Battle for Emser
This is a work in progress
The Battle for Emser took countless lives and lasted for several cycles. In the end the Fa Empire's war machine had destroyed a rival and sent a clear message to the Ferdir Ah' Dain..."There is strength beyond the horizon. Come and test it if you dare."
The Conflict
Prelude
Prior to the beginning of the war, the Tefferan Sultanate had been engaged in a battle for expansion with the Fa Empire. The Ferdir Ah' Dain were unknown to exist prior to their invasion of Emser .
The invasion of the Ferdir ah' Dain military was preluded by the destruction of the royal palace in Emser which killed the Sultan. Many people believe the Ferdir Ah' Dain had collaborated with the city's Elven magus, Revinan Salvinious to use some kind of explosive spell in the palace destroying most of the entire crown district.
(Note from Joe: The Ferdir Ah' Dain had nothing to do with this. The crown district was accidentally destroyed by the Flames of Emser when they were attempting to recover Protva's Planishing Hammer .)
Battlefield
The city of Emser is an urban environment surrounded by stone walls on all sides. Within the city are farms, homes, barracks and shops enough to house and feed tens of thousands of people.
The city's location is adjacent to the Splintered Peaks mountain range and has many hills within its walls. This combination of urban cityscape with varied topography and subterranian service tunnels made for a tremendously difficult battlefield to control.
Conditions
The combined battles over the capital city of Emser lasted for several cycles. The war began in the very beginning of 3520 and would not finish until three cycles later in 3523 Emser's northern location in the The Tressian Plateau
The Engagement
Ferdir ah' Dain invasion
The entire city of Emser became the host of a bloody battle between several sides. After the destruction of the royal palace the Ferdir Ah' Dain seized on the opportunity to invade the city. They quickly overwhelmed the Lark Society taking many high ranking officials captive. The two sides fought in bloody urban warfare for nearly half a cycle. During this time the majority of Emsersian citizens fled the city and the conflict. Emser's population went from more than 200,000 people to less than 80,000 in less than two seasons.
Lark Society troops were recalled from abroad and Colton Pierk took his father's place as Field Marshal of the Lark Society for a brief time before his capture, execution and reconstitution by the commander of the Ferdir ah' Dain military General Lightbringer. After the defeat of the Lark Society at the hands of the Ferdir ah' Dain military all non-elves in the city were exiled and any remaining elves were forced into a re-education campaign to indoctrinate them into the Church of the Creator. General Lightbringer was able to fortify his troops within the city by installing a protective arcane shield around the entirty of Emser to prevent outside forces from attacking. Any fallen Lark Society troops or other people who had been slain in combat were reconstituded into Automatons for the Ferdir ah' Dain military to reinforce their losses. This practice led to an imbalance and overreliance between the amount of Ferdir Ah' Dain soldiers and automatons.
The Fa Imperial Army Arrives
The Fa Empire had mobilized troops during the initial fighting to attempt to 'stabilize' the city and repel the Ferdir ah' Dain military . Their massive ground assault took nearly an entire cycle to reach the city after a forced march of several thousand soldiers crossed the The Tressian Plateau. The Fa Empire soldiers were initially unable to enter the city due to the energy field. Additionally they were unaware of a reinforcing wave of Ferdir troops that had arrived behind them in the The Tressian Plateau using a Platomire hidden within the Bastion fortress deep within the Tressian desert. The Fa troops were trapped between the energy wall of Emser and the oncoming Ferdir reinforcements. However, the Fa soliders were saved when a small group of soldiers and Emserian refugees from the nearby town of Verglais infiltrated the city and dealt a critical blow to the Ferdir ah' Dain military. The Founders of Verglais deactivated the energy shield that surrounded the city and destroyed the control crystal that was used to command the Automaton army that was located within the city.The Battle for Emser
A three way battle for the city ensued. The Founders of Verglais rallied the now free Automatons against the Fa Imperial army and the Ferdir ah' Dain. With the energy shield deactivated the Fa army had entered the city and laid claim to the farmlands within the city's walls. Due to their supiror military training and access to food the Fa army quickly defeated the Ferdir that remained in the city. The Founders of Verglais eventually reactivated the energy shield around Emser and prevented the Ferdir ah' Dain military from recieving the bulk of their reinforcements that had attempted to attack the Fa outside of the city. The battle raged for 180 days. Brutal conflict and street by street the Fa imperial army claimed the city of Emser from the Ferdir and the assembled militia of Automatons. When the dust settled, 15 weeks later the Battle for Emser was over and the city had been conquered by the Fa Empire .Outcome
- The Ferdir ah' Dain military have been defeated and removed from the city.
- The Automatons that were formerly under the control of the Ferdir Ah' Dain have left the city.
Aftermath
- The Tefferan Sultanate has been destroyed
- The Fa Empire now controls the city of Emser
Historical Significance
Technological Advancement
The barrier shield that was installed in the old Arcanum tower by the Ferdir Ah' Dain is now under the control of the Fa Empire.
Start Date
3520
Ending Date
3523
Conflict Result
The Fa Empire now controls the city of Emser.
Location
Belligerents
Strength
- Familiarity with terrain
- Defensible positions
Casualties
- All formal military units destroyed
- Field Marshal Colton Pierk captured and executed by the Ferdir Ah' Dain
Objectives
- Defend the city of Emser and the capitol of the Tefferan Sultanate.
Strength
- Superior military training
- Control of food supply during battle
Casualties
- Death of commander Lo Lieh
- Limited troop losses due to capture of defendible position
Objectives
- Remove Ferdir ah' Dain military and assume control of Emser
Strength
- Total suprise during initial conflict
- Unfamiliar tactics and strategy
- Reconstitution of soldiers into automatons
Casualties
- Loss of General Lightbringer
- Loss of all Automatons under their control
- Loss of Energy sheild to Fa Empire
Objectives
- Capture Emser in the name of Church of the Creator
