"Those are the brave lads of Dahndi-Wahler..."

Such things are often heard along the road as the assembled troops of the Confederated Duchies march to war against the rogue Deckarde. It's no surprise that the troops of Dahndi-Wahler (Dan-dee-Val-or) have made such an impression, their resplendent purple uniforms cost more than most tenant farmers earn in a lifetime. In addition to their striking appearance the men of the Dahndi-Wahler Regiment of Light Foote have earned themselves a reputation as fierce fighters after their first encounter with troops loyal to Deckarde. The Dahndi-Wahler Regiment of Light Foote were acting in a scout and skirmisher capacity when they encountered forward pickets of a significant enemy force on the outskirts of the small town of Jerkin. Over several hours of fighting the men of the regiment repulsed numerous attacks by irregulars flying the banner of the Meddenites.

Meddenite forces attack.

As the ammunition of the Dahndi-Wahler soldiers ran low they drew their sabers and charged dispersing the enemy in the direction of Hauberk. A Meddenite prisoner was reported to say, "Those troops in purple could not be dissuaded. They would not give ground and pushed us back from our farms and houses. They fought like lions, fierce and unrelenting." The mans statement has stuck with the Dahndi-Wahler Regiment of Light Foote earning them the nickname "Dahndi-Lions". The name clearly a bit tongue in cheek but the men of the "Dahndi-Lions" seem to enjoy the title immensely as it has been sewn onto the regimental colors.

(100p.n.) Unflinching Destruction.

For the past 3 months, the armies of the Meddenites and the Traitorous Hauberkan Army of Northrun have been in a grinding siege of the City of Hauberk, capital of  the duchy of the same name.  With the stocks of food inside the city running dangerously low, and thousands of non-combatants already dead of starvation or stray mortar rounds gone over the shattered killing ground of the former city wall, turned blasted mound of fortified rubble.

Hoping to soon storm the city for the last time, and take the wealth stored in the palaces and warehouses of the city. The declaration of war by Brambleburg and the Confederated Duchies, came with no small amount of frustration to Deckarde, who promptly ordered three corp to intercept the Brambleburg armies in the field somewhere to the south of Hauberk in the Kuhld Ridge.

Numbering around 10,000 men, the force is headed by Quincy De Loy, the traitor general of the Hauberkan Army of the Northrun.  They are a mix of the well trained Hauberkan army and the milita's of the Meddenite Crusade. All however, have had minor experiences in the siege, to a greater or lesser extent. It remains to be seen how they will perform on the fresh, and strongly motivated armies of Brambleburg. But all signs now point to a vicious slaughter of an engagement to take place sometime in the coming weeks.

Only time will tell...

"They'll not dictate to me which, if any, God I am meant to pray to!"

This quote has come to be the mantra of the notoriously eccentric King Prince Elector of Brambleburg and his fellow Electors within the Alliance of Confederated Duchies. Since the beginning of the Siege of Hauberk the Electors of the Alliance have disputed the right course of action to take in order to halt the alarming spread of Meddenite forces. Some have championed fortifying their respective towns and Duchies, but not surprisingly the King Prince Elector of Brambleburg has taken a different course of action. Since Wesford's missive for assistance arrived in the resplendent palace of Brambleburg the King Prince Elector has busied the entire state with the act of raising a massive army to do battle against the fanatics of Deckarde.

King Prince Elector Johan Gesturitz of Brambleburg

Now the King Prince Elector of Brambleburg marches at the head of a force composed of Brambleburg troops as well as many regiments drawn from the other Confederated Duchies; a force that can rival that of the Meddenite army; a force not dependent on a god for victory. For the Alliance, for Brambleburg, for FREEDOM!

A Summary of The Old World.

To understand the current, crisis in Jaradia you must understand the political and religious system that governs the so called "Old World".  This term, coined by the original Jaradian colonists, refers to multiple continental landmasses to the north and east of Jaradia.  Each containing a variety of cultures, religions and races, most are heavily industrialized and are where the bulk of organized society currently resides. The names of these continents were under a constant state of flux during the last two centuries, as the Old World nations fought among themselves for dominance and power, but at the moment the names of these regions are Tamnia, Alexhope, and Soun.

Tamnia

Tamnia, was at one time a lush grassland, mixed with small forests. It has since been made barren with over farming, city building, and several years of constant warfare.  It is the site of  nearly 50 different countries, and the center of power for the Temple of Hemyawyn. It is a place of nearly constant twilight, such is the air pollution, massive cities and grand gothic citadels. Most of the population lives in large community halls, and work in the great factories, that produce all manner of goods, and equipment for trade and construction.  It is a brutal, depressing and dreary place, that is the source for many newcomers to Jaradia.

