(#Lorefight 142.1)

Storm clouds gathered over Naggaroth as a small flotilla of reaving vessels who’d come from their raid on Tor Dranil docked into Slaver’s Point, a popular slaving hub located within the Broken Lands around Karond Kar where many a mortal taken from the lands East of Naggaroth soon found themselves wedded to a master until their dying days.

Horns blew and the captives were forced to disembark from their vessels, made to endure icy rain and the spray of tidal waves the size of mountains crashing against the coastline and passed under the dreaded Slaver’s Gate beneath the watchful gaze of the hub’s master. Kaldor the Cruel, a former Asur would-be noble of House Coraith who trained as a swordmaster in Saphery before stealing a priceless jewel known as a Tear of Isha and betraying his kin after it transpired his father intended to leave his lands and titles to Kaldor’s brother Calaidan, taking one of his family’s swords with him. While Kaldor’s influenced withered in comparison to the four Druchii lords Hellebron had promoted to marshal Naggaroth’s defence during her and Admiral Fellheart’s absence: General Ebnir Soulflayer over in Naggarond, Drachau Rakarth of Karond Kar, Rakarth’s Hag Queen compatriot Malida and General Vashnaar up in the North, the money and manpower which churned through this tower still granted Kaldor significant influence in local Druchii affairs.

The high elf captives were paraded through the city, mocked in their droves by passing Witch Elves, spat on by dreadspears and bleakswords alike and lashed at by the whips of the masters should they dawdle as they were hurried along to the city’s marketplace. One by one the whimpering and malnourished elves were taken up to podiums to be displayed before the host of Druchii slavers. The lucky ones would merely be sold to work in some forsaken mine somewhere for the rest of their lives, the less fortunate would soon find themselves at the whims of some religious cult and its sisters whilst the least lucky of all, those purchased by the Beastlord of Karond Kar who tended to buy from here regulary, would soon find themselves being sent to Rakarth’s menagerie, there to be fed to one of his host of monstrosities in all likelihood. Bidding proceeded much the same as usual at first; 30 silver sovereigns here, a golden sovereign or two there, pricing could change quite dramatically based on the health and fitness of the slave in question but rarely if ever sold for more than 5 golden sovereigns. The auction continued for the next hour, going through hundreds of auctions with scarce seconds involved in most until finally the main attraction was called to the podium.

This prisoner, clad not only in the attire of a Shadow Warrior but specifically in the elite garb of the Grey regiment, had remained totally unmoved during questioning thus far having never even uttered his name by a time at which most of his peers were blurting their life stories and deepest insecurities just to spend precious seconds away from the torment of their captors’ torture. Despite not revealing himself, the auctioneers bared no doubt that this shadow warrior was the main attraction of this event. The Cruel Master of Slaver’s Point proceeded with the auction as according to custom which soon proceeded like this:

1. Beastlord Rakarth, who wished to feed the shadow warrior to his beasts: 50 silver sovereigns.

2. Karond Kar’s Hag Queen, Malida, who wished to sacrifice him: 78 silver sovereigns.

3. Dreadlord Draxor Bloodscar of Kassna Kor, who was intent on using him in his mines: 1 gold sovereign.

4. Rakarth: 2 gold sovereigns.

5. Malida: 2 gold and 73 silver sovereigns.

6. Rakarth: 3 gold and 10 silver sovereigns.

7. Ezresor, Master Assassin for the Black Council intent on interrogating the captive: 4 gold and 53 silver sovereigns.

8. Draxor Bloodscar: 6 gold sovereigns.

9. Ezresor: 6 gold and 1 silver sovereign.

10. Malida: 6 gold and 42 silver sovereigns.

11. Rakarth: 7 golden sovereigns.

The bidding continued much like this for some time, with each lord only narrowly outbidding the other when suddenly, a scarcely known rogue and an accompanying merchant stepped out from the crowd with a massive 16 golden sovereigns bid. Rakarth and Malida scrambled together to produce a 19 gold sovereign response only for the rogue to outmatch them again, now with a 21 gold bid. The Beastlord and Hag Queen decided it wasn’t worth continuing, there would always be cheaper slaves to sacrifice, and so they pulled out of the auction, giving the rogues a clear victory.

