Vudon-Reivan War
The Conflict
Prelude
For centuries, Reivan relations with their western neighbors had been ambivalent but peaceful. The Reivans had no interest in expanding beyond the ashlands, and their neighbors had no interest in entering the ashlands. Without open lines of communication, the Reivans were unaware that the Empire of Vudon had annexed the territory on its continuing march eastward.
Deployment
The Imperial invasion of the ashlands came as a great surprise to The Reivan Clans. Sethas Reiva, the first reiva to be sacked, was completely unprepared for the invaders. Their beacon was lit to call for aid when scouts discovered the approaching enemy. Aid did come, but aid came expecting to reinforce a reiva struggling with large raids, not expecting to find a reiva conquered and occupied by a full expeditionary army. These reinforcements were wiped out.
The Imperial invaders managed to turn some Reivans to their cause, or somehow compel their assistance. With Reivan aid, their army was able to avoid the devastating hazards of the Wastes with relative safety. The Reivan defenders were unprepared for a war in which they could not rely on attrition to cripple an enemy. Multiple reivas fell, but even with assistance, the invaders could not move as quickly as news of the invasion could spread, and warning beacons lit up throughout the ashlands. Coordination was limited by communication, but when the Great Beacon of Rannock Reivasa was illuminated for the first time in history, the message was understood in most reivas: all forces were to converge to make their stand in Rannock.
Reivas that stood between the invading army and Rannock Reivasa took an absolutely unprecedented break from tradition: women ventured beyond the reiva’s walls. Many of these reivas embarked on a massive exodus, emptying out in their entirety to evacuate to Rannock. Only small groups of warriors remained to harass and delay the enemy. Sadly, even in the direct path of the invasion, some Elders refused to break with tradition, and would not evacuate their women, choosing instead to stay in their homes until the end. Reivas in the east were spared this decision, needing only to send their men to Rannock. Reinforcements and evacuees from across the ashlands found themselves in a race against time to reach Rannock before the Empire.
The tide of the war turned in the Battle of Rannock Reivasa, a desperate defense in which the Reivans narrowly succeeded in repelling and routing the invading army. In their retreat, the Empire suffered massive losses, allowing the Clans to regroup and muster an army for a counter-offensive into the borderlands.
Included Conflicts
Conflict Type
War
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
Feasting, 1491
Belligerents
Strength
Casualties
Objectives
Capture of Rannock Reivasa and control of the The Gray Wastes.
Maintain historical territory, and secure against future attacks.
