Northern Wars of Unification

We seek a better future for our people, yet some would still see us fighting for scraps like dogs to feed our families. They say that doing this would be an insult to the gods, well let's send these butchers to them so they can ask. - Jarl Jorg

The Conflict

Outcome

The tribes and clans that resisted now bend the knee to the new High King Darius Harkon.

Aftermath

The dream of Darius Harkon become a reality and the Kingdom of Norria is formed and Darius is declared High King.

Historical Significance

The Declaration of a King

The conflict first started with the return of Darius Harkon from his many years abroad across the world. The stories he and his Storm Guard sparked the minds of many across Norria and the riches he brought back with him only gained him even greater fame. Many believe at this point that he would settle down and from his tribe with so many already people wanting to join him for he was a great and noble later. Though a little while later they were surprised to hear he called for a Moot, one of the most sacred of meeting that an Norrians could call and many from across the land were called to join it. The Moot was full of surprises when many arrived as it appeared that all races and cultures of Norria were one way or another at the meeting. Which caused tensions as many had been fighting one another for centuries, but the Moot kept them from doing so as no blood could be spilled at it. Harkon was not present either, only the Storm Guard, but considering who they were dealing with it was expected that he might pull something grand.
Which they were right as he showed up flying on Griffon no less which caught many off by surprise as they were considered untamable by many. But after that all the excitement died down, Darius began to make his speech of why they called the Moot in the first place. The surprise that each felt when he said that he desired to be the High King of Norria of all things caught many off guard. Before and after the Warlock Lords there never been a king in Norria in its entire history. Many began to call him a tyrant believing that he would enslave the people like the Warlock Lords once did and would destroy their way of life. But Darius only wanted what was best for his people and the rest of the continent as he wished to create a kingdom where there would be no war and famine for anyone to suffer them. He saw trading ships that would bring wealth from across the world and an end to suffering for future generations. Many who knew him believed in his words and the things that he had accomplished in his life could make anyone believe that this man could do anything. Many desired the same thing he did as well as they were tired of the fighting and starvation that they had faced all of their lives and wanted a change. Many joined him in his dream and wanted to become a part of the better world he envisioned. Thouthereeir were those who still stood against him and his idea for Norria. They were the ones that thrived in the current state of things and believed that their way of life would destroy this. After Moot concluded, all sides began to prepare for the coming wars that would soon take place weeks later.

Year One

At the being of the war, several groups emerged to make up the sides of the wars, the King’s Pact, making up Darius Harkon and his allies to build the new kingdom they desired for, the True Norrians, tribes, and clans that desired to keep things the same way as they always have been, the Sheild of Asen, a cult of fanatics that believed that Harkon was prophesized to be the great Deceiver and bring about the end of day and the Fangs of Vengence, an alliance of nonhumans that wanted stop all-out Human supremacy over the continent. At these early stages of the war, only the King’s pact and the True Norrians clashed in multiple skirmishes across the land, while the rest would bide their time waiting to strike. It wasn’t until the first major battle of the war, the Battle of the Red Fields that both sides clashed in large numbers, but Darius Harkon was leading this army and his years of combat and use of tactics did not wain in his travels, especially since he had picked up a few new tricks along the way. Though outnumbered two to one, the True Norrian army was shattered in on fell swop and forced them into a massive route with hundred killed in the process. Leading to a massive push by the King’s Pact into enemy territory.

