The Seige of Highshore

Military action

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During the reign of Cesarica's second emperor, the borders of the empire expanded frighteningly fast. As the imperial troops headed towards the borders of then city-state Highshore, King Runar Theiodren set to preparing to withstand them. Highshore was already a notable and wealthy port city, and had plenty of resources. However, the majority of Highshore's military might lay in its navy, and the Cesarican empire was approaching on foot with a massive army.   In King Runar's council were several members of the navy and army, including General Nathanial Jeda, Admiral Rommald Hilder, Admiral Thetus, and former Admiral Thaliadora Falstagg. Along with these military masters, Viro Duskcoat, an independent hero well-known and loved by the people of Highshore was also brought in to help with planning defenses against the Empire's army.  

Recruitment and Militia Formation

In order to attempt to hold off the incoming army, King Runar began recruitment efforts to bolster Highshore's limited army. With the help of Viro Duskcoat and several bards, the word was sent out about the incoming danger and people were urged to join the military effort. Unfortunately, the city-state was amidst a period of decades-long peace and prosperity, and many citizens did not believe the warnings of impending danger.   With this in mind, Viro Duskcoat began training militias in towns that lay the imperial army's path, attempting to give the townspeople and citizens some chance at fighting back.   In response to the failed recruitment efforts, and with the Cesarican army breathing down Highshore's neck, King Runar began emergency conscription to Higshore's army.  

Evacuation and Rationing

In addition to the military planning, King Runar also payed attention to the small citizens of Highshore. Starting from the southernmost edges of the city-state, he ordered people to evacuate inwards toward the city of Highshore proper. While many were unwilling to leave their homes behind, as the threat of an invading army became more imminent, civilians began pouring into the city. Anticipating this, King Runar also ordered the building of temporary shelter and refugee housing within the city to house those displaced by the evacuations.   In order to convince more people to move out of the way of danger, King Runar also promised compensation for any lost land or profits from harvests that would be missed or taken in preparation for the potential siege.   Also anticipating a potential siege, King Runar imposed rations starting several months before the army was due to enter Highshore. While this was met with some resentment by the populace, many say this was vital in Highshore's survival against the Cesarican invasion.  

Magical Defenses

While Viro Duskcoat and the Admirals were working on bolstering Highshore's offensive capabilities and while King Runar was working on bolstering Highshore's infrastructure, Thaliadora Falstagg had recruited the mages of Highshore as well as from neighboring areas to research a potential powerful defense to keep the Cesarican army from breaching the city.   Sadly, the majority of her notes are lost to time. What is known from observations at the time was that she spent several months building pillars along the edges of the city, and somehow her ritual used the ancient sentinels that stand in Highshore Bay.   When the Cesarican forces finally arrived at the city of Highshore, Thaliadora activated her ritual, and a massive storm erupted, encasing the city in thunder, lightning, rain, and wind that no one could brave.  

The Siege

The siege of Highshore lasted a total of 10 months. Thanks to King Runar's careful planning, the city's stores were meted out thoughtfully, and food did not run out, although it was running perilously low after so long. At the same time, the stormy barrier around the city left Cesarica's troops wet, weary, and low on food themselves.   Knowing that their main advantage in negotiations was the fact that Cesarica did not know what state Highshore was in, King Runar sent his eldest daughter, Areda out to parley with Cesarican officials. They met outside of the edges of the storm, on a small island now known as Areda's Landing. Areda and her contingent arrived on King Runar's personal vessel, laden with luxuries and a specially-produced feast in order to deceive the Cesaricans about the city's dire condition. Between that and Thaliadora's impressive control over storm magic, the Cesaricans were successfully intimidated by Highshore's perseverance.   A month after initial negotiations, food stores within Highshore were running perilously low, and though the city was spared any illness so far, as people weakened, their luck would run out. However, the Cesarican army's morale was running low. They were forced to weather a constant storm for almost a year, soaked to the bone and on cold army rations.   Cesarican officials called for another parley, offering to recognize Highshore's sovereignty so long as a member of the Theiodren family married into the Cesarican royal family. King Runar agreed to these terms, and ended the siege. After 11 months, the storm barrier around the city dissipated.  

Effects of the Siege

After the siege ended, the pillars that Thaliadora constructed were taken apart and built into a fountain in the main square of Highshore, now known as the Fountain Square. Inscribed on the base of the fountain are the names of the militia and army members that stood outside of the barrier, slowing the Cesarican army to give the civilians of Highshore time to evacuate.   King Runar's youngest child, Reyne, was chosen to marry into Cesarican nobility and sent to Kaladar to marry Lord Tristan Viscary.   Many of the refugees turned their temporary housing into permanent homes in the city, increasing the population immensely. Perhaps to get more room, King Runar built a new residence just north of the city, on the cliffs overlooking the sea. He bequeathed the former palace to Thaliadora Falstagg, who established the Highshore Arcane Academy there.   While Highshore survived the siege, it was a Pyrrhic victory. The once prosperous coffers of the city were completely depleted, and the farmland around the city was either destroyed by the invading army or by the long storm that surrounded it for so long. While Highshore remained a sovereign city-state for the rest of King Runar's rule, it was economically crippled. The city relied more and more on its neighbors, who all eventually became Cesarica. About a decade after the siege, Highshore ceded power to Cesarica, joining the Empire.