The Siege of Stoneclaw

The Siege of Stoneclaw during the Arystian Civil war of 408E was the pivotal confrontation between the loyalist Arystian garrison of the city Stoneclaw and rebel forces approaching from the east.

The city had been under siege by rebel forces for over three months with no successful break of the defence. With a garrison of over 40,000 loyal Arystian troops, with a hardened command chain and the most experienced military commander of the entire Arystian armed forces, the city stood with little risk from the frequent rebel attempts to storm the walls.

When news reached the city of the fall of the vital cities of Tradesman Bay, a military coup began when a small group of low ranking military officers believed the war to be lost and secretly orchestrated a coup in order to offer a surrender to the besieging rebel forces. This coup resulted in the entire top chain of surviving southern loyalist commanders being slaughtered in their sleep, including the garrison commander and governor of the Southwestern provice, Governor Riken. The loss of Riken and the top echelon of leadership plunged the junior officers and their men into chaos, accusing each other of murdering the commanders, sparking conflict throughout the city as soldiers and civilians took sides.

During this turmoil, Lord Kayden Drake ordered the largest assault in history of the walls of Stoneclaw, storming the undefended walls and opening the gates to the massive rebel host waiting to enter the city. The remaining loyalists, depending on their participation in the coup, either surrendered or fought to the death in small pockets of resistance.

Of the 40,000 garrison, roughly 3,000 survived by surrendering to the rebels and swearing alliegance to Kayden Drake.