The Lion-tree Pact {English}

As alliance happens through necessity, some happen out of sheer desperation. But even then, they are the foundation to great outcomes... and even greater declines...

— Everam, Teller of Nimenra

An old and by now broken promise, The Lion-tree Pact was an alliance between four countries to counteract the emerging threat of Orfordwhelm as they began aggressively make claims and conquest. Where many of the small splinter countries that formed after The Fall of Kyrkas tried to show that they could survive on their own or together without outside help, this alliance proved that even with mighty allies, nothing is assured.

The Core for an Alliance - The Threat

As Kyrkas, the once proud and strong country that held several other minority countries or people under them, was shooked by their defeat at the hands of the first Nini and her gathered army, several revolts erupted in 842 due to the large losses and loss of authority Kyrkas received. Among the revolts was Orfordwhelm, a small state organized around a clan and chief society. This smaller and heavily warrior-organized culture won several strategical victories against Kyrkas that steadily declined. Eventually several of the revolts were full-blown independence movements and Kyrkas became a ruined state after its devastation by the Orfordmen and their allies. The great victor among all, however, were Orfordwhelm and their reign started immediately after Kyrkas. In just under 50 years, Orfordwhelm had forcefully vassalized or taken over its neighbours. It became more and more apparent that a new Kyrkas was on the rise in the form of Orfordwhelm.

The beginnings - Members

Among the newly independent countries were three former dependencies to Kyrkas: Leonerd, one of the oldest organised countries in Telamirein, Paranvir, a mid-sized country that had been a dependency to Kyrkas as a centre for goods, and Willrowia, a small kingdom state that had risen anew. The leaders of the countries decided early upon a pact of non-aggression and a benefactor agreement on trade where goods from mainly Paranvir was sold to the others for recourses and expertise to rebuild lost glory. The healthy relationship would turn into an alliance when eventually a neighbouring Kyrkas would try to retake Willrowia but fail when both Paranvir and Leonerd came to their aid. The three fostered better relationship than most among the newly independent states which by now had been fighting against each other.

However, 350 years after their independence in 866, Orfordwhelm had become much stronger then many were prepared to believe and now had set their sight upon Willrowia to take the important trade highway, the Grey Road, in full. The war was bitter on both sides due to an outbreak of revolts on Orfordwhelm's side but also an epidemic of Ruspox in Leonerd. The three allies won but barely so. The three knew that Orfordwhelm would come back and even with the strong defensive arts of Leonerd, the weapons of Paranvir and the labour from Willrowia, it was only a matter of time on who would fall first.

It was then that Orfordwhelm got into conflict with the distant country of Ravero. Ravero, even fighting on foreign soil, was very capable and reached a stalemate with Orfordwhelm and white peace. Leonerd who had previous relations with Ravero reached out and asked for a protection treaty. The then King of Ravero, Lurthen II, agreed upon the condition of his son being married to a Leonesian princess. This created a rather complex alliance but would thrive despite the distance.

The thriving relations - and fall

Orfordwhelm would be a hard country to defeat and it was why the alliance understandably choose the path of least resistance. Several fortifications were built and a network of strongholds that were located on strategic hilltops, some close to the Grey Road. The men inhabiting these locations were mainly Renvaren, who could expend their rather large forces to defend its allies. But with the Kingdom of Ravero's troops located a long time there, most of them in Willrowia, some of the other countries saw it as an occupation rather than protection. Three wars with Orfordwhelm later proved their need, however. Ravero was seen as the protector by some and by others as the notorious Renvaren influence that spread across the continent.

With the opening of Marlun, Leonerd became a very important country to be on the good side with, otherwise no exports were taken in from the new lands. But with the Incursion of Demons in Marlun and the Formation of The United Kings Council, there was pressure from Orfordwhelm and Nilaminra for Ravero to remove much of their forces from the forts and strongholds. The three countries denied that Ravero was a threat to them and was protecting them, but rather than to risk an all-out war after several hundred thousand died to protect against the Demons, Ravero backed down and removed 10 000 of the 15 000 garrisons. It would only be a decade later in 1748, only two years after another war for Marlun had started and was still ongoing, that Orfordwhelm would make a surprise attack against several of the fortifications and take Paranvir's capital of Villarhem. This ended the current hostilities with Nekuram but also opened a rift in the alliance due to Orfordwhelm taking the connecting road and country between Willrowia and Leonerd. Even with the immediate action of other countries had Orfordhwelm locked down their country-side and could not be defeated.

Over the coming years Orfordwhelm would continue hostilities towards the other countries with varying results. Willrowia and Leonerd tried to create a new road between them and even with the talented artisans and founding of Medrin as an outpost, wildlife, bandits and raiders from Orfordian noblemen or its state would hinder and ultimately destroy the whole attempt. Ravero would have a force of 7500 men when Orfordwhelm would once again attack Willrowia but this time with the Kingdom of Telaron on Orfordwhelm's side to delay any reinforcements from Ravero. Even with Leonerd's main army, Willrowia's banners with the famous red Willowtree would burn in the capital the year 1883 and Orfordwhelm captured it and divided it in two with Telaron. Telaron would eventually lose this region to Orfordwhelm in a later war on the side of Leonerd and Ravero.

As the last remaining parts of the alliance, Ravero and Leonerd made a counter-attack in the 1940-1942 war and despite Leonerd's weakened state due to The Great Quakes, captured Villarhem, known now as Coronhem. But in the end, there was a forced white peace due to the War in Marlun turning against Humanity and Coronhem was to be with Orfordwhelm. In an opportunity due to civil unrest and increasingly corrupt nobility, Orfordwhelm successfully took Leonerd, resulting in Fall of Leonerd.

1222 V.D - 1989 V.D

Type

Alliance, Generic

Alternative Names

The Threat Alliance

Members
Kingdom of Ravero 
Leonerd
Paranvir
Willrowia