476 - 485 AR: Isfar's Horde

  476 Anno Reipublicae 

  Dramatis personae

• The Chancellor: Cheren, fifth of that name.  
  Rules the Commonwealth under the Oath of Supremacy.
  
  

• Isfar the Bold:  Exile, warlord and sorcerer from the Hinterland. (Yellow)

• The Lady Nila: Exile, Noblewoman of an ancient lineage, cunning and dangerous (Blue)

• Gorria the Wanderer: Exile, condottiere and soldier of fortune, returned from the wars in the Hinterland. (Red)
  
  

     

In the 476th year of the Commonwealth dark tidings reach the Chancellor at his dwelling in the Plains; ominous intelligence of enemies gathering in the Hinterlands.  Lacking enough strength and knowledge to strike himself, he resolves to put his domains in order before the storm breaks.  He journeys from the Plains to the Lush Coast, where he makes contact with roving Nomads inhabiting the area.  He campaigns, dispersing the bandits who are despoiling the region and bringing it into the Commonwealth again.  With the aid of the Nomads he swiftly returns to the Plains, and musters new forces to meet the coming onslaught.

In the Hinterland, Isfar the Bold makes an unholy pact with spirits from beyond the Veil; shadow legions swell the ranks of his already considerable forces.  He gathers support among the discontented in the Hinterland.  The  Nomad Elders pledge their allegiance and offer additional warriors.  In a protracted campaign he overruns the Rocky Coast and the Mountains.  The Chancellor's forces are overmatched and his longbowmen are defeated; the Mountain fastnesses are stormed.  The new realm stretches from from the edge of the Plains to the Rocky Coast.   Isfar swells his forces with savage mercenaries recruited from among the nomad horse archers.  All the Commonwealth fears his might.

  

An Unholy Pact

Isfar's Nomad Mercenaries

Lady Nila flees from the  Mountains where she has sheltered, and journeys to  the Wastes, where she hears rumors of an ancient relic. There she receives a vision of herself as guardian of the precious relics and banners of the Commonwealth.  Keeping this vision to herself, she leaves the Waste, traveling to the Great Slum in the Hinterland.

Gorria the Wanderer also flees before the armies of Isfar.  From the Mountains he travels to the fabled land of the Buried Giant, where he uses an ancient map - plundered from some forgotten field in the days of his wanderings -  to recover a powerful relic, the famous Dowsing Sticks.   He makes contact with groups of wandering Sorcerers and Wizards who are seeking a place to establish an Academy for the study of the Arcane arts. 

479 AR

The Chancellor,  feeling too weak to counterattack against the forces of Isfar, and fearing the nomad Horsemen, shores up his strength in the Plains, improving his army and raising money.                                    

Isfar, likewise deeming himself not yet ready to assail the Cradle, builds up his support amongst the people of his new domains and seeks their favor.  On the Rocky Coast he builds a mighty fortress to be a bulwark of his strength and final refuge in need

In the winding streets of the Great Slum, the Lady Nila enlists the powerful magic of the dreaded Fire Talkers.  Hearing tidings of great doings in the region of the Buried Giant she travels there.  

Meanwhile, near the legendary Buried Giant,  Gorria assists in the establishment of a Wizards Academy, which quickly attracts magic users from throughout the Land.   Near the site of the  School,  they discover the legendary Old Oak, whose Spirit is said to hold all the lore of ancient forests.  Resolved to control these resources, Gorria campaigns against the bandits who infest the area.  After a bitter contest and with much loss of life, he is victorious, establishing his rule over the entire region.  He consults with the Wizard School and, in return for his patronage, they reveal dark knowledge to him.

 

480 AR

The Chancellor recovers the Banner of the Darkest secret, proclaiming himself the Spiritual Protector of the Commonwealth.   The Bishops - most of whom are his men - rally to him.

