2022 - The First Encounter

It is the second year of the Tiger, the spring tides have just set along the shores and with it a dangerous foe. Pirate ships infest the sea as they raid along coastal towns and disrupt shipping lanes between the continents of Nova Regnus and Vetus Mundi, known to the native nomads as Ekh Oron (the Motherland). These ships belong to the Principality of Nuln, a state known for its lawlessness and ruffian-like privateers who lust for nothing more than riches. The people within the dreaded city of Nuln are peddlers, gamblers, swindlers, apothecaries, and of course pirates. They are led by a council of captains; chief among them is the disgraced Pirate Captain Rory who was exiled by his own brother, King Aethelred of Valon. 

Rory, with his followers, have struck out against Valon in an act of rebellion of the rigid tyranny of the nobility. Valon has not taken kindly to these acts of aggression and so decides to parlay with the Great Khan Vidar who has recently managed to unite a large group of tribes to his Khanate. Together they form an alliance in exchange for peace and trade between the neighboring peoples. 

Nova Regnus ships anchor at the shores of Vetus Mundi. On weary legs after weeks at sea, the outlanders get off their ships. There they are greeted by the Great Khan and his nomad warriors, welcoming the outlanders who have arrived to expel the demon threat recently unleashed on their homeland. He convinces a few to help the Valon fend off raids by the Nuln. 

(Below: Nuln Corsair vs Valon Knight)

To help bolster the coast's defenses the lord of Valon sends caravans filled with weapons and medical supplies to the villages so that they may fend off invaders. The cargo; guarded by valon knights, nomads, and outlander troops; makes its way. However, word of this caravan reaches the ears of the greedy corsairs. Seeing an opportunity to gain more wealth they lay in wait for their prey.

Enroute to a town, the convoy is ambushed on the road by marauding pirates who demand that the travelers lay down their arms and give them the cargo so that no harm will come of anyone. Instead the defenders draw swords and clash with the pirates.  The battle rages for some time, as the caravan slowly pacens along the road until it reaches its destination. This is but the first of many incidents with Nuln the outlanders and nomads experience. 

In the coming months as more ships from Nova Regnus reach Ekh Oron, so too does the number of pirate raids grow. Trading vessels carrying rich resources taken from their colonies on Vetus Mundi are exploited and plundered by the thieving seamen. 

2023 - The Declarations(spring)

Vexed by the Principalities presence on the sea the White Ravens, Tharrosians, and Vidarian Khanate form a tri-alliance. They announce this union at the Osterran Winter Council, just before the New Year. A fortnight later, they declared war on Nuln stating “...the time has come to end the scourge of Piracy in our fair realm!”

By spring of the second Year of the Hare, the people of Nuln are in dire circumstances. For months up to this point the Tharrosian and White Raven ships have blockaded the Bay of Nuln preventing any ships to leave, slowly choking the pirates' access to resources. 

Captain Rory, with his crew and a fleet of ships charge at the outlander ships in a desperate attempt to run the blockade. Water smashes and ships clash as the battle between the opposing fleets commence. The pirates fight valiantly, yet in vain as they are beaten by the better trained and equipped Tharrosians ships that ram into their enemies and leave it to sink. The fate of the corsairs is sealed when Captain Rory is supposedly killed while leaping in front of a disintegration spell meant for his ship. All that remains of him is his hat, floating in the sea. The battle ends in Tharrosian victory, most of the enemy ships have been sunk while the rest flee the battlefield back to their city. The Lion had won the sea. 

Meanwhile on land, the Ravens make their way to a Nuln stronghold, the Bronze Tower. A fort in the bay that serves as a lighthouse for ships at night, now turned into an outpost for the marauders. The White ravens first take the town nearby and then make their way to the lighthouse where the Garrison barricade themselves in the tower. The Ravens, using their magic, conjure an avatar that freezes the defenders inside. They then send two rogues to infiltrate the tower and open the gate. Once inside the outlanders slaughter the remaining men. And then silence.

In the coming days the Bay of Nuln turned red with pirate blood, driftwood and bodies washed ashore in the aftermath of the major assault. Only the beginning of the coming storms.

2023 - The Great Escape (Summer)

King Aethelred, either disheartened at the passing of his brother or angered at the escaping of his punishment, orders for the resurrection of the pirate captain Rory. Using secret arts learned from the Saurian Shaman Azull from the jungles of Mundus Ferox, Rory was brought back to life to continue his duties as Second Son of Valon. In chains and closely guarded, the King’s brother lies in the Bronze tower. Once a fortress for the Nuln, now a prison for the poor captain. Fog sets in, making it hard for the White Raven defenders to spot any coming ships. With them are a retinue led by the great Vidar Khan, who has traveled to his allies' newly acquired stronghold to transport Rory North. 

The pirates sail under the cover of a dark and cloudy day, the rigging creeks and crew kept silent as they inch ever closer to their heading. By the time Rory’s captors spot the ships, it's too late. Bells ring and horns sound as shadows of nearby ships appear in the distance. It quickly becomes clear to the defenders that the ships are not friendly. Warriors shout as the Khante and the Ravens scurry to positions. They keep Rory in the tower surrounded by a ward and several guards. The rest of their force split into groups and prepare for a defense. 

The Raiders land uncontested on the shores below the tower. They all immediately traverse the causeway, but are met with opposition. A shield wall stands between the pirates and their captain. Archers perched above the causeway, support the shield wall by letting loose arrows into the mob of marauders. Despite quarreling between the Vidarian and White Raven leaders, it seems that the alliance will win yet another battle. 

