The Sunstrife (1004-1005)

### Participants

King Monryx Van Solar, Queen-Claimant Aerin Van Solar, Beneborn Quills, Mads Yar Rickenstein, The Red Knight, Chairman Voss Baelbreak, Gondith Irons, Chairmant Fent, Assange, Sir Miregan Wolfrun

### Battles

Flight of Fanatics, Battle at Earth's Wound, Battle of Flaming Waters, Battle at the Dawn

The Sunstrife was a Civil War in the Summerlands that started over an unclear succession law which lead to the children of King Maen Solar: Aerin and Monryx to vie for the throne of Summer. The war divided the realm in two and caused damage that cannot be undone. The war would end at the Battle of the Dawn when Aerin was was killed by her brother, presumably.

### Events

##### Road to War

King Mayn Solar had wished to clear up the line of succession as soon possible to make a safe transition as soon as possible but he passed away in his sleep before doing so. This lead to a successive crisis as the King's two legitimate children, Aerin and Monryx were born the same age and no one knew who came first.

Aerin initially let his brother succeed per the advice of her friend, Assange. Although Monryx was a just and fair ruler, he perpetuated the faith that his father had spread: The Eye of Fire. While many love this faith to its core, many did not and were weary that it infringed on the anti-cultist tenants that the realm was built upon. As such they looked to Aerin and whispered into her ear that she should be the monarch instead of his brother. Convinced of this, Aerin took action. With the help of Chairman Voss, her right-hand man, she gathered support.

Half a decade into Monryx's rule, she launched her campaign with the support of many behind her back; stylizing her title as "The True Crowned Solar and the Queen and Lady of Summer". Monryx, baffled yet threatened by his sister's rebellion, rallied the rest of the Summerlands to him. Thus starting the Sunstrife.

##### Parley at Summerstead

Despite being opponents, they tried to negotiate with eachother at the Parley at Dawn located at the outside the castle walls of Summerstead. Accompanying Queen Aerin was Chairman Voss of Redhill and her Queen'sguard Gondith Irons. Accompanying King Monryx Solar was Beneborn Quills, Evelyn Solar and Chairman Hans of Belagaunt.

Monryx attempted to compromise, promising that so as long as he remained King that he would grant Aerin all sorts of political positions close to him. Aerin could have accepted but on the condition that his brother dismantles the eye of fire and stop it from spreading. Monryx retorted, denying its a cult and stating that its a unifying force that will help against the Grey Riders' next attack. Aerin counter-argued, pointing out that its imposing one single view of the faith upon a country with several perspectives. In the end, the meeting amounted to nothing but salt on a deeply cut wound.

##### Flight of Fanatics

The first major event of the war would be in the camp miles away from Summerstead. Monryx's 34,000 strong army lead by Chairman Fent of Northstar and himself were sent to deal with Aerin's forces in the castle, numbering at 12000. Summerstead was still in a state of disrepair after the recent war which made the King confident in crushing the rebels.

Waiting for reinforcements, Aerin figured that majority of Monryx's armies, strong and battle-hardened were yet superstitious due to their zealotry. Aerin with Assange's magic used ghosts against the camp at night; reinforcing the illusion by making it spread 'Barnacle Disease'. Unleashed at the camp, the soldiers were soon horrified at the sight of a carcass with rotting barnacles, wielding a scythe made of bones and oozing a viscous green-slime. They fled in different directions, disbanding the army. Chairman Fent, a religious leader of sorts himself, was killed with the infection while Monryx attempted to fight the ghost, only to realize that his blade flew right through its body doing nothing. Monryx fled back to the city, bringing back a few hundred of the soldiers that ran off.

Aerin's victory here would allow her to get her much needed reinforcements in time, boosting her numbers to 50,000. With the troop consolidations and the logistics set up, she marches her army to the City of the Dawn. Once Monryx returned to the city, he re-assembled his force and spread rumors that her sister aligned with dark powers.

##### Battle at Earth's Wound

Monryx assembled around 34000 soldiers with Benborn Quills and Chairman Hans as his commanders. A letter was also sent to Chairman Jack Delvane of Feussaint but he refused. Monryx would have a squad of horses harassing Aerin's army whilst he intercepts them. The two siblings would meet swords at Earth's Wound. Between the flat lands that separated their armies was a long ravine that stretched a kilometer. Only a stone-bridge connected the two; about as wide as two carriages.

The two armies would crash into eachother at the bridge. Beneborn would lead the assault. In the midst of the bloodshed there, some even managed to fall over to their deaths at the hands of the deep ravine. Beneborn used his potions to gain an edge, cutting down several soldiers with his Cathaxe and rumored to have the time of his life while doing it. Beneborn would go so far as to kill two of Aerin's guards and take her on himself. The two proved to be equally skilled warriors.

Aerin's army eventually pushed Beneborn and the rest through the bridge, holding their shields up in a formation to block the arrow volleys. Monryx hoping to keep the numbers he has, orders a swift retreat back to the city handing Aerin another victory in the Sunstrife.

