Divided Unity

And so it was the end of the Fortieth Year of the Second Age, the Third of the Great War of the Isles.  Much had changed in those three short years, the Empire riven with indecision and weakness had fallen quickly to the Northern Hordes.  The High Elves were the next to fall, their own weakness and abhorrence of blood shed led them to capitulate to their Dark Brethren.   And so it was the turn of the Beasts, their armies were crushed by magic and glistening armour of Bretonnia.  The end of the Third Year will be known for the clash of mighty navies fighting to the bitter end.  Hatred is now sown so deep that they would prefer to die rather then leave the field of battle to an enemy.  What were the options left, fight till all was destroyed? Not if the Norse had a say, not if there was even a glimmer of resolving the Fractured Isles.  Of course that might mean the subjugation of some of the native peoples, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good.

Map - Year 3, Turn 6

History of the Sundered Isles – The Fortieth Year of the Second Age. Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Sixth Campaign Month of the Great War.

Incident at the Vile Cliffs
The three armadas met off the coast of the Vile Cliffs (E8). The Ghost fleet had pushed east from
the Challenge Stone (E7) while the Bretonnian galleons (F8) had sailed north from Mist Gorge (F8).
The Druchii ships from Lyonesse (D8) and one of the fleets from Grimmenhagen (F10) had agreed to
meet at the Vile Cliffs but they were caught in the pincer attack. Though trapped amidst the rocks
they immediately responded and focussed all their initial energies on taking out the Bretonnian
ships. The zombie fleet held back initially to see what would happen. No side could get a decisive
advantage with the Bretonnian long range firepower being matched by the close range terror of
the Dark Elf monsters - and with the rising winds and the jagged rocks the battle simply became
unwinnable for both sides. Furious damage was unleashed. After just two hours one of the Dark Elf
fleets and the Bretonnian fleet had gone to the seabed. The undead then moved in to pick off the
remaining Druchii ships but the superior seamanship of the Dark Elf pirates balanced things out. The
engagement ended amidst a rising tempest as the Vampire captain clashed with the Dreadlord amid
the Black Ark itself. When the storm cleared there was nothing remaining....all four fleets were lost.
The dark legend of the vile cliffs would grow darker and for years after bones could be found washed
ashore.

Dark Elf
Not knowing of the catastrophe at the Vile Cliffs the last remaining Dark Elf fleet sailed west from
Grimmenhagen (F10) to anchor off Mist Gorge (F8). On Norslatch the Dark Elf expeditionary force
in Lyonesse (D8) advanced north into the swamp like Plains of Fimul (C8). In the darkness they
overwhelmed the few defenders of Fimul castle and the Druchii desperados raised the Witch King’s
standard over the fortress.

Bretonnia
With the surprise attack on Norslatch the Bretonnian home forces moved to secure the channel
between Norslatch and the Isle of Mists against a Druchii assault. They rode east from the Beast
Paths (C9) to Brayherd (C10). The exploratory force in Quenelles (D6) moved home to Couronne (C6) while the grand army in the Black Deeps (E11) reformed itself into two banners.

Vampire Counts
It was a frustrating month for the Liche Lord. His troops in Mist Gorge (F8) came up empty on
an exploration mission while his force in Giant’s Bed Mountains (F7) was betrayed. A rogue
Necromancer deserts from the force taking some close followers with him. All told the banner
loses 100 points of troops due to the desertion - and in the confusion the banner is paralysed forthe month. The last ghost ships moved east from Aquitaine (D7) to Lyonesse (D8) in the hope of
intercepting enemy ships. But the Dark Elves had long departed for their doom...

Dwarfs
D-day or ‘Dwarf’ day had arrived. The two armadas sailed west from the Twins (G7) and the Hissing
Coast (J6) and deposited their cargo of brave Dawi warriors ashore in Rockguts (H7) province and
the Creeping caves (J7). The invasion force met only light resistance and the ogre villages in both
provinces quickly fell. The Dwarfs had finally established their beachhead on Kanesdue Isle. The
remaining force on the Burning Isle unsuccessfully searched the sweeping deserts for signs of
ancient treasures.

