Part of Winds of the World - Winter 223
Some would have called it a cunning trap. Others would call it expert littoral manoeuvring. A small population might call it outnumbering your enemies and using divine magic to force them into foolish movements. It was likely a combination of all three that defeated The Shark in Lerona Mere once again.
Prior to the Summer Summit the army of The Shark had crossed into Lerona Mere, fording the Fiorenza River, overwhelming the defences there and establishing forward camps south west of Strada Minerale that runs from Mivara to Lerona Mere. The Illsevir readied themselves for a siege, arming weapons of war and looking to march on Legend City itself.
In response the two fleets of Lerona Mere, Liberty's Fist and The Peoples Gift, sped across the Bay of Promised Gold and gathered about the mouth of the Fiorenza River. The lighter craft of Libertie’s Fist sailed upriver, making contested landings at the ruined riverfront mansions. As they have nearly every season since they fought for their independence, Lerona Mere marines and bravos fought down the gaudy corridors of palatial summer homes, flanking their foes from overgrown hedgerows and culminating in a chaotic battle on Lake Isabella.
For their part, the heavier ships of The Peoples Gift held the bay and rivermouth. The new admiral, Jean-Luc Dupont, while unsure on the decks of a ship, knew his way around a battlefield and its logistical needs. The Peoples Gift formed an armoured blockade that robbed the Illsevir of their seaward retreat while also supplying Lerona Mere troops in the West. Admiral Dupont gained a reputation as an understanding but stern taskmaster with a veteran's wisdom to contrast Admiral Bonvelle’s dashing heroics and political ambition.
With their retreat cut off, the forces of the Shark looked North and East. They sought to level Legend City and that was still their intent. Were it not for the fortress in the way.
Crafted from gold and brass, manned by strange automatons infused with the spirit of the most hardened customs enforcer, the Fools Gold fortress of Lerona Mere stood firm. It was adorned with strange marks, glowed green in the dark and appeared to be melting, but for when it mattered, it stood firm.
Between all three forces the Illsevir were pressed.
By Summer's end The Shark had staged a brutal breakout action, pushing past a thin line of marines holding the north-western flank, retreating back up past the northern headwaters of the Fiorenza back into Mancante Terra. When both sides counted the dead it was clear that Lerona Mere had given far better than they had any right to. The dead of the Illsevir, adorned in seal hides, the furs of the Valley and the leathers of the Bailes were more than double the losses of Lerona Mere.
The army of The Shark in Mancante Terra is still more than a match for any Concordian army, but for now they are repulsed.
Game Information
The Lerona Mere fleets engaged in a daring action to repulse the Illsevir from Lerona Mere once again. Supported by the Fools Gold Fortress, they defeated a dangerous army and saw it routed over the Fiorenza back to Mancante Terra.
The fighting was cutthroat and chaotic, with marines and sailors acting as soldiers. Characters who elected to have taken part in the campaign will tell stories of the wild fighting in the ruined mansions of the river country, risky sailing on the Fiorenza River and the strange Fortress in the North East. More information on the Lerona Mere Fools Gold Fortress can be found in ‘Fortress of Profitable Malady’.