| Kell Wars | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Southern Carmine Incursion (debated) | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Combatants | |||||||||
| Kelldria | Kingdom of the Carmine Sea | ||||||||
| Commanders | |||||||||
| Vapeema Argulus (P.O.W.) | Alfmark Jarrow† Girard Serendel | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| at least 11,000 | c.35,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties | |||||||||
| 11,000 | c.6,000 | ||||||||
The Kell Wars were a series of engagements fought between the Kingdom of the Carmine Sea and allies and the invading people of Kelldria during the 450s and the early 460s. They followed directly from the Southern Carmine Incursion and may be considered part of the same conflict.
Background[]
At some point in distant history, Old Lyradis was apparently overrun and destroyed by a people calling themselves the Kell. The Kell vanish from the historical record not long afterwards and it was not known what became of them. In fact they had retreated far to the frozen land in the south, and had by the mid-fifth century become sufficiently large and powerful again that they looked to migrate back to the more fertile land in the north.
In the 430s, a large number of wildlings surged into Farridon and Tempestia. They were defeated in battle and the survivors settled in Farridon, though the incident had left Alfmark, the newly crowned king, concerned about his southern border. Throughout the late 430s and 440s he sent troops into the land south of the Farridon-Tempestia border, intending to learn more about it and establish a more secure frontier. The land occupied, which had initially been referred to as Konarland, soon became known as Tuhiland, "the empty land", for the frightened people fled at the sign of northern troops. As military camps were established the people returned and friendly contact was made.
Conflict[]
In 450 there was a fresh wave of attackers, this time not the disorganised wildlings of fifteen years earlier but an army of eight thousand men led by a seasoned commander, Vapeema Argulus, and identified by the Tuhiland natives as "the Kell". Despite a disadvantage of numbers and being caught out by the Kells' rapid movement on the ice fields, Alfmark succeeded in beating them back, though the battle was hardly decisive. Vapeema retreated to the south-east, and Tuhiland was incorporated as a region of the Kingdom of the Carmine Sea.
Aware that the Kell still possessed an army in considerable numbers, Alfmark immediately ordered exploration of and expedition into the neighbouring region of Trinacria, hoping either to treat with the Kell or force them into a decisive battle. Nothing was seen of them for several years, until in 457 a column of troops including a substantial Burning Legion component were attacked by a Kell army totalling ten thousand in number. The column made a fighting retreat, losing lost two thirds of its number, but succeeded in blunting the Kell advance, inflicting losses of their own, and bringing word to the king.[1]
Vapeema advanced on Tuhiland, declaring he would take the head of the Defier of the Dark. Alfmark summoned his full army, which by that time included legions from Discordia and elven infantry from Eyrecradia, and sent word to his nephew Girard Serendel, the Lord of Lyradis and Emperor of Dawn. Girard brought ten thousand men of his own, seeking to execute his people's historic grudge against the Kell.
Mindful of the proficiency of the Kell fighters on ice fields, Alfmark and Girard sent cavalry to harass the Kell northwards towards the greener areas on the northern coast, where they were waiting with the remainder of their armies and marines from their navies. Argulus continued his advance, believing himself unopposed, until suddenly confronted by an allied army more than three times his size.
The battle lasted little more than an hour, as Kell warriors, hemmed in by cavalry and terrain, were quickly cut down by Jarrland and Eyrecradian archers, surrounded by allied infantry, and died almost to the last man. Among the relatively small losses for the allies was Alfmark himself, however, cut down by a Kell arrow as he led the final charge. One of his sons, Prince Alfwyn, also fell on the field. Vapeema surrendered and was taken into custody.
Aftermath[]
Alfmark died a few days after the battle, living just long enough to ease the succession of his cousin Elwyr. The resulting confusion meant that it was more than a year before the allied rulers and Argulus could meet face to face. Vapeema rejected any offers of peace, citing historic grievances against the Imperium and Lyradis, and threatening to do everything in his power to provoke war or otherwise destroy the Kell people if freed.
Vapeema was retained in custody and a messenger sent to the remaining Kell people, offering them settlement in the region of Cas-Teire, at that point recently discovered by Palas Caercia and devoid of any population. 25,000 Kell accepted the offer, though the new Kell leader Evander Argulus endorsed Vapeema's words and promised to bring more strife to the Imperium in future.