ASOIAF: Lord of Nature

(Yohn Royce, Mountains of the Moon)

One could practically feel the tension that hung in the air.

As the army marched forward, they were prepared for any potential attack, as they were nearing the infamous valley.

The Valley of Death was considered a dead man's land due to the many armies of the Vale that had perished there.

Each time the Arryns would rouse their armies to finally rid themselves of the Clansmen, they would be forced to go through the Valley of Death where many valemen would meet their end.

The last Vale offensive into the mountains had been three centuries ago when the Arryn King had lost his father to a skirmish between the bitter foes. The Foolish Falcon would die and alongside him many of the most prominent heirs of the Vale. It would culminate in the regency of his widow Lady Sharra Arryn and the events that followed.

His thoughts would be interrupted as the entire line came to a halt.

Yohn frowned as a rider approached him from the front "Problems?" He asked. 

Before responding, the rider saluted him. "There seem to be various stacks of rock on the way, the men have begun clearing them, my Lord." the rider explained.

Before the rider could continue to expand on the situation, Yohn felt his instincts warn him of incoming danger, turning his head upwards, his eyes widened.

Above him were figures pushing what seemed to be large boulders toward the army below, and saw one such boulder rapidly move closer to his position.

"COVER NOW!" He warned, managing to avoid the boulder.

The poor rider and his stead were too late as they were crushed by the incoming boulder.

…

(Lorimas Mudd, Mountains of the Moon)

Lorimas spurred his horse onwards, as he witnessed a significant portion of the front line be crushed by the boulders striking them.

Men screamed in pain and agony echoed as they were squashed to death. The horses that survived flattened anyone on the way, as they attempted to flee the danger.

"SHOOT THE FUCKERS THAT ARE PUSHING THE DAMMNED BOULDER!" He ordered.

The Commanders were the first to get themselves together and began reigning in the panicked men, as the archers followed his orders and began shooting at the figures attempting to strike them down.

All the while rocks and boulders fell upon them, and if that wasn't enough the bastards began lighting stacks of hay on fire and sent them towards the line, hoping to cause more chaos.

Lorimas moved forward towards Yohn's position, the man looking exhausted as he helped push the boulders of the survivors. Around him were the various stretchers that would be used to transport them toward safety.

The lords and officers that survived the initial boulders had also gathered around him, waiting for their next move. The men looked shaken by what they had just witnessed, then again seeing a man being crushed into a paste right in front of you, tended to do that.

"Any word on the Scouts we sent?" He questioned.

Shaking his head "Nay, I fear they might've been the first to perish." his voice was somber. "Go ahead Lorimas, you should prepare the men, it will only get worse as we enter the valley, I'll take care of the pass."

Nodding in agreement, He turned towards the officers around them. A plan to deal with the situation was already in mind.

While they were currently trapped within the passage, making them vulnerable to the clansmen, the men had managed to clear most of the obstacles to the Valley, though they were crushed to death for their efforts.

While he pitied them, their deaths wouldn't be in vain.

"Have the men abandon the supplies, we need to get into the Valley as soon as possible to prevent the Clansmen from properly positioning themselves." He yelled out.

It was clear to everyone that the boulders and flaming hay were being used to delay the Army. This meant that they had yet to get into position, otherwise, his men would've already been slaughtered.

The officers saluted before getting on their horses, nodded, and set off to complete their orders.

Lorimas turned to the remaining Lords and gave another set of orders "Gather the injured and then withdraw, The rest of you follow me into the valley, we need to engage the clansmen before they can attack properly. " He roared.

The men nodded towards him, as they quickly got themselves in order.

Hundreds of the famed knights of the Vale galloped towards the Valley, their hooves like drums beating into the ground. Behind them was the infantry that followed suit, ready for the battle that was to come.

Lorimas could see the clansmen in the distance attempting to get themselves into position. They were caught by surprise by the appearance of the cavalry under his command and tried to avoid the incoming charge as Lorimas spearheaded right into their center.

