The Freir War (otherwise known as the War for West Reign or the Macdha-Scentral War) took place from EY 388-399, and before the official war, longtime tensions concluded with early battles between non-Freir Macdha and Scentral forces from EY 378-388. These are important battles during those twenty years and some descriptions of what occurred in those battles. (All numbers are approximations.)
Skirmish of Steppen Fields, North Abring in EY 378
290 Macdha (Petty Kingdom of Abbret): Cyning Frithscield, Ealdormann Cirwalfan, 40 cavalry, 10 spellcaster infantry, 30 ranged infantry, 100 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANAaR9g0sDT4c
110 Abring (Steppenziege tribes): 80 ranged cavalry, 30 ranged infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANA1leiiGu5p3
170 Abring (a Steppenziege tribe): 170 ranged cavalry483Please respect copyright.PENANAiMMGAFeLPZ
350 Scentral (an independent slaver caravan): 90 spellcaster cavalry, 70 ranged cavalry, 190 cavalry
The first major encounter between Scentral and a Western kingdom was in the north of Abring Country, in the dry plains near the Scentral-Abring and Scentral-Macdha borders. It included the kingdom directly north of Abring, the Macdha Petty Kingdom of Abbret, a small Abring tribe, and a large Scentral slaver caravan.
Scentral had been slaving Southern tribes for a long time, but in EY 375 Abbret and the Abring village of Steppenziege-Hirte made a pact agreeing to trade of the goats Steppenziege-Hirte possessed so long as Abbret protected every Steppenziege tribe from threats. The pact was made public and the Scentral populous definitely knew of the contract, justifying the battle on Abbret's side. The Abbret general, Cirwalfan, was accompanying his king, Frithscield, when they were conducting a meeting between all of the Steppenziege tribe leaders, with 110 tribe troops and 180 Macdha troops (it was a small company because they did not want to intimidate the tribes). There was a delay in one of the leader's arrival, so scouts were sent out and it was discovered that the entire missing tribe were being chased by a slaver caravan from Scentral. Cyning Frithscield and Ealdormann Cirwalfan led their small army of 180 (40 cavalry, 100 infantry, 40 ranged infantry) in the direction of the tribe and slavers, while scouts were sent to the tribe to divert their course into the meeting place where the Macdha army was marching out of. The other tribe leaders did not have their full armies and made only 110 troops, 80 cavalry and 30 infantry, so they went under the command of Cirwalfan, the superior strategist amongst all of them. During the time the tribe was fleeing, they lost about 70 of their 170 riders and had already engaged in a short melee. After several hours, the three armies met in a nondescript field in the Abring country.
Cirwalfan led the cavalry to flank the enemy while Cyning Frithscield led the infantry and a veteran tribe liberator, who was experienced fighting slavers, led the ranged infantry. Once the Steppenziege tribe fell behind the infantry lines of their allies to regroup, and Cirwalfan set the cavalry into position, the slavers knew they were going to fight a small Macdha army and their tribe allies. They had an opening to flee, but the slavers stood ground, thinking that their superior combat thaumaturgy would win them the battle. Thus, the battle commenced, and the 100 tribe horsemen joined the rest of the 120 cavalry. Firstly, the skirmishers and spellcasters fired their missiles at the frontline enemy, and after the hail halted the first charge of 40 Macdha horsemen commenced. They attacked the flank while the tribe horsemen fired missiles all around the enemy, nearly completely surrounding the front, left, and right flanks. Afterwards, when the skirmishers ran out of missiles, they charged the opposite flank and the frontal flank. The spellcasters continued until they tired, where they then joined the front flank. The ranged troops continued to fire at the rear flank of the enemy, avoiding most friendly fire, and the infantry advanced behind the enemy and charged into the rear flank. By now the slavers were surrounded and in a tight space, and the ranged infantry finished their ammunition on the center of the enemy, then charged both of the side flanks. The result left over 220 Abring warriors and 150 Macdha troops dead or wounded and all of the slavers dead or wounded. The surviving slavers were left to run away back to Scentral, and most of them died of their wounds on the way, but they still managed to tell the Empire of the skirmish that occurred.
The battle is important because it is the first encounter of a Western king directly battling subjects of Scentral since the Empire was founded. Although it was not a battle between militaries and instead a petty army against an independent caravan, this was used in a Casus Beli when Emperor Vorthun Scentral declared war against Aethelcyning Woldfath Freir III. The battle also established the protectorate relationship the West kingdoms would come to adapt with the Southern tribes, defending their lesser neighbors from the slavers of Scentral. In trading with Abring, most of Macdha Country was exposed to sheep, sheepwolves, and foxbirds, extending the capability of their markets.
