The events of 1625/6 helped to shape the course of The Company’s activities this year.

       The problems in Sartar convinced them of the need for a secure base for their operations, and a place to bring refugees from the Lunars. The Company had intended to help expel the Lunars from Pavis ever since they had first visited the Puzzle Canal (see the journal for 1622), now they decided to do it themselves.The Lunars were still heavily engaged in Sartar. Recent losses in the Battle of Iceland and the numerous small actions that followed it, added to their need to protect the construction of the Temple of the Red Moon, had resulted in the withdrawal of part of the Pavis garrison.

The Company decided that they had a good opportunity to succeed, but only if they were well organised and went ‘by-the-numbers’ (whatever Serenity means by that). In early Sea Season 1626 they had began to devise a plan that they called their ONOB Plan (One Night Or Bust). In 1627 they put the plan into effect.

The first reason was to establish their status as powerful individuals in the eyes of the Big Rubble’s Uz (useful in the politicking that lay ahead of them). The second reason was that The Company wanted to discredit Geras Shag, the leader of a troll faction strongly opposed to the presence of humans in the Big Rubble, who was attempting to win the games and secure great status among the local Uz. The group decided that Javis Gan, a powerful Uz they had previous mutually beneficial dealings with, would be easier to negotiate with and more likely to compromise on important matters.

The Company decided that their aims would be best served by helping Javis Gan to win, and impeding Geras Shag’s attempts to do so, rather than trying to win themselves.

The following Company members attended the Troll Games.

Bronwen WhiteLily, Flower, Fost Longstrider, Miko, Scratch-E, Serenity Macleod, Tarn WildBow. Lucifer was absent for religious reasons.

The Company travelled to the Troll Stronglands, escorted part of the way by allied trolls. Once there, they presented themselves to the officiating matriarchs (offering them gifts of lovely and juicy sides of honeyed ham) and were formally welcomed to the Contests. The matriarchs told them more about their role in the Contests and assigned them a dwelling area for the time that they were there.

The area was full of visitors (mainly Uz) and packed with traders and merchant’s stalls. The Company set up camp and then wandered around, taking in the exotic atmosphere and sights, and buying bits and bobs from the many traders stalls present.

Serenity, Fost, and Miko went looking for Javis Gan. When they finally found him they outlined their plans to him and offered to assist his attempts to win the Contests.

He was suspicious initially, but when the group explained that they would prefer him to be in charge of the Rubble’s Uz as they felt he would deal with the human occupants of the Rubble more ‘reasonably’ than Geras Shag. They pointed out that he had little to lose in any case and that as they thought that Geras was ‘ a dick’ (Serenity’s words) they were happy to help him for no reward per se (“Watch. See if what we accomplish helps you. If you’re happy afterwards, we can talk further.”).

The others went shopping and drinking, and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. They found out that there was a substantial gambling circuit at the Contests and immediately set about establishing the odds on each contestant’s chances at the different events. They were excited to find out that the Trolls seemed to rate The Company’s chances as quite low in almost all of the events. They all placed many bets, especially when they heard that Serenity was at 19 to 1 to win the Bare Hands Combat contest. After more drinking The Company retired to their quarters to get a good rest before the events of the next day.

The Company were just observers during the initial rituals of the Contests (The Gathering and Uz Eat Animals), their active participation only started with the re-enactment of the Taking the Walls ritual.

In this ritual, The Company were to act as the ritual enemies of the trolls, in this case as defenders of the walls of Pavis. Geras Shag was attempting to re-enact Geras Kag’s biting of the walls and defeat of the defenders. The Company made sure that it went very badly for him.

His two initial attempts to jump to the top of the wall were dispelled, his minions massacred (except for a darkness spirit that gave the group some trouble), and he ended up fighting Serenity at the bottom of the wall (a fight in which he nearly killed her with a lucky blow, but she was only prevented from killing him, having wounded him badly and broken his weapons, when the matriarchs hastened the end of the ritual).  The group was very pleased with the result of the ritual, Geras lost considerable status in the eyes of the Rubble trolls.

During the break that followed the ritual The Company spent more time relaxing, shopping, and generally loafing. Fost and Serenity met up with Griselda and Pikat Yaraboom, who had come to watch the Contests.

