JCC [Image heavy]A thread for art: See note on page 776

Death Of Dogs by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt


Cannoneer by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt

"KF11 "Cannoneers" were first deployed during the Taurine All-Systems Conflict and although they have since fallen out of use by government forces, modded milsurp Cannonneers still see extensive use on frontier worlds."

Missile Droid by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt


Bar Scene by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt

"A bounty hunter walks into a bar... "

Miserys Eternal Engine by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt


Futuron Strategic Pursuer by FoxyTomcat on DeviantArt

"Originally built for civilian applications, the Futuron Strategic Pursuer was often retrofitted with heavy weapons by Futuron Colonials desperate to defend their homes from Blacktron raiders"

 

Sketchbook - Lyla by Candra on DeviantArt

 

Wight | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Keziim | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Pinuza the cleric | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Marketplace | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Jatinder Jaswal | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Modo Bitman | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

 

Cormagh | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Cormagh’s life as clanfather of Klan Aileanach is a hard one. As it is tradition on the Scatthean Islands, from a young age on Cormagh was trained as an unforgiving warrior and versatile seaman. Despite his skill, by many of his kin he was opposed for his origin. Even though it was never subsequently proven, among the Klan it was considered common knowledge that he descended from a treacherous union between his mother, Annagh Aileanach, and the foreign invader, Godryc Rabenstein, who brought Skalwyck to his heel almost half a century ago. After her betrayal his mother and her children were shunned which ultimately led to the overthrow of his grandfather by Cormagh’s second uncle.

Being outcasts in their own Klan, Cormagh and his family struggled to survive and navigate through their kin’s hostility. Not only were they not invited or considered by most of their Klan, but in spite of his skill Cormagh was denied the right to participate in the royal raid, that took place to celebrate and reignite the Old Ways. After years of struggle, it left Cormagh only with one way out. While his family feigned to leave behind their homestead, on a dark knight Cormagh took a small ship and sailed to Kliff where he met his distant relative and Klifflord Albrecht Rabenstein to inform him of the imminent royal raid. Together with the Klifflord, Cormagh prepared an ambush and succeeded at defeating and capturing the Island’s Stormking.

For his service to Kliff and his illegitimate family, Cormagh and his family were rewarded. While he and his siblings were acknowledged as members of the Rabenstein bloodline, Cormagh himself was also given the hand of the Klifflord’s niece, Licia Rabenstein, and all their descendants were granted the right to bear the Rabenstein name. With his newfound allies and the terrible defeat for the Scattheans, seizing control of his Klan and reinstating the position of his family came easy for Cormagh. The birth of his first child, Maeve Rabenstein, and all her siblings consolidated his power, granted the Rabenstein family a considerable influence over the Scatthean Islands and strengthened the bond between Klan Aileanach and House Rabenstein – thereby furthering trade, wealth and power of both. However, many following the Old Ways resent and despise this Alliance between seafolk and landfolk, secretly waiting and preparing for an opportunity to break free of the domestication by Kliff. For now, Cormagh has a firm grip on his Klan and the old Storm King but neither has he grown oblivious to the smoldering resentment nor to the Stormking’s growing age. Surely, it is only a question of time before a new conflict ensues."

Ruben van Dijk | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Life had never been kind to Ruben. Already at a young age he had to learn to fend for himself. Born into a simple farmstead family, only at the age of four, Ruben was made an orphan by a band of bandits who raided the countryside of the South-Eastern Hinterlands. One of the bandits took him in and in his next years Ruben was taught how to keep himself afloat by what hard work had earned others. Over time Ruben proved a capable thief and showed an uncanny talent in finding hidden valuables, earning him a reputation in his band.

Soon enough though, his band was found and brought to justice by the law, leaving Ruben alone another time. For many years he got by with common road banditry until he found another home in a criminal ring in Lendrheim, city of Outcasts and Outlaws. Thanks to his talent and ruthlessness Ruben rose quickly through its ranks and soon was tasked with leading its intelligence squad. In just a few months he learned how to become a successful spy and where and how to uncover information that for many would remain hidden. In the end, this lead to his downfall when he found out his criminal leader's most well-kept secret.
On his flight Ruben traveled vast parts of Waidheim until he finally ended up in Hohenfels where he saw an opportunity to get out of his pursuer's reach. Warning her about her stepson's plot against her, Ruben earned the favor of Archduchess Norviga Rabenstein who swiftly put him into her service and granted him a seat as Spy Master at her court's council. For now, he managed to escape the wrath of his former employer, but his position is in danger, being threatened by political turmoil at the Archduchess' homestead and the precarious balance of power at Hohenfels' court. The coming times will be dangerous ones for the Archduchess and therefore himself, so Ruben will do anything to keep his patron's and her family's status and power unharmed."

