Military: Battle
Hadovea overwhelm the Moridale border defenses and advance to the walls of Moridale.
Moridale had used its time wisely, fortifying its western border with defensive towers and other structures in anticipation of the inevitable Imperial advance. A sense of optimism had taken hold among its ranks, buoyed by recent battlefield victories against both the Hadoveans and the Geldheimers. Propaganda from within Moridale further fueled the belief that it was only a matter of time before the enemy factions would falter and retreat. As the Imperial assault began, Moridale’s forces performed remarkably well, managing to hold off the more experienced and battle-hardened Hadoveans. However, these early successes proved short-lived. The tide of battle turned when the Fox Den launched a decisive strike—sneaking behind enemy lines and setting fire to key towers, while Lord Callingber’s Heavy Dragoons kept the Moridale front line fully engaged. With their defenses ablaze behind them, Moridale’s troops were soon overwhelmed. Those who could fled, retreating into the city as the victorious Hadoveans advanced to the very walls of Moridale. The Hadovean triumph did not go unnoticed. Traditional rivals, the Kingdom of Geldheim, had already established a foothold east of the city, watched on with cautionas the Hadoveans now joined the siege. As the Hadoveans and Geldheimers came within sight of one another, tensions began to rise. Whether these hostilities would erupt or temporarily put aside remained to be seen, as both factions now vied for the coveted prize—Moridale itself.