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The crumbling, molten remains of Winburgh circa 1966. In the Imperial year 1966 the Grand Covenant intended to make good on The Winburgh Proclamation; to tear down the city after years of brutal conflict, and in its place erect a monument to wars past and present for peace, and for commemoration. But nobody said exactly how it needed to be demolished. It was by invitation that Hohkmat heard that there was to be a razing, and as sure as the sun will rise - you can always count on pyromancers to be present where there is fire to be set. A handful of magi, carefully selected by the Chamber of Fire, were to set out from Hohkmat's gates, and ride to Winburgh. Upon arrival, they would soon find more casters to add to their number. The magi prepared to weave their grand spell as the Covenant set about looting and setting fires of their own... There was but one request, from King Aleksandr II himself - "The Church in the centre must niet be touched." - A fitting end for a city that razed churches; to be itself razed, save for its church. An entire bag's worth of focusing crystals had been ground into a fine dust in the name of this objective, then carefully sown about to create the expansive circle that would act as a conduit for the flow of mana. Atticus, not alone - but with the help of many - was to make manifest a new feat of High Magic... "Magi of Hohkmat, heed me!" Called the acting commander of the Hohkmati rally. "Today we bring ruin upon this pitiful, blighted city. From nothing it was raised, and to nothing it shall damn well return." "Atticus! Save for the church... Burn it all to the ground." A self-satisfied grin twisted onto her face. Sarah had been here before, as had many of her fellow Hohkmati, when they were forcefully taken from the streets and their homes; rounded up like animals by a horde of Veletzians, Urukhai, and Ferrymen. That memory, along with the city, was soon to be cleansed by purifying fire. Vengeance comes hot, but it burns slow. She had waited a long, long time for this. Masters, adepts, journeymen and spellblades alike knelt to place their hands against the ritual circle, seeking to grant unto Atticus the power to turn even the very stone itself to ash. Power beyond what any mortal could truly hold alone surged into him from the collective effort of all in attendance, elevating his capacity into the perceivably divine; for how else could you describe the power to level cities? It swelled into existence as a great torrent of flame. Embers floated on the wind, the skies themselves cracked and the air was tainted with the unmistakable sting of ash. Lungs surely burned with each laboured breath of the rapidly exhausting sorcerers. Blazing colour burned into the air until at last the spell reached its peak, giving birth to an indescribable cascade of blue fire that reached into impossible sixth tier - perhaps the seventh tier - of magic. On this day, those in attendance bore witness to Reinhold's Burning Pyre.
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PRIDE OVER PEACE: ON THE PEACE SUMMIT OF 164 SA I U D I C E M A C C E D I T Issued by the GRAND COVENANT In the year of 164 SA People of Middelan, It is with regret that the War for the Heartlands is fated to continue. Know that upon this day, the Duke of Adria convened with the sovereigns of the Grand Covenant within the Haeseni capital of Valdev in order to determine whether the war could be ended in a manner both peaceful and sustainable for the future peace of Man. This did not transpire. The Grand Covenant has affirmed at length that it does not seek the arbitrary annihilation of all Veletzian nor Adrian citizens. Your death is not desired. Your death is not necessary. The Covenant began its march in order to exact judgement against the state that rules over you, and that which has led you astray down this path of folly and tragedy. This war began because of grievous crimes committed by your lieges -- this much is confessed by the Duke of Adria in his Provisions of Ducal Austerity. However, by way of clarity, we recount them once more as follows: 1. That the League of Veletz wilfully conspired with the vanquished House of Stassion to murder King Edmund of Aaun - God keep his soul - whilst the United Kingdom of Aaun stood as allies to the League; 2. That the League of Veletz, without provocation, kidnapped Queen Sybille of Balian prior to her coronation and whilst she was heavy with child; 3. That the League of Veletz compelled Queen Renilde of Petra to withdraw her Commonwealth from the Cannonist League under duress whilst the Commonwealth of Petra stood as allies to the League; 4. That the League of Veletz invaded the city of Vallagne with a view to capturing the young Queen Catherine of Petra due to her diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Haense; 5. That the League of Veletz ignored the commandments of High Pontiff Sixtus VI in the 23rd Golden Bull of Jorenus; 6. That the League of Veletz desecrated holy ground, namely through the burning of a consecrated church in the Commonwealth of the Petra; 7. That the League of Veletz conducted armed attacks upon holy ground and captured High