The governments of these countries often view the Jaradian countries, as children not fit for the game of kings.  Often disdainful or outright hostile towards men who went from factory manager to leader of their own small kingdom in the span of a few years.  Though usually the Tamnians are too busy attempting to expand quarterly profits to care a whole awful lot about these sorts of things.

Alexhope

Named after Alexander Isan,  Alexhope, is a varied landscape of mountians, forests, and lakes.  Long ago during one of the many wars in Tamnia, Alexander and his servants families, along with other noble merchant houses fled the burning fields and war torn cities to go to the Northeast, into the bleak Nommne Mountains, several months later, he and the survivors came out on the opposite slopes,  finding hundreds of thousands of acres of untapped woodland.    

Nearly three centuries later, Alexhope is a place of massive wood walled cities, separated by hundreds of logging camps in the deep green forests.  The continent's inhabitants are largely peaceful,  but what war's do break out often times utilize large mob formations of men wielding axes, swords or small firearms, such is the terrain of the region that traditional Pike and Shotte tactics become a detriment. Alexhopes northerly climate means that its stuck in a eternal autumn, with the temperature rarely ever rising above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The primary export of the region is lumber and dye, but the primary imports are grain and fresh fruits, though some areas of the forests have been cleared away for agricultural concerns, the soil is not conducive to growing crops or raising livestock,  keeping the population of the countries in Alexhope relatively low in comparison to Tamnia and Soun. 

Soun

By far the most fertile region, Soun is a land where the rivers running through Tamnia and Alexhope from the Nommne and Greatcap mountain ranges intertwine and dump into the ocean, meaning the vast floodplains of the Great Soun Valley is overflowing with an abundance of nutrient rich soil.  It is here that the food for virtually the entire Old World is grown,  and as a result the people of Soun are fabulously wealthy, the palaces of the Sultans, Barons and Emperors here are the envy of the known world, and many people live happy, comfortable lives in the humid sun bathed plains.  

The Sounians are generally not warlike, as they rely on their total monopoly of agriculture to get their way in most disagreements, and as a result most countries have small (though very well equipped) standing armies.  

The House Of Guillton

The current ruling house of the merchatdom and by far the most brutal going to any lengths to secure any venue which may seek to gain them monetary worth legal tender, gold, jewels, and other valuable items. The standing army of the merchantdom  as it was always agreed to be due to the constant change in government the people of the merchantdom are not expected to serve instead the army is built up out of royal family guardsmen and the block is filled out by hiring out mercenary bands to act as standing units for the military. The Guillton families royal unit is as follows

The Guillton Dragoons

The Royal Firebirds( riflemen)

The Bloody Marries (an all woman melee unit)

These units have almost become known as the standing military and with each passing year become less the dogs of the Guillton family and more protectors of the realm soon some say that they will simple be the standing units of the merchantdom, if so another first for the Guillton family as that would be first standing military for the merchantdom to date.

The Guillton Merchantdom is not fully named after the ruling family it was altered from the families real surname "Galltone" to "Guillton" as the family has their own sub language and this word meant great or inspiring in their second-tongue as it is known in the merchantdom for many ruling families would have their own private language as a sign of higher learning or being more intelligent. The current head of the house is the young Lord Garekk Larson Galltone, whom over sees most all general trades for the realm he is considered a very important man and enemy in most all the countries of the realm.

GALLTONE FAMILY TREE (present)

                              Lord Garekk Larson Galltone -Duchess Marblek V. Galltone

Prince Garekk Larson Galltone II- Prince Musten Ruin Galltone-Princess Mareth Sasun Galltone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                 

Disaster in Talerico (100 p.n.)

Late Wednesday afternoon in the Palace of the Duchy of Hauberk, Duke Wesford ordered his "Army of the Northrun"* to head to the countries border with Medden, to secure it, in chance of hostilities.   Under the command of General Quincy de Loy, the Army of the Northrun numbers some 120,000 men, cavalry and artillery piece.

This hefty force marched into the Duchy's Talerico region, and made camp just outside the border city of Pamnes.

At around 7:30 this morning, initial reports started to come in of Meddenite reconnoiter teams, in the woods.

At 9:00 the Meddenite main body was sighted and had prepared Battalia into battle form.

10:30,  General Quincy de Loy and his staff, ride under flag of truce to meet with the Meddenite commanders.  Where he meets the Archbishop himself.  Overcome by the presence of the holy man, de Loy sinks to his knees and pays homage to Deckarde.

11:00  The order comes to the Duchy's army, to stand down, and join with the Meddenites.  

11:45  Mutinies occur in various parts of the Army,  as regiments turn to fall back from the traitors, and return to warn the Duke of whats occurred.  

