[i]The Horn Wars[/i]
[b]High Elder Supreme Commander Keratas Blackmane Horntower (120-140)[/b]
[quote=Elder Wolfbane Golra Horicuxis]I have taken this opportunity to record of the first wars in the history of the grand Windbeach Republic, where it firmly established its rightful place in the world. The seed for the wars were sown in the Republic's very foundation. The southernmost Windbeach regions of the Chiefdom of Baldugtagee had long been an area of conflict, the population of this area spoke Aedrian, or at least what was considered kin enough to Aedrian for the population to be infuriated with the Chiefdom's insistence on one official language. Great Elder Sandsplitter Deltis Goniger the Father, born of this region but granted nobility through service to the House of Baldug, argued intensely for the freedom of these Aedrian-speaking populations, and through skilled rhetoric, managed to peacefully assure Windbeach's freedom, but not as a Chiefdom, but as a glorious republic,
the first of its kind.

In the years that followed, intense statecraft was necessary to establish the principles of this new nation, while continuing cordial relations with their northerly neighbor. By time's blessing, finally we were given of godly splendor, the laws of Windbeach. Many grand rulers were given the milk of power in this time, but none were corrupted or desiring of more. All were happy, and all was ordered.

The years passed by ever faster, however, and Windbeach was not to have the world pass by without interaction. The year 100 was to have a new concern be raised in the debate halls, the "Unequal Border" as called by the militant Red-Hand faction. These men stated that the borders agreed upon by the House of Baldug had robbed Windbeach of lands holding imprisoned Aedrian-speaking populations, with the most notable of these being the Horn of Galimbor across the Deres Bay, among the southernmost points in the Baldugtagee Kingdom. The Galimborans had been long divided into two groups, those with ancestry in Baldugtagee, and those of Aedrian descent. The former in the practice of farming in the interior of the horn, the latter kind living on the coasts in large urban cities and serving as an important part of the Chiefdom's workforce. These people had long since desired greater recognition of their ancient tongue, long denied by the House of Baldug. The secession of the Windbeach Republic lit a fire in the bellies of the more militant among these folk, who began desiring either greater autonomy or full freedom like their southern cousins.

This militant group, wrapped in the twine of fate, desired a name for their movement, deciding quickly, they proclaimed themselves the Aedrian Brotherhood, and stated that no reconciliation would be had, their ultimatum was as thus; "There will be no tongue of Aedria left in the Horn of Galimbor that cannot create those beautiful words as stated by our ancestors those many years ago." This ultimatum, accompanied with blade and scepter, was delivered upon the lap of Elder Chief Goodberry. The Elder, knowing that the loss of Galimbor meant the loss of his manufacturing, dispatched his army to clear up any rebel sentiment. This action infuriated the Red Hand, lead by Elder Keratas Horntower. Horntower demanded that High Elder Gulgenamon Thraythorin take action against the House of Baldug. Gulgenamon knew that the Windbeach army was nowhere near prepared for war with the house, stalled a declaration, instead instituting the foundation of a sweeping army reform meant to prepare for war by the year 125. The people, swayed by Horntower's speeches, voted Gulgenamon out of office before his reforms could fully be input, Horntower immediately halting them and preparing for mobilization.

Horntower sailed to Galimbor, where the Aedrian Brotherhood had managed to seize control of the government through shadow deals and puppets in the nobility. Meeting with these Aedrian folk, he prepared a plan for annexation of the peninsula with the blessing of the Brotherhood's puppet regime. The Brotherhood, now knowing that they were to be free, halted their shadow dealings and put into action what some would describe as a coup, not knowing the fact that the Brotherhood already held the Chiefs in their able hands. New Chief of Baldugtagee, Yadam, set out a decree, stating that the Brotherhood's actions were a clear declaration of war by the Windbeach Republic, and marshaled the Baldugtagee forces to the southern borders.

This first war was short and rather dull, so I shall avoid discussing it in detail here. In short, the Windbeach militia failed horrifically against the prepared and trained Baldug army. A multitude of short battles were fought, where the Windbeach militia did manage to inflict heavy damage to the House of Baldug, suggesting the war was winnable, but the forces of House Baldug were greater in both number and talent, and the Windbeach army was soundly defeated, the capital seized in under a year. The peace terms were kind, only asking for a return of Galimbor to Baldug hands, and demanding the exile of Keratas Horntower. Both demands were carried out despite heavy groaning from the Elder council.

An interregnum was declared before an emergency election could be held, but before it could be held, Horntower returned, accepted by the Elder council and the people despite his failure in the war due to his exceptional rhetoric. Horntower did not however reclaim his title, stating that he would not be High Elder again until the people of Windbeach chose him. In the interim, he was granted the title Supreme Commander, head of the government in times of crisis or during an interregnum, and chief military commander outside of these situations. Horntower, after his re-election, became the first High Elder to have two terms in the position, and also the first to be both High Elder and Supreme Commander. Having learned from his earlier defeat, Horntower spent weeks in isolation, leaving the government's daily business to the able hands of the Council or Elders. Horntower and his generals prepared a plan of action to defeat the House of Baldug and avenge their earlier defeat after a year at work, and Horntower returned to the daily running of the government.

It was many years before Horntower made his move. In the time since the first war, the Horn of Galimbor had been heavily militarized in an attempt to curb rebellion, but a freak manure explosion lead to a heavy crackdown on all Aedrian Galimborans. Unable to remain silent, the Aedrian Brotherhood was re-established and their leader declared that a civil war had begun. Horntower had been waiting for an opportunity like this, and declared war to reclaim the lost territories. The Windbeach forces, still as poorly-trained as before, made a hellish march to the north, at speeds comparable to an eagle diving with the support of the winds. The Windbeach militia passed right by the Baldugtagee army and seized the capital in an impressive assault. The Chief, however, was nowhere to be found. Immediately the returning force besieged their own castle, trapping the Windbeach army within. A subsequent sally cost both sides half their force. The Windbeach military retreated into the forests to lick their wounds, supported by the forces of the Aedrian Brotherhood.

The war played out with a multitude of further battles, with the Windbeach army attacking from the forests and the forces of House Baldug repelling them, having equal knowledge of the forests as the Aedrian Brotherhood. The final battle of Hurica was a hard-fought one, both sides fought under a hail of arrows, charging through the forests and battling in a disorganized melee in lines a man thick. Finally, the Baldugtagee center broke due to a surprise charge by an Aedrian Brotherhood cavalry troop, and the Windbeach army pushed through and enveloped the forces of house Baldug, nigh-annihilating them despite heavy loss on their own side.

The subsequent peace granted the Windbeach Republic the Horn of Galimbor in perpetuity, much to the delight of the Aedrian Brotherhood, who celebrated in the streets and held their new countrymen in long embrace, holding them for long into the evening. The dead were mourned solemnly, with the High Elder himself coming out to bless them for serving alongside their countrymen in a war that would free hundreds. One woman, having been separated from her father due to the original borders, met with him again in tears, and she came before the High Elder, who barely managed to hold himself from crying. The man had been slain in the fighting, and the woman came before Horntower cradling his body. Horntower would later employ this woman as a personal servant, ensuring that she was able to live like a noble for the rest of her life, it was the least he could do for one who'd lost so much in the name of a cause so noble.[/quote]