Gameworld News from 998
December 1, 998:
Tolbury, Allondell (Collegium Hall):
Debate has continued within Collegium Hall over the commitment of the
various religious orders to the war in Delona. Last month's remark by
Archbishop Pilar de Eludoba of the Perinnian church, criticizing the
continuation of the war, has touched off strong reactions from both ends
of the spectrum. Most of the Majeniran Collegiates, plus those from some
other churches, have joined in supporting Archbishop Pilar's statement
that Hesketines should concede the loss of Napermo and should seek a
settlement to end the war. However, this has catalyzed a reaction from
the Rannashite Collegiates, plus the heads of various military orders, who
have criticized Archbishop Pilar and her allies and who remain dedicated
to freeing Napermo.
Veneza, Delona:
The court of the Prince of Veneza remains as divided as Collegium Hall.
The exiled Napermian nobles have been quick to criticize as "defeatist"
those Delonans who express hesitance to continue the war. "The Count of
Roccatina is a sell-out," declared Dame Sonia di Bernico, one of the more
outspoken commanders, in response to the Count's misgivings about the
bloodshed at Salicusa. "He would offer up Napermo to the invaders as a
bribe just to save his own precious skin. He has no dedication to
virtue." Such criticism has, at least for the present time, led the
rulers of Castagna and Crissimo to re-consider pulling their troops out of
Veneza and Philiathos.
Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
Nobles both foreign and Cadfainn gathered in the royal palace on
December 1 for the coronation of Marilyn MacCallad. In the Grand Hall,
Presider Elaine (in her position as Vicar of Dubraugh) led Queen Marilyn
through the traditional Cadfainn ceremony, calling upon the grace of the
gods to guide Marilyn in her role as leader of the kingdom. Marilyn then
took her seat on a new royal throne created especially for the ceremony,
whereupon Presider Elaine placed the crown of Cadfaigh upon her head.
Marilyn took the traditional oath to the kingdom and its subjects, and
amidst a fanfare was declared Queen of Cadfaigh and all its people.
Marilyn's bethrothed, King Dmitri of Ragnorack, was naturally in
attendance, flanked by the Ragnorackan nobility, all of whom were formally
invited to the coronation. The newly-minted, once-Caelti "buck" knights
and gentry were also present, each displaying prominently the badge of
Cadfaigh as a sign of loyalty to the new Queen.
October 21, 998:
Marnaid Peninsula (Allondell/Cadfaigh)
The worst fears of the northeast came true in early October when an
army of ancient Caelti, submerged for centuries and endowed with
extraordinary blood magic powers, arose from the lands newly risen from
the sea. Fortunately, agents of the Cadfainn and Ragnorackan crowns were
able to organize the various adventurers scattered around the new lands.
This band made a mostly successful effort to break the spells maintaining
the unnatural life of the peninsula's inhabitants, destroying many of the
Caelti warriors as well as their leader.
The loss of their king seems to have thrown the remaining members of
the self-styled "children of destruction" into disorder. There have since
been a number of skirmishes with the Allondine troops based around the
now-misnamed Watersedge Keep, but there has been no organized attempt at
invasion or attack.
Allondell has positioned several companies of troops at Watersedge
Keep, and more are expected with each passing day. Most of the people of
the town of Kincaid's Point have migrated south to a new coastal location
where they can resume their livelihoods. Some have remained to make their
livings from the soldiers of the Marnaid garrison.
Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
Queen Marilyn MacCallad announced on October 14 that in order to
smoothe over relations with her neighbors on the eve of a new era for
Cadfaigh, the Cadfainn crown will acquiesce to the demands of the
Allondine crown and will relinquish any claim to the newly-risen sections
of the Marnaid peninsula.
To date, Allondell has made no comment.
Malduney (Lorrian Hills, Cadfaigh):
A cell of Caelti rebels was wiped out earlier this week following what
appears to have been another attempt to summon forth the ancient Caelti
chief Carthach O'Flann. An infiltrator in service to the Cadfainn crown
(who was killed along with the rebels, but accepted resurrection) reported
that the cell, believing the O'Flann to be on the rising lands in Marnaid,
teleported him to their stronghold in the Lorrian Hills, hoping to
persuade him to lead the Caelti in a new crusade against the Cadfainn.
Upon materializing and seeing the ritual sacrifices the Caelti had made
to perform the teleportation spell, the O'Flann became enraged, reportedly
bellowing, "The interlopers spoke truly of the degeneration of our people!
Child-murderers and treacherous ones without honor have we become! Pah!
I am disgusted with the weakness of my descendants!" The O'Flann then
proceeded to slaughter the entire cell.
The current location of Carthach O'Flann is unknown.
Roccatina, Delona:
The Count of Roccatina has expressed his reluctance to send any more
forces against Yamamotoan-held "Seiguntou". "The Napermians are dear to
our heart," stated the Count. "But Roccatina must wonder what price we
are willing to pay to achieve victory. With so many fallen to gain a
small island such as Frignenza, and so many lost trying to gain but a
beachhead in Napermo, we fear our own island would be depopulated trying
to oust the invaders." The Count compared sending troops against
Napermo's fortified shores to "sending calves to the slaughterhouse."
The Counts of Castagna and Crissimo, plus King Owen of Linneraigh, have
expressed similar concerns. Rumors hold that the local envoys from
Allondell and Chardreau are expected to follow suit -- since due to the
recent losses, their troops (sent as second-line assistance) would likely
now face front-line duties.