But as the Pact’s forces were moving they began to deal with trouble behind their line as the Fangs of Vengeance has begun guerrilla raids on settlements and resources. Forcing them to halt their advance and dealing with them instead. Giving the True Norrians time to recuperate from their losses and plan conquest of the southern coast to capture farms to feed their forces and starve the Pact instead. Though this proved more difficult than expected as Darius had foreseen an invasion of the south and months before had set up several forts and defenses to prepare for it. The defense was given the Jarl Harold Shieldmaster as he was considered a great tactician in the means of defense. After a few weeks, the True Norrians retreated. But meanwhile, in the far north, they had gained quite a bit of ground as the defense was given to the Ursine and Osmir clans in the region to guard, but many had gone to fight in the south leaving very few of them left.
This was considered a reckless plan for the True Norrians as winter had just begun and gone farther north made conditions for their forces worse. But it was believed that if the far north could be taken now, a large offensive would come from to front as they would invade from the north and the west forcing the Pact to fight on two fronts. Though holding the territory was harder than expected as Osmir and Ursine began a series of hit and run tactics to keep them from digging in. Causing the True Norrians to consolidate their forces in larger areas to better protect themselves. During this period the Fangs of Vengence had been planting its member among the armies of the Pact and began sowing deception among their ranks. All the Shield of Asen had begun preaching to the masses that Darius Harkon was nothing more than an agent of chaos that would bring forth the Helgenthal, the end of days. Though very few people paid mind to these words and were considered lunatics.
The King's Pact would not be idle during these months either as they would begin accessing their enemies' defenses and capabilities through a series of small raids along with the enemy lines to test where the weak point in their defenses. Along with putting down any further resistance in their newly controlled territory as partisan forces had been causing trouble for them in any way they can. Harkon would use himself as bait to coax them into attacking him and it worked leading to an ambush at the village of Yul and doubly need Battle of Yul. Where he would face the leader of the partisan, Ragnvald Bear's Bane, and almost killed him. But was stopped when his daughter, Astrid Fairsong put herself in front of him to shield him from Darius' blow. The blow never came and Darius to her instead as a hostage to ensure that the partisans would stop causing trouble for him and his forces. Greatly reducing the strength of the True Norrians and leaving them on the defensive.

Year Two

When spring arrived the True Norrians once more began their campaign in the far north and forced the defender retreat as more of their numbers soon came to aid them. Leading to a relief force to be sent by Harkon and led by Ralo Wolf Eyes to halt the enemy's advancement. Though the campaign ended in disaster two months later when he and his forces were betrayed by Ursine clansmen who were a part of the Fangs of Vengeance. The Battle of the Frozen Wood would see the far north lost and the tables turned on the King's Pact as they scrambled to prepare a defense against the invading forces. Causing the True Norrians to push back and claim what was lost months prior. But they would face a hardened defense as a series of defenses were built by Darius’ order in case an enemy offensive ever came. Darius also stands with the defenders to ensure that the damage was left to a minimum with what little men were spared. It was with this that he would that his skill as tactical genius would play for he would face off against an army of ten thousand strong while he would only have three thousand defenders at his side. This would begin the Siege of Derun Hill and later the Battle of Burning Hills soon after the True Norrians were forced to fall back after Darius used his extensive knowledge of foreign technology to win the day.

Northern war by Da YU

With the western front relieved from attack, the far north had a much better time holding off the slaughter of enemy forces being used. It was at this time as well that the Fangs of Vengeance would attack both armies in an attempt to break them into all-out chaos. Hidden agents were soon awakened as well to destroy supplies and assassinate key members of both sides. Around this time as well the Shield of Asen began amassing its forces and took the side of the True Norrians to better their chances of killing Harkon. Learning of this news, Harkon began to devise a series of plans himself in dealing with the Fangs of Vengeance and the fanatics at the same time. He sent his agents to infiltrate both groups and spread false rumors that he was heading north to aid the front and sent them a location of where he was going to be. In doing so he planned to decimate both groups in one fell swoop. Both would find themselves face to face as the Battle of the River Glass with neither side giving up as both believed Harkon was with each side. It was then the Pact’s northern forces fell upon them killing hundreds of the wary and battered forces. Scattering both sides as they were hunted through the wilderness.
A series of false messages were sent to Fangs of Vengence agents hidden among the King's Pact once several of them were captured and interrogated to reveal their inner workings and those who answered them quickly dealt with. As for the Sheild of Asen, this setback forced them to retreat into True Norrian territory to lick their wounds. Once this threat the campaign in the north becomes an easier thing to deal with a Ralo Wolf Eyes returns to seek redemption in his previous failure earlier that spring and he would do so at the Battle of Lake Singer with aid from both members of the Storm Guard Osmir tribesmen would see the enemy pushed out of the far north for good. Causing the True Norrians to be on the defensive as autumn arrived and becoming more desperate in the coming months. It was at this time that Darius Harkon would marry Astrid Fairsong to be his queen and forcing Ragnvald to end all hostilities against him as he was now his kinsman. Many of his partisan forces would join the King's Pact later seeing the Darius was not the man most of the True Norrians thought he was. The winter was harsher than most of this so all sides were forced to stay where they were for the fest of the year. Along with the Darius facing a startling revelation, that his mother Sigrid Flokidottir was found alive and well. This would be a time of celebration for him and soon discovered that she had been freed from slavery and was married. With this news his stepfather Olaf Finehair would aid him in his war bringing fresh troops to his army.