It was the first time that any of The Company had met this famous troll and they spent some time talking to him (Serenity remained a touch wary given his power, reputation, and rumoured interest in red-headed meals). Griselda persuaded him to bet on Serenity in the Bare Hands Combat (something that he seemed pleased to have done after the contest). They then went drinking together, where they met up with the rest of the group, who were introduced to Pikat (most of them had already met Griselda).

Each contest had three winning positions. First place received three points; second place garnered two points, and third was given one point. At the end of the contests, the contestant with the highest points total was the winner, but could be challenged by the second placed contestant; the winner of this challenge (a ritual combat) would be declared the winner of the Kaggroka Contests.

The Bare Hands Combat was the first contest. The trolls shamelessly rigged it, and most of The Company ended up losing, or facing off against other Company members (something they had expected, they were relying on Serenity doing well). Fost was scheduled to fight Javis, and so threw his fight. Miko narrowly lost her fight against Korgren Spearmaster, and Scratch-E was only just defeated by Dubbeg Ribripper.

The trolls matched Serenity against Zubrak Skullsplitter in an attempt to put her out of the contest. It took her thirteen seconds to defeat him. Her next fight, against Dubbeg, did not last much longer. The third fight was against Javis Gan. Although tempted to throw the fight to ensure that he came second at least, Serenity instead decided that things would work out better if she did win (she remembered how much money they had riding on the event, and concluded that if she fought then Geras would definitely lose, further adding to his humiliation after the Taking the Walls ritual, whereas Javis less likely to beat him). Besides, she likes winning stuff. Accordingly she made sure that she won the fight but without embarrassing Javis.

This left her matched against Geras Shag in the final fight. She baited him for a while beforehand, manipulating him into agreeing to a side bet on the fight (ten warrior trollkin). Although a close battle, her agility and ability to avoid her opponent’s blows helped to ensure that she won. Geras Shag was mortified by his defeat (especially when Serenity performed a brief ‘ I kicked your ass’ dance to celebrate her victory). Her victory seemed to disturb the trolls; many made sure to avoid her over the next few days (except for Javis and his cronies, and Pikat, who was overjoyed at the large amount of money he had won).

(Serenity 3 points; Geras Shag 2 points; Javis Gan 1 point).

The Company collected their winnings and went back to the pub for a few drinks. They made sure that they rested for the next event, a race called Defying the Earth. The aim of the contest was to race to the end of the course whilst dodging rocks thrown by trollkin and to beat the other competitors.

The group decided to help Javis do well in the race (as he was behind on points) and stop Geras Shag from getting any points from the contest.

The contestants gathered at the start line. There was much catcalling and baiting, a fight almost started before the race. After much pushing and shoving, the race finally started.

The first section of the course was run properly by all of the contestants, but fights soon broke out. Scratch-E, Miko, Flower, and Tarn, all ended up fighting, while Fost and Serenity raced to the front. Geras, Javis, and Zubrak managed to avoid the grand melee at the back and started to pursue the leaders. Serenity seemed to lose speed after being hit with a thrown rock, and the trolls soon caught up with her. Javis and Zubrak ran past her, but Geras ended up in a fight with Serenity. She delayed him just long enough to ensure that he could not get a place in the top three and then raced for the line.

Fost ran a magnificent race and won easily. Javis came second and Zubrak third.

(Serenity 3 points; Geras Shag 2 points; Javis Gan 3 points, Fost 3 points; Zubrak Ribripper 1 point).

The Company went for a few drinks to celebrate Fost’s victory and then rested up for the next event, Jousting.

The Jousting contest was really just an armed version of the Bare Hands contest, but started with each contestant mounted on a giant beetle. As only Geras Shag and his unctuous cronies had any real experience of beetle riding, the contest seemed heavily rigged in their favour.

Tarn was eliminated in his first bout. Fost was drawn against Javis and so threw his fight (after a brief display of resistance). Miko won her first fight; drawn against Korgren Spearmaster, she stabbed him in the throat when he meleed her, after both had failed to persuade their beetles to move. Serenity was drawn against Scratch-E, he threw the fight after a brief display of resistance. Flower lost her bout against Geras Shag.

In the next round of fights Miko was drawn against Serenity. She decided to throw the fight but at least put on a display of trying to win. It started well. She managed to knock Serenity from her mount, to rapturous applause from the crowd and Serenity’s great astonishment. An irritated looking Serenity then charged forward and attacked Miko’s beetle, killing it with a single blow to the head. Miko promptly surrendered.

