Chapter XXIII: The Road to Schwarzbach.

Mid-June 1111

Just as Magnus feared, the two Pomeranian armies were not cooperating. The Prince of Salzwedel-Stormfury just before the campaign began had met with the Duke of Pomura at Greifswald. Both men hated each other greatly, not only as rivals in the Kingdom but on a personal level as well. It had been a wonder to even get both men to agree to join the war together, let alone having any form of actual cooperation between them. Years prior, both of them had gotten into a fist fight over a veiled insult that the Duke had made towards the Prince's wife at a Royal Banquet in Pomeraniopolis. A duel was fought between the men that was indecisive but neither had truly reconciled their differences and had no plans to either.

The Duke of Pomura, Pomuranus V, was a rather ambitious and deceitful man, who was not above using bribes and other forms of intrigue to get his way. It was he, who orchestrated his father's capture of Greifswald many years before from Pomerlane's family. Now 54, the Duke wanted to add more land to his domain from Eliria and allow his family to become the most powerful in Pomerania.

The Prince of Salzwedel-Stormfury, Pomulius II, was in many ways, was a polar opposite to Pomuranus. He was an impatient Tempestuous, yet a rather pious and honest man. He too, was ambitious but his honor opposed the use of underhanded tactics to achieve his goals. What he may have lacked in pure intelligence, he made up for in his bravery, zeal and martial prowess. Indeed, on the battlefield, he was an able commander who understood the art of war on a level that Pomuranus wished he could. The 44-year-old though, also wanted to expand his domains in Eliria as well and was willing to let his animosity rest for a common goal. Secretly, he was rather fond of Pomerlane and saw him as a Prince who had been dishonored by the treachery of the Pomuran Dukes. He hopes that in victory, he could restore the Prince of Greifswald to his rightful domain at the expense of his rival.

Either way, both of the Pomeranian armies saw initial success, with minor victories being won over local forces at the border and Pomulius winning a minor victory against Nicephorus near Dübendorf in mid-May. The Prince had heard that Pomerlane was headed his direction not long after this victory and showed greater caution than Pomerlane expected in his march to Lillehammer. Indeed, he dispatched a message to Pomuranus requesting for him to join him as soon as he heard the news. But Pomeranus did not comply whatsoever, he sent a letter back telling Pomulius that he had more than enough men to win in a pitched battle against Pomerlane and that he should be less focused on his (the Duke's) objectives.

Disgusted but not deterred from his objective, Pomulius resumed his march in Late May to Lillehammer. Along the road, he would encounter Pomerlane and his army and after a few days of manouvering, the stage was now set for the first major battle of the Great Pomeranian War and the first test for Pomerlane's new tactics in battle.