Tolbury, Allondell (Collegium Hall):
The Grand Commander of the Hobbesines, Lars Frederiksen, announced with
sadness that the leader of the Hobbesine forces in Delona, Knight
Commander Siobhan Conney, has fallen at Napermo's shores. Brother Lars
then called upon the military orders to "renew their commitments" to the
war in Delona.
With uncharacteristic outspokenness, Archbishop Pilar de Eludoba of the
Perinnian church called upon her fellow Collegiates to "cease to avert
their eyes" and to "look into the light of truth". She stated that the
loss of Napermo is a future that none wish to face, but "a future that may
be preferable to further slaughter. How much longer can we march our sons
and daughters off a cliff into a sea of blood?"
She further stated that "Rannash's war-trumpets fill our sons and
daughters with ecstatic visions of glory, but now all they see is the
inside of a wooden box or the bottom of an ocean floor." This elicited
cries of protest from the Collegium's Rannashites, and Collegium Hall
quickly devolved into chaotic debate. Presider Elaine was forced to call
a recess for the rest of the day.
September 23, 998:
Salicusa, Napermo:
With intelligence reports indicating that the Yamamotoans in Napermo
were re-fortifying after the August 6 attack, Delonan forces launched a
second attack against the harbor city of Salicusa, hoping to capture it
with a second assault before re-fortifications could be completed.
Venezan and Philiathan troops led the charge as the Delonan fleet
neared the port harbor. Losses at sea were higher than in the first
attack, since the Yamamotoans have learned to counter the Duke of
Philiathos' naval tactics. However, the Hesketine strategy this time
around was to reduce the amount of sea combat, using some ships to stave
off the Yamamotoan patrols while the bulk of the fleet strove to reach the
shore.
Those ships designated to block the Yamamotoan naval advance took grave
losses. Tamplonia's Fourth Fleet, the Philiathan Grand Peregrines, and
most of the ships carrying the Hobbesines took losses approaching ninety
percent, as the Yamamotoan navy hurled fire and missiles at their foes.
The Hobbesines' main ship "The Tiger's Eye", set on fire by magical
attack, made a courageous suicide run, broadsiding two Yamamotoan ships
before it sank.
Troop transports, reaching the harbor, found the Azure Citadel
re-built; or rather, they found a new half-built fort where the ruined
Citadel once stood. With the new fort's walls imperfectly high and
showing numerous gaps, the new structure was far from impregnable.
Hesketine troops stormed the harbor, breached the Citadel's walls with
magery, and captured it, bracing themselves against the cavalry
reinforcements that would inevitably arrive.
Much to their surprise, the Yamamotoan reinforcement cavalry reached
the top of the hill south of Salicusa -- and halted. Meanwhile, the
Yamamotoan navy, now having eliminated most of its sea foes, sailed
southwestward and began to bombard the Hesketine-occupied fort with
magical bolts. Only when the southern and western walls lay in rubble did
the cavalry advance.
Among the Hesketine forces were an increased number of pikemen compared
to the August 6 battle, in expectation of just such a mounted charge.
Indeed, the pikes, planted to fend off horses, cut the first wave of
Yamamotoan horsemen to ribbons -- while both sides' arches and mages
hurled missile attacks at each other's back ranks.
However, the number of Yamamotoan troops stationed near Salicusa were
high, and all of these were ordered against the fort. By sundown the
Hesketines were clearly outnumbered, and surrendered; remnants of the
Hesketine fleet fled with mostly empty ships away from Salicusa, pursued
nearly to the Venezan shore by Yamamotoan junks.
Yamamotoan forces have held a "no prisoners" policy after Kyta's Fists
adopted the same, but the size of the captured army may have made this
policy unpalatable. Satake Ikku, commander of the Yamamotoan forces in
Napermo, has declared (in a letter sent to the Prince of Veneza and the
Duke of Philiathos) that he will execute three of his prisoners of war for
each Yamamotoan killed by Napermian guerillas. No response from the
Kyta's Fists has yet been made.
Even with some of the combatants taken prisoner, reports from the thin
crews of the returning vessels indicate that losses on both sides were
high, with the ground near the fort stained crimson, and the corpses piled
high near the rows of pikes. Sailors say that Salicusa's harbor looked
like it had been hit by a hurricane, judging by the floating debris of
ships and men that littered the sea.
Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
With great ceremony, Queen Marilyn of Cadfaigh took residence in the
royal palace on August 28. As is to expected after the completion of a
war, she quickly settled down to the business of stripping titles and land
from those on the Gold side, and granting them in turn to her loyal
supporters. (Few supporters of the former Blue faction have been touched;
many had already switched allegiance to the Reds, and the remainder have
been given a grudging, unspoken amnesty.) Grants also went to those
subjects of Ragnorack who distinguished themselves on the battlefield;
this cross-pollination will help cement the ties between the two lands.
Already, Queen Marilyn has proclaimed that the "bucks" -- former Caelti
who renounced Caelti blood magic and declared themselves Cadfainn in
Marilyn's service -- are now recognized as full Cadfainn and children of
the Stag in the eyes of the crown. Moreover, several of the large buck
families (the Donovans, the Kelledys, the O'Keelys, and the Keevers) are
acknowledged as formal Cadfainn clans, with all the dignities attached
thereto. The heads of clans Donovan and Keever were also given grants,
making them formal members of the nobility.
Queen Marilyn and King Dmitri have both pledged to step up the patrols
in White Wolf and Innisfree Passes, the major routes that connect their
two kingdoms. "No longer need our patrols guard against the soldiers of
the other kingdom," proclaimed King Dmitri, "and so, combined, our two
sides will be much more effective, and the passes will be made more safe
than they have ever been."
