House Bracken Internal Event The newly born Princess in the arms of her mother.
Despite the fears of The North looming over the Trident with hungry eyes, not all news is gloom. Riverlords for a small period of time celebrates the birth of a new Princess of the Realm: Princess Marianne.
Named after her grandmother, Princess Marianne has inherited traits from both of her parents, such as the blond hair of her mother and the blue eyes of her father. Already various Riverlords are attempting to have the Princess be betrothed to a family member of theirs, despite this, King Lucan has so far turned down any offers, perhaps not comfortable to have a marriage arranged for her when she's at such a young or perhaps he has greater plans for her. Only time will tell, for now the Trident rejoices!
*Messengers are sent out to deliver the message to Angron of Tarth but are too late to catch him before he departs Lys and vanishes once more. They do, however, come into contact with the Lysene Magisters who, as a gesture of good faith, grant them a copy of drawings left behind the Stormlander for the Storm King to examine at his own leisure.*
*Labeled "faceless man, TARTH" in the top right-hand corner.*
From: Emperor Nyessos I of Volantis
To: All the Civilized Nations of Essos@Shapeless Phobos@Deathwing@Pirx@ChaosTheVoid@bookwyrm@Tel Janin Aman@Theravis@Altzek@Sidheach
We receive the news from Essaria with great concern. Our reports indicate nearly two million march behind the Khal, intent on the conquest and subjugation of all peoples in this Earth... and with those numbers, their might is enough to overwhelm any of us individually, but standing together we may defeat this creature. We must march together to the defense of the city of Essaria, the last limne of defense between the Khal and the civilized nations.
From: Emperor Nyessos I of Volantis
To: All the Civilized Nations of Essos@Shapeless Phobos@Deathwing@Pirx@ChaosTheVoid@bookwyrm@Tel Janin Aman@Theravis@Altzek@Sidheach
We receive the news from Essaria with great concern. Our reports indicate nearly two million march behind the Khal, intent on the conquest and subjugation of all peoples in this Earth... and with those numbers, their might is enough to overwhelm any of us individually, but standing together we may defeat this creature. We must march together to the defense of the city of Essaria, the last limne of defense between the Khal and the civilized nations.
To: Emperor Nyessos I
From: Council of Magisters of Pentos
This new Khal could be a real threat to the whole of Essos, we agree, but we have to defend our andal allies from King Bleda first, before we can direct our attention eastwards.
From: Emperor Nyessos I of Volantis
To: All the Civilized Nations of Essos@Shapeless Phobos@Deathwing@Pirx@ChaosTheVoid@bookwyrm@Tel Janin Aman@Theravis@Altzek@Sidheach
We receive the news from Essaria with great concern. Our reports indicate nearly two million march behind the Khal, intent on the conquest and subjugation of all peoples in this Earth... and with those numbers, their might is enough to overwhelm any of us individually, but standing together we may defeat this creature. We must march together to the defense of the city of Essaria, the last limne of defense between the Khal and the civilized nations.
Arius Vaelaeros, 14 years old.
Heir Apparent to the Volantene Empire.
Within the Rhoyne Manor, the impressive palace that serves as the Emperor's official residence in Old Volantis, an atmosphere of dread has begun to pervade amongst members of court, while this started when scouts arrived reporting of the Dothraki riding westward in the hundreds of thousands, it intensified when Qohor became the only one answer the call to arms. To attempt and calm down the members of court, most of them members of the Old Blood, Emperor Nyessos has announced the construction of towers at both sides of all crossings/bridges in the Rhoyne within Imperial territory; though the fact remains that, even if separated from Essaria by the bogs and marshes of Volaena (a separatist kingdom that now serves as a convenient buffer), the citadel of Old Volantis is built along the eastern bank of the Rhoyne.
Additionally, Emperor Nyessos has thus acceded to the proposal made by the leading noble families in Old Volantis, to marry the promising scion and heir of the House Velaeros to the Imperial Princess Helaria. The stance of House Vaelaeros is in this ordeal is clear, the Empire lacks allies and manpower to take on the full might of the Dothraki by itself, and thus should attempt to evade direct confrontration with the barbarians at all costs, perhaps even doing something to diverge their attention elsewhere for the meantime.
