Forward into depthless dark
Wicked Effigies and Twisted Monuments
The Salt Flats of Sanath are the true heartlands of the Druj. Broad plains criss-crossed by dark waterways. The ground is sodden, and the further east toward the sea one travels, the more marshy the land becomes. The forests common to the rest of the Mallum have mostly been cleared here, by centuries of ravenous industry. Only in the south-west is there any great woodland - the lowland valleys and the high plateau that each form half of the lands jointly called the Saarnath.
It rains almost constantly here, or so it seems. Even when it is not actively raining, the air is thick with moisture. The ground can turn slick and treacherous without warning, even in the valleys of Saarnath where the marshes of Sarangrave give way to broad-leafed rainforest. Visibility drops precipitously, a far cry from the relatively open sight-lines of the marshes and the flats to the south-west. Only the Navarr and the Varushkans are really at home here, but even they must beware of overconfidence. The Druj know these woods better than they do after all.
Thick as the air can be, the miasma is thicker, perhaps thicker than the Empire has ever encountered it. It has had generations to take root, to smother hope and ambition, to grind deep into the mud those unfortunate enough to be enslaved by the Druj. It preys on the minds of many soldiers, an insidious urge growing daily to simply give up, to turn back, to surrender, to cower. It requires constant vigilance by the captains, and by each soldier for their comrades, to keep the enervating atmosphere at bay.
The weather worsens as Summer wanes, and with the almost constant rain comes the curse of Spring magic. A fragment of healing power falls with every drop, bringing burgeoning life without constraint, without reason or caution. No wounds, save the most egregious, will last the night. Death comes only to those unfortunate enough to fall far from their lines, or to those who are the victims of swift execution. The familiar magic flows everywhere, in all the water in the Sarangrave, and it protects barbarian and Imperial invader alike. It also touches the plants and creatures of the Mallum with supernatural vitality, but driving some of them to the edge of frenzy.
And what creatures they are! The Empire has heard of them, encountered them in the eastern forests from time to time, but just as this is the heartland of the Druj so it is home to the deathstinger, and the green forest scorpion, and the awful serpentine coiled shrike. These creatures seem to have little fear of humans or orcs, and are ambitious enough to try and prey upon them when the opportunity presents itself. Imperial soldiers quickly learn to fear the droning buzz of ebon-and-scarlet wasps the size of doves, the cold horror of awakening to discover a razor-clawed insect with its tail already poised to strike exploring the interior of their tent, the yell of surprise that quickly gives way to agonised screaming as a friend is condemned to a terrible death at the fangs of an arboreal assassin. The Rivers of Life do little to purge venom, or cure the poison that burns through the belly of those foolish enough to eat the ripe fruit from the wrong tree.
Into this land of death come the Imperial armies, ready to strike against the core of the Druj. They will have their work cut out for them in the months to come, but if they can seize victory... what a thing that would be!
My glorious pride. You have bided your time, but now is our opportunity for what we were made for. Conquest. The salt flats of Sanath is our destination, for this is the beginning of the end for the Druj. With our warbanner reforged, it has been named the Pride of the Gryphons. It will be raised high enough that the Druj will see who brings their end. Be Vigilant. Be Glorious. Be the pride of Dawn.
Sebastián Fawnwood, General of the Gryphon's PrideLions, three years ago I first came to Anvil a woman in pain. Like so many, the Druj had taken everything from me. Like so many, they continued to take our past, our present, our future. Our Gui, our Isaac, our Scout. Their ideology of hatred thrives in the dark and they wish to make monsters of us all. They wish to teach us to be scared of the dark. Let us make them fear the light. May we be the flame the innocent are drawn to as a Beacon of Safety. May our banners show that Courage and Loyalty drives us. May the sound of our roar carry far across the Salt Flats. May the Druj know this sound heralds their end, learn those banners mean those hurt will be saved, learn that flame is Ambition to bring glory with Elodian's Hammersmiths and the majesty of the Lion of Summer. Learn the monster they tried to create, became the lioness that will bring a death to the Druj. Whatever it takes. One day, the Druj will be a bedtime story told of our glory. Let us be the authors.
Dame Katelyn Quinnell De Cordraco, General of the Lions of AdelmarNavarr will serve the Empire in Loyalty, regardless of the theatre of war. The Druj are broken, a scorpion backed into a corner, but their story is still a danger. The Buruk Tepel will fall, their armies laid low by the virtue of Imperial steel and we will free the slaves of the Mallum. Act in loyalty, fight with courage and serve with pride.
