The holy orders of Kaya
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V

Map of Ewo-Ife in 1407 DFS

Around Agoba, Ewo-Ife, 1407 DFS...

While the south of Ewo-Ife was marked by the death of Farba Olùde, one of the three leaders of the Karògù, the centre region was the scene of a fierce struggle between Agoba, fighting for its independence, and the Holy Orders, fighting for Kaya. Agoba was built next to and partly on top of ancient Aga-Obibo, from which its name also came, but after millenia that city had been deserted. Its successor Agoba had nevertheless inherited some of its grandeur and its strategic position, unchanged over the centuries, allowed Agoba to take a leading role even in a divided Ewo-Ife. The city, not home to fanatics, was a symbol of stubborn dedication, and its leaders were certain that Kaya's Army would never be able to take Agoba in a siege.

Fèla-Odùn, the aging leader of the Temple Order, was not so certain. With years his order had grown into an fearsome fighting force, while his own experience as a commander was unparallelled in Ewo-Ife. His first aims were to secure the complete West Bank of the Ilesi, because Agoba had held on to a small part, and so he built a highway from Illádan to Omualafara. It gave him a great advantage in supply because Agoba had to cross the Ilesi each time and though they controlled the trade on the river, their regiments in the field decisively lost any confrontation with the Temple Order. He was relentless in his pushes and trampled any incursions on the West Bank until eventually his men controlled it all.

Fèla-Odùn fortified the West Bank with the construction of small forts along the Ilesi to prevent any further challenges to his hold. With that front secured, he went south to reinforce Mbóri and its surroundings, an area managed by Idùna after Olùde had passed away. Idùna was strengthening and expanding their hold on the East Bank, but she avoided Agoba. Fèla-Odùn used her control to ferry the Temple Order across and march on Agoba. He was challenged by one of their armies, which ambushed him en route, but they failed due to poor execution: one element launched their attack much too soon and were hopelessly outnumbered. The Temple Order immediately formed a battle line and faced the rest of their enemies head-on, negating the advantage of an ambush.

After that he went on to Agoba and he assaulted the city only three days after his arrival, hoping to be quicker than they could prepare their defences. It was a failure and the Temple Order did not even reach the top of the walls in the attempt, because Agoba had already prepared its defences. Inside, Sagwo Ilusi, Count of Agoba, had reason to be pleased: though the Temple Order surrounded the city, cut off reinforcements or supply from the land, their first attack had been repelled. Agoba would not starve because their marines on the river would not be bested by the Temple Order, who had no navy, and so the north, still free from war, could supply Agoba until Fèla-Odùn realised his foolishness and gave up.

After a year, Idùna joined the siege. Her Order of Justice provided some much-needed relief, but it was not enough for an assault to succeed. Down on their luck and stuck to their fate, they waited another two years. Fèla-Odùn succumbed to a fever, Idùna was threatened by eastern city states mobilising their people, and it was not like Agoba was any closer to falling. As a last resort, Idùne wrote a letter to the Alááfin, who had always been against the Karògù. Idùna asked for military support, an army to break Agoba and to finish the Karògù. The ancient woman in charge of Tozàn only had to respond negatively and the entire effort could be called off and then the Karògù would end halfway through Ewo-Ife.

Map of Ewo-Ife in 1413 DFS