Kincaid's Point, Allondell:
This former port on the edge of the lands mysteriously rising from the
sea was shaken two Saturdays ago when the keeper of the town's lighthouse
was found viciously murdered by a monster that had come out of the new
lands. A group of mercenaries and adventurers gathered in the town
destroyed the monster, but were in turn driven away by a mysterious man
claiming to be a Caelti warrior in service to the ruler of the sunken
lands. That warrior took over the lighthouse, holding it against all
comers. The local representatives of Allondell and Cadfaigh took this
action as a sign of hostile intent, summoning military assistance to the
town against the possibility of invasion.
Several days later, the mysterious warrior was killed when a Cadfainn
company under the command of Capt. Moira Donovan ambushed him, taking the
lighthouse. Twenty out of fifty men died in the attack, including the
captain. Cadfaigh maintains that Captain Donovan acted without orders;
Allondell has protested the occupation of an Allondine fortress without
permission by Cadfainn troops, regardless of their intentions.
Further reconnaissance by both Allondell and Cadfaigh has failed to
reveal any evidence of impending invasion; nevertheless, both kingdoms are
leaving small garrisons in the area as a precaution.
Tamplonia:
Tamplonia has announced that it can no longer supply its ships to the
war effort in Delona. "It is with great regret," wrote Archpatriarch Paul
Carlo on behalf of his Highness, Prince Philip II of Tamplonia, "that
Tamplonia must recall her ships... but our losses at [Napermo] have been
grave, and our navies are our chief defense. His Highness has lost many
ships in the harbors of Napermo, and can bear no more." Tamplonia claims
that it will still continue to supply non-military aid, although many in
Delona are skeptical.
August 21, 998:
Solkirk, Cadfaigh:
With the sound of war pipes echoing off the many hills near Solkirk,
the morning of August 12 would prove the climax of the civil war that has
plagued this country for nearly two years. The Red army, led by Lady
Marilyn MacCallad, advanced upon the fort at Solkirk Hill from the east,
while her bethrothed, King Dmitri the Red of Ragnorack, led his army down
from the north.
Lewis MacGrennog, rival claimant to the throne of Cadfaigh and leader
of the Gold faction, had rallied his supporters for weeks, gathering them
in this holding in the southern Highlands. With the northern Highlands
largely in Ragnorackan hands, many Highlanders had fled southward to
gather and defend Lewis. Solkirk is a thick-walled fortress with steep
slopes to all sides, making it a defensible position indeed.
The engagement began in the ravine that lies near the fort, protecting
the fort's northern flank. Though the Highlanders sent to guard the
position were well-accustomed to rocky terrain, so too were the
Ragnorackans, who come from equally inhospitable lands. While the
irregulars from both forces begin their skirmish, the main force of Red
knights and footmen advanced on the fort's east-facing gates.
MacGrennog ordered the gate opened briefly to send out an advance guard
of mounted troops, whose task was to skirt the Red lines, harassing them
and picking off soldiers. Undaunted by the distraction, Lady Marilyn
ordered her forces to continue their direct advance at the gates.
Throughout most of the midday, the Gold archers and troops hurled
arrows, bolts, rocks, magic, and other missiles down onto the besieging
Red armies, who returned the fire but focused their efforts upon the main
gates. By mid-afternoon, Lady Marilyn judged that her mages had weakened
the gates sufficiently, and sent forward her shock troops carrying
battering rams. After four sharp thrusts the gates cracked, and the Red
mages completed the job with fire and lightning.
The Red armies were not prepared for what followed. Rather than
fortify his troops within the fort, Lewis MacGrennog had instead primed
his troops to spring. When the gates fell, the Gold armies poured *out*
of the fort at the surprised Red armies. With loud Highland whoops and
the shrill drive of the pipes, the Golds advanced, sending the Reds into a
confused disarray. When the Red army regrouped, it was at a position far
from the fort's walls. The battle thus turned from a siege into a
conventional field engagement, and the front had fixed on the flat plain
to the southeast of the fort.
MacGrennog, aware he was into his final redoubt, set himself up to take
maximum advantage of territory. Gold forces pushed to gain control of the
high ground to the south, and MacGrennog arranged his Gold lines so that
his flanks and rear were protected by the Ain-firinne, a dense forest
rumored by the Cadfainn to be haunted. Red armies would not be able to
make good headway through the trees, and most Cadfainn soldiers would be
too superstitious to make the attempt anyway.
Well-entrenched in his new position, MacGrennog was able to hold off
the early Red attempts to take some of his first line of strongpoints.
Indeed, the hilly terrain impeded the effectiveness of the Lowland mounted
knights. With an inferior position but numerical superiority, the Reds
and Ragnorackans realized that a massive charge was their optimal
strategy, and with one loud trumpet cry they poured their numbers down
upon the Golds. Veterans describe the fighting as savage. The Reds
took the first line of Gold defenses -- but initial reports were not
optimistic that the victory would come from this one strike, and predicted
a prolonged battle.
The turning point came when, without warning, Gold units on top of some
of the flanking hills (who had been pouring arrows and lightning bolts
down on the Reds attempting to advance) disappeared without trace. (In
the aftermath of the battle, the collapsing of the Gold lines remains a
mystery. The Gold captives say that they seemed to be under attack from
behind. Some people suspect one of MacGrennog's generals betrayed him at
the last moment; some believe buck guerrillas came out of the forest.)
