So our path is laid

"Cross us if you dare..."

Paths and Errands

The Jotun have conquered Bregasland. They hold the marshes and fens, and they have made the people who remain their thralls. A number of Bregas have fled east to Mitwold, but many more have stayed behind. They will not abandon their land, not to the orcs of the west. While some bow their heads to the Jotun yoke, there is no Mathilda Fisher here and no question of collaboration with the invaders. Others actively resist them, taking inspiration from the Strong Reeds and the Graywaters. Even those who seem to have surrendered remain as uncooperative as they can be without bringing the wrath of the Jotun on their heads.

During the Summer Solstice, Imperial heroes used the Sentinel Gate in a risky attack against forces attempting to maintain the mighty enchanted fortification anchored to Graven Rock. Had those heroes not been victorious - defeating the powerful guardian from the court of the King under the Mountain that would have anchored the magical citadel for another year - the Jotun hold over Bregasland would have been further secured. As it is, the Burhfæst was dismissed and the Ice Fishers' bastion in Graven March has returned to the Summer Realm from whence it came. If they wish to carve out a fortress for themselves, they will now have to do it the old fashioned way. Which sources in Graven suggest they might very well be preparing to do.

Strong Reeds. Those Jotun hounds sniff at our heels and dig at our hiding places. But as they close in we will not bend, we will not break and we will not flee, for our loyalty is not so easily shaken. We Lay Low for one more season, to allow our friends to Resupply and build their strength. And then how we will rise up. The Jotun Queen calls for my head and I say let her come herself! I stand with you. I stand with Bregasland and if those Jotun dogs wish to find us... Make them work for it. Bregasland Stands!

Amberlain P. Black, General of the Strong Reeds

Under the gaze of the king we once more guard the dour fens, the lands of our ancestors. While the Queen of the North seeks out the thorn in our heel, we will bind these lands with steel and stone, a girdle of strength to make Ulven herself proud of her children.

Gjeirfund Haggarsdóttir, General of the Fist of Ulven

We stand ready to let our hammers sing, to ring out a toll on Marcher steel. If they do not come, we will mark the boundaries, and do whatever is needful to make these grim marshes ours.

Derun Stonetower, General of the Tower of the North

The Strong Reeds hide among the bulrushes, gathering their strength. Do not underestimate the threat they pose, nor the power of their oaths. Like the hawk they bide their time, and when they strike it will be with the full force of the wind. Yet no-one can hide forever. The cunning eyes of Raðljóst will reveal them to us, and we shall bring them at last to battle amid the dripping fens. So says the Queen, and none shall gainsay her.

Iduna Yrsasdóttir, General of the Lion of the North

Hew and cry, hew and cry! Marchers of Bregasland I call to you now. Our Strong Reeds lie low to protect our land, but our enemies have learned of ways to find them. We the Marcher Assembly urge the Virtuous Marchers of Bregasland to help our heroes hide. Offer them your barns. Set fires. Dam rivers. Intrigue and distract. Anything to thwart our invaders. Look out for your neighbours. Look after yourselves, and show the Jotun that Marchers one and all, will not let our land be taken!

Johnathan Piper “The Cockscroft Lad”, Statement of Principle, Marcher Assembly, Upheld with a Greater Majority (206-0), Summer Solstice 387YE

The majority of the Jotun, though, seem more concerned with rooting out the Strong Reeds and their sympathisers than actively oppressing the Bregas. The Marcher army is wily, and avoids obvious traps with ease. Yet for all their fixation on honour, glory, heroism, and a good death the Jotun are not fools. The ‘‘Lion of the North’’ - Queen Jansdóttir’s personal army - is on a quest to drive the Reeds from their holdfasts and hiding places and force them to engage in open battle. The Queen herself is not present in Bregasland; her eldest child Idun Yrsasdóttir serves as general this season for some reason. On the orders of her mother, she has called to her banner seasoned hunters from Tromsa and veteran Raðljóst from Skallahn. As the season wears on their expertise proves invaluable, and the Strong Reeds are again and again forced to abandon their positions and fall back deeper into the marshes.