Battle of Fort Dohtorbyrg, Abbret of Macdha in EY 381
1010 Macdha (Petty Kingdom of Abbret): Ealdormann Cirwalfan, Ealdorfreo Ides, Hysemann Gweorhelm, 20 cavalry, 40 ranged cavalry, 80 spellcaster infantry, 450 ranged infantry, 300 infantry, 120 siege operators, 4 siege machines483Please respect copyright.PENANA2wntitFS9c
670 Macdha (Petty Kingdom of Swerthoweard): Hysemann Gwerborne, 600 cavalry, 120 ranged cavalry, 40 spellcaster infantry, 300 ranged infantry, 150 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANAxxVullpLmK
530 Macdha (Courier Knight Guild): Forelad Deorhelm I, Hysemann Deorhelm II, 80 spellcaster infantry, 150 ranged infantry, 300 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANAGxDpCM2s08
2460 Abring (Camesh Shebeteth and Steppenziege): Ralethan Janimheth, Holunder Ziesch, 60 cavalry, 1800 ranged cavalry, 450 ranged infantry, 150 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANADQsA5drG3j
3540 Scentral (Lowercent and Scoldwalla Duchies, Kathyfieth County): Duke Pruspos, Count Raimont, Marshal Gundnath, Duke Dorthenwald, Count Meirthod, Marshal Yldas, 60 spellcaster cavalry, 120 cavalry, 300 spellcaster infantry, 1050 ranged infantry, 1650 infantry, 360 siege operators, 18 siege machines
Battle of Ealdgeard, Drubeorg of Macdha EY 388
Macdha (Kingdom of Drubeorg): Cyning Dunhelm, Ealdormann Hornheard, 120 cavalry, 180 spellcaster infantry, 900 ranged infantry, 1500 infantry, 1000 peasant women483Please respect copyright.PENANAhk2uthKKuJ
Macdha (Petty Kingdom of Swerthoweard): Cyning Hwelanmaeg, Ealdorfreo Gwere,483Please respect copyright.PENANAckYgymKfNE
Macdha (Kingdom of Freir): Hysemann Winterburne, 60 cavalry, 20 spellcaster infantry, 100 ranged infantry, 150 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANA6TgD5Eo30C
Macdha (Courier Knight Guild): Ealdormann Deorhelm II, 840 cavalry, 450 ranged infantry, 150 infantry483Please respect copyright.PENANA3QHri7Zx6x
Scentral (Draeksong Duchy): Emperor Vorthun, 180 spellcaster cavalry, 480 cavalry, 1800 spellcster infantry, 750 ranged infantry, 2700 infantry, 160 siege operators, 8 siege machines483Please respect copyright.PENANAHFR7Y2XGz3
Scentral (Morriggon Duchy): Duke Domini, Sir Dei, 60 spellcaster cavalry, 840 cavalry, 900 spellcaster infantry, 1050 ranged infantry, 3600 infantry, 500 siege operators, 25 siege machines483Please respect copyright.PENANApfxnzmO3U1
Outnorth (Nithernorth and Hel's Counties): Sir Wesson, 120 spellsword infantry, 60 cavalry, 150 spellcaster infantry, 450 ranged infantry, 900 infantry, 80 siege operators, 4 siege machines
The first battle where the Emperor himself, accompanied by his Marshal, Duke Domini, led troops against the Macdha kingdoms. The siege of Ealdgeard, a town of Drubeorg, lasted approximately 40 days, enough time to start to starve the town's inhabitants. During the last 2 days, elderly and children were released from the fortress to go to the Swerthoweards and Courier Knights who arrived on about day 15 and 16. However, the elderly and children would first have to pass through the enemy siege lines first, and while everyone expected Scentral to have mercy, the Marshal ordered the troops to take the children to be deported into the Empire as slaves and have the elderly killed. Spies from Swerthoweard relayed what the Empire's forces had done, and so the two allied forces outside of the town prepared to attack promptly. The Empire's forces were preparing to attack the walls, but they had an undesirable number of siege weapons and towers, so they were going to wait until about day 50, when they would have completed at least 1 more towers and 2 more sets of ladders. But because of their treatment of the peasants coming out of the fortress, they had to prepare to defend from a battle with the outside enemies. In early EY 388 on a winter day, the Swerthoweards and Courier Knights commenced an attack to free their allies inside the town of Ealdgeard.
Once the inhabitants of the town saw that the Swerthoweards and Knights were attacking, they too took up arms on the walls and behind the two main gates. Scentral forces diverted to protect their rear guard and to assault the Ealdgeard walls with catapults and trebuchets. The first charge of all of the Swerthoweard and Knight cavalry went into the front Scentral flank, but in a split formation, attacking the farthest sides of the long front line Scentral had employed.
