The War of Unification

The War of Unification is the name given to a series of battles fought between House Blackfyre, Targaryen and the Free Cities of Tyrosh, Myr and Lys. It resulted it the formation of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters, and the rule of House Targaryen over it.

## Prelude

House Targaryen, largely led by Brynden 'Bloodraven' Rivers, made its home within the Free City of Tyrosh after their expulsion from the Seven Kingdoms following the Blackfyre and Bloodraven Rebellions. Knowing that a poorly planned and rash invasion would yield nothing but death and failure, Bloodraven instead opted to consolidate power within the Daughters, before biding his time. Beginning to intertwine House Targaryen with the governing of Tyrosh, he begins a long and calculated process of seizing power.

Bloodraven started by hiring a number of minor sellsword companies, uniting them under a single banner. With his new-found martial strength, much bolstering that which crossed the Narrow Sea with him, he entered into a series of contracts with the Free City of Tyrosh, using the payment to further increase the size of the Company.

Eventually, satisfied with the amassed strength, Bloodraven enacts his ploy, and disposes the Triarch Illiphos Maegaan, placing a man of his own in his place. Ruling in all but name, House Targaryen now controlled the Free City, and had ambitions to claim the other two Daughters.

## War

### The Battle of Salt and Sand

After a series of short skirmishes with pirate fleets in the Stepstones, the strength of Tyrosh, bolstered by half a dozen sellsword companies moves against the Free City of Myr. In a bold manoeuvre, the Tyroshi forces attack the Free City from two fronts, utilising both their strength on land and at sea. Smashing both the Myrish navy stationed within the Sea of Myrth and the city's garrison of mercenaries in front of the city gates, the Targaryen-Tyroshi forces swarm the harbour and begin to push through the city towards the nearby southern gates.

At the Emerald Plaza, home of the markets famed for selling a wide variety of Myrish green nectar wines, the Myrish defenders made their final stand. Near six hundred Unsullied guardsman, positioned to protect the remaining crossbowmen as they rained steel bolt after steel bolt upon the invaders, stood vigil with short spear, sword and shield. Renamed the Scarlet Square after the invasion, the Plaza served as the site of one of the bloodiest clashes ever to befall the city. Although the Unsullied and crossbowmen were eventually slain, the invaders lost near thrice their number to break them, and with it reach the southern gates of the city. The reinforcements swept through the Free City, quelling the last of the Myrish resistance, and with it the Kingdom of the Three Daughters grew closer to a reality.

### The Growing Power in the East

News of the fall of Myr quickly spreads across the Narrow Sea upon the lips of sailors and merchants alike, and soon the Throne hears of the growing power in the east. Knowing that absence of action would simply allow a hostile and powerful force to continue to grow unchecked, House Blackfyre sends aid in form of men, ships and gold to the city of Lys, prompting a series of skirmishes, fought primarily in the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones.

### The Skirmish on Redwater Coast

Meeting with a joint Lyseni-Redwyne-Velaryon-Royal fleet, the forces of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters clashed first with the Iron Throne off the western coast of the Stepstones island of Redwater. Whilst named a skirmish by the accounts of the exchange, the battle was widespread, and resulted in significant losses for both sides. The Kingdom of the Three Daughters would eventually prevail, and would use Redwater as a forward outpost for its attempts against Lys until the Liberation of Golden Haven.

During the seventh moon of 245AC, a Myrish fleet, commanded by the legendary Captain Nyesso Marios numbering eighty warships, sailed south, bound for Lys, but found themselves stalled by the pirate fleet of Stallonos Saan, whom had been hired by the Free City to make time for Blackfyre reinforcements and were lying in wait of the shore of Redwater. A vicious naval battle occurred, resulting in the deaths of both Nysesso and Stallanos' first-born son Syreo, whom were slain when their vessels, *Black Lace* and *Wvyern* collided during the heat of the engagement.

Shortly afterwards the loss of their Captain, reinforcements in the form of Redwyne, Velaryon and Royal warships appeared upon the western horizon and Nyesso's lieutenant, Tregos, now Captain of the Myrish forces, ordered his men to make for the island of Redwater, retreating onto land where they could fortify and better defend against the greater force. As the last of their ships burned, the Myrish sailors and warriors hurried to build wooden palisades and trenches to slow the enemy approach.

Ser Lerris Velaryon, Captain of the Westerosi reinforcements ordered the immediate pursuit of the Myrish soldiers, but found himself cut off by the arrival of another, larger fleet flying the flag of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters, and above it the three-headed crimson dragon. Moving his ships to spar them from the brunt of the oncoming force, Stallanos Saan left the Westerosi fleet's flank unguarded, and soon near a third of the ships had burned, sunk or both.

