The War of the Four Kingdoms

Northlander Order Of Battle

One can only expect chaos from a chaotic nation. Information on life in the Northlands is so scant and unreliable that an effective description of their army will still be incomplete. This article, by necessity, will have to explain some aspects of Northlander society. Strictly speaking, the Northlands did not really have a standing army. There were two groups that carried the war effort for the Northlanders, and neither was truly organised or regimented. They were the Clans and the Rebels.

The Clans

The native-born Northlanders fought the hardest and longest during the War. Hardy mountain folk, they were long inured to the deprivations of military life. Their society was based around kin-groups, called cravgi by the Northlanders but known to Gallantrian scholars as the Clans. These clans had an elder at their head, of either sex (being essentially children of Logaan, the Northlanders do not discriminate gender-wise). This elder, or Cravkeg, took their position through respect for their age and proven ability. Some clans insist their Cravkeg triumph in single combat with a Wyvern before being given the post. Cravkeg rule through respect and the benefits of their experience.

A clan consists of several families, all of whom are related to the Cravkeg's family. An incomplete census of the Northlands, drawn up by experts of the Mage's Reginium in 115 AC, determined that there were some 40 clans. A typical clan (if there is such a thing) is the Pakdrak of the eastern Cragrocks, who led the Northlander assault at the Battle of Chessog. They numbered 1,500 adults, comprising around 15-20 sub-families. They wore the traditional costume of the Northlands - a large piece of coloured cloth wound about the body, dyed in their family colours of purple, black and yellow. Northlanders scorn armour as cowardly, but some senior clansfolk wore highly ornamented breastplates.

Arms and equipment of the clans varied wildly. To use the Pakdraks again, they were equipped with small bladed shields and shortswords, and fought in a distinctive two-handed style common to the southern Northlands. All Northlanders use bows for hunting but they are not popular in combat. Traditional practice had them firing only a single volley before using their main tactic: the berserk charge. The clans relied upon their fearsome ferocity, and often weight of numbers, to break the Gallantrian line.

Ultimately the Northlanders stood little to gain from a pitched battle and prefered guerrilla tactics; launching hit-and-run assaults on Gallantrian convoys and isolated patrols. On only three occasions - Chessog, Forrin and the Battle of the Ham - did they fight in a conventional fashion. What really prevented them from becoming a major threat to Gallantria was the disunity of the clans. Grudges and conflicts between them kept them from fighting as a cohesive whole, which would have been a terrifying prospect. Rumours of a Clan-king, ruling over all the Clans, have never been proven.

The Rebels

There had been Gallantrian colonists living in the Cragrock foothills for centuries. By the time of the War they had, in the words of Colonel Tomas Adderly, become "more wild than those damn'd natives". They had adopted some Clannish customs, and spoke a dialect of Gallantrian that would be unrecognisable in Royal Lendle. They scorned the royal government and enjoying thwarting the hated tax-men.

Allegedly, it was Brician agitators who finally provoked them into open rebellion. This subject is still controversial. Some argue that they hardly needed the Bricians, as they were already appalled at the inconsiderate attitude of "thems wot lives in Rool-Lundul". But their speedy organisation, and good equipment, does suggest an outside force aided them.

They were organised into Bands, with a leader elected by all weapon-bearing folk. Numbers varied from day to day, as troopers came and went depending upon the harvest and the fortunes of war. Their only true military core eventually came from the defection of the Three Cursed Grogs, soldiers of the 1st, 2nd and 5th Grogs from the 8th (Casper) Foot Regiment. This provided a solid basis of military expertise which inspired the rebels in their initial battles.

The majority of their arms and armour came from material scavenged and stolen from Gallantrian forces. Some even used farm equipment, beating ploughshears into swords. A large number were mounted, and formed an ad hoc light cavalry force to meet the Gallantrian cavalry. As mentioned above, a fair number (about a quarter) of the force were equipped with modern weapons which had come from somewhere. They were not of Gallantrian manufacture. Tactics as such were non-existent. There was a real reluctance to meet the Royal Army on the field, especially after the Scourging of the Ham. Soldier-to-soldier, the rebels were no match for the forces of the Crown.

In 175 AC, there were some 33,000 colonists. Of these, about 25-30,000 took up the rebel cause. The remainder, or loyalists, fled south. Not all of these rebels actually took to battle. Some 5,000 in fact went north to join the Clans. The number of rebels peaked after the murder of Constain, but rapidly fell away after Tag's forces were routed. The pacification of the colonies from 179-185 AC destroyed them once and for all.

Gallantrian Order Of Battle, 175 AC

Note that, with the exception of the Knights, the Gallantrian army is otherwise quite advanced gender-wise. The term man in this article is employed in a neutral sense. Hundreds of loyal Gallantrian women served and fought bravely during the War.

Household Troops

The elite of the Gallantrian forces are the Knights of the Wyvern. A force of approximately 1000 horse, mounted on the finest Lendleland chargers. Entry is limited to the well born, although any Gallantrian of good repute and proven heroism can theoretically be inducted. They are equipped with full plate, officers having field plate. Each Knight carries their own insignia and coat-of-arms, but all wear the distinctive gold wyvern clasp on their sword-arm. Weapons are lance, mace and longsword. Shields are usually carried. Each Knight has a Foot Guard of two squires (bringing the unit's full size to 3000) armed with broadsword, shield and chainmail. These follow the Knights into action and provide the main recruiting pool. Rank is simple; seniority rules over all. Organisation is ad hoc and tailored to the occasion.

The Sacred Order of Templars, numbering only 100, were not deployed as a whole during the War. Individual Templars would usually join a body of Wyverns when going into battle, or fight in small groups of their own.

The Main Army

A word on officers: promotion in the Gallantrian Main Army usually goes to proven veterans. However, during the long period of peace preceeding the War, the Officer's Academy of Royal Lendle provided the bulk of commanders. Most of these were eventually slain, requiring promotion from the ranks in the last years of the War. Colonels and Banner-Colonels can only be appointed by the Monarch.

