The Northen Campaign

Military action

Both Cyrn and Aundair counter-attack deep into Karrnath in a campaign that leaves armies in place until 935 YK

Confident it would not be distracted by the other nations, and entirely committed to Karrnath’s defeat, Cyre marshaled naval and land forces for a fresh campaign in the north.   For their part, the Cyrans choose to ignore the pillaged lands in the east—an advance there would lead only to the nighimpregnable bastion at Karrlakton. The avengers pushed north across Scions Sound farther west, an area from which it had been launching raids for years. King Connos led the Cyran assault personally, and the troops fought with avenging fury.   The Karrns were able to stage a delaying action against the Cyran advance at Loran Rath, but could do little but fall back slowly. By the end of the summer, Cyre had secured a solid foothold on Karrnathi soil north of the sound. Taking advantage of Karrnath’s distractions with internal politics and the avenging Cyran force, Aundairian troops stepped up operations east of Rekkenmark. Though these conflicts were mostly large-scale raids aimed at supplementing the trickle of supplies crossing Scions Sound, they tied down Karrnathi troops that could have reinforced the south.   With the Karrnathi pressed on two sides and internally divided, their toughness once again came to the fore. By slowly falling back and extracting a bloody price for every mile, the Karrns caused both fronts to bog down significantly.   Their commanders knew that, in time, Cyran passion would cool and the Aundairian supplies would run out. By mid-autumn the fronts stopped moving, and all sides settled in for the harsh Karrnathi winter. All knew this was a temporary truce and immediately began refitting their armies and rebuilding their fortifications. Even so, the informal ceasefire would last nearly five years.  

House Deneith’s role in the Last War has been widely discussed. Given the demand for mercenary services, its fortunes soared. Less reported is its role in securing Karrlakton from the ravages of war. Mindful of House Cannith’s troubles in Eston, Deneith issued an early proclamation that it would “secure and preserve” its home city. Glad to have Deneith guarding its largest city and anchoring the southeastern reaches of Scions Sound, Karrnath initially supported the decision. Only later, when King Kaius II realized that Deneith truly meant to keep Karrlakon free from any nation’s war effort, did he regret his father’s inaction. Still, the king wisely choose not to precipitate a possible civil war by attempting to occupy and control the city. No one wished to anger the continent’s primary supplier of mercenary troops, or challenge the stout defenses of the Sentinel House’s home. - Renowned Zil librarian Augusta Wainwocket