The War for Emerald Lake
INTRODUCTION
The Battle of Teroron Bridge took place during the Siednik Wars of the Third Period. Many historians place this battle as the turning point of the Ithrium Empire and its rise to power in Middle Eteanal and the Battlewrath Plains. The Siednik Wars were petty battles and skirmishes fought over the lands in Battlewrath, mainly for the sake of conquest and no mere reason. Most of the battle were between three major powers: Ithrium, Porsonal, and Tsonlar; this paved the way for the new Archian Kingdom to rise to power and eventually conquer the entirety of Middle Eteanal in the thirty-eighth century.
TENSION RISE IN INGERFORD AND RELLOUN
In 2304 3p, the nation of Tsonlar and the Ithrium Empire had been feuding for over three centuries, with new tactics and units being developed in the midst of the long rivalry. The Ithrium Emperor of 2304, Lord Siron III, had deployed thirteen hundred infantry, along with a battalion of archers, to Ingerford in preparation for an invasion of the Jade Expanse. In response, the lord of east Tsonlar, Lord Orion, lined the entire Relloun Channel with his best soldiers, a total of fourteen thousand strong. Vastly outnumbered, the troops in Ingerford stayed put, and a stalemate began.
RAPTORS OF ITHRIUM
After three years of military standoff at the Relloun Channel, Lord Siron finally decided to move forward with his invasion, sending Commander Lorian Pellmont with his Emerald Hawk Cavalry Battalion, numbering seven hundred fifty soldiers, to the eastern shore of Relloun. The fiercesome and experienced cavalry quickly swept through camp after camp of Tsondalian knights, slaughtering hundreds of Orion's best infantry.
The troops were quickly recalled to a town near Southbere, and the Ithrium Invasion began. Troops poured through Ingerford and crossed over into the Jade Expanse, not fearing retribution from Tsonlar. Pellmont led a total force of nine thousand Ithrium warriors into the heartland of Eastern Tsonlar, burning and pillaging in the name of 'liberation' as they conquered. Skirmishes began to take place as Silvercrest struck in the final months of 2307 3p, and Commander Pellmont's progress slowed to a halt. This gave time for Orion to regroup his men at Southbere, recouping and gathering a massive force again to repel the invaders. Word was sent to their former overlords in West Tsonlar, but no reply was given and the messenger never returned. The situation in the Jade Expanse was bleak.
THE BATTLE FOR TERORON BRIDGE
Right in the heart of the Expanse lay a small city, called Teroron. It was situated on the massive Emerald Lake between Relloun and Southbere, and was the most fortified and advantageous location in all of Eastern Tsonlar. In the first set of Blossoming, 2308, Pellmont and his swift Emerald Hawks rode out ahead of the primary Ithrium army and crossed into the bay of the lake, their green banners and flags streaming behind them as they rode. A singular stone bridge led into the fortress city, guarded heavily by plate armored infantry and pike-men. Pellmont realized his Hawks were useless in such a fight, and hastily sent them to the south side of the lake to repel any force from Southbere hoping to save the small city, a move which was later hailed as genius by historians. As the Ithrium Infantry approached the bay, a messenger was sent to Pellmont from Teroron, begging him to go away. They could not surrender because of Orion's wrath, but if Pellmont and his forces continued south, they would not bother the Ithrium invaders. Many of Pellmont's advisors pleaded with him to accept the deal, citing the likely casualties in an assualt on Teroron City. But after three days, Pellmont returned word to the city that such a proposition was ill advised, and an experienced general such as he would not shy from battle. On Markus 44th, 2308 3p, Pellmont led a force of thirteen hundred infantry onto the stone bridge to destroy the numerical inferior guard. The Battle for the Bridge lasted five days, and at dawn on the sixth, Pellmont slew the final soldier with his spear. The way to the city was open, but the impossible task of entering lay towering in front of him. He knew it was only a matter of time before Orion returned with a great host, and he called upon his advisors. It was during this meeting that a man stepped forward, promising victory in his ability to sabotage the defenses of the town. This man was named Farley, an Ithrium ranger from Dusswik.
