Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The war for Skagos

266AC

The first signs of spring had arrived and the snow had begun to subside throughout the coastal areas of Skagos as the season turned. With it, Baldur's spirits were lifted in anticipation for the war ahead. He had spent time mourning his father following his death, he had been a strong leader who had killed many and deserved the clans respects for his actions. They had buried him in a great stone burrow in the catacombs of the mountains, where the clan chieftains before him resided and one day Baldur would as well.

Baldur had spent the remainder of the winter readying the men with further training and ensuring their supplies were ready to move as soon as the weather would allow it. An army marched on its stomach, and Baldur planned to have his well and ready for what lay ahead. They had the advantage in equipment, supplies and morale, and he would surely use that to break his enemies as well as his arm as he had learned on the stepstones to do.

The unicorns, goat like animals that were large in size and had a single horn on their head, were similar to those of horses, Baldur decided after experiencing riding the two. While the goat like creatures were far better at climbing mountains, they weren't nearly as fast as a horse, who on the flat open plains, was a deadly thing with a rider on its back. Horses however, didn't have the large protruding horn on their head, capable of impaling foes similar to that of a lance.

Thanks to Baldur's focus during winter, they were able to keep their numbers up and even breed a good many more, which would allow him to have a mounted force, unlike the other Skagosi clans, and an edge in warfare because of it. Stirrups had been made and secured to the unicorns, like those he had seen on the mainland, allowing them to be easier controlled and ridden. His men numbered around 800 strong, but well equipped and with a cavalry force at that while his enemies were divided and lacked resources or the morale to fight through any extended war.

As Spring broke, his uncle took 200 men up through the mountains around Deepdown, where he would target any of the surrounding clans in the area, securing their eastern flank against any attacks through the passes, while Baldur would take 500 men south east down the coast and up towards Clan Magnar. 100 men were left to defend deep down from any surprise forces that may slip through.

It had taken his war party three days of riding south before they reached any enemies lands, pushing through the domain of Clan Crowl as quickly as they could. Snow still lay upon the ground in small amounts, though the spring was rapidly melting what was left. After Baldur had left his own lands, they started coming upon hamlets and small villages, mostly abandoned, as was typical during winter, the clans often gathering in one spot. Baldur was relying on this; it would be much easier to take them out in one fell swoop then having to hunt them through the wilds, wasting time.

The first enemy they came upon, gathered in a small town along the coast, and was clearly caught off guard as a horn sounded within at the sight of his column of warriors. The village was located on the sea, sandy beaches and grass surrounding the village, which had frail wooden walls that looked well aged and brittle, as was common with these small holdings.

Baldur recognized the town from his father's map, or his now he supposed, with a pang in his heart. It was known as clan Tyde, and according to those captured from his uncles betrayal, they had been one of the two clans to join with Ulrin. Baldur meant to set an example as the warriors began mustering from the village, gathering along the front of it where the gate was located.

"House Tyde." Baldur said eying the gates as Halvar, Guthrum and Ivar rode up next to him. Guthrum was a grey bearded warrior, closer to 60 name days than 50, but had served long and loyally under his father and grandfather. He was dressed in chain mail like many, with a 1 handed axe, a shield and half helm on his head. On his right hand he was missing several fingers, either through war or frostbite, Baldur was unsure and hadn't the opportunity to ask. The man had experience fighting up and down these coasts, and knew of leading men. He may not be a force to be reckoned on the battle field anymore, but he could still kill a foe easily enough and his wisdom more than made up for his lack of youth.

Ivar was dressed more lightly in leathers, bow on his back and his falcon on his shoulder. He was a youth of Baldur's age and a skin changer and a gifted one at that. He had used his falcon to patrol the area, ensuring that they had the element of surprise. Ivar was tall and lean with short brown hair and blue eyes. Many of the women in Clan Crowl would describe him as good looking and indeed, more than one scandal had involved him already at his young age. Even if he hadn't been useful in Baldur's war plans, he may have just taken him along to keep any trouble at home from brewing among the maidens and fathers of those maidens.