Opting to retreat rather than suffer further loses at the hands of the Tyroshi ships, Lerris Velaryon fled south, towards Lys itself, to consolidate strength for the oncoming conflicts. Meanwhile, the Tyroshi fleet would sweep through the southern Stepstones, claiming Guardian, Golden Haven and Larazor's Rock in quick succession.

### The Slaughter of the Titans

Shortly after the Skirmish on Redwater Coast, the mercenary group, the Brazen Titans, was sent on a forward scouting mission to assess the Lysene defences and strength. A small company, the Brazen Titans had been selected for the task following their pivotal role in the defence of the newly constructed town of Mantalos two decade prior, when it was under siege from supporters of R'hlorr. The group, numbering just under four hundred sailed down the coast of the south-western Essosi peninsula, landing in an abandoned town directly north of the Free City of Lys. Before they could make their approach however, they found themselves set upon whilst they slept, their approach seen by Lyseni-hired sellswords. Creeping into their camp as the lay resting, all of the four hundred men were butchered and left to rot in the hot Essosi sun.

### The Battle at Canahs

The Battle at Canahs was the only true battle fought on the Lysene island itself during the whole of the War of Unification. Hoping to replicate the success of the Battle of Salt and Sand, Tyroshi-Targaryen forces landed upon the western aspect of the island, whilst their fleet swept to the east, closer to the Free City itself, serving as both an attacking force and distraction. The landing was set up to fail before it had even commenced however, for the Commander of the Company of the Rose, one of the many companies fighting beneath the Targaryen banner, had received an immoderate quantity of gold for information and loyalty, and upon landing, the Company turned its blades upon those it had thought alongside.

Knowing of the intention to invade, but appreciating the value of a trap, the Lyseni legions had lain in wait for the Kingdom of the Three Daughters troops to reach the island, and hearing the clash of steel as the Company of Rose attacked the landing vessels, moved in to reinforce the turncloak mercenaries.

Once the Company of the Rose's ploy was made plain, the remainder of the Tyroshi, Myrish and Targaryen footsmen started to land on the northern aspect of the island, hoping to flank the defending force, catching them unawares. Meeting with their foe outside the small fishing town of Canahs, located on the north-west aspect of the island, Daughtersmen and sellswords alike clashed, resulting in widespread damage and casualties. Near three and a half thousand mercenaries were killed, and near a third again in civilian casualties and hostages.

Hearing of the failed landing, the Captain of the Kingdom of the Three Daughter's fleet declared an immediate retreat to the outposts established in the Disputed Lands.

### The Battle of Widows

Seeing their opportunity as the joint Targaryen, Myrish and Tyroshi forces retreated from the disastrous campaign on the Lysene island, the Iron Throne-backed Lyseni began their pursuit of the withdrawing armies.

They first caught up with the men of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters just before they could reach their outpost upon the Disputed Lands' Peninsula, and the fleets once again exchanged arrows and flame. Commanding his men to push for the relative safety of the shore, Tregos Hestys, Captain of the Myrish fleet after Nyesso's death at the Skirmish on Redwater Coast, steered his burning vessel, *Sirina,* headlong into the Lyseni flagship *Vermithor.* The action resulted in the death of both Captains, but bought his men valuable time to prepare for the enemy approach.

Having ordered a legion of men to remain in the outpost to further stall the Lyseni advance, Brynden Rivers began to prepare battle-plans for the impeding clash. His naval strength weakened by the flight from the Battle at Canahs, he decided it most favourable to force the Lyseni forces into a battle in the sand and dust of the Disputed Lands. He sets up a defensive line due west of the smaller of the two great lakes nestled amongst the dunes and plains, and awaits the enemy force.

His fleet, meanwhile, is split in two uneven groups, the larger portion commanded to return to the Stepstones to prevent Lyseni advance through the islands, forcing them across the peninsula instead, and the smaller group to sail wide around the Lyseni fleet, in order to harass merchant ships bringing supplies to the men and horses, as well as a secret ploy in an attempt to break the enemy lines.

In the meanwhile, reinforcements arrive from Westeros, significantly supplementing those lost in the skirmishes and battles between primarily Free City forces. Sailing down the Dornish coast and then eastward towards Lys, Daena Blackfyre and her Hand, Lord Baelor Hightower, bring with them provisions, weapons and near forty thousand footmen, including near three thousand knights and five thousand cavalry units. Amongst them travelled five of the seven Queensguard, and the much respected battle commander Lord Ryman Tarly, whom had served the throne faithfully during the War of the Wicked two decades prior.

