Siege of Vjorhelm

Siege of Vjorhelm Part of the Third Crusade The Siege of Vjorhelm, 1641 Date: 8th of the Grand Harvest, 1641 Location: Vjorhelm, Norland Result: Crusader Victory Preceded by: Battle of Rochdale Followed by: King Jevan I goes missing after the battle and Jory I Ruric becomes King of Norland, swearing fealthy under the Kingdom of Renatus Belligerents Crusaders: Kingdom of Marna Kingdom of Renatus Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska Kingdom of Santegia The Reichwald Greatswords The Reiters Kingdom of Norland: Kingdom of Norland Kingdom of Kaz'Ulrah Commanders and leaders Crusader and Allies: Frederick I, King of Marna Aurelius I, King of Renatus Otto II, King of Haense Admiral Benjamin Quadinaro Leo I, King of Santegia Kingdom of Norland: Jevan I, King of Norland Lord Adalwulf Horen Ser Jory Ash Ser Edward Strength Crusaders: 8,400 Crusaders Kingdom of Norland: 2,400 men and dwarves Casualties Crusaders: ~800 Dead or missing Kingdom of Norland: ~2,300 Dead or missing

The Siege of Vjorhelm was a five month siege during the Third Crusade of the Norlandic capital city of Vjorhelm by the Crusader forces of King Aurelius of Renatus, King Frederick of Marna, and King Otto II of Haense. The Norlandic defenders were commanded by King Jevan I of Norland, and his generals Adalwulf Horen and Ser Jory Ash. The Crusader victory at the Battle of Rochdale had left the Norlandic homeland open for attack, and Vjorhelm was the obvious next step in the Crusade. The capture of the capital city was both a tactical and symbolic victory for the Crusade.

Prelude

The defeat at the Battle of Rochdale forced the remaining Norland host into a full retreat all the way back to their capital city, Vjorhelm. After his defeat at Rochdale, Javier passed on his crown to his son, Jevan Ruric, who was preparing battle plans for the defense of their city.

Battle

It began quietly. United men of Renatus, Haense, Marna, and the Order of St. Lucien made their way through the outskirts and the city towards the Norlandic holdout. The town was abandoned, the civilians who once resided there long gone. As they made their way towards the side opposite of the entrance, a looming structure awaited them across one of the two bridges that led out of the city. Towering over the rest of Norland, and covered in netting, this foreboding fortress contained multiple killboxes and outcroppings for the attackers. The men of god pushed forward to the bridge, fortifying there and beginning to pepper the enemy force with arrows. If the pagans boxlike holdfast accomplished anything, it was that it was that it provided Norlanders with cover and a serious height advantage for their archers. As the battle progressed, however, it was clear that they would not hold.

A couple of sappers who were helping the Crusader army, set explosives at the base of the first killbox, which would lead upwards to a platform which would prove a staging point for men with ladders to breach the main Norlandic fort. As the dynamite was set off, a hole revealing some astonished Norlanders was revealed, The Norlanders repelled the Crusaders twice under the expert command of King Jevan Ruric, and Ser Edward. The Norlanders needed to push out soon, and were short and time, but intended on forming a shield wall by the gate of their fortress awaiting to repel any other Renatus attacks. More smaller skirmishes with what remained of Norlandic forces outside their main hold occurred, specifically along the coast as a small group of Lucienists and other forces decisively flanked the aquatic scouts, dispatching them with relative ease.

It was then when the battle reached a turning point. Another round of explosions broke through the boxlike cover for the Norlanders, and the full force of the attackers rushed through the opening to the platform. The men rushed to the base, of the structure, many being shot down before reaching safety. As their forces swarmed the Norlanders, their archers were terrified and dispatched easily before moving on to the rest.

As the skies cleared, it was clear Norland had been completely annihilated. Red and black clad bodies littered the ground. The tables had turned from the series of battles and raids the Norlanders called the ‘Desolation of Oren’.

Aftermath

After the siege, Vjorhelm was ransacked and was burned to the ground. King Jevan I of Norland flees leaving Jory Ruric to be declared as new King of Norland creating a secret meeting with the King of Renatus becoming a vassal state under the Kingdom ending the Crusade.