Rhuk | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt


Avventina Pontus | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Born into one of the minor noble houses of the Western Highlands, Avventina Pontus’ roots run deep into Waidheim past. Grown up in a landscape of vast mountain woods she never quite fully adapted to life in a Great City but even though she misses the tranquility and calmness of her home, over the years she has grown used to the rich and busy streets of Kliff. Being married to Klifflord Albrecht Rabenstein’s nephew she considered herself lucky to be one of the few noblewomen of the Western Highlands to move from her meager life into one full of wealth and opportunity. When called to court and being appointed as the Klifflord’s daughters’ maid by the Klifflord Albrecht himself, she imagined a life full of comfort, lavish festivities and elegance. However, all too soon she painfully learnt of her husband’s true nature. What once was her dream soon became her nightmare – a nightmare that left her with sorrow, shame and injury.

While her husband vented all his personal frustration and failings on her mind and body, many of the other courtiers and particularly the Klifflord treated her with kindness. It did not take long for her duties as a maid to become her passion and escape and only after a short while Avventina and her royal fosterlings grew fond of each other. But fondness for his children was not the only thing to mature in Avventina’s heart. Out of sympathy and thankfulness soon grew love and devotion to the Klifflord. Knowing of his late wife’s current death for more than a year she did not dare to approach him but as passion and desire intensified. she did not relent until one faithful night he gave into her advances. Since then, she has born him two children, her husband being oblivious to their true descent. Now Avventina longs to break free from her husband’s shackles and to finally embrace her love for her Klifflord in marriage."

Judge of Judicium | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Judicium is an organization of Judges for hire. Should a country or organization hire Judicium to handle or augment their own legal professionals, the judges of Judicium will do their utmost best to uphold the law of said faction to the letter of their law. Though called judges, Judicium's agents can also work as lawyers, investigators or serve in any position that would benefit from their higher judicial education and keen legal minds."

Albrecht Rabenstein | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Life as the Klifflord has taken a toll on Albrecht Rabenstein. 20 years have past since his late father’s passing and ever since the weight of Kliff’s crown lay on his shoulders. Though not born to rule his brother’s premature death forced him into Kliff’s heirdom and the once shy and shortspoken Albrecht with guidance of his father and Kliff’s most capable acolytes, had been forged into a determined, dutiful and stoic man capable of bearing Kliff’s sapphire crown.

The longer his reign endures the more this burden takes a toll on him. His first decade as the Klifflord saw him full of energy and accomplishment but especially in current years Albrecht has grown weary and forworn while his rule has encountered growing resistance from Kliff’s old nobility. Either way his reign has been long and successful bringing wealth and power to the city in magnitudes formerly unheard of and has brought peace and stability to Kliff and its region. Loved by his people Albrecht is sure to find his way once more through his realms’ perilous political waters"

 

from

 

Wyrd Sails book cover | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

 

Jean | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Jean's family was of relative importance within the Chelaxian empire, clockwork smiths in charge of the creation of various magitech and golems used to help control it's territories. But as years went on, and the country slipped further and further into diabolism to maintain its strength, there could be no more aid given. With the help of her father, she managed to evade the border guards, slipping away from her home country with the hopes of one day returning with a strong enough invention to being the rest of her family with her, a suit that could even slay the greater fiends and Hellknights used in her countries armies."

Jean's machine | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

 

Nice - very steampunk vibe.

Cryptid-Creations: Chocodile

https://www.deviantart.com/cryptid-creations/art/3114-Chocodile-888128453

 

Crustacia Beach | Commission by Pino44io on DeviantArt

 

Witch by Yuxing Zhang

 

Universe 4266: Sinister Six by hayley566 on DeviantArt

Spoiler

People have been asking me to do a picture of 4266's Sinister Six, so here you guys go. I wanted to do something simple but also interesting.