Cadwell Waystone, General of the Black ThornsNavarr, now is the time to hit the Druj where it hurts. We march on Lower Sanath. I may not be who you expected in command but I will see Neve's ambition for this army fulfilled. Whatever it takes. Our cousins in Varushka will take care of our home. Let the citizens of Therunin look to this beacon and away from the arms of Agramant. For those who came before. For those who come after.
Mercia Questor's View, General of the Quiet StepSentinels, Consider the Drowned Man. There comes a point in some fights when you are so much better than your opponent that victory seems inevitable. Your foe does not comprehend that they have lost, for they still stand, still fight. They lack your foresight, your arete, and you must simply walk them through the dance steps of their demise. In that moment it can be tempting to show mercy, even pity your foe. Worse, one can lose focus, looking to the next conflict. The Empire has made this mistake before. This is how the Druj still blight the world. Mercy is weakness - The task is not done until it is done. We begin the end. Make for Lower Saarnath. With Spring's might and Summer knights we soften Leen, bringing ruin to the Beacon of Iskrid. We must not relent until the last of the Buruk-Tepel are marched through Anvil and relieved of the burden of their vile, poisonous heads.
Andronikos of the Lighthouse-That-Was, General of the Citadel GuardEagle of the North, I return to you now to guide our path to the last conquest of the Druj. We go to the Sydathian Fens, striding unseen as we hunt for our foe's weakness. To you, Surut, Schlacta of the Roaring Hearth, I present my curiosity to your bargain and welcome your wisdom in bringing bright ruin to old and rotten things. Before us stand wicked effigies and twisted monuments to a dying power, symbols of a strength that has left the heart and limbs of this sickened beast of a nation. We shall make a beacon of them, a sign to our embattled cousins and fearful foes alike that soon all here will be changed by Imperial will. Forward now, into this depthless dark, for herein we shall raise the torches that shall light the way to a better world.
Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka, General of the Northern EagleWho Brings Their End
Five armies march out of northern Sarangrave, through the Turan Flats into the Sanath. This is the second time the Empire has ventured into Sanath, and the situation in the south is very different to that they encountered in the north three years ago.
The Black Thorns and the Citadel Guard are already in place, and they are quickly joined by the Gryphon's Pride, the Lions of Adelmar and the Quiet Step from Ossium, and Semmerholm, and Zenith. The Quiet Step bring word that the Axou of Thornfen are mobilizing for their advance up to the Fens of Varreth. They will hopefully keep the path into the Salt Flats open to Imperial baggage trains, rather than devoured by ravening Winter spirits.
When they arrive, these five are met by the Northern Eagle who are already in position. The Varushkans have been busy in the Salt Flats for some time now, laying the groundwork for this invasion. There are few forces anywhere in the Empire that can match the Northern Eagle when it comes to mastery of the wild forest, the sodden marsh, the rough dark hill. For the last six months they have been engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse with the Druj defenders of the Saarnath, avoiding any attempt to trap them or bring them to battle, and patiently putting their plans in motion.
The captains of the Eagle report an unqualified success; they have collapsed strategically chosen passes and bridges across the southern Salt Flats, destroying carefully selected caches and otherwise putting their guerrilla training to good use. This will not impede the armies of the Druj, who can carry their supplies with them, and resupply from baggage trains but for the garrisons of the Druj fortifications - the Witness, the Spires of Rarckan, and the Beacon of Iskrid - it is a different matter. This season, those garrisons are unable to intervene in Lower Saarnath, occupied clearing the damage the Northern Eagle has inflicted, limited by their ability to move provisions into the forests of the south. The Empire will still have a fight on its hand, but the forces the barbarians can bring to bear will be limited to their armies - armies already battered from fighting in Sarangrave and the Forest of Ulnak, armies that have still not fully recovered.
The Northern Eagle have laid the groundwork, but they are not finished with the Druj. Not by a long chalk. The Varushkan soldiers are already planning their next strike against the Mallum, and the planning and execution of their strategy requires all their attention. They are still able to provide a bounty of valuable scouting reports, marking out the areas the Imperial armies should avoid, as well as places they may want to target. Then they disappear back into the rainforest. Their fight this season is very different to that of the conquerors here to fight the Druj openly; it remains to be seen what punishment they have in mind for the barbarians in the coming months.
