Battle of the Dreadfort

Forces| House Starkwood and Allies:* 600

## Prelude

> *Zelos: Im just here to retrieve my friends and the sword you stole.*
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> *Ramsey: Stole? I found this sword and all Lords of a house should have a good sword, as for these men they were caught trespassing on my land. and this is how we deal with tresspassers.*
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The Battle of the Dreadfort was the final battle in Operation: Dark Winter and was one of the key reasons the War in the North became a three way conflict, between the Wildlings, the North, and House Brightflame. After the capture of Terrance the Towering and Rickard Greywinde, House Brightflame launched a desperate rescue attempt at the Dreadfort, they tried to inform the soon to be wed Rickard's in-laws and brought the men necessary to fight if needed. There was a silly rumor that The Brightflame lords brought roughly 5000 men to the Dreadfort gates. But this is just a nonsensical exaggeration. Afterall if they tried to move 5000 men through the North not only would they have been marching for much longer they would have been found out immediately. Given how being discreet was part of the mission to not start a war it would have been a very ridiculous move. There’s a also a rumor of some hidden mountain dwarves showing up in bulk to help win the day..the lest said about that the better. In truth the numbers were nowhere close to that size, rather then 5000 strong, the army consisted of 600 well trained men, in the time they had they didnt have time to bring about there levies so Artos and Shamus took it out of there trained guard each bringing roughly 200-250 men to the battle. And while yes House Mountainblood, a house that had some issues with the Boltons did come to there aid when they went to check on the party they were not some army of trained Dwarves hiding out in the Gift for thousands of years undetected by everyone yet able to breed a large army, instead they themselves likewise brought a small party, consisting of normal men, some with decent army. The 5000 number is almost certaintly an exaggeration laid out by the Boltons when they decried the action to King Robb, to highlight the deed and villainize it, and the Mountainblood rumor was a longstanding one of the Mountainblood's themselves to boast of there superiority to all who would hear it.

To get back to truths and sense, the army marched through the snow hoping to be able to intercept any parties that came looking for there escaped friends, Zelos and Tristifer had been able to sneak onto the walls of a Dreadfort and took out any sentries that were there but even though they noticed the area to be oddly empty they pursued anyway. Going further in and finding less resistance then one would have expected they managed to make it through to the Dungeons without being caught. It was only when they got this far did they realize they had run into a trap and Zelos urged Tristifer to run back and escape, Tristifer did so reluctantly but was soon caught by the Bolton men who had been told to sleep until this time or hide out in the woods and were now rushing back into there castle, trapping the brave men in. Daniel who was also on the outside but dressed in Bolton Armor used this moment to try and sneak into the dread fort while Mark and Kylan who were not so appropriately dressed fell back further to avoid being detected. Ramsey Snow himself marched on down to the dungeons to find Zelos freeing his prisoners and after mocking the man on trespassing and putting himself in danger he left his men to finish him off while he went out to meet the armies he knew to be approaching. his Bolton Soldiers failed to kill Zelos though as they were blindsided by the arrival of Daniel who had snuck into there ranks allowing the two to kill them and start to get Rickard and Terrance out of danger.

Artos and his allies sallied out once they saw the Bolton forces and tried to goad Ramsey to meet them which the Bastard of Bolton did bringing roughly 600 of the 800 men guarding the keep in Roose's absence to face them and with a chained Tristifer in tow. Despite facing down some hardened and experienced Northerners Ramsey was fairly confident by all indications, and many on the Starkwoods sides wondered what he had planned, and soon found out when Ramsey revealed some of his men were dressed in the banners and armor of other Northern houses and Ramsey had planned to provoke a war by claiming that the Starkwoods and Blackwolves had attacked and killed bannermen of all them to add to this fire he also sent out ravens in mass to the Northern houses, too many to stop in a timely manner. Just as Artos has realized the depths of Ramsey's plan the Bastard of Bolton orders his men to attack.

