Nan-Li is an important city in Grand Cathay, located due south of the metropolis of Nan-Gau. It lies on the edge of the Northern Provinces and so is ruled by the Storm Dragon, Miao Ying. [1] The city has been infiltrated before by Chaos Cults of Chi'an Chi or Tzeentch as the Chaos God of change and intrigue is known in the west, and his cultists maintain some influence in the city's garrison and among some of its municipal officials. [2]
The city's garrison is largely comprised of Peasant Long Spearmen and Cathayan Peasant Archers who march out to defend the city whenever it is threatened. Like all Cathayan cities, it maintains a Zhangu War Drum which rallies the garrison during times of crisis and can also be sent out to accompany its army on campaign.[2]
History[]
Siege of Nan-Li[]
During the period of the Dragon Emperor's absence from Grand Cathay, a large army comprised of Daemons of the Chaos God Tzeentch, known as Chi'an Chi in Cathay, marched on the city of Nan-Li in the Northern Provinces. Tzeentchian Chaos Cultists were everywhere in the city, infiltrating the garrison and populace through the use of sorcery.[2]
During this time, unaware of the events in the city, the Storm Dragon Miao Ying arrived in Nan-Li with her younger brother Yuan Bo the Jade Dragon, and both proceeded to take an expensive tea together. Their tea leaves came from the Celestial Mountains near Weng Chang, and were only able to be picked and properly prepared by Wu-Xing monks. The Storm Dragon claimed that the water came from the springs of Shanlong. While the Cathayan Dragon siblings were at tea they learned of the Chaos invasion proceeding in the province, to which Miao Ying, the ruler of the Northern Provinces, was strangely indifferent.[2]
Yuan Bo noticed this and several other odd behaviours of his older sister, and, suspecting what had happened, eventually tricked what was actually a shapeshifted Tzeentchian Daemon, the infamous Changeling, into revealing itself by making a small, insolent hand gesture towards an inferior rank of Cathayan servant, a form of disrespect his true sister would never have tolerated from him, but which her impostor ignored.[2]
When The Jade Dragon made clear that the Daemon's ruse had been penetrated, the Daemon revealed its true form and fled, even as several dozen Chaos Cultists emerged from behind the curtains of the tea shop, armed with crossbows and daggers. After parrying several magical strikes from the Changeling as it fled, Yuan Bo transformed into his Cathayan Dragon form, slew the cultists and erupted out of the shattered remains of the tea shop's building.[2]
Meanwhile, the Dragon-blooded Shugengan Lord Jingyi Bo took command of the Jade Dragon's army as they prepared to move against the Chaos forces assaulting the province. The army was comprised primarily of Peasant Long Spearmen and Cathayan Peasant Archers militia forces. A few regiments of Jade Warriors and Celestial Dragon Guard marched with them as well, but the force was primarily a peasant conscript army drawn from Nan-Li.[2]
The Dragon-blooded general rode atop a war horse, flanked by a Zhangu War Drum. The battlefield where they would meet the Tzeentchian forces was a landscape defined by rice paddies. Jingyi Bo was nervous in the face of a Daemonic invasion, but believed his lord Yuan Bo was equal to the challenge.[2]
When the battle began, things went poorly for the Cathayans at first, and their army was pushed all the way back to the outskirts of the city, their Crane Gunners harassed by Champions of Tzeentch riding atop Discs of Tzeentch and Furies that swept down and slew any peasants exposed in the open on the streets of Nan-Li. It was at this moment that Yuan Bo entered the battle, ordering the Crow-men among his forces to give chase to the shapeshifting Daemon who had impersonated his sister and now commanded the Chaos forces. In his Draconic form, the Jade Dragon proceeded to eliminate the rest of the Chaos army, dispersing its cohesion and sending most of the remaining Daemons wailing back into the Realm of Chaos.[2]
The true Storm Dragon arrived in Nan-Li five days later, for she had been busy defending the Great Bastion from the Hung barbarians. As peasant work crews repaired ditches and rice paddies around Nan-Li, and Jade Lancers hunted down any of the surviving Chaos Warriors and Chaos Marauders that had fled into the countryside, Miao Ying met with her brother.[2]
She railed against Yuan Bo for almost losing an important city to the Great Enemy, as being fooled by a powerful Daemon was a grave mistake indeed. They walked to where Jingyi Bo was holding the prisoners taken as captives during the battle against the forces of Chi'an Chi. Jade Warriors held the Northmen barbarians in a line tied together by a rope.[2]
The Storm Dragon was about to suggest interrogating the captives, but, faster than anyone could see, Yuan Bo's magical sword Dragon's Fang sang from its scabbard and decapitated the nearest prisoner. The Jade Warriors took their master's intent and then fell on the remaining prisoners, splattering blood from the dying captives on the garments of the shocked Storm Dragon. There would be no mercy for the servants of the Ruinous Powers in Nan-Li.[2]
As the prisoners were put to the sword, Yuan Bo addressed his sister. He reminded Miao Ying that the city of Nan-Li was under her protection, and indeed would have fallen to the Changeling if not for the intervention of the forces of the Central Provinces. However, he assured her that their father would no doubt forgive his favorite child so long as Miao Ying showed the Celestial Court a "modest token of contrition." The proud Storm Dragon bowed her head to Yuan Bo and agreed.[2]
Sources[]
- 1: Master of the Meteor Wind (Short Story) by David Guymer
- 2: Total War: Warhammer III (PC Game)