Year Three

When the snows melted and the spring came so would the fighting once more as the True Norrians and Shield of Asen forces began to lose more and more ground to the pact military might as many of its forces had experienced training from Darius during that winter turning many into experienced soldiers and gain the advantage they need on their enemies. As the war seemed to finally go into the Pact's favor, one more desperate attempt was made by the True Norrian to change the tide in their favor. A massive fleet was created from every ship they managed to find in the attempt to flank the Pact's forces in the east and capture territory along the was. The fleet would head south and begin raiding lands along the way for resupply, but in doing they would gain the attention of the Pact's fleet made in the early days of the war, lead the Storm Lord Gustov Stormcaller whose forces had been raiding coastal settlements for the past few years where now the only ones standing in their way.

Despite being outnumbered four to one, Gustov went in despite the odds and would show them what it meant to face a Storm Lord at sea. It was with that his fleet his small fleet would win the day as his men were experienced sailors and were able to outmaneuver the large force of less experienced ones and setting fire to their ships with special alchemical concoctions created by Darius Harkon in case the day arrived for a sea battle and it did. After dozens of ships were lost, the True Norrian retreated to their territory, Gustov would be praised for his heroic at what later would be known as the Battle of the Jagged Cliffs. The battle would see this as the waning months of the wars as the True Norrians forces were losing their will to fight after losing so many battles that year. It was with this that Darius Harkon would stage an all-out assault across the remaining True Norrian territories as he was tired of the fighting and wanted to see the end of it as soon as possible. It was with this the enemy lines would all but break as they were overrun by the Pact's forces. it was at that time he would come into contact with the Asengar tribe and see it destroyed as they were considered too dangerous to be kept in his new kingdom resulting in the Reaping of the Asenger and with all of its surviving members across the continent never to rise again.

Early medieval battle by Aleksander Karcz

It was with this event that many members of the True Norrian and the remaining members of the Sheild of Asen believed that they would be all killed if they were captured by Harkon and his forces despite him asking for their surrender several times with their lives spared. It was with this that the fateful decision was made for the remaining forces to go into an all-out blaze of glory to see themselves worthy of living with the gods. It was with this that its remaining leaders Harold the Black and Hilda the Manslayer would lead the charge with over twenty thousand warriors at their back. This large force would envelop smaller Pact forces and forced many of them to retreat with the main army. The battle leading to this would be called the Battle of the Red Sea as thousands would be killed on bother sides and a sea of blood would envelop the once empty field that took place there. It would also see many heroes from both sides among the dead as well as the fighting lasted for many hours. The battle would finally come to a close when Darius Harkon challenged Harold the Black to single combat and best him in battle, ending the story of one the greatest warriors who ever lived. Many of the remaining True Norrian surrendered right then and once their last leader feels and the was official over.
But the victory was bittersweet as Harkon was wounded in his duel with Harold and was carried away by the Storm Guard to a secured and fortified hill for him to recover. But a few days later the remaining members of the Shield of Asen discovered where he was located and prepared a suicidal assault in the attempt to kill him and a thousand fanatics changed at the hill. The Storm Guard ever vigilant in protecting their king stood against these madmen despite the odds. But the fort that they were trapped in was not some old fort, for it held many traps and siege weapons that were being used in the war effort and used on incoming hordes. Though it helped greatly it did not stop many of the guardsmen from falling to their masses, but each one would fight to their last breath in Darius' defense and Darius himself would join the battle despite his wounds, and together they fought on until all of them were dead. By the time aid came to them they were only stunned to see a field filled with a thousand corpses on a hill as what would later be called the Battle of the Bloody Hill and with every fanatic killed the war was finally over.