Gallantria's backbone are the Foot Regiments. These are comprised of three main groups: the Halberdiers/Pikemen, the Archers and the Blades. In 175 there were about 15-20,000 infantry in Gallantria's army. They are organised into regiments of 1,000 active soldiers (each with a tail of about 500 with the baggage and so on), and each regiment is numbered. They are recruited on a regional basis, with the Eight Baronies providing the senior regiments. Each regiment has a distinctive colour worn on their tunics and standard, and they are sometimes referred to by this (i.e. the 16th are called the Violets). The Halflings provided 350 Archers with the 7th (Medwallshire) Regiment, and the 10th (Cragrock) Regiment was almost entirely Dwarves. There were 21 regiments in all during the War. The Blades used to be the biggest arm, but c.100 AC, during the reign of Alfrad V, this changed. Now Regiments 1-5 and 8-10 are Blades, with 6-7 and 11-13 Archers. 14-16 are Pikemen, and 17-21 Halberdiers. Rank and organisation are thus : 50 men form a turb, under a Serjeant. Two turbs (100 men) form a grog, under a Captain. Five grogs (500 men) form a flank, under a Flank-Captain. An entire regiment is commanded by a Colonel. (So, say, the hero in FF44 was Captain of the 3rd Grog, in the Right Flank, of the 2nd (Weirtown) Foot Regiment). Regiments are often broken up into smaller units when required, as when Captain Hornhelm commanded his lone Grog at the Battle of Skynn, independent of the main force.

Equal to the Foot in prestige are the Horse Squadrons. These are recruited mainly from folk on the villages and farms of Gallantria's plains. There were 8,000 in 175 AC. The Horse provides a light/medium cavalry contingent to complement the Knights. They are organised into squadrons of 750 actual troops and 250 support (farriers, smiths and so on). There were 11 squadrons during the War. Each is commanded by a Banner-Colonel. A squadron is divided into two bites, commanded by an Eagle (an archaic rank that dates back to Orjan) and the support flank. Further subdivisions can be created. Squadrons 1-4 are the Mounted Blades, 5 and 6 are Hobilars (essentially mounted/mobile infantry), and 7-11 are the Light Horse. The Mounted Blades are a striking arm used to support the foot and secure the flanks of a deployed army. They are equipped with chainmail, shield, lance and sword. The Hobilars are a rapid attack force, often used for raiding. Their armament tends to be personalised, and indeed the Hobilars are a somewhat eccentric outfit. The Light Horse are used for reconnaissance, delivering messages and protecting the army on the march. They wear leather armour and carry swords, lances and shortbows.

Irregulars

Lastly there were the Irregulars. These units were formed and disbanded throughout the war. One example was Aruk's Axes, a body of lightly-equipped and highly mobile Dwarves who patrolled the southern Cragrocks. People such as rangers or adventurers often formed temporary units when the need arose. Battle mages, who are usually deployed on their own, and priests/priestesses of varying faiths sometimes came together for an individual battle. The Templars of Telak, who fought at both Forrin and Eacham, are a good example. None of these units were retained on the order of battle after the War.

Brician Order Of Battle, 175 AC

Elite Troops

The hard-core of the Brician forces were the Regent's Own. This numbered 1000 horse and 3-4,000 foot. Their ranks were exclusively human, recruited at birth and trained in the Black Citadel, near the Forbidden Fortress. These soldiers had been used as a civic guard and were regularly deployed against their own people. The horse contingent (the Regent's Cavalry) were equipped with chainmail, flails and light crossbows. A formidable force, they were not organised into any particular groups but fought as a cohesive whole under a Commander. The infantry were formed into six groups of 500 (hence their other name, the Six Swords). Their equipment was mainly chainmail and longswords, although the Third Sword used two-handed weapons of wide variety, and the Sixth carried missile weapons as well. Each Sword was commanded by a Lord. As with the cavalry there were no junior formations.

The Brician elite forces also consisted of what could be termed irregulars, and as such the Brician army had no dedicated irregular units. The most notorious were the Moonrunners. Usually operating alone, these troops performed assassinations, sabotage and psychological warfare behind the Gallantrian lines. To this day their numbers are unknown but there could not have been more than 50. There were also the feared Jalad-Hai assassins, and Dark Elf teams which infiltrated as far as Royal Lendle.

The Main Army

The Regulars were the bane of the people of Brice. Consisting of 12,000 troops, organised into 12 Waves, they were arguably the best-prepared troops of the War. Their reputation for marching miles on little sustenance, and their renown callousness, made them brutal opponents. Uniformly equipped with chainmail, broadswords, shortbows and shield, they were well-drilled and ruthless. Each wave was broken down into 10 Ranks of 100 fighters, led by a Ranker. A Wave itself was commanded by a Noble, usually the younger son or brother of a great family. The 12th Wave, or Badbreeds, were entirely non-human and armed in a chaotic fashion. Their logistics, perfected from years of experience, were definitely the best in the Old World.

The bulk of Brice's war effort was carried by the Conscripts. At their peak in 176 they numbered some 30,000. Organisation was haphazard, to say the least. For example, at Skynn one group numbered 4,500, while another only included 120. They were numbered consecutively, running ultimately up to 212. Formed by lesser nobles of the realm, they were recruited from Brice's (large) serf underclass. As the name implies they were forcibly recruited. They could roughly be broken down into two groups - the majority, who were pressed into service unwillingly, given a modicum of training, and used as disposable fodder. Their equipment was basic and armour non-existent. The minority, consisting of the worst psychotics, had survived several battles and fought fiercely and without mercy. Being survivors they had scrounged enough armour and weapons to be a viable fighting force. These Conscripts really carried Brice through its initial victories. It was a mark of prestige for a noble to muster as many troops as possible into their units. The Lord of Quill had the most, with 88 of the Conscript units under his control. Control is a relative term here - these units were only commanded by a small cadre drawn from a variety of races (usually Half-Orc) who kept them in line and pointed them towards the enemy. The harder Conscripts formed a kind of natural hierarchy, with the toughest assuming a sort of command.

The most dreaded of all Brice's forces were the Undead. With no concerns for feeding, morale or even equipment, they were a dreadful threat. They were also innumerable, their ranks being replenished after every battle. Their only weakness was the obvious dependence on Necromancers to keep the units cohesive. Their enemies soon learned to target their death-mages, who in turn went to great lengths to protect themselves. The seemingly never-ending ranks of skeletons and zombies provided Brice with a massive, disposable, body of troops for assaults. Their greatest flaw was when they were used for anything else. Undead troops are easily outwitted; the total destruction of the Undead forces at the Second Battle of Border River was due to a simple ruse, which drew the Undead back into their own ranks. So they were unreliable, and only used on occasions such as the First Border and Skynn battles to smash the Gallantrian ranks.

