the preface of the fall that cracked the egg

Their army was approaching the hub of a farming community. It was on the outskirts of one of the larger villages. On their way to defend against an undisciplined, chaotic, army of all manner of goblinoids. They would have a semblance of a proper battle, and all that it entails, which was promised by the commanders of the enemy army. The generals chuckled to themselves each time they thought about the goblin promises.

Most of the farmers they past paid them no mind, some looked up to see them, but never for very long, going back to their work almost forgetting about whatever it was that interested them in the first place. Once they got to the centre of the farming community. They were met by the clergy of the [blacksmiths god], one of the more popular ones of this country. There were worshippers of more farm oriented gods, but they never showed.

The army was an eclectic scattering of men, woman, and even children; sinners and saints to veterans and neophytes. All doomed; some knew some did not. There were more conscripts then actual soldiers, and even fewer volunteers in the army. By the scraggly look of the equipment you could tell that not only were they under funded but that the slimmest denominator was that of nobility.

There were few enough horses that the priests could replace all their horse shoes with their reluctance. They only helped because the high priest insisted, only because it was the orders duty. They even fixed what weapons and army they could, as well as fed them what they could spare.

They left quickly, not to over stay their welcome, not that they were welcome to begin with. The high priest said they would get no help from the town they were heading towards. The towns militia had already been by, picking up an ample amount of food. He also said that they would be lucky if they saw a single person or even an open window for that matter.

As the high priest walked with them to the outskirts of the farming village. The general of the army said that they should really pack up and head to the nearest town with a wall. Saying that he would leave a few members of his army to help them move. Before the high priest could refuse the general brought to the priests attention the women and children among the ragtag army before them. The high priest understood and accepted his offer.

It was exactly as the priest said it would be. The store fronts locked and the second floor windows as well. The general gave a speech as great as those told from the bards; in his mind anyway. A few of the windows unbolted and then the heckling started, then the food flinging began; they acted as if they were immortals on a mountain high up beyond the clouds. So the generals ordered his man take what they liked, not a single militia came to put a stop to this, but the food flinging did stop. Some pleas followed and a few of the younger villagers came out to join them. The general reluctantly accepted, hoping another opportunity like the farming village would present itself and he could do his best to possibly save some of the young recruits lives.

Night would fall before they reached the next town and if their reception was anything like the last one, the brave and noble militia would take care of them in their sleep. The encampment was constructed as the ambiance of the setting sun slowly faded. The generals and a few of the enlisted sat around one of the bigger fire pits. Telling stories increasingly personal, without saying something uncomfortable, as each one realized this would be their last sense of comradely without the shadow of death looming over them.

They approached the last town before the place the battle was to take place. Not knowing the difference between how goblins wage war in an “Honorable” fashion where both sides set up a camp first. Which is why they carried light, knowing all but the most loyal or seasoned members would probably flee from the battlefield. Those by the campfires the night before were glad of it. They were ready to fight beyond their capabilities, not for their country but their fellow soldiers. Everyone was equal in that regard.

They were passed by many peasants with what looked like they had their entire lives in tow. They were very friendly to them as they past often thanking them for what they were doing. It was obvious that there was more to this then fighting for them. The majority of the army, as confused as they were, excepted the thanks and were equally as polite to the peasantry. Their was an old balding man obviously waiting. As the general approached they looked briefly; those seconds were enough to see a man who had to make a hard choice many generals themselves have to make; who lives and who dies.

The general and the man talked for quite sometime, both of them told their respective “flocks” to continue on to their destination, it turned out the man was the mayor of the town. He was unable to get anyone to leave because they were ill equipped to take the sick and elderly with them. So he lied and said that the approaching army, the path the army was talking was well known, would take care of them. General said that they would do it and told him that, if it wasn't for his deception many more young men and women would die unnecessarily. As the mayor, rejoined his townsfolk, still unsure of the situation, the general pulled out a necklace, with a jade dragon design, he hung around his neck and kissed it.

As soon as he reached the village those without that certain fire in their eyes, were sent with the horses to help evacuate the sick and the elderly. Many were grateful, some were furious, some even protesting the decision, but all listened; The brave and glory hungry are not always stupid.

Chaotic could not describe the scenes played out on the battlefield, a ferocity never before seen, from both man and goblin alike. How closely they resembled each other on the killing field, was glossed over by the courtly bards at best. The generals did their best to trudge through the, undertow of incompetence and advance on the real challenge; their counter parts, if there was any kind of hierarchy to begin with, in the opposing army. The goal was to weaken the command structure, if their was such a thing, hoping to make the horde harder to control; the thus easier for other armies to deal with in preceding battles. Some were taken prisoner, strangely unsettling, presumably the norm would be to treat them like any kind of consumable animal and not like a “pet”. At this moment it became to those that couldn't go down in a fury of death dealing that someone new and powerful was controlling them.

This battle would go down as the death null to the aristocracy and the end of feudal system as they knew it. Peasants died and the nobility indulged their decadence, to the point where

they sent women and children out to die so they could continue the debauchery; it had to stop.

The town bells frantic reverberating could be heard for miles around. Its ear popping echo of metallic clapping, steadied their feet and quickened their pace as the fanfare for the approaching mob, of creatures, the likes of which they had never seen, clattered on. They locked the doors and shuttered the windows. The mob was a chaotic mess of vaguely bipedal forms, some lacking in any other similarities. In the eye of this storm of misshapen creatures, there was an ordered mingling of what could be real soldiers. The eye itself was a tall figure draped in robes and other ornaments, and such, complimenting the rest of its attire.

Few of the militia, the bravest of the brave, opened the shutters and looked out only to see an iron pot full of smouldering coals emerging like a ship coming out of the fog. Their hearts sank when not only did they set some arrows aflame, they also lit up some torches and proceeded to burn the town down. Some of the doors were unlocked just enough to push a militia or two out the door and close it. Those that fought died like dogs, those that ran, died like dogs with an arrow in their back. Some jumped out the window only to break their legs. The more honourable of these creatures would put them out of their misery fast. It was either that or get eaten by the goblins.

* * *

a neighbouring country, who's prince, on one of his many “excursions, was saved by the kind actions of one of the generals. Taking care of the now undisciplined goblins was the hard part, getting the peasantry to rise up against the crown was the easiest, once they got to the castle the had amassed a moderate sized army. Lucky for them, some of the citizens opened the gates, they didn't know the first thing about how to conduct a proper siege.