Battle of the Eastern Road

The battle of the High Road is considered by many to signify a shift in the War in the Mountains; it is the first time that Osric Arryn met Royce Redfeather in pitched combat. It is also the first loss that Osric Arryn suffered, though many give credit to how organized the retreat he lead was; without him, its said that it could have quickly become a slaughter.

Background
After his envoys were sent off with arrows from the Gates of the Moon, the King in the Mountain began to undergo bolder and more dangerous raids, sometimes even striking forth close to the borders of the vale.

A group of travellers were murdered by the King and his Clansmen, and so, eager to finish off the king so close to his capitol, Osric Arryn rode forth with a small army from nearby the Eyrie. He tracked the small force of clansmen into the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, cnfident that the small group the travellers described would not be able to stand against the force of a cavalry charge.

Eventually, Osric’s scouts came upon the band of clansmen upon a hill, and with reports of the King in the Mountains himself, Osric turned his attention to battle.

Engagement
Osric Arryn and his Winged Knights charged forward, finding themselves in the thick of vicious clansmen, Royce Redfeathers elite warriors. The hill they charged up made it difficult to rout the barbarians, and soon they found themselves in a confused skirmish, horses braying and men shouting throughout the gloom.

As they fought, Alester Hersey lead the foot up the hill, with Abelar Arryn leading a flanking force of cavalry to attempt to pin the clansmen. But when the sounds of a horn erupted from the woods around them, the valemen faltered, and Alester Hersy was said to have gone pale, realizing that just like three years ago, they had wandered straight into a trap.

Osric shouted for order as clansmen burst from the trees, charging down hills and engaging the bereaved infantry. Thankfully, Osric and his knights had already partially managed to climb the hill, and with one last look at Redfeather, Osric sounded the retreat.

it was slow going, the infantry lead by Hersy as mountain clansmen burst through their ranks. Thankfully, due to the lack of cavalry in the Clansmen, Osric Arryn and Abelar Arryn’s cavalry managed to cover the retreating Valemen, charging through the savages as they fled.

Aftermath
While all agreed the casualties of the battles could have been much worse, no one was quick to call it a victory. This marked a resurgence in the Mountain Clans assault upon the vale, with raids appearing again every since the winter broke. Arryn granted each of his Winged Knights command of a group of men, trusting to his men to carry out a more disparate defence, realizing it would be difficult to get the clansmen to meet them in battle.