The Conclusion

Once Darius recovered from his wounds a ceremony was conducted with him declared as High King of Norria and all would bow before him. He would not wear a crown of gold though for it had other useful uses, his would be a that of iron, strong and enduring under the worst of the condition and with a single ruby at the center. For he won his throne through blood and he was stained in it even long after it was washed away. It was to remind him and others of the cost that came with it and would be known as the Cold Crown. Rather than a well-crafted chair as his throne he would make it from stone with his sword Starlight, for he was a part of Norria now as he ruled it and would be known as the High Stone Throne. Rather than celebrating his victory, he honored the dead instead for they were the ones who made it all possible. Those of his Storm Guard most of all as a great hall would be made to immortalize all those who had served as heroes worthy of remembrance and for those who were still alive where reward great and any wish that they desired was granted to them. When he asked if any of them wanted to leave after all their years of service and sacrifice, they refused as there was no one better leader that they wished to stand beside than him and would continue to do so until they could no more. As for all those who could stand against Darius in the war, they were pardoned for they were never meant to be his enemies and would go home to rebuild their lives as citizens of his kingdom. What use was there ruling a kingdom of copses and a king that would be nothing but a butcher? A new age had dawned on Norria and for good or worse Darius would see his dream through.

Legacy

The continent of Norria is united under the Kingdom of Norria, bringing about a new age for its inhabitants as the chaotic age that came with the fall of the Warlock Lords had come to an end after three hundred years. Law and order would arrive with this, and the people slowly began to know what living was rather than just surviving.

In Literature

The Skalds sing many tales of the battles and heroes from both sides of the conflict. A few scholars are writing the events that transpired by conducting detailed interviews about the conflict.

Technological Advancement

Darius Harkon brought new ideas about warfare that changed the face of the continent and aided him in winning it. Along with ideas to better properly maintain an army and organization. The introduction of more concrete forms of infrastructure also ensured better conditions for them.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

1525

Ending Date

1528

Conflict Result

Darius Harkon and his allies are victorious

Major Battles

• Battle of the Red Fields

• Battle of the Jagged Cliffs

• Battle Frozen Wood

• Siege of Derun Hill

• Battle of the Burning Hills

• Battle of Lake Osinger

• Battle of Stone

Minor Battles

• Reaping of the Asenger

• Battle of Yul

• Battle of Keldma

• Battle of the White Rush

• Battle of Homon Tundra

• Battle of the River Glass

Belligerents

King’s Pact

• Storm Guard

Led by

• Darius Harkon

Strength

70,000

Casualties

32,070

Objectives

Force the remaining clans to submit to the new High King
Wipe out any threats to the new peace
Secure dominance over Norria

True Norrians

Led by

Strength

67,000

Casualties

51,000

Objectives

Kill Darius Harkon
Wipe out the King’s Pact

Shield of Asen

Led by

Strength

20,000

Casualties

20,000

Objectives

Kill Darius Harkon

Fangs of Vengeance

Led by

Strength

3,000

Casualties

2,797

Objectives

Kill Darius Harkon
Cause chaos among the Humans
Creation of a nonhuman state