As Belega mentioned, Skarsnik is quite special among the many powerful Greenskin warlords.
Typically, Orcs worship Gork, and Goblins worship Mork. Gork is brutal and cunning, while Mork is cunning and brutal. There is a clear hierarchy within the Greenskins: at the bottom are the Snotlings, then Goblins, and at the top, Orcs. Snotlings hold the lowest position, tasked with menial work and serving as food, Goblins rank slightly higher, responsible for farming, crafting tools, and acting as jesters, while Orcs sit at the top, primarily focused on fighting. The hierarchy is orderly and clear.
Ryan knew even more about this. The Greenskins were created by the Old Ones in a moment of despair as a race specifically designed for war. At that time, the Old Ones were already in dire straits in the War in Heaven, so they didn't put any "switches" or "restraints" on the Greenskins, allowing them to fully embody their racial characteristics. Originally, there was another rank above Orcs called "Brain Boyz," but even the Emperor himself couldn't explain why these Brain Boyz had disappeared over the long ages. Since Greenskins never recorded history, the reason for their disappearance remains a mystery.
Normally, the most powerful Night Goblin Shamans cannot control Orcs. At best, they can employ them or form alliances to have the Orcs fight alongside their Goblin troops.
However, Skarsnik is an exception. As a Goblin, he managed to suppress the Orcs through his own tactics, strategy, strength, and cruelty. In his tribe, even an entire Black Orc tribe and its warlord must obey Skarsnik's commands, or they risk being devoured by Skarsnik's beloved pet, the Squig named Gobbla.
(It's worth mentioning that Belega was once swallowed by Gobbla but managed to escape by using his sacred hammer and shield to cause the creature so much pain that it vomited him out.)
Besides his own strength, Skarsnik rose from an ordinary Night Goblin to become the "Warlord of Eight Peaks" through his cunning and ruthlessness. He is a master of subterranean warfare and ambush tactics, a true expert in setting traps. Skarsnik's battlefield intuition is arguably the best among all Greenskins, as he skillfully uses deception, retreats, ambushes, and counterattacks to turn the tide of battle. Neither the Dwarves nor the Skaven, nor even other Greenskin tribes, can predict Skarsnik's next move. This Night Goblin warlord is also adept at mobile warfare and cavalry maneuvers. He is particularly skilled at enraging Dwarves by tactics like inscribing Greenskin tattoos on Dwarven scalps or shaving Dwarf prisoners and strapping them to siege towers.
Even Belega admits that if it were just about siege warfare, reclaiming Eight Peaks Mountain wouldn't be an issue. But the thought of Skarsnik's countless schemes and ambushes gives even the battle-hardened King of Eight Peaks a headache.
Meanwhile, another formidable foe, the Skaven warlord Quik Headtaker, is also Belega's nemesis. Like Skarsnik, Quik began as an obscure figure. However, Quik was more fortunate, as he was noticed early on by Clan Mors' leader, Gnawdwell, who provided him with the best food, weapons, and armor. Trained by the clan leader himself, Quik became the ultimate warrior, completing his first mission at the age of four and winning a series of victories.
Quik differs from Skarsnik and the typically scheming Skaven. The Headtaker never engages in deception or intrigue; instead, he prefers bold, frontal assaults. His talent for command and extensive experience in Dwarven warfare make it easy for him to predict the Dwarves' next move. In battles against Quik, Belega always feels that the initiative remains firmly in the Headtaker's hands.
Belega finds it nearly impossible to deal with both of these formidable opponents simultaneously.
One opponent, Skarsnik, excels at controlling the battlefield's initiative, setting countless traps and ambushes, and waiting for Belega to make a mistake while also mastering mobile warfare. The other, Quik, understands Dwarven tactics and psychology so well that he consistently stays one step ahead, easily predicting the Dwarves' plans and actions, and effortlessly controlling the course of the war.
After listening to Belega's description, both Ryan and Sulia, as well as Angron, who was pretending to prepare feed while secretly eavesdropping, realized how challenging this would be. The Primarch of the World Eaters pondered what he would do in such a situation and concluded that the only solution might be to charge headlong into battle.
