The Conflict
Prelude
in late 966 SI, a comet appeared in the skies above Alvez, taken by observers as a sign of calamitous change. Prince Hereweald of Kameled returned from his adventures on the continent with Gwilherm of La Manche to learn that his father, Ēadweard, had succumbed to an illness and died. Hereweald was shortly crowned king, but faced a series of immediate threats to his reign.
In the North, a Fomorian host led by Haraldr Sigurðarson and Hereweald's treacherous brother Tostig threatened Kameled, while Hereweald's former ally in La Manche, Gwilherm made a claim to the throne. The Albian Prince marched north to crush the Northern invasion, leaving only Gwilherm, whom Hereweald underestimated based on their poor showing in a campaign in Letha. However, the entire campaign was a ploy by the clever Manchais leader, convincing the Albian he was no threat while amassing a high amount of dle against the prince and creating an ere-hud, that Hereweald, despite a stronger claim, would submit to Gwilherm as King of Logres.
Gwilherm amassed a fleet of longships, aided by Lethan, Flandrezed and Manchais allies, and prepared to sail for the island. A massive storm arose in the Mor Breizh, delaying the invasion as Hereweald was forced to contend with the North, pulling the defenders away from the Southern beaches. The storm cleared suddenly, and Gwilherm's ere-hud claiming the throne allowed the invasion force to pass through the Feth Fiada and make landfall on 23 Gwengolo, far earlier than Hereweald had planned.
Hereweald was taken by surprise at the speed of Gwilherm's invasion, having bypassed the natural magical defenses of the island. His men, high on victory, but exhausted from battle, marched south at a blistering pace as Gwilherm gathered his forces on the beach. Hereweald was forced to leave a large portion of his army in the North to finish off the invasion.
The battle took place in heavily wooded area between two hills, with a large marshland bordering the beach.
High winds regularly dispersed the Feth Fiada, while hard ground benefited Gwilherm's cavalry charges. The day was also unusually bright, with the glare of the rising sun shining directly into the eyes of the Logresed forces.
Cloaked in Feth Fiada, Hereweald attempted to sneak around Gwilherm's flank to strike from an advantageous position at first light, but the scouts of the Manchais, aided by clovereyes, saw through the ruse and set a trap. When the forces of Kamaled charged, the Manchais pretended to run in a panic, then swinging back around as the faster cavalry swept in to crush the charging force from behind.
Disadvantaged by his ere-hud, Hereweald was outmatched, the weather itself seeming to work against his army at every turn. At dusk, as he moved to sound the retreat, an arrow fired by the Manchais Duke, carried by the wind, struck the King in the eye, killing him instantly. His army broke, pursued Westward to the gates of Kameled itself.
During the campaign, Konan II, humiliated a year earlier, marched on Gwilherm's allies in Cenomannie, aiming to take Ar Mans, but died during the campaign from poisoned riding gloves. It is thought that Gwilherm was behind the assassination, but this was never proven.
Comments