1213 RE-- Oakfast at Tanalassa
Date: July 10, 1213
Outcome: Collapse of the Castle of Tanalassa, Iron Moon and Glass River Company given formal trade contracts with Gauntish forces
Belligerents: Combined Athral Forces vs Sea Trolls (scags)
Commanders: Lord Ebric Falconharth, Tessa Griez, Afreizen Teleki
Casualties: 17 dead or missing from the Iron Moon Company, 11 dead or missing from the Glass River, 23 dead or missing Athrals, 15 dead or missing Gaunts
Enemies Unknown number of trolls, drakes, and mud creatures
Oakfast has become one of the symbols of Gauntish occupation on Athral Isle. What was once a festival celebrating life, growth, and revelry has become a heavily monitored time bereft of the contests that used to define it. Over the following years, subsequent generations born on Athral Isle have begun to practice the traditions of the natives, including Oakfast. The Iron Moon Company has kept the tradition alive on the Isle, using Oakfast as a time to sell paintings, trinkets carved from oak, and host toy archery competitions. The Glass River Company has begun to participate in this tradition in recent years, as many Gauntish traveling back to the mainland keep many of practices of Athral as their own. The town of Tanalassa has become something of a center for tolerance on Athral Isle, having been one of the first places conquered by the Gauntish.Here, the Glass River and Iron Moon come together yearly to celebrate Oakfast, holding the largest Oakfast festival on the Isle. This is typically held in the early Spring, but this year the difficult travel, renewed uprisings, and unseasonably wet weather pushed the festival until almost the start of summer.
The Iron Moon Company was escorted into town by Tessa Griez, while the Glass River Company was led by Afreizen Teleki, both apas in training. Lord Ebric Falconharth of Athral Isle was placed in charge of the festivities by Captain Marshall Lumley, Captain of the Gauntish forces in Seastone Deeps, and regent following the death of Princess Abelone. Lord Falconharth has retained his family lands only at the pleasure of King Sigmar, following the death of his father and the execution of his sister for treason. Some saw being placed in charge of the Oakfast festivities as a second chance for the Falconharth name, while others saw it as a trap sure to result in a "justified" execution. The presence of Gaunt-loyal troops was increased considerably for the festival, as a precaution. Tensions were as high as they had ever been in Tanalassa, as the festival got underway.
The Iron Moon Company had hired the Geistwood Players for a series of performances during the festival, telling a tale of an Athral and a Gaunt who must join forces in order to outsmart the Mistress of the Waves. one actor(1), received rave reviews as Eltise, the skilled Athral archer and woodsman, and the performance of another actor(2), as Fiyne, the fierce Gauntswoman of unparalleled strength who had a throwing arm so strong she could split three casks of ale from end to end with a single axe from twenty paces., was the talk of all the taverns after the first show. The Glass River specialized in walking sticks, wands and staves said to be better for wizards, and chests from a noted woodworker(3). They also brought with them a variety of ice wines, a delicacy from Gaunt and Oresund highly prized by taverns on the Isle.
At first, the festival was quiet, and tensions eased as the first few days passed without incident. As the sun was setting on the third day, a barely floating, bloodstained skiff floated past the docks along the Thistlewine River. Lord Falconharth dispatched troops to inspect the skiff, and moments later, chaos erupted. Scags, also known as water trolls, rose from the river, weapons and spells at the ready, and storm drakes emerged along the river banks. One extremely large drake was led by several scags holding thick chains. Alongside the scags were beings made of watery mud who seemed to diminish themselves as they lashed at their opponents, only to slink back towards the water and emerge large and muddy moments later. Within moments, casualties began to mount, the guards began to evacuate people in the immediate area. Lord Ebric managed to arrange an orderly retreat to Tanalassa Castle, the ancient keep, with the aids Tessa Griez and Afreizen Teleki, who sent their warriors to the docks in order to cover the retreat. A wizard of the Iron Moon, Kian Padraig, defeated several scags helping a fisherman and her young daughter reach safety. Together, a Returned, Sentoryuu don Tristram, and an Alchemist of the Glass River(6), held two drakes at bay long enough to recover food stores and fresh water to be taken into the keep.
The scags, drakes, and mud creatures pressed the keep viciously, with the scags turning sections of the stone wall to mud in order to both pass through it immediately, and cause the collapse of the walls over time. the two actors(1,2) helped lead the ranged support from the walls, raining down arrows, bolts, axes, and even vats of alchemical acid as prepared by the alchemist(6) and other alchemists. Casualties mounted as the siege continued. Afreizen became grievously wounded to the point where physickers believe he won't walk again, after a wall fell on him after several sections were turned to mud, finally destabilizing it. Finally, the scag forces withdrew after the giant drake on chains was slain, but not before it blasted apart the ancient stone tower at the center of the keep, causing it to come tumbling down.
Estimates of the dead were hard to come by, as the scags dragged the bodies back to the river whenever they encountered one. Reports counted approximately thirty dead scags, with many drakes and mud creatures unable to be counted.
Despite the devastation, Lord Ebric demanded that Oakfast continue, now in celebration of the honor and valor of the dead, thanking them for their sacrifice. Lord Ebric also signed formal trade and peace accords with both the Iron Moon and the Glass River, granting them leave to stay as guests within the town, and to sell their wares unmolested as if they were members of the Athral Guilds and under the care of the King. While the full ramifications of this are yet to be seen across the Isle, co-operation and good will seem to now be at all-time highs in the town of Tanalassa. Likewise, Lord Falconharth has gained much stock not only with the native Athrals, but the Gauntish-loyal as well. Most believe that the King will have little choice but to formally recognize Lord Falconharth for his deeds, along Tessa Griez and Afreizen Teleki. Rumor has it that this will be in the form of titles and coin, marking the first time a Tharici has been recognized by the crown and made a noble.