Battle of Cairn Hill

Military action

The battle that ended the Brelish liberation of Old Breland. The battle was a large conflict fought between highly decorated armies.

Breland's high point, the occupation of formerly lost lands in Thrane, came to an end in 987^YK at the battle of Cairn Hill. General Nystrum Shadar of Thrane—later the spymaster of the realm and chief of the Argentum—defeated Breland and its allied Darguuls on the Fields of Rhone, just south of Cairn Hill.   The Battle of Cairn Hill is remembered both for its size and because it was fought between two veteran and highly decorated armies. As a result, the intense fighting lasted four days before a result could be determined.   General Shadar’s forces included all 1,700 paladins of the Avenging Hand of the Eternal Flame and Cardinal Moctin’s Exultant Guards, 1,500 elite heavy foot. The Thrane order of battle also included 22,000 hardened levy spear and axe, 4,000 pike, 6,500 veteran archers, three companies of the Order of the Pure, and an additional 3,300 veteran heavy cavalry. In total, Thrane brought over 38,000 troops to the field.   Breland fielded just as many veterans, including such famous companies as the Grey Geese archers, the Blues & Irons dragoons, and the Roses of Sharn, a company of all-female wands. Their troops also included 600 Rangers, 2,000 dragoons, 2,900 heavy cavalry, 14,000 light and medium foot, 2,500 warforged heavy foot, 6,000 pike, 5,200 magewright-supported veteran archers, 3,000 veteran crossbowmen, and 300 Zilargo mercenary wands.   The supporting Darguun mercenaries numbered roughly 5,500 light foot goblins and 2,000 heavily armed and armored hobgoblins and bugbears. Totaling 44,000, the Brelish army actually outnumbered the Thrane levies—a rare event indeed. King Boranel also dispatched Chydris, the first and most celebrated of the floating fortresses.   The battle’s first day was spent in skirmish, scouting, and the use of wands and archery. The few clashes were quickly broken up by reinforcements or maneuver. Neither commander seemed ready to commit his troops fully. The second day saw the heavy use of cavalry to strike at perceived weak points.   The next day began well for Breland, with a volley of archery and arcane fire—the latter provided by Chydris, the Zilargo wands, and the Roses of Sharn. The Darguuls acquitted themselves admirably at first, pressing the Thrane lines. Then word spread that Thrane cavalry, riding hard, was threatening the Darguun plunder-laden baggage train. Many goblin irregulars abandoned the line to rush in defense of their loot. This spontaneous retreat drew Chydris and the Brelish pike out of position to cover the right flank. Worse still, a piloting error caused Chydris to plow into the ground as it attempted to quickly shift position. Thrane levies, the Exultant Guards heavy foot, and archers exploited the resulting gaps and succeeded in overrunning the grounded fortress, destroying its delicate control mechanisms and rendering it no more dangerous than a large, hollowed-out rock. Brelish reserves were required just to stave off collapse. When the sun set, the Thrane cavalry and paladins had been driven away from the baggage train, but the very last Brelish reserves had been committed. That evening, the Brelish and Darguun sides exchanged bitter words. Only a desperate “divided we fall” appeal prevented a massed goblin nighttime retreat. As it was, several thousand goblinoids disappeared into the dark.   The battle continued to the fourth day. The remaining goblins were angry and fought with great spirit, cutting horses out from under Thrane paladins and using oil grenadiers effectively against Thrane pike. But it was not enough—the Brelish command realized that it had insufficient forces to exploit any gains or address any weaknesses. Shortly before noon, the order was given for the Brelish and Darguun forces to withdraw. They did so in good order, and, by direct order of the Keeper, the forces of Thrane declined to follow. This was later proclaimed a gallant gesture, but many say that Thrane's army was so badly bloodied and exhausted that pursuit was nearly impossible.   Breland tried to paint the Battle of Cairn Hill as a victory based on Thrane's casualties, but the loss of Chydris and the sole presence of Thrane forces on the field of battle at the end belied that claim. The defeated armies retreated to Castle Rhonewatch and later to Lurching Tower. This was Breland's last large-scale invasion of Thrane territory, and also the end of Brelish cooperation with the Darguuls.   During the retreat, goblinoid slave-takers dragged along chained lines of Thrane peasant “property.” The Brelish demanded that the Darguuls release their human plunder, but they refused to abandon their most valuable chattel. This resulted in a small skirmish, often called the Slave Battle. From that point forward, the two armies marched in different directions.