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The Blight and the Bannorn War: Dragon Age GSRP IC-Thread

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Mannerheim

Mannerheim

Location
Finland
​


The Blight and the Bannorn War:​


Ferelden Civil War​


A Dragon Age GSRP​


By Mannerheim​


Influenced by and thanks to @Fingon888 ​

And I heard from the East a great cry
As men who were beasts warred with their brothers,
Tooth and claw against blade and bow,
Until one could no longer be told from the other,
And cursed them and cursed their generations.

Benedictions 4:10


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBQZnLP4FLI&ab_channel=Razyl34

"His Daughter lives!"

Denerim's streets are livid with doomsayers. They battle on street corners, espousing their own take on the End of Thedas, and people mostly ignore them. Loghain's return had brought a semblance of peace to the City, despite the problems in the Alienage, but the threat of the Darkspawn was on everyone's mind. In Highever, the mood was different. Howe's men roamed the streets, hounding those who claimed allegiance to the Couslands, while helping themselves to whatever was not nailed down nor claimed by the Arl himself. The Keep stands stall, if not scorched by accidental fire, and Howe's banners fly high.

In Redcliffe, the castle stands quiet. Eamon lies bedridden, while his young wife consoles his son. There is darkness in the boy, hidden behind innocent eyes. In Orlais, the Empress mourns behind a porcelain mask, for what could have been.

And the Darkspawn march ever-onward.
While a Dwarven Commoner, claiming to be a Grey Warden,
Departs from Lothering in the company of a Qunari, a misbegotten Lay Sister, a Mabari, a Dark Woman and a Laughing Templar.​

Current Map:​

Soldiery per player:
Loghain @Thiccroy
Levy split between Gwaren and Denerim:

Gwaren Teyrnir:
Infantry: 3
Archers: 1.5
Cavalry: 1
Knights: 1
Galleys: 3
Cogs: 5

Denerim Arling:
Infantry: 3
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 0.5
Knights: 3
Galleys: 10
Cogs: 20
Rendon Howe @Strongboar
Levy split between Amaranthine and Highever:

Amaranthine Arling:
Infantry: 3
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 1
Knights: 1
Galleys: 3
Cogs: 5

Highever Teyrnir:
Infantry: 1
Archers: 0.5
Cavalry: 0
Knights: 1
Galleys: 5
Cogs: 10
Teagan Guerrin @Valleron

Redcliffe's Levy:
Infantry: 2
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 0.5
Knights: 0
Agnes Hargrave @gaiachild

Fallowmire's Levy:
Infantry: 0.5
Archers: 0.5
Cavalry: 0
Knights: 0.5
Circle of Magi @Bestbe

Split between the Magi and Templars:
Mages: 30
Blood Mages: ?
Templars: 6
Gell Lendon @Ceslas

Split between Edgehall's levy and Marcel's mercenaries:

Edgehall Levy:
Infantry: 0.5
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 0
Knights: 1

Marcel's mercenaries:
Chevaliers: 2
Archers: 0.5
Ser Kailyn, the Demonbrandt @AKuz

Army of the Betrayed:
Infantry: 0.5
Archers: 0.5
Cavalry: 0
Knights: 1
Conall Merrick @bookwyrm

Levy of Stenhold:
Infantry: 1
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 0.5
Knights: 1
Leonas Bryland @Always Watching
Levy split between the Bann of Wulverton and Bann of South Reach:

Levy of Sulverton:
Infantry: 2
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 2
Knights: 2

Levy of South Reach:
Infantry: 1
Archers: 1
Cavalry: 2
Knights: 2
Serani Adthorn Calmaris @Sara

Clan Calmaris:
Archers: 2
Cavalry: 1
Mages: 0.5
Mara Cousland @ATerribleWriter

Loyal Freemen:
Infantry: 0.5
Knights: 1
Orders are to be handed via DM's on the forums.
Each turn post must be posted in the IC Thread, and each turn lasts one season.

Name:
Capital:
Leader:
Major Characters:

Military:
Army amount:
Navy amount:

Actions:
Action Pool:
Three orders if you are a Minor Faction.

Four orders if you are a Major Faction.

The current Major Factions are:
  1. Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir
  2. Teyrn Rendon Howe
  3. Arl Leonas Bryland
 
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Name: Circle of Magi
Capital: Kinloch Hold
Leader:

First-Enchanter Irving and Knight-Commander Greagoir​
Major Characters: Senior Enchanter Uldred, Senior Enchanter Leorah, Senior Enchanter Sweeney, Senior Enchanter Torrin, Senior Enchanter Wynne

Military -
Army amount:
Mages: 300 (30 Units)
Blood Mages: ?
Templars: 600 (6 Units)
Navy amount: 0

Kinloch Hold
Tension was felt throughout the Hold no matter where Greagoir walked, the younger Acolytes and mages looked at him with both scorn and terror. Scoffing slightly as he ascended the stairs upward, he quickly climbed several floors finding himself before his friends office; with a thunderous knock the clattering began.

With a thunderous knock Irving found himself scrambling, the surprise of the knock having caused him to knock over a vial of green liquid the liquid spilling across his small alchemy table beginning to cause a sizzling noise to fill the room. Grumbling slightly at his failure, the First-Enchanter waved his hand neutralizing the acidic potion of 'healing' with a spell of ice.

"Come in come in." The First-Enchanter stated, after a burst of movement found him sitting behind his desk.

The Knight-Commander shifted open the door, his eyes taking a scan of the room noting the acrid smell in the air from one of his friends failed potions; caused from his knock if the clattering was anything to go by. With a slight smile the Knight-Commander would approach sitting across from his friend.

"Still failing with potions I see." He offered.

Chuckling lightly the First-Enchanter would offer a nod. "Indeed, potions have never been my forte but after hearing of Leorahs' work I felt it would be only proper to attempt to reproduce her results. As much as I would enjoy speaking upon this potion work, I feel you've come here to speak on more pressing matters. "

With a stiff nod, the smile fell from the Knight-Commanders face. "He has been more active and his Fraternity is growing, what was barely a handful has grown to nearly thirty mages. I have reports from Templars who have overheard them speaking, they're talking about an attempt to break from the Chantry entirely...I am concerned my friend, my men are worried about an insurrection something must be done."

Humming slightly the First-Enchanter took a moment, looking at his friend. "What would you have done, we can't simply Tranquil a Senior Enchanter; that would shatter the status quo we have so carefully established."

"Perhaps not, but there is something more going on. Regardless of what he saw in Ostegar, he shouldn't of become so vocal suddenly he was once our strongest asset when fighting the taint of blood magic within The Circle." Grumbled the Knight-Commander
"Are you thinking posession?" The First-Enchanter stated, shifting uncomfortably.

"Perhaps so, maybe upon his flight from Ostegar a demon entrenched itself when he was feeling such great fear." The Knight-Commander shifted, his well cared for armor clanking.

"...I will have to speak to the others, Wynne would be well versed in discovering the signs and is more reserved then Torrin she can keep the investigation quiet. My friend I know you might not like it, but with the tension-"

The First-Enchanter was cutoff as the Knight-Commander raised his hand, offering a nod. "I know if I allow my men to perform an investigation, it might cause the demon to reveal itself and cause chaos before we are prepared. Better to have your Senior-Enchanter head up this investigation, as loath as I am to admit it my men might loose themselves to their faith depending on what they encounter... Just keep me apprised for now I have ways to keep my men distracted." The Knight-Commander would offer with a broad smile.
​
 
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HOUSE LENDON OF EDGEHALL
Turn One​
Head of House: Gell Lendon, Arl and Bann of Edgehall


Prominent Figures in Court:

Marcel Corbin, Commander of the Orlesian Mercenaries sworn to Arl Lendon


Brigitte, Chevalier Sworn to Corbin, Second in Command


Julien, Company Mage

Forces Sworn to the Arl
Edgehall:
250 Infantry
250 Archers
10 Knights

Orlesian Mercenaries:
100 Chevaliers
125 Archers

Actions:

1. Arl Gell calls upon the Bann of Braven to join his levy to Edgehall's for a campaign in the north, provided they have not joined his forces already. He has also heard rumors of mercenary companies under the command of a Dalish Elf by the name of Alora and a human sellsword by the name of Fallon. They are to be approached to be hired by the Arl for the coming campaign.

2. Funding the mercenaries he has and the mercenaries he plans to have is proving a tall order for Arl Gell. While he believes the plunder from surpressing the rebels to the north and his dowry from his future wife (whoever that might be) will make up the difference he knows that is by no means certain. Thus he is contacting the surface dwarf guilds in the Arling. The Arling of Edgehall sits right on their paths to Orzammar and thus it is in their interest to see any conflicts here be short and decisive. Accordingly, he is looking to secure loans from the dwarves to be repaid once the Arling is secure.

3. Arl Gell's maneuverings have led to him working with the neutral Banns against Bann Kail Cathair. Bann Abberton has devised the battle plan and Arl Gell will honor it.

-Banns Abberton, Parth, and Lanya are beginning to draw up defensive positions. In the meantime Arl Gell is "coordinating" a pincer movement on the supposedly unprotected Abbertons. In fact this is to discern Kail's plans and to feed Abberton information to counter them. Gell's role in the "pincer move" is to move his forces into Abberton land from Salmonhead up to Hawkstead (as part of an alleged march north towards the rebels) whereupon Gell will then "suddenly" dash west towards Hillshold instead of turning east as "planned." Kail will quietly draw up his forces at Ironhold, in theory allowing an attack from north and east against Abberton. Bann Kail is to be strictly advised to hold position until he receives word of the surprise attack. All communications with Kail are being done with good-sized dollops of flattery, something Kail absorbs like a sponge.

- Once Gell is in position he will instead dash north overland up through Starry Falls towards Kail's seat, looking to capture it while Kail is away. Once done, Gell and the once-neutral Banns can combine their forces to strike at Kail's army, which should fold upon being heavily outnumbered and in a hopeless situation, allowing us to capture the Bann.

-Assuming Bann Kail is willing to swear an oath of fealty to the Arl, he can be imprisoned in Edgehall for the duration of the conflict while his forces are integrated into our own. Otherwise, Bryton Abberton is to be named as Bann, to be invested once the conflict with the widow is done. Arl Lendon's forces will shield Winter's Breath from positions to the north in White River for the remainder of the month/fortnight/insert turn length here. While this is done the Arl can work to court the neutral Banns to his side for an advance north to Portsmouth.
 
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The silver cup in his hand was heavy.



Half full of wine, it stood, almost tipped over in his lax grip. Red eyes stared out at the grey sky over Denerim, pictured through the open window, through which a foul air was blowing the covers away. Blank-and-wide eyed, the Regent seemed to understand he had been staring out that window for an hour.



It was all over for him. His mind repeated for him. He had done nothing less of usurping his good-son's throne and hoisting himself atop the shoulders of his only child. His only girl. He had expected his daughter to grow angry at him, to throw him to the block and have his head cut off for what was no better than desertion of a King.



And yet through the intervention of his own will and Howe, he found himself here. After hours of in-court dealings, he stomped up to his old room, not taking the chambers of his late good-son. Yet. Here he was, his white linen shirt stained with crimson-purple. Not blood, but wine.



It would have been blood, if he marched into that valley at Ostagar. It would have been the blood of the men he led, too, draped over him in a mass of defiled bodies. That was him, reasoning with himself.



Amongst knowledgeable circles, he was going mad. Mad? No. A Regent was stalwart. An iron shield against his Queen's enemies. And the enemies were many. West, South and North. Not East. For when the Ocean would be his enemy, even the Maker could not intervene in his death.



Yes, indeed.

Sipping the last of his wine, he threw the silver goblet down. That seemed to alert someone, as a servant came in, whilst Loghain stood at the bannister of the terrace of his room. Rather, he sat on it. In muted shock, the servant stared at the back of the Regent, who monotonously spoke to them, as if he were not on the edge of death itself.



"Get me pen and paper. New clothes. And call a court session for tomorrow."

"My Lord Reg--...?"

"Do as I say." Loghain's red eyes looked over his shoulder, and the young servant scurried away, cowed by the hero of the Orlesian war. Loghain breathed in the grey sky air. It was going to rain.



Good. It would give him something to listen to and wash away the stink of this foul city.
 
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Fallowmire

​

The biggest amount of people Graham was used to seeing consisted of the total population of his village of Glassinch, the few times their village-head had had cause to call for a general assembly. Thank the maker that he rarely felt the need to do so, for it was always a miserable affair, at least in Graham's eyes. Small as the village was, stuffing every single inhabitant into the village hall was a very tight fit. Sure, it kept everyone mostly dry, but in his opinion, the smell and constant squeezing were not worth it.

When the supposed Lady Hargrave had called for an assembly of her soldiers, all three hundred and eighty as it was said, Graham had released a long-suffering groan and steeled himself for the worst.

Well, shave his hair and call him a bogfisher, things weren't nearly as bad as he had feared. Turns out the so-called Great Hall of Hargrave Keep was big enough to house every last man and woman at arms. It was still a bit of a squeeze, but not nearly as uncomfortable one as back in the village hall. And the high ceiling meant the air was not nearly as stale and smelly. It was in fact filled with excited chatter by all the people inside.

Chatter that died down when a couple of loud clangs echoed through the hall, drawing everyone's attention to the room's end.

There, Agnes supposedly Hargrave stood, towering over everyone. Not because she was a particularly tall woman, but rather because she stood on top of an old wooden throne, which itself rested on an elevated platform.

She banged the butt of her spear onto the floor a few more times until all conversation ceased. The action made Graham frown involuntarily.
He used to think, as the Bog Knight of Glassinch, that there was nobody who could surpass his skill with a spear. Nor did he think an arrogant foreign woman trying to claim long-dead authority would be able to best him.
Only, she did best him, with the very same spear she held right now. And just like then, she still wore that damn Orlesian mask nobody had ever seen her take off. She might claim it was a trophy, but it still sat wrong with him.

Still. She did best him, and he had foolishly agreed to follow her should that happen. Better listen to what she had to say now.

"Warriors of the Mire! We are gathered here in these hallowed halls for but one purpose. To defend that which we hold dear. It is not glory and riches that we seek, but the safety of our loved ones, of home and hearth.

All of you have known hardship your entire lives. One must to survive and thrive in these lands. It is these swamp-given hardships that have nurtured within you a resilience most northern men will never match nor understand.

It honours you and your families that you have answered the call to arms in this, our country's darkest hour. Yet, as your Bann of Fallowmire, it would be remiss of me to not let all of you know just what we are up against.

Nobody can doubt your commitment and skill. All of you have killed before for the sake of our people. Everyone has hunted game in the bog, thereby risking life and limb no matter the prey. Many have hunted worse prey when dangerous beasts preyed on your communities. Some will have bravely stood against bandits, or even participated in the glorious fight against Orlesian oppressors.

Be proud of these achievements as you should. But do not forget, never forget, that they cannot truly prepare you for what we are about to face. What we must face.
Animals are not your enemy. They know no hatred against us. They might try to kill you because they are hungry, or to protect their own families. Nature's justice, nothing more, nothing less.
Humans, elves, dwarves, they can choose to be your enemy, but nobody, not even Orlesians, are born with that choice already made. As being capable of civilisation, they may even be persuaded to not be your enemy anymore.

The Darkspawn do not have that choice."

"How would you know!" an unseen speaker suddenly interrupted from somewhere in the crowd, echoing what Graham was silently wondering. "Have you ever even seen a darkspawn before with yeer own two peepers?"

Murmurs began to spread, but quickly stopped when Lady Hargrave, to most people's surprise, replied with an unashamed: "NO! I have not!"

Allowing baffled silence to reign for two seconds, she continued with a firm voice:
"But what I have seen is those who did and survived to tell the tale, though survive is too nice a word.
As you may have heard before, I grew up in the Free Marshes, amongst mercenaries. And ever so often, one would hear tales of a group of mercenaries insane and brave enough to try and enter the Deep Roads in search of riches. Insane, brave, often desperate, always certainly stupid people who think they will be the ones to be able to sneak past the darkspawn and set themselves for life with legendary treasures.

Most of these brave fools never return, as if the depth of the earth simply swallowed them whole. Sometimes, just sometimes though, a few unlucky souls make it back out. Not wish riches, but scars in body and mind. Men with hands that will not stop shaking, women who wake up every night screaming, people whose eyes dark to every corner without pause, not just jumping at shadows, but flailing at them."

By now, the hall was completely silent bar for Agnes' voice, everyone spellbound by her tale.

"And those are the ones who escaped with their lives. I once met a man who lived but on borrowed time. Pale as a corpse already. Veins black like deepest night. Worst of all, his eyes. They were utterly devoid of colour, pale windows into a shell almost empty.
Even without those outward signs, his affliction was obvious. Too weak to best a child. Shaken with fevers. He'd claim to hear voices, monsters whispering into his ear day and night. One morning, he did not wake up, and was not given the mercy of dying peacefully as men are supposed to in their sleep. Instead, his face was frozen into an expression of horror, clawed hands grasping at unseen horrors."