Pride of the Marches

While the Lion of the North focuses on finding the Marcher army, two other generals keep control of the Dour Fens. The stoic Tower of the North, under the banners of the granite-faced Derun Stonetower, work alongside the Fist of Ulven to strengthen the borders here. It is Gjeirfund Haggarsdóttir who leads the Fist, rather than King Gudmundr Arasonn, Jarl-of-Jarls, ruler over the southern territories of the Jotun. It is just as rare for King Gudmundr not to be at the forefront of his army as it is for Queen Yrsa not to lead her own. What could have drawn the attention of the Jarls-of-Jarls elsewhere?

One of the challenges facing Gjeirfund Haggarsdóttir comes from an unexpected source; keeping the yegarra champion Stephen of Sarcombe on a short leash. The traitor of the Mourn has always been angry, but it seems that since the death of Jarl Haakon and the loss of the ‘Wold his temper has worsened. His dressing down by King Gudmundr cannot help but rankle, and accordingly his cruelty towards the Marchers has become more and more acute. Whispers are beginning to do the rounds that other Jotun champions will not fight alongside him, or with the yegarra under his banner, for fear that they will bring dishonour on themselves. For his part, Stephen takes a vicious pleasure in striking against anyone shown to be part of the network of resistance fighters that spans the fens; he seems to be staying just on one side of the line but it is surely only a matter of time before he crosses it.

There are other champions in Bregasland, other warbands. The Ice Fishers of Ldansk have been here for the last year, and they show no signs of departing. They are joined by Helma Skutasdóttir and her raven-banner, turning her clever gaze on the matter of the Strong Reeds while her warband explores the marshes seeking to root out its secrets. Eisa Winterborn and her walrus banner are here also, as are the howling bears under the standard of Yanya Uranduln but their eyes lie to the east. They launch several raids across the border into Mitwold, into Oddmire and southern Meade March. While they never approach the city of Meade itself, they keep the Valiant Pegasus, the Autumn Hammers, the Drakes, the Bloodcloaks and the garrison of Forte Fidelis busy. Indeed, were it not for the presence of the armies, it's not impossible that the two warbands together might have seriously threatened the people of Odd's End. It stands as a sobering reminder just how close the Jotun are to the heart of the Marches.

Flip of a Coin

Back in Bregasland, the Strong Reeds may be on the back foot, but they continue to foment resistance and gather support. Some twenty Imperial captains have brought their warbands west to support the Marcher army, to do what it takes to try and keep them hidden. Most are Marchers but there are a significant number of soldiers from the League alongside them. Several of the latter are from Holberg, and are no strangers to fighting in marshes. Together they ambush Jotun patrols, move supplies, rescue Marchers who might otherwise fall into the hands of Stephen of Sarcombe, and lay the groundwork for the eventual uprising against the Jotun. The unconditional support of the Marcher assembly has gone some way to ensuring that the people of Bregasland, whatever they may think about the Empire as a whole, are eager to support their army regardless of the risks.

Yet there’s only so much that can be done. The Lion of the North have experience dealing with Imperial spies and scouts - they tore apart the old spy network in Hordalant for example - and the veterans they have brought in to spearhead their campaign are near a match for even the most quick witted of the Strong Reeds captains. It comes clear only a little too late that part of the reason for the raid into Mitwold is to identify the smuggling routes used to keep the Strong Reeds supplied. In the end, though, it is partly simple bad luck, a roll of the dice, that sees things start to become unstuck. A conversation overheard, an over-zealous would-be champion hoping to impress Eisa Winterborn, an early Autumn raid against a tavern along the shores of the Westmere, and three Ottery smugglers fall into the hands of the Jotun. They keep their mouths closed as long as they can but in the end, faced with watching their sibling and father die, one of them talks. That is all it takes to start the dominos falling.

