The Battle of the Thorny Pass

The Battle of the Thorny Pass was one of the turning points in the War of Four Houses. Taking place in the Rosery held Spike Pass, the invading force of Tarrenar, mostly mounted knights and Terra mages, met the dug-in force of Rosery defenders. The Tarrenars had the advantage in numbers, and this let them put up a decoy force to distract the defenders while skilled mages manipulated the thorn bush plants to entangle the defensive walls. With this victory, the Tarrenar would go on to capture the crucial Serpent-Tail river, a major trade route, cutting off the Rosery's main trade route and source of income.   This particular battle lent credence to the effectiveness of mounted knights. By staging a seemingly desperate cavalry charge, the Rosery thought they had their victory within sight, letting the Terra mages manipulate the thorny briars into crushing the defensive wall. The knights, lowering their pole-arms, charged through the demolished bricks and into the surprised mages and knights. The Tarrenar lost around 500 warriors, while the Rosery lost close to 2,000.   The Battle of the Thorny Pass led to the downfall of the Rosery and the eventual marriage alliance between them and the much more powerful Mirthen.