Finally, Haldvar, a long time friend and training partner, wielding chain mail and a full helm, with a large battle axe in his hands. He was on the shorter side compared to the average Skagossi, but he had thick shoulders and a strong swing. He already had the beginnings of a red beard growing on his face. He had a temper in a fight, but he was loyal and proud to be here.

"Aye, here be the bastards" Halvar agreed as the group watched the men across from them. 

"Well let's not wait around for the snow to melt! Take prisoners where you can. Leave the women and children alone." Baldur directed as the men cheered. "Cavalry, flank the town, ride down any who try to escape." Baldur ordered as the warriors pounded their shields. "Charge!" He directed, waving his sword in the air.

Baldur surged forward as they crossed the short grassy plain to the gates on foot. All around him, men screamed out war cry's as they approached the vastly outnumbered enemy, huddled around the gates of their village. Baldur relished the look of fear on the warrior's faces, clearly knowing they faced certain death at the hands of Clan Crowl.

The two forces collided at the front of the gates as Baldur pushed forward with his shield, sending a young warrior rolling backwards, his size and strength lending him an easy advantage. To his left, Halvar charged up the center, swinging his axe in a wide half circle, chopping two men's legs out from under them as they fell the ground in screams of agony, allowing Baldur an opening to rush through and put a sword through the next mans chest, slicing easily through his leather jerkin. 

The enemies were poorly equipped, even more so than the average Skagosson, hailing from a small clan with no access to metal. Their weapons were often spears made of chiseled bone or rock tips that had no hope of penetrating the armored mail of the Crowl warriors. It was a short and violent battle as Baldurs two hundred and fifty warriors made short work of the fifty enemy defenders, smashing them like a hammer to a clay pot.

"We surrender!" A man shouted throwing down his arms as Baldur held up his sword and shouted orders to stop. All around him, the remaining few warriors of Clan Tyde tossed their weapons to the dirt floor in defeat. They were a dirty and thin lot, obviously weak from the winter and clearly already exhausted from the fighting while Baldur's own men looked healthy and barely winded from the encounter. 

"Take them to the town center men, and line them up." Baldur ordered as the men began to drag the disarmed warriors to the center of town. The village occupants were gathered around in fear in the town center, clearly having no escape thanks to the cavalry moving around the edges of the city. "Order the cavalry to stand down Guthrum." Baldur directed as the grey bearded man walked quickly to the gates, throwing them open and waving his axe in the air. "Now, where is the Tyde?" Baldur asked looking around the line of men at the center for the Chieftain. Only 20 remained of the 50 that had attempted to defend the gates against overwhelming odds.

"I am the Tyde" A thin looking man with whispy hair spoke. He had a wrinkled face and a tired look in his eyes and a cut on his side, though from what Baldur could tell, it wouldn't be life threatening. He looked to be around 40 years of age, the hair on the top of his head receding, leaving thin strands remaining.

"Your clan attacked my father, along with the Stone Crown Clan under my uncle Ulrin?" He asked the chieftain.

"Aye we did." The Chieftain acknowledged. "He promised food and supplies, we had little. Tis not unknown for clans to do so." The man added as Baldur listened.

"What of Lord Bolton? What promises have you heard?" Baldur asked him as the man shrugged.

"We have heard of a mainland lord, though not by name, promising if we rise up in his name when the time comes, he will give us our rights back, protection of our culture and the defeat of the stark." The man said simply. Baldur had to admire a man who spoke the truth and didn't beat around the bush. He truly was just trying to provide for his clan, as Baldur would have done in his place. Unfortunately, he made an enemy out of the wrong person in doing so.

"You are to send a message up the river and through the mountains to the other clans. Choose 5 warriors to accompany you." Baldur directed as the man turned and shouted out 5 names, one of which looked to be his son as they joined him. Baldur busied himself counting a number of rocks in his hand and placing them in a small linen bag that he had taken from the step stones to hold coin.