With the Gold support thus crippled, Red footmen and knights broke
through the Gold lines, and the Highland army routed. Gold front lines,
mostly foot soldiers, fell into disarray as the Lowland knights dashed
through the lines and spurred their horses into the fray. The rear
Gold lines began to pull back towards the fort, hoping to use it for
cover, as the front lines fell.
Hoping to rally his troops, Lewis MacGrennog himself took claymore in
hand and led his troops onward towards the Reds. He was encountered by
Red knights from Clymoran. A sword blow from Dame Jane MacKurrie struck
MacGrennog in the throat, and he died on the spot.
With MacGrennog fallen, the Gold line underwent rapid collapse. Many
of the Highlanders pulled back into the woods west of Solkirk in an
attempt to regroup, but only a disorganized scattering followed. By
mid-morning of August 14, most of the Golds had surrendered or fled.
Around noon of that day, Gold messengers led by Michael MacAlban emerged
under white flag to negotiate with Lady Marilyn. One hour later, MacAlban
formally surrendered Solkirk to the Red armies. The civil war was over.
With MacGrennog's death spurring most of the Gold leadership into
surrender, those Highlanders who took to the hills are not expected to
mount a serious resistance in the future. A large Red and Ragnorackan
garrison has been split off from the main army to pursue and patrol the
southern Highlands, and to continue to put down any remaining Gold troops.
Losses at the battle were significant, "but not like this was Napermo,"
noted Sir James Kayes, a Red knight. "After all, our foes are still
Cadfainn. We only wanted victory, not slaughter." Still, notable among
those fallen in battle include: on the Red side, Lord William of
Almordale, Lady Heather of Merrick, and David the MacMorty; on the Gold
side, Lewis the MacGrennog, Lord Hamish the MacDileann, and Lady Helen of
Kimblait; on the Ragnorackan side, Baron Edvard von Borsken and Dame
Matilda of the Royal Guard.
Queen Marilyn and King Dmitri, their armies now united, have began a
triumphal march to the capital of Dubraugh on the eastern seacoast. There
they are expected to make preparations with the Vicar for Dubraugh,
arranging Marilyn's coronation.
Cadfaigh:
In a proclamation which for the first time began with "Marilyn, by the
grace of the gods Queen of all Cadfaigh", Queen Marilyn has declared
Sunday, August 23 to be a day of remembrance for "all those sons and
daughters of the Stag who died in defending the crown during these
dreadful years of war." On this day, she has stated, there shall be no
business done and no ships shall sail forth from the harbors.
Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
Queen Marilyn and King Dmitri, engaged since February 997, have not yet
married, since they have been continuously at war since their bethrothal.
Moreover, many suspected that Dmitri was also hedging his bet and holding
off on a ceremony until it was certain that his bride-to-be would end
the war victorious. With these obstacles eliminated, Dubraugh's social
circles have emerged from wartime hiding and have begun speculating in
earnest about the upcoming nuptials.
Linneralian Channel:
Over the last week, several ships along the coast near the
Cadfainn-Allondine border have been lost when they foundered on previously
uncharted shoals. Even stranger, some ships have reported sighting
uncharted islands some distance out from the port town of Kincaid's Point.
These inexplicable appearances have left the sailors baffled, and have
left many worried about the possible effects a blockage of the Linneralian
Channel might have on commerce in the north. The embattled Kjolns, in
particular, fear being cut off from commodities in the south, as the year
turns toward winter and the weather again favors the vorskyr.
The coastal fishermen of Cadfaigh are in a great stir, as their legends
tell of a land sunken centuries ago by the gods as retribution for some
sort of misdeed, and they fear the legendary land's return. The Cadfainn,
Allondine, and Linneralian crowns have all sent sages to the Channel to
attempt to ascertain the cause of these strange phenomena.
Kislevia:
The undermanned Kislevian lines facing the invading vorskyr have
received aid from an unusual source: bands of grum have been hiring
themselves out as mercenaries to the Kislevian defenders. Grum
mercenaries are not unheard of, but all-grum units are unprecedented.
What's more, they have been asking for pay in coinage rather than the
trinkets and beer with which grum are usually paid. "I have no idea
what's going through their minds," one Kislevian captain was heard to say,
"but they're cheap, we need the manpower, and they do the job -- as well
as can be expected from grum."
Salicusa, Napermo/Seiguntou:
Information from Delonan spies seems to indicate that the Yamamotoans
are re-fortifying the Azure Citadel, here at the site of the war's
bloodiest battle two weeks back. More accurately, the occupiers seem to
be building *a* fort where the now-ruined Citadel once stood.
In Veneza and Philiathos, there is much talk of attempting to mount
a second assault now, before fortifications are complete. True or no,
the Delonans are gathering war supplies and ships.
August 10, 998:
Cadfaigh:
Strathol and Hermisdale fell to the Ragnorackan and Red armies
respectively, as the bethrothed King Dmitri and Lady Marilyn MacCallad
continued their two-front advance on Lewis MacGrennog's holding at
Solkirk. The Gold claimant to the throne has already put out a call to
"all true sons and daughters of the Stag" to assemble in Solkirk and
defend his territory at Solkirk Hill.
In related news, Doreen the Helford, chief of the Helford clan and a
staunch supporter of MacGrennog, was found dead in her tent during her
clan's march to Solkirk. A note reading "The true Cadfainn defend the
true Queen" has led many to believe that buck guerillas were responsible.
(The Helford were known for their actions against the Cartleys, a Caelti
clan since turned buck.)