As tensions grew over the coming moon and a half, with each side consolidating their strength, positions and supply chains, a catalyst would ultimately trigger the conflict. Having captured a number of Lyseni merchant cogs under the direction of Bloodraven, Aenys Targaryen lands a force of two thousand men behind the Lyseni lines, and begins to steal everything he can reach, burning what he could not, before fleeing back to the stolen vessels. Enraged, the Lord Commander of the Queensguard, Ser Jaime Bettley pushes for an immediate counterattack before the Targaryen forces could make use of the stolen supplies. Setting Lord Ryman Tarly to formulating their approach, the Royal-Lyseni forces march north, distancing themselves from the coast, and prepare to engage their foe.

The subsequent engagement has since been recalled as The Battle of Widows by maesters and singers alike, for never in recent memory has such devastation and loss of life been wrought by man alone, and it is said that the wail of widows could be heard across the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and the Free Cities for years to come.

The Royal-Lyseni approach was slow, but unyielding, and quickly overran the numerous small outposts that stood in between them and the Targaryen-Tyroshi-Myrish host, claiming provisions and weapons at each. Daena Blackfyre commands each be further fortified, in case the need for a retreat arises. Leaving a quarter of her strength to secure the encampments, the Warrior Queen continues her march north in pursuit of the Targaryen forces.

Bloodraven springs his trap, and ignites the wildfire stores hidden within the forward outposts that had fallen into Lyseni hands. The riders, sent forth during the night to slide past the Lyseni patrols and into the heart of their encampment, are engulfed in the flames, but their sacrifice proves to be justified, as the Royal-Lyseni forces find themselves trapped between wildfire to the south, the expanse of water known as the Shaded Lake to the east and Targaryen swords, Tyroshi spears and Myrish crossbowmen to the north. Knowing that their only chance is to break the shieldwall protecting the ranged divisions, allowing them to force the Kingdom's forces to routing, Daena Blackfyre orders the division of her strength. Two-thirds would remain, marching north to engage the bulk of the Targaryen-Tyroshi-Myrish force, seeking to distract from their approach, whilst the other third sought to break the eastern formation, aiming to sweep through behind their fortifications.

The distraction force, numbering near forty thousand, pressed their advantage in numbers, but found themselves balked by the spears of their foes. With ever decreasing numbers and strength, the men of Lys and Westeros charged the defences again and again, until finally, on the seventh approach, the cavalry, joint-led by the Lord Commander of the Queensguard, Ser Jaime Bettley and the Commander of the Lyseni forces, Medraro Rogare, broke through, forcing a vanguard of just over a thousand past the spears. Success was short lived however, as, cut off from the main force, they found themselves quickly encircled, and riddled with arrows from the yet unassailed ranged units. Ser Jaime died after being thrown from his horse when a crossbow bolt pierced his glimmering white-gold plate, and found himself ran through by a sellsword blade as he fumbled for his steel to defend himself, whereas Medraro was slain by a sellsword Captain whom claimed the Rogare's Valyrian Steel sword *Truth* for his own. Ever since, the Captain of the Silver Guild has carried the blade and songs still boast of the duel that took place in the plains of the Disputed Lands.

Daena Blackfyre found her force under similar strain, pummelled by round after round of projectiles by the Myrish crossbowman, still hidden safe behind a wall of Unsullied shields. Returning fire with arrows and bolts of their own, the Lyseni archers retaliated in kind, and for a short while the battle turned into little more than flurries of steel-tipped shafts, striking heavily into shields, armour and flesh. Knowing they were, despite their losses at the captured encampments, better provisioned than the Kingdom of the Three Daughter's forces, The Warrior Queen commands the continuation of bombardment, but is forced to move otherwise as the Targaryen catapults launch a deadly volley of the substance that had brought the Royal-Lyseni army so much misery already. As the emerald flames began to erupt around them, engulfing battalions of footmen and cavalry alike, Daena orders a full retreat to the west, although her army takes heavy losses as they move across the Targaryen front-lines.

### Liberation of Golden Haven

Whilst the land efforts continued to be fraught with hardship for Queen Daena Blackfyre, the endeavours upon the waves proved to be more fruitful, and much more one-sided, as a large reserve fleet of Redwyne warships under the command of Ser Paxter Redwyne of the Arbor had arrived to bolster the numbers of the Royal-Lyseni fleet. Meeting with the remainder of the Kingdom of the Three Daughter's fleet in the bay of the Stepstones island of Larazor's Rock, the Royal-Lyseni forces smash the remaining strength of the Targaryens at sea in a short clash. Their supplies cut off, the Kingdom outposts on the Stepstones islands in the area are quickly subdued.

Famed for its unexpected bounty of plant and animal life, the island of Golden Haven did not yield immediately, the fertility of the isle supporting the small garrison that lingered upon the Stepstone.

