User:Brant/Stepstones War

The Stepstones War was a war fought between the Kingdom of Dragonstone, and the Kingdom of the Stepstones, against the Osloven Empire, with the High Penguin Confederacy intervening from 1201 to 1203. The war was fought to end the expansion of the Osloven Empire, and vice versa. The High Penguin Confederacy briefly intervened, attempting to conquer the Osloven from the south, though they were quickly defeated. Though outnumbered, the Stepstones alliance managed to hold their own, due to their dragons.

History
Through their use of dragons, by 600, the Quendi had managed to unify the Stepstones, founding the prosperous and powerful Kingdom of the Stepstones. Later, years before the Destruction of Valnor, a group of High Penguins called the Valyrians settled on the island of Dragonstone. Like the Quendi, the Valyrians also learned to ride and tame dragons. Thus, after the Destruction of Valnor, they had declared independence and founded the Kingdom of Dragonstone, which ruled two other islands in the Stepstones.

Meanwhile, the Osloven Empire feared that the rise of the two kingdoms would mean the downfall of their empire. They feared that the two kingdoms would team up against the empire, and possibly ally with the High Penguin Confederacy, an enemy of the Osloven Empire, to conquer it. Thus, the Osloven Empire was compelled to invade the two kingdoms, to prevent themselves from being surrounded if the High Penguin Confederacy did invade.

Additionally, both the Kingdom of Dragonstone and the Kingdom of the Stepstones had begun to expand to the southernmost islands of the Stepstones, which had been owned by neither country. Still, the Osloven Empire felt that the threat was too close, and that the islands could be used as a launching point for soldiers against the Empire in times of war. So, in late 1199, the Emperor of the Osloven Empire declared war on both Kingdoms, and began mobilizing the army and navy against the Kingdoms.

In 1200, an army of 30,000 Osloven soldiers invaded the southern Stepstones. The smaller Stepstones army was outnumbered, and quickly overwhelmed, with many killed or captured. Over the next few months, Osloven soldiers continued to move north, taking island after island, as the Stepstones army became overwhelmed. The Osloven Empire was finally halted with the arrival of 10 Stepstones dragonlords, though the Empire continued to inflict a string of defeats on the Kingdom until 1201.

Seeing the conflict between the three nations, and the fact that few Osloven soldiers remained to defend the homeland, the High Penguin Confederacy invaded the Osloven Empire in 1201, hoping to restore High Penguin control on the Oslovens. A High Penguin army quickly swept through the island of Snowiny, while a High Penguin fleet captured many of the Puffepelago islands. Thus, the Osloven Empire had to pull back around half of its fighting force to combat the new invaders.

The retreat of the Osloven soldiers was greatly needed to the two Kingdoms, since it gave them time to mobilize their armies to defend their homeland. Around 6,000 soldiers were mobilized, along with 30 dragonlords, and 1,000 mercenaries. Contrary to what the Osloven Empire had thought, the two Kingdoms did not ally with the High Penguin Confederacy, who instead made plans to invade the two kingdoms. Aided by 30 dragons, the two Kingdoms drove the Osloven Empire back to their shores.

Back in the Osloven Empire, High Penguin forces made a push towards the capital, Winsburg. At the time, Winsburg was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in the world, with a high population for the time of around 250,000. However, Winsburg was only defended by 3,000 Osloven soldiers, who were outnumbered 6 to 1 by the High Penguin forces. After a year long siege of Winsburg, Osloven forces came to the city's aid. High Penguin forces were routed back to the southern end of the island, where they remained a small threat before finally retreating in 1203.

With the High Penguin Confederacy defeated, the Osloven Empire once again turned its attention back to the two Kingdoms. Unfortunately for the Osloven Empire, while they were busy fighting the High Penguins, they had lost most of their conquered territories, and the soldiers stationed there had all been captured or killed. Still, the Osloven Empire mobilized 35,000 soldiers, and hired 1,000 mercenaries to fill in some of the soldiers they had lost. The two Kingdoms, on the other hand, had only 7,000 soldiers.

The two armies met in 1204, in the southern Stepstones. Outnumbered, the two Kingdoms went on the defensive, allowing the Osloven fleet to attack first. However this was part of the plan. At the last moment, the two Kingdoms unleashed 30 dragons, setting the Osloven fleet on fire. Many ships were disabled or sunk, though a few managed to escape and attack the Stepstones and Dragonstone fleet. These ships were either set on fire or destroyed by the numerically superior Stepstones and Dragonstone fleet.

At the end of the day, the Osloven Empire lost 50 ships, with another 20 being damaged. On the other hand, the two kingdoms lost only 5 ships, with another 7 being damaged. However, both sides knew that neither could continue the war, and agreed to a truce.

Results
At the Treaty of Winsburg in 1205, the three nations agreed to end expansion into each others' territory. The Osloven Empire ceded 2 islands in the Stepstones, while the two kingdoms ceded five islands, two in the Stepstones, and three in the Puffepelago. The Osloven Empire also became allies with the two Kingdoms, who aided them when they warred with the High Penguin Confederacy in 1260. This alliance lasted until the Khanzem War, when the two Kingdoms provided soldiers to aid the Osloven Empire.