Pontiff Sixtus VI; 8. That the League of Veletz gave land and sanctuary to marauders who regularly pillaged the lands of the Grand Covenant long before its formation, namely the Ferrymen led by the Elf Vyllaenen. That you no longer call yourself the ‘League of Veletz’ means nothing. As Adria preceded Veletz, so too did it succeed it. The Duke of Adria is not a redeeming rogue who defied the callous acts propagated by the Veletz before or during this war - the banners of Adria stood firmly astride their liege when all the crimes enumerated above were committed. It matters not if you did protest these acts, for just as a bandit might question the conduct of his crew, his own guilt is not mitigated if he still assists in cutting a wayfarer’s throat. These crimes are not mere stains left by your predecessor; they are scars which you helped carve. They are scars which many of your Siege Tribunal, chief among your Tribune of Civic Defense, helped carve. Thus, ask yourself - how could the Covenant ever accept that you are not one and the same as the League of Veletz? The question before the Grand Covenant today was whether the Duke of Adria and his Siege Tribunal could be trusted to aid in ensuring that the Middelan institutions never again spawned a conflict of this magnitude. Based on all described above, the Duke failed in this task. The only solution apparent to the Grand Covenant, therefore, was the dissolution of the Adrian-Veletzian state. The Duke of Adria was compelled to see reason and to do so bloodlessly, so that you - the people of Middelan - would be free from war to resettle wherever on the continent you wished, with the Kingdom of Numendil namely being a loud voice in offering hospitality and swearing upon themselves their goal of fair treatment - as all Covenant nations vowed. This was refused - the sovereignty, legacy, and name of an Adrian-Veletzian state took priority over all else such as the lives of Middelan people for the Duke of Adria. He has hence decided to value his pride over peace. Having failed to demonstrate why he, as one complicit to all crimes of Veletz, could be trusted to maintain the peace of Man, he affirmed that there could be no independent and sovereign Veletzian-Adrian state tolerated. He has therefore condemned the War to continue. We issue this missive not only as memorandum of the ill-fated peace convention held on this day, but as warning to the people of Middelan: Your deaths are not sought, nor are they necessary. Flee the crumbling remains of your liege’s folley, and be granted amnesty in any Covenant lands. From the Duke of Adria, to the Captain-General of Veletz, to the Duke of Adria once more; your lords have led you down this path, and brought you only ruin. They do not deserve your blades. Winburgh is fated to fall. B U T Y O U A R E N O T
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A Squire’s Journal 28th of Sun's Smile: Tonight we camped in the woods around Eulersburg. I never imagined myself saying this but I miss the smell of mud. I fondly remember running through the swamps with my brothers and sisters near home and coming back caked in mud from head to toe. I miss the sweet wrath of our mother when she made us change out of our muddy clothes before dinner. I miss the bustle and clamor of family gathering around the dinner table. I know I fight so that the mud back home will still be our own and so all those faces I love can still sit and eat, but those memories grow foggy and the smell of mud mixes far too easily with the blood all around this camp. For being on the path to righteous victory this war certainly seems wicked. Wrath is not seen these days cleaning mud from happy children, but in smiting down fellow sons of Horen. Right before I fell asleep last night I thought I could hear the clamor of the dinner table, but then I realized it was the clashing of swords. Another bundle of Adrian warriors found their way in our midst. I can’t believe I miss the smell of mud. 29th of Harren's Folley: Last night I rode with my knight back to Valdev. I never thought I would miss the sound of babies crying. From the barracks when I first heard a man wounded in battle, I just assumed it was a crying baby. The days before I ever had heard a man wail in pain were better. The only thing worse than the wails of these men are the looks on the faces of their children when we ride through the gates and they don’t see their fathers among our numbers. More Adrians die each day than covenant folk, but that doesn’t make the memories of these children's faces worth it. The babies in town seem to cry less as of late. Even they realize that something is not right in the world. I honestly doubt I will live to hear children of my own crying and do I even deserve to? I cannot help but think of the Adrian children whose fathers I have made wail in pain, and in turn given them the same sad soulful stare as their own tattered battalions return to Winburgh. Both of our ranks have lost numbers, but each of these numbers had fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, children and spouses. I hope I never hear the scream of a wounded man again, that sound is not meant for anyone on this earth to hear.
