Norland
For horribly outdated information on Norland, check out the Norland News! For a more up-to-date report, pick up a copy of the Asgard Informer!
Contents
Judicial System
Recruitment
History
2004-2005
War: Barony of Makar against Norland The Barony of Makar was the agressor as far as I know. Norland's armies pushed them back, however, taking Egret's Rock, Uforth, Makar, Jerkel and Yule, before former BoM region Lamia defected to Eston and before Upper Tell was handed over to Eston, thus cutting Norland off from the Barony. Barony was promised to get the two regions back from Eston after the peace treaty, but Eston did not cooperate. This triggered the Barony of Makar - Norland alliance later on.
2005
Falasan - Tara war Norland sends armies to help defend Falasan's territories. This marked the beginning of Tara's decline.
Campaign against Tuchanon III The first Eastern Alliance united front campaign against Tuchanon III, which was based in Tucha. Norland did not participate in the second one that eventually destroyed the realm.
2005-2006
War: Norland and Barony of Makar against Eston Very long story. The agressor was Norland, who had enough of the treaty that Eston had them sign after a war that Norland lost ages ago. Barony of Makar joined Norland in the hope of getting former regions from Eston and Norland back. After a couple of Eston defeats Talerium and Darka were drawn into the conflict on Eston's side. Darka pulled out later and the vikings asked for help from Minas Ithil. Both Talerium and Minas Ithil pulled out before the war was officially over. The event that triggered the peace treaty was the secession of Massilion in Eston (led by former leaders of Eston who wanted the continuation of the war they started).
Eston lost Upper Tell, Lamia and Fiddleford to Barony of Makar, Ashmoor, Moramroth, Belegrond and Barad Riel to Norland (latter two were handed over as a result of the peace treaty), Amdor, Amriel and Elost to Minas Ithil. What Eston gained was better relations with Norland and BoM, due to the change of leaders and attitude in their realm. Norland handed over Yule, Jerkel and former BoM capital Makar to the Barony for their dedication in the war. Uforth was also to be handed over, but Sordnaz (dictator of BoM) decided to let Norland keep it as a symbol of good-will on the part of the Barony.
2006
Tournament in Brackhead (and also in jousting and swordfighting ^_^) With the participation of 250 troopleaders Norland hosted her first tournament ever. People from all over the continent started arriving soon after the competition was announced. With the exception of Alexandra there wasn't one person who didn't get drunk. The main program of the day was usually to drink enough to remain drunk. Some claim they'd sobered up by the time the swordfighting and jousting started, but we have to wait and see the drug-test results.
The winner of the swordfighting competition was Malfix from Abington, Diruo of Minas Ithil being the runner-up. The most successful viking was Simone from the Barony of Makar, who beat Adrick, the best swordfighter of Norland in the quarter-finals, only to be beaten later in the semi-final.
The main event (jousting competition) was won by DrSeptre of the Barony, with Travis from Eston as his final opponent. The viking that got furthest was obviously DrSeptre, while the most successful Norlander was Palthos, who made it to the semi-final.
2006-2009
War: Norland and Barony of Makar against Minas Ithil Feeling that Minas Ithil's halfhearted and negligent 'support' in the Eston war did not justify the price paid in return Norland demanded Amdor, Amriel and Elost to be returned to Norland and Eston. Eventually (once threatened by the armies of Norland, Eston and The Barony of Makar) Minas Ithil's ruler Dead Angel3 reluctantly agreed. With typical callous malice Dead Angel3 insisted that these regions be taken by force at the cost of many innocent Ithilian civilians, militia and soldiers. Norland and Minas Ithil's generals, however, worked together in secret to minimise the losses on both sides.
Shortly after the repatriation of these regions it was agreed that there was little doubt that given their history of opportunism and the suspected personal desire of Dead Angel3 to return Barad Reil to the control of his family that Minas Ithil would inevitably strike against Norland, most likely when Norland's armies were engaged elsewhere.
This, combined with deep religious differences, Minas Ithil's history of duplicity, malice and opportunism under Dead Angel3 and the desire to free the historically viking duchy of York from the cruel hand of Dead Angel3's Minas Ithil were judged reason enough for Norland to go to war with Minas Ithil with the goal of reducing the threat to those around them either by deposing Dead Angel3 for a more trustworthy and honorable ruler or by reducing their military and economic power by repatriating the people of the duchy of York with their Viking brethren.
Phase 1: Norland and BoM against Minas Ithil
- With Norland declaring war Minas Ithil rallied her armies and met the viking army in Winwich, which Norland had already invaded. Soon the Barony of Makar also joined the fight, leading short looting-raids into Minas Ithil. At this stage the war was fairly balanced. Minas Ithil was repelled in Mansbridge, but entered Norland through Elost soon afterwards. The Ithilian army was beaten back soon after their takeover of the region began and now it was Norland's turn to go on the offensive. The viking armies were again pushed back from Lyton and Winwich and it seemed like neither sides are going to be able to make a progress...