It is for the Gryphon's Pride to step into the breach. Conquest is their calling after all, and they press forward with a single overriding goal - to seize Lower Saarnath from the Druj and drive the armies of the Mallum before them. They lead the way, a solid spear-strike deep into enemy territory. They are closely supported by the cunning of the Quiet Step, who focus their efforts on setting ambushes and luring enemies into traps. They remain mobile, taking advantage of every weakness in the enemy strategy to attack from the flanks. Their tactics are unorthodox but effective - poison and venom, targeting healers, magicians, and supplies. They kill without mercy, and perhaps in some way the Druj might even respect them for it.
For the most part the other Imperial armies take a more conservative approach. For those who have fought the Druj before, this caution seems the wisest course. The barbarians are fond of traps and Imperial soldiers have paid a harsh price for their overconfidence too many times in the past. The Black Thorns push forward patiently, prioritising the preservation of Imperial lives over the pursuit of victory. The Lions of Adelmar complement this painstaking approach; they stand staunchly with their allies wherever they are engaged, shields ready to block the arrows of the Druj, swords unsheathed and eager to fight alongside their comrades. Selfless and courageous, many are the Navarri and Urizeni who will owe their lives to the Dawnish once this campaign is over.
With the Lions also march a cohort of the Knights of Glory. They are captained by the fearsome Elodian, resplendent in mighty panoply of runebound steel and leading a glorious warband of hammer-smiths no less powerfully accoutred. The unstoppable blows these heavy warriors strike with their great mauls send barbarians sprawling, or smash them into trees, and both their heavy armour and these terrible strikes serves as a perfect complement to the tactics of the Lions. Whispers suggest that the runic knights have been sent personally by their Queen to fight with the Lions, and rumour speculates that there may be something more than friendship between the Lady of Pennants and the general.
Then, at last, the Citadel Guard. The sentinels and the battlefield magicians of Urizen are there beside their allies whenever battle is joined but their goal is clearly somewhere else. They focus on support and strengthening the soldiers of the other nations and their aid is valuable in seizing land from the Druj but actually fighting the barbarians is of secondary importance. While their soldiers fight, their covens work together on of rituals intended to gather magical power and direct it toward this unseen goal. As Summer fades the leaves on the great broad-leafed trees in their vicinity turn brown and red and yellow faster than they have any right to do so. As if something primal was being redirected in some way, out of the forests and toward... somewhere else.
There are heralds of the Summer realm with the Urizeni as well - proud Dindrayne of the feather-brow. A war-witch with a staff of adamant, she commands a cohort of elfin heroes in mithril chain, who enthusiastically fight alongside the sentinels against the Druj. With them are a score of trumpeters, who rouse the spirits of the soldiers they fight alongside, urging them to acts of heroism and glory that are sometimes at odds with the more sober mien of the people of the southern peaks. Their commander, however, remains with the covens further back behind the lines - an uncommon position for a champion of the Lion of Summer.
As well as magical allies, the armies of the Empire are supported by more than twelve thousand strength at arms lead by Imperial captains, many of whom bear enchantments of their own. The vast majority fight with the Citadel Guard, and while those versed in the arts of war are at the forefront of the campaign alongside the sentinels and battle-wizards, those with even a smattering of realm lore - especially the lore of Spring - are stationed further back supporting and protecting the covens. The 'Guard regularly dispatch these auxiliaries on missions deep into Druj territory, to capture resources or secure access to certain locations at critical moments.
A strong force, then, bound together by bonds of Loyalty and Pride, of the love of comrades, and of a singular purpose: the destruction of the Druj.
Scorpion in a Corner
That unity is not found among the barbarians of the Mallum. Even something as straightforward as a singular purpose is somewhat lacking. One would think the Druj armies would be brought together by the desperate need to keep control of as much of the Salt Flats as they can, but they show no sign of it. The armies come to defend Lower Saarnath, its true, but they do so piecemeal and that gives the Imperial armies an advantage.