Ogres
Riddled by indecision the Ogre Tyrant ordered his armies to stand. The only activity was the fleet
sailing east and out of harms way to Gash Kardak (H9).

Warriors of Chaos
The Chaos Lord cackled widely at the general disorder. The only Norse activity this month was that
the fleet in Hergig (F11) sailed north to Osthof (F12) where it deposited the army ashore.


Territorial Changes
Dark Elves take the Plains of Fimul (C8) from Bretonnia – fortress
Dwarfs take Rockguts (H7) from the Ogres – village
Dwarfs take Creeping Caves (J7) from the Ogres - village

Bodycount
2 Dark Elf fleets
1 Vampire fleet and 100 points of Vampire troops
1 Bretonnian fleet

The Temple of the Iron Hills

The old temple had been a place of pilgrimage in the days before the cataclysm. It had been a symbol of the unity of norslatch before the realm split in three.
 
The liche mused It had been a long trip to the top of the mountain. And the temple was still occupied. The ancient paladins had been corrupted. their bodied twisted and changed and their souls and minds darkened. Dangerous and unpredictable but very very useful in the grand scheme...

Vampire temple in the iron hills (C4) -
Rules: does not bridge the river - provides no revenue - counts as a fortress when defending - can never be 'captured' as it is sanctified to your race - if defeated the victor gets 2d6 revenue and the temple is removed - tile still counts as barren for deployment each campaign season but a special banner of knights (blood knights or black knights - no character) is deployed at the temple at the start of each campaign year - banner is worth a maximum of d6 x 100pts - this banner disbands each Winter.

Harakj pondered, or at least did the creature that once was Harakj, flicking the handle of his blade.  So much had changed since the "Coming" and not all of it good.  The Gods are fickle, the new Harakj knows all too well.  Which, he wondered, would have enough of an advantage to influence the next year of warring. The Lord Nurgle had had his time, fathering a time of calm stagnantedness , so had Khorne, the Empire fell under his influence.  Who next, would the status remain quo or would the armies march to war... He flicked the handle again, the wraith still twitched, even with the newly acquired items from the dead city took time in ending them...

Map - Year 3, Turn 5

“Get back to work Macdanalus you drunk”

“Yes my Lord”

History of the Sundered Isles – The Fortieth Year of the Second Age. Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Fifth Campaign Month of the Great War

Bretonnia
The assault on the Black Deeps began at dawn. Lines of Trebuchets rained death on the defenders
as the heavily armed foot knights made their assault. The siege lasted but nine hours before the
walls came down. Panicked street fighting ensued as the Bretonnian errantry forces and the
Kurgan tribesmen fought for control of every landmark. Kurgan ambushes in the south district
wiped out whole units of men-at-arms. But the Bretonni would not be denied and Baron Colbert’s
Questing Knights finally pushed through to the inner palace. The inner court of the palace had been
transformed into a shrine to the dark princeling Slannesh. The aghast yet resolute devotees of the
Lady held their nerve as their leader faced down an exalted champion of chaos. Long was the test of
arms but the purity of the Baron was true and he smote the fiend as his troops took the city.

The three Bretonnian armies in the Dark Forest (E10) and the Forest of Eyes (D11) converge on the
Black Deeps (E11). The Bretonnians storm the city and raise the fleur de lys – at the cost of 250
troops.

Meanwhile the last Bretonnian fleet moved to the coast off Mist Gorge (F8) on a mission to intercept
enemy activity. On Norslatch the army in Quenelles (D6) spends the month reorganising itself
following the mutiny of the previous month while the army in the Blood Grounds (B9) moves south
to the Beast Paths (C9).

