Mauling of the Iron Fort

The Kingdom of Accia once had a solid foothold within the Isthmus of the Huntsman they called the Iron Fort. This was primarily dubbed this thanks to the man running the facility, then Colonel Gunther Stahlmann, who was known for his seemingly indomitable defenses, iron grip and Racial Magic which allows him to transform his entire body into iron. Yet even Accia's Iron Wall wasn't prepared for Supay the Huntsman and his Chakuqpa Runan.

The isthmus is the southernmost frontier of the ever expanding kingdom and Gunther was determined to fulfill this role. He had met little to no resistance beyond the dense, rainforest terrain. That is until a Tawantinsuyu warrior and his band of huntsmen swept into the area, resisting him at every turn in the interests of the local Bakongo peoples. This started several months of back and forth, Gunther ever underestimating men he assumed too simple to pose a true threat to the kingdom. Something he would come to regret.

by Lee Stepp

Under the light of a full moon, encampments across the Isthmus came under attack all at once. As Gunther sent out reinforcements, they fell into an ambush. Supay himself lead the infiltration of the fort. Supay and his chakuqpa runankuna tear into the gutted fort, devastating all who cross their path in a gruesome bloodbath. Supay faces off against Gunther, tearing out his shoulder with nothing more than jaguar fangs. Gunther survived only thanks to his own racial magic, delaying bleeding out with his metallic form while he and those who remained retreated. Devastated by the utter defeat, the assault came to be called the Mauling of the Iron Fort. Even three years later they are no step closer to retaking their stronghold, out of sorts in the dense landscape and many soldiers too terrified of the legendary Huntsman.

The Conflict

Prelude

Supay and his Chakuqpa Runan had been in the area for several months already, driving Accians out of or defending villages and nomadic tribes where they could. They had driven many of their military camps back but they were always quick to return, receive reinforcements or even counter-attacking thanks to their forces and supplies within the fort. Supay knew it needed to go and he knew the kingdom was already underestimating them.

Supay decided the best route would be to take up the Tawantinsuyu Empire's offer to aid them. He knew he and his men could handle the fort but feared for the local population if these encampments were left unchecked. Much to his own distaste, they worked out an agreement. Tawantinsuyu citizens would be permitted to settle into Pakaysacha and, if they were able to take the base, the Tawantinsuyu Empire would take it for their own. Supay found this an easy choice at the time, given he would sooner burn the fort than leave Pakaysacha behind.

Supay and his men continued their usual operations while building up their forces, even performing planned retreats and falling back so that Gunther would assume their forces were dwindling. All the while, he was preparing the locals for his plan and setting up the Tawantinsuyu forces where he planned to deploy them. The kingdom never had the slightest clue what was coming.

Deployment

On the night of the full moon, when Banalkar magic is at its strongest, they made their move. Tawantinsuyu soldiers were deployed to attack military camps spread throughout the region, primarily relying on surprise and numbers. As word arrived at the fort about the wide scale attacks, Colonel Stahlmann perceived them as just another typical attempt to drive his forces out. He had come to view these as shallow and pointless assaults by men too simple to understand true warfare or strategy.


As usual, Gunther deployed reinforcements from his reserves in the fort. These men walked right past Supay and his men, camouflaged seamlessly with the rainforest using Banalkar's blessings. Half of Supay's men ambush these men from their flank while Supay and the rest of his huntsman storm into the fort before they can close the gates. Terror was stricken into survivors of this battle, at the brutal and ferocious "beastmen" who tore their way through those trapped inside the fort. The encampments never received their re-enforcements and even the local Bakongo joined in on driving their invaders to retreat.

Conditions

There are dramatic and, behind closed doors, scoffed at accounts of what happened during this battle. Of the pure terror of the Huntsman and his "beastmen", of their ferocity, bloodthirsty nature and nearly inhuman transformations. Banalkar's magic is already quite mysterious and unfamiliar to the kingdom but it was clear that the full moon was somehow empowering Supay and his men to the point of seeming unnatural. No one could stand against their leader and very few of his men fell, even when horrifically injured. Supay's forces also had overwhelming surprise on their side and, whatever truly happened, Gunther's men panicked. Even outside the fort, their forces fell apart when their leader was incapacitated by Supay. In the end, all that remained was a messy retreat.

Outcome

by Lee Stepp

Supay and his forces decimate the unwitting Accian invaders, driving them to retreat from both the fort and the surrounding area. They were able to take the fort for their own, their Tawantinsuyu allies settling into the structure as their base of operations. Overall, this drove out the unchecked patrols, harassment of local Bakongo peoples in the immediate area and pushed the kingdom's influence further from Pakaysacha. They no longer had a concrete foothold in the Isthmus.

Aftermath

Despite the immediate benefits for the local Bakongo and safety of Pakaysacha, this resounding defeat has only turned the kingdom's eye squarely onto the Isthmus. Before this, this region was one of a number frontiers the Kingdom of Accia was expanding into. They hadn't expected to meet this level of resistance as, until Supay arrived, there was no centralized powers or organized resistance to stand against them. They had only encountered small tribes and nomads. They had even worked out an arrangement with Bakongo king in Ntima-Kongo. Since this conflict, the kingdom has allocated far more resources and men to this area. King Ambrose himself has set his eyes on the chakuqpa runankuna, preparing to drop the hammer of his empire over them.

by Lee Stepp

Outside of the kingdom's reaction and his own pride over their victory, Supay was unsettled by certain events which took place that night. Supay believed he knew his men well and that he was prepared to face the gruesome realities of war. However, he saw a side of his comrades during their assault he didn't know existed. A cruelty and barbarism revealed itself, some of his men raping and pillaging their way through what Supay hadn't considered was a home—defenseless women and children taking the brunt of their fury. He has always been critical of the greed and selfishness of men but he hadn't expected to see it within his men. Since that night, he has begun to question how much he truly understands them.

Conflict Type

Battle

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

July 24, 204 AE

Ending Date

July 25, 204 AE

Conflict Result

Victory for Supay the Huntsman

Location

Isthmus of the Huntsman

Sides

Chakuqpa Runankuna - The Huntsmen

Strength:
Supay, his huntsmen and his Tawantinsuyu allies added up to far more forces than the kingdom would have ever anticipated. There were even local tribes of Bakongo involved, drawing their attention outward amid the attack. Supay and his men number around twenty five men while the Tawantinsuyu numbered around forty warriors. Supay is powerful on his own and he personally trained his own men. All of these men possess imposing blessings from Banalkar, capable of drastic beastial and plant based transformations.

Casualties:
The Tawantinsuyu saw the highest casualties amid Supay's forces primarily due to the superior training and magic of Supay's men. Supay lost around a quarter of his huntsman.

Objectives:
Supay and his forces sought to overtake their fort and either drive out or eliminate all Accian presence in the area.

Kingdom of Accia

Strength:
Well trained soldiers man this fort and they were well supplied as the kingdom's primary frontier. This is a smaller fort given the terrain. They had around 50 soldiers and their families, the rest of their forces spread into campsites in the surrounding area.

Casualties:
They lost more than half of their men before retreating.

Objectives:
They are gathering supplies and men, preparing to push farther into the rainforest after locating the enemy stronghold. Much of the kingdom's forces patrol the area, raiding and exerting control over local tribes with this as their base of operations.