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The Secret to the Mongol Conquest: Turning Water into Wine

It was in a time of conquest and war when the Enhanced
Drink first came about. The Chongunate, in their pursuit
of peace decided to strike back against a group of Mongol
invaders. The Mongols had attacked the lands of Koguryo
twice now, burning buildings and salting the earth, a great
display of their hatred for us. In this instance, the only
route to peace was through war. With one of the Deans of
the War college, a great Strategist and General leading the
front, the Chongunate began marching through the Mongol lands
defeating everything in their wake. Conquest after conquest
was made as they kept taking new territory. In part the success
was due to the General's strategy and supreme intellect, but
in another part it was due to a small secret that was being
utilized by the Chongunate: The Enhanced Drink.

The Mongol's land was foreign to the Chongunate. Though we are trained to adapt to any situation, with a great army on foot marching into foreign lands, supplies became crucial to success. While it can be said a man can live for nearly 30 days without food, they can only live a few without water. Water, clean and pure water, was worth its weight in gold during the conquest. Troops were beginning to get dehydrated, especially in the desert heat that the Mongols lived in. An Oasis was a gift from the god Grin himself, but it was a rare opportunity where the soldiers could securely refill their canteens. There was water to be had, of course, but it was not something you would ever think of drinking. The water pools the Chongunate would come across were stagnant, breeding grounds for the larvae of insects and a myriad of green algae and molds. When the choice is between death by dehydration and the murky water though, the water is the only choice. But even so, the water was leaving the troops with great illness. Wretching, fevers, abdominal pains, insanity -- even.

The General became very worried about the outlook. The Mongols were no match for the Chongunate, but the land might very well lower the morale of his men and make them lose in battle. It was then that during a rowdy party one night in camp as he mulled this over that he discovered his answer. There was a group of Chongun celebrating the birthday of another Chongun and even after being told to quiet several times they would not settle down. The General himself was summoned to end the party, and when he did, he saw that the men were not drinking water, but a rich wine. It was then that the General in an uncharacteristic exclamation of joy praised the Chonguns and asked them how they prepared their wine! They handed over their secret of Enhanced Drink, and with it, might have very well directly led to the Chongunates' victory over the Mongols. For you see, the wine was fermented by their techniques and therefore the alcohol would kill and disease that the water might have borne. In addition, it boosted troop morale giving them wine instead of water.

Over the Yuris, this technique has been preserved by the Chongun for its use to purify water harboring disease. It has also been adapted to make a rather fine tobacco by a few eccentric aficionados of the Chongunate.