The Long Simmer

The Long Simmer was the first true conflict between The Principality of Gildebrag and The Sarriahn Dynasty. It took place from Year 592 through Year 608 and ended with The Annex of 608, in which The Principality of Gildebrag formally took over the Dwarven Kingdom of Vuhr Daruhl.

Etymology
The war is known as The Long Simmer because for 12 years it consisted of kidnapping or killing of emissaries, assassinations on both sides, and skirmishes among opposing forces, but no real large scale battles.

Background
The Sarriahn Dynasty had recently allied with the dwarven kingdom of Vuhr Daruhl, in Year 590, which led the nascent Principality of Gildebrag to feel threatened. When Vuhr Daruhl and The Sarriahn Dynasty sent a peace emissary to Highhome, he was killed. According to Gildebraggian lore, it was by a bandit group, but the dwarves and Sarriahns felt it was carried out intentionally by Gildebraggian forces.

The First Dozen Years
The first twelve years of The Long Simmer was plagued by asymmetrical warfare as each group scrambled to gain the upper hand on the other. Assassinations, kidnapping of nobles, and antagonistic relations in general created an incredibly hostile environment. Frequent skirmishes only added to the general feeling of unease as the body count piled up.

The Quick Strike
Gidebraggians were able to collect enough in their coffers to hire six of The Free Companies, with the other two occupied elsewhere. This swelled their forces and allowed them to storm the Thundersummits and even seize several dwarfholds in Year 605. With the dwarven kingdom subjugated and their hands full trying to secure their new territory, the Gildebraggians sued for peace a few years later with the Sarriahn forces and were successful.

Outcome
Vuhr Daruhl was formally disbanded with The Annex of 608. The kingdom's wealth dissipated into Gildebraggian coffers over the coming decades. This also led to dwarves beginning to immigrate into The Sarriahn Dynasty's Southern Thundersummits.