A History of the Covenant Lands [IC Posts]

Post 1: Making of a Lady

(Alea'ana, Archdruiddess of Moon and The Lady of the Eleven)
After the Covenant started to crumble, she became a beacon of hope in uncertain times.
Those tribes who suffered the most came into her united leadership, trying to find someone, or maybe something, that could keep them safe and lead them through the expected invasion. The good news was that the invasion never came but Alea'ana didn’t rest and her lessons as a druid and a warrior were reflected in her leadership. The cold blooded logic from her snake blood shone as strategic development were undertaken, the companies restructured and trained as her mistletoe blood and druid experience allowed her to build long lasting relationships with the tribes and the spirits of the land. Rallied by the need of survival and lead by the young druiddess, the elves soon became a significant power within the Old Lands, both military and economic. Working under lphas-el, Archdruid of the Land, the elven mercenaries were even more desirable in these uncertain times and the influx of coin was put to communal use and development of the lands and crafts. Roads were built and markets created, so goods could come in and used to develop the Marches. It was clear she would be an Archdruidess someday, but it was still a surprise when she was promoted to that position, after the previous Archdruid of the Moon step down and left into an exile back to the long lost east. There was some sort of disagreement between the Archdruids and her predecessor was suddenly taken by some old racial nostalgia about the old elven lands… Stranger still was her quick election to Lady of the Eleven just as the Margrave was noticing the elves as important allies within his realm. The formation of the Confederation's Council was an important milestone and she and lphas-el were to join the council. This was until she was elected and the head of the elven tribes and Zet’arin took her place as she had to deal with the growing unrest from the Lizardfolk and Sahuagin who feared their swamps would be destroyed…

Post 2: Out of the Den

(Coya, the raider)
He ran and he ran until his skin was safe outside, under the burning sun. What was happening? First the earth shakes, then the sun doesn’t set and now the ground collapses? The small tunnels he called his den were completely destroyed! All those hours or hard raiding, pillaging and robbing were for nothing. And now, even the imperial road was blocked! The fall of the Covenant was a tragedy, less merchants, people fleeing from the trading post, the roads were just a horror… how could one live of others like this? What would he do now? The desert sands stretched to infinity and he had nothing. But wasn’t he a survivor? Surviving it is! Nothing like a good plan he thought to himself as he started his long wandering through its vast emptiness.

Maybe it was some smell carried by the faintest of winds, or maybe a small sound only he could make out, but someone, he managed to find out some old desert ruins. Not that there weren’t a lot of ruins in that area. He has even heard rumours of an entire nation to some forest from where the sun rises that was built by adventurers pillaging ruins! Maybe he should have joined them when he still had a chance… But would they accept one such as him? A creature of the sands? Probably not… those civilized humanoids never liked his people that much. But here was a new place to explore. If he was lucky, it would have plenty of treasures buried and food… Oh how starved he was! Can you believe how little is there to hunt in this desert? What does one have to do to find food in this place? Suddenly he hears steps. Someone else is here! He grabs his knife and moves silently until a… elf? Yes, an elf is just there, standing in front of him.
"Oh! Blessed Avencia! If it isn’t one of the Coyotl People! Just what I needed!" He was found! And, unknown to him, his life would change...

Post3: His dark writing
Event: You catch up with the thieves who stole the artifact. They do not have it anymore, and refuse to speak (or perhaps they actually can't) of who hired them, but they have correspondence in a strange dwarven writing that doesn't follow normal dwarven syntax.

(Durwar, The Appraiser of arts)
Trapped. Ahah! The dwarf was in a good mood and that meant there would be beer aplenty! The thieves were so desperate not to be caught that they fell on their own trap. After the collapse of the tunnels, the three thieves that survived were forced out in the open. Clearly, they were not expecting the widespread damage that they caused. But once they set foot above ground, they had no where to hide and it was a matter of time before they were all caught. Three Zet’arins were now in the catacombs under high security. Theses ones did not dissolve into ash apparently! Everyone was very impresses to find, empirically and reproducibly, that they bleed. However, their blood is a green paste of strange magical properties. Clearly something to study if we’re to understand what is going on. But, since they are not talking, there will be plenty of more samples for the intellectual mages to experiment with. They are so stubborn, that Lutr, the Head Inquisitor and Lord of the House Greenvale, is considering the possibility they are under some form of muting enchantment. Maybe they are, maybe they’re not. But it was the other finding he was just being informed that was bothering him… It appears that the thieves were found in possession of what could only be instructions. But this correspondence was in a strange language made of symbols that could be dwarven, but the sentence structure was senseless. He had a quick glance at the writings and his face became sombre. He turns to the messenger to speak "Ay boy. This is either some sort of code in dwarven that we need to break or… and I hope I’m wrong… something darker from old dwarven legends…" he says as he remembers his grandmother’s tales about some evil dwarves that were expelled to the underworld long ago, after the End of Times...

