Third Red Crown War

The Third Red Crown War was a massive conflict that tore apart the Sunset Empire during the 3rd Era.

Course of the War
The death of Emperor Ulrich I launched a succession crisis. Ulrich's heir, his own bastard son Krieg I, the bastard of a bastard, was not seen as a true king by many, leading to his distant cousin Wilrich "the Red" of Amilgarean, rallying an army to seat him on the throne. The lords in the south, led by High Duke Rodrick Barrister of The Southern Lands and High Duke James Highwood of Mourningvale, decided to take advantage of the crisis and began amassing their armies. Krieg's scouts, upon witnessing the southern buildup, reported this information to Krieg. Hoping to end any potential conflict with the southerners, Krieg ordered Redrock to be placed under lockdown, hoping to capture the wards of the southern lords and dukes before they flee the city. The search took most of the day, much of the chagrin of the city's merchant leaders, who lost a lot of business. The most notable ward captured by Edward Highwood, the second son of High Duke Highwood. Krieg, with this valuable prisoner, ordered the southerners to stand down, but the imprisonment only enraged James Highwood, who immediately ordered his army north, much to the chagrin of Garrius Barrister, who had hoped to keep his troops within his own lands and fight a purely defensive war.

The southerners marched northward toward Redrock, forcing Emperor Krieg to divert his armies to the south to defend the capital, leaving Wilrich with an open path across the Heartlands. Krieg called upon his cousin, Maxwell Herra, High Duke of Ipparaldea, to aid him in the battle. The beloved Maxwell called his banners and marched south to aid his cousin, which angered some northern lords, who did not wish to help the increasingly unpopular Herra branch that wore the red crown. Krieg's forces, led by Duke Francis Errege and Duke Franz Traizo, were defeated in battle by the superior armies of Rodrick Barrister, and forced to retreat back to the capital. Errege, one of Krieg's most loyal subjects, was heavily wounded in the Battle of Southstone, resulting in his replacement by Lord Samuel Troute, who was significantly less loyal. At the same time, Wilrich's armies pillaged and raided across the Heartlands while they marched toward the capital. This combination made Krieg increasingly paranoid, resulting in him beginning to execute the hostages he had captured and purging the southerners out of the city guard, resulting one guardsman helping Edward Highwood escape, which remained a secret to the general public. The paranoia resulted in a conspiracy forming to remove Krieg from power, which included the city's angered merchants; Samuel Troute; Steward Isaac Greentower; and Maxwell's heir, Werner Herra.

Maxwell's large army successfully stopped Wilrich at the Battle of Streamstone, scattering Wilrich's forces and causing him to retreat back to his stronghold at the Heartlands city of Lionsheart. This alleviated some of the pressure on the Emperor, who could now focus on defeating the southern threat. In a repeat of the Battle of Whitewash from the Second Red Crown War, the red crown's forces, aided by Maxwell's defeated the southerners and forces them to end their invasion northward. Barrister blamed the defeat on the foolishness of James Highwood's command, causing him to begin plotting his removal.

Krieg's increasing paranoia is justified when he discovers one of his knights, Sir Harold Godfrey, in bed with his wife Angela Floode. Godfrey flees and Krieg gives chase, leading him along the edge of the cliffs of Redrock and right into the coup plotters trap. Godfrey - and Angela - had been part of the coup all along. Knights loyal to Troute surround Krieg, and despite Krieg killing Sir Angus Headdington and Lord Patrick Reading, he is heavily wounded. Krieg falls off the cliffs into the waters of the Green Sea and is presumed dead. At the same time, the purging of Krieg's council occurs: Grand Advisor Ernst Horne is imprisoned, Martial Franz Traizo is sent to his expected death in battle against Rodrick's Barrister's regrouped forces, and during the confusion spymaster Allen Copperward disappears. The next morning, an announcement is made to the city and word is sent to all the lords of the land - traitorous Ernst Horne had colluded with southern assassins to murder the good king. With no immediate heirs, the Grand Council declares a regency until a proper heir can be produced.

At the same time, assassins sent by Werner kill Maxwell in his tent, and his death is blamed on the southern assassins as well. Having conspired with High Duke Barrister, Duke Franz Traizo was sent to his expected death in the Battle of Stone's Throw, but instead, thanks to Traizo's martial genius and the ill-trained troops of Mourningvale, Traizo succeeded, and even captured Barrister's heir, Garrius Barrister. Correctly believing that the Grand Regency had staged a coup, Traizo announced his loyalty lie with the "true heir" to House Herra, Maxwell Herra's second son, the young Lionel Werner, who was Traizo's squire.