Ice Stone Pact

I understand where you're coming from, men of the kingdom fighting alongside peoples of the mountain when we have been killing each other for so long, but we have a common enemy and we will only survive if we stand together. Hopefully, old grudges will be set aside until this is finally over just be sure to keep your wits about you just in case. - Rebel Officer

Structure

Due to the unique circumstances that they are in, the Pact's leadership has been divided into a dual leadership role with both sides choosing their leaders and having them deal with their problems and ensuring that neither of their groups is taken advantage of one another to keep the peace. This leadership has become known as the Seats of Unity, which were divided into two, The Lord of Stone, for the leader of the former Mountain Guard and the Lord of Ice, for a leader chosen from one of the tribes of the Mountain Kin. Though their duties differ from each other greatly.

The Lords

The Lord of Stone: The lord represents the former members of the mountain guard that have been stranded in the mountains. They must maintain and produce weapons and equipment that only know as they have the proper knowledge to do so. Along with the training and creating soldiers to fight in their ongoing conflict. The current holder of the title is an old commander named Berten Seldor.
The Lord of Ice: The lord represents all the Mountain Kin tribes. Their responsibility is to aid in finding and gathering resources that are needed to survive such as food and metals so they can be retrieved for later. They are also supposed to supply warriors that will be equipped with better weapons and armor to fight. The current holder of the title is a chieftess named Kenmada Stoneheart.

Culture

For many seasons my people have roamed the frozen steps of the mountain fathers, just as our ancestors did long before us. We were we wanted to survive as best we could. When food was scarce when went down from the mountains in search of food, only to be stoped by the lowlanders and their built cave that kept us from reaching it. I have lost many of my tribe to them as they hunted us whenever we went near them. Then something changed their numbers began to fade and their built caves began to go dark one by one and we took advantage of it as we hunted those who once hunted us. Only to realize that a more terrible foe awaited us as they showed no mercy unlike their predecessors and slew as many tribes as they could, they sought to wipe us out. Then those we called enemies came and offer us a chance to survive as they shared the same enemy. Out of desperation we took it with no other choice and have been together with them since and I have not regretted it. My tribe is safe as we have been given shelter from the cold and have been given the mean's to defend ourselves as those who once hunted us have been more than we could ever offer them. They have given us their trust and one day we may return it in king when the time comes - Mountain Tribesmen

The pact was created as an act of desperation of two peoples both from completely different worlds that faced the threat of annihilation at the hands of the Vatian Empire. While it has worked for now their future has remained uncertain as they desperately try to survive their harsh environment and keep the peace between them. Only time will tell if these two people will turn on each other when the time comes or their alliance will stand to become something more.

Being a Member

In times of desperation means the certain measures must be taken in the name of survival. That is what is happening here in these strange and uncertain times. On one side the once-proud defenders of the mountain are a shadow of their former selves and on the other side those who were born on the mountains that they have sworn to keep away from their lands. Now they stand by one another to face that threat that seeks to destroy them both. It doesn't matter if you are one or the other as you have a common enemy that will kill you no matter what you look like. There is no way to avoid cooperation as it will most likely lead to death for that remain divided and trapped in the past. But from this pact in the possibility for change and understanding between one another to end a feud that has divided these two tribes for so long and form bonds in their struggle together.
To wage war on the imperials that seek to rid you from this world as if you were snow melting in the sun. The past is not so easily forgotten but it doesn't mean that it defines the future and those who have yet to enter it. The world is changing and those who a stuck on these mountains together must change with it now more than ever. It is here that they will decide their fates and forge a new path that may one day bless them with a brighter future that was never thought possible. By standing together they have become strong and now are taking the fight against their enemies to show that they will not go so quietly as they once thought. The division of the two tribes is now over for they have now become one tribe that will face whatever comes at them like an avalanche from the mountain itself and sweep them down and bury them in an icy tomb of their own folly.

What People Think of You

Not many people realize that the Ice Stone Pact is a rebel group due to how isolated they are from the rest of the region. Many simply believe that it is just a band of barbarians that have become emboldened by the lack of defenses that have been keeping them away from the lands for so long. But for those who live on The Spine, they have a different opinion. Those who have not joined the pacts consider its members as traitors to their peoples as having decided to join forces with one another despite the long history of waging war with one another. Along with creating a new power in the mountains that could wipe out as they have the numbers and equipment necessary to conquer them or wipe them out. But those who see reason will join them as the threat of the empire is more severe than old hatreds with those who can't forgive will perish from their stupidity.

Public Agenda

To wage war in the name of survival against the empire that seeks to destroy them and reclaim what was taken from them.

Assets

The main resources that the pat has are the fortresses of the former mountain guard filled with weapons and equipment to ensure their success on the mountains. The fortresses are also beneficial as a means of defense and shelter as well such as Fort Kalren which has become one of the main strongholds of the pact. But other reasons such as food are hunted on the mountains and through raiding as well. These raids are also beneficial as it allows them to gather resources off the mountains that are not found there.

