Were-Rat Purge
Overview
The Were-Rat Purge was a military expedition carried out in Year 3, organized to eliminate the threat posed by a pack of were-rats inhabiting the Old Forest. According to A History of Rislandia, "Jory organized a military expedition led by Captain Cedric Ironhelm." The campaign lasted three weeks and is regarded as a foundational act of early Rislandian settlement, clearing the way for agricultural expansion.
Background
Jory Malaky organized the expedition in response to the were-rat threat, which endangered the safety of early settlers and impeded the growth of farmland. The purge was one of the earliest recorded military operations of the nascent Rislandian state.
Participants
The expedition was composed of a combined force of approximately 280 combatants and support personnel:
- 200 soldiers, armed with steel and fire
- 50 Pyrean warriors
- Indigenous guides
- Priests
Overall command was held by Captain Cedric Ironhelm.
Course of the Campaign
Week One
The expedition entered the Old Forest and located the were-rat den within a network of caves. The advance was costly; the force lost 30 men to ambushes and disease during this first week.
Week Two
Having identified the den's location, the expedition set fire to the surrounding forest in order to smoke the were-rats out of their cave network.
Week Three
The campaign concluded with a final battle at the mouth of the caves. Captain Cedric Ironhelm killed the pack's alpha in single combat. The remaining were-rats either were destroyed or scattered, with survivors fleeing deeper into the forest.
Outcome and Legacy
The Were-Rat Purge broke the were-rat threat to early Rislandian settlements. With the pack scattered or destroyed, farms could expand safely into previously dangerous territory. The victory established Captain Cedric Ironhelm as a notable military figure in the early history of Rislandia.
"Jory organized a military expedition led by Captain Cedric Ironhelm." — A History of Rislandia