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Shabazik — Audience with the King

#elf #galaw #hall #hill #king #mountain #rhedyn #neroe #hebonnor #dbodon
Published: 2011-04-30 01:30:06 +0000 UTC; Views: 11157; Favourites: 51; Downloads: 352
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...After the scouts finally reached, again the surface, and they given to her and the drow prisioners adecuate clothes for the high mountains, again, everything was just marching, marching and marching against the time, to reach with the report of the movements of the drow armies of Negeémiliel, before they act and surprise the Mountain Elf Kingdom of Hebonnor.

They marched for five days, until they arrived to populated lands... Neroe had never been so far in the north of the kingdom, and it was sort of exiting thinking to finally get to know the capitol where The King of the Hill, in his throne, governated over all the Mountain elves... even her small and distant village...

But as well, she was worried of Maylara: Even before leaving the drow army column, she knew nothing of the destiny of her friend Maylara Maltree, and each day that passed, she feared more of the destiny of her friend, and if she was free to do what she wanted, she would have returned to these opresive shadow world of Kazrrad, to find her friend...

But she was obligated to keep with the scouts of the Kings, unnable to leave, and even if she escaped, she really didn't had any resource or anything to do anything else but sit down and die in the mountains.

So, it was the destiny the one who dragged her there.

-----------------------------
She was kind of disapointed: After meeting the drow city of Negeémiliel, with all his misery, greatness, horrors and beauty, as well impressive size, she expected the capitol city of the Hebonnor Kingdom of the Mountain, sucessor of the great kingdoms of Galawkey, Galaradaan and Galaw-Hebonnor, to be something more impressive...

Thhe old fortress of D'Bodon, Under the mountain , builded by dwarves hired by the legendary Grad'Bo I the Great about 2.000 years ago, was more or less a glorious ruin, and the city builded to the wall of a cliff, partially underground, was only a shadow of a glorious and distant past, inhabited by dwarven traders...
Instead, the new D'Bodon extended in the narrow valley, and despise of being bigger than any other Mountain elf settlement was of less than 10.000 souls...

Galaw, humans, dwarves and Hebonnor and all the possible breeds between them walked in the tortuous streets, free, like Uncle Corvin told her in the tales of childhood, to Maylara and herself, and the main building that dominated the city was the Palace of the King of the Hill, builded in nortunk dwarven style, the fashion in architecture in the moment...

However, she wasn't there for the architecture, or see the local colour:

She was dragged here by the scouts, and after the interrogation of the drow prisioners, the King of the Hill itself, Hildetriel IV The Young, was interested enough to want to meet her.

So Neroe, given a dress of a servant of the palace, was conducted by the guards to the main hall, for her audience with the King.

The Main Hall was a large room, decorated and amoblated with luxury, and with a hughe picture window wich dominated all the valley of D'Bodon...

To bad, it smelled like a cheap tavern, smoke, puke and over all, decadence.

She was conducted between the nobles of the kingdom: the proud, violent and iliterate elite, great warriors, of large size and short ears and shorter lives, due their mixed galaw orcs - mountain elven ancestors, common mix in the ruling class of the Kingdom of the Mountain...

Suddendly, the guard make her drop to the ground on her knees, before leaving:

In front of her, in his golden armor and with his long, blue hair, was the Hildetriel IV the Young, the King of the Hill.

"So you are the renegade elf I was informed? Speak to me! don't be shy!"

"...No your highness... My name is Neroe Rhedyn, from the Village of Gigfran Nyth, of Nohalion, and I am not a renegade... I was an adventurer serving the trading city of Zannas, and with my friend Maylara Maltree we where captured by goblins and sold by slaves in Negeémiliel"

"You mean you and your drow girlfriend?"

"She is not my girlfriend!" blushed Neroe... why allways people thinked that? "But yes. My friend, the drow, raised with me, who helped me escape... and who is now still trapped.

"Diwerth!!" yelled then the King. Among the drunken nobles, one slowly incorporated, sitting in a bank, with her face red due the wine.

"Yes your Higness?"

"Supposedly this girl is from one of the villages of your fief... Gigfran Nyth. Do you know her?"

