The message delivery, and subsequent holding action at Fishrun, made by Mage Eldan, would be known as the act that allowed the Empire of Karash to be pushed back beyond the mountains. The Crystalvein Mountains were once thought of as unpassable, but a surprise death March over them was accomplished at great initial loss to the Imperial forces. Once they had made it across, however, they would have had full and easy access to the largely undefended heartland of the Republic. Simultaneous offensives across the border further masked their actions, and almost allowed a catastrophic defeat to be had. Mage Unit 117s actions to get a message out, sacrificing their lives to the man, allowed Republic forces to rotate from lightly attacked fronts to march to the mountains. Upon arrival at Fishrun, they noticed a densely glowing field of power stretching from the river to the far treeline. Over a hundred dead Imperal soldiers lay in front of hit, with more in the ruined half assembled camp in front of the treeline. This denied easy access to roads for Imperial forces, slowing their advance long enough for a decisive Republic victory to be had at what is now know as Raithen's Gorge, so named for the Republic Captain who first arrived there and held off the encroaching forces long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
When the people of Fishrun returned to see their town still mostly intact, they set upon building a memorial to the brave actions of Unit 117 and especially Mage Eldan. The bodies of the whole unit are interred there, together again in accordance with their wishes, and the day of his arrival is a local holiday. The protective field has been mostly disassembled by Republic mages, however a small section serves as the centerpiece of the memorial.
-excerpt from Victories of the Early Republic, and their Effect on the Known World
By Scrivener Eoldmer the Younger