The first major force to engage the Empire are the White Lions. Named for the large venomous ants that build great nests on the Salt Flats, they are perhaps the most disciplined of all the armies of the Mallum. Some of their troops are already in Lower Saarnath, hunting the Northern Eagle, and they quickly raise a warning once it is clear the Empire has come in force. They avoid direct confrontation with the Imperial forces wherever possible, at least until the rest of the defenders start to arrive. It seems they have accepted unwise boons of Winter magic, likely from the Wastewalker. Wounds that should kill them barely slow them down, but when they fall they die quickly. Worse, they are riven by a terrible hunger; there are disturbing scenes where warriors of the White Lions abandon their own defence to cut strips of warm flesh from the fallen - enemies and friends alike. There are handfuls of bloodthirsty heralds - pale white walkers more beast than human or orc - among their number who urge them on to greater and greater excess. For all this apparent madness, however, when they are able to think clearly the White Lions prove to be a persistent and responsive threat to the Empire, seemingly always in position to counter Imperial tactics.
Over the first few weeks of the campaign, the Hidden Widow, the wild warriors of the treacherous Jagged Claws, and the twisted Red Lizard filter in to join the defence of Lower Saarnath. They are forced to approach through the marshes of Beladrarsh, and by all accounts receive little assistance from the Skinweaver sept that rule that rich territory. No doubt the wealthy Skinweavers are too busy making preparations for their own survival to see the Druj armies as anything other than a wall of meat between them and the invading humans. Last to arrive are the Black Wind, and for once they seem less interested in tormenting the armies of the Empire and more in simply trying to stem the flood of Imperial soldiers into the Salt Flats. It is easy to forget that they hate the Druj for what they did to their people - and sometimes hard to bear that they loathe the Empire even more.
The Urizeni quickly note that none of these armies seem to bear enchantments, and that there is a distinct lack of magical wards at least in the south. This is certainly not the traditional way the Druj make war - especially in defence. Speculation runs like wildfire - has the loss of the Tainted Basilisk and the disappearance of the cowardly Ghulai of the Palace of the Sleepers gutted the magical capabilities of the Druj? Or is it simply that the resources they have are focused elsewhere? Is there some other shoe waiting to drop? Is there a magical trap here, hidden behind the trees, shrouded from the eyes of the magicians and witches and vates?
Make Monsters of Us All
If the Druj are bad when they invade, they are ten times worse when forced on the defensive. Yet the air of desperation here in the dripping woods of Lower Saarnath is different, somehow. There is a tremor of fear in the people of the Mallum, it seems. They rely on purely defensive tactics, seeking to turn their admittedly superior knowledge of the terrain into advantage wherever possible. They still skirmish, but their attacks are much more focused on singular objectives - driving this specific band of knights away from a defensible position, overrunning this specific hospital and then retreating, killing these scouts and then fleeing without even taking the time to string their corpses up from the trees.
Afraid they might be, but they refuse to cede anything that the Empire does not wrest from their tight grasp. It is challenging for the Imperial armies to bring their weight of numbers to bear against the Druj in the confines of the rainforest; hard for them to force a large-scale confrontation when often visibility is reduced to a score of metres in every direction. When it is not the trees alone, it is the ever-present rain, or the thick, warm mists that rise on the rare occasions when the sun peaks out behind the dark clouds for a few hours. The woods favour the Druj tactics of ambush and surprise, which must be accounted for whenever the Empire advances.
Still the Druj are outnumbered though, and arguably outclassed. Again, though, it is the ability of the Empire's armies to trust one another than proves the greatest advantage. The Lions of Adelmar and the Quiet Step employ strategies specifically designed to aid their allies, to work with their comrades in other armies and nations. The sentinels of the Citadel Guard are adept at deploying their force where it will offer the greatest support, and then moving to another position as the ebb and flow of battle shifts. In contrast there are reports of warriors of the Jagged Claw intentionally abandoning their Red Lizard "allies" in the middle of an engagement, their deaths serving to cover a flanking manoeuvre and hasty retreat. There are incidents where the Hidden Widow are left in an exposed position by the Black Wind just to lure a band of thorns into a trap that closes around the Navarr too late to save their "comrades".
As one Dawnish troubadour marching with the Lions says, it isn't so much that the Druj are intentionally turning on one another, but rather than they seem utterly incapable of seeing anyone outside their immediate circle as being people at all. Rivals or pawns to be used to their own advantage, in the pursuit of their own ambitions or their own survival. A people culturally incapable of feeling the bonds of fellowship, utterly alien to the understanding of love that the Lions hold at the centre of their philosophy.
Handfuls of Dust
A month after the fighting begins, the Empire encounters serious magical resistance. The Gryphons Pride and the Black Thorns have pushed a little ahead of their allies, driving north-east where the land slopes upward toward the great plateau of Upper Saarnath. A major force of White Lions, supported by warriors of the Hidden Widow, attempt a pincer movement and fighting erupts among the trees. At first it seems that the Pride and the Thorns cannot fail to achieve victory, but then a third force joins the fighting.