Femphyrean Order Of Battle, 175 AC

The forces of the Kingdom of Femphrey were unique in their organisation. Rather than being based around the central authority of the monarch, they were divided amongst the most powerful nobles. These lords and ladies funded their forces from their own resources. Essentially, the Femphyrean army consisted of several groups with only a nominal allegiance to the monarch. At best they were busy guarding the borders with Mauristantia and Lendleland; at worst, they were little more than parade ground heroes used to aggrandize the power of their patron.

The only Femphyrean force deployed in the War was the Army of the Crystal Lake, under Duke Dalvinius. This Order of Battle shall deal only with the Duke's forces, as they were used against Gallantria in the summer and autumn of 176 AC. This notorious Duke was ambitious and ruthless, and his force was probably the best in Femphrey at this time.

Elite Troops

Dalvinius had formed a cadre of heavy cavalry, the Ducal Prerogative, or the Duke's Horse. Commanded by His Grace, they numbered 1000, mounted on the swiftest Lendle chargers. The Horse were divided into ten groups of 100, called Colours, as each was identified with different coloured mounts. For example, the Duke's own escort were the Grays. Equipped with field plate, longswords, lance and horseman's mace, they were well-drilled and aggressive. They accounted themselves cavaliers, and followed a strict code of conduct which insisted on honourable actions. This had a major drawback - their organisation was less than impressive, with each Horseman preferring to fight individually. This reduced their effectiveness on the field.

Regular Troops

The Army of the Crystal Lake was unique in the northern Old World in its preference for mercenaries, or as they were known, the Contracts. The Contracts were recruited from all over the Old World, and indeed included some swordsmen from Allansia and Khul. As their name implies, they contracted themselves to the Duke for a period of two years. In return they received food and lodging, as well as a regular share in any booty collected by the Army. There were three Regiments of 800, each broken down into ten groups of 80, called a Band, lead by a Captain. Further subdivisions were common, with old friends and comrades often forming their own cadres. The first two Regiments were largely homogenous, with splint mail and longswords. Two Bands in each of these Regiments were missile troops; longbowmen in the First, and crossbowmen in the Second. The Third Regiment was recruited in the months leading up to Dalvinius' invasion, and was more ad hoc. They were largely renegades and bandits from Mauristantia, Kakhabad and Xamen. All Contracts were despised by the Duke's Horse as little better than scum, and the Contracts in turn resented the Horses' arrogance and equipment.

Lastly, the Duke had his fiefdom's Annual Levy, numbering some 2,500. Essentially just a peasant mob, the Levy were usually quite unmotivated and prefered to join battle only after the Horse and the Contracts. Morale was already low then they were pressed into service by the other two formations, and collapsed entirely after Mallagash. As the autumn arrived, there were massive desertions - being mainly farmers, they were anxious to return to their crops. Effectively useless, the Levy did at least provide the Duke with enough numbers to confront the Gallantrian Royal Army in the field. Their equipment was usually farming tools; armour was non-existent. To be fair, many had combat experience from fighting Mauristantian and Lendleland invaders, and during the Duke's early successes they fought reasonably well.

A HISTORY OF THE FOUR KINGDOMS WAR,

In Four Volumes, With Each Battle Detailed,

By WERRANT MYCHERLEY, G. R. A.
With A Most Humble Dedication To His Most Magnificent Preponderancy, HIGH KING CORMAK FLAMESTAFF III, Scion of the Flamestaffs, Bearer of the Ruby Sword, Prince of the Lendles, Heir of Orjan, etc., etc.; To My Very Learned Colleagues Of The Most Venerable Society For Rebuilding Titan, Welcome Friends; Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen:

In the name of Hamaskis, welcome to my history. I beg your most humble pardon for the lateness and delay of this work. But believe me, beloved reader, its compliation has been a most involved and difficult task. It has taken me across the moors, forests and rolling fields of our beloved Gallantria; into the winding streets of our great cities, from the Library of our Academy to the dark streets of Blackhaven; into the Cragrocks, amongst the lonely rocky valleys; south into Femphrey, in the shadow of Mauristantia; and even, dear reader, across the Border into Brice itself, and yeah, into the Forbidden Fortress.

I have walked these battlefields. These battles, tho' now almost fought over a century ago, were re-fought by me. It must be remembered, as we gaze upon our memorials and tombs, that this war was fought for the survival of Gallantria. We were beset on all sides by jealous and greedy enemies, and yeah, praise Osmani, we triumphed. Since those dark days Gallantria, and indeed the Old World, has gone to greater heights.

A special note of thanks most go to the Society for Rebuilding Titan. This work could not have been completed without the esoteric and detailed research of my august and learned colleagues. Welcome and thanks to you all. I can only, and humbly, hope that "Hamaskis smiles" upon this history and our knowledge of our nation, our continent, and yeah even our world may be expanded.

Perhaps it would be appropriate to finish this dedication with a quote from Fifford's great play, The Indomitable Hornhelm, from the scene where the noble captain addresses his men before that final charge;

Published this Day, 62-Sevar 290 AC, by Emil Sharen, Printer to the King

Vol 1 : Schir 175 to Schir 176

Book One - The Beginning Of The End

The Beginning Of The End - The Fall Of Blackhaven - Skirmish At Aiken - Word Reaches Royal Lendle - Gallantrian Goes To War - March On The Border - Shepper's Inn - First Border

The summer had been long and delicious. Gallantria was soaked through with sun, and the whole nation looked forward with pleasure to the Schir Days, the long holiday that ended summer. The kingdom had not been seriously troubled with strife for nearly two generations, since the Scions of the Blue Regulus house succeeded their Red kinfolk in 122 AC. Indeed, the two reigns of the Blue Regulus (Queen Lavinia I 122-159, King Constain V 159-177) were the most peaceful of the post-Rise, pre-War monarchies. The wise guidance of the king by his tutor and friend, Tantalon, had a major influence.

We were not to know. Perhaps peace had softened the land, although perils aplenty still awaited the adventurer or the unwary. No-one noticed as the traffic across Border increased, or as banditry grew steadily worse in the north. From papers produced at the trial of Karam Gruul, we know the fiend's plans were well advanced by that fateful summer.

