A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (3.1)
—------There was a lot to learn about military science.
The Dark Elves, led by Dineluth, were formidable warriors in their own right. With their magical prowess, exceptional marksmanship, and superior horsemanship, they were already elite soldiers. Many among them had even received officer training at Elfynd's military academy. Yet, when faced with Orcsen's latest tactics and weaponry, they often found themselves bewildered.
In the second week of March, a messenger arrived from the adjutant's office at the royal residence. He was an Orc by the name of Major Müffling, whose naturally unassertive demeanor seemed ill-suited for the prideful Dark Elves.
“There will soon be an opportunity to observe a divisional exercise by our army. What say you—will you participate?” he inquired, clearly mindful of their honor.
Though phrased as a question, it was essentially a directive from King Gustav himself: “There is a chance for field education—come.”
The exercise was scheduled to last three days.
“We would be most honored. We shall attend.”
Dineluth responded promptly, selecting attendants from those slated to be senior officers in her brigade.
The chosen included:
- Iavasril Ainalind
- Aldis Pharoslien
- Elenwe Lindir
- Arwen Calenarien
- Eleanor Findril
- Freda Melesgil
- Ria Efildis
- Raelnoa Celebrin
Each was of clan leader caliber and would assume roles as chiefs of staff, cavalry and ranger regimental leaders, or commanders of artillery battalions and engineer companies in the upcoming brigade.
To the Orcsen people, the structure of Dark Elf names and surnames was somewhat peculiar.
Their names functioned as descriptive phrases—essentially complete predicates in themselves. For instance, Dineluth’s name meant “The tall daughter of quiet fury.”
Surnames were not hereditary but unique to the individual, effectively layering one name atop another. Furthermore, many names derived from ancient Arvish, a language no longer widely understood, though modern adaptations had begun to appear among younger Dark Elves.
If Dineluth’s name were to be crudely paraphrased, it would resemble a grandmother's nostalgic retelling:
"When you were born, child, you were already tall and didn’t cry—but oh, how you flailed about!"
While Orcsen culture also featured compound names, their surnames typically reflected lineage, birthplace, or occupation, making the Dark Elves’ naming conventions feel unusual. Nevertheless, the lyrical beauty of their names resonated with the Orcsen people.
When the Dark Elves began organizing their units, the first clash of cultural differences emerged—not on the battlefield but in paperwork. The unfamiliarity of their names caused chaos within the army's personnel department, where officials frequently double-checked spelling and pronunciation with various divisions.
Though initially an administrative headache, it eventually became a source of humor—a tale retold as a lighthearted lesson in cross-cultural understanding.
By the latter half of the following week, Dineluth and her officers set out for the Orcsen Army's grand capital training grounds near the western outskirts of Wildschwein. The exercises were scheduled to begin at dawn, so they departed from Walderberg on horseback in the pre-dawn chill, clad in standard military attire and carrying their gear.
Despite being March, the early morning temperatures were near freezing, and both the riders and their horses exhaled clouds of white breath.
The horses they rode were recently delivered to the provisional Dark Elf brigade—a rare breed of true riding horses in Orcsen. These Messara, originally from the Belleriant Peninsula, had since become prized as military mounts across the Stellar continent.
However, sourcing Messara horses had proven challenging. Orcsen's breeding farms primarily raised heavy draft breeds like Percherons for military and civilian use. Only a few dwarven and kobold breeders produced Messara for riding or ornamental purposes, and their limited supply was far from enough to equip an 8,000-strong Dark Elf brigade, let alone its cavalry.
The planned cavalry would consist of three regiments, each with 18 companies of 159 horses, totaling nearly 3,000 Messara mounts for the cavalry alone. Including other units like ranger regiments and mountain artillery battalions, the numbers became staggering.
As a result, most of the horses would need to be imported from allied Human nations. For now, the Dark Elf cavalry existed only in name—a “cavalry brigade without horses.”
The differences between draft and riding horses created further complications. Harnesses, horseshoes, and bridles were all mismatched in size, requiring urgent manufacturing by arsenals and private vendors. In some cases, the brigade's own farriers and saddlers had to fabricate equipment themselves.
There was even speculation that the Dark Elf brigade might eventually be tasked with overseeing Orcsen's future Messara breeding programs—a daunting prospect.
Exhausted by the endless stream of unforeseen challenges, Dineluth had been feeling the strain. On the eve of the exercises, she forced herself to rest early, taking a strong firewine mixed with diluted elixirs to ensure sleep. Her subordinates did the same.
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