SoW - The War in the West
by Gareth Fouche · 10/22/2007 (9:08 pm) · 2 comments
Usually I don't post up "fluff" type stuff here on GG, but then I thought "Meh, why not?". A plan doesn't always have to be a dev shot.
Those who have been following my game, Scars of War, will know that it is set in the aftermath of a war which engulfed the Western Kingdoms. So here's a bit of background info, the sort of thing you will be able to read in books in-game (similar to the way Morrowind has interesting books to read). I'll post up a proper dev shot, with pretty screenshots, sometime soon. ;)
The War in the West.
...Excerpt from a lecture by Professor Limarrn to students of Torvaire Universities Cultural Studies department...
While many of my less informed brethren point to the ambitious and warlike nature of the, now thankfully deceased, Seramus of Lethan as the cause of the recent war, the roots of this conflict lie far in the past. The constant border skirmishes between Lethan and Mirtar trace back all the way to the time of the Talurian Empire's occupation. At the height of their strength the Talurian warships sailed around the continent, their armies plundering and conquering wherever they landed. The Westlands would prove to be no exception. Despite the strong resistance offered by both the Koethans and the Imarathi Sorcerer-Kings, the outcome was inevitable, and one by one the tribes of our ancestors fell to the invaders. All except the Lethani. They fought the longest and the hardest to retain their freedom, waging desperate guerrilla warfare, striking suddenly then disappearing into the depths of the High Forest. This in direct contrast to the southern Ontaran tribes, peaceful peoples who, unable to offer much resistance, were quickly enslaved by the Talurians. Their new masters immediately set them to clearing the High Forest, which you will remember at the time spread all the way to the shoreline, to planting fields and building roads. The Lethani were a prideful people, not given to sympathy, and they reviled their fellows' pitiful show of resistance. However, despite what some of my more, shall we say excitable, colleagues might inform you, there is almost no historical evidence that they turned this scorn into attacks on their enslaved kinsmen. Such nonsense is simply another attempt to demonize them after the war. True historians seek to remain objective, always, remember that all of you. Your duty is to the truth only. Some of your seniors would do well to remember that, but I digress...
In the end, despite their efforts, the Talurians were the stronger, and the Lethani were forced to retreat further and further south, to the barren lands they found there.
Two centuries later, when internal and external strife in the north saw Taluria divided and weakened, and King Pherias of Ondil secretly formed an alliance of the Western kingdoms, Lethan was the first to join him. Despite the hardships they faced in the barrens they had prospered as a people, transforming from a disorganized band of refugees into a kingdom of determined and disciplined warriors. Eager for vengeance, they fought ferociously throughout the bitter struggle that followed and were responsible for more than a few victories against the Empire.
Despite this, when the battle was won and the Talurians were pushed into the sea, Pherias supported the southern Ontaran tribes' claim to the lands now known as Mirtar. Scholars of the era know Pherias as a shrewdly intelligent leader and it is speculated that he didn't wish to strengthen an already warlike neighbor. Whatever his reasoning, the Lethani were outraged. Of all the westerners, the Mirtaran people (as the southern tribes now called themselves) were the last to join the alliance. Centuries under the Talurians had seen them almost fully integrated with their oppressors. While they had been second class citizens they had enjoyed many of the privileges of their masters, serving them on their estates and living comfortably in their cities. Only after the Mirtaran hero Bhennin roused his people did they go to war to throw off the Talurian yoke. The Lethani believed them undeserving of this richest of prizes, the fertile and wealthy farmlands at the heart of their former oppressors realm. In their minds it was they, the Lethani, who were entitled to it. They had fought the hardest for it, bled the most for it. Despite their outrage over Pherias's decision, they were no fools. They realised that going against Pherias, who controlled the alliance of western kingdoms, was futile. So they returned to their southern lands, bitter and resentful.
And so it has continued to this day. Each new king of Lethan harbors the same resentment, the same sense that they are entitled to the wealth their northern neighbors posses. They have made regular attempts to take it by force of arms, but each time the Mirtarans have pushed them back. Thus it came as no surprise then when young King Seramus of Lethan, flush from his victories to the north, chose to try his own luck. As with most of his ancestors attempts, he was thwarted by the walls of Fort Herames. That ancient fortress had been built by the Mirtarans to guard their border against just such an attack, and guard it it did, despite Seramus's best efforts. Seramus had to content himself with burning down a few villages. This setback did not stop him from trying again, twice, in the following half a decade.