Post3: Peace for our time
Event: Clouspire is furious with the loss of Terminus port. The war stops in a tense truce as the marches find more about the imperial heir

(Zari, The Master of the Guilds)
The north see was fully under the Confederacy’s control. With the triton alliance, they were now the undisputable trade power in the region. These make the guilds very happy. The horrors of the war and the tales of undead meant little to the businessmen in the cities. Materials were many and plenty, there was more work than craftsmen and training was barely meeting the demands. The guilds hadn’t been this busy for years! The flow of coin and resources, the big investments and the development of framing, industry and crafts was widespread through the realm. It was so, that the guilds even created a clearing house, where finances were arranged to facilitate the booming economy. War was good, and those Terminus traitors were getting what they deserved. So it was to be expected that Cloudspire’s interference would cause an outrage amongst the guilds.

Of course it was up to him to navigate the political traps and try to find a way to keep the guilds happy, while avowing the complete obliteration of the Confederacy. The council agreed on a simple plan. Terminus aggression could be overlooked, but those ash armies were trouble. Prolonging the war would let the Confederacy determine exactly what happened there, which seemed to be exactly what Cloudspire was trying to hide. They couldn’t seriously think the retaliation was unprovoked, could they? Anyway, diplomatic missions were sent to Rivellesk, the League Cities and Valseria, hoping to form an alliance that could consolidate peace in the area once and for all. The armies would be raised, and the mercenary companies mobilised. Total war was coming and the Confederacy would be prepared this time. Spies were sent to weaken Terminus positions and identify the best strategies. Spies were sent to find dissidents in Cloudspire and undermine the heir’s authority. And the frontiers with Cloudspire developed. The Confederacy could take the two of them, but they would be exposed to the unpredictable Unilith, unless they found some allies. For now, they retreated and waited, they appeased their enemies, knowing fully well that war was inevitable. But today, it was peace for our time...

Dec 1, 2019 8:32 am

The Highway Wars part 3:

Suddenly, the Duergar started running back. Then, there was an explosion further down the tunnel. Turns out that they decided to sacrifice some of their own soldiers to create another cave in to have their last stand in their city.

The ones that are still trapped with the Zaangors fought their best, but they were soon cut down. The Linguist called for a break in the fighting, as ordered everyone to send back away the bodies to clear space.

Then, everyone is instructed to sleep. They will camp at the cave in, with the more energetic ones to stand guard in front. The 8 hours past, and the fight continues. The Master Smith lead the charge again at hacking away the collapsed stone. Halfway through, another round of explosives is triggered on the other side. This caused the rocks to crush back those who are digging their way through.

The Master Smith was not defeated yet, and so he continued to excavate. Then, as he made an opening, bright light can be seen. At once, everything seems to slow down as a deafening roar followed by a blinding beam blasted through the rocks to obliterate those who were near the blockage. Everyone was in a panic as a giant never-before-seen weapon is now facing them down.

The gargantuan weapon begins to slowly hum louder and glow brighter. The Linguist, who witnessed the weapon's attack, knew that it is now recharging, and commanded everyone to start charging at the weapon. He called for vengeance for the slain Elder, which reinvigorated the soldiers.

The final clash with the remainder of the Duergar military was fought in the city. The weapon, which was nearly ready to fire again, was swiftly disabled by the furious Horde. The stored energy was released in a massive explosion, but that did not deterred the Zaangors. They hacked and slashed, until finally, no more Duergar came to face them.

It turns out that the city has been abandoned, but not without most of its valuables taken. A few unarmed Duergar was found during the city sweep and they were promptly taken as slaves. The Zaangors have taken heavy losses this day, but their wrath is still burning bright…

Dec 13, 2019 5:36 am

Rise of the Duergar part 1:

It was never to be expected. It was always believed that the Zaangors, especially with the efforts of The Commander Linguist and the late Smith Hero, will be the ones to be proudly crushing the Duergar with ease. But now, the real truth reels its ugly head upon the Capital.

Out of the ground, the Duergar rises with their true fearsome armies. The dark dwarves set out to lay waste to all that they see. Perhaps it's as if the Zaangors' karma came to bite back at them. However, their will is not lost just because their enemy has literally entered into their homes. They are all willing to fight back, along with the slaves that have yielded to their rule.

