Heen/Martana's Scriptures

The History of Heen

When the first rumors of the newly established kingdom of Heen had spread over the lands and seas, I was by cheer coincidence on board of a ship sailing to the mighty continent of Beluaterra. As soon as I sailed to port I dug into the history of the island, trying to make the most fit choice of a realm to swear allegiance to. I chose Heen for numerous of reasons. I saw but a tiny realm amongst so many large, and my choice was easily made.

My first impression was staggering: I had entered a land that was in disorder and chaos. I learned quickly through the mouth of Scion the Skilled himself that Heen was one of the three parts of the former Varyamo Novlo. After a bloody rebellion, the victorious rebel forces of Varyamo Nolvo were swept away by a divine hand and had sought refuge in the newly established realm called Heen. Realizing that in fact the rebel forces were righteous in their war against the former corrupt government of Varyamo Novlo, I decided to join their side. However Heen was originally loyal to the former Varyamo Nolvo, it's feeble and effete leader Gaius Marius was quickly overthrown by the newly arrived forces.

Heen started a civil war against Vice and what was left of Varyamo Nolvo, to complete the rebellion that had once started to overthrow the corrupt and sinning nobles. I say sinning for their religion, Hedonism, that was based purely on indulging oneself in the lusts of the flesh and liquor. I was appointed High Marshal of Heen to put my experience in the balance to fight against the two realms that were the last remains of Varyamo Novlo.

Although both Vice as Varyamo Nolvo were superior to a weakened Heen, by hard struggle and determination Heen managed to build up a strong defense that could not be breached. I was busy day and night trying to find the most effective tactic against the superior enemy, I can truly say that it was the most difficult, but also most satisfying period of my life. I decided to reinforce Heen City itself, making it an unbreakable wall against the realms of Hedonism. In a matter of weeks we were successful in this task, and I decided to turn the situation around: I ordered multiple attacks at Vicean and Varyamo Nolvonian soil.

The scales of wars slowly changed and Heen found itself soon enough superior to Vice and Varyamo Nolvo combined. Even though having a lower income, and being overcrowded by more and more people who shared our vision. I managed to use our army in the most optimal way possible, striking at the right target at the right time. Over time Heen was sure of victory and we would have ended the bloody civil war soon enough by force, if not by a strange twist of fate.

Before Heen could finish off the last remains of Hedonism, Attila, the Duke of Latlan decided to join our side. As Latlan joined our side, Vice had no regions left but Watersdown and was as good as destroyed. Seeing that Heen had won, Varyamo Novlo surrendered few days afterwards and gave its lands to Heen.

Although I had seen victory being achieved by the sword and spear, I did not regret the sudden diplomatic victory. Blood had been spilled too much, and Heen could count its losses as numerous as its enemies. I ordered the desert lands to be rebuild.

The Heenite Culture

Rebuilding our lands, I started to notice the unique culture it held. For the entire civil war, I had fought by the standards of Atamara. Longswords, square shields, war stallions, lances, ...

It seemed that the desert lands, that Heen has almost re-united, had its own culture and way of thinking. For instance, when I was setting up defenses in Taghalez, our newly acquired city, I noticed an old smith making strange weaponry. Asking him about it, he told me that the weapons he was making were original to these lands. When nobles from other continents came to Beluaterra, they had brought their own weaponry with them and forgotten the original values of the people they had ruled upon. He showed me the scimitar he had been working on, it was comparable to a shortsword with a curved blade. He pointed at the shields that were hanging on the walls, they were round and small, and they had an enforced iron knob in the middle, like a buckler.

Truly amazed by the capabilities of this unknown weaponry, I bought his entire stock and asked him to continue his work under the personal protection of the High Marshal herself. He is now the master smith of Taghalez Stronghold. Fascinated by this discovery, I sought other elements of the Heenite culture. It seemed that the desert people did not ride stallions, but preferred camels. During my entire stay I had figured they were only pack animals, used for transportation. But as I tried one, even though I got sick and fell off, I saw the use of these animals. They run as fast as horses, do not require water for more than a week when they have drunk once, they can withstand the heated temperatures of the desert with easy while horses balk under the pressure, ...

I realized that if I had know all this when the civil war was still raging, it would have ended much faster. Camels were such an advantage in the dry desert lands that we could have overcome Vice and Varyamo Nolvo in but a month. The weaponry was idea for battle in such severe circumstances: it was light, very swift in use and could be used in multiple ways to strike down an enemy.