"Clan Crowl is moving to conquer Skagos and with it, all the Bolton allies and clans on the Isles. We have food enough to support you until your people can gain a harvest of your own. Lay down your arms and join my clan, or face defeat in battle and find yourself at my mercy." He informed the Chieftain before turning to the remaining 14 kneeling warriors. Holding up a bag in his hand, he looked at each of their eyes. "In this bag, I have counted out 14 stones." Baldur explained. "7 black and 7 white." He informed them jingling the bag in front of their eyes. "Each of you will draw a stone; black representing death; white representing life. We have taken to calling it trial by stone." Baldur finished as his men cheered.

Baldur approached the first man in the line and held open the bag as he hesitantly reached in and drew out a stone. Baldur glanced down at it as he opened his palm, revealing a white stone in his hand. "Life!" Baldur shouted as the men all cheered. "Rise." Baldur said pulling him to his feet, a middle aged man with long brown hair and several missing teeth. "I give you the option, join my clan and warriors, or join the black stones in death. Serve loyally, and you shall prosper, prove false and you shall suffer." He offered the man.

"I will accept your offer into your clan." He spoke after a moment as Baldur turned. "We accept a new man into our clan, let us greet him!" Baldur bellowed as the assembled warriors let out a loud roar. Havar stepped forward and embraced him with a hug as several others did, patting him on the back and pulling him into their assembled ranks as Baldur continued down the line.

The next man drew a black stone. "Black!" Baldur cried out, lifting his sword and beheading the man where he kneeled, his head flopping off as the villagers all gasped. Continuing down the line, all the men who pulled the white stones ultimately decided to join the ranks of Clan Crowl. 

"Send word, those that surrender peacefully will be peacefully admitted into my clan and under my law. Those that refuse will be offered trial by stone. Let it be known that their clan, women and children, will suffer the same fate as the warriors here as well." Baldur warned as the Chieftain grimaced, though knew better than to speak. He was escaping with his life, though no longer the leader of a clan. "Go now." Baldur urged as the 5 warriors accompanied their chieftain through the gates.

Baldur took to supplying the new warriors with arms befitting their station as House Crowl members, assigned under Halvar to watch for any treachery. The women, children, farmers and workers not warriors were all given food from what they could spare, and promises of more food coming from house Crowl to hold them over. That night, Baldur's men camped within their town, they would move out the next morning, continuing their way south and then east.

The next clan they came upon was inland, Clan Stone Crown. Baldur sent a warrior to their gates, shouting the terms of surrender, but they were ignored and fired upon by arrows, which suited Baldur just fine. He had hoped out of all the clans to decline the offer, that clan Stone Crown would be the one, for their role in aiding Ulrin.

Clan Stone Crown was aptly named, located at the base of a mountain that indeed looked like it held a rocky crown around the peak. The holding itself was built within thinly dispersed trees with various farms on the outlying area that were all abandoned. Unlike clan Tyde, they had gathered men in tree stands surrounding the village in hopes of picking them off from defensive positions, as Ivars scouting report had informed him of.

"Form shield wall, archers to the rear!" Baldur shouted as Gunthrum began getting the men into line, forming up as their rounded and square shields formed a wall to march forward, protecting them from any arrow fire. "Ivar, have the archers fire at will." Baldur directed, in his element. He had no doubt his warriors could charge the position and make short work of them, but he wanted to send a strong message that even cunning tactics would offer no protection.

The shield wall moved forward through the brush at a slow pace, his men testing it in battle for the first time. They had often trained with this tactic; something Baldur had seen was useful in his gained memories and among the gold company sell swords first hand. His memories held little in the way of details, but combined with his own experience, Baldur had made it work.

Arrows of stone, bone and the occasional bronze clinked off their shields as they moved forward against their enemies while archers behind their shield wall picked off the enemies from the trees. Baldur watched as man after man fell from the tops of the tree's, offering little in the way of resistance, due to short numbers and poor equipment.