From top left to bottom right:

Francine Frye aka Electro

Anna Maria Marconi aka Doc Ock

Moriko Benchi aka Hydro-Woman

Ana Kravinoff and Sasha Kravinoff aka Chimera and Kraven the Huntress

Elaine Coll aka Scorpion

You can learn more about each of these characters here: www.deviantart.com/hayley566/g…

Botched Robbery by hayley566 on DeviantArt

"Francine Frye comes across a movie set and attempts to rob it but accidentally walks in on Mary Jane getting dressed."

Jill Stacy: Deathgrip by hayley566 on DeviantArt

Spoiler

For those unaware, Gwen Stacy has a cousin in the 616 universe named Jill Stacy. She had no real personality and just showed up when everyone thought Mary Jane had died. She tried to make romantic advances toward Peter at one point but was then forgotten.

I thought I'd add her to the 4266 universe and combine her with two other lesser known, underdeveloped characters. Joystick from the 616 universe and Talon aka "not black cat" from that MTV spider-man show.

Jill's personality here is kind of based off of Blackfire from the teen titans 2003 show. She's a bitch who thinks she's better than Gwen but sometimes those kinds of characters are fun to write.

Jill's family life was more turbulent than Gwen's. Her parents fought constantly and barely paid any attention to their daughter. Jill bullied Gwen throughout their childhood until she and her parents moved to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, their domestic issues continued, leading to Jill running away and joining a criminal organization as a teen. She would act as the perfect daughter and student during the day and train at night to become an assassin.

After her parents died in an "accident" at 18, Jill became an assassin for hire. Years later, she's sent to New York to kill the spider-woman and decides to stay with her cousin Gwen pretending to just be visiting and reconnecting with family while searching the city at night for her target.

She is of course stopped and sent to jail but becomes a new enemy in Spider-woman's rogues gallery.

She has enhanced strength, endurance and agility thanks to the experimental procedures she went through during her training. Her signature weapons are her gauntlets that create energy claws able to cut through anything.

The Wicked Witch by hayley566 on DeviantArt

Spoiler

I wanted to draw 4266's hobgoblin aka Wicked Witch aka Lily Hollister and chose to do a version of Hobgoblin's iconic cover.

for more info on the character: www.deviantart.com/hayley566/a…

Lori and Lana Baumgarten by hayley566 on DeviantArt

"This is their AU version of the mother-daughter duo as villainous bombshells."


Saeko Yoshida: Doc Ock by hayley566 on DeviantArt

Spoiler

commission for streetgals9000

This is a picture of his very scary AU version of Doc Ock from their spider-girl series.

meow by hayley566 on DeviantArt

Spoiler

Wanted to draw something fun and sexy, so I did a 4266 version of that one J. Scott Campbell drawing of Felicia Hardy.

 

Quest is over by Pino44io on DeviantArt

 

RetroCryptids - Texas Serpent by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

In June of 1873, a serpentine creature the size of a telephone pole was seen flying over a farm in Bonham, Texas. A similar creature was seen in 1890 in India, although it was much larger and was estimated to be 200 feet long!

<コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡

I'm doing a drawgust kinda thing. I'm not bothering with prompts, I'm just going to bring an old, forgotten cryptid per day throughout August!

RetroCryptids - Bubblehead Jack by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

In 1877, two British sentries reported being attacked by a strange man in a cloak with a transparent globe over his head. They claimed he leapt out of the dark, clearing a 14 foot wall and passed over their heads to land silently behind them. When they challenged him he said nothing, only bouncing up to them and grabbing with icy hands. The two soldiers opened fire at point blank range with their Martini-Henry rifles. Instead of dropping dead, the strange man threw blue fire in the guard's faces and leapt away laughing.

The two men were so terrified by their encounter they dropped their guns and ran. They were eventually court-martialed for abandoning their posts.

RetroCryptids - Meteor Mummy by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

In 1877 three Argentinian men, a chemist named Savarg, and two geologists, Davis and Paxton, attempted to excavate a meteor near Rosario. While trying to break it apart, they struck a metallic surface, with what appeared to be a removable plate. After chipping the exterior away and opening the plate revealed a coffin-like compartment containing a withered inhuman corpse!

