Battle of the Loftwood
The Battle of the Loftwood is a major battle which took place in 578 CY between the Archbarony of Ratik and the humanoids of the Bone March. It took place in the edges of the Loftwood.
Background
In 560 CY, the Bone March was invaded by tribes of humanoids, including orcs and gnolls, from the Rakers and Blemu Hills. Its ally Ratik was barely able to defend itself and unable to provide support, and the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, to whom the Bone March nominally owed fealty, was not interested in assisting. In 563 CY, the humanoid tribes subjugated the Bone March and killed its leaders. Ratik responded by making alliance with the Frost Barbarians, the combined force of which was able to make substantial raids against the humanoids of the Bone March.[1]
By 577 CY, continued losses from the campaigns in the Bone March led the the Archbarony of Ratik to suffer a critical shortage of manpower. Archbaron Lexnol III resolved this by hiring mercenaries, recruiting foreign volunteers, and re-assigning rangers from the northern border.[2]
Forces
Ratik's army fielded 2,225 regular infantry, 500 cavalry, four companies of foreign-recruited Volunteer Borderers numbering 900 men, conscript levies and militia numbering 4,000, 600 sylan elves of the northern woods, and 3,000 gnomes of the hills. Dwarves were unable to spare any forces, as the dwerfolk were needed to defend their mountain strongholds. Ratik's forces, thus numbering 11,225, were led by the Marshal of the Archbarony.[2]
The humanoid armies were led primarily by the orc tribe of the Vile Rune, numbering 5,000 orcs. Joining their force were 2,000 goblins, 1,000 norkers and xvarts, and 1,000 hobgoblins, ogrillons, gnolls, and ogres. Nearly 2,000 bandits and brigands were hired as mercenaries. Worg-mounted goblins were used as advance scouts. The horde thus numbered some 11,000 in all.[2]
Preparation
In the summer on 578 CY, a patrol of the Volunteer Borderers discovered that the Vile Rune were heading northward in large numbers toward Ratik. A number of worg-mounted goblins were slain to obtain this intelligence. The Marshal of the Archbarony was thus able to plan an ambush for the enemy.[2]
Battle
The humanoid horde moved north along the fringe of the Loftwood where it butts against the hills.
Result
The defeat of the dominant Vile Rune orcs created a political vacuum in the Bone March, allowing the Death Moon orc tribe to move out of the Blemu Hills and secure dominance.[2]
References
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
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