lion Throne, the Ptian Guard lined up outside the city of Tarrakesh, awaiting their enemy. What they saw next distraught them. On the entire horizon was filled with the outline of the vast army of the Lion numbering in the millions. It stretched from one end to another that it seemed that the enemy encircled the city outskirts.

The Lord Commander Temujin of the Ptian Guard knew they were doomed, pulling back to the city is pointless since his army would be better off on top of horses. So in an act of final defiance, he signaled his men to charge. His Ptian Guards followed without thinking, discipline doing its job. The Ptian Guard numbering thousands charged against a foe they could not hope to defeat. Temujin however, wanted to take the enemy leader to his grave. The Horde of Ptian Guards let loose a hail of arrows that seemed to block out the sun. But the Lion Throne were prepared, forming testudons that negated them. Instead of staying from a distance however, the guards charged right through the center with such momentum that it reached Pope Saldian in the center. There, to be ingraved in the murals of many chapels, happened Saldians greatest duel. The Ptian Guards rode through Saldian’s retinue isolating him from his frantic guard, the soldiers around him where trampled under the hooves of the Ptian’s steeds. Isolated he fought against Temujin and several of Temujin’s retinue all by himself.

Saldian’s newest pets from the newly conquered southern provinces came to the rescue. Massive beasts with howdahs filled with soldiers charged into the fray.  Ptians have never seens such monstrosities before and their horses recoil from the beasts’ smell and distinctive shriek. That broke the Ptian Guard, and soon they routed. By then, the rest of Saldian’s army has encircled them and butchered the guards to the last man. Saldian then proceeded to ransack the city of Tarrakesh. With the news of the loss of the Ptian Guards and the great city of Tarrakesh, the rest of the Ptian towns surrendered. Losing no time, Saldian quickly installed new governors under the leadership of a Kingpriest, and then quickly marched towards Mylesia after finding out of their existence.

The Mylesians were more stubborn and prepared. All of its clans have answered the call and have assembled to face the Lion Throne. But like the Ptians, they have misjudged the size of their foe. They were defeated by Saldian but not without inflicting a noticeable portion of casualties. To their credit and to Saldian’s surprise and woe, the Mylesians are fearless and were the first ever to defeat his Elephant Brigade. Saldian subjugates the established Mylesian towns, installed another batch of governors and a Kingpriest then pressed on to secure the Khara-khitan mountain range.

The Khara-khitans for the first time, have engaged a non-mounted force. Saldian’s soldiers were able to easily scale and traverse the mountains, suffering from multitude of ambushes, but nevertheless, their faith and resolve under Filaharn and Saldian kept them going. The Khara-khitans were too divided to mount a proper army to fight back, thus most were on their own, ambushing, the only thing they can do to protect their towns high up in the mountains. Saldian’s force was still having difficulties of reaching every major town. But eventually, the seemingly endless supply of faithful soldiers overwhelm all of them. Later on, what’s left of the unconquered Khara-khitan towns and clans surrendered to him. Knowing they cannot defeat a foe determined enough to scour every crevice of the Khara-khitan Mountains to find them. Some have even surrendered under the belief that their shamans and elders foretell of “the lion that would toil to bring light.”

By the time the Khara-khitan mountains were subjugated, the Lion Throne crusaders where cut down to half of its size. News arrived to Saldian that the Ellisian Emperor Nikephoros was calling for aid. At the same time his forward scouts have identified a vast horde of Khergits marching towards the Mountain Pass. With the Khara-khitans that surrendered and deemed themselves loyal to them, Saldian trapped and ambushed the Khergits horde in a brilliant stratagem of bottleneck and hammer and anvil. After that Saldian decided to press forth into Khergit lands, ignoring Nikephoros’s plea for now.

The Ptians, Mylesians, and Khara-khitans found themselves as new subjects of the Lion Throne. After the Crusade army, flocks of missionaries and priests quickly populated western Malik desert. Proclaiming the faith of Filaharn. The Ptians where the most receptive and quickly converted after hearing about the might and power of Saldian’s Lion Throne and that it was all because of Filaharn. The residing Kingpriest also saw merit on the Ptian Guards and quickly had it reestablished. Today, a portion of the Ptian Guards serve in the Calradian Expedition, marked for their stalwart nature.

The Mylesians and Khara-khitans converted next, they however kept their brutal tradition and practices since it is not part of their former religion but rather a part of their culture. Saldian allowed this so as to keep their warlike trait. Today, many Mylesian and Khara-khitan Warriors are easily drawn towards the Calradian Expedition, tough brutal warriors that enjoy battle and, now, serving Filaharn.