The Talon War
The many battles with the desert Talons during the reign of Johan was the first and only large scale war the Herla had ever had to face. Suffering from overpopulation and a scarcity of food, the Talon Council of the Seven Allied Tribes decided that the time was right to cross the Verdant Ravine and claim the lush territory of the Hartlands. The Seven Tribes amassed an immense fighting force led by the chieftains of the three most powerful tribes; Kynre, Faramhin, and Warlord Blythe.
The war would have shortly ended in the Talons’ favor if the Guardian Odelia had not warned King Johan of the impending attack. With the help of his wife Iggepa and his close friend and war advisor Ragnarr, Johan was able to rally a number of battle ready volunteers to join with the court militia. When the Herla army reached the edges of the Hartland bordering the desert, their numbers were large enough to give them a fighting chance.
The Talon War was long and bloody, lasting more than two years and causing great losses on both sides. The entire Talon population was cut nearly in half, and the Herla of the Hartlands lost more than a third of their able bodied harts and hinds. Though it cost the Herla dearly to defend the few sections of Verdant Ravine that were passable, the Talons were never able to cross it successfully. The Battle of Moss Bridge is the largest and most famous of these skirmishes and the only instance where the Talons were able to cross the ravine, though only for a short time.
Despite the importance of the passes over the ravine, the area most contested was the Foothills located directly north of it. Covered in small but densely situated hills, dips and plateaus, it was an area primed for ambushes and small skirmishes. Ground was gained and lost constantly, and several of the bloodiest battles and heaviest losses took place in these hills. The most notable of these was Partridge Pass, the Herla massacre that led to the end of the war, but also caused the death of King Johan, his heir, and most of his inner court. The Talon chieftain Kynre also lost her life in these hills, putting her force under the control of the nearest Talon commander, Faramhin.
The battle in Partridge Pass would have won the war for the Talons had it not been for conflict within the Talon command. Faramhin, who led the Talon forces in this instance, had long felt that the Talon views of other sentient species were counter productive to the good of the Talon race. While the Talon War was just beginning to pick up pace, the wind Talon Rusi approached the young chieftain with stories of Guardian Odelia, a powerful being that would lead Faramhin and the Talon race to great things...if he followed her advice. Rusi and Odelia called for the Herla to be spared and at a later time, made into valued allies. At first Faramhin scoffed at the albino Talon but as the war dragged on, he began to see the Herla not as simple prey animals, but as a race of warriors worthy of his respect. Partridge Pass confirmed his new beliefs, for though the numbers were greatly in Faramhin’s favor and ultimately the battle left but one Herla survivor, Johan and his troops had come closer to winning the fight than the Talon commander would have ever expected.
Faramhin pulled his forces from the Foothills and sent them back to their homes in the desert. Faramhin was a well loved and charismatic leader and many of the Talons were battle weary, so they returned to their homeland with little complaint. Warlord Blythe and the Council of Seven were outraged, and threatened to slaughter any Talon who chose to follow Faramhin. Being a Talon of action, Faramhin traveled to Piper Oasis and challenged Blythe, slew him, and claimed the title of Warlord as his own. Though he still faced consequences of the powerful and furious Council, Faramhin used his newly earned power to order the rest of the Talons to retreat and thus ended the war.
The many battles with the desert Talons during the reign of Johan was the first and only large scale war the Herla had ever had to face. Suffering from overpopulation and a scarcity of food, the Talon Council of the Seven Allied Tribes decided that the time was right to cross the Verdant Ravine and claim the lush territory of the Hartlands. The Seven Tribes amassed an immense fighting force led by the chieftains of the three most powerful tribes; Kynre, Faramhin, and Warlord Blythe.
The war would have shortly ended in the Talons’ favor if the Guardian Odelia had not warned King Johan of the impending attack. With the help of his wife Iggepa and his close friend and war advisor Ragnarr, Johan was able to rally a number of battle ready volunteers to join with the court militia. When the Herla army reached the edges of the Hartland bordering the desert, their numbers were large enough to give them a fighting chance.
The Talon War was long and bloody, lasting more than two years and causing great losses on both sides. The entire Talon population was cut nearly in half, and the Herla of the Hartlands lost more than a third of their able bodied harts and hinds. Though it cost the Herla dearly to defend the few sections of Verdant Ravine that were passable, the Talons were never able to cross it successfully. The Battle of Moss Bridge is the largest and most famous of these skirmishes and the only instance where the Talons were able to cross the ravine, though only for a short time.
Despite the importance of the passes over the ravine, the area most contested was the Foothills located directly north of it. Covered in small but densely situated hills, dips and plateaus, it was an area primed for ambushes and small skirmishes. Ground was gained and lost constantly, and several of the bloodiest battles and heaviest losses took place in these hills. The most notable of these was Partridge Pass, the Herla massacre that led to the end of the war, but also caused the death of King Johan, his heir, and most of his inner court. The Talon chieftain Kynre also lost her life in these hills, putting her force under the control of the nearest Talon commander, Faramhin.
The battle in Partridge Pass would have won the war for the Talons had it not been for conflict within the Talon command. Faramhin, who led the Talon forces in this instance, had long felt that the Talon views of other sentient species were counter productive to the good of the Talon race. While the Talon War was just beginning to pick up pace, the wind Talon Rusi approached the young chieftain with stories of Guardian Odelia, a powerful being that would lead Faramhin and the Talon race to great things...if he followed her advice. Rusi and Odelia called for the Herla to be spared and at a later time, made into valued allies. At first Faramhin scoffed at the albino Talon but as the war dragged on, he began to see the Herla not as simple prey animals, but as a race of warriors worthy of his respect. Partridge Pass confirmed his new beliefs, for though the numbers were greatly in Faramhin’s favor and ultimately the battle left but one Herla survivor, Johan and his troops had come closer to winning the fight than the Talon commander would have ever expected.
Faramhin pulled his forces from the Foothills and sent them back to their homes in the desert. Faramhin was a well loved and charismatic leader and many of the Talons were battle weary, so they returned to their homeland with little complaint. Warlord Blythe and the Council of Seven were outraged, and threatened to slaughter any Talon who chose to follow Faramhin. Being a Talon of action, Faramhin traveled to Piper Oasis and challenged Blythe, slew him, and claimed the title of Warlord as his own. Though he still faced consequences of the powerful and furious Council, Faramhin used his newly earned power to order the rest of the Talons to retreat and thus ended the war.