Whatever happened to the corpse and its meteor casket is unknown.

<コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡 <コ:彡

This story was shared by ufologist Carlos Lurchuck and I have no idea what his primary source is but it sounds like one of many old-timey newspaper hoaxes I've read. At least the alien description is somewhat novel!

RetroCryptids - The Burial Ground Beast by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

In 1879 the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that two men, Clouse and Hefner, where fishing in Penny's Slough when they heard horrible screams coming from the nearby native burial ground. Clouse was startled but Hefner merely relayed that, "There's that weird animal again." When asked to elaborate by his friend, Hefner explained that he had seen a weird animal in the area before, about a year previous.

The two men grabbed their guns and went to see if they could capture the unknown animal. Running to the burial ground they encountered the strange armored half-ape, half-canine. It beat it's chest at them like a gorilla as they took aim and when they fired it fell over with a thunk like striking rotten wood.

The Beast raced to a large tree at the center of the graveyard, which it climbed as its pursuers fired their shotguns as fast as they could. When they were depleted of ammo, the men resorted to hacking the tree down in their attempt to capture it. With the tree felled the Beast howled in fear and ran into the woods. It stood just behind the tree-line beating its chest and yelling before eventually retreating for good.

Clouse and Hefner investigated the tree and found a hollow containing a coat sleeve, a wallet and some shiny buttons. Despite being certain they'd hit their target several times no blood was apparent on the ground.

RetroCryptids - Craboid by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

A small crab-like reptilian was seen floating around Virginia City, Nevada over the course of several days.

It was first witnessed over the Chinese quarter but reports were dismissed by authorities assuming it was a scam or superstition. It wasn't until a little boy pointed it out to a Special Officer's wife that anyone took the sightings seriously.

It seemed to patrol the city for a while, passing overhead to the north every morning and back south before sundown.

RetroCryptids - Zanesville Landshark by ValhaHazred on DeviantArt

Spoiler

In June of 1883, William Winters was hunting in the woods just outside Zanesville, Ohio.

As he passed a bush, he noticed a large animal peering at him. As soon as he noticed it it approached him, wide shark-like mouth open and a forked tongue flickered in his direction. The beast whistled and roared as it traveled in a half-leaping slither. At the last moment of its lunging charge he fired his shotgun at it and the creature diverted its attack. Instead of attacking again it bounded away in its strange bouncing slither and entered a hole.

Instead of immediately pursuing the animal, Winters returned home and gathered a posse of family and neighbors and hunted for it as a large armed group. They found no traces of its existence.

 

Wolf Armour by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

Previously, on Orctober 2020:


The wargs -a kind of wolves, breed for war- for long were used by goblins and orcs as their steeds, mounting them into battle.

Much smaller than horses, normally only goblins and the smaller kinds of orcs could ride them. However, as the Dark Legion of Demons formed and expanded -reaching Zarhuy-, orcs under service of the Dark Legion will encounter the giant wargs of Antor -massive wargs that the Antorian Giant Orcs could ride-. Taking some of these large wargs -breed for war by the Antorian orcs-, they would bring this new blood of warg to Aels, first as a steed for demons and commanders, but later they would use them to breed larger, stronger kinds of wargs, that could be rode by larger orcs -or take more cargo-.

Encounters -and defeats- facing heavy cavalry from humans -either of the Five Kingdoms, the Unlic Empire of Uslen or the Farsian empire-, would promt the demons to try to develop their own heavy cavalry... and as well, their own heavy warg riders, armoured like the horses and riders of their human foes.

But despite their larger size, heavy wargs riders wouldn't ever become a predominant part of the mounted units of the dark legion, and often other warg riders expressed their concerns for the heavy wolves, as if they were to collapse under the weight of the orc and armour.

Sometimes werewolves would laugh at them, with being packaged up so thightly.

Minotaur Knight by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"If your troubles hadn't been solved sending wave after wave of orcs, you hadn't tossed enough orcs at your problems" Dark Legion of Demons Army Field Manual. Probably.

"Who else want to make a cow joke?!" said the large minotaur, turning around, looking around. He lifted up his helmet. "No one?!"

There was only some pained groans from the broken bodies of his enemies.

"Good! Then we can Mooohve on!

