THE BATTLE OF ALDERHEART

Military: Battle

By Song 412, the foundations of the city of Alderheart were complete, though it would scarcely be recognizable today. The early city was primarily constructed on the south side of the Evertree. If you wander that district, you will find some of Alderheart’s oldest buildings. However, the early city wasn’t much more than a fortified settlement built up around the Holybranch temple. The developing city flourished, drawing many people from across the Wood as the word spread that Alderheat was founded on the ideals of safety and cooperation.   However, The Robber King also heard the rumors of the city built to resist them and made plans to crush the young city to maintain the Coalition’s stranglehold on the Wood. Fortunately, Alderheart caught wind of the plan and had time to prepare while the bandits organized their scattered forces. This conflict came to a head in Song 413 at The Battle of Alderheart.   At the start of summer, the Bandit Coalition launched a ferocious attack against the Great Tree City. Armed with flaming catapults and great ballistae, the Coalition’s goal was to topple the Evertree and with it the fragile hope that anyone in the Wood could resist their might. In the face of the assault, Alderheart’s founders led the Perch Guard in defense of the city. The battle lasted ten days, filled with bitter fighting and great losses on both sides. The steadfast leadership of the founders and the discipline of Alderheart and Bramblewell’s combined forces won out, finally routing the bandits. The Robber King is believed to have died in this battle. No records referring to the Coalition’s leader exist after this point, though many others using the title have popped up throughout history, claiming to be descendants of the original Robber King. This defeat hobbled the Coalition’s forces and led to the end of their threat to the Wood.   Today, outside the Council Plaza Courthouse, a wooden obelisk shaped from the Evertree bears the names of those who gave their lives in the Battle of Alderheart. The names are filled in with gold so that they will never fade. Vines of goldblossoms grow around the memorial and bloom every song in Rayswell, marking Alderheart’s victory and honoring the memory of those who fell in combat.