Timeline
June 1108
At the Moot held in Loch Arbour in Caledonia, the hosts make themselves unpopular with the Harts by barging through house tents looking for Vipers to murder. A tense stand-off outside the House Mortimer tent is resolved without bloodshed. Lady Corona Corvinae leads an embassy to all camps looking to forge an alliance against the Akari. Like the Fayre, great winds force the Harts to break camp early, so very few are on the field to aid the Bears in the defeat of a great Goblinoid horde.
The Vipers host a moot in Trieste, for the Harts, Lions, Wolves and Unicorns. The faction send a group to Silverlake, where they unearth a silvered coffin containing ancient remains, which once opened affects all close to it with a magical sleep. The contents are taken away to resolve the problems of the Fae at Silverlake. A magical hourglass is delivered to Elizabeth Falcon, and later unliving from 'The Mistress' attempt to retrieve it. A rite is written for the people to perform, and by order of the Lord Regent is to be performed weekly across Albion. The Harts are visited by Honour, one of the Nishak demons, who states that their armies are cutting across country to attack the Akari. A rite is carried out dedicating eight ladies of Albion protect the spirit of Excalibur, completing the return of the Kings sword to the land.
In the defence of their Allies, the Harts take the field against a demonic foe. The Lord Regent scares his bodyguard by charging through the enemies lines with nothing but a pair of daggers. He is retrieved alive and well, and the battle s won.
A group of Harts investigate the destruction of shrines to the Trinity in Cornwall. With the help of the local beastkin tribe, the perpetrators are found to be a cult of Taranis protected by a unit of knights and summoning elementals through into the realm. Although the enemies of Albion were vanquished it was at sore cost, including the Lord Provost Cal Poll.
May 1108
The attackers of the circle at York are confirmed as the Akari, a faction from the continent of Telluria. They are also confirmed as invaders of amongst others Rimini, Moscow and Obsidia. A mission is led by the scouts guild to Obsidia, but is thrown back with heavy losses, including the Harts supporting the mission, although their colours are returned to the faction.
Earl Corman Falcon is captured attempting to defend the Archers Guild leaders who were in Harts colours, and taken to York. A spirit identifying herself as Orias took a mixed group of Harts from the Fayre to Albion, from where they returned with a renewed Excalibur, and a task to renew the spiritual guardianship of the sword.
June 1107
A new cathedral to The Trinity is dedicated in Milford to commemorate those murdered by The Conclave there a year previously. Three knightly orders
are formed - The Order of the Pendragon, The Order of the Stag and The Order of the Crow - and around a dozen Harts pledge their lives in the service of the ancestors. Robert Mortimer of House Mortimer, Yuxuonomieii of House Bathroy and Solarian ap Galahad of the Spears of Lugh are named as the heads of the three orders and ritually inducted as paladins of their respective faiths.
Excalibur starts to react violently as if some external force is attempting to corrupt it. Despite the efforts of The Pendragon's followers it causes great harm to any who touch it and finally explodes; wreaking carnage amongst the assembled worshippers. The faction's incantors and ritualists insist that all is not lost, however their plan remains unclear.
A moot for the Harts, Bears, Tarantulas, Unicorns and Vipers is hosted on Albion soil. Violence between the Tarantulas and Unicorns threatens to mar the event however the Harts are at the forefront of attempts to find a peaceful resolution (which the office of the High Sheriff struggles to maintain a fragile order). Nine factions meet for peace talks in the Shrine of the Pendragon but the Unicorns refuse to attend. Despite good progress between the other factions - and a cessation of hostilities between the Harts and Lions as a sign of good faith - violence between Tarantulas and Unicorns breaks out again and, despite a wall of Harts (including the Lord Regent and Lord Provost) across the gate of the Unicorn encampment, looks likely to result in the near total destruction of the Unicorns. In a final heroic act one of the Mauritanian Royal Family accepts trial by combat under Albion law and a dozen of his finest warriors face an equal number of the Tarantulas. The Unicorns are slaughtered to a man but afterwards the Tarantuals withdraw and the surivors are escorted to safety by Harts troops.
Having resigned his post to accept military rank Jastor (formerly King Edward's champion) organises a contest find his successor. After several rounds of combat and an interuption to rescue stranded Unicorns Joseph Bhoona of the Storm Ravens is finally named as the new champion and takes his place on the Royal Council to represent the king's interests.
A moot for the Harts, Bears, Tarantulas, Unicorns and Vipers is hosted on Albion soil. Violence between the Tarantulas and Unicorns threatens to mar the event however the Harts are at the forefront of attempts to find a peaceful resolution. Nine factions meet for peace talks in the Shrine of the Pendragon.