The imprisoned captain of the Grey Shadow Warriors was then taken to a cart and bound to it. The two rogues split company. One prepared to take Alatar to his new destination atop the cart while the other promised to stay here to gain more information on their enemies. As the cart took off, Alatar overheard the rogue who was staying saying his goodbyes to the rogue on the cart, saying goodbye to an elf named “Isilvar”

———————————————————————

Scarcely a week had passed before Slaver’s Point was brought to battle stations as upon the horizon, five Asur Hawkships appeared in the distance. By now the Druchii had heard of the Phoenix Court’s plans to send an invasion fleet to Naggaroth. Indeed, General Soulflayer had even sent Captain Mortharor of the Black Ark the Harbinger of Pain to intercept the fleet’s landing. But this, this was not that fleet. These hawkships were tiny, perhaps only containing around 250 sailors between them. Yet, despite their small size the crest on their sails were enough to give any Druchii pause. The Crow Sigil of Nagarythe, a standard denoting the personal retinues of the Shadow King himself!

Upon seeing the ships off in the distance Kaldor commanded his garrison to prepare their defences. Bolt throwers were positioned and loaded, whole scores of darkshards marked the upper echelons of the tower’s walls while below, Bleaksword and Dreadspear units barred the doors and stood vigilant. As this was all happening, the rogue prepared to mount atop a steed to head home having seen who was coming for him and his allies over there.While the Druchii prepared their defences, Alith Anar roused his crew of shadow walkers’ morale.

“Aesanar, my brothers and sisters in arms, today begins our hunt! The Druchii have always taken from us and thought they could do so without repercussions. They took our honour, our lands, our dearest loved ones and now they have taken one of you! Alatar was a captain and brother to us all who we know will never break under torture so long as we are coming for him. Will we forsake our brother? Will we let the Druchii take him from us as they have taken so much or shall we take from them for a change?”

The shadow walkers roared affirmatively.

“To our South the courts have their fleet. They say we should sail with them. But I have fought by your sides for centuries untold and I promise you know that I have more faith in your abilities than I would in any politicking army of thousands! Will you let me down?”

“No!!!”

“Then let us fight today! Let us stalk through their plains like wandering spirits, let our arrows pierce the sockets of their eyes like the crow’s beak and let us slice their guts out with our talon blades! If any Druchii surrenders to you and you think he may know of Alatar’s whereabouts. Good, perhaps there is hope for them yet. However, if they don’t appear to know anything or later are revealed to be casting deceptions, by all means, send them down to Morai-heg’s abyss where they belong for at least we all know the weather will be better there! To war!”

The hawkships came into the range of the bolt throwers and the Druchii proceeded to rain their first bolt volley down.

….

• Angry React: The Asur hawkships advanced toward the bleak tower but came under heavy fire as scores of darkshards fired from the walls while the repeater bolt crews targeted the ships’ sails, hoping to immobilise them. The ships’ crews sought cover behind a set of statues as they approached but alas it made little difference as one by one their sails were dislodged while in one ship’s case, artillery bolts actually sunk the whole thing. Realising they were being incapacitated the Aesanar abandoned their boats and swam for the mainland, hoping that the mage’s magic would keep them covered as they approached.

Unfortunately, the Druchii’s garrison was too powerful for as the shadow warriors came closer to the tower, the darkshards within only grew more and more accurate. Furthermore, the stormy seas proved doubly troublesome, keeping them from swimming in a straight line toward the coast or even flat-out drowning them beneath the waves.

Eventually, even the Shadow King and the mage providing cover were shot down by darkshard fire. Even those lucky few who managed to avoid crossbow fire and swim against the currents toward the mainland found themselves confronted by a wall of dreadspears, marking the end of the High Elves of Nagarythe’s chances.