Another important development that has attracted the attention not only of court members, but of the freeholders of Volantis as a whole, is the fall of Valyria. Few know what this will bring for the future, but philosophers and priests can be seen often debating in the streets about religion, comparing the Gods of Valyria that the ruling-class of the Empire is known to worship, with the Red God that has taken hold over most of the Imperial territories and beyond. Following the news of Valyria's destruction, many claim that the Gods of Valyria themselves have been cast down, and should the Old Blood not forsake them, the empire itself shall be overcome.
Having deemed the time to be ripe for expansion, the Storm King, Durran the Fat, would send forth messengers to Nightsong, so as to provide Bryen Caron, the King of the Dornish Marches, the opportunity to kneel without bloodshed, before bidding his son, Prince Arlan, to rally the armies of the Stormlands and prepare for war. As one might expect, such a nakedly aggressive move sparked alarm in the surrounding region with men in Oldtown, Tumbleton, and beyond regarding the move with some concern, worried that it heralded a dramatic change in the Stormlands' attitude to the surrounding region. It would also provide ample opportunity for King Bryen Caron to make preparations for the coming conflict, stockpiling grain in his keeps and sending out calls for aid to his many friends and allies in the Reach, hoping for reinforcement were the worst to come to pass.
Thus, when the Stormlands marched on Blackhaven alongside Yronwood, the Dornish Marches were prepared for their foe. Granaries had been stripped of food ahead of Prince Arlan, fields had been burned, wells poisoned, and garrisons reinforced making the Stormlander march a painful one and slowing the Yronwood march to a near crawl as Marcher forts at the mouth of the Boneway delayed the Yronwood advance by over a week before it broke free. When both forces finally arrived at Blackhaven, Prince Arlan beating the Bloodroyal there by a week, they would find the age old fortress sealed up tight, it's walls well defended, and it's food stocks plentiful enough to ensure that it could hold out for some time, a fact King Bryen Caron would proudly announce to Prince Arlan before then generously, in his own words, giving him a chance to withdraw. Refusing, most unsurprisingly, the combined Stormlander-Yronwood force would then settle in for a siege of Blackhaven, having already sent out scouts to strip the countryside of what food had been left behind to compensate for the difficulties (and expenses) in carting food all the way from the Stormlands into the Dornish Marches, even as black wings brought blacker tidings from the west.
Whether with the approval of High King Gawen the Eighth or not, a significant detachment of soldiers from the Mander, led by Lord Saron Roxton, had crossed over into the Dornish Marches in support of King Bryen Caron with many of those Lords marching with Lord Roxton having ties to the Marches through marriage or simple friendship. Bolstering the otherwise insubstantial Marcher levies, the forces led by Lord Roxton would grant Blackhaven breathing room as a series of skirmishes ensued between the two forces though no decisive battle would be fought before the onset of winter. With winter would come an awkward truce, as is often the case, with both forces settling down and awaiting the coming of spring.
The more dramatic turn of events, however, would come in the Dusklands where Princess Visenya Targaryen has won new support within Duskendale in light of the Storm King's recent activities. Pointing out that if the Stormlands were willing to exercise a flimsy claim in order to subjugate the Dornish Marches that it could do much the same to the Dusklands, where the Storm Kings also once held influence before the Northern Invasion more than a century ago, Princess Visenya has made herself a champion of those Dusklords at odds with the Stormlands. Given that this faction is far from few in number, with many a Dusklord in the Southern Dusklands being wary of the Stormlands' ambitions, it has proven a potent addition to the Princess' coalition within internal Dusker politics.
Summary
- Carons employ scorched earth tactics ahead of Stormlander invasion.
- Prince Arlan sieges Blackhaven.
- Lords from the Mander ride to the Marches' aid and skirmish with the Stormlands before settling in for the winter.
- Princess Visenya wins support in Duskendale from those Lords opposed to the Stormlands.