"I don't know every damn sheperdess, Hilde." answered the knight with familiarity produced by alcohol "And she have rather common characteristics. How will I know? Anyway, it have been years since I have outside of D'Bodon, anyway"

"But have you heared of a strange tale, about elves raising a drow?"

The drunked knight thinked for a moment. "Meh. Maybe? not sure... No. I don't think so... I suppose I should ask my bailiff"

"But did this serf of you" asked the king "ever asked for permission to leave her village?"

"I don't think so"

"AhA!" said the king looking to Neroe. "So you are indeed a renegade, as you never asked to your lord to leave... and less to serve to foreign masters!"

Neroe wanted to answer that the people of Nohalion where free to do what they wanted, and they didn't needed to answer to absents lords they never meet in their lives, but she knew it was better to don't say anything.

"Do you speak drow, renegade?"

"...yes your Highness... I learned some during my captivity."

"Excelent, because we need a translator." said the King of the Hill, smiling. "Diwerth!!"

"Your highness?" asked the knight.

"Do you give me your runaway serf there, to put her under my service"

"Yeah... sure!"
___________________
I may, or may not, add some drawings to complete the secuence of the journey of Neroe there -maybe a pic of the Hebonnor city? other connective pics?- but I sort of doubt it

Related content
Comments: 42

theubbergeek2 [2011-09-18 10:39:00 +0000 UTC]

The King; MAH BOIS! This is what all true warriors strive for!

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Shabazik In reply to theubbergeek2 [2011-09-18 13:07:13 +0000 UTC]

A decadent life in a palace!

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theubbergeek2 In reply to Shabazik [2013-07-30 19:23:10 +0000 UTC]

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theubbergeek2 In reply to Shabazik [2011-09-18 15:05:43 +0000 UTC]

yes XD

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Billie-Bonce [2011-04-30 12:29:02 +0000 UTC]

Oh, Neroe made a great career! Now serving the king!

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Shabazik In reply to Billie-Bonce [2011-04-30 15:38:23 +0000 UTC]

X3

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Billie-Bonce In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 16:49:42 +0000 UTC]

And with the new knowledge that we now obtained, I'm afraid, she can become a prisoner of Negeémi again...

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Shabazik In reply to Billie-Bonce [2011-04-30 21:39:09 +0000 UTC]

Awww

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Inghelene [2011-04-30 10:02:13 +0000 UTC]

A very interesting story, though a bit hard to get as I didn't know any of the names
And a lovely drawing as well.. So very full of details, even on the bg...

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Shabazik In reply to Inghelene [2011-04-30 10:34:54 +0000 UTC]

Oh, many thanks! X3

But what happen is, that the story should be considered more or less as a "chapter" of a "book", as is one of my several "dA ongoing stories" :3 So don't worry if you don't get it, as is like when you open a random page of a random book and began to read it! :3

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Inghelene In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 10:49:27 +0000 UTC]

I see
Perhaps I'll try to get into it then
I love your drawing-style by the way... I'm surprised someone as good as you takes time to reply comments x'D

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Shabazik In reply to Inghelene [2011-04-30 11:30:43 +0000 UTC]

What make me surprised is to find myself replying comments and drawing, when I should be studying right now! D'UH!

XD

Some "warnings" for my new dear watcher:

1.-I have 400 deviations... and about 980+ scraps. I really recomend to use the "folders" to see the order of my stories -if you ever want to read them-, because I "jump in time", drawing whitout a real chronological order X3

2.-Some of my stories have "adult content" (specially some commissions!).

3.- I have created my own, intrincated world, and too much times I'm self referential, so no one gets completely what I'm speaking about XD

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Inghelene In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 15:58:10 +0000 UTC]

Reminds me of my own studies x'D
Luckily my classmate will be here later and help me with them, so I won't be distracted just as easily...

xD Nice to know. I'll remember that when I get time.

