Battle of the Hollows

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Battle of Srel Mutack

Battle of the Hollows
Part of Jarrod's War

Date:

7 March 1572 CE

Location:

Hollows / Hagalok / Que'k Wastelands / Tuchanka

Outcome:

Tactical Wrexist victory

  • Urdnot Jarrod is killed, and Wrex escapes
  • Attempt to have Wrex assassinated fails
  • Desecration of holy ground forever paints Jarrod as an apostate, forever ruining his reputation
  • Clan Urdnot leaves the Tuchankan Traditionalists

Strategically inconclusive

  • Urdnot Wreav becomes chieftain of Clan Urdnot
  • Wrex flees into self-imposed exile and his forces rejoin Urdnot
Belligerents

ReformistInsignia.png Urdnot Reformists

KroganInsignia.png Urdnot Traditionalists

Commanders

ReformistInsignia.png Urdnot Wrex

KroganInsignia.png Urdnot Jarrod

Strength

12 warriors

30 warriors

Casualties

11 warriors killed

5 warriors killed

 
"I know what our father did that day, Wrex. It was unspeakable, blasphemy. If these were the old days, our ancestors would have cast him down as an apostate and had him fed by his entrails to whatever varren would eat his tainted flesh. When I had his body recovered, I purposely made sure he wasn't buried in the Hollows. He doesn't belong with our ancestors. He defiled their resting place, and so I had his body dumped in the wastes. So do not think me so lacking in principles that I would stoop so low as to not only forget all our traditions, Wrex, but openly piss on them. I am not our father. I am not Jarrod."
Urdnot Wreav to Urdnot Wrex upon his return in 2183 CE.

The Battle of the Hollows, also known as the Jarrod-Wrex Crush, was the conclusive military engagement of Jarrod's War that took place on 7 March 1572 CE. After thirty consecutive years of civil conflict, Clan Urdnot had been torn in two by two separate forces led by Urdnot Jarrod and Urdnot Wrex respectively, with their civil war taking place across their territories and involving most of their vassal clans and armies. Beginning due to a growing disconnect between Urdnot's members and the Tuchankan Traditionalists they spearheaded and fought for, the war had escalated when Urdnot Wrex, eldest son of Urdnot Jarrod, took it upon himself to switch sides to the Reformists and rallied over half of Clan Urdnot to his side, with Jarrod declaring war on his son and vowing to reunify Urdnot and solidfy their poisition as Traditionalist loyalists. Despite the significant tactical and strategic advantage it would have if Wrex ousted his father and had Clan Urdnot join the Reformists, the Traditionalist clans did not come to the aid of Jarrod, nor did he ask for their help, as both believed it was an internal Urdnot matter, and it would look like a sign of weakness if Jarrod asked for help: to the same degree, Wrex did not ask for, neither received, Reformist assistance. Both Jarrod and Wrex fought each other relentlessly, until it became clear that Wrex would be triumphant following his victory at Srel Mutack. Jarrod came to this realization after his devastating defeat there, and came up with a new strategy that he hoped would end the war and grant him victory with one swift move.

Jarrod's plan was to call a Crush at the Hollows, the sacred mausoleum where revered krogan ancestors, war heroes, warlords and chieftains were buried. THe Hollows are so sacred that even krogan tradition forbids any bloodshed, with allies and enemies becoming temporary friends within its presence. Such a site seemed perfect for a meeting, as both sides would be comfortable in attending, knowing that neither side would dare break tradition and desecrate what was a holy site. Jarrod, however, was counting on this: he had instead placed a trap for Wrex, having his warriors remove the mummified remains of long-dead krogan so that they could hide in them, ready to be sprung on their enemy. When Wrex and his contingent of bodyguards arrived, Jarrod and Wrex got into a heated argument about their beliefs, with Jarrod wanting Wrex to renounce his Reformist beliefs and return to his side, while Wrex pleaded with Jarrod to surrender his talk of renewed war with the Council and to join with him in focusing on reconstruction and repopulation, arguing that another war would be suicidal for the krogan and that they could not possibly win. In the end, when Jarrod saw that his son would not join him, he gave the order for his men to attack. Wrex, as suspicious as he was, had failed to account for just how far his father was willing to go for victory, and was shocked as Jarrod's men sprung up from the ground and slaughtered his warriors. The battle lasted mere minutes, but it rapidly fell in Jarrod's favor. Jarrod and Wrex battled in hand-to-hand for several minutes, but just as the last of Wrex's warriors fell, Wrex was able to impale his father through the chest. He did so repeatedly with all of his father's redundant organs, eventually finishing off his father with one last blow through his second heart. Jarrod's death left his men stunned, giving Wrex enough time to kill some of them and escape with his life.

The Battle of the Hollows brought an end to Jarrod's War a day later, but it was not the outcome either side wanted. Jarrod had perished in his attempted ambush, leaving the throne of Clan Urdnot free and open for Wrex to claim, especially since he had survived the battle. However, in a move that left even Wrex's own army confused, he did not return to his camp. Instead, Wrex took a ship and fled into self-exile, vowing to never return to Tuchanka and later taking up life as a bounty hunter and mercenary, with his father's betrayal and death having broken his spirit and leaving him pessimistic about his people's future. Instead, Wreav became chieftain, where he helped to reintegrate Wrex's rebels back into Urdnot. However, Jarrod was not successful, even in death: word of his monstrous defilement of the Hollows had spread throughout, and even most Traditionalists had disowned Jarrod. Wreav too disowned him, and with his clan in ruins and exhausted due to the conflict, he had his clan pull out of the civil wars and assume a stance of neutrality. Reformist attempts to get Clan Urdnot to join them fell on deaf ears, and Wreav had Jarrod's body, and those of his fallen bodyguards, dumped in the wastes to be eaten by wildlife; a punishment for Jarrod's vandalism and desecration of holy ground.

Prelude[edit | edit source]