So the holidays began, with the nation taking its ancient rest. In the city of Blackhaven, then a better place to live than the pit it is now, the tradition was celebrated like everywhere else. The Eighth (Blackhaven) Regiment was in barracks, stationed around the city. Having their traditional day of leave, the soldiers were dispersed about the city.

Taking no rest, however, were the agents of Brice. Insinuated into the city nearly a year before, these moles began their work on the night of 1-Schir. These agents had earlier seen to weakening of the border in the area, allowing the slow and unnoticed progress of the Fifth Sword and three Conscript regiments almost to the city's gate. First a fire was started in the north of the city, focusing attention away from the agents. As the city slipped into confusion, Lord Armac was murdered in his coach as it drove through the streets. The body of the last Baron of Blackhaven has never been found. It is said he had knowledge of the attack and was trying to stop it when slain.

Shortly before dawn - as we would learn, the favourite Brician time to attack - the East Gate was blown up. Several cartloads of blasting powder demolished the bastion and killed two whole grogs of the 8th who were manning the gate. In rushed the Conscripts, quickly moving through the streets and seizing positions. Total surprise meant Blackhaveners were totally overwhelmed. Looting and rampaging, the Conscripts cleared the city. By noon, when the Fifth Sword arrived, the wolf's head banner flew above the city.

Gruul himself arrived shortly after. Ordering a widespread massacre, he cemeted Brice's hold on the city. He sent out fast-moving columns from the Fifth to seal the area. Anyone attempting to flee was killed. In this fashion, Gruul hoped to keep the fall of the city secret and gain valuable time. He had two more Swords, five Waves, as well as three brigades of Conscripts (nine regiments) at Blackhaven. At that same time, massing on the banks at Stinn, there were three Swords, two Waves, twelve regiments of Conscripts and a mass of his secret weapon - the undead. He needed to concentrate these forces rapidly before launching his two hooks - one through Blackhaven to Royal Lendle, the other from Stinn inland, to divide the nation in half.

But word did get out of Blackhaven. A few escaped, and made it to Aiken. The raiders were not fair behind them and this town was burned, on 9-Schir. We were alerted, but were in no state to react. The 7th and 8th Light Horse were in the area, and fought the first real action of the war near Aiken on 12-Schir. Facing two Waves of tough Brician infantry, they held the crossroads east of the town long enough for most to flee the area. Some 750 Bricians fell in this first battle, but 250 troopers of the 7th LH - almost half its strength - were lost.

As the word reached the capital, Constain moved quickly to calm panic. He drew troops away from the north - a fateful decision - and began organising two armies. The first, under the command of Sir Duke, would follow the Witchtooth Line east, into the Badlands, and march towards Blackhaven to intercept Gruul. A second under Sir Dunstable would hold a watch on Border, and concentrate at Hamblehill Castle. Mobilisation like this was unparalled in Gallantria; by the end of Schir the entire Royal Army was under arms.

On 3-Eddern, Gruul's northern hook had finished crossing border. Just west of the customs post at Shepper's Inn, the lead elements met the Duke of Hamblehill's brigade. The old Duke had moved quickly on hearing of the fighting in the southeast, and had made for the border. This was typical of the headstrong warrior; he left before receiving word from Constain, his cousin. The King's order to hold until Dunstable arrived never made it to the Duke.

The Duke's Brigade consisted of the 18th (Cumbleside) and 20th (Hamblehill) Foot, both halberdier regiments. The 4th Mounted Blades, his old regiment, took the lead. He also had a militia of some 2,000. The Brician host, nominally commanded by Lord Ardern, was the vanguard of the north hook : the Second Sword and a brigade of conscripts (about 5,000 swords).

The Bricians took up a solid position along a stream east of the customs post. Battle was joined about noon. The 4th MB, with the Duke at the lead, charged twice into the enemy, routing many Conscripts but losing troopers and horses. The Gallantrian infantry came in on both flanks, but the difficult terrain and a deadly Brician battle-mage slowed them considerably. A hardcore of Conscripts held the 18th back into the late afternoon. The 20th destroyed three Ranks of the Second Sword, but Hamblehill's valiant cause was lost shortly before nightfall. The Third Sword, marching at the double, had come around the Gallantrian army and charged at sunset. The brave Duke of Hamblehill and the 4th MB were lost. The 18th and 20th fled, and captured stragglers met a horrible fate at the hands of the Bricians. The old Duke's brave but foolish venture had been a defeat. Just over 1,000 Gallantrians fell that terrible day, with Brice losing at least 2,000.

Ignorant of this, on 5-Eddern Dunstable marched out from Hamblehill Castle, following the Duke. His force included the 2nd, 12th, 14th and 17th Regiments of Foot, the 5th and 6th Hobilars and several battlemages, as well as a few Templars and his own bodyguard of Wyverns (around 50). His cavalry screen (the 10th and 11th Light Horse) brushed the Brician army on 12-Eddern. He drew up to meet them at dawn, but found that the Bricians evaded him. Skirmishing went on through the day, as the knight vainly sought out the enemy.

The Bricians had dispersed, according to Ardern's plan. At nightfall, when the Gallantrians struck camp, he attacked. The First Border battle had begun. Dunstable's army was in a line along the main east-west border road, in a shallow incline. Low hills on either side of the road hid the Bricians. Short of conscripts after Shepper's Inn, and sure of easy victory, he dedicated the entire First Sword - his crack troops. Things turned better for Gallantria, however, thanks to the quick thinking of battle mage and pyromancer Rhiannon, who decimated the Sword with well-aimed magic.

It was an eerie scene, as the two armies fought a chaotic battle in the illumination of the moon and magical fire. The Gallantrians reacted faster than Ardern has guessed, and soon had the better of the situation. The Hobilars fought their own battle just 500 feet away, but out of sight of, the main battle as they hacked Ardern's reserve - the Ninth Wave - to pieces and took their banner.

Tragically, terribly, this is the only victory we can claim from this nightmare battle. As the tide turned, Ardern gave the order to send in the undead. Suddenly the night was choked with the walking dead. Such was the shock of the attack the 2nd grog of the 14th (City Of Lendle's Own) Foot were slain before they could strike. Although slow, the undead came from short range and had total surprise.

Into this madness rode the cool head of Sir Dunstable. Grabbing his banner, he rallied the survivors at the western end of the low valley and organised a fighting withdrawal. The archers of the 12th (Prince of Ham's) Regiment showered the foe with missiles, which held the hordes back and gave time for retreat. An accurate arrow slew a Brician necromancer; Sindla herself guided that, I swear. Ardern's attack halted as the aimless undead choked the path; also his ill-disciplined troops were more concerned with looting the abandoned camp than chasing the enemy.

