The Incident of 1442

Political event

The city of Harperrim is seized by the Wend Wall, but war is avoided.

The city of Harperrim had been under Apex control since the creation of the Apex Republic. However, it lay east of the Apex Eastern Mountains which was seen by The Wend Wall as the border between the two countries. The Wend Wall had maintained a claim on Harperrim and the surrounding hinterlands for centuries, however except for a few tense incidents hostilities had been avoided.   In 1442 Apex was in the middle of a fierce political rivalry between several prominent families. The Republic was distracted and weak. At the same time the Wend Wall was enjoying a golden age. Hanshu the Many Faced had curbed the various factions of the realm, and established the powerful Green Banner Army during the previous decades. Now he was prepared to use it.   During the summer and autumn infiltrators from The Wend Wall, said to be Hanshu's personal guardians and spies trained by him had infiltrated the city. Meanwhile the army was marshaled nearby, on the pretense of military exercises. Some in Apex suspected something was amiss, but due to the factionalism in the Senate and Council little was done. A small garrison was dispatched to Harperrim, but the army was not mobilized.   In the first month of winter the gates of Harperrim was thrown open during the night. Cavalry regiments of the Green Banner Army entered the city and quickly subdued the garrison, which had not been alert to the danger. The takeover of the city was relatively bloodless. Apex was unable to respond during the winter of 1442.   The next spring the Apex army was mobilized. However, internal competition concerning leadership of the army, and the course any war was to take eventually led to the expedition to retake the city being delayed and then called off. Apex accepted the loss of the city as a fait accompli in return for monetary compensation from The Wend Wall.   Although the incident cost few lives it left bitter memories in Apex. Reforms were enacted to prevent such bitter factionalism from hindering the defense of the realm in future. Apex would also being looking for opportunities to repay Hanshu for his offense.