Apparently from nowhere a dark tome - suspected to be The Book Of Dark Dreams - appears in the middle of the encampment and starts to inflict disturbing visions upon those around it. Some of those present believe that they can see writing within the tome and it is removed for study in York by Duke Gabriel Bathroy; guarded by Solarian ap Galahad - one of the few remaining Dream Guardians.
A vast army of demons marches northwards from the Bloodwood towards Milford, arriving on the final day of the second moot. Whist undoutedbly too powerful for the assembled Harts to halt on their own, strong warbands from the Bears, Vipers, Jackals and several guilds (most visibly the Scouts and Armourers) unite to drive the demonic forces backwards. Meanwhile the High Incantor leads rites to cleanse the land of the demons' influence. The battle ends with a devastating final charge by the demon's warleader and his vanguard into the centre of the Harts' ranks but the allied forces emerge victorious.
May 1107
A renewed force of Vulcan followers plus unliving and demons from the nearby Bloodwood are reported in Selby and the Armourers guildhouse is set on fire. Duke Charenten outlaws worship of Vulcan, isolates the area using the Winchester battalion and allows guild forces to enter the city. Enemy forces are however too strong and although the threat is contained it is not removed.
Lions ambassadors make formal approaches on the second day of the Great Erdrejan Fayre and offer unrestricted aid to Albion against the unliving taint on the land. Detailed negotiations continue and the two factions' High Ritualist eventually agree a plan of action for the faction moots. Diplomacy with other factions is positive with most nations seemingly prefering to take a neutral stance and see how alliances develop.
Stewards are appointed to caretake those duchies currently lacking a Duke or Duchess and William Hulce is confirmed by the Royal Council as Lord Regent of Albion. Over the next two days the various poltical players jockey for influence until on the final night of the Fayre all members of House Charenten present are suddenly executed by members of the Lord Provost's office and knights of the Order of the Stag. both the Royal Council and the wider faction accept the sanction however rumours continue that it was the result of an ongoing power struggle between Lord Hulce and Duke Charenten.
Harts teams performe well in the various games of the Fayre and win a substantial number of prizes from the various guilds. Whilst the faction's jugger team is knocked out in the second round of the competition Albion's enthusiastic supporters are very noticeable and the Guild of Commerce goes on to hire both a team from the Storm Ravens and the faction's cheerleaders.
View reports of the Great Edrejan Fayre 1107
April 1107
A force of Harts and allies ventured to Selby in an effort to deal with the growing problems in the nearby Bloodwood. A daemonic queen and her Haralgar daemons had themselves up within the wood and allied themselves with Vengeance, a member of the Court of Lies. The Harts learnt from the representatives from the Court of Truth that Vengeance intended to marry the Queen of the Haralgar, which would grant him unlimited control over her forces. Vengeance's plan was thwarted by a rite performed done to banish the Haralgar daemons from Albion.
Visions from The Trinity also warned of a second corruption tainting the Bloodwood. This was traced to a necromantic heart beating within one of the trees at the centre of the wood and the dark heart was subsequenly cut out and the surrounding forest cleansed.
March 1107
A significant force of Harts responds to a request for aid from the Armourer's Guild and travels to Teutonia to help them oppose the servants of Vulcan. In response Vulcan's agents flee the guildhouse at Selby and brief skirmishes with the Armourers ensue.
February 1107
With the aid of The Trinity, the liche Castel is ritually summoned to
Keswick and his link to the land is blocked. A combined force of Harts,
Wolves and Vipers (backed by a number of guild representatives) chases
down the liche and his vanguard and destroys them. The corruption upon
the land does not however abate with Castel's destruction.
A woman claiming to be The Mother appears and denounces not only Nethras
but the Hunter and Pendragon also. She is narrowly prevented from
murdering those Mother worshippers who follow her into the woods. She
and her followers then attack both the Harts, and the ancestral aspects
of the Trinity present.
After intelligence suggesting the the Lions are inadvertently
responsible for Castel's ascension and the corruption of the land, a
state of war is declared between the Harts and Lions. Diplomatic
meetings between the two factions are expected at the Great Erdrejan
Fayre. The Vipers and Wolves factions both bear witness to the
corruption they have seen and pledge support for the Harts until their
grievance is settled.
Representatives of the Court Of Truth ask for a statement of the Harts intent towards the daemonologist in the Bloodwood. They are given assurances of the Harts intentions but no alliance is offered and distrust of the Court remains. A daemonic assassin in the pay of the Court Of Lies also appear seeking to kill the Court Of Truth and any who harbour them. The assassin denies the sovereignty of the Pendragon Throne, claiming that his Queen rules the Bloodwood, and is dismissed with force.
