An oral history of the great Demon war

An oral history of the great Demon war

1820-1824

Most of these accounts are from stories told during the Eve of konets, and after action reports.

In 1819 the Prushland and Mercia territories where extended 100 miles south to gain control of a river that could open up industry in the regions. Over the months, hundreds of settlers raced to the river in order to stake their clams on the land. Unknown to the settlers the land already had owners.

-= The marlin massacre=-

1819 just north of the river

“Grab your rifle” yelled Lothar Marlin. The shrubs on the hill overlooking the camp were moving. Lothar quickly shouldered his rifle and started to walk up the sandy hill side. His son Sebastian followed closely. There wagon needed repairs and the sun was lowering and the shadows started to grow. Lothar’s wife Wilma stayed with the wagon. Lothar was hoping that whatever was in the weeds and shrubs was tasty.

The two men slowly walked up to the shrub.  Sebastian was the first to shoot into the bush, followed by his father.  After the smoke cleared and a newly slain chanka. On further review the chanka had a long spear sticking out of its body. The Marlin family didn’t pay much heed to the spear in the chanka. Until the hunters came to calm there kill.

After the fire was put out and Sebastian and his mother slept, Lothar stood watch. It was a dark night. The cold wind brushed the tall grass from side to side. The grass hid the Vibranni hunting party. A tall black shape stood up just yards in front of Lothar. He was so frightened he pointed his rifle and fired. The Vibranni fell like a sack of potatoes.  Then to his left a scream howled.

-=Outpost 295=-

1821 Demon war, Province of Prushland

Sargent Wakwal of the 3rd regiment, 10^th Prushland levy surveyed the waves of grass across the meadow.  He lost twelve men last night and he feared, tonight might be the same.  The sun was about to dip behind the hills in front of him. He had about 20 minutes of light left before the onslaught would begin. 

Private Vonvick’s leg wouldn’t stop shaking. After last night, he was nervous all day, and now with night approaching all he could do was hope for a quick night. “To the wall!” yelled sergeant Wakwal. VonVick has been in “outpost 295” since it was built. By the way, he and the other 121 members built this ram shackle, dirt walled fort. “GET THE HELL UP TO THE WALL, PRIVATE!” screamed Sargent Wakwal. VonVick dropped his musket, and hoped up to attention!  Sargent Wakwal just looked at Vonvick.

 Viscount Rockkem pulled the cloth covering open on his dirt walled shied. He spent the whole day looking over plans and forms.  He was down twelve men yesterday.  As a whole he has lost 94 men over the month that he was sent here. It was almost like Dalaerum set him up for failure. He sent out runners to find the other regiments in the area, but no one returned. He walked out, just as the sun disappeared. Outpost 295 was like a ghost town. He had lost so many men he had to pull back his lines; all that separated the regiment was a dirt brick wall. The outpost was formed into a triangle; outside of the wall was no man land after dark. It was strange to look out from the wall; a week ago the battle field was his camp. All of the dirt buildings had wooden spears jammed in them. 

The 27 men of the 3rd regiment readied themselves.  Captain Wills bowed to Viscount Rockkem, “Sir, the men are ready. We only have 3 rounds of shot per man, when sir will we get more ammo?” Rockkem walked right by the captain. Sargent Wakwal quickly bowed. “Sir!” Sargent wakwal shouted. VonVick’s whole arm was shaking violently, and it wasn’t just him. Half of the men had some form of nerviest tick. The man next to him, Coners, kept playing with his watch.  It was a constant unnerving click. Click! There was movement just outside the old camp. Click! The men behind Sargent Wakwal started to shout about shadows. Click! Viscount Rockkem turned around quickly, but saw nothing. Click! The first musket opened fire. VonVick gripped his musket and ducked his head.  All around him shots rang out. But the only thing VonVick heard, or didn’t hear, was the sound of that pocket watch. He looked to the left and saw the limp body of Coners with a wooden shaft skewered into his head and out his stomach.

