The Burning of Kalidan
The Burning of Kalidan was one of the most catastrophic battles of the Autumn War, and perhaps one of the most important. The Burning of Kalidan marked the halt of the Ustalian advance through central Wesier by the forces of the Sixth Coalition. The event is remembered as one of the bloodiest battles in recent memory, leading to the deaths of almost one-hundred thousand people, including civilian casualties. Among these casualties was the hero of the Dracen Invasion, Ramsey Haphet, who would be killed in combat by King Iorath Aeron and his great beast.
Prelude
Prior to the ninth of Tioth 1107, the Sixth Grand Coalition had already engaged Maxen Carrow along his "Hellfire March" several times, however the Coalition forces had not been able to prevent the march from reaching its goal. The goal of the Hellfire March was of course, to take the central Wesieran city of Kalidan, perhaps one of the most culturally important cities to the Wesieran populace given its standing as the original seat of House Waesir. It was not hard to discern Carrow's goals after he began his march, to take the city of Kalidan would bring near the entirety of the Manelands underneath Ustalian control. As such this was something that the Sixth Grand Coalition could not afford to allow. Following months of hard fighting and near continuous defeats for the Coalition at the hands of the Butcher, the great city was finally in sight of the Ustalian army. During one of the last Great War Councils it was decided that Ramsey Haphet would personally lead the Forces of Raventiva to the city to protect it from threat. Many members of the Good King Calsifurs Kingsguard would accompany Ramsey in his initial holding of the city, including Xaviero Sartagori and Mairon D'Amore; Serenoa Irons also originally followed Ramsey, though would take a large amount of soldiers with him to start his "Burning Line" following the discovery of his family in Waelesbur. The departure of Serenoa and his men would leave Ramsey in a considerably worse set of circumstances when he did eventually come to defend the city. Ramsey's forces first arrived and began the defence of Kalidan two weeks before the fighting would begin on the 52nd of Luva 1107. Only three days before Carrow had planned to begin the siege of Kalidan, his forces would be joined and taken command of by King Iorath Aeron on Dragonback. The defending forces would first spot the Ustalians on the horizon on the 8th of Tioth, the siege would begin but a day later.
Conflict Type
Siege
Start Date
The 9th of Tioth 1107
Ending Date
The 58th of Lise 1107
Conflict Result
Pyrrhic Victory for the 6th Coalition, the total destruction of the great city of Kalidan
Belligerents
Strength
50,000
4,000 Wesierian Guardsmen
Unknown Amount of Militia Fighters
4,000 Wesierian Guardsmen
Unknown Amount of Militia Fighters
60,000, plus the Great Dragon Vauxharth
Casualties
37,000
40,000
Objectives
Prevent the forces of Ustalia from taking Kalidan, which would have served as a staging point for their invasion west and would all but guarantee their dominion over the region.
To take the city of Kalidan, which would have served as a staging point for their invasion west and would all but guarantee their dominion over the region.
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