383YE Summer Solstice winds of war

They all seem to know exactly what it is they want

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It is a confusing time in the Brass Coast, with both Jotun and Grendel seeking to carve it into pieces like a festival-day roast. The Quiet Step and the Strong Reeds are gone from Segura, but not from the Brass Coast. They have marched east into Feroz to protect the rich lowlands from the rampaging Grendel. The people of the westernmost Freeborn territory have not been abandoned however; in their place two Highborn armies have arrived. The Granite Pillar and the Seventh Wave protect the people of Segura from the Lasambrian Jotun, fighting the orcs across the great empty plains and grasslands that make up the bulk of the south-western corner of the Empire.

It is perhaps unsurprising that there is confusion; that the Granite Pillar seem to think they are fighting the Grendel. It is a chaotic time to be in the Brass Coast. They quickly realise their mistake, and adjust their tactics. Yet at the same time it begs the question... how long will it be before the Grendel are in Segura? If their invasion of Feroz continues at its current rate... that is a concern for the future.

For too long have the freeborn stood alone against the vile Grendel raiders. The Granite Pillar will move to Segura and stand as an immovable wall against the Grendel menace. Pursue a strategic defence of Segura and make the Grendel pay horribly for any advances made. Ambition Inspires!.

Mathayus, General of the Granite Pillar

Segura is essentially a vast grassland studded with farms and villages, and the Lasambrian Jotun - the grim-faced Hierro, the rapacious Corazón, the inscrutable Escuta - are adept at using the wide open spaces to their advantage. They strike from unexpected directions, withdrawing swiftly, leading the defenders a merry dance. Fortunately, the Highborn have come prepared - both armies bear insightful Day magic enchantments that allow them to predict the movements of the orcs, and coordinate their reactions even over the great rolling plains of Segura. The Granite Pillar in particular, adept as they are at countering the aggressive strategies employed by so many orc nations, serve as a strong foundation on which the Seventh Wave build a wall of steel and Virtue. The Pillar is supported by a dozen independent captains, primarily from Highguard.

On the other side, the orcs beneath the banner of the Firebird continue to press their claim to Segura. While the Escuta advance cautiously, the Hierro seek to avoid direct engagements with Imperial forces, ceasing their advance and taking up defensive positions as soon as they are engaged.

The Corazón continue their raids deep into Imperial territory, robbing, looting, and driving people from their farms and villages. They are supported by several thousand knights from the Summer Realm - crimson haired warriors in golden scale who fight beneath fluttering pennants showing the roaring lion of Eleonaris. They seem a little out-of-place on the Corazón raids, seemingly more interested in engaging the armed defenders of the Brass Coast than in robbing the Freeborn farmers and merchants.

Yet, as before, their larcenous tactics are stymied by the most subtle of enchantments - a cunning Autumnal spell that weaves serendipity and coincidence to protect the people of Segura. Orc invaders find themselves turned around on the open plains, their sense of direction subtly manipulated to cause them to miss isolated farmsteads and instead wander into Highborn defensive positions. Freeborn fleeing the Lasambrian Jotun make surprisingly good time, or coincidentally meet up with soldiers heading in the same direction who can offer them protection. The orcs find it almost impossible to actually locate anything worth stealing and the impact of their raids is dramatically reduced. They still achieve some bold successes but in the end the Freeborn people are able to protect their Prosperity - all while being largely unaware of the magical assistance they are receiving in doing so.

The Enemy kindly invites our attentions in Segura and we will gladly oblige with a wall of steel in aid of our Freeborn comrades. We shall return to the east to finish the job - but for now we look west and hold in a balanced defence.

Cuth, General of the Seventh Wave

There are no pitched battles between orc and Highborn forces, merely a cascading sequence of skirmishes and minor engagements. The closest either side comes is when a major force of Escuta lead by a pale-skinned orc shaman meet a contingent of the Granite Pillar on the Iron Plains. The Highborn are there to help a column of frightened refugees reach the safety of Anozel. The Iron Plains were the sight of a bloody slaughter during the Lasambrian retreat from Segura several years ago, in which orc and Imperial forces clashed again and again as the invaders were slowly driven west. It is said the fields here became so sodden with blood that the harvest that year was tinged with crimson. There are known to be many mystics and seers among the Escuta; perhaps they are looking for something? Whatever they are here for it is clear they have little interest in the refugees, withdrawing whenever the Highborn seek to engage them. There are few minor clashes, but for the most part the Escuta keep their distance.

