>>2098975
Back on the other side of the Dameshead sea, the Adeanists had not only managed to push into Escann, but were also besieging Smallmere itself. Month after month, another ally could not take it anymore and surrender to the heretics. Something had to be done; thus, Fludd ordered his troops to march back to defend the East. The armies were stopped by the Fort of Ryalanar; every last resource they had was used to besiege it. Alas, this was in vain, for the armies of the heretics had set up an ambush. The ~70K army of Corintar stood no chance against the superior ~200K force of the enemies. With this single battle, the war had been lost.

Today is the 15th of Truefrost, 1595. The "Seven Years' War", as it is now popularly referred to, has been lost. Corintar is in large debt, the army is destroyed, manpower to replenish it is getting scarce, the coutryside is once again absolutely devestated, and two Orcish communities have declared independence. Despite all that, there is still hope; the brutal war had created a formal alliance between Corintar and the Gnomes, even if there were many differences between the two. During the enemies' retreat, they had left much technology behind, allowing the nation to finally embrace the Printing Press. Corintar is the 4th Greatest power in the world, and Fludd will do all he can to redeem himself and bring Corintar to unseen heights.