Southron Hordes

## The Southron Hordes

The Hordes' primary flag; a simple design of a holy sun representing Pelor over a green field

### Leader

Grand General Frederik KaerwaldSaint Helia the Bright

Various Other Faction Leaders

### Location

Yarmouth, western mountains, Morninguard

The Southron Hordes was the name given to one of the most diverse, and surprisingly formidable, factions of the Shattered War, active during the Shattered Kingdoms era. The Hordes were born out of the collapse of the Cathyrion Empire after the execution of Emperor Fyrello at the hands of the Larethian Crusade.

After the Emperor's death, the regional governors of the vassal kingdom of Yarmouth were overthrown by the human majority of the region, whose noble houses allied with the nearby dwarven mountain clans (in the mountains that would come to be the surface seat of Zventhos, and then modern-day Durkheim). As these two factions built up their power base, just as the Larethian Crusade were in turn ousted and pushed southward by the armies of the Cathyrion Imperium and Valtoria, the Hordes would ally with the nomadic orcish tribes of what would become Morninguard, who had long been warring with the military expansions of the Empire - and likewise desired independence and recognition on the world stage. These three united under various leaders to form the Southron Hordes, effectively occupying the southern half of the Cathyrions' primary holdings in the northwestern part of the continent. The Hordes spent the majority of the war facing off against the Crusaders, who attempted a military occupation of their newly liberated lands in order to rebuild their forces to march north and secure Sol. Over time, the Crusade would finally evade the grip of the Hordes and secure their homeland from the Imperium, making peace with the Hordes and Valtoria.

The diverse nature of the Hordes made them one of the most bizarre - and progressive - factions to enter the war - being made up of humans, half-elves, dwarves, orcs, gnomes & halflings, and even made allies of some of the Suel out of Golgotha - in stark contrast to the predominantly elven factions of the Imperium and Crusade, and the human-dominated Valtoria. Like the Crusade, over time the Hordes became religious motivated thanks to the restoration of Pelor in the spirituality of Yarmouth, who became the de-facto leaders of the Hordes. This spiritual movement was led by Saint Helia the Bright, an immigrant from Sethulhmet who brought with her the worship of the sun god, reinvigorating the need for spiritual - as well as political - independence from any elvish faction.

After the war, the kingdom of Yarmouth was formally established, with the orc and dwarf clans being left in relative peace for a time - though the Hordes' unique alliances would become destined to fracture without their common enemy into the next era.

## Notable Members

* **Saint Helia the Bright**: A spiritual leader and martyr for the pre-War Church of Pelor, canonized as a Saint by the Church's descendants. Still remembered as a great hero even in the wasteland by the Church of the Lost Dawn.
* **Grand General Frederik Kaerwald**: The eventual honorary leader of the Horde's military council, originally a minor noble from Yarmouth. After the war he was named Yarmouth's first Kaiser.
* **Count Evon Dagar**: One of the noble leaders of Yarmouth's forces, and a rival to Cypherius Sarthyn. He and the elf's exploits against one another are well documented in the Cypherius Stratagem, detailing Dagar's long but ultimately unsuccessful siege against the fortress city of Canwale.
* **War-Chief Yarkon Golemfist**: The centralized leader of the western dwarf clans. He had long been an enemy to the Empire, and relished the opportunity to finally war against it's remnants.
* **Tharuuk the Hungering**: An orcish warlord who rallied the orc tribes of Morninguard to aid the Hordes. A surprisingly capable general, he earned fear and renown as the "Hungering," said to devour men in the midst of battle.