(#Lorefight 102.1+ 102.2 + 102.3 + 102.4)

Following Alarielle’s battle with Grey Seer Skrittar, she and her escort of handmaidens and spearmen continued their long march from Avelorn to Karaz-a-Karak. On their way she came across an army led by the former King of Karak Hirn, Alrik Ranulfsson, who set off as soon as he caught wind of the Skaven ambush but simply hadn’t arrived in time to help the elves. Fortunately, the Asur won that skirmish so his services weren’t as necessarily anticipated but even then, he apologised to her for not arriving in time.
From then on Ranulfsson’s army escorted the Elven force in case of Greenskin ambushes. The Dwarf seemed more tolerable to Alarielle than most of his kin, for this one didn’t talk too often and wasn’t as boastful as most Dwarf monarchs yet even then, his tone of voice clearly betrayed the fact he would much rather be preparing his soldiers to retake his fallen hold from the Rat King rather than escorting elves and running errands for the new High King. Finally, they reached the capital settlement of the Dwarfs just in time for the diplomatic summit to end the war between the Dwarfs and the Wood Elf refugees which had been admitted into Avelorn by the Everqueen’s request. That night after supper, Alarielle and her personal bodyguard Lirazel ventured upstairs to the warplanning room at the highest point of this sub-terranian settlement where they were introduced to the new High King of the Dwarfs Belegar Ironhammer, his wife Vala Kemma and the Hand of the King, Queen Helga Longplaits and proceeded to begin negotiating…
Belegar: “How much d’ya say? If I had known you pointy-ears would demand so much of me gold I would never have accepted this negotiation in the first place. It’s an outrage! A scandal!”
Alarielle: “Well, that is the estimated cost of rehousing the remaining Asrai citizens and conducting funerals for the deceased of Athel Loren once our investigation of the damage has been completed.”
Belegar: “Haha, this elf’s tryin’a take me for a wazzuk! D’ya think word of tha outer world doesn’t make its way down here or something? We heard all about that crown yer court spent almost half a million gold on?”
Alarielle: “I believe the sum-total of the purchase ranged in the vicinity of 250,000 gold pieces.”
Belegar: “Either way, that’sa lot of moolah so yer people clearly don’t need the help.”
Alarielle: “With respects your majesty, I do not see why our people should pay the bill for a war we played no part in. We have nothing to pay reparations for on this occasion, but we feel those who do should be held to account, especially when claims of attempted genocide are involved.”
Belegar: “Genocide? Ya call a good bit of hammerin’ a genocide? How very much like ye faithless woodland sprites to over-exaggerate yer claims. An’ what of Thorgrim or Karak Izor, how much will de wee dendrophiles pay for them genocides?”
Alarielle: “In return to agreeing to our terms regarding the remuneration of the wood elves’ housing and possessions, the Kingdom of Avelorn is prepared to offer a sizeable degree of compensation for the reconstruction of your destroyed hold. Alternatively, should you not consider our terms, the Phoenix Court on Ulthuan may authorise state sanctions against the importing of gemstones into your port city of Barak Varr, something which could cause untold disruption among your runesmiths I fear.”
Belegar: “Ya think I give a dead deer’s arse for yer threats ya pointy-eared princess? Ya hold no power ‘ere and ye sound like a wee girl with all yer blabbering. D’ya think aye don’t see through ‘er act? She makes demands to ar people with all tha’ pretty soundin’, pompous nonsense but all sh’ really wishes is ill on me and me people!”
“An’ as for yar kin, perhaps yer king should come ‘n’ join me on me weekend troll hunts ta grow himself some muscle, right now me thinks me missus could beat the both of yer with an arm tie’ behind ‘er back. Oh, and if ya do threaten me again, I’ll split yer head open with me hammer ‘n’ shield. We will then see if yer still just as pretty on the inside!”
Vala Kemma: “I hope ya don’t take me husband too seriously. He’s quite tha spirited man when foreign women be about.”
Helga: “Thank ya Vala, but alas I am afraid ar king has a point. There is no way we could ever pay so much for yer rebuilding projects. Perhaps if we considered halfing this cost and ya provided some assurance of your side of tha compensation?”
Lirazel: “This is outrageous Queen Helga. I did not escort my Queen across this long journey just so her life could be threatened by your king without facing retaliation. I suggest you put a muzzle on that oaf before his tongue derails gets away from him and derails these entire peace talks.”
Alarielle: “Thank you, Lirazel.”
Belegar: “This stick-wieldin’ wench thinks she can makes demands of me? I wear the crown of Grudgebearer, a crown who’s previous owner fell at the hands of yer new allies’ friend so I best be warning ye ta tread lightly wee she-elf.”
Alarielle: “With respects your majesty, I think the time may have come to move past these petty insults and return to the matter of the peace talks. Queen Longplaits, what would you say to an intermittent arrangement to pay-“
Suddenly, the Everqueen’s questioning was interrupted when a Dwarf ranger ran into the room, having run upthe stairs here as quickly as he legs could take him, and shouted “We’re under attack! The vampires have taken the Northern milling route to AAAAAHHHH” he did scream as a zombie dragon burst through the council walls, crushing the ranger and blocking the stairwell with the wall’s falling debris.
As the Zombie Dragon landed inside the keep, the dreaded Lord of Sylvania Mannfred von Carstein dismounted followed shortly by his sibling Markos von Carstein and estranged family member Jerek von Carstein each on terrorgheists while an immense undead siege on the outer walls of Karaz-a-Karak could be seen outside. Jerek followed Mannfred in dismounting to allow his terrorgheist and Mannfred’s dragon to aid the undead attack outside while the ever-cautious Markos remained mounted as the three vampires entered the chamber. Markos’ terrorgheist instinctively drew interest towards Queen Vala Kemma who Queen Helga stood in front of while the more noble Jerek approached the Elves with his rapier.
As for Mannfred himself, he had only one target in mind. The High King.
Mannfred: “Good evening your majesties, sorry to spoil your talks but we’ve come a long way to kill you.”
Belegar: “Kill us? Ha! All you’ve come for is a good hammerin’ just like these knife-eared lasses ‘ere. Be gone with ya, vampire. Or we will be forced to show ya what a good grudging looks like.”
Mannfred chucked in response: “Oh, you know nothing of pain mortal. I bring your end and your pathetic city will soon follow.”
….