….

Multi-shot bolts pierced through the air as the Shadow Warriors on board sought cover behind a set of bronze statues fixed to the mast whilst at the bows of the vessels, the shadow warriors revealed their own bolt throwers, only these ones carried harpoons rather than the traditional bolts the thrower was known for. The ships’ artillery pieces fired and five long harpoons lodged their way into the tower’s walls, creating a long roped connection between the ships and the tower for the warriors to clamber up.

Alith Anar led the way from his vessel as he swung his bow round the harpoon-line and proceeded to climb up the rope, pulling himself up by his hands while clenching his thighs around it in order to not fall off. His shadow walkers followed their master, each tearing up a few boards from their ship both as makeshift shields against arrow fire and as a symbolic promise they wouldn’t sail home until the mission was completed, as they all clambered up the rope. The other four ships did much the same, though the ship occupied by The Grey shadow warriors actually had a guest on board to help them scale the enemy tower. Belthania, a dark-haired archmage who’d lost favour in the Phoenix Court over her insatiable penchant for hallucinogenic mushrooms, had agreed to aid the Shadow King’s cause in return for the freedom to forage for mushrooms without judgement or condescension wherever they went. The Archmage tapped into the winds of magic, calling down a thick fog using the lore of Heavens to obscure the Druchii’s view of the shadow warriors scaling their walls before joining her bow-wielding allies in scaling the walls of Slaver’s Point.

One by one the Shadow Warriors and Walkers joined the rope-led procession in breaching the tower’s walls. Most Aesanars merely picked climbed the walls until they found a window or an untended crevice through which they could enter. However, Alith held onto his rope in an effort to reach the very top of the tower, to reach Kaldor the Cruel’s summit.

The shadow warriors ransacked their way through the tower with seeming ease, effortlessly switching between their swift bows and their swords as they outmatched the Druchii garrison through sheer skill alone, dodging and weaving between the bleakswords’ strikes and dreadspears’ lunges.

Finally, while all his allies were fighting below, the Shadow King of Nagarythe reached the top of Slaver’s Point where he found Kaldor, fully armoured and wielding a modified version of the greatsword he’d stolen from his family.

….

(Prelude to Wow and Laugh React)

Kaldor lifted his blade and swung upwards from a downwards position, much as a Swordmaster of Hoeth would, only for Alith Anar to evade the sword’s strike using an aerial cartwheel. Alith responded in kind, firing a quick shot of his bow into Kaldor’s stomach before withdrawing his own sword. Loec’s champion pressed his attack, evading another one of the angered swordmaster’s blows before stabbing his blade into the exposed areas of Kaldor’s armour around his left underarm. Finally, with the fallen swordmaster bleeding at two places in the torso, Alith finished Kaldor off by striking him at the neck.

Kaldor fell to the ground, bleeding out while Alith stood and redirected his attention toward a lone rider riding away from this tower with haste. The rogue was on his way back to his allies to warn them of the Shadow King’s coming. Well, at least that was his intention.

Alith cocked his moonbow, raised it high and readied to take his shot. His eyes drew, the air held still for just a moment and then…

….

• Wow React: Alith was suddenly stabbed through the back!

“Fool. I am burdened with immortality! Cursed to fall at none other than Calaidan of House Coraith’s hands! There is no way you could possibly best me!” Kaldor the Cruel yelled as he thrust his greatsword through the shadow king’s back, revelling in every moment as he twisted the blade in to end the Shadow King’s life.

And so, Kaldor the Cruel proceeded to finish the Shadow King off for good. Alith Anar died, the rogue escaped and it appeared that Alatar would never be found after all.

….

• Laugh React: Alith heard a noise and instinctively leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding Kaldor the Cruel’s blade after the dreadlord had arisen after his injury.

Alith raised his already drawn bow and loosed an arrow into Kaldor’s faceplate. The arrow struck its target and pierced through the helm, piercing Kaldor’s eye socket and boring a way through to the other end of the cruel lord’s skull. Kaldor fell to the ground seemingly dead only to start moving again moments later, turning himself over to crawl over toward his discarded blade.