Warriors of Chaos
It was a quite month in the Norse territories as the home army withdrew to the capital known only
as “The Cauldron” (C15) while the southern force passed west from Averland (G15) to Talabheim
(G14) and the army in Hersig (F11) boarded the fleet as it moved across from Bilbali (G12).

Dark Elf
The Dark Elf corsairs continued their campaign of piracy across the high seas. In a dramatic move
the Dread Captain of the Silver Scimitar (F8) set sail for Norslatch where he deposited his cargo of
corsairs and other ne’er do wells ashore. The Druchii veterans of the battle for Mist Gorge wreak
havoc on the frightened villagers and claim Lyonesse (D8) for the Witch King. Meanwhile the fleet
docked on the Silver River G11 pushed north to join Admiral Blackheart’s fleet off Grimmenhagen

(F10). Finally, the army in Karond Kar (J14) returned in triumph to the capital at Naggarond (I15).

Dwarf
The liberators of Karak Kadrin (G6) took ship again and sailed south where the fleet waited
menacingly off the coast of the Ogre held land known as the Twins (G7). On the Burning Isle the
southern Dwarf fleet finally made contact with the army stationed along the Hissing Coast (J6) and
the army was ordered aboard ship. On the Burning isle itself the last vestiges of the Ogre colonists
were removed as the Dwarf force in the Scorpion wastes (J4) moved to occupy the Bubbling Pits (J5). Finally, the army in Silverspear (H4) moved west and home to Karaz-a-Karak (H3).

Ogre Kingdom
The Ogres sounded the advance as both armies in Shattered Stone Bay (H8) marched to
Shambletown (G9) to await further orders. However the troops stationed at the Twins (G7) were
unable to complete their orders as sickness swept through the camp incapacitating the force for a
short while – 30 points worth of troops died in the epidemic. Ogres were reported to be unable to
finish their meals. The horror...

Vampire Counts
On Asur’s Rest the Undead set out as a long defensive line facing south. The troops in Mist Gorge
(F8) moved west to settle in the Giant’s Bed Mountains (F7) while one of the banners formerly
occupying the Glowing Crater (F9) moved to replace them in Mist Gorge (F8). The Ghost fleet
continued its long trek south and east and they finished the month off Aquitaine (D7) and the
Challenge Stone (E7). On Norslatch one of the two banners in Castle Templehof (D4) made its way
back to the capital in Mousillon (D3) while the banner in the Iron Hills (C4) discovered an ancient
temple atop a cloudy hill...

Territorial Changes
Bretonnians take the Black Deeps (E11) from the Kurgan – city
Dark Elves take Lyonesse (D8) from the Bretonnians – village
Dwarfs take the Bubbling Pits (J5) from the Ogres - barren

Bodycount
Brets lose 250 points of troops
Ogres lose 30 points of troops

Map - Year 3, Turn 4

Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Fourth Campaign Month of the Great War.

Warriors of Chaos

And so it was that the warlord of chaos accepted the wise council of his cabal of advisors and overruled his marauders. He took his men to the west and away from the ancient city of the dead (H16) and on to Averland (G15). Meanwhile the southern fleet continued its recon south and past the Walls of Azul (F13) through the coast off Bilbali (G12) while the army holed up in the Ice Plains (C16) spent a fruitless month hunting down ancient treasures. But the months of peace and boredom could not possibly last. The Osthof (F12) army roared south to spill blood for their dark gods and rampaged through Hergig (F11). Though they crushed all resistance they lost 150 troops in the effort. 

Bretonnia

The Kurgan tribulations continued with Bretonnian forces converging on the Dark Forest (E10) from the Forest of Eyes (D11) and by sea from Beastheart (E9). The combined armies thrashed the forest dwellers as a lesson to other resistors and lost but 50 troops. Smoke palls could be seen as far away as the Black Deeps. The third Bretonnian army on the Isle of Mists marched south to the Forest of Eyes (D11). The Black Deeps prepared their defences for the coming storm. The bored troops in Quenelles (D6) mutinied against their young lord. The troops are paralysed by momentary unrest and the force is unable to scout or move this month or the next. Finally, the force in the Blood Grounds (B9) sends out explorers to chart the ruined land but they report nothing of great interest.

Dwarf

The time had come to reclaim the ancient Dwarven lands on Asur’s Rest. With this in mind the fleet in Barak Varr (G5) sailed east to Karak Kadrin (G6). The Dwarf commandos went ashore and reclaimed the province from its undead masters. In the far south the Dwarf forces continued their long trek through the Burning Isle – the troops passed from the Scalded coast (K4) to the Scorpion wastes (J4) while the fleet journeyed from the Bubbling Pits (J5) to the Monoliths (K6) – only to be jeered from the shore by the belligerent goblin denizens. Finally the last Dwarf army retreated back west from Kazad Thrund (H5) to Silverspear (H4).

Dark Elf

While the Dwarfs were staking their claim from the west the Dark Elf fleets to the east were exerting their control over the high seas. The northern fleet raced west from Grimmenhagen (F10) to Mist Gorge (F8) making landfall with the army. The army in Bloodpeak (H10) also went ashore – honouring its alliance with the Ogres – before the fleet rushed north to Grimmenhagen (F10). Meanwhile the army in Cothique (I12) went ashore to claim rulership of that province while the fleet pushed north to Silver River (G11). Finally, the garrison on Kinsblood Isle (J13) pushed east to Karond Kar (J14).

Ogre Kingdom

The southern force in Shattered Stone Bay (H8) used the fleet to cross the channel while one of the other armies in the province were ordered west to garrison the ruined villages of the Twins (G7) – they would face off the Dwarf troops massing to the north west. The rest of the Ogre forces held their position.

Vampire counts

The ghost fleets continued their slow drift east along the northern coast of Asur’s Rest – by month’s end there were eerie fleets anchored off Parravon (E6) and Aquitaine (D7). On Norslatch the dark horde in Castle Drakenhof (C3) moved silently up and along the river to the Iron Hills (C4).

With the rains finally easing the Lord of Undeath ordered one of his three banners in the Glowing Crater (F9) north to Mist Gorge (F8). The Druchii raiders and the grim dead stumbled upon each other amongst the heathers and fens of Mist Gorge. The war for Asur’s Rest had begun:

The Battle of Mist Gorge

650pts of Dark Elves versus 1500pts of Vampire Counts

Result

Out of the mists they came. The corsairs and dark riders were assailed from all sides by strange loping creatures. Crackling sparks of lightnng fly back and forth. Neither side could gain an advantage as the vastly outnumbered and exhausted hold their own for hours against their tireless foe.The end came quickly as the left side of the dark elf line collapsed under the weight of a host of zombies and a raging varghulf. The black knights gave chase as the druchii fled to their ships..., a druchii trap! The undead warriors are crushed as the steep valley sides leading to the sea are collapsed down upon them.

A dark elf defeat as they are forced to retreat to the fleet offshore. Vampires hold mist gorge but suffer heavy casualties from a small dark elf rearguard.

Vc lose 300 troops
De lose 250 troops
Vc hold mist gorge
De retreat to the fleet offshore

Terrotorial Changes

Warriors of Chaos take Hergig (F11) from the Kurgan - village

Bretonnians take the Dark Forest (E10) from the Kurgan – village

Dwarfs take Karak Kadrin (G6) from the Vampire Counts – village

Dark Elves take Cothique (I12) from the Sea Elves - barren

Bodycount

Warriors lose 150 troops

Brets lose 50 troops

Map - Year 3, Turn 3

Macdanalus, scrivener to the King. The Third Year and Third Campaign Month of the Great War

Warriors of Chaos
In the Black Fire Coast (H16) the Norse searchers find the tomb of a long dead hero. The hero’s war
gear includes a magical weapon worth 100 points and magical armour worth 40 points. The General
seizes these treasures for his own use. His advisors counsel him to call off further searches and leave
the area as the omens are increasingly grim. The northern army marched south from the freezing
wastes (B16) with the intent of exploring the ice coast (C16). On the Isle of Mist the Norse armies
pulled back from their border with the Bretonnians – moving back from Beast Rock (C12) to Bjornling (B13) and from the Herding Plain (E12) to Uzkulak (D13). Meanwhile the Norse fleet in Osthof (F12) moved east off the Walls of Azul (F13).