Pienuva, Veneza:
A small fleet of Yamamotoan raiders entered the harbor of Pienuva on
July 28. After Yamamoto's loss of Frignenza in July, few expected an
attack on Veneza itself, and so most of the harbor's patrols were busy
preparing for an assault on occupied Napermo.
The raiders were able to set fire to the harbor's main fort and had
begun an attack on the dock area when the Venezans rallied. Despite a
hasty switch into retreat, the Yamamotoans took heavily losses, and only
two ships were seen to escape. However, it is believed that the two ships
may have taken prisoners.
Valenne:
With the ducal corps of mages decimated and near extinction, Duke
Lawrence regretfully announced the return of his troops to Valenne on
August 3, with his forces withdrawing from eastern Delona.
"Valenne has stood by its Hesketine cousins to the east," stated the
Duke, "but we have seen too much blood, and our losses grave. We fear our
numbers becoming too low to defend the Duchy itself."
The Duke's mages, largely useless in the duchy since the Duke drained
the land of magical energy in the rebellion of 997, were sent to support
Delona late last year. Only about five percent have since survived, with
most of the losses taking place at Frignenza.
Salicusa, Napermo:
On August 6, Giodonia, Veneza, and Philiathos led an assault against
this port city in northern Napermo. Fleets of mostly Delonan ships,
including numerous privateers, formed an armada that advanced on the
harbor and the Yamamotoan fleet that guarded it.
Captain Justin Mandropolous, a Philiathan privateer who survived the
battle, described it as "the most horrific violence I have ever seen."
Hesketine captains, having learned that strength in numbers is the most
effective way to defeat the superior Yamamotoan vessels, swarmed in twos
and threes upon each Yamamotoan ship. Losses at sea were about
one-to-one, a marginal victory for the Delonans, who had a greater number
of vessels. But this victory came at high cost, as Yamamotoan
fire-catapults sent many Hesketines to a watery grave.
Having at last sent the Yamamotoan patrol ships into retreat, the
Delonan force landed at Salicusa's harbor and sent their ground troops
against the Azure Citadel, the city's harbor fort, now reinforced by
Yamamotoan technology. Yamamotoan magical devices placed around the
Citadel hurled chain lightning down upon the troops, sending white
fire from one metal-clad knight to the next, in great arcs. Only a
suicide run by the contingent of Codexers disabled the magical weapons;
none of the Nennite knights survived.
After a coordinated attack by the Delonan mages upon the fort's walls,
the Citadel collapsed into rubble and sent the Yamamotoans within
scattering for their lives. But while the Delonans reorganized their
forces to take hold of the city, fresh Yamamotoan troops from the south
reached the city's edge -- mostly cavalry who were able to reach the front
fastest. The mounted warriors, in their odd, flat armor, faced off
against the Delonan main line. Yamamotoan samurai-wujen brought down hail
and fire upon the rear lines while the swordsmen and -women crushed the
Hesketine front lines.
The Delonans, routed, attempted to pull back to the harbor, but only
scattered handfuls made the journey -- especially since the Yamamotoans
have adopted a "take no prisoners" policy (in response to similar
treatment from Delonan guerillas.) Survivors describe scenes of panicked
Delonans running through Salicusa's streets, stumbling to avoid previously
fallen Yamamotoan corpses lying in their path -- while mounted samurai
pursue and cut down the would-be liberators.
With the assault a failure, the surviving ships (and surviving
soldiers) retreated to Veneza. Numbered among the losses are Lord Giulio
de Giodonia, second son of the Duke of Giodonia, who led the ground
charge; all of the Delonan Codexers and nearly all of the Delonan
Triumphites; the entire Second Fleet of Tamplonia; and the Azure Citadel
itself, whose ceiling frescoes of Kyta and whose gilded Grand Hall were
known throughout Delona for their beauty. In turn, Yamamotoan losses are
believed to be high, with the majority of the harbor fleet sunk and most
of the Citadel's troops now dead.
July 16, 998:
Cadfaigh (Teldendale):
"Buck" guerillas penetrated the Gold holding of Fort Teldondale
on July 8 under cover of night, setting fire to the stables and
opening the main gates in the resulting confusion. Red knights,
commanded by none other than Lady Marilyn MacCallad herself,
were then able to lay siege to the main gates, enter, and capture
the fort.
Fort Teldondale overlooks the Teldon Valley and the Teldon Pass,
a major trade route vital to the Gold supply lines; the fort's loss
is a significant blow to Lewis MacGrennog's forces. With the Pass
now in Red hands, Gold armies have been seen pulling back to
MacGrennog's central holding at Solkirk Hill.
Lady Marilyn praised the courage of the bucks and stated that
"regardless of our origins, all true Cadfainn now stand as one
in the defense of the kingdom."
Cadfaigh (Lorenness):
In the north, Marilyn's bethrothed, King Dmitri, led his knights
against a Gold army commanded by Colin MacDileann on the fields
just south of Lorenness. While the Highlanders were on native
soil and very defensible ground, the Ragnorackans are well-accustomed
to rough, forested terrain, and were able to sneak through the
surrounding woods and make a surprise flank attack from the west --
sending the Highlanders into disarray. The Golds' losses were limited,
only because most fled into the southern hills.
King Dmitri then advanced into the neighboring towns and raised the
MacCallad standard over each before heading further south towards
Solkirk.
Trenzano, Delona:
Yamamotoan forces, having attempted to capture and hold numerous
beachheads on this small Delonan county, seem to have abandoned their
advance. Patrolling ships have dropped in number, and no new
assaults have been made here since early June. Count Giancarlo
restated his belief that Yamamoto now intends to fortify and hold
Napermo.