Again, the Lasambrian Jotun outnumber the Imperial defenders but again the defenders win the day. It is close - perhaps too close - but in the end the two sides are evenly matched. The difference between victory and failure is so narrow that if the Imperials had lacked even one advantage - the wise tactics of the Granite Pillar, the support of independant captains, or even a single strategic enchantment - the orcs would have begun to push forward again. For their part, the tactics of the Lasambrian Jotun did them few favours here - the Corazón were distracted by the pursuit of treasure which availed them nothing; the caution of the Escuta robbed the orcs of opportunities to defeat the Imperial defenders. There is a great deal of speculation, based on certain senate motions, that the orcs may have been expecting the territory to be abandoned by the Empire - or at least proceeding on the assumption that might be the case. The story being told in Segura is that the Seante united as one to oppose any suggestion of ceding Freeborn land to the orcs, and this news has been very well received even if it may prove to be based on optimism rather than fact. Regardless, it has inspired the Seguran people to continue to resist the Lasambrians as best they can; there is scattered talk of a grand gesture to show the "orcs of Virtue" that the Freeborn will not flee in the face of their aggression.

For their part the Lasambrian Jotun continue to treat the conquered Freeborn with respect, and issue them their unique version of Jotun Choice. Join the Lasambrians; keep your land and your possessions but agree to accept the conquerors as your rulers, swearing oaths of loyalty, and offering a portion of your wealth to the Lasambrians as a tithe. Or simply leave, with nothing save a few sentimental keepsakes, and as much food as you can carry on your back. Submission or exile, with death reserved only for those courageous few who refuse to choose either way.

While the fighting in Segura has been sporadic, it has also been bloody. Some fifteen-hundred Highborn are slain, or maimed, or lost. On the other side, it is estimated that less than a thousand Lasambrian Jotun are killed. The line has been held, but it has done so at a significant price.

Game Information : Segura

The situation in Segura has not changed much since the Spring Equinox. Anduzjasse remains entirely in the hands of the Lasambrian Jotun, and while they have not made any further progress toward conquering Anozserei neither has their foothold there been reduced.

Once again, the raids by the Corazón have been largely thwarted by subtle Autumn magic. The magic fades as the Summer Solstice approaches, however. If the Corazón renew their raids after the Equinox, then every farm and business in Segura again risks losing half of its production.

The Lasambrian Jotun maintain their control of the seven Towers of Anduz they have captured. Coupled with the hostile environment the orcs are creating for foreign traders coming into Segura, the benefits of this great work have been halved. If the orcs take any more towers - if they conquer any of the towers in Anozeseri, Yellow Chase, or Burnish - the entire benefit of the great work will be lost until the regions where they stand are liberated.

Finally, while the orcs have not made many gains, there are still people from Anduzjasse and Anozeseri heading east toward Anozel and Cerevado. Many of these refugees are unable to bring anything of value with them, and while the eastern towns of Segura are coping with the influx of borderline destitute Freeborn at the moment it is a close-run thing. If the orcs manage to overcome the defenders in a later season, they will continue to drive penniless exiles into eastern Segura, and the situation may still become a significant problem for the Brass Coast.

People like us know how to survive

The World is Not Enough

At the start of the year, the Grendel invaded Feroz, quickly conquering Oranseri and the Cazar Straits and moving to complete their dominance of the coastal regions by capturing Fortargenta. They have not come with armies, but with their armada - a great swarm of warships, marines, sailors, and mercenaries that quickly crushed resistance on the islands and then swept down the eastern Brass Coast.

