Along the Borders of Orian

• come across a force of 3517 
• the strange army is intercepted by 1849 Orc Warriors

Invasion was the only news that came to the southern portion of Orian. A mesh of reports, news, and accounts flooded the Kingdoms of Orian. Flanked by four kingdoms and areas Orian can feel threatened at times. They often deal with threatening tribes and clans to the north in Veerland. On the eastern borders raiding parties or Muskallan hordes often ride in. In south are the Orcs of Kharmalla whom invaded their neighbors for centuries, yet settled down recently. West of Orian is Kyria who can be host to a mixture of enemies. Most Kyrians don't bother as they are mainly half orcs and half humans. Orian's High King Gyle Norrison-Vaigo the Bold Man ordered for his knights, Marshals, Sheriffs, Scouts, Rangers, and Scouts to patrol their borders. This procedure was no different than their forefathers before them had done to watch over the borders of the Orian realm.

Today was somewhat different. Instead of a small team of three or six mounted men a company of Men at Arms, Knights, Warriors, Barbarians or Berserk, Troops, and outlaws pressed into service set out on their mission. Under the leadership of six Swan Knights, nineteen Royal Men At Arms, nine foreign oriental warriors, eleven barbarian class fighters, seventeen Dragon Knights, sixteen Eagle Knights, twenty-two Lion Knights plus troops, twenty-one Hedge Knights, eleven Brigands and Bandits forced into the servitude of the High King had to check on an abandoned estate. This estate belonged to the former dynasty of Orian's line of kings and queens. Princess Consort Jehane Constarius bid them a lady's farewell along with other Princesses, Ladies in Waiting, other Nobles, Dames, and other Ladies of Court. Eagle Knight Sir Francis Owyne Sweeburn rode next to a Lion Knight Sir Lomanos who bore the Blue Lion Shield, a blue lion with the mane, on a white and yellow field. It was a Bouche Shield not a heater, round, or kite shield like the other knights wielded.

Lomanos did not speak much, however he preferred Francis' company a little more than the rest. Francis looked around at their company. Swan Knights rode in the lead clad in golden , silver or sky blue armor, swan shaped plumes, and riding steeds bred for quests. All of them were armed with either a sword, mace, battle ax, a flail, and a war hammer. As for the Royal Men At Arms who wore the kingly colors of red and yellow with the Royal Seal on their armor and shields. They were armed with long swords, bastard swords, war picks, halberds, spears, war hammers, and staff weapons. Oriental warriors from the very far south donned silk robes under their scaled, latched body armor carried various curved blades, a longbow, long spear, Kukri Knife, and some wielded sabers. Most of the Knights were suspicious of these foreigners especially when they spoke in their own language. Covering the company's flanks were the Barbarian Class Warriors who were just members of clans, village heroes, bastard born children of noble families, and half-humans. Cuirasses, chain mail, plated armor, splint, linked armor, leather, and hide were the types of armor they wore. For weapons they wielded, axes, war axes, spears, maces, swords, machetes, war picks, war hammers, clubs, crossbows, flails, bows, and Mauls. Their hair was styled and bodies tattooed to identify themselves as barbarians. Behind Lomanos rode a Dragon Knight whose armor was scaled like  a Dragon's hide and his helmet was conical. Other Dragon Knights wore full plated, scaled armor or chain mail armor wearing Sallet styles helmets, and kettle helms. Weapons in the hands of Dragon Knights were simply swords, various ax types, flails, halberds and crossbows. His own fellow Eagle Knights wore the sallets, half helms, pig faced bascinets, and weapons were swords, daggers, axes, dirks, flails, and bows. Lion Knights wore either full plated, breast plate, chain mail, and half plate. Kettle helms, half helms, sallets, barbuta and morions donned their heads. Heater Shields with the Lion Symbol in different colors depending on the Knight's status. Swords, Axes, Halberds, bows, lances, spears, and staff swords were their weapons of choice. Each Knight had a plume representing their order or factions. Hedge Knights riding along with them wore all sorts of armor and wielded any type of weapon found on the battle field. Some even bore firearms and crudely crafted weapons. These Knights were frowned upon as they acted more like mercenaries.

Leading the whole company was a Swan Knight and Duke Geravere Doum Kenegaizer who kept the lot under his boot heel as they had quarrels between each other. Orian was united, however Noble Houses, Clans, families, and Knights often fought one another. The High Kings put an end to the brutal blood shed yet failed to end quarrels, rivalries, and duels between them. Forced to march with them were brigands and bandits captured in the countryside and the cities. Wearing leather, hides, studded, and the clothing on their backs these outlaws wielded clubs, daggers, axes, machetes, maces, short swords, and hammers or tools. Francis did not know how Kenegaizer could bring such a bunch together and check the border without anyone killing another. Lomanos picked at him for that making him feel foolish for thinking negative thoughts in a playful way. There was nothing he would rather do than just ride out with him on their own mission. Alas they were stuck in this company who was coming upon a Knight Academy. Here they stopped for a brief night then moved on when the dawn came. Their own leader decided to add more to the lot. A total of forty-five green and yellow new knights and squires who needed seasoning. His reasons for bringing them along was some hostile force was spotted in Kharmalla. Villages and towns were burned and ransacked by a foreign horde.

Taking this as a call the company of Knights set out to hunt this invading horde. What disturbed them was the description of this horde, not one of them were from this world. To their greater fortune this horde was most likely at this abandoned estate. Showing full confidence Kenegaizer urged them to press forward. At full gallop the whole company rode to their destination. Three days of riding brought them to this abandoned estate they were to check on. On the way they attracted a train of outcasts, bards, vagrants, travelling merchants, lesser hedge knights, Rangers, bored hunters, jongleurs, explorers, warriors, wannabe fighters, and bowyer sons hoping to prove themselves or sent by the Village Chieftain. By sunset they were within half a day's march from it. Knights and Warriors made camp while the Duke sent the Barbarians and pressed outlaws set out. Francis set up his tent with help from squires and a few locals who followed them. He pitched his tent next to the orientals who undressed for the night. The Eagle Knight's gaze kept staring at one of them. A female Oriental warrior with brown hair caught his attention. Meeting her made him sheepish yet feelings could not be hidden. In secret the two of them expressed interest. Francis plucked a clover and approached her with it. She took it with a pleasant smile. Both exchanged affectionate touches before going to sleep.

Waking up was not pleasant, it felt more rudely awoken than getting up on the wrong side. Francis heard shouting, and war cries outside his tent. The Knights were encircled by the ragtag army they attracted and accumulated on the way. Many of them brought guns with them, which only had one shot. They were useless unless they knew how to fight or used the gun as a club. Four hundred twenty-eight had joined their company, which doubled as a result. Through Sweeburn's view that only slowed them down and attracted unwanted eyes. Even a whole company of knights would attract some kind of attention along the borders of Orian and Kharmalla. He grabbed his sword and shield quickly. Sweeburn plunged himself out of the tent to find hundreds of hostiles had overrun their army of followers. Every single warrior and knight withing the company were fighting off whoever had invaded their campsite. Weapons clashed, combatants hollered, yelled, grunted, shouted, and screamed. All over the encampment Knights and Warriors fought off the strange looking hostiles in the light of the fires and approaching dawn. It was easy to pick out these hostiles as they had different body types and more than four limbs. Some had four legs, others had three arms, dozens had horns and plenty of them had a tall physique.

Wielding an array of strange weapons these new hostiles hurled themselves at the knights who easily cut them down. Sweeburn found himself fighting a four armed combatant who wielded two maces, a scimitar, and a short glaive. Using each limb proved difficult to fight for a few moments until Francis learned the fighting pattern. He plunged his sword in the hostile's knee then drew his dirk for a close up kill. Shoving the dirk into the torso Francis stabbed the alien hostile to the ground. Several more hostiles went after him only to face his sword and shield. One of them had the appearance of a rat. Despite the determination of the invading hostiles the Company of Knights handled themselves. Not one enemy stood among the carnage that lay all over the camps. Tents were burned, bodies strewn all over the area, horses slain, weapons littered the ground, fires still burned and smoldered. Kenegaizer summoned all the knights and warriors to rally to him. Not one Knight fell in the engagement, half the squires were killed, most of the followers lay dead, and none of the outlaws lived. As for the enemy hostiles they counted six-hundred-fifty-nine killed in their attempts to slaughter the company.

Gathered around the Leader they learned the estate was just half a mile away and another battle occurred on the other side of that estate. Duke Kenegaizer ordered for his whole company to suit up and arm themselves to retake that estate. Wasting no time the remaining Knights, Warriors, and Squires armed themselves before mounting up. Still making up a full company they raced towards the estate and rushed the enemy hostiles and overwhelmed them. Outnumbered three to one the company were still able to outmatch the enemy. Every inch of that estate was fought over leaving more hostiles on the ground. When the full company made it to the other side or to a window that overlooked the field behind it they discovered the aftermath of another battle along the borders. A force of Orc Tribesmen and Clansman engaged a larger force of these strange invaders. Sweeburn searched the carnage for any survivors finding thousands of strange humanoids from other worlds, and young Orcs who gave their lives for Kharmalla. An accurate report would have included three thousand five-hundred seventeen dead hostiles, and one thousand eight hundred forty nine Orc fighters among the dead. That was something Sweeburn never liked to do however he was forced to by superiors. Whenever Kenegaizer was ready the company of Knights and Warriors rode back to the High King. Francis rode alongside the Oriental Warrior he grew affectionate for who he called Iseilla Ina.