She straightened her posture and clanged her spear against the floor once, throwing her captive audience out of the near trance. Seemingly heedless of the many queasy and uneasy faces looking at her, she dropped her intense tone for a more casual one.

"Do not mistake me. Darkspawn are not invincible. They die just as easily as men and beasts do when steel and wood pierces their bodies.

But they are not like men, and unlike mere beasts. However they are born, they were not given a choice but to hate us and all we are, just as we will easily come to hate them in turn. They will not be persuaded from being our enemies, they will seek to eradicate us with a suicidal hatred that will drive them into doing things few humans or elves would dare.
And unlike with men and elves, their threat does not end with death. For it is not just their minds and whatever vile thing they may have instead of souls that are evil, but their very bodies themselves. Within their veins runs not blood, but poison. It is that which killed the man I described. While having one's skin splattered with their vile blood alone will not kill you, there is a great risk of being struck with their unholy disease if that blood entered your mouth, or covers an open wound.

So if you listen to but one thing I tell you, listen to this:
When fighting darkspawn, it is best to kill them from a distance. Ideally, we let the very land do the killing, for they will drown in mud just as surely as any other creature Even the foul monster needs to breathe.
If there is any chance of your getting into arms reach of a darkspawn, even if you are only planning to shoot them with arrows, wear a scarf over your mouth and nose. Should tainted blood splatter onto it instead of your mouth, throw the scarf away once it is safe to do so. If you receive a wound no matter how the size, even just a scratch, from a darkspawn blade or arrowhead, clean it as good as you can as soon as you can. If you are ever unlucky enough to get their blood into your mouth or on an open wound, take a handful of mud and try to wash it out with that, because whatever disease the swamp dirt might give you is still a better alternative.

Kill the darkspawn swiftly. Kill them smart. Kill them without mercy, for they know none. And always remember, we face these monsters so that our loved ones never have to."

Eventually, as Agnes Hargrave continued her speech with more uplifting themes, Graham began to tune her out, occupied with his thoughts.
Looking around, the atmosphere in the hall had certainly become far more gloomy. Several faces did light up a bit with the speech becoming motivational again, but the horrors Agnes described were weighing heavily on everyone's mind to varying degrees.

Graham huffed. He was still uncertain about this Lady Hargrave, the veracity of her heritage and how much she actually cared about the Mire.
But, he had to admit, it did sound like she knew what she was talking about. And as much as part of him wished he didn't know what he just learnt, better he learn it here and now instead of having to find out the hard way.
And as she had proclaimed yesterday, she did intend to lead his fellow Bog Knights and the archers when they rode for Finnitch soon to face whatever the darkspawn had sent as a vanguard.
Maker's damn it, if she actually fought side by side with him and the others, then perhaps he'd admit that she was worthy of the name she claimed.
 
Castle of Highever
The Scouring of The Couslands

Screams and the sound of steel clashing echoes throughout the castle of Highever, the stench of burned flesh occupies the entirety of the burning theater of sins. Laughter of malicious intent and shrieks of horror adds to the chorus of the night. Within the heart of the castle resides the throne room of Highever, and there sits its new ruler; The Arl of Amaranthine, the wronged Bear of the North, as the common folk dubbed him. Or so he liked to think. Rendon Howe.

Before the sitting Teyrn hanged two corpses on display for him to gaze upon. Graciously provided to him by his grizzled soldiers, or heartless thugs in other words. The Teyrn had known the two corpses from when there was life in them, for the majority of their lives. They had shed blood together, laughed together, even cried to one another. Beneath the hanged trophies lay several empty and discarded flasks of wine. Rendon Howe spoke to the corpses in his drunken state, reminiscing of the old days of the War against the Orlesian snakes, scolding the Couselands for their so-called "superiority".

But as the hours flew by and dawn approached Highever, the castle had become a silent husk of its former self. The Teyrn ended his "farewell" to the Cousland couple, stating that no one would question his might again! No one would DARE to demean him again, lest they would suffer the same fate as the beloved Couslands!

As the Teyrn departed, one of his lieutenants approached with anxious steps. Informing the Teyrn of the escape of the second Cousland child; Mara.

At the end of the night, three corpses now hanged in the throne room. Before being cut down and tossed in the flames with the other dead.

As sobriety caught up with the Teyrn, a series of letters are sent from the Castle of Highever. All heading in different directions.


​
 

South Reach​

Ostagar... That word shall always be tainted by the memory of betrayal. For as long as he lives, Leonas will remember the bitter night of that battle. But the days recovering and mourning over the lost King Cailan within his castle in South Reach are over. He cannot let his Arling succumb to the Darkspawn. It is time to ride.

(And let's be honest, if he had to listen Habren demand a new dress another moment longer, he'd find himself half-tempted to just march on Ostagar alone to end it all.)

As Leonas rides through his Arling, letters and missives are sent with much urgency as news reaches him. As his army sweeps across the land and terminate at Lothering, the message is clear. The gates of South Reach shall swing shut for the Darkspawn. Not a single foul creature shall be permitted to devastate the Bannorn and sweep further into Ferelden.
 

The sound of marching feet, shouts of commands and the neighing of horses echoes through the Eastern Highever lands. Men donned in the colours of the Amaranthian bear pours through the land. Checkpoints are created and fortified, houses are searched and woods are being patrolled.

After the trample of soldiers comes sisters of the chantry, providing food and such to those inconvenienced by the Amaranthian troops. They preach that Howe will provide should they comply.

Off the coast of Highever, a fleet of ships could be seen, bearing the colours of Howe and the Crown.

While Teyrn Rendon Howe himself rides to the East, leaving in his wake two sons. Nathaniel and Thomas, both eager to prove their worth. Behind their backs stands Knight Captain Lowan Farhill, a man known for his loyalty-...And destructive tendencies.

​
 
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Factions and their Leaders in the Court of Stenhold Arling

​
Lord Ansgar Upshaw, known as Ser Ansgar the Rooster Knight and Andy Cocksure, lord Bann of both Knockster and Elfbeck simultaneously, a friend and peer of Arl Conall who went off to become a man in the wider world of Fereldan and Thedas and get straightened out by the big city. Instead he returned as Andy Cocksure a dandy and raconteur of the highest order with his eyes opened to the glories of Orlesian wine and dueling blades. Back home he soon very nearly went flat broke paying for his extra expenses and chronic itch for gambling, but thrust himself back into high society and back on top of the world simply by unleashing unholy terror as dueling champion in, and chief instigator thereof, a rash of noble feuds culminating in Ser Ansgar slaying both Bann Gaheris Brockland and Bann Isambart Talbot over the honor of Lady Gwladys Brockland, now his wife as Gwladys Upshaw. After this Andy gathered under his patronage much of his fellow likely lads and eager young things to stand out on their own.

Officially labeled in drunken stupor as the Jackanapes, Ser Ansgar's friends are no few of Conall's, at least before he was vested with lordship over all Stenhold, as the younger generation of promise nurtured in free Fereldan's prosperity and burning with the need to escape the shadow of their veteran rebel parents and forge their own glorious sagas. Thus while the Jackanapes stand just one step behind the old guard in offering their swords to Conall, they also look to Loghain's beheading and the saving of the Bannorn with as much excitement as fighting the Darkspawn on their doorstep. The most prominent Jackanapes are the late Isambart's black sheep of a brother Ser Dumnhall "Donny-boy" Talbot warden of the South Reach border, Conall's overshadowed coz Bann Cadogan "the Cad O' the Weald" Merrick lord of Ferncot, Ansgar's indebted protégé Ser Vortimer "Merry the Grim" Moncrief lord regent and defacto Bann of Glasweald, and of course Ansgar's bride Lady Gwladys "Gwladys of Golden Locks" Upshaw nee Brockland, abdicated claimant of Elfbeck noted trade factor to the Dalish.

​
Lord Conomar Merrick, known as Conn the Elder and the Red Bann, lord of Southmere, a salty war dog and exemplar of the old guard who fought with King Maric when he was but a boy at the Rebel Queen's side. Conall is Conn's own grandnephew and namesake, for the Red Bann had earned his name several times over in exacting bloody revenge on Orlesian garrisons and collaborators, and in the constant border skirmishes to keep the Chasind Wilderfolk down in their place. Yet Conomar is more than just the hoary fur-covered brigand of Orlesian tales or the harsh disciplinarian of Conall's youth. Conn is an irrepressible naturalist who would much rather spend his days as a hermit puttering about in his cottage garden and wandering barefoot around the woods drawing out rubbish paintings and doggerel poetry on the silent majesty of the forest. Too wily a campaigner in murdering his enemies to be dubbed scandalous, his passion for grubbing in the dirt like a peasant is simply labeled a bemusing eccentricity- and all the while the inner core of battle-hardened soldiers and knights whom he commanded as Arl Angus led from above and Bann Owain fought alongside love him to death as the embodiment of a proper free Fereldan.

He and his core of veterans, dubbed Owain's Own after Ostagar, were practically the first supporters of Conall as Arl there on the battlefield as the dragged him to safety. However, they do this in memory of his father and brother and upon their honor as warriors, and will take great offense at not receiving their due respect or Conall not placing their military concerns at the highest priority. The most prominent members of Owain's Own are Bann Lachlann "Lan Longtooth" Moncreif quartermaster of Stenhold army and lord of Witchford, Ser Dugald "Two-Sword Dugald" Brockland captain of Owain's former guard and candidate for Bann of Blenlow , Ser Ishild "Ishild the Shieldless" Moncrief scoutmaster of Stenhold army, and Ser Artur "the Bear Knight" Carew third cousin of the lordly Carews and master of horse of Stenhold army.
​

Lady Moira Carew, known as Dour Moll and the Widow of Carew, lady dowager of Bannorn Stanham, an unflinching battle-axe of a lady who has only grown more sharp and biting with the passing of time and her three successive husbands. By the time poor dear Padraig died for the Theirins, Dour Moll had well enough of idle court fripperies and devoted herself to morning in all black and vigorously preparing mind, body, and soul to join them at the Maker's side. To her initial disappointment she has aged gracefully and bitterly clung to life like one of her many Mabari pets, her single indulgence, clinging to an arterial vein. Besides constantly redecorating the family crypt and her personal coffin, Lady Carew also spends her time acerbically ruling her extended clan of grandchildren and in-laws that are technically her "peers" in title. While a source of stubborn consistency and pious awe of the Chantry in regard to the horrors of the Blight, Dour Moll will brook no disrespect or overturning of the ways of Fereldan.

She and her Carew Clan were neither especially early nor late in acknowledging young Conall as Arl, hoping mostly for an overlord who will not meddle overmuch in their affairs or interfere in the defense of Chant and hold from the hellish Darkspawn. The Clan's most prominent members are Moira's aging son Bann Geroald "Spadebeard Gerry" Carew lord of Stanlow, Padriag's son by previous marriage Ser Callum "Cal Quickblade" Talbot chief herald of the Arling, Moira's granddaughter Moira "Wrysmile Moll" Carew Reverend Mother of the Chantry of Stenhold, and Moira's niece and Conall's widowed sister-in-law Lady Bethan "Gentle Bess" Carew-Merrick candidate for the Bann of Blenlow.​


Ser Birget Talbot, known as Birget the Bugler and Dame Strongheart, Bann of Dwarfswood by extraordinary election, a newly dubbed knight thrust into fame by snatching back the ancient banner of Stenhold and keeping it from falling to the Tainted ground, blowing her horn alongside the last ditch rearguard as most of their host began to panic and route. A miraculous survivor of the final stages of Ostagar, Birget was reborn as Dame Strongheart. No longer merely the latest minor dynast of a cadet branch of the now greatly diminished Talbots of Knockster, Birget is a living symbol of Stenhold's honor, a silver thread to hold onto for dear life, to keep Stenhold untarnished by utter defeat and failure. For the common men-at-arms and Freeholders expected to fight the Darkspawn with bow and spear in these dark days of such a greater rallying cry is made than that of a hundred glittering Chevaliers of Orlais... nevermind how Birget herself is a political novice with a head full of more chivalric ideals than war strategies and how clearly a simplistic utopia of Fereldan as but the pious estates of yeomanry and gentry elected over them wouldn't inadvertedly electrify the lower orders all out of control of their social betters, right?

Her followers name themselves the Banner-Bearers, as an eclectic bunch from Banns themselves to ordinary Freeholders who whilst still professing fealty to Arl Conall as traditional overlord and redresser of wrongs by his courtiers also now mobilize in instinctual and confused resistance to any attempted monopolization of power and military command, reasserting the rights of smallholders and minor nobility to political participation and to their own warrior's honor. The most prominent of their number are Freeholder "Huge Hew" Hywel of Dwarfswood the headman and innkeep that masterminded Ser Birget's sudden election as Lady Bann of Dwarfswood, Ser Esmerelda "Esme the Freelance" a famed mercenary captain by Stenhold standards seeking to properly settle down with her own keep, Bann Lloyd "the Paper Lion" Drystan head of the only recently ennobled Drystans and lord of Twixtwater, and Lady Bethan "Black Bettie" Broadleaf of the now freeholding and non-noble ancient Broadleafs, seeking her ancestral Greenburn in opposition to its current Bann Lord Murtagh Brockland.​
 
Last edited:
Name: Cousland Rebellion
Capital: N/A
Leader: Mara Cousland
Major Characters: Mara Cousland, Sir Arthur, Bann Cyndrik, Franderel, Edwyn, Edward, Stemmon

Military: 260
Army amount: Loyal Freemen. 0.5 Infantry. 1 Knight.
Navy amount: N/A


Ser Arthur walked to a small chapel, dressed in his gambeson tunic and pants. Over that he wore a surcoat colored in the emblem of the House Cousland. There were precious few men that wore those colors now. His black hair was messy and ill-kept, far from the ideal of a Ferelden knight. Once he would have been horrified to see this terrible decor in any knight, far less himself, but the fall of Highever had changed the rules.

As he approached the front of the Chapel, he stared at the beautiful engravings on its walls and arches. They depicted the Maker creating the world, the first sin, Andraste's sacrifice, and more.

"Maker help us, watch over us in our time of need. I think we need you now." Arthur whispered as he pushed aside the oak doors. He was not the most religious of men, leaving that to the priests. But when men stare death in the eye, what can they do but turn to God?

He heard another prayer coming from the chapel. "Maker watch over us, give hope to our hopeless and help to our poor." It was his charge, and if Fergus was dead, his liege. Lady Mara Cousland.

Arthur walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She stopped her prayer and looked up to him.

She was a young lady, with her mother's hair and her father's eyes. At the chapel she wore a dress of pure white, with the badge of the maker displayed prominently on her chest. By the standards of his parents, she was not even a grown woman, yet now she was being thrust into a civil war. Arthur pitied her, but duty must be done.

"My lady, the men need to see you out there. I understand grief, but I can not lead the men on your behalf, nor gather the support needed to evict Howe from Highever. You will need to lead us."

Mara looked at him with eyes of pain, still wet from crying. Maker knows she has plenty of reason to cry, they all did. After a long moment, she stood up, picking herself off the ground. She dusted off her clothes, and looked at him again, this time not with eyes of grief, but eyes of determination. She nodded.

"I think it's time." she said, holding out her hand. Arthur knew what she meant. He had been trying to get her to accept it every day since the Fall of Highever.

He knelt, going to one knee, while unclasping the scabbard from his belt. There in that Chapel, with naught but the Maker as witness, did he present to her the Cousland family blade. It was simply yet elegant, the red velvet on the scabbard bore no sigil but the symbol of house Cousland. The blade itself bore the name and mark of the first Cousland lords, when they were a new house recently ennobled by the King.

Mara Cousland accepted the sword, and slowly drew it from its scabbard. She stared at all the names etched on the blade.

"My father should have his name put on this sword." she whispered softly. Arthur nodded. It was the least he could do for his fallen liege. That, and justice. Justice for the dead and the dying. Justice for the Couslands. Either in this life or the next. For what do the priests say? But that the Maker's Justice comes to us all, no matter how long it takes it comes.
 
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TURN 2
  • Threadmarks
    • ​


    Turn II:​


    Frontlines of the Bannorn War​

    End of Spring.​


    Hear ye, hear ye!

    Let it be known throughout the land that I, Loghain Mac Tir, Regent of Ferelden, do hereby issue this decree in regards to the events at Ostagar.

    It is with great sadness that I must report the defeat suffered by our brave army at the hands of the darkspawn. Many lives were lost, and it is a tragedy that will forever be etched in the annals of our history.

    However, it is my duty to set the record straight and assign blame where it is due. I must regretfully admit that some of the blame for our defeat lies with me. My decision to withdraw our troops from Ostagar was made with the best of intentions, but in hindsight, it was a grave mistake. I take full responsibility for that error in judgement.