During the Spring Equinox, Grendel sorcerers attempted to raise the spirits of the drowned on the haunted Isle of the Osseini. Had they been successful, the ghosts of thousands of orc pirates, buccaneers, and raiders would have formed a fearsome spectral army and rampaged across Feroz alongside their living descendants. Luckily, the heroes of the Empire were able to make use of the Sentinel Gate to put a stop to their audacious plan, and exorcise the ghosts bound to the island by the Osseini sutannir. Many of the priests who tended the island were lost, however. Slain or enslaved by the Grendel, they are no longer able to carry out their sacred task of quieting the restless shades of those lost in the Bay of Catazar. Once the Grendel are dealt with, there will be time to consider what this might mean for the future. For now there are more important considerations.

The Grendel armada has uncontested control of Oranseri and the Cazar Straits - and of the prosperous coastal towns of Oran, Joharra, Cazar, and Shantarim. This is a reason for some concern - especially their control of Oranseri. The Scorrero is particularly wide where it runs past Siroc into the Bay. It is crossed by bridges, but now the Grendel control the southern ends of those bridges. A land force seeking to enter Feroz from Madruga must cross those bridges - and while the Grendel control them it would not be possible to get past without fighting. Worse, the Grendel have demonstrated in the past their willingness to close avenues of approach to territories they control - the passes of Spiral for example or their assault against the Spider's Dream. If the Grendel destroyed the bridges across the Scorrero, it would not be feasible for armies to travel between Madruga and Feroz - they would need to go through Kharaman to enter the territory.

The orcs control most of the Freeborn coast, and continue to oppress the people of the Brass Coast. While they are not rounding up the population wholesale, orc slavers can pick and choose who to chain and drag back to waiting ships bound for the Broken Shore. There is much cruel humour among those slavers, who talk about the need for fresh new slaves since the "heroes" of the Empire stole so many during their attack on Dubhtraig and their raid on Beoraidh. They are careful only to enslave or rob Imperial citizens however - the small Asavean population that remains are left unmolested. Some, perhaps inspired by the example of the priests of Balo and the Black Bull, take advantage of this to offer sanctuary to Freeborn friends as best they can. A very few even risk transporting hidden refugees out of Feroz to safety in Madruga and Sarvos - usually in return for a great deal of money.

Our cousins in the Black Thorns march on Westwood with our Imperial allies. In the east the citadel guard aid us in Broceliande. We repay this trust by unleashing the dance of thorns on the Grendal infesting Feroz. Disperse amongst our Marcher allies, find the Grendal captains and push their hands for all to see. Poison their water, burn their supplies. Do whatever it takes.

Brennos Brackensong, General of the Quiet Step

The Temple remains closed to the Grendel. Astonishingly they still allow Asavean merchants and sailors to visit it - even those clearly planning to trade with the Empire. Indeed, there are rumours coming north with these merchants that Lord Rahab - the new orc governor of Feroz - is encouraging the priests to preach openly of their gods to any who will listen. "We are not the Empire," he is reported to have said. "We respect your freedom to speak of your faith, and we are not afraid of your words." A few priests have taken him up on his offer - some traveling as far afield as Shantarim and Cazar. In addition to preaching, they also bring back news of the other settlements - and of the progress of the war.

Despite their defeat at Osseini, the Grendel invasion continues. They press on to attack the islands and the shores of Fortargenta, launching their first raid against Bramar within a week of the Spring Equinox. The defenders hold out as best they can, desperate for aid from the rest of the Empire.

A trade hub of sorts, Bramar is perhaps best known as a stopping-off point between the Iron Confederacy and the wider Empire. Since the Imperial Senate imposed sanctions on Suranni traders - and since the southern Dukes declared an embargo on Imperial goods in retaliation - there have been few travelers coming north from the Confederacy. When the Grendel close in on Bramar, those Suranni citizens who remain simply pack up their belongings and depart for the border. It is noted by some observers that the Grendel do not make much effort to intercept them or take their valuables - suspicion is rife that the Iron Confederacy has made some sort of deal with the orcs of the Broken Shore. At first it seems unlikely, but then they did make a military pact with the Jotun to conquer the Lasambrian Hills. Surely the history of violence between their two nations would make any lasting treaty impossible? As with the matter of the Isle of the Osseini, the question of Suranni diplomacy is soon superceded by more immediate concerns.