• Angry React: The Dwarf High King approached the Lord of Sylvania with his Shield of Defiance raised and his Hammer of Angrund clenched firmly in hand. Mannfred cast a leeching spell on the Dwarf as he approached but Belegar was barely fazed by this on account of his runic armour. The two clashed when Belegar came into range of Mannfred’s long scythe/sickle weapon which the Vampire swung over his head to pierce the Dwarf’s armour in a downward swing. However, Belegar caught the weapon’s arched blade between his shield and left shoulderpad, allowing him to twist the the weapon until the weapon’s head snapped off from the shaft leaving Mannfred holding only his sword and a wooden stick. Mannfred dropped the former scythe and lunged forward with his Sword of Unholy Power only to be blindsided by a swing from Belegar’s hammer to the vampire’s kneecaps. Belegar continued to clobber Mannfred’s legs, as each strike from his rune-forged weapon slowly sapped away the magical protections offered by Mannfred’s own Armour of Templehof until finally, Mannfred was knocked onto his back by a shove to his crotch from Belegar’s shield. From there, Belegar stood on top of Mannfred’s chest and continued to pound away at the Vampire’s bald head until nothing more than a gory splatter of blood, bone and decayed brains remained.

….

• Sad React: Mannfred advanced towards the Dwarf High King, swinging viciously with his scythe-like weapon to keep the Dwarf on edge. Belegar raised his shield in an attempt to block the scythe only to be caught when Mannfred changed the angle of his swing to pierce the side of Belegar’s torso. The pick wedged itself deep into Belegar’s body, tearing through the gromril armour as Mannfred used it to pull Belegar closer to him. Belegar struggled to fight the vampire while bleeding from his sides only to be humiliated by Mannfred who pulled the Dwarf’s shield from his hands with ease. Mannfred pressed on, blocking Belegar’s hammer swings with the sharpened edges of the Armour of Templehof or by well-timed elbow blocks. Finally, Mannfred had enough of toying with the Dwarf and removed the scythe from Belegar’s side before stabbing his Sword of Unholy Power into the very same incision. As the sword drank the High King’s blood, a wave of magical energy poured over and empowered the mighty Ruler of Sylvania, allowing him to cast the a horrifying Curse of Years spell so powerful that it totally ignored Belegar’s own magic resistance.

