The siege of Bar-Angra was a monumental event taking place in the year 279’5. Leading to the siege, was a secret war between the criminal organizations of Eir-Kùr and the Talan-shield, over their relationship to the imperial government. While the Eir-Kùr had for decades drifted away from criminality, striving instead for more genuine business model, the Talan-shield was very much so hostile towards the imperial institution due to its connection to the Order of the Black bat. The Black bat, which was by the 27th decade seen as an antithesis to the Imperial orders of knights, had a long history of protecting traitor knights since its founding at the beginning of the Long peace. Most famously they had clashed with their Arch-nemesis, the order of the Red bat at the battle of Crane strait, in the year 255’5. The Talan-shield on the other hand was, while unanimously declared criminal, a much more moderate organization, through which the hounded Black bat kept contact with other criminal groups.
There were two central figures in the Talan-shield with contacts in the Black bat, one of whom was Irvan the Vile, who had deserted the Red bat after his brother had been executed as a traitor knight after the battle of Crane strait. Irvan, not wishing to cause total war, attempted to keep contact with the Red bat, and negotiate terms of peace. All attempts however proved useless, forcing him to establish the Talan-shield, a new organization through which he could more easily contact traitor knights on the run. His co-partner was ser Liam Alberenne, the eldest son of Alec Alberenne, the count of Edwern. Ser Liam had not been declared a traitor, but had joined Irvan’s cause due to ethical reasons, seeing the hunt for traitors as inhumane.
Using the Talan-shield Irvan contacted the Eir-Kùr, using ancient contracts between them and the Black bat to induce a pact to help protect the Black bat knights. However, through a complex chain of events Liam Alberenne started losing faith in the cause, seeing that many of the traitor knights were truly vile. Especially after the Butcher of Barlingshire, where the traitors burned an entire village, taking everything, they had. Liam’s testimony caused the Eir-Kùr to withdraw from their deal. Infuriated at this supposed betrayal, Irvan captured Liam in his hideout in the Taman fjords, torturing him and the Eir-Kùr there to death. The locals who were very fond of the Eir-Kùr, revolted against the knights. Realizing the severity of their actions, Irvan panicked, taking a with him a hundred children as prisoners, and taking control of the town of Angranhelm.
This led to a siege of half a year, as Khaitian, Carasian and Imperial forces surrounded the citadel of Bar-Angra, unable to preach its defences. The situation became extremely dire, and the Tamantians were frightened of the situation inside the citadel, and the possibly starting and abused children. This all ended on the seventeenth of October, 279’5, when the crownprince of Valeron: Elmeran ‘The Sword of Hope’ rode into Bar-Angra with 500 valeronian knights, including 30 elite knights from the Death- and Lifeguard. Nobly, Elmeran offered himself in exchange for the children. Irvan agreed, freeing the children in exchange for the crownprince. However, the captive Elmeran was able to persuade a large part of the Talan-shield that their situation was hopeless, and that they should surrender. He pointed out the arrogance of Irvan to think he could hold the crownprince of Valeron with only a hundred knights, and that there was no way they could win. Irvan never bended, but around twenty of his knights did, deserting to Elmeran, and freeing the prince. Elmeran then led them in a charge against the remaining traitors, opening the gates for the rest of his knights, and defeating the shield. Irvan however, was not captured, but managed to escape with twenty of his greatest knights by boat.
Following the ending of the siege, a great celebration was held in the city of Angranhelm. For two weeks a feast lasted, led by Elmeran, who rose to a status even more legendary than he was before. A marble statue was erected of him, and the city square of Angranhelm called Elmeran square.
Irvan on the other hand would make his new base in the Dagger of Durne, becoming a feared pirate with the moniker of ‘The Devil of Durne’. It would later be revealed that the Devil of Durne was indeed Irvan the Vile. His base was raided, and his crew killed to a man, with Irvan himself being taken to the village of Barlingshire, the place he had burned years ago, to be judged and executed.