    Yet, I cannot bear the full burden of blame for our defeat. King Cailan, who was too brash and unwilling to heed my warnings, must also shoulder his fair share of the blame. His reckless pursuit of glory led to the deaths of many of our brave soldiers, and for that, he must be held accountable.

    But the blame does not end there. The Grey Wardens, who have a long history of seeking to wrest control of Ferelden, must also be held accountable for their actions. They filled King Cailan with foolish dreams of grandeur, and as a result, he was blinded to the reality of the situation. Their misguided influence played a significant role in our defeat, and they must answer for it.

    I deeply regret the loss of so many lives at Ostagar. Each and every one of them was a hero, and they will be remembered forever. I vow to do everything in my power to ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain. We will not rest until the darkspawn are defeated and Ferelden is safe once again.

    Let this decree serve as a warning to all those who would seek to undermine the safety and sovereignty of Ferelden. We will not tolerate treachery or deceit, and those who would sow such discord will be dealt with swiftly and harshly.

    May the Maker watch over us all.

    Teyrnir of Highever and Denerim

    Order 1:
    Make it official that Cailan was betrayed by the Grey Wardens, but make it a tragic tale, mould the idea that Cailan and the Grey Wardens were too quick to go into battle and for it suffered greatly. As such, create a new story that Ferelden must now unite and take the process slowly. Alongside this, in court, Anora will be used to spread this same story with more colourful and sweeter words, hopefully turning more Banns to my side.

    Finally, the Regent in Denerim chose to answer the accusations laid at his feet regarding Ostagar. An official decree bearing the Crown's stamp about the Battle of Ostagar alongside a heartfelt telling of the Battle together with Loghain's reasoning for retreat was issued across Denerim, and later sent to the Bannorn and the rest of Ferelden's nobility. As the news of the crown's decree spread throughout Ferelden, the people were in shock. The Bannorn, nobility, and freemen had mixed reactions to Loghain Mac Tir's elevation to regency. Loghain was a respected military commander who had won the war of independence against Orlais, and many saw him as a hero. However, there were also those who questioned his motives and feared his increasing power.

    The beloved King Cailan, who had been hailed as a great hero, was now being portrayed as a fool who had rushed into battle without proper planning. The Grey Wardens, who had only during Maric's reign allowed to return to Ferelden, were being accused of treachery once again. Despite the colourful wording about King Cailan and the Grey Wardens, who by the tales' regards are the ones to blame for the defeat, Loghain shoulders some of the blame and admits had it not been the Blight and Ferelden was not in danger of crumbling, he would have charged into the frey and died with his King. Anora, the daughter of Loghain and the former queen, was brought forward to spread the Regent's message. She spoke of how her father had tried to warn King Cailan of the dangers of rushing into battle, but he had refused to listen. She spoke of how the Grey Wardens had been reckless in their pursuit of glory, and how they had led the King to his death.

    As the people listened to Anora's words, they began to see things in a different light. They realised that their beloved King had been too eager to prove himself in battle, and that the Grey Wardens had been too blinded by their own pride. They saw the need for unity and caution, and they looked to the Regent as the one who could provide it. Some Freemen saw Loghain's actions as an opportunity to assert their independence from the nobility. They believe that Loghain's military background would bring stability to the country, and they are forming support for his efforts to root out corruption and nepotism within the nobility.

    But there were those who refused to believe the Regent's story. They knew that King Cailan had been a brave and just ruler, and they could not accept that he had been betrayed by those who had sworn to protect him. Banns of Falconhurst, Witchmill and Crawood have sent a petition to the Crown to withdraw these false accusations and bring Loghain to justice for his actions at the Battle of Ostagar and support of the murderer known as Rendon Howe. An open opposition to Loghain's rule is cementing itself around the Cousland Rebellion in the Arling of Highever and around the more open-minded banns of the Bannorn.

    The Ambassador of Orlais, René Cusleron, has delivered the official reaction of her excellency, Empress Celene the First, of House Valmont towards Loghain's decree. Orlais decries Loghain's rule illegitimate, demands the allowance of Orlais' Order of Grey Wardens into Ferelden together with the accompanying legions of Chevaliers to combat the Blight, before the Darkspawn are too many to deal with. The Ambassador also delivers a sensitive letter to Loghain personally. It has been stamped with colours of house des Ghislain.

    • Support across the Bannorn has increased
    • Opinion towards Loghain has increased across the Kingdom
      • Support towards the Loghain has increased:
        • Banns of Barleymov, Whiteclay and Edgecaern support Loghain, and lend support to Howe.
        • 300 infantry, 100 archers and 50 cavalry from Bannorns of Barleymov, Whiteclay and Edgecaern.
    • King Cailan's reputation remain exact
    • Opposition in the Bannorn have coagulated around the Cousland Rebellion
      • Falconhurst, Witchmill and Crawood support the Cousland Rebellion
    • The Grey Wardens are looked with more distrust across the Kingdom

    Order 2:
    Begin talks with the elder of the Alienage. I fought for Ferelden to be united against the Orelsians and the Blight, as such, I will offer the elves of the Alienage to answer for their crimes, fairly, with due justice and courtly proceedings, and turn, they will be allowed to travel freely throughout Denerim under the protection of the Regent with their full rights protected. No senseless slaughter will begin, and in turn, the elven men of the Alienage will be offered the chance to pay back the crimes of their kinsmen against the old Arling's family through service in the forces of Ferelden.

    When the news of Loghain's offer to increase their autonomy and chance of citizenship reached the ears of the elves of the Alienage, it sparked a heated debate among them. The elders, being a conservative bunch, were hesitant to trust any promises made by the human authorities. They recalled the numerous times in the past when the humans had betrayed them and broken their promises. However, the youth, who were more open and willing to accept Loghain's offer, saw this as an opportunity to finally gain some recognition and acceptance from human society. They argued that if they joined the fight against the Darkspawn, they could prove their worth and earn the respect of the humans.

    The news of Loghain's offer came at a time when the elves of the Alienage were already furious and distrustful of the human authorities. The situation was made even more complex by the recent incident where the Bann of Denerim had raped an elven girl during her wedding. The elves of the Alienage had retaliated by killing the Bann, which had caused the entire city of Denerim to be in near open riot. However, some saw this as a chance to demand justice for the elven girl and to make sure that such incidents would never happen again in the future.

    Overall, the reaction of the elves of the Alienage was a mixture of anger, distrust, and hope. The elders were wary of making any deals with the humans, while the youth were willing to take a chance and join the fight against the Darkspawn. The recent incident with the Bann of Denerim had only fueled their anger and made them even more determined to fight for their rights and dignity. Many in the city of Denerim have issued complaints towards the Regent's decision towards leniency and autonomy for the Elves, crying that the issue should have been handled by the sword and the Alienage made to pay for their crime.

    Some unnamed Elves offered themselves to answer for the death of Bann Vaughan Kendells in response to Loghain's offer. They were swiftly processed through the courtroom and sentenced to hang for their crimes, but this was not enough to calm the city. During the night, a mob of armed freemen led by Vaughan's former attendants and knights stormed the Alienage and murdered a dozen of Elves in their houses and the streets while setting fire to a number of houses, before the Alienage was able to muster a force to defend themselves. A great number of smuggled weapons were found in the aftermath, as the Cityguard, who had turned a blind-eye to the mob, came to protect the mob from the Elves.

    There is the wind of open revolt within the city of Denerim, and a simple spark - an offence against either the elves or the freemen is enough to set the whole city aflame. Across Ferelden, Loghain's leniency towards the elves has caused minor preliminary reprisals by freemen towards the Elves at Edgehall, Highever and Amaranthine.

    • The Elves of the Alienage look more favourably towards Loghain.
    • The freemen of Denerim are distrustful towards Loghain
    • Denerim will be subject to riots, if the situation is not settled

    Order 3: Send a unit of infantry (500 men) and any spare archers (100) to aid Ser Renault in Barksedge from my lands of Gwaren. They are loyal and stout men, and ensure that the message is clear to all refugees- those that come through Barksedge will get the protection and kindness of Loghain Mac Tir, Regent Lord of Ferelden. Let any Darkspawn that move through those lands be harassed and killed. Any victory is a victory, if it slows them down.

    Barksedge had been fortified to stand as the bridge for the refugees fleeing to Gwaren. Freemen on horseback patrolled the roads leading to the village, while archers and yeomen stalked the woods around the settlement where Ser Renault had chosen the former headman's house as his base of operations. Hundreds of refugees passed through the village, funnelled through a narrow path between four large ditches, staked and deep, that were overlooked by a tall palisade and two towers. They had been made from recently hewn-pine and were a pale wall of safety for many of the refugees. Behind the village where the Gwaren road stretched through a dense woodland, a tent-city had been erected hastily, but under the coordination of Ser Renault's logistician mind. The tent-city was orderly, clean and safe. People were allowed to rest there for no more than two days, before they had to continue moving onwards to Gwaren. Able bodied men and women of ages between sixteen and thirty were to report themselves in Gwaren for enlistment. As luck would have it, recently a great deal of trained warriors, deserters from Ostagar as Ser Renault believed, had arrived at the village and chosen to stay, before heading to Gwaren to enlist. They are led by Ser Rammuffin, known also as the "Two-Sword".

    Ser Renault had recently received news from Gwaren of reinforcements and the village was in high-spirits - the Darkspawn had not chosen to harry their efforts, the Arl of Stenhold busied himself in amassing troops to combat the Darkspawn in the west and ample provisions had arrived from Gwaren not three days past. Small celebrations were called for and the village's chantry held a sermon and beseeched the maker to guide the faithful to paradise, and not allow them to fester in the darkness wrought by the Darkspawn. Many slept soundly that night, knowing they were soon safe in Gwaren.

    But the morning did not come for all. Arl Conall Merrick's men arrived during the night, slid inside by Ser Dugal Brockland's men, or Ser Rammuffin's as they jested, through the gate and arrested Ser Renault by the sword, while the man was still in his breeches together with an elven servant in his bed. Only three men died that night, two of Ser Renault's men and one unfortunate Merrick's man, who chanced upon a back-alley deal and paid the price. Ser Renault was hanged the next day and Stenhold's colours flew from the towers henceforth. Many of Renault's men were allowed to leave unharmed, while twenty of Renault's leftenants and attendants were hanged alongside Renault for their crimes against Stenhold. The royal banner was unearthed from Renault's belongings and burned alongside Gwaren's heraldry that night.

    Loghain's reinforcements arrived four days later to find the village prepared for their arrival. Around two hundred men stood behind the palisade, whilst Ser Dugal Brockland together with Bann Llyod "the Paper Lion" Drystan and Ser Callum "Cal Quickblade" Talbot argued with Ser Gawain of Gwaren's Brooch, whose numbers were around six-hundred men, alongside a hundred of Renault's men. They had been slowed down by the uprooted refugees from Barkedge's tent-city and stood outside the Barkedge in sustained columns. It was not meant for a battle to commence, but Ser Callum chose to bear naked steel during their parley and Ser Gawain's leftenant, Ser Bryndon, issued alarm over the matter, causing Ser Callum to cut him down. The battle lasted for more than six hours, where Ser Gawain's men stormed the gate and Ser Dugal and Bann Llyod rallied their men to hold their ground. The gate had been forced open, when the leaders of Merrick's men escaped from their parley with Ser Gawain, who stormed together with his leftenants to contest it. Ser Gawain was wounded by an arrow, but two of his leftenants were able to contest the gate long enough for the rest of his freemen to arrive and push through. It took the deaths of fifty of Merrick's men and the capture of Bann Lyod Drystan for them to break and run. A hundred and twenty of Gawain's men were dead or dying, while Barksedge burned around as Callum and Dugal were not willing to allow Loghain's traitors to hold the village.

    Barksedge burned and Ser Gawain ordered his men to march to Crosswith to see to their dead and wounded. It was not long before the Darkspawn took the town. The report home said of a conspiracy of Darkspawn and Conall's men, and that is how the loss became

    • Bann Llyod Drystan has been taken captive, and is sent to Denerim to face charges
    • Ser Renault dead and Barksedge has burned
    • Ser Gawain has been wounded
    • 150 infantry, 1 knights and 20 archers lost for Loghain
      • During the initial takeover of Barksedge and the battle
    • 100 infantry and 40 archers, 2 knights lost for Merrick
      • During the battle and ensuing flight from Barksedge to Brebon

    Order 4:
    Secret.


    Combined Order of @Thiccroy and @Strongboar
    ??:
    Rendon is handling rebellions at the moment. To help him, send one force (unit) of infantry from Denerim alongside ten ships, eight of which would be from the navy of Denerim and two being from my own personal navy, manned and crewed by trustworthy officers. Over all, one cog and galley each from my navy and three galleys and five cogs from the Denerim navy.

    &

    Order 1: Send the Amaranthine navy (20 ships) alongside the promised ships of the Crown (10 ships) to form a blockade of the Western Highever coast, no ships are to either enter or depart. Inspections of the islands by the coast will also be conducted. While the navy prepares, Rendon Howe march his troops towards the villages bordering the Western Highever. Checkpoints are built and fortified, all who travel are required to offer identification and an entry pass for access into the East. Rangers are posted in the woods. Only the upper echelons of Rendon's Howe and himself may hand out these entry passes. Detailed scribbled pictures of Mara Cousland are handed out to the troops. A regiment of Cavalry is positioned with some distance into the Howe controlled land. They will ride out should anyone succeed in forcing their way through the checkpoints."Knight"-Captain Lowan Farhill leads this effort.

    The Teyrnir of Highever has become a hotbed of political instrife and vehement knightly retribution, as Howe's men assume control over the Teyrnir. The commonfolk have become a nuisance for Howe's supply lines from Denerim and Amaranthine, as the rebellious cause of Mara Cousland have brought back to memories of the Red Queen to the minds of the commonfolk, who have begun attacking the roads connecting Highever to Amaranthine, disallowing access to common wells and walled settlements to soldiery carrying Howe's colours and answering violence in kind. Howe's men have turned to even fouler deeds to quell the uprising broiling underneath the surface in Highever, with villages going silent and smoke blotting out the sun. Hamishford and Arcblane have become merely garrison-towers to Howe's freemen and the villagers have either been driven to the hills or outright killed. These men, who have nowhere else to go, have begun calling themselves Couslanders or Bryce's Boys and wear laurels embroidered into their hats as they prowl the woods.

    In Highever itself, the city is under lockdown. Spearmen patrol the streets, answering any crime with a deadly punishment, and the city's economy is in chaos. People have been coming from the southern bannorns for the safety and access to the Free Marches, only to be driven towards Amaranthine or Denerim by bloody hands that seize both goods and women from the hands of the wounded and needy. A small clique of officers, previously merchants or officers under the Couslands, were hanged from the castle ramparts with bloody laurels in their heads to signal them as Couslanders. Retribution against expected rebellion continues across the Teyrnir, while Amaranthine's coffers swell from plunder and robbery of Highever. Many of the so-accused Couslanders have been brought from the Highever islands to face justice at Amaranthine, where courts have sentenced many of them to indebted servitude. Unfortunately, two of the Teyrnir's galleys mistook a jutting rock off the coast of Dragon Island for a drake and caused their galleys to beach. Bann Cyndrik, the enemy, came quickly and forced their surrender, where Sers Galford and Matias were taken captive.

    The roads from Western Highever have been barricaded and checkpoints have been established. Knight-Captain Farhill continues venturing up and down the Teyrnir and weeding out the Couslanders, while his brother Luthon acts from the shadows like the snake he is known to be. Heatherbrook has recently fallen to Knight-Captain Lowan Farhill's efforts, as his brother Luthon has managed to slip inside the walled settlement and taken control of the city. Currently, the settlement's garrison is besieged inside their tower and Lowan Farhill's horsemen ride across the woodlands and meadows nearby, attempting to assuage the situation and take control of the town. Lowan had only recently captured Bann of Stormcoast's cousin, Cyndrik the Small, and hanged him from the lowest branch of an elm tree for the crime of rape and sodomy. The tale of Cyndrik the Small has already become a marching song among Howe's men:

    (Verse 1)
    Cyndrik the Small, a robber bold,
    With thieving ways, his pockets are full of gold.
    Cousin to Bann Cyndrik of Stormcoast,
    Whose eyes were blind to his cousin's boast.

    (Chorus)
    Oh, Cyndrik the Small, a bellend true,
    Hanged by Lowan Farhill, justice overdue.
    Bann Cyndrik weeps for his cousin's fate,
    While Teyrnir Rendon Howe holds his estate.

    (Verse 2)
    He was a raper, a thief in the night,
    With no remorse for his actions, no sign of contrite.
    Bann Cyndrik turned a blind eye,
    As Cyndrik the Small continued to lie.