Because my hoof and some demon ass have an appointment"


Discord commission for BanterSuperior5, of his roleplaying character Zarrios, a Cleric of Tempus in Dungeons and Dragons.

Leaving his canonical existence in DnD, In the world of Aiers this would happen by the Third War of the Power, as minotaurs of Minocea, fighting along the Empire of Purpurian fought the Dark Legion of Demons

You can find an alternate version, without Helmet, on my patreon!
-Damn is difficult to do a helmet for an anthro head who doesn't look totally weird or impractical!

www.patreon.com/posts/minotaur…

(Because I have a Patreon now. More as a Tip-Jar, and was thinking to use it for posting some sketches and alternates that normally I don't post in dA)
www.patreon.com/shabazik

I have a twitter as well!
twitter.com/shabazik

The War of the Dying Griffon by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

The War of the Dying Griffon details the fractioning of Tharnria or the Empire of Thorns which was ruled by the Wyzkians for a long time. With the empire weakened, the Merchant cities along the coast rebelled, forming the League of Anselm.

The Anselm Army goaded the Wyzkian Army into an unfavourable battle. Due to heavy rain, the griffons couldn't fly and the ground was muddy, nullifying a lot of the Wyzkians' air advantages. In classical Anselm manner, the charge of the Wyzkian Paladins was buffered by basically city militia low-lives which got cut down until the Paladins were stuck in, allowing for Anselmian heavy halberd and pike reserves as well as flanking Anselmian horsemen and crabvalry to close the pocket and butcher the proud Wyzkian paladins.




this is a Commission over from a friend in Pixiv - Discord. How could I say not to not!polish winged hussars fighting not!germanic knights? Riding Griffons and Battle Crabs?

XD

This of course isn't part of the World of Aiers -my own setting-.

Being slow in my commissions -but at least advancing-. January commissions already spilling in February XU

Shabazik:
Twitter: twitter.com/shabazik
Pixiv: www.pixiv.net/users/6193113

I got a Patreon, too!
www.patreon.com/shabazik

Blade Roar! by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

"Isn't that blade too big?" said one of the men of the duke, as he saw an orc mercenary waddling around with a sword larger than himself.

"Wait to see her spin while roaring, and you won't be saying that." commented one of the mercenaries hired by the duke.

"Wait. Her?" said the Duke's men, surprised.

"Yeah? What with that?" The mercenary took a moment to understand his surprise. "I mean, I know she isn't the epitome of femininity..." Then he remembered that these men of the Five Kingdoms weren't used to the idea of female warriors. Or seemingly, to female orcs. Or maybe orcs at all. There where few of them left, in the Five Kingdoms. And they hadn't fought for generations in Polforia against the grey orcs and others of their kin, who had no problem with their female warriors. He then remembered a word of advice. "Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we are going to fight the Dark Legions of Demons. They have plenty of fighting women as well. Don't treat them as anything else than a warrior on the battlefield, or you will end bleeding right there, on the mud, trampled by hundreds of feet." pitched battles weren't that frequent... less fighting the dark legion, at least for these men. That was why veterans hired as the mercenaries had such a valuable experience. "Just keep away from her blade." the mercenary added as final words, pointing to the orc woman with her sword, before continuing with his own task -of getting something somewhat decent to eat to his commanding officer. Not much available, in such a massive army that had been gathering...



Orc mercenary -in human service- with a montante sword.

Day 5 of Inktober (Blade) and Orctober (SOTWORC list: Roar!).

Update 16.02.2021: Added a background, lights and shadows!

My twitter:
twitter.com/shabazik

This entry in twitter:
twitter.com/shabazik/status/13…

The Battle of the Kardel Woods by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

You can read the whole novel of Silas of Delgem by here in deviantart:


Previously, on Silas of Delgem:


A sea of banners floated on the morning wind, from the coats of arms of the houses of northern Degoland, their levies and the communal militias from the cities of Dorniik, Ghwent and Drussels to the sigils of orcish tribes and mercenary companies, as two great armies almost evenly matched were in motion on the edges of the Kardel woods as once again, after so very long, the ruined Elven city of Kar’endel’iel, more commonly called Karendal, saw approaching fury of warfare and battle as the du Doorniik family squabbles made themselves known to the world, using the wars between the Five Kingdoms and the reunited Dark Legion of Demons for their own purposes, between the Duke Rodham du Doornik against his bastard grandson and mercenary commander of the Dark Legion of Demons, Merrick the Abomination -or known as well as the Half-Orc or the Ogresbane-, both flying the same banner with different colours.