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SHOULD DAWN COME: ON THE RECONCILIATION OF ADRIA I U D I C E M A C C E D I T Issued by the GRAND COVENANT In the year of 164 SA Duke of Adria, We congratulate you on your ascension as sovereign of the remaining midlands, and on your dissolution of the League of Veletz. While the Covenant readily welcomes a world in which a polity that has wrought war and tyranny upon Aevos is a thing of the past, it is prudent - should you aspire to walk the path of peace - that the nature of our cause is understood. For while you have proclaimed we are no longer your enemy, you remain ours. This is not because of your blood, your House, nor your heritage. No -- it is because of your deeds. For you, Duke of Adria, have stood as our enemy upon the shattered bulwarks of Breakwater; your standard flew from the ruined ramparts of Brasca; your kinsfolk triumphed upon the field of Westmark, and perished on the sands of Hippo’s Gorge; you donned your colours amidst the rain of stone at Stassion; and your blade was raised on the burnt hoardings of Drusco. The sovereign realms of the Covenant collectively bore their arms to avenge grievous acts of war committed against them. We therefore beseech you, Duke of Adria, to realise that your lone words do not wash your hands of the blood of martyred Edmund; your words do not hide the steel brandished against the Queens of Petra; your words do not undo the kidnapping of the Queen of Balian whilst she was a princess heavy with child; your words do not expunge the Darkspawn harboured within your halls; and your words do not douse the flames of the marauders sicced upon our lands long before this war erupted. Your reconciliation was pleaded not in the wake of any of these atrocities, but in the face of absolute defeat. That you held firm to the course charted by your disparaged Captain-General is the very definition of conscious complicity, as is true for those who now compose your tribunal. Disavow yourself of the notion that the destruction of Veletz, Adria – or whichever name you abide by is sought for destruction’s sake. The Covenant marches for two reasons: The first of these is to render judgement unto those who propagated these crimes, which is measured only by justice -- a murderer on the gallows cannot undo his crimes through his lone plea. The second of these is to dismantle the midlander institutions from which these acts of war were birthed for the peace of all mankind, an objective that the Covenant was forced to pursue through force after the demands of His Holiness were unabashedly rejected prior to the outbreak of war. If it is peace you seek, it will not be brought by crocodile tears. You shall be permitted to come before us to seek a resolution, but know that the forces of the Covenant will not tarry in their march to see this war through should your words prove to be but wind. Two months prior to the coming battle, and the worth of your words shall be measured. By your will or ours, judgement still comes.
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MARCHING ORDERS: OPERATION TALIONIS IUDICIUM ACCEDIT Issued by the THE GRAND COVENANT on this 6th of The Sun’s Smile, 1954 https://youtu.be/Sk-U8ruIQyA?si=GO-0bonxbnw3OUOy MISSION TITLE: OPERATION TALIONIS OBJECTIVE: ANNEXATION OF THE NORTHERN HINTERLANDS MOBILIZATION DATE: 15TH OF OWYN’S FLAME COMMENCEMENT DATE: 18TH OF TOBIAS’ BOUNTY PARTICULARS: After the success of OPERATION SOLSTICE, all COVENANT forces are to march NORTH towards the HINTERLANDS on the 18TH of OWYN’S FLAME. COVENANT forces shall then meet at the tip of the NORTHERN HINTERLANDS within VELETZ. OPERATION TALIONIS requires the capture and neutralization of the HINTERLANDS. Expect heavy resistance from VELETZ and IRON HORDE forces. KING ALEKSANDR shall assume command of the main COVENANT detachment (taskforce “MITHRIL”), composed of the forces of HAENSE, AAUN, NUMENDIL, HYSPIA, and NORLAND and shall act as the vanguard of the COVENANT assault. PERCY DE LYONS will command a reserve with forces from URGUAN, BALIAN, and PETRA (taskforce “PALISADE”) to reinforce task force MITHRIL. CAPTAIN BANJO and GRAND KING SIGRUN ‘UNDEADSLAYER’ STONEHAMMER shall assume command of the GRYPHON BANNER (taskforce “GRYPHON”). They will fend off any attempted sallies from VELETZIAN forces. END OF BRIEF. AN EYE FOR AN EYE. AN ARM FOR AN ARM. Penned by Cesar II [!]The fresh ink of the parchment attached to the military brief begins to dry. We do not forget. We do not forgive. If your wish is to bend and break the Farfolk under your whims, then their storms of destruction shall befall you. If your wish is to make the Heartlands bleed, then their stones of retribution shall open your walls. If your wish is to see the Balianese suffer, then their tides of ruin shall sweep through your castles. If your wish is to subvert the Haeseni lands, then their blades of vengeance shall fall upon you. If your wish is to subjugate the Norlanders, then their eternal fire shall engulf you. If your wish is to conquer the Dwarves, then the hammers of their grudge shall end your ambitions. You claim peace, yet you attack our homes. You claim diplomacy, yet you bring an armed retinue who openly lust for bloodshed. Your words do not match your actions. You call us snakes, yet the cobra’s eyes twinkle beneath your masks. Your words reek of hypocrisy. A stench so foul, that the entire world of Aevos can smell it from beyond your borders. Your intentions are clear in your actions. As a wolf disguised in sheep’s clothing you attempt to threaten us into