Within the Throne Room of the Stone Fortress of Councils, the mighty ruler Hra'an stands with his men side by side, fighting against the risen menace. This is the first time that he had to fight in a long time, but his talent with the blade is not yet lost.

With running around the enlarged dwarves, he swiftly slice off their limbs, leaving them screaming surprised agony before being finished off by the Fortress Guards. "Stay with me! New Zaangoria shall not fall this day! It shall not fall ever!" Hra'an shouts as he and his guards cleared the room.

Everyone cheered on, and they storm into the next room that is strewn with the bodies of Elven servants. The grim, but proud looks of the Duergar soldiers all turn to fierce rage as they clash with guards. The invaders could not stand a chance, especially with the fearsome display of swordsmanship that is dealt by Hra'an. It goes on like this, with each room being diligently cleared of all the attackers.

In one of the rooms, Gribrak of the Keepers is found battling against a Duergar sergeant by himself. He is the leader of the Council Fortress's guardforce. His loyal men all lay around his feet dead while Gribrak is fighting against the equally furious enemy squad leader. Hra'an came in and swiftly beheaded the Duergar, which leads to Gribrak falling to his knees in thanks. Hra'an offers his hand to his citizen. "Let's hurry on. There is still much to save."

Dec 13, 2019 6:08 am

The Rise of the Duergar part 2:

Before the Duergar's invasion, Gribrak is an apprentice of the late Master Smith. He alone is responsible for the creation of thousands of armour and weapons of the Zaangorian Horde. He eventually became one the Keepers, the trusted leaders responsible for the security of precious materials of the empire. He has recently gave most of the responsibility to his fellow assistants to handle his old duties, and took on the new one of leading the Fortress Guards, the sole defenders of Hra'an's proud palace.

When the attack began, he roused his men from the barracks of the Fortress. He dons his heavy armour and hammer, taking on the image of his slain Elder. He was able to bring the guards to meet for themselves a noble end. And now, standing before The Ruler of the Empire, he is now given a new reward for his bravery. From the hands of the dead Duergar squad leader, Hra'an gives to Gribrak an enchanted warhammer. After this brief ceremony, Hra'an, alongside his newly empowered guard captain, leads the command to continue to purge the Fortress clean.

When they scoured through the upper levels, and checked that the rest of the servants are safe, they returned to the ground floor. They saw for themselves a new batch of Duergars pouring in through the large double doors of the Fortress's entrance. Amongst the new squad of attackers, there is a Duergar that is much bigger than the rest. It wields warpicks in both hands, and has a beard adorned in skulls. When he spoke, Hra'an understood, for he also have picked up the Duergar's tongue.

"I am Hremadahl! The war general of The Duergars! And I came to feast upon your flesh, Bird King!"

This time, it's Gribrak who leads the battle cry. "My soldiers shall slay the fiends of the ground, my Lord! The giant too shall shrink beneath our feet when we end their unworthy lives!"

CESN

Dec 13, 2019 9:05 am

Post 1: Into the darkness

(Coya, the raider)
He had hoped for buried treasures and plenty of food when he saw the ruins. Well, treasures and food he got. What he didn’t expect was a massive secret tunnel network with armies of cursed dwarves marching and a crazy elf with his godly granddaughter. She was his granddaughter, right? What else could she be?

So, starting with the crazy elf right? The one that though finding him was a much-needed blessing… Anyway, turns out this old elf is, or was, some sort of powerful spirit mage, or land, or whatever… magic was not his thing. He was more the poison arrow to the knee type of guy. Good news! This old fella knew where food was, and if it wasn’t there, he knew how to make it be there. Now that is the sort of friend you want to have! Anyway, the nutjob was convinced there was something old and powerful going on in the world and that coming to the middle of nowhere, walking under to scorching sun to find the ruins of some old legendary elven city was the only way to go about it. If Coya knew what was to come, he would have taken that druid more seriously. As soon as he starts settling into the good life, having something like a house and plenty of food, some cursed dwarf shows up! And then another and another. Apparently, there were tunnels and tunnels, never-ending tunnels stretching to the heart of the world (or at least it felt like that when he explored them) under the ruined city. And, of course the nutjob’s worry was if these were made before or after whatever historical tragedy he was into, not the hostile hordes of dwarves pouring out of the ground!

That was when he saw her. The old man called her Avencia. She was pale with light blue tones, giving off the stage feeling that she could actually be frozen. And she was brutal and cold, like a winter storm. He could still hear the panic shouts has she alone dispatched those dwarves: quickly, coldly and precisely! How could a little girl do that?