A BLOODY FIGHT
Before nightfall of Markus 46th, Farley managed to sneak into the city and laid in the shadows of the alleyways until the guard switched in the middle of night. Farley quietly took out the guards at the portcullis and opened the gate. Before the Tsondalian city-guard knew what was happening, the Ithrium army was already half inside the city and taking everything in sight. The battle took place on the east curtain wall and the city square, between six hundred Ithrium soldiers and four hundred Tsondalian guards, fresh off a night of rest. The struggle last six hours, and when Pellmont's troops finally broke through to the marketplace, the Lord of the City, Terribon, surrendered, seeing his streets flowing red with blood. Pellmont became the first Ithrenese Lord of the Emerald Lake, and had the difficult task of defending foreign territory from the native army he knew was coming. He sent a messenger back to Ingerford to ask Emperor Siron for more troops, in hopes Orion's army would not arrive soon. However, three days later, at the top of the nearby clifftop, a scout spotted a blood-red banner waving. Within an hour, heavily armored troops began streaming down into the plains at the bay of the Emerald Lake. According to legend, when all the Ithrenese commanders saw the massive Tsondalian army, they panicked and were faint, except Pellmont, who is said to have stated: "There's only ten thousand more to kill, should make for an afternoon". The eight thousand Ithrium soldiers stood in the city, on the bridge, and outside on the bay, deathly afraid of the sudden appearance of an innumerable enemy. Pellmont gathered a group of five hundred of the most disgruntled and hardened warriors, not afraid of anything and welcoming death, leading them out into the plain personally. At the sight of their commander leaving the safety of the city to fight, the whole army followed. The plated silver armor of the Tsondalian soldiers were daunting for the short spears and longswords of the Ithrium infantry, but Pellmont rallied his troops and charged into the marshy field, taking on the full force of fourteen thousand Tsondalian knights. The two sides clashed four times over twelve days, each time, the Tsondalian force throwing back Pellmont closer to the Emerald Lake. Casualties on both sides were high, with many more wounded beyond help. One historian who watched from inside the city writes: "Pellmont looked out from his camp in the bay at the blood running over the fields and the weapons scattered throughout and remarked 'It is never the want of a general to see his men die, but for such a cause as this! Glorious indeed!'" Never was there a truer commander in Ithrium's history, more intent on securing glory for his homeland.
THE BATTLE FOR TERORON BRIDGE
Right in the heart of the Expanse lay a small city, called Teroron. It was situated on the massive Emerald Lake between Relloun and Southbere, and was the most fortified and advantageous location in all of Eastern Tsonlar. In the first set of Blossoming, 2308, Pellmont and his swift Emerald Hawks rode out ahead of the primary Ithrium army and crossed into the bay of the lake, their green banners and flags streaming behind them as they rode. A singular stone bridge led into the fortress city, guarded heavily by plate armored infantry and pike-men. Pellmont realized his Hawks were useless in such a fight, and hastily sent them to the south side of the lake to repel any force from Southbere hoping to save the small city, a move which was later hailed as genius by historians. As the Ithrium Infantry approached the bay, a messenger was sent to Pellmont from Teroron, begging him to go away. They could not surrender because of Orion's wrath, but if Pellmont and his forces continued south, they would not bother the Ithrium invaders. Many of Pellmont's advisors pleaded with him to accept the deal, citing the likely casualties in an assualt on Teroron City. But after three days, Pellmont returned word to the city that such a proposition was ill advised, and an experienced general such as he would not shy from battle. On Markus 44th, 2308 3p, Pellmont led a force of thirteen hundred infantry onto the stone bridge to destroy the numerical inferior guard. The Battle for the Bridge lasted five days, and at dawn on the sixth, Pellmont slew the final soldier with his spear. The way to the city was open, but the impossible task of entering lay towering in front of him. He knew it was only a matter of time before Orion returned with a great host, and he called upon his advisors. It was during this meeting that a man stepped forward, promising victory in his ability to sabotage the defenses of the town. This man was named Farley, an Ithrium ranger from Dusswik.
A BLOODY FIGHT
Before nightfall of Markus 46th, Farley managed to sneak into the city and laid in the shadows of the alleyways until the guard switched in the middle of night. Farley quietly took out the guards at the portcullis and opened the gate. Before the Tsondalian city-guard knew what was happening, the Ithrium army was already half inside the city and taking everything in sight. The battle took place on the east curtain wall and the city square, between six hundred Ithrium soldiers and four hundred Tsondalian guards, fresh off a night of rest. The struggle last six hours, and when Pellmont's troops finally broke through to the marketplace, the Lord of the City, Terribon, surrendered, seeing his streets flowing red with blood. Pellmont became the first Ithrenese Lord of the Emerald Lake, and had the difficult task of defending foreign territory from the native army he knew was coming. He sent a messenger back to Ingerford to ask Emperor Siron for more troops, in hopes Orion's army would not arrive soon. However, three days later, at the top of the nearby clifftop, a scout spotted a blood-red banner waving. Within an hour, heavily armored troops began streaming down into the plains at the bay of the Emerald Lake. According to legend, when all the Ithrenese commanders saw the massive Tsondalian army, they panicked and were faint, except Pellmont, who is said to have stated: "There's only ten thousand more to kill, should make for an afternoon". The eight thousand Ithrium soldiers stood in the city, on the bridge, and outside on the bay, deathly afraid of the sudden appearance of an innumerable enemy. Pellmont gathered a group of five hundred of the most disgruntled and hardened warriors, not afraid of anything and welcoming death, leading them out into the plain personally. At the sight of their commander leaving the safety of the city to fight, the whole army followed. The plated silver armor of the Tsondalian soldiers were daunting for the short spears and longswords of the Ithrium infantry, but Pellmont rallied his troops and charged into the marshy field, taking on the full force of fourteen thousand Tsondalian knights. The two sides clashed four times over twelve days, each time, the Tsondalian force throwing back Pellmont closer to the Emerald Lake. Casualties on both sides were high, with many more wounded beyond help. One historian who watched from inside the city writes: "Pellmont looked out from his camp in the bay at the blood running over the fields and the weapons scattered throughout and remarked 'It is never the want of a general to see his men die, but for such a cause as this! Glorious indeed!'" Never was there a truer commander in Ithrium's history, more intent on securing glory for his homeland.