Belegar Angrund, the rightful King of Karak Eight Peaks, High King elect of the Karaz Ankor, the Ironhammer himself, laid on the ground dying. He bled out in agony as Mannfred hacked his scythe into the other side of the Dwarf’s torso, his skin shrivelled up, his hair fell out, his beard wilted and his heart failed him. His end had come.
….

• Love React: Mannfred advanced towards the Dwarf High King, swinging viciously with his scythe-like weapon to keep the Dwarf on edge. Belegar raised his shield in an attempt to block the scythe only to be caught when Mannfred changed the angle of his swing to pierce the side of Belegar’s torso. The pick wedged itself deep into Belegar’s body, tearing through the gromril armour as Mannfred used it to pull Belegar closer to him. Belegar struggled to fight the vampire while bleeding from his sides but continued to do so anyway. The scythe lodged in his torso allowed him to break the scythe’s staff in two with a single hammer blow while the sharp end remained in his body. Belegar lurched towards Mannfred and proceeded to wail on him with his hammer until Mannfred finally gave up and turned to flee.

However despite forcing the vampire to route, Belegar’s own life remained in jeopardy as his wound continued to bleed out. He would need someone with medical training to save him…. (Belegar only survives this option if either Vala Kemma or Alarielle survive in their own fights)
….

• Laugh React: As Belegar and Mannfred foot each other in the council chamber, the battle raged on outside. Mannfred’s zombie dragon flew around unencumbered as it destroyed dozens of gyrocopters. However, one of the gyrocopters hit by the dragon’s pestilential breath lost control and flew into the ceiling of the council room, exploding right above Mannfred & Belegar’s fight and crushing them both under falling debris.

….

• Wow React: Belegar charged towards Mannfred only to be surprised when rather for aiming for his body, Mannfred aimed his scythe to hook into the Dwarf’s beard. Belegar struggled to get free while Mannfred turned the shaft of his staff to coil the Dwarf’s beard around its blade, all while portraying a sadistic grin. Belegar attempted to slam his hammer against the vampire only to have it blasted from his hands by a gaze spell as Mannfred continued to weave Belegar’s beard along the shaft of his weapon until finally, with one last twisted cackle of delight, Mannfred cut Belegar’s beard off with his Sword of Unholy Power.

The Dwarf High King went into a frenzy, picking up his shield and holding its handle with both hands as he proceeded to punch the vampire over and over with it. Mannfred had no idea how to even react to his foes renewed sense of rage, it was as if the Ironhammer had been filled with a bloodthirster’s essence as Belegar clobbered the vampire repeatedly. He slapped Mannfred around, cutting his face as runic shards split from the shield and pierced him like shrapnel until Belegar finally got the vampire down to his own level after breaking both of his legs. Mannfred attempted to swing his sword in vain, only for Belegar to catch the sword in mid-air and stab Mannfred through the chest with it, straight through his own armour. Mannfred’s bravado turned to cowardice as he begged Belegar to let him go but the Dwarf never relented, tossing his shield aside and removing his gloves to punch the Lord of Sylvania to death with his own bare hands while Mannfred used what little magic he had left to call his allies to help him. (Mannfred only survives this option if either Markos or Jerek survive their fight and come to haul his broken body away before Belegar finishes him off)

While Mannfred approached Belegar Ironhammer, Markos von Carstein drifted towards the High King’s wife named Vala Kemma and the Hand of the King, Queen Helga Longplaits, last survivor of Clan Bronn.
While Mannfred was known throughout the realms for his overconfidence in the pursuit of the hunt, Markos remained cautious and so decided to stay mounted on his terrorgheist.
Who will come out alive?
….

