The Battle of Denok

Military: Battle

The Battle of Denok, (10th Eleint 25pc), in the Thrakiot war of the (many) Duryadi-Fiergian Wars, decisive battle fought on the Denok plain of northwestern Naful in which the Denokid Duryadi, in a single afternoon, repulsed the first Fiergian invasion of Duryad. Command of the hastily assembled Denokid army was vested in 10 generals, each of whom was to hold operational command for one day. The generals were evenly divided on whether to await the Fiergians or to attack them, and the tie was broken by Maneirah Yashann yrb Haldubar Yhl-Gamtikosh, who decided in favour of an attack. Four of the generals then ceded their commands to her husband the Dahrmuyid general and Imperial Prince, Melqart Behrouz ybn Murad Yhl-Duryadh, thus effectively making them both commander in chief.   The Duryadi could not hope to face the Fiergian’ cavalry contingent on the open plain, but before dawn one day the Duryadi learned that the cavalry was temporarily absent from the Fiergian camp, busy chasing the Gholdahar cavalry and many had been wounded by the missiles of the Raihun light infantry. Whereupon hearing of these news Maneirah ordered a general attack upon the Fiergian infantry. In the ensuing battle, Maneirah led her contingent of 10,000 Denokid clanhold warriors and 1,000 Duryadi Imperial soldiers to victory over the Fiergian force of 25,000 by reinforcing her battle line’s flanks and thus decoying the Fiergians’ best troops into pushing back her centre, where they were surrounded by the inward-wheeling Duryadi wings. On being almost enveloped, the Fiergian troops broke into flight. By the time the routed Fiergians reached their ships, they had lost 8,400 men; the Duryadi lost 394 troops.   As the Fiergians retreated, Maneirah ordered a vigorous pursuit. During this time, she was grievously wounded during the assault, forcing a retreat from her combat station. As she exited from the battle, the Durish troops of the vanguard were left without command momentarily. Melqart Behrouz struggled to regain their composure and knowing only that his wife, Maneirah went missing, if she was taken prisoner or killed; he did not know. For the remainder of the battle, before others could notice, Melqart continued to beat the war drum to encourage the pursuit.   Maneirah would survive her wounds, but News of how she fled the field of battle and how this lead to the only durish casualtied spread quickly throughout the Qyzharate and she was thusly labeled a traitor. Maneirah then fled her beloved homeland so not to be executed, and to shield Melqart from any consequence that would come from her staying in Duryad