submission. You have no care for the wellbeing of others. We have attempted diplomacy before the war, yet it was met with a threat. Rather, you would lay in bed with the Orcish Horde who crave to see humanity suffer or submit to their imperial rule. You have danced to the tunes of conquest more than we have. If that is your wish, then so be it. You may hide in your straw castle, but the Covenant shall blow it down. For your crimes against humanity, for your lust for conquest, for your desire to sow chaos, you shall be punished. Heed my words Gaspard. Follow my warning Grommash. Judgment is coming. END OF TRANSMISSION WARCLAIM Wargoal: COMPLETE ANNEXATION [Attacking tile 38 from tile 43] Attackers: The Kingdom of Haense, the Kingdom of Balian, the Commonwealth of Petra, the Viceroyalty of Hyspia, the Grand Kingdom of Urguan, the Kingdom of Norland, the United Kingdom of Aaun and the Kingdom of Numendil DEFENDERS: The League of Veletz and its Allies LOCATION/WARPATH: DATE: SATURDAY, January 27th, 2:30 PM EST
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Chronicles of the Reinmaren The Siege of Fredericksburg Issued by the HAUPTMANN OF REINMAR On this 17th day of Tobias’ Bounty in the Year of our Lord 1959 To The Reinmaren People: On this day, a force of Reinmar Horsemen rode down to the steps of the fortified keep of House von Theonus with the Grand Covenant against the forces of Veletz and their allies. The action started with a devastating Covenant volley of cannon fire, trebuchet, and arcane power directed at the enemy’s own siege weaponry and their meager fortifications of dirt and stone. The Reinmaren Warband, standing five-hundred strong and led by His Serene Highness Leon Barclay and His Princely Grace Alfred Barclay, descended from the Coalition’s fort and stormed the throne room of Castle Aurelian with the rest of our holy host. Those of the green and blue held the throne and courtyard captive as scouts called out the positions of the enemy. As the throne room and courtyard was completely within Covenant control, our pious band, prayed over and assisted by the Prince-Emeritus and Cardinal of Albarosa, and the Coalition’s own cavalry drove the Horde of the Anathema into a befuddled frenzy and routed them. All but ten cowardly men were slain, those surviving ran as the bodies of their brothers and sisters-in-arms laid scattered among the rubble of the Stassionite keep and surrounding hills. After everything was said and done, victory was taken in hand with the raising of our banner and a cheer, echoed by the Reinmaren Warband before riding back home to live and celebrate another blessed day. Saint Edmond, as my brothers go to battle over the coming years, grant them fortitude and protect them. Pray for GOD to show mercy to the dead, and that in hoping for victory today, we may win the peace tomorrow. GOTT MIT UNS, Hauptmann of Reinmar Meyster Alchimist of Reinmar
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THE FATE OF THE MARCHLANDS Penned at the request of His Royal Majesty, John, the King of Aaun, in the year of our Lord, 1959 PREAMBLE Peace and prosperity unto the Lowlands, united at last. After seven years of struggle, following the death of His Majesty Edmund II, our cause of liberating the Marchlands has come to fruition at last - our most western province with the help of the Great Covenant of Nations has been seized from the hands of the rebels led by Richard of Stassion, the Prince of Nothing. They have been butchering our people ever since they departed from our Kingdom and insisted that our citizens were the ones to first break the peace established by Edmund’s successor, our merciful King John. We have seen past their treason. Richard Stassion had made a holy vow upon the relics of the Saint Alexander of Furnestock not to take up arms against the Holy Mother Church and the Crown of Aaun in an armed conflict. He shamelessly broke this vow within days of his merciful expulsion. The men of Stassion, armed, resumed raiding that remained under Crown authority, harrying the peaceful subjects of the King. They saw no shame in breaking their holy vow, believing they could escape God’s justice and the Crown’s rightful retribution. With the blessing of His Holiness, Sixtus VI, our Realm assumed a resolute stance and took up arms against the rebels that dwelled in our western province for nearly a decade. Together with our stalwart allies of the Covenant of Nations, we extinguished their resolve in the lands they called their home. Our cause was righteous and just. Our Realm and her peaceful peoples never sought to be embroiled in conflict, yet it was forced upon them: we did not fire the first shot, but we fired the last. Now, on this 12th of Tobias’s Bounty, 1959, we stand triumphant. THE FATE OF THE MARCHLANDS Following the liberation of the Stassionite land, the reformed Crown of Aaun will endeavour to remove any structures erected on the territory of the Western Marches that may remind the people of Aaun of the House of Stassion and their crimes committed against them. It is declared what follows: I His Majesty, the King of Aaun, demands that the only building to be spared within Fredericksburg is the local church. II His Majesty appoints a governor to keep watch over the Western Marches, namely Father Yann. It is among his duties to rid the western borderlands of the Kingdom of Stassionite infrastructure and return this region to nature by planting trees and sowing new fields. Approved by His Majesty, John I, at the Royal City of Whitespire on the 12th of Tobias’ Bounty, 1959
