The Battle of Red Gorge (1190 OR)
The climactic Battle of Red Gorge in 1190 OR marked the end of the decades-long war between the Dominion of Kesh and the Kingdom of Gorundia, a brutal conflict that pitted the followers of Hextor, god of tyranny and war, against the disciples of Heironeous, god of valor and justice. With both sides depleted and desperate, the battle was not just a test of arms but of strategy, faith, and willpower. It was here, amid the blood and chaos, that the names of heroes and legends were forever etched into history.
The Armies
The Dominion of Kesh: The Dominion fielded a grim and disciplined army that embodied Hextor’s doctrine of ruthless order. Their heavy infantry, armed with polearms and shields, formed the backbone of their forces, while
Half-orc mercenaries—brutal and relentless—provided shock troops. Their cavalry, clad in lamellar armor with curved blades, thundered across the battlefield, while dark priests of Hextor invoked curses and rallied the troops with promises of glory. Their banners, adorned with the blood-red gauntlet of Hextor, struck fear into all who beheld them.
The Kingdom of Gorundia: Gorundia’s army stood in stark contrast, embodying chivalry and valor. Its ranks consisted of shining knights in plate armor, disciplined men-at-arms, and the unmatched precision of elvish longbowmen and skirmishers. The banners of Heironeous, bearing twin lightning bolts, inspired courage as priests of the god moved among the troops, blessing their weapons and offering prayers for victory.
The Mastermind: Count Amadis
At the heart of Gorundia’s strategy stood Count Blackbriar, Amadis, a brilliant and ruthless tactician. While others glorified the chivalric charge or the elven skirmish, Amadis saw the battlefield as a chessboard, where every piece had its place and every loss was acceptable—if it served the greater victory. It was he who devised the plan that turned the chaotic terrain of Red Gorge into a weapon, splitting the Dominion’s forces and exploiting their weaknesses.
The Terrain Advantage: Amadis chose Red Gorge carefully, understanding that its narrow passages, steep cliffs, and dense woods would hinder the Dominion’s heavy infantry and cavalry. He positioned elven skirmishers in the high ground to rain death on advancing troops, while knights and men-at-arms were kept in reserve for precision strikes.
Deceptive Maneuvers: Amadis ordered a feigned retreat on the
Gorundian right flank, led by House Moffet, to lure the Dominion’s pikemen and cavalry into a trap. When the Dominion advanced, they found themselves surrounded and annihilated by a devastating countercharge.
Coordinated Strikes: The count’s plan hinged on precise timing, with Lady Allarson holding the left flank against overwhelming odds, the Vogels leading the charge into the Dominion’s center, and the Moffets crushing the enemy's right. Amadis himself remained behind the lines, calmly issuing orders and ensuring every piece moved as intended.
The Vogels: A Legacy Forged in Blood
At the forefront of the battle were the Vogels, a house of legendary valor and ferocity. Duke
Maletryx Vogel, despite his advanced age of 80, rode into battle alongside his son, Maxen, and his grandson, Galmyr, just 18 and untested in war. Their manticore banner became a rallying symbol for
Gorundian forces, cutting a bloody swath through the Dominion’s ranks.
Their daring charge into the Dominion’s center was a turning point, smashing through heavy infantry and scattering their
Half-orc mercenaries. But the cost was steep. The Dominion’s half-orc warlord, a fearsome giant of a man, led a brutal counterattack that claimed the lives of Duke Maletryx and
Maxen Vogel. Galmyr, though bloodied and surrounded, seized his father’s sword and rallied the surviving knights. It is said that a bolt of lightning split the sky as he called upon **Heironeous**, scattering the Dominion’s forces and turning the tide of battle.
Galmyr earned his spurs that day, forever remembered as the young knight who rose from the ashes of his family’s sacrifice to lead Gorundia to victory.
Lady Allarson's Heroic Stand
On the left flank,
Nienor Allarson, an elf of grace and unmatched courage, commanded her
Human house with skill and tenacity. Facing overwhelming odds, she orchestrated a harrowing ambush in the dense woods bordering the battlefield. Her skirmishers and archers rained death upon the Dominion’s advancing forces, breaking their formations and forcing their commanders to commit reserves.
When the Dominion’s cavalry turned their focus on her position, Lady Allarson and her bodyguard made a desperate stand. Wielding her ancestral longsword, she fought at the forefront as her knights fell around her. When reinforcements finally arrived, they found her bloodied but unbowed, standing alone amidst the bodies of her fallen warriors. Her valor became a symbol of Gorundian resilience and sacrifice.
The Moffets: Cunning and Glory
On the right flank, House Moffet, under the command of Baron Arlen Moffet, executed Count Amadis’s most daring maneuver. Pretending to retreat, they baited the Dominion’s pikemen into a narrow ravine, where hidden Gorundian knights struck with devastating effect. The trap shattered the Dominion’s right flank, allowing the Moffets to encircle the remaining forces and crush them.
The Moffets’ cunning earned them glory and cemented their reputation as master tacticians, securing their place among Gorundia’s most celebrated houses.
Divine Intervention
Both armies claimed divine intervention on the battlefield. Gorundian soldiers swore they saw **Heironeous** himself riding among their knights, his lightning bolts shattering enemy lines. Meanwhile, Dominion survivors whispered of a six-armed avatar of Hextor, cleaving through Gorundian ranks with merciless efficiency. These tales, though unproven, added to the battle’s mythic status and cemented it as a holy reckoning in the eyes of both sides.
The Aftermath
As the sun set over the blood-soaked fields of Red Gorge, the Dominion’s forces broke and fled, their spirit shattered and their will to fight extinguished. The Kingdom of Gorundia emerged victorious, though the cost was heavy. Duke Maletryx and
Maxen Vogel were laid to rest as heroes, while
Galmyr Vogel rose to prominence, knighted on the battlefield. Lady Allarson, though grievously wounded, returned to her keep as a living legend, and House Moffet basked in the glory of their cunning triumph.
Above all, Count Amadis stood as the architect of victory. His brilliant strategy not only secured the kingdom’s future but also elevated him to near-mythic status. To this day, bards sing of the Battle of Red Gorge, where Gorundian valor and strategy overcame the ruthless might of the Dominion. Yet even in victory, the scars of the war remain, a somber reminder of the price of freedom.
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