Post 2: The Duergar War
Event: CRISIS: In the Shrouded Sun of 78 PI, the duergar rose from their caverns and tunnels to fight the surface world. Mining and invasions from many sources had long been a source of contention for the underdwellers, and with a new leader, the Waking King, leading them, they finally decided to strike back at the soft surface dwellers.

(Durwar, The Appraiser of arts)
They were prepared, even though not expecting the new crisis that rouse from under their feet. They knew was war coming, but expected it you rain down the mountains instead of bursting from the underground. The armies had been mobilized, the supply lines established, and the military drills done. Everyone was ready, the border with Terminus and Cloudspire constantly patrolled, the inevitable skirmishes between scouts and the network of spies intensively working to gain advantage for the inevitable war. Turns out, the enemy came from the still standing tunnels. His grandmother was right all along. The Duergar, that lost race of dwarves as real, and now it was everywhere in the Old Lands, waging war under the banner of Waking King, whoever that was.

Given their preparations, all they had to do was move the armies to face this unexpected threat. They were everywhere, so there was no need to keep the borders defended, as Cloudspire would also be busy. The Earth's Spear company would free Southport, The Moon's Grace company march into Elven’s Gate and The Lady's Dance stay and hold on to Foundation. But things were not so easy… Elven’s Gate was retaken as the duergar were taken by surprise, Foundation on the other hand, was dragging as the remains of the duergar forces turned to attrition war. Southport was a disaster, with the elven forces being ambushed and forced to retreat.

But he knew it was a matter of time until the reinforcement arrived at the Confederation lands would be rid of these enemies, their tunnels found, and the fortifications set up to keep them at bay. Now, it was time for the Northlands to move. The duergar didn’t strike the Confederation's lands north of the sea, but Terminus was hit hard… The men were ready to march under Ilphas-el, the Overseer of the Roads, and finally, so was he. This would be a liberation war, completely justified and would put an end to those rebels in the north.

Post 3: The Flying horror
Event: CRISIS: At the same time as they struck from underneath, their massive stone dragon, the size of a small village, rained destruction of fire and molten stone from the sky.

(Alea'ana, Archdruiddess of Moon, The Lady of the Eleven and speaker for the Confederation)
As she stood at the gate of the Old Covenant’s capital, she knew the duergar would be worse than expected. Their network of tunnels would be a nightmare to go through. Her initial attempt was successful at destroying the enemy forces, their organisation completely ruined, but they kept on raiding her forces, keeping them on their toes. She regrouped and held her position waiting for the return of the Moon's Grace company to mount a final attack. Their work at Elven’s Gate was flawless, catching the duergar off guard. With the recent cave in of their massive tunnel network, they had little place to run and the human nobility could keep the peace in the capital.

However, the damage to the tunnels was not as extensive in the Foundation and even the second attack with the combined might of the Moon's Grace and the The Lady's Dance companies was not enough to destroy all the tunnels and put and end to the duergar raids. And news from the south weren’t great either… The Earth's Spear Company was forced into retreat by a massive flying creature that rained fire from the skies. They regrouped, but she had to finish her job here quickly before that beast returned and finished up its work, leaving nothing but ashes and corpses left in Southport.

How would they face such a creature of destruction? Maybe the answer was in Zet’arin’s notes, but the dwarves would have to be expelled to the caves they came from, fortifications erected to quickly find and destroy and further incursions front the underworld, patrol and scouting established to find and claim any open tunnels and, of course, rebuilding what the war destroyed. She had a lot to think about… Lutr, Lord of House Greenvale and Head Inquisitor, would be a good choice to set up the patrols. Maybe Zamath, the Mouth of the Land, would be free to research the notes? Not much diplomacy going on with this crisis…

Once again, she was having doubts as she contemplated the huge amount of work to be done before that flying beast returned …

Post 4: Sea of ashes
Event: CRISIS: The first series of attacks in this war were not recognized as such, for they used emissaries and mercenaries to do their bidding. But once they had stripped the surface kingdoms of their most powerful artifacts, they rose from the caves and tunnels along the Imperial Highway and struck at the capitals of Terminus, Malgeri, New Zaangoria, Valthiria, Cloudspire, The Marches, and Unilth.

(Ab Tajir, The Soul Trader and Spy mage for the Confederation)
The Covenant sent him to die in the desert for his crimes. He survived. Then he was supposed to have been killed in Oszeth for his ambition. He survived. Then he was caught by those who condemned him and sent to the snake pit called Unilith. He still survived. And now, he is a valuable member of the mage spies under Zamath, The Mouth of the Land and the Voice from the shadows. Turns out one the great elven druids was up to no good with some magics that only lowlifes like himself could decipher. So now he just sits down comfortably reading his notes in the nice seaside house, the soft sea breeze blowing, the cold winter sun shining, the relaxing sound of the waves softly crashing. And the remains of the military rushing round in panic. The so-called Confederation of the Old Lands was in a state of total war apparently. Something about legendary little dark man popping out of the earth or something. Clearly one of those old discriminations he was a victim of. These old timers never learned! But this time, it wasn’t him, so we couldn’t care less. He was doing well and he was going to enjoy it until the next time he’s meant to die comes along.

