513 - 525 AR: The Senatorial War

   513  Anno Reipublicae





Dramatis personae

  • The Chancellor: Sina, daughter of Nila, called the Proud  
    Rules the Commonwealth under the Oath of Protection.


  • Nera III:  Citizen, daughter of Cheren.  Of an ancient and powerful house. (Black).
  • Duke Baltas II: Exile, son of one of the most powerful of the late Isfar's followers.  (White).


In the 513th year of the Commonwealth doubts grip Sina, second chancellor of the Azure dynasty.  Some of the relics entrusted to her guardianship have vanished.  She fears that her legitimacy may be called into question. Hearing rumors of ancient relics and forgotten heirlooms in the Provinces and the Hinterland, she resolves to recover them. From the Plains she travels to the region of the Buried Giant, a center of magic and lore.   There she recovers the famous Obsidian Cage.  She rallies her supporters in the Provinces. Visiting the Wizard's School for the first time in her reign she receives secret knowledge in return for her favor.

Baltas II, self-styled Duke, and would-be successor to Isfar the Bold, moves to expand his domains in the Hinterland, hopefully beyond the notice of the Chancellors.  He campaigns in the Ancient City, bringing it into his realm.  He moves to shore up his support in the hinterland.  His followers wish him to attempt the conquest of the Commonwealth, but he demurs for the moment, instead tightening his grip on the Ancient City.

The Lady Nera, daughter of Cheren, travels the Great Slum, where she gathers support.  There she is approached by disgruntled merchants,  who propose a conspiracy against the Chancellor.  Suspecting a trap, she rebuffs them; but at the same time she realizes she is no longer content to be the loyal supporter of an upstart dynasty.  She considers how to restore her line to its rightful place.



An ancient relic, now restored to the Chancellor's custodianship




514 AR




The Chancellor visits the Wizard School and the Old Oak, securing favor from the people.  Then she travels to the Wastes.





Duke Baltas recovers a hidden relic from the Ancient City. It is the famous Bandit Crown, spurned by Chancellor Sina as beneath her dignity to wear.  Duke Baltas - having no such scruples - assumes the title of Bandit King, a challenge the Chancellor will find it difficult to ignore.   He then travels to the Narrow Pass where the bandits rally  to him.  He considers challenging the Chancellor's title as Oathkeeper of Protection, or possibly an attempt at direct conquest.





The Lady Nera determines to become the successor to the Chancellor.  She begins to put out feelers to the Nobility and gathers advisors and retainers who will support her.



Lady Nera's supporters




517 AR






The Chancellor recovers the Circlet of Command from a hidden tomb in the Wastes.   She now feels her status as Oathkeeper of Protection is beyond challenge.   




Concerned about Baltas' growing power in the Hinterland Sina musters troops at the Festival District, the site of her Mother's dwelling in exile.  She returns to the Buried Giant and visits the Old Oak.  Her purpose is unknown, but some whisper that she is seeking the hidden knowledge of the future.


Baltas travels to the Shrouded Wood, where the bandits swear allegiance to him.  Guided by them he recovers the famous Brass Horse, lost since the days of Cheren the Great.    He seeks support in the Hinterland and swells his army with ferocious mercenaries.



Valiant and loyal, as long as they are paid on time.

Nera travels to the Buried Giant, where she gains the favor of the Old Oak.  Reckoning that she is now popular enough among the nobility, she recovers the Banner of the Peoples Favor, demanding return of the rights and privileges lost when Odo I of the Or dynasty dissolved the Senate.  Concerned with the threat from Baltas, the Chancellor chooses to ignore this challenge, deeming it no more than a passing squall from temporarily discontented nobles.


In the Name of the Senate


518 AR

The Chancellor, feeling threatened by both the Lady Nera and Duke Baltas resolves to deal with the upstart Duke first.   Perhaps she feels a successful campaign will rally the nobles to her, or that if a civil war is inevitable, she should deal with the outside threats first.
She gathers supplies and visits the Wizard School before mustering her host near the Old Oak. 

Her forces are lead by Razlad the Subtle, once disgraced and exiled from the service of Baltas, now in the pay of the Commonwealth.  



Razlad the Subtle


In a deliberate campaign Razlad skillfully drives the armies of Baltas from the Narrow Pass.  As he advances on the Ancient City, Baltas' mercenaries - unpaid for months - desert him.  The Ancient City falls.  Baltas, hidden in the Shrouded Wood, regroups.  Thousands of his men languish in Obsidian Cage.



