Y1105: Island of Chaos [KRAEGER]

The small army that Baltasar took with him faced almost no trouble as they marched to Pinehurst. He had with him an accomplished diplomat and he was confident that they would soon be victorious. The first sign of something being off came when they passed an abandoned border post. More and more, they saw elves scatter before them. When they got to the gates of Pinehurst, Baltasar's new fears were proven to be correct. The elves had already bolstered the garrison of Pinehurst. The banner of Lady Naivara flew from the ramparts alongside Baron Holceno's. Baltasar gavethe order and the bugler played the traditional retreat notes. Elvish cavalry came out of nowhere, harryiing the army with a shower of arrows. Baltasar himself took an arrow to the abdomen. The running skirmish ended at sunset. Baltasar woke to find that the sellswords that accompanied him and Lyonar had all fled in the night. The small party, all but destroyed crossed into friendly territory at noon. The second they crossed, Baltasar felt a stinging pain in his ear. He reached up and found he was bleeding. He traced the arrows path and found that the ranger who had wounded him had left a message: Greetings from House Erenaeth, I am High Ranger Malquis Aloro. You should find that your documents have departed. I must thank you for bringing Sir Brightsilver. I can recognize his handwriting anywhere

raven_179's turn 4

Baron Baltasar "Voden". Heir of the late Alaric 'Stormhammer' Blackwall, a name anyone in the empire would recognize.

The military genius who gathered the broken imperial resistance and lead to victory against the rampaging hordes of barbarians, forcing them out of the northern regions into the eastern steeps. The first Marquess of all Black March, Stormhammer took charge of the lands of those families lost in the war and build an intricate group of outposts, walls and fortifications, the Blackwall that was to prevent another such disaster.

But his plans were to be foiled as Jarkonas rose amongst the barbarian tribes and united them into a single kingdom. Years after Stormhammer’s peaceful death, Blackwall fell and Baltasar’s obsessed with restoring the family’s name consumed him.

A Traitor. He would do anything to get what it was rightfully his.

Guided by Kraeger's court magician Guthbert, Baltasar leads his men to Alduran’s Sherry against his aunt's pleas. She felt her brother's legacy slipping away, shadowed the younger boy's ambition. With Father Alfred White Mane, the old court Cleric who taught three generations of Blackwall scions, Helena slowly moves in the Shadows. Meanwhile, Baltasar's campaign goes smoothly. With Guthbert away with his warlocks, he and his scoundrel advisor Harold Quickfoot are free to take Blood Vein and Timberhill. Unstoppable, they turn they eyes to the human lands.

But their luck changes when they march down to Pinehurst, counting on Lyonar Brightsilver's silver tongue to sway Baron Holceno to their side. They arrive too late, for there they find Lady Naivara's flag already flying next to Holceno's. The elven Lady of Pixie had sent High Ranger Malquis Aloro to stop them. And that she did.

Baltasar barely escaped, part of his men captured and, worse of all, the compromising documents now in the hand of the elves... With the human towns out of reach for now, they need a new strategy. The orc lord is licking his wound, hidden in Fenton. Maybe if they could crush him before Naivara makes her move. This way they can encircle their enemies. Or maybe they could instead appeal to the Erenaeths...

raven's fail

Baltasar was defeated at Pinehurst. Lyonar Brightsilver was taken hostage. Baron Holceno allied with Lady Naivara. And now this!

Harold Quickfoot was left behind to manage Timberhill, restore the fortifications and supervise the training of the local population into sizeable shock troops. Once the tribes were re-organized and pressed into service, Harold made his move.

His plan was simply to give the green recruits some "field experience" and scout the area around Fenton. Urghat, the defeated orc lord, is hiding there, licking his wounds. His position is threatened as other tribal leaders surely are flocking to the smell of his blood.

---

He Olaf to patrol the southern roads. They moved quickly and without any incident. At the crossroads to Fenton, they took a short break near a lake, to eat and drink before continuing. As they moved closer to the waters, the wind stopped and the animals went quiet. Some of the recruits became agitated, but Olaf ignored them. They scouted the area, posted watchman and there was no one else to be seen around. But the reality was more that there was no one around they could see. Suddenly, the weeds grew from the ground, grasping anyone who didn't run in time, pulling them and slowly sinking them into the ground.

---

He sent Oleg to sneak through the northern forests. Oleg carefully marked their path and took notes of all landmarks. They moved at a slow pace now, but this information would help them cross the woodlands unnoticed, and quickly reach Fenton by surprise. They were following the river which snaked down the mountains to the north, feeding the trees in the area until it turned around Fenton. The stopped to test the currents. Maybe traveling downstream during the night would be faster... A few men were sent to fell a few trees. They would make a small raft to test it.