Gallantrian casualties were heavy - 2,000 dead or captured, many horses lost, and some of our best mages, including the heroic Rhiannon, slain. But Dunstable saved his army, and indeed saved Gallantria. Brice's losses are unknown; at least 5 to 6,000 humans must have perished. The Ninth Wave never fought again in the war, and Gruul had its unfortunate commander executed. But the Bricians held the field. Dawn must have been a horrible sight, with that gentle stretch of Gallantrian road covered in the dead. First Border was a Brician victory, but it was also a bloody nose that halted Ardern. Both armies had to reinforce. The next moves would be in the south, as Sir Duke rode into the Badlands and Gruul prepared his strike on the capital.

Book Two - The Winter Of Strife

Snowfall - The King And His Counsel - Fears For The North - The Traitor - Gruul's Strategy Unveiled - The Calamity Of Sir Duke - An Army Unled - Lion Of The Snow - Vannan - The Colonists Rebel

On 21-Eddern, the first snows fell across eastern Gallantria. It covered the unburied bodies of many slain warriors. Almost all of Gallantria between the Weir and Border rivers had been abandoned, with the arrival of refugees worsening the crisis. On the same day snow first covered the King's Outlook at the Palace, word arrived of Hamblehill's death and the bloody stand at First Border. Constain grew grim, and retired with Tantalon to assess the situation.

Ultimately they trusted in Sir Duke the Merciful, then leading a formidable force southeast towards Gruul. It consisted of the 1st, 6th, 7th and 21st Foot, with cavalry support from the 1st and 2nd Mounted Blades and the 9th Light Horse. He had also been joined by a bite each from the 7th and 8th Light Horse, fresh from the carnage at Aiken. They joined together to form a provisional squadron. Both the King and his wise advisor were sure of Sir Duke's generalship and his ability to hold the south, if not repel the invader.

Their true concern was for the northern colonies. Unrest north of the Ham, across the Cuspid and into the Cragrock Holdings, had forced the Crown to keep two good regiments - the 5th (Casper) and 15th (Chessog) in their positions watching the north. Outlying settlements along the Essog, in the barren stretch which reaches up to become Narrow Pass, were dangerous places for Crown troops to visit. Trouble in this area was not new, but there were fears that news of Brice's invasion could ignite the powderkeg.

Indeed, we know now, of Constain's tragic irony - the appointment of Tag as Warden of the North. The old Wyverns had complained, that it was not proper for one of the Barons to be appointed to a traditionally Knight position. How fateful the King's words seem now - we need a Baron in command, he told them, to keep the unity of the kingdom. Neither he, nor even the wise Tantalon, was to know Tag had been a plant of Gruul's for nearly a decade, and how the fiend had fed the traitor's greed with vain promises of a crown. With his new command, Tag began to unravel the rebellion.

Some say, these days, that Brice did not have a hand in the North. I refute this. Papers at Gruul's trial show the extend to which his foul tentacles had manipulated the colonists and Tag into serving his own ends.

But we are ahead of ourselves. As the snows fell on the smoking shell of Blackhaven, Gruul's headquarters at Hope's End was burning with activity. He was praying to his dark gods for a bad winter, giving him time to build up his force. He was trying to strike a delicate balance - on the one hand, securing southeastern Gallantria and linking up with Ardern, and on the other he needed a breathing space to build up his undead host.

To this end, on 30-Eddern he sent the 4th and 5th Waves, along with the Sixth Sword, on an aggressive and extended foray across the plains. They were to move northeast along the Witchtooth Line, through the old barony of Vannan, and possibly even to the source of the Cumble. And this in sixty days, as winter set in. As brutal and twisted a foe as the Bricians were, they were soldiers of inhuman calibre, and could just achieve this target. Gruul knew a southern army would be coming to face him, and he hoped this force would draw it into the open, where he could then fall upon and crush it.

A few days before, Sir Duke and his host had left the castle of Ummercumble, the small tower that watched over the Forbidden Caves near this bleak part of the Line. As the snows fell thicker his army crossed into Vannan on 39-Eddern. This old baronial land had been empty since the 1st century AC, and the cold moors were a miserable camp for our army. As the watery sun rose on 41-Eddern, Duke and a select number of his bodyguard took a walk through a blasted patch of trees that passed for a forest near the Caves, just off the road. It was here that the celebrated and tragic fate, a cruel trick of Logaan, befell the kind Knight. He was taken by the Gorgon when some distance from his colleagues, who fled in terror. They had all seen her as a harmless beggar.

As is well known, when the members of Sir Duke's party returned with troops and a battle mage, the Gorgon had left with her prize. Some have condemned the party for fleeing, but I challenge those critics to stay before the black gaze of that dread creature. Indeed, it would be none other than the mighty Constain VI, Constain of the Tasks, who finally defeated the creature and rescued this great knight. The sad tale of the noble Sir Duke's decline, his terrible guilt, should not deface his memory.

So, the army was leaderless. Command descended officially to Sir Dirk, but the first battle command of the southern army would go to Colonel Emme Rauder of the 1st (Prince's Own) Foot. Colonel Rauder also claims the distinction of being the first woman to command that most venerable regiment. As Sir Duke met his fate, she had encamped her regiment and the 6th (Cygnet) Foot in a deserted village. It was just a few wood houses on a raised, rocky plateau, standing out starkly on the white landscape. The force's cavalry pickets (a bite of the 9th Light Horse) encountered the lead elements of the Sixth Sword before dawn on 42-Eddern.

The battle of Vannan began when the 9th LH reported back to the Colonel. She made a bold plan; taking advantage of their white uniforms, she ordered the archers of the 6th to disperse, in grog formations, around the village. Hidden in the snowdrifts, these proud longbowmen would launch an ambush as the Bricians advanced.

Just after dawn, the Sixth Sword led the 4th and 5th Waves into the attack. They thundered in a great wave across the snow, hoping to envelope the village quickly. Their commander, a minor lord from the Sixth called Derrenin, had no doubt been planning on a surprise. This mighty charge faltered as the Bricians fell into Rauder's trap; the camoflagued 6th Foot opened fire, slicing down the ranks. Rauder kept the 1st in the village, held back as a counterattack reserve. The archers from Cygnet were being quickly overwhelmed - most of the first and third grogs were lost - as the Bricians reacted ruthlessly to the ambush. A brave spoiling attack by the 9th Light Horse drew some heat off the archers as they fired, retreated and fired again.