History

A Desperate Alliance

With the fall of the Kingdom of Ardania many of its border guard forces were destroyed by the Vatian Empire as they were seen as a threat and were hunted down. But as for the Mountain Guard, they were in a more dire situation, they were cut off from returning to the low lands and the vital supplies that was given to them. While its lower strongholds were destroyed or captured by the empire, its holdings in the upper mountains were left relatively unscathed. But now they had to fend for themselves in a harsh wilderness that could easily kill them from the sheer cold. What was worse was the barbarians that lived on the mountains were now more likely to attack them in their weakened state and they did.
Many tribes wage war against the isolated strongholds to avenge those who were hunted and killed by them and many were taken by them. Leading to a long bloody conflict that would seem to last for years until one side was completely wiped out. But they soon realized that there was a greater threat that sought to wipe them out. The empire soon sent its forces, namely its mountaineering divisions to clear out the mountains of any remnants of the guard. Along the way, they began to slaughter the barbarians as well. Seeing that they were now facing a greater threat, a truce was created between some of the groups of both sides, creating the Ice Stone Pact to repel the invaders. Their unified forces manage to defeat the imperial forces that were sent against them and vowed to stand together until the empire was officially gone from the mountains for good.

Survival Through Conflict

Instead of just hiding in the mountains waiting for their destruction the pact decided that the only way to properly survive is to wage a war of attrition against the imperial forces that occupied the region. The main reason for this was to make the imperials believe that they could not hold the region and abandon the forts that they occupied when the war ended. With the knowledge that both the barbarians and the Mountain Guard remanets, this plan has proven successful as constant raids have put the imperial garrisons on edge and after several years many of the forts have been abandoned due to them being unable to maintain due to a lack of supplies and manpower to keep them all in check. Allowing these forts to be reoccupied by their former defenders and allowing their Mountain Kin allies to stay in them, allowing many of their nomadic tribes to become settled for the first time in their people's history due to the protection it holds. But they have not stopped as they wish to continue their raid to drive the empire completely off the mountains once and for all and to some ever beyond as they have begun raid off the mountains in nearby imperial garrisons in settlements. Allowing them access to information and resources not available on the mountains with the help of the locals in the region who know of the pact's existence. They hope to one day remove the empire from the region completely and ensure that create a thriving society from the lands they have liberated, but if the day were to come will the unity of the pact shatter once their only enemy is gone?

Fury of the Mountain

The story of the pact's flag is one of tragedy and loss. When the empire came of cleansing the mountains many we will both Mountain Guard and Mountain kin. At one of the many forts that survived, its defenders surrendered to the imperials in the hopes of being spared only to be killed the moment they open the gate with their flag of surrender being covered in their blood as they were cut down. Only four managed to escape each holding the flag to take to the nearest fort to warn others that the empire would take no prisoners. In their travels, they encountered four Mountian Kin whose tribe was wiped out by the empire and were left to fend for themselves. Tensions were high and bloodshed seem enviable until the imperial found them and were forced to stand together.
All managed to survive that encounter and decided to stay together to survive each one held the flag to ensure they did not become separate from the snowstorms that clouded their vision. But as they continued their travels to safety the empire continued to come at them and one by one they fell until two remained where they finally managed to reach a fort. With its defender's surprise by the sight of guardsmen carrying a barbarian as best as they could. Both were badly injured and still hold the flag and did not let go when they were brought inside. Both of them told their tales as much as they could until they each succumbed to their wounds. Thus the flag was kept and when the ideas of the pact were in their infancy the flag was brought before both sides and the story was told of how these four warriors stood together despite their difference to survive and they would be honored with the flag being used to unite their two peoples.

Founding Date

1529

Type

Illicit, Rebel

Alternative Names

The Mountain's Oath

Predecessor Organization

• Mountain Guard

Demonym

Rebels

Location

The Spine

Controlled Territories

• Fort Kalren

Related Species

• Humans

Related Ethnicities

• Ardanian
• Mountain Kin

Tense Relations

You know I want to try to trust the man beside in battle, but we're talking about a man who lives like an animal and has been fighting his kind for generations to make sure they don’t go killing our people. You see the problem with the right?. - Concerned Mountaineer

Just because a greater threat exists doesn’t mean that old grudges are easily forgotten and forgiven. Both sides of the pact have had their fair share of wrongdoings that have been committed. But they are willing to avoid bloodshed between one another as long as they need each other to survive the destruction that is to come. But that does not mean a few individuals fully follow the pact as they have become so fixated that they can be no peace between enemies that they will be continuing their war against them. Often at the expense of other own life as it will become forfeit and will be given to the respected parties to receive punishment.

Deception and Cunning

You know I can see why people are so afraid of you now, just the sight of me wearing animals skins and screaming like a bloody madman would scare anyone. - Disguised Soldier

Despite the numbers and resources that the pact has at its disposal nothing is known about them by outsiders. The real reason is they like it that way as helps keep them alive. If no one knows about them then the threat of more imperial forces to be sent after them is less likely. They do this by making it look like barbarians are attacking their forces and holdings in their raids when they come down the mountain. When in truth is that former mountain guards are mixed in with them and are offering their equipment to be more successful in their raids. While the empire just believes that the barbarians have just gained a hold of these weapons by raiding the old strongholds which are supposedly abandoned and in ruins since the war. Even when they are abducting Ardanians from the lowlands near The Spine are in fact saving them and giving them refuge in their mountain holdings. Increasing their numbers to give them a better fighting chance if the empire finally comes after them.