This left Serenity matched against Zubrak in the next round. She won that round after a brief but vicious melee, but was drawn against Javis in the next round and so threw the fight. Javis defeated Dubbeg in the final fight and won the event, Serenity was placed third after defeating Geras in a play-off fight.

(Serenity 4 points; Geras Shag 2 points; Javis Gan 6 points, Fost 3 points; Zubrak Skullsplitter 1 point; Dubbeg Ribripper 1 point).

The Company once again retired to the pub to celebrate, but ensured that they rested well before the next event, Target Practice.

In the Target Practice contest, each contestant was given seven javelins with which to kill as many trollkin as possible. Serenity withdrew from the event, refusing to kill helpless trollkin. All of the Company who participated threw well; Miko was highest placed and was only just beaten by Geras. Javis Gan was placed third.

(Serenity 4 points; Geras Shag 5 points; Javis Gan 7 points, Fost 3 points; Zubrak Skullsplitter 1 point; Dubbeg Ribripper 1 point; Miko 2 points).

The fifth and final event was the Eating contest. The Company cheated slightly; using powers they had gained on a heroquest to help them. Serenity won the contest, Javis came second, and Scratch-E came third.

(Serenity 7 points; Geras Shag 5 points; Javis Gan 9 points, Fost 3 points; Zubrak Skullsplitter 1 point; Dubbeg Ribripper 1 point; Miko 2 points; Scratch-E 1 point).

Javis Gan was the overall winner of the Kaggroka contests, Serenity came second and Geras Shag was third. Serenity challenged Javis for the title and after a well-staged, and showy fight, was defeated. Javis was proclaimed winner of the contests and was greatly applauded by his fellow Uz.

The Company retired to the pub and celebrated long into the night. The next day they collected their winnings and returned to the Arm of Pavis.

They met with Javis Gan at a later point and concluded an alliance with him. He was greatly impressed by both their abilities and at the help that they had provided. The Company’s actions helped to further unite the city’s factions and added greatly to their reputations.

The Rebellion

The Company spent several months organising their allies and plans, a mixture of misdirection, direct action, and neutralising Lunar strengths and allies. They knew that the Lunars expected an attempt at a rebellion at some point (the Coders aren’t stupid) but were reasonably confident that they could overcome this problem through the ONOB plan. The basic course of action that they followed was to make it appear that they were mustering their strength for an attempt at rebellion early in 1628. Nobody outside of the inner circle of The Company and their closest allies was told the true plan.

The main focus of their planning was to calculate methods that they could use to neutralise Lunar support as far as possible. They also realised that several potential allies would be risking wide-scale Lunar retaliation if they declared their whole-hearted support for the rebellion and it failed (and would therefore be reluctant to assist), so sought ways to get their participation and support without exposing them to the threat of Lunar retribution.

They organised their allies and recruited as much support as possible.

Lucifer went to the SkullBat clan of bison-riders and secured their support in the plan with a brilliant and highly evocative speech. They were to attack the sable-rider allies of the Lunars that lived near Pavis, a task they were even more eager to undertake when Lucifer reminded them of the shame of Moonbroth. His fame served him well and he also managed to persuade several other clans to send warriors to assist (mainly bison, impala, and rhino riders).

Miko and Serenity spoke to their troll friends in the Rubble. They proved to be supportive but unwilling to commit fully to a rebellion, uncertain of its success. This was exactly what The Company had anticipated however, gaining the unequivocal support of the Uz was not their true intention.  They outlined the principles of the ONOB plan and were able to persuade the Uz matriarchs that a small force of trolls could participate in this plan without unduly compromising their position. The matriarchs agreed to send a group of dark troll mercenaries to help (after much honey-coated ham and other bribes), convinced by Miko and Serenity that such an act, could, if necessary, be explained to the Lunars as the actions of ‘rogue elements’ allied to the Orlanthi.

Serenity and Chingua Tall-Leopard then travelled into the wastes to gain the support of the Agimori. The Agimori chiefs agreed to help them in exchange for an agreement allowing the Agimori to take Corflu from the Lunars. Uncertain about this, Serenity questioned them on their reasons for wanting the port and was told that many of them sought to travel to Pamaltela. She promised them that she would use her mercantile contacts to try and arrange ships for them, something that seemed to please the assembled elders and they soon came to an agreement with the would-be rebels.

