Argader Raids
The Conflict
Prelude
The once-proud naval traditions of Tuorria, the envy of the Western Seas, have been shattered. A bloody coup of the Royal Family by fanatical zealots of a mad tyrant had puged the old guard to establish a new order. Many former naval officers, veterans of years of maritime warfare, found themselves marked for death. Rather than surrender to their fates, they fled with their ships of war and their desperate crews.
They moved north along the coastlines, a ragged fleet of expediency. They learned to survive on the fringes, their naval discipline slowly morphing into more brutal resourcefulness. In the north, they encountered the Elves of Cerania and the Dwarves of Valtameri. These proved to be stubborn but rich targets for them. These were not easy victories; each raid taught them more about their new lifestyle and forged them into something harder.
These raids, while profitable, had grown increasingly difficult. The Clan Lands on the Western borders had taught both countries how to handle land raiders, and after decades of raids, they had adapted to maritime raids. Thus, they began to seek new targets to raid and followed rumors of trade routes in the East.
Scouts were sent to the East, and the Elemental Enclaves, a coastal kingdom untouched by war for thousands of years. Marun was a pearl of the coast, having access to rare minerals. Closarom and Promoune were breadbaskets for the valley; Cuanuar was a city on the rise. And then, the crown jewel: Mauribon. A colossal nexus of commerce, where goods from every corner of the world flowed. The reports solidified the leaders of the various clans, and they set sail for a new land.
They believed that the Elves here would shatter like glass beneath their hardened steel and the fury of their raiding band. The call wentout to various scattered settlements of a new land to plunder.
Deployment
A fleet of 60 longships set sail for Maiden's Enclave, with a force of 3,000 raiders
Battlefield
The majority of the conflict took place on the coast of the Elemental Enclaves, or the vast Envalcir River.
Outcome
Defense of Mauribon and the other Coastal cities
Agreement to a Ceasefire
Destruction of the main Argader Raiding Fleet
Aftermath
Uneasy Truce between the Elemental Enclaves and the Raiders of Argader
The settlement of Argader is directly north of the Enclaves
Historical Significance
Legacy
Greater Defenses for the Elemental Enclaves
As a result of nearly 92 years of raiding, the Elves were encouraged to reinforce their key cities after thousands of years of peace. Mauribon's two defensive outposts, which had previously been on skeleton crews, were now fully staffed. The Elves of Mauribon also learned how to utilize Water elementals for defensive bouys in the harbors and key waterways, which drastically increased the security of the Enclaves long term.
Distrust of the Raiders
The Raiders became the "northern boogeymen" for several generations after the conflict, and there was a generally distrust of them, particularly in Mauribon. This persisted for 2,000 years and the surprising union of the incoming clan leader Ulric Stormcrow and Avena Rylin
Settlement of the Argader Raiders
For the first time in decades, the raiders had established permanent settlements, which would now serve as their permanent homes. This is particularly true for Kaer Mauin that which became a vast fortress under their control.
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