"What take those idiots much time?". The sun was already low when Oleg decided to leave the riverside and take his men to search those deserters and make an example out of them. It didn't take long to find them in a small clearing, three corpses hanging from trees. Taking his axes out, Oleg ordered the recruits to search for anything moving, but there was nothing there, no sound, no moment. Just something strange about the bodies. There was no rope to hang them. Oleg took a closer look and... their necks got stuck on some branches. "How smart you need to be cut tree!" he laughs staring in confusion to the lifeless body slowly swaying. He couldn't figure how how did that happen. But then, not it wasn't. Was the body closer to him? He looks around, the clearing looked smaller. "What be going here?" Were the trees... moving?

---

The minotaurs were sent to bring news of the barbarians and the situation at Fenton. Instead, they brought elven arrows and corpses!

Rumors persist in time of war. Rumors of lost riches just east of Timberhill caught the attention of Harold Quickfoot. He searched in vain, when the reports came in as disaster struck to the west. He gave up his foolish quest and returned to Timberhill, cursing this recent turn of bad luck. A young woman came up to him and starting talking about an opportunity out west. Harold couldn't remember this young woman. Cateline? No, that can't be right, he thought to himself. He strode into the yurt, where the guys were about to start the card game, when she grabbed his arm. "Let me take the men out just one more time. You have nothing to worry about." Harold nodded at her, mostly so she would leave him alone. He had a card game to win.

---

He ended up losing the game, and didn't even remember the encounter in the morning

---

The woman, who was named Collette Firehair, left Timberhill immediately, without even combing her bright red hair. She had slipped those rumors to the foolish seneschal, and the old rogue had been so enchanted by gold that he let her agents deceive him. Now she had a clear path to destiny, and nothing was going to get in her way. At travelled through the night, and shortly after the sunrise, she found the lab. Only the young spymaster knew about the Silverbearded Symposium and their golems. Through a combination of foul deed and honest detective work, she had discovered the lair of these rogue artificers and wizards, and she was going to persuade them to give her their army

High Ranger Malquis Aloro had masterfully expelled the invading scouting parties from Timberhill. Though antagonizing the Blackwalls was something she did enjoy, a lot, her mission was more diplomatic. She was to deliver the captured documents and that human, Lyonar Brightsilver to Fenton and secure the Urghat's pledge to the Lady Naivara. Fenton fell into chaos as the orc's lord position was being challenged after the loss of Timberhill. A display of elven might and proof of the Blackwall's treachery would realign the interests of the tribes with those of Pixie's for sure.

Once the fleet was ready, Lady Naivara herself would sail to cut Black Vein from the warlocks and she would lead the tribes to meet with the knights already riding to set siege to the place. She stared at the wooden wall of the barbarian town, dreaming of the hour she would drag that petty Baltasar Blackwall out of of his little castle, in chains ...

Collette stood deep in the woods between Fenton and Timberhill. She checked her map. Somewhere around here must be the entrance to the lab. She thought. Hopefully Oscar or Olivia would find the lab soon. Coming back empty-handed was never an action. Would love to see that flabbergasted look on that idiotic "seneschal" again. I saved his life 4 years ago after he bungled that job, and he doesn't even remember me. He will soon. As Collette finished that thought, Oscar came back. He shrugged and Collette really considered slitting the idiot's throat. She would have too if Olivia hadn't emerged with a human in her hands. Collette smiled at the hostage wizard as she reached for her "supplies."

---

After Collette completed her interrogation, she strode confidently into the woods where the wizard had pointed. Olivia came with Collette as well as a dozen swordsmen. Collette entered the cave where the lab was located and ,before the wizards could cast a spell or the artificers could release the golems, she had the swordsmen restrain their hands and gag them. Collette walked past her prisoners and headed down the stairs to the Guiding Creator's Office. He was reading a book when Collette and Olivia burst in. He immediately put his hands up as the spymaster walked toward him menacingly. Olivia stood guard at the door as Collette started to talk, "Hello Monsieur Silverbeard, is it? I'm afraid your 13 associates are now my prisoners. Either I walk out with you as my prisoner or I will kill all of you. Do we have a deal? Harvey Silverbeard nodded and was about to speak when Collette continued. "Now, the only thing left to negotiate is how many of them keep their fingers before you give me half your army. If you do that quickly, I might even consider not telling anybody where you are. Would be a shame if your Silverbearded Symposium doesn't persist after your... generous donation, now wouldn't it."

