Talk:War of Odessan Succession
detarame 12/14/2018
3. Hedrifax canonically gains the trait "assassinated" somewhere around 1402-1403(?). Edrell cobbles together a dual strike team made up of a mix of his people, the Geese, Gnob's Folly, and the Mattiverse. The end of Hedrifax meant the end of his power over the Queen, who comes out of the asylum pretty pissed and more or less deposes her Oldest son (Aden) with the younger son. (I think this is called the Regency or something in the timeline)detarame 01/06/2019 Geography has always been a friend to Odessa, for sure. There was plenty of blood and toil during the Schism Wars. The "Crusade" against them was largely a bust, in no small part since Gildenhome (usually the decisive power behind other interregnum and etc type events) became embroiled in the Gnomish Civil War. Flannary and Fresia were absorbed dealing with an influx of refugees from the heartland from various calamities, so the "Crusade" became a much more regional affair.
When Hedrifax Kaine - long seen as the mastermind behind the Odessan fortunes of the mid and late 1300s - was assassinated, Odessa for a short time descended into Civil War. Queen Eloise, for years under regency due to madness, appeared outside the Palace under the protection of a small coalition of influential Odessan Nobles and Merchants. (Probably) Not crazy anymore (if she ever was?), she lead a political and then military campaign against her son, Prince-Regent Aiden. Eloise waged her campaign on behalf of her minority-age child, rather than herself, and after her victory he (?) was installed as the new king under her Queen-Regency.
detarame 01/07/2019
The seemingly inexplicable alliance between Wydmoor and Odessa become less "gross betrayal" in this light. It has long been alleged that Astlan Mead had foreknowledge - or even a direct hand - in the assassination of Kaine. If she did or didn't, she was in the right place at the right time, offering clandestine support to the renegade Queen during her earliest and most uncertain period. After Hedrifax (the Elder) was assassinated, the fortunes of the Prince-Regent quickly turned. Although there were several bitter and costly battles for both sides, the defection of Hedrifax Kaine (the Younger) into the Queens camp is generally seen as the decisive turn in this conflict rather than any particular military victory. It is said that within two days, his army was three dozen men after Kaine the Younger was seen in the Queen Regent's camp.
Did they kill him? Did he flee? None know. But, the Queen anointed her son (rather than the common tradition of the Arch-Warden, or at least some powerful Church Official, from doing so. uh oh!) as the legit heir. While this distraction was going on, the Cestians had made some serious advances to the south. The Shakespearean-level of Aiden's fall meant folks lined up behind Eloise pretty quickly, and they were able to stabalize the southern front. Probably, maybe, the could have launched a counter-offensive and retaken the lost territory of WALESLAND, but instead the Queen Regent committed only enough troops to the southern front to stabilize it, and ordered the rest of her strength across the mountains (again), this time to support rather than oppose Wydmoor. Still, Odessa found itself overextended: Holding the line in the south, aiding New Wydmoor against the Senatorial Armies, and finally the advent of Alexian bandits raiding the under-defended North. That is when they began to commit clerics directly onto the front lines. And, I guess the rest is history?