Alith saw this an unleashed another arrow from his quiver through Kaldor’s right shoulderblade, then another through his abdomen, then one straight through the heart. But the dreadlord kept moving.

“I don’t understand… I killed you.” the Shadow King muttered bewildered.

“I cannot die” Kaldor roared through the sputter of blood on his lips only for the dreadlord to realise the true weight of his curse. His heart had stopped beating, he felt all the shock that came from every arrow stuck in his body yet even now, his curse forced him to keep drawing breath despite his wounds. “By the gods… I’m never going to die” Kaldor spoke, seemingly terrified by the enormity of his situation. The Dreadlord reached anew for his blade only for Alith to loose another arrow through his hand, lodging it into the tower’s stone.

“How much more of this do you want?” Alith asked as he loosed another two arrows into Kaldor’s back.

“It’s your fault… your kind do not belong here… if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be like this now” Kaldor insisted, showing no remorse for why Alith had come here.

Alith loosed another two arrows through the dreadlord’s chest only for Kaldor to begin furiously laughing at the whole situation, the futility of it all. The Shadow King grew more furious, removing his blade and slicing straight through Kaldor’s throat in an effort to shut him up.

The cruel lord lost the ability to speak, merely creating gurgling noises from then on as he still managed to breath despite all the arrows through his chest and his collapsed trachea. It was only then once Kaldor had stopped talking that Alith suddenly remembered the rogue that had set off. He leapt over to the wall but alas, the rogue was gone, having escaped while Alith was torturing his foe. No wonder Kaldor’s still living body had used its last spoken moments to laugh at the Shadow King…

….

(Prelude to Sad and Love React)

The cruel dreadlord of Slaver’s Point squared up against the Shadow King’s physique and asked “Do you really think you can beat one such as myself? One burdened with glorious immortality?”

“Oh I don’t know… bullies always claim to be unstoppable…doesn’t stop me from knocking them clean on their backs though.” the high elf responded.

However, Kaldor seemed taken aback, puzzled, even somewhat perturbed. Alith’s voice sounded nothing like the dreadlord had imagined. His voice gave off dulcet tones, a sweet, feminine reassurance even as seemingly out of nowhere Alith cast a lightning bolt from their hands and blasted Kaldor back. Kaldor fell and just as he did so, the real Alith Anar appeared from the shadows and ran his sword through Kaldor’s neck, relieving the dreadlord’s head from the weight of his wretched shoulders once and for all.

Kaldor’s head rolled onto the pave-stones of the tower’s balcony, prompting the false Shadow King to transform back into the archmage Belthania, having used a doppelgänger spell from the Lore of Shadows to take on Alith’s appearance such that he could sneak into the fortress undetected.

“So what’s this one’s deal?” Belthania asked, using her foot to turn the ranting head of Kaldor the Cruel over.

“A cursed it seems. Not to worry though, I have contacts in Yvresse who’ll surely know how to deal with such oddities. Now if you don’t mind, I have a hunt to finish.” Alith responded as he made his way to the edge of the balcony, caught the escaping rogue in his sights, drew his bow and loosed an arrow which swiftly flew through the air before landing in the rogue’s left shoulder, injuring him and knocking him off his horse which galloped off without him in fear.

With their foe de-mobilised, Alith summoned two shadow walkers to capture the rogue with him. The Shadow King approached the rogue who was laying on his side completely still, and reached out go turn him onto his back.

….

• Sad React: As Alith Anar turned the rogue he was suddenly struck by a pair of throwing knives. Alith gasped in shock as Hauclir stood up, withdrew his blade from its scabbard and finished his foe off by slashing him at his throat – all while using the Shadow King’s body as a shield against the two shadow walkers’ arrows.

Once Alith had died the two Shadow Walkers both drew their bows of course and loosed their arrows through the rogue’s head but alas, it was too late. Hauclir had had his revenge, Alith Anar was dead.

