Dear Arturo,

Rather than send you the Song of Harrier’s Ridge in its entirety, I have decided to summarize the events for you while including excerpts. That way your friends and family can sample our native style of verse while also understanding how this significant battle played out. Once you have fit the events to your country’s style of verse, I would be most interested to hear your work.

Listen and learn Of loyalty strained
When heroes’ hearts Were hewn apart
And true Terrodrans Turned into foes.
What wretched rift, What rude splitting
Befell fighters Whose faithful oath
Kindled conflict, Kin against kin!

It was the memorable year 2626. Children who were born before the Ruckus began were now old enough to be its captains. The towns Terrodrad and Lysseus fought in frequent feuds against each other and against the Afflian warriors of Issodel. Alliances shifted at times but Terrodrad refused to treat with Issodel for anything.

At the Havoc at Fordard’s Bridge, Lysseus had taken Brushcutter Hamlet from Terrodrad, along with the great wall along Harrier’s Ridge. Both stand north of the river Munwin as you see in my sketch. The Terrodran lookouts were pushed back to Blackswale Hamlet until a marauding crew of Issodelian rangers appeared at Brushcutter and drew away the Lyssean host. As Issodel struck Brushcutter, Terrodrad climbed the ridge pushed Lysseus out.

The lawman Captain Werrick was urged by his men to drive off the Issodelians but he refused, arguing that they were a welcome buffer against Lysseus. The Afflian ranger Tutor Enneba was likewise urged to attack the ridge while the Terrodrans were weary but he also refused. Thus the two sides settled into an unspoken truce. It might not have lasted long, however. Terrodrad’s champions were on their way from the south and once they crossed Fordard’s bridge in a few days’ time there could be no excuse for Werrick to hold back.

But before the champions arrived, a horrid mob from Hennavale spilled out of Purgrove and took the ridge.

… The stern captain
Marshalled his men And marched nowise
On agile Enneba. In angry threats
Wary Werrick Warned his sergeants
To spare their spears, Despoiling not
The handy hamlet. Horrid beastmen
Of evil eye Aimed to advance
And meant meanwhile To mar that ground
With bile and blood. …

They came not just with men but with worms and they split the ridge in two. Terrodrad was pushed out for a time but Werrick and Enneba acted as one, even while still strangers to each other. Enneba charged and Issodel fought to retake the east ridge end while Werrick and Terrodrad fought to retake the west. The plan went well apart from one Terrodran sergeant, Vor, who would not abide this truce.

Vigorous Vor, Vested for battle,
Hot-hearted man, Heeded nowise
The captain’s call. Comrades followed
In reckless ranks Most rigorous Vor
Far to the fields, Fain to harry
Afflian enemies. The order went out
From wise Werrick, “The wall is lost
And bridge broken If brashest Vor
Charge and out-chase These chancy friends.
The hands now hast’ning To help Terrodrad
Will fold into fists If fury urge them.
So loose lances! Launch arrows!
Shame be-shadow me Who shafts must send
Upon his people.” Pointed iron
Flew in the field In flocks hundred-strong,
Sturdy and straight, And struck down Vor.
The sergeant sank. …

Werrick ordered Vor’s troop to be shot down. They survived but were all badly injured. Werrick and Enneba then fought on against man and beast alike as they defended the reclaimed ridge. Soon they met and confirmed their truce in speech. As the battle raged, Champion Melark of Terrodrad and his mobs moved across the bridge but instead of continuing north to rout the fleeing Hennavalers they turned west against the Issodelians. Captain Werrick rode out to confront them and their meeting was tense.

… Cruel frontiersmen
Marched for murder, Marvels in blood,
And warning words To Werrick spoke.
“Mad mischief, this! You meet kinsmen
With cold cleavers Clutched against us,
With bronze brandished, Braced for a fight?”
So Werrick warned, “My word is given.
Affalach aids us, Our ailing men,
And leaves this land Alive and whole.
Shall true Terrodrans Betray a vow
Sworn by the swan?” Swiftly Melark
Answered angry, “The oath you made,
While prowlers pressed And predators rushed
Fearfully was forged. Now friends arrive!
Help us and harry The host of fiends –
Erase your wrong!” Rage flooded him,
The calm captain Who kept his temper
In bitter battles. “Bastard, Melark!
Look to the land Lying southward
Where kin and kith Call you champion!
The walls await Warriors’ homecoming!
Notice them now For never after
Shall those shining- Those sheer ramparts
Enter your eyes If urged I am
To betray a truce By Terrodrad sworn.
Move on their men? We mow you down.”

Captain Werrick had Fordard’s Bridge torn down to stop Melark’s men from returning to Terrodrad and giving a false report of events. Melark himself was killed and his men were detained. A week later, Sergeant Vor returned to the town and gave his account. He neither blamed nor defended his captain but his words led Werrick to be expelled from the lawmen so that he instead took up the healing arts in service of his town. He was called Werrick of Harrier afterwards and later just Werrick Harrier. For the rest of his life he spoke proudly of the battle saying,

“Afflian arrows And iron cleavers
Of trained Terrodrans Traded in blows
With tooth and talon. Tutor Enneba
Lifted his lance- Aloft his spear.
Its ash was etched In images clear,
Plants and palaces, Pledges of faith.
Werrick wielded War-cleaver blades
Cast in colours Of coal and blood.
Both back-to-back Battled wight-hordes,
Murderous monsters And men beast-hearted.
Geldoran gallants – Glorious hosts! –
Found fellowship there With fighting Afflians,
Awoke war-songs As wicked ones fled,
And by cleaver and claw Reclaimed the east wall.”

I believe, Arturo, that I have explained enough for you to craft a song on the matter in your own native style. Have no fear in embellishing the account which may be embellished already. I hope you better understand now the uncomfortable position of the Harrier clan at the time you first arrived in Geldorad. Another thing might help inform your understanding. I found a census which lists Sergeant Vor as the brother of Flira who married into the Turradria family. If she knew not before, she surely knows now.

Expect to hear from me again soon.

Your friend,

Sidwid Hull.