“Fire!” Sargent Wakwal shrieked but at what? The enemy hid in the shadows. It was an outright massacre. Viscount Rockkem struggled to move across the ground. He had been struck. A carved shaft crammed in to his groin and exited out his thigh. He made it to the dirt shied, but blacked out. Sargent Wakwal now was trying to rally the last of his men, but this was it. There were only five to eight men able to fight, and between them they had a handful of rounds to fire. Wakwal ran towards the closest shelter, the viscount’s house would do. Wakwal and the handful of men stepped over the body of rockkem, and into the room. Now there were four men huddled inside the dirt walled building. All around shadows danced about the camp. Wakwal sat in front of the opening. The other four men pointed there muskets to the door, waiting for anything that happened to poke its head in.  It never came.

Sir Huber of the 2nd troop of the 8th imperial Cavalry clan and his steed Odercon rode over the hill overlooking the meadow.  Three weeks ago the lord commander recalled all of the forces in the area, but the 3rd regiment, 10^th Prushland levy never made it back. Now Sir Humber had to play baby sitter, and bring them in. The war chankas galloped awkwardly across the field towards the outpost. At first Huber thought that the solders in the outpost were lazy and hadn’t started their daily routines. Prushland troops were known for being sluggish. But once they entered the camp they were stunned. Bodies lay across earthworks and spears laid everywhere. Sir Huber looked at the mess, all that came into his mind was, if real Prush troops were here this would have bine different.

vonvick’s eyes opened, he passed out and a dead trooper hid him from the attackers. He rose up on his shaky legs and looked around. Everyone was dead. His entire regiment was dead. “Over here, we have a live one!” yelled a man on a chanka, another galloped over to VonVick. “What happened here?!” bellowed Sir Huber. VonVick couldn’t form a sentence. He just stumbled over a body and just sat down on a box and started to shake.

After the men of the 3rd regiment, 10^th Prushland levy we found at their ruined out post. Most of the men were sent home. The strategy of static defense was a major snafu for the Prush leadership.

-=knife Ear campaign=-

1823 Demon war, Mercia territories

“For every ear I give you a Mark!”- Unknown officer

The flood of blue and red coats ran across the tall grass fields, the last remaining Demon stragglers trudged across the river. The demons had been on the run for days now. Ever since there camp was found by a hot air balloon they have been hunted like animals. Most of the braves died in the first encounter, their ears sliced off and warn as trophies by some of the diehard Prushland levys.  

The 12^th Mercia volunteers and the 9^th Prushland levys were the first units to reach the river that day. These reports are from the following troops that meet them.

“We came out of the tall grass to find a massacre. Not our troops, but demons died by the droves. We weren’t the first at the banks there were already men shooting and clubbing the demons in the river, it was like a scene out of early histories of Prush. The river ran red and the demon bodies started to wash up on the rocks. Some of the men grabbed the bodies and started taking the dead demons ears. Personally I didn’t take any on a count I lost my knife in the grass.”- Pvt Rupert Von Hess, 8^th Outerford rifles.

“I made a year’s pay that day! I filled three lines of ears all off of wash ups. Sadly I didn’t get to waste any powder on the demons on the other side of the river on a count of our officer worrying about counter attacks. But there was nothing later that day, Or any day after that.”  Otto Vans, Volunteer

“I was on that bank for five seconds, once I saw what was happening I wanted my men orderly, that bank was chaos.  I moved my section down the river away to look out for counter attacks. From up the river you could hear guns going off and the screams of our men. I thought there was still combat happening so I sent scouts up the banks. When they reported I was horrified, our troops were fighting each other over ears of the dead demons. Captain Lan Zander, 193^rd Prushland levys.  

Victory over the demons

1824 Dalaerum

Emperor Robert Craston Vonkresser held a victory dinner once he heard that the armies had pushed the demons past the river. The dinner lasted for three days and an impromptu victory parade ended the festivities. A week later, once the Lord Commanders made their way back to the imperial palace the Emperor named the two territories as provinces and named there governors.

Soon after the provinces wide peace was achieved the emperor himself visited the border troops and the newly found town of Emperor Town in Prushland.

The spoils of war

1830 Prushland

On the banks of the newly named “Demon river” mill building sprouted up like weeds. And in the year after the war all sorts of goods left Prushland and powered the Empire forward into the future!