Frignenza, Delona:
With Trenzano seemingly in the clear, Hesketine forces, stirred to
action by the Balthazarian order of Hobbesines, launched an assault on
July 5 to recapture Frignenza, a Venezan island held in part by Yamamoto.
Hesketine fleets, most of them Tamplonian and Delonan, led a force
of mostly Hobbesines, Valennian mages, Triumphites, and Venezans against
the island's eastern harbors. Yamamotoan forces had planted magical
missile weapons in the harbor, and sank at least half of the ships
before they could even unload their passengers. Hesketine forces
did manage to land at the docks, and the Triumphites led the assault
against the harbor fort. The Venezans completed the attack
after the Triumphites, to the last, fell; the Venezan flag was
returned to the fort's flagpole.
Observers say the island's shores were strewn with bodies "like
leaves after an autumn storm" -- bodies both Hesketine and Yamamotoan.
The harbor is still littered with the charred and broken remains
of both continents' vessels.
Prince Alonzo of Veneza ordered all of the principality's flags
to half-mast in memory of those fallen in the liberation,
particularly the Triumphites, and the Valennian mages (most of
whom drowned when their ships caught fire a half-mile from shore.)
Napermo, Delona / Seiguntou:
The Yamamotoan's main holding, Napermo -- called Seiguntou
(say-GUN-toh) or "western archipelago" by its conquerors --
is now the focus of Hesket's attention in the Delonan war. With
the massive losses (on both sides) in the recapture of Frignenza,
the dukes of Philiathos and Giodonia are said to be planning
the strategy to attempt to liberate Napermo. However, spies
(many of them the surviving few Kyta's Fists) report that Yamamoto
is reinforcing the island's harbor forts with with own powerful
Dosanese magic.
June 30, 998:
Trenzano, Delona:
Hesketine troops, including the new volunteers from the Allondine
and Chardrois armies, rallied in Trenzano in June to drive back
the latest wave of naval attacks from Yamamotoan-occupied Napermo.
Yamamotoan naval and magical superiority is reported as quite evident,
with its ships and their magical accoutrements running circles
around even Tamplonia's best.
However, Hesket has superiority in numbers, thanks to the increased
support of the religious military orders and the new troops from
kingdoms to the west. By massing troops at strategic coastal
locations, Delonan-led Hesketine forces have been able to keep
Yamamoto from holding onto a beachhead for any length of time.
Losses have been high, notably among the Balthazarian Hobbesines
and the Valennian mage corps, both of which were nearly decimated
in a protracted cliffside battle on June 26. Count Giancarlo
of Trenzano said he fears the only way to keep the invaders at bay
is by "swarming in numbers", which unfortunately is a painful
defense, "like leading lambs to slaughter."
However, Yamamoto too has suffered high losses, with each new
beachhead overwhelmed and destroyed. Delonna pirate privateers
have also been able at sinking a number of the Yamamotoan transports
which carry troops from Napermo to Trenzano. (Few of the privateers have
survived these strikes, destroyed by Yamomotoan ranged weapons or magical
attacks.) With Yamamoto having paid such a high price already in its
attempt to capture Trenzano, Knight Commander Viktoria Pleneshovna of the
Triumphites expects Yamamoto to "abandon its assault and fortify in
Napermo."
Napermo, Delona:
Courageous attacks by the revolutionary band Kyta's Fists have
inflicted sharp losses onto the Yamamotoan ships -- at a sharp price.
Bands of Fists have been attacking incoming reinforcement ships,
setting nighttime fires. Damage to the invaders has been high,
especially since the guerilla Delonan band takes no prisoners.
The cost of the Fists' success has been the loss of much of their
number. Yamamotoan troops are in turn taking no prisoners and
executing captured or defeated Fists (and other guerillas) on the spot.
The Fists' heroism has inspired rising numbers of Napermans to
rise up in rebellion, but as the violence crows, so too does the
punishment.
Cadfaigh:
While Kjolnir had been selling weapons and supplies to the Golds
since the spring of 997, its own rising military problems have
caused these supplies to drop to a trickle -- much to the dismay
of Lewis MacGrennog. Already weakened by this loss, the Golds suffered
another major setback when the town of Galtarrow was lost to Lady Marilyn
MacCallad's armies on June 28. Red forces successfully completed their
siege after bands of bucks, hiding in the hills, sacked numerous supply
trains intended to reinforce the city. Red losses were heavy, with Lord
Galtarrow himself, plus his considerable stock of mounted troops,
perishing in the charge.
In the north, Ragnorackan troops have been fighting Gold guerillas
hiding in the rocky Highlands terrain. Reports say their progress
is slow but steady, and that many of the Gold bands are pulling back
to MacGrennog's central hold at Solkirk Hill.
Lady Marilyn has vowed that her armies and those of her betrothed
"shall meet in victory" at Solkirk.
May 20, 998:
Cadfaigh:
The spring thaw has brought a resumption of the war for the throne,
but it has been no bright season for Lewis MacGrennog and his Gold
faction. With Kjolnir now under attack, shipments of Kjoln arms and
supplies first dwindled and have now stopped altogether. On May 10,
Lady Deirdre MacGornin, a Gold supporter, requested amnesty from Marilyn
MacCallad and yielded up Fort MacGornin to the Reds. Meanwhile, a
combined push from the Ragnorackans and the bucks has pushed into the
Golds' weaker western front.