Word has begun to trickle in from the Far East where the Era of the Five Kingdoms, a long running civil war that has divided Yi Ti, has finally come to an end with Luo Xuan, a former bandit turned rebel warlord, crowning himself Emperor in Xin and the first of the Azure Emperors after defeating his rivals to the throne. Though much of the information flowing westward from Yi Ti remains contradictory, exaggerated, and sparse, it is generally agreed that the Era of the Five Kingdoms only came to an end after a great battle at Yin which saw many hundreds of dragons take to the sky in battle alongside near a million soldiers who fought upon the ground. While the numbers involved may be exaggerated, at it's height, the Yellow Dynasty only ever mustered one hundred and twenty dragons, that peace has come to Yi Ti is a generally accepted truth as evidenced by the dispatching of tribute to Xin from Asabahd, the Bone Mountains, and places such as Faros in the hopes of winning the favour of the new Emperor.
*The Azure Dynasty notes the delivery of tribute from Ibben and, noting that the last time tribute was received from Ibben, the exact name for which in Yi Tish roughly translates to Land of Squat Hairy Men, was over four hundred years ago, a token of the Emperor's favour is dispatched to Port Ibben with a full suit of armour fashioned from the scales, bones, and hide of a yellow dragon being bestowed upon the Shadow Council along with a decree affirming the Shadow Council's right to administer it's territories on the behalf of the Emperor.*
Prince Arlan defies the Vulture King and decides that if he cannot have the food of the Marches he will just have to bring the food of the Stormlands over there. The lords near the March border are asked to sell foodstuffs to the Royal Army and ship them to the largest of the forts near the former Stormland border where they can then be delivered to the army overland wherever it will be. Given the short distances involved this should be a simple matter.
King Durran XXX is the meantime issuing a call for sellswords to supplement the army.
*It is noted that few Sellsword Companies are currently available for hire and fewer Hedge Knights, the latter currently largely being engaged in the Trident on religious grounds whilst the former are, near to a man, engaged in the struggle against Sarnor.*
From: King Manfred Hightower
To: King Durran XXX @Ceslas
Great is the folly of your assault on my ally, King Caron of the Dornish Marshes. I will offer you this one last chance for peace and amity, if you desist from your aggression. If not, I shall bring my power to bear against the Storm Crown.
A trading city with one of the most frequented harbours in the Narrow Sea, Pentos has always drawn people from all over the world to it. People come to sell and buy, see and be seen, teach and learn, preach and listen. Founded as a valyrian settlement, the Old Gods of Valyria very the first to bless the Bay of Pentos with their presence. But other people with different faiths lived near by: the Andals lived under the law of the Seven, just as the Rhonyar followed their Mother Rhoyne. And from the far east, a different faith was spreading across Essos: the teachings of R'hllor and his eternal enemy, the Great Other. From Asshai-by-the-Shadow, the red priests spread their religion further and further, set heart after heart ablaze, until it became the major religion of the Essoi.
All these faiths were brought to Pentos and the Pentoshi eventually turned their backs on the gods of Valyria and embraced the Lord of Light. But its position as a trading city prevented Pentos from embracing the new religion zealously. Instead, pragmatism informs much of the city's official position on religion. Other faiths are tolerated within the lands and walls of Pentos and foreigners, citizens and freemen are at liberty to practise their faith as long as it does not threaten public order. Naturally, this meant that all minority religions took a back seat in public life to R'hllorism. How much freedom another religion enjoys is a question of politics.
The Faith of the Seven in its Andal Rite is widely respected, owing to the long-standing ties to Andalos and heavy lobbying by those Magisters who favour the land over the sea. A modest Andal sept is located in the northern city, close to the walls. Despite its relative small size, it is richly decorated, as those trading with the Andals often donate to the Sept to earn the favour of Pentos' northern neighbours. The Sept is guarded by seven armed Andals, who swear an oath to protect it with their lives. The only other religions with a permission to employ their own guards are (naturally) R'hllorism, whose priests command three hundred warriors of the Fiery Hand. A much smaller sept in the Westerosi Rite can be found at the harbour.
The followers of the Mother Rhonye are also allowed to guard their temple, although they have only permission to employ four armed guards at a time. It is generally understood that this is out of courtesy to the people of Ghoyan Drohe, considered friends and allies by the Council of Pentos. Priestesses of the Mother are sometimes invited to perform their rites on public holidays alongside the Red Priests and Andal Septons.
The old gods of the city are by now little more than a curiosity. An ancient temple is still maintained by the Council out of respect for the Old Blood of Volantis, but it attracts few visitors, as even merchants and travellers that still adhere to the old faith are few and far between in Northern Essos.