    (Chorus)
    Oh, Cyndrik the Small, a bellend true,
    Hanged by Lowan Farhill, justice overdue.
    Bann Cyndrik weeps for his cousin's fate,
    While Teyrnir Rendon Howe holds his estate.

    (Verse 3)
    But Teyrnir Rendon Howe stood tall,
    And with Lowan Farhill, justice did call.
    For Cyndrik the Small had crossed the line,
    And now paid the price for his crime.

    (Chorus)
    Oh, Cyndrik the Small, a bellend true,
    Hanged by Lowan Farhill, justice overdue.
    Bann Cyndrik weeps for his cousin's fate,
    While Teyrnir Rendon Howe holds his estate.

    (Verse 4)
    The war against the Cousland Pretender raged on,
    As Teyrnir Rendon Howe fought for what was his own.
    Bann Cyndrik mourned his cousin's end,
    But justice must prevail, and the law must defend.

    (Chorus)
    Oh, Cyndrik the Small, a bellend true,
    Hanged by Lowan Farhill, justice overdue.
    Bann Cyndrik weeps for his cousin's fate,
    While Teyrnir Rendon Howe holds his estate.

    (Outro)
    Let this be a lesson to all who break the law,
    Justice will be served, and the guilty will fall.
    May Cyndrik the Small's fate be a warning,
    To all who would dare cross Teyrnir Rendon.

    • The effort to quell Highever resistance has led to a band known as Couslanders, or Bryce's Boys forming in Highever.
      • Their numbers are unknown, but there are rumours of Mara Cousland and Bann of Morcrest being behind their sudden armaments and attacks.
      • Highever, the city has become silent since the recent reprisals.
    • The Highever islands have been plundered clean, and checkpoints have been fortified along the roads from Glencot, Gillgate and Heatherbrook.
      • 2 Galleys have been lost to bad weather and idiocy, 2 knights have been taken captive by Mara Cousland's men.
    • Heatherbrook has been taken.
      • The garrison is besieged within their tower, and Knight-Captain Lowan Farhill has the fields outside.


    Order 2:
    Within the Amaranthine province, Howe begins to conscript more additional troops for the coming tides. All able-bodied, with the exceptions of nobility and the sick, are required to attend training sessions, and then active-service. A training camp of size is constructed outside the city walls of Amaranthine.

    As news spread throughout the Amaranthine province of Howe's latest decree, grumbling could be heard echoing through the countryside. The idea of conscription was never a popular one, and many were resentful of being forced to serve. Farmers, who were already struggling to make ends meet, were particularly hard hit, as they were being pulled away from their fields and livestock. Despite the complaints, Howe was determined to bolster his army before the impending tides arrived. All able-bodied men were being summoned for training, with the exceptions of nobility and those who were ill. This meant that anyone who could hold a sword or lift a shield was expected to show up.

    To accommodate the influx of new recruits, a massive training camp was being constructed outside the city walls of Amaranthine. It was said to be the size of a small village, with barracks, armouries, and training grounds. The construction alone was causing quite a stir in the area, as workers were brought in from neighbouring towns and villages. Even some of Highever Alienage's Elves were forcefully brought to Amaranthine to clear the land, and they were accommodated alongside the indebted servants from the Highever islets in the shadow of the city.

    However, the conscription and the construction of the camp were not without consequences. The farms surrounding Amaranthine were being abandoned, with crops left to wither and livestock left untended. The Amaranthine Merchant's Guild even issued a complaint, stating that the conscription was disrupting their trade and causing a shortage of labourers.

    The Amaranthine Freemen Assembly also voiced their concerns, with many arguing that conscription was a violation of their rights and that the soldiers being trained would be sent to fight a war that had nothing to do with them. Despite the protests, however, Howe was determined to see his plans through, and the training camp continued to grow, with the sound of swords clashing and shouts of drill sergeants echoing through the surrounding countryside.

    • Amaranthine Freemen Assembly and Merchant's Guild have issued a complaint against Howe's actions. The training grounds are unpopular.
      • They are currently supportive of Rendon Howe.
    • Amaranthine's farms have been left untilled, due to a shortage of labours.
      • Amaranthine is propped up by plunder from Highever and trade with Denerim and the Free Marches.
      • Conscription is unpopular, but an army of a thousand infantry and two hundred archers will be complete in two turns.
        Otherwise, an inexperienced army of five hundred infantry and one hundred archers will be ready next turn.

    Order 3: Mercenary companies and individuals from all around Ferelden that have the reputation of cruelty and discretion, are summoned to western Highever, discreetly that is. Their objective will be to venture into the western Highever, disguised as bandits and raiders. A bounty is set on the Cousland child as well. There must be Chaos before Howe may liberate the lands. A single letter however, is directed towards The Crows.

    "We have failed our first attempt, but there will be more."

    Order 4:
    Secret.

    Turn 1 Orders

    Our first order will be to send diplomats and heralds to the neighbouring bannorns, to secure aid for our cause in the form of material support and to spread word about Howe's atrocities in order to increase popular sympathy with our cause. They will also be used to look for my brother Fergus.

    Our 2nd order will be to stir up a resistance movement in Howe's territory, using our support with the common people to create problems for his troops in occupied highever. The main goal of this resistance movement is to attack Howe's supply lines and force him to divert troops from any attack on our loyalist lords. Harassing his army to aid our war effort.

    Our final order will be our war order, what our strategy is for the wider war. To defeat Howe, we will adopt a defence in depth, fortifying our castles and handing out spears to any man who can hold one. We want to force him to lay siege to multiple castles in the region, weakening his army and allowing for our forces to launch a counterattack with local numerical superiority, in order to counter his greater overall numerical superiority. Well also make sure to keep the loyal knight's of Highever around Mara as a bodyguard against assassins' and to protect her from enemies during battle.

    Orders 1-3:

    The Allied Banns of Stormcoast, West Hill, Mistmoor, and Holloway, Banns Cyndrik, Franderel, Edwyn and Edward together with Stemmon Creston rallied around Castle Donnelly to discuss Cousland's claim. Five hundred and five men from the Allied Banns, one hundred and twenty from Creston's lands and Mara Cousland's own supporters, numbering in the two-hundred and fifty were sprawled across the shadow of Castle Donnelly. A stout keep of granite, surrounded by a small holdfast of timber. Mara Cousland was allowed chambers within the keep and made her presence known across it during her stay. A kind-hearted woman, wrought by the pain of her family's death, the servants knew her as, while the Banns knew her for the strength she wielded through faith, war and perseverance.

    Loghain's proclamation had arrived a day before the Banns convened at Castle Donnelly, and the discussion raged about the sheer disinclination of the regent towards the Cousland tragedy. Mara's presence calmed the heated tempers of the Banns present, and the plan was set out as such. Castle Donnelly became the headquarters of the rebellion, with the holdfasts and towers at Gillgate, Glencot, Heatherbrook and Stormbay instructed to hold fast against Howe's approach. Castles Codrum and Greenbanks, the homes of the cousins Edwyn and Edward were designed as destinations of refuge, if things went awry.

    The first weeks of the rebellion continued quietly. The Banns amassed their soldiery, with Banns Edwyn and Edward returning to their lands to oversee the spring and convene together with the Greater Bannorn to espouse Mara Cousland's cause while leaving their soldiery under the control of their knights, Sers Rynard and Rhys, brother-knights, for Edwyn of Mistmoor and Sers Milady and Eartwyne for Holloway. The lands of Bronach and Stormcoast soon came to be wracked by an influx of banditry and sellswords, ploughing and plundering both the land and the people. Castle Donnely became a hotbed of discussion, as accusations of Howe's influence across the land seemingly spread. Patrols rode against the banditry that seemingly slipped away into Howe controlled lands whenever the opportunity arose. Skirmishes and minor battles occurred across the Stormcoast between Howe's and Cousland's forces and in the woodlands around Heatherbrook, when Bann Cyndrik's cousin, Cyndrik the Small, gave pursuit, he was captured and hanged from a low branch by Howe's men, who had been waiting in ambush. Heatherbrook soon fell to Howe's assembled men, who through the use of darkness and bribery, took the village from underneath the nose of its garrison, which was now besieged on all sides by crossbowmen led by the ill-named Luthon Farhill, of Howe's household guard. They had used the brook the village was named for, for it had swollen and become black as the night. Some men were caught during the assault, but the rest had been quick enough to seize the gate. Fighting continues in the village, as Bann Cyndrik argues for the chance to take his men and take his revenge for his cousin.

    Despite the occurrence at Heatherbrook, the bandits have been raiding the coast. While Cousland's men bide their time behind their holdfast and walled settlements, the bandits continue their sinful acts. The sea has fallen to Howe, as his galleys prowl the islands and scour them clean. They carry off both men and women and leave the islands uninhabitable with fire and sword. Their galleys prowl the waters, supported by the Crown's own. But good news carry themselves on windswept wings, as off the coast of Dragon Island, two of the Crown's Galleys have run aground. Beached on the island, where a dragon once is said to have roosted, the men were soon engulfed by Bann Cyndrik's men who arrived by their own galleys to take them captive.

    To these news, come more glorious ones. Edwyn and Edmund have met in secret with representatives of Falconhurst, Witchmill and their father-in-law, Bann of Crawood. They will lend their support to the Cousland Rebellion in both the Landsmeet, should it convene, and Falconhurst and Witchmill will offer their swords in their cause. Crawood, poised to stand as the vanguard against the darkspawn, is reluctant to send forces north.

    • United Bannorn stands for Mara Cousland.
      • Falconhurst, Witchmill and Crawood support the Cousland Rebellion
      • 200 infantry, 100 cavalry from Bannorns of Falconhurst and Witchmill
      • 3 galleys and 2 cogs from Bannorns Stormcoast and Brannoch
    • No news of Fergus.
    • Cyndrik the Small has been taken captive.
      • Heatherbrook set to fall, garrison besieged in the tower.
    • Banditry rampant across Brannoch and Stormcoast.
    • Howe's galley beached and men taken captive.
      • Loss of 2 galleys to Rendon Howe, alongside 2 knights.
    During the night, as Mara Cousland was preparing for her sleep, a commotion rang across the hall. Three men, shadowed but weighed down by their armour, had suddenly surfaced from the shadows. They were embroiled in battle with Mara's personal bodyguard of which only one was left standing, as the garrison's guards arrived to support him. Ser Roderick Gilmore held his ground with shield and sword, and with his trusty mabari, finally brought down the strongest of the would-be-assassins. One of them escaped through the window slit, but they were found the next day impaled on the rocks below. Only one of them was taken captive, a sellsword by the name of Miro of Amaranthine. They had come for the bounty on Mara Cousland's head, and now faced justice for their evil.

    • Death of two knights:
      • 2 knights from the roster.
    • Roderick Gilmore has become a steadfast symbol of knighthood among the Cousland Rebellion.

    Bann of Fallowmire and Eastern Bannorn of Redcliffe:

    Order 1:
    Stem the tide on wooden ground

    Knights: 0.5

    Archers: 0.5

    According to the most recent news, the village of Finnitch has not yet fallen, but the darkspawn are expected to reach it soon.

    Finnitch is perhaps the most prosperous community in Fallowmire (still poor by the standards of most other Bannorns), since it is built at the border of Fallowmire's only proper forest. Meaning they are the only place that produced lumber, have more options when hunting game, and they domesticate most of the harts people in Fallowmire use as mounts.

    Losing the village will be a bad blow already. Worse will be if the darspawn taint the whole forest, for that would have great economic repercussions even if the Blight is ended soon.

    Agnes rides for Finnitch, her Bog Knights and Archers in tow.
    She means to convince all who are still within Finnitch to evacuate to Hargrave Keep, promising protection. Unless the enemy advances in truly overwhelming numbers, she and her warriors are to hold them off for as long as they can in order to buy the villagers time to pack up as much as they can. Food, weapons, lumber that can be used to further reinforce the Keep, etc.
    The archers will harry incoming darkspawn, ambushing them from positions where the fiends would have to cross through spaces where they are likely to drown, or at least get stuck in the mud. Meanwhile, Agnes and the Bog Knights are the last line of defence before the village proper.
    Ideally, they will be supported by hunters and fighters from Finnitch itself.

    The road to Finnitch took longer than expected. Already, the road was bogged by refugees from the eastern bannorns, fleeing towards Redcliffe through these uncharted roads. Many feared the Fallowmire's sons more than the darkspawn, opting to hang their heads low than face theirs. It took roughly a week to reach Finnitch.

    Agnes and her troops arrived at Finnitch just as the sun was beginning to rise. The sky was a beautiful mixture of red and orange hues, but Agnes knew that the calmness of the morning was only temporary. The darkspawn were close, and they would be attacking soon. Agnes quickly organised her troops, instructing her archers to take up positions in the trees around the village. The Bog Knights were to form a defensive line in front of the village, ready to engage any darkspawn that got too close. They were supported by volunteers and freemen from the western villages, men hardened by the Bog and Mire. They busied themselves by stripping the village to build makeshift barricades. Anything to hold off the darkspawn. As the villagers started to pack up their belongings, Agnes could see the fear in their eyes. She knew that she needed to be strong for them, to give them hope that they would make it out of this alive. The headman of the village came to argue with Agnes over the matter, demanding promises of safety, food and comfort from the Bann of Fallowmire. Together with Agnes' second, they continued to argue while the villagers continued their lacklustre, almost snail-pace from the village. Their feet made a shuffling sound that mirrored the sound of stakes being whittled. The village was awfully quiet, albeit for the argument between the headman and the Bann of Fallowmire.

    It took the first beat of the darkspawn drum to quieten all argument, and the headman admitted to his fault. He took up an axe and shield and with a voice made for commands, shouted for the villagers to move. Two of his sons, trained warriors in good armour - rings of mail with half-helms - joined the Bog Knights by the barricades, taking with them their entourage of freemen and youths.

    The sound of marching feet grew louder, and soon the Darkspawn were upon them. They were a terrifying sight, with their twisted, gnarled bodies and glowing red eyes. The Bog Knights held their ground, their shields and swords at the ready. The first wave of Darkspawn charged forward, their claws and teeth tearing through the air. The Bog Knights fought back with all their might, their swords clashing against the tough hides of the Darkspawn. The battle was gruesome, with blood and guts flying everywhere. The freemen and Agnes' archers had taken up positions in the trees and on the rooftops, their bows at the ready. They fired arrow after arrow into the ranks of the darkspawn, taking out as many as they could. The Bog Knights used this distraction to their advantage, striking at the enemy from the side into which the freemen surged in. This proved to be a feint by the darkspawn, and the moment the freemen were caught off from the barricade, they charged in. Agnes personally witnessed the cruelty of the darkspawn, as the hurlocks and genlocks brought down axes, swords and cruel bits of iron into screaming, terrified youths.

    It was not long before the second wave of darkspawn struck the barricade. The Bog Knights had begun to tire, and across the line they began to fall to arrows, axes and swords. Agnes ordered a gathered retreat, while the freemen and archers held off the darkspawn. They bloodied the darkspawn, but the darkspawn bloodied them in return. Some archers were caught in fires, as the darkspawn hefted burning torches into the houses and ran after the screaming archers. Rending their flesh and enjoying what remained. Agnes rallied the Bog Knights on the treeline, supported by the company of archers there, and watched as the darkspawn burned and pillaged the village of Finnitch. They continued to harry the darkspawn advantage, picking off stray genlocks and hurlocks who wandered off from the main warband. In the bogs and mires, they lured them in for the better part of the coming weeks, while Agnes took what remained of his knights, freemen and survivors to the fleeing villagers. Some of her men, having contracted the blight during the battle, chose to remain behind to keep off the darkspawn from reaching them. Tears were shed, prayers allocated to the Maker, and they took their axes, arrows and bows into the woods, mires and bogs. For the better part of the week, as they made their awkward gait across the path west to Hargrave Keep, they heard the pained screeches of darkspawn in the bogs surrounding the road.

    On the road, they were accosted by a band of horsemen. Charging from the northern forestline, having found purchase from the bogs, they halted as they realised their mistake. Their leader, Ser Addam of Highever, shot down from his saddle and apologised for the scare. They had witnessed the battle of Finnitch from a nearby hill, and had chosen to harry the darkspawn. They offer their aid to Agnes, in exchange for food and place to stay. Among Ser Addam's party is a man named Ser Olyvar of Redcliffe. He claims to be on a quest from his master, Arl Eamon, who has fallen terribly sick. He wishes to stand together with Bann of Fallowmire, and Ser Addam, who he has become close with.

    • 3 knights
    • 30 archers
    • Ser Addam of Highever's entourage:
    • 50 infantry
    • 25 archers
    • 20 cavalry
    • 5 knights

    Order 2:
    Wood and Stone

    Infantry: 0.5

    While the Bann rides east to stem the incoming tide, the rest of her "army" is hard at work. Mossnich and Glassnich are ordered to provide Hargrave Keep with as much wood and supplies as they can spare, and every tree within sight of the keep is to be felled. With that wood, the many holes in Hargrave Keep's defences are to be closed, making the old fortress as defensible as it can be.