Having left Durwar, The Appraiser of arts and recently appointed Keeper of the North, lphas-el, Archdruid of the Land and The Overseer of the Roads, the hero of the Foundation wars, tries to cross the north sea with whatever forces he could spare to join Alea'ana, Archdruid of Moon, The Lady of the Eleven and speaker for the Confederation of the Old Lands. Man, these elves really like their titles… Anyway, they had some beef with some old Covenant traitors up north and used the war as an excuse to finish them off. With that sorted and the northern lands secured, they moved south to help with the war effort. Some sort of an army of giant dwarves (whatever that might even mean!) was settling nicely in Southport, previously called Ashport by the same elven traitor that wrote the notes he was reading. Maybe that was a clue? More importantly, the grumpy elves weren’t happy about it. Things didn’t turn out very well, as the fleet was mysterious sunk in what was supposed to be an easy crossing of safe waters. He looked into the horizon. It was a clear day and he could make out some land at the end of the massive sea, the blue waters turned grey from the ashes that rose from the bottom of the ocean… If only the soldiers would do their search and rescue missions a bit more quiet...

Last edited December 13, 2019 10:00 am

Dec 13, 2019 12:20 pm

Rise of the Duergar part 3:

Hra'an recalls his past. The days of when he was the son of the old Kingdom's Military Head. These memories are what gives him strength for the battle ahead. In his mind's eye, he sees himself facing his father in a duel. A duel to test if he is worthy to take over his father.

The two were facing each other on a long dusty road. Along the road, are the many ranks of cunning warriors and talented mages of the army. They all gathered to watch the fateful fight. This fight is special. For those who wishes to become an heir of the position of the Lord of War, has to prove that they can win a fight against the current one. And Old Zaangoria is a meritocratic system, not one that tolerates Nepotism. Hra'an's father have decided that this very moment where fate shall be decided in its truest form… through the worthiness of the individual in their circumstance.

There is no announcement when the fight begins. Hra'an is the one who takes the first step. He runs up all the way to the middle point, but his father have yet to budge. A few steps more, and his father's blade suddenly flashes in blinding light. What happened was that he simply raised his weapon to reflect the sun into his son's eyes. This was enough to cause Hra'an to stumble, and have a blade struck down to deflect his away. Hra'an still holds his own in both hands, and leaps away, while his vision is still afflicted.

He knows his speed is his advantage against his father, and so uses it to keep his distance. By the time his eyes clear, he realises that his father was not running after him, instead, he is still standing in his original position.

Hra'an loses his recollection for a moment when a huge warpick narrowly misses his head. He continues to meditate in the chaos of battle, and he eventually goes back into the fight with his father…

Dec 15, 2019 3:43 pm

Rise of the Duergar part 4:

The scene comes back on. Hra'an rushing his opponent with determination and energy. Again and again, him and his father clashed, and it almost seems that his father is stalling, focusing on defense while his son spends his pent up energy. Finally, his father made an offensive maneuver, which gave Hra'an a cut in his side. As the pain shot through his body, he senses becomes sharper as adrenaline washes over him.

Instead of keeping his distance, Hra'an now closes in for the decisive blow. It's now either one of them loses the fight, no more games. He makes a leap, raising his greatsword overhead but this is just a fake out. With a twist of his body, he sends his taloned feet at his father's head. Tumbling back to the ground, he turns around, preparing to receive another slash on his body, but none came. His father is grasping his face, blood pouring out. His father drops his sword and declares defeat as he demands for a medic to tend to his ruined eye.

Then, there was applause all around. The cheering faces of his new loyal soldiers turns into ones he now has with him in the Fortress. The Duergar general is dead, but he is but one of the many still rampaging about in the New Empire.

Stepping upon the General's head, which had shrunken to normal, Hra'an declares once again that Zaang shall live on in the might and glory of His sons. The group of soldiers, still in the frenzy of battle, marches on to lay waste to the grey skinned invaders. As night falls, they eventually secured the territory of the Capital where most of the Zaangors live. But before they can redeem the lands around the lake, they had to set up camp, and especially defenses.

