Cadogen Crusades

Cadogen Crusade
Part of Cadogen Server
Cadogen Castle. Note burned out roof, bricked entrance, and dirt stairs.
Date: September 29th, 2017 Location: Cadogen Result: Return of diamond, nobel617 crowned king of Cadogen Territory changes: N/A
Combatants
Cadogen	nobel617
Commanders
bcfoss	nobel617
Casualties
2-3 deaths, minor structural damage to Cadogen Castle	~8 deaths

The Cadogen Crusades (alternatively Cadogen Crusade) was a conflict between bcfoss (sole inhabitant of Cadogen) and nobel617. The conflict centered around the possession of a single diamond, which both sides laid claim to.

Background

The server had already been established for some time before the Crusades started, during which time Cadogen was founded on an island/peninsula to the south of the main continent. Antioch had also presumably been founded by this time. (I have a vague notion that there had been earlier bases across the ocean to the south, and I think spawn was also located to the south)

Destitute and homeless (having abandoned a previous base?), nobel617 entered Cadogen a considerable amount of time after server start and petitioned bcfoss for the right to use his mine. bcfoss acquiesced under the condition that nobel617 must surrender any diamonds he found. After depositing most of his items in a chest near the top of the mine, nobel617 spent several ingame days mining before coming upon a diamond.

Hearing about this discovery, bcfoss reminded nobel617 of their deal concerning diamonds, to which nobel617 replied in the negative and voiced his intention to keep the diamond for himself. Feeling that his generosity had been spat on, bcfoss waited at the top of the mine for nobel617, and proceeded to ambush and kill him. bcfoss immediately made overtures for peace, offering to return everything except for the diamond, but nobel617 refused.

Siege and Assault

Recognizing the need to protect his stuff, bcfoss decided on a defensive stance and fortified Cadogen Castle. Lacking a bed(?), nobel617 had to journey back from spawn after being killed and constructed sub-iron tools in order to assault the Castle. The first several assaults proceeded in this fashion, with nobel617 amassing crude tools during his journey back from spawn only to be killed in the fields north of Cadogen.

During a lull in the fighting, nobel617 constructed a scoped bolt-action rifle from Flan's mod. bcfoss was initially dismissive of the gun, but a lucky shot by nobel617 managed to reverse his opinion. Though the bolt-action rifle has highly effective at suppressing the forces of Cadogen, it was ultimately redundant as bcfoss was in no hurry to leave the castle. The besieging force soon abandoned the rifle and reverted to assaulting the castle.

Several attempts were made to breach the castle from below. Noticing the sounds of digging, bcfoss managed to repel several such attempts, one time slaying nobel617 as he emerged from the floorboards, but during one such attempt nobel617 managed to escape with much of bcfoss's stuff. Notably, bcfoss retained possession of the diamond.

Duel and Aftermath

Despite losing most of his stuff during the final breach, bcfoss retained his weapons, armor, and the diamond, but the loss of many important items and mounting war fatigue pressured him into suing for peace. In a bid to break the stalemate, he proposed that he and nobel617 should fight in a duel to determine a victor. If bcfoss won, nobel617 would return all stolen items (and renounce all claims to the diamond?). On the other hand, if nobel617 won then bcfoss would surrender the diamond and control of Cadogen. bcfoss forged two iron(or stone?) rapiers for the duel, as neither side was familiar with the weapon.

The duel took place in the field directly outside of Cadogen Castle. bcfoss tried to make use of the rapier's 'quickstep' ability, while nobel617 took on a more aggressive stance. After cautiously trading blows for a minute, nobel617 advanced agressively and savagely slew bcfoss with rapid hacking slashes. Thus the Cadogen Crusades were concluded.

Keeping to their previous agreement, bcfoss presented the diamond to nobel617 immediately and heralded him as the new king of Cadogen. In a show of goodwill, nobel617 returned all of the items he had stolen during the siege. Construction began on a larger castle on a hill to the north for the new king, though the new royalty wasn't entirely onboard. This state of affairs would continue until the Siege of Antioch.

The fatigue of constantly guarding Cadogen Castle in the face of persistent low-quality raids probably inspired the concept of Dirt Warfare.

The royal keep, as seen from the south.