Kislevia:
The northeastern portion of Kislevia has come under attack by forces
similar to those that have been ravaging Kjolnir. Armies have been
coming out of the Worldspine Mountains into the foothills and have
managed to make significant headway. The northern lords are petitioning
the King to be allowed to recall the troops they have consigned to occupy
the Allondine border. While waiting for a reply, what forces that are
available have been martialing at Castle Kruger, which is located in a
valley several miles south of the front.
Kjolnir:
The northwestern jarldom of Vesteralen has been nearly overrun by
the advancing armies of vorskyr. Fighting contiunues at the jarl's
holding of Buskerud, which is only fifteen miles from the jarldom's
southern border. Jarl Magnus Ozurarson has pleaded with his neighbors
to the south to send help, but the armies that have been sent have
stopped on their own borders.
The jarldom of Oppland, to the northeast of Vesteralen, has been
completly overrun, with the fighting there having moved on to the
jarldom of Sandnessjeenn, to Oppland's south about a month ago. No
word has come from Oppland in six weeks.
Tolbury, Allondell, and Lorraux, Chardreau:
In late April, King Harold of Allondell and King Robert of Chardreau
both committed troops "to the defense of Delona and for the greater
good of the kingdoms of Hesket", in the words of King Robert's
proclamation. Naval units and corps of mage-knights have been sent to
Trenzano to assist in its defense.
Trenzano, Delona:
After several months of reduced aggressiveness, the Yamamotoan forces
stepped up their military push against the county of Trenzano. However,
defensive forces have so far been able to hold off the attack, in part
due to the rising numbers of military religious orders arriving in the
area and (more recently) the Allondine and Chardrois assistance.
Yamamotoans forces are expected to make a stronger push shortly,
once reinforcements arrive from the homeland.
Napermo, Delona:
As news reaches the locals that the Yamamotoan advance has (at least
for now) been checked, guerilla attacks by the locals have been on the
rise. Nighttime raids by Philiathan troops and by the famed band Kyta's
Fists have made chaos of Yamamotoan communication lines.
Schwenzberg, Kislevia:
Travelers report that the vacation house of Baroness Sophia von
Essenstern, a noted Kislevian diplomat, burned to the ground in
March. Everyone in the main house was killed, including the Baroness'
personal bodyguard, the Baroness, her steward, and five guests who had
been spending the night.
Sophia von Essenstern is survived by her father, Count Wolfgang
von Essenstern, and two cousins, Thomas and Johan. The Count
has already declared Sir Thomas, a hero from the Ennitarian war, his
heir. Count Wolfgang, an advisor to the King of Kislevia, said "My
daughter had been very active in rooting out Cultists who were on all
levels of society. I pray that this fire was not some sort of
retribution."
Authorities are still trying to ascertain the cause of the fire.
March 19, 998:
Collegium Hall (Tolbury, Allondell):
Nennite church officials, having verified the claims of miraculous
visitations, have officially named Anne of Sordonne to sainthood.
The nature of Saint Anne's martyrdom, as well as her appearances
directing the faithful against the Cult, have led the Nennites to name
her the patron saint against anti-clericalism. Presider Elaine
noted that "with the vicious attacks by the Cult on the rise, invoking
Anne's name for safety and guidance is all the more important."
In related news, Archbishop Denis de Vesalle, Vicar for Lorraux, has
announced his discovery that the "new gods" worshipped by the violent Cult
are actually the titans of yore. Archbishop Denis notes that this would
explain the lack of divine powers among the Cult's clergy, as well
as their violent hatred for the gods and the gods' followers.
Moreover, if the Cult is in league with infernal forces, Archbishop
Denis noted that they might be able to gain access to powers that
would have allowed them to penetrate Collegium Hall and assassinate
Presider Anne.
Presider Elaine and the Collegium praised Archbishop Denis for
his discovery, and have already set the Codexers at verifying these
claims.
Kjolnir:
Northeastern Kjolnir has been the site of vicious attacks by
armies of orcs, led by a race of cat-people. The attacks, which began in
early February, came down from points along the Worldspine Mountains and
met with little initial resistance, due to the unpreparedness of the
locals to anything from that direction. The town of Outlook was evacuated
completly, and almost completly razed to the ground. The refugees reached
the neighboring city of Northwind about a day ahead of the advancing
troops, and then promptly left before the troops arrived. After a two-day
battle, the city fell. (Travelers report that the mercenary band the Black
Company fought on the side of the attacking army.) The advancing armies
in the other areas have met with similar success.
The jarls of the three jarldoms attacked are collecting their troops
and are petitioning their neighbors for assistance.
Piedmontagne, Inarra:
Travelers claim that the grace which guarded the treacherous straits
nearby, but which vanished in late autumn, has returned. The reason
for the luminary's disappearance -- or its reappearance -- are unknown,
but Tamplonian sailors are said to be quite relieved.
Tolbury, Allondell:
A significant number of cloaked, masked figures were seen on the
streets of Tolbury on the night of March 7. The figures, who spoke to
few, seemed to be looking about in anticipation. Around midnight,
the figures departed and have not been seen since.
Some claim that the figures are the "guardian spirits" from
the ancient past, those mentioned in the _Mundus_. However, there
seems to be little to justify why those creatures should appear now,
especially in such a strange fashion.
Grendarr Mountains:
The dwarven Grendarr Council, called unexpectedly several months
ago, has ended just as suddenly. Dwarven officials claim that the
"spiritual troubles" which sparked the conference seems to have
abruptly ended around two weeks ago, and that the once-missing kimall
have begun speaking to the hakima again. The various monarchs
and their entourages have begun preparing for their journeys home.