• Angry React: Markos’ terrorgheist slowly treaded towards the Dwarf queens, backing them into a corner of the room until only to suddenly pounce. Helga was sent flying against the wall by the terrorgheist’s collision only for Markos to make short work of the true queen of Karak Eight Peaks as his mount took a huge bite out of her ranging from her right shoulder to her sternum. Helga stood up to fight once more only to suddenly be struck by the terrorgheist’s death shriek, killing her right where she stood.

….

• Sad React: Markos’ terrorgheist approached the Dwarf queens but Helga stood her ground, planting her feet as wide apart as her little legs could muster while she gripped her axe in one hand and her shield in the other. Markos signalled for his beast to charge head on and Helga took the brunt of the charge. Yet she did not go flying. Instead, she grabbed the beast’s head by its horns with her shield-carrying arm and planted her axe straight into its skull. Markos attempted to dismount his dying companion only to be killed by Helga who had ripped her axe from the terrorgheist’s skull, run over to him and pierced his chest with it before he could even unsheathe his sword.

….

• Wow React: Markos charged his terrorgheist into Queen Helga, lifting her off her feet and throwing her towards the wall behind her while he ordered his mount to finish her off. However, just as the terrorgheist was about to close in and finish the warrior queen off, only to lose concentration when Queen Vala threw a brick at the terrorgheist’s wing. The beast instinctively turned towards the High Queen who lead the beast towards an opposing wall in the corridor as Markos loudly shouted “No, destroy the warrior first you beast!” but the monster refused to heed its rider’s order. The terrorgheist pursued Queen Kemma chasing her down until finally, it lept at her only to smash through the wall behind her when she ducked, causing it and and its rider Markos von Carstein to be incinerated by the foundry furnace next door.

….

• Laugh React: Markos and his terrorgheist charged towards Queen Helga and launched her against the wall behind her. From there, Markos drew his attention to the unarmed wife to the High King and dismounted, commanding his terrorgheist to keep the warrior queen of Clan Bronn busy so he could claim victory. The terrorgheist beat Helga to a pulp, keeping her down as Markos approached Vala Kemma. She attempted to run from him or find some nearby weapons only to immediately be blasted by a Gaze of Nagash. The vampiric magic coursed through her system, tearing her apart from the inside. Markos stared at the suffering queen blankly for a second, only to put her out of her misery by stabbing her through the chest.

Upon seeing her queen killed, Helga Longplaits gave into a fit of rage, she grabbed her axe once more and proceeded to chop the monster apart from below until finally, enough of it had been destroyed for her to break free. Markos charged at her with his blade only to have his sword-wielding hand cut off by the wrist by her axe. Helga shoved her enemy to the ground with her shield as she lifted her axe to destroy him once and for all. (Markos is saved on the brink of death if either Mannfred, Jerek or at least one of the zombie dragon and terrorgheist from 102.4 survive)
….

• Love React: Markos motioned for his terrorgheist to destroy the warrior queen, Helga Longplaits. Helga attempted to tank the brunt of Markos’ attack, but the beast’s immense weight was too much for her and quickly began to crush her while it desperately clawed and attempted to gnaw at her skull. However, just as Helga finally gave way and died, Vala charged towards the terrorgheist after picking up Helga’s discarded axe and began chopping the terrorgheist apart with it. The terrorgheist dropped to the ground dead but Markos simply dismounted and unsheathed his sword. Vala swung at him with the axe but he simply caught its handle and tossed it aside as he continued to silently approach the High King’s wife. It would take a legendary warrior to save her now (Vala is only saved from Markos’ blade if either Lirazel or Belegar survive)