Old king Dheron of Mirtar was a peaceful man, more interested in trade treaties and public works than fighting wars, and he didn't wish to see his nation's strength devoted to fending off a vigorous young aggressor. After the third assault he sought to make an ally of an enemy, offering an alliance to Seramus, with his daughter's hand in marriage to seal the deal. To the surprise of many at the time, Seramus agreed. And for a time it worked. Another five years passed without any conflict between the two nations.
Then, as we all know, King Dheron and his heir died in a most unfortunate hunting accident. Now it is at this point that I feel it is my duty to once again emphasis that, despite what a rather fanciful tavern tale doing the rounds suggests, Dheron's death was most certainly an accident. Kidar Notrum, an alumni of this very university and a mage of the finest order was called upon to investigate, his divinations revealed no foul play. It was an accident, a most tragic accident. Made a hundredfold more tragic by the consequences of that event. Mirtar was left king less. With no direct descendant, the nobles were left to squabble amongst themselves as to who would be crowned the new king. And squabble they did, for months. That is, until Seramus and his entourage arrived at the gates of Endhauvar. As Dhevons son-in-law he declared that his claim to the Mirtaran throne was the strongest. Mirtar would at long last fall under Lethani rule. To no ones surprise, the nobility of Mirtar found this idea rather abhorrent and sent Seramus packing. He would return to Mirtar at the head of an army. Stronger by far than the previous attempts, and funded by profits from the silver mines he'd discovered in the mountains of Lethan. United at last against a common foe, the nobility of Mirtar rallied their warriors and met him at the border. The two clashed as they had so often in the past, but this time was different. Seramus's army was larger, better trained and better equipped. And the nobles squabbled amongst themselves as to matters of strategy and authority. Such indecisiveness cost them, and they were pushed back, back to Fort Herames. Seramus pursued, and laid siege to the mighty fortress. Digging deep into his coffers he had mighty siege engines built and hired foreign sorcerers to hurl powerful curses at the defenders.
Perhaps even this would not have been sufficient if Fort Herames hadn't fallen to treachery. In it's over a century of existence Herames had never been breached, yet less than a month after the siege began it was gutted and destroyed. The Mirtaran Army, still leaderless, lost more than a third of it's strength in that battle. The Lethani pushed deep into Mirtar, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Bought by silver and promises of plunder, ships laden with Sidhari raiders sailed up the Mirtaran coastline, laying waste to undefended coastal towns while the defenders struggled to regroup.
With the shocking fall of Herames, our Queen decided to send aid to our Mirtaran allies. Athar is reliant on Mirtaran food imports and we could ill afford for them to fall to a foreign invader. With time being of the essence, the word went out to prepare for war and the nobility began conscripting their levies, assembling them at the capital. The Mirtaran leadership also sent appeals for aid to King Miram of Ondil, but the Ondilese High Council decided that Mirtars problems were it's own, so long as Lethan didn't cross Ondil's borders they would not join the fray. They did however call upon their war leader, General Rheygar, to assemble their military forces at their border, just in case.
Athars initial entry into the war was made at sea. The Royal fleet engaged the Sidhari raiders in open waters and won a decisive victory. Securing the seas to the east and south Athar began to transport troops to Mirtar. A beachhead was established, at great cost of life, in the ravaged port town of Illaster. The Atharan forces sought to create a centre of strength in Illaster, a base from which Athar could push forward against the Lethani.
With the naval fleet protecting the transports and Illaster secured on the western shore, the tides seemed to be turning. The remaining Mirtaran military forces began to regroup in western Mirtar. The Lethani found their progress halted. Intent on capturing the capital, Seramus had pushed far into the kingdom and found his forces caught between the two armies. Forced to fight on two fronts, it began to look as if Lethan would be pushed back out of Mirtar before the seasons turned. Would have, that is, if Koeth hadn't chosen to exploit Athars diverted attentions.
Without warning the Koethans launched an attack, streaming down from their mountains in surprising numbers to lay siege to Athars northern holds. Our forces stretched far too thin, Queen Ivayn came to an agonizing realization. Without reinforcement, the northern defense would collapse. Just as the situation in Mirtar was turning, Athar was forced to pull out of Illaster, leaving only a small token force behind. With the bulk of the fleet heading north to reinforce the soldiers fighting Koeth, the Sidhari returned in force. The Atharans still in Mirtar were forced to surrender Illaster and move further into the Mirtaran heartlands, to attempt to meet up with their allies there. Free to focus on one front, Seramus renewed his assault on the heart of Mirtar, laying siege to the capital itself.
