Invasion of Val Luno

On the 15th of Midspring, 642 5E, the Invasion of Val Luno was launched, with a multi-pronged attack.

The Black Hand and Royal Army of Aregis crossed the Duro river over the Crepuscolo Bridge, marching along the Great Eastern Road towards Asemo at the heart of the Valle Alba.

House Rubiano, leading the Val Ossus Militia from the south, was eager to claim its two biggest prizes: Crinia and Port Sena. On the 16th of Midspring, they started the Siege of Crinia and the Siege of Port Sena simultaneously, with Ricardo Rubiano leading the siege on Port Sena and Rámon Rubiano leading the siege on Ponte Crinia.

By the 20th of Midspring, the Royal Army of Aregis laid siege to Asemo, and the Black Hand marched east to aid in the attack on Crinia. So far, Port Sena and Crinia both held firm, dealing major casualties among the assaulting Ossus forces.

The Black Hand powered along the Great Eastern Road, facing relatively little resistance. Upon approach of the Crinia Swamp, this changed, with the peoples of the swamp fighting a brutal guerilla war against the mercenary troops. It was only through absolutely brutal counterattacks that the Black Hand was able to keep control of the Great Eastern Road, reaching Crinia on the 27th of Midspring.

The Siege of Asemo was hard-fought and was won by the Royal Army of Aregis on the 28th of Midspring. 

The 28th of Midspring is remarkable for another reason, as Ereni officials swear that it was in fact an Aregis dignitary that was responsible for The Heaton Inferno following the Summer's Start Banquet.

Besieged on all sides, Crinia fell on the 4th of Summersdawn. Now in control of the entire Valle Alba, any resistance in the Crinia Swamps was swiftly put down by the combined forces of the Black Hand and Ossus militia.

In a noteworthy exchange between commanders, it's been reported that Vito Vitali and Rámon Rubiano had a fiery exchange of words, with Vitali chastizing the young noble for failing to capture Crinia on his own. He was mockingly put in charge of the occupation of Crinia, as the Black Hand continued along the Great Eastern Road to tip the balance in the Siege of Port Sena.

With Asemo now under her control, Delinda Santino had finally secured a solid foothold across the Duro river. With her sights set on Luno, she rushed her troops towards the western edge of the Principe Peaks. She ran into the bulk of the Luno Rebellion forces on the 3rd of Summersdawn, however, and a long standoff ensued, with multiple skirmishes taking place over the coming weeks. One notable event was the near breakthrough of her forces, just before Fabrizio arrived on the 5th of Summersdawn with a large number of reinforcements, locking both sides into a standstill once more.

Starting around roughly the 8th of Summersdawn, the Invasion of Val Luno fell into what many described as the Great Stalemate. With the Aregis Alliance being the aggressor, a big advantage came from the element of surprise, and the relative isolation of the Valle Alba and Crinia Swamps. At this point, however, the bulk of mobilized Val Luno forces had arrived, bolstered by many volunteers responding to the news from the south. While not particularly wealthy, the region is host to countless strong Ordo Lavoro (Order of Labor) workers, more than willing to die to protect their homes.

The Black Hand ran into coordinated resistance on the northern edge of the Crinia Swamps in their attempt to reach Port Sena; many warriors from Crinia and the nearby swamps had fled when the region fell, and had now regrouped on the eastern edge of the Principe Peaks. Reinforced by Luno Rebellion supplies, weapons, and manpower, they formed a highly effective blockade against Vitali's terror troops.

Port Sena still stood, with its long history of conflict giving it the perfect foundation to withstand long sieges. It was still being supplied by Val Luno supply lines, and the city was far too valuable to risk destruction by fire or magic. Ricardo Rubiano found himself at an impasse. His son had arrived from Crinia, disgraced and dishonored, hoping to regain some respect from his father. If a daring and dangerous stunt was needed, so be it.

The Royal Army of Aregis found themselves locked in the Passagio Stretto, the narrow sliver between the Duro river and the Principe Peaks. Several expeditions through the Peaks had failed, due to the extreme nature of the terrain, and coordinated mountaineering Rebels.

At this point, Delinda Santino started considering more unorthodox methods of approach. Breso, the Val Frossa city where the Duro and Freddo rivers met, had been heavily fortified by Frossa forces, to make sure neither Luno nor Aregis forces would try to cross. An invasion would open up Luno, but risk fighting a war on two fronts.

In the long run, however, the Aregis Alliance possessed far more resources, making the prospect of pushing the Luno Rebellion off the peninsula seem like a matter of time. The coffers of the Ordo Sacculis (Order of the Purse) run deep, and there would always be mercenaries available in Helladris, or perhaps even Dorwin.

This period of stalemate saw a lot of concentrated efforts to force a shift in balance, such as the Rebellion-led Operation Avalanche and the covert Operation Dragonstrike.