While the Dwarf Queens were backed into a corner by Markos on his fearsome terrorgheist and the Lord of Sylvania squared up against the Belegar Ironhammer, the Everqueen of Avelorn and her chief handmaiden & bodyguard were faced by a truly unusual vampire, Jerek von Carstein.
Born as the son of a witch hunter, Jerek Kruger grew up in Middenland with a strong hatred of the Undead and everyone who questioned Sigmar’s order. As such, it was of little surprise to his peers when he was chosen to join the Knights of the White Wolf, an organisation based in Middenheim to protect this province from heretical invaders until finally, he worked his way up to the rank of Grand Master. As the leader of the White Wolves, Jerek Kruger led the defence of Middenheim from Vlad von Carstein’s invasion force and amazingly, actually managed to push the vampire back out of Middenland. However, a year later Vlad returned to exact his terrible revenge. He dueled and defeated Kruger atop a temple spire in Middenheim, resulting in Jerek Kruger becoming Jerek von Carstein, the youngest of Vlad’s twisted farce of a family.
Ever since his transformation, Jerek has felt at odds with his new kin and their frankly monstrous ways. As such, he has taken on a more gentlemanly demeanour, wearing a suit of armour nicely covered by a well-tailored jacket and brandishing a rapier either as a tribute or a cruel mockery of his past father’s rank.
And so, Jerek approached the elves as Lirazel lifted her spear and stood in front of her pregnant queen and mistress, who bore Prince Tyrion’s child within, to protect her.
Jerek: “It pains me to spoil your evening, your Highness. But alas I have only ever possessed a single skill in which I truly excel, shall I show you it?” Jerek von Carstein smiled and unsheathed his rapier before taking on a fencing stance proclaiming “En garde!”
….

• Angry React: Lirazel advanced towards the gentlemanly Vampire, girating her spear at her sides as if it were the spinning blades of a gyrocopter which diminished Jerek’s ability to predict when her blow would come. Lirazel continued to spin her spear, countering every single sword’s lunge which Jerek took until finally, she whacked him round the back of his head with the spear’s rear shaft, which knocked Jerek to his knees and allowed Lirazel to finish him off by thrusting her spear straight into the grounded vampire.

….

• Sad React: Jerek approached Lirazel in his faux fencing stance, only to suddenly sidestep her when she lunged towards him with her spear. Lirazel turned around to kill the vampire who had evaded her. Sadly, her spear edged its way into his back only seconds after Jerek had stabbed the Everqueen in the stomach. Alarielle fell as she begun to bleed out. Lirazel did her best to apply pressure to the wound but lacked the training in the lore of life that her superior, Lady Ystranna, had. It would take an expert in the medical arts to save Alarielle and her unborn baby now. (Alarielle and her baby survives only if Vala Kemma survives or there is an overwhelming Dwarf victory in 102.4)

….

• Love React: Standing in his swordsman stance, Jerek slowly moved forward, blocking and countering each advance that Lirazel attempted with her spear, all while staying close enough to her that the Alarielle couldn’t bombard him with spells without risking friendly fire. As Lirazel grew more impatient with her swings, Jerek lunged forward all of a sudden and swiped his blade across her exposed throat. As Alarielle gasped in shock at her friend’s execution, Jerek suddenly leapt towards her, thrusting his rapier straight through her chest which had only been protected by the silken folds of her dress.

….

• Laugh React: Jerek prepared to advance towards Lirazel in his fencing stance only to suddenly be blasted from his feet by a burning gaze from the Everqueen. Jerek decided he was suddenly outmatched in this fight and turned to flee by jumping through the gap in the broken wall in which the vampire lords had entered this battle. As Jerek jumped from the building, he hoped either his terrorgheist or Mannfred’s zombie dragon would catch him before he hit the ground. (Jerek only survives if the zombie dragon or the terrorgheist in 102.4 survives)

….

• Wow React: Alarielle motioned for Lirazel to stand down and openly approached the vampiric swordsman without fear. When Jerek Von Carstein charged at her, Alarielle simply raised her hand palm up, causing the rapier’s blade to vanish in a haze of glittering sparks. Jerek was forced to cast aside the sword’ hilt as it burst into flames. However, Alarielle was far from finished.

She turned her purifying powers to Jerek himself, causing the vampire to yell in agony as she sought to rid him of his vampiric corruption.
Exposed musculature was once again clothed in flesh and skin, as warm colour revitalised his pale, dead skin once more. Within minutes, the vampire had been transformed with all the foul taint of necromancy once beset on him now undone. Jerek Von Kruger lived once more.