Soon Rauder could hold back no longer. The light horse and archers had weakened the Brician force, but their swords still outnumbered the Gallantrians. Choosing her time, she led the 1st Foot down into the melee. These fresh troops made all the difference, as the cold and fatigue began to sap the enemy. Still a vicious battle was waged across the snow as the 1st fought nearly twice their number of opponents. By noon, Derrerin had pulled out the Sixth and fell back a few miles to the east. To few to follow, Rauder also broke off contact and allowed the battered 4th Wave to retire. The 5th, the Butchers of Blackhaven had been singled out for special attention by the Gallantrian troops. They fought a withdrawal into the night, hunted by archers, horse and swords alike. But by night the forces were separated.

To this day our redoubtable Colonel Rauder has been heralded as the Lion of the Snow. Vannan was a victory for Gallantria, Gruul's first strike had been blunted. But some 800 brave Gallantrians lay dead in the snow, 500 alone from the 6th. Perhaps 1,500 Bricians had fallen, including Derrerin, killed in the last moments of the battle. Whether by Cygnet arrow or Royal Lendle sword is still a matter of debate between these two regiments. This victory was a boost for us that terrible winter, but far worse was yet to come.

On the cold winter's night of 29-Eddern, a horde of rebel colonists descended upon Chessog. Tag's evil machinations were underway. The energetic colonel of the 15th, Tomas Adderly, was prepared for such an event. Safe behind the town's walls, his regiment defended their home town. Scattered fighting went on around the town all night, and skirmishes broke out within the walls when infiltrated parties of rebels attacked. But by dawn, the enemy pulled back. They left 100 of their number dead or captured. 40 pikemen of the 15th were killed, as well as some 50 innocent loyalist citizens. A small battle, which marked a new horror for Gallantria - war in the north. As the year ended, farms and homes were burning in the snow. Our kingdom itself seemed to be set on fire.

Book Three

A New Year Lull - Raids - The Horror Of The Firetraps - Weirtown Besieged - Tag's Sabotage - The Northlanders Come - Croyden Wood Becomes A Battlefield - Axes In The Pass - A Late Spring

The first day of Plagiar, 176 AC, dawned over Gallantria. There would be two more before the war was over. In the first frozen weeks of that year, Gallantria and Brice regrouped and prepared for spring offensives. The land between the Eede and the Border was now in Brician hands. Dunstable stood with his back at Weirtown, prepared for the siege he knew Ardern would be planning. Our brave Knight made a typically bold but calculating move; he divided his forces in the face of a superior enemy, and launched harrassing attacks on the enemy. Keeping Ardern off balance, he slowed the Brician approach to the Eede.

Dunstable sent the 2nd (Weirtown) Regiment back to its home city to bolster the defences. Weirtown was full to capacity with refugees, but was well-prepared for a long siege, even in winter. He broke his other units down into grogs and bites and sent them patrolling the east bank of the Eede. Several bands of irregulars, comprised of adventurers, freebooters and those Gallantrians who spoiled for action but resented the discipline of the Royal Army, appeared. Dunstable used these highly mobile groups of expert warriors as a special force, his own private army. Throughout Plagiar and into Turgot, these groups raided the Bricians.

Typically striking the enemy during their brief encampments, these parties soon learned important tactics. Necromancers and senior officers were the main targets, as the bulk of Ardern's forces were either conscripts or undead. Without leaders, they were useless. These parties avoided giving direct battle - they were heavily outnumbered, and more than a few irregulars were caught and destroyed by large Brician patrols.

On 22-Plagiar, King Orjan's Day, a party of irregulars led by an Eagle from the 5th Hobilars reached the Border, north of Stinn. Crossing the river at sunset, they had not gone far when the first firetrap exploded. These horrid devices, a mutation of magic and technology, would become all too familiar to us before the end. Looking like harmless rocks, tho' with tell-tale sigils carved on them, they burst into massive fireballs whenever a living thing came near. The party was destroyed almost instantly. The dazed survivors were captured, with only one making it back to our lines. We had lost many more to the firetraps before her account prevented any more incursions into Brice.

The enemy's formidable navy had already blockaded the coast, and a deadly surprise attack by a Brician spy had sunk three of our five frigates in Fickling Harbour. Or so we learned, long after the fire of 11-12 Plagiar that caused so much havoc. On sea, Gallantria was extremely vulnerable. It was fortunate for us that Brice's navy was a blunt instrument, its naval command a mess. They did not have the strategic planning for a naval invasion. Gruul never regarded this as an option, he simply planned to capture the Onyx Sea. A large-scale naval move by us was out of the question, but brave and resourceful privateers could make life on the Onyx very hard for Bricians. We also had the west coast, where shipping from Femphrey and Analand could arrive unhindered.

On 50-Plagiar, elements of the 10th Wave, the Badbreeds from Gruul's command, linked up with Ardern's Second Sword east of Weirtown. The two Brician commanders were still unable to concentrate their forces across the Border, thanks to the disruptions of the irregulars. At Hope's End, Gruul was massing his undead horde. Ardern's was too depleted to continue, but Gruul had no shortage of raw material in the south. Fresh troops also had to be brought up to Stinn from the Fortress, and another conscript levy was in progress in northern Brice.

In Royal Lendle, the Inner Council urged a quick counterattack to repel Gruul and release forces to deal with the north. But Tantalon, wise as ever, knew that it would be a miracle of Sindla if Dunstable and Dirk could hold Gruul back, let alone rout him. He prayed earnestly that the enemy wave would break on the rock of Weirtown. Constain, for his part, was obsessed with the north. He would impatiently await the news from the area, devouring Tag's despatches. The traitor, of course, was lying to him. Reading the exiled Lady Davinia's Apology For The Baron Of Casper, that noble if misguided lady claims her treacherous husband did not deliberately run down the army of the north. But we know he tried, in fact going so far as to suggest the disbandment of the 10th (Cragrock) Regiment, on suspicion of rebel sentiments in the ranks. This outrageous and ironic claim by Tag, in Sevar, was earnestly refuted by Tantalon. He kept his entire army in a chaotic state of flux, waiting for the Northlander attack and aiding the rebellion. As it was, six whole Foot regiments were effectively in the north, but they were in a chaotic state. Three were Baronial - the 3rd (Fickling), 4th (Forrin) and his own, the 5th (Casper). Amazingly, Tag was able to outwit the two other barons and the Colonels and ensure these crack troops sat idly in barracks. The other three included the 9th (Klisdon) then patrolling their wintry home forest. The Crimsons were of course master woodsfolk, but they were too thinly spread and often out of command. The brave dwarfs of the 10th were deep in the Cragrocks, watching the passes. The 11th (Northumber's) were concentrated on their tower northwest of Klisdon, awaiting orders that were not coming and getting more isolated.