He considers and rejects plans for a secret conspiracy against his rivals, deeming it beneath the dignity of his line.  He increases the garrisons in the Plains, hoping to make that province secure against all assault.  Resolving that he must control the powers centered in the region of the Buried Giant, his forces gather by secret forest paths and suddenly assault the weakened garrisons of Gorria.  With the support of the famed longbowmen he is victorious and the banners of the Commonwealth are raised above the Buried Giant.  After securing the province, he returns to the Lush Coast where he receives magical knowledge sent by the Wizards School. 

Meanwhile, Isfar is also unwilling to see the powers of the Buried Giant in the hands of another.   Mustering troops from his fortresses on the Coast and obtaining support from the Nomad Elders he attacks the region.  After a bitter struggle he drives out the forces of the Chancellor and claims the province for himself and his heirs.   Again the Wizards of the School buy the conqueror's favor with dark knowledge.  With his domains now exceeding those of the Chancellor, Isfar assumes the title of Oathkeeper.

Again the Lady Nila flees before Isfar, fearing that he may have designs on her person.  She returns to the Wastes and makes contact with a group of spiritual fanatics. Hostile to all knowledge that does not derive from their Holy Book, they burn any other works that fall into their hands.  In the Wastes the Lady discovers a famous relic, the fabled Bandit Crown, lost for hundreds of years.   Placing it on her own head in a solemn ceremony, she proclaims herself Queen of the Bandits.  Emerging from hiding in the deserted provinces the Bandits answer the call.  Swearing allegiance, they  raise the  blue banners of her house over vast stretches of the Provinces and the Hinterland.  Her domains now rival those of Isfar and Cheren in size, but they are thinly held.  In the Wastes she offers support to the fanatical Book Burners in return for their favor.

Gorria visits the Old Oak, seeking its favor.  He then travels to the Salt Flats where he attempts to rally the inhabitants to his banner.  He secretly gathers a band of faithful friends - his comrades from the old wars - to him.

An Ancient Spirit

483 AR

The Chancellor, seeing his support crumble in the face of Isfar's conquests, extends an offer of Citizenship to the Lady Nila.  She accepts, but demands  in return that Cheren bestow upon her the Obsidian Cage - a powerful sorcery that will aid her in the battles she fears are coming.  Secretly she hopes that she can succeed Cheren to the Chancellorship.  The Chancellor rejoices that he is once again the Oathkeeper, but he fears the ambitions of the Blue Lady.  Embittered by having to relinquish an heirloom of his house, he orders that in the future his armies will take no prisoners.  Again he travels the secret forest paths to the Buried Giant, where he barters sacred knowledge of his House for the favor of the Old Oak.  Returning to the Lush Coast, he attempts to rally the inhabitants.

Isfar, dismayed but undaunted by the sudden expansion of the Chancellors domains, resolves to obtain rule of the Commonwealth by another path.  He travels to the Mountains where he reveals a Vision of Faith, a revelation of the spiritual errors of the Chancellor.   He recovers the Banner of the Darkest Secret and denounces the Chancellor as a heretic, and the Bishops as his tools.  He and the Chancellor hurl anathema and excommunication at each other.  The people are dismayed, and the Clergy fear an erosion of faith.

The Lady Nila, realizing that her hopes of succeeding to the office of Chancellor will be dashed if Cheren falls, decides she must move against Isfar.  She travels to the Mountains, where she learns ancient secrets from the Holders of the Taming Charm.   She uses this knowledge to take control of the Banner of the Darkest Secret herself, attacking the doctrines of both Isfar and the Chancellor.   She calls upon the Bishops and the people to turn their backs on the heresies of Isfar.   Some of the Bishops defect from the Chancellor and follow her, endorsing her doctrines.   She excommunicates Isfar.   The loyal Bishops try to reach an accommodation with her, to unify the Church, but without success.

In a high valley of the Mountains she obtains the famous Ivory Eye.  With that relic in her possession, she feels her position as successor to the Chancellor is secure.  She returns to her home in the Wastes.  

Gorria is brought tribute by the people of the Salt Flats.  He travels to the Plains - the heart of the Commonwealth -  and seeks support there.

