Storming of Kraken's Watch
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The Storming of Kraken's Watch of 1558 was the starting battle of the Riga War, where a small detachment of soldiers from the Duchy of Courland seized the Castle of Kraken's Watch during the celebration of Saint Edmond's Day. The battle was the result of immense political pressure on Duke Alexander, and his desire to fully solidify his rule as Duke, seeing the lordship under the House of Vanir as relic of his dead brother's reign. His decision to storm the keep at night and during the holy festival would result in outcry from various nobles in the Holy Orenian Empire, specifically Duke John of Carnatia, and Hetman Sveneld of Krajia, ultimately leading to the formation of the Carnatian League.
Prelude
At the Diet of Saltstone, the Imperial State had dictated that Lord Britannus' rule of Kraken's Watch was legal, and that Lord Britannus should swear fealty to Duke Alexander as his liege lord. Both parties agreed, hoping to form a long lasting peace between the two Houses and to put an end to any previous conflict. A few years later, the deaths of Britannus' uncles, Lords Arik and Vasili Vanir, had raised tensions with men in both Houses desiring conflict. In an effort to calm his men and family, Lord Britannus declared a feast in celebration of Saint Edmond's day. Duke Alexander, however, made use of this opportunity to take back what he saw as rightfully his.
Battle
On the 12th of the Sun's Smile, an assembly of 600 to 700 soldiers gathered in Riga, under orders from Duke Alexander. In command of this regiment was Ser Demetrius Palaiologos, the previous Baron of Kraken's Watch who felt he had been robbed of his rightful holding. The regiment marched, under cover of darkness, to the keep, where celebrations for Saint Edmond's Day were underway. Palaiologos split his forces in two, intending for one group to enter through the main gate while the other stormed the storage tower.
Just before sunrise, Palaiologos ordered simultaneous assaults on the main gate and storage tower of Kraken's Watch. Lord Britannus received word that the keep was under attack, and attempted to quickly organize his retinue to fight back. The group attacking the gate had succeeded, but those attacking the storage tower had been beaten back. Palaiologos had to reinforce the tower attack with hundreds more men before it succeeded. At the gate, the defenders counterattacked. The rallying cry and charge of Ser Palaiologos caused his men to push forward, allowing further Courlander reinforcements to be funneled into the gate.
With the main gate lost, the Vanir forces at the tower collapsed. Lord Britannus, taking as many surviving defenders as he could, fled across the mountains into the court of Duke John of Carnatia.
Aftermath
The battle was a Courlander victory, with Duke Alexander seeing it fully within his rights as Duke to revoke a vassal's holding. The storming of the keep, however, provided Lord Britannus with the spark he needed to form the Carnatian League, comprised of multiple northern lords, including the future King Peter of Haense and Hetman Sveneld of Krajia. The unprovoked attack also helped Lord Britannus gain Emperor John II's approval for an approved internal Imperial conflict.