Luckily, the people of Feroz are not forced to weather the Grendel storm alone. The Strong Reeds and Quiet Step have come east from Segura, pausing briefly to ensure the Spice Gardens are secure and then marching toward the coast to intercept the Grendel. They are quickly joined by the Bounders, fresh from furlough in the Mournwold, having traveled past Fort Braydon and down through the Cinnabar Hills to Morajasse. The journey is not easy; the gentler route through Tassato and along the banks of the Vassa is closed to the Marcher army now that the Grendel control Oranserai.

Shaking the thick red dust from their boots, the Bounders meet up with their fellows in the 'Reeds and take stock. Both Marcher armies are exploring new strategies; they have barely had time to adjust to the changes before being thrust into the thick of things. There is much talk of boundaries, and of making the most of the terrain - but the Grendel are already in Feroz and the Freeborn territory is composed almost entirely of rolling grasslands and islands neither of which lend themselves to guerilla tactics. Instead, the armies split their attentions - the Strong Reeds press into Oranseri while the Bounders move to engage the Grendel forces attacking Fortargenta.

Soldiers of the Strong Reeds, once again the Cowardly Grendel prey on undefended citizens. This season we will punish them. We will enjoy the benefits of the cunning Navarr, and we will be joined by the bounders. The time is to strike with passion, but to control that rage. Our attack will be measured, controlled and victorious.

Jack Flint, General of the Strong Reeds

For their part, the Quiet Step separate their forces, supporting both Marcher armies. They bring with them the cunning tactics of the Navarr - selective strikes against valuable opponents; envenomed blades; and the careful use of poison and fire to attack the Grendel supply lines and caches of provisions. They liberally share their cunning with their allies. There always seems to be an apothecary ready to provide a band with something special to smear on their halberds, or a band of scouts who have identified the perfect location from which to launch volleys of arrows on unsuspecting orcs. With their assistance, the Imperial forces are able to kill a number of important targets among the Grendel forces including many healers and magicians; a handful of beast tamers; and one of the Grendel's powerful quartermasters.

Some of the Marcher soldiers tell stories of peculiar allies who supposedly fight alongside the Navarr of the Quiet Step in Feroz. Close-mouthed battle-magicians who wield venom and curse with cruel precision. Swift-footed creatures with deadly fangs and tearing claws, their faces concealed beneath thick veils and heavy cowls. Even stories of dog-sized scorpions that emerge from the shadows and fight alongside the heirs of Terunael, frenziedly attacking the drakes and war beasts of the Grendel with wicked pincers and dripping stingers. For their part, the Navarr neither confirm nor deny the presence of these unsettling companions, and simply change the subject.

The Imperial forces are further supported by nearly a score of warbands lead by independant captains - primarily Marchers but with a strong contingent of Winterfolk among their number. The initial base of operations is established around the site of Mora's Rock - the incomplete fortification that squats above the town of Mora in Morajasse. It is very nearly finished - and partially garrisoned - but the soldiers here must focus their attention on protecting the construction site. It would be a tragic loss if the Grendel were able to push past and attack the fort before its walls and keep are completed.

Eastern Feroz is much more densely populated than Segura, at least near the coast. The bulk of the fighting takes place not amid rolling grasslands, but in towns and villages, or on the well-maintained roads that connect them. The Grendel seem unprepared for the presence of Imperial forces approaching from the west, and the Empire makes several quick gains. It does not last, however. The orcs it seems have arranged the bulk of their defensive force along the northern coast, watching the approach to Siroc, awaiting an invasion from Madruga. With characteristic discipline, they quickly refocus their efforts against the Strong Reeds. The Marcher advance falters, and is then slowly pushed back westward.

At the same time, the marines and mercenaries pushing through Fortargenta continue their relentless assault. The Bounders clash three times in bloody battles, winning one of the engagements but being forced to retreat in the other two. In the end, they join up with the retreating Strong Reeds and the rest of the Navaar at Bramar and make a stand. Two days of vicious fighting ensue. The Marcher bill blocks and archers rain death on the approaching Grendel, but their positions are overrun one after another by disciplined orcs and savage land sharks. The main strength of the Grendel is in their navies, and they are simply able to bring too many troops to bear too quickly - and resupply those troops too efficiently - for the Imperial armies to hold out.