    A few soldiers are sent to Whelton up north, to offer Bann Agnes protection against the darkspawn. All able-bodied fighters of the village are to gather at Hargrave Keep, everyone else is to flee to Mossnich and Grassnich, where they will support the local villagers in filling up the larders and producing tools of war such as arrows, bows, spears, etc.

    Know that the Bann is fighting for you all to keep the Horde tied up at Finnitch. She is buying you time to ready yourself, so that we may have the strength to stop the Blight at Hargrave Keep together when the time comes!

    &

    Order3:
    Witches in the Mist

    Many a mage who does not want to live under the oppressive yoke of the Circle sought to find freedom in the wilderness, hidden from civilised authority. And Fallowmire is a great place to hide, for Apostate or tribal witches. Most Fereldans living within the Mire have grown used to such people. As long as the strange hermit deep within the swamp does not bother them, they don't bother them in turn, and at times some are brave enough to approach such hermits and ask them to heal illnesses or infected wounds.

    Having been raised by mercenaries, Agnes has worked with Apostates before.

    She sends messengers to every place in the Mire where people suspect a witch/apostate to live. To bring them a message from Bann Agnes Hargrave. In exchange for joining her fight against the invading darkspawn, the Bann will not only reward them with worldly riches, but also promise to protect them against templars and other enforcers of the Circle after the Blight is over.

    The Bann's orders are quickly put into action as the villagers of Mossnich and Glassnich work tirelessly to provide Hargrave Keep with as much wood and supplies as they can spare. The headsman of Mossnich, Rybolt, oversees the rebuilding together with the aid of his two daughters, who handle the trains of supplies from both villages. The many holes in the keep's defences are closed, and the old fortress is made as defensible as possible. The path to Hargrave Keep is cobbled with stone and sand, with small bridges built over the deepest parts of the bog. Meanwhile, soldiers are dispatched to Whelton to offer protection against the darkspawn, and able-bodied fighters are summoned to gather at Hargrave Keep to prepare for the looming threat.

    As the villagers of Mossnich and Glassnich work to support Hargrave Keep, news arrives from Whelton of an abandoned village with burnt-down houses, clearly the work of man, not darkspawn. This news serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk beyond the walls of Hargrave Keep, but also underscores the importance of the Bann's efforts to defend the region against the Blight. They return home, but not alone. On the path south, they came upon a raving madman who had heard the summons of the Bann of Fallowmire. A long-bearded, hunched man capable of the healing arts, he wishes to offer his capacity with magic to the Bann. His name is Longleg, and his expertise is in herbology and alchemy, alongside a few spells. The freemen are clearly uncomfortable with his presence, but he is brought to Hargrave Keep alongside.

    Just as hope seems to be fading, Arl Wulff's sons arrive at Hargrave Keep with a sizable force of 150 freemen, 100 archers, and 5 knights. Their arrival provides a much-needed boost to morale, and their expertise in battle will undoubtedly prove invaluable in the upcoming fight against the Blight. Gerion and Cerric Wulff are fashioned from the same tree as their father - tall, great warriors both. They take to instantly patrolling the bogs, hounding the dangers of the mire together with Agnes' local escorts. They take to the terrain as quickly as they can, but some are lost to the mire in the first days.


    • Whelton burned down.
    • Hargrave Keep stands tall.
    • Arl Wulff's support arrived,
    • Gerion and Cerric Wulff's entourage:
    • 150 infantry
    • 100 archers
    • 5 knights.

    Agnes' return to Hargrave Keep came at a momentous time. Most of eastern Fallowmire has been accosted by the darkspawn with reports coming from bog dwellers of increased activity revolving around the hills to the south where the old Tevinter Tower of Parthenius stands. It has stood abandoned since the time of Maferath, with some squatters and tribefolk claiming it every now and then. It is no formidable fortress, but the darkspawn seem intent on making it their own. From the west, Arl Wulff affirms his commitment to Fallowmire, while his sons raise the question into the air - should Fallowmire be abandoned, will the Bann follow them back west to continue the fight?

    Order 1:

    On the Tracking and Harassment of Darkspawn.

    Dispatch small units of trackers and scouts to reconnoitre the advance of the Darkspawn along the western flank of their invasion path. This information will be used to build a map of the current invasion that allows Ser Kailyn and her lieutenants to attempt to predict the path of the Darkspawn advance. This will allow the Betrayed to know when to withdraw, and what the Darkspawn's next targets will be. Larger detachments of mixed veterans and conscripts will be tasked with ambushing and harassing isolated Darkspawn parties to rebuild the Army's confidence and experience.

    &
    Order 2:

    On the Disposal of Persons and Materials in the Darkspawn's Path.

    Villages and Communities along the path of the Darkspawn's advance will be warned of the threat. The Betrayed will see that they are evacuated, ALL able bodied individuals of soldiering age are to be impressed into the Royal Army Betrayed at Ostagar, and all property to be seized for the use of the Army of the Betrayed and its soldiers. Evacuees will be able to take with them all belongings that they can carry at a brisk walk, everything else will either be seized for the use of the Army Betrayed at Ostagar or destroyed to deny their use to the Darkspawn. Properties eligible for destruction include: Buildings, wells, fields, orchards, and any and all productive lands. Betrayed soldiers are to be allowed free use and disposition of these materials for a day before their destruction if the Darkspawn are not at all likely to arrive within the next two days.

    &

    Order 3:

    On Use of Conscripts and Materials for Military Operations

    Conscripts enlisted and materials seized will be brought to the main army for processing. Materials and recruits will be divided between units based on need. Veterans in Betrayed companies will be expected to train their newly enlisted soldiers up to acceptable standards. Small detachments of Betrayed units will be divided between three missions: Tracking and Harassment of the Darkspawn army as per Orders 1, Evacuation and disposal of war materials as per Orders 2, and escorting evacuee convoys deeper into Ferelden. These escorts will also seek to purchase war material with requisitioned wealth. Units will be cycled through these three missions to allow for training and down time between combat deployments.

    Orders 1-3:
    Situated in Bowman's Rise, the Betrayed were poised to stand as either the bulwark against the Darkspawn tide or the beacon amidst a sea of darkness. The commands of Ser Kailyn, the Demonbrandt, were issued across the company in both blood and written word. Her leftenants and closest soldiery, formed from the act of betrayal at Ostagar, were quick to issue and beat it to the senses of their compatriots. Many of the newly impressed soldiery, mostly farmboys, defiant farmgirls and old men took a longer time to adjust to the strict hierarchy and discpline within the Betrayed. Deserting was bread and parcel of the Betrayed, where men who broke usually fled, and were found dead or dying not too long after. Either from hunger, a bandit's arrow or a Darkspawn's blade.

    The nearby shires and villages of King's Rest, Pencail and Cashelfield were foraged by Ser Kailyn's soldiers and burned to deny the Darkspawn advance. They had been formed into spearheads around twenty men in strength with archers in support ranging from two-to-five in each squadron. King's Rest was taken in quick fashion, the Darkspawn were encroaching from the East and by the Imperial Highway from the South, and set aflame to block access for the Darkspawn. Similar tales came from Pencail and Cashelfield, where the villagers, freemen and peasantry were instructed to either join the Betrayed and submit their foodstuffs, supplies and weaponry to the access of the Army, or be driven from their homes and set on the path West. Some joined willingly, but many opted to road West by the instruction of Ser Kailyn's leftenants, who commanded some of their men to guide them to safety. Greymarch not too many miles from Bowman's Rise was the first destination for the refugees, and the Betrayed often exchanged requisitioned livery and goods for supplies and weaponry at the village. Often issues arose between the refugees forced from their homes and the Betrayed's soldiery at Greymarch, but thankfully due to amicable relations between the Bann of Greymarch, Rodolf Wendwood, it never came to blows.

    In the East, from Bowman's Rise, Ser Kailyn rode with her leftenants and rangers at the edges of the Darkspawn horde. Twice, they cornered a wayward band of Hurlocks and bloodied their blades in their hides, before withdrawing from the advance of the greater Horde. By all accounts of Ser Kailyn's reports, the Darkspawn were pressing hard on Lothering, and otherwise seemed to thread towards the East. Together with her men, they ventured through some of the Blightedland to villages of Smitshby and Blenhope where they chanced upon a peculiar sight. From the village's tower, were lit the bonfire signaling an attack. Ser Kailyn descended on the village and fought their way to the tower, where twenty soldiers of which five were templars were fending off the Darkspawn with a singular mage billowing flames to clear the way for Ser Kailyn's entourage. Quickly, the group from within the tower joined together with Ser Kailyn's own and fought their way out of Blenhope towards Bowman's Rise. They were harried the whole way, and five of Ser Kailyn's men fell while only eighteen of the templar entourage made it to Bowman's Rise.

    The Knight-Templar, Ser Wesley Vallen introduced himself after finding safety in Bowman's Rise. Together with his wife Aveline, a familiar face from Ostagar, they had been fending off the Darkspawn for days. The only mage, a woman known as Bethany, had stumbled on the Templars during her escape from Lothering. Wesley and Aveline protect her, instead of branding her a maleficar due to the actions of her family not too long age.

    They thank you for aid, and offer their assistance in combatting the Darkspawn.

    • Impressed 100 infantry and 50 archers into the ranks.
      • Dislike among Ferelden peasantry has increased.
    • King's Rest, Pencail and Cashelfield have been foraged.
      • The villages have been burned, the supplies, cattle and weaponry have been seized and everything has been done to deny the Darkspawn access.
    • The Darkspawn are headed towards Southreach.
      • Lothering will soon fall.
      • The Bannorn could fall.
    • Knight-Templar Wesley Vallen's entourage:
      • 5 Knight-Templars, 8 infantry, 4 archer and 1 mage.

    Arling of Stenhold, the fringes of Brecilian forest and the Eastern Korcari Wilds:

    Order 1:

    The Muster in Twixtwater

    Connall and his rough court encamped with the army can already tell that their forces are going to be woefully insufficient to combat both the Blight and the traitors ransacking Barkedge. To that end Conall (or rather Conn the Elder to a large degree) has designated Twixtwater as the central point of Stenhold's great river and fertile-ish lowlands to be able to sustain such a massive military assembly. A General Levy will be called for any and all knights and men-at-arms who can answer the call in half a season, Conall and Stenhold still relying on the traditional feudal system and not yet reduced to conscripting every villager that can hold a sword. To (hopefully) balance the political factions the authority to complete this task will be split into three- Bann Llyod "the Paper Lion" Drystan of the Banner-Bearers as quartermaster of the camps in charge of their provision as a sprawling tent city and to the stores of food and supplies to march out to meet the enemy, herald Ser Callum "Cal Quickblade" Talbot of the Carew Clan as marshal of the levied ranks in charge of collecting and inspecting them and officially receiving them in knightly arms in the place of his Arl, and then Ser "Two-Sword" Dugald Brockland of Owain's Own as overall commander in charge of them and of keeping the soldiery in line and raising them into at least vaguely drilled companies fit for battle.

    (By the turn's end when they are ready and mobilized they are either going to smack Ser Renault's marauders... or be desperately flung into the breach as the Darkspawn start ripping meaty chunks out of Stenhold.)

    Twixtwater derives its name for its situation on both sides of the Greenburn river. A low river that swells during spring flood and feeds from the nearby hills, ending up in Greenburn where a great mire stretches out to the forest's edge. Many sons of Twixtwater had died during Ostagar, and many more had chosen to flee, before Stenhold Arl's command to rally rang out across the Arling. Hundreds of peasantfolk, some too young or too old to raise a spear, arrived in throngs at Twixtwater, where Dugald Brockland began turning them into soldiers. Some freemen, armoured and armed, arrived later to form the backbone of Connel's new army. It would take weeks to turn them into a fighting force, but an opportunity arose from the bickering between the Arl's appointed men. Bann Llyod Drystan argued often with Ser Callum and his leftenants over the matter of supplies, the costs of sustaining the rally with his liege-lord and exampling his own freemen from trivial matters, while Ser Callum argued over the usage of Dugald Brockland's squadron of trained warriors and knights-to-be. Ser Callum argued that they should join the patrols and camp duties, while Dugald wanted to keep them in charge of training the peasantfolk and ready for any attack. Fights occurred often in the camp, that were settled either by words, or the noose.

    It took a major fight between Callum and Dugald, that Dugald chose to take his men north to take back Barksedge through guile without their Arl's leave. Ser Callum and Bann Llyod Drystan were forced to follow suit, marching to Brebon in preparation for the assault, by Dugald's reckless action. The Brebon headman joined forces with Bann Llyod, having lost his son at Ostagar.

    An opportunity arose, when a rider arrived from Barksedge, that Dugald had managed to slither inside and take positions within the village with most of his men stationed with the refugees outside the village. Callum and Llyod force-marched their peasant-army to the outskirts of Barksedge, capturing two of Ser Renault's patrols on the way, and waited until Dugald lit the braziers on both of Barksedge's outlying towers. Then, they were allowed inside the village by Dugald's men and took the village with nearly no casualties. Ser Renault was captured, sentenced by a jury of Dugald and Callum with Bann Llyod's acting as lordly judge to death by hanging, alongside his leftenants. From his coffers and personal belongings, they unearthed correspondence between Gwaren and Barksedge, and of the arrival of Ser Gawain's forces. A quick celebration was held in honour of Barksedge capture, and the next day Callum set out with Dugald and his men to uproot the refugees from the tent-city to slow down Gawain's approach. Llyod began making preparations for the battle by disembowelling some of the abandoned houses and creating makeshift barricades and pikes on the Gwaren road.

    When Gwaren's force finally arrived at Barksedge, Bann Llyod rode out together with Ser Callum and Dugald to meet in parley with Ser Gawain of Gwaren's Brooch and his leftenants, Sers Brynden, Earlon and Wadryd. The Parley was heated, once Renault's fate came to light. Llyod attempted to steady the discussion, until Callum chose to show steel in vehement opposition of Loghain for the injustice at Ostagar, and Ser Brynden made naked his own in response. Ser Callum cut him down, there in an instant, and the battle commenced. Callum, Dugald and Llyod rode back to the gate, but Gawain, Earlon and Wadryd gave chase, contesting the gate. Gawain was struck immobile by the archers, but Earlon and Wadryd blocked the gate door from closing with Earlon lodging himself between the door, until Gawain's men arrived to push through. The fighting continued on the streets, until Llyod was taken captive and Sers Callum and Dugald set the village aflame while their green boys and old men broke, and ran. It took the better part of three days to wrangle some of them together at Brebon while sending patrols out to find the rest from the nearby woods, and amass the courage to write a letter to Arl of Stenhold, Conall Merrick. They had victory, but at what cost?
    • Amassed a new levy at Twixtwater:
      • Army consists of:
        • 200 infantry
        • 60 archers
        • 10 cavalry
        • 5 knights
    • Ser Renault has been slain, and Ser Gawain's forces routed back to Crosswith.
    • Bann Llyod has been taken captive, and Barksedge has burned.
    • Sers Callum and Dugald wrangling their army at Brebon.
    • Losses:
      • Conall Merrick:
      • 100 infantry and 40 archers, 2 knights lost for Merrick
        • During the battle and ensuing flight from Barksedge to Brebon

    Order two:
    The Razing of the Wilds

    With Conall's letter sent out and most of the Chasind already evacuating as fast as they can and with all the marcherlord and frontier settler obsessions with control over their treacherous and wild barbaric "inferiors", and well, a more then healthy genuine terror of the reckless hate of the Darkspawn, Conall's going to try and make a firebreak between Stenhold's bank of the river and the oncoming hordes. Mostly via burning out the Chasind's emptying villages and slaughtering their herds first, before the Darkspawn can. Conall's going to gamble big on trying to deny resources to the Blight now while the weight of their forces are not gathered in a strike, against Stenhold at least, and devote half [125] his archers, all [50] of his horse, and half [5] of his knights to it, under Ser "Esme the Freelance" Esmerelda of the Banner-Bearers and Ser Ishild "the Shieldless" Moncrief of Owain's Own, commanding the reduction of viable infrastructure and the culling of the forests each, respectively. If at any point even the loose warbands of Darkspawn are too much to handle and start seriously pressuring their little sliver of the un-Tainted Korcari south of Stenhold, they are to immediately pull back and simply herd the Chasind survivors into Witchford as they set the woods themselves to flame, to try and create a buffer of dead ground.

    (No Conall refuses to acknowledge the hypocrisy of pulling the same crap that he's furious Gwaren is pulling in Barksedge.)