Meanwhile, on 9-Turgot, Weirtown awoke to find itself besieged. Manning the walls was the 2nd Regiment, the Wild Reds; notorious for their ill-discipline but celebrated for their bravery. Ardern deployed his Second and Third Swords on the eastern bank of the Eede. Our mighty river was still frozen, and the 7th Wave was sent out to cross the ice and cut off the city.

The 10th Light Horse, kept back by Dunstable for just such an occasion, drew the 7th across the river. When the enemy had almost five Ranks on the ice, Weirtown's one and only cannon, the Redeemer, was fired. A few more shots sent balls crashing down on the ice, shattering it and forcing the Bricians into a hasty retreat. The slow fell into the icy Eede.

The siege would last until 49-Turgot, as Dunstable brought down the Right Flank of the 17th (Eedebank) Regiment behind the Bricians, forcing them to lift the siege. It had not been easy. Some 2500 Weir-folk died of disease, the cold, or Brician hand. The 2nd Regiment lost most of its number - some 600 - and for a period the Inner Council considered disbanding it. However a weakened Right Flank of that Regiment returned to service immediately. The hardest toll had been on the heart; Brician terror tactics, their Moonrunners and death mages, had made life hell in the besieged city. We won the siege for three reasons; because of the ill-discipline of Brice's conscripts; because the land scorched in our retreat from the east gave no succor to the enemy; and because the irregular raids kept him off balance. Ardern disappeared, and is believed to have been executed in the Forbidden Fortress. However the Brician army had remained largely intact. Gruul drew it back to prepare for his main attack: a single Brician force punching west to the capital. He would take sole command.

By the end of Turgot the weather was still harsh. At Northumber Tower, officers of the 11th were celebrating their Duke's birthday, 2-Sevar, when the Northlanders finally came. The tower had weathered many such assaults, this was defended as ably as the rest. But the canny warriors of the Samhan clan were not seeking to do battle itself - indeed casualties were less than 50 total. They, like their Gerhin and Avarmark cousins who were inflitrating the Croyden Wood, were a distraction from the true attack. These three clans hoped to keep the 9th and 11th regiments tied down while their kin and the rebels came in force in the east. Fighting in the Croyden, marked by the same deadly ambushes and traps that is war against the Northlanders, would simmer throughout Sevar.

On 19-Sevar, the great cravgiiat, or clan-horde, came down to Narrow Pass. The actions of the rebels, and Tag's sabotage, meant the pass' traditional guardians, the 15th Chessog, were still in their town. But the loyal Dwarfs of the 10th, the mighty Night Blues, were waiting for the enemy.

By noon the following day, signs of a thaw were obvious. Spring was coming. But the Axes of the 10th probably did not see this. Encamped at the Southern Farm, just below the Fantam Spur of Mt. Cuspid, they saw the horde approaching. Between them and the foe there was only an old wood fence, running southwest-northeast. The ground rolled slightly down from the Dwarfs, giving their impressive volley guns a chance. Only two of their four artillery pieces worked in the cold, and then only for a few shots, but their deadly rockets took the sting out of the first assault. When the human waves started coming, the Dwarfs retreated along the spur, grog after grog, blasting their pistols right in the face of the enemy. The 10th grog, since remembered as the Immortals, held the Spur until totally overwhelmed by the Northlanders. The battle did not end as the Dwarfs left the field; for four more days they fought in turbs and grogs along the Cuspid River, as the thaw turned it into a torrent. Their irregular allies from among the Dwarven and Cragrock communities made the horde's progress through the pass a difficult affair. Some 1,500+ Northlanders and rebels fell in the pass. The Dwarfs paid heavily, but stoically; 330 of them were lost.

By the end of Sevar saw the spring arrive at last in Gallantria. But there was little reason to be joyous. Two great swords, one northern and one eastern, were pointed at the heart of our great kingdom. On 62-Sevar Constain announced plans to visit the north. Perhaps he was instinctively worried by Tag, and wanted to see the defence in person. Certainly Tantalon tried to convince him to stay, as he was more afeared of Gruul. But it was the rebellion itself which troubled the King; he felt his presence would restore some sanity. Gruul can be dealt with yet, he told his old mage friend. Tantalon himself could not reply. All he saw was the sky darkening over Gallantria.

Book Four

Chessog - The Scourging Of The Ham - Captain Hornhelm - The Badlands - Constain's Headquarters - Femphrey Enters The War - Tassend

Dawn on 59-Sevar saw the battered but unbeaten Left Flank of the 10th arrive at Chessog. Colonel Adderly, commanding the town, was thankful for the reinforcements but dreading the assault the Dwarfs spoke of. Hastily he prepared the town for its greatest fear; an all-out attack by Northlanders and rebels. The 10th skirmished in grog formations around Chessog, mounted on swift local ponies; the 1st grog, and Aruk's Axes, ambushed and destroyed elements of the rebel vanguard on the last night of Sevar. Adderly lined the weary troops of his regiment around the defences of the city. He had petitioned Tag constantly to release the Casper and Forrin regiments to aid Chessog. He was not to know, of course, of the traitor's plans. These two crack regiments had not fought a single battle, with the war now nearly a year old.

The first day of Sarmatar, and the host arrived at Chessog. Six Northlander clans and some 10,000 rebels, the latter led by the notorious Avrwon of Maone, surrounded the small town. Continous hit-and-run attacks by the Dwarfs kept the foe on their feet throughout the morning, with their reputation alone often routing cowardly rebels. But their traditional enemies, the Northlanders, were ever keen to do battle with the Night Blues. As losses began to tell on their already depleted ranks, the Dwarfs retreated into Chessog under cover of their pistoliers. With that, the 10th's powder had run out, and only their axes and the 15th's pikes remained to defend the town.