This battle is incredibly important, as if was the first, although unintentional, action the Freir had in the Macdha-Scentral wars and the Scentral conquest. It was also the first battle the Scentral Emperor participated in, along with the Marshal-Apparent, Dei Eslient.
Battle of Druhorn's Deep, Drubeorg of Macdha EY 388
Macdha (Kingdom of Drubeorg): Cyning Dunhelm, Ealdormann Hornheard, 120 cavalry, 180 spellcaster infantry, 900 ranged infantry, 1500 infantry, 1000 peasant women483Please respect copyright.PENANAqDruiJHy0K
Macdha (Kingdom of Freir): Ealdormann483Please respect copyright.PENANAkXrlCZZML4
Scentral (Morriggon Duchy): Duke Domini, Sir Dei, 60 spellcaster cavalry, 840 cavalry, 900 spellcaster infantry, 1050 ranged infantry, 3600 infantry, 500 siege operators, 25 siege machines
Siege of Merrio Weall, Freir of Macdha EY 397
Macdha (Kingdom of Freir): Aethelcyning Woldfath III, Ealdormann Winterburne,483Please respect copyright.PENANAQTqSDBOvaE
Macdha (Courier Knight Guild): Forelad Deorhelm II,
The start of a two-year siege by Scentral forces against Macdha forces, and the beginning of the last battle of the war, the Siege of Merrio Weall echoed throughout the Wicthwine region, even well after the end of the war.
Battle of Ceaster Merriodha, Freir of Macdha EY 399
Macdha (Kingdom of Freir): Athelcwen Aelfdaflind II, Forelad Deorhelm II,
Extra:
Steppen = (Abring) Plains (north Abring region)483Please respect copyright.PENANAwy5JE4LSWJ
Shebeteth = (Abring) Tribes (south Abring region)483Please respect copyright.PENANAzCNt7nyadm
Dohtorbyrg = Daughter Dwelling/Fort (Abbret fort)483Please respect copyright.PENANA8ok6BuamVq
Ealdgeard = Old Garden (Drubeorg town and castle)
Cyning = (Petty) King483Please respect copyright.PENANA36wuJ12Gg8
Aethelcyning = High/Holy King483Please respect copyright.PENANA1CkkkpN7vv
Aethelcwen = High/Holy Queen483Please respect copyright.PENANANgKjG21Hbr
Ealdormann = Elder Council Man / Lord/Landholder / (literal) elder man483Please respect copyright.PENANA0kevFyi2Zy
Hysemann = Young Council Man / Young Landholder / Son of a Lord/Landholder / (literal) young man483Please respect copyright.PENANAxl4JiBmUrZ
Ealdorfreo = Elder Council Woman / Wife of a Lord/Landholder / Lady Landholder / (literal) elder woman483Please respect copyright.PENANAlx7ATvemFe
Forelad: Chief Leader / (literal) chief/front lead483Please respect copyright.PENANA5B7DpAerIj
Ralethan = Chief (of the Shebeteth tribes (central Abring))483Please respect copyright.PENANA5NZsl3XngW
Holunder = Elder (of the Steppen tribes (north Abring))
Abbret = near Abring (kingdom on Macdha-Abring border)483Please respect copyright.PENANADkx2eLillX
Swerthoweard = Holy (of Scaelda) Ward/Fortress (kingdom on southern Macdha-Scentral border)483Please respect copyright.PENANARfJqoLp9zF
Drubeorg = Dry Mountain (kingdom on Macdha-Scentral border in mountain region)483Please respect copyright.PENANAZxcnPaJHaq
Freir = (from Fyr and Hat, meaning Fire and Hot (originally Fyrhat, then Friarhet, then Freir)) (kingdom in central Macdha on westmost border; considered oldest and most respected Macdha kingdom)483Please respect copyright.PENANAwO1BFvtN1T
Camesh Shebeteth = South Man Tribe (central Abring tribe)483Please respect copyright.PENANARFrTcDYvLI
Camesh Ber = South Man Village (Camesh village in north Abring)483Please respect copyright.PENANAesMVWvZE4W
(Camesh = combines words Canth (for South) and Mesh (for Man))483Please respect copyright.PENANAUcNRqMiJfl
Steppenziege = Plains Goat (north Abring tribe)483Please respect copyright.PENANAHp65ecojZ2
Steppenziege-Hirte = Plains Goat Shepherd (Steppenziege village in northeast Abring)483Please respect copyright.PENANAnDdCaBOGot