What do you define as "adult content" then? Oo

as long as I get some of it x)

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Shabazik In reply to Inghelene [2011-04-30 16:02:42 +0000 UTC]

Well, what dA define as so

Nudity, sexual themes, violence/gore, Strong language, ideologically sensitive :3

However, discriminating, most of nudity is partial, and is cultural one rather than something else (for example tribal orcs), violence rather than gore, but blood is spilled in my drawings of battles, between others

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Inghelene In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 20:28:43 +0000 UTC]

Well I'm a female and don't have a problem with seeing men, so there is really no problem with nudity at all.
I'm not sure what "ideologically sensitive" is but I don't see a problem with the rest either...

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andybru [2011-04-30 08:38:29 +0000 UTC]

What is a suspicious mob surrounded the king. I 'm starting to doubt, and whether those should be considered as forces of evil.

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Shabazik In reply to andybru [2011-04-30 11:07:32 +0000 UTC]

oh, don't worry, all the previous King of the Hill where surrounded by a similar mob...

...

wel...

maybe you can worry, then. XD

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Caregan [2011-04-30 08:01:18 +0000 UTC]

ooh, interesting ^ ^

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Shabazik In reply to Caregan [2011-04-30 11:06:18 +0000 UTC]

<(^ ^)>

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larqven [2011-04-30 06:45:54 +0000 UTC]

Oh my! This--isn't quite what I imagined the king to be! Lots of half-orcs about--but the king looks rather fully elf--and a "pretty" elf at that! He also has the fae arrogance and royal sense of privilige going on with him! Well, at least he's going to use Neroe intelligently! He needs all the help that he can get!

If nothing else, this is where elf and orc races have coexisted to some extent. Perhaps there is some social flexibility to be found in that?

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Shabazik In reply to larqven [2011-04-30 11:05:45 +0000 UTC]

Well: The Rossnes of the Mountains of Aels have their own, long story:

But basically, in difference to the ones who will become the "high elves" who migrated to Zarhuy, they stayed in their original lands of Polforia:

However, due the climate becoming colder, this triggered the migration from Hieyoks to Aels of the Black and Purple Elves, who displaced the rossnes elves from Polforia to the south...

One of these groups of elves become shepherds, and not only that, but they settled in the mountains near Dwarven and Draak Harg settlements, to sell their products and traficate with them:

they became sedentary, and small villages where formed: with centuries, some small kings raised, and they fighted each other, or tried to slowly expand to other lands.

Later, they where part of the many enemies who defeated the Drow Empire, wich after the defeat decided to go underground -however, is not that they where "exiled" like in legends, but during the Empire, the drows already began to settle Kazrrad, and liked it-.

With the centuries and millenia, the Mountain Elves advanced in their culture, and thanks to their relations with dwarves (is supposed that even their name, Hebonnor, derivate from a dwarven word that mean "big ears", despective way to call elves), become some of the better elven forgers, but they allways where fractionated, and once the High Elves come back, again, from the other side of the seas, they where considered Barbarians to be civilizated:

Mountain and High Elven wars began, and thank to the organization of the seconds, the first where obligated to replegate from much of the low lands they controlled to more limited, rough terrain (only in this time, people began to call them Mountain Elves).

However, other invader come: the Galaw orcs emigrated from Hieyoks to Aels, and their horde advancing south, destroying, raiding and burning in their pass: However, eventually, these rude nomad warriors settled down...

In the lands of the Mountain Elves: conquered military by the Galaw, these where numeric inferior, and become the warrior aristocracy, in front of an elven population: In the first times, to keep the "pure blood", it was banned any union between Galaws and Hebonnors...

But the fact is, that these unions happened, and the old elven nobles and aristocracy began to marry and have relations with the new orc one, due economical and political interests, meanwhile the Galaws, wanting the "inmortality" of elves, where interested as well...

kingdoms as Galawkey, Galaradaan and Galawkey-Hebonnor raised, being unified for first time the mountain elves in her history... under an orc king. Grad'Bo I.

Grad'Bo I make free hebonnor and galaw equals (noble equal to noble, not a total one! Blood was still important) and was the first King of the Hill.

The Galaw-Hebonnor kingdoms, however, keep warring with the High Elven colonies... until the Age of Invasions.

The Kanovs (and after them, the humans) emigrated from Zarhuy to Aels, and in their pass, they destroyed all of the main High Elven colonies, and Galaw-Hebonnor kingdoms...

