Chapter 37: The Conquest of the South
The nation of Amman was now great and none could challenge her might, but she yearned for yet greater power and looked south to lands unconquered. Yet there was a fear and for many a year were those lands left untouched, for the memory of the defeat to Norvsond remained a sore and the navy then had been defeated and greatly reduced and it was thought best to leave the south or risk lining the surface of the ocean with yet more of the glorious army of Amman.
So time passed and nations conquered were suppressed and their people suffered greatly, for the tyranny of Amman was great and their manner cruel. And their ancient cultures were largely forgot and were replaced with the ways of Amman and rebellions were few and their end violent. But for the Emperors of Amman there was only glory in war and conquest and for too long had she sat dormant and for too long had the south been free. So a great fleet was built and onto it placed a great army which sailed south and was set upon the shores there.
And news came to the barons of the south that their land was occupied and a great fear passed through them, yet they came together not in alliance, for they no longer were united as they once had been and there was no trust or union between them. So the free cities of the south fell and were occupied under the relentless onslaught of Amman might, until but a few remained. So, at last, they came together and formed for themselves an army that would face the might of Amman. And with them came the dwarves out of the mountains and hills and the army set against Amman was a strong one, though outnumbered greatly, and when they met on the field, they were defeated and the south fell and was consumed and all its people enslaved into tyranny.
So the dwarves retreated and regrouped, for they would not suffer defeat so easily and their bonds were strong. So it was that Ignasias II gathered a great army of the dwarven citadels of the south and they marched to meet with Amman, who had come to take their homes, and defeated them and then made to turn the tide and fell upon a second Amman army and defeated them also. Yet the greater part of the Amman army lay untouched and now they were unleashed against Ignasias, whose army numbered but a few thousand and when they met he was defeated and he died on the battlefield, but those that survived wished they had not, for they were executed and their bodies hung from posts.
And now the tide had turned and the dwarven resistance faltered and their citadels were destroyed and their number slaughtered. And the Amman came to Dwergon, which was the greatest of the citadels, and they fell upon it and it was destroyed and the dwarves retreated into the earth or into the mountains and their resistance was done and Amman their conquerors.