Dealing a great blow to the enemy, hundreds of clansmen fell to lances or were cut down by swords. Some met a horrendous death as the horses trampled them to the ground.

There was no pity in his mind for them.

There had to be at least four squadrons worth of men gathered by the clansmen. Most of them wore basic leather tunics for armor. A few of them wore light plate armor over the tunics, signaling them out as important figures that should be targeted by his men.

The infantry and archers that had followed him outside of the passage swiftly formed ranks near the entrance. Leaving only enough room for his Cavalry to withdraw, as they prepared for another charge.

Desperate to break them before the Vale forces could gain a proper foothold, the clansmen charged at the infantry.

"Have the archers rain down arrows on them while they're still stunned." Those were his first words as he made it back. 

The Archers moved ahead of the ranks as they knocked their bows, the whistling of arrows could be heard as they were sent flying and soon, screams and thuds could be heard as the clansmen were either killed directly or found stuffed with arrows, dying a slow and painful death. 

This forced the charging clansmen into a halt, as they got their bearings and tried to avoid the rain of arrows.

"Do not dally, send in the second charge!" He shouted. 

As the archers withdrew, an opening was made as hundreds of Knights made another charge.

While the clansmen held some training, they were no experts by any means. Meaning they were still vulnerable when on open grounds. Had they successfully trapped his army within the passage, they could've slaughtered his force, but thankfully he made the call to enter the valley, preventing such a situation, if barely. 

The clansmen despite being outskilled and outnumbered as more and more men appeared through the passage entrance, fought with heavy fervor. Not giving an inch as they were cut down by his men. Lorimas could respect that determination, it's unfortunate they decided to use it against him.

Placing his full focus on the battle, it was clear that the Clansmen were going to fall, it was only a matter of time now.

The Valemen for their part were performing quite well, as they sought to prove their skill and worth. The Riverlands campaign had largely been fought and won by the Banners, leaving the Valemen mostly as support or to garrison captured strongholds. These men wanted blood and glory, and by the gods, they were achieving it.

A group of riders approached his position.

Turning towards them, he noticed one of the riders was a man that had been left with Yohn, moving towards him and bowing his head.

Signaling him to raise his head, the man spoke.

"My lord," he began "All injured and crippled personnel have been moved towards a safe area, the clansmen behind the boulders have either been killed or fled."

Lorimas was pleased by the news "What of the remaining men within the passage," He asked.

As the man tried to respond, Lorimas could see hundreds of men appearing at the entrance, Leading them was none other than Yohn, it seemed that they were ready to reinforce him.

A horn could be heard as it announced its presence to both forces. Without a word, the men around him swiftly got into position as they prepared to welcome the reinforcements. 

The clansmen could only grit their teeth at the situation, ready to face their death head-on for their families. 

The clan chiefs let out war cries, pushing their men to fight for survival.

Lorimas raising his sword high let out a roar as he ordered his men to meet the charge.

Both armies rushed each other, as ancient enemies met again, with death on their minds.

…

(Chief Cheyk, Valley of Death)

The men were breaking, one couldn't continue charging at a wall and expect a different result.

There was simply no way for them to fight an army that seemed endless as more men appeared through the entrance of the passage. 

They would have to retreat, or they'd leave their homes defenseless to the wrath of the invaders should they choose to foolishly fight this losing battle in this accursed Valley.

He'd already been uncertain of their victory; too many of their warriors had already died, trapped outside of the mountains as they were picked off by the Andali.

He would not give up, He had every intention of harassing the Andali as they slowly made their way into the mountains and the caverns that made up their homes, hopeful that they'd be able to tire them and force them back.

He vowed that if he ever got his hands on that damned 'Foreigner' then not even the gods themselves would save him from the fate that would be inflicted upon him.

"RETREAT!" He roared out as the tides shifted in Andali's favor.

Ignoring the bloody screams of men and women who lay dying, those from his clan and the wiser ones from the others quickly made their escape as they allowed the other clans to serve as a distraction for their escape.

