The Slaughter at San'Velku

[Monkee 7356]

The Slaughter at San'Velku

Spoiler

 

"Damn the gates - push forward!" - Vyllaenen

 

Drums echoed through the morning mists of the Hinterlands, calling forth soldiers from their tents. In a rush, they grabbed their weapons and armor, strapping the plates of steel to their forms even as they assembled into ranks. For too long had the Horde offered taunts from atop their parapets, shielded from the men and women of Malin'or. If they would not emerge, then the Elves would occupy the rest of their lands.

 

In neat order, the assembled forces began their northern march. The Elven soldiers of Malin'or were joined by their elite mercenary allies from Blackvale and the Ferrymen; the resulting army was a veritable terror to all it would cross. Through forest and plain they advanced, coming soon upon the jungles of Krugmar. There, the column broke apart, spreading through the foliage to take up positions and hold the road. Skirmishers were sent forward under the command of Vyllaenen, Princess Ivarielle, and Andronikos Mareno. They were not to be left unchallenged.

 

Lo - at the same time, the Horde rallied their warriors to San'Velku. Orcs of Krugmar, Hyptosians, Haelun'orians, Norlanders, and a myriad of mercenaries assembled beneath their golden banner. Opening their gates, they surged forth to confront the invading Elven army. Their forces were evenly matched; that day, each army comprised roughly 4,400 soldiers.

 

For the umpteenth time, arrows snapped and whizzed through the humid jungle air outside San'Velku. Growing impatient from Elven accuracy, the Horde charged to confront their assailers with all the cries of war. Steel crashed, muffling the screams and groans of the wounded and dying. Bit by bit, the Malinorian skirmishers gave ground against the Horde, suffering losses as the fight traveled further down the road. In short order, the trap was sprung; the main force of Malinorians, Blackvale, and Ferrymen sprung forth from the dense jungle. Led by High Prince Vytrek Tundrak and Captain Mihaly of Blackvale, they cleaved their way through the Orcish column, forcing hundreds of their foes from the road - only to cut them off and cut them down. A great many drowned in the nearby swamp during their attempted flee.

 

The Malinorians pursued the Horde all the way back to the bridge at San'Velku. While High Prince Vytrek ordered for them to halt, fearing defenses upon the bridge and the severing of their army by the gates of San'Velku, a Mali'ker lieutenant by the name of Vyllaenen called for a charge. Momentum carried the Elves forth at their foes' heels, and at Vyllaenen's direction, they stormed the gates of San'Velku before the Horde could manage to close them. The Orcish city descended into chaos. All throughout the square, both armies traded blows; the battle devolved into a general melee. Bit by bit, the Horde was cut down; by the time the crash of steel gave way to the groans of the wounded, the entire army of Orcs, Hyptosians, Norlanders, Haelun'orians, and their mercenaries had been slaughtered - their bodies stacked high in their own square.

 

While all 4,400 of the Horde had fallen, only 400 Malinorians had lost their lives in the fighting; it was a decisive victory, even despite the Orcish defenses.

 

Triumphant, the Malinorians returned home with captives to execute.

[Ryanark 1946]

Hannes departed from the battlefield, bag of orc tusks and pillaged loot in tow over his shoulder. Whistling and humming along the way back home, "... Landsknecht Voran..!"