Mirtar would probably have fallen completely if General Rheygar hadn't finally convinced the Ondilese king and council to act before it was too late. Marching southwards, Rheygar arrived in time to reinforce the Mirtaran defenders. Not prepared for attack from a second front, the Lethani suffered a serious defeat there. A brilliant strategist, Rheygar pressed that advantage to the maximum and the Lethani began to retreat. Slowly they were forced to give up the territory they had taken, until finally, over a year later, the combined Ondilese and Mirtaran armies met the bulk of Sermus's forces on the fields south of Fort Herames. The site of Mirtar's greatest military defeat became the setting for their decisive victory over their attackers. When the sun set on that bloody day not only would Lethan be in full retreat but Seramus himself would be dead, slain on the field of battle.
The popular tale is that Rheygar himself slew Seramus. That he and his elite guard drove through the Lethani lines where he then engaged in mortal combat with Seramus. Although there are many verifiable accounts of the General's bravery and martial prowess throughout the war, in all likelihood this is an exaggeration. While this act would certainly have dealt a tremendous blow to Lethani morale, the risk involved is one that few sane leaders would be willing to take. Nevertheless, the tale is told wherever veterans gather to drink their nights away. Hardly reliable sources, but without real evidence it is impossible to dismiss the possibility. Rheygar himself has done nothing to discourage this account. Even the General's recent actions have done little to diminish his acclaim.
With the Lethani in retreat and the possibility of Ondilese aid, Koeth appears to have decided that the winds of fortune had changed. As quickly as they'd come, the Koethans retreated back to their mountains, leaving Athar finally able to send troops back into Mirtar, to aid with securing the realm from the scattered bands of Sidhari and Lethan raiders who remained while Rheygar and the main body of the Mirtaran military pushed the broken Lethani south.
While the war may be over, the West will continue to feel it's influence for many years, have no a doubt about that. Here within the halls of Torvaire you students may be somewhat sheltered from the effects, but I'm sure you have all heard the gossip in the taverns these last few months. We are all blessed, or cursed if you prefer, to be witnessing history in the making. Be attentive, not only in your studies, but in your observations, for future generations will look to you to recount the flow of events.
...
And a map to help make sense of the events. Some people will note that this is different from the previous map I posted. Yeah, I needed to juggle it around a bit to fit the flow of events.
Those who have been following my game, Scars of War, will know that it is set in the aftermath of a war which engulfed the Western Kingdoms. So here's a bit of background info, the sort of thing you will be able to read in books in-game (similar to the way Morrowind has interesting books to read). I'll post up a proper dev shot, with pretty screenshots, sometime soon. ;)
The War in the West.
...Excerpt from a lecture by Professor Limarrn to students of Torvaire Universities Cultural Studies department...
While many of my less informed brethren point to the ambitious and warlike nature of the, now thankfully deceased, Seramus of Lethan as the cause of the recent war, the roots of this conflict lie far in the past. The constant border skirmishes between Lethan and Mirtar trace back all the way to the time of the Talurian Empire's occupation. At the height of their strength the Talurian warships sailed around the continent, their armies plundering and conquering wherever they landed. The Westlands would prove to be no exception. Despite the strong resistance offered by both the Koethans and the Imarathi Sorcerer-Kings, the outcome was inevitable, and one by one the tribes of our ancestors fell to the invaders. All except the Lethani. They fought the longest and the hardest to retain their freedom, waging desperate guerrilla warfare, striking suddenly then disappearing into the depths of the High Forest. This in direct contrast to the southern Ontaran tribes, peaceful peoples who, unable to offer much resistance, were quickly enslaved by the Talurians. Their new masters immediately set them to clearing the High Forest, which you will remember at the time spread all the way to the shoreline, to planting fields and building roads. The Lethani were a prideful people, not given to sympathy, and they reviled their fellows' pitiful show of resistance. However, despite what some of my more, shall we say excitable, colleagues might inform you, there is almost no historical evidence that they turned this scorn into attacks on their enslaved kinsmen. Such nonsense is simply another attempt to demonize them after the war. True historians seek to remain objective, always, remember that all of you. Your duty is to the truth only. Some of your seniors would do well to remember that, but I digress...
In the end, despite their efforts, the Talurians were the stronger, and the Lethani were forced to retreat further and further south, to the barren lands they found there.
Two centuries later, when internal and external strife in the north saw Taluria divided and weakened, and King Pherias of Ondil secretly formed an alliance of the Western kingdoms, Lethan was the first to join him. Despite the hardships they faced in the barrens they had prospered as a people, transforming from a disorganized band of refugees into a kingdom of determined and disciplined warriors. Eager for vengeance, they fought ferociously throughout the bitter struggle that followed and were responsible for more than a few victories against the Empire.