However, unbeknownst to them a few of the pirates have snuck into the tower, using old tunneling systems known only to its previous owners. They surprise the invaders and attack the rear of the shield wall, diminishing their cohesion. Seeing their forces being overwhelmed, a general retreat is sounded by the defenders who take their captive to the shore in hopes of escaping. The marauders beat the captors and take Rory from their grasp. They sail away with their prize, leaving the White Ravens and Vidarian Khanate to their empty tower. 

The Khan, feeling humiliated by the defeat, seeks revenge. The enraged khan travels back to his Capital City of Kharaat and prepares for a mass invasion into the Principality of Nuln. He commissions Dwarven engineers to create siege engines to use against the pirates.

2023 - The Vanguard (Fall)

Summer passes as fall leaves hit the ground below the trees. The city Nuln breathes a sigh of uneasiness as its people begin to prepare for war. Moreover as several parties of the khanate had already set up camp and siege equipment in nuln territories. They asked to treat with the khanate and White Raven factions a neutral location, having been met with an emissary from each faction and non other than the Khan himself.

For a time did the pirate, Khanate, and White Raven emissaries bicker among why they were fighting. The white raven and khanate delegates convicted the nuln peoples as pirate marauders who raided coasts at their own pleasures. The Nuln corsairs argued that they were nothing more than mercenary contractors, and denied any coastal raids. The pirates showed their true colors when several assassins leaped out from hiding and attack the khanate and white raven delegates.

At the same hour a few miles away, several pirate marauders staged a raid on the khan's main base encampment. Taking much of their resources.

Although winning a great victory over the Vidarians, the Nuln corsairs will eventually come to find out that the base of operations only held some of Vanguard force. Despite the losses of the Khanate, it is only a small step back for the vast army that is the Khan's Ordu (army). The Khan regroups with his men and begins a campaign of raids on small villages and supply trains meant to feed the city of Nuln. Using nomad tactics, added with the coming of winter, to slowly choke the garrison.

2024 - The Siege (Spring)

The Khan's ordu began preperations and started to besiege the city of Nuln. For months the Khanate had cut off the pirate supplies on land. Prior to the final assault, the Khanate managed to get a detailed map of the city from a drunk pirate.

In the midst of the coastal winds, the thundering hooves of the Khanate army heralded the arrival of war upon the pirate capital of Nuln. Led by the indomitable Vidar Khan, the Khanate forces encircled the city, their banners fluttering in the breeze as they prepared for siege.

Beside the Khanate, stood their allies - the Tharrosians, the Blackthorne Company, and the Court of Ashes, united in their quest to bring an end to the pirate scourge that had long plagued the seas.

With the city walls looming above them, the Khanate deployed scalers to climb the formidable defenses, while siege engines launched their fiery projectiles into the heart of Nuln. The air resonated with the clash of steel and the roar of battle as the defenders fought valiantly to repel the invaders.

Amidst the chaos, a small force of Khanate warriors, bolstered by bardic magics and aided by a towering giant, managed to breach the city's defenses and assault the docks. In a daring feat, they commandeered one of the pirate ships, turning the tide of battle in their favor.

But the city was not easily taken, for it was defended not only by mortal pirates but also by the undead, summoned by dark sorcery to do their bidding. Yet, even in the face of such dark forces, the Khanate soldiers pressed on, their determination unwavering.

Suddenly, the skies darkened as the great dragon Vertrimax descended upon the battlefield, unleashing its fiery breath upon the Khanate army. Chaos ensued as warriors scattered in fear, but the Khanate rallied, their resolve unbroken.

With the help of a battering ram, the Khanate troops breached the city gate, forcing Captain Rory, leader of the Pirates of Nuln, to flee with his remaining ships. But the White Ravens, sailing from their own battle against pirate reinforcements, intercepted the fleeing vessels, ensuring that none would escape justice.

In the end, the city of Nuln fell to the might of the Vidarian Khanate, their victory hard-won but resounding. Though Captain Rory may have eluded capture, the pirate capital now stood under Khanate rule, its streets echoing with the triumphant cries of the victorious warriors.

  In a chant from Tazz Darga on the siege of Nuln: 

Crazy and Wild,

Vidar Khan, 

Used Wolf and crow,

To smash through the pirates.

Through the gates we went,

Arrows and spears, 

Stabbing, hacking, slashing 

Fighting through their men, 

Until we took, 

The hold they held, 

And burned it to the ground

2022

March:

• Nuln raid on Valon supply train

April:

• Tharrosian and White Raven blockade of the bay of Nuln

November:

• White Raven declaration of war

• Kult of Tharros declaration of war

2023

January:

• Kult of Tharros, White Raven, Vidarian Khanate alliance announced at winter council

March:

• White Raven v. nuln; battle of the lighthouse (White Raven victory)

• Tharrosian v. Nuln; battle of the bay of nuln (Tharrosian victory/death of Captain Rory)

  June:

• Resurrection of Rory

• Nuln raid on the light house/rescue of Rory

• Vidarian Khanate declaration of war on Nuln

  September:

• Vidar Khan with a vanguard force begins to invade and advance towards the walls of the City of Nuln

• Not far from the city of Nuln both Vidarian and White Raven delegates are invited to meet with Captains of the Principality to discuss terms. The Vidarian and White Ravens are ambushed during the processions by Pirates assassins.

• Pirate marauders raid the Khan's base camp taking much of their resources

Winter:

• The Khan continues his campaign against the Pirates of Nuln.

2024

April:

• The Vidarian Khanate with their allies the Tharrosians, Blackthorne Company, and Court of ashes take the capital of Nuln.

• The White Ravens and the Cast take out the majority of the Pirate fleet