Prophet of Somie
Around year 400, near city of Somie, a man with few followers started giving speeches and teaching new philosophy.
Well estabilished, old faith in Eternal Creator that was main worship in lands of Empire started noticing growing number of followers of new cult.
Local priests tried to riddicule that man and his cult.
All priests who tried to challenge a mans wits, failed to do so. Anger grew amongst priests of Creator, unable to silence the man, priests hired band of mercenaries, those warriors surrounded mysterious cult and fought small battle, pushing man and his followers to small hill where they fought almost to the last. Bleeding and cursing, a man raised his sword to the sky and demanded vengeance. At this moment lightning hit a man, and whole hill dissapeared in blinding light. When locals went to the hill, they found all mercenaries and followers of a man dead. Only man hitted by lighting remained barely alive, with red scars on pale skin, forming a cross on his chest and back.
At this moment, a legend was born. Red cross on white shield, a symbol of defiance and vengeance.
Message of a man, now called prophet of Somie spreaded like wildfire.
At first in Somie, then on whole western coast of Ofengen, warrior priests of new Church of Light walked roads, bringing order and giving examples of heroism with every step they took. Many of warrior priests organised local militias and succesfully led them aganist barbarian raids.
People rejoiced and welcomed new faith.
Old imperial cult didnt gave up yet, using all influence it had priesthood of Eternal Creator convinced some of Ofengen lords, that Prophet of Somie leads dangeours sect, that plans to take over whole Ofengen in bloody uprising.
Lords of Ofengen marched together with the priesthood, to seize the Prophet.
Incoming forces were mercilessly burning villages and towns that openly displayed allegiance to the Prophet's cause. In their arrogance, lords disregaded calls to stop the slaughter, Prophet's messenger was hanged on a tree.
Few days later, Lords forces found out that their camp has been surrounded by Prophets men walking out from misty forest. Not a handfull of fanatics but few thousand well equpped warriors.
Bloody battle took few hours. When pallisades fell, warriors of Prophet stormed, tearing apart lines of Ofengen soldiers. Rain of arrows threw kningts and lords to the ground where they were massacred without mercy.
From two thousand men that Lords leaded, only few were spared.
The news spreaded. From every town and village of western Ofengen marched men full of anger.
Soon not few but tens of thousands warriors marched behind Prophet, sweeping aside or forcing to surrender Ofengen garrisons. Every force gathered by Ofengen lords was defeated or joined the Prophet.
Soon, all cities including Ofengen capital, surrendered. Worship of Eternal Creator was no more and church of Light was born.
This 3 year conflict is now called "March of Vengeance".
***
Abergorian crusade
In year 590 Church of Light is main worship in Ofengen and Reichweia.
Warrior monks travel in every direction, spreading teachings of the now dead Prophet.
Abergorii, north of Ofengen didnt took lightly attepts of conversion. Powerfull chief gathered horde of bloodthirsty warriors and fell upon Northern border of Ofengen.
Well organised militias of Ofengen inflicted heavy losses to Abergorii raiders winch resulted in heavy attrition of both men and morale. Soon beaten, Abergorii fled back to their lands. This howewer didnt satisfy militiamen of Ofengen. Soon few hundred marched aganist closest Abergorii settlement, and burned it to the ground in act of vengeance.
Abergorii would ignore chief that failed his own raid, but settlembent destroyed and temple of their gods desacrated was a call for war.
Back in Ofengen, Lights's church leaders were informed of coming disaster.
Leaving brothers in faith to certain death from hands of barbaric pagans would bring shame to the Light's name.
First crusade was called and Light's warriors marched, grasping their weapons, a tools that will carry will of the Prophet.
When crusader forces arrived to northern provinces they found burned villages and towns, few surviors described how Abergorii savages murdered and pillaged anywhere they went. Scouts found enemy army marching on town of Faversham.
Abergorii howling like wild beasts threw themselfs at crusaders, many Light's warriors died from javelins hurled by light abergorian cavalry.
When first shock passed, discipline of crusader army stopped barbarian charge. Focused on breaking crusader lines failed to notice heavy knights emerging from behind a hill, and before they organised themsefs it was too late. Like avalanche, crusader cavalry trampled hundreds of Abregorii warrors, forcing rest to retreat. Chanting Light's praises, crusader army pursued barbarians and slaughtered most of them in matter of few hours.
Days later, additional crusader forces arrived and marched deep into Abergorii territory. For many months they bringed ruin to Abergori clans, destroyed most of settlements ant put to the sword or exiled more than half of Abergorii population. Last settlement, Gathibou surrendered and opened its gates to the crusaders. Ruler of the city threw his sword before commander of crusader army, and accepted Light's worship in the name of his people.