They are not an army, or even really a garrison, but rather a force of perhaps a hundred or so hooded orcs with bows and barbed spears. The Thorns identify them as Vikari although their banner is unfamiliar - that of a skeletal serpent similar to the coiled shrike favoured by the Kallad. This, reason the Navarr, must be the Vileshrike sept from the Dripping Tor. They are some distance from home, presumably on the orders of the rumoured ghulai Graknuz Acidtouch. They are not alone, however.
With the Vileshrikes are a hundred or so beings that seem to be heralds of the Night realm, similar to those encountered a few months ago by Imperial champions fighting alongside the Earthquake Drummers in the Forest of Ulnak. Scarecrow-like, in billowing black robes, it is easy at first to mistake them for tortured souls. Yet these creatures have never been mortal; there is nothing beneath their robes save animate darkness, shadows that seem to seep through the empty eye-holes of the featureless masks they wear. The merest touch of these awful phantoms weakens the strongest knight, draining away their will to fight and overwhelming them with fear and terror. Their weapons assail the mind as well as the body, creating magical wounds that confuse the confident thorns leaving them riven with self-doubt and uncertainty. A few are armed with terrible pole-arms that drown their foes in paralysing wells of phantasmal horror, leaving them as easy picking for the rest of the barbarians alongside who they fight.
The Vileshrikes - if that is who this is - don't especially coordinate their attacks with the two armies but rather take advantage of their attack to cover an assault of their own. The battle-magicians are clearly experienced fighting alongside their unnatural allies - they bind a likely target long enough for the fluttering-robed things to descend on them and assail their spirit. The Rivers of Life does nothing to bolster the broken will to fight, it cannot heal the terrible nightmares that assail those injured by the creatures' weapons, nor offer protection from the sucking quagmire of doubt that overwhelms the doughtiest warrior.
It doesn't help that these vikari are obviously backed by significant magical resources - enough for some of their number to unleash great wails that weaken enemies and allies alike, or terrifying atonal hymns that curse Imperial soldiers with a growing delirium that takes hold hours after the fighting when they think themselves safe.
It's hard to say for certain how much difference this additional force of Druj makes to the overall battle; for all their magical prowess Vileshrike Vikari and terrorising Night held alike are as vulnerable as any magician to arrows and mighty blows, can be put to flight with a solid strike from a skilled fighter. They also seem to have little stomach for a long fight. They expend their magic quickly, it seems, and then fall back while the White Lions and the Hidden Widow still clash with the Pride and the Thorns.
The Imperial advance is turned back that day, although the Pride and the Thorns manage to lead some of the more bloodthirsty Druj into an ambush set by the Quiet Step. Less than a week later, with the Lions and the Step to back them up, the two Imperial armies return and the Navarr and Dawnish are victorious. They continue to push through the Salt Flats, and the further north-east they travel the more common and vicious fighting with the Vileshrikes becomes.
Whoever the Vileshrikes are, whoever their allies are, they do not fight anywhere else in Lower Saarnath; only in the north-east. They also seem to be the source of a peculiar magical effect, a curse of some kind, that is slowly settling over the southern Salt Flats. Soldiers begin to report an increasing number of horrific dreams, and those standing watch at the darkest hours of the night claim to spot hooded figures watching them from the shadows who they know are filled with poisonous hate. It doesn't seem to be an enchantment; perhaps this mysterious ghulai is drawing on other sources of power to do... whatever they are doing.
Despite all this, the Druj are forced to retreat again and again. As the season draws on, as the Quiet Step and the Lions of Adelmar come within sight of the location marked out by Imperial scouts as the Dripping Tor. It lies in the depths of the forest, far from any other settlement, but it has been identified by the Northern Eagle as a key strategic location to control. When the armies arrive, however, they find the Tor... missing. In its place looms an impenetrable grove of massive, clearly supernatural trees. When any Imperial soldier gets within a mile of the rough location, thick mists boil out of the ground and seethe in the air, creating impenetrable curtains of grey and white. Those who do not turn back soon regret it - scouts report encounters with unspeakable horrors in the depths of the mists. Some who brave the fog are left shattered in mind and spirit, raving about eyes and claws and the terrible soft music. Others do not return at all.
