News of Arunia: The Betrayal at Loshil's Hollow

King Vagyr of Ambar, brother to King Aegus of Kjellos and client of that kingdom, was ambushed by his subject boyars at Loshil's Hollow on Heimerus the 14th of Yearning of this year last. King Vagyr was informed the boyars intended to broker a peace between Ambar and Opria; he and his picked guard under their captain, Sieur Cadwallon Gorr, travelled to Loshil's Hollow believing they would meet agents of that kingdom and begin secret plans to end the hostilities and turn on the Tetrarchy of Golnia.

According to rumor, the squires were the first to arrive at the hollow. They found the ten boyars there and dismounted to meet them. King Vagyr and his knights came some hours later, but by then the trap had already been sprung. Hobgoblin knights, mounted on their heavy lizards and bearing their lances, supported by bugbear archers with man-high longbows, moved to surround the grove. The slaughter began at a signal from the treacherous boyars, who fled at once. Cadwallon Gorr cut down three of the cowards before they escaped, but the grove was soon abuzz with wood and fletching.

The initial volley cut down many of the squires and stunned the knights. Hobgoblin heavy cavalry on their shoulder-high minotaur lizards swarmed into the fold. Bugbear shock-infantry in their Oprian armor attacked in wave after wave. Cadwallon piled the dead in a great swathe. Vagyr fought like a lion, but he was struck in the crown of his helmet by a hobgoblin spear. He fell, still alive, and Sieur Gorr stood astride his prince to cut down the foe.

At last, the Oprian assassins cut through the knights of Ambar and, cutting the tendons of his legs, dropped him to his knees. The plot was carried out.

Three days later, at Dorostchev, King Vagyr appeared at the gates. His own funeral procession was already ongoing as the Oprian armies swarmed over the border and the Swords of Night were at their head. Sieur Malvenus of Rol, longtime friend of the king and chapter-master of the Fortress at Rol, at once rallied the Forge Divine to carry Vagyr to safety.

As the countryside burned, the Order spirited their king out of Ambar, following the river. Weeks later, they arrived at Elborg where King Aegus received his brother and began summoning a new springtide army.

Before they set out, Ellarant Pellan, the High Lawkeeper, arrived at Elborg with his train of Schola wizards and Milean knights. Aegus received his crown on the fields before Elborg in his full armor and preparing to travel south to confront the Oprians and Golnians. Pellan pledged the full support of the Church of the Law to Kjellos in its war.