They were able to hire 400 Agimori mercenaries at their standard pay rates (with a bonus of two bronze spears each). The chiefs also agreed that if the rebellion were successful they would contribute an impi towards the defence of the Zola Fel Valley, convinced by Serenity that their attempts to reach Pamaltela would be greatly aided if they had the full support of the rebels (something that would be impossible if The Company were having to expend most of their time and effort on defending their own people from raiders and chaos beasts). She also pointed out that doing so would ensure that those Agimori who remained would be regarded favourably by the inhabitants of the Valley for their efforts.

 Initially The Company employed their Agimori mercenaries to carry out small-scale raids on Lunar patrols, sable-rider clans, and broo (mainly so that if the Lunars noted the presence of many Agimori in the area they would link it to raiding rather than assume that something big was going on). Two weeks before the rebellion river folk allied to The Company helped them smuggle some of the mercenaries into the Big Rubble (with the collusion of their Uz allies), where they were based at the Arm of Pavis. The others were sent to patrol the borders of the Valley, especially Pavis County, in an attempt to diminish the number of broo and raiders in the area, and protect it during the rebellion (which meant that more of The Company’s warband could be used in the rebellion).

Several units of Sartarite mercenaries serving the Lunars on outpost duties were also ‘approached’. Their leaders were simply informed that a rebellion was coming (although they were led to believe it was at least a year off), and that if they and their men did not ‘interfere’, then they would be left alone. It was pointed out to them that it would be easy for them to remain neutral without compromising their position with the Lunars, as they were posted away from Pavis.

The mercenary leaders proved eager to support the rebellion and return to the ways of Orlanth. They arranged to have Lunar sympathisers within their ranks ‘dealt with’. The mercenaries were promised financial rewards as well, and places in The Company warband for any who wished to join. Any mercenaries who wished to continue as mercenaries were promised employment by the city of Free Pavis.

The Company also recruited Morganeth RuneStar and her Yelornan warriors. They were given the role of protecting the Arm of Pavis during the rebellion, and offered to help police the city following the expulsion of the Lunars.

The Pavis cult supplied The Company with much equipment and armour, but were not expected to help further despite their willingness to do so. The Company had decided that it would be better for local people if the Pavis cult showed no initial support for the rebellion (so that they could claim they were not involved if it failed). They figured that it was better to leave the cult in a comparatively safe position, as it did not have military resources that would make sufficient difference to the rebellion to justify exposing them to the risk of Lunar retaliation.

Thorfinn, spiritual leader of many of Prax’s Uroxi was contacted next. A close friend to Serenity and Lucifer, he was one of the few people trusted with the details of the ONOB plan and was instrumental in the success of the rebellion. He began to gather his Uroxi together for ‘a crusade against the Chaos that blights Prax’ and announced plans to hold a massive ritual against Chaos early in Fire Season.

The number of Uroxi in New Pavis was increased slightly, and several warbands disappeared into the Rubble to fight Chaos before returning to New Pavis (often missing several members, ‘casualties of the fights’ they told the Lunar gate guards). Several small groups made their way into the Rubble via other routes. In this way, a group of almost 100 Uroxi was gathered at the Arm of Pavis by the end of Sea Season.

Other groups of Uroxi were sent to ‘campaign vigorously’ against Chaos beasts in the Pavis County area. Further bands of berserks were sent south to the southern tip of Sun County to fight chaos beasts seen in the region (and distract the Sun Domers). A reserve band was left out in the Wastes (well-supplied with booze and food).

The Company decided to send Fost to deal with the Sun County authorities. Their usual diplomat, Serenity could not be used because Solanthus hates her and regarded speaking to her as beneath him (which is odd because Serenity tells me that she’s heard that the only thing that is ever beneath him is a page boy).

This delicate mission was undertaken only days before the rebellion and was assisted by Vega Goldbreath. Fost told Solanthus that bands of (Uroxi) raiders had been seen to the south of Sun County, and that his men should be sent to keep an eye out for them. He advised him that if he should hear reports of ‘trouble’ to the north, it would be better not to be ‘distracted’ by them for a day or two  (he needed to deal with those dangerous raiders still lurking in the south). By that time the ‘northern issue’ should be resolved one way or the other, with no risk to the Sun Dome.