As the vampire lords all dueled with the Dwarf monarchs and Elves in the Council chambers of the Karaz-a-Karak above, the undead siege of the Karaz Ankor’s capital city commenced below.
The besieging Undead force consisted of:

• 1 Blood Knight Lord: Gorgivich Krakvald, distant relative to Walach Harkon.
• 1 Master Necromancer atop the RoR Claw of Nagash mortis engine.
• 5 Necromancers to ensure that magical bindings held in case the Vampire lords died.
• 2 Wight Kings
• 4 Lahmian Handmaidens
• 1 Zombie Dragon.
• 1 Terrorgheist
• 2 Varghulfs
• 180 Vargheists including 12 from the Devils of Swartzhafen
• 270 Blood Knights
• 10,000 Grave Guards including 90 from the RoR Sternsmen.
• 1,500 Black Knights
• 600 Dire Wolves
• 4,700 Fell Bats
• 1,000 Crypt Creatures
• 43,000 miscellaneous zombies and skeletons.

(= 61,267 Undead)The besieged Dwarf army consisted of:

• 4 Runelords including Kragg the Grimm.
• 1 Master Engineer flying in the RoR Skyhammer Gyrobomber
• 8 Runemsmiths
• 12 Thanes
• 150 Engineers in Gyrocopters
• 2 Flame Cannons positioned atop the city gates
• 8 Organ Guns
• 18 Grudge Throwers artillery crews attached to the walls.
• 700 Thunderers
• 200 Sisters of Avelorn
• 205 Irondrakes & Trollhammer Torpedoes.
• 2,500 Quarellers
• 1,000 Rangers
• 4,000 Ironbreakers including 90 from the RoR Norgrimling’s Ironbreakers.
• 500 Hammerers
• 300 High Elf spearmen.
• 6,000 Longbeards including 75 from the Ror Grumbling Guard.
• 10,000 Miners (most with blasting charges)
• 15,000 Dwarf Warriors

(= 40,108 Dwarfs)
Will Karaz-a-Karak prevail?

….

• Angry React: The Undead advanced towards the city walls but the Dwarfs stood firm as the Master Engineer gave the order to fire all they had at the invaders. The fell bats and vargheists advanced towards the walls only to be felled as the Thunderers, Sisters of Avelorn, Rangers and Quarrelers on the walls cleared enough of the bats away for the Organ guns to target the Vargheists. The two Varghulfs charged straight for the city gates, backed by the Sternsmen who pushed the undead battering ram but as they came into range they were suddenly all beset by the burning ammunition of the flame cannons and the Irondrakes based along the battlements above the gates. The varghulfs, with their innate weakness to fire, were scorched and died while the battering ram lit up in flames. The grudge thrower teams concentrated their fire on the siege towers which were manned by the grave guards, wiping out thousands of elite wights as they attempted to scale the walls. The zombie dragon and terrorgheist did some damage to the inner city but were soon gunned down by the gyrocopters and their brimstone weapony while the Skyhammer gyrobomber flew overhead, delivering bombing runs that killed zombies in their thousands. The undead continued to advance but the artillery continued to fire, now targetting the organ guns towards the Claw of Nagash and the other necromancers in their corpse carts to weaken undead binding even further. The hordes of zombies and skeletons charged at the walls of the city aimlessly while the black knights and blood knights made a desperate gambit towards the city gates in the hopes that they could all ram it by charge impact alone. Yet the thunderers, quarellers, sisters of Avelorn rangers and irondrakes pressed on, wiping out anything that neared the walls while those zombies and skeletons that did reach the walls and hoped to scale them from climbing over their kin soon met a surprise when miners and ironbreakers