The Eastern Border Crisis

The Eastern Border Crisis refers to the conflict that was fought between the Deadfoot clan, the Rising Eagle clan and the Ironstone clan from the Union of Maol-Moirel and the eastern borders of the Holy Empire of Visimar during 1165-1169.

## Background

Ever since the Reconquest of Maol-Moirel, the union of Clans and the Holy Empire have been at each other's toes. Their abolishment of rule and the assassination and killings of Visimarian nobles have left a bad taste in the Empires mouths as well as a feud that lasts until this day.

The border that separated these two powers have always been known for their ruthless frontier and petty conflicts. However, the conflicts and terror among the region culminated into large scale raids that intended to sack towns and destroy the economy in their wake. This caught the attention of Lord Benno II of Generen, who was Lord King of the Eastern Kingdoms, as well as the Warden of The East.

As word got out to the lord that several clans hailing from the union were responsible for these raids he responded with a counter raid against the clan's camps at the edge of the kingdom's borders. These raids killed one of Chief Cochrane's sons. This supposedly triggered the Chief into a full-scale invasion in an attempt to sack the lands of The Holy Empire.

## The Dead Foot Conflicts

Initial combat arose in the many hamlets and villages that dotted the Visimarian border, which was promptly razed by the Dead Foot Clan. The first major battle occurred on the outskirts of the first Visimarian town of Hartbach. There, two companies of militia and a dispatch force of the Kings army faced against the full force of the Dead Foot Clan. They were quickly routed and scattered along the countryside. For more specifics of the battle, refer to The Battle for Hartbach.

The war was going well for the clans as they had little to no resistance along border villages. attrition was of little worry because of the abundance of fall harvests at the time. The situation in the Trito Clan's territory proved to be one of the first major problems on the Unions side, but they were promptly defeated after an 8-month siege of the clan's capital.

It wasn't until a year into the conflict when the Lord King gathered a full army including over 800 mounted knights. Lord Benno along with two other vassal dukes: Duke Gerret, Duke Sunherr and members of the recently fallen Trito clan came together to march upon the still strong Dead Foot army.

The Battle of the Black Dukes soon took place in 1168 right outside of Worfrau. There, over 5000 soldiers of the HEV took on over 6500 clansmen of the Dead Foot Clan, with reinforcements from the Ironstone and Rising Eagle clans. This battle itself was the turning point of the Conflict after The Holy Empire of Visimar's pyrrhic victory. This battle fragmented the remanents of the Dead Foot Clan as well as the Rising Eagle Clan who all fled back into the borders of Maol-Moirel. The battle soon awarded the two dukes the titles of Black after their ferocity both in single combat and strategy. Many say that without the Dukes and their host, the Lord King could've lost the Eastern Kingdoms.

It is said that both Chief Cochrane lost his life in the battle after personally duelling the Black Dukes. Many ballads born from that battle said that Cochrane was cut in half by the mighty war axe of Duke Sunherr. Chief Mcpherson was captured during the route and was quickly imprisoned at Worfrau.

The final months of the conflict were centred around the hunting and killing of remanents of the Clans still left in Visimar territory as well as silencing the peasant insurgency that erupted from Cutthroat forest that was apparently started and funded by the Dead Foot Clan.

## Peace Talks and Conclusion

1169 brought peace to the border, after long periods of conflict and famine among the peasants of the border. Emperor Werner the Bold came to terms with the Clan Council of the Union of Maol-Moirel and the sons of the Former Clan Chiefs. They agreed to pay ransom and compensation for the battle despite the main clans of the Union having no involvement with it.