 Fost also pointed out that if Solanthus were to act otherwise it would ‘irk’ The Company somewhat, and the Sun Domers had few enough friends as it was. Knowing that The Company had built its reputation by doing things no one had thought them capable of, and seeing the chance to regain Sun County’s independence without unduly angering the Lunars, Solanthus agreed. He also seemed influenced by Fost’s comment that a neutral Sun Dome could count on the support of Free Pavis.

Orlanthi and Vingan warriors were gathered from Sartar and smuggled into the Rubble over the course of two months until The Company could call upon a warband almost two hundred strong, backed up by a fyrd of almost 600 doughty warriors (from Pavis County). Many of the warband were well trained but comparatively inexperienced, and veteran warriors from Sartar were used to stiffen the ranks and provide non-commissioned officers.

The Night Of the Free Wind

       The Company decided to wait for two things to occur before they translated the ONOB plan into direct action.

First, they waited for the remaining Coders to leave Pavis, as intelligence had suggested that they were temporarily returning to Glamour at some point in the near future. The Company believed that the Coders would prove ‘problematic’, not a great threat now that Count Julan and Nosering were dead, but still capable of disrupting the rebellion severely. They also believed that the Coders might be able to rally and organise the Lunars in Pavis more readily than any of the senior Lunar officers. They decided to set the ONOB start date for a week or so after the Coders departure.

The next thing they waited for was a Dying Moon night.

In the early evening of the chosen day the rebels gathered their troll allies, the bison-riders began to move in on the sable-riders, and the warband was prepared for the attack that night. No one other than the leaders of the rebellion (The Company, Thorfinn, and the Bison Khan) was given more than 2 hours notice of the impending onslaught. The Company sent riders to muster the fyrd in Pavis County and summon their Uroxi reserves.

Early the next morning (or late at night, depends how you look at it) The Company attacked. They used magic to sneak senior members of the group and two dozen trolls into the New City  (assisted by the co-operation of some of the trollkin night watchmen). The trolls went towards the wyvern rider barracks. The Company immediately headed towards the Silver Shields barracks.

The two groups used magic to co-ordinate their assaults, which served as the signal for all the other units to commence their attacks.

The troll attack on the wyvern-rider barracks achieved total surprise and fairly easily dealt with the Lunar’s aerial support. The Company cast all their combat magics and simply assaulted the Silver Shield barracks (via sylph and Heroic Leaps). The impact of eight fully spelled up rune lord/priests attacking barracks full of sleeping and unarmoured light infantry is hard to convey. The party split up into two groups, each securing the ends of a barracks block and then worked their way towards the middle of the blocks. They aimed for the officers and spell casters first. The attack caused chaos, and the Silver Shields found it difficult to respond to the attack, the party used spells to move rapidly from point to point and change the focus of their attacks. At the same time, all hell began to break loose in the city.

 Shenzi and his Black Fang allies made sneak attacks on Lunar officers and spell casters, many died in their beds or while rushing to arm themselves.

Uroxi and Orlanthi warriors within New Pavis seized one of the gates and let the warband, Uroxi and some of the Agimori into the city. Other groups made attacks on patrols, set fire to the Marble Phalanx barracks, and generally roamed about causing disruption. These attacks made it difficult for the Lunars to respond efficiently, only the Marble Phalanx operated in anything like a disciplined fashion.

Outside the city, the sable-rider camp was attacked by more than six hundred bison-riders; the few who survived the initial onslaught were quickly hunted down by the impala-riders who accompanied the heavy cavalry.

Other units attacked the zebra-rider mercenaries working for the Lunars, who quickly capitulated when offered terms.

Most occupants stayed in their homes as the fighting raged in the streets. The Sun Domers mustered, but remained in their quarter to defend it (a needless but understandable precaution).

Only the Marble Phalanx was providing any real resistance. They were pushed back by combined assaults by the Agimori spearmen and the warband, while Uroxi berserks made sudden attacks from side-alleys and skirmishers on the rooftops peppered them with missiles.  The Lunars retreated in good order to the Governor’s Palace, suffering many casualties along the way. Once there, they barricaded themselves in and prepared for a bloody siege.