    Under orders from Arl Conall Merrick, the soldiery and freemen of Stenhold amassed around Sers Esmeralda of the Banner-Bearers and Ishild Moncrief of Owain's own. They were set for the southern hills, and the stretch of land between the Korcari Wilds and civilized Ferelden to lay waste to abandoned Chasind villages and guide the retreating tribalfolk to safety. They numbered in the one-hundred and eighty, barring some odd numbers that joined and left them on the wounding paths through the hills. Old towers, rotting timber and pine now, flanked their entrance to the Chasind territory, where once the banners of the Theirin household flew high and proud above the Stenhold colours. Sers Esmeralda and and Ishild gathered there with their leftenants and assembled a small force of twenty archers as garrison with ten of their combined horses for messaging between the parties. The garrison were given orders to reinforce the location and assist the Chasindfolk in heading northward, once they arrived. Esmeralda then departed north-west, while Ishild went south-east.

    For a smattering of weeks, until their supplies began to dwindle and the Chasindfolk turned from receptive to outright hostile, the parties harried and burned the villages. Hundreds of cattle and horses, all smaller than their Ferelden counterparts, were ushered towards Stenhold alongside a steady trickle of Chasindfolk. They were assisted by some of the clan-chiefs, who saw the threat of the Blight as it were. But it only took one of the clan-chief's to argue against, and all hell broke loose. Esmeralde's band was returning to the Old Towers by a small path flanked by dense woods. They were suddenly boxed in, as the Chasind led by Garannach the Wild, blocked the path from east and west. Their arrows were answered with Esmeralde's own, and pitched battle ensued for a brief moment, until Esmeralde's wild charge broke through. Orders rang throughout, and they charged forward. They were pursued back to the Old Towers, where Ishild's forces broke the pursuers in a wild charge of horse and man. When the dust settled, Garannach had been taken captive alongside some of his warriors. Ishild's forces had fared worse, having come into contact with the Darkspawn on their return. Fifteen of Ishild's archers had contracted the Blight, and left to hold back to Darkspawn. Esmeralde had lost ten of their archers and five of their horses during the skirmish, with doubles with wounds minor and major. Ishild approached Esmeralde one last time, before showing signs of the Blight. Together with five of his own, they chose to remain at the Old Towers, until the Darkspawn or Blight finally took them. Better to die fighting, than live blighted.

    They returned home with plunder and prizes with the support of Chasind Clan-Chiefs, surmounting the amount that arrived. One-hundred and eighty had marched to the southern hills, and one-hundred and fourty-four marched home, alongside a warband of one-hundred Chasindfolk and a smattering of Chasindfolk.

    • Ser Ishild remains behind.
      • Together with five of their own.
    • Clan-Chiefs Brabanoch, Wennach and Shaman Coronath join Stenhold's defence.
      • Infantry 80 and 20 archers.
    • Cattle and plunder brought to Stenhold.
    • Clan-Chief and Mad Shaman Garannach taken captive.
    • Losses:
      • Ser Ishild, 1 knight.
      • 30 archers, 5 cavalry

    [h4][/h4]

    Order 3:
    The War Council of Cotweald

    And then lastly the Arl is going to personally oversee the rest of his army, the [500] infantry and the other half of the [125] archers and his [5] knights, throwing up palisades and defenses around the Darkspawn in Cotweald, pushing in from the crossroads between Stanlow and Stenhold, and then blocking off their flanks at the roads through Ferncot and Glasweald. Here he's ultimately forced to be slow and steady and even passive in his gradual counter-siege corralling the Darkspawn into Cotweald itself, as but preparations for when the warriors at Witchford and Twixtwater are ready to join him and finish the job. More important then all of this though, is that he is going to use the excuse to call together all the factional leaders and major figures of Stenhold to officially convene his new court and to try and hash out some political differences in the name of unity and brotherhood against the monsters impaling themselves on the barricade just over yonder. Namely Conall is going to try and split the difference by making Ser Dugal Brockland and Lady Bethan Carew-Merrick castellan and seneschal of Blenlow each as basically co-Banns in stature, and kick over the unfilled position of Bann of Brebon to Bethan "Black Bettie" Broadleaf as a bribe to shut up and stop pestering him about her family's sacred rights to Greenburn, with the military functioning of all of Stehold's bannorns paramount. Oh and a giant bribe with all the fancy court titles and honors he can think of to all four faction leaders, Conomar Merrick reaffirmed as Marshal of the Arling, Ansgar Upshaw made Chancellor, Birget Talbot made Constable, and Moira Carew made Chamberlain, and so on.

    (Surely this solves everything right, and the pressures of war won't just simply snap apart Conall's unwieldly and ineffectant coalition? Right?)

    In preparation for the War Council to convene at Cotweald, Arl Conall Merrick assembled his freemen and warriors to prepare defences around Cotweald against the Darkspawn. Conall's scouts report of a small warband convened in Cotweald and gorging on the defeated. It took the better part of two days, until Conall approved of their defences, palisades and pikes - small murdernests in the treeline, and the Darkspawn were to be lured in. It began with a small number of horsemen harrying the village, hooting and blowing their horns. The Darkspawn amassed against the horsemen and some chose to give pursuit, slowly falling to the trap set by Conall. They followed the horsemen to the treeline, and the archers punctured their hides and the horsemen turned around to charge them down. A challenge was issued, and Conall gave the order - the village was to be taken. Their men approached cautiously, scarfs and fur covering their mouths, with spears to keep the Darkspawn at bay and arrows to kill them where they were standing. Mabarihounds snuffed them out, as they came running from the houses. The butchery lasted a whole day, a victory in the face of the Darkspawn - where Conall was witnessed by his men felling a large, hunch-shouldered Hurlock. The houses had been plundered and the creep had slowly begun to set in withering, spiderweb tendrils across the walls, and the village was given the last rites by the Chaplain of Stenhold. It soon burned, and the flames licked the palisade black.

    Arl Conall Merrick settled inside Cotweald's ruined holdfast, a small stone-tower surrounded by a scorched palisade, and ordered his men to scour the nearby woods clean off the Darkspawn and use both fire and sword to cleanse the land of the Blight. His men began repairing the scorched Cotweald, felling timber and rebuilding the palisade around the village. Now, a tent-village for the army to act against the Darkspawn in the nearby hills and near Howestoke and Bexarden. Finally, the other banns and lords of Stenhold arrived at Cotweald and the discussion began.

    As the War Council of Cotweald gathered to discuss the land-disputes, insults, and the looming threat of the Blight, tensions were high and tempers were flaring. Arl Conall Merrick of Stenhold attempted to use his titles to gain the support of those present, reaffirming Conomar Merrick as the Marshal of the Arling, proposing that Ansgar Upshaw be affirmed as Chancellor of the Arling, appointing Birget Talbot as Constable of Stenhold, and making Moira Canew the Chamberlain.

    But despite these attempts to establish his authority, the meeting quickly spiralled out of control. Bethan Carew-Merrick and Bethan "Black Bettie'' Broadleaf were in clear opposition to Conall Merrick, and tensions between the two factions began to boil over. The recent battle at Barksedge, where Bann Llyod was taken captive and Sers Callum and Dugal were forced to retreat, only added to the tension. Ser Dugal stood in clear opposition to Bethan Carew-Merrick, and his presence only served to further stoke the flames. He had brought Ser Callum as witness to the battle at Barksedge, and the blame was laid at the feet of Bann Llyod. This caused a stark response from Lady Bethan Broadleaf, who would not take the insult towards Bann Llyod kindly.

    To make matters worse, the burning of the southern hills had come to an end, and Chasindfolk now dotted the Arling. Ser Esmeralde had arrived and delivered the report to their Arl, and brought both the captive Clan-Chief and the allied Clan-Chiefs before him as tribute and tributaries. This was to the ire of some, who saw them as a threat to the safety and stability of the region. While the Clan-Chiefs swore allegiance to Arl Conall Merrick, some in the War Council issued a protest of Merrick's increasing power.

    As the meeting dragged on, voices were raised and insults were hurled. The War Council of Cotweald had become an unruly and chaotic mess, with no clear path forward and no hope of resolution in sight.

    • Cotweald retaken from the Darkspawn,
      • Village was burned, but the tower and palisade have been rebuilt.
    • Thinning of the Darkspawn near Cotweald,Howestoke and Bexarden.
    • Allegiance of the Clan-Chiefs of the Chasind.
    • Disunity among the Arling has increased.

    Order 1:
    Take up Arl Conall's offer of safe haven in the lands of Stenhold, moving first for the town of Twixtwater where the lord has promised letters of passage. It might have tasted bitter to stroke the Shemlen's ego but it was a better option then waltzing blind into a forest full of more potential threats. Let the Andrastian's cut down the warbands chasing them while her people rest.

    Battle-plan if attacked en route: As they move they'll keep a scouting force at their back of the keenest scouts and swiftest Halla riders, meant to warn the main group if a battle is unavoidable. The warriors will do their best too take advantage of their knowledge of the terrain to take any incoming force by suprise.

    Archer's will use the trees or Aravels as cover and hardpoints to disrupt charges, using the spells the Dalish use to put the latter to flight over obstacles to keep them from being encircled or overrun. Their volleys will focus on breaking the the enemies advance or taking out key figures such as emissaries or Alphas among the warbands, while the Calvary will act as skirmishers. Halla riders will do their best to use hit and run tactics to make favorable trades with the enemy while attempting to lure them from hitting lines of archers, only making commited charges when it's necessary to prevent troops more suited to melee from running havoc amongst the bowman or to save their precious few magi. Leading them into mundane or magical traps and ambushes would be ideal if battle can't be avoid.

    [h4][/h4]

    The magi will fight from aravels that they can put to flight when needed if possible and guarded with warriors to protect them should the land ships be boarded. Battles will be fought with the main goal of effecting a orderly retreat rather then destruction of the opposing side, so spell usage will be geared towards immediate effectiveness rather then endurance. Magic will mostly shock-and-awe style spells too push back lines or break encirclements and taking out foes extremely difficult to deal with conventionally, like Ogres. Serani will only turn to blood magic to prevent absolute military disasters, and even then never when she thinks a Andrastian might catch wind of it, lest she turn their templars to hunt her clan.

    [h4][/h4]

    Once the relative safety of the Arl's clan is reached, the clan will take the opportunity to catch their breath and do maintenance on the Aravels. The clan knows not to stay near one settlement for too long, traveling between the population centers of Stenhold, always with a eye to keep ferelden's armies between them and any Darkspawn...or the marauders Connal warned of in his letter. They swap what information they can on fighting the darkspawn or dealing with the mages among their number, but that's not all they'll seek to trade. Clan Calmaris has made profitable deals for Ironbark arms and Halla horns in the past, and they suspect that atleast the latter will still be in high demand if not the former. Not to mention that it will be a long time before anyone will get a chance to buy the potent herbs they've scavened from the Korcari Wilds, atleast till the blight is driven from the place. Priority will go trading for supplies for the journey and practical valubles that would make good bribes to humans for safe passage during tumultous times like this. Lyrium Potions will be especially valued, considering the usefulness they have to extend the staying power of the Dalish Mages.

    &

    Order 2:

    The Chasind and their 'civilized cousins' have been at each others throats since before Ferelden had a king. This is unlikely too be put to rest even amidst a crisis given the Shemlen's propensity for infighting so far. Serani would rather tensions explode later rather then sooner, preferably by the time her clan was well away from Stenhold. While the Dalish might be a different species entirely, it's likely their long history of peaceful trade with the tribes during their travels through the wild dating back to the treaty overseen by the Grey Wardens might make them more trusted then the Stenholder's that frequently warred with them. As per their agreement with Arl Connal, they'll do their best to entreat with the Chasind refugees, offering what tips they can on not offending the Andrastians while living on ground they claim as theirs in a manner that will hopefully not offend them and offer act as neutral arbitrators during tense conflicts with them. The Clan will be eager to hear whatever they've learned when it comes to fighting the darkspawn and to trade with them fairly, despite the likely lack of goods the Chasind have to give in kind given their circumstances. If any Ashlanders prefer keeping on the road, ahead of the darkspawn, to settling in these foriegn lands, the clan will offer to mercanaries willing to fight if the clan is threatened along with their families to join their travels for a time, offering Ironbark weapons/armor and supplies as payment for the duration.

    The Brecilian Forest offered them no trouble, after their previous encounter with the Darkspawn. They were prepared, and each morning was greeted with hope, but the forest with suspicion. The halla pulled the aravels through the thickest woods, where the trees stood gnarled by the rending claws of beasts of the Wild. Many stories were shared among the campfires and many laughs were had. They stopped seldom, only for water and remedies - elfroot was prized above all, for the Shemlen that they were approaching soon were sure to be wounded and sheltering festering wounds of pride and body.

    As the Dalish approached the camp of the wounded soldiers at Twixtwater, they were met with suspicion and unease. The soldiers, still recovering from their injuries, were wary of the strangers who had come to their camp. However, the Dalish were quick to explain their purpose, and their healers offered their services to the wounded soldiers. They professed the writ of passage by the hand of Arl Conall Merrick, which shook the commanding officer's to a near umbroiled wroth. They only caught the first name of the Shemlen rider, Dugal, before he took off with his leftenants and made for a place called Cotweald.

    At first, the soldiers were hesitant to accept the help of the Dalish healers. They were used to relying on their own medical knowledge and the occasional assistance of a traveling physician. However, as the days passed, and the healers tended to the soldiers' wounds, they began to realize the value of the Dalish's knowledge of natural remedies. As the soldiers recovered, they also began to take an interest in the Dalish's trade goods. The ironbark and hallahorns were of particular interest to the soldiers, who had been forced to rely on makeshift weapons in their most recent battle. The Dalish were more than happy to trade with the soldiers, and the two groups quickly established a mutually beneficial relationship. The two groups began to learn more about each other. The soldiers were fascinated by the Dalish's way of life and their connection to the natural world. The Dalish, in turn, were intrigued by the soldiers' tales of battle and their loyalty to their lord. They were afforded supplies for the road ahead, but not a single lyrium potion was in sight.

    • Uneventful march through the Brecilian Forest.
      • More signs of the Werewolves.
    • Twixtwater reached.
      • Popular opinion of the Dalish has increased.
    The Chasind were a different matter. Sulking underneath their canvases, having built them on stilts, they were suspectful of the Dalish. They nearly came to blows, when the Hallariders nearly rode over a Chasind child and their father drew the rider from the Halla, pressing a knife to their throat. The swift action of the commanding officer, leftenant Emrys of Twixtwater, managed to broker a peace before anything became bloody. The Dalish departed from Twixtwater by the twisting wooden paths, heading ever northwards.
    • Chasind opinion low.
      • They are a suspicious people.

    Order 3:

    The clan will send out teams of Halla riders to find the other Dalish clans, bringing with them news of the blight and the likelihood of Ferelden's fall increasing with the Shemlen being embroiled in a civil war. The riders will be asked to bring back any news they can, especially that pertaining to safe spots to travel too in the future or whether the tales of werewolves stalking the Brecillian forest are anything but rumors, given it's otherwise good terrain for retreating into.

    While Seranis' clan continues their winding path through the woods of Stenhold, passing Elfbeck, one of the first Hallariders arrives from the Brecilian Forest. They have made contact with the aloof Hahren Zathrian of his own clan and the Sabrae clan, who both reside in the shadow of the Brecilian woods. They have come together, as the danger of both the werewolves and the darkspawn are a threat to contend with.

    It takes another week, before another riders arrives from Western Ferelden. Bruised and battered, having been assailed by both man and darkspawn on the road, he tells tale of the Boranehn. They are currently ending their wintering around the Arling of Edgehall, and are poised to make the journey over the mountains to the Dales to pay tribute.

    • Made contact with various Dalish clans:
      • Zathrian's clan
      • Sabrae clan
      • Boranehn clan

    The Southreach Besieged:

    Order 1:
    First things first. Order must be restored in the Arling. Refugees swarming the borders and fleeing north, and the panic of Loghain's cowardly retreat, it's all just chaos. Using the army of South Reach, Leonas will aim to sweep through the region, keeping refugees safe and preemptively ensuring that no banditry starts to form amongst the disorganised citizens. Everyone will get what they need to press onward, ensuring that a safe and organised flow travels north.

    &

    Order 2:
    While keeping the refugees safe and moving, Leonas will also endeavour to find those brave souls among them who want to remain and fight. Now is not the time to be selective, anyone who has the courage to pick up a sword and fight will be taken.

    [h4][/h4]
    My dear brothers and sisters, refugees of Ferelden, hear my words and take heart. I, Arl Leonas Bryland of Southreach, vow to protect you with all my might and honor the Maker by providing for you with all my power. You who have fled from your homes and lost loved ones, I offer you sanctuary and comfort, for you are now under my protection.

    Know that in my arling, you have the right to a bed, to sustenance, and to safety. You will be given ample food and clean water, and shelter from the cold and rain. I will ensure that you are treated with dignity and respect, for you are not lesser beings, but children of the Maker, deserving of compassion and aid.