Despite this, when the battle was won and the Talurians were pushed into the sea, Pherias supported the southern Ontaran tribes' claim to the lands now known as Mirtar. Scholars of the era know Pherias as a shrewdly intelligent leader and it is speculated that he didn't wish to strengthen an already warlike neighbor. Whatever his reasoning, the Lethani were outraged. Of all the westerners, the Mirtaran people (as the southern tribes now called themselves) were the last to join the alliance. Centuries under the Talurians had seen them almost fully integrated with their oppressors. While they had been second class citizens they had enjoyed many of the privileges of their masters, serving them on their estates and living comfortably in their cities. Only after the Mirtaran hero Bhennin roused his people did they go to war to throw off the Talurian yoke. The Lethani believed them undeserving of this richest of prizes, the fertile and wealthy farmlands at the heart of their former oppressors realm. In their minds it was they, the Lethani, who were entitled to it. They had fought the hardest for it, bled the most for it. Despite their outrage over Pherias's decision, they were no fools. They realised that going against Pherias, who controlled the alliance of western kingdoms, was futile. So they returned to their southern lands, bitter and resentful.
And so it has continued to this day. Each new king of Lethan harbors the same resentment, the same sense that they are entitled to the wealth their northern neighbors posses. They have made regular attempts to take it by force of arms, but each time the Mirtarans have pushed them back. Thus it came as no surprise then when young King Seramus of Lethan, flush from his victories to the north, chose to try his own luck. As with most of his ancestors attempts, he was thwarted by the walls of Fort Herames. That ancient fortress had been built by the Mirtarans to guard their border against just such an attack, and guard it it did, despite Seramus's best efforts. Seramus had to content himself with burning down a few villages. This setback did not stop him from trying again, twice, in the following half a decade.
Old king Dheron of Mirtar was a peaceful man, more interested in trade treaties and public works than fighting wars, and he didn't wish to see his nation's strength devoted to fending off a vigorous young aggressor. After the third assault he sought to make an ally of an enemy, offering an alliance to Seramus, with his daughter's hand in marriage to seal the deal. To the surprise of many at the time, Seramus agreed. And for a time it worked. Another five years passed without any conflict between the two nations.
Then, as we all know, King Dheron and his heir died in a most unfortunate hunting accident. Now it is at this point that I feel it is my duty to once again emphasis that, despite what a rather fanciful tavern tale doing the rounds suggests, Dheron's death was most certainly an accident. Kidar Notrum, an alumni of this very university and a mage of the finest order was called upon to investigate, his divinations revealed no foul play. It was an accident, a most tragic accident. Made a hundredfold more tragic by the consequences of that event. Mirtar was left king less. With no direct descendant, the nobles were left to squabble amongst themselves as to who would be crowned the new king. And squabble they did, for months. That is, until Seramus and his entourage arrived at the gates of Endhauvar. As Dhevons son-in-law he declared that his claim to the Mirtaran throne was the strongest. Mirtar would at long last fall under Lethani rule. To no ones surprise, the nobility of Mirtar found this idea rather abhorrent and sent Seramus packing. He would return to Mirtar at the head of an army. Stronger by far than the previous attempts, and funded by profits from the silver mines he'd discovered in the mountains of Lethan. United at last against a common foe, the nobility of Mirtar rallied their warriors and met him at the border. The two clashed as they had so often in the past, but this time was different. Seramus's army was larger, better trained and better equipped. And the nobles squabbled amongst themselves as to matters of strategy and authority. Such indecisiveness cost them, and they were pushed back, back to Fort Herames. Seramus pursued, and laid siege to the mighty fortress. Digging deep into his coffers he had mighty siege engines built and hired foreign sorcerers to hurl powerful curses at the defenders.
Perhaps even this would not have been sufficient if Fort Herames hadn't fallen to treachery. In it's over a century of existence Herames had never been breached, yet less than a month after the siege began it was gutted and destroyed. The Mirtaran Army, still leaderless, lost more than a third of it's strength in that battle. The Lethani pushed deep into Mirtar, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Bought by silver and promises of plunder, ships laden with Sidhari raiders sailed up the Mirtaran coastline, laying waste to undefended coastal towns while the defenders struggled to regroup.