Other foreign faiths usually maintain their own small temples. The existence of holy sites of the esoteric God of Norvos or the Black Goat are only rumours, while the Harpy has a little shrine in a Magister's manse, who is heavily involved in the slave trade.
From: King Manfred Hightower
To: King Durran XXX @Ceslas
Great is the folly of your assault on my ally, King Caron of the Dornish Marshes. I will offer you this one last chance for peace and amity, if you desist from your aggression. If not, I shall bring my power to bear against the Storm Crown.
I will not submit to a so-called king whose crown only arose because of a foolish Gardener anymore than I will quail because of the opportunistic bandit in Nightsong. When your forefathers came in all their fury centuries ago we drove them from our homeland and if you come here we will do so again.
The castles nearest the border with the Bloodroyal are to be reinforced with men and supplies while all patrols are ordered to be on alert for any hostile movements. Ghaston Grey will be reinforced as well with men and ships commanded by Prince Oberyn Martell with patrols to be on the lookout for any large movement of ships between Yronwood lands and the Stormlands or from abroad.
To: Lords and Ladies of Dorne@Sidheach
From: Princess Nymeria VI Martell Private
My lords and ladies, I would hear your counsel on the matter of the increased number of Yronwood men marching about and the Storm King's use of those men as auxiliaries for his own conquests. As well would I hear any thoughts to further ensure the safety of Dorne beyond the measures already taken.
"What shall I say more than I have inferr'd?
Remember whom you are to cope withal;
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
A scum of Ironborn, and base lackey peasants,
Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth
To desperate ventures and assured destruction.
You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
You having lands, and blest with beauteous wives,
They would restrain the one, distain the other.
And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
Long kept in Seagard at our kingdom's cost?
A milk-sop, one that never in his life
Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?
Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again;
Lash hence these overweening rags of Iron,
These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives;
Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
For want of means, poor rats, had hang'd themselves:
If we be conquer'd, let men conquer us,
And not these bastard Ironborn; whom our fathers
Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd,
And in record, left them the heirs of shame.
Shall these enjoy our lands? lie with our wives?
Ravish our daughters?
Hark! I hear their drum.
Fight, gentlemen of the Trident! fight, bold yoemen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood;
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell!" - From the play "King Lucan"
---
For the North, the Trident, and the Iron Isles, the War of the Three Kings would be one whose early stages would be marked by every sort of treachery, a cruel betrayal lying at every turn as age old feuds resurfaced and the daggers, so carefully sharpened by their owners, found themselves plunged into every back made open to them. It would be, for lack of a better word, a bloody mess for though there was little denying that there would be conflict in the Trident, one sparked by the ambitions of men too great for the thrones onto which they were placed, none could have expected the speed to which all three would conspire, collude, and ultimately betray one another. That the War of the Three Kings would prove a fertile ground for future historians and playwrights would be all but guaranteed for who could not help but write of murdered sons and scorned brothers, of pacts forged in smoke-filled rooms, and of fields littered with the dead and tattered banners...
---
The first battles of the War of the Three Kings would be waged not upon the battlefield, in muddied fields and bloodstained rivers, but in the study and the rookery. Taking note of the gathering of the North's strength and of his own desire for expansion, the High King of the Iron Isles, Rodrik the Second, would make contact with the Red Wolf, Theon the Second, in the hopes of securing an alliance with the North with the aim of dividing the Trident between Hoare and Stark. It would be here that the tangled weave would begin as the King in the North, skeptical yet sensing potential in the arrangement, agreed to the terms laid out by Rodrik Hoare, dispatching his grandson to the Iron Isles as a hostage and receiving a son of the High King in turn, and began to plot the Trident's downfall.
Yet even here, so early into the wicked plot, both Stark and Hoare could not help but to betray each other, the Red Wolf cheating the High King of a hostage promised in the cruelest way while the High King immediately went over to the Trident and spoke readily of the North's ambitions, thinking either to force the Trident to terms favourable to the Iron Isles and lay the seeds for treachery more dastardly than initially conceived. Confused, perhaps, by the oddly altruistic gesture by the Ironborn, whose history is steeped in treachery and betrayal, there is little doubting that the similar gesture by the Red Wolf would only worsen the confusion as the North, also seeking to undercut it's supposed ally, made a similar gesture to the Trident. Whether by way of providence or sheer dumb luck, King Lucan the First found himself in an altogether unique position, having been offered the heads of both his foes on silver platters by the very fiends themselves, and as any good and chivalrous monarch would, the Flower of Chivalry chose to play along.