## Battle

> *Artos: Men fight on for House Starkwood!*
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> *Shamus: Show these Bolton cunts how real Northerners fight.*
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Ramsey's forces started firing arrows at the Starkwood forces and as Shamus and Nothin gave there respect armies a last minute pep talk they forced there defensive lines before Ramsey sent the riders wearing various banners. It was said you could see Karstark, Manderly, even Umber banners amongst them, and no indication of how he got them but no time to ask as Davon yew ordered his men to fire about the horses. Artos soon sent his own horsemen to meet them after the volley of arrows and then they began to march there army forwards slowly to meet Ramsey's, Ramsey was eager for a fight and quickly did the same looking to crush the brightflame allies and bring there leaders to his dungeon

Inside the Dreadfort the 4 escapees were trying to move past the guards in the area, thankful for the night that kept them hidden and came around to find not houses but Donkeys. Which for Daniel was all the better if only for how amusing there escape would be. The 4 pushed through the open gates of the Fort though while Daniel and the others went for Ramsey himself Zelos Wilder set his sights on freeing Tristifer who was still chained down and unable to defend himself. They evaded arrow fire from the Castle guards and crashed into the army from the back, though there small numbers made the ability to impact things limited Daniel was able to attack Ramsey as the rest attacked the other Bolton men. Ramsey used Dark Sister in his intense battle with the Brightflame men as Reek, a Man-At-Arms for House Bolton lead the forces agaisnt the enemy. Though the difference in there tactics was made clear, Shamus pushed hard into there infantry while the Starkwood archers started to overwhelm the infantry. Reek sent one of there more expeirnced leaders to try and rally the front but they continued to press into them, though in the battle one William Tyde was killed of the Brightflame group.

Zelos killed Tristifer's holders and slowly worked on freeing him of the chains, once he was free he was able to save Zelos from an attacker at his flank dressed in Karstark armor. Once they were free the two of them made a push towards the enemy lines trying to disrupt the line as much as they could. Artos noticed the disruption and quickly ordered his men through, though it would be Ser Mark Platt and Lord Maloris that pushed in and made the opening work, allowing Nothin's men to push in and make sure to split up the Bolton soldiers. This also occurred with Ser Rickard and Terrance getting a good hit on Reek and Daniel finally downing Ramsey Bolton, Reek quickly ordered a retreat of there scattered forces abandoning the Bolton Bastard and closing the gates, anyman who was left behind was left at the mercy of the Starkwood allies. The rest of the men converged around Ramsey where after some delegation they decided Rickard Greywinde would have the honors of executing him. Rickard took Dark Sister, the blade that caused them so much trouble to get lined it up against Ramsey's head and took a mighty swing that took his head off. Ending his life and the battle.

## Aftermath

> *Darron: The King needs to know of what happened here. A war might have started once Robb Stark got those ravens*
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> *Artos: Agreed Ill try and make sure the King sees reason you lot should fall back now, Ill see you all when I get back.*
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The battle of the Dreadfort allowed them to finally gain Dark Sister after all the trouble that went into moving and securing it but by then everyone was exhausted from the weeks of battles and marching through the snow. They had lost many good men and they feared for the future which seemed it would open them up for more war and bloodshed they didnt exactly crave. Artos gave the optimistic outlook that he could make Robb Stark listen to him but just in case Dark Sister was given to the Gold Cloak commander Zelos and the rest were to flee back to White Harbor to get out of the North for the foreseeable future. Shamus, Artos and Davon were set to stay put and try to prep there houses for any moves they had to make. This proved wise, as Robb found the letters and when Roose returned from the fight with the Wildlings he saw the Dreadfort and demanded blood. King Robb was fair and offered Artos a chance to explain himself, Artos defended his actions but sadly Robb would soon side with Roose especially since it was increasingly clear what side Artos and Shamus were with on Northern territory. He declared war on House Brightflame, with House Starkwood, and House Blackwolf being the first few areas they attacked. Artos and Shamus would lose there holdings and sent down South where they would remain for the foreseeable future as the war continued.

Dark Sister was brought to the Capitol successfully and once presented to the King he praised the men who took the task and made sure to remember the names of the fallen men who died in his service. He bestowed the blade onto his sister Rhaenys who had been injured in Operation Cornered Viper but still able to fight. She would continue to wield it throughout the campaigns especially in the North that Daeron lead with the reignited war in the North. Years afterward the events that transpired left an impact on many of the men who fought at Castle Black and after House Brightflame and eventually once the war had subsided and peace was slowly being established Zelos Wilder would work on a joint operation with Bowen Marsh to take back the Nights Watch from the enemy.