Riombara/Third Age

The Third Age

by Herkan d'Serrai and Amekal Vellos

Rebuilding

Autumn 05 Once the last dark horde had been broken before the walls of Athol Margos, we started to regain what was ours. Rebuilding has been difficult and heartbreaking. Riombara expanded slowly to regain its lost regions (a friendly process in all cases) and added the rogue city of Fwuvoghor in the north, whose previous rulers were no more. Later Bolkenia and Cagamir in the south were also added. These regions were now cut off from Luz de Bia by the dark city Eno, and suffering in a state of anarchy. Little did we know that this would be used by Luz as an excuse to go to war against us...

Winter and Spring 06 Between the end of the second undead invasion until May 1006, peace should reign on Beluaterra. There were only few and small conflicts: One centered around the short lived secession of Midas Chia around the city of Grekh from Luz de Bia, in which we did remain neutral - a mistake as we now know. The second conflict was a short war beween Mesh as attacker and Plergoth, soon ended due to massive reinforcements for Plergoth by allies.

During all this time we did rebuild our regions, patiently coaxing peasants out of hiding, constructing recruitment centers and walls. Religion came to the continent as well - 2 of which were founded in Riombara: Qyrvaggism and the faith of Yggdrasili.

Dark Clouds

Late Spring 06 In late may 1006, war erupted all across the continent. Avalon, Enweil, and Luz de Bia had formed a powerful federation which controlled all of the southlands, exclusing only Riombara. Using a defunct treaty which Riombara supposedly "violated" as an excuse, Luz de Bia declared war, and launched an attack on Ardmore. Simultaneously, a massive Enweilian invasion was launched at Fwuvoghor. Fwuvoghor fell, and a TO was begun. The first time, it was halted, largely due to the valiant efforts of Qyrvaggian Priests. But the second TO succeeded.

Meanwhile, Luz de Bian forces were crushed twice in Ardmore, and once in Glongin, until they retreated to their frontline capitol of Grehk. Their capitol had been elsewhere, in their heartland, but it was mysteriously moved to the formerly seceded city of Grehk for strategic reasons. Angry at this, the Lightning God struck their leaders, who were promptly re-elected, circumventing his divine wrath.

Losing the War

Summer 06 As summer continued, we did lose battle after battle. Our general Herkan lost a battle and was wounded, and was replaced by a new general, Quinn. He won several battles in the south against Luz de Bia, and some in our central regions against Enweil. But then we had a string of defeat after defeat afer defeat, and tensions within the realm did flare.

While our military forces rallied and focused primarily on retaking Fwuvoghor, Luz de Bian forces ran rampant in the south, seemingly being allowed free reign without opposition. They quickly took over Ruefillo with minimal resistance (Ardmore had already fallen around the time Herkan was replaced). Then Bolkenia fell as well, with not a single bit of resistance offered against Luz de Bia.

The War in the Northwest

Late Spring and Summer 06 While Riombara was gradually losing, our allies did have different fortunes. In the far northwest, war was waged for largely religious reasons between Sint and Ashborn. Due to a well-planned pre-emptive strike, Sintian forces took Firebalt, and moved their capitol in another divinely-opposed move, and again, like their southern allies, ignored the will of the Lightning God.

Largely due to this, Ashborn lost battle after battle. They had lost their biggest city and the enemy capitol was on their doorstep. Many, many regions fell and the Sintians did say they would destroy Ashborn.

Luckily for Ashborn, they did have allies. Troops from Varyamo Nolvo, Mesh, and Valentia all helped the Ashborn armies. Unfortunately, even with this aid, defeats continued, with only occasional victories.

A big reason for the lack of progress was that Plergoth, another ally of Enweil though not federated, attacked Mesh, Ashborn's most pwoerful ally in the area. Plergoth took a few regions, and got between Mesh and Ashborn. Because of this, Meshian forces could not get aid to Ashborn.

See Beluaterra on Oktober 25th, 1006

Avalon vs. Fronen

Late Spring and Summer 06 Directly to our north, Enweil's federation ally Avalon did go to war against our strong friend and ally Fronen. Fronen wanted to help us, but Avalon did not let them. Thus war did begin on the Fronen/Avalon border.

Within weeks Fronen's armies were crushing Avalon. Several regions of Avalon's did fall to Fronen and their city of Wudenkin was cut off from the capitol. Reports streamed in about Avalon's defeats and Fronen's victories. Our allies were doing well for themselves. Region after region was captured by Fronen.

Northern Aid

Summer 06 Our stalwart allies in Old Grehk and Thalmarkin did prove true. The Old Grehkians marched through Plergoth's lands and pillaged Enweil's heartlands. This did cause Enweil to pull back some of its forces and gave us in Riombara a little break which we were very grateful for.

Unfortunately, Old Grehk is very far away, and there are long delays between their campaigns. As such, it wasn't until early July that their next campaign did happen. 10+k of Old Grehk and Thalmarkin troops marched far south, and attacked Enweil's forces north of Fwuvoghor, in Avalon's lands. Old Grehk and Thalmarkin won, giving us another opportunity for action.

In all of this only one realm at that time did remain neutral. Melhed did not take a side.

Secession!

July 16, 2006 As the war worsened in the south, and Ashborn continued to be defeated, and Avalon began to stop Fronen's dominating advances, Duke Marc did secede the city of Irombro to form the nation of Irombrozia. His reasons were that Prime Minister Delvin did seem to be letting the south die to fight Enweil. Duke Marc did get angry and secede.

Meanwhile Enweil and Riombara did sign a cease fire giving Enweil full control of Fwuvoghor and letting Riombara concentrate on fighting Luz de Bia.

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