With the shocking fall of Herames, our Queen decided to send aid to our Mirtaran allies. Athar is reliant on Mirtaran food imports and we could ill afford for them to fall to a foreign invader. With time being of the essence, the word went out to prepare for war and the nobility began conscripting their levies, assembling them at the capital. The Mirtaran leadership also sent appeals for aid to King Miram of Ondil, but the Ondilese High Council decided that Mirtars problems were it's own, so long as Lethan didn't cross Ondil's borders they would not join the fray. They did however call upon their war leader, General Rheygar, to assemble their military forces at their border, just in case.
Athars initial entry into the war was made at sea. The Royal fleet engaged the Sidhari raiders in open waters and won a decisive victory. Securing the seas to the east and south Athar began to transport troops to Mirtar. A beachhead was established, at great cost of life, in the ravaged port town of Illaster. The Atharan forces sought to create a centre of strength in Illaster, a base from which Athar could push forward against the Lethani.
With the naval fleet protecting the transports and Illaster secured on the western shore, the tides seemed to be turning. The remaining Mirtaran military forces began to regroup in western Mirtar. The Lethani found their progress halted. Intent on capturing the capital, Seramus had pushed far into the kingdom and found his forces caught between the two armies. Forced to fight on two fronts, it began to look as if Lethan would be pushed back out of Mirtar before the seasons turned. Would have, that is, if Koeth hadn't chosen to exploit Athars diverted attentions.
Without warning the Koethans launched an attack, streaming down from their mountains in surprising numbers to lay siege to Athars northern holds. Our forces stretched far too thin, Queen Ivayn came to an agonizing realization. Without reinforcement, the northern defense would collapse. Just as the situation in Mirtar was turning, Athar was forced to pull out of Illaster, leaving only a small token force behind. With the bulk of the fleet heading north to reinforce the soldiers fighting Koeth, the Sidhari returned in force. The Atharans still in Mirtar were forced to surrender Illaster and move further into the Mirtaran heartlands, to attempt to meet up with their allies there. Free to focus on one front, Seramus renewed his assault on the heart of Mirtar, laying siege to the capital itself.
Mirtar would probably have fallen completely if General Rheygar hadn't finally convinced the Ondilese king and council to act before it was too late. Marching southwards, Rheygar arrived in time to reinforce the Mirtaran defenders. Not prepared for attack from a second front, the Lethani suffered a serious defeat there. A brilliant strategist, Rheygar pressed that advantage to the maximum and the Lethani began to retreat. Slowly they were forced to give up the territory they had taken, until finally, over a year later, the combined Ondilese and Mirtaran armies met the bulk of Sermus's forces on the fields south of Fort Herames. The site of Mirtar's greatest military defeat became the setting for their decisive victory over their attackers. When the sun set on that bloody day not only would Lethan be in full retreat but Seramus himself would be dead, slain on the field of battle.
The popular tale is that Rheygar himself slew Seramus. That he and his elite guard drove through the Lethani lines where he then engaged in mortal combat with Seramus. Although there are many verifiable accounts of the General's bravery and martial prowess throughout the war, in all likelihood this is an exaggeration. While this act would certainly have dealt a tremendous blow to Lethani morale, the risk involved is one that few sane leaders would be willing to take. Nevertheless, the tale is told wherever veterans gather to drink their nights away. Hardly reliable sources, but without real evidence it is impossible to dismiss the possibility. Rheygar himself has done nothing to discourage this account. Even the General's recent actions have done little to diminish his acclaim.
With the Lethani in retreat and the possibility of Ondilese aid, Koeth appears to have decided that the winds of fortune had changed. As quickly as they'd come, the Koethans retreated back to their mountains, leaving Athar finally able to send troops back into Mirtar, to aid with securing the realm from the scattered bands of Sidhari and Lethan raiders who remained while Rheygar and the main body of the Mirtaran military pushed the broken Lethani south.
While the war may be over, the West will continue to feel it's influence for many years, have no a doubt about that. Here within the halls of Torvaire you students may be somewhat sheltered from the effects, but I'm sure you have all heard the gossip in the taverns these last few months. We are all blessed, or cursed if you prefer, to be witnessing history in the making. Be attentive, not only in your studies, but in your observations, for future generations will look to you to recount the flow of events.
...
And a map to help make sense of the events. Some people will note that this is different from the previous map I posted. Yeah, I needed to juggle it around a bit to fit the flow of events.
#2
10/26/2007 (10:09 pm)
You are awsome. Love all of your plans, game sounds great - you should give me a link to a website about it. You should really make a tutorial on all this stuff when you are done, all your stuff I've seen is truly fantastic!
Torque 3D Owner Matt Huston