 

484 AR

The Chancellor,  still fearing a renewed onslaught from Isfar and his Nomad mercenaries, resolves to attack him first.  Belatedly remembering that "he who strikes the first blow, if he strike it hard enough, may need to strike no more", he musters additional forces from the Lush Coast and marches to the Provinces.  Amid the meadows of the Buried Giant the Chancellor's longbowmen cut down the Nomad horsemen.  The banners of the Commonwealth are raised once more above the bloodstained province.  Now Cheren must turn his attention to his erstwhile ally, the Lady Nila.

The Chancellor's Bowmen

Isfar, driven from the Buried Giant,  rallies in the Hinterland.  He gathers support from his followers and enrolls more Nomad horsemen in his host.  He attacks and captures the Salt Flats, but he is still far from being able to claim the title of Oathkeeper.

The Lady Nila strengthens her position, bolstering her forces with trappers skilled in the arts of ambush.  She travels to the Buried Giant and offers knowledge gained from the Book Burners to gain the favor of the Wizards School.

Gorria the Wanderer and his comrades - now turned disciples - find support among the people, who are tired of war and demoralized by ecclesiastical conflict.  He reveals the Vision of Rebellion and, taking the Banner of the Peoples Favor, proclaims himself ruler of the Commonwealth.

Despite discontent and rebellion, the fighting continues.  

485 AR

Cheren still confronts the danger that the Lady Nila will succeed him, but the danger from the rebellion is more pressing.  He visits the Old Oak seeking wisdom to foil his enemies.  Across the Commonwealth he appeals to the sentiments of Hearth and Home to increase the power of the people and weaken the followers of the Arcane arts.  Travelling to the Lush Coast he rallies the common people there.  Promising an end to strife he recovers the Banner of the Peoples favor.   But he still must deal with Nila.   He begins plotting to deprive the Blue Lady of her citizenship.

Isfar is given lost knowledge in tribute by the people of the Salt Flats and gains still more in return for his favor from the Nomads who dwell there. With this knowledge he is able to take the Banner of the Darkest Secret, excommunicating both Nila and the Chancellor, and appointing his own schismatic Bishops.   

Nila bolsters her forces with additional mercenaries, preparing to defend the poorly garrisoned provinces held by her bandit vassals.  She returns to her dwelling in the Wastes and once again confers with the fanatic Book Burners.  Using their aid she takes the banner of the Darkest Secret, hurling anathema at the Chancellor for his errors and denouncing Isfar for outright heresy.  More Bishops defect to her.  The three sided war of dogma has paralyzed the Bishops and dismayed the faithful.  Honest men fear for their souls.

A Dangerous Fanatic

Gorria accepts the allegiance of an exile claiming to be the legitimate heir to the title of Chancellor, but he does not immediately attempt to advance his cause.  He travels in secret to the Old Oak, and with the help of his supporters wins favor from the Spirit there.  Claiming the Chancellor has not kept his promises to the peasants, he once again raises the Banner of the Peoples Favor.  Again, rebellion threatens the Commonwealth.

Successor Victory.

Epilogue

Chaos and rebellion stalk the Land.  The peasants and merchants long for peace. The Prelates fear schism and Holy War.  Fear of forces that might overwhelm them all drives the factions to a peace of exhaustion.  Cheren recognizes Isfar as ruler of the provinces he has seized, and he and Nila recognize Cheren as Chancellor. The Lady Nila is recognized as his successor.   

With the coming of peace the popular uprising dissolves.  The Bulls of Excommunication issued by Cheren, Nila and Isfar are withdrawn with a promise that a Synod will be held to resolve the doctrinal differences dividing the Church.

Cheren's bitterness at seeing the office of Chancellor pass from his House is somewhat soothed by the knowledge that the Commonwealth has been preserved.  He resolves to tolerate her as his successor, in hopes that her reign will be brief and his heirs will one day soon again wield the Grand Scepter.

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In the Beginning The Bandit Queen