Widowtree Massacre

“You have to understand, as bad as it sounds it’s nothing compared to actually living through it. We just wanted one day to live at peace, and celebrate our Ara’Avali. It takes a sick person to turn something like that into what it became.”

Archmagi Kubori Aljato, Vermillion Sage on the Massacre

The Conflict

Prelude

Riding high off the events of Ambush at Dranus, many who sided with the Rebel Lords and the United Mercernary Guilds were feeling emboldened by their victory.
Despite heightened tensions and a more mobile 20 Orders, many of the U.M.G. Felt they could simply wear down the 20 Orders by hiding amongst the populace and ambush them the way they did at Dranus.
What they learned, however, was that the 20 Orders were learning from their mistakes and instituted Order 14, the Serpent, to doing the same tactic. Soon entire battles were ended because the Rebel Lords’ leaders would be caught and their bases exposed.
Lady Gauri Ron Vidranya felt the pressure as she caught more and more 20 Order forces in her capitol city.
Lady Vidranya was a suspected conspirator at the time, but nothing conclusive had been determined at the time. All the 20 Orders could determine were that many people connected to her were popping up in many dissenting circles.

Deployment

Lady Vidranya knew time was running out for her. This was compounded when she received a report that she would be arrested on the 6th Day of the Ara’Alvali festival at the Widowtree Altar. As such she had her court wizard come up with a distraction that coupled with the lantern festival many would have.
On the sixth day, she spotted the 20 Orders and discerned that many of their ranks had infiltrated the populace. She sang the last verse but with it cast a Contingency spell she had active on all the paper lanterns in the audience.

Battlefield

The Widowtree Plaza

Conditions

U.M.G - remove Lady Vidranya and her family from her castle while causing damage to the 20 Orders. 20 Orders - Capture Lady Vidranya and remove the U.M.G presence from Widowtree.

The Engagement

The battle began when the first conflagration erupted from the masses. A riptide of fire burned through the plaza and houses alike, and scarred the sacred Widowtree.
The ensuing chaos led the 20 Orders changing plans to move the people away from the fires while U.M.G soldiers butchered citizens in plain clothes. Some were soldiers but the majority of the casualties were civilians.
The Battle ended when Sage Kubori managed to cast Weather control and drown out the fires with rain. Afterward the 20 orders remobilized and put the U.M.G insurgents to the sword.
soon after Lady Vidranya was found with her throat slit and her eyes and tongue cut out. To this day none know who ended her life.

Outcome

Widowtree suffered a heavy loss that is still being rebuilt to this day. Many people’s lives were lost. Those who were captured on the U.M.G’s side were unanimously sentenced to death. House Vidranya had lost all their lineage and fallen into dishonest. Of the 8 Honor Blades has gone missing.
Support for the 20 Orders swelled.

Aftermath

For those of Widowtree they now refuse to light the last lantern on the Ara’Avali in remembrance of the massacre.
Emperor Ferox III would be in attendance of this event every year until his passing.
The Golden Baum of Widowtree remains muted, and the land no longer has the prosperous growth it once had. Without the original family alive to honor it, the tree will remain until forever.
The Vidranya family line has been excised from the royal coat of arms across the Empire, and those who hold the name Vidranya are given the choose to leave their family name or be exiled.

Historical Significance

Many historians refer to this as the emotional turning point in the war. While the buildup can be described in hindsight, the sheer horror and severity of this event leads many to vilify the Rebel Lords despite their reasons for rebelling.

In Literature

It is considered tasteless to fictionalize or portray the events of this moment in art or literature.

Conflict Type

Battle

Battlefield Type

Urban

Start Date

109 F.E.

Ending Date

109 F.E.

Conflict Result

20 Orders defeated U.M.G. - Lady Vidranya was killed. Roughly 10,000 casualties, 3000 combatants and 7000 non-combatants.

Belligerents

20 Orders

United Mercenary Guild

Strength

5,000 fighting people.

3,000 fighting people.

Casualties

1000 soldiers

2000 soldiers in battle, over 1000 in execution.

Objectives

Capture Lady Vidranya and bring her to trial.  Damage control for the flames that swallowed the city.  Prevent the UMG from killing civilians. 

Protect Lady Vidranya
Root out the 20 Order Soldiers hiding as civilians.