Battle of Fararswald

The Battle of Fararswald was an important battle during the early phase of the Interregnum. Between the Ducal army, commanded by Baron Strom of Kanberk, and the baronial forces of a united Barons of Hevesam, Kalingsdon, and Cenig. The Baronial force was victorious, and Strom was slain, dealing a great blow to the Ducal loyalists.

## Background

Following the death of Geralt of Loren, Koro, Baron of Hevesam, and Baron Harald of Redinal, came into dispute over territory in the Fararswald, and Koro besieged the castle of Redinal, and killed all its occupants, including Harald. Seeing the lack of action on the part of the newly ascendant Duke Derrel "The Unable", various barons, ritter and counts would begin fighting among themselves, attempting to sieze land and power for themselves. This would be known as The Interregnum, and would last for the entirety of Derrel's reign.

## Lead Up

Baron Strom of Kanberk, by now also Burgrave of Buorna, would raise an army of elite heavy cavalry, militia from Buorna, and levee from the surrounding region. In all, numbering about 1500, he set out to link with other Ducal forces, such as commanded by Baron Waldemar of Loren.

Hearing of this movement, Koro made an alliance with Arnost, Baron of Kalingsdon, and Frena, Baron of Cenig. Their united armies would number almost 3000, and they would march to intercept Strom.

## Location

Near the castle of Kalingsdon, the Kalin Stream flowed. To link with Waldemar, Strom would have to cross the stream. There was one crossing, a bridge, which sat below the castle of Kalingsdon, a rebel stronghold in the region. Another, lesser used ford existed as well, near the Fararswald Forest. Strom elected to use the ford, where he would be able to cross without harassment by Arnost's men.

The battle would occur on the small plain between the Fararswald to the north and the marshy ground of the stream to the south. The Baronial forces would take the eastern side of the field, opposite of the ford, and the higher ground of the forest, while Strom would be fiorced to battle them, with the forest, river, and ford to his rear and flanks.

## The Battle

The battle would open with a volley of arrows loosed at the Ducal forces, caught uprepared, from the forest on their flank. A hastily orgamnised line was formed, and Strom's infantry would begin to advance toward the forest to kill the archers. However, they would be halted as the Baronial infantry enterred the field from the east, nearly double the number of the Ducal force.

Stuck between the river, the forest, and the Baronial soldiers, Strom ordered a charge of the unprepared knights in his force, and began galloping toward the infantry. Nearly 400 cavalrymen followed, and the gormation split into two wedges, which smashed into the baronial lines. The infantry were routed almost intantly, being cut down where they fled, or drowning in the swampy ground.

However, despite this morale boosting victory, a counter-charge was orderred by Frena of Cenig, and the Baronial knights charged down the slopes from the forest, trampling their own fleeing infantrymen. Strom, reforming his line, charged in turn, and the two lines of knights smashed into each other. Many were killed on both sides. By this point the Ducal infantry had joined in the battle, against both the remaining infantrymen and the baronial knights, and the battle quickly became a disorganised furball of violence.

Pausing for a moment to breathe, Strom loosened the neck of his hauberk, and was pierced by an arrow through the throat. At the same time, his banner fell, its carrier struck down by a lance, and seeing their leader fall, the Ducal army routed, and were slaughtered as they fled.

## Aftermath

Following the battle, Strom's body was dismemberred, and different pieces were taken by each lord to display in their hall.

The Ducal army had lost nearly 600 men, while the baronial force had lost about 800. However, depsite taking less losses, the casualties taken by the Ducal army was much more significant proportionally, and their morale would be dealt a heavy blow.

Following the battle, Waldemar would get word of his ally's defeat. He is recorded to have stated "By Werry, our cause is now lost!" upon hearing the news. He would later be defeated by the baronial alliance the following month, and would be taken prisoner and drowned when Derrel refused to pay his cousin's ransom.

The baronial alliance would fall to infighting in the following year, and the rebels would be crushed, following the rise of Janna I. Arnost would be betrayed and slain by Koro the year after the battle, Frena would be exiled, and would live the rest of his life as a hermit in Amastre, and Koro would be hung, drawn, and quarterred at the court of Loren. Parts of his body would be sent across the Duchy as a warning to future rebels.

What was left of Strom's body would be recovered, and interred in an unmarked grave in the Boarswrath Forest.