The King of Sargos-Degoland, King Don Camilo III the Warrior, had ordered du Doornik to retreat with the rest of the forces across the Osorio river, to a more defensible possition, but the northern lords of Degoland rejected to abandon their holds and their lands following the orders of the sargonic king.

The human army’s scouts and the warlords under the warchief Grog’losj had been clashing all yesterday evening and last night as they approached Karendal. The armies of Northern Degoland formed a long line of three rectangles across the army of Warlord Merrick, who had disposed his own mercenaries -the feared company of the Bloodsnakes- and allied tribes stretched out to his north facing the humans, with another group of tribal ozcuras and other orcs to the south int he woods to prevent any flanking attacks from there, serving as a strong point of the Dark Legion line at the centre some ruins in a height that they had fortified as they first arrived to the Kardel Woods, where the Dark Legion had placed additional archers, skirmishers and mounted artillery.

The battle began with the deployment of a skirmisher line of archers from humans, move which was being mirrored by bow-oscuras and bow-orcs as the sounds of kettledrums and warhorns began to sound. As a short while passed the sound of horns rose from the northern Degoland army and the centre column of that army started to move forward with the thunder of kettle drums. The advancing human infantry came under fire from the artillery at the ruins, which forced Duke du Doornik to change his plans.

Du Doornik originally planned to merely pin the fort till he had finished the enemy army and then assault it, but with the presence of field artillery, he ordered an attack on the ruins under the command of Count Abermarle, peasant militias from Elsgate, Dursram and Gostrem who began the assault on the fortified ruins occupied by the Dark Legion under the command of the orc wizard Ks'nbosh.

On the northern flank, the Duke commanded himself over two thousand Knights and their better squires astride the finest heavy horse available backed up by their squires, several hundred light outriders and over two thousand men at arms on foot just behind them. Facing them on this flank was about five thousand strong heavy infantry and four hundred medium cavalry of the "Stormwind" company, being lead by the Abomination who had his own "Bloodsnakes" mercenary company, closest allies and affiliated companies.

While the duke could see that the infantry was well armed and equipped, forming with pikes, for his own experience in the Sargonic Wars he discarded their discipline and capability to stand a powerful charge of Heavy Cavalry, expecting them to break either on the first or second charge as always happened before on his experience with footmen facing a charge by noble cavalry.

But the centre of the Dark Legion hold their fortified ruins and camp against the Degolandic attack, and then the heavy infantry of Merrick the Abomination began to advance on the northern flank in disciplined ranks and formations, taking by surprise the heavy cavalry who expected the Dark Legion infantry to stand in their ground. The advancing of pikeorcs and billorcs caught the northern degolandic army in a wrong footing, and the reaction of the heavy cavalry was a disorganised charge rather than the planned action of the Duke du Doornik.

The two forces slammed into each other with tremendous force, the sound of steel on steel, screams of horses, orcs and men filling the air as horses seized up before the wall of pikes charging at them causing the front ranks to stumble back into the chargers behind them disrupting the whole cavalry charge. Casualties were heavy on both sides front ranks as lance and pike collided and men and orc died but the solid mass of infantry braced itself and momentum carried them forward slowly as the horsemen grew disordered as horses pulled back from the sharp pike points as bill-hooks reached forward from the survivors of the front rank and rank behind them at the heads of the horses intending to kill the mounts and render the cavalrymen useless by being bereft of their precious horses.

As the heavy cavalry of Northern Degoland tried to disengage to reform a new charge, the Dark Legion cavalry and wargs attacked from the northern flank, creating further confusion. The death of the Duke Du Doornik at the hand of his grandson the Abomination would be a hit to the Degolandic morale, and the now leaderless enemy partially trapped between the steadily advancing infantry and the cavalry on its flank crumbled and sought desperately to retreat back towards their own infantry across the way that themselves were now desperately trying to form up at an angle from the enemy centre now that the advancing Bloodsnake banners stood aside their flanks with the best of the human army facing destruction.