October 1106
The Harts faction went to York to mourn the deaths of those who fought and died during the Cataclysm. The Harts were attacked by the forces of Aldeyork. The Faction slew Aldeyork and his demon minions and avenged the murder of Her Majesty Elspeth Pendragon.
Cadarn Corvidae, father of King Edward Pendragon, was summoned to Albion, setting foot on Albion soil for the first time since his exile. Cadarn entrusted the book of Ebon Bindings to Georgiana Hulce and recognised Michael O'Donovan as Regent of Albion.
During the weekend Michael O'Donovan - Lord Regent of Albion, was slain by the forces of the Liche Castel. The Liche escaped over the weekend and is still at large in Albion. During this fight several other Harts were killed as was a good friend to the Harts faction - Life Master Hope Sunstone.
Wiiliam Hulce, The Lord Chamberlain of Albion, declared himself Lord Regent of Albion after the death of Michael. This claim was not contested by any present and he led the faction in the victory over the Demonolgist Daedric and the Demon Telphar.
August 1106
After the Catalcym began, the Harts Faction stood en mass to fight against the four ancient forces of Entropy. Although many died on the battlefield, their sacrifice meant that two of the ancients were destroyed and the destruction of the Cataclysm was held in check.
The Harts stood with the Wolves, Bears and Tarantulas factions for Law and Peace on the battlefield to decide the final balance of power between the four cadres. Although they fought bravely, the forces of Feast overcame all and managed to direct the cataclysm towards the powers of Equality.
At the Gathering of Nations the Harts took Gateway Keep by force. This brought about an attack by the warband of the Dragons Faciton, but the assault was quickly repelled by the massed forces of the Harts.
View reports of The Gathering 1106
July 1106
In Cornwall a group of Harts led by Cal Poll, the Earl of Carlisle, entered the Mists and proved themselves to the Ancestors of Albion. The Trinity of Albion was chosen as Nethras, The Hunter and the Pendragon. These were bound to the land and the king by a ritual team led by Madeline Falcon, the Duchess of York.
During the trip to Cornwall the head of the VIII legion, Albertus Hroc, was declared an Outlaw under Albione law and put to death. Yollo ap Carwyn of Keswick was slaughtered by Hroc and his men, but the Lord Provost made sure that justice was swift.
|Manannan, Lord of Mists and the Sea, refused to accept the decision of the people of Albion and ripped the Mists from the Land of Albion. This has left a large amount of land unexplored and who knows what sorts of strange creatures and beasts could call this area their home.
View reports of Trinity
May 1106
At the Heartland Games in Roark, Sagramor unexpectedly announced his resignation as Lord Regent of Albion; naming Lord Provost Michael O'Donovan as his successor. Finn Dracha later stepped down as Lord Marshall and, after long deliberation, Rozenwyn Pervaine was eventually promoted in his sted.
The Harts and Wolves factions began to talk of reaffirming old alliances between the two. As other factions began fighting to impose their will upon the impending cataclysm, both Harts and Wolves swore themseves to Law and the Cadre of Peace. Soon afterwas the Vipers and Tarantualas factions did likewise; renouncing Satuun to join with the factions of Law.
With Mordred nowhere to be seen the Harts instead turned their attention to his servants; the embodiments of Magic and Illussion. To the surprise of the rest of the Heartlands both embodiments were successfully dismissed by Harts' agents and Satuun and Mordred both fled the Heartlands; now hunted by those factions sworn to the banner of Law.
Igraine made an offer to the Harts that she would step aside from a position in the Trinity of Albion if they bound the Sword Of Ages with Excalibur; symbolising a permanent union of Albion and Cornwall. At the end of the Heartland Games Michael O'Donovan and retinue quested to Chapel Perilous with both the swords to forge Excalibur anew.
Escorting caravans to the new Armourers Guildhouse in Keswick, Harts troops come under attack from the followers of The Green Man. They learn of a ritual in Tuetonia to try to strip power from The Horned Rat and use it to bolster The Green Man; potentially giving him enough power to level Keswick and Gloucester as he had planned. Whilst the Lord Provost heads to speak with the Vipers faction, Baron Charles Derleth leads Harts forces to Teutonia in an attempt to prevent the ritual.
In Tuetonia the Harts meet with Vipers troops and parlay; the Vipers finding themselves caught between the supporting The Horned Rat who corrupts their lands, or The Green Man who will destroy their civilisation. The matter is decided when The Green Man takes control of the skathen high council and turns it upon any who will not obey him. Harts and Vipers together defend the loyalist council members before gathering the items needed by The Green Man and performing the ritual themselves to block his accension. Deputy High Incantor Cuthbert Dalrymple gives his life fighting against The Green Man's followers to get the ritual group back to safety.