THE FINAL FATE OF ORION
On Jylon 13th, 2308, nearly 6 months after the invasion began, Orion's Relloun forces finally closed in around the Emerald Lake, trapping Pellmont and his five thousand soldiers inside the small city of Teroron. Pellmont and his five hundred wreckless fighters fought to keep the bridge in front of the city, and all seemed lost. But as the sun reached high noon, a fierce-some gallop sounded near the bridge. The seven hundred fifty Emerald Hawks who Pellmont had deployed southward had returned. The following battle was brutal and resulted in the slaughter of half of Orion's force. In the end, the Eastern Tsondalian troops fled, and Orion was captured after being wounded by a short spear from one of the Hawks. Pellmont quickly held a trial of Orion in front of his men, and the verdict was a resounding guilty. Pellmont intentional held the trial out in the red fields, where the torn banners and beaten armor of their comrades lay asunder amidst the blood stained grass. Orion was executed three hours later and his head was sent back to Southbere to intimidate the Prince, Orion's nephew Simir. Reinforcements arrived at the end of Jylon and Pellmont readied his men for a final conquest in Southbere, a blow which could end Eastern Tsonlar for good. But before they even left the Emerald Lake, peace was signed in Southbere in the presence of Emperor Siron and Prince Simir. Eastern Tsonlar collapsed and the entirety of the Jade Expanse fell into the hands of the Ithrium Empire. Siron crowned Pellmont the first Lord Protector of the Emerald Plains, and he was given a massive golden spear with the Ithrium Banner to hang in the great hall of Southbere. Although this reign did not last long, Pellmont still is the only human to ever rule the entirety of the Jade Expanse. He did not dwell in Southbere, but in Teroron- the site of his greatest military victory. In Atember of 2311, just three years after his victory over Orion, Pellmont was poisoned and killed in his home in Teroron. This led the way for Western Tsonlar to retake its lands in the Jade Expanse and weaken Ithrium forever.
On Jylon 13th, 2308, nearly 6 months after the invasion began, Orion's Relloun forces finally closed in around the Emerald Lake, trapping Pellmont and his five thousand soldiers inside the small city of Teroron. Pellmont and his five hundred wreckless fighters fought to keep the bridge in front of the city, and all seemed lost. But as the sun reached high noon, a fierce-some gallop sounded near the bridge. The seven hundred fifty Emerald Hawks who Pellmont had deployed southward had returned. The following battle was brutal and resulted in the slaughter of half of Orion's force. In the end, the Eastern Tsondalian troops fled, and Orion was captured after being wounded by a short spear from one of the Hawks. Pellmont quickly held a trial of Orion in front of his men, and the verdict was a resounding guilty. Pellmont intentional held the trial out in the red fields, where the torn banners and beaten armor of their comrades lay asunder amidst the blood stained grass. Orion was executed three hours later and his head was sent back to Southbere to intimidate the Prince, Orion's nephew Simir. Reinforcements arrived at the end of Jylon and Pellmont readied his men for a final conquest in Southbere, a blow which could end Eastern Tsonlar for good. But before they even left the Emerald Lake, peace was signed in Southbere in the presence of Emperor Siron and Prince Simir. Eastern Tsonlar collapsed and the entirety of the Jade Expanse fell into the hands of the Ithrium Empire. Siron crowned Pellmont the first Lord Protector of the Emerald Plains, and he was given a massive golden spear with the Ithrium Banner to hang in the great hall of Southbere. Although this reign did not last long, Pellmont still is the only human to ever rule the entirety of the Jade Expanse. He did not dwell in Southbere, but in Teroron- the site of his greatest military victory. In Atember of 2311, just three years after his victory over Orion, Pellmont was poisoned and killed in his home in Teroron. This led the way for Western Tsonlar to retake its lands in the Jade Expanse and weaken Ithrium forever.
THE KEY CHARACTERS INVOLVED
Farley Presscott has been hailed by historians as savior of the Ithrenese forces who invaded Eastern Tsonlar during the Seidik Wars in the 22nd-24th Centuries.
LORD COMMANDER PELLMONT
Lorian Pellmont was a
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