Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Téanheg and the Lacedonians

Téanheg, who’s name means Bear Axe, was a warrior great and mighty, born to the proud clan Nyaltnrain, whose name meant Night Bow. But he was born not in any free or great clan of Azlexii, but instead he was born in his own tongue Ågonlin, Oath Coast, while to the Lacedonians it was named Azlexia Superioriere, for they had taken it as a province of their empire, and in that conquest they had slaughtered many men and clans, and was also called Flales, meaning slaughter. And under their rule they had suffered, as they were forced on them great taxes, and treated as near slaves, while in their lands the Lacedonians set up Colonia Marnia, and gave it to soldiers in hope to make the Azlexii fall to their ways.


But Téanheg was by his clan ordered to keep their traditions strong, and even as the religious medical leaders the Druids were often persecuted or killed, and they demanded that the Laced tongue be taught, the Azlexii did all they could to resist their influence. Téanheg became a strong man, and many said he, like his name sake, was more bear in fighting then man. Yet still the Lacedonians tried to force the Clans to their ways, and so Téanheg was forced to travel as a merchant to Colonia Marnia to pay to work the fields his family had owned for many generations.


Yet on one day, when Téanheg was in the city to pay to keep his land, he found the streets to be lined, and those who were of the Lacedonian blood to be in celebration, and he saw on the street a parade of soldiers, and leading this host was a man in a chariot of gold, pulled by white horses that looked

 fit for only the Kings of old, and the Man was dressed in fine clothes, including silks dyed in the expensive purple, and dressed in military garb. And from the heralds voices there was a call.


“Hail Imperator Azlexus Selianus, ruler of all the world! He shines the brightness of Laced upon the barbaric peoples, and so comes to this land, to force down the barbaric Chieftains of Azlexia, who deny his rule. Hail Azlexus Selianus.”


Téanheg knew little in the Lacedonian Tongue, but he understood what was said, and was angered enough that the scum of Laced had made their ruler who held the name of his land, named in such by his father for his great victory to take the land of Flales. And he would not allow this king of the Lacedonians to conquer or slay any more Azlexii, and so picked up a rock, and threw it at the King of the Lacedonians. With a great throw, it hit Selianus on the head, and with such great force it caused his neck to snap, and die immediately.


Shock and horror filled the streets, and soon Téanheg was on the run, avoiding the guards of the city. But he found friends among other Azlexii, who too hated the Lacedonians, and saw him great for killing one of their Emperors. And so they smuggled him out of the city. But under the orders of the Governor, all of Téanheg’s clan, the Nyaltnrain, was killed. And all his family were slain, and upon learning this, Téanheg went into a rage, and swore to kill Beleran, and slay all the Lacedonians, from who would be their new Emperor, to their lowest slave.


And with this call, he set to gain the allegiance of other clans. First he came to the clans that lived near Lawch Grénweld, which was a sacred place to the Azlexii, and even the Lacedonians dared not disturb its beauty, yet threatened it if the local clans did not yield to them. Instead of fear this festered great anger, and when they heard of Azlexus Selianus’s demise, they already began plots to revolt. When Téanheg came to them, the local leader of the Clans, the Chieftain Weafwen, whose name meant Wolf Blade, stated allegiance to Téanheg’s rebellion. But before he marched, Téanheg prayed to Weivilin, the god of Fathers and War, and to the spirit of Lawch Grénweld, for victory against the Lacedonians, and to stop any notion of them conquering Azileax.


So Téanheg headed out, with Weafwen serving as his Chief Lieutenant. First they found a patrol of Lacedonian Cavalry, who were auxiliares of Yemasia, sent out to find Téanheg. Téanheg ambushed them as they were resting, and with a great axe Téanheg slew half of them, yet he let one young Yemasian flee, to warn the others in his Cohorts and and fellow soldiers that he was coming, and would kill any he came upon from then on.  And so the young Yemasian warned, but the older veterans of his Auxiliares only laughed at these threats. “Why worry about some axemen? We are many, and he and his band will fall by our spears if they come across us!” and though reported from their Captain to the Governor the ambush, he failed to tell of Téanheg’s warning.


