Battle of Erýaz

Belligerents	
Za'ah 	
Vidstos
Commanders 	
Za'fah Eze'leah Yah'ja'wah Devayani
Ni'za Va'yara
Ni'za Ma'gaz† 
Vez Ka'thayr
Vez Mu'roz
Vez So'raz
Vez Hu'zah'thayr
Vez Maradi	
Wérgom Khazi Varedi
Karl Orumuth Castar† 
Heroth Nemaro
Jard Abeli
Mellak Sturoxi
Sigurth Urani
Strength 	40,000 + 41,000 reinforcements 	86,000
Losses 	16,492 	24,691
Result 	Victory 	Defeat
Consequences	Annexation of southern portion of Gates Kingdom, from Ragnokina river.	Retreat back across agreed peaceline.
Background
The war began in 299 after the Za'ahene army, either by a mistake or by design, came into open conflict with the Vidstossi at the Battle of Ragnokina, which the Za'ahenes insist was a minor skirmish initiated by the Vidstossi forces. The Za'ahene casus belli is officially to fight "rebellious elements inside the Gate Kingdom", while the war de-facto is fought against the Vidstossi army. Following Ragnokina, the Za'ahene army advanced south of the river Rodmukina, where a massive army of the Gate King Khazi had amassed.
The Scorched Earth tactic
The Za'ahenes began to employ terror tactics unheard of since Loving Embrace, burning down towns and crops and forests(!), salting the soil, filling wells and brooks and water reservoirs with carcasses of men, women, infants, wild and tame animals, livestock. A large region of the Gate Kingdom was devastated, with no living things apart from rats, ravens and flies as far as the eyes could see, and piles of skeletons and skulls strown around the ruins. A nightmare landscape of hell.
The Vidstossi march south
The march of the main Vidstos Army is slow but steady, reliant on food support from the north. Sending away a scout team down into the woods, the woodlands of the Haddadi are retaken. A large area is retaken and a gruesome revenge is taken on the Za'ahene rear commandos captured by the Vidstos. At the Battle of Mellacar, over 2000 Za'ahene Ya'zi and Ar'yah are surrounded by the companion cavalry and dispersed, most of them being killed. No prisoners are taken.
The Za'ahene army takes a last stand
At the southern portions of the regions, the Za'ahenes have set up a base camp. The mobile forts of the Vidstossi army are also set up, and the Battle can begin.
Both armies are placing up their detachments on the opposite sides of the Brook of Egnok...
Vidstossi Reinforcements
Three thousand noble cavalrymen are appearing from the west as reinforcements.
Za'ahene retreats
The Za'ahenes are retreating to the south and widening their lines, most likely to not be outflanked.
Za'ahene assault over the river
Two thousand Auxiliaries to the Za'ahenes are appearing from the sheep-herding folks of the north-eastern satrapy. They are storming over the Brook of Egnok towards the nearest Vidstossi fort.
 
Awesome speeches
The Wérgóm Khazi I of the Gate Kingdom is assembling his bodyguards, officers and trusted friends, and holding a speech for them.
 "Sons of Risante and Rodmuth! I hail thee, oh warriors of the Vidstos blood! Before the sun sets, we shall bring glorious victory to this field of battle, and when the dawn comes forth, we will rejoice that the blood that has flowed will rejuvenerate the land, so the next spring can become one of plenty and abundance! The false gods of the Devajani are cowards, as they cower behind their black spears, and today we will break those spears! Friends and brothers, today we will conquer like wolves!"
On the Za'ahene side, Ni'za Ma'gaz is assembling officers from the corps, múza'ni and ni'zi around her, looking at them with her pale eyes before her black tongue starts to hiss.
 "Thou shall know that the Ar'yah and the Vez'yah are never yielding and never running, and will cut out their own hearts on the orders of their commanders. We are embodying, at this moment the armoured black fist of the Lords of Abundance and Splendour. The God Children are relying on our conviction, and may their strength bless thy victorious arms. Thou shall know many will die, and will enter the Realm of the Mú. When thy do that, bring thy gifts to the spirits of the beyond-world, so they shall feast on blonde flesh tonight!"
The Vidstos are marching south
The massive Vidstos army starts to move south in a slow but steady advance, war horns blowing and drumsticks echoing over foreboding drums. As they advance, the afternoon sky offers a beautiful sight of the golden sun beaming its rays over clouds in gold, red and purple. The moon is visible on the sky as well, though its not night, and a small crescent of sun fire is coronating the rocky celestial body.
The Za'ahenes are tightening their lines
The Za'ahenes are tightening their lines and preparing for the inevitable collision. They are completely silent, their black serpent banners waving in the wind. Their left flank is rotating slightly south, forming a defensive position. Nevertheless, their line is weak there.
The auxiliaries are moving north.
Overall impression
The Vidstossi priest Karól Hathar is present on the hill of Athal and writing a chronicle of the battle of Erýas.
==The Vidstossi redeployments==
The Vidstos Army is redeploying and placing itself in battle order, some units placing themselves over the forest remnant. The army is awaiting further orders.
==Za'ahene movements==
The Za'ahenes make a reconaissance move with the chariots and widen their right flank.
==The Vidstos army is crossing the river==
The Vidstos march is taken up again, horns are blowing, drums are beating and the banners of the karldom are fluttering in the air. The sky is turning red, crowned with golden-purple clouds as the sun sets in the west, something which is interpreted as a good sign by the Vidstossi seers.
==Za'ahene chariot attack is repelled==
The Za'ahenes attack with their chariots as the massive army is crossing the river, trying to nibble at the flank. But the spearmen of the Vidstos are using throwing spears with burning whale oil, which proves devastating to the Za'ahene chariots. Over 100 chariots are destroyed, and the crews are overwhelmed and killed. Amongst the dead is Ni'za Ma'gaz, a female Za'ahene commander, and vice commander of the entire Za'ahene army.