After that initial raid, the Lion of the North have the first thread they need to pick at to start unravelling the resistance, and they attack it with gusto. While the ravens of Helma Skutasdóttir seek out the safe houses in the west, Eisa and her yegarra begin to systematically arrest and question travellers across the east. The Strong Reeds are spread out across the territory. The bravest Bregas among them as often as not hide in plain sight, but many more must hide in a more conventional way. In part it is the close, fierce ties of family that prove to be the undoing of the Bregas - when family and friends are threatened it is only those with a heart of stone who can keep their silence, keep their nerve. The hidden pattern begins to be exposed; supply drops identified and raided, holdfasts attacked, sympathisers isolated or carefully watched, messengers intercepted.

The situation is grim, but all is not lost. The Jotun have not "found" the Strong Reeds as such. They cannot force an army that has disappeared into the reeds and marshes to fight them. But they can make it increasingly untenable to remain hidden, to continue to fight piecemeal against the invaders, by cutting away all the ways that the people of the Marches can support them. Yet there's many a slip between cup and lip, as the old proverb goes. The Jotun would be wise not to celebrate their "victory" prematurely. The Marchers have a long history of surprising their enemies, after all.

Bregasland is currently under occupation by the Jotun.

Game Information

• The Strong Reeds are vulnerable to the Jotun
• Escaping the territory will be costly; remaining may also prove costly

The Jotun remain in control of Bregasland. The magical fortification anchored to Graven Rock has not been renewed, although there are signs the Ice Fishers of Ldansk may be preparing to build a more mundane fortification in "the only bit of dry land in Bregasland". The presence of four armies supporting the fortification in Mitwold has meant that raids by Jotun champions have been unsuccessful in causing any significant damage or seizing any wealth from the territory.

The Lion of the North, thanks to the scouting expertise of those champions who have come from Skallahn and Tromsa, have exposed vulnerabilities in the Strong Reeds. At the moment, they are still mostly hidden, but the Jotun have begun to exploit their weaknesses, and the situation could become dire - the orders the General issues after the Autumn Equinox will be crucial.

If the General orders the army to leave the territory, then they will struggle to do so without alerting the Jotun as to what is happening. The western barbarians will not be able to prevent them leaving, but in the process the Strong Reeds will suffer 1,000 casualties at the hands of the Jotun, provided at least one barbarian army is still in the territory. This represents not only pitched fighting along the eastern regions of Bregasland, but also the risk of small groups being lost or trapped in the territory, unable to get out. These casualties cannot be mitigated by Rivers of Life, nor by army orders. However, Night magic such as the Host of Shadows (a non-Imperial ritual) may prove effective in helping the army avoid these casualties. If a ritual of that nature is cast on the army, it will suffer only 500 casualties as it leaves Bregasland.

Should the General issue an attacking order, then the usual rules for the military campaign apply.

Finally. The General could choose to order the Strong Reeds to continue to Lay Low in Bregasland. This would follow the rules for that order with one exception. Rather than suffering no casualties, as long as any Jotun armies remain in the territory, the army will suffer 500 casualties each downtime. Again, magical effects such as Rivers of Life won't change this - many of the casualties are captured rather than killed in battle for example. But again, there may be ways to ameliorate these losses. Likewise, without additional effort, no more seasons of Lay Low will count for the Rise Up order (unless the heroes of Anvil intervene one way or another).

This situation will persist until something significant changes in Bregasland, and as long as the Jotun remain in control of the territory.

Participation

• Characters whose military unit supported the Strong Reeds may partake of a form of spiritual inspiration
• Accessing this inspiration requires an anointing of either Loyalty or Pride
• The inspiration is stronger for Marcher characters but people from other nations still receive a benefit

Military units who supported the Strong Reeds as they upheld their oath toward the people of the Dour Fens may receive a special benefit. The Empire has taken steps on several battles to bolster the Pride and Loyalty of the Marcher armies, and the Bregas people. The inspiration these acts provide should not be underestimated.