To the Ironborn, he pledged camaraderie and spoke of a joint march upon the Twins, of a glorious battle against the North that would surely see the Red Wolf broken and the North laid open to Ironborn reavers even as the Trident would be left free to secure it's borders and know safety from Northern boots once more. To the Northmen, he spoke of mutual disdain, of a disgust for a foe that thought to ingratiate itself as an ally even as it plotted their demise, and of a betrayal, one carried out in the heat of battle, that would break the Ironborn and leave both the North and the Trident free to reclaim lands long since thought lost to those foreign raiders. That he was renowned for his integrity, having earned his epithet through deed rather than coin, meant that both the North and the Trident placed their trust in Lucan Bracken's words, assuming him fool enough, or wise enough, to accept those offers made to him and prepare for a battle against the true enemy whether that be Hoare or Stark.
Despite this, even were King Lucan the First entirely genuine in his dealings with either the Ironborn or the Northmen, there can be little doubting that the Rivermen held little love or trust for their supposed allies in Lordsport and Winterfell. Even as the Flower of Chivalry enlightened his advisers and his close kin to the circumstances in which the Trident now found itself, those very same man made sure to ward the Kingdom against betrayal, knowing full well that men who would so readily betray each other for gain would be more willing than most to do it again, unprompted and unexpected, with their King's blessing. Edmund Bracken, known as the Mark of Erenford, would muster his levies and take stock of his supplies, the infamously grim brother to the late-Jonos Bracken having found himself assailed by the Northmen too long to think to trust their word, while Archsepton Tristifer of Maidenpool moved behind the scenes to ensure that the Trident would not suffer too heavily for lack of leadership should King Lucan fall in battle, with the Faith filling the void naturally.
And so with talk of war giving way to war itself, the Three Kings marched forth, conquest on their minds and betrayal in their hearts...
---
Rivermen Charging the Ironborn Lines at the Battle of Freyton
---
Tarrying at the Twins, having chosen to await further reinforcement from the North before marching forth, the Red Wolf would watch with some apprehension as the Trident and the Iron Isles both marched forth, their hosts joining up at Oldstones before advancing on the Twins with the aim of crushing the Northmen before they could step foot into the Trident. Skirmishes between the Northmen and the advancing Ironborn-Riverman force would buy the Red Wolf some time, hours at most, but by and large their advance would be unstoppable without risking engagement before the Northern host was ready for battle. When the fight was joined between the two hosts, it would be at Freyton, so named for the former Lords of the Twins, a small settlement to the west of the Twins on the bank of the Green Fork where the Red Wolf would chose to make his camp in anticipation of the Ironborn-Rivermen force's arrival. Yet even here, at the penultimate moment, more treachery would occur as brothers connived for their father's crown and tensions boiled over between age old foes as the seeds sown before even the first man had marched bore their tainted fruit.
Left behind in Winterfell, Eddard Stark, called the Butcher of Erenford, would think to act to thin the herd, hoping that choice words and cruel deceit would inspire in his siblings the sort of treachery that would lead to their demise and so ensure that his portion of the inheritance would grow larger. Knowing full well that his father had tricked the Ironborn with regards to hostages offered, having offered them Eddard's firstborn son yet given them Brandon's son instead, Eddard Stark would slaughter a random peasant boy of a similar build to the Hoare in his care and have it's head dispatched to Lordsport even as all the pieces fell into place in the Southron Lands. Told that it was the head of the Prince entrusted into the Red Wolf's care, with a detailed account of the suffering inflicted before his demise to further goad them, it is said that Queen Alannys Harlaw would butcher the Stark in her care, cutting off the boy's head and having it sent back with the Northern envoy to Winterfell even as she sent warning to her husband of the Northmen's apparent treachery.