Once again, political fragmentation dominated over the mountain elves, who grow apart of the Galaws. The title of king of the Mountain remained, but the "kings" lived in a poor farm without any power or dignity, to the point that about 500 years later (if I'm not mistaked) a Mountain elf trader with claims of nobility, buyed the Royal Title in exchange for some pigs to the galaw orc who at it, becoming Hildetriel I.

He began then to "reunificate" the kingdom, but under a predominant elf support, as the Galaws didn't recogniced this new king, or how he become one, and the Seven Galaw dukes fighted against him:

However, in the end, Hildetriel I defeated or pacted with them, and the Kingdom of the Mountain of the Hebonnor was created:

In this kingdom, the Nobles that directed it all had, more or less, mixed ancestors, being the short live a "sign of nobility", as all the older and more important titles come from Galaw orcs ancestors:

But there is not much social flexibility: to change the status, you need to marry to that status, and hope you children get a better one.

So among the aristocracy, is common the mix: meanwhile, the common people, normally Galaws and Hebonnor live differentiated outside of D'Bodon, but they share a language and culture, with diverse dialects...

However, the Galaw concentrated in the north, meanwhile the mountain elves, in the south of the kingdom.

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larqven In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 18:26:52 +0000 UTC]

Wow! XD A lot of explanation!

So the aristocracy tends to be more mixed than the general populace? But the current dynasty is less mixed, and have a more "elfin" appearance?

Nonetheless, for many commoner elves--the lives of the nobles and rulers are relatively short! This may, or may not, be a gripe of the commoners? A sign that their rulers are not one of them--and not necessarily in a "higher" sense either!?

More importantly, distractions of the court away from the nobles' individual responsibilities of their domains and people is the most serious problem. Hebonner must be a somewhat large kingdom to have had about ten thousand troops to work with in this war? They also had enough influence to attract mercenaries of other folk into their war on their behalf?

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Shabazik In reply to larqven [2011-04-30 21:52:36 +0000 UTC]

Yes and yes :3
The "noble traits" of current kings isn't as strong, as they are a "new lineage" X3

And as I said, the lives of nobles, are "short" ones (in comparison! They live about half the live of a commoner! !!)

Now, the Hebonnor had about 20.000 warriors along this war (remember they invaded, repeled an invasion, and then fighted in Cilfach against Dahl'Arak) so they sice isn't too small, but they aren't either a large kingdom:

Most of his forces where militias, few where soldiers, and even less, of the Royal Guard.
Humans and Kanovs only take the oportunity to fight and loot, and wheren't really loyal (and they where maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the forces of Hildetriel).
The Dwarves had their own interests -wich explain later the Nortunk-Hebonnor alliance feared by Dahl'Arak but never concretated- and the Hebonnor does have some mines wich give to the king some economical power, to hire dwarven mercenaries who fight as well, interested in the benefits for their city and business in the case of an eventual drow defeat. :3
They hired

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larqven In reply to Shabazik [2011-05-01 16:02:49 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! XD

Clearly, in the short term, the intelligence operation(s), the drow commander's eagerness to attack a withdrawing foe, the Hebonner familiarity with their home terrain and perhaps the weather played a role in the defeat of the first column of drow acolytes? Bad things might have happened to the random faces we saw in the column--like the young priestess in glasses?

Anyway, the events might work like this:

1. Drow and Hebonner forces trade skirmishes; King of the Hill orders an attack of fairly massive proportions against the drow lands of soldiers, militia, and mercenaries of maybe 12,000 against the drow forces of acolytes and mercenaries of maybe 2,500. Outnumbered by about 5 to 1, the commanding drow general retreats to fortifications. If this happened in the autumn, maybe some of the drow crop for the year was lost? Villages and fields (maybe a fortress or two?) might have been burned, and the council was angered by the losses? Maybe some reinforcements were sent, but even so, the drow general decided to let winter work in her favor and waited? Especially as she was still grossly outnumbered, and there was little to gain during the winter by rushing a battle?

