War of the Nobles

The War of the Nobles was a short and peaceable civil war that engulfed the Kingdom of Alterac for less than a year. The civil war was largely in response to the corruption of Lord-Regent Tristan Karthwall and the weakness of the child King Walton Perenolde. The outcome of the war led to the formation of the short-lived Alterac House of Nobles.

Prelude
In the aftermath of the War of Perenolde, many noble houses died out or were stripped of power due to treachery. As a result many minor noble houses which had remained loyal until King Stuart's disappearance were elevated to greater power. Two such families were House of Patton and House of Croister. Following the last of the predecessors dying in the war, House of Patton were gifted with the County of Southshore. In response to the House of Herring's betrayal, House of Croister replaced them as the Barons of Herring Rock.

The two powerful maritime holdings, six years into the regency of Lord-Regent Tristan Karthwall under the reign of the thirteen year old King Walton Perenolde, broke out into conflict over fishing rights in certain fertile waters. As the Lord-Regent came to settle the dispute, his decision favored the House of Patton after Count William Patton paid a hefty bribe.

Baron Jon Croister sent word to the drunkard Duke Maxwell Karlsburg, the lord of the second most powerful family in the Kingdom of Alterac, and enlisted his support to invade the County of Southshore and demand the resignation of the Lord-Regent.

March on Southshore
The Karlsburg army quickly mobilized to take the valuable port-city of Southshore. The Karlsburg forces arrived at the gates of the city without disruption, putting siege to the city. Baron Croister commandeered the majority of the Alteraci navy, stationed at Herring Rock and sailed to Southshore and blockaded their ships. The following day, Count William Patton surrendered the city to the enemy forces.

Assassination of Lord-Regent Tristan Karthwall
Once word of this act of treason reached Alterac City, the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Alterac, Lord-Regent Tristan Karthwall gathered his forces to punish the rebellious nobles and take back the city. Upon his arrival at the city gates, Baron Jon Cloister agreed to surrender under terms of negotiation. General Karthwall rode into the city, receiving Duke Karlsburg as collateral to ensure his wellbeing. Upon entering Southshore Keep, the Lord-Regent was sprung upon by nobles armed with daggers, viciously murdering him.

Once this was discovered, Sir Bryan DuBois, the Lord-Regent's second in command, executed Duke Karlsburg and stormed the city. However, most of the rebel forces had already been loaded onto boats and fled, with the nobles in tow.

Strahnbrad Agreement
Several months of nonviolence followed the Southshore Crisis as came to be known. Sir Bryan DuBois replaced the late General Tristan Karthwall as Lord-Regent. In depression of her second husband's demise, the Queen-Mother declared the General a national hero and secluded herself within the keep.

The majority of the nobility flocked to the side of Baron Croister following the death of the Lord-Regent. Secretly gathering in Strahnbrad, the new Duke of Karlsburg, Duke Marshal Karlsburg, the late Duke Maxwell Karlsburg's more capable younger brother, convened an assembly of what is now known as the Strahnbrad Agreement. The Alterac Peerage determined through political discourse that an Alterac House of Nobles would be created with great authority, second only to the King. On the second day of the talks, the nobility then determined that this could be accomplished through the murder of the Queen-Mother and new Lord-Regent where they could force themselves into power.

Assassination of the Queen-Mother and Coup
As the snow's began to thaw, the plan created at the Strahnbrad Agreement was ready to be set into motion. The Queen-Mother's wine was poisoned, falling to the floor of her bedchamber. The nobility had bribed the entire royal household. Then the entirety of the nobility entered the city under heavy guard, the bulk of their forces behind them. Lord-Regent Sir Bryan DuBois surrendered the city and the nobles under the leadership of Duke Marshal Karlsburg marched into the keep and taking custody of the fourteen year old King Walton Perenolde.

Establishment of the Alterac House of Nobles
The frightened young teenage king was obedient to the swarm of elderly aristocrats who coached the king on his next decree, the establishment of the Alterac House of Nobles. Following the announcement Sir Bryan Dubois's banishment, the King publicly announced that from henceforth the Alterac House of Nobles would serve as a Regency government and upon the King coming to age, the House of Nobles would maintain a degree of authority that could only be overridden by the King. Although, this was truly not the case, the King became a figurehead and easily intimidated, especially a King such as Walton Perenolde.

Following his announcement, the War of the Nobles came to a close, ushering a new age in Alteraci history.