Lords of the Cruth Lowlands - Vaults of Pandius

History of the Cruth Lowlands
AC 546 The Stronghollow dwarven clan
establishes the mine of Kurest Hurgon in
the Black Peaks.
AC 600 The Traladaran League is finally
dissolved due to dissension between the
clans and the disappearance of the
Darokin threat. The Ban of Halag assumes
the title of Duke, following most other
Traladaran nobles. This event marks the
end of the Marilenev hegemony, and a
return to power of the Dukes of Halag. In
response, the Duke of Achelos, Vasil
Ivanovich, assumes the title of King.
The Vampire Wars
AC 675 The vampire-king psychosis and
the political chaos of Darokin reach
Traladara as well. A number of “holy
wars”, more or less justified, are fought
between the Traladaran nobles during the
course of the following fifty years,
instigated by Orcus in the form of a devil
swine.
AC 700 Battle of Blackflame in the Five
Shires. The Orcish horde, defeated, flees
into the mountain. The Kingdom of Achelos
suffers from Orcish raids for the next
decade. Hill Giants become more active
during the following years, further
distracting Achelos from the Vampire
Wars.
AC 728 An alliance including Marilenev,
Vidrin and Selenica defeats the Black
Count of the Moor.
AC 735 Moira the Pure and her warriors
are killed by Hill Giants at Three Axes Ford
while trying to reach the besieged dwarven
mine of Kurest Hurgon.
AC 783 Castle Koriszegy is struck by a
curse that destroys the entire clan, except
for the Count, who becomes a mad
vampire. The territory around the castle
quickly becomes a wilderness, as the local
Traladarans flee to Halag or Achelos.
AC 813 The mythical Sword of Halav is
last seen in the hands of the Duke of
Halag, Uidar the Quick during the hunt for
the Beast of Radlebb Woods. The Duke,
wounded, is forced to retreat.
AC 821 Duke Uidar Vargos mysteriously
vanishes during a hunt in the eastern
Cruth Lowlands. His companions are found
dead, killed by Ogres, but there is no trace
of the valiant Duke.
The Thyatian Conquest
AC 900 The Emperor of Thyatis,
Gabrionius IV, sends his legions in
Traladara, and installs a governor in
Marilenev, which is renamed Specularum.
Garrisons are sent to the borderlands, with
the goal of setting up spearheads for a
campaign against the Darokinian successor
states. Imperial Legate Flavian
Osteropulos sends an entire legion under
Legion Legate Alharbius to occupy western
Traladara. The Thyatian legionnaires,
helped by Glantrian mercenaries led by
Jan Vandevic, easily defeat in a field battle
the army of Duke Ivan Vargos of Halag,
killing the Duke and many of his followers.
Tribune Rosentus is set as Lieutenant
Governor of Halag, while Legate Alharbius
marches north towards Achelos. Contrary
to Duke Vargos, King Achelos II Ivanovich
does not face the Thyatian legion in open
battle, relying instead on the difficult
terrain to slow down the Thyatians and
target them with countless ambushes. The
hit and run tactics of the Achelos army
delay the invading army for almost a year,
until Alharbius orders his troop into a
forced march into the enemy territory
towards the Traladaran capitol. The
Thyatians carry with them the materials
needed to set up a siege -- thus giving
origin to the legend of Alharbius creating a
siege wall all around Achelos by magic in a
single night.
After a long siege, and the death of King
Achelos II, Alharbius’ troops take the city.
There are very few survivors. The
supporters of Achelos II outside the city,
however, continue their guerrilla war for
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