    I will not tolerate any abuse or violence towards you, my dear refugees. You will be safe within my walls, and no harm will come to you while you are under my care. If anyone seeks to harm you, they will answer to me, and I will not hesitate to use all my power to protect you.
    But hear me now, my dear ones. I do not offer you a permanent home in my arling, for it is not your rightful place. I seek to guide you back to your homes, to rebuild what has been lost, and to honor those who have fallen. If it be the Maker's will, I will lead you to victory against the Archdemon, and we will together reclaim what is rightfully yours.

    So take heart, brothers and sister, for you are not alone. You have the protection of the arling of Southreach, and the unwavering commitment of Arl Leonas Bryland to guide you back to your rightful place. Let us pray to the Maker for guidance and strength, and let us pledge to fight for what is just and true.

    Leonas Bryland has been considered a hero since the Orlesian Invasion. Together with King Maric, he stood against the tide of Orlesian bloodhounds and gave chase to Chevalier and Darkspawn alike. Famous, kind-hearted and brave are terms often used by the Arl of Southreach, and oncemore he embodies those words. While he rallied his armies around his arling, a dictact was spread around the bannorns. Those fleeing the Darkspawn were given home, hearth and sustenance in exchange of swords to battle the darkspawn, arrows to break their hides and axes to cut them apart. While the armies marched to rally together around Wulverton, the people of the Arling rejoiced.

    The eastern banns welcomed refugees and began working on their defences, preparing the land to act as a weapon against the Darkspawn. The trickle of Chasindfolk from the Arling of Stenhold were accepted with some grumbles, but all were equal in the face of the Maker, and the Blight. In the larger towns of the arling, the influx of refugees brought increased activity to the city. Together with the denizens of the towns, charitable organizations were founded to help the refugees in their plight.

    And while the armies marched to meet the Darkspawn head on at Lothering, another two armies were coagulating around South Reach and Wulverton. Amassing from the influx of refugees and volunteers from the Bannorn, the armies would not be ready until summer's end.
    • The Arling stands united in the face of the Blight.
      • Charitable organisations from the Chantry's own to Freemen Associations crop up in Wulverton and South Reach.
        • Refugees are put to work to arm the armies of South Reach, and possibly Ferelden.
    • Armies are being amassed at Wulverton and South Reach.
      • They will be ready come the end of summer (two turns).
        • Or they can be forced ready after next turn, but they will be inexperienced and poorly equipped.
      • Wulverton army is amassing around three hundred infantry, one hundred archers and fifty cavalry
      • South Reach is amassing five hundred infantry, two hundred and fifty archers and a hundred and fifty cavalry.

    Order 3:
    Send word to Bann Edward of House Fenrin at Wulverton. While South Reach's army reestablishes order, his army shall perform the necessary work at Lothering. They have not been abandoned by their Arl. Bann Edward is to work with the local Chantry and organise relief and evacuation efforts. Anyone who is willing to stay and fight shall be allowed to do so, but fleeing further west is no coward's choice. If anything, they might yet serve the Arling by bolstering supply efforts further in South Reach.

    Lothering was a bustling beesnest, when Bann Edward arrived to oversee the defences. Hurriedly, spikes and ditches were dug around the village and the holdfast outside the village, overlooking the Imperial Highway, was reinforced with iron-shod nails brought from Wulverton and the garrison's larders were brimming with seasoned venison, salted and dried beef, picked herring and various pickled vegetables. While the army continued their preparations, already the fringes of the Darkspawn horde were prodding Lothering's defences.

    Night and day, the patrols of Edward were facing Hurlocks and Genlocks. Edward was forced a week into his stay at Lothering to call all patrols close to Lothering for the fear of losing all of his cavalry, before the Darkspawn were even close. They were heard night and day in the fields and woods around Lothering. Their drums beat relentlessly throughout the night, only silenced during the night. Dark clouds followered where they went, and the animals around Lothering began turning foul. Blighted wolves assailed the refugees heading northward, while crows with eyes red as blood hounded Edward's outlooks.

    But Lothering stood ready to face the brunt of the Darkspawn.
    • Lothering has been preparing for the brunt of the Darkspawn.
      • Defences:
        • Ditches have been dug.
        • They have been lined with spikes.
        • The palisade around Lothering holdfast have been reinforced.
        • The holdfast's supplies will last a good half a year.
    • Last of refugees from the south have been given access to the Bannorn.
      • Only a smattering of men elect to stand with their Arl.
        • Twenty infantry, fifty archers and five knights added to roster.

    Order 4:
    And we will need those supplies. For the crest of South Reach is a barred gate. We will come to embody this portcullis. Our strategy shall be to break the Darkspawn upon South Reach's defences. We may not be able to push outwards and retake our lands yet, nor march outwards to put an end to the THING calling itself Teryn in the north.

    To do this, once order has been reestablished across the Arling, Leonas will take his army and join Edward in Lothering. The reports of the refugees of a large band of Darkspawn advancing north shall be taken seriously. We will spend the efforts of both armies reinforcing the defences of Lothering Castle. The refugee troops we've taken in shall also be trained as best they can in time for the arrival of the foul beasts.

    The battle was monstrous.

    Lothering was under siege, when Leonas Bryland reached the settlement with his army. They had been harried on the road there constantly by Darkspawn outriders, Genlocks sheltered by the woodlands, and Hurlock warbands on the road. Lothering had become nothing more than a pile of ruin, burning buildings and screaming, dying men. Overlooking from a nearby hill, they saw as the Darkspawn stormed from underneath the holdfast into the courtyard. Hundreds upon hundreds, seemingly never-ending, with a bonfire lit atop the Lothering Holdfast Tower. And the body of Bann Edward strung and disembowled hanging from the ramparts.

    They were too late to save the army or to save Lothering. Some survivors from the battle reached Leonas' camp and regaled the story surrounding the battle.

    Bann Edward had faced the Darkspawn from behind his defences with his force of horsemen in the nearby hills, ready to reinforce and break into the Darkspawn's flanks once they neared the holdfast. Arrows had been brought forward in the hundreds, the men had been readying themselves with the aid of the Chantry's laymen and sisters. And the battle began, when the Ogres charged. They numbered in the tens, armoured head to toe in dark, blistering iron - they protected their lesser kin from the arrows and either pushed through the ditches or fell over them to allow the Genlocks and Hurlocks easier access. From atop the walls, the battle continued. Bann Edward together with his son, Edmyn, commanded from the front.

    They bloodied their swords in Genlock and Hurlock blood. When they sounded the horn, the cavalry charged and broke against the tide of Darkspawn. They were more than mere warbands: they were the Darkspawn Horde. Thousands, upon thousands of Darkspawn trickled forward and Edward's defenders continued to hold, while the cavalry broke and those who could turned to flee. When they ran out of arrows, they began throwing rocks. When they ran out of rocks, they began throwing anything they could.

    But it took the rumbling from underneath to break their stance. The Darkspawn had collapsed the ground underneath, and started trickling in. Blood-curdling screams erupted from the depths and Bann Edward was taken unawares. Edmyn rallied his men and took to the tower, only to be blocked by a surviving armoured Ogre, that took him by both arms and drew them free from their sockets.

    The rest was butchery.

    And now the Horde's vanguard languished at Lothering, preparing to strike forward into the Bannorn.

    From the south-east, comes a harrowing report from Bryland's outriders.

    The Darkspawn were encroaching on Connorsby and Baldering. They were trying to drive around Bryland's army and take them from behind.
    • Lothering has fallen.
      • Wulverton levy has been decimated.
        • Only fifty cavalry remain.
    • Darkspawn poised to continue further into the Bannorn.
      • Connorsby and Baldering are already facing their attacks.
      • They are attempting to loop around Connorsby and attack from the rear.

    Arling of Edgehall and Kinloch Hold:

    Order 1:

    The First-Enchanter speaks with Senior Enchanter Wynne, as she is the one most well versed in possession and the wounds to the soul it can be made, she is tasked with investigating Senior Enchanter Uldred and his compatriots to discover any sign of demonic possession or the spread of Blood Magic that can come from Demonic possession.

    In Kinloch Hold, the Circle of Magi remains divided. Senior Enchanter Wynne's investigation yields no evidence, even after weeks of diligent research. Accidentally, one of Greagoir's Knight-Templars lets slip the knowledge about the investigation and the Libertarian Fraternity is in uproar. Across Kinloch Hold, the magi are openly demanding change, now that Uldred has been accused of being a maleficar and an abomination for having the decency to demand change in the Circle. The First-Enchanter is suddenly without the support of the Aequitarian fringes, who have been radicalized by Uldred's words and the investigation into him being an abomination.

    While no blood has been shed, the Libertarians with Uldred being the most vocal of them has called for a convention of the Senior Enchanters. He has recieved news from Denerim, that are sure to change the Circle for GOOD.

    • Uldred has called for a Convention of Senior Enchanters.
      • He holds a secretive letter in hand with the seal of the Crown.
    • No evidence of possession or blood magic.

    Order 2:
    The Knight-Commander, seeing the tension in his men, begins to run harsh drills for both fighting Darkspawn and mages breaking of the rust upon many of the order. Many a Templar could be seen running laps, swinging their blades, until they reach utter exhaustion.

    The Templar barracks see routine return to their days. Early morning of prayer and training, sustenance for both the spirit and the body. But each day, the demands of the Knight-Commander become higher and higher. More prayers, more laps, more and more. Many among the Knight-Templars are exhausted. Many among the Magi are voicing concern over the increased training, and some believe Greagoir is preparing to purge the Circle. Less and less mages converse with templars, and both of them return to their own quarters and barracks. Moving further and further away from one another.

    The mood has lessened during the tenure of drastic training, but the training has come to good use. They will be ready, for whatever the Knight-Commander fears.
    • The Templars train day and night.
      • And yet they distance themselves from their charges.
        • And the mood darkens in Kinloch Hold.

    Order 3:

    Senior Enchanter Leorah continues to study healing potions, attempting to make ones using less Lyrium and more common herbs that can be found around Kinloch Hold.

    Lyrium is powerful, and lyrium is corruptive. Leorah's allowed access to Kinloch Hold's ground, and even taken to the nearby bannorn to gather herbs, roots and various remedies from local wisewomen. She has an idea - a concept, really - in how to lessen the lyrium needed for Templar's to dampen the magic, but she has requested a great deal of lyrium to continue her research. Many templars have voiced concern regarding her request, for the fear of her turning the lyrium against them.

    Strangely, Uldred has remained silent in the matter, while the rest of the time his voice dominates the halls.
    • Leorah has put forward a request for more lyrium.
      • The Templars have raised concern over the matter.
        • And Uldred remains quiet.

    Order 1:

    Arl Gell calls upon the Bann of Braven to join his levy to Edgehall's for a campaign in the north, provided they have not joined his forces already. He has also heard rumors of mercenary companies under the command of a Dalish Elf by the name of Alora and a human sellsword by the name of Fallon. They are to be approached to be hired by the Arl for the coming campaign.

    &

    Order 2.
    Funding the mercenaries he has and the mercenaries he plans to have is proving a tall order for Arl Gell. While he believes the plunder from surpressing the rebels to the north and his dowry from his future wife (whoever that might be) will make up the difference he knows that is by no means certain. Thus he is contacting the surface dwarf guilds in the Arling. The Arling of Edgehall sits right on their paths to Orzammar and thus it is in their interest to see any conflicts here be short and decisive. Accordingly, he is looking to secure loans from the dwarves to be repaid once the Arling is secure.

    [h4][/h4]The road north is a perilous one. Arl Gell Lendon takes the northern route together with his army. The Chevaliers have joined him, but they have been forced to remove their decorative barding from their horses by their commander. These people remember Orlais, and they remember it in their blood. Bann of Braven, Danhar Brackwith has attached his own levy to Lendon's and brought forward his daughter, a girl of twenty summers with hair as black as raven's feather and eyes brimming with golden lust. Her dowry is her weight in silver and a sliver of hunting grounds near Edgehall. Together with Danhar, the representatives of the Dwarven Merchants' Guild and the local Dawizath, a small caravan entrusted with Lyrium trade, have come forward to discuss the Arl's summon.

    They drive a hard bargain, as does the local sellsword Fallon. Their interest rates are in the tens of percents, and Fallon's need for gold is in the hundreds. Letters are drawn on parchments and names are signed, and Gell Lendon's army swells with one hundred infantry. And the Dwarves retreat with gleeful smiles.
    • The army marches north.
      • Attachments of Braven and Falon:
        • Falon's Sellsword Company, the Wicked Blades is made up of 100 infantry.
        • Braven's levy of 100 infantry and 50 archers.

    Order 3.
    Arl Gell's maneuverings have led to him working with the neutral Banns against Bann Kail Cathair. Bann Abberton has devised the battle plan and Arl Gell will honor it.

    [h4][/h4]

    -Banns Abberton, Parth, and Lanya are beginning to draw up defensive positions. In the meantime Arl Gell is "coordinating" a pincer movement on the supposedly unprotected Abbertons. In fact this is to discern Kail's plans and to feed Abberton information to counter them. Gell's role in the "pincer move" is to move his forces into Abberton land from Salmonhead up to Hawkstead (as part of an alleged march north towards the rebels) whereupon Gell will then "suddenly" dash west towards Hillshold instead of turning east as "planned." Kail will quietly draw up his forces at Ironhold, in theory allowing an attack from north and east against Abberton. Bann Kail is to be strictly advised to hold position until he receives word of the surprise attack. All communications with Kail are being done with good-sized dollops of flattery, something Kail absorbs like a sponge.

    [h4][/h4]

    - Once Gell is in position he will instead dash north overland up through Starry Falls towards Kail's seat, looking to capture it while Kail is away. Once done, Gell and the once-neutral Banns can combine their forces to strike at Kail's army, which should fold upon being heavily outnumbered and in a hopeless situation, allowing us to capture the Bann.

    [h4][/h4]

    -Assuming Bann Kail is willing to swear an oath of fealty to the Arl, he can be imprisoned in Edgehall for the duration of the conflict while his forces are integrated into our own. Otherwise, Bryton Abberton is to be named as Bann, to be invested once the conflict with the widow is done. Arl Lendon's forces will shield Winter's Breath from positions to the north in White River for the remainder of the month/fortnight/insert turn length here. While this is done the Arl can work to court the neutral Banns to his side for an advance north to Portsmouth.

    The morning was a moody one. Rain peppered the shields of Gell Lendon's freemen, slithered inside their half-helms and drowned out their eyes. Their march continued forward from Salmonhold towards Hakkonstead. Communications with Kailan had been brief, due to the foul weather having made the road a muddy mess and some of Lendon's outriders had gone missing during the walk. Hundreds of men marched forward, until the horn blew and the charge became a reality. Gell Lendon's men followed the charge of the chevaliers towards Nilshold, where their forced march continued around the hold and towards Starry Falls. Marching they went, day after day, until Kail's forces suddenly attacked from their rear.

    Gell Lendon's army outnumbered Kail's one, but these men were brutal. The confusion lasted only a moment and the battelines were drawn. Marcel's chevaliers took the field and charged the flanks of Kail's men to devastating effect. The banners of Edgehall and White River danced among the shieldwall, where arrows pierced hide and skin.

    The battle lasted less than an hour, and Kail's men broke during the match. Marcel gave pursuit, and Kail's cousin, Ser Kay of White River was brought forward to Lendon for judgement. The White River's men had been prepared to betray Lendon from the start, but were not expecting the chevaliers. He had been instructed by Kail to defeat Lendon's forces and bring his head to White River Keep. Kay was bound in iron and forced to march naked behind the column, as Lendon's army of freemen, sellswords and chevaliers continued to White River Keep. White River Keep derives its name for the singular trickle of water from the high walls of the keep. The walls have been fashioned from granite and have a alabaster hue in the sunlight.

    There, the siege commenced. The banns of Abberton, Parth and Lanya arrived at White River Keep to join their forces in the siege. Not all of Kail's freemen had been butchered on the field and White River Keep's defences were formidable. From the north, news of Lendon's enemies were multiplying. The Keep needs to fall in the matter of days, before Isolde's men arrive to break the siege and break your hold on Edgehall.

    At night, Gell is shook awake by a singular nightmare of a massive Hurlock. Breaking in his head.
    • Revelation of Kail's betrayal.
      • White River Keep besieged.
        • Losses for Lendon's army:
        • 57 infantry.
    • Isolde's marching from the north.

    MAP:

     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • The Grey Warden and Redcliffe Under Siege
  • Threadmarks

    • "The fate of Redcliffe is the fate of all Ferelden."​

    The once-glorious bastion of Redcliffe Castle had, in a shocking turn of events, unleashed its wrath upon its own citizens. Bann Teagan, a stalwart defender of the castle's honor and tradition, was rudely ejected from its hallowed halls by a disparate and perplexing command from none other than Arl Eamon's own wife, the formidable Isolde. With a heavy heart and a weighty sense of duty, Teagan made his way to the humble village below, where he was to rendezvous with the chivalrous Ser Perth and his band of noble knights. Their sacred mission, to seek out and retrieve the fabled Ashes of Andraste, was paramount, and Teagan's guidance was sorely needed.