No wonder Belega's three previous attempts to reclaim Eight Peaks Mountain ended in failure.
Angron couldn't help but think that if Perturabo were here, he would surely have some good advice.
The snowstorm outside continued to rage. After Belega finished describing his two nemeses, it was already late. With at least a year of preparation needed before the expedition to Eight Peaks could even be considered, and with Belega temporarily staying away from the mountain after his last failure, discussing detailed tactics at this point was pointless. Ryan had already sent Blackheart Rep to the Border Princes, and for now, all they could do was wait for him to establish a foothold there and send scouts to assess the current situation at Eight Peaks.
As night fell, everyone retired to their quarters. Angron's estate naturally had guest rooms, and although they weren't luxurious, it was clear that Angron had gone to great lengths to clean and prepare the entire house for little Devonshire's arrival, ensuring that Ryan and the others could rest comfortably.
"Is little Devonshire asleep?" Ryan asked as he returned to the room after taking a bath. He saw that Sulia had also just finished bathing, now sitting on the sofa dressed in a silk layered dress with black stockings and fluffy bunny slippers. Her hair was still slightly damp, and her legs, clad in black stockings, swayed back and forth as she relaxed.
"No, Devonshire is awake. He's gone off to play with Angron. Brother said he wanted to put on a show for him," Sulia replied, her voice tinged with a bit of concern.
Ryan could see that Sulia was still somewhat worried. He smiled and reassured her, "Don't worry, brother is very strong. Nothing will happen while he's with Devonshire."
"I'm not worried about Devonshire's safety, Ryan. I'm thinking that when Devonshire is five or six years old, or maybe even earlier, we should start his education and find him a teacher. Have you decided who will be his first tutor?" Sulia asked, still preoccupied with the matter. "For chivalry and martial training, Karad is the obvious choice, but what about his academic education?"
"Isn't our court sufficient?" Ryan sat beside Sulia, understanding her desire for the best in everything for their son.
"I feel like something is missing in our court," Sulia shook her head. "If you could personally teach Devonshire, that would be ideal, but you're too busy and often have to lead armies on campaigns."
"Karad's academic knowledge is quite good; he'll teach Devonshire well. As for the rest, I can find time to teach a bit, and Morgiana can help too. And don't forget, he also has his mother, Lilith," Ryan gently stroked his wife's delicate cheek. "And there's you, my dear. You can teach our child too."
Sulia frowned slightly, reluctantly nodding in agreement. She knew she was being overly strict, but this was her son, the child she loved most, the fruit of her and Ryan's love. Sulia had a faint sense that Devonshire might be their only child. As their powers grew stronger, it seemed more challenging to conceive again.
Ryan was silent for a few seconds before speaking, "Sulia, you're jealous."
"I... maybe I am." Sulia hesitated, then decided to be honest with her husband. "She managed to get Karl Franz to be little Frederick's godfather and got the Imperial Chief Wizard Gelt as his tutor. My son shouldn't be outdone by hers, right?"
"Hahaha!" Ryan laughed heartily.
It seems that marriage and love are indeed different.
Seeing her husband laughing, Sulia couldn't help but laugh as well, realizing she was being too harsh. "I'm sorry, Ryan. I was being... a bit too sensitive. Devonshire is only a year and a half old..."
"It's fine, it's fine. He's our son," Ryan said, holding his wife and kissing her gently on the lips. "Don't worry too much about what Emilia has. You know the recent political turmoil in the Empire."
Recently, three significant events had shaken the Old World.
The first was that, after many years, the gates of the Dwarf capital, Karaz-a-Karak, had reopened. High King Thorgrim Grudgebearer personally led an army of about ten thousand dwarves, along with King Kazador of Karak Azul, in an attack on Black Crag.
Kazador and the warlord of Black Crag, Gorfang Rotgut, were mortal enemies. Gorfang had once successfully raided Karak Azul and captured Kazador's only son, Kazrik. Not only did he shave off Kazrik's beard and hair, but he also branded his forehead with a Greenskin tattoo. The poor Dwarf prince went mad and eventually died from the torment.