12:00  A running battle ensues between around 70,000 Loyalist Hauberkan troops, attempting to flee to the capital,  and at this point nearly   250,000 Meddenites and Traitors.

2:30  Riders finally reach the capital and warn Duke Wesford of the disastrous events of that day.

by 5:00 the Combined Armies of the Archbishop, and De Loy surround and lay siege to Hauberk itself.


Current defenders inside the town are reported to be no more than 75,000, including all possible militia. with food stores estimated at anywhere from four weeks to three months.  Riders were sent our prior to the city becoming surrounded and sent to all nearby governments, each carrying a simple message written by Wesford himself.

------------------------------------------------------------------

 Hauberk Besieged by Meddenites
 General and Army became turncoat to Deckarde
Currently holding with loyalists.

Meddenites MUST BE STOPPED HERE!

Send all possible aid at once!

- 30th of August, 100pn.
Archibold Wesford.






* The Army of the Northrun, is raised from the region on the Northern bank of the River Stahl.  This bank contains 4 major towns,  Pamnes, Hauberk (the capital), Stahlberg, and Vanderville, and as well contains a number of smaller towns and villages. Three faiths predominate the Northrun,  the Temple of Hemyawyn, Charlism, and Naturalism.  The area is heavily industrialized, with mills, and modern factories pumping out oily coal fire into the skies, creating a haze that often settles eerily over the countryside.  This creates a number of technical marvels,  such as heavy cannon, and the impressive Land Galleons.







-The picture is really an oil painting of the Surrender at Breda in 1628. taken from wikipedia without permissions.

The Meddenite Crisis. (100 p.n.)

Issador Deckarde

It has been many months since the tumult of the Spring,  which saw fighting in the Circa, and the Kashkar Tribal Deals resolved bringing a calm across the lands of Jaradia.   The summer months saw a return to largely internal politics in many countries.  As the Orpheians' set about creating their fourth territories groundwork and place in government, the Sultanate continued its exploration of the interior continent, the Guillitonne Merchantdom's Ruling family has gone into a period of flux with yet another power struggle occuring, and the varied tribesmen, city states, and empires generally concerning themselves with preparing for winter.

It is in the decline of summer, in the waning days of August in the 100th year of Postulum Nexi. That Issador Deckarde, takes absolute power in the city state of Medden. Which lies on the Eastern shores of Jaradia, due north of the Orphiean Allegiance. At 58, Deckarde was already a seasoned politician, and religious leader prior to taking control of Medden.  His experience includes many years in the Medden Senior Council, a brief stint in the Meddenite Guards, and most notably was awarded the lofty position of Archbishop of Exploration, by the Prophet of Hemyawyn {hem-yah-wen}.

This sort of notable figure, wrestling control of a city state would ordinarily not be bothersome on a global scale. This however was no ordinary coup.  Deckarde, is rumored to have taken the country, by declaring all organized governments not under the direct stewardship of the Temple of Hemyawyn, to be heretical.  Its very evident that news of Deckarde's actions has yet to reach the Prophet in the Old World, as other Archbishops and the Temple's addresses have in no way mirrored a similar sentiment.

It is evident that Deckarde is going to attempt to use his isolation from the Temple's central authority, and the weight of his title to carve out his own empire in Jaradia.  The sinister implication of attempting to bring an army led by Issador Deckarde to battle is that many colonists from the Old World, are staunch adherents to the Temple's teachings.  Posing an troublesome dilemma for the Officers of many armies in the East.  "How to you get a soldier to fire at the army of one of gods prophets ?"

It is now a question of when Deckarde will begin his attack,  rather than "if",  and he must hurry for the divide between the Old World and Jaradia can be bridged in a matter of months, so within the year retribution from the Temple might fall hard on the wayward Archbishop.


The Temple of Hemyawyn. 

The Temple, is based in the Old World and branches out to many different nations offering a form of commons for leaders to meet and find common ground. In exchange the Temple is allowed to set itself up in the "steward"  nations and draw profits from tithes of its followers. This works well in the Old World and keeps the nations there in a state of uneasy peace.  This deal does not extend, to Jaradia however, as its nations are new, fluctuating and in some cases, abhorrent to the Temples religious philosophies.

The tenets of the Temple feature, an importance on breadth of life experience, which is called "aspectual communion".  A normal temple adherent will often have 5-6 extremely different occupations throughout the course of their life, one of which is usually a military position, and one (generally towards the end of life) as a part of the temple priesthood.

Hemyawyn, is often seen as a elderly man, with multiple faces, each face having weathered a different but no less fulfilling life.  It is commonly supposed that the spreading of ones experiences, will be the most beneficial thing to man kind.

Meddenite Templars of Hemyawyn