In the following days ahead, even more Duergar blood shall be shed…

CESN

Dec 23, 2019 1:02 pm

Post 1: The spark
Event: The duergar are scouting out the land around Shady Sands, and some fear it will be their next target.

(Coya, the raider)
He had very little time to meet this Avencia girl as more and more scouting parties were coming out of the endless tunnels. It seems like those cursed dwarves were looking for something in the desert. The crazy old elf kept saying it was his granddaughter they were looking for and how I should keep her protected because he felt some call. He never trusted the gods to keep in safe, and this religious old elf just proved him right. Religious people do all sorts of crazy stuff just to feel their gods. More often than not, they turn up dead... or completely nuts like this one! As far as anyone could tell, the call had something to do with a mistletoe and wolves and then something or another that cut a tree recently. A tree? Someone cut down a tree? He felt sorry for the old elf as he was clearly suffering from some sort of dementia, most likely magically induced. That’s why he never did magics. They tend to backfire, emphasis on the fire! Anyway, clearly that girl didn’t need any help. Hadn’t she just routed an entire scouting party of dwarves? And not just any dwarves, these were some big dwarves, heavily armoured tough guys with shiny weapons that could be thrown with stunning precision. She was a little girl. Could be older than early teens. Witchcraft!

Now, the smart thing to do would be to run. And he was pretty good at that by the way! However, the old elf kept going on and on about how the cursed ones would bring the statue to them, because they needed Avencia’s spark. The girl was cold as ice, definitely no spark there! For some strange reason, he resisted his instinct to run away and find a safer place. Was it because the old man could create food? Did he get attached to these people? Poor little girl, he couldn’t leave her just with this crazy elf, right? So he did the second best thing he knew how to do: band some scoundrels, raiders and low lives together and organize trapping raids to teach those dwarves a lesson!

Post 2: War for the Old Lands
Event: The duergar have achieved something that they wanted, although what it is is not yet clear. They're not withdrawing yet, but they're not raiding anymore, so it will take less posts to clear them away.

(Ilphas-el, Archdruid of the Land and The Overseer of the Roads)
The northern army was demoralized, after being caught in the sea of ashes. Those duergar were cannier than expected. The Terminus campaign when smoothly, but it was a manoeuvre for the Dwarven armies to sink invade northern port and block their way back. He looks into the lands he had left, but there was only one way to go now: south into the Old Lands. That’s where the Confederation armies were massing for a final assault to liberate their lands from this surprise invader. Elven Gate and Foundation were already under their control. Once all the companies met, Southport would stand no chance. He briefly wondered why the duergar were entrenching at that place, the same place Zet’arin, the Guardian of the library, had built when he though the Lady was killed by his hired assassin. Ashmen in Elven’s Gate, Ash armies in Terminus, ashes in the sea and ashes from the sky… Ashport. The name came to his mind. What was the meaning of all of this? He briefly met Ab Tajir, The Soul Trader, but he couldn’t bring himself to trust that double crossing selfish low-life. Maybe he could decipher the notes, maybe he was just leading them in circles. He would be sure to come back for him once his armies had time to rest.

The vision of the Confederacy army was a sight to behold. He could only imagine the fear that sight stroke on their enemies’ hearts. Southport was standing still in front of them. The siege was expected to be long, so they were settling in for camping and raiding. He had sent some spies and scouts to check the area and find weaknesses to the duergar defences. They would move by sea with their news warships. The dwarves were surrounded as underground engineering teams had been deployed to find and barricade all tunnels, destroying any that couldn’t be used in the siege. Then the messenger came from the Lady herself. She was going to move in as the scouts found an open and empty city. They were welcomed by the loyal subjects of the confederation, who described that the duergar left as soon as they completed a colossal statue to some dark dwarven god, who they called the Ash Guardian…

Post 3: War effort

(Zari, The Master of the Guilds)
He saw the armies leave Elven’s Gate, marching south, leaving them in the hands of the Inquisitors, who still struggled to root all the ash cursed from the capital. Lutr, Lord of House Greenvale was an efficient Head Inquisitor, driven by the mysterious circumstances of his son and heir’s death, he was sure to root all ash curse from the Confederacy. Interestingly, there have been no reports of clones in the Old Lands, unlike those from the northern seamen. Lutr still though it was related, but it was difficult to tell exactly how.

