Invasion of New Tarania
The Miracle at New Andilar remains by far the most drastic divine intervention in the war that divides Nalunara, and on top of that it was the work of a god not aligned to either the Alliance or the Dominion. This single act rendered a dozen highly-respected treatises obsolete overnight, and forced theologians around the world to rethink their understanding of what the gods are able and willing to do.
The Invasion of New Tarania in the year 1279 PC (254 AR) was an attempt by the Kwal Dominionl to subjugate the fledgling nation of New Tarania before it could become properly established. The Dominion forces crushed the Taranian army sent to stop them, killing the Taranian King Elric VI, and laid siege to the Taranian capital New Andilar. The Hand of Gruumsh and the Hand of Selah both fought and died during the course of the invasion. With New Andilar about to fall a relief army from the Grand Alliance of Free Peoples arrived thanks to divine intervention by Fharlanghn, God of Horizons and Travel, and slaughtered the Dominion army.
Background
The Kwal Dominion had been hostile to the Taranians since the moment they arrived in Nalunara. After winning the Battle of Eilgin in 1236 PC (211 AR) the Dominion had begun colonising what was once northern Iadren, but were abruptly driven out by the arrival of the humans. With the Taranians quickly expanding to fill the available space, and establishing diplomatic ties with the Grand Alliance, the Dominion's enmity only grew. The Dominion's leaders identified New Tarania as being not only deserving of retribution but also a particularly vulnerable target in its new-formed state, and so they decided to launch their invasion. Respected tactician Warlord Taklak Steelmind was assigned operational command.
Prelude
With New Tarania a member of the Alliance, Taklak was concerned for the Alliance sending aid to defend New Tarania. To ensure this didn't happen she ordered a series of raids to be launched on the border with Esé-Nal while simultaneously intensifying the raids on the western coast of Khazarak. This pressure forced Khazarak and Esé-Nal, the most formidable nations in the Alliance, to return troops to their lands to defend against the raids. Taklak then began an elaborate deception to make it seem like she was planning to attack Sindal. She established fake warcamps near Sindal's border and filled them with as many raw recruits and even civilians as she could get her claws on. The Alliance were permitted to capture faked reports containing details of the supposed attack on Sindal.
With the Alliance's attentions firmly focused to the west, Taklak force-marched her army along the north-eastern coast towards New Tarania, keeping her army well away from the Escana Forest and the scouts of the Escana Union. Her army was joined unexpectedly by Vaagor the Foe-crusher, the Hand of Gruumsh, who informed her he would be aiding in her efforts. Outriders from Yol spotted the approaching Dominion army only a dozen miles out from New Tarania and quickly sent warnings to all Alliance nations. Realising they had been duped the Alliance leaders quickly dispatched an army under the command of General Celemoth Hanali, but knew it would not reach New Tarania in time. Unwilling to let a Dominion army ravage the northlands of his fragile kingdom, King Elric mustered the New Taranian army and marched to intercept the invaders.
Battle of the Broken Hills
The two armies met at the Broken Hills. The Dominion force arrived first and used the time to set up traps and ambushes. Taklak ordered certain roads and passes to be blocked with rubble or otherwise obstructed, to funnel the Taranian army where she wanted them. Her plan was a success, and she managed to surprise and surround the Taranian vanguard, which was led in person by King Elric. While the bulk of the Taranian army was engaged by Dominion forces, Vaagor the Foe-crusher waded into the Taranian vanguard and slew the king. With their army split in two, and the royal standard fallen, the morale of the Taranian army began to break. The Taranian contingent of knights acted to prevent the battle becoming a complete rout by charging the main body of Dominion forces, buying time for the rest of the army to retreat. The entire vanguard and most of the knights were slain, but thanks to the knights' sacrifice enough of the army survived to fight again.
Harried by wolf-riders every step of the way, the Taranians retreated south. Most of the newly-reconstructed northern cities were not yet ready to repel invaders, so the decision was made to keep fleeing to the strong walls of the capital. The Dominion army followed in close pursuit, though was by necessity slowed by its size and Taklak's orders to destroy any settlement they came upon.
Siege of New Andilar
The Dominion threw up rudimentary siege lines around New Andilar, but Warlord Taklak had little patience for a protracted siege. Judging the humans to be scared and completely outnumbered she ordered an assault launched on the main gate. Squads of Devastors cleared the walls of archers, and Vaagor broke down the gates with his maul. The Taranian forces fled the broken gate, allowing crack Dominion troops, led by Vaagor, to pour into the city. It was at that moment that Anhild Rynne, the Hand of Selah, entered the battle. Until this moment she had not been seen since the death of her patron at Vecna's hand, and had been presumed dead. How she came to arrive in a city under siege remains a mystery. However she came to be there, her arrival was an immediate turning point. As she revealed herself every Taranian in the city felt her presence and was inspired. The fleeing defenders rallied to her and fought to hold the broken gate, while Anhild slaughtered every Dominion soldier that came within her reach. Anhild came face-to-face with Vaagor the Foe-crusher, and the two Hands locked weapons in a titanic duel that stopped the surrounding fighting with its raw power. Vaagor was known to be one of the most ferocious combatants in the world, but Anhild was his match. Vaagor fell at her hands, and she proceeded to channel an enormous amount of divine energy to obliterate the remaining Dominion troops within the walls.