The decision is made to give the area a wide berth. None of the armies here are in a position to try and penetrate whatever ward is in place, and there are still Druj to be fought. A watch is set by the Quiet Step, and the Empire turns its attention elsewhere. At least there are no further attacks by the Vileshrikes and their unnatural allies, once the armies reach the Tor.
For Those Who Come After
In the end, there is no single decisive battle in the valleys of Lower Saarnath, only a string of engagements spread out through the woodlands. There are relatively few Druj settlements here - and they are poorly prepared for attack by Imperial soldiers. Unless the Druj armies are present, these scattered arboreal villages and logging camps swiftly fall to the Empire. Even where the Druj defenders are present, it is usually not enough to stop the Empire seizing them anyway. Usually.
Ultimately the Empire is victorious, smashing through the Druj defences and forcing the armies to retreat. Lower Saarnath is captured in its entirety, and the Imperial forces regroup to consider their next move. The Rivers of Life help to blunt the slaughter on both sides, but when the final tally is made it is still sobering. A thousand Imperial lives lost in the woodlands to the Druj. It is scant consolation that, thanks in particular to the presence of so many Imperial captains, the barbarians seem to have paid a much steeper price. It is difficult to say how much of a price as always, but even with their purely defensive strategy the Druj have suffered this season.
As Autumn approaches, armies on both sides take stock and consider their next moves; but then -
Then something unexpected happens.
What Brings Their End
For three months, the Citadel Guard have been gathering strength, working carefully crafted rituals in each Spring regio they encounter, weak or strong. They have been studying the flows of mana across Lower Saarnath, sending out small bands of diviners and sentinel defenders to learn more about the way power pools across the Salt Flats. A week before the Autumn Equinox, their work is completed.
While it takes time to prepare, and set in motion, the Technique of the Transcendent Claw is not subtle in its effects. At sunrise, the sky turns black, boiling with storm clouds. The rain turns torrential, driven by howling gales. Lightning strikes willy-nilly not only across the valleys of Lower Saarnath but across the entire southern reach of the Salt Flats. Tents are torn up into the sky, unwary folk thrown flat in the mud, branches are ripped from ancient trees creating stark openings in the canopy. Imperial soldiers are at least partially prepared, but it takes the Druj mostly by surprise.
Then, the sole elfin trumpeter that accompanies the Urizen magicians sounds a single terrible note that, impossibly, is heard throughout the lower valleys. It isn't part of the working, but it seems the knights of Eleonaris have a good sense for the dramatic... and this magic is certainly dramatic.
Far away from the Imperial attackers and the Druj defenders, in one of the poorest parts of the sprawling city of Leen itself stands the Beacon of Iskrid, a fortification garrisoned not by orcs but by humans under the banner of the self-styled Prince Tristain the Golden. A long way from the fighting, in a city that no doubt still imagines itself beyond the reach of the Empire. That dream is shattered, decisively.
With a deafening peal of thunder, audible all the way back to Lower Saarnath, a cascade of thunderbolts rains from the sky over Leen. The gale force winds become even stronger, battering the stones of the Beacon with the force of ten Winter storms, then twenty, then thirty. The rain pours in sheets, eating away at the mortar that holds the stones together, at the foundations that allow it to stand. The destruction is not limited to the fortification itself; the surrounding buildings are likewise stricken with this devastating, hungry tempest called by the highest arts of the Urizeni magicians. A tornado reaches down from the heavens, down toward the earth, and as it comes the lightning ignites something within it and it becomes a conflagration despite the monsoon deluge.
The Druj of Leen speak in whispered, terrified tones of spirits within those winds, awful shapes of water and wind and fire that somehow poured out of the tornado. Creatures of the Spring realm, following this consummate magical working into the mundane world for a short time, tearing at the Beacon with the single-minded hatred creatures of the Primal Forest have for all construction. Were they really there, or do the Druj imagine them in the chaos and ruin that attends upon the power unleashed by the Citadel Guard?
And then the weather starts to clear... the tumultuous downpour turns back to just heavy rain. The winds lessen, ceasing entirely for a moment before returning again at more normal speed. Smoke rises from the rainforest, but the fires find no purchase in the soaking wood. The lightning ceases, the thunder stills, the clouds part and the wan Autumn sun shines through.
