So here’s some material that many of you might find useful for your games – this is the Dragon Pass Events of 1625-1626.
Chronology
1625
(Sea Season) Battle of Hender’s Ruins
Argrath Whitebull and his Praxian horde march on the New Lunar Temple. While camped near Hender’s Ruins, the Lunar College of Magic summoned the Chaos Terror Cwim and set it upon the White Bull’s army, while hurling magic from a great distance. The nomads were slaughtered, the survivors retreated to Pavis, where Argrath began to assemble a new army.
(Fire Season) Battle of Twotop Fort
High King Broyan marched north from Whitewall with a small army of adventurers, mercenaries, and devotees. While the Hendriki army camped near Twotop, a little bright light was snuffed out in the Troll Woods, and a demon with many sharp mouths was let out of its skin. It sought vengeance, and fell upon the army of King Broyan while they slept. The king could not keep it away, because he had betrayed the City of Wonders, and he was killed there, along with much of his army.
(Earth Season) Dragonrise
The Lunar Empire gathered thousands of magicians, priests, and nobles to consecrate the new Temple of the Reaching Moon and extend the Lunar Glowline over all of Dragon Pass. A group of Sartarite heroquesters led by Kallyr Starbrow invaded the Lunar ceremony and summoned a True Dragon beneath the temple. The dragon devoured the temple and the attendees; in minutes, most of the military and magical might of the Lunar Empire in the Provinces was annihilated.
The True Dragon then rose up into the sky, revealing its impossible size—it was several kilometers long. It flew up high into the Middle Air towards the Red Moon. Millions of observers all across Genertela witnessed the event; those in Peloria, Ralios, Kralorela, and the far West saw a “dragon-shaped cloud” obscure the Red Moon. Those closer saw and heard far more. Across Dragon Pass, ancient draconic powers and thoughts quiescent since the Empire of Wyrms Friends were awakened. In Glamour, the Red Emperor sacrificed much of his magic and power to drive the dragon back. The True Dragon spiraled around Dragon Pass, circled Mount Kero Fin and then returned to the huge crevice it had made where once stood the New Lunar Temple.
Earth Season) Liberation of Sartar
With the Lunar Army in Dragon Pass devastated by the Dragonrise, Kallyr Starbrow and her followers march on Boldhome and seize the city. She hastily assembles a volunteer army called the Sartar Free Union and successfully assaults the last Lunar garrison in Sartar – that of Jonstown.
(Earth Season) Battle of Dangerford
Reinforced by elements of the Lunar Cavalry Corp, Fazzur marches south to reconquer Sartar, as he did 12 years previously. He is opposed by a coalition of Sartarites at Dangerford led by Kallyr Starbrow. At the subsequent battle, Starbrow took the day through sheer inspiration of her men. General Fazzur retreats in good order to Alda-Chur.
– – – Start of Default Campaign – – –
(Darkness Season) Sartar
Kallyr called for a convocation of all leaders at the city of Boldhome. Many came; those who did not come were mostly afraid of Lunar retaliation which was yet to fall. They met in the old manner, and they forged a new Ring of Sartar. Kallyr Starbrow was named Prince and warlord.
(Sacred Time) Short Lightbringers’ Quest
In the Sacred Time before 1626, Kallyr chose to attempt the Short Lightbringers’ Quest, a complicated ritual that usually brought new life and health to everyone participating. To try to ensure success, this ceremony was prepared ahead of time, with many thousands of participants from all the tribes of Sartar. No one had tried this in many years, but no one suspected it could fail as it did. Near the climax of the ritual, the Lunar demigoddess Jar-eel the Razoress appeared. Jar-eel was blindingly armed and killed most of Kallyr’s companions and household, and grievously wounded Kallyr, before the Red Goddess was driven off. Kallyr somehow managed to complete the ceremony, but the damage was done: the Lightbringers’ Quest failed. Instead of bringing new life and health to the people of Dragon Pass, the heroquest brought crop failures, disease, Chaos horrors, and war.
1626
(Fire Season) Battle of The Queens
King Pharandros took command of the remaining imperial troops in the provinces, and led them with the Tarsh army to conquer the disheartened Sartarites. Near where the Creek enters the Upland Marsh, some 5,000 Lunar soldiers faced off against less than 4,000 Sartarites led by Kallyr Starbrow. The Sartarites held a good defensive position at the base of Old Top Hill.
A band of Lunar elite soldiers were teleported behind the commanders, and Queen Kallyr was killed in battle. But Queen Leika Black Spear of the Colymar drove the enemy opposite her warriors into the river where they drowned, which caused the Lunar attack to stop.
The next day, Queen Leika harassed the survivors so much that they retired to Alda-Chur. King Pharandros, fearing the machinations of his rival Fazzur Wideread, quickly returned to Furthest with his most loyal officers and regiments.
The Sartarites, despite their victory, suffered heavy casualties. Prince Kallyr Starbrow was dead and would not return despite the spells of the healers. The Colymar, as the most powerful tribe present, took possession of Kallyr’s body and brought her corpse back to Boldhome to be burned.
1627
(Sea Season) Battle of Sword Hill
The previous winter, Argrath led a makeshift band of impatient warriors north into Dragon Pass. The local tribes either allowed them passage or rose in arms and joined them against the Lunars. The leader of Alda-Chur is murdered by Lunars.
The Tarsh regiments which had wintered in Alda-Chur were recalled to Tarsh, but the imperial troops mustered to fight. Argrath unleashed his new Sartar Magical Union on the enemy and they so devastated their enemies that the rest of the army only pursued, long into the night, and cut down most of their foes. Argrath was acclaimed Prince of the Alda-Churi and their kings urged Argrath to try to light the Flame of Sartar.
(Fire Season) Sartar
On Day 88, Argrath went to Boldhome. Despite several assassination attempts and magical assaults, Argrath successful relit the Flame of Sartar. Argrath was acclaimed by friend and enemy to be Prince of Sartar.
Lunar Tarsh
Civil war breaks out between King Pharandros and the supporters of Fazzur Wideread.
In creating these events for publication (note this is all stuff that is part of the canonical Chaosium timeline), the information given should be “what is necessary for the overall story” and not secondary details that could be different without changing the overall story line. This should all be big picture stuff.
So does it matter big picture whether the Malani tribe did or did not show up to acclaim Kallyr? Not really. It might be REALLY important in YOUR campaign that they did or just as important that they did not. In which case the way this is phrased gives you plenty of latitude and flexibility to have things happen the way that works for your game, while still following the overall big picture story.
Now the reason to have a big picture story is that helps GMs structure and pace their own campaigns, and relieves them of the task of developing all of that on their own. Some GMs might want to do all of that themselves, but be aware – that is a small minority of GMs in RPGdom.
When did the Lunars abandon Karse? I realise we could play it out, but some stuff I just want to know.
I suspect in the overwhelming majority of cases where this shows up, the GM and the players have no interest in playing out the liberation of Karse or whatever. They just want to know – hey, when was this town last under Lunar rule, so that they can add that detail in their game when or if the player characters come to Karse or whatever. It might impact how they describe the town or what NPCs they throw in.
My own answer is that liberating Karse any time between early 1624 (post Battle of Pennel Ford) and early 1625 could work just fine. The date doesn’t really NEED to be hammered down specifically for the overall campaign to work.