Phase 2: Norland and BoM against Minas Ithil and Cagilan Empire
- Dead Angel3 called for help against Norland and received some from the largest realm in Atamara... the armies of the Cagilan Empire were headed towards Norland. Just 2 days after the defeat of the Ithilian army in Mansbridge the Cagilan army entered the same region in the belief that Norland was still taking care of his wounds somewhere in the capital. They were wrong. Norland unexpectedly arrived to the battlefield and successfully defended the fort against the incoming Cagilan army and the Ithilian support-troops.
Phase 3: Norland, BoM and Abington against Minas Ithil
- With the entry of the Cagilan Empire to the war Abington decided it was time to repay the visit of Minas Ithil from a few months earlier, and even the odds. Just as the Cagilan army arrived home, Abington entered Minas Ithil. It was at this time that the Cagilan Empire decided to pull out of the war, claiming that whatever Abington is doing, it must be the right thing to do. Minas Ithil's army met the enemy in the middle of the realm, but was defeated. Norland arrived with a new army and invaded Winwich and Dunstoke. Abington burned down whatever they could and tried to hurt Minas Ithil as much as possible. They did a good job. With the economy in ruins the Ithilians had to concentrate on rebuilding it, rather than defending the borders. Barony of Makar decided it was time to pull out from the war, and so they returned to the north. Norland took over Winwich after several days, but got reports of Abington battling Talerium on their way home. Talerium was coming...
Phase 4: Norland against Minas Ithil and Talerium
- Dead Angel3 was once again lucky enough to receive help from the former enemies of Norland. Winwich did not have a fort, and the enemy was stronger than the viking army, so it was up to General Balian Da Hadez to think of a strategy that would bring victory to Norland's side. The Talerian and Ithilian armies arrived to the region with the morning sunlight, but since there was a troopleader from Makar among the viking ranks the Talerian army refused to fight, since they were at peace with the Barony. The Ithilian army had been slaughtered, and Taleriam's leaders declared the Barony of Makar a neutral realm. Both armies prepared for the upcoming second battle, and as the sun started setting the aggressors charged. The brutal battle was another heroic victory for Norland though General Balian Da Hadez lost his life charging the attacking forces in an attempt to disrupt their advance on the defending vikings.
Phase 5: Norland against Minas Ithil
- With Minas Ithil and her two strongest allies beaten Dead Angel3 approached Norland with the offer of a treaty to keep the war solely between the two realms with no outside intervention by allies. Despite Minas Ithil's greater resources and Norland's suspicions of treachery to come the treaty was agreed. Norland stood her ground admirably against the superior odds until a bloody stalemate developed, with both sides taking heavy losses for months. Eventually, however, lack of resources, battle weariness and the deaths of key nobles left Norland vulnerable. All it took was for Norland to falter in two critical battles for Minas Ithil, her coffers swollen from a recent tournament, to gain the upper-hand. Despite the heroic efforts of Norland's remaining forces under the mysterious General R'Guard Da Hadez, Elost was finally lost to Minas Ithil and in quick succession Amriel, Barad Reil, Melmoor, Hernepoole and Moramroth fell to the invaders. Though Norland managed to oust Minas Ithil from Hernepoole and Melmoor it was obvious that their backs were against the wall.
Phase 6: Norland, BoM and Eston against Minas Ithil then Peace
- During Minas Ithil's invasion into Norland's territory their allies Eston and The Barony of Makar had beseeched Norland to break the one-on-one treaty and allow them to move against their enemies. Norland had consistently refused such aid on the grounds that they could not break the treaty honorably. Eventually sabotage in Norland by priests of realms allied to Minas Ithil gave Eston and The Barony the justification they needed to take matters in their own hands and move against Minas Ithil in order to save their ally from approaching oblivion. In the bloody weeks that followed Minas Ithil were pushed back out of Norland's territory and Eston took control of Barad Reil. General R'Guard Da Hadez stepped down as a matter of personal honor, having personally guaranteed the one-on-one treaty would be honored, and Dead Angel3 fulfilled an earlier promise to step down as king of Minas Ithil. A three-week ceasefire was declared to allow Minas Ithil to host a tournament to bid farewell to their departing ruler. With Dead Angel3 gone, replaced with the apparently honorable former general Raoul De La Fere, peace came quickly with all sides agreeing to cease hostilities and return borders to their pre-war state for the time being.