Any Marcher character whose military unit supported the Strong Reeds this season may experience that inspiration if it suits their characterisation. If they receive an anointing of Loyalty or Pride, from a fellow Marcher, they receive a bonus hero point during the Autumn Equinox. This bonus increases their maximum number of hero points for the duration of the summit.

Any character who is not a Marcher may also receive a benefit, provided it is a Marcher priest who leads the ceremony, but it is less intense. Instead of an increase to their maximum hero points for the summit, they receive a single temporary hero point which is lost once it is used - provided they have an appropriate anointing.

In the event that a character loses or changes their anointing of Pride or Loyalty, the bonus hero point is lost and can't be regained again.

Battle Opportunity : How Will They Rise Up?

The Strong Reeds are in a perilous situation. Through the actions of the Lion of the North, the Queen of Kalsea's personal army, and with assistance from skilled trackers, elite Ulfur kirkja, and fadir-guided shaman, the army of Bregasland is increasingly vulnerable to the Jotun. The orcs know that they are not a single fighting force, but a dedicated force of partisans and guerrilla fighters spread though the territory that will be able to sow havoc among the barbarian warbands. The current methods employed by the Strong Reeds are diametrically opposed to how the Jotun practice warcraft and view combat as a clash of champions. It cuts at the very heart of the western barbarian's culture, and their annoyance is easy to see.

Aware that a sizeable Imperial force is operating beneath their very noses, the Jotun have laid plans to locate and eliminate the Marchers hiding in their midst. The elite scouts of the Lions of the North have been going house to house, searching for any sign of the partisans. Every conceivable hiding place is being ransacked, every barn and store searched to deny the enemy any possible hiding place. Finally the search has paid off.

There is a muster at Leakey Moss in the Grey Fens during the equinox. A force of Jotun warriors, meeting with several notable jarls and packs of elite kirkja Ulfur hunters, all preparing to strike against the Strong Reeds soon. From the intelligence gathered by the Lions' scouts, the general has distributed three sets of orders sending forces to strike against disparate pockets of the Marcher army. While some will get away, death will surely follow and as many as six hundred soldiers will be die without further action.

The orders also put the barbarians across the territory on high alert for any potential strike, halving the benefits should the army rise from the reeds this season and go on the offensive.

The Sentinel Gate can be used to undertake an opportunity to strike against the Jotun forces mustering at Leaky Moss on either day of the equinox. Just taking the battle will help to keep the element of surprise, but if the Empire can be victorious they can wipe out the Jotun's gains this season.

Objective: Recover the scouting orders

• Three Jotun leaders have orders directing them to suspected hideouts of the Strong Reeds
• With access to the orders Marcher soldiers can evade the Jotun this season
• Taking the battle means that the benefits of Rise from the Reeds are cut by 30% not 50%
• Each set of orders recovered will ensure 150 soldiers escape the Jotun
• Each set of orders that are captured will cut the penalty by a further 10%, down to zero if all three are regained

Key to the Jotun's counter actions against the Strong Reeds are the three sets of orders issued by Idun Yrsasdóttir - daughter of the Queen of Kalsea. These are not army orders for the coming season, they are tactical directives to tackle specific targets in the coming weeks. They will guide the Jotun to key hideouts of the Reeds. Capturing the orders is essential to safeguard vital hideouts and allow the forces to remain hidden and preserve the element of surprise if they rise from the reeds in the coming season.

As things stand currently the army stands to lose 500 soldiers and see the benefits of taking rise from the reeds halved. Simply taking the battle will preserve some of that advantage - the penalty will be reduced to 30%. Each set of orders captured and passed to the Herald of the Military Council will reduce the penalty by a further 10% and will also save the lives of a hundred and fifty soldiers this season as it enables them to evade the advancing Jotun and slip away to new hiding places.