But it was no need for such warning, did the Governor, who’s name was Giaius Beleran, need, for outposts and watchtowers across his domain were destroyed, and when clans failed to send in their taxes for their land, those sent to gather constantly would never return, or have fled the clanhold being chased and fired at. And so Giaius Beleran sent a message to Laced, to call for men to face rebellion. But with the death of Azlexus, power had been left empty, and so the interfighting of the senate and army had begun, and far greater rebellions and fighting had struck the Empire, and so in turmoil it would be, and Beleran would get no aid.


However, Beleran still had two Legions of the Lacedonians, and many Auxiliaries of Yemasian Horseman, Zetil Spears, and Herthecting Javelins. And so he sent his men far and wide to hunt down Téanheg and his pack. But Téanheg had grown a mighty force, and with his captains had taken out several units a Beleran, and half way through the Rebellion’s fourth month, he moved on to Colonia Marnia. Gathered to him were representatives of every clan, and among them Mages who hid their talent, who had in them skinchangers and earth mages. Beleran gathered to him his cohorts, but fearing the wrath of Téanheg, many Auxiliaries of Yemasian and Zetil fled, as did the Herthectings. Yet the loyalty of the Lacedonian Legions was unmatched, and among them those who had family or possessions in Colonia Marnia, and would die before abandoning it to the Azlexii.

The battle raged, and both sides unleashed their full fury. Blades clashed and arrows wizzed, spears shattered and shields were smashed. The Captains and Lieutenants of both sides lead men into the frey, and chaos on the battlefield was great. But with Téanheg leading the Azlexii, the Lacedonians could not win, and after four days of fighting they were beaten, and the Azlexii swept the city, and with them came death to every house, as they would slay any Lacedonian they found, and burn their bodies. And the mages of earth would work hard, and had every last inch of Colonia Marnia buried in the dirt and soil, and among them name one Nyalbéthul, whose name meant Night breath, who dabbled in dark spells, and laid a curse so that any settlement upon where Colonia Marnia lay would be destroyed, and suffer the cities fate.


With the Lacedonians removed, many among the army returned to their clanholds, but in some like Téanheg, a vengeance had formed, and in others a lust for the wealth like that they found in Colonia Marnia. And so they marched on, out of any realm of Azileax, and into the other lands held by Laced and it’s Empire. And joining them were the Fyericepts, as the Azlexii called their Kingdoms, of Carógwen, and Caróireg, who sailed on ships from farther north to aid them, and they moved in Kiasaro, and to the island of Arnethland, both lands held by the Lacedonians, and for three years they would plunder these and other provinces, as civil war wage closer to Laced. But still some commanders of the Lacedonians felt the need to hold their gains, and so Marcus Quenti, led his legion onwards into Kiasaro, and there he met Téanheg, and warned him to leave the realm of Laced, or face the consequences. That night, a seer among Téanheg’s army warned that in the next battle he faced, though he would take down many enemies, and would bring victory, he would fall with many wounds. Despite the warnings, and the words of his captains to return home, Téanheg would not, for he knew if he did not die at the hands of the Lacedonians, it would be in battle with his own kin, and such an event he did not wish to do.


And by the light of morning he took his men of Ågonlin, and those of Carógwen, and Caróireg, and near the town of Verson they met Quenti’s Legion in battle. For eight long hours they waged death upon each other, and many lives were lost. But when the Azlexii thought they would be defeated, Téanheg charged the center of his army into the center of the Lacedonians, and swept through their ranks, though he gained many injuries in the process. But he pressed on, and he slew Quenti’s Mightiest Captain, while he chased down Quenti as he fled, and was only killed when a dart of the Gerthold hit his neck, though the assassin would soon be slain himself. With his fall came the end of the raids, and the Azlexii fled back to their lands, though those of Caróireg would still attack Arnethland by sea, and never again would the Lacedonians rule over lands of Azileax.


Téanheg would earn the title of Berglå, Vengeful, while his Captains would become Kings and Thanes of Ågonlin, including Weafen, who would rule over Lawch Grénweld for many years. But while to the Azlexii Téanheg went on to the afterlife, in Kiasaro a different story was told, that every night when the moon was fall, Téanheg would rise from where he died, and would continue to chase after Quenti to Laced, but would always fade, starting from his neck.

No comments: