Although all were aware of the fact that the usurper Queen of Ressaria, Anastasia Wrathburn, had her sights set on Vandermane, none knew her actual plans. As close to two years had passed since the rightful Queen Mary Elizabeth had disappeared, the tensions which once had run high between the two nations had appeared to ease.
Despite trade continuing, uneasily, between the two nations, Ressaria have not considered this to be true and it has only made them even more suspicious of their neighboring nations).
And so it came to be that the Vandermane main front was assaulted suddenly and without warning by a small Ressarian Military division. The city of Ayotha was besieged, and likely would have fallen if not for the last-minute appearance of the party, who commanded the available forces to victory.