Kaalroen Empire increases warlike presence (327-346 PC)

From 327PC to 346PC the beastmen of the Kaalroen Empire became ever more belligerent after a long running dispute between the two major beastmen factions was resolved with the death of one of the rival warband's leaders. Now united, the beastmen began to plunder and pillage far and wide, leaving destruction behind them. The more civilised south of the Empire was quite happy with this state of affairs.

The beastmen raids led to some notable battles. In 331PC the Ogres of Cuitlaxaochitzin destroyed a raiding warhost in Arnar while they were campaigning as mercenaries for the High Elves. Irritated by this, Lord Traegan moved against the Ogres, defeating them decisively and prematurely ending their campaigning for that year. The beastmen had not finished suffering however as late in the same year a wood elf warhost, angry at the pillaging of nearby forests, defeated a beastmen horde and cleared much of the southern woods.

In 335PC the skaven of Typhus defeated the beastmen in the north while on one of their now regular searches for precious warspstone. The beastmen suffered further reversals in 337PC against the High Elves in the north. Despite the losses of the beastmen the Kaalroen's prospered, as the attentions of their many enemies were concentrated on the marauding beastmen. In addition this meant that internal problems caused by the Kaalroen's northern members were largely avoided during this period.

In 339PC however the beastmen hordes of the north combined under a single banner and surged south, meeting a dwarf army in the Mountains of Mourn. Here the dwarfs suffered a shameful defeat and the beastmen made of with much plunder. Seven years later the Kaalroen Empire tasted more success on the battlefield, when the army of Hovedstaden finally challenged the skaven in Canabrin, sick of their wanton plundering of Warpstone from their domain. The Skaven were crushed, and it would be many years before Typhus would send an army north to search for the precious substance.

Beastmen take a beating

Between 310 and 315 the fortunes of the beastmen in the northern domain of the Kaalroen Empire suffered greatly as several powers ventured into the Domain of Beasts and plundered its wealth.

Before their defeat to the lizardmen expedition in 314, the High Elves of Mellvellon had already waged a successful campaign against the beastmen in 310PC. Worse still for the northern dwellers of Canabrin the skaven, searching for new sources of warpstone also trespassed into the beastmen domain in 314PC and butchered all forces sent to deny them passage.

Finally in 315PC, sick of his Empire's loss of prestige, the lord of Hovedstaden set out from his tower with a large army, intent on shoring up his northern border by occupation of the beastmen ladns if necessary. He was therefore shocked and angered to find that the beastmen failed to pay him adequate fealty and even had the temerity to mount a defence against his passage into the beastmen domain.

Unfortunately for the beastmen their prowess in battle was no better against their liege lord than it had been in battles against foreign invaders. The beastmen were decisively defeated by lord Tragaen and the lord of Hovedstaden was able to take measures to defend his northern border.

Cuitlaxaochitzin Expansion (early 4th century)

During the early part of the 4th Century PC the lizardmen of Cuitlaxaochitzin increased their campaigns across Palurin and began establishing themselves as the most vital Empire of the world. By this time the Kaalroen Empire was in relative decline and the Holy Sigmarite Empire had turned inward on itself once more. A treaty with the human empire ensured the lizardmen armies had full access to the east of the continent, and they wandered far and wide throughout Canabrin and Arnar in the first and second decade of the century.

The main spur for the resurgent campaigning of Cuitlaxaochitzin was the defeat of their Ogre armies in Arnar in 305PC. Although the Ogres had trespassed onto the Wood Elf domain, the lizardmen of Cacauaxochitl were angered that the wood elves would respond so violently when their army was in Arnar to fight the forces of chaos.

The following two years saw the lizardmen send a massive expedition to the east and with the aid of Mellvellon the lizardmen defeated the Kaalroens near Gratisstad in 306PC before turning their attention to the wood elves in 307. The ensuing battle in the north Arnar woods annihilated the elf army sent out to meet the host of Cuitlaxaochitzin and restored the honour of the great western empire.

Despite an uprising in the empire in 308PC, caused by internal rivalries, the lizardmen empire remained strong, though its expeditions came to an ubrupt end. After settling their own political stability, Cuitlaxaochitzin sent another army east in 314PC, defeating the beastmen in northern Canabrin.

Apart from proving their power, the lizardmen and Ogres of Cuitlaxaochitzin also grew wealthy from plunder from their succesful campaigns and were soon rivalling the Kaalroens for the title of pre-eminent power in Palurin.