Behind the main attack, small units from the warband roamed the streets keeping order, preventing looting and any massacres of Lunar civilians, and hunting down any Lunar soldiers bypassed by the main attack.

The rebels invested the Palace but remained at a safe distance, using their superiority in missile power (most of the Silver Shields were dead or captured by now) to harass the defenders. They waited until the majority of the New City was secure; many Lunars surrendered when given the chance, and the warband was under strict instructions to honour their surrender (so as to encourage others to surrender rather than fight to the death), a policy that proved very successful.

After the Lunars in the Palace had been besieged for two hours it became fairly obvious to them that they were not going to receive any assistance (all of their other troops and allies were either dead, running, or had surrendered). It was at this point that The Company sought a parlay, giving their word that the Lunar party would be unharmed. The Lunar commander, Duke Raus had dealt with The Company before and trusted them to keep their word (they have a reputation for doing so).

He and two of the senior officers met with The Company at Gimpy’s (neutral location and good beer). They were surprised at the generous offer of peace terms from the rebels, having expected them to make at least some demands that they could not accept. Instead they got an offer they couldn’t really refuse.

The Company told them that they, their soldiers and all Lunar civilians were to leave Pavis and Prax. They were to be allowed to keep their arms and armour, would be provided with provisions, and could keep their regimental standards and temple paraphernalia. Valuables were to be left in the New City (as restitution for the unjust occupation of Pavis, but each person was allowed to keep some money and important personal possessions, but not magical items). The Company swore an oath that the Lunars would be unharmed if they kept to their side of the bargain, but made it clear that if the truce were broken very unpleasant things would happen. They agreed to provide an escort of bison-riders to ward off the attacks of nomads not allied to the rebellion.

Duke Raus accepted the rebel’s offer, aware that The Company would keep its word and that this was the best way to save the lives of his people. The Company were aware that he and his family would be punished by the Lunar authorities for the surrender and his failure to keep Pavis, so they insisted that they remain in Pavis as ‘hostages’.

The Duke had been a decent enough ruler and had treated the Orlanthi under his rule well. The Company believed that he deserved honourable treatment and knew that his actions had saved the lives of hundreds, mainly civilians. He was also a capable administrator and they believed that they could probably recruit him if he were treated fairly. They discussed the matter with him at a later point, a conversation that led to him commenting “You know, I do think I prefer it when there’s a bit of a breeze”. In this way a ragtag band of rebels in the middle of Prax ended up employing an ex-Lunar Governor of Pavis to help them run Pavis County and the Grantlands. Raus is considering initiating into the Pavis cult, having renounced the Lunar Way.

After the battle the warband was kept in New Pavis as a guard force (supplemented by Pavic troops). The Agimori were based in Pavis County to supplement the fyrd and other troops were stationed across the region.

The Lunar garrison and civilians were escorted to the border of Sartar by bison-riders. Their property in Pavis and Pavis County was redistributed, mainly to the refugees that had arrived from Sartar over the preceding months.

The victorious rebels then established the Council of Free Pavis to help govern the city. The Council consists of representatives from all power groups in the region, although the Pavis cult and Sartarite refugees play a major role. It is still debating the course that the new city will take. The Company occupies the middle ground in this issue; acting as referees to ensure that war does not break out between different factions (Trolls vs. Pavis Cult, Trolls vs. Sun Domers etc). Since they had completed the Fifth Element heroquest and competed in the Troll Games The Company have been able to reconcile the factions reasonably well. They follow a simple policy; Anyone threatening the security or stability of the city is deemed to be an undesirable and an enemy of The Company (something few in Pavis want to be, Serenity and Lucifer in particular have acquired a reputation as killing machines).

 Serenity, Lucifer, Fost,Miko, Bjarnni, Flower, Scratch-E, Raena, Bronwen Whitelily, Shenzi Nyeusi

A heroquest that The Company performed to gain powers of influence over Uroxi. They started it by taking the Hill of Gold route to get to Stormwalk Mountain. Afterwards there was a difficult path across the heroplane, they fought Lunars and beserker trolls (who Miko  outwitted with a cunning stratagem), defeated a powerful guardian and tamed some skybulls. Kallyr got lost in the woods for a while (she was chasing a naked woman). All in all everythung went well.

Fost,Lucifer,Kallyr,Miko,Flower,Scratch-E