It shines on the uncertain faces of the Imperial soldiers, it shines on the satisfied and tired faces of the Urizeni masters, it shines on the terrified faces of the Druj. It shines also, sadly, on the Beacon of Iskrid. The bastion leans dangerously to the side, barely standing. The upper ramparts have been torn away, as if gouged by some mighty claw, and scattered with lethal force into the city below. It looks for all the world as if the slightest push would send it tumbling into the streets of Leen, crushing everything in its path. It is almost entirely devastated... almost.
The Beacon still stands - the power of the Onrushing Storm was perhaps blunted by the rival resonances of life and healing in the rainwaters of Sanath this season - but only just. And while it may have avoided destruction by a hair's breadth, the people of Leen cannot fail to understand what has just happened. The Buruk Tepel, the rulers of the Druj, who imagined themselves safe in their great city have been presented with a potent illustration of just how vulnerable they are. The Druj are afraid.
Game Information
Salt Flats of Sanath
- The Empire has claimed Lower Saarnath
- The Northern Eagle prevented any of the Druj fortifications in Sanath participating in the fight and gave the region the under threat quality
- The Beacon of Iskrid has been devastated by Urizen magic but still stands - just
- The Dripping Tor appears to be hidden behind a powerful shroud of Night magic
As the Autumn Equinox approaches the Imperial forces in Sanath have claimed the region of Lower Saarnath. The Vileshrikes hidden in the north-east clearly intend to resist Imperial control, but it is not clear how much magic they may be able to bring to bear.
Thanks to the Northern Eagle, the garrisons of the three Druj fortifications were unable to operate in Lower Saarnath this season. That benefit ends with the Autumn Equinox - the remaining garrisons will be able to participate in the campaign as normal going forward. They also provided the under threat quality to Lower Saarnath, but that quality has also faded as the Autumn Equinox dawns. The Eagle are in Sanath, but they did not participate directly in the campaign this season. Instead they are arranging another strike against the Druj using their elusive quality.
The Beacon of Iskrid was assailed by the Urizeni using their Technique of the Transcendent Claw. All casualties the army caused were targeted specifically against the Beacon, ignoring the usual reduction in damage done to a bastion. The presence of many military units, and the Knights of Glory, both help this technique have a significant impact. Even the Quiet Step Cunning strategy works to increase the damage to the Beacon (but only by increasing the casualties caused directly by the army; as with all army orders it doesn't increase the casualties caused by military units or enchantments). It is also worth noting that this effect cannot be created with ritual magic - the direct damage to a fortification is the result of a unique technique that requires an entire season of campaigning in a given territory by an army including powerful magicians who perform dozens of individual rituals before it has any effect.
Only military units supporting the Citadel Guard receive a share of the Imperial Guerdon; other military units receive nothing.
Strategic Considerations
- Dripping Tor is concealed beneath a powerful shroud of Night magic
- It is not possible to move between Upper Saarnath and Leen Rarckan
The Vileshrike stronghold of Dripping Tor is concealed behind a potent shroud of Night magic, similar in effect to Vale of Shadows. According to the witches and vates who accompanied the armies into that part of the valleys, it appears to have been performed at magnitude 120 - representing a serious challenge to Imperial magicians who want to remove it. Still, a suitably potent Piercing Light of Revelation cast at the Imperial regio could be channeled through the general of the Citadel Guard but it will require a magnitude of 240 to bring the effect down. If left undisturbed, the shroud will last until the start of the Summer Solstice 389YE. Other methods might exist to penetrate this magical defence.
If the shroud is removed, the Vileshrike sept could be destroyed by an Imperial army sent specifically to root them out. This would need to be done at the same summit the shroud was pierced, or the sept will be able to scatter into the wild places of the Salt Flats and potentially remain as a threat to Imperial forces in the territory. They are not a significant campaign force however; while the army would need to take an attacking order and be busy for an entire season, they would suffer no appreciable damage.
It is not immediately apparent from the map, but Imperial scouts have confirmed what the original spy network used to map the Salt Flats only suggested. It is not possible for an army to move between Upper Saarnath and Leen Rarckan (or vice versa) without an opportunity.
Participation: Citadel Guard
- Military units fighting with the Citadel Guard have participated in the working of the Onrushing Storm
Any character whose military unit supported the Citadel Guard this season is free to roleplay their involvement in the performance of the Technique of the Resplendent Claw. This may have involved protecting Urizeni magicians, but might also have involved scouting into other regions of the southern Salt Flats to find specific resources, escorting a coven to a hidden Spring regio, or raiding a specific mana site to shift the flows of mana in a direction that helps support the destructive magic ultimately unleashed against the Beacon of Iskrid. Magicians might have helped with the rituals cast - working with ritual masters from their own nation to perform supportive rituals. An Urizeni magician versed in Spring lore might even have been one of those involved in the final magical workings that lead to the assault on the Beacon. You are also free to roleplay that you fought alongside the sentinels and other soldiers striving to conquer Lower Saarnath instead, of course.