2. After some months of the drow surface forces waiting out the siege during the winter, the council relieves the besieged general of her command, and dispatches an army of 2,000 acolytes to break the siege(s) with the coming of spring? This is the column that Neroe would "join" in making her escape from the Underground?

3. The new general is under orders to make things happen fast; particularly so spring planting can occur? Her new army joins up with the surface army and garrison of the fortress(es). 2,000 drow acolytes joining up with about 2,500 - 4,500 acolytes and mercenaries? Some of the Hebonner mercenary and militia companies might have been sent home during the winter months, soldiers and militia dropping out due to disease, hunger and some desertions. Hebonner forces are now at 9,000.

4. The reception of the intelligence report (represented by this pic) gives the King of the Hill an idea of the number of drow on the surface about to be joined by the new army column. It is decided to withdraw, the withdrawal occurs approximately while the drow relief column makes it to the surface gate. Maybe 6,000 drow acolytes and mercenaries chase after the 9,000 Hebonner forces hoping for a decisive battle, reasoning that their far superior skill has eliminated the remaining numerical advantage of the enemy?

5. The Hebonner forces wheel about and prepare an ambush? The resulting battle results in a serious drow loss. The battered drow army retreats back to the fortress(es)?

6. The council is aghast. The Populist forces arrange to assign general Dahl'Arak and most remaining reserve Senatorial officers to the surface front. General Dahl'Arak is a good choice in that she has surface experience, it also serves the Populist forces in getting the powerful general out of the way of the prospective coup?

Timing is a bit hazy here, even though I imagine that events proceeded quite quickly. Dahl'Arak would have been ordered to go to the front and she was preparing her army to do that when she met up with Captain Lo'Kee, the Lieutenant, her daughter Laeh'le, and Maylara. If the defeat happened, and word had just gotten back to Negeemiliel, Maylara might have been in the Captain's dungeon for probably three weeks?!

Conversely, General Dahl'Arak might have ALREADY been assigned to take an army to the surface? The first column with Neroe would have left with its commanding general, with Dahl'Arak leaving with the second column maybe ten or so days later? This way, General Dahl'Arak would have been on duty, making preperations to leave Negeemiliel when she encountered Maylara with Maylara being in the Captain's custody for only several days?

7. General Dahl'Arak would have arrived on the surface maybe ten days or two weeks after the arrival of the first column with another 2,000 drow acolytes if she were leading a planned second wave? If she were leading an emergency force of reinforcements, she might be arriving maybe a month later with 3,000 to 4,000 acolytes and mercenaries?

8. Either way, Dahl'Arak has much to do. She reorganizes the beaten surface army and garrison so she can go on the offensive. She takes her time so she might well have received additional reinforcements even if she left Negeemiliel before word of the defeat reached the subterranean drow city?

9. Flush with victory, the King of the Hill has renewed his forces and has 15,000 soldiers, mercenaries, militia and allies at his service. Forgoing caution or organizing his forces he rushes to block any new incursion into his territory, and perhaps to ravage drow lands again for the year. He is also rushing to link up with the Nortunk dwarves? Dahl'Arak engages him with her army of far better trained and organized troops of 6,000. The troops hidden in the woods on the slopes leaves only the core of her army visible, so it looks even smaller than it actually is.

10. The King of the Hill thinks that he has the drow army outnumbered by at least three to one. He succumbs to the temptation to smash the army with a series of charges from his much larger one. Perhaps 5,000 of his troops either withdraw early or break through the encirclement--but the remaining 10,000 troops are killed or captured by the drow.

We are left with the fate of Neroe. Neroe had become part of the King's staff in one way or the other. She might have been on the field with him (she was a fighter after all), or back in the encampment? Neroe may well have been still back in the capital, or even allowed to go home? Given the need for interpreters, (and soldiers!) she might not have been far from the battle? She might have been part of another intelligence mission?

