Battle of the Walls of Fire

The Conflict

Prelude

512 AP was the first unsuccesfull attempt of conquering Blati by the Barbarian kingdoms that have occupied the northern regions of the Ikarian Empire, specially thanks to the help of the neighbouring Blatian petty Kingdoms, that fought alongside the Blatian Empire to preserve their independence and end the barbarian menace. And although this victory gave those kingdoms and the Empire a much needed breath, the barbarian threat was not over yet.
With the death of the great Blatian king of Dubria, Vedius Yvianregus " The Dragon King" in 601 the northern territories still controled by the Blatians, specially Dubria, became ruled by weak kings, like Numerian I of Dubria, who married his daughter Rea to the Blatian Emperor Claudius IV.
This weakness was exploited by the Barbarian Kingdoms of the North that reunited under the leadership of its two most powerful kings, Idris and Theodin. They mustered the biggest barbarian army since the fall of Ikaria, and their objective was to repeat the same feat but this time conquering the capital of the self proclaimed "continuation of the Ikarian Empire".
Idris and Theodin sent also emissaries to the various Nord kingdoms to sent a fleet to try to blockade the city by sea and deprive the Blatians of any reinforcements from across the sea. Also they ordered the nord expeditionary leaders to sack the ports of the Kingdom of Cloudia, the other great Blatian state to the east of their territory in order to keep them bussy and to prevent them to sent help to their Blatian kin in the south.

Deployment

News of this reached the Blatian capital, and emperor Claudius IV quickly began preparing the defence of its capital. Claudius knew that he could only raised around 25.000 men or 10 Blatian legions plus another 20.000 from the Imperial Guard, the elite of the Blatian military and the only army allowed to be stationed at the capital.

The Senate passed a law proposed by consul Lentulus that order that: " in case of need the police and the firefighters should take arms to defend the city walls" and also ordered them to "recieve basic military instruction if they haven't been into the army before". This force, of around 7500 men was put under the command of the Prefect of the Capital, Anthemius.

Blatian soldiers by Callyxtus

Blatian troops at the time of the siege of 650 AP. From right to left: Emperor Claudius IV, legionary from the 7th legion (stationed at the capital), legionary of the 4th Legion (with Seris style equipment). Drawing made by me

Meanwhile, in early spring of 650 AP the Nord navy, commanded by a man called Siggurd "red axe" sacked the Cloudian shores as ordered and sailed around the Morya peninsula. They tried unsuccesfully to conquer Keas island but they were repelled thanks to the resistance of 2 legions and the native blatian population, as well as the surprise night attacks of the Blatian navy stationed in the island. However, they were more successfull in capturing the port of Simiasti (near the old city of Ikaria). From there they planned to blockade Blati from the sea. But the 3rd of Davidion (the fifth month of the Blatian calendar) 650 AP the nord fleet was ambushed near the gulf of Tulentum and completely destroyed .

At the beginning of the next month the barbarian army arrived in front of the city's west and east walls after having sacked the kingdom of Dubria and killed its last king, Numerian I. Despite knowing that now it was imposible to blockade the city from the sea, the barbarian kings knew they outnumbered the Blatians and confident on the bravery of their troops they began besieging the city. The stage was set to Yeia's most epic siege.

The Engagement

First months of the Siege:

During the first months the Barbarians surrounded the city, also occupiying and blockading the channel that communicated the coast with Lake Bareotis, in order to reduce drastically the amount of food that the city would recieve. According to estimates by the Prefect of the city, the capital had enough food for 5 months (despite the barbarian blockade). The barbarian army also tried to reach the two aqueducts that supplied water to the city, but they weren't able because the discovered they hadn't the means and also they could approach those buildings without being ambushed by the Blatian cavalry who frecuently sallied out to ambush forraging parties that were collecting supplies from the villages of the South.

The Siege intensifies:

With Summer almost ending, the Barbarians began building siege equipment such as siege towers and very rudimentary catapults. Despite the bravery of the Blatian soldiers, in early autumn the first layer of walls have been taken by their foes. But the stronger, second layer of walls, were undamaged and well defended. Confident about their feats, the barbarians reasumed their attack on the city walls,but this time, the Blatian secret weapons made an appearance. From tiny holes fire fell upon the barbarians.
These holes were conected to rooms inside the walls that had giant flame throwers (but also some soldiers where equiped with hand versions of them (Some of the Barbarians tried to jump to lake Bareotis in order to extinguish the flames, but it was in vain, as this fire continued to burn even in the water). Also as the barbarians approached the walls they heared terrible noises and then, some of their soldiers began to fall either wounded or dead. What is happening? some of them probably asked. The answer was gunpowder, that the Blatians had invented and were using in hand cannons that were shooting its deadly projectiles through the holes on the walls too.
During those months of early autumn the air was filled with the smell of fire, gunpowder and burned flesh as dark clouds covered the city.

