War of the Setting Sun

Boneway

Prince's Pass

Sea of Dorne

Sunspear

Butcher's Bay

Connington's Rescue

Betrayal of Sunspear

The War of the Setting Sun, also known as the War of Stormlander Aggression, or simply The Betrayal, depending on the teller of the tale, was a grueling conflict fought primarily in the passes of the Red Mountains and the Sea of Dorne, from 100 AC to 103 AC. What started as warmongering and paranoia, resulted in the fall of the House Martell, the rise of House Toland, and the folding of the Principality of Dorne into the Iron Throne.

## Prelude

In early 99 AC, Nymor Martell, Prince of Dorne, perishes under mysterious circumstances.  His wife, Teora Martell, suspects poison, and becomes determined to find the assassin.  When the Crown neither attends, nor sends their respects to Nymor’s funeral, Teora is gravely offended and her suspicions rise.  News of her suspicions spreads throughout the realm, prompting the Stormlands to drastically increase their border patrols.  Such action only serves to further her concerns, eventually erupting into dangerous paranoia.  Dornish banners are called for at every alarm or perceived slight, and all of Dorne is placed on high alert.

Meanwhile, a campaign of terror tears through the Dornish Marches.  The lands of Caron and Staedmon have been savagely pillaged by the swordsmen proudly bearing the sigil of House Santagar.  News of the attacks swiftly spreads through the Marcher Lords, prompting them to call their banners, but Lord Clyve Caron, in counsel with the visiting Lord Roy Baratheon, preaches patience and diplomacy.  They send letters of inquiry to Teora, demanding explanations and reparations.  However, Lord Symeon Santagar vehemently denies the claims that he or his men were ever in the region.  Indeed the Houses of Yronwood and Wyl bear witness to hosting him throughout the year.  Already untrusting of the Stormlanders, Teora puts faith in the Santagar’s account, and dismisses the Marcher Lords complaints as a further plot to ruin her kingdom.

At the same time, Dornish villages are brutally ravaged by mysterious raiders clad only in black.  Ruthless swordsmen cut through helpless villages of the Red Mountains, always striking quickly, and disappearing. While these attacks were initially sporadic, their frequency intensifies over the months.  Ultimately, a band of these raiders are captured by soldiers of House Wyl, and under extreme questioning, reveal they are of House Dondarrion.

This revelation convinces a paranoid Teora that Lord Lorimar Dondarrion is responsible for Nymor’s death.  Spies are dispatched to Blackhaven to confirm her suspicions and determine where the villain will next strike.  Unfortunately an inept agent is captured, tortured, and eventually reveals to Lorimar that he is suspected of poisoning Nymor.

Lorimar Dondarrion, already incensed by Dornish attacks in the Marches, takes great offense to the filthy Dornishwoman’s filthy assumptions.  Poison is a coward’s weapon after all.  Defying his liege lord’s order of patience, Lorimar rallies the Houses Staedmon and Morrigen, and launches a campaign down the Prince's Pass.

## The War

### The Denial of Dondarrion (100 AC)

Lorimar Dondarrion leads the combined forces of Dondarrion, Staedmon, and Morrigen in an assault of Kingsgrave and its surrounding villages and settlements. Caught by surprise, House Manwoody was ill prepared for such an attack, and Kingsgrave comes gravely close to being taken. However, the armies of House Dayne and Fowler, already mobilized due to the paranoia of Teora Martell, quickly come to their countryman's aid. While the Lord Manwoody valiantly holds his keep from within, Lord Arthur Fowler, and Ser Gerold Dayne strike from the south. Not wishing to be caught between the walls of Kingsgrave, and the furious Dornish reinforcements, the Stormlander army eventually retreats back up the Prince's Pass, forced to be content with the pillaging of Manwoody lands.

### Siege of Marches (100 AC)

Teora Martell's fears and suspicions are finally vindicated by the vicious Dondarrion led attack, prompting the armies of Dorne to hit Nightsong and Blackhaven like a tidal wave. Soldiers from Houses Martell, Manwoody, Fowler, Allyrion, Dayne, and Blackmont encircle and put the southern fortresses to siege, while light Dornish cavalry rush onto the marches. Within a few weeks, the lands west of the Red Watch burn. Lord Roy Baratheon rushes south from Storm's End while assembling his forces. Arriving in two armies at Oldwood and Stonehelm, they march west in two prongs, the plan being to force the raiders back and break sieges until they reach the entrances of Prince’s Pass and the Boneway.

### Butcher's Bay (101 AC)

The Dornishmen devise a cunning countermeasure to Roy’s two pronged attack. While Roy’s host is drawn in by a smaller Dornish contingent led by Lord Vaith, two thirds of the Dornish armies, led by Vorian Yronwood, attack the second Stormlander host led by Lord Swann on the fields near Crow’s Nest. With superior numbers they plan to encircle the enemy and back them against the sea, destroying their army completely. This very nearly comes true. The Stormlanders lose the battle and are on the verge of encirclement, however the right flank lead by Devan Baratheon manages to hold long enough for the retreat to succeed. The battle will come to be known for all future as Butcher’s Bay. Roy Baratheon’s contingent, upon hearing of Lord Swann’s devastating defeat, doubles back to Oldwood before consolidating the two armies at Stonehelm. Heavy rains set in shortly thereafter, preventing significant advances from either side.