The Harts and Vipers also discover the Conclave's intention to use The Green Man's power to transform the skathen back into vermillion elves (and soliders for the Conclave). Together they destroy a Conclave laboratory and launch an attack upon a member of the Conclave's leadership. During the battle that follows Captain Robyn Fitzwilliam holds a rearguard against overwhelming Conclave forces, and she and two of her companions give their lives defending the back of the column. At the column's head the Vipers make similar sacrifices and around a dozen soliders of Albion and Tuetonia give their lives, however it is unclear whether the Conclave leader was amongst the slain.
View reports of When Two Worlds Collide
April 1106
At the request of Governess Rozewyn Pervaine, many Harts travelled to Cornwall to speak about unity between Albion and Cornwall. Rozewyn insisted that the Harts participate in games in friendship before the negotiations would start.
At the end of arduous negotiations, it was agreed that Morgaine, the daughter of Leri Penhaligan, would be betrothed to Edward Pendragon - uniting the bloodlines of Albion and Cornwall forever. Rozewyn was stripped of her military rank but placed on the Royal Council as the protector of Morgaine until she came of age.
During this time the Ancestors of Albion arrived to inform their followers that they should meet before the Cataclysm in the Mists of Albion to look within their hearts and choose three ancestors that would become the Trinity of Albion - three ancestors before any others.
October 1105
In an expedition to Trell, the Harts recover the fabled "Banner of Kings" and bind it to the young King Edward. To do so means confronting hte unliving pattern the legendary knight - Sir Galahad. The brave knight to whom King Arthur I had gifted the Banner of Kings had become corrupt and is eventually slain and his pattern laid to rest. Sir Galahad is rumoured to be the father of the Lord Regent; Sagramor.
A marriage between Thomas Farenden and Alisha Karlennon is attacked by unliving. Thomas Farenden is slain and a strange demon-like creature is thought to have kidnapped Aisha Karlennon. He was seen appearing in the Londinium circle with her before they made their escape.
View reports of Lure Of The Past
August 1105
Ambassadors from the Empire ask all free factions to participate in a ritual to help restore their humanity.
Despite their distrust of the Empire the Harts agree to participate and send Duke Cawd Henrikson
as their representatives. All factions participate, however only about half provide a representative with any real authority to speak for them.
July 1105
Led by Earl Tylendal, the Harts manages to defeat the Covenant in the Greenwood. Every demonologist is slain and the corrupted water source that was poisoning the wood is cleansed. This success comes at a cost however and Osric Karlennon (Albion's deputy high mage) sacrifices his life cleansing the water supply. His death comes only a day after Marcus Brickstock (of Osric's order) also gives his life in an attempt to save a village from a similar corruption. When the last demonologist is slain a large demon appears from inside her and takes control of those of its brethren still on the field. These demons of disease are fought by the Harts for a while but in the end head southwest deeper into the wood.
During the course of the mission several members of the expedition (including Earl Tylendal himself) are summoned to Chapel Perilous by The Hunter. Here they prove themselves and are rewarded with the Hunter's Cup (a powerful artefact of healing) for their efforts, however Morgania, Tylendal's adopted father, stakes - and finally sacrifices - his life to redeem the faction for its failure to recognise The Hunter's fourth aspect.
It becomes obvious that the ancestors of Albion are choosing champions to represent them in a coming struggle. Silk - embodiying the Pattern of Good - agrees that there was a good chance that they were choosing side for the imminent cataclysm. The Hunter speaks to those in Chapel Perilous saying that only three ancestors will be able to survive the cataclysm as patron ancestors of Albion.
The Ritual Circle at Elf's Rest is buried in earth as the ground around it rises up. The demons guarding the circle are destroyed but the military force sent to take the circle was also badly hit. Two hundred members of the First Tooth & Claw and a hundred members of the already weakened Gloucester Batallion are killed as well as three hundred members of the Norhault Battalion (including fifty members of the Company of the Black Boar).
The town of Castleford is found burnt to ground with the walls crushed by a massive force. About a thosand people are killed in the city itself and a similar number in the outlying villages and towns. Baron Hulce attributes the attack to the followers of The Green Man and claims that both the Elf's Rest incident and the attack on Castleford represent direct intercession by the ancestor.
June 1105
King Edward Pendragon is presented to his faction for the first time, having been fostered to the Bears of Caledonia for safe-keeping after the murder of his mother. Sagramore ap Albion is recognised as Lord Regent of Albion until the king reaches his majority. A contest is held for the faction's warriors to attempt to earn the post of King's Champion ... an honour that is won by Aisla of House Charenten.