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Shabazik In reply to larqven [2011-05-01 16:14:08 +0000 UTC]

Well:
First of all, I decided to do a change in something:

The regiment that Neroe followed was one of dahl'Arak army, or a reinforcement after the defeat of the second army: I decided this because of times: These where days or weeks, between Neroe leaving the column, and Dahl'Arak going to the front: too few time, for news of this era to travel, gather other army, and march there!

remember: that column where Neroe march was 2.000-3000 acolytes strong, and Dahlie's armie, 6.000... so is possible they marched in two or more groups. :3

The war happened between 2 years, more or less, and If I didn't changed that point (making the column of Neroe, or late reinforces, or the first troops of Dahl'Arak going to the surface, everybody else is very close to what happened! )

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larqven In reply to Shabazik [2011-05-02 05:22:10 +0000 UTC]

Ok, thanks! X3

There seemed to be a lot of confidence and smiles with that first column. It would make sense that they were confident if they were going as merely the first part of a mightier host. On the other hand, going to the front as a result of a withdrawal, followed up by a serious defeat ought to have been sobering?

Still, the defeat of the drow at the battle of High Gadolinia probably wasn't one of annihilation, presumably even a serious defeat and loss of drow to winter might have left half to return? Dahl'Arak would have had something to work with in addition to her own forces when she arrived?

Is the typical Negeemiliel "legion" of about 2,400 or 2,500 acolytes and mercenaries?

"Discretion is better part of Valor" general--she had about 2,500 soldiers to work with? She retained most of her force by not fighting direct confrontations--though it is entirely possible that she lost some troops due to loss of patrols, sieges, etc. She MUST have received some significant reinforcements of another whole legion giving her about 4500 soldiers? Otherwise, it doesn't make sense for her to be disgraced when she was so severely outnumbered?

"Battle of High Gadolinia" general relieved the disgraced general. She was under pressure to break the siege and she wanted to get Senatorial forces back home quickly. She too, probably arrived with most of another legion, and wanted to put this now reasonably large army to good use as her forces were probably at 6,500 considering perhaps two hundred more lost due to attrition?

King of the Hill or his commanders aren't complete idiots. The winter siege, privation, disease, logistics, pay problems, have reduced the Hebonnor army down to 9,000 from 15,000. The balance of power has clearly shifted and so they abandon the siege and head for home rather quickly. They were likely warned ahead of time of the arrival of this third legion by their spy missions and left before the drow could link up and reorganize under the new general?

The new drow general takes after the Hebonnor forces wanting to get a decisive battle as she wants to take elements of the army home quickly. The accolades of a victory would have been nice for her as well. She may have had 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers leaving 500 to 1,500 soldiers behind to guard Negeemiliel lands, and garrison the fortress(es)? (I imagine that the main gate may well be the site of an enormous drow fortress? It would be a vast "clearing house" for goods coming to and from the underground and the surface?)

New drow general rushes after the Hebonner forces expecting an advantage of attacking them from behind. The Hebonnor forces prepare an ambush and the Battle of High Gadolinia results in decisive Hebonnor victory. While unaware of the specifics, it is probably safe to say that the drow suffered heavy to severe losses, particularly if the army got smashed enough that drow groups got lost and frozen, were hunted down by Hebonnor forces or local militias, and were dogged all the way back to their fortresses? Of the 6,500 drow soldiers, maybe there are 2,500 left? The other 4,000 being killed, captured, badly injured, missing in action, or mercenaries that left upon getting back to the gate?

General Dahl'Arak arrives with emergency reinforcements of about 4,500 soldiers in the two columns, giving her 7,000 soldiers to work with upon reorganization? 5,000 drow were part of this war who are now killed or badly injured, captured, frozen or lost, deserted, or have otherwise left due to attrition by leave, cancelled contracts for mercenary companies, or the few diseases that drow might suffer? Due to the need for prime troops, and the political manipulations, Dahl'Arak may have the army with greatest proportion of acolytes? The previous mixes might have had a healthy number of mercenaries?