### Advantage Dorne (101 AC)

The Stormlanders rebuild their forces while the Dornish dig in around the southern castles and await reinforcements. Interaction between the two sides is limited to light skirmishes, primarily instigated by Lords Qorgyle and Gargalen. After two months armies begin to move again. This time the Stormlanders advance with a single force while gradually dispatching smaller contingents to Fawnton, Gallowsgrey and Harvest hall, denying Dornish raiders access to these lands. The Dornish abandon the siege of Crow’s Nest before the Stormlanders can attack their besieging army, instead pulling back to Blackhaven. While some Dornish lords lament the lost opportunity to take the castle after their great victory at Butcher’s Bay, they are quickly emboldened when news arrives that Nightsong and Broad Arch have fallen. This frees up large amounts of Dornish troops. Strengthened by these reinforcements, the Dornish take Blackhaven by storm, and Lorimar Dondarrion is captured and sent to Sunspear. Dorne has consolidated its position and is poised to strike at Crow’s Nest again.

### Connington to the Rescue (102 AC)

Lord Edric Connington, finally finished with conflicts in the Reach, rushes his ships home to aid his people.  They are frustratingly delayed by severe storms in the Sea of Dorne, but arrive just in time to combat the Dornish’s second attempt at Crow’s Nest.  These Stormland reinforcements are aided by armies provided by the Crown, led by Lord Galladon Strong, Lord Triston Massey, and Ser Tristifier Darklyn.  The combined regiment violently collide with the Dornish armies, forcing Lord Rasul Uller and Lord Drinkwater to order a retreat, which allows the Stormlanders to march onto Blackhaven. The castle is reconquered by storm, resulting in unexpectedly high casualties. Devan Baratheon is injured while leading this attack. Once Blackhaven is reconquered, a more cautious approach is adopted in taking back Broad Arch and Nightsong. The Stormlanders copy the Dornish invaders, thoroughly encircling both castles. The Dornish garrisons of both castles surrender and relinquish their holdings.

### Stalemate in the Passes (102 AC)

Initial gains by Stormlander forces are halted. After taking of Wyl by Lord Barristan Buckler, they fight a series of inconclusive battles against the Dornish. The terrain negates the advantage of a larger force and Dornish skirmishers slowly chip away at Stormlander and Crownlander morale and manpower. By the end of the year, the Stormlanders led by Clyve Caron are still bogged down in the sieges of Kingsgrave and Skyreach with no quick victory in sight. This becomes a driving motivation for trying to win the war at sea. Which in turn leads Roy to pursue an alliance with House Hightower through the marriage of his sister Cassandra to Lord Hightower in late 102

### High Sea Skirmishes (102 AC)

With morale and levies low, the war shifts to a naval one, and the Sea of Dorne fills with wreckage.  Blockades by the Royal and Stormland fleet are set up on the eastern Dorne ports, choking off aid and trade. Toland and Jordayne lands are hit particularly hard, prompting them to consider a pact to end this pointless war.  Although the combined Royal and Stormland navies maintain a clear advantage, they mysteriously fall back as the year ends.  Unknown to the Martells, House Toland has reached out to the Iron Throne, and proposed an alliance.

### Betrayal of Sunspear (103 AC)

Crown forces led by Matarys Waters are fully assembled at Ghost Hill the beginning of the new year, while the Royal Navy, under the command of Vaemond Velaryon move to blockade the Plankytown harbor. Tired of the endless war, Houses Jordayne, Santagar, and Dalt have joined with House Toland to march on Sunspear with the help of the Iron Throne. Utterly unaware of this betrayal, the Martell stronghold is swiftly overrun both by land and sea.  'Old Rasul' Uller, and his son and heir Timeon raise a force of Ullers and Qorgyles to reinforce Sunspear, but the harsh desert proved unforgiving, slowing progress. Ellaria Vaith attempts to provide support, but the opportunistic Selwyn Vaith sides their troops with the Tolands. Nearby forces of Allyrion and Gargalen also come to the Martell's aid, but ultimately all help is routed.  With the Threefold Gate shattered, and the Sun Tower ravaged, Sunspear is brutally sacked.  The Martells relinquish Dorne to the Iron Throne. House Toland is named Lord Paramount of Dorne.

## Aftermath

Lady Ashlynn Toland would be made the first Lady Paramount of Dorne thanks to treason and betrayal.  To ensure her House’s authority, she would marry a noble of House Velaryon, Aenys Velaryon, first cousin of the King, and their children would be rulers of Dorne. A High Justiciar was assigned to Dorne to speak for the Crown, and maintain Dorne’s fealty.

With Sunspear sacked, and the Martells stripped of their power, it would seem their house ruined.  However, the King decreed the Martells would keep their ancestral castle, Sunspear.  At the same time, the High Justiciar would take up residence in the ancient keep of Sandstone within the formidable stronghold, to prevent any Martell retaliation.

Rasul Uller would perish on the journey home to Hellholt, forcing Timeon to inherit the lordship. With Selwyn Vaith rewarded for his support, Ellaria Vaith would flee to Essos with her children to escape any consequences.