| Ravaging of Rabenna |
| Date |
RY765 Resplendent Earth |
| Location |
Rabenna, Madura |
| Result |
Decisive Azerbani victory |
|
| Belligerents |
| Scarlet Empire (4th Imperial Legion) |
Azerban |
| Commanders |
| Mnemon Borodir |
Anathema-Voivode of Azerban, Laerus Wolfborn |
| Strength |
1,170 Realm Legionnaires
500+ Maduran levies
7 Dragonblooded |
2,800 Azerbani soldiers
1,500 Maduran soldiers
20 catapults
28 ballistae
1 Solar Anathema
1+ Dragonblooded
2+ Godblooded |
| Casualties and losses |
300+ Realm Legionnaires
100+ Maduran levies
400+ Maduran levies (fled or defected)
3 Dragonblooded |
700+ Azerbani soldiers
250+ Maduran soldiers |
|
Prelude
The Ravaging of Rabenna was a battle in the Campaign against the Anathema-Voivode, following only a few days after the disastrous Fourth Battle of Chumo-Sheh had seen the Anathema-Voivode cross the Thousand Rushes River with her Azerbani army.
A circular city, Rabenna lacks for city walls, the Legion defenders stationed there under dragonlord Mnemon Borodir instead establishing eight Legion camps to serve as perimeter strongpoints, with overall headquarters in the stone-walled compound of the Satrap at the City’s southwestern edge. Borodir himself had inherited command due to delays in the arrival of the 5th Dragon’s dragonlord Sesus Yegeme, who had been held up (along with the 1st Talon of her 1st Wing) in advancing from Isesu by her baggage train, and the decision of 4th Dragon’s dragonlord Sesus Naomasa, new arrived from the battle at Chumo-Sheh, to continue southward escorted by his 1st Wing 1st Talon, so he might reach Isesu and ‘lead the restoration of cohesion to the Legion in strategoi Abeisha’s absence’. The Exarch of Madura had promised a force of ‘ten thousand hunters’ to join Legion troops, but most of those who could be mustered were commoners levied into service… many simply ignored the summons once the Exarch’s men had passed on, others arrived only to find no weapons available to equip them.
Imperial Deployments
Borodir’s order of battle was recovered from the Satrap’s compound following the Liberation of Rabenna, entered into the official histories of the Legion.
Fort North – 6th Dragon 2nd Wing 2nd Talon.
Fort Northeast – Sorcerer Pechpipat Supvarodom, 7th Dragon 2nd Wing 1st Talon.
Fort East – 5th Dragon 1st Wing 2nd Talon.
Fort Southeast –6th Dragon 1st Wing 2nd Talon.
Imperial Satrap’s Compound – Dragonlord Mnemon Borodir, 6th Dragon 1st Wing 1st Talon.
Fort South – 4th Dragon 2nd Wing 1st Talon.
Fort Southwest – 4th Dragon 2nd Wing 2nd Talon.
Fort West – 5th Dragon 2nd Wing 2nd Talon.
Fort Northwest – 5th Dragon 2nd Wing 1st Talon.
Rabenna North – 13th Dragon 2nd Wing, Maduran Militia.
However, in addition to a lack of Maduran forces appearing as expected, on his departure dragonlord Sesus Naomasa removed all but a token fang from Fort South to join his forces, so they might ensure that lines of communication between Rabenna and Isesu remained clear and secure, leaving dragonlord Borodir short of manpower.
The Battle
The understanding of many surviving officers was that Borodir believed the Azerbani army would be unable to siege all of the fortifications at once… if they surrounded one, sling fire from the city and sallies from the other forts would strike their flanks, if they ignored the forts then they would be engaged house to house by the Maduran militias and Legionnaires within the forts would emerge to charge their rear. Alas, Imperial estimates failed to judge either the number or quality of the opposition, and the magics of the Anathema were potent indeed.
It is said that the whole of Fort North was frozen in place at her approach, screaming but unable to flee, as her soldiers scaled the walls and speared each one in turn. It is said that the defenders of the city were gripped with terror and fled en masse to cower in their homes. It is said that the Azerbani brought siege weapons to bear on Legion palisades and shattered them under a barrage of stone and bolt, before sweeping through the breech to gut those with no way out. The forts fell in quick succession, most of their officers recognizing their situations as untenable and attempting to lead breakouts southward to more defensible positions and the rest of the 4th Legion, albeit suffering heavy casualties. A few stories of heroism were carried out of those who stood firm to cover the retreat… dragonlord Borodir is said to have strode forth to battle house to house in search of the Anathema, though none know if he found her. It is said that talonlord Sesus Violatus, commander of the Northeast Fort, took a ballista bolt through the chest and yet still slew three Azerbani warriors before he fell, though he was merely mortal. But, even with such accounts, the fact of the Imperial defeat at Rabenna was undeniable, and coming on the heels of other major catastrophes threw 4th Legion morale to all-time lows.
Aftermath
Several officers and soldiers scattered into the Maduran wilderness, making their way southward to Ceben and Imperial lines while pursued by the victorious Azerbani, fangs and individuals trickling into Ceben for months in the wake of the battle. The largest such force, centered on the 2nd wing of the 4th Dragon under talonlord Blade of Ascending Iron, was saved from destruction by intervention of the 10th Dragon under Sesus Dochao at the Battle of the Thisian Bridge.
Talonlord Mnemon Koleria was cut off by Azerbani troops as they flowed southward, losing the remnants of her unit as she was forced to retreat to the northwest towards the Laran Moor, where she faced the Anathema-Voivode herself at the Battle of Bleakrise Tor.
The battle has been cited by strategoi Sesus Dochao as a clear indication of the need for the reforms he instituted in the 4th Legion upon taking command: Rabenna was defended by two Dragons of troops, but drawn piecemeal from four different Dragons, unable to properly coordinate or operate independently. The historians of House Cathak held that the Legion ought have placed the whole of the 5th and 6th Dragons in Rabenna, and pooled Exalted officers in order to create a vanguard unit as directed in the Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier. Dochao’s critique was far different, that what troops were salvaged from the defeat were saved through the individual initiative of the unit commanders, and had their units been better trained and equipped for independent action and inter-Dragon coordination, the outcome would have been far different.
The name 'Ravaging of Rabenna' was assigned to the battle both due to the severity of the assault and the numerous stories of horror and violence visited on the population of the city after it fell, the Anathema devouring babies torn from the womb and bathing in the blood of virgins. While accurate information was difficult to come by at the time, and there was little of value left unlooted when Imperial forces finally retook the city, some observers have commented that the city structures themselves were recovered in good order. Rabenna's captive bile bears, however, were released by the Anathema, then hunted for food and sport during the occupation, a severe economic blow to the locals.
