208-215 AD: The Beginning

[Sam]

The year is AD 215...

...in Shu:

The King of Shu, Liu Bei wars in the west, having marched to conquer the lands of Ba and Shu in Yizhou four years past. Since entering the west he has seen success after success seizing masses of territory from the feeble lord Liu Zhang. Even the loss of his signature strategist, Pang Tong, at the hands of Zhang Ren seemed to do naught to halt his momentum. Fa Zheng, a defector, took over position as the expeditionary force's chief strategist while the King of Shu's prime minister made his way west in support, leaving the lord's sworn brother, Guan Yu with protectorship of Jingzhou.

As the lands of Liu Zhang dissolve under the banners of Liu Bei's conquest, the Guanxi coalition in the north-west have seized the Hanzhong region, allying themselves with the failing lord of Yizhou with promises of land. Ma Chao marches south but is morally defeated in an heated exchange with Zhang Fei at Jiameng Pass. Upon returning to Hanzhong, Ma Chao meets with Fa Zheng who convinces him that his best interest lies with Liu Bei, and the Guanxi forces in Hanzhong defect to the King of Shu.

With his northern flank secure, Liu Bei launches an attack on Luocheng with Fa Zheng and overwhelms the defenders, Zhang Ren disappears into the hills in defeat. The forces of Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun arrive and reinforce the Jing forces, together they march on Chengdu. Gongsun Zan is ordered to lead Wei Yan south to annex southern Shu.

Zhang Ren still unchecked and on the loose, brings harm to Liu Bei's current holdings and authority in the region, threatening to undo all of his progress so far, Zhao Yun is dispatched with a host to deal with Liu Zhang's top general, and bring the finality of defeat to his still sizable army...

...in Wei:

The King of Wei, Cao Cao has returned victorious from his battles with the Guanxi coalition at Tong Pass and Chang'an with the foremost of help from Jia Xu. Leaving the protectorship of the western front to Xiahou Yuan, who continues the battle seeking to destroy the resolve and power of Ma Teng and Han Sui once and for all.

On the eastern front Zhang Liao has just dealt Wu a deadly blow to their courage, having came close to claiming the life of their prince, Sun Quan at Hefei, with a vastly outnumbered army. Sun Ce lead his main force personally, directly from his victory over Lu Bu at Ruxu, where the latter was wounded with an arrow, but his army too was smashed in surprise by the crafty northern commander. Zhang Liao's name runs south alongside the remnants of the battered Wu army living in infamy; Lu Bu swears to make a cloak out of the King of Wu's 'tiger pelt.'

But trouble still plagues the King of Wei's vast borders, in the northern kingdom, Yuan Shao dispatches forces to numerous border stations to deal with the rise of threat of the Xianbei nation. Cao Cao orders his son and heir, Pi, north with Sima Yi to help quell the Xianbei threat. Yuan Shao uses the confusion and focus on the raids to continue covertly bid for his re-emergence as a major player in the war, planning to reclaim the entire Hebei region north of the Yellow River once again...

...in Wu:

Still riding obsessively on the momentum of his huge victory at Red Cliff, Supreme Commander Zhou Yu is still as determined as ever to gain the province of Jing from Liu Bei. Liu Bei following the conflict between the two kingdoms had his minister Ma Liang order the transfer of half the province to Wu, but Zhou Yu's appetite did not abate. With the assistance of the rising star Lu Meng, Zhou Yu launched a surprise assault on Jiangling in an effort to claim the heart of the Shu force in Jing. He was outwitted and defeated by Xu Shu, who Zhou is convinced is really his arch-rival Zhuge Liang.

In Jianye, the Wu capital, the responsibilties of court lie entirely in the hands of the young prince Sun Quan and his friend Lu Su, with King Sun Ce and Zhou Yu both away at war on two fronts. Having almost lost his life at the battle of Xiaoyao Ford, Sun Quan is quite content sitting back and handling the political side of his brother's business. The court led by former generals Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, believe Zhou Yu's day has passed and urge that he be replaced, in order to resume the alliance with Liu Bei and return to peace.

Following his humiliating defeat at the hands of Zhang Liao, the King of Wu refused to return home to the capital, instead he returned to Lujiang, intent on making his newly acquired land Ruxu, his forever, while rebuilding and re-rallying his army, hell-bent on overcoming Zhang Liao and with him, Hefei, in his desire to expand his southern kingdom.

In the Three Kingdoms...

..heroes continue to rise to the occasion, the Han dynasty is truly at it's end now, the era of the Three Kingdoms has begun, who will you help in their mastery? Will you side with the Imperial Uncle, Liu Bei of Shu? The Hero of Chaos, Cao Cao of Wei? Or the Little Conqueror, Sun Ce of Wu? The armies of the Three Kingdoms are in motion, beset by dangers and political strife, romance, betrayal and rivalries; the story from here on, is in your command.