On the morning of the third day the order is given to abandon Bramar to the Grendel. Some Freeborn are able to retreat with the Imperial armies, others choose to take their chances with the Grendel in the hope that the Empire will liberate their town sooner rather than later. Another rich trading port falls to the Grendel; it encounters the same fate as the other wealthy towns along the Bay. It's valuables are looted, and its citizens become prey for the Grendel slave takers.

Not all the Grendel forces are focused on conquest, however. A significant number of them are more interested in securing the wealth of Feroz and transporting it back to the coast. They range farther afield than their compatriots engaged directly with the Imperial forces - making probing raids against Afar and Mora. A few adventurous warbands strike as far west as the Spice Gardens. They are not interested in conquest - in taking and holding land - but in looting and stealing as much as they can before retreating back to the main Grendel forces. That is not to say that they are cowards - there are pitched battles between Grendel contingents and the Imperial armies - but they retreat as soon as the fight begins to turn against them, fleeing with their ill-gotten loot back toward the ships that will take it far away from the Brass Coast.

As the Summer Solstice draws near the Gredel have almost - but not quite - secured the whole of Fortargenta. Imperial troops are still billeted in the east, however, not far from the town of Afar and the borders of Afarjasse. If those defenders had not been present, the Grendel would have easily conquered Fortargenta - and with it the entire territory of Feroz. But they could not have pushed any further, even if Feroz had remained defenceless. To a degree this exposes a weakness in the Grendel strategy here. Their reliance on their ships allows them to conquer the coast, and the islands, but the marines and soldier-sailors of the Grendel armada would be unable to make any headway into Moarajasse or Afarjasse. While their naval forces may be able to support their land forces, they have no chance of attacking the western regions of Feroz without boots-on-the-ground. This season, at least, there are no signs of those boots. If they had succeeded on the Isle of the Osseini things might have been different... but they did not succeed.

Indeed, if the Grendel had achieved even a sliver of success - if the Empire had been less committed to utterly preventing their rites - they might have raised enough spectres to make the difference here. Even a small force of shades would have given them the weight of numbers needed to completely conquer Fortargenta. Likewise, if the armies fighting here had received less support from independent captains, not just Bramar but the whole region would have been lost. Perhaps most ironically of all, had some of the Grendel forces been as committed to the conquest as their comrades - rather than looting the wealth of the Freeborn - they would have captured Feroz. As it is, they are still not quite there - although they are very close.

The fighting has been costly. All told more than fifteen hundred Imperial soldiers are dead, or captured by the Grendel and carried away in chains. The orcs themselves must have suffered similar casualties.

Game Information : Feroz

The Grendel control Oranseri and the Cazar Straits and are nine-tenths of the way toward conquering Fortargenta - and with it the territory.

They have also control both the offices of the Broken Shore Bounty and the Scorrero Nets. The one silver lining that exists is that while they are denying ilium to the Empire, the Grendel are themselves not in a position to claim their own bounty of star metal. Unfortunately, without the offices in Cazar and Oran, there is nobody to organise the collection of more ilium and as such nobody will get any ilium until either the offices are reclaimed... or the Grendel conquer enough of the Scorrero to be able to start panning for ilium of their own.

The Temple of Balo and the Black Bull remains in occupied territory, and as such the Imperial Delegate to the Temple in Feroz will be unable to access their ministry. The temple still stands - and is unmolested - and in the short term at least its conquest by the Grendel does not seem to have impacted Nemorian enthusiasm for Imperial trade. This outcome does have some implications for the previously released wind of fortune regarding Synod responses to the works of the Asavean Architect; it is not feasible for the faithful to take action against the temple while Oran is under the control of the Broken Shore orcs.

The raiding and looting by the Grendel forces in Feroz means that production of personal resources for characters based in the territory has been reduced. Every character in Feroz has lost 2 ranks from the production of their personal resource this season representing the damage done last season. They will suffer the same penalty next season due to the raids this season. If the Grendel continue to raid, that loss will continue until they stop or steps are taken to protect the citizens of Feroz from their attack.