==The fighting on the Vidstossi right flank==
The Vidstos are making a massive offensive against the weaker Za'ahene left flank, which yields land and turn inwards. Losses are yet impossible to measure, as the Ar'yah are with-standing repeated attacks by Vidstossi spearmen. It looks very well like the entire Za'ahene army might be rolled up, and that victory will belong to the Gate Kingdom.
===The West Flank==
On the West Flank, the Za'ahene Army is withdrawing to a line which cannot as easily be outflanked. Heavy fighting is occurring there as the Vidstos mount several assaults with spearmen and their noble cavalry. The noble cavalry tries to outflank the Ar'yah, but are repelled when the Ar'yah crouch down and slice off the tendons - and feet - of the horses with their spears. The light cavalrymen are thrown off their horses and forced to retreat and regroup. Another outflanking attempt is made, but also repelled. However, these maneuvers start to take a toll on the lines of the Ar'yah, which are thinned for every assault.
Karl Oromuth of Haus Castar is dismounted from his steed and crushes his thigh under the weight of the horse. However, he fights back with his spear and disembowels an Ar'i and wounds another with a copper dagger before having his head cut off and mounted on a Za'ahene banner. Oromuth Hastar was 26 years old, and married to his distant relative Birgis Haddadi. Together, they have two sons, Oromuth (Cool and Salmuth (5), and three daughters. He had during this campaign alone slain 27 Ar'yah, and his father was a war hero in the war against Melcheezior.
Above the cavalry, the spearmen are attacking the Ar'yah in disciplined lines, and are not breaking so easily any more. However, the Ar'yah respond by directly fighting against them, leading to carnage never before seen in the world. During just an hour, thousands die screaming. The burnt grass on the battlefield is flowing with blood under the evening sky where the first stars start to twinkle. The star formation known as the Kraken is clearly visible in the night sky, the Red Eye glimmering amongst the 200 stars. The moving star known by the Vidstos as Ahar had arisen in the east.
As the night progresses, the Vidstos formations are moving forward, pressing the increasingly thin Ar'yah further east, while parts of the centre amongst the Za'ahenes are transferred to the west flank.
==The Centre==
The Vidstos forces on the centre are attacking the Za'ahene centre, which shifts to a south-west, north-east axis to support the Za'ahene advance in the east. The disciplined spearmen, the Hastur, are facing off with the heavily armed Vez'yah troops. A massive carnage occurs, but the spearmen stand their ground and blows to deliver more showers of spears, while themselves being bombarded by Za'ahene arrows, covered in frog poison that leads to paralysis.
==The East==
The Za'ahenes make a general move towards the east, marching silently forward, passing by the burnt-out wrecks of lost chariots. They fall upon the east flank of the Vidstos army, pressing forward. Fire is lighting up the battlefield as the Vidstossi spear throwers are fighting with whale oil spears. The Ar'yah are suffering a total of nearly 1000 men in losses before they make contact, and start to slaughter the spearmen in close combat. Khazi's exercises have made success, and the Vidstossi spearmen do not break and run but stand their ground fighting back, despite numerous losses.
==Za'fah Devayani's forces arrive==
A Vidstos cavalryman is reporting to the new commander of the companion cavalry that he has noticed Za'ahene banners on the top of the 75 metre hill. It is soon confirmed that at least 6000 ar'yah have arrived from the south, on the rear of the Vidstos army. Soon, more reports are coming in, that a total of 40.000 Ar'yah - a wholly new Za'ahene Army, has arrived from the south-west, marching from south of the river, consisting of the forces used to besiege Haddad, as well as Za'ahene garrisons in the south. This new army is led by none other than Za'fah Eze'leah Yah'ja'wah Devayani. Their banners are crowned with eagle-winged goddesses kneeling at the top, holding the sun and the moon on their shoulders.
==the west flank==
The Za'ahenes continues their withdrawal, and move more troops from the centre to reinforce the west flank. The Vidstos are despite the reinforcements pressing forward, and over 6500 people are killed here as two Za'ahene units break apart. No prisoners are taken.
A part of the Vidstossi west flank is forming an additional army to halt Za'fah Devayani's forces. This force meets together with Za'fah's forces in a mini-battle, and the Vidstossi forces are enduring terrible losses while Za'fah's army are moving to crush them. Despite this, the Vidstos are standing their ground.
From the south, 10.000 Za'ahenes attack in two columns from the south, one attacking the force holding Za'fah Devayani back, the other moving towards the rear of the units pressing forward against the Za'ahene west flank-
The Centre
The Vidstos are moving forces from their centre to meet Za'fah's forces coming from the north-west. The units drawn from battle are those most affected by the fighting, and they are an easy match for the Ar'yah moving over Egnok. Over 5000 of them are killed, but the remnant are fighting on under the leader of a farmer from Sturoana named Jorl the Farmer.
The East flank
The Za'ahenes attempt to outflank the Vidstos, but employing whale oil, the Vidstos turn the remainder of the ground into an inferno, giving the Za'ahenes massive losses in the chaos of battle and breaking the Za'ahene offensive, despite taking heavy losses themselves. The Vidstos East flank is saved, and some Gár units even make a breakthrough.
Egnok turns crimson
It starts to rain a soft rain as a sheet of mist drags over the battlefield. When the moon is shining bright, it stands clear that the ground is completely covered with corpses. Already over 15.000 dead and mounting, the Egnok Brook has turned crimson. Screams are echoing throughout the field. The Vidstossis, facing encirclement and final defeat, retreat the battlefield with 60 thousand men alive rather than face being annihilated.Category:BattlesCategory:Za'ahCategory:VidstosCategory:EmpiresCategory:History