The Heist of House Haldarr

The Heist of House Haldarr refers to the legendary stagecoach robbery of Aalan of House Haldarr by the infamous outlaw gang The Company of Thorns. It is celebrated far and wide in a tavern song.  

History

With the death of Tiago II and the outbreak of civil war in Aldarr, Tyaltarr III, Duke of Foratorra, decided to break his vassalage to the city. However, this was an extremely unpopular move with the people of Foratorra, especially within the army. They held Tiago II in very high regard, and even after his death, declaring independence felt like betrayal. Tyaltarr III believed the people questioning his legitimacy were a threat to his authority, and ordered the army to arrest them. While most of the army remained loyal to Tyaltar III, a great number of soldiers escaped the city to avoid punishment. They sought refuge with the Thorn Elves of Stellcida. Solaster the Wise, Archmage of Stellcida, had for a long time desired to take revenge upon Foratorra for killing Eldarin the Prophet. However, he feared that taking the enemies of Tyaltarr III into his city would be too provoking. Instead, he learned them how to live in the dangerous Thorn Forest. He figured that the Winterthorn plant that grows here would be a good deterrent. While Tyaltarr III knew the Thorn Elves were somehow involved with the disappearance of the traitors, he felt that this was not a good enough justification for war.   In their hideout in the Thorn Forest, the soldiers who fled Foratorra would take on the name The Company of Thorns, declaring themselves sworn enemies of Tyaltarr III. They performed some small raids throughout the lands, but only minor successes were achieved. This changed when, per chance, they came across the stagecoach of Aalan of House Haldarr travelling on the Road of Riches, a popular road through important cities in Garfaar for rich tourists. Aalan was a rich noble, mostly earning his fortune through trade. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, when his stagecoach full of his family's wealth was ambushed. While the Company of Thorns had nothing specifically against Aalan, there was an overwhelming sentiment among the outlaws and the peasantry in general that the nobles were profiting of the death of Taigo II. While his personal guard tried to protect him against the overwhelming numbers of the Company of Thorns, it was to no avail. Aalan was dragged out of his stagecoach and brutally murdered. The stagecoach with the wealth of House Haldarr was taken to Aldarr and distributed to the poor. Among the captured treasure was gold, exotic furs and hides, luxurious clothing and all manner of valuable gemstones.   The death of Aalan was extremely humiliating for Tyaltarr III, as he was seen as the protector of that region. Thus, these events resulted in high tensions between Stellcida and Foratorra. This culminated in the Battle of the Thorn Forest.  

Song

Oh hear, you'll be told   Of men so bold   Their thorns could pierce through gold   The Road of Riches only goes so far   The Heist of House Haldarr!   The Heist of House Haldarr!     They make nobles cry   A thorn in their eye   They see their end draw nigh   The fall of Aalan has left a scar   The Heist of House Haldarr!   The Heist of House Haldarr!     Now tell far and wide   Of the men who supplied   The city with gold and hide   Strong and sharp like a thorn they are   The Heist of House Haldarr!   The Heist of House Haldarr!   - 'The Heist of House Haldarr'