First Contact
When humanity expanded into the Mistclad Cordillera and shortly after the city-state of Telothia was founded, the legions of the fortress-city would march out into the mountain passes that encircled their home, in search of resources and hunting grounds. Instead, what they found was the Tyndarite Escarpment, filled with its precious namesake, Tyndarite. The peculiar properties of the material were quickly discovered, and the leadership of Telothia made the choice to begin mining operations.
However, when the miners arrived to the escarpment and were about to begin digging, they were met with ominous, diamond-shaped floating creatures of crystalline nature and incredible size. When the crews attempted to extract the Tyndarite from the rocky earth, these cyclopean colossi emitted bassy, vibrating tones that rattled the ears and skull of everyone within earshot. Determined and under the watchful eyes of Telothian legionnaires, the mining crews continued their operations.
When it came time to deliver the mineral back to Telothia for processing and appraisal, one of the floating creatures set itself between the exit of the mine and the miners carrying the Tyndarite. With a burst of vibrating tones, the crystalline giant emitted what historians now know to have been some kind of final warning before it vaporized the men via a concentrated beam of energy that emanated from its singular eye.
This, of course, was taken to be an act of war by Telothian leadership, who immediately mustered a sizable force to storm the escarpment. When these reinforcements arrived, they were greeted with several of the crystal-like creatures, which were dubbed Resonant thanks to their aural abilities. What followed was a bloodbath.
The first volley from the floating, alien creatures devastated the ranks of the legionnaires. Armor melted into slag and the men inside were reduced to ash in the wind in the blink of an eye. Panic quickly set in due to how effortlessly men were being killed in droves and the chain of command crumbled. For several hours, anarchy reigned and every man fought only for themselves. Those with cooler heads managed to form small formations that could approach their crystalline foes and some even managed to bring one or two down, but ultimately the battle had already been decided. The horn of retreat was sounded, and what remained of the Legion's forces retreated behind the heavily fortified walls of Telothia. But the Resonant did not give chase. They simply floated, ever so slowly, back into whatever nook of the escarpment they had emerged from.
Utterly beaten, the Legion slumped into its fortress and licked its wounds. Command made it abundantly clear that the Resonant are to be left alone and the battle would be recorded into written word as the First Contact. Since then, Telothia and the Legion have been cultivating a better, more understanding relationship with the crystalline creatures, which seem to harbor no vindictive intent, as long as their territories are respected.
However, when the miners arrived to the escarpment and were about to begin digging, they were met with ominous, diamond-shaped floating creatures of crystalline nature and incredible size. When the crews attempted to extract the Tyndarite from the rocky earth, these cyclopean colossi emitted bassy, vibrating tones that rattled the ears and skull of everyone within earshot. Determined and under the watchful eyes of Telothian legionnaires, the mining crews continued their operations.
When it came time to deliver the mineral back to Telothia for processing and appraisal, one of the floating creatures set itself between the exit of the mine and the miners carrying the Tyndarite. With a burst of vibrating tones, the crystalline giant emitted what historians now know to have been some kind of final warning before it vaporized the men via a concentrated beam of energy that emanated from its singular eye.
This, of course, was taken to be an act of war by Telothian leadership, who immediately mustered a sizable force to storm the escarpment. When these reinforcements arrived, they were greeted with several of the crystal-like creatures, which were dubbed Resonant thanks to their aural abilities. What followed was a bloodbath.
The first volley from the floating, alien creatures devastated the ranks of the legionnaires. Armor melted into slag and the men inside were reduced to ash in the wind in the blink of an eye. Panic quickly set in due to how effortlessly men were being killed in droves and the chain of command crumbled. For several hours, anarchy reigned and every man fought only for themselves. Those with cooler heads managed to form small formations that could approach their crystalline foes and some even managed to bring one or two down, but ultimately the battle had already been decided. The horn of retreat was sounded, and what remained of the Legion's forces retreated behind the heavily fortified walls of Telothia. But the Resonant did not give chase. They simply floated, ever so slowly, back into whatever nook of the escarpment they had emerged from.
Utterly beaten, the Legion slumped into its fortress and licked its wounds. Command made it abundantly clear that the Resonant are to be left alone and the battle would be recorded into written word as the First Contact. Since then, Telothia and the Legion have been cultivating a better, more understanding relationship with the crystalline creatures, which seem to harbor no vindictive intent, as long as their territories are respected.
Conflict Type
Battle
Conflict Result
Crushing Telothian defeat
Belligerents
The Resonant
Telothian Legion
Strength
Some few hundred Resonant
Between three- and four thousand men, supported by three detachments of mounted Warsages
Casualties
Very few, estimated to be less than ten individuals
Heavy, estimations vary between one and two thousand men and all of the accompanying Warsages
Objectives
The protection of their territory
Capture of the Tyndarite Escarpment
by Midjourney
This is a good article, but it seems a little short, I'd love to read more on this conflict