---

Collette joined Oscar with her men and ordered Oscar to release the wizard. Oscar growled, " But I wanted his..." Collette interrupted him with a glance. Collette sneered at him as she said, "Only I will have fun here. You work for me, and you will either enjoy it or we'll have... a problem. Am I understood?" The minotaur bowed his head and released the man. Collette gave the order for her small army, now tripled in size with their construct reinforcements to march toward Fenton.

---

Aloro's Hunt-banner hung outside the walls of the Orc lord's city. The Urghat's men stood at the top of the battlements watching what was quickly becoming a battleground. Elves were setting snares and digging trenches. Aloro walked up to Urghat Braak and smirked at him. He looked at her and said, "Don't be too confident, Elf lady. Those Vodans have no honor. They are much more like us Orcs then their 'noble' Blackwall fathers. I hope you are successful. I've seen your snares myself. Any humanoid caught in them lives only long enough to realize they are not soldiers but your prey. Good luck. You'll have my answer tomorrow when you hopefully crush those scoundrels."

---

Collette walked around the woods and finally saw the walls of Fenton rise up in the distance. She quickly looked over the battlefield as she considered the formations. Realizing that something might be in store, she arranged her swordsmen in the middle with the golems on the flanks. Behind them stood the archers in between two groups of human cavalry. The army advanced. The golems swung around breaking every trap, clearing the way for the cavalry to swing around them. The trees deeper in the woods got up and marched toward the flanks. The cavalry rushed forwards as the golems engaged the ambushing Dendroids. Braak came out of the Urghat residence and realized that Aloro had vanished. He smirked and said "Good riddance. I didn't like her. Hopefully, I can get something out these human scum." Urghat Braak gave the order for the Hunt-Banner to be toppled. Realizing that the human-army backed with their golems were winning and the Urghat had finally gave his answer, the rangers melted into the woods. Most of the blade-dancers followed. The battle was won and Collette gave the order for her colors and the colors of her liege to be raised. Braak stopped smiling as he saw her Banner: a black foot next to a fire. He had seen the foot, although he couldn't remember where...

---

Back at Vodan, Helena walked out of the dining room, as she laughed at a joke her wise teacher, Father Alfred Whitemane, had told. A courier ran up to the pair and immediately Helena's face darkened. No news is good news and a courier is always bad news. She thought. The courier handed her the note, bowed, and ran off. Helena read the note and then turned to her teacher. "Father, Lyonar has written. He's safe but the elves have apprehended him. He's working with them to aid our cause. He's worried about this Collette. Do you remember her?" The old man's face went as white as his hair, as he began to speak. "Come on, my young liege-lady. We have work to do."

Hours later, the loyalists met in a formal war council. Helena sat at the head of the seat. She struggled to look comfortable, knowing this was her nephew's chair, and she was now actively discussing how to depose him. Father Alfred Whitemane sat next to her, often stopping to offer some wise words from ancient scholars or holy texts. Helena looked at the man sitting beside the teacher: a dark haired man with a long scar from his ear wrapping around the back of his head. As one of the minor baronets across the table was mentioning his diplomatic accomplishments with the elves of Pixie that would come in handy (Nobody cared, he wasn't coming, and with Lyonar in place, he was unnecessary), Helena nudged her teacher, asking "Who is the gentleman next to you? I haven't seen him in Vodan before." The teacher just rubbed his fingers together in the universal sign of money. As the meeting broke up, Father Alfred Whitemane said, "Hold for a moment, my lady." The rest of the party quickly exited the room as Alfred got up to the wall. He knocked on the wall, until he found a spot that sounded hollow. He grabbed the sconce above the area, and revealed behind the wall ,was a secret armory. He handed Helena the armor's breastplate. "I know that you prefer to stay home, and that you are risking your life coming out on campaign, but please take at least this piece of armor. Do this for your dynasty and maybe a little bit for me. I'm too old to find a new noble house that will be as good as the Blackwalls have been to me." Helena laughed at the joke. Whitemane continued, "I prefer you wear the whole thing, but you were saying something about armor making it difficult for you to throw fireballs or something. One last thing. Allow me to be the first to do you the honor of addressing you as the new Baroness of Vodan." Helena got up and hugged the old man, who was her oldest friend and confidant. "Fine, I'll wear the damn armor. Now get out of here and let me get changed."

---

The loyalists gathered outside the keep. Helena inspected what was left of the Blackwall's army here in Vodan. A mere 100 swordsmen and crossbowmen with 16 cavalrymen. As they marched off, Helena pulled her teacher aside again. "Father, who is this Collette that you are so worried about? I don't remember anybody by that name. The Priest grimaced at the sound of the name. He responded, "It's not just her I'm worried about but her entire evil family. She uses her adoptive name of Firehair, but that is not the name of her birth. They aren't common in these lands, but they have plans within plans and enough flexibility to adapt to every circumstance. If she's infiltrated your nephew's retinue, she must have a scheme to get him back to Blackwall and then overthrow him and rule herself. If not her, then one of her relatives."