The battle -a decisive victory for the Dark Legion, under the command of the Abomination, Merrick Du Doornik- resulted in the destruction of a large part of the armies of Northern Degoland being destroyed -rather than retreating to fight along with the rest of the armies of Sargos-Degoland-.

This would be one of the more resounding victories of the Dark Legion during the Campaign of Sargos.






The Battle of Kardel Woods was a battle fought in Degoland, in the Duchy of Doorniik, during the Campaign of Sargos in summer of the 2440 a.a.H during the Second War of the Power.

In the battle, which faced the ducal army of Doorniik under Duke Rodham against his bastard grandson and mercenary commander of the Dark Legion of Demons, Merrick the Abomination or the Half Orc, commanding a forward formation of the advancing Dark Legion, but pushing his personal agenda.

The battle, fought around the ruins of an old elven settlement, Karendal, occupied by a fraction of the demonic army and the Kardel Woods ended in a complete defeat of the Ducal Army of Duke Rodham and his death.



Done as a gift for , of his character Silas of Delgem -with the heraldry of the Boar of Delgem- which he wrote a novel around set in the world of Aiers I had re-read recently: Silas of Delgem

The description of the battle -and the battle itself-, was created by for the World of Aiers.

Orcpeliers of Nortender by Shabazik on DeviantArt

Spoiler

First on Hortence the Orcpelier:
War Orphans

Previously, on the Orcpeliers:


"So, what's going on?" asked Hortence, as the ozcuras grey orcs mercenaries formed a line outside of Castle Kreuzfeldt of the Order of Nortender. "Are we going on campaign?"

She wished it was the case, after being look up in the castle for about three weeks as marched by to fight against the Dark Legion the seasonal crusaders from the Five Kingdoms who helped Nortender to keep the north against the tidal waves of the Dark Legion. The seasonal crusaders where needed reinforcements, but sometimes they simply didn't understood some of the complications of the life in the frontier of mankind, such as that in such borders not always orcs where enemies to be fought, but often allies fighting for the same cause -for the right price, that's it.

"No" said Andrew, as she lined up by the side of Hortence. She was another of the orcpeliers, or orcish mercenaries serving the humans. "It's one of the higher ups of the Order."

"Ohh. The Head of the Sword, the Maestre of Nortender?" wondered Hortence.

"Pfft. Like he would ever take time to deal with Ozcuras." said Andrew with condescending. "No, the Orcpelier."

"Aren't WE Orcpeliers?"

"I mean THE Orcpelier."

"I don't understand." Hortence said. She knew by now she was already a well established warrior of Nortender, but her comrade rolled her eyes as if she was the greenest of new recruits.

"It's a senior office-holder, of the Orcpelier who commands the orc mercenaries recruited by the Order and the sergeant-brothers. It's called either Orcpelier or as well as the Orcaine, to avoid confusing dumb-dumbs like you" Andrew explained, as more ozcuras formed on the open field. Hortence saw further down the line her sister, just arriving and putting her clothes in order. She wondered who she was sleeping with this time. It had taken some time, but Magdalena finally was getting along their new, strange "orc tribe". She saw as well Brother Cleves -the brethren-knight in charge of the orc mercenaries of the castle- as well trying to look his best.

"I thought Cleves was our boss." Hortence said pointing to the brethren knight. By his side was his "Main ozcura", Marie. "And I thought that Marie was our other boss. And we were supposed to be auxiliaries of the Knights, no?"

"You pumpkin, Kreuzfeldt isn't but a castle of the Order!" said Andrew with a grin. Andrew was a Hoo-Mandi ozcura: a grey orc born in the service of the Hoo-Mans. And while raised by her mothers, she had this habit of trying to show off how much more she understood Hoo-Mans than others orcs who came from the demonlands. "There are dozens of castles, and thousands serving the order! And there are cities! So many cities!"

"Ooooh" Hortence guessed that it stood up to reason. Otherwise, how the order could have stopped so many times the tidal waves of the Dark Legions of Demons? "... so... who's this Orcaine?"

"I already told you. It's a high ranking officer, that-" Andrew said, preparing to go on a long speech about the Order of Nortender and how it worked, but Hortence cut her short on her rant.

"No, not what is the charge, but WHO is the Orcaine?"

"Oh, the old One-Eye!"