Thorgrim Grudgebearer never forgot this grudge. When he received intelligence from a Dwarf Gyrocopter Engineer that Gorfang had been severely wounded in a battle with Tamurk
han, with his army greatly weakened, he began preparing for war. The two Dwarf kingdoms united to form a massive Dwarf coalition. Taking advantage of Gorfang's injuries and his army's collapse, Thorgrim successfully captured Black Crag, killed Gorfang, and presented his head to King Kazador. This allowed both sides to cross out a chapter from the Book of Grudges, looting the entire Black Crag before returning home with their spoils.
The second event was that the Alchemist Gelt, under Karl Franz's orders, led an army along with some Metal Wizards from the Alchemist's Guild to settle in the now-abandoned Solland in the southern Empire. After Tamurkhan's invasion, Solland had become a wasteland. Gelt was tasked with rebuilding this war-torn and ravaged land, and he planned to establish a new fortress at Black Fire Pass—Solland Fortress—to guard against potential Greenskin invasions.
This move alarmed the Nuln City Council, led by Emilia. Although Emilia was not the Grand Duchess of Solland (the title had been abolished), she administered the territory as Duchess of Wissenland. However, the Emperor's actions made her feel threatened. Almost immediately, the Nuln City Council passed a vote of no confidence against the Emperor, straining relations between Nuln and Altdorf, with tensions running high.
The third event involved Fuggen. After seeing Fuggen's success in acquiring immense wealth in Lustria, the nobles of Reikland became eager. Refusing to cooperate with Fuggen, they instead financed their own colonial army of several thousand men to launch an expedition to Lustria, hoping to strike it rich like Fuggen.
Ryan thought that Fuggen might soon welcome these colonial forces with open arms. After completing his recruitment in the Old World, Fuggen was already leading an army of over thirty thousand back to Lustria, preparing for the next major battle.
"Even in these circumstances, Emilia still has the Emperor as little Frederick's godfather?" Sulia asked, resting in Ryan's embrace, listening to his strong heartbeat.
"That's a separate matter. Emilia is Emilia, and the Nuln City Council is the Nuln City Council," Ryan explained seriously. "Emilia must represent the Nuln City Council, and she does. But that doesn't conflict with little Frederick, and it doesn't affect her personal relationship with the Emperor."
"Alright." Sulia was only asking casually and didn't take the matter to heart. "Ryan, everything is prepared for the knighting ceremony before the Winter Solstice."
"Yes, but before that, we have one more thing to deal with," Ryan said softly. "Aurora and Teresa have sent word that they'll be arriving soon to spend the Winter Solstice with us."
"Hmph, your first female courtier?" Sulia's ocean-blue eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement. "Or perhaps your third female courtier?"
"Don't say that, Teresa is my second female courtier," Ryan replied, knowing what Sulia was hinting at.
"I will, of course, arrange a banquet to welcome Lady Aurora," Sulia said, still eyeing her husband. "As for anything else, that's up to you. I don't particularly enjoy dealing with Garland witches, especially your mother-in-law. She's too good at using her position to demand things."
"Olica and Morgiana will handle Aurora. In fact, I don't enjoy dealing with Aurora either," Ryan said, recalling something embarrassing. "After all, I was just a young warrior back then."
"Pfft, you were a young warrior back then, but now you're a great hero and my husband," Sulia couldn't help but feel proud as she mentioned this. She might be the best-married noblewoman in Bretonnia in the past fifty years.
"Then I must fulfill my duties as a husband~" Ryan's expression turned mischievous as he gently reached for the ribbons on the back of Sulia's dress.
"You scoundrel!" Sulia's face turned red as she playfully resisted before whispering, "Make it quick, before Devonshire returns."
"Don't worry, Devonshire won't be back anytime soon," Ryan said, his smile growing wider. "Brother and I already agreed on that."
"Hmm~"
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