---

Last turnBaltasar stands in his new manor house. His progress slowed down after those bloody elves interfered. He had to retreat and rest to heal from that damn arrow, leaving his men without a proper leader. He smiles as he reads the news from Fenton. One of the punks Harold Quickfoot brought with him, managed to take the town right from under that arrogant Malquis Aloro's nose. Good. With his body healed, he is now ready to make his final move against the human knights lead by Baron Holceno.

But his plans will have to wait, for Guthbert has finally returned from his mysterious quest on that irrelevant little island to the south. Baltasar had no idea what the wizard was up to, but it's not like he cared much about wizardry stuff... unlike his aunt Helena. Strangely, Guthbert brought with him a letter from Lord Kraeger himself, congratulating him for a successful mission and requesting his return. It is time to reclaim his lands from the barbarians who plague the eastern borders of the Empire.

Baltatsar couldn't understand why he would be pulled out so close to his victory, but the thought of Blackwall under the rule of its rightful owner...

---

She could not tell what last moment tricks the Blackwalls played to turn that treacherous Urghat Braak against her. She managed to escape with most of her men alive. But there was still hope as the mighty fleet from Lady Naivara would sail to victory soon while Baron Holceno marching north to free the barbarian towns.

But all her hopes crumbled days later as she watched the fleet cross the horizon and suddenly bursting into flames and sinking! And the Erenaeths wasted no time! War had came to Pixie, but from within! The last thing she could do now was to free that man.

---

As Helena prepares to march a messenger arrives. It is Lyonar Brightsilver himself! He brings news of Guthbert's doings: he is looking for the pieces of a powerful artifact and he has used Baltasar to find the first piece. Her nephew is preparing to march east again...

A wagon slowly glided to a stop outside the manor. As Helena fidgeted in her new armor, she noticed a silver banner hanging from the wagon with a single black feather emblazoned on it. Always ostentatious and sometimes a little late, but never misses the true action. He's a clever snake, but one useful to the house, she thought. A pair of men got out leading a limping minotaur. He looked incredibly beat up. He was now missing a horn and there was an ugly scar running from his shoulder to his wrist. Finally, the prim and proper diplomat stepped out of the wagon, dusting off his silk cloak. Lyonar Brightsilver strutted up to Helena, who was now draped in the regalia of the head of house of the Blackwalls. "Salutations L... Baroness. I'm afraid we do have to make a slight change to our itinerary. He handed her the scroll. As she read the document, he continued. "Our Elven allies are sadly not in the same state they were in last time you heard from me. I managed to rescue this poor lad from the Elven prisons before they were destroyed. I believe your nephew called him Oleg. His brother Olaf and he swore an oath to the Blackwall family, but since your nephew got his twin brother killed, Oleg decided on a lateral move.

Y1236: Many years in the future, Errol Harcourt sat in his tower, writing his family's story. Over a century has passed since his great great grandfather came to power, as the Holceno line died out and the Harcourts became the Barons of Pinehurst. Harcourt checked his notes about Chapter Three. Harcourt read about the Vodenese army carrying the grand banners of the Blackwall who launched an invasion of Anduran's Skerry. With the help of the fiendish necromancer Rannuf Grimwalk, the invading army conquered the warlock camp of Black Vein. What happened once the invading army departed is unclear. The villain, Rannuf, return to see much more evil upon the people of Anduran's Skerry. His story is also not always clear from history. Harcourt also noticed that his notes didn't show what happened after the invading army's plans were seized at Pinehurst. How did the remaining nobles of Black Vein react?

---

Harcourt opened his eyes. He must have fallen asleep again. He took a sip of his herbal tea, and turned the page to his notes for chapter 4. He read about the violent fall of Timberhill, and then the failed assault of Pinehurst. He read about the unfortunate treatment of Lyonar Brightsilver, who betrayed the evil marauding invaders, but was still captured by the Holcenos and their Elvish allies. He wondered why allies can sometimes be cruel to their double agents. He laughed at the irony of the minotaur scouts dying to trees.

---

Harcourt then came upon Chapter 5. Harcourt read about the rumored treasures and the golem-crafters. He scoffed at the myths. History had never shown that anything had ever come from those legends. He did however wonder how the villainess Collette had succeeded in a wild griffon chase

---

Harcourt looked at his chapter 6 notes. He read of the Urghat Braak. His connections to the villainess Collette are still unknown, as did what happened after the battle outside of Fenton.