SATURDAY
Revisiting the Treaty (Pre-Event Story Summary)
Warriors of Clan Stormjarl raided the Grimward coast last fall in an attempt to fight back against Clan Grimward after their continued public stance that the civil war is not over for them. With Clan Grimward recently entering into the Iron-Ward Alliance with Clan Ironmound, it seems like some of the Clans are poised to escalate into full scale conflict.
With an uneasy peace among the rest of the Ulven clans continuing on into the beginning of the fall, a loud message has been made public by Greytir Stormjarl, Clanleader of Clan Stormjarl. The Clanleader has proclaimed that they wish to enter into discussions with both Clan Grimward and Clan Nightriver and revisit the “Treaty” that was put into place at the end of the civil war. They have voiced for several years now that the Treaty was unjust and deeply wounded them but wants to give diplomacy a chance. Clan Grimward has countered saying that they agreed to this treaty and paid their fair reparations which was what the combined efforts of Clan Nightriver and the City-State of Newhope asked them to do. They see Clan Stormjarl’s aggression as unwarranted and pushing to continue an ended civil war.
Branthur Nightriver, Clanleader of Clan Nightriver, has agreed to send an ambassador to meet with delegates of both Clan Grimward and Clan Stormjarl to discuss the treaty and to see if there is a diplomatic resolution to this friction. A neutral ground location has been selected just across the Yurnai River in an area known as Haygreth’s Scar, a no-man’s-land territory on the border between Clan Grimward and Clan Stormjarl. An open invitation has been made to all for a chance for adventurers, travelers, and faction representatives to come and be involved in the discussions.
Can diplomacy mend wounded honor? Can those in attendance speak words to the hearts of these rivaling Clans in order to stop further conflict? The impact of this meeting to discuss the treaty, the stances and actions taken by those parties involved, and how some of the Clans move forward will be critical in laying the foundation for what these “tensions” look like into the rest of the year.
SATURDAY AFTER EVENT SUMMARY
As delegations from both sides of this conflict met upon the chosen location in Haygreth’s Scar, many were unnerved to see warpacks of both Clans positioned nearby to respond should violence erupt. For many people across the continent, the civil war had been over for several years. For these two Clans, it was something they were willing to fight over.
Mimicking a strategy used by Haygreth Grimward 4 years ago at the Armistice Meeting, the Clanleader himself surprised all in attendance by being present to push negotiations forward. Negotiations between Clan Stormjarl and Clan Grimward looked pretty bleak for most of the day as both sides refused to give in or back down. It wasn’t until the representatives from Clan Nightriver stepped in and were willing to give back Grimward Honor-Bound to get the Stormjarl Thralls returned. An agreement was made and hostilities ended… but just barely. All of the Stormjarl Thralls will be returned to their clan and all of the Grimward Honorbound will be returned from Nightriver. Everyone had to pay a bit of a cost to compromise; Nightriver had to give up the honorbound, Grimward had to give up a bit more in thralls than they received in honorbound (but the numbers were close), and Stormjarl had to relent on their lost territory. With the Treaty amended to make this happen, Clan Stormjarl finally agreed to sign. All three large clans involved walked away with their honor intact and a cease to hostilities.
An interesting twist that took place during these negotiations was that Calder Whitecap, Warleader of Clan Squallborn, attended and talked to some of the major groups in attendance. His goal was to look towards the future of his Clan and what options were available to him. After several vocal, and public, outbursts between him and Haygreth Grimward, Calder was seen speaking to the Clan Stormjarl representative and making an agreement with them. He decided that despite their differences and the conflict of the past, he intends to form an agreement/alliance with Clan Stormjarl, working with them on the future of their clan, bypassing the offers made to them by Clan Nightriver, Clan Grimward, and some colonial forces. How the rest of his proud people will respond to “siding with the enemy” will act will be crucial to the future of Clan Squallborn.
SUNDAY
Iron and Honor (Pre-Event Story Summary)
Clan Ironmound has long been an economic and bartering powerhouse among the Ulven people. Quality metals, weapons, and armor made by their smiths have been used all over the continent for many generations. Their recent stance to enter into an alliance with Clan Grimward came as a shock to many; including some of their own people. A growing friction among their people has become noticeable as some have voiced their concern at how this alliance looks to the rest of the Clans. For the most part, the people of Clan Ironmound are content with this new forged alliance and how it will bring stability to their Clan… along with great business opportunities.
However, Clan Ironmound’s association with Clan Grimward has made them a target for wounded honor and vengeful family members and pack mates. Although the civil war is over and most of the continent is content with peace, there are those that do not agree with the big picture. Raiders have collected in numbers and begin to target small opportunities as they are presented. Their backgrounds vary; dissenters from Clan Ironmound willing to take action against this alliance, Watchwolf of Sol warriors from Clan Nightriver territory who seek to avenge their conquered kin to the west, or various warriors looking to pay for perceived wounded honor with blood. Denounced by the Iron-Ward Alliance as “unlawful and dishonorable bandits” and condoned by those who feel that honor and the Greatwolf’s judgement is at stake, these small scale skirmishes represent a growing wedge in the Ulven people.
There appears to be more visible “lines in the sand” being drawn in various large and small groups within the Clans and the Clanless. Word has spread that a shipment of goods being sent through the Great Wolf’s Hackles heading south will be targeted by these raiders. It seems like a confrontation is inevitable.
Will the actions of those involved and the outcome of the Treaty meeting make an impact one way or another in which side of this conflict is supported? Will unaffiliated forces step in and choose a side or stay out of these conflicts lest they be judged by their decision? Will those that have chosen a stance in post-civil war Mardrun take action or merely sit idly by? Although these raids are small scale conflicts, the ramifications for being involved on either side of the “line in the sand” could be profound.
SUNDAY AFTER EVENT SUMMARY
After a rather public and vocal opposition to the Iron-Ward Alliance, the caravan scheduled to pass through the Great Wolf’s Hackles continued on as scheduled. More and more guards were drawn to the defense of the caravan and the control of the surrounding areas. Without any fanfare or public declarations, the Raiders in the pass hit pushed in to try to tackle control of the area and make picking apart the caravan defenses easier. However, the Iron-Ward guards were ready and sent equal forces of warriors out to oppose them. Fighting broke out immediately.
With the Iron-Ward Alliance guards gaining the upper hand early on, especially with the support of some members of various factions, attrition caught up to them. By the afternoon, the lead was lost and both sides pushed heavily to contest the area. Ulven warriors tore into each other. By the end, the Raiders pulled off a victory over the Iron-Ward guards; the strategic path around the caravans defenders was under Raider control and the caravan itself was raided. Supplies and various goods were stolen, causing a rather harsh economic cost to Clan Ironmound.
However, the staggering deaths and brutality of the fighting would really consider this a pyrrhic victory. Although the caravan was overrun, the Iron-Ward Alliance stands firm in their stance to defend itself and its interests and was not willing to give up on the fight and dishonor themselves. They did not give up or retreat and were willing to fight and kill their enemies. The Raiders died and paid a heavy blood price to be able to send their message to the rest of the continent. Personal honor may be avenged for some of them by standing up and fighting for what they believed in, but the cost means that it is unlikely any organized effort like this will rise again anytime soon… if at all.