Raid on The Darklyn Encampment
The Conflict
Prelude
Two weeks following the Battle of Eastcross, the Darklyn forces opposing the Royal Coalition had managed to reach the edges of the Blackmyre swamp. With the rest of their reinforcements still days away, ser Allon Southbay proposed a spoiling attack to stall the enemy advance - as the Darklyn army would be more than capable of taking castle Blackmyre in a protracted siege.
Deployment
Prioritising speed and sowing confusion amongst the enemy rather than inflicting actual damage, ser Allon chose Shela Blackwood and the formation he had granted her to command during the The Battle of Eastcross (Thistle) to perform the raid, with himself and a small band attacking from another direction to maximise the potential damage they could all inflict in a single night before the camp was roused.
Battlefield
The Darklyn encampment was laid out in a rough circle, ringed with roughly hewn palisades and stakes to deter attackers. Despite the boggy ground, the recent lack of rain made the swamp more navigable than usual, and spots of solid ground had even formed which the Darklyn forces took ready advantage of.
Conditions
The raid occured on a cloudy night, greatly aiding the attackers in managing to eliminate the sentries around the camp before the alarm was raised. The recent lack of rain also contirbuted to the chaos, as it meant the waxed tents were easy to set alight.
The Engagement
The night of the 27th of April, the skirmishing forces of the Royal Coalition moved into position to strike at the encampment, whilst ser Allon led a small contingent westwards, circling the camp to attack it from behind the main raid.
Around midnight, the raid began proper, with the soldiers of Thistle soudning warhorns and charging into the eastern side of the camp. They slew anyone they came across and torched what they could. Meanwhile, ser Allon's group moved in from the west, lighting tents as they cut their way through the camp to meet with their soldiers striking from the east.
Emboldened by their success, ser Allon led his band to a command tent they had spotted, only to be confronted by Lerric Darklyn - one of the triplet bastards, as they were known. The enraged giant engaged ser Allon before anyone could do anything, and proved himself a dangerous foe as he knocked down the knight.
Had Laina Falcin not intervened, it is likely ser Allon would have died that night, as soon Lerric was joined by his brothers, Herric and Derric, who managed to swiftly dispatch the rest of ser Allon's raiders. But before they could kill ser Allon, Shela Blackwood and her Thieftakers appeared, and slew Lerric before forcing the other two triplets to retreat for the moment.
With one of their commanders incapacitated, the Coalition forces swiftly withdrew before the Darklyn army could finish organising a counterattack.
Outcome
The raid was only partially succesful, failing to achieve it's primary goal of destroying the supplies stored at the camp. However, the chaos and confusion sowed by Shela Blackwood and her Thieftakers spooked the Darklyn forces, who slowed their advance into the swamps wary of further raids.
Aftermath
Ultimately, the delay in the Darklyn advance proved critical to the ongoing war effort, as it not only granted the Coalition time to be reinforced from Southbay, but to also ultimately entrap the enemy army between itself and a Skanler army marching from the north.
Also, thanks to her selflessness in protecting the downed ser Allon, Laina Falcin was able to secure the position of Marshal within the new Duchy for her family in perpetuity.
Belligerents
Strength
- ser Allon Southbay, general of the Coalition.
- Laina Falcin, ser Allon's squire.
- Shela Blackwood, commanding The Men-at-Arms of House Brume.
Casualties
- Estimated at around 18 soldiers.
- Estimated at 34 soldiers.
Objectives
- To delay the mercenary army's continued advance into the Blackmyre until such a time as remaining Coalition forces could arrive from Southbay.
- To destroy the army's supplies.
- To protect their supplies.
- To slay the raiders.
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