The desert culture goes further than only weaponry and animals. Also vegetation and cooking was completely different! When I arrived here all nobles ate food imported over sea, recipes they knew from their own lands. Not until the civil war was over, I came to notice while working with the people to rebuild the land that it was very rich in types of nourishment that I had never seen before. Fruits such as dates, olives, various types of beans, citrus, chickpeas, figs, limes, pomegranates, ... The original recipes from the desert kitchen were as sublime as surprising.

I feel I have not discovered but a small part of this culture, and I have already fallen in love with it. Yes, I ride a camel with easy now, my personal scimitar by my side -although still as long as a normal sword-, I eat the desert fruit, I live the desert way. It is simply an aimable people and culture.

For that very reason I have also sworn to fight for the unification of all desert lands as long as I live. This culture should be united and respected. I have also always fought for the spread of this culture in the noble estates, I want this to be our national culture. Our identity.

The Heenite Military

Over time I've studied the Heenite way of combat, which is becoming rather known over time when Heen successfully launched its campaigns against Mesh, Plergoth and Ashborn. The 'how' has been the question of many foes and allies, and it was the question I pointed my full attention at.

Heen does not count many soldiers in its service. Only a few hundreds, not much more than a total of five hundred for sure. How come that Heen seems to manage winning from armies larger than theirs? My first finding was that the Heenite people have a natural strenght that is far greater than that of other races on this continent. They were hardened by the extreme conditions of heath and sand in the desert. A Heenite soldier normally stands out because of his darkened skin and muscular body.

Also, the average Heenite soldier has higher equipment than in other realms. Especially the weaponry was of such excellent quality that it must have a large influence in battles. The special scimitars I had learned of some time ago were starting to be used more and more, and proved to add a very effective bonus to the soldiers' attacking capabilities. The fact that Heenites use their shield as agressive means surely makes a large diffrence too.

Another great bonus to the Heenite army was the camel. This 'ship of the desert' has proven to be very swift and though. It can survive in extreme conditions ultimately better than the desert folk, as it only needs to drink once a week if necessary. Besides that a camel can easily keep track of a horse or even outrun it when trained correctly, which is also a speciality of the Heenites. Their odd appearance inspires recklessness within the enemy's ranks at first and later on sudden fear and devestation. They are peaceful animals, but when a Heenite rides them in battle, they wage war in an oblitherating fury.

All of this together, I have learned, concludes one thing. The Heenites are a people that have an agressive style that cannot be beaten. Their power fully lies in the strenght and charge of their army. They can easily overcome an army that outnumbers them by half just because the devestation of their first charge. The camels ride into the enemy at the same time as the powerfull infantry. The shock of impact caused by this will scatter the enemy's front lines and expose them to defeat.

The Heenite Diplomacy

During Heen's existance under Scion the Skilled and my rule, there were some very distinct similarities over time in the acts of diplomacy. As it seems, King Scion the Skilled had a very passionate will to gain allies and beyond anything, to help them. Heen has a bond with its allies that is of such strenght, that Heen is ready to sacrifice its men for his allies. I recall when he decided to send our men to Vlaanderen. I recall 'the incident' with the Kingdom of Alluran. Heen has always helped its allies when it could, in any way.

There are some who claim Heen is a warmongering realm, that is bribed as a mercenary to fight against others. But if anything is really true, then it is that any war that Heen has ever fought was a war to help its allies. First there was the war against Plergoth and Mesh, which was started in the aid for Vlaanderen and Khton. Second there was the war against Ashborn and Old Grekh, which was started in the aid for Sint. Those who call Heen warmongerers are mistaken, as Heen's sole purpose was to help its allies in an already existing war.

Furthermore, Heen cannot be called a mercenary. For all its help Heen has never gained a region as of yet, and not a single coin of gold through the hands of their allies. We were not bribed for we did not recieve any recompensation. We are no mercenaries for we fight for no price. Only to help our allies. Heen is a honourable realm, we do nothing but help our allies, I pity those who say otherwise.

Another distinct repetitive similarity is that Heen has throughout all these wars managed to remain at good word with their enemies. In fact, Heen has an agreement with Mesh that states not to touch each other's lands, as they both acknowledge each other's presence as to aids each other's allies, not to fight one another. Moreover, Heen has a pact with Old Grekh too that states that they will seek peaceful relations again as soon as the war is over, also acknowledging each other's presence merely to aid their allies, and not fight specificly each other.

I can conclude that the two lines that go through Heen's diplomacy were the wars that were only started to help its allies and by that to remain at a peaceful nature towards their newly aquired enemy.

By the quill of Martana Curs, the first High Marshal and First Queen of Heen.