Rushing back to the city, Monryx and Beneborn prepare for the inevitable siege. Aerin continues marching to the city, charming villages and towns along the way to dispense of the rumors she had been in league with dark beings. She prepared aswell a battering ram and siege ladders.

##### Battle of Flaming Waters

The City of the Dawn is said to be an impregnable city. The one and only entrance gate is in close proximity to the sea that it would have land and naval defenses that overlapped. The City has the main royal fleet at anchor in service to Monryx, commanded by Mads Yar Rickenstein. Aerin sends out Chairman Voss to eliminate the fleet with her own while Benedin Quills requested reinforcements from the Maykar and Belegaunt provinces. Realizing that royal naval reinforcements are too far to make it in time, Monryx and Benedin strengthen the city garrison.

Accounts recall the viewpoints of the men at the city's walls watching the coast in front of them filled with the chaos of ships, some ablaze by Aerin's sunfire magic and flame catapults mounted whilst others rammed into whoever was the opposing side; their sails of two different allegiances feet away from eachother. Mads Rickenstein however was never known to be a pushover and he held his fleet for as long as he could, lasting for a day and a half. Finally, his fleet was broken but he escaped death thanks to Sir Miregan.

##### Battle at the Dawn

With rumors of Aerin allying the dark powers, Assange was not permitted to use her Illusionary powers in the upcoming battle. Aerin's host 40,000 strong host bolstered by her allies now lead a siege against the city. Beneborn Quills at the walls ordered down a volley of arrow fire and rocks on the attackers, creating massive casualties whilst his men prepare to push down boulders once they breach Abel's Gate. Aerin ordered a ladder rush accompanied by a ram to break through. When the gates were breached, Aerin's forces poured in which alerted King Monryx, prompting him to face his sister head on as soon as possible.

Due to the steep stairs the attackers must hike through, the defenders pushed massive boulders to crush the attacking force but Aerin blasted them to stones with sunfire magic. Now inside the city, Gondith and Aerin clear out the walls whilst Chairmon Voss and the remainder of his ships launch catapult rocks as support. The royal army numbering 24,000 meet the enemy host head on. At the walls did Beneborn meet the Claimant-Queen, dueling as quill's Cathaxe met with Aerin's Valrüthar. Beneborn's martial prowess won out despite sustaining several bruises. He wounded Aerin but before delivering the final blow, he took an arrow to the knee. Aerin spared him and put him in chains.

Opposite of them, Monryx and his retinue cut down several of Aerin's soldiers. At the sight of their King, the confidence of the royal army increased thricefold. Assange had healed Aerin from her wounds and she rallies her force aswell. Outnumbered, Monryx leads charges on the attacker's weakest points, slowing Aerin down. One of the boulders launched by the attacking catapults strike near Monryx, killing a handful of his guards. With his sister's army bearing down on him, he ordered a retreat to the castle. As the gates closed, majority of his men died whilst a mere 5,000 only managed to get inside.

Arrow fire from the castle further shortened Aerin's numbers but despite this her host was still larger, holding ground at around 35,000 swords. Monryx, Mads Rickenstein and Sir Miregan quickly reorganized the castle's defense, placing archers where needed and preparing steel barricades reinforcements. Unbeknownst to Aerin, a squad of knights lead by the Red Knight enter the city harass their vanguard, managing to free and heal Beneborn who proceeded to cause havoc in the rear. The harassing force stopped when Gondith stepped in. The menacing size of the man intimidated them. The battering ram arrived and after 20 strikes to the door, it finally broke open and broke down the next door that came after it. Aerin's soldiers stormed the Castle and slowly grinded on Monryx's soldiers. In one of the dark rooms, Aerin and Monryx with their small guards would bump into eachother in one of the unlit rooms. Monryx set the unlit candles back on fire to dispense the dark. After a failed negotiation, they fought until the siblings themselves were the last ones standing. Rumors say that when they sustained several cuts and nearly succumb to fatigue, that only then did they reconcile until Monryx snapped her neck.

Declaring the death of Aerin, the morale of her soldier's collapsed though some who received the message late persisted in the Castle's capture. But when the word became widespread and proven true, Aerin's army surrendered. Gondith, Voss and their fleet retreated before the reinforcements from Maykar and Belegaunt arrived.

##### Aftermath

The Sunstrife may have ended but the damage done to the Summerlands could not be undone. In a single conflict, the Grey Riders now have an army larger than that of the post-war nation at around 140,000 which placed them in an immediate advantage, forcing the Summerlands to develop a new defender. The destruction of the royal fleet also allowed a brief but disastrous window for pirates to loot coastal towns and block maritime trade. Although it was costly, Monryx had retained his throne and rule over the Summerlands.

## Details

### Factions

The Royal Forces (For Monryx)The Rebel Forces (For Aerin)

### Participants

King Monryx Van Solar, Queen-Claimant Aerin Van Solar, Gondith Irons, Mads Yar Rickenstein, Sir Miregan, Assange, Chairman Fent, Chairman Voss Baelbreak,