Scoldwalla = Holy (of Scaelda and Molda) Heaven (duchy of southern Central Province)483Please respect copyright.PENANAOhRDHM8XyO
Kathyfieth = Fief/Land of Kathryn (legendary lady warrior) (county on Macdha-Scentral border)483Please respect copyright.PENANAHqGvDfZSEF
Lowercent = (duchy of southwestern Central Province)
People (titles according to EY378-399):483Please respect copyright.PENANAM0bXYhGNDC
Abbret:483Please respect copyright.PENANAiJMTRxONrL
Frithscield = Sun/Fire Shield (king of Abbret)483Please respect copyright.PENANALqh8Ex6Vyh
Cirwalfan = Good-humored Servant (marshal and general of Abbret)483Please respect copyright.PENANApH6GEJGFq4
Ides = Virgin/Maiden (wife of Cirwalfan, council lady of Abbret)483Please respect copyright.PENANAUnsPuHVG2S
Gweorhelm = Roaming Crown / Eye Crown (son of Cirwalfan and Ides, general-apparent of Abbret)483Please respect copyright.PENANAVnkJDKuqLR
Swerthoweard:483Please respect copyright.PENANA1kk96z09Sg
Gwerborne = Born of Gwere / Born of a Farmer Woman (son of Gwere, general-apparent of Swerthoweard)483Please respect copyright.PENANAUWnJgU3ZZk
Gwere = Plough / Farmer Woman (general of Swerthoweard)483Please respect copyright.PENANAwFa4ZI8FwZ
Hwelanmaeg = Rage Might / Mighty Rage (king of Swerthoweard)483Please respect copyright.PENANAapiYqKQCkQ
Drubeorg:483Please respect copyright.PENANAbXXfwhIioP
Dunhelm = Mountain Crown (king of Drubeorg)483Please respect copyright.PENANAEGMGgsADXZ
Stielenhelm = As hard as steel Crown / Crown as hard as steel (prince of Drubeorg)483Please respect copyright.PENANAGpmRbTabTx
Hornheard = Horn Hard (marshal and general of Drubeorg)483Please respect copyright.PENANAs1zwBSDZmZ
Freir:483Please respect copyright.PENANAC8TlzTHsJe
Woldfath III = Strong Faith/Fire (king of Freir)483Please respect copyright.PENANA4udERpzZCx
Aelfdaflind II = Deafening Holiness (queen of Freir)483Please respect copyright.PENANAwlwFYto2SM
Winterburne = Winter Brook/Stream/Spring (general of Freir)483Please respect copyright.PENANAhoB3RdixvY
Deorhelm = Deer Crown (I general of Freir, founder and first leader of Courier Knights; II son of Deorhelm I, second leader of Courier Knights)483Please respect copyright.PENANAyfkczdoxgt
Shebeteth Abring:483Please respect copyright.PENANAgPsGueFgCx
Janimheth = Gift of Hel (Hel is the guardian of the Underworld) (chief of Camesh Ber)483Please respect copyright.PENANA1kz78pcpR2
Steppen Abring:483Please respect copyright.PENANA8HZXy9O6Ga
Ziesch = Goat Shepherd / Remembrance (elder of a Steppenziege tribe)483Please respect copyright.PENANAhPe0pYXshO
Scentral:483Please respect copyright.PENANA3Kfx0bUNsl
Vorthun = (emperor of Scentral, duke of Draeksong)483Please respect copyright.PENANA4bcYOgaapJ
Domini = (duke of Morriggon, ex-marshal of Scentral)483Please respect copyright.PENANAQNtkv2FWtd
Dei = (son of Domini, duke-apparent of Morriggon, marshal of Scentral)483Please respect copyright.PENANAhCqTjxVciI
Pruspos = (duke of Lowercent)483Please respect copyright.PENANA5a9sqNoH7J
Raimont = (Scentral count, vassal of Pruspos)483Please respect copyright.PENANAfUUuy3lBEx
Gundnath = (marshal of Lowercent)483Please respect copyright.PENANAWVysqC8AJa
Dorthenwald = (duke of Scoldwalla)483Please respect copyright.PENANAgQ3WhC7z3h
Meirthod = (Scentral count, marshal of Scoldwalla)483Please respect copyright.PENANAhpCLT3QGCG
Yldas = (sister of Yldonn, marshal of Kathyfieth, vassal of Yldonn)483Please respect copyright.PENANAR0U6OCPJlH
*Yldonn = (count of Kathyfieth)483Please respect copyright.PENANA05ZnjTjAVO
Wesson = (duke of Outnorth, count of Hel's County)
* not mentioned in the passages
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