Phase 7: Northern Federation re-enters the war with Minas Ithil
- Months after the peace treaty with Minas Ithil and with Norland somewhat repaired the Northern federation came to the decision of re-entering the war with Minas Ithil. Norland being the main belligerent in the war with Eston and Barony Of Makar supporting their forces. The invasion came swiftly and after multiple battles Norland quickly retook Winwich and began expanding even further into Minas Ithil lands with Eston and the Makarian's looting Ithilian regions in conjunction with the Norland army. At one point Norland had taken over Winwich, Cheltenborne and Dunstoke while also brutalizing other regions. During this time Norland lost the hero Branimir in fire storm of battle.
- Dead Angel3 had resurfaced as an assassin, captured trying to murder nobles of Norland in their sleep. When he was captured during a second murderous attack Norland's Judge Gunner 'Serpent' had him executed for this crime as per agreed treaties regarding assassins. There followed an outcry among those in Minas Ithil still loyal to their fallen leader but more surprisingly from among the ruling classes of some realms who believed that one who had shared their status was above being subject to such justice. Minas Ithil exploited this misplaced outrage expertly, driving wedges between Norland and the other realms.
- Eston's army was still fighting in Minas Ithil when their long-time allies and neighbors, the mercenary realm Darka, attacked them without warning, quickly taking the duchy of Masillion. Eston pulled back to defend their lands but the swiftness and strength of the Darka attack at their rear had overwhelmed them.
Phase 8: Northern Federation splits
- With Eston severely beaten by the mercenary Darkan forces they were offered peace, it is assumed with heavy conditions attached. To Norland's incredulity and disgust Eston broke their federation with Norland and invaded their former partners. To Norland's dismay the Barony Of Makar also broke from the federation, though there reasoning is unknown, and took two or three of Norland's regions. A small and rather weak Eston army attacked Belegrond. Due to the sudden break up of the Federation Norland was not prepared for this attack and Eston won the battle against a minuscule defending force.
- After repeated attacks on Norland's border regions her defences eventually folded. Belegrond was lost in the opening moves, with Barad Riel withstanding many attacks until a huge Darka and and Eston army lay waste to the defenders. However due to a deal with Eston prior to the siege the region was quickly handed over in exchange for a cessation of aggression. During the repeated sieges of Barad Riel Eston moved to take other regions after securing Belegrond, Moramoth, Elost and Amriel where taken while they mantained pressure on Bara Riel. Barony Of Makar moved southwards to take "former Makarian regions into their temporary care". Minas Ithil took Mansbridge. Leaving Norland with Hernepoole, Brackhead, Shiverwood and Ashmoor. Norland's armies, though smashed and broken, were in still proudly defiant but could not hope to hold out much longer.
- Though consistently outmatched by Norland's army on the battlefield Minas Ithil had finally prevailed through their powerful allies, masterful political exploitation of the death of Dead Angel3 and use of the mercenaries of Darka to break the Northern Federation and turn Norland's remaining staunch allies against them.
Phase 9: Peace
- With Norland all but in ruins and Minas Ithil under threat of attack by powerful realms from the south the war reached it's conclusion. Peace terms were agreed between Norland, Minas Ithil, her allies and servants. Hostilies would cease and Minas Ithil would keep Mansbridge as a demiliterised region until such time as relations between Norland and Minas Ithil improved, upon which time it would be returned to Norland. There was some discontent with this as many in Norland did not trust Minas Ithil to keep their part of the peace conditions and because it was considered that the only reason Minas Ithil and her allies and hirelings did not obliterate Norland was because of the growing threat of attack from the south.
Winter 2009
The Fight for Mansbridge
- With Minas Ithil's refusal to enter a dialogue regarding their overdue fulfillment of their part of the terms of peace with Norland and despite Norland's repeated attempts to improve relations, including unprompted offers of assistance in feeding Minas Ithil's starving regions, the fears of those in Norland regarding Minas Ithil's intent (or more precisely lack of intent) to keep to the terms of the peace treaty were proven beyond all doubt. Minas Ithil had not only constantly stalled and evaded on the return of Mansbridge to Norland, mainly by simply refusing to even discuss the matter, but had been using the supposedly demilitarised region of Mansbridge both to garrison troops and to allow the armies of their ally The Barony of Makar to march through both Norland and Mansbridge in order to fight in Minas Ithil's war against the southern realms.
- Outraged at this latest deceit and conniving by Minas Ithil a much depleted but still resolved Norland declared their intention to reclaim Mansbridge, by force if neccessary. Given two days notice to do the decent thing and honour the treaty King Ramil of Minas Ithil instead started marching his armies to Winwich. Surrounded by those doing Minas Ithil's bidding; Eston to the west, Barony of Makar to the north and Darka to the north-west and with Minas Ithil's army to the south, fighting to retake Mansbridge would be a bold and risky step. Nevertheless the proud Norlanders could not stand silent while Minas Ithil yet again held it's own promises in contempt and spat in the face of honesty and decency with the characteristic arrogance that has turned all those whom they fail to buy, bully, coerce or swindle against them.
