Siege of Highbrood

The Siege of Highbrood was a battle and assault that took place in the year 412 AC. It's aim was to liberate the town of Highbrood from its Mountain Clansmen conquerors.

Background
Heavy raids were reported all along the Mountains of the Moon, with many battles fought between clansmen and the knights of the Vale. The Skirmish of the Black Abyss, the Battle of Raven’s Ford, and Hardyng’s Harrowing were all famous conflicts that saw heroes and villains arise on both sides. As winter approached, the fighting began to ebb, and for a time it looked like there might be respite. But just after the first of the snows began to fall, a large band of wildlings descended into the lowlands of the Vale proper, sacking the town of Highbrood and taking it for their own. The advance of winter made ousting them all but impossible, the high passes of the Vale impassible by all save the bravest and most foolish.

Rather than allowing the continued subjugation of the people of Highbrood, Osric Arryn heeded the advice of some councilors and gathered what forces he could. Thus began the long march through the snow; it was a gruesome slog, and the siege of Highbrood that followed was much worse.

Engagement
Osric Arryn departed from the Gates of the Moon with nearly four thousand men - three thousand and five hundred soldiers meant for fighting, and the remainder a mixture of squires and laborers. These latter were to clear the roads where they had become impassible.

With winter already arrived in earnest, the march was hard and long. Frost, sleet, snow and winds took their toll upon the travelers, slowing their march to a crawl as they trekked through the hills towards the town of Highbrood. Many men were lost in the journey, succumbing to the hardship of the temperature. Fuel for fires proved unexpectedly difficult to find - further deepening the troubles of the would-be liberators. By the time they arrived at the settlement they were weary and cold - though resolve yet warmed their hearts and bones from within.

The Andals fought a brief battle against the clansmen on their arrival, driving the raiders back behind the walls and forcing them to shut up the gates. The Valemen established a perimeter, and set to starving their foes out.

For three weeks they waited, as the snows deepened and the temperatures dropped, until eventually Osric could bear the weight no longer. The Lord of the Eyrie gave the order, leading his men in an assault upon the town - and so began a bitter battle that would claim the lives of many. The Valemen were repulsed the first day, unable to gain the walls, but dawn upon the second brought a welcome sight. Survivors of HIghbrood had opened the gates from within - and the Andals poured into the town before the Clansmen could wrestle them shut.

The battle raged across the settlement, destroying buildings and homes even as corpses lay strewn across near every walkway. They fought street by street, slowly forcing the invaders back. Eventually a gallant young knight slew Arson Shieldrender in single combat, though the Clansmen chieftain earned his name before the end. With their leader dead, the rest of the barbarians were reduced to lawless rabble - and the battle slowly shifted to a slaughter.

Aftermath
The city of Highbrood was freed from its captors, though at a grave cost in lives. The Arryns left a small garrison to protect the town and aid its recovery.

Politically the assault had a mixed effect; some lords saw it as a necessary evil that needed to be done, whilst others looked on the brutal attack and its cost as avoidable. Even Osric, who led the attack, voiced later grievances with Harrold Arryn, who had recommended it -- the large loss of life was hard to stomach.