Braykith maps
- Jennifer Rae
- Mar 26, 2016
- 5 min read
The Land of Accila
The land of Accila is divided into several provinces and houses three Kingdoms. While Extol of Agnatic Dreams only deals with the exclusive deal struck between Braykith, Crimah, as they go to war against Zorelian there is a bigger story as well. I haven't quite decided if these other areas will get a chance to tell their stories. Never say never, but for now, only three areas are explored.
When Extol of Agnatic Dreams opens, we meet the Earl of Crimah learning that the King of Zorelian was about to take over their province in a bid to take more land for himself. Up until this time, Braykith was not a close ally to Crimah, however since they were the ones to speak to Barret about the secret Zorelian plans, it is assumed that they sought to help the largest province within Accila. This extension of friendship gives Barret a boost in esteem and he starts a war against the Kingdom of Zorelian in retaliation.
For as long as anyone can recall, the province of Crimah has been paying tribute to the Kingdom of Zorelian. It is expected from all of the provinces. While Braykith could also make demands from the provinces of the area, their Kingdom is excluded from these routine deals. Their reputation meant that trade was encouraged, and hard to secure. The Kingdom of Zorelian did not work hard for their gains and were bullies to the smaller provinces. If they could secure Crimah than they could have the potential to take the rest of Accila, and be a real threat to Braykith.
However, Barret understood that the attacks against The Kingdom of Zorelian could not be the typical war tactics. The Kingdom of Zorelian had a great army, and the resources to keep them well trained and nourished. The Army of Crimah was much smaller, and while well trained for war, they were not capable of overthrowing the most powerful kingdom of Accila even with the Braykith support. Earl Barret was willing to fight dirty, and the repercussions of those tactics continue to hurt his Province as it continues forward.
The Role of Braykith
Even those closest to Barret were shocked by his sudden shift in priorities. Some openly blamed Braykith. Their reputation of black magic and devil worship was an easy scapegoat for those loyal to a mad man. Barret had been close to the edge for many years. The deal his forefathers had agreed to, was starting to hurt his male ego. The Kingdom flourished under ill-gotten gains while the provinces suffered. It may have appeared sudden however it had been a long time coming.
That is the story that Quintus would tell. It is also mostly true. Perhaps the most talked about moment leading up to the war was the direct influence of Braykith and their timing. There were some who dared to question if the King of Zorelian ever planned to demand the increased levels of tribute from Crimah as Braykith's undercover agent reported. There was little proof beyond this messenger that Zorelian was plotting to demand anything of them beyond their current deal.
Did Quintus find a moment of opportunity? Barrett had never shown a desire to rule the Kingdom before this, and Crimah were not close to Braykith. it appears to be something lost in history (and a question I like the audience to ponder, and perhaps find out during book two)
Barret's war tactics.
King Quintus had only a small role in the war efforts, as far as troops were concerned. He sent them resources and lent to Barret their reputation. Just knowing that the feared King of Braykith was partnering with the Earl of Crimah gave Barret a military edge. Several of the smaller provinces fell to his leadership with nothing more than a glance in their direction. Those provinces were allowed to remain, with their leaders being given new official titles. However, their territories became part of the Crimah empire.
Barret started with those furthest from the King of Zorelian's reach. His soldiers would raid the small communities and would often leave them razed to the ground. He did not want to ruin the soil long term, but by diminishing the Zorelian crops, he was ensuring the entire Kingdom would feel the effects. Barret's soldiers were warned to kill all men, women, and children who opposed him. There were to be no prisoners since Barrett did not have the resources to maintain them. On occasion, children were taken and tortured for information when adults proved to give to much resistance. The techniques used on children were just as severe with no holding back. Only months into the beginning stages of the war, his wife Thea threatened to leave him, and so Barrett changed his attacks to one of stealth, and he no longer experimented or tortured children.
As Barret's troops, supplemented by other provinces and Braykith soldiers, closed in on the Castle, the people within the walls were overcrowded. Many of the villagers had escaped to the safety of the Kingdoms walls once it became apparent that the random nightly attacks were indeed cultivated by the province of Crimah. The space that was originally built to house a small selection of the Zorelian community was now overcrowded. Barret trapped the people within the kingdom.
Zorelian did not have infinite resources or the ability to create more. They had relied heavily upon their surrounding powers to keep themselves maintained. , and within days, the Kingdom had run out of food. The water supply was ruined by Barret, and the King of Zorelian did send word by message to Barret to discuss the terms of a surrender. These pleas were ignored. Barret finally ordered the remaining people of Zorelian to line up in the front court of the Kingdom.
Once there, the citizens were forced to stand shoulder to shoulder and wait. Barret did not give them food or drink, and he refused to allow the citizens to bury their dead. People would fall and stay down. Decomposing bodies sped up the overall process and Barrett did not have long to wait before dysentery, malnutrition, and dehydration brought Zorelian to its end. The war lasted for close to two years and is known as the War of Red and Black.
The War Aftermath
The Kingdom of Zorelian was divided between Braykith and Crimah evenly, and since then there had been mostly peace within the land of Accila. Earl Barret keeps his people well fed and safe still, and the alliance with Braykith was profitable. However, they could never quite destroy the lingering influence of the Zorelian Kingdom. Hints of an organised rebellion were heard mere weeks after Zorelian's Kingdom was brought to ruin.
It is not known exactly how many people are part of the resistance, but for years, they did not pose a major threat to either Crimah or Braykith. Careful defenses have been in place and citizens have been trained in how to handle sighting a Zorelian rebel. However, the sightings are few and far between for many years.
There was a sudden shift in the tactics of the rebellion in the past four years. However, Barret and Quintus both feel secure on their defensive tactics. It is yet to see why the rebellion has become a new threat, or what they plan to do against two powerful armies. Braykith before map
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