March 2, 998:
Delona:
After a month-long pause in fresh attacks (still without
explanation), the Yamamotoan forces began a siege of Veneza and
Trenzano. However, early reports indicate that the pause has given
the Delonan forces time to rally and fortify, and that Yamamoto is
suffering as a result of it. Count Giancarlo of Trenzano in particular
has been instrumental in organzing the various religious orders who have
joined the Delonan defense.
Linneraigh:
The Cathedral of the Raven's Wings, a major Majeniran church in
Mwlyn, was destroyed by fire two weeks ago. About half of the
cathedral's canons perished in the blaze. Linneralian authorities
claim no evidence or message was left behind, but the involvement of the
Cult of the New Gods is assumed.
Northern Gulf:
A Tamplonian ship carrying Abbot Enrico de Faria, a Collegiate,
and many other attendant clergy mysteriously sunk on its way from
Tamplonia to Roudoigne. Only three sailors and a deacon survived.
January 22, 998:
Cadfaigh:
After several weeks without a public appearance, would-be King of
Cadfaigh, Lord Olen MacCallad, passed away in his sleep on January 9.
Lord Olen was rumored to have been ill for some time from stomach
troubles, and the fact that his daughter and heir Lady Marilyn had
been his spokeswoman since November was the cause of much speculation
about his health.
The day thereafter, Lord Olen's inner circle of supporters
proclaimed Lady Marilyn, as Olen's heir, to be Queen of Cadfaigh. Her
betrothed and ally, King Dmitri of Ragnorack, followed suit the same
day. However, it is too soon to tell whether the other supporters of
the Red faction will follow suit.
Cadfaigh's other would-be King, Lewis MacGrennog, announced that
"Olen's passing gives our country one more reason to unite behind
its true King."
Tolbury, Allondell:
The Collegium named Mother Elaine, Abbess of Ornach and Vicar for
Dunburgh, a Cadfainn Nennite, as the new Presider on January 18. In her
inaugural address Abbess Elaine said it would be her "foremost priority to
discover the parties responsible for Mother Anne's death and to bring
justice in her name."
Tolbury, Allondell:
Having collected numerous reports of visitations and other
miraculous events in Trenzano, Delona, and Dunford, Allondell, the
Nennite clergy have officially begun the formal process of canonization
for Mother Anne of Sordonne. If the gathered accounts are judged true,
she would be named a martyr saint.
Kislevia:
The Elunian monastery in Hanzburg was set afire by members of the
Cult of the New Gods on January 12. Despite valiant attempts by
the monks, nuns, and townsfolk to staunch the disaster, only about
ten percent of the volumes were able to be saved before the main
library's roof collapsed. Several monks and nuns, including the prior,
suffered burns in the calamity, but none were killed.
A Cult message, left in blood on the monastery's wall, read
"Knowledge from a false god is false knowledge."
In~arra:
The Church of the New Sword, a Rannashite church in the city of
Andelao, was destroyed on January 19 when saboteurs damaged stone supports
in the basement. The floor of the main sanctuary collapsed, and the
fall of the main supporting columns brought the roof down, damaging the
adjacent buildings. Rannashite church officials are still sifting through
the rubble to find out how many died int he collapse; at least six clergy
are presumed dead. Several altar relics, including the legendary brass
sword from which the church derives its name, are also missing.
Veneza, Delona:
Travelers from Delona report that that the Yamamotoan forces seem
to be at a pause, and that offensives have dropped off over the last
few weeks. Some speculate that the Yamamotoans are mustering before
beginning a full-scale invasion of Veneza; others believe they are beset
with internal dissent and rising attacks from the Kyta's Fist guerillas.
January 7, 998:
Tolbury, Allondell:
In a horrifying scene witnessed in churches across Hesket, Mother
Anne of Sordonne, Presider of the Collegium, was murdered in Collegium
Hall on December 20 in the middle of her Voice of the Collegium address.
The assassin, an unidentified man, was able to penetrate the Hall
through means unknown and stab Presider Anne in the back using an
enchanted knife. The assassin was promptly captured, but when magically
interrogated with a Truth spell he underwent a stroke and died.
Mother Anne's address was left incomplete. In searching to find
the reasons behind the Yamamotoan invasion of Delona, she stated she had
learned that "we face a much stronger danger than expected, one that
goes far beyond an invasion. Indeed, the host of Yamamoto at our gates
pales in comparison to what lies before us." However, an explanation
of the nature of this danger was cut short by her death.
Across Hesket on December 20 and 21, churches went into mourning. A
rather somber solstice Brinmas followed.
Tolbury, Allondell:
With the office vacant, the traditional Presider's speech on New Year's
Day did not occur.
Trenzano, Delona, and Dunford, Allondell:
Local rumors hold that a vision of Anne of Sordonne visited these
two towns shortly after her death. According to some travelers,
Mother Anne warned the Trenzani to hunt down snakes, and across
the island locals were seek rooting out and slaying snakes. As this
news reached the mainland, Inarran and Chradrois peasants soon followed
suit.
Nennite church officials have already begun ascertaining the truth
of these rumors of visitations, which if true will likely spark the
canonization of Mother Anne.
Tolbury, Allondell:
Abbess Elaine of Ornach, now heading up the anti-clerical
investigations following Presider Anne's death, announced that
information confirms that a singular group is responsible for the
church-burnings and clerical murders. Furthermore, the Collegium
suspects that this group, which it says is named the "Cult of the
New Gods", is responsible for Mother Anne's assassination.