Earl Tylendal of The Hunters is charged by the Royal Council with responsibility for leading a mission into the Greenwood and dealing with the threat of The Covenant Of The Demon Reborn once and for all.
The "Dragon's Eye" - a powerful anti-magic crystal that had been used to contain dangerous magical prisoners in Winchester - is found to be damaged after Imperial insurgents disrupted its re-enchantment earlier in the year. The faction's mages and scholars re-empower it, whilst the rest of the faction (heavily aided by the Jackals and Bears) struggles to protect them for sorcerous creatures attracted to the pulses of raw magic.
The immortal pattern of Spirit tells the Harts that a new cataclysm is inevitable and that they must choose a side (law, chaos, good or evil) in the elemental struggle that will proceed it. He claims that the balance of mankind's choices will influence the nature of the world that emerges from the disaster.
May 1105
At the Heartland Games in Roark members of the Harts attack a suspected Imperial spy. He is felled but released into the custody of the guilds who release him back to the Emperor. High Ambassador Michael O'Donovan, is summoned to talks with Quintus, the Ambassador of the Empire and Haagan of the Dragons. Fearing violence and unknown to their ambassadors, the generals of the respective factions lead troops down to the talks.
Lord Marshall Finn Dracha calls Maclann to show that he has some pride in his country and Maclann leads a charge against the Imperial troops. Many members of the Emperor's own guard are taken and Cassius and Quintus flee through a transport circle.
Fearing reprisals the Dragons faction surrenders to the Empire almost immediately and cede control of Gateway Keep - the major barrier that prevents imperial forces crossing into Albion from Cymrija. The Emperor gives orders that three hundred prisoners or war are crucified around Cornwall, and there are threats that ten legions will enter Albion within the month.
With the removal of Imperial troops from Cymrija the Harts original objectives in the war are nearly complete. After much hard work by various Harts a peace treaty is agreed with the Empire and talks start to remove troops from Cornwall.
April 1105
High Ambassador Prudence deGales-Falcon, Baroness Durham is murdered by an Imperial assassin whilst under the hospitality of the Dragons Faction.
Lord Alexander Hulce, Duke Gloucester leads a mixed group of soliders and scholars into Empire-occupied Cornwall to successfully recover the Pendragon Throne itself and make a bid to win back the hearts and minds of the cornish people. Crown Prince Edward is kidnapped by Imperial Lion Knights and, although they are prevented from escaping, the abduction provides opportunity for the Eighth Legion to mount an attack on the royal household. This attack ends with the death of Her Majesty Elspeth Pendragon, Jac the Lord Provost and a number of other long-serving and distinguished Harts.
View reports of Queen & Country
February 1105
Almost a hundred members of the faction meet to make and reaffirm oaths in the presence of the ancestors and witnesses from other factions. Lord Tylendal, Earl Chester vows that the servants of The Hunter will cleanse the Greenwood of corruption within a year and a day or perish in the attempt. Lord Regent Valris Ordos of Teutonia swears before the ancestors of Albion to visit horrific punishments upon those factions who would seek to invade Italija. Important diplomatic advances are made between the Harts, Dragons, Vipers, Wolves, Bears and Tarantulas factions.
October 1104
The "Green Man" abducts a number of Harts and tires to coerce them into murdering one another. Most present deny him and are sorely wounded but Percival deGales attempts to make a pact with the enraged ancestor in order to save his companions.
A number of ladies compete against Imperial troops in an effort to carry favour with The Mother. They are victorious and elect Genevieve Astolat to take the mantle of Shield Maiden Of The Mother.
The Eagle Knight who commands the goblins of Dunwich is slain but the Harts retreat collapses under assault from the remaining goblins and black orc "Ghosts" of the XIII Legion. A number of Albiones die and many more are forced to scatter into the wilds, going missing for several weeks afterwards.
View reports of Ghosts of Old
July 1104
Under the command of Phoenix Karlennon an expeditionary force travels to Whitton in an effort to prevent a breach of the wall between waking and dreaming worlds. Traversing a host of dream realms and struggling with confused images of their people's past they finally confront the old dream guardian, but not in time to prevent Phoenix's decline into madness. As the divide collapses the Harts make a desperate stand in defence of a ritual to pass the mantle of dream guardian to Phoenix's oldest friend Goran Heartcleaver. Goran takes up the burden and slays both his friend and the corrupted guardian, but he too is lost to Albion as he is drawn inexorably back into the dreaming.
View reports of Dream A Little Dream
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