If all three orders can be recovered, then the Jotun will be hamstrung in their efforts to keep watch for the Strong Reeds, enabling the army to spring from their hideaways and rise from the reeds to full effect this season.

The leaders carrying the orders are:

• Ghodi Melker - a shaman of Raðljóst well practiced in the casting of the runes of prescience
• Seeker Alma - a skilled tracker from the plains of Reinos who leads a band of fleet-footed raiders
• Eisa Winterborn - a prominent yegarra warband leader from Skallahn and her personal oathsworn retinue

Alternative objective: Stand at the stones

• The Jotun are moving to cut off routes out of Bregasland
• Imperial forces would need to defend the stones for 75 minutes until the Jotun withdraw
• Holding at the stones will prevent any casualties to the Strong Reeds if they quit Bregasland

According to legends, there have been three standing stones at Leakey Moss since the first yeofolk marched here from Dawn. One local fable claims that the stones will rise up to defend the area from invasion, while another story says the stones will sink into the mire should Bregasland ever truly fall. Neither outcome has happened yet, but the three stones are still an important landmark in the centre of the otherwise unremarkable Grey Fens.

With the massing of Jotun forces in the area, the field surrounding the stones offers a chance to bring the Jotun to battle and stand fast against all that they can throw against the Empire. A prolonged conflict during the equinox, lasting a full 75 minutes, would draw in sufficient barbarian warriors and force jarls to commit their warbands to overcoming those who stand against them. This would disrupt existing plans for rooting out the Strong Reeds and interdicting the army's escape from the territory. By bringing the Jotun to battle in a protracted engagement, the Empire could force the barbarian's hands and disrupt their plans in the region. A lengthy battle here would create a distraction and give the 'Reeds the cover they need to slip away past Jotun patrols and blockades. If successful, this would allow the army to slip out of Bregasland without notable losses of life.

Battlefield opportunity: Defeat Eisa Winterborn

• Eisa's Shields have come to root out the Strong Reeds in the area
• There is a chance to confront Eisa and kill her oathsworn warriors in battle
• If killed, Eisa's warband will withdraw for four seasons

Eisa Winterborn has engaged the Empire at pivotal moments over the last four years: during the campaign in Sermersuaq, during the Fisher uprising, and in raids against the League and Freeborn alongside Stephen of Sarcombe. She has now brought her great warband of northern yegarra to Bregasland at the request of the Jotun queen. Whereas the other jarls and heroes among the western barbarians are adept hunters, trackers, and scouts, Eisa leads solid and stoic warriors, capable of grinding advances that will crush any resistance offered by the scattered soldiers of the Strong Reeds. The engagement at Leakey Moss offers an opportunity to defeat Eisa Winterborn and end her story as a human champion of Kalsea. If killed, her death will be a significant event that would see the warband formerly under her command withdraw from active campaigning for four seasons. The yegarra that fought under her walrus banner would return to their homeland and await a new champion to step forward and lead them into battle once more.

Battlefield threat: Ulfur packs

• Several bands of Ulfur warriors stalk the area
• They are hunting the Strong Reeds but will execute any Imperials they defeat

The followers of Ulfur - the faðir known as the patient hunter - are the least encountered group of kirkja warriors on the Empire's battlefields. They are commonly deployed as scouts and hunters. They are gathering here to hunt the Strong Reeds and have orders to kill any Imperial soldiers they defeat. Most Jotun won't execute a downed foe; they fight for the thrill of battle, not butchery, but the Ulfur have no such scruples.

Further Reading

• Bregasland

• Shovels and spades - Summer 387YE Wind of War about the fighting in Bregasland
• If one be gone we carry on - Spring 387YE Wind of War about the fighting in Bregasland
• Over western hills - Winter 386YE Wind of fortune about fighting in the western Marches