The loss of a few thousand acolytes represents an enormous loss for Negeemiliel given a "youth-time" of training and wealth in producing those acolytes! XO

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Shabazik In reply to larqven [2011-05-04 03:38:45 +0000 UTC]

The Drow Empire of Negeémiliel had 43.000 Acolytes -being all the citizen, female and adult-, organizated in 8 armies, a sacred number for the drows:

But as I have statted before, the acolytes actually serving military are far less: 8.100 Negeémi Acolytes (from 27.000 total, Without the priestess and sorceress exclusively designated to some temples, and etc, there are about to 7.000 "military" acolytes, divided in 5 "Armies" of 1.400 acolytes, more or less, each of them) so A Negeémi drow "army" is more a regiment or a brigade, not an army:

They are called "Armies" because they count as members non-active acolytes, raising their theorical number of effectives to 5.400 Acolytes, plus a variable number of mercenaries and auxiliaries that can be hired.

Aside from the 5 "metropolitan" armies, there are circa 16.000 more acolytes from smaller cities and colonies, and of them near 4.800 are "active" acolytes: They conformate 3 "colonial" armies as well of 1.400 "military" acolytes. :3

Now, now, a standing force of 11.200 acolytes is maybe skeletical for the needs of the Negeémi drow: You can add to them a force of mercenaries, normally under Negeémi service, making it near 20.000 troopers (around 8.000 mercenaries) and around 10.000 territorial soldiers (from militias to cities where the oligarchy isn't in acolytal ranks for one reason or other, as well "failed" acolytes, etc: a quite diverse group). So peace-time Negeémi army is around 15.000 - 30.000 troopers Peace time force, and in war time, with a movilization of Acolytes "in first reserve", war time Negeémi forces rise in 10.000 acolites, so to 25.000 - 50.000 troopers War time force .

One could add the forces of main allied/vassal states as Ched'Hirin and Ched'Nasan (who where Negeémi colonies who independizated and fall again to their influence, so they share the acolytal sistem with their particularities), who aportate a contingent of 5.500 and 6.000 respectively to Negeémi force (in peace and war) and Erehel-Cinu with other 3.000:

So:
NEGEÉMI EMPIRE; TOTAL FORCES:
PEACE TIME: 30.000 - 45.000 (8 Negeémi armies, mercenaries, Militias and 3 Allied armies)
WAR TIME: 40.000 - 65.000 (8 Negeémi armies, reserve, mercenaries, militias and 3 allied armies... even older Initiated can be called, increasing numbers of troopers).

SO, the size of a Negeémi army is variable, but it consist of a minimum of 1.400 active Acolytes serving their mandatory service, but is normal of them to reach 2.400-2.500 troopers, with acolytes who choose a military career and mercenaries.

In war time, these armies could increase drastically: to about 3.100 reaching 6.250 troopers, if one count as well the auxiliaries of the allied/vassal states a spider leg , one of the 8 Negeémi generals, can command as much as 5.000 - 8.000 soldiers.

Because of this, is rather difficult to evaluate the forces of Negeémiliel and from wich army they where part of:

"Discretion is better part of Valor" general then had a nominal force of around 2.500 soldiers, but in reality, her forces where larger in number but less impresionant: her acolytes where in underground cities mostly, and the surface defense was in the shoulders of militias, warriors and mercenaries... until the main forces of acolytes gathered as well... so I will say you asumptions in the rest of the campaign are pretty correct, except maybe in the fact there where less acolytes in the first armies and more of other groups of troopers, and that the Defeat of High Gadolinia was bad, but not a complete catastrophe: maybe she lost half of her forces there (2.000-3.000), and not all dead, but many who deserted or escaped, being Dahl'Arak able to get many of them:

Dahl'Arak, when she arrived, wasn't anymore with a peace time, but with a "war time" army, larger, and she had more time to prepare well her actions, being as well more familiar with the terrain of the surface. :3

But you are right as well that the loss of acolytes is something with a high value, not only economical, but political! !

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larqven In reply to Shabazik [2011-05-04 05:22:38 +0000 UTC]

"Discretion is better part of Valor" general had the peacetime number of 1,400 trained colonial acolytes, plus 1,100 militia and mercenary troops on hand when Hebonnor invaded? Much of the time she spent waiting would have been for the soldiers that she wss normally entitled to have in wartime to be activated and to arrive as they were called up? She might have had over 6,000 soldiers under her command when all the inactive soldiers she had under her command had arrived including newly hired mercenaries--minus soldiers lost in the invasion and siege(s)?