….

• Love React: Alith stood over the injured rogue and turned him over. As he did this, Hauclir attempted to stab the Shadow King through the chest only for Alith to instinctively evade his slash and for the Hauclir’s blade to be shot out of his hands by the Shadow Walkers.

Disarmed, Alith kicked Hauclir onto the ground and made his demands. “I know you know where they sent Alatar. I want a name. I want a location. Tell me now and I will make your death swift.”

“Aesanar scum!” Hauclir muttered before spitting at Alith’s boot. “I’m not telling you anything.”

“Oh really? You think because you are already injured, because you’re already dying that I can’t extract that information from you? You may be dying but there’s still plenty of time for me to hurt you.” Alith replied before placing his boot over Hauclir’s shoulder wound and twisting it into the gash.

Hauclir struggled in silence, trying to keep his secrets while simultaneously feeling unbearable pain until finally he gave up and screamed “Darkblade!” in anguish.

“Hag Graef?” Alith Anar stated as he backed off from the retainer.

“If you want your pup back so badly, travel to Hag Graef, there you’ll find him….but so too will you find your deaths…. Yasmir is waiting…” Hauclir warned as he finally gave up the ghost and died.

And so, the Shadow King knew where to find his ward. Hag Graef, the Black Crag. Breaking into such a place would surely be difficult, especially with the Darkblade siblings waiting for him… but then again, what possible options did he have?

(#Lorefight 142.2)

While to the North the Shadow King and his warriors assaulted Slaver’s Point in search of their lost comrade Alatar, the Elven fleet sailed toward what remained of the ancient city of Arnheim, the perfect staging ground for their invasion of Naggaroth.

Led by a collection of some of the Phoenix Court’s most influential minds: Prince Yvarn of Meletarn the Speaker of the Court, the son of the Phoenix Prince Yrellian, the wise archmage Belannaer, Prince Alastar the White Lion of Chrace, the Sealord Aislinn and Prince Bel’Korandras of Tiranoc, this fleet had bold ambitions for their invasion of the Druchii’s wastelands, especially given the Witch Queen’s absence. They too were pleased the Shadow King had involved himself in the war effort, for they hoped his exploits would serve their interests. They only wished he would obey their instructions now and then.

The elven armada crossed the Black Coast toward Arnheim with their fleet comprising of:

– Yrellian’s flagship the Seadrake. Known as the fastest elven ship to ever set sail, this vessel carried a battery of 20 bolt throwers, a sizeable crew of 1,800 soldiers, a Dragonblade ram at the bow and enough stable space to carry up to six dragons at once. Princes Yvarn and Alastar as well as the Archmage Belannaer sailed aboard this vessel as well.

– Aislinn’s golden eagle-prowed flagship with navy blue sails the Mist Maiden. Having lost his previous ship the Kalendirian to Lokhir Fellheart, Aislinn and his protege Kithre Seablaze were intent on not losing another. The Mist Maiden contained a battery of 30 bolt throwers, an immense crew of over 3,000 soldiers, a dragonblade ram and most interestingly, a compartment below the ship through which Aislinn could deploy his host of 8 bottle-green merwyrms.

– 4 traditional Dragonships – each armed with two dragonblade rams at their front/bow, a battery of up to 15 bolt throwers, a crew of 1,500 sailors and enough stable space for two dragons each. Prince Bel’Korandras rode atop one of these.

– 40 Eagleships – Standardised Asur warships containing up to 6 bolt throwers, stable space for a handful of eagles or phoenixes and a crew of 300 sailors each on board.

– 70 Hawkships – minor skirmishing vessels with a crew of around 50 on each ship – most had no artillery or monsters on board.