The last thing he felt as he made his way from the valley, was sorrow and fury at the lives lost and the fate that would befall his people.

For the first time in several millennia, the Valley of Death was soaked in the blood of clansmen instead of their hated enemy.

What was once an impregnable point that united the Clans of old against the invading Andali, would now be the staging grounds by which their enemy wrought ruin on them.

…

(Lorimas Mudd, Mountains of the Moon)

The battle had been won.

In front of him were those taken captive, forced onto their knees, as their blood dripped onto the ground beneath them from the injuries received during the battle.

"What of the Leader?" Lorimas questioned.

One of the guards responded, "The clan chief who had gathered this host, had fled the battle whilst the other chiefs were being killed, my Lord.".

He frowned at this news, while he'd seen a portion of the clansmen flee the battle as the tides shifted, he hadn't expected it to be the more prominent of the clan chiefs.

Reports from battles had suggested that most of the time, the leading figures of any incursion by the clansmen tended to be zealous in their approach and rarely retreated.

While the clansmen were by no means stupid, their pride and stubbornness made them predictable, it seemed this Chief was made of different cloth.

One of the clansmen stared at Lorimas, "The mountains will be soaked in the blood of you Andali filth!" he spat.

Raising his eyebrows at that, Lorimas shook his head at the fool's assumption. While the clansmen did hold some advantages, they could no longer leave the mountains to seek food or provisions and what little they could grow wouldn't be enough to feed them all.

All he needed to do was starve them out and they would fold, or they would throw themselves at his forces. Either way, they would die or surrender, there was no other option.

His guards on the other hand refused to stand for the disrespect shown, one of them delivering a kick into his stomach. The man cried in pain as the kick hit a particularly sensitive spot, and blood dripped once more from his injury.

Paying no heed to the captives, Lorimas stared at the encampment that was now being created within the Valley. 

The Valley, while not exactly the ideal place to set up camp, was the only place large enough to do so, for an army of their size.

Vultures around them feasted on the dead, as the Valemen saw no reason to bury their enemies dead. It was a rather morbid sight but was to be expected considering the millennia-old enmity between the two cultures.

Then again technically there should be enmity between House Mudd and the Andals but that was largely forgotten during his House's time in Yi Ti, or as his nephew would say 'they had bigger fish to fry'.

Equipment and loot were being gathered from the dead, ready to be distributed as a reward to those who proved themselves in the battle. 

Lorimas himself had observed quite a few men and knights who he intended to recruit to the Banners, they would make fine Wardens.

Turning back towards the captives, he looked to the guards, one of them stepped forward "What is to be done with the captives, my Lord?" He asked. 

While a few of the captives were moaning with pain, others were staring grimly at them, resigned to their fate. 

"Have them interrogated for any useful information they have, mayhaps one of them holds crucial information we can use in the coming days." He ordered. 

Holding the Valley of Death gave his forces a significant edge over the clansmen, yet this was still their home and there was doubt in his mind that they'd be aware of concealed paths or caverns from which they could set up traps and defenses that could prove deadly to his men.

Sending him a quick salute, the guards immediately took hold of the captives none too gently and led them away.

As for the officers around him, at those that weren't already directing the camp "Once you've looted the bodies, have them burnt." He commanded. 

The officers nodded and made their salute before moving.

…

The camp had now been settled properly, and Lorimas was now back in the command tent, receiving a more thorough report of the aftermath.

"Casualties?" he asked.

"Of the six thousand that have marched with us through the passage, nearly seven hundred are dead with another two hundred wounded." Yohn answered, "There is hope that at least half of the wounded will recover, but the rest have been crippled."

It wasn't the worst scenario, but it wasn't that much better. Lorimas was well aware that this whole campaign could've gone tits up had he not rushed the men towards the Valley's entrance. 

Still, he felt pity for the families that would never be able to see their fathers and sons. Unfortunately, that was the price of war and there were more to come.

Alongside the dead, there were a few lordlings who'd died and some crippled, their bodies were given priority and were to be transported back toward their seats. The same would be done for the smallfolk, though that would likely be far more difficult. 

Proper compensation would be sent to the families of the dead, a policy that had been long-standing since 'the Dragonslayers' time. 

'It was only fitting that they care for the families of the men that died for their cause.'

"Any issues with the supply line?" Moving on.

"It will take a while but the line should be restored in a few days," This time Horton answered, "We have enough supplies to last us a few weeks, more than enough."

Nodding his head towards Horton in acknowledgment, his attention turned towards Symond who spoke up "It would be wise to send a rider to Lord Erlend, informing him of the situation, my Lord." Symond suggested. 

Raising an eyebrow at that, Lorimas motioned for Symond to continue "The clansmen are likely to be aware of our usage of ravens to send information, they might shoot them down to get ahold of it."

Thinking it through, Lorimas could see the logic at that. The leading clansmen had shown some wisdom in retreating when he knew the battle was lost.

No doubt this 'Foreigner' and history would have made them more aware of the importance of information, hence Symond's worries about them shooting down their ravens to get ahold of it was not unfounded.

One of the swiftest ways the clansmen could turn the tides of this conflict was to get ahold of Erlend, though that was easier said than done.

Then there was the matter of the scouts, it was likely they were already dead or captured. Either way, their deaths meant any parties he sent out would have to be far more cautious.

These weren't the wild and savage clansmen he'd read and heard about. They were a genuine threat to the stability of the Vale and the authority Erlend had over it.

Whoever had been supporting them needs to be uncovered, as these moves by the 'Foreigner' proved that they represented a direct threat to his House's rule.

What made it worse was that the shadows had very little information about this threat, meaning this enemy was at least aware of his house's network that they were able to avoid being discovered.

No doubt Erlend knew more, but he likely didn't consider it important enough to share. His nephew could sometimes be far too arrogant or have some absurd plan that needed that information to be kept quiet.

He couldn't help but groan inwardly, he preferred to crack heads, drink, and make love with his wife. Not whatever the fuck this was, this is why he left it to Erlend and Dalia to deal with this bullshit.

The war council continued for a few more hours, as plans were discarded, altered, or made to fit the present situation.

Still, the core goal remained the same, they would have to root out the clansmen and finally rid the Vale of millennia-old threat.

Then he could finally take a breather and spend time with his daughter since Erlend had confided in him that he wouldn't be participating in the Reach campaign.

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Lorimas Mudd is said to have played a crucial role in the Mudd Ascension, he was by all accounts well-liked among the nobility, particularly within the Vale due to having spent his younger years within it, fostered within the Eyrie alongside Jon Arryn and Yohn Royce.

He would be one of the driving factors in the marriage between his older Brother and foster sister Aemma Arryn. One that proved fruitful as it led to the birth of the much-beloved figure that was Erlend Mudd.

While there was some controversy in his adoption of Lady Mya Stone, who would grow up to become the famed Lady Firmstone. 

Popular opinion had largely depicted him as a charismatic warrior, who cared little for the opinion of others and was known for the love he held for his wife the shrewd Lady Dalia. Many would liken him to the late Lord Robert Baratheon, though it was unknown if he ever had any relationships outside that of his marital bed.

One of his greatest achievements would be his role in the fall of the clansmen, ending the Milleinia's old enmity between the Valesmen and their savage rivals.

Excerpt from 'A Tale of Mudd and Steel' by Maester Alyn Feld

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Note: This arc's main goal has largely been to flesh out Lorimas and somewhat give you an idea of Erlend's character. As for why Lorimas isn't trying to undermine his nephew as is typical within Westeros. That stems from two primary reasons, he practically raised Erlend, so he considers him his son. Secondly, House Mudd has been battling for survival for several millennia, they had to rely on each other to survive and thus family has always been their primary concern.