The Siege reaches its climax:

We reached the 5th month of siege and the barbarians also have a trick on the slieve. A sorcerer called Angur who had just arrived from the kingdom of the Crorai. Thanks to his connections to dark magic he is able to create hundreds of gigantic stones that fell from the skies like rain. The city upper walls are battered day after day only to be reconstructed by the brave citizens of Blati during the night. Most of the defenders are saved from the bombarment only thanks to the sorcerers of the city's adventurers guild who protected them with their magical shields.
Every day the forces of darkness increase the violence of their attacks, they wanted to push the Blatians to their limits and in some sectors of the walls it seemed like the defense was going to collapse. But then a miraculous event happened. One clear autumn morning, after the fog had dissapear and the sun was shining , Angur launched his most powerfull spell, a giant rock, the size of one of the wall's towers ready to smash even the most powerfull magical shield when suddenly, the sky became full of dark clouds an a thunderbolt stroke the rock, breaking it in hundreds of fragments that fell uppon the attackers that were climbing through ladders to assault the city walls. The Blatians were amazed. Suddenly a lady in white garments, eyes like amber and hair black as night appeared in one of the towers of the new gate and her voice, shouting to the troops nearby, was heared across the walls:

Come on my brave sons, don't be affraid i'm here to defend you and your homes. If any of those heathens wants to use the forcess of darkness against my beloved progeny, I'll personally launch my shinny dards and strike them on their hearts!.

It was the godess of thunder Zerah herself, the divine ancestor of the Blatian Emperor and its people, ready to fight alongside her sons against the forces of evil.

Legend also tells us that the first man he killed with her lightning was Theodin himself, who was at the base of the walls trying to rally his men, climbing the walls alongside them to show his bravery

"Then the daughter of Abbon Shabai, blessed be his name, launched her divine thundering arrows against Theodin. And the man who personally claimed to have slain 400 men with his battle axe, lied dead with his skull broken and his hair burned by the wrath of our Shinny Mother". Extract of the Epic tale of the Siege by Ventidius of Adai (Blatian bard)

Seeing this the morale of the Barbarian army collapsed and they began to lift the siege. Soon after, Angur the sorcerer was killed by an squadron from the adventurers guild and most of the retreating army that tried to cross the river Akres was surprised by a portion of the Blatian fleet armed with their flame throwers and most of them were burned alive.

Outcome

The barbarian army disbanded as well as their coalition.  The Blatian Empire manages to survive and push the barbarians to their previous borders. The Blatian Empire also annexes the Kingdom of Dubria that becames the Province of Dubria, the first one ruled by an officer with the rank of duke. 

Aftermath

The Siege of 650 AP marks the end of the Barbarian threat to the Blatian territories. After this war the Barbarian kingdoms will become much weaker. Something that the Blatian petty kingdoms and specially the Blatian Empire will exploit. This date also marks the beginning of the unification of  the ethnically Blatian realms of the Kallian Plains  and the rapid rise of the Blatian Empire.  100 years after this legendary battle, all the Kallian Plains will eventually be incorporated into the Ikarian Empire and the last Barbarian Kingdom in the territory of the former Ikarian Empire will be conquered by the Blatian Empire in 761 AP and its crorai and nord elites will be expelled. For the first time since 460 AP all the Blatians were living under states ruled by fellow countrymen. 

Conflict Type

Siege

Battlefield Type

Urban

Start Date

15th of Masyas 650 AP

Ending Date

23th of Abonion 650 AP

Conflict Result

Failed assault of the Blatian capital. Barbarian army is almost completely wipe out

Location

Blati

Belligerents

Defenders

• The Blatian Empire

Barbarians (Crorai and Nords)

Strength

Around 61.000 men :

• 25.000 infantry and archers ( 5 legions)
• 7500 cavalry 
• 20.000 imperial guards.
• 7500 from local militia.
• 265 galleys and  1000 marines.

Around 84.000 men :

• around 85.000 infantry and archers
• 8500 cavalry
• 120 galleys

Casualties

• Around 10.000 (According to Blatian Sources)
• Around 20.000 (According to Crorai chronicles)

• Around 50.000 (According to Blatian Sources)
• Around 25.000 (According to Crorai chronicles)

Objectives

Defend the capital and ensure the survival of the empire

Conquer Blati and finish once and for all the Blatian resistance in the south

Related articles: