Published 8/31/23, revised 10/21/23
World Building
The Rontak Empire is a large land based empire on the Kraffnia continent, controlling a total land area larger than all of Asia. Most of this land is temperate forests and grasslands, but other ecosystems do exist. There are many great cities throughout the Rontak Empire, but most of the population lives in small rural villages or towns. However, the core of their territory, the Rontak Valley, is densely populated with major cities. There is limited fertile land in the Rontak Valley, so food is produced in conquered territory, or imported from vassal states.
A complex network of lords and nobles governs their vast territory, but they are all subservient to the Emperor, who holds absolute power. The Rontak Empire is governed by a mixture of absolute monarchy and feudalism. Most of their population is human, but a small number of dwarves also live there. There is a considerable slave population of minotaurs, centaurs and elves, each of whom provide a valuable service.
The Rontak Empire’s plentiful natural resources form the heart of its economy. Ore deposits, either in the Rontak core territories or within conquered lands, provide great wealth to fund its military. They engage in limited trade with nearby kingdoms it has yet to conquer. Nearby kingdoms and villages are frequently raided for resources and slaves. Mintauria, on the northwestern fringes of the empire, is especially targeted.
Because the Rontak Empire is rather weak in magical ability, they also frequently raid the northern elven kingdoms. Elves are much more adept at magic than most humans. They are usually sent to work as artisans in workshops to build magical devices such as mana comms. These valuable devices allow instant communication over large distances and are the main reason why the Rontak Empire is able to effectively govern such a vast area.
The Rontak Empire expands its borders primarily through military conquest. Their military is very strong and diverse. Rontak soldiers form the bulk of the military and are well trained and very disciplined, although untrained local villagers are sometimes conscripted to bolster manpower. They use enslaved minotaurs from Mintauria as heavy shock troops and import enslaved centaurs to use as devastating cavalry. They have also dedicated considerable resources to developing a robust wyvern air force and land dragon division. Although generally weak in magic abilities, the Rontak Empire conscripts what mages it does have into the military. Despite their limited technology, even by their world’s standards, the Rontak Empire’s diverse military allows it to employ effective combined arms tactics on the battlefield.
The Rontak Empire uses a rather barbaric method of forcing compliance among conscripted slaves. For every minotaur or centaur that returns from a defeat in battle, another random slave will be killed. As a result, minotaurs and centaurs enslaved by the Rontak Empire are some of the most ferocious and fanatic fighters in the world. If they ever return from battle less than victorious, they will be forced to watch another of their own kind get killed. This has also had the unintended consequence of instilling a sense of solidarity among conscripted slaves.
Chapter 2: The Aftermath
Standard Year 3148, Month of Air, 2nd Day of Light (A/2Lt/3148)
Rontak Empire, Duremar Plains, Fort Duremar (18 kilometers from the portal)
Lord Kushmon was the noble who oversaw all the Rontak Empire’s conquests on other worlds. Typical policy was to keep a portal open for a few years while the resources on the other side were harvested and any nearby inhabitants enslaved. Then, the portal would be closed by the same team of enslaved elven mages who created it. If a portal was left open for too long, it would lose stability and decay, with terrible consequences. The Rontak Empire had found that out the hard way when it first discovered the archaic art of portal creation fifty years ago.
Lord Kushmon had held his position in Duremar for over 20 years because he had an impeccable record of success in his otherworld missions. Fort Duremar was not only the Rontak Empire’s command center for other world raids and occupations, it was also Lord Kushmon’s private estate; his tax exempt private estate. The surrounding land and all of its resources belonged to Lord Kushmon personally, as long as he continued sending the Emperor shipments of resources and slaves, of course.
Lord Kushmon gave the order to open a new portal earlier that day. It had been several months since the last portal was closed and he was under pressure from the Emperor to resume sending raw materials and fresh slaves.
Lord Kushmon didn’t have as many mana crystals stockpiled as the mages would have liked, but there was enough to open a portal–just barely. The mages used up all of their mana crystals in the process and nearly died of mana exhaustion. They were completely unable to select a suitable world rich in resources to connect to; they essentially went in blind to what awaits them on the other side.
Lord Kushmon was currently in his office, going over logistic reports, when General Rallek, his highest general, entered and approached him. “Ah, General Rallek,” Lord Kushmon said as he looked up. “You bring news from the portal, yes?”
“My Lord, I bring troubling news,” Replied General Rallek.
A frown formed on Kushmon’s face. “I take it that the portal has led to a world devoid of useful resources?” It was rare, but not unheard of, for a portal to lead to an undesirable world. Usually the mages could select a world rich in specific resources, such as timber or iron. But this time, the mages had so little mana, they couldn't even guarantee a portal would be created at all.
“Unfortunately no, My Lord.” Said Rallek. “Though I wish that were the case. Our initial raiding party was quickly repelled by the natives of the otherworld and they were forced back through the portal.”
Upon hearing General Rallek’s words, Lord Kushmon’s good mood evaporated like water in the Scorpio Desert. “What do you mean ‘our army was forced back through the portal?’ Did the portal open up next to an army prepared for battle?” Lord Kushmon couldn’t imagine having luck worse than that.
General Rallek paused for a moment, considering how he would explain the strange reports from the survivors. “No, My Lord. The portal was reported to have opened up in the middle of a great city. Most of the raiding party was either captured by the enemy or completely destroyed. The few survivors who managed to make it back described being overpowered by extremely powerful magic.”
As General Rallek continued to explain the events surrounding their defeat, Lord Kushmon grew more and more distressed. The Portal Conquest Army had never before suffered such an immediate and devastating defeat. This was an unacceptable blemish on his otherwise perfect record. Usually the portal led to worlds that were easily overpowered by his military might. Never before had a portal led to such a strong magic using kingdom.
Lord Kushmon, desperate for any shred of good news, asked General Rallek, “Was the raiding party able to salvage anything from this defeat, or was it a complete disaster?”
General Rallek quickly responded, happy to deliver good news for a change, “Actually, yes My Lord! The raiding party managed to capture a good number of slaves before the enemy mages rallied and attacked them.”
Lord Kushmon perked up. “This is indeed excellent news, given the circumstances. How many slaves did they manage to capture, and of what species?”
“There were many people surrounding the portal when we first attacked,” said General Rallek. “Most of the people who weren't immediately killed were taken as slaves, and so were many others from the general area. In total, we brought back 942 human slaves.”
“Only humans, eh?” Lord Kushmon thought about his next course of action for a moment. “I want them sent to Rontak’s Reach immediately. The Emperor is anxious for me to resume resource shipments, but these slaves will have to do for now.”
Rontak’s Reach was a city 80 kilometers south of Fort Duremar; it was the capital of the Duremar province and a major slave trade hub. Most slaves captured from Mintauria and other worlds ended up passing through Rontak’s Reach before being sold throughout the Rontak Empire.
“Have the Council of Generals assemble tonight. We must prepare for our next engagement with the otherworlders.” Commanded Lord Kushmon.
General Rallek bowed before Lord Kushmon. “It shall be done, My Lord,” he said. Then, the General turned to leave and carry out Lord Kushmon’s orders.
United States, June 12th 2053 (one week after the attack)
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New York City Hall
“Second Lieutenant Daniel Ramirez, hero of Central Park, please step forward,” commanded the Colonel. Daniel did as he was told and stepped forward.
“Your actions saved the lives of fifty-six civilians and three NYPD officers. Your bravery and quick thinking in the face of an impossible situation reflects great credit on both yourself and the United States Marine Corps. In recognition of your service and self-sacrifice, you are hereby promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.”
“Sir! Thank you Sir!” Daniel accepted his award with the dignity and gratitude befitting of a hero. Although, on the inside he was still mourning the cancellation of Comic-Con. As he walked off the stage, he was approached by an officer.
“Ramirez, here are your new orders.” The officer explained, as he handed Daniel an envelope. “You are to report to the quarantine zone immediately.”
Daniel opened it and read the paper inside. All it said was that he was being transferred under the command of Lieutenant General Reed. “Why am I being sent there?”
“Sorry, First Lieutenant, I only relay orders. I don’t give them. You’d better get down there.”
“Yes sir!” Daniel replied with a salute. He began making his way towards Central Park. His leg had mostly healed over the past week and he had been cleared for active duty, but it was still a bit sore. He wasn’t expecting an assignment so soon. He didn’t even walk out of his promotion ceremony before being sent back on duty. He wondered what was going on that was so urgent.
As he got closer to Central Park, Daniel saw more and more military personnel. Armed droids and marines walked through the park and Abrams X2 tanks rolled down the streets. Central Park itself was barely recognizable. It looked more like an African firebase than a city park.
A temporary command post was set up on the south side of the Great Lawn. Daniel looked over to where the anomaly was supposed to be, only to see a huge metal dome in its place. There were massive doors facing the north side of Central Park, making the whole thing look like a giant metal igloo.
When Daniel arrived at the command tent, he was greeted by Lieutenant General Reed. “First Lieutenant Daniel Ramirez, reporting as ordered, sir!” He said with a salute.
“At ease, Ramirez,” said Lieutenant General Reed. “Do you know why you’re here?”
“No sir.”
Reed proceeded to elaborate. “You’re here because, during the attack, you neutralized several of the unknown hostiles in hand-to-hand combat. In addition to your background, that makes you more qualified for this mission than anyone else under my command.”
That still didn’t make much sense to Daniel. What exactly was he here for? “What mission would that be, sir?” He asked curiously.
“Our incursion to the other side of the anomaly,” Lieutenant General Reed clarified. “We’re putting American boots on the other side; and you’re coming with us.”
After his meeting with Lieutenant General Reed, Daniel was briefed on all the information they currently had on the attack. The captured terrorists didn’t speak English, or any other known language, so interrogation did not yield much information. A rudimentary dictionary was being put together by linguists, but it was going to take time.
The assailants themselves were equipped with primitive weapons, like swords, spears, and bows. The attack was only so devastating because it was a complete surprise and there were so many unsuspecting people around when the anomaly appeared. The densely populated heart of New York City provided the attackers with ample victims. Over 8,000 civilians were killed before the military arrived and contained the situation. Many thousands more were wounded as well. There were still almost 1,000 people left unaccounted for; they were presumably abducted through the anomaly for unknown reasons.
It was confirmed that several of the assailants were sentient non-human lifeforms. They were officially designated as “centaurs” and “minotaurs” due to their resemblance to the fictional creatures of the same name. Very few of the non-human combatants allowed themselves to be taken alive.
Overwhelming evidence pointed to there being people on the other side of the portal who, for some unknown reason, just made the mistake of declaring war on the United States of America. However, so far no larger political structure has been confirmed, so the United States government still regarded the incident as a terrorist attack. Daniel had heard rumors on the internet that Congress had already drafted a declaration of war for when they discovered the identity of the attackers, but senators and representatives gave no comment on this.
A droid scout team was already sent through the anomaly, only to confirm the threat of another attack. The droids neutralized several enemy soldiers in the direct vicinity of the anomaly and discovered a large encampment nearby. Preliminary analysis suggests the enemy force to be about 90,000 strong. In response, President Bennett gave the order to immediately secure the other side of the anomaly and prevent any further incursions into New York City. The first American counter offensive would begin at 11:00 am on June 15th, the earliest they could get enough combat personnel and equipment into position to go through the anomaly.
Standard Year 3148, Month of Air, 3rd Day of Air (A/3A/3148)
Rontak Empire, Duremar Plains, Fort Duremar (18 kilometers from the portal)
Lord Kushmon sat in the war room along with his Council of Generals, discussing their next course of action. In attendance at the meeting were General Rallek, Lieutenant General Fomar, Lieutenant General Gallor, Lieutenant General Ulmok and Archmage Vilintius, along with other lower nobles and officers. The room is loud with debate as confusion and anger ripple through the attendees.
“We can’t just stand by and let this defeat go unpunished!” Shouted Lieutenant General Gallor. “They have killed Imperial soldiers and must pay the price!” This elicited a cheer from many of the officers present.
“And how do you suppose we do that, Gallor?” Contested Lieutenant General Ulmok. “The scouts we sent to investigate the portal since the raid have all gone missing, presumably captured or killed by the enemy. We can’t march our army through the portal without knowing more about the terrain and the enemy we face on the other side.” Another cheer enveloped the room, but smaller than before.
General Rallek spoke up with his opinion. “ Ulmok is right Gallor, we can’t blindly send another army through the portal.”
“So you just want to let enemy soldiers set foot on our land?” Gallor furiously retorted, frustrated by his superior’s inaction. “No matter the field of battle, no matter the enemy, our army will emerge victorious!” Gallor’s supporters let loose another cheer but were abruptly silenced by Lord Kushmon as he stood up.
Lord Kushmon was growing tired of this back and forth bickering. Never before had he overseen such a disorderly war meeting. “We are here to plan our next course of action, not wage a war of words against ourselves. Lieutenant General Gallor, though your spirit is to be commended, charging in head first will leave us vulnerable to whatever magic they used to repel the initial raid.” Gallor remained seated, looking quite defeated. Lord Kushmon sat back down and addressed Archmage Vilintius.
“Archmage Vilintius.” Announced Lord Kushmon. “What is your assessment of the rumored magic used by the otherworlders?”
Archmage Vilintius paused for a moment before responding. He recalled the fragmented reports from the surviving soldiers who returned through the portal. “There is not much reliable information in that regard so it is difficult to ascertain any specifics.”
Vilintius thought for a moment as he considered how to advise Lord Kushmon. “Given how quickly they were able to repel our raiding party, it's clear that their magic is quite powerful. I can only advise caution until we know more about their magic and how to counter it.”
Lieutenant General Fomar, silent in the meeting so far, now made his voice heard, “I suggest we send a small number of troops through the portal to gauge the enemy’s magic before they step onto our land.”
Lieutenant General Ulmok replied, “That would be fool-hardy, Fomar. Any small force we send through the portal would undoubtedly be destroyed. They might not even be able to bring back any new information about the enemy’s magic.”
Lord Kushmon spoke up and gave his final verdict. “I agree with Rallek and Ulmok; the enemy must be fought on our side of the portal.”Gallor and his supporters became visibly disappointed.
“We simply cannot march our army through the portal, blind to what we will face on the other side. Especially not now that they are prepared for us. By forcing them to come through the portal, our army will have the element of surprise, rather than theirs.” Gallor and his supporters remained silent, aware of the reasoning behind facing the enemy on Rontak soil, but still not happy about it.
“Lieutenant General Fomar,” began Lord Kushmon, “Have the conscripts from nearby villages arrived yet?”
“Yes, My Lord,” Fomar said. “We have mustered an additional 30,000 troops, plus an extra detachment of minotaurs. We have also received roughly one thousand additional mages from Edgemeet, as you requested.”
Kushmon took stock of the forces he had available: 65,000 melee infantry, 25,000 ranged infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 7,000 centaur cavalry, 5,000 minotaurs, 600 wyvern knights, and almost 3,000 mages.
“Excellent,” said Lord Kushmon. “We now have a mighty army well over 100,000 strong. As much as I dislike the idea of letting a foreign army set foot on Rontak land, we have no choice but to face the enemy on our side of the portal. When they send their army through, we will crush them, no matter how powerful their magic is!” As Lord Kushmon finished his speech, the entire room applauded his strategy.
“Lieutenant General Gallor, you will lead our forces to crush the enemy once they come through the portal,” commanded Lord Kushmon. Lieutenant General Gallor formed a sinister grin on his face; he was looking forward to facing this new enemy in battle.
“Lieutenant General Fomar, you will command the assault on the enemy’s city through the portal. I want your army ready to attack as soon as Gallor is victorious,” said Lord Kushmon.
“It will be done, My Lord,” replied Lieutenant General Fomar.
Finally, Lord Kushmon addressed Ulmok. “And you, Lieutenant General Ulmok, will lead our forces outside the enemy city. After Gallor defeats the enemy army on our side of the portal, I want you to interrogate the prisoners. Prepare a list of nearby targets to strike at in their world that will bring us the most loot and slaves.” Lieutenant General Ulmok remained silent as he contemplated his task.
Lord Kushmon continued addressing his subordinates in rapid succession, “General Rallek, divide our forces for each task appropriately. Archmage Vilintius, prepare your mages to fight a magically superior foe. Focus on ways to negate their magical advantage.”
Everyone bowed to Lord Kushmon as he finished giving them orders. Then, everyone left to go about their tasks. Lord Kushmon was confident in his plan, but something still nagged at him. This was the first time he has ever failed the Emperor. It was not a desirable situation to be in; he had heard stories of what happened to people who displeased the Emperor. Lord Kushmon was filled with motivation. He will do whatever it takes to defeat the otherworlders and cleanse his record of this failure.
Author’s note: Despite what you may have read in other similar stories, pre industrial armies never numbered in the hundreds of thousands. One of the largest armies ever assembled by the Romans was only 80,000 strong at the Battle of Cannae. Pre industrial nations just didn't have the logistical ability to supply hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the field. Lord Kushmon’s army is not just meant to fight battles, but to invade and occupy the land through the portal. This task necessitates an extremely large force, thus his army is at 90,000 before sending for reinforcements. Also, his army wasn’t a field army; it was camped at Fort Duremar, which has an excellent logistics system and bountiful land worked by peasants to produce food and supplies for the army.
I created a calendar system using Donjon’s Fantasy Calendar Generator. It's based on the magic system I put together for this story. Don’t worry, I’ll drop bits of magic lore in the world building sections of chapters. I’m actually quite pleased with the calendar, it turned out to have a very sensible pattern.
Here's the link to the website: https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/calendar/#
Copy and paste the following into the text area to see the calendar.
{"year_len":414,"events":1,"n_months":9,"months":["Month of Mana","Month of Water","Month of Earth","Month of Fire","Month of Air","Month of Life","Month of Psionics","Month of Light","Month of Dark"],"month_len":{"Month of Mana":46,"Month of Water":46,"Month of Earth":46,"Month of Fire":46,"Month of Air":46,"Month of Life":46,"Month of Psionics":46,"Month of Light":46,"Month of Dark":46},"week_len":9,"weekdays":["Day of Mana","Day of Water","Day of Earth","Day of Fire","Day of Air","Day of Life","Day of Psionics","Day of Light","Day of Dark"],"n_moons":2,"moons":["Gravis","Ivon"],"lunar_cyc":{"Gravis":54,"Ivon":86},"lunar_shf":{"Gravis":4,"Ivon":24},"year":3248,"first_day":0,"notes":{}}