13-years war

Military action

Victory at Kēputorasuto elevated Talonwheel to hegemon of the Crimson Coast, now they were going to turn their attention towards the Cobalt Order.

Victory at the battle of Kēputorasuto elevated the prestige of Talonwheel and its ruling family to new heights. Gildenhall was no longer the primary power on the Crimson Coast. Its decline as a major city signaled the end of cordial relations between the cities and the Cobalt Order.   Talonwheel now declared the treaties of Gildenhall void, claiming they had never ratified those treaties, and they they were not beholden to them. They imposed taxes on the Cobal Order's lands and when these were not paid the lands were confiscated by force. Several skirmishes and even small battles were fought as these confiscations progressed. Several dozen people were killed, and many more taken hostage, mostly unarmed monks and nuns.   The provocation proved too great for Karabir The Binder. A fleet was dispatched to punish Talonwheel and its allied cities. This Holy Fleet set out on the 1st day of spring 1434, and marked the start of what became known later as the 13-year war.   Talonwheel intended to intercept and destroy the Holy Fleet en rout, but adverse winds forced the Crimson Fleet to remain in port until mid-summer, when the Holy Fleet had already landed an army on the Crimson Coast. It mattered little that the Holy Fleet was subsequently destroyed off Ironbreak.   The war that followed saw many successes and setbacks for both sides. The Cobalt Order enjoyed much support from the general population due to the Cobalt Order's reputation as healers and helpers of the poor. Thus their army had little trouble recruiting and re-supplying. The Crimson Coast was hindered in their efforts by their inability to agree on a Shogun to conduct the war. It was left to the cities to fend for themselves individually, and the war effort was confused as a result. The Cobalt Order had great success in 1437 when it destroyed 6 different armies in 6 battles before they could consolidate and destroy the Crusading Army.   The war continued. The Cobalt Order besieged Talonwheel in 1438, but was unable to breach the walls. They wintered outside the walls of the city. The horrible conditions suffered by the besieging army evoked even the pity of those besieged. In spring 1439 the siege was broken off. The Crusading army instead ravaged the countryside during the summer and autumn of that year. Famine soon swept the whole of the north. This "Winter of Need" became etched in the cultural memory of the Crimson Coast, and destroyed any remaining sympathy the population had for the Cobalt Order.   At sea the Crimson Fleet raided Tortlefell and the port of Arcanstille. This nearly induced the Apex Republic and the Wend Wall into war on the Cobalt Order's side as many merchants and even diplomats from those countries were killed in the raids. This near-disaster for the Crimson Coast meant the fleet was confined to port for the remainder of the war.   Undead surged forth from the south of Haru in 1444. The Crusading army was diverted from their campaign in the north to deal with the undead invasion. This allowed the northern Daimyos to gather their forces. The Great Dragon Abbadon he of Hard Scales was finally convinced to join the fray that same year.   The efforts made against the undead allowed the Crusading army to recruit heavily from the population of southern Haru in 1445. The Crusaders were further reinforced by volunteers from Apex and the Wend Wall. These brought with them an number of new siege equipment. This Crusading Army marched north to meet the Crimson army at the fields of Gurīnfīrudo.   The battle that followed proved inconclusive in the short run, but cemented the hostility between the Crimson Coast and the Cobalt Order. The armies both numbered near 30.000. The Crusaders gained the advantage early, pressing the flanks of the Crimson army back, and routing the cavalry. The Dragon Abbadon the Living Fire was wounded by siege weaponry and was forced to ground. The situation for the Crimson army looked desperate during the evening hours. It was then that Abbadon the Mighty Serpent charged into the fray. He broke the Crusader lines, but was set upon by a great throng of the enemy, including The Binder's Guardians. They slew Abbadon the Winged Menace in a fray that left all but one of the Guardians dead.   His sacrifice was not in vain. It allowed the trapped army to sally forth and break the Crusader lines. Fighting stopped as night fell, and both armies retreated to their camps. They eyed each other for several days, before they each retreated back towards their winter camps to wait out the cold season.   The loss of their patron dragon was seen as a terrible omen in the Crimson Coast. It was also felt by the Cobalt Order, whose prestige suffered as a result of having killed a God whom was by many seen as a great protector. It enraged many in Haru to the extent that foraging became a dangerous affair for the Crusading army.   After the Battle of Gurīnfīrudo he war settled into a war of maneuver. Neither army wished a repeat of the great battle. Pressure mounted on both sides to reach an accord. Without their Dragon protector the cities felt uncertain of their war prospects, and at any rate the island had been ravaged and many were unable to keep their troops employed. The Crusaders were having trouble themselves. Their recruitment had dropped, and they were unable to replace those lost. With the blow to their reputation it also looked increasingly unlikely that Apex of the Wend Wall would intervene on their side.   The small village of Onaka became the site of the negotiations. A treaty was concluded in 1447 that ended the war. The Cobalt Order was allowed to retain their monasteries, churches and temples, and the lands necessary to support them, but had to give up many of their great secular estates. They also committed themselves to campaigning against the undead. The Crimson cities had to concede the right to tax Order property and had to allow the Order to retain the retinues of knights attached to larger Order holdings, even inside fortified cities of the Crimson Coast.   Though there would be many small wars, many skirmishes and disagreements the Treaty of Onaka has largely held, and has been the basis for interaction between the cities of Haru and the Cobalt Order.