Both messengers would arrive at their intended destinations within a few hours of each other, at least according to legend, with Balon Greyjoy bursting into the Ironborn camp with news of his son's death even as the Northern messenger delivered the head of Brandon Stark's son straight to the Red Wolf as per his orders from Eddard Stark. In both camps, it would spark outrage with Brandon Stark, upon recognising his son's head, drawing his sword and nearly running his father through before being restrained while Rodrik Hoare, skeptical of the news delivered to him, seemed more enraged by his wife's actions than his son's apparent murder. Yet despite this outrage, neither could afford to stand idly by for even had they sought to speak, the presence of the Rivermen prohibited it with both sides all too aware of how keenly their individual gambits rested upon giving the Rivermen no cause for suspicion. Thus the Battle of Freyton would be joined upon one cold morning and the first bloody chapter of the War of the Three Kings begun as all the pieces moved into place.
Taking place atop a hill, Theon Stark would first begin by dispatching his skirmishers, a mixture of Crannogmen and Clansmen from the Stony Shore, down the hill to clash with the Ironborn who had situated themselves upon Lucan Bracken's left-flank, a solemn pledge to hold having been made beforehand. Yet despite the assurances of the High King, the Northern skirmishes would not yield ground to the Ironborn and where they had thought to advance with little resistance, the Ironborn forced themselves holed up behind their shields as the Northmen rained arrows, stones, and spears down upon them. Even more worrisome would be the slow turn of the Riverman line which seemed to appear in time with the Grey Army's advance, the bristling pikes inching forward, promises of death shouted with each step, to the High King's horror as he attempted to wheel his own line before the Rivermen could slam into it. Amidst cries of treachery, many of which were directed at the Northmen and at Rodrik Hoare, the Rivermen and the Northmen would collide with the Ironborn mid-turn, the Rivermen striking them in the flank whilst the Grey Army hit them as panic spread through the ranks.
At this point, a brief reprieve would be found for the Ironborn as Brandon Stark, confined to the baggage train, rallied soldiers loyal to Lords who had suffered under his father's reign and struck the Grey Army in the rear. Raised by a man whose rule was built upon the bones of family and enemies alike, by a father whose actions had led to his son's death, there is little doubting that Brandon Stark felt no hesitation before striking at his father alongside Lords Dustin, Hornwood, and Cerwyn and every reason to believe that he hoped to see the man dead come sunrise. Suddenly caught between the Ironborn and Brandon Stark, and forced to watch as King Lucan Bracken disentangled his army from the fray and made to withdraw from the field, the Red Wolf would struggle to hold the tide as his treacherous son moved in for the kill. Were it not for the presence of his other sons, including Robb Stark who commanded the reserve force, who sallied to their father's aid, it would not be unreasonable to think that he would have fallen that day yet for their presence, Brandon Stark would be repulsed after savaging the Grey Army.
It would not be long after that all three sides, for there is no doubting that no goodwill was held between the three, withdrew from the field in earnest, Lucan Bracken moving south into friendly territory, Rodrik Hoare retreating west to Seagard, Theon Stark to the Twins, while Brandon Stark and his supporters fled north, hoping to beat the Red Wolf to Winterfell and raise more forces before he could chase after them. Yet this would not be the end for the Trident, whether the Northmen proved true or not, had laid plans for an invasion of the Iron Isles and no sooner had word been sent of the King's good health did Prince Brandon Bracken and Lord Elmer Darry march forth, twelve thousand men laying siege to border castles and steadily advancing towards Seagard.
By the time winter fell, and the fighting crawled to stop, the Trident would have made significant inroads into the Iron Isles' territories in the Riverlands while Theon Stark had finally crossed back into the North, leaving behind those too wounded to march as well as a deterring force should the Trident seek to strike at the Twins, and was making ready to add a son to the list of kin he had slain with Brandon Stark having retreated to Barrowton after being repulsed by Eddard Stark at Castle Cerwyn.
I will not submit to a so-called king whose crown only arose because of a foolish Gardener anymore than I will quail because of the opportunistic bandit in Nightsong. When your forefathers came in all their fury centuries ago we drove them from our homeland and if you come here we will do so again.
