A Response to an Incompetent Academic

[SaltAlt 606]

 

A Response to an Incompetent Academic

A demonstration of gross error

( @lev @EdwardM )

 

Spoiler

 

 

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To synthesize your thesis, you believe that the Nordish people are comprised of excessive zeal tempered by insufficient discipline. To substantiate this claim you offer no examples or evidence of Nordish routs in battle. Your chief conflict which masquerades as evidence being the Avar conflict. A war occurring centuries ago. Let us for the sake of history examine the happenings therein from our perspective as well as yours.

 

The battle of the whale comprised of the Nortruppen led by Thomas Eiriksson Ruric in the name of his father, the incumbent Earl of Ostavar Sven Eiriksson Ruric. In addition the skilled men of the dreadlands marched with there as well. Bearing the gleaming gold leafed cuirass of the finest warriors ever to grace the mortal realms.

 

It was these men, who hearing of Thomas's desperately foolhardy mission to plea his Father's case before the Emperor set out to save him. Knowing the heart of their prior liege. Hearing his screams as he was brutally tortured within the depths of the Emperor's own castle they descended. Without thought to life or limb. Four warriors crashed the palace gates. Their coming heralded by smoke and flame. There they slew every man who drew blade. Causing the Emperor to flee (as he would do many more times) leaving his men, outnumbering the foe ten to one. To die. It was this great outrage that sparked the ire of Sven. That his heir had been abused so after many tired and thankless years of service. Thus it was war.

 

Yet the Empire of Vailor was not the monolith its scholars pretend it to be. The majority of its levies being offered by minor  houses. Namely Ruric and Staunton. For none of the more favoured vassals could match them in rally. There Thomas, knowing the heart of the Haensemen, who had unjustly raided his home whilst he was a vassal. To no response, reprimand or justice from the Emperor (a common theme perhaps?). Sailed to Courland, to break bread and make words with a man who by vassals duty should have killed him on sight. There he met the High Staunton. And [vege] knowing the fate that was to come on his people, unfavoured as he was vowed to sail with the sons of Avar.

 

On the day of the whale that oath was broken. The word of every Staunton from that day until the final day made ash and smoke in the eyes of the Nordish. Outnumbered beyond the counting still the Nordish charged. Beating back the levies of their oppressors. The deadly skill of the Dreadmen playing out countless times that day. As they stood, bruised, exhausted, wounded to the point of collapse. Then came the Nauzican. Breaking the lines and slaughtering the survivors. Having waited past the real fighting and dying. 

 

Some few survivors returned to Seahelm. And so that city was burned. Countless women and children put to the sword. Where was the cowardice of our people here good professor. Where was our rout at the breaking of the wild charge. The nortruppen a unit almost excessively drilled and disciplined. But I digress. Let us look to other Nordish conflicts perhaps we can find what you seek there.

 

Yes, let us then speak of the Krag. That great bastion broken only by internal strife as it was invaded for the third time. Its lords renouncing the All Father. Clearly its fall was a punishment from the divine. Perhaps Ruriksgrad or Nordengrad? The records hold of a vicious defence with the wholesale slaughter of an entire generation of our people. Yet the Nordish stood. The Nordish fought. And the Nordish died. Again no signs of rout. Perhaps if you spent less time absorbed in your own self aggrandisement you would study all sources of the history and people whom you seek to analyze and criticize. 

 

Let us then speak of the Dragons war. That great meaningless conflict. Spilling so much blood so that nothing yet everything could change. But the post war decline of Renatus or Cascadia is a discussion for another time. Rather, let us engage in the war itself. When the rebel Emperor of Marna stood seeking to take by pen what had been gotten by sword. All these opportunistic vassals fled the banner of their liege. The pathetic nay, the womanly act of Antonidus, 'releasing' his vassals after he had been deposed by his own privy. A pathetic legal facade. Yet once more the Nordish stood resolute. Outnumbered, facing almost certain defeat we alone held to our oaths. And after the first battle of the bridge. Proceeded to smash these vaunted 'Imperials' you now fellate over and over in service of our Renatian lords. When these 'imperials', consorted with the dark alf to bypass our defences. Sieging Helena directly. We stood beside our Renatian brothers in arms, along with the valiant high alf and orkin. There we shed blood, defending another's city with our very lives. Not a soul broke. Several of our own were named heroes of the realm you've now inherited. Namely one elderly Keeper Amice and a young Freysson. He who stood amongst the final four, having slaughtered the invaders back to back with his countryman, before the old man was knocked unconscious. We stood, we fought, we died, we won.

 

Beyond this, for some reason you contrast us and the half-men with the armies of Kaedrin. A martial people certainly. But a proper Kaedrin nation prior to the current iteration has not existed for some centuries now. And have engaged in no real campaigns of note for a similar length of time. We've no ill will for the modern Kaedreni but they remain untested and unproven in war. To choose them over the Renatian as the pinnacle of warfare is an exercise not only in historical revisionism but in grand delusion. 

 

You embarrass yourself with your faulty, clearly partisan scholarship. And should be ashamed. Your claims sourced from nothing more than biased anecdote. Your conclusions are what you wish them to be rather than what is. The Nordish people served the Renatian empire with noted decoration. And once we had done our duty we departed. Hoping to find a long pursued reprieve from endless heartland nay, from 'imperial' wars. 

 

Were you a properly read scholar you would have cited the Nordish of the 18 year war period. One of the more primitive periods wherein they served as coastal raiders against Imperial settlements along the northern coast of the southern continent. Even then your conclusion would remain false.

 

The Nordish are an ancient people. Of the extant houses and peoples. It is we who have persevered the centuries. Never fleeing to misted continents, always reforming. As a people the Nordish are passionate beyond measure. Their philosophy dictating they live life rather than merely exist in the fashion of livestock waiting to be culled by death. More oft than naught this obstinate, uncompromising passion had led to their folly. Alienating allies, engaging with foes far more numerous. Yet to be 'less than women' to as you insinuate be cowards should they fail the first clash. Slanderous and untrue. Even in the eyes of our innumerable foes and detractors. 

 

Retract your thesis. You embarrassment to the historian's craft.

 

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To the Esteemed Gentlemen of the Imperial Academy 

 

It seems by unfortunate error a buffoon has taken up residence in your organization. His credentials surely mistaken, or perhaps he has ventured beyond his realm of expertise. I, an amateur scholar hope to see this individual reprimanded if not expulsed. Lest the quality of his publications reflect upon the esteem of you and your organization. With the embarrassing display of Sergius, in submitting so totally to a nonhuman. Let us not further degrade the reputation of man in academia.

 

Yours truly,

 

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Penned by

Godric of Mordsgrad, occasionally reader of history books