"The One-Eye?" asked Hortence. The Orcpeliers of Kreuzfeldt had already formed up in a disorderly line to receive this mysterious One-Eye, and clearly neither Brother Cleves or Marie where happy at some Orcpeliers showing up nude, and where barking at them to go back to the barracks and get back in armour. Marie as well ordered an Ozcura with her baby to either go back to the castle and leave her baby with somebody else, or to stay on the castle and have her payment cut. The ozcura hurried back to the castle with her crying, pink-skinned baby back.

"Well, it's not called One-Eye. WE call them One-Eye. She's a total bad-ass" Andrew said. For the tone, Hortence guessed that Andrew wanted to appear more interesting, and that WE meant the real ozcuras of Nortender, not some recently recruited outsiders. She hated when Andrew did that sort of comments and held such attitudes.

"She? It isn't one of the brethren-Knights? One of the Battle-Nuns instead?" Hortence asked.

"No, she's an Orc! An Ozcura Grey Orc! The first one to become THE Orcaine! Normally, such office had been hold mostly by Galaw High Orcs!" Andrew said. "But they wouldn't have it otherwise, because the One-Eye! Really fearsome! There are many stories about her! Supposedly, before joining the Order, she was a GENERAL in the Dark Legion!"

"That's nonsense" Hortence said, happy to be able to once talk back to Andrew, who always wanted to make it look like she knew it all. "There are no Ozcuras Generals in the dark legion!"

"One-Eye was totally a Dark Legion general" Andrew said. Meanwhile, the naked ozcuras who had been send back by Cleves had finally returned. One had forgotten her pants. Brother Cleves and Marie then went up and down the line, trying to impose some semblance of military prowess in the unit. Hortence didn't understood that much: why to care how the troops looked, if they could fight? Demons didn't cared. Well. Some cared. Some cared how their soldiers look. But in her own experience, her former demon-lord prince, Ashmadael, cared for the looks... but not for a martial appearance, but instead purely on aesthetic therms. Ashmadael wasn't the only demon to care mostly for that.

After Brother Cleves passed by their side, stomping impatient, Hortence resumed their conversation.

"I told you: there are no ozcuras generals. And I know! My mother was a Captain of the Guard in the Dark Legion, and ozcuras can't climb beyond that rank! In fact, she was the first ozcura to ever get to hold such rank!"

"SHUT UP LADIES! WE HAVE A VISITOR!" yelled Marie, as she stood by the side of Brother Cleves, in front of the Orcpeliers of castle Kreuzfeldt.

The lines fell silent and still.

And there are few things that make you itch, like knowing that you can't scratch yourself. And that was the feeling of several of the orcs lining up.

Hortence -while trying to keep looking to the front-, tried to spy on this One-Eye officer she had never heard before. "An one-eye ozcura officer" she mumbled to herself, as she fondly remembered her own mother who was as well a one-eyed ozcura captain of the Dark Legion.

The Orcaine was now in full view of everybody. She had come riding a horse -like a human officer-, and in her retinue, Hortence saw a couple of High Orcs -the most common sergeants of the mercenary orcs of the Dark legion-, but as well a small goblin, dressed as well in the livery of the Order of Nortender. She doubted the goblin to be truly a warrior, but for him to be along the entourage of the Orcaine, some role he had to play.

"He's a quartermaster" offered Andrew. "I have seen him before. He sometimes come with the silver."

"I didn't asked anything" Hortence said annoyed. She was surprised to see that the Orcaine had as well a rather gloomy looking squire by her side. Orc mercenaries didn't had squires, that she knew for sure. She studied the squire a bit more: before, she wasn't really able to tell one human from another, but after having been serving the Order of Nortender and having seen her share of humans -and their children-, she decided that the boy looked a bit too pale... and that probably under his long hair, he had some ears pointier than usual. There in Kreuzfeldt she had seen plenty of bastards of grey orcs and the humans of the garrison... maybe that was the son of the Orcaine, she thought with a smile.

The Orcaine had been discussing with brother Cleves, and then she had been slowly walking down the line of Ozcuras, checking their equipment and presentation, sometimes exchanging some words.

Then, Hortence noticed her sister was trying to do some signs at her.

She wondered what was so urgent.

Then she heard the voice of the Orcaine...

...the voice of a ghost, long gone...

the voice of her mother, Layla the Slayer.