The general was waiting for winter to cull down the presence of the Hebonnor forces, while also struggling to raise the more mercenaries and militia to replace lost soldiers and to attack with well over 7,000 troops if possible? When she was replaced, the new general simply took command of the enlarged army without bringing any troops, and took after the departing Hebonnor army, which had shrunk from 12,000 to 9,000?

General Dahl'Arak had most of her allotted trained acolytes within days or a few weeks? Due largely to the alarm of the Battle of High Gadolinia, as well as her residence in Negeemiliel itself, and her family influence, calling them up, or having them assigned to her was not difficult. The two columns combined had about 5,000 soldiers, mostly acolytes, who joined up with about 4,000 able-bodied (or could be magically healed to be able-bodied?) acolytes, mercenaries, and militia of the previous army?

After the reorganization, Dahl'Arak would have left with 6,000 soldiers into Hebbonor, the remaining 3,000 remaining to guard Negeemiliel holdings--possibly under another general? It is also possible that Dahl'Arak may have had many more soldiers with her, but left some in reserve at her camp, some to protect the main army from the rear, in case some enemy outmaneuvering was planned and some to scout out the progress of the Nortunk dwarves? In that case, she might have had well over 7,000 soldiers in her army, nearly "topping" her off? Leaving 1,500 back to guard the gate, garrison the fortress(es) and perform patrols in Negeemilel's surface territory?

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Shabazik In reply to larqven [2011-05-08 02:27:00 +0000 UTC]

Yes: The first general waited to movilizate her forces, but she never had her whole army in service against the King of the Hill, as she allways needed to garrison other posts and settlements under her command :3

So the second general did bring reinforces, but not too numerous -maybe around 2.000-3.000-

But yeah: Dahl'Arak reinforces where about of 5.000 more troopers, so is very pausible you analysys of her campaign and division of forces. :3

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larqven In reply to Shabazik [2011-05-08 08:37:20 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! XD

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animal-delos [2011-04-30 04:26:08 +0000 UTC]

Hehe I see you used my idea of the thing to be said. XD And wow... drunken nobles, and obviously they didn't hear the rumors of a town in the middle of nowhere with no lord connection and yeah. XD It's the King of the Mountain!

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Shabazik In reply to animal-delos [2011-04-30 11:06:42 +0000 UTC]

Is the King of the Hill!! !!

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animal-delos In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 14:26:41 +0000 UTC]

Hehe, I remember that show. XD And I love that still "you mean you and your drow girlfriend?" priceless. XD

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Shabazik In reply to animal-delos [2011-04-30 14:36:08 +0000 UTC]

...what show? The name doesn't bell any ring for me (I suppose, as the shows that arrive here, come translated: Family Guy: Padre de familia, The Simpsons: Los Simpsons, etc )

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animal-delos In reply to Shabazik [2011-05-01 05:25:43 +0000 UTC]

The show "King of the Hill" XD, propane!!!

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Shabazik In reply to animal-delos [2011-05-01 10:43:04 +0000 UTC]

....

nop

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doomie220 [2011-04-30 02:16:16 +0000 UTC]

I'm guessing that's that girl with black hair on top of them kneeling elf looks like an orc!

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Shabazik In reply to doomie220 [2011-04-30 03:34:50 +0000 UTC]

She had Galaw orc ancestors, so it can count as half-orc or half-elf, I suppose :3

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sordcooper2 [2011-04-30 01:43:25 +0000 UTC]

hm... bit of an odd company that this king keeps, also, how dose he know if she's a surf? not every peasant in the land is... well bound to the land

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Shabazik In reply to sordcooper2 [2011-04-30 01:53:15 +0000 UTC]

She is a serf, because HE decided she was a serf XD

I really doubt he care, he just want a translator of Negeémi drow, and is his excuse to retain her

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sordcooper2 In reply to Shabazik [2011-04-30 02:11:10 +0000 UTC]

ah, well whatever gets the job done, and keeps her out of the gallows i suppose

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Shabazik In reply to sordcooper2 [2011-04-30 03:31:35 +0000 UTC]

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