- The small but determined armies of Norland marched into Mansbridge with their banners high in the knowledge that whatever the outcome they would rather die than allow the sort of dishonourable treachery and deceit practiced by Minas Ithil to go unchallenged. Minas Ithil had, however, established themselves in Mansbridge deeply enough to ensure the loyalty of the population. Despite being starved by their new masters' neglect and their arrogant refusal to accept Norland's offers of food there were still enough broken, terrified or corrupted among the population that Norland were forced to take a robust approach to regaining the region; wresting tax gold from corrupt officials and enforcers and eliminating many of those placed in positions of influence by Minas Ithil.
- Minas Ithil made an attempt to regain control of the region, first they attempted to assassinate Xaphan, Norland's ruler. He was badly wounded but their assassin left the job incomplete despite his boasts. They then attempted a direct assault on Mansbridge but their forces were left in tatters by a spirited and resolute defence by the Norlanders. (Battle Report). Shortly thereafter the flags of Norland flew once again on the walls and towers of Mansbridge.
The Fall of Night
- Showing egregious contempt for the honourable articles of warfare, without warning or declaration of war Darka's army launched a murderous sneak attack on Norland's forces in Hernepoole, routing the small defensive force and capturing Norland's ruler, Xaphan and banker, Gaern, before looting the region. With the Barony of Makar lowering relations with Norland and Minas Ithil turning back an attack by Tara in the south Norland's new ruler Valak of the Scipii and general Janna Da Hadez were faced with seemingly impossible odds against the vultures circling around them.
- The following day the vutures struck; The Barony of Makar began looting Shiverwood and Norland's scouts reported the entire Eston army sweeping down the Moramroth mountains towards Brackhead. Surrounded and outnumbered ten to one the defenders of Norland braced themselves on the walls of Brackhead, swearing not to give an inch and to fight and die like the warriors they had always been. The massacre that followed saw many of Norland's nobles captured or wounded. The Eston forces immediately began to round up the surviving nobles and embarked on a brutal subjugation of the people of Brackhead in it's aftermath. Units of the Norland army stranded in the rural regions fought a guerrilla war against the armies looting Norland's rural regions. Two more desperate battles were fought in Brackhead with the remnants of the Norland army fighting alongside those peasants who refused to surrender to Eston's brutality. Against all odds Eston's takeover was broken and the bloodied and battered Viking defenders once more stood atop the walls of Brackhead ready to defend them to their last breath.
- It was at this time Norland turned to its remaining allies, for the help they promised, but it was also this time that we where to suffer yet another great betrayal from those we trusted. Our allies held a huge army only days away from Norland, an army of some Forty-five thousand in Combat Strength, just three days away, more than enough to overthrow the besieging realms and even bring the fight to the enemy. However our allies soon chose to take a blind eye to us, while Tara offered minimal support in helping us, through attacking an Ithilian army in Winwich they refused to take further actions, mainly because they did not want to offend Talerium, thus they chose a neutral realm over their ally. Caergoth, Norland's oldest standing ally also turned a blind eye, refusing to send their own army to our aid for reasons they never truly specified, however King Regulus wasted no time in reprimanding Norland for acting of its own accord and blaming our fate on ourselves, rather than their complete lack help. King Regulus had once been a great and well respected Norlander, however now it seems he is little more than a jaded, almost L'estonite styled King far away in the south hidden in a blanket of allies, refusing to even lift a finger to help Norland ever, and instead looking down at us condescendingly, because of this Konungr Smeagenwulf ended our alliance with Caergoth, while they where allies in name they where incapable of honouring that alliance, and would rather watch their oldest, closest friend be destroyed brutally in war.
After weeks of siege by the combined forces of Darka, Eston and The Barony of Makar and with it's entire population slaughtered Brackhead finally fell to The Barony. Those few souls who had refused to flee and had fought until the end started to move away, taking the burning fire of Norland with them in their hearts.
| |||||
| http://tinyurl.com/BMWikimap/BMWorld2_Norland_WithCapital.png | |||||
| Continent / Island | Atamara | ||||
| Capital | Brackhead | ||||
| Largest City | Brackhead | ||||
| Government System | Republic Valak of the Scipii | ||||
| Region Numbers | 5 (12th) | ||||
| Population | 25035 | ||||
| Players | 30 | ||||
| Last Statistics Update | 2009.12.13 | ||||