Bretonnia
The Bretonnian fleet and army at the Vile Cliffs (E8) continued down to Beastheart (E9) but without
disembarking. Meanwhile scouts were sent out from the Forest of Eyes (D11) to assess the strength
of likely Kurgan resistance in the Black Deeps (E11) – The yeomen outriders report around 1200
worth of troops defending the area. The scouts return to the forest to consider this news. Back
on the Plain of Ruin (C11) the remaining forces strip the province of its unnatural boon – ending
the spell – but grabbing 3 extra baggage trains. Meanwhile the banner in Quenelles (D6) sent out
explorers to search the area – but came back empty handed, while the cavalry force in Bastonne (B7)
galloped east to the Blood Grounds (B9)

Kurgan
Celebrate their hard won freedom from oppression...

Dwarfs
The loyal army of Barak Varr (G5) boarded the ships docked in the harbour to await further
instructions while the veterans in Direbogs (I6) marched west and north to Kazad Thrund (H5). The
troops in the Scalded Coast (K4) engaged in a wasted search of the area – while the fleet sailed east
to the coast of the Bubbling Pits (J5). An expedition moving south from the Hissing Coast (J6) reveals an independent and hostile fortress in the Monoliths (K6) occupied by 800 points worth of foul Goblinoids – his troops urge attack while the Thane ponders his move.

Dwarf Lord – attack the fortress or retreat? (The dwarves choose to back off, for now...)

Dark Elves
The troops in Arnheim (K14) moved west to Tiranoc (J13) – but it was the sheer speed of the Druchiifleets that would define this month.

The fleet in Cothique (I12) sailed south to the Fortress of the Dawn (J12) to collect the army before
moving north again to Cothique (I12). The troops in Lothern (I11) boarded the fleet which then sped
north to Bloodpeak (H10) before setting anchor just off the Ogre coast. Finally, the troops in G12
boarded their fleet and set sail along the southern coast of the Isle of Mists – scouts going ashore for
water at Grimmenhagen (F10) reveal the province to be empty and barren. The fleet then rests off
the coast of Grimmenhagen.

Vampires
The Lord of Undeath made the call to split his horde at the Glowing Crater (F9) with one of the three
armies ordered north to Mist Gorge – however the army’s scouts are ambushed by bandits and
fail to return – the army is stuck at the Glowing Crater (F9). Meanwhile his forces on Norslatch all
advanced east – the army in Red River (D2) marching to Castle Drakenhof (C3) while the two armies
in Mousillon (D3) shambled to Castle Templehof (D4). Meanwhile the ghost fleet off Carcasonne (D5) sailed east to the independent fortress of Parravon (E6).

Ogres
The Ogres continued to organise their counterforce with the three armies in Shambletown (G9),
Shattered Stone Bay (H8) (both north of the channel) and Gash Kardak (H9) (south of the channel in
H8 – as max 1 army per fleet per turn) all gathered in a show of might in the province of Shattered
Stone Bay (H8.)

Storm of Magic
The howling storm of magic surged east and north before settling over the high and mysterious
mountains surrounding the Lost City of the Old Ones (G8)


Territorial Changes
The Monoliths (K6) becomes an independent Goblinoid fortress.
Grimmenhagen (F10) becomes an independent barren province aligned to the Kurgan confederation.
Yawn...

Bodycount
None! – Unless the Dwarfs get in a rumble...
And Warriors gain 140pts of magic items
Yawn...