Dread Invasion

Overview

The 137 AFE invasion of The Riding by the Legions of Polonia.  The Riding was not prepared for an invasion and quickly fell to the Empire. Although the manly virtues of a single Legionnaire is no match for a hearty man of The Riding, the invading force had a number of clear advantages. Due to the superior organizational skills and discipline of the Legionnaires, combined with the fact The Riding was taken unawares by the invasion, the full force of The Riding was never brought to bear in any individual battle.

Battle of Foggy Downs

The first clash of the invasion was the Battle of Foggy Downs in the spring of 137.  In response to a landing of an unknown number of invaders approximately ten leagues south of Greenmouth, Prince Henwith sallied forth from the city with the majority of the City Guard and assorted men-at-arms from various noble households.  

On the second day of the sortie, the prince encountered and routed a sizable force of Legionnaires that fled into a marsh.  Prince Henwith and his followers gave chase in hopes of attaining a quick and decisive victory.  However, their horses floundered in the treacherous footing of the Foggy Downs and the Polonians - including additional forces that had been hiding - unchivalrously fell on the Prince and his men and slaughtered them.  Reports from the few survivors suggest that the Polonians had established positions on a few mounds that provided solid footing and used those essentially unassailable positions to attack the Prince's forces with flaming arrows and catapults.

Fall of Greenmouth

The day after Prince Henwith exited the city, the Polonian navy sailed into the harbor of Greenmouth.  Under the cover of siege weaponry throwing fiery projectiles and wizards wielding arcane magic never before seen in The Riding, Polonian legionnaires breached the walls of Greenmouth and quickly captured the city.

Lord Willmuth III strategically withdrew from the city with his younger sons after it became evident that it would fall and traveled to Stoneford in an attempt to rally the forces of The Riding.

Battle of Stoneford

Due to the lack of cooperation between cities, and in some cases general disbelief regarding the arcane powers wielded in support of the invading forces, Lord Willmuth III was unable to muster siginficant support for a second battle.  With a defending force less than half the size of the advancing column of legionnaires, Wilmuth bravely implemented a daring plan involving a two-pronged, surprise night attack on the Polonian encampment.  While he ventured forth from the city under cover of night and fell upon the larger army, his younger, twin sons Prince Holwhen and Prince Garwhen circled the Polonians and attacked them from behind, attempting to take advantage of the raging battle.  Further details are lost as the Riding armies were soundly defeated and neither Willmuth nor his sons Holwhen and Garwhen were seen alive again.

Traitorous agents within the city opened the gates of Stoneford to the Polonians the next morning and the Legion entered and occupied the city without further fighting.

Aftermath

The various barons of the other Riding cities were quick to gather forces to defend their own cities, but the nobles were unaccustomed to working in tandem. Polonian Legionnaires, striking quickly and supported by their unnatural magic, isolated the individual cities and quickly won a series of separate engagements, gaining control over each of The Riding cities before the end of the summer.