Soon, the archers had been nullified and all that remained were the group of warriors mustered around the gate in defense, reminiscent of Clan Tydes tactics. Pushing his men forward they met them with their firm wall of shields as the enemy battered against them with little effect. "Strike out where you can, maintain the wall!" Baldur ordered as he shoved his sword through a hole and into a man's eye as he met death swiftly. 

The fifty man resistance at the gate held for little time before they began throwing their arms down, seeing the folly in continuing as more than half their number had been cut down. Baldur's men rounded them up and brought them to the center of the town, just as they had for Clan Tyde before them.

From the center of town, Baldur had the Chieftains son pick out 5 men to accompany him to spread the word amongst the other clans of his conditions. The Chieftain himself had unfortunately, been slain in battle, as had two of his sons, leaving the third more than a little bitter towards Baldur. Nonetheless, Baldur directed his terms met, and made them stand watching as he turned to the assembled village and his own men.

"What shall be done with these people?" Baldur shouted out to his assembled men. All of them seemed to be in high spirits after yet another massacre of an opposing clan.

"TRIAL BY STONE, TRIAL BY STONE!" They chanted as Baldur soaked in the clamor proudly.

Turning to the villagers he spoke out. "So be it!" He shouted as the warriors cheered loudly as Baldur drew the bag of stones in front of them, leaving the villagers to eye the bag in dread. Clearly word had reached them, or the faces peering back at them would be that of curiosity more than dread. "In this bag, lay 5 black stones and 5 white stones!" Baldur informed them as he explained that each individual would draw a stone to determine their fate. White stones would be offered to be welcomed into Clan Crowl or face death, while black stones would only face death.

Baldur worked his way through the people as did a few of his warriors, beheading and accepting in due order. At one point Baldur had came to a woman holding a babe, no older than 3 months old in her arms. "Draw a stone for yourself." Baldur informed the weeping woman as she shakily placed her hand in the bag, drawing out a white stone and sighed in relief as all of the villager's eyes were on her, including the Chieftains son, watching the procession in anger, though with little he could do.

"Now draw one for the babe." Baldur directed as the woman looked at him in horror. 

"But he tis just a babe!" The woman said in desperation.

"Aye he is, but there are no exceptions." Baldur informed her as he shook the bag. Slowly, she placed her hand in the bag, pulling a black stone from the bag as she shrieked in dismay. "Grab the babe." Baldur ordered two of his men, who stepped forward, prying the babe forcefully from her hands and placing it on the ground at Baldurs feet. The assembled village had gone quiet at the sight. "There are no exceptions to trial by stone!" Baldur repeated as he brought his foot down, crushing the babes head to a pulp as the woman howled out in dismay. "Spread the word to the other clans, for I offer clemency for all only once." Baldur told the Chieftains son that would be heading out.

That night, Baldur and his men shared food and drink with the people, sending a number of the survivors out to outlying clans to better spread the word and ensure it was reinforced with tales. Baldur would hold his army at the base of stone crown for the next two days before proceeding forward in search of the next clan on the route.

Few clans resisted after word had spread up and down the coast. Some of the harder clans, like those of the cannibal ones inland resisted, especially as their way of life as cannibals would end as they knew it. Baldur couldn't have cannibalism on Skagos when food was to be had, not just for the sake of pleasing the old gods. Lord Stark would surely never allow such a thing, and Baldur found them to be sickly and fanatical people of the highest caliber. They however, didn't take well to such things, and he was forced to kill one of the clans to the man, woman and child, before the others came willingly to accept his terms.

Up the coast they went, working their way inland and out, uniting all under his rule. Word though had reached them of what would be their greatest obstacle. Clan Magnar and Clan Stane had assembled their warriors together to make a stand on the eastern coast of Skagos on the plains surrounding House Magnar's seat, Kingshouse. It was here that would likely decide the war, as the three great clans of Skagos would clash in a battle to decide the island's future.