The Scanran War was waged between Tortall and Scanra. It unofficially began in the late 450s HE with small skirmishes and raids at the borderlines[1]. It was at this time when the Scanrans first began to use killing devices[2], which were metal monsters. War was officially declared in 460 HE when Maggur Rathhausak, the new King of Scanra, allied many of the Scanran clans by use of hostages. Jonathan IV of Conté, the King of Tortall, was forced to respond to increasing violence and hostility at the border with war. The killing devices were employed throughout 460 HE, until Keladry of Mindelan killed Blayce the Gallan in mid-June of 460[3].
Even after Blayce's death the war continued for the next two years in various smaller fights—the hill country wasn't the best terrain for real battles—and didn't end until spring of 463 HE[4].
Countries Involved
Scanra
Scanra was the instigator of the war. The forces were led by Maggur Rathhausak, the warlord who studied battle strategy in universities and with actual armies. He shaped up the Scanran raiders so they actually acted like warriors.
Weapons Used
The Scanrans' main mass-killing weapons were killing devices. They were metal monsters made by Blayce the Gallan from the souls of dead children. They were made of steel and bone, and they were strong. Their arms were knives and other weapons.
Strongholds
The Scanrans most likely had many strongholds and forts to house soldiers and artillery. There is only one of them that was known to the Tortallans.
- Fief Rathhausak—the old ancestral home of King Maggur, and the main stronghold for Blayce the Gallan, who made all of the killing devices there.
- Hemrkeng, the capital of Scanra and the main stronghold and base for Maggur Rathhausak
Tortall
The head of the Northern armies was Vanget haMinch, the famed General from the warrior noble clan, the Minchis.
Weapons Used
The Tortallans did not have the advantage when it came to weaponry. As Maggur used killing devices, all they had were simple weapons and soldiers. They did manage to hold their own, at least by not losing the war, while the killing devices were still in use before the death of Blayce the Gallan.
Strongholds
(and others)
- Frasrlund—fortified town on the Vassa River[6].
Commanding officers
- Vanget haMinch, the General of the Northern Armies
- Wyldon of Cavall, commander of a district
- Raoul of Goldenlake, commander of the King's Own
- Keladry of Mindelan, commander of Haven, the refugee camp
(and more)
Notes and references
- ↑ Squire, later chapters
- ↑ Squire, Ch. 17
- ↑ Lady Knight, Ch. 18 (Laurel-Leaf Books)
- ↑ Trickster's Queen, Ch. 6 "Spies" (pg. 130). The news is brought to Aly by Tkaa the basilisk.
- ↑ Named for Raoul of Goldenlake while he was in Corus
- ↑ Trickster's Queen, Alanna the Lioness was stationed in Frasrlund for the latter part of the war