Chasmic Ambush

Military: Battle

The forces of Miliim burst from Mlinzjia and conquered the ill-prepared D'Casta within the hour. Conquering the city, though, proved easier than holding it against assailing forces. After fifteen days of siege, Murtay Mhiina gave the order to retreat through the tunnels. To cover this retreat, he had his dragon Dhahbuaes unleash torrents of acid upon the sieging armies and reduce the city walls to corroded rubble. The dragon could only safely complete one pass, as archers and ballistae sought to bring Dhahbuaes down. One sweep was all it took to buy time for a retreat, however, and Miliim began the long march back to Suorr through Mlinzjia, killing any who attempted to follow them. It was unfortunate that they could not hold the ground they'd taken, but they'd made sure it wasn't ground worth the enemy's resources in the process of departing.

The first real battle of the Courting of Ejiiri--ignoring the Battle of Boragel between two otherwise uninvolved armies--was the Chasmic Ambush, which occurred in D'Casta as the forces of Miliim and its allies burst through the tunnel Mlinzjia that they had spent the past several weeks carving. They killed numerous miners on their war path to D'Casta which, not expecting an entire army to invade from their own mines, fell within the hour.  

Conquering the city of D'Casta proved easier than holding it. Within two days, siege was laid on the city and the forces of Miliim were forced to hold a city with which they were unfamiliar--while simultaneously dealing with unruly prisoners and frightened civilians. After fifteen days, the decision was made to abandon D'Casata and retreat into the tunnels to restrategize. However, this was done after King Murtay Mhiina brought his golden dragon Dhahbuaes to cover the retreat. The gold dragon exhaled bouts of corrosive acid on the soldiers and siege weapons that surrounded D'Casta, as well as the city's walls. Arrows were fired at the dragon during the barrage, meaning Murtay could only do one sweep before retreating for the sake of his draconic companion. A single dive was enough, though, as it crippled the armies of Copari and Zukei in the region.

With the possible pursuing army reduced to sizzling mounds and the walls of D'Casta disintegrated, the enemy was momentarily crippled while Miliim's forces retreated through the tunnels. Any who attempted to pursue them were picked off by archers and suorran riflemen. It took days for the army to retreat in this manner, but they eventually made it to the other side of the mountainpass, back in Suorr, where they were able to lick their wounds and prepare for the next battle.