The Farming Collective

A pacifist collective constituted mainly of hill farmers declare independence from the Tyrant House of the Empire, arguing their taxes are too high and outweigh the benefits of membership. Further, disillusioned by the imperial efforts, they refuse to sell their grain directly to the lords, and instead begin taking their harvests to markets. 
In response the House Guards send a squadron of yeomanry to restore order to the province, and yet the yeomanry switch sides and end up joining the collective as messengers, scouts and hunters. The reason for this is rumoured to be sorcery, with some claiming the first man of the collective to be a powerful wizard using his magics to charm those around him, yet in reality he is simply a fantastic orator, capable of swaying even his foes to his way of thinking.
The collective remains independent for 23 years, until it is overrun by a migrant tribe of werewolves, who pose as poor refugees before slaughtering the villages in the night, and making their camp in the ruins.