However, in these were dark times, the merchants were grew restless, which impacted on the flow of coin. The Confederacy had managed to keep their interests and investments fairly safe through all the wars and catastrophes but now, the enemy snuck unseen right into the heart of the Old Lands. Elven’s Gate was untouched, but would it be that way next time? The war effort was expensive. It did bring investment opportunities for the guilds, but with more and more elves and humans joining the ranks of the mercenary companies, looking for a quick way to make a fortune, the main problem the guilds were facing was the lacking workforce to keep the industry working efficiently. The shipyards needed men to produce enough warships, the sulphur and saltpepper refineries were struggling to maintain the supply of chemicals and those new gun factories were barely able to support the required production. There was demand, but the offer was very limited. The Suhagin and Lizard-folk refugees from previous years were now trained and were easily employed as town guards, bodyguards and move the goods, but that didn’t free enough fingers for the more delicate and dangerous works.

But they were a rich nation now, and money attracts people. With the new diplomatic ties and the recent catastrophes, they were sure to get more trade and more migrants, and with it, hands to work.

Post 4: The trap!
Event: However, they have launched the stone colossus against you. It stands two-hundred feet tall, and it walks over the land, crushing everything underfoot.

(Ara, Commander of Northern Light Company)
Northport was theirs again. The Northlands were finally free from both the ash armies of Terminus and the cursed armies of duergar. For him, it was a matter of maintaining peace and restoring the land. The new company needed to grow and ensure the North was under the Convenant rule again. Of course, the new triumvirate that the Covenant became was an unstable mess with little diplomatic efforts going. With all that was going one, it was clear that the three powers of the Old Lands were retreating into themselves. This meant that the de facto ruler of Terminus and the north was now the Confederacy, despite all opposition from Cloudspire. The future of these lands was uncertain, but for now, the big players were too busy to notice them. As he expected the Riverlesk support to arrive, he was surprised by the crazy lone boat that sailed from Willowvale. He heard the man was crazy, but to see Ab Tajir, The Soul Trader, getting off that boat! Why would he risk crossing the sea of ashes? "There’s some paperwork I need to check now that Terminus is ours" that is all he said, before leaving to the old Terminus capital. But before leaving, he left a note, a worrisome note. Southport was reconquered, but duergar left a massive statue there, one that was quickly research and investigated. At first, nothing was found except that it must have been a gift to the dwarven dark god know as the Ash Guardian. But it was built in front of the temple, in a strangely symmetric location. The entire elven army stood still as night fell and the unsetting sun shone brighter. The light evolved the statue as it started to move, ashes blown from it in every direction. A colossus standing two-hundred feet tall was set free in a port of ashes crushing everything under his feet. They had just played into their trap...

Last edited December 23, 2019 1:03 pm

Dec 24, 2019 9:39 am

The Rise of the Duergar part 5:

Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months. Yet, Hra'an is not making quick progress with the reclamation of his Nation. By now, it can best be assumed that the rest of the New Empire is already in ruins, with spare soldiers and Elders making a last stand.

One thing that is noticed is that by now, the Duergar is attempting to settle down and organise their plunder, instead of alright destruction. This is good, as it makes it much easier to rid them whenever they are found as they did not fully expect a formidable growing army trying to retake their lands.

Soon, the Vengeance Horde worms their way into the western farmlands. And what they found there is nothing but ash and bloodshed. Footprints in the scorched fields point to a grim deadly culprit. A dragon. The Stone Dragon. It has finally come to lay waste to the Zaangor nation, and Hra’an along with his men are hungry to hunt down this foul beast.

Attempts to investigate the leftover of the crop fields have shown that to track down the dragon will be hard as it is able to fly. However, the Horde will not back down, and they continue on their march. Nanos of the Horde will split off to cover more ground, and if one of them is facing a particularly tough fight, they will withdraw and regroup before facing the enemy once more.

This method retaking the land is effective, and in particular, the army that Hra’an is in is more capable of fighting as not only are they motivated, but that Hra’an is also a great strategist. In time, groups of Nanos have caught sight of the stone dragon’s rampage, and reported back to Hra’an of it’s spotted locations. The dragon is still very mobile, and so it took a while longer before better intel is received of where it might strike next...

Dec 26, 2019 9:49 am

The Rise of the Duergar part 6:

Then, word came to Hra'an as he sits upon his throne made of Duergar bones. A Zaangor Nano leader reported that the dragon is circling back to the reclaimed territory that passes over the Imperial Road. Hra'an has a limited window of opportunity to send his army to draw the dragon's attention, and to slay it once and fall all.

With Gribrak the Guard Captain and Eryma, a surviving Maiden of The Cleric, by Hra'an's side, the Horde marches on to face their mighty foe.

