Prologue
After years of uneasy peace and skirmishing between the various petty empires and city states of the Border Princes, the region finally erupted into full scale warfare during the new year of 2524 (Imperial Calendar).
In order to calm tensions within his Dukedom, Duke Huebald of Carcassonne granted the Border Prince fiefs of Madritte and Arnatos to two of his border lords, safely removing them from the scandal and intrigue of the Carasonne court. The two lords wasted no time whatsoever in declaring war on neighbouring Freihafen, appalled at their degenerate ways and dangerous republican ideology. A raiding force lead by Marquis Toulous Le Plot burnt down many farmsteads and villages to the north of the region, beginning a bitter vendetta between the two empires.
Bretonnia was not the only human state to dispatch expeditions to the Border Princes. In order to win political support for their bid to the electorship of Averland, the Alptraum family raised an army of some 12,000 fighting men, equipped largely out of their own coffers. Ostensibly intended to reinforce the existing Empire protectorate at Freihafen, the army was also tasked with a mission of conquest and annexation. If substantial areas of the Border Princes could be added to the Empire it would substantially increase the Alptraum’s standing amongst their peers. The army began by laying siege to Vidoran but suffered numerous catastrophic defeats at the hands of mercenaries hired to defend the city. Eventually, in frustration, the army bypassed the city altogether, instead taking the poorly defended city of Moslac to the south. Moslac was more than happy to accept their new “liberators” in exchange for protection against the vast hordes of Skaven boiling their way up from the lair underneath the city. This left the Averland supply chain dangerously exposed, forced to circumvent the truculent city of Vidoran and exposed to the attentions of Beastmen and Dark Elf raiders who had begun working their way inland.
Middenheim also sent forces into the Border Princes. Taking the mountain city of Mortensholm with Freihafen help, the Middenlanders immediately annexed the city for themselves, rejecting their Freihafen allies and destroying relations between the two empires.
After years of absence from the region, the High Elves of also chose to invade the Border Princes on masse, carried across the western ocean on fleets of dragon ships. An advance force landed at the city state of Kassos, bribing their passage through the region before reaching the Bretonnian fief of Arnatos. Upon learning of the Elves intentions Marquis’ Rockfort and Le Plot were only too happy to escort the elves into Freihafen territory where they retook their ancestral home, the Phoenix Tower.
Meanwhile, anxious to secure a port, the bulk of the Elven forces attacked Achaes from the sea, sparring with their former kin the Dark Elves for possession of the city. After a titanic battle neither side emerged victorious but the frightened citizen’s of Achaes, awed by the site of dragon’s duelling in the air and massive outpourings of magical energy, accepted Elf gold to open their gates and bow Elven rule.
No sooner had they done this when Freihafen, in revenge for the Elven annexation of their northern territories, dispatched a fleet and army to Archaes to “liberate” the city. Striking suddenly from the sea and aided by sympathisers half the city was quickly brought back under human control. The jubilant religious leaders of Freihafen then declared a crusade of faith, sending armies of peasants and templar knights into the Achaes forests. Slaughtering beastmen and burning down their ancient woodland home, they prompted a massive migration to forests in the east. Enraged at this unwelcome violation of their realm, the formerly introverted and inward looking beastmen began to turn their attentions towards outside threats.
The beastmen were not the only slumbering giant to be awakened. Lizardmen, long content to remain in their marshy home along the Tana Dante river, dispatched an expedition to the Tombs of Cairnos. They were met and defeated by an army of the living dead. All over the Border Princes there were reports of the dead arising to make war on the living. Morrsleib shone brightly in the night sky and soothsayers and seers began making dire predictions of the times to come.
After years of uneasy peace and skirmishing between the various petty empires and city states of the Border Princes, the region finally erupted into full scale warfare during the new year of 2524 (Imperial Calendar).
In order to calm tensions within his Dukedom, Duke Huebald of Carcassonne granted the Border Prince fiefs of Madritte and Arnatos to two of his border lords, safely removing them from the scandal and intrigue of the Carasonne court. The two lords wasted no time whatsoever in declaring war on neighbouring Freihafen, appalled at their degenerate ways and dangerous republican ideology. A raiding force lead by Marquis Toulous Le Plot burnt down many farmsteads and villages to the north of the region, beginning a bitter vendetta between the two empires.
Bretonnia was not the only human state to dispatch expeditions to the Border Princes. In order to win political support for their bid to the electorship of Averland, the Alptraum family raised an army of some 12,000 fighting men, equipped largely out of their own coffers. Ostensibly intended to reinforce the existing Empire protectorate at Freihafen, the army was also tasked with a mission of conquest and annexation. If substantial areas of the Border Princes could be added to the Empire it would substantially increase the Alptraum’s standing amongst their peers. The army began by laying siege to Vidoran but suffered numerous catastrophic defeats at the hands of mercenaries hired to defend the city. Eventually, in frustration, the army bypassed the city altogether, instead taking the poorly defended city of Moslac to the south. Moslac was more than happy to accept their new “liberators” in exchange for protection against the vast hordes of Skaven boiling their way up from the lair underneath the city. This left the Averland supply chain dangerously exposed, forced to circumvent the truculent city of Vidoran and exposed to the attentions of Beastmen and Dark Elf raiders who had begun working their way inland.
Middenheim also sent forces into the Border Princes. Taking the mountain city of Mortensholm with Freihafen help, the Middenlanders immediately annexed the city for themselves, rejecting their Freihafen allies and destroying relations between the two empires.
After years of absence from the region, the High Elves of also chose to invade the Border Princes on masse, carried across the western ocean on fleets of dragon ships. An advance force landed at the city state of Kassos, bribing their passage through the region before reaching the Bretonnian fief of Arnatos. Upon learning of the Elves intentions Marquis’ Rockfort and Le Plot were only too happy to escort the elves into Freihafen territory where they retook their ancestral home, the Phoenix Tower.
Meanwhile, anxious to secure a port, the bulk of the Elven forces attacked Achaes from the sea, sparring with their former kin the Dark Elves for possession of the city. After a titanic battle neither side emerged victorious but the frightened citizen’s of Achaes, awed by the site of dragon’s duelling in the air and massive outpourings of magical energy, accepted Elf gold to open their gates and bow Elven rule.
No sooner had they done this when Freihafen, in revenge for the Elven annexation of their northern territories, dispatched a fleet and army to Archaes to “liberate” the city. Striking suddenly from the sea and aided by sympathisers half the city was quickly brought back under human control. The jubilant religious leaders of Freihafen then declared a crusade of faith, sending armies of peasants and templar knights into the Achaes forests. Slaughtering beastmen and burning down their ancient woodland home, they prompted a massive migration to forests in the east. Enraged at this unwelcome violation of their realm, the formerly introverted and inward looking beastmen began to turn their attentions towards outside threats.
The beastmen were not the only slumbering giant to be awakened. Lizardmen, long content to remain in their marshy home along the Tana Dante river, dispatched an expedition to the Tombs of Cairnos. They were met and defeated by an army of the living dead. All over the Border Princes there were reports of the dead arising to make war on the living. Morrsleib shone brightly in the night sky and soothsayers and seers began making dire predictions of the times to come.
posted by Rick at 4:52 PM
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