Bushido

The April sun beats down on Ightayos. O'er the grassy hills, a swath of red.

"By the scrote of Hephaestus!" cries the watchman, "Alert the Governor! Manly Beach is under attack!"

A footman rushes to the Governor's mansion with the ill news. The watchman returns to his post and assesses the oncoming army. From what he can see they are all swordsmen, wearing scarlet cloaks, approximately two-hundred-and-fifty strong. On their breastplates is the seal for Cabti, a thusfar dormant city from across the island ruled by King Elvang.

"Hera's beard!" exclaims the Governor. Manly Beach was primarily a marble-mining colony, with only a handful of soldiers (re: seven) employed to test out new weapons-technology. These brave souls rush to Manly's walls without hesitation despite their doom, while Manly's governor does her best to keep her people (and her loot) safe. She sends a spy to Cabti.

The Manly civilians bar themselves underground or hole up in the mines. By Governor's orders, the Warehouse is emptied of all goods save for what can be stored in its secure vaults. As the sword-horde scales Manly's walls, an armada of trade-ships leaves the colony's port. They head for the capital city of Rybastillapussy, hulls brimming with emergency cargo, crewmen bearing a message for King Anthony.

"Holy humpin' Hydras!" screams King Anthony. He never heard of such an army, nor can he guess how a traditionally diverse force as his own would fare against it. He sends all of Rybastillapussy's troops to Manly, issues a naval blockade for Cabti (whose fleet is sparse, according to the Spy), accelerates the draft, and orders Manly to focus on military production.

The capital's army arrive at Manly. Of the native garrison, a lone Archer survived the swordsmen's pillaging. Soldier to soldier, the Archer reports to the Rybastillapussian General.

“They fight unlike any warrior I’ve seen,” says the Archer. Along with their extreme physical ability, the Cabti Swordsmen engage in psychological battle. They cleave Phalanx shields in twain, taunt archers to empty their quills, blocking every arrow with a deft slice before charging in for the kill. “They did also this thing where about ten of them sit on each others’ shoulders and hold their swords out. And then they spin around like this spinning-hurricane-thing with swords. It’s how they breached the city wall, I swear to Hades.”

Incredulous, the General prepares his men to march in a few hours, once the Manly Governor finishes mustering a squad from her own population. Anthony also strikes up correspondence with Lord Derek of the OWL (by messenger-owl, of course):

me: yo

that colony that attacked me this morning

1:07 AM Derek: yeah

me: is a f*ckin samurai dojo or something

it has 250 swordsmen

nothing else

Derek: nice

let's kick his a**

me: you wanna?

Derek: yeah

me: it's on my marble island

then let's ask it to join OWL:)

Derek: haha

that's hella bushido

Derek and Anthony launch their attacks of ~70 units each. Cabti’s wall serves as mockery: it rises only to chest-height so that defending soldiers may leap over in a crimson deluge. The OWL assault fails to breach but reduces Cabti’s army to 156 swordsmen.

Derek’s General: “A lone Phalanx among them – perhaps that is their Leader.”

Anthony’s General: “Zeus strike me now. It is as if their swords doth protrude with more swords! How am I to fight this?”

Days pass. The Spy reports that Elvang has bolstered his 156 swordsmen with 44 phalanx. Messenger owls race between Anthony’s cities. His citizens mourn loved ones lost to Cabti blades, and work as a unit to bolster Manly Beach against further attack. Manly’s shores are awash with resources and newly conscripted soldiers from across the empire. Soon there will be enough for a second offensive.

But before any more fighting, Anthony sends King Elvang a special messenger-owl. This one being a rather large creature with mottled feathers and a stare that could pierce the earth to spot a mouse a hemisphere away – a very Serious Owl with a very Serious Message. Basically, Anthony’s letter is a sincere invitation for Elvang to join the Alliance (complete with bribe!). Knowing that Cabti may be too proud to accept, Anthony includes in the post-script: “Are you working alone? Or did someone hire you?”

The Serious Owl returns unharmed to Manly Beach with a reply, written in sword-cuts on Anthony’s original letter: “HIRED~”

Anthony’s Manly army at this point is 171-strong, upgraded, and ready to fight. And fight they do! This time, they wedge through Cabti’s ranks with ease. The red swordsmen, with all their skill and strength, do not appear as big a threat as before. After a few rounds of battle, Cabti streets are tread by Manly feet.

Anthony’s General: “We defeated their army and entered the city, but the fighting continued. Cabtians of every niche and generation are with blade – even their children.”

More of Anthony’s soldiers die as they seize a modest plunder whilst leaving the civilians unharmed.

For now the fighting has stopped, and King Anthony has time to reflect. Who was Elvang’s employer? Or was the Sword King bluffing? Will there be another Cabtian strike? The Spy reports that the Cabti army has no new conscripts. Anthony notes that Elvang replaced his lost swordsmen with phalanx. Perhaps after seeing the OWLs’ embracement of technology, Elvang conceded to outfit his own troops with modern equipment, excluding that weapon he loves so much. Maybe the OWLs pushed the Cabtians into an era they do not wish to be part of.

FOR THE GLORY OF THE OWL! '(o)v(o)'