Battle of a Thousand Colors

The First Battle of Trobom, also called the battle of a Thousand Colors, was a battle in between the enslaved Joran forces of Basamund the Sorcerer, and the combined armies of Toradzland, Khoorte, Tanderland and the free Jorans. The battle resulted in the death of Basamund, the liberation of all those enslaved to his will, and a victory for the coalition forces.

The battle is so named for the number of banners and noble houses which attended the field, nearly every noble family from Stôrjany to Roszony was present, either allied with the coalition or under the malignant command of Basamund.

### Background

In the year 581, the sorcerer Basamund re-emerged from the veil of time, having managed ti claw his way back from death once more. Upon doing so, he unleashed a spell of dreadful magic, which enslaved all those within its reach who could not resist it. Nearly half of the Jorans fell under the spell, and so came to his side when he began to build his army. It was only those who were far enough on the periphery of the spell's radius, or were of exceptionally strong will, who managed to resist Basamund's own will. Thus, the southern and easternmost parts of Karred were able to remain free, including the Duke of Stribrna Joraje, Diviz an Taepe.

Diviz summoned what little loyal soldiers remained to his side, and requested assistance from his allies in Tanderland, Khoorte, and Toradzland. High Bishop Gundobad I, head of the Werran faith, also summoned a crusade against Basamund when he heard the news, though this would take nearly a year to organize. The allies of Diviz began to raise their armies, and march to his camp at Mibram.

Meanwhile, Basamund raised an army of all soldiers and knights under his domination. and marched west, toward the Marches of Joraje, which had been beyond the range of his spell. He would subdue these lands, before moving onto the next target, likely Toradzland. Whatever the case, he would never make it.

### Battle of Trobom

The united armies of Khoorte, Tanderland, Toradzland, and the remnants of the Jorans had assembled at Mibram, and had gathered news of Basamund's army marching west. Diviz, Willem van Muntz of Tanderland, and Baldarich VII of Toradzland all elected to intercept Basamund's army at Trobom.

Following some preliminary scouting by the allied forces, it was elected to deploy their soldiers at the end of and atop a gorge, south of Trobom, the road passed through, an obvious choice for the encounter, as it would force Basamund's forces into a narrow choke-point. The army's commanders, Diviz, Willem and Baldarich, would observe from the top of the gorge, where they could direct their men most efficiently.

Basaumd, meanwhile, was aware of the allied plan, through use of his scouts and mastery of beasts. Thus, he deployed his men in several columns, a main force marching down the road where the gorge lay, and several smaller groups, each travelling down one of the highways and byways near Trobom, in order to outflank the coalition army. He himself would take the head of one of these forces, dressed in the armor of a knight to disguise his person.

Thus it was that on the 27th day of summer that the main force of Basamund's army marched into the gorge, and was ambushed by the united forces of Khoorte, Tanderland, Toradzland and the Marches of Joraje. Led by an enslaved Jochim of Sternberk, it was set upon by the coalition with a will, who believed it to be the whole of the enthralled army. While the coalition army outnumbered Basamund's forces, they were said to fight twice as hard for their dark master, as they could not control their own bodies. Thus, while the battle was relatively even, the coalition, with prepared defenses and superior positions, were slowly pushing back the dominated Jorans. All the while, a company of crossbowmen stood atop the gorge with the commanders of the allied force, ready to strike down the Sorcerer when he made himself known.

At noon, the disperate columns of Basamund, army had all converged on the allied positions, and at this point Basamund made his precense known. With the blast of a horn, he ordered his men forward, having cut behind the commanders, and charged into the frey with a company of knights. The crossbowmen and other retinue of the commanders was cut down by the enthralled servants of Basamund, and the leaders were set upon by the soldiers he dominated. The three commanders were thus captured, and brought before the Sorcerer.

Finding themselves surrounded, and with their commanders captured, morale among the Coalition army began to fail rapidly. A route was attempted, but the majority of the men found themselves cut off from escape, and began to be slaughtered. Thus, morale among the allied forced utterly collapsed.

At the same time, Basamund had begun to cast a new spell, this time aimed at the commanders of the army. However, its effect would remain forever a mystery, as just before it was about to be unleashed, a curious event transpired. A contingent of soldiers, who had managed to escape the encirclement, ran past their location, and one of them, a man nammed Matislaff of Proszket, saw the events about to transpire. Thus, he stopped his running, and instead made to intercept Basamund. So it was that when the Sorcerer was about to unleash his magic upon the field, he was tackled by Matislaff, who stuck a dagger in Basamund's throat. The spell misfired, and incinerated both the sorcerer and the heroic man who had sacrificed his life for the good of the world.

With Basamund's death, the spell enthralling the Jorans broke, and all activity ceased as they regained their senses. Then, wild celebrations broke out, as the Jorans cheered for their freedom, and the coalition men celebrated their continued existence.

### Aftermath

In the immediate aftermath of the battle, life began to return to normal in the region. The armies returned to their respective homeland, and there was much celebration throughout Juhnvechteya. The only thing which could threaten the collective states of the region had been defeated, and the comradery fostered in the northern states of the region would see nearly thirty years of peace among Toradzland, Stribrna Joraje, Tanderland and Khoorte, which lasted until the Raven's War of 610.

Matislaff would be declared a saint by the Werran Church in Nonrebaurg. He would later be reincarnated, and inducted into the noble Jehnidy family.

The crusade against Basamund called by Biship Gundobad would be disbanded before the armies managed to march north; Basamund had been slain by the time the armies had gathered Halagaroth in Brankonya.