    Little did they know that their peaceful plans would be rudely interrupted by the fiery chaos that would soon erupt. The very next day, the castle's newfound hostility would rear its ugly head, as the first waves of attacks began to pummel the hapless villagers. And so, with the specter of violence looming large and the fate of their quest uncertain, Teagan and his comrades braced themselves for the perilous journey that lay ahead.

    The sight of the Undead marching from Redcliffe Castle was a sight that would haunt anyone who witnessed it. These were not your typical zombies or ghouls. They were the knights and nobility that had been interred in the hallowed ground behind Redcliffe Castle. The once proud and valiant warriors had become twisted and distorted, their bodies contorted and disfigured beyond recognition. Their armor was rusted and broken, their faces twisted in rage and agony. The knights rode on spectral horses, their bones visible through their tattered flesh. The Arls of Redcliffe, long dead and buried, had risen from their graves to join the march of the undead. And behind them shambled the dead, common men and women in tattered clothing and wreaths of flowers.

    Their eyes glowed with an unholy light as they made their way towards Redcliffe Village. Their swords were drawn and ready, dripping with the blood of those who had dared to stand in their way. The villagers, who had once looked up to these knights as heroes, now cowered in fear at the sight of their undead forms. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay, and the sound of their moans and groans echoed through the village. The once peaceful and idyllic village was now a scene of terror and chaos, as the undead marched through the streets, slaughtering anyone in their path. The villagers knew that they could not defeat the undead army. They had no choice but to flee and abandon their homes. The undead knights and nobility continued their relentless advance, fueled by their insatiable hunger for flesh and blood. As the night fell, the undead army reached the outskirts of the village. Their numbers seemed endless, and their thirst for revenge seemed insatiable. The villagers could only watch in horror as their former heroes, now transformed into monsters beyond recognition, brought destruction and death to their homes.

    It was a sight that would be forever etched in their memories, a nightmare that they would never forget. The nightmare retreated back to the fortress, when the morning came.

    When first rays of light broke through the darkness, the Chantry mourned the loss of their once peaceful home, now ravaged by the undead. Bann Teagan Guerrin, resolute despite his horror, led the charge to prepare for their imminent return. With unwavering determination, he armed his people with caches of weapons left over from the Rebellion, summoned his brother-knights led by Ser Perth to demand answers from Redcliffe Castle, and sent riders to rally the peasants and freemen from nearby farms and shires. Ser Victory, Ser Perth's companion, was sent north to Bann Mythard's lands to demand their service in this time of need.

    The Bann's spirit was indomitable, as he directed the demolition of ruined buildings to create defensive barriers on the road from the castle, taught seamstresses the art of fletching arrows, and trained the Blacksmith's daughter to wield a sword and shield. His hands were rough, calloused from the work, but his will was stronger than steel.

    As the sun sank below the horizon, the darkness crept in and with it, the undead emerged from the shadowy depths of Redcliffe Castle. However, under the unwavering guidance of Bann Teagan, the valiant Mythard's freemen rallied together with their loyal and ferocious mabarihounds, standing firm against the relentless surge of the undead horde. The clash of swords and the clamor of shields reverberated through the air, as the living and the undead engaged in a brutal and unrelenting struggle. The ground shook with each thunderous blow, and the night was illuminated by the fiery glow of magic and the flickering light of torches.

    Bann Teagan, his body weary and battered, refused to give in to the unyielding foe. He fought on with his last ounce of strength, determined to protect his people and see them through the perilous night. Meanwhile, Ser Perth, undeterred by the towering walls of Redcliffe Castle and the scorn of Lady Isolde, rode through the sea of undead with a radiant smile on his handsome face, a symbol of hope to all who witnessed his courageous charge. His gleaming chevalier's plate and plumed helmet glinted in the moonlight, casting a brilliant aura around him. He was a beacon of valor and inspiration, reminding the living that even in the darkest of hours, hope and bravery could shine through.

    Finally, as dawn broke, Teagan was carried away to the Chantry, his body battered and his mind clouded with feverish dreams. He tossed and turned, lost in a fevered nightmare of his nephew Connor and Isolde, twisted by the demonic seductions of a succubus. His screams echoed through the Chantry, until a familiar hand rested gently on his chest, calming him with a single word.

    "Be at ease, nuncle. It's me, Alistair."
    ​


    ​

    Eamon's lovechild and illegitimate son, Alistair, had made his triumphant return to Redcliffe, casting a long shadow over the haunted town. While Teagan, still reeling from a night of terror at the hands of the undead, recovered in the safety of his chambers, Alistair and his intrepid band of Grey Wardens were brought up to speed on the vicious attacks by the valiant Ser Perth and his fellow knight, Ser Victory. A gentle Orlesian lay-sister from Lothering tended to the wounds of the survivors, her deft hands working wonders in the face of such brutality, while a mysterious wood-witch, her hair a wild tangle of raven-black locks, pored over the remnants of the Chantry's once-venerable library.

    Meanwhile, the jovial Bann Mythard and his hardy freemen, who had been honing their skills in the rugged wilderness of Olafs' Bay, shared laughter and stories over flagons of frothy ale. Amidst the revelry, they struck up a friendship with Alistair's fearless Grey Warden companion, the casteless Dwarf Natia Brosca. Together, they bonded over their love of strong drink and fierce battles, but their mirth was cut short when Bann Teagan, his voice shaking with exhaustion but still resolute, spoke up. His words, like a clarion call, roused the attention of the enigmatic Hornless Qunari, who had been busy feeding small cookies to Brosca's faithful Mabari hound.

    Bann Teagan's proclamation was plain and succinct: they must endure the forthcoming night, and come dawn, launch an assault on the fortress where sinister forces had taken root, to liberate his kin, nephew, and Isolde. With sword and shield, they must face whatever evil lurks within.

    Just as the gravity of their task began to sink in, the grandiose doors of the Chantry were suddenly flung open by Isolde herself, flanked by her sword-and-shield wielding companion, Ser Marwyn. Her eyes, brimming with tears, were rimmed with red and encircled by dark rings. In a voice that trembled with emotion, she weaved a chilling tale of how her own son, Connor, had succumbed to a demonic possession, all due to the sorcery of a nefarious maleficar. She bemoaned the fate of her family, all at risk because of her own failure to banish the maleficar from Redcliffe, and her son's descent into darkness. The air was thick with tension as Isolde spoke her command. The weight of the situation hung heavy, like a dark cloud, over the heads of those gathered in the Chantry. Natia Brosca could feel her skin crawl as she imagined the horrors that awaited Isolde if she were to disobey. The very thought made her bristle with anger.

    Grey Warden Brosca's voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade, commanding Isolde to be taken captive and locked away. The chill in the air seemed to deepen as the order was given. The gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone present, and it nearly came to blows as Teagan and his loyal companions rose up in opposition. Sers Perth and Victory stood tall, their eyes blazing with righteous anger. Ser Marwyn unsheathed his sword, ready to defend his lady with his life if need be. Bann Mythard attempted to calm the situation with his booming voice, but it was no use. Alistair stood by Teagan's side, his sword at the ready. Barkspawn's fierce barks echoed through the halls of the Chantry, adding to the tension that filled the air. It seemed as though violence was inevitable.

    But then, like a beacon of hope in the darkness, Mother Hanna's soothing voice cut through the chaos. Her song was like a balm to the wounded hearts of those gathered in the Chantry, and her words had the power to calm even the most restless soul. Her opinion reigned supreme, and a sense of peace settled over the room.

    Isolde was permitted to return to Redcliffe Castle, but the grimness of the situation was not lost on anyone. Bann Teagan and the Grey Wardens would lead the charge into the Castle, ready to face whatever horrors awaited them. The night ahead would be long and dark, but they would fight their way through it together.

    Sers Perth and Victory would hold the village, while the Grey Warden's party took to the castle. Bann Teagan came with them to face the horrors inside.





    "Our children are the future"    ​

    Bann Teagan led the weary band of Grey Wardens through the desolate outskirts of Redcliffe Castle, their spirits as bleak as the barren landscape around them. The memories of the Rebellion weighed heavily on Teagan's mind as he recounted the path to the secret entrance, a dark and foreboding tunnel that snaked its way beneath the earth for a mile.

    Alistair, the gallant and affable warrior, took point with his sword drawn, his youthful bravado unable to hide the fear that lurked behind his eyes. Next to him marched Sten, the towering Qunari, his imposing presence casting a menacing shadow on the ground. Brosca, the scrappy dwarf, followed closely behind, her eyes darting back and forth in search of danger.

    Teagan, the once-proud lord, now reduced to leading this desperate mission, walked in silence, his heart heavy with the knowledge of what lay ahead. Bringing up the rear were Morrigan and Leliana, their hushed whispers the only sound in the dank and musty tunnel.

    As they emerged from the tunnel into the castle's cellar, the acrid smell of pickled herring and onions filled their nostrils, adding to the already oppressive atmosphere. Alistair tried to lighten the mood with a jest, but his feeble attempt only served to highlight the gravity of their situation. Morrigan's voice dripped with contemptuous disdain as she mocked the young warrior, and Alistair's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

    For a moment, the band of Grey Wardens stood in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, contemplating the daunting task that lay before them. They knew that the fate of their world rested on their shoulders, and that they must face whatever horrors awaited them in the castle with grim determination and unyielding resolve.

    Brosca's powerful, booming voice reverberated through the damp corridors, jolting the team back to alertness. Teagan imparted his advice, and with a swift nod from Brosca, they surged up from the dimly-lit cellars towards the Courtroom. Every inch of the way was fraught with danger, as they clashed with Eamon's former loyalists, now reduced to mere charred corpses, forever beholden to their new Arl, Connor.

    Despite his years of combat experience, Teagan couldn't shake off the gnawing sense of unease that gripped him as he fought against men and women he had once known. And then, the unthinkable happened. In the chambers just before the Courtroom, Teagan came face to face with the lifeless body of his father, Rendorn Guerrin, bedecked in his ceremonial armor and wielding a colossal claymore. Rendorn stood shoulder to shoulder with his closest ally, Connor, who was also clad in ornate armor, armed with a sword and shield, just as he had always been at Rendorn's side.

    With a bellow that shook the walls, both Rendorn and Connor hurled a fierce accusation at Teagan, branding him a coward and a cheat before charging at him as one. Alistair quickly sprang into action, assuming Teagan's place and heroically parrying their lethal blows, while delivering punishing sword strikes that deflected Rendorn's venomous words.

    It took the entire band to bring down Rendorn, with every member of the band putting in their utmost effort to reveal the way to the Courtroom, where the younger, possessed Connor lay in wait, his eyes blazing with unholy energy, and his every move telegraphing the fact that he was a force to be reckoned with.

    Teagan gazed upon the horrific figure before her, her heart heavy with grief and terror. Connor, once a young boy full of life, now stood before her as a twisted and malformed being, a grotesque fusion of bone, flesh, and steel. His voice was a haunting cacophony, a blend of a boyish undertone and a spectral presence far too ancient for the mortal realm.

    Isolde, once a beautiful and vibrant woman, now lay mangled and consumed by unseen maws. Her once-lively eyes now stared out into the void, spellbound and lifeless, as tears of blood and mucus flowed unceasingly down her distorted features. Teagan could feel her own tears mixing with the gruesome fluid, as she stood frozen in terror at the scene unfolding before her.

    The Maleficar, a man known as Jowan, had met his gruesome end, impaled by his own twisted spine beside Isolde's mutilated form. Flames consumed the once-regal courtroom, as the battle between the demonic presence and the valiant Grey Wardens raged on, with Teagan at the center of it all, helpless and overwhelmed by the sheer horror of the spectacle before her.

    Warden Brosca's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the Demon lurking in the shadows, its malevolent aura pulsating ominously. Without a moment's hesitation, Sten charged forward with his loaned axe in hand, his muscles coiling with the anticipation of battle. As he closed in, Brosca, the quick Dwarven warden, emerged from the shadows with his deadly daggers at the ready, poised to strike.

    Meanwhile, Morrigan, the cunning Witch of the Wilds, wove her intricate spellcraft in an attempt to break through the Demon's formidable barrier. But even her potent magic proved ineffective against the otherworldly force that stood before them.

    It was then that Alistair stepped forward, his eyes blazing with determination. With a wave of his hand, he nullified the magic in the surrounding area, leaving the Demon vulnerable to their assault.

    Taking advantage of the opportunity, Brosca and Sten launched a fierce attack, their axes and daggers whirling through the air with deadly precision. Leliana stood at a distance, her keen eyes scanning the battlefield for any weakness in the Demon's defenses. When she found an opening, she let fly a barrage of arrows that peppered the Demon's wounded hide, eliciting a chorus of unearthly shrieks.

    Despite the ferocity of their attack, the Demon fought back with equal fervor, its newfound body of flesh giving it renewed strength and endurance. Fire, ice, and blood rained across the Courtroom as the two sides clashed, locked in a battle for the ages. And Teagan, utterly horrified, found himself by the bedside of his brother. Who slept soundly, while battle reigned against his abomination of a son. He gripped Eamon's hand, as the sound of the battle drew to an end, and Connor's life ebbed away to the sound of his rotting body dissipating.

    "I am so, so sorry, Eamon."​

    Stats for turn II:

    Loghain @Thiccroy
    Levy Split Between Gwaren and Denerim:
    Gwaren Teyrnir:
    Infantry: 1350
    Archers:355
    Cavalry:100
    Knights:9
    Galleys:2
    Cogs:4
    Denerim Arling:
    Infantry: 1300(500 with Howe)
    Archers:350
    Cavalry:100
    Knights:30
    Galleys:7
    Cogs:15
    Rendon Howe @Strongboar
    Levy split between Amaranthine and Highever:
    Amaranthine Arling:
    Infantry: 1500500 from Denerim
    Archers:250
    Cavalry:100
    Knights:8
    Galleys:5
    Cogs:21
    Highever Teyrnir
    Infantry: 500
    Archers:125
    Cavalry:0
    Knights:10
    Galleys:5
    Cogs:10
    Levy of Amaranthine:Ready in 2 turns.
    Infantry:1000
    Archers:200
    Teagan Guerrin @Valleron
    Redcliffe's Levy:
    Infantry:800(200 losses during the Siege of Redcliffe)
    Archers: 200(50 losses during the Siege of Redcliffe)
    Cavalry:50
    Knights:5(Returned after the Siege of Redcliffe)
    Bann Mythard's Freemen:
    Infantry:100
    Archers:25
    Cavalry:10
    Knights:3
    Agnes Hargrave @gaiachild
    Fallowmire's Levy:
    Infantry:250
    Archers:95
    Cavalry:0
    Knights:2
    Mage:1
    Ser Addam of Highever's Entourage:
    Infantry:50
    Archers:25
    Cavalry:20
    Knights:5
    Gerion and Cerric Wulff's Entourage:
    Infantry:150
    Archers:100
    Cavalry:0
    Knights:5
    Circle of Magi @Bestbe
    Mages:299
    Blood Mages:??
    Templars:599
    Gell Lendon @Ceslas
    Edgehall Levy:
    Infantry:393(Falon's Company the Wicked Blades and Braven's Levy = 200
    Archers:300(Braven's Levy 50)
    Cavalry:0
    Knights:10
    Marcel's Mercenaries:
    Chevaliers:100
    Archers:125
    Ser Kailyn, the Demonbrandt @AKuz
    Infantry:350
    Archers:150
    Cavalry:0
    Knights:10
    Knight-Templar Wesley Vallen's Entourage:
    Templars:5
    Infantry:8
    Archers:4
    Magi:1
    Conall Merrick @Bloodwyrm
    Levy of Stenhold:
    Infantry:500
    Archers:220
    Cavalry:50
    Knights:9
    Levy of Twixtwater:
    Infantry:100
    Archers:20
    Cavalry:5
    Knights:3
    Leonas Bryland @Always Watching
    Levy split between the Banns of Wulverton and Southreach
    Levy of Wulverton:Ready in two turns
    Infantry:300
    Archers:100
    Cavalry:50
    Levy of Southreach:Ready in two turns
    Infantry:500
    Archers:250
    Cavalry:50
    Knights:5
    Army of Bryland:
    Infantry:500
    Archers:250
    Cavalry:250
    Knights:30
    Serani Adthorn Calmaris @Sera
    Archers:500
    Cavalry:100
    Mages:5
    Mara Cousland @ATerribleWriter
    Cousland Rebellion:
    Infantry:755
    Archers: 200
    Knights:18
    Galleys:3
    Cogs:2
     
    Last edited:
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