However, as the Black Coast came into view the Asur were greeted by a terrible foe. Captain Mortharor of the Harbinger of Pain had stationed his black ark containing a crew of over 8,000 corsairs as well as his accompanying flotilla of 30 Dreadships, vessels carrying a crew of up to 400 corsairs each, and Doomreavers, vessels of a similar size pulled by fearsome sea dragons/ Helldrakes before the straits into Armheim. There was nowhere else for the Asur fleet to go, the Clawed and Forbidden Coastlines were far too dangerous at this time of year to attempt a landing. In order to begin their invasion of Naggaroth, the Asur would need to go through the Druchii navy. Furthermore, despite being outnumbered, Mortharor had a secret weapon at his disposal. The Beastlord Rakarth of Karond Kar had given Mortharor a gift before coming here – a rare Beastmaster’s horn. Similar in principle to the Ithilmar Horns used in Caledor, these horns were used to bend ancient dragons to the Druchii’s will. However, unlike the horns in Caledor which were used to create a bond between a dragon and its rider, the Beastmaster’s equivalent was used to torture them instead, to twist them under its ear-splitting wail until they finally succumbed to his mastery. Should such a horn be heard by the Asur’s monsters, it could have a terrible effect on their sanity.

The time for battle had come, which fleet will prevail?….

• Laugh React: The Asur fleet engaged with the Dark Elves. Spells were chucked from ship to ship, vessels boarded and rammed each other and the black ark scored an impressive kill tally, sinking 12 eagleships and a single dragonship using its bolt thrower batteries and spelldecks while its fleet made short work of many lesser vessels, removing 30 hawkships from the battle. Still, the Asur eventually broke through the Dark Elf blockade and landed at Arnheim though Mortharor was able to abandon his vessel and live to fight another day…

….

• Love React: The Asur fleet sailed forward and engaged the black ark’s fleet, trading blows between each other before finally destroying the naval behemoth and causing the Dark Elf fleet to route. None of the Dragonships were destroyed in this incursion though around 30% of eagle and hawkships sank through the course of the battle.

….

• Sad React: The Asur fleet engaged the Druchii in an almighty naval battle. Mortharor’s horn proved effective, making many of the beasts in the Asur’s fleet rampage. The Mist Maiden and Seadrake were able to cope with this thanks to their advanced protective spells. However, 3 of the four other dragonships collapsed as their dragons turned on their crews and tore their ships asunder from the inside out, sinking them and killing Prince Bel’Korandras of Tiranoc. Eventually, the High Elf fleet were succesful and managed to land at Arnheim after sinking the black ark though unfortunately, between 60 and 70% of their army had perished under a combination of Dark Elf weaponry and their own monsters’ frenzy.

….

• Angry React: The Asur fleet advanced on the Harbinger of Pain while the archmage Belannaer flew ahead upon a dragon mount, dodging enemy fire as he prepared to clear a way for the fleet’s rams. However, Mortharor was ready for the archmage and thus blew on the horn he’d been given by Beastlord Rakarth. The archmage’s dragon went berserk, jostling through the air until finally it crashed into the water below, killing both itself and its rider. Mortharor’s fleet advanced, weighing down on the Asur’s dragonships using the blark ark’s firepower while the dreadships flanked the Asur fleet to cut off their escape. Maximum Asur casualties were inflicted, including all six dragonships and over 90% of the eagle and hawkships being sunk before they could flee back to Ulthuan. Even the mighty Seadrake, fastest in the Elven navy fell as it was attacked on all sides by the Druchii fleet.

….

• Wow React: The Asur fleet advanced on the Harbinger of Pain while the archmage Belannaer flew ahead upon a dragon mount, dodging enemy fire as he prepared to clear a way for the fleet’s rams. Sensing that Mortharor was about to unleash his scheme, Belannaer cast an almighty tempest spell which tore through the inner decks of the black ark’s command centres before turning back to the fleet to evade the horn’s range. Caught in utter disarray, the high elf dragonships rammed into the black ark, tearing it apart as its rocky hull sank below the waves. The remaining Asur fleet overpowered the Druchii fleet, causing the dark elf vessels to flee and the High Elves to land along the black coast with minimal casualties on their end totalling around 10% of their numbers.