The Second Battle of Charmouth

The Second Battle of Charmouth took place on February 14th of the year 3055 of the Third Era. It was between House Blackwolf and House Brackwell. It was one of the bloodiest battles of The Gold War

## Background

### Brackwell

Shortly before the battle, Lord Waymar Brackwell fled from Retlego, knowing that House Blackwolf had captured Castamere, as well as Lord Tylar Stally, and with Charmouth lying to the Southeast of Castamere, was likely to be the next target of the war. He arrived and began to rally any men possible, only managing to gather 17,000 men due to Ser Cedric Gallister taking most of their remaining men to invade The White Cliffs. Among the men he'd gathered were a group of dwarves of the Frostgift Clan, the newly dubbed Lord Ruben Knott.

### Blackwolf

After taking Castamere along with Lord Tylar Stally, Lord Rodrick Blackwolf sent Ser Sulvan Ashford to Feymere with House Stally's ancestral sword and a deal. They would pull back their men, and would have Lord Stally returned to them. After Lady Monira Stally accepted, House Blackwolf marched Southwest to Charmouth, planning to take the city and continue on towards Heartvale.

## The Battle

In the hours prior to the battle, the Gallisters (as well as some other merchants) were selling munitions grade weapons and armor to the defenders, Civilians were armed and sent to the walls to repell the attackers, leaving many people without the skill or ability to fight. The Blackwolfs arrived around noon, setting up a camp outside the city and constructing two large siege towers with plans to take the walls. Inside these towers were Ser Evin Tascer and Ser Sulvan Ashford, then Lord Rodrick Blackwolf and Lord Branton Treyholde leading the cavalry and rest of the army. Among the defenders were Lord Waymar Brackwell (who was also the Master of Coin), the newly appointed Lord Ruben Knott of Knott Keep, and five (very prideful and memorable) dwarves from the Frostgift Clan.

When the battle started, the Blackwolfs sent a single rider to the gate to plead with Lord Brackwell to surrender, although by the time an archer fired a single arrow at the rider, he most people knew that there would be a battle. The rider returned to the camp, where Lord Branton Treyholde commanded archers to fire at and over the walls, and for footmen to start trying to scale the walls using ladders. Lord Rodrick Blackwolf ordered Ser Sulvan Ashford and Ser Evin Tascer to climb into the siege towers and try to take the walls and open the gate. During the fighting, Tascer's tower was struck by a catapult, causing the door to fall before they reached the wall and some archers firing into the tower, and he was wounded by the five dwarves attempting to reach the gate. Ser Ashford's tower reached the wall fairly easy, and managed to get the gate open.

With the gate open, many of the Gallister men began to break, fleeing furthur into the city and making small attempts to hold the streets, although there were many streets and not nearly enough time nor men to properly defend each. it was during the constant retreats and stands by the Gallisters that Ser Ruben fled from the city, knowing that he'd be executed if he was captured (mostly due to his treason and desertion when he helped Ser Arthur Gallister escape from Summerholde) and so left back to Knott Keep.

In the closing minutes of the battle, the Blackwolfs made it to the keep, with Ser Ashford personally capturing Lord Brackwell. Down one of the main streets, the five dwarves were still fighting, being the only ones on that street not afraid of the massive amount of men at the other side of the shield wall, and were the last to surrender in that portion of the city, still throwing hammers and javlins over the formation. Those who surrendered were taken to the greathall. Lord Brackwell surrendered to Lord Blackwolf who ordered for any prisoners that couldn't be kept inside the city walls to be released to feed their families, including the five dwarves.

## The Aftermath

Following the battle, Lord Brackwell was taken prisoner by the Blackwolfs, being kept in the warcamp. As the prisoners were released, it was intended that Brackwell be returned to Retlego as it was hoped that it could help establish peace once again, or at least cause The Crown have some leniancy as the war came to a close. This battle also was costly to the rebels, allowing Ser Cedric Gallister to take Sunreach, and would allow them to cut off the Blackwolfs from the rest of the rebellion, as well as their supply line.