Name: Principality of Chroyane
Head of House: Princess Myria Chroyos
Heir: Belyar Chroyos
Religion: Mother Rhoyne Seat: Chroyane
Family Tree:
Princess Cassella Chroyos (b. 194, a. 46, d. 240) married Prince Timyon Solyane (b. 191, a. 43, d. 234)
By Her Husband: Princess Myria Chroyos (b. 216, a. 24)
Belyar Chroyos (b. 221, a. 19)
Garyn Chroyos (b. 227, a. 13)
By Her Paramours: Sylva Rhoyne (b. 223, a. 17)
Tanselia Rhoyne (b. 225 a. 15)
Current Season: Spring Economy: Prosperous
Sitting where the Rhoyne and its tributaries all ultimately converge before going to Volantis, Chroyane is the wealthiest of the of the Rhoynar Principalities, fed by both merchants plying the Rhoyne and pilgrims filling the Temple of the Mother and with the weather becoming warmer the economy will grow even more.
Armed Forces:
The Rhoynar rely on forces of heavy infantry manned by the nobility, lighter-equipped archers and small units of scout cavalry with large river galleys securing the Rhoyne.
INTERNAL EVENTS:
The death of the old Princess has led to the traditional mourning as a new Princess is crowned and undergoes the by-now customary rites at the Temple of the Mother. The new Princess is said to be young and ambitious and eager to secure her realm from the Volantaene Empire.
FOREIGN MESSAGES:
From: Princess Myria
To: Her Favorite Scribe @Sidheach
Come here, I need you to tell me some things about various parts of the map. Tell me a brief description of each place I list.
7 (You didn't even label this?)
Greenlace
8
Ravensfort
Dreylia
Corpseden
Now that Valyria has been laid low and Volantis marches to war against the Dothraki the Senate of Anogaria is looking to its borders with unease. The Orosi League, without a worthy enemy, may collapse on itself causing violence and potentially spilling into its territory either by way of arms or coin. For now the Senate are content to watch and wait while others mutter about taking advantage of the fragmentation in the north among the warlords of Volaena.
From: Mantarys
To: Anogaria @EmperorCasey
Secret
Greetings and salutations to our neighbor. We seek your opinion on the Orosi League now that their troops are freed up. They have an estimated troop count of 15000 to 20000. These numbers are dangerously high.
Perhaps you would like to join our defensive alliance which includes Elos and Telyria?
From: Mantarys
To: Anogaria @EmperorCasey
Secret
Greetings and salutations to our neighbor. We seek your opinion on the Orosi League now that their troops are freed up. They have an estimated troop count of 15000 to 20000. These numbers are dangerously high.
Perhaps you would like to join our defensive alliance which includes Elos and Telyria?
We believe that such an alliance would be beneficial to the continued stability of the region. We do not know if the League had a plan once Valyria was toppled and confederations either break and devolve to violence or continue to unite and grow strong. We must be on the eye for both to ensure that such violence does not encroach upon our borders.
The Pirate King, Dissent in the Leaguem and Turn Two Begins
When the King of Mountain and Vale put out the call for the Men of the Vale to take up their arms and prepare for battle in the wake of the Red Wolf's march to the Twins, it is no exaggeration to say that cries of exultation could be heard from one end of the Vale to the other. Raised on tales of the Vale's many battles against the North, of the Charge of the Eagles at the Battle of Harroway, of the Landing at White Harbour, many a Valeman has grown up believing that even the most humble of men might found glory in battle against the heathen. It is therefore no surprise that with so many young men lying idle in the Vale, their fortunes flagging even as peace drags on, that it should be exultation that is expressed at the promise of war with the North for many a man, who might otherwise be relegated to the Faith or a life of utter obscurity, might hope to find greatness in battle against the heathens. At Runestone, Ninestars, the Gardens of the Moon, and beyond, the Vale would find itself awash with willing volunteers ready to spill heathen blood in the name of the Vale, their innocence and naivety making them the perfect fodder for any warlike king's army.
One can therefore imagine their disappointment when war with the North did not come.
Rather than channel the excess of energy towards age old enemies, against a foe so close to home as to feel their breath upon one's neck, the King of the Vale would surprisingly choose to focus his efforts on enemies distant, upon pirates and vagabonds whose names were unheard of in the Vale outside of ports and bustling taverns. Braavos, the King of the Vale reasoned, was the perfect target for the Vale's might and thus he made ready to invade it with a grand fleet that would carry some ten thousand men across the Narrow Sea and seize that marshy den for the Vale for reasons that defied all explanation in the eyes of his advisers. Perhaps even worse still, the King of the Vale would keep all talk of the subject a matter of the utmost secrecy with only those the King trusted being kept abreast of his plans due to his rightfully placed fear that he might face opposition if it were discovered before the campaign was already underway. All of this would mean that the Eagle's Folly, as the campaign would later be called, would become a deep embarrassment for House Arryn and one that it would rather forget for reasons that shall become painfully obvious in the passages to follow.
