Second Siege of Eston

Military action

Once again ancient Eston was in harm’s way.

Concerned about the Thrane masses and the Karrnathi knights, Cyran forces outside the city did little but probe the besiegers. Thrane offered generous terms, but they were rejected, as embittered Karrnath hinted at the necessity of “corpse-tribute” to buy peace. As they had nearly a decade before, Eston’s House of Making-built walls held strong. The armies settled down for a long siege. A buildup of forces and regular assaults by the attackers was nearly matched by midnight sallies of Cyran cavalry that destroyed dozens of siege towers and engines.   The siege ended in 905, primarily as a result of two events. First, Karrnath’s yet unvanquished plague spread to Thrane, undermining that nation’s means and will to fight. Second, the defenders were reinforced, yet again, by deadly Wrogar and his elite Aundairian rangers. The rangers arrived one day before dawn and unleashed a barrage of summonings that panicked the Thrane levies and unsettled the Karrnathi elite. The Karrns quickly regained their bearings but could do little but stage a fighting retreat to cover the Thrane soldiers’ lack of discipline.