began lobbing their blasting charges over their city walls to destroy the invaders. Seeing that his army stood no chance of victory, Gorgivich Krakvald, the Blood Knight who had been placed in charge by Mannfred, gave the retreat order to his vampire kin in the blood knights thereby leaving all the undead to crumble and disintegrate behind them. However, as he rode away from the field, the gyrocopters suddenly flew overhead and cut off his escape, blasting Krakvald and all the remaining 250 Blood Knights to kingdom come. Having staved off the undead horde, the hammerers and dwarf warriors (who had seen surprisingly little action after all) returned to the central keep and the council chambers where they had seen the zombie dragon and two terrorgheists smash into earlier with the intent of ridding in of any malignant forces before celebrating with an almighty banquet afterwards. (ULTIMATE DWARF VICTORY OPTION. Regardless of whether the undead lords are able to kill the Dwarf & Elf lords in the other stories, Mannfred, Markos & his terrorgheist and Jerek are all killed afterwards anyway.)
  ….
• Laugh React: The undead advanced towards the city in one almighty force. As they did this, the Mannfred’s unmounted zombie dragon and Jerek’s terrorgheist flew over the ramparts, destroying dozens of artillery and thousands of dwarf marksmen with their pestilential breaths and death shrieks. As the dwarfs on the walls reeled from this initial devastating salvo, the vargheists and fell bats came into range. The dwarfs attempted to shoot them down but the fell bats acted as shields to the vargheists, thereby enabling the vargheists to get into melee and cause havoc. Meanwhile, the two varghulfs reached the great city gates and smashed through them with ease after the teams manning the flame cannons had been decimated by the dragon and terrorgheist attack. The varghulfs smashed into the dwarf ranks behind the gates, which were predominantly occupied by hammerers and ironbreakers, clobbering them in their hundreds before soon being reinforced by the Sternsmen, who had dropped the battering ram now that the gates were already broken, and the oncoming tide of Blood and Black Knights commanded by Gorgivich Krakvald. Meanwhile, the grave guard siege towers, giant masses of bone carved from long-destroyed monstrosities, embarked onto the walls, allowing the elite wights to finish the defenders on the outer walls off while the necromancers hung well back away from the walls to avoid being targetted. The gyrocopters and the Skyhammer gyrobombers flew over, hoping to clear the grave guards from the city walls only to be surprised when the vargheists and the terrorgheist smashed into the gyrocopters, savagely clawing at them to kill their engineer pilots. The skyhammer attempted to circumnavigate this savagery, only to suddenly be clutched out of the sky by the jaws of the zombie dragon from above. The dragon tore the master engineer from his cockpit only to then fling the fully armed gyrobomber into the ranks of the defending Dwarf warriors which lit them up in an almighty explosion. Seeing that the walls had been taken, Kragg the Grimm commanded the army to fall back towards the lower tunnels where they could then blow the bridges into the deeper Karak, taking thousands of undead with them. However, as he and the Dwarfs retreated into the tunnel they were suddenly met by a horrific sight, a second undead army!
  While the physical forces had been fighting for the walls, the spirit of