While the army was enchanted with Knights of Glory, the presence of the heralds has not had any noticeable affect on either the military units supporting the army, nor on the soldiers of the army itself.
Participation: Lions of Adelmar
- The Lions of Adelmar continue not being able to take the cautious advance or give ground orders
- Any character whose military unit fought alongside the Lions of Adelmar may be inspired by the Knights of Glory
The Lions of Adelmar are accompanied into the Salt Flats by supernatural warriors led by the war-smith Elodian. The presence of the knights continues to exert influence over the Dawnish army. The Lions of Adelmar cannot take the Cautious Advance or Give Ground orders until a year has passed - even if Dawn were to put aside their commitment to Glory.
The heavily armoured champions that fight under the banner of Elodian have relished the experience of battling the Druj alongside the Lions of Adelmar, and not been shy about expressing their approval. The warriors from the Field of Glory take every opportunity to inspire the glorious soldiers of the army. A character whose military unit supported the Lions of Adelmar this season may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to the glorious heralds.
If you are a Dawnish character whose military unit supported the Lions of Adelmar this season, or the general of the army itself, you may choose to gain a magical boon from the runic war-smiths. To claim this boon you must mark your armour, shield, or a visible part of your body with one or more of the so-called Runes of Summer - Feresh, Jotra, Tykonus, or Verys. The boon counts as an enchantment on your character. As long as at least one of these runes are present, the dreadnought skill provides you with two additional hits on top of its normal benefit, and whenever you use the unstoppable skill you regain five hits instead of the normal three.
If anyone uses discern enchantment on you, you'll need to let the referee know that you are under the effect of a magnitude 7 Summer enchantment, and that you bear the mark of runemarked prowess.
As well as the game benefits, the aura creates a roleplaying effect: You feel a strong urge to fight valiantly to support your friends, family, and especially your loved ones. Anyone offending or upsetting someone you care about causes a wave of burning anger to boil up inside you making it hard not to immediately confront them. If you lose your temper it is very hard not to give in to the urge to beat whoever offended you or your ally until they are incapacitated or they unconditionally surrender. At the same time, whenever you feel cherished or appreciated, the sensations are significantly increased to the point where you may experience a moment of rare bliss.
The boon can be removed as normal - “overwritten” with a new enchantment - and will have faded by the start of the Winter Solstice.
Participation: Bad Dreams
- Something is causing particularly bad dreams in Lower Saarnath
Any character whose military unit supported any of the armies in the Salt Flats of Sanath this season may have experienced unsettling dreams. Nightmares are not uncommon when one is exposed to the Druj miasma, but these are a step above what veterans of the Mallum, or of the fight to liberate Zenith, have reported. Nightmares caused by the miasma tend to vary between individuals as much as any other dreams, but there is a suspicious commonality of elements in many of these odd dreams.
They involve being pursued or threatened in familiar places that are twisted with mud and water, or the presence of marsh-dwelling flora or fauna. Horrible phantasmal shapes eventually invade these places, or catch up with a fleeing dreamer, and begin to drown them or smother them. Dreamers awaken terrified, short of breath, and convinced that there is something leaning over them trying to steal their breath, crush their chests, or throttle them in their sleep. Nothing is physically present, and there are no signs of either intruders or assailants.
There is no benefit to doing so, but anyone who has experienced these dreams is encouraged to start the Autumn Equinox without any hero points or personal mana. They can still recover hero points and mana as normal - either by getting a good nights sleep at Anvil or by taking advantage of a magical method of recovery such as a potion, or an enhanted area such as Herthfire's Hospitality or Chamber of Delights.
Battle Opportunity : What Dreams Must Come
- There is an opportunity for a battle in the Salt Flats of Sanath this season
Imperial prognosticators have identified a major conjunction of the sentinel gate leading to a location in north-eastern Lower Saarnath. They believe it allows an opportunity to clear some kind of supernatural blockage that will spell doom for the Beacon of Iskrid, and may have some bearing on whatever malign power of the Night realm is loose in the region.