Betrayal of White Wood

White Wood was supposed to safe for use to be safe for us to gather and meet, we never even realized what was going to happen before it was too late - Ranger Survivor

The Conflict

Prelude

Rangers are scattered about the settlement as their leaders have a meeting in the backroom of a tavern in private.

Deployment

Rangers would be scattered around the area to stand guard for trouble as the imperial forces slowly closed in from all around and killed the out sentries near the village.

Battlefield

The Village of White Wood would be at the center of the battle.

Conditions

Dusk begins to set in on the village with the night being a few hours away.

The Engagement

Imperial forces would attack suddenly and catch the Rangers and the villager by surprise.

Outcome

Many of the rangers are killed including all the members of the Grim Hunters, except Carne. Darren Nettle would be killed by Carne as White Wood would be destroyed by the imperials. The surviving Rangers, including Galas Curts and Fredrick Lumbren who were both gravely wounded would be carried off to safety. Carne and several civilians would join them as well as they escaped the ambush.

Aftermath

Much of the Ranger leadership would be killed in the ambush, including Galas Curts would succumb to his wounds later on. Fredrick Lumbren would be severely burned, along with being partially crippled and losing most of his eyesight. Carne struck with grief from all that had happened would go on a killing spread known as the Night of Wailing, leading to several dozen Legionnaires dead by morning's end. After the ambush, White Wood would be abandoned and never be rebuilt as it was left in ruins.

Historical Significance

A Secret Meeting

For the Kingdom of Ardania the conflict known as the War of the Raptors with the Vatian Empire was not going well for them. After four years of fighting the kingdom was on its last legs and defeat seemed enviable, but for some, they refused to give in that easily. Those who continued to defend their homeland was that of the Forest Guard, namely the Rangers and it leadership. For Four long years, they had been fighting the empire and made the Imperial Legions pay for every inch of land that they took. But their numbers were dwindling as well and almost all of their holdings were destroyed in the war. This led to a secret meeting in the village of White Wood by the remaining Leadership of the Rangers to devise a plan to continue their fight against the empire. The reason it was held at one of the remaining strongholds was due to fear of spies learning about the meeting and imperial forces were rapidly advancing across Ardaina taking every stronghold that they crossed their path. Leading to fears of an imperial attack during the meeting which they could not afford to have, so they decided to pick the village of White Wood as it lack any significant importance and had yet to be hit by the war, making it a good place to have a meeting. It was here the Warden Commanders brought their men as well to ensure that village was secure and safe to enter. But what they did not know was that their plans were known by an unlikely source.

A Traitor Among Friends

Among the Rangers would attend the meeting would be the Grim Hunters with their leader Carne being among the leadership attending while his team was to stand guard for any trouble that might show up. But unknown to them that was that one of its members, Darren Nettle had secretly turned on the Rangers and become a turncoat to the imperials. He did this to ensure that he would survive by serving the empire once the war was over and to prove his loyalty would betray his comrades. He would tell the imperial forces to the meeting at White Wood and there in secret planned to spring their trap in the unsuspecting Rangers. When the meeting was finally coming underway, the imperial forces began to move in as Dareen had killed the outer sentries to allow the imperials to move in without being noticed. The Rangers were completely unaware of what had happened and would soon find themselves in a terrible situation as the village became surrounded by the imperials.

The Betrayal

What was a peaceful village became the center of a raging battle as the Imperials began their attack surprising the Rangers and were shocked to even see imperials here in the first place. Rushed defenses were made by them along with some of the villagers that wanted to defend their homes. Ranger who was isolated soon became trapped and killed by the imperials rushing into the village. They began setting fires to many of the buildings to confuse the defenders and worked to a certain extent. One by one the Rangers would fall and many of its leaders with them. Carne desperately tries to find his men and way out for the remaining Rangers. Killing any imperial that go in his way and soon discovered Darne Nettle over one of his men, Philip Lumbren, Fredrick Lumbren's Nephew slowly dying with Darren covered in his blood. A scared Darren flees the scene and Carne trie to save Philip but is too late to save him as his wounds are too great. His final words to Carne were that Darren had betrayed them to the imperials before he died in his arms. A mixture of shock and grief then came over him which was replaced with blood-soaked rage as he went after Darren.
While that happened Galas Curts become wounded while trying to lead rangers and several civilians. As for Fredrick Lumbren, he would meet with an unfortunate accident as part of a burning building falls on him while trying to fight his way out. Causing him to gain several burns across his body along with them hitting his eyesight and breaking one of his leads as it laid on top of him. Galas would find himself alone and lost as he tried to find a way out through the smoke surrounding them and Fredrick would be saved by some of the Rangers, including his brother Landon Lumbren as they carried him off to safety. As for Carne he soon found Darren after killing several Legionnaires to get to him and the duel between them ensued amongst the fire and the screams of the dying. The fight was evenly matched as both were skilled melee combat, but Carne's rage to be far greater as his aggressive attack overwhelmed Darren as he tried to fight back. The duel would end with Carne plunging one of his daggers in Darren's right eye and then pushing him into a burning building being burned alive as the building collapsed and all he could hear was his scream before leaving the traitor to his fate. As he once more began to find a way out only to find a wounded Galas slowly dying. He then carried his Warden-Commander to safety as he found his way out of White Wood only for him to die shortly after they made their way into the Great Forest. He would then find the survivors and leave Galas' body with them as he went on a killing spread of vengeance that would be remembered only as the Night of Wailing.

Legacy

Birth of the Brotherhood

The Betrayal at White Wood would forever change the Rangers that survived the brutal ambush that took so many of them. The fact one of their own turned on them was quite a shocking revelation to them. This also lead them to remain hidden in the Great Forest for a time in fear of what other secrets might have been known to the imperials. But once they overcame their defeat they would move on with Carne being the leader of the survivors and later chosen to be Warden-Commander of the remaining Rangers that managed to find them. It was from here that he would lead them to the hidden ruin of Del Toren to have a base of operations. Soon they would find others to join them as they gathered the stragglers survived the war when it end and would create the Brotherhood of the Wood and continue their fight to liberate their homeland from the empire and continue to do so this day. For despite the tragedy that befallen them they persevered and continue to fight on for to give up now would mean that all those who had died in the conflict would have died in vain and they could not let that happen. So they continue to fight on for their sake no matter how long it takes to do so.

Included under Conflict

War of the Raptors

Conflict Type

Skirmish

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

9/16/1528 4:34

Ending Date

9/16/1528 5:02

Conflict Result

Ranger suffer heavy Casualties leading to an Imperial Victory

Location

Whitewood

Belligerents

Rangers

• Forest Guard
• Grim Hunters

Led by

• Carne
• Fredrick Lumbren
• Galas Curts

22nd Legion

• Imperial Legions

Strength

100 Rangers
22 militia

500 Hundred Legionnaries

Casualties

63 Rangers
22militia
32 Civilians
Much of the Ranger Leadership including Galas Curts

212 Legionaries

Objectives

Escape White Wood

Kill All Rangers in White Wood