Battle of Baritt's Tomb
From the Lyorn Records of the Dragaeran Empire
A great confrontation at the foot of the Wall of Baritt's Tomb, the Battle of Baritt's Tomb was the decisive battle between Morrolan e'Drien and Fornia, as detailed in Dragon. These events took place rather early in the career of Vlad Taltos.
[edit] Historical Setting
Fornia contrived the entire war so as to come into single combat with the bearer of a Great Weapon. Fornia was hoping that a clash with Blackwand or Iceflame would destroy the Morganti greatsword, revealing whatever it concealed. Fornia had arranged for the greatsword to be stolen from Baritt's mansion shortly after Baritt's death. Morrolan hired Vlad to track the stolen sword, which the Jhereg did with help from Daymar.
Morrolan, knowing that he was being manipulated, and having a vague idea that the Great Weapon Pathfinder might be involved, but unaware of Fornia's true plan, decided to trigger Fornia's plan regardless. He accused Fornia of stooping to theft, and Fornia declared war in response. Morrolan then raised an army and prepared to attack the Count's army (which included Easterner mercenaries), planning to hand Fornia a military defeat to curb any expansionist ambitions. He hired a competent general, divided his forces into several different brigades, and began a march into Fornia's territory.
Morrolan's general, Sethra Lavode, employed a series of feints and retreats in an effort to goad Fornia's forces into attacking, since she prefers the strategic offensive but the tactical defensive. Vlad, having been drawn in to the conflict when Fornia sent some of his goons, including his chief Sorcerer Ori, to assault Vlad in his home, enlisted in Morrolan's army with the intent to serve as a saboteur.
Once Vlad joined up, however, he began to bond with his tentmates from Cropper Company: Virt e'Terics, Napper, and Aelburr. Although Vlad never intended to stand to battle, when the action started he could not abandon his new comrades. Vlad had time for more than just being an infantryman, however, and effected some sabotage in the form of a night raid to steal all of the divisional colors of Fornia's army, and another night raid to burn the wagons containing Fornia's army's provisions.
[edit] The Battle
After several days of marching through mud, changing directions, occupying and then abandoning positions, and building earthworks as defensive bulwarks, the day of the final battle arrived. Cropper Company occupied a key hill, and they were enveloped in a sorcerous fog and attacked repeatedly. Vlad stood with his company, holding the line against repeated sorties.
Both Fornia and Morrolan employed many different types of units. Fornia even hired a large contingent mercenary Easterner cavalry. Fornia also had units armed with weapons that Virt called "javelin shooters"; from the description, these were basic bows and arrows.
Vlad finally left his unit and approached Fornia's command post, where the wrinkled Dragonlord waited on a hill overlooking the battle, surrounded by his elite guards and sorcerers. Ori attempted to kill Vlad, but Spellbreaker prevented this. Vlad managed to prevent further attacks upon him by the simple expedient of stalling, bluffing, and eventually, claiming to surrender. After that, Fornia verbally sparred with Vlad, while the Easterner tried furiously to figure out what Fornia was up to.
Fornia became distracted by the raging battle around him, but seemed to be calmly waiting for Morrolan to finish cutting his way through the Easterner cavalry with Blackwand. At Vlad's request, Daymar broke in through Fornia's teleport blocks and mind-probed Fornia, learning Fornia's plans with the Morganti greatsword, and that Ori was poised to teleport Fornia away from the battle as soon as the swords clashed.
Vlad killed Ori, then three of Fornia's elite guard. Napper, who had joined with Vlad and Daymar, was killed in single combat by the Fornia, who pierced him with the Morganti greatsword, thus destroying his soul.
As Morrolan brushed aside the last of the resistance, Fornia drew up to face him. Vlad, however, flashed in and chopped off Fornia's hands. Vlad then clutched the Morganti greatsword and flung it towards Morrolan. He later learned that Sethra the Younger had picked up the sword, claiming it as a battlefield spoil.
With Fornia dead, he was unable to commit his reserves. Morrolan's forces began mopping up, and Fornia's remaining officers agreed to a general surrender shortly after.
[edit] Implications
With Fornia's death, a key threat to Morrolan's power, both militarily, sorcerously, and geographically, was permanently removed.
For reasons of his own, Vlad did not inform Morrolan what Fornia had intended to do. Some years later, Sethra the Younger and Aliera fought a duel in Vlad's apartment after Sethra the Younger offered to trade the Morganti greatsword for the Sword of Kieron the Conqueror. Morrolan arrived, Blackwand clashed with the Morganti greatsword, and Pathfinder was finally revealed. Aliera claimed Pathfinder from the unconscious Sethra the Younger, leaving the Sword of Kieron for her in its place. Sethra the Youngers's opinion of the exchange, when she woke up and learned of it, is not recorded.