For the case of Maiden Eryma, the loyal bodyguard of the Elder of Visions, she was found when Hra'an retook the Temple Complex and the streets surrounding it. The Maiden was the only survivor of the Duergar infested temple ruins. She was hiding from them as the Complex is like a little maze, and that in addition with collapsed sections of the building, it is much each to hide and pretend to be dead when the Duergar are around. She explains that her Mistress has fled from the city as the Duergar came in through the basement of the Temple. The other Maidens dressed her as a commoner and hopefully have successfully escaped. For now, Eryma is capable of performing healing to the wounded soldiers.

And thus, as the tide of the blue bird warrriors marches on down the blood-spilt path that is the Imperial Road, the dragon gets closer in its approach. The stone dragon merely is picking off survivors, and when it lands and stalks the forests near the road, its ears picks up the sound of screams. Not screams of terror, but that of the unbridled rage of hundreds of Zaangors. Swords clashes against scales. Claws strike through moderately tough armour. And the chants of magic intended to harm and heal. Soon, the vicious battle concluded with the stone dragon, who is too proud to even flee from a fight, is slowly crippled until being fully slain.

"Those that are created from the dirt, are still only dirt! Crush the Duergar till they no longer rise!" Hra'an cheers as he stands atop the dead dragon's head.

Last edited December 26, 2019 9:55 am

Dec 27, 2019 4:57 am

Rise of the Duergar part 7:

With the death of the Stone Dragon, there is another death that is not desired. Gribrak the Guard Captain is killed by the Dragon’s fiery breath. Hra’an gave a short honourable praise for his Captain, and directed for the Horde to make camp for the next battle.

The next couple of days are mainly attempts to take control of the still unreclaimed lands. Upon arrival to Tirait Taw, it is in ruins like the rest of the nation. The Duergar there have no interests in the decadent lifestyle that the city offers, instead, seeing it as pointless and noisy. Burning piles of bodies and debris are everywhere as the Dark Dwarves are hanging around and having fun with torturing the surrendered survivors. They do this more out of twisted justice than outright sadism.

When the city is taken over, the corpse of The Elder of Thoughts can be found. He is strung up above the ground from his Palace by its colourful, but bloodstained ribbons and banners. His body is brutally battered and stabbed. This is a somber scene of the once flourishing city.

The Horde marches on towards the Hunting Grounds. It is a miserable sight. Beautifully carved buildings are now blackened and in ruins. There is a group of Zaangor fighters still holding a stand against the skirmishes of the Duergar. The Arch Librarian is the leader of the Final Stand in his uncompleted city. The use of bows and arrows is very useful in fending off the Duergar, who are too proud to try using ranged weapons.

The Horde rushes in and crush the skirmish camp, thus freeing and redeeming the land back into the hands of the Zaangor. The Elder of Books thank his leader gratefully, and wishes to seek his approval of a personal matter. When the two of them step out of the makeshift tent, Hra'an declares something rather odd. He says that the Arch Librarian wishes to become a woman, and that everyone is to consider her as such. Her clothes is still a Burgundy dress, and with a couple of braiding of her feathery "hair", she confidently joins her leader's side as the royal witch.

Last edited December 27, 2019 4:59 am

Dec 27, 2019 5:42 am

Rise of the Duergar part 8:

The bulk of the Horde then heads down to the South. Their next step is the reconquering of the mountain range. This is the next step that makes the soldiers shudder at. The caves is the domain of the Duergar, and that it is probably their priority to take back for themselves.

They make their camp outside the cave entrance in front of the tunnel that is the highway through the mountain and which is also the entrance into the underground city of Du'nugia. There is scouts seen at the tunnels watching the camp, and so the Horde knew that the enemy is aware of their eminent attack.

The next day, the Horde wakes up to wage a battle that they are all too familiar with. They funnel into the tunnels that leads down into the city. One of the Zaangors that was in front tripped on a wire, and it causes not only the tunnel that he is in, but the whole branching network to blow up and collapse onto the screaming soldiers.

As Hra'an was calling for a retreat, a wave of enlarged Duergar clashes into the flanks of the Horde. Turns out that they now have the bizarre ability to suddenly form tunnels through solid rock near instantly. The Horde beats back against the ambush, forcing the Duergar back down into the tunnels with the aid of magic bolts and transmutation magic from the Arch Librarian.

It was grueling, but eventually, the fight poured into the large caverns. And the Duergar was defeated once more. With a search of the city, it turns out that the Duergar slaves have been freed and not much destruction is caused. However, the statue of the Elder of Metal was being chipped away at. Looking at the statue's proud form standing in the city square gave the soldiers more motivation to keep fighting...

Falconloft

Dec 30, 2019 11:49 pm

Week 12

Falconloft

Jan 5, 2020 8:39 pm

Extending this another week to allow for posts.

Jan 8, 2020 1:17 pm