Upon being informed of the King's intentions, near half the fleet would be lost as Lords Grafton, Royce, Sunderland, and Melcolm withheld their fleets from the King and made clear that they would only sail against the North with Lord Royce going so far as to personally, so as to undercut the King, lead several thousand men into the Trident which they would reach by the year's end and so place themselves at the Flower of Chivalry's disposal. Of those ships still at the command of the King of the Vale, command would fall to Ser Arthur Arryn with the knight attempting to salvage the situation as best as possible with a vastly reduced and underfunded force and set sail on schedule after it became apparent that the campaign would not be abandoned. Here matters deteriorated as a baseborn bastard chose to mutiny upon discovering the true destination of their voyage, supposedly disgusted both with the treatment of the sailors, whose conditions made them long for a slave's quarters, and the duplicity of his leaders, and seized control of a number of ships in the middle of the Narrow Sea.
Those ships that remained under the control of loyal men would take charge of Ser Arthur Arryn, who had briefly been captured and humiliated by Jon Stone, the particulars of which have been excised from the history books with only his nickname giving some indication as to what occurred, and make for safe harbour, eventually reaching Pentos where they would resupply before returning to the Vale. Of Jon Stone and his fellow mutineers, records would be far more forthcoming with Jon Stone, who took the title of Pirate King in response to Ser Arthur Arryn declaring that he would only ever kneel to the King, making for Braavos with over a dozen ships where he would instantly become a major player in the settlement's politics. It would only be by fortune's hand that news of this debacle would be slow to spread with Ser Arthur Arryn and his loyalists only limping back into port early into the next year leaving the affair a matter of rumour and hearsay before that point in time.
---
"And what of the League?"
Jaekar of Viserion
---
With the Fall of Valyria, it is little wonder that talk within the Orosi League has turned towards it's future now that it's age old foe has been defeated and the League left triumphant. Spurred on, some say, by Mantarys, a faction of powerful Senators from the Northern League led by Jaekar of Viserion, a renowned orator and lawyer, have called upon the League to disband now that it's purpose has been served. Arguing that it was for Valyria alone that the League existed and that it's continuation only invited subordination to one central power, Oros being implied to be this power though none said it outright, these Senators have proven to have a powerful sway in the north where many of the cities have chafed beneath the League's auspices. For the time being, they have condoned acts of violence against the League and encouraged peaceful dialogue but few in Oros itself believe that such noble words will hold if the League chooses to hold together despite the outcry of it's member states.
Attempts are made to establish Ibben enclaves in some of the larger coastal cities, to somewhat expand the reach and influence of the Republic. Generous incentives will hopefully encourage the traditionally insular Ibbens to resettle in these new enclaves.
Some enterprising Ibben traders purchase exotic horses and horse like creatures from the Far East to sell and/or give as tribute to various influential Dothraki and Khals to try and get foothold within the Dothraki markets upon which to get filthy rich.
Ibben expands its navy with the hulls of a dozen or so new warships being laid out
Ibben begins trying to build up a small stockpile of Wildfire far away from any population centers by contacting various reputable Alchemist Guilds.
Debate rages among the Shadow Council as to what to do with the armour of dragons gifted by the Azure Emperor. Most advocate simply keeping it in storage until a worthy Ibben warrior distinguishes himself, though a vocal minority keeps insisting to gift it to the Khal of Khals to more firmly align the Republic with the Dothraki, going against generations of semi-isolationist policy.
Secret
To: Braavos @Kronz
From: Ibben
Would the sailors of Braavos be interested in a paying contract to heavily target the ships our mutual foes, Lorath?
Secret
To: Various NPC Pirate fleets if any @Sidheach
From: Ibben
A similar offer to pay them money/rum/wine in exchange for wrecking Lorathian shipping.
From: Anogaria
To: Weaker of warlords in Volanea@Sidheach
Secret
Greetings brother, we have watched the situation in your lands and believe we have an opportunity to make the situation mutually beneficial. Are you interested?