The Myrish Captain, Tychano Ostos had grown fond of the vibrant life of the isle itself. When Ser Paxter Redwyne himself threatened to seize and burn the island in it's entirety with sword and flame and salt the land that nothing more should ever grow there after, Tychano Ostos offered a surrender, hoping to spare the island of such destruction. Ser Paxter honored his word: Whilst Tychano and his men were executed, the island, as per his request remained unmolested. Due to his ruthless yet honorable approach, Ser Paxter Redwyne has been called by the nickname "The Sourgrape" by some ever since that day.

### Bloodraven's Departure

Having thrown back the advance of the Warrior Queen and her forces, Brynden Rivers calls a council of his commanders and closest advisers. In a shocking declaration, he explains that he is leaving for the Wall, citing a vision granted to him the night before. He names his grandson, Aurion Targaryen, the new Bloodraven, bestowing onto him control of the military campaign and dominion over Tyrosh and Myr before departing for Westeros with the remaining wildfire stocks.

Aurion Targaryen, under guidance from those whom did not depart with Brynden, begins to formulate plans for how best to manage the wounded, but not defeated Warrior Queen.

### The Warrior Queen's Ploy

News of Bloodraven's departure travels quickly through the Kingdom of the Three Daughter's encampment, and soon after to the spymasters of Daena Blackfyre. Seeing Brynden's desertion as an opportunity, she has Ryman Tarly formulate an approach, targeting the new Bloodraven before he had a chance to consolidate his rule. Following their retreat from the Battle of Widows, the Blackfyre forces found themselves to the west of their enemy, whom had fortified primarily to slow the approach of an army from the south. Using this to their advantage, the Royal-Lyseni cavalry, arranged in three columns, strikes at the fortifications flank, the wider central group meeting their foes head-on, whilst the other two moved to charge their sides, penning them in place. As hoped, the disorganised spearmen crumple before the charge, allowing the force to sweep onwards. Her target is the Yellow Slopes, a range of hills in which the Targaryen command had made their encampment, Daena Blackfyre continues to drive her troops further and further forwards, headlong into the final trap.

No sooner had the Royal-Lyseni forces charged through the Kingdom's spearwall and continued north did it close behind them once again. Turning and marching north in pursuit, the companies slowly tightened the net around the Warrior Queen, all behest to her and her Commanders. When Lyseni scouts failed to return, having been systematically captured or killed by Myrish crossbowmen placed through the rolling slopes, Daena Blackfyre continued onwards regardless, trusting in her gathered intel from previous missions, all the while unaware of the advancing lines blocking her escape to the south. Knowing she is trapped, Aurion Targaryen rides out to meet her advancing forces, claiming to seek parley. When met with refusal, the new Bloodraven signals for his men to attack, cutting down the Warrior Queen's men in droves. Daena is forced once again to order a retreat, but finally realises the scope of her folly when her escape is barred by a line of spears and shields.

Ever the Warrior Queen, even in impeding disaster, Daena charges at Aurion Targaryen, sword bared. The two met with the clash of steel, circling past upon their destriers repeatedly, before the new Bloodraven rakes his blade across Daena's steed's side. Thrown to the ground in a cloud of dust, the Warrior Queen met with the point of Aurion's sword upon his next pass, joining the thousands whom had ridden with her to end the war, once and for all.

Ser Kyle Footly of the Queensguard, seeing the fate of his Queen, charges Aurion in turn, but, much like his monarch is delivered a mortal wound by the Targaryen, but not before injuring the new Bloodraven. Lord Baelor Hightower, Daena's Hand, manages to break through the Tyroshi spearwall to the south, and begins to move the remaining cavalry to rout the Kingdom of the Three Daughter's forces. Before he can finish the joint Targaryen-Tyroshi-Myrish forces, he hears of Daena's death, and finds his appetite for war sated further as two more of the remaining Queensguard are slain in quick succession.

Both armies begin to retreat, the Targaryens to preserve the life of Aurion, and the Blackfyres to prevent further losses to a war that many considered to be extraneous to Westerosi affairs, as Lord Hightower lead the retreat back to Mainland Westeros.

## Aftermath

The death of Daena Blackfyre dealt a devastating blow to House Blackfyre and Westeros on the whole. Named the 'Realm's Delight' by many, Daena is considered to be the most popular of all the Blackfyre monarchy by the smallfolk and nobleborn alike. Her son, Maelys ascended to the throne after her death at the hand of Aurion Targaryen, and became quickly known as a trickster and a gambler, whose cruel and vindictive nature attempted to pit his vassals against each other in an effort to make sure their power never rivalled his.

Whilst Lys remains free in name, and partially independent, House Targaryen have since claimed themselves the rightful rulers of the Free City, even if no further invasions on Lysene soil have occurred since the War of Unification.