Under the leadership of the Hand of Selah, the Taranians repaired the broken gate and fortified all access points. Inspired by the Hand of their fallen god, the Taranians fought like lions and repelled every assault on the wall. They held out for weeks, hoping for aid from the rest of the Alliance. Of the three nearest member states, only the halflings of Yol sent any aid. Their cavalry constantly harassed the Dominion supply lines, slowly bleeding Taklak's army dry. Iadren and Cabyra, however, sent no troops, claiming that they had to keep their armies at home for their own protection. Anhild knew that the halflings alone were not enough, and that the Dominion's numbers would eventually overwhelm the defenders. The only hope lay in the Alliance army under General Hanali, but that was still a month's march away.
In the fourth week of the siege the Taranians,their numbers too few to hold the battered outer walls any longer, were forced to retreat to the walls of the inner city. By this time they were running low on food, water and other vital supplies, for New Andilar had not been prepared for a protracted siege. Capitalising on their weakness Taklak launched a simultaneous assault at a dozen points around the city. Rams broke open gates and concentrated spell-barrages blasted holes in the walls. Every Taranian soldier was dispatched to hold the various breaches, with even civilians taking up arms to help plug the gaps. This was exactly what Taklak had planned for. With the defenders entirely committed she launched another attack on the main gate. Anhild Rynne went to hold the gateway alone, knowing that there was no one else to help her. This, too, was exactly what Taklak had planned for. The force assaulting the main gate consisted of her most elite troops, supported by mages and fearsome beasts, all with the single goal of slaying the Hand.
Anhild slaughtered her way through scores of elite troops and slew a dozen warbeasts, but even a Hand of the Gods could not stand alone against such opposition. For half an hour she held them back, drenching the cobbles in gallons of blood, until the fighting and the minor injuries she suffered began to take their toll. Weakened and slowed she was finally brought down by a coordinated volley of spells from a Devastator contingent. Although she fell in the end, Anhild held long enough for the defenders to stabilise the other breaches. Enraged by the death of their Hand the Taranians forced her killers out of the main gate, and erected barricades at all the breaches. Although the inner city remained safe for now, the Taranians lacked the numbers to hold it against another assault. With the loss of the Hand of Selah, the fate of the city seemed set.
Miracle at New Andilar
The Dominion launched their final assault on the city, attacking from all sides in overwhelming force. As soon as they were fully committed, the Alliance army under General Hanali suddenly appeared behind them. Fharlanghn, God of Horizons and Travel, had intervened to bring the army to New Andilar far quicker than they could have managed on their own. The Dominion's scouts brought them no warning, for Fharlanghn stretched space to bypass the scout lines entirely. The Alliance army fell on the rear of the astonished Dominion troops. For all of Taklak's tactical genius, her army was out of position and committed to a fight, and entirely unprepared to deal with a surprise attack from the rear. The Dominion army was slaughtered, and Taklak was killed. When the outcome became clear some Dominion troops tried to surrender, but the Alliance soldiers had their blood up and in most instances just cut down their enemies without quarter. Only a few thousand Dominion soldiers, mostly those that had been scouting or protecting the supply chain, managed to escape to Dominion lands.
Aftermath
With the King and the Hand of Selah dead, New Tarania lacked a strong leader. The crown prince had ascended to the crown following his father's death, but the new King Gery II was a boy only four years old. The respected noble Lord Achilo was appointed as regent until the young king came of age. Achilo oversaw the rebuilding of New Andilar as best he could, though the nation was sorely lacking in coin. Rebuilding was a slow and painful process, and in the present day is still very much unfinished.
The intervention of Yol, Esé-Nal and Khazarak won the eternal respect and friendship of the Taranians. Visitors from all three nations are always welcome in Tarania, and strong trade agreements have been established with Yol. Conversely, the refusal of Cabyra or Iadren to lend aid has tarnished them in the Taranians' minds, and relationships with those two nations remain frosty.
The invasion holds particular cultural significance to the Taranians. It almost spelt the end of their desperate gamble for survival in this new continent, and devastated large swatches of their fledgling country. Just as importantly it marked the fall of the last Hand of Selah, which severed the last tie the Taranians had to their dead goddess. Every year on the anniversary of the invasion all of New Tarania commemorates the event on Anhild's Day.
Fharlanghn's intervention in the conflict caused shock across the continent, and indeed the world. Although it was not unheard of for the gods to intervene in a conflict, this was the largest such intervention in the Alliance/Dominion war to date. More surprisingly, Fharlanghn is a neutral god with little affiliation for either the Alliance or the Dominion, and it is unclear why he would have exerted so much power and influence to intervene in the war. Theologians have endless theories as to his motivations, but when his priests ask him directly they are rebuffed or ignored.
Belligerents
New Tarania
Grand Alliance of Free Peoples
Grand Alliance of Free Peoples
Commanders and Leaders
Warlord Taklak Steelmind (KIA)
Vaagor the Foe-crusher (KIA)
Vaagor the Foe-crusher (KIA)
New Tarania:
King Elric VI (KIA)
Anhild Rynne (KIA)
Grand Alliance:
General Celemoth Hanali
King Elric VI (KIA)
Anhild Rynne (KIA)
Grand Alliance:
General Celemoth Hanali
Strength
30,000 infantry
8,000 cavalry
8,000 cavalry
New Tarania:
17,000 infantry
5,000 heavy cavalry
Grand Alliance:
25,000 infantry
5,000 cavalry
17,000 infantry
5,000 heavy cavalry
Grand Alliance:
25,000 infantry
5,000 cavalry
Casualties and Losses
35,000
New Tarania:
16,000 soldiers
28,000 civilians Grand Alliance:
3,000
16,000 soldiers
28,000 civilians Grand Alliance:
3,000
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