Duke Baltas, his military ambitions thwarted for now, travels in secret to the Wastes where he visits the Festival District.   He reveals the Vision of Sanctuary, openly challenging the Chancellor's role as guardian of the relics of the Commonwealth.  But his horde is still not substantial enough to claim the title of Oathkeeper.



Although the Nobles  generally fulfilled their military obligations to the Chancellor, the power of the Senatorial party grows.  Lady Nera solidifies her hold on the Banner of the Peoples Favor.  She travels to the Wastes and secretly meets Duke Baltas in the Festival District. The results of their negotiations are a closely guarded secret.  She continues to rally the favor of the Nobility.


521 AR



The Chancellor, still more worried about the challenge from Baltas than the threat of the Senatorial party, recovers the Banner of the Darkest Secret, shoring up her support among the Clergy and reinforcing her position as Oathkeeper.  She travels to the Buried Giant where she visits the Old Oak, seeking guidance on dealing with Nera and her party.   No one is privy to the counsel she receives, but her advisors are dismayed at how shaken she appears afterwards.



Good advice is not usually comforting

Duke Baltas travels to the Lush Coast, in the heartland of the Commonwealth, seeking support.  He is rumored to be recruiting skilled specialists for his Army and seeking the location of lost relics.




Lady Nera rallies support among the common people.  She travels to the Great Slum where still more Nobles, disaffected with the Chancellor despite military success, rally to the Senatorial party.     Lady Nera and her advisors are finding the task of controlling the Senatorial Party increasingly difficult.  Only with great effort is she able to persuade them not to attack the Chancellor directly.



For the Senate!



The peasants are weary of conflict and long for peace, but the struggle continues.



  524 AR

Aware now that a military confrontation with the dissident nobles is inevitable, the Chancellor builds up her forces.  She raises troops in the Buried Giant and in the Plains.  While her armies gather, she searches alone through the chancellery archives, seeking documents from her mothers reign.


Marshalling the garrisons of the Plains


Duke Baltas continues building up his strength.  He moves to the Hinterland and attacks the Narrow Pass.  Despite the valor of the Longbowmen and the cunning of Radzul, the Chancellor's forces are defeated.  In the fighting Baltas' men discover - apparently sheltering in plain site in a  rural sty  - a pig capable of foretelling the future.    Pillaged from the farm, and rescued in the nick of time from the hungry foragers, the fabulous swine is turned over to the Duke.  Realizing she is a relic of the Commonwealth he adds her to his horde.  Once again Baltas is in position to seize the title of Oathkeeper from the Chancellor.


     

Baltas' Horde

The Lady Nera travels to the Festival District.   She is well aware that an attack from the Chancellor is coming.  She hopes that popular unrest will result in the overthrow of Sina before the attack comes, but she is disappointed




The peasants and merchants long for peace, but no peace comes.



525 AR



As the host of the Commonwealth gathers in the Plains, Chancellor Sina reveals the object of her search.  In some corner of the archives she has located a copy of the same spell that Isfar used to summon shadow warriors from beyond the veil.  Aware of the risks, nevertheless the Chancellor does not fear to cast it.   Long columns of armed men, spectral and material, march to the Wastes.   They are met by Nera's retainers, backed by levies of Nobles who have rallied to the Banner of the Peoples Favor.  Resistance is heavier than the Chancellor expected.  Anxious to inspect the walls of a besieged citadel, Chancellor Sina rashly exposes herself.  A militiaman, peering around the frying pan he is using as a shield, fires a crossbow.   Sina's wound is grave.  Demoralized, her armies withdraw.



 


Duke Baltas marches to the Buried Giant.  He hopes at least to detach it from the Commonwealth, and add it to his Duchy.   He enlists the aid of the Fire Talkers and musters at the Old Oak.  He seeks the favor of the Wizards, but before his preparations are complete, tidings from the Waste reach him.


Following the defeat of the Chancellor, the Lady Nera withdraws to the Great Slum.  She draws thousands of additional men to her banner.   For the first time in more than 350 years, the Senate of the Commonwealth formally convenes.

Successor Victory

Epilogue

The Lady Sina's wound proves mortal.   She lingers for three weeks, then dies.   Her spirit warriors dissolve, returning to the void from whence they came. Her army falls apart.  The remaining loyal nobles desert to the Senatorial party.  The urban contingents return to their home cities.   The Senate proclaims the Lady Nera Chancellor of the Commonwealth and the people rejoice at the return of the Sable dynasty to power, and of peace to the realm.   Lady Nera in turn, guarantees all of the Senate's ancient rights and privileges.

Duke Baltas withdraws to his realm in the Hinterland.  Shortly thereafter he assumes the title of King.






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