It came at sunset - the entire Pakdrak clan, some 1500 Northlanders, with the brilliant red of Glantanka's dying light at their backs. They carried torches to light up the young night and destroy Chessog. In fortifications at the town's four gates, pike hedgehogs held back the whooping, berserk hordes. The scene was hellish, and the sheer force of the Northlander assault pushed their front ranks onto the pikes. At the West Gate, the 3rd and 5th grogs where literally overwhelmed. Drawing their shortswords, they continued fighting the enemy until the end.

Adderly, seeing Chessog on fire, mounted his warhorse and led his reserve into the fight. Battle raged in the streets, with the 15th desperately holding the foe back. But it was numbers that decided the battle of Chessog. Fighting to their last breath, Gallantria's troops were overwhelmed.

Dawn was silent. The Northlanders, as is their fashion, had already left; the six clans dispersed to ravage the countryside. The rebels remainded to loot, but could not remain long. At last, hearing of the King's approach, Tag released the Right Flank of the 5th (Casper) which arrived at sunset the following day, driving off the stragglers. There they found the ruined town, and its few survivours; including, of course, the brave Colonel Adderly, who lost a leg in the fight that terrible night but survived to command the 15th in battle again. Some 3000 Gallantrians died at Chessog, or in the fighting in the Ham during Sarmatar. The Northlander toll is unknowable, but when they burnt their dead on the dawn of the victory, the pyres could be seen for miles.

So began the Scourging of the Ham. It was 5-Sarmatar. The Eedetide was on time and in full flood, causing yet more problems for our Kingdom. That day Constain was at the Eededam, examining the latest intelligence from both fronts. A small force of Gruul's was moving up through the Badlands, skirmishing with but avoiding Dirk's army. In the green fields of the Ham, ancient and peaceful farms were in flames. The Northlanders pillaged the area, while Tag withdrew his entire 5th regiment into Casper for defence. Into this moment of trial that day stepped a most remarkable Gallantrian; Captain Irl Hornhelm, commander, 1st grog of the 4th (Forrin) regiment. At that time the Baron of Forrin, Hornhelm's colonel, was a weak man called Drisolm. Subject to various vices, the contempible Drisolm was an easy tool for Tag's machinations. As the 4th kicked their heels at home, Hornhelm committed a great act of insubordination - and would go on to save Gallantria.

With the full support of all his fellow captains, he assembled a grog-sized unit from his regiment's best fighters. Taking advantage of their Colonel's frequent absences they stole away and travelled up the Greenbeck. Fighting an irregular war that was becoming so common these days, they fell upon the Northlanders. Small groups of the foe were isolated and destroyed in the blasted lands. Within a week, and with only 100 of Gallantria's best, the man of bronze drove the foe from the Ham. The Northlander clans retreated to the foothills of Cuspid, exhausted and sated with gore, and the rebels were dispersed about the country.

At his Edeedam Council, Constain had drawn a line from Weirtown to Cumbleside. The former city was still encircled, as Gruul had resolved to envelop and ignore it. Dunstable and his force had concentrated at the now vacant Hamblehill Castle. An aggressive, typically Brician march by Gruul had seen Dirk's force continually outflanked. The Badlands had become a massive battlefield, with the 1st, 6th and 7th infantry patrolling agressively and clashing with Brician columns. On 15-Sarmatar the Mounted Blades of the 1st and 2nd cavalry attacked an Undead horde at Gravag, on the northwestern edge of the Badlands. Although they decimated the horde and slew several mages, both regiments were shredded in the fight with some 400 blades lost.

But Gruul was testing our lines, and preparing for his great assault -a punch at the heart of Constain's line, Hamblehill. He would capture that fortification and then swing west to the heart of Gallantria itself. He struggled to concentrate a main force in the face of our irregulars and continual spoiling attacks. Then, on 22-Sarmatar, an event occurred which not even Gruul could have forseen.

The Four Kingdoms War truly begins on that day, when the Femphreyan troops of Duke Dalvinius crossed the border and marched on Tassend, the nearest Gallantrian town. To be fair to the people of Femphrey, with whom we are now best friends, and to my fellow academics there, it does appear that the Duke acted alone. He received no support from his monarch, but nor did he receive any sanction. Femphrey was angry at perceived lapses in an old treaty of assistance between our kingdoms. We had little enough time and swords to defend ourselves, let alone our neighbours. Given how poor Femphrey was at the time, taking advantage of our peril was a good way they could enrich themselves. Their Duke was something of a privateer, a looter for himself and his kingdom.

At Tassend was the Left Flank (minus one grog) of the 13th (Karstein) Foot. The Grey Archers regiment were in fact the only Royal troops, at this time, between Dalvinius and Royal Lendle. Such as the low regard with which the southern border had been held. But the 13th were a hardened and reliable lot. Natives of the Line, some of them only spoke Mauristatian. They were gifted shortbowmen and had the highest rate of fire of the Royal Army's archer regiments. It was this black cloud of arrows which welcomed the Ducal Prerogative, Dalvinius' finest, as they approached Tassend on that morning. Sure and arrogant, he had sent his whole horse out to overrun the town. Within minutes 100 were dead, the Duke's youngest brother among them. The proud horsemen beat a swift retreat. An inexperienced Captain of the 13th drew his grog out to examine (and, this being the 13th, to loot) the dead. This was fatal; a whole regiment of Contracts, tough mercenaries from all over the Old World, caught them in the open and destroyed them. A follow-up attack by these mercenaries on the town was later halted in a shower of arrows, but the Flank was kept in the town as the rest of Dalvinius' army ravaged the area.

By nightfall 150 of the 13th were dead, but approximately 500 Fempheryans had fallen. Dalvinius drew back and planned another approach, aiming northwest for the source of the Coale. His target was Mallagash, then a small outpost halfway between Royal Lendle and the Eelsea, at the foot of the Coastwall Mountains.

With the start of Schir, nobody really noticed the war was one year old. It was, as I said, truly the Four Kingdoms War now. The summer was promising to be as hot as last year, only now that gorgeous weather would make us all the more vulnerable. Constain arrived in Forrin just after midnight on 1-Schir, as our bleeding kingdom prepared for three mighty battles against three refreshed foes, in three corners of Gallantria - Eacham, Mallagash and Hamblehill.

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