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Background Loures had a long relationship with the various goblin clans prior to Deoch 28. Many goblins had served as mercenaries for Loures for the better part of two decades. These mercenaries were put to great use by Loures in suppressing two rebellions in Undine in Deoch 11 and 12. ---------------------------------------- Conflict Begins In mid Doech 28 the mundane Decasco sighted a large force of goblins moving toward an area not far from Loures proper, colloquially known as the grassy fields after it's long flat plains of grass. Aisling and mundane alike speculated their purpose: perhaps the goblins were planning to launch a new offensive in the Pravat Caves against the Grimlok. Others thought it could be another gathering of mercenaries under Loures direction. Approximately one double moon later the goblins put an end to the speculation and launched a full scale invasion of Loures territory in the area of the grassy fields. Loures was caught completely by surprised and unprepared for the goblin onslaught. Being previously on friendly terms with the goblins, many Loures soldiers were slaughtered before they realized what was happening. Large portions of the grassy fields were taken over by the advancing goblins with little or no effective resistance. Lead by Captain Dealos, Loures established a base camp at the edge of the grassy fields. Loures then called on the assistance of any experienced aislings to enlist and fight against the goblins. Spoils of war were offered to anyone who fought. Upon arrival aisling volunteers were immediately sent into battle against the goblins. While many aislings had prior experience fighting single goblins or small groups in places such as the Eastern Woodlands, never before had an army of goblins been encountered and many aislings were killed in the opening phase of the battle. Despite horrific early losses, aislings were eventually able to learn the tactics of the goblin army and within a double moon had succeeded in halting the goblin advance, though they were unable to push the goblins back out of the territory already seized. ---------------------------------------- Assault on Loures With the front lines at the grassy fields stabilized, Captain Dealos speculated that the goblins would attempt to take over an aisling town due to their involvement in the war. Instead a fast moving goblin flying column launched a surprise assault on Loures itself in early Deoch 29. This time, however, the aislings had learned from their earlier mistakes and were well prepared. They met the advancing goblin force at the gates of Loures Castle. The goblins were outnumbered and after being outflanked were wiped out by the aislings defenders. ---------------------------------------- Horse Stealing Raids on Tagor & Piet The next phase of the war would see the kobolds make their entrance. In early Deoch 30 kobold raiding parties from Astrid attacked the horse pens of Tagor and Piet. Their objective was not to kill the horses, but to capture them. Loures quickly called on aislings for assistance in tracking down the raiding parties. The raiding parties were eventually spotted in the Enchanted Garden, likely on their way to the goblin controlled portions of the Eastern Woodlands. With aislings arriving by the dozens, the kobolds were not keen to share the fate of the goblins who attempted to assault Loures the year prior. Summoning dubhaimaid creatures as a distraction, the kobolds quickly slipped away. The dubhaim were easily slain, but had served their purpose in allowing their masters to escape. With the horses secure, it seemed that the goblins had lost this engagement of the war. However, before anyone in the aisling group considered how exactly to return the horses to their pens, a few of their number decided it would be more fun to kill the horses and they indeed did just that. Although the goblins had failed in their attempt to steal the horses for their own uses, thanks to unexpected aisling "assistance", Loures lost a valuable economic and military resource. ---------------------------------------- Stalemate Following the horse stealing raids the war largely settled down. Loures had been caught by surprise and suffered horrific causalities the opening phases of the war; likewise the goblin numbers were severely reduced after aislings enter the fray. The front lines would remain fixed across the grassy fields as neither side made any significant offenses. Taking part in raids against the goblins in the grassy fields would become something of a rite of passage that all aisling warriors, monks, and rogues would do after mastery as Loures would give a special helm to each after slaying a particular number of goblins. ---------------------------------------- Loures? Aislings? Who did the goblins actually declare war on? At the start of the Goblin War announcements made by mundanes stated that the “goblins had declared war on aislings”, with Captain Dealos repeating this assertion. However, subsequent events prove that this statement was at best a misunderstanding of the intentions of the goblins and at worse a Loures lie to spur aislings into assisting them. All actions of the war were directed Loures or Loures’ interests. No aisling controlled town was ever attacked, despite Mileth being just a stone’s throw away from the goblin clans of the Eastern Woodlands. More telling was that during the entirety of the war the goblins still accepted aisling assistance in Pravat against the Grimlok and the Kobolds of Astrid still welcomed aislings to perform Eulogies, Redemptions and Adoration events.
I remember at the start of the Goblin War in Deoch 27, as soon as Loures asked for help, so many of my fellow aislings volunteered, went right into combat and were promptly slaughtered. No one had ever faced goblins so strong and in such numbers before. Eventually though aislings came to understand how the goblin army operated and developed tactics to stay alive and fight in the grassy fields. Serving as a Mileth Demagogue at the time, I had the misfortune to see how the war brought out some of the worse qualities in aislings. Loures was offering special helms to reward to master rogues, monks and warriors who killed two of every goblin type. Slaying two of every goblin type was not particularly difficult… except for the giant goblin warlords who only appeared infrequently. Once aislings understood how to survive the battlefield, they began competing for warlord kills. Conflicts broke out and quickly went beyond mere 'kill stealing’. I remember there were several cases of murder and attempted murder recorded, as one aisling attempted to physically freeze another from getting a kill. Even a Mileth Guard Captain was charged with attempted murder, though he managed to beat the charges thanks to political allies in office. The horse stealing raid on Tagor and Piet was another event where I tend to question just how aisling sparks are 'allocated' to the mundane. When I heard the mundane announcement that the horses had been stolen I made my way to Piet were I and many others found them long gone. We then went to the Enchanted Garden where I caught the tail of end of the Kobold-summoned dubhaim creatures being slain. The horses were unharmed and walking around aimlessly. A few aislings were talking about how exactly to return them to their pens. Others who had arrived late just decided instead to kill the horses and laugh about it! Indeed there are times when I feel the aisling spark is truly wasted… |