Countess Emmanuella von Templehof had lead an ethereal army of tens of thousands of banshees, hexwraiths and cairn wraiths through the soil into the tunnels below. This almighty spectral tide, highlighted in particular by two renowned units of hexwraiths known as the Beholden and the Chillgheists, charged up from the depths of the city, cramming the remaining Dwarfs between the spectral tide on one hand and the nightmarish on the other. The result was an absolute bloodshed for the Dwarfs whose city fell that day. It was said that the zombie dragon and terrorgheist alone killed almost thousand dwarf soldiers with their strafe runs though many, many more perished as the undead made their mark on the Karaz Ankor. As the undead tore through the city, the Blood Knights lead by Gorgivich Krakvald rode through the streets killing all in their path before making a rendezvous at the Dwarf keep to ensure Undead victory. (ULTIMATE UNDEAD VICTORY OPTION. Regardless of whether the dwarf/elf lords are able to kill the undead lords in the other stories, Belegar, Vala, Helga, Alarielle and Lirazel are all killed afterwards anyway.)
….

• Love React: The undead advanced towards the city in full force while the Dwarfs attempted to keep them at bay from range. The vargheists and fell bats flew towards, taking heavy casualties on the way but incurring significant damage once they landed. The zombie dragon and terrogheist flew down towards the ramparts in the aim of destroying the dwarf siege defences but the zombie dragon was outflanked by the regiments of gyrocopters who proceeded to fire at it with their brimstone guns while it flew overhead, attemping to wipe out the dwarf ranks with it pestilential breath. The dragon soon took critical damage and crashed into the streets below, crushing a hundred dwarf warriors or so as it skid and smashed into the ground while the terrorgheist flew away from the gyrocopters, only targetting areas of troop formations where it could safely skirmish without being shot at itself as the gyropters turned their attention to the vargheists and fell bats. The Sternsmen grave guards marched up to the gates and proceeded to break them with their battering ram, thereby allowing the varghulfs, crypt horrors, dire wolves and undead cavalry to reign havoc in the streets against the hammerers, spearmen, longbeards, ironbreakers, miners and dwarf warriors. At the same time, the grave guards docked onto the city walls with their siege towers followed shortly by the hordes of zombies and skeletons who clambered over one another to reach the ramparts. The undead and dwarfs fought valiantly for some time until Kragg the Grimm decided to spring the trap. He commanded the dwarfs to fall back towards the immense bridges into the city. The dwarf armies spread the order around via horn blows and the great mass of Dwarfs returned to the many bridgeways into the the lower levels while the undead pursued them. Many Dwarfs died during the route, being cut down by black knights and their blood knight masters. However, the Dwarf armies finally made it back and blew the bridges, taking the entirety of the Grave guards, both varghulfs, the blood kngiths and black knights with their lord and tens of thousands of zombies and skeletons with them. Having devestated the undead with this move, the remaining artillery batteries took down the remaining vargheists and enabled the gyrocopters and the skyhammer to finish the remaining undead off. The remaining necromancers sounded the retreat and the day had been one, but with terrible losses incurred on the Dwarf side. (The terrorgheist survives in this option so can be used by Vampire lords who wish to flee in the other stories)
  ….
• Sad React: The zombie dragon and terrorgheist descended onto the Dwarf city, destroying hundreds of them along the ramparts before casting pestilential breath on the ironhammers near the city gates. Meanwhile, the undead force commenced with their march on the Dwarf hold. The sky was flooded with fell bats and vargheists which took heavy casualties while obstructing Dwarf fire on their larger targets. However, rather than battering the door down either with a ram or by brute strength, the necromancers had an idea. The master necromancer atop the Claw of Nagash began to cast an almighty ritual with the help of the necromancers on their corpse carts before committing the ultimate heresy. The master necromancer raised the deceased ironbreakers behind the city gates into undead servitude! These undead ironbreakers rose to their feet and proceed to lift the barricades on the city gates as the other dwarfs desperately attempted to stop them. But it was too late, the gates were significantly weakened and the undead tide soon poured into the city, far earlier than the runelords had strategised for. And so a great battle commenced as the undead swept into the city, massacring all in sight. The Dwarfs attempted to reposition their artillery teams to further back into the city but there was no time to do so as tens of thousands of zombies, grave guards, crypt monstrosities and skeletons poured through the gates into the city. As such, the dwarf artillery continued their bombardment atop the walls, focussing fire on and destroying the terrorgheist before they finally succumbed to the zombie horde.
  The Dwarfs fought valiantly but eventually needed to fall back and so Kragg the Grimm gave the order to prepare the bridges for demolition. However, just as the perfect time came to destroy the bridges, the blood knight lord saw the rigging and motioned for the fell bats to fly into the Dwarf hydraulics, thereby preventing them from detonating. The city fell that day but though many Dwarfs were killed, many others survived, fleeing deep into the cavernous recesses beyond the city. Just before the city fell, the master engineer in the Skyhammer gyrobomber and a few other gyrocopters flew over to the keep and its council chambers, allowing any potential Dwarf or Elf survivors to latch onto its sides and hold on for dear life as the the flying machines fled deep into the tunnels of the city.
  ….
• Wow React: As the Undead besieged the Dwarf capital above, the Wood Elf insurgents lead by Durthu, Prince Oreon and Scout Champion Scarloc travelled even further underground via the path of the World Roots. Having already destroyed Karak Izor and several minor holds along the way, Durthu now had the most ambitious goal of all in sight, to destroy the seat of the High King. Durthu latched onto the world roots, totally unaware that his friend the Everqueen was in the keep nor did he care either way for whether the Undead survived. Durthu with help from the wood elves to tear the immense roots, since they grew thicker and thicker when deeper below the surface, until finally the roots collapsed. The Dwarf Karak began sinking into the soil beneath it while the surface and the mountain above came down on top of it as well. (ULTIMATE CARNAGE OPTION. Every character dies. Only Markos von Carstein may survive this option but only if he survives his fight in 1002.2 (as he is already mounted and therefore could feasibly out-fly the devastation.))